Meet the new boss
Posted on
December 07, 2013 by
Chris Cairns
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
-
About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
-
Recent Posts
- 10-05
- 09-28
- 09-26
- 09-24
- 09-23
- 09-23
- 09-22
- 09-20
- 09-19
- 09-18
- 09-18
- 09-14
- 09-12
- 09-11
- 09-11
- 09-10
- 09-09
- 09-07
- 09-06
- 09-05
Wings Over ScotlandA tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
“DesulTORY, Darling……….”
William Hill wouldn’t give me odds on Pudsey.
ouch!
Nice one Chris!!
Please!
Â
Darling is doing a great job for the Yes campaign, but Ruthie would be on a different level!
Hilarious. Can’t wait for J-Lo to meet her new boss.
Brilliant!
The Tories have no presence in Scotland, that is why Cameron stays out of Scotland. Without PR under the Westminster Parliamentry system there would be 2 in Holyrood. Davidson is a turn over or turn off, unwatchable like the rest of the Unionists. Oil, soap salesmen. Like a soap opera, smoke screen, mirrors and lies. PR actors.
The Autumn Statement?
Cut the deficit to £111Billion? This year? The only way the deficit is being cut is the BoE scam £6Billiion and £2 mast licence sell off. Taxes revenues have have fallen because the ConDems cut taxes, especially for the wealthy, who caused and benefitted from the bank crash. Multinationals are still tax evading in the City of London. What happened to the £38Billion Royal Mail Pension Fund ( which now becomes a liability) ConDems elected to protect NHS/Education have cut both.
The deficit down to £111Billion this year, the ConDem are still borrowing and spending £111Billion more in the rest of the UK. They are taking £12Billion (unaccounted) from Scottish revenues,including £4Billion in loan repayment. The rest of the UK is not paying pro rata the corresponding £36Billion in loan repayments. Scottish revenues are paying off the rest of the UK debt, causing increased unemployment and poverty in Scotland. Scotland according to Mathewson RBS only borrowed half (pro rata) from the banks, which would not hav been a problem. Most of the debt was housing/commercial borrowing in London S/E and the Midlands.
There is no growth in the UK. The ConDems are lying. The S/E is onces again being sustained by higherUK gov borrowing and spending causing unemployment and poverty in the North and are blatantly taking Scottish revenues and taxes. Higher taxes 60% to 80% are raised on the Oil sector while multinational in th City of London tax evade. HMRC is not fit for purpose and Scottish revenues are being raided. Scotland would balance it’s books with surplus with the UK Treasury blatant mismanagement.
Scottish farmers are being defrauded by the UK Treasury, funds especially awarded by the EU because Scotland receives the lowest CAP payment in the EU a part of the UK. These funds have distributed to wealthier farms in the south, to alleviate th CAP cut Westminster wanted.
Orkney/Shetland have been given £10million of funding (back) if matched by the Scottish gov. A blatant ploy to try and protect Carmichael’s position, while taking Scottish revenues causing greater unemployment and poverty in Scotland.
Cutting the deficit 2014/15 to £96Billion, from £111Billion – £15Billion. Scotland pays £4Billion? (along with the unaccounted £8Billion) is totally disproportionate. Scotland should be paying £1.5Billion. (9%)
If Scotland managed it’s own budget it would be in surplus and has been for years. Wetminster increased borrowing and spending and cut in tax revenues has caused poverty and unemployment in Scotland.
Cut deficit from £96Billion to £79Billion in 2015-16 – £17Billion, how when taxes have been cut. Not enough revenues are raised in the rest of the UK. Scotland’s revenue still being taken £12Billion (unaccounted) including £4Billion in loan repayments. Totally disproportionately, causing unemployment and poverty in Scotland, while London S/E borrows/spends more and tax evades.
The ConDem race to the bottom, no growth, tax cuts for the wealthy (who benefitted from the Bank crash) no jail and banking bonuses for the Tory bankers. There should be no bonuses paid until the Banks are in credit.
Another race to the bottom, discredited Thatcherism, Same old same old Tory/ConDems/Unionists. Not enough taxes raised to pay fo public services. Tax cuts for the wealthiest, higher poverty/unemployment for the rest. Bankrupt Britain.
