The bargain of evil
The Scottish Daily Mail’s front page lead today is so galactically despicable that it’s easy to overlook another story that it bundles in with the same “SNP BAD” attack.
While excoriating Dr Philippa Whitford for having the sheer shameless gall to help save women’s lives in her holidays, the alleged newspaper also devotes a page-high article to an attack on another Nat MP, George Kerevan, for employing his wife.
The headline, however, omits a rather key fact.
Mrs Kerevan is paid a quite modest £20,000 a year for working a 50-hour week as her husband’s Parliamentary diary manager. There are no rules at Westminster against spouses being hired in such a way.
Nevertheless, the Tory MSP Alex Johnstone – who can always be relied on by the press for an SNP BAD quote – eagerly rages that:
“Hard-working Scots would be frankly appalled to learn that their cash is going on George Kerevan keeping it in the family.”
The curious aspect of the story, though, is that George Kerevan only draws £27,000 (the average Scottish wage) out of the MP’s salary of £74,000 that he’s entitled to. And what that means is that the total amount of cash being “kept in the family” by the Kerevans is still £27,000 less than George Kerevan alone could choose to trouser, even though the taxpayer is getting two employees instead of one for the money.
Alex Johnstone’s salary as an MSP is £59,089 – or a hefty £12,000 more than the Kerevans put together. If their earnings are “appalling”, we can only assume he’s going to be demanding a large pay cut, or giving a very big chunk of his own wages to charity, any day now.
Maybe we should all send Alex Johnstone an email asking him if he is going to donate his spare £12,000 to charity seeing as he is clearly ripping off hard working families?
alex.johnstone.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
Rev, surely these two together, and the deliberate omissions within, would warrant a complaint to the toothless press complaints body?
What’s your recommendation?
Where’s John Beattie and fact checking when you need it, eh?
The Mail and their contributors eh?
Match made in …. something or other.
Today they have outdone themselves in the depths to which they are willing to sink. They found a level and limbo danced under that with a fair chunk of head clearance.
Tell me we don’t get the media we deserve. Please.
Is Johnstone the Tory’s Baillie or vice versa?
Both lumps of lard do no favours to the Scottish Parliament.
When can we expect Alex Johnstone to condemn all those Tory MPs and MSPs who employ their family members at tax payers expense.
Or is it only SNP politicians he has problems who employ members of their family?
I just sent him this email copying and pasting a few lines from WINGS, feel free to copy and paste, hope REV does not mind 🙂
I am writing with regards to a recent comment you made, “Hard-working Scots would be frankly appalled to learn that their cash is going on George Kerevan keeping it in the family.”
George Kerevan only draws £27,000 (the average Scottish wage) out of the MP’s salary of £74,000 that he’s entitled to. And what that means is that the total amount of cash being “kept in the family” by the Kerevans is still £27,000 less than George Kerevan alone could choose to trouser, even though the taxpayer is getting two employees instead of one for the money.
Your salary as an MSP is £59,089 – or £12,000 more than the Kerevans put together. If their earnings are “appalling”, I can only assume you are going to be demanding a large pay cut, or giving a very big chunk of your wages to charity any day now.
I look forward to hearing from you.
The usual hit and run tactic. It’s shameful that there isn’t a real media commission with real teeth and willingness to deal with all the lies and spin.
His (Johnston’s) earnings will, hopefully, be greatly reduced come May.
@jamie 1.09
Done
Perhaps he could donate it to the Orkney Four? – they’re still a few quid short
So the upshot is that a member of Parliament honestly declares he pays his wife to keep his diary, admin, and records up to date at a lesser cost . He in fact gives many thousands of pounds of the remainder to charity.
My wife did the same for me. I was always good at my job, but a little scatty at keeping the records up to date. My wife is the most organised person I have ever met, and dealt with all the household admin. What is wrong with these people?
The answer is very simple. Their fear has caused them to turn the full might of the State via the media against both the SNP and the people of Scotland.
Mr Kerevan is not ordering futile duck mansions, nor paying expensive accountants to do his books,nor building extensions to his house at taxpayers expense.
They do not diminish my trust ,but they do fuel my anger. Rifkind ,Straw and all the rest have more to concern the media than Mr Keverage could in his lifetime. My determination is now set in stone ,that we rid ourselves of these abusive neighbours.
Alex Johnstone. A coupon ye wid never tire o banjoin’ wi an auld cupboard door… 😉
To his credit, Stuart Cosgrove managed to name and shame the Mail over the Phillipa Whitford ‘story’ on the lunchtime RS Media Review.
WOS was also mentioned twice – favourably – in broader discussion about the changing media ‘landscape’ (to the audible disquiet of the Beattie stand-in)
🙂
Sadly, the way the polls are, there are likely to be the same or even a few more Tories after May. Alas, Alex Johnstone may we with us for some time.
What annoys me about Johnstone is not that he is a Tory and a Unionist, he is entitled to his stance, I am absolutely disgusted by the way most Unionists now behave and conduct their politics.
I agree with jimnarlene, come May 2016 we shall see a whole lot of them taking a pay cut, and come 2017 the emptying out of several councils. I would be greedy and want to see the books in all of them but a selective few will make excellent reading but not for the “Daily Mail”.
OT
Quoting from a letter from the ASN to Areva regarding the status of the EPR pressure vessel flaws sent on 14 Dec 2015.
