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The King Of Irony World

Posted on August 08, 2017 by

In case you don’t know, Alan Roden is the former Scottish Daily Mail politics editor who’s now Scottish Labour’s director of communications. We haven’t edited this pic in any way, those genuinely are two consecutive tweets he posted yesterday.

So this is almost too beautiful.

The Herald’s correction only corrects about half of what it actually got wrong in the story, and omits the most serious error of all (reporting 12-month averages as the figures for July 2017, which were far better), but at least the piece has been pulled from its website entirely, as has a similar one from its sister paper the Evening Times.

We can’t recall the last time a paper’s front-page lead was completely disappeared in less than 24 hours. That really is something.

However, the Daily Record, Scottish Daily Mail and Courier – which also made the same mistakes as the Herald – have NOT published any corrections, nor in the Record and Courier’s case removed or edited their online stories. (The Mail website didn’t run it, only the print edition.) Their readers’ editors have not replied to our polite emails, so it looks like we’ll have to take the matter to IPSO.

The Record, in fact, doubled down on the clanger today, with a Kezia Dugdale column that was evidently too late for the dim-witted branch office manager to change in time, repeating the lie.

Alan Roden, meanwhile – who in his role as Communications Director will have been responsible for feeding the story to all the papers – is hotly attempting to deflect from his and Labour’s embarrassment by smearing the only media outlet that actually did “check stuff” and get its facts right – this one.

(Although that wasn’t his first stab at spelling “professor”.)

So overall today is a pretty sweet day. But let there be no remaining doubt about the Scottish media for its defenders to cling to. Any paper with a shred of care for its reputation would have prominently ensured its readers were informed of the reality, but the Herald has tucked a partial correction into the bottom corner of page 2 and the others look like they’re going to have to be dragged to the regulator to eventually do the same thing weeks later.

This isn’t a result of funding cuts or “honest mistakes”. Those things might (slightly) excuse or explain running a dodgy press release from a political party unchecked as a lead story in the first place, but it doesn’t cost anything to put a single paragraph into the tiny correction columns most papers carry when the truth is revealed.

The refusal to promptly address serious falsehoods without being forced to at gunpoint tells you everything you need to know about the journalistic integrity of Scotland’s newspapers and their editors. They are a plague of lies on the nation.

.

(In fairness to Andrew Nicoll of the Scottish Sun at the top of the article, despite Alan Roden’s very best efforts at making him look like an idiot his paper was one of only three in Scotland that as far as we can tell didn’t run Labour’s hapless, ham-fisted smear job yesterday, along with the Scotsman and the Express.)

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  1. 08 08 17 10:56

    The King Of Irony World | speymouth
    Ignored

  2. 16 08 17 22:35

    Scotland has the best performing trains AND the lowest prices increases in UK -
    Ignored

259 to “The King Of Irony World”

  1. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev you forgot – the Scotsman & Express are shite anyway so ..

  2. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Pretty amazing, yet strangely not in the slightest surprising.

    That’s some height they’ve fallen from.

  3. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Have to say, it was a bit of a shock to see the socialist workers of SLabour, hire a Daily Mail hatchet man like Roden up there. Why on earth would Slabour give neo fascism like this a job, even as their communications director.

  4. Albaman
    Ignored
    says:

    Absolutely spot on Rev,
    It’s up to us, your followers, to spread the results of your work to as many as we can.

  5. quentin quale
    Ignored
    says:

    And today Kez gets space in the Record to do a follow-up SNPBad story. Almost as if Roden had a plan. Which has backfired spectacularly. What a state SLab are in. Will they ever stop digging that hole?

  6. Nycgype
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve been away a few days. What conspiracy did I miss?

  7. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Do not think this will enhance their “truth “ratings.
    We all know what our press and overall media are, they are lying scum. We need a proper Scottish media rather than one laced with UKOK propaganda applied on a big scale.

    There is only one way to get the media we deserve, and that is the very reason they foam at the mouth like dogs with rabies but induced by fear, there is no cure for the disease.

    So we need to invent our own, sooner than later. After the political holidays, YES, needs to take the gloves of and start a no holds barred agenda to counter all this shit we have to put up with.

  8. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    On several occasions I have,in the face of the relentless continuing decline in circulation, voiced the opinion that the Scottish dead tree press (except The National)are being handsomely subsidised via some WM Slush Fund to excrete over us a daily tsunami of SNPbad.

    Surely it doesn’t make business sense to alienate half or thereabouts of your potential customers.

    Does anybody out there agree with my thoughts on this or am I just being paranoid?

  9. Another Union Dividend
    Ignored
    says:

    During the 2015 GE, David Maddox then of the Scotsman led the orchestrated Labour smears against the SNP candidate in Edinburgh South over three year old tweets taken out of context and only released to press immediately after the Ashcroft Poll gave the SNP a lead in the constituency.

    This was after several behind the scenes attempts by Maddox to get Neil Hay into trouble with his employer – a local charity.

    As part of the campaign Alan Roden gave Ian Murray a two page spread to demonise Neil Hay in order to appeal to the Daily Mail’s Tory readership. The Daily Mail encamped on Mr Hay’s door step for several days and badgering neighbours to dig dirt or say bad things about him. So much so that Neil Hay along with his wife and young family had to leave home for a few days to escape the harassment.

    Then in an orchestrated campaign “offended pensioners” AKA local Labour Party members (including Dr Scott Arthur)wrote numerous letters to local press trashing Neil Hay.

    Labour also made several vexatious complaints over the local YES Hub involving health and safety, noise etc.

    And to think many Tories think Ian Murray is the acceptable face of Unionism.

    With parallels to the Michelle Thomson case, Neil Hay was told by SNP not to respond to the allegations and was hung out to dry, but as this happened after nominations closed he could not be replaced as a candidate.

    Nicola Sturgeon says it is difficult for the SNP in such circumstances as once Dugdale or Davidson raises the issue in Parliament the Unionist Press / BBC have a field day and a single rebuttal can’t remove the smears.

    This is why Wings Over Scotland and Social Media is so important for the YES movement.

  10. TheWasp
    Ignored
    says:

    Les Wilson @ 9.28

    I was ripped to shreds on here last week for suggesting a gloves off, attack the lying media approach. Apparently we don’t want to frighten the horses and have just got to take their SNPbad

  11. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour operates on the principle that if there are sufficient numbers of people who believe the lies and smears about the SNP in the papers.
    Then job done.

  12. Wee Folding Bike
    Ignored
    says:

    Herald seem to be punting another Labour line on trains today.

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15459204.Call_for_automatic_passenger_refunds_for_ScotRail_delays/

  13. Highland Wifie
    Ignored
    says:

    And that Ladies and Gentlemen is why we need Wings.
    The Rev checks stuff.

  14. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Roden has obviously read the famous book “Straight and Crooked Thinking” but has taken the warnings about false thinking as his gospel.

    Define your enemy as a “Conspiracy blogger” and you can ignore all the brilliant exposures of your own falsehood. Machaivelli would dub you a Prince!

    Roden of course is clearly trying to bully the good Professor out of speaking the truth.

    Roden is a disgrace. Wings Over Scotland is an angel! (Big riddy is allowed)

  15. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    At the Monklands by election some years ago the Herald printed a front page smear on the SNP campaign and was forced to print a front page apology – the only one they had ever made. But that was when the Herald was a newspaper.

    I think the Herald is now the weakest of our newspapers. The diminishing number who read the Herald do so on the basis that they are reading an informed and reliable publication. If they are made to understand they are being treated as gullible fools the Herald will continue to sink.

  16. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    Wee Folding Bike

    The Rail Regulator in London has the power not Scotrail as it is a reserved matter.

  17. JaMur
    Ignored
    says:

    Worth every penny Rev.
    Hell mend the bellends.

  18. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    This is exactly why Scotland will struggle to gain Independence.

    The unionist media knows that they can tell flat out lies about anything they want, especially lies and false scare stories about Scotland, to put people off from voting for Independence.

    And they will never stop doing it. But hopefully more and more people, through sites like this, will realise that the UK media is corrupt to the core, and that they will do whatever they have to, to keep Scotland under Westminster control.

  19. jfngw
    Ignored
    says:

    Why pay for fake news when you can get the truth here for nothing, or a voluntary contribution if you wish.

    You really do have to laugh at people like Dugdale who scream about online behaviour but are quite happy to pen pieces that have only a thin connection with the truth.

    When confronted with their misinformation they become attack dogs, try to rubbish the reputation of anyone who criticises, ‘are you really a professor’ from someone who you could easily ask ‘were you really a journalist’.

  20. asklair
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done and thank you.

  21. Kevin
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘They are a plague of lies on the nation’

    That’s the single most powerful, poetic and truthful, end to a para I’ve seen in quite some time. Fucking beautiful – that’s why I read this dude.

  22. Street Andrew
    Ignored
    says:

    Conspiracy Blogger ?

    Oh! you bad man, Stu. I hope you’re suitably chastened and will try to mend your ways in future. 😉

    I’m not sure which is worse: deliberate distortion of the truth or the unthinking repetition of propaganda. In days gone by it was called gossip, or tittle-tattle and was the stock in trade of ignorant women when ignorant men thought women not worthy of education.

    To anyone reading this who is interested in propaganda and the control of political debate in the media I recommend reading Noam Chomsky’s ‘Understanding Power’. If you’d rather listen than read just enter Noam Chomsky in Utube. He’s a very thoughtful, intelligent and perceptive man – well worth listening to.

  23. stu mac
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dave McEwan Hill says:
    8 August, 2017 at 9:49 am
    The diminishing number who read the Herald do so on the basis that they are reading an informed and reliable publication. If they are made to understand they are being treated as gullible fools the Herald will continue to sink.
    ================================

    I too used to be a regular Herald reader and even subscribed. It does make you think Gus1940 may have a point about secret backing for some papers (maybe not government money – look at how NI rules were used to create slush funds to fund Brexit and anti Indy campaigns).

  24. HanadnadShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Love Roden’s “professional newspaper” thing.

    The Mail is a vile racist and sexist rag.

  25. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    Brilliant Stu – again. Your readership numbers will soar as the Herald’s sinks. They will be desperate to close down WoS when even their front page has to be taken down.

    Will the BBC mention this on media review? John Beattie?

  26. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/pages/jobs

    Roden is not just tory levels of shite at his job, he’s looking for staff, at socialist worker SLabour.

    Good money too, Salary: £31,800 pa

    An exciting opportunity exists for a highly motivated individual to work for… a neo fascist roaster who, nobody can work out why on earth a socialist political outfit like SLab hired.

    Key aspects of the post are as follows:-

    Liaising effectively with all sections of the media including political and specialist journalists and spokespeople for external organisations. By liaising we mean the French word for lying your arse off about anything at all, SNP bad Scottish politics wise, Scots health care workers and train drivers especially, you must really hate them.

    Monitoring the media and facilitating media bids, keeping the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Group briefed and up to date on developments, mainly Wings over Scotland, as its the only online place that actually does journalism.

    Producing up to date social media posts to promote the work of the Leader, Shadow Cabinet and Parliamentary Group.

    Trying to NOT snigger at a certain neo fascist henchman’s ongoing screw ups.

    Insulting academics on twitter for having the temerity to disagree with the boss, an ex Daily Heil neo fascist nutcase, hired for no actual good reason, handsomeness maybe.

  27. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    We all knew this was coming.

    But Rev Stu keeps their feet to the fire = )

    ‘Then they fight you’…and have been doing for quite some time now. Must be exhausting and soul destroying to keep this bile going so relentlessly.

    Wow. We really are getting under their skin = )

    We ARE getting there folks and they don’t like it at all 🙂

  28. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    Reply to Gus 1940, if we are conspiracy theorists, then you, my Husband and I are in it together. Surely they are failing with their business plan. If they are not being subsidised by WM, maybe some if the Unionist billionaires.

  29. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    This just confirms why it’s really no wonder we lost in 2014 with the out and out lies told daily in the MSM and the BBC backing the whole shebang up at night. EVERY night. We are fighting with one arm tied behind our back. Until this cycle is broken we are hamstrung.

  30. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Kevin = )

    ‘They are a plague of lies on the Nation’

    I liked that too.

    Could one of our gifted bards mibbee pen a new verse for ‘Parcel of Rogues’ as an up to date addition to that great song? 🙂

  31. Jake Gittes
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s small compensation but we know that the print MSM is read overwhelmingly by the over 55’s.

    Any time I see anyone with a newspaper, they almost always have grey hair. Circulations are falling. The 6 monthly figs for “regional” titles will be out in early Sept.

    It’s just a mere question of time.