Independence is the better way from the Westminster troughers. Balance the books protect essential services, and be in surplus in Scotland, with a better more equal, cohesive an happy society.
Ruthie’s inaugural speech
Scotland is too wee too poor too stupid and on the m8 there’s a tailback,
oh sorry wrong script 🙂
O/T
Sports update.
England first innings, all out for 172.
And WTF was all that about with the Celtic fans at Motherwell last night.
Ripped all the seating up at the Celtic end.
We are trying to promote Scotland as a modern, civilized country.
FFS lads, get a grip.
With Ed Balls taking pelters there’s a rumour that AD is tipped to replace him, so not as far fetched as it seems?
g.p
Nice one Chris!
Doesn’t matter who fronts the campaign to “rip out our wealth and send it southwards”, it’s not a geat message. I really don’t see many lining up for the job!
Off topic – nice cartoon Chris – the following is a copy of a letter in the Herald, is there nothing that Eck does that can’t be criticised? This is quite bonkers, mind, lassie frae Wishay.
Â
“WHY am I not surprised that Alex Salmond has chummily chosen some artwork by Peter Howson to promote his Christmas card (“Salmond opts for challenging image of fourth wise man for Christmas cards”, The Herald, December 5)?
This is perhaps not only the biggest insult he could make to some of our excellent regional Scottish artists, but shows his lack of eclectic appreciation or knowledge for lesser- known Scottish artists, who have a more far-ranging reflective repertoire. Mr Salmond has shown a real disrespect and oblivious disregard for art equally powerful in the small studios of the cities of Scotland.
Just recently I bought a painting by Andrew Hay, an artist from the east end of Glasgow whose portfolio to me demonstrates a diverse display of the real, true Scottish grit of life, and not some far-fetched ideology or romantic tradition.
There is a real lack of looking at the bigger picture here and moving out of the elitist bubble that Mr Salmond seems to exist in.”
Â
No bother, eh? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. He can only pick one, missus.
Maybe Caroline should pick next year’s artist, and then some other clown who disagrees with her choice can write angry letters to the papers.
Â
One thing’s guaranteed: they’ll print them.
On the subject of cartoons, this one says it all about the hypocrites jumping on the Mandela bandwagon.
:large
Â
<chuckle>
Does that work though if you have not read the pertinent article? … link to wingsoverscotland.com
Â
Who is the guy on the left btw?
Â
gerry parker.
Yes it could be possible, problem is they are believing the recent media hype on 1, the person he actually is, and 2. The ability he has. Now there is the real problem!
However they are looking for a face that suits, they do not care how good he is at his job, as someone else will do the work, he will just be the puppet. Same old ,same old, and same old Darling, over hyped when he should be very much, overlooked.Â
You can’t please everyone, enough for consensus to please the majority. Independence is the goal. United is the only way, other issues can be sorted later.
They do go on a bit
95 year old man dies
@ 9.31 am
@ Stuart Black 8.02 am
If only BBC Scotland were as concerned about Scotland as they are for South Africa. It has been relentless coverage of Nelson Mandela and how will S Africa cope without him.
Interesting story that’s just under the ‘radar’
GA story in today’s Herald reveals that Gordon Matheson has stated that he would be happy for Govan yard to close in order to safeguard shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde
link to archive.is
Yet another interesting story from the Herald, which reveals that the IFS has warned Osborne that he needs to make £ 7 Billion worth of cuts to public spending
Not only that the IFS warn Osborne that he would have to make ‘hefty’ cuts to public services if he [Osborne] wants to achieve a surplus in 2018/19
Deary me, yet another story just dropping under the ‘radar’ while everyone is distracted
link to archive.is
Gerry Parker
“With Ed Balls taking pelters there’s a rumour that AD is tipped to replace him, so not as far fetched as it seems?”
I would doubt it, certainly with reference to AD back on the Front Bench facing off Osborne. It would be an open goal, “Osborne saving HMS UK whilst facing the Captain who, asleep on the watch, put the boat on the rocks.”
Ed Balls and Ed Milliband were VERY close at the Treasury and whist Ed Millarband would shaft Balls in the blink of an eye, it would be another OG for labour.
