The Need For Speed
You can say what you want about the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and the civil service [IMPORTANT LAWYER’S NOTE: NO YOU MOST DEFINITELY CAN’T], but there’s certainly no faulting their reaction time.
That was less than eight hours, for example. Great work, team.
There’s something curious about the Geoff Aberdein story, though.
The Times claims that his evidence has been “withdrawn”, but it doesn’t say who by. Logically and semantically the only person who could do that would be Geoff Aberdein himself, but our information – from a very well-placed source – is that he hasn’t.
The paper also quoted committee member Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, whose comment appeared to clearly indicate that it wasn’t the committee’s choice either.
The Daily Record’s report was also rather circumspect about who was responsible:
According to the committee website “the Parliament” made the decision. (We’re not clear on why it took them three months.) But we don’t recall any debate or vote on it in the Holyrood chamber. So who exactly is “the Parliament” in this context?
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body mentioned above comprises six people – one MSP from each party in the chamber plus the Presiding Officer:
That means five of the six members are NOT in the SNP, and one of them – the now-independent former Green MSP Andy Wightman – is actually on the inquiry committee. So it would be quite strange for them to have been the ones choosing to obstruct the committee’s work.
But if this site has learned one thing in the past 18 months or so, it’s that nobody in Scottish public life is actually responsible for anything.
Whenever anything goes wrong, no matter how many people are put through years of hell and no matter how many millions – or even tens of millions – of pounds it costs taxpayers, it’s nobody’s fault and nobody gets punished and nobody resigns. You might, if you’re very lucky, get a half-hearted and insincere muttered apology.
But either way, there are usually contract extensions and pay rises all round.
It seems that the only thing that’s efficient in Scotland now is corruption.
Corruption is actually highly inefficient. It lowers productivity and diverts resources. This whole AS saga is certainly a good example of the fact. An awful lot of public money, in both senses, has gone to the lawyers.
Note I’m not saying the lawyers are corrupt, though if they declined to defend the egregiously guilty unless they admitted their guilt that might help things.
14 spin doctors with fabulous salaries?
Why?
That final screenshot is pretty interesting…..
I wish my employer deemed me worthy of a £20k pay rise!
The most promising thing about this is the involvement of The Times. The Daily Telegraph and Sky are already involved.
It does look as if there’s a race on to get this to the finishing line.
The finishing line for the public will be when all of the malfeasants resign.
The evidence here is overwhelming…surely. Even the ‘oor Nicola’ division can see it.
Funny thing is I was never a great fan of Alex Salmond but he has turned into a Saint these past few months.
Kieran Andrews is now with The Times. Prior to that he was with the Courier and The Sunday Post.
He is a proper investigative journalist, the type of which disappeared many years ago in Scotland. If anyone sees this as a potential Watergate scandal it will be him.
Fabulous news.
Clearly COVID is shielding this government from real scrutiny and oversight. It’s protecting Sturgeon from accountability and the truth and Boris from the Brexit balls up. The fixation on this one health issue plays the same role in NI and Wales. It’s one huge fig leaf for political incompetence and skullduggery. The Holyrood chair fillers need to start doing their jobs but the Covid shroud is being waved constantly. The redacting of documents and refusal to hear evidence is the very definition of political corruption.
So, when it comes to saving her own skin she’s like The Flash, but when it comes to saving Scotland…
Great, just great.
The self appointed President.
“The finishing line for the public will be when all of the malfeasants resign.”
I disagree – the finishing line is when they appear before a judge for sentencing.
Corruption seems to be corrupting a great many folk.
P.S. Is peter lowell still not suspended ? President Biden has made a lot of changes as soon as he arrived – The “new” SNP , not so much. Very disappointed.
The self appointed President who’s pardon her self.
The wage increase described as bumper must have been well earned.
Westminster does seem overly keen on Nicola Sturgeon remaining leader of the SNP. As a minority party after May, would suite them just fine, aided and abetted by a Westminster compliant UK media with enough ammunition to influence voting intentions right up to polling day.
This is what happens when you play by their rules.
Absolutely disgusting. The sheer effrontery displayed is shocking. How could the SNP fall into such levels of corruption? I guess it’s being the only indy game in town, thus far. They do what they like knowing they are the only option. Maps need to start speaking out or they will be shot with the crowd. *metaphorically speaking of course*
That should be MSPs btw.
It may be corruption, but at least it’s ‘our’ corruption, for a change.
Rev – hope you’ve got something set up to take out that woman’s name in case one of your trans admirers thinks it might be a good idea to post something in the middle of the night.
