Sideways In Reverse
Humza Yousaf has now been the First Minister of Scotland for a month.
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”, as they say in Kirkcudbright.
In that month there hasn’t been a single word (that we’ve heard) of the SNP’s “Special Democracy Conference” to take forward the plan for independence, originally planned for five weeks ago but “postponed” when Nicola Sturgeon resigned.
It seems very much as though the strategy has reverted to “Beg the UK government for a Section 30, and when they refuse, wait a while then beg them again”.
Last week Yousaf made his first big showpiece speech to the Scottish Parliament, in which he laid out what he identified as his government’s priorities:
The words “independent” or “independence” appeared just once – not in the context of any sort of plan of action, but merely as a whine:
In terms of the infamous “11-point plan”, it’s hard to see quite where we are.
We’re certainly beyond Point 10:
(It didn’t happen like that, of course – the SNP Scottish Government just went meekly to the Supreme Court and said “Please sir, could we organise a referendum? No? Oh, okay then.” – but the outcome was effectively the same defeat.)
But the incoherent gibberish of Point 11 doesn’t tell us much, and in the wake of the failure of point 10 is irrelevant anyway, because you can inform people as much as you like about something that isn’t happening. It doesn’t matter.
It’s somewhat surprising that a new SNP First Minister hasn’t even made any pretence at moving towards an indy strategy in his first 30 days. One might imagine he’d at least produce some fighting talk for his shellshocked troops. But in fact Yousaf seems to be just quietly hoping the whole thing will go away.
We’re supposed to be less than six months away from a second indyref, but he hasn’t even admitted that that isn’t happening. He hasn’t even officially ditched Sturgeon’s “de facto referendum” plan. He’s been silent about whether the special conference will ever happen and ignored calls from other parties and groups to hold a convention to discuss a way forward.
And though he’s said he’s “really keen” to set up regional talking shops about indy for SNP members only, as he promised he’d do in his first week as leader if elected, he changed the subject as soon as he could and hasn’t actually done anything about it.
It’s 10 months since Sturgeon announced the de facto referendum plan and it’s plain that the policy under Yousaf hasn’t just stood still since then – it’s gone backwards, to the eight-year routine of begging, slinking away and then begging again. And even the most dedicated diehards are understandably losing the faith and packing away their faded old cardboard cut-outs of a long-deid dug.
To the SNP, the concept of Scottish independence now seems to be an ugly stepchild with a string of rape convictions – something they’d really rather didn’t exist and just wish everyone would stop talking about so they can get back to the gravy trough.
Imagine a great cake made of lovely-jubbly public money to be shared out by our trougher overlords, well continuity SNP cuts that cake just fine!!! Hmmmm corruption sure is tasty!!!
Better that this party eats itself into an early grave…
Andrew Neil has backed Humza in the Mail as being good for the union. Fake nats don’t know where to look.
WeeDogger still says the SNP is the only way.
As Alex Salmond pointed out we will loan you the stone of destiny if you let us have a referendum
Perhaps he could suggest to his 70,000+ members that they add their name to the non- political liberation.scot movement to get that movement over the necessary 100,000 signatures required to approach the UN as quickly as possible?
The reality of the current situation is that independence cannot be won without the SNP on board, and more likely actually leading. And as we can expect MI5 to continue to kneecap them with paltry financial scandals and Maoist TRA halfwits, that’s not going to happen any time soon. Yessers might be better advised to take up stamp collecting.
Quicker they are cleared out the quicker we are independent
It appears that the Scottish government spent £3M last year on “social influencer” payments for comments on Facebook, Twitter etc. Would it be fanciful to assume that a bowlful from that trough was supped by WGD?
Welcome to Devolution Hell where only the SNP Ponzi scheme winners prosper.
I would really love someone with expertise and experience in deciphering body language to analyze Humza Yousaf’s language in the last link.
Fingers in the till, snout in the trough, arse on the gravy train, inydswindler Useless.
Shauny Boy on tubeyou for roleplaying your expenses worries.
“It appears that the Scottish government spent £3M last year on “social influencer” payments for comments on Facebook, Twitter etc. Would it be fanciful to assume that a bowlful from that trough was supped by WGD?”
Bella Caledonia’s source of continued funding is also extremely opaque.
“And as we can expect MI5 to continue to kneecap them with paltry financial scandals”
Sober up, mate. MI5 didn’t do this.
Alt.universe alert.
Reckon Mr Yousaf will have an opportunity to check out London during his visits.
Bling, funny money, the attendant mindless vulgarity, dehumanization and generally poor quality of life for the masses ought to strike him, should he have the wit to see beyond the Raj mummery.
Frankly, Mr Yousaf, I’d màke PM Sunak come to me….preferably on his knees.
SNP political cowards gratefully submitting to foreign rule. Worse than Scotland-hating unionists who are at least open about their desire for eternal English domination.
Stephen says:
25 April, 2023 at 12:50 pm
As Alex Salmond pointed out we will loan you the stone of destiny if you let us have a referendum.
There is a much easier way to get a Referendum so get out there and convert No’s to Yes’s https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13877169.snp-want-polls-show-60-support-independence-whole-year-calling-referendum/
Does anyone seriously want these gimps from the SNP anywhere within 10 light years of a referendum campaign?
The counter-arguments write themselves – “How can you be trusted with the economy of a newly-independent country when you can’t get your own party’s finances in order?”
And that’s before the presenter chairing the debate asks the Better Together rep to define what a woman is, getting the simple response of “an adult human female” followed by the most garbled biology-defying lunacy from the Yes side, their rep no doubt having been invited with this in mind.
Best wait until they’re out of the way and a new vehicle appears from somewhere. A referendum now – led by these utter weapons – would likely result in a heavy defeat and then it really would be all over. I know we need independence now, that’s the saddest thing.
At least we all know.
Stephen says:
25 April, 2023 at 12:50 pm
As Alex Salmond pointed out we will loan you the stone of destiny if you let us have a referendum
Aye just terrific, another political party begs aye begs for permission from the occupier. Alex wants a referendum with the same franchise as 2014, where any man and his dug gets to vote on the future of Scotland, the suicide option , So as far as Alex is concerned you uppity indigenous Scots can go and eff yersil.
