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Margaret Curran, Buzzfeed User

Posted on November 18, 2014 by

…is the phrase that was making us chuckle this morning.

mcbu

It headed an article of disingenuous carping so feeble that we can’t even be bothered archive-linking to it, entitled “Ten SNP Fails Since 2007”, because Margaret is bare down with the kids, innit? But we couldn’t help noticing one of the examples.

buzzfeed

We’ve covered the hotel story before. So let’s have a look at that last sentence.

In total, £80,000 has been spent on hotel rooms and subsistence alone for Alex Salmond and his ministers since he became First Minister in 2007.”

The Scottish Government has 21 ministers including the FM. The SNP came to power 91 months ago, making a total of 1,911 minister-months. That means that on average, each minister in the Scottish Government has cost taxpayers the princely sum of £41.86 a month in hotel and subsistence expenses, or £879 a month for the whole lot of them put together. It seems, we would tentatively suggest, rather less than wildly extravagant expenditure for a whole government.

Now let’s visit the website of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

curranexes

That’s what Margaret Curran has cost taxpayers in just a single year, over and above her juicy Westminster salary. If we take only accomodation and travel costs, for the closest comparison we can get with the data available, the shadow Scottish Secretary (who, let’s remember, isn’t actually responsible for anything other than sitting around complaining about stuff) hoovered up £2,932 a month in expenses – almost three and a half times the cost of the ENTIRE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT.

Readers can decide for themselves which provided the better value.

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Bugger (the Panda)

Cock revolver, place foot in the line of fire and pull trigger.

Some boy-in-a-suit dreamed this up and she hadn’t the wit or the self awareness to realise her own vulnerability.

Bonggggg!

Ally

Should the headline not read “Buzz HEID”?

Bugger (the Panda)

2 ally

FuzzHeid?

Betty Boop

They still can’t get their head round expenses for government business trips, can they? Margaret Curran, what is she for and why does she cost so much? Picking sour grapes maybe.

George Minty

Pure gold Mags owned again – a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. Note one of Slabs claims to fame when in power at Holyrood was returning some of Scotland’s pocket money pittance to Westminster as they lacked imagination to use it to improve Scottish welfare, infrastructure or business interests or… anything

Sinky

To be fair Margaret Curran might not make the top ten Labour troughers.

Some of top “Scottish” Labour MP expenses 2013 /14 (in addition to their salary)

Anas Sarwar £204,606.89
Jim McGovern £201,808.49
Jim Murphy £196,969.33
Ian Murray £189,015.53

Perhaps someone with more time than I could trawl through the Westminster MPs expenses and produce a top 20 unionist list and compare the costs of the equivalent MSP.

handclapping

£2932 per month and they go on about his trousers. The “Scottish” media are dying, not because they are anti-SNP, but from pure bad journalism. The fourth estate is meant to be the ones that point out the emperor has no clothes and they are not doing it and a blogger from Bath is.

Tick tock lazy media tick tock

muttley79

Margaret Curran herself is one of the prime reasons why SLAB find themselves in the position they do. There is no political substance, or principle to her whatsoever. In this Curran joins Murphy, Sarwar, Baillie, Dugdale, Alexander, and many others in SLAB. Magrit is obsessed with the need to constantly attack the SNP, and when she does she usually duffs it up completely, as this episode shows.

manandboy

Mgt Curran’s becoming an SNP ally – but then with Johann Lamont gone, some poor stupid soul has to do it, and who better than Johann’s treacherous ‘friend’ Mgt Curran?

Labour – Scotland’s dysfunctional politicians.

manandboy

Mgt Curran’s becoming an SNP ally – but then with Johann Lamont gone, some poor stupid soul has to do it, and who better than Johann’s treacherous ‘friend’ Mgt Curran?

Labour – Scotland’s dysfunctional politicians.

Sinky

Survation Poll in Daily Record puts SNP well ahead for both parliaments and only 2% trust Miliband.

link to archive.today

Is BBC TV showing Alex Salmond’s valedictory speech at 2pm?

Macart

I’m amazed Curran has any feet left to blow off.

Pure astonished, so ah ahm. 😮

Howler. 😀

manandboy

Don’t ask – I swear I pressed once. Apologies nevertheless.

Betsy

One could almost feel sorry for her but as laughing at her is way more fun, it won’t be me.

[…] Margaret Curran, Buzzfeed User […]

No no no...Yes

Incredible. This woman is the most ignorant and spiteful of them all. If she can stab her best friend Johann and stare her in the eye whilst doing it, she is capable of anything.

Mags Curran is a User indeed, but her constituents have the chance to get rid of her next May, tick tock..

muttley79

Anyone got a link for Salmond’s last speech as FM?

Fireproofjim

Alex is on BBC/democracy live very soon

Busy-Bee

Aw wee Mags, god love her… she’s really not got a clue, and we all thought JoLa was mad/sad/bad lol

gillie

WuzzHeid??

Lollysmum

When will she ever learn to engage brain befor opening mouth.

Any fool would expect others to look at her record of spending before deciding whether her position was supportable or not. She hasn’t shot herself in the foot-she did both feet. Stupid woman & they think they are superior to the rest of us.

If she has three brain cells to rub together I’d be very suprised given the content of her pronouncements. One MP costs us more than 21 MSPs -I’d say the MSP’s provide Best Value unlike pretendy this SLAB MP

gillie

2% trust Miliband?

That is 2% more than I expected.

heedtracker

Their constituents have got to start asking why their Westminster MPs like this one are so wealth off. Sure they’re our imperial masters but when the wealthiest in the locale are Labour MP’s like Mags Curran, Ian Davidson, Anas Sarwar? there’s tribal loyalty to Labour in Scotland and BBCProject Fear, but they deserve everything they don’t have if they still vote red tory.

msean

Alex Salmond was First Minister of Scotland,a country,selling our wares and trying to drum up investment and jobs for the country. The kind of folk with real economic clout, who can deliver these things, don’t frequent cheap B&B’s for business meetings.

Maybe its time for Westminster MPs of all parties to publish how many jobs and investment in people (people,not millionaires that is) they bring each month to their constituencies.

Macca73

Perhaps Margaret can follow Alex and give away her pension to a needy charity … NO? Why bang on about the money he’s supposed to have spent then??

Even if it was that amount for a hotel room in Chicago then I’d be interested to see just how much money that actually brought into the Scottish economy much much more than Labour have done.

Fireproofjim

Confirming Alex will make his speech around 2.20 after Topical Questions. Get it on BBC/Democracy live

Valerie

What they also fail to point out is that Alex Salmond has brought millions into the country via persuading on the Ryder Cup.

I read somewhere he is annual claim on expenses is around £9k, which is ridiculously low. Also, there was such an outcry once about some tartan trousers he purchased and put on expenses, because it was again for the Ryder Cup, that he ended up repaying the £200, which I felt so sorry about for him

Curran and her cohorts are scraping the barrel, and we just need to resolve to get rid. They are an expensive joke to this country.

Macca73

Just on a different Tact.

Is there any way of being able to get advertising hordings with the figures for these cretins all over Scotland. I’d be happy to contribute to something like that in the months leading upto the election if they EVEN DARE think about trying to lay this one onto the public without internet access. At least they can see it and know what that name means on the ballot paper. THIEF!!!

Grizzle McPuss

Some of these old political dearies are wandering around screetching like lost moggies.

Quick someone, open the basket door and put down a bowl of cream. Lets catch her before she does herself any more harm.

Catnip Margaret?

Murray McCallum

To be fair to Margaret it must seem a fantastical notion for a Scottish leader to lead on anything, including promoting his own country.

That is the mindset of the Accounting Unit / wannabe Branch Office staffer.

Tattie-bogle

The woman is a shite and the flies upon it.

Roll_On_2014
Ken500

£80,000 since 2007 – £10,000 a year

The Scottish Office costs £100,000 a year. Westminster costs Scotland £Billions. £20Billion a year In costs Scotland could save and (pro rata £10Billion) more borrowing and spending in the rest of the UK.

robertknight

Shouldn’t that headline read:

“Margaret Curran BUZZFEED ABUSER” ?

Or

“Sour faced political has-been, taking time off from making weans greet, discovers new conduit for anti-SNP bile”.

caz-m

It’s not Trident that Scottish Labour MP’s are worried about losing, it’s their expenses.

All the more reason to hound these parasites out of existence. I personally can’t wait for the campaigning to start. I am so up for this fight.

The Scottish Unionist MP’s will pay a heavy price for keeping us stuck in this nightmare.

Douglas Alexander, am comin after you, ya wee unionist rat bag ye.

Grouse Beater

A bigoted motormouth.

The Tree of Liberty

That Jackie Bailey is a creep!

Gordon Innes

So the 117 YouGov panel folk that like Margaret Curran enjoy Films including….

“This is England” & “Fiddler on the Roof”

Appears you no longer need to make this stuff up – as we now have the evidence !

Morag

They did this during the referendum campaign too. If you want to make a perfectly reasonable number sound scary-huge, just expand the number of years you’re referring to. So a modest increase in immigrant numbers becomes an unimaginable flood – if you take from now till 2050! (Of course there’s no need to specify the time-scale in the actual headline, is there Daily Record?)

One_Scot

To be fair to Labour, they are good value for money. Be sure to keep voting for them, it would be a shame for them have to cut back on their extravagant lifestyles.

Ask not what Labour can do for you, but what you can do to keep their pockets over flowing with money.

Stoker

gillie says:
18 November, 2014 at 2:06 pm
“2% trust Miliband?
That is 2% more than I expected.”

Aye, and Myleene Klass isn’t one of them.
link to archive.today
🙂

robertknight

O/T

Tried to watch AS c/o BBC…

“This content doesn’t appear to be working. Please try again later”

Oh my, fancy that?

tombee

‘SIGH’, It’s difficult not get angry over the continual misinformation that exudes from this woman. She trots it out like the veritable Harridan that she is.
It strikes me that she has little to do with her time, and you know what they say about idle hands and empty kettles.
But, as a so called senior politician, for Curran to leave herself so wide open to scorn, and ridicule, makes you wonder about her fitness to be an MP.
Mind you, she is a Labour MP.

Kermit

Why is there such a fluctuation in expenses between different financial years for the same minister?

Some years’ claims are as much the £180,000 quoted here and others as ‘little’ as £45,000…

Thanks in advance.

CameronB Brodie

Some animals are more equal than others?

@ Margaret Curran
While we’re at it, care to explain why Israel deserves statehood, yet Scotland doesn’t? If you manage that one, why is Israel not Better Together if Britain is?

mumsyhugs

Buzz Lightfeed’s expenses – “To infinity and beyond!”

Scott

Have just listened to AS last as FM as usual Jackie Baillie getting her facts wrong and having to be corrected by AS,how is it that she has to be the stand in for JL at the moment and if it is going to be Murphy is that going to be the same,what an easy ride for NS if that is the case,as for Mags,its all been said.

Valerie

Ouch! Patrick Harvie took a pop at Alex re. Trump.

Jackie Baillie as usual deplorable, Ruth Davidson also had a few barbs, claiming the Tories what did it!

AuldA

But that’s English pounds.

