Wings Over Scotland

It looks capable of digging a big enough hole to accommodate a Tory cabinet.

We can live in hope of that.

Methinks the tracks are going to come flying off that baby. 🙂

With an incompetent driver, it may happen even sooner than expected. 🙂

Chris. You have a gift = )

Could you mibee print this out and pop it in the post to a few of our favourite folk please.

Starting with Fuffily muddily, Kez, Colonel Ruth, the Teradactyle (sp?), a bunch of fishermen and some not so astute farmers etc.

This is huge.

But alot of folk are just not listening.

Your pictionary may be the just the thing to deliver the message !!

Ken500 says: “Thank goodness for the (SNP) Gov standing up for Scotland.”

Careful now, you will wake up ‘COLIN’ (our resident pet troll) to explain (again!!) why you are so wrong.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have only the one basic problem………….. We are all in a so called Union, but this is not a Union in the true sense of the word, we have england with hundreds of MPs who can never be outvoted at westminster by the other 3 countries MPs, that is not a Union of equals, or any form of democracy that i understand, that is basically a one state rules the rest type of Union
Time we all got out of the whole farce, its been a bloody joke for centuries, but now its time to go Alba Gu snooker loopy!

Its their Henry the Eighth clause/shyste, that’s really going to make it all happen for tory teamGB. That monster was one royal serial killer that didn’t think much of the Scots either, to put it mildly.

Lovely irony though, a murderous medieval English king still has more say over Scotland than you and me, Scotland.

They won’t get rid of Holyrood, because they need it. If there was no Holyrood then we would return to the old measure of mandate for Indy ie majority of MPs by FPTP. They wouldn’t dare risk that!

So they will let us keep Holyrood, but we can expect devolution to be rolled back and Legislative Consent Motion powers strictly limited.

We have to get out of this union, and soon.

And yet, since, there are folks who think devolution could expand or some pseudo-federal system appear. Not a snowball in Hell’s chance. It’s Indy or put up with Tory WM misrule.

Seriously creepy beeb gimpery explains what it all means, without saying what it all means…teamGB’s a dictatorship.

link to bbc.co.uk

Henry VIII clauses are being used in the Repeal Bill to transfer EU laws back to the UK.
It means ministers can make changes to bills without parliament having to vote on it.

“Brexit can be likened to the break-up of England with Rome and the Catholic Church back in the 1500s.

“This is all because of the notion of national sovereignty being supreme.”

Neat test of English cultural domination, of its Scotland region, who was king or queen of Scotland, during the reign of the Henry VIII monster?

99% Scots wont know.

Get a grip Colin. How an earth can Corbyn’s Labour with a manifesto lifted straight from the SNP be radical and the SNP are not. As for the rest, drivel.

The SNP are subservient devolutionists, bought and sold for UK Govt gold or rather lucrative MSP and MP salaries as the party of middle of the road devolution.”

Tis barely 2 years 6 months since Scots voted Naw Thanks Colin and its even less since SNP gained 50 out of 59 Scottish Westminster MP seats.

We know that the BBC Scotland alone are even more determined than ever to get the SNP back down to their 6 SNP seat level of just 24 months ago, just like you Colin.

Whether or not BBC Scotland really can get rid of the SNP remains to be seen but you yourself are a tad harsh on them Colin:D

They sure are digging a big hole Chris just hope we don’t get dragged in it. Perhaps we could shove that stane in the bit Colin Alexander in the hole 🙂

O/T … ish Is it just me or is the film Dunkirk an allegory for everthing that is wrong about Great Britain today. We are leaving Europe with our tails between our legs. We are having to leave all our kit behind. We will leave the Scots behind but won’t give them credit or remember them. There is nothing that our troops, navy or airforce can do about it but scuttle back to blighty.

This was then spun into a great victory, a triumph of British pluck and later the turning point of the war.

But the phoenix promised for post Brexit will not come, just as Britain won the war (russia, colonies and america excluded) we forget that the British Empire died on those beaches.

What grew in it’s stead was the “sick man of Europe” it was the reason we joined the EU… we coulden’t get our post colonial “common wealth” to work… unlike the common market.

Why would it work now when we have ripped up all our post colonial treaties.

To summarise it is a film of it’s time, it will boost the jingoism and create a feelgood factor, expect politicians to refer to the Dunkirk Spirit once again were we stood against the world and won.

But it’s historical warnings are terrifying… that said I hope we Scots leave them behind.

I would love to see the reel of the 51’st joined by the reeling Brexiteers.

At best so called UK democracy is damned thin, at worst a total shame. To be honest, I have always wondered why the EU accepted such a dubious democracy in their midst.