Maybe AD into something not leaving him open to a braying swivel eyed faction of the Tory T Party like Shadow Minister for Overseas Development.
Either that or join the Ermin Vermin as some sort of Himalayan Sage role.
AD’s tea is oot.
@caz-m
Part of it must be the traditional post colonial guilt of Empire; the UK & BBC tend to over compensate in others grief.
Â
Just how many countries did Britian fxck up completely
Â
Classic Labour –
Freedom good (but only outside Scotland)
Â
Political bondage & restraint on your door step – ignored / for the ‘Greater Labour good’ standard  McTieran pish
From YesScotand
Lorna Binnie, chair of Falkirk Trades Council, a member of the STUC’s Women’s Committee and Equality Officer of her branch committee of the PCS Trade Union, is convinced that independence is the route to a fairer, wealthier and more balanced society.
The trickle goes on and there are 9 months or so to go.
The dam will crumble (notice how I avoided an unacceptable word)
Shabbat!
The only way you can view the Tories as a major force in Scottish politics (I don’t count third with zero chance of winning), is the way they influence New Labour policies, e.g. austerity and immigration.
Â
I think 2014 will see more Tory strategists taking a hands on roll at better together. It is their funding that is behind the campaign so it seems reasonable to expect them to be disgruntled at the way it is failing.
Â
Maybe Boris Johnson could use this as a stepping stone to challenging Cameron as British PM. Boris is a proud UKer and knows exactly where Scotland fits within the union. He would be an ideal front man for better together – telling Scots the way it really is!
Murray McCallum
Bit early for irony?
The Big Fat Blonde Controller?
wee winky smiley thingy
I take it from the cartoon – this is another ‘Vitol’ decision in their campaign direction – Boob, Boom !
BtP
Can’t help myself!!
Mind you, Boris’ paternalistic love of the Scotch will be very comforting to the supporters of the union in Scotland.
His majesty Michael Kelly the 1st of Glasgow has spoken – only Labour have right to comment on Nelson Mandela.
Seems to suggest – Salmond helped get the Tories into power; which aided his incarceration ?
Sort of from twitter  garbage Labour are banting about
Thanks Edward. Saves me clicking through to the real Herald. Ideally would like not to visit any of these websites.
Your welcome crisiscult
Glad to do the dirty work. PC and Keyboard now being fumigated and deep cleansed with effervescent aromatic soaps and powders after the foray in to the 4th estate 😉
From the thread about Mags Curren – where was the FM booed -according to the BT leaflet re the BBC?
Since someone has already mentioned the cricket. Not long ago our unionist AMs voted against the establishment of a Welsh cricket team. One of the main reasons they cited was that they wouldn’t be very good.
So now we have to continue with a foreign country being thrashed on our behalf.
Same as the old boss!
Liz – not heard anything of FM being booed but did read on one of Wings post about Alistair Carmichael being booed at a business meeting!
>>>
Maybe afte they heard SNP were ahead in latest westminster voting intentions poll of polls ?
Â
http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2013/dec/latest-westminster-poll-polls-puts-snp-ahead
Was it not SocSec Carbuncle that was booed by Scottish Business Leaders ?
“Maybe afte they heard SNP were ahead in latest westminster voting intentions poll of polls ?
link to snp.org“
I wish the SNP wouldn’t do that. Compiling micro-samples from UK-wide polls is weak sauce indeed.
Sorry off topic, but here is the full documentary on Independence that WOS previously posted a clip from, featuring some sad England top wearing rangers ‘fan’ on full rant. Quite interesting, certainly more balanced than the usual BBC tosh being served up (not saying much I know, but worth a watch).
Â
link to youtube.com
Friday cronies was interesting. My friend the maths teacher, a devout Catholic, Christian and Socialist was very vehemently for Independence. His detestation of the person he calls “Gideon” is extreme. This was one to one with no one else there at the time.
Â
He thinks the Tories will get in again and austerity shall be severe.
Â
He thinks the Yes vote will be close but if unsuccessful the independence people shall dust themselves down and continue the struggle.
