The Count
An article by Nick Cohen in the Spectator last night fairly had social media ablaze with a heady brew of anger and mockery.
It’s the most extraordinary outpouring of deranged, spittle-flecked arsewash we’ve seen outside of a Daily Express comment thread in a very considerable time, and it merits attention solely because we think it might have broken a world record for the number of empirical falsehoods contained in an article in a respectable media outlet.
Get your clickers out, readers. You’re going to need a fast trigger finger.
We’ll let the headline slide, because while it implies, ludicrously, that press censorship has only just begun, which is obviously total nonsense, it doesn’t actually say that directly. So let’s generously give him a freebie there and skip to the body text.
“The silencing of Stephen Daisley has nagged away at journalism in Scotland for months.”
PARP! In fact, as far as we can locate, nobody’s written anything about it since the original incident nine weeks ago. It was a two-day wonder at best. Cobblers count: 1.
“His employer, STV, holds the ITV licences for central and northern Scotland, and is staying very quiet.”
A factually-true line! Make the most of it, folks, because it’s the last one you’re going to see from Mr Cohen for some considerable time.
“The Scottish National Party rolls around like a drunk who has won a bar fight. Its politicians and its claque of Twitter trolls celebrate their power to bully and tell direct lies about the journalist they have humiliated.”
PARP! If Mr Cohen can point out to us to a single “celebratory” tweet/quote from any SNP politician doing any such thing, we’d love to see it. Cobblers count: 2.
“The BBC endorses them.”
PARP! The BBC… endorses… the SNP? We, er… we must have just blacked out for a minute and missed that happening, we think. Cobblers count: 3.
“The National Union of Journalists supports them.”
PARP! Again, we must have missed the statement from the NUJ which expressed backing for the SNP. We really need to cut down on our drinking. Cobblers count: 4.
“Everyone behaves as if they are living in a one-party state.”
PARP! Where do you even start with that one? So much insanity in 11 words. Who is “everyone”? How is this behaviour expressed? Is everyone in Scotland living in terror of being denounced by their neighbours and huckled off into some sort of Caledonian concentration camp? Cobblers count: 5.
“Not a dictatorship with men in uniforms marching down the street. But a democratic one-party state like Scotland has become and England and Wales will soon be: a state where it is simply impossible to imagine the ruling party losing power.”
PARP! Um, we’re reasonably sure the SNP doesn’t even currently have a majority in Parliament. And since they came to power in 2007, the Scottish media has predicted their imminent demise at least 38 times and counting, the most recent being just days ago. Only this month the press was excitably assessing Ruth Davidson’s chances of being First Minister by 2021. Cobblers count: 6.
“Everything changes once that prospect is glimpsed. Opposition seems futile. Media organisations adapt themselves to the new order. The best editors tell their journalists to hold power to account. The cowards and the jobsworths suck up to the elite in the hope of gaining commercial privileges or enjoying the quiet life.
Because it is regulated by the state, and because politicians know the public gets most of its news from television, you see the worst bullying and the most abject cravenness in broadcasting.”
PARP! That’s quite an outburst. But is Mr Cohen really expecting us to accept the notion that the BBC is a mouthpiece for the Scottish Government? Were that to be the case, you’d really have to imagine that nationalists would love the state broadcaster and fervently defend it to their last breath.
And, y’know, they, um, don’t seem to feel that way.
Indeed, as recently as late July, Stephen Daisley commissioned a piece on that very subject for the STV website, entitled “BBC bias conspiracy is a cybernat delusion that harms the SNP’s cause”. Cobblers count: 7.
“It takes so little to set it off. Censorship always contains an element of absurdity. What is absurd about the Daisley affair is that the SNP has pursued him with malicious vindictiveness for minor failures to go along with nationalist power.”
PARP! As far as we know, the entire “pursuit” here consists of a couple of MPs very occasionally expressing opinions or asking questions about him on their personal public Twitter accounts. The SNP’s official statement was unambiguous: “At no point have the SNP or any of its parliamentarians asked for Mr Daisley to stop writing, and any suggestion otherwise is completely untrue.”
Cohen offers not a scrap of evidence to the contrary. Cobblers count: 8.
“What is sinister is that, instead of protesting, STV, the National Union of Journalists and the supposedly neutral BBC have tugged their forelocks so hard, I fear they may soon not have a hair left on their empty heads.”
PARP! Protesting against what, exactly? Two people expressing personal opinions on Twitter? STV categorically deny having received any complaint. Any action they may have taken against Stephen Daisley was entirely their own judgement as an employer. Cobblers count: 9.
“Stephen Daisley was STV’s digital politics and comment editor.”
PARP! “Was”? He still is. The most recent article commissioned by him for the site appeared yesterday. Cobblers count: 10.
“As well as commissioning news coverage, his managers wanted him to submit online opinion pieces. These could include his personal views, as Ofcom rules do not cover written opinion. STV was trying to turn itself into a multi-media platform, in other words, like just about every other media organisation. It would be a regulated TV station and an unregulated online newspaper at the same time.
I accept that seeing a TV journalist behave like a print journalist might surprise someone brought up in Britain’s pre-Internet broadcast culture. But Daisley was hardly a shock jock.”
PARP! Cough, splutter, etc. The passage below is from the last column by Daisley to appear on the STV site. We’d say it certainly counted as pretty provocative.
The one before that was headlined “Theresa May is Prime Minister and it’s the most natural thing I can imagine”, adding of her taking charge that “I feel relief, admiration, and the joy of recognition”, which is a bold thing to say in Scotland about a Tory PM.
Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with writing provocatively (or hiring others to do so, like inexplicable troll John McTernan), but pretending Stephen Daisley didn’t do it at all is an extraordinary perversion of the truth. Cobblers count: 11.
“He proved a stylish and independent columnist. He damned the right for its dislike of immigrants and refugees and the left (including the SNP left) for its alliances with Islamists and anti-Semites.”
This is in fact true. Nobody from the SNP, that we’ve seen, has made any sort of claim that Daisley’s columns were biased or unfair. They were undeniably well written and thought-provoking (even if sometimes that thought was “What an idiot”). We don’t recall Wishart, Nicolson or anyone else attacking them, only his social-media output.
“Daisley was sceptical about the SNP’s promises, but gave Nicola Sturgeon credit when he felt it due. She was ‘a tribal Nationalist, to be sure,’ he declared, at one point ‘but one at ease with other points of view’.
He soon discovered Sturgeon was nothing of the sort.”
PARP! Nicola Sturgeon has made no public comment on the matter and not even the looniest of pundits has suggested that she’s had the slightest involvement in the furore. Until now, anyway, when Cohen has simply dragged her in without the remotest or most microscopic shred of foundation. Cobblers count: 12.
“Daisley had asked hard questions about Scottish independence. He had said the SNP was ‘expert at mining grievance from even the most innocuous act or statement’. The SNP proved him right by making Daisley’s innocuous freedom of speech its grievance.”
PARP! Once again, “the SNP” has done no such thing. The party has 544 elected representatives in Scotland of one form or another, of whom two have made a couple of personal remarks about Stephen Daisley. That’s 0.4%. Cobblers count: 13.
“I want to emphasise that the SNP assault began before it charged Daisley with a journalistic crime that was so overblown it was no crime at all.”
PARP! This sentence makes no sense in English. Cobblers count: 14.
“In the spring, John Nicolson, a former BBC journalist in the tradition of David Icke and Paul Mason, and member of the Commons Media Committee, and his fellow nationalist MP, Pete Wishart, who if anything is even more vicious, went to a reception STV chief executive Rob Woodward was holding for MPs. It was supposed to be the usual corporate fluff. But they turned the event into a prosecution of STV’s digital politics coverage in general and Daisley in particular.”
PARP! We’re greatly enjoying the characterisation of Pete Wishart, who plays the keyboards for the house band in Matt Forde’s Unspun on Dave, as “vicious”.
But all three of the men named in that paragraph flatly deny Nick Cohen’s account of events, and as far as we know Nick Cohen wasn’t present (being neither an employee of STV nor an MP), so we’re not sure why anyone would take his word over theirs. Cobblers count: 15.
“The decision to allow Daisley to express his point of view was evidence of an anti-SNP agenda that ran through the whole of STV, they said. It was a disingenuous tactic. Daisley’s opinions were no one’s but his own, and were independent of party.
But like Trump with the liberal media, the Tory right with the BBC, and the Corbynites with just about everyone, Scottish nationalists keep their supporters in line by assuring them that they are victims of a vast and mendacious media conspiracy that brainwashes the masses who would otherwise support them.”
PARP! Hang on. A mere handful of paragraphs ago, Cohen was telling us how the BBC was a shameful, “abject” and “craven” cheerleader for the dastardly Nats. Now it’s a conspiracy against them. How does that work? Cobblers count: 16.
“Nicolson and Wishart targeted Daisley on Twitter, and whipped up the online ‘cybernats’ to search for anything that might discredit him.”
PARP! Can we see this “whipping up”, please? Independence supporters (and others) had been critical of Daisley for years before the incident. Daisley in turn regularly trolled them on Twitter. Thousands of people already had axes to grind and evidence wasn’t in short supply. It certainly didn’t happen because Nicolson and Wishart said so. Cobblers count: 17.
“In July, they found a pitiful piece of evidence for the prosecution: a tweet sent by Daisley from his own account recommending readers interested in politics follow various online satirists.
The SNP seized on the fact that, among his recommendations, Daisley had endorsed one ‘Brian Spanner’ the pseudonym for a sweary and often very funny Unionist who specialises in lampooning the Nats by pointing out the chasm between the ‘civic’ nationalist face they present in London TV studios and the more classical nationalist behaviour of some of their members and politicians back home.”
PARP! Just, all the parps. ParpFest 2016. ParpOcalypse Now. ParpMageddon. The Parp To End All Parps. We could go on. Cobblers count: 18.
“The SNP absolutely loathes him. Its politicians are not used to being mocked. Uniquely in the free world, Scottish artists and comics think they become true edgy radicals when they fawn before the state and pillory the opposition, rather than the other way round.”
PARP! Um… like who, exactly? Can we have some names? Can we hear about a few of the times Frankie Boyle, say, “fawned before the state”?
Scotland’s most famous comedian of all time, Billy Connolly, hobnobs with royalty and has been a venomous opponent of independence and the SNP for years. Susan Boyle was a strident backer of a No vote. The parade of prominent celebrity No supporters with state honours is a long one. Cobblers count: 19.
“Nicolson, Wishart and their online helpers put together a selection of nasty tweets ‘Spanner’ had produced about Scottish female politicians.”
PARP! No they didn’t. I did. Neither John Nicolson nor Pete Wishart were involved in any way in the process of compiling the list. Cobblers count: 20.
“They claimed he was a misogynist – he isn’t by the way; JK Rowling would not be Spanner’s friend if he were.”
PARP! Spectacular. We also hear that some of Hitler’s best friends were black, so he can’t possibly have been a racist. Cobblers count: 21.
“Then they claimed Daisley was a misogynist for suggesting people follow Spanner. Then they claimed that STV was misogynist for officially endorsing Daisley’s recommendation, even though Daisley had not tweeted on the STV’s professional account.”
PARP! We’re pretty certain that neither Nicolson nor Wishart did any of those things. We are of course happy to be corrected. Cobblers count: 22.
“It was insane, but anyone who has seen a Twitter storm knows that sanity is the first thing to be blown away. Daisley was told he could no longer be online political editor and write comment pieces. He must shut up or lose his job. In short, they shut him up.”
PARP! No source or proof is offered for these assertions, and STV have repeatedly denied that Daisley’s “silencing” was provoked by Nicolson or Wishart’s comments, with the broadcaster’s chief executive saying “We have not been put under pressure by any political parties to change what we are doing”. Cobblers count: 23.
“‘At no point have the SNP or any of its parliamentarians asked for Mr Daisley to stop writing, and any suggestion otherwise is completely untrue,’ said an SNP spokesman when the story broke. Daisley’s gagging was ‘an editorial decision,’ which was ‘entirely – and rightly – a matter for STV’.
Let me assume, for the sake of politeness, that SNP spokesman was an idiot. For it is more polite than calling him a liar, who knew very well that Wishart and Nicolson had been trying to silence Daisley for months. Wishart himself admitted on Twitter that he had complained about Daisley’s ‘crap’ journalism to STV.”
PARP! The SNP do not control STV at any level. We’re at a loss to imagine what practical leverage the SNP could credibly bring to bear on the broadcaster. Just because Pete Wishart doesn’t like something – and as far as we know MPs are still allowed to have and voice opinions about things – STV don’t have to act on his views. Cobblers count: 24.
“The affair would matter less if the normal checks of a free society against an overmighty state had kicked in. None did. The National Union of Journalists ought to have made a stand. But the Scottish NUJ is controlled by apologists for the nationalist government rather than defenders of freedom of the press.”
PARP! We’re told by reliable sources that Stephen Daisley is in fact not a member of the National Union of Journalists, who would therefore have no right to intervene on his behalf even if they wished to. Cobblers count: 25.
“Without speaking to Daisley, Scotland’s NUJ organiser Paul Holleran told reporters: ‘I would be astonished if STV bowed to any pressure and introduced censorship in the newsroom,’ even though STV had done just that. Article One of the NUJ’s code of conduct says a journalist must ‘at all times uphold and defend the principle of media freedom’.”
PARP! Except that STV absolutely deny doing so. Also, the freedom of the media does not prevent an employer from determining how its staff might be deployed. Daisley wasn’t sacked or demoted, STV simply chose not to have him write columns any more. Cobblers count: 26.
“So deferential is it to nationalism, the NUJ is prepared to ignore its own rules. The BBC is under pressure from the SNP to tell its viewers they are not a part of Britain by producing a Scottish version of the Six o’Clock News.”
PARP! Um, the existence of a Scottish-produced evening news bulletin would not bring about independence. Or remove Scotland from the geographical entity of “Britain”. Would that it were so easy. Cobblers count: 27.
“Almost two thirds of Scottish viewers are against it, but the SNP wants to ignore public opinion.”
PARP! Almost every poll on the subject finds a more or less even split between supporters, opponents and people who couldn’t care less. Cohen has cherry-picked the only one that found majority opposition. Cobblers count: 28.
“Indeed, only a few months ago, John Nicolson persuaded the Commons Culture Committee to recommend overriding the wishes of the voters”
PARP! The evil, unprincipled swine! He used his sinister powers of debate to persuade people (the Culture Committee has just one SNP member on it, out of 10) to his point of view? How DARE he? BURN THE WITCH! Cobblers count: 29.
“and the BBC.”
PARP! BBC Scotland in fact has wanted to produce a Scottish Six for around 20 years. It was only prevented in the late 1990s by the politically-motivated intervention of John Birt and Tony Blair. The decision to go ahead with a pilot now was made by the BBC itself, not by the Culture Committee. Cobblers count: 30.
“Given its experience of state pressure, surely BBC Scotland should have been able to say why press freedom mattered. Instead, BBC Scotland broke every ethical guideline it had so it could damn Daisley and please the Nats.”
Amusingly, at this point Cohen embeds a YouTube recording of the John Beattie Show on Radio Scotland from August. It had been uploaded by a Yes supporter, who on noticing Cohen’s inclusion of it quickly edited its title.
“First up on its programme discussing the case was Eamonn O’Neill, an academic. He assured the public that they had no need to worry. The Daisley affair was an ‘incestuous, inside the media bubble’ story of no concern to anyone. He did not know Stephen Daisley and had not ‘read his stuff’. But despite his self-confessed ignorance, he was happy to come down on the side of the SNP.”
PARP! The SNP, as unambiguously stated by all of the parties to the incident, has made no official comment, let alone any demands. Cobblers count: 31.
