Operation Brunchflan Update
As the long-running police probe into SNP finances continues, Wings received some slightly surprising news today in the form of an FOI response.
Based on reports from various trustworthy sources we’d expected to hear that the police side of the investigation was by this point winding down somewhat, with most matters of fact already established, detectives assigned to other duties and the ball now largely in the court of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
But it seems that isn’t so.
We’d asked for the data of how many officers and support staff were allocated to the inquiry on various dates over the past year, and the numbers have barely changed, with the team only down one Detective Sergeant since this time last year.
The day after we filed our FOI, the Scottish Sun published a piece saying there’d still been no report handed to the Crown Office. But while entirely accurate, that story – which headlined with a quote from COPFS saying “We haven’t received a Standard Prosecution Report from police in this investigation so the question of if there should be a prosecution has not been considered” – was somewhat misleading.
A Standard Prosecution Report is not the only means by which the police interact with the Crown Office, and indeed in a complex case like this one it’s very unlikely that they would do so, because the submission of an SPR starts a clock ticking on prosecutions.
Instead, they’d file something called a Subject Sheet, which essentially passes the same information without triggering the clock. That enables COPFS to examine it and ask for further information, clarification of points, or instruct additional action be carried out – exactly in keeping with the story in today’s Times. This stage can take several months after the filing of the Subject Sheet.
Our source noted that “there’s nothing sinister in this at all. It’s normal procedure in huge cases with a lot of evidence/detail”. But it does also enable COPFS to perfectly truthfully deny having received an SPR, and thereby give a conveniently misleading impression to the media.
(Who can’t submit an FOI about the contents of a Subject Sheet, because those will often contain restricted and sensitive information. And because any inquiry will typically involve the submission of very many Subject Sheets, simply asking if there have been any of those will reveal nothing useful.)
But however lawful it might be, it is of course still ridiculous for the Crown Office to imply that they haven’t been updated by Police Scotland on the single most important criminal inquiry in the country, involving serious criminal allegations likely to include fraud and embezzlement of significant sums of money involving the (then) serving First Minister, her party-CEO husband and the party treasurer.
Use of Subject Sheets to circumvent the ramifications of an SPR is normal and buys the inquiry time, but it cannot be done indefinitely, because excessive delay is to the detriment of the accused. (And also adds to public suspicion of political interference, which is a highly sensitive issue in a case like this.)
So while it may not have the legal resonance that comes with a Standard Prosecution Report, the clock on a decision is definitely ticking quite loudly now, and Wings would be surprised if it was much longer before one came along.
Nevertheless, it’s already plain that unless the inquiry concludes with no charges being brought – which would raise a great many eyebrows, to say the least, after such a long and costly investigation – there’s now absolutely no realistic chance of it being concluded by the general election.
Even if was expedited as a priority, a trial of the complexity that would be involved would itself take several months and have very little chance of starting before the summer. Wings would be surprised if the election is any later than October, but in any event it can’t be later than early January, and it looks very much that one way or another, the SNP will be conducting it under the shadow of Operation Branchform.
Thanks Stu for an informative report. This does give hope a real prosecution may occur and we are not in cover up territory
But out of the 15 police and 5 support staff; how many are actually doing any investigating, and how many are pushing paper around?
I wonder what proportion of each officer’s time is being devoted to this, i.e. what exactly does ‘allocated to’ signify? Officers have a number of cases on their ‘load’. The prioritisation attached to each case depends upon ‘higher level’ priorities. Hm.
And this is why I pay my paltry sum each month , thank you
I keep having swings and roundabout on this.
It looked terrible with the blue tents
It remained terrible as it went on for a few weeks and months
But I have to say, as it’s gone on, I’m actually more inclined towards this maybe being a fit up job. How can it have gone on sooo long? They either have evidence or they don’t. Get on with it.
All parties deserve swift justice. Seems political, on whatever side, for it to be dragged out.
“I wonder what proportion of each officer’s time is being devoted to this, i.e. what exactly does ‘allocated to’ signify? Officers have a number of cases on their ‘load’. The prioritisation attached to each case depends upon ‘higher level’ priorities. Hm.”
I suspect that what they’ve done there is not really answer my question, and instead just give me the “book strength” of the investigation team.
“But I have to say, as it’s gone on, I’m actually more inclined towards this maybe being a fit up job. How can it have gone on sooo long? They either have evidence or they don’t. Get on with it.”
For what it’s worth, I’m still a good 90% confident there’ll be charges. They haven’t put this much time and expense into it to whitewash it.
Truth to tell I am surprised that this investigation has not had further resources allocated-and a lot of them; they may of course have access to forensic accountants etc. but nevertheless in a potential case into whether, in effect, the assembly placed in governance over them may have been-or still may be-a criminal cabal, this is quite important work.
@ Rev: “They haven’t put this much time and expense into it to whitewash it.”
Police Scotland put as much time etc into the allegations against Alex Salmond and prosecuted him for [not] tweaking someone’s hair and kissing someone on the cheek in a theatre foyer.
I have no belief in their probity whatsoever and fully expect nothing like sense or justice to result from Operation Bull…
COPFS… Crime Only Pays For Some
We only need to establish who the “some” is.
link to archive.is
I missed this at the end of January.
Police investigating ‘forged signatures’ in SNP finances inquiry
I was trying to figure out why the police might need to re-interview staff.
I suppose if they find new evidence like this for example they might have go back and ask further questions.
Is ‘Brunchflan’ just a more macho name for a Quiche?
Operation Bodyform will prove conclusively that there were no leaks during this period.
Then there are the rumours of other investigations of other financial going on as per Craig Murray several months ago.
