Wings Over Scotland

I’d like to say I’m surprised at this, but I’m not.

And the person she volunteered her services to was Annabel Goldie who has just been shooed into the Scottish Office ahead of any of the Tory MPs from 2017.

Excellent!… Cartooning and lampooning on the same day. 🙂

No-one is safe from the initial hot breath of bravado from Boris, ‘all’ Scots of whatever political hue are treated equally with disdain.

Maybe some on the Union side will reconsider their options as the stark reality of the new cabinet and their ‘friends’ in America loom large. 🙁

Rooth the Mooth in ‘Fiddling with Flies’ the new west end musical.
Brian Rix at his Whitehall best.
Can’t wait.

Once more into the breeks dear friends.

The First Ministers Independence petition continues to grow in numbers thanks to the WoS
Community and their contacts.

Just went through 259,600 signatures.

The Tories would cut Mundell’sTrousers for that number of Scottish votes at the next

election.link to yes.scot

This would have been the 2010 General Election where the SNP started and finished with 6 seats. The SNP majority government in Holyrood in 2011 and IndyRef1 weren’t on the cards.

So, we hadn’t quite entered the era of Scottish politics being firmly split on the constitution. Davidson’s activities were probably purely party political rather than being in tune with her employer’s stated and open position to support the Union. IMO that makes her extra curricular activities even more unacceptable.

No one should now be surprised that BBC staff act on behave of the UK. However, having a blatant party political bias and campaigning on it, should be considered a straightforward breach of employment rules. She should have got her jotters!

Yet, when we say that the BritNazi Broadkasting Korporatzion is an arm of the BritNazi Establishment we’re told we’re lunatic conspiracy theorists.

Meanwhile, all the teleprompter parrots and earpiece drones polluting our airwaves decry their editorial independence.

Some poor bastards wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped them in the face with a kipper.

A cruise ship named Britannia has a mass brawl among the passengers after an evening of alcohol and “patriotic” singing.

The perfect metaphor for brexit England. The thick man of Europe.

Explain how she achieved her Rank in the Army after becoming a Tory Msp. No one questioned that little political support propaganda boost !

I dread to think what services Kay Adams provides.

Ruth Davidson, prostituting herself for the sake of the Party & the Union. No lie too big, no envelope too small. A working girl who knows the industry. And yet, here we are, with her odious sidekick David Mundell, she has well and truly backed a loser by not supporting PM Johnson (PMJ). From this point on, Ruthie will have to get used to her new status as an abandoned failure living on the sidelines, for ever more before an audience of the hard of hearing. All thanks to her complete lack of political judgement. Pleased for her. She deserves it.

It’s useful to remind oneself from time to time that the BBC is run on basically the same model as Russia Today.

Didn’t Annabelle Goldie tutor the Alexander brothers at Bishopton church at Sunday school?

Their old man was minister and best friends of Donald dewar who then used one of them as their research assistant who then became MP’s MSP’s , who then…………

Ahh the Tories and labour. How to get on in life.

The Church of Scotland has a lot to answer for. As for Gordon Bruin.(old man a minister)……..he worked for the BBC, the current speaker at Holyrood, also, Davidson, Jardine of the lib Dems……., the Smiths etcetera., please add to the list!

Johnson pledges new northern high speed rail route from Leeds to Manchester. Estimated cost – up to £39bn.

Now where have I heard that figure before? Ah, yes – how much is Johnson saying he’ll withhold form the EU if there’s ‘no deal’? £39bn.

There’s a coincidence. Who’d have thunk it?!

Still the same boring leftwing chants on the AUOB March ‘Tory, Tory, Tory, Out Out Out. On Independence live.

AUOB in part, the remnants of the Sheridan, fox and Rosie era!

Still they always knew how to campaign and then shoot themselves in the foot! Lol

Isabel Fraser doesn’t belong in this company. She is a journalist of intelligence and integrity who was on this programme for a long time with Derek Bateman, another journalist of the same quality.
Ruth Davidson is a completely different matter.

link to theguardian.com

Things are obviously not going well for the new PM, with lots of bad press about Brexit. Enter Dominic Cummings, to change the points, switch the rails, and set off on a new track. We are now going to think as a mind-controlled UK about investing in poor towns and building a new railway to Leeds, ‘cos Dominic Cummings says so – it makes the PM look better in the Press, but above all on the TV news.

