Life In Sardinia
Posted on
October 17, 2017 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
The Guardian today on Ruth Davidson’s legendary commitment to the day job:
And an action shot of those packed-in crowds two weeks ago:
We hope nobody was injured in the crush.
For ‘Stand Up to Cancer’ charity. Question is: when will she stand up for Scotland?
Like shooting fish in a barrel now. They’ll be hoping nobody in their English readership has an internet connection.
And reads WoS.
What a load of pasty dough!
It’s such a shame that Rewth’s popularity has declined because she could do stand-up and join Alex on his tour.
Unfortunately, there’s only a job as a bouncer left…
Davidson is directly responsible for 260,000 Scottish children living below the poverty line. 500,000 adults are in penury and privation due to austerity cuts and handouts to the rich.
It is revealed today that there are now over 200 Food Banks in Scotland stretched to the limit.
The Charities themselves complain that the Blue Tories need to provide basic subsistence for our citizens and not rely on charities as the norm.
Of course the Blue Red and Yellow Tories are hell bent on destroying civic society in Scotland, and throughout these islands eventually.
Wee Fat Ruth is to appear on the Great British Fuck Off Celebrity Addition and her fee will be paid to ‘charity’.
What sick fuckwit classed this self promoting political failure as a ‘celebrity’? Who missed the irony?
This woman is personally responsible for people starving , some to death, yet she is appearing on a ‘charity’ cooking event?
She is a self promoting heartless little Tory Girl.
I see that someone is being threatened with prosecution in Norn Irn for declaring:-‘Fuck the DUP’.
Fuck Ruth Davidson. Fuck the BBC. Fuck the Great British Fuck Off.
I await my summons, or have we graduated to a knock on the door at 4 am yet?
Hahaha, saying that Rooth the Mooth has no trouble packing herself into her monkey boots and her black stay press suit. Activist favourite – its just silly.
Yet more deflection from any actual politics by the Ruth Davidson Party.
All that talk about her going down south to save the Tories was a stunt to allow her airtime for the line “it’s my job to create an alternative government for the people of Scotland”, and I predict all publicity she can drum up from now until the next Holyrood election will be similarly vacuous.
Given the state of the UK media you can’t fault folk for taking the easy option – remember when Boris was merely an amusing oddity on entertainment shows?
🙁
Why cant she get the secret Brexit impact report for Scotland. I think we should be told.
Would that be the same appearance where she told the Tory faithful to ‘man up’?
How to win friends and influence people.
I didn’t know Ruth Davidson was so popular.
Maybe next Year she would be better hiring a telephone kiosk for her party’s conference.
What was it exactly that she was doing when she was “packing them in” What was she packing in and where. Was it at the TK Max O/S section? Jist askin like.
Room half full???
Looks half empty to me!
People with an IQ are absolutely sick to
Death with UK Media propaganda.
I just hope the Brexit disaster moves at a pace
And we can find Scotland free from this vicious virus
Before good people turn to other desperate measures
To have their voice and the truth heard once more.
Proud Cybernat said on 17 October, 2017 at 3:26 pm
Question is: when will she stand up for Scotland?
I fear that’s unlikely, however I’m quite sure that Ms Davidson would be entirely prepared to Stand Up to Scotland and might even be willing to Stand Scotland up?
So do we get to refer to the 13 ‘Scottish’ Tories as The Baker’s Dozent? Or is that too ethnic?
Look at that tree rat eating a cake. Don’t be deflected by what’s going on in the EU.
Not Convinced says:
17 October, 2017 at 4:01 pm
Proud Cybernat said on 17 October, 2017 at 3:26 pm
Question is: when will she stand up for Scotland?
I fear that’s unlikely, however I’m quite sure that Ms Davidson would be entirely prepared to Stand Up to Scotland and might even be willing to Stand Scotland up?””
……………….
Maybe she will make a clootie dumpling as her signature dish.
I could continue on the theme of dumplings but good manners forbids.
“Room half full”….!!
Not even 1/3rd ‘full’.
Brain dead politician, on a brain dead programme, for a brain dead audience.
Sod her constituents..
suggestions box for tank commander
empire buscuits
eton mess
gypsy creams
piccanini pie
British nationalist Davidson is shallower than a squashed souffle.
Puffed up by England, burst by Scotland.
if ruth the tank commander appears in a ballroom gown then it is enough proof for that she is really susan calman. Is the calman commission finished or was it the smith commission? or both?
I see that the Guardian forgot to mention to it’s readers that Ms Popularity Davidson has fallen to third place in Scotland. No mention of them, Scottish Tories, being concerned that their party is full of racists, sectarian bigots and crackpots either.
All I can say is keep up the good work Ruth. Scunner the millions sitting at home with bare cupboards, due to your party, whilst you frolic around stuffing your face. Bad move and it won’t be too long before wee Wullie overtakes you.
Oh and eh no hard feelings, but I hope your sponge disnae rise.
Should be room half empty
sorry for going O/T early Rev .
link to opendemocracy.net
[…] Wings Over Scotland Life In Sardinia The Guardian today on Ruth Davidson’s legendary commitment to the day job: And an […]
@ Rev Did you no mean tae say Life in ah Sardine tin , that predictive text is ah bugger lol.
The winner of the sycophant of the year goes to the writer of that Guardian article. Packing them in….. really! 🙂
Raising money for charity – very good.
Running around trying to be a celebrity with PR stunts hither and thither whilst avoiding her own constituents – shameful.
Strikes me Ruth isn’t interested in being a constituency MSP so much as chasing fame.
And all this when the media UK wide actively don’t report or misreport what the First Minister of Scotland is actually doing FOR our country and not TOO it
Ruth Davidson represents everything that is wrong with Tory ideology and worse applauds the impoverishment of the many for the benefit of the few
And before anybody thinks I’m using Jeremy Corbyns words round the wrong way these were fine words when Nicola Sturgeon spoke them the right way round the first time in 2012
But Scotlands FM is actually doing something to achieve the CORRECT outcome of those words while both British Nationalist parties and their media pals are doing the opposite
Davidson is loathsome both politically and personally and that’s all I have to say about that
Dearie, dearie me, the EBC caught out again for putting out ‘FAKE’ news. Their pics gave the impression hall was packed, maybe she’s not as popular as she likes to think she is or maybe it was just the Tories dislike of anybody not ‘English’, Johnny foreigner (including Welsh, Irish & Scots).
Auld Rock
The average Tory is a 72 year old man. Looks like they are dying out. Apologises to all other 72 year old men. Not smeared with the Tory rush. Can’t come soon enough in Scotland. Tories back down to third place and could hit 4th quite soon. Especially when concerned citizens. Concerned about people not having enough to eat in a land of plenty. See Ruth Davidson stufffing her face with cake and white powders. The young bucks who joined because of the losers Cameron and Osbourne have left long ago.
Inflation up again. Prices going higher. Will be above 3% by Autumn. Interest rates going up as well. The usual Tory mess. Thatcher had unemployment over 3million in a smaller population size? and interest rates at 15%. Thatcher put unemployed on sickness benefit to increase their income. Along with MP’s on massive expense scandal.
Scottish industry and economy was devastated by Thatcher. She illegally and secretly took everything out of Scotland. The equivalent of £Billions used to improve London S/E. Scotland was left in poverty. The Tories are back at it. 40% taxes on Scottish Oil & Gas sector since Jan 2016. Losing 120,000 in Scotland. Now doing the same with the Whisky industry. They are totally ignorant and incompetent malicious and useless. They haven’t got a clue. They can’t count or read a balance sheet. Many representatives failed ‘business’ men or con men dragged in off the street. Bigots and racists. Twisted little conmen who insult others.
