Readers’ Question Time
Okay, so we’ve tried everything. We’ve read all the papers, we’ve been through all the emails, and we’ve even gone out for a walk, which usually never fails to trigger some cataclysmic political upheaval or animal-sex scandal.
But it didn’t work. There’s still no news, which is probably why the papers – including the FRONT PAGES of the Scotsman and Telegraph – are on an incredible second day of the astounding revelation that someone told someone to f**k off on the internet.
As spectacular and mindboggling as some of the coverage undeniably is – most notably Alex Massie’s barking-mad, lie-filled howlatribe “J.K. Rowling and her heroic attack on the wicked cybernats” (whose title, remarkably, does not appear to be ironic) in ultra-right-wing loonzine CapX – even we’re fed up of reading people going on about us, so to pass the time we’re going to do something else instead.
We’ve still frankly got too much money in the Wings Fighting Fund after last year’s wildly over-successful fundraiser, so we’ve got another poll in the pipeline. It’s been a while since we got you to suggest questions you’d like to ask a representative sample of the Scottish population, so we’re throwing open the floor for ideas.
We’ve got a few pencilled in already, covering most of the obvious constitution-based stuff, so think a bit wider. We’re trying to garner useful information that might help the independence cause, not score some cheap points, so loaded questions like “HOW TOTALLY BIAS IS THE BBC?” are no good.
Stuff that’s not directly about politics but would just be really interesting to find out is also very welcome. Beyond the above there are no rules, so speak your brains, folks.
What about a question about the possibility of a Scottish online currency like the Bitcoin? Would people be in favour of this or against
How about a question considering how people feel about the importance of the games industry to Scotland? Sort of a hot topic after the Scottish Affairs commission hit up Abertay University to discuss it.
um….
should jakey rowling go fukc herself?
Should Scotland simply start using the Scottish Pound as currency right now, call our currency here the Scottish pound and it will be running well and accepted when independence finally comes.
How about
Do readers think Indy Ref #2 should be held in 2019. In July on a Thursday. In fact, the first Thursday in July that year and by co-incidence, it’s the 4th of July.
Holding an indie ref on US Independence Day will make it hard to disagree with…
should Scotland become a republic
should religious schools and schooling be banned in scotland
should jakey rowling go fukc herself
Would you like a national “Bank” holiday on St Andrew’s day?
Why do you think the circulation of Scottish Newspapers is falling.
Would you support votes for prisoner?
a – all prisoners, irrespective of crime, are given a vote
b – short term prisoners (<4 years sentence), irrespective of crime, are given a vote
c – Keep the status quo where we are breaking the law with a blanket ban on prisoner voting
d – let each Judge/Sheriff decide on an individual basis
If England votes to leave the EU, but Scotland votes to remain, would a second independence referendum be justified in order for Scotland to attempt to rejoin the EU?
You could ask folk to pick faves for Strictly and the Apprentice?
Which, if any, did you watch last night (or named date)? (1) Scotland 2015 (2) Reporting Scotland (3) Scotland Tonight.
You might not be able to ask about BBC bias, but we can still try to inform people about it. The appeal below could do with a few quid.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-the-bbc-stole-the-referendum-the-documentary/#/
what has the union done for you over the last year?
Should the soon to be devolved abortion law be changed in Scotland to give more rights to either ‘the foetus’ or ‘the host’ or should the current law remain just as it is even when devolved?
Something to try to gauge opinion around the matter of all the doom and disaster stories coming true after a No vote, when we were told a No vote was required to protect us from these things.
About 2 months after 18 Sept 2014, Daily Record, SLabour, BBC vote SLab Scotland Scotland etc. told everyone, “The Vow has been delivered!”
On a scale of 1 to 10, do you think The Vow has been delivered?
No lol’s please.
https://archive.is/SltZK
If any political party were to offer a cast-iron guarantee that they would put an end to all PPI/Accident Claims/Boiler Replacement/Insulation cold calls, would you:
a. promise to vote for them regardless of which party it was
b. not believe them
c. demand compensation when the calls keep coming
If you go to A&E with an sore toe should you be seen before someone who has had a heart attack so that the 4 hour target is met.
Do you think targets in NHS are a good thing or should people be seen according to need.
Should the SNP and the Yes movement be more aggressive towards the MSM / BBC. (In regards to their bias).
Not sure how to phrase the question.
We need to get our message across, the MSM and BBC are our biggest obstacles.
If the UK is going to play second fiddle to the Chinese instead of USA would this influence your vote for an independent Scotland?
If the UK is so broke it has to go cap in hand to the Chinese for infrastructure investment why are you so worried about the price of North Sea Oil?
We need a proper poll of No voters to find out exactly what their anxieties and misconceptions are, the better to combat them. As far as I can tell, we only THINK we know what’s on their minds.
We might have some success trying to persuade conservatives to vote Yes next time, because we THINK that they can hardly not be aware that Tory Party HQ couldn’t give a toss about Scotland. And that would be a very useful fact to know for sure. After all, when Labour supporters really started realizing the same thing – and worse, that SLAB didn’t care about them either – we know what happened.
if you came across Osborne and Cameron, both drowning in a pool and you only had time to save one of them……..
what sort of sandwich would you make?
If you voted No in the referendum, what would make you vote Yes in a second referendum?
Is Stuart Campbell a, like, really dead scary man?
Do you want the Monarchy to end after the death of the
Queen?
If you want it to continue, would you like Prince Charles to become King or miss one generation and place William on the throne instead?
Something disability related would be good. Perhaps this?
Do you consider yourself to be disabled?
Are you a carer to a disabled person?
On a scale of 1-5, five being best, how would you rate the following parties on disability support?
It could be interesting to see if answers correlate towards specific parties.
Does WoS provide a useful service to the people of Scotland? (You betcha!)
Off the top of my head:
– Something about currency. If there was a second campaign, what should the official Yes stance be, if any?
– Something about England football games always being on STV.
– If money was no object, would you live outside Scotland the first chance you got?
– Finally, in the style of “daddy or chips” – “bairns or bombs?”
I would like to know what people would consider using as currency and if they believed Osborne, Balls and the other guy that we weren’t to use Sterling.
Also, how much do people like being called Scottish(topical)!!
‘If tax credits are cut, should the Scottish government use its incoming tax-raising powers in order to mitigate the effects of these cuts in Scotland? (optional wording on end: as the Scottish Conservatives wish/demand/advise)?
Now that even the UN is considering legalising all drugs, (with apparently only the UK seriously objecting–why?), surely it is time for the SNP to move forward & implement this in Scotland? And to seriously consider the cultivation of hemp on an industrial scale, which in itself could provide untold quantities of raw materiel & jobs with very little capital investment. One last question–does everyone have their eyes & ears shut? I say it’s time the SNP stopped playing by “their” rules, take off the gloves & start DOING something.
It would be interesting to hear an actual in depth poll about the monarchy from people in Scotland:
Do people want Scotland to have a monarchy?
Since we are staying in the UK, should the UK monarch have a separate Scottish coronation?
Does anybody think that having a UK monarch has been beneficial to Scotland?
Does anybody think spending on the monarchy should be increased?
Should the Scottish Government be given full control over the Crown Estate?
Something along those lines might be interesting…
1. Does your household have a TV Licence?
2. Should the TV licence be scrapped?
3. Does the TV licence offer “value for money”?
4. Do you believe that broadcasting should be devolved to the Scottish parliament?
Or something like that.
I’d like to hear the impact of the MSM on the English, and what they think of us after being bombarded with lies and smears about Scotland. It’d help the independence campaign if it was established that the rUK couldn’t give a toss whether or not we remain.
Could you also not use some of the funds to create a forum where we could speak regularly? Would only cost a small amount p/m to establish and support. Would be a valuable output of individuals supporting WoS, we could help in running it with moderation and such like…
Basically what do you feel about ‘absentee’ landlords owning vast acres of land. Is it right that, because someone’s ancestors took land because nobody was living there (or had been forced off the land for whatever reason) should be allowed to retain legal right to that land!
What about News – would an independent Scots bulletin be of interest or should we continue to view the news about the South-East of England (i.e. London based).
Should we start using a complimentary electronic currency alongside the pound to help alleviate poverty and stimulate local economies?
Where do you get information that you can trust? Please specify 1 for top, 2 for second most reliable.
Newspapers
Magazines
Radio
TV
facebook / twitter / social media
People I meet frequently
Politicians
Canvassers
Estate Agents
Used Car Salesmen
Of the above 10 which 2 do you use most regularly?
If there’s money in the fighting fund I’d like to propose some of it going on a booklet of unionist myths exposed to take around the doorsteps next spring.
A handy guide to the SNPouter myths like:
Cuts to college places
Fewer poorer students accessing university
half of pupils can’t read
Privatisation of railways, water and CalMac
Single party state
etc etc
Plus things like the tories and labour proposing centralisation of the police force/ fire services in their manifestos for the last Scottish election.
Pretty much all the garbage you hear from Dugdale and her tory pal Professor Pish all the time.
Just so’s folk who don’t read the internet get to know what we know.
I know most of the information is easily accessible on this site, but it would be good if a designer could be paid to format it into an attractive booklet and/or PDF for home printing.
From your personal knowledge of your friends, family, neighbours or colleagues, what prevents them from supporting Indy?
A. Currency
B. Nationality
C. Economy
D.General fear
E. Other…
Since voting in last year’s referendum, do you feel more, or less content with the state of affairs (devolved and not) in Scotland today?
Is my suggestion, bit clunky, needs polished probably…
Do you think that the right to vote in the next indy ref should be limited to those who can say
“It’sabralechmoonlechnechthenech”
🙂
should fracking be banned in Scotland?
should the burka be banned in Scotland?
should Craig Joubert be banned in Scotland?
Topic: My Question. Would potential revenue from Gaming Industry make North Sea oil look like a drop in the ocean?
Know anything about video games?
‘Giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee’s inquiry into Scotland’s creative industries, van der Kuyl also said North Sea oil could “look like a drop in the ocean” compared to the opportunities afforded by video games if the country takes the industry seriously.’
If fracking was found to be 100% safe and brought large economic benefit to the people of Scotland, would you back it?
Should the Scottish government ignore reserved matters and use their majority mandate to defy Westminster i.e. re-nationalise rail.
Which material change should trigger another referendum and would it change the way you voted in the first referendum.
EU exit
Continued Tory government
Trident renewal
Scrapping the HRA
Loss of worker rights
NHS privatisation
Illegal war
Should the prime minister stick his todger in the mouth of a live pig whilst being force fed £50 pound notes by every homeless person in the UK?
Should the Scottish Government put public money into the Scottish Steel Industry,
1/ 100% funding
2/ 75% funding
3/ 50% funding
4/ No funding at all.
Regarding E.U.: in or out?
Bugger, I forgot
Looking it up on the Internet
who should head the yes2 campaign?
Questions for No voters only.
1. Why did you vote No
2. What would make you vote Yes in IndiRef 2
What we really need to know.
Apologies for slightly more of the same re BBC: I thought BBC Reporting Scotland on Monday evening gave a disgraceful account of Scotland’s defeat to Australia in the World cup quarter finals. Jackie Bird repeatedly called the Scotland team a total failure and compared it to failures by other Scottish teams and individuals.
The whole premise was Scotland as a nation can’t win anything and are resigned to failure. If anyone knows the circumstances of the Scotland rugby team defeat the referee robbed them of what would have been a fantastic win an action which may lead to and enquiry into the referees actions.
My question is not that the BBC is biased, but has an agenda to put down all positive Scottish news, events, individuals, etc.. against
The EU.
1.In
2.Out
Can we use the money to buy rangers football club to annoy/initiate the loyalists?
Do you know what the McCrone Report is?
Have you read the McCrone Report?
How much revenue does the Scottish Whisky Industry raise on average in the last 5 yrs.
Are you aware that this revenue is paid via London HQ’s to Westminster and does not show up on the Scottish economy books?
How much VAT do supermarkets situated in Scotland raise per year? How much of that money is allocated back to the Scottish Government?
How much money do people in Scotland pay per year towards the TV Licence?
How much of that money is spent in Scotland?
How much of that money stays in London?
Road Tax… similar question.
How much money has the TV series Game of Thrones brought into the economy of Northern Ireland?
Did you know that the company wanted to film in Scotland, but there wasn’t a suitable studio.
One of the biggest world selling computer games is made in Dundee? Did you know this?
Is JK Rowling a scrounging, subsidy junkie and a hypocrite?
If every person is Scotland, persuaded every Scottish MP to vote one way on a single issue, how much influence would they have in the House of Commons? (9%)
How do you run a country on 9%.
Soon be Remembrance Day… in World War 1 what was the death rate for the Scottish Battalions compared to RUK? 26% – 12%
Should the Governing body of the BBC be elected by popular vote or appointed by UK government?
Would mandatory registration of Land ownership on a publicly accessible database be beneficial to Scotland?
Should media inaccuracies be given equal prominence as the original falsity?
Should all companies that use tax havens be banned from public subsidies and grants?
What mechanisms and regulation should Scotland employ in the setting up of unbiased and independent state media?
What process should Scotland adopt in the writing of a constitution for Scotland, which enshrines the Scottish parliament as our permanent representative body and the people of Scotland have sovereignty, not parliament.
I’m with the cat!
do you support FFA for Scotland?
has the vow been met?
what have the romans ever done for us?
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales currently enter separate teams for International Football matches. Do you think this is right?
Yes
Don’t care/ don’t know
No
If there were a move to make the UK enter a single team, how would this affect your vote in a future Independence referendum?
Still be YES
More likely to be YES
Don’t know
More likely to be NO
Still be NO
Should the SNP MPs at Westminster resign en-masse and stand again on a platform of seeking independence directly from WM without another referendum?
Where do you get your information/news from ??
1. Newspapers
2. television
3. Radio
4. The Internet
5. Other
1. Do you favour a republic or a monarchy?
2. Would you like broadcasting to be devolved and/or a Scottish public broadcaster separate from the BBC, thought not necessarily replacing it?
If the promise of “devo max” is not delivered, should the Scottish Government
a accept whatever is offered
b reject the new Scotland Bill
c call a second referendum
I have an aggressive letter from BBC Licensing saying I owe them over £90.
Should I:
a: Pay it promptly?
b: Delay paying it but pay it eventually?
c: Cry and fret about going to jail?
d: Stick it the nearest NO voters fat fucking arse?
Can I have that in a poll?
Stephen.
If you voted NO at last year’s referendum and are still of that view what, if anything, would make you change your mind to support independence?
@ Schroedinger’s cat
“if you came across Osborne and Cameron, both drowning in a pool and you only had time to save one of them……..
what sort of sandwich would you make?”
Pure brilliance
‘If the UK were to exit the EU, would you like to see the country continue to adhere to the doctrine of free movement across borders regardless of the fact that it would no longer be bound to it by EU law?’
What do you think about an Official Scottish Currency,
the £Sc (£Sc = £1)?
1) officially quoted on stock markets and foreign exchanges
2) Scottish Government to use it in all official
transactions and correspondence in Scotland.
3) what name do you suggest for it.
4) ad campaign aimed at Scots to encourage use of £Sc when
going abroad (incl England) and changing into local
currency
Currently your taxes are paid to Westminster who allocate a proportion back to the Scottish Government to pay on the ‘subsidy junkie jocks’.
Would you prefer to pay your taxes directly to the Scottish Government?
If you believe or think that you would vote ‘No’ in any future referendum on independence, what is the biggest issue/topic that makes you feel independence is not a good idea? (or something like that better worded by someone experienced in doing so.
Should a referendum be held to confirm/deny the Crown of Scotland is to be passed on to the Queen’s heir when the time comes and for each subsequent succession?
Is it wise to allow another nation to build, maintain, and have total control over your atomic energy supplies.
Does the Scottish electorate consider the efforts
Made to save Prestwick Airport, Ferguson Ship
Yard and Scottish Steel Munufacturing by the
SNP government worthwhile, or would they
Rather adopt the close it and move on option
Adopted by the Westminstet government?
Bearing in mind that, as a nation, we have to live within our means, please rank the following in order of priority for the government to spend money on:
replacing trident
fixing big ben
repairing and decorating buckingham palace
building hs2
creating employment for ex steelworkers
feeding poor people
buying chinese nuclear reactors
Hi Rev Stu.
With all the comments on various Facebook pages, from people urging others to vote ‘tactically’ for next year’s Holyrood election, this might be of interest.
Qa. Will you be voting for your first choice party in the constituency ballot?
Qb. Will you be voting for your first choice party in the regional/list ballot?
Qc. Which party do you regard as your first choice?
The above could be tacked onto the more general “Who will you vote for in the constituency vote and in the regional/list vote?”
There are people out there, who see the fact that there was no conference debate about including the referendum in next year’s manifesto, as some sort of betrayal.
I’ve even read comments from one or two folk saying they will no longer “lend” their vote to the SNP in the constituency vote but will abstain and only vote for their first choice party in the regional vote.
I suspect that there is a bit of ‘divide and rule’ going on.
Is your sense of Scottish National Identity most closely expressed by
1. Support for the Scottish Football/Rugby/other team?
2. A desire for Scotland to be represented as a sovereign nation state at the United Nations?
3. The Monarchy?
4. Tartan and other cultural expressions?
5. Subservience to the London Parliament?
You get the idea 🙂
Question for NO Voters –
Do you think the House of Lords is an acceptable form of second chamber?
Do you think it should be changed?
Do you think it should be scrapped?
I might have missed it, but I haven’t heard much discussion regarding drug laws of late.
Top google hit is the following from 2013, which indicates surprisingly (to me) high levels of support in the UK for relaxation / legalisation at least with respect to cannabis : http://www.tdpf.org.uk/campaign/changing-public-opinion
I would be interested to see what the current public view on drug policy is, broken down across party support or, maybe more likely, yes/no lines.
“Drug laws” is a pretty wide and potentially emotive topic, so tricky to come up with an interesting question that isn’t leading, doesn’t equivocate and is specific enough to be meaningful, but possibly a range of questions along the lines of those in the poll linked to above might uncover some interesting data.
It did strike me that a yes vote could have opened up an opportunity for a sensible debate on this matter, the likes of which I feel is unlikely to take place in the UK in the foreseeable future.
