The right to be heard
Posted on
April 24, 2021 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
From 1964:
How the times change, eh?
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
- 11-04
- 11-03
- 11-02
- 10-29
- 10-26
- 10-26
- 10-21
- 10-19
- 10-16
- 10-13
- 10-11
- 10-10
- 10-07
- 10-06
- 10-05
- 09-28
- 09-26
- 09-24
- 09-23
- 09-23
A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
The Greens must be astonished at the interest the BBC suddenly has in them. Even UKIP had a story yesterday! Are they even still a thing?
Jings!
I am not generally disposed to conspiracy theories without strong evidence. In which case I do wonder why the SNP/Green genderwoowoo cobblers is not plastered over every paper of note. It’s almost as if someone didn’t want that stuff widely known about. Ditto the absence of Alba. Funny, that.
Jeezo.
Why was UKIP and that idiot David Coburn allowed to take part in the Scottish Parliament election debates in 2016?
How quick they forget ?
Am I to take it from this that the Ofcom enquiry was a waste of time?
In November 2018, I wrote to Andrew Denholm of the Herald to give him a scoop regarding the corrupt closure of a special school in Swinney’s own constituency.
He ignored the invitation and then published an extremely defamatory story just a few days later.
We have offered the BBC the whole story with full disclosure, but they have ducked it.
STV? A joke.
If our story was in England it would have led to the resignation of the Education Minister and a full public inquiry.
In Scotland, corruption is just part of everyday life.
The MSM north of the border is a joke. That is why we have resorted to producing our own full-length documentary.
We have not given-up because it would be immoral and unpatriotic to do so.
But any attempt to present the SNP as they really are has absolutely no chance of success.
ALBA? Pissing in the wind as far as MSM are concerned.
link to tns2019.org
Nice to know the media and Scottish democracy
have moved backwards since 1964.
Its 2021 heading toward 1984.
No more Alasdair Milne’s will ever be employed at the BBC only English Etonians, no change of them going NATIVE !
No matter how legitimate the ALBA party’s claim is, to be allowed in the leaders debates or given fair airtime by the MSM, its not going to happen. Simply because the ALBA party is a real party for Scottish independence which is a threat to the BritNats status quo, not only that the party is led by Alex Salmond, who has a proven track record on pushing for independence, and holding an indyref, and to make matters worse for the BritNat unionist establishment, Salmond has a tv show on RT.
I used to appreciate George Ponsonby’s contributions, but this really is Olympic scale delusion:
link to twitter.com
5967821570576388
Donald MacCormick (anyone remember him?) was the politics man at Queen Margaret Drive during the early 1970’s. He hosted what were then known as regional opt-out shows such as “Current Account” and “Public Account” before being rewarded by the BBC with a move to London.
Needless to say, during his time in Glasgow he was never held to account for routinely excluding SNP politicians and candidates. The Tories, Labour and the Liberals – as you would expect – were always represented.
Ultimately, its a massive compliment. Its a tacit acknowledgement of the threat Alba pose. Same goes for the attempts to get AS jailed in disgrace. ‘But why would Nicola see Alex as a threat?’ Whimpered those without imagination. Can you see now? Because Salmond is the biggest threat to Westminsters looting of Scotlands vast wealth. Those with him are putting Scotlands future first. Those against him are looking after number 1. Its really quite simple. We should thank the press, the unionists, Westminster, the BBC etc for the clarification. Its being made glaringly obvious who is for Scottish self rule and who is against it. So lets get busy voting SNP1 & Alba2.
(Ha, as typing, D Clegg on 5live updating UK on likely Holyrood outcomes). Greens mentioned. Alba not.
I cocked up the link there, but I’ll leave it be as I don’t fancy being killed by hammers
OT but this is GOOD…
Daisy Walker says:
24 April, 2021 at 8:17 pm
Would anyone like a wee bit cheerie, maybe even a wee laugh…
Cast your mind back to the heady days of the Indyref – remember how the BBC ignored the hundreds of Yes Campaigners in favour of a close cropped shot of 2 or 3 No supporters, with large banners and no view of the surrounding apathy?
Remember that…. Well,
Now contrast and compare, baring in mind its the second weekend before the election…
First have a wee look at todays Alba Twitter feed, then have a wee look at SNP Twitter Feed.
And then see if you don’t find yourself going Haaaaaaa, haaaaa, haaa.