We need independence from politicians.
‘Sober up, mate. MI5 didn’t do this.’
Maby’s not- but I personally cannot believe that the British security services are sitting back doing nothing. Since when have they done that with the colonies. They have always been up to their necks in it- destabilizing anything that is a threat.
https://twitter.com/shiny02/status/1650783312590389248?s=20
The SNP’s remaining supporters have become participants in a cargo cult, same as Scottish Labour supporters were participants in a cargo cult before.
Such anthropological observations aside, the reason for optimism is that the ‘National’ party’s corruption is so amateurish and badly concealed that it will not continue after Sturgeon. Alba has the way ahead clear.
Colin Beattie didn’t sign-off the caravan and doesn’t know anything about it.
But this shitshow isn’t the worst thing that’s ever happened to him – it was tougher in Beirut.
God, please, give us all strength…
🙁
To be fair to Humza Useless (why?), he’s got a bunch of problems that need must get fixed before working on a viable plan (don’t laugh) for independence.
1) He’s got to get the SNP’s accounts audited and stabilise the party’s finances.
2) He has to have a wholesale clear out Sturgeon’s coven of harpies and chocolate teapots.
3) He’s got to kill or at least pause the stupid/unworkable polices imposed by Mrs Murrell.
4) He has to find an effective and credible SNP management team. And not worry which of them is going to get lifted by the polis for cooking the books, buying motorhomes and so on.
“FM Fires Indyref2 Demand At Sunak”.
We can imagine Humza’s firepower. What comes to mind is one of those plastic toy guns out of Poundstretcher that fires foam darts a couple of feet.
MI5 undoubtedly knew what was going on.
If they didn’t help organise this binfire via Leslie Evans and the CPS I would be very surprised. Timing is everything.
Yousaf, stated plainly and clearly that he is the continuity candidate, and that means nothing will change, the membership knew this and yet with the aid of the and GCHQ Yousaf was elected FM.
Yousaf was a failure as transport secretary, Justice secretary and Health secretary, so why should we have any expectations that he’ll come good as FM, he won’t.
The SNP bar one or two half decent MSPs/MPs is rotten to its core, its reputation and credibility have been damaged beyond repair.
This is the dirty tricks the SNP plays to make it look as though the membership has grown.
“When you stop paying they leave you on the members list for 3 to 6 months. I stopped paying and resigned by letter, but still had active membership for 14 months.”
https://twitter.com/CraigMurrayOrg/status/1650575101018923009?cxt=HHwWgoCzteXTgugtAAAA
The fact of the matter is, well my opinion, can anyone trust what the current SNP says anymore, they lied, and acted in a deceitful and clandestine manner, whilst dangling the indy carrot for years to con the indy faithful.
The SNP of late has squandered huge amounts of taxpayers cash, sidelined and traduced any other indy party (bar the Greens) who questioned their indy route and methods. The SNP has damaged and attempted to reduce women’s rights, rights that women in the past have fought hard for, the SNP tried to fit up a former FM, and attempted and been successful on some occasions in prosecuting and imprisoning prominent indy bloggers supporters.
The current SNP even allowed a 2009 construct the UKSC via our gutless and spineless Lord Advocate to close down the referendum route to independence, and this is just the tip of a very large iceberg of SNP improprieties.
Its time vote for the Alba party headed by the only person who has ever taken us to an indyref, its time to ditch the SNP.
Vote Alba, Join Alba.
Meanwhile the Britnat media in Scotland now reporting that SNP treasurer Colin Beattie saying that he knew nothing of the £107,000 pounds motorhome, aye right.
First Minion Humza Yousaf doffs his cap and tugs his forelock dutifully while representatives of the British state like Rishi Sunak and the latest in the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family line pull his plonker.
There are really only two options.
Either the SNP doesn’t think it could win Indyref 2 – so doesn’t push the agenda and continues to milk the cash cow.
Or that the SNP does think it could win but that would potentially mean de-facto the end of the SNP – and the end of the cash cow.
Either way, its all about the cash cow.
https://twitter.com/HTScotPol/status/1650829134648471553?s=20
Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
25 April, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Sober up, mate. MI5 didn’t do this.
I think the British establishment realised long ago that the best strategy for neutralising the SNP as a force was to just leave it well alone and let their leaders and senior politicians do all the heavy lifting. Nature took its course. Plenty of rope was provided and the clueless idiots duly hung themselves.
What wants to bet that Yousaf will become the first SNP leader to declare that, yes, of course distinguished SNP figures like himself can take seats in the House of Lords?
If they didn’t, they should have
5:59…
6:00
“Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb.
Babe.
I got you, babe.
I got you, babe.”
Okay Campers, rise and shine and don’t forget your booties, ’cause it’s COLD out there today!
____________________
5:59…
6:00
“Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb.
Babe.
I got you, babe.
I got you, babe.”
Okay Campers, rise and shine and don’t forget your booties, ’cause it’s COLD out there today!
____________________
5:59…
6:00
“Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb.
Babe.
I got you, babe.
I got you, babe.”
Okay Campers, rise and shine and don’t forget your booties, ’cause it’s COLD out there today!
____________________
5:59…
6:00
“Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb.
Babe.
I got you, babe.
I got you, babe.”
Okay Campers, rise and shine and don’t forget your booties, ’cause it’s COLD out there today!
____________________
5:59…
6:00
“Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain’t no hill or mountain we…
Surely Mr Yousaf’s chief priority, which he likely shares with many others, and which he is trying hard to maintain, is to stay out of jail?
I’m not so keen on a referendum right now myself while the wider public perception of the SNP and by inference, all of us is “ejits”.
If i were Sunak I’d be granting a S30 ASAP and hold a referendum while the SNP is still punch drunk.
Having said that, I by chance saw Humza interviewed on the telly last night and was quite surprised by how well he coped.
