The Red Scare
Posted on
August 03, 2013 by
Chris Cairns
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
-
About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
-
Recent Posts
- 12-09
- 12-07
- 12-03
- 11-28
- 11-25
- 11-23
- 11-22
- 11-18
- 11-17
- 11-12
- 11-09
- 11-06
- 11-04
- 11-03
- 11-02
- 10-29
- 10-26
- 10-26
- 10-21
- 10-19
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
Brilliant!
I want a copy!
Guilty m’lord
What do you think ba’heid?
In the same way that Scots don’t like being called Tories, the day is not far off when Scotland’s people will also be embarrassed to be associated with the Labour Party.
The biggest insult you can hurl at some-one will be to call them a Labour voter.
Re yer queries, Jimmy – Aye tae baith – whit aboot it?
Jimbo
The biggest insult you can hurl at some-one will be to call them a Labour voter.
Isn`t that already happening?
Great cartoon, too. Love it!
OT
Channel 4 news just broadcast a remarkably even handed report on the referendum, focussing on the Embra festival. The boy from the band Mogwai was very good in his interview.
Just tuned into a boke inducing BBC so called saturday night entertainment programme called I love my country. Has a map of GB and a large audience wearing pseudo Union Jack t shirts. Wonder what country they love as it certainly wont be mine. Guess its all part of their game.
Have you seen what’s on two? Both BBC Channels opening with the “National Anthem”
Bunter, I decided to suffer for interest sake, and watched the start, only to hear the presenter tell me, ‘this programme will make you feel more British’.
hmmmm…I thinketh not.
tomface,
Sadly, I can still remember the time, when BBC Scotland ended every single night with a stirring rendition of the English national anthem.
@ Tornface
Aaaargh Starkey on BBC 2.
@Robert Louis
God I’d forgotten about that!
Just spent the last couple of hours watching BBC Alba. To my shame, I’ve never bothered before.
Yes, I’m an east coast lowlander, and don’t know a word of Gaelic, but there’s something in Mairi MacInnes’ singing that made me proud to be a Scot.
I’ll be watching more in future.
Suberb editorial cartoon. Presumably the inquisitor was one Joe Carthy. 😉
Did they not used to play the “national” anthem at then end of films in the cinemas as well? Ghastly dirge. Russian anthem beats it hands down. All the commie tunes are good – L’Internationale, Red Flag….
“Rebellious Scots to crush” indeed. Wonder if they’ll re-instate that verse. That single verse could become the anthem of BT….
Serious O/T question for anyone who knows about such stuff:
We know the McCrone Report was relatively short (19 pages).
We know that most Scots have never heard of it.
We know that serious efforts are underway to discredit it, and to revive the myth that North Sea oil/gas reserves are ‘running-out’.
The question: how much would it cost to print enough copies of McCrone (the whole report) to ensure that every household in Scotland received a copy?
I’m thinking of the most basic form available, and it would be hand delivered to avoid ending up in the ‘blue bin’ with all the other flyers. Between the Yes Scotland, SNP, SSP and Greens, and LFI (?) we have enough people on the ground to be able to do it. The participating parties would contribute to the costs according to their means. In the interests of fair-play, real democratic debate etc, BT would be asked to contribute to ‘informing the debate’.
I’m looking for a very rough estimate. Even I know that printing costs reduce dramatically as the numbers increase, so we’d be as well printing more than we’ll need, and make sure the whole country is flooded with them from now until next Autumn.
Curious for thoughts.
Watched the I Love my Doodah programme – well, I was listening really, not really watching. Other than one mention of Annie Lennox, don’t think it had anything to do with ‘my country’. Maybe they’re hoping it gets a second series after the referendum.
OT
Gorgeous (Prince) George Galloway gags at the thought of gallus Scots voting Yes for fear of fashion faux pas.
link to twitter.com
Completely O/T folks so I do apologise.
With Tony Blair’s African empire (including Rwanda) expansion, is there any link to Jack McConnell & the rotund ("Quizmaster" - Ed)’s visit to Rwanda?
I believe McDougall has blown his feeble trumpet recently on African nations coming together or some such pish.
What if they were really over their lobbying for their hero?
@Yesitis
“OT
Gorgeous (Prince) George Galloway gags at the thought of gallus Scots voting Yes for fear of fashion faux pas.
link to twitter.com”
Well I for one, am not getting into a lycra catsuit which is 5 sizes too small, if there is a No vote. (You will all be relieved to hear).
@ Jamie Arriere – Funny you should mention Annie Lennox. Am I dreaming sweet dreams or is it a fantasy.
link to scotsman.com
As announced by ‘Women for Independence’ on Facebook.
