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Wings Over Scotland


On Her Majesty’s Broadcasting Service

Posted on November 17, 2017 by

We’ll be honest, readers – if this doesn’t make you want to leave the UK all by itself, it may be that there’s nothing that ever will and we should just give up.

(Alternative titles considered for this piece included Live And Please Let Die, Doctor Oh God No, The Barely-Living Daylights and Quantum Of Bollocks.)

The piece with RT journalist Afshin Rattansi, however, was highly entertaining:

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Gj

Wankers

heedtracker

Good old beeb gimps and all from an outfit so high up its own arse, it cannae tolerate any critic anywhere.

Betty Boop

Oh Jeez, they believe their own publicity! Cringeworthy UK propaganda at its err… most ridiculous.

Macart

Is there anything beyond shark jumping? 😮

Tony Little

Good Grief

Capella

Cringearama – does the Foreign Office produce This Week?
Looks like something Boris dreamt up after dinner with Paul Dacre. Sure rivals the Alex Salmond Show. Not.

Chris

WALOFS – there, all done in one word or 6 characters, without the expense of all that licensing of films and dressing up.

Socrates MacSporran

We have nothing new to say, nothing relevant to current affairs to discuss – so, let’s blow the budget tarting-up the show, the plebs will fall for it.

manandboy

Andrew Neil as James Bond. One fictitious character playing another. At this rate, Neil will be introducing the programme with the words ‘M sent me’.

John H.

In Andrew Neil’s world he’s quite the ladie’s man. Why shouldn’t he see himself as 007 as well?

Well, he’s happy. Silly old git.

HandandShrimp

LOL

On a more serious note does anyone really think the Kremlinbots or the Kievbots or even the Madridbots influence opinion? For the most part the attempts are leaden footed and as obvious as an elephant trying to share the sofa with you.

[…] Wings Over Scotland On Her Majesty’s Broadcasting Service We’ll be honest, readers – if this doesn’t make you want to leave the UK all by […]

Artyhetty

O.F.F.S. The Britnat bullying corp has surpassed itself in totally, blatantly taking the absolute piss out of the tv tax payers. Carry on carrying on with your pathetic small minded pap, Britnats.

I am sure that RT could do a good piss take of the britnats and it would look very real. Propaganda, ha ha! Let’s see who does it best!

This ones definitely a case of personality projection, and in fact maybe someone should call the people in white coats, because there is certainly some self harming going on, and those involved are a serious danger to the public, and that is really not funny.

‘Nobody does it better’?

jimnarlene

Bin yer TV license.

mike cassidy

Plenty O’ Tools

Bill McDermott

I have to say, I thought Neil was firmly put in his place last night by the guy from RT.

Oor Andra tried to make out that his precious BBC was whiter than white only to be told time and time again that they were just like RT (examples included).

I could sense Neil’s frustration as his usual attack tactics simply got rebuffs. Portillo and Balls kept mum throughout.

Robert Graham

there must be a reason why his pantomime is parked in a dead spot late at night and i cant bloody put my finger on it .
For some reason this show went missing on the i/player last night rumour is he got his nuts crushed by someone from RT ,then again it was just a rumor nothing to see move on.

mike cassidy

Here’s the RT guy’s pisstake of the idea he has a hotline to the Kremlin.

And apparently no need to sign in to view.

Watch it before they change their mind!

link to bbc.co.uk

galamcennalath

Central to the UK Establishment’s propaganda, has been the same simple message for over a century, that is to push the notion that the UK and its agencies are always the good guys. And the other side, no matter who that is, are by their definition always the baddies.

This has become so all pervasive that they routinely believe their own propaganda!

Yet any objective view of historical events often shows the reality to be somewhat different.

So often it’s not about good versus bad, it’s about predators ruthlessly competing for the juiciest bits.

I fear the wider world thinks the UK is about to get its comeuppance. I hope Scotland can begin on another path.

K1

Could anyone put up a link to the interview with RT’s Rattansi with Neil that Stu and others are referencing on Twitter…don’t have BBC license anymore so can’t access player?

Much appreciated if anyone can.

Dr Jim

Yeah but the guy who actually IS playing Bond is a Scottish Nationalist, eh, and who wins in all the scripts?

The real James Bond, Sean Connery the Scottish Nationalist

Aye he’s a clever man that eh whit’s his name, Neil Andrew Oliver

Jim

What was that answer by Alex Salmond about when asked where did he see his place in history, he said, “Alive, Alive”

I didn’t understand it but it was chilling the way he said it, has he been threatened?

Greannach

That reminds me of when I was in 4th and 5th year in the 80s. The school had the usual group of racy sophisticates you get in any small to medium town. They were harmless but seemed to imagine everyone was in awe of their jet-setting lifestyles. Nobody was because there’s not a lot of racy sophistication in Keith and you can really only jet-set as far as Huntly, Buckie, Elgin or Aberlour. But I did wonder what fantasy they were living out.

mike cassidy

Andrew Neil as James Bond.

Ruth Davidson as Politician Of The Year.

What next?

Jesus as a sausage roll?

link to archive.is

gus1940

About 20 years ago or so The BBC (I think it was them) broadcast a documentary on Brillo in which he made an absolute tit of himself trying to give the impression that he was some sort of cool ladies man which demonstrated his monstrous opinion of himself.

Does anybody out there have a recording of the program – it was funny at the time but if available now would be 100 times funnier.

Private Eye for years used to have spoof letters every fortnight about Brillo always accompanied by a photo of himself with his arm around some poor unfortunate young woman.

I wish they would resurrect the feature.

He finally got himself married a couple of years ago and his poor wife along with his beautiful Golden Retriever deserve every sympathy going.

wull2

O/T News, on RT. Boris Johnson ready to pay UK’s £450mn Iran debt to help free jailed British mother.

heedtracker

Beeb Scotland gimpery meant that crew banning comments on their vote NO 2014 Project Fear hysteria but beeb gimp comment banning is not exactly consistent. Maybe beeb Scotland’s crew thinks Scots can’t comment, therefore shouldn’t be even be allowed.

link to bbc.co.uk

Simon Coveney: Ireland ‘jumping into dark’ on Brexit
1 hour ago
From the section Northern Ireland,

122 commentatorisers so far…

Andrew Davidson

Is that something you put together, taking the mick of what the BBC put up? That’s not actually what aired is it?

dakk

That was very witty indeed from the state broadcaster.

Wouldve been even more hilarious if they had cameoed that other quintessential Englishman Agent Saville as a Russian plant to discredit the BBC.

Ahh the Brits.Such loveable eccentric geniuses,dont you think?

ronnie anderson

This Week, its a Balls up show Ed will be teaching them some moves Gangnam style Brillo’s well past his sell bye date Portillo’s chooh chooh trains oan stand bye .

Geoff Huijer

I genuinely thought that was some sort of amateur compilation until halfway through.

Amateur, embarrassing & pathetic.

Valerie

I really like Afshin Rattansi on Going Underground, he has a laconic style. Neil isn’t fit to lick his boots.

Afshin used to work for Beeb and CNN. At least the guy has a CV, unlike Neil, coining it in, coasting in the Beeb. Way past his retirement, but he hangs around like a bad smell.

Very angry at the on going ignorance on Twitter about MUP, using it as a stick to beat SNP.

just why aren’t the Scot gov colluding with the drinks industry to kill folk? Tax on the poor! Let them drink Draino!

heedtracker

Its what beeb gimps just do not tell us that counts, as much as their vote tory or else propaganda. Ever heard of the Magnitsky law? me neither. London’s brimming with all kinds of money, and now we’ve lost our EU citizenship.

link to euobserver.com

Guy Verhofstadt
3 hrs ·
Wise decision by the Lithuanian Parliament to adopt the Magnitsky Act, which is intended to impose asset freezes and visa bans on Russian human rights abusers. I hope other EU countries will now follow suit.

Ruby

K1 says:
17 November, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Could anyone put up a link to the interview with RT’s Rattansi with Neil that Stu and others are referencing on Twitter…don’t have BBC license anymore so can’t access player?

Much appreciated if anyone can.

Ruby replies

link to tinyurl.com

Kat hamilton

Well done to Afshin for not rolling over to agent Neil of her majesty’s propaganda outlet….rt has many fine programmes, going underground, larry king politicking being some of them..they have shown the true events in catalonia, massacres In Yemen, and closer to home giving a fair and unbiased account during indy 1…..his withering attack on Afshin on why rt allows catalonia and Scotland to voice their separatist agenda…..yes Andrew, keep the masses in the dark cellar, plenty of bull…t, and lights off….pity the mushrooms are waking up to reality….

Morag

What IS that?

Ruby

Lets say you use a VPN how could anyone know if you were actually in Russia?

Why wouldn’t these Russian bots not use a VPN and log in to a UK server?

dakk

Brillo is still known by his Glasgow Uni alumni peers to this day as ‘shagger’.

Married or not.

Alastair

Can I suggest as a suitable title for Andrew Neill when he gets his inevitable reward of a seat in the house of Lords – Lord Haw Haw of how far can you get up your own arse. The answer to the question therein is far enough to lick your own pus from the inside.

Bugger (the Panda)

This will be thetalk of the Westminster Steamie Bar

Bugger (le Panda)

This will be the hot topic at the Steamie Bar in Westmidden, all next week.

Ken

The question should a Scotsman editor be working for a state broadcaster to bring down democracy. The irony seemed to be lost on Neil who did not recognize himself in this description aimed at Salmond. Instead he let the mask slip as he spat out accusations against RT instead of doing the right thing as a journalist and asking if RT is such a threat “Why has the UK government allowed it a licence to broadcast”?

heedtracker

Why wouldn’t these Russian bots not use a VPN and log in to a UK server?

If the Russians are trying to influence how we vote online, Facebook etc, its not illegal.

Freedom of speech covers everyone. That’s not to say our imperial masters are not going to close down free speech online.

Ruby

I liked Rattansi’s comment about having another EU referendum. Obviously if all these Russian bots influenced the vote then another referendum would make sense.