Everytime the media shows PM Johnson in a bad light, Dominic Cummings will switch track by changing the story. Its strictly Punch and Judy for public entertainment and brainwashing. Johnson is the puppet and Dominic Cummings is the puppet master.

Reposting this from previous thread in hope that someone may have full version of the Portillo & Guests extract it features.

If you haven’t seen this before and you’re already in a bad mood, please don’t watch it.

link to twitter.com

Hamish100 u forgot the Gord!
Socrattes , re Annabelle Goldie, have only met her a few times and got to say she comes across as a decent person in a matronly way, she was at Glasgow High with one of the Ultra Yoons here so used to visit Arran now and again. Was talking about her after the appointment the other night to a mate who told me he had good banter with her when he was working at an SNP stall in Ayr about twenty years ago. I guess we just have to blame the upbringing for her turning out a Tory.
We have to ask why Boris did not have her in the Scotch Office, im sure everybody on here will have a different theory, to me its obvious he is putting a message out there that he sees us as a Colony and not an equal partner.

The image of Ruth Davidson being ‘dispatched’ has much to commend it.
Sewing a straight seam, a prerequisite for Scotch Tory ladies? What about piano shifting?
As for Mundell’s pants, definitely not for those of a delicate or nervous disposition.

Re;Manandboy@2.41pm

Looks like AUOB has been sabotaged then, and I have heard some say it’s questionaable whether it is or has been useful to independence in fact.
Anyhoo, looks like ‘left wing’ have infiltrated it no? As if it is a march about crazy lefties, or about party politics,
(the ‘Tories are scum’ banner last time, bringing it down a tone or ten) so a good distraction from the actual point of it all, ie, INDEPENDENCE.

Possibly, maybe even likely, all orchestrated to portray Scotland and independence supporters as narrow crazy lefty ‘nationalists’ rather than peaceful, measured and respectful internationalists, welcoming to all in support of independence no matter your party politics.

Richard Hunter 2.17

“It’s useful to remind oneself from time to time that the BBC is run on basically the same model as Russia Today”.

Christ you must be so thick that it hurts.

Mac at 4:32pm.Thankyou—-at least one person has had a look at my Post !
Jack

We all knew about labour in Scotland”s association with the.bbc, it’s a big big list!

Like others not surprised the tories are at it too and we know liberals have form in Jardine going from bbc reporter to mp.

I have no issue with an employee from the bbc taking up a career in politics. I do have issues if they are an active political activist whilst working for the bbc, that includes being an SNP activist!

The news we view must be impartial other use it is propaganda, and for whom?

As for Davidson, her bubble was popped in Scotland a long ago, good to see the the good folk of England catching up and seeing her for what she is, a tool to be manipulated by London!

@Mac

I didn’t acknowledge your post,but I read it and it supports other information that has been written. Thanks!

Very heart warming in a week where Boris is given much space in the papers and on Auntie’s Radio and TV.

Shurley there will be a big spread in all the Sunday papers for the gullible Scots tomorrow. 🙂

The BBC is an apprenticeship for British Establishment politicians.
It allows media and communications skills to be developed.
Think of it as a prep school where they prove their loyalty whilst they get paid.

It’s a shame you put lady at the end of the title?

Campbeltown March was great today, I stood on the sidelines today, our wee Frenchie not quite fit. Comments really interesting from people on the pavements, all bar 1 pro Indy. Nobody batted an eyelid at the Tory out chant. Bikers were brill, the numbers of older people marching was noted by just about everyone. The internal problems of the organisers isn’t visible on the streets.

Artyheggy , manandboy , and others , as one who has taken part in lots of the AUOB marches I take issue with the assumption that it is turning into a LEFTY induced partisan gathering , I have found that the people who have chosen to participate in these “questionable” beneficial gatherings , the elderly , the disabled , the families , the dugs , the poor , the rich , the English Scots for YES , are giving up their time and energy to UNASHAMEDLY support their desire and drive to free their nation and country of Scotland from English Unionist Parties , and if people are offended by chants of tory tory tory out out out they should ask themselves are the people justified in chanting it .

