The chieftain o’ the puddin’ race
Posted on
March 30, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
We appreciate that you’re busy people, readers, so through the miracles of modern technology we’ve actually managed to compress the entire five-minute interview between Andrew Neil and Alistair Carmichael, the Secretary of State for Portsmouth, on this morning’s Sunday Politics Scotland down to just 19 seconds without in any way compromising the accuracy or completeness of its content.
If you watch the whole thing we think you’ll agree we’ve captured the essence.
Priceless! Goldfish!
Fair assessment on the whole Rev, doesn’t seem to be a lot missing from your cutting analysis of what Carmichael basically said.
“Help me Rhona!”
Poor chap.
I thought I almost felt a twinge of sorrow for him there until I realised it was Schadenfreude.
Hahaha
If ever there was an image of a politician caught with his mental cogs freewheeling helplessly, that was it.
Heh heh!!
Ooft. Crash and burn!
It seems to the accepted story that Mark Carney has advised against a CU.
This of course is a complete lie ,however in the Goebbels way it has been repeated so often it has become the accepted “fact” by all on Union side,politicos ,journos and cheerleaders.
Is there anything honest in the entire British campaign?
I’m still chuckling over the twitter Muppets meme, with old Al as Fozzy Bear. Quite a likeness!
Duh. Gravitas nano.
You know how it is, when somebody reminds you of someone else to the extent that you start to think of them as being the person they remind you of?
(Or maybe it’s just me.)
Therefore, my problem with Alistair Carmichael is that he bears a strong resemblance to someone in the organisation for which I work, who is an idiot.
Was Andrew Neil about to say “Tits Up”? before changing to “Pear Shaped” 🙂
I watched it for my sins! Exactly! He,He,He,
Class! And if you have any doubts of how much this has damaged the no side then have a look at the headlines on this link.
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Current+Affairs/Scotland/Scottish+Independence
I have to agree Rev, Andrew Neil was uncharacteristically pouring scorn on the Better Together camps attempts at trying to hold the dying union together. Like a irate school teacher who had marked BT’s homework and found it to be well below par Mr Neil, chastised, a dumbfounded secretary for Portsmouth.
I know some folk aren’t keen on BBCi player, but for those of you who didn’t see Sunday Politics London, with Mr Neil and his poorly performing pupil,Mr Carmichael here it is.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03yvtss/Sunday_Politics_London_30_03_2014/
Come back Michael Moore, all is forgiven… 😉
Just say YES and get it over with, you were better than the absolute ignorance and mentally challenged stupidity that’s still bitter together today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03zjxy9/Daily_Politics_25_03_2014/
Here’s the big pud being “grilled” on bettertogtherBBC daily politics show this week and from 32 mins in, the waffle kicks off. How to say nothing at all, over and over ConDem style. “Isn’t time to make clear what you’re offering Secretary of State?”
Blah blah more powers, blah blah lots more power “but, and this is an important but, the vote in September is about independence…”
Tears weren’t far way…
Reminds me of my 10 year old when faced with nasty daddy-logic that destroys her appeal to the heart.
Gormless!
Watched this interview this morning and afraid to say the Secretary of State for Portsmouth brought me immediately in mind of Churchill the nodding dog only he couldn’t contain his head movements from left to right.
Don’t think he has actually fully recovered from the drubbing he received at the hands of Nicola Sturgeon.
Remember when your mother caught you red-handed nicking sweeties out of the cupboard and all you can do is…
Shake your head, move your mouth like a goldfish but nothing comes out… and almost start greetin’…
Well there it was, right there, in adult form!
I’m actually quite unnerved by this turn of events. I was hoping we’d pull ahead in late August maybe. It’s still March. We’re aa doomed, I tell ye!
Comedy gold. Well I couldn’t stop laughing.
What a poor wee soul. He’s a confused, ill-informed, slow-witted simpleton.
He’s also a minister of the British government. Can we learn something from this perhaps?
Hit the nail right on the head
But when the other guest were trying to actually talk positive about yes for a change, wee andy wisnae long in buttin in or cutting them aff and talking YES doon at whitever turn he could
Brilliant!
lol, very good.
But Carmichael was also stuck for words the other day when he spent several minutes ~faking~ a cold related problem in front of a Holyrood committee.
“Excuse me a minute I’m nursing a serious cold, splutter, splutter, cough, cough.” Pours a glass of water. Says nothing for a very log couple of minutes.
He recovered later to talk down his nose at the committee members. “I am the Secretary of State for Scotland” you know, I’ve come from London, who the hell are you.
Or words to that effect 🙂
@Rod Robertson
I watched an old episode of Sherlock today. The one with evil Press Magnate. Whilst trying blackmail, his victim says “You have no proof!”. He says “Proof?, I don’t need proof, I’m in news, I just need to report it, its real”.
