Quote of the week
Posted on
April 02, 2021 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
We’re currently busy pursuing a rather larger story, readers, but to keep you amused in the meantime we thought we’d share this absolute belter from Wings contributor Angus MacNeil MP today in The National:
Deftly put. Now back to work with us.
Nicely done.
Love that guy!
Politics over logic and sense. Sums up the SNP.
Excellent
Ooh Angus you’ve really done it now lololol
Sweet. I was chastised in 2016 for tweeting that I’d be voting SNP1 and Green2 (as I understand the way the system works) because, as an SNP member I wasn’t allowed to promote another party. That has to be understood when SNP elected members are asking for both votes SNP: they can’t officially do anything else. What they can do, however, is stop the abuse and venom against another pro-indy party which is campaigning for them as vote 1 and will increase their constituency vote as well as providing a lot more pro-indy list MSPs to replace the unionist ones.
Aye, he is nae a daft budgie, on the money see very time.
Nice ?
That was meant to be ‘Nice’ with a smiley…!
Who is the chief whip down south?
There are going to be harsh words:
We will not be thrown out of our subsidised canteens, against our will
@Cath
If you vote SNP1 you are condoning Sturgeons lies, corruption and favouritism of trans rights over women’s rights.
Wheesht for Indy if you want but don’t pretend to care about women’s rights and don’t look for any help when Salmond fails again.
If you think Indy is more important than men using single sex spaces for women and girls then you are as stupid and dangerous as Sturgeons woke gang.
Bigger story? Such a tease. Has someone found 600k down the back of the Murrells’ sofa?
He’ll no doubt be hauled over the coals anyway.
Angus is smart enough to know that politics is more than arithmetic.
Uh oh, the thought police will be out with their cudgels for him very soon. Well played, that man.
He must be the only 5th columnist operating in plain sight in the history of 5th columny!
Gon yersel lad.
Somebody has to stay and keep an eye on the coven.
Angus knows the SNP whips have no power when he can defect and sit with Kenny anytime.
He likely has another 3.5 years as an MP. Plenty of time to jump or be pushed. I don’t have any personal objection to MacAskill or Hanvey having a ‘dual mandate’ but no reason all Alba MPs would have to (attempt to)
do so.
Education it’s a great idea I wonder if it will ever catch on in SNP HQ ,
The Bain principal used by labour in Scotland and a trusted weapon used by the current management of the SNP who have refined it to only be employed with reference to Alex and ALBA,
A very similar approach they used and altered in the sexual complaints procedure in order to make life hell for one man who had to be brought under their control , it’s maybe went unnoticed but this illegal procedure hasn’t been amended or in fact been used since it was employed against Alex Salmond .
Mrs Murrell would be better advised to keep her gob shut rather than continuing to rubbish Alex and ALBA at every opportunity her devout followers are taking her mantra and running with it on any platform they visit , they are frothing at the mouth even more than the Unionists are but they are just following her example .
If you are voting SNP1 you are following the advice of a man who has every right to be so angry at Sturgeon that he’d rather see a unionist majority than her be in power. Obviously you might see that as a sneaky way of robing her of any claim that an SNP win endorses her in any way but if even that is not enough you can also vote ALBA to hammer home the point.
It doesn’t actually matter whether the SNP get a majority in that scenario. In fact if enough “SNP voters” switch tactically to Alba it might make things far less clear. Perhaps Salmond has done one of the worst things to Sturgeon he possibly could. He’s robbed her of the endorsement an SNP majority might have been seen as.
The Greens, on the other hand, are probably the major losers in a scenario where “SNP voters” who previously lent their vote to them switch to Alba.
So it’s SNP1 Alba2 from me. I don’t expect Sturgeon to thank me. Though I do wonder how long her not working with Alba would last if her fellow SNP MSPs decide enough is enough and bin her as FM. Just remember, Thatcher fell.
She has got to go.
Another day and still no action from police Scotland regarding the missing £600,000. It is getting very embarrassing – for all of Scotland. Please do something.
“Another day and still no action from police Scotland regarding the missing £600,000. It is getting very embarrassing – for all of Scotland. Please do something.”
Well, now, it’s funny you should say that.
In the same National (the paper that supports an Independent Scotland) there is a big headline saying on current polling Alba won’t win any seats
So, the party launched a week ago
Polling being done less than a week ago obviously
Alba on 3%
Shouldn’t headline be “Party launched only a week ago already polling at 3% !!!!!”
Y’know, in a paper that – checks notes – Supports an independent Scotland ?
Breaking bigger story-
Murrell seen driving 300,000 Lemonade bottles
with 20p deposits over to the Iron Bru factory.
Glass Cheques it seems can’t appear on the ring fenced Indy 2 fund?
Aye Peter, politics is more than arithmetic as you state. Logic and sense can win hearts and (open) minds.
Angus said “The more parties of independence the better. Eventually of course, all parties will be parties of independence”.
Nice quote Angus. Queen Sturge will be livid.
For some reason the tone and sarcasm of the quote made me think of a Peter Cook quote:
“We believe this to be the work of thieves, and I’ll tell you why. The whole pattern is very reminiscent of past robberies where we have found thieves to be involved. The tell-tale loss of property — that’s one of the signs we look for.”
“Dear Ian,
I’ve been a thorn in your side for some considerable time now and yet it appears you lack the danglies to withdraw the whip so I can continue in my political independence as well as securing Scotland’s. I believe your Woke friends can recommend clinics to help you should you ever decide to have a pair attached.
Yours for now,
Angus”
Rev Stu @12:23
A hint that the £600,000 is your big story?
O/T but…
This 3% support for Alba business. This will be used to deny airtime, participation in debates, etc to Alba. Now a place in the MSM isn’t all it used to be, but there are still an awful lot of people – esp older ones – whose only source of info is the MSM, and there’s an awful lot more who use social media, bit don’t really take things ‘serious’ unless it was on the MSM.
