The gold-plated grassroots
The Electoral Commission has this afternoon released the first of four sets of data about cash contributions and loans to referendum campaigning organisations, this one comprising information about donations over £7,500.
Having complained bitterly just a couple of months ago about being the “underdog” because “the Yes camp have more financial firepower”, Blair McDougall’s “Better Together” has trousered over £2.4m from rich business donors, whereas Yes Scotland has collected under £1.2m, almost all of it from lottery winners Chris and Colin Weir.
Those making gifts to various arms of the No campaign include the mysterious Rain Dance Investments (£200,000) – a company with no website, which appears to be based in an eight-bedroomed house in a small village in Lincoln which also seems to be home to numerous other companies.
Our favourites, though, without question, are the Stalbury Trustees.
Donating £50,000 to the millionaire-run “Vote No Borders” group (two-thirds of its declared donations, although it appears to have also received a considerable number of donations just under the £7500 limit), Stalbury Trustees is a company “devoted to the promotion of Conservative principles”. (A goal it achieves, naturally, with money.)
Magnificently, one of its directors lists his occupation as “gentleman”, while the others are all members of the House of Lords with titles like something out of Game Of Thrones. One of them, The Seventh Earl of Verulam, is actually John Grimston, a banker who until 2000 was Managing Director of ABN-Amro, the dodgy bank which would ultimately bring down RBS.
We thought that “Robert Edward Peter Marquess Of Salisbury” must be the “Viscount Cranborne” referred to in the Independent story linked a couple of paragraphs above, who had to resign from the UK government for breaking ministerial rules on conflicts of interest, on the basis that the family seat of the Marquess is Cranborne Manor.
Confusingly, however, “Robert Michael James Cecil” appears to be the current Marquess of Salisbury, also known as Lord Cranborne and Viscount Cranborne, and a former Leader of the House of Lords, so it seems more likely that it was him.
Ulric David Barnett – the mere “gentleman” – is another investment banker from an aristocratic line, about whom we can find little further information, but we’re sure he’s a top-hole fellow despite being apparently the only non-lord in the group. We hope the others don’t mock him too much for being an oik.
We can’t wait to see them all on a platform with Ian Davidson.
[…] « The gold-plated grassroots […]
I would love to see Ian “I’ll gie ye a doin” Davidson’s face when he is standing next to all these *ahem* grass roots type of folks. I just wonder what their “small talk” will be about? Who has the most butlers, who has the most Rolls Royces, How many estates they own, what size their mansion is. I’m sure our Ian will feel right at home in these conversations. 😛
If you think MD of ABN Amro was proof of a midas touch, guess where he was for 14 years before that? Barings Bank!!
Third time lucky, eh?
Just your run of the mill working class jellied eels types all ready for a sing song round the piano in the Queen Vic of a Sunday arvo in their Pearly King outfits..types then.
Glad that’s all cleared up. For a minute there I thought that Better Together were being bankrolled by dubious Public School Fag types..
Oh hang on.. Did I read that right.. (whisper, whisper.. mumble..)
OMG!
It’s like a Who’s Who of landed gentry, massive landowners, ancient rich family dynasties, investment bankers and inherited wealth. I’d be amazed if one single penny donated to BetterTogether was actually earned through anything the donors had actually done themselves, other than being born.
At least the Weirs had to actually go out and buy their lottery ticket, rather than it being their birthright.
There’s so much dodgy money that you barely know where to start. Although the investment banker who advised Alistair Darling during the financial crisis is perhaps a good place to start: link to cityam.com
Stu, I’m sure you have a copy of Debrett’s on the shelf…
Anyone who thinks that the Better Together side is being bankrolled by ordinary Scots really ought to “gie themselves a shak”!
Most of the bank-rolling comes from millionaire business types in and around the city of London.
Of course, these people give of their money freely to preserve the union and because they care deeply about the downtrodden souls north of the border.
Aye Right!!
Millionaire business types in and around the city of London only care about millionaire business types in and around the city of London, or the south of France, or the US or anywhere else the rich and famous like to play.
Sir Fred Goodwin (nominated for peerage by one Jack McConnell) was also Alistair Darling’s financial adviser before during and after the banking crash.
Alistair Darling’s 2008 budget speech here,.
link to newsnetscotland.com
It was the UK regulatory authorities headed by Chancellor of Exchequer Alistair Darling that had the powers to investigate the RBS / AMRO take over but ignored fact that no due diligence was done by RBS on a deal worth £49 billion before they gave its approval for the world’s biggest bank take over deal that brought about the collapse of the Royal Bank.
Incredibly, the FSA overlooked the rules on capital by allowing Goodwin and RBS to dip below 4%, below the minimum regulatory requirement on capital, to do the ABN Amro deal.
So much for relying on the UK regulatory body.
At the time Fred Goodwin was an adviser to Alistair Darling as Chancellor, and was still a member of a key Treasury body advising Labour months after the banking crisis and quitting RBS.
Darling learnt no lessons from the collapse of Northern Rock in September 2007, and his March 2008 Budget speech just six months after the first UK bank collapse makes embarrassing reading today: “…we have maintained confidence and stability in the banking system … We have turned welfare into work and borrowing into wealth creation.”
In a BBC Today Programme Lecture on 2nd May 2012, the Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King criticised the lack of action by Alistair Darling and the last Labour government in the earliest days of the banking crisis when the first UK Bank, sorry English bank, Northern Rock, failed, which King said could have cost up to one million people their jobs. Decisive action would have at least mitigated the problems encountered by other Banks including HBOS and RBS a year later.
More background at
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
To be fair to them, a number of old manors and estates have turned parts of their buildings into rented office space.
I could give examples, but I seem to be in the “urls make your post go into moderation” stack, so I won’t.
Don’t see Lord Elpus or Earl YRisin
You know what I do love about this.. It’s like that Programme Comedy Connections that used to be on. You’d see all the links that Comedians, Producers, Writers etc all have over the years – a kind of who’s who, and who scratched who’s back etc..
I feel this story is kind of like that. We’re slowly finding out who’s connected to who, who licking who’s bottom (more than willingly no doubt) for political/business and most importantly profiting reasons.
There’s always a big whoo haa in the Press when there’s a sniff of Govt trying to intervene in the goings on of private Business. But it is these big industry bosses, connected people and the privileged etc, who fund organisations to lobby Governments to look favourably on their particular business – all for an alleged handsome reward though (an I’m not talking about a packet of baby wipes before the next bottom licker chaps the door)
The whole establishment stinks to high heaven..
Yes me lord give as the cash and we will try and protect the paedohpiles at westminster by voting no
At least we know this group haven’t been been bribed with a seat in the House of Lords, as they are already there….
William Grant and Sons has donated £135,000 to Better Together and £25,000 to both Vote No Borders Campaign group and individual campaigner Angus MacDonald.
Now we know who has been funding the astro-turfing.
Abuse inquiries on now Westminster Committee
Rain Dance Investments (£200,000) sounds like secret service.
Not entirely unexpected. Still, interesting to see the caliber of Tory wealth on show for No.
And ‘Labour man’ Blair McDougall is bragging about this?
Just seeing the words “The Seventh Earl of Verulam” is reason enough to vote Yes. What’s that crap all about? It’s like someone that wrestled with Kendo Nagasaki on ITV.
They’re probably all each others’ father-in-law.
Surely these Pimms-sipping, croquet-types can’t be desperate to hang-on to a nation of drunken, lazy, subsidy-junky savages just cos they enjoy shooting their deer for one week every year?…then again.
Pretty grim for Yes that bar Souter and the Weirs, BFS is their only significant donor. Where are all the celebrities, companies and wealthy individuals that support independance who they are required?
Clearly they’ve no idea what a drain Scotland is on the mighty resources of Westminster; what a basket-case we are. Don’t they read the newspapers or listen to the BBC?
O/T But Labour candidate Cll Morton claiming his mother was taken out of context when tweeting about Yes fascists
“She was referring to stories on social media about people calling themselves fascists attending Yes campaign events.
“She was not talking about all Yes voters. It’s a total misunderstanding. It was taken out of context.
link to scotsman.com
Here’s a Scottish connection for Rain Dance Investments.
link to companydirectorcheck.com
So there you have it, Labour supporters. One campaign funded by assorted nabobs, greedy bankers, comically implausible aristocrats and establishment flunkeys, while the other is funded by ordinary people, including the two ordinary folk who struck lucky on the lottery.
So vote No if you think Better Together represents your interests. You know it makes sense.
@Kev
You know Kev, your right there. They ARE desperate to hold on to us, and donating some substantial amounts of cash to do so..
I wonder why.. (queue dream sequence..)
They know the UK is f**ked without the wealth we generate for them.
All this time Bliar MacDougal’s been lying through his teeth about all those hundreds of thousands of small donations from “unpolished” proud Scot buts, who’d have thought it.
It wouldn’t surprise me one little bit if the Westminster government were funneling, cash into Better Together’s coffers covertly,to add insult to injury it may even be taxpayers monies.
Why are Lords and aristocrats so desperate to keep Scotland in the dying union?, there must be a trough somewhere waiting for their fat greedy snouts, and without Scotland’s, assets the trough would dry up.
Roll on independence, and we will be rid of these oinkers.
Sinky says:
O/T But Labour candidate Cll Morton claiming his mother was taken out of context when tweeting about Yes fascists
Of course it was dear… just keep taking your meds like the doctor ordered now there’s a good wee laddie! 😛
Dodgy shell-companies, funneling Whitehall cash into the ‘No’ campaign from a single address? who’d have thunk? 😉
I’m Lord of All I Survey, which isn’t very much, but includes a garden shed, a bird bath, a rickity fence, some lawn, a pot of snapdragons and a wee dog. If I vote No or slip Better Together some loose change, can I get a Knighthood, please Mr Darling?
BrianW: “I feel this story is kind of like that. We’re slowly finding out who’s connected to who, who licking who’s bottom (more than willingly no doubt) for political/business and most importantly profiting reasons.”
Indeed, if nothing else, this should be giving people a wake-up call as to how Scotland has traditionally been run, and in whose interests. They’re all coming out of the woodwork now, being forced to identify themselves if they want to try and help keep their cosy little status quo going. Whatever happens in September, radical reform rules over land ownership must surely be the next main priority for Scotland.
And let’s not have titles and knighthoods in our new Scotland either.
Is it just me, or has the spam filter gotten more agressive today?
I’m Lady Muck of all I survey, a 15 foot by 15 foot patch of grass, a rickety old shed, a Rowan tree, a bird feeding table and a budgie, sorry no dug. When do I get my cloak of ermine Mr Darling, after all I’m voting NO… to NO that is! 😛
Nothing sinister about the Lincoln address as these are the offices for Rain Dance Investments accountants, Harry Jeffery & Co. It is not unusual for companies to hold their registered offices at their accountants address. The accountants also operate as secretary for this company. The rest of the directors of Rain Dance live in Scotland. Raindance Investments Limited invests in various enterprises all over the world, from farms in South Africa, to bio-tech companies in Scotland. 3 of the Rain Dance directors also act as directors for a Livingston based company called The Cashroom Limited. This provides legal services to the legal profession in both Scotland and England. I don’t think that there is anything sinister about Rain Dance and their donation. Just another collection of very wealthy people supporting the union, which as residents of Scotland is their right. As for the other lot, Stalbury, absolutely no comment.
It’ll be bugger getting that lot out knocking on doors and leafleting. 😀
Millionaires for No!