Struck a chord with me thinking of scare stories or misreported Unionist party (non) promises.
O/T and maybe old news
Radio Scotland 6 o’clock news reporting that the source of the Currency/Nuclear leak is Richard Hammond.
I think he was just about to say, Rhona Help!
As a Foreigner commentating on Scots affairs, both to this debate and the various opinions expressed here, what I find missing is that while those desiring independence and presumably approving of the democratic remit and most singularly failing to voting for a written constitution as a first and defining act of independence ?
@SquareHaggis
Richard Hammond helps the YES Campaign?
Jeremy Clarkson will be raging 🙂
The BBC website has Hammond as the possible source. His rely to being asked by Andrew Marr was, “I don’t think so”.
“Think?”.
Sorry, O/T
See the Britnat Orcs get into an ugly and heinous frenzy BTL the following article over at the Guardian:
“Alex Salmond: no campaign’s pound threat ‘demolished’ by admission”
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/30/alex-salmond-pound-threat-demolished-minister-currency-scottish-no
Whoops!
Philip Hammond – Durgh!
Gives oneself a resounding slap.
After the interview with Carmichael, Andrew Neil went on to say to his studio panel how daft it was for better together to be whinging about their lack of funds versus the Yes campaign.
He made that point that better together is the combined efforts of the three main UK political parties.
For a political, in-your-face, bruiser Carmichael doesn’t half spend a lot of time bleating.
Help me Rona
Address To a Numpty
(with all due/lots of apologies to the Bard and Burns’ scholars)
Fair fa’ your dishonest, glaikit face,
Great chieftain o’ the numpty-race!
Below them a’ ye tak your place,
Trying to cause Scotland harm:
Weel are ye wordy o’a disgrace
As lang’s my arm.
The Westminster trough there ye fill,
Your Scotland Office wi many a shill,
Your plea to Rona when bein grilled,
In time o’ need.
While in your speeches the lies spill,
A stooge for London greed.
Your knife, kept carefully out of sight,
Stabbed Moore’s back wi’ ready sleight,
Now huntin’ for post-Yes spite,
Some jobs to ditch;
Woodenly threatenin blight,
Smarmy, sleekit, rich!
Poor workers! hear you Clydeside trash;
‘n’ that in Portsmouth you’d rather money splash.
O and that o so brave parliamentary cybernat-bash,
Wi nae style nor wit;
A cut-out cardboard-figure’s dash,
O how unfit!
Ye Pow’rs, wha mak democracy your care,
Thanks for blogs tae lay the BBC bare;
Auld Scotland wants nae Numpty sare,
Who gaups and talks mince.
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer
Gie her Independence!
one of our own has won the bunker’s Comment of the Week award!!!!…WTG Tartanarse!!..that’ll keep them honest..
http://wp.me/P2GWpJ-3j
Ahh Rev – Yer affay guid way thon analysis.
A job on the new SBC awaits!
Was seriuosly laughing at the big flapping penguin muppet.
He is a complete numpty (imagine bein’ a relative christ)
What a Puddin’ ; the shame is he’s still dangerous for now.
Also announced at the LibDem conference (George Lyon)was that it is impossible for Scotland to enter the EU in less than 8 years.
a) We are already EU citizens.
b) 18 Million East Germans gained membership in the 10months from the wall coming down in 1989 into full citizenship in 1990. No vote / No debates.
Sorry Rev
Mis spelt email and went to moderation again doh!
Also announced at the LibDem conference (George Lyon)was that it is impossible for Scotland to enter the EU in less than 8 years.
a) We are already EU citizens.
b) 18 Million East Germans gained membership in the 10months from the wall coming down in 1989 into full citizenship in 1990. No vote / No debates.
Ian Martin’s column in the Telegraph newspaper is particularly interesting,in one paragraph Mr Martin cites Westminster ministers, sending emails frantically on Friday night trying to find out who let the cat out the bag regarding the currency union, yet not one attempt was made to deny the veracity of the statement.
Mr Martin goes on to quote, that members of the chancellors team were livid and furious. Alistair Carmichael, added by this time next week everybody will have forgotten about the leak, I think not Mr Carmichael.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/scottish-politics/10731279/Scottish-independence-Who-has-put-the-Union-in-jeopardy.html
Beachthistle, this is rich fare indeed. The Bard would be proud indeed. Burns night, next year, we can look back and laugh. Thank you.
@beachthistle – Brilliant.. 🙂
Plum MacDuff, a real British dish to savour.
A pudding richly spiced with tory nuts. Naturally pear-shaped and comes apart at the merest touch.
@Murray McCallum
Those comments on the two campaigns’ relative funding levels demonstrated that although Andrew Neil didn’t exactly go easy on the Secretary of State for Portsmouth, he pulled back from going as hard as he could – and indeed should – have.