“Therefore, without anticipating the results of the demonstration of its suitability for service, I have no objection to the continuation of manufacturing work on the Flamanville 3 EPR RPV head. I would however remind you that rejection of the RPV closure head and bottom head further to the investigation cannot be ruled out.
This is why I consider it necessary for you to study all alternative technical scenarios, such as replacement of the RPV bottom head and manufacture of a new closure head.
The presence of segregations, which are the cause of non-compliance with the toughness values mentioned in the order in reference [1], arises from the process adopted by AREVA and its supplier Creusot Forge. This is based on the use of high-tonnage ingots and leads to insufficient elimination of the segregations in the final component to be able to guarantee the minimum expected mechanical properties for the design of the equipment.
I consider that the technical qualification file you presented or the Flamanville 3 RPV closure head and bottom head domes shows that the risk of heterogeneity due to positive residual macrosegregations, a known metallurgical phenomenon, was incorrectly assessed and its consequences inadequately quantified.
I therefore consider that the technical qualification requirements are not met and that you did not choose the best available technique for production of the EPR RPV domes. You are therefore required to submit an application pursuant to Article R. 557-1-3 of the Environment Code. This application shall be backed up by alternative solutions such as replacement of the RPV bottom head and the manufacture of a new closure head and shall include compensatory measures with respect to the impact of these deviations on the first level of defence in depth.”
The EPR project is on a knife-edge.
Perhaps it would be good idea to put MP’s and MSP’s on the living wage minimum for 2 or 3 years. The conviction politians will continue but those interested in increasing their own bank balance might leave.
@David Smith 1-43pm
Brilliant, my thoughts exactly!
Perhaps we should produce a list of family members employed by Tory, Labour and FIB/Dems, MEP’s, MP’s and MSP’s. Should be interesting don’t you think.
Auld Rock
A bit off topic but the Chinese are decidedly miffed at Sir Danny Alexander’s nomination for Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank by George Osborne.
Sir Danny declined to comment.
https://archive.is/u9QHf
@Almannysbunnet –
Can you blame them?
Imagine being told that a Knight of the Realm has been despatched to help your venture, and then the bold Danny turns up?
🙁
We shouldn’t be surprised if he’s returned post-haste with a big ‘NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS’ plastered ower his coupon.
Aye she fails the UKOK psychotic test for being an MP; that is to take lives and not save them.
Chic,
Och, a minor detail! If Cam and Gideon say it’s safe who’s to disagree with their expertise?
Something decidedly strange about the Danny Alexander article. Neither archive.is or tinyURL links back to the article. Even using the actual newpaper link bounces you off the article. Have they found a way round achive.is? I will not be defeated 🙂
Google this exactly and you will find it.
chinese unhappy with alexander
Almannysbunnet
They were probably hoping for Nick Clegg since he chaired the EU contingent which negotiated their entry into the WTO.
What a great job he did there, forcing them to strive for Western standards of infrastructure, evironmental protection, worker’s collective bargaining rights and health/welfare provision via punitive/reward trade tariff structure – not.
Result, a very large red reset button on 200 years of hard won Western social values, maybe, but only if they can quash the anti-corporate movements springing up all over the place.
It would appear, from a brief visit to the SDM website, that the “story” about Phillipa Whitford has attracted a hugely negative reaction even from that strange paper’s readership. The consistent right wing negativity of this rag is surely well enough known to the politically aware and their historic stance in last century’s European politics should be a warning to any attracted to their facile, biased, bigoted and dishonest reporting.
Almannysbunnet said at:2:25 pm
“Something decidedly strange about the Danny Alexander article. Neither archive.is or tinyURL links back to the article. Even using the actual newpaper link bounces you off the article.”
I think it’s their Paywall defending itself.
Same with The Times. 🙁
What is it about you “Stuart” people that make you such a thorn in the side of the BritNat Yoons? First there’s your good self RevStu, as our favourite regular exposer of the daily lies churned out by the pro-Union press and BBC, then along comes “Off The Ball” Cosgrove who keeps referring to unspeakable social media sites such as WoS, Bella Caledonia and suchlike. Keep it up, both of you!
Had a good laugh this morning when, on the John Beattie show, Stuart Cosgrove had a barbed dig at the temporary host Graham Speirs, over his desperation to get in the description “British” despite the three remaining tennis hopes in the Aussie Open all being Scots, after the defeat of the much publicised Konta – the Australian born migrant of Hungarian parents, who came to the UK aged 14.
What i want to know is, has Alex Johnstone a metal rod up his backside he stands ramrod straight and looks so uncomfortable
Unionist press are a disgrace.
The Mail are as usual aiming this and the Dr Whitford smear squarely at their demographic: low information voters who are looking for simple reassurance that the SNP are indeed evil.
The side benefit from them is, by trolling the ‘Yes’ community, the headline in circulated far and wide. This is a simple calculation on their part that there is no such thing as bad publicity. The press regulator won’t even look twice at this, and they know it.
On an off-topic note, I see that some enterprising soul is selling WBB t-shirts on Ebay. Are you aware of this, Rev Stu? I’m hoping he or she is donating some of the proceeds (31 sold so far at 4 quid a pop). I won’t post a link, but it’s easy enough to find.
