The less-vigorous approach
Since we’re talking about sectarianism and bigotry this week, we’ve got you a 1998 Scotsman piece on the subject. The full piece is below, but our favourite lines come from Scotland In Union stalwart and noted Twitter zoomer “Professor” Tom Gallagher.
Wow. And the Ku Klux Klan’s distinctiveness stems from their white identity, we guess, although perhaps they have misgivings about some aspects of lynching black people and setting fire to crosses on their lawns.
Here’s the rest of it.
If you’re Anas Sarwar, this sort of stuff is all just “whataboutery”. We’d be more inclined to agree with his best buddy Jamie Greene of the Scottish Tories:
…were it not for the fact that both of them had just voted, in the very same week as the aforementioned Holocaust Memorial Day, to encourage sectarian hatred and division in Scottish football in order to score a pathetic tribal point against the SNP, of course.
Oh well.
Unfortunately the bile and filth never leaves some of them come what may. Some of the other side are the bloody same as well!!
British nationalism thrives on “hatred and division”. And it’s certainly a “cancerous political ideology”.
Britnats like Gallagher and Greene are mongers of hypocrisy.
Three sectarian articles about sectarianism in a row? A bit OTT.
This is important if dirty and depressing work which you do here Stuart.
Highlighting and exposing the true British values which underpin the British State will be an eye opener for many new to politics in Scotland.
yesindyref2 says:
28 January, 2018 at 5:21 pm
Three sectarian articles about sectarianism in a row? A bit OTT.
Sectarianism is a fundemental component of the union state and lends credence to the like likes of Rock’s ” stupidest people on earth” supposition.
@Davie Oga
First article about the OBFA, one mention of Rangers “And by his Rangers* buddy” (Rangers fans actually split evenly on ban or not ban), one about Celtic “Mr O’Hare’s fellow Celtic supporters” (who split 63% to 37% to keep OBFA).
Second article (OO) “And equally unsurprisingly, Celtic fans were a lot keener on banning Orange walks (43%) than “Rangers” fans (20%), with other supporters in the middle”. Wait for it, wait for it, it’s getting there, and here we go:
Third article all about knocking Rangers who are of course the KKK in disguise.
See a pattern here?
And yet there are many Rangers fans who support Indy.
Indy = Independence. Not club partisan football.
Rather than ban sectarianism perhaps we should ban 22 men chasing a sack of wind for 90 mins + extra for whatever.
Home is sometimes called football although other terms are available.
Make no bones about it there have been Sectarian Murders in Scotland .And unfortunately there will be more. Thanks to British Nationalist apologists in our Society these Murders are usually labeled as assaults gone wrong or just wearing the wrong colours in the wrong area. Although it mainly has occurred in West Central Scotland over the years modern Unionism from other areas of Scotland allows Sectarian continuation through tacit support.
@yesindyref2 Think you’re seriously barking up the wrong tree if you’re implying the Rev is some sort of sectarian with a prejudice against Rangers. The OBFA articles are relevant and I’m no great follower of Scottish football. They’ve highlighted two things. Firstly that our media and opposition politicians don’t give a stuff about public opinion or looking forward to a modern Scotland. They just want things to go back to the way they were ( probably some time in the eighties or nineties)
Secondly it highlights their desire to work together and secure a win, any win, against the SNP regardless of the implications for the country. Witness how they all take the same uncompromising stance for repeal with no voices raised for amendment or improvement of the current act.
Not O/T but why did BBC Sportscene ignore the sectarian chants and pitch invasion at Dingwall given the OBFA vote in Parliament.
@SandyW
Google “X fans attack” where X is Rangers or Celtic or Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hibs, Hearts, Killie and check quickly through 3 or 4 pages worth of results.
So why single out just one club?
Also try “celtic sectarian songs”, and apparently Green Brigade.
Singling out one side is not part of the solution, it’s part of the problem.
Simple @Sinky says at 6:29 pm
“Not O/T but why did BBC Sportscene ignore the sectarian chants and pitch invasion at Dingwall given the OBFA vote in Parliament.”
‘cos it is the BritNat Broadcasting Corporation.
OBFA = EssEnnPeeBaad
Visibility of Sectarian chants, intimidation and violence would highlight that the BritNat Divide and Rule tactics of this weeks OBFA Vote were indefensible.
Reminds me.
Sign this if you can and share it widely:
http://www.change.org/p/the-scottish-government-the-sfa-must-adopt-uefa-s-strict-liability-rules-given-the-imminent-repeal-of-the-obfa-7da1d545-95cf-491e-a0f3-88a0cb08ac8a
Jeez oh, reading Gallagher’s twisted logic, I bet this numpty could’ve made a case for the Nazi’s.
‘re the separate education schools in Scotland. Why is it my daughter and my brothers daughter after a kafflik school education, went on to university. One in ireland and one in England. While our sisters kids who both attended protestant state liebor funded schools in Scotland, are both now unemployed. Aye previous liebor education administration’s in Scotland have a lot to f****g answer for. Sectarianism. Keep the masses ignorant, vote Scottish liebor.waken up Scotland ffs.
Yesindy2ref outwith football grounds or the vicinity of a football stadium i have never heard Celtic fans sing sectarian songs in public, Rangers fans on the other hand seem to do it as soon as they have a couple of pints in them. Im not talking about football grounds we dont have professional footbal on Arran but in public after a game has been shown in the pub.
So in my experience one side is a lot worse than the other.
‘Sake. It’s like taking away Trump’s ego/wig. It isn’t real… it’s a figment of your imagination and if you need it we need to talk about it, Dude. You are broken.
BBC 2 now equating a programme ‘Yellowstone. The toughest spring. Ie Yellowstone, the size of Scotland. Dirty snidey lying ebc Scotland.
@Yes indy ref,
A little prickly there. I think the article clearly mentions attitudes to both sides of the Old Firm as was.
On two or three occasions Celtic have actually banned The Green Brigade from Parkhead for inappropriate banners. May not seem a lot but it is something. It is sending out a clear signal that the club is not happy
When has Rangers ever banned The Union Bears from Ibrox for anything? Never. Wrong signal.
Religion can be a commodity sold under different brand names. Football is such. Hearts/ Hibs. Dundee/ Dundee utd.Rangers /Celtic. They have been playing on the fans prejudice for generations.
@Mike d
Did they mention this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir
@Bob Mack: “A little prickly there.”
I don’t have an iron in the fire, I don’t support any of them, I’d go to a Juinor league if I had time, much more interesting, that’s what I used to do sometimes. To my mind it’s all about money, they change strips all the time to make money and that effectively forces parents into spending money they don’t have on new strips, luckily our kids weren’t in that position – or us. It’s big business, not football, and it’s not about local players it’s how many squillions they have to buy in players from anywhere, so they might as well be called the North Pole FC for all the relevance it has to the area they’re in. But as far as either Rangers or Celtic are concerned, or any other Scottish club, I wish them well if playing any team outside Scotland.
But it’s the Scotsman article has some balance to it, not this one.
Call me dave. Ah now dave your extracting the urine. Lol
@Yes indy ref2
Believe me Junior Football is far far worse. I played Junior.
It’s funny to think that one of the favourite songs at Parkhead is “Grace” by the Wolftones. It is a song based in truth about an Irish freedom fighter who was shot by a British firing squad whilst sitting in a chair because he was too ill to stand. He married his sweetheart the night before the firing squad shot him .
The weird thing is Grace his sweetheart was a Protestant girl disowned by her family for daring to love a Catholic. It is a love song but somehow is viewed by my Ibrox going son in law as a Republican song. Go figure. You can twist anything to suit I suppose.
O/T
I’ve just come across this in the Sunday Herald. What do you make of it? Make of Scotland the UK’s dumping ground?
‘Mystery as ship from Libya heads for Scots arms depot.’
‘Mystery surrounds the contents of a cargo ship which last night was due to dock at the Ministry of Defence’s massive weapons storage facility on Loch Long.
The 2,500-ton ship, Naja, registered in Antigua and Barbuda, set out from the Libyan port of Khoms on January 12. It was due to arrive at 8am at the Glenmallon berth which links to the Glen Douglas munitions storage depot, believed to be the largest in Western Europe. However as the Sunday Herald went to press last night, the Naja was at anchor off Brodick on Arran.
Glen Douglas is a NATO defence munitions depot now solely used by the UK. It covers 650 acres and is virtually invisible to the naked eye, as almost all the storage is underground. In addition to the numerous storerooms built into the hillside at the west end of the glen, there are processing and engineering workshops within the highly-guarded complex. A road in the facility links the base with the Glenmallon berth. It is believed that conventional weapons such as bombs, explosives and other ordnance are stored there rather than nuclear weapons.
Khoms, or Al Khums, a city of 200,000 people on the Mediterranean coast of Libya, was the scene of vicious conflict throughout the Libyan Civil War, remaining under control of Gaddafi forces through most of the war until rebels from Misrata entered the city. Libya has been locked in a state of violence since the popular uprising in 2011.
Last night, the Ministry of Defence would not comment on the Naja, or what it might be carrying, saying these questions should be referred to the ship’s owners.’
There is money in sectarianism, just as there is for politicians supporting Westminster parties.
If you are a political candidate in the right area, rife with bigotry, you can do well and make a good living with little or no talent. Membership of a certain sect and a season ticket will do fine.
I’ve first hand experience of former old firm players, who managed to blow their lucrative earnings, taking part in
some disgusting songs and chants, I feel just to pick up some easy money.
A certain politician in the Glasgow Labour party is well known for joining in with the Bhoys for bigotry, but in his case he sings with passion and not just for votes.
I have a relative, thankfully distant, and not distant enough who is OO and Rangers Daft, well daft in all things.
His IQ must be right up there with his shoe size.
When he doesn’t have enough money to pay basic household bills, he will run up debt to follow Ranger to far flung corners of Scotland and buy all their new football tops.
Bottom line with this guy, he has been prosecuted through incidents at Ibrox, but he still gets in without any problem. There doesn’t seem to be any real checks made.
His knuckle dragging chip off the old block is so proud of how their Sectarianism and bigotry cannot be stopped by
the SFA, Police, or Westminster controlled government.
My country was spurred into taking major offence when the old tradition of flying the Lion Rampant when the Queen is in residence was to continue with the support of the Queen, but then fought tooth and nail to keep the old tradition of sectarian violence and abuse on our streets??
Bob mack.aye the song was about grace ,a protestant girl who married Joseph plunkett. She was married for 3 hrs before her husband was ‘murdered by a brit army of occupation firing squad.
Hi Bob Mack at 7:35 pm.
You typed,
“Religion can be a commodity sold under different brand names. Football is such. Hearts/ Hibs. Dundee/ Dundee utd.Rangers /Celtic. They have been playing on the fans prejudice for generations.”
I think you’re off-beam mentioning the two Dundee clubs there. When I was regularly going to Dens in the 60s, my cousins supported United. We were all brought up as protestants. I haven’t been aware of a religious element in the support for either team.
One example: Frews is basically a “Dundee” pub. There are pictures of classic Dundee players and teams on the walls. When Dundee are playing at Dens, it is full of Dundee fans before and after the match. When United are at home, the pub is full of United supporters before and after the match.
When the Hogmanay party takes place, there are suporters of both teams there. There is no friction because of football or religion issues.
@Petra
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:360660/zoom:10
Who knows!
Petra 8.14pm. I think the SG should be demanding answers to this. We’ve had enough of these barstewards dumping their toxic sh**e on us.take it down to f****g devonport.
The article says the clubs have made “strenuous efforts”
No they have’nt, they make facile public statements then do the opposite
In the absence of gladitorial ancient Roman sports football is the Glasgow replacement so the more hatred that can be whipped up the better
Not all football fans of these clubs are like this thankfully, but there are enough to keep this vile stupidity going because they believe it’s their right and if we don’t stop them they’ll breed and teach more of their offspring to be just as moronic as they are
I’ve been brought up in Glasgow and seen its effects all my life of 69 years, it’s not a tradition it’s a disease
The days of are you a Proddy or a Kafflic question always preceeded the fight generally including the gang that went with it, i’ve seen in the past up to and more than 100 at it with weapons of all types and as a younger lad took pleasure in adjusting their behaviour, on both sides (times were different then) and so was I (Batman complex I think)
At one time the polis did nothing but wait round the corner till they’d hammered hell out of one another then sweep up the left overs rather than get involved, thank God that’s changed, but the problem hasn’t gone away the same idiots do the same thing only mostly to unsuspecting folk taken by surprise who can’t fight back
Oh how the Unionist party must long for those halcyon days when Proddies walked down one side of the street and Kafflics down the other even though some had pals on either side you couldn’t make it known or you’d get each other in bother, how mentally irregular is that
It’s just as well I’m not in charge of the country I don’t think I could contain my patience with any of it, these morons are almost as bad as the “journalists” and politicians who feed off them for a vote
There is one way to help make it stop, every time “supporters” of these clubs are caught behaving badly, fine the club massively for the cost to Police, Ambulances, A&E, court costs and every cost to the public purse that can be levelled at them
You’ll hear these clubs squeal then about modifying their “supporters” “High Jinks”
Glen Douglas, another reason among many why the UK cannot let Scotland go.
I see there are comments on twitter now about Brussels powers being repatriated to the scotland office..
Here’s a slightly longer view of today’s ‘infamous’ Dingwall pitch invasion than Sportscene broadcast.
Sportscene buy a highlights package.
So I’ll presume they didn’t ‘highlight’ the highlight here.
Though, being the BBC ….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYP8zuUA2OA
Funny how they laughed it off.
I would have expected some sort of caustic comment from Michael Stewart.
Dr Gallagher is a scumbag but is that thing he says about Rangers not just UKOK wacademic waffle for, there’s loads of lovely easy mullah in thug violence.
…always the same responses.
Why are you banging on about it!
Why is my team singled out!
The other side is just as bad!
All teams have problems!
It keeps football alive
It is not such a big problem!
No real harm in it!
It’s the Catholic schools!
It’s our heritage
Etc etc etc
In summary – let us bury our heads in the sand for another decade.
We have a problem. It is a major barrier to Independence and we need to deal with it!
Stan collymore says he was proved right after the sectarian singing at dingwall by rangers supporters up to their knees in people of my persuasions blood.a report has Been sent to the sfa. Three words. Carpet. Swept. Under.
By sectarianism we mean anti-Catholic prejudice, which means anti-Irish prejudice. It’s racism. No decent person can support it.
those Tories, red and blue who hope to make political capital out of this are simply scum.
@Petra
Found this, the Naja was there Fri, 11 August 17 as well.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1080266/cat/vs-admin@verticalscope.com
Owners apparently: “2015 Sold to Lappan Shipping & Trading GmbH & Co KG ( Erwin Strahlmann GmbH & Co KG Brunsbuttel as manager) Brunsbuttel Germany,renamed ” NAJA “.”
Cargo – supplies – is my guess. Worth watching to see where it goes next!
@Petra
Or of course taking arms / munitions to Libya for some odd reason.
Haud on a wee minute, there’s a chap at the door ..
@Brian Do others ton,
Dundee fc was considered by many other clubs to be Protestant in origin. I say this because I think they used to have a Derry stand and their supporters would sing the same tune as Rangers Billy boys “Hello hello we are the Dundee boys” .
Was there not a mention of knees in Arab blood as well?
Capella2.i think everyone outside of Scotland knows that sectarianism in Scotland is anti kafflik/irish.its only the Scottish??. Unionist media who tell us.”one sides as bad as the other “. This is a fact that Scotland’s decent people need to face up to,and chase the sectarian unionist bast”””s out of Scotland.
Getting rid of the Orange Order would be a good side effect of Independence. When we regain our country I wonder what flag the loyalist Rangers supporters will fly and identify with ?
Fergus McCann made a bigger difference than he sometimes gets credit for. His smartest move was telling the fans that they needed to be BETTER, and that the best response to hearing “the wrong songs” was to belt out something else even louder. That approach worked (along with other stuff, not least the decline of religion overall), but in recent years it seems like the Celtic fans have perceived a lack of action over Rangers, “Rangers” and especially that one song that’s never really gone away at Ibrox, and have decided that they can be just as offensive.
There is still a difference, I think. The Boys of The Old Brigade is an Irish Republican song, no different in tone or content to something like Flower of Scotland or Scots Wha Hae. The Soldier Song is the national anthem of our neighbours. The Fields of Athenry is about stealing food to feed a starving family. All of those songs, though, have been used for comparison with The Billy Boys, a song about murdering Catholics in the east end of Glasgow. I can understand people who don’t like hearing about bloody Irish politics at the football, but I always like to pose this thought experiment:
Imagine there was a large South African community in Edinburgh. Imagine that during the apartheid years, Edinburgh had welcomed a huge number of black South Africans who had, over the years, embedded themselves in the city. There had always been some racism, at times extreme, but that was gradually fading away. The South Africans had established a football club in town as a charitable endeavour. They fielded white players too, but they became the natural home for almost any black player in the ccountry. The fans still sings songs about the struggle at home. It’s more than 20 years since apartheid ended but those songs have sustained their culture for decades more. Some of the songs speak of revenge against the white oppressor, but mostly we know there’s no violent intent. Across town though, there’s a club that openly refused to sign black players until the late 80s, hosted Klan rallies for years and whose fans sign about being up to their knees in nigger blood and that apartheid’s over so why don’t they go home. How would people feel about that?
If by now any sane rational person in Scotland cannot see that the repeal of the obfa by red and blue tories, is nothing other than a sectarian divide and conquer scenario,to hoover up the votes of the bigoted,Then sadly you really are as a people to stupid to govern yourselves. So so sad.
Indyref2
Surely we should have 9 in a row of articles?. It is a cancer in our society encouraged by unionism. Greene MSP visited Israel with Tompkins and another few Tory MSP’s to support the Israeli state. Of course one mans hisbollah is another’s Stern Gang and freedom fighter.
The links with the right wing states and groups with the Tories are a running sore.
Roll on article 4.
P it may be that the supporters of sectarianism will in fact be a weak spot in thei armour.
Interesting to read the bit by Gallagher. I remember many years ago when was one of the main participants of about 30 in a BBC Scotland discussion programme about sectarianism, when he portrayed Scotland as run by the Orange Order. He dropped that extreme personal campaign later, of course, when he perceived a general groundswell of public opinion against the OO. He prefers to be take a contrary or alternative view, rather than be one of crowd.
O/T .
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/01/25/farming-matters-for-english-gold/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
Kenny 9.14pm. Ah but Kenny thats only banter. And their jeest as bad as us.
@ Mike d – it’s not repealed yet. There might be a bit of a backlash welling up in the hinterland. Let’s hope sense prevails.
Kenny 914
Understand your point but if your a football supporter you support your team and the football not politicise it or make it sectarian.
Take the politics, bigotry and sectarianism elsewhere.
Old pete 9.10pm. Probably the ‘red hand of ulster which will confuse them even more,because by then Ireland will be United.
Capella .certainly hope so.
Linda Colley in her classic work ‘Britons’ considers the link between maintaining the Protestant ascendency and the emergence of British identity. In England that ascendency was significantly stronger than in Scotland where internal and external forces threatened it until the 19th century.
The need to impress Protestant British Unionist values onto the Scottish population was facilitated by the public education system and the muscular ‘Calvinist’ ethos prevailing in higher education. For that reason Catholics, at no small cost, generally opted out.
Now the problem for Catholics isn’t Protestantism but a militant secularism which would remove all religion from public education. The SNP might consider the political consequences of such an initiative.
Religion, however, isn’t at the root of secularism, ignorance is. The less you know about your belief, the more it becomes a primitive fetish to shake threateningly in the face of others.
Similarly with Unionism, its most ardent Scottish advocates are often found to be the least informed concerning its origins and the history of their own country.
In the 1720s the Aberdeenshire Catholic James Gibb designed the Anglican St Martin’s in the Fields in London.
Would the Kirk of the time have offered such a commission in ill-at-ease Scotland? Discuss!
How would people feel about that?
Is it Celtic fans that are the South Africans in Edinburgh?
Majority in Scotland couldn’t care less about what a couple of football clubs in Glasgow get up to, 5 miles apart.
Thug life is thug life. If you’re a football fan its a part of life.
Spurs fans for example listen to Arsenal fans hissing at them. Its the sound of the gas in the concentration camp gas chambers. Why Spurs? North London has a big Jewish population.
Difference between north London football and Glasgow?
UKOK right and neo fascism is more than just interested in Old Firm rivalry, as we saw last week with them getting the OBFA scrapped and once more step closer to SNP out, they think.
Even my Slovene girlfriend, a very excitable unionist tory, is in love with the Gers. He campaigned very tory hard to scrap the OBFA and he’s probably not in the directors box at Ibrox to enjoy the match. Neo fascism is drawn to violence.
Adam Tomkins MSP?Verified account
@ProfTomkins
More Adam Tomkins MSP Retweeted Labour Celtic Fans
As a Rangers-supporting Tory, I agree. Also, it’s always good to see this picture of James Dornan tweeted.
Or, why would a tory lawyer from the south of England love the Gers?
Worth reading.
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/jaffa-cake-nationalism/
Religion, however, isn’t at the root of secularism, ignorance is. The less you know about your belief, the more it becomes a primitive fetish to shake threateningly in the face of others.”
Look for not the last time, there is no god.
Got that.
Just because you believe there is a god is nice but it has to stay out of everything that matters, like politics or sport, most of all football, in Glasgow.
Your “beliefs” in god, have got stay both in churches etc and between your ears.
I’m not totally up to speed on this Orange Order stuff but a thought occurred to me.
When you break it all down this isn’t a disagreement about football, right.
It’s a religion thing.
So if this is all about the Pope in Rome (who like the SNP is baaaad) then what other faith issues are they not surrendering about.
These boys appear to be pretty fundamentalist in their beliefs.
This is no hand-wringing, happy-clappy outfit trying to adapt Christian thought to progressive society, blah, blah blah.
So what do “the People” think about, you know, girls loving girls.
Say like Ruth Davidson, for instance.
Ruthie has picked some strange bedfellows (so to speak).
The Orange Order only came in in fourth place in our “Enemies of Scotland Poll “at our Burns Night last nigh (sharing the position appropriately with Ruth Davidson). The BBC won hands down. Poll results on Off Topic
Kenny @ 9:14 pm
You pose an interesting “thought experiment”.
I judge that neither side of this sectarian divide is without blame, but your “thought experiment” is a notable contribution and I would encourage all here to go back and read it carefully, reflect on it and by all means offer further comment/critique.
From time to time, some posts are made here that deserve a second,careful read – your’s is one – and then used as a basis for further, constructive debate.
Many thanks.
@Ottomanboi –
Interesting stuff.
Just one observation, on Linda Colley. She seems quite open to accepting that Scottish independence is inevitable, even if she couches it in terms such as ‘the genie is out of the bottle’. I haven’t read a lot of her work but did take in most of ‘Britons’ and her overall take seems fair enough i.e. that the British identity is so bound-in with imperialism that they are, for any practical purpose, inseparable.
Scottish input to the British imperial military effort has been crucial, so WM/Whitehall was always very particular about making a proper fuss of Scots, praising their bravery, bagpipe skills, tartan etc because such flattery of Clan chiefs, lairds and other Scottish high-heid-yins made them more amenable to allowing their boys to be the first to go out and get shot.
With 8.3% of the population, over the last 18 years, Scotland has provided over 8.8% of the revenues of the UK – that’s calculated from the HMRC itself, table 1, page 12, where you can see that in all bar 4 years, Scotland contributed more than its population share. Not something the media want to tell you:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/648322/Disaggregated_tax_and_NICs_receipts_-_information_and_analysis.pdf
Is Brent Crude really over $70?
Macart says:
Yes. Excellent stuff.
“Calling British nationalists “Unionists” means that they can continue to hide their nationalism from themselves and from the rest of us, sheltering their nationalism behind weasel words and lies.”
I agree completely with WGD. We need to stop calling BritNats anything other that BritNats.
By allowing them to frame the contest as nationalists (us) versus unionists (them) we allow them to pretend they are something they aren’t.
Unionists are all, without exception, blood and soil British Nationalists.
For IndyRef2 we must not allow them to set the framing of debates or the agenda. We don’t want to be continually back footed responding to their world view.
Tom Gallagher
For an accademic, you’re a bit of a plank.
http://conflictresearch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/NIACRO-Report-02-Complete-Low-Res.pdf
https://www.apa.org/advocacy/civil-rights/hate-crimes.pdf
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11158-012-9211-5
P.S. The desire to maintain the integrity of cultural practice does not trump human rights, especially if the cultural practice is harmful to society.
Ottomanboi
Militant anything has a tendency to be a pain in the arse, be that faith or secularism.
