The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


One more time for the folks at home

Posted on January 11, 2013 by

For goodness’ sake. Despite believing we’d laid the issue to rest once and for all, we’re STILL getting comments and tweets from readers who haven’t grasped Alistair Darling’s simple, straightforward explanation of whether Scotland’s decision in the independence referendum would be irreversible and forever, or whether we would instead quickly and inevitably find ourselves back in the Union.

Since you clearly found our previous quotes from the “Better Together” chairman inexplicably ambiguous, we’ve gone back and found a couple more from the same interview that should DEFINITELY clear things up.

5 minutes 3 seconds

“I think people in Scotland can distinguish between the election of a government for five years – Holyrood or Westminster – and this thing, the referendum, which is about what we have for the next three HUNDRED years!”

14 minutes 24 seconds (in response to the question “Do you think a currency union with Scotland would be in the interests of the United Kingdom?”)

“Of course! If you have independence, or separation, of course a currency union is logical, and d’you know why? Because a currency union ultimately leads to an economic and then a political union, which is what we’ve got now! I believe in a political union!”

Pay attention this time, readers. Honestly.

6 to “One more time for the folks at home”

  1. naebd says:

    “independence, or separation”

    ‘Independence’ passed his lips! Progress!

    EDIT: remove italics that I never wanted in the first place. Damn wacky comment system.

    Reply
  2. Luigi says:

    “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive”.
     

    Reply
  3. Morag says:

    You really think he’s a novice?  I think he’s just incompetent despite years of high-level experience.

    Reply
  4. cadgers says:

    I think he’s secretly in the pay of the YES campaign. He’s angling to ‘flip’ to the winning side!

    Reply
  5. Jeannie says:

    I think people in Scotland can distinguish between the election of a government for five years – Holyrood or Westminster – and this thing, the referendum, which is about what we have for the next three HUNDRED years!”
    WHIT?  They told me if I voted No it would settle the question once and for all.  Now he’s telling me that in 2314 those nasty Nats are going to start this all over again???? Whit are they like? Don’t think I can go through it a second time!

    Could somebody ask him – is it once and for all or do I need to worry about this for the next 300 years? Oh and while you’re at it, ask him why, if his powers of clairvoyance are that good, he didn’t see the financial crash of 2007 coming.

    Reply
  6. Cuphook says:

     
    I don’t think that Darling cares if he contradicts himself. The soul purpose of the No campaign is to instil fear into the voters and therefore all questions must be answered with a negative spin. Any inconstancy in their argument is irrelevant as it’s not if the media will pull them up on it.
     
    Look at Darling’s ‘tour of Scotland’ which is portrayed by the media as a god walking among us rather than a discredited politician unable to attract enough people to fill small rooms.
     
    And Iain Grey as an ‘advisor’? I thought that the country had already passed its verdict on him.
     
    I’m convinced, more than ever, that with a bit of work we’ll get an unequivocal YES in 2014.

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,945 Posts, 1,246,400 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Southernbystander on Search And Replace: “All nationalism, including the Scottish variety is a ‘political and cultural ideology’ by definition but to then say that means…Jul 7, 09:51
    • Captain Caveman on Search And Replace: “Well the main problem, I think, is that you constantly come across as some clueless whinger with an axe to…Jul 7, 09:32
    • Alf Baird on Search And Replace: “British ‘unionism’ is ‘a nationalist political and cultural ideology’ (Pettigrew). Or, what Elkins describes as ‘nationalist imperialism’, i.e. colonialism. Colonialism…Jul 7, 09:04
    • Dan on Search And Replace: “It really isn’t that much of a conundrum. You should maybe take some time off endlessly posting on here and…Jul 7, 08:48
    • Hatey Mchateface on Search And Replace: “Really Twat H? Anybody saying that Scotland should develop its resources to provide jobs for Scots and earn taxable profits…Jul 7, 08:36
    • twathater on Search And Replace: “Dan as soon as I read that post on yesthink.scot I thought I was reading something from Chas, Aydan, or…Jul 7, 03:09
    • robertkknight on Search And Replace: “You’ve not been paying attention. I do vote. I go into a booth and if no candidate takes my fancy…Jul 6, 22:32
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: ““humans haven’t suddenly evolved to be twice the size we were a few decades ago” False memories there? Try looking…Jul 6, 22:29
    • Dan on Search And Replace: “@ Confused at 1:23 pm On form today C! As the mentalists continue to wage war, and Musk and others…Jul 6, 21:47
    • Dunx on Search And Replace: “With the Catholics you also got the inquisition. Their main weapon was fear.Jul 6, 21:12
    • Southernbystander on Search And Replace: “Up to a point, I don’t disagree Alf, but all racism is bad, no matter its origin, and nationalists also…Jul 6, 20:15
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “You are all singing from the same BBC hymn sheet. Nothing will distract from the disaster that is now Scotland.…Jul 6, 19:56
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “You don’t vote but you could go on and on about Reform. You are suddenly an expert on Reform corruption.…Jul 6, 19:38
    • Alf Baird on Search And Replace: ““committed racists” Colonialism is described as ‘hateful racism’ (Cesaire); thus, colonialists must be ‘committed racists’. Scots ‘unionists’ evidently still need…Jul 6, 19:13
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: ““The oppressive jackboot of the coloniser will never be lifted from the throats of the wretched, nor the alien, colonising…Jul 6, 19:02
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: “The Central and Southern American peoples who practiced centralised government, settled agriculture, irrigation and monumental building in stone were not…Jul 6, 18:53
    • James on Search And Replace: “Is it no past your bed time wee man? “…..I don’t know whether you’re doing your regular piss take or…Jul 6, 18:39
    • robertkknight on Search And Replace: “Sure, and the only way to beat a cocaine addiction is to use heroine and vote Reform. Any other random…Jul 6, 18:33
    • TURABDIN on Search And Replace: “on the subject of «areswipes», this ought to win a prize for the AI generated variety. https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/eustons-transformation-success-depends-on-taking-a-people-and-place-based-approach-03-07-2026/ London the Great…Jul 6, 16:40
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “The only way Scotland can even begin to start a fresh independence movement is to learn from the past and…Jul 6, 16:26
    • Marie on Search And Replace: “Hate-filled @ 11.59hrs. You haven’t been cruel to me in the slightest. I am well aware of the theft of…Jul 6, 16:04
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “Dave the Jewish Jew hater.Jul 6, 15:56
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “@Hatey That’s the point about these people. They are in a constant state of funeral.Jul 6, 15:45
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: “Finding out his real name is Dave was the last straw.Jul 6, 15:31
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “Police told “stop the woke culture and get on with catching criminals” Are Police Scotland listening?Jul 6, 15:17
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “Big ugly Zak is getting the chop. Way to toxic for the liberals and not Marxist enough for the Antifa…Jul 6, 15:02
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: “In excess of 7 million deaths were attributed to Covid by April 2024 when the gathering of international statistics ceased.…Jul 6, 14:59
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “Is it not time you started sharing those drugs you are on so the rest of us can keep up?Jul 6, 14:47
    • Hatey McHateface on Search And Replace: “Credit where credit’s due, Mark. They know how to stage a good funeral. I doubt that even the North Koreans…Jul 6, 14:31
    • Mark Beggan on Search And Replace: “Tuberculosis was the weapon used. Very effective. Maximum fatality. No cure at that time. The same method used successfully all…Jul 6, 14:29
  • A tall tale



↑ Top