At less Scotland now has Devolution and the Scottish (SNP) Gov to stand up for Scotland and protect from the Tory/unionists. Protect the public services.
O/T
OECD says Scotland has one of the best performing economies in the UK. Story in Herald online.
Quote: “”
SCOTLAND has one of the best performing economies of the UK with wages and productivity outstripping every other area outside the south-east of England, a leading international think-tank has found.
The latest UK economic survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that Scotland has the third highest household income in the UK and EU immigration has fuelled a rise in productivity.
It also found that Edinburgh and Glasgow only lag behind London in the economic performances of all major UK cities.But the OECD is projecting economic growth of just one per cent next year, saying that the uncertainty of Brexitnegotiations is likely to leave the UK without a free-trade agreement with the EU by its official exit date in 2019.””
……….
suggestions box for tank commander
empire buscuits
eton mess
gypsy creams
piccanini pie
Wot – no orange cake?
I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take any more.
This over-bloated little nobody commands the attention of TV Land, and the Dead Tree Scrolls.
My how the MSM must laugh as they pedle this woman as the Great Blue/Red/Yellow Tory Unionist Hope.
Our MSM insult Scotland.
Any chance that Davidson, who according to her, is up to speed on how hard Davis and Liam Fox’s Department for Exiting the Human Race are working to get ‘the best deal for the country (England)’, can publish the damning Impact Analysis reporting that Scotland and the NE of England will be worst off when EngWaland sets sail for the World of Unfettered Trade in April 2019?
Inflation at 3%, but fuck it, let’s watch somebody baking a tart.
Man on the right about 5 or 6 rows back looks like John Lamont MP
Seems the “crowd” includes colleagues. Maybe not. But definitely a likeness.
sums up gov attitude as negative equity in “rest of England” when OCED shows what mess we are in and inflation rises the rise in “Grate British” shows supposed to create nostalgia for a non existing time when all were equal Brits and to pacify us. At least one historically privileged figure thought we should “eat cake” but this government instead says
“LET THEM WATCH CAKE”
The Guardian ran a story about Davidson appearing on the GBBO with the header “Rising Star.” That paper has an inexplicable boner for the Scottish Tories and for Davidson in particular. It’s unsettling.
O/T
Re Inquiry into Labour’s Vanity Tram Farce I see that today yet another attempt is being made to put the blame on the fiasco on to the SNP councillors who were against the whole thing.
Great stuff from prof steve keen.
Someone who we should be getting to talk about economics of indy..
link to rt.com
Is Amber Rudd the world’s worst poker player?
Colonel Rape Clause Ruth-less Davidson, should be the BBC’s star turn in the Great British F**k Off.
That’s one programme I’d watch.
This is miles off-topic, but, I just had to share it.
Just seen a post on facebook, about Jane Fonda being so-glad so-many people are prepared to protest about Trump and what he is doing to America.
The first comment underneath the post said: “Leave the country bitch”. It was posted by a Scots-born emigrant to the USA who has live over there for over 30-years. His profile picture has him, in his kilt, proudly proclaiming his Scottishness – yet, there he is, telling an native-born American to: “Leave the country bitch.”
Look on the bright side, that’s one less Tory-voting, “Proud Scot But” we have to worry about over here.
OT
Never realised https was faster than http. You can try both here:
link to httpvshttps.com
That Rev guy is ahead of himself, time for me to catch up!
So while inflation reaches a 5 year high with worse to come and the resultant negative effect on the cost of living for the 99% (with the potential for hyperinflation from the Quantative easing program looking even more likely).
Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk is invaded and captured by Iraqi Forces in what the most effective ground forces in the fight against Daesh the Kurdish Peshmerga say is an ‘a declaration of war’ in the post IS Middle East carve up of Syria/Iraq/Kurdistan.
The ongoing Brexit Omnishambles which will devastate employment, the importation of staples like food and fuel and hasten the repatriation of essential EU National workers back to whence they came.
We have:
Colonel Gadaftie starring as “The BritNat Marie Antoinette” in a Howl at the Yoon Production of “Let them watch me eat cake”.
O/T
The National:
Maybe Ruth could tell us in between baking depression cake, fat rascal cake and devils food cake what she’s going to do about Finlay Carson, Galloway and W Dumfries MSP, claiming £1200 on his Parliamentary expenses? Tax-payers money. Claiming for his OWN IT firm, CMS Broadband, to design a website for him.
jolly old EBC there, promoting one of their own. I sincerely hope this over inflated wind bag comes crashing down with a thud. cant come soon enough. NS should remind her constantly of her DAY JOB
Proud Cybernat says:
17 October, 2017 at 5:37 pm
suggestions box for tank commander
Ruby replies
She going to make a magic cake that you can eat and still have your cake.
It’s called the Brexit Cake.
To prove it she is going to eat the whole newly baked cake which will be covered in a Union Jack Fondant a as soon as she takes the last bite another Union Jack Fondant covered cake appears. The BBC will confirm that no special effects or tricks were used that Ruth Davidson rising star of stage and screen has proven that you can have your cake and eat it!
Do bake off charge anything for storage? Only asking cause if they don’t then could they please arrange storage of Colonel Fu Manchu Ruth Davidson-Gadaftie somewhere between episodes?
We need some peace and quiet in Scotland and storing this non stop bemoaning liar would surely be upper aired by one and all.
Just been reading up on that and well done Rev, he’s not as daft as he looks.
Ooops, hammer 🙁
and then there’s the lino, sorry referee’s assistant. But I guess we might know how his vote on UC would go.
Maybe he’ll hang out with some Catalonians while he’s over there, unless of course they know of him.
@Socrates MacSporran
What a nasty piece of work he is. It’s pond life like him that always show Scotland up. You are right though. One less Proud Scot But here but sadly that means America has one more Trumptard. A foreign one at that!
Europe really has it in for Catalonia.
They do nothing when the Spanish state sends in the clowns, then, for tomorrow night’s Barcelona game in the Champions League – they get Willie Collum in the middle and Douglas Ross on one line.
Lucky white heather.
Ruth plans to wield the axe to the current crop of dud Tory MSP’s, the un-elected Murdo Fraser’s jaiket must be on a shoogly peg. None dudder!
It’s quite easy to understand why the Grauniad supports Roothie as much as they do. Hardly anyone else in the Scottish Opposition in Holyrood is known down here (MIddle England) – not least thanks to the posturing of Roothie herself: Have I Got News For You?, Bake Off etc etc [cont. on p.92]
From the woman who gave you the dodgy opening of envelopes, the “joke” that things shouldn’t be placed out in the open or Scots would steal them (a joke if applied to any other national and racial group would be construed as racism) and her (military) uniform fetish, and much else besides, she is now due to rejoice in her soggy bottom before the world.
A nation weeps – and this Welshy feels the pain of my Scottish friends.
Yours ever,
O/T …. Totally.
I’ve just been reading that the reason for STV and BBC not showing Scottish home and away games is because the SFA sold the rights to Sky, meaning that the BBC / STV aren’t permitted to show the games. Is that right enough?
Hope she burns her union flapjacks.
It’s grim up north of the Watford Gap and its nothing to do with the SNP or the EU –it’s all down to the internal UK economic model.