– MPs can be elected with as little as 25% of the vote
– Governments can achieve a majority with 35% of the vote
– An unelected Remembrancer looks after London interests
– The upper house is unelected
– The parliament has reserved seats for clergy
Etc etc

The picture wasn’t good. IMO EU ‘interference’ in UK affairs brought improved rights, standards, regulations, and working conditions. All these important positive things are under threat.

Now we have the Great Repeal Bill with its Harry the Eight powers,

Democracy? What democracy?

This how it all began over 300 years ago …

link to en.m.wikipedia.org

link to en.m.wikipedia.org

… did it really ever get any better?

Donnywho

Dunkirk was a terrible defeat but it was effectively just one of many British Imperial defeats that had been going on since WW1, around the whole planet. After Dunkirk, the UK kept on losing, everywhere.

WW2 should be called the End of the British Empire wars, the final one, nearly. Countries like Malaysia were still to suffer.

One of the great frauds perpetrated by our imperial masters is that the UK won WW2. Other than not being invaded by the Nazi’s, its a spectacular lie.

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” Churchill.

What was the first thing ever bought with the dumb tax money, or rather, what did our imperial masters decide to tell us, when they bought such nonsense, great British nonsense?

link to independent.co.uk

Interesting short piece of Scandinavian history – “How Swedes and Norwegians Broke the Power of the ‘1 Percent’” by George Lakey.

Deals with the 1930s to present times but eerily describes UK now.

“When Conservatives eventually tried a fling with neoliberal policies, the economy generated a bubble and headed for disaster. (Sound familiar?)

Labor stepped in, seized the three largest banks, fired the top management, left the stockholders without a dime and refused to bail out any of the smaller banks. The well-purged Norwegian financial sector was not one of those countries that lurched into crisis in 2008; carefully regulated and much of it publicly owned, the sector was solid.”

link to tinyurl.com

If Kevin McKenna is writing another SNP are useless article I wouldn’t know cos I’ve blocked him.

He is no friend of indy and just another attention seeking time waster living off the backs of those who want this country to be free and independent

link to theorkneynews.scot

Colin Alexander has a very credible argument above. I am beginning to see that what he says May beginning to be the case.
National investment bank voted through without much practical discussion at SNP spring conference. FM predicted another Tory government.
Many of top SNP said 2015 56 MPs a once ever win never to be repeated.
No big coming to together of Yes groups for Scotref.

I for a year have also said like Colin, we have the mandate majority of MPs and MSPs representing Independnece. All other coutries that wanted self determination declare it after such a mandate.
Why not Scotland? Yes they are in SNP professional politicians with salaries and maybe they are frightened of the real work for probably less salary in running an independent state.
Let’s challenge them to just call it now. What are we waiting for.

Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves, from Ireland:D

link to bbc.co.uk

Barclays in talks to expand Dublin office post-Brexit

Ich bin ein Dubliner. Dublin’s nice too. Beeb gimps keep saying the Irish want to be a region of greater England again, because of the close “links” but I have yet to hear anyone ever say that, in Ireland.

Speaking of beeb gimpery and their UKOK “links.” If youre ever in Queenstown, Dublin, renamed lately by the not British Irish, Dún Laoghaire, there’s a butcher in Dún Laoghaire that makes the world greatest sausages, and I’m veggie.

Jump on the Dart, just past Black Rock, the Dublin burb that gave the world one of the most loyal Brits ever invented, Sir Lord Bob Geldof OBE, VC, MBE, Phd, Rock and Roll.

I for a year have also said like Colin, we have the mandate majority of MPs and MSPs representing Independnece. All other coutries that wanted self determination declare it after such a mandate.
Why not Scotland?

Because in 2014, the majority of Scots, and everyone else that calls Scotland home, said no, thanks.

Its got to be a ref. Otherwise, tanks on the Holyrood lawn, draped in union jacks, Colonel Ruth training crosshairs on those postmodernist Holyrood front doors.

Colin’s just another UKOK bullshiter and not that great either.

Should have said “Westminster.

Donnywho @ 10:52 superb analogy

Someone mentioned the absence of Sensible Dave.

My wife is brilliant at cryptic crosswords so I gave her the clue “Sensible Dave,sensitive to IndyRef2” and before I could give her the number of letters she replied “Simple,Ruth Davidson” She gave an explanation which was beyond me|

She,the colonel, is on holiday.

The SNP won. The Unionists are the losers. Digging another hole. In the earth. Enough to bury themselves in the mud. Stinking, sinking sleezy mud. Luddites. Clueless.

For the Money?

Doctors, Lawyers, Surgeons, high profile business folk who were earning more before they became MPs or MSPs are in it for the money?

Where some folk get these ideas about who the SNP are is way beyond me, 80 years in the political wilderness of nowhere fighting for their country and they’re in it for the money?

Nicola Sturgeon could be at the UN right now earning three times what she earns in Scotland and with a higher profile than any politician in these Islands

She chooses Scotland

Aye! definitely the money!