@ Rev Stuart Campbell – I hope you will allow this post, it is directly aimed as information for those who will attend the AUOB March and Rally in Glasgow on the 6th of May, and for general information overall. My thanks if you do.
“The Declaration of a Sovereign Scot” initiative has one objective – to play a unique part in regaining the independence of Scotland, at a time when we have been denied the right to self determination over the future of our country, and the threats to our democracy within Scotland are increasing.
None of us lives forever, Each of us whilst alive have the opportunity to play our individual part and create something that will live once again and continue forever – Scotland’s independence.
Written in December 2020, and now signed individually by growing numbers at every rally all across Scotland since 2021, these are three key extracts from the Declaration:
****
Exercising my Claim Of Right as a Sovereign Scot, I declare:
I do not consent to the terms of, nor the continuation of, the Treaty of Union established through the Acts of Union in 1707.
I do not consent to the terms of, nor the continuation of, the Scotland Act 1998, and all subsequent relevant Acts of like nature and purpose.
I recognise the sole democratic legitimacy of the Scottish Parliament, and assert its primacy and permanence to act singularly on behalf of the Sovereign Scots whose votes alone establish and maintain its existence.
****
The originals of all signed Declarations will be lodged with the United Nations, where the right to self determination is embodied in the UN Charter and in many UN Resolutions and through international law.
Each will be scanned and retained to be compiled into one document for future generations to see and learn whether you played your part.
My only question – Will you?
I will have blank forms available at the rally point of the AUOB march and rally on the 6th of May. I hope to see you there.
Hail Alba!
One of the few positives from this is that more people are realising that we live in a plutocracy and that almost the entire political class are mercenary gangsters.
What do the British Establishment and the SNP have in common?
September 2014 saw each get as close to Scottish Independence as they’ll ever want to get.
And how do we know?
Because every year that same British Establishment gives the SNP 1.2 Million reasons not to want to get close to Scottish Independence, that’s how…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65373659
Sinn Féin never took up their NI seats at Westminster because the diaspora in the USA kept the cash rolling in.
Not so the SNP…
But pith and power, till my last hour
I’ll make this declaration
We ARE bought and sold for English gold:
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!
He is behaving just like the continuity candidate was expected to.
The only hope is Alba and ISP gain enough seats in 2024 Holyrood election to be a real challenge to SNP.
I can’t understood people on Facebook believing Mike Russell and Keith Brown, that SNP membership is rising.
Ian Brotherhood at 25 April, 2023 at 1:48 pm says
Colin Beattie didn’t sign-off the caravan and doesn’t know anything about it.
WTF? How could the party treasurer not know about this transaction? It was about 1% of the SNP’s turnover and as such would have been a glaringly obvious expenditure. Maybe he expects everyone to accept he was too stupid/incompetent/feckless to notice ~£100,000 just vanished from the party’s bank account and not ask any questions about it.
The objective is not to get a referendum, it is to win a referendum. But there are a whole host of well known reasonable questions that any voter would have, and which have not been answered. Meanwhile Scotland’s current economic position is such that no agnostic would be convinced that indy would be an economic success just by looking around. So this all becomes a self fulfilling prophecy: no agreement for a referendum because there isn’t the popular support for one because the difficult questions (currency, pensions, tax and spend, hard border, and all the rest) have not been answered. That’s where the SNP need to start, but they can’t be bothered. Too difficult.
The leadership of the SNP would rather the party went bankrupt then deliver Independence.
Ex-SNP treasurer had no knowledge of motorhome and one seems to know what membership figures are, but someone knows its went up by 7000.
If I had a piggy bank and the SNP came to the door I’d hide the piggy and refuse to open the door.
Anyone who believes the SNP are capable of delivery Scotland Independence needs their head read.
Did he not also appoint a Minister for Indy? What has Hepburn said or done?
The SNP politicians are going around contradicting each other.
Beattie, I didn’t sign off the purchase of a camper van!
Yousaf, the camper van was bought and owned by the SNP.
Is it not time the SNP heirarchy hired a room and tried to understand what was happening and a uniform response, at least.
How did they expect to meet deadlines for Short money and electoral commission if they had no auditors and apparently nobody knew about it. Can the auditor’s get access to all the books or will they accept Murrell’s word that everything is OK financially?
Frank Anderson @2:59
“Did he not also appoint a Minister for Indy?”.
Yes Frank. The trouble is that in this instance Indy is short for Indolence.
“MI5 undoubtedly knew what was going on.”
jlm.
You can’t rule them out of the equation especially when Murrell called in GCHQ, and the Crown Agent at the COPFS was a know Mi5 agent, but you can’t blame them for the machinations of the SNP, as the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink it.
Rev. Stuart Campbell @ 1:08 pm
“Sober up, mate. MI5 didn’t do this.”
The reality of Lugard’s objective of ‘indirect rule’ in a colonial society implies that anti-independence decision-making ‘actors’ are always in play, both overt and covert.
The appearance of a couple of dozen daeless SNP MSPs perched in a ‘Scottish Cabinet’ may give an impression of ‘leadership’, however, there remains in place a very substantial unionist establishment running all social institutions in Scotland; this includes those entities procuring ferries, hospitals, roads and a’thing else, irrespective of who sits in Holyrood.
If the Treasurer didn’t sign off on the camper van, and it doesn’t appear in the accounts, that would suggest that there is a hidden bank account with other signatories, or just one. That may well explain the disappearance of other funds: not missing, just diverted.
Ah that poisoned chalice of westminster which the ess enn pee love drinking deeply from.
@republicofscotland 3.29pm
Intelligence agencies collect information, that is their job.
When they find dirt it is used for blackmail.
If they find no dirt then they bribe or imbed their agents to create the dirt.
The Lavender Scare goes back to the US in the 1950s.
It is a common practice.
An aspect of being an ethnic minority.
«TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION» is a practice by a state designed to repress or control the behaviour, thought, or identity of citizens outside its sovereign jurisdiction.