In Sheffieldshire;
‘ Sheffield also has an inequality divide with the end of healthy living 10-15 years earlier in socioeconomically deprived communities for a number of reasons’
link to sheffield.gov.uk
In Yorkshire;
Yorkshire and Humber is one of the largest and most diverse of the English regions. There are stark and persistent inequalities in life expectancy and chronic ill health, both across the region and within local authority areas. Overall, Yorkshire and Humber has the third lowest life expectancy for both men and women; the highest levels of obesity, and the second highest rate of deaths in infancy among English regions.
clahrc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/health-inequalities
In Newcastleshire;
‘Women and men in the poorest areas of Newcastle die younger and live a larger proportion of their lives with a disability, compared to those in the richest areas. There is a difference of 12.6 years in male life expectancy between South Gosforth and Byker. Meanwhile, almost one in three children in Newcastle are classed as living in poverty’
link to ncl.ac.uk
Ditto in Liverpoolshire
‘The burden of ill health in the area means Liverpool residents have the lowest life expectancy in England and live four years less than the national average. Mortality rates for all cancers are 40% higher than in England and Wales and the mortality rate for lung cancer is 90% higher than the national average’
link to liverpool.ac.uk
Further north in Scotlandshire if it wasn’t for the efforts of the SG it would be even more grim;
‘In terms of policy there have been positive developments. Addressing health inequalities has become a clear and distinct priority for the Scottish Government. Helpfully, there is also now substantial evidence about a range of national and local policies that could be actioned to create a more equal society and to reduce health inequalities. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of efforts to reduce Glasgow’s and Scotland’s health and social inequalities will depend not only on the actions taken and their focus, but will require sustained effort and political will’
link to gcph.co.uk
Hardly ringing endorsements of better together for decades or the legacy of the Ruth Davidson Party. Scotland would benefit from extracting itself from the union of grim outcomes.
Petra – basically yes.
To be fair to Ruth, it is for charity, she doesn’t have a day job, it gets her away from the absolute roasters in the Scottish Conservatives for a bit and it gives her a leg up for challenging May
🙂
Hope she burns her union flapjacks.
Don’t think they will be doing this in the nip.
She is no being paid tae flaff aboot on the BBC.
And the bloody brass neck tae kid-on she is doing it to help cancer suffers…….
Ye know what would really help cancer suffers……
A NHS Scotland that nobody is trying to sell off.
An NHS Scotland that is funded fully and funded first
And seeing to that is what she is being paid to do.
Ask any voter and almost with out exception they will tell ye that’s what they want.
They certainly wouldn’t say she’s been voted in to play at being a BBC go to clown!
Seems she will do anything to avoid having to actually be an opposition to Nicola Sturgeon…. mibbi she canny dae it,and like all the kid’s in the class who cannot do the work…they create a diversion.
11 queen cakes for murdo
Eh thocht the Bake Off was now on Channel 4?
Eh wull git meh duffelcoat…
Rude Gal has made a career on little more than criticising Nicola for supposedly “not doing the day job”, yet here she is flaunting herself on another TV jamboree while Nicola is working as hard as she can to keep the wolf from all our doors. There’s hypocrisy and there’s damnable hypocrisy.
Hot Air tRuthless may be currently puffed up under the warm spotlight of friendly media, but once exposed to cold hard scrutiny, she’ll flop like a failed soufflé.
@ Fred at .8:36pm…”Ruth wielding the axe ..”
I don’t know about Murdo ‘nobody’s ever voted for’ Fraser, Fred, but I suspect that Davidson wants to get rid of the ‘James Kelly’ of her party, Annie Wells, for starters.
She went straight from Marks and Sparks to Holyrood and doesn’t have a scooby-doo. No political background / experience or qualifications. More than anything no brain either as far as I can make out.
She finished 3rd in the 2015 GE with 4.7% of the vote and 3rd in the Glasgow Provan Constituency election in 2016 with 8.6% of the vote.
In other words nobody bl**dy-well wanted her to win, speak for them, but she’s sitting in Holyrood, a Parliament that she has absolutely no respect for and collecting big bucks.
I despair of our Electoral system in Scotland and our MSM. Reading earlier that they’re the worst in Europe. The most biased. What on earth have the Scots done to deserve this?
…………………………
@ Welsh Sion at 8:45pm ……. “A Nation weeps – and this Welshy feels the pain of my Scottish friends.”
The country’s in some mess WS. No doubt about that with a bunch of buffoons been lording it over us for decades now, if not centuries. Thanks for showing some empathy for us, as we do for you and your people. Fingers crossed for a better future for all X
Petra at 8.51
That is the case – because the BBC offered a derisory sum to cover The Scottish team games.
Signature dish…tripe !
Hope she burns her Union Flaps Jack.
@ Paula at 9:05pm ….
Thanks Paula that clarifies the situation to some extent.
………………
@ Liz g at 9:11pm … “Brass neck..”
Spot on Liz. I was just reading a hellish story about a single mother with two young kids who has cancer. She was put onto Universal Credit and had to wait for months to get her money sorted out with all that (misery) entails. Then they sent her for a fit for work assessment. Seemingly her doctor was fizzing mad. Ms Davidson’s party has burdened cancer sufferers and their loved ones at probably one of the lowest points in their lives and I would imagine will all the stress and so on that they’ve created, have actually caused people to have the condition.
There’s something far wrong with Ruth Davidson and most other Tory politicians now, IMO. Narcissistic no doubt. She’s going to get involved in a programme relating to food, as people are starving the length and breadth of the country. She sat on a massive motability machine grinning her head off, as 50,000 disabled people had there’s removed from them.
She says she wants IQ tests carried out on potential future politicians for her party. I want psychological and psychiatric assessments carried out on the lot of them to, conversely, see if they’re ‘fit for work’.
…………………….
@ Phronesis at 9:02pm …… “It’s grim up north of the Watford Gap and it’s nothing to do with the SNP or the EU.”
Thanks for taking the time to post this information Phronesis (and other data previously). We all know that Westminster doesn’t seem to give a damn about anyone living north of London (and some within London), but it’s good to have research findings at our disposal to that effect. Too bad that it’s come to this in one of the richest countries in the World. Shame as it could all have been so different.
@ Dave at 9:39pm …. “BBC offered a derisory sum..”
Ah right! Get it now Dave. That’ll account for only 54% of license revenue being spent in Scotland (including producing programmes like QT) when over 100% is spent in England.
Just become aware of the following fundraiser aimed at formally challenging BBC misreporting/bias with documented evidence.
link to gofundme.com
I’ve added (just) a few pounds to the pot. It is getting near its target but, candidly, given how much time and energy we devote to criticising the BBC btl on Wings, I’m surprised it only has c. 130 contributors! The people involved do seem to have credibility for delivery following their previous campaign – so worth consideration.
Rock (13th May 2015 – “Moodievision: The Fall And Fall…”):
“Ruth Davidson is the most disgusting and nastiest politician in Scotland in my view.”
Andy Smith @ 9.43
or mince!
Tommy Sheppard showing why he should have been elected the SNP Westminster leader:
link to m.facebook.com
Nice to see Ruthies MPs getting their priorities right once again , why turn up for a vote on Universal Credit when you can be involved in a fitba game in Spain.
The excuses from the Torag party are, Mr Arswipe has the support of his colleagues, and his constituents, the first I don’t doubt, the latter is very much in question, and well done the voters in his constituency didn’t you do well, proud of yourselves now ? .
If you vote for the Tory party expect to get what you voted for, it’s to bad we can’t remove the protection the SNP are giving to all to ensure Westminster policy does not impact their lives,
Vote Tory get Tory policies it’s only fair now isn’t it .Why disappoint them .
