Murdo Fraser Wins A Vote
Conservative list MSP Murdo Fraser is Scottish politics’ undisputed king of rejects. He’s had a 16-year career in the Scottish Parliament without once winning any sort of election, trousering close to a million pounds of taxpayers’ money in the process, and there’s pretty much nothing anyone can do to get him out of it.
First of all he was firmly rejected by the electorate of East Lothian in 1997, picking up under 20% of the vote. Then when the Scottish Parliament came into being in 1999 he tried his luck at winning its North Tayside seat and was rejected again. He had a go at the Westminster version of the seat in 2001, and was rejected there too.
He hadn’t managed to come in the top three of the Tory regional list either, but when one of the list MSPs who HAD been elected resigned later that year after a bout of pneumonia, Fraser got to walk into his vacant seat unopposed, elected by no-one.
He tried to win North Tayside again in 2003 and 2007, and was rejected both times. (In the four attempts he made at the seat, his vote share decreased every time. The more people saw of him serving as an MSP, the less they liked him.)
By 2011 North Tayside had been abolished and replaced by Perthshire North, which Fraser contested in that year and in 2016, but was rejected twice more. In between he stood for leader of the Scottish Conservatives, but was rejected by Tory members.
After eight humiliating failures out of eight, though, today Murdo finally won one.
And in a landslide to boot.
In a poll of this site’s Twitter followers, Fraser ran away – somewhat to our surprise, as we had gigantic serial dimwit Jamie Greene as the hot favourite – with the title of “Thickest Tory MSP”. And the reason we’d held the poll was this:
The only problem with Miles Briggs’ claim is that the SNP haven’t been running Edinburgh City Council for the last five years at all – it’s a Labour-led administration, headed by the affable Andrew Burns. For the previous five it had been led by the Lib Dems, with the SNP as junior partners both times.
But it turned out that Briggs wasn’t the only one with a faulty memory.
Because in Queensferry (which we only found out at the weekend is the proper name of South Queensferry, and which also comes under the Edinburgh council umbrella), the Lib Dems are campaigning on a Nat-bashing platform blaming “the SNP council” for the state of the roads. Labour aren’t even mentioned on their leaflets.
It’s all part of a growing hysteria among the Unionist parties, who are in such a panic over the prospect of a second independence referendum that they’ve been reduced to screaming complete absurdities in the hope that if they repeat them often enough and loudly enough people might start believing them.
Still, Fraser’s victory might also owe something to the fact that Twitter only allows you to put four options in opinion polls, so we had no room for his colleague and deputy leader Jackson Carlaw, who’s currently sending his constituents this:
(Quite aside from the horrendous trainwreck of English and typesetting, we’re not sure why a Holyrood MSP is asking people about their broadband speed in a Scottish council election campaign, since telecommunications are reserved to Westminster.)
Still, our congratulations go out to Murdo on a resounding victory. We’re delighted to have been able to make his lifelong dream come true by showing him, just this once, what winning an election with your name on the ballot paper feels like.
All I can say is “Roll on May’s council elections” till we hopefully get rid of these idiots…
Murdo Fraser, the politician formerly know as Unelectable
What hacks me off is that Murdo is given a MSM platform that yes supporting politician’s can only dream of.
Can unionists not read? Or proofread? Or think? I mean, just take a long hard look at this lot… In the words of the song, there’s got to be something better than this!
How can I be out a job when some idiot gets away with the worst typos I’ve seen in a while?
The copy /paste function is great when used properly…unless the printers happen to be nationalists then good work.
How come we didn’t get a choice of ‘Yes, bad, average’ in the poll for thickest Tory MSP?
Brilliant stuff Rev. Such a pity we don’t have a free, pro-independence media who could publish this sort of stuff and demonstrate to the electorate what a bunch of bwbags and fannies the Yoon politicians really are.
Mind you, I am disgusted that Brian Whittle didn’t even get mentioned in despatches for the Thickest Tory MSP competition.
Does that really say:
I had to type that out in case I was missing something.
That is somewhat beyond idiotic.
Murdo Fraser loses elections, and we in turn lose by having him hanging around Holyrood, adding nothing, contributing nothing.
The decline of the Scottish Conservatives is shown by their continuing to select this useless nonentity as a candidate.
Is there no-one better than Murdo that the Conservatives could pick?
I hope you’ll be sending him a small trophy.
That Jackson Carlaw leaflet: Wow, just… Wow.
Unfortunately, the situation of Murdo Fraser is one of the prices for having PR. You have to take the rough with the smooth, I suppose.
Don’t get too big headed Murdo, you’ll never win anything again.
Trouble is,some people will believe these things so perhaps these Tories are not so stupid just deceitful!
Posted on the tail end of the last thread but IMHO it’s important that as many people as possible read it so unashamedly posting it again. Sorry if you have read this already, just skip past.
I think the reason the Tories are so vociferous on the “No to a 2nd referendum” isn’t just to win over what’s left of the hard core Labour voting Yoon.
No it’s to try and increase the turnout of their traditional support that voted in the first referendum in vast numbers. This tactic could really boost Tory chances if Indy supporting voters stay at home.
We need to make their tactic backfire and use it as a way to getting Indy supporters to the polls too. We tell them the Tories are likely to increase their vote so that they must vote to stop the Tories in their tracks.
The most important thing we can do in my view is persuade those that support Independence but don’t normally vote in council elections is to get their bum aff the chair and down to their polling station on the day. Be hard on any that seem reluctant, emphasise that it’s in their interests as well as that of Independence overall.
We can all play our part in this. Get them out to vote.
Bring in FPTP at least you can get rid of the losers. There might, just might develop a credible opposition. The majority are sick of the sight of these unionists incompetent ignoramouses. To add insult to injury some voters unfortunately have to vote for these people. A farce of an electoral system. Imagine having to vote for candidates/parties who make folk physically sick and kill vulnerable children
I suppose it’s kinda relevant. About those coming up Council Elections.
Vote ’til you boak.
The whole point of ranking Unionist candidates is about ensuring your LEAST preferred party is placed last.
Imagine the scenario where a final seat is to be won and none of the pro-indy folk have ranked any unionist. The SNP have won 2 seats and can’t win any others. By not ranking the Unionists means you are effectively abstaining from the contest for this final seat, leaving the outcome to how the Unionists have voted.
Let’s assume the blue Tory wins. Now, despite how bad SLabour has become and however much they are indistinguishable from the blue Tories, most would probably still prefer them (micromarginally) over the blue Tory. But the blue Tory gets the seat because the Indy voters all abstained by not placing any Unionist candidates lower down the ranking.
In the scenario above, indy voters voting ’til they’re boaking (i.e. ranking ALL candidates and, crucially, placing Labour above their LEAST favoured candidate – the blue Tory – could have enough influence to swing the last seat to Labour.
THAT is why it matters to vote ’til you boak – to KEEP THE TORIES OUT and send a very loud message to Mayhem in London that her ‘referendum on ScotRef’ has totally backfired. And don’t even get me started on that party’s obscene Rape Clause.
Vote ’til you boak peeps. Keep the Tories OUT!
Murdo (Boomerang) Fraser Jings!
It’s like ‘Hotel California’ we can vote him out but he can never leave. 🙁
The prime reason why list MSPs should be limited to 2 terms.
Oh and nobody should be allowed to run on both list and constituency tickets in the same election.
We’ve identified a definite weakness in the Holyrood system here.
It’s quite possible for a political party to ensure that one of its nominees will hold a position of influence, forever, without holding a proper democratic mandate.
This is closely akin to the situation in the House Of Lords. There too, a candidate of a given party can make our laws, without reference to the electorate, indefinitely.
