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Preaching within the choir

Posted on April 20, 2015 by

The splendid video below is a short clip from one of a Scottish Labour “campaign rally” held on Saturday morning. (And we do mean Saturday morning – the gathering seen in the distance at the very beginning as Murphy walks up through a deserted Buchanan Street appear to be waiting outside the Sainsbury’s Local, which opens at 7am.)

One can only admire Anas Sarwar’s upbeat view of his audience. But from the broader perspective, readers might be forgiven for wondering what on Earth was going on.

This type of “rally”, increasingly employed by Labour, is an odd phenomenon. There are clearly about three times as many people behind Murphy as in front of him, all frantically waving placards for the benefit of the eight or nine he’s ostensibly speaking to – who we have to assume given the early hour are themselves faithful Labour activists, dragged out of bed at the weekend to desperately fill out a camera frame that couldn’t be cropped any closer without showing Murphy’s individual nasal hairs.

A tiny smattering of early passers-by, captured in the pic below by an alert reader, look on in bewilderment as Murphy roars through an entirely unnecessary PA system for the benefit of people a maximum of six feet away from him, who would only have any trouble hearing him because they’ve been paid to shout and cheer loudly throughout his six-minute speech.

(If you’re too busy to watch it all, we’ve got the complete transcript for you right here: “SNP BAD! FULL FISCAL AUTONOMY BAD! REFERENDUM BAD!”)

murphybuchanan

Convincing around 30 people who are already firmly on your side seems a rather reckless use of time for the “leader” of a party that’s currently trailing by 20+ points in the opinion polls with just a fortnight to go until the election. And it can’t be to feed an eager internet audience on the Scottish Labour YouTube channel, which struggles to draw viewing figures in three digits.

slabviews

But we suppose that if you must create such imagery for the sake of appearances, at least going out at 6.50am saves you the humiliation of doing it in a crowded city thoroughfare and still being ignored, which was the fate of Anas Sarwar and some pals when we last walked down Buchanan Street, a few days before the referendum.

Later that week, 45% of Scots voted for independence. A similar percentage currently say they’re going to vote SNP, which could conceivably return 45 nationalist MPs to Westminster. But for Scottish Labour, the phrase “the 45” now seems to signify a size of crowd that they could only dream of attracting.

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98 to “Preaching within the choir”

  1. Author_Al says:

    Three points.

    1) ‘Good morning Glasgow’
    Hmm, has the population been decimated by a red plague that wiped out humanity with only a few deluded souls saved?

    2) Low camera angle so we can’t see the empty streets.

    3) ‘…we have come to bury Buchanan Street Steps, not to save them.’

    4) Statue of first First Min Donald – Blair & Dewar secretly got out a crayon and scribbled on the existing maritime boundary to dish out 6,000 square miles of Scottish waters to England…

    And they wonder why no one likes ’em.

    Reply
  2. Iain Hamilton says:

    Nice one.

    I suspected shenanigans when I saw the “offishal” video on my FB feed at the weekend. Close ups on Jim-bob and his choir but not one turn of the camera to show us his eager, attentive audience.

    Tick tick tick…

    Reply
  3. Author_Al says:

    Fourth point came to me as I typed… 😉

    Reply
  4. heedtracker says:

    Creepy Jim’s pulled an all nighter. Usual BBC style camera at ankle height makes it all look big and exciting. Mad old Murphy has still got BBC #SNPout Scotland raging away at Scotland on his behalf. Even Severin Carrell, The Guardian’s soon to be foreign correspondent for Scotland tweets

    So that is bloody peculiar: no @theSNP leader on #bbcgms today, on the day of its #GE2015 manifesto launch? Really? @BBCGaryR @BBCRadioScot

    Bloody peculiar, or just usual vote tactical BBC #SNPout propaganda stuff.