  32. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Joemcg, We are not hamstrung.

    We may be fighting for our Nation’s Independence with one hand tied behind our backs, but mibbee it’s only fair given what they’re up againgst = )

  33. David McCann
    Ignored
    says:

    Better a conspiracy blogger, than a rodent at the heart of the Labour party!

  34. Sooz
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done, Stu. It really is gloves-off time with such lies being spread about and few willing to set the record straight. The unionist media in Scotland are a disgrace and treat their readership like idiots. Although, some people will believe anything if they’re prejudiced enough.

  35. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Trains and railways are clearly La La Labour’s theme for this week.
    The Herald today has an article on the front page, expanded inside, about demanding compensation for passengers if trains are late. You think the Herald would have kept that away from the front page.
    Meanwhile on page 2 there is a positive story about the NHS and a treatment fir leukeamia. Why not on the front page?

    Last week, Thursday I think, screaming front page headline:
    “Drinks death surge after services cut” Again dodgy, very dodgy, and selective use of statistics. Do a small bit of digging and the story does not stand up.

  36. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev Stu.

    If i were a shareholder in Abellio i would be very disappointed in the management board in not defending the companies reputation. Mibee’s a good idea to Email Abellio board asking the question, why are they allowing the Scottish Press free reign to misrepresent they’re company & mislead the traveling public.

  37. bookie from hell
    Ignored
    says:

    reading kezia daily record – what’s worse than a lie,knowingly lied RESIGN

  38. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    Wee Folding Bike, I’m on my cellphone and it’s half five in the morning here, but isn’t theHerald repeating yesterday’s lie in the link you posted? Someone should check.

    As for Mr Roden, maybe someone should point out that his erstwhile employer can hardly be considered a professional newspaper, given that the Daily Mail is no longer acceptable as a cite on Wikipedia.

    Gus1940, follow the money. How do advertising revenues compare with past years when readership was higher. There will be a time lag for print and it will be tough to come up with meaningful conclusions for online. Then the task is to see how the advertisers have changed over time.

  39. Karen
    Ignored
    says:

    Just the same as when Kezia said in the labour video before the election that pupils are being taught by parents in Scottish schools. Blatant lie. In fact even if you are a qualified teacher in England you still need to go through a probationary period before you’re qualified to teach here. In England anyone (no degree/ qualified teacher status) can teach. Why are they allowed to make things up?

  40. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    An old saying is “Necessity is the mother of invention”. In order to make the SNP look bad it necessitates that they create facts and statistics whether true and accurate or not, to carry out that objective.

    They live by lies and deception.

  41. Lobbey
    Ignored
    says:

    As with the Twitter discussion about Private Eye, if this happened in England, they would be all over it like a rash. But since its outside the M25……..

  42. Fireproofjim
    Ignored
    says:

    Fame at last.The Scotsman today has a letter headed “Wings Clipped” and a long tirade about the infamous Stuart Campbell and his blog. From Keith Howell, a regular Unionist letter writer.
    All it will do in my opinion is to attract more visitors to the site.
    As I said before, in the words of Oscar Wilde ” The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about”.

  43. Donald Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    Having been following the Wings over Scotland for only a few months it has opened my eyes on the massive propaganda being waged again Scottish independent. This morning the BBC ran programme about the Highers results being announced today. Most of the report kept saying how Scots education was failing. Keep pushing the negatives it all helps to reinforce Too were a nation

  44. Giving Goose
    Ignored
    says:

    Re heedtracker says:
    8 August, 2017 at 9:16 am

    “Have to say, it was a bit of a shock to see the socialist workers of SLabour, hire a Daily Mail hatchet man like Roden up there. Why on earth would Slabour give neo fascism like this a job, even as their communications director.”

    I think you have answered your own question there.
    Scottish Labour are Right Wing Authoritarian i.e. Neo Fascist.

  45. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    Be careful Donald Bruce, reading Wings gives you a cynical disposition, loads of laughs and intelligent poligical discussion!

    As for the newspapers…pity wrapping chips has gone out of fashion, ideas for their use please. ??

  46. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Fireproofjim

    Mibee’s Mr Howell diznae know it was WoS that done the clipping of the Scotsman £6000 worth of clippings.

  47. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    *Frustrated speller here* ;D

  48. Ian McCubbin
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done Stuart. I see why you are really lambasted by Labour and Tories in Scotland.
    Kez needs to do a big apology for her stupidity in believing yoon press.
    Wont happen though.

  49. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    My wee daughter got her exam results today (O Grades to you and me) – 7 straight As.

    Well chuffed for her.

  50. quentin quale
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe Slab are just doing this to get Scotrail to change their name to BritRail?

  51. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ mogabee . dey whit ah dey uas phonetic

  52. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat

    Well done her in succeeding against the odds what with the total failure of education in Scotland on the SNPs watch!

  53. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Have just watched a report on the Scottish exam results on BBC News Ch. which was generally positive.

    However, it ended with the reporter from Scotland saying that they were waiting for a response from the SNPbad parties.

    These Bad Guys must be frantically scrabbling through the results desperately hoping to find and twist something to release to PQ and the msm in time for the rseults to be attacked on tonight’s Misreporting Scotland.

  54. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    Kezia making a fool of herself in today’s Record is nothing new but the significance of all this is that it is coordinated and people like Kezia are just mouthpieces for the establishment behind the scenes.
    What will be their reward?

  55. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    So when I look, my comment on the Herald’s latest article about scotrail which repeated the “inaccuracy” about July’s figures, which was first up on the article, has been deleted.

    It was certainly robust, and sarcastic when it defined a year as having 12 months, that’s ANNUAL, which is a year of 12 months, not 1 month.

    It appears that the Herald doesn’t like the truth.

    Peter Piper

  56. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat

    Awesome. 🙂

  57. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Do they teach `ethics` at journalism school?

    and if so, are they for or against?

    `Post Truth Journalism` is where the perceived goal overrides
    honesty,balance,quality,constitution,morals,ethics,

    in other words `lying` is not bad `lying` has become good if it helps to achieve the perceived goal,

    the Scottish media`s perceived goal is to thwart our Independence from Westminster control.

    Anyhoo,

    thought i seen/saw a strange yellow orb floating above Edinburgh this morning, seemed to be emitting heat,

    was i hallucinating? and if not does anyone know what it could be,

    getting much use out of my new posh brolly.

  58. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Roden doesn’t meet his own criteria as a reporter

    What does he intend to do about that. are we going to hear the apology or are we going to see the resignation of an obviously fraudulent career or is he going to do the Unionist thing and just brass neck it out and move on to deflect with the next lie

    So predictable

  59. Scottish Steve
    Ignored
    says:

    So according to Alan Roden, a professor is only allowed an opinion if that opinion agrees with him and his newspaper?

    Gotta’ love how he just expects people to trust his paper by virtue of it being a mainstream paper. This is why I hate journalists. They really do think they have possession of superior wisdom which they can impart onto the plebs.

    I wouldn’t wipe my arse with any of the UK’s MSM papers. I’d end up with more shit on me than when I started.

  60. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Par for the coarse – when your whole reason for being employed by labor in scotland is to rubbish the Elected Government , by the looks of it just following orders ,
    It looks like Kezia is getting her retaliation in first , through this eh well , hard to describe this mouth piece , exactly what function does he perform for the good of all , indeed for anything .

  61. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    The Roden must be spitting tacks that the Herald has issued a correction which seriously undermines Bibby’s nonsense.

    Professional my *@!$

  62. findlay farquaharson
    Ignored
    says:

    i love this website

  63. Chick McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    There are lies, damned lies and State tactics!

  64. skintybroko
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat

    Congratulations to your Daughter she will have had to work hard for those.

  65. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat,

    The Labour way of giving your young ones results is as follows. “Scots child fails to attain 8 A grades”.

    Well done her. You must be very pleased. Rightly so.

  66. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    Of course, like the ever growing majority of the people of Scotland who no longer buy, or even accept a free copy, of any newspapers as they are now only the despicable dregs of a once proud and respected major industry, I would never have known about their latest disgrace if not for that certain Scottish, “CONSPIRACY BLOGGER”, presently based in the English city of Bath.

    Perhaps I should not have mentioned that Mr Campbell is based in Bath – I will not be surprised if tomorrow’s Scottish MainStreamMedia, report that the, “conspiracy blogger”, post his truthful information while he sits in his bath.

    What a real bunch of lowlife, poorly educated, dishonest dregs of society the laughingly titled, “Scottish Main Stream Media”, has become.

    Though, to be correct these dying, struggling to survive media outlet hacks can hardly now be described as Mainstream.

    A wee dribble of dirty water trickling down a sloping surface but drying out before forming a pool at the very bottom. Water, they say, will always seek its own level.

  67. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Perhaps “professional” is journalese for Fake

    🙂

  68. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Roden stinks but not as much as West Edinburgh today.The Lib Dem msp is a lazy git and does nothing about complaints.

    If you would like to complain about the smell from Gorgie to East Craigs and Corstorphine hill then phone SEPA at 0800 80 70 60. The smell is probably coming from the Turnhouse composting site.

  69. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    That, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need sites like WOS. They check stuff.

  70. wull2
    Ignored
    says:

    Tell everyone you know to spend 5 minutes checking the facts their self or direct them to this site for the correct facts.

  71. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    The rank rotten media in Scotland exposed yet again and the Scottish branch office of London Labour shown up for the filthy thick lying con-merchants they are. Despicable disgusting demons!

  72. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    I used to read the Record, even knew people who worked there. It was “controversial”, but a good read. I also used to always read the Herald, and that was reasonably accurate and fairly neutral.

    Changed days, but unlike others I’m not so anti-Record as it is to some extent what it always was. Whereas the Herald is just gone completely downhill.

    Shortage of staff and money is no excuse, do less articles online, check out the ones they do print more accurately. And aim at having no bias at all – there’s a gap in the market for that as I’ve tried to push on the Herald for, well, years.

    The Herald will go, perhaps even soon, even unionists don’t like it. The Record? It’ll probably go on, handy for the barbers. Curiously the Scotsman has improved – as for instance in them not having taken this Labour press release.

    Sad though, end of an era when the Herald bites the dust.

  73. skintybroko
    Ignored
    says:

    Famous15 & O/T – Majority of MP’s are lazy, never getting to grips with an issue and often giving bland responses and I include some SNP Politicians in that camp. Many are just in it for the money and the stonking pension they can get – found the section below on a linkedin post on pensions and it fair pissed me off considering the UK has the lowest pensions in Europe at approx 50% of the living wage.

    “For the purposes of this example we will use the improved accrual rates MP’s voted to award themselves entirely at the tax payers expense in 2001 (40th’s Final Salary).

    After 10 years of “service” an MP has accrued an index linked pension of 10/40th’s. The current salary of MP’s is £74,962. That would produce an index linked income in retirement of £18,740 per annum. The really interesting part is understanding what you would need in your pot to match it;

    If £100k buys me £2,256 I would need to multiply that figure by 8.3 to match the MP’s pension he or she had accrued after only 10 years “service”.

    £830,000 is how much I would need in my DC pot to match the benefit.

    Now consider what you would need to set aside as a percentage of your income to create that amount of money……….Even if I contribute 100% of salary it is still not enough. £74,962 x 10 = £749,620.

    In other words MP’s take more out of society than they have ever contributed. More than the sum total of all the PAYE / NI and personal pension contributions put together. That is why many refer to their arrangements as Ponzi pensions. It has become the norm for the public sector to expect to retire whilst still relatively young on an index linked income for life.

    Where is the money coming from to fund this largesse? Tax payers today (due to the Government exempting themselves from the requirement to demonstrate they have set aside sufficient funding to meet the liabilities) but, and the reason we should have zero tolerance for corrupt Governance, tax payers of the future. Our children and Grandchildren. It also comes from some of the “difficult decisions” our politicians have been making in “the national interest”. That is entirely disingenuous.

    So the answer to the question posed is no. There is a saying to describe a dishonest person, “they would rob their own Granny”. What does that make people who rob their own Grandchildren?

    A politician or other net beneficiary of corrupt Governance will point out the calculations have all been changed to “Career Average” rather than final salary.
    OK, let’s think about that for a moment.

    NHS staff previously accrued at 80th’s final salary before the “reform” to career average came along. What is very interesting is that the accrual rate used for the calculation was improved to 51st’s. What does that mean? What has happened to salaries in the public sector in the last 5 years? Would it be fair to say they have, relatively speaking flat-lined? Let’s say you were earning £30k / annum in the NHS. What would you rather have accrued in the last 5 years by way of deferred income, 5/80th’s or 5/51st’s? Tough decision I know……..so this reform touted to save taxpayers money whilst reducing the gargantuan gap between public and private sector pension provision has actually made it even worse.