‘There is currently an ongoing debate as to the shape land reform should take in Scotland, as currently x% is concentrated in the hands of 432(?) families/individuals with much of the revenues derived currently leaving the country. Would you like to see this land distributed more equitably and put to different purposes which might benefit all?’ (or worded slightly differently, if it currently seems leading).
What about a poll about J.K. Rowling?
Should we:
a: Ignore the attention seeking troll?
b: Ignore the whinging attention seeking troll?
c: Ignore the horse faced attention seeking troll?
or d: Ignore the Better Together Interfering two faced plagiarizing bitch attention seeking troll?
Stephen.
If the Labour Party in Scotland were to support independence, would that encourage you to vote for them?
And yes, it’s a deliberately leading question ….
Should there be a (UK-wide?) referendum on the renewal of Trident?
Do you consider Scotland’s print and broadcast media to be:
a) Neutral
b) Pro Union
c) Pro Indy.
d) Don’t know
‘On balance, which of these two statements do you believe to be true:
a) Other parts of the UK subsidise Scotland;
b) Scotland more than pays its own way within the union?’
Should anyone who says “Nucular” instead of nuclear be allowed to work in politics, government or the energy sector?
If you were a NO voter last time, was your vote predicated purely on economic consideration? Or, to put it another way, how much actual visceral loyalty remains to the UK? How many Scots actually think their country is the UK? I’d really be interested in that.
Would you support the virtual currency “Scotpound” ? which would be like the highly successful “bitcoin”
An odd one.
“Did the performance of the Scottish Rugby Team in the World Rugby make you proud to be Scottish or live in Scotland?”
More / Same / Less / don’t know or don’t care.
Here’s my five new pence worth.
Q. Do you feel you know enough about the history of Scotland?
a. YES
b.NO
Q. Do you think the media in general provides good coverage of key historic Scottish events?
a. YES
b. NO.
Q. Given the United Kingdom is made of several countries, do you feel the UK media adequately represents the diversity of Scottish, Welsh, N.Ireland and English culture? Does it represent;
a. All countries equally
b. Provide too much on Scotland
c. Provide too much on England
d. Provide too much on Wales
e. provide too much on N.Ireland
Q. If Scotland were independent already, would you want Scotland to
a. Give more foreign aid
b. Give less foreign aid
c. Give no foreign aid
d. Give foreign aid, but in very specific instances (e.g major earthquake, disaster etc. ) On a one off basis per event.
Q. If Scotland were independent already, which (if any) of these areas would you like the first independent Scottish Government (of any party) to prioritise first?
a. Health
b. Education
c. Law and order
d. Care for the elderly
e. Land reform (Land ownership etc)
f. re-buliding Scottish industries (steel, housebuilding, shipbuilding etc..).
g. None of the above.
Q. If Scotland were independent already, should it re-nationalise ( or in order of priority)
a. Scottish rail
b. Scottish power generation and supply
c. Telecommunications
d. The postal service (Royal Mail), including post offices.
e. It should not re-nationalise any of the above.
Q. If Scotland had voted YES in the independence referendum, do you think it would have elected a mainly
a. slightly left wing government
b. A slightly right wing government
c. A very right wing Government
d. A very left wing government.
Q. If Scotland becomes independent, and at a later date the the current Queen dies, should Scotland opt to;
a. carry on with the monarchy lineage and heir
b. Decide to change the monarchy/heir
c. Get rid of the monarchy
d. Keep the monarchy, but insist any future heir of the Queen will need to have a full Scottish coronation with the Scottish crown, in Scotland.
Q. Do you think that rugby world cup referee Craig Joubert is
a. A consumate professional of immense ability.
b. A consummate professional of immense ability, who made a slight error at a crucial moment for Scotland.
c. An utter clown, never to be forgiven. Ever. Ever.
Topic: Question 2. How could Scotland become more productive?
Would it be possible for Scotland to take steps to be more productive while in the Union?
If you voted No to Scottish Independence in 2014, Would you consider voting YEs in the future.
( I think it need sto be posed to see how soft present NO vote is. i.e. if it can be brought down to the hardcore 25 % , meaning a 75% pool of rational, possible yes)
Supplemental Questiosn might ask what would change their minds
(this might identify core concepts to address in the future to advance the pro-independence vote)
Something on the reasons why Unionists vote Slab. Want to discover the motivations for Brit Nattism on the left.
Basically how strong is the belief in the “British road to Socialism”
And if it is why? Can so many still think Corbyn has a prayer in 2020.
“HOW TOTALLY BIAS IS THE BBC?”
Oh my god, how much that grinds my gears when folk say someone is “bias” rather than “biased”! (I know you’re doing it for comic effect here.)
It’s almost as bad as the current BBC obsession with saying “sikth” instead of “sixth” and “vunrable” instead of “vulnerable”.
As for the question, maybe something to try and ascertain what issues are the ‘swing issues’ which could (have) change(d) an indyref Yes or No?
It’s a difficult question to construct, I accept, but it would be good to work out if, for example, a concrete currency plan such as an independent Scottish pound really would have swayed some more over to Yes.
Or conversely, if a less socialist, more open-ended proposal of simply “we will get what we vote for” without too much elaboration would have lost Yes many votes.
I’ll let you word the question!
Should tax-paying immigrants to Scotland be required to answer correctly to whom they pay their taxes before being granted entry?
Sample question:
To whom do you pay your taxes if you live and work in Scotland?
a. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs;
b. Gordon Brown.
Before any opposition party in Holyrood is allowed to table a question at FMQs, should they have submitted an alternative budget for scrutiny?
Would you want to see a formal series of capability (or intelligence/mathematical ability/grasp of basic grammar etc.) assessments carried out on any prospective political candidate for Holyrood? and, would you want to see the results made public at least six weeks before any election?
Would you like to have the ability to “recall” an MP or MSP who represents you? What would be a fair way of doing that?
Question for YES Voters
With the benefit of hindsight.. how much do you miss Jim Murphy, if only for the laughs.
Should the Scottish govt hold a referendum on Devomax, being explicit about exactly which powers that are being devolved (ie everything except defence and foreign affairs)?
If you couldn’t live in Scotland/UK which of the following countries would you most like to live in?
New Zealand
Denmark
Switzerland
Israel
Singapore
Norway
Ireland
Could you list three overriding issues of concern that if altered / resolved would possibly change your vote from NO to YES next time round?
Infamy! Infamy! Thuv aw goat it infamy! Well done on getting a free advert on page 1 of the Hoots and the Torygraph two days running, Rev. And just for telling JKR to take a fleeing feck: bonuspoints dot com
It would be nice to be able to cross-correlate no votes last year with a) age b) income c) party voted for 2015 d) hours spent online per week e) hours spent watching BBC Scotland per week f) other pertinent psychological indices
Or what about “Do you agree or disagree with this statement? ‘The BBC’s output in Scotland – for example Reporting S______d, S_____d 2015, Call Kay(e), Mountain Goats, Scot Squad and River frickin City – represent a sustained attempt to: portray Scottish people as parochial, narrow-minded and inept; to run the country down generally; and to give the impression that the telly would be shite after independence if we didn’t get big budget London productions.'”.
What @Catherine says at 4:06pm [thumbs up thingy]
OT Maiden Speech by Heidi Allen on now – attacking government changes to tax credits. Guid speech- strange to hear it coming from a tory…
Should tax-payers living in Scotland who brag about the obscene amounts of money they donate to charity be investigated in case they are paedophiles, or do they only do it to assuage guilt?
How should the Land Reform Bill be strengthened to achieve fairer land ownership in Scotland?
When independence is achieved, should border controls be introduced? If Baroness Mone said that she was planning to return to Scotland, would that influence you views on border controls?
If Scotland became a Republic tomorrow, who would be your choice as Head of State?
Five years after independence, what will be the names of the main political parties in Scotland?
@schroedingers cat
Please let there be room for IDS in that pool.
1. Have you ever visited the Wings Over Scotland website?
2. How interested are you in the 2015 Scotland Act which may give some new powers to Scotland?
3. If you think the 2015 Scotland Act doesn’t deliver enough powers, are you more likely to vote for Independence next referendum?
4. How did you vote in the last referendum?
If Scotland had voted yes to independence last year, which of the following currency options should the country have adopted?
Continuing to use the pound in a currency union
A new currency pegged to the pound
The Euro
THIS IS ABOUT SPORT
John Reid @ 3.50pm:
Are you the (Baron) John Reid, former Chairman of Celtic. I ask, because your pathetic post re Jackie Bird was redolent of the “Always cheated, never defeated” mantra of your football team.
In the context of the story, Big Bird said nothing wrong.
If Scotland was currently an independent country, would you want to join in a union with the rest of the UK?
once independent, should Nicola lease out faslane to the Russians….tovarich ….
Will a Corbyn led Labour party be victorious at the 2020 G E?
In the EU In/Out Referendum the UK Govt. will disenfranchise EU citizens living/working in the UK a vote. So, rEU citizens will have no say in the future of the UK in the EU In/Out Referendum.
Therefore, using the same (non racist) logic as the UK govt, in Scotland’s IndyRef2, should the Scottish govt disenfranchise rUK citizens living & working in Scotland from voting in IndyRef2? So rUK citizens have no say in the future of Scotland in IndyRef2?
Definitely good if we do something on the EU.
Concerns about independence, eg currency, monarch, economy
Where do you get your news type question.
Failing any of that, can we get bugs bunny and the cat some therapy, cos they just ain’t in a good place.
I also like a Unionist myths type leaflet. Many of us are starting on leafletting for next year’s elections.
Do honestly believe that Scotland is:
a) too wee
b) too poor
c) too stupid
d) none of the above
Would you be in favour of the introduction of local currencies, as a means of supporting local businesses?
Would you use a local currency if it were in operation in your area?
Do you think using a local currency would make you think differently about money and currency?
Should Scotland have a separate Davis Cup tennis team?
Can National debt be compared to household debt
YES / NO
In your opinion what is money?
1. a means of exchange
2. a means of account
3. debt
4. the paper and coins in your pocket
5. the numbers in your bank account
6. Currency
(7. a means of control and subjugation – 1 question too many)
What sort of money should an Independent Scotland use?
1. Fiat money,the pound sterling
2. Fiat money, the pound Scots
3. Fiat money, the Euro
4. Some other fiat Currency
5. Crypto currency, Bitcoin
6. Crypto currency, Auroracoin
7. Some other Crypto currency
Do you think the UK tax system is fair. Would you pay more income tax if the threshold for paying income tax was raised and there were cuts in VAT, petrol duty, air passenger duty… under the current arrangement the poor live in a tax prison and the wealthy in a tax haven.
Daisy Walker at 3.58 pm
“Are you aware that Scottish Whisky Industry revenue is paid via London HQ’s to Westminster and does not show up on the Scottish economy books?”
I’ve read the detailed account http://www.siol-nan-gaidheal.org/download/The_Great_Obfuscation.pdf by Nial Aslen a very well known accountant/economist who supports Independence as to how GERS, the Scottish Expenditure and Income Accounts, is compiled and my take was that the revenue you mention IS accounted to Scotland.
However Mr Aslen does say that the accounts are prepared in such a way as to make them wide open to misinterpretation.
It would be nice to have clarification.
“Scottish” Labour, what’s the point?
Cross reference recalled SIR vote with recalled GE2015 vote?
On the currency issue, Common Space have a good article on the ScotPound digital currency:
https://commonspace.scot/articles/2619/mike-edwards-how-can-yes-solve-the-banking-and-currency-questions-in-time-for-indyref2
I liked @handclapping ideas on media.
Linked to this, I’m interested in knowing the answer to this:
Do you feel you gain sufficient information on England for you to compare how effective the Scottish Government is?
If yes, from where?
Do you feel you gain sufficient information on our west and north west neighbouring countries for you to compare how effective the Scottish Government is?
If yes, from where?
Another question, sort of connected:
If there are the following economic problems in Scotland, do you think they are the fault of:
a) the Scottish Gov
b) the UK Gov
c) mostly a
d) mostly b
e) neither a nor b
1. rising unemployment
2. increased cost of living
3. stagnating wages
4. reduced benefits (reduced relative to cost of living) such as state pension, tax credits, and job seekers allowance.
During the indyref campaign both sides made claims about the benefits to Scotland should their side win. Post indyref – Scotland remains part of the UK. Over a year has passed, many of the claims made (particularly from the winning side) should be testable and the anniversary would have been a good time for some scrutiny. Perhaps you could ask the public if they believe those (testable) claims made have been subject to sufficient public scrutiny in the ‘mainstream media’?
Given Ken MacQuarrie’s reaction to the recent polls about the Scottish public’s satisfaction with BBC Scotland’s output, it might also be worth asking if people feel that BBC Scotland even-handedly testing those claims against reality would go some way to addressing people’s concerns about coverage by BBC Scotland.
Also, when thinking about independence, I’d like to know how much weight people attached to – Scotland’s economic position (are we better or worse off in or out), or Scotland’s democratic/political autonomy (is Scotland’s democracy/society better served as part of the existing polity of the UK, or as its own discrete polity)?
On that last bit, I know that the consensus will likely be that the general population are more likely to be driven by economics than democratic scope, but I’d like to see if the relative figures match the massive weight given to the economic ‘arguments’ put forward during the campaign.
A general one about the economy:
‘When the economy is in trouble as it has been for some years who, if anyone, has the ability to turn it around?
a) it’s subject to worldwide forces, and they are so out of control that no-one can turn it around,
b) it’s subject to worldwide forces, and with a concerted effort across nations it could be turned around,
c) the EU,
d) the UK government,
e) the Scottish government?’
I’ve looked into alternative currencies over the last year. Check out the “Bristol pound”. How about a Scottish Pound? Nobody would be forced to use it – so UKOKs and UKIPs can keep their money “safe”.
It’s an accepted concept world-wide including the ultra-capitalist USA, and left-wing communities seeking a way out of the mainstream. A community can set one up by negotiation – so why not Scotland? Westminster cannot forbid it – there are several schemes already running in England.
If you agree to participate your money is fairly secure – think credit union – but it needs to get people and organisations willing to join in. The “Bristol” can be used to pay council tax locally. I would accept some of my Scottish Pensions money (SPPA and SLA )in Scottish pounds if I could trade it for service payments and local goods.
I would be willing to put some money up front – not a lot, but it would have to start small, if others would.
It has important benefits for potential economic growth outwith the mainstream.
It will educate people about the real function of money – i.e., not stake money for London chancers to play the markets.
If it really takes off the £4.5 billion held by the BofE could be claimed back to pay for real Scottish banknotes.
It could involve links with the Cooperative movement and Credit Unions to promote a community based alternative national currency.
How about an information blurb with a question along the lines of ” Would you use a Scottish Currency for some income and payments if it were freely available as an alternative alongside Sterling?”
Not sure to phrase it but I would like to find out the perception of how gdp ranks in Europe and compare it with the perception of UK pension, average working hours and wages.
Would be interesting to know this perception by age bracket.
Would you rather Scotland was governed by the Tories for the next 20 years or more than Scotland becoming an independent country?
Should the YES Scotland organisation be reformed now as a crowdfunded, cross-party research body, examining issues such as currency, Europe and pensions, so that when another independence referendum is called there is current evidenced research available?
I don’t have precise questions at the moment but I do think we need to understand the unionist mind set
What is their biggest attachment is it the queen is it Westminster- are the two distinguishable
Why they think government from London is preferable
To the over 60s would the ever believe any pension guarantee issued by the Scottish government and if not why not
Just my wee tuppence worth
It’s my belief that after around 10 years of a yes vote, people who voted no will pretend they voted yes so my question would be:
How did you vote in the 1997 referendum on the setting up of a Scottish parliament?
This can then be linked to the actual outcome and then to how people would then feel years after a yes vote for independence as no country of the Empire has ever asked to come back and be ruled by Westminster and most seem to feel proud of being independent.
If Scotland was independent, would you vote to join the union?
Agree with Valerie at 4:22 on EU. I think it’d be interesting to know how far people really believe themselves to be qualified to make a judgement on what it is the EU does, and how well it does it, ahead of the EU referendum.
Schrodingers cat @ 3.32 pm:
sandwich order: granary brown, grated cheddar, shredded baby lettuce, creamy coleslaw, sliced tomato, ground fresh sea salt & fresh black pepper & a wee cup of earl grey, black, no sugar, slice of lemon.
should balmoral be turned into council flats
Dave Robb, you’re forgetting about “the Rothschilds” who run almost every central bank and finance both sides of most wars! I’m up for the alternative currency though.
Is slow cooking preferable to making sandwiches
1: Should Fracking, UCG et al be banned in Scotland?
2: Given that up to 60% of new house prices are the price of land, should the Scottish Government introduce more radical reforms to drive down the price of land in Scotland and to give communities more rights to acquire land from intransigent landowners.
3: Are you willing to pay more Tax to protect vulnerable Scots and the Scottish Economy from Tory cuts?
Just in from a Fairer Scotland/Carers/Engender Scotland meeting so I will throw some of the big things we spoke about.
The possibility of a Scottish Minister & Dept for Caring – instead of being a portfolio issue in with sport.
Citizen’s Income. If so, how much pa?
A “Pay It Forward” fund. Various applications: paying a voluntary £1 per prescription say, at museums, pay a bit extra council tax etc on the premise that lots of small donations mount up and help others struggling.
——–
I really agree with a national discussion on currency and banking. No more pussying about with Plan B as much as I saw why it was said.
Electoral Reform to get rid of FPTP.
How much would you pay to kick Gordon Broon repeatedly up the arse in the middle of Princes Street.
For children in need, obviously.
I wouldn’t waste a penny asking the Scottish electorate a thing. If we have learned anything it’s that the opinion of the majority up here doesn’t matter a toss.
If there’s money to spare, have a plane fly over Scotland dropping leaflets, the way they do before they bomb a place, warning people to duck and cover. Because that’s basically what’s about to happen, they’re out to smash us to pieces; politically, economically, morally, you name it.
STV & BBC Scotland currently show England national football games at the expense of Scotland’ national team.
Is this right?
Are you happy with your licence fee?
When did you become a No voter?
Do you think schrodingers cat is funner than Billy Connolly?
Yes
No
Who?
I’m tending to a Yes.
What in your opinion were the key weaknesses of the Yes campaign. And how can we address and fix these weaknesses next time?
What would be the ideal population level in Scotland be?