“Daisley had ‘crossed the line’ between editing and expressing his opinions, he said. (The learned academic apparently did not know that Ofcom rules did not cover Daisley’s online comment pieces).
And in any case, John Nicolson had said ‘there was no pressure applied anywhere’, so that must be true, even though it wasn’t.”
PARP! Once again Cohen states as a categorical fact that everyone who was actually involved in the matter and present at any of the related discussions is lying about it, even though he himself wasn’t present at any of them and offers no evidence from anywhere else to support his assertion. Cobblers count: 32.
“For balance, BBC Scotland turned to Channel 4 hack Stuart Cosgrove, who bravely, fiercely and independently also whitewashed Nicolson by repeating his demonstrably false claim that Daisley had used the STV Twitter account to tweet offensive opinions.“
PARP! Apparently it’s now a sign of corruption for two people in the same industry to agree about something. Cobblers count: 33.
“No one spoke to Daisley.”
PARP! Lots and lots of journalists have sought comment from Daisley on the matter. He has refused or ignored all requests. Cobblers count: 34.
“No one went through the publicly available record to show how the SNP had applied the screws.”
PARP! We think this must mean “nobody wasted their time checking Twitter to verify that two people had said things that none of them were denying having said”.
No matter how many times Cohen shrieks otherwise, there is no law and there are no rules which state that John Nicolson and Pete Wishart aren’t allowed to have and express personal opinions about an outspoken opinion columnist. If merely tweeting an opinion about something is intimidation and torture, we are all Torquemada. Cobblers count: 35.
“No one applied the standards the BBC insists in its editorial guidelines it should always follow. (‘We must do all we can to ensure that controversial subjects are treated with due impartiality in all our output,’ the BBC says at one point.)”
PARP! O’Neill and Cosgrove are the two regular guests on the show’s media round-up. It wasn’t as if Beattie deliberately invited two pundits from the same side of the argument as a stitch-up. Cobblers count: 36.
“But then the BBC, NUJ, Wishart and Nicolson know that Daisley cannot complain or he will lose his job. His editors have silenced him, and they can rely on the corporate power of the STV hierarchy to ensure they are never challenged.”
PARP! Any employee can challenge a decision of their employer, and seek redress through legal channels should they be unfairly dismissed as a result of doing so. Given that Stephen Daisley has made no comment, we have no idea whether he feels harshly treated or not. It appears that he’s simply having to do less work for his salary now. Cobblers count: 37.
“How they revel in it. The other day, I had enough of Nicolson’s bragging. I don’t like swaggering politicians at the best of times, but there is something particularly repellent about them when they are former journalists.
Nicolson announced on Twitter earlier this month:”
[Having acknowledged his personal animosity, Cohen then quotes a lengthy series of tweets between himself and Nicolson on the subject of whether Daisley had recommended Brian Spanner on his personal or professional Twitter accounts.]
PARP! Ironically, having by this point spent 1,700 words raging that the personal accounts of John Nicolson and Pete Wishart represented the official party stance of the SNP, he’s now furious that Nicolson is doing the same thing to Stephen Daisley.
Daisley’s account, as is often the case with journalists and broadcasters, was something of a grey area. The URL linked to in the bio wasn’t that of his personal blog, but of the STV politics section. The only disclaimer was a joke one.
To be fair, our interpretation would, like Cohen’s, be that Nicolson was wrong to state that Daisley had recommended Spanner on “his company’s professional account”.
But Cohen can’t have it both ways – if Daisley’s personal account isn’t the view of STV, then John Nicolson’s and Pete Wishart’s aren’t the view of the SNP, yet Cohen constantly insists they are. Cobblers count: 38.
“You will notice that at no point could Nicolson bring himself to withdraw a false claim, even when the evidence was in front of his eyes. You will note too that it was left to outsiders to do what STV would not do, and defend the freedom of STV journalists.
It is hard being an editor. You have to respond when your journalists make mistakes. But if you do not defend your journalists when they are in the right, then you become a figure of ridicule, first to your reporters and eventually to your readers and viewers too.”
PARP! Championing Brian Spanner and hiring John McTernan while also commissioning articles about how vile abusive cybernats are is a curious definition of being “in the right”, and we suspect that any objective analysis of social media would find Stephen Daisley far more ridiculed than his employers. Cobblers count: 39.
“By failing to defend Daisley, STV’s bosses have shown themselves to be unworthy of their senior positions. Everyone in Scottish journalism suspects they are in the SNP’s pockets, as Buzzfeed showed last week when it ran a story headlined ‘STV Accused Of ‘SNP Love-In’ For Hosting A Welcome Event For Its Party Conference’.”
PARP! Apparently BuzzFeed’s Jamie Ross is now the official spokesman for the whole of Scottish journalism. He’ll be well chuffed. Cobblers count: 40.
“As I said earlier, get used to it. New technologies allow politicians to work with trolls to shut up journalists who break the party line. One-party dominance – the SNP in Scotland, the Tories in England – means the worst editors and broadcasters will do as they are told rather than risk a fight with elites who look as if they will stay in power forever.”
PARP! We assume this explains why not a single journalist or newspaper critical of the SNP now exists in Scotland. Cobblers count: 41.
“The case of Stephen Daisley may seem a small affair, but it’s a signpost to our future.”
PARP! No it isn’t, you ridiculous giant shrieking nonce. The last journalist to regularly attract public criticism from SNP politicians was Alan Roden of the Scottish Daily Mail, whose reputation and career were so cruelly shattered by numerous unfriendly tweets from bullying Nazi Nats that he, er, was poached by Scottish Labour to be their new Director of Communications. Cobblers count: 42.
This article is over 4000 words long, readers. That’s four times what we generally aim for in this short-attention-span modern world. But once in a blue moon, if it’s a slow news week, it can be instructive and worthwhile to take something in the mainstream media apart atom by atom and expose not just the main thrust of its lie, but every single smaller lie making up the greater whole.
Nick Cohen managed 42 separate, identifiable falsehoods in under 1900 words last night. That’s one every 45 words. On one level we’re almost impressed – it’s a record that’ll take some beating. The most depressing thing about monitoring the Scottish media, though, is that we doubt it’ll be all that long before someone does it.
The Cohen piece is sad in a way, mostly in the way it was held up by some as being interesting. Ultimately, its damaging for a unionist perspective as it was so way off the mark. We are going to be seeing more articles like this in the coming future I guess.
If you think that the ATL article is demented then check out many of the BTL comments. A lot of them are insane, racist or both. Aimed at any other ethnic, cultural, national or racial group they would cause an absolute shit storm of epic proportions. As they are about ‘Jockos’ and ‘Jockoland’ they are OK.
You’ll have to get a new rubber bulby thing for your PARP machine!
🙂
You tore him a new one there! Excellent stuff.
Now take the rest of the day off go and catch up on these old Bull’s Eye repeats.
What ever they’re paying you WoS, its not enough.
From,
Paul Sinclair ?@paulbsinclair 19h19 hours ago
Paul Sinclair Retweeted Nick Cohen
Great piece. Whether you support independence or not, this accurately describes today’s Scotland – and none of us should accept it.
To,
frances BarberVerified account
?@francesbarber13
This has made me so angry, I need to go for a swim.
If only the SNP followed the “Israel can do no wrong” brigade we’d all be bosom buddies then Nick? 😀
I don’t know whether to be impressed or appalled. Whatever Mr Cohen is drinking, I suggest he cuts back a bit.
Just sayin’ like.
You missed one back between 17 and 18: “Its politicians are not used to being mocked.”
And you also made one yourself right at the start, Rev. You said the spectator was respectable.
Dissected cobblers. Thanks
Thank you for taking on that chore, reading through that bizarre article.
It’s astonishing to me how these folk were ever perceived as credible.
So much about our media has been exposed in the last couple of years.
We have been asleep for too long
Quite sad to see a once average journalist sink so low.
“You missed one back between 17 and 18: “Its politicians are not used to being mocked.””
A fair point, but I’ve already flipping well renumbered them all once when I noticed I had two #13s and I’m not doing it again 🙂
Several points.
Is he in love with Mr Daisley ? He writes with passion in his pen ,but gravel in his head.
For the last few years of visiting this site, every contributor remarks about our struggle against media bias, and by that I mean media in all formats including television. Off hand I cannot remember the SNP was given what I would class as a “fair” hearing. Often they are not invited at all. Are we all wrong?
Personally I do not think we are. Mr Cohen is demonstrating very clear signs of Transference. He attributes the qualities he detests on to others, but with greater venom.
Just look at what the right wing press has become all over these Islands.
Mr Daisley whether he used his personal account or not is an easily recognisable figure in Scotland. That carries with it an ability to persuade or influence. Fair enough, but he must also have recognised that most people would not discern between his personal twitter account and his professional account.
They see only Mr Daisley.
It is akin to saying that you only tortured people eight hours a day but was a nice man the rest of the time. No sympathy here.
English right wing site written by a fool with no practical experience of what we Scots who want independence put up with on a daily basis.
I am beginning to genuinely believe that the only way ‘No’ can win IndyRef2 is if it is rigged.
Brilliant Stu. I admire your stamina and patience for ploughing through all that insane rant to shed light on it.
The ground is being prepared.
Hang onto your hats folks, it’s going to be quite a ride.
Being lauded by his unionist reporter chums as an incisive and brilliant piece of journalism. It’s a piece of fictional nonsense that Lewis Carroll would strughle to better.
J.K. Rowling Retweeted
Nick Cohen ?@NickCohen4 21h
“Censorship in one-party democracies” Me in @spectator on how the SNP have silenced @JournoStephen
Also weird is why the richest and cleverest author in the whole wide world likes it too. She likes Euan Mcspanner but his horrifying misogyny also includes SLabour Margret Curran and old JK says she’s Labour too.
Ultimately its up to a company or business like STV, selling directly to the public , whether or not one of their most prominent employees should follow someone like MacSpanner on twitter and worry about what it would do their brand.
People like Cohen exist, Should that be a question or an exclamation mark
Either way, a mistake? defect? or just another hateful wee bastirt spewing projectile drivel
I’m gonnae go with the drivel
Is Nick Cohen Stephen Daisley’s lover?
Cause that’s some passionate anger right there on his behalf…has no one looked into this aspect?
I heard recently that Nick gets quite upset when Stephen huff’s about in the house cause he’s so frustrated at not being able to play with Brian since STV rapped him. I wonder if this will help them with their relationship, his way of telling Stephen he loves him?
We can only speculate of course, nonetheless that love letter should go some way toward Nick and Stephen resolving whatever frustrating annoyance has created this rift between them. I rather think Stephen will have sent flowers already and a nice meal awaits Nick on his return home tonight. Oh tae be a fly on the wall. *sighs…romantically*
I don’t get this? but then I don’t get any Cohen brothers jokes, it was a joke right? satire, parody, No surely is it an early draft of his April 1st spoof? What you say….? Oh hold on you cannot be serious, a grown man, a professional journalist thinks like this? Is he a compatriot of David Icke, I demand Call Kaye has a phone in about one party states, especially ones that are minority governments, who fiendishly hold power by the help of.. Oh, that wont quite work, erh ones that are like so on the news every hour condemning biased reporting by erh tweeting once or twice, No that’s not right, THE party Symbol! yes! it looks like something bad if turn it upside down and inside out, fold it in half, stand on your head, poke a pencil in your eye! There! I can see it! MY GOD!!!, its the secret sign for world domination! This means the SNP are Lizards, come from a distant galaxy to enslave mankind!!! Run for the hills before its to late, Oh the Humanity, sob, The humanity.
Can I get a job Mr Spectator? I can speel weel and everything!
Ah Bob! I see we are on the same page 😉
The Anti SNP British Press, which is just about all of it, is beside itself with rage at the SNP’s sucess and their inability to do anything about it.
I’ve got it! He ‘thinks’ he’s a polemicist. He’s not, he’s just a really bad liar.
Q. Why does stv still exist given that all the other regional itv companies are now subsumed into itv London?
A. As a propaganda tool for the UK political establishment to manage Scottish political opinion.
Project fear ramping up again.
This time however, it’s not independence supporters who are ‘feart’. The Unionist Press are squealing like stuck pigs.
Having written that, I’m surprised at how apt that metaphore is, lol.
I saw that last night and thought to myself that if anyone caught me reading this crap they’d think I was a masochist.
Oh F/k we are living in some kind of mad parallel universe where everything is backwards and inside out , psychopaths are having a free run and seem to be everywhere and are treated by the media as normal then reported as fact by the BBC , never before has the saying ‘ beam me up Scotty ‘ been more relevant it’s a bleedn madhouse out there.
Never heard of the guy before this.
Having read his guff, I can see why I have not stumbled over his work before no.
‘You sure this is not Siobhan McFadyen in disguise ??
Its that bad … really it is.
What’s the ‘o’ for ?? 🙂
You know folks, we should be very proud of ourselves on Wings. We have risen above all the fog constructed by the most powerful State mechanisms that ever existed, including the fourth estate. Their job has been to subjugate us and keep us that way for eternity, and yet here we are on Wings courtesy of the Rev ,standing tall against everything they can throw at us.
They make one giant mistake though. They believe that by attacking and trying to destroy the SNP then they close down the case for independence. Not any more.
If the SNP collapsed tomorrow I would vote for any other who put forward the independence agenda. My desire to be rid of the Union goes way beyond loyalty to any party now. They cannot change that desire any more.
Scotland and England continue to drift apart. Britnat journalists can’t or won’t accept their influence is waning in Scotland. They’ve only themselves to blame.
Thank god for the internet.
Whats the ‘o’ for ?, in the title obviously !!! 🙁
It’ll take more than this site to dam the tsunami of daily pish from the media. It’s engulfing us. The sources are just too numerous to do battle with. Labour, Tories, Liberals, The Mail, Express, Scotsman, Herald etc, etc.
Brilliantly dissected Rev but I fear people still read the Headlines & that’s what they remember. In today’s Express there’s a piece by Siobhan McFadyen, tomorrow there’ll be more by another newspaper. And every single day from now ’til the SNP are out of power every media outlet’s M.O. is to destroy the democratically elected government. The problem for them is that people keep voting for them. It keeps them in work though. If/when the SNP are out of power they might find they don’t have a job
I just have one question who the feck is Nick Cohen lol
Jings Rev get yourself some of those fancy ciders you like mate you deserve them after having to trawl through this mahoosive walloper`s drivel.
I tried to read it last night but my brain just kept telling me no no no stop or i will go on fecking strike now get me some brandy or you and i are finished.
Must admit, rather than the contents of this Spectator article getting me angry, it made me laugh.
It was scrawled solely for the consumption of BritNats in the lower province of these islands who will believe anything to the detriment of Scotland and will never be persuaded otherwise as they continue to exercise their centuries old hatred of the Scots.
Nothing more than a failed front as they shake in abject horror of the merest thought of Scotland going her own way, in her own manner, for her own people.
I have asked, countless times, in the pages and sites of the English media, why they have so much hatred and terror of Scotland being independent and that surely, if as they erroneously consider that Scotland is subsidised by their own land, they should be more than glad to see Scotland go. Thus far, over the years, I’ve still to receive a coherent response, other than ill educated, unintelligible dross.
Slowly does it, although a bit of a dip in 2014 but regardless, independence for Scotland is coming no matter what acid ignorant propaganda the anglo media spews.
I’ve been wary of Cohen for years. Along with former lefty David Aaronouitch, he supported the Iraq War.
Of course, what we should be doing is passing his article on to the others he mentions for their reaction.
Those on twitter should be sending this on to BBC News, BBC Scotland, STV, NUJ etc to get their thoughts to Cohen’s claims.
It should also be passed on to Andrew Neil of the BBC and current chair of The Spectator magazine to get his reaction to Cohen’s accusations of the BBC News Departments.