ScottishPsyche @ 10:42 pm
Wow!! Many, many thanks for the link to Tommy Sheppard’s speech. MAGNIFICANT! This should be the standard – the combative but information-rich approach – that characterises SNP elected members’ contributions on every possible occasion, and in both parliaments.
link to m.facebook.com
The SNP MP’s elected who they wanted. Obviously it had to be who suited them to work together. Ian Blackford gave a right good speech at the SNP Conference. Smart guy. He got everything in. Asks good questions of May. Often wrong foots her.
O/T Yes Dundee are promoting “An Evening With Lesley Riddoch” on Thursday night from 19:00 to 20:30 at the Butterfly Cafe.
Sure it will be popular so be early if you fancy going.
Another O/T it is planned to have a meet up of like minded souls (Wingers) for the 11th Nov or 3 weeks this Saturday in Broughty Ferry Dundee. Just turn up, no need for notice and all welcome.
Proposed venue is Jolly’s a Wetherspoon pub/hotel in Gray St. Further details to follow. Beers cheap and company is good also the highest YES supporting city in Scotland so you can sure of being made welcome by the locals 🙂
I’m sure Davidson might be able to rustle up a good spotted dick(strap on variety).Tastey.
That’s entertainment.
The Guardian will hopefully do a front page spread on their rising star’s efforts come the time.
It’s important for the country that we see these things.
BBC and the Guardian keeping us all in the know.
British media at it’s best.
Scottish psyche @1042 pm . Absolutely terrific lecture for this Tory nonentity from Tommy Sheppard . More of this kind of “ straight talking” is required from our SNP members both at Westminster and Holyrood. Nothing “ mealy mouthed” here from Tommy , “straight talking” all the way. Take a lead from Tommy and get on the “ front foot” against this dispicable Tory government . Much more of this please, and thank you Tommy for “ showing the way” from now until our Independence Day.
It’s a shame it’s no “I’m a celebrity” where she’d be absent for a wee while and we could watch her being surrounded by cockroaches and slugs.
Oh wait… 😉
@ScottishPsyche 10.42pm
I’ll take more of that all day long from Tommy Shepherd and our team
Getting them telt
@ Alex
There is also an event in Douglas, Dundee on the 22nd. It’s a celebration o the scheme wi an Indy theme.
@stewartb 10.29
Chucked a few moths into the pot. I know the BBC are beyond embarrassment but the billboards hit home. Well worth supporting.
@frogesque
Hope you don’t mind, link for others. I too want it to succeed. Only £425 to reach the target, we can do that tonight.
link to gofundme.com
@Alex Clark 11.26
Fill yer boots!
If any fundraisers reach target or get oversubscribed it shows the barstewards we mean business. It’s far more effective than just some random bloke/ blokess having a moan down the pub!
Back on topic, Ms Davidson. I could rant and rave but I won’t because she in a nonentity as far as I’m concerned. An attention seeker that our complicit MSM fawn over.
The truth, Ruth is somewhat different, she’s a straw in the wind that bends anyway her handlers tell her too. Look at her backtracking on the Brexit issue. Look at her handling of the racist and bigoted in her own party.
“Get on with the day job” she screams at the FM while ignoring her constituents as I believe (can’t be certain) she has only ever had one constituency surgery in Edinburgh since being elected.
Does she then care for the people that elected her? Not a jot, she’d rather bake a cake and get her face on the BBC.
Ruth Davidson is on the way out, she will eventually be seen for what she is, even by her current supporters and that is as a charlatan.
@ Alex
Eh micht hiv messed up whar eh wiz posting this. (It’s mushy season eftir ah an mebbe eh’ve tane some beh proxy or been spiked) 🙂
Saw a post fae you asking whar and when etc but, it dissapeppered when eh posted in response.
Onywey. Douglas 22nd “Toddy Rule Ya Bass” 🙂 😉
link to eveningtelegraph.co.uk
Last post wiz fir aff topic. Shorry 🙂
@William Wallace
That’s absolutely brilliant and more of what we need. Local communities spreading the word. I’ll pop along and have a peek.
Fair doo’s to the tele for reporting it.
@ Alex
This is what eh hiv been saying aff topic for a while. Actually wrote half an article aboot it fir meh blog but eh aywiz end up interrupted or pished 🙂
We hiv tae tak it back tae the schemes across all of Scotland and spread the message outwards.
It’s no leaders wir needing, it’s foot soldiers.
Here’s the article eh wiz trehin ti write, luckily we have fowk like Stu and Wee Ginger to git wi tae the finish line iy, instead o meh half finished shite 😉
Unity, Cohesion and Momentum.
Having read articles elsewhere on the supposed “fracturing” and lack of unity within the independence movement, I thought I would write this article to share my thoughts on what could potentially be done and to explore ways of working together to invigorate the movement and move forward with a wee bit more unity, cohesion, determination and purpose.
Scottish folk have always fought among themselves. It’s part of our makeup. 🙂 We love a good argument, there is no doubt about that. We argue daily over football, politics, history, current events and even about the best way to make stovies. Phrases like “Yir talking pish” or “awa and shite” are common place in our language because we love to disagree.
For me, this arguing among ourselves has in many ways allowed Scotland to punch above it’s weight. Through thrashing out ideas and replacing them with better ones, we have given the world so much in terms of creativity and invention.
Disagreement is always good for robust and healthy debate and furthers discussion and our own understanding. An old quote whose author is unknown to me states that “If two people agree on everything there will be nothing left to discuss”. Disagreeing with each other is entirely healthy.
Unfortunately, that part of our makeup has also facilitated division throughout Scotland’s history. From the warring clans of yesteryear to the minor divisions that exist today within the independence movement’s various factions. Minor squabbles can fester and become blistering sores. People or groups can become entrenched in defending their positions and this can result in a refusal to speak to each other or to work together for the greater good.
The quote from William Wallace when addressing the quarreling nobles immediately springs to mind when he states that “You’re so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshank’s table that you’ve missed your God-given right to something better”. Wise and rather apt words.
What we need now more than ever is a greater level of unity and cohesion, until such times as independence has been won. Arguing about what an independent Scotland should look like is putting the cart before the horse. The motto here should be that of the three muskateers “one for all and all for one”. We can argue about the rest later in an independent Scotland.
There are several things we could do to build unity and create a more effective and cohesive movement and I have some suggestions which I am sure can be expanded on further and fully fleshed out.
Firstly, an umbrella group that all factions are prepared to work with/under. We have to work together towards our solitary goal of independence, regardless of differences between other groups or individuals under one umbrella. We have only to look at Catalonia to see how effective this is. This will help prevent fracturing and improve unity and cohesion. As was stated a couple of weeks ago at the Hope over Fear rally in Glasgow, we have to tie our ropes together. Now is the time.
Secondly, an active presence now, in as many town and city centres as possible. Stalls, activists, bands, artists, screenings, literature, kids activities (facepainting etc) and general attention grabbing antics to gather crowds and spread the message. This has to be something of a permanent feature in our towns and cities until the battle is won.
Putting on pro indy gigs at night at pubs and clubs too in order to reinforce the message. Music is a great way of getting the message through and people are more receptive to messages through music than they are to long and monotonous speeches. Your musical instruments are your weapons in the fight for independence. A touring Indybus could be a good idea in this regard too.
Thirdly, mobilisation of your own schemes. People need to be encouraged back out of their comfort zones and onto the streets or into community centres, pubs and social clubs to engage with others in their communities about independence. There is an event for example in Douglas (Dundee) on October 22nd which is labelled as a community shindig but, it is also to celebrate the idea of independence.
link to eveningtelegraph.co.uk
We need this to be happening everywhere and as often as possible. Re-energise the movement through social and fun events in your local communities. Connect that communities events with neighbouring communities events and in turn neighbouring towns and cities events and keep the momentum going.