    Now that you have read this it is hopefully all starting to make some sense in terms of how we are knowingly impoverishing generations Y and Z and why the UK is unable to tackle it’s budget deficit. The establishment hid behind the financial crash for years, now it’s Brexit. Masters of misdirection. “

  74. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Yeah, and it will be the “Scottish Labour Party” and the too close relationship between some on the Herald and the “SLP” – and even the Tories, who will have killed off the Herald.

  75. Jason Smoothpiece
    Ignored
    says:

    Page 13 today’s National PUPILS TO LEARN TO SPOT FAKE NEWS.

    Oxfam and Christian Aid launch initiative to help kids to judge whether stories in media come from a reliable source.

    Why do they think that’s needed?

  76. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Anybody noticed the Unionists complaining about the dumbing down of our kids education for the SNP political purposes keep spelling everything wrong in the same way

    Not that I’m having a go at folk who don’t spell well, there can be many reasons for that but it seems odd that Unionists all seem to have the same style of wrong

    It makes me wonder in this age of Techy stuff that helps you to get most of it right how they keep making the same mistakes

    Is Kezia employing the right people for this anti SNP job or can she not find enough folk to fill the positions anymore because the SNP along with our education professionals are enlightening our youngsters to higher standards now

    Or is it as I suspect all the Unionist anti SNP folk are a diminishing band of folk from Kezias friends pool and that’s why she has to keep hiring “journalists” from the failing Scottish press to keep her fires of “Truth” burning ever more dimly

    I’m very excitedly looking forward to Holyrood reconvening where it’s hinted that it’s going to look a bit like Anthony Joshua fighting, well me
    Although to be honest I’d have more of a chance to last a round or two than our glorious opposition parties

    Oh the joy!

  77. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    OT
    Mmm, H poster JA = OBE? Similar style?

  78. John Armstrong
    Ignored
    says:

    I was somewhat annoyed at the Herald article yesterday, so I phoned up the complaints dept at Scotrail and told them the good news.

    The polite gentleman at the other end was unaware of the article and was a tad concerned about what was being reported.

    I pointed out this was exposed by Wings and he could read the whole story on-line. As we spoke, he was on the case and after he gave the post a brief scan, he announced he would be passing this on to a department that deals with this sort of thing – in fact he would be doing so immediately.

    So there you go… proof that people power can make a difference.

  79. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Graun gimps usually worship Dugdale but there’s nothing from those sneaks today. Probably a big old dingaling like Mackenna’s saving it up for Sunday.

    Good Scottish story though today, but no mention of the word “Scotland” or “Scottish” as per.

    If Graun Scotland region hacks spend their work day pooping all over Scottish democracy, there must be a great source of superhero stuff, in the brave defenders of the UK! Yoonman, as in the Yoonmen. Roden in yellow underpants and union jack cape, Severin Carrell as his idiot sidekick, Yoonboy:D

    http://archive.is/psVw9

  80. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @John Armstrong 1:36pm

    Kudos to you, John.

  81. Marie Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Proud Cybernat, Congratulations to your daughter for doing so well. The wee lass must have worked so hard, you must indeed be feeling very Proud.

  82. cirsium
    Ignored
    says:

    Bravo, Rev.

    And that last sentence hit the bull’s eye –

    They are a plague of lies on the nation.

  83. clipper
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry O/T I should have had this on the recent thread about the bbc’s not so subliminal attempt at mind control re Michelle Thomson “what you did was reprehensible etc.”

    Been thinking for a while now about ditching the tv licence but never got round to it for various reasons but getting closer to acting on it now.

    Is there anyone else on here who pays or used to pay with a card rather than by DD? Could use some advice as I’m confused about whether or not I’d end up owing them money if I just stop now and destroy the card. I could just phone them up and ask to have it clarified without telling them I’m asking because I’m going to stop paying but would rather not call them. Also all the stuff I’ve found online about it seems to assume that everyone pays by DD. I use a card with which I pay £3 cash every week at the paypoint shop

    Just got my licence statement in yesterday and it says that “Here’s your new tv licence. So that we can issue your next licence automatically, please ensure you have saved enough by the 1st of August next year.”

    Says that my licence will expire on 31 August 2018

    Further on it goes on to say –

    Savings brought forward from previous period £105.25
    Total savings for this period £65
    Sub total £170.25
    Cost of your licence £147.00
    Balance brought forward to your next licence £23.25
    Amount still to be saved £123.75

    If I just stopped now would I owe them £123.75?

    Actually quite confused about the whole thing now and not sure how or if to proceed. BTW have no intention of stopping watching live tv – need it for RT global news and some other stuff but certainly not to watch msm idiot news – but I’m on 2nd floor so they couldn’t see in and wouldn’t get past the door even if someone else let them in and they knocked on my door. Also letters etc straight in the bin. Basically they can go feck themselves.

    Would be grateful if someone who understands this could fill me in on what to do and how to do it.

    Again apologies for o/t.

  84. twathater
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Heedtracker 10.04 am

    Heed tracker you nearly had me applying for that vacancy but halfway through looking for it I suddenly became VERY VERY physically sick at the mere thought of working for such a twisted , lying shower of self serving ar**wipes whose ONLY aims and ambitions are to demonise , denigrate and steal from the people of Scotland ,you would have to be like the rest of the cabal and have your integrity and humanity removed and replaced by entitlement and greed

    FFS could you imagine working with that shower of nonentities you would have to have an operation to remove MOST of your brain

    As for anything the liebs challenge the SG on why don’t the SNP answer them constantly by asking WHY IN YOUR 13 YEARS OF GOVERNING SCOTLAND RECENTLY AND BADLY DID THE LIEBOUR PARTY NOT INTRODUCE ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY WE SHOULD BE DOING AND IMPLEMENTING. the tolies do it to them constantly and it rattles them

  85. Macandroid
    Ignored
    says:

    Clipper @ 2.07pm

    Sounds like they will owe you if you stop now.

    How to cancel your licence

    If you paid in full or pay by Direct Debit, use our Contact us form. …
    Once you’ve done this, make sure you cancel your Direct Debit with your bank, if this is how you pay.
    If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, please call us on 0300 555 0286*.

    Official TV Licensing website – TV Licence refund and cancellation
    http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/cancellations-and-refunds-top7

  86. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    twathater says:
    8 August, 2017 at 2:19 pm
    @ Heedtracker 10.04 am

    Heed tracker you nearly had me applying for that vacancy but

    The interview involves standing at the bar, your shout, listening to Roden explain why the tories are gods that walk among us.

    Then there’s a written test where you have to turn the news below into SNP bad, FM Sturgeon worse, and all the good bits are down to future Baroness Dugdale’s wonderfulness and brilliance, especially this bit,

    “Figures showed a 13% increase in the number of pupils from deprived areas being accepted into university, according to UCAS.”

    You have half an hour, you’re allowed to cheat, lie, copy and use any source at all, as long its not WoS. its what we do.

    STV,

    “A record number of Scottish pupils have achieved a university place on exam results day.

    So far 28,700 Scottish pupils have been accepted into higher education, a 1% rise from last year.

    Admissions body UCAS advised those who did not receive the results they wanted that there were still university places available through the clearing process.

    Figures showed a 13% increase in the number of pupils from deprived areas being accepted into university, according to UCAS.

    Just under 137,000 pupils were given their results by text, email or post on Tuesday.”

  87. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Ghillie @ 10:23; Sorry it’s late but I’m trying to catch up. 🙂

    Boucht an sold for English gold
    Wad sicken aw wha freedom see
    They micht noo hiv thon pittance back
    Fae ther magic money tree
    An yer sleekit words fae reekin turds
    Will get nae a glance fae me
    So stick yer lyin pamphlets
    Up the erse o the BBC
    Sic a plague o lies on a nation

  88. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @Clipper 2:07pm

    I’m not an expert and I didn’t know there was such a thing as a bbc tax payment card. As long as you didn’t give your bank account details when applying for the card I would just do nothing and wait for the letters to bin.

    If you did give the bbc scum your bank details they would still not be allowed to debit your account without your signed agreement with the bank. It would be against banking laws to pay anyone from your account without your signed consent.

    If you’re still worried it wouldn’t do any harm to visit your branch just to tell them to watch out for any bbc BS.

  89. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Herald, Record, Mail and Courier, surely their sales figures are further on the wane.

    I’m like me many folk would never dream of buying any of them. The Glasgow Evening Times, is a similar unionist rag running the SNP, Michelle Thomson apology story, with no mention of the months long attacks by the media on Thomson.

  90. Coughtrie
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud Cybernat;

    Great work from your daughter, have you not got an Imgur for your clever wee lass?

  91. John Armstrong
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dan Huil

    Cheers Dan – I was really surprised at the reaction – the bloke was genuinely concerned – it would be nice to think the Wings exposé did the trick!.

    Scotrail have had to bite the bullet with all those upgrades – but they have suffered the short-term pain for a long-term gain, and that is good news for everyone who uses their network.

    It’s pure opportunism from Labour to spread this warped picture around – I still don’t understand how this is a benefit to their cause (other than try to point a finger at the SG for poor transport figures or whatever).

    It’s great that we have places like this to debunk the myths – hopefully, Wings will be on Scotrail’s favourites list from now on 🙂

  92. Auld Reekie Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done Stuart

    At least the Herald put out a correction.

    Whether it’s Labour, the Torys, the Bouncy Castle Club, or the entire Unionist Collective putting out the lies, if enough people believe the headlines then job done, as far as the Yoons are concerned.

    I got first hand knowledge of Unionist propaganda, at the weekend.I met a nice elderly couple from Aberdeenshire who are independent supporters, as well as SNP members.

    Their only concern about Scottish independence was the 15 billion deficit. I immediately rubbished that but they didn’t seem totally convinced. I didn’t get the chance to elaborate.

    Hopefully they will follow my advice and arrive here at Wings.

  93. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @John Armstrong 2:36pm

    “It’s great that we have places like this to debunk the myths – hopefully, Wings will be on Scotrail’s favourites list from now on.”

    Hope so, John. In my time I’ve left a couple or so copies of the Rev’s Wee Black Book in the pull-down tray thingies on trains for the curious to read. Likewise copies of the National. Same goes for the bus.

  94. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud Cybernat;

    That last post was from me.

    That’s the last time I’ll e-mail this company I cannae get rid of their name.
    https://www.coughtrie.com/

  95. clipper
    Ignored
    says:

    Macandroid & Dan Huil

    Sorry again I don’t want to go off topic here but still not clear about whether I’m paid up to date or if I’d owe them. Owing them would of course complicate things, I’d have to respond and interact with them which I don’t want, just want to cut the card up and stop paying and ignore the rest.

    Never gave them any bank details.

  96. Highland Wifie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Clipper
    It sounds like you are in credit towards the licence that expires in 2018 suggesting you have already paid £23.25 towards it.
    I know that when you pay by direct debit you are always in credit because payments are geared to be 6 months in advance.
    If you stop paying I reckon you are due some viewing time anyway! If you do not contact them letters will arrive but they would probably arrive anyway so don’t give them your details if you prefer not to.

  97. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @Clipper 2:54pm

    It seems from the info you’ve given us that, as of the date of the letter, they owe you £23.25, or, as they might put it, you are in credit of £23.25.

    If you need the money refund now it looks like you’ll have to grit your teeth and phone 0300 555 0286. What questions they ask you I’ve no idea. If you don’t need the money then I’d cut up the card and have done with them.

    Good that you didn’t give your bank details.

  98. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks everyone for your kind comments of my wee lassie’s 7 straight As.

    I should have added that she goes to loads of YES rallies and can’t wait to vote for Scotland’s independence.

  99. Margaret Ann MacPherson
    Ignored
    says:

    Clipper @2.54
    You don’t owe anything, your current licence is valid till next August and is fully paid. You appear to be paying in advance for next year’s licence. In fact they owe you money.

  100. colin alexander
    Ignored
    says:

    If the Daily Mail spouts anti-independence, anti-SNP bile, I find it strange they don’t have an SNP MSP on their writing staff.

    Like Newsquest and Trinity Mirror do. Owners of the Evening Times and Daily Record respectively.

    Of course these MSPs are not doing it for the money. It’s not giving credibility to newspapers that spout anti-indy poison.

    It’s MSPs scratching an honest living to feed the poor and disadvantaged and to preach the message of freedom to the unconverted Unionist readers of these rags.

    How do I know? Cos WoS comments explained it all to me.