This article is not ours to fight, it is for us to pass on to the accused and see them get embarrassed and either have to agree or disagree with Cohen.
42 – the answer to life, the Yoony Verse and everything!
In a REAL rush so I may have missed it. John Nicolson spoke to Ponsonby (?) recently about Daisley clarifying the whole situation (a recording) . I’m on my IPad so can’t dig it out. Maybe someone else could do so?
The whole Cohen piece can really be summed up with, “in spite of all evidence being to the contrary, I’m saying it was the SNPs fault.”
My goodness. Did Cohen get out of the wrong side of the bed?
Very well picked apart, Rev. This made me smile. Rabid Unionists are just a joke now.
Haven’t read the comment thread so apologies if this has already been pointed out.
The link on yesterday, cobblers count 10 its to a Stephen Daisly article but rather 1 written by @sparklemonkey.
Strategic hint for Nick Cohen: never try to gish gallop past somebody with a slow motion camera.
“The Spectator”
Cobblers count: 99
Rev
It’s articles like this that makes journos hate you.
Dissection is clearly your speciality so keep up the good work, man 🙂
Can hear Cohen rapidly deflating from here in the borders!!
This crew have been wound up and let off the leash by SIS and their sidekicks to attack SCOTLAND and all its people. They are scared to death and obviously know and see things which have them terrified.
The road they have chosen has only one outcome and there is no road back, they are like lemmings heading for the cliff edge. The last straw will be the threat of civil unrest totally created by the state SIS.
These thugs will stop at nothing, be prepared to turn our back on them and create our own wee country. IGNORE THEM!
Maybe Daisley could tell us who spanner is and we can forgive him!! As for the Spectator maybe a closer look as to who pulls their strings would be of interest. It can hadly be said that they are a right wing rag.
Barclay Brothers are apparently pally with a guy working in the BBC. I think his name is Andrew Neil. Editor of Scotsman when they were owners.
Andrew Neil “.He is also the former editor-in-chief and current chairman of the Press Holdings group, which owns The Spectator.[2]”
Is it not time that the idea of “neutrality”, the BBC and Andrew Neil be expunged?
@Hamish 100,
Have you read the Spectator lately ? They are very right wing. I agree they are a “rag”.
I have seen articles by the likes of McTernan and others who are almost as right wing as the Tories, given prominence and praise in this publication,
Missed a couple of spectacular but related ones:
Scotland isn’t a state yet. That’s kind of the whole point of the SNP’s existence, that he so bitterly.
The only state, in this case, is the Tory-ruled UK, which has recently changed the BBC charter to require it to support the cohesion of the union. This is literally the opposite of the state control he seems to wish he could complain about.
Nicola Sturgeons Twitter mobbed by Yoon trolls going crazy
at her very existence on earth
Always the guaranteed sign they’re panic stricken when they doth protest mentally irregularly oot o their tiny wee minds
Bob Mack — when I said the “spectator” could hardly be called right wing I was been ironic!
Agree with you about the bias. If you look at Neil’s tv programmes hardly a week goes by without someone from the Spectator or individuals he appears to be pally with eg.Toby Young, Nelson etc.
It is clearly coordinated.
The BBC I believe intentionally ignores this.
Well done, Stu, for this exhaustive and exhausting analysis.
Gutter pamphlets like the Express no longer care about credibility nor standing. They know themselves they have the status and respectability of used toilet paper.
However, The Spectator? Does it really want to dragged into the deepest sewer with rubbish like this?
It genuinely surprises me that they published such a complete pack of lies. I suppose the excuse for management might be, like most of the metro bubble, they haven’t got a clue about the situation in Scotland.
Also, if there was any genuine ‘policing’ of the press, stuff like this would cost them dearly. Of course there is no effective oversight.
@Hamish 100,
Just the mood I am in today This shirt makes me edgy and irritable. Rationality goes out the window for a wee while.. I can console myself that Mr Cohen is getting an absolute roasting on twitter and nobody is jumping in to defend him. Time to walk the dogs for an hour I think
Another possible example of this kind of nonsense is the lead news item on the STV website with a headline “Police ‘abused state power'”. I’ve never seen police powers being equated as ‘state power’ like this before.
I started to read the article in question, but had to give up pretty quickly. Many thanks again to you Rev for diffusing the bullshite bombs so we don’t have to.
Ah, counts! I love counts. I did one for Alistair Darling’s TV debate two years ago, though I went for 48 rather than 42:
https://wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/48-lies/
It’s interesting going back over them. I’m happy to concede that certain powers over Welfare *were* devolved (and less happy to note the UK’s grotesque mismanagement of oil led to everyone’s predictions being wildly wrong), but I’d say at least a decent majority of the ones about the UK are still relevant. It’s interesting looking with hindsight at just how brazen some of Lord Darling’s lies were, particularly all the emphasis on the UK’s “strength” and “security” knowing what has come to pass.
I don’t like hating people, it isn’t healthy, but for him, I reserve a certain amount of displeasure.
I’d happily read 4000-word-long articles by yourself every day, though I appreciate you might not want to write such an amount on a daily basis!
Yes, great, halfway through out in the garden now while it;s still light. And, by the way, though I had doubts (severe ones) about Rev’s style on Twitter, it gets attention which can;’t be ignored, and it gets results.
What gets me though is how careful we have to be at times. I was I think second on the thread on the Herald about control over the BBC, and I put in a snide comment about Jackie Bird. Luckily I thought better and changed it to the innocuous “Yes, we need a Scottish Six controlled by BBC Scotland not politicians”. Very close to being added as a “vile cybernat” trying to bully the BBC into sacking its staff!
OT, but still about the media’s increasingly right wing reactionary stance…
Apparently yesterday’s EBC shortbread phone in went “badly wrong”.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/horrific-radio-talk-as-callers-debate-ched-evans-case-on-kaye-adams-show.23701
I would suggest this happened because of the ultra conservative callers the programme seems to intentionally attract. Those same people who lash out against Scottish democracy, can be expected to hold far from ‘polically correct’ views generally!
Derek Bateman I think did a podcast recently with John Nicholson. In it J N made clear , despite all the nonsense written -not one journalist writing articles in defence of S Daisley picked up the phone and asked John Nicholson what the situation really was. You know the other side?
I am surprised at Paul Sinclair though, I thought he was more circumspect than that , given Labours own ‘ influence’ on BBC Scotland, the newspapers etc but just goes to show how short memories people have
Stu!!
You have caused my clicker to wear out!
Over 40 falsehoods in one article. Yoon desperation indeed. Your working through that is to be commended.
The reality is that this lying is likely to be the tip of the iceberg once we get started on IndyRef2.
You appear to have misspelt “count” in the article’s title.
It doesn’t have an ‘o’…
I read the above and no wonder there are over 40 bloopers in it because I have read it all before. Nick Cohen has simply harvested all the rubbish printed in newspapers, twitter and online by the usual SNP bashing yoons in the days after Daisley’s situation became public. I honestly don’t think he has added very much original material himself. I thought that was plagiarism. If it was a Uni essay he would be canned for it.
Rev, did you mean Susan Calman rather than Susan Boyle?
Cohen is not fit to be a journalist. And his editor should take up tending an allotment.
Stu,
You missed your calling. By the forensic destruction of this person you would make a great go-to
Barrister if I was caught with my hand in the till.
The pay is good too I hear some are on £2000 per hour.
Excellent stuff, he is messing with the best, and will know that now!
yesindyref2 says:
Hi hope you read my replies near end of last article.
…I really cannot understand the vile comments of “Spanner” I may lead a sheltered life but resorting to that language just baffles me.
All the YES stalls were positive upbeat events until the unionists turned up to voice abuse. It seems to be a common theme in the Independence debate.
O/T but the SNP are debating the House of Lords on the Parliament channel now. Gove has just rambled on and on about poor SNP government and finally was told off by the speaker for not sticking with the remit.
How they don’t just walk out I’ll never know..I was just about throwing things at the TV!
You’re right Molly. Nicolson interviewed by Bateman. I thought it may have been Ponsonby.
Podcast: ‘On “lazy” journalism and a scandalous council sale.’
http://newsnet.scot/archive/podcast-lazy-journalism-scandalous-council-house-sale/
That Nick Cohen!
http://archive.is/8v9wx
Oh, and in this article decrying Corbyn
http://archive.is/BDioF
he wrote more accurately than he realised.
“Yet the deceit of a clickbait site, which pays its reporters by how many hits their pieces receive rather than by how much truth they tell, is believed, while the public record is ignored.”
Spoken like a true cobbler!
“Rev, did you mean Susan Calman rather than Susan Boyle?”
No.
“The link on yesterday, cobblers count 10 its to a Stephen Daisly article but rather 1 written by @sparklemonkey.”
Yes, I know. He commissioned it.
Ooops forgot to mention 7 minutes in:
http://newsnet.scot/archive/podcast-lazy-journalism-scandalous-council-house-sale/
Stu, you excel yourself.
Cohan forgot to mention that the SNP are abducting new born babies of English born settlers from maternity wards and smashing their heads off the walls of the colonists’ cottages.
It alarms me that this pathological rant has been passed as truth and published.
Those South of the border are being fed this pap as gospel, by a scribe who seriously needs some sort of psychological counsel.
Flat footed shovel faced lesbians, Scots are wreckers and thieves, subsidy junkies, Ajockalypse now,vile misogynist foul mouthed attacks on female politicians by an anonymous evil pervert, or a series of perverts, working as a disgusting smutty little co-operative, are labelled as very funny and satire, and therefore they must be socially acceptable because a filthy rich peddler of kids fairy stories says that it’s ok?
Perhaps Cohen is Spanner?
Why is Spanner hiding his/her/their perverted heavy breathing smut under the cloak of anonymity?
Because she/he/they would be condemned unreservedly in any decent society, and in the case of Scotland,a society drawn from all political viewpoints.
I know that you, or one of your lawyers read WoS, JK Rowling.
Are you seriously backing this man’s lies, and the filth spewed out by Spanner, the anti homosexual sniggers, and anti Scottish thieves and vandals insults of Ruth Davidson?
As you observe,Stu, the gloves are off.
Care to comment Ms Rowling? Unlike Spanner, I’m in the book,and Collatin’s the name.
And soon the darkness.
STV strikes back. That crew is so tory and so yoon, Cohen must be a big puzzle for them too.
http://archive.is/wQF7I
Sturgeon bad, nothing written, take the word of a torboy Scotland.
Toryboy reaches for the hootsman, shock. Hootsman gits are certainly the epicentre of toryboy roasterville these days.
“SNP MPs shouted against Mr Goodwill’s remark, with the Tory frontbencher adding: “As reported in the Scotsman newspaper, she said: ‘There are 160,000 EU nationals from other states living in Scotland including some in the Commonwealth Games city of Glasgow. If Scotland was outside Europe they would lose their right to stay here’.
“Who is being used as bargaining chips?”
Cherry replied: “Can I in the gentlest and friendliest way, counsel you against taking advice firstly from the Conservative party in Scotland, and secondly from the Scotsman newspaper which is, frankly, not what it was when I was a girl.”
It will be interesting to see whether Cohen devotes any, never mind equal, attention to the case of Look North’s Danny Carpenter which involves only a single personal Facebook posting outside of his BBC employment.
I suspect we will be waiting until hell freezes over for the individual who still cannot get his ego to apologise for his stance on the Iraq War to take up Carpenter’s case.
Well done. I’ll be honest, I thought this article was so utterly, frantically, shatteringly mental as to be almost impossible to pick apart and refute, so you’ve done some sterling work dissecting this bad boy! It genuinely reads as if he was really quite drunk when he wrote it.
The fact that it was even published worries me quite a lot though; have we now finally arrived at the point where facts are totally irrelevant to the media? The omens for the future are not good at all…
Your piece , Rev Stu , is entitled ‘The Count’ and I feel it would have been so much better had you just missed out the first vowel in the second word to truly express the individual to whom you successfully exposed as a LIAR in your ever so accurate article.
Allow me…….’The C*nt’.
I recall years ago reading pieces by Nick Cohen and quite enjoying his acerbic turn of phrase but recent articles have been quite odd. I read one a wee while back on Labour and Corbyn and was taken aback by the vitriol. As an SNP member, what people say about Labour isn’t really my business but I thought it pretty harsh bordering on vicious.
Quite what his issue with the SNP and Scottish independence is I don’t know. I can only assume he was savaged by a wild haggis as child on holiday here or something. I approach Cohen articles these days much as I would approach a David Icke article….expecting to be bemused.
Also, today in the PMQ session Angus Robertson asked Mrs May twice about British munitions being used by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. She replied on both occasions that the incident had yet to be investigated,
When the programme switched back to Andrew Neil, he asked the Tory junior minister who was his guest about Saudi using these munitions. The guy amazingly said that Saudi Arabia had apologised already for the incident. It had been a mistake.
Incredibly he then admitted that civilians had been deliberately targeted by someone with the intention of killing them. It was an incredible moment.
If he knew this then why did May avoid talking about it in the Commons ?
This is something the Rev could make hay with.
Scots born Michael Gove a disgrace in parliament had to be told by the Speaker 2 ot 3 times to stick to the debate,
instead he just bashed on attacking the SNP and ignoring and disrespecting the debate and the Speaker,
all to the amusement of his hee hawing condescending English Tory masters,
every inch the ` House Negro` or `Uncle Tam`
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kf7fujM4ag
Quite what his issue with the SNP and Scottish independence is I don’t know.
They know full well Scotland’s been screwed for decades. And they know Scotland running Scotland will be amazing:D
Its a red and blue tory rUK double whammy.
Rev Stu – Excellent article and the number theme might be worth some more exploitation. For instance why not start a ‘racist politicians top ten’?
After Amber Rudd’s exploits at the Tory party conference she would appear to still be leading the billboard but today’s new entry into the chart would appear to be MP David Davies who wants to check dental records of refugees just to make sure that don’t help anyone over 18. Remind me again which group of people were fond of checking people’s teeth against their will?
Stu, I once again salute your indefatigability in wading through this extreme, hate-filled and simply unhinged poop.
I suppose it is a left-handed compliment to the efficacy of Messrs Nicholson and Wishart in opposing the lies of MSM.
Favourite bit: “No it isn’t, you ridiculous giant shrieking nonce.”
Och, Rev, it’s the way ye tell ’em.
I long ago stopped buying Tho Observer because of Cohen’s Zionist-tinged rants and he certainly seems to have deteriorated since them. To think he and Aaronovitch were once regarded as left-wing.
The smell of desperation emanating from Londinium is becoming overpowering.
We’re in for quite a time of it once Indy2 begins.
Hold on to your hats, tenement-dwellers.
It never ceases to amaze me how much of a laugh the Yoons can give you.
Also, Cobblers count sounds like the next village over from Gobblers Knob.
Bob Mack @6.49pm
Listening in to PMQ’s this afternoon Angus Robertsons’s question about Saudi use of missiles bought from Britain:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/37706840
Have a listen 25 seconds in – do I Hear Theresa May congratulating Angus on becoming depute leader of the ‘Scottish NATIONALIST Party’?
Really?
Have a listen 25 seconds in – do I Hear Theresa May congratulating Angus on becoming depute leader of the ‘Scottish NATIONALIST Party’?
He’s been elected the chair of
“Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, will face scrutiny from the newly-created international trade committee, of which the Scottish National party’s Angus MacNeil was elected chair on Wednesday.”
No Scottish representation on the big one though, shock, just Labour,
“Labour’s Hilary Benn has been elected chair of the cross-party Brexit committee of MPs, beating a challenge from the pro-Leave MP Kate Hoey.”
There’s an actual swivel eyed tory on C4 teatime news right now, stoking up race hate and anti refugee stuff.
