The Other Alphabet Gang
The two main centres of infection for the woke entryist poison currently disfiguring the SNP are Stirling and Aberdeen, where they coalesce around two Westminster MPs – Twitler Youth gauleiter Alyn Smith and the worryingly unhinged Kirsty Blackman.
In recent months Wings has documented numerous attempts by the faction (which is chiefly characterised by its hyper-extremist and fundamentalist version of transgender ideology) to gerrymander and fix the party’s internal election processes to ensure that its disciples – who are enormously unpopular among the grassroots membership and have repeatedly failed to win by playing fair – get selected as candidates.
But now they’re really scraping the barrel.
That’s because one of the problems for people trying to get selected in multi-member elections (such as regional lists) is alphabetical favouritism. That is, when faced with a bunch of names they probably don’t know from Adam A. Aardvark, people just pick the first one that seems appropriate to their general political outlook.
Veteran readers may recall the 2007 Holyrood election, when the SNP was branded “Alex Salmond For First Minister” on the list ballot, so that it appeared at the top of the paper – a trick some credit with the party’s hair’s-breadth one-seat victory over Labour, which put them in government and set in train everything that’s happened since.
(And which Labour were still bleating about 18 months later.)
So if you’re stuck with a mid-alphabet name like (to pick a random example) Mennie, and nobody likes you because you’re a creepy bloke who insists on using women’s toilets, you’re probably a bit knackered, because your party’s voters will probably put their X down for a candidate whose surname starts with a cool letter like C, leaving you trailing in behind Labour and the Tories like a chump.
But wait! We just thought of a great plan!
Oh, that’s embarrassing.
Josh Mennie hasn’t suddenly got married, and he hasn’t been on Ancestry.com and discovered previously-unknown posh relatives. His sister is still called Jessica Mennie and his mammy, who he amusingly sometimes sends to fight his battles for him in the Wings comments, is still called Julie Mennie.
So where’s “Aaron” come from? It’s actually one of his middle names.
So desperate is Mennie to somehow claw his way to the top of the list rankings that not content with just declaring himself as disabled on account of Tourette’s Syndrome, he’s now cheating his way up the alphabet as well, just in case someone else with a disability contests the region who’s a bit less icky than he is.
We must admit we’re very excited to have his mammy show up in the comments again and tell us furiously that he’s actually always been double-barrelled.
But he’s not alone. Readers, meet Gill Al-Samarai.
Although you may know her by another name, such as the THREE versions used in the opening paragraphs of this remarkable Press & Journal piece, all starting with S.
It’s curious because her husband Laith, who’s the chair of Bridge Of Don Community Council, still uses the (middle) S version.
As does his dad Faris, who is one of his co-directors at Caledonian Airborne Ltd.
So it’s only Gill who – for some reason we couldn’t possibly even begin to speculate about – has decided to go by a different, and quite coincidentally more alphabetically advantageous, surname than her hubby and father-in-law.
Mennie and (Al-)Samarai are both connected to Kirsty Blackman – Samarai as noted in the P&J story, and Mennie used to intern for Blackman. Or Kirsty West as she used to be known, before greatly surprising SNP colleagues in Aberdeen – who we’re told she’d insisted to many times that she’d never get married – by getting hitched to Luke Blackman in 2012 before being selected as candidate for the 2015 UK election.
(Blackman is, of course, an advocate of any forms of selection bias that favour her.)
So don’t be terribly shocked, readers, if you start to encounter some unfamiliar names like Rhiannon Abacus or Fiona Abandonware cropping up in the next couple of weeks. Because these people are so desperate to get onto the gravy train that we wouldn’t put it past one of them to change their name to Aaaaaaaah Bisto.
An 800 word set up. Comedy gold, sir.
This is like something out of Viz or Alan B’Stard. But with less charm.
Seriously there needs to be an awareness campaign so voters can be enlightened to whichever grubby gravy grabbing gender extremist they could be voting for
I’m not surprised that people want to do this. My separated wife’s maiden name is well down the far end of the alphabet. I’m an A. So she liked marrying me since she was sick of coming far down lists. After more than 30 years there’ll be no changing back for her.
At least on the actual List in May parties not people wil be listed. As for the likelihood of the SNP getting a List seat here in the NE that is practically nil. Last time they took all but one of the constituencies but still needed another 35k votes to get List seat. So you can imagine how many this time.
Which is why if you are in the NE it makes more sense to vote for us in the ISP instead fo wasting your vote on the SNP to elect nobody, or maybe that should be a nobody.
I’ve heard people who know her say that Rhiannon Spear is damn aardvark.
Hope that doesn’t put her at the top of the ballot paper.
All attempts at altering apellations are audacious artifice and are arrantly abhorrent at all attempts
I remember, years ago, reading a magazine article in which it was said: “The mantra of the thrusting young mid-level executives in the Disney Corporation is -‘anyting for the mouse’.”
The present-day Junta at the head of the SNP has taken that a bit further, their mantra appears to be: “anything for the rats.”
That gravy train/Aaaaaaaah Bisto gag. LOL.
how dare you express LITERAL VIOLENCE against Aardvarks.
Aardvarkphobist monsters!
thinks…… no idea what an Aarvark is. Off to google
Ironically, the SNP woke candidates are all assholes.
Hi could someone please post the link to the wings column that contained Alex Salmond’s evidence on the breaches of ministerial code?
It’s not the recent one it’s the one that was redacted but Wings published.
It’s to post to folk in denial
I’ve been searching the site but can’t find it
Thanks
Very clever – gravy train bisto haha
(Aaron)-Mennie is actually standing in a BAME region, as far as I’m aware. No doubt we’ll start hearing about his interesting ancestry shortly.
I won’t be voting SNP on the list – I’ll vote for whoever is most electable among those who declare the ballot a plebiscite on independence.
I’m still struggling with the constituency ballot. We have a new candidate currently an unknown quantity to me – but chosen from an all-female list. But I don’t want to let Tory or Red Tory in by default.
It’s a real conundrum – I’ve been a SNP member for decades. I’m not happy!
Sturgeon:
‘I’m in favour of gender bias mechanisms for party selection processes to ensure more women are selected. It’s the only thing that works. For me. ‘
Utilising a patriarchal construct such as the alphabet towards achieving their own ends? Bloody class A hypocrites.
Found it.
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Oh it’s all redacted
That’s really bad
aaaaah
So you would cast your ballot for a morally corrupt and vindictive leadership of a party that has wasted your money and time, has taken your dreams and tossed them aside in order to line their own pockets and feed their own ego’s .This you reason is the better evil to vote for in the hope that they understand your not endorsing their actions and policy’s by rebelling against them on the list vote
In their time in power they have not in any recognisable way
Improved the lot of the average person
Laid out a viable economic plan for indie Scotland
Addressed the path to independence
Built up Scotland’s international support for independence
Listened to the peoples will on domestic matters
They have though carried out their own agendas and strangled the free press whilst solidifying their grip by colluding with the legal establishment to suppress opposition
If they do gain indie it will be a free and independent country as long as you obey the new ruling class dictatorship
Well done the deluded SNP stalwarts I know it’s hard to admit you been conned but conned you have been the SNP is not what you believed it should be
Par for the course it seems, cheating to get your own way seems to run from top to bottom, this is frightening stuff.
https://sourcenews.scot/robin-mcalpine-the-foundations-of-scotlands-democracy-have-crumbled-and-you-should-worry/?fbclid=IwAR2U8xzzKOkybW3QqrpLDZfULrXfWf4OZQI-f-D-ry84QL6atpzDjhmyjSc
It appears to have been written in August, 20, but it only makes sense to me now after what has been revealed on WOS. A few months ago I listened to 2 interviews of SNP MPs and I could’nt understand by they were so unwilling to give opinions on questions asked, they sounded like Stepford wives! Its because they are not allowed to have opinions.
Wings should set up a choir to redo the old classic Monty Python lumberjack sketch:
I post vile tweets, I call folk c***s
I go to the lavatory
But always use the ladies’
When I need an SNPee
I’m an utter prat and I’m wokey
I squeal when I don’t get my way
I look real sweet, in my high heels
Suspendies and a bra
But if you slag me on here
You’ll hear from my mama…
Does’nt Al just mean “the” in Arabic.
Aaron Aarons must be in with a shout.
Fck this makes SNP north Lanarkshire and SNP Provan look innocent by comparison. These pathetic examples by the entitled are so desperate, however the cringe element makes for some good reading and having a good laugh just now is very welcomed.
A perfect illustration of the utter mediocrity of many SNP candidates who see a cushy £60k salary for the next four years, and nothing much to do except indulge their favourite hobbies. So long as they keep nodding though whatever the monarch proposes a lovely little earner, and you don’t even have to do a proper job. A sign of their desperation to get on the gravy train is you can call them whatever you like, as long as it starts with A. What principled people, so keen to serve the public.
@Dave Beverage,
Right. That quite enough of that. Now for something completely different.
Hi, I’m Andy Aaron-Cheddar, your SNP candidate.
As Bugger, I might have a fighting chance.
But, who needs the money, baksheesh, chauffered driven Mondeos and cheap grub?
With pubs changing their names due to “perceived” racism, how long till the woke crowd turn on their own and force Kirsty to change her name to something less racist?
After this article you can sxpect the “deed poll” to take a hammering. Overworked staff changing names of SNP hopefuls.
Denise says:
13 February, 2021 at 1:21 pm
“Found it.
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Oh it’s all redacted”
Still available on Grousebeaters site
I’m going to put myself forward as:
Aaron Aardvark
What a bunch of grubbers.