    Reply
  5. ErinT says:

    So that is bloody peculiar: no @theSNP leader on #bbcgms today, on the day of its #GE2015 manifesto launch? Really? @BBCGaryR @BBCRadioScot

    Maybe because they have a manifesto to launch? Just saying…

    Reply
  6. Karmanaut says:

    For some reason I am reminded of the saltire they tried to raise over 10 Downing Street in the run up to the referendum.

    Remember how it fell off when it was about half way up?

    About 45% of the way up, you could argue. Life is full of funny little coincidences.

    Reply
  7. Iain Gray's Subway Lament says:

    Jist look on twitter to see some of the amazing crowds, packed stalls and events the SNP are getting in what used to be the strongest of Labour heartlands.

    Ye don’t need a poll to understand what’s happening if you’ve been to one of the many busy street stalls and events going on up and down scotland right now and up till election day. It’s usually a carnival atmosphere and very, very upbeat. (The weather helps mind! 😉 )

    Brilliant time for those who haven’t been to get doon to one of them and see for yerselves cause ye’ve no long left. 😀

    Reply
  8. Joemcg says:

    “Good morning GLASGOW!” Classic! Anyone watched that Will Smith flick Iam Legend?

    Reply
  9. BrianW says:

    Stu, See the bit where you say “Include paragraph breaks or I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.”

    I hope we’re talking Timmy Mallet inflatable ones.. Or maybe a small ball-peen hammer? I was just wondering/thinking out loud (well on the keyboard)

    Re Jim’s appearance on the soon to be demolished Concert Hall steps (thanks to his Labour friends in the Chambers).

    It’s like a really, really badly organised pre-meditated flash mob, that’s been choreographed for months and just went ahead with it anyway regardless of the handful of folk that turned up – thank god the light mornings are here or they’d all have they wee head lamps on their heids.

    I think some of them may be Scouts or Girl Guides after their Politics Badge (is there one?)

    Reply
  10. Calgacus says:

    Just goes to show what a fake Murphy is.

    Reply
  11. Geoff Huijer says:

    Does their ‘army of footsoldiers’ post their leaflets thru doors at 3am just in case they’re seen?

    Oops. Silly me.

    They get the posties to do it.

    Reply
  12. farrochie says:

    Kaye Adams

    At 01:21:15

    link to bbc.co.uk

    “Conservative leadership seems to be saying – Oh well if you vote Labour you’re going to get SNP sprinkles, and that’s not gooood”

    Reply
  13. Lesley-Anne says:

    I think I know why this *ahem* grandious event took place at 7:00 A.M. 😉

    I heard on the *cough* gravevine, or should that be the eggvine, that there was to be a mass *cough* egging on of a polititian on Saturday. Murph the Smurph understood this to mean that he was about to be met by an onslaught of “bad eggs” from folks in Glasgow. He therefore decided to outegg the eggers and had his *ahem* massive rally in Glasgow before the eggs were laid! 😀

    Reply
  14. Bob Mack says:

    @R type grunt,
    Sorry to hear about your father.Wish you strength to get through this.

    Reply
  15. Geoff Huijer says:

    BrianW 12.39pm – ‘I think some of them may be Scouts or Girl Guides after their Politics Badge (is there one?)’

    If there is Kezia needs to hand her’s back in.

    Reply
  16. ronnie anderson says:

    Sos Rev O/T I was distracted during Nicola’s speech, ? what was the up and coming Journalists ( cocher’s) ? & Nicola’s reply.

    Reply
  17. Joemcg says:

    Subway lament-the same thing was happening in the months preceding the 18th. I know because I saw it umpteen times, yes stalls rammed and well attended. BT stalls as rare as hens teeth and the very few that there were manned poorly and looking down in the dumps also sadly getting abuse yet we still lost. It was the postal fr… Silent majority!

    Reply
  18. JaMur says:

    Dry boak.

    Reply
  19. Cag-does-thinking says:

    Just encapsulates the problems of Labour which cost them their vote. They are too afraid to meet real people on the streets because (and it comes as no shock to us) they only have platitudes to offer the real public. Ever since the Gordy “bigoted woman” moment on the hustings party apperatchiks have ushered them away from anyone without a party card and increasingly into corrals which only contain their own trusted supporters.