I read the item this morning about Dr. Philippa Whitford and was absolutely fizzing with the Mail. Then I went downstairs for my lunch. I had calmed down a good bit and came back upstairs again to find this disgraceful article about MP George Kerevan.
I thought I was angry before, but now I find there are no words adequate enough to describe how I feel about that rag of a newspaper.
It’s quite understandable now to see why the Irish Republicans eventually ran out of patience and ended up taking sledge hammers to the British newspaper printing presses.
Toryboy Voice of The North Press and Journal banner headline front page today “PM Cameron swoops in to rescue north east oil industry” I UKOK shit you not, huge of photo of Cammers in hard hat and high viz jacket looking very purposeful/handsome/dashing/honest/trustworthy.
And as per, no actual P&J detail of any Cameron rescue plan whatsoever, just promises and that city deal shyste and lashings of #SNPbad. P&J says SNP is v. V. V. bad.
So clearly the UKOK far right is on the move now for May red and or blue Tory victory. We shall see.
Prof Poulitice also on BBC Vote SLabour Scotland cheering on the UKOK troops of his Scotland region today, explaining how it’s up to red and blue Tories to convince us that May GE is NOT a referendum like 2014 but an election. So that will UKOK do it. huzzahhhhhh etc
Alex’ expenses include plenty of references to staff travel allowances, rent of offices and staff mobile costs along with the usual members allowances so not sure who he uses to deal with administration as he doesn’t appear to claim for staff wages?
Anyway- all I can say is a big thank you to George Kerevan and Dr Whiteford for demonstrating how MPs should behave. The daily heil has unwittingly highlighted this whilst also maybe lifting the veil from a few of their own readers.
Am I the only one who reads these stories and thinks, Wow, we’re got some really great MPs, afterwards? Especially since it’s obvious that the media are doing their absolute best to dig up some dirt on the SNP too, and that this is the *best* they can find.
Off topic
Good to see RT replaying Angus Robertson from last weeks PMQs regarding UK involvement with the Saudis in Yemen.
Poor Yemen never merits a mention in any of the BUM.
On that Fanny Alexander story, I defo saw the report that the Chinese were feeling pretty unloved with Cameron exporting the ginger one.
The old adage that there’s two sides to every story is very fitting here.
Of course, there’s two faces to every Tory, including red Tories.
Amazing stuff….. If the doc went to a hospital like any other MP to talk to the staff, diverting them from their work of helping patients, that would be okay….
But use her skill to operate and cut out cancer? no way!!!! I suppose it makes all the other MP’s look bad that their only speciality is to cut ribbons
heedtracker 3:12
I remember when the P&J was a newspaper.
It’ now just another Dundee printed comic.
The readership of britnat rags like the Mail will always be anti-Scottish. No point in trying to persuade them otherwise. I am confident, however, more and more people in Scotland are giving these rags [and the bbc] a wide berth. Project Fear is actually turning more and more people into pro-indy voters.
“Is Johnstone the Tory’s Baillie or vice versa?”
Yes!
@Marcia 1:57 If we could get a 100k signatures on a petition to put MP’s/MSP’s on the living wage then they’d have to debate it. Right?
Graham MacLure says:
28 January, 2016 at 3:22 pm
heedtracker 3:12
P&J is a very creepy out fit though. There’s quite skilful determined work in that newsroom desperate to make them look like they’re regular folks of the North East but then they go completely vote NO vote Tory propaganda berserk, as elections approach. Today’s P&J front page is an amazing example of how Tory attack propaganda works, or doesn’t. Then inside, SNP MPs and MSPs made out to be lowest of the low, over and over and over. But that’s today’s Tory press for you.
At least the BBC in Glasgow is balanced and neutral:D I never tire of watching that goon show boost Tory boys, red and blue, then sneer at SNP Holyrood.
SNP x 2
Any truth in the rumour that “Oor Danny” turned down the job of diplomatic envoy to South Georgia? Penguins objected?
In case anyone missed it, the Orkney 4 have now reached their target of £208k.
Well done everyone.
@Sandy 3:35pm
Danny boy thought the job was in the USA.
I notice that the Daily Mail has rehashed a couple of other anti SNP stories on the same pages.
All out effort to smear the SNP that has ended up having the exact opposite effect.
Bunnet
Correct. Tried the link. Not oppo in the sense of linking to article sought.
Chic: Re the resurrected Alexander zombie via the loins putative of “Baw Jaws” Robertson of Islay, am with my/our Chinese confreres on this.
Jaysus tak the High Road – or the Lower or some other high way or toddle aroond the glen – Daniel Alexander?
The ultimate insult not only to the Chinese or Asian mindsets in the sense of dispatching a vainglorious, incompetent pipsqueak thus reflecting back on them (also to any hosting organization of any origin – and many – for reason, ditto).
Hell’s teeth, D-a-n-i-e-l A-l-e-x-a-n-d-e-r!!!???
I wouldn’t trust this chap with running the BBC Club’s drunkard Unionist rabble raffle (and associated pseudo-journo Brit MSM gang hut freebies and variant lubricious events in their pet pubs).
Lord God non-existent, the rabbiting, nasally whining and consequently grating on the ear, Estuary English accented weather reporting lady on BBC World News would have made a more appropriate appointee, by Chuck.