I’ve had some great news this weekend, I’m immune to wokerea,so no more feeling sick when I hear of their crap.
I’ve also got a poster for my window,
SNP
NFC
I do volunteering for the local yes2 hub, when open! visitors ask about my aversion to SNP, and I explain; if you have a washing machine that is not working as it should, do you keep paying to have it fixed when the experts are telling you it is beyond help or do you scrap it as passed its best and buy a new one?
It may let in a unionist candidate, but is this worse than what we have? At least you know that they’re not going to give you Indy.
If it reduces the SNP party to a return to sanity and a chance to rebuild knowing the previous mistakes,is this not a good thing?
Only 5 years to get it right next time, I probably won’t see it but my offspring will.
Self ID for sex, self-ID for disability, now self-ID for names. Is there any limit to how far these fraudsters will contort reality to benefit their own political and toilet-invading ambitions?
“Oh it’s all redacted”
DOESN’T ANYONE CLICK THE DAMN LINKS?
Ahhm a Samurai, sented samurai.
A B C D E F G
My Name begins with all of them
so vote for me.
There’s a street in Perth that houses lots of B and B’s. Back in the days before interweb, folk used to phone up the tourist board for recommendations, however, their computer chunted the names out Alphabetically, so Aaricht House BnB always got first dibs, followed by Alba, etc.
Once they all cottoned on, they all changed their names to something Gaelicie sounding beginning with double AA’s at the start.
Vote for Cane n Abel, no wait, Abel’s not really able, she’s dis – able, no wait you can’t dis Abel, ‘tsno fair’ she’s special and so’s her mother – Cane.
Think I’ll vote for Anyone But.
O>T> but, a sad day for Scotland – Sydney Devine died this morning.
@Denise
It’s still here:
https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2021/02/04/salmond-hamilton-inquiry/
Isn’t there actually a law about altering your name for official purposes without first having legally changed it by deed poll, or marraige?
Pretty sure there is. Also pretty sure its likely to be a ‘thing’ with the Electorial Commission.
As an aside, the “Description (if any)” box in the second picture provides the comedy gold of
“Scottish Liberal Democrat Focus Team” and
“Aberdeen Labour, making it happen” (LOLZ)
Can the candidates/parties put any old shit in for that, as opposed to it being something obvious like say the official name of the party they are standing for?
The A team.
wull says:
13 February, 2021 at 1:57 pm
The A team.
😀
I would like to thank Mike Russell, the SNP president, for his brave, heroic, principled stance against these roasters. And the SNP members who insulted, harassed and threatened J. Cherry QC. And his condemnation of K. Oswald and C.Graham for their gerrymandering of the NEC vote. Very well done Mike……….Oh wait….
I am seriously thinking of abstaining on my first vote. My second vote is ALMOST certainly for ISP (confirm its a plebiscite and I’ll even campaign for you). If cowardly MSPs lose their jobs – it is no more than they deserve.
If genderwoowoo is front and centre of the May campaign and spears, mennie and graham are candidates then the SNP is toast if they get near a microphone.
Finally my only hope at the moment is :
Liar Johnston will be unlikely to last the full term. A vote of no confidence and the next westminster election is a plebiscite. And the SNP will need to have expelled the woowoo or they’re finished.
PS Where is the ring-fenced money ?
can one register as A.R.SOLE? OR, R. STORNAWAY? or, A.WIZAFIT?
I’m voting for Aaron A. Aaronson.
They will be most pissed off now you have outed them Stu.
I bet they get so annoyed every time you expose their schemes. Ha ha
Astonished says:
13 February, 2021 at 2:04 pm
My second vote is ALMOST certainly for ISP (confirm its a plebiscite and I’ll even campaign for you).
Hi Astonished if you’ve signed up for ISP membership I suspect a plebiscite is high on the pre election virtual conference agenda to be held on Saturday 3rd April. ps EVERY MEMBER gets a vote no delegates!
Daisy
There is no Scots Law that requires a deed poll to effect a name change. A deed poll is useful for interacting with UK agencies, banks, etc., but it is not a prerequisite. In Scotland, you simply adopt a new name and it is legal so long as it is the sole name that you use.
Dave Beveridge says:
13 February, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Wings should set up a choir to redo the old classic Monty Python lumberjack sketch:
I enjoyed your parody, Dave.
If you recall the original – I remember it being broadcast – I was a teenager – it was hilariously funny because of its ABSURDITY – the idea that a male – especially a ‘normal’ tough male – would want to cross-dress and be like a ‘girlie’ WAS absurd in those days.
If a male dressed as a female, ridicule would be the least of it, and if a cross-dressing male went anywhere near a women’s toilets – he would quite properly be done for breach of the peace at a minimum – and more likely a sexual offence. The perpetrator would quite properly be labelled a pervert.
But we are all now supposed to accept it as normal – and so a funny song (part of which I reproduce below) – hilarious because of its very absurdity – now reads like a clause from the SNP Manifesto:
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers
I put on women’s clothing and hang around in bars
He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps
He likes to press wild flowers
He puts on women’s clothing and hangs around in bars
I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK
I sleep all night and I work all day
I cut down trees, I wear high heels
Suspendies and a bra
I wish I’d been a girlie, just like my dear Papa
Political l ifeitself has become a parody.
Beaker – you could use the slogan –
‘Aaadvark never hurt no-one’.
So the wokeratti could all be switching to the letter A in their names to move them on up. I recall a few friends of mine starting a business when Yellow Pages was all the go, and they settled on a company name beginning with the letter A to try and give them an advantage.
Back to the SNP, and of course its not everyone in the party that’s gender mad, but as you rightly point out these unpleasant folk who want to take the party in a completely opposite direction as to what the majority of members and grassroots folk want, must be pointed out and where possible removed.
It doesn’t help any that our FM is Wokeratti friendly.
Running on-line businesses under three assumed names didn’t impede the political career of Grant Chapps.
Comedy gold.
Aaaaaaaaaaaron-Mennie now I bet. Stutter and Tourettes.
Luckily Rosa Zambonini won (smiles)
I have a feeling that this will be one of the lesser problems the leadership will soon have with the usage of the alphabet
Meg merrilees @1:09pm
I see a fantastically lucrative consulting career opportunity for you as Candidate Advisor to the SNP. £50K a year is not an unreasonably fee.
I never realised that so many words existed that begin with three lettr A’s, now that would an advantage for some wokie, who saw themselves as candidate material.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/words-that-start-with-aaa
Cringe de la cringe.
How many members does the ISP have? Genuinely curious.
Some electorial commission guidance on the laws for standing for election.
Personation
Personation is defined as an individual voting as someone else either by post or in person at a polling station, as an elector or as a proxy. This offence applies if the person that is being personated is living, dead or fictitious. Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the offence of personation is also an offence.
@ Davie Oga says:
13 February, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Daisy
There is no Scots Law that requires a deed poll to effect a name change. A deed poll is useful for interacting with UK agencies, banks, etc., but it is not a prerequisite. In Scotland, you simply adopt a new name and it is legal so long as it is the sole name that you use.
Davie, can you expand on that a bit, I’m not an expert, but my understanding was you could call yourself anything you like, but when it is for official purposes, like getting a passport, registering to vote/get elected, more formal laws apply.
There seem to be 3 channels, the quick way – due to things like marraige and divorce. The formal way by deed poll – terms and conditions apply, and the Scottish way which I’m not able to clarify in full as yet.
Interestingly the office in Scotland, responsible for same is currently closed due to Covid.
False statements about a candidate’s personal character or conduct
It is an offence to make or publish a false statement of fact about the personal character or conduct of a candidate in order to affect the return of a candidate at an election. False statements that are not about a candidate’s personal character or conduct are not illegal under electoral law, but could be considered as defamation.
It is also an illegal practice to make a false statement of a candidate’s withdrawal in order to promote or procure the election of another candidate.
False statement In nomination papers It is an offence to provide a false statement on a nomination paper, which you know to be false. For example, if you know you are disqualified from election you must not sign the consent to nomination.
False registration information and false postal/proxy voting application It is an offence to supply false information on a registration, postal vote or proxy vote application form. False information includes a false signature.
Scottish Parliamentary election > Candidates and agents > Part 4 of 6
ScotsRenewables says:
13 February, 2021 at 2:41 pm
How many members does the ISP have? Genuinely curious.
How many members has the SNP?
Doesn’t make a hoots worth of difference to me, no way I will vote for any of them while NS is in charge.
Aye, to hell with antiquated notions of offering folk memorable stuff that they want so they’ll remember you and seek you out on the ballot paper.
Just be like all the other faceless wonders but call yourself Alan Aaaardvark and hope the voters don’t rate anyone else enough to look down the ballot paper for them.
We need a register of these scam artists.
AFI, Action for Independence has had a report commissioned and the results say that both votes for the SNP is a big mistake, it allow quite a few BritNats at Holyrood back in through the list vote, if both votes are given to the SNP.
https://www.facebook.com/ActionforIndependence/
Jesus fucking Christ. As a writer, I never thought I could be able to be made to hate the fucking alphabet. Getting there. Perhaps it’s time to learn hieroglyphs. Least any names list would look pretty in the future. Aama Angra Basta Ra would be my nom-de-urine-removal in this brave, sub-Egyptian retro new political world.
Scotland the Grave; a new two-part musing on contemporary (and potential future) Scotland from me. Here’s the setup. Be writing the punchline tonight. Beyond sick of these selfie-serving screeching weasels. Ah’ll fucking no miss hit the waw, trust me. Trust Aama, ah wid nivir lie tae you fine Egyptian Scots folk, no a lying Basta.
https://whorattledyourcage.blogspot.com/2021/02/scotland-grave-part-one-origins.html?m=1
That must be how Alyn B’stard got elected.