Keep it social
Keep it fun
That will encourage
Folk to come.
Finally, Media. We have got to regain control of the narrative and project Independence in a positive fashion. People are starting to believe the narrative of Unionist media about how “Scotland has had it’s vote”, “it’s divisive”, and how “no one wants another referendum” etc. They are beaten by this propaganda day and night and we need to counter that and the too wee, too poor and too stupid narrative. We need to get people believing again.
In order to do that we need to connect with people and present information regularly that contradicts the current media narrative. We can do this through the events mentioned above. Particularly through screenings and making leaflets/booklets available at these events. Even sharing leaflets in our local schemes with others is a step forward. Home printers putting together a couple of hundred leaflets each to hand around would help with that. Debunking media lies can be done but, we have to work tirelessly to get the message out there.
Write into your local newspapers “readers letters” section and create debate. Put stickers on lampposts advertising websites that will debunk the media myths and utilise Subvertising etc. We will not beat the media by trying to compete with them directly as we simply don’t have the resources. We have got to be more creative than that.
Saturating social media collectively with our own media and co-ordinating it’s linking and sharing is another possibility. Also collectively targetting MSM sites comments sections with pro indy messages and refuting claims made by journos, opinion pieces and btl commenters too. We have much work to do but it does not mean that it cannot be done.
We are many and they are few. Let’s get to work.
Ehm sure eh will finish it sometime. Meanwhile Stu, Paul and Craig will have done enough to write a novel each 😉
Here’s a reply elsewhere that makes it worthwhile:
“PNV… I like that…I’m not one (yet!)”.
PNV = Previous No Voter I used in my post.
There’s a lot of people who could move over. But not yet 🙂
I’m coming very reluctantly to the conclusion that in order to get indy we may have to wait until we are actually out of the EU and Brexit bites that we will have a majority for indy.
I had lunch with 3 friends last week, one I know definitely voted No, the other 2 definitely gave that impression. One saying that she hates nationalism, the other worrying about us losing the Barnett formula! I kid you not, all of these women have degrees and are retired teachers.
I tried my best but fear it fell on deaf ears.
Still Positive, in my experience, brainwashing has no respect for the well educated. Nor for anyone else who listens to propaganda without recognising it as such.
Jack Collatin says:
“…Fuck Ruth Davidson….” ?
All yours, pal.
Still Positive says:
18 October, 2017 at 1:29 am
“I had lunch with 3 friends …… One saying that she hates nationalism,…”
I think it deeply significant that SNP nationalism as outlined by Nicola Sturgeon in her conference speech is inclusive and welcoming of immigrants (as it should be FFS. as a matter of civility, humanity and economic rationality)
Much of the global ‘populism’ of results for Trump, Brexit, Netherlands, Germany, France, and now Austria are tainted by an exclusive nationalism. “Keep the buggers out!” is the clarion
call.
They are wrong. We are right. Scotland needs nationhood in order to share something good and lead the way. Time for a New Enlightenment. Some sanity in the world.
The case for Indy gets stronger the worse the Brexit case gets. But the deal is we wait and see then decide. I can’t see it’s going to be a difficult decision for anybody with a sense of self-preservation. Not unless there is a radical change of tone in the Brexit negotiations.
Two hours ago 5 live had a report about the state of health services across the UK on the news. The conclusion was that England, Wales an NI were all barely getting by, but Scotland was a shining star of all that is good.
In the news just finished that had been changed to they were all floundering. Maybe the person who changed the “separatists” headline had a hand in this amendment too?
Headlines though are all about performance slumping “across the UK” and some people will just take that away rather than congratulate Scotland for doing better
Thewasp – obviously listening to the same news as me! Although acknowledging the better performance of NHS Scotland the few comments are far from glowing.
O/T a bit.
While we’re all battering on about the EBC the nearest thing we have to TV at the moment (in my opinion) is the Independence Live team.
They have a crowdfunder on the go which is struggling. So, once again I ask, beg, plead, threaten (?) folks on here, give whatever you can.
link to independencelive.net
Only 44% funded with ONLY 5 days left.
O/T (apologies).
I work for the NHS in Highlands.
There are many, many challenges being faced by the service here and across Scotland as a whole.
There are many reasons for this.
However it is a tribute to staff and the Scottish Government that the BBC (snearingly) highlight the better performance in Scotland.
Just saying.
Things in Catalonia look like they can only get worse.
Spain’s judiciary has made clear that these are only the initial stages of a wholesale jailing of separatists. On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled that the referendum law passed by the Catalan parliament on September 6 is unconstitutional and devoid of any binding legal force, and that the Catalan parliament had placed itself “outside the law.”
The ruling opens the way for the prosecution of everyone who was either involved in organizing the October 1 referendum, or “failed to prevent” it. This would include Catalan Premier Carles Puigdemont, members of his government, mayors, councillors, officials and other individuals who participated in the referendum preparations.
The part of the article that really cheesed me off though was this:
On Tuesday, the European Commission refused to comment on the imprisonment of the separatist leaders, asserting once again that the Catalonia crisis is “an internal matter” concerning the “internal legal and constitutional order of Spain.”
link to wsws.org
Links
link to indyref2.scot
link to snp.org
link to tarffadvertiser.blogspot.co.uk
link to autonomyscotland.org
Iain Macwhirter though has a different opinion more in line with mine.
link to archive.is
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com
link to taxresearch.org.uk
link to politicshome.com
link to thelondoneconomic.com
Posted further links and got ‘This site can not be reached message both times.
Best wait and see if they appear.
Just in time Nana. Sandpaper and paint tins now on downtime. 🙂
Thanks Nana. Some of the headlines this morning make for grim reading:
“Brexit and terror attacks could be to blame for HUGE increase in hate crime on Merseyside” Liverpool Echo
“Brexit vote and terror attacks fuel massive surge in hate crime in Bristol area” Bristol Post
“Racially motivated hate crimes rise in Devon and Cornwall following Brexit vote” Cornwall Live
“Hate crimes in Wales up by 22%, Home Office data shows” BBC
Morning Macart.
You having a makeover? Now that my hubby is retired I’m making a list. He’s gonna wish he was back at work, lol
A few more links before you get back to it
My question to the Foreign Secretary today regarding his tastless remarks on Libya
link to twitter.com
link to newsnet.scot
Moray voted for this useless waste of space
link to archive.is
link to athousandflowers.net
Morning Alex, Here’s one of those headlines, grim indeed.
link to politicshome.com
‘It takes two to accelerate’ – EU’s Barnier on Brexit
link to archive.is
link to evolvepolitics.com
link to opendemocracy.net
link to euobserver.com
link to taxresearch.org.uk
Demo last evening in Barcelona
link to catalannews.com
link to politicalscrapbook.net
@Nana
More running repairs than makeover Nana, but yeah I’ve got one of those lists to get through too. (sigh) 😉
From the gender political Guardian perspective Ruth Davidson the Lesbian more than compensates for Ruth Davidson the Conservative.
In the imperial capital of social liberalism she’s accepted as one of ‘us’, not one of ‘them’. Lovely Ruthie! We just don’t appreciate the talents of the woman. What a collection of ingrates we all are!
Quick quiz question.
Who said this in a TV interview last night?
“The biggest nationalists are in Westminster and Whitehall, and not anywhere else in the United Kingdom.”
Answer (and confirmation later today).
Great linksmanship Nana! Is it safe to come out from out from under the bed though, in teamGB?
All your links can be countered with BBC r4 news hourly news headlines last night like, “Spain arrests Catalonia separatists” bong…
Fact is, BBC tories made Nigel Farage a household name, look where that got this farce union.
