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Wings Over Scotland


Smile and the world smiles with you

Posted on April 20, 2013 by

We very much doubt we’ll ever tire of picture galleries of happy party-conference faces, and we know you like them too. So here’s a spirit-lifting selection from this weekend’s joyful gathering of Scottish Labour in Inverness.

slabconf21

Caption suggestions in the comments as usual, please.

slabconf23

slabconf6

slabconf3

slabconf7

slabconf8

slabconf9

slabconf11

slabconf1

slabconf10

slabconf12

slabconf13

slabconf13a

slabconf16a

slabconf16

slabconf15

slabconf14

slabconf17

slabconf18

slabconf19

slabconf22

slabconf20

slabconf2

slabconf4

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144 to “Smile and the world smiles with you”

  1. Ericmac
    Ignored
    says:

    Sic a parcel of rogues in a nation

  2. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Did they bus folk up for the day for Ed’s speech?

  3. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Pic 1: A thocht ye wur takken me tae a Rom Com no a horror flik (huffs). 🙂
     

  4. Ericmac
    Ignored
    says:

    Wake up Scottish Labour. You are living in the past. Your party is a dinosaur with schizophrenia.  
    New labour / blue labour should already be extinct.  
    Why dont you all jump up, shake yourself off, have a redbull and join Labour for Independence.  
    A new lease of life and no more disappointment.  
     
     

  5. Bill C
    Ignored
    says:

    More like a wake than a party conference.

  6. Stevie Mach
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice of them to give each attendee a few empty seats to store their personal effects 🙂

  7. Krackerman
    Ignored
    says:

    Where’s the youth? Where are the young firebrands that are the future of the country? 
    Not there and that alone speaks volumes…

  8. Adrian B
    Ignored
    says:

    If this is the sum total of the party faithful attending the widely trailed Spring Party conference in Inverness, then going by the look on delegates faces Labour are in more trouble than even we thought.
     
     

  9. sneddon
    Ignored
    says:

    bottom picture-
    “Looking forward to the talk about timeshare in Florida with eager anticipation”
    Top pictur
    Woman – ” A romantic weekend in the highlands you said, yer oan the couch”
    Man- ” It’s Alex Salmond’s fault”

  10. McHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    Words fail me…

  11. mato 21
    Ignored
    says:

    Pic 4
    My heart is broken at the loss of dear Maggie
    Sleepers
    It’s awfi having to share a bed with the wife but we can’t afford the bedroom tax
    At least it’s warm in here and it’s no costing us a penny
    Dickie
    Doing his fish out of water impersonation
    Empty seats
    The Nats might have let us have their overflow

  12. Cyborg-nat
    Ignored
    says:

    Seats are the right colour!

  13. GP Walrus
    Ignored
    says:

    “It’s our Party, we can cry if we want to.”

  14. Bugger (the Panda)
    Ignored
    says:

    No 3
     
    “Speaking as a Social Worker”

  15. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    No.4 – Karaoke session
     
    “Please release me, let me go…”

  16. pictishbeastie
    Ignored
    says:

    12. Dick
    13. Dickie
    14. Dickier
    15. Dickiest

  17. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    No. 20 – Jurassic Park

  18. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    No.23 – The two-heided man.

  19. BlueTiles
    Ignored
    says:

    Pic 1
     
    ‘But hawd oan a minute….I thought we didne like the Tories?’

  20. DMW42
    Ignored
    says:

    CERN are now looking for ‘dark matter’. They could start in Eden Court.

  21. YesYesYes
    Ignored
    says:

    No 1 photograph. Is the guy thinking to himself: ‘Hmmm. Interesting. Would we be more comfortable in a telephone box?’.
     
    No 4. Is the woman with the microphone saying: ‘Oh my god! Oh no!  I’ve just heard the news. Baroness Thatcher has died’.
     
    No 5. Is the guy in the grey jumper saying to the one on the right: ‘Fuck me Erchie, this is dire. Ah think ah’d raither listen tae the Truth Team than this lot’.
     
    No 9. Is Michael Connarty saying: ‘Hey Anas Sarwar, you know where you can shove your income tax proposals’.
     
    No 18. Is the guy in the purple shirt saying: ‘The new Truth Team video says that Alex Salmond is Hitler’s love-child. Typical Salmond. Says one thing in public, another in private’.
     
    Last photograph. Is the woman in red, walking out saying: ‘That’s it. Ah’m oot o here. Tae think ah missed ma bingo fer this shite’. 

  22. thomas
    Ignored
    says:

    breaking news just in fae bitter together!
    alec salmonds shame ! 
    snp supportin indian man fae govan arrested fur assaultin his wife!
    Chinda goodanpropa denies all charges!
    labour call for first ministers resignation!
     

  23. BlueTiles
    Ignored
    says:

    Pic 16.
     
    The penny drops.
     
    ‘Whit the f**k have I done?!’
     

  24. DMW42
    Ignored
    says:

    #9 Ho! When’s the effin band comin oan?