Peeps, you’ll get a laugh at this one. Check out these two charts, put them on two different tabs, and on the chart itself click the down arrow (Time interval) and select 1 day for each one. Look at the amazing similarity in shape!
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/MarketCharts/brent.php
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/ForexCharts/gbpusd.php
No, the UK don’t care about oil, it’s worthless, we’re lucky they take it off our hands.
The SNP have repeatedly asserted that the people of Scotland are sovereign, asserting the Claim of Right 1689 as the documentary legal proof. In the Scotland’s Future White Paper, it also mentions the ‘sovereign people’.
Even the Unionists boast: The people voted No to independence in a referendum, so there’s “no doubt”, as the people decided.
Well, the people of Scotland also voted to Remain in the EU, a vote which the SNP insisted must be respected. The SNP and Scot Govt started well, insisting Scotland cannot be dragged out the EU against her will; it was unacceptable.
Yet, now Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have become fixated on “Soft Brexit” for the UK. If dragging Scotland out the EU was unacceptable then, it’s unacceptable now.
( This is not an argument supporting the merits of the EU or the perils of Brexit, but supporting that the will of the people must be respected.)
So, it’s unacceptable for the uk AND Scot GovtS (and SNP) to then ignore that Remain vote and decide they’ll offer a Single Market compromise to the UK Govt. It was the “sovereign people” that made a decision by a democratic vote to Remain, so it’s a decision the SNP and Scot Govt, had no right to deviate from.
The UK Govt could laugh and ignore this, but the Scot Govt could have then challenged this in court, based on the ancient sovereign people argument and then supported with the modern-era “democratic self-determination” gold standard of modern democracy.
Instead, the Scot Govt chose to challenge Brexit on the Sewel Convention.
I don’t know about others, but I would love to hear what courts would say about the Claim of Right and the sovereignty of the people of Scotland coupled with that sovereignty being exercised democratically ( one person, one vote in a referendum) v the sovereignty of Westminster ( Commons MPs and Lords).
Of course, only 59 of the 650 MPs are elected in Scotland. No Lords are elected by any of the electorate.
Thus, if Scotland’s people are sovereign, they are unable to exercise that sovereignty through Westminster – as Scotland can only elect 59 representatives of their sovereignty out of around 1450 Westminster politicians.
Holyrood is subservient to Westminster. It’s WM’s Edinburgh branch.
That goes against all modern principles of democracy.
Of course, we know the old argument that goes: well, Scotland elects MPs for constituencies, as does other parts of the UK, so we are all equal.
But, in English tradition, Parliament itself is sovereign. That belief is repeated by the UK Govt.
But, the Claim of Right says the people themselves are sovereign. It said Kings cannot rule without the consent of the people. It can be argued, the same rule would also apply to governments, MPs and Lords; that none of them can rule over the people of Scotland without the people’s consent.
When the Claim of Right was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 1689 there was no such thing as a referendum of the people. Indeed, ordinary people in Scotland had no vote that would meet the today’s standards of universal suffrage. Even in the modern era in the UK, the use of referendums have been extremely rare.
If the courts ruled the Claim of Right was not worth the paper it was written on, then it may mean HM Queen has no legal mandate to be Head of State of the United Kingdom.
It could raise questions about the whole constitutional set-up of the UK.
As I said, referendums are rarely used. Democratic mandate is the usual democratic convention.
Again and again I’m told: We must have an indyref to achieve independence. Anything else would be undemocratic; it would be UDI.
So, what’s the basis for arguing that an indyref MUST be held? I’m told: because the people voted for it. Aye, that was in the 2016 SNP Manifesto. People voted for an SNP manifesto that contained MANY policies – another indyref was just one of many. And the SNP did not get a majority in seats OR popular vote (46.3% of the constituency vote share)
A democratic mandate sought and given for a one policy only manifesto: “negotiating Scotland’s independence” would have a stronger democratic mandate than a vote for an indyref which was just one policy amongst many in the SNP MINORITY government party manifesto.
But, if it’s the case that referendums are the new gold standard of democracy; THE VOTE that settles the issues of greatest importance: Why are so many independists, especially the SNP, now willing to ignore the EU-Ref result in Scotland?
“It was a UK vote”. Well, I’m often told the Scot Govt does not need permission from Westminster to hold referendums. Why didn’t they / why don’t they ask: Should Scotland Remain in the EU?
If the UK Govt says Scotland can’t; if they EU says Scotland can’t: let a court establish what Scotland can or can’t do – based on the will of the people.
At worst, a court might say, Scotland’s people aren’t sovereign. Democratic votes by the ordinary people counts for nothing, only Westminster’s votes matters.
To me, that would be further proof of what an un-democratic, antiquated, rotten system we have in the UK. A system where democracy and the will of the people are only conventions that can be ignored by Westminster.
Which brings me to the sort of fundamental questions posed by the writer of the article: Why independence? For what?
A more democratic country, where the people really are sovereign and the people are able to exercise that sovereignty as much as possible.
A nation state where the government MUST respect and comply with the clear and democratically expressed will of the sovereign people.
A nation state where, for example, if the people voted to Remain in the EU, the government and the parliamentarians would not accept anything less.
Is Brent Crude really over $70?
$70.52 per barrel. With a production cost of under $15 per barrel thats’s $110 million of worthless oil profits that will be taken from the Scottish sector of the north sea tomorrow alone. One of the greatest swindles in history.
For those who can’t look at the charts or put them to a time interval of 1 day as above, here’s the gen:
Brent Crude
Nov 1st $58
Jan 28th $70
GB Pound in US Dollar
Nov 1st 1.31
Jan 28th 1.42
Of course it might not be the oil price, it could be Theresa May’s superb handling of the Brexit process.
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/MarketCharts/brent.php
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/ForexCharts/gbpusd.php
It also works over a time period of a week, pretty close relationship all the time since late 2016. Jings, even more so for a period of 1 month back to late 2012.
Has the media commented on this?
Interval not period!
Davie Oga says:
28 January, 2018 at 11:11 pm
Is Brent Crude really over $70?
Flipper Darling did keep saying not Scots oil and gas was much too volatile price wise for his silly little Scotland region 2014, much better leave it all to our chums in the south, like
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/162069/uk-energy-minister-want-squeeze-every-last-drop-north-sea-basin/
OK, to close the can of worms before the Unionists sniff around for a tin-opener, what they would say is “Well, if it does that to the GBP what on earth would it do to the Scottish Pound?”.
No.
The UK is in debt to the tune of £1.8 trillion, partly backed by the assets of the UK. Oil of say 20 billion barrels at $40 is worth = $800 billion. But at $70 = $1.4 trillion. Oil is an asset to counter the debt.
BUT Scotland’s share of the UK debt even per capita would be £150 billion, so the difference of oil value between $800 billion and $1.4 trillion wouldn’t matter a squillionth.
https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-sectarianism-in-scotland-pb.html
Agree 100% with the “British Nationalists” term. They absolutely loathe getting called that as it destroys their Nationalist quotes and “Nazi” pish they love peddling. Saw the reaction on social media and the real world whilst campaigning. It also polarises the debate. Just wish senior figures on our side used it all the time.
Torygraph likes the new energy minister? about to drain the Shetland oil basin dry because she’s a very hard Brexiter from Devises
http://archive.is/eJOMT
The Telegraph has obtained a WhatsApp mobile phone message sent by Claire Perry, the energy minister who attends Cabinet, in which she berates those accusing MPs of being “("Tractor" - Ed)s” using pejorative language.”
Tories are really going to need every last drop of not Scots oil to pay their Brexit bills for starters.
http://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/files/15243355/_Sectarianism_and_Scottish_football.pdf
@yesindyref2 says:
28 January, 2018 at 5:53 pm
===============================
I am a supporter of a wee “diddy team”. I went to see my team play Rangers (twice) recently well a few months ago. In our own ground apart from the usual stuff they came out with a song that was new to me.
“We hate Catholics, We hate Catholics, We hate Catholics, We hate Catholics, We hate Catholics, We hate Catholics, etc.”
Of course I couldn’t tell if all of them were singing it but most of them were. I don’t care if some of them support Indy, that’s still unacceptable. And this kind of bile has been going on for generations. We hear about “decent Rangers fans” but they never seem decent enough to form some kind of campaign to get that stuff stopped.
Old Pete @9.10
You wonder about which flag the Billy Boys will fly when we are independent.
One would hope that they will emigrate with their team and flag and songs over the border. A welcome will await them I am sure. Manchester has long harboured warm memories of their last fraternal visit.
Testing. No comments since 12.07.
Davie Oga,
“Sectarianism is a fundemental component of the union state and lends credence to the like likes of Rock’s ” stupidest people on earth” supposition.”
Sectarianism and stupidity are in most cases completely different things.
The sectarian thugs are bigots. They may also be stupid in other ways but their sectarianism is not because of their stupidity. It is because of their superiority complex. Most British Nationalists have it. They consider themselves superior to all other people in the world.
Stupidity is where in this age of the internet and WOS people in Scotland are so easily fooled by the unionist media led by Pravda GB.
Despite England’s theft and squandering of Scotland’s wealth for 310 years, they are happy to remain a colonised people.
On the brighter side, the Guardian reader with a Slovene (ex-)girlfriend is living proof that not all people in Scotland are stupid.
yesindyref2,
“But it’s the Scotsman article has some balance to it, not this one.”
yesindyref2 (to the Rev. Stuart Campbell) (21st January “Absolute Fanny Of The Week”):
“Don’t slip your standards to those of the unionist media.”
yesindyref2 (3rd March 2017 – “Pushing the accelerator”):
“To pick up what Rev says, all I gave was £5, and posted as much on the first thread.
Am I ashamed it’s so little? Why should I be? It’s all I can afford at the moment.”
How much do you spend on The National every year?
How do you compare the standards there with the standards of articles on this site?
How many comments do you post on The National every week?
Oh dear, the neolithic grumbler sneaks his couple of responses in after everyone else has gone to bed. (Not for the first time, either.)
And just the same-old same-old complaint-by-numbers.
Utterly pathetic.
O/T Ronnie Anderson thanks for that Orkney link by Alec Ross it is a GREAT read , please rev Stu could I ask that you put up the post by Alec Ross as it summarises what is going on and what could be happening very very soon .
As Ross breaks it down it exemplifies what is happening surreptitiously and how the SG will have to act accordingly to protect Scotland’s people , government and interests
It is a frightening but probably accurate read
It’s a weird democracy we have that allows a law favoured by a majority of the electorate can be repealed by a group of tribal MSPs the majority of whom were rejected by the electorate at the ballot box
Don’t think I worded that too well but you know what I mean
Oh for that Block Button, it was grand for a wee while
Rock posting at 3 on the morning? Are you a security guard ? Or in trumpland?
Wish Donald Trump was the Prime Minister
twathater at 0433am,
Have to agree regarding the article you mentioned. I personally think the analysis, especially further on in the article, is spot on. Sitting waiting ‘to see’ how things turn out, is utter folly. It is abundantly clear, that via the british nationalist media, the Tories and all the uber british nationalists in Scotland, the dissolution of the Scots Parliament is under way.
That is why the Scotland office has been given so much money and so, so many staff. The plan is to make the Westminster controlled Scotland office, the main governing power in Scotland post brexit.
I do hope some in the SNP start to sniff the coffee, as to what is going on. It won’t happen overnight, since the liars in Westminster would know that would cause outrage, but it WILL be done, step by step, slowly, slowly, in the background, until the point is reached where the Scotland office takes back control of Scotland, and the Scots Parliament becomes redundant, and therefore easy to abolish.
The writing is on the wall, and all these things have already started happening.
Article here;
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/01/25/farming-matters-for-english-gold/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
Good range of topics on the forum, but not to kean on the ganging up on some people that post things others don’t agree with, apart from that everything ok
Peers brand Theresa May’s Brexit bill ‘fundamentally flawed’
http://archive.is/j9b3P
Off to a cracking start in the Lords then…har de har hah..!!
People can vote against Brexit. Just keep voting SNP/SNP. Vote for EU membership. Vote for Independence. Do not vote for unionists or their cronies. Vote the unionists out. It’s not just up to the SNP. It’s up to the voters. Just get out and vote and take someone along. It can be won. The unionists politicians will be gone. Along with their cronies. Why do people find it so difficult. In Scotland there is an alternative. Self government. Instead of the farce of Westminster. Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Lie after lie after lie. The Westminster frauds. Defrauding Scotland of £Billions. Keeping it secret under the Official Secrets Act. Iraq, Lockerbie and Dunblane, kept secret for 100 years.
Today we’re seeing Britains First Order visibly crumbling under the constant pressure by the Rebel Alliance led by Princess Nicola
The BBC reports that Scotland may indeed lose some jobs post Brexit but will lose 250,000 to robots within the next ten years so staying Better Together is of paramount importance under the First Order of the UK because they’ve got a bigger button in co operation with General Trump to keep London safe
For Scotland, not so much
Will these be general everyday robots to make things or English stormtrooper robots to blast us to our economic doom if we don’t comply
UK politics, you could swear you’ve seen it all before
Why the Unionist frenzy of late in the papers and on Tv?
They have seen the trends in polls and focus groups and they are panicking like rodents on a sinking ship.
Scotland can save itself and the future of its children by choosing independence.
The caring civic nationalism and internationalism of the SNP X 2.
Links
The EU-UK Future Trade Relationship after Brexit: Is There a Middle Ground?
https://www.scer.scot/database/ident-4843
https://thebutterflyrebellion.scot/2018/01/26/getting-inside-the-scotland-office/
http://tarffadvertiser.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/lies-lies-and-then-there-are-unionists.html
https://itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/self-loathing/
Peers say Brexit legislation is fundamentally flawed and risks undermining legal certainty
http://archive.is/zBLQi
A bloody battle looms over custom’s union
http://archive.is/4qNc7
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-28/british-lords-get-ready-to-disrupt-brexit
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/secret-talks-extend-brexit-transition-period-uk-minsters-clash-again-1656911
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu-energy-environment-subcommittee/news-parliament-2017/brexit-en-sec-rpt/
http://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/the-quiet-before-phase-two-storm.html
Theresa May’s nightmare scenario is starting to materialise.
http://archive.is/x5s8D
Brexit: ignorance for sale
http://www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=86755
Dr Jim @ 09:04
I listened to this ‘Centre for Cities’ report that appear to be saying Dundee is at risk of losing 25% of its jobs as they are low skilled and can be done by robots in the future. It was all might, could be, possibly without any real substance or reasoning.
I posted four more links, just realised I forgot to remove the letters at the start of the video of Business for Scotland giving evidence at the withdrawal bill committee. Hopefully Rev will post the links.
http://www.centralfm.co.uk/2018/01/29/scottish-and-welsh-ministers-to-brief-peers-on-brexit/
https://scottovoce.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/the-quetchetariat-incomplete/
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/01/27/find-out-about-the-crown-estate-bill/
British government warned of legal action over DUP deal by campaigners
http://archive.is/8DNVf
@Nana
Good piece by Tarff Advertiser. Not pulling any punches.
Great choice as usual. 🙂
Joemcg says:
at 11:43 pm
The more I think about this the clearer it becomes to me too.
What part do these so called Unionists and Unionist parties play in the politics of Scotland? They appear to have only one mission – to undermine everything identifiable as Scottish.
They are not Unionists, there are no Unionist parties. They don’t want a union, they want absorption into a single unified entity with little deviation from an Anglo-centric model.
They call it ‘British’ and their blind loyalty to this concept makes it British Nationalism. It is the term which best describes their ethos, motivation, and objectives.
From now on I intend to use BritNat rather than Unionist.
Singing from the same hymn sheet..
The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.
Section 4: Impartiality.
News, Current Affairs or Factual Output.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidelines/impartiality/news-current-affairs-factual-output
Morning Macart 🙂
Can’t we call them “English nationalists” since it’s England’s. welfare they are concerned with. Or would that be too true? Then they could construe it as anti-English. Of course there is no such thing as anti-Scottish!
Not completely surprised that Anas encountered some old fashioned racism in his leadership bid but I think the fact that he was a moderate and the other chap a flavour of the month momentum candidate was what sealed it.
On nationalists, I find that Brexiteer heads explode if you call them Seps 🙂 Not that I would do that…much.
The Daily Record:
Scotland is just as racist as England. So says a Labour unnamed Councillor who calls his comrade, brother, fellow International Socialist a ‘brown, Paki, Muslim.
But presentation is everything.
The Daily Record is declaring to its OBFA Free fan base, we are as racist as the rest of ‘Britain’. (see my pots on WGD)
What a disgusting little arse wipe of a rag.
Name these people.
Or is it information held with which to blackmail them later?
They don’t like being called “Yoons”, and it gives a veneer of respectability to their union but I agree the term must be “BRITNAT”.
It can be nuanced as occasion requires. It can be spat out as a term or derision and antipathy or quietly and sadly followed by “The Cringe is strong in this one”!
twathater Don’t forget Orkney news ( alex ross ) is only a opinion piece by one person , nobody knows what the final outcome or useage of the Leith building will be , but a alternative Colonial Gov in Scotland NAA .
I think English nationalism should be called out when it is inappropriate etc. It is nothing to be ashamed of when it has respect at it’s core.
Brexiteers are European separatists.
Scottish Unionists are fantasists, imagining that our neighbour rates our best interests above their own.
Especially when they (England) have just voted to leave a union actually created to share values and commerce.
Wake up Scotland!
Up here, somehow in the UK we’re further north than The North, and now treated as a subject instead of a partner.
This isn’t ‘on the cards’ it’s actually happening now.
We need to trust in ourselves, as saviours of our own social and economic fortunes. With equality of opportunity at the centre of a modern nation.
Having opposed The OBFA for years, then voting against with no plan, M Kelly claims he will have a comprehensive plan. LOLZ
Then lo and behold, entirely by coincidence, Sarwar turns up in the Record then again in the Herald to denounce racism. Well, well.
Labour is a bunch of cynical, worthless slime bags. They had 100yrs to combat sectarianism, andracism but did little or actively encouraged it.
A friend, whose father worked in the shipyards, said that though Protestants and Catholics worked together, when they left the yard there was two streams out, and the local pub had two doors leading to the opposite ends of the bar.
The shipyard was controlled by Labour and the unions, they did nothing to combat it.
@yesindyref2
Regarding forex trading and the £. The sad fact is that the £ has been OVER-VALUED for decades to the benefit of the net importers in the south and to the detriment of the net-exporters in the north.
All courtesy of London.
Since Scotland has a strong export potential to nice independent, any devaluation of the new currency would be fairly short lived
Our media is in a race to the gutter, knowing a fresh ‘outrage’ can be printed every day.. and it need not be based on fact.
They don’t care, so long as enough doubt is sown.
Holding to account? It’s the BBC and chums that should be brought to account.
I scanned through the Daily stranger story on the news stand and the alledged comments from the Labour councillor to Sarwar.
I would suggest it says more about Labour than it actually does about Scotland.
Thank you for the Monday coffee time links Nana!
What is going on the booming Scotland Office, can the Britnats of Westminster simply hand all Brexit EU powers to their Scotland region but only to the Scotland Office?
That’s a very hard sell, even for BBC Scotland.
https://thebutterflyrebellion.scot/2018/01/26/getting-inside-the-scotland-office/
“So we want eyes and ears inside the Scotland Office. We are reaching out to employees – from cleaning staff to the highest grades of the civil service – of the Scotland Office to act as informers and whistleblowers. We’re interested in everything from rumours and overheard insider conversations, to documents, correspondences, and digital files.”
Scotland Viceroy Sir Fluffie Mundell and Sir Fluffie Junior commands the whole of their Scotland region, from their borders redoubt?
Its bleeding medieval:D
Technically if Westminster does shaft Scotland again EU devo wise, its up there with their great 2014, vote NO Thanks for devo max shyste.
So if absolutely nothing changes at all in their Scotland region until the next UK GE, May 2022, it means that Scotland is governed by a minority tory set up, as per usual, from another country.
Given the sheer weight of the SNP out propaganda pouring out of Pacific Quay alone, we have to assume that tiddler minority tory rule of Scotland, by their Scotland Office, under Sir Fluffie and jnr Sir Fluffie, is inevitable.
As UKOK hackdown drags Scots into their sewer, smears us all with their special brand of yoonery,
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-nireland-legal/british-government-warned-of-legal-action-over-dup-deal-by-campaigners-idUKKBN1FI0P6
louis.b.argyll says:
Agreed, but it so often shows it’s dark side.
It could be accepting and outward looking, but it rarely is.
British Nationalism is something subtly different. IMO it is the imperial aspect of English Nationalism. It wants to absorb neighbours into a state made in the image of England. And among each of those neighbours is a minority of wannabe English who facilitate this.
I’m particularly fond of the “Scotland does more trade with England than the EU” which by implication means Ha Ha we wont trade with you anymore and we’ll make you poor
And the answer to that is *pish* England will trade with anybody if it’s to its advantage, plus what kind of people would threaten their neighbours with talk like that it’s no wonder Scotland wants independence away from those people then
I’m seriously starting to believe we dont even need Obi Wan Kenobi’s help on this, we can save ourselves without the use of Ray guns
I’ve still got one if I need it though, a *Dan Dare* Space gun
Jack Collatin
Nicola Sturgeon is now one of the columnists for that “disgusting little arse wipe of a rag”.
Who’d have thought it after The Vow?
I was gonnae say: What next? Will she be trying to save the UK Union?
The SNP are already doing exactly that with their: “save the UK from Brexit disaster by joining the Single Market and Customs Union” policy.
( What happened to: Scotland voted Remain? )
If it’s such a disaster for the UK, then that would be a good reason to vote for independence to try and avoid that disaster. Some independists still call it: a game changer.
Well, the SNP don’t want a game changer to encourage people to vote for independence.
Clearly, the SNP are planning for Scotland being part of that UK for a long time to come.
The faithful will tell you it’s all a cunning plan. Keeping the powder dry. Catch them on the hop. Free by ’23.
Politics is supposed to be boring. Yet, it’s hilarious at times seeing what gullible party supporters will accept and believe.
Some Labour supporters still think Labour are socialists, will abolish the House of Lords, give Scotland Home Rule and create a modern democracy based on principles of social justice, not wealth and privilege.
Their great-grandparents also believed that one a century ago haha.
Arabs for Independence says:
29 January, 2018 at 9:43 am
Dr Jim @ 09:04
I listened to this ‘Centre for Cities’ report that appear to be saying Dundee is at risk of losing 25% of its jobs as they are low skilled and can be done by robots in the future. It was all might, could be, possibly without any real substance or reasoning.
Sigh – another BBC attempt to distract from the coming BREXIT storm. Job losses? Nothing to do with BREXIT,it’s the robots.
As the BREXIT dust settles; 80,000 jobs lost, 18 billion quid up in smoke?….
“OH LOOK — A ROBOT!”
As far as I can tell, a Labour Councillor has told Sarwar that he can never be elected because he is X Y and Z.
Perhaps Sarwar should seek to clean up the Labour Party before looking for higher post in that case. Sounds as if they, like the Tories, have problems with racism and bigotry.
Post BREXIT 80,000 job losses?
18 Billion quid down the drain?
“Oh look – a ROBOT!”. 🙂
Nana @ 09:27,
That link to Faisal Islam’s take on the current Brexit finaglings within UKGov (“Bloody battle looms over customs union”) makes for a very sobering read.
The Tories are all over the place, and the only thing saving them is a combination of furious smokescreening for public consumption (ably assisted by the British Bluster Collaboration) and the passive indecision and confusion in their Labourite so-called “opposition”. =cough=
What a mess. The very best we might end up with is with our own customs union that replicates exactly what we have today except the UK, let alone Scotland, will have absolutely no say whatever in determining the rules. No wonder Kirsty Hughes is scunnered. A Turkey in more ways than one!
No wonder either that Nicola & Co. are currently having to ca’ canny.
About the only wee light on the horizon is the bright thought that the “Europe Issue”, after all these agonising years (for them, and by proxy alas, us) of internecine strife, might finally split the Tory Party.
Oh, and that other thing…
BritNats who have adopted an English identity.
Nothing wrong in having an identity, but British = English.
Call them what they are and tell them to embrace their English identity with pride.
Their fellow British = English in England are very proud of their Englishness and quite right as well!
So when chatting to a BritNat inhabitant of Scotland encourage them to celebrate their Englishness – it’s what they are.
The resident troll should know by now that there is a huge difference between telling people there is going to be a disaster, and them actually witnessing it for themselves.
Nobody ever believed they were in serious danger from coal bings until Aberfan. After that many bings were removed.