I met with my mates from Bardney a couple of weeks ago, apparently the gentleman in question is a bit of an eccentric who wears Harris Tweed all the time.
If I remember correctly he may also be a priest, but lots of drink was consumed so I may have dreamt that bit up.
Don’t know if it was Anglian or Catholic Priest but what is it about Gentleman of the faith being involved in
Scotlands future rev? 🙂
macart763m says:
It’ll be bugger getting that lot out knocking on doors and leafleting. 😀
Why do you think they all have a multitude of butlers and *ahem* man servants Macart? 😛
One good thing…such macabre may inspire Alan Moore to write more League of ExtraOrdinary Gentlemen books….who knew of such a profession!
Interesting digging there Stu, though in the interests of transparency, Will you be disclosing the source of your 10k donation you received in February?
And if not, why not?
Can only be a matter of time before George Galloway salutes the indefatigability of the Seventh Earl of Verulam..
Good to see the vanguard at the Union of Shop, Distributive & Allied Workers (USDAW) doing their bit for the class struggle and standing shoulder to shoulder at the barricades with all these underdogs.
Strange USDAW doesn’t list it’s part in the liberation of Scots from the nationalist threat in its campaign webpage especially as it describes its support for Better Together as “overwhelming” –
Our Campaigns
USDAW
link to usdaw.org.uk
Rain Dance Investments is, I think, wholly owned by Donald Houston, a land monopolist who owns Ardnamurchan Estates. I wonder how much of his £600,000 donation is recycled taxpayer subsidy, being used to further subvert democracy.
the grass root movement know they are working with the people of Scotland whilst the unionists are working, cap in hand , with the lords and lady’s of the Westminster establishment. I hope they are proud of themselves.
Deluded fools
I know things will go quiet over the Games period but i will keep shouting out loud about indi. No stop till the 19th , then party.
Sorry o/t
Can someone organise a petition to get the OO march in Edinburgh banned. The place will be filled with tourists and these scum are hardly something we should be proud of.
It never ceases to amaze me how they buggers can justify their existence.
Training Day says:
Can only be a matter of time before George Galloway salutes the indefatigability of the Seventh Earl of Verulam..
Well of course he will T.D. In fact I’ve just heard a wee bird tell me that G.G. is having tea and scones with the Seventh Earl of Verulam this very afternoon to discuss this very subject. 😛
Now you know the result of the ‘Surrey dinners’ that Alistair Darling (socialist) was holding in the recent past. All old-boy network together and no doubt his fufture sponsors into the House of Lords. You scratch my back and cover yours with ermine.
This people never give up anything without guarantees of gain through favours.
Interesting stuff Rev,i wonder how the MSM are going to try and spin this one or will they just conveniently sweep it under the carpet.
NEWSFLASH :- Lord Tory fat cats bankroll BT campaign its official read all about it.
aye right i cant see them printing that prove me wrong MSM prove me wrong.
Why “The 7th” Earl of Valium….is there another 6 kicking around who arent donating? Truly a different world.
We are f*cked if Davis Love III wins The Open!
What does John Grimston, 7th Earl of Verulam’s Stalbury Trust do now anyway, other than donate money to outfits like bettertogether? Stalbury sounds a bit like Salisbury and “Robert Michael James Cecil” appears to be the current Marquess of Salisbury, also known as Lord Cranborne and Viscount Cranborne, and a former Leader of the House of Lords. Maybe Stalsbury keeps it all simple.
@Lesley-Anne
Very true, they do sound the type who would have their man dress them in the morning.
Grass roots…. bwahahahahaha. 😀
A cadre of bazillionaires, landed lords and dodgy oil execs with genocidal despots on speed dial. Better together for who? Does anyone really think this lot have the best interests of democracy or the needs of the electorate at heart?
I used to work with an English girl who claimed to be ‘The Laird of Glencairn’.Astonished, I pushed for details and she finally revealed it was just a 1x1ft of land gift title thing bought from Argos for 50 quid by her old workers
Didnt stop her having the Lady prefix on her credit cards or business stationery mind.
I wonder if shes donated yet?
I take it the “Cecil” above is a descendant of the 1st Earl Salisbury, Robert Cecil and therefore of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, the famous spymaster of Elizabeth Tudor of England
I can just see this bunch of “jolly wheeze good show” types interviewing applicants for their Butler or *ahem* man servant positions now.
Q. What do you know about this dreadfully boring group participation activity that the lower classes call leafleting?
or
Q. How expert are you at knocking on the front door of properties where yo do not know the occupants?
or
Q. Are you prepared to knock door after door and get these doors slammed in your face for the greater good of my future?
Stalsbury Trust just seem to donate lots of money to Hertfordshire Tory MP’s, via a City law firm that doesnt give out their address too, surprise surprise. This dudes in particular is Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
link to davidgauke.com
It should be mentioned, of course, that a lot of work done for independence, even while wearing Yes Scotland kit, is created and financed by individuals without ever putting a penny near the main campaign.
This contribution adds a huge amount of visibility to Yes but doesn’t apply to the Yes coffers.
No shock on who is bankrolling Better Together; they’re about as much like the ordinary people of Scotland as a Nepali mountain guide, and not much more likely to have ever set foot in Scotland than that.
Sounds like some bankers trying to save themselves,although,call me suspicious,but these banker wannabe aristos never give away anything without a payoff somewhere,Guv’nor.
Herbert says:
in the interests of transparency, Will you be disclosing the source of your 10k donation you received in February?
It was me, and I’ve got a nice 24ct gold badge to prove it.
I’m Spartacus! 😉
I wonder if Earl Ian Seafield is the short name for
Ian Derek Francis Ogilvie-Grant, 13th Earl of Seafield (b. 1939)
Private BIG money is backing NO
We are backing YES
How thick do you have to be to miss that one?
The Guardian should put this on their front page. Today they are keen to accuse the Westminster government of spin in relation to recent flooding in England (something that does needs exposed) but will they apply the same level of scrutiny to this? I live in hope, Come on Severin or Libby – I am sure you read WoS
Wonder what the total is after including all the money given by ordinary folk to websites like WOS?
The legacy of The bank-rollers of the once wealthy and still pompous British Empire. Back a couple of hundred years and they would be the slave traders (worth investigating their family ancestry) and conquering colonialists.
Is it a wonder that they don’t want Scotland to be free!!
2 authors of fiction and umpteen companies for No and just 1 company for Yes (in Business for Yes).
The other thing, No have never had to borrow or set up an overdraft.
I know we are laughing at this incredulous revelation of who’s seriously who within Better Together’s upper elite, but it is frightening …truly frightening of the opposition that we are up against here. Have no doubts …absolutely none …of the level of under handediness that this lot will descend too in keeping the status quo and the privileges that it brings. A hundred years ago would have seen each and everyone of us arrested for dissent against the state. We MUST win for this lot will make sure that this will never happens again.
@Derek M
The ultimate kick in the balls for these “Lords” would be for their own emplyoyees to make a tosser of them in their own newspapers whilst tearing the union flag from their sweaty gravy soaked silver spooned hands.
I like that idea but it won’t happen any time soon.
Maybe we should be ruled from Hertfordshire as even Stalbury trustees John Grimston, 7th Earl of Verulam wife the Countess is the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. Impressive naw votes but the Earl doesn’t look like much of a bankster anyway, chairman/director at Barings, ABN-AMRO and Kleinwort Benson.
ABN-AMRO went belly up under the Brown/Darling supremacy but so did Barings in the mid 90’s with billion dollar lossrd. With this banking albatross round ukok’s neck how bad can it get.
link to en.wikipedia.org
@Doug
Agree about titles and knighthoods. Look at some of the individuals who have been knighted and it is sickening. That goes for some members of the Lords as well. Yet Darling is so desperate to join them, he will say and do anything to bring it about.
Barings was brought down in 1995 due to unauthorized trading by its head derivatives trader in Singapore, Nick Leeson.
Wiki’s pretty good on Barings and Leeson, but its interesting that there’s not one mention of you know who, the fine upper class English nobility that were meant to be in charge. But you can see how the Earl of Stalbury or whatever ended up taking ABN AMRO down the tubes too. Bet the Earl made a freakin fortune everytime.
ING, a Dutch bank, purchased Barings Bank in 1995 for the nominal sum of £1[11] and assumed all of Barings’ liabilities, forming the subsidiary ING Barings. In 2001, ING sold the U.S.-based operations to ABN Amro for $275 million, and folded the rest of ING Barings into its European banking division.[14]
Unionists in Scotland…bought and sold for establishment gold…sounds familiar! The sad thing is that they will be celebrating this as appose to questioning it!
I used to live in a town not to far away from there. It’s just one of a number of villages on the Lincoln to Louth Road full of these types of people and ‘companies’…..as Doug Daniel said above ‘It’s like a Who’s Who of landed gentry, massive landowners, ancient rich family dynasties, investment bankers and inherited wealth. I’d be amazed if one single penny donated to BetterTogether was actually earned through anything the donors had actually done themselves, other than being born.’
As soon as I saw the word Bardney I thought dodgy as hell but google earth is quite good at locating the actual building which ups my rating to seriously dodgy cockwombles.
Tartan Tory says:
Herbert says:
in the interests of transparency, Will you be disclosing the source of your 10k donation you received in February?
It was me, and I’ve got a nice 24ct gold badge to prove it.
I’m Spartacus! 😉
I’m Spartacus!
I don’t have a gold badge cause I’m trying not to attract too much attention. 😛
Wonder what the Earl of Verulam ended up doing at Kleinwort Benson? Chief tea maker, door stop etc.
I see Robert Edward Peter Marquess of Salisbury is down as “inactive”, I should hope so, he’s been dead since 2003.
I wonder if we could do a correlation between the donors and large Highland estate owners?
“Got to keep the peasants off the land for the pheasants to surive until the Glorious Twelth, wot”
Interesting that Better together have the knuckle draggers(Orange Order) on one hand and the top 1% Toffs all supporting the same cause. Maybe the toffs and the knuckle draggers hould get together would be some party!
Why would Lordy London toffs want to hold on to poor we Scotland and it’s native serfs. Even more important why would the SLAB socialists want the Lordy toffs To hold onto poor wee Scotland. Maybe it’s because they allow them to manage the colony for them and allow some reward for factoring it for the gentlemen and keep the natives docile.
The pseudo middle class think they are friends of the London lords. They will find out they are just being used by the establishment in London so long as it suites them and when they are no longer needed they will be dumped along with the SLAB ("Tractor" - Ed)s, and left to their own fait.
Having a quick look through the names, and doing quick research, it seems the vast majority of the No donations are based in London, are Investment companies, very secretive with public information, Scottish land owning directors.
The Labour party, George Galloway any other alledged socialists, have lost any semblance of respect from the working classes. The founding members of the real Labour party will be turning today. Any Labour party member following this band of rouges, is guilty of hypocrisy.
A jolly good friend of mine has just received the Itinerary for this Sunday’s Meeting of the “Gents for No” group (at The Seventh Earl of Verulam’s place).
It begins with Travel Directions:
“For those coming by Helicopter -> You may land her on the lawn next to the Duck Pond, make sure you don’t confuse this with the Swan lake – as the poor things make a quite terrible screeching noise when hearing the rotor blades, and that rather upsets my wife.
For those travelling by vehicle, give your driver the following instructions:
When you pass the stables on the left, approach with caution, as the dogs are liable to attack the vehicle, not to worry, just lower your window and feed them, some fillet steak should do the trick.
At the second gatehouse get your man to punch in the passcode, this week it is AGINCOURT.
