The Hardest Walk
“Settling up, not settling down” was the rhetoric, as Westminster reconvened and the new SNP group headed south. Fine words and said no doubt sincerely. But it’s been said by every SNP generation that’s gone there, though none possessed the authority or faced the threats to Scottish democracy as now.
But what has happened since? As ever fine speeches given and incisive questioning of Ministers made, but to what effect?
The first major debate was the Fisheries Bill. A sore point in Scotland where a Tory government sold out our fishing industry and entire communities along with it decades ago, when negotiating EEC entry terms. Now, two generations on, as another Tory administration seeks to implement Brexit, that industry and those communities face betrayal yet again.
An SNP amendment to delay consideration pending clarification on the outcome of the discussions was tabled. Perfectly reasonable you might think in these tumultuous discussions between the UK and EU where no one, least of all the Prime Minister, know what might happen. Instead that futile attempt to protect Scottish interests was comprehensively defeated by 326 votes to just 49.
The onslaught on Scottish interests had only just begun, though. It was followed almost immediately by the Internal Market Bill rolling back, not just undermining, the devolution settlement. Showing scant respect to Scotland, even breaching binding international agreements signed by the UK and extolled by Boris Johnson.
Despite it being contrary to international law and condemned by every living former UK Premier, it was backed by a majority of 77. Confirmation, if that was ever required, that this Tory government has been taken over by an oligarchy intent on delivering their agenda for a Singapore on Thames, irrespective of the consequences.
An SNP amendment was defeated as overwhelmingly as on fishing. Confirmation that we’re not amongst friends and have few allies. Moreover, ominously that there’s a majority in Westminster to deliver the Bill, undermining the Scottish Parliament that SNP Members are pledged to protect.
Will Westminster change? Of course, it won’t, it never has, and it never will. It’s not Scotland’s Parliament and the SNP can’t even form the principal opposition given its lack of numbers. Suggestion of being the “real opposition” was always naïve. Even before December 2019 the situation had changed with English Votes for English Laws. SNP members are destined to be in permanent opposition but equally relegated to second-class status.
Following that election where the Tories were victorious south of the Border but comprehensively defeated in Scotland, there was neither magnanimity given, nor respect shown. The Scottish Affairs Committee instead crammed with Tory placemen from English constituencies. Work done and recommendations made by that same committee, which would save lives lost to the drug addiction that blights our land, were contemptuously cast aside by the Tory government. Whilst the barracking of the SNP leader has been toned down, the disrespect is as clear as ever. And so, it will continue.
But the stakes have been raised and Scottish democracy’s now at risk. How has the SNP responded? Well correctly by stating that it’s outrageous, deplorable, despicable and almost every similar adjective that there is. But that understandable anger has been ignored, just as the outcome of the election was under a year ago.
The Scottish people won’t stand for it, it’s also stated. But of course, they’ll have to endure it, because their elected representatives accept it, albeit begrudgingly. For sure opinion polls both for the party and independence have never been more favourable. But that has made no difference to Tory attitudes and the attacks on Scottish democracy and Scottish interests have continued relentlessly. The pain felt and dangers faced are only increasing.
So, when the Tories fail to respect Scottish rights and interests, why dutifully accept a responsibility to an institution that’s not only delivering that harm but undermining the ability to deliver our goal of independence. Why defend devolution where you will always lose? Instead campaign for independence, where we can and must win.
What’s the point of sitting on committees discussing legislation you cannot even vote upon? Or doping excellent work when it’s routinely rejected? And how many of those fine speeches or incisive questions are even seen? Fears of alienating the Speaker are fatuous – the contempt from that institution for us and its intentions for our country are clear. For sure there’s times to attend, contributions to be made and votes to be cast. But there’s also a stand to be made.
SNP MPs and their staff are a resource that should be focussed in Scotland, especially as the most critical election in our nation’s history nears. Surely the time has come to turn the rhetoric into reality and prepare to settle up, not settle down? Otherwise the danger is you’re legitimising not only your own demise, but that of our country.
Are you proposing that the SNP MPs should do is the same as Irish MPs, who supported independence, did prior to the First World War and which SF MPs do to this day and not take their seats?
I am simply asking you to be more explicit.
indy 2 as soon as pos. 1vote SNP,list vote ISP
All well and good and a huge cheer goes up at back at hearing the fighting talk, but you’re speaking to the long converted here. It’s those at the front driving the cause that need the whip to get them going.
Hopefully they’ll listen and change tack before they’re hobbled completely.
Leave now, before Westminster disoves holyrood.
Looks like the blind , deaf and bloody stupid beyond belief are well in charge of the Scottish government ,
our champions
My Arse
Meanwhile, yon leader o’ the SNP MP’s, Ian Blackford, jist clishmaclavers and windbags.
top choon choice, again by the rev
“the hardest walk” is a song from the jesus and mary chain album, psychocandy
– the lyrics are stark …
One thing is abundantly clear Kenny, and that is that talking is getting us no where.
It’s time for a more militant SNP/Independence movement with a return of our Westminster MPs, a refusal to work with Westminster on anything. Peacefully organised demonstrations outside UK Government buildings etc..
The SNP to have a one line manifesto next year in which they state that a vote for the SNP IS a vote for independence.
And after the public vote, will immediately move to revoke the Acts of Union in the Scottish Parliament. If that vote passes, then Scotland to immediately become independent and open negotiations with the UK.
I suggest the date of the 23rd June 2021.
Won’t happen of course.
Another open goal missed.
When Westminster voted to break International Law, Scotland should have stood up, walked out, and declared that Scotland does not consent and will have no part in this.
To sit there now, makes them complicit.
A debate on the tactic of abstention from Westminster at the next SNP Conference ( recognising the challenges of same in the covid context) would make sense.
I think the SNP outrage at the fishing industry is false. The Scot Govt is more interested in fish farms off the west coast.
Mr MacAskill
I feel when I am addressing you that I am addressing my enemy.
I detest the SNP and their leader.
Your Party has sold out Scotland.
The only feeling I have for Sturgeon is anger.
Your so called “leader” at Westminster is an absolute waste of space and an embarrassment to Scotland.
He should be replaced immediately. With say,,, Joanna Cherry.
The leader of your Party in Edinburgh is a Parasite who lives off of the hard work that has been put in over the last six years by the Yes Movement.
The English Establishment, led by Leslie Evans, have taken over the running of the Scottish government, aided and abetted
By Sturgeon and Murrell, and instead of their MSPs and MPs rebelling, they all seem to have lost their tongues.
The Yes Movement is screaming out for a new leader, and one thing is for sure, it won’t be coming from anyone connected to the spineless SNP.
I couldn’t agree more with Kenny but could I make a suggestion, as he feels there are times to attend wouldn’t it be great idea to bring all the MPs home but leave Wishart and McDonald in Westminster to ask the questions, we know Westminster just laughs at all SNP MPs but considering we in Scotland laugh at these two as well it won’t really matter.
Sadly Kenny the Establishment have gobbled up the SNP( not all), and absorbed them like a paper towel absorbs water.
I fear the current leadership have no stomach for a fight in for breaking rules to defy the oppressors who break every rule in the book.
Nicola and Murrell are too afraid of bad press to be the fighters we need right now in our own legislature. They cannot undertake what needs to be done right now.
I fear it is already too late. I hope I’m wrong but every day is now vital to the future of an Independent Scotland.
“top choon choice, again by the rev
“the hardest walk” is a song from the jesus and mary chain album, psychocandy
– the lyrics are stark …”
I don’t just THROW this shit together, y’know 😉
“Mr MacAskill
I feel when I am addressing you that I am addressing my enemy.”
You’ve really got the wrong end of the stick, then.
For Pete Wishart there are 81 000 points per annum of sitting on Westminster committees.
I regret that I have very little confidence in the SNP conducting themselves properly never mind winning independence.
The Alex Salmond case, Joanna Cherry scandal, the offensive ladies with beards and associated legislation.
There are many other instances of course such as the lack of support for independence activists and possible issues with the accounts, but we all know about the scandals of the SNP.
I speak as a former dedicated supporter former candidate and one of many who threw money at the party.
No longer a member however will reluctantly vote SNP as there is no other pro Independence Party.
How pro independence are the SNP? There is some debate being had on that subject.
The SNP must clear out the clowns, people light on independence and hangers on forget nonsense legislation and fight for independence with all its strength.
If it fails to do so another party must be formed to take up the fight and allow the SNP to stand down.
Kenny, if Westminster won’t change we shouldn’t be there. The last straw was the breaking of international law, which was rebuked by Ian Blackford with all the vigor of a dead parrot. I am increasingly frustrated that our representatives from the SNP are sitting back and taking this and would like to see them grow a pair and really take them on or simply not attend. As for the Scottish fisherman, they got everything they deserve, once bitten eh!
I think the SNP should crash the Scottish government now, call a Scottish election with Indy as the key policy. On winning (with a wings party) recall all Scottish MPs for a convention to establish a Scottish constitution. Then declare independence.
The SNP cant risk letting it go beyond the end of December
The SNP has a choice: is it the Scots equivalent of the Irish Parliamentary Party, or will they go down as Sinn Féin? I think most of us already know the answer to that: the current gradualists in charge of the SNP are never going to instruct their Westminster MPs to decamp back to Scotland.
They will persevere with their failed approach no matter how often the British nationalists say “now is not the time”, irrespective of the contempt exhibited by the British Parliament to Scottish interests, and no matter how many years in the future it looks like #indyref2 will be consigned to.
Those who are fed up with the SNPs Scottish Parnellism have a choice: accept the flabby crypto devolusionist agenda of the SNP, or rely on ourselves alone. If we honestly believe in working as though we live in the early days of a better nation one of the first steps ought to be abandoning Westminster.
FWIW I don’t get the feeling that Kenny McA has written this piece with the WOS readership in mind.
His target audience probably wouldn’t deign to acknowledge the existence of this place let alone confess to watching it carefully. But we all know they read it, and they know we know.
One of these days the bluffing will end and abody will have to show their hands. Sooner the better!
You’re a canny man Mr. MacAskill, and I applaud you for that. It may be my overactive imagination, but do I detect a continuing shift away from the mugwumpery of The SNP Westminster cohort?
Your article could be construed as a bellwether. If so, include me in your numbers. But then again, it’s probably wishful thinking on my part.
There is a truism:
If you want the same result, keep doing the same thing.
Sturgeon is a competent manager who’s dedicated to doing the same thing.
What it needs is a leader to change the direction and go for the goal.
And if we can’t have that, we need a new independence party.
@Ian Brotherhood,
I agree. On other Indy sites everybody is talking about patience and the long game. It’s madness. Westminster will have snuffed out Holyrood long before that, making the choice of Independence all but impossible.
I don’t think they realise how very little time we actually have, and get I suppose imagining time is limitless soothes their insdcurity. We are very near an end game.
But is THIS just another fine speech? What ya gonna do?
in supporting independence for scotland, scottish mps walking out of westminster is the desired end goal for everyone. This is bleedin’ obvious, I have never met a supporter of an independent scotland who also proposed that we should continue to participate in GE’s and send mps to westminster.
saying that, i am not opposed to our mps walking out of westminster before we gain our independence. however, after mps walk out they cant then walk back in, then out then it etc, it would look less like a nuclear option and more like the hokey dokey
doing it today, when there are only a couple of snp mps in westminster would have little impact, i doubt anyone would notice.
we have an election in 7 months with the demand for a s30, if bojo agrees, we might need the snp mps votes to pass the s30 bill.
if “bojo justs says NO” as many believe he will, at that point, i would find it difficult to argue against the scottish mps walking out.
i understand your frustration Kenny, the disrespect to scottish mps is highly visible to all and it must become tiresome. but you need to be clearer about exactly when you believe it would be right time to walk.
Having just watched PMQ’s today I am disgusted at Ian Blackford – laughing at the PM’s ridiculous answers instead of being incandescent with rage – what is the point of going back to the old narrative – ‘we will not be dragged out of EU’ and we will not etc etc and then doing absolutely nothing about it.
A S30 should be asked for now and if we do not hear back an answer or is the answer is no the next Scottish election should be a plebiscite for independence.
‘You’ve really got the wrong end of the stick, then.’
Stuart, isn’t it rather that poster has hold of the right end but prefers to use the stick to stir?