TNR is practised by the People’s Republic of China with respect to ethnic «minorities» under its jurisdiction, Uyghurs and Tibetans in particular. A ban on Scottish government officials from dealing with foreign third parties without the presence of a British state official would tick a few TNR boxes.
The notion that TNR is employed only by totalitarian states and that the USA or the UK are victims rather initiators is historically somewhat dubious.
Republicofscotland @ 3.29pm
I accept your point that the SNP membership totally failed to hold the leadership to account.
The missing cash is the least of the matter. Murrell and Sturgeon created a dynastic kabal, surrounded by minions and arsewipes!
They strengthened their own positions, in the process of destroying the party.
The missing cash, turned out to be a blessing in disguise, it has shown up the party for what it now is… Self serving freaks, supported by misfits and clowns, a circus, by any other name!
Robert knight.2.45pm. Sinn Fein never took their seats in westminster Robert probably because their MP’s would have been targeted for financial corruption or human frailty blackmail.
ottomanboi.
TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION, a dodgy report by Tobin and Elima for the USA funded Adrian Zenz, need I say any more.
Aye. SNP membership did recently rise, people like me, renewed, in an attempt to vote for Regan, only to be told, I had to renew by the same day, that Sturgeon announced her departure. I had no chance of voting.
I then cancelled my membership, for a second time. Many more, probably did the same, in an attempt to cast a vote.
Mike Russell and Co. can say what they like, SNP is now on a one way trip to Palookaville!
Nikla at Holyrood –
https://twitter.com/Political_AlanS/status/1650878054703431681
This is a replay of the Irish Nationalsts at the beginning of the 20th Century and the Indian National Congress until Ghandhi arrived on the scene. Lots of talk and no action.As Ghandhi is reputed to have said to the Annual Conference of the Indian National Congress “How can you argue against the British when you all dress and act like the British and take their money?”
We are constrained and crippled by the same philosophy. We can and must act against the British. The march for Indepence on May 6 is a beginning, let us build on that.
ALBA GU BRATH- BUAIDH NO BAS.
I think any Scottish ‘independence’ party. Should now state as their mandate in any forthcoming GE, that they will refuse to take up their seats in westminster, bestowing legitimacy over their country by a colonial government. And sit in Holyrood instead. Let the world see what the reaction of the ‘democratic’ westminster government will do then, make pariahs of themselves, methinks not. Nothing to lose, except more years of kicking the can of independence down the road, by certain ‘indy’ partys.
Bobbyp@14:13
I’m sure there are plenty in Sturgeon’s rancid SNP who are no strangers to the concept of Kompromat. It’d certainly explain a great deal…
You are right, RobertKnight, the Scots have never used their diaspora as the Irish have done. I don’t mean that we should milk them, but that creating links across the board in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, et al, would have gone a long way to creating extra support in those countries for our independence. That would have been invaluable at UN level. It need not have been done openly, in full sight of the UK, as the SNP proposes now. As for cash, yes, the Irish ex pats definitely shored up Sinn Fein finances. Probably, the ex pat Scots are even wealthier overall, but I do not believe we have ever asked for financial help – probably because even the SNP always acted via the British State rules. The SNP has been in power for a good number of years, but the last eight have been a disaster for independence. We would be a laughing stock asking anyone now to help support this shower of foot-draggers, genderborg and gravy train addicts, with a number of notable and honourable exceptions.
I thought Sinn Fein never took their seats because they would not take the oath.. the snp never had a problem though.
Natal XY and proud says:
25 April, 2023 at 1:31 pm
‘Sober up, mate. MI5 didn’t do this.’
Maby’s not- but I personally cannot believe that the British security services are sitting back doing nothing.
Clearly you are unfamiliar with the maxim “Never interrupt your enemies when they are busy making mistakes” …
It does appear a watershed for the SNP, the point people ask “what does the SNP actually stand for”?
Without a clear policy, and strategy, nothing sets the SNP apart from any other political party, policy must be communicated.
There’s no point saying “We are the party of/for Independence” if there isn’t evidence of it. People have have handed the SNP mandate, after mandate, to do something, anything, and there is nothing to show.
Even some tacit support, and occasionally gladhanding around grassroots YES hubs saying “Jolly good, keep up the fine work” would be better than bugger all.
Perhaps Humza does have policy, and a strategy up his sleeve, let me see…
“No ifs, no buts, no maybes, the will of the Scottish people, and our Parliament must be respected”
This is different from shouting “Scotland won’t be dragged…” in what way Humza?
Lay it out that we may look, and wonder at the novelty you have discovered.
If it’s “We’ll take you to court…” then there is no novelty there is there Mr Yousaf, none at all.
For it’s all right there in the glorified EULA that is the Scotland Act 1998 Section 28 – about T’s & C’s changing at any time.
(Acts of the Scottish Parliament) “..does not affect the power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to make laws for Scotland…
But it is recognised that the Parliament of the United Kingdom will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters without the consent of the Scottish Parliament”
I’d like the court to tell the UK Parliament ‘Ye canny dae that’
“Mr Yousef, it says right here they can”
Naw they canny.
“Mr Yousaf, the Court doesn’t “normally” tell someone they are an eejit, but in this case…”
What is it they used to say “I didn’t leave Labour, Labour left me…”
Sturgeon will always look after number one, everyone else she’ll throw under the bus and walk away as I’ve she done no wrong.
They were wrong on Prism about Sturgeon resigning.
My understand is the name Scotland independence party can’t be used.
Hi de Hi Campers.
When I saw the title of this latest article I thought it was going to relate to the camper van that Beattie didn’t know about.
Well that’s what he says. But why didn’t he say he couldn’t make any comment on the police investigation rather than throw this grenade at his (former?) mate Peter?
It makes you wonder at what else he has said to the polis. He seems to be borrowing the script from Nicola’s book: ‘I didna’ know’.
Perhaps that will be his answer when he is asked about the auditor’s resignation.