If it occurred to Neil that Carmichael’s protestations about Yes Scotland having more cash than BT sounded a bit wonky to say the least, he should have called him out on it during the interview. As a journalist, that was my first reaction, and the fact Neil made the point after the interview was over did nothing to redress a pretty major professional lapse.
No, no, no – 19 seconds is not enough, I have to go and watch the whole thing for maximum enjoyment!
If you ever needed an example of how pathetic uber-programmed Westminster MPs are, look at this from Carmichael.
http://archive.is/asjPY
He cant actually say the word ‘YES’ so uses vacant and weird terms like
“not impossible”
and
“absolutely the case”
Dougal, Bambi and Frank Spencer spring to mind.
carmicheal is also telling lies when he pretends he may step down as an m.p at next election.
I don’t normally laugh out loud when I am on my own, but that was funny, cheers Rev.
When we look back at the campaign after the referendum and try to decide what the No camp’s biggest blunders were, making Alistair Carcrashmichael the Scottish Secretary will surely feature in the top 10 at least.
Looks daft but caused by a satellite delay.
Don’t lower yourself by making cheap shots.
We don’t need to now..
Tonight Matthew I am going to be a goldfish! 😛
Greg Moodie definitely captured him to perfection LOL
Better Together and Oscar Wilde maybe linked.
OW said when he ruefully was in Reading Jail, ‘If you keep telling the truth, the sooner or later you will be found out’.
A recent poll suggested that 45% of Scots didn’t believe Osborne and Co over the currency thing and fewer than that believed him. After this weekend I think that margin has grwon.
I was tickled to hear how furious the Treasury were beacuse they had “months” of work into the strategy and supporting papers.
Again the emphasis seems to be more on annoyance of the gaff being blown rather than whether the leak was correct or not.
I think most people realise in the event of Yes vote most things will be up for discussion. Not all will be agreed but most will be discussed including a currency union. Hammond on the other hand really, really wants continued access to Faslane. The Treasury really, really want us to take a share of the debt….etc.
Great puddin’ o’ the chieftan race more like.
The Shrekretary of State for Portsmouth out of his depth again.
Hammond on the other hand really, really wants continued access to Faslane. The Treasury really, really want us to take a share of the debt….etc.
I have one wee bit of advice for numpty heid Hammond and that is for him to get out his “real” work clothes and start digging and building. If he hasn’t finished his alternative nuke storage facility by 2020 say then he will have lost his precious “toys” for ever. I hear we could put the “toys” up for sale on E-Bay started bid of £1.99 😛
“And they are doing it deliberately” – was that their strategy, sack the reasonable, capable Moore and bring on Punch to annoy us and push us to vote Yes? Or are the Westminster hierarchy simply inept? But then, why is Cameron still Prime Minister? is he astute- Coulson and Rebecca Brooks as best friends? Invites other countries to speak out against Scotland’s independence – countries that will trade with an independent Scotland?
Slightly O/T. The likeliest time to lose a goal is just after you have scored. A précis reminder of Mr Darling’s expenses and house flipping wouldn’t go amiss Rev..
Just thought I’d share a Mothers’ Day independence vote moment. Went to see my Yes supporting mum, around 80, who lives just outside Dundee.
When I was there an unexpected visit from my maternal Uncle and his wife, my Aunt.
Banal chat then the referendum came up. My Aunt informs me, as an erstwhile Yes voter, she’s thinking of voting No. Why I ask. Seems Tommy Sheridan’s ‘we’ll be a socialist state’ idea has rattled her. She’s a traditional Labour voter.
Anyway got into the debate and think I won her back over. But for me it was an interesting insight into how people will make their decision. Of course for my Aunt, circa 70’ish, the horror days of a ‘Stalinist’ Dundee Labour controlled council are ever present.
Mercy was left thinking I’d unearthed my first Yes to No voter.
But like I say as the rest of us present are Yes voters her concerns were assuaged.
Nothing like talking about the future of grandchildren, seems to work.
And for anyone that didn’t experience the mad centrist control of Dundee Labour, as I did, as late as the 1990’s it was on a par with Glasgow as is, possibly worse.
Can we conduct an exercise, similar to the Devo Nano mail shot, where we ask these Proud Scots, “In the event of an Independent Scotland, what nationality will you be adopting? Scottish or rUK?” for instance, I’ll bet people like loyal Jim Hood will be a rUK passport holder!
Re P Hammond not one to bow to the whip of the message as it were. Pretty sure he was happy to speak out ‘off the record’ been there and done it on EU.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/12/gove-hammond-eu_n_3263382.html
I’ll give Carmichael his due. When he’s put on the spot, that quivering lower lip of his is something to behold!
