Putting our foot in it
Goodness knows we could all do with some cheering up at the moment, so let’s have a momentary change of tone and kick today off with a chuckle or two.
We’ve been working a bit too hard lately, and yesterday’s Wings post went to press with an unprecedented FOUR errors in it, including an “is is” instead of “it is”, a “more far” in place of a “far more” and a “strata” where there should have been a “stratum”. We’re deeply ashamed, and thanks to the alert Wings readers – including our mum – who swiftly drew our attention to them.
The most embarrassing clanger was this one, which we fixed promptly:
So imagine our surprise when we were reading this morning’s Scottish press.
Here’s the Daily Record:
And the Scottish Sun:
And the Independent:
Even Eurasia Diary got in on the action:
The BBC fixed its version before we could archive it, although not before the howling-mad zoomers at Talking Up Scotland had made a whole article out of it:
Google can’t locate a single example of “Operation Branchfoot” appearing anywhere before we did it yesterday, so we’d like to take this opportunity to say a big hello to all the Wings readers in the Scottish media. *waves*
But that wasn’t the funniest thing that happened yesterday. Because poor sad old one-trick pony and dishonourable bet-welcher Gerry Hassan has spent the last several years of what we must in a purely technical abstract sense describe as his “career” vituperatively attacking conservative weekly The Spectator and anyone who writes for it, is praised by it or is in any way tangentially connected to it.
But while the magazine may be “racist, Islamophobic, xenophobic” and “an increasing stain on public life” driving politics “into the gutter”, the good news is that it turns out there’s absolutely nothing wrong with its money.
So in the same way that Gerry is always careful to call the publication “the right-wing Spectator”, from now onwards we’re always going to refer to “Spectator columnist Gerry Hassan”. It’s only fair, right?
We’re sure we’ll be back with more depressing news soon enough, readers. But just this once, let’s go into the day with a smile, eh?
While it’s funny of course, what a damning indictment of Scotland’s press that they just lazily lift straight from (without credit of course) the one journalist actually worth the title.
Thanks for the laughs Stu, and appreciate your humanity with typos
Makes me feel less stupid for some of mine on here over the last month.
Today’s real article from Robin McAlpine ‘Idiocy in the SNP’ summarises all you have proved over the last month.
It is worth a read and would appreciate your take on it.
HAHAHA!
Proof if you ever needed it that this website is the only scottish press with proper journalism!
Nice work Stu, if I was a gambling man I’d almost say you did that on purpose to see the effect 😉
Love it @rev , Hassan is just another grifter prostituting himself for petty cash.
Nice one. Great to have a smile on my face!
Surely you must be able to sue the useless hacks ? Copyright or something ?
Especially the BBC, a well-known state mouthpiece.
I know a complaint to any yoon organization will result in nothing happening, but this is disgraceful.
Whatever happened to integrity ? It’s OK I know it disappears as soon as you take the yoon shilling.
And as for the Spectator’s Hassan – I’ve never had any time for him.
Since Scottish Independence is at the very best, a long long way off.
I think it is ever clearer that Stuart Campbell is wasting his excellent talents on the topic/campaign.
I would love to hear his views on wider politics or many other subjects.
You really should be invoicing the Scottish MSM for doing their fecking job for them.
PMSL
Surely “far right, Spectator columnist”
Looking forward to the occational deliberate typo/madey up word creeping in to test the press.
Hassan still hasn’t paid you that tenner, eh?
link to scotcourts.gov.uk
Filling in the required forms will at least stop him writing shite for a wee while.
😉
Ah, come off it, Stuart. We see what you did there. Smartypants!
deliberate typo,
cunning stunt,
we ken ye well 🙂
Maybe Professor Hassan’s next book could be entitled – ‘The strange death of Scottish media’
Reminded of that famous cartoon, the one in the boardroom meeting, where there is only one female. The chair says, ‘that’s a wonderful suggestion Miss Smith, now if one of the men here would like to say it.’
Suspect the editors of MSM are busy shouting at their ‘reporters’, ‘FFS why can’t you be more Wings’. (In fairness the reporters would be entitled to whisper under their breath, ’cause if we were, you wouldn’t publish or pay us’. But hey.
Immitation is the most sincere form of flattery right enough.
Careful Rev Stu.
The Press are Borg. Hive mind and all that.
You’ll wake up assimilated one day, with black and green tubes in your ears, and an acute awareness of Jean Luc Picard’s innermost thoughts.
Off Topic….
Where is the £1.1 million “short money” received by the SNP in their accounts?
‘vituperatively’
*Checks with Google*
Has anyone changed Hassans Wiki page yet ?
@Rev surely that should be ”the right-wing Spectator’s columnist, Gerry Hassan”
You really have to hoist your gaiters…. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Best laugh today…..
Surely “right wing Spectator columnist Gerry Hassan“.
No worries Stu not only to you produce excellent content, your grammar is spot on and a missing apostrophe here or there is not going to invalidate your piece.
I am the biggest culprit for making typos. I type in such a damned hurry and don’t bother to read what is on the screen. Its’ a very bad habit. On the other hand when I type a comment on YouTube the autocorrect can turn a reasonably well formed comment into pure gibberish.I get completely embarrassed when I read them
Homophones can be a problem: their, there, they’re.
I manually typed my PhD thesis on a Silver Reed typewriter simply because my handwriting is appalling. The paper was stiff with ‘Tipeks’ the whiting out paint for correcting errors. After many drafts it was finally accepted and I handed it to a professional typist who did the whole thing in a couple of days.
I read the Spectator (I balance this with the left leaning Economist) and I had a thought recently how interesting a guest publication from Wings would be in the magazine.
Just a thought Rev – never say never.
Hilarious-you probably couldn’t have set it up this well if you had actually tried.
Wings Over Scotland’s very own ‘Wagatha Christie’ moment!
If listening to bloviating shitebags is what fills you with joy, tonight’s Radio 4 programme will rapturize you:
“BBC chief political correspondent Nick Eardley explores the future of the Scottish National Party and the Scottish independence movement following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP and Scottish First Minister.
Nick canvasses the views of MP Mhairi Black, the SNP’s deputy leader at Westminster, MSP Kate Forbes who challenged for the leadership of the party, and Ian Blackford a close ally and political friend of Nicola Sturgeon.
He also hears from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and from Michael Gove, Whitehall’s minister responsible for its relationship with Holyrood”
I’d need a sickbag, personally.
“Right Wing Spectator Columnist Gerry Hassan” sounds just that bit better don’t you think?
I think you’re gonna have to start including some deliberate disinformation to keep these lazy bar stewards on their toes Stu.
Re Hassan/Spectator…too good Sir, by far!
Branchfoot? Isn’t that a wee village just to the north of Perth? 🙂
So, proof that at least five outlets are producing their output based on CHATwhatsitbot AI? Which in turn is basing its ‘articles’ on web-crawling your blog.
Did you apply to be the FM’s speech writer?
Even better shortcut – just write the MSM’s copy for them on here!
Tomorrow – all the Alphabeties’ identities, cunningly and cryptically concealed in a single paragraph? See how many outlets publish it verbatim?
The press copy this but ignore so much more.
Sadly many a gullible reader is complicit believing the truth of their selective collage.
He’s been having a right go at the Torygraph over the last day or so, so we should expect a guest column from him there any time soon.
Gerry,
I don’t know where you live but Sainsbury’s are always looking for home delivery drivers.
You’ve got your travel, customer interaction, helping the housebound, AND you get to sit up high when you’re driving.
No need to thank me…
The media have obviously become comfortable with the high standard of Wings articles with regard content and quality of writing so that “cut and paste” became the norm.
Journalism in Scotland is faced with a dilemma. They enjoyed ignoring political stories if it suited them but now they either have to actually work for a living or simply copy Wings. I suppose you have more time in the pub by just copying someone else’s work.
What is the going rate for such an article. I am curious how much or little it took to get Gerry to sell his soul to the evil Spectator. What price to sell out everything he professed to stand for, and line his pockets with right wing money, filthy fascist lucre.
Now that was a laugh. A wry laugh, but a chuckle nontheless.
In my last soporific post, I noted that journalism nowadays just meant ‘repeating what yer telt’
As ever, in business, or law, as soon as anyone emphatically tells you what a rule, or regulation is, one must always ask “Where is it written”?
The majority of the time it isn’t, anywhere, ever, because the world runs on ‘Chinese Whispers* The tiny remainder of the occasions a written source is produced, it isn’t “what ye were telt” at all – close, but no cigar.
* insert phrase of choice.
In a brief attempt to find an alternative phrase, I got another good laugh at:
“..a global game of Chinese Whispers was played spanning 237 individuals speaking seven different languages. Beginning in… Australia, the starting phrase “Life must be lived as a play”… had become “He bites snails” by the time the game reached its end in Alaska 26 hours later”
That reference was from a paper in ‘Australian Zoologist’ (of all places) but the introduction applies anywhere journalism purports to rear its confused head, and is pure gold.
“… we propose several ways that incorrect citations can arise, including…:
(A) scan the literature to explore a specific topic of interest and interpret the ideas with a certain perspective that strays from the authors’ intended interpretation
(B) accurately reference the original text but omit key facts that can lead to an ambiguous interpretation of the idea by others…
(C) deliberately word a point or issue to give an inference that supports a flimsy hypothesis where such an inference is not justified
(D) simply present an idea using the wrong citation
(E) pass a paper back and forth between collaborators, then editors and finally referees, with the result that ideas can get distorted through multiple edits
(F) fail to consult primary source…”
(tinyurl.com/247ynuhw)
Kudos, Rev.
Open bin–?- deposit principles—close bin— spend the money. That about right?
I did notice the few “errors” and thought Revs been at the cooking sherry again, but was to polite to say anything.
However the rewards have been ample!! Definitely a smile on the coupon ?
You know Stuart…you could actually approach the Spectator directly to enquire whether they might lend Gerry the £10 set off against his future wages (assuming he’s not on an unpaid work placement or some govt programme) so that the reputation of this august magazine isn’t tarnished by employing perennial debtors.
In an independent Scotland perhaps we could issue a special limited edition commemorative £10 note that has the words “I promise NOT to pay the bearer on demand” with a picture of ‘someone’ on it looking downwards in shame, so that we can teach generations of young Scots the difference between right and wrong.
Morality is the glue of society, without it…where are we? Mere anarchy would be loosed upon the world.
We owe it to the children…
This CTRL C CTRL V culture lays bare the lamentable state of Scottish journalism. It was perhaps Sturgeon’s greatest achievement to almost entirely neuter the fourth estate. The nation’s political reporters should be truly ashamed of themselves, especially as many have no doubt held Wings in total contempt these past few years.
You would like to think there will be some sort of self-reflection on the part of the mainstream media. “How did we allow this to happen to us? How can we eradicate this culture of complacency and prevent it from taking hold again?” One fears that nothing will change, though.
It’s a problem because an independent Scotland will need a press worthy of a new nation. As some of you scribes will be reading this – please sort yourselves out. Remember what the most important definition of a news story is: reporting something that someone else doesn’t want you to report.
Surely “Gerry Hassan, columnist for the right wing Spectator magazine” is more fitting?
O/T somewhat but the Spectator does have quite good articles at times (not by Gerry Hassan, columnist for the right wing Spectator magazine, obviously). I started reading it now and then as I was worried about confirmation bias and echo chamber thinking in my left leaning views. I’m still left wing. But I enjoy some of the reads, and they’ve been pretty good about gender and the año.
And the hilarious antics of Tampon Charlie coming soon too. Operation Sausage Fingers.
Genuine laugh out loud! You should invoice them all
And the funny man masquerading as the First Minister says he knows nothing – nothing about the membership numbers, nothing about the missing money, nothing about nothing. It’s a wonder he knows what day of the week it is – and he’s the continuity candidate.
Anyway, can you imagine what he’s likely to say if asked about whether you know who might be next for arrest – don’t know her, never heard of her and if I did I’ve forgotten.
Come off it, Rev…
Your “most embarrassing clanger” was in fact a well sprung trap, straight out of a le Carre novel, designed specifically to snare the parasites inhabiting the dead tree scrolls.
Bravo!
“Seemingly there is no reason for these extraordinary political events. Only Dr Gerry Hassan, formerly left wing columnist at Bella Caledonia, has provided any explanation.”
Michael Laing says: at 11:49 am
“Branchfoot? Isn’t that a wee village just to the north of Perth? ”
Aye, indeed it is. I cruised up through Blankflute on the auld A9
the other day on my motorbike on the way to Glencoe.
There is a new battle of Waterloo a mile north though. The battle is holding your breath for a mile to avoid inhaling the stench of the human shit they are spreading over the fields. It’s fucking rank. The hamlet should should be renamed Whatapoo! 🙁
PhilM says:
19 April, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Gerry,
I don’t know where you live but Sainsbury’s are always looking for home delivery drivers.
Aye, but would you trust Gerry Hassan to find the correct address? Heck, this guy is so wide of the mark (consistently), he is likely to end up in the wrong town/country. He could be a bench-warmer (politician), I suppose, but he ain’t capable of any other job IMO.
If only the investigation had been called Operation Camelform…….
@Mac (12.06) –
What’s Hassan’s rate?
I saw, perhaps via Twitter, just the other day, ‘£72 per 400 words’ mentioned.
No idea if that’s NUJ-suggested or not but the tweet was definitely Hassan-related.
Say, for argument’s sake, that’s 1.5 pages handwritten? That would be Rev’s tenner covered, nae danger.
Taking these miscreants to court isn’t necessarily a preposterous idea. “Mountweazels” are a thing.
“Copyright traps aren’t exclusive to maps. Encyclopedias and dictionaries would sometimes feature fake entries known as “mountweazels” — a reference to Lilian V. Mountweazel, a fictional photographer and fountain designer from Ohio who was inserted into the 1975 edition of The New Columbia Encyclopedia in order to trip up potential copyright violators. Some mountweazels, such as the word “esquivalience”, were identified as recently as in the 2005 edition of the New Oxford American Dictionary.”
An opportunity to drop misinformation and watch the rest of them run with it!
Scot says @11.52:
“The press copy this but ignore so much more.
Sadly many a gullible reader is complicit believing the truth of their selective collage.”
Weren’t Their Selective Collage a big 90s synth-pop band? 🙂
Wee (BLiS-Boxers) Gerry deserves everything he gets for his continual social-science jargon-drenched havers (and the bet thing, obvs.) but we really shouldn’t expect truth, principles or consistency from journo types, should we? After all, Kevin McKenna was editor of The Scottish Daily Mail at one time but has made a nice living writing about Indy the last nine years, like many others who are probably pretty lukewarm about it under the skin (most of the columnists in The National, too, I suspect).
Or maybe I’m being too hard on Kevin: I hear he’s been saying nice things about Stu recently.
Crash dive, Rev! Crash dive!
This is a National Emergency.
Branch-foot-and-mouth disease spreading at a speed of knots throughout all Scottish and British main-line media.
Branchfoot (as it is called for short) is a killer disease which can only be cured by use of human brains, which are in extremely short supply throughout the region.
All branches of mainline media have been warned not to put their foot in it again. They are to stop flying Wings and keep their feet plodding along at their own level, even though that is anywhere except on the ground.
Since they are now in threat of extinction, all branches of MLM have been ordered by central high command to go into total lockdown. This is the only way to preserve their current 1% chance of survival. They are to wear facemasks at all times, and keep their blinkers on. Never again are they to be found accessing truthful media outlets, which can entrap them at any moment.
Tinto Chief
Perhaps, although I never came across them.
Try Camouflage or Kraftwerk – in the same vein.
Left, right; fascist, socialist; liberal, conservative are mere labels if not clearly defined.
Remove the race theories and pseudo science even Hitler’s National Socialism and Stalin’s communism» begin to defy categorization.
Woke ridden SNP presents a similar challenge.
Whether Hitler, Stalin or Sturgeon history will have its revenge, if not the suffering people.
Ian McCubbin @ 10:56 am
“Today’s real article from Robin McAlpine ‘Idiocy in the SNP’ summarises all you have proved over the last month.”
Not quite. Postcolonial theory has long since established that a colony is always run by a ‘mediocre meritocracy’, given the narrow cultural and ideological stream from which it is drawn. The dominant national party on the other hand merely ‘behaves as a gang’ whit ‘feathers its nest’ (Fanon).
The dominant national party and the meritocratic elite running the nation’s institutions are therefore two quite different entities in a colonial society. What we see is the latter coming down on the former, the compromised national party now passed its usefulness, it seems. No matter who is FM or sits in his cabinet, or even if Holyrood survives the purge, Scots will still be subject to a mediocre meritocracy.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
As if there was ever any doubt that the Britnat newsrags/media posing as a Scottish newsrags/media didn’t read Wings on a regular basis.
I’d wager that the standard of journalism in Scotland is so poor (present company excluded of course) that they visit your site to see what’s going on, goodness only knows what that lot has plagiarized from you and regurgitated in a different format in the past, you should be getting royalties for Operation Branchfoot.
Spectator columnist Gerry Hassan, Spectator columnist Gerry Hassan, I just thought I’d paste that few times to annoy the wee turd.
And the press who avidly read this and get their info on this site must also have read all the evidence on the Salmond stitch-up – hell mend them – there is no excuse.
By the way I’ve only noticed one previous tiny typo that was five years ago – it really is the best proofread and accurate website/newspaper/book I have ever come across.
That’s a real belter Rev.
Congratulations!
For all the £millions spent by the corrupt Unionist media they come here in the night, pretend
journalists stealing from real investigative journalists with his finger on the pulse.
They who spend their days lambasting the worlds most read political blog.
How thoroughly humiliating for them.
Thank goodness they are without morals or credibility or they might never have recovered.
You know you’ve arrived when you end up atl in WoS 🙂
TBF I didn’t even notice the other typos. It’s just that Branchfoot stood out. Though not if you work in MSM apparently 🙂
Filloficer @ 11:20 are you prone to Spoonerisms?
Why not try ‘all the SNP are utter, utter cunts’ tomorrow and see if it gets in The National?
“bet-welcher”
Bed-wetter surely.*
Thanks for the tips.
*I know, I know I just couldn’t resist.
In a different universe the SNP would have caused a major crisis by demanding full sovereign powers for Holyrood, been turned down, walked out of the place and ceased to act as the devolved administration
The disparate remainers would be forced to stitch together a «unity Unionist», devolved government while the real, non devolved parliament/government assembled elsewhere.
The Westminster parliament would also have been vacated. The world would have watched with great interest.
Grand gestures may be taken as signals of serious intent.
The SNP or its successor would do well to consider the impact of such.
The battle needs to be brought to enemy.
Shona Robinson coming out today saying the party needs to get it’s house in order.
She shouldn’t be finance secretary. Why do the SNP reward failure? She failed as health secretary. Like Yousaf she’s given the top jobs. She was one of the chief handmaidens for GRR. That Scotland doesn’t want. She isn’t listening to anyone. In fact. I remember the weekly calls for her to be sacked. And now look where she is.
The perils of copied homework.
It’s good to see that the green the bottle recycling poll tax has been discarded.
Well done to Fergus Ewing SNP voices speaking out against the scheme.
Ash Regan who spoke out against Nicola Sturgeon. Full of integrity. I respect these voices in the SNP.
Hopefully they speak up and publicly demand the leadership suspend everyone involved in the ongoing corruption scandals.
They will be able to hold their heads up high.
Not an Indy supporter or even a wings supporter, but credit where credit is due. Some astonishing investigative work done by Wings into the SNP over last few years. The man that brought down the SNP? It’s looking like he just might be.
link to caltonjock.com
Why should business listen to Shona Robinson when she doesn’t listen to Scotland over GRR?
I’m not listening to Shona Robinson I’ll tell you that for a fact.
Ottomanboi @ 3:21 pm
“the SNP would have caused a major crisis by demanding full sovereign powers for Holyrood, been turned down, walked out of the place and ceased to act as the devolved administration”
Yes, that is the standard conventional approach to securing independence / liberation. As opposed to a compromised national party elite which attempts to run a colonial administration on behalf of the oppressor power and which only leads to further conflict. In a colonial society Nationalist majorities should only be used to liberate the people, not to feather the nests of political elites.
Mac @ 12:06pm,
I think all it took for Hassan to sell his soul was a sherbet dip and Fraser Nelson’s knob.
It would probably have been a done deal without the sherbet.
When sleepy-me clocked the typos, I merely imagined you were chasing a self-imposed deadline and left it at that. Seems that I wasn’t alone. Nabbed the slovenly, ill dressed bastards red-handed!
english born ex social worker Shona Robison talks some shite
link to twitter.com
Fkg state of this.
Away and bile yer heid National, ya poisonous wee arse rag.
ALBA are defending Scotland against these Yoons, and fine you know it, but why the let the truth interfere in your blinkered wee shit stirring eh?
How many papers did you sell today? That’s right,… too many.
@David Hannah who remarked “Like Yousaf she’s given the top jobs”.
She was married to Stewart Hosie for 20 years (another man and wife power couple leading the SNP) and has been friends with former FM Sturgeon since they met at Glasgow University.
Good enough connections for top jobs within the SNP
ALF BAIRD. 4:09pm
Standard, conventional and «basic» but not on the SNP reading list, so far.
Arrogance, running before walking, political/historical illiteracy….
Lesson now learned?
.
Stuart, knowing you have the odd typo’ problem with the likes of Operation TwigFart” is a big relief. I get mortified at it happening at my end of the keyboard. So your Mea Culpa is a blessed relief and almost an act of solidarity agin’ the pedant polis.
Though your diabolical software, upon which this site runs, refuses to allow BTL post edits nor corrections (any way of allowing posts-edits please?),
Even when predictive text can be blamed for howlers that the site’ pedants’ then gizz over, there is no way to correct them after the “submit” button has been pressed!
So all BTL contributors, beware, Omar Campbell doth hold firm with his hammered out world of words. Beware this rule…
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”
Stuart, if you’ll forgive the tongue-in-cheekiness, one last thing to note amongst your historic pages…
I admire the tin-hat photo you sourced of John McTernan…
link to archive.ph
The McTernan cursed-one seems to be wired up to the Moon in that photo. You can see his tin-foil hat connected by an electrical cable upwards.
One last thing, the Financial Review describes McTernan a tight-walleted Scot. As a born and bred Weegie, I take exception to that. McTernan was born in London. So the Financial Review should change its dead tree media carp into… McTernan being a tight-arzed-cockney.
