We stuck this short clip up on YouTube yesterday as a throwaway while watching the Labour conference in slack-jawed astonishment (a visitor from an alien planet would have concluded it was the gathering of a party that had just won a landslide victory, not lost its third general election in a row), but on reflection it deserves a proper post.
If you know anything at all about the story of how female Glasgow City Council employees have fought for equal pay, you’ll probably be as outraged as we are at Baxter’s bulletproof brass neck. But the video actually demonstrates what appears to be Scottish Labour’s master strategy for winning back Scotland.
Labour will start their autumn conference in Brighton properly today, but the comrades have already been at the seaside over the weekend. We thought we’d see how the UK’s official alternative to the Tories was getting along.
This weekend’s Scottish Mail On Sunday carries a column from UK Cabinet Office minister Damian Green which, if anyone was still in any doubt, rings just about every warning bell imaginable in terms of the Tories’ plan to use Brexit to cripple devolution both in principle and in practice.
It’s tucked away on page 27 and doesn’t appear on the Mail’s website, but you can read the whole thing by clicking the pic above. And below, we’ve pulled out the key sentences that should have the blood of devolution-loving No voters running cold.
We struggled to summon up much more than a weary sigh about a story in a couple of the minor papers today (the Herald and Express), about a micro-scuffle at Saturday’s pro-indy rally in Glasgow. The most interesting thing about it appeared to be that the Express had written its article several hours before the event took place.
Three years ago today, Scotland bottled it. Almost uniquely in world history, its people turned down the chance to take control of their own affairs forever without a drop of blood being shed. They did so on the back of a package of vague promises, not least one of “extensive new powers”, almost all of which have subsequently been broken.
The Secretary of State for Scotland has chosen the anniversary of the referendum to let it be known that on top of that, the most fundamental building block of devolution – the premise that any power not explicitly reserved to Westminster in the Scotland Act 1998 would belong to Holyrood – will now be torn up, in the light of the exit from the EU that Scots were promised a No vote would protect them from.
Young Lochinvar on Or Something: “Off topic.. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 1388 battle of Otterburn. Froissart recounted this in detail and his commentary…” Aug 4, 00:27
Confused on Or Something: “Who reads mcalpine? It’s weak pish. As for UN recognition – everyone in the place hates “england” since they were…” Aug 3, 23:41
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““I was wrong” But then you’re used to that. Seriously though, Northy, even if your claim and your logic are…” Aug 3, 22:45
Carol Neill on Or Something: “@angus that’s exactly what they’re hoping for Oor Stu’s well up for them Little do they realise how many will…” Aug 3, 22:33
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““All the right credentials” Nah. White, white, white. “am I being just too cynical?” Naw. Not cynical enough. Peak cynicism…” Aug 3, 22:33
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““It would be good to sneer at the SNP as it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch but there is…” Aug 3, 22:29
James Jones on Or Something: “Why on Earth would you think that when devolution hasn’t delivered “greater democratic accountability” and independence would only put greater…” Aug 3, 22:14
Northcode on Or Something: “I previously said no entrustment existed in the ring-fenced SNP money case. I was wrong… the Inner House has now…” Aug 3, 22:00
Bilbo on Or Something: “It’s hard to know what to make of it. Is the SNP going to be destroyed from without by state…” Aug 3, 21:46
Angus on Or Something: “One word of caution. Be vigilant at all times and do not go for hikes in isolated places.” Aug 3, 21:44
James on The Nobodies: “Here’s unionist Walloper #3 arrived in his clown wagon. Well, Adrian, petal; your posts certainly gie me a migraine. I…” Aug 3, 21:42
Angus on Or Something: ““Please do not make the mistake of thinking that I will eventually get bored and go away. I will not.”…” Aug 3, 21:39
Angus on Or Something: ““Doubtless we’ll receive the same reply as before, but in three different fonts, in around a month’s time, so make…” Aug 3, 21:36
Aidan on The Nobodies: “As usual James, nothing you write (or rather copy and paste) is worth reading. Just a collection of childish, unsophisticated…” Aug 3, 21:24
MaryB on Or Something: “Bilbo @ 6.57 Re Nicola Sturgeon’s latest outburst. It seems as though her handlers have now told her to throw…” Aug 3, 21:23
robertkknight on Or Something: “Let justice be done…” Aug 3, 21:16
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine article” It does take a “special” kind of genius to pretend…” Aug 3, 20:51
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Why don’t you read the article again, Dan? Maybe then you’ll be able to write a sensible post about it.…” Aug 3, 20:38
100%Yes on Or Something: “Its funny how its alright for Westminster to play dirty tricks. Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine…” Aug 3, 20:30
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. So when Murrell bought the Northern Lights pendant with funds he had embezzled from the SNP, he wasn’t thinking…” Aug 3, 20:05
Dan on Or Something: “Hmm, looks like some serious franchise fanny shizzle going on here… https://robinmcalpine.org/scotland-will-be-independent-but-not-through-electoral-tricks/ So forget for a moment using the ridiculously…” Aug 3, 19:42
agentx on Or Something: “She wrote: “To say I feel completely and utterly betrayed is an understatement. It isn’t just that in committing these…” Aug 3, 19:34
Frazerio on Or Something: “Reminds me very much of this: Andy Dufresne: How can you be so obtuse? Warden Samuel Norton: [his anger rising]…” Aug 3, 19:32
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““pay for a more professional spin-doctor” You having a laugh? It’s me paying for it all. Me, you, and every…” Aug 3, 19:01
Bilbo on Or Something: “O/T I see that Sturgeon is tearing into Swinney in a new preface to her book which I presume is…” Aug 3, 18:57
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Ach, Alf, if “colonialism may speak in the native tongue” then I’m going to have to be wary of those…” Aug 3, 18:56
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. The only enthusiasm I’ve ever seen for Scottish gas chambers is BTL here *. From people who loudly like…” Aug 3, 18:42
Hatey McHateface on The Nobodies: “Look everybody! Indy support up 5% today. Just another 5% and we’re free. Wonder what’s been driving it, eh?” Aug 3, 18:32
holymacmoses on Or Something: “It will be interesting to see if they decide to up the anti and pay for a more professional spin-doctor…” Aug 3, 18:22
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““According to Fanon, the whites” Wrong again, Hatey. Fanon warned colonized peoples in Africa, Asia and Latin America that “colonialism…” Aug 3, 18:21