Then through the marble arch, take a right after the fountain, and park in front of the Wall Garden. Your man may wait in the vehicle and have drinks brought out to him, or he can proceed by foot to the Servants quarters though he may have to face the dogs once more, whichever you prefer”
Lord Cranborne, who had received the title Baron Gascoyne-Cecil, of Essendon in the County of Rutland, remained active on the backbenches, until the House adopted new rules for declaration of financial interests which he believed were too onerous……..
In January 2010, Lord Salisbury and Owen Paterson hosted secret talks at Hatfield House, involving the Democratic Unionist Party, the Ulster Unionist Party and the Conservative Party. These talks prompted speculation that the Tories were attempting to create a pan-unionist front to limit Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party in the General Election of 2010.
David
Bardney is not “as dodgy as hell” they may be a few unscrupulous individuals living there, but there are several locals from Bardney who I know who either live there now or come from there who are really good people.
Its got a great pub, the Nags Head, the one over the road probably has all the dodgy folk in it 🙂
Some of this reminds me of the (Bregenz) theatre scene in the Bond film, Quantum of Solace.
Internationally connected, underworld people full of their own importance and who don’t want to be known in public, being caught out and then darting for cover….
Archattan Hydro just happen to be registered at Atholl Estates.
So we have the Duke of Buccleuch, the Duke of Atholl and the Earl of Seafield on board so far.
How on earth will the Labour “socialists” justify fighting on the same team as those three?
Here’s a nice play on the figures.
Yes Scotland only take donations from the people living in Scotland. Better Together don’t.
Yes Scotland received: £1,160,000 from Scottish donors.
Better Together Received: £2,406,475 from UK donors.
Scottish population: 8.4%
Equivalent BT share raised as percentage of Scottish population: £202,144
🙂
The dark side of the British establishment venturing forth to do what they like to call an honest days work – keeping control of another’s country.
What a bunch of knaves.
Alastair Is Not My Darling – grousebeater.wordpress
It is a staggering mind blowing banking career from the Earl of Stalsbury, from Barings, through ABN Amro, then RBS, this bloke’s responsible for losses in billions and billions and all of it had to paid for by the tax payer in hundred billion bail outs that they then all stashed in City bonuses.
To cap that, same Earl funds the Con/Dems currently hammering home colossal austerity cuts aimed directly at the poorest people in teamGB but this dudes cost more in public money than anyone that’s ever claimed a benefit.
You couldn’t invent super rich ermined bums and loonies like this lot if you tried.
@ heedtracker
Re: similarity of Stalsbury to Salisbury –
Verulam is the Roman name for St Albans, which is in Hertfordshire. If you run St Albans and Salisbury together you get Stalsbury easily enough.
Please sign if you have not already done so….
link to change.org
The better together alliance to stop Scotland being a country running its own affairs seem to have won the pockets of ordinary aristocratic proud Scots.
Not your usual oaps!
Bought and sold, not this time, not if we can help it!
Hah, so Barings ended up being absorbed into ABN-Amro – so the shite was on his shoes all the way along the road!
Rich Tory Toffs v Jock Thomson Bairns
Is this not just another gift for YES?
First we had Cameron up last week with his bribe that Glasgow will *ahem* benefit from £500 Million from those generous chaps at Westminster.
Now we find out that there is a bunch of Bazillionaires bankrolling Better Together.
So on the one hand Cameron is trying to bribe the people of Glasgow, whilst on the other hand Cameron’s best mates are trying to bribe the whole of Scotland.
I wonder if any of them have any idea what we, the people of Scotland think about bribes or more importantly the people doing the bribing!
@ Lesley-Anne
It’s only a gift for Yes, if the ordinary man/woman in the street gets to know about it and has the capacity to understand its ramifications. Otherwise, it’s just names and numbers for the enlightened, few telling them something they probably knew already. 🙁
These people are English toffs, who probably like Scotland for shooting animals and birds.So their playground must be preserved.
I agree T.T. yet another of the apparently never ending series of own goals from our *ahem* heroes at Better Together. 😛
Yeah : When you think about it smearing the SNP and YES as Nazi’s is just a bit of fun – why get offended.
Why should LABOUR have to apologise, lets move on no offence really.
link to moraysnp.org
@ Tartan Tory
Aye, Paula Rose can smell money at 300 paces 🙂
brilliant journalism
BT found out lieing about funds
O/T – Just a coincidence I’m sure
English couple terrorised in ‘Scottish referendum horror movie’
White Settlers, set for release just before the referendum on Scottish independence, features a relocated English couple under siege from locals
link to theguardian.com
.
It’s a proper who’s who, isn’t it? Rain Dance has the director Harry Ernest Jeffery, who also a director of the Ardnamurchan Trust. We’ve heard of them before:
link to companycheck.co.uk
Then there’s Flowidea Ltd, controlled by Swiss banker Henry Angest, of London’s private Arbuthnot Banking Group:
link to unlockdemocracy.org.uk
Major funder of the Tories, he backed Michael Portillo to be their leader.
Gutted – just realised the ‘Laird o’ Cockpen’ is a BT contributor
Let’s be fair to the toffs for the moment! Scotland has its share of them and I personally have nothing sinister against them. I don’t personally agree with hereditary peerages and the like, but I know a few ‘toffs’ with estates here in Scotland and they are not intrinsically ‘bad people’. There is certainly the odd bad apple, but the estate owners I know are actually very down to earth, local to their communities, typically drive about in old Land Rovers rather than Bentley’s, work hard to keep their estates alive and employ a good number of people.
The issue here is that the toffs being exposed in this piece are not the ones I’m talking about. I just feel it necessary to point out that, in the interests of fairness and balance, (just like ‘Tories’) they are not ALL the same.
What possible interest does the Seventh Earl of Verulam (ancestral/current home : ST ALBANS!) have in the Scottish independence debate? FFS!
Scottish Labour : this motley crew of aristocratic, wealthy inbred Tories are your ‘comrades’. Feel ok about it?
They are absolutely DESPERATE not to let us go. Proof yet again (as if we needed it) that quaint little Scotch-land exists principally to enrich the interests of the Establishment.
Ulrich David Bennett, occupation Gentleman…brilliant! How grassroots sounding…
When is someone with the expertise and time going to get in about parliamentary-standards.org.uk and detail the cash being picked up by the likes of Goldie, Rifkind, Forsyth et al as well as the cash being claimed by all the Pro-union MPs from Scotland. Might even be able to guesstimate how much they have made from the >25% price hike this year so far.
Here Baroness Butler-Sloss, the grassroots BTUKOKNOTHANKS campaigner in charge of the inquiry into what happened to the paedo-files:
link to youtube.com
People with more money than sense, more power than they’d ever need trying to undermine our democratic rights.
I desperately feel the need of a hot shower…
Looks like my comment got moderated out. Fair enough. My apologies and I will be more restrained in future.
Tartan Tory
What we are talking about is Absent Landlords?
🙂
arthur thomson
No-one gets moderated here. Akismet (spam fighter) is playing up. It happens.
arthur thomson
It is not personal
First post is moderated automatically but, as this site is under a pretty massive denial of service attack, it is possible that by who the feck knows Akismet automatic software has kicked you out.
It happens to Pandas FFS, even now!
Repost and it should be OK.
Welcome.
So now Labour party members in Scotland can see that the anti independence campaign is run by Tory toffs, for the benefits of tory toffs and the English landed gentry.
What a parcel of rogues.
As regards the money they have raised, I never believed that ‘better together’ had little money – the clue was in the fact that certain national newspapers were running with the story. Those newspapers are just propaganda mouthpieces like the BBC, churning out the lies of the anti independence campaign.
The anti independence campaign has been consistently shown to be lying over, and over again. Not one word they utter can be trusted..
Funny thing is, however, that those cloying unionists in Scotland from the Labour party working on behalf of the English landed gentry to oppose independence, probably expect some reward if there is a NO vote. It is only on the 19th of September that they will find out just how little these people really think of them. It will be a case of ‘thanks, now bleep off, you leftie oiks’.
Makes me even more determined to secure a NO vote. In the meatnime, we’ll all be busy cheering on team Scotland, and waving our saltires at each and every opportunity.
Team Scotland 2014.
There is a huge difference between funding of the Yes and the Naw campaign’s. Ok the Yes camapaign on the face of it got less money but thats just the official Yes campaign. There are a huge number of associated Yes campaigns that I and loads of others have made small donations to such as Labour for Independence, Wings, Bella, the Yes Fest and indeed every Yes crowd funding appeal I have ever seen.
Name me one that did not achieve its goal. As a group its amazing how much money has been raised.
It sums up everything thats wrong with the UK when you look at Better Togethers funding. Must check it out and see how much the Orange Order threw into the coffers.
Most of Better Togethers money seem to have come from Companies. Is this a tax dodge where we the tax payer are subsidising contributions to the No campaign.
Anyone know?
@Doug Daniel: And let’s not have titles and knighthoods in our new Scotland either.
Anyone for no aristocracy and no monarchy? Had their shot. Goodbye.
Obviously the people can stay. I mean I’m not calling for revolution ala post-Tsarist Russia.
OMG, do I really need to qualify everything in case the Daily Mail’s reading WOS?
@Lesley Anne .Noo dont blame me ah held ma wheesht on the Clyde Space Satalite launch its STV thats blabbered,how are WEE Scotland gonna live this doon O the affrontery there are Inteligent Scots,if we kin pit a Satalite into Space running oor AIN COUNTRY is a doddle.
The loopholes on the funding limits seem to make a mockery of it.
The NO campaign claims to have taken an extra £1.6 million in small donations.
It would be interesting to know how many of these are just under the £7500 limit for anonymity.
What is to stop one wealthy donor or company splitting up a huge donation through many individuals?
And campaign staff don’t count towards the limit?
Canvassers, phone workers, leafletters..
It doesn’t take a genius to work out what will happen here.
The Seventh Earl of Verulam? Surely related to the 13th Duke of Wybourne. Here? On a list and with his reputation? Has no one thought of the consequences.
‘NoB orders’ has never looked more accurate.
It’s the kind of establishment firepower you usually expect to see on the wrong end of a scandal and/or busily trying to cover one up.
I was just reading the Daily Record link again there and the tag line above the picture got me thinking (i know.. I used both brain cells at the same time – i’m a yesser so naturally’ a bit thick, and genetically near impossible)
“CAMPAIGNERS for a No vote claim they are the outsiders in the race to decide Scotland’s future because the Yes camp have more financial firepower.”
We now see this is Shite..
But if this was the case as claimed on the 27th April (and using figures from above of £2.4m for NO and £1.2 for yes) This would mean that they have managed to secure “Grassroots Donations” (I say GrassRoots from the point of Lord & Lady Privileged – then a Marquess and Earl would be Grassroots).. Anyway.. Donations of £1.2m in 73 days.. (do i get a prize for noting the obvious..no.. oh ok)
Now I’m no Carol Vorderman (but I can use a calculator, just!) and this is just under sixteen and a half grand a day in donations.
With that in mind..
From the Daily Mirror link to mirror.co.uk
“New figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal the depths of low pay and the grotesque chasm between a rich one per cent and the other 99% of the country.
Four in five new jobs are in sectors averaging under £16,640 for a 40-hour week. Working full-time on the £6.31 hourly minimum wage would gross just £13,124 in a year.”
I was wondering why Mr McDougall, or Ali “he’s good with numbers, right” Darling weren’t shouting form the rooftops that they’d managed to raise £1.2m in such a short space of time. I mean, I’d be on the phone to Norris McWhirter.