@ Jason Smoothpiece
‘If it fails to do so another party must be formed to take up the fight and allow the SNP to stand down.’
I entirely agree with your post but rather think if that time comes it will have to be us pushing the SNP out of our way and pushing with all our might since they like control and won’t go without a fight.
Thanks for this article Kenny.
You quite rightly mention Scotland’s representatives and changing tack. I’m not sure they realise yet that their strategy and tactics are doomed to failure, it seems they will blithely carry on in the good old British way. It will be too late to change tack by the time they realise they have made massive misjudgments.
A bit like a parachute that opens on impact.
I’m of the opinion it is already too late and that we need a list party for HE2021 that will then contest constituency seats for the following Holyrood election.
So, what is the point of them being there if they are abused like dogs.
We need something to resonate around the World.
A tipping point.
Could a walk out be that?
@Leither,
You do know that the Internal Market Bill is in its final stages? That strips Holyrood of so many facets that governance means absolutely zero. Get you still think about elections in May? You are of course assuming that Holyrood may stil! Be functional by May, which it might well not be.
“Breeks says:
16 September, 2020 at 12:59 pm
Another open goal missed.
When Westminster voted to break International Law, Scotland should have stood up, walked out, and declared that Scotland does not consent and will have no part in this.
To sit there now, makes them complicit.”
This is perhaps the best comment I have seen on this site. That was a crucial moment and one to hammer home the difference between “us” and “them”. It would have achieved very little at the time, but would have been looked on well by the EU. Also if it led to the refusal of SNP to sit in this rogue parliament so much the better. However the main thing is that it shows the bad faith the UK parliament acts within, and justifies repelling the act of union unilaterally. WM shows no respect for international law, oh well. But really if the Un countries recognise Scotland as independent that’s basically that.
A real moral and tactical failure from the SNP there.
Well said Mr MacAskill, this is no time for complacency, its a time for action from the SNP, a time to stop speaking of Scottish independence, and instead actually physically prepare Scotland for it.
We are kidding ourselves, or at least the SNP are, if they think they can make a blind bit of difference at Westminster, the SNP are effectively a pariah party at Westminster, to be tolerated but never to be agreed with. The Irish soon realised this, and took action.
Johnson refuses to deny that he wants to roll back devolution, I’m sure he’d rather we were referred to as North Britain rather than Scotland.
link to thenational.scot
Eh?
There’s a well known phrase ‘What’s your point caller’
Was it.
A/Recall MP’s from Westminster and remove the option of independence via electoral mandate.
B/Keep MP’s until the next GE and have them enable indpendence via electoral mandate.
C/Keep MP’s for no particular reason.
The campaign for independence part, I got that, just as well as I’d never have thought of it. /s
The point? I think it’s A/ above – I think it’s perhaps a call for MP’s to be working for the SNP at Holyrood to help achieve independence. If only there was a mechanism to allow them to stand as MSP’s – oh there was…aaand it’s gone. Seems the SNP aren’t to keen on that idea.
Or maybe it’s that MP’s should stand as independent candidates (or form another party, or list party) in Scotland and campaign here – I see no rush, or queue by MP’s to do that.
Or, maybe MP’s are to work within Holyrood in some capacity other thatn elected MSP’s – SPADS or somesuch. Or maybe they should just be generally campaigning, while signing on.
Fair enough. I think, though I’m not sure, that Wings isn’t a Committee of SNP MP’s. So, maybe whatever the point of the article is, should be directed at them through whatever medium an MP fanzine is. Hey, maybe it is Wings!
We’ve been campaigning, we haven’t stopped campaigning.
How we are supposed to enable whatever the point about MP’s was, I don’t know. Maybe the article is a vague exhortation to just not elect SNP MP’s at all, they’re useless right? While we’re at it – don’t elect SNP MSP’s either, because they’re enabling MP’s there and disabling them from being here. Either way, they’re also useless enablers “legitimising not only your own demise, but that of our country”
So, “keep vaguely campaigning for independence, but don’t vote” OK, got the message, seems clear enough.
It definitely feels like Kenny is part of something (a grouping?) where the heat is very slowly being turned up under our elected reps and, in particular, the leadership of the party which has been mandated to pursue independence.
I will confess to be impatient but I appreciate that moves seem to be afoot and look forward to the next instalment which I am sure is coming and the boiling of this particular frog….
o/t – ish
Richard Keen appears to be trying to resign as Advocate General:
link to twitter.com
Interesting choice of words – “offered” his resignation. Perhaps it means “proffered”. Either way, efforts are being made to persuade him to stay, which may or may not be connected to the fact that he was due to represent ukgov in the forthcoming Section 30 case.
Keen has gone.
Since the SNP leadership is not going to order a walkout by the party’s MPs then individual SNP MPs who agree with the Wings/ISP view should just individually announce that they’re boycotting the place and head north. They’ll have the party whip withdrawn, but so what? They’ll have done their country a great service.
Mr Kenny MacAskill
How about leading by example?
Announce you will no longer attend WM and invite the other SNPs to follow your lead.
Invite them to form a convention of Scots MPs to represent Scotland as a first step to resiling the Union and declaring WM a foreign parliament with no sovereignty over Scotland or her people.
@ crazycat
Advocate general resigning is never o/t where independence supporters or sites are concerned, especially not at this juncture of things. Even though it seems Falconer was the one to cause the tipping point of personal honour, it’s still good.
Kenny: they didn’t build that new landing and processing plant on the Humber for nothing. They didn’t set about building that internal, single market for nothing. They didn’t leave the EU for nothing. They didn’t make the power grab for nothing. And so on and so on. That they will eventually neutralize Holyrood has been evident for quite some time, yet nothing – and I mean, nothing – has been done to ready us for independence in the next few months.
No, the only plan on the horizon is to allow more and more and more misery and pain to descend on Scotland until we eventually crack up and tumble into a depression so deep that we will have difficulty climbing out. It is well-known that depressed people are, generally, inert and malleable. Ask any dictator.
The answer lies in your hands – yours, the MPs’ and MSPs’, who are the party representatives. YOU must get through to the FM and that coterie of ‘wokists’ around her that they are causing us all so much pain by their stalling of independence in favour of totally unnecessary and divisive policies – and we are not going to forget it.
What excuse will we given next? The second wave of the pandemic and how everything else must grind to a halt meantime, as no other country has done? While the FM boxed herself into a corner by stating that she would not politicize the pandemic, guess what? THEY, at Westminster, have politicized the pandemic and worked their malign policies while we have been standing still.
She boxed us into Brexit by making it her mission to rescue the entire UK. She boxed us into one route only to independence by insisting on a S30 Order pre independence referendum, both supremely unnecessary. She is boxing us now into missing the boat because 2021 will be far too late to do anything to counter these malign policies.
Carry this message to your colleagues in Westminster and Holyrood, Kenny: tell them that we are at the end of our tether, and that we expect them to stand up to the FM and tell her straight that she is going to ruin Scotland if she does not get her digit out and start preparing to leave the UK – NOW. The SNP will never be forgiven if they end up being the party that sealed us into the Union forever.
Read the article and thought to myself ‘Stuart is absolutely right’
…then I realised that I’d mistaken who the author was
Sharp intake of breath
We need much more of this from SNP elected members and a clear plan
We will never win if we dance to the British tune
On this day in 1963, Malaya took its independence from
the English Empire and stopped it from being a colony of
rape and abuse.
They celebrated by burning down the English Embassy!
Do any of the SNP MP’s smoke at all?
Lorna @ 2:28pm:
Agree very much with your remarks that the plan is to depress the people of Scotland.
This is one reason why it is extremely unhelpful that the SNP act as if they are powerless all the time and appear to be begging to be allowed a vote. Who’s that supposed to inspire and fill with confidence that we are ready to become independent?
People have correctly identified that it comes across as a ‘counsel of despair’ and thus we could end up that the tactics of both the WM govt and the ScotGov end up depressing everyone so much that, as you say, we may fall into a pit of depression and never climb out.
Enough, SNP. We expect the WM to make us feel bad and hopeless. Don’t you join in!
Ok Rev apologies 1.14pm
Quick rephrase,,,
“I feel when I am addressing the majority of SNP Representatives, that I am addressing my enemy”.
And that is a frustrating and shameful position for me to be in.
All brought about by the actions of the Murrell’s and whoever their minders are within the english establishment.
As others have suggested, Mr MacAskill could lead by example.
Somebody has to make a move.
The whole Yes Movement is literally frozen in time at the moment.
I can’t really believe it. It’s one of those pinch me I’m dreaming type days…
These events are momentous; a UK Government is actually voting to break International Law, breach the Transition Agreement, and breach the Good Friday Agreement, has been warned of dire ramifications for trade from Europe and the USA, France sit’s poised to end the Touquet Agreement and boot UK Customs officials out of Calais, Spain is eyeing Gibraltar and possibly closing access… Scotland is being emasculated further, Holyrood is in jeopardy but being bypassed anyway with Westminster ad-libbing it’s way around Devolution to circumvent Holyrood and bringing deregulation and asset strip our Nation’s resources.
And what are our Champions in the SNP doing? Not much, apart from whining about COVID and jockeying for candidacies at next years Scottish Elections.
Sturgeon is a total disgrace as “Leader”. She’s a joke that’s not even as funny than Susan Calman, …and that is seriously un-funny.
If Sturgeon sucks up what’s being sent Scotland’s way by Johnson & Gove and her party don’t rebel against her, then there might as well be a change of name from the National Party to the Guilty Party.
There is realy only one course of action that will be eventualy successful and that is the start of a new party and I am not talking of a list only party. The SNP are broken under the present leadership. They have badly let scotland down and it is time for them to go. Or the party replaced altogether
@Breeks,
Spot on. It’s going to take more than howls of righteous indignation from the SN P against these bad Tories. It’s going to need action, and fast action at that.
We don’t have the leadership who can do that.
Given Keen’s threatened resignation (which is interesting in itself…why “offer” to resign rather than just resign?) it is now surely apparent that the word British nationalist state can no longer be trusted. If it can’t even persuade its own law officers that it is right, the SNP should strike while the iron is hot.
A government in Westminster which treats international law and recent treat obligations as a pick ‘n’ mix buffet is not one the independence movement should feel comfortable negotiating with, nor would we be wise to trust any commitments it made.
Sturgeon should announce the withdrawal of MPs from Westminster on the basis that the representatives of the Scots people refuse To be associated with and tarnished by this government’s actions.
Ireland gets ready to celebrate 100 years of independence in 2022. Let’s make sure we can celebrate with them as a nation once again.
Andy Ellis @ 2:48pm:
Quite agree although I am sure none of us expects this to happen, which is extremely sad.
To paraphrase Winnie Ewing, stop the rogue state we want to get off!
Thank you for making an effort Mr MacAskill.
A walk-out isn’t enough if you’ve nowhere to go and have to go back to file your expense claim. The UCS work-in was a successful confrontation. It was led by tough, no compromise people who knew how to negotiate and commanded respect. Have we got a Reid or an Airlie or are we stuck with the faint hearts of the last six years? I live in hope.
Who will bell the cat?
Good news for Dundee and Scotland.
link to bbc.co.uk
“A controversial development beside Dundee’s V&A Museum has been announced as the headquarters of Scotland’s new social security agency.
Social Security Scotland has taken a 20-year lease to become the first tenants in the Site Six office block.
The building will give the agency space to employ up to 900 people across its three sites in Dundee.”
No idea why its controversial. It looks grand to me.
@ Johnny
True enough: said more in hope than expectation. I fear we are in for several years of struggle.
There again, few Irish folk in the early years of the 20th century would have put their money on the IPP collapsing and a republic being declared…..?
Och, I’m sure an FM will get round to independence in distant the future if Holyrood still exists, and isn’t by then just a talking shop, which we all know it will be.
For now though far, far more important issues are in the SNP’s crosshairs, like Self-Id, the GRA bill, and the rights restricting Hate Crime bill. Imprisoning Alex Salmond, and Craig Murray are also streets ahead of Scottish independence.
Breeks, Martin
COMPLICIT
I don’t think this can be emphasised enough. If you think about this for only a few seconds it’s really a lamentable state of affairs. If ever there was an opportunity to seize the initiative, the moral high ground, send a strong message to our friends worldwide and everything else, this was it. Instead what we got were the sheep bleating a little and watching the wolves get to work.