Were the bots pro or anti Brexit?

Andrew Neil’s main concern about RT was that it gave Catalonia & Scotland’s independence supporters a voice.

Robert Peffers

@Jim says: 17 November, 2017 at 12:31 pm:

” … when asked where did he see his place in history, he said, “Alive, Alive”
I didn’t understand it but it was chilling the way he said it, has he been threatened?”

Don’t think Alex had any hidden meanings in his wish. Other than that history is written about the lives of dead people and he is not yet ready to be a chapter in history. More than that he is saying he has several more chapters to write before his personal history is published.

Ruby

heedtracker says:
17 November, 2017 at 1:38 pm
Why wouldn’t these Russian bots not use a VPN and log in to a UK server?

If the Russians are trying to influence how we vote online, Facebook etc, its not illegal.

Freedom of speech covers everyone. That’s not to say our imperial masters are not going to close down free speech online.

Ruby replies
I was thinking of the ‘Kremlin bots’.

Perhaps these ‘Kremlin Bots’ were based in the UK and logged into a Russian server using a VPN.

CmonIndy

That cant have happened. You just made that up with photoshop or some other dastardly IT thing. I mean, just WHY would they present us with such evidence of chockwomberlyness to share?

Robert Graham

Well that was interesting , brillo nuts arse well and truly handed to him , his usual hectoring method of interrogation did not work , its a well know fact ! is it really Brillo , prove it ,thats when the train hit the buffers .Cue for yet more waffle , a failed attempt at a hatchet job .Oh dear how sad

As with Jeane Freeman he cant handle anyone who dosent give a f/k about his reputation but calls him out on the pish he speaks , as for the BBC being a bastion of proprietary fairness and good reporting , ha ha that must have raised a hearty laugh in the studio ,

The other two stooges knew when to shut up as they witnessed a interview going wrong right in front of them , they aint stoopid , dont involve yourself in a pointless failing argument chaps, guilt by association and all that .

BBC 0 – RT 10 , or as the bbc would put it a draw thats how truly farcical their propaganda efforts are nowadays woeful

heedtracker

Perhaps these ‘Kremlin Bots’ were based in the UK and logged into a Russian server using a VPN.

VPN’s are easily traced though, if you want to. They’re only effective as machine code, servers talking to servers can’t keep up with traffic that only says its coming from another relatively obscure server. If spooks want to follow VPN traffic, its probably one of their easiest jobs.

Calum McKay

Neil believes what tha last person to whisper in his ear told him.

Also, common knowledge to Neil is fact, when others question this, they are either stupid or subversive.

Without researchers he’d be sunk!

John H.

Thanks Ruby for the link to last night’s Andrew Neil programme. Neil was downright offensive to Afshin, to the extent that I wouldn’t have blamed Afshin for walking out. Though that would have been used against him as well. The talking rug even implied that Afshin wasn’t really a journalist.

It’s easy to be rude to guests when you’re sitting snug and smug on your home turf surrounded by your old pals. Even Portillo seemed to be slightly embarrassed by Neil’s performance.

John

Pass the sick bag , PLEASE !

Bob Mack

Fleming—-Scottish
Bond ——Scottish.

Neil—–embarrassing.

Brian McGowan

a wind up, surely?

Douglas

Greannach says:
17 November, 2017 at 12:31 pm
“That reminds me of when I was in 4th and 5th year in the 80s….”

Haha!!! I was in 5th Year at Huntly in ’79, at that time among the more aspiring fairmer types a visit to the Turra Show was a must!!! Somehow, I don’t think much has changed!!

Chris F

@Jim says: 17 November, 2017 at 12:31 pm:

” … when asked where did he see his place in history, he said, “Alive, Alive”
I didn’t understand it but it was chilling the way he said it, has he been threatened?”

I agree with Robert Peffers at 1:43 pm that there are no hidden meanings. But I took AS’s ‘Alive, alive’ to refer more to his independence of mind and I interpreted it as an oblique reference to the dead-headed, lemmings-off-the-cliff nature of so many of his detractors in the public arena.

Peter McCulloch

I don’t know about people wanting to leave the UK after watching BBC’s Andrew Neil’s politics show, but I suspect it could very well drive those who did watch it
to drink.

Robert Peffers

From its very instigation the British Broadcasting Corporation was given a Royal Charter and has always been funded by a Westminster Government Grant. At first this was done via the Postmaster General and collected by the GPO, (General Post Office).

Previous to that radio broadcasting were funded by the British Radio Receiver manufacturers in an effort to sell, “Wireless Sets”, to the public.

Then the British Broadcasting Corporation was given a Royal Charter and was funded by the Government with the licence fee collected, and the licences issued, by the Postmaster General via local Post Office Counters.

The BBC has always been a Westminster funded organisation and thus a government propaganda tool.

So, there you go, Andrew Neil is officially a tool.

Arbroath1320

What an absolute useless earsehole is the excuse of a journalist who passes by the name of Andrew “I’ll defend the impartiality of BBC and all BBC journalists till I die” Neil.

Last night’s This Week programme was probably about as close to complete embarrassment as I think most reasonable people could take. I watched the start, first time for yonks, and immediately reached for the always handy sick bag. I applaud Afshin Rattansi on a number of levels.

1) for having the courage to enter the shit hole that is the TW studio

2) for defending the right of free thinking journalists to work where they want and report what they want WITHOUT any meddling from TV station.

3) loved his wee dig at that well known unbiased journalist Laura Kuensberg

What was clearly obvious from Neil’s off the wall rantings he has NO evidence that ANY THING he was ranting about actually came from the Kremlin. He shows one tweet but as far as I could see there is NO evidence that this tweet came from Neil’s claimed Kremlin.

Throughout the interview he goes on about claims this or that but he NEVER provides actual proof! Still he is Andrew Neil and we are just supposed to accept this as FACT! I guess Neil has no concept that there are thousands of us “out there” who do NOT believe a word he says and actually use something called the “internet” to uncover the TRUTH!

I thought it is interesting that Neill keeps attacking R.T. but he refuses to accept that R.T. U.K. is operating under OFCOM rules.

Kudos to Afshin for standing his ground despite the never ending shite spewing out of Neil’s mouth.

Typical Portillo siding with Neil but again kudos to Balls for being the MOST neutral observer in the whole shenanigans that passes as a late night political show.

Thank goodness I NEVER watch this shite (usually) and thanks to Neil for confirming that his show is 100% SHITE!

heedtracker

The BBC has always been a Westminster funded organisation and thus a government propaganda tool.

BBC is is a tory outfit, paid for by us. Its staffed by tories, presented by tories, owned by tories. A Labour gov is only ever elected by England when…

1. They’re red tory, Bomber Blair, Crash Gordo.
2. Rupert Murdoch decides its ok.

Ligger Neil is merely one of Murdoch’s favourite henchman and bootboys. But he has got pretty rich for his troubles. That’s what its all about, in toryboy teamGB.

Rod Robertson

Is there anything more cringeworthy than Andrew Neil’s attempts at being witty.
If I didn’t loathe the man quite so much I might feel embarrassed for him.
I also find it quite nauseating how is guests sit there with pained smiles encouraging him in the belief he is the funniest man around.
The things people will do to get a BBC gig and cheque.

Dan Huil

Glad I don’t pay the bbc tax. Anyone who does condones such juvenile britnat crap.

When it comes to reporting Scotland’s politics, compared to the biased bbc, RT is the epitome of balance.

Reluctant Nationalist

There are some folk here who are on HMSS IMHO.

@ Andrew Neil. Did you know that your Anglo-American ideology makes you look like a clumsy prick when you run?

CameronB Brodie

When you think about it, there can only be one side in a propaganda war.

Understanding Critical Geopolitics: Geopolitics and Risk Society

Abstract

Critical geopolitics is a perspective within contemporary political geography that investigates the politics of geographical knowledge in international relations. It has four different dimensions: formal, practical, popular and structural geopolitics. All four dimensions are introduced and briefly illustrated with reference to Sir Halford Mackinder, the discourse of ‘Ballcanism’, and the processes shaping the contemporary geopolitical condition. These processes, globalization, informationalization and proliferating techno-scientific risks, force a re-thinking of geopolitics in what Ulrich Beck terms a ‘risk society’. Three critical geopolitical arguments about the dilemmas of geopolitics in risk society comprise the conclusion.

link to researchgate.net [accessed Nov 17 2017].

The US Grand Strategy and the Eurasian Heartland in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

From an offensive realist theoretical approach, this paper assumes that great powers are always looking for opportunities to attain more power in order to feel more secure. This outlook has led me to assert that the main objective of the US grand strategy in the twenty-first century is primacy or global hegemony. I have considered the US grand strategy as a combination of wartime and peacetime strategies and argued that the Caspian region and its hinterland, where I call the Eurasian Heartland, to use the term of Sir Halford Mackinder, has several geo-strategic dimensions beyond its wide-rich non-OPEC untapped hydro-carbon reserves, particularly in Kazakhstan. For my purposes, I have relied on both wartime strategy (US-led Iraq war) and peacetime strategy of supporting costly Baku-Tbilis-Ceyhan (BTC) to integrate regional untapped oil reserves, in particular Kazakh, into the US-controlled energy market to a great extent. This pipeline’s contribution to the US grand strategy is assessed in relation to potential Eurasian challengers, Russia and China. The article concludes with an evaluation of the prospects of the US grand strategy in the twenty-first century.

INTRODUCTION

From an offensive realist theoretical approach, this paper assumes that great powers, for my purposes the US, are always looking for opportunities to attain more power in order to feel more secure. In other words, great powers have a natural inclination to maximise their power. One of the main reasons for this analytical footing is based on my observation that this theory has a great deal of explanatory power for understanding US foreign policy in the post-9/11 period. This outlook has led me to assert that the main objective of US grand strategy is primacy or global hegemony….

link to tandfonline.com

“Bullshit is everywhere, and we’ve had enough. We want to teach people to detect and defuse bullshit where ever it may arise.” – UW iSchool

Calling Bullshit 1.1: Introduction to Bullshit
link to youtube.com

stu mac

@gus1940 says:
17 November, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Private Eye for years used to have spoof letters every fortnight about Brillo always accompanied by a photo of himself with his arm around some poor unfortunate young woman.