Same goes for Angus Robertson. The media calls him an “Air Miles Jock”. That is not correct. Robertson was born in Wimbledon, so surely he should be chided in the press as an “Air Miles Womble.”
All this kidding-on asides, WELL SPOTTED Rev Campbell. The plagiarising lazy media have really put their foot in it with quoting: ”Operation Branchfoot.”
They have been banged to rights. Bugger the Bed-wetting Gerry Hassan not coughing up his £76 to you Stuart, surely YOU should be sending an INVOICE for £20 to all these lazy journalists who just lift screeds of your work (typos included) and pass it off as their own.
”Operation Branchfoot” Will soon go down in the annals of degree-level university journalism tuition on HOW NOT to get caught plagiarising.
Colin Beattie steps down as Treasurer. Also losing whip apparently.
Shawshank redemption comes to mind somehow
@Breeks
There only in it for the money, the rag will have its day?
Anyone getting deja vu yet?
“Scottish Government refuses to publish legal advice on gender law challenge” link to archive.is
Now we learn that Beattie has resigned this afternoon. The obvious interim replacement is the 2020 democratically elected treasure, Douglas Chapman, a man of PROVEN integrity.
Humza -what are you waiting for?
Now we learn that Beattie has resigned this afternoon. The obvious interim replacement is the 2020 democratically elected treasurer, Douglas Chapman, a man of PROVEN integrity.
SNP Treasurer wanted: chalice and limitless hemlock supplied.
Blackford was a banker and thinks the finances are in great shape so he should jump at the chance to prove it – ha ha.
Or MacBeth. I bet he’d like to get his hands on the books if the polis haven’t managed to get them. Could be Redactio ad Absurdum, a close relative of Reductio ad Absurdum, but a lot less left to see.
Alf Baird 4.09 pm. Absolutely spot on.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery .
I noticed the Telegraph getting in a fankle this morning , saying that Murrell had stepped back as SNP treasurer. I guess all those bald blokes look alike
Ottomanboi 3.21pm absolutely, always been my view, other independence movements throughout history have done this.you never give legitimacy to your oppressor.
Holyrood brings in new measures to stop outbursts from the gallery, slowly but surely we are being detached from OUR parliament by the very people we elected to do our bidding, not their bidding.
How long now before our parliament and Bute House end up gated, and protected by armed police to keep the public away from politicians who are fulfilling their own agendas at our detriment.
Douglas Chapman is the only person who could be appointed treasurer that would have any legitimacy. But would he want it? As a minimum his price should be to demand full access to everything but would the puppet masters of the NEC and staff be willing to pay that price?
Congratulations Stu – the go to source for lazy journalists. Pity they don’t pay you.
On the Spectator. It may be right wing, but has often taken contrarian positions on social issues. It was anti-slavery and supported the north at a time that most media including the Guardian supported slavery and the south. In the 20th century it campaigned to abolish capital punishment and to decriminalize homosexuality. See
link to spectator.co.uk
Cynicus says:
19 April, 2023 at 5:39 pm
“Now we learn that Beattie has resigned this afternoon. The obvious interim replacement is the 2020 democratically elected treasurer, Douglas Chapman, a man of PROVEN integrity.”
HY should immediately order new elections for the Treasurer and NEC members. All suspended members should be reviewed. Those whose ‘crime’ is a non woke tweet about gender, or asking about the missing money should have their membership restored so they can vote.
Existing senior employees should be sacked – they are either complicit in the scandal and part of the cover up or by utter thickness have rendered themselves incapable of performing their fiduciary duty.
The Constitution should be restored to what is was before the illegal changes made 5 years ago (see Robin McAlpine’s piece).
An independence supporting outsider should be appointed to the role of Interim CEO. Ruddick is hopelessly compromised and thick. Senior SNP employees such as Ruddick the former Operations Manager, accountants, the Compliance Officer etc should be sacked.
For anyone who has worked in any public, private or voluntary organisation these suggestions are so obvious. HY really is even more stupid then we thought.
Let’s see if any of the MSM run a story re. these approximate stats seeing as they are reading in. 🙂
SCOTLAND WITH ONLY 9% OF THE UK POPULATION HAS:
32% of the land area.
61% of the sea area.
90% of the fresh water.
65% of the natural gas production
96.5% of the crude oil production.
47% of the open cast coal production
81% of the untapped coal reserves
62% of the timber production
46% of the total forest area
92% of the hydro electric production
40% of the wind wave and solar energy production
60% of the fish landings
30% of the beef herd
20% of the sheep herd
9% of the dairy herd
10% of the pig herd
15% if the cereal holdings
20% of the potato holdings
90% of the whisky industry
70% of gin production
Now compare those stats to England.
ENGLAND WITH 91% OF THE UK POPULATION ONLY HAS:
68% of the land area.
39% of the sea area.
10% of the fresh water.
35% of the natural gas production
3.5% of the crude oil production.
53% of the open cast coal production
19% of the untapped coal reserves
38% of the timber production
54% of the total forest area
8% of the hydro electric production
60% of the wind wave and solar energy production
40% of the fish landings
70% of the beef herd
80% of the sheep herd
91% of the dairy herd
90% of the pig herd
85% if the cereal holdings
80% of the potato holdings
10% of the whisky industry
30% of gin production
Now those resource to population stats for England look a bit sketchy…
(Need to get these numbers updated… The recent ScotWind
auctionsgiveaway has potential to generate about 10 times the current amount of Scottish wind derived energy.@Dan,
Have Wales and Northern Ireland just lost their coastlines?
That man Hassan is, as my mother would have said, a blort.
You do it again and again, Stu-perb job!
Hope it not too cheeky to post this link from someone else who’s having a good streak, Robin McAlpine. Something I’d hope those in charge of the SNP would heed. I say “in charge…”
link to robinmcalpine.org
BOBBYP. 6:01pm
There is no such creature as a «risk averse» independence movement.
No risk, no gain, no point.
Arse! Can we not get that preview function sorted as it’s too easy to fuck up formatting without it.
That last sentence should have just had “auctions” scored through and read:
“The recent ScotWind
auctionsgiveaway has potential to generate about 10 times the current amount of Scottish wind derived energy.”Martin says: at 7:19 pm
“Have Wales and Northern Ireland just lost their coastlines?”
Doubt it as that would probably have been on the news. But if it helps, the figures are in the context of the UK union so understand they relate to the Kingdom of Scotland, and the Kingdom of England (which of course includes Wales and Northern Ireland).
So no volunteers for the Treasurer’s job and Humza is going to do it. At least he should be able at last to see what has been going on. If there is any paperwork left to see, and he can understand it.
What are the rules on who can do the job?
Will they be ammended so that an indepent outsider can be appointed, for transparency.
Humza is an absolute numpty for taking this on himself, even for a short time. He’ll be for ever identified with the can of worms that is the SNP’s finances.
Fuck – Robin McAlpine not holding back today on his blog to help others too!
“Google can’t locate a single example of “Operation Branchfoot” appearing anywhere before we did it yesterday, so we’d like to take this opportunity to say a big hello to all the Wings readers in the Scottish media.”
Serial thieves finally caught redhanded.
“The most embarrassing clanger was this one, which we fixed promptly:”
Embarrassing?
But it turned out to be a million times more embarrassing to the thieves in the media.
Brilliant.
In the beginning, there was a plan,
And then came the assumptions,
And the assumptions were without form,
And the plan without substance,
And the darkness was upon the face of the 120,000,
And they spoke among themselves saying, ”It is a crock of shit and it stinks.”
And the 120,000 went unto their chairpeople and said, ”It is a pile of dung, and we cannot live with the smell.”
And the chairpeople went unto their management saying, ”It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, Such that none may abide by it.”
And the Treasurer, the Business Convenor, the compliance officer, the operating officer and the Party Solicitor went unto the National Executive Council saying,”It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide by its strength.”
And the National Executive Council spoke among themselves saying to one another,’It contains that which aids plants growth, and it is very strong.’
And the National Executive Council went to the Chief Executive Officer saying unto him,’It promotes growth, and it is very powerful.’
And the Chief Executive Officer went to the Party Leader, saying unto her,
‘This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the Party with very powerful effects.’
And the Leader looked upon the Plan And saw that it was good, And the Plan became Policy.
And this, my friend, is how shit happens.
Something like that.
@ Neil in Glasgow: “Robin McAlpine not holding back today..”
Excellent analysis and advice for HY and the SNP from Robin. I have a suggestion for HY – hire Robin NOW. Simple.
This was accidental but now make it a habit of setting traps for the bastards with deliberate errors.
Robin McAlpine seems to know his stuff better than anyone perhaps but I’m not sure he’s pinned down what a bind HY is in. Turn Sturgeotti out on her ear as he advises and you have hundreds perhaps thousands of vociferous ultra-loyalists baying for your political blood. Betrayal. Traitor. Stabbed oor Nic in the back. Conspiracy after conspiracy, constructed to protect an image that must not be tarnished. All because the SNP allowed a mafia to take over their democratic structures. Despite recent events, we can all see that mafia structure is still in place. They’re in too deep. They all rely on each other and they all have to maintain omertà or they’re all finished together.
This bind is structural. They will not do what is needed because whilst there’s still hope, even the most desperate of hopes, they’ll have convinced themselves this will all go away and that they’re all actually decent honourable people anyway. They want the structure to persist, without it lowly boring poorly-paid management jobs await. No glamour. No opportunities for experiencing constant mutual adoration.
The Sicilian mafia saw themselves as ‘men of honour’ because they follow a strict code of behaviour that includes a strict family morality. However even family loyalty cannot override loyalty to the mafia group once you’re a member. Notice how often ‘family’ is invoked as the binding concept of SNP/independence supporters and notice the unusual network of husbands, wives, sons, daughters etc. working within the greater SNP ‘family’. Like the mafia though, they will throw their actual family members overboard rather than damage the SNP ‘family’. No public criticism is ever justified and anyone who breaks ranks is made to understand they have no future. The top people do not want to know those who break the code of silence.
Perhaps all political parties are a bit like this but the SNP took collective responsibility/party loyalty and catapulted it to a much higher level under Sturgeotti, Capo dei Capi.
Sadly Continuity Fredo is probably the end of the family line…
Cue fadeout with haunting orchestral music…
Is Robin McAlpine trying for a job with the SNP ? I hope not.
Reading Robin McAlpine’s awesome post on how to get a grip got me thinking:
Based on the way Humza is acting (i.e. not suspending Mr & Mrs Murrell) and this business as usual with a SNP meet Nicola event. What if the plan is this:
* Nicola etc. resign their senior positions
* Put their man in to take the flak while the investigation is public
* Their man makes sure COPFS does not prosecute
* X months later when the investigation is over Nicola decides to get the party back on track
* Humza stands down and Nicola gets re-elected with *new energy*
I know we (and any sane person) would be affronted at this, but maybe there are enough Nicola fans (in the SNP) to fall for it. Or at least Mr & Mrs Murrell think there are.
I’ve had 10 years experience with someone just like Nicola (aka Narcissist) and after a bitter battle managed to separate myself from them. In the end they just did not want to leave (it was never about the money), they live for the ability to control their environment and get ‘supply’ to feed their insecurity/ego.
So I would not be surprised if the above is their plan to get back to being ‘in control’ with the investigation just a wee bump in the road 😉
Hi Frank Gillougley says at 9:09 pm.
You typed,
In the beginning,
Something like that.
That’s a classic paraphrase!
@Frank Gillougley
If that is all your own work you’re an artist. If you’ve plagiarised and adapted it from someone else you’re a lover of art.
Amazing the number of good writers our grumpy host attracts.
Merganser, it has been said that Sturgeon was temp treasurer when Chapman resigned, i guess it comes with being convenor of the Party.
sarah says:
19 April, 2023 at 9:16 pm
@ Neil in Glasgow: “Robin McAlpine not holding back today..”
” Excellent analysis and advice for HY and the SNP from Robin. I have a suggestion for HY – hire Robin NOW. Simple. ”
That’s exactly what came to my mind when I read Robin’s latest , Sarah .
But almost certainly , that being the right thing to do – they won’t . The right thing , whatever that might be , in any given scenario , is not on their agenda .They are right thing allergic , it brings them out in a nasty rash – of mind-blowing , blotchy stupidities .
In the article , Robin refers to – get this ….a ” Coffee Morning ” at which you can enjoy ” great cakes , tea and coffee ” ( whilst parting with money yr obviously too clue-free to think of anything more worthwhile to spend it on ) …GREAT FUCKING CAKES !! with Hilary …oops … Nicola Sturrell : and there she is on the flyer , smiling like someone who’s taken acid and doesn’t realise the polis are breaking the door down .
If there’s such a genre as Surreal Banality , the SNP are currently writing the definitive text
Yi’ken, there are some bra’ writers here btl but maybe go over what you’ve typed and condense a wee bittie?
Yooz catch the vibe but over-egg it.
Proofread, as our Master would suggest.
sarah says:
19 April, 2023 at 9:16 pm
@ Neil in Glasgow: “Robin McAlpine not holding back today..”
“Excellent analysis and advice for HY and the SNP from Robin. I have a suggestion for HY – hire Robin NOW. Simple.”
Absolutely. I worked 28 years in the private sector, 13 years in the public sector. On the side I worked 35 years in the voluntary sector – school governor, Councillor, member of local history and cultural societies.
Absolutely astonished at the SNP Party Governance. The CEO being married to the Leader. An accident waiting to happen. The Treasurer and Finance and NEC Members resigning in 2021. If I was a member of the NEC I wud have screamed. It stinks.
And MSPs and MPs, party apparatchiks and members did not ask questions???
Did Humza never say “What’s this on Wings about missing £600K?” “Why have Joanna Cherry and Douglas Chapman resigned because they did not have access to the party books?” WTF!
If HY did not have an inkling he is even more stupid than is made out.
Here was the original “Plan”.
The Plan
In the beginning, there was a plan, And then came the assumptions, And the assumptions were without form, And the plan without substance,?And the darkness was upon the face of the workers, And they spoke among themselves saying, ”It is a crock of shit and it stinks.”
And the workers went unto their Supervisors and said, ”It is a pile of dung, and we cannot live with the smell.”
And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying, ”It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, Such that none may abide by it.”
And the Managers went unto their Directors saying, ”It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide by its strength.”
And the Directors spoke among themselves saying to one another, ”It contains that which aids plants growth, and it is very strong.”
And the Directors went to the Vice Presidents saying unto them, ”It promotes growth, and it is very powerful.”
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, ”This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the company with very powerful effects.”
And the President looked upon the Plan And saw that it was good, And the Plan became Policy.
And this, my friend, is how shit happens.
HY thinks he is still fighting a fire
He does not realize the fire is over, it is just taking a little time to die down
but there is little or noting to save. The time for controlling the fire was when he was elected leader but sadly he made some very poor choices.
HY thinks he is still fighting a fire
He does not realize the fire is over, it is just taking a little time to die down
but there is little or nothing to save. The time for controlling the fire was when he was elected leader but sadly he made some very poor choices.
Who destroyed evidence in the Luke Mitchell case so his appeal could no proceed? Some say it was Livingston, some say it was Wolfe, and some say it was Bain to protect her husband Turnbull. Anyone out there know the truth?
@Brian Doonthetoon:
Thanks for that . But I think our plagiarist did a good creative job from the template.
It’s like folk music: it’s yours to do with as you wish, for better or unremembered.
He was only a child.
link to thescottishsun.co.uk
@ Robert Hughes at 9.54: The SNP “..are right thing allergic. It brings them out in a nasty rash..”
Very droll. I had to laugh, in a ghoulish kind of way.
As London Scott at 10.03 says, it is unbelievable how dim so many people in the party are – we know the parliamentarians and spads spend their time reading Wings and even if they just paid some attention to NEC meetings they surely thought something was up when Douglas Chapman and the others resigned. Yet they just carried on as if nothing had happened.
Colin Beattie still working at 71..A.Guid Auld fashioned Hungry Hamgrabber..Steengy hoor, Trougher, Gripper,.any more Scots words for him?
Condensing of comment at 9.39 p.m.
The SNP is f***ed (è fottuto), it’s their own fault, and there’s nothing they can do about it (plus some additional mafia analogy).
Buona notte.
London Scott says:
19 April, 2023 at 10:03 pm
sarah says:
19 April, 2023 at 9:16 pm
@ Neil in Glasgow: “Robin McAlpine not holding back today..”
“Excellent analysis and advice for HY and the SNP from Robin. I have a suggestion for HY – hire Robin NOW. Simple.
Absolutely. I worked 28 years in the private sector, 13 years in the public sector. On the side I worked 35 years in the voluntary sector – school governor, Councillor, member of local history and cultural societies.
Absolutely astonished at the SNP Party Governance. The CEO being married to the Leader. An accident waiting to happen. The Treasurer and Finance and NEC Members resigning in 2021. If I was a member of the NEC I wud have screamed. It stinks”.
If Alba wants to be clean and drive successfully for independence (on the back of a thriving Economy, fully functioning Health system and Education as it was before Devolution) accept no one into its membership who represented, in whatever capacity, the SNP. I relieve The Big Fish himself of compliance with these conditions.
.
Rob at 7.23 THANK YOU.
You added an excellent link to Robin McAlpine.
Rob, Robin is right on the money. Almost all he writes is correct.
Though I would disagree slightly. Robin wants the NuSNP denuded of the tractor excrement and some of it saved.
I want the NuSNP extinguished.
Completely.
& at least a dozen NuSNP shitz who tried to frame Alex Salmond with fake charges, falsely imprisoned for 20 years serving similar sentences for the real crimes they committed in libelling fake charges against an innocent man.
Seeing as it looks very like the media reads Stu Campbell’s website and for sure some politicians here is some truth…
The ONLY salvation for the few good-uns in amonster the corpulent gravy-bus tribe that is NuSNP is if some MPs and MSPs dig deep and find some honour and courage in themselves as that which is in the DNA of Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill.
Then those NuSNP MPs and MSPs get up and walk across the political divide. LEAVE woke-captured NuSNP and join ALBA.
Now.
Before anyone on BTL moans.
If Alba get a voice in Holyrood NOW, then it MUST get the required to and media exposure.
How much? Enough to get Alba up to 10% in the polls and for there to by 15 to 20 Alba MPs and MSPs after the respective forthcoming elections.
Any CURRENT SNP MP or MSP committed to keeping politics honest and prepared to move from NuSNP to Alba NOW deserves forgiveness from being within the bin-fire of Holyrood politics since Nicola Sturgeon started her destructive tenure 8 very long years ago.
In case anyone here on BTL missed Rob recommending Robin’s article, here it is…
link to robinmcalpine.org
Al-Stuart says:
“The ONLY salvation for the few good-uns in amonster the corpulent gravy-bus tribe that is NuSNP is if some MPs and MSPs dig deep and find some honour and courage in themselves as that which is in the DNA of Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill.
Then those NuSNP MPs and MSPs get up and walk across the political divide. LEAVE woke-captured NuSNP and join ALBA”.
NO. If they are so thick, gullible and leadable, Alba should give them the Glasgow kiss.
London Scott says:
19 April, 2023 at 6:23 pm
“HY should immediately order new elections for the Treasurer and NEC members.”
=======
Thank you for your thoughtful response. However much I might agree in principle, in PRACTICE there is just not the time to do as you propose in this crisis situation.
The next best thing is the appointment of the guy who was the last elected treasurer, Douglas Chapman , assuming he wants the job.
Brilliant stuff.
Where would the Scottish media – and the Scottish Polis – be without Wings over Scotland?
And Hassan? he’s just such a dishonourable wee dunce, isn’t he?
Cynicus says
20th April, 2023 @ 12.47 a.m:
“The next best thing is the appointment of the guy who was the last elected treasurer, Douglas Chapman , assuming he wants the job”.
That’s a non-starter. Get the Electoral Commission to appoint its Auditor straight away. The new Treasurer can then start with a clean slate
Here’s a laugh, and I quote verbatim from WGD.
” There’s no denying that the police investigation has been shocking to those of us who have put our trust in the SNP as the only credible vehicle which can deliver Scottish independence, and I am sure I am not alone in feeling deeply disappointed and let down by the party leadership ”
” The SNP will remain the dominant pro-independence party for the foreseeable future.”
Now I don’t know about other Wings readers but I’d hazard a guess that folks at large are a tad more than disappointed in the SNP leadership. Nor am I certain with WGD’s assertion that the SNP will remain the dominant party for the foreseeable future. Mr McKenna obviously lives in in an alternative planet to believe that guff.
The SNP is in utter tatters. Over 70,000 members have left, the party is in dire straits financially, opinion poll after opinion poll indicate a collapse in electoral support whereby the SNP would be replaced at Hollyrood and their MPs at Westminster decimated.
Who pays Mr McKenna to write the bile water that he passes of hosts is a big question. He certainly doesn’t speak for the electorate and public opinion. Like the band leader on the Titanic he’s going down with the ship.
”Mr McKenna obviously lives in in an alternative planet to believe that guff.”
Do you not mean Mr Kavanagh ?
Willie says:
20 April, 2023 at 6:02 am
Here’s a laugh, and I quote verbatim from WGD.
” There’s no denying that the police investigation has been shocking to those of us who have put our trust in the SNP as the only credible vehicle which can deliver Scottish independence…
Thing is Willie, he’s not saying that for our benefit, because even he knows he’d get laughed out of court. He’s saying it for the dwindling shell shocked SNP militia who need to hear it said to them.
When you’ve spent every waking hour stabbing ALBA in the neck then suddenly realise that ALBA have been the switched-on good guys all along, suddenly you need an alibi, an excuse, the magic “idea” to take away your guilt.
The SNP was the only show in town was it? Ahhh! So that’s why all you dumb f%!*ks with the “towering intellect” set about slaughtering Alex Salmond and ALBA is it?
Aye. Righty oh. Whatever….
“Alas, how terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that’s wise.”
[Sophocles, – although Louis Cyphre delivered the line better in Angelheart].
Is today the day for suspect number 3?
Spot on Breeks, even Peter Bell on a recent post has made a grudging apology to all the commenters he’s castigated on his blog (including myself)for daring to suggest the SNP were a unionist party,I don’t doubt Peters nationalist credentials he’s just a but slow that’s all I’m sure others like Kavanagh & Riddoch will get it eventually.
”Big Jock says:
20 April, 2023 at 7:40 am
Is today the day for suspect number 3?”
Could be, please god let it be Nicola
The SNP is the only credible vehicle which can deliver Independence?
I suggest it’s an old clapped out banger which is stuck in a lay by somewhere waiting on a mechanic to bring new wheels.