@ Mr thms
All well and good, but beware Greeks bearing Gifts…
A couple of thousand jobs to be used as leverage – threats of losing said jobs will be made to discourage any future Yes vote…
You can read these bastards like a book.
On a separate note – devolution died today. What does the puppet-on-a-string in Bute House have to say???
@Andy Ellis,
1916. Easter riding fails in Ireland.
1919 Politicians in Dublin declare Ireland Independent.
Two years of war ensued.
1921 Ireland formally given Indelendence.
Politicians can influence one way or another.
link to twitter.com
It looks as if Keen’s problem is not an inability to reconcile himself to the government’s bad behaviour, but that he has brought that government into “disrepute” (really?!) with his own behaviour.
So not a matter of personal principle for him (what a surprise), but more resign-before-sacked. That would account for its being an “offer”.
o/t
Indy truck Davy just posted a clip of Blackford at PMQs gee wiz eh
Couldn’t be Arsed watching it same shite different Day , now I realise how these Tory MPs feel listening to the same empty threats week after week ,
Boring
Predictable
Waste of time and energy .
A wee bit of advice Mr Blackford if you or the other MPs are not going to do anything apart from talk sit down because nobody’s listening or even taking notice you are wasting your time and ours
Dunno about anyone else but I can’t recall this level of anger and frustration before. It’s not sustainable. Something has to give.
If you don’t try you’re a loser.
If you try hard and fail you’ve lost. But you’re not a loser.
I don’t know if it’ll reach Third Reading unamended, but should the Internal Market Bill pass, that’s a window of opportunity to withdraw our MPs.
They shouldn’t pull out before then, lest the Tories manufacture some rebellion which “could’ve” stopped it with SNP votes.
But then what do they do afterwards? The sort of thing Sinn Fein MPs do isn’t very impressive. Triggering a bunch of byelections is pointless. Reestablishing as a second parliamentary chamber in Edinburgh is potentially interesting but ultimately counterproductive unless MPs from other parties show up(and they won’t). Anyone got a better idea?
kapelmeister says:
16 September, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Ireland gets ready to celebrate 100 years of independence in 2022. Let’s make sure we can celebrate with them as a nation once again.
@ kapelmeister :1922 was not quite independence, but the 1st step towards it with the creation of the Irish free state and of course the creation of NI state.
UK still kept naval bases, TDs(mps) still had to swear an oath of alligiance to the king until 1933.
The link with Crown was finally broken when King George died.
Irish punt(pound) was also tied to GB pound until 1970s. So for Ireland it was a gradual progress to full indy.
Many say Ireland joining EU actually enchaced its independence (I know this sounds contradictory)
Hopefully scotlands path will be quicker
The key is the 1706 Articles of Union, ratified by the Scottish and English Acts of Union in 1706/07. By the simple tabling of the Internal Market Bill, regardless of what happens to that Bill later in Parliament, the UK government has demonstrated that Scotland is no longer (if it ever was) an equal constitutional partner in that Union. The Scottish Parliament (suspended, never dissolved, after 1707) should now declare the Treaty of Union null and void, recall the current Scottish MPs from Westminster and instruct the Scottish government to begin negotiations for the dissolution of the political and economic ties between Scotland and what remains of the UK.
After all, Thatcher herself averred that Scotland could restore its independence by the simple expedient of sending a majority of independence-supporting MPs to the UK parliament. The current 59 Scottish MPs are the direct political successors of the original 45 Scottish MPs sent south in 1707.
@Alan D
I was never a fan of the Sinn Fèin empty chair policy, but could see how it made sense to dyed in the wool republicans, but…..
Given the current situation I agree with a few of the other posters. Faced with this government there is a window of opportunity, and I think you could argue there is leverage and power in the SNP saying that if the bill passes, our MPs will be withdrawn because we regard it as a clear and present danger to three existing constitutional settlement, and on that basis our MPs won’t return to Westminster and we’ll treat Holyrood 2021 election as a vote to ask the Scots people to confirm that they are giving Holyrood full power to negotiate on the basis that our consent is required and if Holyrood is not satisfied with the response from Westminster they have authority to begin talks about alternative arrangements.
Richard
I know the Free State was officially a dominion with a governor general representing the crown. But it was de facto independence in 1922.
A convoy of 26 HGV’s carrying multiple nuclear warheads passes Glasgow on its way to Faslane. It takes just one accident, how much longer will Scots put up with this.
You’d never get these WMD’s anywhere near England’s largest city.
link to glasgowlive.co.uk
O/T
A twenty six vehicle NUCLEAR CONVOY sneaking about this morning.
link to glasgowlive.co.uk
Oops, I was so wild that I didn’t see Republic’s post.
I don’t know the ins and outs of the Westminster system (despite being a politics graduate!!) but I feel that the only way to get any kind of traction in Westminster is to use its rules against it. Points of Order, Amendments and any kind of delaying, digressing tactics should be put into action whenever possible. Make it as difficult as possible to get any business done, make it a tortuous fight to get even the most minor Act passed.
Obviously, some kind of common-sense “guidelines” would need to be in place to ensure things like NHS funding or whatever aren’t disrupted, but it should be seen as the first salvo of the final push, using every possible trick, tactic and stratagem possible to delay, tie down and encumber Westminster legislation. Ask questions in Gaelic if it’ll cause extra havoc, call Points of Order and additional votes wherever there is an obscure Parliamentary procedure to be followed and ask for obscure, arcane rules to be followed whenever it would cause important business to be delayed.
There’s no real practical possibility of doing anything constructive in terms of actual legislation – no matter how good speeches, questions or proposed amendments may be – so destructive tactics have to be employed.
Outright abstentionism is not a good look; for better or worse, it’s inextricably linked to Sinn Fein in Westminster (and wider UK political) thinking and the status quo is not working.
Republicofscotland
You are so right.
A minor road accident could kill or injure tens of thousands of folk.
Better together.
OT
Important news from Barbados.
The mad folk of that sunny place have just sacked old Betty. How dare they, what are they thinking of her gracious majesty should not let these people see any more royal weddings or coronation street that will show them.
Cheers Stu,
That’s one of your best.
Mr Blackford & Co need to start disrupting WM every day, its time to show the country what WM really thinks of Scotland.
Unfortunately the only time some Scots will notice, is when the free prescription disappears.
Will it happen?
Time is fast running out.
“your own demise, but that of our country”
Beautiful final line, that. Their demise, our country. Those MPs need to decide whose interests they are working in.
I do hope they decide they’re working for all of us.
Watching Boris getting destroyed by the Liaison Committee. Angus Brendan went a bit OTT re Section 30. Sounds a bit like Blackford trying to rush everything into one sentence. Couldn’t make it out between the rushed question and Boris’s stammer.
I reckon Lorna & johnny’s comments align with my thinking. Instead of waiting on BoJo to “let” Scotland hold another referendum, it’s time for strong action to be taken, or to “get a grip”.
It’s like Scotland is the abused dog in the Union, repeatedly being told to “go and lie down”, only to come back again and again trying to be let out for its business -but keeps getting howled at, kicked around and inhumanely mistreated.
It’s utterly sickening to see (I moved to NI 2017), but want the best for Scotland – and I want to see a massive change in direction from the SNP leadership team (shakeup) – and see Scotland become a proud country that’s standing on its own in the world with other EU partners – far removed from Westminster abuse, where this incompetent Government will destroy devolution very soon.
@ Ian Brotherhood @ 3.26pm
Well Ian I for one think this cannot be sustained…..to sit and watch events unfold,while constrained by Covid restrictions, and to clearly see where all of this will ultimately lead i.e. the diminishing and plundering of powers and resources…..is beyond tolerable…..and all while the consensus of many , not just in Scotland, is that the Tory government are in a shambles….domestically and internationally.
It is indeed a poor leader of an opposition party who sees this too and still insists that she is right to stand down her team, followers from acting……does that not make her as culpable as those who , we are told, stand in her way ?
Horse -stable door-bolted-closed-after
How long can we endure this…well some I believe are willing to wait for as long as it takes…..as to what ‘IT’ is I am not sure …..others like you and I see that if ever there was a time to act then now is most definitely that time….if not now then when…..seize the day…….seem so relevant to our current position but instead we somehow are expected to believe that if we play nice and by the rules then those who currently do not play nice and by the rules will miraculously change their position and start to play nice and by the rules…..that would be some conversion from their current position and only believable in a parallel universe where the opposite is played out from the real world…..
Scotland and those who want independence NOW will always be dammed if they do and dammed if they don’t by both those Indy supporters who agree and disagree and indeed all of the detractors. So you can either do damn all and let the Tories and their destructive nature take it’s course or do your damnedest to make sure that we are not all dammed to be confined for an eternity within a Brexit UKnotOK ( led by successive Tory Governments) and thus allow, once again, apathy to become widespread among Scots who were newly convinced to switch over to the Yes side.
If your party, by a majority, got the votes in Scotland then the ball is in your court….has always been in your court….if you fail to play that ball then don’t expect to have the advantage for ever in the Scottish parliament…..you are either with us… or……just stringing us along……I’m still trying to determine whether you are actually against us…..
Opponents on the ropes…..allow them to regroup…..equals Scotland missing the biggest open goal ever post 2014 ……and I cannot see anyone forgiving a political party who willingly adopted this strategy……and allowing the opposition to take full advantage of this weak position and ultimately….award them , the opposition, Game Set and Match on the constitutional position aka the status quo reigning for a ….generation ?…if not longer.
The War under our Noses…..more relevant to Scots today than yon War with Roses…..their history…..mind you…we, who seek Indy, are history too if we do not act…..C’est la Vie…in Le Jockland…or so it appears…to some…..or perhaps to many.
It must be great to have a country next door, that you’ve quelled using the guise of an equal union, that you can asset strip for over 313 years. From oil to gas to minerals to people, and in the process you also control their immigration.
To the outside world, because there was only one parliament until 1999, you can proclaim that its the most successful union of all time. Scraps from their wealthy table taken from the exploited country are thrown back to its people, and the media owned and controlled by that country praise them for doing so.
Just why would the country that grown very wealthy from exploiting the other country’s resources, ever consider letting that country out of the union. The exploited country has no army, no navy and no airforce, and no real media representation, nor does its small amount of politicians at the other country’s parliament have any real ability to affect its policies.
Its the perfect scenario, bar devolution, which is a minor irritant, soon to be rolled back, for the country doing the exploiting, it has everything to gain with the union and nothing to lose.
Jackie Baillie should be reminded every single day of the devastation sitting on our doorstep. The terrible tragedy in Beirut harbour would have nothing on an accident at any of these motorcades or sites.
If rump Uk wants them house them on the Thames or in Lake District.
Keep em coming Kenny, get your colleagues on board, it’s time for courage.
SNP MPs home – for good.
English outrage will do the rest for us, they value their ‘democracy’, so let’s use it against them to achieve our Aim.
Quit Westminster.
Scots trooping off like subservient little colonials to England’s parliament is insulting, demeaning and total ‘cringe’.
Kenny, it’s always a pleasure to see you at work. And this is important work that you are doing.
First of all, you are part of the history of the SNP. The work you did as Cabinet Secretary for Justice could not have been easy. So, to see you speak plain, inclusive language is a bit like hearing from someone of the stature of Alex Salmond, or John Smith, or Charles Kennedy, or Mo Mowlam or any of those others of historical and moral accomplishment.
That you have the same worries as us that there is something wrong both at SNP/HQ as well as at Bute House. It makes me aware that there must be other great politicians with the same worries.
But just to be plain… there is a huge problem. Forces that want the SNP divided and the Scottish Government neutered just as they are enacting last-minute stitch ups of Scottish Fishing waters have absolutely won the field today. If all our government can think of is Covid, and all our SNP can think of is a Section 30 order, then none of it is worth more that Blair’s English Parish Council and a bunch of part-time functionaries.
What is for certain is that if the Tories promised their partners that it would be OK to sign up for the backstop agreement because the British government had no intention of honouring it, then, these people have longer term plans than Bute House, and a very significant day for them will be the 1st of January 2021, when they will get their hands on the Henry the 8th laws, the three definitions of consent in the Sewell Convention Scottish Parliament, and all of Scotland’s communities and resources without the European Union looking over their shoulder.
Any Scottish Politician in their right mind must be sure that how they act in the next 3 and a half months will be what history remembers them for. It really is the governance of Scotland and all of its resources that is at stake.
