No camp enlists new allies
We’ve noted a few times on this site that if you can judge a person by the company they keep, then the “Better Together” campaign would be an unsavoury character indeed. Backed enthusiastically by the likes of UKIP, the EDL/SDL, the BNP, the National Front and the Orange Order, it must be an uncomfortable place for Lib Dems and self-professed “internationalist socialists” within Labour to be living.
By contrast, the blackest sheep in the Yes family are a tiny handful of anonymous internet McGlashan sorts, daft and sometimes shouty but plainly harmless. We can’t recall any examples of Yes supporters being caught out giving Nazi salutes or calling for the forced repatriation of immigrants or the murder of Catholics, and you can be sure if there were any they’d have been all over every newspaper in the land.
So there’s a degree of irony in the newest recruit to the Unionist cause.
Because the No team’s latest signing appears to be Al-Qaeda. This week, not one but two senior “Better Together” scions have delivered the positive message to Scots that we’ll all be blown to smithereens by Islamic fundamentalists if we vote for independence.
First was the estimable Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, who according to MSN News “cast doubt on whether an independent Scotland would be able to defend its citizens from terrorism”. In a wide-ranging interview that would have needed little alteration to provide a script for Private Fraser on Dad’s Army, Moore insisted that not only would an independent Scotland need border controls with England, but that its army would be inadequate both for military defence (against whom he didn’t specify) and protection against terror attacks.
Hot on his heels came UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, taking time out from his busy schedule of trying to work out a way to get the UK embroiled in another Middle Eastern war to visit Edinburgh and, according to the Herald, warn Scots that “an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to a terrorist attack.”
(Implausibly, he’ll be doing so as part of a speech detailing how everyone in the world is “in awe” of mighty Britain, and how other countries – including many which successfully sought independence from the UK in the 20th century – can’t understand why Scotland would want to leave.)
This jingoistic fear strategy does of course dovetail nicely with the anti-“foreigner” tone of much of the No camp’s recent communications, a more or less transparent attempt to appeal to the lingering folk memory of the “plucky Brits together against the rest of the world” myth of World War 2.
(The reality being, of course, that even when Britain “stood alone” against Hitler in 1940, citizens of countless other nations – Poland, Czechoslovakia, Canada, New Zealand and many more – also fought the Nazis without feeling the need to have their countries enter into a political union with the UK. The notion that Scotland only resisted because it was tied to the rest of the UK is one of the more despicable pieces of disinformation deployed in the campaign.)
But from our perspective on the other side, it seems a high-risk strategy. As we’ve said, it must make a lot of people in the No camp feel pretty uneasy about their bedfellows. Mind you, for all we know the feeling is entirely mutual.
Al-Qaeda. Al-Darling. It’s al (sic) starting to make sense now.
Most of us have had relatives that fought in WWII.
For the ones no longer with us, they must be turning in their graves. For the few that are left, they must be raging. I know I would be.
The Nazi salutes from British soldiers turns my stomach. These people should be identified and sacked.
Wont see that story on the main stream media anytime soon though.
So, William The Hague is in Edinburgh, eh?
Those pesky protesters had better stay away from him – he’s no Farage, Oor Willie. If you approach him from behind – as many have found to their cost – he’s liable to karate the living daylights out of ye.
We’re a’ doomed, ah tell ye. Doomed!
Ummm…
William Hague = Foreign Secretary. (Although sometimes its hard to tell…)
Also, apparently, that salute in the photo isn’t a ‘Nazi’ salute, its a loyalist red hand salute – or so they say anyway. (Not that I’m defending any of it right enough, they’re all nutbags.)
Nice to see Stevie in Afghanistan, spreading word of the greatness of the UK.
“William Hague = Foreign Secretary. (Although sometimes its hard to tell…)”
WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, MAN?
Also, apparently, that salute in the photo isn’t a ‘Nazi’ salute, its a loyalist red hand salute
It’s Loyalists caught red-handed doing a Nazi salute.
Pa_broon – so that’s the UVF can also be added to the list of unsavoury supporters.
If a royal sodger can dress as a nazi………
In terms of total casualties, I believe more Indians died in WW2 than British. Why did they go on to become an independent sovereign nation, a growing global economy and don’t seem to be in any rush to return?
Regarding combating terrorism, it seems to me that being “big” doesn’t necessarily help.