Alf Baird at 3:46 pm
“The appearance of a couple of dozen daeless SNP MSPs perched in a ‘Scottish Cabinet’ may give an impression of ‘leadership’, however, there remains in place a very substantial unionist establishment running all social institutions in Scotland; this includes those entities procuring ferries, hospitals, roads and a’thing else, irrespective of who sits in Holyrood.”
This again? And the ferry fiasco too? Scotland won’t deserve independence until it starts taking responsibility and stops blaming every self-inflicted wound on some imagined Unionist conspiracy.
Regards global funding of Sinn Fein, comparing Scots, Irish diaspora.
What exactly is the far flung Scot expected to provide funding for SNP to invest.. Staple guns and Tipex?
‘The Troubles’, in Holyrood, completely mundane and self inflicted!
SNP got their self into this mess. ‘The best of British’, on sorting it out themselves!
“Breaking. @NicolaSturgeon says what is “frustrating” is she can’t tell her side of story over @theSNP finances being investigated by @PoliceScotland Add she has not been questioned by police.”
Why doesn’t she go to the Police voluntarily and make a statement to help with their investigation?
Anyone got a link to NS stating ‘ no ifs no buts ‘ regarding the 2023 referendum. I think she was pinned down in a tv interview in June last year but I can’t seem to find a reference to it.
If WGD or Bella Caledonia took money from ScotGov or the SNP to prop them up in some way, they have deceived people for money. And in terms of cultural effect, that’s way past selling out, and way past being juvenilised and diminished.
@Pipinghot who said
“I thought Sinn Fein never took their seats because they would not take the oath..”
SF don’t take the oath swearing allegiance to a foreign power or monarch.
They believe that England (UK) has no right to be involved in Ireland and by the same token as an Irish party they have no desire to interfere in UK governance.
Their electorate firmly support their abstentionist policy, as they have done for over 100 years
I still believe the Keystone Cops aka Police Scotland tipped off the betrayer and her man weeks before the cops turned up at their door, add in that the Keystone Cops (as corrupt as the London Met force) postponed their “investigation for a month to allow Murrell and GCHQ to install their puppet Yousless to keep damage limitation to a minimum and we have a so called police force that’s not fit for purpose in Scotland.
I hold out no hope whatsoever that the betrayer, her man, some of the clique and whoever else was involved will see the inside of a court, and speaking of courts our judiciary and the COPFS is also not fit for purpose.
Scotland is in a sorry state.
There are 4 types of adults in Scotland
1) Independence supporters
2) Unionists
3) Independence supporters but only if there is a competent Government in place-which excludes the current shambles.
4) People who think all politicians are the same and can’t even be arsed to vote.
The number of individuals in each category are as follows
1) Decreasing
2) Static
3) Static but rapidly becoming disillusioned with it all
4) Increasing substantially
Have the Poileas had a wee chat with Mrs Murrell yet, or are they still gathering ammo?
Scotland the Brave!!!!
Bella Caledonia has it’s share of lamenting over the state of the SNP, so, even if they received financial support, they didn’t completely sell out. That can’t be said for others.
Sideways in reverse. I have watched the MSM interviews of Sturgeon, Beattie and Flynn. Manuelle of Fawlty Towers comes to mind, “I know *******”. Interesting that Sturgeon says she had not been interviewed. In normal circumstances that would be verifiable. We wait on our Institutions coming back to the people. In terms of Independence we need a truth and reconciliation process. (See Craig Murray) A reset for the Nation and not for Humza alone.
None of us alive today will ever be granted a second chance to vote for an independent Scotland. That is Sturgeon’s legacy. Her reward for services rendered to the British State is clearly still a matter under consideration.
I don’t live in Scotland, hence cannot vote for any party seeking to gain either MSPs or MPs. So this is just “wondering why” no political party in Scotland is actually seeking to present a set of considered, thoughtful and above all credible policies as to how Scotland would operate if independent. Things like currency, central bank, trade arrangements with the U.K. and the rest of the world, whether Scotland would seek to join NATO, and above all a route map of how to get from referendum to independence. I don’t believe any of that is in achievable (there are many countries in the world smaller than Scotland). It strikes me that independence will only ever be achieved if a solid majority of Scots believe that an independent Scotland is sustainable, not just for a day, but forever. And I’ve not heard any party doing anything more than just arguing about how to have a referendum.
I did read the SNP prospectus for independent Scotland in 2014. It wasn’t a credible document. That was nearly 9 years ago, so what intellectual and policy development has been done since then to address those shortcomings, and hence improve the chances of “selling” an independent Scotland to the as yet unpersuaded Scottish voters?
Do you think Humza even reflects a little on the last couple of weeks before proceeding to camera??. It is as if he is completely unaware of what is going on.
I wonder if Sunak managed to keep a straight face when Humza demanded a referendum?
Having said that if I were Sunak I would be tempted to say yes, put a load of caveats on it, super majority, never again in 100 years etc and let the SNP proceed. With the ammunition they have given westminster and with the perjury, conspiracy and malfeasance in public office still to come what’s not to like.
So in the script I am writing, is Nicola a turn coat, a crook or a full with a personality disorder.
Any suggestions
Honestly, what has the independence movement got to do with anything?
Marching?
Anything else?
Without a political base, there’s nothing.
Lots of sharpened pencils in readiness to vote, to end the Union, is not enough, when the ‘party for independence’, is in meltdown!
So what happens next? Anybody?
Stuart @ 6:49
I normally see things your way, and appreciate your breadth of vision… But, and I am not saying there has been, but if there has been twitter money or social media money spend on WGD and Bella Caledonia by ScotGov, that’s income to both in addition to the moneys WGD and Bella Caledonia get from The National, and that little pay package as well as their support for ScotGov would be super creepy.
https://twitter.com/judgejules75/status/1650876028301066240?s=20
jlm says:25 April, 2023 at 2:00 pm
MI5 undoubtedly knew what was going on.
If they didn’t help organise this binfire via Leslie Evans and the CPS I would be very surprised.
Nothing to do with MI5 FFS. Leslie Evans was one of Nicla’s best pals , Evans Husband is a well known Indy activist. Seems to be getting more and more conspiracy theorist throbber’s on this page nowadays is it viral ?