Priceless! It reminded me of another TV interview just before the Cab went up north a few weeks ago. He was shaking his head even before the questions were asked. Makes it all very obvious. Would you buy a used car from this person?
Hammond is arrogant and ambitious so it could be him making a power play as he sees it, to force us to keep trident. I however, want trident out of Scotland within 2 years of the yes vote. I do not want them here now and wish we could get rid of them tomorrow. The submarines can sail off to the USA and unload the missiles there…and then sail up the Thames until a home can be built for them.
Enough pussyfooting around. The currency deal is no big option because we have others and quite honestly after this terrorist campaign by Westminster I have no desire to be joined in anything with them ever.
Watching Rory Stewarts ‘Border Country’, and some strange terms being used. I’ve never heard of the border wars being fought by ‘nationalists’ before.
Yeah, the No campaign can’t compete with the resources of the Yes campaign. My arse.
@Jean
Alex Salmond has always said it would be within the first term of an Independent Scotland. Given there’s 18 months between a YES and official Independence, you may have to allow a few extra years. In the long term, a few extra years involving negotiations, signed agreements and logistics meaning a goodbye around 2020, wouldnt that be an acceptable reality?
Joe Kane says
“Plum MacDuff, a real British dish to savour.
A pudding richly spiced with tory nuts. Naturally pear-shaped and comes apart at the merest touch.”
unctious
So Cameron says, we have to get rid of Moore he’s too agreeable who else have we got, well there is the libdem Chief whip, what’s his name? Carmichael, well if he’s a Chief whip he’ll make em sit up and take notice, get him in and sack Moore , 6 months later—– where can we get a reasonable man to soft soap these bloody Scots?
Doug Daniel says:
When we look back at the campaign after the referendum and try to decide what the No camp’s biggest blunders were, making Alistair Carcrashmichael the Scottish Secretary will surely feature in the top 10 at least.
Doug, they usually say that we shouldn’t judge current events until 10 years has passed. The idea being, that when enough time has passed, we can then study this period in time with clearer eyes.
Well, by God! I can’t wait to buy the book that reflects on this period in Scottish History in 2024 or 2026 !!! The only debate we will have at that point will be …do we put it under the ‘Scottish History’ section …or ‘Pure Comedy Gold’ section?
Talking about wishing your life away. Seriously …I can’t wait!!!!
(Memo to oneself. Get Scottish History Degree. Write book reflecting Scottish political scene 2010 to 2016 from Unionist point of view. Hilarious bestseller. Make squillions of pounds!)
@Ian Kirkwood says:
Would you buy a used car from this person?
Talking of cars, my son told me a lovely story today.
He has a friend, who is going to vote YES regardless, who is taking driving lessons to the moment.
During every lesson he takes, the driving instructor at some point manages to ask him whether he is going to vote YES.
Priceless.
Makes me think: Will iScotland have L-plates from September 2014 to March 2016?
@ Desimond.
I think 6 years is way too long. I really want them gone as soon as possible and my understanding is that the warheads can be removed quite quickly and safely…I’m sure there was a discussion thread on this way back
Jean
I think 6 years is way too long.
Jean,
Personally, I don’t think they are going to go straight away …but they will go eventually. If the day should be won on the 18th / 19th of September, then 6 more years is nothing. We just need to be patient. If we spit the dummy out on day 1, then I think Westminster will vent its fury on Scotland. The last thing we want is the Alien Act of 1705 being updated to the Alien Act of 2014 or something of an equivalent nature. At the end of the day, we will still need to work with Westminster and if keeping part of the peace and goodwill means we hold on to the submarines for 5 to 10 years, then …so be it.
But they will leave. Make no bones about it. We ourselves will need Faslane for our own newly created fleet. Plus, we may want to start drilling for oil in the Clyde that will transform the fortunes of Strathclyde, the West coast and Dumfries and Galloway.
Meanwhile …while they are there, there will be no more MOD cover-ups. They will be answerable now to the Scottish courts. Any stupid screw-ups and whoever is in charge of the base will be arrested, charged and jailed by our courts. They will be answerable to us! There will no longer be two fingers held up to the Scottish public.
Plus, the MOD can forget about just wandering out to sea with these things whenever they want. They will have to ask permission to use the sea loch and the surrounding seas, and it will be just TOUGH if we say ‘No’ due to other vessels using the area.
Believe me, this will be a headache for the MOD and Westminster. I think if this happens, they will speed up all efforts to find a new port somewhere down south.
Wasn’t the Portsmouth Puddin’ supposed to be the safe pair of hands? He keeps dropping the puddin and noo the bag’s burst!
@BALDEAGLE 11 says:
As a Foreigner commentating on Scots affairs, both to this debate and the various opinions expressed here, what I find missing is that while those desiring independence and presumably approving of the democratic remit and most singularly failing to voting for a written constitution as a first and defining act of independence ?