Republicofscotland says:
13 February, 2021 at 2:51 pm
AFI, Action for Independence has had a report commissioned and the results say that both votes for the SNP is a big mistake, it allow quite a few BritNats at Holyrood back in through the list vote, if both votes are given to the SNP.
I agree that both votes SNP is a mistake, it’s going to be a forced tactical mistake by the SNP, an SNP who no longer have independence front and center of its politics, I don’t need a comissioned report to work that out.
Both votes SNP is a vote for the status quo, a vote for a minority government unable to table the proposition of a Scottish referendum on it’s future, a vote in an electoral system designed to prevent majorities where a massive number of list votes are discounted dependent on the constituency result.
The only way Scotland and its people can have any kind of assurance for a pro-independence government and by proxy a consolidated popular vote for independence is by making a coalition of pro-independence parties with a game plan designed to capture a maximum vote share between the constituency and the list standing pro-indy parties.
Aardvark killed nobody
Its not a legal requirement to change your name by deed poll, as long as you let everyone know you have changed your name you could call yourself Mr W–K Stain if you like.
my son changed his name to L. Bastard , and I said to him I have always said your a L. C–t, now your a L. Bastard as well, what’s next I said, putting lipstick and high heels on with a wee mini dress and going out on a date with Josh Aaron-Mennie, and btw I said did you know that Mennie sits down to piss and that’s why he uses ladies toilets, yes I said, he and his mammy are always using them, where else would a couple of fannies go to swap makeup tips
One can only hope that the ballot printers are made aware that Aaron is in a fact a middle name, and thus his place will remain under Mennie, James Aaron. That’s how it should be, unless he is really pretending that he has a double barrel name. Maybe someone can inform the returning officer or whoever deals with these things. What a pathetic ruse.
Eileen, I don’t know how many members the SNP currently has, though it is undoubtedly a lot fewer after recent events.
No, I was just curious as to why the ISP seems to be failing to gain traction.
Its about time many SNP members put their head in a bucket of iced water to waken them up. This isnt about serving you. Its about serving themselves.
The party is currently utterly dysfunctional and serves the well being of a small minority at the expense of the majority.
Hate crime Bill is almost upon us as well. End of Feb?
@Breastplate err no that is a story yet to be told in full! I know some of it. I was at the candidate selection hustings held [where else but] Stirling Uni Sept 18th or 19th 2019. Suffice to say that was Nicola’s choice, not ours.
From Citizens Advice
How to change your name
If you wish to be known by a different name you can change your name(s) (forenames, middle names, and surnames) at any time, provided you do not intend to deceive or defraud anyone.
Once you have decided to change your name, you can use the new name for all purposes.
However, you will need to produce evidence that you have changed your name for most official purposes.
Although it is not necessary, it is advisable to officially record the change of name with the Registrar General (see below)
Changing your name by deed poll or statutory declaration
If you are not able to officially record a change of name in Scotland because you were not born or adopted in Scotland you can use a service to change your name by deed poll.
There are many services available, for example on the UK public sector information website.
It is recommended that if you want to later provide evidence that you have changed your name you can enrol your deed poll in the Supreme Court in London.
You can also officially change your name in Scotland using a statutory declaration. If you are allowed to change your name using the process of recording a change of name with the Registrar General it is easier to use that process.
A statutory declaration can be drawn up and witnessed by a notary public or justice of the peace. You can get more information about what a statutory declaration is from a Citizens Advice Bureau.
How many times can you record your change of name
There is a limit to the number of times that you can record a change of name with the Registrar General:
• for people over 16 years, one change of forename and up to three changes of surname may be recorded.
A period of five years must elapse between successive changes of surname
• if you have reached the limit of the number of times that you can record a change of name, you can still change your name, but it cannot be officially recorded by the Registrar General.
Who to tell about your name change
Whether you choose to record your change of name or not, it is important to inform individuals or agencies, for example:
• the passport office – find out how to update your passport on GOV.UK
• DVLA – find out how to update your driving licence and vehicle registration on GOV.UK
• your employer
• mortgage provider
• banks, building societies, and credit unions – current accounts, credit cards, loan agreements, savings and ISAs
• pension providers – current and previous
• healthcare practitioners – doctors and dentist
• utility providers – gas and electricity companies
• insurance – for example, home, life, and pet
• benefits agency – DWP, Social Security Scotland
• student loans company.
In view of the above, I struggle to see how one could stand for election with an altered name, without having formally and legally recorded the change.
Scots Law, appears to have kind of made it ‘you do but you don’t’ in terms of how it is written. ie, Generally you will have to provide recorded proof of the change in name for official purposes.
I believe I read elsewher that Aaron may not have been born in Scotland, in which case, Deed Poll procedures may well be required for him.
@Daisy Walker easy to find out if you know his age https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records
Election commission should, at the last minute, reverse the order to Z thru A for a laugh.
Could mean Zambonini wins something at last
OK, scrap that idea
Have to say, not too sure ‘Stranger for Scotland’ is a vote winner.
Mrs Samaira – I don’t know how to spell it, since her husband and father in law have not added the Al to the start of the name, cannot utilise the change as a matter of course through marraige.
It is a clear alteration, and as such, when used for Official purposes, she will likely need to provide evidence of the official change.
If only there was a party called, ‘far too stupid to breath’.
Just realised that in some ordering systems numbers come first, that’ll totally mess with their non-binaryism
Joshua Aaron James Mennie born 1994 Aberdeen … GENDER M … oh that’s classic lol Don’t you just love public records?
Rev you have got it badly wrong.We should promote Aaron-Mennie’s candidature.His election would enliven First Minister’s question time.Imagine Nicola’s answers punctuated by outbursts of swearing in the background.( Sorry Julie, my comment is in appalling bad taste).
Oh dear, You’re at it again Mr C. I am curious to know what your obsession with Josh is cuz it’s getting kinda weird and creepy now. You must be pretty desperate for material to write if you think folk are interested in this rubbish. It’s also quite sad that you’re now trying to slate others such as Gill Al-Samarai, a nice, hard-working member of the SNP. She doesn’t deserve to have her name splashed about in your cesspit of a blog. You spew out inaccurate rubbish about people then sit back and watch your naïve followers suck it up and flood social media with hateful and nasty comments about the people you target. It’s rather bizarre as none of you know Josh or the others you harass with your twisted and at times ludicrous comments. What’s caused you to be so fixated on Josh? You know fine well the tweet in the toilets was made in jest while he was on a night out but you repeatedly throw it out there and fuel people’s anger towards him. Why? It’s getting ridiculous now. Also just for the record Josh has never asked me to “jump in and fight his battles”. I do so on my own accord. I’m his mother and will not stand by and see you twist things he has posted and portray him as something he is not. You don’t know Josh at all so what makes you think your opinion of him matters. Only those who lack common sense would believe anything you say about people you don’t know anything about. So give it a rest Mr C, perhaps look in the mirror and take a good hard look at yourself and what you are doing.
SHE’S HERE
ScotsRenewables says:13 February, 2021 at 3:17 pm
“curious as to why the ISP seems to be failing to gain traction.”
SR. When did you see a positive article (or any article) about ISP in The National? Or any other paper or broadcaster.
And when did you see ISP being asked about in an opinion poll? (we have made representations to the polling companies on that).
Being suffocated by being ignored is a problem the SNP always had, amusingly enough. Seem to remember Winnie saying that when the SNP got to 6% ‘others’ Scotland would be independent.
Highlands list vote.
R Spear is campaigning to be # 1 candidate on The Highland and Islands list.
If, say, a trans person was also on that list, Spear would be vying against them in relation to list placement.
Spear would therefore be acting against a trans person. Isn’t there a name for that?
Hi, I’m Abigail Aboyne and am looking to be your SNP list #1 for somewhere easy.
I used to self I-D as a dark skinned Schitland pony and live on an eyeland in the Outer Herbicides.
My best Gf Rhia…. said I’m dead good.
Vote for me. 🙂
Just rea a comment that Josh may not have been born in Scotland, that made me laugh. Also his middle name is apparently James, well last time I checked his birth certificate there was no James on there. If your so curious about his birth just look up “big baby born in Aberdeen 1994”. His name and place of birth is in the article. –
How undignified – Mrs Mennie coming on here to give the Rev a written sherrikin’.
Big baby aberdeen brought this up in google ???
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/big-baby-busted-126-grams-pot-92k-cash
Our parliamentarians ought to be mature and honest men and women of substance. Does that help you understand the current angst amonst the readership, Ms Mennie?
I personally hope very much that Holyrood is closed for a couple of years to let us all re-group. It is full of tubes and gangsters as it is.
As per record [James was a guess could be Jack]
MENNIE
JOSHUA AARON JA
M
1994
300/ 958
Aberdeen
Yikes, I ain’t gonna call you Mr C no more!
Ahm gazumpin a’ thae weirdos.
Well I guess that is why the woke, pasty-faced, dope smoking train wreck that is Kate Campbell got herself elected in Edinburgh. It certainly was not for her hard work or good looks!
So what is Josh Aaron-Mennie’s message going to be on the day before voting for the list closes? “Vote for JAM tomorrow!”
Thanks Mummy xxx
JSC @ 3:31, that is what happens here in NC. Partisan races are ordered by party and the order switches every election cycle. So, every ten years, Republicans are first on the ballot, then Democrats, Libertarian, Green and Constitution.
For non-partisan races (ie, anything below county and certain judicial races), there is a method to decide the “first letter of the alphabet” for each election. So here in Raleigh, Zainab Baloch ended up fifth on the list of the seven (I think) candidates for Mayor last time, rather than second on the list.