Colonel Ruth may well be selected for the next great BBC Farageification of UK politics, if only because there’s no other tory around the English don’t want to just naturally punch, Mike Gove style.
Ah the beeb gimp network, the fourth estate of Great Britain, the great defender and pillar of wonderful UKOK democracy, free speech, freedom of expression and entirely corrupted by very cunning tory creeps.
link to bbc.co.uk
Poor BBC Shortbread are having to somewhat grudgingly admit that the NHS Scotland have performed more effectively than Tory run England, Labour run Wales and DUP run NI.
What is more the stats as presented don’t show how Scotland have consistently been close to hitting targets for the last couple of years whereas the others have not been close at all. I wonder if HYS will open on the story. The same 7 or 8 rapid Tories that seem to virtually live in HYS will no doubt howl at the moon multiple times as they do with every story in Scotland 🙂
The BBC beatification of ‘Saint’ Ruth continues, surprised her OO supporters are OK with this.
HandandShrimp says:
18 October, 2017 at 9:35 am
‘Poor BBC Shortbread are having to somewhat grudgingly admit’
Someone must have slipped something in their cornflakes this morning – or maybe the boss is on holiday.
R4 broadcast their piece from Kirkuk featuring a Kurdish Yes voter who now regretted it. It finished with the usual BBC flourish, take home message, ‘so holding the referendum was a big mistake’ or words to that effect.
Switching over to Shortbread they were broadcasting the same piece, but mysteriously left out that final phrase. Very odd.
@Scottish Steve
The Graun like Oor Ruthie because she is a Lesbian. Now Kezia has shuffled off this mortal political coil there is only one of them left.
The Graun is the paper of identity politics. That is why the like her. In Graun land a Lesbian cannot be a bad Tory so she must ipso facto be a good Tory.
That is the mindset. Oh and she is a unionist to her bootstraps and is ridiculously tipped as a PM candidate. That that fact is a demonstration on how toxic and useless all the other candidates are has passed them by. She is no flavour of the month and we have to lump it.
It’s not about nationalism. It’s about right and wrong. It’s about being lied to incessantly for over hundred years and more. Those who were supposed to be your friend, Big brother who were supposed to be looking after your best combined interests are not. When really they were lying bastards trying to shaft everyone but their cronies. Who were in on the act of ripping £Billions off unto their never ending greedy pockets. Syphoning off £Billions. Killing millions of innocent people and breaking International Law with impunity. Killing their own citizens with a murderous thirst of shysters and gangsters. Causing misery and pain all over. Dirty stinking unionist politicians. With absolutely no shame. It has been going on for years and years. Over 100 years and more.
Scotland always warranted special treatment of abuse. Lied to and shafted because they thought there was nothing people could do about it. Hidden under the Official Secrets Act by dubious liar after dubious lies. Who knew they could get away with it. Policies that were hated imposed upon it. The economy deliberately ruined. White the Westminster lying bastards put the boot in. Scotland!s economy/industry. Totally ruined,deliberately for nothing but sheer and utter spite of higher taxes. Imposed by Westminster politicians of whom no one in Scotland voted
They hammered their own constituents in the bastard’s greed in self seeking wealth. Never has there been sure a bunch of ruthless greedy parasites put on this earth than unionists politicians, especially in Scotland. Devious malicious, lying greedy bastards extraordinaire. Of absolutely no talent, useless rotten liars. The only thing about nationalism is to try and out the boot into Scotland even further because they think they can get away with it. They think they can get away with anything. They are above the Law. These devious pathetic greedy lying criminals. They committ crime with impunity, unless the UN lays down the Law,
They only thing they fear is the public. If they got off their backsides instead of contemplating their navel. They can vote them out. The bastards can get kicked out to think again. Give them a good kicking, metaphorically speaking, before they can put the boot in again.As sure as hell they will. Brexit. What a disaster. Under a third support it. 17Million out of 45Million electorate. 62 Million population. The unionists are on a hiding to nothing. Has their even been more incompetent people than the Tories and unionists? The poorer will take the brunt of it as usual. There will be a backlash like never before.
The opposition could have voted the Tories down at the EVEL vote. 12th Sept. If they had voted how they were instructed. They would have won by 4 votes. They could have done, but no. Or If Sinn Fein had appeared. To take revenge for all Ireland has suffered over the years. That would have been brilliant. Sonething more important for the unionists is their bottom line. Their rake off ponzzi schemes. Getting even more public money into their back pockets.
They unionists don’t stand up for what is right. They represent what is right for their greedy, grasping pockets. Even if they take down and ruin the world economy. Starve innocent people. Wasting public money like there is no tomorrow. As long as they and their mates get their kick back of £Billions of public money. That is all they care about. Why they join a unionist political Party. Caroline Flynn etc. Has there ever been a more devious people. Opinionated, ignorant incompetents. £Trns of ever increasing debt.
Thatcher malicious thievery. She died alone. A demented old woman. A fitting end for her. Blair and Brown’s dishonesty, shafting murderers. They were and are still responsible, along with theur cronies, for millions of innocent deaths. Maiming and killing millions of people including children. Still going on. Greedy masonics etc breaking the Law. So Christian. Never out of the Church. With no compassion for anyone, They should be put in jail. Right now. The only thing that would placate millions of people would be if they were put in prison. If there was any justice. It might act as a deterrent. Unlike the useless nuclear weapons dumped on Scotland in secrecy against the people’s wishes They will be going with Brexit.
They are in prison of sorts guarded day and night for their own safety. What about the safety of others whose lives they have destroyed. They will have to look over their shoulder for the rest of their miserable lives. The uneccesssary misery they brought to so many people. These low live scumbags. All to line their own pockets with embezzled public money.
Brexit will be a disaster for Scotland. The Tories are doing the usual. Hiding the Report keeping it in secrecy They will keep it under the Official Secrets Act. If they do not get found out. Put a ‘D’ notice on it so no one can find out orvreport it. The ‘D’ notice can’t even be reported. That is how Westminster carries on. They try to govern in secret, especially when Scotland is not considered or consulted. No a lot. Not a lot. The not nice and dim Tories don’t know what they have started but the will get the brunt of it. Voted out very shortly. Booted out Into the wilderness for another thirty years. Especially in Scotland.
May can’t walk and talk at the same time, she is just a huge embarrassment. Along with her demented colleagues. Never has there been a bunch of such misfits. There is something wrong with most of them. You just need to look at them. Exhibit ‘A”s. There is something not quite right sbout most ov them. Unempathic bastards. Sycophants and criminals. Breaking International Law. Creating chaos. They haven’t got a clue. For crisis to crisis. What a way to run a government? They are a world laughing stock. Internationally despised.
The Tories have been ruining the Scottish economy. Imposing criminally, illegally high taxes on the Oil & Gas sector since 2010. Cutting relative exploration and production. Importing Oil & Gas. Impidtijg fracked Gas from the US and Gas from Norway. Norway is benefitting from Scottish Oil and Gas fields while Scotland is not. A damned disgrace. Losing Scotland 120,000 jobs and £Billions of revenues. Taxes don’t at 40% since Jan 2016. Corporation tax is less than 20%.
Now the Tories are doing it to the Whisky industry. They just can’t get enough. Stunting growth in other areas as well. Artificially beefing up the London S/E economy with Scotland’s assets and revenues. Needed in Scotland to support equality in the UK. Not to fund the wealthiest part of the UK. London S/E. Adding to the crippling economic congestion in London S/E with chronic traffic problems. Bringing the economy to a halt. Adding to the problems of health, inequality and fairness through out Britain.