“Funny you should mention Annie Lennox. Am I dreaming sweet dreams or is it a fantasy.”
You should be having deja vu, as that piece is from 2008.
Suddenly I feel all alone. Did I post something awful? Is my browser misbehaving or have I been shunted into a different dimension?
Archie [not Erchie]
Boo!
Your aw right Archie its just another quiet Saturday night.
@ianbrotherhood
On you go then. I will pledge a tenner! 🙂
@TMITJ-
You are too kind mister.
But you know what I’m on about here. McCrone is probably the single most important ‘fact’ when it comes to swaying those ‘undecided/uninterested’ – if we could just get it out there…
@ MIJar – OMG thanks for the response. I shouldnt have watched that Paranormal Activity the other night. Outa here now with a smile.
@Archie[not Erchie]
Excellent to hear about Annie Lenox good sentiments from her in that article. I am looking forwards to Celtic Connections in Glasgow this coming January. Eddie Reader, Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart and Ali Bain all Yes supporters I am fairly sure. I am positive that there must be many more Yes supporters in the traditional music circles. Celtic Connections is a hotbed of collaborations. Many formed in the hotel bars way after hours. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a CD “The Yes Album” 😉 all profits to the Yes campaign.
On a similar subject. I was watching the Baladrome festival on BBC Alba at the end they had Julie Fowlis and a pipe band giving “Flower of Scotland” big licks in front of a happy saltire waving and singing audience. Half way through the program cut to “Today’s Highlights” Hmm am I being paranoid I wonder.
I can remember the days when the “national anthem” was indeed played at the end of every film.
In those days there was usually a mad scramble for the exit doors before you had to stand at attention and sing your loyalty to the Queen of England.
At a Queen tribute act concert in Glasgow a year or so back, we all had a great time singing along with their greatest hits and the guy who played Freddie and the lead guitarist were excellent. Unfortunately, but perhaps punnilly predictive, their final encore was GSTQ.
They looked quite shocked when the vast majority of the audience got up and left immediately.
ianbrotherhood
That is right. We had an elderly man whom I have always associated with the Orange Lodge (the large Union Jack badge on his jacket gave the game away) who burst into our YES shop in Dunoon waving a sheaf of papers. “Why have you not told us about this” he demanded. It was a copy of the McCrone report. I explained we had been trying to tell them for years. “I’m away to talk to the Daily Record” he exclaimed. “They obviously don’t know anything about this report”
As if
ianbrotherhood says:
3 August, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Serious O/T question for anyone who knows about such stuff:
We know the McCrone Report was relatively short (19 pages).
We know that most Scots have never heard of it.
We know that serious efforts are underway to discredit it, and to revive the myth that North Sea oil/gas reserves are ‘running-out’.
The question: how much would it cost to print enough copies of McCrone (the whole report) to ensure that every household in Scotland received a copy?
I’m thinking of the most basic form available, and it would be hand delivered to avoid ending up in the ‘blue bin’ with all the other flyers. Between the Yes Scotland, SNP, SSP and Greens, and LFI (?) we have enough people on the ground to be able to do it. The participating parties would contribute to the costs according to their means. In the interests of fair-play, real democratic debate etc, BT would be asked to contribute to ‘informing the debate’.
I’m looking for a very rough estimate. Even I know that printing costs reduce dramatically as the numbers increase, so we’d be as well printing more than we’ll need, and make sure the whole country is flooded with them from now until next Autumn.
Curious for thoughts.
Ok Mr Curious:
I personally asked Angus Robertson MP (to his face!!) in Feb 12 about getting the McCrone report to every Man , Woman & child in this country.
Got met with a – “welll that would be impractical —- blah blah”
The strange thing was – this was at an organised YES campaign, & whwn I raised the point – was met with GASPS from the audience for having the nerve to do so!
Strangely, when Healey mentioned it a few weeks back – it was BIG news!
It IS dull for the mainstream, HOWEVER!!!!! an easy to digest version is HERE
link to sunnyscotland.org.uk
BBC Alba are currently running a programme similar to ‘the rock and roll years’ for anyone old enough to remember.It certainly shows from a Scottish perspective how we got to where we are today.The other night it was the Scotland fans being banned from going to Wembley due to ‘crowd trouble ‘ and Michael Foot heading the bill at a demo in Glasgow against Mrs Thatcher. Its on about 7 or 8pm. It does make you remember many many forgotten decisions that were made on our behalf in the 1980s. Its on the iplayer
@Ianbrotherhood,
good idea bud, but instead of spending so much time trying to get other involved, organised etc, why don’t we start a fundraiser while trying to find out costs per say 25,000 or so.