I can’t find any reference to that story at all online. You’d think that story would have at least been reported by the Better Together Party Political Broadcaster wing at Pacific Quay.
Yes Jackie.. That’s right.. It’s been a phenomenal Marquess and Earl Grassroots funding period for us. In fact we managed to raise, on a daily basis remember Jackie, MORE than the average yearly earnings of someone on the £6.31 minimum wage. It’s amazing. We are truly blow away by the aristocracies..sorry grassroots campaigners generosity..
And now over to Charles Manson with the weather.. Charles..
I really, really want to use the C word…
Let the BT /NT mob take as much as they get.
They need every penny to PAY punters to distribute their drivel. What do you get for all that cash eh? lies and scares. Same old shit different day. zzzzzzzzzzzz
We on the other hand give our money, time and effort to the YES campaign freely. We chap doors and talk independence 24/7 and will continue to do so till the 18th.
We know if ANY YES teams need help it is there . Done , no fuss . We supposed tight Scots , are generous to a fault when required and we go to the places the toffs wouldn’t been seen dead in.
Still it’s nice to have a wee bit ammo in the bag incase we bump into any no thanks dimwit’s .
Quick tug on the fore lock and away ye go.
Deluded fools.
YESGUY
Theres a ban the OO marches petition here:
link to change.org
@ faolie
Anyone for no aristocracy and no monarchy? Had their shot. Goodbye.
I’m sure there are some who would agree. I’m not sure that I would. I don’t have a huge personal issue with the monarchy, as I wouldn’t want to trade places with them. I’m one of those who sees a lot of good done by the queen with a life of (albeit relatively lavish) service to the country. The hangers-on in the aristocracy do not have the same standing in my books, but I’m certainly not going to call for executions just because some people have money behind them!
Obviously the people can stay. I mean I’m not calling for revolution ala post-Tsarist Russia.
So, what are you calling for then? Never forget that these are just people, usually with families. Take away that which they have inherited and they are totally lost. More so than you or I would be. They have no idea what it means to work a second job at the weekend just to pay the bills. Most don’t know what it means to find a first job off their own backs. It doesn’t make them evil – just blind. Similarly, the green eyed monster can make people blind too, as it only sees what it wants to despise.
do I really need to qualify everything in case the Daily Mail’s reading WOS?
No, because they will take whatever people say out of context and print it anyway. But they ARE reading WOS, of that there is no doubt. How else can they find out about that which they are not permitted to print – journalists by their very nature are inquisitive, even if they need to tow a company line! 😉
ronnie anderson says:
@Lesley Anne .Noo dont blame me ah held ma wheesht on the Clyde Space Satalite launch its STV thats blabbered,how are WEE Scotland gonna live this doon O the affrontery there are Inteligent Scots,if we kin pit a Satalite into Space running oor AIN COUNTRY is a doddle.
Who?
Me ronnie?
I would NEVER blame you for anything ronnie particularly since you are now the proud holder of a GOLD Wings badge. I mean how can anyone with a GOLD Wings badge be responsible for spreading fear and rumour about Scots being too wee and having intelligent Scots. 😛
Gordon Browns picked his name fur the hoose of lords.
Lord Linoleum O Kirkcaldy, some say its a walkover fur him
ah wish he wuld hurry up an lay doon.
OH and HERBERT
I only have a wee Wings badge . It would have been one of my donations …. probably…
i AM SPARTICUS
Rite am aff tae see Gerry & Wee Ginger Dug.
ronnie anderson says:
Gordon Browns picked his name fur the hoose of lords.
Lord Linoleum O Kirkcaldy, some say its a walkover fur him
ah wish he wuld hurry up an lay doon.
Sorry ronnie but I just think there would be one hell of a stink over that name. 😛
I notice in the link Brian that “astonishingly” there is no mention of how well our 6,000 shipbuilders do in the salary scales. I wonder why they are *ahem* missing from the list. It surely couldn’t be because the Mirror is *cough* ashamed of their pay scales could it? 😉
I’ll fetch ma coat! 😉
Bob big thank you.
have just signed and would ask ..NO BEG everyone to put your name to this.
I live on the outskirts of the city, tho born there and proud. The city will be packed with tourists and theses scum cause trouble every time the march.
Please sign.
Thanks again Bob Sinclair
Bob sinclair and YESGUY,
I want the orange lodge marches to go ahead. I cannot think of a better way to destroy the ‘NO’ vote, within just a few hours.
Keep up the protests
Yes campaign on BBC Scotland
Aye, well, but no amount of money can polish a turd.
link to image.slidesharecdn.com
link to image.slidesharecdn.com
From a no-friendly pollster too.
@ Ken500
Not watching BBC Scotland News tonight.. It’s the thought of the wall to wall coverage of Lord and Lady Grassroots handing over Large cardboard lottery style cheques on their sprawling Highland Estate to Better Together…
hahahahaha hahahahahah who am i kidding..
@ Robert Louis 8 July, 2014 at 6.48pm
‘I want the orange lodge marches to go ahead’ etc
Especially with the big burd with the C & A outfit circa 1950, at the head.
Robert Louis says:
Bob sinclair and YESGUY,
I want the orange lodge marches to go ahead. I cannot think of a better way to destroy the ‘NO’ vote, within just a few hours.
I understand the logic for you wanting the Orange Order marches to go ahead RL although I admit I have signed the petition. My fear is that by allowing the marches to go ahead, particularly in Edinburgh, the week before the referendum we are putting loads of tourists lives in danger. This would have an adverse affect on future tourists, in my view.
Lesley anne
Honestly, ‘putting loads of tourists lives in danger’!!! get a grip. Its the orange lodge, not genghis khan.
At approximately 6.29pm tonight, I posted on the Herald website’s comments page, on the Indyref cash story.
I referred to this story, mentioned Wings over Scotland and, 15 minutes later, my post had vanished from the website.
So much for the integrity and even-handedness of the Herald.
Ah admitted to watching BBC Scotland News. It’s a mistake. Forgot to change it over. Honest. Only watched because of the YES campaign piece. Sorry. It will not happen again ever.
So better Together raise 2.4m would have mattered if it was 20m or 0.4m. The simple truth is that Better Together have unlimited resources. In particular the Government, it’s agencies and civil service not to forget the entire British print and broadcast media.
The cash raised is but a token gesture towards democracy though it would appear that very few “ordinary people are chipping in.
The Yes campaigns greatest resource it it’s supporters, a true grass roots movent which I truly believe will have tens of thousands actively campaigning in the final couple of weeks.
People power v the elite. It really is a peaceful revolution, I hope we will all do our wee bit to make this a successful revolution.
We only need a majority of trade union members and Labour voters to join us to ensure victory, show them things like who is providing the money to keep things the same like Stalbury Trustees above and you will surely be almost there.
just heard on the daily propaganda channel er i mean the BBC that on 2014 tonight they will be covering the fund raising of both campaigns on it,im not going to hold my breath that they will go into who has been funding BT,will be interesting to see how they spin this though.
Actually I’m quite astonished that the BBC has been fairer than STV with regard to the reporting of this, even quoting the comments on this website. Who’d have thought ehh? Of course it’s shocking that such large donors are companies and political funders from outwith Scotland. It’s a pity the Yes campaign haven’t made more capital out of how Cameron said it was a matter for the Scots while all of his pals including the bankers who played a big part in bringing down the RBS fund the No campaign! I’m sure Jim Murphy and George Galloway are delighted with the company they are keeping in this campaign with their deep commitment to the democratic process.
tabloid headline for anyone
Lord of the Bungs
I know it’s the O.O. R.L. but just remember after their wee saunter out last week end in Glasgow there were two stabbings and an innocent 12 -14 year old girl who ended up getting glassed. Thankfully, if I can say thankully, all this happened with just, just? , the locals *ahem* watching the saunter.
Now transfer the wee saunter to the middle of Edinburgh, where I believe they intend sauntering, and you have not just the locals but thousands of tourists standing on the pavement *ahem* watching the shenanigans of the O.O. Can you really say that there will be no violence from the O.O. in Edinburgh? I sincerely doubt it myself. That is why I said what I did in my last post.
I couldn’t care less how many O.O. *cough* members beat nine bells of shite out of each other, personally the more the merrier in my view, they may actually find a brain cell to share in the process. What I was trying to get over was my concern about the O.O. in fighting that goes on after, or even during, their saunter because they or their *ahem* followers have been hitting the bottle. It is in these circumstances that innocent by standers get dragged into the fights by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
With the thousands of people on the streets in Edinburgh I don’t think the innocent locals and tourists will not be able to escape any trouble as easily as they did in Glasgow. As I said above even then there were still two stabbings and a glassing.
So, put at its simplest, this whole campaign comes down to ordinary Scots versus rich English.
When was it ever different?
“Anyone for no aristocracy and no monarchy?”
I’d be careful with that kind of talk. Mr Coburn (UKIP) our latest MEP was interviewed for the “Nothern Scot” (Weekly paper in Moray where he got 14% of the vote). He slagged-off Labour and the Tories, said the Lib Dems were finished. Strangely enough all the local “No-ers” were still claiming UKIP’s support for the Union as valuable. But to get to the point, when he moved on to the SNP they were:- “a bunch of Edinburgh Lawyers who want a return to Jacobite Rule and Alex Salmond as President”. Ergo, the Referendum is a Roman Catholic plot to get rid of the Queen.
@ Lesley-Anne
As a North East Loon who moved to Glasgow and stayed not far from Glasgow Cross, when I first experienced the O.O Walk (about 2001) I genuinely thought WTF. I’d heard about it, but nothing prepares you for seeing/hearing it 1st hand.
Would it be good/bad to let them march prior to the Vote.. I dunno.
You could have the good, the bad and the ugly of the Better Together Lord and Lady Benefactors out front with large Donation cardboard Cheques.. The ‘Eton’ and ‘Highland Estate’ Branches
What intrigues me about the Orange Order is how they know where to meet up?
When they send out the message that they are exercising their “right to march” down the “Queen’s highway” how do they know which one?
Couldn’t they end up in Queen Street Glasgow rather than Princes Street Edinburgh? Is there a simple explanation like telepathy?
BBC report on Yes campaigning was full of words like Footsoldiers, targeting, etc. all of which seem to suggest something sinister. I’m sure it was deliberately designed to plant negative connotations. Will be interesting to see what words they use in their BT feature.
I think in our iScotland we should pass an Impoverished Peers Act which states you have to show you have 5x the average income to be a Baron 10x for a Viscount 20x for an Earl 40x for a Marquess and 50x for a Duke, cumulative of course so a double Duchy would require 100x plus all the minor honours.
As a sop if they couldn’t then they’d be allowed to keep the title till they died and then it would be extinguished. Then we’d know that the remaining Lords were worth their salt and they’d be sitting targets for SCRC and the land tax.
Landed Gentry for Indy say YAH!
Only now that you mentioned that do I realise that is exactly what they done, will listen to the BT one tomorrow to compare. Well spotted.
Quite a lot of D&G based landowners on that list of no donors, disappointing to see it tbh, protecting their privilege
Thanks to Colin & Chris Weir for levelling the playing field somewhat
That last post was @Bob Sinclair
I remember watching this upset Nobel Peace Prize winner shouting abuse at a young British squaddie because he was preventing him from walking the “Queen’s highway”.
I remember thinking – he’s got the wrong bloody road!
