The alliance of silence
It’s fair to say, readers, that Wings Over Scotland is somewhat cynical about the UK and Scottish media. It’s pretty much our thing. Very little about it behaving maliciously, untruthfully or incompetently genuinely shocks us. But today is one of those rare days.
Votes of no confidence in a UK government are even more uncommon. The last one was almost 40 years ago. They’re extremely dramatic and newsworthy events. So it’s a little odd that one has been called this afternoon and the British state broadcaster has absolutely nothing to say about it, even on its politics website.
The motion was tabled last night by four opposition parties – the SNP, the Lib Dems, the Greens and Plaid Cymru. And the ladies and gentlemen of the press DO know that it happened. The Independent reports it fairly prominently on its front page:
And STV have a story on their website:
The Guardian is also aware – although you’ll struggle to find it anywhere on the front page, it does get mentioned, eventually, in passing, in paragraph SEVENTEEN of an obscure story about Labour activists:
Sky also buries it way down a story about Labour – this time in the NINETEENTH paragraph of 24, as a few hastily-edited-in lines (they weren’t there originally):
But that’s all we’ve found, more than 12 hours after the story broke. It didn’t make last night’s TV news bulletins. Neither we nor anyone else have encountered any mention of it at any time on either of the UK’s two 24-hour news channels. As far as we can find, most of the UK’s national news outlets – the Times, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and the Express – have nothing at all.
What will happen this afternoon is that either a UK government will face a vote of no confidence for the first time in four decades, or Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition will fail spectacularly in its primary duty, which is to seek to depose a government that has lost the support of Parliament.
Whichever of those things happens is major news, or at least would be in any sane country with a media worthy of the name. Even we’re genuinely stunned that the UK’s press and broadcasters are determinedly turning their blind eye to the telescope.
We can only assume that they instinctively stop paying attention any time they hear the word “SNP” and dismiss it as being a Jocks-only matter, even when what they regard as the UK’s “proper” third party is also involved. And that probably tells you everything you need to know about Scotland’s place in the Union.
This is obvious self censorship on an enormous level. Multiple news editors must be thinking about their MBEs, knighthoods and other gewgaws of this Ruritanian country.
Herald has it 11 hours ago “SNP and Lib Dems put down no-confidence motion in Theresa May’s Government” by Michael Settle.
“And that probably tells you everything you need to know about Scotland’s place in the Union.”
Which it most certainly does.
For God’s sake, let us get out of this farce as soon as possible.
Well it must be a SNP Good story because if it wasn’t then it would be covered wall to wall.
Sorry, 12 hours ago. I think Herald had something about it before, too busy to remember.
I’m running out of increduility. Is it a finite thing? Can you get an increduility infusion? I’m going to need a whole lot more of the stuff, with the establishment now in full N Korean mode. On the other hand, I could just shut up and get back to Jockoland.
Well then Rev Stu.
THIS is the size of the monster we are up against.
Or at least the size of monster it thinks it is =)
Rhonda Dougall did mention it as “in the last few minutes” around 10:40 last night during Scotland Tonight.
Shocking
So, exactly how big is this monster are we up against?
I witness a monster exagerated.
A legend in its own lunch time.
Bring it on tories.
Scotland. The spirit of Scotland. The people of Scotland – now there is truth and strength 🙂
At the end of the day, it’s about flushing Labour out. They will have to respond to this one way or another which will mean GE (if NC wins) or EU-Ref2. Labour being forced to nail their colours to the mast. Not a bad move by the REAL opposition.
I think they ignored it as they figure that, without Labour’s support, it will fail. Labour’s tactic (if you can call doing nothing a tactic) seems to be to wait until the Tories lose the meaningful vote and then enter a no confidence motion in the government at that time.
That would be awfully late though, at the fag end of January, to do anyone any good.
Corbyn is either completely useless or knows exactly what he’s about. I couldn’t hazard a guess as to which is the case. I don’t trust him any more than I do the other unionist party leaders.
P.S. what the heck is this meaningful vote thing? Are other votes not meaningful.
Oh yeah, and the “People’s Vote” – who else would be voting – Martians?
May now claiming everyone should support Brexit. When the majority do not support it. Blaming everyone else as usual. It was not Labour that called the EU Referendum.
‘Criminal waste of money. PM running down the clock to make her deal seem better than a No deal’. Wasting public money.
May blames everyone else. She is a disgrace. The Tories think it is a joke. What a bunch of liars. It’s the Tories that called it.
When are people in Scotland going to wake up to the bias in the Scottish media (I’m convinced those south of the border will never!!).
We are being dragged off our cliff and seem to be able to do little about it, if you would hear the press, BBC etc.
Not much time left, but I still have faith that Nicola kens fit she’s aboot!
The Beeb’s live coverage of PMQ’s on the website has it, fourth paragraph down on SNP: Watching in horror.
I read somewhere that a motion of no confidence in the Government can only be effective if tabled by the Leader of the Opposition. Is this correct?
Only worth a glance if the Jock Party have anything to do with it.
We can find no surprise in the BBC Westminster propaganda channel not reporting it as they will be awaiting the SNP Bad Spin documents to come through from parliament.
On the new immigration rules, Why would any country think that there will be a queue of Doctors and Nurses waiting to come here when the English have made it perfectly clear that they are not wanted?
A Junior Doctor would see that NHS England has had its first ever strikes and draconian employment contracts forced upon them.
Nurses will see that their pays were capped and they essentially had a pay cut of just under 15% when inflation is added in.
Would you want to live in a country with no trade agreements, where fuel and food bills are ready to go through the roof, where 100,000’s of jobs are about to be lost and where you could be kicked out of the country, just like the Windrush generation, who had contributed to the economy for over 50 years?
The arrogance of the Tories and England make Jose Mourinho look like an insecure agoraphobic.
For the Red Tories, the world’s best abstainers and fence sitters
they will not bring down their brothers in blue.
They just keep doing nothing but keeping every option open, and
saying that they could do better, but we don’t want to say how.
The English Media will never allow Corbyn to enter Downing St, and most of the Labour MP’s don’t want him as he isn’t far enough right of centre for them.
With a popular new Tory Leader like Bungling Boris, I’m sure that Scotland could have yet another 10 years of Tory Rule that we never voted for.
Its 60 years plus since Scotland every gave a Conservative party a majority so making that a 70 event certainly won’t trouble
Tory HQ.
@Henry Gough-“Cooper
Normally it would be but nothing in the rules to say it must
All the Tories are complaining.
People on average will pay less tax in Scotland. The people who need it.
Yeah but they did report that pet passports are not going to be accepted anymore, how dare they, because we the British are a nation of dog lovers they say, we just don’t like poor people immigrants homeless people sick people young people disabled people
Damn this pet passport thing is inconvenient don’t they realise our pets are British and must have the right to move freely throughout our empire and Johnny foreigner land as well
Vote? what vote? on what? eh? who? when? What about my damn canine?
Corbyn ‘Stupid woman’ That’s mild. A complete lunatic.
BBC stick up for her.
I brought this matter up with BBC Cymru by phone just now and was told that someone from BBC Audience Research would pass on the matter and my disappointment to the Editorial Teams of both BBC Cymru and BBC Wales (and their separate on-line news people). It would be up to them afterwards to decide if this was a sufficiently newsworthy event [sic.] to report on it.
I tried stressing this was an important matter for the whole UK – not just Cymru/Wales (in *either* language) and was again met with this brick wall of the final decision rested with the Editorial Teams.
It’s not so much an alliance of silence but an alliance of suppressing news, and educating and informing the populace. But Wingers knew this already.