==============================

It was always the same photo – with Brillo in a semmit – and I don’t think all the letters were spoofs. Lots of readers were keen to see the photo published regularly in the hope Brillo or one of his mates was reading it.

Alex Clark

@Arbroath1320

“He shows one tweet but as far as I could see there is NO evidence that this tweet came from Neil’s claimed Kremlin.”

Not only did he claim the Islamophobic tweet was from the Kremlin without evidence yet he totally ignored the Islamophobic front pages of the Express or Mail that are visible on their front pages in the UK everyday.

What had more effect on the EU Ref result on the population of the UK. That tweet or the Ersewipe Express?

Jim

@ Robert Peffers & Chris F
__
I guess I did read too much into the quote, it really startled me at the time and maybe caught up in the recent Gordon Brown story about the Iraq war and the suspicious death of David Kelly.

Les Wilson

A new report on how Scotland is doing against the rest of the UK.
Full report on Scottishfinancialnews.com. They will send it to your mail box free.
Anyway, this is the headline.

“Scottish productivity outstrips everywhere outside South East – KPMG”

Was that ever said when any other party was running the country?

gordoz

Heinous Envy ! ???

Marie Clark

Oh good grief! BOAK.

Well done Mr Rattansi for handing that bullying ignoramous his erse on a plate.

Scottish Steve

I am so glad I don’t pay for this pish.

Arbroath1320

Alex Clark says:
17 November, 2017 at 3:23 pm
@Arbroath1320

“He shows one tweet but as far as I could see there is NO evidence that this tweet came from Neil’s claimed Kremlin.”

Not only did he claim the Islamophobic tweet was from the Kremlin without evidence yet he totally ignored the Islamophobic front pages of the Express or Mail that are visible on their front pages in the UK everyday.

What had more effect on the EU Ref result on the population of the UK. That tweet or the Ersewipe Express?

Well according to the totally useless earsehole that passes itself off as a journalist the tweet … obviously! 😀

CameronB Brodie

ronnie anderson 🙂

Warning, a bit rude.

BRICKA BRICKA – EASTERN EUROPE STYLE!
link to youtube.com

Arbroath1320

I think it is interesting to note Marie that Afshin Rattansi used to work for the BBC.

I think, like Max Keiser who also used to work for the BBC, he found the BBC too overpowering in their editorial processes by which I mean the presenters, Afshin and Max etc were openly PROHIBITED in what they could report on certain subjects.

link to youtube.com

link to youtube.com

winifred mccartney

And let us not forget the great british WM and USA and all there bots/spies/double agents and no doubt bots of every description working away even as we speak. Putin was not pleased with Clintons interference in Russia and russian bots were simply pay back.

UK is certainly not whiter than white more black as coal when it comes to interfering abroad. The list is too long but the effects are ongoing eg Ireland, Korea, Afghanistan, India/Pakistan, Yemen, Cyprus etc etc Everywhere the UK went they left devastation and grief and continue to do so with their supply of weaponry.

The attitude of Boris and co is just a throw back to being the colonial masters who knew best. They have been found out to be the greedy self-serving people we see now in power.

Scott

I watch RT see some things that BBC will not touch and when asked why usually get no answer.
Sorry a bit O/T but for sheer hypocrisy this takes the biscuit.
Quote.It seems a long time since I worked with my colleague Murdo Fraser to launch the Scottish Conservatives campaign to dual the A9.
That comes from Jamie Johnson, these are the same Bas****s who backed the trams and halted the SNP from going ahead with the A9.
He also has a dig at AS they really hate him don’t they.

Flower of Scotland

I actually like RT. They have some very good programmes. If you realise that all media are biased it’s definitely an alternative to BBC. For me anyway, I’ve been watching it for a while.

I suspect that the UK Government will put a notice on RT, as the USA has, to curb it now that Alex Salmond has advertised it and more folk will watch. You wait and see!

John de Soulis

stu mac @ 3:22

This is it

link to private-eye.co.uk

Clarinda

CameronB Brodie 3:19 – spent some time catching up with Callingbullshit videos – thank you! Afterall, isn’t that why we’re all here (a couple of exceptions however).
The quote referring to the greater effort and energy needed to refute BS is no doubt easily appreciated by the Rev and his tireless work.
What did the conceited Andrew Neil think was going to happen interviewing Mr Rattansi – well he knows now …. maundering panjandrum.

CameronB Brodie

From a critical persective, this could be interpreted as a macho projection of UKOK’s vital energies. 🙂

How Significant is the Contribution of Feminism to the Discipline of IR as a Whole?

Introduction

An evaluation of the contribution of feminist International Relations (IR) theory to the discipline as a whole is fraught with complexities; not only is feminist discourse a multifaceted branch of competing theories employing separate epistemologies, it is also a somewhat marginalised field within the study of IR. In their different ways, feminist theorists aim to expose gender biases embedded in conventional IR theories, such as realism and liberal institutionalism, and to reconstruct gender-neutral outlooks of international politics. Their findings have transformative implications for key concepts in the discipline. However, feminist IR theory remains on the margins of the discipline, with mainstream IR scholars rarely engaging in productive debate about the questions raised by feminist critiques. While conventional positivist theorists are perplexed with the post-positivist feminist agenda and how it relates to their own research programme, feminists themselves fear cooption and are reluctant to allow their theories to be subsumed by other bodies of thought.

link to e-ir.info

Jack Collatin

He’s come a long way since his Pamella Bordes and the food blender stooshie days, hasn’t he?
He has a villa in France next to Noel Edmunds apparently.
What will Brexit mean to Neil? Fuck all. He is one of the wealthy privileged.
Life will go on regardless.

galamcennalath

Scott says:

some things that BBC will not touch

A great deal of the bias and opinion manipulation of the BBC involves omission. It’s much more subtle, and probably more effective, than false news and spin.

The type of voter who isn’t particularly politically aware will judge the BBC on what they see and will be completely unaware of the alternative views or stories simply not covered. A false sense of trust can thereby be generated.

RT will have its bias, of course. I would treat its coverage of Ukraine or Syria with considerable scepticism. Thankfully I live in Scotland, not those places, and judge RT on how it reports political events in Scotland. I have to say that reporting is more complete and less biased than the BBC.

Breeks

Bit rich the BBC citing the Russians for their alleged interference. I seem to remember not so very long ago the BBC took it upon itself to start broadcasting its propaganda to North Korea without any consent from the North Koreans.

Robert Graham

o/t – The Tory government not content with recent achievements ,have truly surpassed themselves by instigating a master stroke of diplomacy ,never has a government analysed a situation ,appraised themselves of all the pertinent factors and then well and truly f/kd up any slim chance of success.

What have they done,

They send their secret weapon to defuse the border issue in Northern Ireland.

Yep Bo-Jo is on the loose, they might as well throw in the delectable Arlene for good measure, now the mere sight of her will seal the deal, make a tricky situation completely beyond repair.

I don’t think this Tory government are really taking the situation seriously, this lot couldn’t make it any worse if they tried, and by Christ as we see they are ,trying to what end who the f/k knows .

Brian Doonthetoon

Hi galamcennalath at 5:12 pm.

You typed,
“The type of voter who isn’t particularly politically aware will judge the BBC on what they see and will be completely unaware of the alternative views or stories simply not covered.”
and
“Thankfully I live in Scotland, not those places, and judge RT on how it reports political events in Scotland. I have to say that reporting is more complete and less biased than the BBC.”

Two good points. Every Scot does not do the research and “digging” that goes on btl here, and on the likes of Wee Ginger Dug, Pop Goes Scot! and so on, so their perception is shaped by the BBC and to a lesser extent, STV and Channel 4.

Once you see the exposés by GA Ponsonby and Prof Robertson (and others), the trust in the BBC as an “impartial” broadcaster is broken.

I’m still passing on this link to people, who may not be aware of the incestuous relationship that the unionist parties, particularly the Labour Party in Scotland, share with the BBC.

link to lenathehyena.wordpress.com

Les Wilson

Reminder, The BBC are to broadcast in another 40 countries, in eighteen languages. Their biggest expansion for very many years.

Does anyone think that it will not push the BBC view of events?
Does anyone think it will not include propaganda?

CameronB Brodie

Breeks
That’s a rationalist, liberal approach to International Relations, that is. It’s good for building empires but does little for global peace, IMHO.

Theories of Foreign Policy

Introduction

The academic discipline studying international relations (IR) is often subdivided into two fields: “systemic” international relations, which provide for a bird’s-eye perspective on the international system as a whole, and “subsystemic” foreign policy analysis (FPA), which zooms in on the placement and actions of states considered to be the most fundamental unit of this system. Views differ, however, as to how strongly this distinction should be emphasized. In part this obviously depends on how one defines “foreign policy.”

Conceptions of foreign policy stretch from an emphasis on external actions of (state) governments to practices of boundary drawing between political communities. The former notion leads scholars to focus on such things as decision-making processes, whereas the latter tends to emphasize the mutual implication of foreign policy agency and systemic reproduction and transformation. In American IR the prevailing tendency is still to see two rather distinct subfields, whereas scholarship outside the United States tends to emphasize the connections and mutual dependencies between the fields. In any case, the distinction has affected (and has, in turn, been affected by) how scholars conceive of “theory” in foreign policy analysis and what it may mean to “theorize.”