As I said above Brian I have signed the petition because I don’t believe this *ahem* organisation should exist in 21st Century Scotland. That said as Ken 500 says, for example, he wants the marches to go ahead. I can understand that because, as we all know, the O.O. is registered as supporting NO and any violence from any of their marches will result in, no matter how they try and spin it otherwise, the muck from this violence sticking to NO. From this point of view I agree with letting them march because I am certain their marching can do nothing other than bring bad news for NO. My fear is as I’ve said above, fear of the innocent by standers being injured and the knock on affects.
Thepnr,
Would be worth doing a comparison / frequency analysis type thingy on it. Just going to see if i can get the report on IPlayer.
The Orange Order do have access to mobile phones. Can they communicate, well.
I think THAT is the $64,000 question Ken.
Also with all the knuckle dragging they do are actually capable of using a mobile phone for what it was designed for. 😉
Good on ya, Stuart. Keep reminding them,
“If you want a good reason for voting ‘YES’, look at some of the people who are telling you not to.”
What worries me is, if this is what is being held up to daylight, what is happening in the dark.
This looks like people who can arrange the over through of a government through their wallets, never mind a referendum. They certainly make for strange bedfellows for the “international socialists”, they claim as camp followers.
There is a stink emerging from this and it seems to be coming from the BTNT camp. I fear for this referendum.
There are no mobile phones in 1690?
Jeez Rev! I’ve just noticed that this house was in Lincoln. As I said yesterday, I spent the weekend in Lincoln! If I knew all this, I could have had a wee wander around and had a peek!
Damn!
@tartan tory: So, what are you calling for then?
You read slightly too much into what I thought was a rather jocular remark my friend. But I believe titles have no place in a modern independent Scotland and given that an aristocracy essentially derives from a monarchy, if there’s no monarchy then there’s no legitimacy for a titled aristocracy. Although, clearly one can call oneself what one fancies. It’s a free country. And as for feeling sorry for them, tell that to the victims of the benefits cuts.
I like the queen by the way. She has shown that she knows and does her duty to her country as a monarch should. And she’s done a damn fine job. Not for her an abdication to let her son ‘take over’.
But jings, monarchies have had their day. To have as our head of state someone who has simply inherited that position from birth is an anachronism that I think Scotland could and should end.
Just back on that “Seventh Earl of Verulam, is actually John Grimston” donor of so much to Bliar MacBloated, but despite this Earl being a Barings Bank director, he took no responsibility at all for Leeson, who got all the blame and ended up in prison.
Fast forward to dirty digger billionaire Murdoch with his defunct News of the Screws reprobates and once again, one patsy takes all the heat and does the time, Andy Coulson.
Poor Andy but things never seem to change much for the teamGB kleptocracy ruling Scotland from the home counties via liggers like Jim Naughtie, A Darling, Johann Lamont, and George Galloway of all ranging hypocrites. Its certainly been a shock to the system our referendum, wonder Lamont will choose for her House of Lords ennoblement, Baroness Lamont of Pollock, scourge of AlicSamin and all the nationalist viruses she defeated in silly little Scotlandshire.
Somebody told me this was a Better Together aristocratic grassroots fundraiser. I’m not so sure –
link to archive.today
P Philip supported Independence for Scotland in 1968, according to Mr Benn’s Diaries. While Mr Benn claimed Scotland was subsidised.
It’s the secret, absentee tax evading landowners, donating to BT.
I just made a first post on the shipbuilding discussion. I then read through the list of donors to the No crowd and came across a David Stevenson. I would like to confirm that I am not him and sadly my donation to the Yes campaign was much more modest….
JLT
It would be a long walk, about ten miles to the east of Lincoln!!!
Once you get to Bardney, follow the road, you will come to a left hand corner, on the right is the Nags Head pub on the left another pub whose name has just changed and I cant remember. Turn right after the Nags Head and a couple of hundred yards down the road, look out for a Priest wearing Harris Tweeds.
The Financial Time has a good story on the BT donations
link to ft.com
In case you are wondering about RainDance Investments pedigree:
“The engagement was announced 10 March, 2005, between Donald F. Irwin Houston, younger son of the late Colonel Douglas Irwin Houston and of Mrs Douglas Irwin Houston, of Ardnamurchan, Argyll, and Katrina J. Bovill, younger daughter of Major Bristow Charles Bovill (b. 24 Sept, 1940), late Captain the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, of South Queensferry, West Lothian, by his wife the former Kerry Anne Reynolds.
Katrina Bovill is a younger sister of Skye Laurette Bovill who married the Earl of Hopetoun, son and heir of the Marquess of Linlithgow. Katrina Bovill’s paternal grandfather, Maj William Frederick Bovill, OBE, JP, married in 1939, Marjorie Joan, only daughter of Sir John Leigh, 1st Baronet (created 9 Feb 1918).”
Source: The Times 10 Mar 2005
I thought there was £918,000 from Edwin Morgan and a second million from the Weirs?
Maybe I’m missing something?
Edwin Morgan/Weirs made donations to the SNP. The Weirs made a donation to YES campaign.
Thanks Brian. This is the archive.is link to the FT article mentioned by Brian
Link…DOH!
link to archive.today
Cheers Ken. What are the limits on the SNP spending though?
Wonder how easy it would be to put a figure together as to the total number of hectares owned by all the rich landowners who make up the no campaign’s donor list? Something tangible for the undecided to ponder.
Can’t imagine it squares with the principles of any true labour voter. A nice round figure for the brave canvassers to drop in.
OT I aint too interested in twitter but I have to say Stu, you’ve been giving me my referendum highlight so far today – handing Duncan H his arse on a plate this afternoon. That boy don’t know when he’s beat!
I am reminded of the widow’s mite, oops maybe that should be MIGHT, my handful of tenners mean more than the loose change from those who have financialised MY country.
O/T but Their hypocrisy knows no bounds…
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be erected outside the Palace of Westminster in Parliament Square.
Chancellor George Osborne and Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the plans in New Delhi at Gandhi Smriti, a memorial on the site of his assassination.
The tribute to the civil rights leader, who studied in London, will be a mark of his continuing legacy inspiring non-violent movements around the world, they said.
Mr Osborne said: “As the father of the largest democracy in the world, it’s time for Gandhi to take his place in front of the mother of parliaments. He is a figure of inspiration, not just in Britain and India, but around the world.
link to t.news.uk.msn.com
Both campaigns are now limited to spending £1.5million? There is a time limit. The SNP has donated to YES campaign.
The BT donors might get a rebate, if the money hasn’t already been spent on PR company employees or unremarkable cinema ads, which get booed.
Vote YES and send them homeward to think again.
Petition signed.
Osbourne and Hague sniffing around India.
These people’s status is irrelevant. The fact is they have now defined the referendum in a different manner. They are not, for the most part domiciled Scots nor Scots by birth or culture.
They now define the referendum firmly as a Scotland Parliament vs The Parliament of England matter. We of course already knew that. This is the old Pirate trick of going into battle under a false flag then running down the false flag and running up the Jolly Roger.
The Jolly Roger, was any of various flags flown to identify a ship’s crew as pirates who were about to attack. The most common Jolly Roger was the skull and crossbones but there were others including a plain black banner.
Historically, the Jolly Roger flew to frighten the pirates victims to surrendering without a fight. It sent the message the attackers were outlaws not bound by the usual rules of engagement. As defeated pirates were usually hanged they had nothing to lose so would slaughter their victims.
Looks like the Butchers Apron is being run down and the Jolly Roger is running up – except they are doing what they have always done in their own minds. To them The Union Flag is their Flag of England and it really always has been since 1707.
Just ask David Mundell, who told you long ago, that the Treaty of Union had, “Extinguished Scotland”, and renamed England as the United Kingdom. Now there is no more pretence and they are now flying the Jolly Roger.
@joe kane
Doesn’t the pictures of that party just make you want to boak. Pure decadence, that really is flaunting it at the height of the recession too. Boak!!
YEAH!
Just saw a car and trailer pass my window on the Great North Road in Kelty. The car pulled a square box trailer with a Saltire painted on all sides.
@ gillie ” Rich Tory Toffs v Jock Thomson Bairns”
Now that’s what I call a slogan!!!
I’m certainly going to use it!
The anti-foreigner UKOK stance has impacted how young Indians and other overseas students view the UK.
link to theguardian.com
I remember this being discussed when Cameron last visited India on a trade mission.
Darlings we have something more valuable than money – ourselves. This evening I chatted with a gorgeous undecided young man in a local hostelry. At first undecided, by the end he went away with a pile of Aye Right leaflets – and he’s invited me to meet his well-built friends at another inn in town – gosh, lucky me!!!
Partner is just in from canvassing in Annan. Seems to have been the usual mix being slap bang in the centre of Tory land but hey needs must as they say.
Anyway one of the canvassers was at one door where the guy was a definite NO. Well wouldn’t you know it but after 20 minutes talking with the guy he is now a definite YES. Not only that but he asked for, and received, a YES sticker for his car which he put on his car before the canvasser had left.
I think this one event counts as the canvass event of the night! 😛
Paula Rose says:
“he’s invited me to meet his well-built friends”
You’re incorrigible Paula Rose 😉 Heels or strappy sandals?
Glad to see you’re spreading the err…word.
O/T I dont know who the half witted bbc football commentator is who just insulted the whole German Nation.
He referred to the German national anthem as ‘Deutschland Uber Alles. The official name of the German National Anthem is ‘Das Lied der Deutschen’, or simply, ‘Das Deutschlandlied’. The ‘Deutschland Uber Alles’ line is NEVER sung for obvious reasons.
Complaint ‘winging its way to the BBC toute suite.
i think this is symptomatic of the lack of respect that the BBC pays to anything not ‘UK’
@ X_Sticks – I spread peace, love and understanding as always, as well you know – you naughty boy.
I do like the BBC reporting.. (well i don’t – that was me being sarcastic)
link to bbc.co.uk
Brian Taylor’s wee bit is about “..higher temperatures.” An accusation by Better Together, then Blair J’s rebuttal.. Nothing new there form the BBC, a format they flog to death – attack/challenge and then let the reader decide if the response the BBC decides to print (due to Editorial decisions) is a bit weedy and not really ‘On Message’ or persuasive enough to vote YES (which bit will folk remember?)
And Brian, I hardly think Blair J pointing out the obvious truth can be constituted as “Told you the temperature was rising.” OOhhhh someone told the truth.. That’s a bit racey.. Poor reporting, and no mention of Blair McD moaning only 73 days ago they were the underdogs with hardly any cash- boo hoo.. Very Poor Reporting Brian – Must do better..
The bit I find really interesting is that the ONLY mention of any title what so ever in the article is ‘Sir’ Brian Souter ( I do hope it is and I’ve not missed one..lol)
Don’t get me wrong they mention wealthy land owners and rich Torys – we hear that phrase so often it cam become background noise and you kind of ignore it. But when you hear/read “Robert Edward Peter Marquess of Salisbury”, or “The Seventh earl of Varulam”, well that’s a different story. Your ears prick up when you hear that, you sit a bit more upright reading the computer screen to get a bit closer to make sure you read what you read..
Your interest has been activated then.. The BBC DON’T want that..
Did the BBC miss something that the rest of us missed. Are Wealthy Land owning Torys no longer Titled Gentry.. No, they’re just a ‘wealthy landowner’ catch phrase to gloss over your oratory and visual senses..
The BBC know that any whiff of those names and any Scot reading will be X-ing the YES box on the 18th September.