It’s not just the evidence that is withdrawn, it’s justice!
Yeh very good sir. As you yourself point out only one of the Committee is in the SNP. Andy Wightman is hardly reticent at calling out wrong-doing of all sorts, including the abuse of power. But nothing. NADA.
Your preferred explanation is the somewhat nebulous, “no one is responsible for anything in Scotland”. Maybe you are right IN THIS SPECIFIC case, but, other than the association you claim, I see no evidence. I see nothing in any of the reports you quote that provide evidence for Andy Wightman’s silence for one. For another McIntosh is only the Presiding Officer – BUT he isn’t standing for the Parliament in May. So what does he have to lose? What does Andy Wightman – with no party – have to lose? Sandra White – the only SNP member – is standing down in May? So is David Stewart. Liam McArthur is standing for election, as I think (but am open to correction) is Jackson Carlaw. But six person committee, four of whom are standing down, so a majority with nothing to lose.
I am not suggesting “nothing to see here, please move along”, but “plenty to see here”, so what is it that obliges four senior MSPs, soon to stand down from the Parliament, to act (or, I suppose, not act) on this matter and let us know what Aberdein had to say. Was this their idea? Or someone else’s? My guess is the latter. In which case who? Why? How?
@Astonished…..whilst I agree with you and support your view, it says at the end if the article that whatever foul-ups happen, no-one is ever bagged for it. They all continue to sit in chairs at Holyrood and Victoria Quay taking the money (quite a lot of money).
Resignations are the best we can hope for I’m afraid. I just cannot see Plod Alba arresting the vainglorious John Swinney, can you?
You wouldn’t mind if these advisers actually achieved anything much, but all they seem to do is go round in circles and up their own rear ends. Lots of lay people out there in NO Man’s (or Woman’s) Land who offer sensible advice every day, who lay out ways in which we can move forward, but, no. Ignore. Well, well, hell mend them all. They are going to get the shock of their wee ‘woke’ lives one of these fine days.
We are all sick of it, Nicola, and we are not going to vote for the SNPG to simply mount that treadmill again and take us to nowhere. We want independence. We do not want you and your ‘wokies’ to tell us that the moon is made of cheese and that God made the little, green apples. We want action. Boot out Stonewall and its oh-so-child-friendly bag of tricks, then kick out the useless ‘woke’ warriors around you, then start on the Manifesto, with top spot going to independence – immediate independence after a win, not a hundred year hiatus, then we’ll think about it. Now.
You could have been been our Boudicca. Even if the Romans did eventually crush her rebellion. She’s still remembered as a leader of her people, a people the Romans would have butchered and crushed anyway, whatever they did. What will be your epitaph? Alex Salmond was prosecuted on allegations that were thrown out of court at a massive cost to the taxpayer? Women were shoved out of the way to make room for men in frocks to lie and cheat their way into women’s spaces, and all at government expense? Hate crime became just opening your mouth or looking at someone in a ‘funny’ way, that way to be decided by the alleged victim, totally subjectively, again at government expense? You are very able to communicate and have done so extremely well during this pandemic, and we have listened, but it might be over soon, or at least, mitigated by vaccine. Now, you try listening to the people.
So the Parliament Corporate Body, mainly comprising ‘opposition’ MSPs decide to withhold evidence from a key witness in a matter of profound public interest, that could seriously incriminate the head of the governing party?
What does ‘opposition’ mean in this context?
What does ‘fair’ and ‘open’ mean any more?
What is the meaning of ‘accountability’?
What is it that brings together the interests of ‘opposition’ ‘government’ Parliamentary Corporate Body and the Head of the UK Colonial Civil Service in occupied Scotland?
Why is there now a cross-party conspiracy to thwart the public interest in discovering the truth about the murky goings-on behind this sorry tale?
It is really beyond time that all of this information and all of the other information widely alluded to was placed on the internet – through a foreign website if necessary.
This conspiracy is rapidly engulfing the entire body politic of Scotland.
It is beyond scandalous
I have just had one of my occasional flashes of left-field thought, or, as my late wife used to describe these: “A rush of shite to the brain.”
All this nonsense around the Salmond stitch-up is allowed to fester, until closer to the Holyrood Election – then, the Yoons really go on the attack.
If this Plan A works – at worst, the SNP gets back as a minority administration.
Plan A.2 might see: “in the national interest” a Unionist coallition government, which decides we need to “adjust” the Scotland Act, to further neuter Holyrood.
Then there is Plan B – Westminster decides, the Scottish governance system is so-compromised and corrupt, Holyrood must be shut down in favour of direct rule from Westminster, since the Scots are clearly incapable of running their own affairs.