*The C*nt
Scott Finlayson…
The term is “Tame Jock”
The SNP says gonnae tell these European folk they can stay please
The UK Guv says NAW! it’s up to the EU to tell the UK if British immigrants can stay in Europe FIRST even though it was the UKs idea to have the Brexit and threaten EU citizens rights to stay in the UK
And still they don’t see that as negotiating strategies go their skills are lacking in, well, skill
Our EU friends and neighbours must be rightly bemused at the Tommy Britainers and puzzled at the notion that the only people who are not foreign in the world are the Tommies
Must be a language barrier thing eh, and yet us tenement dwelling half educated Nationalist Scots understand every word the EU says
‘It is the art of the writer to tell a story in such a way as will permit the reader rather than the writer to have appropriate emotions. It is the art of reporting to state the facts so that both parties to an issue will accept them as facts, though they may disagree as to the interpretation to be put upon them’
(Park , News as a form of Knowledge, American Journal of Sociology , March 1940).
The art of journalism has sadly disappeared and all print media (apart from the National) continues to denigrate Scotland and its democratically elected government with the politics of fear and loathing that UKOK has relentlessly marketed.
It cannot be a mystery as to why sales are plummeting, nor should UKOK be surprised if their toxic brand is rejected in Scotland.
Is the question not ” What’s the Answer to the Yooniverse?” 42!
This guy Cohen sounds dangerous. I think the SNP should lean on him to shut him up.
Another good article Rev, plenty of ammo!
Mind you, can we expect anything else from a publication which employs Alex Massie as its ‘Scotland Editor’ and his father Allan Massie as a regular contributor? Bouffin tory snot rags!
So, Corbyn’s an anti-semite, the SNP are Nazis, Brian Spanner writes nobel prize level literature and, prisoner of conscience, Stephen Daisley, has been silenced by the jack-booted state enforcers of the Holyrood mafia.
Mr Cohen is not a well man. Like Siobhan McFadyen, he is clearly paid to write drivel for his right wing paymasters. Perhaps he could write scenarios for Hollywood instead?
I’m grateful you wade through this bilge on our behalf Stu. The ripples are spreading slowly but surely.
Nick Cohen was a cheerleader for the war in Iraq too. He’s good at pretending whoever he wants to smear are the new Nazis, and he should be, he’s had a lot of practice.
Arghhhhhh, help where are the men in white coats, get me out of here! Jeezus, sorry Incould only read so much before literally thinking I need some meds and quick! Well done Rev Stu, crikey, some days are just plain weird aren’t they, with this kind of thing.
Dystopian hardly describes it. Only one or two people will read that pap and think, oh yeh, that’d be right enough.
Some people needs their heads examined, definitely.
Re; fireproof Jim@ 5.42
2k and hr? Wonder what they are doing for that kind of cash eh.
A pair of UKOK tits pile on. Maybe its satire. Tory satire’s not really a thing though. Is there any of the 37 papers in Scotland that’s not relentlessly raging vote NO, vote Tory, Scotland’s shite, Ruth’s a goddess, grovel to the royals etc?
((( Neil Lovatt ))) Retweeted
David Torrance ?@davidtorrance 12h12 hours ago
Press censorship has begun in Scotland http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/10/press-censorship-begun-scotland/ …
0 replies
@Stoker –
My wee Scots dictionary has:
massie adj boastful; self-important
When I read such utterly tone deaf things like this Cohen piece it confirms to me why Scotland is fundamentally different from the rest of the UK. London based journalists simply do not understand Scotland, and this extends to the rest of the London establishment. The people who rule us should be those who know us, and the likes of Cohen, May, JCorben et all simply do not.
Don’t buy The Spectator.
Jesus wept!
Words fail me! I am seriously struggling to find the words …except …Jesus wept!
How on earth has journalism, and the telling of the truth, come to this…
The Spectator, is that the one crawling with obedient retainers.
Is Nick Cohen related in any way to Leonard Cohen, the lifelong manic depressive who has been labelled “the poet laureate of pessimism,” “the grocer of despair,” “the godfather of gloom” and “the prince of bummers?” If so, it would be terribly sad for poor old Leonard, whose genius is legendary, as compared to this prick, whose buffoonery is monumental.
Don’t buy The Spectator.
No need to buy it. Editor Horatio Nelson’s never off the BBC telly and radio and has been for years. He was intro’d into BBC toryboy world via ultra tory BBC World Service and is now on more than Gary Lineker. And its not vox populi, unless everyone in teamGB’s a weirdo tory with a silly voice, from Nairn.
The thing is this piece is aimed at down south, who the fuck buys the Spectator in Scotland, if it wisnae fur the internet we’d no get to see half of this shite…makes ye ponder the shite that they have been feeding people down there for years and feeding us a different pile up here.
Divide and rule right enough eh?
Must admit I’ve had a most enjoyable day posting on Cohen’s article. :))
heedtracker says at 8:05 pm
Remember Heed it’s a ‘Post Truth’ political world out there 🙂
Ian Brotherhood says at 8:10 pm
“massie adj boastful; self-important”
Nice 🙂
Scot Finlayson says:
I knew Uncle Tom was a reference to a subservient slave, but Wiki hits the nail firmly for Scots’ Uncle Tams!
“The term “Uncle Tom” is used as a derogatory epithet for an excessively subservient person, particularly when that person perceives their own lower-class status based on race. It is similarly used to negatively describe a person who betrays their own group by participating in its oppression”
…. the ultimate manifestation of the Cringe!
“Don’t buy The Spectator.”
They stick it in the pocket of planes heading North (Eastern Airways if memory serves correctly).
@Richardinho (8.15) –
‘London based journalists simply do not understand Scotland, and this extends to the rest of the London establishment.’
It would seem so.
It may well be that they don’t ‘want’ to understand what’s going on here because it frightens their bosses. But the date of indyref was announced, what, almost five years ago? They’ve had a long time to witness what’s happening, digest it and apply whatever intelligence they have to the likely course of events.
It doesn’t help that the professional Scots in their midst -especially fellow journalists such as Neil, Wark, Marr, Kuennsberg etc – make no effort whatever to present a fair reflection of popular sentiment here. We’re witnessing extraordinary levels of wilful ignorance from writers like Cohen and McFadyen and it’s feeding the atmosphere of xenophobic anxiety and paranoia festering in England. ‘Oor ain’ journalists are contributing to this with the relentless demonisation of anything SNP/SG-related.
It’s plain that we are being made the ‘enemy within’, especially in relation to any Brexit woes, as happened today in the HoC. We shouldn’t expect any intelligent, nuanced debate from the BBC or MSM because we’ll just be disappointed again and again. From now until indyref2 it’s a toe-to-toe fight bareknuckle job against a never-ending queue of characters like Cohen.
No going back now.
The spectator is the only magazine you have to hide inside a copy of “readers wife’s” or “penthouse” least you are thought some sort of deviant by the newsagent.
Nothing to add as it’s all been covered by above comments. Just want to congratulate you on this. You’ve no half surpassed yourself Rev Stu. Excellent…
Tell you what though. In spite of this unrivalled assault on our politics,our people and our country, I see all the signs we are winning.
The State and it’s minions are doing this for a reason. Perhaps they have information we do not. Something has stirred them into actions that I have never seen the equivalent of in all my years.
There is definitely something in the wind. Listening to Government tonight ,trying to run down Scotlands public services whilst talking about a debate on reformation of the House of Lords clinched it for me. Even the Speaker hard to reprimand him.
It makes me think that somehow Scotland is much more important to them than we know. One thing I was always able to detect was fear.As an amateur boxer you could tell your opponent was nervous and unsure.
I sense it now. It emanates from everything they do. I think we are on the road to winning. Our opponent is showing bravado,bluff and every other device to mask their concern,but it is definitely there.
Conan the Librarian™ says:
19 October, 2016 at 8:29 pm
Must admit I’ve had a most enjoyable day posting on Cohen’s article.
Got this far. Holy shit. But at least it’ll give the world’s richest plagiarist even more stuff to copy, as in Harry Potter and the Gulag Archipelago of Scotland, by JK Rowling.
Charloch Stew • a day ago
Spare a thought for those Scots who are not of their intolerant, sectarian, illiberal, authoritarian bent. The Gulag await us. If not physically, then spiritually and psychologically.
37 • Reply•Share ›
Maybe Cohen is pissed off because someone built a windfarm near his house.
Another day. Another difference.
http://archive.is/hAsCV
Richardinho says:
Thing is, there’s actually only one thing they need to take on board and come to terms with.
They need to understand that the Scottish Self Determination Genie has been released and is just not ever going to go back into its bottle!
O/T
Joanna Cherry got a lot of support in the commons today.
Good Debate, the naws had but it was pretty close.
http://archive.is/nnsl0
Ian Brotherhood on 19 October, 2016 at 8:10pm:
Aye, nice find Ian, or we could just add Ferguson after Massie.
😉
Richardinho @ 20:15,
You are speaking for me too.
I was watching a little of a Brexit discussion on News24 just now (gave up in disgust), and the German MSP Elmer Brok was on interview, very quietly telling it straight as it is, and it was glaringly obvious that both the BBC interviewer and the assembled panel, including spectacularly-failed former Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont, just didn’t have any grasp whatever of the implications of what he was saying, and what is actually going to happen. In total denial.
These people don’t just live in another country, they live in a parallel universe.
Close shave for the ermined troughers anaw
http://archive.is/9A4Z4
Not only but also,
“No ballot was necessary for the International Trade Committee, for which a single nomination had been received.
The Chair of that Committee will be Angus Brendan MacNeil”
A Massie Ferguson = A self-important tractor.
Sounds about right!
There is no difference between the writers of The Guardian and The Observer and the writers of The Mail and The Express.
Just as there is no difference between the Blue, Red and Yellow Tories.
They are all in it together, different branches of the British Establishment.
Arrived on my Twitter line yesterday .
Interestingly a pinned tweet Ref a complaint letter to STV & reply from STV
Sorry hopeless doing links on iPad
See on Twitter
Gavin Barrie@jammach
Maybe someone with more ability can post a link.
From Rev’s twitter Alex on LBC dealing with a guy saying that he/SNP were ‘spitting on Scottish soldiers graves’. Yer right enough Ian this has been thoroughly stirred up by so called ‘Scottish’ journalists when this blatant demonising of our citizens is producing this display of rank ignorance and hatefulness from the English polity.
But by fuck does Alex give it back to the caller straight and powerfully:
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/special-shows/alex-salmond/alex-salmonds-respose-spitting-on-soldiers-graves/
It takes so much effort to refute lies that’s why they have lapped you before you even start.
I can’t do linky stuff but please watch Alex Salmonds reply on LBC to a man from Chichester who accused Alex of spitting on servicemens graves
This is astonishing
Wings contributors and other supporters of Independence have taken over Cohens article in the btl contributions. I know many believe we should leave well alone well I’m not in favour of that.
Once the wingers stepped up to the plate the rest have shut up having no useful argument. They have been made a fool of as has the author of the article himself. I say more of that is needed.
Make our voices heard and lets not be be cowed by the screaming voices of the xenophobe Tory Ukipper. Both one and the same.
Seriously, to hold your tongue in an atmosphere such as this is a sin. Do not cower before their hatred.
Let’s tell the bastards. NOT IN MY NAME.
Linked above Dr Jim
It’s all very well saying nobody reads that shite up here but this is not the only example of anti Scottish hate mongering aimed at a predominately English audience of late and it seems to becoming more frequent and vile as each day passes
We know it’s shite but I suspect many if not most down south don’t, this is the sort of stuff that get people killed, lets not forget what happened to Jo Cox
Graeme
Stu
Some of us who are not signed up to the independence cause have real fears about the level of subtle intimidation we feel from the SNP. This exists in personal and business relationships. It also exists within the reaction to any reasonable criticism of their policies in the media which is normally met with hostility and rudeness.
I don’t expect that you can understand this as I believe you live in Somerset.
If what these clowns in England say is true, and Scotland really is subsidised by the poor English taxpayer, a basket case economy, and poverty stricken, then why, why, why do so many of these creeps in the English establishment so desperately want to keep a hold of Scotland.
Of course the truth is, that Scotland is the jewel in the crown of the uk, and they know full well, that without it, the UK is just, well a sh*tty, narrow minded bigotted place that could best be called, ‘Little England’.
I agree with others above, that journalists and commentators in the South of England, and especially London, really do not have a clue about Scotland and the way people up here feel now. I can’t speak for anybody else, but with every passing day, since this brexit nonsense began, I have been getting angrier. The bigotry, racism, xenophobia and hatred coming out of England these days, just beggars belief.
Independence cannot come soon enough.
Aye Graeme ah know…divide and rule as I said, ma point was a weak/failed attempt at ‘diminishing’ credibility of ‘their’ reach…contagion is a real problem we are going to face post brexit, rather hoping it doesn’t spread into Scotland as a ‘trend’ that is definitely happening in England. It’s not the same world we are living in from even 2014 this much I’m aware of. 🙁
Well done, Wings. I read this vile piece of vitriol from Cohen last night and could not believe that someone could write such utter tripe!
Rant on Cohen, Daisley and Spanner – Scotland will soon be independent from this drivil.
We have been Too Long In This Condition as Tory MPs vote against sensible SNP motions in House of Commons.
Disgracefully 293 MPs opposed the moderate and inclusive SNP motion about EU nationals remaining in UK after Brexit.
AND
Shameful parliament voted against SNP motion to stop reducing number of elected MPs whilst driving up the numbers of unelected Lords.
I wonder if the BBC TV news programmes will report this?
Once again I apologise for the blatant off-topic plug, but we’ve just posted pre-order Show Specials (including the Wings pack!) for the Holyrood rally on Saturday!
The event hasn’t been very well advertised, so counting on Wingers to spread the word!
Wings Packs £20, pro-indy T-Shirts £5. Get in 🙂
http://www.ayemail.scot/store/?group_id=14
NOW IS THE TIME!
Anyone got a better time? I doubt it.
So what do we need to win, a nasty Tory government, the certainty that with Brexit we will all be poorer? What will it take?
NOW IS THE TIME!
Heedtracker @7.27pm
Re my previous post,
Apologies if I was unclear but I was making the point that Theresa May got the name of the party wrong – calling it the Scottish “NATIONALIST” party, not Scottish National Party. Bit of a blooper for the PM to make, or was it a Freudian slip? After all, she thinks we are divisive.
I’m pleased that Angus has got the position.
Alex Salmond is a total gentleman and was brilliant on that LBC excerpt.
All of this reminds me of the time Ian Davidson cynically accused Isabell Fraser and the BBC of being biased against the Unionists.
It is strategic positioning intended to muddy the waters about the real and dangerous propaganda and bias, and foil every attempt to establish the truth.
All of this reminds me of the time Ian Davidson cynically accused Isabell Fraser and the BBC of being biased against the Unionists.
It is strategic positioning intended to muddy the waters about the real and dangerous propaganda and bias, and foil every attempt to establish the truth”
It worked with Fraser as she seemed to take a huge step back from this kind of politics and tv, straight after Davidson jump into the sewer and tried to drag Scottish politics with him.
Well that was an interesting day. Since wading into the Cohen debate in the wee small hours with my very carefully saved email complaints and responses from STV about Daisley, it’s been Twitter sparring with Yoons all day. At one point I even had Tom Harris sparring with me.
Very grateful to all who weighed in and helped too, quite buoyed along by it all, it it is exhausting. To think the Rev must do this EVERY day. Much respect. Gnight folks.
They’ll be coming for our windfarms next!
(my 8.54)
@Breeks
You know and I know the BBC are worse than propagandists.
Simply, they are lying Bastirts and our worst enemy. Don’t miss them just slag them at every opportunity.