Just because we have done something one way for centuries does not mean it is always going to be the best way.
@Julie Mennie,
could you try paragraph breaks,sometimes a big block of words can be off-putting and folks scroll past,
thanks.
Sorry Mrs Mennie, I got it wrong about where your son was born.
If you’ve still got his birthline to hand, could you have a wee look and see if there’s a hyphen anywhere in his name?
Thanks ever so much. Ta.
@
Skip_NC says:
13 February, 2021 at 4:08 pm
So what is Josh Aaron-Mennie’s message going to be on the day before voting for the list closes? “Vote for JAM tomorrow!”
No Skip_NC it looks like it will be JA-M tomorrow, but more likely sometime never.
Daisy, I believe Winston Spencer-Churchill’s initials were WSC, rather than WS-C, before he moved the Spencer to a middle name, which satisfied his need to be closer to the top of the register at Harrow School.
As interesting as this is, I really must get some tax returns done. Cheerio for now.
Well I couldn’t resist commenting on this.
Mia, I am reading my sister in laws paper. Front page on the press & journal.
ARMY OF 50 TO FIGHT FOR UNION. (To apparently replace the ill fated union unit.)
Their main aim is to convince ( brainwash) us into thinking Tories and Westminster believe in democracy for the people in Scotland, Kirsten Oswald basically said using rhetoric like, One senior government source likened the teams challenges to that faced by US generals fighting in Vietnam. Painting the people of Scotland as enemies, ( my thoughts are well that’s gonna endear and convince us how friendly towards they are ) .
Who says that Westminster and unknown players are not working hard to destroy AS, NS and the SNP in Holyrude. In this article They admit it.
Which of course spoils it for all those presently working undercover,
Now the cats out the bag.
So on top of being able to identify as a woman, disabled and as an ethnic minority its now possible to identify with a name starting closer to “A” in the alphabet?
Just a shame so few of the SNP candidates identify with the core membership or a desire to achieve Independence
Daisy Walker @1.55 says:
Isn’t there actually a law about altering your name for official purposes without first having legally changed it by deed poll, or marraige?
Pretty sure there is. Also pretty sure its likely to be a ‘thing’ with the Electorial Commission.
Their names won’t appear on the list ballot paper so nothing to do with the electoral commission. It will be done for the internal voting to place the order of candidates by SNP members and presumably nothing to stop them doing that.
I’m genuinely curious too about the ISP.
I’m not bothered if they don’t have thousands of members, but I need to know who tops their list in each region so that I won’t be voting for a second rate candidate (no offence intended BTW).
There’s also the Greens and possibly Action for Independence.
IMHO It’s time somebody showed their hand,so we can all make an informed choice.
Imagine if Scotgov employed 50 people to fight for independence. The hypocrisy of unionists.
He should be listed as Mummy’s Boy Mennie.
Jesus what an absolute beamer having your mum fight your battles for you.
Wow Mommie dearest has arrived.
Can Josh actually speak for himself?
Why does Mennie’s mother think we don’t know her son? Some of us have lived in Aberdeen and have had contact with and knowledge of her and her family.
If we are unfortunate enough to have him imposed on our Parliament as a list member are we to look forward to his mother shouting at the opposition on his behalf and taking the Presiding Officer to task when Josh embarrasses himself?
No wonder he is a joke of a candidate outwith the creepy Kirsty Blackman SNP Aberdeen fiefdom.
Rick H Johnston @ 4.36pm
Totally agree Rick. Would also urge all pro Indy parties to clearly opt for a plebiscite in May and, most importantly, get their act together and present a united front to the electorate. Do not split what may already be a small vote!
Dear Mrs Mennie,
How can we take seriously a would- be politician who falsely changes his name to a hyphenated surname by using one of his middle names, in such a cheap stunt to get at the top of the ballot paper. You can presumably confirm that he has no such surname as he is now affecting.
Yours sincerely,
A voter
Call me old fashioned but I am totally against the allocation of positions in politics on the basis of being BAME, disabled, LGBT etc. I am even against setting aside an allocation for female candidates, although that has more merit. I firmly believe in selecting the most competent, intelligent and inspirational individuals to stand for Holyrood or Westminster. If we want the best for our country then select the best irrespective of gender, colour, religion, physical condition or whatever.
Do you think Stephen Hawking achieved the status he did because he got a leg up through his disability? He rose above it and achieved what he did on his own merit.
Liz says:
13 February, 2021 at 4:33 pm
Daisy Walker @1.55 says:
Isn’t there actually a law about altering your name for official purposes without first having legally changed it by deed poll, or marraige?
Pretty sure there is. Also pretty sure its likely to be a ‘thing’ with the Electorial Commission.
They should be all over the Scottish National Party, demanding aome assurance that they represent the national interest.
Meant to add the [main purpose ] is to get rid of the snp in Holyrude, and stop the vehicle for independence, gloves off, its now in writing,
So far they failed to get AS, nail NS for it and stop the Scottish people from wanting independence
,
So plan (a) the union unit having failed, plan (b) is a army of fifty to fight for the union, and it looks like they want to declare war on people in Scotland judging by their war like words.
They are highly dangerous and looking to obliterate the Scottish people whom have been nothing but peaceful for hundreds of years.
The world looking on in many countries would not want to deal with England anymore, all trade would eventually cease, many countries would turn away from them, As the Scots live in many countries across the world and are well liked in general. It may even turn Ireland and Wales against them too. Which would be of their own volition.
England’s political goverment seems determined to find new enemies across the world when it talks war language against many countries and a peaceful neighbour and a peaceful nation.
Who will trust having any dealings with it. By talking the talk and progressing their thoughts along these lines they will isolate themselves.
Elmac says:
13 February, 2021 at 4:56 pm
I couldn’t agree more with this, we should be selecting candidates based on their abilities.
I’m all for equalities but when it comes to politics and the future of Scotland you always have to put your best people forward irrespective of sex, gender, the colour of their skin, any religious beliefs, any physical or mental issues they have.
This is about the future course we want our country to take and we should always be putting our most capable people in a position to steer us towards independence.
Anonymoose @5.07pm.
Very well put Anonymoose, yes folk should be selected on merit, not on which gender they identify as, or what toilets they want to use, or what form of disability they have, though I’m sure there’s many capable disabled folk out there.
I would like to add to your excellent comment that, along with merit being the preferred attribute, a sense of enthusiasm, and duty to help create a better Scotland and better lives for Scots to live should also be sought out in candidates.
The wokeratti only have a very small percentage of Scots folks interests at heart, its just not good enough.
Do many of your friends read Wings Julie?
You created the monster, I’ll bet the schools loved you!
Well thank fk it’s Holyrood and not Watergate that the press are all over ,
Just imagine the change in political history Nixon wouldn’t have had been Impeached and the course of history would have been totally altered .
We are all destined to see more of the same from the party of Government if people who know the truth just keep quiet,just stand by and do nothing hoping no one discovers their involvement , one day some investigative curious reporter will uncover the truth , the quiet ones will never know When
A difficult situation to be in everyday wondering will this be the day , will it be me , will it be a close associate, will a unguarded comment give the game away ,will I be able to get a good nights sleep
On Linkdn there’s a Julie Mennie SOCIAL WORKER at Aberdeen City Council same one? surely not!
Mummy Dearest. How old is Josh? Does he need to clear legislation decisions with you before he votes?
CRINGEWORTHY.
That’s brilliant. It’s ‘Private Eye’ stuff. ?
I’m not sure its a good look for a would-be politician to have his mother fighting his battles. Was there not an English candidate that went canvassing in Glenrothes accompanied by his nanny?
Might the election of a Tourette’s Syndrome sufferer not present certain challenges for broadcasters?
“Mr fucking Presiding Officer cunt I fucking wish to fucking raise a point of cunting order fuck baaastards waaay. See fuckin you pal cunt…”
Perhaps on balance Josh’s mum might advise her tormented issue to take up a more marketable disorder. By the way, RGU is known to many as a North-east enclave of the mad and bad, recently having brought academia into disrepute through the actings of a former principal. Nonetheless, they should be made aware of Ms Mennie’s interventions. Perhaps they might wish to add her to their intriguing list of honorary doctorates.
Can you just add in random ‘-‘ when it suits then?
I think we should start calling Josh Private Pike. The similarities are uncanny
I amwaiting for Mrs Mennie to post on here: “Ye’re awe oot o’ step but oor Josh-Aaron.”
I’m all for equalities but…
That is why any candidate should have a clear position on the most disadvantaged, whether by opportunity (~=class),congenital or existential disablement.
There are a few outliers eg: Stevie Wonder or Ian Dury, Franklin d Roosevelt and,at a stretch, winston churchill, who might have the capabilities to overcome their handicaps and remember to make a difference.
Like most of us without and inside play,they socially and automatically,do not or cannot “make a difference”.
Cllr graham, and the love of his life, are living examples of this problem.
Two healthily integrated (in party at least) without obvious everyday difficulties(like paying commercial rent or missing a meal)are somehow tribunes of the dispossessed?
I think I could forgive anyone for wanting to throw these benefit scroungers overboard in favour of the more deserving.
This routine was done in Renfrewshire where Jennifer McGregor renamed herself Jennifer Adam-McGregor to get to be the top of the list in her council ward. She only rejoined the party less than a year before the election; the branch was blocked from giving a report on her (some knew of her dodgy drug fueled background) but her brother George Adam (aka the laziest MSP in Scotland) was involved in the vetting and gave her all the answers she needed while blacklisting any sitting councillor who could have been a threat to her. He children are still called McGregor, her bank account is still in the name of McGregor but complaints to SNP HQ were ignored even though it was highlighted she only changed her surname weeks before the selection contest.