Either way, bang goes Independence for the remainding portion of the “generation” which they so love to quote to us.
Banana Scot Gov
Banana SNP
Banana Police Scotland
Banana Secret Civil Service
Banana Crown Office
Banana Lord Advocate
Banana mainstream media
Banana Scottish Parliament
Scotland’s future looks bright…
I wonder how many highly rewarded NewSNP “Spin Doctors” have a job description devoted to the monitoring of WoS and other blogs demanding of constant surveillance?
A role no doubt replicated within 77th and other deep state operations.
Martin Keating’s Fund Raiser is a bit short of the £200k mark.
His quest, on our behalf, is to prove that we, the citizens of Scotland,
are Sovereign.
The SNP Government that we installed and the worst Lord Advocate in
our History have repeatedly delayed and hindered this process deliberately
in order to drive up costs for the campaign.
This obviously drives up the governments costs that we have to pick the tab on.
SNP officials now see themselves as too good for the people of this nation and
are happy to waste any amount of our money to treat us like mushrooms-
Kept in the Dark and fed shit before being sold on.
Utterly disgraceful.
If you can chip in a Fiver, it would help!
link to crowdjustice.com
It seems unlikely that no-one in the SG, etc, is aware of the Streisand Effect.
Funny thing is I was never a great fan of Alex Salmond but he has turned into a Saint these past few months.
I always thought it was a stitch up, but I was ready to believe he was maybe a bit of a creep at the outset. Realising there was a massive police trawl, hundreds of women interviewed (and children apparently), and his name was made public in relation to the allegations makes me think he must be a bloody saint as well. I mean, he has been in politics for decades, at Westminster, far from home with access to free bars, and he’s been the most scrutinised politician ever, especially in the run up to 2014. And once his name was out there with the allegations that would generally prompt other women to come forward (genuine and vexatious for a divisive public figure). And yet they ended up in court with “hair pinging”; “touching someone’s knee in a car when her husband was there”; and various other things at public events where his wife and countless witnesses were present, none of whom saw anything. I’m going for saint or asexual
Collapsing the Holyrood inquiry ‘due to obstruction’ would have a devastating effect.
Better that, than a whitewash.
And it would NOT be the end of the story.
@ Socrates MacSporran at 5.02
I’ve feared some or all of these types of scenarios for quite some time. We might now be in the position Ireland was pre 1790s with all that that entailed and everything after.
What are the “legal obligations “ re: Aberdeen’s evidence?
Is Sturgeon more bothered about being found out as a liar or does it relate to her personal life?
Funny how I am praying for unionist politicians and media to go to town on this debacle, it feels weird LOL
Cenchos says:
21 January, 2021 at 5:07 pm
It seems unlikely that no-one in the SG, etc, is aware of the Streisand Effect.
Interesting thought that it might be deliberate and for a purpose.
James, could “legal obligations” refer to the SG’s “duty of care” to its employees? So far, the inquiry seems to have talked a lot without saying anything. Nobody in the SG/Civil Service has criticised anyone else in the SG/Civil Service, as far as I can recall. Is it possible that Jeff Aberdien’s evidence is such that it does criticise members of the SG/Civil Service?
@Cath
It’s so unfair. He’s been married for ages and has stuck with his wife whereas loads of MPs have been unfaithful and dumped their wives. I think of how the cabal also tried to ruin the lives of his wife and family. And ruin his marriage.
He was a pretty good guy with women by the sounds of things, he probably has loads of opportunity as power is the greatest aphrodisiac.
And all they got on him was :
One case of a consensual cuddle which he being the boss apologised for and she accepted and carried on working for him, clearly never happened again.
It is a sin.
I will never forgive the Scottish parliament for providing me zero viable voting options (e.g. a political party/MSP with INTEGRITY).
Treachery.
link to archive.is
Wow.
@Hugh Jarse – that’s what I think too, Hugh.
The Inquiry, for whatever reason, has become discredited. No-one takes it seriously any more. Peter Murrell doesn’t even take it seriously.
This website and the excellent contributions from The Times, The Telegraph and Sky is what is setting the agenda now.
Kieran Andrews from The Times has run fabulous investigative stories for years at all the papers he has worked for.
They all have far more information than has been handed-over to the Inquiry team.
When I read the names ‘Fabiani’ and ‘Baillie’ I already thought that it would be a guaranteed stitch-up and so it has turned-out.
Could it be the clerks to the committee that made the decision that Geoff Aberdein’s evidence couldn’t be published ?