Do you ever get the feeling that we’ve been had?
They’re obsessed with doubling down, even to the point that they are doubling down on their lies, their corruption, their obfuscation, etc, etc.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23480577.humza-yousaf-says-snp-will-not-refund-indyref2-donations/
The Herald says that Humza Yousaf says that the “Indyref2” money will not be returned to the donors.
Rather a risky thing to say. What if the money has been embezzled, as may be likely, that is, if it has not been used for its intended purpose, if it has not been kept in a “restricted Account”, but has been used for any other purpose.
Note that the expression “embezzled” does not just refer to money being stolen by people. It means used for a purpose that is not what the donor intended. Charities have to deal with situations where money is donated to buy a TV for a specific old folks home, and the charity has been gifted a TV. The charity has to go back to the donor of the money and ask if they want it back or could it be used for another purpose, or for a TV in a different old folks home.
If there is a trial and the money has been misused then the trial judge may order the donations to be refunded.
(Unless the judge is of the view it is OK for politicians to steal money when in a political role and not acting in a personal capacity.)
Ben Madigan, thanks. I was also of the impression that any short money missed out on by not taking seats was made up by party donations from the public that presumably went to the cause,instead of luxury goods.
Merganser says:
25 April, 2023 at 5:36 pm
It makes you wonder at what else he has said to the polis. He seems to be borrowing the script from Nicola’s book: ‘I didna’ know’.
Don’t want to undermine any investigating that may or may not be going on, but if the Polis are looking for burner phone SIM cards, I’d hazard a guess the Polis already know exactly what’s on them, and they’re just wanting physical, (admissible), and lawfully obtained evidence substantiating what they already know.
Big caveat of course,… they might be bluffing and have nothing, but reckon they can still make you sweat buckets, and then make a mistake…
A Scot Abroad
Far too many in Scotland take the view ‘It will all be fine’ once Independence is achieved and simply do not care about the issues you highlight.
The sane amongst us have a different view.
@Pipinghot who enquired about SF money
As SF MPs do not take their seats, they receive no salary as MPs and take no part in the Westminster parliament.
They represent their constituents by engaging with British political parties, civic society and the Irish diaspora in Britain. They challenge the British government directly in meetings with them, lobby on constituents’ issues, and political matters affecting the Irish people.
SF MPs are allowed to claim parliamentary expenses e.g. office, staffing and accommodation costs (like all oppositon parties)
Some perspective to consider.
http://robinmcalpine.org/whos-in-charge-and-what-are-they-in-charge-of/
Humza says “Look, money that is raised from the membership by the party, we’re going to spend that in advancing the cause of [an] independence referendum.”
He is (deliberately?) missing the point. The £666,000 was raised from indy supporters (not just SNP members – the site was (deliberately?) misleading). And the money raised was “ring fenced for indyref2” (i.e. to campaign for Yes, when it was called) not “advancing the cause of [an] independence referendum”.
@ Dan who cited Robin Mc Alpine’s article. From the article
“All the branches have their own money, but it is kept in a single bank account managed by the party centrally.There is something like £1 million in that account. None of it is the SNP’s, but it is there. So SNP central could indeed ask all the branches to hand over that money to stop the party going bankrupt if it came to it”.
Maybe SNP branches should start withdrawing their money from the central account and each put it in its own account so it has the wherewithal to fight the next election campaign
Tom Kane
I don’t think there’s much need to oversell this. We’d all be a lot better off if ScotGov spent serious money on new media. The problem, if there is one, is that the money that’s been handed out has been a little to self-serving – hardly surprising given the lightweights holding the purse-strings. Imagine if there were a small pool of research assistants that bloggers could use. For very little outlay, the force multiplier effect would be huge. It would take a little backbone to keep meddling fingers out but ultimately it would be great for the country.
A Scot Abroad says:
25 April, 2023 at 7:10 pm
I did read the SNP prospectus for independent Scotland in 2014. It wasn’t a credible document. That was nearly 9 years ago….
You make a good point Scot Abroad, but there are two issues about that which stand out…
First, there’s a growing body of opinion that Independence will never be won by a 2014 style Referendum, so persuading “Soft No’s” to swell a notional majority becomes a somewhat dated objective, and a futile activity until these circumstances change.
Second, there are alternatives to the SNP’s Growth Commission, the Common Weal in particular have done a load of work on this, but how can I put it… Why would take your winning strategy for a progressive Independent Scotland, and present it to these obnoxious duffers in the SNP? Far better to prioritise getting rid of the numpties and putting YES under new management before launching any campaign proper.
Until the SNP is either killed or cured, the movement will remain divided and in a state of expectant paralysis waiting for “something” to happen as the months roll on by.
Furthermore, I think we are in a state of flux. In 2014, YES was pretty staunchly pro Europe, but being in Europe and not coming out, is not the same as being outside the EU and deciding to go back in.
With many people talking up EFTA as the magic bullet to keep the peace, it remains to be seen which strategy will secure widest support. EFTA supporters are the most vocal by far, but personally, and looking at Ireland, I still think Scotland ending the UK will be a much smoother ride with the EU in our corner, rather than whatever leverage EFTA can bring to bear.
But I don’t think the EU has done itself any favours whatsoever with NATO and you know where, and I rather suspect hostile antithesis towards the Ruskians is not uniform throughout Europe, nor indeed Scotland, and this too has potential to create more division and splits.
BRICS is going to remain a growing phenomenon, it really is, and Scotland needs to work out a strategy and interface for dealing with it. Accommodating BRICS, as I believe Scotland must find some way of doing just that, will be waving a red flag to a bull for the BritNat Unionists and Westminster Government. They will be apoplectic about it. Bring it on.
Thank God “No Fly Zone” Sturgeon isn’t in command.
It’s hard to be sure, but I can see the EU and BRICS finding workable accommodations, with the USA and the Good Ship Brexit left out of the equation. Frankly I don’t Scotland signed up to be on that 30 year polar mission to the economic Arctic.
