Making it up as you go along
This week Scottish Labour quietly abandoned their “biggest party forms the government” election campaign after it was comprehensively debunked by this site and, belatedly, the mainstream media. An alert reader reminded us this evening of how the party wasn’t always so attached to the rules.
Because back in 2007, when Labour was neither the biggest party nor the incumbent administration, it had a damn good try at forming the government anyway.
This Herald article recounting the immediate aftermath of the 2007 election in more detail is seven years old, so we hope they’ll forgive us reproducing it in full.
Jack McConnell may yet be a hero of democracy
Iain Macwhirter
Saturday 8 March 2008The story so far: the former Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ming Campbell, last week spilled the beans on his and Gordon Brown’s attempts to prevent the SNP taking office after the May election.
Secret talks were held – over the heads of their own Scottish parties – about how to keep Alex Salmond’s paws off the £30 billion Scottish Executive budget. Brown wanted a new Liberal-Labour coalition to seize power even if the SNP won, on the grounds that it would have a majority of seats in parliament.
It may have come as no surprise to learn that Gordon Brown tried to fix the result of the Holyrood election. Do bears defecate in afforested areas? Nevertheless, it’s rare in politics to have conspiracy theories confirmed so soon after the event.
It will now go down in Nationalist mythology that Gordon Brown launched a plot to overturn the democratic will of the Scottish people, like some unionist Robert Mugabe.
Meanwhile Jack McConnell, the former first minister, has emerged as an unlikely home-rule hero for having had the bottle to stand up to Brown. For we also learned last week that Brown wanted Labour MSPs to vote for “anyone but Salmond” for first minister, even if that installed a Tory or Lib Dem in Bute House. McConnell refused and told Brown bluntly to get his tanks off his lawn.
I have been told independently that Jack McConnell was expected to step aside after the election to make way for Wendy Alexander, who would have been installed as leader without a contest on the Monday after the election. McConnell’s refusal to stand down is regarded by influential figures in Westminster as the main cause of Labour’s downfall.
Incredible stuff. But it explains a lot, and suggests Brown was Labour’s own worst enemy in Scotland. Not only did he set his face against any review of tax powers – the very review he has now agreed to – he also failed to grasp the dynamics of a proportional parliament.
In Holyrood, where all parties are minorities, governments cannot be fixed by executive fiat in the way they can be in a winner-takes-all system such as Westminster. Here, things work by consensus, or not at all, and attempts to rig the consensus are invariably counterproductive.
Everyone in Scottish politics knew or guessed what was going on that manic May weekend, including the Tories. They were under pressure to join the “pan-unionist anti-SNP coalition” against Salmond. But they realised this could be fatal to their future electoral credibility.
If the Scottish Conservatives had appeared to salvage a lacklustre Labour administration, which had been rejected by the voters, not just in Holyrood but in council chambers across Scotland, they would be tainted by association. They kept their own counsel, and allowed Salmond to be installed as a minority leader dependent on their votes.
The Lib Dems had a kind of nervous breakdown. Aware their UK leader was in cahoots with Brown, and unable to seize the advantage, they lost the plot. They didn’t want to prop up Labour any more than the Tories did, or to be seen as Brown’s little helpers. But nor were they free to do any deals with the SNP.
The logical thing to do would have been to enter coalition talks, as the Lib Dems did in Wales. Most of the Scottish Liberal Democrat policies were a direct match with the SNP manifesto: on nuclear power, local income tax, student fees and more. The Lib Dems had a strong hand, and could almost certainly have won a constitutional convention and blocked any referendum on independence, since Alex Salmond didn’t have the numbers to deliver a referendum bill. The Lib Dems could have presented themselves as saviours of the union, and kept their ministerial motors too.
IF they hadn’t won an assurance from Alex Salmond on the constitution, they could have walked out of the talks, saying the SNP were only interested in separatism. It certainly looked like a no-brainer, but grey matter was in short supply.
The Liberal Democrats, knowing Ming Campbell’s antipathy to any Nationalist deal, refused even to discuss a coalition with the SNP. Campbell hosted a “pizza summit” at his Edinburgh home with his Scottish leaders, the night following the election after which they: “packed away our pizza boxes and any possibility of a coalition deal with the SNP”.
Why was Sir Ming so opposed even to talking with the Nats? Presumably because Brown would have gone nuclear and told him to forget any possibility of the Liberal Democrats being part of a UK coalition after the next general election.
The machinations over the Scottish government were clearly part of a bigger game in which the LibDems were hoping for a role in the UK government under future-PM Brown if Labour lost their Westminster majority. Sir Ming could reasonably have become foreign secretary, or possibly even deputy PM.
Anyway, having failed to get the Scottish Lib Dems to revive the Holyrood coalition under a Labour leadership, Brown ordered his troops to back anyone who could win a majority in the Scottish parliament, even if that was Nicol Stephen. Jack McConnell balked at the prospect of becoming deputy to his former deputy and dismissed the idea in what is reported as a “blazing row” with the future prime minister.
Looking back, it was senseless for Brown and Campbell to behave like the governors of an Indian province under the Raj. Their meddling has damaged the credibility of their Scottish parties.
Historians will argue for years about what happened during those fateful 48 hours in May, but they are likely to judge that Jack McConnell was the only person in the Labour leadership who really understood the significance of the result; that Labour’s hegemony was over, at least for the moment, and that trying to hold back history would only damage the party even further.
It speaks volumes that the first minister was kept in the dark over the backstage dealings over the future governance of Scotland. But perhaps it was as well for Jack that he wasn’t informed because at least he can say his hands are clean.
For his stand against Brown’s “unionist fix” McConnell may even in time become something of a national hero – the man who defied his party leader and stood up for Scottish democracy. Now there’s a turn-up for the books.
This is the Brown so “popular” with Scots, and who claims Labour is the party of devolution – just as long as the serfs vote the right way.
The more I learn about Gordon Brown the more I detest him.
Fascinating to read that again, after so many years and in the context of what has happened in our recent past and what is going on now. And it reminds us that Macwhirter was and remains an informed and informative journalist of professional standing.
“Gordon Brown launched a plot to overturn the democratic will of the Scottish people”
“Brown and Campbell to behave like the governors of an Indian province under the Raj.”
These two statements, sum up why Labour are a spent force in Scotland. They show nothing but, utter disdain for the electorate and the Scottish people, combined with a psychopathic hatred of the SNP, a denial of Scotland’s potential and their own personal interests.
Vote SNP and rid Scotland of these shysters, once and for all.
Rev writes:
“Do bears defecate in forested areas?”
Hiv you no seen the advert? The bear confirms it.
Jeez, you people!
🙂
I recall it all as if was yesterday.
Brown had already turned his back on reporters, refusing to answer their questions on his reaction to the SNP vote. Of late night calls to undermine an election Brown should never ever have been trusted again.