We could then blitz places that have low internet access such as Glasgow, with a door drop.
If we speak to people we can ask them to think about writing to their local Labour MP to ask them what they know about this report and why they did not let the Scottish voters know about it, thereby getting it clear in peoples minds that it was Scotlands Labour MP’s who are most to blame for this deception, as it was their own country and people that they betrayed.
All I’ve ever heard from people about this report is that it has a huge impact on people when they find out about it.
PS there’s another article in the Herald about the report today and yet again Gavin McCrone is trying to downplay the deception.
I have left him a comment that we will not forget, what he has done.
@ianbrotherhood: To paraphrase some people trying to sell direct mail services to businesses, direct mail is the most expensive form of advertising, per eyeball. And the McCrone Report is dull as wallpaper paste and doesn’t make for much of an advert, not even printed on shiny paper in four colours. It’s no wonder Ally got funny looks.
The whole idea stinks of McGlashan and MOPEry anyway. The important thing about McCrone is not exactly what he wrote, but what happened to it, and how it came to pass that what was said by the great and the good was something quite different. “Lying liars and the lies they tell” rather that “We wuz robbed!“. You could fit that on a postcard with URL/barcode for a Youtube video or a website. No need for a whole damn book.
And on the subject of books, I have skimmed McCrone’s book and caught him on the radio. So I’m not convinced it is a good idea to treat him like some sort of Lost Prophet when he plainly was and is still Whitehall’s man heart and soul.
The poll was a cheap bad idea and no big deal, but mailing out the McCrone report would be a very expensive bad idea. YMMV.
Ianbrotherhood/Angus McLellan/Ally
I have to agree with Angus, although it was the McCrone report which got me started, it wasn’t exclusively my reason for voting yes. I agree that a reduced version with the main points (like the link by Ally) is important, but the emphasis should be on the lies and deception by successive Westminster governments towards Scotland.
ie hiding Scotland’s true wealth, dodgy accounting, theft of Scottish Seas, selling off our fishing, imposing WMD, contamination of our lochs & shores etc.
For me these are just some of the things that need to be exposed and IMHO are far more important than the shit storm the unionists constantly create over, currency, EU membership etc.
An interview in the Scottish Parliament about a year ago. Annie Lennox is discussing her activism in HIV awareness, but is questioned briefly on Scottish Independence at the end of the interview and comes across as very measured and thoughtful on the topic.
I would suggest that anyone who takes the time to seriously and thoughtfully consider the issues will come to realise that the possibilities that independence provides us is a once in a lifetime opportunity that cannot be passed up.
Good on you Annie Lennox.
@Jamie Arriere
Watched the I Love my Doodah programme … Maybe they’re hoping it gets a second series after the referendum.
After the referendum? If they commission a second 8-week series, it’s odds-on they’ll start it at the same time next year (2nd Aug, 2014).
So Brit-Nat feel-good propaganda dressed up as light entertainment and beamed straight into your living room during the restricted period, right up to 20th Sept 2014.
The BBC are SO transparent.
@Angus McLellan
I was at the same meeting as Ally and he, like others, is well aware that the McCrone report is not for public consumption. It was Angus Robertson’s refusal to contemplate getting the simple idea of the lie and the cover-up out there that was worrying.
ianbrotherhood 09:14 pm 3 Aug
The McCrone Report is a bit technical for most peoples’ tastes and it is nearly 40 years old. Thus a concerted campaign on its findings and what happened to it at this time could be inneffective. However the gist of it and the lies and deception surrounding it should be pushed hard on the doorstep with information on how to access it on the Inet.
For a concentrated campaign it would be better to wait until during the 16 week real campaigning period when any such information will be seized upon and reported by the media and it would be fresh in voters’ minds too. And I DO hope the YES campaign have coherent plans to use information like the McCrone Report and other important information at that time, as so far I have been very disappointed in the YES campaign. And Angus Robertson’s responses above don’t instill me with much confidence.
ian brotherton et al. I have just read this report which was linked up earlier in this discussion. It says and shows all that i have suggested and it is only two pages long.
link to sunnyscotland.org.uk
Thanks, all, for feedback re McCrone.
I’m maybe a bit obsessed with the bloody thing because it just seems the closest we have to absolute proof that the UK State will do anything to prevent us going our own way – if I had to stake a hundred quid I’d guess that no more than 10% of the Scottish electorate have ever heard of it.