Quotes Of The Year #9
Okay, let’s neck another load of Red Bull and Pro-Plus and get on with this thing. How many more months can there be, anyway? (This post preceded by: January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August.)
“Mr Salmond and his empty brains has not spoken about Spain again but I went over to Spain last year and the fact is now there is more unemployment, begging and everything over there and the pensioners can’t get a pension until they retire and if you retire before you’re 80 you won’t get a pension. So I hope that we work together as a Great Britain. Thank you.” – an attendee at the launch of Better Together Glasgow.
That positive case for the Union is clearly getting through, then.
“Scottish households ‘would be £2,000 better off if voters reject independence'” – various papers report a claim by renowned seer George Osborne, quietly mumbling some distance below the headline that the alleged figure is a total over three decades, or around £67 a year.
“I believe we should write this into the constitution, for the first time making it explicit that the purpose of the Union is not just defence security, is not just trading relationships, but to pool and share our resources for the benefit of working people, the elderly, children and families, in all parts of the United Kingdom.” – Gordon Brown reveals with admirable frankness that in the event of a No vote and a Labour 2015 election victory, Scotland will have to keep sending all its tax revenues to London, but will get less spending in return.
“I’m not saying that, y’know, we can’t develop our own welfare system, I’m saying we shouldn’t develop our own welfare system.” – Jackie Baillie is happy to have the Tories in charge of looking after Scotland’s poor, sick, vulnerable and elderly.
“A pro-independence campaigner has been assaulted on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile by a woman who was outraged at his Yes placard. In what are believed to have been the first physical blows of the debate on Scotland’s future, frail nationalist campaigner James McMillan, 80, was sent spinning to the ground by the woman – after she wrestled a banner supporting a Yes vote from him.” – the Edinburgh Evening News reports the inevitable result of a No campaign built on hatred and abuse. Mr McMillan sustained a broken wrist, severe bruising and a cut to the head.
“Norway, which goes to the polls tomorrow, faces a strange problem: too much money. The Nordic country, an island of prosperity in ailing Europe, faces an embarrassment of riches as it tries to figure out how to spend its huge pile of oil money without damaging the economy in the long run.” – Australia’s ABC news details the difficulties facing a country near Scotland, with Scotland’s population and similar natural resources.
“Alex Salmond’s independence white paper shifts to November” – Severin Carrell in the Guardian reports the news that the White Paper, never slated for any time OTHER than November, would indeed come out in November.
“Now SNP plans to outlaw our cars” – the Daily Express: never knowingly outsatirised by reality.
“Labour needs to articulate a new golden rule on welfare. Apart from the disabled and most vulnerable, work is expected. It is the duty of all adults to put their shoulder to the wheel. Work is normal.” – but apparently being paid for it is an optional luxury, according to Labour Uncut.
“I want my education to be secure, I want my health to be secure, and I want my friends, my family and every single person in Scotland, regardless of age, race, or how many bedrooms you have in your house, to feel safe and to feel as if they matter. This will only ever happen if we believe in independence.” – Scotland’s Sweetheart, 16-year-old Saffron Dickson, writing for this site.
“We need to ask ourselves some questions about [devolution]. Has it made health better in Easterhouse? Has it made education better in Easterhouse? And there are a lot of questions marks [sic] over that.” – does it sound as if Margaret Curran’s Labour are planning a big expansion of devolution in the event of a No vote, readers?
“The next year is about defeating the politics of nationalism, a virus that has affected so many nations and done so much harm.” – Johann Lamont to the Labour conference.
“Let’s get health policies that can be consistent across England, Scotland and Wales. Wouldn’t that be a good thing, pulling in the same direction as opposed to pulling our separate ways? Devolution, in its early days, was about doing something different and it needs to enter a different phase where we start talking again more about a UK-wide policy because in the end, that helps everybody.” – Labour health spokesman Andy Burnham with more advance warning of the rollback of devolution if Labour wins in 2015 after a No vote.
“A newly independent Scotland would develop its military capability backed by its 8.4% ‘population share’ of UK defence assets, assets which are (conservatively) thought to total around £90bn.” – defence thinktank Scotland International suggests that an independent Scotland would have a whopping £7.6 billion warchest (quite literally, in this case) with which to set up its armed forces.
September’s quotes might be a little lower on quantity than the previous months in this series, but you can’t say they lacked significance. We hope voters were listening.
Re Magrit Curran’s “Easterhouse” quotes – Maybe devolution hasn’t improved health and education in Easterhouse, that would be difficult in a time of “austerity”, but devolution has certainly shielded Easterhouse from the depth of cuts similar areas down south have suffered.
I think you have a typo, Rev. You have Mrs. Curran saying something, with (sic) in the statement.
I’ve listened to the woman speaking before. Shouldn’t that be (hic)?
Perhaps the best set of quotes yet –
I know which one in that set rings with the most heart felt honesty (Ms Dicksons).