I hope someone’s listening to you. Respect.
Kenny writes truth and provides a smidgeon of hope that some SNP MPs and MSPs may find the courage to rebel against the current useless leadership and oust them.
If this can’t be achieved then we need a new independence party. The ISP is good but limited to the list.
Sturgeon, husband and their weird cabal have totally failed all of us who voted them in.
We needed a strong leader, a fighter, and what we got was a dull woman who has no vision, no ideas and no courage. Six years have passed and nothing has been done to move us nearer to independence. Even preparatory work for being independent has not been started.
What is she doing now? Grandstanding Covid19 briefings to the exclusion of all else in a desperate attempt to secure a legacy for herself because she realises her job is hitting the buffers. Whilst still finding time to tweet her book choices to the world, of which nobody cares other than her swelled ego which believes her self-serving spin.
She is either totally compromised personally or just stupid. She was handed a golden opportunity by Alex Salmond and the Yes movement and she has royally screwed it up.
The Sturgeon leadership is not going to move to an independence vote, at least not any time soon.
Moreover upon a successful Yes outcome (if there is eventually a vote) the Sturgeon leadership should definitely not be trusted to negotiate the terms of exit from the UK.
An intelligent strong leader is essential. One who can motivate her/his politicians and the thousands of Yes supporters looking for trusted effective leadership.
Above all we need a leader who upholds the principle that British interests do not dictate, or overule Scottish interests, and who acts accordingly.
Many have looked to Joanna Cherry as a new SNP leader however she does not appear to believe this is a practical option at present so the field remains open.
For anyone playing the Once In A Generation Bingo Drinking Game… Pour yourself a glass.
link to twitter.com
Morgatron says on 16 September, 2020 at 1:24 pm
“Kenny, if Westminster won’t change we shouldn’t be there. The last straw was the breaking of international law, which was rebuked by Ian Blackford with all the vigor of a dead parrot.”
It’s OK, don’t fret, Blackford’s got it all under control. Aye, according to his Twitter today he’s sending them a “robust letter” informing UKGov of our disapproval etc. So that should do it. Westminster will not know what’s hit it when that letter arrives on their doorstep eh. 😉
I have asked this before and have seen no answer so will ask it again
Nicola is from a family of nationalists and a life time of service to the party. If she is not taking us to indyref2 why not. She must have been compromised by Westminster and they control her
.
What is it they have on her ???
If she was flunking indyref2 I find it very hard to believe the top team around her would go with it
Kenny McAskill thank you for TRYING to get the show energised I again agree with Breeks and others when this bill recd assent at the first reading the SNP MP’S SHOULD not only have temporarily WALKED but they should have made a massive display of why they were doing it ,and when that happened Joanna Cherry should have prepared to quietly if possible prepare a case for presentation to the ICJ and UN to inform them that the TOU had been read asunder by WM actions and Scotland’s representatives would be leaving WM and returning to Scotland to join with others at the RECONVENED REAL Scottish parliament
When the bill is passed into law the same MP’S should do the same walkout with the same massive display only this time NOT return , and at that point SUBMIT Joanna Cherry’s complaint to the ICJ and UN
To be honest Kenny the ONLY thing saving NS and her cabal from the direct ANGER and OUTRAGE of massed YES supporters is covid, if not for covid I would MOST CERTAINLY join with others and protest at HR against her cowardly capitulation to accept WM destruction of our nation and country
But that time may be closer than she thinks
For gods sake do something if they strip Holyrood of power then up go the barricades and as for the the Scottish media BBC etc., we will remember them
England is and always will be, a foreign country. There are many people in Europe who know much, much more about Scotland than the average English person. Ignorance regarding Scotland, in the media for example, is frequently balked at by Scots, but given the fact that the majority of commentators are effectively foreigners, can we expect anything else? Why our politicians are sitting in a foreign legislature makes no sense whatsoever.
Scots will have to take-it-on-board that the myth of union is and will remain a con-trick and is not and never will be in Scotland’s interest. We are not British, as the myth would have us, we are Scottish. That sounds like a simple enough delusion to throw off. For many, though, it remains anything but simple.
At PMQT today, the PM said Scotland would get 70 new powers? In July this year, The Herald had a Boris Johnson headline that claimed Scotland would receive 111 new powers! So which is it, and if there are no extra new 70 powers on top of the 111 devolved powers returning to Scotland, for which the EU had responsibility, are the other 41 powers to be shared with Westminster under the Scotland Act 2016? Because before that can happen, it will require the consent of the Scottish Parliament, in the form of a Sewell motion. It is very unlikely one would be granted by the Scottish Parliament and
there is a likelihood the refusal will create a full blown constitutional crisis…
link to yeswecan.scot
The big problem with Scottish fisheries is the huge proportion of quota owned by just 5 very rich families who are perfectly happy to onsell to the French and Spanish and to hell with Scottish skippers and crews.
UKgov could have used EU law to insist that all Scottish quota is landed and processed in Scotland but yet another EU benefit sat unused. Post Indy and EU accession we could do that protecting jobs and making it less atrractive for foreign vessels as well.
@Andy Ellis who mentioned:
“the Sinn Fèin empty chair policy”
It is based on the thinking that since Britain has no right to govern Ireland, SF has no right or desire to play a role in governing Britain.
Its voters support this policy and there are a lot of them. Remember Sinn Féin is the joint largest party in the Dáil and the second-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
@ mr thms @ 6.05pm
Hi I am unable to add links but there is a link from a Twitter account from a Michael Dougan via his Twitter account, put on today ,and he is a Professor of European law at Liverpool University…he stated on twitter re the link :
“My briefing paper on the UK Internal Market Bill and its implications for devolution in Scotland and Wales, is now available to download from here”…and then after adding his link he stated that ” It tells a rather different story from that being propagated by the UK Government”.
So as you can link things onto your posts that might also be worth adding onto one of your posts on here…obvs only if you want to…..
Have a nice evening
Seems to me most all comments here support SNP withdrawing from Westminster? We ought to initiate a concerted twitter persuasion, targeting and @ing each of our MPs, @ing in followers. If our ‘leaders’ can’t act, can’t show some gumption, perhaps it’s down to the grassroots again?
I honestly smell rebellion.
Wishart and MacDonald will abhor this – to be expected – ignore them, they’ll offer plenty of questionable attention to their useless selves.
313 years of union has led us to a fork in the road one way points to subservience to England (probably forever) the other Independence, there is no middle road anymore, Devolution is finished the truth is it simply cannot exist in a Brexit Britain, the internal market bill will pass and overnight Holyrood will change from being a Parliament with the ability to enact laws to one with only the ability to propose them and eventual closure.
We’ve reached a huge moment in our nations long history, this moment will be our legacy and we will be judged by future generations on the decisions we make from here on in, Scotland is facing an existential threat, This is our Bannockburn failure is not an option and I just hope our elected leaders understand the gravity of the situation and strike when the time is right just as Bruce did in 1314
@Clapper57 and @ mr thms
Here are the Dougan links:
link to twitter.com
paper on IMB
link to liverpool.ac.uk
Lorna Campbell said:
“Carry this message to your colleagues in Westminster and Holyrood, Kenny: tell them that we are at the end of our tether, and that we expect them to stand up to the FM and tell her straight that she is going to ruin Scotland if she does not get her digit out and start preparing to leave the UK – NOW. The SNP will never be forgiven if they end up being the party that sealed us into the Union forever.”
I agree. If you are compliant, you are complicit, and we will indeed be in for a world of hurt because of any lack of real action now.
Graeme @ 6:36
Very well put Graeme – I agree 100%.
Aye Graeme, nearly everyone and their dugs with a pulse have seen this coming for years.
We are certainly in the latter stages of #TheQuickening now, so I eagerly await to see the implementation of “a cunning plan” by the gradualists that told us to weesht for Indy coz they supposedly knew best and have this all under control.
BTW I read today that one Mark Francois …missing from HOC for last two weeks somehow managed to register a vote in HOC Internal Market bill the other night…..now apparently….. there are specific guidelines/criteria when someone can vote by proxy for another absent member….and Mark’s position does not fulfil any of the criteria specified….mind you at least the Tories are nothing if not consistent in breaking rules as well as Laws…..worth noting I obvs cannot comment on what reason Mark may be prohibited/unable from sitting in the HOC just now and voting himself……….sure TIME will tell…..give it TIME…..not sure what he is DOING at this TIME…..or indeed will be DOING in some TIME in the future……
No guesses please or you may be DOING TIME for being too specific…..
@ ben Madigan @ 6.47pm
Thanks Ben….have a good evening.
I’m confused, the Tories keep on telling me the SNP don’t speak for Scotland. But in a committee today Boris Johnson stated the SNP said the referendum was a once in a generation event.
.
Stuart Campbell,
I wager you play chess?
You are well ahead of this article in chess board moves. To engage a senior cabinet secretary and solicitor, now MP for the governing party of Scotland onto the Wings Over Scotland website, I make a second wager. To paraphrase a Scottish film these words come to mind…
“Something interesting this way comes.”
It is genuinely brave of Kenny MacAskill MP., to visit this website which ALL Scottish MPs, MSPs and many Councillors visit regularly (even though none post BTL under their actual ID).
Stuart, in the best of humour, you are about as popular as a pork pie at a Jewish wedding when it comes to significant swathes of the SNP.
So Kenny will have to be “diplomatic” with his words on here as he is writing for Scottish Independence supporters and politicians far beyond those who read just Wings Over Scotland.
Methinks this is the learned Mr MacAskill testing the water in his literary forays onto the most politically prickly and thistley website in Scotland.
That these new series of articles from leading politicians and IndyRef folk are appearing here now is something that has a positive ring to it. After a dire 7 year period from IndyRef1 dare we hope Scotland is approaching IndyRef2?
As a Glaswegian, may I cordially thank Kenny for his political courage in engaging on this website and say: Gaun yersel’ Big Man!
I also really like reading these articles and the (saner) BTL comments.
With Stuart back from holiday and uploading regular features, now joined by Scottish Independence leading lights, there seems to be the aroma of HOPE back in the air.
This clip just sums up the pointlessness and arrogance of Westminster:
link to twitter.com
Yes, it has always been thus people will say, but now the UK spiv government has shown it is willing to break any law it likes and disregard solemn international treaty obligations. Rolling back devolution will not cause them a moment’s qualm.
Yet we have silence from the SNP leader on virtually anything apart from Covid while we move at breakneck speed towards January, when the ruthless Tory wolf will come down upon the Scottish sheepfold and there will be very little we can do about it, since the FM has refused to defend the sovereign decision of the EU referendum vote, which was truly manna from independence heaven.
@Lorna Campbell 2.28: couldn’t agree more. So much “boxing in there” that it’s either utter incompetence or complicity.
Time for the Scottish lobsters to realise before it’s too late that the warm water really, really isn’t lovely…..
When was the last time Sturgeon had a face to face Q & A with ordinary punters from the Yes Movement???
Totally ignoring us and hiding behind the Covid19 Virus won’t stop England imposing laws such as, anyone found in possession of a Saltire will be imprisoned in the Tower of London.
And am no kiddin…
So howz about it Nicola, can we book you for one night only, just so we know what is going on in that tiny mind of yours?
Muscleguy: I could be wrong, but I think they plan to take away control of Scottish fishing while leaving the powerful pelagic, deep-sea fleet in the hands of those few families. Most of them already support the Tories, but, if landing and processing leaves Scotland completely, except for a number of small enterprises around the West coast (mainly inshore and prawns/lobsters), which tend to be sent to the Continental markets (and the huge pelagic fleet trawlers dredge even there, destroying the sea bed) we will no longer have a fishing industry to speak of, anyway. Even the foreign boats that fish our waters, many having purchased Scottish quotas, will be diverted to the new landing and processing plant and away from Scotland.
Good analogy of the mess Sturgeon has landed us in would be the 100 meters Relay Race.
Salmond is running third for Scotland, and Sturgeon has been chosen to run the final leg.
Salmond passes the baton to Sturgeon and gives her a huge lead.
She is way in front of her nearest rival
And she is approaching the final bend.
Suddenly, with no explanation, Sturgeon drops the baton.
Boris breezes past the hapless Sturgeon to win, and leave Scotland at the mercy of the ruthless Boris and his equally ruthless, Team Engerland.