Or even Alan “Cochers” Cochrane just to inflict him on the unsuspecting in order to trigger a world war.
Fcuk me dead. Armageddon has, indeed and yea verily, struck at the very heart of the Union.
My goodness gracious me, an intriguing appointment and appointee.
Heedtracker.
I must admit to having the P&J delivered daily more because my wife does the crosswords and scans the ‘Deaths Page” but in my defense I subscribe to the National.
They seem to make a token gesture at being even handed when they judge there is little risk to the combined unionists in doing so.
Did you scan the letters page today? Derek MacKay putting his foot down with a firm hand about the A9 Average Speed Cameras.
I’ve just learned that I can not vote in the Scottish election in May because I live overseas. I’m dumbfounart!
Anybody think we should send the AIIB a case of beer to celebrate Alexanders appointment?
http://tinyurl.com/zc56kpv
Jack Murphy says:
28 January, 2016 at 2:59 pm
Almannysbunnet said at:2:25 pm
“Something decidedly strange about the Danny Alexander article. Neither archive.is or tinyURL links back to the article. Even using the actual newpaper link bounces you off the article.”
I think it’s their Paywall defending itself.
Same with The Times.
Got in via a roundabout way – had to answer 4 daft questions. So you don’t have to I took 3 screenshots. Bit messy but all the article is there.
http://www.frogesque.com/ft.jpg
Ah, Alex Johnstone – the Corpulent, Unionist, North-East Tory – initially speaking. Surprised he was able to make any kind of statement as he looks as though his mouth is perpetually stuffed with pies. Mind you, when it’s not pies it would be lies anyway.
@Bill Steele 3:52pm
It appears that overseas voting rights are only applied to UK-wide elections. See this: http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/428081/ITR-O-E.pdf
Looks like Scotland, Wales et al are considered “regions”.
Why am I not surprised?
“Wings over Scotland”
Seeking the Truth. Presenting the Facts.
@Graf Totally agree and I do like the wee saying… Unionist Bullshit Gives You Wings 🙂
£37,000 less than entitled, surely? Or am I reading things wrong?
Ignore me.
FMQs today: She’s in the blue box.
http://www.scottishparliament.tv/
After the “surprise” polls after the referendum that showed that the vote from those within Scotland was a bawhair away from a YES do we really want to object at postal and other proxy votes only being available to those living in Scotland?
Said it before, will say it again, I’d like to see that for all elections and referendums in Scotland you need to have a scottish tax code, or qualify for one. Should be simple enough to implement as the mechanisms are going in place.
Westminster rips off Scotland £10Billion a year. Oil tax at 60% when price of Oil has dropped to $30 a barrel, losing thousands of jobs. The Oil price has dropped by 3/4 the tax should be 20%. No word about that in the Press. Just a load of nonsense stories again.
@ Jamie
Copied and pasted your copying and pasting and sent email.
Time these people remember THEY work for US! Maybe if more of us clogged up his mailbox he might have something better to do than sniping and smearing THOSE who DO actually STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION!
Rant over…taking deep breaths and taking blood pressure pill!
Sorry Rev brilliant blogs today…no housework done but who cares lol!
Thanks Valery (3.45). I stuck a tenner in last night. I’d like to say I can’t afford to donate, but we can’t afford not to. Carmichael’s smugness must be good for a couple of grand every appearance.
@orri 4:33pm
Totally agree.
The new electoral registration system is supposed to eliminate multiple registrations of an individual by tying the register entry to their NI number. The theory being that the *system* will flag up any attempt at trying to gain votes by having two or more addresses.
I’m lucky enough to be able to spout my NI number from memory and I also know where I can go to make sure I’m right. What happens if someone wanting to register has a struggle recalling their NI number or can’t find any evidence of it?
I had a letter a month or two back advising me that I’ll be effectively transferred to the Scottish tax-payer database for the coming tax year starting in April. I hope the two *systems* can talk to each other.
Ken500 says:
“Oil tax at 60% when price of Oil has dropped to $30 a barrel, losing thousands of jobs.”
The way I look at it is – low oil prices benefit the economy therefore there should be less need to levy oil tax when the price is low. There is no need to be so greedy!
Most taxes are about taxing excess. There is usually a tax free band, then tax % increases as the figure rises. Corp tax works like this.
Oil tax should only be 60% above say $100 a barrel. Then drop off to say 0% around $30. That way, there are incentives for the oil companies to continue operations waiting for the next inevitable upturn.
On the subject of our representatives wages, I believe LIST MSP’s should be paid an annual wage in relation to the number of people who vote for them.
Say, 1 pound per vote to the elected LIST member. This would surely eradicate some of the 2nd class chancers such as Liar Party candidates.
Is it right that alex johnstone is only an MSP by default (proportional represtation or something like that)and he has never been elected by the public for any Scottish or Westminster elections in his history
Tax the oil industry the same rate as Google
What’s 3% of £Three hundred thousand million, that’s how much money London Governments have had
Of course if they did that they’d owe the oil and gas a lot and it’s so big a number I can’t work it out
Most of the SNP MP’s took a massive pay cut to go to Westminster. How much does a surgeon earn? Doctors earn £100,000.
Oil tax should be 20% on $30 per barrel
40% on $60 per barrel
60% on $90 per barrel
80% on $120 per barrel
Danny-boy’s job requirements don’t seem to include:
Five years of being the public face of your boss when the latter was too off his face to appear in public himself.