Now if you said Dugdale or Rennie or Davidson who would struggle to hold down jobs as Nursery Nurse, Bouncy Castle demonstrator or Disco Hostess in Fingers Piano Bar I could see the point

@Ghillie – re Falkland Islands / self-determintation
Now I’m home and not on a slow hostel connection I had a quick look and found this:

link to researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk

3.1 is interesting in that the UK Government talks about the FI right to self-determination under the UN, and the Colonization Committee ignoring it when it says the UK Gov and Argentine should talk about the FI.

It also generally supports Gibraltar’s rights under that same self-determination. Seems to me the UK Gov would have a diffifcult job being hypocritical and inconsistent if it ever attempted in any way to interfere with Scotland’s right to self-detetmination – in any way at all.

To me though it shows the importance of a referendum, a clearly stated intention by the People of Scotland to determine our own destiny.

And we have already – clearly – done that once in 2014, the voters in Scotland exercised our right to self-detetmination in a referendum, the result at that time was to determine we wanted to stay in the UK, albeit by a relatively small majority.

But that sets a precedent of consultation in a referendum, and I don’t think the UK has a leg to stand on interfering in the right to hold another referendum – its own position on the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar can be held against it.

@seanair if you are reading, you asked on the previous thread about Dugdale & Carwyn Jones.

Truth is Jones will do whatever Corbyn tells him in the end.

We are on our own & its time to ‘take back control’, as some might say.

@colin alexander, 2.38

““Keep Scotland Strong at Westminster” are the SNPs words, not mine. It tells you all you need to know about SNP priorities and hopes.”
My understanding is that was a slogan for the WMGE. your comment is therefore fatuous and rather silly. It does NOT tell me anything other than a desire to represent my Country; one of the two Kingdoms unified at present by treaty withEngland; at Westminster.

Surely any political party should formulate policies to maximise electoral votes?

The Brexit deal matters since even an Independent Scotland would benefit from a minimally damaged England as a neighbour.

You must define SNP “win” in the context of independence.

I find your contributions to this site rather sad and I have not responded to them till now and shall not do so in future.

I shall merely skim through any further posts of yours.

Why don’t you come along to the next WoS meeting and discus face to face with your detractors?

I am not an SNP member and never intend to be one.

@ Fred – what is even worse was a BBC Alba documentary Churchill V Hitler. I watched part 1 which mentioned several times how “England” stood up against Hitler and stood alone. Dunkirk was a great English triumph. No other nationalities present, no St Valery.

No idea whether the Gaelic script was at fault or the English subtitles.

link to bbc.co.uk

this snp versus yes is complete havers

95% of the yes activists in the area i am in are snp members.

as yes activists we are preparing for the indyref2 which we are certain will come.

how do we know this? cos we are also snp activists. simples

Wait a minute, Kezia in a relationship with an S.N.P. M.S.P, and does not think it’s “newsworthy!!.

Oh, back to the Falkland Islands, there’s a summary on this page which links to the full paper

researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN05602

“Successive UK governments have insisted that it is the Falkland Islanders themselves who have the right to decide on their destiny. Argentina maintains that the UN principle of the right to self-determination does not apply in the case of the Falklanders. Both the UK and Argentina accuse each other of colonialism.”

So it appears the UK Government of 2012 and before were strong on the idea of “self-determination”. It remains to be seen whether May is a democrat, an autocrat or just another sordid plutocrat.

Can we have a wee game of ’20 Questions’? I’ll start.

Supports independence, hates SNP, thinks we’re a’ daft.

PS – another cracker there, Mr Cairns.

PPS – Love conquers all. Kez has found love with SNP MSP, Jenny Gilruth. Seems her heart is with the SNP after all. Good luck to the two of them.

mike d said at 12:15 pm:

“Aye lord bob geldof,another a*****le who told Scotland we would be better together.”

Here’s a few more random signatories to the ‘We Love You Scotland’ Referendum Lovebomb Letter of 2014.

That was before UKOK voted in 2016 to drag Scotland out of the European Union!!

John Barrowman

Dame Vera Lynn

Sir Cliff Richard

Dan Snow

David Starkey

Alan Sugar

Cilla Black

George Galloway

Sir Max Hastings

Eddie Izzard

Baroness PD James

John Lloyd (journalist)

Imagine there was no SNP?

What would Scotland be?

You can’t, because you can”t define it!

At this juncture in Scottish history the SNP define who we, even those who oppose us, their opposition to Scotland’s freedom defines them!

Those criticising the SNP would do well to remember that without the SNP, Scotland is an irrelevance, with the SNP there is hope, a reason to be and a goal to aim for!

Look at the three female leaders we have in Scotland, who would you trust to place Scotland first? Look further afield to Mrs May, can you ever imagine her putting Scotland first?