Those 12 thousand new recruits are very, uhmmm, slim, to the point of invisible.
dropthevipers says:
24 April, 2021 at 7:50 pm
I am not generally disposed to conspiracy theories without strong evidence. In which case I do wonder why the SNP/Green genderwoowoo cobblers is not plastered over every paper of note. It’s almost as if someone didn’t want that stuff widely known about. Ditto the absence of Alba. Funny, that.
For the umpteenth time, it is not a “conspiracy”, it’s a matter of economics. If the newspapers or telly folk piss on the SNP when they control not only Holyrood but just about every bloody council, they can retaliate by ensuring advertising revenue is withdrawn and access to party members for routine interviews for duvet stuffing stories is stopped.
Are you aware how much our media is reliant on party press offices for their news stories, how little nowadays is self-generated? It’s been that way since the days long before Tony Blair up here, since the days it was Labour, not the SNP, which held such ludicrous sway.
Our media serves a tiny, tiny, marketplace, and is in no position to piss off the over-high and over mighty. Why do you think Rangers kept getting away with banning reporters from Ibrox as a matter of routine? Why else is Scotland the home of “Succulent Lamb journalism”? If any English club behaved with such arrogance, the press would nail their fannies to the wall every chance they got forever after – as Fergie found out the hard way when he tried doing that at Man United.
It’s not a conspiracy – it’s they who pay the piper call the tune.
@Paul McRae says: 24 April, 2021 at 8:15 pm
I used to appreciate George Ponsonby’s contributions, but this really is Olympic scale delusion:
link to twitter.com
5967821570576388
After Garry “Bottom” Otton, I have long been wary of self styled “media monitors” – they’re usually the sort of people who in primary school couldn’t even be trusted as milk monitors.
@TNS2019 – “If our story was in England it would have led to the resignation of the Education Minister and a full public inquiry.” This puts me in mind of Jim Sillars’ opinion which was: “The toxic tentacles of the SNP have poisoned public life in Scotland.”
As far as the MSM are concerned, I think the Daily Mail are your best hope. They came up with the classic headline: ‘a banana republic without the bananas.’ That continues to make me smile.
Holyrood just hasn’t worked-out, has it. I presume these tools at Education Scotland have been useless as well? That’s what I found anyway. I think they just sit in chairs all day like cardboard cut-outs. I heard they don’t even answer the phone.
I notice you use the word ‘misfeasance’ whereas I use the word ‘malfeasance’. You’re probably right. They both mean the same thing of course and that is “corruption in public life.” Plenty of that around at Holyrood.
I hope Alex and ALBA have a real breakthrough and the launch wasn’t too late ,
At least when the SNP were battling with the media for coverage it was only Unionists they were up against changed times eh ALBA are taking flack from all sides and some of the worst stuff is from supposedly Independence supporting people what the fk are they scared of ,
The Regional vote has no effect on the constituency vote Alex has went out of his way to urge everyone to vote SNP in the constituency vote he’s actually helping and attempting to stop what could be a bit embarrassing if they start haemorrhaging votes all over the place because of Sturgeons leadership and that won’t stand much close scrutiny believe me .
I remember Maggie trying this when the farcical reporting of the IRA gained comedy status with actors impersonating what they were saying or not in the case of reporting from Ireland I don’t think it worked then and I hope people as a bit more savvy nowadays but who knows .
The whole idea of Independence supporters actually wishing and hoping ALBA fails is beyond me I really don’t get it Princess Nicolas plan to have him jailed and failed spectacularly and we still don’t know the final cost we are going to be landed with and some people worship her she hasn’t given them anything and definitely not Indy ref2 that isn’t even on the table this shite about it being after the plague oh dear that could be never.
And look at the monster the SNP have turned into under the regime of the She Devil herself, Nicola Sturgeon.
@Captain Yossarian says: 24 April, 2021 at 9:11 pm
As far as the MSM are concerned, I think the Daily Mail are your best hope. They came up with the classic headline: ‘a banana republic without the bananas.’ That continues to make me smile.
It was Andrew Neil who said it for the Mail, Express and his own Spectator recently, and it actually wasn’t his own – wonderful though it was.
It was Mary E. Daly in her book “Sixties Ireland Reshaping the Economy, State and Society, 1957-1973 (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2016) which repopularised the phrase in recent years (it was also used about America under Trump).
In Eire in 1970 the banks went on strike for over six months, and Ireland’s economy came close to complete collapse as a result (ironically, it was the unofficial use of English pounds as a “second” currency which prevented that, but that’s another story). The official report on the crisis the following year from Michael Fogarty dryly stated, ‘Ireland once again showed itself to have all the marks of a banana republic except the bananas’.