Still they had to find him an ‘important’ job (preferably a long way away) to keep his mouth shut. So in that respect it suits.
OT
From the Herald (usual incorrect or misleading headline): “Forth Road Bridge expected to close on Friday as Storm Gertrude sweeps in”
What are the SNP playing at? Who let them near the bridge? What’s Gertrude Sturgeon doing, how dare she? Economically illiterate SNP! Scotland is doomed, doomed I tell ye.
Mmm, I think I’m getting the hing of this.
Alex Johnstone has a farm. A second job.
I actually spoke to George and his wife at the SNP conference about this very thing.
Mrs Kerevan said it saved a lot of trouble:
They didn’t have to interview for the job, she knows him well, she knows his commitments and when he’s tired he can be rude without her taking offence!
I said she should go public on that.
Frogesque, thanks for the FT article
Ken500 5.35pm
His register of interests entry http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27765.aspx
has an interesting entry at the foot. It seems that a £25 bottle of whisky warrants inclusion but a full day’s rugby international hospitality doesn’t. Hmmm, does that mean corporate hospitality was valued at less than £25? Pull the other one Alex.
My comments on the Guido Fawkes website story on George Kerevan:
“Total bollocks, Guido! You don’t know George and you don’t know Angela and what she does excellently for George’s Office and the constituency. If you had a fraction of their integrity, the world would be a better place!
“I rarely visit this site since it is seriously harmful for the blood pressure. The ignorance of Scotland, its culture, its economics and its politics is near total, as is the consequential arrogance of the below the line commenters here.
Do you ever ask yourselves why nearly half of the Scots electorate voted for independence; why Scotland elected 56 SNP MPs out of 59 total potential? Much of that is down to the ignorance and attitudes of Westminster MPs and those who support them. Unfortunately those MPs control Scotland’s fortunes and it may yet take some time before we can break free. Don’t worry about us; we shall be much better off than your ignorant propaganda suggests – prepare to mourn the loss of your last colony (and don’t pretend that you don’t regard Scotland as anything other as a possession, not a partner in a moral polity).”
My comments on the Guido Fawkes website story on George Kerevan:
“Total bollocks, Guido! You don’t know George and you don’t know Angela and what she does excellently for George’s Office and the constituency. If you had a fraction of their integrity, the world would be a better place!
“I rarely visit this site since it is seriously harmful for the blood pressure. The ignorance of Scotland, its culture, its economics and its politics is near total, as is the consequential arrogance of the below the line commenters here.
Do you ever ask yourselves why nearly half of the Scots electorate voted for independence; why Scotland elected 56 SNP MPs out of 59 total potential? Much of that is down to the ignorance and attitudes of Westminster MPs and those who support them. Unfortunately those MPs control Scotland’s fortunes and it may yet take some time before we can break free. Don’t worry about us; we shall be much better off than your ignorant propaganda suggests – prepare to mourn the loss of your last colony (and don’t pretend that you don’t regard Scotland as anything other as a possession, not a partner in a moral polity).”
Scott Borthwick WBB T Shirts.
O/T
I asked the Revs permission when I first put the Tshirts up and at £4 a pop don’t even break even once eBay and PayPal take their cut. They were intended as advertising for the WBB.
Sincere apologies for double posting – erratic router!
@birnie
Well said!
The Guido Fawkes website is one of those sites I simply avoid. Blood pressure couldn’t take it either.
Perhaps it makes sense inside the mirrored WM bubble, but on matters Scottish it overflows with ignorance and arrogance.
O/T : John Beattie radio show with Stuart Cosgrove and Eamonn Oniell.
Best discussion I’ve heard on mainstream media trends in ages; open & impartial (dont know how it got through Beebs scotmedia filters)
Well worth a listen – frank in parts and very good advert for Wings! (and others).
Tentacles of London Labotory control still pulsing in all Newspaper management / editorial control. Willnot change and will die.
Listen from 50 mins in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06wcj6p
In addition to my post earlier at 5:50, a good guide value might be gleaned from wee Ruthie’s register entry here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27498.aspx
I reckon Alex might need to update his entry retrospectively.
Who gives a flying fuck what that rag thinks,Dacre (who earns 2.4 million a year for peddling pish) and the Viscount Rothermere (major shareholder) should have no say or influence about what happens in our country and are in no position to comment on what other people earn so Fuck them!
@Ken 500 Alex Johnstone has a farm EI EI OH!
Norrie at 5.56pm
Good to know that Norrie. Do you have many left as I’d have a couple 🙂
Yep print to order someone else is has just bought one.
Hope the addresses for the online version are still OK.
Headlines of pish like this just make me work harder at delivering stuff and canvassing for the SNP. Unintended consequence, Daily Mail.
Yep they are printed to order so infinite. Someone else has just ordered one hope the addresses are still accurate.
To all thick’o NAWBAGS:
David Cameron “the broad shoulders of the U.K. Will pay £1.3B into the NE. we are clearly better together”, that’s over 10 years. O he forgot to tell you that they (ENGLAND) have stolen £300B from the NE.
So for every £300 they stole they will give you £1.30p. Whose to stupid?