Al-Stuart, ‘morning.
MIXED METAPHOR ALERT
I’d expect Robing McAlpine to know way better than me whether there’s anything to save in the SNP organisation. He seems to think there’s people in networks, volunteers, offices, phone numbers, and so forth that shouldn’t be thrown out with Sturgeon’s bathwater.
Piling the blame and the stain on those responsible and dumping them might be the way to save the SNP’s useful bits, and I like the idea of those responsible carrying the can. I like the idea of the culprits being excised and daylight being let in but I suspect those same culprits have long since sanitised their tracks.
But honestly, I don’t really believe there’s the cold-blooded wit among those who should be cutting out the cancer from what they probably see as their “SNP family.” Mind you, wouldn’t it be invigorating if they did wield the scalpel properly?
The National.
About Yousaf appointment of new treasurer.
And this is a genuine BTL comment:-
mag mcnab
19th April 9:23 pm
User ID: 2321196
“i was some one who put him in second place/my apoligies to humza the crap you are dealing with is manufactored in wastemonger /whatever you do do not resign leave liz miztrust as the shortest reign in brittish politics/btw if we do have a deficit in our campaign for independence/start another crowd funder /already have lots off people willing to pay any deficit we are supposed to have/if it comes to a crunch 4 off us will pay back anyone who wants there n=money back if they are registered and can proove they donated and i guarentee the ones who want money back will be in the minority/waste monger crap.”
The actor Brian Cox is described as pro independence.
From the express.
«The pro-independence campaigner told Alastair Campbell on The Rest Is Politics podcast last week that a UNITED FEDERATION is BEST for the UK. He explained: “We [Scotland] voted to stay [in the 2016 Brexit referendum], we didn’t want to leave [the EU] and we want to get back there, the Scots have always been international. It should be called the Scottish Independence Party, not the Scottish National Party. I would change the name, get rid of that name.”
SPOT THE CLOSET BRIT? Reward one China made UJ to wave at Charlie.
SIP or SUP, a SOP by any name.
Enough of these Brit Heads.
Scotland is a full blooded nation not a woke, indeterminate «internation».
In the Daily Telegraph today, the Tory MP, David Frost, is calling for devolution to be reversed. In this quote he is saying that the powers devolved to Scotland at the time were EU powers anyway. It looks like Scotland was duped yet again!
“So now: do something different. Not only must no more powers be devolved to Scotland, it’s time to reverse the process. Devolution was designed in a different world – a world in which many powers theoretically devolved to Scotland were actually held at EU level and could not be exercised in practice. Brexit changed that, but rather than using the opportunity to rationalise things, a complex programme of “common frameworks” was established, making the UK Government a supplicant to the devolved administrations to maintain common rules across the country.”
Graeme George says:
20 April, 2023 at 8:11 am
”Big Jock says:
20 April, 2023 at 7:40 am
Is today the day for suspect number 3?”
Could be, please god let it be Nicola
———-
What? Where they will hold her for a few hours, feed her cups of tea and let her go without charge. Hardly something to get excited about. It’s all show.
dasBlimp says:
20 April, 2023 at 8:49 am
”What? Where they will hold her for a few hours, feed her cups of tea and let her go without charge. Hardly something to get excited about. It’s all show.”
Wouldn’t look good on her CV though would it ?
This entire circus just confirms that which we already knew/suspected, in as much that Sturgeon’s rancid SNP have been quietly back-pedalling on Indy for years, for the simple reason that the SNP, NOT Scotland, couldn’t afford it!
It isn’t for Scotland, but for the party machine, that they’ve been busy beavering away behind the scenes for the past 8 years.
Independence for Scotland is simply the catchy sales pitch with which to swell the party coffers, in public at least. In private, they’ve probably been taking all sorts of sums from all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons.
The driving force behind the SNP is not resolving the poverty, lack of opportunity, economics and all the other ‘benefits’ that come with the Union. It’s not even the pursuit of Independence for Scotland. Far from it. The real driving force behind the SNP is the SNP end of year accounts. Everything else comes way further down the list of priorities.
Under it’s most recent CEO, the business that is the SNP became nothing more than a career opportunity for troughers to get fat off the donations from party members and the salaries and expense accounts from the public purse. They gave jobs to friends and family and all the time were laughing up their sleeves with promises of IndyRef2 and a better and brighter tomorrow. Just look at the front covers of Nicla’s fanzine posted by the Rev to the right. I ask you… how many times can you recycle the same old shite?
They took a movement and created a monster, that’s what stick most in my craw. Here’s hoping that monster has big teeth!
Whatever happens to the SNP, the link to the Yes Movement must be severed immediately. That is at least as valuable as the party itself, though it’s likely to be significantly degraded. If it can be revitalised, it needs to keep political parties at arms length in future. The movement represents the aspirations of the people and it’s up to the parties to appeal to that, not try and control it for their own ends. The only way forward is to broaden the base so that everyone who wants the freedom and opportunities that independence offers has a voice. Only then will we break out of the log-jam where only bare majority feel that independence is a viable solution.
Ottomanboi says:
20 April, 2023 at 8:43 am
“The actor Brian Cox is described as pro independence.”
Brian Cox CBE – and probably hoping for an upgrade.
I’m not sure anyone who takes a gong from the empire can ever truly support Scottish Independence – and that includes Tasmina.
DASBLIMP
Holyrood is not the parliament of a nation but a council for a submissive region of the British state.
Nationalists should leave it, make it unworkable, bring it down. Force London to intervene as in NI.
In the meantime establish a parallel constituent popular assembly.
There is no easy route to independence. It will spring from political turbulence and direct confrontation with the enemy.
Robin McAlpine seems like a good guy and I usually agree with much of what he writes but I think he is clutching at straws in his latest piece.
Maybe if Kate Forbes had got the job, there would have been a chance of the things he talks about happening, and maybe she would have been seen as ‘fresh’ and not linked with the previous rotten regime.
But with Humza in charge I don’t see it. The SNP are now in extremely treacherous waters. A hurricane is brewing and they have picked the cabin boy to captain the ship. They are f**ked for the foreseeable future.
ALBA should get ready to run for constituency seats as there are going to be a lot of pissed of voters looking for an alternative, any alternative. So if ALBA is not there to offer that alternative they will go somewhere else, most likely back to Labour.
Willie says:
20 April, 2023 at 6:02 am
Here’s a laugh, and I quote verbatim from WGD.
” There’s no denying that the police investigation has been shocking to those of us who have put our trust in the SNP as the only credible vehicle which can deliver Scottish independence, and I am sure I am not alone in feeling deeply disappointed and let down by the party leadership ”
Only a surprise to those who have been sleeping at the wheel or (more likely) in utter denial for the past eight years. Some, like Rev Stu, smelled a rat right away (good on him for sticking to his guns in face of terrible abuse). Most of us gradually came to realise what was going on. The stubborn dregs still refusing to accept the situation must be in a very dark place at present.
” The SNP will remain the dominant pro-independence party for the foreseeable future.”
Sigh. I am so fed up hearing this nonsense. Another expression of denial IMO. The all dominant IPP was eclipsed overnight by Sinn Fein in 1918 (never to recover). I’m not saying history will repeat in this way for the SNP but it could happen, and it could happen very quickly. The SNP has lost it’s credibility. Many people will hang on until the last minute (when the ship goes down), but jump they will. The woke/green entourage will remain on deck, defiantly playing their last concert, but everyone else will jump ship. The ALBA/SIP lifeboats are waiting. Maybe it had to happen this way.
WEECHID.
«family of nations» incl the sub region of NI, is the «noble lie» of the British system.
The fact that it is still around after years of SNP government is an indicator of something wrong in the leadership mentality.
Scottish nationalism is antipathetic to the British state régime, if it is not, it is not «genuine».
You have to wonder if the ghouls might well be reconsidering the offer of SNP 1 Alba/ISP 2 for any hope of retaining holyrood.
After all, that’s an easier option than actually clearing out the the rotten wood.
Possibly not as attractive to the other parties these days though.
The SNP brand might become so tainted by what is coming, it may be that we (the independence movement) don’t want to save it. We will see.
Personally I think the real cure here (if there is one) is (as it often is) a paradox. For the SNP to survive, it first has to die.
The SNP need cleared out, there is no avoiding it. It is badly rancid and it needs purged. Then, after all the poison has been drained and removed, there is a chance it can heal itself and become healthy again. But right now it hoatching with trougher tossers that are extremely toxic (to any organization). You can’t work with them, don’t even try, they’ve gotta go.
Depending on what happens here I suspect the electorate might take things into their own hands anyway. 2017 shows that it does not take much for the SNP to lose a lot of seats and this must surely be far worse than 2017 when it comes around. Decimated was killing one in ten, it will be a lot worse than one in ten (electorally speaking).
Ullo-Ullo-Ullo-Ullo
Ullo John! Gotta new motor?
YES ITS AN ALBA!
Bumsrush @1:18 am
On contrary, @47% of the popular vote, SNP must be about the most ‘wanted’ political party in the democratic world (despite the grr lunacy [heaven forfend its thanks to it]) so, unless and to extent its been Humza calling the shots at Police Scotland in order to make hisself treasurer, best way forward from here must be for him to ask parliament to instruct his MPs to delcare indy this afternoon – and seek intervention from interpol/ UN (over and above whatever AR negotiated with NYPD) over what the devil UK/ SMSM has been playing at up to now (ie in event that that popularity is thanks to the gRR lunacy after all – and 3/4 hundred years of dependence has left us, defacto, too corrupt and incompetented to defend ourselves ourselves.. 🙂 )
‘Only a surprise to those who have been sleeping at the wheel or (more likely) in utter denial for the past eight years. Some, like Rev Stu, smelled a rat right away (good on him for sticking to his guns in face of terrible abuse).’
His genius method is basically boiled down to what is scientifically called Opening Your Eyes And Seeing The Totally Obvious.
What is also totally obvious also is that most people are incapable of applying this principle. We play at favourites, we have our emotional biases, wishful thinking etc.
People should put their emotion into Scotland, the Scots and our well-being but leave out any politician or political party. For them it should be reason and strong scepticism. A good rule is that a politician can only ever be judged in hindsight, when they are retired, and then celebrated should their conduct warrant it. Until then there should be an ongoing impartial assessment of their conduct.
But of course the emotional biases don’t stop at political parties either. I’ve yet to read anything from any of the Scottish blogs ever written that show a true desire to objectively look at where we are, why, and the actual historical parallels.
Instead we are happy to keep being surprised by the next turn of events that were actually completely predictable if we had just took a step back and objectively assessed what’s going on.
That’s why the electorate are in a reactionary position at every turn which leaves the politicians (and the narrative shapers) in the drivers seat.
I would like to change that and to help turn the pro-Scottish electorate into something that more resembles something more pro-active.
Sounds unrealistic? Perhaps it is. But in theory it’s not. Once the proper historical and political perspective has been established then there is far less room for disagreement. It becomes obvious.
In fact we don’t need the public to see it. We just need the pro-Scottish ‘elite’ (for want of a better word) to come around to the facts and the public will follow.
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but it is also signposted with comfortable lies.
Sturgeon first smeared the character of its most able politician and the man most likely to have exploited BREXIT and BORIS to achieve our independence, the one politician the UK establishment really feared.
And now Sturgeon is smearing the entire SNP itself. Leaving its reputation in tatters in the eyes of an angry electorate.
And people still can’t see what Sturgeon was and is?
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Well, with the WGD crew they are, Fool me well into double figures times territory How do you mentally deal with that. (The answer is usually, just pretend it did not happen.)
Thats Murrell oot for a packet o fags !
Ottomanboi @ 9:26 am
“Scottish nationalism is antipathetic to the British state régime, if it is not, it is not «genuine».”
Yes, and this is arguably the crux of the matter. In a colonial society it should seem obvious whose interest the police and justice system serve. A compromised (hence non genuine) national party elite is starting to find out who holds real power in such a system. Which is why postcolonial theory tells us a total break with the colonial system is needed.
Mac @9:40
The genuine indy movement can’t even contemplate in helping reform the SNP. It’s too far gone. All we’d get would be a subtle version of Sturgeon leading the same old party of devo troughers. Any toleration of a new iteration of NuSNP would only get in the way of what’s required, the historic mission of Alba going full on for independence.
Scottish media are still pulling their punches.
You cannot image a Boris or a Trump being left alone so much to hide from media or accountability, as they are to the Murrells.
Gareth’s previous post, link to grousebeater.wordpress.com along with many of the comments here are encouraging. We appear to be quickly moving into a post-SNP world, with a desire for independence very much invigorated as a result. So much for that cunning plan from MI5.
Will the events of the recent past still need to be uncovered or will they simply be shrugged off? I think there’s value in seeing justice served if only as a lesson to anyone else who thinks of treading that path. There’s also a fair bit of spring cleaning to be done in various institutions. Interesting times ahead.
Just proves the MSM so called journos secretly read wings. You should change to Wings over Branchfoot for a piss take while the whole SNP shitshow unfolds.
MI5……….get a fuckin grip go and lie doon will youse !
KLF says:
20 April, 2023 at 11:23 am
MI5……….get a fuckin grip go and lie doon will youse !
——-
LOL! Always someone else’s fault isn’t it. The fault lies squarely on Murrel and Sturgeon’s shoulders despite what the tinfoil hat brigade thinks.
There are certain things about the corruption of the SNP under sturgeon that I don’t understand.
1. Why as soon as becoming FM SNP supporters were almost immediately targeted, Hirst, Singh, Murray and of course Alex Salmond. The energy spent in harnessing the government departments to destroy Salmond was indeed impressive. But why would sturgeon want to do that, her mentor.
2. Did AS have no idea as to how vicious this woman was after working with her for all those years.
3. Why has she pursued such unpopular bills and completely abandoned independence culminating in the present finance scandal which has made the SNP government the laughing stock at home and abroad.
Everything points to a deliberate attack on the SNP and supporters of independence since sturgeon took charge.So is sturgeon unhinged, yet she has had an awful lot of help. Or is there a clear agenda and there is indeed forces working in the shadows controlling her.
The fact that we don’t know is both worrying and depressing for the future of our country.
All of the above have had a profoundly negative affect
Given that the commander of 77th brigade announced by press conference that the Psychological Warfare operations arm of the British Army was going to be active online to fight ‘covid misinformation’ a few years ago I find it amusing that someone can pop up and wield the ‘tin foil hat’ bat against those who might be wondering what MI5 are up to in regards to Scottish Separatism.
Especially given that MI5 function domestically, have billions of pounds of budget and that the issue of Scottish separatism is literally a question of British national security.
The precedent was set with 77th Brigade that the British government will use elements of the armed forces (not to mention the intelligence and other security services) against our own citizens in peace time. This was announced. What is going on that hasn’t been announced?
Just read that King Chuck won’t come to Scotland to claim the Honours of Scotland.
That means he has no legitimacy to claim to be King of Scots.
Many are suggesting he’s been advised to this, so he can claim to be King of the whole UK.
This will be against the Claim of Right but what is the constitutional position on this?
Anyone know?
@ McDuff at 12:09 pm
To all intents and purposes it doesn’t really matter if they are being controlled / manipulated, driven by some crazy inner belief, or are just plain incompetent. It amounts to the same thing, basically the need to get them all tae fuck out of positions of power and influence as they are not serving Scotland at all well.
Just observe the actions of so many SNP and Green supposedly pro-indy politicians. How many of them have you ever seen post or discuss all those stats relating to Scotland’s resources to population figures I posted last night?
I can’t recall anyone doing so but welcome someone highlighting if it’s been done regularly by any elected official.
If pro-indy politicians had links in their bios to those stats instead of pronouns they would have more chance of informing Scots that we could thrive if we return to self-governance rather than remain under London Rule.
I APOLOGISE FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS COMMENT, BUT I REALLY HATE IT, WHEN HISTORY GETS RE-WRITTEN.
From the unionist Guardian:
‘Speaking to a wide range of elected representatives, activists and officials, almost all refer to the explosion in membership that took place immediately after Scotland’s first independence referendum of 2014 as the pivot point for a party where governance – as one ex-minister put it – “became nonexistent”.
THATS RIGHT! ITS THE MEMBERSHIP LIKE WOT DUN IT! WHAT PART OF CORRUPT AS FUCK DO THESE PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND?
“The party depended on the old mechanisms for too long and that’s why we are in deep shit,” says a former national executive committee member bluntly.
HOLY FUCK! ITS MECHANISMS NOW! WHAT PART OF CORRUPT AS FUCK DO THESE PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND?
‘As one senior official who worked closely with Sturgeon accepted: “We should have modernised, and we never really changed the governance to accommodate the membership post 2014. Yes there was a lack of transparency and accountability, but it’s unfair to pin everything on one person. Everyone needs to take a long hard look at themselves.”
IT’S GOVERNANCE NOW! JESUS! IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! WHAT WAS THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER PAID FOR? AGAIN, WHAT PART OF CORRUPT AS FUCK DO THESE PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND?
“People still don’t appreciate how difficult it was running a party during Covid. People were exhausted.”
OK. SO IT’S COVID NOW. THAT EXPLAINS IT. YET AGAIN, WHAT PART OF CORRUPT AS FUCK DO THESE PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND?
One central belt MSP explains: “Party members have been upset, baffled, shocked, hurt, but there’s also a new confidence in asking questions and demanding transparency from the party. They’re thinking about how to move forward, how to re-engage the people we need to, and at branch level, members are saying ‘let’s get out there, get the new leaflets ready’.
AH! YES! THAT OLD CHE GUEVARA QUOTE! ‘LET’S GET OUT THERE, GET THE NEW LEAFLETS READY!’ BRILLIANT! I REPEAT, FOR EFFECT WHAT PART OF CORRUPT AS FUCK DO THESE PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND?
Many members note a change in tone from Yousaf…they admire his visibility, inviting the media to Bute House for a “fireside” briefing, campaigning at weekends with activists, and emailing party members to reassure them soon after Murrell’s arrest. As one senior MSP put it: “What a difference – actually acknowledging there’s a problem.”
HOLY MARY! OK… A CHANGE IN TONE? AH! THAT’LL SORT IT, AND IF NOT THEN THEY’LL ACTUALLY ””ACKNOWLEDGE””THERE’S A PROBLEM? BRILLIANT! WAY TO GO! AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY VOTE FOR THESE WANKERS!
CORRUPT AS FUCK. (AS SOMEONE ON HERE ONCE SAID)
Lenny Hartley @ 9.54pm.
We were led to believe that Sturgeon took over as treasurer for a short time, but she wriggled out of that. The published correspondence I remember seeing indicates that Beattie was reappointed directly adter his predecessor resigned.
It seems that Humza had no volunteers and was unable to press-gang anyone into the job, so he has it by default under the rules of the constitution.
It looks like the cognoscenti forsaw the problem with the finances so didn’t put themselves forward for election as leader, and set Humza up as the Patsy.
Can only hope he realises he has been shit on from a great height and blows the gaff on them.
@Liz,
He already took the Scottish Oath at his Accession. The honours are just really trinkets that accompany the position
Liz says:
20 April, 2023 at 12:15 pm
Just read that King Chuck won’t come to Scotland to claim the Honours of Scotland.
That means he has no legitimacy to claim to be King of Scots.
——-
Sounds like a win-win. That’ll do for me.
In case anyone was wondering, if you see “cunning plan” and “MI5” in the same sentence you’d be ill-advised to take it literally. Next time I’ll wrap it in tags.
Joe does have a point though. The whole idea, after the Cambridge Analytica “scandal” that the new technocratic governments of the West, staffed by big brain types like Demonic Cummings would use “nudging” to steer the masses in the directions the government wanted. In order to avoid all that accountability that comes with the civil service why not put a “national security” label on it and hand it to the military.
As for MI5. When they saw a narcissist with imposter syndrome show up at SNP HQ the probably couldn’t believe their luck. The last few years must have been idyllic – cut and paste a few newspaper clippings into their report to M and spend the rest of the time on the gold course, while their “agent” laid waste to the party.
forces working in shadows…….ah lie doon will ye !!
Got my conspiracy hat on but “Operation Branchform” is a bit of an odd name isn’t it? It’s like there is an underlying agenda to splinter the SNP into factions. A united and non corrupt SNP, ala the Salmond era, would be electorally invincible in our landscape where Yes always hold at least 40% support.
The establishment couldn’t have that. I think the operation started back in 2015 when Sturgeon became a darling of the media after the GE. Built us up to rip us down
Cheezo, insane conspiracy theorists cannae accept the facts. sturgeon was no fuckin agent of the state….I assume to admit she wis an ego trippin charltan poser is a step to much for the deluded who’d rather clingon to state agent / mi5 nonsense…….
Joe @ 12:11 pm
“that MI5 function domestically, have billions of pounds of budget and that the issue of Scottish separatism is literally a question of British national security.”
Yes, the ‘integrity of the UK’ and ‘protection of the UK economy’ are two key parts of its mission, for which a payroll of 3,000 (plus ‘secondments’) and a budget of £2.5bn/yr is applied.
It is difficult not to envisage at least a third or maybe even half of this resource being applied to preventing Scottish independence, which by implication would dissolve the UK and end ‘the UK economy’ as we know it.
This would seem a small price to pay for keeping control of a £200bn+/year cash cow plus keeping the UK at the big boys table.
@Frank G.
Yes Frank, I read that total drivel in the Guardian as well. What a bunch of deluded idiots those clowns of cuntinuity truly are.
It may take some time, but the SNP are finished. Once you lose trust, it is lost forever.
Thank you Stuart Campbell and iain and Craig and others. Without you, I and thousands of others would still have our collective heads jammed up the arse of Nikita Stalin’s arse believing that Independence was just around the corner.
Your commitment to the Scottish people and the truth via forensic analysis and determined persistence is beyond admirable.
Lang may yer lum reek.
@ Mac says:20 April, 2023 at 9:12 am
But with Humza in charge I don’t see it. The SNP are now in extremely treacherous waters. A hurricane is brewing and they have picked the cabin boy to captain the ship
Nice one, Mac.
Couldn’t have phrased it better myself.
Incidentally, given the fraudulent nature of Yousaf’s election victories (elections to leader of the SNP, and to FM of Scotland), why have these results not been declared null and void?
I know Scots stereotyping sees us as mean, grippy so-and-so’s but surely we can still raise our eyes from the alleged fiscal improprieties to the bleedin obvious democratic ones?