If these allegations are included in Branchform as Craig reported it may be several years before investigations are concluded.
Memory hazy so I would need to check the books again but if they lost 50k members , then £450 k would only fill the hole in the membership income for several months. Reported membership income was not reducing whilst the membership was , donations and bequests were next to nothing, so was money coming from somewhere else to fill the black hole in the books , asking for a friend.
Fairly obvious how this is going to play out, charges will be laid to Murrell, Sturgeon and Beattie around 8 weeks before this years general election, the trial will be set for the back end of 2025 to ensure the trial ends around eight weeks prior to the 6th May 2026. The whole point being that the British Nationalists will make as much political capital as they can from the scandal.
You Don’t dig up gardens randomly looking for money.
There are two batteries in a phone, one of which powers the the gprs signsl which doesn’t expire for a long time even when the phone is switched off and can be traced. If there is a delay then it has nothing to with a wad of cash but to do with a Campaign to put an innocent man behind bars.
£600,000 is missing. Only three people had control of the finances. How difficult can it be?
Money is on a couple of juniors taking the wrap for signing off a couple of dodgy invoices, or dipping the petty cash.(the usual patsies) There is IMO zero chance of Sturgeon being caught up in any criminal charges. She has proven already to be the teflon don.
In my opinion Police Scotland must have a ton of incriminating info on certain players, however its up to the COPFS, or should I say whatever body guides them on whether or not they’ll move forward to prosecute, I think that either no one will be prosecuted or a patsy with some sort of golden pay off will take the fall.
Sturgeon and her clique are still useful to the establishment so they’ll still be protected.
As for the raised eyebrows if no one is prosecuted, the COPFS will just say it took so long because they were being thorough.
I of course hope I’m utterly wrong and the COPFS throws the book at the lot of them.
All the more reason why there needs to be a clear out in the SNP. If every politician in the SNP is for independence then they need to wake up and demand the clear out.
Thanks Ed, superlative work as usual! My suspicions and misgivings re: all the actors in this travesty will remain. But the fact is: like everyone else, I’m utterly powerless thus forced to await a definitive, whenever decision from an institution that I have no confidence in whatsoever. But, as many of us now know, that’s how things are for the everyday-citizen in Scotland these days.
@Tom Halliday 21 February, 2024 at 8:14 pm
8 weeks is far too long to keep a story in the forefront of people’s attention span, even for a story as big as this one.
You may well be onto something, but the time periods will have to be 3-4 weeks max.
“but in any event it can’t be later than early January, and it looks very much that one way or another, the SNP will be conducting it under the shadow of Operation Branchform.”
Job done! Better to have a tame and wounded ‘independence’party limping along than any unexpected effectiveness from the independence movement.
Total black cynicism has served me very well regarding Scottish politics predictions.
No charges, whitewash.
You learn so much from Wings. Agent Nicola Sturgeon is proving useful to the British Establishment. Her bought up and sold private police force are working hand in glove to destroy her former nationalist party. Under orders if Opengrupenfhurer Sturgeon and her woke high pirestess Joe Farrell. Lady Dorian will be ready to help bury the bodies, along with Dorothy Bain.
Set the truth free Wings.
She loves a cover up, doesn’t she? French fancies and a bed of lavender.
Freeze her assets and hand the keys to her showroom over to Alex Salmond.
And the caravan. And the 150K jag Peter Murrell purchased. We know what these fraudsters have done. And there not fooling anyone.
I can’t recall. Will go down as the most brain rotting fiction novel this country has ever produced – aside from the demented Val McDermid’s creepy collection.
On yourselves Wings. Take her down.
Off topic, but current.
SNP & Conservative MPs leave the HoC jointly after the Speaker chooses the Labour amendment over the one tabled by the SNP on their day of choice.
Tempting to feel that the unionists united in mutual support.
Jesus is this cesspit of a site still a thing!!! Congrats at least on getting the unwashed to fund you I guess, but you do realize that outside of this little circle of never-ending negativity that no one really gives a shit! Gotta have a purpose though ….
Quite frankly no one can have any trust whatsoever in the police.
Police Scotland hey are corrupt to the core. From top to bottom. They are a political police force. No different from the sectarian RUC or the apartheid Police Service of Northern Ireland in how they operate.
And it is the same in the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service. That too is politically apartheid in who it chooses to prosecute and who not.
Ordinary folks would be well advised to disengage and keep clear of Police Scotland. Rotten top to bottom all trust has gone.
In fact we need our own police force
“When we judge or criticise another (or even, perhaps, an unbiased, accurate and informative blog) it says little about that person (or blog); it merely says something about our need to be critical”
Unattributed quotation.
Were there not reports a few days ago about SNP HQ staff being re interviewed?
“Were there not reports a few days ago about SNP HQ staff being re interviewed?”
Yes, and those reports are linked in the very first sentence.
why buy a LHD motorcaravan to use here. it is suited to use in somewhere such as Portugal. buying a motorcaravan with company saves the £40,000 income tax if you use your own money. HMRC should be interested
It has cost the taxpayer more than a million pounds to investigate what happened to the fraudulently stolen £600,000 by a political party?
A competent accountant could have found exactly what happened within a month at a fraction of the cost.
Just as Dugdale got away with defaming you, so will the SNP fraudsters on some similar ridiculous grounds.
All the delays are just to find the right excuse.
I will be happy to be proven wrong.
@ Sven at 9.34 pm. – you are right.
@ Beflox says: 21 February, 2024 at 9:15 pm
this little circle of never-ending negativity
Ah c’mon now Ted, you don’t really mean that.