    Just like Cameron who is too afraid to meet a real member of the public in case he catches socialism or something, Labour have increasingly distanced themselves from real people and the Scottish public aren’t going to vote for somebody who waves from a Mercedes as they whizz past. It is one of many insults heaped on voters that are just one insult too many for the party of the working man who are forced to have rallies before the working man gets up.

    History will judge Glasgow City Council as cultural vandals of the worst kind and the steps fiasco is just a part of their extensive track record in not listening to a thing the people of Glasgow say.

    Reply
  20. Robert Louis says:

    O/T, Hope nobody minds 🙂

    For those interested, the SNP manifesto can be downloaded here;

    votesnp.com/docs/manifesto.pdf

    Reply
  21. Big Steve Chisholm says:

    Rev. Typo in the 3rd para.

    “for the benefit of the eight or nine he’s ostensibly speaking to”

    I think you meant to write “for the benefit of the eight or nine year olds” he’s speaking to in the front row.

    They’re probably Labour postal voters.

    Reply
  22. paul gerard mccormack says:

    This is straightforward shameless FRAUD.

    I don’t need a degree in semiotics, or in media studies, or in politics, or to have known the fate of Trotsky being air-brushed out of history to know that this is straightforward shameless FRAUD.

    Don’t these wazzocks know we now live in a digital age?

    FFS.

    Reply
  23. shiregirl says:

    Off topic here – Carmichael on bbc news voicing his views on SNP manifesto. Spoke over Joanna Gosling and wouldn’t let her talk when she questioned him on latest poll figures – apparently they mean nothing as the postals will show differently for the lib dems.
    Satellite link up to Kezia in Stornaway broke up and connection was lost mid rant. What a shame. I was really looking forward to hearing what she had to say.
    😀

    Reply
  24. think again says:

    Scottish Labour You Tube Channel – struggles to get up to three figure viewings. Surely some of the say 5,000 Labour Party members in Scotland have a computer.

    Probably find most of the actual views are from “vile cybernats” doing political research, something beyond the ken of the Labour campaign so far.

    Reply
  25. Papadox says:

    Every time one of the SLAB mouthpieces spouts their rubbish to the faithful in locked rooms there are some faces you just can’t miss. The wee Mario character is at the front in every one of them.

    He’s also there right behind Kezia at first ministers questions, never ever heard him speak and always looks if he’s just waking up or just going to sleep. Who is he and what is his function.

    Reply
  26. TYRAN says:

    Reminds me of the manufactured Wrestlemania 8 Press Conference with fake press and cameramen.

    link to youtu.be

    Reply
  27. Valerie says:

    I saw mentioned a few times, and it may be a rumour, that Murphy has taken legal advice about whether he can keep his job as SLab leader, if he loses his seat.

    Do they need a leader for 4/5 MPs? Or does it mean the Holyrood MSPs?

    Reply
  28. Fireproofjim says:

    Ronnie Anderson
    Isola was inviting questions from the press she spotted a hand waving and said ” now a question from a young and up-and-coming journalist, Alan Cochrane of the Telegraph”.
    A nice good humoured moment. She is CLASS”!

    Reply
  29. Fireproofjim says:

    Sorry “Nicola” not Isola

    Reply
  30. Davy says:

    Jim Murphy BA-Politics (failed), is now showing at a cinema near you. (PG)

    Reply
  31. Thistle says:

    I wish I had known about this. I would have livestreamed it. If anybody catches wind of these “setups” please let us know: liveindependence@gmail.com

    Reply
  32. The Man in the Jar says:

    I have been reading an (archived) article in the telegraph linked to elsewhere. It is a reaction to the SNP manifesto.

    In one of the BTL comments someone posted this.