But he was. And though he lost that battle …
He came back for revenge on the 17th of September 2014.
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
The more things change, the more things et cetera et cetera.
Labour would argue that black was white and green would be tangerine. The public have lived through the events that happened and don’t read to be re-programmed into Labour thinking apart from a few gullible.
The latest poll news this evening will depress Labour that the figures are not that different from last month and are within the margin of sampling error.
link to archive.today
read = need – this auto spelling check is a pain!
fascinating stuff Rev, Gordon Browns antipathy to the SNP ( probably because he was once a member and spurned) knows no depths. Unfortunately Scottish Labour ( branch office of course) are infected with the same bug and they just can’t see past that, it will be their downfall.
Unlike Jenny Marra I will admit to a mistake. At one time I believed in Gordon Brown, certainly over Tony Blair.
Looks like I got that wrong, two peas from the same pod.
I hope Brown lives long enough to see Independence in Scotland, he has had a huge part to play. I hope it makes him sick.
I well remember leading Labour lackie Lawyer threatening to take SNP to court over the 2007 result. They just couldn’t believe that they lost their divine right to rule over us.
Anyway a great article by Derek Bateman to-day on Catalan Publication ARA which is the complete antidote to Daily Record’s attempts to rewrite history.
link to derekbateman.co.uk
‘The collapse of traditional social democracy, accelerated by social change, the economic crisis and corruption, is producing alternatives from a range of traditions which are also either laying claim to its space or attracting its voters. The Scottish independentists have become consolidated as the national and practically the only party of reference in the country for a significant part of the popular classes. Progressive pro-Europeans steadfastly opposed to the inheritance of the Thatcher era, they have taken over the space abandoned by the London-dominated Labour Party. The independentist victory in working-class Glasgow on 18 September is significant in this respect.’*
Sorry for OT so soon in the thread but its important.
The latest contribution about the BBC from Ponsonby on Newsnet:
link to newsnet.scot
God they make you want to vomit don’t they. Scotland, the plaything of scurrilous MPs who think that they can try and pochle Holyrood election results to keep Alec Salmond.
Grrr they make the blood boil.
Marcia, I see that nice Mr Murphy is failing to make an impression with we Scots, I wonder why that might be? Too much Murphy turning people off, continuous lies, no decency to apologise even when found out to be telling porkies. All of the above mibies. Aye.
Sorry to keep Alex Salmond out.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
I came over all biblical just then. 😮
Man,i’d forgot about this whole episode.
Good to get a wee refresher.
That explains a lot. I voted Lib Dem in 2007 and remember looking on in disgust and incredulity that they wouldn’t even talk to the SNP. What Scotland needed at that point was a change, and good governance and an SNP-Lib Dem coalition would have delivered that in spades. They had identical manifestos except that the Lib Dems wanted (supposedly) full fiscal autonomy and the SNP full independence. Together they could have run a very effective Scottish government and delivered substantially more powers.
Instead they refused point blank to even talk to the SNP and instead we had a Westminster alliance against the government Scotland voted for. I think 1997 was the point it really hit home for me that the Westminster parties are an anti-Scottish alliance.
Brown & Campbell were both exposed as crooks during the expenses scandal, if I remember aright Campbell charged £10,000 for a pair of Georgian bedside cabinets to keep his chanties in at his Edinburgh town-house and burst oot greetin on the cobbles when confronted with the details.
Brown charged the public for tarting up his summerhouse at his hideaway in North Queensferry, anybody remember the sum in question?
Interesting. Bella has Stuart Cosgrove and Lesley Riddoch on now as columnists
Marcia,
I see Murphy is still pedalling the ” biggest party form the government ” lie.
Another brilliant article Rev, you are certainly holding Labours’ feet to the fire!
More proof that Brown is pure poison and is a disgrace to Scotland. Labour really have a deep contempt for Scotland that I find sickening.
If we can’t get rid of this shower, I genuinely fear for our future.
Stoker:
The latest contribution about the BBC :bbc-trust-rejects complaint about nhs referendum coverage
The chair of the BBC Trust – the committee that oversees standards and ethics of the BBC – is Rona Fairhead … who also sits on the audit committee – that oversees standards and ethics of – the HSBC.
Hoo haar!
What struck me in that video clip was “the Labour leader in Holyrood, Jack McConnel, had no idea of these dealigs” or words to that effect.
The branch office (or accounting unit or whatever we’re supposed to call them), even their supposed leader (prospective First Minister, no less), weren’t important enough to know about the “important” (i.e. Westmister) stuff and were out of the loop.
That was UK Labour. With their wee pretendy accounting unit in North Britain. Anybody who thinks that attitude has changed needs their head examined for buttons, zips, velcro etc. in the back.
The only sane words in that clip came from Alex Salmond, about democracy.
DUH!
McConnell also (pre being FM) blew the whistle that the additional member d’Hondt system used for the Scottish Parliament was designed to ensure the SNP never got a majority.
He also at least had the decency to go beetroot when he was, ahem, being economical with the truth.
And he was pro SNP in his younger days.
I should attach allegedlt to that last claim as I do not know it to be true, only repeating what I have been told.
“Gordon Brown tried to fix the result of the Holyrood election”
Well my my, this has a familiar ring to it don’t we think
Tried it once before and it nearly worked
Did it again did we Gordon, got “better together” with practice from the first go
It’s no wonder and should be no surprise as to how the people of our country will feel about this once it’s fully circulated
Gordon Broon has gone very quiet of late after the fanfare of Vow2.
Either Murphy has side-lined him or Broon is distancing himself from Murphy as he sees him as a disaster.
I saw a bear coming out of the woods last week.
As it passed me it said, “I’d give it five minutes”.
I remember McConnell taking a swipe post election at Westminster interference, he redeemed himself a fair bit in my eyes then. Though he has since joined the House of Lords, making him a bit of an embarrassment to democracy.
He also spilt the beans on how much hard work it was keeping Jim Wallace etc in line. The lib Dems hatred of the SNP turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the SNP got to display competence in minority and avoid any association with the now toxic libs.
Totally O/T – but if you have a US iTunes account you can download the first 8 episodes of Outlander.
Tonights latest BBC Labour Party broadcast on Scotland 2015:
“Jim Murphy wants Scottish working class people to have middle class children”
I shit you not.
[…] Making it up as you go along […]
remember when gordon became PM ordered every public building. to fly british flag
after the referendum he said,time to put saltire,Yes flags away
Sinky got it right ‘their divine right to rule over us’. You can’t argue with that summation.
Red tories, blue tories & orange tories all
are ‘imperialists’. They want to keep Britain living in the past where people knew nothing & believed every word they spouted & no one dared to speak up against the ruling fraternity.