There’s hardly a month goes by when there isn’t at least one positive post here on Wings BTL.
To be fair, often written by me. But I do what I can.
Beflox
Ignored
says:
21 February, 2024 at 9:15 pm
‘Jesus is this site…. getting the unwashed to fund you. Congratulations!’
Is there a police investigation taking place?
I think Beflox needs to stand in front of a mirror and smile and wave at the arsehole who’s smiling and waving back at him.
Belfox. Every woman every man join the caravan of love. Stand up stand up stand up.
@Sven says: 21 February, 2024 at 9:34 pm
Unattributed quotation
Ah, c’mon now Ted, you don’t really mean that.
I reckon I can attribute that “quotation” precisely.
Beflox has trollpox
n
Gastric reflux
Let’s hope
He off-fucks
Soon
It’ll be a whitewash.
If lawyers are even complaining at it taking this long then something isn’t right. The Sturrels hardly committed a hit on someone or been found running a pedo ring that it needs a taskforce for yrs FFS. How long does it actually take to investigate missing funds? A forensic accountant could do it in a month.
Sven @ 9:11pm,
Yes, a complete and utter mess designed to allow Starmer to wriggle free from any political consequences of a ceasefire vote.
Geri
Ignored
says:
21 February, 2024 at 11:07 pm
‘It’ll be a whitewash.’
The evidence backing Alec Salmond’s defence of conspiracy has been sitting with COPFS and the police for years. It is as if we dreamed the whole thing up.
Who knows what else is in there after 9 years of deranged behaviour in government.
If i got evens at the bookies on the whitewash I would not know whether to back or lay.
Geri
Ignored
says:
21 February, 2024 at 11:07 pm
‘It’ll be a whitewash’
Obviously Geri, I want to have faith in our institutions which is why I am not snatching the bookies hand off to back the whitewash at evens. Call me a mug.
It’s a unionist thing to let it run and run and keep it going until the election.
I’m more concerned with the billions heading out of the country to zero tax havens.
The Non Dom’s making Millions while living here without taxation.
With the likes of Starbucks who only make a token tax payment.
With the emergency Covid contracts to Tory Donors and the PPE Scam for the likes of Mone and Hancock.
PS I heard on the radio today that Brexit means EU countries cannot buy pharmacy goods made in the U.K. The U.K. market isn’t large enough to consider building new manufacturing plants in the U.K.
7,000 U.K. jobs have gone in the U.K. so far.
Good old rip off Brexit
Genuine question, can anyone explain the campervan to me?
I think I have a fair handle on most of this, but that was & still is such a mad one!!!
@ Ruby 7.54pm that article on forged signature dae ye think maybe sumbuddy when they were bein questioned aboot the perty thunderbus said that’s no ma signature but I hink i mibby no whose writin it is but naebodies seen him fer a while
Sturgeon is more Teflon Con than Teflon Don.
@ Breastplate says: 21 February, 2024 at 11:24 pm
wriggle free from any political consequences of a ceasefire vote
I wonder what the political consequences will be of a bunch of out-of-their-depth, virtue-signalling, grifters posturing and grandstanding whilst being richly rewarded by Scots to do something completely different?
I’m of the opinion that rational, decent Scots won’t take kindly to their elected representatives trying to make common cause with the murderers, torturers, rapists and kidnappers of October 7th.
Rational, decent Scots will also be only too well aware that the best and most immediate way to help the innocents of Palestine is for the murderers, rapists, etc to come out of their hidey holes with the hostages. And that’s exactly what the situation has been since November. The 4 months of death, injury and destruction since then could have been stopped by Hamas at any time, simply by adopting that policy.
Anyhoo, I’m sure the cold-blooded political advantage calculation behind yesterday’s synthetic outrage will be that the cabaret in the HoC will play well with the kind of SNP voter who starts Pavlovian salivating at sight of the yellow rosette.
And maybes it will. We’ll all have to wait and see.
Frazerio…
I’m the CEO of Magoo’s Ice Cream Ltd. As such I have a handle on all income and expenditure. I intend to retire in 3 years and myself and Mrs Knight quite fancy the idea of a campervan to tour Scotland and further afield.
My mate is Head of Accounts at Magoo’s and I persuade him to dip into the advertising slush fund and purchase a rather nice campervan I’ve spotted for a cool £100K. The campervan will of course be the property of Magoo’s, but it’ll sit on my other mate’s driveway, on jack’s and covered in a tarp, for the next 3 years.
Come retirement I generously offer Magoo’s £40K to take the as yet unused campervan off the company’s hands, getting myself a campervan for £40K when it is effectively in exactly the same state it was in when purchased for £100K three years earlier.
The £60K depreciation on the campervan is signed off by Magoo’s Head of Accounts, despite Magoo’s never having had any benefit from the purchase of said campervan.
Is it illegal for me to have done this? Probably not. Is it immoral? Depends who you ask.
John Main really is a bit of a dick.
John Main
21 February, 2024 at 8:44 pm
“Let’s face facts. 70 years and nobody wants the Palestinians, not even their fellow Muslim and Arab brethren. There must be a good reason, eh?
And just how many world famous, scientists and Nobel prize winning Palestinians can you name?
Nae looking up Google noo!”
Robertknight @ 07.45
Thanks for that easy to follow illustration, Robert. Now, I wonder if that type of procedure could be utilised to clean up cash to pay for associated running costs for the motorhome and a pleasant retirement for a stay at home husband in, say, Portugal. Whilst the career minded wife strides out onto the world stage.
Just asking for an interested friend.
Why do I think the “dramatic” scenes at the commons yesterday were staged?