Language choice is fascinating i think. Why do they choose one word over another.. Think about that.. see Bob Sinclairs post form earlier:
@ Bob Sinclair says:
8 July, 2014 at 7:24 pm
BBC report on Yes campaigning was full of words like Footsoldiers, targeting, etc. all of which seem to suggest something sinister. I’m sure it was deliberately designed to plant negative connotations. Will be interesting to see what words they use in their BT feature.
@Richard Bruce
I suspect there will be a fair number of decent Labour Party members uncomfortable with the kind of characters who are bankrolling the BT campaign. For the rest of the ‘international socialists’, however – particularly the bulk of elected members at all levels – I don’t think they will bat an eyelid. Their visceral hatred of the SNP trumps everything.
The irony is that it’s a win-win for the Tories & Cameron IF there is a No vote. He’s on course to win in 2015 anyway if the polls trajectory keep moving in the same direction. ‘Saving the Union’ can only bolster his chances. Result is 10 years at least of Toryism & a government again that Scotland hasn’t voted for.
Labour truly are the Tories’ useful idiots.
@Paula Rose
Paula,
Chippendales for Yes?…
@Bob Sinclair.
Agree Bob the Orange Order are nothing more than a sectarian bully boy outfit. Its fitting that they’re Better Together’s henchmen, threatening and intimidating people who don’t comply with their beliefs
Better Together should change their slogan to “Vote no or we’ll get the Orange Order to bash your head in.”
As many of us say – “have you had your five a day”, we win this by talking, conversing and engaging with our fellow Scots. Money is not the issue, wear that Yes badge with pride and smile – that will do it, it’s that straightforward.
It grates upon my heartstrings that these ultra rich, so called aristocratic people, can donate so much to retain the alleged subsidy junkie Scots claimed by them as being too poor, too wee and too bloody stupid. So just why do they want Scotland within the mighty United Kingdom, (a.k.a. England).
Meanwhile the BBC, MSM and, Labour Party fronted, Better Together are spouting propaganda and under reporting the stark truth. The truth that while the Scots per capita GDP is higher than the UK average some poor working family Scots, are being starved by them and being directed to walk many miles to food banks. Arriving there so hungry they tear open ring pull tins to eat cold food with their bare hands.
Anyone who thinks these rich people make such large donations for the sake or benefit of Scotland & Scots is an idiot and, if they call themselves proud Scots, they are brainless, ignorant and heartless idiots.
Guys the OO and their like are an embarrassment to this country. They have no place in a new Scotland. We want a fairer and equal place who look forward not back.
They hurt a wee lassie who was just out and about. It might be your son or daughter next. This is unacceptable . These marches are riddled with drunk nutters and old men. We should be concentrating on the C. Games and a referendum but the attention will be on these idiots.
Sign the petition please. If it wasn’t for the referendum they wouldn’t be here. And any votes the YES vote would gain would be at the expense of some poor innocent being hurt would be tainted.
OT: Was out my daily walk seen a car with some No thanks and U-KOK stickers but the addition of a Free Tibet sticker. These unionists are bit mixed up bunch. Not the best pic but did not want to hang around. :-
link to i60.tinypic.com
Bob Sinclair in a post above mentioned the BBc commentator tonight calling the German anthem by its old name of Deutschland Uber Alles.
To be fair, he immediately corrected himself and named it correctly.
Easy mistake to make, I still think of it as D U A, but, then, I’m in my seventh decade.
Silver
is that a “foren ” car??
@Robert Peffers
“Anyone who thinks these rich people make such large donations for the sake or benefit of Scotland & Scots is an idiot and, if they call themselves proud Scots, they are brainless, ignorant and heartless idiots.”
Very well said, this is one of the messages we must pass on to those that are as yet uninformed.
Funny – I thought the Vote Nob Orders was supposed to be a spoof website.
Turns out it is not – it is real…
link to votenoborders.com
Very devious – these rich Nobs !
@
Murray McCallum says:
Like string?
Re. the statue to Mahatma Gandhi. I expect it will become a shrine to those who cherish ‘British values’. 🙂
BBC exclusive, announce UK Gov sold ingredients to Syria used to make chemical weapons, from the broadcaster which cheerleaded the UK Gov to bomb Syria because of chemical weapons.
O/T-Moving away from gold-plated Astroturf, onto something that is refreshingly free …
I’ve posted a few times recently a link to the ‘Make Alba Shine’ IndyRef song (with images) that I put up on YouTube : link to youtube.com
There is now a webpage up at: link to makealbashine.com where you can also watch the ‘Make Alba Shine’ YouTube movie, and there is a link on the webpage to Soundcloud, to either listen to the song streamed, or download it (both free).
The webpage also confirms that the song written and performed by Gilly is free to be used for any promotional purposes by the YES campaign e.g. played at start of YES meetings (as has been done already).
Everyone feel free to share ‘Make Alba Shine’ via YouTube or Soundcloud.
Warning: The song gets into your head, and anyone who hears it will vote YES.
@gordoz says: 8 July, 2014 at 5:38 pm
“Gutted – just realised the ‘Laird o’ Cockpen’ is a BT contributor”,
Aye! Bit Cockpen ainly daed it ‘cos he wis prood o his grate.
Oh look what a surprise another super rich Tory tax dodger donates to Westminster ukok sewer.
link to theguardian.com
Anyone else at the premier (see me!) of ‘Scotland Yet’ tonight? No red carpet – but some bubbly in plastic glasses and several not-quite-Hollywood stars.
A great wee film, not entirely without fault, but with plenty of heart and some very wise words and thoughts..
And the added extra of several shots of the Rev holding forth….
Make sure to see it when it comes on tour
Re Gandhi statue.
I wonder if there will be a similar statue to Alex Salmond outside Westminster in 50 years time?
Perhaps not – at least the British Empire did not lock up Alex for his democratic views.
Good to see the irony is not lost on Westminster. Complete Hypocrites!
@ CameronB Brodie – I’ve got to say it again, that is lovely xxx (his beautiful gravatar)
Just what you would expect. A bunch of plutocrats and chinless wonders. What a pity my tumbril is ‘in the wash’ !
@kininvie
What were the flaws in Scotland Yet in your opinion?
@kininvie
Re Scotland Yet. Was the venue full? I’m absolutely sure I donated enough for two tickets. In fact I think it was four, were actual tickets delivered to you or little round sticky badges?
I heard nothing about it. Disappointed at missing that, well will just have to see it when it comes to Dundee.
Paula, people will begin to wonder why we never post at the same time. 😉
Cameron dear I would hate to blow too hard.
Sssh – btw we know the Rev is a misogynistic, anti gay homophobe who hates deviants and everyone else – ffs don’t let him know we are the wingers.
Whatever you do make sure he never finds the TRUTH out about Arbroath 1320 then Paula. 😛
O/T Encouraging news about future oil prospects here
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
Interlude.
Santo & Johnny – Sleepwalk
link to youtube.com
Your secret is safe with me horny – sorry, honey.
btw – honey – I hope you are looking after that orchid.
Desperately trying to do my best Paula, so far so good. 😉
@YESGUY
No UK car parked 100yards from Ian Murray’s MP office by chance. Must be local as the VW Beetle is parked there most days.
Bugger (the Panda) says:
Like string?
Ah string. Makes sense.
Distilled water is the secret.
Oh right thanks for that wee tip Paula, I’ll try and make sure one of us remembers that. 😛
Derek Bateman slays another unionist dragon .. on Europe.
The Douglas-Scott paper confirms what I was reporting on the BBC more than two years ago – that the EU lawyers have already looked at this question and reached a preliminary conclusion which will go before the Council if there is a Yes vote. There is no exclusion, no long wait, no queue to join, no new state accession, just an adjustment to treaty. And the talks on the terms will begin almost immediately (and on the rUK’s).
link to derekbateman.co.uk
Previously No voters who have changed their minds and are voting Yes;
link to independent.co.uk
Paula likes her gardening, even got a pond with fish in it. Did you get that on expenses Paula?
Just what I needed to hear Thepnr, now I’m starting to get jealous. 😉
No
@muttley
Chiefly not covering the full breadth of Yes: Lots of stuff from Radical Indy, Common Weal, Nat Collective – but nothing from Biz4Scot, Women4Indy, Wealthy Nation or local grassroots groups. So, IMO, left the impression that Yes is predominantly driven by leftish ideologies, or young artists, when in fact Yes goes a lot wider…
Of course, it’s impossible for a documentary to cover everything and everyone, but I’d like to have seen & heard more from the ordinary footsoldiers of the campaign rather than the weel-kent. Just MHO, of course.
But some great moments. Interestingly (and maybe surprisingly) some remarkably positive comments by Prof Tompkins
@thepnr
I got two tickets as a perk for my donation. Was alerted by email & then simple download and print. But it was also possible to book tickets. The Lyceum was about 80% full, I’d have said – approx 200??
So – just cos I sound like Barbara Windsor, and am happy to tittilate you boys, my gardening expertise is open to question?
@Paula Rose
I’d fight anybody who says you can’t get down and dirty 😉
Now dears – we have a referendum to win, we are the gold plated, barefoot activists, we can do this and we will xxx
After reading Stu’s post,it’s just reaffirmed my “Lisa Simpson” analogy.
We can talk the talk and walk the walk…but…when it comes down to the bare bones,it comes down to ears willing to listen.
How many times have you heard them on the doorstep saying that they’re not sure?
How many times have you heard “they say this is going to happen and who are you to say that the BBC are wrong?”
I’m watching the BBC2 debate right now and all I can say is we need better representation.David and Bob are doing OK but there is no passion to counteract the like of Doyles.
The YES campaign has to get passionate with a small “p” because if we got to engaged they would through the “Braveheart” lie in our face?(there is a counter to that and it’s why do they never call britnats “Robin Hooders”?)
Does that make sense?or am I just knacked again?
@kininvie
Oh well, I must have missed that email unless i mucked up earlier. Will check their website to see when it is coming to my area.
@Paula Rose
No one disputes your gardening expertise, just how you funded the garden? 😉 Remember moats and expenses?
“lie in our face”
Should be “lie,throw it in our,face.”
So much for making sense.
Goldenayr honey, and everyone else – talk to your fellow Scots, they want you to guided them through the maze. We have spent the last two years understanding it all – they now need our expertise, they are everyone else.
“We can’t wait to see them all on a platform with Ian Davidson.”
I can’t wait to see them all in a dole queue with Ian Davidson when their regular gravy train service from Scotland gets suddenly cut off in the not-too-distant future! 😉
@Paula Rose –
You don’t sound anything like Barbara Windsor dear – more like Eartha Kitt when she’s in predatory mode.
@ Thepnr – I know dear, but I hurl my high heels at the TV and then have to campaign shoeless. I take my learning from Ghandhi.
Paula Rose
Sweetie,they to write on my PARs “Does not suffer fools gladly”.
BOY,did they get that right!
If this campaign has taught me anything,it’s to listen to people.
It’s just a pity there are those few who believe the guff.
Now boys – this thread might be read by 250,000 people, so I’m going to bed – oh gosh bit of a slip btw (bed that widens), xxx love you all
@Oneironaut
Nice one 🙂
Ian Brotherhood
I think Paula just said “Puuurrr”.
“there is a counter to that and it’s why do they never call britnats “Robin Hooders”?”
They are more like the sheriff of Nottingham, robin hood was the good guy.
a2
True!
But they never complain about Robin Hood films.
It will be interesting to find out, if the suppliers to Syria of the chemical precursors for Sarin are ‘By Royal Appointment’ companies.