Reported handed in to No 10 regarding multiple bullying claims against Dominic Rabb.
No chance in hell of them doing anything about it.
When Patel was proven to be bullying the Tories handed £350,000 of tax payers money to the victim and all charges were dropped.
So 8 victims equals £2.8 Million of our cash can let him continue bullying with Patel.
It’s that or 50 police officers, 12 vehicles, a Murder investigation tent and a handful of spades
in a news special.
It’s official- retirement age in the U.K. to become set at 70 years old.
If you are 43 years old now you will still be working in 2050.
Is the band Grateful Dead still playing?
KLF
So Sturgeon’s ruthless orchestrated attack on the independence movement and its supporters is just ego.
How very simplistic, I bow to your superior knowledge as to the intricacies of the workings of the brain.
KLF would you like to explain why with the sex scandals, the alleged fraud and more that Sturgeon was handled by kid gloves by the Mainstream media , not to mention the Scots Polis, it was only when the Europeans got involved things moved apace.
“There are more foreign nationals registered to vote in Scottish elections than ever before, newly published data from the National Records of Scotland has revealed” reports The National newspaper.
As far as I’m aware there’s still no latest census figures on the number of people from England who’ve moved to Scotland since the previous census.
[Apologies in advance if these English figures have been published and I’ve missed them]
To those scorning the notion MI5 involvement in the Independence issue ….don’t you remember a few years back the * revelation * of it’s involvement in an Animal Rights group – to the extent , in one instance , of an MI5 guy having a long-term relationship , including having a child , with a member of the A.R group ?
If it is prepared to go to that length with a group that is no threat to the * integrity * of the U.K , what do you think it’s position on the potential break-up of the U.K is ?
And FFS , believing it’s a virtual certainty they have infiltrated the SNP does NOT excuse the – at best – useful idiots , in the SNP Cabal from blame .
The two are not mutually exclusive
Charles «Windsor» worth >1.8 billion £….rejoice ye people!
Will Hamza Yousaf be offering the great king his neck as a foot stool?
Scotland has always had a problem with brain drain. The first thing so many students do when they graduate is run for the border. You would think the SNP would want to tackle issues like this by attempting to make Scotland a more economically desirable place to live. Alex Salmond understood this, that by making Scotland tax competitive with England or Ireland you could actually raise more revenue to pay for public services.
The current bunch don’t get it, they view the working Scottish public as a resource to be constantly squeezed for more. Swinney this month increased the “Higher” rate of tax from 41% to 42% to apparently save the NHS. What is humzas plan? Lower the “Higher” rate tax threshold to £40,000 from 43,000 and also increase it to 43%, for some context £40,000 is not a lot of money in 2023 any nurse in NHS Scotland with 5 or more years of experience will be earning more than that these days. Skilled workers who can work remotely are already relocating themselves out of Scotland, taking their taxes with them.
Hopefully this farce ends humzas government and we can finally get some reasonable people to govern the country before they do too much damage. We need some serious people with experience outside of extremist student politics to run this country.
KLF @ 12:52 pm
“forces working in shadows……”
And in full view too, few if any jobs advertised locally, all in prep for direct rule it seems:
link to gov.uk
Yep, the straw clutchers know no shame wi all this gien it erchie MI5 ma erse….ma opinion lads for what its worth
To those scorning the notion MI5 involvement in the Independence issue : so there’s more than me that see’s the idea as tosh….
It is no accident at all that the Crown Agent who was pushing Police Scotland
link to caltonjock.com
“Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, and a Detective Chief Superintendent colleague met with Crown Agent Harvie at his request. He told them that the government had referred the complaints about Alex to the Crown Office “for Police investigation of potential criminality” and proposed to give them a copy of the findings of the Government’s internal investigation. The offer was rejected. The police did not view the document. Harvie then advised that the Scottish Government might be making a public statement in relation to the outcome of their investigation and referral of information to Police Scotland. The Chief Constable and his colleague voiced their concerns about a statement being made and said it would compromise any Police investigation”.
So Crown Agent Harvie was pushing this all the way.
But of course, Crown Agent Harvie, was more, much more than a Crown Agent – he was in fact another kind of agent, as Craig Murray has confirmed:
link to twitter.com
“I can confirm that Harvie spent some time in FCO Legal Advisers on secondment from MI5.
His official title in Scotland is “Crown Agent”.
Oversaw prosecutions of Salmond, Hirst, Llewellyn, Singh, myself etc etc.”
Once an MI5 Agent, always an MI5 agent.
You do not have to believe that Ms Sturgeon was aware of it, but there is no doubt that she played right into the Brit State hands by going after Salmond.
She had one more task to perform for the Brits: The application to the Supreme Court which would inevitably result in Scotland being confirmed as a vassal of Westminster.
Once that was completed she was of no further use to them, and she was thrown to the wolves (in the form of Police Scotland and the Crown Office).
There need be no speculation as to whether she was a knowing party or not; what is clear is that they knew her – and her greedy wee man.
All they had to was to give them enough rope.
Anyone with any knowledge of how the Imperial British State has behaved these last 300 years will understand their methods.
They have played a blinder – and have been ably assisted by the bloody, low-intelligence idiots that were allowed to take control of the SNP – and doubtless aided by the Brit State actors infiltrated into that idiotic party.
The latest Dani Garavelli piece in the Guardian is really something else.
She complains about the polarisation between Sturgeon and Salmond supporters as if this even goes half-way towards explaining the divisions in Scottish politics but granted that there is such a divide and that it has meaningful consequences, I wonder which journalist is responsible more than any other for failing to bring to light what was actually going on for the benefit of those not at the centre of public life.
Scotland really does have the worst op-ed journalists. The shameless hypocrisy is actually impressive to behold. Such a solid wall of utter shite, probably visible from outer space.
Stuart, please do the nation yet one more service and dissect the piece of utter garbage that is this latest Garavelli article.
Duty calls young man…
Robert Hughes@ 13:50
You’re quite right Robert. Not believing that MI5 has infiltrated the SNP you’ve got to have the gullibility of a WGD numpty fan. That’s the bastards job, that’s how they work. Infiltration of a danger to Mother England would be a top priority.
We’ve two problems, the corrupt SNP Cabal and the spooks. As you say “the two are not mutually exclusive”
For sure MI5 are all over this, why would they not be – any reasons?
As for return to direct rule, well bring it on, devo pretendy disnae work, so let’s have it head-on and then we will be forced to act, to find another way to claim our country back, to show the treaty is dead, and not wait for pretendy elections or golden unicorn indyrefwhatever..and meanwhile all our unionist colonialised countrymen will have to endure all the “benefits” of being ruled from wm. Might change a few minds.
KLF says:
20 April, 2023 at 2:39 pm
To those scorning the notion MI5 involvement in the Independence issue : so there’s more than me that see’s the idea as tosh….
Unfortunately , aye , there are . But you keep believing in the essentially benign nature of the Brit State if it makes you feel better , KLF .
BTW …. have you managed to liberate Kylie yet ?
Luigi says:
“Sigh. I am so fed up hearing this nonsense. Another expression of denial IMO. The all dominant IPP was eclipsed overnight by Sinn Fein in 1918 (never to recover). I’m not saying history will repeat in this way for the SNP but it could happen, and it could happen very quickly”.
Absolutely correct analogy Luigi.
The SNP have played their historical role as Scotland’s Redmondites.
The colonial playbook has been ably described here and elsewhere by Prof Alf Baird.
Stu, Craig Murray and Alf have well understood this and Stu has chronicled it in painful detail.
But do we have an insurgent liberation movement standing ready for when the SNP collapse?
I really hope so!
My tuppence on the MI5 debate.
Individuals in the party have been “influenced”. I do not include Sturgeon in that category. I concur with Stuart MacKay, Sturgeon was extremely happy happenstance for the Intelligence agencies. Those who are being “influenced” aren’t “agents” rather, they’re “assets”.
As a form of cut-out or camouflage, MI5 rely on the US State Department to bring these individuals under their “influence”. This is done on a quid pro quo basis. Think the NSA and GCHQ monitoring the domestic communications of each other’s citizens and exchanging the pertinent intelligence. Also think wee Simon Bracey-Lane spying on Bernie Sander’s primary run against Clinton.
The individuals aren’t “controlled”, rather they are selected based on personal characteristics.
Seven elected Scottish politicians are known to be alumni of the State Department’s International Visitors Leadership Programme. Only Humza Yousaf is heterosexual. All alumni are humanities graduates with limited to no work experience outwith politics. Not the most confident or forceful personalities and certainly not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
These people need very little direct control. Just select them as being malleable careerists, ensure they will adhere wholly to a Neoliberal, Atlanticist mindset and introduce them to one another. Once introduced, they will automatically form a self supporting clique boosting their lacklustre members to otherwise unattainable heights like a Catalan castell.
We currently have a FM, Cabinet Minister and junior Minister who are IVLP alumni.
Actually David Frost’s Telegraph article is timely…a recently elevated member to an unelected chamber (elevated by a corrupt Prime Minister) seeking to take powers away from an elected chamber to which he has never had a vote.
I wish I could think of an apposite bon mot or a piercingly intelligent aperçu to demolish Lord Frost but all I’ve got is…what a twat.
Im no lookin for Kylie……IVLP mmmmm…..Im sticking to burnin money….
Those spineless shits at Police Scotland better not decide that they won’t arrest Sturgeon, if they do kowtow to Sturgeon’s allies who are hinting that they must not arrest her, they should bear in mind that Sturgeon and clique cheered on the arrest of Alex Salmond himself a former FM.
Get Sturgeon arrested.
They had covert police and MI5 agents infiltrating climate and animal protestors for years. Some even got married to activists. Sinn Fein and the IRA were infiltrated by agents like Steak knife.
To imagine they would not infiltrate an organisation that could potentially break up the UK is a great stretch of the imagination .
A statement from Sturgeon under police caution is needed now.
Her track record when it comes to answering questions is notoriously poor.
At least this way she will have to tell the truth or say nothing.
If she says nothing a negative inference can be drawn as she certainly knew.
Humza, mate, just put down the phone (metaphorically of course!)
link to bbc.co.uk
Or maybe he should just kid on he’s actually on the phone whenever a journo approaches?
The people who think the security services haven’t infiltrated the SNP are stupid, or else, the security services are stupid for not having infiltrated the SNP.
A nation in waiting. Welcomes the nations of the World.
Said Nicola. The waitress of Cop 26.
A 60 billion ScotWind give away later. Nicola’s SNP want to pander to the wine bar revolutionaries, the woke greens.
Fergus Ewing well said. Standing up for Scotland’s oil, and our economy.
Yousaf is in bed with Maggie Chapman. What a horrible place to be.
When Nicola sold the sea beds. She helped the Royal family pay for Prince Andrew’s court settlement with Virginia Roberts. At the expense of your renewables energy future.
But it’s all the Tories fault. We don’t have the powers.
Time for the fraud squad to knock on Nicola’s door. You’re under arrest Nicola. Get her arrested.
If the security and intelligence services are anything like the online «consumer services»
then a good measure of smug incompetence may be expected.
That may well be more dangerous than efficiency.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to start drawing parallels with what happened in Eire during the sixties seventies and eighties.
Bombing civilian women and children is the action of cowards and thugs no matter what political principle is behind it.
Never let it be said that Scotland would be a party to such actions.
I notice some on the lunatic fringe here are starting to make threatening noises, forget it! Just think back to the streets of Omagh.
Maybe the security services people haven’t needed to ‘infiltrate’ the SNP, maybe they just joined like everyone else…
Scenario…reporter addresses TV camera for evening news: It has finally been clarified that the drop in SNP membership has been something in the order of 30,000 just in the last year. We have one disgruntled former member, Matthew de Silhouette, not his real name, who also happens to work for MI5. So why have you left Matthew?
Well, I were once part of a thriving branch innit where the discussions could get pretty tasty but once Sturgeon took over that ended like overnight yeh and I could barely keep me peepers open long enough to remember who said what to whom, y’get me. My handler was going mental, thinking I might blow me cover if I mumbled some top-secret security shit, cos I’m dreaming of being anywhere but oo-er clarty meeting hall.
So Matthew are you admitting on live TV to gathering intelligence from ordinary SNP members?
Ehhh…information yeh, but intelligence? never in a million f***ing years guv’nor!
Matthew…now if I…
Laters!!!
Cue puff of smoke, sinister laugh, and the sound of retreating steps.
According to my sources, this actually happened…
@Akenaton.
Too many words. “I don’t think” would suffice.
KLF…
Have a read and get back to us.
Title: Britain’s Secret War: Tartan Terrorism and the Anglo-American State
Author: Andrew Murray Scott & Iain Macleay
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing (1990)
Language: ?English
Hardcover: ?208 pages
ISBN-10 ?1851583068
ISBN-13 ?978-1851583065
English don’t have to move to Scotland to vote. Tories have been encouraging English landlords (buy-to-let) to register to vote in Scotland, presumably hoping they would vote Tory, but they will probably also vote No to indy.
I don’t usually link to the BritNat Brainwashing Channel, but this is hilarious…
link to bbc.co.uk
Just ignore the KLF studied fool,forum-sliding is standard MO.
Vivian O’Blivion at 3.24
Thanks, doffs metaphorical bonnet.
“At 47% of the popular vote, SNP must be about the most ‘wanted’ political party in the democratic world.”
Dead or alive? If generally poor management, sexual deviancy, a politically-subservient police force, electoral and financial fraud were all worth turning a blind eye to because “independence”, what leads anyone to believe a newly independent state would suddenly become a model of virtue? Surely the ‘winners’ will want an even bigger slice of the cake. Welcome to the deep-fried banana republic of Scotland.
Politicians as a community are all the same (there are some decent individuals), be it at Holyrood or Westminster. On the basis of this devolution taster independence wouldn’t have changed that. Astonishingly, right now the Westminster lot look like the the ones you’d want running the show.
The next lot in Holyrood need to return the Barnett Formula money, balance Scotland’s budget and show (show) that Scotland can survive, nay prosper. Hopefully that’s the task of Humza’s new Independence Ministry. I suspect, however, that it will just be a series of declarations that anything bad was Unionist all along, it was MI5’s fault (maybe blame the Russians too), etc.
A new born baby knows as much and
Probably more about god than the pope.
Scottish independence,it’s the simplest thing
In the world.
Anyone who is involved in anyway in trying
To convince anybody that it’s so very complicated
Is either a lying git or a stupid git.
Get rid of gits…get a country!
Robert Knight , very enjoyable!
Hopefully the first ones to fall from government will be the Greens.
Things not looking good for Harvies baby, the Gender Bill. Wee Pat has said that it’s a red line for him,,,no Gender Reform, no coalition arrangement.
Then there’s the ginger bottle bill , pushed through by his fellow Green. She has also hinted that there better be no hold ups, or she’ll walk.
So let’s hope the two Green clowns stand by their convictions, and walk.
They won’t be missed.
It’s not much, but it’s a start.
I was watching a programme about Irish history. It occurred to me that the main reason the Irish never accepted British rule, was the difference in religion.
Just after the reformation, the North of Ireland was planted with protestant Scots and English Anglicans in the South. This was after the crown was united , but before the Act Of Union.
Hence we ended up with the 6 counties predominantly protestant. Artificially created in Ireland. Culturally alien to Catholic Ireland. The culture of the South of Ireland was radically different from the north. The Brits exploited this. The Irish rejected it.
I often think that had all of Ireland also been protestant , then the Irish might never have freed themselves.
So ultimately it was a clash of cultures that pushed the Irish to reject British rule.
In Scotland we have our own culture. But in modern Scotland we are not allowed to talk about it. We are forced to be civic Scots, and accept unionist Scots , New English Scots , been here 2 minutes Scots. Thus we ignore the very thing that people like us feel about our nation. The very reason Scotland even still exists. The romantic, historic and cultural bond we have with our land.
I think we have to be more like the Irish in the early 20th century. We need to reject British rule and culture. We won’t win independence by being timid or afraid to talk of our identity. The referendum in 2014 was all about money, new Scots and trying not to upset people.
We need to be radical, bold and assertive. This is our country , and we want it back. We need to upset some people who need to be upset. If we don’t do this, then we will never win this fight.
Robert Knight…that video is brilliant. Good to see the man stand up from himself…he knows his rights too and gave it back in spades to the bully.
@Big Jock
Bravo!
Big Jock @ 8:49 pm
“In Scotland we have our own culture.”
Excellent post.
Independence ‘is a fight for a national culture’ (Fanon).
The objective of cultural or colonial assimilation is obliteration of national culture. If colonialism is allowed to continue, eventually the oppressed people/nation and their culture perishes.
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
@ Ron Clark says:20 April, 2023 at 8:25 pm
no Gender Reform, no coalition arrangement
There’s a very innarestin article on Unherd right now about how being woke is costing the brewers of Bud beer big time across the pond.
It’s certainly a fix I can get on with – defeat the forces of woke, one tinnie at a time.
But seriously, there is plenty of evidence that in the birthplace of woke, the good ol’ USA, the pendulum is swinging the other way.
Just our luck to be ruled by eejits who are still 2 years behind the curve.
Does anyone think that when they come to get Nicola she will reflect on the process she used on Salmond
Big Jock says:
“…In Scotland we have our own culture. But in modern Scotland we are not allowed to talk about it. We are forced to be civic Scots, and accept unionist Scots …”
Eh? Anyone who has studied Scottish history over the last 500 years understands that it has been driven by religion (Catholic versus Prostatism) more than English versus Scottisthism. Catholic Mary Queen of Scots was driven out of Scotland by the lowland Protestant people. Lowland Scots supported King George of Hanover against the Catholic James
– the old pretender (who was supported by north Catholic English).
The whole Rangers Celtic thing is about religion. Ditto much of Scottish politics. It is very tribal and mediaeval. Like Bosnia/Serbia/Croatia. I was brought up as a Proddy. But I HATED the nasty, nasty Glaswegian Sectarism. One reason I moved to England and later married to a English Catholic (with some Scottish and Irish blood). We don’t argue about the Battle of the Boyne in 1688 – unlike many Glaswegians.
John Main
The Greens were another outfit who used and abused the Yes Movement, while along they had no intention of fighting for Scottish independence.
They wanted Gender Reform and perverted ways of getting inside the heads of our most vulnerable youngsters.
BIGJOCK
Ulster, not quite as some history books tell it.
link to academic.oup.com
Curiouser and curiouser.
THAT’s the Spirit , Big Jock . * Applause * 🙂
Big Jock says:
“I was watching a programme about Irish history. It occurred to me that the main reason the Irish never accepted British rule, was the difference in religion.”
I have often thought the same, Big Jock. The shadow of John Knox lies long o’er this land.
robertkknight says:
20 April, 2023 at 6:24 pm
I don’t usually link to the BritNat Brainwashing Channel, but this is hilarious…
link to bbc.co.uk
There’s something quite ‘odd’ about that story… and not just the (in my opinion) dodgy-as-f**k recovery firm involved.
One of the pair involved in the filming is (to put it coyly) known to me and is what you might call ‘media trained’. He’s actually been trying to get into TV for years; and to be fair has ‘walked the walk’ and got himself qualified, but gained little traction for reasons that are pretty unfair.
It’s plausible enough, because he does deal in ‘antiques’ as a day job, that he was indeed at McTear’s innocently picking stuff up. …But this whole ‘conspiretard auditor’ citizen-journalist shooting stuff in vertical potatocam mode just stinks of fish (Herring, red) to me. – Especially with the Daily Record and the BBC chumping up and down on it!
British Police Officers no NOT have ‘badge numbers’ – they have collar numbers (as any fule knowe). And there is no such thing as ‘public domain’ space! – No; ‘restricted buildings’ (pretty loose term) don’t have to be signposted as such; but then Meiklewood Road’s yard faces directly onto a public highway… which isn’t (at the time of filming) closed or restricted. So the ‘restricted’ part of the building is that which is beyond public view.
All of this would be known to one of the pair, because I’m fairly sure the guy I know of passed his HN Media Law Unit about a decade ago; he’d also know how you go about filming outside a ‘Police Station’ etc. without the Janny getting into Officer Dibble mode…
Now… there is no doubt that member of police staff is behaving like a complete and utter choob… I suspect the reason he didn’t clearly show his ‘warrant card’ is that it was no such thing.
– And fair play – That ‘Janny’ needs having up for impersonating a Police Officer.
But in all honesty? To me this just screams ‘set up’.
You-choob is infested with conspiretards hanging around various places with phones and toy cameras winding the security staff up for attention; bawling about rights they don’t understand – in exactly this sort of style… Invariably; they’re full of shite.
The thing is… had the BBC sent a normal crew along (even a low profile/freelance one) there wouldn’t be any story here… We know the Police have the vehicle, and moving it to fleet services (i.e. the big Police Garage in Glasgow) is to be expected… ‘Van on back of big lorry’ isn’t any kind of headline. – If the police wanted it hidden; it would have had a tarpaulin over it! It’s just been driven many miles on the back of that truck – on the public roads! …Could be screeds of footage of it out there.
The guy that was with ‘the cameraman’ him would (or should) know EXACTLY how to film an event that unfolds in front of you if all you have to hand is a phone (no, not vertically FFS!)… AND how to ‘see off’ over-reaching security guards. – So, as far as the melodrama goes; I smell shite.
– If he wants to convince me this isn’t just attention-seeking hyperbollocks, he actually has my email address.
JUST A HEADS UP FOR THOSE INTERESTED:
There’s a documentary called ‘The Oil Machine’ about to start on the BBC Scotland channel at 22:30 hrs. Not to be confused with BBC ONE Scotland. It’s all about Scotland and our oil. You know, that black gold stolen & spent by London since the 1970’s. 😉
“London Scott says:
20 April, 2023 at 9:39 pm
Catholic versus Prostatism”
What a choice; the priest or the rubber glove.
Just watched this play by a Scottish playwright CP Taylor, acted by David Tennant and Sharon Strong. Can’t miss the SNP vibes (eg “I must go and intricately plan a spontaneous demonstration …”).
“Ron Clark says:
20 April, 2023 at 8:25 pm
Then there’s the ginger bottle bill”
There’s nothing particularly wrong with the idea – it works in various countries across Europe – but it’s further-reaching than just returning a bottle.
There’s packaging; at the moment, most product has a cardboard tray and plastic shrink-wrap (one-shot only) when to go back it needs a box or crate.
There’s labelling; if brewers (for example) are to re-use bottles then the labels need to be easily removable, and most aren’t.