    “The SNP launch their manifesto on the anniversary of Hitler’s birth.
    Tells you all you need to know”

    FFS! “Zoomer” doesn’t even come close. Smell the fear. 🙂

    Reply
  33. Effijy says:

    Good Move Smurph!

    Finally he has worked out that Miliband, Brown, Cameron,
    Clegg all speak to the people of Scotland, the ones that they want to listen to, from a small locked room with a friendly captive audience, the BBC and the Daily Rancid reporter.

    As the dirty work always falls down to the junior, Dim Jim has been asked to create a presence on the street.

    He knows in his chest void of chest voids that he would be torn to shreds by those educated on the WoS site during normal shopping hours.

    One day these guys will be able to lay in their beds while
    computer animations put Smurph in the Coliseum in Rome surrounded by thousands of rampant supporters cheering Dim Jim, Dim Jim!

    For another £50 they could make him Puke Shitetalker in SNP Wars!

    He has more chance of these 2 options becoming a reality that ever leading the people of Scotland!

    Reply
  34. IAB says:

    Love the morning light

    Reply
  35. Tam Jardine says:

    Truly dire. It must blow slab’s collective mind that the SNP have the inspiration to hold the manifesto launch at the climbing arena at Ratho. I can’t think of a more inspiration place – a first class facility dedicated to reaching higher, working hard to tackle obstacles and reach greater heights. Someone needs a pat on the back.

    I started doing indoor climbing recently with my wee girl and it is magic – all about gaining confidence and pushing yourself. It works as a metaphor for Scotland’s national movement and our quest for independence. I hope more and more people take up this worthwhile and healthy struggle in the next few weeks and beyond.

    Onward and upward indeed

    Reply
  36. Fiona says:

    @ The Man in the Jar

    That is not fear, I don’t think. It is too self referential for that. Fear implies you have noticed there are other people on the planet. Don’t see any evidence the person who wrote that has tumbled to that inconvenient fact

    Reply
  37. desimond says:

    I think it was “Wee lassie in yella tap on Channel Four” that summed it up perfectly..

    Shove your Labour up your arse..

    Reply
  38. James Smyth says:

    Another Excellent article Stuart. I’ve just on one wee factual inaccuracy to point out though- the Buchanan street Sainsbury’s was shut on Saturday due to refurbishments taking place.

    Doesn’t take away from the point you’re making of course, but you might want to take out that line.

    Reply
  39. Nana Smith says:

    O/T

    Please share. Chunky Mark says everything I want to say but the lump in my throat sometimes won’t let me and anger overwhelmes.

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  40. Valerie says:

    Tam Jardine, totally agree, when I saw the journos reporting from the empty arena, I thought, oh well done for whoever thought of that, inspired, different, modern, young etc.

    It seems everything they do marks them as different, and has thought behind it.

    I’m proud to be a member of SNP.

    Reply
  41. Lesley-Anne says:

    Damn it Nana you beat me to the punch there. 😀

    Reply
  42. HandandShrimp says:

    McColm posted a tweet which made me smile.

    Watching Sturgeon and my telly has just joined the SNP.

    Reply
  43. Andrew says:

    As someone who works in the city centre and lives off the sainsbury’s meal deal – the ham hock and cheese sandwiches are very tasty, and exceptional value – that Sainsbury’s is currently closed for a massive renovation. I’m not saying Jim Murphy isn’t there at 6.50am, just that the people outside Sainsbury’s can’t be used as evidence of anything.

    Reply
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

      “I’m not saying Jim Murphy isn’t there at 6.50am, just that the people outside Sainsbury’s can’t be used as evidence of anything.”

      Fair enough. But I was told last night by people who know the geography of Glasgow better than me that you can tell it was around 7am by the angle and shadows of the light.

      Reply
  44. Glamaig says:

    IAB at 1:19pm
    Love the morning light

    Aye the sun angle and direction is a total giveaway 🙂 🙂
    What a pathetic performance.

    Reply
  45. Democracy Reborn says:

    Jim and Anas were clearly desperate to avoid the type of response that Alex Thomson, Channel 4, got last week from the woman near the Barras : “Labour?… Shove it up your arse!”