Why do I think it is the powers that be, rather than the speaker, who pre-decided that the labour amendment “had” to pass?
Why do I think the walk-out was the only way both the SNP and the Tories could save face in front of their own voters and the world?
Why do I think the speaker was chosen as the establishment scapegoat in this occasion?
Why do I think Hoyle will be soon departing the HoC to occupy a seat in the HoL as a reward for yesterday’s theatrics?
It is because the politics of the UK (and Scotland) are so rotten to the core, so insincere, so dishonest, and democracy in the UK and Scotland is so dead that I have become an unapologetic and staunch cynic who does no longer trust MPs or MSPs, does no longer believe a darn word they or the broadcasters say, believes pretty much everything the major UK parties do is staged, pre-agreed and dictated by the powers that be, and believes we are therefore subjected to absolute rule tarted up as democracy to keep the appearances. Just like the autogynephiles tart themselves up to look like what they perceive a woman is.
After what we saw yesterday, where the UK establishment is prepared to throw its own convention, rules and any vestige of democracy in the bin to save its own face towards USA and Israel, I hope the SNP reflect on the garbage they have been feeding us for the last 9 effing years and stop, for once and for all, their completely futile attempts to take us for complete fools with their nonsense of “getting Scotland’s voice be heard”.
9 effing years and Scotland’s voice has not been heard even once in that cesspit. Scotland’s voice will never be heard in that cesspit, because, as we saw yesterday, if the deep state have to push aside democracy and intervene directly to gag us, they will. So Yousaf and Flynn, can cut the crap and their futile theatrics and end the union for once and for all. It is the union they are preserving by continuing to sit on those green seats that is allowing offensive insults to democracy and to the voters’ intelligence like the one we saw yesterday.
At the end of the day, and if you remove all the staged drama of the walkout, what is left behind? What was the result of all yesterday’s theatrics?
The walkout ensured labour’s amendment passed unchallenged. Wasn’t that the objective after all?
That the house went ahead with the effing vote after government and the party that proposed the bill walked out of parliament in “protest”, just goes to prove the UK is a dictatorship where democracy does not exist and the “democratic” structures are there just for show. What we saw yesterday is not that different to what happened in Scotland’s parliament in 1706 to force the union through.
3 centuries on, and the exact same strategy is used for the powers that be to get their own way: either MPs abstain while remain sitting in the chamber, or abstain by pretending to walk out in disgust. Nothing changes, nothing moves, nothing progresses. Democracy is as much an illusion now as it was in 1706.
It is quite remarkable though that the SNP chose to walk out on this one but kept their fat arses firmly sat on the seats during the many occasions when that house was used by the establishment as the excuse to inflict pain, abuse and asset pillaging on Scotland.
Are we to believe the SNP is more concerned about Palestine than about Scotland, the country they were chosen to represent and speak for?
That is why I do not believe the walkout was sincere and was just for show.
Who is governing the UK? If the government party and the main opposition party are so deeply influenced by Israel lobbyists and the so called “friends of Israel”, who is governing the UK? When did we become a region of Israel?
I’m not surprised tbh. It’s a complex investigation and Police Scotland will be acutely aware whatever happens will result in it getting significant criticism – SNP that it’s taken too long if there’s no charges and “bowed to pressure” if there is, opposition parties the exact opposite, and ‘nationalist’ commentators that it was a fix in event of no further action or the “wrong” people being charged..
To me this now seems very much like the end game, that we are likely to get the result shortly. Mop-up interview strategies are predominantly (a) a way to be able to defend against criticism or (b) a means to prevent holes being exploited by a defence.
I’m choosing to accept the likes of Roddy Dunlop on this one and say I’m happy to believe the COPFS has probably maintained the distance it should have here: possibly even a wee bit more than n normal. Whether I’m happy with the result, of course, might be a completely different matter.
@ Mia says: 22 February, 2024 at 9:28 am
Are we to believe the SNP is more concerned about Palestine than about Scotland, the country they were chosen to represent and speak for?
That’s how it looks, Mia. The “optics” as the yoof would say.
At no time did I see any visible strings attached to our bravely virtue signalling representatives.
I conclude they were acting freely as individuals with their own agency. And maybes just a smidge shitting themselves they could be beheaded on the street.
When did we become a region of Israel?
It’s remarkable how different people see different things. There’s only one side in the current ME war who are physically threatening our elected representatives. Just how much the threats of violence and intimidation, against individuals and their families, is affecting the behaviour of those in the public eye remains to be assessed. But unless it’s being done by embedded double agents, it can’t be laid at Israel’s door.
But looking at the bigger picture, Israel and Hamas are not both engaged at the highest command levels this morning to assess how they will adjust strategy and tactics in response to the cabaret in the HoC. Our elected grifters know that, just as much as they know that what they say and do won’t ever affect the X and Y chromosomes in people’s bodies.
But it gives our out-of-their-depths pygmies something much, much, much easier to do than addressing any real, everyday problem. So that’s the entire point.
Showbiz for unattractive people sums it up.
There shouldn’t be anything complex about it.
They’ve either broken the law or they haven’t.
They’ve either pissed off with funds or they haven’t.
The police & the prosecution service is supposed to impose the law without fear or favour.
Joe blogs on the street wouldn’t have been allowed to A. Keep their job.
B. Swan around securing future employment.
I really don’t see what’s complex. A forensic accounting firm could do this in their sleep. The CPS knows what the law is.
There is just excuses after excuses, imo. Delay, delay trying to hoodwink the public that it’s such a mire. This wasn’t an international scam. It was a wee diddy prick & his wife in charge of a political party.