So the question is who are the clerks to the committee responsible to or ( controlled ) by ,
1. The committee members ,
2. The Scottish Government ,
3. The Parliament ,
4. The Civil Servants ,
5. The Msps .
Wasn’t it the clerks to the committee that published Alex Salmond’s evidence redacted against his wishes ?
No matter who is responsible for this its out and out total corruption within Scotland and needs to be fully investigated .
I’ve already asked this on Twitter, but had no response. Can anyone tell me who has the power and the right to decide any piece of evidence cannot be shared, even with the committee and even privately?
I am slow. I have followed as much as i can but just now went for a walk and i started to see things as whole not a series of events. It was Gordon Dangerfield, in his last article, who started to put parts of it together and then a Wings article about a fact finding mission and then this mornings Wings and one of the spaghettis (i think i have one from the Severin Carrell/Dani Garavelli articles) then this present massive cover up and i suddenly realised what a tangled, but actually quite simple, web they have spun. The jigsaw points to one person.
It is like a crime story, not an Agatha Christie but an Ian Rankin story where nothing makes sense until you have the ending and then suddenly you realise how bloody simple it was.
But shockingly corrupt.
Now blocking Joanna Cherry takes on new shades of meaning. They may have planning for this moment for a year or more.
When you think about it, all of this proves that Holyrood was set up, given legislation and checks and balances which were inadequate to protect it from corruption. We know there was never supposed to be a majority government – presumably another check that has failed.
Imagine what decades of Labour propped up by wee side parties like the Libdems would have gotten away with? The scandals that dogged Glasgow council and Strathclyde would pale in comparison. And yet, it has happened with the SNP. I suggest this is the sign of political immaturity born from Holyrood being kept as a junior parliament, allowed to tinker with GRA but nothing serious like broadband roll out or safe drug use. Almost inevitable, and not at all a sign that Scots can’t run their own affairs, anymore than someone forced by circumstances to stay at home with parents well into their 30’s is incapable of living independently while still outwardly behaving like a teenager.
I sincerely hope that Martin Keating’s case is successful and that we can come out from those shadows as modern legally sovereign people, not reliant on muttering about Arbroath Declaration or the Acts and Treaty of Union, nor yet the Scotland Act – though these are all the scaffolding of the case for it being true. Then Holyrood will be forced to admit its true potential and it will be quite clear if it’s too scared to meet its destiny.
If the case falls into vague pronouncement or fails then it’s going to be a very slow, long journey to persuade our political, legal and social establishment that it truly can do it right and be what we need. Time it doesn’t have.
He’s been married for ages and has stuck with his wife
Yes. The trial made a lot of the fact he was older than the women making the allegations, but he is almost 20 years younger than his wife too.
It sure pays those Spads to say “I’m with Nicola”.
Jackie Ballie’s no daft
link to archive.is
This is so corrupt they checked with the policy while developing processes with hypothetical questions on two complainants, clearly they had the Salmond allegations and were designing a process round them. Then they ignored the advice and went straight to the prosecution service.
One thing I don’t understand the ‘consensual cuddle’ she complained at the time it was dealt with she accepted the apology and continued working with Alex. Why did she complain again.
And Ms H was one of the two original complianants. How she wasn’t a civil servant and she told her story to McCann which is party so how did that come about?
Belgian MEP Phillipe Lamberts: ‘Nicola Sturgeon come across as a genuine person, politically astute and someone whose word can be trusted’.
I prefer Alex’s opinion myself.
By the way, Phillipe goes on to wonder if Nicola might one day become President of the EU. Not kidding.
“He’s been married for ages and has stuck with his wife”
I’m sure Alex’s wife and women in general would love to hear that.
Alex by his own admission is no angel.
I think the big bad wolfe is a rabid britnat and may be moonlighting for MI5.
That Scotsman article is damning.
If their behaviour were to be replicated in a criminal trial, then it would be akin to the defendent deciding what evidence the prosecution could use, with the threat of incarceration should the prosecutor present anything without the agreement of the defendent.
If the people played by the same rules as the imposters masquerading as a nationalist government, Scotland would have a 0% conviction rate.
Just a small observation. Depending on how up to date that photograph is, her greying roots are clearly noticeable (which I haven’t noticed before). Speed is indeed of the essence, otherwise we’re all headed for epsom ‘eath before too long at this rate.
Thanks to TruthForDummies on a previous thread, I’ll be taking them up on their suggestion to spoil the first ballot paper with a statement re SNP corruption & putting my x next to ISP on the second ballot paper.
