One tired eyebrow
Posted on
October 01, 2018 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
Everybody who votes in Scotland must surely know that even if the SNP have not put it in their election manifesto, that a vote for the SNP is a vote for independence.
The Scottish government’s job is to protect the people who live in Scotland. Can the Scottish government act on our behalf, say to the people of Scotland that they believe Westminster are disregarding the Scottish majority views on Brexit and that the only way to make sure that the Scots get what the majority voted for is to remove Scotland from the UK union? No permission from Westminster required, no referendum needed. They are looking after the majority’s needs. No government can keep everyone happy, there will always be some who don’t agree.
But the SNP ARE an independence party. They ARE in power/government. The majority of people living in Scotland want to remain in the EU.
Isn’t this what Mrs May is doing after all with regard to leaving the EU? Looking after the majority (of English voters), forgetting the rest?
Or is this too simple and I am being terribly naive?
Bob Mack
I’m not suggesting the SNP aren’t doing all in their power, I just hope they are doing all that is necessary to protect the human rights of sovereign Scots.
I suggested my motives aren’t driven by ego, a good while back. Not entirely true, as self-conception and self-preservation are ultimately the root of my fears for the future. Though I am still of an economically productive age, my age and disability mean I’m economically noncompetitive. I really can’t see a future for me in austerity Brexitania, when I already know my humanity is deemed second-class by Westminster.
I’m brickin’ it!
@stu-mac
Apologies, I tuned out to the whole Rangers debacle so much that I hadn’t realised that the Taxman had finally won once they’d changed their case from demanding taxes for future payments to challenging EBT’s as a form of disguised renumeration.
The point I made about what Rangers were kicked out for still stands. Even without a final judgement they were in breach of the rules of the competition. That’s why the SPL could act before a final judgement could be given. However it also explains why they limited what they could do due to the fact that if they went in all guns blazing then they risked Rangers, of whatever form, coming back at them for prejudicing their case.
Admittedly it more a case of not allowing the successor firm to simply buy the share in the SPL held by the former and continuing from where the former left off. It also involved reunification with the lower league body to have some control of where “Rangers” entered those leagues. If they hadn’t then they’d probably have been out of the Premier for only a single year and kept more of their best players.
Liquidation of the former company was inevitable though because win or lose the tax case HMRC were going to get the money. The change in the law meant that when the EBT’s were due to pay out the tax would become due. It was the Sword of Damocles hanging over Oldco’s head. The only difference was that if HMRC won then the money would be due immediately. In effect even if Rangers had won their use of EBTs relied on no changes to taxation which was a foolish thing to do.
@ Dorothy at 8:34am …….. “Oh Jings Petra, whit are we tae dae? We cannae manage aw’ that black, black gold by oorselfs.”
Dorothy thank God am no on ma own here. Am on the verge of hiven a nervous breakdoon jist thinkin aboot it. Chain smokin and drinkin twa much. Nails bitten to the quick and ma hair’s fallin oot noo. Dae you think the guid folks in Lundun will be willin tae carry this burden fir us? Huv yi heard anythin ither way? Am terrified they’ll say naw, becus if they dae whit will we dae then? Jist let it dribble intae the watter? Or dae you think onybody else wud want it? It’s said by the crowd in Lundun tae be second rate rubbish and thir’s no much left ither. Jist enuff tae gie me the shivers and a wee bout o diarrhoea. A’ve bin thinkin we shud scrape up sum money tae pay for sum numpty tae tak it. No thit a like connin folk richt enuff, but am at the end of ma tether, Dorothy, becus a ken this is gonnae destroy Scotland. It’s destroying me. A canny stop greetin, FGS. Whit a bliddy nightmare. Burdened by oil and God thair sayin noo thit wir burdened wae gas tae. Hiv yae herd aboot that? Sorry Dorothy, speak tae yae later as a’ll need tae go an tak a wee lie doon in the alcove.
………………….
@ Nana at 10:53am …… “It would take more than one critical comment to get rid of me.”…
Don’t I know it Nana. You’re in it, come hell or high water, to the grand finale.
……………………….
@ Giving Goose at 10:24am … Sheer Tory arrogance right enough GG, plus their sense of entitlement and a blinkered view of the level of opposition to them north of the border. Generated by people like Dark money Davidson duping them all, the dupes, into thinking that she’s Ruth1 Queen of Scotland.
………………………
@ Breeks at 10:49am …..”The SNP just don’t seem to relish the job.”
Why don’t YOU do something about it Breeks? Stand for election? Start a petition? Contact some constitutional experts? Contact the UN or EU? With the amount of time that you’ve spent on this subject, on here, you could have had it done and dusted by now.