Stand up the NAWBAGS! TAKE A BOW
Norrie
Just realised you only operate through PayPal & I refuse to use their system having lost money in the past.Want to buy 3-one of each colour. Can I do a bank transfer if I supply an email address via Stu?
Guido Fawkes.
Not quite as big a wanker as K**** vote NO or you’re fired H****.
But close.
Yep happy to do that if Stu doesn’t mind being the go between. Or you can contact me through my web site Leithal Yak. https://norrie.wordpress.com/
For me,
..this site primarily let’s us share our post-negative, often-progressive points of view, while defending Scotland from political subterfuge..
..You’d think after a THOUSAND YEARS of bitterness they’d come up with something better, not bitterer.
Gordoz,
Just finished listening to the media review before heading over here, did you hear the bit at the end when the guy standing in for John Beattie spoke about British tennis and Stuart or Eamon said you had to get uk into this, they are all Scottish.
I listen every week and it’s a decent programme and they do stick it to the BBC if they think they have a valid point, the only issue with it is being on for a short bit before the news/sport/travel/weather and then some more after, deserves an hour on its own.
@jimnarlene says: 28 January, 2016 at 1:22 pm:
“His (Johnston’s) earnings will, hopefully, be greatly reduced come May.”
I would’t bet on it, jimnarlene. Anyone know what an ex-MSP gets as a golden handshake and pension after they lose their seat?
Norrie, how do I buy a “T” shirt?………regards,
@Chic @1.54
OT
Oh dear oh dear, no chance of a technical concession there then!
Glad I’m not working on that project.
Take it the shell and heads are in manufacture? Will need to find out more, will re-visit the docs you posted.
Back on topic;
So even the daily fail Yoons are disgusted, well I never.
@gordoz
Thanks for that.
PS:
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon flattens Labour leader Kezia Dugdale at FMQ over the NHS
https://archive.is/qbj6n
Norrie 5.56
Keep up the good work.
Cearc
“Still they had to find him an ‘important’ job (preferably a long way away) to keep his mouth shut. So in that respect it suits.”
On a slow boat tae China nae doot!
Interesting that the Mail chose to attack two of our MP’s who are so clearly ethically sound. I wonder what their reasoning is? Maybe there is someone on the inside who is on our side.
I can’t see any respect in which this makes sense from their point of view. Of course there is the ‘bigger the lie’ philosophy and the ‘no smoke without fire’, ‘drip drip’, ‘too many lies to be able to deal with each of them’, ‘nothing succeeds like excess’ etc. but I don’t see any of them working with anyone in Scotland who has a brain and even a modicum of decency.
As for ‘Professor’ Curtice telling the Scottish electorate that 2016 is not a referendum – what a diddy – that is exactly why a lot of unionists will vote SNP. All strength to his elbow on that one. Maybe he is on our side too.
Unionists are truly strange sometimes.
Ken500
“Alex Johnstone has a farm.”
Ee aye ee aye oh!
I wonder how many concerned readers will contact the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank at information@aiib.org to raise their concerns about the appointment of Danny Alexander?
What a bizzare attack, when you consider that *every* party employs relatives of MPs and MSPs in salaried research and admin posts.
Philippa Whitford MP hits back at Scottish Mail piece today.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jamieross/snp-mp-hits-back-at-surgeon-criticism?utm_term=.ixMYLod9d#.lfOLl67x7
@Loveme2times (6.38) –
IMO Cosgrove/O’Neill’s Thursday Media Review is the best single item broadcast by Radio North Britain, and by quite a distance, along with Off The Ball.
I couldn’t even guess how long it’s been running, but if memory serves it started as a brief chat after the 1.00 news, but was rarely more than ten or twelve minutes long. Then they extended it to nearer half an hour. For the last wee while (6 months maybe?) it’s been starting approx 12.45 and running through to near-enough the end at 1.30.
No doubt there are those in PQ who don’t like it one wee bit, but I suppose it does serve a dual function – it lets people like Boothman and McQuarrie point to informed daytime criticism of BBC output. It also keeps folk like O’Neill and Cosgrove inside the proverbial ‘tent’, no matter how strident their criticisms may be.
Their recent championing of WOS, BellaC, and Derek Bateman must stick in the corporate craw somewhat, but what’s the option? Let it quietly slip off the running order and hope that no-one notices? Too late for that.
More power to them both, and here’s hoping that at least some of their savvier/ballsier colleagues take note of how swiftly and seriously things are changing. 🙂
The Scottish Daily Mail has a front page article on Charles Windsor’s second wife, Camilla Windsor, (nee Shand). Pity the Scottish Daily Mail doesn’t run an article on how much the Windsors cost UK tax payers per annum.
The ‘Republic,’ pressure group (see their website) to abolish the Windsors, estimates the Windsors cost £334m per annum.
“The Windsor website lists 18 ‘working royals’, and ‘Republic’ costs the UK (us), on average, £18.5m per year. Camilla Windsor shown on front page of the Scottish daily Mail therefore costs the UK £18.5m per year. She’s not a surgeon and has no qualifications whatsoever. She certainly could not try and save your life if you have breast cancer or were blown up by Israeli shelling – (unlike Dr Phillipa who has accomplished both feats).
The term ‘working royal’ is misleading. Royal engagements take up a limited amount of the Windsors’ time, most of which is spent pursuing their own leisure and business interests. While the head of the Windsor, Liz The Last, has some additional duties as ‘Head of State’, other Windsors do very little to earn their multi-million-pound subsidy.