No democracy comes first and foremost as I wouldn’t trust any politician to write one at this stage.
The Portsmouth Pudsey bear is a vacuous individual and has no integrity whatsoever after telling blatant lies everyday since his election.
O/T Rev, but was in town today and passed this.I saw it mentioned a couple of threads back but the street names didnt register. You said WOW as I recall. Well guess where the banner is? Right opposite the BBC building in Inverness.
https://twitter.com/JohnFinnieMSP/status/449889667312537600/photo/1/large
Given Carmichael claims the YES campaign has a big war chest, does anyone know how much money the BBC is spending on producing programmes with pro-NO agendas such as tonight’s BBC 2 tv two part series ‘A Border Country: The Story of Britian’s Lost Middleland’?
In an interview in the Radio Times, the programme’s presenter Rory Stewart, one of the brains behind the stunt to link a chain of hands across the length of Hadrian’s Wall, reckons that if the YES campaign is successful then the constituent parts of the UK should be given their former Roman names – rUk should be called ‘Britannica Superior’ and Scotland called ‘Britannica Inferior’. “That would teach them”, he says.
Reference –
Rory Smith wants the Scots and English to join hands over Hadrian’s Wall – “We’re really quite unbearable on our own, but much better as a family”
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-03-30/rory-smith-wants-the-scots-and-english-to-join-hands-over-hadrians-wall
Even the aristocracy is joining the cause.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/widow-of-the-duke-of-hamilton-backs-inde-yes-vote.1396193626
@Giving Goose, 8.46:
I’ve thought about something along those lines: a coordinated campaign asking every Scottish MP, MSP and MEP two questions:
1. What will you do at Holyrood/Westminster/Strasbourg following a Yes vote on 18th September?
2. What will you do at Holyrood/Westminster/Strasbourg following a No vote on 18th September?
The reason or asking the No question is to nullify Unionist politicians responding with some waffle about why aren’t you asking SNP politicians to step down if there’s a No, or such like.
This question is especially important for people like Danny Alexander and Carmichael: they surely cannot remain ministers in a Westminster government, arguing against their constituents’ best interests?
Shelley wrote after the Peterloo massacre. …….
Rise like lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number.
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you —
Ye are many – they are few.
Vote Yes
Last week was well weird and you can tell by the snarkiness of the Unionist regulars over on CIF that things have not gone well. I kind of thought the referendum would go on hold for the month before the EU elections but it is not looking that way. I wonder what this week will bring
What the heck is the MOD up to over beside our nuclear weapons store I wonder… http://www.robedwards.com/2014/03/blasts-at-nuclear-bomb-plant-made-us-feel-we-were-in-a-war-zone-say-villagers.html (Blasts at nuclear bomb plant made us feel we were in a war zone, say villagers)
Yes! Alexicon
Why I’ll be voting Yes – by the Dowager Duchess of Hamilton
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/affairs-scotland/8963-why-ill-be-voting-yes-by-the-dowager-duchess-of-hamilton
lol – what a wobbling, gibbering jaberwomble dumbledown puddin’.
There is disbelief in the unionist camp that the polls are turning. I imagine that the big guns will be flown up to take control which will just play into the hands of YES.
Westminster/Scots Labour MPs and Tory MP know that BT is toxic and will steer clear. So who will step in?
It is not the cash that is wining for the yes vote it is truth honesty that is wining it two things that bt avoid like plague. Vote yes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prm1eA3p_k0 A Team shows them how its done.
@BaldEagle,
Work on a Scottish Constitution is already underway, and will be discussed & agreed in a constitutional convention by the time Independence Day comes.
Here is an early contribution.
http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/component/content/article/8725-the-constitution-of-scotland
I see Rory Stewart wants to shake hands and smile at us while they talk us down and rob us blind a change of tactics but the same result their still calling the shots. Vote yes
Stew, Regarding your “Wings” advert in the “clockwork orange”, and it’ s subsicant withdrawal, and taking into consideration the introduction of the Mail’s Metro’s Independance article, what action are you taking to redress the situation?, surely you are not letting the buggers get away with it?!, I know that the press coverage you got with the withdrawal of said notices, was priceless (pun intended!), but I’d still like to see the company publicly embarrassed .
A study in irony.
Susan Calman hosts a new STV show called ‘The Lie’
http://shows.stv.tv/talk-tv/268466-new-stv-quiz-show-the-lie-to-be-presented-by-scottish-comedian-susan-calman/
Well let us consider:.
Independent Scotland will not allow nuclear weapons on her territory. A logistical problem is the disarmament and removal of the existing weapons from Coulport. The logistics for speedy removal need to be examined and resolved.