Look back on how Scotland was governed between the suspension and reinstatement of its parliament.

As many have said the uk is in a self destructive spiral, I trust Nicola and her team to play the cards correctly.

There is no other vehicle to take us to independence, let’s all get behind it and push!

This is a smashing argument they’ve come up with now

Don’t bother protecting ourselves from a punch in the face today as we should concentrate on Independence tomorrow

And the problem with this infantile stupid dumb argument is the SNP are the party of government for the whole of the population of this country not just petted lip so called Independence supporters constantly attempting to undermine their work for all voters so that perhaps those voters who are not on the side of the SNP will get the point that the SNP do in fact concentrate on the day job and are not held to ransom by Ideology but seek to persuade others of the value of the Ideology of which they speak

If Scotland is to become Independent (I hope) it must be built properly with solid foundation and consensual or it’s worth exactly the same crap as the Inglish system we have now

If you want Jeremy Corbyn style of lies vote for him and go back to the 40s instead of Big Treezas 50s

Capella says:
15 July, 2017 at 3:21 pm
No idea whether the Gaelic script was at fault or the English subtitles.

The subtitles were accurate. Britain and England were used interchangeably.

Colin Alexander: “Why doesn’t the again SNP stand on a political mandate of a single issue: Independence?

How big a list of personal conjecture can one person manage in a single post?

@yesindyref2

I quoted the article, not Kezia.

It said Sky asked him about WESTMINSTER. Are you suggesting Sky falsely reported the question put to A S ?

@ Glamaig – thanks. Thought it very sad that a Gaelic speaking script would make the same mistake as most London based English speakers.
I recently ordered “St Valery, The Impossible Odds”, edited by Bill Innes. He interviewed many Gaelic speakers for a Gaelic TV current affairs programme in 1988. A pity that the memory has been lost to BBC Alba.

Ken500,

“How much longer can this farce go on.”

Another 310 years at least, if the SNP continues to play according to Westminster rules.

Truth Always.

Colin Alexander ““Why doesn’t the again SNP stand on a political mandate of a single issue: Independence?””

I missed out replying to that point to point. One word answer really – UDI is bad – and why would a majority in Scotland vote for a single issue party?

@ colin alexander says: “I quoted the article, not Kezia.”

Who said anything about “Kezia” apart from you and a previous Wings article? I’m quoting the article in The National. The National, being Indy supporting you know, is more likely to get it right, than the negative SNPbad Sly. Sorry, Sky, that was a typo but I like it.

Ken500,

“The SNP won.”

More than the win, it is the change in vote share that is more important for the independence cause.

Admit it or not, the SNP vote going down from 50% to 34% was a major setback to the independence cause.

Instead of being in a strong position to forcefully announce a second independence referendum, Nicola was left dithering and forced to postpone legislation for a referendum.

It is my prediction that there will be a “snap” Brexit and the SNP will be caught napping and unable to hold a second independence referendum.

Truth Always.

@ colin alexander: “The article does say he would not consider joining the HoS, so you are right about that.”

HoL Colin, not HoS.

I do research before posting, rather than making sweeping inaccurate statements. I recommend it.

“Admit it or not, the SNP vote going down from 50% to 34% was a major setback to the independence cause.”

Jesus, they’re all at it with the lying “we’re doomed” crap. First it’s 37% not 34%. Secondly it’s no setback to Indy, as transparently there were Indy suporters didn’t vote SNP this time. I certainly know a few, one even voted Tory because he can’t stand Sturgeon.

“Nicola was left dithering and forced to postpone legislation for a referendum”

She hasn’t postponed fuck all. It’s still planned before Brexit, but after negotiation results are known – same as it always was.

“and the SNP will be caught napping”

I haven’t read such shite since I stopped reading . . . any suggestions gratefully received.

yesindyref2 @ 15:55,

With the Grandiose Repeal Bill, a lot of people are going to wake up, I think. And not just in Scotland either. This is an issue that is just as concerning in its own way for people in England also. For once we are not going to be out on our own.

This thing is the biggest assault by a government on the constitutional setup of the whole UK there has been for centuries. It makes the tussles over the HoL a hundred years ago seem like peanuts. This Tory UKGov is now bent on undermining the very foundations of the English constitutional theory of parliamentary supremacy as well as the Scottish position of popular sovereignity.

The warnings that Prof. Michael Dougan are slowly being realised. Always worth re-referencing:

link to news.liverpool.ac.uk

Much though people might want an easy life, they are just not going to be able to ignore this one. This is likely what Nicola & Co well realise.

I can’t see a confrontation between SG and UKGov not developing, actually.

Nice one Chris.