Everybody knows that 1 English £ = 0.01 Scottish £, at the latest exchange rate.

😛

BrianW

Parasite.

And she’s always mumbling on about her lifetime fight against poverty.. BOLLOCKS!

Hello.. Margaret.. Anyone in.. Pot, kettle black..

The only thing you’ve seen an end to Margaret is your OWN poverty. To hell with your constituents you bleat on about helping. Your like an Oliver Twist character with an Expenses Form in hand. Please, sir, can i have some more.

Only, I doubt you’re as reticent as Oliver was in asking for more food, when claiming your expenses.

Craig P

Thanks Mags for pointing out the absolute bargain that is Scottish ministerial food and accommodation expenses since 2007.

And thanks Stu for publicising Margaret Curran’s generous admission of SNP frugality 🙂

Luigi

It’s a bit difficult to throw a sleaze pie at the FM when he has just donated his entire pension to charity. Sure, he can afford it, but then so can the Red Tories, who are busy grabbing all they can get for themselves. Has any senior Red Tory politician ever been so kind-hearted and generous?

What are you going to do with your big pension, Ms. Curran?

[…] Margaret Curran, Buzzfeed User […]

Lanarkist

BBC Scot at it again, guest commentators on AS speech and last day as First Member are D. Torrance and Alan Cochrane. On at 4pm.

They will be exploring AS’s good points and bad points throughout his tenure.

Anybody up for keeping scores!

Will it be predictably horrible like Ms. Bail lie, sour grapes and jealous bitterness through grimaced smile.

Probably worth a bet!

Alex Salmond was brilliant this afternoon showing pure class and reminding everyone of what we will miss!

Best of wishes Alex.

R-type Grunt

These parasites say what they say because they know the MSM have their backs. I can’t see how this is going to ever change.

Anyway, we’re emigrating. I can’t live in this shite-hole any more.

Nana Smith

Well I’m fair scunnered of this mangy Curren and her like.

Get the posters up detailing the expenses frauds from these troughing fraudulent waste of space.

chalks

It’s going to be very entertaining to watch Salmond tear into everybody that has wronged him.

R-type Grunt

I’m up for the posters too. That’s an excellent idea.

Fred

I’m ashamed to admit that Magrit is my MP, a wummin who lied that she was born in the constituency to get herself elected.
I’ve a special bottle of “Bowmore” which I had saved for the referendum result the opening ceremony will now be deferred for Sterrheid’s defeat.
Gies me an aim in life! 🙂

desimond

Dear Margaret

People in glasses,
Shouldnt throw stones

gillie

Total spend Mags Curran on accommodation (since 2010): £82,995.51

That is £3,000 more than SNP ministers since 2007

Bobby

typical lying red Tory bullshite the sooner this cackling hag is put out of business the better 200 years ago she,d have been burnd at the stake as a witch

Helena Brown

Well I know nobody in Labour, Scottish Branch can spell Hypocrite, none of them are bright enough, and no I did not need to check the spelling.

James F

The comparison is flawed, as it compares hotel costs with Accommodation, Office, Staff and Travel costs. The total cost of the Scottish Government is more than just hotels!

Margaret Curran may be claiming rather a large amount of expenses, but let us criticize her from a level footing…

Helena Brown

Fred, we had a bottle of Lagavulin with our name on it, should we do the unthinkable in 2015 it will be drunk.

boris

Building frigates on the Clyde? Methinks there might well be mileage in the rumour that the new ships will be built somewhere other than Scotland.

The T-Tip trade agreement provides opportunity for legal bidding for defence contracts by USA, French or other countries signed to the agreement.

The video explains forward thinking in the US arms production business.

link to nato.int

liz

Re Ed getting pasted my Mylee whatsherface is pathetic, he cant even argue with a pop star.

It just goes to show how out of touch they are in London though – where else in the country would they complain about people living in houses worth £2m paying more tax?

Wee Jonny

Margrit Curran
Bullshit User.

There, fixed that fir yi.

HandandShrimp

£35,000 on travel and subsistence in one year? Brass neck doesn’t come into it.

Margaret clearly has never heard of the glass houses and stones things or her brass neck is so shiny it has blinded her judgement.

Wee Jonny

I just went onto Mags’ Twitter and she iznay half gettin it in the arse aboot her list on Alex. Couple o supporters but most standing up for Alex or calling her for what she is. A hypocritical bullshitter.

Mike

And yet it is Margaret Currans version which is mainstream reading while the real facts once again remain obscure and are only available because somebody took time and effort to compile them. Its a pity sites like Wings is not mainstream news.

Jack Murphy

Don’t forget folks her son lives in England,and on the telly she said one of her reasons for voting NO was she didn’t want him to become a foreigner !!
We’re not voting for her son—-we’re going to vote for FULL CONTROL OF EVERYTHING IN SCOTLAND—-for the benefit of ALL IN THIS COUNTRY!! [Glasgow East included].
SNP & other Yes candidates in the General Election.
It’s a must.

manandboy

Saw most of Holyrood live today but broadband failed yet again and missed patches.
From what I did see, Alex was superb and his resume of the parliament was a masterclass.

Then we got the pubcrawlers, Baillie and Rennie – both utterly without class or any grace or sense of occasion.
Only Ruth Davidson made a decent stab at it, but even she failed on the big points.

These people and the parties they represent are way out of their depth at Holyrood. The only thing they get right is the pricey wardrobes and the expensive grooming – Jackie Baillie excepted of course.

This is the way of the Union. The qualified go to Westminster while the failures are dispatched to Holyrood to a life of big money and a luxury lifestyle.

Unfortunately, they have to open their mouth and speak and then we all hear what they’re made of.
And they make such a noise about education – as if they had any!!
Rejects – the lot of them.
Only Independence will solve this.

Brian Powell

If Torrance and Cochrane are all the BBC can bring to assess Alex Salmond’s time as FM, then BBC is now very deep into the backwoods of third rate country.

heedtracker

Did anyone tell this trougher AlicSamin’s quit? BBC in particular weapon of choice was destroy Salmond, save this nonsense union and their ghastly jobs ofcourse. They won the battle 18th Sept but they will lose…

Fireproofjim

O/T
Regarding the current low oil price. The talk in the oil industry is that this is a purely political move, whereby the Saudis, at the request of the Americans, turn the taps on to maximum volume, thus driving down the price of Crude oil.
Why? Well to punish those pesky Russians who depend so much on oil exports to fuel their economy. When the Russians pull back from Ukraine the oil price will come back to around $100 as the taps are turned off again.

manandboy

I was disappointed not to have heard Joanne Lamont speak today about Alex. Had she done so, I’d bet it would have been priceless.
I’m sure Alex will not find it easy to forget JoLa.
No wait, on second thoughts, that’s maybe stretching things a bit.
Five minutes will probably do it.

SquareHaggis

Nailed!

Lovin this website 🙂

fred blogger

no one promised us the earth, we saw what is possible once the shackles of WM were removed.
the snp et al engaged with full and open dialogue, in an extraordinary campaign for social justice, we have certainly won more than we had before.
won personal empowerment cannot be put back in the box or it is once more lost.
democratic political engagement is a right and not a privilege.
welldone stu, curran banged to rights, she is a blairite tory.

Chic McGregor

Just listening to BBC Scotland allowing two swivel headed unionists full reign on the radio. More angry at the situation we are in whereby the state broadcaster knows it can get away with doing this rather than the inevitable character assassination of Alex Salmond they duly delivered, although TBF Cochers was less vitriolic than usual and must have disappointed but Torrance was even worse than usual.

Maybe thery were attempting Bad Cop Worse Cop?

Les Wilson

Any links for replay of Alex’s speech today anyone?

crazycat

@ Sinky at 1.49pm

When we discussing expenses a few weeks ago I constructed a spreadsheet for 2013-14 (only) listing the Labour (only) Scottish MPs and their total expenses, not broken down into staff, accommodation etc.

It wouldn’t take that long to add the LibDems and Mundell, but to include the MSPs would be trickier – I’m sure I can find out where their expenses are listed, but the constituencies are not all identical, and some of the duties may be offloaded onto list MSPs – there would then be several ways of distributing their expenses to the constituency to make a reasonable equivalent. Or it could just be left as a comparison between constituency MPs/MSPs, with some geographical leeway.

Ninja Penguin

Margaret Curran’s so nasty I had to write a song about her –
link to youtube.com

muttley79

@Chic McGregor

You really have to question anybody who denies that BBC Scotland are not biased against Scottish independence. It could almost defy belief (if you did not know any better that is), that they choose Cochrane and Torrance as the two political journos to assess Salmond’s role and time as FM. They both loath and detest Alex Salmond with a passion. At least Poor Old Cochers is honest and upfront about his loathing of the FM/ the SNP/ and the wider independence movement. Torrance is worse, he is as diehard a unionist as Cochrane, but tries much harder to pretend to be balanced and unbiased.

There appears to have been no attempt made by BBC Scotland to get a pro-independence journalist on to balance either Cochrane or Torrance, or even somebody sympathetic, such as Iain Macwhirter, Kevin McKenna etc. Everybody knows about the row between Salmond and Torrance since the referendum. We really do have a banana republic style mainstream media in Scotland. It is pathetic, corrupt, ludicrously one sided, and a disgrace to proper journalism.

BBC Scotland, this is not fucking good enough, and not by a long shot….

fred blogger

i want to share my favorite youtube clip of the indyscotref campaign with you.
link to youtube.com

Les Wilson

Ninja Penguin says:

Well, that gave me a laugh, yet it’s all TRUE!!

manandboy

With IndyRef we suffered a puncture
courtesy of the BBC and John ‘Fear over Hope’ McTernan.

But now the puncture’s fixed and we’re back on the road.

Heading for Independence.

Alt Clut

Curran is laughably pathetic in the amateurishness of her hypocritical whining which ends up being self harm under a bit of examination.

These people have nothing to say – surely they must be near the end of their road ?

Roll_On_2014

Les Wilson

Any links for replay of Alex’s speech today anyone?

Alex Salmond’s last speech:
‘Better days lie ahead’

roberto

You really cant believe a word labour trot out

Les Wilson

Roll_On_2014 says:

Thanks! Will watch it now.

manandboy

@ Chic McGregor – nearly 2 million Scots feel the same, Chic.

The entire staff of the BBC in Scotland are living on borrowed time and I for one will not rest till they are removed from post beginning with Boothman and McQuarrie.

Then the hardware will be sold off or scrapped and the building at Pacific Quay demolished.

In it’s place, there will be something which will help take Scotland forward rather than poison it.

Then, Boothman & McQuarrie will be going to the same institution as McTernan, somewhere north of Aberdeen.

Oneironaut

@Macca73
“Is there any way of being able to get advertising hordings with the figures for these cretins all over Scotland. I’d be happy to contribute to something like that in the months leading upto the election if they EVEN DARE think about trying to lay this one onto the public without internet access. At least they can see it and know what that name means on the ballot paper. THIEF!!!”