I doubt support for Alba is really as low as 3% (leaving aside the fact that for most polls 3% is ‘margin of error’ territory). We need a new opinion poll.
I hope Stu is considering this…
Nice one. Very diplomatic of Angus to spell it out like that. He’s one of Independence go getters so hopefully we will get rid of some of the Labour, Libdem and Cons MSP wasters that do no good for Scotland.
Oh Stu, have we readers a little treat to look forward to ?
Easter ‘bear patrol’ will have to wait.
Alba should be doing much better than 3% in the polls by now.. It looks as if they have not gained much traction with the voters.
Glad he’s not joining Alba. We need folk inside the SNP to help bring them to their senses.
That is perfect
@ Alan… By now? That pool was done on 29th / 30th with zero campaigning, no candidate announcement and zero policies in place. Won’t need much higher a % to start getting seats.
Angus is completely wrong of course, you would have 30 fewer London MSPs.
I’ll get my coat.
Irony, an exceeding rarity in a politics where signs, portents, nuances, intimations few possess the skill to interpret.
It is to be hoped Scotland is in a period of transition. Alba may constitute the shift in the paradigm after years of stasis. Ireland needed the spilt blood of the Easter Rising to kick start the moribund independence movement. Let Alba be our sanguine equivalent.
It’s all in the telling and who does the telling.
Paul@11.57
Chief Whip down south is Patrick Grady who is currently under a large grey cloud supposedly exclusively reserved for Alex Salmond but it didn’t fit him.
If you vote SNP1 you are condoning Sturgeons lies, corruption and favouritism of trans rights over women’s rights.
That’s how I felt last week, and why I was considering not voting for the first time ever. I feel a whole lot happier now there is a second party which can both challenge Sturgeon’s SNP and how it’s change, and allow those within the party to do so as well. So I’ll vote in May for independence.
On Alba website.
“ A notional analysis of the 2016 result, assuming an Alba vote of 20-25% (being around half of the SNP list vote), would result in 20-25 Alba MSPs, and a Parliamentary majority for Independence in the region of +40, rather than the +5 which was achieved in 2016.”
Also read that a poll from July last year, a high percentage of SNP supporters would give their list vote to an alternative Independence Party headed by Alex Salmond.
Given that the two other Independent parties including API withdrew from the race within days of ALBA’s announcement to stand in the elections with AS as their leader this gives more clout to ALBA.
@Andrew Morton at 12.39pm
Very good. 🙂
I think we need to keep some of the strong ones down south for a wee bit longer to wind in the necks of Kirsty Blackman and her ilk.
Can’t wait for the big story
I see your …
“You might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment”
… and I raise you …
Alec Salmond has a long history with the SNP and has many who back him in that Party. He knows we still need them onboard but with more clout in the Scots Parliament that he himself can deliver with ALBA.
So he is right at this moment in time to support the SNP 1 with ALBA 2.
When the election is over and if ALBA have a large number of MSP’s then we can fight the Independence cause with Alec again taking the lead.
The quote at the top links through to the whole article, in case anyone doesn’t know, and I’ve not noticed mention above.
It’s all enjoyable reading, being in much the same style.
Anyone who expects the SNP ever to officially endorse another party never mind actually stand down for them on the Holyrood list ballots shouldn’t hold their breath. It simply can’t happen due to the way the rules are written. It’s also why the Greens are almost forgiven for standing on constituency ballots.
If the SNP were to formally go into an alliance, the Greens were not to stand on constituencies and the SNP withdraw from the List that would definitely be classed as them being a single party for list purposes. Even deliberately not campaigning on the list might also be classed as the same.
Angus MacNeil, one of the few consistent good guys who’s risked the wrath of the Sturgeonator in his dogged adherence to common sense.
Remember how the British Establishment gamed the General Election to get rid of Alex and a few other notable SNP big hitters. He’s playing them at their own game in the Scots elections.
The only way ALBA can be stopped winning a large number of seats if people swallow the MSM propaganda. I’m sure the vast majority of the Indpendence electorate won’t buy into the MSM propaganda and lies and back ALBA in large numbers in the forthcoming election.
Meg merrilees says:
2 April, 2021 at 12:45 pm
I think we need to keep some of the strong ones down south for a wee bit longer to wind in the necks of Kirsty Blackman and her ilk.
Good God, you mean she’s real? All this time and I thought she was a decoy… like firing out chaff to confuse the enemy.
@12:20
Effigy, the deposit on the 300,00 bottles being returned by Murrell would only raise a deposit on the missing £600,000 of £60,000.
9 more lorry loads needed.
” Oh goody !”.
Looking forward to breaking news.
Alan Thoms @ 12.35
Alba is doing much better than 3%. Gee us peace wull ye.
3% based on 2016 voting is approx 70,000 votes not wasted on SNP list votes. What’s not to like.
Next week it’ll be double and who knows the week after that.
Please relay your concerns to WGD.
Thanks for coming.
That’s brammer! Nettie and weel-handit. Truly a deft, intelligent and most of all, honest way of saying “Aye but naw but aye”.
@katherine hamilton says:
2 April, 2021 at 12:07 pm
“He must be the only 5th columnist operating in plain sight in the history of 5th columny!”
He needs to be able to count up to 5 first…
Sometimes it better to remain schtum. Angus, being a politician, such a thing is impossible, of course. Meaning, no one will ever know his true intentions.
The real news-of-the-day will be the Rev’s new story, anyway.
Ayrshire Rob
Not the way I read this poll. It’s diabolical for AS.
Big Story?
– the Murrells mortgage is being paid by shady ukrainian oligarchs with links to the international drag artists lobby, linked through cutouts in jersey and charlotte square
or
the 3rd secret of fatima
@ orri: I believe that you are mistaken. Electoral pacts are happily accepted by the Electoral Commission.