Does anyone know if the is any significance in Lord Keen walking?
The thing is to open a Word file, write a “Section 30” text and press print.
Nothing else needs to be done. Then go ahead with the referendum.
If the other party to the union treaty does not show up at the signing, is that really going to be much of an argument in an international court case? The main things is that the electoral rolls are correct, voting is secret and there are international observers in place.
Oh and by the way, international observers come long BEFORE the vote and monitor the media, not just the voting on the day. Just ask the OSCE.
I never EVER watch msm news. Haven’t done so on anything like a regular basis for six, seven years.
In the maw-in-law’s for a birthday ‘tea’ earlier, the STV 6 o’clock was on.
The cost of this lockdown hysteria is insane. It’s indefensible. The treatment of our elderly, for example, stuck in care homes and left to go mad and die alone, not so much as a hug from masked loved ones who are forced to stay away from them by worried staff working for, what, £8 an hour?
I remember saying this before on this site, months ago, but was probably somewhat ‘tired and emotional’ at the time – I repeat it now, in total sobriety – we have lost our fucking minds.
“The enemies of Scottish Nationalism are not the English, for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls.
Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination.”
– R.B. Cunninghame Graham, founder of the Scottish Labour Party, and the Scottish National Party.
so true,
anyhoo,
Well done and congratulations to the citizens of Barbados for having the courage to tell the Great Brutish Empire to shove it.
Shug says:
16 September, 2020 at 5:56 pm
2What is it they have on her ???”
They don’t need to have anything on her. They can make stuff up and you’ll get folk with the “no smoke without fire” shite like in the case of Alex Salmond. Or perhaps they have threatened to bump off her family. There are no lows to which the British establishment will not stoop and it wouldn’t be anywhere near the first time they have resorted to murder. “We’ll do a James Kelly on you” might be all it takes for some. Of course others still think “they wouldn’t do something like that”. Aye, they would.
@jfngw says:
16 September, 2020 at 7:02 pm
“I’m confused, the Tories keep on telling me the SNP don’t speak for Scotland. But in a committee today Boris Johnson stated the SNP said the referendum was a once in a generation event.”
Glad someone worked out what was being said. All I heard was “Section 30 yes or no” from Angus McNeil (got his name mixed up earlier) and Boris going “piffle mumble mutter aha!”, both at the same time. Someone should tell our MPs in Westminster that sometimes after a question is answered (or attempted to be answered). a stony silent pause is far more effective than sounding like the needle is stuck.
@One_Scot says:
16 September, 2020 at 7:28 pm
“Does anyone know if the is any significance in Lord Keen walking?”
He’s a member of the Government, and the first one to resign. Most people won’t have heard of him but I’d say it is significant.
I’m surprised that the lawyers within the Cabinet have not resigned. If they condone breaking international law then surely the Bar Council might get involved.
“Wee Chid @ 7.37pm
Sorry to be pedantic, but it was David, rather than James Kelly that the UK government’s spooks did away with.
James Kelly is not a sufficiently-dangerous threat to the country to be worth eliminating, and, in any case, they probably believe allowing him to bore for Labour is the better option.
“SNP members should be careful who they trust: not everyone who smiles at you is your friend.” link to campbellmartin.blogspot.com
@Socrates MacSporran says:
16 September, 2020 at 7:56 pm
“James Kelly is not a sufficiently-dangerous threat to the country to be worth eliminating, and, in any case, they probably believe allowing him to bore for Labour is the better option.”
I keep confusing James Kelly with Iain Gray (seriously). Must be the fact that both are both towering titans of politics… 🙂
Which is more laudable. A legal order that is arbitrary in its’ adherence to the principles of due process in law, and which is hostile towards a respect for international law? Or one that is coherent and compatible with international law, and which supports individual rights and liberties?
The hardest task appears to be overcoming the indoctrination that maintains the belief that Westminster retains moral legal authority over Scotland. Without moral legal authority, British constitutionalism is simply an English despotism. So it is immoral to continue standing under Westminster, and to remain bound by its’ incorrectly assumed legal authority. Simples.
Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Chapter Five: National legislation and the Convention – Incorporating the Convention into domestic law
link to un.org
the Sinn Fèin empty chair policy
Would you want to be heavily outnumbered in a corrupt government
That sat on their hands as 1,000,000 plus starved to death in your homeland?
The British Army were dispatched to execute without trial those they thought
just might be Irish dissidents.
The comedian who plays Mrs Brown lost his Grandfather to an English officer knocking on
His door in the middle of the night. Shot at point blank range.
Brendan was able to see the Army notes with the killers name on official documents.
No sense in lying but all family and friends confirm he was completely innocent.
Another British Army event there was to turn a Gatling Gun on a crowd of men, women and children
Watching a football match.
Now would you feel cosy and comfortable among these blood thirsty barbarians?
No point in being at Westminster.
We are not listened to or permitted to influence anything.
Have every SMP member, one by one, listen to the vile history if Westminster in general
and Scotland in particular and be forcibly removed for ever!
Beaker/Socrates/Wee Chid –
🙂 🙂 🙂
People would pay good money to see James Kelly fighting off ninja-style assassins.
Never know – he might be good at it…he’s got to be good at something!
Same shit, different day.
I read this site every day and most of the time it just sickens me and I threaten not to ever post again and then something comes along where I feel that I MUST post again to make a point.
This site contains what, 15-20 regular posters? It’s the same people on here all the time, a very small minority and EVERY time, it’s the same thing.
The Rev or in this case, Kenny MacAskill MP makes a post and the same 15 – 20 regular posters shout ‘hear hear’, ‘isn’t it terrible?’ and agree with everything that’s in the original post. It’s basically a club with yes men, and I don’t mean that in a ‘Yes for independence’ way.
What’s the story with AUOB?? Everytime they marched, they claimed that 80,000, a 100,000 people took part in the march. Personally, I think they over egg the pudding with their numbers but to give them the benefit of the doubt, suppose only half these numbers took part in the march. What then?
WHY THE FUCK aren’t these clowns taking their marchers and marching on Bute House or Holyrood if they’re so keen on Scottish independence?
What are the police going to do? Stop 40,000 marchers? Don’t think so. Troops on the street to stop them? Don’t think so.
NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED.
AUOB *claim* to have the numbers, so put them to work for the benefit of Scotland.
Otherwise, AUOB is just a bunch of amateurs, a social gathering for like minded people to fill the pubs afterwards and pat each other on the back about what a difference they’re making.
GET OFF YOUR FUCKING ARSES AND DO SOMETHING!
You have to laugh at the Tories saying SNP doesn’t
Speak for Scotland.
With over 80% of the Westminster seats I say they certainly do.
It’s 65 years since Scotland ever gave a Tory majority.
Does that sound like they speak for Scotland. No!
@Ronald Fraser
Final bend how many were there in 100 metres?
Just listened RTÉ podcast about the current events regarding Brexit:
link to rte.ie
Good surmise of the double dealing that the Tories have been doing. Bare mention of Labour but imagination if the SNP did what was said on here and walked out of the debate?
In terms of the legislation, it would mean nothing but in the big picture, it would have sent out a message to the whole of the EU that Scotland want’s no part of these shenanigans.
What a wasted opportunity.
Clapper57 @ 6:30 pm
Hi, thanks for your reply
Here is the tweet you referred to in your comment
link to mobile.twitter.com
I have downloaded the paper. It looks really interesting and would fit in with my thinking that Article 50 facilitates the dissolution of the UK. I have not read all of it. I did read the example the writer gives about Scotland’s minimum unit price for alcohol. He said he thought it was unlikely the Scottish Government would be able increase the amount? The big flaw with this example is it highlights the lack of a level playing field for the devolved parliaments. They are not sovereign whereas England/UK is. The Supreme Court, which was established at the same time as the Treaty of Lisbon (Article 50 = Dissolution of the UK) was ratified, gave an unanimous judgement, all seven Supreme Court judges rejected the Scottish Whisky Association’s appeal, they ruled in favour of the Scottish government.Probably for the public health benefits and because the Scottish Government had limited powers on taxes, and none at all on duties. The question is Will all the countries in the Internal Market agree put profits before public health? Finally, The Scotland Act 2016 allows Scotland’s two governments to agree on the transfer of powers without requiring new acts or votes in Parliament. By coming out of the EU one of those powers VAT can now be devolved. I recall the Scottish Tories in the Smith Commission wanted it. So watch out for any announcement about that. The devolved nations might not be able to vary the rate but the total revenues raised in Scotland, for example, would now be more than 50%! I imagine any semi-autonomous regions anywhere in the world that exceed this level in raising revenues would be fast-tracked to independence!
Ian @ 8.30pm
I would pay good money just hear that fucking thick moron read the Beano.
So, the June 13th 2018 walkout was just a stunt, right?
But look at the coverage it got. The boost in SNP membership. It was a shot in the arm.
Why not do it again, but this time give them notice so that the whole world is watching?
Imagine the impact when the world – and we – know that it’s more than just a stunt?
link to youtube.com
If the SNP don’t do something, other than wring/sit on their hands, then they’ll be seen to have capitulated and Scotland will neither forget nor forgive.
So what’s the proposal, I have repeatedly put mine out and no one responds? Is it the case no one has the bottle to really take forwards self determination for Scotland.
This is to me what it seems.
Allen Buchanan in his book Justice, Legitimacy and Self Determination explores the case we in Scotland face, where international law is breached in terms of our devolution.
He points out it is one of the strongest reasons for a modern UDI.
But we need MSPs and FM with the bottle to do the deed.
Unfortunately Nicola Sturgeon is silent on Internal Market Bill and Ian Blackford looked stupid as Boris taunted him with ‘I take my honourable friend you support the union and this bill.
Enough said we are sunk, unless some repeat what the Irish did in 1920s.
Stoker says: 16 September, 2020 at 8:02 pm
I don’t want to get involved in this ongoing debate about British state infiltration of the SNP but want to comment on the part of article about “many young, and relatively new party members, seem to be driving the SNP down policy-avenues that have little or nothing to do with securing an independent Scotland, and which are a turn-off for more mature members and, indeed, the general public.”
Is a more plausible explanation that our society has gone in the direction of seeing university as the only course for our brightest and ablest and giving them social sciences course to study that have no practical application in the real world?
This isn’t just happening in the SNP. We are starting to get this woke nonsense in the private sector company I work for. Like every major company we have graduate programmes where graduates are fast tracked into positions of authority and influence. Fair enough but lately some of the stuff that has come out is nonsense but you just got to put it down as another tick box exercise to suffer.
I’m suffer this is happening all over the place where people spending 4 years of their lives studying courses that have no practical application in real life then are thrust into places of authority have to use knowledge to justify the confidence placed in. A circle of spin, BS and ‘Reality distortion field’ backed up by sycophants who want to secure their position makes it easy for this to happen. Of course in the wider world, we have a social media that backs all this up so those in charge have no choice to go along not only for positive coverage but also fear of reputational damage through cancel culture.
Of course this is just an opinion and another conspiracy theory but may just as valid as this one about state plants?
SNP MPs are either ignored or treated with contempt or both, if I was Nicola it’s tell them straight, use zoom to contribute with speeches & turn up to most important vital votes, otherwise for most of their time stay in Scotland, focus on their constituents and winning indy. Stop playing by Westminster rules.
And with one bound Barbados will be free and the UK Pariament’s writ will not run. They went straight for the authority of all UK power – the Crown.
But I talk a right lot of gibbering pish.
@Mist 001 (8.35) –
Okay Mist, 40,000 of us march, illegally, on Bute House…and then what?
Seriously – what do you suggest, or want to see happen?
The mist come down.
For me, the timing isn’t quite right, yet, to pull out of Westminster and invoke Plans B, C or D…
Whether we like it or not, the next necessary step in this process is a clear, unambiguous mandate for another referendum being delivered in the 2021 election. I know that some (me included) will say ‘but we already have several of those’, but the reality is that the electorate at large is expecting the 2021 election to be about another indyref- that’s seen as being the crucible in which this will play out. And if we (the SNP and the wider Yes movement) go to Plans B, C or D before then, some waverers (and remember, they’re the crucial ones) will not understand, not support that, and will be put off.
But IF such a clear mandate is secured in May ‘21, then either way, it’s game on:
– In the (on the face of it) unlikely event of the Tories going along with a Section 30 – ok.