Stu broke this story years ago & it didn’t take him a taskforce of doughnut munchers & three years LOL.
Its interesting to note that SNP MPs can walk out of the HoC because of the actions of the Speaker of the House, but the same SNP would never walk out of the HoC in the name of Scottish independence, though they have walked out when an Alba MP spoke up for Scotland.
Lets see if Hoyle is removed as Speaker and if the eager beaver Pete Wishart puts his name forward again to try and fill the position
Meanwhile as these buffoons make a complete arse of the vote on an immediate ceasefire, the Zionist genocide of the Palestinians continues.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
In my role as ‘milk monitor’ I have to point out that you are way off topic Mia.
However you did get a reply from John Main who says:
But it gives our out-of-their-depths pygmies something much, much, much easier to do than addressing any real, everyday problem. So that’s the entire point.
A quote that could be equally applied to the his 24/7 activity here on Wings.
Stu says on his Twitter account regarding this farce
Lots of pantomime in the Commons tonight over a vote that means nothing.
What about all these police investigations anyone know what they are called and how they are going.
«Palestine», in common with «Ukraine» are relatively modern political creations, that position may be easily confirmed by numerous online references.
Scotland, on the other hand, is not. As a guy born in the Near East I fail to see why either should be of concern to Scottish nationalism. Isn’t there enough on the national agenda?
While Levantine Arabs are better educated than most, they are just another version of Arab albeit with a higher degree of local exceptionalism, which is fully exploited for Western consumption, than the norm.
For that reason Arab and Muslim states keep a wary eye on the activities of many factions the conflict with the State of Israel has spawned.
Unless you read Arabic, the nuanced and mutable position in the region regarding the politics of the conflict is unlikely to be understood.
Scottish politicians would be well advised to stick to their respective lasts.
Mornin’ Geri! How are you today?
I’m finding it hard to keep up with what’s going on with ‘Operation Break Fast’ but I reckon they started investigating the missing funds and in the process came across a lot of dodgy dealings. The latest one being forged documents.
It could be they have done nothing illegal with the £600k missing funds.
One wonders if these twenty SP MPs will ever sign a no-confidence motion on Westminster and walk out never to return. I say never.
“Here’s the full list of MPs who have signed the motion – put forward by Tory MP William Wragg – of no confidence in the Speaker:
David Linden (SNP)
Stewart McDonald (SNP)
Chris Law (SNP)
John McNally (SNP)
Gavin Newlands (SNP)
Pete Wishart (SNP)
Martyn Day (SNP)
Joanna Cherry (SNP)
Patricia Gibson (SNP)
Alison Thewliss (SNP)
Anum Qaisar (SNP)
Douglas Chapman (SNP)
Carol Monaghan (SNP)
Marco Longhi (Conservative)
Drew Hendry (SNP)
Rob Roberts (Independent)
Anne McLaughlin (SNP)
John Nicolson (SNP)
Simon Baynes (Conservative)
Shaun Bailey (Conservative)
Matt Warman (Conservative)
Alyn Smith (SNP)
Kirsty Blackman (SNP)
Ronnie Cowan (SNP)
Steve Double (Conservative)
Danny Kruger (Conservative)
William Wragg (Conservative)
Gary Sambrook (Conservative)
Jill Mortimer (Conservative)
John Stevenson (Conservative)
Dr Kieran Mullan (Conservative)
Anthony Mangnall (Conservative)
Sir James Duddridge (Conservative)
Jo Gideon (Conservative)
Chris Green (Conservative)
Bob Blackman (Conservative)
Tom Randall (Conservative)
Jonathan Lord (Conservative)
Karl McCartney (Conservative)
Derek Thomas (Conservative)
Jack Brereton (Conservative)
Tom Hunt (Conservative)
James Grundy (Conservative)
Brendan Clarke-Smith (Conservative)
Lee Anderson (Conservative)
Sir Graham Brady (Conservative)
Eddie Hughes (Conservative)
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative)
Miriam Cates (Conservative)
Dave Doogan (SNP)”
You can wonder all you like but personally I never wonder. I think they are all a total waste of space. End off!
BTW. You are off topic. Signed the ‘The Milk Monitor’
The wretch of a man Paul Sweeney BLiS MSP in Scotland, lying about Palestinian protesters storming his constituency office. BLiS have so far backed the Zionist genocide of the long term oppressed Palestinian peoples in their own lands.
link to archive.is
‘Operation Dog’s Break Fast’
I really don’t see what’s complex. A forensic accounting firm could do this in their sleep. Geri
As you say Geri a forensic accountant could sort out the issue of the missing funds easily but this seems to be about a lot more than just the £600k. There have been a whole load of articles about other issues this one for example:
link to archive.is
SNP investigation: Police ‘hunting for burner phone sim cards’
What is that all about? For all we know they could be dealing in drugs.
@ Mia
” The walkout ensured labour’s amendment passed unchallenged. Wasn’t that the objective after all? ”
Yes , it was . The SNP merely played their role as ” principled objectors ” ( well , there is a G.E imminent ). The Tories tried to do similar , but that broke-down under the weight of it’s own mega-ton hypocrisy – Tories taking a principled stand on anything ? C’mon , that’s just laughable . Sending , profiting from , deadly weaponry to THAT country AT THE SAME TIME as pretending they give a fuck by staging a bogus * protest * in WM paradigmatic Tory behaviour .
Labour may as well take-over the ( mis ) governance of the You Ok ? ( naw , I’m fckn scunnered to the point of nausea wae the whole sick pantomime of English Politics n the insipid SNP plankton serving no purpose other than to * legitimise * the charade of * Democracy * in the UK ) … right now .