As for the organisation behind AUOB I have looked at the criticisms and questions being levied against it and can admit I too am not enamoured by their organisational or administrative skills , but the question to be asked is who else would be doing it , what other group or organisation has came forth to organise these displays of support , and displays of support they are IMO, what other group is coordinating mass people support and protest , NONE ,So we can all get our knickers in a bunch and feel superior that the great unwashed are daring to chant ( horrid ) slogans , what about the REAL HORRID slogans that the UBER BRIT NATS are shouting at the PEACEFUL marchers

There has been a tendency in Scotland over the last few years to think that the Irish problem has, to a large extent, been sorted. We have paid scant attention to them as any kind of comparison to the Scottish quest for Independence.

Northern Ireland and Ireland (Not Eire) have seem extreme troubles over the decades that Scotland has avoided. In many respects, the Irish have had centuries of worse treatment at the hands of the British (with Scottish regiments involvement, I might add) and in more recent decades, the UK Establishment.

With Johnson, insisting on a removal of the backstop, and threatening that NI will have to return to “Direct Control”, there has to be some recognition that Scotland and Ireland are in similar boats, headed in the same direction.

Both Scotland and NI voted to remain in the EU. The UK establishment response is to tighten up control, to refuse any sort of reasonable discussion and to threaten Northern Ireland. Seriously?

Of course, the current Johnson cabinet will try to conquer, rather than compromise. They want to control, rather than communicate. They prefer threats to treaties.

There is a piece of fake news floating about, which claims that Johnson said of the Irish Taoiseach, Varadkar, “Why can’t he be called Murphy, like all the rest?” In one sense funny, in another, it further informs you what people think of Johnson, and what he thinks of the Scots and the Irish.

Here is the interesting part. Go onto the Telegraph or other right-wing publications both in the UK and NI and you will hear two things… One, they are enthralled by the bold Johnson sweeping into office and instigating great change, and two, they are scathing that “Varadkar is taking the EU side.”

Varadkar is being monstered for not respecting the long history and relationship between Ireland and Britain. Again, seriously? This must be a joke. Leaving this aside, it is clear that Ireland has done very well out of the EU. And the EU countries respect Ireland (No, I am not going to call them Eire or Southern Ireland). Scotland would do well to look at how the EU has treated Ireland, a similar country to Scotland in many respects.

And there must be increasing numbers in Northern Ireland who feel that remaining in the EU, is an attractive option. Reunification has never looked so good. Who cares about the ancient flutes and drums of yesteryear? (The answer is, only the bigots, Unionists and the British Establishment) By the way, for avoidance of doubt, I am technically Protestant by birth. I despise all this religious guff that is weaponised against the people.

Left alone, in both Scotland and Northern Ireland, the majority of the people would naturally drift to Independence and Reunification. It is only the interference of the British Government, backing up the Unionists and Sash wearers that prevent the natural inclination of the majority to govern themselves. The whole Scottish Referendum result is a reflection of British propaganda, nothing more.

And although I will never countenance violence, I find myself understanding the Sinn Fein and being awed by the ability of the IRA to stand-up to the British political and military machinery, and yet reaching a peace accord that is likely to be ripped asunder by a man like Johnson. I cannot help wondering what the Irish support in the US must think.

Westminster and the UK establishment should think very carefully about the direction they are taking. It is extreme. It will backfire. If not immediately, then in the next few years. Who are these people who think that they have the right or the moral authority to make Brexit decisions on behalf of and against the wishes of the majorities in other countries, or indeed the whole of the UK now.

Johnson will surely make the history books as the PM who reignited the troubles in NI and tried unsuccessfully the quell the democratic right of the people in Scotland to remain in the EU and to Govern themselves. Boris, you cannot cage an idea whose time has come.

So, Scotland should look to the lessons of the Irish situation. There are huge parallels. Both countries are threatened by the British Establishment. One must imagine that the DUP are wondering what they signed up for when the supported the Conservatives. Arlene Foster should be nervous about Johnson’s cavalier approach to the backstop.

Scotland should reach out to Varadkar. British-Irish council meetings should be replaced by Scottish-Irish Council meetings, after all, there is a shared history, a common enemy, lessons to be learned and EU and trading friendships to build.

Finally, Johnson and his cabinet are probably the most undemocratic Government that these islands have seen since Cromwell. Sure, there are a number of PM’s who inherited their predecessors’ position, including Brown from Blair. But this time, it’s nothing less than an extreme Right-Wing coup that has come at the one of the most difficult times and decisions. It’s a desperate act of piracy rather than any reasonable political change. ‘No matter what… the people in power, the establishment, will always get their way’.