Generally speaking—and in contrast to systemic theories—the subject matter of foreign policy is often thought to require more complex (or less parsimonious) models or theories because many more factors or variables are deemed to be relevant. Some scholars even argue that such complexities render foreign policy theories primarily as tools for post-hoc explanation with little use for prediction, a crucial dimension often associated with theories. Yet in the 21st century there is largely consensus among IR scholars that some form of theoretical reflection has to play an integral part in analyzing foreign policy irrespective of whether it is primarily a tool for explaining specific cases or also one for prediction, whether it aims at general or country-specific theory. This survey, therefore, aims at an overview of the field with an emphasis on both explicit forms of theorization, as well as the broad varieties in understanding what such theorization might entail.

link to oxfordbibliographies.com

Realism and Liberalism in International Relations

Any student of international relations can be counted on to study the basic foundations of IR, which are the theories behind the study of IR itself. Among the most prevalent of these theories are realism and liberalism. Until the present, professors still speak of the motto from the 1651 work of Thomas Hobbes, entitled Leviathan, that speaks of the state of nature being prone to what Hobbes calls bellum omnium contra omnes or the war of all against all ( Hobbes : De Cive, 1642 and Leviathan, 1651), as well as Francis Fukuyama naming Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government (Fukuyama : The End of History and the Last Man, 1992).

The above mentioned ‘state of nature’ is a central assumption in realist theory, holding that anarchy is a defined condition of the international system, as well as postulating that statecraft and subsequently, foreign policy, is largely devoted to ensuring national survival and the pursuit of national interests. Realism is, therefore, primarily concerned with states and their actions in the international system, as driven by competitive self-interest. Thus, realism holds that international organizations and other trans-state or sub-state actors hold little real influence, in the face of states as unitary actors looking after themselves….

link to e-ir.info

Foreign Policy Analysis and Rational Choice Models

Introduction

The study of foreign policy as a rational choice process is undergoing a sea change in its focus and in its impact on policy choices. At least since the end of World War II, foreign policy thinking has been dominated by a realist (or neorealist) perspective in which states are taken as the relevant unit of analysis. There has been a shift away from that orientation within the rational choice community concerned with foreign policy. This has resulted both in the development of game theory models, of direct use in helping to inform foreign policy choices, and in the uncovering of new insights that are reshaping thinking about crucial foreign policy questions. Here I review the relevant literature in terms of its analytic contributions and its place in helping to shape policy decisions. Before doing so, however, I digress briefly to explain the fundamentals behind rational choice models.

link to pdfs.semanticscholar.org

yesindyref2

I’m genuinely confused here, ‘scuse my stupidity.

Was that a spoof, or was it actually genuine footage?

Anyway, to redeem myself, some more suggests. Barffinger, Blunderball, or the brand new one, The Bayb-GRU What Covers Me.

Blair Paterson

It is really simple the Brit .,nats and bbc .s job is to distort and hide the truth so RT is a threat that will expose them and as usual they will employ every dirty trick in the book to try to discredit RTand any one on there I phoned in to lbc a while back they were talking about being English and proud of it I said I did not want to appear rude or unkind but what exactly were they proud of .? You killed millions of Scots Irish andWelsh your museums are full of stolen artefacts from all over the world your record in world history is appalling I never got answer not really so this is them the media being true to form again

yesindyref2

Mmm, I could just see Chris Cairns doing an Andrew Neil in a babygrow with a Baby-GRU badge, with Hamish in a trenchcoat and trilby looking his usual nonchalant self, with the caption …

Forgot to say my Hamish and book arrived early, but I don’t get it till Santa puts it down the lum. Wife stole it for my Xmas present. Now I’ve got to work out what to get her 🙁

Valerie

@ Robert Graham

The DUP have already been unleashed following BoJo and his disastrous visit.

They have blown their dog whistle in their knuckle dragging fashion to decry the Irish gov’t for ‘interfering’ and trying to delay Brexit until Corbyn can get elected to scupper Brexit completely.

The only flaw in their cretinous rant is Corbyn is a Brexiteer, as evidenced by the latest opinion polls, putting Labour 1 point ahead of the worst gov’t in living memory.

Malky

I don’t feel well.

Onzebill

Who decides the politician of the year..is this a public vote or decided by the The Herald management.

jfngw

It’s Blohard isn’t it, but where is his cat? Well Blohard has a ginger cat, he wears it in his head.

Hamish100

I see BBC scotchland are doing a stalker on MSP macdonald even using yesterday’s film. Lasted over a minute or so, rowley less than 5 seconds , why? Labour branch has a new leader tomorrow.So all is good.
Moving to BBC engerland, what’s happening with all the MP’s in trouble with allegations? Not a peep. CleAr to me that pacific quay are clearly have an agenda. Deliberate and preplanned.

TheWasp

Union Jackie wearing her red white and blue top for children in need, probably to show BBC englandshire how patriotic us sweaties are.

Dan Huil

What happens in the north of Ireland in the coming years [months even] will, I believe, have a profound effect on Scotland primarily because the political situation in the north of Ireland will continue to deteriorate [due to Westminster’s desperation for movement in EU negotiations] thereby further weakening this so-called united kingdom and pushing British nationalists to make even more rash and ignorant decisions concerning their “regions”.

It’s all disintegrating around them but britnats don’t have the gumption to change their arrogant ways.

galamcennalath

FT – ” David Davis, Britain’s Brexit secretary, has warned Theresa May not to promise too much money to Brussels ahead of next month’s crucial European summi “

Express – ” DAVID Davis today warned European leaders not to expect any further concessions from Britain in the diplomatic wrangle over Brexit. “

They just aren’t serious about negotiating. What other conclusion can be drawn?

They can’t/won’t accept that Ireland needs a ‘no border solution’. The EU will hold out for nothing less.

They now realise that the best trade deal they are ever likely to get is ‘Canada style’ which is goods trade only and excludes services. From a City finance perspective, this is a very hard Brexit.

What a total mess they are in!

K1

Thank you Ruby 😉

Andy in Germany

“BBC iPlayer only works in the UK, sorry”

Mind you, I doubt I’m missing much…

Fred

So Brian DTT, Boothman’s wife is now overseer of Polis Scotland eh?

Pentland Firth

I made the mistake of watching Reporting Scotland this evening and saw what I could only describe as an undisguised attack on Mark McDonald MSP. The man has been found guilty by the BBC and, they hint, must resign.

I don’t know what the allegations against McDonald are, and, it seems clear, the BBC doesn’t either. Is there any truth in those allegations? Again I don’t know, neither does the BBC, and no one will until the investigation has been completed. These trivial considerations are not allowed to stand in the way of the hanging judges. In the eyes of Pacific Quay this man is guilty until he proves his innocence. What a disgraceful smear masquerading as a news “report”! It’s like a North British version of Fox News.

geeo

Sorry to go off topic, but had a chuckle at this one…

“I didn’t realise Mugabe was from Yorkshire, until i read his name backwards…”

Hah!

ronnie anderson

@ Pentland Firth
The SNP need to get their fingers out their collective arse’s & get to the root cause of the Mark McDonald allegations , the longer it takes the more ammunition Britnat Media will spin it .

Jason Smoothpiece

Brian Doonthetoon @ 5.45pm

Excellent link regarding the Red Tories and the British Nationalist broadcaster.

Surely in a democratic country an enquiry would be in order.

The facts should be thrown in the BBCs and Red Tories face at every opportunity.

Taking it for granted that there will be no enquiry.

Marker Post

Started reading RT news online this week, it’s actually good to have a fresh perspective. I hope their viewing figures have gone through the roof thanks to Alex Salmond.

One of the prominent stories on their site which I haven’t seen anywhere on the MSM yet, it appears that Theresa May’s husband gets a mention in the Paradise Papers:

link to rt.com

yesindyref2

@ronnie anderson
I don’t see why. First he resigned as Minister after the first allegation, then he was suspended yesterday by the SNP after the next one, that’s all they can do, as he was elected as a constituency MSP, not a list one, so is now an Independent. He can only be removed if criminal offences are proven. In some ways it’s none of their business, except where it might be about party workers.

Lenny Hartley

Re Russian tweets, f.b. Etc, as somebody who worked in IT for over 30 years, I think I have a better than average understanding on how IP works. If the alleged Russian agency wanted to remain anonymous they would do so, simple really, as simple as some vested interests proving that they came from Russia. The Modern day KGB could even get their spies at RT in the UK to sent their stuff from UK Internet cafe’s ?

Pentland Firth

Hi Ronnie,
I understand that the new allegation(s) against McDonald only came to the attention of the SNP yesterday, and they acted quickly to suspend him from the party while they investigated. The complainer/complainers has/have to be interviewed, as do McDonald and any other witnesses, before any verdict can be reached. For justice to be done McDonald must have an opportunity to know what he has been accused of and a chance to defend himself. I agree that this should be done as quickly as possible, but due process must be followed. The BBC don’t seem to be much interested in due process in McDonald’s case.

Ken500

Mark McDonald is the most unlikely sexual predator. Just a load of nonsense as usual? It was really surprising accusations. A disgruntled employee? Probably a storm in a teacup, stirred up by the Press.

Valerie

Jeez, hoaching out there on Twatter.

Angry Brexiteers (or Kremlin bots) seething about the realisation that Ireland has put their foot down, after months of provocation from the colonial masters.

Lives depend on this, but Brexiteers are out there variously saying –

don’t care what Ireland thinks, we voted

what is it to do with UK? Ireland can erect what they want

Fine. We will damage Ireland with no trade

It literally beggars belief. I’ve been muting them all night,,because it’s the familiar pattern, they arrive like locusts, looking to feed, on threads they have no interest in normally.

It’s about time Ireland flexed their muscle, they have no doubt been trying not to, but they are in a corner.

Sky news reporting stalemate. Looks like we are crashing out folks.

Petra

I see that we had the usual three against one cabal on the Andrew Neil show. Andrew needing ‘hauners’? Also exhibiting his talk over the top of you strategy once again. Great interviewer, NOT.

He lolls back and one ‘story’ after another spews from his mealy-mouthed gub. No matter that he has no proof to back them up. In other words a load of propaganda: And as an example he accuses Russia for the recent hospital hacks whilst experts previously said that North Korea was the culprit. Make up your mind Andra.