    Reply
  46. chalks says:

    @TYRAN

    Scottish Labour will maybe adopt the same style as the WWE, by having the potential candidates all sitting there, announcing the new leader will be Gordon Brown….

    Kez, Baillie,Findlay,Curran and a Coconut.

    The Coconut will be the new leader

    Reply
  47. bookie from hell says:

    REV

    BBC parliamentary TV channel 504 showed every manifesto launch LIVE

    I know because that’s where I watched them/unedited just cameras

    Labour/Tory/Ukip/Greens

    Today NOTHING–I had to switch to SKY/BBC news channel

    SNP–neither live or recorded

    Reply
  48. Ally McEwen says:

    Papadox
    There’s a Mario who posts frequently on Dunfermline supporters website. It’s all SNP bashing stuff.
    Could be the same.

    Reply
  49. Luigi says:

    Preaching within the choir

    Must be the Sopranos.

    Reply
  50. shiregirl says:

    I have just joined the SNP. I have always voted SNP but was raised in a Labour household as my Dad was working in the Coal industry and involved in Union stuff. He felt let down by the Unions and now votes SNP. I have felt moved over the past few weeks to join and become more involved. My partner (from Berkshire), is also a supporter and is also joining.

    Thank you to wings and those who contribute for their perspectives and giving links to research issues further – it’s really helped political newbies like us find answers and seek out what is really happening – and also open our eyes to the quite unbelievable media manipulation at play.

    Cheers 🙂

    Reply
  51. Joemcg says:

    Looks like Murphy has borrowed that red sweatshirt from his ten year old nephew!

    Reply
  52. carjamtic says:

    Nicola Sturgeon makes me proud of Scotland,I sense that other folk in the UK are feeling the love and they themselves are looking for the same sense of pride/direction.

    To Labour supporters in Scotland and elsewhere,this is one of those moments where you either jump right on the train or it’s leaving without you.

    In your heart and your head,you must already know this,you will get a fine welcome,no 07:00 meetings either.

    Vote SNP

    Reply
  53. YESGUY says:

    @R type grunt,

    Sad to hear. Thoughts are with you and the family.

    Reply
  54. X_Sticks says:

    Just had a quick look at the SNP manifesto article on bbc while having my lunch.

    Can’t believe the level of vitriol from our ‘friends’ south of the border.

    Usually try to make some comments, but too busy right now, and don’t know that it’s worth the effort to be honest.

    Reply
  55. desimond says:

    Hold on..i thought Zombies only came out at night?

    U fully expect the outcome of this election to see Scottish Labour declaring itself a purely individual entity..Jim might also use that to keep leadership till 2026 List place

    The saddest thing is all they have to do is say “we messed up .forgive us and lets all work together” and we would welcome positive input.

    Sadly theyre just the angry self loathing drunk at a party and the morning after still defiantly sayings “And what eh?..and what?”

    Reply
  56. Joemcg says:

    Boris Johnson has been bumping his gums I notice. SNP in charge at WM would be like putting child killing “King Herod in charge of a baby farm!!” Nice one.

    Reply
  57. Edward says:

    bookie from hell @ 2.00 pm

    Actually to be fair to both BBC and Sky
    they did broadcast the SNP manifesto launch live

    I watched it both on Sky News and BBC News channel

    Sky broke away from the venue after Nicola’s address, thinking that there wasn’t going to be a Q&A, but went back to it to cover the Q&A, which the BBC also covered

    Reply
  58. Fiona says:

    @Joemcg

    Well Boris is effectively in charge of a great deal at present: hence the disproportionate amount of money spent in London without proper sourcing so that barnett consequentials will follow.

    Naturally he does not want any other arrangement.

    Reply
  59. Angry Weegie says:

    @think again 12:56

    I saw a quote from an unnamed Labour councillor that SLab has slightly under 2000 members. Unfortunately I can’t track it down. That was about a month ago, so the current number could be less, considering the way they’ve been losing support.