You do some good posts by the way 🙂
Thank you, Rev. This Cohen bullshit is almost unique among the yoon hacks for the volume of shit, so it does merit this treatment.
I see from Twitter, Pat Kane sent Cohen the WoS link to this article, resulting in Cohen calling him ‘unprincipled’.
Cohen’s piece is so shoddy, so lacking in fact, it has to be unprecedented.
@K1
Thanks for the link to Alex’s piece on LBC, and Alex certainly did deal with that disgusting assertion. But it’s appalling that that level of abuse, is openly blurted out on the radio now. It’s the tip of the iceberg, and Cohen and his ilk are stoking it.
Yes, folks, it’s going to be a rough ride, but in some ways, we accept there are no depths to which they will not sink. The English press stokes the racist agenda, and will not hesitate to redouble efforts on Scotland.
Fine, bring it.
Re; the radio interview where Alex Salmond refuted the accusation of insulting the memories of Scottish soldiers. I’ve noticed that man’s same attitude on other parts of the internet creeping into debates about Scottish independence, and you could see it off a few audience members in last week’s Question Time too.
The meme of Scottish nationalist=("Tractor" - Ed) to “our” country is obviously being fed to them from somewhere.
Tacketty Beets,
That would have been me 🙂
https://twitter.com/jammach/status/788547583526436864
Cohen really hates the SNP, or his idea of what it is which bears no resemblance to reality. The poisonous misinformation that is constantly whispered between these journos borders on the delusional. It stems from a few sources but Slab seem to be right up there promoting it.
Alex Salmond on LBC highlights the dichotomy between what we see as the path to Independence and the fearful rage of the Yoons. Any violent acts are far more likely to come from the types who have been whipped up into a frenzy by Effie deans and his/her followers. Journos like McFadyen and Cohen need to bear that in mind and look a bit more carefully at the stuff they write.
Sure’n there was some of that ‘tractor’ stuff during indyref along those lines, cannae recall exactly but there was def references to the world wars etc. Think since brexit all the real zoomariti racists have been emboldened and so it goes…as you say Valerie…
Bring it.
Joannie says:
I suppose it’s an inevitable consequence of all the Brexit Leave propaganda combined by the specific anti Scottish rhetoric of southern politicians and sewer press. If you aren’t a British/English Nationalist then you are an ‘other’. Everything British/English is good and wholesome while everything else is alien and nasty.
These people just can’t accept that we actually want is to become foreigners to them, and they to us. The very thing they fear and are suspicious of, is what we aspire to!
When a Tory states that having a Scottish Six would help the independence cause and that’s why he’s against it. You know that what he really means is telling the truth from Scotland instead of London filtered imperial propaganda. Will open people’s eyes in Scotland. He really should just say we don’t want the Scots to start thinking for themselves. We need to keep lying to keep the Union. By the way he said that in absolute seriousness. They want to control our media to keep us British!
Breeks @ 22:15:
Ah, glory days! I remember it well. The last occasion when a BBC journalist did their job properly, and righteously stood their ground against a blustering numpty. I cheered that woman as she defended herself. If BBC Scotland had more people like her in their employ, its reputation for grovelling might never have happened.
Grovelling to London and the Unionists, that is. Nic Cohen’s ridiculous asseveration to the contrary in The Spectator is laughably out-of-touch to most people up here. Or sad, more accurately.
We desperately need good journalists who have their finger on the pulse and tell it straight, whatever their own personal allegiances may be. And sadly lack them at the moment, it seems.
K1: thanks for that link, AS did very well but prepare for the November poppy fascism, which I loathe.
This comes at a difficult and coincidental time: my uncle’s Lancaster bomber has recently been identified in a river-meadow near Hamburg. I have only told a very few friends. It was shot down in August 1943 but my family had no idea what had happened to him or the rest of the crew. We thought the aircraft was at the bottom of the North Sea. I only found out myself because some resourceful German enthusiasts discovered it recently. I am going to Hamburg tomorrow to take part in a civil ceremony for the crew and all the war dead of the city.
The figures: only 17% of RAF aircrew survived 30 missions. More than 56000 RAF fliers died in WW2. During the August 1943 raids my uncle was part of, 42000 inhabitants of Hamburg perished and 37000 were wounded.
War stinks; total war is off the scale.
Such losses are only bearable if we believe this has all been put behind us and we can build a new vision of Europe.
Sadly, the xenophobia of the Brexiteers has compromised all this and I find it very hard to accept.
The EU was a hopeful vision of putting all this behind us and building a positive future. This has all been put at risk.
I reiterate Thepnr’s statement: not in my name.
I am really scunnered by all this.
Thing is Rev Stu, this style of, (for lack of a better term), “Journalism”, has, rather predictably, become the norm for such as this total numptie. Fear and panic does strange things to the minds of weak minded individuals.
I believe such idiocy will become much more prevalent in the not too dim and distant future. Let’s face it, it can only be a source of real comic laughter.
Y’know way back in early 2014 I recall having a conversation with my mother, her of the no voting unionist britnatishness…and saying that if the Tories won they would have this EU ref thing and if we were pulled out it would become increasingly right wing.
Her response: Labour will win.
Nick Cohen and his ilk have had their head in the sand, they simply did not/could not ‘foresee/read the runes’ of what many of us ‘saw’ coming. I think they are so angry about how their failure to grasp what is taking place in their own backyard and effectively address and deal with that, that they have turned on another party that they feel ‘stole’ their place in the firmament of UK politics.
They are supposed to be the ‘seers’ the ‘commentators’ who ‘know the people’ they think they represented, identified with for most of their adult lives. To see Labour decimated in Scotland is something they simply cannot get their heads around.
But they really give their ‘arrogance’ of their true position away time and time again with these types of articles. When they talk of the SNP they conveniently forget that the party is democratically voted in by a majority of people in Scotland. They are ‘truly’ angry at the people abandoning them.
Are these ‘educated’ men and women seriously inferring that Scotland somehow was infiltrated by ‘new people’ who came along and voted against the wishes of the indigenous population? Cause that just about sums up the level or their argument. Does it not occur to just one of them to study what has taken place here? Do they not consider that Scotland is one of the most politically literate countries in Europe?
They reveal themselves to be bigots and fantasists who would rather blame others for their unhappiness at the change taking place. They would rather indulge in demonising and othering their neighbour than consider that it is their own ‘failure’ to remain true to whatever principles they once held, it is they who sold out for a place at the ‘big table’ and they sold ordinary people out to attain that ‘position’.
And then they wonder why we telt them tae GTF.
Nick Cohen is a hasbeen.
@K1
Thanks for that, I must have been typing while you were posting it, I’m a slow Ti TYE typerist
Nick Cohen should sue the pants off Wings. He would make millions. Wings only has the defence of “Verity”
God knows where he will find Verity.She is always such a good girl too! LOL
Nick Cohen. Good dishonest, old fashioned scatalogical shilling for hire.
He accepts Shekels, Dollars, Euros, Yuan and all other major currencies.
From memory, I think Craig Murray has torn him several new ones as well.
2016
Ian Murray agrees with Philipa Whitford and Nicola Sturgeons efforts in the EU
Whit’s happening to the world we knew
@ Gavin Barrie @ 10:26pm ….. ‘Complaint re. Daisley.’
Good for you Gavin. So many people working so hard to combat the lies and manipulation.
I had a look at your link but can’t read any of it at all other than the large print. Could you elaborate on STV’s reply?
Well, it had to be done.
‘Rood Almighty – The Most Powerful Parliament in the Known World’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arv0Mx1S_ho&feature=youtu.be
Enjoy!
(Doffs cap to the Rev).
Tinto Chiel @ 11.15pm
Will be thinking of you tomorrow. There are no winners in a war!
What a hugely important thing to be part of and so pleased that you can travel there in a spirit of peace and reconciliation. You and I are fortunate to live in a united Europe and hopefully for Scotland, that will continue to be the case.
I hope the ceremony tomorrow will bring your family and the people of Hamburg the closure you seek. May you have a safe journey.
That’s awright Dr Jim, thought as much, just wanted ye tae look back…in wonder 😉
Thanks, Meg.
I just hate all the glorifiers of war.
Off to bed for an early start.
Cheers.
Petra, first STV’s reply, then my email below.
Makes it easier to skip if you’re just wanting the STV response. The crucial thing here is that my query states that I believe it was Daisley who misused the Twitter account and STV do not correct or contradict this. Ergo, it was Daisley and he got reprimanded.
“Dear Mr Barrie,
Thank you for contacting STV.
You are correct that this tweet was sent in error by a freelance journalist operating the @STVNews Twitter account, thinking they were sending a message from their personal account. This was only public for a very short period of time and was deleted.
We apologise for this mistake and we have spoken to the journalist involved about their responsibilities.
We have also revised our workflow to put in place an extra confirmation step for our Twitter accounts, to help prevent this kind of mistake happening again.
Again we apologise for this and appreciate you taking the time to get in touch.
Kind Regards
STV Enquiries”
——–
Dear STV,
I frequently find myself raising an eyebrow at the output of whoever runs your digital channel, particularly twitter. I understand it’s someone called Stephen Daisley? He does an excellent job at fomenting discussion but sometimes is the wrong side of a thin dividing line between promoting discussion and clickbait.
I have engaged with him on social media before. Not abusively I would like to point out, but he now blocks me and hundreds (thousands?) of other people that express the slightest disagreement with him and he often blurs the line between his personal twitter account and the official STV News one.
I’m afraid he may have rather stomped over that line this morning, if he was the person managing your Twitter account. I’ve attached a screenshot I took of a follow up tweet directed at members of the public who expressed a dislike of an article he had written online.
Please note that this is not from an individuals’ own Twitter account, this is from your official @STVNews account and I also note that the tweet has since been deleted as the person tried to cover their tracks and hide their error.
I find this tone of referring to members of the viewing public very, very offensive. I’d like you to investigate who was running the account at this point in time and make steps to ensure they understand your internal code of conduct referring to tone of engagement and politeness.
I trust you will let me know of the results of your investigation.
With thanks, Gavin Barrie.
One good thing. Only the dyed in the wool anti-snp types bother to tune in to the Spectator’s twaddle anyway. No converts to their cause with that level of crap.
@ Tinto Chiel at 11:15pm …..’Your uncle’.
Thanks for sharing your story TC. Tomorrow will no doubt be an emotional day for you (and others?). So big hug (((X))) to you and hope it brings some kind of closure. And yes a reminder that the EU isn’t just about access to single markets and so on. Something that many Brexiters seem to forget or more likely weren’t aware of in the first place.
…………..
@ K1 at ….. ‘Who would rather blame others for their unhappiness at the change taking place.’
Spot on K1. Sums up exactly where they’re all coming from.
Petra: thanks for your kind comments. I always marvel at your well-researched posts. The EU is so much more than a matter of mere economics. It was a vision of a peaceful Europe built on the bones of the less fortunate.
Night all.
PROUD CYBERNAT (11:37pm) ….. WOW ….. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!
GO MAN GO. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOUR NEXT PRODUCTION.
OUR OIL? MANY RESOURCES / ASSETS?
NO WONDER THE UNIONIISTS ARE RUNNING SCARED!!! THEY CAN’T BEGIN TO COMPETE WITH THE MANY TALENTED PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SIDE.
PETRA DOFFS HER CAP TO YOU PC X
K1 @ 23:22,
Yes, “spot-on” with that Labour reaction. Among party activists in Scotland, it now seems to be degenerating into a dog-in-manger attitude where they would rather see us all under the yoke of xenophobic Tory Brexiteerism than let the SNP succeed.
During indyref1 British Labour were definitely keeping us in reserve for going “over the top” for them in the UKGE. It worked then and the referendum was duly lost. (Followed by an electoral massacre anyway for Labour at the GE, of course.)
But if it’s not prying too much into family affairs, what now for faithful followers like your mum? Have you any sense where Brexit and the very unlikely prospect of a Labour win in 2020 are taking such people now? Or is it (as Zhou En-lai famously once said) still too soon to tell…?
Tinto Chiel at 11.15
Oddly enough my uncle John Leonard was shot down over Germany as well and an acquaintance has just found out where his remaisn are buried.
Great analysis Rev.
Tinto Chiel thoughts with you and yours tomorrow.
The EU nationals debate in HoC today led by Joanna Cherry QC MP riled up many on the Tory benches who were denying their xenophobia but also, by their examples , proving it – especially as most of them voted against it, including our very own Fluffy Mundell.
@Proud Cybernat 11.37pm
Great wee video. Hope you don’t mind that I’ve shared it on Twitter and Facebook.
@ Gavin at 11:54pm … ‘STV’
Gavin I’ve just posted a comment in relation to Proud Cybernat’s fantastic production mentioning the exceptional talents so many Yessers seem to be endowed with.
I used the word talented but it would seem that we all have so many positive traits such as being decent, just, fair-minded, compassionate and so on. Hard working and dedicated should be mentioned too.
It’s people like you that are going to win the next Referendum for us. People like you that take the time to highlight what’s going on to the proper authorities and yes sometimes they do listen.
Thanks for contacting the STV Gavin: More than anything for sending off such a really well-written, extremely civil type of complaint.
When the general republic start laughing a the unionist twaddle we know we have won. We are getting there at the moment.
Too soon to tell Robert…the day that happens mither wise’ll be the day I’ll know we’d be heading for landslide, hell freezing over is mair likely tbh 🙁
Well done Gavin, for a respectful and thoughtful submission.
And well done too to STV for replying in kind.
Markedly different from the other lot.
@ Dave at 12:43am …. ‘Uncle shot down.’
I wonder if it’s within the realms of possibility that they were on the same plane Dave?
Just mentioning this to my husband and he reminded me of one of his relatives who was a young pilot in the Luftwaffe and was shot down on the German / Polish border. He had relatives living on either side of the border. All grieving for him regardless of ‘sides’. All wondering what was going on. One wee man, Hitler, creating horrendous mayhem and misery for millions. And yes it only takes ‘one wee man (or woman)’ to bring about such a hellish state of affairs, as we all know.
What a waste and something that the EU, in it’s infancy, was formed to prevent happening again. Meanwhile not only do the right-wing, facist Tories want to take us out of Europe but people like Boris the Clown and Farage would like to destroy the EU in the process too. Extremely dangerous when you consider that a number of these EU countries also have strong Facist parties that are making great headway. Couple that with what’s going on in countries like, Iraq, Libya and Syria and we have a future hell in the making. There’s no doubt that the EU is far from perfect, and needs ‘cleaning up’, but when you consider the alternative it doesn’t bear thinking about now.
Petra @ 1.21
Couldn’t agree more. We need to fight (not literally ) about what is happening in the world but also what is happening on our own doorstep in the UK.
Labour’s set to come third in council elections as party’s collapse continues
http://archive.is/Hwd2q
Mainly all round good news + Deputy Deadwood may be handing in her tin star, too much tumbleweed in the ex-labour heartlands! 🙂
PS
Lancaster bombers connection:
Me too my father was in bombers then into a pathfinder sqd out of Lincoln with lancasters made it through the war and then went back down the Alice pit Cowdenbeath afterwards… situation normal??
Met most of the crew when I was younger (196?)..all Australians.
Still got his logbook & medals… Labour through & through. FGS!
Gone now of course. 🙁
Prof John Curtice: Constituency axe affects almost every Scots MP
http://archive.is/D6VRe
and so to bed… 🙂
Don’t know the guy at all but looking at his byline sketch, I wonder if ‘Count’ is a double play for Count Moriarty the Telegoons’ character and sidekick/Lackey of the Mandelson-esque Gritpype-Thin?
Last character in the following skit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhByQr3rYG8
@Gavin Barrie
Excellent. It does need such feedback to keep them on their toes. Personally I watch BBC news / poltiics to check out the bias level, and STV to get a better presentation of the news and poltiics so I can sit back a little and be less critical.