There are no words to describe how much I LOVE this idea! 😀

Perhaps a group of folks could get together and buy up billboards in each constituency with the shameful details for that constituency’s MP posted up there for every voter to see!
Might shut them up about how much others claim then…

Lochside

Margaret Curran-Buzzfeed? more like plain buzzard feeder.
Mean-spirited, lying and greedy waste of oxygen.With the IQ of a fence post and the loyalty of a jackal.

What has Scotland done to deserve Unionist politicians that are plain venal and stupid? Aided and abetted by an msm that is their equal and staffed by spineless incompetent ("Tractor" - Ed)s.

They are all too wee, too stupid and too intellectually poor for purpose…let’s get rid…once and for all in 2015.

Greannach

The poor dope wouldn’t have a clue how much her expenses are in the spotlight. And she voted for a benefits cap in March. How stupid can one person be?

Truth

Aye Mags, ye’v been fun lot.

Git tae…

Truth

Fun oot even

Gavin Brown

[LONG LIST OF FIGURES REMOVED]

If you just wanted to scorn her for her hypocrisy thats one thing, but to claim her spending is too high, well clearly you need to look at all the countries MP’s.

Croompenstein

I was going to ask if she said all that about the FM with a straight face but then her face is never straight it’s always contorted in her hate SNP and furriners wrinkledness, the fucker.

Nana Smith

Sir something whatsit is over at the guardian calling Alex paranoid for stating the bbc are biased.

Well does that mean I’m paranoid seeing as how I know the bbc are biased and corrupt and a refuge for paedophiles.

Croompenstein

@Les @Roll_On_2014

Alex’s statement is on the Scottish Parliament site.. save giving traffic to the BBC..

link to scottishparliament.tv

AndyC

Did you have to show us a photo of her Stu?
The sight of her soor puss and ill fittin’ false teeth give me the boak!
She should be telt tae buy a better lookin wig as well!
The only time ah’ve seen a smile on her midden was when the Imperial Masters came up and she was runnin’ aboot ahent Milliband like an overexcited groupie on speed!
How much would it cost to fund those billboards?

Flower of Scotland

Please, please, can ANYONE put up a link for Alex Salmond,s farewell speech! I’ve tried Scottish Parliament TV, BBC Democracy live, you tube and roll-on-2014.

Roll-on,s link was 2mins. Why can I not find more. I’m just about ready to through my ipad out into the garden! HELP!

Nana Smith

@Flower of Scotland

link to cityam.com

Flower of Scotland

@Nana Smith

Thank you that’s great ! But video anyone!

Valerie

Off topic, but funny – a JustGiving page has been set up to help her pay her mansion tax, after having a go at Miliband. She is only worth £11 million, so you have to feel sorry for the wumman.

Croompenstein

@FoS – the parliament link works..

OT anyone got a link for the football??

Valerie

Sorry meant to say for Myleene Klass

caz-m

manandboy and Chic 5.16pm

The Daily Politics show at lunchtime today done a piece on Alex Salmond and they had the loveable Torrance on their as well. They also had that other Salmond roadie, Kevin Scholfield of the Sun on. He hates Alex Salmond more the John McTernan.

Daily Politics, Alex Salmond 44mins in.

link to bbc.co.uk

The BBC really pushed the boat out to get all of Alex friends to pay tribute to him today. It was just one big love-in.

I have heard that BBC Scotland will be filming a “This Is Your Life” special for Alex. Hosted by Glen Campbell.
(That was a joke)

Robert Louis

First Minister resignation speech in full. Video link;

link to scottishparliament.tv

wingman 2020

@Oneironaut @Macca73

Great idea. Can we float it in the group? See how many people would be interested in a Big Scottish Cities Poster Campaign…. Showing Labour MPs Expenses.

wingman 2020

Lets get Billboard in these cities.

1 Glasgow 591,620 City Glasgow City
2 Edinburgh 464,990 City City of Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen 196,670 City Aberdeen City
4 Dundee 147,710 City Dundee City
5 Paisley 76,220 Town[2] Renfrewshire
6 East Kil 74,740 Town South Lanarkshire
7 Livingston 56,570 Town West Lothian
8 Hamilton 53,200 Town South Lanarkshire
9 Cumbrnld 51,610 Town North Lanarkshire
10 Dunfrmln 50,380 Town Fife

Nana Smith

@Croompenstein

ITV 7.30 for footie.

Nana Smith
caz-m

The bastards at BBC Scotland and Scottish Labour sink to new depths. They have arranged to show a debate between the three candidates in the leadership race on their “Scotland 2014” show tonight.

It just happens to be on the same day that Alex Salmond resigns as First Minister of Scotland and the day before Nicola Sturgeon becomes the new First Minister of Scotland.

And no doubt the Daily Record will be in on it as well. This debate will give them their story for tomorrow.

Beelin! again. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Nicola Wood

Keep publishing these Labour MP’s expenses in the run up to May 2015 – absolutely shocking hypocrisy. (send printouts of their expenses round their constituents in the final weeks of the GE campaign!)

red sunset

Agreed with other posters – David Torrance on BBC radio was just a snide wee choob. Nothing gracious at all in what he said, sideways comments, very childish.
Another example of BBC attitude.
Cochrane however was quite straightforward, although he’s no supporter of Alex Salmond. His comments came through as his honest opinions.
Torrance really has no integrity.

Kirsty

I’m a bit confussed – which is nothing new, I am regularly – but I don’t have a TV licence (I haven’t for years, which is a pity because I’d like to get the satisfaction of telling them to get tae every couple of weeks, if I could!), are people on here asking for a link to Alex Salmond’s farewell speech because they missed it or because they’ve not put it on TV? If it’s the latter, that’s just, wow. They don’t televise the farewell speech of the outgoing FM? Seriously?!

muttley79

A little extract from a Guardian article:

Alex Salmond has been labelled a “paranoid loser” by a former BBC chairman, following the former Scottish National party leader’s criticism of the corporation’s coverage of the Scottish independence referendum.

Sir Christopher Bland urged the BBC to mount a robust defence of its journalism, after Salmond compared the corporation’s independence referendum coverage to a “state broadcaster” screening propaganda.

“I haven’t yet seen, other than the rather feeble [BBC] corporate affairs response … somebody taking him on and saying ‘really, Salmond, you’re a paranoid loser and you really shouldn’t insult the BBC like that’,” Bland told the Voice of the Listener & Viewer (VLV) autumn conference in London on Tuesday afternoon.

cynicalHighlander

The BBC have no respect for AS or the SNP at all, ever.

Capella

Another entertaining Max Keiser report on why the public put up with the banksters and don’t revolt. Also a discussion about the Scottish Referendum NO vote and lack of democracy (and media domination).
link to rt.com

Kirsty

Wingman 2020,

Is that list for real?! Is that the expenses of Labour MPs? Can we add another column to point out poverty/child poverty in each of those areas? Maybe growth/employment and/or job opportunities? Just so people can see how our overlords are coining it in while people are going hungry.

Stoker

Here is a link (Archived) to the article Nana Smith refers to.
link to archive.today
According to “Sir Christopher Bland” Alex Salmond is a “paranoid
loser” and then he states that Salmond “shouldn’t insult the BBC.”

In the same article another BBC connection states:
“we should defend the BBC’s right to make mistakes…”

NAW, YA BAWBAG, the destruction of any childs innocence is way
beyond any level of forgiveness or tolerance.
Bunch of fricken paedo lovers.

And deliberate reporting of lies and deception can never, under
any circumstances or stretches of the imagination, be classed as
“making mistakes.”

The days of the British Bullshit Corporation, as we currently
know it, are well and truly numbered, as is the filthy corrupt state it represents.
____________________

Meanwhile, this from the BBC Teletext service:

“STV breached referendum day rules”

“STV has been found to be in breach of broadcasting rules
for showing a repeat of a current affairs programme on the
day of the independence referendum.”

“The repeat of Scotland Tonight was broadcast on the local
station STV Glasgow at 15.00 on 18 September.”

“The programme – shown on its main channel the previous day –
discussed the referendum campaign.”

“The broadcaster reported itself to regulator Ofcom and said
it had tightened procedures.”

Ian Brotherhood

Latest blog article from SSP’s Richie Venton –

‘Mass Defiance – Not Devolved Decimation of Jobs and Services’:

link to richieventon.blogspot.co.uk

Gallowglass

lmfao 😀

She epitomises Labour in Scotland. They actually debase themselves with this shit and can’t even see it.

Suzanne

@Jack Murphy

“Don’t forget folks her son lives in England,and on the telly she said one of her reasons for voting NO was she didn’t want him to become a foreigner !!”

Total craziness, isn’t it. My son lives abroad and I don’t consider him to be a foreigner. I consider him to be my son!

And, as we all pointed out at every opportunity, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH BEING A FOREIGNER! Sorry for shouting but you know how it is., they’re like starving dogs seizing

Honestly they’re like starving dogs fighting over a greasy old chip. Any old bit of rubbish to sustain them as they fade away into oblivion. I’d feel sorry for them haemorrhaging support and members, but for the fact that they told so many lies and scared so many older folk that I really don’t care.

Dr Jim

Alex Salmond and all of us may have lost the vote, but it’s become clear we have now won the argument and the other side knows it and it scares them to the point of screaming for Andrex A.S is a Scottish National hero even for the NO voters they just dont know it yet. Can’t wait for First Mins questions to watch N.S fire big pointy icicles at JaBa and Hockey sticks, N.S does’nt need to be as gentle as A.S

alloasnp

Fully intend to have this printed on billboards throughout the Wee County:

Gordon Banks, Labour, Ochil and South Perthshire CC
Summary of Claims 2013-14

Accommodation – £18,609.90
Office Costs – £23,413.45
Staffing – £129,154.83
Travel – £22,220.66
Total – £193,398.84

I’ve just had a look at the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising (link to cap.org.uk)

Under Section 7.1 relating to political advertisements –
“Claims in marketing communications, whenever published or distributed, whose principal function is to influence voters in a local, regional, national or international election or referendum are exempt from the Code.”

Stoker

Kirsty @ 7.17pm
Aye, but BBC2 (Scotland 2014) are showing a special programme
tonight with all three Slabber branch managerial applicants on it.
10.30pm to 11.15pm.
Or you can get it on iPlayer shortly after.
Remember, folks, you don’t need a TV Licence to watch on iPlayer.
____________

Well said, Caz, @ 7.06pm
It’s all very deliberate.
Including the “BBC” swipes at Salmond.
The fact that they have waited until now before stooping to their latest cowardly acts is very far from coincidental.
The sooner we witness the destruction of the foreign Brit media,
the quicker we will progress as a country into the 21st century.

Ann

Nicola,

Just do what that majority on here have done since 18th September. Don’t watch the BEEB or STV. Don’t buy a daily rag of any kind. They’re not worth a ruptured vein.

Just keep reading, listeing and supporting the new Scottish Media that is slowly starting to emerge starting with the 1st edition of the ScottishStatesman next Friday and all for the sum of £2.95 a month.

Claire McNab

Stu, you can do better than this comparison of apples and oranges.

I quite agree that Curran’s sniping about hotel expenses is misplaced. As you noted before, the hotel costs are reasonable for what was done.