Should it increase and where? City peripheries, rural areas, islands?
Is or should there be national strategies for these?
If there was another independence referendum within the next five years and you voted NO last time, what would be the most important factors influencing your decision this time?
1_______________________
2_______________________
3_______________________
Did you understand our NHS is independent and run by the Scottish Government and has been since 1947?
How do you compare our NHS with Englands?
Do you trust the Tories not to privatise the NHS in England.
Do you want the NHS privatised in Scotland,if England does privatise their NHS?
Would privatisation of England’s NHS, effect your voting patterns?
If Yes, would this make Independence a choice for you or not.
On a scale of 1 to 10 where would you place 6?
should the railways be re-nationalized
should energy be nationalized
should the utilities be re-nationalized
should income tax be abolished and replaced with a LVT
should the land of Scotland belong to the people
what is the average speed of the swallow?
For No voters:
Do you feel that voting No has affected your ability to honestly support the Scottish national team in international sporting events? Do you feel less Scottish as a result?
(I only ask as I overheard a vocal No supporter whinging about the number of ‘45%’ badges on show at a recent Scotland football match before going on to support Samoa against Scotland in the rugby.)
If we’re such great Europeans, why are schools making European languages optional? (
Result = most kids now dropping them after 2nd Year)
@John Reid
I think Scotland gets fairer coverage on the UK-wide BBC, rather than BBC Scotland. Both BBC Scotland and STV were dire about the rugby.
How about a straight answer question as to why people voted no.
Which one of these best describes the reason you voted no.
a. You think Scotland is not an independent country.
b. You don’t think Scotland could sustain itself economically.
c. You were scared of losing more than you would have gained.
d. You think an independent Scotland could offer a better life for poeple but you do not think it is ready at this time.
What we really need to know of our people is this;
1) Would you consider voting Yes in a future referendum?
2) If you voted No the last time (or even Yes..) what would it take to get you to vote Yes in future?
Expert advice to the Scottish government is that to address health inequalities there is a need to redistribute wealth, income and power. To do that most effectively any Scottish government needs control of welfare and economic policy.Do you agree with that? How do you think health inequalities should be addressed?
The gap in educational achievement between the most disadvantaged and the less disadvantaged is to do with the effects of poverty. Chronic stress can permanently raise cortisol levels. This impairs brain development in areas to do with learning and memory. Do you agree with that? How do you think lower educational attainment among the poorest children should be addressed?
There is a need for leaders at all levels of society to campaign on issues of health inequalities and poverty in order to change public perceptions. Do you agree with that?
non-political questions (ostensibly)
1: should children at Scottish state schools be taught a language compulsorily from early primary through to the end of their state education?
2: if yes to the above which one of the following should be a mandatory option (i.e. available at all schools)?:
i) Arabic
ii) French
iii) Gaelic
iv) German
v) Mandarin
vi) Polish
vii) Spanish
…feel free to tinker with that, it’s clunky as pieprzy?
Some analysis of why people voted Yes and No. Or, maybe more appropriately, forget what people voted and focus on what people feel they will vote next time.
That would help the process of converting No by knowing reasons for voting No, but also reasons for voting Yes.
Few people will be totally committed one way or they other. So, what doubts do Yes people have? And what aspects of independence actually appeal to No voters?
The strengths and weaknesses of both sides will be very valuable.
Loaded question!
Do you think it acceptable for pollitians to lie for political gain/party purposes?
As charity law is already DEVOLVED to Scotland should the Scottish Govt remove private schools (like millionaire Tony Blair’s old school – Fettes) from the Scottish Charities Register?
Should Scottish taxpayers be paying for HS2 if it is not extended into Scotland?
@dads
both mon ami….didn’t you know im a composite troll
In last years independence referendum, did you cas t your vote@
a) In person at a local polling station.
b) By proxy (someone casting a vote for you at a local polling station).
c) By post.
d) Did not vote.
(Of course, if the sample is large enough, we should, in theory, see a reasonable correlation between the results above and the postal vote percentage. Shouldn’t we?)
I like Proud Cybernat’s
“If Scotland was currently an independent country, would you want to join in a union with the rest of the UK?”
and Jim Arnott’s
“Do honestly believe that Scotland is:
a) too wee / b) too poor / c) too stupid / d) none of the above”
Both are quite likely to be picked up by some of the media, even if “just” the National.
If you were a NO voter, receiving the state pension on 18 September 2015, was the (wholly untrue) Project Fear scare, that you would lose your pension if you voted ‘YES,’ your main reason for voting NO?
Within an Independent Scotland, which state currency would make you feel secure:
a – UK Pound Sterling.
b – Scottish Pound.
c – EU Euro.
d – other.
Is “in your opinion” Scotland a:
a – Nation.
b – Region.
c – county.
d – other.
snigger
hey stu
should gaelic medium primary schools be available to all?
addendum: 18 Sept 2014
What’s the EU ever done for us?
I’m being serious on this one – we need to know the good and the bad, and
peoples’ perception of the good and the bad
I see it as the no1 clear cut break away issue and the WMonster lot have no credibility, so there’s going to have to be Scottish grass roots campaign – with the added benefit it will lobby/educate our SGv (and us) for what we want the European Parliament to do.
I’d love to know what percentage of Scots believe Msm news.
If the UK as a whole votes to leave the EU, but Scotland doesn’t, the SG has already said this would probably result in a second independence referendum.
Does this issue of EU membership make it more, or less, likely that you would vote for Scottish independence?
Should Scottish taxpayers be paying for a third runway at Heathrow or Gatwick?
Do you consider this to be an English-only matter?
If Scottish MPs are barred from voting in Westminster on matters which indirectly affect Scotland, do you consider such a situation:
a) Acceptable.
b) Unacceptable.
c) Don’t know.
Should the UK join in the “rest-of-the-world-bomb-Syria-fest”?
Does Scotland treat well the Scottish poorest people? If not, what should be done about it?
How about.
Have you heard of RISE and do you know which parties are in it?
should gcc’s accounts be investigated for fraud?
should the saltire be flown over every municipal building. including Edinburgh castle
Simple one, Has the vow been delivered? yes,no,maybe,dontknow.
should the rev tell michelle mone to fuck off too?
Should Gordon Brown have his passport removed as a threat to Scotland’s security and also this be done whilst he is in the USA, so that he never darkens our day again?
Can you ask a cross section of voters registered in England and also sub divide by the political affiliations, e.g. Labour, Conservative, LibDem, Green, UKIP, etc.
1. Do you object to Scotland becoming an independent country or are you neutral on this issue or do you support the campaign for independence?
2. If you object what is the main reason for your objection. Is it
A. The economy of England will suffer.
B. The world standing of the U.K. Will diminish.
C. We should give Scotland the full fiscal autonomy but stay together as the UK.
D. We are safer against external threats if we stay together.
D. Other reason.
I would really like to know how much support there is in England for Scottish independence. I often wonder why every single elected MP in England with the possible exception of Caroline Lucas is united against Scottish independence. I very much doubt that this group of 500 plus MPs is fully in tune with the opinions of their electorates. I am not particularly expecting them to support independence for Scotland but the decent, intelligent thinking ones should surely, in consideration of a 45% vote in the referendum and over 50% support for SNP in the 2016 GE, at least have a more neutral stance on this issue. I believe that a major part of our route and campaign for independence must include a proper, open discussion and engagement south of the border. After all Stu, you are living in England and fully support the independence movement. We know you are not alone but even the supposedly reasonable Corbyn seems to be frightened about being honest on this issue.
Catalonia set up its own broadcaster, do you think that Scotland should do the same?
Do you think that we should set up our own currency, in Scotland?
should Scotland support the peshmerga?
Ah, might need rewording.
“If it could be proven that Scotland would be as well off or better off with Independence, would you still want to stay in the UK?” – Yes / No / Don’t know
Shows how many are “hardened unionists”.
Would it be better for Scotland to be a Member of EFTA (European Free Trade Area) rather than the EU?
Do you know enough about EFTA to reach an informed decision?
Do you know which countries belong to EFTA?
Have you heard of RISE and do you know which parties are in it?
um….the pilsbury doughboy party?
Should the Scottish Govt. commission another New Town to be built?
If so, should it be on a brown field site (eg. Ravenscraig), on a Central Belt green field site or on a greenfield site between Perth and Inverness near the A9 corridor?
How did you vote in the referendum?
(a) YES
(B) NO
If YES what single thing should be done do to win Ref2?
(A) solve currency
(B) get more information to voters
(C) guarantee pensions
(D) UK vote to leave EU
If NO what would most likely change your mind in a future referendum?
(A) solve currency
(B) guarantee pensions
(C) nothing — I will never vote to leave the Union
(D) I have changed my mind — I would vote YES
Re currency and the ‘Bristol Pound’ – if we do get a Scottish currency can we call it a Groat, that way the penny equivalent will be a wee’g’.
If you have many Groats, you can be a Sturgeonaire.
A loan can be a Swinney (done rarely if at all) and if you place a bet at the nags, it would have to be a Salmond.
schrodingers cat says:4:43
What do you mean? is it a unladen swallow? or is it a African or European swallow?
Aghaa
Should the Scottish steel industry be nationalised ?,
Should Scottish railways be nationalised ?,
If opportunity arises, should the Postal service be returned to public ownership ?.
Do you support the requirement that each education authority in Scotland seat either 3 or 4 unelected religious representatives?
Now that Corbyn leads UK Labour, are you more or less likely to vote for them in Scottish parliament and or UK parliament?
It would be interesting to know why people vote for the various parties. With SNP, Tories, Greens, RISE it is possible to guess. But why are 20% still planning to vote Labour? Reasons given usually involve nostalgia and historical loyalty.
It would be nice to hear from voters exactly why they chose the party they do.
General statements for any/all parties like …
That party is most likely to stand up for my family and I.
I believe the economy is safest in their hands.
I agree with their stance on Scottish independence.
I have always voted for that party.
Their policies will lead to a fairer society.
I believe they will safeguard and create jobs.
I agree with their immigration policies.
That party has ruled responsibly when in power.
Then people (party allegiance known) have to pick their top 3.
Should the SNP send people to the house of lords? Who shold they send (want about a jury duty type selection process from the general populus?)
Valerie says:
can we get bugs bunny and the cat some therapy, cos they just ain’t in a good place.
just goes to show you cant please all of the people all of the time
Watched another tory speaking agin the party line. Could be interesting come the vote on the opposition day motion on tax credits.
One of the better sessions in the chamber I’ve watched. With the exception of Ken Clarke – bloated, sanctimonious shambles pontificating on how most but not all of companies will increase wages of their employees who are losing their tax credits!
What planet is he on?
I suppose all the drunkards will stumble in later and kneecap the working poor later having missed the entire debate.
@ Schrodinger
I’ve been away.
What’s that about a pish merger?
Is the BBC doing deals with the Republic of China?
Do you think that tactical voting works?
If you do, how stupid are you an a scale of 10 to 10?
===
Do you believe that Patrick Harvey is in favour of independence for Scotland?
Do you think the Scottish Green Party is in favour of independence for Scotland?
Do you think Patrick Harvey is running with his own agenda?
Some questions
Would it be better to
A ignore JK Rowling rather than giving her any excuse to whine
B carry on and let MSM have a field day with nastynats
C expunge her name from all pro YES ????/SCOTS sites and block and unfollow any MSM Site that keeps using her whine
Would it be better to
A just laugh ???? every time Mone ‘s name is used in same sentence as ‘Successful and businesswomen ‘
B unfollow and ignore anything which gives her a mouthpiece
C demand the dissolution of the House ???? of Lords, that would really annoy the laid of mayfair
1. Are you aware of the McCrone Report
2. Are you aware that it was written in 1974 and concluded that an Independent Scotland would be much wealthier (30%) than if it remained in the UK.
3. Are you aware that the McCrone report was classified and hidden from 1974 until 2005 by (old) Labour, the Conservatives and (new) Labour.
4. Are you aware that it was Labour who forced an amendment to the 1979 Devolution Referendum that required a 40% rate of all potential voters, turned a Yes vote into a No vote by counting non-voters (including some that were dead) as No voters. (using this rule, Cameron got 24% in 2015 UK general election).
5. In light of the McCrone Report and the 1979 Devolution Referendum 40% ammendment, could any UK government ever be trusted to do what’s best for Scotland?
6. Where has all the North Sea Oil money gone? a) invested usefully and long term like Norway’s, b) squandered away immediately to suit an ‘elite’ political dogma
If Scotland were an independent country: do you think people in the rest of the UK would be financially –
Better off
About the same
Worse off
Don’t know
Would love questions on
1)the ending of Scottish Public Schools’ charitable status
I know Scotland has not fucked up its legislation as they did in England. Down there The Public Schools now get to self-assess their charitable status!
But I would love to know how much support there is for telling them its no longer going to happen here.
2)the ending of the Catholic / State divide in Scottish schools
Its a social disgrace — end of.
If George Osborne and David Cameron were drowning in a pool, wouldn’t the honourable thing be to throw them a crococdile (a tearful one, of course).
Or would the crocodile help them to land? – professional courtesy and all that.
Have you stopped paying the BBC licence fee since the referendum?
(like I have)
It has been asked already but I will repeat it to people who voted no:
What would convince you to vote yes in a future referendum?
Also in regards to special conditions that would trigger a future referendum:
Would the Westminster government agreeing to military intervention in Syria be grounds for triggering a second Scottish independence referendum?
I keep hearing David Cameron complaining about how Russia are targeting legitimate moderate opposition forces in Syria. What makes them legitimate or moderate and why is it that weapons given to these groups ends up in the hands of the extreme groups such as ISIS, and al-Nuzra etc? Assad must go as he has no credibility or legitimacy cries the Western powers. Who are they to decide this? Ony the people of Syria can decide this. The US obsession with regime change has caused all this misery in the first place.
I am no fan of Assad but it is only by working with the Syrian government forces that ISIS will be defeated yet the Westminster government are still clinging to the retarded US government position. There seems to have been given no thought at all as to what would happen if Assad was removed. Who would take over?
In an independent Scotland we would have a foreign policy that did not create chaos around the world of that I am sure.
I may be late to this, but the BT website (bettertogether.net) has expired and is now available… should anyone be interested. 😉 http://www.namejet.com/Pages/Auctions/BackorderDetails.aspx?domainname=bettertogether.net
Ah!
“If opinion polls showed that half or more voters in Scotland were currently intending to vote YES, would that make you more likely to vote YES?”
Yes
No
I’d think about it
Don’t know
After the next Holyrood election in 2016, MSPs will be asked to take a legally binding vote to grant consent to Westminster to abolish the Human Rights Act in Scotland and replace it with a United Kingdom Bill of Rights. How should MSPs vote?
:Tam Jardine “I suppose all the drunkards will stumble in later and kneecap the working poor later having missed the entire debate.”
They should all be breathalysed before going into the division lobby. If you’re unfit to drive a car to a crash, you’re unfit to drive a country into rack and ruin.
@ aranciaca
you’ve gone too far… leave the poor bloody crocodiles out of it.
The man couldn’t even be trusted with a dead pig.
Tactical voting – do the peeps understand what they’re about to do?
If you vote for any pro-independence party, other than the SNP, at the 2016 Holyrood election as your first choice and the SNP as your second choice, do you believe that you will be able to have a majority of pro-independence MSPs?
If you vote for any pro-independence party, other than SNP, at the 2016 Holyrood election as your first choice and the same party for second choice do you believe that you will be able to have a majority of pro-independence MSPs?
If you vote for any pro-independence party, other than SNP, at the 2016 Holyrood election as your first choice and a different pro-independence party for second choice do you believe that you will be able to have a majority of pro-independence MSPs?
If you vote for SNP, at the 2016 Holyrood election as your first choice and SNP for second choice do you believe that you will be able to have a majority of pro-independence MSPs?
If you vote for SNP, at the 2016 Holyrood election as your first choice and another pro-independence party for second choice do you believe that you will be able to have a majority of pro-independence MSPs?
Oh,
“Do you think politicians should be allowed to vote on issues that affect the whole country when they’re drunk?”
* What is the biggest problem with politics?
(A) My vote doesn’t make a difference.
(B) All politicians lie.
(C ) Politicians are out of touch with society.
(D) I don’t have a problem with politics.
* Should assisted dying for terminally ill patients be made legal?
(A) Yes.
(B) No.
* Should the drug cannibals be legalised?
(A) Yes. It should be legal and regulated.
(B) Yes. But for medical use only.
( C) No. It should remain illegal.
* Are you more likely to watch the X-Factor or current affairs programmes like Scotland Tonight?
(A) X-Factor
(B) Scotland Tonight
Sorry to go of topic but I would say to the unionist and the media the time for you to really start worrying is when we stop swearing and go quiet,! As for Hugo Rifkind I have only one thing to sayPalestine?
“Would you vote for any prospective politician that called Scotland ‘North Britain’?”
Congratulations Scotland in the reduction of plastic bag usage.
This is a fantastic result for the environment.
What about some more questions and emphasis on Scotland’s leading role in environmental awareness.
How about tying it in with age groups.
eg
At what age should you resist the urge to pilfer the supermarket trolley to get the groceries home if you forget your bag-for-life.
That kind of thing.
How much would you like there to be a true state broadcaster in Scotland accountable to the Scottish Parliament?
Other than that, they cats has it all.
Should land owners be required byu law to reduce grazing and burning to allow natural tree regeneration when they hold more than 1000 hectares?
Someone, apologies can’t remember who, suggested last year:
Is Scotland a country?
Should countries run themselves?
For those with an interest in religion in schools, etc..
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/speak_out/education/articles/the_church_of_scotland_and_education
Local Authority Reps
Since the state assumed responsibility for the provision of school education in 1872 the Church of Scotland has been granted a statutory role as part of the education authority of the day. This privileged position reflects the historical link between schooling and the church. For that reason, if for no other, it is important for church representation on local authority committees with a responsibility for education, to ensure a respected presence across Scotland. This may be achieved by establishing good relationships; by exercising your statutory right and endeavouring to influence council education policies in areas of interest to the national church, including the development of the curriculum, Christian values, religious and moral education and religious observance in schools.