Don’t know if anyone posted this but I found
“A spokesperson said: “At no point did they ask for Mr Daisley to stop writing and any suggestion otherwise is completely untrue. Any editorial decisions are entirely a matter for STV.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/snp-called-bullies-stv-journalist-stephen-daisley_uk_57b6f4e4e4b042aee74b4554
Sorry if it’s been done already.
Nick Cohen seems to be hanging on to some vague ‘liberalism’ before he finally gives in and is welcomed home on Jeremy Clarkson’s new show. Stranger things have happened…
Anyway I’ve read most of the comments and I don’t think anyone provided the link below. It’s weird…I’ve read NC for over two decades but I don’t remember him discussing too many current novels apart from this one.
Interesting choice…
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/09/jk-rowling-too-good-to-be-propagandist-impress-press-regulation
O/t Having just been treated in the new hospital on the south side of Glasgow, I can’t praise it and it’s staff highly enough. I say this as an experienced patient, having been an inmate of Glasgows Victoria infirmary for around two months.
The hospital is state of the art and not pfi funded.
The staff were friendly and helpful at all levels from cleaners to consultants and it was spotless.
We are fortunate in having the Scottish government who built this fantastic hospital as they obviously care about the people of Scotland. I still wonder why the former first minister of Scotland Jack McConnell handed back to westminster the purchase price of the hospital 1.3billion pounds as he could not think of anything to spend it on.
And Scottish Labour wonders why they are facing electoral oblivion.
When Kezia Dugdale and her pal Ruth Davidson are moaning that the FM should stop going around talking to people and get on with the day job
They generally do it from England where they’re avoiding their day jobs
OT Herald
An interesing and perhaps quite significant development is Phillips O’Brien with an article in the Herald I can’t find yet, but there’s this about it, the Herald usually has a covering article about a guest article:
http://archive.is/NRxZw
and I found a previous article June 2013 I must have missed (away working)
http://archive.is/2NiGG
He’s a guy I’d put down back then as a bit dismissive about the defence of iScotland but worth listening to, it seems I may have done him an injustice. And recently (2015) he said that Trident renewal would not be a reason for a referendum as even the SNP supporters are split, and I agree with that, but that Scotland leaving the EU definitely would.
Anyway, I recenly changed my mind about the defence needs of iScotland, and his 2013 “Defence of the new realm” article pretty well hits it off for me now. I was with the SNP over their plans, but I think we were trying to play it too safe and “cuddly”.
I hope the SNP pay very close attention to what he says.
Just to add to that, while A’ the Blue Bonnets was an interesting paper, and might have been OK for the army part, being written by army people, it was inadequate when it came to detailing naval forces and totally ridiculous when it came to air defence. Hawks indeed. The minimum I’m afraid is fast jets capable of intercepting – fast jets. Or “escorting” them as in the recent three nation convoy for the Russian Bear flight into the Atlantic – and back.
But while Scotland would need to work to that capability, we wouldn’t need it straight away as NATO, probably specifically QRA North like now, would provide the coverage.
Anyway, I’ll shut up now.
I always forget THE important point and post too soon.
Maritime and airpsace defence are vastly more important than land defence, unless we seriously think the English are going to invade us demanding deep fried Mars bars and Irn Bru with a side of Tunnocks teacakes as tribute. This was identified by, I think, Francis Tusa. I think the concentration on army by most people including Salmond, the SNP, the ScotGov, and YES, was a political sop to the Regiments, and the pride of Scotland.
It needs to get real. We have a huge coastline, up to 200nm EEZ, oil installations, future Arctic duties, and Bear flights past on a monthly basis.
Absolutely disgusting comments made towards Alex Salmond about spitting on the graves of dead soldiers.
I expect many of those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting the Nazis are right now spinning in their graves about Britains decline into a right wing fascist anti social dystopia, which amalgamates the very dangerous xenophobia and self delusion of the early Nazis with the cynical social manipulation of Orwells 1984, and results in the once proud nation of Britain being led down a very dark path by pernicious and evil media manipulation which both Joseph Goebbels and Big Brother would envy.
Scotland is standing tall as a bright beacon of hope, respecting the very honourable ideals of tolerance, inclusion, decency and respect for our fellow human beings. Long may that continue. I have never been prouder of my country for standing firm as a breakwater against what is happening South of the Border..
The Scots need no reminders from hate fuelled Britnat mouth pieces about the centuries of Scottish soldiery who have paid very dearly for their service to the butchers apron while the Government of that butchers apron squanders our soldiers like it squanders every other Scottish resource it believes is there for the taking.
The EU was specifically invented to bring about better integration between the continually feuding nations of Europe who continually paid for their petty bickering and imperialist ambitions with the lives of their people. Britain is now becoming the very model of everything which the EU was invented to stand against. It is Britain who needs to hold its head in shame and apologise to the fallen; soldiers from all over the globe who assembled in Europe to defeat fascism, not for Britain to callously rekindle the fires which they gave their lives to extinguish.
Yesindyref2 @ 5.15
I thought that the Army part read like it was more symbolic,and must admit was a bit…..we are no going for a mini me UK here,we are supposed to be doing it differently.
Having said that I was also a bit uncomfortable reading that you thought a deal would be done over one of the RAF bases.
But I think that’s more about not having another countries military base in Scotland,but that’s more an emotional response.
So given any say (which I won’t,and this is a good thing) I would have liked to see Scotland concentrate on a reply decent Navy.
Nothing to do with needing Faselane to do it with either.
@Liz g
Found the article, more political which is interesting.
http://archive.is/538N4
Agree about the navy, but QRA North remaining would take the heat off iScotland having to acquire, maintain and fly and fight, fast jets. It’s quite common in NATO anyway, even for the likes of just Air Shows, and of course these would be fighters and probably MPA, so no worries about sending off bombers to parts unknown!
We’d have to get a fast jet capability but rather than what I previously wanted – the Eurofighter, I’m more inclined to agree with another Wings poster about the new Gripen, but there’s a waiting list for that until 2022 – probably later by the time we’re ready to sign contracts!
A nice problem to think about all the same, our own SDF 🙂
Yesindyref2 @ 6.10
Isn’t just… I also love the name”Blue Bunnett,s” has a good ring to it as a nic name for the SDF.
Now I bet you can see why I shouldn’t have a say in this.
Do you know if there is a NATO equivalent in the Pacific,and if there is ,is Japan a member?
I asked because I know that Japan until recently had a Defence only rules for it’s forces.
Written into it’s Constution I believe.
@Liz g
There’s a few different treaties and pacts around, but NATO is strengthening its ties with them.
There’s also this
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49188.htm
and of course the likes of Ireland and Russia are Partners for Peace with NATO – the SNP’s initial plan before they changed to full NATO membership.
Incidentally, in spite of the current situation with Russia, that NATO co-operation continues. Funny old world!
Tinto Chief @ 11.51
A safe journey as you travel today.
As you pay your respects to your uncle,can I ask that you also represent me and mine,and carry with you my family’s gratitude love and respect for your Uncle and all the other young men both ours and theirs.
Thank You X
Yesindyref2 @ 7.10
Thanks for that link ….funny right enough…if ye didny laugh ye would greet.
Seems to me NATO has and has had for some time enough “Clout” to do its job and make sure nobody wages war on anybody
If it wanted to….It just doesn’t seem to want to!!
How good would it be if Westminster Unionists said they would cut Trident. Not try and take Scotland out of the EU. Stopped making Scotland pay loan repayments on money borrowed and spent in the rest of the UK. Stopped taxing the Oil & Gas sector at 80% to 60% when the price had fallen 75%, losing thousands of jobs. Said OK put a tax on drink. Honoured the VOW. Stopped tax evasion. Stopped lying about the Scottish economy,
Instead of examining refugees teeth and trying todestroy the world economy taking the UK out of the EU.
Looks good for the Council elections.
Vote SNP/SNP May 2017.
NATO/UN is US dominated. They pay most for it. The piper plays the tune. The US/UK and France have caused all the trouble in the Middle East. Other European countries have to pick up the pieces.
The EU is much fairer contribution. An EU army would save money. £Billions.
BBC r4 Today show’s covering Clinton/Trump debate right now, Trump bashing away at US media and its horrid monstering him, corrupting debate and election. BBC r4 dude’s Jim Naughty:D
You have to hand it to beeb liggers, they have no shame.
It is perhaps worth pointing out that there is a very long list of countries who ‘fought with England’ in WW2 and have since become independent.
As it seems that the ‘new economy’ is to be based on selling jam and Theresa May’s scones to those same countries, inferring that Independence is treachery might not be a great bargaining chip in trade negotiations.
@Liz G
Nato tends to and was intended to ensure that states don’t go to war, with the idea of mutual protection at its heart. You attack my friends, you attack me kinda thing. How and ever, these days that’s a moot point. War’s of proxy pop up all over the planet. Doesn’t matter whether its mega corporations or state sponsored destabilizing of other governments, the next terrorist group with a grudge trained by one state and supported by another, or simply yer disgruntled and unhappy with the world group of armed doomsdayers on a deathwish. The NATO alliance can’t do much to prevent or take direct action against any of that. Where would you point all that firepower?
I’d say that’s why individual members tend to go off reservation more often than not and do their own ‘intervening’. Basically, where’s a good old alien invasion when you need one?
All that firepower and the world today is a tinderbox of hatred, proxy wars, religious and racial tension. Societal division has been stoked to a level not seen for the better part of a century. No one out there waging these wars or stoking this madness cares how powerful NATO is for two reasons I reckon.
1. Half the instigators have representation within the organization. 2. The other half form the world terror threat created in no small part by the geopolitical actions of (see under one).
@Yesindyref2
I agree. A reasonable report by RUSI and the core message positive, but it concentrated too far into army areas. Like yersel’ I’d prefer to see a similar document concentrating far more on naval and airpower spend with a decent input on special units, cyber warfare, intelligence etc.
@ Indyref2 at 4:43am …. ”Anyway, I recently changed my mind about the defence needs of iScotland, and his 2013 “Defence of the new realm” article pretty well hits it off for me now. I was with the SNP over their plans, but I think we were trying to play it too safe and “cuddly”….. I hope the SNP pay very close attention to what he says.”
I hope they do too Indyref2, but they also have some real experts on their side now (some we know of and no doubt some we don’t), such as Lieutenant Commander May, a former Senior Intelligence Officer at Faslane (read somewhere that he was actually in charge of Faslane), who retired a couple of weeks before Indyref1 and came out on the Yes side as did Ian Godden ex-head of the UK Defence Industry.
http://www.dcicontracts.com/defence-blog/guest-blog-ian-godden-chairman-of-ads-on-the-sdsr/
As far as NATO is concerned Dame Mariot Leslie (born in Edinburgh), former UK Ambassador to NATO, who also retired just before Indyref1 came out publicly to support Yes. I also read recently that she’s on one of Nicola’s ‘expert’ committees at the moment.
Pre-Indyref1 Mariot Leslie said, “I am sure that it would be in Scotland’s interest to join Nato and to continue to anchor our own defence in a wider alliance of Western democracies, but I am also in no doubt that the other 28 Nato allies would see it in their interests to welcome an independent Scotland into Nato. No ally would wish to interrupt the integrated Nato defence arrangements in the North Sea and North Atlantic – least of all at a time of heightened tension with Russia. A democratic, non-nuclear Scotland with strong military and technological traditions would fit naturally alongside similar Nato members in northern Europe, and would be likely to join them – and the UK – in looking for multinational solutions to the pressures on their defence budgets. I am a democrat, and believe that the geography, economy, demography and politics of our country (Scotland) are so distinctive that they are best served by our own sovereign government. I nonetheless have affection for the UK, am proud to have been a British diplomat for more than three decades, and have enjoyed working with our highly professional armed forces and security agencies.”
And then we’ve got supporters, ex-Ambassadors, such as Craig Murray who was Head of the Maritime Section, FCO, London: An expert on Maritime Law. Additionally former Head of Cyprus Section, FCO London; First Secretary at the British Embassy in Warsaw assisting Poland’s post-communist transition process with reference to preparation for EU membership; Deputy Head of the Africa Department (Equatorial), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, West Africa Branch responsible for British economic, political, commercial and aid relationships with Ghana and Togo and of course latterly British Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
Also Donald MacLaren, a former British Ambassador to Georgia who also served with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Moscow, Berlin and Cuba and was British Head of Mission in Cuba, Venezuela and Ukraine. Between them as Ambassadors they’ve practically covered the planet, lol
Just before Indyref1 Donald MacLaren stated “Today’s reality is that, with the Union, we continue to float downwards. History moves on. Scotland, at least, is willing and able to make it.”
When asked “Could an independent Scotland really have a serious foreign policy and adequate representation abroad?” He said ”I tell you, there are plenty of Scots and non-Scots in the Foreign Office and in every other branch of government who are ready to swap shaughly Union decision-making for the creativeness and vigour of real responsibility within a Scotland making its new way in the world.
As to foreign policy, the UK has long since lost the instinct and determination to make policy and to influence. When asked for clarity on so many issues, the Ministerial mantra is: “We are consulting closely with our partners.” Clinging desperately to our seat at the “top table” has become a mask for indecisiveness and lack of leadership.”
Looks as though we’ll do alright Indyref2. I’m feeling VERY optimistic.
…………
We don’t need Nuclear weapons we just have to take a close look at ‘cost effective systems’ being used by other small countries, such as Norway’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) which fires anti-ship and land-attack missiles.
”When searching for missiles for its new frigates and coastal corvettes, the Royal Norwegian Navy studied thoroughly existing missiles on the market and the planned upgrades of these. None of these missiles were found to satisfy the requirements of a modern navy well into 2015 and beyond. It was therefore decided to develop a completely new missile based on latest technology, the NSM.
NSM is the only fifth generation long range precision strike missile in existence as per today. Already chosen by the Royal Norwegian Navy for its new frigates and new coastal corvettes, the NSM will be fully operational on these ships when they enter service in the near future. The NSM is also selected by the Polish Navy for use on its new coastal artillery installations.
The NSM is a very flexible system which can be launched from a variety of platforms against a variety of targets.
The airframe design and the high thrust to weight ratio gives the NSM extremely good maneuverability. The missile is completely passive, has proven its excellent sea skimming capabilities and with its advance terminal maneuvers it will survive the enemy air defences. The Autonomous Target Recognition (ATR) of the seeker ensures that the correct target is detected, recognised and hit, at sea or on land.
Being a cost effective system which has demonstrated unsurpassed capabilities in numerous tests, the international interest for this missile is strongly increasing in NATO and other countries.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nueJcto63Fc
So lets get this clear. A rabidly, right wing, imperialist, London rag edited by the vowel chewing, prick Fraser Nelson, publishes a piece full of blatant Yoon based lies by a throbber of a 3rd rate hack. Are we really surprised supposed to be surprised?
Great comeback Rev !
https://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
I wish Yes People would think a bit more clearer . ie Co op bank account Skemersdale.
OT I am wondering if it is me or the Guardian , am I mis- remembering as some cumbersome linguist says but was there not a ‘Scotland’ headline in the Guardian or was it just in the Observer? If there was a Guardian one it has vanished , we are all UKER’s now.
Everyone! this what you have been waiting for. . .
Launched today and aimed at erecting a large number of giant billboards across Scotland aimed at the BBC https://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
Here is the Facebook link – ‘like’ and ‘share’ it widely https://www.facebook.com/Inform-Scotland-1969903196569754/?fref=ts
Norman and I have been busy, busy collating links to BBS bias articles and videos from right across the YES world and passing them on for loading to the lads and lassies at http://www.informscotland.com . There is a queue of 150 more to go on the site at the moment.