    So, come on Daily Mail, hire another SNP MSP, give them more than the meagre £20,000 Joan McAlpine MSP receives. So, they can feed the poor and give a big donation to Stu’s legal action fund and all the rest as donations to their nearest YES campaign hub.

    And thank you Daily Mail for all the Royal Family calendars; wee Prince George is a bonnie laddie.

  101. twathater
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi OT has anyone tried to access yesindyref2 site I have just tried and there seems to be a problem it’s coming up as a fatal error

  102. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    John Armstrong at 1.36pm

    Well done John!

  103. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    yesindyref2 at 12.51

    Agree. Slightly confused about change of tone in the Scotsman

  104. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    While checking the Indyref2.scot site (still fatal error), I tried and came up with this:

    http://indyref2.co.uk/contactus.php

    Their mission statement reads:

    “Thanks for visiting IndyRef2.co.uk – a site focusing on the SNPs (Scottish National Party) obsession with another Independence Referendum”

    Anyone know who’s behind them? Their email addy only goes to info[@]indyref2.co.uk

  105. Tam the Bam.
    Ignored
    says:

    What a wonderful day today has been.The Rodent left with egg all
    over his face and THAT Neil Findlay Tweet!…Oh how I laughed!
    If you haven’t seen it yet…hop over to Wings Twitter feed …
    its priceless!

  106. clipper
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan Huil,

    Not bothered about the 23.25, just looking forward to feeling generally better about not paying to be propagandised. Not that they’ve been able to propagandise me for a long time now, I’m very selective about what I watch.

    Ok that’s it, just going to bin the card, end of. Back on topic now.

  107. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Project Fear / friendly fire ? Oh the dilemma ?

    Was just thinking about MSM v Scotrail stink and also if Scotrails Comms Director ‘ – Rob Shorthouse (formelry of ‘Better Together’) reflects on his delivery of PROJECT FEAR & why the name stuck.

    Can’t be nice be getting a real caning from yer mates via lies, misreporting & misrepresentation etc ?

  108. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat
    “ian robertson – The registrant is a non-trading individual who has opted to have their address omitted from the WHOIS service.” Don’t blame him 🙂

  109. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud Cybernat @ 15:40,

    whois reveals that the domain is registered to one Ian Robertson (“a non-trading individual who has opted to have their address omitted”), was first registered in August 2015 (how prescient of the fellow!) and was most recently renewed this July past. So evidently he believes it will still be needed. =grin=

    Does that name mean anything to anyone…?

  110. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Roden’s world view … “professional newspaper” versus “conspiracy blogger”.

    Glad he is on their side. A definite asset.

  111. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    yesindyref2 @ 16:08,

    “snap!”

    (Note to self: must remember to refresh page immediately before posting!)

  112. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    Apologies if this has already been posted:

    https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/

  113. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert J. Sutherland
    Beat you by 8 minutes!

    What took you so long? 🙂

  114. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    TODAY.The Mainstream Media [MSM ] in Scotland comes under scrutiny from the ‘Wee Ginger Dug’.

    “What exactly is the point of a newspaper if all it does is to regurgitate press releases?
    It ceases to become a newspaper, it becomes a propaganda sheet…….”

    https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/a-substandard-democracy/

  115. Albert Herring
    Ignored
    says:

    @clipper

    You pay the licence in advance. Phone up and cancel now and you’ll get a refund of £147 plus your credit of £23.75 = £170.25.

    You can get a lot of Wings badges for that sort of moolah!

    Just say you’ve stopped watching live tv and don’t watch iPlayer.

  116. winifred mccartney
    Ignored
    says:

    Neil Findlay seems to have deleted his tweets today – he has one pinned which is just him in overdrive criticising the FM – none so blind indeed as those who cannot see!!! Poor KD could not think of anything else to say in DR today so she just pushed more egg around her face. The only good thing you can say is they are unable to find anything bad to write about so they have to make it up.

  117. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    yesindyref2 @ 16:28,

    Well, it wasn’t the whois part anyway, whatever it was. I type very slowly, it seems. I’m also a total slug today with a bad cold and sore throat, so that’s my excuse and (lacking anything more convincing) I’m sticking to it!

  118. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @TheWasp says: 8 August, 2017 at 9:36 am:

    “I was ripped to shreds on here last week for suggesting a gloves off, attack the lying media approach.”

    No you were not. You were told how bloody stupid you were for spouting the same old SNP bad claptrap as the unionists for singling out only the SNP as , “having to do something“, but it was, and apparently still is, a very much unspecified something.

    The independence movement is wider, and more numerous, than the SNP as is the YES movement. The point was that any bloody numptie can support the union’s defenders by taking up their SNP BAAD cry and thus actively campaigning against the SNP.

    In the first place the SNP are the Scottish Government and the majority, (Scottish), party in the Commons. They thus have arguably their best people working their guts out in both houses.

    What is more these elected to office are constrained by the code of conduct laid down for members to follow. No matter that in practice Britannia waives the rules when it suits them but cracks down on those it wishes harm to instantly.

    If you had attempted to detail some ways that you thought they could, (with the gloves off), manage to hit back harder at the unionists then that would be constructive criticism.

    As you didn’t, and now don’t do so again, it remains no better than the unionist critical SNP BAAD Mantra so beloved of the Scottish MSM and their state broadcasters.

    I asked you then what you suggested and I pointed out that the MSM & Broadcasters have free choice to, or not to, publish or broadcast whatever they choose.

    The mythical, “Freedom of the Press”, can only be a good thing if the press are also free of corruption. Which the United Kingdom press and broadcasters have never been. The BBC began as a state propagandist and it has remained so.

    If you have wounded feelings – tough. Either tell us how you expect the SNP to force the media to print & broadcast what the indy movement wants them to print & broadcast then I’m ready to listen.

    I’ve read more SNP criticism right here on Wings but precious little by way of constructive suggestions of what the critics suggest they should do about it.

  119. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert J. Sutherland
    Ah well I’m sharp as mustard today (is that an expression?). Need to be, I’m starting looking for another van after the incident nearly 3 weeks ago. But that’s another story! Cats? ONLY 9 lives? Amateurs.

  120. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    ““What exactly is the point of a newspaper if all it does is to regurgitate press releases?” – WGD

    The Naked Truth…

    http://imgur.com/a/JUJW8

  121. wull2
    Ignored
    says:

    Advertisers, if your advert is read, most people on here would stop buying your product. Don’t say you have not been told.

  122. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @Clipper

    I’m aware that many helpful posters have addressed you concerns already, but as I read your original post I started typing a response in Notebook. So I thought I’d post anyway as it may be helpful to others thinking of doing the same thing.

    The real reason I’m doing this of course is because I hate the BBC.

    See link below for how to cancel your license in the proper manner which means less hassle. Best to do it right if your going to do it at all

    http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/cancellations-and-refunds-top7

    It sounds to me like you pay with a card and if so you need to contact them by phone, this advice is on the link above.

    If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, please call us on 0300 555 0286*.

    Remember too that you don’t need to watch “live” TV as you can watch any channel on catch up without a license other than BBC iplayer. I don’t know if RT has a catch up channel which are usually broadcast 1 hour later than the live version but most of their shows are posted on the RT website, so you can watch there legally anyway without a license just a bit later.

    You won’t owe them anything as the license is paid in advance and in fact looks to me like you are due a refund of £23.25. That will be credited back to you.

  123. Iain
    Ignored
    says:

    In his Linkedin details, Roden describes his MA from Edinburgh University as a ‘Master’s’ degree.

    We know that this is true in the sense that the traditional first degree in Arts at all the old Scottish universities is an MA. But in England and at newer Scottish universities the equivalent first degree is a Bachelor of Arts. A Master’s degree is otherwise a higher, post-graduate degree.

    Roden is thus trying to give the impression that his MA is a higher degree than it is. Which, to me, seems rather in character.

  124. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh dear,

    “Record number of Scots pupils win university place amid steady Highers pass rate”

    Sturgeon MUST resign. And Swinney too, Sack all of them!

  125. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Enjoy ur summer days & summer nights Scotland!

    Enjoy the sunshine Glasgow.

    Cuckoo ka choo choo.

  126. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    As usual BBC speak , people have said Education standards have fallen under the snp government, aye right, people being all Unionist parties,
    This continued use of BUT when referring to the SNP is bloody annoying. Good or bad news is always followed by the usual bloody BUT ..

  127. jfngw
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice balanced news piece on BBC Main News, about 10-20 secs mentioning today’s results then over a minute telling us how bad Scottish education is. They must have received a SLAB press release.

  128. Sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Re: Alan Roden – Self confessed professional journalist expert. (in his own opinion)

    Has subterfuge been employed by certain individuals to infiltrate useless SLAB by our devious, lying, arrogant, so called WM caring government to further enhance their tenuous but two-faced hold on one of England’s last colonies?
    Is he there to finally kill off Labour so that the Eton & other English private elite school backpackers can finally get their wish of a supreme dictatorship?

    Any truth in the rumour of England twinning with North Korea?

  129. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Independence supporter = cup half full
    Union supporter = cup half empty

    It’s just a state of mind.

  130. Paul
    Ignored
    says:

    Brilliant, just brilliant. Keep it up. Commonspace, watch and learn.

  131. Eckle Fechan
    Ignored
    says:

    “Conspiracy Blogger” as already mentioned. Surely some t-shirt merch mileage in that, along with other greatest hits.

  132. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Love Scotland X.

  133. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done Misreporting Scotland.

    While telling us that the no. of passes had fallen they failed to mention that it was by a microscopic percentage which was in reports earlier in the day.

  134. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes!

  135. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Warning: item on CH4 news about maternity units in England turning away patients. Information discovered by Labour.

    If Labour in Scotland run true to form expect them to produce a story along the same lines about NHS Scotland within the next few days. No doubt they are ferreting away looking for info even as I type.

    Get ready to check ‘facts’ they produce.

  136. Blair Paterson
    Ignored
    says:

    Do the unionists partIes not realise that when they run down the public services in Scotland that many of the people who work in these services are their own voters ??? It is not only SNP supporters who work in them but I suppose they think it’s worth it as people will think it is all the SNP fault more the fool them

  137. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Ummm, Labour from Dugdales feed:

    “Only Labour has a plan to improve our railways. Read more here:”

    Banner: “Labour would introduce automatic refunds for delayed ScotRail trains

    “FOR THE MANY NOT THE FEW”

    So – Labour will delay trains for the many, not the few as at present, but hey, here’s your refund, sorry about the complete absence of trains from the Labour network.

    I don’t think they thought that one through.

  138. nicola wood
    Ignored
    says:

    Lies, lies and more lies. The Scottish Governments funding for Scotrail has remained consistent and Scotrail’s recent performance has been 90% plus – Excellent!

  139. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Marcia says: 8 August, 2017 at 9:50 am:

    “The Rail Regulator in London has the power not Scotrail as it is a reserved matter.”

    So, Marcia, it’s not a gloves off – all the SNP/Nicola Sturgeon or a Scottland is shite matter after all, then?

    That’ll be a real big disappointment to the Scottish media then.

  140. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Easy cowboy, we’re on the same page.

  141. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour’s Iain Gray said: “The reality is that these results have been achieved by pupils and teachers in spite of SNP government cuts to education budgets, teacher numbers and support staff.”

    Translation

    “Oh Shite, the results are pretty good…but sodding SNPbad anyway. Bastards that they are.”

    It is politics Jim but not as we know them.

  142. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Street Andrew says: 8 August, 2017 at 9:59 am:

    “In days gone by it was called gossip, or tittle-tattle and was the stock in trade of ignorant women when ignorant men thought women not worthy of education.”

    It is also what the USA Marine Corp still call, “Scuttlebutt”, and was known in Glesca, “steamies”, (community Washooses), as:-

    “Craic” – or “crack” It is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation. It was particularly prominent in Ireland. Where it is often used with the definite article – “the craic” – like in the expression “What’s the craic?” (a sort of, “How are you today?” Sometimes more like, “What’s happening?”.

    The word is rather unusual as it was borrowed from the English, “crack”, into the Irish and hence into the Glasgow of the Potato famine. Then the and the Irish/Scottish spelling was then re-borrowed back into the English language.

  143. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Aye, scrape them off Jim.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzAcHq7N38

  144. Col
    Ignored
    says:

    I see a series of piss takes here. “Only Labour can”…. Send hundreds of millions back to Westminster unspent!
    “OLC”…. Think saddling local authorities with PFI debt is a good idea!
    “OLC”…. Never do anything about ending the archaic house of Lords
    Only Labour can is used a lot by the KD but it’s as empty a slogan as all the rest from her party.