Elmac says:
Yer old-fashioned 😉
Positive discrimination is meant to help demographics who experience obstacles that the rest of us don’t, even if it is a crude way of going about it.
What I object to though, and hopefully something we can all agree on, is grasping hauf-wits being put forward for these positions.
Mrs Mennie You don’t think men using ladies toilets is weird?
Craig P 5.58pm
Yes Craig, crude as you say and very woke. I totally disagree with you in principle. I want the best for my nation and this is not the way to achieve that.
On the subject of names, and particularly hyphenated ones, i noticed that the name of referee in the Scotland Wales match is Mr Penalty-Wales.
Josh should change his name to Norman Bates
Jame Gumb?
I think I could forgive anyone for wanting to throw these benefit scroungers overboard in favour of the more deserving.
I should have really said ‘privilege scroungers’.
Al-or more correctly, As-Samarai/Samarrai is an Iraqi name.
The self proclaimed khalifa of the the Islamic State bore the name.
Craig P, those from “disadvantaged” backgrounds – women, ethnic minorities, the disabled etc – do not need anyone catapulting them to the top of a list. What they – we – need is simply some respect and a recognition that everyone has their own abilities and disabilities. Granted, it is hard to do. However, appropriate support and encouragement from political parties will hopefully allow more underrepresented communities to step forward and be elected.
I suggest that appropriate support starts at local level in encouraging people to stand for councils then use that experience at higher levels. It should not involve parachuting a chosen few into jobs that pay a salary that most people in Scotland could only dream about.
Skip_NC 6.31pm
Thank you for some common sense.
Pixywine says:
13 February, 2021 at 6:15 pm
Josh should change his name to norman bates
Norman was deranged through the loss of his mother, JAM does not have that excuse.
I look forward to the H&I tourist board’s next campaign;
“Please visit our student village and help us forget out past:’
we are san francisco of the far north,not the racist central belt kind of thing’
This is why anyone responsible for running elections should randomly sort candidates rather than listing alphabetically.
This is such a basic, elections 101, that it’s amazing that any organisation is still doing it that way.
@Craig P
Looking at the bunch of clowns currently representing us at Holyrood and assuming they’re the best available, we simply don’t have the luxury of selecting candidates by any other criteria.
can you imagine the wokies negotiating independence with a angry, bitter, english state? it would be a disaster, a sell out of epic preportions. we need hard people, our best.
I say,
What a splendid mockery of women, men and indeed Scottish politics this Mennie fellow is making. Quite superb really.
But when his Mater weighs in with her outstanding ignorance, and boundless cognitive dissonance then this is truly a sight to behold.
Well done Scotland!
Now good day to you.
How would you like your nuclear reactors built by someone that got there through `positive discrimination`,
or even getting a lawyer that`s fricken hopeles but `positive discrimination` meens you gotta take their advice ,
or who do you want building your house a time served bricklayer or some minority that got the job cause they are a minority,
or being a rugby referee that`s there not because they are competent but cause they are a minority,
i believe in `positive action` in helping minorities to attain skills but don`t hire them just because they are a minority.
Anyhoo ,fricken rugby.
It must be difficult to protect the general principles of anonymity for the alphabet women. I mean for women in general.
Think how much harder it would be if one of them was your girlfriend of several years standing. Would you do everything keep their name out of the public forum? In general I mean.
SNP have just become so sick and corrupted beyond belief.
How about a halo over the name you want selected and Redacted over
every other candidate.
A caveat at the bottom warning a vote for redacted could result in
Beelzebub claiming the soul of your first born child.
Every strand of democracy has been obliterated by worming woke wasters.
With regards positive discrimination.
This is not positive discrimination on the grounds of sex, or disability, or ethnicity.
Those at the top of the SNP have lead by example – very poor example – able, principled woman such as Michelle Thomson and Joanna Cherry – are to be thrown to the wolves, while the SNP ‘leaders’ conduct the bulk of the SNP to keep silent and withdraw support.
That behaviour is seen and it is felt by capable and able women who see it. And so they do not apply.
And then John Swinney parchutes in to a local council position, an inexperienced young woman, who is so painfully shy that she cannot do public meetings, and she cannot do door to door canvassing without her hand being held.
And we are treated to her ‘bravery’ in disclosing a history of depression, as if that is an explanation for her inability to do the most fundamental aspect of her job.
But she will never have an independent, bolshie thought in her head, and she completely know what side her bread is buttered.
Any able, capable female seeing that, is not going to apply, and those in the future who do, will find the job much harder, because the previous incumbant was useless and gave them all a bad name.
RIS during Indy ref went round the schools and spoke to the mothers at the school gates just after they’d dropped their kids off.
SNP hold party meetings in the evening, when they are trying to get the kids down and would have to find a baby sitter.
There are some disabilities which disqualify a person from doing certain jobs.
I would not be keen for someone with chronic parkinsons disease, that is affecting their ability to control their hand movements – to carry out surgery on me – for example.
I would suggest that those with raging personality disorders – are unlikely to gather votes or credibility – however much they might want the attention.
We’ve gone past the stage where the emperor has no clothes, and the lunatics have taken over the assylum, and we’ve run out of cliches.
But then I think that was the whole point, to keep us occupied with this bonkers stuff, so that we couldn’t get on with moving forward on Indy.
Funny tales here, however, our branch had two candidates for councillor election.
One candidate, 3rd generation in our town, community council member,name began as Mc. A newcomer to our branch, all the way from Glasgow, name began as Mac. And yes, without a blush the newcomer won the election by a smattering of votes.
SNP HQ were alerted during campaigning of the withholding – said to be lost data of voter inclination records from the general election – by the Mac incomer, funny that the Mac incomer had the data in the first place.
We were so naive.
Rick H Johnston @ 4:36 pm
“I’m genuinely curious too about the ISP.”
I’m also curious about any supposedly new pro-indy party which advocates we all vote SNP 1, and that includes ISP and AFI. This implies these parties are in some way aligned with the SNP.
Considering what we now know about the SNP and what it gets up to, it should not be that surprising if they have also secretly set up a List party (or two) in order to cement their power at Holyrood, and to give them a majority to help push through any legislation they want. The SNP elite know fine well that a List vote for them just now is wasted. So what better way to get a majority than to secretly set up a loyal List party or two?
This stinks so long as the new List parties are all advocating SNP 1 for constituency votes.
What is needed is an independence party offering a plebiscite on independence in its manifesto at this election with a commitment to declaring independence immediately after there is a majority vote in favour of independence, and to then taking that majority to the UN for recognition.
Ever wondered what caused the change in Nicola Sturgeon?
During and after 2014 referendum she was a smiling approachable person always willing to engage in a selfie.And now, she is mired in a intrigue of obstructions and evasions; of “woven” Indy campaign funds. And seemingly incapable of supporting, or showing empathy to fellow party members.
@Alf Baird You can,t drive your car where you like f Ive got the ignition keys
Velofello, someone has definitely something on her.
@Boaby, A figure of speech perhaps ?
Bob Mack
You don’t think ISP and/or AFI are SNP trojan horses, which will give the SNP a majority in Holyrood? Not to push for independence, but to further its present colonial agenda including oppressive laws.
We know how the SNP elite think and act. Expect the worst, then double it.
We need a real independence party offering a plebiscite on independence.
Gutted to have missed another visit from Josh’s mum. She’s like angry goose when she gets going. They should start having a special mums hustings to help with candidate selection. The mums could complete various tasks, rapid fire complaining, stairheid rammies, spit ‘n’ tissue candidate grooming and so on. I think it would really improve Josh’s chances of a place at the trough.
I watched the Holyrood session last night where Alex Salmond ripped into Nicol Stephen [2008?] and I was utterly struck by the faces behind Alex. Some truly statesman-like folks, but where are they all now?
The mass exodus of SNP MSPs this election will leave a very hollowed out shell, god help us.
@Ald Baird 4.36pm
How do you see that working by #HR2021 exactly? It’s just not realistic to set up a new party in that time. RISE/SSP certainly isn’t it: if they’d had any chance of reaching electoral escape velocity we’d have known about it by now.
The ISP would appear to have a decent chance of picking up a handful of seats and denying them to yoon seat warmers like Murdo Fraser and Annie Wells, but they’re going to struggle without big names, and they probably left it too late (particularly with Covid and the lockdowns) to present themselves as a “full fat” alternative to the SNP.
For that to have worked they’d need to stand in constituencies as well as on the list, and probably attract the likes of Cherry, Salmond, MacAskill etc. Cherry’s recent comments suggest she’s determined to stay and fight inside the SNP – she appears to have accepted the probability that we can kiss goodby to any meaningful progress for 5 years unless ordinary SNP members rise up and cleanse their party. (SPOILER: Don’t bet the farm on it, eh?).
The Greens may win more seats than last time, but ideologically they are even worse than the SNP, being totally in thrall to the woke Wahhabis. We all know they’re semi-detached at best about indy: they’d happily ditch indy for other priorities. It is earnestly to be hoped more of the TRA extremists infesting the SNP will flounce off and join them.
You’re barking up the wrong tree. Minor parties won’t deliver plebiscitary elections, nor will they secure a majority vote that would secure international recognition. Only the SNP and/or minor parties delivering >50% of the vote will do that.
Look around you: do you REALLY think the SNP can be turned around to promise – still less deliver – plebiscitary elections?
Because if the answer is no, we might as well accept that nothing of consequence will happen before 2025.