It’s clearly their time to be allowed in to fanny about for the next few years . Kidding-on they’re ” seriously addressing the issues that concern the public ” whilst totally fckn ignoring those issues n doing whatever their paymasters in * Business * & * Industry * tell them to do , with side-orders of unasked for/unwanted society-destroying * Progressive * policies n laws , more restrictions of Free Speech , involvement in foreign conflicts etc .
In short …..more of the same shit that’s leaving the * common man/woman * abandoned and stupified by powerlessness .
Still , great to know *our * wunnerful Nu SNP are ” making Scotland’s voice heard ” in the cacaphonous melee .
Can you hear it ? Nope , me neither .
John Main @7:37am,
I believe everyone here has readily accepted that what occurred on the 7th of October was wrong so there is no debate regarding killing innocent people.
The idea that it entitles Isreal to kill innocent people is also wrong.
I’m trying to keep this simple so you can focus on the wrongdoings and not the excuses that will condone any wrongdoing.
Targeting children is particularly repulsive.
I’m way off topic too.
Labour has links to the state of Israel through Friends of Israel.
Many members of Labour’s shadow cabinet have had funding from pro-Israeli business people.
Corbyn was hounded out of Labour’s leadership and potential PM by his party. The “Labour Files”, leaking of many internal Labour party documents show how leading Labour party members worked to damage Corbyn.
There’s evidence that Starmer went to Hoyle (whose position as speaker is untenable) and told him if he did not comply with what was being asked of him by Starmer he would soon not be Speaker.
If true, this is not only anti-democratic, it is blackmail and criminal.
The SNP put forward a motion that said this: “That this House calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel; notes with shock and distress that the death toll has now risen beyond 28,000, the vast majority of whom were women and children; further notes that there are currently 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah, 610,000 of whom are children; also notes that they have nowhere else to go; condemns any military assault on what is now the largest refugee camp in the world; further calls for the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas and an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; and recognises that the only way to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians is to press for a ceasefire now.”
The SNP rarely get a chance to put forward an opposition motion and it failed here.It shows pretty much the shitty state of UK politics and how the Labour party is the Alt Tory.
This and the reporting of it also shows how little weight is given to Scottish politics.
Here’s a link to The Labour Files
link to aljazeera.com
Say what?
Run that past me again?
The SNP colluded with the Tories?
The same SNP who said they’d never, ever, ever work with the Tories?
Well I never..
Off they pop up the lobby with not a hint of shame.
What a gargle of time wasters..
“Mornin’ Geri! How are you today?”
I’m channeling my inner Ellis.
You still playing milk monitor to everyone?
Mia @ 9:28
Intriguing
Good follow up to the who is really governing the UK question might be, is that who is responsible for operation branch too..
..and, if relevant, since we know (from the X posts that India didn’t ask to be silenced in advance) that it’s not Nettanyahu thats in charge of Israel’s security, the follow up to that one could be, who the devil is 🙂
link to twitter.com
The one thing that puzzles me is the 107k that was put into the SNP account and where it came from. Isn’t it the case that PM had been ostensibly working without pay for about 9 years prior to that?
Where did that money come from? How did it get where it was before ending up in the SNP bank account? A loan? Where does a guy who has been earning nothing for so many years get money like that?
I suspect we will never get answers to those questions because the answers would take us in directions that the real establishment don’t want us to go in.
Geri
Not just playing ‘milk monitor’ I doing it seriously but being that I’m just a ‘Scottish Milk Monitor’ nobody is paying me any attention.
What’s it like being Ellis? Anyone started to #AskGeri yet?
Don’t forget
Women in Scotland should vote Tory
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Hatuey
Drugs?
link to archive.is
Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell investigated over £95k car
Where did he get to money to buy £95k car?
I read that you’re confident there will be charges. Let’s see what happens.
Unlike Sturgeon and the SNPs shameful treatment of Salmond, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until the result of a court case and unlike them I’ll respect the verdict.
Geri,
The SNP is a Unionist party, just the same as the Tories and Labour, that’s been evident for some time.
However, the bill that the SNP put before the Westminster Parliament was honourable, that it was trashed by Westminster lays bare the contempt the place has for Scotland, her representatives and by extension, us.
We need to vote for people who will properly represent us, it really is our own fault if we don’t.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
More importantly people who are capable of representing us. After watching Alex Salmond interviewed by the ‘Scottish Affairs Committee’ I thought that had Alex Salmond still been in power at Holyrood we would have had an S30 ages ago. Probably before Brexit.
I doubt if Theresa May and the rest of them would have been saying ‘now is not the time’ for long to Alex Salmond.
What did Sturgeon actually do to get a S30? Wrote a letter and that was that.
The Westminster Gov have zero respect for Sturgeon or Humza. Can you blame them?
What to stick it to the SNP & Labour ladies then
Women in Scotland should vote Tory in the next GE
You know it makes sense. If Labour get into power then you know that means ‘self-id’ and all the rest.
Mia @ 9:28 am
“Are we to believe the SNP is more concerned about Palestine than about Scotland”
In a nutshell, yes. Though its good to see that Flynn et al have at last noticed that Westminster treats Scotland’s representatives and hence Scotland ‘with contempt’, despite this contempt (and worse) being evident for the past 300 years an mair.
The SNP are also clearly more concerned about gender identity than Scottish identity. If the SNP were concerned about Scottish identity then thay wad lairn Scots bairns in schuil oor ain braw Scots langage; language and culture being the basis of ‘a peoples’ identity, i.e. who we are. Or perhaps all too soon, in the case of Scots, ‘who we used to be’.