He accuses the Kremlin, and by default RT, of trying to divide countries when the UK, and previously England, has created divisions in numerous countries around the world, such as Ireland and India. Divisions that have led to millions of deaths.

He points out that OFCOM has penalised RT on 15 occasions but omits to mention that other broadcasters have also been censured by OFCOM. More than anything there was no mention of the fact that the BBC hadn’t ever, at any time in it’s history, been monitored by an independent, external regulator, such as OFCOM until May of this year.

The BBC was monitored by a Board of Governors from 1927 until 2007 (check out their shenanigans) when the BBC Trust took over. The last Trust Board membership (12) consisted of Rona Fairhead, Chairman (of the HSBC tax avoidance scandal), Sir Roger Carr, Vice Chairman (also Chairman of BAE Arms) and a number of others such as Mark Florman former CEO of the Merchant Banking Group Maizels, Westerburg and co and Richard Alire former Deputy Chief of BBC news etc.

The BBC Board of Governors was disbanded in 2007 due to criticism of it’s coverage of the David Kelly fiasco (and the rest) and the BBC Trust has been disbanded due to it’s ‘lack of coverage’ of the Jimmy Saville fiasco (and the rest). Sir David Clementi stated in his report that the BBC Trust’s monitoring was “flawed” and that ‘they’ had proven to be unable to self regulate. He recommended that the regulatory functions be transferred to OFCOM saying there would be no hiding place for the BBC now. He is now Chairman of the BBC Board. Has claimed the post that he recommended in his report. He is also a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and was Chairman of Virgin Money until 2015.

In other words both the BBC Board of Governors (1927 to 2007) and the BBC Trust (2007 to 2017) have been steeped in corruption and spouting propaganda for nigh on 90 years now. Andrew Neil knows it and we know it too. Stop treating your viewers like a bunch of dimwits, Mr Neil.

Many of us have been complaining constantly to the BBC, to no avail. Until such time that we get control of broadcasting it might be worth upping the ante now that OFCOM is hopefully keeping a beady eye on them. OFCOM that has told them to start spending a fairer share of license fee cash in Scotland, same amount per head as other countries, (currently 54% in Scotland, 74% in NIreland, 95% in Wales and 100% plus in England), and that at least 50% of productions have to take place outwith London now. If we do so Mr Neil may see the censuring of the BBC overtake that of the RT record in next to no time at all. Might find that it will be HIS programmes that will actually top the propaganda league, especially if this one with Afshin Rattansi is anything to go by.

North chiel

As Alex Salmond makes his chat show debut on RT , it is no coincidence that Teresa May in the same week chose to launch a verbal attack as regards “ Russian interference in “ Western democracies” via propaganda in the media. Prior to Alex Salmond’s link with this broadcaster it was known popularly as “ RT” However, now following the AlexSalmond business deal with the broadcaster , the MSM propagandists taking their lead from May now only refer to RT as “ Russia today”. Of course Andrew Neil , keen to impress his imperial masters has been in the vanguard with his derogra TORY comments of “ rouble today” in the context of Alex Salmond’s new media venture and business arrangement with RT. Having viewed this channel’s news output from time to time , I have noted other businesses with arrangements with RT as regards advertising revenue received, including :
Dolomio sauces, Samsung, Crocodile garage doors, wrigleys gum, Rosalind gold,Galaxy chocolate,pedigree pet food& whiskas cat food, Yopa home sales, Best western hotels,Stanton fisher ppi claims and others . How many individuals investors or funds in the U.K. perhaps have shares in some of these businesses with trading arrangements with RT ? ( possibly even Neil himself might unknowingly have a connection ?). How many millions have the U.K. government & local authority accepted from RT in broadcasting licence fees, business rates, taxes, etc in respect of the London HQ of this company ?
With the BBC further planning to expand their global broadcasting reach ( financed by the media tax levied on households in the U.K.) how hypocritical Andrew Neil’s outburst is against RT U.K. , Perhaps if Neil wishes to label RT as “ Rouble today” , as we well know (especially here in Scotland )the BBC is nothing other than the “ state propaganda outlet” for the Westminster government both at home and abroad. Perhaps if Andrew Neil wishes to label RT as “ rouble today” then RT should respond by labelling the BBC as “ the British brainwashing corporation” .Would this seem fair ? .
With the MSM in U.K. terms presently using the mantra of “ don’t mention Scotland” ( unless it’s in an SNP bad context) the establishment in Westminster are going to do everything they can to dissuade guests from appearing on the “ Alex Salmond show” on RT as they are “ running scared” of any threat to their stranglehold on “ propaganda” both at home and abroad, and are desperate to stifle any pro independence “ output” which might “ enlighten “ viewers here in Scotland or in a European context ( enlighten viewers on the continent) , ahead of any 2nd independence vote.
Let’s hope that Alex Salmond can show Neil and his likes up for what they are “ Britnat establishment lackies” and not “ impartial broadcasters” by any definition of the word “ impartial”.
Good luck to Alex and Tasmina in their new business venture, as an Independent Scotland will require a national broadcaster and media outlets of integrity , honesty and impartiality . Quality is what we require and hopefully Alex and Tasmina can “ lead the way”.

ronnie anderson

Like the rest of you’s I have no idea what (allegations) Mark McDonald is accused of & as he himself says he will cooperate with any investigation . I just dont think its in the best interests of the SNP or the wider Yes Movement for this situation to be prolonged ( Michelle Thomson ) is a previous case in point .

Im not of the hang him high brigade, of course they’re should be a proper investigation & as I understand it there is no Police investigation at present or if it would be a police matter at all ,so nothing to stop the SNP getting underway with a investigation.

Iain

I just finished watching the Alex Slamond show.
If you support the suppression of Scotland you are no doubt very afraid for your future.
It was a breath of fresh air to listen and watch an interviewer who knew his craft and didn’t interpret or bully his guest.
He showed the so called journalists of the unionist media how it should be done.
We can be confident they will never learn.

ronnie anderson

Coffin Dodgers For Indy – 1.

Mitch Kilbride / Bill Glen will be in Newcastleton at Lidalia caravan park from tomorrow ( i’ll be in sunnier climes ) any Wingers in or around that area are welcome to pop in for a Coffee & a Biscuit .

carjamtic

Just a wee note to fellow Wingers.

YES still here…..Still asking,still questioning “excuse me sir,did you just step out the Tardis into Victorian England” ?.

Still planking the milk and masking the tea….still YES.

Iain

Looks like Scotland is revolting against imperial rule.
Looks like the empire is on the ropes.
Freedom is a state of mind, we need to adopt it.
It is a good way to end this unequal union.

geeo

Notice how wee wullie wonkie was left to be “outraged” at “comrade salmond” at FMQ’s..quickly slaughtered by “Big John” in one cutting comment about rank hypocracy, considering “Vinnie” appearing not so long ago..!!

As for Mark McDonald, why is it only the SNP politicians who need held to account/scrutinised/suspended ?

Monica Lennon alleged she was sexually assaulted by a labour figure in front of 6 (yes..SIX) other labour figures, including one who chided her for “encouraging” him..!!

Has she made an official complaint yet ?

I only ask because the OFFICIAL Labour line is that the Party WILL NOT take ANY action until Lennon makes a formal complaint.

I mean, really ?

They know they have one attacker and 6 witnesses who did nothing to help, yet do not feel they need intervene in any way unless the victim makes an official complaint, despite the victim speaking of her ordeal !!!

Yet Mark McDonald needs crucified without any sort of official complaint by anyone as yet.

GTF.

Meg merrilees

Re crashing out o Europe with ‘No Deal’

Just picked up a thread on the Rev’s twitter feed.
Go to Alex Andreou’s twitter account and scroll down to pick up and read his long post.
He is talking about medicines.

If we crash out without a deal it will have a huge impact on supplies of medicine. If you remember, within a matter of weeks of the EU referendum, Europe took steps to begin relocating the EU drugs agency which had been based in the UK.

Alex maintains that in the intervening 18 months, the UK has done nothing to begin to establish a similar, UK replacement. He suggests that it would take an absolute minimum of two years to get one up and running and that we are now in serious danger of running out of time to create a new post-brexit medicines agency.

Without being too alarmist, it is suggested that worst case scenario is that those who rely on medication to live ( that’s me for starters) might not be able to obtain said drugs!

Now I sincerely hope that isn’t the case, but it does raise an alarming prospect.
Trade is obviously important and farmers and fishermen’s livelihoods are equally vital but it is the everyday things which could be most affected, and those areas that may to have such a vociferous lobby.

I intend to write to my MP and MSP on this medicine matter as I am concerned.
(It would be great if many other Wings posters felt inclined to do likewise.)

But crucially, it begs the question of Euratom and nuclear power-stations/energy especially since the UK gov has clamped down on the reporting of any incidents occurring at Faslane and Coulport.

How much worsens this going to get?
What a mess.

Ian Brotherhood

I’ve been trying to catch as many BBC ‘news’ bulletins as possible today, mostly via radio, but it’s impossible to cover them all…

Has anyone heard any BBC channel mention the Tory/120k deaths report?

Have just heard the R5Live news, and it mentioned something about benefits claimants being due a refund of X-million quid due to a cock-up or whatever, but *no* mention of the 120k-dead report.

Utterly extraordinary.

RT, it seems, covered it earlier today.

Please, anyone – if you’ve seen BBC coverage of it, do the right thing and let us know. We shouldn’t be jumping to any conclusions, but IF it turns out that they’ve chosen to D-Notice that report then we really are in some kind of end-game with the Beeb.

This cannot be allowed to continue.

Joemcg

This seems hard to believe but I’ve just read on The Sun site, unreliable I know, that Kezia Dugdale is going on I’m a celebrity! Dear God…

galamcennalath

Ian Brotherhood says:

Has anyone heard any BBC channel mention the Tory/120k deaths report?

Can’t say for sure about transmissions, but it looks as if there are no mentions of it on their website.

A google search for ….
120000 dead austerity
… shows a lot of media coverage over the last couple of days. Absolutely nothing from the BBC.