Strange how the Bliar govt. were ok with selling this muck to Assad Sr, at the same time as using those non-existent WMDs of Saddams, as an excuse to invade Iraq.
@Paula Rose says: 9 July, 2014 at 12:02 am
“Now boys – this thread might be read by 250,000 people, so I’m going to bed – oh gosh bit of a slip btw (bed that widens), xxx love you all
I’m off to bed too. As to the Earth Kitt thingy I’ll say this, and I’ve outlived two(Err! Not at the same time), well loved wives.
It’s not the seemingly predatory ones that you need to watch out for. Anyway the only female I need worry about now only sneaks into my bed on very, very cold nights.
And she’s a right little bitch – a very beautiful little papillon. I don’t like a heated bedroom and on colder nights I awake in the morning with a very hairy hot-water-bottie snuggled against my feet.
Does anyone actually KNOW why Tony Blair isn’t in a prison?
Defo
Under the UK licensing laws,all foreign made chemicals have to come under “Royal Appointment”.
Otherwise they have to undergo the rigorous laws that prohibit such activities here.
Ian Brotherhood
Blair doesn’t visit countries that will arrest him.
More aristocratic links for Ulric
link to william1.co.uk
Robert Peffers
That reminds me of a freezing cold night I spent on a Greek beach (Diurnal cycle and day-wear), kept warm by a stray bitch that decided to act as a blanket. A bit manky perhaps but warm and motherly. 🙂
Mybeez I should have gone to bed an hour ago. Night, night. 🙂
If it’s not been posted before?
The BT guys argument falls apart against Carolyn Leckie just a few seconds in.
link to player.stv.tv
@Ian Brotherhood says:
Does anyone actually KNOW why Tony Blair isn’t in a prison?
Take it it is for much the same reason, look after your own.
Does anyone actually KNOW why any bankers aren’t in a prison?
Does anyone actually KNOW why Westminster paedophiles are not in prison?
Answer: The establishment protects it’s own.
Ian B. Aye, he’s called G Bush Jr.
Cheers Goldenayr. ‘Mongers of Death’ By Royal Appointment.
CameronB Brodie
Didn’t want to fall into the trap.
The pnr
That and he hates square sausage.
Defo
I will now have to eat my hard drive in defence.
goldenay
Doh, my bad. I was talking about a smelly dog, just in case anyone might misconstrue what I said as misogynist. 😉
Ulric’s Irish ancestor was a Unionist, who opposed Irish Home Rule and independence!
link to en.wikipedia.org
No need to stress Goldenayr, were like Starlings to MI5s Falcon. Too many of us to be able to target individuals.
Night all.
Cam B
The temptation to misconstrue and mention the wife was almost too much.
Defo
Danggit! And I’d just put Ketchup on it as well.
Anyway, the moral of the story (digging furiously here), is never look a gift-horse in the mouth. 🙂
goldenayr @ 12 29
Good
Then he should stay out of Scotland then
Thepnr, thanks for your comment at 8:40 pm.
In case folks missed my link earlier, here are some images of some typical Better Together grassroots fundraisers and members of its natural constituency amongst the British aristocracy and landed gentry. Despite these austere times for the nation, none of the them look like they’ll be needing to visit their nearest foodbank any time soon. Just to say, you might want to have a sick bag handy before clicking the link.
Dwarves, chastity belts and why Pippa’s missing the one man who could rein her in
link to dailymail.co.uk
Cam B
Never have…which brings me back to the wife.
Boom boom…….
liz g
The chances of Tony visiting his birthroots are as unlikely as his descendants doing likewise for several generations.
Oh for the days of “Sins of the Father”.
For anyone interested,the site is displaying a lagtime similar to surveillance.
Cam B
Did you ever do fox puppetry?
Fox puppetry?
Cam B
Basil Brush.
I am off that era, the original anyway. 🙂
Cam B
Yeah,I’m “off” that era too 😀
Sorry,the jokes are as bad as Basils.
Bungle from Rainbow was living next to my aunt, at roughly the same time. 🙂
Cam B
Maybe you should stay “Zippy” about that 🙂
goldenay
You win. Night, night. 🙂
Cam B
See when you here the name “George”.
Do you think of pink hippos?
I only ask because we gave a classmate one helluva time over it.
If you’re reading now…Sorree!
If it’s any consolation,it kept them off me.
Cam B
Oichde mhath
Bob Sinclair,
“He referred to the German national anthem as ‘Deutschland Uber Alles.”
That from ‘UK Uber Alles’ UKIP TV!
The Germans moved on a long time ago but the BritNats are incapable of any such thing.
Unless a Yes vote on 18th September jolts them 300 years forward in time.
Ronnie Anderson says
“Gordon Browns picked his name fur the hoose of lords.
Lord Linoleum O Kirkcaldy, some say its a walkover fur him”
They say he’s got a flair for it. 🙂
With the recent whisky donation in mind, I was wondering if the good people of WoS might suggest an alternative to celebrate independence with?
I know it’s a danger to be overconfident but with the Nob Orders being revealed and the Paedogeddon going on in Westminster it’s looking better and better for Scotland’s chances of a better indy future.
Cyber bullying is part of the unfortunate nature of the internet. It exists on both Yes and No sides of the indyref debate; for either side to deny that unworthy comments have been made by supporters of both Yes and No is sticking ones head in the sand.
I am an unequivocal supporter of the Yes campaign, but some comments that I have read on Twitter, Facebook and newspaper response sites from YES supporters have turned my stomach, they shouldn’t have been made and should have been condemned by fellow “yesers”.
Likewise decent supporters of the No side should condemn the vile vitriol that is spewed by too many No supporters on line. If there is one thing that should unite those who are passionate about either side of the argument it should be that it is “a good clean fight”.
However there is one thing that worries me about the ability to have a “good clean fight” and that is that a number of us, from both sides of the debate, who use to have respectable discussions on the Scotsman site now get our comments blocked with “This comment was left by a user who has been blocked by our staff”. Ie the Scotsman is actively blocking those who debate the issues and only allowing abusive trolls (from both sides) to comment, whilst publishing leaders condemning abusive comments as a “Cybernat” problem!
I am sooo fed up with the crap from BBC and their propoganda on GMS this morning they are reporting about Sudan, and all the things that have beset them since the South went Independent, war, poverty, starvation, and possible spread of disease.
More not so subliminal messages that Independence is bad, bad, bad. I am ffing sick to death of them and it ain’t 7 am yet!
The boys of the British establishment to the rescue. Make no mistake about it, this is a campaign for the Brits against the Scots.
Liquid Lenny,
It was actually Sudbrooke I was in. Just around the corner. Must admit, Lincoln has some cracking countryside. Some of the old villages are really picturesque. No wonder the wife’s family live there. A really nice, quiet place to retire.
@Haggis Hunter
Sooner or later it will all come down to this, as the UK establishment and their various Brit/Scot agents, will not allow it to be any other way.
Just look at the donations evidence Scotland.
I never went to School with an Ulric but I did go to school with a Lester Leech!
There was a Ruprecht once but the grownups stopped talking about him all of a sudden,
we never knew why,
but his parents suddenly boarded up the attic door. 🙁
Had a thought this morning: have Blue Pitch holdings put money into Bitter Together?
If so, and it is publicised, Yes are home and hosed.
Some of the press reporting Harriet Harman’s complaint that misogynist Gordon Brown prevented her becoming Deputy PM because she was a women.
link to theguardian.com
That should go down with undecided woman voters.
Wow- Well I never knew that about New Zealand
link to newsnetscotland.com
These English “aristocrats” don’t seem to have any connection to Scotland but it’s seemingly ok for them to contribute to BT.Yet Sean Connery and the SNP used to get attacked for his contributions to them because he lived abroad.
Haggis Hunter says:
Make no mistake about it, this is a campaign for the Brits against the Scots.
So true. At some point in the past I naively thought this would be a debate between Scots who wanted Independence and those who didn’t. The reality which has unfolded couldn’t be further from that.
It’s Britnats, big money, the British State, the media and a small selection of troughers who have been bewitched by the bright lights of London, on one side. They have few grassroots other than diehard Scots Tories. On the other side are the people of Scotland. The only problem being, that many of Scotland’s people haven’t worked that out yet!
John H
That’s because the Tory right wing UK press and the Labour establishment at BBC Scotland control the mainstream media output.
Check out latest Derek Bateman blog
link to derekbateman.co.uk
And this is why Wings performs such a vital public service.
The expression, “He who pays the piper calls the tune”. Is forever true and looking at the independence campaign we find the funding of the two sides calling the respective tunes.
It places Better Together, the Orange Order, Labour Party, a gaggle of celebs as strange bedfellows with the upper levels of the English Establishment in a fight to the death with a true grass roots of ordinary Scots with just a small number of ordinary Scotts who just got lucky.
Now look at some consequences, like the YES supporting Actor, David Hyman. This Scottish stage & screen star has had his one-man travelling play about Scottish Independence banned from several Council run theatres in Scotland. Does anyone really need to enquire which councils would those be?
I wonder if the BBC or the Scottish newspapers will be doing reviews of the play?
Anyone who cannot see the battle now defined as exactly what it is – the elite Establishment fighting ordinasry Scots, has just lost the second part of their last two cynaptic capable brain cells.
Weepy Guardian this morning and their whining for lost Nick Clegg love with absolutely no mention of Scottish politics whatsoever, unless that nice Steve Bell cant poop again.
Stench of ukok decay
link to archive.today
Better Together have been amply funded by big business and Tory bankers. I don’t think there has ever been any doubt that they would have all the funds they needed. However, I do wonder what they do with the money.
A couple of chaps sitting in an (albeit expensive) office in the West End making up stories which a compliant press and TV run for free doesn’t require a lot of money. Better Together almost exclusively rely on Labour councillors and activists to man stalls, if they do have any at all, which is again inexpensive. Social Media is inexpensive to run. The Treasury have produced thousands of pages of reports for them at Nil cost to Better Together. Better Together always try and duck out of public meetings and debates thereby ensuring travel and hotel expenses (if necessary) are kept to a minimum.
Yes on the other hand are hugely active. There are Yes shops all over the country, there Yes people holding public meetings almost every night of the week and Yes people are always up for a public debate. The very visibility of Yes means I can see that there is activity and a requirement for funding. However Yes seem to have done so much more with a lot less money.
That alone suggests that we should be worried about the No people continuing to run the country. They simply are not value for money.
We are a mere 70 or so days away from the
Ooops
I was going to finish with
We are a mere 70 or so days away from the vote so money at this stage is not going to be the deciding factor. I think both sides will have their £1.5m.
@ John H. there’s wan rule fur the Goose an wan fur the
Gander. Ah tore up the rule book a long time ago, dont
you know there’s a Service of Reconsillyasion,do as much
bending just now , oppoligize after the event by whitch
time who gives a F, Westminster is not noted for playing
fair they write the rule books then ignore them.
Referendum
Vote YES
Well folks, I’ve always thought we would win.Even so, recently I’ve felt even more optimistic because at last, as we get closer to the big day, people who haven’t been bothered up until now, are beginning to engage.
I feel that as they examine the issues for themselves, most of them are coming to us.I don’t discount opinion polls completely, but I’m aware that they can be manipulated, deliberately or not.
I have this sense of an awakening, and not before time.
HandandShrimp
Backhanders for certain journalists and TV executives.
I wonder if the BT Naw team will have a lot of unreceipted cash expenses?
o/t but if Gavin Lessels sees this would he please contact me bill_urquhart@hotmail.com..