Blame Mia she started it.
o/t I read that there is a large NATO naval exercise taking place off the west coast of Scotland. What pollution is this causing and are they still using depleted uranium ammunition?
I don`t suppose any of our MPs or MSPs are interested in this polluting of our coastal waters and probably have no power to have a say anyway.
Any experts on Wings with any info?
Those palestinians on the telly all the time, hogging the limelight, I wish they would at least smarten themselves up a bit – this is beamed worldwide.
And whining – well, a lot of people have problems – think of the stretched middle class of england shit-terrified of interest rates ramping up their mortgage? Then what happens – your kids end up in state school, with all the vibrancy.
In any case, this is what you buy home insurance for – John Lewis Platinum is very good, paying out 99% of claims.
Fact is, the “palestinians” are not liked anywhere in the world, because of their antics – they have been expelled from 109 countries over the years and simply put – no one likes them because of how they behave.
I know racism is wrong and it is repugnant to demonise an entire group of people simply for the way they all behave, repeatedely, incorrigibly, but we need to be reasonable.
Do palestinians exist anyway? They could have just turned up after the “new palestinians” made the desert bloom and tried to claim benefits? They have a reputation as liars and for extreme confabulation and fantastication; they come in as victims, telling tall tales, then it takes a generation for people to get a handle on what they are really like.
New Palestinians are Palestinians and a bit of petty slaughter is a small price to pay for the benefits of diversity and multiculturalism, think of the GDP.
Why don’t these “hamas” make the case to the “soft noes” of the likud party?
And never forget – never again – that the PLO helped the IRA to murder British servicemen, family men with wives and children, simply for doing their job of keeping Ireland British, as the vast majority of the right thinking peoples of that land, want to be.
@Mia (9.28) –
Your take on yesterday’s theatrics is drawing a lot of agreement on Twitter (I C&Ped your comment).
Someone asked whether or not we noticed a Tory signalling the SNP that it was time to get up and leave. Haven’t seen it myself but would it be a huge surprise?
@Confused
You are right, of course.
It is also painfully difficult to decide if withholding food and water, energy from a population is collective punishment.
Who is responsible for destroying hospitals, withholding medicines in Gaza? Hard for the HoC to decide. Innit?
Why are all those Palestinian women and children dying? Hard to know just what is going on.
Would it have helped to debate the SNP motion or caused more confusion?
@ Breastplate says: 22 February, 2024 at 11:04 am
Targeting children is particularly repulsive
100% agreement from me, BP.
Glad there is little to none of it going on.
Targeting people hiding behind children is different, of course.
And so is targeting people who devoutly want to kill from behind their human shields made up of children. That’s different again, and also tricky.
Then there is targeting people who devoutly want to kill from behind their human shields made up of children, when these people welcome the death and maiming of these children as a benefit to their cause. That’s a real hard one to deal with. Thank feck it’s not me dealing with it. Or you either, eh BP?
Much easier as you say, to keep it simple, and expect others to lie down and let anybody trying to kill them do it freely and unopposed from behind their shield of children.
Much harder to actually do, though. And frankly impossible to ask others to do, just so that your virtue signalling can continue to wave untarnished in the breeze.
Maybes not hard for you though? Are you a saint, perhaps? Do tell.
Here’s a simple solution that could work. Both sides stop trying to exterminate each other. Both sides release all hostages and prisoners. Both sides allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
@ sam says:22 February, 2024 at 11:06 am
This House calls for the immediate release of all hostages taken by Hamas, and recognises that the only way to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians is to press for both sides to ceasefire now
That’s all that was necessary.
All the bloviating and posturing beforehand, and the clear expression of one-sided sympathy and partisanship, is why it failed.
Never mind, eh? A few more SNP votes in the bank, and that’s what counts.
John Main,
Again, there is no justification for killing children, none, not even if Hamas, the SS, the KKK and the Daleks are hiding behind them.
Trying to justify genocidal actions in Gaza or anywhere else for that matter is beneath contempt.
It is quite clear here that the abused have become the abusers.
Cheerleaders are participants.
Hamas have been offering exchange of hostages to the Zionists from day one.
To paraphrase Genocide John Main –
I’m of the opinion that rational, decent Scots won’t take kindly to John Main trying to make common cause with the murderers, torturers, rapists and kidnappers of The last 70 years.
Agree with much of what Mia said @0928 am . Perhaps Flynn some how didn’t believe prior to yesterday that “ Scotlands voice “ is irrelevant in the English parliament and the English London establishment parties will “ always rule “ ( convention or no convention when it suits them , including “ Sewel”) . The “ speaker” Hoyle has previously on past occasions shown his utter contempt for Scottish MP’s and it would appear to myself that his decision yesterday ( against the advice of the clerk of the house ) was yet another calculated “ kick in the teeth “ for the SNP , to save the English Labour Party and the “ new establishment messiah” Sir Keir from an embarrassing rebellion .
Apparently Flynn and as yet (according to the “ no confidence” signatories detailed) and some but not all SNP MP’s have no confidence in Hoyle , however I expect that the English establishment parties will close ranks and Hoyle will remain in post ( I would be most surprised if he resigned ). Consequently, what is Flynn going to do about this If Sir arrogant loudmouth continues in post with his usual contempt for the SNP and Scotland in general ?
My guess would be that Flynn and his colleagues will choose to remain seated in the English parliament accepting the normal regular humiliating put downs from Hoyle , and continue accepting the “ short money” and additional personal “ palm greasing” allowances & expenses” as per usual . Has Flynn got the gumption & guts to instruct his colleagues to return home to Scotland as and until a GE is called and thereafter stand unequivocally on a clear mandate to END THE UNION on election day ?