The single transferable vote system might be able to bypass this problem while ensuring proportionality…
Then again, it might introduce new problems…
Posts of mine disappearing today. First had some sweary words so fair dos – but not the last one (I think) which was about the CEs.
Let’s see what happens with this.
Carlaw seems to be obsessed with YES.
I wonder if he’s a secret YESSER…
…or just your average Tory YES man
I think everyman and his dog knows,that the only voter that the Scottish tories are appealing to are the ‘loyal follow follow brigade. Whether it be council elections or referendums.
The Tories and Ruthie will crash land from the wee bounce they got from Brexit last year.
Murdo doesn’t know when he is beaten. He is clearly punch drunk from all those hammer blows delivered even on him by Tories. He could of course just be taking the “the cry was no surrender” literally.
Serially rejected and serially dishonest. Bookends of the conservative ideology wherever they are found.
At least they’re consistent. 🙂
Though how Jamie Greene came in a poor second…
Ken500 @ 17:28,
You are sadly deluded (and not for the first time). FPTP entrenches party dummies in the vast majority of seats, the so-called “safe” seats. It doesn’t challenge the numpties one whit.
Which is why the Tories neglected them and poured vast sums instead into a very small number of English “marginals” in 2015 (many of which are now under police investigation for illegal funding).
Fact. Not your fiction.
Ye gawd’s!
How the hell do these First Class TWATS manage to live with themselves?
These alleged “intelligent” individuals bring a horrendously bad name to the term brain deid! Even anyone who actually IS brain deid is not even close to being as incompetent and stupid as this lot of morons are.
Good to see that Carlaw’s team are obsessed with “Yes”.
They’re some outfit that can’t even read their own drivel!
Shockaroony!
However,well done Murdo.
We all know intelligence, judgement, wisdom, insight, or even just plain common sense, were never prerequisites for being a Tory politician. In fact, you could argue they were hurdles to climbing up the Tory ladder.
Take recently departed Cameron as prime example! Master of many a complete fck-up! He will go into history as ultimately the main destroyer of his UK.
Murdo could thank all his voters by name in his acceptance speech..
I still remember Ruthie tweeting about “Burly men” preventing voting at a polling place. I now realise they cannot help resorting to lies because the truth reveals them for what they actually are. Liars, colonisers and rogues, determined by ANY means foul or foul to keep their country subjugated by a party paymaster in England.
Posted this on the other thread but seems more relevant here since it is about approval ratings.
Approval ratings for leaders in Herald online today Sample size 906
NS +11% …(Angela Merkel +7%)
RD -21%
TM -23%
KD -41%
Blows a hole in the ‘Ruth is more popular than Nicola’ being pushed recently by the Tories, and others.
It saddens me that even 20% of the Scottish electorate would vote Tory. What kind of person would do this? Only the truly ignorant or those who care naught for their fellow citizen.
For them it’s purely selfishness and greed, not because they aspire to a better country for all it’s citizens, oh No. A Scots Tory is among the most vile of people, no compassion, no sympathy and no vision beyond their bank balance and how much their house is worth.
Disgusting people, the type that cross the road if they see a homeless person. We need to keep this crowd away from all our political positions. Mind and get out and vote in May.
If they want to turn the Council elections into a referendum on a referendum then let’s just do that too. Mobilise the Yes vote, let’s give them a showing up.
Each day brings more evidence to suggest that Unionism as practiced by Scotland’s Red, Blue and Yellow Conservatives, may be very similar to a mentally confused condition widely met in the population of North Korea.
Ps. I’ve just read an article plus comments in The Scotsman. Standing downwind of a pig farm is preferable.
Good one Rev. You have got to laugh at these idiots but the sad part is that they get to spout absolute nonsense whilst not being beholding to anyone.
1. Not sure
2. Average
3. Yes.
RD -21%
Ruthie’s Brexit bubble has well and truly burst.
RD -21%
Ruthie’s Brexit bubble has well and truly burst.
Anyone interested in the abuse of the scottish economy by a tiny minority of mostly foreign crooks should watch today’s edition of Renegade Inc on RTUK
Please circulate James Kelly’s post widely http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk
How to vote in May
The reason there are so few credible unionists MPs/MSPs in Scotland is that they have little hope of success, thus we end up with, well, the choice of word is yours. Mundell, a joke, Carmichael, a liar, the Lab Edinburgh chap, lost, Carlaw, failed car dealer, Fraser, like a failed ski jumper, who likes to hear his own voice, Dugdail, Rennie, Kelly, the largish Trident lover, the list is endless.
Is it little wonder that the Scottish Party is so popular. Imagine some of that mob in charge of boiling an egg, let alone Scotland. The mind boggles.
Murdo Fraser=long time loser.
Behind Ruth Davidson, I’d say Fraser is the loudest of the Tories, a veritable shouter.
What’s Murdo Fraser doing in a bookies? He thought it was a library.
The Unionists will target the weak and ill-informed in these Local Elections.
Same tactics as IndyRef1 only different fear stories.
They will say that it worked the last time so why not keep doing it.
So there is no way you can say that transport and the NHS are good? Just bad or average?
Very professional.
Got myself carried away earlier with my rant at Scots Tories. It stems from what has happened since Sep 2014 and particularly since they formed the government in 2015.
What the Tories have done and continue to do to the welfare state, the English NHS and Scotland is what is despicable and those that support a continuation of this state of affairs in full knowledge of the effects is also despicable and I stand by that.
Those that vote in ignorance I can forgive for they are not being given the truth by their beloved BBC and MSM.
Thought I would see what Murdo Fraser meant as a name. Murdo means ‘sea’ and refers to a seaman. Fraser meaning as a name is unclear but one option is ‘strawberry’ .
I suppose Seaman Strawberry sounds about right!!
WOS archive links for October 2013 now over on O/T.
Or do a bit of windows shopping 😀
link to ayemail.scot
Here, Jackson! (not Tennessee)
Here’s yer answers..
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Yer an excellent advert for independence JC, cheers ssson.
There’s been a Murdo! (cue Maggie Bell..)
How would you rate our local hospital and NHS?
Yes, Bad, Average, is weird but its not the last example of tory fuckwittery. Hard to believe tory core is middle and upper middle class professionals and the great British working class tory.
link to huffingtonpost.co.uk
Even that smile is a lying crook all on its own. He must have popped in to bet on Sevco or something ( apologies if offending the nice supporters out their). He has a sort of underhanded sinister & creepy look while at the same time saying come hither, come to me. I’m a nice tory, you know. All that in a smile and a mad glint in the eye.
The woman behind him has that look of “Who is that. Whoa, whoa, whoa. He better stop smiling now, he’s making me nervous”.
I wonder just how absolutely woeful the those rejected for a gravy train place on the Tory List must have been if this utter political failure and bigot got on to the list ahead of them.
We need to reform the electoral system to prevent freeloading failures like this odious little man being allowed a seat in our government.
Right enough he is a darling of the Dead Tree Scrolls and the BBC PQ.
And he’s got a dead posh bools in the mooth voice.
Great analysis, Stu.
Thepnr,
“I think the reason the Tories are so vociferous on the “No to a 2nd referendum” isn’t just to win over what’s left of the hard core Labour voting Yoon.
No it’s to try and increase the turnout of their traditional support that voted in the first referendum in vast numbers. This tactic could really boost Tory chances if Indy supporting voters stay at home.
We need to make their tactic backfire and use it as a way to getting Indy supporters to the polls too. We tell them the Tories are likely to increase their vote so that they must vote to stop the Tories in their tracks.”
Have you finally given up on embracing Tories to vote Yes?
Thepnr,
“Embrace the NO voters, even the Tory ones if you hope to reach your ultimate goal.”
Rock,
“Target and embrace the ones who can be persuaded.
That is why the Radical Independence Campaign was so successful and the Yes campaign in the SNP “heartlands” a disaster.