Aye.
The thing is though, while GB enjoys a distinct disjoint between the fluffy, Morris dancing cream tea chomping idyll and the more militant nutty aspects of British Nationalism – no such barrier exists between Scottish nationalism (which as we know is bad through-and-through) and the terrible blue-painted horde which exists under the SNP’s kilt.
😉
“an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to a terrorist attack.”
Would these terrorist attacks be the bombing of Scottish airports that Lord Fraser warned us about?
Ah, so William Hague is back from meeting with Moaz al-Khatib, who was recently designated by the West as the “opposition leader” and future replacement for Assad. The BBC tell us;
Mr Khatib is not allied to any political party and is known as a moderate who has called for political pluralism and strongly opposes sectarian divisions among Syrians
“We demand freedom for every Sunni, Alawite, Ismaili (Shia), Christian, Druze, Assyrian … and rights for all parts of the harmonious Syrian people,” he said after being elected leader of the National Coalition.
What the BBC fails to tell you is that on December of 2012, Moaz al-Khatib demanded that the US de-list Al Qaeda’s Syrian franchise, al-Nusra, as a terrorist organization. Reuters quoted al-Khatib as saying:
“The decision to consider a party that is fighting the regime as a terrorist party needs to be reviewed. We might disagree with some parties and their ideas and their political and ideological vision. But we affirm that all the guns of the rebels are aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical criminal regime.”
For more info.
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/uk-seeks-to-further-fund-arm-al-qaeda.html
Perhaps Scotland will be under threat from Islamic terrorist, but they will be managed by MI6 and the C!A.
an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to a terrorist attack
Aye but we have a special calibre of airport workers Have they forgotten that so quickly Who needs military when you have guys who break their foot kicking the terrorists where it hurts?
Tartanfever posted this on Quarantine – Yes Scotland should do something similar on the Clockwork Orange.
Could we ask Mr Haig which of the 56 countries that have gained independence from the United Kingdom are confused so that we can ask them if they would like Westminster to rule them again?
@Pa Broon
You keep away from the blue painted horde under ma kilt.
@ matos21
And not forgetting punching a bloke that was on fire, here when it comes to it, being part of the uk did not stop the Glasgow airport attack.
Aye, those kilts and bagpipes make us enemies all over the world – terrified by our strange reels and incomprehensible love of haggis they’ll be posting the IEDs as soon as YES is confirmed. Nothing of course to do with our bampot neighbours bringing illegal wars to a Middle East resource rich country near you.
Watched the Horizon report on fracking – does this mean we’ll be invading the US next so rUK can keep the lights on?
“an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to terrorist attack…”
Has he evidence to back this up? Or is it havers?
mealer
You really feel the need to ask that question?
The No campaign’s private polls must be worrying them.
It is just one bloody silly scare story after another isn’t it.
Scots would be more likely to be subject to alien abduction and probing (they are a bit kinky these aliens by all acounts) in an independent Scotland.
There are issues that need to be laid out clearly regarding what the road map to an independent Scotland will look like and the forthcoming white paper and a full year to digest that information before voting sounds like a plan to me. This guff about the sky falling on our heads will, as informed grown up debate takes place, start to look ever more pathetic.
an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to a terrorist attack
We have Smeato.
Don’t you have special anti-terrorist bollards at Scottish airports? Or was it the special low-height airport entrance door…
Ah! Here it is! I’ve found it! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present, The Positive Case For The Union!
(er, how do I tag quotes?)
From The Scotsman article:
“His intervention comes after a report by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Scottish independence earlier this year said that a yes vote would end up damaging the UK’s international reputation, and see its influence wane.”
“He that walketh with wise (men) shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20
I’m not religious, I just like pretending to be Jed Bartlett. 🙂
Don’t be taken in by Hague’s steely well-‘ard persona. He’s not known as the Ross Kemp of British politics for nothing, and he’s given Seb Coe more than one pounding in the past.
But you can’t judge a book by the proverbial.
Hague is actually a deeply sensitive and compassionate soul, and he’s heading north on a humanitarian mission – to save us from ourselves.
Yea, the same defence from terrorism that stopped the IRA bombing of London, Manchester, Warrington, Belfast (to name but a few), the same protection that prevented Al-Quida bombing London in 2007 and the Glasgow Airport effort.