Being double barreled might be a disadvantage – it’s a bit Tory for some folk.
Doing my evening trawl aboot on twitter and came across this from Joanna.
It is from the debate between Alex and George Robertson(twat from Islay).
This is a young and mischievous Alex…
https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1360588652959703042
Theres a few other weel kent faces there too.
Someone else is there as well…
https://twitter.com/kwr66/status/1360614544519888896
My current thinking on the whole “Both Votes SNP” shite is not about securing yet another mandate, but it is because the SNP do not want any party competing with them on an independence mandate (Not counting the Greens here because they are in cahoots with the SNP, quid pro quo).
Think about this for a minute:
The SNP grabs the lions share of contituency votes securing maximum constituency seats.
The SNP also grab a considerable number of list votes, but because of the D’Hont system they fail to get any list seats – that is now thousands of list votes that are knocked out of the equation.
That also means there are thousands less votes for the ISP or the AFI on the list to grab enough of to compete and win seats over unionist candidates.
The “Both Votes SNP” strategy is not about competing with the unionist parties, those unionist parties will always keep their core voters so they will always grab enough votes to obtain seats in the list when they fail to obtain seats in the constituency, therefore if the SNP grab the majority in the consituency any list votes in that region are wasted votes in the list.
The SNP’s strategy is entirely about competing with other pro-Indy parties so the SNP has no competition that would be holding them to account on independence in the Scottish Parliament.
So when the ISP and the AFI are stating SNP 1, ISP/AFI 2, they are actually talking sense as in a vote for either the ISP or the AFI is ensuring your list vote is not a D’Hont discarded SNP list vote, but rather a vote that counts towards another pro-indy party winning unionist seats and having a considerable pro-indy majority in the Scottish Parliament.
Craig P says:
13 February, 2021 at 5:58 pm
“Positive discrimination is meant to help demographics who experience obstacles that the rest of us don’t, even if it is a crude way of going about it.”
Like working class Scots who grew up on council estates? – the kind of folk the SNP don’t want anywhere near any position in their party. They are like Labour – unless your ambition is to step up to the “next class” they don’t want to know. That’s why they are tackling nonsense issues instead of poverty. As for older people – I think they actually despise us and would happy to see us all off.
Best double-barrelled name I ever saw was a guy whose forename and surname, including spaces, totalled 24 characters. Wasn’t even a posh name either, and neither was he.
Andy Ellis
I don’t think any serious observer views the SNP as a serious pro-independence party any longer. And the risk here with ISP, AFI and their ‘SNP1’ proposals is, if one or more are an SNP trojan horse, which is entirely possible, this will simply give the SNP a majority to push on with its colonial woke agenda.
Hence what is required is a bona fide independence party fighting an independence plebiscite election, i.e. to emphatically end the union. I agree with you that that is unlikely, however, that is clearly what is needed. Otherwise as you say independence is headed into the very long grass.
Fuck knows where these scheming folk find the time to piss around thinking about and implementing selection processes that they can abuse.
Then take it even further by considering name changes to advantage themselves further.
I’ve barely had a minute spare the past couple of weeks what with work, and committing any spare time left to taking up the slack in the failure of local services, be that hours clearing snow and ice off the village pavements and vulnerable / elderly neighbour’s house access routes, picking up shopping for them, and prescriptions too due to the inadequacy of local authority care packages and systems.
Tricky stuff getting around in a foot of snow and minus 18.5c temps
Maybe some of these carpetbagging Councillors might consider successfully sorting out the basics and have that on their CVs before they jump up to the big league.
Those already in the big league might also want to think long and hard about just how much taxpayers’ dosh they have squandered on the years long shitshow they’ve embroiled themselves in which led us to the current and ongoing Inquiry farce.
They are an utter disgrace and the millions of pounds and MSP and Civil Servants’ time pissed away on their self-serving power games could have done so much more for helping folk struggling with ongoing austerity compounded by covid aspects.
O/T Humza gettin his knickers in a twist about somebody swearing. Threatening rape is ok – but, please, don’t swear while you are doing it. https://twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1360688051635298305
Wee Chid @ 9:03
“Like working class Scots who grew up on council estates? – the kind of folk the SNP don’t want anywhere near any position in their party. They are like Labour – unless your ambition is to step up to the “next class” they don’t want to know.”
In post-colonial literature this ‘segregation’ or ‘Cultural Division of Labour’ reflects the inept privileged bourgeoisie, who tend to ‘mimic the coloniser’ or are the coloniser, a group that can never deliver independence – which is what we see with the pampered elite of the SNP.
Independence therefore depends the proletariat, “on the working class Scots who grew up on council estates” primarily because they remain the most oppressed group in the colonial situation. They are also closest to what remains of the national culture and language and also live subject to racism which is institutionalised in a colonial environment.
@ Alf Baird at 9.40
Unless they’ve changed their minds since September, Solidarity is part of AFI:
https://solidarity.scot/letter-for-members-on-afi/
As for the ISP, they appear to be fully committed to opposing any and all genderwoo. That might be an illusion, but knowing some of the people concerned, I very much doubt it.
I would just like to make it clear that Rhiannons surname has always been Aaaspear, she just tends to shorten it as the ‘A’s are silent.
I really shouldn’t joke not least of all as I shouldn’t give her ideas.
crazycat @ 10:47
Appreciate what you say and I am conscious of the aims of ISP/AFI and Solidarity.
However, anyone advocating SNP1, as these 3 parties appear to be doing, is asking voters to take rather a big risk, and to throw their morals aside, given what we know of the SNP hierarchy.
@ Alf Baird at 11.09
Yes; that’s why I am quite likely to ignore their advice!
OT – I see from Alyn Smith’s bio on wiki that he qualified as a lawyer and worked for a really big law firm in London, back in the day.
Which kind of begs the question about, maybe knowing better than to go around slandering other political parties, followed on by the question of why the party should have picked up the legal bill for same, since since someone qualified in law could advise himself – oh yes, but then the party would not have had to pick up the compensation bill also.
Got it. Silly me.
@ Julie Mennie at 3:41 pm
OK I’ll rise to the bait
” Josh is cuz it’s getting kinda weird and creepy now.”
Weird and creepy is his thing about using woman’s toilets, and the potential scare factor in that action,some women will be frighten by his behaviour. Can you not see that?
He puts women in fear, I repeat. Can you not see that?
or
Are you OK with a block entering a women’s toilet when you are using the facilities?
Now I have been nice and polite, consider what I have said
Daisy Walker at 11:28 pm
“OT – I see from Alyn Smith’s bio on wiki that he qualified as a lawyer and worked for a really big law firm in London, back in the day.”
Smith would be getting serious money, the firm he worked for Clifford Chance rack in about £1.2 billion per annum
I posted somewhere about it a while ago in reference to the SNP member paying his legal bill, I assume they also paid the costs to Tice
@Daisy Walker (11.28) –
You’re clearly well-versed in this stuff.
I’m not.
So, forgive me if this question is ignorant:
Why would the SNP hierarchy support someone like Smith? To the extent of shelling out major legal fees?
Why?
What does he have that’s so valuable to them?
Why do the NEC allow potential of sitting Councillors to go to Holyrood but not MPs
Isnt that discrimination?
o/t
At last the tory party are planning ahead (a first )
The illustrious Scottish secretary of State big talking Alister Jack has put his weight behind bawjaws distraction of a tunnel that used to be a bridge it’s now official they are actually going to spend your money in order to find out what everyone and their dug knows ” it aint going to happen ever ”
After spending millions on his pals “garden bridge”they found out the same trick could be attempted again what a wizz eh .
As for forward planning ( April fools day )has been brought forward to February because we are surrounded by fkn Idiots and they are not just situated in England we have our own nutters
@Wee Chid says:
13 February, 2021 at 9:48 pm
“O/T Humza gettin his knickers in a twist about somebody swearing. Threatening rape is ok – but, please, don’t swear while you are doing”
He didn’t say much about Mhairi Black, did he?
Alf @ 9;03
I think they gave the game away when all the AUOB marches were missing one essential element any SNP MP or MSP ,not one until a few were shamed into it
A far as I know Nicola Sturgeon has not attended any march supporting AUOB despite attending others that had nothing to do with Independence .
It was the same when they were the first to attack a few guys protesting at the border who were drawing attention to camper vans heading north from highly affected areas in the south ,oh that sort of crude protest is not to be associated with our dignified approach. the dignified shite is actually gaining fk all progress to gain INY ref 2 but its nice and safe and ultimately pointless just like the section 30 shite
Maybe Nicola Sturgeon will try for the top of list as a fall back.
Perchance to secure the top slot she’ll self certify as a Klingon.
Ian Brotherhood 11.56pm
Alum Smith likes the boys.
Peter Murrell likes the boys.
The two of them like each other.
Am no saying another word.
Don’t want charged with any of these new Jigsaw offences.
I’ll let you work out the rest, nudge nudge, wink wink!!!
Ma Mennie likes bible guy names eh. With Joshua Aaron Jacob I’m surprised she didn’t change the family name to one of those cool C names like Christ or something.
J. Almighty-Christ could be a winner. Josh take note.
@ Alf Baird
Enough with the Marxist claptrap and revolutionary drivel. None of your heroes came from working-class roots. Marx was the son of a lawyer and landowner, Engels came from a wealthy family, Lenin the son of a teacher and university graduate, Trotsky the son of a wealthy farmer, Mao the son of another wealthy farmer, Cesaire was a teacher and Fanon a psychiatrist. They were all part of that bourgeoisie you rant against.