  25. DougtheDug
    Ignored
    says:

    I had to travel up to Inverness on Friday and before leaving for home I took a toddle down to Eden Court to see what was happening outside the Labour Scottish region conference.

    You wouldn’t have known it was on apart from a few suits wandering around with red lanyards holding up their conference passes.

    It was getting on towards 5 o’clock but there were no police, no banners advertising the conference or the Labour party, no tents outside and no buzz at all.

    There was no sign that there was conference for Scotland’s “biggest” party being held inside or even that there was a conference at all. The difference between that and an SNP conference was stark.

  26. Training Day
    Ignored
    says:

    No 16 and his his expression of dawning realisation (after Mitchell and Webb’s SS officers sketch)..
     
    Aw naw.. Boaby, ye know they red roses we’ve goat oan wur badges?  Boaby..ur we the BAD GUYS??

  27. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Pic 3
    Man on right thinking “I wonder if I can put this down on my expenses as a business meeting!”
    Damn it SD you beat to punch line with that one 😆
    Pic 5
    “Are you SURE the bar isn’t open?”
    Pic 8
    “Mama! Mama! Mama!”
    Pic 11
    “I’m sure mum said she was taking us to McDonalds but I’m pretty sure this is NOT McDonalds!”
    Pics 12 to 15
    “This is how we catch flies,not Gangham style but Labour style!”
    Pic 18
    “oh great the 13:30 train is leaving on time!”
     
     

  28. DMW42
    Ignored
    says:

    #1 Ah telt the miserable bar steward we shouldae got yon 3D spec thingies, this is pish.

  29. Tattie-boggle
    Ignored
    says:

    Just put bbc2 on for some coverage of the Labour conference and a bit of Mr Ed’s speech
    “I look forward to working with First Minister Johann La-Mont 2016” Do you think he has FMQ’s lol

  30. Albamac
    Ignored
    says:

    13. DOO
    12. WAH
    14. DIDDY
    15. DIDDY
     
    Apologies to Manfred Mann

  31. Bugger (the Panda)
    Ignored
    says:

    No 16
     
    London Labour obsever
     
    Oh shit, we’re fucked.
     
    My comment for No 3 photie was really for 4.
     
    The pickings are too rich at Inverness.

  32. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    The only vibrancy is coming from their mobile phones.

  33. GP Walrus
    Ignored
    says:

    Turkey Party’s joyful response as new leadership policy on seasonal Christian festival is unveiled.

  34. DMW42
    Ignored
    says:

    Last picture: Naw, a always play wie six cairds, ye’ve a better chance o’ winnin. Aw, feck, there’s hur at the front shouted Bingo again. She wins every week that yin, (I think she bides wie the manager or sumhin).

  35. John Brownlie
    Ignored
    says:

    My dad is a Lord, y’know, and if you are useless and expensive but toe the party line, you can be too!

  36. Juteman
    Ignored
    says:

    No 7.
     Five and eight, 58. Two fat ladies, 66.
    No.9
    HOUSE!

  37. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    @Krackerman
     
    Where’s the youth? Where are the young firebrands that are the future of the country? 
    Not there and that alone speaks volumes…
     
    I don’t suppose many young people find SLAB very inspiring.  Who was the last influential politician to come through their ranks, a young Gordon Brown?  That takes us back to the 1970s.

  38. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    Going, going gone asleep.
     
    The next session of prize bingo is at 5. Prizes supplied by a Mr I Taylor.

  39. John Brownlie
    Ignored
    says:

    If this is a Ken Dodd concert, why have the Diddy-men taken over?

  40. BlueTiles
    Ignored
    says:

    No. 12 – ‘Can
    No. 13 – You feeeeel the looooooove – ‘
    No. 14 – Quiet Time.
    No. 15 – ‘If I cannie sing…whit was the bloody point in coming here? Didne even get tae belt oot Celine Deon or the L.A.B.O.U.R cover o’ big Aretha. This party just isne whit it used to be.’
     

  41. Lurker in the Wings
    Ignored
    says:

    No’ a caption but- 
    http://youtu.be/aoc8_aJLpes

  42. Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    1.  “You’re no gettin it tonight ya lying sod ….. ”
    5. “A think he’s deid …….. the lucky bugger”
    6. This film’s got a sad finish.
    9. Yar a two-faced lyin bast*** Johann !!!!!
    17. Weight Watchers celebrate.
    19, Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ………

  43. Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    They’re clearly listening to the ‘positive case for the union’.

  44. Yesitis
    Ignored
    says:

    Those are the faces of the future if there is a No vote.
     
    *shudders*

  45. Jiggsbro
    Ignored
    says:

    13. DOO
    12. WAH
    14. DIDDY
    15. DIDDY
     
    16 Dumb diddies too.

  46. Keef
    Ignored
    says:

    FFS ye mean a missed eastenders fur this pish? A don’t care how much yer gettin oan yer expences fur bein here, we’re offski as soon as that gobshite stoaps talkin. Where’s ma coat?