Further up thread I pointed out that a major element of BBC bias and manipulation is omission.

Here, you have highlighted the perfect example. Everyone is talking about it. It’s shockingly important. Yet Establisment loyalty keeps the BBC silent. IMO it’s not about D notices, it’s about the BBC doing ‘their duty’ and carrying out ‘their mission’.

This Union really really sucks! Scotland needs out, yet a lot of Scots don’t seem to have sussed that yet. Perhaps it shows the BBC’s omission antics are being successful, to some degree.

Robert Peffers

@yesindyref2 says: 17 November, 2017 at 8:01 pm:

” … so is now an Independent. He can only be removed if criminal offences are proven. In some ways it’s none of their business, except where it might be about party workers.”

I could be wrong but seems wasn’t an official complaint and it was he who said his actions had caused a female much distress. He said it was his heavy handed attempts at humour. I took from that he had not physically assaulted anyone.

Then came the second bit. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that his own admission had encouraged the offended female person to come forward and complain so the party suspended him. As yet there is apparently no mentions of physical or inappropriate contact.

It seems rather a storm in a teacup but I’m sure the truth will come out – which is far more than we can say of some of the apparently much more serious scandals that have blighted Westminster and the parties then in power in the UK government.

Far as I know the SNP have never swept their dirt under the carpet.

ScottieDog

@geeo
Good one about Mugabe!
Of course you can apply the same to Mr Neil!

Scotspine

Hi folks,

A favour please?

Can someone confirm they can read this post?

I just tweeted Stu about his hardware returned in evidence bags.

Had a very brief exchange regarding details on the bags and whether the date matched the original seizure.

My twitter account was suddenly disabled.

Need to know if i can still communicate.

galamcennalath

Meg merrilees says:

How much worsens this going to get?

Oh much much worse.

The ‘problem’ is it all talk and hypothesising. Too many people dismiss it as more ‘Project Fear’. They set it all aside thinking it won’t really all go tits up. And the Tories and most of the media feed this thinking – it will all come out right in the end, they preach.

One way out – common sense – if they must have Brexit then at least retain all the structures and regulatory bodies by staying in the single market. Neither Tories nor Labour seem like to deliver this.

Another way out – Scotland leaves them to it. There’s a catch 22. We can’t have IndyRef2 until Brexit proves to be awful and so Indy is winnable, yet Brexit is doggedly avoiding showing its truly awful nature.

And so on we go, with the Tories pushing closer to an Armageddon Brexit and too many people not taking the consequences seriously.

Robert Peffers

@Pentland Firth says: 17 November, 2017 at 8:07 pm:

“The BBC don’t seem to be much interested in due process in McDonald’s case.”

To be fair to the BBC they did not seem interested in the alleged Westminster Paedophile Ring, or any of the other real scandalous events that emanated from Westminster Parliament either but it isn’t the due process they were ignoring in those cases but the cases themselves and the guiltiness or not of the perpetrators.

Juan P

OT but related to BBC bias and ‘fake news’.
Is there no way to fund a freeview box type service which provides access to all channels except ones covered by the tv licence?

If a few hundred thousand people paid even £75 a year to that instead of the BBC would it not be a viable, and crucially lawful way of funding alternative media ahead of the next indy ref?

Fireproofjim

Scotspine
Received you loud and clear.

Jockanese Wind Talker

Aye @Scotspine says at 10:51 pm

“Need to know if i can still communicate.”

I can see your post.

Robert Peffers

@ronnie anderson says: 17 November, 2017 at 9:04 pm:

” … as I understand it there is no Police investigation at present or if it would be a police matter at all ,so nothing to stop the SNP getting underway with a investigation.”

Which seems to be exactly what they are doing, Ronnie. What’s more they are making press reports of what is happening. As far back as I can remember, (and that wasn’t the day before yesterday), none of the other political parties have ever done so. What information the public got was always dragged out of a, (usually un-named source), by some newspaper hack and it sure as hell was not by being released to the press.

Dr Jim

I find it a delicious irony that the Republic of Ireland has the power of veto over the Yoonited Kingdom who crushed them mercilessly for years

I certainly hope they exercise that veto mercilessly and don’t fall for Englands cheque book strategy

Molly

Meg Merrilees have a read of Faisal islam ( Sky reporter) Twitter feed. He’s raised the issue and got a smart Alex response from Aaron Banks of all people.

The comments underneath basically condemn Faisal for being negative about Brexit

Thing is , it’s not just medicines , there’s a lot of European links with the NHS for research too .

European directives like blood transfusion etc and basically because of the way the Westminster bubble operates ( with the media) no one is even attempting to answer the questions.

Petra

@ Scotspine at 10:51pm…..

Just confirming that I can see your post Scotspine.

Bob Mack

Wonder if Kezia is doing Celebrity Jungle to get the cash for the Rev’s defamation claim ?? ( laughs to self)

Scotspine

Thanks folks.

Just out of interest, my twitter is back up, but the tweet I sent is gone….

stu mac

@Lenny Hartley says:
17 November, 2017 at 8:01 pm
==================

Good points. It seems to me all this “Russia hacking/Russia fake news” stuff is a squirrel to deflect from the actual misdoings of Western politicians. One example, paraphrasing Putin: We didn’t do the hacking and anyway the emails that were released were real and the damage to Clinton was purely due to what the genuine emails revealed.

BTW I seem to remember early on in this there was a US newspaper article quoting some guy well up in US security who said the evidence pointed more to an internal leak rather than an outside hacker. Of course Trump is a disaster but so would Clinton have been in a different way.

Gary45%

geeo@9.47
This will be the downfall of the SNP.
I am a life long SNP supporter, but they have to STOP bowing to the establishment. As you commented about SLAB etc, it only seems to be the SNP who take internal action and always apologise!!!! WTF For? .
Its high time they told the rest to GTF.
If Ruthie Jong UN or this weeks Red Tory leader brings this up ANYTIME, they should fire back with the said parties scandals.
I didn’t mention wee Wullie or wee Patrick as there is no point.

stu mac

@stu mac
==========

To clarify my point above. Western MSM up in arms about alleged Russian interference. Yet the emails released were genuine and the damage to Clinton was due to real facts being released. It could very well NOT have been Russian hackers but the point is genuine information certain politicians didn’t want to see the light of day was released. What are they complaining about? Russians supporting democracy in the USA?

Lenny Hartley

Juan P you do not pay a licence fee to receive the BBC, you pay (if you watch live tv) a licence fee in order to receive television broadcasts. Whether that be the BBC or even RT.

Robert Peffers

@Iain says: 17 November, 2017 at 9:10 pm:

” … We can be confident they will never learn.”

Oh! They learn all right, Iain.

They all attend the BBC College of Broadcasting or The BBC Academy.

Some time ago, during Indyref1, YouTube carried the BBC College Lectures and I posted the YouTube, quite anti-SNP and Scotland, lectures of Brian Taylor as given to the so called journalists who were being briefed for their parts in the referendum campaign.

The result of such exposure to members of the public, (not just from myself of course), saw the, very large, series of BBC college lectures removed from YouTube. In fact what the BBC were doing was using YouTube to save themselves the expense of taking their employees to their college.

You can still find a very few more recent BBC College of Journalism stuff on YouTube and some stuff from what is now titled The BBC Academy.

So the truth is they are actually taught to be totally useless as actual interviewers but make great attack dogs, like Andrew Neil, Brian Tailor, Sara Smith. et.al.

Alex Clark

The Independence debate of Yes or No is now no longer just about whether Scotland should be an Independent country, it has become much more than that. It has morphed into a battle for the truth and that of democracy.

There is “fake news” and propaganda from both sides I’m sure but there’s a massive difference between the power of a state to produce suchlike in order to influence people than there is by small groups like those that read and post on Wings.

It make’s me think that the step up of this rhetoric is because we the small groups have them running scared, the’re losing this war on truth due to the internet and word of mouth.

Without the media as their mouthpiece people stop listening and then they are lost. I smell panic in the ranks of the establishment.

Petra

I notice that STV, nearly as bad as the BBC now, are still reporting on Mark McDonald, dragging it oot, but no mention of Rowley.

Aamer Anwar, Human Rights lawyer, has reported that numerous women have been in touch with him from interns to researchers and MPs at Holyrood complaining of a catalogue of sexual harassment incidents. Some of the incidents he said are so serious that if they had been carried out in a public place would have led to an arrest and the individual being placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The individuals involved came from across ALL political parties.

So what’s going on? Who are the perpetrators (if the stories are true)? Is Mark McDonald, who doesn’t seem to have committed a crime that would entail the Police being involved, being made a scapegoat? The sacrificial lamb?

mike cassidy

Not the only site noticing the BBC’s failure to report austerity deaths.

link to anotherangryvoice.blogspot.co.uk

Has anybody found any coverage yet?

If there’s no link on the page that carries the ‘underpaid benefits’ story, it really does look like they’re refusing to report it –

or have hidden it well.

link to archive.is

Clootie

…sometimes I could cry!

Tonight however I was saved by the Yorkshire Mugabe 🙂

Juan P

@Lenny Hartley

Thanks for the info and didn’t know that. I thought it was only live broadcasts from channels funded, or partially funded, by the licence.

Meindevon

Regarding Ms Dugdale and her quest for fame in the jungle. You’d think she should be spending her time working on her defence (‘I was just trying to stand up for a poor Senior Tory politician who is too weak to do it himself, M’Lud’ is one to get her started) with a court case up and coming.

Anyway, should she really be leaving the country for weeks with this on the horizon? Don’t know if there is a date for the case yet, but it can’t be far away surely?

Valerie

@ Meg Merilees

I don’t think raising the medicines issue is scaremongering at all.

On Monday, the EU intend to consider all the bids submitted for the relocation of the two big agencies, Finance and Medicine. Cities from all over began compiling their bids last year, so the EMA relocating out of UK is very real, and yes, what do we have in place?

I literally can’t believe what’s going on these days, and how the crisis is growing exponentially. Yet, there was a Yougov poll this week putting Labour 1 point ahead.