Experience is a teacher that leaves a lifelong impression.
Anas Sarwar says Scotland wont vote for a brown Muslim when clearly he means Labour wouldn’t vote for a brown Muslim
Or he could have said Labour Muslims voted for a brown Muslim *Anas Sarwar* but white people Labour didn’t vote for a brown Muslim
Try as I might to work out who Anas is slandering as racist here, it seems that Anas is trying to say Muslims are not racist because they voted for him because he’s a brown Muslim but that’s OK it’s the white folks who have the race problem
Again it makes his claim that *Scotland* is racist because a *Labour* councillor told him so even more ridiculous
So the only thing all that nonsense proves is
It’s the Labour party that’s racist Anas because the rest of us didnae get a vote in yer wee election ya choob
This must mean the Humza Yousaf’s got nae chance of ever succeeding in anything Ooops! he’s the transport minister, damn! some white folks must’ve gone over to the dark side eh
Anas Sarwar Choob of the week along with the Daily Record for attempting to stir up race as an issue so’s we can be just the same as England
Choob Choob Choob, and spiteful with it
Bob Mack
The UK Govt did not respect the result of an advisory EU-ref in Scotland.
Why should they respect the result of an advisory indyref result in Scotland?
Do you seriously imagine the Scot Govt can hold an indyref, have it legally recognised and achieve indy all before 2021?
@ScottieDog
Yes, the GBP has been overvalued. I guess part of the reason is before Brexit it was considered a safe haven.
It’s interesting though. During Indy Ref 1 one of the cautions about our own currency was that it could rise because of the oil, a petro-currency. I guess too it could become a realtively safe haven. For me though that means that the central bank would have to intervene to keep the exchange rate down by buying foreign currency with the Scottish Pound. Which means it would build up larger and larger foreign reserves. Which would of course get it ready should Scotland want to join ERM2 in the future at some time – similar to Denmark which the unionists use to say we need £50 billion to even start a currency.
But perhaps it also means the initial reserves at the Central Bank wouldn’t need to be too high – just £10 billion.
Another thing, can’t help thinking that the dropping oil price before down to $40 and lower has done Indy Ref 2 a favour. It means the economic case would need to be made on onshore revenues, which are rising year to year. And then any oil revenues could and should be put completely in an oil fund, but an oil fund which could invest in Scotland, lending money for infrastructure and major projects. We could build another 6 bridges!
I met 3 new SNP voters in Kwik Fit this morning getting their puntures fixed, guess why the are now SNP
They’ve seen through the Newspapers
Oh joy!
Don’t answer Bob.
Because the Edinburgh Agreement stood/was agreed once, it’s sentiment is legally powerful. More than just a convention.
As long as they do not Robot Squires, we have hope.
Remember vote YES next time.
When asked by the BBC about the prospect of Scotland becoming Independent because of his investment Bill Gates replied “Why should that make a difference”
Bill Gates isnae frightened
Appeal for Scottish Office whistleblowers –
https://thebutterflyrebellion.scot/2018/01/26/getting-inside-the-scotland-office/
louis.b.argyll
Edinburgh Agreement?
Was the Edinburgh Agreement made a statute, a law by Westminster Parliament?
Therefore, it was a worthless ministerial agreement between WM and it’s branch office at Holyrood.
WM is sovereign in the UK constitution. Unless MPs made this a law, unless it was incorporated into domestic law by an act of parliament, it’s not worth the paper it was written on.
The UK Govt / Scot Govt version of The Vow. Looked good at the time I admit, like a summit meeting between government leaders. Great theatre. But kidology.
Dr Jim said:
“Three new SNP supporters…. They’ve seen through the Newspapers.”
Tell Rock it was through The National. That would wind him up big time haha.
Ian Brotherhood says:
One thing is certain, in these days of austerity and spending cutbacks, they are not beefing up the Scotland Office without a purpose in mind!
I’ve had a Google around and find it hard to get figures for expenditure and staffing numbers. Publicising the scale of expansion would be a good place to start.
I’ve been a little emboldened recently having done my own ‘green ink’ bit and had three letters printed in our local rag since the beginning of December.
However, I don’t think my latest offering will make it this week! Normally, I’m straight facts and no slagging (difficult sometimes) but decided to push it a bit this week.
Starts off with ‘We no longer live in a democracy. Scotland is a colony, run by a plutocracy with a hint of fascism’ and finishes with ‘Prepared to be fracked’.
I’m prepared to be binned!
Remember support for http://www.trulyscottishtv.com/ the history channel is looking good.
I’m starting a “clipping” text file ready for Indy Ref 2, and for any that don’t read overnight postings, I’ll repeat this as I think it’s important.
Check out these two charts, put them on two different tabs, and on the chart itself click the down arrow (Time interval) and select 1 day for each one. Look at the amazing similarity in shape.
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/MarketCharts/brent.php
http://www.livecharts.co.uk/ForexCharts/gbpusd.php
For those who can’t look at the charts or put them to a time interval of 1 day as above, here’s the gen:
Brent Crude
Nov 1st $58
Jan 28th $70
GB Pound in US Dollar
Nov 1st 1.31
Jan 28th 1.42
It also works over a time interval of a week, pretty close relationship all the time since late 2016 and even more so for a interval of 1 month back to late 2012.
The Unionists would say “Well, if it does that to the GBP what on earth would it do to the Scottish Pound?”.
No.
The UK is in debt to the tune of £1.8 trillion, partly backed by the assets of the UK. Oil of say 20 billion barrels at $40 was worth = $800 billion. But at $70 = $1.4 trillion. Oil is an asset to counter the debt.
BUT Scotland’s share of the UK debt even per capita would be £150 billion, so the difference of oil value between $800 billion and $1.4 trillion wouldn’t matter a squillionth to Independent Scotland.
Out posting some letters etc in the car and…
Caught a wee bit of Shortbread’s John Beattie there with WM person for ‘communications’ (Maybe Hancock?) telling me that
1. WIFI was devolved to Scotland 3 years ago
2. Scotland lagging behind Eng and Wales
3. Monies allocated to Scotland were not spent due to SG not
selecting a contract provider and only getting round to it
now. We (WM) have offered to help etc etc.
Déjà vu all over again!
Good old auntie it’s whack-a-mole time in Scotland on a daily basis. 🙁
@Liz Rannoch
Good to see people writing to local papers, I used to a lot years ago (not about Indy), and they just about all got published (local issues). If that one doesn’t get published, go back to the cool calm and collected style!
Material changes (esp democratic events) trump all, forcing knee-jerk legislative and political adjustments onto public servants who’d rather not bother.
Westminster only looks after it’s own Establishment, who in turn promote their own political and middle class needs above all.
It’s the only thing they think through properly.
The UK has the Bank of England at “arm’s length”, persoanlly I’d want to see the Scottish Central Bank closer to the Scottish Government. Don’t know what the rules are of the Norwegian Oil Fund, but again personally I’d want to see it at least able to lend money to the SG – at a reasonable interest rate of course.
And I’d want to see all oil revenues go into the oil fund automatically, though the accounting would be delayed of course for company year-end accounting. Probably some sort of cash accounting basis (accruals?).
John Redwood seems to think they have the EU over a barrel. Not sure what his threat is, possibly he’s intending give a rendition of their national anthems in the native language.
When will Scots wake up to the fact the British nationalism is actually an expansionist form of English nationalism. If you examine British culture, you will find it consists mostly of English cultural references, with very little input from the Celtic nations. Then there is the British constitution, which imposes English legal culture on the whole of Britain. The utilitarian core to HMG governance, is a product of Anglican culture.
James the first/sixth sought to unite the nations under one crown but the English parliament had bigger ambitions. Britain is definitely a strategy to create a greater England. It is not possible to create a mechanism for sharing powers between Scotland and England, without wholesale constitutional reform. The English establishment simply won’t go there. Scotland is there possession, or so they think.
https://politicalandlegalanthro.org/2016/06/28/anthropology-brexit-and-xenophobia-in-europe/
The Edinburgh Agreement will be seen as a starting point, the expected procedural status quo for Indy-ref2 negotiations. What our democratic leaders agreed to last time.
There will be tweaks, naturally, regarding EU citizens, postal voting etc, but a fair result will be respected.
louis.b.argyll
said: ” Westminster only looks after it’s own Establishment, who in turn promote their own political and middle class needs above all”.
On Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum:
Christine Bell: The Legal Status of the ‘Edinburgh Agreement’
Posted on November 05 2012:
https://www.scottishconstitutionalfutures.org/OpinionandAnalysis/ViewBlogPost/tabid/1767/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/431/Christine-Bell-The-Legal-Status-of-the-Edinburgh-Agreement.aspx
In the paragraph Dogs That Do Not Bark, it says:
“HOWEVER, THE EXCLUSION OF ANY FIRM COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE RESULT should perhaps still be noted, particularly given that the only other legal provision for a secession referendum, in the case of Northern Ireland, provided for in the Northern Ireland Act 1998, does make clear legal provision for implementing the result in Westminster legislation. Even if implementation of a ‘yes’ vote is assured, does this mean that the UK government has to agree to independence in whatever shape the Scottish Government wants? In fact, the wording of paragraph 30 may indicate not.”
Then we had all the Project Fear stuff, such as vote NO to keep Scotland in the EU, The Vow: Devo to the Max, almost Federal UK, Ruth Davidson totting up postal votes, Then the Smith Commission. And EVEL
Now, Nicola Sturgeon’s letter asking for indyref talks lies unanswered almost a year later. While the great Devolution power grab and Scotland being dragged out the EU against the democratic will of the Sovereign people of Scotland is happening right now.
And people on here still see an indyref in cooperation with Westminster as the only way to achieve independence.
Oh dear.
No wonder the SNP are planning for Scotland being in the UK for a long time to come.
Sarwar lining up for award again this week, complaining about racism and the ink not yet dry on football act on Friday. OK to be a bigot and sectarian but not ok to be a racist.
It was a labour councillor who made the comment so the problem is not Scotland and it might just be that a multi-millionaire who does not even pay the living wage is not thought appropriate for labour leadership.
Then we have Neil Findlay and his racism towards his own fellow Scots – like to see him make a fool of muslim or jamaican or english speech patterns but it’s ok to make a fool of fellow Scots and labour still wonders what is wrong. I say to them look in the mirror.
o/t
Question
What’s Fluffy and the Scotland Office up to at Leith Docks , what exactly is this project for ? , Who is financing it ? ,
Rumour has it the DUP don’t want a functioning assembly in Northern Ireland , that’s why no agreement will be reached , and they actually favour direct rule from London ,
Would this this be the same Template possibly actively pursued by Fluffy , A Parallel Scottish Government operating from this site at Leith , trust Fluffy and the Tory party aye ok .
Holyrood is being set up for closure , bit by bit the ground work will be promoted by the BBC it’s the next mission , confusion will be rife ,aided by the Labour Party and the unions on one side , the Tory party on the other side will push the cost of this talking shop outweighs the benefit , they never wanted a parliament now is their Opportunity to strike .
Selective quoting – a unionist trait. After that “Dogs that do not bark” is this:
“Who cares anyway: is this not a ridiculously academic discussion?
Well yes: lawyers love to consider hypotheticals and it is 99.99% likely that this discussion is a purely hypothetical one. To be super-clear: I am not suggesting or trying to suggest that the Edinburgh Agreement is flimsy, likely to be dishonoured, or does not settle the questions it purports to settle. ”
99.99% likely that this discussion is a purely hypothetical one
English culture is suffering a bad dose of post-colonial malaise. In responce, England’s Establishment seek to turn the clock back on social progress, using British Labour to keep the plebs pacified.
Brexit Britain: Why we are all postindustrial now
ABSTRACT
In June 2016, UK voters decided in a referendum to leave the European Union. This outcome, known as Brexit, is in part the result of the Labour Party’s having abandoned its traditional supporters in the postindustrial urban heartlands of Britain. Meanwhile, the Far Right has revealed its potential to radically disrupt liberal-democratic norms. Cleverly disguised, the racism of the populist right-wing UK Independence Party challenges the taken-for-granted ideals of what counts, at the beginning of the 21st century, as a progressive society. The British political spectrum has shifted to the right, as class politics have been reconfigured into a new form of cultural nationalism. Disorientation is now the postindustrial condition common to UK society.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/amet.12470/abstract
Telegraph link in a comment on this National article which curiously backs up the relationship between oil and the pound I mentioned earlier:
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15903224.Oil_and_gas_sector_confidence_doubles_in_a_year/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor
They must have read my posting, errr, before I even thought of it.
I’m pleased to read that people are now writing letters to their local papers, it is important because people do read their local papers and the letters which are published.
I know this from my own experience down the years, I write a letter about every two weeks to my local newspapers not just on local issues but also on national ones as well, and I very rarely don’t get them published.
winifred mccartney
If you don’t for Anas and SLabour, you’re a racist, is probably as deep scraping the bottom of the UKOK barrel it gets, right?
If you don’t VOTE for Anas and SLabour, you’re a racist, is probably as deep scraping the bottom of the UKOK barrel it gets, right?
Sorry:D
the increase of gbp vs the dollar is due to the dollar tanking,
gbp vs euro is still static
Aye, Anas playing the victim /racist card is desperate stuff.
Rather pathetic.
Scotland Office … Wiki …
” Role
The office is responsible for the representation of Scotland and Scottish affairs in HM Government, facilitating the smooth operation of devolution, liaising between the UK Government and the Scottish Government at Edinburgh and the administering of certain reserved matters of government relating to Scotland. “
… that sounds fair enough. Primary purpose is to represent Scotland in HM Gov.
I hope they let us know in plenty of time if the plan to reverse that into …. represent WM in Scotland. 😉
For our resident WoS btl smear First Minister Sturgeon campaigner Colin A, popped up on Facebook this morning, cheezy but nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0-r9SphenM
@cat
The correlation goes back to 2012 and probably beyond (I didn’t check). Trump was just a twinkle in his apprentice’s eye.
@Anas Sarwar
You may be correct about your colleges being racist but do you not appreciate your party would consign Scotland to follow England’s predominantly racist decision to leave the EU?
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2016/10/21/xenophobia-britannica-anti-immigrant-attitudes-in-the-uk-are-among-the-strongest-in-europe/
Yesindyref2
As any viewer of Judge Rinder will tell you: a contract with no date of compliance cannot be enforced.
eg. If I borrow a tenner and promise to repay, but no repayment date. I only have to say, I will repay it – sometime in the future. (“Not now. Now is not the time”.)
Thus, I haven’t broken the contract.
She could not prove the UK Govt would not accept the terms of independence; but she did see the Edinburgh Agreement left a get-out clause for the UK Govt.
That was written in 2012. In 2014 we did see the UK Govt insist there would be no sharing of the Pound. So, clearly the UK Govt were not agreeable to the semi-independence plan put forward in the Scot Govt’s White Paper, which Professor Bell identified to be a possibility.
Would the UK Govt have stuck to the deal where there’s no date to commit to it?
We don’t know.
We do know the UK Govt betrayed Scotland’s guaranteed place in the EU promise. The Vow commitment to Devo to the Max. They betrayed the commitment that what’s devolved is devolved etc etc etc.
Promise after promise – broken.
If anyone wants to trust promises from the UK Govt that are deliberately written to be legally unenforceable, that’s up to them.
Yadda yadda yadda boring
Great article right enough.
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/01/25/farming-matters-for-english-gold/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
Combine that with Liz Truss’s refusal to appear before MSP’s at Holyrood.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15898401.Senior_UK_minister_slammed_for_snubbing_Holyrood_committee/
…………………………..
‘Oil and gas sector confidence doubles in a year.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15903224.Oil_and_gas_sector_confidence_doubles_in_a_year/
@Yes indy ref,
You can just imagine the conversation
Nicola—-Give us a referendum”
May——OK.
Nicola—Should we draw up a contract or something”
May—– No need surely for that
Nicola — OK then.
I despair . Wish Nicola was as smart as Colin Ho Ho Ho.
I to am at a loss to understand the workings of the SNP I mean the things they have given the people of Scotland are marvellous and I would not vote for anyone else but their stand against the medias lies and fraud or should I say their lack of stance against it leaves me baffled ??? Also their actions or again their lack of action on independense so many openings they seem to let pass with no reaction I mean this as honest criticism not sarcasm
colin alexander says:
29 January, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Yesindyref2
As any viewer of Judge Rinder will tell you: a contract with no date of compliance cannot be enforced
Colin A you’re talking or typing out your arse mannie.
All of the Sturgeon bad stuff and nonsense you pump out WoS btl, would only make any sense IF Scotland had voted YES 2014 and was now being constitionaly and sovereigntyly shafted hard by our imperial masters.
And that’s it. Everything you waffle on and on about here, is for or in a parallel yooniverse:D
@Bob Mack
Aye, and she (Nicola) the solicitor and all, and the one who negotiated the first Edinburgh Agreement – you’d think she’d know better!
Blair Paterson 2.40
No point in SNP arguing with MSN. Best to let people find out for themselves and this is happening, to argue would be to create two stories and confuse issues. People are finding out for themselves.
IMHO, the media, particularly the BBC, would crucify the SNP if they went on a direct media offensive. We are in the middle of an asymmetrical war for hearts and minds, where England controls all the levers of power and social control. Asymmetrical warfare is characterised by guerilla insurgency, and we are the guerilla army. Instead of bullets and bombs, we use words and ideas.
Freedom is not generally given, it must be taken. Professional politicians can not deliver independence for Scotland, though they can create the conditions for it.
OT
With my wife’s near death blue light in hospital resuscitated and emergency operation, things got very disorganised for weeks (and before as she was ill) as I had no mind for it, and it wasn’t until last week she got the “benign” on the cyst, so I’m way behind, and so nasty things – happen. But it’s amazing how the truth does set you free, and how understanding people are – in official positions. I post / email a copy of the discharge letter whenever possible, as people do spin lines and there’s only so far you can rely on peoples’ trust, I don’t like to play on it too much, it becomes almost implausible. What, another thing?
It underlines the need for discretionary flexibility in everything that is the relationship between punters and officialdom, or even big business. Just sorted one thing out with a nice Geordie (in Scotland). But there have been others too, with Scots and English. People are people, humans are humans.
@CBB
Guerilla warfare is very apt. In fact if the Welsh had stuck to guerilla warfare in the literal sense centuries back, they would be an independent country in their own right.
‘Scots remain most in favour of new vote on Brexit.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15901265.Scots_remain_most_in_favour_of_new_vote_on_Brexit/
…………………….
An interesting letter in the National from Murray Dunan, Auchterarder.
‘Letters: Common sense on recycling is in short supply
”….I was recently in Copenhagen, where they have built an incinerator right in the city centre confident of no smell, noise or toxic emissions. This huge building has been designed with a distinctive sloping roof which provides an artificial ski slope for year-round use and has grassed picnic areas with views over the city. I was told these amenities have proved popular and are free to residents. There is also an 80-metre high climbing wall and other recreational facilities within the building.
The combined heat and power plant is designed to use 400,000 tons of waste a year, which will provide heating for 160,000 households and electricity for 62,500 households at 99 per cent energy efficiency because it is centrally located to minimise transmission losses. As byproducts there are 100 million litres of water recovered through flue gas condensation, 90 per cent reclamation of metals amounting to 10,000 tonnes of metal a year and 100,000 tonnes of ash used as road material.
In the first year of operation the plant was generating a useful profit but as the population and industry became more waste-conscious the volume of waste reduced, and to keep the plant operating at capacity they are now inviting neighbouring countries to send in appropriate waste – and earning even more from that initiative. (Our neighbouring country did not need any invitation to dump armaments and toxic radioactive military waste around our coast. Nuclear waste and rusting nuclear submarines have also been generously donated)….”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15898314.Letters__Common_sense_on_recycling_is_in_short_supply/
@Petra
That reminds me, current destination of the Naja is Glensanda – maybe granite? I go to Lochaline a lot, and have driven down the coast route (Kingairloch), but there’s no normal road there to Glensanda, just tracks I think.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:360660/zoom:13
A Question for Colin
Colin do you believe the referendum of 2014 was a one off event ?
Will there be a replay with possible extra time ( Indy ref 2 )
How should the SNP approach the impending constitutional crises when the British government moves to strip Holyrood of any useful powers .
Given your obvious distaste for the SNP how would Colin have approached and countered moves by the Westminster government to make Holyrood a useless entity and ultimately shut it down .
In yesterday’s Sunday Herald. Michelle Mone who’ll have more of a ‘SAY’ on Scotland’s future than elected politicians.
‘The Lady’s not for talking: Michelle Mone under fire over her record in the Lords.’
‘Controversial Tory peer Michelle Mone has failed to speak in the House of Lords for the last year, the Sunday Herald can reveal. The lingerie tycoon has made just two speeches since she was ennobled by David Cameron nearly two-and-a-half years ago…….
Mone previously said she “helped the Prime Minister [Cameron] with the referendum and in keeping the Union together” after playing a prominent role in the campaign against independence in 2014. However, Mone’s speaking record in the Lords is the worst of all the peers created by Cameron after the 2015 election, including other senior No campaign figures.’
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15902407.The_Lady_s_not_for_talking_____Michelle_Mone_under_fire_over_her_record_in_the_Lords/
……………………………
WELL DONE to the National, the SNP and more than anything Callum Murray.
”To celebrate the Year of Young People, every week in 2018 The National is giving a platform to young Scots. This week, 16-year-old Callum Murray from Kirkcaldy.”
….”I remember the way in which I became an activist vividly (12 years old). The weather was grey and cloudy and I was with my gran on Kirkcaldy High Street when we wandered by the new Yes Kirkcaldy shop. I decided to go inside to enquire about getting involved. After looking slightly unsure, and after asking some fellow activists, the woman who initially approached me provided me with the times and dates of campaign days and I began my journey……….
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15901252.It_was_against_the_rules_for_me_to_speak_at_SNP_conference_____but_I_did/
Isn’t it funny that poor Anas is in the news today, when the decision about whether to go ahead with the Cross Party Group on Islamophobia is due at 6pm tomorrow the 30th of January in room TG20/21 of the Scottish Parliament. Eunis Jassemi must’ve been very busy.
Given your obvious distaste for the SNP how would Colin have approached and countered moves by the Westminster government to make Holyrood a useless entity and ultimately shut it down”
Colin A’s only here to SNP out, nothing more, nothing less. UKOK, all the way:D
Starlaw 2.57
You said
“People are finding out for themselves”
Or, as Ursula Le Guin put it.
“You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.”
No point asking Colin his opinion, it’s all gimp BBC UKOK Britnat Sturgeon barrels from his yoon universe, probably written by Heed’s Slovene ex-girlfriend after being “passed” by his pal Rock’s yoonery hackdom.
Here’s the rub, why would the Labour branch office in Scotland allow Anas Sarawr to come forward and speak openly about Islamophobia, directed toward him by a Labour councillor, knowing full well, it would damage the party’s appearance.
Of course the branch office in Scotland has already suffered irreparable damage, through its ongoing lies and deceit, but still to allow Sarwar to condemn a Labour councillor in public, goes against the Labour grain.
Are the Labour toadies, hoping to earn brownie points for being open? Is Sarwar hoping his likablity will go from minus to plus?
It’s just as wel, then that Labour voted to scrap the OBFA eh.
WGD: ‘Ireland-Scotland bridge is scuppered by the MoD.’
….” The biggest problem however, isn’t the lack of infrastructure. It’s not even the geology. It’s the bombs and the chemical weapons. It’s the legacy of Scotland being used for generations as a rubbish tip for the poisonous and lethal waste products of British militarism.
It’s estimated that the Beaufort’s Dyke contains over a million tonnes of munitions, dumped there by the War Office and its successor the Ministry of Defence between the end of WW1 and the mid 1970s. As well as conventional weaponry like artillery shells, the Dyke was also used as a dumping ground for incendiary bombs containing phosphorus which ignite on contact with air, as well as chemical weapons, including mustard gas, tear gas, phosgene, and the nerve agents tabun and sarin. And that’s just the stuff they’ll admit to.
The dumping zone extends off the coast of the Rhins of Galloway, along the full length of the peninsula. According to a report in the New Scientist magazine in 1995
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14820042-200-danger-from-the-deep/
the sailors responsible for carrying out the dumping were not always too careful about ensuring that they were depositing the weaponry in the deepest part of the Channel. Munitions litter the sea floor. Some of it was dumped just a few hundred metres offshore. Some of it ended up in unauthorised dumping sites to the north or south of Beaufort’s Dyke, and some was even dumped in the shallow waters of the Solway Firth.