“galamcennalath says:
15 July, 2017 at 11:07 am
This how it all began over 300 years ago”

Yes indeed, and here’s a list of those who sold us out.

link to unknownscottishhistory.com

@ sassenach – well said. There’s far too much to scroll past now.

Nobody has tried to post BBC (the Gaelic station). When I type the actual name which sounds like Elba but with an A not an E, it appears here as BBC Caesar! At my first post at 3.21 it was fine. But at 5.03 pm it was changed.

Any explanation anyone?

What Luigi said!

@Glamaig – thx for the feedback. I also found it a very peculiarly Anglo-centric piece of documentary for a Gaelic channel.
I see you have been able to post BBC Elba with an A without it being changed to BBC Caesar!. So maybe it is some peculiarity my browser developed this afternoon. Although, when I type it in the comment box it looks fine.

Testing – here goes – BBC Alba

@sassenach
Sure, I agree, but as one, perhaps the one, who saw merit in his first reasonably innocuous posting about a “soveriegn Scottish Parliament within the UK” as an option which could appeal to the NO-voting devo-maxers, I’ve watched as that has turned into a constant attack on the SNP for, well, everything really, and now onto what is a veiled demand for UDI.

So I refuted his posting which has moved away from his original reasonable posting bit by bit, thread by thread to the standard SNPbad type posting, refuted it point by point, one time and only one time.

After that it would be “stet, read my posting dated 15 July, 2017 at 5:06 pm”.

Though, unlike a certain other poster, I don’t keep a database of what every poster has ever said – a simple exercise with a text scanner, analyser and relational database (SQL) and query language at a unit’s disposal. I could probably knock it up in perl in an enthusiastic day or two, or pay google to do it for me.

@Robert J. Sutherland “I can’t see a confrontation between SG and UKGov not developing, actually.”

Indeed, but the trick will be to make it one all the People of Scotland realise is for them, not just Indy supporters. A difficult trick to pull off. It will also be good if it’s done in a way the Scottish Unionist parties have a straight choice: stick to SNP-bashing and reveal themselves as transparently tractors, or fold and support the SNP and the SG.

Meanwhile Indy supporters do have to get fully behind the SG on this one, and that’s still a problem in itself.

@ yesindyref2

Re the AS interview; it was a Sky interview. I took it from the original source: Sky, not the National. Holyrood.com says he said WM or HR.

I’m not slagging anyone on WoS. If something I wrote comes across as that, then I apologise: I can assure the readers I’m not out to slag anyone on here. Even when people slag me, I don’t slag them back.

I do criticise the SNP and some SNP personnel by name in a professional capacity not personally. I don’t put Scotland down. I’m pro-indendence – I think it’s the best option for Scotland.

If the majority won’t elect the SNP on an indy single issue mandate then they aren’t going to vote indyref either, in my opinion.

Aye the SNP are the (minority) Scot Govt, but that Scot Govt is not a real govt. It’s a devolution administration. A puppet govt of WM who gives and can take powers off HR like taking sweeties off a wean. Put simply, HR has NO sovereignty whatsoever.

A govt that has no sovereignty is a govt in name only.

The UK Govt and Scot Govt might be at loggerheads at times but it’s soon resolved, WM overrules the impotent Scot Govt.

Like Joan McAlpine giving undeserved credibility to the Record by writing for it, the SNP give credibility to WM devolution by administering it. Playing at being a pretend govt.

I would accept it was worth doing as a means of trying to achieve independence, but in my opinion it is indefensible for the SNP to continue to accept the current HR is subervient to WM set up.

I challenge the SNP to prove me wrong, but I’ve seen nothing to suggest the SNP can stop the Great Westminster Power Grab or do anything more than make weak and ineffective complaints. As long as people keep electing them, then the SNP will accept that situation as they have accepted their place: administrators of devolution.

Flattered by the name of govt and paid the salary of govt, but the reality is, it is bribery and flattery to keep Scotland under the WM yoke.

The SNP have been bought off, got nice political careers, so now they won’t go all out for independence.

O/T

link to bbc.co.uk

I urge you all to listen to this.This is powerful stuff.
It narrates a firefighter’s attempt to rescue people from Grenfell Tower taken from his own notes.

How anyone can vote to keep the pay cap denies belief.
This should be compulsory listening for all politicians who should then be asked to vote again.

@Colin Alexander.
I don’t want to waste any of my time on this.
But I have a question.
There is one party in Scotland which is not the creature of London.
That party is the SNP.The SNP espouses independence as the only way out of the mess we find ourselves in. Who should we support and vote for if not the SNP?
The SNP may not please everyone all of the time, but, how could supporting the Cons, The Labs or the Libs in anyway forward the cause of a free Scotland?

Petra

Her’s the link to Craig’s blog he compares current actions in Mosul to Srebrenica, only worse.