@Mark Boyle
Your argument is verging on incoherence because with one hand you denigrate the word ‘conspiracy’ – fair enough – but then you describe a form of economic behaviour that is not too far from that of a classic cartel, which is basically THE economic form of conspiratorial behaviour.
(ducks for cover in anticipation of being shot down in flames…)
Alex Salmond is a master strategist for sure, but I wonder if, in his heart of hearts, he knows the Sturrell Mafia won’t work with him and that realistically, the best Alba can do at this stage is place a marker in the ground for their party in 2026.
Chris Downie 9.38
I said something similar in the last thread.
To launch a new Party, a month before a Scottish General Election is a tough call.
They should be aiming at going after seats in the Westminster election and help lift their profile, hopefully by the time Holyrood 2026 comes about, the ALBA Party will be a serious challenger to become the main Indy Party in Holyrood 2026.
Chris Downey @9.38
Alex will have considered this possibility, along with many others, in making his decisions. I believe he is looking for justice for the people of Scotland which will also be justice for him personally. If it comes later rather than sooner, he won’t be phased by having to wait a while.
He won’t let this go until he has achieved his objective.
On the plus side at least the current SNP are not aligning themselves with the Nazis.
The silence of our first minister is telling – a democrat would advocate, not be fearful of, ALBA represented in media debates. So far, she prefers censorship. Welcome to the SNP’s ‘new’ Scotland.
Your essential weekend reading:
‘The Adoration of Saint Nicola’: link to wp.me
@Chris Downie 9.38 pm
There are a number of alternatives:
1) An SNP or SNP/Green administration in the next Holyrood term, which fails to deliver #indyref2 but holds power until 2026 under essentially the same leadership/s. That would make co-operation between the SNP & Alba impossible.
2) As above, but the SNP suffers continued loss of supports &/or splits and defections weakening it prior to #HR2026. Co-operation is probably still unlikely.
3) As above but the SNP membership stage a palace coup and get rid of Sturgeon and reform the party. This makes co-operation possible.
Alba supporters and other opponents of the SNP should be hoping for 3, but if that doesn’t happen you’re right, we have to prepare hard over the next 5 years to ensure things are different for #HR2026 and afterwards.
Will be brilliant if Alba get a good few seats, but not to worry, because the foundations are being poured right now. We are building again.
Rare sighting of Tsarina Nicola in Govanhill the forgotten corner of her empire. She was at the bottom of Calder street about 4 PM today.
In August 1964 Alec Douglas-Home, a Scot – albeit an aristo – was Prime Minister. And a seatless nationalist party was being given its rights on election coverage.
Nowadays no Scot would be accepted as PM by knuckle-dragging, Express reading middle England. And Alba has been excluded from its rights without a hint of embarrassment by the broadcasters.
“Vote No and Scotland can lead the UK”, that’s what I recall the yoons claiming in 2014 in order to cheat Scots. Now, just a few years after indyref1, we are treated far worse than in 1964.
1964 was, coincidently, the year Peter Murrell came into the world.
Grouse beater @ 10.08pm
Brilliant article I just wish more folk would pay attention to you and the general consensus on this site. Genuinely I can’t understand why there are so may nic fans out there. There’s something far wrong with society
Govanhill – 19% minority ethnic. Way above Scottish average.
I wonder how she will do there this time.
The Yes movement was a street movement made by thousands of little people who found their voices – the snp harnassed it but have now left us behind and taken a wrong road – but lets hope that Alba manages to gain 16 seats at least and this without the help of the bbc, the media, the snp or anyone else and the momentum grows and grows for the little people have found their voice.
No one is prepared to take on the gender nonsense because too much money is involved and many have lost their way and pandered to ‘progressive’ thinking which is not based on anything factually real.
Many are afraid of speaking up and many many more do not even realise it is going on. When you are accused of being some kind of phobic or in danger of losing your job many are forced to stay dumb and so the madness continues.
Nicola Sturgeon with recent polls suggesting 61 constituency seats plus 1 regional seat doing very very well – but falling short of an overall majority.
So why is she recommending SNP 1 and 2 when a million SNP 2 votes would deliver her 1 seat. It defies logic.
But voters are more savvy than narrow party politics. They know there are things wrong with the SNP leadership. But they know that giving the second vote, the regional vote to Alba can transform the next parliament – and deliver an independence focussed super majority parliament.
Nicola 62 seat minority is not enough. Boris Johnson will just ignore his wee chum. But with a phalanx of Alba he certainly will not.