However, your comparison with Curran’s Westminster expenses is inappropriate. It’s comparing the costs of exceptional travel with the routine costs of being in Westminster for ~26 weeks a year. Unsurprisingly, the high frequency of trips to London and the need to provide ongoing accommodation is more expensive than occasional overseas travel.

A fairer test of Curran’s Westminster expenses is to compare them with those of other MPs.

[LONG LIST OF FIGURES REMOVED]

Gallowglass

I still watch the BBC, but I’ll never pay for it again.

fred blogger

Dr Jim
it is very clear that slabs cannot take defeat.
yes, we have won the argument.
curran also said to para phrase; the SNP have betrayed the scottish people and are taking the vote of the scottish people for granted”.
but it is clear to all of us here and many many more, that the opposite is true, hence the backlash against slabs.
they campaigned against scotland, in their own self interests, and in so doing have betrayed the people of scotland.
for we have a democratic choice of who to vote for, that we choose to not vote for slabs or tory, is our choice and no one else’s.
trust in politics is generally @ a very low ebb, and i am inclined to trust the SNP et al to a far greater degree than any WM rooted party.
that we will all work in the best interests of scotland, and the scottish people, i am totally assured of.

onelessday

Maggie

Oor Maggie came charging fae oot o’ the east
A wee wifie wha thinks she’s a big fighting beast
Wi a voice like a foghorn, and charms sadly lacking
Wee Milly must rate her, for he’s gien her his backing

Noo she’s got a red case, that’lll aye come in handy
Tae carry aroon her beano and dandy
Alang wi the forms tae mak oot her claims
There’s a big hoose tae be kept, and a couple o’ weans
So she canny miss oot on ought that is gawn
For some day soon she’ll be back at the pawn

She shadows Carmichael, an arderous task
When oot robbing, Dick Turpin, at least wore a mask
But he’d better watch oot wi Mags on his case
The new bools in her mooth she micht spit in his face
But she’ll stand up for Scotland, oh, I’m kidding on noo
There’s mare chance o’ me thinking a bull is a coo

An Teallach

First post from me and sorry to be O/T but I was sent this by a work colleague today and thought it worth posting to ask folks to share it round in support of trying to halt the TTIP process. It was sent to my colleague from ThePeoplesNHS (I hope the link works!)

“I would like to thank the hundreds of people of Peebles and Biggar for their incredible support on the recent national day of action to protect our NHS and have it removed from the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) Agreement.

The people of Peebles and Biggar stood with over 20,000 people from throughout the UK and demanded action from politicians to protect our NHS. The support for our demand to remove our NHS from the US-EU trade agreement was heard loud and clear with local councillors, MSPs and MEPs supporting our cause. The backing from many local politicians made it all the more disappointing that local MP, David Mundell, refused to listen to his constituents and rebuffed all approaches made to him asking for his support.

This Friday 21st November, when the Westminster Parliament discusses a bill on the TTIP question, David Mundell has another opportunity to show who he really represents. This private member’s bill aims to both protect our NHS from TTIP and also end NHS privatisation. David Mundell has a clear chance to show whether he truly represents the interests of the people of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale or whether he represent the interests of US and multinational healthcare companies.

Please take 2 minutes to email your MP demanding that he/she backs the bill.

link to bit.ly

The PeoplesNHS will continue our campaign until we have action from David Mundell and from the Prime Minister, David Cameron to remove our NHS from the TTIP agreement. Our campaign is united with community groups throughout Scotland, the UK and across Europe where people are demanding that it must be in the interests of citizens and not corporations that our elected representatives act.

Thank you again for your incredible support. Together we can protect our NHS and ensure that future generations will have an NHS that remains publicly owned, publicly managed and that continues to deliver world class healthcare for everyone who needs it.”

Kirsty

Stoker,

Thanks for that – apart from not having a TV license, I’ve not been clicking on/buying any msm news-sites since the referendum and I’m really feeling it; I don’t have a clue what’s going on anymore. I’ve tried to find alternative news sources but they’re all either just political commentary or they’re only updated once in a while. I haven’t been able to find any proper day to day news sources for Scotland so I haven’t a clue about what’s happening day to day anymore. I think I might have to cave in soon just so I have an idea about what’s happening.

Anyway, that’s just smashing, isn’t it? I’m so glad that they’re putting BLABbers on beside it just to give us some “balance”! Otherwise, we might end up thinking for ourselves and that would be awful. Honest to God, where else does this happen? The outgoing leader of the government doesn’t even get proper airtime for his farewell speech?! And let’s be real; probably only about five people will look it up on iPlayer or BBC Parliament or whatever. It should be in the main news. It’s beyond parody now.

snode1965

Curran Bun always reminds me of Zelda from kids show Terrahawks. On billboard advertising, dont forget bus shelter billboards maybe better way to get our message across to the elderly voters.

Bob Mack

Hi @Wingman and others,
I love ,absolutely love the poster idea ,but I must urge a word of caution. We also have other M.PS from Scotland who sit in the Commons. If their tally for the year is well below Labour you are on a sure fire winner, and I would be very interested in that.Clarity f

Bob Mack

@ WINGMAN AND OTHERS
Post went missing .Great idea about posters. Need first of all to clarify that other “Scottish M.P.s” who sit in the House of Commons are not comparible or greater if you get my drift, otherwise we shoot ourselves in the foot. Love the idea though and would gladly put them up.

Paula Rose

Seeing as how this thread is likely to be quiet for a while due to some inconsequential footie match, master chef and the necessary two hour delay to watch Bette Midler on the BBC I think I’ll add my penny’s worth.

The referendum was not won by those who know independence is the best way forward – personally I regard it as the best way forward for all those who live in the UK.

There has been a massive re-alignment in politics – the “centre” is now deep within the territory of the right, and parties of tradition are now regarded as infra dig. The extreme radicalism of the neo-cons is neither understood nor on the radar of those who take no interest in politics.

Many in England as in Scotland (as the polls show) regard the Labour party as being of the left – on the other hand I regard the Green Party which I support as being on the right.

The Green Party espouses responsibility, self-reliance, stewardship and local empowerment – policies of the traditional conservative parties of the UK.

The SNP must appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of the Scottish polity and to that end assure all that regardless of the hue of Westminster – Scotland’s interests will be put first especially where these align with the progressive policies of the whole of the UK.

The neo-con agenda is a return to a world that the generations before me and many others struggled to escape from. If an alliance of neo-con parties were to form at Westminster, do not imagine that the English left would accept it.

The best interests of Scotland will never be served by a return to feudalism – I know of no party that supports independence that does – I am not convinced that that is true of the parties that wanted a continuation of the UK.

caz-m

Watching the Scotland game and the England/Rangers supporters in the crowd are coming over loud and clear, Rule Britannia, God Save The Queen, etc… Infact a little too loud.

You don’t think they have fitted extra microphones at the England/Orange Order end, do you?

And all those ProudScotBut, NO voters, will be split on who to support.

Do they support Scotland or do they support their Imperial Masters.

Stoker

I hear the Tartan Army showed exactly what they thought of the
parasites anthem before tonight’s game against INGURLAND when
they booed throughout the playing of it.

Well done all you participants – proud of every last one of you.
🙂

ronnie anderson

@ Kirsty. You dont need a TV licence to watch TV,its a bit of paper not a remote control,look on the bright side you,ve saved 145£s worth of bits of paper & can still watch TV.
Ah feel awe fussy inside knowing other good causes are getting ma £145,& comforted in the knowlede they’rs hew haw that they can dey tae stop me,no matter how many letters they send.

Kirsty

Bob Mack,

I think you’re totally right about that but, personally, I don’t really care what party they’re from, even if it is SNP or any other Yes party – truthfully – if they’re troughing, they’re troughing. I think we have to hold all our paid representatives to account. I do think, though, that it makes a huge difference if our paid representatives are voting for war or trident renewal or if they voted against change, for example, while there are people in their constituencies going hungry or are too poor to pay their bills, etc.

But I think we need to hold all MPs/MSPs/MEPs/Councillors to account irrespective of what party they’re aligned with. I’m willing to bet, though, that you won’t find bigger troughers than the Labour party, especially in the constituencies that they’ve held for decades.

Really, this shouldn’t be about realigning Scots with one party or another, it should be about making sure, that whoever our representatives are, that they put the needs of Scotland and their constituents above any other consideration. That’s just my view; I’m not politically aligned; I just want representatives that put us first. I’ll vote for anyone who puts us first and their wallet second – obviously, independence is a non-negotiable for me too. That’s why I’m going to vote SNP because they’ve always put Scotland first, if ever I believe they’re no longer doing that, I’ll vote for someone else who does.

Dr Jim

Remember folks what N.S is saying, the only thing Westminster understands is POWER we are over 90.000 strong now, the SNP that is, keep joining the party till we overwhelm the arrogant gits, then Scotland wins and we run our country efficiently and embarress Westminster for what they are Greedy Indolant Twits…..See what i did there, GITS…

tombee

@Stoker,

I feel your anger mate. The upper echelons of this so called family of nations is rife with corruption of every kind. The sooner we rid ourselves of this demonic London set of gangsters the better it will be for the Scottish people.

There have been so called representatives of Labour, who for decades were sent, consistently, in large numbers as MPs to West Minster to look after the interests of hard working people and who, once they, ( these MPs), get the smell of the reek of the self indulgent trough, forget why they are there.

You have only got to look at the financial gains enjoyed by the likes of Murphy, Darling, Brown, Alexander, Curran, and their ilk to see where the money goes.

The last thing these leeches think about is hungry bairn’s families having to resort to food banks for help.

The day will dawn. No doubt about it. The Scottish people, those who for whatever reason voted NO, will wake up to realise they have been taken for fools. Hopefully
Y, sooner rather than later.

ronnie anderson

@ onelessday 8.11. A big Tammy doff to You a fine wordsmith.

caz-m

Kirsty

I took Ronnie’s advice and I also watch TV and don’t pay for it AND I’m also getting a refund from the BBC for my troubles.

You don’t need a license to make a complaint.
I have also took away their “Right of Access”, that means they can’t come near your door.

Kirsty

Paula Rose,

You always surprise me whenever you’re serious and I always agree with you when you are! Wise words.

Kirsty

Ronnie,

LOL, I know that but I don’t always know things are happening to be able to look them up, if that makes sense. Once I know there’s something worthwhile watching, then I will look it up on iPlayer.

caledonia

Curran what a fanny
People outside this website need to see this

Lenny Hartley

Re TV Licences etc. Since some folk are mentioning watching TV and not paying the licence, will put in my twopence worth. Recently I was staying in the Isle of Man at a friends who is a Communications Specialist, I worked in Comms at one time so know a wee bit about it. Anyway the guy I was staying with was/is one of the UK’s top guys in communications sitting on European Committee’s to formulate standards. He knows his stuff inside out.
In fact if it wasn’t for him you would not be using your mobile phones or at least the way they have developed so far.

He told me its quite easy for Detector vans to determine
not only if your watching TV (Analogue or Digital) but which channel your watching.

Not to get too technical, when you are watching TV there is for want of a better word “overspill” at a certain frequency, it is radiated from your TV. The Detector vans pick this up, and by subtracting the frequency from the carrier signal can work out what channel you are watching.