As determined by the General Assembly, the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, through its Standing Committee on Education, approves the appointment of Education Representatives and informs local councils of that representation. Such appointments usually coincide with the election of Scottish councils. A copy of the guideline for the appointment of church representatives forms part of this guide. In practice presbyteries are invited to nominate representatives to the Church and Society Council. In most cases there is more than one presbytery within the bounds of a local authority. It is incumbent on presbyteries to agree upon a manner of selecting their nominee. Many do so by rotation and invitation, some seek indications of interest and others as and when a suitable candidate is obvious to all.
The Church of Scotland Education Representative joins the representative from the Roman Catholic Church and a “third representative” who is representative of the interests of other churches/denominations in the area, taking into account their comparative strengths.
In the realms of current affairs which of these 2 programs is more educational and fact based?
a) X-Factor
b) Scotland Tonight
Along the same lines as “should drunk politicians be allowed to vote”:
Should MPs, MSP etc be permitted to vote in debates that they haven’t attended for at least 75% of the debate duration? Got to allow them a pee break or two.
Should clapping be allowed in the HoC?
Should electronic voting be used in the HoC to replace the archaic division system, thereby saving time and money?
@capella
Thanks! I knew someone would have better info than me. The Common Space article is a great example of how to make it work.
It’s worth a read by anyone thinking about Scotland, money, currency and independence. If you’re not thinking about this, you’re not thinking about independence at all.
There may be other ways to think differently – obviously getting a “proper” bank to break ranks and back its notes in genuine “Scottish money” with its share of our wealth deposited at present with the BofE would be a future step.
Given 0.5% interest in my access account I’ve no problem with putting money into an account to pay bills and risk losing at -2% if I don’t pay the bills fast enough. I’m sure I can handle that!
The great thing about the common space scheme is that those who don’t want it can ignore it – it’s not up to them to give the rest of us consent. We can fund it ourselves if necessary.
Genuine question as I have only lived in Scotland for 25 years so know nothing – why do seemingly rational people (not the zoomed Yoonies) hate the SNP so much? Did the SNP piss in their granny’s tea in the dark, distant past?
Also can we have an equivalent phrase to “SNP Bad” for each of the other parties
When seeing an Orange Order/Hibernian walk are you :-
A clapping and cheering
B dont really care
C sick to the bottom of your stomach that idiots like that are the face of your religion.
Do you think
A they should continue
B dont really care
C be banned and the full power of the law be used to prosecute sectarianism.
I find this question rather relevant since our Tory chums down south have been banging on about hate preaching of religious extremism,obviously they mean Muslims but what is the difference i ask you of being radicalized by a Christian fundamentalist group ,who i might add have been involved in a sectarian war for decades against each other in NI.
Scottish Government figures for 2013/14 show that 22 per cent, or 210,000 Scots children, are living in poverty. This is set to rise to 26 per cent by 2020, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Do you think 22 percent is too high? Yes/No
If Yes, who do you think is responsible?
The Scottish Government/The British Goverment/Don’t know
In the light of recent events regarding the Scottish steelworkers and since the Independence Referendum do you feel your security of employment in the UK is
UK……………………. SG
A: Secure……………. A:More secure
B: Insecure………….. B:Less secure
C: Definitely Fukced . C:At least you’ll have a chance
Have you read any book by Jakey that isn’t Harry Potter
Name that book: without looking it up
Should Kermit Cameron be allowed to change his wife’s name to Peppa?
Hi Rev,
How about asking Scots if we should be the only ones allowed to vote in indyref2 with regards to the UK government stance on the in / out Euro referendum?
Regards.
Dear Rev (Sir),
My proposed question is, “Should the Scottish Government (who themselves rebranded) now start to revert back to calling the Scottish NHS – the Scottish NHS! Rather than “The NHS in Scotland”
The “NHS in Scotland title” somehow conveys that it is part of a single UK wide organisation – used as a fear tactic by Better Together. It would be good to get rid of this potential problem for the future.
So many questions. So few answers.
This is possibly the best thread ever.
Schrodingers Cat boy are you on form!!!
Best suggestion for me however is
Liz Wallace says:
20 October, 2015 at 4:32 pm
If Scotland was independent, would you vote to join the union?
So simple, so true.
Do you think that the Scottish Government would have more opportunities to boost the economy with more economic powers?
What economic powers should the Scottish Government have control over?
Do you agree the Scotland should have a real BBC Scotland TV channel, instead of the current opt-out deal?
Should Scotland have it’s own music chart show on TV?
Should Scotland have a live music show (like Later with Jools Holland) on TV?
What is your favourite Scottish Poem?
What is your favourite Scottish Play?
What is your favourite Scottish Film?
What is your favourite Scottish Novel?
What is your favourite Scottish Band?
What is your favourite Scottish Song?
Do you know more about A)Scottish Culture B)British Culture C) American (US) Culture?
Do you know the second verse to Flower of Scotland?
Sorry if any of these have already been asked
1) Do you think BBC Scotland should have its own 6 the o’clock news show covering both international and national news.
2) what issue is the most important in Scotland
A)land reform
B)devolution of broadcasting
C)TTIP
D)Fracking
3)who has been the most important Scottish politician of recent times
A)John Smith
B)Donald Dewar
C)Alex Salmond
D)Nicola sturgeon
E)Charles Kennedy
F)Any tory????!!
Should Cameron be asked if the pig inhaled?
Swami
Peshmerga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iouR5WN_4xo
The British Security Services tampered with and manipulated the Postal Votes in last years Referendum in favour of a NO vote.
a). Agree
b). Disagree
Given that the majority of Trade Unions in Scotland supported the No campaign, should Scotland have its own pro-independence, non affiliated Trade Union movement.
Should Alistair Carmichael have resigned immediately after admitting he lied when he said he didn’t know anything about the memo before he read about it in the Telegraph?
Yes
No
Don’t care
Also.
Did you vote for the SNP at the GE in May?
Yes
No
If you did vote for the SNP.
a) Do you think/feel they make a tangible difference in representing Scotland than the former Labour incumbents?
Yes
No
Don’t know
b) Don’t think/feel they make a difference at all and they are just like the former Labour incumbents?
Yes
No
Don’t know
If you did Not vote for the SNP.
a) Do you think/feel they make a tangible difference in representing Scotland than the former Labour incumbents?
Yes
No
Don’t Know
b) Don’t think/feel they make a difference at all and they are just like the former Labour incumbents?
Yes
No
Don’t know.
If you think/feel having the SNP as a bloc has made a difference. In what significant way do they differ from the former Labour incumbents?
Followed by a list of criteria relevant to issues in Scotland. In order of import, for the recipients to tick.
If you Don’t think/feel they make a difference at all and they are just like the former Labour incumbents?
Followed by a list of criteria relevant to issues in Scotland. In order of import, for the recipients to tick.
Just to get a snapshot of those from each side of the divide since the GE, to see what if any impact our SNP MP’s are having on attitudes in Scotland right now.
o/t – I think!
First time in ages a thread has not been corrupted by a couple of egocentrics and the various people who should know better trying to outdo them.
Ruby,
I just got in from the shops. I´m on off topic now.
@ Paul Garbett
It is a good question.
It seems some people in Scotland take issue with a party that tries to put the interests of Scotland and its people first. To me that just beggars belief. How dare the SNP do that! Westminster cannot even make the right choices for the people of England yet there are people in Scotland who think we are better as part of that union.
When you look at how badly Labour in Scotland has done over the years, how they took the people for granted and just went along with what their Westminster masters wanted, no matter how detrimental it may have been to Scotland it is truly incredible that any rational voter would prefer that to the SNP.
Would you like an independent Scotland’s leader to be a called a King/Queen?
Voted in every 10 years and fulfilling the role of FM/PM/El Presidente…
Bringing in the tourists with Royal claptrap while fulfilling a genuine role at reduced cost….
Making it a proper ‘democratic monarchy’…
Anyone?
How high would you like your neighbouring Billionaire children’s author grow her Leylandii hedge?
A) 6 ft.
B) 10 ft.
C) 15 ft.
D) 40 bloody ft.
Do you think Scotland has a deep enough pool of talented politicians to run its own affairs?
Considering the guff the unionist parties put out has influenced people I know against voting yes due to the question of ” who else is there? The snp cant keep it up. Where will the other politicians come from?”
@ Dave Robb
It is hard to get one’s head round bit coin and currency issues. Max Keiser is a long time advocate of bitcoin and has been involved in one of the first schemes to be developed. You could scroll through articles in his blog to find more info:
http://www.maxkeiser.com/
do you believe the bbc news
The media in Scotland ‘groomed’ the people of Scotland to hate the SNP Paul. This became all too obvious to hundreds and thousands of those who had disengaged over the past 20/30 years, during the referendum campaign.
Scotland woke up. We’re not going back ‘under the duvet’ nor are we sleepwalking into another 20/30 years under the ‘old guard’. That’s why the Scottish ‘commentariat’ hate the SNP…cause their pals in the Labour branch office are getting ‘bounced’ out of prominence by the people choosing SNP.
How about:
How did you get most of the critical, decisive information that brought you to vote YES/NO in the last referendum? friends,family,tv news/current affairs programmes, newspapers/magazines, political party literature, wee blue book, Online blogs/forums etc..
Maybe this question has already been polled but would like to know.
Treason (including constructive treason) is a reserved matter on which the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate.
Q, Should The Scottish Parliament have the power to convict those Scots it sees as undermining the Citizens and State of Scotland devolved to it.
Would you set a time limit to have no more need for food banks and have enough homes for everyone.
Would you agree to sanction all senior past and present public figures salaries and pensions if target is not met within that given time scale.
OT
@MrObycyek
I keep hearing David Cameron complaining about how Russia are targeting legitimate moderate opposition forces in Syria. What makes them legitimate or moderate and why is it that weapons given to these groups ends up in the hands of the extreme groups such as ISIS, and al-Nuzra etc?
al-nusra in the south, along with the Free Syrian Army in the north were collectively refered to as the rebel forces in 2012 when Cameron wanted to bomb assad and the Syrian army. the west gave these arms directly to such rebel groups to fight against assad.
now that we know these rebel groups support and are supported by al Qaeda. the west now regret this.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/76ad076e-6e75-11e5-8171-ba1968cf791a.html#axzz3p8AlxmG8
when isis took Ramadi, the us backed Iraqi army fled and left 2400 armoured Humvees to isis
thank god we refused Cameron’s proposal to bomb the Syrian army, had the front started to crumble, we would have had 15 million refugees fleeing Syria and the lebannon from isis
strange days when the Chinese and Russian presidents speak more sense than the uk pm or us president
Who do you like best,Nicola or Cameron?
Should the House of Lords be abolished?
How about a question about how important are the current anti-sectarian laws?
I have no issue with it, but noticed a lot of no voters were using it as an excuse – would be good to gauge opinion on how important it is? (If SNP is watching, it could be important to 200k and amendments may be a price to pay to get more support for yes!)
& should JKR go f@#k herself?
J
If Westminster votes to replace Trident and place it on the Clyde is this grounds to support another referendum
Possible questions around information sources? Such as: where do you get your information from (Rad, TV, Papers, journals, interweb etc). Similarly, if you are told something in the MSM that you suspect is incorrect do you check, if so where(list)?
Do you read any of the new nationalist facing media / would you know where to get it? Blah Blah.
Food banks and their usage in your area
Relationships since the referendum work/play/home?
Trust the press and their powers?
Why is MSM coverage of stuff in Scotland so negative about (everything)? (which fits in nicely with my theory that apparently the Scots cant enjoy a fried Sunday breakfast unless they are reading about some disaster or other (based on the tosh output I used to read in a past life).
How about asking them where they go or what they do to form a political opinion ?
I would echo Bill Hume’s questions along the lines of;
1. Did you vote no?
2. What would make you vote yes next time?
3. In what ways could this information reach you so that you find the information legitimate and authoritative?
Also, seeing as the SNP have been hinting, according to news reports anyway, that a year of %60 polling yes before next indyref. Is it not time that all focus was put on ffa or devo max. I can not see 60% polling yes for at least 10 or 20 years. That is something people need to think about. Maybe a question about that, should the SNP campaign for a referedndum on FFA or devo max in the next year or 2? This way the SNP could prove it self as even more repsonsible and a champion of powers for Scotland whilst the rest of the parties talked Scotland down, before the next indyref and find winning it much easier.
We are told that rich people wont stand for higher taxes. Is this really the case? I was thinking that a poll about taxes trying to figure out what those from better incomes are willing to pay for better services in an independent scotland
80 year old No voters need to know the price of a loaf matches the coin in their pocket.
I don’t think they are interested in bitcoin.
I remember a little while back that there had been a suggestion that local unionist cabals were black balling know YES businesses / people (appeared to fit in with the pitiful attach on Business for Scotland recently). Perhaps a few questions around this subject might be timely?
It’s still true that national mood is deeply linked to our sports teams – chiefly football and rugby obviously. Should the Scottish government step in with some seriously funded national schemes that just might see pay off in 10-15-20 years time. Seems to me the SPFL & SRU aren’t capable of being the custodians for future sporting success.
PS yes I know we don’t have the budget and I know the SNP would be attacked for daring to intervene…
Should pigs head be outlawed or continue to be used in jokes of a sexual nature?
I won’t be hurt if you don’t put this in the survey. 😀
As Training Day said @ 3.32
If you voted No,what would make you vote Yes and support Scotland being an independent country ?
A few ideas:
1. How successful do you think a pro-independence party tactical voting campaign for the list vote would be?
Not at all, a little bit, very successful
2. What do you think the likely result of a pro-Independence tactical voting campaign would be?
Increase amount of Pro-independence parties seats in Holyrood and decrease unionist parties seats
Decrease amount of Pro-Independence parties seats in Holyrood and increase unionist parties seats
Make no real difference
3. if you were to vote tactically on the list vote who would you vote for?
Scottish Greens
RISE
Hope over Fear
Etc…
4. Which pro-independence party do you think would work best with the SNP at Holyrood?
Scottish Greens
RISE
Hope over Fear
Etc…
5. which pro-independence party do you think would work least well with the SNP at Holyrood?
Scottish Greens
RISE
Hope over fear
I would also love to see some region specific polling on voting intentions and the above. If you have the cash available for sizeable numbers (1,000 odd) of people in each list region to be polled.
Unfortunately neither RISE nor Hope over Fear have announced candidates for the list (AFAIK) but when rhy do it might be worth doing a “what do you think of…” for their candidates?
Anyway just a few ideas for polling questions no one is asking that would prove very interesting
(For a laugh you could ask people what they think of a few of your favourite journalists and yourself. It would likely piss them off no end).
Should a front page lie warrant a front page apology?
@scrodingers cat
It is crazy.
The tories still talk of how it was a mistake not to bomb Syrian forces in 2012 and yet this would have created a situation even worse than what is happening now. What planet are these people on?
It seems the west will provide arms to whoever will fight against their enemies no matter how evil they are. This was the case in Libya and is the case in Syria as well. There is zero thought given to the obvious consequences of this.
David Cameron has said the UK will take in 20,000 refugees over the next five years. Do you think this number is
a) Too large
b) About right
c) Too small
should a convicted fire raiser be able to hold a position of power at Westminster?
should electronic voting be introduced at Westminster?
if so then
should Scottish mps decamp to carlton hill, vote remotely in the hoc and become the defacto upper chamber of the Scottish parliament in waiting?
@MrObycyek
the problems in the middle east are largely due to ignorance on the part of the uk and us
Q. How do we improve Scotland’s neglected, inadequate infrastructure but ensure protection of our beautiful landscape from unsympathetic development?
Q. How do we ensure economic stimulation is sustained from above improvements?
Q. How do we re-activate dormant industries where a specific skill Base still exists?
Q. What can we do to ensure long term investment in North Sea oil so that a sovereign wealth fund can be established to offset the wastefulness of successive uk governments?
Q. How do we best go about creating a separate ‘state within a state’ until independence is achieved?
@Jamie
Also, seeing as the SNP have been hinting, according to news reports anyway, that a year of %60 polling yes before next indyref. Is it not time that all focus was put on ffa or devo max. I can not see 60% polling yes for at least 10 or 20 years. That is something people need to think about.
——–
Putting this stupid 60% figure about is the last thing we need.
With the state of the media in Scotland, we will be lucky to get anywhere near that level outwith a referendum campaign.
Bear in mind we have 10-20% of the population who see themselves as British or English first and who will never vote yes. Then another 10% or so, mostly women, who are worried they might possibly offend anyone. Then another 10% of older pensioners, stuck in their ways, and not on the internet.
That leaves us with basically having to convince EVERYBODY else to get to 60%
Fair enough, we have to win a majority next year, and Nicola wants to park it for a few years, but if that ‘unofficial’ figure was deliberately leaked from anyone in the SNP, and isn’t BBC mischief, then it will come back to bite us on the ass.
My tuppence worth, while they are still in circulation, is mostly to agree with Betsy re currency question.
However, despite that, we really do need to know the range of reasons why people voted “no” and, with that information, prepare the counter arguments. Therefore the main thrust of a survey could be along the lines of
Q. If you voted “no” at the Scottish Independence Referendum, please select and prioritise your reasons from the following list adding, if necessary, additional entries
Didn’t want to lose the pound
Didn’t want to lose my state pension
Didn’t want to lose the nuclear deterrent
Didn’t want to lose the monarchy
Didn’t want to lose the subsidy from England
Didn’t want to lose cross border travel
Didn’t want to lose my British passport
Didn’t want to incur cross border roaming charges
Didn’t want to lose the support given to agriculture / fishing / education / research
Didn’t want to lose the unelected House of Lords
Didn’t want to lose the first past the post voting system
Didn’t want to lose the impartial coverage of the state broadcaster
Didn’t want to lose the advantages provided by privately owned utilities
Didn’t want to lose the benefits of a xenophobic immigration policy
Didn’t want to lose the benefits of the UK renewable energy policy
Didn’t want to lose the benefits of political system which keeps us firmly in our place
I could go on, but you would probably prefer I didn’t.
I read something in todays National which I think would make a good question.
It went along the lines of why does the Scottish Government not just make a decision and go for it.
Afterall what could the Westminster Goverment actually do stop the legitimate Goverment of Scotland from making those decisions?
So to me the question would be:
If the Scottish Government decided to go against Westminster laws that are doing damage to Scotland, or what the majority of Scots support and do things their own way, would you support or oppose it?
@schrodinger 7.21
3rd paragraph, excellent proposal, you are on fire.