Scotland belongs in Europe, it always has done, and with the North Sea and GIUK gap, the Baltic Nations, (even the big Superpower ones, are our historic friends, neighbours and trading partners). Normal Service will be resumed, even after an unfortunate 300 year gap.
“That” however, might not be the most prudent strategy to push in the short term. We shouldn’t run before we can walk, and right now, it would seem the SNP even walking in a straight line too much of a challenge.
You write as if nobody voted for independence.
How do you account for 45% voting for independence?
Maybe you and Chas should put your heads together and ask yourselves why 45% voted for independence.
Maybe try to do better that just say 45% of the Scottish electorate are insane.
Ruby
45% is exactly the same as 1% in deciding the result. FAILURE.
I speak as an individual who was not allowed to vote in the referendum but, given the opportunity, would have voted Yes. If there was another referendum tomorrow I would have to vote No. Until such time as there is a Government in Scotland with an iota of competence and a clear way forward I would surmise that the No vote would be even higher the second time around.
Scotland is in a mess with no sign of any improvement on the horizon. It will get even worse before it gets better.
I’ll mark you down as a Unionist.
I always suspected it.
@Breeks 8:45pm
Well that’s your view of what an Independent Scotland would look like. The reason why we have haven’t achieved Independence. We handed the adult stuff over to the SNP and have come to realise they are the bairns of the community. No sensible debate on policy, no ideas, no research, no compromise just troughing. I joined Alba on the basis of EFTA and not rejoin the EU. And that was a huge compromise for me. Join the compromise club.
https://twitter.com/LBC/status/1650911923041452048?s=20
latest subscription offer from The Spectator:
“An Offer Fit For a King: Get the next 10 weeks for the price of one – plus a free commemorative coronation mug:”
Are some saying the disaster the Tories have made of the country is the best option to stick with?
Seriously? Are you looking at the U.K. poverty levels the food and heat banks, the 12 mortgage rate increases double digit inflation food inflation at 19% and the trebling of
energy costs, the destruction of the NHS and half the country on strike and you think for
one moment we couldn’t risk throwing all this away to become our own nation again.
Please look around you and think again.
Getting on for 90 posts on this thread and the only one to mention the elephant in the room is RepublicOfScotland.
That elephant being the fraudulent and gerrymandered process that made Yousaf FM.
I just don’t know what is wrong with the usually clear-sighted Wingers. I despair that they can’t see how the Indy cause is fatally flawed by having somebody at its head who has no right to be there.
Not a sufferer from Imposter Syndrome, a genuine Imposter. A Third Pretender taking his place in the history of this sorry nation.
If I was Sunak I would tell Yousaf to GTF too. Anybody and everybody can write off Yousaf at every turn, because he lacks legitimacy in his role.
Oh well. To lighten the mood a bit, I see Breeks is BRICing it yet again.
Normal Service will be resumed, even after an unfortunate 300 year gap
Talk about living in the past. Jeezo.
Sturgeon can’t stay at Bute House any more when she’s attending Holyrood. Presumably a certain Edinburgh hotel is out of bounds too.
Anyhow, she looks forward to giving her version of events. That’ll mean the usual symmetry. Devouring fiction is her hobby, and spewing fiction is her career.
@Lorna Campbell
There are rules against foreign donations to political parties in the UK though Scotland should use that one against the Unionist 3.
If say Salvo or Liberation Scot gained funding that way the Yoons would scream blue murder and mutter darkly about foreign interference.
The US support was all cash delivered under the table. We can do without that sort of thing as well.
We’ll just have to hope an Independent minded resident Scot wins big in the Lottery and lives a long, healthy, productive life. Unlike the last ones.
Anything stopping you writing about it.
Have you gone to the police to report this fraud?
Stuart at 8:33
There are no two bigger bloggers with snp-crime blindness than Bella Caledonia and WGD. Not critically reporting SNP shenanigans since 2017, from the investigation of Alex Salmond, through the court cases and parliamentary inquiry, the destruction of democracy in the snp, the lawyers and auditors have walked away from contracts with the snp in government … Actually I don’t want to rehash all the nonsense… But, as you know, and as BC and WGD know, there was a lot.
And to have looked at it all and spoken in hallowed wheeshts about NS and the SNP… if those wheeshts was simply bought and paid for, Then that is worrying.
Fundamentally … I think an arts council should support media Organisations, not central government. And am very sad to see what BC has become. It was a contender.
Beattie changes his story.
Is there no end to this clusterf.ck?
Beattie now saying he did know about the campervan when he read it in the 2021 accounts! Having previously said he knew nothing about it. He was the treasurer for goodness sake, so if he did find out that someone had made a £100,00+ purchase without his knowledge, what did he do? Resign? Shrug his shoulders and say ‘oh well, it’s only money’?
Keep digging Colin. Any more gems for us?
A job as a second hand car saleman seems taylor – made.
@Effigy 9:34pm
I have looked around me. I see a leader, ex treasurer and leader of the HoC claim to not know nothing about SNP finances. I see hundreds of millions wasted on misappropriation of taxpayers funds at best. Our Public Services reduced to infantile levels of service. I am a Principled Independent supporter. Can you try to get on the side of Independence?.
I’m wondering if ‘Operation Branchfoot’ isn’t about a lot more than the missing £600k.
It could be the police from ‘Operation ABCPerjury’ ‘Operation MagppiePerjury’ ‘Operation RecordLeak’ are all working together to try to solve all these crimes.
It would make sense if they were.
I’ve just made these names up as we don’t know what is happening with the any of these cases.
I just feel ‘Operation Branchfoot’ seems a little excessive for a simple case of embezzlement.
@ Effijy says:25 April, 2023 at 9:34 pm
food inflation at 19%
I hae ma doots.
trebling of energy costs
Naw.
destruction of the NHS
SNHS certainly damaged by Covid. I blame the Chinese for that.
half the country on strike
Naw.
Are some saying the disaster the SNP have made of the country is the best option to stick with?
Naw.