That no longer holds true. Plenty are speaking up & saying what they have done & do is not good enough. Information now can be broadcast on social media & go viral within minutes. Why do you thing MSM reads social media? That’s where they get their information from & then build articles around it thus keeping them in business & paying decent salaries on a monthly basis.
The world has changed & along with it the whole of Britain. The UK is no longer looked up to because past history had been written to make UK look good is now being corrected. Information labelled as secret & locked away for 30 or 50 years or more is being released into the public domain every day. Look at the McCrone Report-never supposed to see the light of day but it did.
The tories of all hues want to retain us as their wage slaves but now people are resisting & they don’t like it. Well tough I say! Get the information out there & let people make up their own minds. Scotland’s electorate is now making up their own minds & seeing stuff which they can’t condone let alone support.
We have no need of anyone harking back to Empire anymore -those days are dead & gone. The future is what matters & let’s face it, so far the SNP have done far better than previous administrations just by giving people the chance to make their own decisions. The people responded to that by almost winning the referendum in September. By my reckoning a lot more have crossed over to seeing independence as being a more normal state to live in than being ruled by a far away parliament full of troughers only interested in lining their own pockets.
We just have to keep the momentum going & more will follow. Following on so soon after Better Together,Brown dropped a huge clanger with that 2nd Vow. Scots have said ‘enough we’re not falling for that again’ and are giving SLab what for on the doorsteps & SLab are in shock from that response.
They can’t & don’t believe it so they just keep digging with the encouragement of the other groups of tories. Each has demonstrated that they can’t be trusted with Scotland’s interests but none of them have the antidote that will bring voters back into the fold so that they can continue to rule.
The British Empire is dead & buried & may it always remain so.
Vote SNP get Scotland & make of it what you want it to be.
Can ("Tractor" - Ed) Broon get any more infamous?..keep it coming Stuart, yer dain’ a grand job laddie!
Michty me, I’m fair puttin’ on the poonds wi’ aw this popcorn
The reckoning cannae come quick enough for these devious ("Tractor" - Ed)ous barstewards.
Son of the manse?……exactly why I’m an atheist, which is a pity because I’d like to think of Broon rotting in hell!
The sooner the better and good rid!
Re Brown’s attempt to fix 2007 election ‘…Do bears defecate in afforested areas?
If we didn’t know then, we sure do now.
Chic mac – I am pretty sure Lord Robertson said something along those lines post 2007.
Thanks for that, DMH @ 10.22pm, i’m away for a nosey.
Also to you too, Grouse @ 10.24pm, for that interesting info.
Hoo haar, indeed!
My apologies for the language, but what a Dirty Arrogant
Bastard Brown is.
Still tries to suggest that he is a socialist while spending £10,000 per week on expenses from a “charity under his name!
Wonder if there are any Tax avoidance issues with taking money this way? Also wonder who would give a piece of shit like this
£millions for his “charity!? Services rendered for acts against the Scottish well being?
Probably find out just after he dies.
He maybe also get a mention with “Lord” Robertson,
if they both knew the Dunblane Killer, Thomas Hamilton?
Stoker
“Jim Murphy wants Scottish working class people to have middle class children”
Whit? For dinner when the cupboards are bare?
The WM system is such that it will always strive to protect itself from change because progress is its natural enemy. Democracy as it is now understood in the rest of Europe, and much of the world beyond, is a threat to be thwarted whenever possible.
Campbell and Brown were up to their necks in the rotten system, it was their ‘duty’ to protect it!
That same WM is still lashing out in any way it can against modern democracy!
Speechless, just speechless.
If this reminder of how we are toyed with doesn’t fire up people in Scotland, more than they already should be, then what the hell will?
Keep at it Stu, the snowball is gaining speed & size rolling down the mountain-side.
Liz at 10.34
Probably an element of both though Brown id likelier to recognise that he is being damaged by his own contribution and is slinking away – as he always has done when things get too hot for him
Its a breathtaking read, the sheer gall of these guys.
“Historians will argue for years about what happened during those fateful 48 hours in May, but they are likely to judge that Jack McConnell was the only person in the Labour leadership who really understood the significance of the result; that Labour’s hegemony was over, at least for the moment,”
SLab hegemony looks permanently over in all polls so far. What will Scottish history make of THE VOW intervention fraud? They must be wondering if their VOW con was actually worth it but its a lot of pressure on BBC newsrooms in London and Glasgow. Establishments probably never go without a bitter fight.
link to snp.org
The Labour Party went into shock in 2007. I think Brown took the result as a personal affront. It is also the case that there was a fair bit of back stabbing by that stage in New Labour. Iraq and the refusal to listen to the people was the beginning of the end of New Labour, 2007 put the cards on the table for all to read.
Brown is an enemy of the Scottish people. Maybe it’s him all the fans of capital punishment have in mind.
Jobby racing past Murphy on Facebook 🙂 link to facebook.com
it moving to 200 ahead despite only being started in late December
Forgot to mention
Is McWhirter trying to big himself up by telling us this now
A decent honest human being and Scotsman might have made a bit bigger noise a bit earlier, like during the Referendum
would have been useful
Still no respect from me no matter what McWhirter does
In Glaswegian “Yoor fun oot pal”
Ah Broon, Broon ,Broon.
What can anyone say about this big fearty?
Gordon Brown the “Coward of the County!” or in his case “Coward of the Kingdom!” United Kingodom or Kingdom of Fife take your pick either way he is the biggest coward ever to walk on planet earth!
In recognition of this amazing achievement by such a fearty I give you Kenny Rogers. 😀
link to youtube.com
@heedtracker
That latest poll put into Electoral Calculus gives SNP 47 seat, Labour 12
“Its not their flag ..it’s our flag!” Brown screamed in his infamous speech.
The flag was never the Saltire. The flag was the butchers apron. Its still you flag Brown and was never our flag. Shove it where the sun don’t shine you ("Quizmaster" - Ed)!
In 2007 I was quite surprised when the LibDems refused to even discuss coalition, especially when they could have negotiated a “Devo Max / full fiscal autonomy” option on a referendum ballot. That option would have won hands down and Labour would have been forced to support it or end up facing down its own members. Lib Dems could have presented themselves as statesmanlike and maybe even become the natural party of coalition government in Scotland. How could they miss such an open goal?
Well, d’uh.
I remember McWhirter’s excellent article explaining the Westminster machinations and Brown spinning his sticky webs. Now it made sense. As short-term, venal and vainglorious as every other action he’d took in office, it set the tone for Brown’s car-crash premiership. Likewise Ming’s craven ambition slid into crumbling ineptitude.
In 2012 Labour could have pushed for a clear Devo Max option, trumping the Tories and the SNP. Everything suggests they’d have won hands down and quite probably revitalised Labour in Scotland. Yet again their calculations became twisted and distorted by blind hatred of the SNP and Brown et al meddling and manipulating behind the scenes. “When the Nats lose the referendum that’s them finished,” as a Labour party workmate assured me back in 2013.