  47. BlueTiles
    Ignored
    says:

    No.11 –
    ‘I might only be a child but even I know you’re talking utter b******s.
    Last time I listened to this much made up crap at least there wur presents at the end of it. Actually , ye could do wie sum tinsle and fairie-lights to brighten this place up.’

  48. Yesitis
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah, a picture joke game. Cool  🙂
     
    Pic 1. “Mmm…I wonder who`d win in a fight: Justin Bieber or six ferrets?”
    Pic 4. “Tonight, Matthew, I`m going to be Barbara Dickson”
    Pic 5…
    Actually, I canna be bothered. Christ, what a dreary bunch. I`m just going to stick with the ‘who farted?’ jokes.

  49. iain taylor (not that one)
    Ignored
    says:

    *5 – man in blue “is the bar open yet?” 

  50. Castle Rock
    Ignored
    says:

     
    No 1 “Bollocks to this shite, I’m voting Yes”

  51. Boorach
    Ignored
    says:

    No 11   Surely someone should call childline about the pain being inflicted on those lassies

  52. tartanpigsy
    Ignored
    says:

    A rally sad state of affairs tbh, not watched any of this, but the numbers are approaching LibDem levels, maybe all 3 better together parties should have 1 joint conference, numbers would look impressive, policy agreements would be just as easy.
    Compared to this the next Illuminate the Debate Rally should impress number wise.
    The rally is definitely going ahead on 18th May at 12:30.
    We are almost there with full complement of speakers.
    We do however require more funding for leaflets, I know a lot of important campaigns need cash at the moment but our request is very modest, Please those of you who can afford it consider donating a bit to this rally. Nearly all the money will go into leaflets highlighting press failure and imbalance, an important point to be raising with the public at this time.
    We greatly appreciate all support and hope some of you can make it to Glasgow on May 18th.
     
    I can’t even begin to comment on those pics btw won’t do myself any favours 😉

     www.bard2014.com

  53. LeeMacD
    Ignored
    says:

     
    1 What women really want remains a mystery to Glenn
     
    2 The ‘Bring a Friend’ initiative is another Labour success
     
    3 Suzy isn’t sure, but she thinks that he might be working class
     
    4 ‘Only by accepting JoLa into my heart as the true voice of radical, socialist feminism was I able to come off my prescription’
     
    5 After spending two hours together in the bar re-fighting old campaigns, Eric has only one question unanswered, Fae the fuck’s at?
     
    6 Oh my! Have I pulled? Have I?
     
    7 Blah, blah, blah
     
    8 As head of the escape committee, Fiona indicates the door nearest to the bar.
     
    9 House!!!!!!
     
    10 Blah, blah, blah
     
    11 OMGBTD
     
    12 Your European Elk sounds like this…
     
    13 Whereas the North American Elk…
     
    14 Health?
     
    15
     
    16 On sobering up, Dr Karl Kennedy is horrified to see he is still surrounded by his atrocious neighbours
     
    17 ‘Ladies and gentleman, comrades. Let’s give a big welcome to the woman who is responsible for the empty seats you’ve been able to store your bags on. Let’s raise this roof for… Johann’
     
    18 Bill fails to get past Level One of Super Bunny Breakout, again
     
    19. Truth Team operatives fail to notice Raymond’s reaction to the ‘fact’ that Labour are a socialist party
     
    20 George looks around for another lavender fan
     
    21 ‘Giving them a pass lets them sleep somewhere warm and puts bums on seats’
     
    22 Paul and Raymond are committed to Slaters 2for1 offer
     
    23 ‘No! No! I’ve wasted my life’ cries Robert, as the PA system directs The Truth Team to row J
     
    24 ‘Ladies and gentleman, comrades. Let’s give a big welcome to the man who gets Scotland. Let’s raise this roof for… Ed’
     

  54. Derek Scott
    Ignored
    says:

    Christ almighty! They can’t even stay awake during their own shindig and yet they wonder why hardly anybody else is inspired by them.

  55. Jamie Arriere
    Ignored
    says:

    Cum oan Invurness, let me fuckin hear ya….can I have a HALLELUJAH!!!!
     
    Pic 5 : Has the hypnotist been on yet, Jimmy?
              Aye, he wis oan five oors ago – I wid iv tellt you if I could, but I cannae move….
     
    Scottish Labour announce decision to roll out their plans to cure insomnia across Scotland…

  56. Juteman
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve watched some of the conference, and it could just as easily have been a TV documentary about an OAP’s coach trip to Blackpool.
    A sense of faded grandeur, and a longing for a past that never really existed.

    Oh, and a faint whiff of pish.

  57. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    A sense of faded grandeur, and a longing for a past that never really existed.
     
    There is certainly no sense of excitement or motivation about the future.
     
    How anyone can be inspired to vote NO by these sad, old dodos is completely beyond me.
     
    Its now time for decent Labour voters to wake up and contribute to the making of an Independent Scotland.
     
    Hanging on to the party that granny voted for does none of us any favours.
     