GA Ponsonby and Prof John Robertson both contributed their material on the BBC and we have links to articles by the Rev and many, many other authors writing on BBC.bias
Get sharing this fundraiser – its time to get back at the BBC https://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
Thanks also to Still Positive and Liz g for your kind words. The memorial stone will also remember the Hamburg war dead.
Dave McEwan Hill @1243. Quite a coincidence, Dave. Having a known grave is a comfort to relatives.
Breeks @5.43: well said that man.
call me dave @1.40: great link re Labour’s council meltdown. Look after those log books and medals!
@Petra
Thanks for that. Interesting discussion below the line on the NSM/JSM (with Raytheon involved – wonder if the one in Scotland is involved?) versus Spear for replacing Harpoon.
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/uk-complex-weapons/harpoon/
Yes, there would be a lot of options for an SDF freed from the ties of inherited UK naval policies and assets which reflect a different type of warfare. I’m talking about us having OPVs which the UK has and Ireland, but even corvettes such as the Norweigan Skjold class can take the NSM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skjold-class_corvette
Spoilt for choice 🙂
Links
http://indyref2.scot/scottish-ministers-hold-talks-in-eu-capital-on-scotlands-place-in-europe
http://www.arcofprosperity.org/the-walled-city-state-of-london/?
Steve Richards on why MPs should battle to scupper the entire Brexit project
http://archive.is/xU949
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2016/10/19/brexit-damage-vets-warn-anti-foreigner-rhetoric-putting-peop
Macart @ 8.21
Good Grief Macart I know Indy Scotland has a lot to contribute to the world and is just waiting to get the ability to try but.
The Media
The Council Corruption
The Bank’s
Fracking
Intolerance
NHS Scotland
The EU
The UN
And noo ye tell me we need tae fix NATO as well.
Ah think we might need wir ain list.
Wow! great work, Nana and Norman.
Now I know why I didn’t see you at GG, Nana!
A Brexit reality check in Stockholm
http://archive.is/DTO0c
The Death of British Business
http://archive.is/rcS1N
http://www.thecanary.co/2016/10/19/bbcs-suspension-reporter-bias-provoked-hilarious-reaction-right-wing-press/
£22bn Tory NHS cuts mean cancer & dementia treatments can now be denied to patients as “unaffordable”
http://archive.is/yGss5
Skjold – cost about $125 million (2014 prices), 45 knots (!) in rough seas, 60+ calm, range 800 nm, with NSM at a range of 100 nm. Crew 15-16. Yes, we’ll have a few of them as well.
Good grief, getting away from RN style makes this all very complicated – but cheaper.
@Tinto Chiel
I just provided links, the others did the real work re IT so the credit must go to them.
I am not sure if I’m allowed to put their names here. Some of you already know those involved.
Take care today, it is bound to be an emotional time for you. xx
@ Petra & Flower of Scotland
Thanks for the good vibe about my latest wee vid. And share it far & wide – that’s why it was made.
If you missed it last night, here’s the link again folks:
‘Rood Almighty – The Most Powerful Parliament in the Known World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arv0Mx1S_ho&feature=youtu.be
re. http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2016/10/19/brexit-damage-vets-warn-anti-foreigner-rhetoric-putting-peop
‘ It means abattoirs may be unable to export their products because the UK veterinary requirements are not recognised by European authorities.’
Aaah, so that’s why the export drive is jam and scones. A cunning plan?
Got to love how the idea that STV are a commercial organisation and need viewers in order to bring in advertising so as to pay their way doesn’t occur to Cohen. Too much political bias on their part will simply result in supporters of the parties being briefed against going elsewhere. Even if it’s only for their news it’s still a hit against their profits if half their potential audience might decide no thanks.
STV have said that Daisley was moved out of the firing line due to his mistake in using the wrong Twitter account. They’ve also pointed out that action was taken to remove the evidence of that mistake from public view. Obviously Cohen is either unaware of the ability in an age of digital media to edit reality. That or he does know and is being deliberately obtuse and crosses his fingers that no one has captured such a transgression.
President Tusk on the upcoming European Council
https://twitter.com/EUCouncil/status/789017835624341504?lang=en-gb
http://www.connexionfrance.com/Brexit-Britons-National-Assembly-expats-Chantrey-18541-view-article.html
@Liz G
😀 LOL
And after tea break we take on the hard stuff. 🙂
Re. The billboard crowdfunder – why no PayPal option?
I’m trying to find out more about the website,
http://www.InformScotland.com
but it does not seem to work. Am I doing something wrong?
Defence is a tricky one.
When people talk about the seas becoming transparent, and submarines made obsolete by drones which in turn are built to order using 3D printers on board the next generation of carrier / warship, it is difficult to imagine what traditional defence criteria are obsolete, and where the best future investments should be made.
I am no longer clear whether strategic location matters to the same extent it did even 30 years ago. I suspect not, and the change was marked by the US leaving Holy Loch, and perhaps even the closure of Scapa Flow in 1956. War changed, technology advanced and priorities evolved.
Yes, there is the protection of oil facilities, renewable energy facilities, and fishing grounds to protect, but you could almost file these requirements under tactical defence measures rather than strategic. That’s not strictly true, because there is always a bit of strategic planning in a tactical defence, but my point is our defence forces would have greater responsibilities.
If you look at NATO, the UN, or even the Warsaw Pact, One of the permanent features of a robust defence strategy is the concept mutual support. If we are threatened or attacked, our friends help us. Similarly, if it is one of our friends in trouble, we have an obligation to help them.
However much we like the idea of Scotland’s forces just defending Scotland, we should not ignore our obligation under mutual support that we can lend assistance to our friends. Even where there is no direct benefit to Scotland, we will require a strategic defence policy which enables Scotland to actively assist our friends in whatever capacity we are able.
If we want friends to stand by our side in times of crisis, and we do, we must be ready and able to stand by their side to assist them in their crisis, even perhaps when we may be very reluctant about it. This is one aspect of defence which is never obsolete.
The constant danger is paranoia and militarism make dangerous bedfellows, but you need a reasonable quantity of both in order to maintain a worthwhile defence strategy. Having powerful friends is a very sound strategic defence policy, but there is always your own contribution to the greater collective to be considered. You don’t get something for nothing.
The Death of British Business
http://archive.is/rcS1N
Possibly one of the best and easy to read, descriptions of the state of the UK economy.
A very, very good read. {although it omits to mention the game-changing huge British Jam industry).
@One_Scot
There are articles waiting to be uploaded to the site. I know the guys running the site are working hard to finish updating etc
https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/elections-and-constitutional-development-division/draft-referendum-bill
Breeks: “You don’t get something for nothing.”
Is that you making public half-formulated, insubstantial personal thoughts again, Breeks?
By posting massively long discourse you must feel confident your opinion had tremendous weight. So, tell me, how does Lichtenstein manage to ‘stand by its friends’ without an armory of weapons, battalions, and air force?
Do you know what NATO’s role is? Can you explain it in paragraph? Just a paragraph, mind!
Peace and goodwill
@ yesindyref2 says at 9:16 am …. ”Petra thanks for that. Interesting discussion below the line on the NSM /JSM (with Raytheon involved – wonder if the one in Scotland is involved?) versus Spear for replacing Harpoon. Yes, there would be a lot of options for an SDF freed from the ties of inherited UK naval policies and assets which reflect a different type of warfare. I’m talking about us having OPVs which the UK has and Ireland, but even corvettes such as the Norweigan Skjold class can take the NSM. Spoilt for choice.”
Yeah we WILL be spoilt for choice Indyref2. The alternatives that you posted look really interesting! Could we afford to buy one of each, lol? We’ll be starting afresh and can shop around for the ‘best buy’. Something that can protect our oilfields for starters.
…………………
Looks like it’s all systems go Nana, lol. I’m also feeling pretty chuffed too, to see the name that I chose way back in time for billboard advertising …. ‘Inform Scotland’ …. is going to be plastered all over Scotland now. Yeeha!
Just thinking of the MANY myths that can now be totally quashed through billboard advertising. My head’s birling! The Unionists won’t like this one bit of course.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRK03q76GKU
Scotland’s fighting back. Dig deep folks.
http://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
………………..
I was just preparing to repost your video Proud Cybernat when I noticed that you had done so. It’s absolutely brilliant …. and a GREAT song choice. So many people working so hard to get us out of this hellish Union.
Many thanks to you, Stu and the thousands of others (on here and working away elsewhere) for devoting so much time and energy into making this work.
@Breeks
….P.)
…/..(___
.(….).:::::}
./….:__:/
\___/
@Proud Cybernat
Just clocked the vid.
Neatly done. 😀
Liz: Macart – “And noo ye tell me we need tae fix NATO as well. Ah think we might need wir ain list.”
🙂
The Boundary Commission for Scotland have published their draft Constituency proposals for the reduction of seats at Westminster. Hopefully we may not need them.
http://www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/2018_westminster/initial_proposals/index.asp
Gerry Hassan on American …
Something VERY similar could be written about England – industrial decay, disenfranchised working class, isolationism, UKIP, Brexit, hard right …
http://www.gerryhassan.com/blog/the-big-stakes-at-play-in-the-us-presidential-election/
Hassan: “The US economy hasn’t been working for the vast majority of people since the mid-1970s.”
Since the mid-30’s, some will argue from the Great Depression onward.
Regarding the LBC phone in:
I remembered this from IndyRef1 (sorry still can’t do the archive thing)
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/14/richard-dannatt-scottish-independence_n_5817722.html
This line of comment/attitude is aimed squarely at the Unionist Citrus Fruit Fan Club and their ilk like Scotland in Union.
Some of the older less politically aware/informed voters who remember WWII.
Those less politically aware/informed voters who have an affinity/family link with the armed forces.
It is a continuation of the comments you see from Yoons that independence supporters are Jacobites, Irish Republican and Islamic terrorist apologists etc. etc.
Make no mistake this is part of the ‘Ulserisation’ narrative.
Tinto Chiel,
My thoughts are with you and your family today.
“Lest we forget”
@ Marcia says at 10:28 am …. ”The Boundary Commission for Scotland have published their draft Constituency proposals for the reduction of seats at Westminster. Hopefully we may not need them.
http://www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/2018_westminster/initial_proposals/index.asp
…………………..
Marcia I read somewhere that Scotland would lose 6 seats. Ian Murray’s for example. Has that changed now? Some data on here:
http://www.veooz.com/news/ELldtwK.html
Since the mid-30’s, some will argue from the Great Depression onward.
US boomed in the 60’s and 70’s, when their government pumped $bn’s directly in to working peoples pockets. Raygun Regan and Snatcher Thatcher did almost the exact opposite. What’s happened since then, in the US and teamGB? Endemic inequality, shock.
Given where we are in terms of a disintegrating UK, Brexit, Tory xenophobia, London remaining in EU at Scottish tax payers expense, Scotland being dragged out, and the Tories in power for the next twenty years, who in their right mind is going to believe any future Yoon funded polls that put ‘No’ in front.
On Adam Boulton UKIP admits the Tories have become UKIP with Theresa May as their leader but they suggest there’s still a role for UKIP to keep the Tories from betraying the UKIP principles by straying to the centre
Who’d ever have thought you would hear stuff like this in mainstream politics
@ Breeks, I totally agree with your scepticism of NATO.
I see it as part of USA’s toolbox for furthering their own aims and we shouldn’t be part of it.
We should draw rent from NATO if they want to use Scottish waters but that debate is for another day.
Independence first and foremost.
Anyone experiencing problems with the inform Scotland website, I have been sent this message
The Facebook Page and the GoFundMe link is live – and the webpage will be going live tonight’
https://www.facebook.com/Inform-Scotland-1969903196569754/?fref=ts
https://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
Exciting times ahead. A lot of work has gone into this project. Please donate if you can.
@ Liz g says at 9:24 am …. ”And noo ye tell me we need tae fix NATO as well. Ah think we might need wir ain list.’
Ha, ha, ha! Yeah I do think we’ll need to think of ‘fixing’ NATO too Liz. NATO controlled by the US warmonger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-izx9bDxt8
NATO’s reason for upping the ante with Russia relates to, they say, Russian activities regarding the Ukraine and Crimea. John Pilger clarifies what’s been going on to some extent with the Ukraine:
‘John Pilger on the Western Media’s distortion of the Ukrainian Conflict.’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zao8fvyx34Q
Mentions Ukraine here and more so the US versus China. ”The US has 400 major bases encircling China.”
From 8 minutes in if you want to cut it short.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahEdcuxlN1o
Hark the Herald.
New referendum bill sought through an Section 30 order shock!
Eh! Not a shock really it’s the procedure… init! 🙂
No workday today but the National X-Word hard going FGS!
Grey cells rebel.
@Grouse Beater
I would argue that the change came in the 1970s with the growing beliefs in the ideas about monetarism. The Callaghan govt was the first to actually state that the country had to live writhin it’s means. The idea was that gov spending was inflationary (they were ignoring the opec crisis at the time )
From post war until the 70s most western governments were targeting full employment. I think the older generation Tories identify with this period even though the Tories of the 50s were very different to the party now.
Wandered into the Scotsman site and an article about Nicola. The comments section is dominated by the language of hate, which identifies the writers as British Nationalists. A reminder of the nature of Labour in Scotland – seething with hatred for the SNP.
But while hatred drives the Kezia Klub, the Tories, as ever, are motivated by the love of other people’s money and by a barely disguised, insatiable greed. And now with a new dimension – a panic driven, desperate need to survive, as the consequences of the Brexit vote continue to become clear, and the reappearance of a Scottish Independence Referendum.
We are now firmly ensconced in very dirty politics. Gone completely is the politics of policies and principles , replaced by the standards of the gutter and the sewer, with smear and lies to the fore on every occasion, every day.
In days of yore, the English longbowmen would darken the sky with hails of deadly arrows raining down on their enemy. Nowadays, its a daily barrage of propaganda from the sewage works of the British Establishment, 10 Downing St and the Media, and featuring the vipers nest of Scotland’s own British Nationalists who present the lies and SNP smearing with a personal passion via the BBC.
This is where we are today and tomorrow. All that’s missing is a contrived State of Emergency and David Cameron’s forgotten fleet of 500 armoured personnel carriers, on the streets of Scotland’s cities and major towns.
The British Establishment is currently between a rock and a hard place. Nothing is beyond them, except for the gullible and the naive, and we have more than enough of those.
Independence by purely peaceful democratic means? Sounds great – tell our Colonial masters.
Sorry to be O/T, but I am getting very niggled at unionists spouting that the
Rest of the UK is Scotland’s biggest export market, even saw some idiot stating that the UK
Was the EU’s biggest export market.
When I’ve challenged any of those idiots, the response was that that’s ‘official’ figures
or is what the Scottish Government themselves state
What they are referring to as regards ‘Scottish Government’ figures is a report from the Scottish Government in 2012, which was based on a voluntary survey carried out in 2010 (with bits cobbled from the ONS)
If anyone from the Scottish Government is reading this – IT’S A LOAD OF MINCE!
The report should have stated that it was a very rough guide
You see there is no actual measurement for trade between one part of the UK and another (can’t even be called ‘exports). You cannot base on VAT returns either, as some companies in Scotland have head offices in England and some in England or Wales have a head office in Scotland.
Trade can be measured between the UK and the rest of Europe (even though there is no customs) as
all sales are processed through EU wide intra-stats. Basically a seller in the UK raises an invoice on a buyer in, for example, Germany, but does not charge UK VAT, as long as they state the buyers VAT number. UK VAT numbers are prefixed GB, German VAT numbers are prefixed DE.
So the UK seller presents their invoice to the local VAT office as proof that the goods were sold to a German VAT registered company and the German buyer does the same and pays the German VAT locally. So from this can be calculated how much is sold to each EU country.