So don’t think they can not tell if your watching TV.

Best to do what I do is not watch the bloody thing at all.
After the first couple of weeks you don’t miss it.

Paula Rose

I find stroking my pussy far more enjoyable than watching TV – not smut Rev.

Macnakamura

What was it that Buzz would say ?

” To ignominy and beyond ! “

Bob Mack

@ kirsty,
Appreciate what you say. I worked for N.H.S. in Currans constituency for many years. Area of severe deprivation and numerous social problems. They would be horrified to learn how much this trougher gets to represent them. Not so long ago a character put in to regenerate this part of the East end of Glasgow by the Labour Council, was paid off with a phenomenal sum having created a number of jobs you could count on two hands. And yes, I DO mean two hands!!! I do not like these grasping rodents OR THEIR BEHAVIOUR any more than you, but I am willing to play them at their own game for now!

Kirsty

Caz,

LOL. It’s not that I wouldn’t watch TV without a licence – I’d love to, especially knowing that meant less money for them; it’s just my aerial’s fecked anyway so I couldn’t even if I wanted to! That, and the fact that I don’t buy/look up newspapers anymore means that I don’t have a scooby about what’s happening! I used to be quite up on things and probably really boring with it. Now, whilst still being really boring, I couldn’t even tell you who looks like winning Strictly.

caz-m

Lenny Hartley 9’50pm
“The Detector vans pick this up, and by subtracting the frequency from the carrier signal can work out what channel you are watching.”

BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSHHHHHHIIIIIIITTTTTT!!!!

heedtacker

He told me its quite easy for Detector vans to determine
not only if your watching TV (Analogue or Digital) but which channel your watching.

So they can also tell if you’re watching tv on your pc or laptop screen? No. Detector vans are a myth and old part of BBC fee pressure. The law says an inspector has to eye ball an unlicensed tv and that’s all they need in court. There are cheap as chips digital and analogue usb tv dongles for a tenner now so if they come round with a court order, chuck it somewhere out of the way or up your own…:D

Kirsty

Lenny Hartley,

Hi, Capita/BBC/whoever you work for.

For anyone watching at home, what Lenny’s just said is garbage or as our Caz said, “Bullshit”. No one has ever been “caught” watching TV by a detector van – there are so many people on any street/block of flats watching TV that they can’t tell who has a licence and who doesn’t. That’s a scare story the BBC tells us to make sure we keep coughing up the money to be propagandised/pay up so they can give pay-outs for their molestation of children.

The only way you can be “caught” watching TV without a licence is if a) you admit it (and you have to sign a form stating that you’ve been a bad girl or boy and so, essentially, you make a confession) or b) if they actually catch you watching it, i.e, they see what you’re watching through a window, etc.

There are loads of sites on the internet or videos on YouTube that will explain the whole process and all the legalities to you, just in case Lenny’s got you worried. To cut a long story short; he’s lying.

Dave McEwan Hill

Caledonia at 9.41

Exactly. These facts should be made into a leaflet and distributed to every house in Stairheid’s constituency. They get away with this sort of stuff all the time.

In fact we should be doing this with many of our opponents and their lies. How about Murphy’s Million, his three house flips, his Friend of Israel status and his 13 months of London allowance in a twelve month year (but wait till he gets voted leader first).

In fact about £45.000 crowd fund could produce 500,000 copies of an eight page “not the Daily Record”

Paula Rose

Not the BLIST channel?

ronnie anderson

@ caz_M ah wud back you up on your post but you’ve used to many letters,an anywie ah kin only spell bullshit.

Lenny Hartley

caz-m/Kirsty

I aint talking bullshit, but if you think you know everything no skin of my nose.

See u all on Sat night at the YES bar.

Kirsty

Bob Mack,

That’s a disgusting story, and I’ve heard lots of stories just like it. That’s my point, we shouldn’t let any of them away with any of it. I’m not saying that because I’m for the SNP/Greens/SSP/whoever. I couldn’t care less what party they’re aligned to; I just care that they don’t take the p*ss out of their constituents and tax payers in general. I think one of the big problems in Scotland has been that we’ve taken a back seat and just “allowed” things to happen. That’s why you have a decades long Labour majority in many parts of Glasgow, for example, even though they treat Glaswegians like cattle – we’ve just allowed it. They’re not to blame; we are. We’ve allowed them to do that. it’s time to hold them all to account. Let’s not let any politician/paid representative away with anything.

Just as an aside, let’s also not get too wrapped up in Labour because that would be a mistake, in my view – we all know there are constituencies in Glasgow and elsewhere (mine included, I’m sorry to say) where Labour will get in no matter what. But that story also applies to many areas of the Highlands and Islands, etc. but just replacing the Lib Dems with Labour. That’s a problem too but we tend not to mention that.

Unless we’re voting for people who put their constituents and Scotland first then we have a problem. I think it’s time we all changed our voting habits.

John Walsh

Yes but the daily fail and DR report this “shite” to all the lets call them intellectually challenged and they Hoover it up. How do we get the message across to MSM ?

Paula Rose

There is no one way to do this – we all have to do what we can in our own constituencies, the SNP is a party for all of us, even me. Do they serve a decent cocktail?

Stoker

Welcome to WOS, An Teallach.
____________________________
Kirsty,
I hear you loud and clear on that post @ 8.21pm.

It can be quite hard at times but for me it is a question of commitment.

I’ve been doing it for years, it does get easier, practice makes perfect.

I have NEVER bought a TV Licence, nor will i ever.

I have NEVER bought a “national” newspaper in well over 10 years. The very occasional local paper, Yes, but no nationals, not even the Sunday Herald – some Yessers do because it is momentarily promoting our case, but for me it is still a foreign owned paper and its sister rag is promoting the Unionist cause the other 6 days of the week. The Heralds sales are, apparently, falling like every other Unionist rag whilst sales of its Sunday sister are supposedly on the rise. I see that situation as our people helping to keep the Unionist agenda afloat, so i don’t contribute. Besides, i don’t see any need to buy these papers in this day and age when we are spoiled for so many other news sources.

Another way of keeping up with news and other events is via radio. I have the radio on at some point every day of the week. Sometimes its on all day and i’ll jump from station to station. I much prefer radio to tv anyway so that helps.

I am also a believer in if there is something major going on out there and i’m not aware of it, wait 5 minutes and you’ll soon hear about it on here. So throughout the day, from when i rise to when i hit the sack again i regularly have a look on WOS just to see what’s going on and make the odd comment etc.

Then there is the internet, ok, most of the time its running behind, sometimes several days behind, but don’t be concerned about clicking onto fresh news stories, it’s only a problem if you start participating via comments and giving approval ratings etc – that helps them with site traffic figures. And if ever you want to link any article onto WOS just archive it before posting that link, that way you help limit the amount of site traffic that article and paper gets.

As for shopping, unfortunately we all have to eat but i will never spend a penny in my local shop (they voted No) or any of the others on the Boycott list. For my shopping i have to either get it delivered and/or travel several miles, which i do, to get what i need.

As i said, for me, its a question and matter of commitment.
It is hard at first because humans are creatures of habit but it does get easier the more you practice and commit to that way of thinking.

Yes, i completely agree, important Scottish political matters and events should always be covered in the main news and easily accessed by all. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and its NEVER going to change until we do something about it.
Helping to fund the BBC via paying the Licence fee only encourages them to continue cr@pping on us.

We only have 3 powerful weapons in our armoury to strike back at the Unionist system – our facts, our commitment and our votes.
Use all 3 wisely.
😉

Joemcg

What’s this on bbc2 just now? A ppb for north British labour? Would an SNP leadership contest get this coverage? Would it Fxxx.

Paula Rose

My local shop-keepers might have voted No – my fault for not having made a better case.

James Caithness

Labour leader contenders debate on Scotland2014. All slagging the SNP. Brilliant that the SNP are dictating the agenda, even labours.
Lies of course is what they are doing and getting away with it without challenge from the biased swine Sarah Smith.

Murphy says labour must stop slagging the SNP. Strange considering thats all they are doing now.

Boyacks first answer to the question what will labour do to win the GE. She says we will wait to get Ed millibands policy and we will get behind it and campaign hard.

I am sure the REV will have it on the site tomorrow and will be able to rip everything apart.

I cannot watch anymore.

Sinky

David Torrance again saying that it was the Labour / lib Dem executive that ended tuition fees when all they did was to postpone the bill until graduation.

Why do TV interviewers let pundits talk pish?

Kirsty

Lenny Hartley,

Yes, you are but I’ll look forward to seeing you are any future event. Anyone who’s reading this and who has any doubts/fears/uncertainties about the legalities of the TV licence, please don’t listen to any of us; go online and look up the licence fee. There are loads of sites on the internet or on YouTube where you can get real, legal advice about how to handle to licence fee. Unfortunately, there are many people who don’t know what the legalities are and/or who people who will try and scare you with unfounded stories like Lenny.

There are many legal ways to not have a TV licence and, frankly, if you still want to watch TV but not give the BBC money, there are still many ways that you can go about doing that too (although no one would advise you to do that, of course). Look it up on the net before you allow anyone to scare you out of doing something that you feel to be right.

Bobby

where the fuck do they get these fuckin IDIOTS from they are actually clapping they fuckin clowns telling bare faced lies typical red Tory meeting

Paula Rose

@ Kirsty – see you on Saturday xx

Bobby

I can tell them wat will win them votes it’s easy STAND UP FOR US NOT THE ARSEHOLES THAT LIVE IN WESTMINSTER it’s really easy even a blind man can see that

Gmad

Anyone else listening to the fucking idiots on 2014. Talking about moving trident to guff land and Findlay says what a waste of time that would be. Cunt Smith says I think you can all agree on that before the other numpties opened their lying mouths. Unbevieavble.

ronnie anderson

Hud the front page, the 3 wise leadership contenders of the Slab are advertizing Phonic Ears on Bbc,they say they’re listening,ah wonder whit he phonic ears are attached to.

Kirsty

Stoker,

I completely agree but I feel that much of the radio is owned by the same people/organisations that own the rest of the msm. So I don’t listen to that.

I’ve looked up RT and Aljazeera but they tend to take an international view or an anglocentric view of the UK so they’re of limited use. I’ve looked up Newsnet – that seems to be dead in the water – and the Scottish Statesman, which looked good but, again, it’s not a daily site – they update intermittently.

Really, what I’m missing is a news source that I can look up that isn’t a) foreign owned, b) favouring the “establishment, c) putting Scotland down and d) honest. I haven’t found anything and it’s not for want of trying. I think I’m just going to have to hold my nose and start reading the Guardian, Daily Mail, etc. just if nothing else, so I’ll have some idea of what’s happening UK-wide and worldwide. Twitter and Wings (being a political commentary site) only take you so far.

I don’t pay a TV licence, as you might have noticed from Lenny’s comments, I don’t shop in stores that interfered with the democratic process, etc. But I miss getting my news (I used to be a bit of a newshound) and I just can’t find anything that’s ethical that fills that gap. That was all I was whinging about (so feel free to ignore me!) – and it’s not a big deal, I’ll just do without; most people on here are nice enough to explain if you don’t know what’s been happening. It’s just annoying and inconvenient.