Alternatively, if anyone has his contact details would they please send them to me at the above address.
BtP
It did occur to me that a glance over audited accounts would be interesting (well I would find it interesting).
BetterTogether canvassers etc are getting paid here in Aberdeen. There’s a big expensive Bettertogether shop at the top of Union Street next to the Post Office, which all costs a lot of money and there’s never anyone in it. Its a bit spooky really, like a ghost shop with union jack/Scotland flags draped front and back. Loadsamoney!
Might have missed someone saying this earlier in the thread, but ” We are bought and sold for English gold” springs to mind. If they can’t bully enough of us they’ll use greed to divide us.
Greed is good but monstering Scots is bettertogether. like so
link to theguardian.com
I’m definitely taking my Slovene girlfriend Jezereena to see this movie, but not Prof Tomkins nor Aleisbadas, munches pop corn too loud.
link to theguardian.com
O/T The Brit Establishment are at their shenanigans again.
link to tompride.wordpress.com
The rich and powerful like the system just the way it is they run the country to suite themselves and for their benefit just a modern version of the old coal masters and land owners and the peasants were kept in line by fear and greed, nothing has changed.
They sit in their HOL thinking up scams for the lower classes to get fleeced for their benefit.
You look at the latest illegal games the establishment lords and parliamentarians are up to and the expenses shambles and it sickens you. The top echelons of our society are above the laws that they make.
They investigate themselves bad use their legal friends and their BBC/MSM to pass the word that alls well and things are back on track, as they work on their next scam.
The middle class overseers are left to smooth things out and keep the peasants quiet and fearful.
A wonderful system which has worked very well for 300 years, who would want to change it now?
It’s turned into a classic revolution situation. Like every revolution there are three groups:
i) the Establishment, big money, vested interest, elites, the conservative elements of society, ordinary people with right wing views
ii) a large junk of the ordinary people seeking a fairer more just society with some inspirational spokespeople
iii) another large junk of ordinary people who are scared of change or disengaged from events around them
I could say Our revolution is democratic, but becomes less true with every day which passes. At this stage my hope is that a democratic Yes vote does bring all this to an end.
Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! HELP! HELP! I’m being repressed! 🙂
link to youtube.com
chunk, not junk. Sheeesh
Just some one of the taxpayer subsidy pocketed by Donald Houston/Rain Dance Investments in 2013 – £395,774.59.
So, as we know, troughers vote to keep their snouts in.
Source: link to cap-payments.defra.gov.uk
Chrisssstttttt
The Tony Blair syndrome.
God is on David Cameron’s side.
link to tinyurl.com
Time to get out before the 7 plagues of Egypt arrive.
Into the Sinai boys, girls, dugs, cats and budgies, the Tay will soon be running red.
I’ve seen some media reports more or less saying that all this paedophile stuff was way back in the 1980s and long ago all over and done with.
Well this old man has always been a good judge of people and a perceptive observer of humane beings and their trends. It is my experience that evil trends like paedophilia grow and spread their evil rather than fizzle out.
Anyone daft enough to imagine that power hungry people and their motives are driven only by pure altruism needs to think again. There is not an organization where people gain power over others that does not have a history of both extreme good and extreme bad motives.
From Youth Clubs, to religions, to the military, to medical to politics and even within families we have long histories of both shining saints and evil sinners.
Anyone daft enough to imagine a paedophile ring at the heart of the establishment, having once existed, just died out is fooling themselves. Such things tend to grow and spread like untreated cancers and like cancers, even when treated, are hard to eradicate.
link to telegraph.co.uk
This makes sense but Rowling is probably the most oddest character in all this. What sane human being hands over 1 million pounds to try and stop democracy, in Scotland or indeed anywhere?
Better Together was found to have been given £2,406,475 in that period – more than twice as much as Yes Scotland’s £1,160,000.
The pro-UK campaign group achieved that total thanks in part to gifts from major Scottish landowners and businessmen.
Ardverikie Estate Limited, which manages the estate featured in the BBC series Monarch of the Glen and the film Mrs. Brown, gave Better Together £10,000.
The Earl of Seafield, who owns two Highlands estates, donated £100,000, while the company that manages the estates and business interests of the Duke of Buccleuch and his family gave £25,000.
As well as JK Rowling’s £1 million – the biggest donation to Better Together – the group also received £200,000 from Christopher Sansom, an eminent crime writer
Can someone reply to Jo McAlpines article on Daily Record? I can’t for some reason, boy is saying that we get our oil money and get more back than what we make…
Failing to understand that we don’t actually get the total amount allocated to us to spend ourselves, nor do we get all the oil revenue as well as a shitload of other things.
Silly lying unionist.
@Bill Halliday
This referendum really is all things to all people.
We have your noted example of claims that “The SNP – A Catholic conspiracy” and on the other side George Galloway ranting that Catholics should fear for their lives in a post YES Scotland.
Hopefully the retained Scottish NHS can help these poor folk in the years to come.
The more I see of the other side, the more I know I am on the correct one. I am never surprised by the opposition but I am very surprised at those who still think the Labour Party are looking after their interests. What is the saying that “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Just a wee thought, do you think they are all in the same masonic lodge?
Helena Brown says:
The more I see of the other side etc etc
Ahem
@chalks says: 9 July, 2014 at 10:55 am: “Silly lying unionist”.
Indeed, chalks, but is there any other kind of Unionist?
Oh! Wait! Of course there is – the stupid ones who have believed the easily exposed Unionist liars lies. Cannot these other kind of unionist see through the lies? Is it, perhaps, that they actually, WANT to believe and thus shut their eyes, ears and mouths to them?
Could it really be so simple that they hate the SNP, Alex Salmond and Scotland so much that they deliberately shut down their better senses to the obvious truths?
This just in from Naughty Blair
“With your support we have raised more than the nationalist campaign. It is clear from today’s donation figures that, for all their talk Yes Scotland are lacking a broad base of support within Scotland. Better Together have received more big donations and far more small donations than Alex Salmond’s campaign to break up the UK.”
Not so long ago that he’d been telling us that yes had so much more cash than Better togeather in an email (unfortunately deleted) sent out to ‘supporters’ and people like me who ended up on their mailing list.
Surely there must be some of the actual supporters that will see the contradiction, personally I’d have resisted the temptation to boast.
Some more info…
According to duedil.com, Rain Dance Investments Ltd is the holding company for the following subsidiaries:
1. Ardnamurchan Estates Limited (link to west-highlands.co.uk)
2. Beinn Bhuidhe Energy Limited
3. Mudd-Ox International Limited (link to muddoxinternational.com)
I thought it was naughty Blair’s lot that claimed that the Yes campaign had raised £10m and that Yes were outspending No by 2 to 1?
Mind you I don’t believe a word Naughty Blair says.
Does anyone know how much each of the respective campaigns have raised from people actually living in Scotland?
“is there any other kind of Unionist? Oh! Wait! Of course there is – the stupid ones who have believed the easily exposed Unionist liars lies”
So in your opinion, according to the polls around half the population of Scotland are either liars or stupid?
We need to be convincing no voters of the merits of independence, not abusing and insulting them – people like you are damaging our cause.
“Rowling is probably the most oddest character in all this. What sane human being hands over 1 million pounds to try and stop democracy, in Scotland or indeed anywhere?”
What on earth are you babbling about? When has Rowling ever said she wants to ‘stop democracy’?!
That pack o lies from Bliar matches neatly the liars at Press and Journal, headline millions BetterTogether better off but focus on the rich bus dude and Rowling and no mention anywhere of English elite/City banksters vote NOT funding. They are getting creepier by the day at Press and Journal, more subtle when they have to be but they’re thinking a lot more over their project fear schtick.
If this localised propaganda machine does win, they’ll almost certainly never mention the referendum agan, simply continue to both ignore Holyrood and try get the SNP voted out. It’s a powerful weapon they’ve got at Thompson but how powerful are they?
O/T just received by ronnie.
Dear Ronnie,
In the news this morning you will be reading about the first donor declaration of the campaign which was published by the Electoral Commission yesterday.
With your support we have raised more than the nationalist campaign. It is clear from today’s donation figures that, for all their talk Yes Scotland are lacking a broad base of support within Scotland. Better Together have received more big donations and far more small donations than Alex Salmond’s campaign to break up the UK.
This is down to your support. So I wanted to say thank you. We can’t do this without you.
While the newspapers tomorrow will be full of stories about how we are winning the fundraising battle, we still need your support so we can run the best possible campaign over the next 70 days. For example, we are about to start shooting a series of short-films. The first of these aims to raise the questions the SNP still haven’t answered. We need to raise fifty thousand pounds to make these films and take them to as wide an audience as possible.
If you can afford to contribute financially, please consider doing so by clicking here. If not, there’s still plenty of other ways to get involved: why not sign up to volunteer? As today’s news shows, your support really can make a difference.
Thank you in advance.
Blair
Blair McDougall
Campaign Director
Better Together
Ps You can donate to the campaign by clicking here.
From McDougall’s email:
“We need to raise fifty thousand pounds to make these films and take them to as wide an audience as possible.”
It’s the ongoing pretence (lie) that Better Together needs to raise money from ‘ordinary punters’ that truly sickens. They have had, and continue to have, access to unlimited funds via Tory millionaires, bankers, and, of course, the UK Government.
That 50k will be with them via a Westminster shell company in the blink of an eye. Blair McDougall is, as has often been pointed out here, a liar.
I am quite sure the BBC will let them film their pieces in the BBC studios.
OT: Have a look at Flash Gordon link to bbc.co.uk
Now I understand all this Nazi stuff.
The 7th Marquess of Salisbury’s father the 6th Marquess has a bit of history regarding white supremacy in Rhodesia.
He was President of the Anglo-Rhodesian Society, and an enthusiastic supporter of white supremacy in Rhodesia, whose capital was named after the family,and where his family co-owned 80,000 acres of farmland.
A supporter of Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of illegal independence for Southern Rhodesia,but his son donates to stop legal democratic independence for Scotland!!
Bettertogether with donors like the Salisburys?
NO.
More grassroots here:
link to facebook.com
Off topic.
The Yes Scotland Information Hub is crowdfunding for four advert trailers to cover the STIRLING constituency. These will be vital in helping secure a Yes vote in the STIRLING area for the referendum on 18th September.
Our crowd funding page is at:
link to indiegogo.com
Please visit and donate what you can afford. If you are unable to donate then please help by sharing this link on Facebook and Twitter.
Only 5 days to go please help!
Thank you for your support.
“Rain Dance Investments Ltd”; address St Lawrence, 28 Station Road, Bardney, Lincoln, LN3 5UD. Directors: James Keith Ross Falconer, Norfolk House, 31 St James Sq, London, SW1Y 4JR & 2nd home, 56/3 North Castle Street,Edinburgh, EH2 3LU; William Robert Kelly, Silverhill,Glenborodale Acharacle, Argyll PH36 4JG; David Calder, 7 Quarrywood Court,Livingston,West Lothian,EH54 6AX; Donald Francis Irwin-Houston, Mingary, Ardnamurchan, Kilchoan, PH36 4LH, Balance Sheet
FIXED ASSETS £21,015,310
Investments £21,015,310
CURRENT ASSETS £66,222,778
Debtors £16,442,930
Cash £49,779,848
TOTAL ASSETS £87,238,088
CREDITORS/LIABILITIES
Amounts falling due within one year £6,250
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES £87,231,838
So just your average voter then.
@ Andrew
Give it a fucking rest.
That’s 4 fucking threads today with the same fucking post.
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