It’s clear by Johnson’s promises, from transport and broadband to subsidies for poorer cities that he is being driven by Dominic Cumming’s social media / analytical data to try to get the electorate to forget the truth and see only the promises of a ‘nice guy’ who cares about the people. Fuck, he is even getting a dog in number 10. Just google how many world leaders, past and present have dogs, and the effect on the public. *slaps forehead*

People need to desert the BBC in droves and to seek the truth elsewhere. Turn off all British Media sources because the propaganda is going to be devastating. Many times worse than Project Fear, Smear and Sneer. Instead, focus on what Scotland can do, can be and will be.

Scotland is a country debilitated by decades of poverty and economic migration. It was always going to be tough to fight against the ‘better educated’ and ‘more advantageous’ upbringings of some of the Southern Politicians and Commentators. One thing is for sure, we need to push hard for Independence before the many impacts of whichever flavour of Brexit hits us. And we should not be afraid to approach the EU and the European Court of Justice for help, while we are still in the EU. (Yes, I understand the argument that it is the UK that is the EU member, not Scotland) But it is clear that dragging Scotland out of the EU is a gross miscarriage of justice.

From Young Scots for Independence, delighted to be joined by @NicolaSturgeon in sunny Shetland as we head off to Sandwick to campaign for @tprwills today!

video

link to twitter.com

kapelmeister

Considering countering the Unionist rationing of IndyRefs to “once in a generation”, revolves around demonstrating some kind of material change. One would have thought the last thing the SNP would want was for Brexit to be scuppered.

It is not our job to make the UK less unpalatable to the masses, we should be trying to convince them that it tastes like dog-shit.

A badly managed shambolic British retreat from Europe is just what we need … The SNP would be well placed to re-group Scotland and send us back in as a full member rather than as a region of England.

I too was at tha Campbeltown Rally today with three generations of our family. I can report it was a wonderful event for all with a remarkably large turnout considering mixed weather and the out of the way location. We were told from the stage that it was the biggest ever political gathering in Kintyre. Thanks to all involved. Keep at it, Folks!

OT from the Rev’s twitter, re. The @ScotSecofState having divested his £70,000+ shares in Jardine Matheson Holdings in October 2017. Jardine Matheson is a name with a deep history of involvement in British imperialism, may well still be, so I’m not surprised, frankly.

Opium and Migration: Jardine Matheson’s imperial connections and the recruitment of Chinese labour for Assam, 1834–39

….The recruitment of tea cultivators from China in the 1830s also impacted on colonial concepts of racial hierarchy and the perceived contrast between savagery and civilization. Ultimately, Jardine Matheson’s extraction of skilled labour from the China coast informs our understanding of the evolving private networks that became crucial to British imperialism in Asia, and through which labour, capital, people, information, and ideas could be exchanged.

link to cambridge.org

galamcennalath @ 18:14,

Yes, I feel the same. It’s a wierd throwback to the 1980s and essentially Unionist in nature. Why should we care any longer whom the English choose for their government?

Those particular banner-wavers give a good impression of being out-of-touch old-style leftards who would rather tilt futilely at their obsessive old windmills rather than actually promote something practical and effective like “London out”. And some of these slogan-chanters are just kids. Meh.

If the point of these indy marches is (in part at least) to convince apolitical onlookers that Scotland is on the move to a better future, this is not a good look.

@Mogabee says:27 July, 2019 at 5:34 pm:

” … FFS folks, we are all on the same journey!”

Are you absolutely sure about that, Mogabee?

@twathater says: 27 July, 2019 at 6:00 pm:

>” … Artyheggy , manandboy , and others , as one who has taken part in lots of the AUOB marches I take issue with the assumption that it is turning into a LEFTY induced partisan gathering , I have found that the people who have chosen to participate in these “questionable” beneficial gatherings , the elderly , the disabled , the families , the dugs , the poor , the rich , the English Scots for YES , are giving up their time and energy to UNASHAMEDLY support their desire and drive to free their nation and country of Scotland from English Unionist Parties.”

I’ll keep this short my eyes are going already – That’s one big nail you just whacked there Twathater.

The government of the day are the Tories. Ergo mit is the government of the day we need to get out from under – if not by ending the union then by voting them out. Why these numpties think that is unacceptable they have yet to satisfactorily explain but I won’t hold my breath..