State within a state, a proper nation in waiting.
Is JK Rowling actually Professor Adam Tomkins in drag?
If so, would that increase the likelihood of you voting Scottish Tory?
Politically, which other country would you most like to see the UK model itself on?
How can we change society so that we don’t imprison those who are victims themselves and teach a more forgiving society like that of Norway.
Following Lord Ashcroft’s revelation that David Cameron likes doing it with pigs, how much did that put you off the hit movie Babe?
Should the school day be extended to 8.30 – 5.00pm mon to Friday to increase education, match working hours & save childcare costs?
Scottish children have an obesity problem, should PE in school be increased from the current compulsory 2 x 50 min periods in our schools?
Should GP’S have to supply an out of hours service to their patients rather than NHS 24 / visiting A&E?
Should all newly qualified doctors have to complete a compulsory year as a GP to understand the system better and encourage them to become GP’s?
Should all newly qualified teachers have to complete a probationary year at a school in rural Scotland to solve the teacher crises in these areas ?
Should all politicians be made to compulsory to have held down a real job before being allowed to stand for positions?
As were supposed to be converting no voters. How about we ask them for the things that stopped them from voting yes? Finances/currency/pensions? and see what they feared most and work from that?
I still believe that ref2 is not worth considering until we answer the basic question of currency. Until we know what were using people won’t accept the rest of our financial arguments.
This is where scotgov are missing an opportunity as we should also be looking into some kind of independent fiscal investigation into our income and expenditure and also land value and ownership as a nation so that we actually know what the deal is finance wise. This would answer the question once and for all if were to poor. The rest will fall into place once we know that.
Slightly O/T perhaps or maybe a modified version of a question above (Mealer at 6:46pm) and based on something topical:
‘There were reports that some Conservative MPs wanted to suspend the House of Lords because they feared it would not vote through the governments plans to cut tax credits for working people. If such an action were undertaken, do you think the entire justification for the House of Lords’ existence is defeated? Yes/No.’
@Ann
I believe you are referring to an article by Walter Hamilton of Elie that is in The National today.
I think this is worth looking into further as if the Scottish government refused to implement a policy that they argued would hurt the people of Scotland what could Westminster really do about it?
I think most of the questions I would ask are contained in a lot of questions above.
I would suggest a quick liaison with James Kelly of Scots Goes Pop for a question he might want to ask in the run up to the 2016 Holyrood election.
Indy ref 2 is not happening because it is not necessary. We will get our independence but not through a rigged referendum. It will happen when we decide as a people to take it. This is what Sturgeon has been trying to tell us.
The U.K. Government have an incoherent energy policy, witness the current nuclear and renewable energy tax change debacles, not to mention our lack of Exploration success compared to Norway, who have material fiscal incentives to find oil. If you had control over energy policy would you?
1. Advocate no change – better the devil you know
2. Create moderate fiscal incentives to encourage more oil exploration
3. Advocate aggressive tax incentives to create an energy hub for the long term, but which may require short term expenditure cuts as revenues could be curtailed
Duncan Hothersall Retweeted
Stephen Daisley ?@JournoStephen 8 hrs8 hours ago
Redcar steelworkers laid off. The north east rallies round them.
Lanarkshire steelworkers laid off. Nationalists taunt them for voting No.
Is this true?
Duncan Hothersall Retweeted
Ian Murray ?@IanMurrayMP 9 hrs9 hours ago
Terrible news about Clydebridge + Dalzell. UK and Scottish Governments must work to save jobs. Our steel industry cannot be allowed to die.
Ian Murray is the last Labour MP in Scotland, elected by one of the wealthiest constituencies in Scotland.
Why?
+1 for a question regarding cannabis regulation.
Latest data available is from 2013 and is UK-wide (Ipsos Mori for Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, 53% support for legalisation), though there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of Scotland-specific polls on the subject of cannabis.
Do you believe that the UK postal vote system is?
a) Very Secure
b) Adequate
c) Unsecure
d) Open to large scale Fraud.
In future elections or referendums should postal votes
a) Be banned outright as it is in other EU countries
b) Limited only foro specific cases eg Out of the country
c) Remain largely as it is.
If the postal vote system remains largely unchanged should
Postal votes be counted and declared separately to allow comparision with polling stations? YES / NO
Duncan Hothersall Retweeted
Ian Murray ?@IanMurrayMP 9 hrs9 hours ago
Terrible news about Clydebridge + Dalzell. UK and Scottish Governments must work to save jobs. Our steel industry cannot be allowed to die.
British Steel closed down Ravenscraig steel works in the early 90’s with the loss of 12,000 jobs.
Given that the UK North Sea oil and gas industry alone presented a huge domestic demand for steel, why do you think SLabour and/or Labour under Chancellor Gordon Brown, decided to leave the Scottish industry as he found it when he won the 1997 General Election?
The average house price in London and the south east is nearly £600,000.
The average house price in Glasgow and the west of Scotland is nearly £126,000.
Why?
A question on religion in schools, such as ‘ should religious doctrine be included state schools or should all Scottish state funded schools be secular? ‘
A question re the tax status of private schools would be good as well.
How about: –
Is it important for you that the country is considered to be a ‘World power’?
Interesting to see how the Yes / No split would fall.
Q:
Based around the concept of EVEL which dilutes the power and influence of Scottish MPs within the UK parliament and will it be a reason to vote for independence if it is voted in at Westminster.
PS:
Another one sees the way the wind is blowing.
A SCOTTISH Labour MSP who had been seen as a rising star within the party has announced that he is stepping down from Holyrood.
Drew Smith, who was elected as a representative for Glasgow in 2011, said it had been a privilege to serve in the Scottish Parliament but that he was keen to seek “new challenges” after May’s election. Herald!
Allow students who attend Scottish universities to be allowed to stay after studies.
Will buck palace caterers hold off serving the char sui pork for fear of a major diplomatic incident?
Should all serious serial sex offenders simply be deprived of their eyesight?
How about questions about economic optimism?
“Imagine, following the 2016 Election to the Holyrood Parliament, / have formed the government in Scotland. Thinking about the prospects for you own family over the next 12 months/5 years, do you believe you would be: significantly better off/slightly better off/no better or worse off/slightly worse off/significantly worse off/don’t know”
Should serious serial sex offenders simply be deprived of their eyesight?
Should Gaelic be taught in Scottish state schools?
That one goes out to all Rangers fans trying to watch BBC Alba right now.
How do you pronounce this word ‘holy’
How do you pronounce this word ‘holly’
How do you pronounce this word ‘Holyrood’
How do you pronounce this word ‘Hollywood’
(the words could be shown on a card so as not to influence)
Could be quite topical if done before Christmas.
Did you know that Archie MacPherson is the most popular name in Scotland for cats?
“If it were to finally dawn on you that the Tory government in London are planning to abolish the Welfare State, NHS and state pensions would you be more likely to vote yes in a second independence referendum.”
Three mentions of Trident so far.
There was a nasty poll by one of the CorpMedia papers a month or so ago. Three options, 1)trident, 2)other cheaper nukes, 3) no nukes
In Scotland the biggest group was 3, but the paper added 1 & 2 together and declared Scots are pro-nukes.
This was gross manipulation because what was 2 supposed to be!?
The only nuke game in town is Trident and its direct replacement.
We need a clear view of how the Scottish public feel about the presence of Trident, the continued presence of Trident, and plans to replace Trident with equivalent.
Should Trident be removed from Scotland now? Y/N
Should Trident be replaced and the new system deployed in Scotland? Y/N
Do you think it is important for Scotland to have/maintain the capacity to meet all of its own energy needs?
Should there be a Scottish residence qualification for voters at the next and last referendum?
Should postal voting be scrapped for the next referendum? Yes.
“Labour MPs told: don’t mention “Scotland”, talk about Scottish towns and cities instead.”
When the above news farted out of teamGB Westminster a couple of weeks ago, how did it make you feel?
Should politicians caught blatantly lying, such as Carbuncle, receive a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5-years?
Should early release from prison sentences be replaced with a system which sees time added on to the original sentence if you don’t show signs of reform?
Should more be done to try and keep petty offenders out of prison?
Should all sex offenders have to volunteer for “chemical” treatment before even being considered for release from prison?
Should everyone be DNA swabbed at birth to compile a national DNA database to help in crime-fighting.
In conjunction with the previous question – should everyone entering into our country have their DNA details added to the same national DNA database?
Last but no means least – Should people who waste our time and money on “polls” be hung out in a gibbet for 10-days with copious amounts of rotten eggs and tomatoes supplied for public use?
Should Catalonia become an independent State?
Q: Should the SNP ALWAYS have a commitment to Independence in its Manifesto.
Paul Garbett
“Genuine question as I have only lived in Scotland for 25 years so know nothing – why do seemingly rational people (not the zoomed Yoonies) hate the SNP so much? Did the SNP piss in their granny’s tea in the dark, distant past?”
Huh, you cant figure it out either?
oh and before I forget
25 years?
greenhorn! 😉
Stoker says
“Should politicians caught blatantly lying, such as Carbuncle, receive a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5-years?”
Where do we put them when the IOM is full?
I dont mean the prison I mean the island!
Farnorthdavy says
”
How do you pronounce this word ‘holy’
How do you pronounce this word ‘holly’
How do you pronounce this word ‘Holyrood’
How do you pronounce this word ‘Hollywood’
(the words could be shown on a card so as not to influence)
Could be quite topical if done before Christmas.”
Maybe you could send one to Cameroon?
@call me dave
all 15 slab constituency msp seats are on a shoogly peg
none of the labour list msps will want to gibe up their position on the list to a constituency msp
expect pressure from London labour for list msp places too, and from the ashes of may’s labour mps
those slab msp’s who go quietly will be assured of a huge back hander
those that don’t…expect blood on the carpet
Post independence, should there be Nuremberg style trials in Edinburgh for all the corporate media ‘quaitors’?
Should they be given the option of exile?
Should they get a Scottish passport?
Post independence should plantation quay be demolished?
Should there be ‘truth and reconciliation’with the daily redcoat when Scotland is once again a true nation? If it still exists?
We are always being told that independence for Scotland would be like an estrangement, or divorce with loss of friends family etc. I would like to know how often people who actually live and work in Scotland head over the border. In my own case, I have not been in England for years And most of the folk I know rarely visit England.
I would like to see huge amounts of money spent on publicising the fact you do NOT need a TV license if you abandon the BBC and specifically ‘as they happen’ programmes.
That is worth a fundraiser in itself. The BBC is a propaganda channel and it has GOT to go.
English Scientist James Lovelock proposed the Gaia theory and he has suggested that nuclear accidents like Chernobyl in the Ukraine have effectively inoculated the Chernobyl exclusion zone of any human activity for at least 20,000 years.
If there is a UKOK nuclear bomb accident in Faslane and you live in Glasgow or the central belt of Scotland, where do you fancy evacuating permanently to?
Aberdeen’s too expensive.
If a second indy referendum was to be held in 2016, based on what you know just now:
– will you vote differently from you did in 2014?
– how did you vote in 2014?
– what is the PRIMARY reason for change in vote?
This should give a rough figure for net rate of change of no to yes
Westminster intends to proceed with ‘EVEL’ legislation, excluding Scottish MPs from issues that don’t directly affect Scotland but which are partly paid for by Scottish taxpayers (Hinckley nuclear, London Crossrail, HS2, NHS).
In those circumstances, would you support paying your taxes directly to a Scottish exchequer instead of the London one?
Can you name any other country that shows more football from outwith that country than its own league
Do you think its fair to show english cricket as headline news on the rest of the countries of the uk
Heedtracker says
“Labour MPs told: don’t mention “Scotland”, talk about Scottish towns and cities instead.”
Hold the front page
Carol Kirkwood used the S word this morning (I think it was a mistake) or maybe she heard I was reviewing my laminated list after her wee faux pas waving her hand over central Scotland describing is as “northrn counties” 🙂
One question on the form:
“As someone who voted No in last year’s referendum, what would make you change your mind and vote Yes, should a second independence referendum be held in 2020?
@ john king (8.31pm).
I’m sure we’ve got one we could spare John, chemically prepared preferably. Anthrax? Plague? Rabies? Impetigo? All of the above?
😉
With the upcoming Holyrood elections, policy questions on
Land reform
Fracking/UGE
Welfare
Taxation
Might be useful.
In the spirit of some of the other suggestions above
Have you viewed pork products differently since the Cameron revelations?
Question to find out % of undecided moved to no after the vow was published. Guessing this has been done already.
Why not have something about how Greece was treated by the EU and if that has changed their willingness to stay in?
Views on how to deal with the Refugee crisis? Resettlement isn’t really a sustainable solution long term.
Opinions on the government spending cap Bill being brought through currently. I would be interested if people think it is a good idea meaning there would be less investment.
Last idea is if trident would be scrapped what else would the money be spent on. Other forms of defense which are more useful or other services like NHS etc. (I know you did an article ages ago, I just wonder if others would prefer that instead of trident).
Should the Scottish Government tell the pretendy undemocratic shithole that is Westminster to fuck off and die?
How about a poll on massive leafleting of how you don’t have to pay the TV license, with proper info on what you can and cannot do?
Q: What is more important to you? Your own view on Scottish Independence or your own social values?
I want to find out if the Union is more important to for example traditional unionist Labour voters than actually having the society they would like to live in. In other words is being in the union more important than being perpetually governed by a party you are diametrically opposed to?
As a direct comparison I would like the same question posed to Yes voters, I want to ask what is most important to most us. Our Independence or our social values?
Anyway I would like to see this rolled into one question encompassing both Yes and No voters. I’m sure you can do a better job of wording the question than I can!
@woosie 19:07
I like your question!
Currently a large majority of primary school teachers are female, perpetuating an imbalance in role models for many young children.
Do you think the current ’50/50′ emphasis on more female MSPs and Councillors should be extended to teaching to ensure gender parity?
Sir Daniel Alexander lost his seat with a swing of over 20% at the 2015 GE.
Sir Daniel didn’t actually lose that many votes but over 10,000 voters that did not vote in the 2010, subsequently decided to turn out and vote SNP
Why?
Is high turn outs at UK GE’s a good thing? and that one’s for toryboy world.
Should there be a SNP aligned party in England. Much like the Labour Party in Scotland is aligned with the Labour Party
J Denham
“Should serious serial sex offenders simply be deprived of their eyesight?”
This aint Saudi Arabia effendi
do an exit poll
ask how did you vote in indyref
how would you vote in indyref2
The next Prime Minister, after David Cameron has left, will be a Tory. So, would you like:
A George Osborne
B Boris Johnson
C Jacob Rees-Mogg
D Some other one
Should Scotland join OPEC? where it might exercise more influence over Oil and Gas Prices?
Should the Oil and Gas Industry in Scotland be totally nationalised for Scotland’s benefit as a whole?
BP got Britoil on the cheap!!!!!!
Should there be a land tax?
Junior doctors: 7 in 10 to leave NHS if Hunt pushes through new contract
Survey of more than 4,000 young medics shows more than 70% would move abroad, become a locum or change career
The Guardian headline tonight.
Why does England keep voting toryboy world?
Is it
A. JK Rowling cast a spell on England but Scotland’s immune?
B. England thinks its posh to vote toryboy world?
Should the Scottish government be able to nationalise public services, for instance the railways?
Should the Scottish Government be able to nationalise industries like steel?
Ian
A George Osborne
B Boris Johnson
C Jacob Rees-Mogg
D Some other one
Rees-Mogg
He would still rip Scotland a new wan but he would do it with impeccable manners. 🙂
Would you support the Scottish Government taking unilateral action to reclaim powers denied by Westminster which are being abused and are harmful to Scottish interests?
Not very well worded, but Westminster will never devolve the likes of broadcasting and control of oil revenues etc, and I want to know what the Scottish government can actually do about it, and under what actual circumstances or provocation would they do it.
I’m not an advocate of a UDI, but if we Scots have the sovereign power to declare it, then isn’t it logical to assume we might claim lesser benchmarks over sovereign issues beneath actual sovereignty itself?
Do you think an Independent Scotland should take an active role in fighting the Pan-European austerity struggle and other necessary reforms needed within the EU and its respective institutions?
Should the Scottish Government commit to help fund a new or redeveloped National Stadium/Arena ?
Even our good stadia like Hampden,Ibrox,and Celtic Park are cobbled together with very obvious design flaws(apart from the stands facing the pitch).
Wales,and Ireland now have superior National Stadia to Scotland.We need a showpiece to match other countries.
@william wilson
An exit poll for Mays election is a must. Wings could organise their own, I’m sure there would be enough volunteers to collect the data.
Any good coders out there that could write simple software to be able to upload results of an exit poll to a central website?
Very unscientific I know but of interest all the same.
Would the public support acts of civic disobedience.
That is if there is an issue that is very important would the public support the Scottish Government defying Westminster even on supposed “reserved” matters. I’m not phrasing this well. But not just to cause a crisis, just when the UK government goes too far on some matter and a stand has to be made.
I hope you get what I mean after that hash.
Apart from OIL what other tax raising sectors are there In Scotland?
Please add to list
A Tourism
B Whiskey
C Marine
D Heritage
E Retail
F Accomodation
G Farming
H Transport
Blair McDougall ?@blairmcdougall 45 mins45 minutes ago
The pleasure some nationalists are taking over @CommunityUnion members losing their jobs is revolting.
Is this true?
If it’s not, what do you think Bliar MacDougal, self proclaimed winner of Scotland’s 2014 referendum, hopes to achieve by publicly making these kind of insults and slanders on people who voted YES?
Do you wish he’d stop and if not why not?
Which source of news/political views do you consider the most important? BBC / Print Media / Internet Social Media
Do you read The National / iScot ?
Do you use Social Media to be informed on Political issues. If so, which.
Agree with idea of print run of booklet if funds can stretch. Do not underestimate how limited the knowledge sources are for many, particularly the old.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pigs_in_blankets_63316
If you go to your mum’s house for Xmas dinner, will Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron appear before you like a ghost of Xmas past, if she serves the above with the turkey?
To reaffirm the relevance of the “UK” would it be better to have wholly ‘British’ teams competing in European & International sports competitions? Eg Football, Rugby, Cricket, Netball etc
A bit O/T
I suppose some would have read the idiotic piece in the Herald that stated that Nicola Sturgeon would miss the banquet being held for the Chinese President. The same article also admitted that she had not actually been invited.