Geoff Bush [Manifesto for Indy] has confirmed today that he spoke to an Electoral Comm official specifically on the example of the SNP standing in constituency and agreeing to leave the list to another party and the official said t is fine.
In my particular circumstances I will be Voting LABOUR on the Constituency Vote and ALBA for the List vote in Glasgow Southside.
My sitting MSP is a lying little Bastard who must be De-throned and I will campaign against her.
There is no way this phycopath should be allowed to enter Holyrood ever again.
Apart from Sturgeon being a liar, she really has done nothing for her Constituents.
Glasgow Southside,,,
Vote Labour 1 and ALBA 2.
I can assure you, Sturgeon won’t be missed.
Infact, the 7th May 2021 could turn out to be a day of great celebration for many people in Scotland with the fall of Sturgeon.
PS.
Vote Sarwar because he has the only CREDIBLE Chance of taking Sturgeon’s seat.
Angus is going to jumpship. Excellent move.
Andy Thoms @ 1.09 pm
It’s diabolical you believe it
If it weren’t diabolical @alanthoms it quite likely would never see the light of day. Early days.
Thanks for the strapline, Angus.
Vote Alba on the list.
“it’s logic and common sense” Angus MacNeil, SNP.
Meg merrilees says:
2 April, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Paul@11.57
Chief Whip down south is Patrick Grady who is currently under a large grey cloud supposedly exclusively reserved for Alex Salmond but it didn’t fit him.
This grave responsibility will surely fall on the leader of the SNP in westminster .
A man who says good riddance to Kenny Mackaskill and Joanna Cherry, is a very poor manager of others interests.
Satire, I’m sure.
“My brain says X but the control signals coming from the Mothership say Y”.
Yep, I’m hearing that a whooollllleeee lottt…..
3% of my friends have told me the news that Peter Murrell has just self registered as a 13 year old female netball player. Nice.
@ Sarah The allowing it to happen is not the problem. It’s what happens if it does. Which is that all the parties involved are counted as a single entity as far as list allocation goes. So if the SNP and Greens, for instance, were to come to a formal arrangement the EC could decide to pool their list votes together. In Alba’s case there could be an arbitrary decision to not even do that. Labour tried to pull then same stunt with Coop party candidates.
So no problem with pacts but doing so officially loses any advantage you hope it gains you. Why do you thing there’s no endorsements of Galloway from the unionists?
… For those asking about what the chief whip down south might say….
….. It’s Patrick Grady, and he won’t be saying much as he’s resigned the position at the mo….. Due to 3 pending sexual assaults allegations……..
Angus has to tread carefully. The Wokerati Gestapo will be monitoring his every move and utterance.
The SNP have polices now you must sign up to, chants you must repeat. It reminds me of something sinister.
Why did it take me so long to leave. ( I suppose the answer is that I shouldn’t have had to leave)
A case of “Read what I say, don’t do as I do”
I get the Alba thing… what I don’t get and what I will never be able to reconcile is that voting Alba means you get Nicola Sturgeon. I know what she did, we all do, i also know that it is only the beginning and it will bet worse. Nicola Sturgeon needs the jail and I cannot with any conscience vote for someone who is going to leave that corrupt lying bastard in power. My initial excitement of Alba has gone, they are no different to AFI or whoever, no plan beyond hanging on Sturgeon’s coat tails.
Alan Thoms says:
2 April, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Alba should be doing much better than 3% in the polls by now.. ”
The poll wasn’t done’now’. It’s already out of date, and remember they are only ever a snapshot.
It was conducted before both the ISP and AFI announced their stand downs. And, especially at the moment, a week is a very long time in politics…
Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
2 April, 2021 at 12:23 pm
“Another day and still no action from police Scotland regarding the missing £600,000. It is getting very embarrassing – for all of Scotland. Please do something.”
Well, now, it’s funny you should say that.
Aw c’mon Stuart. Don’t leave us on tenterhooks! What’s going down?
Meanwhile Rory Scothorne smear piece in New Statesman yesterday: Alba is a right wing Farage copy.
Rev Stu @12:23
“Well, now, it’s funny you should say that.”
Tease!
Cath @ 12.40pm
‘So I’ll vote in May for independence.’
– I’ve seen quite a lot of this – usually from women quite rightly angry at Sturgeon’s gender policies, like Denise Findlay.
It seems that the plan is not to mention the SNP, but to say ‘I’ll vote for independence’
or
‘both votes Yes’
or
‘max the Yes’
and the ‘SNP1Alba2’ has been somewhat dropped.
If you don’t mind me asking Cath, do you endorse the SNP1 Alba2 strategy ?
This is a more thought provoking piece by Rory Scothorne than the hatchet job on Alba and all concerned.
link to lrb.co.uk
The dreaming needs to stop, the reality of English power faced and the hand wringing and whinging replaced by confident, self-assured pro-action.
Scotland must begin thinking again as a self-confident nation and not as a surly tartan province.
Whose power is it? Ours, by right, over ourselves or theirs, by default, over us?
A beautiful endorsement of the Alba Party strategy and unintentionally the truthfulness of the leaders with regards to their strategy stance. Alex Salmond and Alba offering the electorate a cast iron strategy, supported by evidence, to advance independence. Ms Sturgeon offering a strategy to maintain her own power and the SNP in government for another term. As the last six years have shown, that in no way advances the cause of independence. Therefore, the question the electorate should ask themselves, who do I believe and trust? Very much like the trials and tribulations Alex Salmond has faced over the last few years, the testimony, the witnesses, the evidence and the victories supported Alex Salmonds version of events and not Ms Sturgeons. The question remains – Who do you trust?
Look! – 600,000 squirrels
And well put Angus – reminds of the debate in Catch 22 about trying to get out of war by claiming to be insane, when of course that would be the only sane thing to do in a war, proving yoyo is not insane, and therefore has to face the madness.