    Reply
  60. desimond says:

    @Fiona

    Its Boris or Gideon next leading the Tories, possibly within the next 6 months..and thats if theyre in power or not!

    We aint seen nothing yet!

    Reply
  61. Craig P says:

    Papadocx – pretty sure your Mario is a Glasgow list MSP.

    Reply
  62. Jim Arnott says:

    Stu, the only “the 45” that Labour in Scotland will be talking about on the 8th May will be their P45’s.

    Reply
  63. Luigi says:

    Angry Weegie says:
    20 April, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    @think again 12:56

    I saw a quote from an unnamed Labour councillor that SLab has slightly under 2000 members.

    And half of them work for the BBC.

    Reply
  64. Richard Lucas says:

    Duncan issues a riposte: link to labourhame.com

    Reply
  65. Kenny says:

    think again says: “Scottish Labour You Tube Channel – struggles to get up to three figure viewings. Surely some of the say 5,000 Labour Party members in Scotland have a computer.”

    This is unsubstantiated, but someone on Twitter said that Scottish Labour had sent a letter out to all their members asking if they were going to be voting Labour in GE15!!!

    Reply
  66. Glamaig says:

    shiregirl @ 12:55

    latest poll figures – apparently they mean nothing as the postals will show differently for the lib dems

    did he really say that? What news program was it? Its an odd thing to say, because surely the polls at the moment are including people who are going to vote by post.

    Even if the demographic who are voting by post are more likely than average to be non-SNP, that would just mean that people voting in person are more likely than average to vote SNP, so the final result should reflect the polls, in terms of vote percentages cast nationwide.

    The interesting word though is will (future tense). How does he know? (Im assuming you heard him correctly).

    Reply
  67. ScottieDog says:

    I see Gordzilla has his name at the top of letters labour are sending out.

    Reply
  68. Ali says:

    Tommy Sheridan would have pulled more punters than this

    Reply
  69. Lesley-Anne says:

    As I regularly post to folks on Twitter who tweet that they have just joined the S.N.P. shiregirl:

    Welcome on board the S.N.P. Express both of you, enjoy the ride! 😀

    Reply
  70. Alan says:

    Historical aside: The “45” doesn’t just echo 1745 (probably best forgotten IMHO).  It was a popular rallying cry for liberty in Briton and the American colonies in the period leading up to the American Revolution. It references issue 45 of the radical newspaper, The North Briton, published by the colourful John Wilkes on the 23rd April 1763. The title of the newspaper mocks the Earl of Bute and British PM’s Scottishness and his ingratiation with the English establishment. The publication spawned many important legal cases related to the use of general search warrants.

    Reply
  71. YESGUY says:

    shiregirl

    Well done and welcome to the party. Hope over fear everytime.

    Dim Jim and the staged managed set. Hopeless. Hilarious.

    Oh please let him keep that Leaders job till the SE 2016.

    The gift that keeps on giving

    Keza on the other hand never stops …. ever.

    SLAB An epic failure .

    Reply
  72. manandboy says:

    O/T Scamming today by phone: Be Alert

    link to theguardian.com

    Today, I and a number of TalkTalk customers have been scammed by phone. Details on the Guardian website above. Indian accent claiming to have found errors on your computer. Beware, my laptop is now under the callers control (as he had time to insert a Windows password before I disconnected him) – were I to connect it to the internet.

    Reply
  73. starlaw says:

    Just home after visiting friend in a sheltered housing complex. An elderly resident male entered the room and said ” ive just seen our new prime minister on the telly and she’s good” he was talking about Nicola and he’s been a labour voter all his life.

    Reply
  74. Ravelin says:

    @Desmond

    It’s vampires that only come out at night. Luckily for Scottish Labour (and unluckily for the rest of us) Zombies are free to roam both day and night.