Do you seriously believe that spending limited resources on persuading Tories in Scotland to vote for independence is a good idea?”
“screaming complete absurdities in the hope that if they repeat them often enough and loudly enough people might start believing them”
I have bad news for you – it works. I manned a Yes street stall last Saturday and we found plenty of support. But all the arguments against were identical. Nobody likes Nicola. Scotland is bankrupt. Oil is a liability. Some bliddy darkie will take ma job.
Ordinary yoon supporters are reading from a script handed to them by the MSM and BBC. It depresses me beyond words that the people who tell me they will never support indy are almost always those with nae arse in their troosers, the people most likely to benefit from it. But they resolutely vote for their own continuing destruction.
If we lose again, Hell slap in intae thum, as my mother would say.
Is that a Freudian slip by Jackson, conflating ‘Yes’ with ‘Good’? Wonder if he’s told Carlaw?
Thepnr 6:20 pm
“If they want to turn the Council elections into a referendum on a referendum then let’s just do that too. Mobilise the Yes vote, let’s give them a showing up.”
Steady on there Old Scout, do that and the Non Locals that have been shipped in, by quite frankly a tosser and mid management, get elected , that does hee haw for the community
The fact that I’m standing as an Independent, has I admit a little influence in my viewpoint.
FPTP gets rid of the losers and is definitely better than having regurgutated losers for a lifetime. Or getting everyone’s 3rd or 4th choice. While 1st Choices got into the bin because of the required quota. An absolute farce.
FPTP means a credible opposition just might, just might emerge because the losers know they or their replacements must change their behaviour or not get elected at all. That is why the majority support it. Loser. It is simple, easy to understand for the electorate and easier to administer. One person, one vote. Not being taken advantage of by dubious claims for voting techniques to get the desired outcome. A nonsense,
The Tory cheated and lied to win election on spending limits. That is illegal and should be punished with improsonment. So has UKIP for years funded a political Party with public money. Time is finally catching up with them. They won the battle and lost the war losers. Their reward. Oblivion. Q
Acting illegally is not an anti recommendation against FPTP. It is a requirement for investigation and punishment. Parties/politicians can act illegally in any system. It is the investigation and required punishment which is supposed to be a sanction.
The thing that bothers me most, is the monies “the queens fart” has pocketed from the tax payer.
This clown is a bigger criminal than Mr Ronald Biggs.
At least Ronnie could do his job.
“/No2indyref” becomes..
‘Number2indyref’
Like in chess ~ the counter offensive to No.
Indyref No.2
Make up a story and tell it To a Tory.
Ahhhhh ha ha ha!
Tory funder and billionaire tax dodger’s latest poll interesting,
link to lordashcroftpolls.com
link to autonomyscotland.org
“These result suggest that Nicola Sturgeon is right to give the people of Scotland a second referendum on the back of Brexit. Scotland didn’t vote for Brexit, and the majority of us still think it is a bad idea.
The fact that her approval rating is higher than those leaders who don’t support indyref2 also suggests that this policy is not as toxic as her rivals would like you to believe.”
@ screaming habdabs. Doesn’t seem to be working so far.
Nicola’s rating up. Alex and Co ever more popular. Sticking up for Scotland. Another IndyRef on the way. The Tory/Unionist held at bay. The opposition useless. The Tories heading for a big fall. That’s for sure. Everything a new campaign. With Brexit hovering.
This article made me quietly smile in one sense, but at the same time, it also made me grimace, as it genuinely shows in another sense, what is basically an indictment of, not only our Scottish Unionist political parties, but also that of our beloved media, who at no point, have decided to query the statements of any of the Unionist parties, nor their candidates, over what can be clearly seen, as complete and utter lies.
There are times when I wonder if some of these characters have decided to look at the wisdom of Adolf Hitler, when, he stated that if one was going to tell a lie, then tell a big one, since ‘no-one could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.”
However, one has to wonder if (a) they know they are telling a lie, or (b) are basing everything on an assumption …and if they are basing it on an assumption …then they are not fit to be placed in a position of governmental office, as (c ) they are either bone-idle lazy in ascertaining the truth, or (d) just completely and utterly useless …except for that regular key moment when their belly and mouth unite as one to then become fully effective in regurgitating some nonsense that they believe to be the truth.
However, it is our beloved journalists and media that also deserve equally our contempt. Everyone of those 4 points above could easily apply to them. To allow these lies to be continually perpetuated through the various media outlets makes a mockery of certain journalists and their careers. I hope that when the day comes, when they have retired with a decent pension pot, that they reflect back on their lives within that industry …and the lies that they once told to deceive their own nation …their very own people …eat them up completely. I hope the regrets consume their souls, for a life lived on lies, is not a life worth reflecting upon, nor one to hold up as a life well fulfilled.
I hope that the day we succeed in gaining independence for our nation, that a lot of soul-searching begins for some of our politicians …as well as a good number of our journalists and newsreaders.
Haha, he is a total fud . A well deserved accolade to this usless waste of space . I do believe you can now get a whiff of the shite running down their legs.
O/T
As I had predicted, Europe’s leaders falling over each other to support Trump’s attack on Syria:
Rock,
“In theory, Trump’s election gives European countries a chance to stop blindly following US policies.
In practice, the hypocrite rulers of Europe who had made anti-Trump comments before his election will soon start licking his arse, if they haven’t started already.”
Would Hilary Clinton have bombed Syria? Yes, most certainly.
Would Sanders have bombed Syria? Yes, most certainly.
Helpmaboab said:
Interesting. If you look at it another way, the Holyrood system has a hidden strength. It already has an inbuilt second chamber. No need to rejigger the place and add one post-independence.
Thats not a bookies hes in , its a cash convectors. Pawning the Scots for 30 pieces of silver. Git.
Brilliant Stu my favourite unionist to tweet show me your evidence to, has just won the poll I always knew he was top of.
Keep up this astounding work.
Yup, it does make you wonder why he’s the “go-to” Tory spokesman for the MSM.
How about publicly presenting him something from this page…
link to trophystore.co.uk
I like the best seller, the resin wooden spoon. I’ll pay for it if we can come up with a way to present it to him in front of the press.
Scotlands biggest problem has always been Scotland
The generations of mind control and brainwashing has led to an argumentative lack of confidence, so much so when the winning line is in sight folk don’t believe they can cross it and if they do will they be sorry afterwards
So the hesitation becomes fear of winning and the acceptance of a comfortable glorious defeat the norm and almost to be looked forward to as our lot in life and another excuse for a row about what might have been if only
Thur aw in it fur thursel becomes the cry of the defeated mind, which way to turn? Damn! what does it matter we never get anything anyway, who cares!
It’s puzzling how England will get behind complete and total Numpties and support them steadfastly when we in Scotland can see them for what they are yet we get a leader who outshines anybody else by miles, the rest of the world
heaps plaudits on them and Scotland does it again, Aye too good tae be true but
Are we past the point of no return to being normal humans like other folk around the world who’d rip off their arms to get the chance to be free of oppression for the sake of a cross in a box with a pencil
That’s how far the SNP has brought Scotland but they can’t write the cross for us, that’s our part and I’m damn grateful!
I suggest that to be entitled to a list seat if you have contested a constituency you must have received a share of that vote equal or greater than the fraction one divided by the number of main parties contesting that seat, that there is no member of your party who has not fought a constituency ahead of you on your party’s list and that if neither of the preceding apply you are after that term barred from being given a seat unless you qualify under the first two precedents.
In plain terms you get one shottie unless you fight a constituency and get >= 20% of the vote
I also think that the Tories put up these dead beats just to make Harrison look good by comparison
We are so near to victory, yet so far.
We are nudging the 50% plus one vote mark.
I am confident that Brexit will give us our Independence.