As I’ve said already your focus seems to be on discrediting Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP at every turn, masked by your sovereignty / constitutional gripes. Complaining about them not motivating people whilst your “contributions” are totally de-motivating. You’ve never got a good word to say about them and never post any data / informative links to encourage visitors to this site to join our cause. You in fact are “doing absolutely NOTHING to nurture and encourage that swing in the polls.” No, I’ll retract or alter that statement. You seem to be doing everything in your power to discourage an upward swing in the polls.
You say, “that salvation which arrives AFTER March next year, after Scotland leaves Europe is not salvation …. but a humiliating and unmitigated defeat” and yet in your last post you were advocating all sorts of salvational actions that would have gone on and on well past next March. Make up your mind. Make up your mind as to whether you actually want Independence or not.
Bob Mack 😉
YTY National Finals
link to youtube.com
I wonder what happened to my response to Dorothy, Giving Goose, Nana and Breeks?
Another post, which took some time to put together, just disappeared into the ether.
Off-putting to say the least.
Hi Petra.
Do you mean your comment at 1.17pm?
@ Brian Doonthetoon says at 3:52 pm …. ”Hi Petra. Do you mean your comment at 1.17pm?”
Ha ha ha! That’s the one Brian, however it wasn’t there when I posted the one around 3.00pm. Strange goings-on.
I have to apologise for my poor command of the Scots language. Pathetic or what?
Hamish100 Scotland has its own Parliament and of course Australia, Canada and New Zealand still share a Head of State with the UK even if otherwise independent, India is independent and has its own President as Head of State but still makes an important contribution to the Commonwealth
Petra Gibraltar voted 98.97% to keep full British sovereignty over Gibraltar on an 88% turnout in a referendum in 2002.
Scotland voted 55% to stay part of the UK and against independence in the 2014 referendum on an 85% turnout.
While most English voters would prefer Scotland to stay in the UK on balance on a forced choice as to whether they would rather keep Scotland in the UK or Gibraltar as a British territory inevitably most will choose Gibraltar where almost all Gibraltarians want to stay British rather than Scotland where at least 45% of Scots are Scottish nationalists and voted against staying in the UK
HYUFD
Those are quite sweeping statements, what’s your frame of reference.
HYFUD
‘Inevitably most’ would base this decision on the font of knowledge they have on devolution and Scotland and of course their up to the minute info re Gibralter?
The FUD is back with his verbal diarrhoea. Put your nappy on. Your crap stinks out Wings.
And a great response, NOT, from you too Cubby.
Cameron B Brodie
link to scotsman.com
Molly They would base it of course on the fact that Gibraltarians are almost universally proud to be British as the 2002 referendum there proved, while 45% of Scots are nationalists who do nothing but whinge and complain about being British and about England as the 2014 referendum in Scotland proved. If you had to to ditch one of the two you are going to ditch the one with the most moaners obviously!
HYUFD
So Scots should knuckle down, get behind Brexit and be happy to be British, is that your pitch?
Petra@9.56pm
Not clear what you are saying. Can you clarify?
Gibralterians are Spanish/Moorish. UK has no right to be there as Gibralter was taken by armed force. Likewise Spain has no right to Ceuta in North Africa – opposite Gib. England and Spain are sad right wing colonialist powers who cant believe this is the 21st Century.
Usual HYFUD drivel
What concessions do you expect Spain to exact to allow the continuation of
“Gibraltar as a British territory”?
Also
Should Westminster facilitate a Border Poll in Ireland so that the “democratic will of the people” that is Brexit can proceed (in line with polling that English voters would allow NI to reunify with Eire to allow England and Wales to “take back control”)??
Should TMay let Scotland have its Independence Referendum (again so that England and Wales get the Brexit they voted for, and to teach Scotland the harsh lesson that it cannot stand alone without England’s benevolence)???
Call our bluff.
Section 30 and both Referendums before 29th March 2019 (with Westminster’s blessing).
Would save all the Brexit headaches
Deliver “the will of the ‘British’ people”
If the Scots and Northern Irish vote to remain in the UK build your hard border wall in Ireland and rename Scotland ‘North Britain’.
If you truly believe the BritNat Propaganda why not?
Dare your Neo Fascist Government to pull the pin and find out if it goes ‘bang’ or just hisses and fizzes out.
It’s what Churchill would have done.
CameronB Brodie 45% of Scots voted Yes in 2014 even before Brexit and I voted Remain, Brexit was just another nat excuse for yet more whinging. Plus more Gibraltarians voted Remain than Scots (although still less than voted to stay British in 2002)
Hamish100 It is up to the people of Gibraltar whether they want to stay British or not, in 2002 almost 100% of them voted to stay British
Jockanese Wind Talker It is up to the people of Gibraltar if they want to stay British and in 2002 an overwhelming majority of them voted to stay British. Spain is also hardly going to invade Gibraltar given the UK has a larger military and navy than Spain.