    Reply
  75. mumsyhugs says:

    O\t R-type Grunt

    So very sorry to read your sad news about your dad – but remember what I said before ie your dad was a real hero and held the line against overwhelming odds to get us to the point we’re at today. He helped make a difference to our lives and to those of wee babies to come in the future.

    All my love to you and your family. Take care.

    Mumsyhugs xxx

    Reply
  76. woosie says:

    Nana Smith;

    Agree totally. Chunkymark expressing eloquently what I’m sure the common English man or woman really thinks before he/she opens the star/express/telegraph/mirror/mail, etc.

    If SNP open a London branch, he should get the call.

    Reply
  77. Free Scotland says:

    I think the conventional jargon is “zero-hours contracts.” Dim Jim’s sweatshirt messes around with the spelling a wee bit, ditching the hyphen and the “s.” “Ban exploitative zero hour contracts.”

    Yes, Jim, zero hour is approaching, and your contract will be terminated.

    Reply
  78. Robert Peffers says:

    @shiregirl says: 20 April, 2015 at 2:09 pm :

    “I have just joined the SNP. I have always voted SNP but was raised in a Labour household … “.

    Believe me you are not alone. I started supporting the SNP and my family were all Labour too. I started way back in 1946. Thing is that not so long ago just about all Scotland was Labour supporting.

    It cannot be true that it was just a handful of old SNP supporters that converted all Scotland. It has to be that Labour have been the authors of their own downfall. You cannot take a whole nation for granted yet expect them to continue to support you.

    Reply
  79. Lesley-Anne says:

    Yet again starlaw, if proof were needed, WE are winning this one and there is absolutely NO mistake!

    During the ref the big concern for everyone was how the elderly people were going to vote. We found out and it hurt. 🙁

    This time we are still concerned about the elderly and how they will be voting. However, from the many tweets and posts that I have read I am now convinced that there WILL be a Landslide on May 7th. When you start reading, seeing and hearing about how the elderly are reacting to Nicola you know that we are definitively onto a winner this time and NO mistake! 😀

    Reply
  80. Free Scotland says:

    I hope those kids washed their hands after that close encounter.

    Reply
  81. shiregirl says:

    glamaig

    It was on the bbc news around 1230/1300. Carmichael was asked about recent opinion polls and stated that none of them matter as postal votes are not included (don’t quote me but I think he said something about them going out today – but this may be wrong – was busy reading) so he wouldn’t be drawn…tried to look for it online but can’t find it. Gosling couldn’t get a word in edgeways.

    Then there was the link up to Kezia. And the link failed a minute or so in. ah never mind…
    Noticed his head ‘wibbles’ from side to side when he gets anxious…

    Reply
  82. call me dave says:

    On the road to Oban this morning tuned into Scottish BBC Auntie radio Scotland to hear the manifesto launch….!! Aye Right.

    Tuned into English Auntie radio 5 live and there she was just starting. Shame on you radio Scotland your a disgrace.

    Anyhoo! “Most impressive” as Darth Vader said. Sturgeon was excellent and commentators professional and ordinary punter types were too.

    This is all a bit new to them darn South, radical stuff but they liked what they heard …err all except Jackie Baillie who basically said “SNP BAD” “SNP tell lies”.

    I’ll check out the threads later when I get booked into hotel properly…internet signal poor. On my second go here. 🙂
    Must wait to see what Toodle-oo the Noo has to say on his web site for the BBC.

    Reply
  83. chris kilby says:

    Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…

    Reply
  84. tom says:

    We really should show more respect to a “Dead Man walking ” don’t you think ?

    Reply
  85. Robert Peffers says:

    @Richard Lucas says: 20 April, 2015 at 2:35 pm:

    “Duncan issues a riposte: link to labourhame.com

    Yes, Richard, I posted a long comment in reply but expect it will just not be printed.

    Reply
  86. Robert Peffers says:

    @Calgacus says: 20 April, 2015 at 12:39 pm:

    “Just goes to show what a fake Murphy”

    Yon Murphyus has a lean and hungry look, such men are gangerous.