Guys, I’m surprised at you!
Murdo the Dodo is in the Bookies betting that he doesn’t win any form election, ever.
That £1 Million that he has pocketed has increased dramatically by betting on who the thickest Tory in Scotland is.
The Tories have so many Village Idiot candidates that he was never a certainty, but our Densa Member came through.
I pity the poor lackey who has to collate these responses, and then report to Jackson that, “Sir, 80% of constituents aren’t sure if they’re happy with their broadband speed”. What the hell could anyone possibly do with that?
I’ve only read about when the Conservative and unionist party was popular in Scotland. I do remember the 80s though and being honest I have a lovely elderly aunt who I would put money on votes Tory.
Without causing a family meltdown I’ve often been tempted to ask her if the Tory party she votes for is like the Labour Party, a completely different party from the one she probably voted for from the 1950s?
I sometimes wonder what she makes of Ruth Davidson antics ? Is she embarrassed for her? Is the shouting aggressive, paper waving really what she wants from her party?
People are allowed to have different opinions on their politics and I suppose it might be voting for the party rather than the people but even my aunty ( who I’d best describe as reserved) must be thinking who is this crowd of suits?
JLT – excellent point about the media and their ask no awkward question policies.
Here’s another one they won’t ask.
What’s the relationship between Scotland in Union fronting up for the Tories and Labour and where do they fit in with the electoral commission ?
Lastly Murdo Fraser is unable to explain any contribution he’s made to people’s lives via Holyrood because he is too busy being a twitter troll .
Craig Murray on the Ashcroft polls:
link to craigmurray.org.uk
With Independence, Scotland must have a clear out. No former unionist politicians to stand at any level for at least ten years. Twenty if it’s left up to me.
JLT @ 20:16
That is so true. I sat through the ScotRef debate in Holyrood and every single one of the Tory contributions (plus Alex Cole-Hamilton’s re-hashed rehash) was stunningly inane. The people around me in the public gallery were quietly groaning for much of the time the Tory MSPs spoke; they just couldn’t help themselves. (The only exception being the very audible gasp at Rude’s little tantrum.)
When they get on their hind legs and open their mouths, the Tories prove they are total parallel-universe dorks (including Prof. Two Jobs, who is without doubt knowingly disingenuous in his faux-stupid contributions).
Yet when you watch the edited extract on BBC TV, they have always carefully selected the one little 10-second soundbite that makes the Chosen One appear vaguely sentient. That’s what voters see, and naturally are inclined to assume that’s what their MSPs are really like.
It is total misrepresentation. I’ve been there and I’ve see the reality of what they’re really like, and I didn’t get anywhere near that reality on Reporting Scotland.
Tinto Chiel @ 21:49:
Thanks for that reference, TC, it’s a great one. Definitely worth a read.
I particularly liked:
That would seem to give us a fairly credible feel for the amount of hardline BritNat support versus the redeemable majority.
Much good fruit still there for the plucking, then.
Tinto Chiel says:
The reality comes as no surprise, but it’s nice to see it confirmed by data. Thanks.
“Tory Scotland is a Myth the Media are Trying to Propagandise into Reality”
Again, no surprise. The Tories are as toxic as ever!
Robert J. Sutherland says:
Funny how that 2:1 split in Scottish views on many subjects keeps cropping up.
That is our target for ScotRef.
Tinto Chiel
Ashcroft Poll
“In answer to the question “Do you think Britain is on the right track, or heading in the wrong direction” Scots stated by a resounding 67% to 33% (excluding don’t knows) that Britain is heading in the wrong direction.”
@handclapping
just to make Harrison look good by comparison
Nice piece of rhyming my friend… 🙂
It must be a form of selective amnesia for the Conservatives in Scotland to campaign in Scotland whilst omitting to tell us that they actively represent a party that has no interest in supporting democracy in Scotland at local, national or international levels. Their party is rooted in the values of a plutocracy or is it an autocracy- it’s difficult to tease out what they actually stand for but all we need to know is that they are working really hard for the 0.1% whilst the majority in Scotland and around the UK bear the brunt of their economic mismanagement, with their lack of transparency and honesty regarding Scotland’s true wealth, their desire to thwart any progress in Scotland’s ability to be self- sufficient in energy, their project of destruction of state support, the disassembling of human rights and their continued denial of Scotland’s right to remain in Europe.
They represent a party of government that is dominated and directed by the actions of a small % of the very rich. Policies are created with secrecy as a watchword with the rationale behind policies managed by autocratic leadership which favours very wealthy people and does not extend to the low- wage sector (the emerging precariat class) and the shrinking middle class in our new dual economy of rich and poor that will trade exclusively in jam, biscuits and weapons for sale to brutal regimes that most ethical and humane societies would shun (war can be very profitable to those engaged in dodgy arms deals).
We should be kind and allow them to dissociate from their true party colours and presumably all that internalised anxiety that finds expression in externalising behaviours of shouty declarations of ‘No Referendum-Ever!’ by absolutely not voting for them at the local elections.
Dr Jim @8.51pm
Your comment “Scotlands biggest problem has always been Scotland” brings to mind this quotation from Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, who in 1934 became the first president of the SNP:
“The enemies of Scottish nationalism are not the English, for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination.”
@Thepnr says: 10 April, 2017 at 7:12 pm:
” … What the Tories have done and continue to do to the welfare state … “
Oh! Yes! I take it you mean how they are turning the Welfare State into the Fare Well State with privatisation and greed.
O/T Slightly but still about tories and on Rev’s twitter.
Having had a couple of ‘discussions’ in my local rag – I give facts, don’t name-call but usually bow out when it goes right off topic, ie short but sweet. Some of them will never be changed.
I’ve decided on a different tack. Reckoning that more folk read it than go on line, I’ve written a letter about the ‘rape clause’ and hope it will get printed. It’s totally about the clause and no mention at all of SNP or independence. If it’s printed it might shock some folk out of their stupor and get them asking questions of canvassers.
On Rev’s twitter somebody has printed off the clause and will hand it to supporters who appear on his door step. Somebody else is doing ‘memes’ ? on tory MSPs sites.
Obviously I don’t twit or do facebook so can’t join in, but would it be an idea to print more of these and leave them on buses, in shops and hairdressers etc?
Anything to show up the b.s…ds for what they are.
The Ashcroft polling data shows not only is Ruth Davidson nowhere near as popular in Scotland as she (and she does have a bit of an ego) and the media like to think, but Scotland is clearly on a different track to England.
It couldn’t be clearer, Scotland is not leaving the EU, and England is. Their is an absolute gulf between the viewpoints of both countries. No amount of dictatorial insulting nonsense from London’s Tories is going to change that.
This is good data. It is very clear why the Tories and their red tory chums (who seemingly cannot think for themselves, so merely copy Ruth Davidson) are trying to persuade people that a referendum on independence is a bad idea, because they know they will lose.
Never has it been clearer that the union of Scotland with England is finished. It is time both countries grew up and moved on. That way England can pursue its mad xenophobic agenda, and Scotland can get on with building a progressive modern Scotland.
Did anyone ask that wee lassie behind the counter if she was okay about being photographed with a prize idiot?
It’s quite clear that the original option in the Carlaw leaflet was SNP Bad. Obviously had a change of heart but left the space to be filled in if required.
Hey jfngw, what do you mean snp bad,
It’s all good up here. Everything SNP is GOOD.
“Your views are important to Jackson[insert full stop here]”
In fact, they are so important to him that he could not be bothered checking the clarity or accuracy of the form you are being asked to waste your precious time on.
My posts continue to disappear.
Daily express = the Rev will like this one link to facebook.com
@ Dave McEwan Hill 11.51
Mine too. Just checked back after @ 20mins and it’s still not posted.
Away tae ma pit.