The truth is, if a group of people or an individual with a beef is committed to carrying out an atrocity they’ll carry out an atrocity end of.
If a direct comparison was to be made between the Scottish Government and the Westminster Government on the basis of parading around the world kicking folks bollocks because some bigger boy said they had to and giving them an excuse to fight back I would feel rather more safe in Scotland than rUK 🙂
I know, I know. Sorry, but another show of TwitterBrit diplomacy.
https://twitter.com/Maintain_Union/status/347651822644772864
What beggers belief is why Moore would consider such an attack more likely in an independent Scotland. What would such an attack achieve? What would the terrorists demands be? “Stop being so bloody neutral”?
Terrorists hate our freedoms.
An independent Scotland would be an authoritarian, fascist state without freedoms.
Therefore an independent Scotland would be safe from terrorists.
ter·ror·ism
[ter-uh-riz-uhm]
noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2.the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3.a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
Going by the first definition of terrorism, I would say Michael Moore and William Hague have just used the fear of terror attacks to intimidate the Scots in to voting no. Clearly an act of terrorism in it self.
One thing the Unionist are absolutely clear on, and I agree; Scotland will not enter into illegal wars or invade other countries 🙂
Isn’t it ironic that when our troops are taking part in illegal ‘wars’ in Iraq, that it is left to our Police to defend our towns and cities from the consequences?
Another disadvantage of being part of the Union.
Vote YES for a safer Scotland.
Hague: “Travelling from Afghanistan to Brazil, and from Canada to Australia, I encounter bafflement that anyone would try to break up a union that has been so resilient…”
These independent countries are baffled as to why any other country would want to be independent just like them?
I’m baffled why Canada and Australia ever left Westminster rule. Why don’t the Canadians form a union with the USA? I’m sure that they would do very well being run from Washington. Just as Australia, with Japanese know-how and technology, would do very well being run from Tokyo.
I’m baffled why the Brazilians haven’t asked Argentina to run their country. That would be a very successful, resilient South American union.
I’m baffled why the Afghans are fighting so hard against foreign interference. Surely they know British/US rule is best.
Whenever I travel abroad I encounter bafflement that a rich and resilient Scotland is not independent, and allows a voracious neighbour to asset strip the country
Scotland survived “How Many Years” during the Irish troubles without being a target?…
It took a Labour Government and its US masters foreign policy to bring a bomb to Glasgow Airport.
The association with the UK is the risker option
I wonder what it is that makes the likes of Moore and Hague imagine that we wouldn’t be able to afford this, or that we would need it, or that we are too stupid sort it out.
I wonder why it is that they think Denmark, Iceland and Norway can do it, but not us.
How does this marry with treating us with respect?
“How does this marry with treating us with respect?”
They’re managing to refrain from patting us on the heads while saying it, followed with “now jog on, sweaty.” Damned decent of them.
“Red Hand of Ulster” salute they say?
So if it looks like a goose, honks like a goose, and it steps like a goose, it’s actually a duck?
Just noticed that the Labour Parties lead in the UK polls is at it’s lowest yet.
Now standing at just 6% over the Tories.
The chance of a Tory/ Ukip Coalition might be getting more realistic by the day.
Good news for the Yes campaign, I would think.
Does anyone know where and when Hague is going to read out what’s already been published?
Wherever it is, you can be sure the place will be crawling with Police and security service types, costing a fortune and interrupting the good folk of Edinburgh as they try to go about their peaceful business.
Away home, bawheid.
from twitter:
Criticise William Hague if you like but he saved the nation money by sharing hotel rooms with his young male adviser. 🙂
One day, the insinuation that someone might be gay or bisexual will be as uninteresting as the insinuation that they might be left-handed….
Just sayin’.
Completely off topic,but when can we expect the by-election result?
Hopefully when that day comes, we will no longer be intimidated by ‘foreigners’ either.
Patrick Roden says
The chance of a Tory/ Ukip Coalition might be getting more realistic by the day.
A Con-UKip coalition. What a nightmare. Will be interesting to see if next years Euro elections make the Tories think some kind of 2015 pre-election pact with UKIP would be a net benefit for them. UKIP being seen to take Labour votes may encourage this?
Damn those cawdy pawed folk.