Why can’t Aberdein just re-submit a single line “Me and Nicola *discussed/did not discuss* the Salmond allegations on whatever date it was” with a wee circle around the correct asterisked option?
Surely can’t be any legal issues there, nothing else talked about.
There’s certainly something very fishy going on in Holyrood.
Absolutely damning. listening to Gordon Dangerfield talking to Tommy Sheridan.
I’m gobsmacked (horrified) to find out that former head of Mi5 works for SNP, and is married to Leslie Evans: The fundamental role of mi5 is to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom: The fundamental role of SNP is to achieve Scottish Independence:
link to en.wikipedia.org
link to mi5.gov.uk
link to en.wikipedia.org
@Roan Jagger
Thanks for that link – put it out on twitter. Everyone should see it.
Is that a fucking huge crack in the dam I see before me? Oh, shit, this isn’t just a puddle, is it?
I can’t shake off the feeling that Nicola knows that as long as she hasn’t set the date for indyref2, she will continue to be ‘protected’, but should she dare set a date, the gloves will come off at just the right time and she will be badly exposed as will the wider Yes campaign.
I genuinely feel it is the Murrels ego that is now standing in the way of Scotland’s independence!
Prasad,
if your conclusions are true (or even partially useful and so liable to somehow lead another inquirer towards truth), please take steps (as I hope you already have!) to safeguard yourself – and whatever you may have deduced – from those who have much to hide or gain by your silence.
I have read enough detective fiction where someone who ‘knows too much’ becomes the subject of hostile attention. I guess you have, too.
Safest way might be to divulge your conclusions but through some channel that leaves you in the clear.
Prasad says:
21 January, 2021 at 5:26 pm
“I am slow. I have followed as much as i can but just now went for a walk and i started to see things as whole not a series of events. It was Gordon Dangerfield, in his last article, who started to put parts of it together and then a Wings article about a fact finding mission and then this mornings Wings and one of the spaghettis (i think i have one from the Severin Carrell/Dani Garavelli articles) then this present massive cover up and i suddenly realised what a tangled, but actually quite simple, web they have spun. The jigsaw points to one person.
It is like a crime story, not an Agatha Christie but an Ian Rankin story where nothing makes sense until you have the ending and then suddenly you realise how bloody simple it was.
But shockingly corrupt.
Now blocking Joanna Cherry takes on new shades of meaning. They may have planning for this moment for a year or more.”
Gregor @6:04 pm
Think you have the wrong “intel” Check here link to twitter.com
Ample scope, I’d think, for grilling the First Minister over this silencing, in FMQs at Holyrood. She promised full cooperation. Call the Lord Advocate and Linda Fabiani there to answer to Parliament in person if need be.
If Scotland had its Citizens’ Assembly Second Chamber by now (as I hope to see), then that would be another arena for probing queries by which truth could be dug out.
The police statement in the Scotsman is yet again further proof thst the Scottish government had clear intentions to role play possible outcomes for Alex.
As the letter confirms the questions submitted were not of a generic nature but focused on a certain set of circumstances.
The dates of this advice is also crucial.
Not sure what to say but if so much effort is being expended in protecting the woman with no name she has to be central to the whole mess and knows where the bodies are buried so to speak. So a lot of effort going into keeping Geoff Aberdein’s evidence away from the enquiry and the woman with no name under wraps.
@Sylvia
Many apologies, and thanks for putting me right. My blood is boiling so much over this rotten saga that I cannot think straight, however, I’m not apologising to Leslie Evans.
Gregor at 5:02
More for your ‘Scotland’s future is bananas’
NS was suffering from ‘twitchy-mouth’ syndrome at yesterday’s FMQs and did not appear at today’s press briefing. Perhaps the strain of managing the media attention (Covid19 of course) could lead to an early retirement on health grounds.
@ Gregor
You don’t want your blood boiling, but you don’t want it to be too cold. This may keep your temp up though.
link to twitter.com
I know the answer will be up somewhere but I can’t find it – so I’ll ask again:
Are people who have committed perjury protected from prosecution if there is an anonymity order for them?
Socrates macsporran,
I think you may have hit it on the head in one.
They closed down Stormont for 3 years, they have their Edinburgh hub in place to take over running Scotland, what better than corruption on a large scale throughout Scotland institutes, to see off Indy, and to see off a plebiscite Holyrood Election.
One way or another NS is serving them well.
Watching Armando Ianucci on inside culture with Mary Beard. The conversation was about leaders being unable to give up power and I was struck by how Armando perfectly describes Nicola Sturgeon without actually naming her. Scary accurate.