It is claimed that Charles Windsor is the busiest, doing around 533 engagements in 2014. Clarence House has confirmed that the average engagement lasts about one hour, which means 533 engagements adds up to around 14 weeks of work, during the whole year. Many engagements involve no travel and it’s been noted in ‘Republic’s research, that there will often be more than one ‘engagement’ counted during a single visit.
Recently William Windsor was reported in the press as having done just 47 days of royal duties in 2014. His earlier decision to leave his job as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, after serving only one three-year tour of duty, left the taxpayer with a £400,000 bill in training costs that can never be recovered. Yet despite having more time on his hands, William Windsor has declined to pay much back for the privilege and wealth granted to him by us.
A lot of ‘engagements’ have been entirely self-serving, promoting the ‘Windsor brand’, as much as performing any kind of ‘public service’.”
From ‘Republic’s website.
During the last Windsor wedding tatathon, Republic issued their own memorabilia to mark the non-event. My particular favourite is a white builder’s mug, with the legend, “I’m not a royal wedding mug’.
Norrie
O/T
Sent a message through Stuart as couldn’t find a contact point on your website
The unionist media will never stop putting down and trolling Scotland and the SNP.
The only way to make them pointless and irrelevant is to vote SNP x 2 in May.
Just read on the Revs Twitter feed that sir Jeremy Heywood drafted the Queens intervention ‘No’ speech. You could not make this up.
So much for her impartiality.
You wonder where they get the audacity from? Focus on the SNP to detract from the fact that numerous Labour, Libdem and Tory politicians employ family members, that we are all being robbed blind by Labour, Libdem and Tory politicians submitting massive expense claims or Labour, Libdem and Tory peers claiming £300 tax free per day plus claiming for travel and lodgings.
I see that Alex Johnstone’s wife is now working for him running his farm whilst he works as an MSP. I wonder how much he pays her? Taking into account ‘his dairy herd was recently ranked in the top ten of Scottish Ayrshire herds’ I reckon she’s doing alright for herself. Over £20,000pa?
http://alexjohnstone.msp.org.uk/alex.html
Alex Johnstone a Church of Scotland elder? The man who ‘made public comments against a proposal to let individual congregations select gay clergy for their church. He told the Press and Journal newspaper a move to allow gay clergy would “ultimately weaken” the church. Johnstone was one of 18 MSPs who voted against same-sex marriage when, in February 2014, the Scottish Parliament backed same-sex marriage.’
High time the Church of Scotland ‘scrutinised’ Mr Johnstone. Not exactly acting as a good role model for Christian or even just human moral values.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Johnstone
SNP MP in failure to pay staff minimum wage shocker!
@ Cuilean
She can ride well…
…if she can do the duties of a footman, she could go places.
What a shock, a soon to be unemployed Tory msp turns out to be a hypothetical bastard.
OT
Is it just me, or do the people that appear on “Location Location Location” need a good slapping?
O/T Radio 4’s World at One today did an item on Scotland’s oil and what a burden it is. Not to worry, David Cameron flies in to the rescue. Our friend Kevin Hague ” a Scottish Businessman” airs his opinions noting that we had a lucky escape from Independence now that the oil price has plummeted and a “black hole” exists in our finances. Original line of reasoning.
It’s at 30:20 if you want to depress yourselves even more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06ynjbf
One_Scot says:
“The Queen”
I saw that. Their Queen, not our Queen, it seems. It she doesn’t want the job, she only needs to say so.
@Cuilean says: 28 January, 2016 at 7:15 pm:
“The Scottish Daily Mail has a front page article on Charles Windsor’s second wife, Camilla Windsor, (nee Shand).”
Well no, Cuilean, Windsor isn’t Charlie’s real surname as his mum is a member of the, “Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Wettin”, family. The name Windsor was adopted to hide the Royal line’s real family name.
However even that isn’t the end of that particular fairy story as Charlie’s Dads real family name isn’t really Mountbatten-Windsor either. Prince Philip is from the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg, and so, arguably, are his heirs.
Not only that but in WWII his relatives were mainly all prominent members of the NAZI party and some were even officers in Hitler’s SS.
Remember also that the king forced to abdicate, under the guise that it was because he married a divorcee, was forced to abdicate because he and his wife were NAZI supporters.
O/T
Norrie-Stu says he’s not sure he has an email address for you so he can’t forward my email to you.
A real catfight going on on twitter between Natalie McGarry and JK Rowling anyone got any popcorn?
Thanks Robert, good to see those aspects of our ruling class in black and white.
Robert Peffers 8.38,
It’s important to reiterate that they were nazi supporters,not merely nazi sympathisers.
These despicable lying bastards have been told to crank up the hate-filled vitriol to defcon level 10.
They know they’re in DEEP SHIT and any smear will do.
Expect more and nastier smearshite the closer May’s vote comes.
But-and here is the but-the chains of unionist imprisonment are rusting away.
They’re FUCKED.
NOT LONG NOW.
I’m not sure how Twitter works, but I’m sure if that Brian Spanner said some of the things he is tweeting in a public place, he would be arrested.
George, don’t let the so and so’s grind you down, it’s stating the entirely obvious, but you are better than them!