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk

Capella:

Blair is wanting to be seen as the cavalry riding in on white chargers at the last minute to save the UK. And of course, if Brexit is stopped, ‘that woman’ won’t want her independence referendum so it would solve the Scottish Question.

Just testing… BBC Alba no problems there I think, let’s press send and see what comes out…

Trezza and the rest of her thieving, lying, inbred bastar*s should endorse a new trendy drink. “SHITEY PISH” get “Dicky Bird” from the film Comfort and Joy and use the tune from the “catchy?? “thrifty pops” advert used in the film.
If you have seen the film, you’ll get the idea.

On a more serious note type in Lego/Motorhead into youtube. “Classic”. + many others.
Oh aye, nice one Chris.

Kezia, not Media!

Capella @ 19:15:

Why is BBC pushing Tony Blair’s “The EU may compromise on free movement and Britain could stay in a reformed EU” all day?

Because Blair is just the latest of the English Establishment’s frantic attempts to keep the London Money Markets in play. They are scared shitless that they will lose passporting rights, so euro trading will move to Frankfurt and Paris.

As they are seriously preparing to do, but just like a lot of business contingency planning right now, you won’t hear a word about that on the good ole BBC. Non-stories instead of the scare stories we were beset with during indyref1.

The problem with Blair is that he is all things to all men. You can’t trust a word he says. Lord knows what a self-professed reformist like Macron thinks should happen to the EU in the shorter term, let alone the longer term, but the EU negotiators would be completely bonkers to give up on free movement now. Just to give the English self-delusionists a little respite? They might as well fold up the EU and call it a day.

As for that BBC article, McDonnell and Corbyn come out of it no better. They are fully-signed-up fantasists over a wonderful “something will turn up” Brexit just like the Tories.

Pathetic collaborators. The worst official opposition the HoC has seen in quite a while. The SNP contingent outshine them at every turn, yet some people on here just can’t stop moaning on and on about how supposedly useless the SNP are!

Michel Barnier on 12th July:

The EU positions are clear.
We now need to know the UK’s position on each of these issues in order to make progress.

The EU position papers:
link to ec.europa.eu

It’s as embarrassing as watching Boris Johnson play Federer at tennis.

@ Meg merrilees – “Alba” was OK at 3.21 but changed to Caesar! at 5.03 and 5.14 then changed back to Alba at 6.02.
I can’t think of any possible reason for that. It’s hardly credible that someone went to the trouble of intercepting my posts, and wrote a piece of code to change Alba to Caesar! for one hour.
But as Glamaig says – how apt that it was the Imperial Broadasting Company.

@ RJS – I wouldn’t put it past Blair to plan a return to politics, perhaps leading a government of National Unity. Kills several birds with one stone. We’d better make sure we aren’t one of them.

5% of migrants in the UK did not cause any crisis. Total and utter lies. The Tories are consummate liars. Blaming everyone else for their failures.

@ Petra

I’m not pro-Union, I’m pro-indy.

It’s the SNP I criticise, but accept they are the best of a bad bunch as devolution administrators, but rubbish at standing up for Scottish sovereignty within the Union or getting us out of the Union altogether.

Not SNP bad, SNP mediocre devolution administration.

SNP very little chance of bringing us independence.

Can’t say I’m at all happy with two MSPs being in a relationship who are in different parties. It would be different if one or neither of them was an MSP, but there is potential for sensitive information to cross. That’s what I’m uncomfortable with.

Watched STV news earlier I see they are following their masters playbook the Brutish Lying Corporation by lodging many FOI requests all to damage and destroy any confidence the Scottish people have in their institutions and governance

I am fucking raging that these barstewards are once again trying desperately to undermine and denigrate OUR WONDERFUL SNHS BY CONCENTRATING ON NEGATIVETY rather than highlighting the commitment and dedication shown by staff fighting for the benefit of patients under ever demanding conditions and restraints forced on our government by greedy unscrupulous arsewipes

They have introduced figures to assert that waiting time figures for certain medical procedures have increased by 400% over the past year , In interview health secretary Shona Robison stated that these figures were not acceptable and everything was being done to address these problems , but we have to realise that we are facing ever increasing pressures with an aging population and their demands on our services. Rather than act as proper investigative journalists and reporters to find out the reasons behind this increase in waiting times , STV do the exact same headline grabbing sensationalism as their fellow yoonionist MSM and scaremonger and denigrate all to say essennpee baddd
May i enquire if anyone has done any research to ascertain if the massive influx ( estimate 1.25 million ) many of them elderly citizens with varying degrees of illness from other regions within the UK to Scotland has had any impact on these and other waiting times ,and the extra pressures this puts on our services

Please may i make it clear that i am in no way inferring the brexit argument that incomers are overwhelming our services

In addition to my other posting please may i make it clear that i hold NO animosity towards any English ,Welsh , Irish or EU incomers other than those who voted against Scottish independence

Aye, the spam rolls are a pain in the hole, but wouldn’t it be more of a worry of they weren’t here at all?