@ Marcia
I missed your post yesterday, but I was deeply troubled when I found out that folk from Edinburgh didn’t know what a ‘fleg’ was. It was as if my world had turned up-side-down, and I was a ‘foreigner’ in the country of my bith. 🙂
I see once again Johann takes no interest in the day to day running of Scotland at FMQ and instead just leads on whatever she has been told to by the No to Scotland crowd. It is becoming utterly predictable and not a little pathetic. Her total lack of involvement in the actual business of Parliament will come back to bite her.
@ Matos 21
Aye but we have a special calibre of airport workers Have they forgotten that so quickly Who needs military when you have guys who break their foot kicking the terrorists where it hurts?
I thought about that after the terrible incident by these nutcases in Woolwich? I believe if something similar happened in Glasgow (for example) there would always be a few heroic lads who would intervene (machete or not)
ianbrotherhood says:
20 June, 2013 at 12:02 pm
He’s not known as the Ross Kemp of British politics for nothing, and he’s given Seb Coe more than one pounding in the past.
http://fuuka.warosu.org/data/lit/img/0034/54/1360501058301.jpg
Could we just cut the crap and do UDI like Rhodesia?
CameronB
Cundy as well.
Mealer
Don’t expect a quick count. Aberdeen is notorious for slow counts.
I see wee Mundie was the welcoming party in Edinburgh I suppose they don’t have many to pick and choose from A pair of bookends or toby jugs take your pick
RIP James Galdolfini…a man who as Tony Soprano could make his enemies shiver with just one look.
Apropos of nothing….Alex Salmond has a “The Campaign’s not even begun” interview in New Statesman
Marcia – most of those slow counts seem to go the same way as me to work in the morning, unfortunately.
(I’m here all week, folks.)
Desimond – have you seen the George Eaton article about the interview? Possibly the most jaw-droppingly biased intoduction to an article on independence I have read in my life.
“Ever since David Cameron called his bluff on Scottish independence last year, Alex Salmond has been on the back foot.”
Wow. Just, wow. I’m not sure even Alan Cochrane would think he could get away with that one…
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/06/exclusive-alex-salmond-his-youth-jobs-right-bedroom-tax-and-why-he-will-win
MY GOD, MICHAEL MOORE IS RIGHT, we can not defend ourselves, look we are being invaded by “NAFF Hague’s” save us.
@ Marcie
Cundy – yep, though I think that came from the French and might be more widespread than just Dundee/Angus. I stopped trying after those two, as there was obviously no hope for my adopted city. 🙂
Why all the bother about the two soldiers with their arms in the air? It’s simply that they are a couple of bird watchers pointing upwards and shouting “seagull”
To Doug Daniel
Not seen it, heres me thinking that ever since getting exactly what he wanted, wee Eck had been taking it easy preparing himself for the long walk to freedom. Silly me!
Nkosi, UDI;
Unidentified drinking injury?
@ Mosstrooper
Squirrels?
I thought squirrels too
I liked the “you can’t out swivel eye the swivel eyed” in the Statesman. Pity they had to dress up a reasonable interview with a snide intro and a silly cartoon but hey it is the The New Statesman.
Regarding the “foreigner” obsession, I noted that Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent programme where BBC foreign correspondents give us snippets of events on their turf, included one from the BBC’s foreign correspondent in…er…Northern Ireland!
Re the New Statesmen article, I have always thought that the UK Prime Minister did a tactical error last January 2012. He started the referendum debate that would have been lying dormant for a good few more months. It helped to start the process of debunking the anti-independence propaganda. Thank you Mr Cameron.
Would it be possible for someone to do a re-post, not a link? I removed cookies but still can’t get in.
Re Tom : Radios 4’s From Our Own Correspondent
There will be a few FOOC! exclamations around the BBB when the YES vote comes through!
Would someone in Edinburgh please inform that numpty masquerading as a minister of the crown that counter terrorism is the responsibility of the police and spooks!
Threat of International Terrorism in an Independent Scotland…..balls!
Has anyone not seen “The Power of Nightmares”? (The Adam Curtis 2004 BBC documentary – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares)
I discovered it last week and watched the 3 x 1hour episodes and it really is an amazing eye opening documentary.
“…it argues that the threat of radical Islamism as a massive, sinister organised force of destruction, specifically in the form of al-Qaeda, is a myth perpetrated by politicians in many countries—and particularly American Neo-Conservatives—in an attempt to unite and inspire their people following the failure of earlier, more utopian ideologies.” – Wikipedia quote.