OMG, J.K Rowling looks up to and has nothing but admiration for Brain Spanner. She is one seriously messed up woman.
Brilliant Twitter fisty cuffs.
https://mobile.twitter.com/wingsscotland
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/jk-rowling-is-accused-by-mp-of-supporting-misogynist-trolls-a6840411.html
Don’t forget folks, there’s a Wings get-together in Aberdeen on Saturday, at the Archibald Simpson (7pm) onwards.
Come along and meet people. Might even be a raffle as Raffles is coming!
@ lollysmum
Hi if you contact me I will give you norrie’s addy.
Email me at beardielvr1 (at) blueyonder(dot)co(dot)uk
OT
More unionists misrepresenting figures – this time on the NHS, supposedly quoting from Audit Scotland and IFS. Not realising IFS doesn’t do its own figures, it gets them from – that’s right – Audit Scotland (or wherever actually produces the appropriate figures for whatever, like OBR etc.).
But a (very) quick look at the Audit Scotland report shows that while overall spending on the Scottish NHS did drop in real terms between 2008-9 and 2014-2015, the revenue DEL budget increased by 2.2 per cent – it was the capital DEL dropped by 57% (capital expenditure is very different, it’s not regular or properly annual).
Wondered if it came from dear Kevin’s blog, I don’t think so, but I did notice the name of this article on his site: “Stop Getting GERS wrong”.
Oh the irony, he really doesn’t have a clue how to use GERS. Or the origin of a lot of its figures.
One of these days I might do a quick rebuttal of that article, won’t take long …
… just for kicks you understand.
Meanwhile, the more innocent Unionists – and media – that give it weight, the better.
looks like cybernat will be in all the papers fri
I’m stunned any MP goes on Twitter
Thanks Cherry-very good of you. Email sent.
I well remember Kerevan’s arrival in the SNP. Big propaganda coup – Labour man joins SNP. It was so important that he was allowed the floor at the SNP conference that year. He lectured us, very loudly, on all the things we were doing wrong. He was a serious professional speaking to silly hobbyists, and we all damned well ought to listen.
I have a feeling that I’d like to see a rather more comprehensive statement of Mr Kerevan’s income from the taxpayer. He never came across to me as a cheerful voluntary worker.
Why is Rowling always on Twitter. She spends half her life looking for ways to be offended. Stick this in your pipe Rowling. The reason Scotland is run by vengeful ultra right wing Tories. Is because you and your ilk made it so. We are all living with the consequences of your half witted decision to back the fecking glorious Britania over Scotia. Give up Twitter Rowling your friends in the Daily Fail don’t police it.
BBC at 1.11 suggests daily record is a Sturgeon/SNP supporting paper
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06wcj6p
Rowling reminds me of those folk when you were younger who egged on the daft kids to do stupid things while they stand safely at the back.
Thanks to WoS we can identify these smear stories as soon,as they begin,they can be traced back to source,the culprit identified,named and shamed.
Remember the days before WoS,the frustration on reading this type of ugly story,knowing it to be deceitful,but only sharing by word of mouth.
The day you discover WoS,you realise the truth……the MSM/BBC etc. are simply distributors of London/Westminster propaganda,it’s not just you.
WoS needs to be advertised far across the land,advertising it’s existence using the same/similiar distributors people need to know the truth.
Master Po ‘Close your eyes what do you hear ?’
Young Caine ‘I hear the water,I hear the birds’
Po ‘Do you hear your own heartbeat ?’
Caine ‘No’
Po ‘Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet ?’
Caine ‘Old man how is it you can hear these things ?’
Po ‘Young man how is it you cannot ?.
We need to ‘Enlighten’ people,to see what we already see…….crowd funded ad campaign…I’m in
Twitter ye not! Frankie Howard (almost)… 1960 something
Surely J K is not worth the candle.
https://archive.is/B6wVw
I’m just catching up with Wings and the two articles of attacks on SNP MPs disgusts me. I’m not only angered at the papers who spew such vile material but those media outlets full of “journalists” who keep quite and let evil prosper.
I better stop or I may give the gutter press tomorrow’s vile cybernat headline.
Well first reports of the MSM are that jakey “destroyed” Natalie on Twitter. Don’t think I would be tweeting 24/7 if I had her cash. Sad very sad.
While it’s not against the rules for MP’s to employ family members I can’t support the practice.
Whether it’s the wife, the son, the brother in law- it just should not be happening.
Norrie says:
28 January, 2016 at 5:56 pm
“Scott Borthwick WBB T Shirts.
O/T
I asked the Revs permission when I first put the Tshirts up and at £4 a pop don’t even break even once eBay and PayPal take their cut. They were intended as advertising for the WBB.”
Hi Norrie, thanks for the confirmation. Glad to hear they are sanctioned. I was aware they weren’t likely to be a huge money-spinner.
More power to you.
Didn’t Fluffy employ his son at a greater salary than this? Nearer £30,000 I believe.
Time the Scottish electorate stopped voting for these Tories.We got rid of the Langs Rifkind and Forsyths etc.Lets get shot of the remainder.
Raging….
Tories – look at me…..reasonable?
Slab – Kinstupid
Rowling -Tory/Slab combo……..
SNP x 2…..I’m angry……….sparky mode………ohms………and relax
Ohmssssss….and relax.’