What the article and the media failed to state was that it would be the House of Commons leader of the SNP, Angus Roberson that would attend
Sure enough watching tonight’s CCTV News, they showed Angus Robertson, front and centre, as leader of the UK’s third largest party at the joint houses speech.
As well as Angus Robertson in formal Highland Dress at tonight’s banquet.
Future Holyrood Conservative MSP Professor Smirky of Slovenia, and part author of what ever their historic The Vow fraud does actually turn out to be, predicts in his blog Notes From North Briton that SNP Scots.gov will collapse very soon because of the powers what he “gave” Scotland.
https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/one-year-on-nearly/
“Moreover, well before 2021 the new tax and welfare powers agreed by the Smith Commission and currently being legislated for in the Scotland Bill will be fully in force. Mr Swinney made a complete hash of the first tax devolved to him (stamp duty) and, when he takes charge of income tax in Scotland, which he soon will, his job will get a whole lot harder.”
Q. 1
On the above quote alone from Prof Smirky, if you voted NO for The Vow, did you envisage it actually being used to bring down the current SNP Scots.gov?
Q. 2
If, as Prof Smirky predicts Swinney and say Sturgeon do lose their seats in his 2021 time frame, is the good Prof right to also predict that it will mean the end of Scotland’s move towards independence?
Council tax reform:
Stay the same
Introduce more bands
Replace with income tax
Replace with land value tax
Replace with local VAT
Replace with other taxes
What percentage of the highest earners should pay the 40% rate of income tax? (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30)
What percentage of the
richest dead peoplewealthiest estates should pay inheritance tax? (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30)The Scottish Government should have more powers to raise or lower taxes. (Strongly agree…disagree)
Councils should have more powers to raise or lower taxes. (Strongly agree…disagree)
Some interesting questions here.
I very much like Les Wilson’s,
‘Did you understand our NHS is independent and run by the Scottish Government and has been since 1947?’
(Scottish Office prior to devolution). Followed by Health questions.
I find that an amazing number of people do not understand that our health service is and always has been an entirely different entity. It would be interesting to see the result.
Also like the Westminster questions, perhaps with a preamble along the lines of, ‘ If you watch Westminster debates on the Parliament channel you will have noticed that most of the time very few MPs attend:-‘
Of course the real answer that I am waiting for is, which Country will be first to serve roast pig’s-head at a dinner for Cammy?
Rev Stu…… Instead of a poll……how about placing adds in newspapers with tweets from senior Unionists Swearing their F@$%ing Heids Aff.
You could place other Adds, with some of your articles,
I see it as a choice between a poll where some of it’s value is in entertainment for Indy Folk, OR…….. Putting something in front of Potentiall NO voters to make them think……..
Should it be written into law that Paula Rose, wearing her sharpest stilettos, dances on the nuts of all NO Voters who are heard singing “Flower of Scotland”?
Should the Scottish Government bring back the birch for anyone who voted NO.
@heedtracker
if you oberlay the fukushema comtamination zone ontop of faslane, it stretches to inverness in the north and north london in the south
it is the only thing that Scotland, no…Britain… is too wee for
a nuclear accident
bear in mind fukushema was a leak, not a full scale detonation
no to trident or any type of nuclear power of any kind……ever
Wuffing dug at 8.04
Ha! Made me laugh – now I have some very disgusting pictures in my head!
Rev Stu…… Instead of a poll……how about placing a bet on the 2:40 at plumpton
double yer money ?
Dave says:
Should the Scottish Government be able to nationalise industries like steel?
thanks to the no voters and their fellow tories, Scotland no longer has a steel industry
It is always taken as read (and was certainly hammered home during the referendum) that there is a great closeness, a tight bond, a lot of coming and going between the Scots and the English. I would like to know if that’s true. How often do Scots actually cross the border say in a year?Speaking for myself, I haven’t set foot in England for years and my family and friends do so only rarely. That’s not from any dislike or animosity,
instead of funding a Poll, BUY the Scottish Steel Works that are being closed
1) Westminster Voting Intention
2) Holyrood Voting Intention
3) Independence Voting Intention
4) EU Referendum Voting Intention
5) Leader Trust/Approval Ratings
6) When should another independence referendum be held?
7) Which voting system would you prefer to have for Westminster elections?
8) Do you believe (insert media source) has unbiased reporting?
9) Left-Right positions of major parties.
10) Should children be required to learn Gaelic/Scots in school?
11) Who do you believe has the best policies on (insert issue)?
Should Tax avoiding companies like Starbucks,Amazon, and Google
all be stopped from operating in Scotland, if they continue to
avoid or mask their liabilities?
Should the House of Lords be dissolved?
Do you believe that there was and is a pedophile ring at Westminster, and has information been covered up by MPs and Police officials?
Do you consider it just that Labour could steal 6,000 square miles of Scottish waters and several oil riggs that now belong to England?
Do you believe it just that Westminster traded Scottish Fishing rights to the EU, in order to retain fishing rights for England and Wales?
What percentage of UK TV, Radio and Newspapers do you believe distorts the truth to suit their owners political objectives?
Should the Scottish Liberals pay their outstanding Policing Bill
for last years conference?
Should Michael Carmichael be removed from office and imprisoned
for falsely claiming that the First Minister and 2 French Diplomats discussed a preference for David Cameron as Prime Minister?
Do you believe Carmichael’s Inquiry, into his deliberately lying to the electorate, which cost in excess of £1,000,000, should be
recovered by the Scottish Government from Liberal Party Funds.
Where you aware that All SLAB leaders lied continually about the
largest party at an election must form the next government.
Do you prefer the SNP position of fighting to save Prestwick Airport, Ferguson Shipyard, and Scottish Steel, or should these
assets be closed down as per the Tory Party policy on loss leading industries?
Is the Bedroom Tax, implemented by the Tory party and endorsed
by Labour a Fair Tax on the disabled.
Some 81% of those adversely affected are disabled.
Can you identify why Scotland would be unable to flourish as an independent nation while countries like Ireland, Iceland, and
Norway all succeed?
Do you agree that Westminster should have the right to read everyone’s e-mails without exception?
Between the years 1970 and 2020, Scotland will have been governed by Tory governments for 32 years despite Scotland Never having
voted Tory in any General Elections during that period.
Do you consider this acceptable and democratic.
What percentage of Bills passed through Westminster are influenced by the votes of Scottish MPs?
Is it just over half of 1 percent, 5%,or over 10%.(Ans 0.6 of 1%)
In my comment further up I praised tory mp Heidi Allan for her maiden speech in which she attacked the government’s tax credit plans.
‘A guid speech’ I said. Well, my faith in how evil the tories are has been restored. After all that she voted FOR the government’s plans.
Wonder what her constituents make of her breathtaking hypocrisy?
Very little surprises me now but I am flabbergasted. Do check it out.
Sorry for misleading my fellow wingers but I’m a naive human who expects fellow humans to behave with some vestige of integrity and consistency.
All this must end.
Elizabeth,
That’s an interesting question.
I would guess that a lot of the perceived ‘closeness’ is down to having mainly english media in Scotland.
Meanwhile, down in London-town they are rolling out their best gold begging bowl to ‘impress’ China into getting their state industries to provide the stuff that our state can’t afford!
R u aware that if highest income tax rate in Scotland after 2016 is increased to 50% the lowest 20% band rate must also be increased 25%?
This is important as Dugdale is pretending that there will not be an equivalent rise in the taxes paid by the poorest in Scotland under terms of powers coming after 2016
“Have you ever been in London?” Background: at a recent Spectator event in Edinburgh, attended by both Alex Massie and Prof Adam Tomkins (the latter now a prospective Conservative candidate for Holyrood), the Prof. stated that one of the problems for Unionists in making the case for the Union is that not enough Scots have ever been to London.
schrodingers cat says:
20 October, 2015 at 9:55 pm
@heedtracker
This I did not know. Lovelock came out against wind energy which was a suitably tory English thing to do, after his Gaia stuff and he says his climate change things are alarmist.
Its a toryboy world alright with wealthy toryboys raging away at anything like this in their Scotland region, while vote NO Thanks landowners make millions from wind energy on moi laaaaaaaaaaarnd.
Shackled to lunatics, tory lunatics. Hope sensibledave’s away to his bed.
Why do BBC TV broadcast comments implying Tata’s Scottish plants could have produced the kind of steel. which only formed 10% of the materials used, required fir the Forth Crossing. More misinformation by the state broadcaster
@Tam Jardine (10.23) –
Well spotted.
It’s precisely this type of shite that Mr and Mrs Essex have to get their heads around.
MAN (WRITHING ON GROUND, CUPPING BADLY BRUISED BAWS): What did you do that for?
TORY: I quite clearly said I wouldn’t, and that I found the whole idea repulsive.
MAN: But you did it! You know you did, and I know you did. FFS!
TORY: If you check Hansard, and the available footage, I think you’ll find that I did no such thing.
Watching the Establishment putting on the style for the Chinese President, I have to ask the question, what exactly does Scotland get out of this UK deal.
I know England is getting a Nuclear Power Station and High Speed Rail Links, but what are we getting, apart from ripped off.
If this keeps up, I can see the polls hitting 90% for YES in a year or two, not 60%.
How would you describe Andrew Neil hair?
Why not try and ascertain where people get their facts from to make choices as to the poll agenda..
Corporate mainstream via printed paper and internet plus visual/verbal broadcasts.
Not everyone has the freedom of choice of where they can access information because of cost or even availability. What percentage of the voting population fall into that category?
As this site is only working on one platform then it can only penetrate x% of the electorate and identifying those parts which are excluded, which could be be quite high IMO, could be a useful exercise in targeting future funding.
If you are a No voter what would change your mind (with/without list of option)? Also the same for Yes voters.
Please select from the following the most suitably inconspicuous new security name for Alex Salmond:
A) Sonny Crockett
B) Katniss Everdeen
C) T J Hooker
@ caz-m 9:52 At last an entirely sensible question, thank you honey – glad someones taking this seriously.
I have to ask the question, what exactly does Scotland get out of this UK deal.
I’m from the granite city of Aberdeen and the cooncil feels buy Chinese granite as there’s none at all in…you know the rest. So maybe get a discount.
Q1)Is the current Chancellor fiscally challenged with the structural deficit revised upwards whilst he continues to blame profligate public spending as the cause of the financial crisis,severely cutting infrastructure budgets and supporting a banking system that remains mired in its old ways?
A)Absolutely B)There is no alternative answer
Q2)Should we support a zombie economic policy ‘austerity’ which is really an ideological front for shrinking the state, blaming ‘welfare recipients’ (aka the feckless poor or the 99%)of social services and welfare provision for a budgetary crisis caused by a failure of the financial system in order to punish the poor and vulnerable whilst reducing taxes for the very wealthy
A)Absolutely not B)There is no alternative answer
Q3)Can we trust the current UKOK government to reform a financial system that sets up tax havens with shell corporations, trusts and foundations that function to disconnect money from its true owners?
A)Absolutely not B)There is no alternative answer
Q4)Would an independent Scotland with its educated and engaged electorate have capacity to make its own decisions about how best to manage and grow its economy, maintain adequate social provision, plan ahead for future generations, become energy self-sufficient and narrow the inequality gap?
A)Absolutely B)There is no requirement for an alternative answer
If you vote Tory, what do you think about when you are eating a bacon roll?
If there is to be a question about tactical voting at Holyrood, could it please not use the terms “first choice” and “second choice”?
Some – though of course not all – of the people promoting tactical voting are doing so for what I regard as very dubious reasons, and are trying to present the list vote as some sort of second preference, which encourages split voting.
It’s AMS, not STV, and any question needs to be worded carefully to help people understand the potential consequences of their choices (which doesn’t automatically make the question(s) loaded), while also assessing the extent to which tactical voting is being considered, if that is the main point of asking the question in the first place.
Something along the lines of:
Are you aware that every winter thousands of Scottish pensioners are faced with the dilemma of using their pittance of a pension to either eat or heat, but can’t afford both?
Are you aware how many pensioners die every winter because of fuel poverty in oil rich Scotland while Westminster rakes in billions of pounds from Scottish oil?
Are you aware how many pensioners die every winter because of fuel poverty in oil rich Scotland while Westminster rakes in billions of pounds from Scottish oil?
Everyone probably knows that. But NO was pretty high in that demographic too.
If you had to choose, would you vote to remain in the United Kingdom or vote to remain in the European Union?
Would you be willing to pay an extra 1p of tax voluntarily if it was guaranteed to be ringfenced and spent on the NHS without causing an equivalent reduction in normal funding.
Emphasis on you would have to agree to this tax personally.
Would you support the government setting up an independent Scottish lottery.
Should the actual financial status of Scotland, including all taxes earned in Scotland, even if evaded, avoided or paid at a lower rate elsewhere, be published in the public domain? Should the Official Secrets Act, whereby Government Ministers and officials must lie to the people for the rest of their lives, be abolished?
Been watching the Chinese State visit on Sky News and the British are practically begging the Chinese to help them.How degrading it looks.
Things must be pretty desperate when they wheel out the poor tired old near nonegenarian monarch to plead for money.
Just as well it’s not Chinese Year of the Pig,or Davy Cameron & co. might be on a loser.
Yeaaaaa! I Can now get my subscriptions to the National and Sunday Herald via the National website !!!!
RE; POLL QUESTION”S. – Agree with Hamish at 3.18
Q – Would you start to use a Scottish Digital Currency if it became available for use via debit card ?
I would like an open ended question about what people see as the main benefits of union. I see no case for it but it seems to me that those who oppose independence may have some positives which escape MSM. So i would really like to know what they value, if only to inform our future arguments
When the Queen invited the Chinese President to Buckingham Palace for a Banquet do you think she had offered him Prawn Toast or Ribs after his Soup?
Stephen.
‘To demonstrate support for the continuance of the United Kingdom would you be prepared (as are ‘new’ citizens and MSPs) to publicly swear loyalty to Her Majesty The Queen?’
That’s pretty much a yes/no, eh?
O/T Rev – please keep a good sum aside from the Wings Fighting Fund for the second version of the WBB.
The Community Union, who are the major Union behind Scottish steel workers, encouraging it’s Lanarkshire members last year to vote NO in the Independence Referendum.
Better Together and all that.
The brew is jist doon there mate.
http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/blog/entry/community-union
It is very likely Westminster politicians will vote yes to the replacement of Trident, (even if the whole of Scotland were not in support).
There is no tactical advantage gained from retaining Trident warheads in Scotland since the nuclear submarines are only of use at the time they are deployed deep underwater in the North Atlantic. So the decision to retain Trident in the UK is purely a political statement.
Logistics indicate that there is a distinct advantage (financial and tactically) to be gained by moving all warheads, together with the four Trident submarines to Kings Bay in the US, where they would be co-located with the US submarine fleet.(as they have been in the past).
The four submarine crews would be rotated through Kings Bay. One crew deployed. One crew based at Kings Bay. Two crews in the UK training or on leave.
Faslane could still be used to provide a base for conventional submarines including those of NATO member countries including the US, (this happens now although not widely touted).
This is a question which would provde answers so that our MP’s would be able to go to Westminster and float that option as a compromise solution.
Would you want a uk team at any sport if it mean Wales England Scotland and NI teams were lost?
Follow up question
Should international teams only be allowed if actual nation
@ Tam Jardine Just consol yourself by that fact that it did,nt take to long for the Tory in her to break out lol.
An Tam never trust ah Tory,on anything.
I would like the question “have you ever served in the British military in any capacity.” I’m particularly interested in the older age group. I am an old age pensioner who voted yes. Old age pensioners tend to be lumped into one group who mainly voted no. I have yet to meet any pensioners, over 70, who were in the military or called up (conscription) between 1945-1960 who voted yes. Most of the pensioners I know between 60-70, they missed conscription, voted yes. From what I have seen almost anyone who has served in the British military is unreachable when it comes to changing their vote to yes.
I have just found out that Scotland did contribute to tonight’s banquet with the Queen and the Chinese President.
They shot a couple of dozen Balmoral Highland deer and flew them down to the banquet, so they could eat them.
It’s a start, is it not?
It really makes you feel – wanted.
Okay, I’ve read every suggested questions and, honestly, I don’t think any of them are worth asking.
Well, maybe some of them are worth asking but I don’t think any are worth answering. And I don’t particularly want to hear what the answers would be.
The grim reality is that the majority of Scottish people, probably around 70%, want independence. We all know this. We were cheated in the referendum — between the scaremongering and the vow, who can blame them for chickening it… It doesn’t make them unionists, just hapless battered-wife type victims of evil doers and their cohorts in the media.
That’s the real story. That’s where we are.
If you have money to spare, give it to food banks or something. Christmas is just around the corner; use the money to make a couple of poor people happier. That’s really what we are all about.
Ian Brotherhood
Even now Ian, having mulled it over in my head I can’t really understand it. Why make a maiden speech bigging up your concerns for all your poor constituents in Cambridgeshire South or wherever it is she represents.
She presumably has a surgery for her constituents who are, after all, her employers. If I was down there and in receipt of tax credits I would be heading round there with a pitchfork and a flaming torch. What the fuck is the matter with these people?
When is England going to wake up? Probably never. The guardian, bastian of the left(!) still has a couple of articles up essentially in praise of this act of defiance when in reality this was one of the basest displays I have ever witnessed in politics.
In my comfortable wee middle class world the wolf is a safe distance from the door provided me and my wife both keep our full time jobs and don’t start getting ideas above our station and go on expensive holidays or buy a new motor but I am fucking aware that not everybody is in our situation. And that if one of us loses our job or falls ill or dies or whatever we might conceivably have to look to the state for help.
I blame the media- they have been spinning plates for the establishment for decades.
In a normal country Heidi would be getting torn a new one by press, the BBC and ultimately her constituents. We shall see what the fallout is the morn.
What was the stance of the tories on tax credits before the election? I am fairly sure they did not get elected on a platform of hollowing out working families… as many articulated during the debate today- they were all about supporting the strivers.
One last observation from the commons today- when so many labour MPs today spoke up for their constituents and put forward a strong argument, side by side with the SNP, the DUP, the SDLP and presumably others (I could not watch the whole debate)- why were they so fundamentally opposed to working with the SNP before the election? Like it was something unholy? I doubt the folk on tax credits or those on modest incomes were too phased that labour stood shoulder to shoulder with the SNP today. Weak- how truly weak of them.