Great stuff and I highly recommend hunting it down to watch it.
Presumably, Mr Hague, Foreign Secretary will be elevated to “Foreign” Secretary post independence?
O/T @ Mealer – Polls shut at 10pm so I guess a result will be in the wee small hours. My 3rd floor kitchen window overlooks Woodside Polling Station so I am counting them in and out. Sad eh? Even sadder the Tory candidate put outside a small sandwichboard with his campaign posters….I went to check it out to make sure it fulfilled Electoral Commission regulations.[Publisher and/or Printer] If it hadnt I was gonna complain!
nice young man from THE LABOUR PARTY ON THE PHONE ASKING HOW HOW i,m goiNG TO VOTE
WHY SHOULD I vote for a millionaire who wants to increase my community charge,-
Nice young man –“he nOT a millionaire “–oh yes he is he said so himself –no answer
Why should i vote for a party who wants to means test benefits including pensions
nice young man –“thats not our policy and the question of raising the age of pensioners came up today in fmq s .
YES thE uk govt supported by both parties are going to raise the age to 68 –no answer
nice young man “who do you vote for” —oh I vote labour [lying to keep him on the phone]
but IF you cant answer questions i will vote snp
nice young man “goodbye ”
—————–
it appears labour think they have stick to beat the snp with over the question of raising the pension age ignoring the fact that they want to raise the age
Re: William Hague and alleged personal habits.
The issue for me is not whether or not he is gay/bisexual. It was, rather, one of trust. If he/the advisor had been using the room under false pretences, he would have been lying to Ffion and the public. It would have mattered no more or less if it had been a young female advisor (although that would be nigh on impossible to brazen out). Totally agree with Morag that I would rather the ‘gay’ part was a non-issue.
As to his comments today, I’m afraid they are so daft/illogical as to be barely worth tearing into tiny shreds.
re Hague
I just assumed it was because he was incredibly tight-fisted.
My biggest security concern in an independent Scotland would be an isolationist, right wing, and xenophobic country with a bitter and deeply disillusioned population gazing enviously over the border.
As for international terrorism my view has always been “If you go around kicking wasps nests don’t complain if you get stung!”
Perhaps we should pay serious attention to William Hague since he may just be giving us a coded warning. Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that, a short time before the referendum vote, there will be a ‘terrorist’ attack on one of our oil rigs?
The attack will, of course, be a ‘black ops’ venture unattributable to MI6, CIA or whoever.
HandandShrimp says:
20 June, 2013 at 3:00 pm
re Hague
I just assumed it was because he was incredibly tight-fisted.
————
There’s a gag in there, but I think we’ll ignore it…
Arab spring Oman branch says: “In awe? Aw no, more like.”
“Vince Cable’s Business Department has backed £2 billion of loans to the dictatorship in Oman to buy Typhoon fighter aircraft. The absolute monarchy in Oman has strict repressions on human rights; any dissent faces harsh repression and the legal system is highly personalised with limited due process.”
“Tim Jones, Policy Officer at Jubilee Debt Campaign said :
It is outrageous that the UK government is guaranteeing loans for arms sales to a repressive regime in Oman. By allowing this dodgy deal in his department Vince Cable has helped shore up a regime threatened by the Arab Spring.”
http://www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk/Vince3720Cable3720criticised3720over372037A323720billion3720arms3720loan3720to3720Oman+8353.twl
The usual Westminster inversion of the truth by Hague. The government were warned by MI5 that the attack on Iraq would increase the danger of retaliation in Britain. Brit foreign policy is the principle danger to people here (and everywhere). The sooner we are no longer associated with US/UK state terrorism the safer we will be.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jul/20/chilcot-mi5-boss-iraq-war
@G Campbell
Of course, the UK’s other main claim to a seat on the UNSC is that it is one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers (ranked 5th). Such sweet people.
birnie – often thought that myself.
The soldiers giving the Nazi/Loyalist salutes are associated with a Kent-based Rangers Supporters Club.
I imagine Rangers would be happier without this sort of support.
Frankly, they should face a court martial.
My take on Hague’s nonsense.