There’s logistics; it makes sense for wagons to be as full as possible at all times as this reduces the number of journeys. So you want the delivery wagon to also take away.
This is where you start to to discuss cost and value and a whole load of close terms; financial cost not being the same as energy used and so on.
If we’re to reduce the amount of packaging waste, then this – administered correctly – would be progressive. It also, as a side effect, encourages bottle re-use – which breweries don’t particularly want as it gives them extra work.
People chuck out dirty packaging; why? Wash them in the bowl once you’ve finished the dishes.
Sorry, forgot to say the play is “Good” link to theguardian.com
Craig Murray has posted a masterly analysis of the failure of the SNP and devolution. A must read.
link to caltonjock.com
Because being a “proddy” is the default for Scots it is never noticed or examined much; the behaviour of certain football supporters and organisations is portrayed as embarrassing anomaly but not so.
– as for Ireland, it got it so utterly viciously precisely because “they were catholics” as well, and the prods of that time were very much fire and sword, we are the master race types. Some people say protestant is a judaic sect, not christian at all.
Too huge a subject for the BTL – but try reading Cobbett for a real eye opener.
– sometimes reading around you come across funny little snippits; like Henry 8 liked to burn prods as well as catholics and even had a flamewar with Martin Luther (the Pope made him defender of the faith) and without his dodgy todger the reformation would never have gotten a hold in England – he would have burned every preacher who landed – and world history is different. Not a choice so much as a mistake taken as opporunity.
Also, and this is so mad but it gives you an insight – Henry 8 banned bible reading; WHAT? – why?? surely reading the word of God is a good thing … well, those damn Puritans loved to read the bible but ONLY THE OLD TESTAMENT and only the most blood curdlingly violent parts – non of this NT jesus hippy shit, OT, sex, violence, revenge! – and we know what they were like. Theb they fucked off to america where they formed its ruling class, with consequences we all have to live with. (e.g. the US was clearly the/another “promised land” and the injuns the amalekites or moabites, or something … bang shooty bang anyway)
The modern madness – wokism – has been called a “new puritanism” because it has precisely the same kicked-in-the-fucking-head extremism and absolutism of the originals.
The lessons of history tell us – no one ever learns the lessons of history.
– and to cap it all there are now around 40000 different protestant sects in the world, which makes the python “judean peoples front” sketch aimed at leftist splitterism, seem positively unified.
Saffron. John Knox has a lot to answer for. He was the most intolerant Christian in our history.
He wanted every Catholic cathedral burnt to the ground, Catholics forced out of their homeland and worship of God on his terms only. I suppose that’s where the intolerance comes from with certain so called protestants in modern Scotland.
Ironically it’s now civic Scotland that is intolerant of traditional religion. Look at Kate Forbes treatment.
Scotland has too many people who will not accommodate different believes and views. It wasn’t so long ago that independence supporters were treated like some kind of heretics.
Then there is our very own Sturgeon. A woman who would not tolerate different opinions or those who disagreed with her ideology. Turns out she was a serial liar.
And now we have the Coronation rammed down our throats. Shops full of Union Jack tat. We can’t escape it. Yet we know half of Scots are republican. It’s the royalists way or no way. It’s absolute hell for us. It really feels like occupation and enforced identity.
Nicola said she was British. So she is part of this colonial mindset. The more Union flags I see, the more Scottish I feel. It has the opposite effect to the one they hope for. Not one percent of me will ever be British. British is not a nationality,it’s a state of mind. An altered state of mind.
Big Jock, I agree totally with what you say and feel the same. I would only add King James VI’s witch-hunts as yet another example of intolerance. We would do well as a nation to adopt the Hindu concept of unity-in-diversity!
good
I see we are now discussing religion.
Never a good idea, IMHO.
I have just one thing to say about religion. If it comes down to a choice between our own, familiar ones, and a new, imported one, then I choose our own, familiar ones.
Cos fundamentally, it’s my country and my culture.
It’s certainly true that Scots of my great grandparent’s generation went all around the world, introducing their religion to other countries and cultures.
But we don’t do that now, cos it’s wrong in every possible way.
And that’s fine, cos I can now say to those who are busy introducing their religion to my country and culture that they can GTF. Cos that’s also wrong in every possible way.
Simples.
In his latest blog, Craig Murray remains focused on what is really going on here and what needs to be done about it. Essential reading and certainly more constructive than a few of the above comments.
Being drawn into a ‘goodies & baddies’ culture war and getting hot and bothered about the history of religious conflict will play right into the hands of those who would wish to see social division. In any case, that long and complex history also included persecution of protestants (Solway Martyrs, Covenanters) who believed in personal communication with God rather than state-enforced religion where only the priest got to talk to God and the bible was in Latin.
Understanding history is important. Getting dragged into taking sides is dangerous. So why go down this route? How is arguing about history going to get Scotland out of the present crisis? What has caused the crisis?
Craig Murray: “Devolution is a trap. Working within the financial ruination that is Westminster economic policy, with no monetary and little fiscal control, suffering from hard Brexit and Tory austerity, it is impossible properly to run proper public services…
“Under devolution the Scottish government will always get it in the neck for problems made in London… The Scottish political class accept it, and furiously defend it, because it feathers their nest.
“Scotland’s people need to move forward quickly to Independence. That will probably entail writing off the SNP.
“Realising that devolution and its advocates are not friends to Independence is a key step to progress”.
Stoker says:
‘ . It’s all about Scotland and our oil. You know, that black gold stolen & spent by London since the 1970’s. ?’
Would that be the same oil which the Scottish Government have identified as a wicked fossil fuel which we must stop being dependent on over the next 5 years?
BIGJOCK
Knox might as well have been an English agent as he did spend significant «learning curve» time in England. The products of his reforming zeal laid the ground for anglicization, the United Kingdom and all those «Scotch myths» cluttering the confected British identity.
Give some people a loaded gun and they will ultimately turn it on themselves.
Knox on England.
«Sometime I have thought that impossible it had been, so to have removed my affection from the realm of Scotland, that any realm or nation could have been equal dear to me. But God I take to record in my conscience, that the troubles present (and appearing to be) in the realm of England are double more dolorous unto my heart than ever were the troubles of Scotland»
‘Cos fundamentally, it’s my country and my culture.’
What’s interesting is that one of the main criticisms of our colonial past is the way in which the colonial powers drew new borders in parts of the world which showed no consideration for the different ethnicities and religions of the people there and thereby setting up strife and conflict between those groups.
However introducing lots of different religions and cultures, some of them blatantly hostile, into our homeland will be a source of our strength. Right?
Multiculturalism is a lie. The reality is fractured society. It is only possible with peoples who share similar values.
It would be nice if people stopped deluding themselves about this. In fact it’s necessary if we want to maintain the ability to shape the future of our nation.
One of the biggest ‘liberal’ narcissistic fantasies I’ve ever heard is the idea that when you introduce religiously and culturally different people into our liberal democracies they will somehow ‘see the light’ and act in the spirit we showed in opening our door to them.
The truth is our idea of voting on principle rather than in-group preferences is our idea alone. Nobody else is going to do it, at least in any meaningful numbers.
Certainly they will berate us that it will be racist for us to think in ethno-centric terms while they themselves operate in a highly ethno-centric fashion.
My wife just the other day was speaking about this fantasy many in the West have. She said ‘I have family in several Western countries, including children born in those countries and none of them consider themselves to be of their adopted countries. All of them consider themselves to be of their original people and culture and put their own first.’
Everybody knows this to be true. But just like the trans fantasy we are indulging in feel good make believe right up until the point where we find ourselves in a nation of fractured peoples with the shock that while they may have used our open civic principles to suit themselves, they now operate as ethnic or religious voting blocks to empower their group.
We are Scots, we have don’t have another country to retreat back to should things go tits up. This is it. We should be opposing the demographic changes (and the resulting changed political landscape) as if it is a deliberate attack on our sovereignty. Because it is.
Is that far right? Then im far right. Because so far the alternative has been one long slow motion defeat while we are humiliated into giving up our children’s birth right.
STEEPBRAE.
Literalism is a bad force in any area of life. In religion it is dire. Catholicism isn’t a book religion. Knox’s faith certainly was. In that little different from orthodox Islam. Arguments over the meanings of text inevitably end in fights over who’s the real «pope».
Knox’s régime would have been rather familiar to Islamic state in its «feel».
Well said John Main
Very much thinking the same way as John Main and Steep Brae, please let’s keep religion out of this and Craig Murray’s latest blogpost’s worth a read. Actually, with “a situation” to get their teeth into, our more serious bloggers are producing some very readable work these days. Shame they have to, but good to see them rise to the occasion.
link to craigmurray.org.uk
How long ago was it that Sturgeon sister was arrested. It wasn’t that long and I can recall sending a few messages with the subject ‘Sturgeon arrested’ as a wee joke. I remember thinking at the time that unfortunately there was no chance she ever would be.
Now I am sitting here expecting it, impatient it has not happened already, fully confident it is coming. Just goes to show why you should never give up. You never know.
While all this is very enjoyable I am still refusing to get my hopes up though. Been burned too many times…
If this does explode into a bigger scandal involving the shady Indian ‘businessman’ then what we have seen so far is nothing really.
If the SNP did go bankrupt I wonder what would happen. I suspect there would be an immediate split with two camps forming. One new party with all the woke twats in it obviously and another with all the rest in it.
The woke party would get wiped out first chance the electorate got. So in a way it is only the few remaining good guys & gals in the SNP that are lending respectability to the wokies and even that is no longer enough, not even close. The worst thing folk like Cherry etc could do in revenge is mass-defect to ALBA and leave all the woke twats by themselves. They would be annihilated.
I suspect Cherry and the other non wokies will find that the SNP banner is more of hindrance than a help next election anyway and that they effectively are running as in independent on their own good reputations. And if that proves to be correct then it makes little sense to stay under the SNP banner.
If this turns into a big criminal trial it will last for months and the headline writers will be having a field day every day of the week. The SNP as a brand will be completely tarnished.
It is just a question of time before people realize that it is the SNP that is ‘damaged goods’.
Every morning, upon waking, I give my thanks to Almighty God that I’m an atheist 😉
@ Joe says:21 April, 2023 at 7:53 am
Great post.
Ottomanboi 7.56am
Wouldn’t argue with you but bear in mind the individuals who make up a nation too. The religion of an individual is personal and the power of a group of ordinary people often goes unrecognised in the history books. Had it not been for the quiet devotion, humanity and altruism of our forebears, whether alone or in small groups, where would we be?
We can bash the ‘heid yins’ all we like but in doing so there’s a danger of polarising the very people who can get us out of this mess by sticking together. This is not a time to be falling into the trap of tribalism. There’s a lot more that unites us than divides us. It’s not about protestant/catholic: it’s about Scottish independence.
Murray doesn’t nail it when he blames Tory austerity. Record blockbusting sums are being spent on health, education and many of the rest of policy areas yet services and outcomes are deteriorating.
This is primarily due to the climate emergency cult, and associated net zero green scams, ESG, the catastrophic misjudgement of the threat of covid 19, and the idiotic measures brought about by the sponsorship of big pharma, and a desire to shape the rest of the world in our image, whether spending directly on military interventions or supplying weapons to Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan or wherever.
In most of these areas Scots are more hoodwinked by the popular agendas of the day than even the out to make a buck Tories, and desperate to push harder and faster in all the wrong directions.
The only part he gets right on the causes are the massive increases in regulation, waste, obstruction, indoctrination and inefficiency by nepotistically placed idiots throughout government departments, ideologically captured agencies and NGOs effectively being GOs, almost entirely attached to the government’s teat.
@Mac (8.30) –
I take it you’re referring to Gupta.
That’s the one Craig Murray has been reminding people of recently. There’s also the PPP/PFI scandal as revealed by Campbell Martin in his documentary ‘The Only Game In Town’.
The latter concentrated on North Ayrshire but those schemes were taken up by councils everywhere. The sums of money involved are colossal. Here in North Ayrshire, for example, council tax payers are coughing up something like a million pounds a month for four schools which started falling apart as soon as they were built. And we’ll be paying that same sum every month for another 15 or 20 years. (Sorry, forget the details, but they’re all right there, undisputed.)
For anyone who hasn’t seen it, this is excellent. It’s Part Two of TOGIT. And if you don’t have time to watch it all, at least skip to around the 29-min mark and see who pops up. (Wings did posts featuring both parts and they should be in the archives.) Bear in mind this was all happening a long time ago (2005) – that’s how long some of these characters have been working with and for each other, way way before they ever came to public notice via the Harassment Inquiry.
link to youtube.com
SNP member
Electoral commission says it’s upto party to decide on what it spends it’s donations on.
—————————————————————-
Me
send money for indyref2
small print – spending it on staffers
SMELLS
—————————————————————–
SNP member
If that had happened I’m sure a 2+ yr investigation wouldve uncovered it by now.
No dry your eyes, no crimes were committed, that’s why we haven’t seen charges.
@Mac (8.30) –
Sorry, the point I wanted to make is that the £600k they appear to have nicked from the Yes movement (i.e. ‘us’) is small potatoes compared to the sums sloshing around elsewhere.
How much of it has gone amiss? Even a tiny % of the PPP/PFI dosh, for example, would be millions. Where does it all go? Who signed it all off? Why are so few of the people who pay these amounts over to the councils (again, us) unaware of the schemes and how much they’re costing?
I don’t think this is the place to write anti-Christian diatribes. Join the Murrell’s SNP cult if you want to do that.
But, I would point out, the UK head of state (monarch) MUST be a practising Anglican who takes Anglican communion. Anglican: Church of England. The CoE has bishops and archbishops because it is based on the Catholic church.
So, all Presbyterian Protestants are barred from being the UK head of state just the same as Roman Catholics. Yet, we have those who identify as Protestants in Scotland who religiously celebrate and support the UK state and UK monarchy as champions of their Scottish Protestant identity. That’s how misguided they are.
Joe, I agree.
What is really concerning is seeing them do this in the US as well. It is like the people running the show are waging a hidden war on their ‘own’ population.
It is like they are trying terraform the demographics through mass uncontrolled immigration to achieve precisely what you lay out. ‘Demoforming’ the population. Diversity and conquer.
Just one example over the twenty year period of the Vietnam war 55,000 Americans were killed. In the last year of records (2001 maybe) over a 100,000 Americans died due to overdose. The opioid crisis started as a prescription problem but now it is coming in illegally and killing vast numbers of people. Securing your border to slow down the Mexican cartels is an obvious first step… but they are doing the exact opposite.
Mass uncontrolled immigration has been weaponized (in the US and Europe) and like woke ideology it represents an attack on us by the people in power (and I am not talking about our MPs here).
One of the unanswered conundrums in Scottish society is how can a Scottish born Catholic, Irish republican, Glasgow Celtic supporter not want Scottish independence?
Because the West of Scotland is full of them.
They would quite happily support staying in this stinkin Union, with all the Unionjackery that involves, than vote for Scottish independence.
They would quite happily see a Union Jack flying above their Town Hall than a Saltire.
I just can’t work that out.
You would assume that they saw how the Republic of Ireland had to fight for centuries against the English to win their Independence, that they would relate that to the fight Scotland has to win her independence.
But no,,,they would rather Scotland remained a mere colony of England for evermore, than become an independent nation.
I can never work that one out.
PFI has been known about, just happens people have started to talk about it again, Margo MacDonald had the solution, a voluntary repayment or a PFI tax, very simple but NO political parties would do this, why?
Ian,
It will be hundreds of millions I think.
Just those ferries. For the price they could have had 12 made in Holland and delivered by now instead of the 2 that aren’t ready. That really stinks as well of corruption and that is just the ferries which are again dwarfed by the Gupta deal…
It looks like it is in everything they were involved in, incompetence and corruption go hand in hand.
Ron Clark says:
21 April, 2023 at 9:22 am
One of the unanswered conundrums in Scottish society is how can a Scottish born Catholic, Irish republican, Glasgow Celtic supporter not want Scottish independence?
The same reason I guess that some royalist, Rangers-supporting scots actually support independence (they tend to keep quiet at Ibrox!). There’s no explaining some folk’s belief systems – even their owners can’t explain them. We all have some daft, contradictory beliefs and prejudices, I suppose. Part of being human. It’s a funny old world.
John Knox wasn’t in favour of burning down Catholic churches at all, merely of removing statues etc and switching to a Protestant liturgy. He objected to such mindless vandalism.
Almost every parish continued to use their existing church buildings for a further two centuries, until they were replaced when no longer fit for purpose. (Due to location, disrepair, size or unsuitable design for a more sermon-based service.) Quite a few are STILL used.
The Glasgow Celtic/Rangers thing is football/cultural tribalism, with little to do with religion. Nationality, immigration, class system and people looking for a tribe to belong to seem to be just as big factors. If anything it’s just another divide and rule maneuver, probably fed from outside.
As a Protestant from elsewhere in Scotland I was barely aware of sectarianism until I moved to an area settled by Glaswegians looking for work. And had never even heard of the battle of the Boyne until late secondary school history class. For all I knew, it could have been a particularly controversial, twentieth century football riot.
It’s an oversimplification to view history as neat goodies/baddies, whether racial, Scots/English or religious Catholic/Protestant.
Then, as now, the rich and powerful harnessed people’s beliefs and prejudices to foster tribes they could control and create enemies of ‘others’ they wished to dispossess.
They’d send one son to fight for each side, just as Jenny Gilruth and Kezia Dugdale stand to ‘win’ with Unionism/Independence, SNP/Labour.
The more responsible folk varied their loyalty, depending which option seemed to have wider benefits, likelihood of success or to achieve peace. Look at the leaders on both sides of the Battle of Philiphaugh, and why they were there. These are the ‘floating voters’ of today to some extent.
The majority were then rounded up via coercion and propaganda, much as they always have been. Much like the SNP voters surprised to be told that they’ve given their Party a mandate for gender self-ID. Told that they have to vote ‘and for no other’, to achieve an independence the SNP is clearly NOT achieving.
The abuse of religion has almost nothing to do with the merits of religion. The money-laundering, tribal football industry has almost nothing to do with football. Just as the abuse of the independence movement by careerist politicians or dubious fundraisers has almost nothing to do with the merits of independence.
Ron- George Galloway and Michael Kelly are prime examples of your conundrum.
I have an Uncle who is a season ticket holder at Parkhead. Name of Brendan. He is a British nationalist. Voted for Brexit!
While we’re all waiting for She Who Works From Home to be lifted, this is a must-read.
link to craigmurray.org.uk
@Ron Clark
“Scottish born Catholic, Irish republican, Glasgow Celtic supporter”
Oh this looks good, is this first in a series of Stereotypes 101?
Will you do Hibs fans next?…Cowdenbeath?
Around 1997, George Robertson implied that devolution would kill the SNP “stone dead”.
Maybe he was right, after all.
The deal to sell off the seabeds for a pittance is also reeking of corruption as well. It especially stinks.
It looks like it is everywhere folks. Which makes sense.
Correction above: ‘2021’ not ‘2001’ and to be clear the opioid crisis is killing over 100,000 per year not in total and keeps rising.
@ Ian B
Here’s the links back to the articles that have both episodes. Haven’t had time to read through all the btl comments but presume there will be some pertinent stuff.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
link to wingsoverscotland.com
The amounts involved are indeed staggering and a campervan and 600k are small change in that scheme of things.
I wonder if a forensic audit of Holyrood expenditure over the years would show anomalies such as vast increases in certain local authorities funding that coincided with implementation of certain dodgy deals.
Interestingly I understand that all the Scottish
GovernmentAdministration of Devolved Powers historical financial data of spending and distribution to local authorities is currently being collated and reformatted into a more up to date system for oversight and audit simplification.Well that’s the reason I was given, and not cleansing the past to hide whatever went on…
The btl comments on the the first link went over 500 so they load on the second page. Here’s a link back to the comments starting on the first page as will be more relevant.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
I have seen various bits and pieces regarding Covid Deaths and Excess Deaths but the government seems able to ensure that no one compiles and accurate figure on both as it
appears to be a number in excess of 500,000.
There was an article weeks ago about NHS strikes being related to another 23,000 deaths
No need for the Tories to sit at a negotiating table with Doctors then.
I found this from Glasgow University interesting too
link to gla.ac.uk
The elderly and vulnerable are being eliminated at a great rate of knots but much more furtively than the wee German did it.
A tory guy called Frost thinks devo should go into reverse.
OK milord bring it on. We could do with a real power punch up.
Power, after all, is what devo was not set up to share.
Ron Clark @ 9:22 am
“One of the unanswered conundrums in Scottish society..They would quite happily support staying in this stinkin Union, with all the Unionjackery that involves, than vote for Scottish independence.”
This ‘conundrum’ has been answered (see refs below).
Colonialism, which always involves prejudice, racism and ethnic oppression, leads to an oppressed people having a ‘colonial mindset’. This results in the oppressed group developing what is known as ‘Appropriated Racial Oppression’, or ‘Internalized Racism’; inter alia this involves an acceptance of their oppression as ‘deserved’ and their group as ‘subordinate’ to the oppressor group/culture. Colloquially we know this as the ‘Scottish Cultural Cringe’.
What we are dealing with is ‘a psychological condition’, the only cure for which is liberation (from oppression), which is what independence means.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
link to bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com
link to salvo-cor.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com
When Tony Blair was coming to an end of his useful life as PM he revealed in whose interests he had really been serving.
It was when he did his level best to flood the UK with supercasinos… That failed attempt as Blair was exiting power was blatant corruption and revealed in whose interests he really served, as they just could not help themselves, and got greedy, and it tipped their hand.
So who bought the seabeds for a pittance I wonder.
I am starting to see scandals everywhere at this point, the stitch-up, the missing 666k, the motorhome, the ferries, the seabeds, Gupta… where does it end.
It is looking really quite bad.
I wish I hadn’t bothered. I would have preferred not to have been reminded that Craig Murray supports self-id.
As it happens I am sympathetic in general to self-ID (though not for rapists).
Craig Murray
By Robert Hughes, from btl on Craig Murray’s latest:
@Ruby (10.18) –
We all know that Craig Murray’s views on self-ID are at odds with most contributors here.
That doesn’t stop him continuing to engage with us in good faith on a regular basis. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t do likewise.
The answer has been hiding in plain sight all these years. What were the two official pieces of humanising trivia always trotted out in any soft soap profile of the Murrgeons? They were (a) Peter does the cooking and (b) Nicola likes books. Hmm, cooking and books, cooking and books, what does that remind me of…
Match made in heaven right enough!