As I said above- Ken Clarke had the temerity to suggest that most but not all employers would be increasing their staffs wages to make up for the shortfall. Aye- I can just see Tesco or Sainsbury or the small business owner who’s struggling giving their staff a £2K wage rise to make up for the tories new attack on the poor.
Of course we have a Scottish Goverment getting shiny new powers who will have the ability to protect the poor from this attack… if they can only just save £400,000 or whatever per year from the police force or the health service or whatever.
Anyway- on a completely unrelated subject- when are we going to stop fannying about with those old subs and start pumping some serious money into getting some new nuclear weapons delivery devices? That is clearly much more important than poor people being able to feed themselves in the UK in the 21st century.
Here is a question that I am not sure about.
The Tories have or are going to, exclude Scottish MP’s from voting on the proposed New Heathrow airport, using EVEL.
If they are excluded, does that mean we need make no contribution by help funding it? If we have no vote, how can we be expected to pay……
If it goes ahead and we vote on it, A Salmond says it would mean an additional £500 million to our Barnett formula funds.
Fiona @ 11.32
Good Q Fiona , WTF is the benefit of the Union ?
The only one strikes me , only ’cause am a lazy so an so , I pay my tax and they do everything after that . I don’t have to lift a finger. Doh !
Q What is the WBB ?
Q Have you read the WBB ?
Q Rate WBB 1to 10 ?
Q Would you read a FACTs sheet ?
Q Have you logged on & read any WOS
Like dislike ?
For me we need to understand the thought process / mindset of those who were No.
Heedtracker ” Cooncil feels” LoL Gypes!
Ref Granite , Inverness had a major City Street upgrade , which looked good when it was done a few years ago. Again Granite from China. Not sure if the locals knew this?
I never understood the Rubislaw Closure.
Michty mee , the only thing wi mak here noo is bairns!
Dakk @ 11.20
Even Steve Hilton who has written speeches for Cameron said it was the most embarrassing display he had ever seen.
He said he has lost many arguments over not compromising on Human Rights. He advocates a better relation with India. Sounded like the guy had some principles! As Evan Davis also pointed out, there is no way British workers would be installing a nuclear plant in China.
As someone who follows Ecowatch, the first worker has just been diagnosed with cancer from the Fukishima disaster. The Chinese are also now heavily investing in very large renewable energy projects.
It’s only the UK who is going backwards – removing onshore wind farm subsidies, losing jobs and investment, and investing in nuclear, when everyone wants out of that.
Wouldn’t want to be near Hinckley when they start fracking down there.
@ caz-m. Community Union, more like the Complient Union.
Sorry for O/T here but I’m curious.
I have had a wee check of the NOE voters in the Tax Credit Cut debate yesterday and they are all Tories bar one who is an EX Tory … Carswell the UKIPPER.
The Tories won the debate by 22 votes yet I understand they only had a majority in May G.E. of 12 so can I really be right in thinking that there are a number of Labour M.P.’s who sat on their hands … AGAIN?
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/454/
Should broadcast historians who talk about the past in the present tense be:
1 Ridiculed?
2 Sacked?
3 Hunted with dogs?
Does a functioning Democracy require an impartial Media?
Does a functioning Democracy require freedom of speech?
Is Britain a Democracy?
@Tam Jardine (12.01) –
Fine comment there.
Yea brother, ’tis a serr fecht richt enough.
You remind me of me, a couple of years ago. I’m dog-tired now, and have given up going to SSP meetings since all the RISE palaver started-up. Too many egos, and not nearly enough cash around to explain their presence…
That’s how cynical I’ve become. It’s sad but, hey, idealists ain’t exactly thick on the ground in WM or Holyrood. MPs, MSPs, they’re tough people, and they don’t enter the business lightly – I’m afraid that, compared to the kind of characters who are able to survive in such surroundings, we (and by ‘we’ I mean ordinary, normal citizens rather than aspiring politicians) don’t have a hope of ever understanding them – and if we can’t do that? we’ll never ever win against them.
They know and understand that. But not enough of us do.
That’s why they can afford to play the long-game. And it’s why we can’t.
Tam,
On R4 this evening there several mentions and clips of her speech but they never mentioned that she then voted for the bill!
Unless the main news outlets or her local paper publish most of her constituents won’t know that she voted for it, just that she made a good speech against it.
Is Scotland a country?
@ Ian Brotherhood and Tam Jardine,
A few years ago i was ‘lucky enough’ to get a seat in the public gallery at Glasgow Council on the day where a series of votes were to take place to decide on the closure of several Glasgow Schools. I have never had a high optinion of politicians and since that day my opinion of politicans is as low as can be. Here’s what happened.
One by one, each labour Councillor made a speech, a plea to save the school that was in his ward, when the speech was made, the vote was taken and said speechmaker, I presume, voted in favour of keeping his school open, however the rest of the labour Councillors duly voted to close said school, and thus the school was closed anon.
Then the next Labour councillor would make a speech, an impassioned plea to save said school, and a vote was taken and again I presume he voted to save his school, having voted to close the previous school, and the votes were counted and the school was to be duly closed.
Up in the gallery parents and some children, were all holding hands as the speeches were made and the votes cast and one by one as the schools were condemned to closure, many of the women burst out in tears, some of the children were in tears too. I had a wee bubble myself, it was hard not to.
Down below in the chamber, the Labour politicians were all laughing and playing with their phones, sending texts, giggling away, cos to them it was all a bit of a joke and they all knew what was going on. They’d been instructed to vote to close the schools but were permitted to vote to save the school that was in their own ward, knowing full well they had a majority and their vote would be meaningless.
There were no principles at work in the conventional sense. Just following orders. Sure, some of the speeches were delivered with faux gusto and sincerity, but everyone watching knew it was a sham.
I think this sort of thing happens a lot more than most people realize. And it breaks my fuckin heart.
@ Lesley-Anne
There are at least 4 non-Labour MPs who didn’t vote Aye though they might have been expected to; not all the Tories were there so perhaps there was some limited pairing – do the smaller parties pair? I can’t be bothered to go right through the lists to check who didn’t vote from Labour and Tory. But I don’t think there is evidence of mass Lab abstention.
1. Do you want the Trident missile system to have a fourth stage booster?
2. Should we stuff Cameron, Osborne and IDS as the payload of a Trident missile and launch it into outer space?
3. Do you want to change your answer to question 1?
No way I’m going through that many comments, so sorry if…
Question. If, and how your perception of the purpose of the MSM has changed over time.
More/less trusted –
Pre to post Indy ?
Post internet. 2000 ish ?
Shouldn’t the insults to JKR and others stop?
Aren’t they counter-productive?
What’s wrong with a consensual approach?
If somebody clearly disagrees why not just leave them alone and know that their opinions are held by only an small minority of voters?
Isn’t it most effective when we put all our energies into positive campaigning?
1. Are you registered to vote?
2. Do you have a bank account?
Might seem like meaningless questions, but, a lot of people in the poorer parts of Scotland are somewhat off the grid for whatever reason, they take their giros to the post office…they don’t vote.
Some people have Council Tax arears they’re avoiding, some people have other (similar) issues that preclude them from registering to vote.
It seems that most political parties, even the SNP, talk about ordinary working people…I guess that’s all well and good, but what about the rest? When it comes to winning a referendum we need every bloody vote.
@MJT (1.23) (Hey, that rhymes!) –
Cheers for that. It’s important testimony.
I remember watching a live TV broadcast from inside Glasgow City Chambers, few years ago – some high heid yin or other was being interviewed about an important meeting which had just cast such and such a vote. (Come to think of it, could’ve been Mathieson…) Anyway, as the interview proceeded, the chamber emptied, right behind the dude being interviewed, and they all traipsed out. A sadder-looking collection of human specimens would be hard to imagine. It was as if the main gate at Jurassic Park had been left open, and out they came…
They’ve had their day. These SLab Plodovertheroadicusses are done and dusted. We are finding new ways of doing all sorts of stuff, and their input, meagre and half-hearted as it was, won’t be required.
🙂
Les Wilson says:
20 October, 2015 at 4:42 pm
Did you understand our NHS is independent and run by the Scottish Government and has been since 1947?
—-
A multiple choice answer would give more accuracy here.
I suspect some people think NHS Scotland is still partly funded by the UK government.
I agree with Stephen McKenzie above. It should be rebranded as the ‘Scottish NHS’, or perhaps the ‘Scottish Health Service’.
One of the reasons NHSGGC gave for for renaming the Southern General was accuracy for which area it represents, so this follows the same kind logic.
And it seems important that people realize what their taxes pay for, who is responsible, and avoid confusion with the NHS in England and Wales where there some significant differences.
Caz-m says
“They shot a couple of dozen Balmoral Highland deer and flew them down to the banquet, so they could eat them.”
Has anyone coonted the dugs?
_______________________________________________________
Paul Beck says
“Should broadcast historians who talk about the past in the present tense be:”
1 Ridiculed?
2 Sacked?
3 Hunted with dogs?
Eh…all three?
_____________________________________________________
Can we have a question like
WHEN we gain our independence will you lot stop the tiresome Scottish thrawn shit eg snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, (its fucking boring and makes us look like assholes) and start doing things the easy way you fucking idiots?
Should Scotland have its own broadcaster? Yes/No/Don’t Know
Should Scotland take in more refugees? Y/N/DK
Would you be happy to have refugees housed in your neighbourhood? Y/N/DK
Where do you get information about news and politics? The TV/Newspapers/Internet/Social Media/Other
Do you know about the McCrone Report and what its subject matter is? Y/N/Not sure
Do you believe there should be another referendum on Scottish independence? Y/N/DK
If you say Yes, in your opinion, when do you believe another referendum should take place? In 2 years time/3/5/10/Other
Try to find the single celled gene that inspires low-life to support Rangers.
Scotland’s World Cup
Emotions are running high, and rightly so.
It was an epic day in Scottish sporting history.
But it’s important that the right emotions prevail.
Anger yes for a proven injustice should fade to pride, elation, satisfaction for a job very well done from a team ranked ninth morally beating the second favourites and Southern Hemisphere champions.
The players should all stand taller, their chests broader, with a smile of satisfaction and a look in their eyes steelier than before.
They did themselves and Scotland proud.
As our Rugby World Cup Anthem says – “and sent him homeward tae think again”
David Halliday says:
Is Scotland a country?
If yes, do you believe it should have the same rights & responsibilities as all other countries on the planet?
When will all parties sit round the table for one final meeting to confirm the terms of “the vow” and when will they have the balls to deliver the full vow, we were made a promise and that promise should be delivered or those responsible for failing to deliver should be held accountable.
What about an article about the UK getting into hock with the Chinese to build a new nuclear power station at Hincley.
With the UK government agreeing a strike price of some £92.00 per MWh whilst cutting subsidy to the renewable sector, the UK government have just signed off on the destruction of the thousands of clean renewable energy projects and jobs in Scotland.
Aside of the environmental issues and the fact that consumers will be paying subsidy for this foreign investment for the next sixty years, this is a direct attack by Westminster to do down Scotland’s renewable energy capacity by paying trillions in future profits to foreign governments.
Willie says
“this is a direct attack by Westminster to do down Scotland’s renewable energy capacity by paying trillions in future profits to foreign governments.”
I could not agree more, if Russia had done the same thing with Ukraine it would have been described as a hostile act by a foreign government,
CAMERON HAS DECLARED WAR ON SCOTLAND,
LET THERE BE NO MISTAKE!
Q: To help reduce the burden on the NHS of cancer and respiratory problems, as well as the suffering of individuals, should councils mandate that bus companies run purely electric fleets?
Q: To help reduce the burden on the NHS of obesity, should there be a sugar tax?
Q: to help reduce the burden on the police service and inconvenience to residents, should Protestant-supremacist sectarian marches be:
– banned
– limited to once per year
– neither
Do you think the media in the UK and Scotland in particular is honest and truthful?
Should Scotland spend its oil revenues on Trident?
Q: In BBC services, is Scotland currently:
– underrepresented
– overrepresented
– about right
Q: In order to lessen the burden on the NHS, police, and fire service of alcohol, should there be:
– a ban on alcohol advertising
– increased taxation on alcohol
– sales limited to dedicated off-licenses, rather than supermarkets and newsagents
– smaller measures to be standardised
– other
Q: Should Scotland get powers transferred from Westminster in order to enact the above?
Is Westminster voting to replace trident sufficient to hold another referendum
@shug
“Is Westminster voting to replace trident sufficient to hold another referendum”
It bloody well should be, but its not.
Whatever the UKs defence and foreign policies are? We have no say until we decide, as a majority, we’ve had enough of them. Until that time, last year’s result and ALL of its consequences? Well we’re part of that.
OT links
Labour: Scottish former voters see party as ‘irrelevant’ and ‘part of the past’
https://archive.is/vrNkN
https://www.facebook.com/RichardArklessSNP/posts/402527146610331
http://www.insidemoray.com/moray-finally-admits-defeat-in-the-race-for-space/
http://sputniknews.com/world/20151021/1028844531/canada-withdraws-syria-jets.html#ixzz3p9DZxmKC
Scotland has always had a different attitude to social housing than RUK, despite decades of privatisation in the sector, creating what has become a residualised tenure. In an attempt to combat Generation (private) Rent I’d like to see some exploration around attitudes towards social housing as I doubt they are as negative as we are lead to believe. Questions such as…
If it was well built and in an area where you want to live, would you consider living in social housing?
or
Given the choice between private renting and good quality social housing, which would you prefer?
OT
I wonder if pigeon was on the menu at last night’s whorefest in Buck house.
I thought pigate was bad. Don’t wish to put anyone off their porridge but seriously we are ruled by deviants.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/pigeongate
The Community Union rep on the tranny(radio)this morning, complaining that the energy bills to run these steel plants is far too high.
Energy prices are controlled by the UK Government, who the Community Union advised it’s members last year to stay part of.
They pushed for a NO vote in the Referendum, so watch out for “SNP Bad” coming from their direction.
Surely people have better things to spend their money on, rather than keeping English based Unions afloat.
In 2012 I told my Union, the GMB, to go and take a hike when I found out they were backing a NO vote in the Referendum.
OT links
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/naval/ships/2015/10/15/nuclear-sub-project-poses-uks-biggest-financial-challenge/73980484/
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2015/oct/19/ttip-already-changing-food-standards-eu-and-it%E2%80%99s-going-get-worse-according-new
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151015/1028580059/ttip-talks-brussels-lobbyists.html
Is Ian Duncan Smith an asshole or a total asshole?
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/20/jk-rowling-interview-robert-galbraith-bbc-radio-2
A coincidence I’m sure. Are you? Scottish democracy exploited by super rich chancer to stay in BBC headlines, shock.
“Though Rowling is most famous for the Harry Potter series, which made her the UK’s best-selling author, she has also racked up success writing for an older audience.”
And paying BetterTogether £1,000,000 to stop Scotland dead in its tracks last year.
Dont be coy Mr Galbraith.
“The Scottish Health Service” has a nice ring to it. It should be a “no cost” rebrand though otherwise the costs will be pointed out by the MSM as money that could be spent on more nurses.
Lets start calling it the Scottish Health Service. let them rebrand their letterheads and other paperwork as the current stock runs out. Rebrand vehicles on the same basis too.
No expensive PR firms to come up with a logo either, a Saltire says it all.
Correct Newsreaders and interviewers when they refer to NHS Scotland.
Good on ye Caz. I think there should be a few people going to their Unions raising hell, and resigning their membership.
Clear out the leadership of these places and renew it at the first opportunity and vote on pro independence people who have a vision for our country.
Mine are mostly covered but i think energy self sufficiency is critical going forward for Scotland if it is to be independent.
Tories are going to leave us an net energy importer in next 10 years (ish) with green subsidy cuts etc
SG won’t allow new nuclear power plants to be built.
So my question would be around
‘Where should Scotland get its energy from in the future?’ (with options)
No lights no independent Scotland.
I would also be interested if people would vote to accept fracking in Scotland if it enabled independence from Westminster and a chance to build a better country?
State embarrassment. The Tories are starving the vulnerable but holding lavish State dinners for Billionaires. Cutting taxes and then borrowing another £30Billion from China. For outdated, expensive Nuclear Stations and ‘white elephant’ rail lines. The Tories and their associates will get their cut of the contracts. Family and friends will make £Millions in fees and consultancies. That is why they are in politics.
The Unionist Parties should have no vote on Trident based in Scotland. The Scottish Gov should keep on investing in renewables and refuse planning permission for Trident.
The people who voted NO but expect the Scottish Gov to protect their, jobs, pensions and benefits will regret it.
sinky 10:40 pm
Why do BBC TV broadcast comments implying Tata’s Scottish plants could have produced the kind of steel. which only formed 10% of the materials used, required fir the Forth Crossing. More misinformation by the state broadcaster
This is one of their sleekit propaganda techniques that gets me shouting at the radio. Broadcast unchallenged comments from ill-informed punters (who may or may not even exist). Gets the sound-bite out there, but its its not them that’s saying it, oh no. They are still ‘impartial’.
Q: Assuming all goes to plan and Scotland decides to become independent, how confident are you that rUK would get on with it, negotiate in good faith and become good neighbours?
A: totally/yes/grudgingly/dummies spat
Scotland is already in surplus in fuel and energy. There is Oil off the West coast, which can’t be developed because of Faslane. Scotland is half empty. Can Scotland use imported fracked Gas from elsewhere without fracking here?
Macart, you say Trident “bloody well should be” a trigger for a referendum. Is that a criticism of Nicola?
Should the Scottish Government control the licensing of mineral extraction and impose a blanket ban on planning applications for fracking, UGC and long wall mining?
Should our Scottish emergency services be subjected to Vat payment, when the rUK are not. Police /Fire/ Ambulance & other services.
Should Private Schools have Charitable Status & Exempt from paying the full Council Tax, when Local Authority Public Schools pay the full ammount.
Should all National Broadcasters be allowed to present Lies to the Public or unfactual truths via Radio/TV/Internet, without some form of sanctions (ie heavy fines) & a retraction of the same air time. & Heavy Fines for deliberatly missleading the Public
Same would apply to Newsprint ,using the larger print space & larger bolder print, & where individual opine is present
in reporting, that should be Highlighted as such. & deliberatly missleading the Public.