Ah well, it’s all history now. And so are they.
When it all hit the fan in 2008 for the banks, I had a lot of respect for Brown as he appeared the only national leader capable of doing something. Other national leaders did the “deer in the headlight” stance.
Ok, he did the wrong thing but by actually doing anything, it stopped the rot. (in my opinion, the banks should have been nationalised for the duration of the crisis and their shares suspended at full value until the crisis was over. Allowing the banks to trade ensured the fear factor remained and was prolongued)
But this article about Browns shenanigans has completely changed my view of the chap. A piece of scum, it seems.
Labour are still the biggest unionist party in Scotland and polls currently suggest about half of all unionists support them.They still have a not insignificant lead over the Tories and a massive lead over the Libdems.I think they’re actually doing quite well,considering the quality of their leadership and the low level of support for their policies.
Seems Murphy has an incurable dose of make-it-up-as-you-go-along-itis
Article from todays Scotsman “Peter Jones: Jim Murphy’s false Barnett formula”
I didn’t want to provide link so if someone can archive, this technophobe would appreciate.
“Everyone in Scottish politics knew or guessed what was going on that manic May weekend, including the Tories. They were under pressure to join the “pan-unionist anti-SNP coalition” against Salmond. But they realised this could be fatal to their future electoral credibility.”
And, perhaps ironically after such a warning, that is what is happening to Labour now. Credibility utterly lost from jumping onto the Better Together bandwagon. They could have campaigned separately from the very beginning and spared themselves this.
Still, at least it is good entertainment! <3
@ Graeme Doig (10.54pm).
Aye, Graeme, apparently its his take on another SNP policy but i didn’t stay around long enough to listen to their guff. As soon as the BBC servant, Smith, uttered those words i made a sharp exit.
btw, I seen your complaint reply from IPSO, identical to mine.
They have now been truly exposed as being as corrupt as the BBC complaints system, just as we all expected but better to have it officially confirmed.
I will not be bothering wasting anymore of my valuable time complaining to Unionist organisations such as the BBC and IPSO.
Instead, i will actively step up my involvement in campaigns against them, such as demos and exposing them whilst actively encouraging boycotts etc.
Protect Scotland’s interests – bin the BBC and vote SNP.
😉
@Graeme Doig
link to archive.today
There you go honey!
Choice quotes:
“There is a problem here but sorry, Jim, it isn’t the one you have identified. In fact, there is so much wrong with your calculation and your political logic that you need to go back to the drawing board.”
“Mr Murphy’s figure that there would be a missing £1,300 per head is spurious because he is comparing apples and aardvarks.”
To see the Scotsman having a dig at Murphy is hilarious. I thought he was the sainted and haloed one?
Dr Jim: “Is McWhirter trying to big himself up by telling us this now”
The article’s from 8th March 2008. He told us about it seven years ago.
@Dr Ew
“In 2012 Labour could have pushed for a clear Devo Max option, trumping the Tories and the SNP. Everything suggests they’d have won hands down and quite probably revitalised Labour in Scotland. ”
So very, very painfully true. Labour really missed out on that one and the Lib Dems missed out on the opportunities presented to them years before and all due to a visceral hatred instead of the SNP. Had they been playing the smart game, pushing for either of those two options would have severely diminished SNP support before it even got to anywhere near the level it has now!
@Cadogan Enright (11.18) –
Best ever first-line in a comment?:
‘Jobby racing past Murphy on Facebook :)’
@Cadogan Enright –
Still laughing.
Aw man…Murphy fancies himself as a bit of a runner too…
So, it turns out, not only does he talk a lot of shite – he can’t even move faster than a jobby?
Waahaaaaahahahahaha!
🙂 😉 🙂 😉 🙂
@ Graeme Doig (11.49pm),
Here you go Graeme, jeeez, the things ah dae furr ma fellow Yessers.
Am away furr a shower, ah feel as if av goat scabies efter that.
Night folks.
🙂
The latest Daily Record Poll:-
The poll of 1011 Scots was carried out by research consultants Survation between February 12 and February 17.
It revealed only a marginal narrowing in the SNP’s massive lead in the polls over Labour.
Forty-five per cent of Scots now plan to vote SNP on May 7, down one point from our last poll in January. Support for Labour rose two points to 28 per cent.
The Tories rose one point to 15 per cent and the Lib Dems dropped two points to a humiliating five per cent.
If our results were repeated in the actual vote, the SNP would win 47 seats and Labour 10.
The Lib Dems would lose all but one of their 11 Scots MPs and the Tories would keep their solitary Scottish MP.
Steady as she goes everyone. If we are getting results like this in the Record, then Labour really are in trouble.
Stoker says:
18 February, 2015 at 10:40 pm
‘Tonights latest BBC Labour Party broadcast on Scotland 2015:
“Jim Murphy wants Scottish working class people to have middle class children”
I shit you not.’
appealing to tories who want to vote tactically? maybe not feeling so safe in his own seat? . . . ‘cos it’s complete fuckwittery to say something like that at the moment otherwise
Thanks ErinT. Yep, very surprised to read this in the Scotsman.
Seems the volume of nonsense is becoming impossible to ignore.
Stoker
I thought about following up by turning their argument against them but, you know what, i have a family and a full time job and really don’t have the time to spend battering my head off a wall against these anti Scottish bastards.
It’s becoming impossible to comment on these revelations. The correct response is jaw dropping disbelief at the extent of the duplicity of people like Gordon Brown and Ming Campbell who appear on the MSM like elder statesmen who deserve respect and attention, when all the time they are scheming to frustrate democracy.
They must be in the Machiavelli Party.
Another great journalistic scoop Stu and good for Ian MacWhirter to spell this out years ago.
Interesting stuff.
Wendy Alexander’s Donald Duck impression was also high quality.
Just watched the wee video at top. Very good!
I’d forgotten how odd Wendy Alexander looks when she speaks. Not ‘ugly’ or anything – I’m not being nasty! But, you know, strange goings-on when she starts gabbing. (If she’s still after a new job she could do worse than try girning competitions – the winners clean up big-time! I know a guy who knows someone else…gave his number to her brother yonks ago…oh well…)
Good to see The Ming too, looking sprightly, up-an’-at-em as ever – only 106 at the time. Virile bastard!
Dem was the days!
Support the Morph and New Scottish Labour! Change the future!
Should the SNP do well in the GE2015 and manage to be King makers I wonder what will come to light of the activities of a Westmonster believed to be corrupt. I guess that, as in the case of the Westminster Child abuse files, files will be being classified, lost and marked for destruction to stop Scotland learning the truth of what they are feeling.