Absolutely appalled and gobsmacked in equal measure.
Brexit supporters still tweeting about the EU being an unelected bureaucracy. This after the SC rules that the HoL can remove the powers of the Scottish Parliament against the wishes of Scotland’s elected representatives and without even a vote in the elected chamber.
Well the VONC must be registered in Hansard now as the SNP raised it at PMQ’s, if it doesn’t happen then there is only one party preventing it (two actually but as we have seen in Scotland they are effectively united as one).
There’s really no excuse for this.
I’m not even angry. It’s so, so disappointing.
There for anyone to see.
You would like to think the reasonable people in BBC Scotland, in my opinion the many, would have to defend this.
@Welsh Sion
I suspect that you are not even talking to a BBC employee, it is more than likely they have out-sourced this function and you are talking to a call centre. Their job will just to be to stick in a database for the BBC to ignore later.
Do I win a prize?
“robertknight says:
19 December, 2018 at 1:27 am
Labour, Tories and MSM will ignore it.
Nothing to see here folks, move along now please…
Just another day in paradise.”
Leadsom tells Bercow he did not apologise when he called her ‘a stupid woman’. Bully Bercow.
As Robert Peffers wrote in the previous thread, the British Establishment are running scared right now. Terrified, I would say.
So they make the phone calls, they call on favours, promise the junkets, honours etc and effectively stifle the “free” press in the country. The TV stations are already in their pocket. Result – no proper coverage by MSM.
RE: Ian Blackford’s HoC statement yesterday and the Claim of Right intention (not to allow Scotland to be withdrawn from the EU against the will of the people) – the SG are on very secure legal ground IMO. HOWVER, many people in Scotland still do not fully understand this and we cannot run with this until the people are ready. With a hostile media, all the SG can do is drip drip, gently repeat ad nauseum until it sinks in with enough people. We have to get people onboard with this – not easy with an MSM pressing on the opposite direction.
Once the people wake up, no force on earth will be able to stop us. That’s a given. The BritNat MSM strategy is to keep them ignorant – an age-old trick. The good news is that people are coming round (due to over-cooking by the MSM – the propaganda is too obvious now), but we need to keep pressing this (sovereignty) issue. I think this is actually what the SG has being doing, since 2014, but it does take time.
Keep chipping away folks, we are getting there. 🙂
Martians will be voting in the Commons. Most of them are on another planet. Tories are complaining. The meaningless vote. May will lose it.
I would like to see SNP politicians start using the term “Scottish Backstop”.
This is very powerful and it will resonate with many folk. Reason: The MSM have been harping on about an “Irish Backstop” for months now, so we are already half-way there with people becoming familiar and accepting it.
It may well tell us everything we need to know about Scotland‘s position in the Union, but it unfortunately doesn’t by its very nature tell what a broader Scottish public need to know about Scotland’s place in the Union.
If a tree falls in the forest, does it make any sound?
Not if the British Establishment can hush it up, ..or blame the Russians for it.
Let’s just revoke Scotland’s Article 50 and quietly take back our Sovereign Independence and Legal Personality. Let the UK media bark at the moon or hush it up as they please. They have so anaesthetised their captive audience, nobody will notice the difference. The vast majority will just shrug their shoulders at another hysterical scream from a tired and worn out discredited source.
We will never, are you listening? No Scottish initiative, brilliant or otherwise, will EVER get a favourable reception from the BritNat media Harpies.
Revocation of Scotland’s Article 50 is the beeline to Constitutional Sovereignty which outmanoeuvres the UK Propagandists because sovereignty is an absolute condition determined by law, not the will of the mob which can be influenced by distorting the narrative, and worked into a frenzy.
Even if “Scottish Backstop” is not factually correct, use it.
If the MSM ridicule it? Great! All the better, it increases exposure. We need to get outrageous. The worst thing for the indy movement is to be ignored as an irrelevance (which is why they are currently trying this). So come on, be brave and invite ridicule – they will be unable to resist the bait.
Learn to use the dark side of the force against itself. Trick the BBC into doing the heavy lifting for us and we control the narrative (which is crucial).
BBC News now in full May deflection mode, did Corbyn insult her. They used the same tactic last week at the EU. It keeps them from reporting the VONC motion.
Did he call her a stupid woman, well she is a woman and more dangerous than stupid I would say.
Oh Dear! Not looking good in the HoC this afternoon. Is Corbyn bottling it?
I wonder how the Daily Record will spin this, following their magnificent “Corbyn in for the kill!” headline yesterday. Does the editor not feel kinda stupid now?
More discussion on points of order on the stupid woman comment of Corbyn than was had on the VONC , the establishment playing games of deflection .
But there is still nothing on BBC Scotland site.
Oooh, The Tories are pulling ranks with Labour at Westminster, and I’m beginning to think that England’s Brexit mess is a plot to ensure that Scotland does not escape the clutches of the Westminster Britnats.
Imagine Tories saying to Labour ‘you scratch my back and, wink wink nudge nudge, can’t have those uppity Jocks getting away!’
Bob’s your uncle, a few more Labour MP’s get into HOL’s and paid £300 a day for their services to the Tories.
I think BBC Scotland news editors are shit scared of what might happen to support for Yes should people here realise en mass how much and how badly our MPs are treated at Westminster and just how useless Labour are.
I expect about now Ruth Davidson will suddenly decide to show of her infant to the nation and BBC Shortbread will drop everything to cover it.
Like a great many I do not go to the BBC for anything other than the football scores. The BBC, as much as wingnut papers like the Express, spin the news horribly.
EU, The People have already spoke in a Vote, we do not want to leave the EU, so please EU revoke the part of A50 referring to Scotland (a EU member)
BBC Lunchtime TV news bulletin continues the alliance of silence and cuts Ian Blackford’s comments about Labour not backing the vote of no confidence on Tory government but includes T May’s irrelevant jibe about tax.
State controlled media? Nah, that’s Russia surely ?.
Never mind Tavarich, the plebs will eat it up anyway.
Beyond stupid. The state of the Commons.
OT
In a few idle minutes of reading, I think I finally understand Section 17, and in reference to the UKSC ruling.
Nice one!
Jeremy Corbyn accused of ‘stupid woman’ jibe at Theresa May
BBC all over this but can’t find any reference to Nick Soames telling Ian Blackford to go home to Skye usual hypocrisy from BBC.
Brillo also in gleeful mood about it as well.
Listening to radio Scotland yesterday in the car. One line from Mike Russell then;
10 minute stock piece on baby names.
6 minutes on Jose football manager
Weather travel repeat
Jeezo… it’s Pravdaesque
Thanks for covering this Stu
I’ve just searched the google news site (UK) for “no confidence vote” and there are no articles I can find listed under the “view full coverage” option that are about the SNP et al motion. How can that be?
Still nothing on bbc
All about corbyn calling may a daft wuman
Do i smell a conspiracy and diversion
Will the nc motion be lost down the side or a chair
I have already made my complaint regarding the BBC lying by omission.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complain-online/
Hope this helps
The only other explanation is that Labour ‘sources’ have already tipped the wink to the press that they won’t support the no confidence motion… in which case, to any news editor worth their salt, Labour’s intransigence would be the main story.
Not surprised in the slightest at the silence of the hams. Equally unsurprised to find that VONC is not currently top of Mr Corbyn’s to do list.
So we’re all CRYSTAL CLEAR about Mr Corbyn, his cuddlier more honest politics and Scotland’s place in the union by this point?