  145. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Sooz says: 8 August, 2017 at 10:41 am:
    ” … Although, some people will believe anything if they’re prejudiced enough.”

    Now I may be wrong about this, Sooz, but it has always been my experience that those who really are, “biased enough”, are, (to use the old Scots expression), “Kiddin thirsels oan”, and are thus well aware of the real truth.

    They know they are telling lies but are determined to continue to do so.

  146. Marker Post
    Ignored
    says:

    Top billing on Radio 4 this evening at 5:30 was a report by University of Manchester highlighting the North-South divide within England on life expectancy. It blamed systemic failure of all governments over the past 30 years in terms of capital investment and services.

    http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/north-south-health-divide-bigger-than-ever-with-alarming-rise-in-deaths-of-northern-25-44-year-olds/

    Weird I can’t find it on the websites of the BBC or of any of the usual suspects. But I was wondering if any similar research had been done comparing Scotland versus England, and how explosive that would be. Because some of the headline figures are quite shocking:

    – 49% more deaths among 35-44 year olds in the North in 2015
    – 29% more deaths among 25-34 year olds in the North in 2015

  147. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Proud Cybernat says: 8 August, 2017 at 11:25 am:

    “My wee daughter got her exam results today (O Grades to you and me) – 7 straight As.
    Well chuffed for her.”

    Well done her!

    A Independent Scottish First Minister of the future perhaps.

  148. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Smallaxe @ 2.27 pm

    YES!!! ‘Sic a plague o’ lies on a Nation’ = )

    PURE BRILLIANT !!!

    Mibbee Mr Salmond would like to include this in his Fringe show ?!

    What a gift you have 🙂

  149. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dave McEwan Hill says: 8 August, 2017 at 11:41 am:

    … What will be their reward?

    Oh! the usual one of a £300 per day HOL attendance money. Whether you actually attend or just keep the taxi running sign in, grab the cash, and do your own thing for the rest of the day or hang around to spend your time in the many expensive distractions and dining and drinking in the many eating & drinking places of the HOL that the grateful United Kingdom taxpayer is forced to provide for her Majesty’s honoured supporters.

  150. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR CLEVER YOUNG SCOTS !!!

    Well! Our youngsters put paid to the ‘too stupid’ !

    These exams this Nation’s children face are gruelling.

    To achieve As, Bs and Cs is exceptional! To even sit these exams takes courage and resiliance.

    But they are not the ‘be all and end all’.

    We do learn more from our difficulties than we do from our successes. So, everyone please take this wee gift from me…

    You have a long life ahead of you, you’ll be a long time a grownup. Plenty time and chances to carry on studying and improve on your grades if you want to.

    Or choose a new path 🙂 You all have talents, a gift to give the World = )

    Scotland’s children and teachers, I am so proud of you all !

  151. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    The occupants of the Labour Party’s wee Scottish outpost remind me of quack doctors who deliberately encourage their patients to feel unwell even when they are not, and through a contemptible combination of incompetence and deviousness, never adminster a complete cure even when necessary, thereby maintaining the need for their services.

    A parasitical infection of the body politic. They are surely fondly hoping that people have forgotten how things were when they were in charge. But hopefully we haven’t, and aren’t fooled by their pathetic self-promotions or by the “second coming” of JC, because Corbyn can’t and won’t change the uselessness of his miserable Bitter Together crew one whit.

  152. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    I despair. How can this reporting be allowed to continue.
    Like many on here I haven’t bought a newspaper for over 10 years. Regarding the BBC don’t believe much on what they report especially if it’s something about Scotland.

    We need to turn around a number of No’s to succeed and I tried during Indy 2014 to some degree of success but the big obstacle is still the MSM including the state broadcaster.

    I always thought that when it came to the crunch a number of Labour or maybe Libdem MPs and MSPs would walk across the floor and support the SNP. How wrong/naive was I. But with the likes of Jim Hood ex Labour MP not surprised.

    Jim Hood MP 2014 in HOC

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuj1bKFldly

  153. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    I despair. How can this reporting be allowed to continue.
    Like many on here I haven’t bought a newspaper for over 10 years. Regarding the BBC don’t believe much on what they report especially if it’s something about Scotland.

    We need to turn around a number of No’s to succeed and I tried during Indy 2014 to some degree of success but the big obstacle is still the MSM including the state broadcaster.

    I always thought that when it came to the crunch a number of Labour or maybe Libdem MPs and MSPs would walk across the floor and support the SNP. How wrong/naive was I. But with the likes of Jim Hood ex Labour MP not surprised.

    Jim Hood MP 2014 in HOC

    m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuj1bKFldly

  154. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ghillie

    Very well said, more qualifications than ever before are being gained under the SNPs time in Holyrood than ever before in Scotland.

    Ignore the liars and congratulate the children.

  155. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Marker post @ 8.30pm

    Channel 4 news covered the nirth-south divide research on its main news programme tonight.

  156. Andy Anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Good, thank you Sit for a job well done.

  157. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Scottish Steve says: 8 August, 2017 at 11:59 am:

    “So according to Alan Roden, a professor is only allowed an opinion if that opinion agrees with him and his newspaper?”

    You expose a very salient point there, Scottish Steve – It is that, when it comes to journalism, there is a vast difference between the expressing of an opinion and reporting of a fact.

    Opinions, in particular a personal opinions, are described as being, “Subjective”. That is they are:-“based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions”.

    However reporting is defined as being, “substantive”, and that is defined as:- “having a firm basis in reality and therefore important, meaningful, or considerable.”

    Thus, to report substantively about the Scottish MSM, I would have to offer the subjective opinion that they have juxtaposed the two definitions.

    They offer their opinions as reports and their reports as opinions. a.k.a Them deliberately being a right shower of downright lying buggers.

  158. Andy Anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry Stu. I hate spell cjeckers

  159. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Alex Clarke 🙂

  160. james barr gardner
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T 2,500 Orange men to descend on Kirkintilloch this Saturday what the feck is this all about? Unionists are shitting themselves, they think that getting Jo Swinson back in they need to ram it down East Dunbartonshire throats. If this is what is what was meant by unRUTHless ulsterisation tactic it only goes to prove how vile a person she is, I thought the DUP were on a different planet, but FFS tories are truly Satan’s Spawn. Scotland is a Country of worth and it has no place in it for evil scum.

  161. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Farewell to the wichita lineman my other favourite Campbell..

    Glen Campbell RIP

  162. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    Legerwood@9.32pm

    Aye, bit which ‘nirth’ were they talking about? Nirth, if you live in Eng, anywhere in england, is Cumbria, Carlisle, Newcastle, & ‘no mans, (cos its the privelege of a select few to live there, being the very, mega rich, duke o northumberlands land) Northumberland. If you live in London, anything nirth of Manchester hardly exists.

    Scotland is not nirth, or anywhere if you watch the ebc in Eng. Took me a while to get that in Scotland, Nirth, is Nairn, Inverness, maybe Aberdeen, and Orkney and other far off islands, yet to have the pleasure to visit.

    Scotland has it’s own, south, north, east and west.

  163. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Graham says: 8 August, 2017 at 6:21 pm:

    This continued use of BUT when referring to the SNP is bloody annoying. Good or bad news is always followed by the usual bloody BUT ..”

    But, Robert, they are after all, “Scottish Buts. But.

  164. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    James bar Gardner@9.49

    Ah, the ‘glorious 12th’. Of course, hunt, kill and celebrate the smell of death in the air. Foxes, and others, they hunt and kill and rip to shreds alive, the poor foxes and wee anything that gets in the way, on the 12th!

    They will be starving the hunt dogs as we speak, so they are ready for the kill Saturday. Nevermind the foxes, the dogs they use are clearly not treated well at all, thy often look ill, and starving. I thought there were laws in the yookay to protect animals from abuse. No.

    Religious bigotry and killing innocent animals in a most cruel way, happening on the same day, hm.
    Coincidence?

  165. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Artyhetty @ 10.07 pm

    The research was carried out wholly within England. The actual dividing line is shown on the map on CH4 web site

    https://www.channel4.com/news/study-north-england-die-young

  166. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Keep on keeping on Scotland.

    We shall celebrate soon.

    Maintain the tempo.

    Roll on 4,500.

  167. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    On a few occassions when I take a train it has arrived earlier than detailed. Ok just a minute.

    How much do I need to pay Scotrail?

    Can Labour offer any advice?

    My wife is always late. How much should I be paid?

  168. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    If a neo fascist like Roden wasn’t working for the socialist workers of SLabour, I’d say he was pushing this kind of vote Colonel Ruth stuff to Londoners.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/ruth-davidson-challenges-theresa-may-with-call-for-rational-discussion-on-immigration-a3606496.html

    Today website ConservativeHome announced Ms Davidson was more popular with grassroots members than any Cabinet minister, with a net satisfaction score of 81 per cent. She wrote in the Telegraph: “We could get the message out more clearly that there is nothing so Conservative as pulling your loved ones close and striving to build a better future for your family, which is what so many immigrants do.

    Pure Roden, but he’s the SLab chief spin doc.

  169. TheWasp
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers @ 4.58

    Like yourself I spent my whole working life in industry, so I’m too big and too ugly to let your comments bother me. The only thing I was showing, amongst friends I thought, was frustration and a feeling of total impotence with the way things were being portrayed in the media that day, and not stupidity or anti SNP ranting.
    I learned to fight my independence corner early in life when I worked beside a young man who became president of cosla some years later and I’m not backwards at saying what I think.
    To that end, at the same time as I made the initial post on here I emailed the SNP voicing my concerns. I received a very nice email back in quick time, and as well as informing me I was only one of many who had raised the very same point, it explained the strategy that is being brought into play now vis a vis the MSM, which I won’t go into here, and rather put my mind at rest.

  170. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    There is a Month between them @Artyhetty says at 10:18pm

    12th July, ‘The Twelfth’ aka ‘Orangemens Day’

    12th August, ‘The Glorious Twelfth’ (first day of grouse season)

    Both however involve wearing a uniform (sash vs tweeds) and harken back to the hierarchical days of yore.

    Also is Orange the new Green?

    http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/greer-makes-sectarian-smear-will-self.html?m=1

  171. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Unionists – but but – 2 stroke engine
    Independentistas – vroom vroom – inline 6 cylinder

  172. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    legerwood@10.19

    Thanks Legerwood, I will take a look. I was a bit sarcastic sorry, quite like the name Nirth though!
    It has always been thus, but the UKok gov chucked a few morsels by way of vanity projects toward the North and East of England. I hear that Sunderland city library is now closed, and so is Morpeth’s which housed the second largest collection of poetry books, next to London. Unable to find out much about it all, except a tory council page saying it’s all good, picture of a prefab.

    Saw something about the old library building being pulled down, they can’t afford the £500k to do it up? Duke of N’umberland is one of the richest folk in the land of England. Artworks in collection to die for, well somebody probably did die for them!

    One thing that Scotland, except for a few unionists, has and always has had, that sense of identity, and a determination to not allow the London elite grind Scotland down, and that is something that the Labour branch lot and their supporters and followers need to remember. Not to be downtrodden and accepting of a few crumbs!

    North of Eng has no fight left, used to being last in the queue.

    Scotland, will not, and should not queue in an ordely fashion, no thanks.

  173. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry @Artyhetty says at 10:18pm just realised @James Bar Gardner @9.49pm mentioned this weekend.

    https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/news/procession-taking-place-kirkintilloch-12-august-2017

    Apparently this mob

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Black_Institution

    Uber Citrus?

  174. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    How do you like ur stone…

    Rhine style..?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kAU3B9Pi_U

    Cheers Glen, say hey to Carrie! 🙂

  175. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Mon the Campbells!

  176. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Looks like Sunday Herald are trying to out Spanner
    See Neil Mackay twitter

    Good luck with that ??

  177. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah well, Unionists are always saying Independent Scotland will be turbocharged. They’re right!

    Vroom vroom

  178. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cactus says

    When ever I hear the line “There’s been a load of compromising on the road to my horizon” in Rhinestone Cowboy it makes me think of the BBCs Glen Campbell (amongst others).

  179. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Mon all the micks n macks of Donald too!

    ‘Mon clan ye all!

    We are 1.

    X.

  180. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Hey Jockanese Wind Talker ~ Top tune!

    Let’s do this crazy little thing called “iScotland.”

    Love it.

  181. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Arthetty @ 10.45

    In knew you were being sarcastic about nirth but my fat fingers did not take offence.

    Went to a talk a few years ago by Harry Burns, former chief medical officer for Scotland, on similar topic to this research but concentrating on Scotland and the causes and effects up here. Very interesting.

    Break up of communities, de-industrialisation and alcohol figured prominently.