If this gov’t falls, England will ‘re elect Tories.

cirsium

@stu Mac, 11.25
the article by William Binney on the evidence pointing to a leak not a hack

link to consortiumnews.com

Valerie

Christ on a bike!

Kezia is going into the jungle?????!!!!

RoberT Kerr

Why oh why must we pay a licence to receive transmissions at all?

This is really extracting the Jackie Bailie!

Remember the licence was originally for radio, before TV.

You had to pay a licence to the British Government to listen to Radio Moscow!

Off to bed now. Hi there Cactus. God bless you!

Breeks

Alex Clark says:
17 November, 2017 at 11:46 pm

It make’s me think that the step up of this rhetoric is because we the small groups have them running scared, the’re losing this war on truth due to the internet and word of mouth.

I admire your confidence, but I don’t share it. There are too many parallels all over the place with 2014; everybody waiting for the grand strategy to reveal itself, only in 2014 it never did. Everybody was willing the SNP to address the media bias, and seize the initiative with their own pro Indy narrative, but they never did. They played fair while BBC and media ran circles around them. Without the same presence of the grassroots YES movement of 2014, we also have a much narrower front this time around, and I don’t see that as a good thing.

In 2017, Brexit is an important new dynamic, but it seems Brexit is as divisive for Yessers as it is for Unionists, and who knows where the hysterical media will leave the electorate. Time will tell whether it swings opinion to be anti Brexit or anti Europe. Personally, I see dangerous fissures in building up Independence as an anti-Brexit stance when a vocal minority of EFTA die-hards see Brexit as a prerequisite of a successful Yes vote.

I wholly disagree with Unionists who say there is no demand for a second referendum, but if they were to tweak that rhetoric to say there is no momentum for second referendum, I think they might have a point.

I sincerely hope we don’t find ourselves looking back on these current times, regretting that we didn’t commit to the Constitutional Sovereignty arguments much earlier, didn’t make a fight over our sovereign Remain vote, didn’t secure even probationary interlocutor status for Scotland to shadow the UK’s Brexit debacle with parallel Scottish Brexit negotiations, and didn’t build up any rapport with our friends in Europe, and didn’t affect a workaround to secure some form of broadcast network independent of the BBC and mainstream propaganda channels. I think the time should have been used more constructively.

As you can probably judge, I’m not a great believer in leaving the whole Independence narrative until the night before, and hope we can cram in enough Yes converts with a last minute surge. An Independent Scotland has much better arguments supporting it than Brexit does, so why aren’t we using them? For some bizarre god forsaken reason we have a pro independence government which still dares not mention the “i” word.

I do see fear and panic in the eyes of Unionists and the media, but it’s fear and growing recognition that Brexit is going to be an absolute catastrophe, and nobody wants to carry the can for it. It remains open to question who will capitalise on the back of that catastrophe, whether it stiffens resolve for Independence, or whether the media can manage to paint Independence as back stabbing opportunism by vile “separatists”. I hope the former, but with the BBC unleashed and unhinged, we should be ready for the latter.

Robert Peffers

@Juan P says: 17 November, 2017 at 10:59 pm:

“Is there no way to fund a freeview box type service which provides access to all channels except ones covered by the tv licence?”

NO! No! No! How many times must it be said?

A TV Licence is permission from the United Kingdom Government for the person paying the Licence fee to be LICENCED to receive live video broadcasts by anyone, anywhere and by any medium of delivery.

You are licenced, (that means given permission), to view live video broadcasts.

You DO NOT PAY THE BBC WITH YOUR LICENCE FEE.

The money goes to HM Treasury and the Westminster Government make an agreed grant to the BBC for Services rendered and that includes a lot more than broadcasting TV channels.

The BBC also earns funds by selling TV programmes all over the World and they sell many other products too. You can buy many musical performances and you will also have to pay performing Rights fees if you use BBC material, such as music or other stuff you record from the any BBC source.

The BBC has always been the directly paid for by Westminster propaganda machine, (and I pointed that out further up-thread quoting the history of BBC broadcasting since they took over from the UK Radio Receiver manufacturers who broadcast programmes in order to sell, “wireless sets”.

Westminster saw the possibilities and they formed the BBC by giving them a Royal Charter – a Royal Charter they still hold – so there you go it is, “The BBC by appointment of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”, and in 1688, by the English Parliament’s, “Glorious Revolution”, when they deposed the monarch they shared with the still independent Kingdom of Scotland and imported the foreign King Billy & Queen Mary of Orange in the joint monarch’s place. They forced the imported monarchs to legally, “devolve”, or delegate their royal sovereignty, to the Parliament of England. Note that as the Kingdom of Scotland was still independent, that English law could not apply to Scotland. (The simply were just ignoring the fact that Scotland HAD NOT deposed their monarchy), and that Kicked off what the actual rebels called, “The Jacobite Rebellion”.

But the Scots could not be rebels because the independent Kingdom of Scotland had NOT deposed their monarch and thus they could not rebel against the foreign to Scotland nor the monarchy still foreign to England, King Billy & Queen Mary of Orange. You cannot rebel against a monarch not your own.

The TV Licence is a PERMIT” to receive ANY FORM OF BROADCAST VIDEO and nothing else. It does not pay for BBC broadcast programmes.

HandandShrimp

I think Kezia will do OK in the jungle. It should be a piece of cake after coping with the poisonous wildlife in her own party for the last couple of years.

The pundits seem to think Jeremy Leonard will win the SLab job. Old, white, public school boy…sounds ideal. 🙂

Dr Jim

Does Kezia going into the Jungle mean she supports Australias vile policy of imprisoning Aboriginal boys and subjecting them to torture

This is horrendous behaviour and must outweigh Alex Salmonds vile behaviour as hers is definitely viler and horribler and newsworthier and worser than anything ever gone before in the history of the world

Let’s see it then Daily rags, and make it juicy leading up to the Johann Lamont knife in the back for Richard Leonard moment and then resignation

Mbwaahahaha!

Oh God what if she does the swimsuit showery bit, my eyes my eyes! Front page of the Sun though

Mrs Dr Jim can’t contain herself, she’s watching it!

dakk

Dugdale in the jungle,Davidson on the Bake Off.

What are these useless attention seeking Yoons like?

Wullie Rennie starring in a snuff movie next please.

Robert Peffers

@Gary45% says: 17 November, 2017 at 11:28 pm:

“This will be the downfall of the SNP.
I am a life long SNP supporter, but they have to STOP bowing to the establishment. As you commented about SLAB etc, it only seems to be the SNP who take internal action and always apologise!!!! WTF For? .”

Oh! For the love of whatever God you follow, stop talking utter pish!

In the first place you need to differentiate between the SNP as a political party and the SNP members who form the Scottish Government.

As an SNP card carrying member you have no loyalty to any other political party. In fact I think that is part of the SNP’s rules.

However, as Holyrood is legally a devolved part of the United Kingdom Government then any SNP member who is elected to government at Westminster, Holyrood or even Brussels or a local council is legally part of the Government of the United Kingdom and in fact they must either swear allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen or, (in the case of Scots), “make affirmation”, to that effect.

The only alternative is to act like Sinn Fein and refuse to take the seat they were elected to serve. So whether you like it or not the elected to office SNP members are part of the Establishment and thus legally bound by it’s rules.

Which fact has been well seen since Alex Salmond lost his seat. Now he can freely act in ways he was legally restrained from doing while an MP and/or MSP. Factually the SNP MPs, MEPs and MSPs are the only parts of , “The Establishment”, who work tirelessly to NOT be part of the Establishment.

Get a grip – for goodness sake the SNP MPs were even prevented from applauding in the House of Commons because it was against the UNWRITTEN rules of the House as interpreted by that wee shite Bercow, (Whose word is law in the House of Commons). Yet just last Week there was an outbreak of clapping by the unionists that went totally unremarked upon.

Grouse Beater

More on BBC Scotland’s demise here: link to wp.me

Breeks

Dugdale is doing the jungle thing???

Good lord. Is it a cry for help you think? Should we be worried? Maybe she’s ill….

Robert Peffers

@Juan P says: 18 November, 2017 at 12:03 am:

“Thanks for the info and didn’t know that. I thought it was only live broadcasts from channels funded, or partially funded, by the licence”

The Licence fee goes to the Treasury – not to the BBC.

In fact the original issuer and collector of the fee was the GOP under the Government appointer, “Postmaster General”.

When the GOP was split up as The Post Office and British Telecoms the collecting of the fee was made the responsibility of the BBC but the money was passed directly to the Treasury.

Then the BBC farmed out the collecting of the fee to a former Debt Collecting Agency – a private profit making firm.

The BBC has always been a private corporation but was created by a Royal Warrant/charter and that means legally belonging to the Government, (since 1688).

The BBC is, “By Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and its leaders are appointed by the Westminster Government who make an annual Grant to The BBC – it was only recently reviewed and agreed upon. Along with their regulator, The BBC Trust, being removed and replaced by OFCOM, (another government appointed outfit).

The truth and the propaganda the government feed you are two quite different matters. They want you to believe you pay for the BBC Programmes but the truth is you do not but the Government actually does. He who pays the piper – calls the tune.

Alex Clark

@Breeks

Yous said “I admire your confidence, but I don’t share it.”

That’s precisely where you and I have differed in recent times. I always remain confident because there will come a time when we will vote for our Independence no matter what you or I do or say.

How can you win without confidence?

If Andy Murray hears he’s meeting Djokovic in the final rather than the number 16 in the world does he say “Oh that’s me lost then”? Off course not, he has to believe in himself.

The biggest part of winning is instilling a winning mindset into those around them. That’s how great football managers like Jim McLean and Alex Ferguson of D. United and Aberdeen got the best out of mainly ordinary players that latterly become legends for how well they done in Europe. Without belief? Failure.

Instilling confidence helps create belief in those around you and too many Scots lack confidence, we call it the Scottish cringe. You get rid of the cringe by being positive, it’s always about opening eyes to the possibilities to those yet to see.