He doesn’t want a second referendum either on the EU or independence for Scotland. He does want a GE, but only after he and his party watch untold misery unfold for the populations of these islands through Brexit. Also? The population and his party have been forced into a fait accompli. Because, y’know, that’s a smart tactical move politically speaking. That’s how you win stuff. By sacrificing others without regard. As for how many and how much suffering and hardship folk have to go through before he and Labour pull the hero act? Who knows?
Seems a theme from the ‘top’ two of Westminster politics is forming. Yet another in a long line who knew(?) moments.
The british nationalist media is just the same as britnat political parties: they will happily allow Scotland’s future to be severely damaged if that is the price of keeping their so-called united kingdom together. Indeed these britnats happily and deliberately create such damage to Scotland and its people.
Meanwhile just when you think the rabid britnat government in Westminster couldn’t be more of a world-wide laughing stock…
Again, the Herald has covered the Blackford Skye thing, and in PMQs.
If the Herald is moving to a position of straight reporting, then it’s good news for the whole of Scotland, whichever side of the Indy divide people are.
This an example of the time (point of Order) the SNP should have walked out, maximum TV coverage.
The establishment parties are circling the waggons and the faithful press are playing their part. The telegraph should be shouting from the rooftops any labour rejection of a vonc.
May’s wealth suction policies requIre Scotland’s resources as to Corbyn’s expansionary policies.
I am not surpised but still it disgusts me. This is of UK-wide importance and a story (the potential of a no confidence vote) which has already been widely reported upon.
The decision, for it is NOT an oversight, to NOT report on this cannot be seen as anything other than bias.
Nothing will EVER happen unless people complain often and loudly, it is up to the BBC to justify itself in this matter. It’s not that they have prioritised this as a small story, they have failed to report on it at all – I double checked by searching online for it, and of course it isn’t there.
So, like another of the commenters here I have raised an official complaint. Unlike the other commenter I have not raised this with Cymru but with the general site. Also my complaint was online, not by telephone.
My complaint reads as follows:
“I am complaining about the BBC News on TV, radio and the website failing to report on a matter of national importance ie the tabling of a motion of no confidence in the government. The potential of a motion being tabled by the official opposition was reported upon as was the fact that other opposition parties were pushing for the Labour Party to do so. However, failing to get support from Labour other parties have tabled the motion last night. Despite this, the BBC have singularly failed to mention this, never mind have it as headline news (which in my opinion it should be) I have searched your site and find no trace of this. I was first alerted to the story by a website “Wings Over Scotland’ At first I didn’t belive the story was accurate but they have linked to other news sites which HAVE reported on it. I have pasted in a quote from them as follows: “The motion was tabled last night by four opposition parties – the SNP, the Lib Dems, the Greens and Plaid Cymru. And the ladies and gentlemen of the press DO know that it happened. The Independent reports it fairly prominently on its front page” STV, The Guardian & Sky have also reported on this as ‘Wings’ goes on to report later in its piece. My complaint is that not only is it remiss to fail to report it but it also gives a perception that the BBC is in some way biased against those parties which have tabled the motion. I can’t believe this to be an oversight and nor can I believe their is a valid reason to fail to report on this. This simply isn’t good enough for a news organisation that covers world news but which fails to cover something so important in it’s own back yard. By the time any rectification has occurred it will be too late. It feels to many that this is deliberate. Please respond and also please correct this. Thank you in advance.”
I shall update you when I receive a reply. Having complained before, on matters of factual error on those occasions, I am not hopeful. I imagine that the story will never appear. nor will their be an apology nor proper explanation I think.
In the meantime I hope others will also complain…
It’s patently obvious that the BBC are bias, in favour of the PM and it’s also patently obvious that the media in general are opposed to Scottish independence, the SNP and basically Scottish opinions on the debacle that is Brexit.
Infact to be honest Scots opinions don’t matter period. Westminster knows best so shut up jocks and eat your cereal.
@yesindyref2
I just don’t touch the herald. Too many nut jobs like Leask.
@ScottieDog
I don’t comment there much these days, kind of leaving it to its own devices. But it’s improved. Leask is a good reporter, his crusade to clean up SLPs and LLCs taken up by the SNP AND UK parties. Plus that old series “As others see us”. He was also involved with the Herld’s EU series. His problem is his antics on Twitter, his precious nature, and his Commonspace like crusade against Wings. But apart from that!
The Herald’s improved since it shed the Sunday Herald so-called Indy support post Ref. It gave it too many conflicts I think.
Glad to boycott such anti-Scottish media.
@Dan Huil
I don’t think it is these days. Maybe because I don’t read the articles all the time I notice the difference.
If there is one of course – it’s just my opinion.
@yesindyref2
You’re entitled to your opinion, of course. I prefer to boycott such anti-Scottish media and let the Rev expose their lies and deceit.
The blanket broadcasting ban on covering the non-vote of no confidence indicates that the main MSM players in the UK have been “instructed” not to cover it.
Does anyone still believe we live in a democratic state, with freedom of speech and a balanced, open media?
The SNP MPs have been the nice, sensible ones long enough. They are just getting ignored. Time to do something outrageous, something ridiculous, something to grab the initiative.
There’s just too much at stake to allow May and Corbyn to continue with their cosy little “arrangement” as the clock counts down to Brexmagedon.
Be bold, be brave, get mad. 🙂
I haven’t read other comments. Been out.
This ‘cover up’ has to be conspiracy on a massive scale!
The last time, historically, so many ‘inconvenient’ news stories concerning the government were suppressed must have been during WW2. Then coverup and news blackouts were deemed to be in the national interest.
In exactly whose interest is all this media manipulation being carried out?
I have tweeted this culled from two great posts above:
Ian Blackford’s HoC statement yesterday and the Claim of Right intention (not to allow Scotland to be withdrawn from the EU against the will of the people)
AKA #TheScottishBackstop
@AndrewTPearson
Have the Official Opposition yet decided to support the Real Opposition’s No Confidence in UKGov motion?
It’s just that, with the media not reporting the initial motion being tabled, I’m thinking maybe Labour has supported it but the MSM are just not reporting it. How would we know?
UPDATE – I have received an acknowledgement from BBC to my inbox:
“Thanks for contacting the BBC. This is to confirm we’ve received the attached complaint sent in this name. We’ve included the text of the complaint and a case reference for your records (see below).
Please don’t reply to this email because it’s an automated acknowledgement sent from an account which can’t receive replies. If you do need to get in touch, please use our webform instead at http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints, quoting your reference number.
We’ll normally include the text below in our overnight report to producers and management of all the complaints and other reaction we receive today (with your personal details removed). This means it will reach the right people by tomorrow morning.
We’ll do our best to reply as soon as we can, but the time needed depends on the nature of your complaint. If we can’t reply as soon as we’d like (usually within 10 working days) we’ll let you know. For full details of our complaints process please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/handle-complaint/.”