I suppose this will come as no surprise, but today in Holyrood Labour actually voted against a motion welcoming the publication of A&E performance figures which they themselves had been calling for.
Read about it here link to munguinsrepublic.blogspot.co.uk
How many days or hours will it be before they claim that they actually voted for the motion. Even the Daily Ranger must be getting embarrassed at their kamikaze behaviour.
FFS, Graeme, after doing all that article link for you i forgot to add it to the post, DOH! Never mind, i see you’ve got it now. Still need a shower though, scummy Unionist rag. Totally agree with your ‘head banging’ point, feck them, i don’t waste my time pissing into the wind.
George, @ 12.09pm, good points, i agree, and i hope he’s absolutely bricking it about his seat, couldn’t happen to a better bitter ("Tractor" - Ed).
Goodnight all.
🙂
Murphy also makes the front of the National,
link to twitter.com
Morphoblarb is saying that working class people should have middle-class children?
Is this for real?
It’s some kind of class-warfare by stealth, where schemies invade leafy suburbs and impregnate housewives while their menfolk are busy slaving away at financial shenanigans?
The Bearsden Cuckoos? That kinda stuff?
Wow…ambitious.
Go Morph!
BTW – if you DO happen to be in a leafy suburb, and the sky is clear, go out and see if the Northern Lights are visible. Seems there was a splendid display last night, and a 40% it’ll happen again tonight. (Nae chance in Ayrshire – blowing a gale out there.)
For your entertainment – another English heroic failure:
‘A Blue Tory Sees Red’:
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
Gordon Brown the unchallenged tax cheat. check it out at the office of Sarah and Gordon Brown
Big Jock says:
“Its not their flag ..it’s our flag!” Brown screamed in his infamous speech.
It makes me laugh when unionist politicians have a go at SNP supporters waving a saltire.
National flags represent nations. The SNP’s ultimate aim for Scotland politically, not just culturally.
I wish the SNP would use it more, perhaps incorporating their thistle logo.
A picture tells a thousand words.
During the referendum we had YES saltires.
It would be great to see SNP saltires in the GE campaign.
If it annoys Gordon Brown, then all the better.
Not many days after the above event occurred (08.03.2007) another event, in Holyrood, also occurred (21.03.2007):
This events cheer leader was Magrit Curran.
This event clearly demonstrates that, even today, the Labour numpties will do ANYTHING that’s detrimental to the SNP even if it’s at the expense of the Scots people.
Clearly, now as then, Labour in Scotland are not the party of increased devolution.
Gordon Brown
He’s been around so long, so familiar, so well known.
The Chancellor for so long and then Prime Minister,
positions which carry the highest respect and honour.
Yet, these are the very elements which prevent us
from seeing the evil at work.
We draw back instinctively from such outlandish notions.
But, with history’s own unique brand of hindsight,
we see now the truth as was then.
The same truth we refused to see at the time,
and so righteous and indignant about it too we were.
Gordon Brown – fooling everyone about his evil ways.
Like Harold Shipman.
Like Jimmy Saville.
Like Gary Glitter.
They took so many in.
Gordon Brown. Labour and political tyrant.
Enemy of the Scots.
Enemy of democracy.
Politically psychopathic leader.
I wonder who the next Gordon Brown is.
He’s already in our midst.
Enough of that, there’s work to be done.
Vote SNP – don’t get taken in by Labour/Tories
“Jobby racing past murphy”
Hahahahahahahaahahahahahahhaaahahahaaaaah…phew!
glad i tuned in tonight…heehee.
Ming the Mystified. What a Liberal waste of space. What an irrelevance. Pay your policing bills and eat your rusks.
@doug daniel
Didn’t make myself properly clear my fault
Really meant knowing all this 17 years ago or so he should’ve
brought it to light during the Referendum
I did’nt remember it coz i was living abroad at the time
And McWhirter has previous keeping his mouth shut and fence sitting form
Murphy gets hit over the head by cameron with a mallet
lol
link to youtube.com
The fact the the SNP are so roundly despised by the other parties makes me wonder just why are they so unanimous in their absolute hatred of a party which espouses a simply and honest philosophy
self determination, no biggie just a country which sees itself as just that A COUNTRY,
So why the absolute animosity, we’re not the khmer Rouge threatening to take Scotland back to year one and have everyone digging potatoes,
we’re not Nazis(no matter what they say) who’s intention is to cleanse or country of foreigners, Jesus we want more to come in,
we’re not the USA with designs on world domination.
We’re just a small country of 5 million souls who (a growing number) see a better way to run our own affairs, what the hell is so terrible about that, its not as if England will cease to exist (hmmm).
So why are they so dead set against it, why do all the main parties roundly despise the SNP a party who has shown fiscal probity and common decency in its governance, I don’t feel afraid when I hear of a new bill being launched in Holyrood, I on the other hand quake in terror at the next pronouncement from IDS,
So why do they feel such abhorrence towards what is a simply request?
Just what is it that is quite so terrible?
Heres what I think
during the war Britain had its back to the wall,
to ensure Britain didnt go the way of France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway and so on we made a deal with our bestest Friends the Americans who so kindly sold us all their old destroyers so they didn’t have the job of scrapping them and messing up their own docks with rusty old hulks, they got their industrialists to selflessly sell us tanks planes and the materiel of war, meanwhile getting the royal navy to protect the eastern seaboard of the USA as they didn’t have an Atlantic fleet, no they were busy Sabre rattling in the pacific (prior to December 1941)
So not only did they manage to acquire top Dollar for ancient warships and sell us the means to protect them (clever eh?) they made a tidy profit from being the guarantor of western democracy
the bill for being our bestest friend every was so huge it took until December 31st 2006 before it was all paid back,
Now you may ask why is the lend lease act relevant to Scottish independence and it this,
If America were intent in making a (not so fast ) buck out of their supposed best friend and in the space of 4 years ran up a bill that took 60 years to pay back, just consider when the books are opened to an independent Scottish government just how astronomical would be the figure owed to Scotland would be,
If it took the UK 60 years to pay America back how long do we think it would take the rUK to pay back Scotland for the asset stripping that’s been going on since 1707?
Yi coodnay mak it up. But they fuckin do!!!
@Cadogan Enright 11.18
Many thanks for this link. Very, very funny especially the video about JM a being hit with a mallet.
Ian Brotherhood says
“Morphoblarb is saying that working class people should have middle-class children?”
Does Jimmy hood know about this?
He’ll want middle class parents to have working class children, in the interests of fairness yea unnerstaun?
“Their meddling has damaged the credibility of their Scottish parties.”
I must admit I burst out laughing there.
Greannach says
“Ming the Mystified. What a Liberal waste of space. What an irrelevance. Pay your policing bills and eat your rusks.”
WHOOHAHAHAHAHAHA love it.
now what other names can we give Ming?