Glamaig / sinky
at 8:50
“Why do BBC TV broadcast comments implying Tata’s Scottish plants could have produced the kind of steel. which only formed 10% of the materials used, required fir the Forth Crossing. More misinformation by the state broadcaster”
A couple of years ago Michael McMahon MSP (Lab) lied to the Scottish parliament by stating the same lie. This was pointed and he has still to apologise to the parliament for Lying
This was covered by WoS at the time. See link.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/dont-stand-by-me/
Should all National Broadcasters be allowed to present Lies to the Public or unfactual truths via Radio/TV/Internet, without some form of sanctions (ie heavy fines) & a retraction of the same air time. & Heavy Fines for deliberatly missleading the Public
YES ofcourse Ronnie! Freedom of speech. They can say, write, broadcast anything they like. Someones deliberate mislead is anothers fact. Its why BBC Vote Scotland are what they are.
They’re right, you’re wrong and vice versa.
Whatever happens, never end that one elemental freedom. Its what all those guys that ran up those beaches of Normandy in 1944 gave their lives for.
I love the smell of my own pomposity in the morning.
@ gerry parker. As I have long said re-branding Scottish NHS at little cost a Larger S on every SNHS hosp, & blue backlighting would help differentiate ,when BBC are doing their reporting from a SNHS facility,
& extend that to Doctors Surgeries, Health Centres,as you say only replace headed paper as & when it has to be replaced.
Do you recognise relative child poverty in Scotland?
Yes and it concerns me.
No, because I dont understand.
Yes but it doesn’t concern me.
No as there is no such thing in Scotland.
Sorry that’s the wrong link in my previous comment. (Well McMahon has form on this) I will try to find the correct link. 🙁
Keep it simple:
Do you think Scotland should have state / news broadcasting devolved?
Do you think Scotland should maintain its own separate Broadcasting Commission?
Other topics:
Do you believe Postal Balllots require greater scrutiny during elections?
Do you trust the Electoral Commission to act impartially?
Do you think future Independence Referendums should be overseen by foreign observers?
O/T
Could someone with a Guardian account go btl on this article about crowd funding for justice and tell the author of that article we’re way ahead of them when it comes to this!
Hones tae fuck has nobody in England heard what is happening in Scotland with the Carmichael case? I know it’s not quite the same thing this young lawyer is on about, but in essence we’re doing it here already!
Scottish population:
~ Do you see Scotland as an international country on the world stage? If not, why not? (options)
~ Do you think Scotland is recognised as an international country by the world stage? If not, why not, if so, why so? (options)
Good inquisitive QT and lots of new readers saying hello.. will be interesting to see the next traffic report 🙂
Doh…the link tae the article I’m referring to.
https://archive.is/4tbNG
@ Lesley-Anne from last night
Rather than trawl through the names, I’ve done a calculation, and the number of No votes was 11 less than the Con + UKIP – (deputy speaker + tellers) total, and the number of Ayes was also 11 less than the Others – (deputy speakers + tellers + 4 non-Lab missing).
So, taking pairing into account, there were no Lab abstentions at all. So this time – not guilty.
@ronnie anderson and gerry parker
RE: SNHS
Good points and two birds for the price of one. Re-branding would be a big aid come indyref2. BTs weaponising of our health services during the indyref and Labour’s standalone attempts ever since could have been made that wee bit more problematic if they had been forced to refer to a Scottish Health Service.
Should Scottish shops and retail outlets reject Bank of England notes?
shug & Macart .
As someone who joined Scottish C.N.D in the year of their formation, the sight of George Osbourne at Faslane announcing an “investment” of £500m into the facility to accommodate the next generation of Trident, was, for me, the game changer moment ,and a cast iron reason to hold another referendum.
That’s me with my, ” if there is a nuclear accident, never mind nuclear war” hat on, then not only most of Scotland would be affected, and made uninhabitable, but according to the map published by C.N.D, a large swathe of northern England would also suffer.
However, as Mac points out, probably for the majority of voters this single event wouldn’t be enough to convince them of a case to vote Yes to independence, although for me why not is beyond me, considering the risks involved.
So yes, the sheer arrogance of Westminster in assuming that they are going to lumber us, the Scottish people, with the upgrading of this useless weapon of mass destruction, is a question that should be asked, “Do you want Trident to continue to be based at Coulport/Faslane”.
What would we do without Wings over Scotland?
I think that I would go mad! Thanks for all the great and amusing questions. You all keep me sane!
At what point after redundancy will the steel workers (strivers) begin being referred to by the tories as skivers?
Nana anent being ‘ruled by deviants’.
I read an article last night in the Guardian by the author Dan Davies who wrote that book about Saville, and btl someone posted a link to an essay by a guy named Andrew O’Hagan who wrote about the culture at the BBC in the days prior to them signing up Saville.
Although the article is a couple of years old now, it gives an insight into the rampant ‘deviant’ culture at the core of the BBC. The O’Hagan guy seems like an apologist for the abuses in the essay. (It was ‘the culture’ at that time, still is actually) If you can get past that insidious tone and just realise what he is actually relating, it’s a real eye opener.
Everyone knew what was going on prior to 1964 when Saville joined, makes sense everyone knew what was going on after he joined too.
Anyone reading this will never recall their ‘children’s programmes’ from the early days of the BBC, in the same light again.
The BBC is one of the most corrupt organisations on the planet. They all protect each other…just like the red/yellow and blue tories…they are all cut from the same cloth.
https://archive.is/S6C0A
1. Should (or could) the Scottish Government set up an investment fund to buy houses from people who are in danger of defaulting on their mortgage and thus losing their home? Should Housing Associations be given a role in this to purchase the house and then to let it to the former owner?
2. Should the Scottish Government refuse to participate in any dealings with the House of Lords on the grounds that they are unelected and undemocratic, and vigourously push for the abolition of the House of Lords?
3. If you accept that the Gaming Industry has the potential to be a great economic benefit to the Scottish economy, should the Scottish Government attempt to raise money to foster Scottish game-designing talent?
Should private schools be allowed?
Should private schools be allowed charitable trust status?
Should private schools be allowed to use English exams?
OT, but regarding the steel industry, the BBC & STV were, last night, casting aspersions, again, at the Scottish Govt., that it did not award any new Forth Road Bridge steel orders to a Scottish steel plant. The implication being that the Scottish Govt could have avoided these closures if it had done so but it had chosen Chinese steel over Scottish steel. BAD SNP.
The truth as pointed out by ‘The National’ today is that the Scottish Govt in fact received no tender for any steel orders from any Scottish or, indeed, any UK steel plant. Apparently the amount of steel required for the new Forth bridge was way beyond their output capacity.
Funny how the BBC & STV failed to mention that rather pertinent point in their *ahem* ‘news’ (ie anti-SNP) broadcasts last night! Watch out for more of the same from them today and see if either of them ever mention that no UK steel plants had the capacity to tender for the new Forth Road Bridge steel contract, which is why the Scots Govt had to seek the steel furth of Scotland.
@Alex Beveridge
If it didn’t swing it last year Alex, then it won’t today. Though for the life of me…
For most folks its the day to day worries; putting food on the table,paying the bills, the mortgage, the rent etc, or having an SNHS with aid at point of need. The issues of nations, defence, geo politics, the democratic process comes a bit further down on their list of priorities.
Should Scottish History be put on the curriculum from primary school onwards?
OT-Leaflet just delivered by postman “Try the new Scotsman free for 6 days and half price for 3 months”. Nae chance.
Instead of wearing 17th century costume,should officials at Westminster have to wear 23rd century costume?
21 Oct 2015 – Happy Back to the Future day, folks.
So, let’s see:
Tories still in power.
Scotland becoming industrial wasteland.
The poor being mercilessly victimised.
Austerity max.
Scots battling for independence thwarted by establishment dirty tricks.
Scotland’s wealth draining south.
David Cameron molesting dead pigs.
“So here we are, Marty–21st October, 2015. What do you think?”
“Doc–it’s just like 1985!”
On the daily anti SNP Govt propaganda broadcasts last night, both STV & BBC were gleefully pointing out that winter deaths among the old in Scotland had peaked last winter to a 15 year high. Both unionist propaganda outlets were, again,casting aspersions at the Scots Govt; ie that the Scots Govt is failing NHS Scotland. The BBC & STV were keen to point out that this spike took place during avery mild Scottish winter (so again the implication from them is that NHS Scotland is faling).
Might I suggest another possible cause for the 15 year spike in elderly deaths in Scotland?
For two years all of us in Scotland were subjecting to a quite astonishingly relentless ‘Project fear’ campaign waged by the likes of McTernan, McDougall, Gordon Brown, Lamont, Murphy, Curran, Darling etc. etc. (we know who they all are). It’s aim was to grind us down day in day out that we were too wee, too poor, too stupid. It drained me and I am not old. It wore me down and I am not old. It depressed me and I am not old. It provoked in me anger, rage and contempt but, like most YES voters we nursed our wrath and we kept in warm until 8 May 2015. Then it was pay back. That is how we coped.
But how did our vulnerable and elderly cope with Project Fear’s all out war against the Scottish psyche? A war supported whole heartedly by the BBC, STV & the unionist press? The elderly are far more likely to ‘give up’ in the face of this psychologically war fare and make no mistalke that is what it was; a war. I suggest that research must be carried out to ascertain if collateral damage to ‘Project Fear’ caused this 15 year high elderly morality spike in Scotland’s elderly, who by all accounts were terrified into voting NO.
Yes, BBC, STV, Daily Record, Scotsman etc. etc. It appears you did play your part well and look at your results.
t42
“80 year old No voters need to know the price of a loaf matches the coin in their pocket.
I don’t think they are interested in bitcoin.”
Hear hear. Cryptocurrencies are unproven. I respect that the Common Weal/New Economics Foundation report is trying to work with the powers we have to introduce change gradually in advance of another referendum.
However, we need to ask:
1) would it actually work?
2) if so, could the general public be convinced of this?
The jury is very much out on question 1, and even if (and it’s a big if) it is viable, I cannot see the general public being convinced by it. People weren’t convinced by a currency union, an option used in other countries and supported by Nobel prize winning economists. They are not going to get on board with a technological innovation that is unproven in other countries and proposed by a hippyish think tank.
The NEF don’t appear to have any interest in Scottish independence. They seem to want to use Scotland a testing ground for an unproven technology that they think could change the world.
I’m willing to be proved wrong, but that is my impression after reading their report and some background on cryptocurrencies.
Q. How do you feel about your personal/family finances since the No vote in the Scottish Referendum?
A. Financially better off
B. Potentially better off
B. No difference
C. Worse off
D. Potentially going to be worse off
Cuilean
“I suggest that research must be carried out to ascertain if collateral damage to ‘Project Fear’ caused this 15 year high elderly morality spike in Scotland’s elderly, who by all accounts were terrified into voting NO.”
I hadn’t thought of that. I’m not sure how we could prove that it was the case, but if death rates were higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK then it sounds plausible to me.
This deserves wider attention.
Dalzell steelworks in Motherwell produced sheet steel. Utterly useless if you are constructing a bridge!
Yes, BBC, STV, Daily Record, Scotsman etc. etc. It appears you did play your part well and look at your results.
Did we really lose to the brilliant minds that daily give UKOK world stuff like this, brilliant far right minds that is?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3281230/The-hamster-doesn-t-need-wheel-Hysterical-video-rodent-t-stop-doing-BACKFLIPS.html
Ronnie and Gerry
RE: Scottish NHS re-branding.
How do you suggest we take this further?
Always willing to help out.
@K1
Thanks for that, not one I have read and believe me I’ve read a lot re the CSA cover up. Poor defenceless and vulnerable children have been vilely treated by the establishment and the bcc. That is why they cover up for each other.
I see Bea Campbell has a comment at the end. Last week she made a short video basically telling the media to back off from their attacks on Tom Watson and CSA survivors in order for the truth to be found.
I don’t think there is a carpet large enough for the filth to be swept under but no doubt No10 is doing all it can to find one. Perhaps the Chinese can help.
K1
“Should Scottish history be taught in schools.?”
Very good question. Why did it stop?
In my long ago youth, in the 1940s and 50s, we had regular Scottish history lessons. Everybody learned about the the triumphs and tragedies of our past. I was proud of the fact that, thanks to the Reformation, for more than two hundred years Scotland was the most literate country in the world, and I believe knowledge of our history contributed to my lifelong support for Scottish independence. (Think I just answered my own question!)
What other country denies its children the its history?
Is Kaye Adams deliberately rude and misinformed..?
Which Industry provides the most tax and most revenue across the UK?
a) UK Fiancial industry
b) Manufaturing
c) Public Sector
d) Tourism
e) Oil and Gas
Answer is e) Source OilandGas.co.uk 2015 “Tax rates on oil and gas production are still substantially higher than those paid by other UK industries.”
The UK Oil and Gas sector supports over 400,000 jobs. In which part of the UK are most employed?
a) Scotland
b) England
55% are in England. Of the 400000 jobs 21% (> 80,000) are in SE England and Greater London.
Should the Scottish Government reject the tax powers given under the Scotland Bill proposal if it makes Scotland worse off?
1 How many consumers would make any purchase conditional on the retailer or service provider confirming that it pays the Living Wage?
2. Should the Scottish government pay a relocation package to service personnel to encourage them to relocate their families to areas they are stationed at in Scotland thus contributing to the economic activity of the host community instead of keeping their homes in the South?
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re not out to get you …
http://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?owner=5070163&ownertype=fair&jcode=1467172&vt_template=1478&adminview=1
@ChitterinIicht, 8.45 “would also be interested if people would vote to accept fracking in Scotland if it enabled independence from Westminster and a chance to build a better country?”
You mean like discovering oil has enabled independence from Westminster?
The Scottish Government is currently gathering evidence. Hopefully, the following will feed into this process. In December 2014, the Department of Health for New York State completed a Public Health Review of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), which had been requested by Commissioner Martens of the Department of Environmental Conservation. This recommended that New York should not proceed with HVHF.
This fed into the State Environmental Quality Review for HVHF. The SEQR Findings Statement for HVHF was issued on June 29, 2015. This concluded the Department of Environmental Conservation’s comprehensive, seven-year review and officially prohibits HVHF in New York.
All the documents can be accessed/downloaded at http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/75370.html
The last thing a densely populated small country needs is to introduce a toxic process like fracking.
Should the Scottish Government Set up and Fund it’s own TV broadcasting corporation.
Alexander McKenzie asks: “If England votes to leave the EU, but Scotland votes to remain, would a second independence referendum be justified in order for Scotland to attempt to rejoin the EU?”
The EU inscribes neo-liberal ‘austerity’ policies into its Treaties. If you sincerely oppose ‘austerity’ policies (that is, poverty and exploitation), how can you possibly want to stay in that pro-austerity body?
At least in the UK ‘austerity’ policies are not inscribed in our Treaty.
Do you agree with our “Better Together” government bombing the feck out of poor countries?
I’ve been looking for somewhere to go to get some new lightbulbs. Thanks Express for advertising the company.
Blast! Wrong story.
In light of the proposals and subsequent responses relating to the outcome of the Independence referendum, would you consider yourself to be comfortable with the term;
‘Better Together’
A – Very Comfortable – Scotland is now in a better place
B – Not Comfortable at all – What exactly is better ?
I have no connection with steel working, but before Ravenscraig was shut down, wasn’t the idea that the whole area was supposed to have its own Eurostar mass transport terminal to export Scottish steel and other freight industry to Europe down a high speed rail network, except the infrastructure was never built as far as Scotland. Sound familiar?
The steel from Ravenscraig and the Dalzell plate mill was intended to support Scotland’s ship building and heavy engineering works back in the days when Scotland had a coordinated industrial economy before Thatcher.
I am given to believe Ravenscraig had the longest rolling capacity for steel in Europe and the quality of steel produced was second to none, just like the ships.
The closure of Ravenscraig was inexcusable, unforgivable, contemptible, disgraceful,… Pick your own word.
If Scotland had kept Ravenscraig, it isn’t just a bridge or two that would be benefiting, but a shipping industry, oil industry, renewables industry. If only the Scottish economy had been properly governed by people who were competent to do the job and committed to the welfare of the Scottish economy. The absence of our capital oil fund is stark evidence that it wasn’t. The McCrone report is stark evidence that failure was both considered premeditated and deliberate.
Late to the party but would like to focus on –
a/ Confirming people understand what we are being ‘promised’ via the ‘Vow’. The issue of not being able to increase the upper rate of tax without also applying to the lower rate is a great example of something people probably don’t know and would be appalled to hear.
b/To what extent would people support tax increases just in Scotland to provide for our NHS, our welfare etc.
Scots parallel currency and National Bank are my choice.
Apologies if this one has already been suggested, but I’m not reading 500 comments to check.
The thing I’d most like to know is if No voters thought that we’d get a Tory government for the next 10-15 years, would it make them more likely to vote Yes next time?
Maybe it’s fairly obvious, but we really need to know what circumstances would make No voters change their mind and vote Yes.
Caz-M, Ronnie.
I have submitted a request to the Scottish Parliament to ask the Scottish Government to consider a re-branding of NHS Scotland to The Scottish Health Service.
It has been sent to the Public Petitions Committee clerking team.
If approved it will be an online petition, will keep you posted.
Gordon cuthbertson says:
21 October, 2015 at 11:02 am
Should the Scottish Government reject the tax powers given under the Scotland Bill proposal if it makes Scotland worse off?
————
There is no easy answer to this.
It depends on the final powers, the time scale, and people’s attitude towards an evolutionary approach to independence.
The current income tax devolution proposals are not up to much, but perhaps they will be beefed up with extra powers before the final bill, or in the next few years. If NI gets corporation tax there will be huge pressure for Scotland to follow.
Personally, I would accept reduced funding for Scotland in the short term, with a reduced Barnett formula – if that was compensated with the potential for higher growth rates due to significant economic powers.
And I think living within our means would lead to independence faster, as the extra economic growth potential of independence would become desirable.
If Scotland becomes dependent on a permanent subsidy, then how does that help to convince voters we can run our own affairs?
Make no mistake that is what the unionists want.
To turn Scotland into Wales.