The time for any compromise with these people is OVER . When is the SNP going to get the message ?? Get off your knees and show some backbone !!
@ Breastplate says: 22 February, 2024 at 1:40 pm
there is no justification for killing children, none, not even if Hamas, the SS, the KKK and the Daleks are hiding behind them
Awa an shite, man.
I’m prepared to extend you the benefit of the doubt and believe you would accept death before you would allow a child to be killed.
I’m not prepared to accept that you truly believe you have the right to force that sacrifice on others.
I’m certainly not prepared to accept you would spare an unknown child if it meant the death of your own.
In fact, that’s such a no-brainer, it doesn’t really need to be stated.
You’re just another posturing virtue signaler, bloviating from behind your keyboard, pontificating on morality from the luxurious position of never having to live up to your fastidious scruples.
You must be constipated, awa an shite, man.
John Main
22 February, 2024 at 3:17 pm
“I’m not prepared to accept that you truly believe you have the right to force that sacrifice on others.”
John Main
21 February, 2024 at 8:44 pm
“Let’s face facts. 70 years and nobody wants the Palestinians, not even their fellow Muslim and Arab brethren.”
John Main is a wanker.
John Main,
The idea this is a kill or be killed scenario is ridiculous, you’re wilfully talking complete nonsense, to disguise that your argument has no grounding in reality, logic or principles.
Asserting that Palestinian children need to die to save the Israelis is far fetched by anybody’s standards but I doubt you have the inclination to reassess your quite unreasonable stance.
I doubt you will find many likeminded people outside of Israel.
@ Breastplate says: 22 February, 2024 at 4:56 pm
You can’t bring yourself to acknowledge the logic of my argument, cos it’s too painful for you.
So you rubbish the axiomatic facts instead.
Hamas, along with their ME backers, has vowed to eliminate/exterminate/destroy the state of Israel. After October 7th, nobody in Israel is under any illusions about what that will mean for them. Outside of Israel, nobody rational is harbouring doubts either.
Normally, the acknowledgement of this fact is met with a “bring it on”, or “kill the Jews” response. These at least have the merit of being honest.
If you want to be honest, please go ahead. We’re all big boys and girls on here.
Be honest about the reality of the situation, the incontrovertible facts, and the logical development of where these facts lead us.
Or persist with your delusions. Your shout.
You can tell when John Main has been routed.
If his ignoring strategy doesn’t work, he tries repetition,
If repetition doesn’t work, he tries sarcasm.
If sarcasm doesn’t work, he tries abuse.
If abuse doesn’t work, he tries repetition again.
What a dick !
John Main,
That collective punishment, agreed by the whole world, is a war crime, should give you a clue that you’re talking gibberish.
I’m quite happy to let readers of our comments judge which one of us should be embarrassed and ashamed of what we’ve written.
I’m astounded that we have people willingly defending genocide as a reputable tactic to deploy when aggressors can’t quite work out how to distinguish their arse from their elbow.
In Scots law, the essence of the crime of fraud lies in the deception of the victim, rather than on any advantage accruing in pecuniary or other terms to the accused.
Is it true the SNP staff are to be re-interviewed by police investigating party finances?
@ Breastplate says: 22 February, 2024 at 6:40 pm
Goalposts moved again, eh BP?
I’m quite happy to let readers of our comments judge which one of us should be embarrassed and ashamed of what we’ve written
I’m very happy to let people decide who’s stating facts and who’s avoiding acknowledging them because by acknowledging them, their entire airy-fairy house-of-cards will collapse.
And it’s still not a genocide.
Alert readers will know the story of the eejit who cried wolf too often, and what subsequently happened when a real genocide came along.
But do get back to us if you are ever prepared to call for both sides to stop fighting, and for both sides to exchange hostages and prisoners. I am. I have been consistently calling for that since November 2023.
I’m thinking you know as well as I do that that’s the only solution that is going to help the innocents of Gaza, and the innocents of Israel.
I’m trying not to think that you would rather deny that forever, than admit to being wrong. But believe me, I’m finding the trying more and more difficult.
Basically, Genocide John Main hates Palestinians, or Pallys as he likes to call them.
Like his handlers he is immune to reason.
John Main
21 February, 2024 at 8:44 pm
“Let’s face facts. 70 years and nobody wants the Palestinians, not even their fellow Muslim and Arab brethren. There must be a good reason, eh?
And just how many world famous, scientists and Nobel prize winning Palestinians can you name?
Nae looking up Google noo!”
John Main,
As you believe I don’t know the meaning of genocide, perhaps you could explain to me and other readers your version to see if it correlates with anything we might have seen in a dictionary?
A comment made by a reader in the Telegraph said:
“Meanwhile….rumour says that in December, Op Branchform handed recommendations to the Crown Office to prosecute 6 individuals with as many as 24 offences……and are waiting for said Crown Office to give ScotPlod the green light…”
The Treasurer put the books to the Odd Couple to AUDIT n the they signed off the accounts Guilty as charged Corruption Fraud Embezzlement n noo Forgery it’s more like a Mafia book
Johnlm
You can tell when “ignored” has been routed.
If his ignoring strategy doesn’t work, he tries repetition,
If repetition doesn’t work, he tries sarcasm.
If sarcasm doesn’t work, he tries abuse.
“Ignored” is delighted the minute anyone bites
Just don’t, it’s not rocket science
Trolls gonna troll
The 3 people who were arrested should be charged with at least Fraud for Auditing the books then signing them off
That’s a lot of information that I need to absorb.
Many thanks for all the work.