I will update you again when I have been fobbed off properly…
I’m not defending Jeremy Corbyn but:
Are we offended by the word stupid or the word woman, or is it the two words stuck together, or is to say stupid people is acceptable but stupid woman is not, if he’d said, that woman’s stupid would that be OK, or those people are stupid
Whichever it is it seems that to say *stupid people* is acceptable because it’s a reference to a collective so I’m guessing the objected to word is *woman*, so maybe next time the urge comes over anyone to use a phrase like this they’ll have to say *stupid person* then your defence can be that you apply it to anyone on the planet thus insulting the population of everywhere, no winning here is there
I’m quite sure many men will be used to being called a stupid man I know I am, and you know what, I never screamed sexist once because I am in fact a man and can be just as stupid as any woman and reserve my right to be so
Silly old fool, I’ve had that one, *clown*, Ooft, fairly regularly, in fact that’s the Glasgow equivalent to the tongue between the teeth *tut*
We know it’s not supposed to be parliamentary language in these days of needing a PC scriptwriter before you even open your mouth but there’s a danger of taking our faux indignation slightly to far when we start excluding certain words on the basis of blaming the context in which they’re sometimes used
Germy’s mistake was he was caught in public mouthing something he should have known would come back to bite him, I’m quite sure the Prime Minister couldn’t care less what Germy said or didn’t say but it gave the faux outraged the chance to overuse the rebuttals of sexism giving the *stupid people* of the press something to report other than the actual news
Don’t let the PC brigade remove the words woman or man from the dictionary because they’ll replace it with *person* and I don’t know about you but I don’t relish the idea of being referred to as *that person* like an unspecified entity
I’m not in parliament so I can say Mrs May’s a stupid woman but Germy Corbyn is also a stupid man
Score draw and the crowd goes wild
If we’re dealing with outrage this week the story of Nicholas Soames racism towards Ian Blackford was real
Just replace Isle of Sky with the word Pakistan or well any country, now that’s racism and a damn sight more important than as to whether one person’s opinion of another person being stupid is or is not news
Stupid woman (a female doing a really dumb thing) – acceptable.
Stupid women (a generalisation that all women are stupid)- not acceptable.
IMO. FWIW.
The BBC is going to be filled with ‘what did Corbyn say’, it is obviously more important than the nonsense by the PM and her pantomime routine. We should be more concerned that the Tories want to play a pantomime card whilst the UK faces shortages due to its lack of negotiation skills.
Meanwhile the BBC in Scotland replay the most irrelevant part of the exchange between the BLackford & May. In fact it is the clip that the Scottish Tories would put on their twitter feeds, must be very helpful the BBC making the perfect edit for them.
Forgot to add, if Corbyn wants to deflect this ‘what did he say’ nonsense, supporting the VONC would be the perfect cover.
Many people are accusing Labour of incomptence with their inability to table a proper no confidence. I think it may be something different
What Labour appear to be saying is that there is no point in a no confidence vote until the DUP say they will either vote for it or not support the government
The DUP say they will not vote with labour on a no confidence vote unless the parliament votes for May’s deal. For this to happen means that May has managed to convince her own party and some labour rebels to vote for her deal for fear of a no deal
If they fear a no deal so much why would they same people then vote for a no confidence motion which would then put back on the table a no deal?
Labour’s current approach means they will never table a no confidence vote. Its another Squirrel to eat up time to make a no deal unavoidable in the same way that May’s deal is, the Tory party no confidence vote, the Norway option and another referndum.
I think Labour want a no deal as they no they couldn’t negotiate a better deal than May and don’t want to be in governemnt when no deal kicks so thei conditions they have applied to a no confidence vote works well to meet that end.
The debt people in UK have right now on credit cards mostly is not twice as high as it was and is the highest of any country in EU at £200 Billion.
High street shops as we already see are cutting prices just to sell enough to get bye and some of the biggest names are struggling.
At the start of this century people in the UK were better off than they are now.
Englands Westminster is keeping t quiet in the hope that they can simply drag us out of the EU and then reintroduce all the poor pay and working conditions that existed before we joined the EU which will go a long to way towards keeping the rich in the luxurious lifestyle they are accustomed to whilst unemployment rises and the lifespan of people reduces again.
Come on Scotland take back control of your country from the English
If you don’t ,your children and their children will be deprived of a decent living
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2018/12/don-quijones-retail-melts-christmas-uk-spreads-continent.html
The ‘I’ newspaper does report it well giving SNP credot
“…so [sic]thei conditions they have applied to a no confidence vote works well to meet that end.”
Hence why the SNP called their bluff today.
I think the pm’s cunning plan is working perfectly.
“The debt people in UK have right now on credit cards mostly is not twice as high as it was and is the highest of any country in EU at £200 Billion.”
The total household debt is roughly £1.6 trillion. Around the same as the government debt.
This is why growth is stagnant. People don’t have money to spend.
On the subject of saying Stupid women in parliament (because that’s what seems to be the most important thing). Jeremy should have said pointed out the Theresa is an adult female human and therefore a woman. Then he should have listed all the stupid things she has done and therefore said that even though he didn’t say stupid woman that in the interests of clarity, he is now calling her one and then called her a stupid woman (pausing to cough first).
@Proud Cybernat
“Hence why the SNP called their bluff today”
Yes and also why the SNP, Lib Dems and Green party action went unreported
The worst of all this storm in a tea-cup in WM today is that this “stupid woman” is running rings round Corbyn, so where exactly does that place him in the stupid stakes?
Just read this on HYS on BBC piece, anyone know if it is true? I’ve heard the 2nd bit before but not the first
“The UK government is a participant to an international Treaty where the time between referenda is 7(yes seven) years. That is the Good Friday Agreement. They could NOT refuse Scots the same legal remedy.
If a referendum was refused then Maggie Thatcher stated that a majority of Scots MPs elected on independence would be enough to trigger independence”.
@brobb
Yes, it is indeed true.
Meanwhile the press and broadcasters are going ape shit over Jeremy Corbin, “Allegedly”, calling Theresa May a stupid woman.
Since when was it against parliamentary protocol to tell parliament the truth?
How typical of Westminster – the United Kingdom is facing threats of becoming an economic basket case and the SNP are threatening to end the Treaty of Union but Westminster MPs are in uproar because the labour leader calls a stupid woman a stupid woman.
This stuff is comedy gold.
If I were Corbyn I wouldn’t support a VONC right now either, if things are going to get as bad as some predictions say cos of the EU-exit carry on.
If there is a deal that sells out the DUP, they and some Tories would probably withdraw support from the Tory Govt, increasing the chance of Labour success of toppling the Govt, IF Labour wanted to do that.
If there’s a chance of NO Deal (which currently there is), and it causes the damage predicted, that’s when Labour would probably call a VONC claiming to be the ones that will sort out the mess whilst blaming the Tories.
Corbyn has already lost one election. If he loses a second time, it will be his last chance. A new leftish / right-wing power struggle would erupt in Labour and there would be a new leader.
Scotland and the SNP are just an insignificant sideshow for Labour and the Tories. Scotland doesn’t matter at Westminster.
It’d make you weep. This is what Westminster parliament is reduced to. The populations of these islands are hanging off a cliff edge and the two (supposedly) most senior placed politicians in the land are having a playground spat.
FFS!
Dr Jim 3.29pm ah the racism from our english friends in Westminster re soames against Ian blackford, totally ignored by the BBC and MSM, a bit like the racism against the schoolgirl at millfield school in Somerset, when said she would vote for independence in a second referendum, was told by would be Tory mp James heappey to, f..k off back to Scotland. Had these scenarios been reversed the scum Scottish MSM and pravda BBC would be screaming for weeks about anti English Scots ,national,ists.
@brobb
That 7 year rule is peculiar to the reunification, because a referendum would be needed in both NI and Ireland, and both would ahve to be successful.
As far as I know there is no general international treaty on referenda, that’s peculiar to the NI / Ireland reunification.
I think I repeated myself, oh well, it was so good I said it twice!
That stupid Squirrel has got us talking about anything else, other than more important things that are going on. Like (Bexit) oh YES it has.
Update: I emailed Stu this morning about our racist commenteer and included the names of those who also wanted me to complain. Happily, Stu has taken action.
thx to Stu and to others who supported taking action.