I had a conversation with Craig at the last ALBA conference – it was overheard by several people – Craig is “sympathetic” but in no way actually supports the tenets behind self ID – he’s a privileged guy so the issues do not really affect him in any meaningful way.
@Ruby (10.18) – Quite correct.
Craig Murray worthless.
As a stalwart grammarian I spotted a comma where he should have had a semi-colon.
Clearly a bad man.
Craig Murray hardly ever posts here. If he did I might in ‘good faith’ try to convince him that supporting ‘self-id’ is a very bad idea and that writing
As it happens I am sympathetic in general to self-ID (though not for rapists).
Craig Murray
makes him sound like a fool.
Just in case someone hasnae seen it:
YouGov poll, 17th-20th April 2023:
Should Scotland be an independent country?
Yes 46% [No change]
No 54% [No change]
Also: “A clear majority of the public now feel that Scotland should not require permission from London to hold an independence referendum. 51% think no permission should be required, compared to 39% who take the opposite view.”
scotgoespop
Meanwhile support for SNP drops.
You’re into pointing out grammatical errors and I’m into pointing out violations of women’s rights.
To each his own Mr Bonkers.
One thing about having our own parliament even if it is deficient is that it keeps our eyes focused on our problems and requires us to attempt to find out solutions to them through it.
This means on a personal level that I’ve become almost completely detached from daily Westminster politics which often means relying on memory to understand breaking news emanating from that pompous UK talking shop.
Despite all the forgoing, a little history was made today and I found myself shocked and surprised to hear of the resignation of one of the Britannia In Chains crowd, the imposing 6ft 5 ex-banker Donovan Craab…now this utter lowlife can just scuttle off sideways back into the polluted sea whence he came.
Witty right? Playing on the aleatory combination of his name and the similar-sounding sea creature.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
And the background –
link to electricscotland.com
Who is commissioning these polls & can they be trusted?
‘scotgoespop’ YCBS!
@Cynicus says:21 April, 2023 at 11:12 am
As a stalwart grammarian I spotted a comma where he should have had a semi-colon
Maybes nae stalwart enough.
It’s “semicolon” (nae hyphen).
Ron Clark says:
21 April, 2023 at 9:22 am
One of the unanswered conundrums in Scottish society is how can a Scottish born Catholic, Irish republican, Glasgow Celtic supporter not want Scottish independence?
Possibly because they’ve experience of the rule of the Scottish Football Association.
Corruption in government/local government comes as no surprise to me.
I first heard about it decades ago when folk talked about ‘broon envelopes’
Effijy says:
21 April, 2023 at 10:02 am
The elderly and vulnerable are being eliminated at a great rate of knots but much more furtively than the wee German did it.
It is a Class War ! The sooner the Working Class wake up to that fact these deaths will continue, the so called ruling elites will ensure poverty for the masses to control them !
The millions of children who have been brought up through Tory austerity will have shorter life spans, these deaths will emerge for decades to come !
@ Ruby: I think I’m right in saying that Craig Murray’s views on the gender issue have softened somewhat. At one point, he had doubts about his continuing to support Alba due to their stance on gender and self-ID. He now appears to recognise that gender has become a highly divisive and damaging issue for the independence movement, and one that has very little popular support. That being the case, I don’t think his personal views on the issue are particularly important. I personally would like to see gender ideology die a rapid death, but I think a major problem with communication via blog-posts and the like is that it magnifies every little difference between people to the point that we lose sight of what unites us. I feel we should recognise that Craig Murray is a very knowledgeable and experienced man and a great supporter of independence. There’s no reason why we can or should all agree 100% on every issue. Craig Murray is entitled to have his own opinions without being made an outcast. We need to focus on what unites us and the common goal we all share.
@Ruby Someone who disagrees with you doesn’t necessarily make them foolish, only disagreeable. I cant comment on his Self ID views because I don’t know them. But the little I do know is they mirror my own. To expect someone to “go camp” everytime they’re evaluated by professionals and “ham it up” is degrading. Yet that’s the general advice given to someone who wants to transition. Then theyre told to “live like a woman”; as if women wore dresses makeup and lipstick every day. So like Murry I’m all in favour of Self ID. Similarly, anyone charged with any type of sexual assault (not just rape) I don’t believe should be able to transition; but that’s just my own prejudice.
But I also believe women spaces should remain women spaces; whether its toilets, sports whatever. To the extent that I joined the ISP on the basis of that alone. The only logic fail here is not my seemingly contradictory beliefs, but a government incapable or unwilling to understand and promote both points equally. Again, I’m prejudicial for I believe those males who demand the right to women spaces are not genuinely trans as they still possess and demonstrate their masculine trait of self-entitlement.
Scotland’s resources are harvested for the greater good of the UK and some of the profit accrued is sent back.
Let’s imagine that there’s no controversy over the proportion returned, that it’s scrupulously fair. (It isn’t, and we know that, but let’s ‘set that to one side’ for now, just like it says in the recipe books.)
The cash that comes back gets divvied up and then it’s used to fund local services and a huge variety of projects which should be to the benefit of all.
What Craig Murray has described in that article is the reality – the dosh is divvied up by people who share certain interests. They are chums. They help each other get and keep jobs for which others might well be more qualified or able. So it goes – same everywhere, right?
But what if the common interests of these chums have little or nothing to do with effective governance? How obvious does it have to become before the people who rely on such services start to speak out?
How would it look if a survey of those working in govt and The Third Sector revealed that the majority of them were stamp collectors?
What if organisations could improve their chances of govt funding by trumpeting how important stamp collecting is and why they support it 100%?
What if they then starting to bully and harass any staff/customers/service users who don’t demonstrate similar interest and loyalty?
What if people who haven’t the slightest interest in First Day Covers and suchlike start pretending that they do because they know they won’t get work otherwise?
What if your induction manual is the Stanley Gibbons catalogue?
I could go on but you get the gist.
The latest and perhaps most obvious example of this groupthink is Councillor Campbell’s demand for ‘debate’ over how Glasgow should address its colonial past, involvement in the slave trade etc.
There are many Twitter accounts (I’m thinking Tony McKenna, Lost Glasgow etc) who regularly post images of poverty in Glasgow within walking distance of places such as ‘Jamaica Street’, ‘Plantation Quay’ etc. Many are monochrome images, beautiful in their own way, but the full-colour reality of poverty in this country grinds on, decade after decade.
There has been a ‘soup kitchen’ operating in the Heilanman’s Umbrella for, what, a couple of years now? The organisers have been asking GCC for a sheltered venue to get them out of the cold and have been steadfastly rubber-eared.
How on earth we even begin to address these problems (hunger and child poverty, FFS, in 2023?) when those ‘in charge’ have no interest beyond consolidating their jobs and shielding one another is beyond me. I have no idea.
But if one thing emerges loud and clear from Craig Murray’s article and the many positive responses to it, including Robert Hughes (as quoted at 10.42 upthread) it’s this – devolution and/or continuity is not helping. If anything, it’s making things worse.
Now that we know The Murrells and their dodgy pals aren’t interested in independence, there’s no logical reason to keep any of them onboard. They have to go asap, along with all the Stamp Collectors From Hell who’ve betrayed so many.
Craig Murray makes it very clear in his blog that the polis stalled the SNP finances investigation so that the SNP could rush through the election of the continuity candidate.
With all of the behind-the-scenes gerrymandering and finagling that Rev Stu exposed at the time.
Meaning that the election was fraudulent, and the subsequent election at HR of the FM was fraudulent too.
Scotland has an imposter representing her on the world stage.
Long overdue for that specific nettle to be grasped and grasped firmly.
IMHO, none of the rest of it amounts to a hill of beans in comparison with that travesty.
Devolution is indeed a trap. It traps us now when we have the ability, the right to be free.
But the trap can be sprung and it may be sooner than we think.
The SNP is on the way out. It cannot survive. Nor can the Scottish Parliament survive. It’s powers usurped it no longer serves a purpose other than as a regional council effectively beholden to Westminster.
And in Westminster the Establishment is revelling in the disintegration that it has helped occasion on the SNP. No Speaker’s chair now for Cozy Toes Wishart or in fact any of the troughers. Indeed, only today Penny Mordaunt, who was Iain Blackford’s jisom floozy was declaring that unless the SNP appointed auditors they would cut the SNPs Short Money funding.
Irrespective of what one thinks of the useless troughers who settled in rather than settled up isn’t it an utter disgrace that democracy is so fragile as to the sitting English government being able at a stroke to cut the funding being paid to all other elected opposition parties, ( and that includes Sinn Fein who not having sworn an oath get funding by an alternative scheme)
Without funding, the troughers should just shut up shop and come home. High time that our movement broke their system, took their own reins. With the SNP MPs out of Westminster a new road beckons.
Until then Westminster wil continue to urinate on Scotland, and it’s people.
link to barrheadboy.com
The «gender» matter is not about the name you choose or the clothes you wear as an individual but the fallacy that biological sex among the higher species does not exist, and the perverse state system enforcement of that notion.
Ignorance, by design, of «the bio-science» is a head-game unworthy of serious consideration. On a dissection table, the game stops.
@Colin Alexander 9:13am
Aye, the whole Defender of the Faith bit is funny. Primarily it’s defender of the Anglican faith, which the Covenanters had down as popery, and the Cameronians would have lynched ye for.
Obliquely, via the Scottish Oath*, the Monarch is nominally a defender of the Presbytarian Kirk, sure, but it’s amazing what the human mind is capable of rationalising.
The other side aren’t much better, ‘If you know your history’ is just as risible’ – it should be ‘Can you teach us history?’
*There had been talk of altering the Accession Oaths to not require the Scottish Oath, since freedom of worship and the protection of the Kirk is enshrined in statute anyway.
However it would require an alteration of the Bill of Rights, and since the Scottish Oath is obliquely an affirmation of the rest of the Claim of Right too, it’s a bit of a hot potatato.
I think people get the wrong idea about the Claim of Right, summarised it’s just “We’ll have nane o yer Judge Dredd Prerogative nonsense throwing yer weight aboot, we are the law laddie and don’t you forget it, and while we’re at it, we’ll have nae popery nonsense, see yon Kirk – hauns aff”
That’s all it is, there’s a lot of fanciful nonsense ascribed to it, which isn’t in it. Though now I think on’t that’s an interesting topic in itself…
What is surprising is the selective use of the Claim of Right. It last reared its head during the proroging of (UK) Parliament a while back, but there was plenty before and since it could have been thrown at, and wasn’t – pretty much anything under Royal Prerogative could have been slapped with the Claim of Right.
The amusing part is that Royal Prerogative isn’t actually proscribed by the Claim of Right at all – some but not all, it sets limits (as does the UK Parliament) It’s more “you’ll wield that stick when yer telt” – it’s all mad really.
An example of that would be invoking Royal Prerogative to repeal the Articles of Union.
One of the few remaining, meaningful Royal Prerogatives (England and Scotland) still feebly cleaving solely to the Crown, is the entering of treaties (hence the Brexit, Claim of Right, proroging Parliament debacle)
One of the few powers in the Scotland Act(s) expressly NOT reserved is Royal Prerogative.
There doesn’t appear to be any reason (that I can think of) the Scottish Parliament cannot require the Monarch (as King of Scots) to repeal the Articles of Union, and there is heehaw anyone can do about that, it’s entirely lawful – or at least as far as anyone can argue, given Royal Prerogative’s enshrined use by the UK Parliament.
The only bar is self imposed – under what circumstances would the Scottish Parliament do that?
Well, it has been decided that soliciting the views of the people of Scotland for a start.
How do you propose to do that? We’ll ask them in a referendum. Not allowed, that’s a reserved power affecting the Act(s) of Union.
Well then, that just leaves voting for it, that’s not reserved is it? Eh.. no, no it isn’t. How about the Articles of Union, how do you feel about them, reserved power, or not? Err… look is there somewhere we can talk?
The Claim of Right sets limits on Royal Prerogative powers, but Royal Prerogative is the very power (only meaningful power) available to repeal the Articles of Union – with that repeal, the Act(s) of Union are anulled.
Ironic eh?
“Ruby says:
21 April, 2023 at 11:20 am
Craig Murray hardly ever posts here. If he did I might in ‘good faith’ try to convince him that supporting ‘self-id’ is a very bad idea and that writing
As it happens I am sympathetic in general to self-ID (though not for rapists).
Craig Murray
makes him sound like a fool.”
No… actually it makes those reading what they want to read into that statement seem like fools. – Has Murray’s view moderated since he wrote? (on Twitter; which you’ll find if you ‘Google’ it)
“1) I support trans rights and believe self ID should be the default, to which there might be exceptions in only a very few and extreme situations.
2) I support the right to express diverse opinions on this openly, freely and without fear of censorship or retribution.”
Being ‘sympathetic’ to the kernel of something is not the same thing as fully supporting it as presented.
Personally I would argue that ‘self ID’ (as she is spoke) represents the greatest threat to to the rights of people afflicted with Gender Dysphoria, in so far as it removes that mechanism and rigour which might discriminate between those with a genuine medical issue and those that are mere paraphiliacs…
That latter group are quite militantly dedicated to promoting the ‘normalisation’ of something which is not within the gamut of anything that might be considered an affliction acquired at birth. – Something that is not a product of nature but of mal-nurture; specifically, the destruction of hard fought women’s rights; a clear expression of misogyny.
As much as it might be necessary to properly diagnose and treat Dysphoria; it is very obviously necessary to properly diagnose the personality disorders and socio-psychopathy that are only-too obvious in the ‘Isla Brysons’ (et al and in all in their varying degrees) of this world… Some paraphiliacs will of course be harmless and present no threat to anyone; others will present as symptomatic of other more-troubling disorders. – And neither should be confused of conflated with genuine Dysphoriacs.
The discernment of which is which can only fall to properly qualified medical specialists…
Working as I do in the Creative Industries I’ve encountered a handful of Trans people in my working lifetime. Two I thought were merely rather dowdy and unworldly older ladies, before learning they had transitioned in the 60s and 70s. Two I knew before they transitioned whilst another (F2M) was a student of mine. …NONE of these people remotely resemble the raggle-taggle collection of self-made circus freaks and weirdos who seem to make up the entirety of the militant Trans movement.
Indeed, I am aware of one Trans person who has become entirely withdrawn and despondent – now rarely leaves the house and is spiralling into agoraphobia and depression because ‘they are who they are’ – but who they are has nothing to do with those supposedly campaigning for ‘Trans rights’ and they do not want to be associated or confused with one of them!
Ironic is it not that some individuals who have actually walked the particularly difficult and challenging walk to full transition do not ‘identify’ with those claiming to speak for and represent the entire ‘community’? – Why are they not given platform and voice?
There is – was – a case for making the process far less onerous whilst at the same time maintaining rigour. What the Scottish Government have done is trivialise the issue; with inevitably horrendous results. – Because that way they get to ‘virtue signal’ within their ingroup ‘for cheap’… cheap and nasty; no hard work or rigour required! The Scottish Government have now completely undermined and defeated any legitimate argument (which I’d hope is what Murray actually subscribes to) in favour of something which is utter madness.
I’m not now sure exactly what Murray might now mean – in the light of the obvious consequences of ‘self id’ as enacted – by ‘supporting Trans rights’ and thinking ‘self ID ought to be the default’ – in general.
If he means someone presenting as Dysphoric ought to be received with initial respect and not subjected to disbelief derision and hatred then yes; that ought to be the default. – And there ought to be a mechanism which provides proper, timeous, medical support.
But then; we live in a Scotland where a chronically-ill person can be (illegally) denied access to life-essential medication as ‘punishment’ for complaining about maladministration within a Primary Care group… where the entire group (and health board) will close ranks in the most infantilised way; leaving the patient to buy what they can via English private online Pharmacies. To the point where only a near-fatal (and inevitable) collapse sees the patients access to medication restored; but not with any practical means of seeing a GP; for that service they would need to go private. – I can tell you this first-hand.
And yes; for the record this was raised with both Freeman’s office and Sturgeon’s at the time; both of which simply aided and abetted the unlawful closing of ranks by non-performing Health Board officials…
I mention this because quite-recently I saw a Trans activist on TV complaining about the cost of obtaining a diagnosis of Dysphoria; and I have sympathy for the position they find themselves in. – But when you literally cannot breathe (suffer from a serious respiratory condition) and are denied rights which should be (theoretically are) protected by law… and can’t access medication (or medical help)other than paying for it…
More prosaically, I’m sure many of us could cite cases of relatives and friends paying for cataract operations, cardiac investigations and procedures and joint surgery; either directly or via private insurances. – Thanking God they had either the cash or insurance to make that possible.
Trans rights? …Achieved by decoupling what is clearly a primarily medical issue from medical rigour? How can that possibly be in any way shape or form legitimate? And, does it not more-likely feed (at some level) the more nefarious and hidden agenda of privatising NHS-Scotland by stealth and making health care something only accessible to those who can pay for it?
I’d be interested to hear Mr Murray’s hopefully now-evolved position is. – Do you still support self-ID ‘as she is spoke’ Craig?
One other point; the politicos are bleating much about ‘the settled will of the Scottish Parliament’ and the attack (by Westminster) on Scottish Democracy. – Yet what would appear to be the will of the Scottish people on this issue is being completely disregarded by The Scottish Government!
I’m a bit confused by your post alba.
When you use the term ‘women’ what do you mean?
What do you mean by trans?
How can you tell if someone is genuinely trans?
What if someone has self-ided as a woman before committing rape?
Do you or don’t you believe transwomen are women?
Genuine regular btl community will be amused by the notion I have not disucssed these matters in enormous detail here, ad nauseam. I find the obsession with the issue extraordinary, and the reason I don#t respond all the time is that I don’t imagine Stu wants his threads derailed.
So one response only on this:
My position is purely libertarian. I have no interest in gender ideology, or pretence at knowledge of psychiatric conditions. My simple view is that adults should be allowed to behave as they wish to behave unless there is very good reason to stop them
Obviously sexual offence is a very good reason to stop them. So plainly sexual offenders ought not to be allowed to self-ID a gender change (but could still go the medical certification route)
But people ought not to be presumed to be sex offenders who are not.
Nobody should be shunned or excluded before doing anything wrong.
I am not a great fan of the entire “safe space” concept except in extreme circumstances, or of routine segregation of human beings one from the other. I find the connotations of the “all men are potential rapists” line grossly misandrist. It is just as true but meaningless and hate filled to say “all black people are potential armed robbers” or “all white men are potential fascists”. We can’t treat entirely innocent people with suspicion and disdain as the basic rule of behaviour.
I am firmly opposed to children being subjected to sex altering drugs or surgery.
Plainly women’s elite sport should be reserved for the female sex, at community level there should be room for much more flexibility.
I think my views have remained pretty consistent link to craigmurray.org.uk
Now my views are disliked intensely by extremists on both sides of the argument. I really don’t mind, you are entitled to your views. I am entitled to my views. But Scottish Independence is an issue of a far higher order, affecting the freedom of an entire nation. I suggest we concentrate on that.
Re- self ID trans crap. They don’t listen.
Here’s an example. One you could reason with and have debate and one you shall never be able to reason with or have a debate.
Pure hatred from start to finish.
link to youtube.com
With their short money blocked, former SNP politicians, forced to go it alone, would face a hammering at the ballot.
Alternatively, if new auditors manage to keep the lights on for SNP, is this feat, to be viewed as some sort of accomplishment? The rising Phoenix, ready to face the electorate with not a hint of shame?
A clean slate can only be achieved under a new banner. SNP does not deserve to continue unscathed. In fact, it would be best for all concerned, for cards to be be placed firmly on the table.
A genuine contender for independence, must be established. The sooner the better.
Craig Murray writes… “Genuine regular btl community”.
Oh dear… 😉 so those folk wonderin’ WTF ‘BTL even means cannot be genuine then? – Yes; I’m being contrarian. …FWIW, what you wrote in that article seems pretty nebulous.
– And given recent events it doesn’t require ‘deep thought’ to start gravitating towards a more ‘consolidated’ position; which is necessary given the impact of GRR in Scotland. …In fact maybe if more folk within the wider Scottish Government HAD given it some deep thought and proper investigation; they’d realise what a great steaming crock of ‘that which inspires growth’ – set in place by unrepresentative extremeists – it is!
Aye right we ‘extremists’ should ‘wheest for indy’!
PS I really don’t think Stu would have an issue with a discussion about self-id.
I would welcome it because I have many questions.
People saying that sometimes it’s best to turn a blind eye led us to where we are which is indoctrination in the early years of education when children, Scotlands most valuable asset, are at their most impressionable.
Late to the fray (I’ve been away) so I haven’t attempted to wade through all the comments.
But what if you posted an article stating that Scotland has now become independent – would all the rags be trumpeting that tomorrow as an undisputable fact!
@ Anton Decadent
Ach Anton, ya ken there’s nowt like a manic rainbow coloured dildo wearing bare butt monkey to get the bairns interested in reading…
The most depressing thing about Sturgeon and her supporters is that they gave up in indy. They did not get bribed they just got cumfy.If they sold the dream for a camper van well what can I say.
What little vision what sheer stupidity.
The others around her Blackford and co who defended her are equally to blame
”My position is purely libertarian. I have no interest in gender ideology, or pretence at knowledge of psychiatric conditions. My simple view is that adults should be allowed to behave as they wish to behave unless there is very good reason to stop them”
So would that also include transwomen (ie men pretending to be women) wishing to gain access to womens toilets, changing rooms etc and not caring a damn if real women are uncomfortable with it ( ie all of them) ?
There’s a world of a difference in someone believing they are Napoleon and the creation and enforcement of laws for positive reinforcement of the ridiculous.
It’s one response only from Craig.
You’ll find the answer here:
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Craig doesn’t believe in safe spaces or segregation of human beings.
Yes Craig’s article is enlightening, especially to the layers and layers of troughers via NGO’s, Universities and other dubious bodies that are making a good living for doing virtually nothing but reinforcing the SNPs mantra, the web is vast and deep, and I was shocked when I imagined the sheer size of it.
Its going to be difficult to cut such a huge network of troughers used to money for nothing from the public purse, in my opinion the corruption is so vast that some of it will never see the light of day.
But it all begins with removing the gatekeepers in the SNP.
The week prior to the recess at Christmas I made the comment about GRR not being over on boxing day. The SNP and Green coalition pressed the self destruct button. Existential threat to both parties. (Labour/LD you weren’t much better) I stand by that prediction. Some people’s libertarian principles is another persons definition of perversion. And look how everything has fallen apart since. Holyrood in a collective madness signed off GRR and divorced themselves from the Scottish Public who thankfully saw through the insanity.