    Apology to Wullie Shakspeare

    Reply
  87. David Wallace says:

    I notice that SLAb has made the video “all comments disabled”, I can’t even give it a thumbs down…

    I am just “wondering out aloud” here, but, would I be justified in reporting it as SPAM to YouTube? As “a Scam and a fraud”, if anyone cares to look… That would be intensely embarrassing to SLab if YouTube received a large number of complaints, surely?

    I will wait and see if any of you have an informed opinion on this option before I proceed… Obviously. 😉

    Reply
  88. Gary says:

    Isn’t it against the law to use a megaphone at 6am? I mean, taxi drivers aren’t allowed to sound their horn after 1145pm so as not to disturb people.

    Reply
  89. SNPsoosie says:

    @Gary 5.54pm

    I find Jim Murphy disturbing at any time of the day

    Reply
  90. Patrician says:

    I see Jim is still preaching to the invisible army that followed him for the majority of his 100 towns away days.

    Reply
  91. Peter Macbeastie says:

    I have seen it claimed (on Facebook, the domain of the not always the sharpest) that these images were actually taken around lunchtime.

    Well, I can tell you that, even if it wasn’t obvious from the otherwise deserted image of one of Glasgow’s main shopping streets, those muppets were not there at lunchtime… because I was and even if I do need my eyes tested I could not possibly miss that amount of bullshit being smeared around the place. Even if I was blind and deaf; as long as my nose still worked I could point Murphy out in a crowd no bother at all.

    Reply
  92. Tam Jardine says:

    Just watched as much as I can stand of Anas Sarwar introducing Jim at the steps. I don’t want to link to it (on youtube) and give em hits so here’s what he says:

    “People keep telling you ‘you don’t need to vote labour in Glasgow but you’ll still get a labour government.

    They say Glasgow’s not good enough for labour but they want a labour government across the UK.

    The only way you get a labour government is if you vote labour….”

    Is that not quite a strange thing to say? Who has ever said that Glasgow’s not good enough for labour? Must be some mistake?

    Anyway, here’s another strange thing: if the only way we in Scotland have a chance of getting a bit of influence in the running of the UK is to win an election, a feat now possible after a tricentennial, if the SNP not only wins but wins 50-59 of 59 seats, if we can get a 20 year old student to overturn a 16,600 majority, if there’s been a solar eclipse, and if a shaft of light goes through a a wee gold medallion on a staff in St Giles at exactly noon on the 8th of May…. If all this comes to pass we may just get a shot at voting in the same place as a labour government, at the same time but definitely not WITH labour you understand. Voting ‘as well as’ labour.

    And our price for Scotland potentially wielding this awesome power for a mighty 1.5% of our time in this blessed union – our price is vilification, the opprobrium reserved for ("Tractor" - Ed)s and interlopers.

    45%? It should have been 95%!

    Reply
  93. Richard Smith says:

    Has no one ever warned the poor lamb about beaming down in a red shirt?

    Reply
  94. McV says:

    Anyone else noticed that Labour are promising to eradicate Foodbanks in Scotland? When they repeatedly told us that we would not be able to wipe them out if we voted Yes.

    It’s like Murphy & Co are promising some sort of Utopia. A land of milk and honey if only we’ll stop this silly business of voting for the party we trust and have faith in, and instead go back to voting Labour.

    Pft.

    Reply
  95. Danny says:

    They must just be bewildered Glaswegians’ as the Sainsbury Local is closed for a refurb.
    Sainsbury decided it was the best time to do it to save it’s shoppers from having Smurf murph claiming they were Labour voters.

    Reply
  96. tom says:@ 4:04 pm

    “We really should show more respect to a “Dead Man walking ” don’t you think ?”

    …….. No

    Reply
  97. Naina Tal says:

    Just heard om Forth2 news;
    Tesco have announced 6.4billion loss. Highest ever for a British (sic) company.

    Kind of puts deficit figures for a small country into perspective. No?

    Reply


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