Gregor says:
21 January, 2021 at 6:04 pm
I’m gobsmacked (horrified) to find out that former head of Mi5 works for SNP, and is married to Leslie Evans:
You can rest easy on that one Gregor. her husband is a guy who runs a company called Del Boy International.
I’m sure had he been part of MI5 it might have been an even worse mess:-)
What needs to be done, for the sake of Independence and Scotland and the people of Scotland is to make sure that the public know what’s happened and that it is only a certain number of people involved and they are known and will be rooted out as long as enough good folk vote for independence. IF people think the whole lot are rotten to the core – then WM will have a stranglehold on control. Sturgeon and Murrell MUST be bought to book
@Daisy Walker – The corruption of the legal profession and the proliferation of ‘partnering law firms’ is the main reason this story has become so opaque.
Law in Scotland is not there to provide public protection any longer. It is there to provide protection to the political and civil service Mob.
Think of the Robert Duval character in The Godfather. He was the Corleone family attorney. Not dissimilar at-all to James Wolffe…..don’t you think?
Who would pay money to these arseholes.
Dakk – Alex is no angel.
Humans are not and never can be angels otherwise they wouldn’t be known as humans
Now, weirdly, I’m convinced she’s fucked.
The desperation is growing and the media is starting to turn on her.
I’d bet heavily she won’t be FM by June and I’m told that betting- usually more accurate than polling- agrees with this, what are other readers’ experiences of this?
@holymacmoses
I doubt if Scots law has dealt with perjurers, who are covered by an anonymity order, so it’s likely no laws have been written for this set of circumstances.
If, for arguments sake, it did prevent them from being taken to court for criminal acts, if you think about it, you would be granting them a get out of jail card on a par with Royalty.
So, I think more likely, criminal proceedings could be taken against them, but the anonymity order would continue to be enforced, and perhaps reviewed pending a conviction (for perjury in the case that granted the anonymity order). If that makes sense.
dakk:
Alex by his own admission is no angel.
Neither am I, but I have no need of a plaster saint to do a politician’s work.
Captain Yossarian : Sorry I wasn’t getting at you. I meant that this is sooooo huge the conspirators should be jailed.
They should be.
@holymacmoses says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:14 pm
“You can rest easy on that one Gregor. her husband is a guy who runs a company called Del Boy International.
I’m sure had he been part of MI5 it might have been an even worse”
If he had ever worked for MI5 chances are you, me and most other people would never know. Bit like the NCA, they tend to keep a low profile.
Daisy Walker says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:25 pm
@holymacmoses
I doubt if Scots law has dealt with perjurers, who are covered by an anonymity order, so it’s likely no laws have been written for this set of circumstances.
Hi Daisy
My biggest problem is if she can’t be legally named how can she (or they) be prosecuted UNLESS the order is lifted once a case that needs to be answered is sent to the Proc Fisc and how can a case that needs to be answered be sent to the Proc Fisc if no-one is allowed to ask any questions in relation to her (their) involvement in the initial case by dint of the anonymity order? It’s a bit of a Catch 22 situation but I suspect that there will be an answer through the courts.
A Person says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:24 pm
Now, weirdly, I’m convinced she’s fucked.
It is a nicely controlled demolition, with an election looming and that.
As supporters of independence, we are horrified by the level of corruption that has soiled the nationalist cause. What the SNP is now would make any true patriot fear for the future of an independent Scotland.
Is this really the best we can do?
Seriously?
Nobodies accountable, nobodies responsible, nobody get fired, every body gets a pay rise, and nearly all of them don’t want independence, oh and we the public pay for all their corrupt mistakes.
Looks like they’re making the rules up as they go along, and the Lord Advocate and COPFS, via the police are enforcing them and charging and arresting anyone who speaks out. My only power is my vote and I can use it to show my disgust.
Why would the Scottish government be asking the police about referral scenarios in Aug 2017, when at that time the women had not even lodged a formal complaint? They did so in Jan 2018.
Hard isnt it?
Quick question, does anybody know or have a list of the First Ministers advisors? Or is their an official listing somewhere?
It just seems that things keep on being done (especially in relation to the awful treatment of Alex Salmond), but NOBODY knows who in the Scottish government has done it. It is frankly bizarre that nobody in the committe running the enquiry knows either.
It is like we have gone through the Holyrood looking glass…
Beaker says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:31 pm
@holymacmoses says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:14 pm
“You can rest easy on that one Gregor. her husband is a guy who runs a company called Del Boy International.
“If he had ever worked for MI5 chances are you, me and most other people would never know. Bit like the NCA, they tend to keep a low profile.”