During the 1990s, British Gas dug a narrow trench 60 cm wide across the North Channel in order to build a gas pipeline connecting Scotland and Ireland. Although British Gas denied responsibility, according to the Scottish Office’s Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen the works involved disturbed the weapons scattered on the sea floor, and an estimated 4500 WW2 incendiary bombs were washed up on Scottish shores. For decades the MoD denied the existence of the weapon dumps. Even after the incendiary bombs were being washed up all along the coast as far as Saltcoats and Gigha, Islay and Arran, and all points in between, the MoD continued to deny any involvement. It was only after a meeting of Scottish MPs with the then Defence Secretary that the MoD owned up. Digging a trench 60 cm wide dislodged thousands of bombs, one of which injured a child near Campbeltown, the amount of work needed to construct the foundations for a bridge could potentially dislodge many more and release chemical agents and toxic waste into the waters of the Channel….”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15891980.Ireland_Scotland_bridge_is_scuppered_by_the_MoD/
……………………….
The too wee, poor and stupid Scots!
Tayside project set to wipe out hepatitis C in ‘world first’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15892058.Project_set_to_wipe_out_hepatitis_C_in____world_first___/
………………..
‘Space conference in Scotland to address global challenges.’
…”It will also bring key satellite companies from North America and Asia to the capital of Scotland’s space sector, which has an annual turnover of £2.5 billion and employs more than 7,200 people.
The headcount represents almost 20 per cent of all UK space industry employment.
A boom in high-tech start-ups has taken Glasgow to the forefront of satellite development in Europe, with production outstripping all other cities in recent years, thanks in part to work on small-scale devices known as nano or CubeSats.’….
…’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15889646.Space_conference_in_Scotland_to_address_global_challenges/
“The UK has the Bank of England at “arm’s length”, persoanlly I’d want to see the Scottish Central Bank closer to the Scottish Government. ”
Hmm not so sure. I think that is a bit of a smokescreen. I think QE blew the lid off that idea.
Yes they can tinker with interest rates as much as they like but I think the treasury will have leaned pretty heavily on the BOE. The BOE and other central banks have strongly hinted that route 1 out of economic decline is fiscal policy. That much is obvious to me but it would mean a massive u turn in neoliberal thinking – I.e the government expanding its balance sheet. This is why I think the treasury is very much on the CB’s case to ‘save its blushes’ using unconventional means of kick-starting the economy – like QE. Anything but government spending!
Anyway this is a great article very relevant to governments being able to ‘afford’ things. It’s about America’ war effort…
http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2013/08/mobilization-and-money.html
O/T
Who said the north sea is finished.
https://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/statoil-firms-up-plans-to-appraise-verbier-oil-discovery/
Not a bean of it will come to Scotland as the build will be overseas and most of the jobs will go to Southerners.
Petra says:
What is interesting about this poll is it explicitly asked about another vote on whether or not leave the EU. (I just confirmed that on ICM’s website)
A lot of other polls seem to ask ‘weasel questions’ about whether there should be a vote on the final deal, with the details of what rejection would mean left fussy. I’m sure a lot of Brexiteers would be fine with a Deal & Leave versus No Deal and still Leave!
The only meaningful choice is Deal & Leave versus No Deal & Remain. The poll tested this.
The National … “25 per cent of Scots think leaving the EU will be positive for the economy”
That ~25 keeps cropping up in answers to all sorts of questions. This is almost certainly the core BritNat element. In this case, who else could possibly believe Brexit can be economically positive?
Barnier has spoken
https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/958004060011094016
@ yesindyref2 says at 3:33 pm …”Petra that reminds me, current destination of the Naja is Glensanda – maybe granite? I go to Lochaline a lot, and have driven down the coast route (Kingairloch), but there’s no normal road there to Glensanda, just tracks I think.”
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:360660/zoom:13
Thanks for taking the time to look into this yesindyref2. Who knows what’s being dropped off and / or picked up? Who knows what’s hidden under the seas around Scotland, our islands, hills and glens? Not the Scots, that’s for sure. BUT not for much longer.
I’d also like to thank Legerwood and Ealasaid, belatedly, for responding to my request for info on the Queen’s yearly vow to the Scots.
I’ve been so busy recently and find it difficult to keep up on here, as I’ve got to read every post and every link! It’s called being a WoS obsessive, lol. So if I’ve missed anyone responding to me and haven’t answered, apologies. That goes for Liz g too, not answering one of her posts, many moons or articles ago.
@Petra
The article in the National about an Ireland-Scotland bridge is interesting re the rail gauge incompatibility.
Uniquely for Western Europe the Irish rail gauge differs from our own. This decision was made whilst the Island of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom.
Why and by whom? i suspect malice and greed in London.
Link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulating_the_Gauge_of_Railways_Act_1846
An argument for supranational standards.
@BLiS___d
The more you twist and turn to justify your hidden agenda of supporting colonial rule from London, the more we laugh. Do you have Scotland’s best interests at heart? Do you support populist English nationalism? Do you oppose Brexit?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233308778_Sectarianism_and_racism_and_their_parallels_and_differences_1 (full article though scanned)
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2017.1392027
A wee quote from Greg Moodie in the National ….
” Oh, how I long for the days when nothing ever changed and people were left to drown in their own misery while Labour held their hands and said ‘it’s OK, someone in Liverpool is also suffering’! “
… so true of Labour BritNat thinking.
Link http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0306396807077009
Nana says:
I particularly like his phrase …
“Negotiating a future relationship will occur after March European Council, assuming they have set out what they want”
What are the chances of May setting out what she actually wants by March?
IMO? Zero!
Also, my understanding is that the transition is dependent on phase one being accepted in legally binding language.
It’s like announcing, “all pigs fed, watered, and ready to fly”.
Link to the full document. 🙂
https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3009950/3/Doebler%20et%20al%202017%20Negativity%20towards%20immigrants%20and%20ethnic%20minorities%20in%20NI%20from%202004%20to%202015.pdf
Scotland is not a colony, though it does it’s best to appear as one.
@(t)Ruthless Harrison
Don’t think you’re getting off without a skelping. It’s easy to see your support for populist English nationalism, so I’ll not bother asking.
https://ansionnachfionn.com/2016/10/29/northern-ireland-the-sectarian-and-racist-squalor-of-britains-last-colony/
WINGERS , WINGERS , WINGERS , can you spread far and wide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Ii-dKrabY&feature=em-uploademail
This is happening , and my response
If true which is probable the SNP SG should bring Mike Russell back from Lundumb and inform waste monster they will no longer engage with them UNTIL this act is stopped , failure to do so will result in the SG calling an election in Scotland and included in their manifesto will be a clause that if elected by the people of Scotland the SG will with immediate effect negate the treaty of union and negotiate the division of assets?
To me this represents contempt of the highest order and the SG should show these feckers that they will not be cowed
And to be honest if the Scottish people refuse to back the SG then they deserve EVERYTHING that will come to them from these corrupt contemptible twats
@Petra
It appears to have changed destination to Vopnafjörður (Iceland). Currently off wee cumbrae, with the mine-counter measures ship Shoreham a couple of miles behind. Watching to see if Shoreham keeps following!
The change of destination is a bit strange, maybe “they” read Wings 🙂
Or even post here I guess.
HELLO!
TwatHater.
Jeez oh, if that is indeed the destination of the 111 powers, then the Scottish government will be hamstrung at every turn by Mundells new Leith office posing as another Scottish government.
Wee smile this morning.
Up at Cumbernauld park with dog, and parking up, it looked odd, as lots of hire vans, then man gets out carrying old fashioned long gun/rifle.
Seems there was filming of Outlander in the woods, as folk kept asking me the way!
The very large warehouse that used to be OKI based in Wardpark estate, is now boldly emblazoned with Wardpark studios.
Right beside Cumbernauld airport, so the stars can be choppered in!
@twathater 4.58
Suspicion for some time over the increase staffing at the SO.
Until confirmed I’ll treat it as rumour but we have to be ready for this level of contempt.
@ twathater, re Fluffy plot thickens
Very interesting. I posted Part 1 of this subject a few threads ago.
There seems to be an open secret that Fluffy is poaching civil servants, as well as an advert for a large number of staff for the Scotland office.
Butterfly Rebellion on Twitter, who is based in Dublin, yesterday said he wanted to investigate, and set up an encrypted email for any willing whistleblowers.
Today, he is asking for legal advice, because he is being threatened (he says by Scottish office) and The Times have contacted asking questions.
Its sickening beyond belief that this all gets priority, but everything else, like the Scotgov producing Brexit impact reports are ignored.
Robert Kerr, im not a train nut but remember watching a program about the great English engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed a broad guage of 7 foot and 1/4″ on his railway between Bristol and London. Engineering wise it is a far better solution and allows far faster speeds, however it is more expensive to build. London were not happy about Brunel and feared that he would take a lot of trade away fron London so made sure he failed. See its not just us sweaties that get shat upon by London. Its possible that in Ireland the infrastructure was already in place with a wider guage and that was why it was kept for Ireland, i see the act also allowed for Brunels super wide guage. If you jump on the trans siberian express it stops at the russion border in the middle of the night, whilst the passengers sleep the carriages are jacked up and a set of axles to a different guage are fitted, so its not unusual to have different guages, like everything at the beginning therre were no standards.
It now makes complete sense Twathater, the employing of 100’s new staff and the ruse that the 111 powers will be ‘returning to Scotland” yes, to the Scottish Office not the Scottish Parliament.
This guy seem legit and he is protecting his sources.
They aim to destroy our parliament, they aim to destroy Scotland as we know it.
Keep reposting this link throughout this and future threads, please. This must be spread like wildfire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Ii-dKrabY&feature=em-uploademail
Re new powers being kept at WM and administered by Scotland Office instead of going to Holyrood.
The way I look at it is …. what matters most in the greater scheme of things for UKOK … leaving the EU, or the complete eradication of the UK state through Scottish Indy and Irish reunification?
If you conclude that continuation of the UK with all the prestige and status BritNats attach to that is their priority, then everything we see can be explained.
With DUP collusion they may be opting for direct rule. With the return of EU powers to WM they may be planning to diminish Holyrood. Closing down Holyrood is probably not their short term aim. That would be counter productive. Though in the longer term that might be the Tory plan.
The BritNats can ‘solve’ the Scottish constitutional issue in two ways – win IndyRef2 or win Holyrood2021.
The SG are playing ‘hold, hold’. Meanwhile two clocks are ticking. One, Brexit’s impact will only become worse and more apparent. Two, the power of BritNat media is slowly dissolving IMO.
Perhaps the plan is to provoke the SG into an early IndyRef2 or election, on the basis that either may be easier for the BritNats to win sooner than later.
Robert Graham
asked:
1. “Colin do you believe the referendum of 2014 was a one off event? Will there be a replay with possible extra time ( Indy ref 2 )?”
I agree with what Nicola Sturgeon later said after indyref1: “It’s not for me or the Scot Govt to say whether there should be another indyref; that’s for the people of Scotland to decide.”
Also, a Govt is not bound by what a previous Scottish Govt said, so there’s nothing to stop another indyref if the will is there.
The current Scot Govt have a clear manifesto and parliamentary mandate for another indyref.
However, there’s very little chance a Scot Govt and UK Govt could legislate for, hold an indyref and achieve a negotiated, and legislated for, independence before the Scot Govt mandate expires in Spring 2021.
Especially when, in the eyes of both, Brexit is more important.See my big essay type comment above in this article.
——————————-
I’ve not changed my mind that I would prefer the SNP seek a manifesto mandate for a free vote in the Scottish Parliament on Scotland dissolving the Acts of Union with England.
If independists are the majority and vote Aye. That’s two democratic mandates for independence. They then declare the Acts of Union dissolved.
Scotland is now independent but remains in a provisional partnership with the UK Govt while the negotiations and transition to independence takes place.
They then negotiate the practical aspects of separating shared institutions and commitments under international law as two equal sovereign states. That is much preferable to negotiating within the UK as a subordinate devolved regional government under English domestic law.
——————————-
What should the SNP do regarding the Brexit power grab?
I think they should take it to court that the sovereign people of Scotland democratically voted Remain. A Scot Govt referendum on Scotland remaining in the EU as the UK member would help. Force the UK Govt and EU to prove they have a legal right to take Scotland out of the EU against the democratic will of the people of Scotland.
It was MPs that voted to trigger Article 50 Brexit. The FM had said it was totally unacceptable to drag Scotland out of the EU- I totally agree with that point of view.
Even if the Scot Govt lost the case, the rulings could be jawdropping revelations for people, regarding the lack of real democracy in how the UK operates. Also, how much is not law, but political convention.
See my big essay type comment above in this article.
—————————————-
What’s your answers to your questions?
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Irish+passport+wikipedia&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=o19vWsfVFbHP8AfBr6nYCA
Have a look at the history section of link above. London will not end its pressure with Independence
Re 111 power grab
And right on cue up pops our resident whack-a-mole.
If the rumours are correct about Mundell’s mendacity over return of powers then, as someone intimated above, the SNP should recall all its MPs from Westminster.
Nobody in Scotland would then be unaware of Westminster’s lies.
OT
Jeezo, missing on Arran, his wife Claire:
https://twitter.com/ChrisMPaton
Just asking for your thoughts Colin given your recent views on the SNP .
My views in this respect are irrelevant , so please forgive me for not answering my own question.
Rather than poke fun or heep derision on you I thought it might be interesting to hear your views .
Thanks for replying in a civil manner , I will digest your thoughts .
As it’s quiet I thought you would like to read a few links re Brexit
Brexit, trade & the environment: what’s the big deal?
Brexit means Brexit, clearly. But it also means Britain wants a trade deal with the US – and there’s a good chance that deal won’t be great for the environment. Here’s how it works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyBO61QJCWY
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/eu-withdrawal-bill-so-it-falls-to-the-lords-to-protect-our-fundamental-rights
http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_eu_japan_partnership_agreements_herald_new_era_of_closer_coopera
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/01/29/brexit-council-article-50-adopts-negotiating-directives-on-the-transition-period/
There are no Unionists. BRITNATS don’t mind being called that. It still provides them with an air of respectability they don’t deserve. The proper term, because it’s the most accurate is “Colonialist Enabler”. We wouldn’t be treated as a Colony if it wasn’t for them. Many Yoons openly admit to preferring Westminster rule over Holyrood. They are gimps for Greater England and champions of the continued occupation of Scotland.
This “Union” has been corrupt, unequal, undemocratic and inherently Anti Scottish since it’s inception. It’s been detrimental to Scotland however it’s measured: Democratically, Physically, Economically, Socially, Environmentally, Politcally and Culturally. We derive no benefit from being ruled by England.
Now is the time to be a NORMAL country again.
Indycar Gordon has released an update from today’s previous vid posted above:
He mentions that the previous video has sparked a lot of questions, he’s outlining the situation more specifically in this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx7f08sN-_8
What’s Sarwar doing in a Party of bigots and racists? Then complaining.
Vince Cable caused Brexit. What an ignorant incompetent.
“A group of senior Conservative MPs funneled £315,000 of taxpayer cash into a secretive hard-Brexit lobby group, according to an investigation by openDemocracy.
The European Research Group (ERG) is led by arch-Brexiteer and Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. “
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2018/01/29/tory-mps-accused-breaching-rules-funnel-taxpayer-cash-secret-hard-brexit-lobby-group/
… as if these rich barstards couldn’t pay out of their own pockets!
@Robert graham who wrote “Rumour has it the DUP don’t want a functioning assembly in Northern Ireland , that’s why no agreement will be reached , and they actually favour direct rule from London”
It’s no rumour Robert. the DUP has been clamouring for Direct Rule pratically since Stormont closed, certainly since they only gained 1 seat more than SF in Stormont (march 2017 Stormont election, 3 months after Stormont closure by SF).
The DUP don’t seem to realise
1) old-term “Direct Rule” (ie Westminster take-over which lasted from the early 1970s-late 19990s) is no longer possible due to the terms of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
2) that PM May has ruled it out – as she had to!
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/may-rebuffs-dup-request-for-return-to-direct-rule-k9t9bl9r8
and 3) the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland has also ruled it out
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leo-varadkar-i-wont-back-direct-rule-for-northern-ireland-2cl7f6kbl
Thanks Nana!
Quelle surprise Rodders, quelle surprise…
Faisal Islam
?
Verified account
@faisalislam
3h3 hours ago
“Single market a la carte is not possible and certainly not during a transition period requested by the UK” says Barnier
Ah well, that’s Shoreham going East to invade Ayr and remove all its mines while she’s at it, Naja sou-sou-west to go around the Mull at 10.7 knots.
Ben Madigan
Thanks Ben for putting some meat on the bones , a whole lot of little dots out there slowly coming together , a recent plea by the butterfly republic for inside information about what Fluffy is up to might just gain some traction , this plea for information should apply to all Westminster government controlled agencies ,
A general request to like minded people , work is going on that would aid the Independence movement , just give any blog site a few of the dots , there are lots of smart people on these sites who can join your little dot without harming you in any way ,
Just make the move while there is still time , after this Tory government completes its shady moves any information will be way to late to change things you probably won’t like .
London really is making a pig’s ear out of the end-of-empire.
https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/post-colonial
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?cc=mqr;c=mqr;c=mqrarchive;idno=act2080.0036.411;rgn=main;view=text;xc=1;g=mqrg
http://iis.ac.uk/lifelong-learning-articles/pluralism-beyond-ethnic-and-sectarian-identities
yesindyref2 says:
29 January, 2018 at 4:03 pm
No point asking Colin his opinion,
He’s an old fraud alright.
Who but zoomer Britnats call Scots “independists” anyway?
Only yoons use non word pejorative mockery. Fair enough though. Its much like an aging tosspot like Lord Mike Forsyth last week on the beeb gimp QT network, droning on and on about the Scottish Nationalist Party.
How clever.
Aint that so Colin A the yoon:D
Yes Galamcennalth @ 0554pm , “ what matters more in the great UKOK scheme of things leaving the EU or the complete eradication of the U.K. state through Scottish Independence & Irish unification” ?
I am of the opinion that the answer to that question has been very obvious for some time. The Tories have clearly demonstrated that the Brexit outcome is secondary to the U.K. “ constitution” ( witness the completely undemocratic “ House of Lords “ now desperately seeking a “ solution” to hold the U.K. together re the “ Brexit bill” ). They are well aware that Holyrood has the mandate for Indyref 2 and to “ save May & her “ Downing st.butler Mundell’s face” ( who wouldn’t amend this bill in the HOC ), must now attempt to “ cobble (better )together” a compromise. Well I do hope that the Scottish government unequivocally “ digs their heels in “ and spells it out . No LCM as and until Scotland gets what rightly belongs to Scotland. No less!
Make no mistake “ the precious precious union” is the No. 1 priority and if required the Westminster establishment will “ ditch May” and call a GE or even engineer a second EU vote (IF NECESSARY) to prevent a Scottish Independence vote.
PS Noted on “ Reporting shortbread” this evening that Jackie Bird couldn’t get away from her Westminster correspondent quick enough when he mentioned the two words “ constitutional crisis”
Oh the irony…
Sarwar claims that Scottish society is racist and would never vote for a Pakistani to become and MP or MSP (which then begs the question of how does he explain his father’s success in British politics? Or that of Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh? Or of Bashir Ahmad? Or that of Hamza Yousaf? …or even his own success in politics???)
…so he goes ahead by voting and endorsing with his Labour colleagues, for the dissolution of the anti-sectarian act, thus allowing right-wing groups like the Orange Order and SDL to spout their ugly, twisted views in public in which they have a severe dislike for anyone who is not a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP).
You couldn’t make this nonsense up!
Regarding the rumours of Fluffy’s expansion into Leith, which if true would far exceed the powers of the Scottish SOS.
I seem to remember some archaic Scottish title being resurrected and allocated Fluffy in the not too distant past. Wasn’t the Guardian of Scotland but along those lines. Does anyone remember?
I can’t find any reference to it. I do remember thinking this is a pre-emptive for something not good. Why now, and why Fluffy who is probably the worst Scottish SOS we’ve ever had.
Time is moving on. When does Rock start his overnight shift?
rev since you have all the power it must make interesting reading watching Rock , CA and all clocking on and off!
JLT
Yup, he really hasn’t got a clue.
Ananurhing says:
29 January, 2018 at 7:37 pm
Regarding the rumours of Fluffy’s expansion into Leith, which if true would far exceed the powers of the Scottish SOS.
Never mind Scottish Viceroy Sir Fluffie and son. Even the chief minister of Gib’s got far more powers than anyone or anything Scotland today, maybe even more powerful than Lady Mone of Mayfair, Lord Darling of Roulanish, Lord Forsyth of where ever the fcuk he’s decided makes him look lordly and so on.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gibraltar-brexit-veto-theresa-may-eu-deal-terms-chief-minister-fabian-picardo-spain-border-a8183946.html
The EU has laid out the transition deal it considers acceptable. May now has a choice, accept it with minimal scope for tweeks or cause chaos.
The EU also requires that phase one be put in a legal basis and formally agreed. May has a choice, accept or plunge into chaos.
The EU is waiting to hear May’s proposed future framework so it can be discussed in March. May has a choice, propose something sensible that could genuinely form a basis for the future, or let time slip with no progress.
In reality her choice is simple – accept want the EU want, or not. The repercussions aren’t so simple with the CBI and others pulling one way and the hard right pulling the other. There is no compromise.
However, as I and others above believe, the integrity and continuation of the UK is almost certainly the priority driver. She can solve that threat by going ultra soft, or by going hard in the belief they can win the impending ‘battle’ to keep the UK intact.
My opinion? if she doesn’t deliver an outcome recognisable as ‘leaving the EU’, the Brexiteers won’t go away. She needs to appease them, and ‘them’ might still include a majority of English voters! She will go hard and believe she can win that ‘battle’ for the UK.
@ Robert Graham
glad the info was helpful Robert.
Am very worried about developing situation in Scotland – transferring powers to a Westminster outfit that is geographically located in Scotland so the Scottish Government can’t complain/ take a case that powers haven’t been transferred to Scotland – duplicity in the extreme!
With regards to the Butterfly call-out – I was surprised it was done so openly.Though I suppose that’s what social media allows today.
It reminded me of Michael Collins, irish freedom fighter. He was was known to have created a network of spies within the UK administration pre- and post-1916 but it was all done by stealth and very much on the QT.
galamcennalath says:
29 January, 2018 at 8:10 pm
The EU has laid out the transition deal it considers acceptable.
They did and it took them 180 seconds too.
Tory zoomers like Rees Mogg are already trying to get the UK out on hard Brexit. Whatever will our imperial masters do next.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-transition-period-eu-27-european-council-two-minute-discussion-sabine-wayand-michel-barnier-a8183556.html
The powers ae not supposed to be transferred to Scotland. They have to go to Holyrood and the Scottish Government decides what to do with devolved powers.
O/T – Rumours about the Scotland Office recruiting staff and administering previously devolved responsibilities once returned from EU. Apologies for the volume of text that follows, but if you follow it through you may conclude that it wouldn’t be too difficult to strip the Scottish Government of its role as a Fisheries Administration.
At present, every year, the Scottish Government’s scientists undertake a programme of work to assess the state of fish stocks in European waters. Marine Scotland’s scientists at the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen collect data on fish stocks in the North Sea and the west of Scotland. This information is combined with data from other European nations who fish in these waters, and is then considered by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
ICES estimates the current state of the stock, and forecasts what is likely to happen in the future. This process, known as stock assessment, aims to provide fishery managers in the Scottish Government and European Commission with the necessary information on which to base decisions on how much fishing should take place.
Fish quotas are the amounts of fish of different species that may be legally landed by EU Member States. The purpose of the quota management arrangements is to enable the fishing industry to make full use of the fishing opportunities which are received every year from the EU, while ensuring that quotas are not exceeded.
The UK Government is the allocating authority for UK fish quotas. The UK Government apportions UK fish quotas amongst the four UK Fisheries Administrations (i.e. Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland) pro-rata to the Fixed Quota Allocation (FQA) units associated with the licences administered by each Administration.
After receiving quota from the UK, each of the four UK Fisheries Administrations (FAs) allocates quota to its fishermen. In relation to most quota stocks, these allocations are made by the Scottish Government according to the FQA method.
The Scottish Government (and the other Administrations) issues most of its allocations to Fish Producer Organisations (POs), of which there are 10 administered directly by Marine Scotland. POs are quota management and marketing organisations made up of member fishing vessels. POs manage their members’ quotas on their behalf and some seek to market their landings.
Capella says:
29 January, 2018 at 8:31 pm
The powers ae not supposed to be transferred to Scotland. They have to go to Holyrood and the Scottish Government decides what to do with devolved powers.