– In the event of the Tories saying No, then it will be clear to everyone that all possible democratic, routes involving Westminster will have been blocked, meaning that those crucial waverers will have to accept the legitimacy of whatever alternative route(s) we then have to pursue. And that’s worth waiting for.
@ Ian Brotherhood
Yep, silly me. I thought it was about independence. That’s kind of what I’d like to see happen, really.
Johann Lamont was right when she said that Scots weren’t genetically programmed to make political decisions. The proof of that is here on this board.
Obviously, you’d prefer to enjoy the social gathering aspect of AUOB than to see them even attempt to make real change.
You’re all full of excuses. Bottle merchants.
@Mist001 –
How about we organise a hunger strike then, to gain international attention and funding from romantic ex-pats?
How would we select those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?
Fancy sticking your name in the hat?
@Mist001 says:
16 September, 2020 at 9:57 pm
“Yep, silly me. I thought it was about independence. That’s kind of what I’d like to see happen, really.
Johann Lamont was right when she said that Scots weren’t genetically programmed to make political decisions. The proof of that is here on this board.
Obviously, you’d prefer to enjoy the social gathering aspect of AUOB than to see them even attempt to make real change.
You’re all full of excuses. Bottle merchants.”
Stop talking bollocks. You do not persuade people to a movement through intimidation.
Breeks says:
16 September, 2020 at 12:59 pm
Another open goal missed.
I quite agree Breeks – to remain in an unlawful Parliament is a mistake and we should already have left. As Cabinet Secretary for Justice, it’s what Mr McAskill should have advocated immediately.
I am half English and was reared in England. It should be understood , the English don’t even think about Scotland excpet when there’s an accent around or a Gold Medal at the Olympics.
Scotland is full of thieves, drunks and murderers according to most
However, let it be understood we are at the northern end of the pecking order. I was in Derby and the people of London didn’t know how to spell the name let alone be able to find it on a map. The Watford gap is a reality.
If we walk out of Westminster the English people won’t miss us but if we walk out of the Union LONDON will miss us and they know it.
What we don’t understand up here is that it will be much easier to leave than most people think. The Central Government have done a remarkable job on making Scotland appear to be at best a nuisance and at worst an hair shirt for their precious Union; therefore, the vast majority of England and Wales will either not care at all because they’ve never noticed us or they’ll say ‘good riddance’. What will be more troublesome is the mechanics . However, at the moment Scotland would be in a very strong position as far as external allies are concerned and the rest of the world has realised just how badly behaved and ill-equipped and morally bankcrupt WM is – so I believe we would have support. England has effectively broken faith with the Union, Ireland, Europe , USA etc etc and that breach permits Scotland to walk away and make her own way in the world
Mist 001
You used to disparage, even sneer at, Scottish independence in the btl comments on Craig Murray’s blog. Perhaps you still do, I don’t know.
Now you post here, taunting others for supposed lack of bottle, while pretending to be zealous for indy.
You’re not fooling anyone, so you go and march on Bute House by yerself.
Sorry about the lack of clarity I was referring to Mr MacAskill’s previous role:-) AND I know how to spell bankrupt (unfortunately:-)
As we take the initiative let’s keep in mind the Scotland we struggle for is a Scotland where the weasels do not have their hands on the levers of our democracy.
A Scotland run by Scots.
@ mr thms @ 8.57pm
Hi Thanks for link…another poster on here kindly added the link also after seeing my comment.
I have not had a chance to read the link fully..obvs… but it is reassuring that someone outwith Scottish politics is willing and honest enough to give an objective opinion and that he concludes it is not as presented in the way the Tories are presenting it…..that is with the intention of attempting to misrepresent it’s real objective in Tory BrexitLand….I think it is shocking how contemptuous they are of everyone and seem to lie with impunity ….and simply ignore the backlash and fury….as if it is a game of wills.
Your comments are very interesting especially on VAT control.
I wonder if there is anyone who has info on the Japanese Trade deal with the UK…especially in respect to Scotch Whisky….ironic that the current UK for Exiting the EU chief negotiator David Frost was formerly CEO of Scottish Whisky Association…small world….small pool of people who seem to walk into one high profile position after another…jobs for the boys indeed…….
I think our media need someone (via SNP) to give a comprehensive list in respect to the power grab when they are asked what powers are being grabbed…and this question also needs be put to the Tories , but from the opposite perspective, as they refer to it as being a bonanza of powers coming back to devolved governments… but both sides need to be specific ……though the Scottish media currently seem reluctant to delve into this particular pertinent question in any great detail….though GMS this morning did highlight an independent paper via an Edinburgh University Professor on this who also disagreed with the Tory perspective on the Internal Market bill….Ian Stewart the under SOS in the Scotland Office tried to write off the objections as separatist grievances but the journalist corrected him by revealing the true source of the statement she read out….which was then, like all usual Tory liars modus operandi, ignored and disregarded…. as his pre written script had not bargained for an external and objective input on this question……
Have a good day tomorrow…bit late to wish you a good night…unless in sleep….Lol
🙂
cynicalHighlander 8.44pm
Brilliant,,,lol
Well spotted sir
You have to laugh, or else we’ll greet,,,as in, pull yer hair out.
.
Ian Brotherhood,
Thanks for the post about Ranty McRanter. Ian, I agree with you 100%. I cannae be bothered with Mist001 TELLING everyone else what to do. He has stomped off in a huff so many times promising never to come back.
But like the bad penny or Bariness Ruth De Rape Claws, Misty001keeps coming back.
Miisty talks utter pish. The site owner has forensically publishes the Web Metrics for Wings Over Scotland and it ain’t the piddly place yon small-man-syndrome eejit states consists of the same 15 people commenting.
True, the likes of Schroedingers Cat Troll had been banned. That is a blessed relief. But the fact is, according to the WoS metrics: hundreds of thousands of people read this website. Only a fraction will stick their head above the parapet and post.
MISTY Scores -1 point,
Then we get MISTY with his angry rant on TELLING US TO GET OFF OUR FUCKING ARSES. 40,000 people outside Bute House in the middle of a pandemic. What an utter crunt you are 001,
MISTY Scores – 2 points.
What is needed is leadership. For example, I present evidence of a good man standing amongst a nest of MSM vipers who hate his very bones. This man conducts himself without a MistyRant. Alex Salmond is a LEADER of the first order. Why? He cares about other human beings, even the ones who hate him…
link to m.youtube.com
True leadership. That is what is needed. Nothing like the expatriot numpty RANTING AWAY IN BLOCK CAPITALS…
MISTY Scores -3 points.
The site owner here and others in the Scottish Independence movement that have been reading Wings Over Scotland now grasp the fact that the British State have plaid a blinder. A brilliant stategic infiltration of the SNP with “Sleepers” and once activated, the British Empire has all but destroyed the SNP reason for being.
Scottish Independence aka IndyRef2 is very far away for as long as Double 00 Dreghorn, Scotland’s equivalent of James Bond and Janette Tough’s lovechild sits in her luxury accommodations and prestigious job instead of earning an honest living as an ambulance chasing lawyer fae Govan.
Unfortunately, Ranty McRanter disnae get that.
MISTY Scores -4 points.
Minus four is not a good score. Mind and no let yer erse get skelped as ye go oot the door.
There is serious and important work to be done. Having some ex-pat roaster popping up like an overheated toaster coughing up his crumbs of wisdom over everyone like a Covid infected Gatling Gun is not needed.
Misty007, please give my index finger a break from having to scroll past your pi5h. Away back to your ex-pat life with over-proofed grape juice habit and give us all peace.
Campbell Martin: “I remember two journalists working on Tory-supporting, British Establishment newspapers who would, every night, hang around the SNP corridor, waiting for two SNP MSPs”
He should name and shame them. At least tell us what newspaper they worked for so that we can avoid buying it.
Kapelmeister,
I think that you are being unfair to Mist001. He shouldn’t have to march alone to Bute house, I think he could take 5 others or alternatively IanB’s idea that he could organise a hunger strike or at least lay off the French wine.
This is a good listen.
Angus Mac Neil holding Boris Johnson’s feet to the fire…
link to parliamentlive.tv
go to 16minutes 29 seconds
“Is a more plausible explanation that our society has gone in the direction of seeing university as the only course for our brightest and ablest and giving them social sciences course to study that have no practical application in the real world?”
Ouch. Social science is vast in scope and potential, and though some courses may be more practical than others, the aim of understanding culture and society is surly laudable? Social science isn’t everything though, and some may thank a higher authority for that. 🙂
“This isn’t just happening in the SNP. We are starting to get this woke nonsense in the private sector company I work for. Like every major company we have graduate programmes where graduates are fast tracked into positions of authority and influence. Fair enough but lately some of the stuff that has come out is nonsense but you just got to put it down as another tick box exercise to suffer. ”
I think the problem is more a poor appreciation and performance of woke theory and practice, not inclusive legal practice itself. Unless they’ve altered the theory out of all recognition to myself, there ain’t much WOKE in evidence in SNP practice. The WOKE perspective was theorised and designed with the intention of assisting the empowerment of women and the politically marginalised. And I don’t see much of that happening.
Erasmus Law Review, Issue 1, 2016
Studying Law in Society: Static and Dynamic Conceptions of Social Norms
link to elevenjournals.com
So what happens when the “rule of six” doesn’t work and the cases obviously continue to go up. Do we have a 9pm curfew that 70% of the Scottish public shockingly but not unsuprisingly support according to a Yougov poll, and when that also inevitably doesn’t work what do we do then? Implement another useless lockdown and deal another hammer blow to the economy.
Nicola was again hysterically fear mongering over the 1 death that was recorded today. I wonder if she knows how many people have died these past 3 months due to turning the NHS into a covid only service (NHS still isn’t back to normal service and has been ordered to run light over winter in anticipation of a covid surge that won’t come anywhere close to overwhleming it), or from the economic and mental damage caused by the lockdown, it is certainly more than the number that have died from covid in Scotland in the same period. Does the Scottish government even try to calculate that. It appears to me that nicola is completely obsessed and tunnel visioned on covid. They are not against preventable deaths, only covid deaths.
@ CameronB Brodie
‘The hardest task appears to be overcoming the indoctrination that maintains the belief that Westminster retains moral legal authority over Scotland.’
Completely true Cameron. At this minute David Allen Green is having a ding dong battle with all comers, including David Lidington, on twitter about just that, saying the Scottish Parliament should appoint the advocate general.
‘The age of viceroys and governors general is over’ he keeps repeating. 🙂
He’s sounding now more like SNP should have sounded days ago.
Peston Show is so fuckin english orientated.
Wide use of the term “across the country”,
when they are infact only talking of england.
Ditto, Sky News and ITV News.
Scotland, Wales and N Ireland have to quiver in our boxes waiting on Boris and the english coming to rescue us
You don’t know where to begin in our reasons for wanting to get out of this stinkin Union.
@Beaker 7:41
Angus McNeil also interrupted him with ‘you said you would die in a ditch’, politician’s just never stick to their promises do they.
I was trying to think of something original to say about Johnson lying but they are all used up, he has a catalogue of lies that would have more entries than the Bob Monkhouse joke book.
anyone heard about a protest at the BBC tomorrow??
Johnson is looking a bit weird now, he’s surely on something. Seriously. Mogadon most likely.
Our monumentally dysfunctional media aside, Scotland’s lack of political nous, is largely due to the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty, which has stultified the evolution of Scots law, along with our ideological freedom. Our legal Establishment must carry a lot of the blame for this, as they appear to ambivalent to the doctrine of proportionality, and to privilege legal practice that lacks respect for the Moral law. How very Tory.
Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice 38
The Legal
Doctrines of the
Rule of Law and
the Legal State
(Rechtsstaat)
link to link.springer.com
kapelmeister
I did have the bug and being a professional clown-puppet must surely take a toll.
@bipod
Yes the NRS publishes the stats regularly. The deaths from non Covid are within the normal range for the year so far. You can just download them and read them yourself.
There have been 45,529 deaths, 5 year average 41,052, Covid 4236.
So there has been 251 deaths above the 5 year average, that’s 0.61% higher.
There here if you want to plough through them yourself:
link to nrscotland.gov.uk
I appreciate the anger from you Mist001.
However the world we live in dictates that we are governed within our respective countries….that is the system. As yet we are not at the revolution stage….irrespective of how many buttons the Tories et al try to push to prompt a reaction….