     

  58. BlueTiles
    Ignored
    says:

    I usually get a special offer leaflet from Lidl through the letterbox every now and then.
    Across the front page it says ‘Proud to Serve Scotland’.
    I think I might post one through the letterbox at the George Square bunker next time I’m walking past.
     
     
     

  59. James Westland
    Ignored
    says:

    The guy in number 5 is clearly desperate to go for a pint
    The guy in number 6 has clearly had enough and is dreaming of better things
    The girl with the glasses in number 8 is clearly having second thoughts about the whole thing. Theres a potential “yes” vote if ever there was.
    Blonde woman in number 9 – look of despair at the shouty man behind her. No wonder.
    Guy in maroon in number 16, playing with the iPod – theres a minecraft moment, defo.
    Do they still stand and sing the Red Flag at these gigs when it gets to the end?  Or did that get the heave with Clause 4?

  60. The Man in the Jar
    Ignored
    says:

    Can you imagine what it will be like next year?

  61. velofello
    Ignored
    says:

    No1 ‘ Is that Ian Davidson oan noo?”.
    Nos12 to 16 (Boy Baker)
    Land of Hope and Glory

  62. Jiggsbro
    Ignored
    says:

    How anyone can be inspired to vote NO by these sad, old dodos is completely beyond me.
     
    Oh, come on. They’re not all sad, old dodos. They have young and exciting members like…well, they have young members, like…well, they have Malcolm Chisholm.

  63. frankieboy
    Ignored
    says:

    No captions required.

  64. Peninsula
    Ignored
    says:

    The defeated of Scotland, clinging onto the British delusion. Who cares that our vote means diddly in a UK general election?
     
    Who cares that we have a Europe’s biggest nuclear arsenal a few miles from our biggest city, against the overwhelming will of Scots?
     
    Who cares that we have no say in who we send to war, how our natural resources are used, how our economy is run?
     
    They give it all up to pretend they’re equal partners in some moribund, anachronistic ‘union’ A union where we get whoever the other partners in the union votes for.

    The most amazing thing of all is that they want it to continue. 
     
    Screw them. They define the word suckers. They cannot win.

  65. Patrick Roden
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Seasick Dave,
    “How anyone can be inspired to vote NO by these sad, old dodos is completely beyond me”
    I’m not sure if it was meant to be funny Dave, but this line tickled me lol.

  66. Fraser
    Ignored
    says:

     
    Pic 9.. delighted man does thumbs up after his fart clears the cluster of seats around him.

  67. Handandshrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    To be fair it looks more fun than trapping your fingers in a drawer,..
     
     
    not much mind.

  68. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Watched Ms Lamont,full of emotion,pitch Alex Salmond as the only person infavour of independence. Does she not realise this is a democracy? The echoes of Anas Sarwar 
    “dictatorship ” speech is strange. What game is Labour playing? 

  69. Dunphail
    Ignored
    says:

    Why have you published so many photographs of Richard “Rent-a-Quote” Baker I thought I had stumbled upon the P&J.This is no way to treat your readers 

  70. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    Yesitis says:
     
    20 April, 2013 at 3:24 pm
    “Ah, a picture joke game. Cool 
     
    Pic 4. “Tonight, Matthew, I`m going to be Barbara Dickson””

    Actually its Rebekah Brooks cunningly disguised by a pair of hair straighteners.

    Sugar, I miscounted, that’s piccie 3

    No 4 is clearly greetin cos she thought she was in ‘The Voice’ and nobody turned round. 🙂

  71. Seasick Dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Here is Johan Lamont telling us the story of her life.
     
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22230526
     
    I lasted 13 seconds before hitting the stop button.
     
    Can anyone beat that?

  72. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    @Seasick Dave
     
    Did she say that education wasn’t a Scottish tradition but a Labour one!

  73. YesYesYes
    Ignored
    says:

    With all the comedy gold that ‘Scottish’ Labour has provided us with this week you would have thought that any self-respecting political cartoonist would have been spoilt for choice for material with which to ridicule Johann Lamont.
     
    Unless, that is, you are Scotland on Sunday’s Brian Adcock. His cartoon in tomorrow’s SoS, ‘Cat among the pigeons’, shows three ‘pigeons’ (hard to tell who they are but I think they’re supposed to be Ed Miliband, Jim Murphy and Ian Davidson) being startled by a ‘cat’ jumping in their midst (at least I think it’s a cat, though it looks more like a genetically modified pig). The ‘cat’ in question is Johann Lamont, and in the cartoon she has the words ‘more powers’ written on her side. The message is clear: this is an attempt to elevate Lamont’s flagging status as, in the eyes of Adcock, the valiant Johann ruffles the feathers (geddit?) of the party establishment.
     
    As usual with Adcock, it’s not even mildly amusing. But it does show, yet again, that when ‘Scottish’ Labour provides Scotland’s ‘political cartoonists’ with so many open goals that even Kenny Miller couldn’t fail to hit the target, they ‘miss’ the opportunity with as much credence as a Mexican match-fixer.  