Its rumours Vitamin C, only rumours. Is it likely that the Westminster tories would set about such a provocative and trolling thing as making Sir Fluffie Mundell Viceroy Governor General of their Scotland colony?
Oh god probably. Imagine how hard BBC Scotland are going to have work, polishing that UKOK turd.
Another idiot for the Scotland office
Alberto Costa MP for South Leicestershire has been appointed to the Scotland Office.
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/government-and-public-sector/civil-service/opinion/dods-people/92432/new-appointments-week
Check this out
https://twitter.com/SabaidSionnach/status/958075329318440961
This ain’t no ‘rumour’ when these fuckers are being employed by the Scottish Office. I mean Alberto Costa? One of the most vicious little nyaffs whose hatred of Scotland is obvious.
@ Nana – Alberto Costa – what a joke. The Tories are completely chaotic.
K1 6.35pm Thanks for info re indycar Gordon I checked out his further response video and left a comment.
Re his first video re fluffies plans I emailed the links to his video and the link to Alec Ross’s posting in orkney news to all the SNP SG email addresses, I hope they are all aware of what is going on
My comment was Gordon you are soooo right I have spread your previous 6min blog far and wide , you are also correct that irrespective of party alliance lib, lab and greens should be contacting Nicola Sturgeon and ensuring their support against this BLATANT attempt to usurp and overthrow the democratic rights of the Scottish people . If they do not it obviously becomes apparent that they support the wastemonster government and they do not represent the Scottish people or the Scottish Parliament , therefore they are sellouts and should resign?
If this rumour of WM handing the Scottish Office at Leith the 111 EU powers has any substance – then go for it WM. There’s a quite brilliant counter the Scottish Gov. can deploy.
I wonder if WM has thought it through? If they really are planning this then it would seem not and the ScotGov will have the last laugh.
Don;t want to say what it is but I’m sure the ScotGov will have thought of it and I don’t want to say incase WM has’t thought it through.
So, go on WM – give the 111 powers to Fluffy and then watch out for ScotGov getting real medieval on you!!
Put it this way – of this is rumoured scheme is true, the ScotGov can totally use it to their advantage.
Think about it. You too WM. LOL!!!
@Capella
Chaotic doesn’t begin to cover it. As for Scottish labour well
Labour budget full of fantasy figures, lol
https://twitter.com/EDWESTERNSNP/status/958087583770267649
Alberto Nardelli writes in Buzzfeed
?
We have seen the UK’s Brexit analysis. It shows that Britain will be worse off outside the single market and customs union under all modelled scenarios
The Government’s Own Brexit Analysis Says The UK Will Be Worse Off In Every Scenario Outside The EU
http://archive.is/kAPG8
“BuzzFeed News has seen a new Brexit impact assessment, which says leaving the EU will adversely hit almost every sector and every UK region.”
Losses….
WTO 8%
Trade deal 5%
Single market 2%
https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/the-governments-own-brexit-analysis-says-the-uk-will-be
These ‘damage’ percentages for different scenarios would appear to be rather similar to the SG’s impact assessment. Now there’s a thing!
@ Nana – couldn’t think of the right word. They had to make Ian Duncan a Lord so he could be in the Scotland Office as Baron Duncan of Springbank. Now Alberto Costa is to join Fluffy in ruling their Scotland colony.
What about “sinister”?
More O/T – why is the UK Government moving 2,900 civil servants to a new office at Waverley? I used to be paranoid until I realised people were speaking about me behind my back.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/civil-service-hub-to-bring-growth-to-edinburgh
@Nana
SNAP! 🙂
It is pleasing that they vindicate the recent SG report. I hope the SG make a big issue of the common conclusions after all the BritNat hoo-ha casting aspersions!
The Scottish Independence Referendum: Constitutional and Political Implications”
Chapter 14:
The Technical Jekyll and the Political Hyde: the Constitutional Law and Politics of Scotland’s Independence ‘Neverendum'”
This chapter is written by Andrew Tickell ( Lallands Peat Worrier)
http://fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/academic/pdf/law/Chapter14_9780198755517.pdf?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=oupintlaw&utm_campaign=oupintlaw
brewsed says:
…. and doing what jobs? Or perhaps, doing whose jobs?
Will these be existing UK wide services being relocated from England to Scotland? I doubt it!
So looking at Nana’s link to our imperial masters online, do we now have two Secretary of State for Scotland? Asked beeb Scotland gimp network, but they’ve gone mute, again.
Scotland Office
Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell – Alberto Costa.
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/government-and-public-sector/civil-service/opinion/dods-people/92432/new-appointments-week
As the Americans say, couple of tory douchebags laying down the UKOK law on vile, as Colin A calls us, “independists,” should do wonders for teamGB rule in their Scotland colony.
Baron Duncan of Springbank
http://archive.is/Yarbi
Brexit Study reveals Pope IS Catholic..
Of course (leaving an efficient trading bloc and goint it alone it would take more time than perceived and cost more than you ever hoped to save) it wasn’t about the money.
The whole thing was/is a failed scam by the UK’s richest 1% and wannabe fascist Tory prefects.
@Capella
Sinister is good, we will no doubt come up with many more words to describe them in the weeks and months to come.
Laird Fursouth going for Dilbert’s boss’ look there.
Costa! Good God!
TBH, the Buzzfeed article confirming the extent of economic suicide we knew would hit us with Brexit, and the appointment of the disgusting, hateful Alberto Costa to Scotland Office, that leaves little to doubt.
Bend over, Scotland, once again.
Brexit assessments
https://mobile.twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/status/958109722875453440
Can we expect a load of apologies and retractions?
Although many any here will no doubt disagree with Professor Tom Gallagher’s comments in recent years regarding Scottish nationalism, some of his work about Irish immigration into Scotland and the ways that this was addressed / exploited by Scottish politicians is well worth a read (Glasgow: The Uneasy Peace). The tactics employed by the Tory party in the 1920s and 1930s are alive and well today if more “dog-whistle” than expressly virulent.
Looks like the Union is off and running.
Waverley has been confirmed , and the cheeky b/reds have taken a twenty year lease ,aye I hope they lose their f/kn deposit .
The one with less or even no information is this Leith project , a search of proposed or current UK government building planning applications in the Edinburgh area shows nothing , maybe the government are allowed to circumvent normal planning procedures and not even advertise this .
Or possibly are folks confusing Waverley with Leith , after all it’s the same area Unionist supporting Edinburgh
For complete bafflement – here is Alberto Castrenze (no sniggering at the back) Costa’s wiki entry. Presume all information of any importance has been edited out. He appears to have had no mother or father, relatives of any kind or past life. Nor was he born anywhere on Earth.
MP for South Leicestershire. Thankfully, no Scottish constituency was stupid enough to elect him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Costa_(British_politician)
This press release about the 2,900 civil servants coming to Edinburgh was published on 12 July 2017. Did not remember the story creating much of a noise about it at the time. You would have thought it would have been front page news – see what the Union is doing for us sort of thing.
So I went back and checked the Herald for 13th July 2017.
They did carry a report but it was purely in terms of HMRC moving to Edinburgh with 1200 jobs. Here is the article:
“” Civil servants will move to capital development in Unesco row
The Herald
IAIN SMITH
Hundreds of civil servants are to be relocated to a hugely controversial office development in Edinburgh that could help cost the city its UNESCO status.
The jobs are being moved to the capital following widespread closure of tax offices across the country.
Space at the on-going New Waverley development has been pre-let by the UK Government with about 1,200 workers expected to move there by 2020.
But the development is one of seven across the capital that Unesco wrote about to the Government to express “serious” concerns, saying the heritage sites are not being properly protected.
Tax offices around the country are being closed to facilitate the “centralisation”, including those in Bathgate and Livingston.
Officials said the relocation would save the taxpayers money, while increasing efficiencies at HMRC.
However, Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone, social security spokeswoman for the Scottish Greens, criticised the move and accused the Government of treating public sector workers “with contempt”.
She said: “The Government is wrong to press ahead with this centralisation. A National Audit Office report warned it would cause job losses, that the scale of staff disruption had been underestimated and that the impact on tax services was not understood.
“A study by the PCS
About 1,200 workers are expected to move to the New Waverley development by 2020.
Union and West Lothian Council warned it could cost the local economy £8.5million a year and put 1,200 local jobs under threat.”
Artisan RealEstate Investors, the partnership behind New Waverley development, said the move was a “ringing endorsement” for the development and for the city itself.
Jon Thompson, HMRC chief executive, said: “Locating HMRC’s new regional centre for Edinburgh in the New Waverley development is another step in HMRC’s transformation into a modern, digitallyadvanced tax authority.
“HMRC will bring its teams together to promote closer working relationships, and increasing our effectiveness in collecting taxes.” End of article.
Quite a bit different from the press release. Economical with the actuality or what?
How can the British Nationalist parties succeed in repealing the OBFA when “pro-independence” parties have a majority in the Scottish parliament?
Because the “pro-independence” Greens almost always vote with the British Nationist parties and against the SNP.
Who ran a campaign in favour of the Greens at the expense of the SNP at the last Scottish election?
The fake “independence supporting” The National and their pals Bella Caledonia.
Capella,
“Thankfully, no Scottish constituency was stupid enough to elect him.”
23 Scottish constituencies were stupid enough to unseat SNP MPs to elect MPs even worse than him.
As far as the half a million voters who deserted the SNP, in my view it was the SNP’s fault.
If Nicola had struck while the iron was hot and not spectacularly squandered a once in a 1000 years golden opportunity by wasting more than a year flogging a dead horse – a separate deal for Scotland which was never going to happen – Scotland would have been on the verge of independence now.
Re. the constitutional duality that Andrew Tickell refers too. I have absolutely no legal training but might it help our cause to look outside the parameters of UKOK constitutional law? It’s one of the master’s tools, so why are we using it? There are pretty specific principles laid out in international law, as well as established norms of practice, re. self-determination.
So nobody actually knows what Fluffy’s new guy’s job is at the Scottish Office. That’s teamGB democracy for you.
Costa is a Knight too, so maybe he’s charging to Fluffy’s rescue, toryboy chivalric n shit.
Toryboys are mad as fcuk.com
http://www.amblondra.esteri.it/ambasciata_londra/en/ambasciata/ufficio-stampa/news/2017/12/conferimento-dell-onorificenza_6.html
The decoration recognises his dedication to the cause of many Italians and other Europeans based in the UK during this delicate time and for his role in facilitating bilateral relations between Italy and the UK, in particular in his role as administrator of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Italy.”
And there it is, Fluffy’s right hand man is,
“Mr Costa was also made parliamentary secretary to the secretary of state for Scotland, one of the very few from the latest intake of MPs to have been singled out in this way.”
What would the toryboy secretary to the toryboy secretary duties be?
Only an MP for three years too. Feels like he’s been shitting on Scotland for a lot longer in the Commons.
Clearly a natural yoon, is Costa.
Maybe Scotland will also make Costa a Knight, for his dedication to the cause of many Scots and other Europeans based in the UK during this delicate time.
You’re like a fcuking UKOK parrot Rock, you and that idiot Colin A.
We get it Rock, you and your Chuckle Brother Colin A, want SNP out but what’s on the verge supposed to mean?
Scotland would have been on the verge of independence now.
You and Colin A are maybe parrots, that can type Rock, pieces of eight, SNP out, pieces of eight, Nic Sturgeon is evil, pieces of eight the National’s a hoax:D
Its interesting/creepy that no one in Scotland knew a toryboy creep like Costa has a new Scottish Office sec job, but the Italians knew back last year, 12/11/2017
http://www.amblondra.esteri.it/ambasciata_londra/en/ambasciata/ufficio-stampa/news/2017/12/conferimento-dell-onorificenza_6.html
and then its announced by our imperial masters,
Posted On: 29th January 2018
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/government-and-public-sector/civil-service/opinion/dods-people/92432/new-appointments-week
Funny how teamGB works in Scotland.
In the red corner.
Sinister warmongers,
spellbound journalists,
private-school chums,
underling civil servants,
under-the-influenc Lords,
Royalists, Loyalists,
fascist sell-off councillors,
absent landlords,
absent minded ministers of state,
Party political trade-unions,
State broadcaster interference,
Tory/Labour newspaper monopoly,
(REPRESENTING ENGLAND)
Vs
In the blue corner.
The people of Scotland.
The SNP.
(REPRESENTING SCOTLAND)
Seems fair.
Scotland they are shiting on you from a great height. The answer is “No more”
And you ask why we need grammar?
More than half of the oil traded across the world has been stolen.
Surely not.
http://archive.is/d05U3
Rock
Who approved the SNP budget and indyref last year, without whose votes, there wouldn’t be an SNP administration or a parliamentary mandate for indyref2?
The Scottish Green Party.
The Scottish Greens are an opposition party. They are no supposed to just agree with whatever the SNP Govt want. It’s called democracy.
No matter what any of you say that Alberto Costa is a blight on Scotland.
I believe he was born in St. Andrews and his parents still live in Scotland.
I have watched him on parliament TV and he hates Scotland with a vengeance. Probably right to put him in with Mundell.
Very annoyed he has the same alma mater as I do.
God only knows what The Graun’s on about here.
http://archive.is/go80N
“I remember chairing a fringe meeting for the human rights group Liberty at the Scottish National party’s autumn conference in 2015…
…Liberty had come with the good intention of being the grit in the oyster and it was apparently not welcome. Activists should have been riding high after an unprecedented Scottish landslide at the Westminster elections in May, but it struck me – not for the first or the last time – that the SNP is not used to critical friends.”
Why on earth is a The Graun ligger surprised at not being treated like a “critical” friend, in Holyrood too?
https://wingsoverscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/salmondbell.jpg
Maybe UKOK hackdom thinks we’ve all had full frontal lobotomies, sounds quite nice compared to reading their shitrags right enough.
The louder they talk of their honour, the faster we counted our spoons.
colin alexander
“It’s called democracy”. OFFS. Scotland enjoys the privilege of an imagined democracy. Scotland’s voice counts for nothing in Westminster, so why are the Greens enabling sectarianism, one of the most powerful tools of the colonial system?
heedtracker,
“You’re like a fcuking UKOK parrot Rock, you and that idiot Colin A.
We get it Rock, you and your Chuckle Brother Colin A, want SNP out but what’s on the verge supposed to mean?
Scotland would have been on the verge of independence now.
You and Colin A are maybe parrots, that can type Rock, pieces of eight, SNP out, pieces of eight, Nic Sturgeon is evil, pieces of eight the National’s a hoax:D”
Guardian reader with a Slovene (ex-)girlfriend, you are living proof that not all people in Scotland are stupid.
I looked at tig and I looked at tag and I looked from tag and looked looked to tig, and I thought, blow me down with a feather, it’s Crock, and it’s an absolute load of Colocks.
This could just as easily have been penned by our resident SNP out and “independist” baiter Colin A, in that The Graun thing,
“Despite the mass radicalisation of the 2014 campaign and post-referendum efforts of groups like Common Weal, the Scottish Independence Convention and Rise, promises of an expanded public square have not materialised.
Indeed, the three years since the referendum vote have been marked by continual frustrations for many independence activists: at the way grassroots energy has been co-opted into winning elections for the SNP; at the lack of consensus or strategy on big questions such as the economy; at the failure to establish a forum to dissect and build up the failed arguments of 2014.”
Spooky, or coincidence, Colin A? “continual frustrations for many independence activists: at the way grassroots energy has been co-opted into winning elections for the SNP; ”
Yes if only we could just stop voting SNP, SNP would be kicked out and have no power at all, then and only then will real grassroot change explode all across stinky olde The Graun’s Scotland region.
Because that crew of tories really weally wuvs change:D
colin alexander,
“The Scottish Greens are an opposition party. They are no supposed to just agree with whatever the SNP Govt want. It’s called democracy.”
Do you believe that the repeal of the OBFA, promoted by the British Nationalist parties and the “pro-independence” Greens is in Scotland’s best interests?
So another SNP ‘hater’ is on his way to the Scotland Office, with no other credentials than being Uriah Heep2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Costa_(British_politician)
If you get the time watch these videos. It’s clear how this e*se got the job. This is what we’re up against.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8w8aCrFl-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opDcFkM9ALU
And we’ve now got a new Director at the SO, since last October, when Francesca Osowska headed off to Scottish Natural Heritage. Francesca who was previously Private Secretary to Alex Salmond. Did she go willingly or was she shoved?
http://www.gov.uk/government/people/francesca-osowska
Shoved out to make way for Gillian McGregor? Take note too about how little they have to say about Francesca Osowska in comparison to Gillian McGregor, and yet Francesa’s (an economist – plus has an MA in European Economics from the College of Europe in Bruges) name is all over last year’s audit … and looked as though she was doing an excellent job.
I wonder what credentials Ms McGregor has that have led her to the Scotland Office?
..’Previous to that Gillian (McGregor) has spent the majority of her career in immigration and counter-terrorism roles in the Home Office in London and also spent 3 years on secondment to the Cabinet Office in the 1990s. From 2001 onwards she spent 8 years working in counter-terrorism roles including VIP and Royal Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Crisis Management.
In 2007 she had a central role in creating the Office for Security & Counter Terrorism (OSCT), forming it into a successful cross-government hub for work on terrorism and serious crime.
In 2009 she took up post as Principal Private Secretary to the Home Secretary and managed the transition of Home Secretaries from the Labour to Coalition Government working for Alan Johnson then Theresa May during that time. After nearly two years in the PPS role she moved to Immigration Enforcement in 2011 as the Director of Intelligence leading a team of around 500 staff, including teams working overseas…’
http://www.gov.uk/government/people/gillian-mcgregor
OK, Colin has scarpered, so here is the Green’s justification. Weak and opportunistic? Would constructive input into improving the law not have been the more prudent and ethical approach?
https://greens.scot/news/we-support-repeal-of-offensive-behaviour-at-football-act-urge-clubs-to-look-at-strict-liability-model
Then why not present a comprehensive alternative policy or amendments before repealing the act as a means of bridging legislation so there was no vacuum that allowed the bigots to exploit this ‘victory’? The Greens are full of organic shit.
For Petra…
There would have been the normal route survey for that pipeline before it was installed. I understand it didn’t detect the munitions on the seabed. They would have looked like scattered gravel and cobbles on the side-scan sonar images, and, being largely brass, would not have shown on the magnetometer recordings.
Of course no-one knew they were there, then.
Scottish Independence will mean more Scottish civil service jobs in Scotland, A move away from Scottish administration now being done in London. The Mall etc. There will be a need for HMCR jobs in Scotland or a new tax administration. That is one of the benefits of Independence. More jobs in Scotland less jobs in London for which Scottish taxpayers are paying. There is a £9Billion hole in the Scottish accounts for non identified expenses being spent (on Scotland!s behalf) not explained. False accounting. That is what accounts are done for to identify expenses. £Billions from Scotland have been used for illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Often kept secret.
The support for Independence is increasing. The Brexit mess will push it over the line. It just needs another Ref which is coming. The Tories could not make a bigger mess.
The repeal of the OBFA is a disgrace but there still could be something revised in it’s place. They are still flapping about. The Clubs could be held responsible. No wonder the terraces are empty. Clubs in debt. Perverts and crooks running the Clubs. Most of them should be in jail.
Just keep voting SNP/SNP. Vote for Independence. Vote for EU membership. It is simple really.
The Guardian. £1Billion in reserves. Tax evaded? Asking the impoverished to donate £1. The ‘founders’ would be sorely dissapointed. Very few readers, especially in Scotland. Mainly irrelevant.
On the very few occasions on which the Hon. MP for South Leicestershire, Mr Alberto Costa, has crossed my political consciousness, I have been singularly unimpressed.
Yet, the fact he has been seconded to the Scottish Office perhaps indicates London’s opinion of those baker’s dozen of “Fighters for Scotland” that that obscene “Let’s combine to hurt the SNP” Faustian pact between the Scottish branches of the Conservative and Unionist and British Labour parties managed to get elected in 2016.
Clearly, Westminster has looked at Douglas Ross, Ross Thomson & Co and decided, if they are not perhaps the “Low-Flying Jimmies” of Labour legend, they are not up to much and cannot be trusted to stand-up for the Greater England project, when push comes to shove.
What’s that new saying we are being encouraged to use: “A bunch o’ bawbags”.
Oh, this’ll leave a mark.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/the-governments-own-brexit-analysis-says-the-uk-will-be?utm_term=.gnxaxPBoY#.pwQ2b5y1D
HMG report backs up FMs report on Brexit as all scenarios leave the UK worse off. ‘Course how they spin this should be good given the amount of smear they’ve fired at the Scottish Government.
Socrates MacSporran @ 8.15 am
Rev Stu’s totally epic modern expression for ‘parcel o’ rogues’ is:
‘Binbag o’ Bawbags’ = )
Links
https://news.gov.scot/news/brexit-threat-to-aid-priorities
Consultation on a Fuel Poverty Strategy for Scotland
Have your say before it closes on the 1st February
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/11/6179
FIRST MINISTER HAILS IMMENSE POTENTIAL OF ‘WORLD-LEADING’
https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_569417_en.html
http://indyref2.scot/votes-for-all
https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/01/29/arlene-foster-may-be-called-to-court-to-defend-blocking-the-funding-of-legacy-inquests-a-key-issue-between-the-dup-and-sinn-fein/
https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/2018/01/29/sucking-humanity-nhs-doctor-nails-tories-wall-video/
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/powerful-call-will-change-how-you-see-homelessness/
https://www.rt.com/uk/417265-theresa-may-no-confidence/
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/eu-withdrawal-bill-so-it-falls-to-the-lords-to-protect-our-fundamental-rights
Ministers are starting the huge exercise as part of a U-turn to pay up to 220,000 mentally ill people more Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
http://archive.is/JzuPC
https://opendemocracy.net/uk/adam-ramsay/tory-ministers-taxpayer-cash-hard-Brexit-erg
Carillion Collapse: Apprentices Won’t Be Paid Once January Ends, Ministers Confirm
http://archive.is/8LZEF
OT/ Irony alert.
Did I mibbee mishear David Davis?
I think he was addressing the HOC yesterday on the EU’s offer of a transition period, as requested, from March 2019 to December 2020…
During which time ‘the UK would adhere to existing EU statutes (such as the Single Market)’
David Davis said he felt this was undemocratic…
Having to follow statutes laid down by someone other than Westminster…
Over which they would have no say!
There’s a quote that’ll come in handy =)
So,
The Scottish Office takes over the running of areas that if it hadn’t been for EU membership would have been devolved to Holyrood.
As far as Westminster is concerned those areas might as well be devolved.
EVEL kicks in to deny Scotland’s MPs any say in decisions made regarding those areas.
For sake of maintaining the so called UK Single Market the Scottish Office simply echoes any policy made for the rUK.
For bonus points the same logic applies to NI where as long as Stormont is off line “Direct Rule” consists of the Ireland Office making decisions. EVEL get’s applied in an inconsistent fashion though.
https://news.gov.scot/news/pupil-equity-funding-1?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
I’m interested in the MOD legacy in Scotland, particularly in Dumfries and Galloway so was reading up a bit on Beaufort’s Dyke. Some random observations from my reading for anyone interested:
Thread
https://twitter.com/Tam__Jardine/status/958112714752217088
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2018/01/29/disabled-man-taken-court-allegedly-calling-conservative-mp-nazi/
A minister to me: “this was always going to happen… we’re about to make some decisions that will define British politics for the next two to three decades”
https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/958111182845546498
Rock
I don’t know whether OBFA has had a significant positive effect in reducing offensive behaviour in wider society, in particular sectarian behaviour.
Football clubs themselves should be taking action against anti-social behaviour by supporters.
I think minimum pricing on alchohol could make a bigger positive difference in wider society so, I wish to take this opportunity to praise the SNP Scot Govt for doggedly fighting to introducing this legislation.
Just thinking about the upcoming Independence referendum. I believe Nicola Sturgeon really needs to take the lead and lead from the front so to speak. She needs to get the right information out to the people who need it, and she is very good at doing that and getting her points across.
The more I think about it, Scotland becoming Independent needs Nicola to be at the top of her game when the time comes. And if anyone can do it, I believe she can.
People are becoming more aware of the munitions dumped from 2 world wars in Beaufort’s Dyke, basically the channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland. MOD admit to over a million tons of all kinds dumped there. Explosives, muster gas, phosphorous, and possibly nuclear waste.
These according to experts are worryingly volatile. Small explosions apparently pop off all the time. The Dyke is approx 50 miles long and 300 metres deep, that is where most of it lays.
However, much was dumped in shallower waters too.