Â
Then another friend joined us and we changed subjects a bit. This lad is “working class Tory with strong masonic tendencies”.Â
Â
Out of the blue he stated ” Alex Salmond is insane” with eyeballs bulging.Â
Â
This is not the first time this has happened. I shall try to find out what is behind his problem.
Â
There is change just below the surface. The pennies are dropping and it’s really going to happen.
Â
A thought struck me that taking the longer view the Union has not lasted as long as the Roman occupation of their province of Britannia. It’s end shall happen as quickly. 410 and 2016AD, Dates to remember.
I’d love to see Ruthie debating with Nicola, especially if she tries on her Dr Who line again, that might be quite funny. Â It does show you the complete lack of talent within the ranks of the Scottish Tories when someone as average as Ruth can rise through the ranks so quickly.
Ruth managed 5.2% and 5.3% of the votes in her last two attempts at election. That she should lead the Tories in Scotland tells you all you need to know about the Tories in Scotland, though it has to be said in her favour she at least is fighting seats in Glasgow and isn’t looking for an easier seat in some leafy suburb.
She confuses me – on a number of fronts. I find her hard to dislike
Tories want Darling replaced by either Gove or Hunt. I hope Darling stays in place because either of Gove or Hunt would be very effective!
Clydebuilt
‘Gove or Hunt would be very effective!’ For who?, you mean for YES ?
Gove and Hunt are a pair of idiots . Gove is detested as it is by parents in England over his handling of English Education, as for Hunt, lets put it another way his name is rhyming slang for something
@Robert Kerr.
The dividing line is becoming much clearer now. The tories, encouraged by the lack of resistance to their destruction of British society, are becoming much bolder.
Ordinary Scottish people, whether interested in independence or not, are beginning to see that it is the only option for them if they want to survive. How wise of Alex Salmond and his team to have the referendum so close to the Westminster elections. By then we will be in a very strong position, I’m certain of it.
I am increasingly confident of victory, then we can begin to rebuild Scotland into the kind of country we want.
I can’t see why the Tories would want Hunt in charge unless they were trying to lose. Gove? He is Scottish but he is also a Forsyth type Tory.
Â
Both have their hands full in their respective departments I can’t see either wanting the job. After Carmichael I can’t see them risking another change of personnel.
Â
I see that Money Saving Expert Poll is still going – thought it had finished. Vote if you have not done so. Across the UK over 23,000 have voted which I think is one of their biggest ever.
Â
link to moneysavingexpert.com
Talking of Nelson Mandela I see that Better Together have a tribute to him which they have had to prune viciously….one of the problems when you are in bed with all manner of right wing Unionists.Â
“because either of Gove or Hunt would be very effective!” Yir jokin, right?Â
I think the cartoon portrays Darling looking relatively happy (for him) – maybe resigned relief? Darling tends to deviate between angry and miserable. On a good day he shows both.
Hand and shrimp
Note: We have detected unusual voting patterns on the ‘I live in Scotland’ vote – inc a disproportionate number of Scottish voters (even taking into account the topic). Its likely there’ve been email/social media campaigns to drum up voters. So the result may be far from representative.
I went on to vote and the above notice in red was there with the results. This is a so called ‘money saving expert’ poll, we have a whole media bias against us here in Scotland so why not do a poll on media bias once you have bothered to read the propoganda used on a daily basis, money saving expert.
I can’t see why the Tories would want Hunt in charge unless they were trying to lose.
Â
We might ask ourselves why the Tories are advertising their close involvement with Better Together the first place. It looks like they’re trying to make it as clear as possible that they are in charge of the BT campaign. If they replace Darling with a Tory then I’ll finally be convinced of SS’s wild theory…
SS
I have never thought it a wild theory.Perhaps a more outlandish one but to me one which had merit and my own feeling (no evidence) is that there is an under the table deal there between Cameron and Salmond.
I can find no other logical reason for the cack handed way the Tories are playing this referendum.
Scotland says YES, Westminster loses 50+ Labour MPs a post a Tory win in 2015, boundary changes leverages up the Tories seats to a level which gives them a solid bloc governing vote for the foreseeable future.
AS may well have given DC a Golden Bridge.