The SNP cant back Alba and by not doing so they are not backing Scottish Independence. The lunatics are running that particular asylum.
And all because of a clash of personalities. Scotland. Reduced to that. Madness.
@AlanMcharg
Since Alex Salmond wants us to vote for Nicola Sturgeon and he’s already offered unqualified support to her I don’t know.
I thought he would be calling for her head, he isn’t and I can’t go along with that.
Shocked 2,15.
It’s a strategy. Alex Salmond is playing chess.
WGD putting the boot in, because of a poll taken three days after ALBA was formed.
If you don’t mind me asking Cath, do you endorse the SNP1 Alba2 strategy ?
Yes and I’ll happily say that and campaign on it. Now. Last week, the SNP was the only way anyone could vote to send an unambiguous pro-independence message. The problem was that Sturgeon’s SNP are no longer a pro independence party. That vote would be taken by them and used for GRA, hate crimes, rolling back women’s rights and pushing independence further down the line, probably with a more damaging form of devolution thrown in as real powers were taken back. Plus all the continuing persecution of pro independence people outside the SNP.
That’s why last week the idea of voting was so depressing: it felt like blackmail. If you want independence you have to vote for that one party, even if you’ve entirely lost faith in them to deliver it, or even care about delivering it. Alba is like a big, tough cop coming in and giving the blackmailer a stern eye from the corner: we’re watching, pal. My hope now is that the SNP have a small majority (which is the best they can ever hope for) or are the biggest party, but Alba have enough MSPs to give voice to those who want independence progressed rather than halted, as the last 5 years seems to have been mostly about doing. If that doesn’t happen and there are only 1 or 2 Alba MSPs, then at least we have a platform to campaign from and build on for future elections.
Hence, I am voting for independence. SNP1 / Alba2. The SNP, having lost my confidence and trust over independence, need to prove themselves. Alba, as a brand new party, also need to prove themselves. That’s a far better place than last week though.
Regarding the Big Story. Pay more attention to the comments – though I can’t remember if it was said here or over on Barrhead Boy. Anyways, I won’t spoil it by giving any hints, but there’s going to be a national squirrel shortage, if I’m guessing right.
Stu’s in an awfy good mood….
The SNP can’t officially back Alba and shouldn’t be backing the Greens either by endorsing any form of coalition post election. It’s built in to the system in order to deter just the kind of gaming going on and obviously wasn’t a problem when it was the Greens benefiting.
The point here isn’t that Westminster would be more willing to offer an S30 if there was a supermajority but that such a refusal would make that reason enough for a referendum and if Westminster tried to use legal force to prevent one then if the combined forces of SNP/Green/Alba or, more preferably, SNP/Alba had 2/3rds of the seats they could call another election and make it a plebiscite having shown that there was no other way forward and that election would more than likely result in an SNP or combined independence part win with a mandate to declare independence. So willing or not it’s probable that Westminster would cave in.
If that doesn’t happen and there are only 1 or 2 Alba MSPs, then at least we have a platform to campaign from and build on for future elections.
I would also add, this is totally democratic. If not enough SNP voters and members want independence right now, and are happy with devolution, Alba will fail because the pro-devolution / status quo vote is higher than the independence one. And that is right and proper. If that’s the case, using the next few years to campaign for independence, highlighting things which are critical issues, such as rollback of powers, more devolution which is designed to cause problems rather than help etc will be what’s needed to progress the independence cause. This will be the first election unionists, devolutionists/gradualists and pro-independence people are fully represented.
With the Covid Queen now openly backing Labour and Conservative list MSPs through her policy of only wanting a simple majority it cannot be long until the coup de tat.
I mean what loon ball would vote to throw seats to minimise the number of independence seats. But that is the hissy tizzy policies of Sturgeon. Frankly, there is something wrong with her with nonsense like this.
In fact she’s coming across as an absolute neurotic totally unsuited to front line politics. She’s even going to refuse to talk to members of the Alba party, even be in the same room or chamber as them despite many of them having previously been SNP politicians.
Can’t quite imagine any other front line politician anywhere in the world throwing a strop likr this. And quite frankly she’s not elected or paid to throw strops. She’s paid to be a serious politician.
But somehow she sees her self importance, her ego, as being the be all and end all. Me, me, me, me me – she’s power drunk.
Well the voters and her party want more than that, and she should wind her neck in and calm down.
Who cares about Sturgeon’s ego and love of status. It’s independence want.
@Shocked
“Since Alex Salmond wants us to vote for Nicola Sturgeon and he’s already offered unqualified support to her I don’t know…”
Ever heard the expression “Give them enough rope…” 🙂
“If you vote SNP1 you are condoning Sturgeons lies, corruption and favouritism of trans rights over women’s rights.”
Nope; sorry to say but its the other way around. If SNP get a low first vote, then they stand to get more list MSPs. By all means take a principled stand. But remember, instead of Albas MSPs you will get Sturgeons List MSPs, which, if you’ve been paying attention, has been rigged in favour of their science denying faction. As ironic as it sounds, voting SNP 1 is the best option for safeguarding womens rights.
Better option would have been Alba 1, ISP 2 but, hopefully, that wont be needed…..
Well said Angus and can take the rap as well am sure.
For any putative Coupe de Etat to be effective other than out of spite it would have to be once the SNP candidates have scraped through to either a victory on their own or could show just cause. Up until election day I’m sure the majority of their candidates will be watching their backs in case they are seen as the ideal candidate to be sacrificed by the “woke” in order to free a space on the list. Just as Neale Hanvey was for daring to sign the Woman’s Pledge. Which is probably another reason the SNP1 Alba2 strategy will piss them off.