Ming the Mecenary
Ming the Moocher
Ming the Miserable
Ming the Mendicant
Ming the Maginot line
help there’s nae brakes Aa cannie stoappppppp
Schrodingers cat says
“Murphy gets hit over the head by cameron with a mallet
lol”
Snort,
urgleburglegurgleburp
tumbleweed moment. 🙂
Histerical
link to tinyurl.com
o/t
Wee Dougie Alexander on GMS slating Mairi Black (again) – Gary Robertson actually giving him a (bit of a) hard time about it – that’s twice in 2 days he’s actually questioned SLAB – whit’s goin on???
@ John King
“If it took the UK 60 years to pay America back how long do we think it would take the rUK to pay back Scotland for the asset stripping that’s been going on since 1707”?
Or perhaps they’re just fascist scum?
To-day’s “The National” reveals that Murphy has deleted article he wrote for Daily Telegraph in January 2012 when he supported Tory austerity measures with now ironic quotes about the shallowness of populism.
And Iain MacWhirter in Herald saying that “the whole Murphy approach to politics invites ridicule. The past two months have been a succession of half formed policy announcements, stunts and contradictions.”
Now if this was an SNP leader this would be all over the front pages of the Unionist press and endlessly discussed by the BBC.
Mallet head Morph
Greg Moodie’s cartoon has uncannily got him to a T.
A case of Life imitating Art if ever it was.
Gary Robertson has just interviewed Douglas Alexander on the wireless, the question of Labour’s demise in Scotland and Murphy failing to reverse the situation cropped up, including the probable loss of Alexander’s own seat.
This sanctimonious son of the manse immediately launched an attack on the character of the SNP candidate for that seat, he was halted by Robertson who said that she wasn’t here to defend herself, so Robertson knows that the candidate is a lassie and furthermore, a lassie who is denied the airtime that Alexander gets as a member of Labour’s shadow cabinet.
A disgraceful episode, I’ve just phoned up and complained, the sooner Scotland rids itself of wee twats the like of Alexander from public life the better. Ministers sons, I’ve yet to meet a good yin.
THIS is what’s known as yer actual journalism if you’re the casual passerby.
What we’ve put up with from the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems for decades has been nothing short of appalling. In defence of their cosy wee closed shop all three parties have stepped on any move toward true democracy wherever and whenever it has threatened to catch the public interest.
This isn’t about defence of the realm bullshit. You have to understand that the establishment system isn’t based on any form of patriotism. Its based upon have or have not. Its based upon want and need, supply and demand. These bastards use patriotism, identity, culture, history, relationships as tools to manipulate the public perception. They mangle such concepts to fit whatever narrative they deem necessary to get the job done. They shit on all flags including their own because in truth, they have no flag. Their allegiance is to a status quo, a caste system, patronage.
No, its not about defence of any realm, but defence of an established order. Our political parties have been bought and sold long since. Perhaps when they were created they had thoughts of genuine change, I don’t honestly know. Unfortunately it was the system which changed them. Not one party today of the ‘big three’ or more accurately two, would be a recognisable entity to their creators. Its why no one can seriously put a fag paper between them, they truly are all Tory establishment. Their greatest deceit is convincing the public that they stand as separate parties when nothing could be further from the truth. They only stand as cliques and political blocks with no identity to speak of, only personality and agenda.
THAT is what separates Scotland’s independence parties from the political norm. They are still public servants. They still look to engender change for betterment of all. They recognise that identity IS important, but not as important as HOW it is achieved. How do you want to be identified? What would make you proud to say, this is who I am?
Being part of a politics which uses, abuses and manipulates people for a soulless system. Or would you rather get up off your knees, stick two fingers firmly right up in front of their treacherous kissers and create a government and system of public service you can identify with and be proud of?
All you need do is ask yourself, are you proud of the Westminster system and its parties? If not, then you know what you have to do in May.
Second chances are rare things in life.
Please tell me someone else heard the howler from wee Dougie Alexander this morning on GMS?
Quote “in 2010, Labour were ahead and were overtaken by the SNP!”
Proof if anything that Labour reside in the twilight zone
So was it a slip of the tongue, did he mean 2011, but that was the Scottish Election. Or was he trying to con people into thinking that Scot’s voted SNP and we got a Tory government (cue the Twilight Zone music)
Somethings never change: From 2010
Despite having much fewer responsibilities post devolution, the Scotland Office has vastly increased its spending on political activities rather than standing up for Scotland at Westminster.
Scotland Office documents including minutes of meetings held within the last 12 months suggest that the Labour MP Jim Murphy may have been using the role of Secretary of State for Scotland in order to raise his own profile and promote the UK Labour party in Scotland.
In ‘MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE JOINT MANAGEMENT BOARD’ that took place in Dover House, London on 21 January 2009 an attendee is quoted as saying:
“The Secretary of State is still working hard to raise and maintain his public profile and has been doing well in the media so far. He continues to look for opportunities to promote his own position and the role of the UK Government in Scotland.”
The Scotland Office is funded from the Scottish block grant (£8 million a year) and questions will surely be asked as to whether or not these funds have been used by the Secretary of State for the promotional activities mentioned at the meeting.
The ministerial code stresses ‘ministers must not use government resources for party political purposes’.
The revelations come after Mr Murphy was recently accused by the SNP of “doing nothing” to protect 200 jobs axed at the Student Loans Company in Glasgow.
Newsnet Scotland can also reveal that the running costs for the Scotland Office increased by a staggering 27% in 2007-2008. Staff levels have also shown a significant increase with the 2007-2008 levels increasing by over 9.5% on the previous year.
The table below shows running costs and staffing level changes since 2004-2005.
Staff:
• 2005-6 -9.6%
• 2006-7 -3.70%
• 2007-8 +9.50%
Costs:
• 2004-5 -10.3%
• 2005-6 -0.9%
• 2006-7 +1.5%
• 2007-8 +27.3%
You may have noticed just before 8 this morning on GMS and repeated on the GMS news, that Scotland is worse than England for childcare (next big stick to attack SG?)
It was based on a UK wide report by the Family and Childcare Trust. The trust did admit that it was problematic in Scotland due to its unique spread of family’s in rural areas.
But the slant by BBC Scotland’s Lucy Adams was that Scotland was performing worse than England
Should be noted that one of the trustees of the trust is someone called Maggie Darling (yes, Mrs Alistair Darling)
link to familyandchildcaretrust.org
John King @ 6:00am said:
“I don’t feel afraid when I hear of a new bill being launched in Holyrood, I on the other hand quake in terror at the next pronouncement from IDS”.
Yes, that’s about the best explanation I have seen of the difference between the two governments. I expect one to do very bad things to the majority of people (whichever party is in power) and the other to do its best to treat people well (if the right sort of progressive or at least left of centre party is in charge).