Now a question for you, Effijy. Do you honestly believe posting your lies on here week after week is fooling anybody? The road to the new iScotland is paved with lies?
It disnae work for me. Soz.
Just as it hasnae worked for the SNP either.
@ Ruby says:25 April, 2023 at 10:02 pm
Why would I need to write about the fraudulent and gerrymandered process that made Yousaf FM, when Rev Stu covered it all in detail in many articles over the weeks that the SNP leadership “election” was running?
It’s all still on line for you, and anybody else, to read.
Alert readers know exactly what is going on here. You have to hand it to those pulling the strings behind the SNP – the “election” of Yousaf was a masterstroke of 21st century realpolitik. Anybody else, put in place by that fraudulent and gerrymandered process (Forbes, or Regan, say) would have already been no-confidenced and forced out, by the SNP membership, the HR MSPs, and the London-based media. Maybes even by oor own media.
But Yousaf is untouchable. We all know that we can’t say why. We all know why we can’t say why.
I bet you know too.
https://archive.is/DiMmJ
Police Scotland STILL investigating Nicola Sturgeon book publisher 15 months on
And there’s ‘Operation Sky Holders’ this too might be getting investigated with all the rest.
I don’t know if I’ve missed any out as it’s difficult to keep up with all these police investigations as they take so long.
Her book is called
‘Women hold up half the sky’
Anyone read it? Does she explain what she means by women?
@ ben madigan at 8.32
I’ve just heard from a friend that when she was in the SNP her branch tried to put the money they raised in a separate account that HQ couldn’t get its hands on, but this was not possible.
The central control is absolute.
Dah!
Because you are the one criticising other posters for not commenting on the issue.
I really don’t! Perhaps you could tell me.
Why is Yousaf untouchable?
This month Salvo have already launched three hubs in Highlands and Islands, North Lanarkshire and Fife with Edinburgh launching tomorrow night and then others due to launch over the next few weeks .A new social media team is in place to get material into the hands of the younger generation who are sick of parties and politicians and just want to get in with it and that’s exactly what they are doing . The Union on Trial kicks off next month and there’s nothing Westminster can do to stop us because WE ARE SOVEREIGN and they are about to find that out VERY SOON
So what do you suggest to move the Independence project on Stuart? An election that is a referendum choice? If it wins a majority for the SNP then declare Independence illegally? And watch the economy collapse as private investment takes flight?
“We’ll just have to hope an Independent minded resident Scot wins big in the Lottery and lives a long, healthy, productive life. Unlike the last ones.“
=========
The last ones were the late Colin Weir and his wife, Christine .
Colin grew disillusioned with the SNP’s use of his donation and asked for it back. Remember that next time you play back Sturgeon’s whinge to the NEC about not talking finances- especially her remarks about donors.
He was also a donor to Partick Thistle football club who made productive use of his cash.
A stand is named after him at Firhill Stadium . In his will, he left a fair chunk his fortune to that club, so that the fans could own it.
He left nothing to the SNP, a cause, like Thistle’ s, about which he was passionate most of his life.
Why was that?
Cynicus says:
26 April, 2023 at 1:14 pm
The last ones were the late Colin Weir and his wife, Christine .
Colin grew disillusioned with the SNP’s use of his donation and asked for it back. Remember that next time you play back Sturgeon’s whinge to the NEC about not talking finances- especially her remarks about donors.
He was also a donor to Partick Thistle football club who made productive use of his cash.
A stand is named after him at Firhill Stadium . In his will, he left a fair chunk his fortune to that club, so that the fans could own it.
He left nothing to the SNP, a cause, like Thistle’ s, about which he was passionate most of his life.
Why was that?
Erm, think some clarification and correction is needed here.
Much of Colin’s money was blown on Largs Thistle as well as Partick Thistle. Indeed, debatable Largs would be where they are today without his money since they even more than Plastic Whistle were short of money streams.
The money given to the SNP was a loan, not a donation as often stated, and as I remember it was called in just before Colin Weir’s death as he tried to get his affairs in order (he didn’t actually need to, since the first thing a lawyer would do when settling an estate is call in any outstanding debts, but of course part of that would be subsequently lost in the lawyer’s fees for their “work”).
Cynicus says:
26 April, 2023 at 1:14pm
He was also a donor to Partick Thistle football club who made productive use of his cash.
A stand is named after him at Firhill Stadium . In his will, he left a fair chunk his fortune to that club, so that the fans could own it.
He left nothing to the SNP, a cause, like Thistle’ s, about which he was passionate most of his life.
Why was that?
My take on it, is that Alex Salmond was friendly with Christine and Colin Weir and they shared his vision for Scotland and bought into it. The Nicola Sturgeon no plan for the future of Scotland and the one for Alex Salmond was beyond the pale, they had no choice but to walk away and quickly at that !
crazycat says:
25 April, 2023 at 10:48 pm
Thanks for the nudge I owe you a drink or two, I was lucky to get on the last train. I’ll be at the Green on the 6th.
Vote ALBA !
I don’t read The National, but that front page is really something: ‘SNP report surge in member numbers’. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhtttttttt ……….
“Sunak dismisses Yousaf Indy plea” says the headline.
Aye! And then all the unelected twats sitting in London’s Scottish Admin block (Holyrood) laughed in his face.
That’s how much respect the Chief Continuity Clown carries with him. Being laughed at by folk who couldn’t win enough votes by themselves to get a place at the trough. Just think, if that makes them deadbeats like Murdo Fraser what on earth must that make Yousaf? Answers on a postcard to Hoozat Useless.
Oh how the tide has sure turned. Salmond had them running scared. We didn’t get them laughing at him, did we? But now the very mention of the names Sturgeon or Yousaf has them all rolling in the isles with split sides due to hysterical laughter.
“The money given to the SNP was a loan, not a donation as often stated, and as I remember it was called in just before Colin Weir’s death”
No, you’re wrong about this. The Weirs both donated AND loaned money to the SNP. The loans were repaid but Colin Weir ALSO asked for a donation back. It’s all documented on Wings, mostly in The Great Indyref Swindle.