Strange that the very same Mr Hague is content to share embassies with Canada (and he hopes Australia and New Zealand), but apparently not with an Independent Scotland which already owns 8.4% of all FCO property worldwide. Doesn’t Mr Hague make you feel loved as a Scottish person in the union that he’s prepared to share with Canadians, Aussies and New Zealanders, but not with Scots who already own the infrastructure?
O/T but was anyone else who watched the final episode of ‘road to referendum’ gobsmacked and amazed by the Douglas Hurd interview as I was?
In it he states that Blair wanted to back out of devolution but couldn’t. ‘He understood that the time had come when the English system… the English machine had to move, but I don’t think his heart was in it’. All said in the most matter of fact way.
That quote, along with the recent Ken Clarke ‘Scotland getting English money’ interview (another Hurd contemporary), really exposes for me the reality that every Scots politician that gets to any height in the ‘British’ Government and or establishment knows. ‘British’ is simply cover for English.
Perfectly understandable if you are an English MP, as it also coincides with how your constituents and voting public generally understand the situation to be. They are not expected or have to go home and expressly contradict that general understanding.
A Scots MP however (such as Gordon Brown, Donald Dewar, Robin Cook, John Smith,John Reid, Darling, Alexander, Murphy, Curran, George Younger, Malcolm Rifkind, Ian Laing, Micheal Forsyth, Danny Alexander, Michael Moore etc… etc….) in reaching high office and so undoubtedly understanding the true nature of the English machine, must then go back to their own electorate (and Country) and peddle what they know to be, at best a myth and at worst a lie.
The lie being, that Britain is a Union of different home nations coming together to form a new and distinct whole.
This is the general understanding that their constituents have of what ‘Britain’ means. This is the point where our representatives started to connive in the English political take over of ‘Britishness’. This is where the home nations were encouraged and still are, to see their ‘Britishness’ in completely different ways from that of England.
This is the understanding and dirty little secret that every Scottish MP, from whichever of the Unionist party’s, have always shared.
They have all understood the true political nature of the UK Governmental machine and it’s understanding of ‘Britishness’. An understanding at odds with the expectations and interests of their own electorate. They have all chosen, along with the Scot’s establishment, to side with the UK Government’s concept of Britishness, as essentially ‘the English Machine’.
Not something their electorate was ever likely to appreciate and so, the deception and peddling of the lie began. A lie by all Scots MP’s standing for UK Unionist Political Parties. This was a political decision to lie rather than be unelectable under the truth. A necessity carried out for so long now that our political class has actually sublimated this lie. Something that is at the root of their confusion over the ‘Nationalist threat’ and how to deal with it.
The ‘Scottish’ prefix to what are simply and demonstrably organisational branches of UK Political Parties, is just the latest upping of the anti of this lie, as our electorate has become more and more politically conscious of the disparities in our various national concepts of ‘Britishness’ over the last thirty or so years. (see SLAB reorganisation post 2011 with no real change in authority)
It is this lie that is still absolutely central to the BetterNO campaign and I think helps explain the insane ramblings about foreigners and their confusions over family, country, nation and our place in the world. In sublimating the lie, our Unionist political class have subconsciously declared their loyalties to the UK Governmental and establishment view of Brtishness as ‘the English political machine’ but have never actually had to renounce the alternative view of Britishness held by their electorate.
This is where they are coming to pieces. The Scots no longer believe the fantasy and are beginning to become aware of the historic facts and our current reality. The price paid for the fantasy of a ‘Britain of equal partner home nations’, and the painful truth of having been used as a tool and resource at the whim of the (British) ‘English political machine’.
Anyone remember the excuse Nigel Farage trotted out after one of his prospective councillors was pictured giving a Nazi salute before the English local council elerctions? It was a belter, pure Armando Iannucci stuff.
“Nigel Farage said Alex Wood, 22, who is standing for a council seat in Somerset, wanted to stop his girlfriend taking photos of him “imitating a pot plant”.
The picture, showing Mr Wood leaning forward with his arm almost straight out in front of him, was exposed by a national newspaper who found it on Facebook.
Despite the party leader believing his excuse, Mr Wood is still suspended as police investigate his claim that offensive comments were made after his account was “hijacked”.
Mr Farage, on a visit to Ramsey in Cambridgeshire ahead of Thursday’s elections, said he was considering reinstating him.”
Imitating a pot plant. Brilliant. No such excuse seems possible for the soldiers above, but you just never know these days.