Fireproofjim

BBC Scotland 2014
The longest party-political broadcast ever. Three SLAB clowns slagging off the SNP and backed by an obviously hand picked, labour supporting audience.
No attempt to conceal the blatant bias and no challenges from Sarah Smith. This is as bad as the worst BBC bias during the referendum. They have started their General Election campaign early, but it will only get worse.

Flower of Scotland

@Robert Louis

Thanks for that link. I did look at Parliament TV . It took a long time for them to put it up!

Anyway Cheers!

Lenny Hartley

Kirsty ,

Anybody with a portable radio with MW band can pickup the “leaking” signal from a powered up TV set.

Whether they have detector vans operational is another issue. It is possible that the costs of operating vans outweigh the income from fines and licence fee’s charged due to compliance and its bullshit that they are out and about, but technically its pretty simple.

Cadogan Enright

I have no idea what BUZZFEED is and how many people it reaches.

However I worry that these lies are spread aboard while we raise ourselves to new heights of indignation.

I would have thought the the best reaction here would be to discuss ways to expose her to the BUZZFEED audience, whoever they are, or write to the all the papers ridiculing her using the facts above other practical direct politics ideas – does BUZZFEED (whatever that is) have a regulator? controller of quality? or a right of reply policy?

Paula Rose

@ Bobby – on buzzfeed?

SquareHaggis

Re; Torrance.

Spotted a whole heap his book “the Battle for Britain” in the bargain bin at my local book shop. 20p!

Fnarr har

Inbhir Anainn

Two facts about TV detection equipment the BBC would rather we didn’t know:

• TV detection evidence has never been presented in court during the trial of an alleged licence fee evader. The BBC justify this by claiming that detection evidence is used purely for the purposes of obtaining search warrants (BBC FOIA ref: IR2011006). The truth of the matter is that if detection evidence was presented in open court then the defence would be entitled to know exactly how it works. The
BBC wants to avoid this at all costs.

• TV detector vans work by aiming a camera lens through the
windows of a target property. The lens picks up light generated by a TV set, which is focused onto a sensor and converted into an electrical signal that can be electronically analysed. This electronic gizmo gives a percentage probability that the light analysed came from a TV set.

It seems highly implausible that detection equipment can filter the light from a TV set from all the other light sources in a property, despite it being reflected from several walls and refracted through several different media. It can do all this when a lens is focused on a window, perhaps at an angle, perhaps with curtains and blinds fitted, perhaps with double glazing.

Kirsty

Paula Rose,

Do we have a date and you just forgot to tell me? What’s happening on Saturday? I told you I don’t have a clue about anything that’s going on – this is the proof! x

Stoker

Paula Rose says:
18 November, 2014 at 10:56 pm
“My local shop-keepers might have voted No – my fault for not having made a better case.”
__________________________

You can lead a horse to water, Paula, but you can’t make it drink.

Anyway, how’s it your fault if you don’t know if they voted No?
🙂

ronnie anderson

Sarah Smith the lady in the second row is no lady she,s a labour MP as if you didnt know,hand picked audence as per.

Kirsty

Lenny,

That’s a very different scenario from the one that you were expounding, isn’t it? Perhaps the technology is available but the fact is that NO ONE has ever been “caught” for not having a TV licence via a detector van. The whole scare story of “a detector van is around the corner and it’s homing in on you” is just that; a scare story. There are lots of legal ways to not pay the licence fee. Please just don’t scare people – if people don’t want to pay the BBC, there are loads of ways of doing it that are absolutely legal.

yesindyref2

What’s as much to the point is that Margaret Curran is a Westminster MP and should be concentrating on Westminster, and opposing the Conservative government, not taking potshots at Holyrood which is not in her remit.

In that she closely shadows and matches her Tory pal Alistair Carmichael. They make a good team, but not for Scotland.

Dr Jim

BBC 2014 At first you start laughing and then you go open mouthed then your eyes widen then you run into the next room where your wife is ignoring it all cause she’s got more brains than you, and you exclaim loudly, Are you hearing any of this AAARGH utter drivel, and your wife say’s turn it off, and you say,BUT, BUT, BUT….., do you know what? she’s right.
It’s like living in communist China or North Korea though

Tîm Criced i Gymru

Btw, the 11.48 post reminds me… there’s one person who’s been AWOL recently or just keeping his frame under the parapet… Al Carbuncle – any news? Is he shrinking, just like his party? Hardly a peep since D-day+1. Maybe he’s rowing his boat round the Orks and Shets, already canvassing for his life – maybe an Or(k)a might get him, or at least the electorate – someone put him out of his wretched misery and let’s move on.

Stoker

Kirsty,
Yes, for the most part you are correct.
But until we do something about it and change things then we are
stuck with the situation we have.

Depending on where you live it may be possible to tune into a local independent station.

This link to Radio Saltire was recently posted on WOS.
I’ve been listening to them quite a lot recently.
They’re based in East Lothian but link to Sky for their national
news coverage. They also tend to play more music than they talk.
link to radiosaltire.org

Are you aware of these guys? They are working flat-out to bring
us the sort of news broadcast we crave. You can sign up for
their regular updates etc. It will not happen overnight but at
least there are people out there giving it a damned good shot.
It’s up to us to support them as best we can.
link to scottishnews.scot

ronnie anderson

Sarah Boyack wants investment in UK conventional armed forces,
tried that Sarah,costs more in advertizing than people applying,methinks a rethink required.

crazycat

@ Kirsty

Since no-one else has answered you, your date with Paula (and me, and quite a lot of other people) is on Saturday after both the RIC conference and Nicola Sturgeon’s hydro event, at the Yes Bar in Drury Street in Glasgow – from about 7 I think, though I could be wrong about the time.

ronnie anderson

@ Paula Rose, dont feel bad You haul’d your ass roon Brechin tottering in your Salire high heels day in day oot,its awonder if you have high heels noo,mibbe’s Cactus will buy you a pair of Cowgirl boots.

Inbhir Anainn

For a free copy of TV Licensing Laid Bare January 2014 edition:

link to tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk

Well worth a read.

Bob Mack

Noticed Murphy wants to keep nukes till everybody wants to get rid of theirs. Not gonna happen then. He apparently does not even know that India and Pakistan already have nukes. Findlay wants to spare England the potential disasters of a big bang, so keep them in Scotland if we must have them. The nearer you are to the bang Mr Findlay the more definite your chances of being dead. Do these halfwits not realise if we were attacked by a major power we would all be gone in minutes. Obliterated, vapourised, It would not matter if we retaliated, we would be finished. They would be more likely to use nukes on us first, just because we also have them, and may use them in a first strike option. Just remember that American generals advised Kennedy on just such an action during the Cuba missile crisis. Military planners actually think this is feasible, so it does not make it safer to have them at all.

Bobby

@ Paula rose hey lady wats the prob it’s all true call me on 01382 225825

Kirsty

Thanks so much for all of that, Stoker, I’ll look them up. As I said, I was just whinging so just cover your ears until I’m done, and don’t encourage me because I could complain about this for days. I just can’t believe that an entire country doesn’t have any independent news sites. I’m also annoyed that we’re expected to just grow our brains around that fact, you know; “Oh, we don’t have any news sites” “Oh, really? Okay, let’s learn German and then we can read their news then!” You know what I mean? This shouldn’t be a problem. Anyway, I’ll stop moaning now – promise.

Crazycat,

Thanks! I’m up in the Highlands this weekend, which is a pest (not the Highlands but the fact I’ll miss a Wings night out). I’ll be really up for the next one though – although you’ll have to make sure no one mentions “media” in front of me, as you’ve probably seen from my other comments, otherwise the night will get very boring, very quickly!

Bobby

SO PAULA ROSE DID YOU GET THAT TAXI……HAW HAW HAW

Alex Clark

@Bobby

The taxi was for you, guess you missed it again. Ah shame, just have to lie in yer own pish like last night.

Stoker

@ kirsty (12.45am)
You feel free to whinge away any time,
doesn’t do you any good bottling it up.
🙂
_______________________________________
@ Inbhir Anainn (12.24am)
Thanks for that link. Now bookmarked.
Will check it out later. Bedtime now.
Cheers
😉
_______________________________________

To all of you passing comment about Scotland 2014.
Thanks for the health warning – i chickened out watching it on
the iPlayer and will wait for Stu’s coverage of it later today.
Can’t handle the boiling point blood pressure or run the risk
of sending various items out into the street via my windows.
Night all.

Ealasaid

@Kirsty

Have you tried Google News or Microsoft News (MSN)?

Douglas

Just watched Alex Salmond’s Ministerial Statement – Scottish Parliament: 18th November 2014 on link to scottishparliament.tv
Jackie Baillie is absolutely terrible .. who knew?

john king

Muttley79 says
” Torrance is worse, he is as diehard a unionist as Cochrane, but tries much harder to pretend to be balanced and unbiased.”

He does?

Red Sunset says
“Torrance really has no integrity.”

I couldn’t agree more,
which is why I will never understand if I live to be 150 what Newsnet thought they were achieving by paying that little git for lies and obfuscation dressed as a balanced view to attract the undecided,

If Torrance had a shred of integrity he wouldn’t have taken the hard earned money donated to Newsnet by the people he despises, US.

Bob Mack says
“Need first of all to clarify that other “Scottish M.P.s” who sit in the House of Commons are not comparible or greater if you get my drift, otherwise we shoot ourselves in the foot. Love the idea though and would gladly put them up.”

WHAT?
LIKE THIS YOU MEAN?
link to wingsoverscotland.com

caz-m says
“And all those ProudScotBut, NO voters, will be split on who to support.”

“Do they support Scotland or do they support their Imperial Masters.”

Yes I thought I saw a distinct read hue from a portion of the Scottsh support and then I realized it was all the riddies those idiots had,
And yes Rule Britannia was very loud as if it had been artificially enhanced!

Macnakamura says
To ignominy and beyond.
🙂

Dr Jim says
“It’s like living in communist China or North Korea though”

Ok come out Dr Jim !
where are you hiding?
you have to be in my house to be THAT accurate. 😉

Alex @ 1.01am

You know Irene was just asking me where you had vanished to and you suddenly pop up again, hiya Alex

O/T
Has anyone got spare tickets for the Hydro?
suddenly she wants to go again, huh!

john king

Kirsty says
“There are lots of legal ways to not pay the licence fee. Please just don’t scare people – if people don’t want to pay the BBC, there are loads of ways of doing it that are absolutely legal”

Yes but they all involve NOT watching Eastenders!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SHE WOULD MAKE ME SUFFER FOR THAT?

manandboy

Another day in British North Korea, the land where no one is a
allowed to appear on TV or radio and report the facts, and where the Press is totally controlled by the Government.

An official spokesperson said the recent referendum had been conducted according to the highest standards of democracy and security.

In a further statement, the official denied reports that significant numbers of children were living in abject poverty and dependant on food aid.

Bugger (the Panda)

I have been informed by way of an e-mail from Disqus that I am being followed by UKIP.