  74. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

     
    Last time I saw so many sad, frightened eyes they were peering between the slats of a lorry heading for the abattoir.
     
    You’ve got to wonder how many of these people completed SNP/SSP/Green membership forms via their mobiles before even leaving the hall.
     
    Ball’s on the slates…writing’s on the wall…game’s a bogey…eff this for a game ay sodgers…a nuff is a nuff is a nuff...
     
     

  75. annie
    Ignored
    says:

    @peninsula – couldn’t agree more.

  76. Frazer Allan Whyte
    Ignored
    says:

    future unemployment figures

  77. YesYesYes
    Ignored
    says:

    Bloody hell! In tomorrow’s Observer, Opinium’s latest opinion poll shows the Tories are only six points behind Labour – Con 29 (+1), Lab 35 (-3), LD 8 (NC), UKIP 17 (+1). Now, in a British general election, I wonder where all those UKIP votes are going to go?

  78. Jiggsbro
    Ignored
    says:

    Lamont apparently said “”The SNP claimed I was attacking the principle of universal benefits, which I was not”.
     
    I guess “I believe our resources must go to those in greatest need… Scotland cannot be the only something for nothing country in the world.” was just a bad dream.

  79. Vambomarbeleye
    Ignored
    says:

    Dire!
    Is this the best that Scotland can produce for an opposition party. All the descent folk must be on the YES side of the fence.

  80. DougtheDug
    Ignored
    says:

    I listened to the speeches of Johann Lamont, Alistair Darling and Ken MacKintosh today and the thing that struck me was was the theme that the SNP was not using the powers of the Scottish Parliament correctly and that if Labour was in power it could make things a lot better, and here’s the important part, just with the current powers of the Parliament.
     
    Take that with the disaster of their devolution interim report launch where the party is already falling out over the proposals and it’s quite plain that Labour do not want any more powers for the Scottish Parliament. Their devolution report has been done simply because they feel they ought to have one not because they want to do anything more with devolution.
     
    They talk about poverty but the real poverty is in the ambition of the Scottish region of Labour.
     
    What they want is for the Scottish Parliament to carry on with its present status where it can be considered as either a super regional council of local government or as a semi-autonomous government department. In both cases funded by a set formula (Barnett) from central government and under the authority of central government.
     
    There’s no ambition from any of them within the top of the current crop of Labour politicians in Scotland. The SNP want to run a country, Labour are too scared and lacking in ambition to do any more than dream of running a council.

  81. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

     
    This Radiohead track seems to match the images quite well:
     


  82. Daisy
    Ignored
    says:

    I see Kezia Dugface still hasn’t found a decent tailor; she still dresses like a student FFS.

  83. G. Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    1: “I wanted to see THE EVIL DEAD remake but the wife thought it would be a better idea to DRAG ME TO HELL.”

    2. Rangers 1 – 2 Peterhead. Attendance 44,000.

    6. Feeling sleepy? Worried you might fall out of your chair at any moment? Prevent permanent damage by seeking out the Acme Inflatable Peter Kay Keep Yourself Upright Assistant, available at all good Acme Inflatable Peter Kay Keep Yourself Upright Assistant Stores.

    11: “Hey, sis, I’m pretty sure that boy in pictures 12, 13, 14 and 15 is in the year below me at school.”

    12: “And when I came back from the toilet my Han Solo was gone.”

    13: “The teacher made the whole class turn out their satchels, but we couldn’t find him anywhere.”

    14: “Han Solo meant everything to me.”

    15: “I’ll never get him back.”

    19. “Phew, my arm still works. I honestly thought rigor mortis had set in.”

  84. Vambomarbeleye
    Ignored
    says:

    No.1 Turn Milk –  If the wind changes youl stay like that – face and well slapped arse come to mind. Take your choice.
    No 4 Is that her face when shes on the cluddgy trying get one out. Mind you looking at the woman next to her maybe she just has.

  85. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Surely the purpose of devolution was not to use the powers to compensate for Westminster ravages like the bedroom tax. Does Labour think that the Scottish Government should screw up its budget to compensate. That is absurd and would be never ending.Think about it!

  86. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    No 19 – ‘Check it out lads…when I shake ma hand dead fast ye canny see ma fingers…’

  87. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    No 1 – ‘Aye, it was his revolutionary zeal that attracted me in the first place…sumbdy, please, kill me.’

  88. Handandshrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Off topic here but it seems to me that far too many political types across all parties are wilful, unrepentant  salad dodgers.

  89. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Bloody hell! In tomorrow’s Observer, Opinium’s latest opinion poll shows the Tories are only six points behind Labour
    Labour have been losing a bit of ground recently in both Scotland (to the SNP, after a wee bit of a recovery last year) and UK-wide. This is just another poll which would fit that trend.

  90. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    No 16 – ‘It’s always darkest before the dawn…look on the bright side…anything could happen…turn a negative into a positive…aye…maybe tomorrow, aye, tomorrow I might wake up as a gigantic beetle.’