@ brobb
“DRAFT CLAUSES/SCHEDULES FOR INCORPORATION IN BRITISH LEGISLATION
1. (1) It is hereby declared that Northern Ireland in its entirety remains
part of the United Kingdom and shall not cease to be so without the
consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland voting in a poll
held for the purposes of this section in accordance with Schedule 1.
(2) But if the wish expressed by a majority in such a poll is that Northern
Ireland should cease to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a
united Ireland, the Secretary of State shall lay before Parliament such
proposals to give effect to that wish as may be agreed between Her
Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of
Ireland.
2. The Government of Ireland Act 1920 is repealed; and this Act shall
have effect notwithstanding any other previous enactment.
POLLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 1
1. The Secretary of State may by order direct the holding of a poll for the
purposes of section 1 on a date specified in the order.
2. Subject to paragraph 3, the Secretary of State shall exercise the power
under paragraph 1 if at any time it appears likely to him that a majority of
those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to
be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland.
3. The Secretary of State shall not make an order under paragraph 1
earlier than seven years after the holding of a previous poll under this
Schedule.”
Source:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136652/agreement.pdf
So Nicholas Soames can insult Ian Blackford and tell him to go home to the Isle of Skye; Frank Skinner can call an SNP MP ‘a piece of shit’ but it’s not reported in the MSM.
Corbyn allegedly says the truth and the world is going mad. Whether it was ‘stupid woman’ or ‘stupid people’ both are accurate descriptions of where we are currently.
But our world famous Parliament, the Mother of all Parliaments nonetheless, has descended into a total fiasco.
I think the SNP must be wondering what has happened to their phasers – ‘Beam me up, Scotty’.
So as Mhairi Black says, last week we had man walking around with a big stick being chased by a woman with a sword and now they are arguing about name-calling.
The Tower of Babel has nothing on this.
They won’t change now. I hope we build a better media post Independence.
Nicola Sturgeon cut off in mid interview by Sky News.
Muscleguy – maybe she will wait till Christmas morning to show her faithful followers the babe in arms. Depends how cynical she is – but you’re right at the appointed time, she will get blanket front page coverage.
Thanks for the replies, good to know there is somewhere to go for an honest answer to an honest question
If we wanted a referendum every year that is our choice. We have had a material change to our lives with brexit including our EU citizenship removed. Referendum soon I hope.
Robert Peffers – the post below was held up in moderation, I’d be grateful for your thoughts on it?
Many thanks
Hamerdoon says:
18 December, 2018 at 11:09 pm
Hi Robert Peffers – I’d like to pick your brains on a discussion I’ve been having – hope that’s ok?
You stated – “Note that if the Kingdom of Scotland leaves the two kingdom United Kingdom the United Kingdom is ended. There cannot be a united kingdom when what remains is the three country Kingdom of England that signed the Treaty of Union.”
This above has been my view for many years and I just didn’t get the idea
OT/
Amidst all of this chaos, the Tory Govt. reallocated the budgeting of £12bn english student loans arrears. This means we Scots have to pick up 10% of the tab, despite education, and its funding, being totally devolved.
£1.2 billion just been taken from our economy, in a pre Christmas move that would make scrooge blush.
How much more London theft can this colony take?
HM Guv fighting Indyref already releasing figures that show Scotland’s so poor we couldn’t even afford the ballot papers for a referendum
They must only want to keep us around around because they enjoy abusing us so much…like and entertainment I guess
Anecdotal story for you-
One of my work colleagues is a lifelong Tory voter with a military background. He now realises what the Tories are up to and that there will most likely be a no deal Brexit with all that goes along with it. He’s going to vote Yes in Indyref2.
Just an anecdote as I say, but if folk like him are now Yes, I don’t believe for a second that Independence is not ours for the taking.
Back in July Phillip Hammond called Corbyn a stupid woman.
Just kidding!
It was one of his own MPs.
No, not Rees-Mogg!
http://archive.is/cMbx5
Just watched Corbyn on the telly. He CLEARLY says ‘stupid woman’.
Funny how official lip readers can’t decide what he said.
Expect Jezzas alleged “septic womble” comment to be classed as Anti-Semitic tomorrow.
Once again the parasitic bastard Tory’s have got away with it. (Useless media puppetry, “hook, line, sinker”)
Westminster “the mother of all parliaments”??? REALLY???
What and embarrassing excuse for a so called government institution.
Indy 2 AYE .
Scotland’s voice being ignored.
Been out all day, thought by now there would be some form of updates re VONC…
Still nothing. Wow.
And Corbyn’s ‘stupid woman’. As incompetent as he is, even he knows how to not get caught being lip read in HoC.
A game between 2 in the know players, to run down todays clock and the EU Brexit clock at the same time.
Fuckers.
So I went to Twitter, to Peston, to Dunt, to Laura what’sherface, and to our very own Kirsty Hughes…. not even a whisper.
Re Ms Hughes and her organisation, which is continually operating a crowd fundraiser. Does anyone know anyone who contributes? Seems to me plenty on here have experience (at one end or another) of these things by now… and they’re not so very easy to do.
Craig Murray printed some interesting links Kirsty Hughes had. If I had doubts, they’re now gone.
Come on the world press – this has got to be the Biggest Story on the planet just now. Not since Mrs Simpson and that wee nazi admiring Prince of Wales got all luvvie dovey has the British Press conspired to so mislead and misinform the British public.
We can’t get to hear what the FM said…only a BBC sentence here and there. FGS!
Auntie wie a kilt has a picture of her outside No10 (I think)
looking a bit cold and pi@@ed off… who could blame her.
A50 to go ahead. No EU2 ref. No change to immigration policy.
PS:
————————————————————
Chancellor Phillip Hammond has confirmed the Scottish government will be allocated £55m for Brexit preparations in 2019/20, as part of its £2bn spend.
The Welsh Government will receive £31m while the Northern Ireland Executive will be granted £20m.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/james-obrien-caller-voted-brexit-three-pin-plugs/?fbclid=IwAR3tLDvdZX9lQs11N5R2UUqI39EKJ53932e6hhjGwZz-T0yhDqIGIOorszU
One wrongly wired up individual .
Re the new black out. Had a look at Ian Dunts twitter account – for all of today, he is the only person to tweet on the account. And he’s concentrated almost exclusively on the immigration thing. Compare and contrast this with the day before which was a mix of his and other contributors.
Am away to look at the others.
In fairness to Kirsty Hughes she sometimes doesn’t operate the account for a few days, so, its not like today would have been of interest to a PV supporter like her. Doh.
ronnie anderson says:
19 December, 2018 at 6:26 pm
One wrongly wired up individual.
He is in for a shock. 🙂
Corbyn should have said stupid Golem.
Donald Urquhart @ 5:50 pm
Re- your O/T on the re-allocation of English university student loan costs to the UK government’s budget and the implications for Scotland’s share of UK national debt interest.
By tracking this backwards in time to when the original (now changed) accounting decision was taken by HM Treasury, I wonder if Scotland will receive a retrospective Barnett Consequential uplift.
Any thoughts on this?
They will vote May’s bill down 14th January. Tories will fold after that.
The total diversion with ‘the stupid woman’ comment.
£55Million to ruin the economy. Either a GE and/or an IndyRef.
Westminster is a total shambles.
Three pin plug story!
Which reminds me off this
What’s has (insert football team of choice) and a 13A plug got in common?
Answer: There both useless in Europe! 🙁
PS:
Oh Jeremy!
You used a terminological inexactitude denying that thing you did. But it was the perfect ‘red squirrel’ to deflect from the real news.