Its the “even taking into account the topic” bit, as though it is a minor matter like which washing machine to buy for those who can afford it or how to switch, or maybe flip for those in positions of privilege. Their site is for the middle class who have no real worries about money, wish they would stick to the trivia and keep out of Scotlands business!
The other key event we are waiting on is the ‘Joint Scottish-UK Government Statement’ on what happens in the event of a Yes or No.
Â
This was talked about in the past. Not heavily advertised, but mentioned. It was supposed to arrive after the white paper.
Â
Shouldn’t be long now. Could be a very interesting development. In my own opinion, if it comes, it will be designed to severely damage the No campaign and shaft Labour. Will of course seem all reasonable though.
Sorry one more thing about the so called poll at Money saving expert, they are actually implying that all UK folk have a vote! Thats what they would like and this shows the utter disrespect toward Scotland being touted in the msm.Â
Hetty
Â
Yes, but they do say that the poll was made UK wide to see the views of the rest of the UK. The Scottish section saw the Yes vote shoot up and he put on a note about that then the No vote shot up and he changed it to the current note. Basically recognising that both the Yes and No camps have the poll on their social media sites…which is hardly surprising.
Â
With thousands of vote from England, most No, I think we can safely ignore trolls that suggest we leave the vote to England and we would get to leave the Union. There is only one place that this vote can be secured and that is Scotland.
Talking of polls Rev, I was Ipos Mori’d the other day. First time I have had one of those in years. Lot about independence and who I would vote for…so a purely a Scottish poll methinks. Quite a lot on Devo Max, would I vote No if there was a Devo Max proposition on the table etc., Be interesting to see who commissioned it.
Another excellent article on Darling’s involvement in the Banking crisis on Business for Scotland
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
HandandShrimp
Â
“Devo max”,whatever it isd should be described as “trying to trick Scotland”. That of course is exactly what  this devo max talk is all about
Dave McEwan-Hill and Handclapping
Â
Devo-trix it is then?
Yes, there is absolutely sweet FA on the table so rather a hypothetical question. It might just as easily have been would I vote No if Aliens attacked.
Â
I guess the it depends who commissioned the poll. Could it be Better Together assessing what they might have to slap on the table in order to try and head a Yes vote off at the pass? I think if the polls look like a solid Yes in the run up to Sept 14 then we might very well see some 11th hour change in tack. It might be as well for Yes Scotland to prepare to counter such proposals in good time.
I wish the SNP wouldn’t do that. Compiling micro-samples from UK-wide polls is weak sauce indeed.
Â
Yes, why not just us the SNP share of the total vote. Considerably more accurate as it’s at least partly weighted. Pre-2011, it was 1%, 2%… Now it’s 3%, 4%, sometimes 5%…
@Handandshrimp.
 “There is only one place that this vote can be secured and that is Scotland.”
Dunno, can’t help wondering about the result if the English were asked
“Do you think that England should be an independant country”
Â
Gerry
Â
A fair point.I often wonder why the Daily Mail trolls always say if we had a say in this referendum you would be offski. It seems much simpler to say I would like a vote regarding my own country. Of course a start would be to elect someone that is prepared to offer them that. UKIP and other such parties are staunch Unionists (except if that Union is the EU obviousment) so they would need to consider something new.
Nice one Chris.
Â
Wee Ruth, thinking to herself I’d better get the fag packet from Alistair, before he goes, so I know the plan.
Ghengis
“<chuckle>Does that work though if you have not read the pertinent article? …http://wingsoverscotland.com/who-am-i/ Who is the guy on the left btw?”
Â
Or heard the song.
Â
I think the guy is Iain Davidson but ye cuild be cinfyazed as hees naw yazin aze yuezyil Inglish.
Â
Very good but should the man on the left’s left hand not be up his Darling’s arse rather than on his shoulder. Like Rod Hull and EMU.
Â
@Bugger the Panda
Handclapping / HandandShrimp – bloody difficult; we’re both accountants and like Terry Pratchett 🙂 but he’s more mobile!
Is it ok to refer to Ruth Davidson as “Lady Haw Haw” given her professional career in radio and her trademark Holyrood guffaw?
Â
ps
Anybody got a link to a recording of Ruth’s warm, rich Holyrood laugh?