Basically regardless of how secure she may seem at the moment Sturgeon might not last long as FM post election regardless of how large a majority the SNP have. If they don’t take her out themselves there’s probably some scandal waiting to be revealed should the polling suggest there’s going to be an outright SNP majority that will take her out.
Cath says:
2 April, 2021 at 2:25 pm
” The problem was that Sturgeon’s SNP are no longer a pro independence party.”
Trying to get that over to people who still believe she is totally dedicated to independence and “has a plan” is driving me nuts.
I’m now avoiding folk or at least avoiding talking politics with them.
A few weeks ago they would have gone for him.
Perhaps not now – is their grip loosening?
Logic and sense, well there’s not much of that kicking around Holyrood or the Crown Office right now.
To loyal Peters everywhere..
When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the woman who wakes up next to you
When I go out, yeah I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be the woman who Robs along with you
When I get drunk, well I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be the woman who gets drunk next to you
And when I haver, hey I know I’m gonna be
I’m gonna be the woman who’s havering to you
And I would rob 600,000 bawbees
And I would rob 600,000 more
Just to be the woman who robs along with you
If this has already been posted it is worth reposting from the National today – link to archive.is
A BLOG post from a UK Government adviser, arguing there are “no reasons” to believe an independence Scotland wouldn’t be economically successful, has been deleted after The National ran a story on it.
Deleted article
link to archive.is
Long time lurker here.
Will there be any leafleting or other volunteering happening before the Scottish Election?
I would be pleased to help the Alba Party in any way. I’ve signed up.
I know it’s very early days for the party with so much to get organised in just a few weeks.
I am really enjoying the positivity that is here. It is like the 2014 feeling is back!
Thanks to Alex for his commitment, and also thanks to both AFI & ISP for standing aside.
link to caltonjock.com
The UK Charity sector is largely given over to Left-wing Labour Party political polemicist appointee’s with little, if any experience in Charity work.
Massive amounts of financial donations are inappropriately used and tens of thousands of poor and under privileged people are abused and women and young girls blackmailed into providing sexual services for highly paid charity employees. And yet it goes on and on and no one seems to give a toss!!!! gives a toss!!!!!
The latest scandal. Only reported. today
Apr 2021: More than 50 Congolese women have alleged that they have been sexually abused or exploited by aid workers from some of the world’s top humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam. The investigation, which took almost a year to complete, will send shockwaves through the humanitarian sector.
The allegations come two years after charities pledged to clean up their act when it was revealed that Oxfam had covered up an investigation into the hiring of prostitutes, some allegedly under age, by staff working in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Other organisations, including Save the Children and Plan International, were also embroiled in the scandal and reported cases of sexual harassment by staff members.
Sturgeon is Londons Puppet.
WGD is Sturgeons puppet.
Scotland sees you. And we will Stand Together.
Scotland over politics.
SNP 1 ALBA 2
I think its time someone reminded Sturgeon that Alex Salmond was cleared in both court cases. All this about her not being in the same room as him is showing her true colours and her hatred for him for all to see. Mature serious politicians have to work with people from all sides. She’s coming across like Trump with her bad tempered strops. Time for her to get out the way now.
Unfortunately for her its the Yes supoort that is watching and who will decide who to give their list vote to in May. From where i am standing its certainly not a good look from her and
not a sustainable position either. I think Alec has lowered the noose over her head and its Sturgeon herself who is slowly going to hang herself.
It would be a refreshing change for a journalist to ask her why she doesnt want to see a second pro indy party get into Holyrood to create a pro indy majority. Surely she’s not advocating she’d rather unionist parties take their seats next to her and the SNP? I guess that would rule David ‘the vow’ Clegg out as he is more a propagandist than a journalist. Imagine having him on your side Nicola. Tells us something aint right.
Any one in the Yes movement and beyond would think that Nicola doesnt want a majority in order to go for independence. Oh wait!
alba @ 2.51
Yep, you’re right with that analysis, the worst offenders of the SNP gender squad are standing on the list, and less voting for SNP constituency seats could help them acquire seats.
However, I will not be an enabler on the erosion of women’s rights and so the SNP will be getting no votes from me. As you say, it’s about principles. Some principles are not up for changing and certainly not through blackmail by Sturgeon.
I understand that others feel differently.
Jim Wagstaff
Well said,
ISP & AFI have taken a very mature and courageous step by standing down for Alba (for the List vote 2021) to move Scotlands Independence closer.
A sacrifice we should not allow go to waste.
Meanwhile over on WGD, they peddle the Greens – a loonball fringe party with Independence so far down their agenda its laughable.
No wonder WGD’s allegiance to Scotland is suspect.
But he does have paypal……although, I’d sooner give my money to a Nigerian Prince.
‘I think Alec has lowered the noose over her head and its Sturgeon herself who is slowly going to hang herself.’
Fair point, but anyone else see ‘whatshisname’ from The Herald sharpening his pencil for tomorrows headline.
Since the birth of the Alba Party the SNP has never had such a good Press and Media. You know there is something rotten when they do. I dont expect it to last though. There are far too many skeletons in the SNP cupboard for that good Press and Media to last.
I expect the Brit Nat Press and Media to turn on SNP when they think they have destroyed the Alba Party electoral support.
Oh and Angus is well used to being smeared by the Brit Nat Press and Media. Sooner or later they will get round to him again since he is a heterosexual male who believes in Scots Indy.
Trying to get that over to people who still believe she is totally dedicated to independence and “has a plan” is driving me nuts.
Be gentle. It’s a very fine line. Tbh, if it’s being sold purely as “she hasn’t held a referendum yet” that would be entirely understandable. I could 100% get why with Brexit, covid, only very recent 50% plus support a referendum hasn’t been held. For many, that’s all they think this is about – people in too much of a hurry for another referendum when we’d still lose it. That’s a perfectly rational and reasonable view.