  182. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    If I may share with you all again, this be top tune of ra now:

    Straight Shooter
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqs0ylVEZ-Y

    Trains are cool, ask Thomas.

    Central!

    “Station!”

  183. Still Positive
    Ignored
    says:

    legerwood @ 11.37

    Same Harry Burns said we should vote for independence as it would improve the life chances of Scots. Can’t argue against that.

  184. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    With this latest “despite the SNP” quote from the BBC they’ve now crossed the line from plain old normal hatred of the SNP to desperation hatred now
    This wasn’t just noticed by us geeky watchers, this was short sharp sit up and WTF from everybody this time and will do the BBC the harm it deserves

    Even the most ardent Unionists who may have liked it nevertheless couldn’t help but make the “Wow” sound at how obvious and tactless it was and it will I’m sure not be forgotten by anybody and indeed brought up as many times as possible to illustrate the state broadcasters true and undoubted loyalty to all things Inglish government

    I’m sure the usual suspects will be joining hands in attempting to diminish the statements value to the Yes movement as a blatant howling jealous clanger of the first order, already Unionist “Journalists” have piled in to pronounce the “Whit ye on about” “Whits the problem” statements
    All the way from America Frenchgate “I’ve seen the memo First Minister” James Cook defends the BBC, but why is it so important to you James all those miles away in bonnie Trumpland when yer man is waving his fist in the air and threatening war and yet that’s less important than defending the good old BBC from something you say is not important

    If there was ever any doubt in anyones mind, any doubt at all, there can’t be now

  185. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    SO it’s the 9th of Aug and it’s wiki-wiki Wednesday:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processor

    There is a definite difference.

    Know your P’s please.

  186. Molly
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim about the BBC…

    I walked in tonight and there was a BBC correspondent in front of the White House.

    Now I’d seen’ the Donald ‘ and his blood and thunder speech on Twitter and quite honestly it scared the living daylights out of me at the way things are going.

    Anyway meantime the good old billion pound funded BBC cuts back to the studio with Sophie whatsername and she quite calmly states” we appear to be having technical problems”

    Technical problems ????

    Donald Trump just raised the ante with the N Koreans and the BBC has technical problems- jeez imagine if it was something really important

  187. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s one for the night shift:

    Cuckoo ka choo choo
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTUbLWISttY

    Tick a tock.

  188. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    This is what we are fighting against. A propaganda machine that want’s to hold us fast to their bosum.

    Jackie Bird word for word on the achievements of our children and grand children on today’s exam result announcements.

    BBC Reporting Scotland 8th August 2017 in the Birds own words.

    Good Evening.

    Scotland’s exam results day has meant a record number of pupils gaining a place at university including an increase in applicants from some of the country’s most deprived communities.

    The government described it as a steady performance and a base for further progress, critics though said students did well “despite SNP policy”.

    This is so winding me up I’d better go have a lie down.

  189. Robbo
    Ignored
    says:

    Tories I detest you
    Labour I detest you
    Lib whatever I detest you

    You’ve lied tae the fishermen and the farmers as usual-shuv yir brexit!

    You’ve let this country down for years and I’ll never trust a word that comes out of your mooth on the MSM or the crap propaganda papers or yir parliament

    SNP ALL THE WAY

    Nicola Sturgeon wipes the flare wae yi’s

    FREEDOM ALL THE WAY

    GET IT ROON YI

  190. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Molly; I hope that your sleeping and this doesn’t give you even worse nightmares, I received it this evening.

    Dear Friends of the Ron Paul Institute:

    If you’ve been watching the news, you’ll agree with me that this has been a terrifying afternoon. Earlier today we discussed the possibility of a US attack on North Korea in our Liberty Report, but things got a lot worse since we finished the show.

    President Trump threatened that North Korea would “face fire and fury like the world has never seen” if the country keeps testing missiles. Meanwhile, the US keeps testing missiles.

    Why does the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un want nuclear weapons? (Many in the intelligence community are skeptical that he actually has them). Interestingly enough, President Trump’s own Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, explained recently exactly why the North Korean leader wants them (and why US interventionist foreign policy has given Kim the incentive to seek them.

    Kim, he said:

    …has watched, I think, what has happened around the world relative to nations that possess nuclear capabilities and the leverage they have and seen that having the nuclear card in your pocket results in a lot of deterrence capability. … The lessons that we learned out of Libya giving up its nukes … is, unfortunately: If you had nukes, never give them up. If you don’t have them, get them.
    Suddenly Kim seems less the madman than he is portrayed in the media. (Remember the media focused on how “insane” was Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, and Assad to propagandize the population in favor of US intervention).

    It is remarkable how susceptible people still are to war propaganda even after the lies about Iraq, Libya, Syria, etc have been exposed. Comments on our social media posts today included more than a few on the lines of: “maybe they were lying about Iraq and the others, but this time the threat is REAL!” Or: “Normally I am with you, Dr. Paul, but we gotta take this fat %*&% out!”

    War has become a video game. If an “evil leader” or “madman” emerges you just push a button and take him out. No one thinks for a second that there are ten million people living in Seoul. That there are 30,000 US troops in South Korea. That millions could die instantly.

    Americans do not see the carnage, the death, the destruction, the ruined lives of the past 16 years of US war on the Middle East and elsewhere. It just isn’t real to them, so when the media hypes up an un-sourced report by a Washington Post proven to have published lie after lie to get us into the Iraq war, they believe it this time. This time they are telling the truth, they tell themselves. This time we are justified in pre-emptive war. Even though the author of the piece has been shown (by your faithful correspondent and others) to be an unscrupulous war-promoter.

    The threat is real and President Trump’s unpredictability and seeming lack of sound judgement on such matters should give us all nightmares tonight.

  191. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Alex Clark

    They’ve come for everyone at this point right enough. They’ve used and abused every service, every institution and all of their members and workers as political punch bags. They’ve used them for their own agenda, their own political gain and never gave a second thought for those they have abused.

    But here’s the thing, and there’s no getting round it.

    Each and every service. Each and every institution. All of their members and workers? They ALL have a vote and their families and friends will have votes too I’d imagine. Pretty sure they’ll all have a good memory and a long one for those who have abused or wronged them.

    One other thing to remember, is that governments aren’t just there to carry the can for mistakes or be a target for the meeja, but also take the plaudits for acting responsibly and correctly when things go right.

    Despite the very bestest efforts of the establishment parties and their buds in the meeja. The workers of Scotland’s institutions and services have performed miracles in some of the toughest financial circumstances imaginable.

    That’s not a fluke. It took work, sacrifice, consensus and a willingness to come halfway with government. It was a joint effort.

    Mibbies the Conservatives,Labour and the other lot should remember that if you want someone’s vote and their efforts in the future, insulting and undermining those efforts on a daily basis is perhaps not the bestest plan. 😉

  192. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Hey Smallaxe, we should start a People Against War party.

    Gimme a PAW.

    War is raw.

  193. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi, Cactus you can have my four paws if it will make a difference, unfortunately, war is big business for the cowards that send young men to their deaths while destroying countries that they couldn’t find on a map and murdering innocent people indiscriminately.

    War what is it good for…

  194. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeez, Wings readers that go to their beds at a NORMAL TIME of the night must get a shock when they wake and play catch up in the morning.

    Keep workin’ it nine to five neighbour.

    We’d do a 10 till 4 in iScotland.

  195. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Absolutely nada.

    War.

  196. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cactus

    Get in bed NOW! lol

  197. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Hehe Alex, I am already and listening to the background music of Mama Cass n co.

    What music are you playing?

  198. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    The sounds of Silence

  199. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m listening to Svrcina, slovely soitis!
    🙂

  200. Alex Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    @Smallaxe

    Ahhh no bad, had a titter.

  201. Cactus
    Ignored
    says:

    Trains…

    What are they good for?

    Absolutely everything.

    Work, pleasure or just a wee jaunt in the country.

  202. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Trainspotting or Pottystraining? both give you a wee run!

  203. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    S’up? Ah dozed off.

    Time to get that kettle on. Nana’ll be roond with the readin’ material any minute. 🙂

  204. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Telt ye. 🙂

  205. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana; Good Morning, it’s bright and sunny here, thank you for your lovely links. Kettle’s on!

    Good morning, Macart, I hope you are well this morning
    🙂

  206. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Smallaxe

    No bad. Yersel’?

    Just settling in for some breakfast reading before getting on with the day. 🙂

  207. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Good morning Macart, how’s that for timing, probably won’t happen again.

    Good morning Smallaxe, looks like being a fine day.

    Labour-run council accused of covering up fraud report
    http://archive.is/i5zMz

    https://www.railengineer.uk/2017/04/12/scotrail-hsts-dont-let-the-truth-spoil-a-good-headline/

    Spain won’t ‘jeopardise’ Brexit deal to regain Gibraltar sovereignty
    http://archive.is/gjSuR

  208. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Same here, Macart, you can’t beat getting Nana’s early news. 🙂

  209. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    😀

  210. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    https://macalbasite.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/why-are-the-snp-not-officially-rebutting-the-scottish-media/

    Agree or disagree. My own feeling is they are rebutting but the biased media will not print or air them.

  211. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    Morning all – looks like it’s going to be a nice sunny day.

  212. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana SG/SNP rebuttals.
    I agree Nana, said this on Facebook when it first appeared.
    Also anything they do post attracts hundred of troll comments, they are normally
    first to the page and I suspect most of them are paid trolls.

  213. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    Wonder if the Spanish statement on Gibraltar means Gove and Davis have sold out the Scottish Fishing Industry?

    Spanish access as well as Danish??

    @Nana says at 7:24am “Spain won’t ‘jeopardise’ Brexit deal to regain Gibraltar sovereignty”

    http://archive.is/gjSuR

  214. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    Thanks for the links. Interesting reading as always.

    The one from macalbasite of particular note especially the comments and the one from an exiled Indy supporter from the 50s. Amazing what you can find out and learn from the net these days.

    Nothing can be hidden from the public anymore. All is there to be found and exposed.

  215. wull2
    Ignored
    says:

    The thing about the internet, its not just one so-called journalist investigating things. It is hundreds of people reporting on things, and thousands people checking what has been said.

  216. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Macart that’s spooky.

    Nana, that’s ALOT of reading! Thank you !

    Smallaxe, fair day here too, enjoy = )

    Jockanese Wind Talker, I think you are spot on. Knew her maj’s gov would concoct a cunning plan to hang onto that bonny wee rock. One of the pups the fisherfolk were sold. Hope they are paying attention.

    Labour-run council covering up fraud report. Saw that on STV online last night. Utterly scandalous. Quelle surprise.

    Hallo Paula Rose !! = )

    Right Ghillie, buckle down and get on with the links. Have a lovely day folks = )

  217. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Jockanese Wind Talker says:

    Wonder if the Spanish statement on Gibraltar means Gove and Davis have sold out the Scottish Fishing Industry?

    I wondered that too.

    I have never felt the Brexit talks couldn’t really be a genuine negotiation because the UK has very little to bargain with. To negotiate, you need ‘bargaining chips’.

    If the UK was constitutionally stable with its national integrity likely to continue, then fish stocks would be one ‘chip’. However this is far from the case. Some of us believe the UK is on its last legs and about to disintegrate.

    Put simply, Scottish Fish Resources are not in the London Tories’ gift. They are trying to bargain with someone else’s asset! The EU are not so daft as to not see this.

  218. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Westminster ‘bargaining’ away Scotland’s assets, Alyn Smith MEP spoke about this recently during his interview with livestream.

    I posted the link a few weeks ago and here it is again for those who missed it

    https://livestream.com/IndependenceLive/alyn-smith-interview

  219. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @TheWasp says: 8 August, 2017 at 10:39 pm:

    “Like yourself I spent my whole working life in industry, so I’m too big and too ugly to let your comments bother me. The only thing I was showing, amongst friends I thought, was frustration and a feeling of total impotence with the way things were being portrayed in the media that day, and not stupidity or anti SNP ranting.”

    But, TheWasp, every one of us is, often extremely, frustrated at this situation. We mostly all feel somewhat impotent and we would prefer that we had some control over the situation, if not also over the Westminster led media lies.

    However we do not all make bland claims that, Nicola Sturgeon or the SNP should do some, unspecified, something about it. That, whether you like it or not is putting the blame on the First Minister for not doing something about it.

    The same thing applies to blaming the SNP for not doing something about it they, and the FM, are doing something about it but as what they do, and what they say, does not get reflected in the biased media there is the unfortunate and unwarranted belief, even among Wingers, that they are doing nothing.