Far from being the exponents of democracy, the proletariat have mostly been attracted to extremism and totalitarianism. The Communists and the Nazis who destabilized the Weimar republic both drew their support from the working class. It’s the middle class that have been the ones in all countries that have been the ones that pushed for democracy and the rule of law. The wealthy know that they can buy protection even in the most despotic regimes, the working class largely inactive. It is the middle class who don’t have the wealth to buy protection who have pushed for democracy and fair legal systems. In 18th & 19th Century Britain it was the Whigs that instituted major reforms bitterly opposed by the Tories. It is no accident that the countries that have moved from dictatorship to democracy have done so after economic development has given rise to a significant middle class – eg Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia.
Craig Jones @ 1.07 pm.
Liking the boys, especially boys of a certain age can all too often be used to blackmail and influence people. It is one of the oldest tricks in the books to threaten people with exposure of illegal behaviour.
Could that be an explanation as to why people turn against the movement that they supposedly represent. Well of course it is. That is how the deep state conducts its business all too often.
StuartM
That’s a bit of a rant….. your analysis is a bit off the mark. Much more complicated than the comic book version of political history you presents….Taiwan, South Korea and Indonesia are all deeply corrupt ‘democracies’ where the rich conspire with the political elites to screw everyone else. Hardly a success for democracy.
Yeah totally agree. The single biggest indicator of your life chances is not sexuality or race but parental income. But you will look in vain in any diversity policy for a mention of class or parental poverty.
Well said StuartM both Marx and Engels were workshy b@st@rds who never worked a day in their lives.
Does anyone Have the archived version of Ian MCWhirter’s article in last Sunday’s Herald? The page has been removed from he online Herald. Also, there is no article from him today either.Is the Herald directly employed by the SNP hierarchy?
News just in
Its now
Kirsty Amnota-Blackman
Robert Graham 12.45am. Yes, after there was no Snp leadership attending AUOB marches, that was when the penny dropped for me and the family, that indy was the furthest thing on Snp gov minds. Even the catalan politicians marched with their people, every indy movement in history had their politicians walk beside them,but not the treacherous snakes in the snp cabal.
” every indy and protest movement in history”
Kirsty Amnota-Blackman
Then she must have an income enhancing disability, unlike old fashioned disabled people.
Boaby says:
14 February, 2021 at 9:07 am
Robert Graham 12.45am. Yes, after there was no Snp leadership attending AUOB marches, that was when the penny dropped for me and the family, that indy was the furthest thing on Snp gov minds. Even the catalan politicians marched with their people, every indy movement in history had their politicians walk beside them,but not the treacherous snakes in the snp
I seem to remember, forgive me if I’m wrong, philippa whitford and joanna cherry speaking at those events in our colony capital.
..but I don’t suppose they are included in the ‘leadership’ category, not ‘playing for the yellow jersey’ etc.
A bunch of recycled valentine flowers for any evidence of alyn smith’s rousing call to arms at an independence get together.
Re McWhirter. His regular column has now hit the Herald online.
o/t
The Ladies over on WGD not satisfied with branding Stuart Campbell and you lot as the Devil’s spawn they are now discussing ways of attempting to have Wings shut down ,well thats sure to end well eh
Also apparently Stu is buying cars with his ill gotten gains and you lot are all mugs for funding his lavish lifestyle ,mm interesting comments , pot kettle black rings a bell .
And you lot are being beastly to Ms ,Mr,or Mrs Blackman stop it or they will report you lot. they have the evidence so watch it
Aaron Aardvark Anderson says:
14 February, 2021 at 8:06 am
Well said StuartM both Marx and Engels were workshy b@st@rds who never worked a day in their lives.
Engels was what is lauded as an innovator/entrpreneur these days, but,unusually, reflected on where this might lead.
In those days, it was a challenge to learn to read, so where else would structured criticism emerge?
Karl Marx, like our current FM, was hardly a lifestyle model, but he did mange to, unlike our current FM,write books after he had read others.
The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature (doctoral thesis),[295] 1841
The Philosophical Manifesto of the Historical School of Law, 1842
Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, 1843
“On the Jewish Question”, 1843
“Notes on James Mill”, 1844
Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, 1844
The Holy Family, 1845
“Theses on Feuerbach”, 1845
The German Ideology, 1845
The Poverty of Philosophy, 1847
“Wage Labour and Capital”, 1847
Manifesto of the Communist Party, 1848
The Class Struggles in France, 1850
The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon, 1852
Grundrisse, 1857
A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, 1859
Writings on the U.S. Civil War, 1861
Theories of Surplus Value, 3 volumes, 1862
“Value, Price and Profit”, 1865
Das Kapital, Volume I (Das Kapital), 1867
“The Civil War in France”, 1871
“Critique of the Gotha Program”, 1875
“Notes on Adolph Wagner”, 1883
Das Kapital, Volume II (posthumously published by Engels), 1885
Das Kapital, Volume III (posthumously published by Engels), 1894
I wish I was as workshy.
Robert Graham 9.28
They’re probably jealous because the Rev is riding the flavoured-gin train
Aaaaah, Gordon’s
Powerful stuff from Mandy Rhodes in Holyrood Magazine – “Something Rotten”.
Mandy’s analysis and her deft filleting of this bourach of a government is becoming required reading recently!
“They say that a fish rots from the head down. And something is beginning to reek. The question will be whether by 6 May the electorate is simply prepared to just hold its nose.”
https://www.holyrood.com/editors-column/view,something-rotten
Cenchos says:
13 February, 2021 at 3:44 pm
“Highlands list vote.
R Spear is campaigning to be # 1 candidate on The Highland and Islands list.”
When did being self-serving and stupid start being a disability? Does she think nobody notices she voted against Joanna Cherry holding two elected posts, but wants to do it herself – councillor and MSP?
The press starting to get going.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/can-nicola-sturgeon-set-the-record-straight-in-salmond-affair-mkf0j5s0p
These people are truly like something you would clean off the toilet pan.
A shit stain on the ballot paper if I may opine. Not that Mrs Aaron Mennie would agree.
@ Willie at 6:05 am
Craig Jones @ 1.07 pm.
“Liking the boys, especially boys of a certain age can all too often be used to blackmail and influence people. It is one of the oldest tricks in the books to threaten people with exposure of illegal behaviour.”
I have always wondered if that is the key to the Sturgeon/Murrel Power Control, In the case of Derek Mackay , they kept quite about it for 4 years(from 2016)note that is outwith the AS period and Mackay is still getting paid, if the shoe is on the other foot, DM has a certain amount of reciprocal leverage
Can Nicola Sturgeon ‘set the record straight’ in Salmond affair?
https://archive.is/NLEfu
Iain Macwhirter’s column.
https://archive.is/YA2pq
Andy Ellis says:
14 February, 2021 at 9:38 am
Powerful stuff from Mandy Rhodes in Holyrood Magazine – “Something Rotten”
Yet not a word about the inoperative opposition, her best example, erstwhile nationalist tomkins, has spent a good while toasting marshmallows rather than holding anyone’s feet to the fire.
“the staunchly myopic* Salmond supporters convinced by a conspiracy”
Did she mean ‘of’ instead of ‘by’?
And while he didn’t invent the phrase “rotting from the head”, at least mcwhirter used it most recently.
From the NHS:
*Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a very common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while close objects can be seen clearly. It’s thought to affect up to 1 in 3 people in the UK and is becoming more common.
Lower that ratio for those elected to holyrood.
DaveL says:
14 February, 2021 at 2:01 am
“Ma Mennie likes bible guy names eh. With Joshua Aaron Jacob I’m surprised she didn’t change the family name to one of those cool C names like Christ or something.
J. Almighty-Christ could be a winner. Josh take note.”
That’s it – he’s the new messiah – changing Dick to Fanny is the new water into wine.
Mcwhiter’s column is pretty torturous stuff.
Outside of the free press, no one is a saint!
Why is this rambling devastation not on the front page?
“Civic Scotland drove the campaign for a Scottish Parliament in the 1990s and transitioned to supporting independence after 2014 largely because of her leadership.”
I would suggest ‘in spite of’ rather than largely.
“*Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a very common eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while close objects can be seen clearly. It’s thought to affect up to 1 in 3 people in the UK and is becoming more common.”
Can change with time as muscles relax through age. I used to wear distance glasses and could see well close up. distance vision was 20/20 at the last eye test but I can no longer real labels withour glasses. Maybe with age…?
Robert Graham says: 9.28am.
“The Ladies over on WGD not satisfied with branding Stuart Campbell and you lot as the Devil’s spawn they are now discussing ways of attempting to have Wings shut down ,well thats sure to end well eh”
It’s always been the same. If you don’t like the message, shoot the messenger. Sticking their fingers in their ears no longer works. The truth is unavoidable now, and it terrifies them.
John H. says:
14 February, 2021 at 10:34 am
Robert Graham says: 9.28am.
“The Ladies over on WGD not satisfied with branding Stuart Campbell and you lot as the Devil’s spawn they are now discussing ways of attempting to have Wings shut down ,well that’s sure to end well eh”
Isn’t that just a wee bit authoritarian? What happened to free speech?
What happened to free speech?
H yousaf is seeking to take it into protective custody.
@paul 10.07 and 10.24pm
I think you’re being a tad unfair. Both pieces have Sturgeon, and the malaise at the centre of her government, bang to rights in my opinion. It’s obvious to every dog in the street that the SNP’s current popularity owes much more to the execrable state of the opposition than to the voters approbation of the Scottish government.
Even its handling of Covid only really looks good when held up to the mirror of England’s abject failure: it looks much less impressive in comparison with other smaller countries abroad. Complaining that “we” couldn’t replicate New Zealand’s policies because we aren’t independent and don’t have all the necessary powers or money is only a partial excuse.