For me, it was a long, slow realisation which included finding out key facts about the Salmond stitch up. Even then, I still desperately wanted to cling to the idea Sturgeon wasn’t behind it (still do, truth be told and can still think of one scenario in which both she and Alex were utterly stitched up and both are playing a blinder with a truly horrific situation). But it’s absolutely clear senior people in the SNP were, and that is the issue. I’ve seen people say “I could buy that Alex had been stitched up by MI5 but not by his own side” without the understanding these can appear to be the same thing.
Having been in the party for the past 3 years, it’s absolutely clear it’s been hollowed out and independence is nowhere anymore. And when you realise the years since Brexit have been spent stitching up Salmond, with the potential of having him imprisoned, trying to destroy and remove Joanna Cherry, splitting the party on deliberately divisive identity politics and never discussing routes to independence, then you see the issue entirely. Most people are not there yet and, for me, it was a painful, difficult journey which took a lot longer than 5 weeks. And I was never a Sturgeon loyalist.
@tartanfever We’re singing the same song from the same hymn sheet. However, whats been done has been done. If we dont vote SNP 1 and instead of Alba we get their list candidates…and no. Just no. Thats something I don’t want to even contemplate. If everyone took a principled stand on this then Daddy Bear wins by default and his children get to run amok.
I’m sticking by SNP1 not because I condone whats been done, but to try and make damn sure it doesnt go any further.
The SNP desperately wants the 30 unionist MSPs rather than 30 ALBA MSPs.
The SNP does not want independence.
It wants comfortable lucrative salaries and pensions for life for their leaders, MPs, MSPs and above all for its corrupt lying criminal Chief Executive.
The number of SNP Admins on the YES pages that are curtailing freedom of speech is beyond a joke MAX the YES
Rev. Stuart Campbell says,
“Well, now, it’s funny you should say that.”
Have they arrested Murrell?
o/t
Colin how come you managed to get onto WGD ? and actually make a point that questioned his logic about SNP 1-2 when most people have figured out that stupid argument .
The idea of ALBA being RISE in disguise even for him is really stretching it , he either can’t understand the aim of ALBA or he chooses to follow Sturgeon possibly for ulterior motives like gaining assistance in case of questions being asked about the immigration status of a close partner
This Independence lark is a means of earning a living because the investigative work is woefully inadequate to the point of being non existent, being sarcastic only gets you so far, people like the questioning ability of someone looking for the truth and not just applause from supporters
Molly’s Mum says,
“In the same National (the paper that supports an Independent Scotland) there is a big headline saying on current polling Alba won’t win any seats”
The National never supported independence.
Its only purpose is to milk gullible independence supporters by writing what they want to read.
Like the guy at Wee Ginger Dug, although he might once actually have been an independence supporter.
Cath, you say you’re voting for Independence so will hold your nose & vote SNP1 despite their abysmal records and the damage they are doing to women’s rights.
You will help elect SNP MSPs which will form Scot Gov either on their own or with Greens. You’re living in the usual Indy fantasy world thinking that Alba will make a difference. Alex Salmond is yesterday’s man and Sturgeon wont work with him. Salmond was innocent of criminality but still behaved poorly with some women as well as being drunk regularly & gambling heavily. Do you really believe he cares about women? A man who admitted cheating on his older wife with young women. A bit like Craig Murray & his lapdancer second wife.
I care more about women’s rights than Independence. I used to support SNP Salmond and Sturgeon but they have done nothing to improve Scotland in 13 years. Devolution could have been good but the SNP focus on independence and division has lead to poor education, poor health and poverty. They have not shown that they can run a competent government and will just throw more money down the drain after Independence. They have no solutions to any problems.
I would return to independence if it could be shown they had plans to make the country better but they don’t and its wishful thinking that Indy will solve all the problems. The truth is Scotland has benefited from being in the UK with the Covid vaccination. This hatred people have of Westminster is going to ruin Scotland even more than it has already.
Everyone voting for independence now as their priority is pathetic and needs to grow up. There are bigger problems and your throwing women and kids under a bus.
Roger says,
“I doubt support for Alba is really as low as 3%”
100% of genuine independence supporting posters on Wings Over Scotland are supporting ALBA.
If we extend that to Wings’ readership, that alone would make it much much more than 3%.
(As for the one or two posters here who are giving both their votes to the SNP because of women’s rights, I don’t think they are genuine independence supporters).
Please remember, people, that the correct terminology matters. Alex Samond was not ‘found innocent’ in court. He went into court innocent and he came out innocent. He was not required to defend himself, but chose to do so. The jurors were not asked to find him innocent or guilty, they were asked whether the prosecution had proven its charges beyond a reasonable doubt. For all the charges, they found that the prosecution had failed in that task.
In logical terms, therefore, it is not the Not Proven verdict that should be abolished but the Not Guilty one. To the question: ‘Has the prosecution proved its case?’, the possible answers should be Proven or Not Proven. That is a more realistic, human question than asking for findings of absolute guilt or innocence.
I think we still have the Not Proven option sitting alongside the Not Guilty one because of the arrogance of our legal establishment. Defence advocates like to be able to nudge juries in the direction of Not Proven because they know its meaning is widely misunderstood. I have had to explain to fellow jurors in a High Court trial that a) Not Proven does not mean we think he did it but it merits only a rap on the knuckles, b) it does not mean that he can be tried again for this offence if he re-offends and c) it does not create a criminal record – all this despite the judge having given us clear instructions on all the available verdicts before we retired to the jury room.
Incidentally, I wonder what would have happened if Alex Salmond had been found guilty of one of the minor (by which I mean ridiculously trivial) charges. What would Lady Dorrian have decided to be the proper sentence for being found guilty of attempting to flick a woman’s hair in a crowded lift? I mean, it was considered a serious enough charge to be tried as a sexual offence in our highest court. What do we think? Twenty minutes on the naughty step?
Everyone voting for independence now as their priority is pathetic and needs to grow up.