    Well, The Wasp, I’ve had a go at attempting to do something about it. Back when we could fit the attendance of the Cowdenbeath Branch of the SNP could then have held their meetings in my living room.

    In those days few ordinary members of the public had a PC. If they had a computer it was a rudimentary machine that, never the less had better graphics than the current PCs as these busuness machines were strictly text only and their sound system had one sound, “Beep”. The wee home computers had better graphics and sound.

    Which is all by the by. Then, as now, you could send out as many press reports as you had time to write and send but about all that ever made it into the media was a wee mention of the Branch meetings in the VERY local press. Usually not even into the Dunfermline Press.

    Not much on that score has changed since then but the computers are better and most of the public have on-line access if only via their mobile phone. Here, though, is the rub, even regular Wings commenters do not bother reading the Holyrood web pages, the SNP websites or the SG websites.

    If activists do not inform themselves of what the SG and SNP are attempting to make public where do the SNP & the SG go to get the oxygen of publicity? How many indy supporters even know they can access for free the News Agencies that the lazy Scottish newspaper and the broadcaster journalists use as their sources of news and then talk the next days news items with the other lazy jurnos in their favoured local pub.

    I believe I am not alone in finding more SNP/Nicola Sturgeon critics here on Wings than they do in the Scottish SMS/broadcasters. All that boils down to expecting those who only crib that the SNP/Nicola Sturgeon need to do something but never make ant suggestions of what they could or should do.

    Where you get your information from is rather like humans taking horses to water. Doing so is simple for the humans but making the horses taken to the water drink the stuff when they get there is the choice of the horse.

  220. colin alexander
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s interesting reading how the media distort facts about the devolved areas of government.

    If you care how the SNP performs it’s principal role as administrators of devolution for the UK Westminster Govt, then these articles are very relevant and interesting.

    For those who campaign for an independent Scotland, how good or bad services are as a devolved power are an irrelevance.

    Though I suppose it could be argued that if devolved services work well, then there is no need for independence. Devolution is the answer. Or if devolved services are bad then people should not vote SNP.

    So good or bad, devolved services can be cited as a reason to remain under WM control, not as a reason for independence.

    As Stu proves again and again, the truth matters not a jot. The media is a propaganda tool for the Union. They twist stories about devolved services to suit their pro-WM rule agenda.

    Some independists look to devolution as proof of how competent the SNP is, that efficient and good devolved services are proof of how good independent Scotland would be.

    I don’t. Independent Scotland would be a different country from UK Scotland with some devolution – financed and controlled by WM, administered by the SNP (for some of the time).

    Right now, it’s not Scotland and it’s not a real Scottish Govt ( First Minister of the Scottish Govt was a title to flatter Alex Salmond). The reality is that we are the Scotland region of North Britain under WM control. The SNP are just willing administrators for the British Govt. Working for their colonial masters.

    I believe services could be excellent in an independent Scotland.

    Real independence though, not the Scottish economy run by the Bank of England and England’s Treasury and many of our laws and resources such as trade, public services, agriculture and fisheries regulated and controlled by the EU.

    Not a continuation of the way it is just now. Not Indyref1’s White Paper policies repeated again.

    Real independence. Political sovereignty at Holyrood and control of our own currency and monetary policy. Control of our own resources.

  221. Muscleguy
    Ignored
    says:

    The verbatim printing of party press releases goes both ways. Today’s story about ‘Record number of Scots getting into university’ is bunkum.

    Mrs Muscleguy works in recruitment and admissions, the quotas on Scots at university have not been lifted one iota (the SNP’s dirty little education secret). What has happened is that the increase in grades achieved (well done all) means many fewer Scots have had to go to clearing. Mrs Muscleguy’s university had NO Clearing places.

    They are DESPERATE for English students, as they pay full fees, there are no quotas for them and the universities are in desperate need of them, except places in England have been expanded and so there’s a dearth.

    University in Scotland may be free, for Scots, but places are limited. I understand why, they have a limited budget to spread out. I would hope that after Indy places will increase.

    There used to be a potential problem for Indy Education as after Independence the English (And Welsh and Northern Irish) would have to be treated like the Danes and Dutch. Except that after Brexit those fair play rules will be out. As an EU state we can charge what the fuck we like for students from outside the EU/EEA/EFTA. St. Andrews Uni will be VERY pleased 😉

  222. Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Even if the lies in the unionist press about train performance were true, what Labour and Conservative parties will be at pains to avoid focussing on is that Network Rail who own and operate the rail infrastructure are owned and operated by the Westminster government.
    And it is Westminster’s Network Rail which causes the bulk of train delays in Scotland.
    The unionist press can’t claim ignorance of this reality…

    “Some 54% of delayed minutes on Scottish railways are directly attributed to Network Rail, he claimed, calling for management and accountability of the service to be devolved alongside other transport powers”
    http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/15158661.Devolving_control_of_Network_Rail_in_Scotland_could_save___100m_a_year__MSPs_told/

    “However, Network Rail, the UK body that maintains the track, is understood to be responsible for more than half of the delays.”
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/network-rail-in-scotland-should-be-put-under-control-of-ministers-9qzd3sk8v

    “However, Network Rail – which is responsible for managing the track, signalling and infrastructure – answers to the UK Government, even though its performance has a direct impact on ScotRail.”
    http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/push-for-control-of-railways-to-be-devolved-to-scotland-1-4341843“

  223. Chick McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    galamcennalath and jockanese wind talker.

    There is more than fishing at stake for the unholy alliance between Madrid and London.

    Madrid will be looking for Westminster support if the Catalans vote yes on Oct 1st and likewise Westminster will be looking to Madrid to veto Scottish EU membership should we become independent.

  224. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Good articles by Kevin McKenna and WGD in today’s National.

  225. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @TheWasp says: 8 August, 2017 at 10:39 pm:

    (PS to my previous to TheWasp):

    You state you thought you were among friends but the real fact is not all commenters of Wings are anything like friends of other Wingers, the SNP, the Yes movement or the Scottish Government.

    Not only that but there are lurkers who are in no way friends of independence and because they do not comment they sop up and feel vindicated for their anti-Scottish attitudes when they see Wingers complain that the FM or SG or SNP need to, “Do Something”, but without there being any suggestion of what they are expected to be doing.

    It is, as I stated, the difference between destructive and constructive criticism. One is helpful and the other not only unhelpful but destructive.

  226. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Haven’t sighted any news today yet – what is SNPbad de jour feast on offer?

  227. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana

    ‘Journalists to use ‘immune system’ software against fake news’. I wonder what they will do when folk use it against the journalists stories? There would be no ‘Scottish’ papers left at all.

  228. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Ghillie.

    North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd was set up as a charity to fund grassroots sports within the Monklands area , a guy Gamble was a director at the start I was running children/youth teams at that time ( & never received any monies from this so called charity) .

    I did manage to get two small football pitches build in my scheme ( no thanks to Jim Logue, but he was front & centre for the photo call for Airdrie Advertizer.

  229. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    University in Scotland may be free, for Scots, but places are limited. I understand why, they have a limited budget to spread out. I would hope that after Indy places will increase.

    There is no may! And Scots uni places have always been “limited.”

    There’s so much bullshit talked about getting into uni these days. Its reflects a great deal on how there is so much bullshit talked about much of Scotland.

    Nana linked to an LSE low earning study. But where are fcuking unions in all of it? nowhere.

    Why are the unions given a free pass by LSE wackademics?

    Thatcher’s great legacies included the neutering of the British unions, ofcourse. So that now they are all run by fat lazy old men, who do earn a lot of money and ofcourse want no change.

    Snatcher Thatcher was a tory genius, red tories like Crash Gordo merely followed through. With one result that most uni’s were forced to admit far more students in than either wanted or could cope with.

    I say most uni’s because ofcourse, the top UKOK Russell Group uni’s were not forced to take in many more students at all, and certainly NOT more working class and dirt poor students.

    One of the greatest living tory shysters that come for SNP Scotland, Murdoch’s pet bootboy Ligger Neil, likes to monster the SNP for failing to match English uni’s rising intake of poor students.

    Yet a shyster like the Ligger never mentions that the top 24 Russell group English uni’s have absolutely blocked any increase in their poor student intake completely, Oxbridge are the greatest conmen going, when it comes to their brand of tory bullshit.

    In the scale of things it does all matter, how hard we’re lied to by planet toryboy and it does take guts to stand up to them. Labour gave up long up ago and joined them.

    A great example of an actual union leader was Bob Crow. Because of tough guys like Crow, someone hit him the face with a steel bar, we’ve all been there, and today a Tube driver earns over £50k a year, 38 hour week, 6 weeks hols.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Crow

    Its lovely Scottish morning, for a bloody good rant:D

  230. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    I see there is still an ongoing discussion regarding the SNP countering the media. I can understand the frustration but political parties have to tread a fine line. Trump takes the media head on and, to be fair, has gained a bit of traction with the Fake News thing. However, he has also come in for a fair bit of mockery too.

    Directly attacking the media makes it too easy for the media to play the victim and make that conflict the running story.

    What the media really hates is being ignored. Declining trust hurts the BBC, declining circulation really hurts the press. Withhold out trust and our money and spread the word on social media. You saw yesterday the indignation of the Roden over a mere blogger taking the “professional newspapers” to task.

    Social media just gets bigger and bigger and the so called professionals are voices lost in the mix. In my book the number of genuinely professional reporters are few and far between these days. Where are the Kate Addys reporting from somewhere dangerous? Most journalists are just bloggers paid by a newspaper. They write opinion, often badly researched opinion, and pander to the prejudices of their perceived audience. They regurgitate press releases by political parties, usually with no analytical dissection of the release or any detailed research of their own. In short what passes for journalism is low risk, lazy, opinion designed to generate click bait. It isn’t big and certainly isn’t clever.

  231. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    HandandShrimp,

    ‘More middle-class pupils are missing out on university places.’ – The Times?

    Heart-breaking I know, maybe worth taking out a subscription just to read about the dears. That wicked SNP are encouraging the undeserving poor to get better grades, terrible.

  232. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Chick McGregor says:

    Madrid will be looking for Westminster support if the Catalans vote yes on Oct 1st and likewise Westminster will be looking to Madrid to veto Scottish EU membership

    Quite probably. I have no doubt the UK will be trying to do dodgy secret one-on-one deals with EU countries to try to curry favour.

    Oct 1st and its immediate aftermath will be interesting indeed. Will Catalonia declare UDI?

    Although many on here (me too) have express the opinion that UDI for Scotland isn’t a good idea (The Rev did yesterday), it may not be so simple.

    What happens if Brexit is shite, IndyRef2 consequently follows, YES win, and Westminster says “we don’t recognise the outcome and won’t even enter into Indy talks”. What does the SG do next? Go to the UN, the EU? UDI with a fully democratic mandate must be on the table. Catalonia may test this for us!

  233. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Pants on fire…

    http://imgur.com/a/c3im6

  234. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker @ 10.05 am
    Re higher number of students from poorer backgrounds going to University in England.

    People keep bringing that up but forget to mention the level of debt these students have when they leave Uni. Recent figures have put the debt as high as £57,000 although average debt for students graduating from English unis is £32,000 compared to £11,500 for Scottish students.

    Also the figures used to make the comparisons do not take into account the numbers going to Uni in Scotland via the college route. Many students who go to college first then transfer to Uni are from what is termed disadvantaged backgrounds.

  235. Chick McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    galam.

    According to polls, the UDI option for Catalunya is only supported by 35% currently, but that may change if Madrid’s threat to prevent the referendum by whatever means necessary are carried out or if there is a yes vote but refusal to recognize it by Madrid.

    In regard to contemporary international testing of UDI, the Kosovo case has arguably done that through the ICJ ruling that it was not illegal.

    Kosovo is now on the official pending list for EU membership.

  236. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Hallo Ronnie = ) Hope you are well!

    Maybe Mr Logue will find himself in the centre of a photoshoot again, but not for a happy reason !

    Robert Peffers and Handandshrimp, well said.

    Left a loonng comment on Mcalba’s blog re how difficult it is to fight abusers like the rubbishy media.

    We HAVE seen excellent rebuttals from the SNP on live TV and in both Parliaents. But starving the media of the oxygen of attention may look like doing little but in reality can be the most effective tactic.

    Any road, Rev Stu is doing a grand job of keeping their smelly feet to the fire = )

  237. SOG
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana’s link…

    https://www.railengineer.uk/2017/04/12/scotrail-hsts-dont-let-the-truth-spoil-a-good-headline/

    … shows a working engineer being deliberately misquoted in one of the MSM. The details are circulated in a journal for professionals, which the readers will trust more than they would trust said MSM. It’s happening, slowly, and circulation is dropping.