We, as voters in Scotland, elected a devolved government and sent representatives to WM by a majority for the SNP and did this via their manifesto and promises in respect to them making a commitment to campaign for Scottish independence.
Currently on this blog and various other blogs people are highlighting that promises made and intentions promised via the SNP seem to be moving at a snail pace at a time when haste and action seems more appropriate a reaction to a corrupt and dishonest UKnotOK government who seem intent on diminishing the powers of the devolved governments and plundering our resources thus trying to make us a spent force as a country, where in reality , we should instead be one that is rich enough to survive as an independent nation .
We could march enmasse… but then marches only highlight either your resistance or your promotion to/for something….they do not in themselves bring about major change…..they show strength in feeling and support and are a visible entity .
So sorry but unfortunately those we elect , via the system of governance, they are the ones who we expect to instigate the promises and manifestos they committed to upholding in return for our vote…..they are in the position to act and we are in the position currently of feeling we may have backed the wrong horse to win the ultimate prize…..hence the volume of disparaging comments against our own government which currently IMHO is deserved.
So yes I sense your anger/passion but you seem to be questioning whether we on here have a real passion, anger and purpose for gaining our independence….I can assure you we do….many on here are on the verge of real despair and irrepressible rage and it would do the SNP well to not assume our support is guaranteed should they fail to come up with an alternative plan and indeed focus primarily on independence instead of formulating unpopular ill thought out policies that do nothing other than give their opponents a stick with which to beat them…and indeed do little to reassure us that they are competent and worthy to continue having our support and our vote.
You think it’s bad …try living in Scotland….then you will know what bad is…..alternatively be more supportive of those who do instead of assuming we on here are all merely keyboard warriors content to just limiting our fight for Indy to commenting on blogs for ever more……trust me we are not….. we have all done our bit and some…. and are fully prepared to do what it takes again , campaign wise, for the final push……dependent on politicians also being willing….and able….obvs.
Sorry, BoJo had the bug not myself.
Should have been clearer the 0.61% is deaths above average not related to Covid.
@kapelmeister
A clown act can only survive so long, with luck he will have a nervous breakdown. Sorry sounds heartless but he is a cunt so I have no remorse.
Tales of Boris needing a bottle of wine during the day to get him through.
Day time naps required when 1 bottle isn’t enough.
That dispelled the saying in wine there is truth
In Ruth there is whine- that works.
Angus McNeil . Kenny McKaskil and anyone that questions the current leadership and activities of the SNP getting severe criticism on the I love Nicola blogsite
Christ honestly the blind leading the stupid believing the tooth fairly really exists. They seem to believe that they will be lead to the promised land .
Question because I know that they are watching in the middle of all this choas what are the SNP government doing ? You know what they are doing they are withholding documents requested by a parliamentary commitee and leaking private information to the Daily Record Independence doesn’t figure in their daily workload . So yer being shafted and you don’t have the brains to figure it out Suckers
Interesting stuff jfngw. I have not had a chance to read through this but did notice that the covid death figure is significantly higher than the one that is quoted by the scottish government. That must be because they are including all people who had covid recorded as a factor on there death certificate as a covid death, even if the persons in question never had a covid test to confirm that they actually had the virus. Thats a fundamentally unreliable figure to use.
Absolutely “ bang on the money” “ Republic of Scotland @ 0508 pm !
I particularly note your comment “ the exploited country has no army, Navy or Airforce “ , however you didn’t mention that we are also “ mainly garrisoned with Colonials” or “ expats” as they prefer to be called . An Independent Scotland urgently requires to have the ability to defend its self ( and rid itself of 5th columnist “ garrisons” ) and urgently seek military assistance from our very near neighbours ( Norway) , and other EU friends in establishing our military capability.
‘Kenny, it’s always a pleasure to see you at work. And this is important work that you are doing.
First of all, you are part of the history of the SNP. The work you did as Cabinet Secretary for Justice could not have been easy’
I agree with this and it made me remember something I had long forgotten. I remember watching the tv Scottish Government briefing when Kenny made his statement about Megrahi’s release. I remember my spirit rising during it and saying to those with me ‘that’s SNP laying out their prospectus for the future country we should be and our independence’. Some with me could not feel it then, but the differentiating our laws, our ideals, to be better, to aspire to be better, to fulfil justice but show compassion and mercy within the judicial system was inspiring. It was also very gratifying to me that USA seemed unhappy about it yet unable to do anything to stop our government – and our government didn’t care. Yes. Especially after Iraq and Blair being a poodle, when even gorgeous George giving it to the senate seemed a hero, this was our government standing up and being counted on the right side.
I realised the content of that speech was carefully set out, words carefully chosen, to do more than just state the facts of the release. It was to inspire, to rouse, to elicit the exact feeling it invoked in me and people like me at the time who truly heard it. It was the call to help create and become that better country, like Alasdair Gray’s ‘as if you live in the early days of a better nation’ and it was inspiring. I haven’t felt that in such a long time from the party or anyone in position of government. I had forgotten what an impact that made at the time. It was the first time I felt we would get independence. So I would like to applaud Kenny MacAskill for that and thank him and the government then for making that seem possible. If he can help recreate that again, please do so soon, we need it now.
“Scotland needs a leader who is a master negotiator. Somebody who can convince the Tories and/or Labour that a new independence referendum is in their interest, and who can make them scared again of what Scotland might do if they don’t listen.”
link to arcofprosperity.org
But Nicola won’t go and make room for that “master negotiator”. It’s all about wee Nicola, you see. She’s playing to the international audience with her progressive song a dance routine.
Just one problem, the international audience don’t give a fuck. Actually, in the next few weeks they’re going to be sitting negotiating for our resources and access to our markets, with Boris – not Nicola.
O/T we have another gem folks, that just adds to the list of 2020:
“Chris Grayling to advise ports operator in £100,000 role.”
I’m just wondering what skills he has to attract the attention of a Sierra Leonean professional football club.
@Mountain Shadow
“And after the public vote, will immediately move to revoke the Acts of Union in the Scottish Parliament. If that vote passes, then Scotland to immediately become independent and open negotiations with the UK.
I suggest the date of the 23rd June 2021.
Won’t happen of course.”
But it’s an interesting anniversary (nearly). On 11 July 1921 Irish Republican forces agreed a Truce with Crown forces that led the way to the Anglo-Irish Treaty – which saw 26 of Ireland’s 32 counties leave the UK….It would be fitting if Scotland followed suit on the 100th anniversary of that.
Very likely theory regarding the massive shortages and extended test result delays for Covid-19.
The Tory Government have totally lost control of the virus again and although they gave a number
Of 4,000 new cases yesterday, the inability to provide requests for 10’s thousands of test and results
Was manufactured to hide the fact that there would be 10’s thousands of new cases each day if they did not.
They promised 100,000 tests per day months ago as they promised a world leading track & trace
App by 1st June. Cambridge appeared to be close to a vaccine back then too???
The traditional Tory Jam tomorrow vow goes out again to say the App is improving, they will be able
To provide a Gazillion tests per hour just soon and trial have started on the Cambridge vaccine again
Chuck In the promise of a great Brexit deal, wonderful new world trade deals, more jobs, a booming economy, 111 new powers for Scotland and the Tooth Fairy has a £billion none disclosure contract to
Stick large denomination notes under your pillow.
Research must be carried out on the psyche of the English electorate that they think bungling Bojo is
a PM, Brexit is good and the Tories are pathological liars.
Was going to mention the Marychain ref too. Pure teen angst memories. Christ, what an amazing album Psychocandy is, to this day. Listen to You Trip Me Up these days, though, and tell me The Ramones should not have sued for the riff for Blitzkrieg Bop (on piano, no less!) inn that one. 🙂
Having an office in Scotland means we’re able to consider the views of Scottish stakeholders, as well as the procedures and practices that are unique to Scotland.
The above extract is taken from the website of The Electoral Commission and appears to be fairly typical Civil Service speak.
In the past few months they have approved the registration of one new Scottish political party and advised another that it required a name change. Scottish media bias notwithstanding, it is fair to say that each of the aforementioned parties did not cause any great upheaval as their principals were/are of comparatively modest profile.
Imagine then, if a big beast (or two) of the Scottish political scene were to submit an application. How would that square with the mission statement above?
We should assume that their (EC) professionalism would prevail and that any such application would be processed timeously. But this is Civil Service Scotland we’re talking about.
There are eight months left till the next Holyrood elections.
‘Global’ survey of 28 countries.
link to weforum.org
Who is going to take charge of that?
The very same people in charge ante-Covid of course.
In WEF we Trust, Amen!
Looks like genderwoowoo has won a significant legal battle re the UK Equality Act
The landmark judgment means that many other gender identities, beyond transgender, may also fall within the definition of gender reassignment in the Equality Act
The songs of our youth come back to haunt us!
Why don’t you all f-fade away
Don’t try to dig what we all s-s-say
I’m not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation
link to archive.is
Kenny, just to say thanks for sticking you head above the parapet and offering a slim glimmer of hope. If some other notables from the SNP join you I think this could gain traction. I think we all know what needs to happen here.. a leopard never changes it’s spots.
It will be interesting to see who has the integrity to join you as this will be a good gauge as to the level of British State infiltration within the party.
Surely the SNP should stand for Independence above all other policies and should have tunnel vision with regards to obtaining this objective? I always assumed that was a given although I see there are now some new faces who voted No in 2014 now running for the SNP at the next election. Sorry but if you don’t know if you are Scottish or English get tae! You can vote for it but I can’t trust you with campaigning for it.
We all need to get behind Kenny and what he’s trying to achieve here- even of you feel the SNP has left you homeless. He is of the old school and just as sick as the rest of us of the dangerous ‘woke’ infiltrators. This is our last chance for a very long time and the next 2-3 months are going define Scotland’s future for a generation. Nicola’s mantra of waiting until it’s a ‘sure thing’ is totally flawed and only highlights here commitment to stalling Independence and defending the Union. Bearing in mind Alex took the chance on 25% back in 2014 and nearly got us there, Nicola won’t take the chance on 55% before campaigning ???? I don’t believe the Scottish people will vote in favour of exile from Europe under Cummings fascist regime. If we did we deserve everything that’s coming to us.
It’s now or never. I expect some ramping up of Covid restrictions from Nicola over the next few weeks, making protest against the government nearly impossible on the ground, which makes this more challenging. We need to think outside the box and use political activist on our side take the fight to the SNP, right to the parliament. I think Kenny is trying to galvanise the movement and gain some support so back him, share his posts, inform those still blinded by Nicola’s smoke and mirrors. They won’t get this information on the MSM.
@bipod
Yes it is but is no different from a lot of death certificates. Many will say things like alcohol abuse but it’s pretty certain that did not kill them directly, it is the opinion of a doctor it was a contributory factor. If you are to question that then there can be no death which mental health reasons can be included as it won’t be this which directly killed them. Even cancer doesn’t kill you directly, it is the failure of organs that kills you.
It strikes me from reading quite a lot of comments, and seeing the reaction of many disaffected former SNP members and supporters (“malcontents” I think the late, unlamented Bungo Pony of this manor used to call us before Stu booted him into touch) that there is an appetite for something new.
Sadly I’m not convinced the ISP fits the bill, but I’m not sure what the way forward is?
A new movement distinct from the SNPs gradualism needs leadership, resources, commitment from like minded members and a determination to effect change. I’d like to see something emerge like the Faroese “Republic” party. I don’t think we can just put our trust in a quick fix, list only party for Holyrood 2021 and expect that to produce the result we want.
We may share the same aim as folk in the SNP who are happy with their agenda, but we can’t remain sanguine about the likely impact of their approach to policy, which is an extended period within the broken, post brexit British nationalist state, scrambling to protect the limited devolution we have now, never mind making program towards more powers or even less likely actual independence.
Kenny MacAskill is fast becoming the voice of a growing ‘tendency’ within the SNP that has turned to questioning the SNP leadership because all the questions that might be asked of the British state and its apparatus are now rhetorical. They have all been answered. There is no longer any reason to afford the British government the benefit of the doubt because there no longer is any doubt about the malign intentions of the British state. The idea that we should wait and see in the hope that Westminster will change now looks like the thinking of another time. Like propounding geocentrism in the age of space travel.