Braco
When listening to an interview,it used to annoy me when I heard someone use the term ” England” when they should have said “Britain”.It annoyed me even more when the interviewer didn’t correct them,considering the error to be too trivial to even mention.Nowadays I understand that the interviewer and interviewee were correct and I was wrong.
To be fair, Hague is one of the few politicians who could earn a living outside politics. His impression of a pot plant has fooled professional horticulturalists.
mealer,
I think your post encapsulates exactly why and how ‘Britain’ is parting.
Re. Adam Curtis. His films are entertaining and thought provoking, but they still carry the BBC stamp. He is an ‘Establishment contrarian’, and his material is simply propaganda of a higher level of sophistication, targeted at the ‘intelligentsia’. Style over substance, IMO. Sorry, but how else do you explain Curtis blowing the lid on al-CIAda, yet maintain the official 9/11 myth that has been so discredited?
The phrase when Britain stood alone is a bit misleading, the words Churchill used were “when England stood alone”
During ww2 the 51st. Highland division were abandoned and left to fight on with the French.
Scotland,s military strength was so badly depleted that the only effective defence we had in the event of a German Invasion was the Polish Army. As has recently been revealed the British army plan was to abandon Scotland
William Hague’s Foreign Office has tweeted this today on the indyref hashtag –
Foreign Office (FCO) ?@foreignoffice
FS: As part of the UK, Scots in difficulties overseas can turn to our 267 posts in 154 countries and 12 territories worldwide. #indyref https://twitter.com/foreignoffice/status/347720024208855041
Of course as part of the EU we can turn to any post of any EU country. Next!
Sandy Miller says:
“During ww2 the 51st. Highland division were abandoned and left to fight on with the French.”
According to a library book on military disasters which I read a wee while ago, the name and author of which I cannot recall, the 51st were deliberately sacrificed by Churchill in a desperate attempt to persuade the French to continue fighting. He allegedly wanted to show that the British were so determined to keep fighting the Germans that they would pass up the opportunity to extricate one of the British army’s best units.
@ Birnie “Is it beyond the bounds of possibility that, a short time before the referendum vote, there will be a ‘terrorist’ attack on one of our oil rigs? ” Spot on, false flag op here or there would suit them fine. I’m sure there’s been a few in the not so distant past engineered by rUK and their friends in USA.
Pa Broon
Also, apparently, that salute in the photo isn’t a ‘Nazi’ salute, its a loyalist red hand salute – or so they say anyway. (Not that I’m defending any of it right enough, they’re all nutbags.)
————-
Sorry, Pa …that IS a Nazi salute. The Red Hand gesture would be straight arm out (as the soldiers are doing), but with flat palm at another 45 degree angle pointing straight up (as if saying ‘NO!’).
scaredy cat. says:
“He that walketh with wise (men) shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20 I’m not religious, I just like pretending to be Jed Bartlett” – unlike you I am religious but have no idea who Jed B. is, but it would not take a theologian to determine that anyone going along with current English foreign policy voluntarily is a fool. I believe the empire-that-was is now in its fourth unsuccessful Afghan war and although that definitely points to “slow learner” status now plans to fast-track its victorious troops into the teaching profession, Hague is running a carbines-for-cannibals project of pour-gas-on-the-flames in Syria along with the French who were generously conceded that country by the Empire in WW1 – now that would be something to commemorate! – the bankrupting “we punch above our weight” Trident has been afflicted with punch drunk ratings offing officers and a dangerous tendency to hit well-charted underwater obstacles – I could rant on. Of course, if its not voluntary then it must be forced which would make those go along serfs? slaves? zombies? How could anyone – even deeply anti-nat – want to be dragged down when the Westminster ship finally sinks? Even for purely selfish reasons of mere survival only a Yes vote makes sense.