Re Scottish food and drink exports someone in the Scottish Government is working really hard in the promotion of same.
Normaly in the stores where I live in Spain there is very little in the way of Scottish produce. Whisky obviously, shortbread and that lo salt that´s manufactured in East Kilbride the salmon is depressingly always Norwegian. However look what showed on the telly today..
link to youtube.com
Nearly fell out of my chair and beter still is that thay also have on offer Scottish Cheddar cheese which comes in a pack with a beautiful Saltire flag printed on it!! 🙂
I´m pure made up so am ur.
Tomorrow´s dinner menu at casa uno mas is Salmon Bake with a cheddar sauce washed down with a couple of drams and for pudding a couple of pieces of shortbread.
Ahhh burb!!
With ill judged, and frankly bonkers, Tweets like the Queen’s Eleven, Murdo is a gift horse we should not look in the mouth.
Ruth and Mundell’s support of the rape clause is a timely reminder of just how nasty the Tories are when they do the day job. A wake up call for people to snap out of the No Surrender pish and remember why the Tories are beyond the pale.
Stop press…
Not going to have shortbread for pudding tomorrow instead i´m going to make up a batch of Dave McEwan Hill´s microwave traditional Scottish tablet.
If you haven´t got the recipe you should ask him.
It´s Faaab. and so easy!!
It is indeed. Ans as many flavours as you like
It is indeed. And as many flavours as you like
That’s odd. Can’t get any posts up – then two come along.
link to caltonjock.com
Any Tory candidate could be asked if she supports the new legislation preventing any poor woman looking for financial assistance for a third child by having to prove it was as a result of “non consensual sex” (they are trying to get away from the “rape “ word).
To do so she would surely have to identify a responsible man. Would he then be taken to court and charged? If not, why not?
This new legislation is not only barbaric but it is also idiotic.
Robert Louis @ 11.00
Totally agree. Scotland is poles apart from England/Wales and we should be able to agree to disagree.
Always felt sorry for Wales being lumped in with England. Now they are going to face the consequences of voting to leave the EU with no financial support from England.
Rev: “…MurdoSmile.jpg”
link to youtube.com
This article was in the Times.Is the last paragraph true?
I thought we spent our money differently was the difference.
A life-extending breast cancer drug rejected as too expensive for England and Wales is to be made available to Scottish patients.
Scotland has also become the first part of the United Kingdom to offer a pill that cuts the risk of HIV infection by 90 per cent after NHS England fought a court battle to avoid paying for it. Campaigners warned that English taxpayers would not put up with subsidising treatments in Scotland that they could not get themselves.
Scottish public spending is £10,500 a head against £8,800 in England, with the NHS getting £2,100 and £1,900 per person respectively. English and Welsh taxpayers contribute more to Scottish health spending through the Barnett formula.
The drug Kadcyla can offer an extra nine months of life…
@ ian
Well, for a start, it’s disingenuous for them to compare ‘England’ against Scotland, as London – with a population nearly twice that of Scotland – gets £10,100 per head.
Also notice how the last sentence of the last paragraph should really have ‘than X’ included after ‘…Barnett formula’ at the end (to make any bloody sense) with X presumably being Scotland; but they just left it effectively meaningless, probably thinking, “job done!”
Unless…you’ve missed a bit out from the article, in which case I never wrote that last paragraph. It was just a dream.
Rev will no doubt be here shortly to point out lots more, though.
The drugs pay for themselves. People grtting the HIV drugs can work. Drugs cure or contain conditions to make people manage more independently. .
The Tory/Unionists spend £Billions killing vulnerable innocent people at home and abroad. Funds which could be used keeping people alive. The Westminster crooks are the biggest criminals in Christendom. Killing innocent, vulnerable people the world over. They are despicable. ‘Psycho bastards’ Only their greed outweighs their wickedness,
The Tories attack on the sick and vulnerable children is illegal. They are bloody cowards. While illegally spending £Billions on HS2, Hinkley by the sea, Heathrow and Trident. All illegal waste of money, grotesque monstrosities. With little value. Disasters waiting to happen. There are more credible cheaper alternatives. Saving borrowing even more. £Tns in debt. More money could be spent on essential services. NHS/Eduction vulnerable sick and worried people and vulnerable children. The Tories are killing of the elderly. The Tory electorate.
The Tories are causing more strife in the world. To distract from their terrible Brexit. They have already caused the worst migration crisis in Europe since 11WW. Now they intend to cause even more trouble. They are complete incompetent ignoramouses.
The Bank of England were illegally fixing the Libor rate and lying about it. The inter bank lending rate. That decides rate of transactions for all the financial markets. Mervyn King. (Sir) Jeremy Heywood and Alistair Darling were in on it. The Banks denied knowledge of it. They are denying it. Just another bunch of criminals who should be in jail. People lost their businesses and houses because of their criminal behaviour. The Westminster Treasury is disgusting.
The Tory illegal high taxes on the Oil & Gas sector, when prices had fallen. Has cost Scotland £Billions and 120,000 jobs. Scotland could have had full employment and been at least £50Billion better off over the last five+ years. Plus £10Billion lost a year in Westminster mismanagement of Scottish resources and economy. £20Bilion a year. Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion,
Trump has now deceived the American people and the electorate. False promises. CIA and FBI must have something on him. Now reverts to type. Illegally killing and maiming innocent people. Non elected advisors. Another consummate liar,
Ian M, watched the story on STV about the new drugs available and as usual we didn’t get a celebration without the doom laden last comments – ‘other drugs are unavailable here which are available in England – SNP BAD”
Most folk must be waiting for the ‘but’ after any good news story on STV news which relates to the SNP.
As for BBBC Scotland – I wouldn’t know how doom laden they are because I never watch nowadays . Though I am still curious to know viewing figures for their ‘flagship’ Misreporting Scotland and any of their Brewer efforts.
WGD on Ashcroft.
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
A couple more things, cos I’m awake now. It’s a devolved issue, so Scotland has higher public spending than ‘England’ at the expense of other spending options, and that is never pointed out, funnily enough.
Also, N Ireland is left alone to quietly spend £11,000 per head, and has a GDP per capita of $25,000; and Scotland – perennially getting kicks to the groin from the press for £10,500 – has a GDP per capita of…wait for it…$43,400.
Incidentally, don’t go googling ‘Scotland GDP per capita’ as the result is absurdly from 2005, and dubious. ‘Per head’ is what you need.
Wales is underfunded by Westminster £Billion+. Teresa May is in a walking holiday in Wales with her multimillionaire hedge fund manager husband. She can’t eat pastries with diabetes 1, but can eat cheeses and leeks. Unlike the children she is responsible for starving and killing. No wandering in the peace for them, eating a piece and taking in the fresh air, clearing their head. Dodging bulets and bombs in the ruins.
The high emissions and polluted cities and are giving children asthma and having a negative effect on health. Sugar is causing obesity and diabetes, ‘Loss leading’ alcohol is causing early death and criminality. Putting up the cost of the NHS and essential services etc.
What is Teresa May doing? Carvorting with the Saudis, the most absolute, despot monarchy in the world who are the cause of international terrorism.
Wales has less migrants and more EU Grants, pro rata, than any other part of the UK. They voted for Brexit. In some areas with the highest % vote.
There 10,000 refugees in the UK 4 million displaced in Syria alone by US/UK illegal action.
One thousand are in London S/E. Nine thousand have been resettled by Westminster (privatised companies) policies in poorer parts of the North of England. By claims of lower costs. Cynically the Tories are resettling people in predominately Labour areas. Where Labour voters were more likely to turn to UKIP.
Remember the Tory Thatcherites illegally selling off council houses in Labour areas for increases political gain. Gerrymandering in London burghs. Lady Porter. She cleared off. When they found her, she got off with a fine.