Not as pathetic as people who troll BTL comments with very obvious agendas.
Like those on here especially the women I feel sick thinking about voting snp 1 to me thats saying ok to the hate crime bill and gra/self id, these are perverted and dangerous. Its an open door to sexual assault and rapes dont think that wont happen. I will be voting alba 2 my gut feeling says they will do well even for a new party.
Alan Thoms says,
“Ayrshire Rob
Not the way I read this poll. It’s diabolical for AS.”
You can gloat about it over at WGD or The National.
Lots of people are saying lots of things about how bad the SNP has become – and I agree. But I believe it is misguided to believe that some sort of comeuppence is nigh.
The precedent of establishment manuring has been well established by Westminster in general and the Tories in particular. The odour currently emanating from said premises is well past tolerance levels – there would appear to be little recourse.
Alex Salmond is the lightning rod for the Independence movement. NS has had a relatively easy time since he came back.
She should be thanking him
The question sessions for Alba from the bloggers are illuminating, they show how often the things we want to be answered are sidestepped for a headline by the Scottish press. The focus of the Scottish press all week has been fomenting discord, playing up the perceived bad character flaws of Alba candidates and membership – all the stuff that used to come NS’s way.
The nitty-gritty of Brexit and the Internal Market Bill should be front and centre of The National’s election coverage instead we get how naughty Alba is to try to take advantage legally of an electoral system. Remember when the SNP were very happy to crow about their 2015 UK Parliament election over-representation?
She really should be grateful but it just shows that in our adversarial style of politics there has to an enemy and that she is not the enemy for the Scottish unionist press should worry her more than flatter her. She has bought into it hook, line and sinker and it diminishes her as a politician and as a person. If there is anyone ‘gaming’ the system it is NS.
Shocked says,
“I get the Alba thing… what I don’t get and what I will never be able to reconcile is that voting Alba means you get Nicola Sturgeon.”
I refer you to Andy’s post at 1:12 pm.
There is a very safe and easy way to get rid of Sturgeon.
Alex Salmond is obviously not going to single out any SNP candidates not to vote for.
That is where we, the people, need to use our own initiative.
Vote tactically against Sturgeon in Glasgow Southside.
Vote tactically against Swinney in his constituency.
Vote tactically for the candidate most likely to beat Robertson.
The most obnoxious of them have to be actively voted out, not by abstaining or spoiling the ballot but by voting tactically for the candidate most likely to unseat them.
In Glasgow Southside, Sturgeon can be unseated without the loss of an SNP seat.
In Swinney’s constituency if a unionist wins the seat, then their chances of a list MSP will go down.
So I don’t think ALBA will be affected. Instead of competing with the unionist list vote, it will be competing with the SNP list vote.
I am sure we will get some very good calculations by the Rev. Stuart Campbell nearer the election to help us make up our minds.
Michael B
You ask what would have happened if AS had been found guilty of one of the ‘hair tweaking’?
The sentence may well have been ‘twenty minutes on the naughty step’ (aka suspended sentence) but would also have included a lifetime on the Sex Offenders Register. In any society where the rule of law prevailed this would have given the media and political opponents carte blanche to smear but…
comment at 4:42
you must stop by again meanwhile please take a ticket and stick it up yer arse
Ooooh! A big story coming? …..can’t wait!
It must be horrible and draining wondering EVEN if I win the HR election comfortably with 60 or so MSP’S will they ALL still remain as SNP MSP’S after the election or will some of the bastirts desert me and go with THAT Salmond guy
It’s no fair this McNeil guy telling people sense but I cannae dae anything aboot it cause it will make me look even more stupid and incompetent. BASTARD!!!!!!
It has to be SNP1 for Alba2 to work!
If you say otherwise you are slow of thinking or quick to sow discord.
There are a small number who do not put independence before all other issues and for them I say good luck to get the Tories of blue,red or yellow to advance your issues.
Kcor says:
Its only purpose is to milk gullible independence supporters by writing what they want to read.
You could say that about almost any publication or site.
Find your base, keep them coming back for more, milk them.
Alba membership 4,100 per Grousebeater twitter. That’s a good start.
Libdems Scottish membership at Dec 2018 was 4,085. Has anyone got a more recent number?
THON GREENS
Now then ? Any horror at SNP ? Any horror at WGD ?
link to twitter.com
If the SNP want broader indy supporters to vote SNP1, they should call off the dogs now. If they really just want to crash the vote – and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the strategy, to avoid any indyref – then I’ll expect to see them carry on smearing. Nicola is so spiteful that I really wouldn’t be surprised if the latter is the plan. Either way they can fuck off with SNP2, I’d sooner vote for anyone else on the list than their rigged, creepy shortlist of oddballs.
Incidentally the SNP presidential style campaigning is already bloody annoying me. Its not as if I actually want to see more of Robertson or Yousaf or whoever but it would make a change from the constant insertion Nicola’s bitter and angry face into everything.
Perhaps Sturgeon’s campaign will backfire. Maybe there will be a significant shift from SNP to Labour. Possibly denying her an overall majority. In that case could AS hold the balance of power. A very satisfactory revenge.
Pondering on the future wondering if things go to plan and return the super majority what the stance of Nicola the mad will be . Will she embrace the new positive mandate for indie and claim it for her own trying to cement her place as SNP icon ,or as it is I fear a series of bitter petty policy and attacks and toys out of the pram as she is unable to pass anything without the Alba approval.
If the latter I fear the next parliament will be detrimental to the lives of the Scottish people as it will achieve nothing and until the roles are reversed Scotland is in for a torrid time
Robert Graham says:
2 April, 2021 at 5:12 pm
comment at 4:42
you must stop by again meanwhile please take a ticket and stick it up yer arse
Robert (or is it Roberta) is a typical Rainbow ? separatist who thinks about sticking things up their arse all the time. Who do you prefer Roberta?