Then there is the problem for the UK to relocate the nuclear submarines to a base in rUK.So until the rUk finds a new base for the submarines agreement may need to be reached that the submarines can conduct their scheduled ocean voyages from Faslane but without being armed with nuclear weapons, and for an agreed short period of time. Seems a fair compromise?
But then Scotland needs to develop Faslane as her prime naval base, so the rUK submarines may need to be relocated to… Rosyth? Beside the rotting redundant nuclear submarine hulks currently berthed there?
RUK needs to get her contingency plans drawn up pronto and enter discussions with the Scottish Government.
Paddy Power odds now dropped to 11/4 Just as well I got in early.
callum says:
30 March, 2014 at 10:42 pm
There is disbelief in the unionist camp that the polls are turning. I imagine that the big guns will be flown up to take control which will just play into the hands of YES.
Westminster/Scots Labour MPs and Tory MP know that BT is toxic and will steer clear. So who will step in?
Oh I think they believe it, alright.
I think they have a problem in taking even a wild guess at what will play in Scotland. This is because they have swallowed their own “there is no alternative” schtick and they can’t grasp that Scottish people have not
“Looks daft but caused by a satellite delay.”
There was no satellite delay whatsoever. Watch the full clip.
OT: I think the leak the other day was another WM blunder. I think it’s part of their pre-negotiation plan:
“Oh, the currency union threat is back firing. We really want a currency union if they vote yes. OK, leak that we will have a currency union with them but they’ll need to keep the nukes. Mr Darling says the stupid Scots will accept a pound/nukes trade off”
‘Take your nukes and shove your currency union up yir arse, you need this more than we do’ and ‘nobody will trust anything they say now’ are what I think
@ Rev Stuart Campbell
He did say he was getting his own voice played into his earpiece: everybody looks daft when that happens, surely?
“He did say he was getting his own voice played into his earpiece: everybody looks daft when that happens, surely?”
It didn’t affect him for all the other questions.
He was silent during the entire clip shown above, so he can’t have been suffering at that point.
He pleaded a cold on a different occasion. This is beginning to look like a serial case of “the dog ate my homework.”
@Joe Kane: In an interview in the Radio Times, the programme’s presenter Rory Stewart, one of the brains behind the stunt to link a chain of hands across the length of Hadrian’s Wall, reckons that if the YES campaign is successful then the constituent parts of the UK should be given their former Roman names – rUk should be called ‘Britannica Superior’ and Scotland called ‘Britannica Inferior’. “That would teach them”, he says.
This genius is, of course, aware that Britannia Superior referred to Southern England, and Britannia Inferior referred to Wales & the North of England – Scotland’s Roman name was Caledonia?
http://redfellow.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/britannias.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia_Inferior
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia_Superior
LOL, the establishments massive South-East superiority issues go back even to Roman times, don’t they?
I’ve been watching the lot of this program (punishment for past misdeeds)
The questions on energy seem a lot more interesting than the goldfish impersonation
the minister for climate change (I think) is going on about the projected rise in the wholesale price of gas , this seems to send a bit of a mixed message about the revenues of the oil and gas fields , on one hand we are getting told (by our oh so honest government officials) that the revenue is no-where near what the SG is saying it is and other ministers are saying its on the increase
or did I get this terribly wrong?
O/T – Pretty fair Woman’s View Indyref blog piece on the Guardian website by Tracy McVeigh here:
http://tinyurl.com/lnydv8r
joe kane says:
In an interview in the Radio Times, the programme’s presenter Rory Stewart, one of the brains behind the stunt to link a chain of hands across the length of Hadrian’s Wall, reckons that if the YES campaign is successful then the constituent parts of the UK should be given their former Roman names – rUk should be called ‘Britannica Superior’ and Scotland called ‘Britannica Inferior’. “That would teach them”, he says.
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-03-30/rory-smith-wants-the-scots-and-english-to-join-hands-over-hadrians-wall
Well nice to see that dear old Tory Rory Stewart of torches along the demolished wall fame is doing his utmost to ensure there are quite a few MORE folks moving over to support YES with that load of guff! 😛
Regarding the blasts at Coulport which Ardentinny people are complaining about, an MoD spokesperson “pointed out that the Coulport exercise took place in “a remote area”.”
Well, not that remote, and the entire hillside there is riddled with silos. Ardentinny lies on the other side of Loch Long from Coulport, opposite the weapons lift. I want to see these nuclear weapons leave as early as possible, but there are a hell of a lot of them to move, far more than could be loaded into a couple of subs and set sail for the US. It is going to take time for them to be safely moved.
If we aspire to be an independent nation with a respected voice in the world then we need to show a sense of responsibility on how we deal with such matters. They will go. I would imagine in the negotiations a timetable will be agreed. Those who don’t agree with this can vote for another party come the first Scottish general election, but I wouldn’t hold your breath that should there be a change of government the weapons will leave any sooner.