BBC R 4 now viewing the Union and the Scottish Enlightenment from an English perspective, sorry BBC one.
The act of the Union meant that we voted to shut down the Scottish Parliament and incorporate it into the English one!
Edward @ 8:50am
If he was trying that, he should have been asked how the SNP (supposedly ahead) ended up with 35 less seats. I’d hope that no-one, even the most disengaged, would forget that Labour won at a canter in Scotland in 2010.
har de har har
link to order-order.com
@Johnny
@John King
You are right. We take it for granted almost that Holyrood works for people, while WM works against people. Holyrood acts to better people’s lives, WM always seems to be attempting to limit, control, reject, stiffle people’s aspirations. It’s two opposite agenda.
Truth is, WM has other masters to appease while Holyrood with an SNP government serves the Scottish people alone.
What Macart says
DITTO!
And so it continues with an earnest looking John Cridland to say later that “devolution” is bad for business.
At least the FT had the grace to allude to CBI machinations at the Referendum.
@macart
‘This isn’t about defence of the realm bullshit. You have to understand that the establishment system isn’t based on any form of patriotism. Its based upon have or have not. Its based upon want and need, supply and demand. These bastards use patriotism, identity, culture, history, relationships as tools to manipulate the public perception. They mangle such concepts to fit whatever narrative they deem necessary to get the job done. They shit on all flags including their own because in truth, they have no flag. Their allegiance is to a status quo, a caste system, patronage.’
Absolutely bang on, Macart!
OT:
The People’s NHS welcomes Lord Livingston …
Demo at Holyrood.
I read about a potato glut in Scotland this year. Perfect growing conditions hence the reason, perhaps, for Spud Murphy to appear on the scene.
There are so many spuds in the labour party now , cheap as chips like their policies.
Seriously though 🙁
Johnny @ 9.09 am
Your right. I think he was either loosing grasp of the reality or trying to air brush history a bit by merging the two elections.
Fact is, as you pointed out, Labour conned the Scottish people in 2010 by their lies and convinced the people to vote Labour and ended up with a Tory Government
[…] This week Scottish Labour quietly abandoned their “biggest party forms the government” election campaign after it was comprehensively debunked by this site and, belatedly, the mainstream media. An alert reader reminded us this evening of how the party wasn’t always so attached to the rules. […]
Douglas should be careful that the idea that he’s ‘bullying a wee lassie’ doesn’t take hold!
“Bugger (the Panda) says:
19 February, 2015 at 9:08 am
BBC R 4 now viewing the Union and the Scottish Enlightenment from an English perspective, sorry BBC one.”
I heard that and what must be one of the most staggeringly politicised teamGB history lectures ever produced by the BBC. Usual Darien sceme so embarrassing for Scots but Brtinats rage at anyone for even thinking Scotland might be an English colony, almost the last one now too.
So how many people could vote in 18th century teamGB? Probably between 3 and 5% of the population or, only big land owners. Also their pompous buffoon of a historian kept saying 18thC Highlander barbarians, or fear of the barbarian Highlander but almost all of these barbarians Highlanders were literate and numerate, unlike almost the whole England. Most if not all these barbarians were either press ganged or paid one guinea, given a weapon and fed.
Another day of rule Britannia/teamGB, BBC style.
Great article Stu, and some great comments today. You are certainly on the ball today!
Thanks to John King and Macart. Hope you don’t mind that I’ve copied your comments to use as ammunition!
Thanks cynicalHighlander for the video. I have live stream but didn’t know this was on. I took a photo of the live event with my ipad and put it on facebook.
Well done folks.
Another 2000 leaflets distributed to Douglas Alexander’s constituents informing them of the Macrone Report, and the stolen 6000 square miles of the North Sea , c’mon Douglas get round the doorsteps and explain to your “followers” what has been going on, remember tell them the truth.
As @jimnarlene stated earlier:
‘They [Gordon Brown and Ming the Merciless] show nothing but utter disdain for the electorate and the Scottish people, combined with a psychopathic hatred of the SNP, a denial of Scotland’s potential and their own personal interests.’
And of course the contempt for the Scottish electorate exemplified by Ming and Irn is endemic at Westminster. Does this explain why the likes of IDS can so callously wade into the welfare state with a fire axe? After all he is only attacking the undeserving poor (scroungers) and as we all know, they deserve it (I’ll need to tidy that up in the final draft I think).
I am currently on Job Seeker’s Allowance of £72.00 unless of course O’Grady says I zigged when I should have zagged in which case that figure will drop to zero. I could cry about this but I thought I’d write an open letter to IDS instead. Here it is. I will let Wingers know if he replies.
Open Letter to Iain Duncan Smith
Dear Iain
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER WELFARE SAVINGS
Why not build food banks adjacent to Job Centres in the same way that Little Chefs are built next to Travel Lodges. That way, claimants whose foreheads your staff have stencilled with the legend ‘undeserving poor’ can save bus fares when they discover they’ve been sanctioned for using a semi-colon instead of a comma on the JSA application form.
With these transport savings the sanctioned could buy an out of code egg perhaps. Scrambled and eked out with stolen sawdust (claimants could find out the postal code of their nearest sawmill from the Job Centre computer) this will help a mother to rustle up a nourishing meal for a family of five; assuming she has any family left after selling the more able-bodied children to the gypsies to pay last month’s Council Tax.
Or, for those who don’t do dairy, perhaps half a cooking apple (wait though, wasn’t it decided by that nice lady from the government – the one who urged the working class to economise by making their own greengage compote – that the poor can’t cook?) Okay, forget the cooking apple and make that a potato; you just boil them I think. Anyone got a pound for the gas?
Better still Dunkers, why not build food banks across the road from Job Centres. The busier the road the better. That way, statistically, a number of claimants will get mown down by disillusioned supermarket home delivery drivers stunned into a permanent trance at the thought of spending the next forty years until they retire at eighty, trapped in a dead end job on minimum wage. This will reduce the number of people claiming benefits even further.
As a bonus, deaths can be blamed on the victims on the grounds that they should have been concentrating on their Green Cross Code instead of getting maudlin at the thought of another afternoon thrashing shite out of the bairns’ nappies on a rock in their nearest river because they can’t afford to fix their fecking washing machine!
Sorry for losing it there, Dunko, but I am about to end my 6 months on Job Seekers Allowance and will shortly move (penniless) on to another phase of my journey back to work. I think it’s called suicide watch. This concerns me greatly; if the Job Centre take my lacers away, I won’t be able to walk to interviews.
I am trying to stay positive Dunky. I am keen on the additional help I understand you have promised for those who survive the suicide watch stage: Short term Wonga-style loans to purchase the supermarket trolley the long-term unemployed will need to keep their shit in once they lose their house and have to spend the next eight years walking the streets and dodging TB until their names bubble to the top of the Council house waiting list.