And perhaps the last one on the military capability
My personal fave – Norway (ABC Australia / Rev Stu)
Surely the undecides can see this too ?
O/T
Anybody needing a pick me up at this time in between the Revs excellent material – check out this below / end of year post summing up.
link to scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk
Not to worry Stu, only 2 to go as you can’t do December till the bells. Boothman may have lined up Magrit and Carmichaelmoore for an end of year look back over their triumphs in 2013 and who knows what gems those two could utter to complete your quotes. Though, looking through them, they’d have to be on their top game to better some of tripe already in.
Best so far is Ian Bell followed by Michael Kelly, that’s really powerful and a good spot by you. Next is a hat tip to Tom Gordon for the proof BM is an idiot for allowing “Project Fear” to see the light of day.
Anybody here speak Norwegian?
Bet you can sing along with it though?
get the clean hankie oot.
H Rev – O/T -The Herald have posted this on Twitter:
‘The Herald is looking for a new Chief Reporter. Have you got what it takes? If so, click here http://www.s1jobs.com/job/509259609.html …
Also like to add my Happy New Year to you and thanks for all your hard work and I know you’ve been very, very busy, but is there any chance of a wee pic of the, not so baby, rats, please?
“is there any chance of a wee pic of the, not so baby, rats, please?”
As soon as I can get them to sit still, which could be a while.
What would you get if you crossed Alastair Carmichael with Stair Heid?
I really don’t know but it would be neither fish nor fowl.
I suppose we’ll need to wait until the Major gets back from Uzbekistan or is it the DRC this week?
Ever so slightly O/T but hey anyone want to dive in?
Will an independent Scotland help to pay for Britain’s debt? Grimsby Telegraph
WHILE it has been quiet over Christmas, I have no doubt that the question of Scottish independence will arise very soon in the New Year.
Just how meny folk have you got helping you Rev?, If it’s all your own work, When do you
sleep?, anyway keep them rolling in.
“Just how meny folk have you got helping you Rev?, If it’s all your own work, When do you
sleep?”
There’s plenty of time for sleep in October.
@ BTP
Not a pretty thought BTW. Yellow card for the foul.
What would you get if you crossed Alastair Carmichael with Stair Heid?
Here is my shot at that.
Maybe too much Carmichael gene in the formula?
If we had a competition to see which of the best-kent coupons can pack the most shite into a minute, this would surely be a powerful favourite: Norman Wisdom, aka Willie Rennie. It’s from 2012, but who cares? –
GTG Folks. Guests arriving.
Wishing Rev Stu and all the rest of you a Happy New Year when it comes.
I’ll raise a glass to independence.
Here’s to 2014!
Same to you X-Sticks. Did enjoy your posts today on NNS. You were so right.
Have a good one.
@Macandroid
I just added my 2pworth to the Grimsby Telegraph.
Gaun yersel X-Sticks
Well said on NNS X-Sticks.
I wonder how many folk like myself are not allowed to comment?
Weird or what? A Unionist can have an article published on an Indy site, yet Indy supporters can’t comment.
It’s like a parallel universe Herald.
The problem with the NNS Torrance article is that it is not worth commenting on.
I don’t have problem with unionist stuff if it is insightful or challenging.
Torrance’s stuff is just infantile MSM pish and I see that despite a large number of comments on NNS about it none have seen fit to justify the publication of it it by commenting seriously on any of its points. NNS have previous form by giving regular space to the sour and frequently unpleasant anti independence pieces from Labour hack Kenneth Roy.
I suspect NNS is struggling a bit and hopes that this gimmick will push their readership up again. It is steadily loosing influence which is a pity as some of its contributions are first class
I would tell them that but I’m barred.
NNS. Posted on the last thread about their holier than thou attitude. I posted a few times when I first found it and when nothing appeared thought it was something I was not getting right, loggin or something.
Then I noticed comments, realised I was not erudite enough. But OBD get’s printed. WTF
Then I read a bit on the monarchy, and the comments, Christ, that put the tin lid on it. Nae mair from me. I’m with Morag on that one. And K. Roy, no thanks.
I’ve a vague recollection of an article I read back in the summer – some English YES campaigners being told to feck off back to their own country (or similar expression) by Unionists. Anyone else remember it?
This is wonderful stuff Rev! Can I please also remind readers of a jawdropper from Lord George Robertson – he spouted this gem in his 23rd September debate with Stewart Hosie at Abertay University on “It’s Time For Scotland To Become an Independent Nation State”
““There’s no linguistic differentiation, no great cultural, eh, discrimination that might argue for it, like it does in some other countries, you know, in Flanders in Belgium they say “Why can’t we become an independent state?”, or Catalonia and Spain, where a million and a quarter people marched in the streets. They say they want to become an independent state, but they’ve got language, and culture, and all these sort of things. We don’t have any of that.”