I guess you’re right in most cases but I think DelBoy is perhaps not too much of a risk
LBC radio claiming that its looking very likely that cross cooperation in the UK will see lockdown lasting until April 1st.
” The fundamental role of SNP is to achieve Scottish Independence:”
Gregor @ 6.04pm.
Not any more it isn’t, its objective is now to remain in power within this union.
What we are all now living under is Faccism!!
Its a crying shame that ISP aren’t standing candidates in constituency seats, they’d get my vote and many others I think.
n a pool hall in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, a group of boxers and nightclub bouncers are discussing elections. They were recently taken to meet an army general, who offered them money to wear t-shirts of the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (nrm), and fight rowdy opposition supporters in the streets. The sum was not enough, they thought. Then disappointment turned to fear when a well-known champion boxer who had publicly backed the nrm was gunned down by security agents in the night, amid rumours that he had fallen out with his erstwhile patrons. Politicians view the urban poor with contempt, says a bouncer. “When they see them in the ghetto smoking weed, they think that they are useless,” he complains. “But they come to realise they are useful when it is time for elections.” ( Courtesy of the Economist 21 Jan)
I’m no legal eagle, but it appears that throughout this whole sorry mess we’ve had more than just a whiff of perjury, attempts to defeat the ends of justice, attempts to pervert the course of justice, misconduct in public office, contempt of court, breaches of ministerial code, etc. etc.
But can we seriously expect anything to come of this other than “nothing to see here folks, move along”?
Not a bloody chance!
Is Russia still handing out Passports to anyone who wants? At least Putin makes no pretence of what he is or what he does.
Unlike our shower of ‘unmentionables’ – both known and ‘unknown’.
So, the alphabet woman who says that she was sexually assaulted by Alex Salmond at a Bute House function……only, all the witnesses at the trial testified that she wasn’t even at the function.
On the basis of that, has she committed perjury…..against a senior politician, perhaps ruining his life for ever?
Yet the Scottish Government are doing all they possibly can to protect the identity of this woman, even although they know it is hugely damaging to their own carefully managed credibility.
They have Sky News, the Daily Telegraph and The Times on their case and yet they still won’t let it be said who she is.
She must be a real VIP…. If the danger of revealing her identity is greater than the danger of concealing her identity, then what else can you say.
Robert Louis says:
21 January, 2021 at 7:54 pm
Quick question, does anybody know or have a list of the First Ministers advisors? Or is their an official listing somewhere?
I’m sure there is a better list but this might serve for now. The latest appointment was the young lad from Aberdeen who failed to get in at the last election – seems a strange choice. This is the expenses list
link to gov.scot
@Robert Louis
Try this
With the Buffon in number 10 and Tammany Hall back in charge of the US , Scotland just don’t want to feel left out.
Very sad but very true Stu. ALL public bodies are not responsible for any wrong doing, and no one is held to account.
The nhs is no different. Unions are bought and are in ‘partnership’ with management. This is particularly dangerous for staff and patients.
The Scottish government thinks it is untouchable just now but exposing them the way you have is crucial.
This is one big cover up but the truth will not be silenced
The dissident,
Many thanks. Their are a lot on that list..quite hard to believe that so many advisors are needed. Anybody know how much they get paid? Really what I’m asking are these roles for party workers within the SNP, or are they graded as civil servants, and paid accordingly?? More importantly just how much power do they have?
Just a pity none of them is called Malcolm Tucker, I guess. At least the corruption and cover up excuses would be funny.
Ugly building with ugly dealings
Republicofscotland
It’s probably too early for the ISP to go toe-to-toe with the SNP. If they gain success on the list and disaffected voters stay home they might just find themselves in a coalition in a minority government. Gain a couple of years experience in parliament (assuming it’s still around) just to polish/toughen up the troops and they’d be in an excellent position to pull the plug on the SNP and take over.
I used to think Angus Robertson was ok a few years ago.
I reckon hes going for the FM job when she resigns due to ‘work load’ stress., then goes of to get ‘ promoted’ somewhere else.
Lothianlad, the path is clear for Angus, no reckoning about it. And, where the path isn’t clear it’s getting proactively cleared for him. God help anyone who happens to be on the path
Surprisingly non balanced list, that. More of the male sex than the female, unless, of course, some identify otherwise.
The obvious reason for excluding his evidence would be if it unavoidably identified, or unavoidably aided in identifying one of the complainants to the AS criminal trial.