Tesco’s have got off with a fine. After the financial Directors were committing major financial crime to illegally line their pockets with embezzled £Millions. Illegally distorting profits to put up share value and illegally distorting the company value on the financial markets. For personal gain illegally selling off shares at higher value. The consumer pay the fine.
The criminal financial directors do not go to jail but benefit from crime. Getting away with embezzled £Millions, Tesco persecute shoplifters. Wasting public money. The consumer pays again. Prices are put up. Brexit is putting up prices. The consumer pays. Disproportionatey. putting the burden on the poorer. People have to eat, but can’t sleep because ot the Tory/Unionist mess.
Discussion on WoS Twitter about the size of core Yoonery.
30% say they would never ever vote YES. This is a recurring figure for Britnats.
However, only 15% say they are more British than Scottish. So even within solid NO voters their is a subgroup of über BritNats!
What is going through my mind is … those saying NO, but still not full on Brits, is there hope of converting them!?
My mother who rarely swore would have described Murdo Fraser as a shonky shit who needed a right good tooberin.
He’s about as important as the tartles that hang from the the a.se of the beef cattle in winter.
In my opinion of course.
“Murdo the Turdo!” then?
BJ says:
If it wasn’t for the media’s relentless mission to push a pro Union agenda at all costs, no one would have heard of him. In a normal country with normal media, he would probably never even have been elected.
The US and UK have now in power a cabal of non democratically elected individuals.
Trump and his associates are now reneging in their promises and have deceived the American people. The US illegally bombed Syria.
The Tories committed electoral fraud in 31 constituencies. Nothing has been done about it.
Syria is more democratic than the US. With a more popular supported leader.
The Rev drew twitter attention to a Scotsman article from 2004 about then First Minister McConnell slamming the ‘ignorant’ English.
link to archive.is
But there is this gem right at the end
“But Murdo Fraser, enterprise spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said: “This is another great idea of Jack McConnell – why not go and tell the English about the higher waiting lists, higher levels of illness, higher business rates and so on.”
The more things change and all that.
Just me or have Nana and Small axe both gone a bit quiet? Hope you’re both OK. …
Is there nothing WOS or we as a leadership can do to challenge blatant leaflet lies with the electoral commission, during not after the event?
I wonder if there has ever been a politician in any democratic country that has failed as much to be elected yet still sits in parliament as Murdo.
A call to the world record folks is in order,we might have a chumpion on our hands.
RE previous comment leadership should read as readership.
@Frank Lynch
Is there nothing WOS or we as a readership can do to challenge blatant leaflet lies with the electoral commission, during not after the event?
It seems that there is nothing that can be done unless the lies are about another candidate. This is from an Electoral Commision fact sheet.
False statements
About a candidate’s personal character or conduct.
It is an illegal practice to make or publish a false statement of fact about the personal character or conduct of a candidate in order to affect the return of a candidate at an election.
False statements that are not about another candidate’s personal character or conduct are not illegal under electoral law, but could be considered as libel or slander.
Link to pdf:
link to electoralcommission.org.uk
this is off-topic and about sport
I was checking-out how The Waterboys, a squad made-up of players from the BT Premiership clubs in Scottish rugby had got on while competing in the Hong Kong Tens – a competition which precedes the more-famous Hong Kong Sevens.
This squad was, with the exception of former Heriot’s captain Jake Turley, who is a New Zealander, comprised of Scottish-born players, all playing for Scottish clubs.
The website listed every team’s squad, and the nationality of every player. New Zealanders were identified as (Nzl), Australians were (Aus), English players were (Eng), Welsh players were (Wal), Samoans (Sam) and so on.
However, there was one exception – Turley apart, every Waterboys player was from somewhere called (UK). There were a couple of Scots playing in other squads, identified as (Sco), but, the squad of Scots were seemingly from the UK.
Scotland, the nation you dare not mention.
Fair’s fair people, when it comes to Tory troughing at the expense of the public purse, Murdo is an absolute beginner.
Lord Carrington, the Father of the House of Lords, was first eligible to sit there in 1940, when he turned 21, but, to be fair to him, he was fighting in WWII at the time, so didn’t take his seat until 1945.
He has sat in the Lords ever since, 72-years, without once having to put himself forward for election.
Now, that’s Tory jobs for the boys in action.
But, to be fair to Lord Carrington, when, during his tenure as Foreign Secretary, the Argentinians invaded the Falklands, he accepted it had happened on his watch, and resigned. Cannot ever see Murdo resigning from any political job.
I would like to thank the Reverend Stuart for his dedication to the cause.
@Socrates MacSporran.
Compare and contrast the Sinn Fein website dropdown menu for location if you want to get involved with their cause.
link to sinnfein.ie
There is no England, UK yes, Scotland yes, Wales yes but no England!
Interesting!
ian m says: 11 April, 2017 at 5:45 am:
“This article was in the Times.Is the last paragraph true?
Of course it is not true. In the first place there is no such thing recorded as, “English taxpayers money”, in the account books of, “Her Majesty’s Treasury”.
All revenues collected by such as, “Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise”, are recorder as being from, “Her Majesty’s United Kingdom”. Even in the case of commodities such as Oil & Gas. (We won’t use that other term, “North Sea Oil”, so often used by unionists as more recent oil & gas fields are in the Atlantic, West of Shetlands). However, between 95% and 98% of oil & gas revenue is raised from Scottish Territorial waters but is recorded by HM Treasury as being extracted from, “United Kingdom Extra-Regio-Territory”.
Not one penny of which revenue is credited as raised by Scotland. There are several other such examples of Westminster, “Creative Accounting”.
However, the point is that there is no such thing as English Taxpayers money subsidising other parts of the United Kingdom.
It simply is like this – Everyone in the United Kingdom pays tax to Her Majesty’s Treasury and everyone in the United Kingdom gets funded from Her Majesty’s Treasury.
It simply is not only English taxpayers that pay into the Treasury and it is thus United Kingdom Taxpayer’s money that finances the United Kingdom’s taxpayers.
But wait! There’s more.
We have only considered one side of the account book – the asset side.
What about the debit side?
That too is a bit more of Westminster’s creative accounting.
The, “United Kingdom”, was formed as a union of the only two Kingdoms extant in Britain in 1706/7 before, “The Treaty of Union”, united them. Thus the United Kingdom is not a unified bipartite country because it contains four countries but only two, equally sovereign Kingdoms. The UK is a bipartite KINGDOM. Nowhere is there legislation that shows otherwise.
Yet today Westminster has not only split up the bipartite United Kingdom as four distinct countries but has relegated the Kingdom of Scotland to only the status of a country and, like Wales or N.I. is being treated as an English Dominion.
Now here’s the really crazy accounting bit :-
Westminster, while still calling itself, “The United Kingdom”, is now treating itself as the de facto country of England. This is shown by their use of EVEL in order to prevent all others from interfering in what only Westminster decides is, “England only matters”.
Yet Westminster legislates only for England, using only English Law and then tags wee bits onto any Bills that become law to accommodate Scottish law.
Westminster directly funds only England as, “The United Kingdom”, with United Kingdom Taxpayers money and Westminster decides the level of every other United Kingdom’s devolved legislatures Block Grant. Yet there is no Block Grant for England.
Not only that but all of the other three countries have different devolved, “powers”, which in effect are thus English powers being handed down to them by a Westminster that now is the de facto parliament of England.
As every power handed down is handed down from a Westminster Ministry, that power must include the funding from that ministry to cover the cost of the handed down power and be included in the Block Grant. So each devolved legislature has a different level of Block Grant – except for England which is funded as the United Kingdom.