Tories out. Roll on Independence when Scotland will have absolute autonomy. Not a pack iof devious liars interfering in the economy. Holding Scotland back. Brexit will put Scotland back years. The Report that shows it is being hidden by the lying deviates at Westminster. Just as well the Scottish (SNP) Gov is standing up for Scotland. Not letting them get away with it. There may be trouble ahead.
There are friends in the EU just waiting to give Scotland a helping hand and give Westminster criminals a bloody nose. They will support Scotland when Scotland goes for it. World class domination. Scottish invention and enterprise shaped the world and they know it. Still so advanced in many ways. Now thanks also to the SNP Gov. Innovation being developed in so many ways. Wave, wind, medicine, engineering and technology. Even space advances. Scotland is leading the way. In all sorts of interesting new technology. The Scottish Gov is investing in it and it is paying off. Along with excellent NHS and education.
The teaching unions are holding back teacher training by demanding Science and Maths graduates can’t get accepted into teacher training with o’level English. Just a nonsense. They are highky qualified in their fields, and have worked in high positions in industry, They would be great mentors for the pupils. There would be no shortage of teachers. It is ridiculous to reject such brilliant candidates for such ridiculous reasons. The teacher Union are trying to protect standards but that is just ridiculous. They are using a closed shop to protect their jobs. Not to enhance education the better for the pupils. John Swinney should have a word with them. To work out a simple solution.
When the next IndyRef comes along soon, all the preparation will be done. The ‘i’s will be dotted tge ‘t’ will be crossed. Everything will be out in place. A central bank etc. It will be all for the taking. A 50% support starting off. It will be a shorter more intense campaign to keep people more engaged. It will only start when it can be won, The numbers are right.. This time there will be no mistakes it will be won. No lying vows. Scotland can then make it’s own way to peace and prosperity. A more happy, equal place, The rest of the UK can keep on trying to muck up the world.The rest of the world might have something to say about that. Good luck, good bye and good riddance,
Inviting Ruth Davidson onto a charity fundraising baking programme is like inviting the Wolf to go door to door collecting for Little Red Riding Hood’s poor old half-eaten granny.
BREAKING from Pravda Quay:
link to imgur.com
My new MSP has some good stuff too, or is it bad?
link to stewartmcdonald.scot
HandandShrimp
The graph that BBC Shortbread have on their tweet is clear as mud, it must have been prepared by the not too successful dog food salesman to mask the failures outwith Scotland.
link to twitter.com
A bit o/t but as it involves the tory party it links . watching the Select committee on Universal Credit,
The two arswipes who are fielding questions on the problems of its implementation , it i was present i would have the b/rds by the throat these excuses for peopl are so totally removed from real people’s lives, it is a reflection on how this tory mob view people .
Neil Cowling the prick who is in charge of this total f/up seems to think and indeed gives the impression it’s a distraction from his busy day to answer searching questions.
Time after time he comes out with this data this data that missing the point totally , these people affected are not f/kn data , a total moral bloody bypass these clowns have had , disgusting is being nice , as for the friendly placements on the committee only there to assist these f/krs want slapped as well .
Alex Clark says:
18 October, 2017 at 7:44 am
The part of the article that really cheesed me off though was this:
On Tuesday, the European Commission refused to comment on the imprisonment of the separatist leaders, asserting once again that the Catalonia crisis is “an internal matter” concerning the “internal legal and constitutional order of Spain.”
Where have I heard that before?….
“He [Ross Greer] asked Mr Barnier if he was aware that the UK was offering positions outside its own competence and what was his view of that? Mr Barnier told the Committee that he was extremely interested in this debate, but that he could not comment on internal constitutional matters…”
Don’t be cheesed off Alex, start listening.
The key to European involvement is sovereignty. Every issue short of being a sovereign issue is a matter of internal domestic policy of the country with the recognised sovereignty, and the EU has no jurisdiction to intervene.
I cannot see any EU concessions, or different, special, or conciliatory treatment for Scotland distinct from the rest of the UK in the matter of Brexit for as long as it is UK Sovereignty, and only UK Sovereignty, which carries the international recognition.
N. Ireland is different, because there is an issue of sovereign dispute between two sovereign nations, with Ireland protecting its interests. Northern Ireland is the splice in the Venn diagram of Irish Sovereignty and UK Sovereignty.
I go back to Barnier again…
“Mr Barnier told the Committee that he received them with pleasure and that his door was open to them. He said that he had also received Scotland’s First Minister and the Welsh First Minister as well as other actors, but that he negotiated only with the UK Government”.
Read it again. The EU’s Brexit negotiator will only negotiate with the UK Government.
Chisel the word in my gravestone if you must, but Scotland MUST enact some division of UK sovereignty and require the EU to recognise that Scotland’s people are sovereign, and that Westminster’s overruling of Scotland’s Remain vote is unconstitutional.
Even if the action itself fails to derail the UK Brexit negotiations, (although I believe it will and must), it can and will establish Scottish Sovereignty as a benchmark for recognition and respect. Crucially, whenever Scotland raises an issue of EU membership or Brexit, the matter will no longer be closed down as an internal matter for the UK.
The Scottish Government is crazy to leave the key issue of sovereignty out of their Brexit strategy. It is a legal state of constitutional definition, which does not require a democratic mandate to exist, nor by any democratic mandate can it cease to exist.
Europe, and the wider world is currently recognising the unitary, solitary, Sovereignty of the United Kingdom. For as long as Scotland’s Sovereignty is invisible to them, then so is the Nation of Scotland, and our emancipation from the Union is seen by all as a domestic, internal issue of the UK. Nobody will recognise Scotland on their own initiative.
Before you say it, for sure as eggs is eggs somebody will, it is NOT a UDI. Scotland does not require to declare itself independent. It should, I hope, as a first stage, suffice for Scotland to declare itself sovereign, but bound in a recognised bipartite political Union, but where there are disputed competencies, and where the issue of sovereignty in particular is disputed.
Even if full sovereign recognition is slow in coming, (and it could take as long or as short a time as we wanted), International recognition of disputed sovereignty cuts both ways. It would be implicit in the recognition that Scottish sovereignty was disputed, for UK Parliamentary sovereignty to suddenly share the same “disputed” recognition.
It may not sound much, but the difference it would make to Scotland’s predicament of waiting in silence in the wings would be epic. If sovereignty was to be formally disputed, then resolution of that constitutional dispute would predicate any and every matter of Brexit negotiation and even wider implementation of UK sovereignty. The UK Government would be paralysed, or at least qualified in what it could do, until it could verify it’s constitutional competence.
Win the Constitutional battle, and Scotland, not Westminster, will be negotiating our own status in Europe.
The transition period between Scotland having “disputed” sovereignty and internationally recognised full sovereignty should, with the goodwill of Europe, be sufficient to make probationary agreements about EU membership, negotiations, all else that’s required, and then have such agreements held in stasis pending ratification consistent with our sovereignty itself being recognised. In essence these commitments would be letters of intent, to be honoured when Scotland’s Sovereignty was no longer held in trust.
Sovereignty is the game changer, but currently I passionately believe we are missing our window of opportunity to have it secure our victory.
Think process; where we are, where are going, where we will be.
Think process; we are an internal UK matter, we should wish to make ourselves a case of disputed sovereignty between two nations, when the dust settles, there will be international recognition of two distinct sovereign Nations, Scotland, and England. Let us be done with stage 1, as an internal matter of the UK, nobody can deal with us. Let us move on to Stage 2, get the UK Sovereignty disputed. Create the ambiguity and uncertainty, and introduce the new contender into the ring- Scottish Sovereignty.