Quoting Craig Murray, Graeme George says:
21 April, 2023 at 4:13 pm
”My position is purely libertarian. I have no interest in gender ideology, or pretence at knowledge of psychiatric conditions. My simple view is that adults should be allowed to behave as they wish to behave unless there is very good reason to stop them”
That’s an interesting one to pick out for another reason. – There’s no need to ‘pretend’ you ‘know about’ psychiatric conditions (to form a cogent view on the subject) any more than you need to ‘know about’ equipotential bonding in order to fit a 13A plug on a toaster.
– You would however be wise to educate yourself on the bare-bones matters such as where the wires go in the plug, what size fuse in necessary and why they write ‘this appliance must be earthed’ on things; i.e. that 240V potentially flowing through your body at anything up to 30A (yes, really!) is pretty damned dangerous!
This elementary knowledge won’t make you into an Electrician – it will however make you less of a liability when you chose to take a view on the purchase and connection of electrical items at home or work!
– Maybe even inform you enough to know that what is necessary is to ask the right questions of the right people before forming an opinion.
Your ‘simple view’ then Craig is dangerously flawed; and the phrasing you use here really verges on the dubious. – Nobody who has taken the time to do the elementary legwork that you seemingly haven’t is indulging in pretence!
GRR has been foisted upon an largely-unsuspecting public; in a matter which is just as dangerous and ill-informed as if they’d started setting 11kV rails into the middle of the road! – Any credible or influential view (particularly if it might be influential) needs to be taken from an informed position.
Craig Murray’s blog is a masterclass in why devolution does not work. An eye-opener. It’s factual and clearly set out; one of those blogs you read, go away and think about and read again.
He explains how the “interests of the Scottish political class…take priority over the interests of the Scottish people”.
He also shows how corruption happens – the mechanisms, the staggering amount of money not only for the political classes but also for the third sector.
Given what’s coming out the woodwork just now, it’s a very timely blog and highly recommended.
Spoiler alert: it’s not about self-ID.
I read Craig Murray’s article and found his summation of where we are now after the disastrous regime of the Murrells, masterly. All of his analysis of what has occurred to Scotland giving us an over-weening and burdensome political class is something most of us who have followed this site and others detailing the grotesque shambles devolution has become, can recognise the excellence of his commentary.
However, it saddens me that Craig does not recognise the undermining of important safeguards demanded by a very authoritarian movement. They are not at all libertarian but aggressive in their demands. I am taken aback by his facile dismissal of safe spaces. Keeping transwomen out of women’s safe spaces is exactly the same for all men. There are many reasons why society until now, has found that acceptable. It doesn’t mean that all men are rapists; simply that men who are rapists are not immediately identifiable, so easier to have a blanket ban. Why does that offend Craig’s libertarian ideas?
Women and girls should not have to risk possible assault just when they are at their most vulnerable. It is not that we don’t have evidence of transwomen entering women’s spaces as in the case of Katie Dolatowski photographing a 12 year old girl on the toilet in a public convenience and forcing a 10 year old to undress by threatening her with a knife. Whose rights are being offended here?
It has been mooted many times that a solution would be third spaces, yet transactivists are totally intransigent on that and demand no compromise. That is puzzling as their given reason was that they had to have safe spaces but possible solution giving them the safety they require is rejected. Why would that be do you think?
When I read Craig’s article I was preparing to write a panegyric on his detailed analysis of where Scottish politics has been leading and then my enthusiasm collided with his comments about transgenderism, compounded by his comments above. It looks as if where women’s rights clash with men’s rights, as they must do in this case, then Craig is instinctively on the side of men. Libertarianism should not mean that everything is allowed.
Like Ruby @ 3.23pm., I also have many questions.
The solution to preventing Scots politicians becoming Union troughers is simple: no pro-indy politician should seek a seat at the colonial parliament at Holyrood or the imperial parliament at Westminster. They should only seek the mandate of indy.
The more I think about it, the more I am inclined to refuse to vote for ANY candidate who seeks a mandate to be a UK MP or UK MSP.
Similarly, if a politician is prepared to swear allegiance to the Crown of England, as they must do to take their seat at Holyrood or WM, then I am inclined not to vote for them.
I am not instinctively on the side of men. I think the notion that there is a massive clash between the interests of men and women is a false dichotomy based on a hate driven ideological construct.
@ JGedd
I was surprised he bothered to put that sentence in regarding his own views on the contentious issue of Self ID. I feel it needlessly distracted from what was an overall good article. And as can be seen by comments, the discussion on the main aspects of his article has been diluted and distracted by the Self ID element. But then that is why the whole “Trans” thing is what it is. A clear divide and rule tool rolled out to engage and distract the plebs from the clearly bigger issues we all face.
@Dan
The Greens will over you a job in PR 🙂
@Rubby: I’m a bit confused by your post alba.
No worries, hope this clarifies it.
When you use the term ‘women’ what do you mean?
An individual born without a penis. I ‘think’ the current term is CIS women, but personally dislike using that term as I’m old enough to remember when it represented the USSR and “communists in shit”.
What do you mean by trans?
A person choosing to view themselves as the ‘other’ sex that they were not born with.
How can you tell if someone is genuinely trans?
I cant. But neither can I tell if a person is genuinely Torry, Islamic or how they eat their cream eggs. To be fair, I occasionally had similar issue at discos back in the 80s trying to differentiate between men and women, but that was as much to do with poor lighting, smoke machines and bizarre clothing fashions.
What if someone has self-ided as a woman before committing rape?
Id say that was irrelevant; a crime is a crime irrespective of facts that aren’t relevant. If you asking whether Id put them in a womens prison, the answer is no. For womens space is there for a reason and that’s to keep them safe from men. Not all men are rapists but all rapists are men. “Potential” is a strawman argument.
Do you or don’t you believe transwomen are women?
I think in some instances they are more like a woman than women are; but that’s only my male perspective. Adding or subtracting lumps of meat does not alter males from being males, females from being females. So if your asking my view from my biological or scientifically understanding then I would say ‘absolutely not’.
Biologically not. But in every other way that’s important to that trans individual then yes. I would say ‘Transwomen are women, transmen are men’. I also believe that they will know who or what they are better than some panel of ‘experts’ that they’ve got to somehow convince. Yes, theres a whole list of other factors which might (or not) apply to that individual; Gender Dysphoria, Autism etc etc. but I don’t see the point of adding yet more “experts” to the mix; as pointed out elsewhere the money used could be spent more productively elsewhere.
For clarification and where I differ from Craig is I don’t see women safe spaces as a form of segregation. I see them as place of safety from men. In a similar way, I can fully understand and sympathise why a transperson might not feel safe in a male space. The problem isn’t transfolk but males. As such I would have no issues whatsoever with transfolk using say, a disabled friendly toilet if they felt more secure. Similarly I have no issues with separate prisons that segregated transfolk for their own safety from being abused in a male prison.
My experience of transwomen mirrors the italic part of Matt Quinns response above. My intense dis-like of the whole “woke” transgender debate are the so called supporters of trans rights, who will melt like snow off a dyke when its no longer fashionable or politically expedient, leaving the trans community vulnerable and in all likelihood abused.
Republicofscotland says:
“the web is vast and deep.”
Might one say “woven through”?
Falling down two sinkholes today: religion this morning and self-ID this afternoon.
In the words of Dan, distracting the plebs from the clearly bigger issues we all face. Pity.
Matt Quin @ 5.05.
I do hope Craig reads your comments. I have always been surprised at his simplistic unresearched view on GRR compared with his many excellent in depth articles and comments on other matters.
He demonstates not only his lack of knowledge, but also his lack of interest in a subject which is of crucial importance.
@ Craig Murray
Why do you think sex segregation is only needed in elite sport? Folk only progress to elite level by competing in and excelling in lower level sports. But if female lower level sports are corrupted by male physical advantage then girls and women are effectively pushed out by males so why bothering to compete against a stacked deck and making it all the more difficult to obtain a potential career and sponsorship deal.
There are plenty examples of lacklustre performing males using their sex based physical advantage to push out girls and women in competition.
I can see from various apps that my own over half century old male body that occasionally goes out cycling still manages to beat pretty much all the girls and women in times and strength terms.
Craig Murray: I respect you for many things but as a woman, I will not accept your mansplaining to me and other women that self ID is oK and that there is nothing to make a fuss about. There are extremely good reasons why single sex spaces were established, and they revolve around keeping women and girls safe. There is sadly no shortage of examples of how men who want to harm women and girls have found ways that do this, and getting access to single sex spaces is one of them. You say that independence is important; well, it is important but safety is even more important. It’s a Maslow hierarchy of needs situation, and you don’t get to tell women that we need to wheesht about it without being told in response that it is not your call to make. It is our call, for the sake of ourselves, our daughters, our mothers, our friends, and in fact every woman and girl – because there are bad men out there and we need to be kept safe from them.
typo, offer.
It was a reply to your reply to me, not the post above mines which I hadn’t seen.
Re Greens, could add SNP/Labour/Lib Dems.
TBQH I fear we will never be independent because the ones who can effect the route and timing are EXACTLY the ones who are determining 1 The franchise , 2 The acceptance of the TWAW mantra although they agree in a watered down concept, they BELIEVE there should be restrictions and compromise instead of rigid biology and science
The ALBA party have STATED CATEGORICALLY through Alex Salmond there will be NO CHANGE to the franchise, their policy is also that they would agree to amendments of the proposed GRRB to allow it to go through with WM assent and as long as it did not conflict with WM current position , so once again Scots 0 WM and politicians 1
So the opinions and massive opposition to the VERY EXISTENCE of the bill by the ELECTORATE doesn’t matter, POLITICIANS will again tell us what is best for us, rather than CONSULT or LISTEN to the electorate THEY will tell US what is best for us because we are too stupid to have an opinion
I very seldom agree with John Main or Joe but their highlighting of the ignoring of our culture and ethnicity by all the civic minded libertarian (apart from when it comes to Scots) in favour of ALL OTHERS by the political middle classes gets my vote
Can we not just assign toilets, changing rooms, refuges, prisons, sports categories and clubs to be ‘assigned male at birth’ and ‘assigned female at birth’?
Then get back on to leading our normal lives.
Salmond and Alba must be scrutinized just as much as Yousaf and the SNP. No point in supporting Alba if it’s just going to be SNP Mark II.
If the SNP is the IPP Alba better be Sinn Fein. Nothing else will do.
There is no reason that women should stand for the utter travesty of allowing self-ID men to enter their spaces.
It literally undermines society for them. There are very, very few women who would be comfortable with men being able to share female only spaces with them and suddenly every trip to a public place would be a potential nightmare.
As for women who have a nervous disposition, such as survivors of abuse, it would be unspeakable.
This also applies to parents with daughters.
From a point of view of social cohesion it is utterly toxic. There is no social good that can come from it and the downside is catastrophic for social harmony
From the political point of view it is policy plutonium. A Scottish independence party that has this in their manifesto is going to be a weakened shell of its actual potential.
As for men – let’s be honest. We do not want to be around transvestites. We can be as politically correct about it as you like but the majority of men are simply not comfortable pretending that anything about them is normal and would rather be elsewhere when in their company.
For myself the self-ID nonsense epitomises the lie of political correctness. The famous quote from Theodore Dalrymple:
‘“Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.”
Once you accept the lie, then all other lies follow more easily. It is literally accepting that 2+2=5.
Why would you accuse me of telling women to wheesht? You have every right to make your point as boldly as you like.
The behaviours you fear would still be illegal. If anybody is flaunting themselves, importuning, harassing (including staring) photographing or assaulting, those are illegal behaviours. Nobody is suggested they are made legal. At least I am not.
But if a trans woman quietly and respectfull uses a women’s loo, without doing anything unusual or wrong, I don’t have a problem with that. I appreciate you do. Just as I have never worried on the several occasions I have encountered women in men’s loos.
You are perfectly entitled to your opinion. I am equally entitled to mine.
Both extreme sides of this argument suffer from extremely intolerant people who don’t think other opinions ought to be permitted.
Merganser says: 21 April, 2023 at 6:11 pm
“I do hope Craig reads your comments.” …He might; then just tut to himself methinks.
– What would I know after all? 😉 I’m just some noisy random Gadgie frae the Red Road Flats. I mean; I don’t even have a blog or a Patreon page! And the BBC never hire the likes o’ me! 😀
Is it just me or has Yours For Scotland had a Wings stylée “upgrade” (aka downgrade) making the site’s articles out of format?
@ twathater et all
Demographics, demographics…
link to scotlandspeaks.com
Back to sport…
In general male bodies due to their physiology have an undeniable physical advantage over women. Only a fucking idiot or someone with an ulterior motive would try to deny it or take that fact onboard.
Recently the USA World Cup women football team got beat by an under 15 years old male team from Dallas.
Plus posted this a while back relating to cycling.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@, ‘ craig murray says:
21 April, 2023 at 5:47 pm
I am not instinctively on the side of men. I think the notion that there is a massive clash between the interests of men and women is a false dichotomy based on a hate driven ideological construct.’
It’s not so much based on a hate driven ideological construct, more on evidence based, institutional, legal and peer bias of which historical evidence abounds.
In all honesty though, on this subject I think your wife’s views and life experience would make her a more knowlegable person to comment on this subject than yourself.
Scrub that “upgrade” query. For some reason google threw up Scotland Speaks site above Yours For Scotland on the search, so formatting issue is on that site rather than YFS.
That said I wish YFS site made it easier to find previous articles with an index…
Link to original article on demographics.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
Twathater – explain how you would create a new franchise please.
And Now For Something Completely Different…
anyone?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
God knows everybody needs it!
If we’re just taking part in someone els’es games…then what’s
the bloody point?
We’re not anybody else… we’re Scottish
@twathater
Look up Paris Syndrome. I’m coining the phrase Govanhill Syndrome in which you become completely alienated as the area you live and grew up in changes beyond recognition in the space of a few years. Anyone not on message is isolated, in my own case physically assaulted, and lobbied against whilst anyone on message is rewarded with patronage and opportunities. The people being awarded and awarding these are not actually from the area and in many cases country, they are part of an imported support structure which seems to follow the creation of areas such as Govanhill across the West.
Anyone who thinks that Govanhill is not a glimpse into the future of, certainly Glasgow and on a larger scale Scotland, is not paying attention into how it has spread out into Crosshill etc. The people pushing this also have their eyes set on the rural areas of the country with demands to decolonise and requeer them, these are their words, not mines, I am quoting from the mailouts I get from the people who support the big push against white people and Christianity and I say that as a lifelong atheist.
I am sorry to say, Daisy, I do not even accept the notion that the views of a woman are intrinsically more valid than the views of a man. Nadira’s views have with me equal weight to my own; neither more nor less.
I judge the quality of an argument irrespective of who makes it.
I will say it again, the problem with this subject is that on both sides are those who cannot accept that perfectly decent, sane and well meaning people can have a different view to them on how to best balance a conflict of rights.
Craig Murray @ 5.47pm
I think the notion that there is a massive clash between the interests of men and women is a false dichotomy based on a hate driven ideological construct.
That is a gross over-simplification of what I said. My beliefs in this matter are not ‘a hate driven ideological construct’. For clarification, I think you are the one who has framed the matter in those terms by reducing it to an insult to men to require women to have separate facilities. You seem offended by the notion that women should require safe spaces and seem more concerned that men might be offended by their exclusion from women’s spaces. There is evidence of some males already taking advantage of shared facilities as in school unisex toilets and in the case I mentioned of Katie Dolatowski. Young girls are having their privacy violated. As I said before, whose rights are we talking about here when they come into conflict?
I think that many men are not offended about staying out of women’s private spaces because they understand the issue of safeguarding. Unlike you, they do not appear to take personal offence. I am becoming more and more perplexed by your refusal to recognise why women require safeguarding. You appear to think it unnecessary. What on earth is wrong with safe spaces exclusively for transwomen either if they find men’s facilities unsafe?
Just wanted to add: When it comes to self-ID my thoughts go to my 2 great aunties that lived with each other for life.
They were left without a father in 1915. The older one had a ‘boyfriend’ that would come and go as he pleased, even breaking the families door in numerous times and rape her on the bed in front of my grandmother and her sister. She had a son from this ‘relationship’ who died aged 2.
The younger sister was raped when she was 11. She never recovered fully and was mentally challenged from that point onwards.
They were afraid of men for life.
When I think about these 2 lovely ladies who had nothing but goodness in their hearts and the effect this self-ID would have had on them in their time I can only come to 1 heartfelt conclusion – this is an evil we can easily live without and anybody who is not against it is morally questionable, regardless of any other position they may take.
As for the offended trannies? Fuck them.
Cheers! 🙂
Do you or don’t you believe transwomen are women?
I think in some instances they are more like a woman than women are; but that’s only my male perspective
🙂 What about when you leave the dark disco & are in bed naked?
One last question
“Why Can’t a Woman Be More Like a Man?”
link to youtube.com
But if a trans woman quietly and respectfully uses a women’s loo, without doing anything unusual or wrong
The problem I have with that is that it opens the door to all men.
Why does a transwoman need to use the women’s loo?
Joe: “From a point of view of social cohesion it (self ID) is utterly toxic. There is no social good that can come from it and the downside is catastrophic for social harmony.”
Of course, this the the whole point of various Woke issues: they promote social friction and confrontation to get us all arguing amongst ourselves while the globalists and plutocrats get on with transferring more wealth and authoritarian control to themselves at our expense while our attention is elsewhere.
The dreadful destabilisation of the Middle East by the West in the last twenty years in particular has accelerated immigration to Europe too, causing more social discord over limited resources assigned to cope with these asylum seekers. One might wonder if this were all deliberate.
Furthermore, if new EIS advice on the teaching of “gender”, appearing at a primary school near you, soon (unless teaching staff grow a backbone), I’m afraid there will be a lot more discord and friction outside schools because old-timers like me will be out defending our grandchildren from this dangerous nonsense.
Any idiot looking at a map of Scotland might see golden opportunities for the construction of bridges over short stretches of water thus avoiding long detours, the provision of rapid ferry services, the construction of modern roads and fast rail links etc.
The SNP élite has just seen a map with a squiggly coastline.
Independence for the Gàidhealtachd? Holyrood might as well be on Mars.
Hi Ian Smith at 6:32 pm.
You typed,
“Can we not just assign toilets, changing rooms, refuges, prisons, sports categories and clubs to be ‘assigned male at birth’ and ‘assigned female at birth’?”
Sex is not “assigned” at birth. It is observed and noted. It is “assigned” at conception.
Maybe Craig Murray is NOT a woman.He is however a mansplainer to women. Oh dear.
craig murray says: 21 April, 2023 at 6:53 pm
“Why would you accuse me of telling women to wheesht?”
It’s not actually obvious who you’re addressing Craig; the threading of conversations being stuck at the level of a 1980s bulletin board…
As for the strawman boogie…
“But if a trans woman quietly and respectfull uses a women’s loo, without doing anything unusual or wrong, I don’t have a problem with that.”
Well, that rests with the question of what you accept to be a ‘trans woman’. – Someone who has faced (or is facing) the challenge and rigour of the transition process in order to mitigate a genuine and properly diagnosed dysphoria… most typically with a degree of quiet dignity and respect.
– Or a fully-intact male paraphiliac, indulging their sexual fantasies; possibly presenting (as they so often do) as some deliberately-grotesque parody of womanhood? …Which in and of itself is an act of misogyny that will tend to cause alarm and perhaps fear.
“Just as I have never worried on the several occasions I have encountered women in men’s loos.”
We obviously hang about in very different places Craig; not an experience I’ve had (I’m only 60 after all) but I’ve heard of that sort of thing. 😀 I’m afraid if I encountered such a creature I’d get myself off the premises quickly!
“Transwomen ” are not women, they are men and as such have no right to use women’s facilities. Fight for your own spaces, don’t parasitize women’s. But that’s the problem, isn’t it, they DON’T want their own spaces, they want the validation and frisson of using women’s spaces. Well just fuck right off, you’re not welcome, never were.
The behaviours you fear would still be illegal. If anybody is flaunting themselves, importuning, harassing (including staring) photographing or assaulting, those are illegal behaviours. Nobody is suggested they are made legal. At least I am not.
What is meant by flaunting themselves? Women walk about naked in the changing rooms I use. I can’t see how there could be different rules for transwomen which would make ‘flashing’ legal.
Women do check their phones while in the changing rooms which would make it would be very hard to police whether anyone was photographing. How would anyone know if someone was staring or not.
Flashers & voyeurs must love self-id.
Normally photography is not allowed in swimming pools which was easy enough to police when people were using actual cameras but it’s not so easy now when mobile phones are being used.
Ruby says:
21 April, 2023 at 11:57 am
“You’re into pointing out grammatical errors and I’m into pointing out violations of women’s rights.”
To each his own Mr Bonkers.
=======l
That’s me tellt
Thank you for that masterclass in missing the point.
(If it is of any interest, i disagree with Craig on self ID).
Brian Doonthetoon says:
21 April, 2023 at 7:30 pm
”Sex is not “assigned” at birth. It is observed and noted. It is “assigned” at conception.”
So glad to see someone say that Brian, the sad thing is it needs to be said, and as obvious a statement as it is it’s just a bit too inconvenient and one truth too far for the trans mob
trans debate…bollocks!
somebodies fucking with your brain…shut up!
early 1980’s walking 4 miles to govan broo and 4 miles back,late november,freezing rain soaked to the skin,most people i knew had to go to england for crappy jobs,nobody was worried about thier gender!
Nobody seemed to give shit!
Getting fed up with this manky rubbish!…and realising the real
horror of a figure like sturgeon…we were all duped…dont let it
happen again…!
Anton Decadent
Tinto Chiel
While it’s a dark subject, it is good to see other’s who understand the danger we are in.
link to makeuseof.com
@ ruby
“Why Can’t a Woman Be More Like a Man?” Haven’t watched this afore. My only gripe was that it annoyingly one sided. It’s a pity some of the women I knew from back then weren’t allowed to contribute toward the script; for I can well imagine my grans take on pointing out one or three flaws. Which is why I cant imagine my grandad asking those questions, even rhetorically, without that tea tray being flung at him! If Im misreading this however and your actually asking me that question, I think a woman can be like a man; Transwomen can be women, Transmen can be men. Ive met men who come nowhere near this 1950s(?) ideal of masculinity. Ive also met some women, however, who would surpass it easily.