I apologise if these ideas come across as barking mad, but you started it.
Yours sincerely
Cuddis
@ Flower of Scotland
Fill yer boots.
The more people are drawn to this site and articles like this, the better.
@ call me Dave Well it,ll be a poor harvest for Labour,
Spuds have eyes when they open they reach for the light,cant see the same with Labour.
Can Gordon Brown be any more loathsome? Truly a ("Tractor" - Ed) to democracy and Scotland – supreme arrogance. Yes, a son of the manner, I’m saying it again, because their beliefs exclude common decency and respect.
I try very hard not to feel hate, just out of compassion. I can hardly bare to look at Murphy and Brown, as I’m filled with revulsion at their behaviour.
If this country does not return at least 30+ SNP MPs, I don’t feel there is any real hope to move forward away from these disgusting liars in Labour.
Jet Jockey
Great work. Keep at it 🙂
@ Valerie
We’d only need twenty plus to actually get the job done in commons, but why settle for that?
The more the merrier I say. 🙂
link to youtube.com
This lot do it better Smurph.
@ Cuddis
Don’t give the man ideas. 😉
Leader!
link to youtube.com
It doesn’t matter Murphy or the BBC get up to. At the Rally for Independence in Princes Street gardens in September 2012, Aamer Anwat (born in Liverpool to parents from Pakistan) spoke a truth no Scot could have said without being labelled a ‘blood and soil nationalist’:
“The soul of Scotland, long suppressed, has re-awoken.”
That is why the Smugurph can do what he likes, but Labour’s game’s a bogey. The age of Scotland is arriving like an express train, and Jimbo’s train is gonna hit the buffers at speed.
Cuddis
What a brilliant letter.
It needs to be seen by a wider audience.
Rev can you tweet the link to it-I don’t know how to create links for individual posts 🙁
Particularly poor effort in today’s Herald by George Robertson on the Trident issue. It takes a bit of doing to get steadily less credible as a public figure but George confounds us all.
What heinous crime is Dunoon responsible for to provide us with both George and Brain Wilson
Johnny at 10.10
Exactly! They are so used to getting elected without scrutiny they actually have no idea about how politics work.
Murphy is proving this big time and the completely ineffectual Douglas Alexander has even less of a clue
Labour attacks on Mhairi Black will have had the signal effect of letting everybody know who she is and will have already turned her into some sort of folk hero ( particularly those who share her surpressed desire to nut oily, complacent and condescending Labour councillors).
@Lollysmum
Left lick on timestamp, copy url and Hey presto. 😉
“CLICK”
I tried licking ages ago, didnae work, so defo the clicking -;)
Thanks cynical 🙂
Bugger (the Panda) says: “BBC R 4 now viewing the Union and the Scottish Enlightenment from an English perspective, sorry BBC one.
The act of the Union meant that we voted to shut down the Scottish Parliament and incorporate it into the English one!”
.
Aghhhhha! Once flung, this willful ignorance sticks to the political zeitgeist like shite.
EXAMPLE Hooray Henry MP – opinion maker: link to richmond.com
TRUTH: link to bellacaledonia.org.uk
Jim McIntosh – Outlander
If you go onto Couchtuner – you can watch the entire first series for free!!
Best thing was watching his wife’s arse wiggle out of
Downing Street with the other arse beside her.
link to notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com This dude popped up on WoS twitter line but its a very weird BetteTogether read. It must have been hard negotiating anything with shills like this on the Smith Commission
eg
Scotland running Scotland “became a rhetorical vessel into which you could pour all your hopes and fears”
The good Prof also disowns THE VOW for obvious reasons but this quite amusing on the how and why Scots polls wont budge-
“In this environment, is the Union safe? It does not always feel like it. But, in Scotland at least, it should. If the economic case for independence was not made during the referendum campaign it would be even harder to make it now. The SNP’s modelling of an independent Scotland’s economy was based on what we now know were ludicrously optimistic forecasts as to the oil price. Whereas the SNP forecast an oil price of $113 per barrel, since September the price has crashed to barely $60 per barrel.
Alex Salmond’s Team Scotland would be leading Scotland to disaster right now had 200,000 No voters switched to voting Yes. We came perilously close to economic ruin, and I hope there is a full parliamentary inquiry into whether the Scottish Government acted responsibly in preparing the economic arguments about an independent Scottish economy. Optimism is not a constitutional wrong: but recklessness is.”
I chopped it up with paragraphs, but Prof Tomkins knows full well Scotland would not have been in control of our £1.5 trillion oil patch for at least another 18 months and Westmninster would still be in charge just as they are now. Stoopid facts.
Prof’s blog is from December and it would fun to see how his genius for that long to reign over you Scotland is coping with an even bigger talent/idiot like Jim Murphy.
“The Scottish Labour party also has an impressive new leadership team, although it is always harder for the opposition than it is for the government to set the agenda, or event to set the pace, doubly so when your new leader is not (yet) a Member of the Scottish Parliament. But Jim Murphy is talented enough to know how to turn that to his advantage. His eyes will be firmly fixed on the 2016 prize and he will not be overly distracted by the 2015 general election.”
Impressive SLab team Prof?
Its all just much more work than you ever expected for UKOK shills like you and Macternan, Bliar MacDougal, BBC vote SLab Scotland, Daily Rancid, P&J, Mail, SUN, Express etc
@heedtracker
You make an excellent point questioning the propaganda picture of the “barbarian highlander”. As Christopher Duffy has shown in ‘The ’45’, the highland army was strictly self-policed and their behaviour in England was remarkably good.
Of course the Duke of Cumberland couldn’t quite match these standards of behaviour, something unionist historians aren’t so keen to point out, for some reason.
Can’t think why…
Surely RIGHT click cynicalHighlander?
I usually right click on the date and time of the previous post – that way the start of the actual wanted post is visible.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Utterly utterly stunned at this, I have tears in my eyes, I am so empty, How can a fellow “Scotsman” hate his country so much that he was willing to diregard the Scottish electorates votes to install an excutive of his own chosing?
Whilst I thought Jack O’Connell was a prat, in light of this, my opinion of him has changed, the fact he was willing to stand up against Brown as he could see the damage it would have created if Brown got his way.
Now we really know what the Labour party really think of Scotland if we didn’t know it before
(A wee joke from a wee while ago)
Barcelona’s Nou Camp has been seriously vandalised. Spanish Police suspect a dislexic Scotsman did it.
@Lollysmum
Thanks for your kind words on the IDS letter. I am nowhere near as politically informed as so many, yourself included, on this site but writing short hopefully humourous pieces is something I have done for many years with some success. So I try to entertain Wingers as my contribution to this brilliant site. As with all humour, some pieces work, some don’t but I am glad you think this one did.
Thanks for your support.