I’m not aware of any indy supporter ever being offered cash – or directed, as part of their job – to infiltrate pro-Union websites. That simple fact, surely, speaks volumes?

@TheWasp

There are no elections where the SNP will be standing for the forseeable future, so what’s the issue with me discussing criticisms of them?

I thought we’re in North Englandshire, not North Korea. Criticism of the governing party of devolution not allowed now or it’s threats and abuse?

People are free to refute my views. I welcome debate. However, abuse and false accusations do nothing for the indy cause.

I’m not responsible for the hundreds of thousands that turned away from the SNP in June. The SNP are responsible for that and the electorate.

I voted SNP at the Council and GE elections. Because I personally know the candidates and rated them. Now the elections are out the way I can speak more freely.

You are welcome to use the scroll button and skip my comments – as I will probably do with yours – since you seem unable to debate without being abusive.

twathater @ 10.05 pm

I assume that you are referring to the Tory press release based on their FoI request for information about the number of patients waiting for more than a year for an outpatients appointment?

The figures were 288 patients waiting more than a year in 2015 rising to 1186 in 2016.

Now for some context. Over 4.5 million OPD appointments took place in those years. Target wait time is that they should be seen within 12 weeks (84 days): the median wait time is 45 days.

The numbers waiting more than a year equates to 0.0064% in 2015 and 0.026% in 2016. This is a 400% increase but describing them in this way without the context of the total numbers of OPS appointments is not a credible way to report the data. Also the numbers are so small that each should have been investigated to find out the reason for the delay. They should also be investigated to see if they relate to a small number of Health Boards or are spread through the system.

The number of OPS appointments have risen from 4.3 million to over 4.5 million annually. In recent years there has been a decrease in the numbers seen within the 12 week target but the most recent figures show an upward movement which suggests that the extra money put into the system to address the fall off is working but it will need a further quarter or two of data to confirm this.

Two final points. All of the data is fully and freely available on the Information Services Division web site as quarterly and annual reports. The ISD collects and reports on a huge range of NHS data. The NHS in Scotland is the most comprehensively studied, analysed and reported organisation you will ever come across.

Second point. The increase in demand for OPD appointments may have something to do with an ageing population and the vacancy situation in some disciplines and in some Health Boards. It has little if anything to do with the numbers coming to live here from rUK. So disabuse youself of that one.

The numbers wa

@ Capella

Re: the bizarre substitution

There are several “sensitive” words – or even part-words – which are automatically replaced here (others come out as “tractor” and “quizmaster”). I don’t understand why this should happen only sometimes, but all the words do appear in their unaltered form occasionally.

The word you tried to use was included because a number of people were in the habit of signing off their posts with an expression containing the word: S*** A*** – which was disapproved of.

Can you not see you are HELPING THE CUNT ??.

He’s a lot like Tony Blair today really. Blair’s stepping in merely to screw with the tories a bit and that’s it really. It is credible that some EU er, crat told Blair some nice things about changing the EU for England but its almost certainly bollox.

Colin’s pissing all over the SNP but everyone knows that the SNP quite rationally accepted the “will of the Scottish people” in 2014, qualfied the year after with their manifesto should one merit it clause, or vote SNP for a referendum option.

Just like Brexit is unstoppable, its democracy. You cant just over turn a result like Brexit because you dont like the result.

Colin’s just another creep having a go at taking down the SNP. Blair’s doing the same with tories. Both know that less than half of the UK and at least half of Scotland do want to be in the EU and get their country Scotland back.

But the majority wanted out of Europe and to stay in the UK.

Only EU way back for the UK is a Brexit ref2 and for Scotland, its the exactly the same.

Snap GE a few weeks ago, FibDem’s offered England a Brexit ref2 and bombed. Says it all really.

@ Scot Finlayson

A bit of wit. Well done.

@geeo Don’t get into debates with people if you consider them trolls. Also do not call them trolls in the forum. I believe that that is the advice given.

I think it’s a shame some people on here drag down the image of the independence movement with disgusting language.

But I suppose it will give some people a laugh like a Rab C Nesbitt type of thing.

Fab image Chris. The people of Scotland are being treated like dirt, but will not be trodden into the ground again, no thanks!

Taking a wee breather, and watching stuff. On going to National Library of Scotland image archive, ie, moving image, came across, ‘Hugh MacDIARMID:No Fellow Travellers’ 1972. At 25 mins long, it’s a gem. Take a look, enjoy, the voices of the past are whispering to us, so let’s shout, and keep shouting, sharing info etc, most of all, ignore the paid troll! Just scroll past when you see their name, easy peasy…:-)

Can’t link re copyright, but it comes up, I think this weeks theme. movingimage.nls.uk

Fabulous. They talk about ‘too wee, too poor’ etc.