Befor Robbie Gibb took the Theresa May Job. Did she not ask James Landale another BBC man first – he turned her down but it makes you think why she asked in the first place.

I thought her and fluffy was common knowledge,that wee shit runs the Tory lie machine in Scotland or he did.

Secretary of state for Scotland to a tory means running the Scottish branch offices of the British nationalist parties and the media construct created to keep the Scottish people from the truth.

I guess on that note Boris was right to sack wee Dave since he failed miserably at that.

The thing that worried me most about that Davidson article was the claim that she postponed her wedding in order to pay an unplanned vet bill.

Given the average cost of a wedding

Maybe I should have trained to be a vet.

link to archive.is

The Classic FM playlist is heavily influenced by the listener-chosen annual hall of fame 300.

And Elgar and Vaughan Williams are right up there in the popularity stakes.

That’s a more prosaic explanation, I know

But it is what it is.

link to classicfm.com

And FYI here’s a contemporary Scottish composer in that ‘chart’.

link to classicfm.com

@bill mclean, cirsium – not just me then!

aye, it’s sneaky – there’s the ones you DON’T notice … but it hits you

mental images of spitfires soaring over the south downs
david niven in a smoking jacket
bridge on the river kwai at easter bank holiday
the death of gordon (the mahdi played by olivier)

– but mike cassidy says “it just be the algorithms” – hmmm ….

there’s serious deep emotional currents here – consider siblius finlandia
– does scotland have an equivalent musical work that fits such purpose?
– could we not do with one??
imagine we had someone of the status of wagner (- maybe that’s going a bit too far)

I think I will watch “If … ” * (1968 lindsay anderson) – just to cleanse myself

– my favourite bit is where christine noonan shoots the headmaster in the head with a revolver

dont ask me why.

@Robert Peffers 0845 pm

“….stopped reading… after first paragraph…”

Really, and you present this as intelligent analysis?

Perhaps if you’d continued with an open mind you might have learned something. You are always so eager to prove your knowledge, you miss the point a lot on these threads.

Wonderful WoS posters and friends have taken the Independence potion through
The 260,000 mark!

It’s sending out a very loud message that we are ready for Indy Ref 2, the Final Chapter!

Regarding Classic FM Elgar is never off the airwaves, no surprise there then, however I’ve also heard Hamish McCunn’s Land of Mountain and Flood, a few times, a beautiful piece of music.

Swinson Bounce? What Swinson Bounce?

Despair for overrated new Lib Dem leader as three new BOMBSHELL polls show her party flatlining

link to scotgoespop.blogspot.com

Boris has used Davidson like a piece of toilet paper.

Covered in you know what, Davidson and her equally doo doo covered chum Fluffy Mundell will know doubt carry on as if nothing has happened. Strong and stable. A voice for a Scotland. Telling the FM to get on with the day job.

That’s the Conservatives for you!

@legerwood etc
Land of Mountain and Flood is pleasant, as is elgar, williams, all the rest of them.

I find english/british classical music to be a bit lightweight – ok, alright, fine – but – off the top of my head

wotans farewell – last few minutes
siegfrieds funeral march
beethoven 7, 2 movement

– that’s mindblowingly powerful emotions – way, way above anything english

you can associate with music at an instinctive, subconscious level the notion that

– my country, Scotland, is a serious place, of importance and character, deserving of its place among the nations, even to the forefront
or
– my countrys a bit of a joke, a comedy act, hardly a real country at all – wit ur we like, eh? – tryin to dae stuff, oan ur ain … that has no relevance other than as adjunct, a relation to “something better” – england, UK, britain …

formerly, your problems are all but over, indeed, would never have begun, but latterly you have the cringe written in your dna running thru you like a stick of rock – and you can never free yourself

– if minister of culture in iScotland I would like to do a “find a genius” program, give them a pension for life and tell them – 20 years – a new anthem and suite of national music (stay off the atonalism) – research the gaelic folk songs, sorley macleans poetry, celtic myths, the velvet underground, orange juice – and just do it

– I mentioned “outlander” the other night (aside with braveheart) – and how good and popular this can be – but WE are never allowed to create it for ourselves, instead outsiders come in and use the cultural gems just lying on the ground; another example – maybe the best, smartest director out there atm is nicolas winding refn – he made bronson and drive – he also made valhalla rising with mads mikkelsen set in scotland 1000 years ago – arthouse ultraviolence with a heavy metal soundtrack … a wild movie – and shame to say, no one scottish could have made that, or rather – would have been allowed to make it

Culture is War. Its also money in the bank – consider how popular scifi movies are – and yet no one has ever filmed an iain (m) banks novel.