Alyn Smith, John Nicolson or Derek Mackay (but you’re probably too old for them) ?
A UK-wide poll…
“Our latest study of British public opinion and voting which took place between 25 and 29 March reveals: “
Voting intentions
Con 42% (+2 vs February 2021)
Lab 34% (+1)
L Dem 9% (-2)
SNP 7% (+3)
Green 4% (-2)
Reform UK (formerly Brexit Party) 2% (-1)
Plaid Cymru 1% (nc)
UKIP 1% (-1)
Other 1% (nc)
link to kantar.com
Now I wouldn’t suggest for a moment that Angus Brendan is bulletproof (coin of phrase, hold yet horses Herald/Fettes) but he still has a few years left in a job they can’t sack him from, at the end of which he can go with a nice pension (certainly enough to fund the croft) or following which he could stand as Independent and maybe still get voted in up here (being independent is almost the norm in CnES as most can’t admit to Red Rose pasts and get elected lol).
It’s a good position to be in, if you can keep the screeching wokerati off your back, be careful what you tweet and not break any of the big snp rules.
As for the other, any Alba wins are unionist losses. Even I am willing to hold the nose and go SNP1 Alba2 despite that meaning Allan the committee boy gets another go on the train.
Gonna be an interesting few weeks !
It pains me to have to repeat this, but Alex made a miscalculation.
The issue is morphing into a gender battle, I meet lots of people every day conducting my business most of them have no real interest in politics and the women mistrust Alex, the shit aimed by the witch Sturgeon has stuck fast and most men just do not understand why Alex appears to be keeping a corrupt and evil regime in power.
Alex should have gone for the jugular while he had male support and before Sturgeon infiltrated women’s psyche, spilling all he knows about the attempt by the SNP to have him removed from politics.
The last chance is the missing funds which may yet bring down the Murrells, but if not my polling suggests that in rural Scotland Alex is heading for an embarrassing defeat, with all that entails for independence AND for governance which is carried out in the interests rather than to keep a nest of thugs in power.
alba @ 4.03
We are singing from the same hymn sheet, and I also agree that a whole list of horrors could be unleashed in this election.
However, I already dropped my principals when I voted for the SNP in the Dec 2019 Westminster GE. At that time I mentioned on this site that I would not vote SNP, but listened to some of the posters, like yourself, and was persuaded to do so.
The main argument at the time was of course that Independence needed my vote, that a Indyref could be happening reasonably soon and so on.
Of course that hasn’t happened, and sure, I accept that COVID has put a spanner in the works to some extent, but I’ve also seen very little emphasis from Sturgeon on moving the cause forward.
So, like you, I won’t be changing my mind, unless Sturgeon pretty much does a complete u-turn on her gender politics. What makes me most sad, and angry, is that this is the SNP’s fault. It’s completely un-necessary and frankly, just bad political strategy
My friends and I decided to take our daily excercise not so long ago, it was a pleasant walk that took us through woodland and shrubs to eventually meander along the riverside before taking us on our path homeward,
We wrapped up warm in our coats, scarfs and hats knowing that it could be chilly,
As we approached the river we were surprised to come across a large group of people men and women, that we presumed were a fishing party, we could see they had planned for this day in advance, they had even cut out any offending deadwood that might affect the way they cast.
Laid out along the bank were fishing rods, nets, bait in a big metal box, and even luncheon and bubbly to celebrate the catch,
The forecast found them with overcast sky’s and a warning that things may change for the worse, however this had not deterred their enthusiasm for the day when it came,
We decided to sit back an quietly watch from afar, ‘There must be plenty of big fish in there’ we said Nodding in the direction of the pond.
Everything set and ready to go, their chatting subsided for a while.
A lady decided to be the first to cast, and the others quickly followed, others were casting nets out quite far and dragging them back tightening the net as they went,
They were beside themselves with excitement when they felt the first tugs on the line, they started running back an too along the bank to gather their nets, but they were standing on a slippery slope and folk started getting entangled themselves and caught up,
The first woman felt the fishing line reel out, stretch and go taut before the line snapped, twanging at high speed backwards to become entwined with the drag nets,
In all the commotion the bubbly went flying into the undergrowth, and the contents of the box and sandwiches spilled out into the pond to slowly float on the water surface downstream, while the bait box looked like a sinking safe deposit box that had been thrown away after being raided.
It looked pretty disastrous affair at the time,
But we are all awfully glad that the big salmon)d got away, and the bubbly by now must be flat.
Caught a bit of Channel 4 news – thought the start of the piece was reasonable but then we got the only psephologist in the UK telling the world that Alex Salmond is not well liked etc etc.
That I think is the line of attack that will do damage by persuading folk via the media that that is true.
It also made me think that it is all they have.
Alex has bigger fish to fry now and in in a bigger pond.?
Cath says: 2 April, 2021 at 4:52 pm
Everyone voting for independence now as their priority is pathetic and needs to grow up.
Not as pathetic as people who troll BTL comments with very obvious agendas.
Reply
Agree with you 100% Cath. I just scroll past this persons posts now.
just a test
He speaks eloquently
“Caught a bit of Channel 4 news – thought the start of the piece was reasonable but then we got the only psephologist in the UK telling the world that Alex Salmond is not well liked etc etc.”
Sure you didn’t mean ‘phrenologist’, Dorothy? They’re about as accurate…
That’s a coincidence Angus because I look at all the calcuations and they are compelling but when I see it means I’d have to vote for and therefore show I support and agree with a party that disgusts me I’d rather stick to my own principles and vote for independent groups, thanks.
I’d rather a real victory was won by people who deserve it than support or accidently create my own demon to torment me in the future in the form of a party in power I cannot trust.
If everyone watched the info out there and only voted for honest and decent people then things would be a lot better. It’s the endless compromises that have got us into this state.