I remain positive and confident. Scotland will be Independent.

msdidi

stu mac
re your earlier post link to craigmurray.org.uk

Robert Peffers

@Breeks says: 18 November, 2017 at 12:53 am:

“I admire your confidence, but I don’t share it.”

That is your prerogative, Breeks, but there is one very simple fact that knocks your theory into the proverbial, “Cocked Hat”.

While every dead tree press retail outlet, both on and off line, is shrinking very, very fast and most broadcasters of political matters and news is also feeling the pinch. The likes of Wings, Wee Ginger Dug and such like are expanding exponentially.

Not only that but all unionist, (and that means the multi-coloured Tories), political parties memberships is fading away fast – except the independence parties. It is only the cash of the big, (usually international), business and the business organisations like, The Confederation of Business, that funds the right wing unionist parties, (and all unionist parties are right wing), that keeps the Tories, Labour and LibDems afloat.

The social media and word of mouth are slower in making their points but once made their points stick forever. Every day some floating voters make the transition to supporting Scottish independence and most of them stay converted.

Macart

@Alex

Form an orderly queue to the liferafts.

link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com

and one person’s day job is another’s Victoria sponge or Wotchetty grub…

link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com

yesindyref2

Seems like a solid rumour about Dugdale, kind of sad really. My guess is she’ll end up on the Alex Salmond Show – maybe even as a reporter!

Alex Clark

Telling you all now. I doubt she will go, else it’ll be hard to come back.

yesindyref2

\@Macart
Read that WGD article, quite kind and I’m glad about that.

Dugdale did her best and had two vital things she tried to put through for Labour to survive, one to get new blood (and hence get rid of some at least of the negative old guard like James Kelly who are holding the party back), and second to be neutral on Indy. There is a third now but it wasn’t there at the time, and that’s to be neutral on whether or not to have Indy Ref 2.

The party failed her on all three vital changes, and unless it mends its way, it’s doomed. Indy is not an issue that should be central to Labour’s strategy (laughs at the use of that word).

Anyway, shhh, don’t tell ’em!

Liz g

Breeks @ 12.53 am
You probably won’t be surprised to learn Breeks, that I agree with Alex and Robert.
While what you propose is certainly IMHO a valid road to independence…. that’s not the one we are on right now!

I know that you advocate doing both,but the SNP are following their program and don’t forget that …program… is what has got us where we are today.
While you and I would see securing the concept of Sovereignty as a belt and braces approach.
To do it at this point would, I think, simply be portrayed as “independence by the back door”, by the MSM, (ye know what their like) they would portray it as a con,a trick to get independence regardless of the result of Indy ref 2.
And since most people aren’t really very well informed about their Sovereignty the MSM would make it sound plausible.

As I see it ….we have to go for the vote first, hopefully with identical terms and conditions as the 2014 one,in the way that it is run.
Nicola Sturgeon has to all intent’s and purposes removed Devo Max…because all those power’s have already been rejected by Westminster when they refused to let Scotland forge it’s own deal with the EU!

I think that the…Hello World, We’re Sovereign…. options are best kept in reserve, to counter Westminster if when we vote Yes (especially if it’s a close one) they decided to pull the kind of shit that Spain is doing to Catalonia.

Jock & Jean public need to want to claim and own their Sovereignty…not as a get out of jail free card,but rather as a…oh yes we will have our vote implemented and here is exactly how we will do it!

As you well know there is no Court can rule against it,we are not locked into a constitution, we are a Sovereign nation in an international treaty….they can’t hold us …. and they know it too.

You should try for a bit of that optimism Breeks… A Union that half the country doesn’t want can’t survive,there will be a tipping point!
And as Robert has pointed out,all the traction is on our side.

Ken500

The idea that Mark McDonald is a sexual predator is just such absolute rubbish. Some stupid text message used by the Daily Record fecking bastards to try and destroy a good person who has done so much for additional needs etc. To cover up for rapists and killers at Westminster.

The Daily Record adulterers and women harassers. They thrive on the abuse of woman. Supporting criminals at Westminster who are abusing and killing people the world over and destroying the world economy.

The ‘journalist’ liars adulterers and woman harassers are trying to destroy the world. Owned by non Dom tax evaders, These charlatans are in their pocket. The stinking fecking Vow. The unionist warmongering tax evaders are targeting and abusing women and children leaving them in poverty. Sanctioning and killing people. Stealing £Billions from the public purse. Most of them should be in jail. Stealing £Billions from Scotland to enable their corrupt regime. The MSM liars. Neil is just another one. Who watchs the nonsense. Or buys the MSM fecking rubbish. They must be taken in by liars.

It could not get any worse. Dugdale in the jungle. Drawing a salary from the Scottish taxpayers for leave of absence. Taking the piss as usual. The Herald is just a disgrace. Going down the tubes. The political awards what a joke. An insult to the public.

The BBC prima donnas, over remunerated tax evaders, appealing for charity money. What a disgrace. If they paid their fecking taxes.there would be less need for charity. BBC £3.7Billion. What a waste. The non Dom tax evader papers appealing for Charity. What a bunch of hypocrites. Scrooge appealing for Christmas. Riping off the public purse so they can tax evade.

Ken500

MSM Press tarted up with images of boobs and bums. Taking their clothes off so they think they will get noticed. They thrive on it. Football run by tax evaders and perverts. Or both, Ripping off the punters and the tax payers. Destroying their own industry.

No wonder films are such rubbish. Stoney false actors and images. Run by perverts. A bunch of fecking low lives. Including politicians. See the behaviour of the unionist mob at Westminster. They are a bunch of low lives. Destroying the world economy. There behaviour is appalling. Never has there been such a bunch of useless bastards. Lying their pockets with public money.They don’t know what to do next to annoy and anger people. They always succeed with that, Nothing else.

ScottieDog

@Liz g
I agree, the more the status quo crumbles around WM the louder they will shout. UK media is certainly circling the wagons and I would agree the best thing the SNP can do is remain the course.
Of course Davidson is going to keep shouting about Indy, even though the SNP are pretty quiet about it – it’s all she’s got

The foaming over RT and Eck’s show is desperate stuff. If I was suspicious about Russian infiltration I would look directly at the Tory party. They are doing a grand job of destroying the fabric of the UK.
Not sure about open skies post 2019 but we certainly have ‘open seas’ now that we have no airborne maritime fleet and a navy not fit for purpose. So for me I would look at WM for the Russian mole. Laughably, hollywood, pinewood etc seem to make many of their villains blond with an Eastern European accent. I’d say Boris’ Eton accent is very good 😉

Sandaidh MacCoinnich

We indeed are leaving the UK.

Sick of the relentless propaganda.
Sick of the Scottish cringe.
Sick of being at the mercy of ruling class simpletons.
Sick of the perpetual bullshit.
Sick of the “proud” Scots with their heads buried in the sand.
Sickened by being stuck slap bang in the middle of a Tory hotbed.

All of which has me shifting between nausea, rage and disbelief on a daily basis.
Not good for the health.
Time to go.
Fuck it.

Nana

Links

link to alynsmith.eu

link to farminguk.com

link to randompublicjournal.com

Isles MP Angus Brendan MacNeil today visited the Arnish Yard in Lewis
link to archive.is

Nana

link to taxresearch.org.uk

link to politicshome.com

BBC1 may not think 120,000 deaths linked to Tory austerity is newsworthy but let’s show them WE do!
link to facebook.com

link to undercurrentnews.com

Nana

link to infacts.org

link to gov.uk

No wonder John Redwood backs Brexit. He will make money out of it, after all
link to archive.is

Tusk tells UK: no trade talks without progress on money and Ireland
link to archive.is

mike d

Valerie 12.43am. “If this government falls ,england Wil re-elect the tories)..you can be sure of that valerie,I’ve lived down here for over 40yrs and I recognise a right wing people and their country when i see one.

Nana

Irish Foreign minister springs idea that transition period is likely to have to last 5 years at presser with Johnson
link to twitter.com

link to pulsetoday.co.uk

link to bloomberg.com

link to ww100scotland.com

Macart

@Nana

James Kelly piece pretty much on target and as for Richard Murphy’s?

Yeah, that’s pretty much along the lines I’m thinking. It’s not about could a UK out of the EU free market survive. Yes it could… eventually. It’s about the pace of adjustment and restructuring of an entire economy to suit a new landscape. It’s about restructuring your entire society to accept a new economic culture and reality. Something that took decades to build in the current instance, will require decades to replace. There is no replacing those skill sets or filling those vacated posts overnight.

As for what happens in the meantime? The fall will be steep and brutal.

Jack Murphy

Brian Doonthetoon said at 5:45pm last night,among other things:
“……”Once you see the exposés by GA Ponsonby and Prof Robertson (and others), the trust in the BBC as an “impartial” broadcaster is broken……..”

For Newbies and Weekenders a big welcome. 🙂
Unfamiliar of the two people referred to in Brian’s post?
Here are a couple of links:

Until recently GA Ponsonby was a regular contributor here:
link to indyref2.scot

AND Professor Robertson may be found here:
link to tinyurl.com

richie bradley

that’s my money they spent on pure guff, they didn’t even ask me..
self indulgent pish.

geeo

If anyone has not watched the 2nd video above, you absolutely have to..!!

Afshin Rattansi utterly demolishes the 3 clowns.

But the way he does it…oh my..!! Hilarious !

Street Andrew

John H. says:
17 November, 2017 at 11:54 am
In Andrew Neil’s world he’s quite the ladie’s man.

Do you really mean ladie’s (sic) man, or do you mean big girl’s blouse?

ScotsCanuck

…. Bloody Hell, even the Village idiot (sit down Rennie) would cringe at that !! …. humour I can appreciate, especially when well executed … but that was infantile, even if I was being flattering.

Gary

And the question none would answer, “How DO you know the Kremlin is responsible?” My question ‘WHY won’t they answer?’

Derek McLean

Golden gun?
The man with the brass neck.


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