  91. Alastair wright
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks like most of young “labour in Scotland” are still out searching for the positive case for the union

  92. YesYesYes
    Ignored
    says:

    @Famous 15,
     
    “Surely the purpose of devolution was not to use the powers to compensate for Westminster ravages like the bedroom tax”.
     
    Hook, line, sinker.
     
    Officially, ‘Scottish’ Labour couldn’t really make a big deal out of the fact that one of the main (unofficial) reasons that it enthusiastically embraced devolution in the 1990s was to give the impression to its core vote that devolution would give Scotland some protection from the Westminster Tories.
     
    Labour won every British general election in Scotland during the eighteen years of Tory governments from 1979-97, and they were in real danger of losing credibility with their own voters in Scotland unless they could come up with some ‘solution’ to this problem. The plan was that the Scottish electorate would be so grateful to Labour that Labour’s hegemony would be enhanced in Scotland, long enough to see off the SNP as a political force. Look how well that went!  
     
    If you think about it, the very admission (on ‘Scottish’ Labour’s part) that Scotland needed to be protected from the Westminster Tories would be a contradiction in terms for ‘Scottish’ Labour. They’re now reaping what they’ve sowed. For they’re now in the invidious position of, on the one hand, trying to make political capital in Scotland out of their ‘opposition’ to the nasty Tories at Westminster while, on the other hand, telling us that we’re better together with the Westminster Tories and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Tories against Scotland’s national interests. It’s little wonder that there are so many glum faces in the photographs above.

  93. bunter
    Ignored
    says:

    @ DougtheDug
    Great post, and for me, you sum up the dearth of ambition of Labour perfectly.

  94. Iain
    Ignored
    says:

    Pics 1-24

    The people’s flag is deepest red,
    It shrouded oft our martyr’d dead
    And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
    Their hearts’ blood dyed its ev’ry fold.
     
    Then raise the scarlet standard high,
    Within its shade we’ll live and die,
    Though cowards flinch and ("Tractor" - Ed)s sneer,
    We’ll keep the red flag flying here

    Only joking.

  95. Hetty
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh dear, what a shambles. With such an air ( and obvious look) of gloom it doesn’t bode well for the party at all, crickey if they are putting themselves forward as an alternative to anything, they are seriously misguided. Who is it that keeps the school and it’s staff running smoothly and contentedly? It should be the head of the team, it ain’t happening here. Milliband can’t possibly have their confidence, and he obviously is very thick skinned. Not a good situation, we need decent opposition parties for a working democracy.
    I know people who still doubt the SNP and think Scotland is ‘too wee, too stupid and too poor’, er, in Scotland as well.
    Still plenty work to do for the sake of Scotland’s future by way of a YES vote. I say this after spending yesterday evening with 2 good friends I hadn’t seen for a while, one who is still ‘not sure we can survive on our own’ and the other who was interested in what I was trying to say in support of Independence, just hasn’t read/seen/taken any interest in it all so far. Both intelligent educated people. Like I say, much to do, without blowing a gasket in exasperation!! One more thing was the taxi driver on my way home, he ceased conversing when I started talking about the YES campaign as well…quite depressing really.

  96. Jiggsbro
    Ignored
    says:

    There are plenty of ‘intelligent, educated people’, leading busy lives, who won’t take much of an interest this far away from the date. They’ll wait for the campaign and look for all the information in neat, little packages. They’ll pick up on major news stories in the meanwhile, but they won’t care about the day-to-day political squabbles.

  97. Doug
    Ignored
    says:

    https://t.co/1GmjpbGU1L
    Electoral fraud, anyone?

  98. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    No 14 – ‘What do you mean, fringe meeting?’

  99. Doug
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah, deleted quickly. Better together western isles had a picture advocating (or pretending) moving to Scotland to vote no. Gone already! Anyone save a pic?

  100. YesYesYes
    Ignored
    says:

    @scottish_skier,
     
    Agreed.
     
    What’s interesting about this trend in England is how will ‘British’ Labour respond? Ed Miliband is going to have to get even tougher than the Tories are on the EU, benefit ‘scroungers’, migrants and ‘foreigners’. Quite clearly, overpopulated Middle England demands nothing less.
     
    This is getting genuinely worrying, though. The right are in the ascendant in England. They’re becoming more isolationist, more racist and xenophobic, and more extreme in the punishment that they want to mete out to the poor and dispossessed. And if we’re not careful, they’re going to start contaminating Scottish politics.
     
    There was a time, not that long ago when, to many people in Scotland, independence was a pipe-dream, an unrealistic option from a bland menu of political choices. Those days are long gone now. Today, more people understand that independence is a necessity, the only means available to us of disengaging ourselves from England’s increasingly ugly decline, and building the kind of Scotland that most of us want to see. The consequences of a No vote in 2014 are becoming more sinister with every opinion poll that is published in England. 

  101. Doug
    Ignored
    says:

    Southernscot – many thanks!