    If only someone could distribute the original contribution and the final twisted version, for a proper comparison.

    I hope the SNP have been learning this sort of lesson, and will be recording all future interactions.

  238. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Legerwood says:
    9 August, 2017 at 10:59 am
    heedtracker @ 10.05 am
    Re higher number of students from poorer backgrounds going to University in England.

    And why are the poorest students from the most deprived backgrounds actively denied places at the Russell Group 24 unis?

    Its an astonishing fraud perpetrated on us by beeb gimps like Andrew Neil but the unis do it too. Oxbridge especially make a big song and dance about how much, they do to admit the poorest students but its almost all a con.

    Before Labour scrapped all bursaries to private schools for the poorest but cleverest kids in the UK, one route to the top uni’s was taxpayer funded private school poorest children access.

    Labour scrapped all of this funding almost as soon as they won in 97. They then went on to boost up tory UK gov student loans and ofcourse brought in tuition fees too. Student loan sharking was the idea of Father of the House of Commons, Ken Clarke. Just another tory roaster, hell bent on extracting as much wealth from us, to the filthy rich of teamGB.

    Tory/FibDem blue tories merely carried the red tory student fee torch, ofcourse.

    Mike Gove was one beneficiary of the private school bursary fees paid scheme and then he went up to Oxbridge, all free, maintenance grants the lot.

    Then he got in to politics and scrapped the lot.

    We are reigned over by psychos you know, tory psychos.

    Just ask my Slovenian girlfriend.

    Adam Tomkins MSP?Verified account @ProfTomkins Jul 14
    More
    Back from holiday to find that science fiction still dominates one half of Scottish politics

    No wonder these psycho tories detest our fledgling Scottish democracy so hard.

  239. Bob p
    Ignored
    says:

    Gus1940 9.30am. Nope,you are not paranoid. I have
    Always believed that a westmidden slush fund is keeping alive the degenerate Scottish unionist media.

  240. Chick McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    That last sentence is a bit misleading.

    Kosovo has been recognized by the EU as being a potential candidate for membership and as such the EU is working with Kosovo to attain the criteria it needs in order to apply for membership.

    Not sure that if that is any clearer, anyhoo, by illustration, there are currently more EU civil servants in Kosovo than any other EU state outside of Belgium.

  241. Bob p
    Ignored
    says:

    Galamcennalath 10.20am.My thoughts exactly.

  242. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    gus1940 at 9.44

    Indeed, Absolutely first class stuff from both and supplemented by a very wise contribution from Tasmina.

    My feeling is the unionist bubble is deflating after a period of huge activity that cannot be maintained as it was built on very little but huge expenditure and massive uncritical coverage.

  243. stewartb
    Ignored
    says:

    Muscleguy @ 9:36 am states:

    “The verbatim printing of party press releases goes both ways. Today’s story about ‘Record number of Scots getting into university’ is bunkum.”

    Worrying if true: we can’t be selective in our criticism of mis-representing facts. So I was motivated to examine this more closely, not least because the scope for mis-representing data on educational matters in Scotland has been proven to be high in the recent past!

    Context is important here. The issue with the SLAB press release concerning rail punctuality and its coverage in the press was that empirical evidence was mis-represented. However, in taking a swipe at a (presumably SG) press release, Muscelguy’s post goes on to refer to a number of issues/metrics. I would argue that although related, they actually raise quite distinct factors e.g. ‘quotas’ for Scottish and for English applicants; grades; use of ‘clearing’; places available through clearing; overall limits on number of available places; budget limits on higher education. So did the offending press release mis-represent empirical data on some or all of these various issues?

    I looked for the ‘offending’ press release: could this be the one ( https://news.gov.scot/news/record-number-of-students-from-deprived-areas-get-in-to-university)? In terms of ‘hard’ content, this SG press release draws on data published on 8 August, 2017 by UCAS to make two claims:

    The SG press release states: “the number of prospective students from the 20% most deprived areas – SIMD 20 – successfully getting a place at university has risen by 13% to record levels. Since 2015, it has increased from 3,470 to 4,150 – a rise of 20%”.

    The UCAS source (at https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/university-beckons-successful-scottish-students ) states:

    “… for Scottish applicants of all ages there are 4,150 (an increase of 470, 13%) placed from the most deprived areas (SIMD quintile 1), representing 14.4% of all Scottish applicants placed through UCAS today.”

    And UCAS goes on:

    “…. this cycle has continued a recent trend of a reducing difference in entry rates between those in the most deprived areas (SIMD quintile 1) and the least (SIMD quintile 5). The entry rate for young people living in the most deprived areas has increased from 8.7% to 10.1% …..”

    2) The SG press release states: “the total number of students from Scotland getting a place at a Scottish university hit a new record of 27,830.”

    The UCAS source (at https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/university-beckons-successful-scottish-students (8 August 2017) states:

    “…. as of midnight on 7 August, 2017, 28,700 Scottish applicants have been accepted to higher education so far this year through UCAS; an increase of 410 people, up 1% compared to Scottish results day in 2016”. (Note: UCAS statistics but do not include undergraduate courses in most further education colleges in Scotland.)

    And goes on:

    “…. 27,830 of these Scottish applicants have been placed at a Scottish university.”

    At https://www.ucas.com/file/119006/download?token=SkE7HIKV , UCAS provides data on ‘placed applicants’ as of 8 August (results day) at Scottish universities, by domicile of the applicant and by year since 2013. It shows that for students from Scotland, in 2013, there were 22,770 placed applicants and in 2017, 27,830 placed applicants.

    We’ll need to wait for final data following the close of ‘clearing’, but so far there has been a 22.2% increase in the number of placed applicants from Scotland at Scottish universities in 2017 relative to 2013: for applicants from England, the increase since 2013 has been 17.6%, and for all applicants, the increase since 2013 has been 20.2%.

    Whatever one’s view of the SG’s higher education policy, having compared the quite specific factual claims in the SG press release with the data published by UCAS, on the face of it I find it hard to justify the negative, ‘bunkum’ charge regarding the press release.

    The UCAS report also explains that: “there are 12,430 placed Scottish 18-year-old applicants. …., the proportion of young people entering higher education, the ‘entry rate’, has increased from 21.3% last year to 21.7%. This is the highest level recorded on Scottish results day.”

    (Note: UCAS statistics do not include students entering higher education courses at most Scottish colleges.)

  244. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    TheItalianJob said at 9:06pm last evening:
    “……….I always thought that when it came to the crunch a number of Labour or maybe Libdem MPs and MSPs would walk across the floor and support the SNP. How wrong/naive was I. But with the likes of Jim Hood ex Labour MP not surprised.

    Jim Hood MP 2014 in HOC

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuj1bKFldly

    I,and many people have viewed this YouTube video of Labour Jim Hood speaking against Scottish self-determination in the House of Commons.

    The video is now unavailable but I’m fairly certain someone has archived/copied it. 🙂

  245. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker @ 11.28 am

    It is not all of the Russell group universities. This is a link to an article from 2016 which names the worst offenders in that regard within the Russel group – sorry it won’t archive.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/number-of-poor-students-attending-uks-leading-universities-falls-despite-millions-spent-to-encourage-a6879771.html

    The University of Glasgow, the only Scottish one mentioned, is listed as having a poor record when it comes to the admission of students from a poor background. This surprised me because I used to teach their and during the summer taught on the Access courses run by the uni to help people who were planning to come to uni from non-standard backgrounds.

    St Andrews is another uni that gets a bad press in this regard yet it actually does a lot to attract and help students. When you take into account students from poorer backgrounds who transfer from College into the uni plus those who go straight from school then St Andrews actually has a reasonable record and I think this probably applies to a lot of the unis in Scotland.

  246. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Catalonia. Madrid, London, London, Madrd.. Sounds powerful eh. It’s like the old guard and the big old Spanish nationalists themselves are now to be listened to?

    Should any EU member state (nation) assist our current Tory UK ministers overlords, to sabotage Scotland’s democratic journey, then, independent or not, we will drag your political parties and soon to be former ministers through the courts for the next hundred years. The charge? Moral corruption for short term political gain.

    We want independence to get rid of corruption. To spark IDEAS- not to create wealth through exploitation.

    We will get independence by peaceful means.

    We will not die for it..anymore, yet we cannot ‘live’ without it.

    The EU SHOULD SHOW A TOKEN OF RESPECT TO MATCH THE TRUTHFULNESS AND WIDE APPEAL OF OUR DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS..even as the world in general becomes inherently morally corrupt.

  247. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    UDI? Kosova? Catalonia? legal?

    We already have three quarters independence. Our state, Scotland, is still intact, just not joined up the way it should be.
    The Act of Union diverted our wealth creating powers to Westminster and quickly buried them. Hence no oil fund..but hundreds of infrastructure projects in SE.

    We just want our nation back..all of it.
    We will face the future together as humans but respecting our differences by respecting ALL nations.

  248. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    The University of Glasgow, the only Scottish one mentioned, is listed as having a poor record when it comes to the admission of students from a poor background. This surprised me because I used to teach their and during the summer taught on the Access courses run by the uni to help people who were planning to come to uni from non-standard backgrounds.

    Glasgow uni is very tory though, very yoon, very conservative. They even hired my Slovene girlfriend,

    Adam Tomkins MSP Retweeted
    Business Glasgow? @BusinessGlasgow Jul 25

    Do you have an idea for a project to help support young people in Glasgow? @DYWGlasgow Opportunity Fund open now!

    Like my girlfriend, Glasgow are full of shit basically. But this isn’t by chance either. In the 60’s and 70’s, UK uni’s were a hot bed of lefty er, stuff.

    Successive tory govs, Thatcher ofcourse, moved in tories to the top of uni’s pretty rapidly, and that was that really.

    I think the French student revolt in the 60’s really freaked out the tory UK established order, and it did flicker a bit here too.

    Its why student loans have been so heartily welcomed by all English unis for example. They’re tory, it’s all a glory of tory and Westminster horrors and not a peep of “critics say” has ever been heard from any of them.

    Its not like beeb gimps had to suppress any uni nae sayers against uni fees at all, anywhere in teamGB. Most uni chancellors earning close to half a million a year today. That always engenders great loyalty, on planet toryboy. All they had to do was wheel out a sneaky shit like Willets, over and over. And he’s been richly rewarded too.

  249. Gary
    Ignored
    says:

    This kind of ‘handout’ news is an absolute plague on all our print and television news.
    The laziness of journalists not actually fact checking absolutely beggars belief, as does their lack of curiosity and willingness to carry out any kind of investigative journalism.
    News ‘off the wire’, news via handouts from political parties, news from ‘think tanks’ and ‘academics’ disguising their political affiliations. Add to this the news editors giving their own slant to any real news and the best thing you can do is unplug your TV permanently…

  250. stewartb
    Ignored
    says:

    Legerwood at 12.52pm and other posting on admissions of students to universities from different backgrounds.

    This from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) ’emerged’ as I was looking to understand the information in the 2016 Independent article on students from ‘poorer’ backgrounds/areas: (Source: HESA (February 2017) ‘Table T1a – Participation of under-represented groups in higher education: UK domiciled young full-time first degree entrants 2015/16’ found at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/widening-participation-summary ).

    (So, yes a different metric from the ‘poorer background’ one!)

    It provides percentages of students at Scottish universities coming from ‘state schools or colleges’. The figures vary from 56.7% at the University of St Andrews to 98.7% at the University of the West of Scotland.

    The data for the other (‘top’) Russell Group universities in Scotland are as follows: Edinburgh (69.7%) and Glasgow (84.6%). Other notable data for institutions in Scotland include Aberdeen (79.8%), which has the third lowest percentage of state educated students in 2015-16 amongst Scottish institutions.

    I found the range of percentages marked. So I looked at the data for Russell Group universities elsewhere in the UK: the figures for Queens Belfast (98.4%), Liverpool (88.8%), Cardiff (85.9%) and Manchester (82.2%) are notable by comparison to their Scottish Russell Group peers.

    These data show that the proportion of the student body that is privately educated at Scotland’s ‘ancient’ institutions of St Andrews, Aberdeen and Edinburgh is not replicated at all Russell Group institutions. Indeed the St Andrews’ figure is only ‘bettered’ by one UK university, Oxford (55.7%).

  251. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    stewartb

    It provides percentages of students at Scottish universities coming from ‘state schools or colleges’.

    State school, is a huge catch all though.

  252. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers. Well said = )

  253. Scott
    Ignored
    says:

    He will no doubt be thrilled about the points (or signal?) failure this week and the negative impact they will have had on punctuality statistics.



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