Is that good or bad?

heedtracker

link to theguardian.com
Horrible display of teamGB democracy at work from another trougher for life in London. Thanks again proud Scot buts. No one is allowed to complain in the UK. The CIF is ghastly too.

john king

BtP says
“I have been informed by way of an e-mail from Disqus that I am being followed by UKIP.”

Given their innate hatred of anything European I wouldnt expect them to turn up at your door anytime soon. 🙂

Talking about turning up at your door,
What about stopping by on frIday and leading us back to your gaff, Irene says I get lost in Lochgelly 🙁 and I havent retro fitted a sat nav in the new(er) car yet!

Haggis Hunter

I am so pleased that the Rev (in the words of Bowie) decided to ‘stay with us’.
This is really what Scotland has been missing, a media watch, because we are happless to British state orchestrated propaganda.
Thanks Rev, it is also entertaining journalism.

Dorothy Devine

The Herald is doing its usual this morning – I presume it has a death wish and who am I to try to prevent that?

May it suffer a short and permanent end.
Its effort as a posh Daily Record has become unbearable.
One wonders why a once respected paper would want to sink so far below its intended client base.

manandboy

The following statement is just one of the many things that must not be spoken of in British North Korea.

Has anyone noticed how George Osborne has been completely out of his depth in managing the economy these past four years?

JayR

Oh wee Gary Robertson on Good Morning Labour really doesn’t like Alex Salmond and makes little attempt to hide that.

“Morning Call” to focus on Nicola Sturgeon. Cue the usual personal attacks from Unionist trolls and the obligatory call from Lindsay in Inverness-shire (the middle-class, southern-English, wind-farm obssessed nimby). Know what this show is gonna be like before it’s already broadcast. Zzzzz

chalks

‘Joemcg says:

18 November, 2014 at 10:56 pm

What’s this on bbc2 just now? A ppb for north British labour? Would an SNP leadership contest get this coverage? Would it Fxxx.’

Did you miss the wall to wall coverage of the Deputy Leadership candidates? They were on every political programme.

Sometimes, this bias stuff is true, but in other cases it isn’t. To constantly bang on about it dilutes the point.

Some folk act like the Labour council in Aberdeen.

Now there new leader is asking for £500 million off the Scottish Gov!!

The Man in the Jar

An interesting wee read. An article (OK it is American but I am positive that it applies over here)it is about as you get richer you are much more likely to cheat and have less empathy with your fellow human beings.

We kind of knew that but some interesting research included in the article.

link to terriermandotcom.blogspot.co.uk

davidb

@ John King

The soaps are perhaps the easiest to wean yourself off. I suggest you start taking “her” out to interesting places. A historic Scotland membership is about £70 a year for 2 people. Some cinema chains have discount cards, and cheaper times. There is some good stuff in the theatres – often again not spending too much. Streamed video includes you tube and, although I don’t watch it, the iPlayer. So with a minor bit of techyness she can still see Eastenders, just not “live”.

I have watched zero TV since 18th September. But my video collection is expanding. I did miss the comedy shows at first, but the ones I enjoyed tended to be political ( HIGNFY, MTW ), and dispassionately, they too are part of the propaganda machine at the MOT.

The real hardship is not listening to Radio Scotlandshire in the car. The ads on Classic FM can be hell.

Try it. Leave the box off maybe 1 night a week at first, then wean yourself off it. Before you know it you can derive all your entertainment from non MOT sources, and then LEGALLY stop paying for propaganda.

handclapping

@john king
I know about being lost in Lochgelly; its the way they come up to your windows and shout fresh meat that worries me. I think its to do with not getting their 5 a day.

desimond

Cant believe all that Wings discussion on last nights awful telly, Lab Puppet leader love-in and Scotland Tonight, and not a single mention of David Torrances Tank Top.

It was as ugly as his scowl when anyone dares praise Alex Salmond within earshot. He looked like the bastard son of Brian Wilson and a Test-card.

TankTop….great name for a band!

Ken500

What a carry on about Alex Salmond’s leaving – for Westminster? He’s not going anywhere.

Scotland raises £53Billion (+£6Billion? Going through UK London HQ’s) in taxes. £490Million is raised in the UK. Scotland loses £10Billion to Westminster Governance. £4Billion in Oil tax revenues, £1.5Billion Trident, £1.5Billion tax on ‘loss leading’ drink. £4Billion debt repayments on money Scotland doesn’t borrow or spend.

The rest of the UK borrows and spends £110Billion – £10Billion more (pro rata) is spent on the private sector.

Total = £20Billion. The price of the Union. Scotland could have had a £220Billion Oil Fund. Westminster secrecy and lies. Westminster crooks, most of them should be in jail.

Vote SNP/Alliance 7/5/15
Independence 2020

James Caldwell

O/T but relevant.

On the day when Alex Salmond reinforced his opposition to University tuition fees,the BBC announced last night (Radio 4 news 6.15pm)that it was estimated that £330bn of uncollected student debt in the UK would have to be written off after 30 years. This would result mainly from tuition fees.

It would appear then that Scottish Universities are being funded by the Scottish taxpayer but English Universities are, at the end of the day, being partly funded by all UK taxpayers since the write off will presumably be allocated against current revenue.

Is this something that Stuart can look into?

Liquidlenny

Kirsty all i was saying is that the technology exists for detection you and others are believing all the posh u read on the internet

As i live on an Island and they dont come here anymore i cannot say if they operate on the mainland ( they were innefective when they came here as the jungle telegraph would be blowing there cover as soon as they came of the boat)

And for yout claim that nobody has been caught by one bullshit a relative used to be a manager at the post office and occasionally had to do stints in them and he told me of the reception they would get when they knocked on the door, they hated doing the job due to the confrontatations

All i was saying is that the technology is there nothing more nothing less if you choose to read anything else into it that is your problem

galamcennalath

Suzanne says:
at 7:36 pm

My son lives abroad and I don’t consider him to be a foreigner. I consider him to be my son! And, as we all pointed out at every opportunity, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH BEING A FOREIGNER!”

Therein lies one of the big differences between US and THEM.

We, of the pro-democracy movement in Scotland look on the world and the peoples we share it with, quite differently from inward facing xenophobic BritNats.

Robert Peffers

@Lollysmum says: 18 November, 2014 at 2:05 pm:

“When will she ever learn to engage brain befor opening mouth.”

You assume too much, Lollysmum, Magrit Curran really has no other functioning brain mechanism, she only operates on motor functions. You know the functions I mean, don’t you? Stuff we don’t consciously think about to cause to function. The heart beating, the lungs breathing, one foot before the other when we walk and the mouth moving when we talk.

Hence the often misunderstood term, “Motormouth”.

Tamson

@Bob Mack, 12.34am:
where did Murphy seem not to know India and Pakistan already have nukes? That’s one hell of a gaffe for someone who was the Shadow Defense Secretary!

gus1940

When did anybody last see a TV Detector Van?

I thought that all they had to do now was run their file of license holders against the Electoral Roll or Valuation Roll and zero in on any non matching addresses.

Every time anybody buys a TV the retailer has to advise the Licensing Authority.

manandboy

After the G20 summit, David Cameron announces the likelihood of global economic collapse and a third European recession.

What better time to leak the news of Britain’s ailing economy after four years of coalition incompetence.

Britain as an economic island increasingly resembles an economic iceberg in hot water.

Lollysmum

@ Robert Peffers

Ha ha-thanks for correcting me Robert 🙂 That woman never fails to demonstrate what we don’t want in a politician!

Robert Peffers

@The Tree of Liberty says: 18 November, 2014 at 2:36 pm:

“That Jackie Bailey is a creep!”

Have you only just found that out? Some of the lying stuff that woman has come out with is utterly corrosive. She doesn’t drink Irn Bru – her normal tipple is battery acid.

Free Scotland

BUZZFEED USER? When it comes to expenses, these labour pseudo-politicians are like wasps round an open jam-pot.

john king

DavidB says
“The soaps are perhaps the easiest to wean yourself off. I suggest you start taking “her” out to interesting places. A historic Scotland membership is about £70 a year for 2 people”

I hate soaps, its the wife who likes them ,and were on our fourth year of being national trust members, pretty much done Scotland to death but never miss an opportunity to cover places within a 30 mile range of our holiday gaff (where ever we end up) in England, saved us a fortune. 🙂

Nana Smith
Grouse Beater

Murphy seemed not to know India and Pakistan already have nukes? That’s one hell of a gaffe for someone who was the Shadow Defense Secretary!

Extraordinary – and they seek election to high office!

Dorothy Devine

Bugger , me too!
I did think it strange ,I contribute so little .
Perhaps its just some poor. enfeebled and lonely soul with no friends who cannot find another UKIP supporter in Scotland.

Stoker

gus1940 says:
19 November, 2014 at 10:01 am
“Every time anybody buys a TV the retailer has to advise the Licensing Authority.”

Not so, Gus.
“The Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1967 (as amended) has been repealed meaning that from 25 June 2013 onwards, TV dealers are no longer required to notify TV Licensing when they sell or rent out tv equipment.”
link to tvlicensing.co.uk
😉

Nana Smith

Scotland now [I know its the daily retard] is running a poll on whether Alex was right to say the bbc is biased.

I know many of us loathe the paper but if we don’t agree with Alex then the unionists are given more ammunition.

link to archive.today

Helena Brown

Grouse Beater, nothing about the Labour Party Hacks surprises me, that an ex Secretary of State for Defence has no great idea of his brief, well Alistair Carmichael has no idea about Scotland either.
I would just love to see J. Murphy esq. in Holyrood. I think the Scottish Parliament is a great place, nowhere to hide. They have to perform but of course J. Murphy from what I can see has no intention of letting the little people see him. He will leave it to his Depute to take the heat and blame her if there are failings.

Muscleguy

@caz-m

Campaigning has started. We got two hand delivered envelopes from the Stewart Hosie yesterday with a survey. I filled mine in online, my wife used the reply paid envelope to cost them money because she is a unionist.

But the point is some SNP member trudged the streets yesterday to deliver these. Mabybe your constituency is one that has not selected a candidate for the GE yet. But if you are an SNP member check your local facebook page or get yourself on a mailing list so they know you are available and keen.

Helena Brown

Nan, went on reluctantly to the DR, the comments and the poll have disappeared. either that or I am in the wrong place.

Fred

Annt Murphy’s performance last night before a haun-waled audience of the living dead. He bewailed the terrors of nuclear weapons and the dodgy regimes which had them or wanted them, strangely he never mentioned Israel. Funny that!

Macart

@Helena

Just been there and figure sitting at 100% in support of Alex Salmond.

Helena Brown

Muscleguy, was at a meeting on Sunday, our branch is inundated and had a two section meeting to get to grips with the membership and what they wanted. Very exciting in the SNP presently with even my old branch in Inverkeithing having now increased by 500 members and the last meeting brought 90 members out. We had a laugh because it used to be half a dozen, and boy we worked hard.

Bill McLean

Helena – My wife and I were at that meeting but Section 2 of it. The numbers attending are very impressive. Hope we keep up the momentum until May …. and beyond of course!!