From filibuster to couponbuster, pleasing.
There have been three major events happened since the YES vote has started to rise.
Alastair Carmicheal took charge, nickname-Bruiser.
James Naughtie moves his fat ass into Pacific Quay,
brought in to “sort out the Nats”.
And Call Kaye got out of town.
She was getting slaughtered on her phone-in show.
James Naughtie is getting kicked from all sides, and his reputation has took a right beating.
As for the bruiser, well he just never got started.
Oor Nicola kicked him up and down the STV studio and he has been toast ever since.
And yesterday, the walls of their scariest of scare stories, “currency union”, came tumbling down.
What ever scare store they come out with from now on, will be slapped down before lunchtime.
It can’t stay this good all the way to September. We’re aa doomed I tell ye!
I don’t know what to make of it. On one hand I was being driven to distraction by the constant negativity and spin and lies. On the other hand, today has completely unnerved me. I can feel Nemesis just gathering herself together to strike.
Dorothy Bruce says:
Regarding the blasts at Coulport which Ardentinny people are complaining about, an MoD spokesperson “pointed out that the Coulport exercise took place in “a remote area”.”
Dear Mr M.O.D. Muppet. How exactly did the local people know exactly that you had carried out this series of explosions in a *ahem* ‘remote’ area of Coulport?
Did you inform the local population before hand that you would be carrying out explosions…apparently not…doh!
As you did NOT inform the locals what you were up to what exactly do you think the local population would think was going on…a 21st birthday party?
Do you think it is wise of you to treat the locals to this continual abuse of your *ahem* power.?
First we have you wanting to dispose of nuclear waste into the Clyde now you carry out unanounced explosions at a NUCLEAR STORAGE FACILITY?
Are you MAD or simply INSANE?
Yours a YES supporting cybernat! 😛
Just to prove that the Better Together stories will be slapped down as soon as they come out, take a look at how PATHETIC this scare story is from George Lyon, Lib/Dem MEP.
He is trying to scare us into thinking that it will take eight years for Scotland to become a new member state of the EU.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/lib-dems-say-a-yes-vote-is-a-vote-to-leave-the-eu-1-3358514
Oops, forgot to mention I’ve tweeted S.N.P. defence spokesperson at Westminster with a wee *ahem* suggestion that he might like to consider a wee question at P.M.Q.’s or Defence questions about these *clears throat again* harmless explosions. 🙂
Their internal polling is telling them exactly what is happening on the ground, they are fecked and they know it.
Hence the crap that is coming out regarding deals on Trident versus currency.
They are now looking for crumbs in the debate, it is over.
@ Purr.
Complacency hasn’t done the No campaign any good: it won’t do us any good either. Just a thought….
Heirarchies on display, Carmash ” I’m from London ” radiates disdain for a Holyrood Committee and only a few days later is himself viewed like something the cat dragged in by Andra and his studio guests…
@Morag,
I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think it’s the BT own goals, that has caused these implosions, it’s the fact that the press have actually reported them!
Just think back to the amount of times, when us on ‘Wings’ have announced that the latest blunder by BT or Labour has been a game changer, only for the MSM to completely ignore, or at least spin the story, to make it less damaging to the unionist campaign.
For the past week or so, a few of us had noticed a marked change in the MSM’s reporting and in particular, the BBC, was at least attempting to be a bit more balanced.
The professor Robertson report, the very public, Andrew Marr gaffe, all seemed to bring the management of the BBC under some pressure.
The Labour conference and the subsequent interviews with Johann, again added to the feeling that Labour were no longer getting the easy ride they had enjoyed previously.
The spat with the Wings add being banned, and the fact that the story was reported by BBC/ITV/Guardian/Clyde Radio and a number of other outlets, saw what in my view was a seismic shift in MSM reporting.
It seemed to trigger panic in BT ranks with a few articles suggesting that BT needed to be more positive.
Then and we all saw the front pages of the MSM, blaring out pictures and headlines, that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. All positive for Yes and damaging for BT.
It feels so unusual, it might begin to seem scary (fear of the unknown) with the nagging feeling that it must be some part of a plot to destroy Yes, as we are all lulled into a sense of complacency, then bang! the trap is sprung and we are all left quivering in a corner as BT are seen laughing on the BBC news at Six, with a triumphant Union flag fluttering in the back-ground.
Having the truth printed or reported shouldn’t be scary and any democracy, but such is our lot in this stinking union, it does…
…All that is about to end, on September 18th! 🙂
@Patrick Roden:
Well said, sir! You’ve put into words the vague feeling I’ve had for a few days now, that there really is a sea-change in the MSM. If true, this will mean that those people who don’t have/use the internet, but rely heavily on newspapers and the BBC, will begin to see that all is not rosy on the BT side.