Re. Jabhat al-Nusra, the Al-Qaeda(?) affiliate sponsored by Moaz al-Khatib, who has just been promised support by William Hague. Well they. Jabhat al-Nusra, are the one’s who the have been using the chemical weapons in Syria. Wonder how these civilian ‘freedom fighters’ would be able to do this. Well, thing is, they were trained by US and NATO special forces, as well as private mercenaries hired by the Pentagon.
http://nsnbc.me/2013/06/06/the-syria-chemical-weapons-saga-the-staging-of-a-us-nato-sponsored-humanitarian-disaster/
And here is a BBC interview with Carla del Ponte, who was the head of an independent UN human rights investigation concerning these chemical attacks, confirming that it was the rebels who have used them and not Assad. Auntie still tries to spin it though. Well….what should you expect?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sY_9SrIUVwU#
And here is an interview with France’s Former Foreign Minister, Roland Dumas, stating that UK government officials had told him about preparations for war in Syria two years prior to the start of the 2011 protests and conflict. Syria is not like Iraq, where we were Washington’s tail. Syria is a very British tea party.
On the subject of the ‘salute’ did anyone else notice just how long Margit Current held her arm aloft in just that particular position in ‘Road to the Referendum?
He allegedly wanted to show that the British were so determined to keep fighting the Germans that they would pass up the opportunity to extricate one of the British army’s best units.
What opportunity was there to extract them? They were 200 miles from Dunkirk and cut off from the rest of the BEF by the German advance, so there was no opportunity to extract them as part of Operation Dynamo. There was no realistic hope of evacuating them from St. Valery-en-Caux because Rommel controlled the cliffs overlooking the harbour and four divisions were thrown into the attack, precisely to prevent another Dunkirk-style evacuation. Even so, ships were sent but the weather was against them. The 51st were in the wrong places at the wrong times. That shit happens a lot in wars.
“Scots would be more likely to be subject to alien abduction and probing (they are a bit kinky these aliens by all acounts) in an independent Scotland.”
am votin no ,a dinne waant tae be probed
a wis probed wance afore an a didnae like it wan wee bit
“an independent Scotland would be less safe and more vulnerable to a terrorist attack We have Smeato.”
I have heard it said that any of her majesties enemies who are approached by Smeato, self combust in terror cos the know he’ll kick em in the baws
anyone know if this is true?
“Hague is actually a deeply sensitive and compassionate soul, and he’s heading north on a humanitarian mission – to save us from ourselves.”
for gods sake man dont do that,
I nearly had one of my turns
jeez
Lianachan says:
20 June, 2013 at 1:22 pm
ianbrotherhood says:
oooh matron
Seeing that picture evoked fond memories of Dad’s Army and its charming intro, so I went on Youtube to watch it again. But listening to the lyrics, I noticed something I never did before:
Who do you think you are kidding, Mr. Hitler?
If you think we’re on the run…
We are the boys who will stop your little game!
We are the boys who will make you think again!
‘Cause, who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler
If you think old England’s done?
The plucky little Union Flag Arrow of Britain pointing and prodding at the nasty old Swastika Arrows of the Nazis across the Channel, yet it’s England, not Britain, who is not “done.” This wouldn’t be so bad if it was only Englishmen in the cast, but they even had a Scottish character (played by a Scottish actor) in the bloody show! As mealer said:
When listening to an interview,it used to annoy me when I heard someone use the term ” England” when they should have said “Britain”.It annoyed me even more when the interviewer didn’t correct them,considering the error to be too trivial to even mention.Nowadays I understand that the interviewer and interviewee were correct and I was wrong.
Indeed.
Alex wood was cleared by the police of any wrong doing. He did not post anything offensive on facebook. He was reaching to grab his phone from his girlfriend. A false facebook page was made.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-22952950 Once again accusations made by Nationalists proved false again. Are there no levels that they will not stoop.
.. BillyBigbaws says:
20 June, 2013 at 5:28 pm
Anyone remember the excuse Nigel Farage trotted out after one of his prospective councillors was pictured giving a Nazi salute before the English local council elerctions? It was a belter, pure Armando Iannucci stuff.
“Nigel Farage said Alex Wood, 22, who is standing for a council seat in Somerset, wanted to stop his girlfriend taking photos of him “imitating a pot plant”.The picture, showing Mr Wood leaning forward with his arm almost straight out in front of him, was exposed by a national newspaper who found it on Facebook.Despite the party leader believing his excuse, Mr Wood is still suspended as police investigate his claim that offensive comments were made after his account was “hijacked”.Mr Farage, on a visit to Ramsey in Cambridgeshire ahead of Thursday’s elections, said he was considering reinstating him.”
Imitating a pot plant. Brilliant. No such excuse seems possible for the soldiers above, but you just never know these days.