Don’t, please, put on the SNPbad blinkers or whine about me harping on about sovereignty again. This is an issue of vital importance which needs to be well handled, not ignored. That isn’t SNPbad, it is potentially the very much worse case of SNP Constitutional negligence.
It’s a vision thing. People cannot seem to recognise our sovereignty without seeing it in terms of a UDI that prompts riots, tear gas, and blood in the streets. That vision is simply wrong, and so wrong it might even be Unionist propaganda. Establish a credible argument for UK Parliamentary Sovereignty to be disputed, and suddenly both sovereignties, Scottish and UK, are suddenly in limbo pending a constitutional audit and resolution of claims.
Just as Michel Barnier is paralysed in what we can currently do faced with the internal matters of a sovereign country, if UK sovereignty was thus formally disputed, Barnier would be equally paralysed in what he could agree with Westminster. The kill switch on UK Brexit is thrown, and whether or not the UK itself survives, Westminster has been brought to account by Scotland’s sovereign constitution, and suddenly the whole hegemony of Westminster Government is up in the air.
Then, by all means, after our constitutional interests have been made secure, knock yourselves out getting the opinion polls to swing. I’m not being facetious, because as people rightly say, we still need a democratic majority to ratify that we accept the rule and definition of the law, and we also need a peace-keeping plebiscite to vent anger and lessen the Unionist backlash. But Scotland will be able to shepherd its doubters into believers and acceptors while safe within our borders, secure in our constitution, and settled in our economic security.
For England, the England we might otherwise be shackled to, the prognosis is not so positive. Please don’t think of that as heartless. I am a realist, and Scotland’s capacity to steer our neighbours away from harm simply does not exist.
It’s OK. On the Ruth front the establishment is treating the Scottish electorate as half-wits.
I don’t know what benefit it thinks it will get from Ruth on Bake Off and such like as it already has the half-wit vote.
Martin Hannan’s piece about this in today’s National is terrific.
The liberal, metro-left media love Davidson not just because she’s a lesbian, of the right attitudinal stamp, but because she’s a unionist, ie right-on establishment, lesbian which merits a general absolution all round even from the not so liberal metro-right. She and her devotees should not prosper in Scotland but she’ll be a wow at select social gatherings in the Home Counties now she’s added baking to her armoury of click bait.
Not sure sexuality is much of a driver on anything these days. The hagiographies on Ruth, Kezia (whoever replaces Kezia) etc., are purely because they are not SNP. Basically Severin in the Guardian and others in other papers will cut slack to anyone standing against the SNP…even if they are deranged racists with a Twitter feed that would turn your hair white.
re;Breeks@10.45am
It really looks like Scotland would be treated very much the same as Catalonia under the present circumstances. I have to agree that we need some mechanism to ensure that Scotland’s potential, and or real sovereignty within the UK, is recognised by as many as possible.
You ask anyone, especially in England, whether they a ‘citizens’ they will say yes, but are they not offically classed as ‘subjects’, subjects to the queen.
Are the people of Scotland, subjects, or citizens, as far as I know, officially citizens. Whether this is relevant I am not sure, but it is the mindset that is in question. Basically, people south of the border see Scotland as a region, as region of their country of England, when they say, ‘our country’ they see the UK as one entity, well, more like England, with the others, (Scotland, in particular is being othered right now) as appendages, handy but not very relevant and even as a nuisance taking all their money. The wider world sees Scotland as a region of England, and it looks like Europe does too.
I wonder whether some nice little chats have taken place, or nods of the head, between some in the EU27 and the Britnats, in terms of selling Scotland down the river when it comes to brexshit. Agriculture, fishing, renewables, even water and so much more, nuclear waste dump anyone!
We certainly need the question of sovereignty to be brought into the fore and discussed in depth.
Is it though the elephant in the room, and if so, why?
Breeks, are you suggesting that Sturgeon cries foul..? Citing that Brexit exaggerates ancient sovereign mis-alignments?
..and that the EU will force the UK to back-date our grievances?
Really? The establishment? HOL? UK SC?
We’d be here forever.
There has been worse abuse than Brexit.
From the brilliant authors of ‘The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better’
‘We should not regard the scale of income inequality as a new determinant of health and social problems; rather, it tells us more about the familiar class gradient in outcomes that we have always recognised. Few people can be unaware that the poorest areas of our societies tend to suffer the worst health as well as having the lowest educational performance of school children and usually the highest levels of violence. The additional insight is merely that all these problems get worse when income differences are increased…
The toll which inequality exacts from the vast majority of society is one of the most important limitations on the quality of life – particularly in developed countries. It damages the quality of social relations essential to life satisfaction and happiness. Numerous studies have shown that community life is stronger in more equal societies. People are more likely to be involved in local groups and voluntary organisations. They are more likely to feel they can trust each other, and a recent study has shown that they are also more willing to help each other – to help the elderly or disabled. But as inequality increases, trust, reciprocity and involvement in community life all atrophy. In their place – as numerous studies have shown – comes a rise in violence, usually measured by homicide rates. In short, inequality makes societies less affiliative and more antisocial’
link to socialeurope.eu
Let’s demand impact statements about the implications of policy on inequality levels .Politicians are elected by us, to do the best by us (the 99.9%) not the worst to us.
phronesis@12.01
It’s really not rocket science but inequality is the absolute desire of many sadly. See, class system UK, and caste system India. There are too many inhuman humans, usually the ones with money and power.
The Scottish government while not perfect are in fact attempting, with hands tied tightly, by the so called union, to close the inequality gap. It cannot happen overnight and with the britnat parties determined to put a stop to that process and progress at any opportunity, for self gain, it is a huge uphill battle.
I had a friend tell me the other day, living in NE Eng, that ‘Scotland is able to counter the UKgovs Universal Credit disaster’, ‘great’ she said! I had to put her right on that, she of course having no idea what is reserved to WM, and having no idea of the terrible suffering being wrought on our most vulnerable people in Scotland, at the hands of the disgusting Tories in WM, and backed up by the red Tories.
“Fresh from packing them in at the Conservative party conference”
I count about 100 people present in the photo above including media; the rest probably her friends and family!
louis.b.argyll says:
18 October, 2017 at 11:53 am
“Breeks, are you suggesting that Sturgeon cries foul..? Citing that Brexit exaggerates ancient sovereign mis-alignments?…”
No. The salient issue is current sovereignty.
Retrospective significance might become an issue later on, but there is an option of choice, and of course a practicality, about the chronological significance.
There isn’t the need to rewrite 300 years of constitutional history, since it cannot be changed anyway, but it’s more important to fix a constitutional wrong so the impact moving forward is progressive and for better or for worse, it is at least constitutionally competent.
What happens afterwards is unwritten. It might be wise to talk about amnesties, and not delving too critically into the past, however that’s an easier ask for some than it is for others. I’m sure I read once that there Robertson lands forfeit to the crown after Culloden, and from that day to this, their kilt tartan won’t be worn until their lands are returned. Myth, truth, or something in between I can’t possibly judge, but wherever there is a grievance, there needs to be objective analysis, justice and hopefully some kind of reconciliation for our troubled past.
For better or worse, the truth should be respected, and justice served where it can be or should be.
Life in Sardinia… jeez, the spotted crowd look bored of Edna n co.
Excellent, I got 3 new iWings posts to read and catch up with!
Till a wee bit later on…
…once the wind has all blown over and all is good, I can foresee the fine People of Catalonia and the fine People of Scotland becoming very close neighbours.
Cheers to ye Sardinia, you autonomous region of Italy you.