Meg Merrilees
Please apologise to the very funny Frank Skinner, for mixing him up with that reprehensible old faux Socialist DENNIS Skinner in your post at 5.13pm.
call me dave says:
19 December, 2018 at 6:21 pm
“Chancellor Phillip Hammond has confirmed the Scottish government will be allocated £55m for Brexit preparations in 2019/20, as part of its £2bn spend”
Only £55m?? Is this a joke? If we look at population distribution, 8% of £2bn should be around £160m! If we divide the £2bn in terms of population, England should be getting only £1.66 bn. The remaining £340m should be divided between Scotland, Wales and NI according to their populations.
£55m plus £31m plus £20m adds up to only 106 bn. Where are the over 230 million remaining going? So not only we have here a case where England, due to the excuse of its much higher population sucks over 85% of the total allocated funds but it will now suck “as extra” an amount compared to over 2 times more of what Scotland, Wales and NI together are being allocated?
This is ridiculous.
How can anybody ever claim that England is funding everybody else when it is in fact siphoning from everybody else?
Who is the real benefit scrounger in this union?
It should be obvious to even the most myopic, blinkered, buggeringly-baying Yoon that our media in Scotland is unfit for purpose.
It’s a cert; isn’t it? All of the outlets are controlled by England. With the exception of The National, all are in the thrall of England. And this is very, very dangerous.
It’s dangerous because the English Parliament is actively waging war against Scotland through the media, trolls on social media, the BBC, the courts, and the House of Lords. And it’s dangerous because Scotland, with this dictatorship of the airways, can never have her voice heard.
It’s dangerous because the normal conventions of a democratic society – the overwhelming vote for a Scottish parliament in 1997, the enactment of that parliament at Holyrood, the Sewer *ahem* Sewell Convention, the Smith Commission, and the Scottish government’s constitutional reforms to ensure control over the English parliament’s power grab following Brexit – are being destroyed by the forces of blackness.
This is very serious indeed. We are likely to see troops on the streets of Scotland post-Brexit – how many will be Scottish battalions – and some form of martial law imposed. The Westminster hierarchy care naught for Scotland and her people. History, and the events of the past four years, at the very least, show us that.
There may be international condemnation of England’s hostility and mendacity – for that’s what it is – but more needs to be done. Our government needs to take firm and decisive action by either dissolving the Act of union – Scots Law has been usurped, there can be no doubt – immediately calling a second referendum, or declaring UDI. Not, I will concede, the SNP’s favourite tactic.
The Scottish media has been a useful fool to be used at will. The lack of coverage about the latest anti-Scottish venom at Westminster is not surprising. It is what the media in Scotland does.
The Fourth Estate is clearly the enemy of freedom. And it is not just as a result of editorial choice. Look at The Scotsman and The Herald. Once highly regarded. Now mere mouthpieces for the English establishment.
This is a war, have no doubt.
But this war is being fought through sites like this.
Luigi noo if he wid hiv said the limitation of hoovers suction for voting Brexit ah might hiv agreed wie him lol.
The speel Labour were giving for not supporting a no confidence vote was it would not win. They reckoned it would fail. They seem to want to vote May’s bill down. It is likely to succeed.
Labour are useless, but it was the Tories that started it. Now May is screaming at everyone else to sort it. Blaming everyone else as usual. What a failure. She did it with migration. Cut the staff. There were queues all over the place. They had to let people in unchecked, Then May blamed the boss she has appointed. He resigned and blamed her. A fiasco.
A complete and utter shambles.
A three point plug. They will run out of electricity. They get from France and Norway. EU agreements?
We were told today that the Leaders of the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales were in Downing St.
It’s as if we have a disease the way they describe us as being devolved. Why doesn’t England have a devolved government?
And are we to feel privileged that Treeza granted us an audience?
Okay Corbyn is useless, dithering and flip flopping at every turn on Brexit. However to listen and watch the rabid media go bananas over his throwaway and thoroughly insignificant mouthing of “Stupid Woman” you’d have thought indecisive Corbyn had killed someone in the Commons.
I’m no fan of Corbyn but the media really are a shower of gutless dirty b*stards.
The games rigged, the decks stacked, the House always wins in the end.
Most folk in the South don’t give a damn about Scotland. Whether they stay or go. They don’t care. They do not live there, It is the Westminster goons who keep on hanging on. Goodness knows why. If Scotland gets better off so does the rest of the UK. People in Scotland can just keep on voting SNP. Give them the support they need and vote for Independence. The EU will support Scotland. It was EU/UN support that got Devolution and Holyrood. The unionists are trying to shut it down.
All immigrants must be made by law to bring three pin plugs with them if they intend to come to R Precious Yoonion and not foul our Yoonion up with those foreign plugs that don’t plug in over here
Quote:- Stupid woman.
What a bunch of spoilt children, politicians, MSM, etc. More important than the bourach currently going on in WM?
Much more, that never ending “pain in the a**e”, Soames with his many asinine remarks.
Nicola took treeza a bottle of Skye Gin to their meeting today.
She’s an awfy wummin so she is…!!
Dr Jim an ah hiv ah reciprocal approach tae the plugs ah take 2 pin when ah go oan holiday , noo where did ah put the ones from last year , ah fekit ah need tae visit the poond shopee before the 29th March .
Oops….David Mundell caught calling Yvette Cooper ‘a bitch’.
https://www.facebook.com/259980387796091/posts/590952518032208/
Dr Jim…
Wire you goin’ on about the 2 pin plug? At ohm, my shaver comes with a 2 pin plug and I use an adapter to plug it into a 3 pin socket. More; shaver sockets in bogs are 2 pin.
Resistance must be the current path to sort out this problem. Power to the people! Watt am I goin’ on about? Bah! I’ve run out of electrical analogies.
Then the sparkie’s wife asked, “Wire you insulate?”
“I was in the bar…”
I think I’ve solved the identification of immigrants to Scotland problem
If they stamp them all on the forehead with a Yoonion flag that says immigrant on it then the Yookay’ll know who they are
Why not they stamp everything else wae that flag
When they want to throw them out they can remove the stamp using that electromagnastatically generated powered magic beam thingy y’know the same as the Irish border one they’re getting
@ brobb who asked
Just read this on HYS on BBC piece, anyone know if it is true? I’
“The UK government is a participant to an international Treaty where the time between referenda is 7(yes seven) years. That is the Good Friday Agreement.
This is true – see link.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-belfast-agreement
The difficulty is boxing the NI secretary of State to the starting point, as calling the NI Referedum/Border Poll depends on his/her assessment of what’s going down
“They could NOT refuse Scots the same legal remedy”.
Couldn’t they? They seem to be taking Salmond’s throwaway remark about that’s everything over “for a generation” to imply “a generation” is something like 50-100 years!
However if you think principles as applied in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement could be extended from NI to embrace Scotland – feel free to argue the point and find lawyers to support you
The world has to be aware of how bad things are in Westminster, even with the BBC on silent running.
A serious distraction will occur to take the proles attention away from what is going on.
Initially I thought an emergency royal wedding might do the trick but its far to serious I think they will have to bump off Brenda.
Yep, a much beloved celebrity death must be imminent
Maybe our Lilly-livered populace will find some ‘Gallic’ courage from our French cousins and take to the streets in protest and show this pack of cowards especially in the Labour Party that we, the people mean business.
Jason Smoothpiece says
” I think they will have to bump off Brenda”
or maybe just get Phil out the freezer!
ben madigan
FYI
Rees-Mogg says that ‘a generation’ is five years for political calculations.