Off to watch more shorts on nls, happy Sunday all!

@gus1940

I’ve been commentating in the Times and Herald for years. Pro-indy and pro-SNP comments in the main.

I’ve also been a regular reader and occasional contributor to WoS going back years.

I’ve been writing recently because of my concern that the SNP has lost focus and that loss of focus could cost us our chances of exercising our Scottish sovereignty.

The UK Govt are now intent of a huge power grab and further undermining of the very limited ability to exercise Scottish sovereignty under devolution.

The UK Govt has bypassed Barnett and won’t respect conventions. The courts uphold it’s okay for politicians to lie. So do the electorate by re-electing them.

The Tories introduced EVEL making Scottish MPs second class citizens at WM.

The UK Govt ignored the Scottish vote to Remain and the pleadings of the Scot Govt that Scotland should be allowed to remain in the Single Market.

The SNP can’t stop them unless it changes tactics and policies. LCMs or Sewell is just another convention, but youse are more focused on shooting the messenger, instead of pressuring the SNP to creating effective opposition to UK Govt policies and achieve the exercising of Scottish sovereignty.

Of course I’ll stop once I’ve done my best to warn people and stimulate debates on how to address the issues. I won’t waste my time with people who won’t listen.

I try to warn that swearing and gutter talk will also drive away moderate, potential YES voters. Also, insulting everyone who voted No will not convert them to YES: it will also drive them away. All this “Yoon traytor” talk is counterproductive.

It will make them believe Project Fear propaganda that attempts to brand all YES supporters as neds and thugs.

Why would anyone want to vote for a cause whose followers insult them? They won’t.

It’s easy to sit mocking Kezia Dugdale, but she’s the one laughing at youse and rejoicing at how Alex Salmond lost his seat to a Tory, while she is cashing in on £70k a year.

I’m not laughing. I don’t see something to laugh about while people in Scotland struggle to survive on foodbank handouts and zero hour contracts and Scotland is treated like dirt by WM Govt.

What the fuck is Anthony Blair going on about? The fact that the UK opted out of Schengen membership meant that Westminster could already have enforced the 90 day limit on EU migrants staying here outwith employment (and further limits if necessary) that it SHOULD have been enforcing had the Home Secretary given a toss, with no need to leave the single market. The whole idea that freedom of movement is indivisible from the economic factors is evidently a lie.

The only true freedom of movement that the UK has to abide by is the Common Travel Area.

Does…does Blair mean that all 26 Schengen states are going to alter their border agreement rules just to please the UK, which already has opted out and has an enshrined protocol protecting that exempt status which would need a separate referendum to overturn? Hahaha. It’s fucking nonsense – couldn’t Buggering British Children have pointed this out?

I see Norwegian satellites NorSat-1 @ NorSat-2 lifted off (soyuz)from Rus spaceport 08.36 Friday 14th of July 2017, funded by the Norwegian Space Centre,

Norway not wasting its massive wealth from natural resources on weapons of mass destruction or propping up a rich elite in a foreign capital city,

instead investing in infrastructure and future science not only for today`s generation but all those following generations.

Mmm

Three Rings for the Brexiteers, think that they can fly,
Ten for the DUP MPs led by Brit Arlene,
Thirteen for Scots Tories doomed to lie,
One for the Dark Lady on her dark throne
In the Land of UK where the Tories lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of UK where the Tories lie.

Where’s Gollum when you need him?

The last election was a general election NOT an Independence referendum. MANY people who voted for SLab are in fact Independence supporters who voted for SLab / Corbyn rather than the SNP due to trying to demolish T May. What’s not to get unless you’re daft, a Unionist manipulator or both? Add to that 92% of Scottish Brexiters want to remain in the single market. How will they vote next time round? Vote in Indyref2? As the Westminster Brexit constituting booting the er*e of the single market, customs union plus the implications of the great grab repeal becomes clear support for Independence will rise. All we need is 6% of Scottish votes and that’s why the Unionists are suffering from a chronic case of diahorrea.

@Gus1940 at 11:52pm … “Mr Alexander also polluting posts on the Herald.”

Polluting? Smelly? Chronic case of diahorrea? Sounds like a full time, well paid GHSQ job to me. Paid well enough to buy incontinence pads but not enough to influence anyone on here. He, she or it, the great pontificators / confabulators, can blah, blah, blah on and state that they support Independence whilst bleating on that the SNP are Baad but for some reason can’t tell us who we should vote for to achieve our Independence. Something doesn’t ring true. Stinks like diahorrea. Following all of the convoluted Sovereinty crap that we’re being subjected to maybe he, she or it could answer the simplest of questions and that is who should we vote for?

Stamping in.

CLICK!

LSX.