However even in that case, one would expect that the evidence could be published in censored form, as some of the other evidence has been; but if that then precludes the committee from seeing the same evidence, and hence hiding significant facts, maybe it would make his evidence moot?
I’d have thought that the committee would have been able to see evidence in camera, not publish that, yet still depend upon it. However some of the recent disclosures tend to suggest that is not the case.
Which then further points to the need for a Judge led inquiry, as such could be trusted to treat the evidence properly, while not needing to disclose it.
Is it just me or is Holyrood full of menopausal women and beta males?
‘All the President’s Men’ is just starting on BBC4. Fabulous.
“‘All the President’s Men’ is just starting on BBC4. Fabulous.”
Watched it a few nights ago. Thought it was actually quite a boring movie. But the resonance really hit home.
Jack, might be both at the same time, who knows these days
@Stuart MacKay
Reckon you’re right: I’ve thought from the start that the movement &/or those disaffected with the SNP probably left it too late to start a “real” alternative. I understand why they said they’d only target list seats, but to be honest that only ever really made sense if they could somehow hold the balance of power or hold the SNP’s feet to the fire.
If, as I suspect, it’s now too late to make May 2021 elections, there is really nothing to stop “real” independence supporters standing up a new party (or joining the ISP) to challenge the SNP properly.
Looks like we’re going to have five years to do it…..
@holymacmoses,
Re difficulty in reporting the anonymous alphabet women for possible contempt of court, because of their anonymity.
The initial complaint would either have to be instigated by AS and his legal team, or the Procurator Fiscal. Although, thinking about it, the judge could also instigate it. All of them would have knowledge of correct names, for the purpose of the enquiry and court proceedings.
Andy Ellis,
To be fair the landscape has changed a lot in the past few weeks. I’d guess that starting a party is a lot of heavy lifting and, unless you’re a pure opportunist like Farage, that just goes for hot-button issues, it requires a lot of groundwork that makes direction hard to change – at least until you reach the point where you can attract some talent and start to delegate.
However you’re right there is space opening for a party that focused solely on independence – which is what the SNP or at least a sizeable portion of it should have been all along until the baubles of power were dangled by Westminster. Perhaps if some names from the SNP split off that could hit the ground running but more likely it’s going to take a bit of time to get things going.
This is only week 3 of 2021 and already perceptions here and in the public at large have changed enormously. I could not begin to guess what state the situation will be in by the end of February. Right now every day feels like a lifetime.
What is clear, just like the founding fathers of the USA, there is an absolute wealth of material available on how to do things right or at least how not to do things.
I can’t wait to see how things unfold but right now it’s agony.
@Cenchos says:
21 January, 2021 at 5:07 pm
It seems unlikely that no-one in the SG, etc, is aware of the Streisand Effect.
“…it’s a bit like the plot of Evita, the bullshit will flow by the litre…”?
Don’t remember seeing a copy of
All the President’s Men on Sturgeon’s book shelf,
I don’t suppose, she’s heard Bob’s
Idiot Wind either.
More from Sky News:
link to archive.is
That crack is growing and so is the puddle….
@Rev – And who is in charge of covert operations at Holyrood and Victoria Quay? I wonder.
In Washington, it was the FBI and the CIA who were told to back off. In Edinburgh, it’s the Lord Advocate….much simpler.
I wonder if we have a deepthroat; or may we have more than one.
You’re quite right though; a fairly tedious film but most apposite at the moment.
All the President’s Men ??
Richard Nixon on G.Gordon Liddy (paraphrased)the Washington Tapes
“Is it Nickie? Is that the fellow? She must be a little nuts. I mean she just isn’t well screwed on is she? Isn’t that the problem?”
Or Leslie as applicable
So…
Aberdeen submitted his evidence
Aberdeen has not retracted his evdence
SPBC have decided for legal obligations it cannot be published
Inquiry members mumbling about an incomplete report
First of all, to whom are these obligations that are of a legal nature? SP is not sovereign the Scottish people are & we need to know. SPBC need to explain themselves better to justify this position. So much for transparency if they don’t.
Second, surely the Inquiry can demand to see the evidence even if it is not made public & have a closed evidence session with Aberdeen? I’m sure many of us would be happy with that as the important issue is that the Inquiry receives & hears ALL the evidence. Any final report can then be considered complete & if necessary redacted re Aberdeen input if those “legal obligations” are sustainable.
If the Inquiry hope to have even a vague sense of respect from the people that they did a good job, this issue has to be sorted PDQ.
A criminal Scottish Government stinking of corruption.
The ” enquiry” is starting to sound like Establishment cover up because we can bet that the British Establishment is at the heart of this.