It is a long term serious environmental issue, and another “Union” dividend. No one knows exactly how bad a major explosion would be,but for sure it would be a major disaster,as a major explosion could ignite all of it.There is a lot of this online. Yet,we have yet another “Union” dividend to consider too.
Machrahanish.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread107701/pg2
Again google Nuclear depot at Machrahanish.
There is a MOD nuclear facility, the old link above outlines the problem. But the bigger issue is that the site is storage for nuclear bombs, earlier ones from the fifties and from then onwards. The amount in total I cannot find, perhaps someone can?
One thing is for sure there are quite a number dumped there as they were removed from service.
Yet again,these are deteriorating as years go by.
This what Westminster thinks of Scotland, not only a cash cow but a convenient dumping ground for all the things Westminster creates, but does not want anywhere in England.
High time these issues were properly assessed for population risk. At least people can be made aware, but of course the UK has no money, nor the will, to do anything about them.
So where does that leave us, but these are very big issues that will need to be addressed at sometime soon or at some point in time Scotland will suffer the consequences.
Here is a page of google from a search that offers many results on
the nuclear facility at Machrahanish.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=machrihanish+nuclear+weapons&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB780GB780&oq=Machrahanish+nuclear&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.12784j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
The ONS, is this the dept who make up the GERS figures?
https://www.ft.com/content/5bc84a22-04f4-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5
Does anyone know if this went ahead?
https://thelochsidepress.com/2014/11/09/new-plant-to-treat-radioactive-waste-planned-for-faslane/
I’m allright Jack!
Malta grants EU citizenship to Legatum backer
https://www.ft.com/content/110f57ee-02a3-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5
Deep in Virgin territory
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/
Radio Times blurb about a progamme tonight on BBC4.
10.00 The Stuarts
3/3 A Family At War
Clare Jackson explains how the Stuarts were fatally divided by religion, with Scotland losing its sovereignty and becoming part of Great Britain in 1707.
Is that the sound of a volcano erupting down Kelty way?
@louis.b.argyll says: 30 January, 2018 at 12:03 am:
“In the red corner.
Sinister warmongers,
spellbound journalists,
private-school chums,
underling civil servants,
under-the-influenc Lords,
Royalists, Loyalists,
fascist sell-off councillors,
absent landlords,
absent minded ministers of state,
Party political trade-unions,
State broadcaster interference,
Tory/Labour newspaper monopoly,
(REPRESENTING ENGLAND)”
Or well known to many indy supporters as, “The Westminster Establishment”.
Perhaps some Wingers wrongly think the term, “Westminster Establishment”, only meant the actual parliament but it includes all of the above, the police, the armed services and the many security services that the UK Government, (de facto parliament of the country of England), added yet another couple of departments just last week.
It also includes the Church of England and the upper reaches of the UK’s education systems.
Odd how the media is putting a spin on the leaked Brexit impact analysis. They are headlining on the likes of “Leaked government Brexit paper suggests UK economic hits “
Doh? That’s news? Did anyone who’s been keeping up with events not already know that?
There are news stories, though ….
Why was it leaked right now, just as EU negotiations are getting up to speed again? An attempt to swing the UK towards single market and customs union?
Who leaked it? Just a whistle blower or was it a coordinated attack on Tory policy?
Or, was it leaked by a faction inside the Tory government itself to shift opinion?
This report completely agrees with the SG one. It was ridiculed as scaremongering. Well, it was used as fodder for another SNPBaaad story. And now that has been debunked. The continual debunking of SNPBaaad should be news itself!
Nana 9.42
Thanks for that link to the story about Branson and privatised healthcare.
In effect, Branson is providing financial assistance to the Conservatives’ breakup of the English NHS.
If the SNP can’t exploit this sort of detail to gain a majority at Holyrood, the Scottish NHS is on a shoogly nail.
Les Wilson n, another munitions dump was the Arran Trench , for a considerable period after the 2nd War Puffers would ply from The munitions factory at Ardeer and dump their cargos in the deep waters of the Arran Trench. Some were just dumped in the shallower surrounding waters of the Clyde. American aircraft were dumped from aircraft carriers off the Holy Isle, it is thought however that the munitions were removed before dimping, there is a Grumman aircraft about 40’metres away from the slipway in Brodick which presumably got dragged in on fishing nets,
@colin alexander says: 30 January, 2018 at 12:27 am:
“It’s called democracy.”
Aye! Colin, and so is the United Kingdom Government at Westminster but as the English bard famously wrote:-
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet;”
You will note that the London based Labour Party has as it’s emblem a rose and the Westminster Parliament is titled, “The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland”, but actually operates as the Parliament of the counter of England and enforces that by use of EVEL while devolving unimportant parts of Westminster’s assumed sovereignty to the other three countries of the so called United Kingdom.
See this for what it is, Colin. In essence devolution, quite literally, split up the so called United Kingdom. Yet they have the sheer gall to claim that those who advocate independence for Scotland, “is divisive”.
You cannot be more divisive than splitting up a united kingdom into four countries but retaining one of those countries as the parliament of one country and at the same time as the United Kingdom’s government.
If Scotland doesn’t vote for independence, then after brexit by 2028/29, the NHS in Scotland will be totally privatised. Guaranteed “. Then God help the poor, the Old, the sick,and those with pre existing medical conditions. It’ll be a toss up between private medical insurance, feeding yourselfs, or keeping yourselfs warm in the winter. BUT you know what? You’ll have brought it a?l on ourselves.
All the talk of munitions dump….
Herald – what is this mystery Libyan ship heading up to MoD via Long Long?
I literally cannot believe this is our country. I feel like I’m squatting. So disgusted.
http://archive.is/raBc2
If anyone would be asked to write an ending to the comedic farce that we all Scots have been so far unwillingly playing as extras, the plot would only unravel in one direction.
https://oboporopob.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/final-chapter/
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2018/01/30/the-uk-government-spends-as-much-on-subsidising-wealth-as-it-does-on-transport-housing-the-environment-industry-agriculture-and-employment/
Will not archive
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/jeremy-hunt-judicial-review-stephen-hawking-accountable-care-organisations-back-door-privatisation-a8184161.html
Boris Johnson fails
http://archive.is/MTf0X
You just cannot help wondering at the London Labour Party’s Scottish regional Accountancy Unit leaders ineptitude, though.
They battered the SNP saying the SNP had made Scotland the highest taxed, (cough!), region of the U.K. but not taking account of the many unique benefits that only people in Scotland get.
Then their first idea afterwards is to hike up the income tax of the better off.
Mind you that has always been the Labour ace in the hole for Scotland. Claim to be the party of the working man while screwing working Scots over all the time.
The majority of working Scots seem not to fooled by this tactic anymore.
Nana 10.43
The Hawking v Hunt article archived.
http://archive.is/T8l9C
The English NHS isn’t even on a shoogly nail anymore.
BBC changes womens gender:
We have investigated ourselves regarding wage inequality complaints and our findings are that there are now no women working at the BBC there are only anomalies who happen to have been women, men however are still men, their gender has not been reassigned said a SpokesMAN
A review of all staff who are anomalies will be carried out
to decide whether the wages of these anomalies are equal to the new designation of the reassigned gender said a SpokesMAN for the BBC Government and ultimate balanced rulers of the world which is ours and ours alone
All Heil the BBC
Interesting link from Nana to Richard Murphy’s observations on how UK tax system subsidises wealth.
The latest post is also worth a read
“May and Markets crashing together is not a pretty prospect”
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2018/01/30/may-and-markets-crashing-together-is-not-a-pretty-prospect/
Oh dear.
Ghillie @ 8.39am
Thank you, “Binbag o’ Bawbags” it is then.
Mike d says:
30 January, 2018 at 10:17 am
If Scotland doesn’t vote for independence, then after brexit by 2028/29, the NHS in Scotland will be totally privatised. Guaranteed “.
Indeed. And the SG and YES campaigners really have to make this abundantly to the voters before the next indy ref. I appreciate the first referendum was nicey nicey, positive approach, and rightly so. The next battle, however will be much dirtier and we have to not be afraid of being labelled as scaremongers and say it as it is. With BREXIT there is too much at stake this time. I would like to see a more mixed message next time – carrot and stick approach. If we think pensions, NHS, jobs are all threatened by staying in the union, we have to start saying so – now. Set the agenda folks. Control the narrative and let the British nationalists work hard to put out the fires (instead of our side all the time). Its time to up the anti and take the initiative. 🙂
As I have said, time and time again – if you want to grab the media’s attention (especially on the indy side), you have to be bold outrageous. Let the Brits spend all their time rubbishing our claims. They will do the heavy lifting for us if we are clever about it. 🙂
If we stay on the defensive, eventually we will lose.
Nana I certainly won’t be sharing this waffle ( england retains 90% of our Oil when we’re Independent ) because the UK issued the licences for exploration & only new Oil fields after Independence are in Scottish control must be ah yoon writer .
All these oil companies will need to re negotiate with the Scottish Gov & rUK have no say in the outcome .
https://oboporopob.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/final-chapter/
What does the Scottish Office actually do nowadays to be worth seconding Mr Costa?
Are the needs of his Sth. Leics. constituents better served by this appointment?
Does his constituency have imperial ambitions? A Greater Mercia perhaps?
Do tell us Carlo? In your best Leicestershire accent of course.
Robert Peffers
Why do you think the Scot Govt have not attempted to legally enforce the Claim of Right 1689 and 1989 regarding Scotland’s Remain vote and Scotland’s forced EU exit?
The Scot Govt obtained indyref1 by political negotiations with the Cameron Govt, avoiding the need to establish a legal right to hold indyrefs regarding the Union, which at the time seemed advantageous. Why have they continued to avoid establishing a legal right, now that May’s Govt is not for negotiating?
Why has the SNP consistently emphasised the Claim of Right and Scottish self-determination, yet then decide they’ll go with “Soft Brexit” when Scotland voted Remain in the EU. Clearly, Scotland’s sovereign people self-determined to Remain EU citizens.
Do you support this SNP policy?
@Capella says: 30 January, 2018 at 11:31 am:
“Interesting link from Nana to Richard Murphy’s observations on how UK tax system subsidises wealth.”
Although I haven’t had time to read through the articles I have often posted the fact that Income tax of any form, PAYE or taxes upon interest or whatever are really of rather minor importance since a Labour Government changed the United Kingdom’s tax system from such direct taxation to indirect taxation in the full and certain knowledge of what they were doing.
The made the main treasury revenue come from indirect taxation, that is upon goods and services. They knew full well when they did so that they were shifting the main burden of taxation from those best able to pay onto those least able to pay.
The main such tax is, of course, VAT, a tax upon both goods and services. Then, since day one Westminster Governments have drawn more and more items into VAT taxation. However the indirect taxation does not stop at VAT for Road Fuel Duty is charged and companies and service providers just pass that onto the consumers but there is also alcohol duty, Betting tax, National Insurance and a host of other nice little earners for HM Government. See this article:-
https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/secret-taxes-you-didnt-even-10066793
This was From the Mirror from May 2017.
@Mike
Thanks for archiving, I couldn’t get it to work for me.
@Ronnie
Occasionally I like to throw something into the mix just to see who is paying attention and also to get the blood rushing through the veins 🙂
Comments are closed on the article, wonder why? Maybe someone on twitter could ask the owner of the blog.
I seem to recall someone during an indyref debate suggesting if we became independent we should share the oil with little old England. I would say they’ve already taken more than enough.
Couple more links while I’m here
Petition
https://www.snp.org/brexit
EU Withdrawal Bill speech to the Lords
http://www.andrewadonis.org/
@ronnie anderson
It’s not piffle not waffle.
If you don’t understand that the BritNazi Establishment is a corrupt cesspit that can only be bribed into doing what we need, you will not get anything from them.
Aside from a popular revolt or a permanent general strike to unseat them, the only way to make them go away is to make a sacrifice.
It’s a carefully considered do-ut-des.
I’ll let you off from calling me a Yoon. Once.
“Sturgeon: Hard Brexit ‘dead in the water'”
Maybees
http://archive.is/1MzS8
@Nana
Comments are closed on all entries on my blog because I’m not writing to engage a debate there.
Too much faff managing the tons of Yoonatic crapola that would ensue.
There are other places where to debate ideas – like here or Twitter.
On the BBCs website it makes the claim
Why you can trust the BBC…should it not read
Why can you trust the BBC
Indyref1 was the people’s referendum. All The people of Scotland ( unionist and independist alike) did not get the devo-max and guaranteed EU membership they were promised.
The Smith Commission was the way those promises were supposed to be delivered. The public got no opportunity to accept or reject the politicians’ Smith Commission deal.
There should have been a second referendum on acceptance or rejection of the proposed changes.
That is exactly what is being suggested by many politicians following Brexit negotiations. The SNP’s version is an indy Scotland v non-EU UK choice.
So, why no choice then? Why were we just told: here’s what your’re getting from Smith?
That was unacceptable. I hope the lesson is learned.
@Luigi says: 30 January, 2018 at 11:50 am:
“Its time to up the anti and take the initiative. ?
Decisions! Decisions!
Now who to trust then?
Let me see!
Will I put my trust in Luigi and some of the other commenters on Wings or with the Scottish National Party, presently led by the card carrying members choice of leadership, Nicola Sturgeon.
Och! It’s a richt teuch ane richt enuch!
Valerie , hideous isn’t it – hope you didn’t miss the whitewash bit about the ‘popular uprising in Libya ‘ ending with the death of Ghaddafi , no mention of interference from the UK and France encouraged by ‘we tortured some folks ‘ Obama.
And where are those members of the ‘fourth estate’ to investigate and call to justice those who do Scotland ill?
We need a plethora of Pilgers and all we get are Cochranes , Gordons , Crichtons and Torrances.
A binbag of bawbags indeed.
Corrado Mella In my lifetime I’ve never expected anything from the Establishment Lab/Tory/LibDem therefore Im never disappointed , as for your comment that the Unions should go on a permanent strike ( now who’s wishing for great expectations ) the British Unions are the middlemen of the Establishment to keep the working man/woman under control those sitting on the Red Benches are a testament to the the Great Internationalist Socialists of yesterday’s year.
Kiss my arse i’ve got my Ermin at last fek the Unions ( & thats from a x shop steward )
@ronnie anderson
In a hurry sorry, but contracts i.e. licences with the UK Government would be honoured according to the Vienna convention on state contracts or something like that, business is protected when a state splits or renames itself.
BUT they would be automatically transferred to the Scottish Government, who would of course get he revenues – and control them.
I’ll maybe look it up tonight.
BBC News….
“ScotRail passenger satisfaction falls “
Then everyone else jumps on the bandwagon, not wishing to miss a good SNPBaaad opportunity.
Humza Yousaf ….
” National Rail Passenger Survey Autumn 2017 results out, as name suggests this is direct feedback from passengers. Scotrail at 85% satisfaction 2% higher than same time last year & 4% higher than UK Average. Still work to do but my thanks to railway staff for all their hard work “
GAPonsonby
“BBC Scotland appears to be comparing ScotRail’s summer satisfaction stats for last year with *winter* stats for this year to get a 5% drop. Comparing the winter stats for last year with winter stats for this year shows a 2% improvement. Can someone check this?”
Another day, another fake news story by the looks of it. The BBC’s new anti fake news department will no doubt be straight onto it !
@galamcennalath 1:40pm
Thanks for pointing that out. The bbc is a stranger to the truth. The bbc is brazenly open in its anti-Scottish propaganda.
Don’t pay the bbc tax.
What Mella was advocating that Westminster would retain 90% of our Oil after Independence ( yes I’m aware of Oil company’s contracts as I said they will have to be re negotiated with the Scottish Gov particularly the practice of loading tankers at sea & being registered at Oil companies HQs avoiding Tax .
And the 6000 sq miles of the Nth Sea + Oil rigs being repatriated to Scotland .
Corrado Mella @ 12.56
OK let’s just say for a wee minute you are serious about those proposals.
Do ye no think that giving a regime that you spend some time acknowledging use their current oil revenue to buy horrendous weapons, and wage war’s on other nations with oil.
The ability to keep on doing it?
To give that nation a toe hold in our territory…. Potentially forever!
All this for what?
They have had those vast resources for decades…. What makes you think that they would do any different?
Because if it is your proposal that Scotland imposed the term’s and conditions of this “gift”
Not only have you failed to outline how this would be enforced, by Scotland!
But you don’t seen to have taken into account two thing’s.
Firstly…. As far as I can see,the English people like their form of government and establishment.
They don’t, it seems to me want it changed.
Which brings me to the second point….
Who are we to hold another country to ransom?
As in they can only have an income to keep them afloat IF they put in place an administration we approve of.
That kind of Scotland I want no part of.
Westminster has had the wealth of many many other countries for centuries.
They have wealth….it’s up to the people’s of England to get that distributed to them.
We cannot and should not do it for them….all the while handing them the power to take ours or other people’s.
Westminster will just have to become self sufficient for the first time in a long time.
And if they impoverish their population it is their choice…
But a least it would solve their immigration problem.
Mibbi you should read ” The Prince ” and work out why it’s a bad plan to empower a neighbour with not only a track record of aggression, but also with an interest in seeing their competition (that’s independent us by the way) fail.
We have enough to do when we go…they will just have to sink or swim,and they shouldn’t be doing it with Our resources.
All I would expect of an independent Scotland,is that we do them no harm.
A great big black bin-liner bursting wi bawbags an nawbags.
And an online-poop-scooper to avoid direct contact.
Dan Huil @ 13:46,
Not so much a “stranger to the truth”, Dan, as a close friend of the half-truth. As this stats example well illustrates. Nothing is factually incorrect, it’s just incomplete and bent out of shape by the false comparison.
As per the Charter, massaging all things BritNat to put the best possible light on them. All in a good cause, chaps!
I think this is how they live with themselves.
@Corrado Mella
I think you are suggesting that most of Scotland’s oil should be offered as a sort of ‘get out clause’
As I said already they have taken more than enough. It’s time for Scotland to use our resources for the good of the Scottish people. Why should we subsidise them even more?
Let us not forget on the opening of Holyrood [I believe it was the night before] Dewar and Blair did a dirty deal which effectively gave away oilfields. I would be wanting to get them back once we are independent.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/01/scotlands-stolen-seas-technical-explanation/
Off Topic.
Labour in Scotland’s Budget Proposals have been sort of lost in all the alternative Mundell/May/Brexit news hitting the fan today.
Here’s The National today on Labour and their Leader Richard Leonard.
The article begins:
“SCOTTISH Labour has finally published its alternative Budget proposals – but the plans were last night dismissed as “fantasy figures riddled with factual blunders”.
Article concludes:”…….but if Labour had wanted their proposals to be taken seriously they would have submitted them for scrutiny months ago —
rather than wait until 48 hours before MSPs vote on the Budget Bill to produce a wish list scribbled on the back of a fag packet.” [Derek Mackay,Finance Minister,Scottish Government.]
Link to Paywall The National article:
https://tinyurl.com/yaagx3c4
The peoples dilettante Cat Boyd managed to write a whole article without using the word Scotland.
Former BBC Scotland star reporter for rubbishing NHS Scotland claims they weren’t paying her enough!
Liz g,
Agreed, but, England.. Self-sufficient?
That’ll set them back a thousand years.
They deliberately encourage cour next ‘insecurities’ so they can ride to Europe’s rescue and rebuild rogue-state infrastructure in their own image. Instead of learning from the history of human suffering. They need deep reform.
Nana don’t be putting me to any unnecessary expense I have more than enough to do with my money than buy Blood pressure monitors lol xx .
Check out Parliament Live today and tomorrow.
Discussing Legislation: European Union (Withdrawal) Bill – Second Reading (day 1)
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a02ed460-1112-4806-aa75-ad88d9c86958
………………………………….
A couple of youtube videos re. Alberto Costa. Well worth taking a look at.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8w8aCrFl-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opDcFkM9ALU
Alan Roden a man who vehemently supports and actively encourages racism to everybody else, especially Muslims from everywhere else, and sectarianism *OBFA* except when it’s someone in the Yoon party who keeps him in a job
Has Anas Sarwar never read the Daily Mail, has Richard Leonard ever read anything about his own Labour party hating Jewish people
These are people who stir up hatred of others then complain about the hatred they stirred up as if it’s somebody else who did it
Remember the Daily Mail headline after the murder of Jo Cox
accompanied by pictures of Judges proclaiming *Enemies of the people* and that’s only a small example of the hate filled bile that fills the front pages of that publication on a daily basis
Will the real Alan Roden stand up please
Maybe he’s another one that went to Ruth Davidsons non existent re education facility for Nutters Headbangers and Racists and he’s all well now
Sure he is!
GREAT articles once again Nana covering the absolute corruption and profound lack of compassion from the Tories. Leaked Wesminster Brexit papers in line with the Scottish report? Who would have thought it? What will Ruth Davidson have to say about that at FMQ’s? Who was it again that accused Nicola Sturgeon of scaremongering?
There’s also good news in that so many people are attempting to fight back, such as Stephen Hawking taking NHS England and Jeremy Hunt to court. Add to that the number of other Court cases in the UK looming up and Gina Miller trying to block T May handing money over to the DUP without Parliamentary authorisation.
Excellent speech from the doctor complaining about the ENHS, stating that FOUR MILLION people are on surgical waiting lists, there are forty thousands vacant nursing posts, fifteen thousand beds have been cut and four hundred contracts have been outsourced to Richard Branson’s Virgin Care company alone.
To my mind that’s the message that we should be getting across to NO voting pensioners and the 25% hardcore BritNats. I’m sure that it would have more of an impact than the threat to their pensions.
http://www.thecanary.co/discovery/2018/01/29/sucking-humanity-nhs-doctor-nails-tories-wall-video/
……………………………….
Stolen Seas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Adjacent_Waters_Boundaries_Order_1999
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire is the guy who regularly hijacks Scottish Questions at the House of commons to attack the Scottish Government.
There is something very wrong with procedure in that place to allow that to happen. It also has eff all to do with his constituents, shouldnt he be getting on with his day job of representing them?
@ Robert Peffers – it’s true that Tories – red and blue – prefer indirect taxation to progressive taxation thus subsidising the wealthy.
However, Richard Murphy has a good post on how taxation doesn’t actually pay for government spending but is a tool for balancing the economy, preventing inflation, redistributing wealth etc.
I won’t pretend to understand economics being a bear of little brain. But he does explain it very well. And, of course, it makes SLab’s last minute budget a complete load of nonsense.
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2018/01/03/the-reasons-to-tax/
Indy ref 2 could be fought and won on the NHS alone, Britnats have no answer to this, and even diehards are , deep down, worried about ill health. If the choice is NHS or no NHS there will only be one outcome.
Uk debt zooms to £1.6 trillion,
http://www.scottishfinancialnews.com/16148/uk-insolvency-numbers-soar/?utm_source=Scottish+Financial+News&utm_campaign=07ca279fbe-SFN_08_11_17&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6d918d0031-07ca279fbe-66792589
Does anyone else get a huge dose of the “Scottish cringe” everytime that Alberto Costa opens his gob…?
An issue that I think we should all be taking note of!
I see that we’ve now got a new Director at the Scotland Office, since last October, when Francesca Osowska headed off to Scottish Natural Heritage. Francesca who was previously Private Secretary to Alex Salmond. Did she go willingly or did she get the heave-ho?
http://www.gov.uk/government/people/francesca-osowska
I notice that in her ‘Introduction’ in the Audit Report 2016-2017 she states: ”Looking ahead, in 2017/18 we will build on the strong foundation of EU Exit work that has been established this year.” That doesn’t come across to me like someone who was planning to move on three months later.
http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633804/Scotland_Office_AR_2016-17_web__2_.pdf
‘Moved on’ to make way for Gillian McGregor? Take note too about how little they (gov.uk) have to say about Francesca Osowska in comparison to Gillian McGregor, and yet Francesa’s (an economist – plus has an MA in European Economics from the College of Europe in Bruges) name is all over last year’s audit … and looked as though she was doing an excellent job.
I wonder what credentials Ms McGregor has that have led her to the Scotland Office? Immigration and, eh!, Counter-terrorism seems to feature highly on her CV. Something for us all to reflect on, or what?
..’Previous to that Gillian (McGregor) has spent the majority of her career in immigration and counter-terrorism roles in the Home Office in London and also spent 3 years on secondment to the Cabinet Office in the 1990s. From 2001 onwards she spent 8 years working in counter-terrorism roles including VIP and Royal Security, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Crisis Management.
In 2007 she had a central role in creating the Office for Security & Counter Terrorism (OSCT), forming it into a successful cross-government hub for work on terrorism and serious crime.