  102. Yesitis
    Ignored
    says:

    I found this pic strangely compelling.
    https://twitter.com/UK_Together/status/325642066724020225/photo/1

  103. Handandshrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    If the trolls in the papers are to be believed the English would move north en masse to vote Yes and them move back home again.
     
    The Nae Sayers had better watch what they wish for 🙂

  104. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    Tomorrow’s Sunday Herald front page:
    http://twitpic.com/ckr295
    makes a change from SNP accused.

  105. Silverytay
    Ignored
    says:

    southernscot   Thats what worries me about the O.O .  How many of them will come over from ulster and use addresses in the West of Scotland .
     

  106. ianbeag
    Ignored
    says:

    To the assembled ‘masses’ at Eden Court:-
    “O wad some Power the giftie gie us
     To see oursels as ithers see us!
    It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
    An’ foolish notion.”

  107. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @southernscot-
     
    Really makes ye wonder – who is sad enough to take the time to create that graphic?
     
    Do you reckon it was just a joke?
     
    If so, it’s still sad, and therefore, not successful.

  108. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Doug-
     
    Sorry, just read back, realised you noticed it first – was there any context?

  109. southernscot
    Ignored
    says:

    @Silverytay
    I’m more concerned with the postal vote going by past elections and out of date voters register, don’t think the OO will make that much a difference, maybe a few thousand. Still think Yes win by 6%.

  110. Doug
    Ignored
    says:

    Ianbrotherhood
     
    Just saw it on Twitter to be honest. Obviously got “main” uktogether rattled as drastically distancing selves from it. Getting mocked quite a lot

  111. pmcrek
    Ignored
    says:

    Doug
    I also have personally advocated to folks in England, supportive of progressive politics and democracy in general who support Scottish independence as an alternative to the car crash that is Westminster polictics to move to Scotland and vote yes. The difference is, our  proposal was to actually come and live here with us and help us build a better society together.
     
    I suspect this is a good anecdotal example of the differences between the campaigns.
     
     

  112. peter
    Ignored
    says:

    In the press today it is reported union leaders want Labour to give a positive reason to stay in the UK and are uncomfortable with campaigning with the Conservatives. Are these people really so dense that they think voting UK Labour will prevent the Conservatives from ever gaining power again?
    Independence alone will protect us from future Tory government.

  113. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    The peoples flag is turning pink,
    It’s not so red as some folk think
    The working class can kiss my ass
    I’ve got a foreman’s job at last
    … or the count down…
    12 for the chimes of the Kremlin Clock,
    11 for the Moscow Dynamo,
    10 for the states of Russia,
    9 for the nine co-operatives,
    8 for the eighth Red Army
    7 for the days of the working week,
    6 for the Tolpuddle martyrs,
    5 for the years of the five year plan,
    4 for the works of Lenin,
    3 for the rights of man,
    2 for the hands that toil,
    1 for workers unity, that ever more shall be so.
    Enjoy the songs, the comrades could all have done with a cheering up.

  114. Patrick Roden
    Ignored
    says:

    Picture No 12,
    Is the guy behind the woman with the red blouse trying to pull one of his own fingers off !!!

    The other guy is punching himself in the chin !

    Was it that bad?

  115. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Doug-
     
    No wonder they’re embarrassed about it. 
     
    It’s reminiscent (deliberately?) of the Dads Army opening – only now, the threat is ‘within’ so they’re having to pulse the arrow northways.
     
    https://twitter.com/YesEastLothian/status/325701828383739904/photo/1

  116. Doug
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m actually surprised they deigned to address it. Pretending things don’t exist is their forte. I’m long since banned from their site for questioning the accuracy of their pics.

  117. McHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    Did I see a Labour MSP looks set to come out for independence tomorrow in SOS?

  118. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Didn’t the tweet say “Parliamentary candidate”? Didn’t say which Parliament, or that they were a current MP/MSP.

  119. Stevie
    Ignored
    says:

    I delight in such pics when the BritNats emptty halls reflect what they deserve

  120. Craig P
    Ignored
    says:

    Thought you might be interested in this. Presumably just ‘cybernats’ having a laugh, encouraging illegal postal voting, but if a real BT representative…
     
    http://taboard.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=144731&page=2#entry2368965

  121. Tattie-boggle
    Ignored
    says:

    here it is
    RT @KennyFarq: “So, which Labour parliamentary candidate reveals in SoS tomorrow why they are voting Yes in the #indyref? #scotlab13

  122. Russell Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    Caption headline photo
    We should have joined the SNP and we wouldn’t be here listening to this crap

  123. Weedeochandorris
    Ignored
    says:

    The labour part is like JL’s nashers. Splayed all over the place, brown and decaying or about to drop out.  

  124. ianbrotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Marcia-
     
    Thanks for that link.
     
    Mary Lockhart writes with conviction. 
     
    I hope she joins the SSP.
     

  125. Stuart Crawford
    Ignored
    says:

    Albamac says:
     
    13. DOO
    12. WAH
    14. DIDDY
    15. DIDDY

    http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8263/8666041703_953f237138_z.jpg

  126. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    im not sure at which point I lost the will to live?