Pete Wishart’s blog- “The Total Humiliation of Ruth Davidson” petewishartwordpress.com

@Confused

Winding-Refn is a bit naff now, although Bronson was great – mainly down to Hardy’s talent, and Refn’s attempt to channel Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange vibe.

I tell you, Peter Mullan could do it if we gave him some happy pills.

“ Confused@1213 a.m.” . Great comment indeed “ culture is war” .
I give you two versions of a song “ bequeathed “ to the world by Robert Burns, which defines our people and culture in the outward looking and international context as our national Bard so wonderfully envisaged :

On U Tube ( sorry can’t link) , (1) Auld Lang Syne
Dir. Andres Salgado Narrador.
Juan Carlos Arnan 2 Coro Colegio Ponce De Leon

(2) Auld Lang Syne
Violinist Ji – Hae Park

Fiddling the figures. Taking all Scotland’s wealth. How can anyone vote Tory/unionist in Scotland. What a cabal of total crooks ruining the economy. The Tories will have to have a GE they can lose to get out of the mess. What a bunch of chancers. Lead by a dunce like Johnson. A total greedy liar. The Condem Gov led to this mess. A total embarrassment. A fool is ruining the economy and the world. They were fiddling the migration figures including foreign students totally funded bring monies into the economy. Going home after studying.

Davidson has been awfa quiet. Soon to be a has been, The Tories are toast, especially in Scotland. There has never been such a bunch of dumb imbeciles. They are disgusting and pathetic. The only good thing to come out of it will be Independence and the re unification of Ireland.

People can’t even watch it anymore. Not watching the ‘news’ does make it easier. What a catastrophe. Could there be another surge in SNP membership. To stop going down with the sinking ship of UK gross mismanagement. The universal nightmare of right wing corrupt Tory Gov. A majority of 2. They should not last much longer.

Thank goodness for the SNP Gov standing up for Scotland. Johnston is reported to have offered the SNP full fiscal autonomy. Now reneged upon. Once again. Get rid of Labour take the fight to the Tories. The SNP will win. How can peooke who support Independence vote for unionist Parties who are totally opposed to it. Cutting off their nose to spite their face. Total ignorance.

Johnston and ‘the Northern powerhouse’. More Tories lies. How can people fall for it. Osbourne was making the same promises ten years ago. Then the Tories cut all the budget. Spending the monies on projects in London S/E.

HS2 is now projected to cost £85Billion and rising. A total waste of money. No business case or enough customer base. It will always be subsidised with public money, Journeys to Scotland will take even longer, changing trains. Scotland’s share £8Billion? Would be better spent improving the railways in Scotland and the North. Improving conductivity. Journeys in the North, take 1/3 longer than in the south. Improving rail times through Britain could cut flights and be more comfortable and cheaper for passengers. A more pleasant journey.

£7Billion is spent decommissioning nuclear every year. Yet the Tories are still Investing in it. Cutting investment in solar abd renewables. Hinkley Point a total waste of monies. There are much better cheaper, safer alternatives. Tidal wave projects were cancelled at the Humber and Swansea. They were much cheaper and cleaner. There has been tidal facilities in France. Rance tidal wave plant in Brittany. Amazing and cost affective. Scotland could have led the way in wave power. The Tories cut the budget. Short sighted. Scotland has had hydro power since the 1960’s. Pitlochry etc, Highly successful.

@Mac says: 27 July, 2019 at 10:09 pm

” … Really, and you present this as intelligent analysis?
Perhaps if you’d continued with an open mind you might have learned something. You are always so eager to prove your knowledge, you miss the point a lot on these threads.”

You began your argument by comparing two things that have nothing in common. Your argument ends there.

The United Kingdom is a bipartite unit and the status quo ante is a return to two independent kingdoms with N.I. remaining an integral part of The Kingdom of England..

This doesn’t change the Irish and England status as Ireland was annexed by England by The Crown of Ireland Act of 1542. There simply is no comparisons between the two events.

Ireland signed away her sovereignty by the Crown of Ireland Act thus becoming a part of the Kingdom of England while Scotland only agreed to be an equally sovereign partner in a two partner United Kingdom.