What about when you leave the dark disco & are in bed naked?
Presumably with another individual whose sex I’d mistaken? Alas that occasion never arose. Of either sex, I hasten to clarify. But the chances are that back then I’d probably have had a great time. However….thats just me. I dont expect everyone to (mis)behave or think the same way as myself. Someone else in a similar position faced with the “wrong” genitals has every right to say “no”, as does anyone else who changes their mind for whatever reason.
As my moniker suggests, I don’t live in Scotland, so I don’t know Scottish feeling on the whole trans debate. Is there a massive swell in public opinion in favour of trans “rights”? I cannot fathom how it is that Sturgeon felt that this was the matter on which she would choose to stake her political career, or why Yousaf should choose to plough on regardless with a legal challenge.
Beats me how any bloke can realistically claim to have encountered a woman in the gents bog, at least recently.
If I ever thought that was happening to me, I would immediately assume it was a bloke dolled up like a bird.
In 2023, that would be the overwhelmingly most plausible explanation.
What have I done wrong now?
Is it as bad as you claiming to be a ‘stalwart grammarian’ and not spelling semicolon correctly
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Sure it’s of interest that you disagree with Craig Murray on self-id.
It looks as if more people disagree with Craig Murray as did with Andy Ellis.
Maybe both of these men should have listened to me when I first pointed out the error of their ways!
That is one of the many mystery we are trying to solve.
Another one is the mystery of women in the gents.
I would reckon if someone was dressed up as a flamingo or any other bird and they were using the urinal then the chances of them not being a woman are pretty high.
@ A Scot Abroad
If you search the site there are plenty of previous articles with polling evidence highlighting that a majority of Scots are not aligned with our Parliament’s proposed GRR, and particularly the Self ID aspect.
For example.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Where do you live ‘A Scot Abroad’?
Got any problems with trans issues?
So disheartening to see another thread being wrecked by this toxic topic.
Here’s the relevant passage from Craig’s article:
I don’t know if it’s just me but that seems pretty clear – Craig is saying nothing which would offend TERFs (yes, I’m allowed to use that term because I am one) apart from a heavily caveated admission that he supports Self-ID in certain circumstances. He stresses that it’s his opinion, as he does repeatedly in his comments upthread.
It’s his ‘opinion’.
That stance – controversial, aye – does not invalidate the broader argument he presents. Of course, we here are more inclined to be receptive to his criticism of devolution, but he will surely have unionists and WGDers of all shades attacking this or that sentence for what they claim is ‘fact’ but is actually just wrong ‘opinion’. (‘Doubleplusungood’)
Many of us have been reading Craig’s work for years. Some of us have watched the dramatised version of his ambassadorial career. We should not be surprised that his take on this subject is, well, let’s say, a bit ‘problematic’ for some Wingers. (Is that the correct diplomatic term?)
But it should not blind us to the other 97% (approx) of that brilliant article. Some Twitter respondents today mentioned that Robin MacAlpine recently made some similar observations. Others might claim that Rev Stu has been covering the same ground here for a long time. But there’s something unusually cohesive about the picture he painted. It’s like using those night-vision goggles – suddenly, with a flick, coherent shapes start to emerge from darkness.
I will never agree with Craig on Self-ID and I suspect most contributors feel likewise but we are very fortunate to have him here as a long-term contributor. Contrast with the msm hacks who raise their noses in the air when Wings is mentioned but (as evidenced in the header post) rely on it for their own ‘research’.
And let’s not forget this uncomfortable truth – if we’d listened to everyone who spat out out the word ‘Hillsborough’ every time Wings was mentioned then this place would’ve folded through lack of traffic and support many years ago.
link to craigmurray.org.uk
John Main,
It really isn’t that infrequent to encounter a woman in the men’s loos, in any very crowded setting. Architects seem incapable of working out that men flow through much faster, and in airports, railway staions, entertainment venues etc there are very frequently not enough cubicles in the women’s and there can be very long queues.
Hence the odd bold/desperate woman or two in the men’s.
I am genuinely surprised you have not encountered this.
Oops they did it again 🙂
Get in there, how many swear words do you think Airmiles knows ?
link to msn.com
Lorna Slater. She worries about old white men.
Unless they’ve got a pair of nickers on and are masturbating in the cubicle next to you.
Fuck off lorna. Stick your green recycling bottle poll tax. Up your arse.
I’ve noted that several recent posts have commented about trans men using female toilets – something that a lot of women feel uncomfortable about. I spent 4 years in Australia during the 1970s and one night a crowd of about 20 of us went to a much publicised gay music venue in Sydney. Amongst the crowd of us there were some gay men and lesbians, and we were all great friends – Australia was far more accepting of the gay community than the UK was at the time! As the night wore one, some of us wanted to visit the toilet and one of the men said “Look at the signs on the doors!” Well, there were 3 Toilets one marked “Men”, one marked “Women” and a third toilet marked “?”. I thought it strange as I wasn’t really aware of the “trans” community at the time, but had it explained to me that night. To cut a story short, surely this is the answer?! Instead of introducing communal toilets in schools and other public places – just have 3 different toilets and let everyone feel safe!
That sounds like another good reason why men should stay of of women’s toilets. 🙂
How did you know the bold/desperate people using the gents were women?
That sounds like another good reason why men should stay out of women’s toilets. 🙂
How did you know the bold/desperate people using the gents were women?
@Ian Brotherhood 8:55pm
It was Craig’s BTL that wrecked Stu’s article. It’s not the first time either. The last time I engaged with Craig on the trans issue we were on different sides of the fence. His new article was good but I didn’t learn anything. What was new? And evidenced? Tell what I didn’t know before?.
Telegraph article on Marmalade’s company taking donations but doing nothing. Can’t read it (paywall). Might be interesting.
link to telegraph.co.uk
Bit late in the game, read this in WoS.
David. We just had a white working class woman in charge of Scotland. Look how that turned out Lorna!
I don’t know if this will help in any way, but I’m hoping we can have general agreement that this image encapsulates what’s so worrying about the more extreme ‘trans’ positions.
To repeat an Orwell quote I used recently (from his essay ‘Benefit of Clergy: Notes on Salvador Dali’) – ‘It is diseased and disgusting and any investigation ought to start out from that fact.’
The figure depicted, so far as I’m aware, has no basis in historical/medical fact, or even mythology – the closest I’m aware of is the Satanic character Baphomet, but he has a goat’s heid.
Please be warned – it is sickening.
link to twitter.com
“Merganser says:
21 April, 2023 at 9:37 pm
Telegraph article on Marmalade’s company taking donations but doing nothing. Can’t read it (paywall). Might be interesting.”
On my browser the full content shows up for a few seconds, I hit Numbus entire page capture and managed to get all content, the “reporter” just copied WoS.
@ Ruby.
The Norfolk Broads. I’m 75% Scottish by blood. Hence “A Scot Abroad”.
I don’t have any particular issues with trans people wishing to live their lives as it suits them. I just don’t think that society should be completely upturned, with consequential damage to many, particularly women, by over-compensating to the demands of what is a very small minority.
Hi Merganser.
Here you are…
link to 12ft.io
See the telegraph have stolen wings’s article.
link to telegraph.co.uk
Ruby says:
21 April, 2023 at 9:26 pm
“How did you know the bold/desperate people using the gents were women?”
Or even real… I’m genuinely surprised that Craig seems to have encountered this at all, let alone frequently! I’ve been around for a very long time, work constantly in various venues – theatres, studios, exhibition halls; have travelled much in my time… often by train or plane.
I cannot recall a single incident where I’ve encountered a female woman of the opposite sex in the men’s lavvy!
@George Ferguson (9.31) –
Stu praised Craig’s article via Twitter earlier today. That’s why I read it in the first place, as did many others.
If you didn’t enjoy it or learn anything from it, fair do’s.
an Brotherhood says: 21 April, 2023 at 9:51 pm
“Please be warned – it is sickening.”
No… it’s pitifully weak-minded and pointless; except for those trousering the (no doubt public) cash it absorbed.
More of the same then – MSM copying Wings. But interesting that the Telegraph have seized on this topic. Something is going on.
link to archive.is
Nicola Sturgeon ally’s polling group takes donations despite no surveys for three years
Hi Ruby.
See:
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@ Ian B at 8:55 pm
If someone was a supporter of the general concept of Self ID then they may now want to reassess their position as the term is better defined since our Parliament voted down the various safeguarding amendments to the bill.
So if someone is still a supporter of Self ID then they are content to support it as it is now without the safeguarding elements in place, with all the serious potential implications that entails.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@Ian Brotherhood 10:02pm
I am on record that I enjoy Craig’s work. I was asking what was new?. I could write a positioning paper on the road map to return Scottish Utilities to public ownership for Alba. It could cost a fair amount to affirm the road map but my fee is zero. Or I could work on the submission to the Scottish Public Covid Inquiry based on extended family evidence that cost thousands of deaths. (My fee is zero). At some point we need to work together but not until GRR is binned and cremated.
That depends on how view this ‘work of art’
I see it as an interpretation of the absolute madness an extreme sadness of transgenderism.
It’s called ‘Agape’.
It’s a very sad piece of work it makes me want to cry.
I didn’t see that before I posted the archive.is link. Just saw direct links with complaints about not being able to read the article cos it was behind a paywall.
Does it matter if there are two links? Readers have a choice of an 12′ ladder link or a archive.is link. Surely better than direct links to a behind a paywall article.
Duplicate posts can easily happen when posts are so slow to upload.
Sorry if you thought I was trying to upstage you.
@George Ferguson (10.28) –
Why are you asking me?
You know Craig’s been commenting throughout the day.
Presumably he’s still keeping an eye on responses, so why not ask him?
Joe, thank you for your comment. Agree 100%.
And regarding the specific men-in-women’s spaces issue, folk casually mention ‘women who’ve been abused’, as though this is a tiny minority of nobody-we-know.
Actual RAPE affects about 1 in 4 women. Sexual assaults that for one reason or another didn’t get that far, affect even more. And since predators are opportunists, in a society where they’re highly unlikely to be caught or more importantly prevented from offending or re-offending, women in all classes of society are affected.
Do men or ‘trans allies’ even bother translating the statistics into reality?
A knitting group of 16 women: that’ll be 4 rape survivors.
A mother, 2 sisters, 1 daughter: that’ll be 1 rape survivor.
A school class with 15 girls: might only be 2 or 3 survivors by that age, the others have that ahead of them.
And for the ‘lucky’ women? Firstly, it hasn’t ALL been luck! Some of it has been protective, savvy parents. Some of it has been self-imposed risk-averse behaviour. If we had enough self-care to body-swerve our teenage peer group’s mixed-sex drunken parties and always had a plan-B to avoid needing a lift home alone, we’re hardly going to be voluntarily accessing high-rise spaces. Which is what a women’s single sex space becomes the moment a man is admitted or permitted to be admitted.
Since primary school I’ve periodically found myself in the ‘lucky’ MINORITY in my peer group! I’d prefer to REMAIN lucky.
I would not accuse supporters of these policies of being predators, but I do think they’re in denial about their OWN ‘dark side’ if they genuinely don’t believe women are put at increased risk.
Matt,
I recall my mother saying that during an outdoor pursuits holiday sometime in the 1960s their mixed group of young people had to hurry to use toilet facilities in time to catch a bus.
As there were more women than men, aggravated by the lengthier procedure for women toileting and fewer cubicles than urinals, some of the women DID use the men’s toilets.
This was safely arranged and propriety maintained, by the last man out standing guard outside while half the queue still remaining outside the ladies’, entered and used the gents’.
(One of Mum’s pals was horrified to see urinals for the first time and shocked at the semi-communal setup of typical gents facilities. And of course by the smell.)
Although I did not personally participate, I think I recall a similar tactic being used to ‘process’ a large, mixed crowd at Mansfield Park prior to the final of Hawick Sevens as recently as twenty years ago. I’ve a feeling the Stand had only one ladies loo and the clubhouse two, as they were designed for more male dominated crowds.
I doubt most women would set foot in the gents without first ensuring it was empty and posting a sentry though.
@Ian Brotherhood 10:56pm
I did say I have engaged with Craig before on GRR. I responded to you in your advocate role. The disappointing thing is I think the 3 of us are members of Alba.
In the original spirit of this thread, please take a minute to watch this, especially if you liked Father Ted and/or The Bay City Rollers.
It was tweeted by the Friends of Wings Twitter account.
There is a good chance you have never seen anything like this.
But it’s a nailed-on dead cert that you will never see anything like it ever again.
🙂 🙂 🙂
link to twitter.com
Hi Ruby.
No aspersion intended.
This delay on comments appearing is so annoying. I’ve found that one or two of my comments have appeared immediately on refreshing the page, others take anywhere between 8 and 20 minutes to appear. This delay is really disrupting BTL here.
Craig Murray,
in the more distant past, it was expected that women would generally stay at home, and thus fewer women’s toilets were provided.
More recently, most architects were male and simply allocated equal floor space to each sex’s toilets. Ignoring the higher density of urinals relative to cubicles, let alone the more rapid throughput of the former.
It’s twenty-five years since my sister studied architecture, but at that time toilet design for public places was still governed by building regulations which tended to perpetuate this situation.
As non-profit-making areas of a building, the legal minimum of space was usually allocated for loos, using a formula of ‘X ladies loos and X gents loos, per 100 expected building users’. So still no allowance for slower throughput with cubicles.
Typically the required area for the ladies would be set aside, then an equal area allocated to the gents. Where extra urinals could be fitted in, replacing some cubicles.
The tendency to add a changing mat only in the ladies loo aggravated things further by taking up more space.
I think I read somewhere that in public toilets, gents loos still outnumber ladies 2:1.
This is certainly a reason why women use any unrestricted, enclosed disabled toilets in addition to the ladies loos.
In more open-air settings impatient men don’t wait for a toilet at all, making the ladies queue appear even more disproportionately long. And women usually need to go more often too, unless alcohol is involved.
The urinary leash is very much a thing.
So I suggest stand alone facilities for trans persons be carved out of the gents ‘toilet estate’. This would cater for trans AND, by being stand alone mixed sex INCREASE provision for women slightly. What’s not to like? Win-win for everyone’s rights!
Re women in mens toilets, I have had it happen a few times, last time was a woman bringing a child into the gents at a bar/restaurant whilst I was using it and it did feel a bit uncomfortable. On the other hand I accidentally walked into the ladies at the CCA a couple of years ago and felt uncomfortable to have done so.
Re the statue upthread, I am in the habit of putting faces to names and it came as absolutely no surprise to find that the guy who created that statue was also involved in the Calais Jungle camp.
@George Ferguson (11.32) –
Okay, thanks.
My comment was just a personal interpretation of what Craig wrote. For me, it provided a fresh perspective – it was a significant clarification. And that’s just ‘my opinion’.
I don’t believe that Craig requires any ‘advocates’ and I certainly don’t presume to fulfil any such role.
As to us all being members of Alba? Why on earth would that disappoint you? I’d much rather be arguing with a few like-minded souls than cowering amongst a mass of mindless fuckin lemmings.
Ach anyway, it’s all immaterial in the grand scheme an aw that, eh?
I wish you and Craig and all Alba members and true independence supporters all the best, always. We have a proper mountain to climb.
In other news, Robert F. Kennedy is running for the US presidency. In any sane nation that would be the main talking point, but here we are, bogged down in the sordid minutiae of provincial amateur-hour corruption, waiting for a failed lawyer closet and her halfwitted minions to have their collars felt.
Wha’s like us, indeed?
😉
President Xiden says on 21 April 2023 at 7:33 am:
“Would that be the same oil which the Scottish Government have identified as a wicked fossil fuel which we must stop being dependent on over the next 5 years?”
How the f@ck can it be the same oil if London has already extracted and spent it? Smart arse! LOL!
George Ferguson says: 21 April, 2023 at 10:28 pm
“I could write a positioning paper on the road map to return Scottish Utilities to public ownership for Alba. It could cost a fair amount to affirm the road map.”
I’m sure many folk would be interested in reading your proposals on such matters George.
Though I’m a bit miffed why so many pro-indy politicians and political parties haven’t actually already produced such work… Mind you, seeing them try to implement so many flawed procurements and unwanted policies maybe that is no bad thing as going by their past record they would screw it up monumentally.
Re. Public ownership of electrical utilities, once the recently “auctioned” ScotWind blocks are developed to their expected generation potential there will be a significant surplus of electric energy produced in our geographic area.
(Which will be approximately 10 times more than we currently generate which is enough to power ourselves and still often export a similar amount. link to extranet.nationalgrid.com )
It will therefore be interesting to read ideas on how that situation can be dealt with, as the generation infrastructure that can create magnitudes more power than our own needs will have a far higher inherent value and profit making potential for the current owners to relinquish control of.
Coming late to this, so apologies to Craig Murray for missing his reply to my post.
And apologies again for failing to get my tongue-in-cheek point clear enough to understand.
I was trying to say that as the definitions of man and woman are being blurred into insignificance, nobody can any longer claim with absolute certainty to know the sex of a stranger they encounter in the loo.
At least, that’s my interpretation.
Others, who are happy to take anybody’s self-id as gospel will see things differently.
Such a person may indeed encounter a “woman” in the bogs. More grounded individuals, such as myself, may see a man in female dress.
Let me try to put this a different way. Suppose I came out of the gents, exclaiming “Guess what, there’s a eksdvbaioufwqu in there!”
Nobody would know what I was on about.
Now, how about if I exclaimed “Guess what, there’s a woman in there!”
The same mystification aught to ensue, as the meaning of “woman” has been destroyed by the social engineers.
Bottom line, anybody’s claim to have encountered somebody of any sex in any loo can be countered with scepticism and the retort, “how can you possibly know that? Did you ask them how they self-id?”
@Dan 8:44am
It is a source of frustration to me that nobody is making the intellectual case for Scottish Independence. And I don’t mean that in a pompous academic sense. We are reacting to events rather than develop ideas and policies that would win the support of the majority of the Scottish Public. A proposal to return Utilities to public ownership. I believe is a winner. The current energy market is broken. So a positioning paper will take months if done by one person. I minded to write that the paper, we have to be positive rather than defensive and reactive.
@Ian Brotherhood 12:21am
I will try and co-ordinate my next visit to Dundee when an Alba stall is on the go. Meeting you and Brian Doonthetoon I would welcome.
@George Ferguson (4.22) –
Sorry for slowness, just saw your message there.
I don’t go out a lot these days but you never know.
Hoots.
😉
Hi George F.
I’ll be at Glasgow Green on the 6th May. I guess Ian B will be there too.
As it looks like there will be no Friends of WOS stall, I’ll probably flit between the Now Scotland Stall and the Alba stall if there is one.
Look out for the red gilet.
@Ian Brotherhood 6:01pm
No worries my Dad based in Dundee can’t get out at all. My wife booked a tour of a National Trust property today. A 400 hundred year old family home with original features. Aka Tam Dalyell lineage called the House of Binns. Absolutely superb piece of Scottish History. I must sponsor a virtual tour for people like my dad that can’t get out. Wishing you well.
@Brian Doonthetoon 8:16pm
Aw No I have a wedding that day. Anyone that tells you being retired is easy is fibbing. I have nae time at all. But we will meet up and hopefully after United stay up and Dundee are promoted. Solidarity brother.
@ George Ferguson
Indeed, I (and I’m sure many others do) also feel that there is far too much focus on and energy spent reacting to events and distractions. If this situation is getting mind numbingly boring and repetitive for politically nerds then it’s almost a racing certainty the room was lost a long time ago with regard to keeping wider society engaged and informed.
It might be worth getting in touch with Robin McAlpine or Common Weal with your thoughts on utilities returning to public ownership as there may be similar views on the subject, plus more smart heads may create a better plan.
Plenty articles from Robin and Common Weal discussing Scottish electricity come up with a search.
@Dan 8:35pm
Thanks Dan I appreciate your insight. Having worked all my life in the Power Industry in Scotland, I feel partially responsible for the current market predicament. I have some players in mind to peer review. People with the technical depth and market knowledge and the understanding of how we got here.
Hi George.
I, a long term Dundee (now armchair) supporter, mentioned United in a comment at ‘off-topic’ a wee whiley ago.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@Brian Doonthetoon 9:41pm
Off topic looks an interesting place to be!
@ George Ferguson
The limited degree of insight I have has only been picked up through having an inquisitive practical mind which pushes me to look up information and chat with folk working in various disciplines so I can gain a better understanding of a particular subject matter.
But I do recognise that by keeping an eye on lots of different stuff in politics, constitutional matters, voting systems, trade, engineering, etc, etc it feels like I am a sort of jack of all trades master of none because my focus is diluted across a myriad areas.
I think that situation developed through necessity because whilst campaigning for Scotland returning to self-governance you have to be able to converse with different people on a variety of subjects and that is only possible if you understand what you are talking about.
If I had just concentrated on gaining knowledge and excelling in one particular area I wouldn’t have been much use helping at a street stall or knocking doors in amongst the general public asking all sorts of questions.
I speak to friends and acquaintances to better understand their work and ongoing developments.
One is involved in designing the HVDC lines to take all this renewable power produced in Scotland down south. One oversees an onshore windfarm. Another had access to that ferry and jeezo, the quality of some of the work was woeful, as an engineer you would be absolutely raging if you saw pics. I thought they could have gone whistleblower but they feared their future job prospects would be hindered if they highlighted it, plus there may have been a nondisclosure agreement in place.
So, as we watch all this stuff play out I am now at the stage where I think we really need to develop sensible policy, and identify and nurture potential candidates with proper knowledge in relevant areas to stand in future elections. This current situation where ministerial briefs are handed out within a clique to folk with very limited or even no experience in their specific remit is ridiculous.
The latest thread highlighting John Nicolson being an arse is all very well. But to me, and more importantly, who is being identified and developed to be a viable candidate with a kick arse manifesto the electorate could support to stand against him? And that goes for pretty much every constituency. Tactically it feels like we are way behind the curve so yet again just reacting to events rather than taking the lead.
@Dan 10:45pm
It’s all about policy Dan. The nightmare of a Sturgeon led Government bellowing out mantras like Transwomen are women is at an end. The cabal are being brought to book. Stu is the only journalist that speaks to power. But he can’t affect change alone. We have to do that. Creating policy and supportive evidence is a huge task. The SNP are incapable of doing that so Independence supporters have to do it themselves. I will write that positioning paper. 4 month deadline as long as my health holds up meantime. The SNHS! (Waiting on a surgery option)