For actual exports, all export shipments have to be pre-declared providing the information on commodity being shipped, value of the goods being shipped, the loading port or airport and the destination country. Based on that, HMRC can provide monthly data on the balance of trade.
BUT the export declaration does not allow information regards which part the goods were produced
for export, only the region/nation where the exporting port or airport is located.
This creates a skew on information regards to how much each region or nation actually exports
A good example is Scotch whisky. It’s easily identified in the HMRC stats as Scotch Whisky has its own Commodity code. It’s also unique to Scotland as it’s not produced anywhere else.
But Scotch Whisky is exported through Grangemouth, Liverpool, Felixstowe and Southampton, so according to the stats, other than Central Scotland. Merseyside, Suffolk and Hampshire are large Whisky exporting areas.
Same can be applied to Smoked Salmon, which is mainly air freighted, which makes Gatwick and Heathrow large Smoke Salmon producing areas! (Note that if more produce was exported out of Scottish Airports, then that would put a dent in the requirement for a third runway at Heathrow)
I saw that when the Tory’s were talking about tea and jam export drive, one of them mentioned Whisky as a great British export. This highlights another fact that Scotland is the largest exporter area of Food and drink. If Scotland becomes independent, the rest of the UK will have a balance of trade that would be more horrific than it already is!
galamcennalath said at 4:49 pm yesterday:
“OT, but still about the media’s increasingly right wing reactionary stance…
Apparently yesterday’s EBC shortbread phone in went “badly wrong”.”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/horrific-radio-talk-as-callers-debate-ched-evans-case-on-kaye-adams-show.23701
The National: “A BBC spokeswoman said: “The Kaye Adams programme allows listeners to offer a broad spectrum of opinions and experiences on an issue which may, like today’s topic, have been widely debated in the press and elsewhere.”
WOW! That was a quick response from the State Broadcaster—-it usually takes weeks for it to respond to listeners’ concerns.
What the heck is going on inside that outfit?
As I read this ….
http://www.snp.org/draft_independence_referendum_bill_here_s_what_it_means
… I was very much reminded of WoS style, with links to media via images.
[ Perhaps, ] Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
Re my posting at 9.06 am Fiona Robertson has posted on the Crowdfunder site more information
re the Web page.
“British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold her first talks with European Union leaders and will tell them that the U.K.’s decision to leave the bloc is irreversible.
May will make a short address to the 27 other EU leaders over dinner Thursday night, affirming that she will trigger the two-year exit process before the end of March.”
…. so, the lady’s not for turning 🙁
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/uk-premier-provide-brexit-details-eu-leaders-42934428
RE: Biggest trading partner
Simple questions to anyone political or media who raise this issue.
1. Is that a threat matey and on who’s authority?
2. If the answer to question 1. is NO, then what precisely brings any trade to a dead halt if Scotland decides to govern itself?
3. If the answer to question 1. is YES and there is some form of mental authority (and I do mean mental) behind it, then why would Scotland trade with anyone issuing threats anyway?
Trade, especially successful trade, doesn’t stop because government changes hats or houses. It stops because politicians tell their populations where they can and cannot do business. If you’re open for business, it’s the politicians job to make the path as smooth as possible. Oh, and the trade of goods and services is a two way thing.
Last I heard, we buy more than we sell across the border. I’m sure any PM in Westminster would have a good explanation to hand for England’s business community as to why they should no longer do business with Scotland…
@Edward,
I totally agree. The other effect of this is that these exports were accredited to Scotland alone, then surely that would increase the figures for Scotlands GDP.
Exporting these items also has the positive effect on the local economies of the areas involved. Wage earners,shops,and other aspects of the economy all benefit from the employment generated around these ports and airports. This would contribute significantly to an indy Scotland. These are just some of the ways they deflate Scotlands actual earnings.
@ Ronnie anderson says at 12:25 pm …. ”Re my posting at 9.06 am Fiona Robertson has posted on the Crowdfunder site more informationre the Web page.”
Thanks Ronnie. I’ve copied this.
‘Inform Scotland
21 hrs ·
HELP US FUND GIANT BILLBOARDS ACROSS SCOTLAND TO EXPOSE THE BBC https://www.gofundme.com/informscotland
We are ordinary people, sick sore and tired of BBC distortion of ‘news’ in Scotland, we want to fund giant billboards across Scotland drawing everyone’s attention to the ways in which they are being lied to.
We know that a significant minority of people in Scotland still trust the BBC as a publicly-funded broadcaster, and are quite unaware as to how they are being misled
We want to give people a bridge to an alternative narrative to what they regularly hear on BBC Scotland or read in the so-called ‘Main Stream Media’.
We are aiming for ten giant posters across Scotland. If you are generous and we exceed our target we will buy as many poster sites as your generosity allows. Our members intend to repeat this process with other posters on this or similar subjects.
Professor John Robertson, noted academic and BBC critic supports our campaign. He says; “99% of what we hear and see on BBC Scotland comes from mouthpieces of anti-independence sources. Here is a rare chance to find out and to share the truth about Scotland and it’s future,”
HELP PEOPLE ESCAPE THE ‘Main Stream Media’
Our giant billboards point to http://www.InformScotland.com which was put together by ordinary people, tired of the distortions of ‘news’ reporting on BBC Scotland where ‘spin’ and opinion have long replaced fact and good news or positive stories buried.
We have filled this website with attractive links to hundreds of well-written factual critiques of BBC coverage in Scotland by respected authors.
With your help we can help people cross the bridge to an alternative media where truth is king and where media distortion is exposed and where people become wise to how they were being manipulated in these and so many other areas;
Our Scottish NHS is the best in the UK, and by some measures the best in the world – but BBC Scotland suggests the opposite. http://www.informscotland.com/category/nhs-scotland/
Police Scotland has the highest number or officers and the lowest level of crime ever – but the BBC suggest our police force is rent by crises and cut-backs like the forces in England and Wales. http://www.informscotland.com/category/police-scotland/
Our Education system is the best in Britain, with the fairest access to 3rd level studies – but the BBC traduces our education system http://www.informscotland.com/category/education/
Other Ways You Can Help
If you want to join InformScotland then contact http://www.informscotland.com/contact/
If you want to do a media interview with us or our spokesperson Professor John Robertson, then contact Informscotland@gmail.com
GA PONSONBY ALSO SUPPORTS THIS CAMPAIGN. He said
” BBC Scotland is not a devolved institution. The BBC never evolved in line with Scotland and thus it remains firmly stuck in the past where London rules.
Like most of Scotland’s media, it’s IN Scotland but not OF Scotland. It does not reflect the views of Scotland but instead lectures Scotland.
The BBC is an institution that cannot change in order to meet the needs of Scots, but one that tries to force Scots to adapt to the needs of the British state.
This is why BBC Scotland manipulates news. It isn’t informing the Scottish public, rather it is trying to influence us.”
Click here to support MIS-REPORTING SCOTLAND BILLBOARDS by Simon Malzer.
HELP US FUND GIANT BILLBOARDS ACROSS SCOTLAND TO EXPOSE THE BBC. As ordinary people tired of BBC distortion, we want to fund giant billboards…
gofundme.com
Re The Scotsman – I bought the paper faithfully for 44 years until I gave up on it in disgust about 6 years ago For the last few years of the 44 and being of an age when acquaintances started to fall of their perches I had persevered while holding my nose primarily for the Death Notices.
As a young man in my early days as a reader of the paper it was generally accepted that it was traditionally a Liberal supporter.
However, unless I was terribly naive in these days I never got the feeling that, apart from fairly mild leaders and articles by politicians, anybody was trying to influence my political opinions. News was reported dead straight with none of the manipulative propaganda slant which permeates nearly everything these days.
That, however, was in the days when it was owned by Thomson Organisation.
Then, they sold it to the dreadful Barclay Brothers who installed our old pal Brillo as head honcho and he immediately started the process of turning the paper into a propaganda rag for The Union.
They started the asset stripping exercise by selling of the old Scotsman building and moving to new premises at Holyrood.
Once the Barclays acquired the Torygraph they offloaded it to Johnston Press and at least we got rid of Brillo.
Any hope that a return to the good old days was on the cards was quickly extinguished when JP went even further down the path to perdition and the political bias became even worse with the signing of poisonous individuals such as Brian Wilson and the acquisition of a tribe of lunatic unionist letter writers and an even more lunatic band of on-line commenters.Even the Crossword went down The Swanee – Oh for the days of Alan Cash, Roderick Morrison and Robert Conisburgh.
Meanwhile the asset stripping continued when they closed down the near new printing operation and moved the journalists from the Holyrood premises, still owned I understand by the Barclays, to no doubt rented offices in Orchard Brae House.
So what exactly are the assets of Scotsman Publications.
The printing operation is owned by the JP parent company.
The office premises are almost certainly rented as might the furniture and computer equipment.
That leaves the actual value of the titles which cannot be much given the catastrophic circulation crash.
In that case surely it wouldn’t take much in the way of cash to prise the titles away from JP and return the papers to their former glory.
Of course we cannot discount the widely held theory that the Scottish Press are being supported financially in their universal seemingly illogical support for The Union by some Westminster slush fund.
cearc @ 10.07
The Death of British Business is a great read. Thank you for the link. Lots of useful info eg the bit about Belgium and the German exports through its ports.
Noticed they got Andy Murray as Scottish too!
Edward at 1207pm,
Thanks for your posting. This is a subject which the Scottish Government need to provide clarity on. If the figures do not exist, then they need to categorically say so, and make it clear these unionist assertions are nonsense.
It is simply not good enough for this ‘exports to England’ myth to be allowed to continue.
I have always suspected the figures given by unionists for Scottish exports to England as being mince, for the very reasons you state. As you say, Scotch Whisky produced ONLY in Scotland, getting exported to the world via felixtowe could be somehow regarded as an export to England, since that is where it travels to initially. Importantly, however, it is shipped elsewhere.
I do wish the Scottish Government and the SNP would get their finger out on this subject. This ‘exports to England’ rubbish should not be allowed to carry on, since it is patent nonsense.
O/T
Sky News reporter discussing IndyRef2 with the studio presenters. He spoke as if he was a foreign correspondent reporting on Scotland. He essentially said the SNP were acting without support or even legitimacy. He even equated the proposal with Donald Trump’s suggestion that he would not accept the result of the US election!
As highlighted above by other posters, this article at the link, is well worth a read.
http://archive.is/rcS1N
Maybe somebody needs to send a copy to theresa May and her merry band of brexiteers currently trashing the UK economy.
Famously, the last Labour Government left a note to the incoming David Cameron, that their is no money left. When these current tories are booted out of office, they will simply leave a note saying ‘their is no money left, no business left, no economy left, no banking left and we’ve lost Scotland as well – but we do have a royal yacht, cream scones and jam’.
@ Jockanese Wind Talker says at 10:43 am …. ”Regarding the LBC phone in: I remembered this from IndyRef1 (sorry still can’t do the archive thing).
…….. Make no mistake this is part of the ‘Ulserisation’ narrative.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/14/richard-dannatt-scottish-independence_n_5817722.html
Yeah I remember him, Dannatt, from last time round, JWT, and it looks as though he’s starting to mouth off again. Getting in early. Worried sick no doubt that if they didn’t have the Scots to call on, backbone of the Military – approximately 25%, their Forces would fall apart. Probably worried too now, that the Scots may end up being part of an EU Army and then of course there’s Trident!
Do you remember they got together pre-Indyref1 and signed a letter predicting all sorts of doom and gloom?
Signed by seven former Chiefs of Defence Staff – Lords Boyce, Guthrie, Inge, Vincent, Stirrup, Craig and Richards, three former First Sea Lords – Lord West, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope and Admiral Sir Jonathan Band, three ex-Army chiefs – Lord DANNATT, General Sir Mike Jackson and General Sir Roger Wheeler and former head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns.
I wonder who’ll be signing the next letter?!
“Some of us who are not signed up to the independence cause have real fears about the level of subtle intimidation we feel from the SNP. This exists in personal and business relationships. It also exists within the reaction to any reasonable criticism of their policies in the media which is normally met with hostility and rudeness.
I don’t expect that you can understand this as I believe you live in Somerset.”
Yes, we have no politics in Somerset.
Nana 9.11am
Now that’s more like it!
I’d completely lost faith in Inform Scotland as since it was first mooted/started approx 18 months ago nothing’s happened. Hopefully my lack of faith is now about to be proved wrong.
Now I’m off back to that link to contribute. Please folks dip in and get giving. This – mass advertising campaigns – is just the type of thing that’s going to make a real difference. If you value your own future, that of your kids and of Scotland then when you think of donating £10 think again and make it £20.
@ Edward says at 12:07 pm …. Exports’.
Great post Edward and we’ll really need to get this sorted out …. facts and figures. Rosyth Dock, as an example, limited with regard as to what / how much it can export due to it being ‘controlled’ by some Company headed by Lord Smith of Kelvin, unlike all English ports being controlled by Westminster as far as I can make out.
Then we see our exports heading down the M74 on one truck after another, hundreds every day. When they cross the border is that counted as our exports (being facetious)? If they carry on to say Southhampton to be sent abroad is that their exports? Furthermore how do they work out for example our strawberries going to England to get packaged and then being returned to Scotland for sale? Is that just another exporting con?
It’s a bit like the sub-sea power cable that’s being laid from Ayrshire to the Wirral sending our renewable energy south. Pipes, cables and trucks, a tentacular network, bleeding us dry. Oh and the cost of laying the cable is around £1 billion. Are the Scots having to pay their share of the billion to send their ‘export’ to England?
I think we’ll find that when we bail out England doesn’t export much at all. Better still they’ll find out. Oh right they do know and that’s ONE of the reasons why they’ve got their claws dug right into us.
It reminds me in a (very small) way of the famine in Ireland. England making a fortune through exporting their livestock and foodstuff whilst the people, men, women, children and babies, were left to die a slow, horrendous death through starvation. That’s the kind of people we’re still dealing with: Westminster the gargantuan bloodsucker.
Theresa May now accusing the Russians of atrocities in Syria and calling on European countries to condemn them.
Mad cow disease resurfacing down south….
Thanks, Jockanese WT.
Orrabest
@Clipper
It has taken time, I’m sure there were legal issues which needed clarifying but hopefully things will move quickly soon.
Special thanks to Cherry for providing links and more besides, I hope she won’t give me a row for mentioning her here.
Breeks: “Theresa May now accusing the Russians of atrocities in Syria and calling on European countries to condemn them. Mad cow disease resurfacing down south….”
Use of ‘mad cow’ aside, I agree.
Westminster Tories think stoking the Cold War agenda will get them praise and patriotism. They give Trump comfort.
@Edward at 12:07
Edward , once again a very good post from you.
Have a good day.
@Breeks
They must be appalled that what seems to be the beginnings of a new Ostpolitik initiative began this week, san the UK and before the Brexit button has even been pressed.
Perhaps The Spectator has shares in the shoe industry!
I came to WoS through a somewhat convoluted route that involved reading the very article you so adroitly dissected.
Aye, I am pained to admit that I was not aware of the breadth of this site. Gobshite? Guilty.
I usually avoid comments sections when I read an article in any way related to Scottish politics, but the meth-infused bile that Cohen spewed piqued my interest.
Now I knew that Scottish politics is a sadly misunderstood matter down south, but I was left kinda open-mouthed at the hidebound opinions splattered about the place. The most obvious was the distorted equation that pro-independence = anti-English. Of course, much of the MSM media are really, really, really, piling it on and pandering to the worst out there, but I’m under no illusion that it will degenerate further with every step closer to indyref2. So, keep up the brilliant work. It’s vital.
Lastly, let me tip my bunnet to Conan the Librarian – you were masterly in there.