There is nothing common between the two events. England annexed Ireland but united with Scotland. To attempt to compare the two events is to weaken Scotland’s case and doesn’t help Ireland’s case in any way.

The stark reality for Scotland.

Forever a northern sub region of the north of England with London determining when we go to war with Iran.

Nuclear weapons to remain in Scotland for safety’s sake. It’s far from London.

Agriculture ruined by the imports of GM modified food imports from the USA.

Whatever the support for hill farmers and others from the EU there will be less from Westminster as they take their cut.

The millionaire pelagic fleet captains selling their fishing licensing s to the highest bidder and to hell with their colleagues involved in inshore fisheries. Grimsby will be the centre of fishing.

Our other resources such as oil, tourism, our people will be outsourced.

The Scots Parliament will be neutered.

Or we vote for Independence.

Lorraine Kelly ives in London now, so is out of touch. Advocated Davidson as a example of an influential politician. She wants supported Independence? Now officially a tax evading clown by choice, Davidson on the way out after all that false, fake publicity. Another one going, another one down. Another one hits the dust. Mundell demoted. A plus. Another imbecile appointed.

The Secretary of State should be voted on by Scotland. Not non democratically appointed. A total lack of respect or democracy in Scotland. Bella getting promoted. What’s that about? She knows where the bodies are buried. Another greedy earner.

‘Britain a small island, without Empire or influence’ the Chinese, ‘Scotland the land of invention and discovery’. The Chinese premier came here first, from choice, when visiting the UK.

Todays newspaper report in Scotland

There are no politics in Scotland today folks except for the Tory politics being done to Scotland from elsewhere which we mostly know is bad but we’ve all just to wait and see say the newspapers and supporters of the bright shiny future that England will provide, and if they don’t, well we’ll just not be happy about it, and we’ll eh something maybe perhaps er eh, foot stamp? but we certainly won’t talk about what we in Scotland could do about anything, because well, we don’t want any of that kind of divisive talk

Oh and we’ve to all feel sorry for Ruth Davidson, apparently life’s hard for her what with losing elections, voting for the wrong president (prime minister) and also the new prime minister wanted to sack her but can’t because of some silly rule about her being elected by her party, so he decided just to undermine her by promoting other people over her head and the news media in Scotland are very unhappy about this because Davidson is one of their main sources of misinformation and now she’s been cut out of the loop they have to make up their own misinformation

So might as well go back to bed till October folks because unless something enormously exciting and explosive happens here in Scotland all you’re going to get is Boris Boris Boris Boris Boris Boris Johnson, coz remember Scotland,

You don’t count, and if the media has it’s way, you never will

All very ‘miserablist’.
link to thenational.scot
We do not need to move on from this sombre litany of woes to that of singing the lively song for an era of hope, vision, dynamism and renewal which we believe independence will initiate.
When he visits Scotland that is what he needs to hear.
Whinge and cringe no more. UK no more.

Airdrie & Shotts. LOL.
Laughing out loud that is, not Loyal Orange Lodge.

Mr Johnston is ….

…”A person with no convictions, delivering a political project he does not believe in for a plan that does not exist.”..

link to washingtonpost.com

Intrusive NOT in 09:58 comment..

Petra says:

Mr Johnston is ….

Thanks for drawing attention to that, I think Ian Dunt might be spot on there.

For all the veneer of clownery, it would be wise not to underestimate Johnson. He is motivated primarily to promote himself and ensure self preservation – all else is just a means to that end.

Right now, Johnson will see self promotion best served by delivering Brexit (any Brexit), saving the Tory party, seeing off Farage, ensuring Labour continue to be ineffectual, and ….. SAVING THE UNION.

Johnson’s survival depends on delivering these and since his survival matters more than the how and why details of actually achieves that, he will be ruthless.

BBC……military uniform……Tory with nae principles…

…..perfect CV for a future British Regime Leader

@muscleguy (8.22) –

Thanks for that response, very interesting stuff.

I suppose a set-piece like that, where it’s a formal dinner, recorded then edited, was never going to produce anything startlingly new or controversial, but it’s valuable documentary all the same. Some respondents (well, one) on Twitter defended McLeish on the grounds that he has since come out as a solid Yes.