@Capella
Thanks for that, it was taking the proverbial. Would have been funny if it wasn’t for the constant anti-English drone.
Watching CH4 news on catchup, tonight the discuss Brexit with a chap from Dublin, sorry not familiar with the rent.
Certainly did not hold back & CN could not lay a glove on him.
It’s your Brexit , you’re
interesting discussion from N Ireland about Brexit and the border.
When the audience were asked how they would vote… No deal or re-unification of Ireland,all but two of the audience said they would vote for re-unification.
They then interviewed a DUP supporter and he said he would vote to stay with the republic.
All but two of the audience thought the Backstop offers a fantastic deal.
mind you Sinn Fein are the elected representatives for the border constituencies.
Watching CH4 news on catchup, tonight they discuss Brexit with a chap from Dublin, sorry not familiar with the gent.
He certainly did not hold back & Cathy N could not lay a glove on him.
It’s your Brexit , you’re choice to Brexit etc etc
Tam..
Well said
Why doesn’t England have a devolved parliament
Every time I see Theresa May I can’t help but vision the deranged nun from Black Narcissus. She sitting there in hiding to try and throw Nicola Sturgeon off a cliff (along with the rest of us), consumed with jealousy about a talent she will never have. Although I would probably now call it Black Narcissist, much more apt for the current PM.
HMS Nebulous running silent running deep , well tae Jan at least .
Tam
yes I can confirm that Nicola was in Downing street tonight.
There is a photo of her talking to cameras, microphones and reporters, standing outside NO.10 but, silly me, why would I want to actually hear what she has to say.
Surely it’s enough for the BBC to show me that she was there.. I suppose i could listen to the photograph of T May which has sound attached to it to hear how the day went.
So considerate of the BBC to let me hear one of them.
Maria. f.
Well said
Terence Callachan
I seem to remember that England doesn’t have a devolved Parliament because they voted not to have one. They thought it was too much doubling up of representation and anyway, they really don’t need one since, as we all know, WM is the Parliament of England.
Don’t be mistaken, it’s not really the parliament of the UK.
Socrates
a thousand apologies… I’m so wide of the mark, I was thinking of Frank Field but muddled that up completely and only got the Skinner surname correct.
I consider myself suitably admonished Mea culpa.
FM speaking outside No 10
video
https://twitter.com/sturdyAlex/status/1075449599425503232
@Nana
I caught this earlier. The FM looked at the end of her tether and a bit weary today. She’s knows she’s wasting her time darn Sarf but she must go through all the hoops because all angles must be covered when the need for Ind2 becomes a necessity.
She’ll say “Wit can we dae we tried oor best”.
Fingers X’d behind her back 🙂
Back to Bute House for a mug of the Rosy Lea.
Thae WM mugs are so depressing.
PS:
Hope you are in good spirits.
Not long now 🙂
@call me dave
“Thae WM mugs are so depressing.” hahaha, how very true!
I’m doing ok, thanks for asking. Looking forward to spending time with family and friends over the Christmas break. I think we all need to charge the batteries for the New Year and be ‘eveready’ for whatever comes.
‘The world has to be aware of how bad things are in Westminster, even with the BBC on silent running.
A serious distraction will occur to take the proles attention away from what is going on.
Initially I thought an emergency royal wedding might do the trick but its far to serious I think they will have to bump off Brenda.’
Terrible thought, that she wouldn’t live to benefit from avoiding the EU Tax Haven legislation through a No Deal Brexit. So near and yet so far.
However, it would allow us to sing a wee song for Wills
Oh ye cannae shove yir granny off the bus
Oh ye cannae shove yir granny off the bus
Oh ye cannae shove yir granny
Even though she mibbaes killed yir mammy
Ye cannae shove yir granny off the bus.
Night all folks.
Does anyone else get the feeling that the big, bad, boys behind the scenes have upped their game and its going to get a lot more Military Coo, fae here on in. Today’s Media Silence was/is Huge.
I just saw the Corbie thing. He looked from left to right at the Tories and said “Stupid people”.
Another lying Labour MP Fiona Onasanya caught out lying 2 in the one day but will Corbyn lose the whip same as Onasanya , somehow I dont think so
Stravaiger @ 18:01,
Oddly enough, I had a similar – and quite unexpected – experience today. An acquaintance who in a previous exchange was very “SNPbaad”, “oil run out” and “that divisive Sturgeon wumman”, has a very different attitude now. Turned around by realising that Brexit is very real and imminent and very bad news. Observing the 2-year megaguddle with a mixture of fear and contempt, and recognising that the only administration that has been behaving responsibly throughout is the Scottish Government. I was totally gobsmacked at the change, and without any effort could throw in a few nudges along the way, including the strange silences of the BBC.
Now, I don’t have any idea exactly how typical this might be, but if this change in attitude could come about, anything is possible. And it has to be said that this is substantially due to our First Minister and her team’s pursuit of keeping the entire UK in the CU+SM at the very least, despite our reservations over that issue.
Nicola is winning credit among those previously resistant to hearing her message, so when the time comes – and I believe it will be soon now – she will readily garner more support for saying that she has tried hard to explore every possible alternative and now all that’s left is independence.
However, for that strategy to bear fruit, it has to spring into action before March next year. After that transition, whatever kind it may be, Brexit will be the new normal, and the opportunity will have passed.
But after today’s experience, I’m convinced that we are on the cusp of a win.
Capella @ 5.04
RE.. Contacting the Rev.
Well done and thank you so much for stepping up,the guy was definitely out of order when it comes to the ethos of this site.
And if you’re reading… Thanks Rev
Mmm, “apparently” the EU no-deal baln also involves building a frontier along la Manche and up the North Sea as far as Berwick. It’s to be called “Adrienne’s Wall”.
[1] the quotes around “apparently” mean I just made it up.
baln? plan. Dyulsecia lures KO.
Use the appliance of indy science:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMy1MhKkcU0
Let’s take em to the cleaners.
Yer time’s up MSM.
For the second morning in a row I just about sprayed my Crunchy Nut over the breakfast table. Thanks @Daisy Walker 10.01pm!
@yesindyref2 10.13pm
You are Jeremy Corbyn and I claim my £10!
You must be, because nobody else on the planet believes he said ‘people’ (smiley face thingy)
I take it we all agree he said stupid!Surely person rather than people would have been accurate. Still stops us all discussing a vote of no confidence.
Wasnt that the point?
Nice wee burn here for Stephen Kerr MP from Peter Grant SNP MP.
“It is always a delight to follow the hon. Member for Stirling (Stephen Kerr). I can reveal that his speeches are watched with great excitement in SNP headquarters, where the single question is: how many more phone lines will we have to open for people wanting to join the SNP?”
(thanks to geeo’s hansard link yesterday)
In his defence, Jeremy could just say:
“Of course I said it. But I was lying. So what’s wrong with lying? That’s what right honourable gentlemen do. They lie. (Remember Carmichael.) It’s allowed. And right honourable ladies do it too. It’s called Parliamentary Privilege. The only thing you are not allowed to do in this House is to accuse any ‘right honourable’ – whether male or female – of lying. To make such an accusation would be dishonourable, and I didn’t do it – so, what’s your problem?”
“But you said she was a ‘stupid woman’, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but she is a ‘woman’ … And the rules in here, in this House – Parliamentary Privilege and all that – show that all of us (in here) are ‘stupid’, don’t they? Because the rules say ‘we are allowed to lie’, but they also insist that ‘we are not allowed to call each other liars’. So what’s wrong with ‘a stupid man’ like me calling a female member of this House like her ‘a stupid woman’? And why can’t I lie if I want to? Where’s your problem?”