So the absolutely idiotic claim that, “English Taxpayer’s”, money is what funds the devolved legislatures is totally dishonest and a lie but the claim that the Scots, Welsh and N. Irish get more per capita funding is also a bare faced lie. For England not only is directly funded but also still has English funding via the Westminster, “United Kingdom Ministries”.
In other words anyone making such claims is either totally ignorant of how the United Kingdom is run and funded or they are deliberate bare faced liars.
Now ask yourself this – if Auld Bob Peffers frae Kelty can work out how the system is being run and a great many Members of the Westminster Parliament have made these claims of Scotland getting more per head than the people of England – just what is the intelligence quotient of Westminster MPs? – Conversely if those Westminster MPs can make such bogus claims, What is the honesty of Westminster Unionists MPs?
Go figure!
@Dorothy Devine
Don’t know how doom-laden BBC Scotland is but Radio 4 is slathering on the gloom and doom starting at 6am and going on and on. Just use Iplayer to listen to the first few minutes and you will see what I mean.
Robert Kerr @ 10.20am
Aye, strange, however, it might be “England” is a bad word to Sinn Fein.
@ Liz Rannoch 10.28
Your comment about leaving notes on buses, in shops etc. reminds me of what was, I think, the true story of a German couple who left notes exposing the nazis when there was no fair outlet for them to express their views.
I think that idea is well worth a go. In a very real sense the deliberate lying of the BBC, MSM etc requires us to adopt this kind of response. If it became widespread, it would have the potential to scandalise the BBC and the other parties abroad.
They wouldn’t like that.
@Robert Peffers
Another cracker… and hard cheese for us in North Britain
🙂
This will make you laugh..
Kez talks up EdinburghUK and the world best Armed Forces even get the big thumbs up!..strawclutchingtastic
link to scotsman.com
Boris Johnston poisons International relations. The dope on a rope promoted entirely beyond any capability by the Westminster corrupt cabal. Incapable ignorant, warmonger, incompents.
Coffee with Bloomberg on Singapore dreams for Brexiteer England,
link to bloomberg.com
link to landfallstrategy.com
From,
“The argument made against Scottish independence is that Scotland is better off in a larger economic unit, which can provide an economic and fiscal buffer against shocks that hit Scotland – such as lower oil prices – and which also provides a large accessible market. Independence, so the argument goes, would expose Scotland to substantial risk and compromise access to its largest market. Scotland’s weak Q4 GDP numbers reported this week (a quarterly contraction of 0.2%, for 0.0% growth over the year) would seem to support this view.
to,
“Of course, similar concerns were also held with respect to Singapore on its independence in 1965.”
and
“Third, the economic success of a small independent economy rests heavily on the quality of the economic policies pursued.”
After Crash Gordo’s City worship, its hard to even begin to imagine Scottish economic policy making. Its all about London, the south east of England and Scotland the scrounger region, that just wont shut up and be grateful.
Nana has sore hands. She needs to take a break. Sometimes she goes on trips to visit family? Doesn’t have the device required to research for the links. Sure she will be OK.
Small axe sometimes is sick and has to have a rest to recuperate.
Desimond,
I don’t think Nicola’s listening, and I don’t suppose you do either!
(Poor Dug, it must be hard being a third-rater trying to look a first-rater like Nicola in the eye. Hmmm, I wonder if she will even still be in charge after May. Still, what other loser would have anything other than “no, no, no” to offer? Bleak days for BLiS and getting bleaker…)
Infrastructure spend in London in recent years has been running at over £5000 per head per year.
Chick McGregor says:
11 April, 2017 at 11:28 am
Infrastructure spend in London in recent years has been running at over £5000 per head per year.
How many heads though Chick?
Re. the notes on buses, in waiting rooms etc . . . yes, and cafes, libraries, trains, waiting rooms – any public places where they won’t blow away.
I highly recommend IndyPosterBoy’s A6 postcards – there is a huge range available.
link to indyposterboy.scot
@Reluctant Nationalist says: 11 April, 2017 at 8:04 am:
“A couple more things, cos I’m awake now. It’s a devolved issue, so Scotland has higher public spending than ‘England’ at the expense of other spending options, and that is never pointed out, funnily enough.”
Whoa! Right there, Reluctant Nationalist.
First of all the concept of per capita higher public spending in Scotland than in England is total rubbish and a myth, or lie, of the unionist cabal.
See my post on the matter on this thread @:-
11 April, 2017 at 10:29 am.
England is funded as, “The United Kingdom”, and thus by the Westminster parliament’s several Ministries that the power is devolved from.
The devolved powers handed down to Scotland by the de facto parliament of England all contain a Westminster calculated, (Aye! Richt!), sum of money from those UK Ministries to Scotland in order to finance the handed down function.
They couldn’t very well get away with giving Scotland a new power without also the full powers to raise the taxation to fund it. What we would need would be full autonomy and they sure as hell are not giving us that.
This is why each devolved country has a different level of powers and thus a different level of block grant. But, of course, not England a.k.a. the United Kingdom by Westminster unionists. England’s per capita funding is only part of what gets spent as, “National”,( a.k.a. United Kingdom), a.k.a. (English), funding. Much of London and English infrastructure is funded as, “National”, by Westminster, (a.k.a. The de facto parliament of England.
e.g. The Chunnel, The London Cross-rail, The New London Sewerage System, HS Rail, London rail and bus Terminals, Heathrow, and of course the, “National Treasures”, of National Museums, Opera, Ballet, Theatre – et.al.
In truth this comparative per capita funding is utter and complete pish.
About 8 million
@Desmond:
Here is the Hootsman article on Dugdale archived.
link to archive.is
Try: archive.is
Try the orginal https name then copy and paste into the empty archive box press return key and normally it will work fine.
If your on a tablet and it’s difficult I apologise.
I got a telling off a few years back … 🙁
Aye Mr Peffers, I’m happy to be corrected on that!
@call me dave
Yes, I’m aware of archive but sadly cant access from works PC, which is also a pain when wishing to read links sent by others etc
@galamcennalath says: 11 April, 2017 at 8:44 am:
“What is going through my mind is … those saying NO, but still not full on Brits, is there hope of converting them!?”
Of course there is and it is happening. The reason being that, “The Truth will set you free”.
Now! Where have I heard that slogan before?
Now don’t all rush to tell me – I’m only kidding for I know where I saw it before.
Have to admit, though, it is a great slogan, or as they call it these days a soundbite.
@Robert J. Sutherland
Kez has just became the go to figure of ridicule now. Even Wullie Rennie knows absence makes the heart forget how much an idiot you are and stays away but not their Kez…there she goes again with her “they said Once in a generation” and “Scotlands just Division Division Division” nonsense.
What local elections?
The chapping on hundreds of doors image really made me cringe..wonder if this year folk will be saying “Now is not the Time” to Kez as well as Ruth in Edinburghs UK loving suburbs
I glanced over that Scotsman article and all ye see is ‘I’ did this, ‘I’ did that, ‘I’ think this, ‘I’ don’t want that. She’s a recorded message on loop. Nae substance, nae vision, nae chance.
Oh for the days when we never huv tae see another written diatribe or the angry faces of the interchangeable Dugdale/Davidson wi their nae referendum we ur ra peeple pish.
Sigh…
The councils send out a leaflet every year, telling us how they are spending the peoples’ money.
What they don’t do, is tell us who is making the decisions on how it’s spent. They should be required to send out a leaflet with info, and photos, of all councillors, so that people can see for themselves. It would of course need to include the all important info on which party each councillor belongs.
I think it should also be a requirement to send out detailed info on the voting system, many people do not know how to vote, and what the consequences will be if they do not know how it actually all works.
We know, because we read WoS, and Scotgoespop, but most don’t.