Nana’s link took me to Scotland Now – I voted and the results are still showing, as Macart wrote, 100% in Alex’s favour.

SquareHaggis

@Muscleguy,

You got the link?

Oneironaut

@Nana Smith
Thanks for the link. Got my vote in 🙂

Not sure if my security plugins were messing with the scripts or not, but it seems to be displaying the results so far as 100% think the BBC’s coverage was unfair.
Surprise surprise! hehe 😀

Can’t help but notice that while Alex Salmond’s photograph on that page looks as cheerful as ever, the one they got of Bland just seems to have this contemptuous sneer fixed on his face.
Says it all really…

Nana Smith
Oneironaut

@Wingman 2020
Sounds like an idea 🙂

Not sure who is in charge of the Three Towns area, seems to be either Jim Montgomerie or Katy Clark since they both send out occasional newsletters anti-SNP lies (hey, that “strike” tag works quite nicely!)

Would be happy to chip in something for the cost of securing a billboard for the duration of the election campaign 🙂

I will add though, for anyone thinking of doing this. Be sure to add in the source of the information clearly printed on the billboards, so that anyone reading it can go look it up for themselves.
That way they can’t just counter with media lies about it being “made up by the SNP or Wings”.

Valerie

Yes agree, always include your source on any infographic, stands you in good stead when some havering idiot starts screaming.

Just been on DR to do poll, working for me @nana Smith 🙂

Ken, Guildford

Btp, and Dorothy.

I also have “UKIP” following me on Disqus (who I note is following 4001 users right now).

What is worrying, is that I have just had some 30+ comments out of a total of 88 removed from the Heralds comments sections.

I have written to Herald to enquire as to why, as I don’t think I am breaching their rules, and demand my right to free speech be reinstated.

All my removed comments are pointing out the inadequacies of the Neo liberal puppets arguments, nothing too controversial, but enough to get a frothing right winger annoyed I suppose.

Personally, I don’t use Disqus logons directly afaik, I prefer logging on to the Herald.

What is worrying is the mass removal of legitimate comments.

Anyone else experiencing the same, and any advice for blocking / removing “UKIP” as my “follower”

Regards

Ken, Guildford

Valerie

Also, although the polls are incredibly encouraging, we need to make sure we don’t peak too early! Lot of stamina required between now and May next year.

I would love to see Murphy unseated, and hope Yessrs are in abundance to work on that or will call on adjacent areas etc.

Worries me that we will just stick with speaking to Yessrs, and not get in among floaters.

Macart

@Valerie

“and not get in among floaters.”

Wait, what? 😀

Bugger (the Panda)

@ Dorothy Devine

I am trying to find the F€ck Off button on Disqus but so far nae good.

You going the Hydro on Saturday?

BtP

Nana Smith

Aye whatever happens we must not name and shame the wrongdoers. Why the hell not? I’m sure I would be named if I made such a blunder but then again I’m not a council official or a blundering official. There seems to be rather a lot of those.

link to inverness-courier.co.uk

Meanwhile round here foodbanks are calling for more volunteers.

Bugger (the Panda)

@ John KIng

Done

About 3 ish?

Jim

Helena Brown

Thanks Mac and Nana though for all the good it did, I put in the wrong vote, and if the DR lets it stand I made good with the comments.
Grrrrrr

Nana Smith

Oh Valerie you gave me a laugh there. “get in among floaters” hahahaha

Macart

@Helena

Heh, done that a few times on those things. I think they’ll get the gist though. 😉

No no no...Yes

For those interested in billboard ads, remember you need to book these well in advance.
Both YesScotland and BT discussed this on a documentary, as YES had booked the more prominent locations!

With regard to Scotland 2014, SLAB candidates were all dreadful, Nicola will have no problems dealing with them. Sarah Smith asked reasonable questions put her own knowledge of current affairs is an embarrassment as well.

Helena Brown

Bob, we need to wear name badges so we can all meet. I finally got there but as I said I wrongly voted, oh dear and it was standing at 25% YES and 75% No. Keep it up and make up for me, stupid me…..please.

Oneironaut

@Helena Brown
No worries.
I think we’re all used to voting Yes for some reason! 😉

Oneironaut

Oh, by the way. If anyone wants name badges for the get-together on the 22nd. Look for Brian Doonthetoon on the Off-Topic thread.

Today is the last call for name badges 🙂

Stoker

Nana Smith says:
19 November, 2014 at 10:49 am
“Scotland now [I know its the daily retard] is running a poll on whether Alex was right to say the bbc is biased.
I know many of us loathe the paper but if we don’t agree with Alex then the unionists are given more ammunition.”
________

Nah, pass, i agree 100% with Alex but i have no intention of
aiding & abetting the survival of the Unionist media.
😉

YESGUY

Lenny.

I was a communication specialist with the Royal Signals. Part of my job was to find the ” Enemy” with direction finding . This takes 3 (three) individual signal units to trace an accurate spot. We could do this in around 12 seconds and although we took pride in being accurate we were allowed a few hundred yards out from the target as our Artillary or air would take out the square km, ensuring a hit.

Tv detector vans are duds to fool the public. They make a big show driving around estates getting noticed. people run off and buy their licenses through fear. I know of two who drove the things.

And it works.

The law says you must have a license to watch “live” tv. The default thinking is everyone watches tv. So your on the back foot when their inspectors arrive. Guilty till you prove or state you don’t watch Live tv.

A myth that was coxed and pushed for decades still works. Read up on it . It’s a difficult and costly business if put into practice and pretty much impossible to work.

The only way you can be prosecuted is if you admit to watching live tv. It’s all over youtube.

The tooth fairy – myth santa (NNNNNoooooooooo) is a myth , Labour working for the people of Scotland – Myth.

🙂

One_Scot

Why in Gods name would anyone entertain anything to do with the Daily Record.

YESGUY

Stoker

Great info with Radio Saltire. never knew about them but have bookmarked and will listen throughout the day , Tv is oot for me. Like you i get too angry 🙁

Gus

Spot on. The default position is you have a tv you watch and you have to pay. Retailers used to inform BBC you had bought a tv , that is no longer the case. Scrapped this year i believe .

No big arguments over this folks, youtube has all the info.

On topic. the BBC are a branch of the British North labour branch. Unbelievable amount of time allowing these bastards to lie and not one fact backed up.

I truly believe if you vote labour you are off your bloody head.

They make the tories look acceptable. We have to destroy this self serving bunch of ("Tractor" - Ed)s.

Dorothy Devine

Bugger , didn’t apply for a ticket quickly enough – they went like the proverbial sna’af’n a dyke.

Next time I’ll be quicker
Ready and willing to tramp the streets with SNP /Green/SSP leaflets.

YESGUY

Big thanks Stoker.

look about for a link to the act being dropped but couldn’t find anything short and simple. 🙂 Most stuff can be long winded and folk only glance through. cheers pal.

Nana Smith 🙂

Thanks for your links as they are ALWAYS an education. Missed you and glad your back. ( Big Cheer) 🙂 🙂 🙂

Voted 82% agreed with Alex and the vote should be NO . Check the way they have asked the question. First time i have voted NO before. weird 😉

Nana Smith

Thank you YESGUY.

I’m a firm believer in ‘know your enemy’ that is why I linked to that poll.

bald eagle

oneironaut

hey, that “strike” tag works quite nicely!)

how do you achive the strike through been trying for yonks to do that please please tell

bald eagle

oneironaut

hey, that “strike” tag works quite nicely!)

how do you achive the strike through been trying for yonks to do that please please tell

Oneironaut

@bald eagle
It uses HTML tags.
Just type it like:
(strike)Text(/strike)

Except replace the rounded brackets with angular ones like

🙂

[…] …is the phrase that was making us chuckle this morning.  […]

Oneironaut

Like the ones it won’t let me type.
Shift key and the , and . keys on my keyboard.

Stoker

Nae problems, YESGUY, anytime.
______________________________
Nana Smith says:
19 November, 2014 at 1:20 pm
“I’m a firm believer in ‘know your enemy’ that is why I linked to that poll.”

Yes, as am i, and that’s a very good point you make.

There is absolutely no harm done when you click on to read a
archived article but once you start participating, ie; clicking
on “polls”, “votes”, leaving comments or clicking on approval
facilities (thumbs up/down etc), you are contributing to that
sites statistics which they use to pull in advertising revenue.
This contributes towards sustaining their survival.

My previous post was not intended to be a dig at you Nana,
but more of a gentle reminder to others that participating
in this way was to be helping the Unionist cause.
Please accept my apologies if you took it the wrong way.
I was NOT taking a swipe at you, hence the winky face.
🙂

Nana Smith

@Stoker

Not for one moment did I think you were “taking a swipe”
All good healthy debate is to be applauded so no worries.

Anyway like Alex I have a fairly thick skin, have had to grow one over the last few years.

Valerie

Being silly, but it’s a bit upsetting seeing Alex sitting in the back benches 🙁

I heartily support Nicola, but my heart belongs to Alex.

a supporter

£122,137.5 for STAFF costs! W(ho)TF is she employing?

Claire McNab

Here is a comparison of Curran’s claims for travel+accommodation with two SNP MPs, which was snipped off a post I made yesterday

[SNIP]

Croompenstein

Last time I looked SNP MP’s weren’t part of the Scottish Government which the article categorically states is what Curran is mumping about. So I think Stu is quite right to use Curran’s expenses to ‘defend’ Eck!

Claire McNab

Croompenstein, the travel and accommodation expenses of Scottish Govt ministers are not restricted to their modest hotel bills. They also travel to and from their constituencies, and some of them have accommodation in Edinburgh. For example, Shona Robinson MSP claims £333.33 a month in Parliamentary expenses on accommodation … and that was not part of the figures Stuart used

marion

I don’t get paid travel expenses for getting to work so why should they?

Chris O'Neil

What exactly are ‘staffing’ costs in this context? They were also around the same value on Jim Murphy’s expenses. If it’s for salaries, why are those an expense for the MP?

Muiris

As one Canadian politician said of another ‘He only opens his mouth, to change his foot’ 🙂

Dave

So Margaret Curran’s monthly travel and accommodation expenses are “almost three and a half times the cost of the ENTIRE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT”? Entire Scottish Government spends approx £850 per month? Damn they’re getting good deals! Hitching and sharing a bedsit I assume? Or is this article (to quote its own tag cloud) ‘flat-out lies’ and ‘misinformation’?

Ged

Not sure if someone else may have already made this suggestion but it may be a worthwhile exercise. Flyers could be made up for each constituency showing the SNP government expenses versus the current MP for that particular area and then posted to each house in said constituencies. Obviously this would be costly and time consuming but I would be more than happy to contribute to such a cause that makes everyone aware of their candidates self serving attitudes.

Thomas bell

Poor woman. She really is close to her tipping point. Oops there she goes, she’s gone.

[…] of all stripes. That said, Ms Curran has a hell of a nerve using Buzzfeed of all places to make a few swipes at the then-outgoing First Minister’s hotel […]

[…] of all stripes. That said, Ms Curran has a hell of a nerve using Buzzfeed of all places to make a few swipes at the then-outgoing First Minister’s hotel […]


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