Our own government could and should have done much better, but lacks the political balls to do it. In that respect, we have to be open to accepting the validity of the argument that hiding behind the Westminster bogey-man and blaming them for everything is no longer enough, nor does it excuse failures of policy and political nerve on the part of the SNP.
With respect to Tomkins, or Murdo Fraser or any other British nationalist taking the opportunity to make hay at Sturgeon’s expense, well….they would, wouldn’t they? The uncomfortable fact for pro-independence folk is that that even a broken clock is right twice a day. I hate virtually everything unionists in Scotland now stand for, but I’m not so closed minded that I can’t see that Tomkins comments are correct: I’m not going to write them off just because I don’t like his politics, and neither should anyone else who wants us to work like we live in the early days of a better nation.
Finally, Macwhirter’s point alluded to in your quote is important: ordinary voters may not care that much about the minutiae of the disputes in the SNP, but “civic Scotland” and the activist base DOES care, and is informed and engaged. It comforts #cosyfeetPete and his ilk to pedal this line that none of this matters, but it WILL matter if significant numbers of those who were committed and engaged in 2012-14 either give up in disgust or switch their allegiance to other parties.
The issue surely is whether the SNP can be changed from within. Initial signs are not looking good. The next few weeks may provide the answer.
My dear, departed Dad used to end drunken arguments, where he was clearly on the losing side, by shouting
“Aaaaaaacccccccchhhhhh ssshhhiiittteee”
Not proposing to enter politics right now, but obvs I have a winning name I can use if I change my mind.
Thanks Dad.
Andy Ellis says:
14 February, 2021 at 10:53 am
@paul 10.07 and 10.24pm
I think you’re being a tad unfair.
Forgive me, but I did not start the lack of fairness consuming us now.
Both pieces have Sturgeon, and the malaise at the centre of her government, bang to rights in my opinion. It’s obvious to every dog in the street that the SNP’s current popularity owes much more to the execrable state of the opposition than to the voters approbation of the Scottish government.
Both pieces, at least to me, seem to be trying to be fair by saying all parties are as bad as the other. They both spend rather too much time on the the former FM’s alleged but unproven flaws, as if we, the unwashed, have not had this brought to our attention already.
Even its handling of Covid only really looks good when held up to the mirror of England’s abject failure: it looks much less impressive in comparison with other smaller countries abroad. Complaining that “we” couldn’t replicate New Zealand’s policies because we aren’t independent and don’t have all the necessary powers or money is only a partial excuse.
“independent countries abroad”.
A canny evangelist would highlight the problems of reserved powers.
Our own government could and should have done much better, but lacks the political balls to do it. In that respect, we have to be open to accepting the validity of the argument that hiding behind the Westminster bogey-man and blaming them for everything is no longer enough, nor does it excuse failures of policy and political nerve on the part of the SNP.
The yellow jerseys have a dictum:
Never interrupt your enemy when they’re getting everything they want.
With respect to Tomkins, or Murdo Fraser or any other British nationalist taking the opportunity to make hay at Sturgeon’s expense, well….they would, wouldn’t they?
Thay haven’t done it before, it might be better to ask why haven’t they?
The uncomfortable fact for pro-independence folk is that that even a broken clock is right twice a day.
What do you do for the other 23 hours and 58 minutes?
Mourn the broken cuckoo?
I hate virtually everything unionists in Scotland now stand for, but I’m not so closed minded that I can’t see that Tomkins comments are correct: I’m not going to write them off just because I don’t like his politics, and neither should anyone else who wants us to work like we live in the early days of a better nation.
The nutty professor has done little in his too long time at holyrood. Watching him, reluctantly, being pushed to the front of the parade at this point, does not reassure me of the robustness of our public realm.
Finally, Macwhirter’s point alluded to in your quote is important: ordinary voters may not care that much about the minutiae of the disputes in the SNP, but “civic Scotland” and the activist base DOES care, and is informed and engaged.
They might well be, but the friends and family that are the SNP leadership look rather darkly on such controversial thinking.
It comforts #cosyfeetPete and his ilk to pedal this line that none of this matters, but it WILL matter if significant numbers of those who were committed and engaged in 2012-14 either give up in disgust or switch their allegiance to other parties.
I cannot see that as a problem for his ilk, they look around and see nothing but good things.
They sow apathy to soften their feet.
The issue surely is whether the SNP can be changed from within. Initial signs are not looking good. The next few weeks may provide the answer.
The last 242 weeks hasn’t, that’s for sure.
StuartM
I think you will find that a great many of the intellectuals who have helped change societies for the better tend to come from more humble backgrounds. This is also why education has been regarded as being so important to the development of peoples, many of whom had little or no access to education. Although inequalities may also persist in access to education provision, e.g. in segregated societies, as we know.
@ Achnababan
Dream on, Taiwan and South Korea are robust democracies and while Indonesian democracy is still finding its feet it’s come a long way. Having suffered the lack of freedom under dictatorship Indonesians place more value on their right to vote than people in western countries.
It’s the Left that presents the comic-book version of history. For instance the “brutal” Tsarist regime of socialist mythology was a lot more lenient than the Soviet regimes that replaced it. Lenin’s elder brother was executed for plotting to assassinate the Tsar. Lenin was suspected of involvement and was exiled to Siberia where he spent a comfortable life supported by money sent by his family. Under Lenin let alone Stalin anyone suspected of opposition to the Communists was shot and their entire family thrown in the Gulag to die from hunger, cold and hard labour.
Those celebrated socialists Sydney and Beatrice Webb wrote in 1942 that the USSR was superior to the Western democracies because the Soviet constitution had abolished the death penalty!!! This when Stalin had been building the workers’ paradise over a mountain of corpses.
The Left has a dismal record of glorifying bloodthirsty dictators like Lenin, “Uncle Joe” Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Ho Chi Minh. Falsifying history is a major activity – I suggest you read Orwell’s 1984, he knew of what he wrote.
Rhianon Spear now known as Rhainnon Arrow in an attempt to hit the target voters known as Awake
StuartM
The history of western civilization helps us locate the origins of fascism within colonialism. Confusion about Scotland’s actual colonial predicament is reflected in your concentration on the divide between political ideologies of left and right.
However, as Cesaire notes, ‘the anticolonial struggle supercedes the proletarian revolution’. In other words, a peoples’ desire for decolonisation cannot be viewed in terms of capitalism versus socialism, but rather must be seen in terms of ‘the complete overthrow of a racist, colonialist system’.
StuartM – what about right wing dictators like Marcos and Suharto… supported by your American pals. Killed thousands and impoverished millions? I suppose in your fantasy world they were Reds under the Bed?
@ Alf Baird
“The history of western civilization helps us locate the origins of fascism within colonialism.”
Wrong. The origins of fascism lie within socialism. Mussolini was an organiser for the Italian SOCIALIST Party before leaving to found his own Fascist party. Hitler headed up the National SOCIALIST German Workers Party. Both parties had substantial socialist policies eg subsidised holidays, the Volkswagen (literally “People’s Car”). There was only a hair’s breadth between them and the Communists, which is why both sides were so hostile – they were competing for the same support base.
“a great many of the intellectuals who have helped change societies for the better tend to come from more humble backgrounds”
Name them.
@ Achnababan
I don’t think Marcos had any ideology other than enriching himself. If you knew anything about the Philippines you’d know its problems didn’t begin with Marcos and haven’t ended with his departure. Nor did he kill thousands, he was elected to the Presidency and later entrenched himself. The insurgency in Mindanao and the Sulus goes back 400 years to the days of Spanish rule.
You are also completely ignorant about Indonesia. Indonesia’s founding President Achmed Sukarno was a demagogue who was very good at giving fiery speeches and founding the Non-Aligned movement but bored by the mundane tasks of running the country. (He was the one who coined the term “neocolonialism”, Alf would have loved him) Sukarno stayed in office by balancing the different factions, promoting the Parti Kommunis Indonesia as a counterbalance to the Parti Nasional Indonesia which Sukarno himself had been a founder.
By 1965 the economy was in a shambles and people were literally starving. An Indonesian-Australian journalist I met said her parents only kept her alive as a baby at that time on the food parcels sent by her grandmother from Australia. Political tensions were at boiling point. Then a PKI-supported coup kidnapped and murdered almost all the senior Army generals. But these were not just any old generals they were heroes of the Revolution, which is what Indonesians call their war of independence against the Dutch. It’s as if the plotters had murdered George Washington. The public were outraged and turned against the PKI. Many of them (and most of the Army leaders) already regarded the Communists as ("Tractor" - Ed)s because they had fomented a mutiny in the National Army while the Dutch were still occupying the country!
The Army’s role in the bloodshed was minimal, it was carried out by groups associated with students, the PNI, Muslim, Christian and Hindu organisations. Although the Army initially was happy to stand by and see the PKI eliminated they eventually had to step in and stop the violence as it was being used as a pretext to satisfy personal grudges.
When Suharto came to power he inherited an economic basketcase with rampant inflation and widespread poverty. He turned to a group of University of Chicago-educated Indonesian economists who got the economy back on a growth path. Whatever his many faults the lot of the ordinary Indonesian citizen improved dramatically under Suharto.
Why don’t you actually get some facts instead of spouting Marxist propaganda slogans?
Surely as a wokemeister Kirsty Blackman should change her racist surname
Just for the record this ploy will not work. Mi-Vote who are organising the online ballot have set it up so that candidates appear in random order. If you reload the page they appear in a different order.
With any luck someone’s already changed their name for no reason 🙂