In 2009 she took up post as Principal Private Secretary to the Home Secretary and managed the transition of Home Secretaries from the Labour to Coalition Government working for Alan Johnson then Theresa May during that time. After nearly two years in the PPS role she moved to Immigration Enforcement in 2011 as the Director of Intelligence leading a team of around 500 staff, including teams working overseas…’
https://www.gov.uk/government/people/gillian-mcgregor
@Petra 3:34pm
Re. Gillian McGregor: A very interesting appointment. Interesting, but not in a reassuring way. This britnat Scotland Office is gearing up for something. Hopefully the ScotGov is watching as closely as you, Petra.
Starlaw 3.17pm. Im onboard with that. ” vote yes to save the SNHS. Vote no for privatisation of the SNHS” should be hammered home at all times, once an indy2 date is set.
@galamcennalath
Why was it leaked right now, just as EU negotiations are getting up to speed again? An attempt to swing the UK towards single market and customs union?
Who leaked it? Just a whistle blower or was it a coordinated attack on Tory policy?
Or, was it leaked by a faction inside the Tory government itself to shift opinion?
I see the leak as an attempt to swing the UK towards single market and customs union and carried out with the blessing of members of the Cabinet inside the government. It really does look like an attempt to sway public opinion into accepting a soft Brexit.
The only fly in the ointment is that I believe that even the majority of Leave voters would accept remaining in the Customs Union and Single Market but only if Single Market membership did not mean Free Movement.
Who knows though, they may try and squirm out of that one too by telling the public that they “now” have the powers to remove EU citizens from the UK if they don’t find a job in 3 months. These are powers they have always had and just never used them, the “right of residency” under freedom of movement is only applicable if certain conditions are met and don’t just apply to having a job.
These conditions can be read here under the heading
“Where do rights of residence of EU citizens in the UK come from?”.
https://www.freemovement.org.uk/briefing-legal-status-eu-citizens-uk/
Further on “Stolen Seas”.
This work complements Craig Murray’s piece. However, it does go into a lot more examples of maritime boundaries around the world.
Prospective Anglo-Scottish Maritime Boundary Revisited
by Mahdi Zahraa
Map 1 on page 98 is illuminating. The article explains HOW a maritime boundary between Scottish and English waters could be arrived at. Here’s a quote from it:
“In the North Sea, the presence of oil deposits constitutes a major source of disagreement between England and Scotland. Numerous fields of oil and gas, such as the Fulmar, Clyde, Auk, Innes, Argyll, Duncan, Joanne, Judy, Angus, Fife and Fergus fields, have been discovered in the area where the hypothetical dispute may arise.
More new discoveries are quite likely to occur. This, therefore, constitutes a significant circumstance that cannot be ignored.
Based on the foregoing discussion, three kinds of method of delimitation can be utilized in the North Sea section of the continental shelf boundary. As has been said above, the geographical configuration of the coastline presented two major contexts:the first is within, and the second is outwith, the Firth of Forth.
Therefore, for the purpose of clarifying these two contexts, and following the lead of the Gulf of Maine Case, the concerned area is divided into two sectors by using an imaginary closing line of the geographical indentation of the coast taking into account the presence of Holy Islands and Farne Islands and the peak of the unusual change in the Scottish coastal configuration culminating at Buchan Ness.
The first sector is located west of the closing line, whereas the second is at its east. Although the radical change in the direction of the Scottish coastline within the Firth of Forth constituted a relevant circumstance, the equidistance method is proposed as presenting an equitable solution for the first sector of the Anglo-Scottish continental shelf boundary line.
Having considered the geographical context of the area, it has been realized that the radical change in the direction of the coastline produces sufficient impact on the equidistant line causing it to have no distorting effect. Such an impact, however, is only effective if the boundary line was within the geographical configuration of the coasts. Besides, as has been said above, full weight should be given to Holy Island and Farne Islands in the drawing of the boundary line.
Accordingly, six points on each side of the coast are selected as representing the base points from which a proper construction of the equidistant line can be initialized (see Map 1, line 1).”
As I typed up above, Map 1 is on page 98 at this link:-
http://www.ejil.org/pdfs/12/1/505.pdf
The wee wummin that’s going to vote on Scotland’s future!
‘Michelle Mone blasts ‘u SNP MORON!’ at Glasgow MP during Twitter spat.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15907205.Michelle_Mone_blasts__u_SNP_MORON___at_Glasgow_MP_during_Twitter_spat/
………………………….
‘Leaked UK government papers a ‘watershed moment’ in Brexit negotiations, says Nicola Sturgeon.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15906685.Leaked_UK_government_papers_a__watershed_moment__in_Brexit_negotiations__says_Nicola_Sturgeon/?ref=mr&lp=1
………………………..
‘Scots aerospace sector setting new £2bn records.’
‘SCOTLAND’s aerospace industry is setting new records and is worth almost £2 billion to the country’s economy, according to a new report.
With 80 aerospace companies employing more than 7600 people in Scotland, deliveries last year were estimated to have given the economy a boost of up to £1.85bn, according to the study.
The report comes from the 1000-member ADS Group – the nationwide trade organisation for the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors – which said the aerospace sector achieved 1498 deliveries last year, a new record. Commercial aircraft orders in the pipeline stood at a record 14,312, which were expected to be worth up to £212bn across the UK in the coming years, and £13.5bn to the Scottish economy….’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15903186.Scots_aerospace_sector_setting_new___2bn_records/
The BBC couldn’t care less about SLabour when they controlled Holyrood. So why is BBC Reporting Scotland so interested in the SNP?
https://imgur.com/a/phjX3
No prizes for guessing!
‘Sorry, Ruth I’ll pass on your ‘Great British Rip Off’ plan.’
‘Ruth Davidson was blazing a trail for feminism at the annual gathering of the global elites at Davos last week. We know that for sure because she told us so herself. Writing in The Scotsman, she described how she put her own professed “cynicism to one side” and can now see the good that comes out of “Davos’s annual jamboree”…..
Ruth argues that that such organisations are necessary to put the case for gender equality and human rights……
But Ruth’s vision of gender equality appears to be restricted to the Alpine mountain tops surrounding Davos. Her own party policies make sure most women who don’t breathe the rarefied air of the high summits are, along with their children, becoming poorer and more powerless. Instead of reaching towards 21st-century equality, the mass of ordinary women are being dragged back to the 1950s.
Women have borne 86 per cent of the burden of “austerity” – by March last year £79 billion had been swiped from them, compared to £13bn from men. Can anyone take Ruth Davidson seriously when she refuses to challenge the two-child benefit cap and the rape clause?
While Ruth was swanning around the swanky conference rooms and high-class restaurants of Davos, the End Child Poverty coalition published figures showing that in four constituencies in the two biggest cities of the UK, London and Birmingham, more than half of children are growing up in poverty. In Glasgow Central, 45 per cent of weans share the same bleak prospects and in 25 UK constituencies, 45 per cent of children are officially poor…..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15903141.Sorry__Ruth_I___ll_pass_on_your____Great_British_Rip_Off____plan/
‘Sorry, Ruth I’ll pass on your ‘Great British Rip Off’ plan.’
‘Ruth Davidson was blazing a trail for feminism at the annual gathering of the global elites at Davos last week. We know that for sure because she told us so herself. Writing in The Scotsman, she described how she put her own professed “cynicism to one side” and can now see the good that comes out of “Davos’s annual jamboree”…..
Ruth argues that that such organisations are necessary to put the case for gender equality and human rights……
But Ruth’s vision of gender equality appears to be restricted to the Alpine mountain tops surrounding Davos. Her own party policies make sure most women who don’t breathe the rarefied air of the high summits are, along with their children, becoming poorer and more powerless. Instead of reaching towards 21st-century equality, the mass of ordinary women are being dragged back to the 1950s.
Women have borne 86 per cent of the burden of “austerity” – by March last year £79 billion had been swiped from them, compared to £13bn from men. Can anyone take Ruth Davidson seriously when she refuses to challenge the two-child benefit cap and the r*pe clause?
While Ruth was swanning around the swanky conference rooms and high-class restaurants of Davos, the End Child Poverty coalition published figures showing that in four constituencies in the two biggest cities of the UK, London and Birmingham, more than half of children are growing up in poverty. In Glasgow Central, 45 per cent of weans share the same bleak prospects and in 25 UK constituencies, 45 per cent of children are officially poor…..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/15903141.Sorry__Ruth_I___ll_pass_on_your____Great_British_Rip_Off____plan/
@Bill McLean says: 29 January, 2018 at 10:24 am:
“Can’t we call them “English nationalists” since it’s England’s. welfare they are concerned with.”
All too true, Bill, but the brain washing of even Indy supporting Scots is hard to break down. These AngloNats are indeed British but there are several countries in Britain that Westminster has no legal sovereignty over. There are three Crown Protectorates but these are not under Westminster rule. Then there is the Republic of Ireland and republics cannot be part of a Kingdom.
Yet these people talk of a, “Brexit”, that just cannot happen as Westminster only has powers, (and these are getting more tenuous by the minute), with Wales and Scotland becoming more independence minded by the minute.
Quite simply there will not be any kind of British exit, excepting in the sense that the United Kingdom/England is part of Britain. I’ve been writing that as, “
BREXIT”, for some time now. What’s more I’m quite sure that there will be some form of reunification of all Ireland in the not too distant future.I see the long established Westminster practice of playing upon people’s laziness and then the combined use of both initial letters and/or acronyms to bring about a subtle change in the meaning to sway public opinion.
For example Westminster long ago brought about public perception changes of what actually comprised, “The British Empire”, and confused it with Britain, England, Great Britain and so on.
“Britain”, is a geographic term for a group of islands and, “Great Britain”, as the largest, (or greatest), island in Britain and Britain is actually itself short for, “The British Archipelago”. Yet you will still come across the use of, “GB”, and all these terms have suffered implied changes to what people think they mean. Then we have this:-, “The UK of GB & NI”.
It has been the Westminster propaganda way from Roman Times. After the Treaty of Union there was a concerted Westminster campaign to eradicate everything Scottish by referring instead to , “North Britain”. There wasn’t a town of any size that did not have it’s Caledonian Hotel and its North British Hotel. This due to the several competing Railway Companies.
This bat a time when Scottish and Welsh children were being subjected to severe physical, mental and psychological pressure to speak only the English Language while being told by authoritative figures their own language was slang English.
I tried this one out just to judge a variety of people’s reactions. I dropped the use of the term UK and deliberately used the full title United Kingdom or even the United Kingdom of Great Britain. There was a definite difference in perception.
It certainly looks like there has been this sort of thing going on throughout at least my lifetime and was a deliberate trend by the old BBC monopoly. For a start all of at least the United Kingdom were used to BBC Standard English and every BBC person that stood before a microphone spoke that particular brand of the English Language, even in what was then called the various, “Home Services”.
Luckily the BBC no longer have a monopoly of the airwaves.
Another Tory story.
Tory MSP’s aide sacked after sex attack conviction
Scottish Conservative party bosses were only made aware of the forthcoming trial due to reports in the local press and after he failed security vetting for the Scottish Parliament.
A spokesman for the party said: “The proceedings against Mr Jamieson were not disclosed on his application and were withheld until the charge came to light.
I thought it was only the SNP who did not vet people properly according to Ruth Davidson.
“BritNattery” (or Britstattery) —
In EU terminology our Unionists have gone for the England Plus Plus Plus option.
‘Further real evidence of robust nature of Scottish economy.’
……”Putting everything together:
Low unemployment
Low youth unemployment
Increased demand for industrial and office space
A trade balance surplus
Increased new businesses
Business confidence
Oil prices surging
Massive new oil and gas discoveries
Renewables energy generation reaching new peaks
Universities at the centre of innovation
Massive tourism increases
Government competence
and you have real evidence of an economy that is thriving and that has the resources and the potential to boom once the levers of control are located in Scotland.”
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/01/30/further-real-evidence-of-robust-nature-of-scottish-economy/
……………………………..
‘Scottish oil price rises are unstoppable as hedge funds pile in to invest and put ‘the oil crash behind us.’ Also, Sterling’s surge is being fuelled by oil, not a Brexit bounce.’
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/01/29/scottish-oil-price-rises-are-unstoppable-as-hedge-funds-pile-in-to-invest-and-put-the-oil-crash-behind-us/
…………………….
‘Once again, it’s the ‘8% of the UK population but much more of something good’ meme. This time it’s 33% of employee-owned firms in the UK.’
…”Yesterday, in Insider, under the headline:
Here’s how Scotland is leading the way with employee ownership.
We read:
‘Selling a business to employees used to be a rare event. Now every month we hear of another company or companies becoming employee-owned. But why this surge in interest amongst Scottish businesses?’
It’s estimated that there are around 300 employee-owned businesses in the UK and that almost one-third are in Scotland. Insider offers two reasons for Scotland having more of them:
The Nuttall Review identified two key obstacles to the wider adoption of employee ownership: lack of awareness and lack of practical support.
Co-operative Development Scotland has undertaken some sterling work with advisers, evidenced by the amount of interest shown at its January 2018 seminar. The expert help provided by Co-operative Development Scotland goes a long way to support businesses, and importantly the employees, through the process…’
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/01/27/once-again-its-the-8-of-the-uk-population-but-much-more-of-something-good-meme-this-time-its-33-of-employee-owned-firms-in-the-uk/
@Petra, 3.34pm
Well spotted. Flag gate was simply “look there’s a squirrel” while moves like this went ahead.
Ot
Someone told me that a tin of shortbreads is a collective term for scotch Tories. Any more?
Since there seems to be a discussion about oil at the moment I thought this might be of interest. It is from the Telegraph today. Oil price rise may not be a good thing apparently.
http://archive.is/mnfxf
Damned if it is low, damned if it is high. Ye cannae win.
@Hamish100
Or. “An Infestation of Tories”
any more?
Mike d@ 3.44.
You’ve nailed it. Nice one.
Hampshire 100
Ye cannae beat Rabbie’s “parcel of rogues”
That oil, it’s a curse, ah tell yie. Ah curse.
Mr McClauchlin ? (spelling)
Labour is the Councillor what did it says Anas Sarwar and Shortbread radio.
Scottish Labour confirmed that Davie McLachlan has now been suspended by the party, pending an investigation.
Mr McLachlan has been approached for comment.
For succession of state property, there is this one, but there’s something else somewhere about contractual obligations:
“Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of State Property, Archives and Debts 1983”
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/3_3_1983.pdf
Article 15, 17 or 18 are the ones that would apply to Scotland, depndent on seccession, separation or dissolution being the method of Independence – or an agreed “mixture”.
Article 36 is interesting, articles 38, 40 and 41 relate to debt in the three scenarios.
Can’t cut and paste it does one letter per line and I ain’t editing it, was bad enough doing the title line. Nearest to contracts is this “Article 36 A succession of States does not as such affect the rights and obligations of creditors”, there’s something similar somewhere about contracts and obligations – I think.
But – this is a Convention and not all have signed or ratified – ‘twould need to check the UK position, but it is used as a principle in what people laughingly call “international law”, which would only really be law if the whole planet recognised and accepted it.
O/T
From email I received earlier
Ahead of what looks set to be a massive emergency demonstration for our NHS this Saturday, the Daily Mirror will be hosting a Facebook Live event from 6:30pm tonight! Please do tune in on the Daily Mirror Facebook page from 6:30pm & submit your questions to the guests.
Facebook Live Q&A event: 6:30pm, Tuesday 30 January
NHS in Crisis: How do we Fix it?
The Daily Mirror in association with The People’s Assembly & Health Campaigns Together
Hosted by Kevin Maguire on the Daily Mirror Facebook Page
Guests: Aislin Macklin-Doherty (People’s Assembly), Louise Irvine (HCT), Adam Kay (author & comedian)
Crisis in the NHS England discussion going on right now
https://www.facebook.com/dailymirror/videos/vb.6149699161/10156407466189162/?type=3&theater
Scottish people should tune in to see what is happening down south
Oh FFS, miss SNPbad Bradford on disreporting, saying the bbc underpaid her compared to the male britnats at plantation quay for saying SNPbad like a broken record. Taking them to court too
Ah! Having read the blog in question now I know what the fuss is about: “The immediate action I humbly suggest is to concede 90% of ownership and revenues from the existing oil and gas fields to England,”
Errr, no. Humble suggestion declined.
They sit on the continental shelf of Scotland, which is clearly and unequivocally “ours”, in the 200 nautical mile EEZ north of the medial line which runs from the border between Scotland and England. They’re ours to exploit, but also ours to safeguard as in pollution.
The only question is the actual marking of that median line in an easterly direction, and mostly it’s old fields included now.
@BDTT
That paper by Mahdi Zahraa is a great paper, because it lays out all the options, and discusses them in realtion to other disputes. If I had a Scots pound for every time I posted a link to it from 2012 onwards, I could probably buy out the whole of the UKCS.
But the other great thing about it is that it leaves the whole issue that the only dispute over the EEZ is that 6,000 sq miles – in other words it effectively proves our rights to the rest of it beyond any dispute, leaving just that small part which might be disputed by the UK.
Who says David Cameron doesn’t have a heart, he provided a bit of eye candy for his ageing peers. And a bit of eye candy for life it seems.
OT
Oh dear, the QE has a problem with its sprinkler.
Nurse!
Hi yesindyref2.
That’s what I thought as well. It’s rather handy having Rockall, in particular, under Scottish jurisdiction, iye?
Oil….. a lot of people here and elsewhere concluding that the jump in the pound has nothing to do with the any Brexit ‘good news’, it’s because the oil price is rising.
Let’s not mince words, iEngland without iScotland with our oil, food production, fisheries, and net exports will be in deep shite.
Which is of course why they will oppose Indy will all have.
@BDTT
Indeed, though in theory it should be permanently settled, or at least inhabitable. I think it only gives 12nm territorial waters though, rather than extending the EEZ.
I’m sure the ingenuity of iScotland could work out a way of making a permanent self-sustaining settlement though, a little rock carving with lasers perhaps, and some wild sowing of oats!
yesindyref2 Ah don’t think Mr Corrado Mella will be posting his blog on Wings for ah while , it’s like the lodger because of dint of lodging wie ye , takes over 90% of your hoose an rents you the lobby .
Ave polished up ma Alert Reader badge .
@ Starlaw at 3:17pm …… “SNHS.”
Good one Starlaw and keeping it simple.
“Vote YES to save our SNHS.” Vote NO for privatisation.”
Simple too. Just stick this in the rear car window, house window, posters and so on.
Let’s become totally conversant with all of the facts and figures relating to the ENHS to enable us to back up our simple message. More effective in ‘converting’ others, I would say, than the pension argument because we don’t have any ‘proof’ to back that up. In other words a leap of faith for many pensioners. Additionally a large number of the hardline BritNats aren’t too interested in State Pensions either, as many have Private pensions, savings and property, however have moved here due to our superior NHS / Social Care service. In other words our NHS is far more important to them than the State pension, imo.
Let’s get up to date with our oil situation too, as the ‘prognosis’ is not just looking good but GREAT. Check out sites like Oil and Gas, Talking up Scotland, Business for Scotland etc and then contact the BBC and STV asking them why they aren’t informing the Scots. Bombard them with complaints.
………………..
yesindyref2 any updates on the Libyan ship? Where is it now? Last post you mentioned something about it being escorted by a mine-detecting ship? Did I get that right? If so, could that not be an indication that there could be something explosive on the Libyan ship?
@ronnie anderson
I’d say you’re right, strange idea giving away existing fields with their oil. I’ve seen some suggest the oil be traded for debt, or “mortgaged” for borrowing powers, again, errr, no.
But the other current article has this: “because nobody considered that, for that pesky Article 50 process to conclude, a deal must be reached ” which is absolutely 100% incorrect. Without any agreement, 2 years to the day after the article is invoked, the UK is out of the EU full stop. Any sort of deal is not neccessary for that to happen.
The dug nails it.
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/brexit-fantasy-politics/
Only just caught up with the “Moan” Tweet.
So glad it wasn’t one of ours that said something so crass and devoid of style.
So glad it was one of theirs 🙂
yesindyref2
Interesting post re convention on succession of states.
The UK Govt aren’t to be trusted in respecting conventions eg What’s devolved is devolved. But it’s a useful guideline for negotiating the UK Union divorce following dissolution of the Union.
Heads up for a few posters on here. BBC four at 10pm. The Stuart’s. Synopsis:- “how Scotland lost its sovereignty”
colin alexander,
“Rock
I don’t know whether OBFA has had a significant positive effect in reducing offensive behaviour in wider society, in particular sectarian behaviour.”
So you do believe that the repeal of the OBFA, promoted by the British Nationalist parties and the “pro-independence” Greens is in Scotland’s best interests.
Although the majority of the population is an favour of the OBFA as WOS articles has previously demonstrated.
You are on the same side as the bigots.
Any UK Union divorce negotiations should be done AFTER independence has been declared by Scotland the sovereign state.
A reversal process of how Scotland entered into union.
If independent, it’s negotiations by equal sovereign states overseen by international law. Negotiating within the UK, Scotland would have no bargaining power – it would be like the Smith Commission all over again completely reliant on a UK unwritten constitution that says Westminster can do whatever it wants.
You cannot negotiate with a tyrant from a position of weakness, relying on goodwill.
@Petra
The minesweeper just stooged around off Ayr, but the Libyan ship is well off to Iceland on her own, 50 miles off North Uist now heading NNW.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:360660/zoom:5
TheWasp says:
30 January, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Oh FFS, miss SNPbad Bradford on disreporting, saying the bbc underpaid her compared to the male britnats at plantation quay for saying SNPbad like a broken record. Taking them to court too
Amazeballs!
Ms Bradford was on the BBC r4 vote Tory Today show for ages this morn really putting the boot in to her old Pacific Quay chums for not paying her enough.
Hell hath no wrath than an ex beeb ligger who’s no longer on the BBC megabucks trough. Nice of beeb r4 gimps to give Bradford such a huge I want more money soap box too.
But oor Eleanor is now a humble PR ligger for Aberdeen uni and I can’t imagine it pays that much, maybe a quarter her BBC Scotland mullah.
BBC Scotland is the weirdest set up of UKOK liggers going. Eleanor forgot to tell her new beeb r4 besties that she’s also the proud owner of very swish Speyside holiday lets too.
Old habits
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09pjgh9
Bradford’s tragic tale of beeb liggers spurned begins around 7am.
The horror, the I want more money horror.
Rock
You are entitled to your opinions. I’m no here to argue toss about bigotry and sectarianism at fitba matches.
I’m here to support Scotland’s independence.
If you are too, we should try to work together to free Scotland.
Talking of OBFA I see it was said unwanted legislation that was used for the bampots with the eyeballs. Hmm
Lady Mone of Mayfair is a very displeased UKOK imperial master. To be fair, she’s not wrong about SNP out soon.
She’ll no doubt be all over the BBC r4 tory Today show tomorrow morning, its “Enraged Tory Ligger Week” at the the beeb r4 gimp network.
Verified account
@MichelleMone
Lady Mone Retweeted Stewart McDonald MP
What are u talking about u SNP MORON!I have voted over 78 times,not twice!I’m a Global entrepreneur with 9 biz interests not a full time MP like u!The difference is I’m a Baroness for life,whereas u will be out of ur MP job in no time
Stewart McDonald MP
Verified account
@StewartMcDonald
How thrilling. Since becoming a Baroness and legislator – for which she is entitled to £300 per day – Ms Mone has submitted no questions to the government and taken part in only two votes. Still, she’s sold some jewellery.
6:22 AM – 30 Jan 2018
Eleanor Bigmouth,a useful idiot for the BBC,tossed aside like a bag of dog vomit when no longer useful,
and not even paid much for years of lies,corruption,misinformation and a lack of basic humanity,
my schadenfreude is prodigious.
Scot Finlayson says:
30 January, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Eleanor Bigmouth,a useful idiot for the BBC,tossed aside like a bag of dog vomit when no longer useful,
Well oor Eleanor is very angry at her old Pacific Quay SNP out chums.
I WANT MORE MONEY BBC rage, is odd to watch.
John Humphries says top beeb gimps simply throw money at him. So its not hard to picture poor old Ms Bradford getting handed her Aberdeen uni ickle wickle pay cheque for sterling PR work, on the old High Road, Old Aberdeen, as John Humphries baits her down in Broadcasting house, merry olde London, where John and Nic Robinson have money fights, from each others beeb limos.