“So you mean you were telling the truth after all when you said ‘stupid woman’? In that case you were lying when you said ‘I was lying’, weren’t you? Because you were actually telling the truth: She (whoever ‘she’ is – you didn’t specify) IS what your lips suggested she IS!”
“Yes, I was lying when I said I was lying. Because in fact I was telling the truth: she is a ‘stupid woman’ like I’m a ‘stupid man’. If you want non-sexist language we could all be ‘stupid b****rs’ … But there’s nothing wrong with lying in this House, is there? It’s allowed. So what’s wrong with me lying when I said I was lying? What’s your problem? What’s your case against me?”
“My point is that you, as a Right Honourable Liar, a privileged member of this extraordinarily privileged Mother of Parliaments, went and told the truth – and you did so, even while sitting on these very green benches, in this very house. That is disgraceful! The standards committee will have to investigate this breach of normal procedure since you are supposed to exercise Parliamentary Privilege while seated in this chamber. Who alllowed you to tell the truth? And don’t say it was only your lips moving, without actually saying anything: you are obliged to exercise your truth-denying privileges in this House whether you are on your feet making a speech from the floor (which Hansard will record), sitting down mumbling to yourself through your beard (which Hansard will ignore), or merely silently moving your lips in such a manner that the microphones pick up nothing since your communication was actually wordless (in which case Hansard has no words to write down anyway).”
“Now I have you!” says Jeremy. “You just called me a Liar. You said I was a Right Honourable Liar! That is contrary to the rules. You will pay for this. How dare you ignore Parliamentary Procedure in this way? Whatever or whoever I am, so long as I sit in this chamber you may not use any of my lies – whether uttered or not uttered, chewed or simply mouthed through lips from which no sound pours forth – you may not use any of these things in order to call me a Liar. How dare you ever tell the truth in this chamber?”
Meanwhile, amidst all this unreality steamed up to divert the population from getting any news of what is actually happening in regard to exiting the EU, something which will affect everyone’s lives enormously, the UK continues its headlong rush over the cliff. And its crumbling (UK) parliament, eaten away from the inside by the termites who inhabit, sinks ever more swiftly into the mud from which it arose.
Finally extinguished by its own irrelevance, it will soon be overrun by the rats from the Thames, if that has not actually happened already … Isn’t this ridiculous sideshow just a further expression of the UK’s final demise? Its return to the primeval chaos … that is, to non-existence … The UK is finished: it seems to be committing suicide in front of our very eyes. Not a pretty sight – and not something to take pleasure in – even though we here in Scotland will be glad to be unshackled from it soon. And set free to get on with our own lives in comparative sanity, and peace.
Here is an exchange of emails I have had with Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland. Note how an SNP initiative somehow becomes a Westminster slap-down for an important SNP + allies initiative by headlining it under a piece of Tory government action to quell the rowdy natives.
Motion of No Confidence by SNP, Plaid, Lib Dems and Green MP
Inbox
x
ALEXANDRA MACRAE
00:14 (17 hours ago)
to brian.taylor, ardler, Mary
Dear Brian Taylor,
Can you please explain why no mention is made anywhere on the State Broadcaster’s website of the laying down of the above motion of no confidence in HM Government by the third largest party at Westminster, backed by others? Even to the impartial observer a matter of some gravity such as this would merit a headline.
Yours sincerely
Brian Taylor
10:46 (7 hours ago)
to me
Many thanks. It is mentioned. Under this headline May urges Scottish and Welsh ministers to back Brexit deal
Was first reported when it happened. On Tuesday.
From: ALEXANDRA MACRAE
Subject: Motion of No Confidence by SNP, Plaid, Lib Dems and Green MP
Capella, well done, thank you =)
The mainstream Media will never cover a topic that will enhance the case for independence
UPDATE!
It only took 8 days for them to decide it was going to take longer than 8 days to fob me off. Received to my inbox on 27 December, the following is them postponing even LOOKING at my complaint
“This is an update to let you know that we had referred your complaint to the relevant people and regret that it may take a little longer before we can reply. Please do not contact us in the meantime.
Although we reply to most complaints within 2 weeks we cannot achieve this every time. It depends on what your complaint was about and how many others we are handling, or may sometimes be due to more practical issues. For example a production team may already be working on another programme or have gone on location.
Please don’t reply to this email because it’s sent from an account which can’t receive replies. If you do need to get in touch, please use our webform instead at http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints, quoting your reference number.
For full details of our complaints process please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/handle-complaint/.
In the meantime thank you for contacting us – we appreciate your patience.
Kind regards
BBC Complaints Team”
I’ll keep you posted and see if they reply with anything other than a “it was an editorial decision”
UPDATE – I have received a reply from the BBC in regard to my complaint on this. I made the complaint on 19th December, and the reply was received on 3rd January.
Their response – Thanks for contacting us.
I understand you believe we only focused on the Labour Party’s tabling of a no confidence motion in the government and didn’t cover the separate motion raised by four other opposition parties.
Thanks for rising these concerns. We know that not everyone will agree with our choices on which stories to cover, or the order in which they appear. Our news editors make these complex decisions, based on the editorial merit of all the stories at hand. We accept that not everyone will agree with each decision – various factors are at play and there’s often debate in the newsroom too.
A range of factors affect how we put together our news bulletins. Is it breaking news, or a dated story? Does it follow on from a recent event, or change our understanding of things? Is it unusual, or attracting national interest? We consider these things and also put great importance on verifying events and building up a clear picture – before reporting in a reliable and trustworthy way.
Editorial decisions are more of a judgement call, than an exact science – so you’ll even find variety from one BBC programme to the next. Time constraints, the expected audience profile and the style of each bulletin or current affairs programme can all play a part. We appreciate the feedback that our audience give us when it’s felt a story has been overlooked – it too can inform our ongoing work. Suggestions for other stories to consider can be made here:
My reply – “My initial complaint was:
“I am complaining about the BBC News on TV, radio and the website failing to report on a matter of national importance ie the tabling of a motion of no confidence in the government. The potential of a motion being tabled by the official opposition was reported upon as was the fact that other opposition parties were pushing for the Labour Party to do so. However, failing to get support from Labour other parties have tabled the motion last night. Despite this, the BBC have singularly failed to mention this, never mind have it as headline news (which in my opinion it should be) I have searched your site and find no trace of this. I was first alerted to the story by a website “Wings Over Scotland’ At first I didn’t belive the story was accurate but they have linked to other news sites which HAVE reported on it. I have pasted in a quote from them as follows: “The motion was tabled last night by four opposition parties – the SNP, the Lib Dems, the Greens and Plaid Cymru. And the ladies and gentlemen of the press DO know that it happened. The Independent reports it fairly prominently on its front page” STV, The Guardian & Sky have also reported on this as ‘Wings’ goes on to report later in its piece. My complaint is that not only is it remiss to fail to report it but it also gives a perception that the BBC is in some way biased against those parties which have tabled the motion. I can’t believe this to be an oversight and nor can I believe their is a valid reason to fail to report on this. This simply isn’t good enough for a news organisation that covers world news but which fails to cover something so important in it’s own back yard. By the time any rectification has occurred it will be too late. It feels to many that this is deliberate. Please respond and also please correct this. Thank you in advance.”
Your reply was – heavy competition in the newsroom. However this does NOT answer why there was no coverage whatever online. Please respond.
Sorry for being long winded, I imagine they’ll get back to me just as promptly to fob me off a second time too!