Despite this, I might answer Kenny MacAskill’s question differently. Instead of dismissing out of hand the possibility that Westminster could change, I would say maybe it could. I would warn against hoping it might. Because from Scotland’s perspective at least Westminster and all it represents can only change for the worse.
More at link to ihavequestions.scot
So David Cameron another who has no input in what Scotland thinks or does, has been given airtime to say that another Scottish independence referendum would be inappropriate. Who cares what Cameron thinks about Scotland, he’s in the ranks now of the Blairs and Browns etc.
Meanwhile Labour leader and millionaire Knight of the Realm, Sir Keir Starmer, is visiting Scotland today, Starmer adds that there’s no need for another independence referendum, even though around 40% of Labour voters want one. Again who cares what an out of touch Westminster Lord thinks about Scotland.
link to thenational.scot
Meanwhile as Baroness Ruth (I love the rape clause) Davidson, stay stum on taking her £300 quid a day from the unelected undemocratic House of Lords. Her fellow spongers at the stuffed full HoL, are bemoaning that their allowance has been trimmed a bit due to the pandemic. The greedy unelected quaffers are complaining that they’re not getting enough cash to pay for second homes, and that food it being taken from their mouths because if they don’t speak in the HoL they don’t get the full £300 pounds a day allowance.
It must be terrible not getting £300 quid a day for nothing, and not continuing eating the best of food subsidised by the taxpayer, whilst you have 40 winks on the red benches and dream as you sleep soundly all at the taxpayers expense.
Another good reason why we must end this farcical union.
Peter- Lets face it.
Boris is no diplomat. Indeed he is as thick as Sh*t on the neck of a bottle. So for him to say no doesn’t bother him at all. He has no moral compass.
My suspicion is that he will be gone by December. Then worse is to come. Jack boot ultra loyalist Gove is the likely next leader. If anything he is 100% less likely to concede a section 30.
He is a fool, but a very dangerous fool. So there is absolutely no chance of a section 30. It’s as dead as a sloth on cannabis.
Section 30 for beginners:
I’m going to hit you on the head – please lend me your hammer.
The big problem in Scotland is the collective psyche. Explain it as you will, but Scotland is in the heady position of the battered wife who decided to stay.
With the right leadership and communication, everything could have been so different. Through Brexit the seas parted, we could have walked right through without getting our feet wet.
Instead we got Nicola. Can you imagine Moses trying to sell this crap to the Israelites?
“Forget the promised land, let’s just hang around here. There’s plenty to be getting on with. Any of you got dogs? We could cut off their tails. Any of you guys ever fantasised about being women?”
@Andy Ellis
It’s my feeling that the SNP selection process culminating in which MSP candidates are chosen to stand in each Constituency will give an indication of whether there is any meaningful change in direction occurring within the SNP.
If we end up with a load of young inexperienced rainbow twibbon wearers and parachuted in candidates with little to no local connection to the areas they plan to represent, then I would hope we’ll see more support for ISP or an other build.
Worthy life experienced candidates that didn’t get selected by the SNP may then consider standing for a Pro-Indy List Party or as independents.
With no physical meetings and limited face to face chats because of covid, having any influence is pretty much now reserved to those with zoom capabilities and in existing networks, thus disenfranchising input and views from a wider group of folk.
Lukas – The other problem is that Scots are not very good at showing their anger with action. We don’t take to the streets like Catalonia or Belarus.
We do have to accept and understand that. Pretending otherwise is naive and really just wishful thinking.
I am thinking that for a revolution in Scotland to succeed. We need to be more cerebral and tactical. Yes there are 20% who may take to the streets, but the majority are too lazy or just disinclined.
To me the protests must come from our elected representatives in Holyrood and the councils. The Scots need to be led. We seem to like being led. It explains why our soldiers were so necessary to the bloody empire. I am not saying that is healthy or correct. But 300 years of abuse can have a devastating effect on people.
I really think our leaders need to step up and guide our nation.
Kenny, Are the stories that you were posted a document outlining Peter Murell insisting the police investigate Alex Salmond accurate?
I believe there is further evidence (instagram) of Murrell scheming to have Salmond prosdcuted.
Well well
Big jock 10.31am, yes sheep do like to be led.
I wager the tories are praying for a trump victory as biden has just said, no deals with the uk if the northern Irish peace process is put at risk.
Keir Starmer writes in the Scotsman ahead of his first visit to Scotland: ‘Why we can’t have four nations pulling in different directions’……
Translated : Do as WE tell you Jocks and t’others.
I mean WHO decides the joint course we go….how do you get consensus when there is one of these ‘four nations’ determined to not only NOT listen but determined to override via domination all of the t’other ‘nations’ needs unique to their respective positions.
Keir thinks Brexit and Independence ‘rows’ are hurting Scotland…. as opposed to the dominant nation within Keir’s ‘four nations’, via his preferred UK Government, really being the TRUE source of all of the hurt…for Scotland… if it stays tied to Keir’s fantasy ‘four nations’ Utopia.
Keir is stuck in the pooling and sharing of the BT message pre 2014…..pretending that he is oblivious to Scotland being ignored and his ‘nation’ seeking to retain all of it’s powers , resources and money and all orchestrated by the one nation via Keir’s preferred seat of power….i.e. the one uber alles WM.
Keir is playing Boris’s game of visiting the colony to try to appease the natives…..well like Boris …..Keir can f**k right off…..
On a lighter note I saw this wee joke on Twitter via a gentleman called Jimmy Ferguson :
“My wife left me & she took the satellite dish & my Bob Marley cd’s………No woman no Sky”
I laughed….had to…to stop me crying at all of the absolute sh*ttery of people like Boris and Keir….two cheeks of the same a*se.
@BigJock
Actually, revolution, whether successful or not, always starts small. An incident or event captures the popular imagination and the rest is pure chance.
The Arab Spring, so called, started with an incident in Tunisia which produced a ‘martyr’. It spread to Egypt and the ME but despite initial successes in getting rid of a leader or two effectively changed little for popular democracy.
The Catalans had millions on the streets but to no productive avail, likewise Québec seemed on the road to independence decades ago but….
It does help for a system to be ‘on its last legs’ eg Soviet Bloc, maybe with the right set of circumstances and a more imaginative leadership the current decaying, superannuated British state can be pulled down too.
Strategy, tactics, skill, intellect, imagination, daring, stamina and panache.
In theory, that combination ought to do the trick….plus loads of sheer luck.
My God the fun..sorry meant corruption never ends for the Tory party…see this below from Paul Waugh:
“Tory MP David Morris has been found guilty by the Commons Standards Cttee of breaching the paid advocacy rule. He will have to make a personal statement to the House.
Under the paid advocacy rule, MPs are prohibited, for six months following receipt of a donation, from lobbying for financial or material benefit for the person or organisation they received the donation from.
Morris asked PQ + emailed Business Sec about helping energy firms, after receiving £10k from Aquind Ltd.
Standards Cssnr says rules breach was ‘inadvertent’ but found his conduct during her investigation to be “regrettable and disrespectful of the House’s system of standards”.
@ Me @ 11.49am
Perhaps the standards commissioner found his conduct disrespectful during her investigation because he tried to use the Charlie Elphicke line of defence “I’m a Naughty Tory”.
Hence why his punishment was a slap on the wrist as opposed to a real punishment….perhaps she too “inadvertently” deemed his behaviour not appropriate for a real punishment…..as par for the course in Tory politics world.
“ Breeks says:
16 September, 2020 at 12:59 pm
Another open goal missed.
When Westminster voted to break International Law, Scotland should have stood up, walked out, and declared that Scotland does not consent and will have no part in this.
To sit there now, makes them complicit.”
Couldn’t agree more, Kenny was at the top in the SNP, he knows how a party is run/organised, he could have walked, & become a hero in Scotland, & joined the ISP where he would probably be guaranteed a seat in HR, in a party that could be the opposition to SNP, how I would love to see that played out. But if he could organise even more of the MPs who still believe in INDEPENDENCE NOW as opposed to waiting till we are buried by the WM takeover, surely he could convince say the ISP to stand in both seats, as so many of these new young GRA candidates are there to be beaten. If the ISP were to take those seats plus the majority of list seats.
The MURRELS will have a Challenge on their hands. Something NICOLA has never had since taking over, except for what every other country in the world is coping with. (Covid) She has used COVID as her cover story to delay talking about INDY, Yet BREXIT has not been affected, infact if anything WM have neglected the virus to concentrate on leaving with a NO deal on 15th October.
And after reading ( link to campbellmartin.blogspot.com. ) It is obvious the SNP does not work for Scotland anymore.
Get some of those trusted friends old & new from both WM & HR & bring them together to challenge those seats where we know the candidate is not interested in INDY. NO true independent voter would vote against you, Joanna. McNeil, Phillipa & so many others, you can help us get rid of this shower running the SNP today. Encourage Sandra white & Jeanne Freeman & some others Who are standing down to join your party, Just to clear out some dross & get us more Of an INDEPENDENCE voice in that Parliament..You KNOW, sitting there in that corrupt shit hole of a place, is not doing our cause any good whatsoever.. We NEED the good & trusted to work with us even lead us.. And for god sakes bring back ALEX..
@ Ottomanboi
‘Actually, revolution, whether successful or not, always starts small. An incident or event captures the popular imagination and the rest is pure chance.’
Or Jenny Geddes in Edinburgh throwing her stool at the minister’s head.
It does always require chutzpah though, a mix of bravery, irreverence, anger and outrage to initiate such change. Asking for section 30’s politely and meekly accepting when the answer is no with only a whimper of protest will never cut it, we need fighting talk which will lead people to stand up and move behind the cause. The more people latch onto that feeling and fellowship the stronger it becomes.
Bob Mack @ 10.34 am
Here’s the article from the record re Kenny McAskill ,
“ Mp demands probe into Nicola Sturgeon’s husband “ secret “ WhatsApp messages about Alex Salmond “
link to archive.is
The whole thing stinks and it’s time that all this evidence is fully and honestly investigated into the corrupt allegations against Alex Salmond
So Starmer is yet another English parliamentarian urging Scots to place loyalty to British nationalism, above a respect for international law and human rights. Institutional Torydum does run deep in English culture, and presents itself is some of the least expected individuals. Though your man Stamers is, like the rest of us, simply an agent of bio-social culture, so his legal outlook it largely predictable. ;(
Customary International Law as an Argumentative Framework: An Alternative Theoretical Approach in International Environmental Law
link to academia.edu
Well said Brian Mcleod
“Sturgeon is a competent manager who’s dedicated to doing the same thing.
What it needs is a leader to change the direction and go for the goal.”
I think its like a football team getting promoted…does it stick with what it knows and who it has at the top in the interests of hoping to simply survive at the big Table knowing a comfortable life is within touching distance tempered with the real danger it could get sent down, crushed forever more or does it go for the next leap, thank those who have brought them so far, wish them well and then appoint a real proven winner who can raise everyone’s game to the next level.
“I think its like a football team getting promoted…does it stick with what it knows and who it has at the top in the interests of hoping to simply survive at the big Table knowing a comfortable life is within touching distance tempered with the real danger it could get sent down, crushed forever more or does it go for the next leap, thank those who have brought them so far, wish them well and then appoint a real proven winner who can raise everyone’s game to the next level.”
I think this tweet from Rhiannon Spear today might answer your question.
Whoever appointed RS, needs taken up a dark alley and helped to learn some self-awareness and humility. It is apparent RS does not appreciate that it is not possible to claim rights without a legally defensible identity. She does appear ideologically driven to deny a legal respect for both womanhood and Scotland. So she needs given her jotters ASAP.
A Treatise of Legal Philosophy and General Jurisprudence pp 157-188
Chapter 4 From Criticism to the Phenomenology of Law
link to link.springer.com
sorry….It is apparent RS does not appreciate that it is not possible to make effective claim rights without a legally defensible identity.
Hague Journal on the Rule of Law volume 12, pages 227–249 (2020)
The International Rule of Law and the Idea of Normative Authority
link to link.springer.com
@Rev. Stuart Campbell
Thanks…My head is sore reading that!
We of course await Rhiannon getting a place in the Parish Council of Holyrood some day soon…
The walk to self-awareness is never easy, but it is usually worthwhile. Whether we are facing a coincidental convergence of ideologically laden approaches to the law, or something more sinister, I can’t say. Scotland certainly won’t be recognised in international law though, until it recognises itself.
link to journals.sagepub.com