It’s not difficult to envisage a scenario where, in indy Scotland, these discussions become all-but redundant. Instead, we’d have the chance to dig a lot deeper into the cultural stuff on our own terms, not those dictated by metropolitan editors/producers – basically, all the same arguments which surrounded the Gray/Kelman ‘white setllers’ stramash. There’s a middle-ground to be found, somewhere between the propaganda manufactured in or via London, and the academic work which Cameron B alerts us to.

Here’s another Tory who is now HOME SECRETARY in this Far-Right Tory Cabinet !

Priti Patel the Tory MP for Witham in Essex appeared on Question Time a few years ago.

VIDEO From the I newspaper on-line:

Resurfaced VIDEO shows ian Hislop shutting down Priti Patel’s argument in favour of Capital Punishment.

link to tinyurl.com

I think there’s a degree of vindictiveness in Johnson which was acutely aware of “Operation Arse”, and he absolutely loves seeing Davidson and Mundell getting their just desserts.

But Ruth Davidson and Boris Johnson (Trump too for that matter), strike me as very similar narcissists cut from the same rather nasty cloth, and I think Davidson will now want vindictive, quid pro quo revenge upon Johnson for the humiliation of her personally, and to a lesser extent all the Scottish Tories….”Team Ruth Davidson” on election pamphlets don’t forget.

Davidson will now withdraw to lick her wounds, she’ll say all the right things, go through the motions and bide her time, but the darkness within her soul will already be plotting and trying to engineer some damaging egg on the face for the new PM.

That might be a breakaway Scottish Tory Party, but I think not. Johnson has stolen her thunder there already, and he’s already moved the centre of gravity southward with his English Tories parachuted in to strategic appointments. Ruth wouldn’t be splitting the Party as a General now, but merely leading a breakaway splinter group of disgruntled guerrillas forced into hiding in the hills.

It might be Ruth Davidson suddenly “finding” a long mislaid principle, and all of sudden being a lot more vocal and obdurate about Scotland rejecting a hard Brexit. But that strategy puts her on a collision course with the Tory Brexiteer Brigade, and Boris PM has a bigger Tory gang than she does. It’s not that Boris would likely win that battle too, but it wouldn’t resurrect Ruth’s fortunes as a Tory.

So, I think there’s a chance, a small chance I grant you, that Davidson might actually soften her resolve towards preserving the Union, – particularly if the demise of the Union can be squarely blamed on her nemesis, Mr Johnson, while she comes up smelling of roses and self importance saying “I told you so”…. or “you should have listened to me”…

Relax now, I absolutely do not expect, or want, Davidson to suddenly declare her undying support Scottish Independence, but IF Scottish Independence was to happen, and it can all be blamed on the reckless buffoonery of Boris Johnson, then Ruth Davidson’s “cloud” has at least one very shiny, shiny, silver lining.

As the saying goes, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned….

This isn’t rocket surgery folks. Scotland and England are not ‘One Nation’, and no amount abusive constitutional over-reach can change the fact that each nation comprising the Union, has a unique national character. The full-English Brexit suggests Britain can not accommodate such cultural difference, so we must all be English nationalists now, i.e. authoritarian xenophobes.

N.B. Not all English folks support English nationalism.

The Genesis of English Nationalism

In the aftermath of Brexit, there has been an upsurge of interest in English nationalism. But what exactly is English nationalism, where does it come from, and what role, if any, did it play in the referendum outcome? In this extended article, Michael Kenny investigates. This article appeared originally in the September 2016 edition of Political Insight.

English nationalism is best understood as a bundle of sentiments and convictions which are closely aligned to Euroscepticism, though not in any straightforward way a cause of anti-EU feeling. A stronger sense of Englishness represents both a manifestation of, and vehicle for, a gathering seam of political disenchantment.

Perhaps the most important role played by English nationalism in the EU referendum was in relation to the terms and tenor of the campaign that led up to the vote. English nationalism primed audiences for some of the main rhetorical gambits of the ‘Leave’ campaign, and helped engender a sense of conviction and a greater commonality of outlook for groups of voters increasingly disenchanted with the political mainstream. Without the cadences, rhetorical flourishes and mental frameworks associated with a loose form of English nationalism, the referendum campaign would have felt and sounded very different….

link to centreonconstitutionalchange.ac.uk

Good video – pass it on and subscribe to the National so they can hit 8000 subscribers and launch their Unionist Rebuttal service. link to facebook.com