  127. bunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Flipper Darling on Murnaghan on Sky @ 10am. Now if only he was to be asked a certain question it could be interesting………

  128. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Krackerman says:
    20 April, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Where’s the youth? Where are the young firebrands that are the future of the country? 
    Not there and that alone speaks volumes…

    —————————————–
     
    Well said, Mate. Well spotted. All those pictures seem to tell that story.
    Now it’s just a matter of time before a Labour MSP finally says ‘Bugger this. My career is on the line …either way! But you know what …Independence might not be that bad. I’m going to speak out! Stuff it!’
    And then watch the house of cards collapse…
     

  129. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev Stu
     
    You wouldn’t be working on the transcript of Johann Lamont’s speech would you? If so, I’m looking forward to one part standing out in particular. Y’now once you get through the 80% of I hate Salmond and the SNP bullshit. I’m just hoping I didn’t pick up this wee gem incorrectly.
     
    I’ll say no more.

  130. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    re the comment about suicide 
    I think the person who made that comment had been looking around at the faces at the conference, 
     
    who was speaking rev jim jones?
    now I’ve got this nice gatorade  all you’ve got to do is drink some of this and all our troubles will be over

  131. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Must admit I’m slightly perplexed over the current ‘keeping the £ isn’t independence’ theme which is currently developing.

    Given that ~70% would vote for something that ‘Is just about independence but not actually full independence’ isn’t this a bit of an odd tactical approach by the pro-union camp?

    ‘What you are voting for is not full independence!’

    So that means it’s ok to vote for then if someone say fancies Devo Max but not full independence?

  132. Graham Ennis
    Ignored
    says:

    You know, it’s the custom they have at conference of going out for a large red hot vindaloo the night before, with large quantities of Alcohol. The results are very visible, the next day, as the photographic reconnaissance evidence reveals. Dreadful people on a dreadful diet. They should all go vegan, and stop drinking so much. They could also go to charm school, and practice this mysterious facial grimace called a “Smile”….Who knows, more people might vote for them. But of course, this would be a wasted vote, as they are now on the wrong side of history. after a YES vote, they are simply not credible as the Government of an independent Scotland, are they?….having fought tooth and nail against it, and behaved like the Vichy French Government, or the Norwegian occupation regime of Vidkung Quisling…..
    This might account for the whole set of photos looking like a mass meeting of the crew of a certain ocean liner, shortly after it had collided with a large lump of frozen water, and the awful truth was beginning to sink in…….
     

  133. Cyborg-nat
    Ignored
    says:

    Is the guy in pic 17 checking to see when the next Megabus leaves?
    As for the rest of the pictures I’m sure James Cameron could have used them as studies on how the survivors on board the Titanic looked as they learned that the last lifeboat just left.

  134. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    Meanwhile, here’s that opinium poll for the observer.

    http://news.opinium.co.uk/sites/news.opinium.co.uk/files/Worm%20inc%20UKIP%20160413.png

    Labour at 35% only 6 points ahead of the Tories with UKIP+Tory at 46%.

    Yougov showing the gap narrowing too it seems so that’s all of them now.

    Not good for Labour at all. 

  135. Cyborg-nat
    Ignored
    says:

    I tend to agree with you Sottish-Skier as empirical evidence suggests that Labour would need a 20 point lead at this stage to be sure of winning the next election.

  136. Dorothy Devine
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for cheering up a wet ,west of Scotland Sunday – I now will spend the next few hours trying to clean the coffee from the keyboard!
     
     
     
     

  137. Derick
    Ignored
    says:

    Poor auld bodies.

  138. Handandshrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Scottish Skier
     
    What is disturbing is that the Tories have 29% and UKIP (slightly more barking Tories) have 17%. Despite everything there is popular support in England of around 48% for right of centre policies (56% if you count the Liberals). The actual figures in England are worse (or better depending on your leanings) than this because if it is a UK poll Scotland, Wales and NI will be dampening the support for the right.
     
    Any notion that we are not two separate political entities is so wrong that it defies normal concepts of wrongness.

  139. Handandshrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    46% and 54% that should be. I really shouldn’t type before I am fully awake.

  140. scottish_skier
    Ignored
    says:

    @Handandshrimp
    Yes, I have noted importance of the combined UKIP + Tory vote. Most UKIPers, whilst maybe voting UKIP for EU elections, will return to Tory in a UKGE lest they let Labour in by the back door under FPTP. Exactly the same happened in 2010 for the Libs; they had a massive poll boost just ahead of the election but that didn’t translate into votes on the day due to people worrying it would be a wasted vote and e.g. allow the Tories to win the seat.
    The fact that Dave is offering an EU referendum should help ensure a UKIPer return to Tory.

  141. Davy
    Ignored
    says:

    No 1 photo – (man) look its my fucking turn to wear the tie get over it.
     
     

  142. Ted
    Ignored
    says:

    (All)  “Ladies and gentleman the beer lorry has broken down on the A9”



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