In NI most Protestants and Protestant counties voted to Leave the EU and want to stay British, the fact most Catholic counties voted Remain and may eventually join the Republic is a different matter.
The fact on a forced choice most English people would rather keep Gibraltar as a British territory than keep Scotland in the UK does not change the fact 63% of Scots voted for Unionist parties at GE17 after the SNP voted in Holyrood to use Brexit as their latest excuse to push indyref2.
HYFUD
When has a major decision taken by the electorate ever been based on fact?
Decisions decisions ‘ ditch’ your oil, whiskey,financial services or ‘ditch’ your tax haven ,spoiled for choice…
Wonder which one would effect the average voter most ?
How are those discussions going with Spain, the border, the tax system ?
Actually in the run up to the EU ref I went along to a meeting. The unfortunate David Cockburn was on the panel but after the laughter died down,an American historian stood up and gave his view.
The US wanted GB in Euroand into Europe we went.
The US now wants us out the EU and out the EU we’ll go.
It could get very murky with all those tax havens, chlorinated chicken and right wing zealots but it’s nice you think the people of England still has some say and oh don’t forget there’s still the little matter of Arlene Foster…
HYUFD
“Brexit was just another nat excuse for yet more whinging”
You clearly don’t understand the principles of plural democracy nor universal human rights. Try googling the “Right to Development”, then check out international law re. self-determination. You are aware that political agency is vital to personal well-being and good mental health? Can you explain how Brexit will add to the agency and social capital enjoyed by Scots?
Gibraltar is a Treaty of Utrecht ‘prize’ @HYFUD (that’s a 1713 Treaty so an iScotland would be entitled to a minimum of 8% of the value of it (its tax free revenue) and it’s infrstructure as an asset (assuming an iScotland was being held liable to a single penny of 8% of the UKs National Debt (the £2 Trillion and rising one).
Spain will exact a price (most certainly access to UK waters for fishing) via their EU Veto.
Currently most Gibraltairians would vote to remain in the EU than as a Special Member State territory of the United Kingdom.
Westminster is currently unraveling (and/or riding roughshod) a lot of historical (but still valid) International Treaties.
Seriously if you truly believe what you post surely TMay granting an S30 to Scotland and NI would be a win/win for your British Nationalist Exceptionalism?
Why not (ignore % from polls/surveys/past votes) straight yes/no, put up or shut up.
All done and dusted prior to 29th March 2018.
You still get your Red,White and Blue God Save The Queen & Her Neo-Facist Regime Brexit.
We get Indy or assimilation.
Why not?
HYUFD
British nationalism is on very thin ice, don’t you agree?
link to projects.essex.ac.uk
Interesting to see HYUFD bringing up Gibraltar which voted to Remain in the EU by 98%, with Sturgeon going a visit I think soon after, and the Gib Gov giving a wee reception at the SNP Conference with Mike Russell as a speaker.
I’m sure HYUFD isn’t trying to stir it up, not really.
To those who are scared to leave UK we should make the Tories (honestly) answer ONE question – “Why do you want to keep us?”
CameronB Brodie Self Determination? Like the 55% No vote in 2014 nationalists started trying to overturn barely a day after the vote?
Jockanese Wind Talker 99% of Gibraltarians voted to stay a British Territory in 2002, 95% to Remain in the EU in 2016.
Polling also shows most English and Scottish voters want to avoid No Deal with the EU and both would ultimately accept a Canada style deal, the differences between the two on Brexit are not as big as they may first appear.
yesindyref2 Gibraltar voted 95% to stay in the EU, 99% to stay a British territory
link to en.wikipedia.org
link to en.m.wikipedia.org
Gary There are Tories in Scotland too, 28.6% of Scots voted Tory at GE17 and over 90% of Scottish Tories voted to stay in the UK at the 2014 independence referendum
Simon you’re still a muppet.
HYFUD simple question:
Should T May Call our bluff?
Grant a Section 30 for an Independence Referendum in Scotland and Border Poll for NI before 29th March 2019.
Deliver “the will of the ‘British’ people”
If the Scots and Northern Irish vote to remain in the UK build your hard border wall in Ireland and rename Scotland ‘North Britain’.
If you truly believe the BritNat Propaganda (% of this = that etc. etc.) why not?
Seriously
WHY NOT?
Of course not given she is moving towards the whole UK staying in the customs union to get a transition period and resolve the Irish border issue. During the transition from March 2019 there will be little difference pre Brexit to post Brexit while a FTA is being negotiated