Hopefully that will change a few minds.
Well I might be over-sanguine, but I am neither surprised nor worried about the shift in the press, at least. I have the impression that they also know that opinion is shifting and there just might be a yes vote. They are businesses and they have money to make. The customer is always right: they are just hedging their bets
The BBC is a bit more confusing but again: they are under pressure from all sides with the threat to the license fee. A credible attack on their impartiality might be fine in the short term when they are supporting the government view: it is a disaster in the long run, for without the trust that it entails they have no case for public support or for the license fee at all. An academic exposee is therefore truly damaging: and the license fee is already on a shaky nail. They might also be a bit angry because the government is suggesting a change in the status of penalties for non payment and there is at least the possibility the BBC will starve if that goes through
Oh Jeez, that’s priceless even at second time of viewing. 😀
Naughtie getting down and dirty on Auchterarder High Street (recorded, from Saturday) – he just said they’ve been out ‘every weekend’ since the start of the year.
Can anyone in Auchterarder confirm this?
Naughtie getting down and dirty on Auchterarder High Street (recorded, from Saturday) – he just said they’ve been out ‘every weekend’ since the start of the year.
Can anyone in Auchterarder confirm this?
@Ian.
I’m sure i heard him, or someone, say that Auchterarder is a Better Together area.
Ian Brotherhood
You might find something of interest in the Fog of War. 😉
Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
There was no satellite delay whatsoever. Watch the full clip.
I have watched the entire clip, and it seems to me that there was clearly a communications delay throughout the interview.
Carmichael dithered in confused silence after the question in question, but the effect was amplified by the comms delay.
Juteman
I think you might also be interested. It’s not a personal vendetta rant and I think it is a matter that may be significant to indyref. 😉
I think that this interview should once and for all put an end to claims that the heavyweights and big hitters of Scottish politics are based in Westminster. This would have been a poor performance at a school debate, never mind by a cabinet minister on national TV. Note to Hotrod Cadets: I don’t think there was any satellite delay. Big Al just takes a long time to assimilate data and process an answer. He prefers to talk without the annoying intervention of questions and isn’t very keen on using nouns either, as that creates a danger of having to introduce facts into discussions. He has difficulty in remembering what “facts” are currently being promoted by BT as this week’s truths. Lying is difficult to do well, and if you have a large back catalogue of them, (made by many different individuals) it becomes very difficult indeed to take part in any sort of conversation.
I think the issue I am highlighting is part of the mechanism by which British Labour appear to be subverting democracy. Using the planning system to keep Scotland structurally subordinate.
Or something like that.
@BaldEagle
A bill containing an interim constitution and setting out the process by which a permanent one will be formed is going through the Holyrood Parliament right now:
http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/referendum/8931-independence-bill-to-set-out-interim-written-constitution
The process is in hand.
I used to be a DevoMaxer in part because the economic numbers were opaque and having control of all monies raised in Scotland would clarify them. I also thought, from observing the Labour-LibDem coalition governments in Edinburgh, that we did not have the politicians with the necessary nous and gravitas to run the country.
On the first question the GERS figures and the revelation of the McCrone report has answered those questions. We live in the Information Age after all.
On the second the sheer technocratic competence of the SNP, first as a minority government then as a majority one, finding the money for the replacement Forth Bridge for eg. Working out that it is cheaper over all for prescriptions to be free as it reduces downstream costs from people not taking necessary meds because of cost. Stuff like that. Joined up government that has been so successful at doing more with a shrinking budget that Europe is increasingly taking an interest so they can advise governments like Greece, Portugal and Spain.
The clearly worked out process for Independence this interim bill is part of has just confirmed this impression.
Thus I will vote Yes on September 18 with a mind that is clear of purpose and a heart that wants a more emphatic action than simply putting an X in a box on a binary choice. If I was sure it would be accepted as a vote I would scrawl ‘Fucking Aye’ across the ballot in thick blue marker to the sound of bagpipes.
Perhaps it was the camerman playing a wee trick on our hapless Liberal moothpiece. Maybe he popped up wearing one of those rather fetching wooly toories:-D
Bigbricks says:
I don’t think there was any satellite delay. Big Al just takes a long time to assimilate data and process an answer.
Having watched again, it still seems to me that there is an obvious comms delay.
However, I agree with your assessment of Carmichael’s abilities, and that’s much more important!
Taranaich Amazing they are referring to a previous imperial expedition several hundred years before they (Angles, Jutes and Saxons) became illegal immigrants into Britain.
Re Satellite delay, all Geostationary satellite transmissions have a delay around 240 milisecond each link.
Would Andrew Neil have done the same with Mr Darling!!!