O/T
I was reading a bit about the old Barnton quarry on Corstorphine hill. After the second world war, as some may know, was made into a huge secret bunker in case of a WW3. One of a few in the yookay, a few stories deep. They actually had a room for the bbc as well as the er, Scottish secretary, etc. It’s being turned into a privately run museum as we speak, bought n sold, very cheap, £55k or something. Bet the new bunkers have cosy rooms for the BBC as well. This, is, the bbc, but, no one is alive to hear their lies anymore, even from the bunker.
Oh and reading up on the many, most now defunct quarries in Scotland. Where did much of your rock go? Yep, London and the South of England, buildings, Cambridge college, London bridges, floors, roads etc. It also went to the US and Europe, the better quality stuff. Your rock still gets shipped down south and abroad, mostly for road building. They even took the very rock from beneath the feet of the people of Scotland. There were a lot of good quality rock and mineral quarries in Scotland, why is Scotland not ’embarrassingly rich’ Mr. McCrone?
The problem I have with Scottish Tories is their credentials as Tories.
It isn’t a redeeming quality, but you kind of expect a Tory to have his fingers in a few Financial pies, have no room for skeletons in the cupboard because it’s crammed full of ill gotten gains. You expect him to have sold his soul to some big nasty multinational conglomerate enterprise who puts his children through school and university. The Tories are tools and accomplices for the money men with top hats, canes and monocles, and sneery cackles when they laugh. I know that’s a stereotype, but when you look at George Osborne and his privileged Etonian pals, it’s a stereotype that fits like a glove. Scotland to them is a sporting Estate where pinstripe becomes Tweed with shotgun cartridges in the pockets.
Then you look at Scottish Tories, and you find people who even these fat controller stereotypes wouldn’t even find a use for. These aren’t people who would be sent off to quell an uprising in some far away corner of the Empire. These are Scottish “diddies ” for the Empire. Useful idiots. The good ones might rise to the status of clerks, provided they were adequately grateful and grovelled enough.
They are not here in Scotland to further the interests of Conservatism. They are not even a branch office for Conservatism, they are as relevant and meaningful to Conservatism as the rosettes and bunting you’d get on a “proper” Tory. Fallon didn’t even know Davidson’s name FFS. Course he didn’t. She’s an expendable nobody, already in the twilight months of her relevance.
Labour and Conservative parties in Scotland are just tribute acts to their main London parties, and it’s the “ying and yang ” of these London parties which the BBC tries to impress upon Scotland as the settled order of “the Establishment”. If you’re not one, then you must be the other. If you claim to be neither, like the SNP, then you’re deviant, delinquent and dangerous.
Our civic Nationalism is an anathema to them; some hair brained silliness we will all get bored of, and go back to voting Labour or Conservative once the BBC restores normal service. Instead of getting rigorous investigation and analysis about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and that’s actually happening in Scotland, we get the British / Westminster perspective on politics whether we like it or not.
Ruth Davidson is no more Tory than I am, and Kez Dugdale is no more socialist either. It is a deception to call them Tories or Labour because what they both are, and all that they are, are anti-Independence stooges. That’s the reason we are spoon fed their bullshit week in week out in the media. They can flip their opinions, say black is white one week and white is black the next. It doesn’t matter, they”ll be back next week. The only consistency the BBC requires is the anti-independence raison d’être.
Their theory is if Scotland is only given red or blue bricks to play with, then whatever we build with them must be more or less compatible with the red and blue politics of Westminster. They don’t want us thinking for ourselves, just believing that we are thinking for ourselves.
They fish throughout Scotland for divisive issues, or populist disaffection which they can capitalise upon and turn into political capital to make themselves look relevant. Look how Jackie Baillie lodges scattergun Freedom of Information requests to dredge up the latest “secret”. Or whathisface Greene, smearing the SNP about issues still reserved by Westminster. Clot. That’s how we get the absurd spectacle of our NHS being criticised for performance by the parties who given control would see it broken up and privatised until it’s just as bad as England.
Why is it they NEVER say to England, hey England, what if the Scottish way of doing things is actually better? Course not. England leads, they follow.
What is emerging, in spite of everything, is just how disparate and irrelevant these Labour and Conservative philosophies are in Scotland. They only still exist at all because the BBC maintains a beachhead in Scotland for the Unionist agenda which needs to be channelled through a Scottish camouflage so it can be spun as a true Scottish perspective.
Be clear, Labour, Tory, and Lib Dem, in Scotland they are all simply different hues of the same anti-independence British State hegemony.
It’s at it again the BBC. Right now, I’m listening to reports of Boris Johnson ‘s warning to the Russians. Boris doesn’t give a shit about Syrian deaths, the real story beneath the rhetoric is a Western-Israeli agenda for regime change in Syria and Russia is making that difficult. Assad is perceived as getting the upper hand. Surprise surprise, Assad is condemned for an atrocity, and Russia is condemned for standing by a monster.
It’s all a cynical game, except for the people destroyed by the bombs.
BJ says: 11 April, 2017 at 8:51 am:
“My mother who rarely swore would have described Murdo Fraser as a shonky shit who needed a right good tooberin.
He’s about as important as the tartles that hang from the the a.se of the beef cattle in winter.
In my opinion of course.”
Your mother was a wise woman, BJ.
The expression, “tartles”, brought back to mind another good old similar Scots word that indeed has two distinct meanings only intelligible by context used.
Yon guid auld Lallans Wird is, “knapdarloch.”
Meaning 1 – A knot of hardened dirt, dung or knotted hair hanging from the tail or coat of an animal, (usually a sheep).
Meaning 2 – A contemptuous term for an undersized, dirty or cheeky person.
Now, let me think, who could we correctly describe in that manner, besides, of course, Murdo?
Roothie? Kezia? Theresa?
All Knapdarlochs to the core in my book.
Am I wrong?
@ Dave McEwan Hill at 12.50 am
In Northern Ireland, for obvious reasons, it is an offence not to report a serious crime. I read an article recently (can’t remember where, possibly The Guardian) pointing out that another (unintended?) consequence of the rape clause would be to lay open to prosecution not only any women who had not previously reported their ordeal, but also potentially the medical/DWP personnel to whom they were giving their testimony now.
Breeks@12.32
Excellent post, hit the nail on the head, thanks. I guess what you mean by Ruthie not being a tory, is that she is not exactly the establishment, just a jumped up jobsworth. Still a tory though, taking orders from her masters in London. These people are probably profiled, then trained and coached by the brit establishment, they even do 360 degree turns, ie brexit etc, and get away with it!
Democracy died quite a while ago, in their so called, UK. They are livid that Scotland aspires to a more forward looking, life affirming country, now and for future of her people. It’s just not the blue, red and yellow tory way.
I wonder if the UKgov war drums will continue and get louder, as a second independence referendum gets ever closer.
“Your comment about leaving notes on buses, in shops etc. reminds me of what was, I think, the true story of a German couple who left notes exposing the nazis when there was no fair outlet for them to express their views.”
Well observed, Arthur Thomson. The book is Alone in Berlin (sometimes translated as Every Man dies Alone) by Hans Fallada. He’s supposed to have written it in three months, which, if true, is quite an achievement.
Instead of A5 cards, you could just use some of Proud Cybernats anti-BBC wee coasters, though, and have some chucklesome days tae yersel.
😛
Wings,you forgot about another election Mr M Fraser fought and lost.
He attempted to fill the the vacant role of Presiding Officer in the Scottish Parliament last year and lost! 🙁
Can a prize not be awarded – I’m thinking a suitably inscribed NHS paper mache style pee bottle?
Unfortunately, the situation of Murdo Fraser is one of the prices for having PR. You have to take the rough with the smooth, I suppose. The voting system the Tories hate and don’t want
Proud cybernat is right. In a recent Perth by-election (the sitting Tory had to resign) the SNP got the most votes, but at the fifth iteration the Tory got the seat.