The Unionist Party’s of Scotland are campaigning for the Orange vote, to be found in abundance within certain Scottish soccer clubs. Very cynical and an abuse of Scots whom they purport to support.
https://caltonjock.com/2016/12/02/glasgow-rangers-fans-westminster-unionists-or-scottish-patriots-if-you-know-their-history-you-wouldnt-have-to-ask-true-teddy-bears-are-wrap-themselves-in-the-saltire/
https://caltonjock.com/2016/11/05/teddy-bear-supporters-embraced-the-unionist-fear-campaign-in-the-2014-referendum-the-tory-party-is-hi-jacking-the-club-to-its-cause-rangers-fans-beware/
https://caltonjock.com/2016/10/27/in-bed-with-the-unionist-scottish-tories-rangers-football-club-supporters-reveal-their-hand/
No doubt the allegations of racism within labour party will go the same way as the ones against Mr Rowley no case to answer ha ha.
As for Ms Bradford – imagine she did not even get a peerage and she did more than Ms Mone.
Hi heedtracker.
Please, when you’re quoting stuff from Twitter or wherever, can you italicise or embolden the quoted text so we know what you are typing and they are typing?
Please…
Makes it a lot easier to follow the comments. The way you’re doing it, we find it difficult to discern who’s typing what.
colin alexander,
“Rock
You are entitled to your opinions. I’m no here to argue toss about bigotry and sectarianism at fitba matches.”
The likes of you and your pretendy “sovereign” pals Robert Peffers and yesindyref2, resort to lies and evasion the moment you are challenged.
The current topic is specifically about the bigots in favour of the repeal of the OBFA and you have very much participated in it.
And proved yourself to be on the same side as the bigots.
Colin Alexander, Rock, Heedy, Peffers.
These Trolls are ruining your website.
They seem to have the Revs ear (You can work than one out)
Anyway, I will no doubt cop it for being so honest.
Thanks for digging out the info yesindyref2. The Libyan ship giving Scotland a body swerve and maybe no need for support from a mine-sweeper now?
Makes it a lot easier to follow the comments. The way you’re doing it, we find it difficult to discern who’s typing what.
Got it!
In other UKOK tory news,
https://news.sky.com/story/bbc-finds-no-evidence-of-gender-bias-in-pay-11228755
Its interesting that there’s 170 women BBC Women and a lot are BBC r4 women too. Which kind of begs the question why they are moaning about planet toryboy, er, ripping them off, seeing as how BBC women earn their crust as planet toryboy propagandists, with no mercy for any opposition at all.
Fair enough beeb r4 tory liggers in London are not quite as bat shit UKOK crazy as the beeb Scotland SNP out attack liggers, but even so, you have to wonder what its like in the tory media universe really.
Brian Doonthetoon,
“Hi heedtracker.
Please, when you’re quoting stuff from Twitter or wherever, can you italicise or embolden the quoted text so we know what you are typing and they are typing?
Please…”
Rock (30th September 2017 – “Keep the red fists flying”):
“You are perfectly entitled to your views, Guardian reader with a Slovene (ex?)girlfriend.
But if you quote someone, could you not use quotation marks?”
Anyway, I will no doubt cop it for being so honest.
If I am troll, am I not a great one:D
Ref MM , Moan Moan or should we make it Lady Bucket !
Some may remember the sitcom?
If I remember correctly Stewart was corrected and MM made all of 78 Votes , still not very much but at least £23,400 s worth !
BTW I m sure Stewart apologised and , shall we say “not accepted gracefully”.
I am puzzled by the re-emergence of Michael Forsyth. Is this another sign of the desperation of the unionists or is it just that they don’t understand Scotland and imagine that the political figure who was Margaret Thatcher’s right hand man in Scotland is held in some regard here.
They also seem to think that Gordon Brown has huge respect.
Significantly they don’t put Ruth on QT from Scotland as that would destroy the illusion they seem to believe that she is hugely popular here (and won the General Election in Scotland for the Tories – or so a significant proportion of the English electorate have been led to believe).
Its actually a lot easier to just quote me really. So,
Imperial Master No.865, or should that be Imperial Mistress No. 586, Lady Mone is displeased because, Lady Mone tweets,
Lady Mone?Verified account
@MichelleMone
Its official..I am now the No1 best selling designer jewellery brand on QVC! Launching my 25th collection live today 12pm & 7pm on QVC. Lots of pink diamonds
Lady Mone
?
“and then,”
Stewart McDonald MP?Verified account
@StewartMcDonald
More Stewart McDonald MP Retweeted Lady Mone
How thrilling. Since becoming a Baroness and legislator – for which she is entitled to £300 per day – Ms Mone has submitted no questions to the government and taken part in only two votes. Still, she’s sold some jewellery
“to which Lady Mone responded,”
Lady Mone
?
Verified account
@MichelleMone
8h8 hours ago
More Lady Mone Retweeted Stewart McDonald MP
What are u talking about u SNP MORON!I have voted over 78 times,not twice!I’m a Global entrepreneur with 9 biz interests not a full time MP like u!The difference is I’m a Baroness for life,whereas u will be out of ur MP job in no time…
“and”
@MichelleMone
7h7 hours ago
More Lady Mone Retweeted Stewart McDonald MP
If you want to compare track records/bios we can but I know who will http://win.Now stop being a walter mitty&concentrate on improving your disaster of a party
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38207729
“So there!”
Walter Mitty from Lady Mone of Mayfair is a nae bad SNP out slam though, its certainly a very UKOK double whammy, a ligger in the Lords using BBC Scotland SNP out gimp propaganda.
Always feels like massed ranks of UKOK Lords and Dames are the living embodiment of Walter Mitty, which may also be on Lady Mone’s giant mind too?
?
Verified account
@MichelleMone
8h8 hours ago
More Lady Mone Retweeted Stewart McDonald MP
…. My £300 allowance goes to charity,what do you do with your £316 per day? Now off you trot & get on with your day job
“hmmmm…”
I heard EB rant this morning.
I thought she said words to this effect
” I had to change to a better paid job as my new partner and his 2 kids needed my support”
By implication she was deviously imparting info about her private life to justify the measly Beeb wage could NOT support them & hence another lever on the equality side.
Thankfully I don’t give “Castlemain 4X”
I will of course watch how it plays with the Beeb. Ever since the Scottish lassie working in China came forward , it does not look good considering the amount of “Equal Pay” transmissions the Beeb have done over the years.
I really don’t care what the jumped up Avon Lady has to say on anything.
Like most minor celebs, of you want hurt them, ignore them.
Tackety Beets says:
30 January, 2018 at 11:02 pm
I heard EB rant this morning.
I thought she said words to this effect
” I had to change to a better paid job as my new partner and his 2 kids needed my support”
Would Aberdeen uni PR ligger pay more than top BBC Scotland SNP out goddess?
She must have been on at least £100 grand a year at SNP out Pacific Quay, at least.
To be fair to poor skint Eleanor, Beeb gimpery seems to not differentiate between their onscreen “talent” and the managers pay, its all much the much. SNP out hysteric Donalda’s on the same £200K a year as say the beeb scotland news liggers out of the open, SNPouting it everyday.
Certainly top beeb gimp managers are all on £400+k a year, which matches like of,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2ygKVcq4LtT6nqx9zhdZxMJ/eddie-mair
who’s worth every last toryboy penny, certainly when they place anyone SNP in front of him, ouchee. Oor Eddie is not an SNP voter:D
Sorry Stewart tweeted again later after checking :
“Actually it’s less than 78 votes it’s not even 60%”
And inc link
https://t.co/ULCfDENv26?amp=1
Just checked its only a few down on Revs tweets for those who want to get the pic in full.
frogesque says:
30 January, 2018 at 11:07 pm
I really don’t care what the jumped up Avon Lady has to say on anything.
Yes but Lady Mone is much much more. She’s got infinitely more power than the SNP MP there, or anyone else in Scotland today, other than all the rest of the Scottish Lords and Dames.
O/T
BBC Scotland TV news at c. 22.10 hours tonight on statistics on delayed NHS Scotland operations had several notable features:
1) the programme showed on screen the text of a substantial statement from the Scottish Government – is this not unusual? I hope it continues.
2) the statement was read out by the BBC announcer BUT NOT IN FULL – the last sentence was not read out.
3) the whole statement was ‘revealed’ on screen in stages – the final section, including the final sentence that was not read out, was on screen for a very short time – blink and you would have missed it.
What do you think the final sentence contained? CONTEXT – namely a reference to what’s been happening elsewhere in the UK, particularly in England where there has been a blanket postponement of all non-urgent operations.
BBC Scotland’s ‘ingenuity’ for the ’cause’ never ceases to amaze.
@heedtracker
I very much doubt EB was earning anywhere near 100K, more like 30-40K. Your confusing BBC Scotland with London. The salaries in Scotland are miniscule in comparison. Even JB didn’t make the 150k club, despite all the work outside Rep Scot.
jfngw says:
30 January, 2018 at 11:19 pm
@heedtracker
I very much doubt EB was earning anywhere near 100K, more like 30-40K. Your confusing BBC Scotland with London. The salaries in Scotland are miniscule in comparison. Even JB didn’t make the 150k club, despite all the work outside Rep Scot.
They all earn the same as London, apart from the half a million a year and up celebs, Chris Evans levels.
Bradfoard wouldn’t have got out of BBC bed for £30-40k.
But you raise a good point, in all the rollng BBC women anger at beeb pay gender inequality, not once does a beeb ligger ask another beeb ligger, “what was BBC Scotland paying you anyway Eleanor?”
Michelle Mone says she gives her £300 per day to charity but correct me if I’m wrong but does one not have to sign in to the Lords to collect this money and if so is Michelle Mone saying she signs in soley in order to donate to charity
I’d be really interested to see a record of all those donations that Ms Mone signs in every day for and perhaps ask those charities how grateful they are that Ms Mone goes to such lengths on their behalf
Believe it if you like, I kinda doubt it
C’mon investigative “journalists” why not find out if this womans heart is actual solid Gold or has she a heart of Gold, the softy kind that is
Again, I doubt it
@colin alexander says: 30 January, 2018 at 11:59 am:
“Why do you think the Scot Govt have not attempted to legally enforce the Claim of Right 1689 and 1989 regarding Scotland’s Remain vote and Scotland’s forced EU exit?”
I needs not think it Colin for I know why not and I’m fed up explaining it to such as yourself. The simple reason that the Scottish Government have not, and cannot, pursue the matter is very, very simple.
“The Scot Govt obtained indyref1 by political negotiations with the Cameron Govt, avoiding the need to establish a legal right to hold indyrefs regarding the Union, which at the time seemed advantageous. Why have they continued to avoid establishing a legal right, now that May’s Govt is not for negotiating?”
In the first place the SG had ne need to obtain permission from anyone to hold a referendum as no one requires permission to hold a referendum. Rev Stu has just been publishing the results of questions he referred to the electorate. You have got it all wrong, Colin, what was negotiated was not permission from Westminster to hold a referendum. It was an agreement between BOTH parties on both how many questions would be on the paper and how the single question agreed upon should be worded.
It was also part of the agreement that BOTH parties agreed to stand by whatever the result happened to be.
No one needs Westminster’s, or anyone else’s, permission to refer a question to the public or the electorate – newspapers, websites, businesses and political parties do it all the time.
What the hell do you think canvassing is? It is activists knocking doors and referring questions to the public.
“Why has the SNP consistently emphasised the Claim of Right and Scottish self-determination, yet then decide they’ll go with “Soft Brexit” when Scotland voted Remain in the EU. Clearly, Scotland’s sovereign people self-determined to Remain EU citizens.”
Oh! Get a grip, Colin, and do a bit of logical analysis before opening your mouth and making a fool of yourself. Furthermore try reading, and listening, to what people have already explained in great detail right here on Wings. Stop imagining things that are not there or that you would like to be there.
THE REASON THE SG/SNP HAVE NOT, AND CANNOT, PROCEED WITH ANYTHING TO DO WITH, “THE CLAME OF RIGHT”, IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE LEGALLY SOVEREIGN. THUS THE SG OR SNP NEED A SPECIFIC MANDATE FOR ANY SUCH THING BY A MAJORITY OF THE LEGALLY SOVEREIGN PEOPLE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A LEGAL MOVE.
“Do you support this SNP policy?” Why would that matter, Colin? In the first place it isn’t a policy matter. It is a legal requirement.
There is no doubt that the people are legally sovereign but until we have a Scottish Government that are independent and thus elected by the people as delegates of the legally sovereign people then all that would happen is that Westminster would refer the matter to the Westminster instigated Supreme Court of the UK and they would rule in favour of Westminster.
As for me – I’m just a single one of the legally sovereign people of Scotland and we, as yet, do not have a majority of the people of Scotland well enough informed in order to know what the hell they want – and if you are anything to go by then we have a way to got yet. You quite obviously fail to take in the plain and simple facts. What is more you are spouting Westminster propaganda as if it were the solid truth.
For example your claim above that Alex Salmond went cap in hand to Cameron begging for permission to hold a referendum. That’s the Westminster Establishment’s claim but it is not the true facts.
I’ll put it as simple as it is possible to put – “The people of Scotland are legally sovereign but in order for that to be enforced there has to be a majority of those people to enforse that sovereignty”.
Robert Peffers
Said: “In the first place the SG had no need to obtain permission from anyone to hold a referendum as no one requires permission to hold a referendum”.
Robert said: “Alex Salmond went cap in hand to Cameron begging for permission”
Colin said: I said he negotiated with the Cameron Govt; I didn’t say he begged for permission.
Colin said: True, referendums are not a reserved issue. However, the Union IS a reserved matter. So holding an advisory referendum about the Union, is that reserved or not? That has never been established in court.
Robert said: “The people of Scotland are legally sovereign but in order for that to be enforced there has to be a majority of those people to enforce that sovereignty”.
A 62% vote to Remain in the EU is a very large majority of the sovereign people.
@ Robert at 11:44pm ….
You must be worn out Robert trying to ‘educate’ the ignoramuses that visit this site or could it be that they are not ignoramuses at all, but rather their key objective IS to wear you down? In conjunction of course with trying to turn visitors to the site against the SNP. The SNP being the only means that we have of becoming independent at all. Strange, eh, for so-called independence supporters to do so?
And what’s not to get with the ‘Scottish people are sovereign’ issue? As you say we need a majority of Scots to endorse our sovereignty and 62% of Scots voting to remain in the EU didn’t do that for us. Didn’t do that because we have no idea what percentage actually voted for the UK to remain in the EU (the question put to them), not particularly Scotland per se.
Anyway take care of yourself Robert, whilst keeping up the good work X
What has happened to the Scotland news on the BBC’s app? They have removed the tab. You used to be able to check UK / Scotland / World now its nothing. Are they not reporting Scotland and World news anymore?
This is a pdf of the Edinburgh Agreement
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130102230945/http:/www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Agreement-final-for-signing.pdf
The last sentence of paragraph 30 says –
“The two governments are committed to continue to work together constructively in the light of the outcome, whatever it is, in the best interests of the people of Scotland and of the rest of the United Kingdom.”
Is it possible that even the bbc reporters (EB) will see for themselves that the report on equal pay is just as biased as the organisation itself – who does not believe that they were/are biased against women.
Tereza’s in China with 50 business leaders 1st in that queue G4S her husband , ? who’s paying the MOD for the use of the TaxPayers royal air force plane .
I was unaware of any named diamonique designers on QVC until that ridiculous woman with a hugely high opinion of herself turned up.
prior to her appearance there was just ‘Diamonique ‘ programmes.
She really shows herself up when she tweets na,na,nana style – though why anyone with a sparking neuron thought it was necessary to respond or challenge her is quite beyond me.
Baroness? pffft!
@ Winifred ….. BBB …
I watched some BBC top notch on TV last night trying to ‘justify’ the pay differentials by basically saying that you can can get around EP Legislation by using the word ‘justifiable’. Technically correct however not just a difference in pay due to years of experience, skills or whatever: She used an example of ratings! How would you know in advance how popular someone / one of their lousy programmes would be? And what about behind the scene workers? I’ve heard it all now. Someone should identify a male comparator / s, take them to Court and open the floodgates for thousands of other cases. Put their gas on a peep.
…………………………….
Has anyone seen Trump’s State of the Union address yet? Clearly read from a script for swivel eye. Cheap, pathetic, racist drivel and he still managed to clap himself, lol. He and Treeza May, China Girl Ronnie (remember pre-Hinkley they were a threat to the State?), are well suited. Two right-wing odd balls. Social misfits.
Nothing about the “potentially massive” “major boosts” to oil production W of Shetland and in the central North Sea, yet?
Pretty worthless, right enough.
Links
https://spice-spotlight.scot/2018/01/30/brexit-negotiating-a-transition/
https://itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/the-invisible-nation/
http://indyref2.scot/on-your-marks
https://athousandflowers.net/2018/01/29/the-curious-story-of-the-libya-explosives-ship-in-the-clyde/
@PictAtRandom
Couple of billion barrels according to my quick calc.
I’m sure Davidson’s speech will be broadcast by her pals at the bbc so for anyone who missed Nicola’s here it is
https://www.davidhumeinstitute.com/past/2018/1/17/nicola-sturgeon-2018-politicians-and-professionals-series
Word from a Yes voting Remainer working as a civil servant in the Bexit department in Whitehall: Be afraid, be very afraid – the chaos you’re hearing about is nothing compared to the total chaos in the department itself.
https://twitter.com/billykayscot/status/958423696074592257
The common frameworks which Mundell wants to take over
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/brexit-devolution-and-common-frameworks
The government’s best-kept Brexit secret is out, and it turns out to be what everyone already knew
https://www.ft.com/content/39aec7e2-05a6-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2017/10/26/going-it-alone-on-trade-is-like-bringing-a-chocolate-spoon-to-a-knife-fight/
https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/news/press-releases-and-statements/court-appeal-rules-government-surveillance-regime-unlawful
Remember this when Scotref comes around
Brexit minister says economic forecasts are always wrong
http://archive.is/IeiVk
Analysis: What round two of the Brexit talks mean
https://news.cgtn.com/news/7a63544e30677a6333566d54/share_p.html
http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2018/01/30/the-economic-case-against-brexit-is-now-unarguable
http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2018/01/30/headlines-saying-vaping-might-cause-cancer-are-wildly-misleading/
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tory-donors-desert-theresa-may-droves-one-describing-feeling-utter-despair-her-1657186
Barnier calls for ‘ambitious partnership’ with UK on research
https://www.researchresearch.com/news/article/?articleId=1372904
Nana,
Good morning, thank you for your lovely links.
Kettle’s on!
🙂
The Tories are making £Millions by wasting £Billions borrowed from China on grotesque projects of no value. Wasting £Billions squandered on these projects. The Tory China/British consortium. The Tory slush fund. Cameron, Carrington and their cronies. Cameron bought another £Million house, in Penzance, on the proceeds. Another Carillion. Their donors are raking in £Billions of taxpayers money. On more pozzi schemes.
Hinkley Point, HS2 etc. Totally over value. There are better alternatives. Cheaper and safer. Wasting £Billions, HS2 has no business case and will make journeys throughout the UK take longer. Rail journeys in the north and Scotland take twice as long because of lack of investment. Heathrow and Trident a total waste of money. Scotland has to pay the debt, average £4Billion a year, which should be invested in the Scottish economy and in renewables and railways etc.
£Billions from Scotland has been wasted by Westminster on illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Oil revenues wasted. May and her husband the Hedge fund manager are on £2Million of perks. Brexit will destroy the Scottish economy. Brexit so the crooks can keep on tax evading. Vote them out.
http://www.brendanoharamp.scot/2018/01/31/argyll-and-bute-food-and-drink-expo-wows-westminster/
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/churchills-grandson-may-quit-seat-so-ruth-davidson-can-be-leader-poll-shows-her-tories-most-1657542
It’s all unraveling for Ruth Davidson in this bumbling interview
https://twitter.com/jim45cotland/status/958477314844712971
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/30/16949520/uk-mass-surveillance-illegal-dripa-court-of-appeal
Morning Smallaxe, good to see you 🙂
Ta Nana.
Just the ticket. 🙂
Morning Macart 🙂
Can hardly stop chortling this morning, Davidson for PM, lol
The folks down south don’t know her like we do hahahahaha
Its never been the same since they took Bill and Ben off the telly, all we get now is grown up programmes like the simpsons and question time lol
@Nana
Heh. They’re in for a rude shock. 🙂
Or mibbies no. She’d fit right in with the reactionary soundbite crowd and she is a tank riding, buffalo wrangling, jolly hockey sticks kinda ‘patriot’. Keeps the soundbites REALLY simple for general consumption and doesn’t do those boring old extended interviews because… reasons.
Flies well in some quarters I understand. 😀
Petra said:
“62% of Scots voting to remain in the EU didn’t do that for us. Didn’t do that because we have no idea what percentage actually voted for the UK to remain in the EU (the question put to them), not particularly Scotland per se.”
As Robert P pointed out: referendums ARE NOT a reserved matter under the Scotland Act, ( But the Union of Scotland and England IS).
So, why doesn’t the Scot Govt ask the sovereign people their view on Scotland remaining in the EU?
@Macart
rumours rumours, lol
https://twitter.com/rosscolquhoun/status/958622451298177024
@Nana
Who knew? LOL 😀
Don’t know if this has already been posted
https://www.fircroft.com/blogs/massive-find-for-bp-could-radically-extend-life-of-north-sea-oil-83131914017
Thanks for the links Nana!
BP oil strikes interesting, if only because it so shallow.
So, what exactly do we know about the discoveries?
The Capercaillie well (Central North Sea) was drilled to a depth of 3,750 metres and encountered light oil and gas-condensate in Paleocene and Cretaceous-age reservoirs. The Achmelvich well (west of Shetland) was drilled to a depth of 2,395 metres and encountered oil in Mesozoic-age reservoirs.”
6 thousand feet is nothing at all. How much is out there waiting?
“These are exciting times for BP in the North Sea as we lay the foundations of a refreshed and revitalised business that we expect to double production to 200,000 barrels a day by 2020 and keep producing beyond 2050.”
Indeed. It was BP that struck not Scots oil first too. Very hush hush, but BP’s formal history tells of how their geologist zoomed back to London with a wee bottle of crude, that became the Forties.
From that tiny bottle of sweet not Scots crude, we now have one of the biggest greediest corps in the world, and the most polluting too. Even so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20042070
Why is UK’s draining their resources from their ocean such a concern anyway, asks beeb gimps?
Thanks for the links Nana. Great news that the Tories surveillance regime has been deemed to be illegal, Tory donors are leaving in droves and that Davidson is the number one candidate to take over from May.
Now wouldn’t that be great if we could rid ourselves of the Mooth? The Mooth of course will be having diarrhoea right now at the thought of being forced into a job that she’s incapable of doing: being a nasty, wee guppy out of her depth in a big pond…. unable to hide / run away from the Media.
Better still remembered as being the woman who ruined England re. Brexit and brought about the end of the United Kingdom. Hell mend her for being such a smart Alex, one that English people obviously can’t see through unlike the Scots.
……………………
Came across this on the Libya ship post. Looks interesting.
https://archive.org/stream/FORTRESSSCOTLAND/FORTRESS_SCOTLAND#page/n3/mode/2up/search/77
@heedtracker
You are badly mistaken about the salaries at the BBC, hardly anyone at BBC Scotland will earn 100k. The average journalist salary is 36k.
http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salary/BBC-Broadcast-Journalist-Salaries-E5847_D_KO4,24.htm
Nana @ 09:13,
Interesting solitary comment caught at the end of that ibtimes piece about Ruthless, yet one more of the “tail wags the dog” variety. Funny how they never say that about the DUP, who really do make the old hound shimmy.
I just wish more PSBs could see these comments, just to get a fairer idea of exactly how this “Union of equals” is working out…
@Petra
Don’t know what the background is of the folk, wacky conspiratorialists or whatever, but the book at that link looks very interesting anyway!
jfngw says:
31 January, 2018 at 12:25 pm
@heedtracker
You are badly mistaken about the salaries at the BBC, hardly anyone at BBC Scotland will earn 100k. The average journalist salary is 36k.
Its not my mistake. They call themselves all manner of things at the beeb. Different beeb hacks can be called editors for example. Why, because it pays double.
I know this because Bradford explained it all yesterday morn on BBC r4 vote tory Today show.
Look if you want to believe that beeb hacks are paid so little, that’s fine but you need to look under the BBC carpet to really know.
BBC Scotland news cameramen for example are all self employed and all earn £60+k a year, plus expenses.
Listen to Bradford on BBC r4 at how it all works in Pacific Quay.
The bottle of whisky won Smallaxe! ah usually go fer a draw!
Sunniva says:
31 January, 2018 at 12:56 am
What has happened to the Scotland news on the BBC’s app? They have removed the tab. You used to be able to check UK / Scotland / World now its nothing. Are they not reporting Scotland and World news anymore?
You have to set it manualy now then it comes under my news