Anyway, the choice is ours. All ours.
GrouseBeater @10:08 Great article. Took me a while to see past Saint Nicola but I got there in the end. I think others will too.
I see she’s now saying that a IndyRef would have taken place last year if it hadn’t been for COVID. Please feck off Nicola and keep going. Jeez the absolute gall.
Grouse Beater @10:08
That is a most insightful piece on the hubris of Sturgeon and the people around her. Yes, they they are not cultists so much as control freaks.
.
topmaB/Andy/tnuC/Gordon/
Gordon says: Hi Rock, good comment.
Rock: Thanks Gordon. Have you got any spare crayons?
Andy: Hey guys, what about me. Gordy killed me off and stole my crayons.
Kcor: Shut up Andy, I have enough voices in my head.
Rock: Hey Gordy, are you still looking for pedos?
Gordon: Hi Rock, I was actually looking to buy a pair of Speedos to go swimming in and arnt too good at spelling.
Indy-4-Labour: Hi guys, I thought Gordy was getting a bit obsessed about pedos.
Gordon: No INDY, it was budgie-smugglers I like. Speedos. They show my pee-pee nice at primary school.
Rock: But Gordy, you are 60 years old. Are you not gettin a bit pervy?
Gordon: Rock, fucking shut up. My name is now Gordena and I am voting SNP1 like the rest of them pedos mate.
Andy: Gordena, your accent is slipping mate. Up north in Jockistan the Swetties use the word
“Pal”.
Gordena: Andy, I killed you orf m8. Ur not supposed ta be ere innit.
Rock: Gordena, you are sounding a bit Rasta now?
Gordena: Dat be da case ma blud. Am gonna be a Trans Ganja MSP. Da doc is gettin me da corn plasta 4 ma foot so ah can be da disabled in ma crib innit. Dat way am a shure fit 4 da white honky pahliment at da Ollyrood. Am needing it an da munney cos ma ooniversal credit got stopped.
————————————–
———————————————————————–
— PLEASE QUOTE THIS OFTEN TO SAVE YOUR TIME FROM TROLL TWATS —
Confused says:
18 April, 2021 at 3:25 pm
Remember folks, trolls also win when they waste your time.
– their posts, often too many, of no substance, will “slide” good posts way upthread, where people will miss them
– new handle, lots of posting; reasonable at first, then arsey later on – diverting the discourse
– always asking questions that – have been answered many times, can be looked up, and when they get an answer, they go on to something else, or makeup bullshit hypotheticals
– if the Isle of Wight goes independent after the breakup of the UK, getting rich by charging transit fees for Le Manche.
Just read the latest Grouse Beater.
Fantastic stuff. One of his very best.
‘Administrative aristocracy’ is a phrase, for which I’ve been on a quest for what seems like a long time. Finally!
A few posts ago…Rev Stu pointed towards the mushroom management style…there is a common theme here of an SNP elite that has little interest in those it’s supposed to serve.
This is the theory…for the ‘practice’ we had two btl comments today from Captain Yossarian and TNS2019 that shows what the little people must suffer at the hands of this arrogant elite. Years and years of wasted lives.
What we are dealing with is guid auld-fashint Scottish corruption, which we ALL know about. In a weirdly ironic way the SNP elite has gone native…if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
If Scotland becomes independent, this corruption will have to be absolutely rooted out…or our democracy will be the same facade as before, just re-painted with a saltire.
Chris Downie says:
24 April, 2021 at 9:38 pm
Alex Salmond is a master strategist for sure, but I wonder if, in his heart of hearts, he knows the Sturrell Mafia won’t work with him and that realistically, the best Alba can do at this stage is place a marker in the ground for their party in 2026.
I dunno. The fat lady isn’t singing yet.
Look at the comments in reply to this… I know, it’s Angus Robertson, and after Joanna Cherry’s knife in the back, things weren’t likely to go well, but still…
link to twitter.com
From a totally unscientific perspective, I see ALBA people with quite a spring in their step, while the SNP seems strangely muted.
And for a party which didn’t exist until recently, ALBA is certainly cramming a lot of stuff into an incredibly short space of time, and it’s getting people to turn out and campaign for them. A lot of that “stuff” is pretty meaty too. For a new kid on the block, they are already looking pretty campaign savvy.
Maybe, just maybe, the question isn’t what’s the best ALBA can do, but whether it’s the SNP who are heading into troubled waters.
To be honest, it’s difficult to predict how this story ends. About the only thing I’d be tempted to put money on, is that whatever the result next month, Scotland will not be waiting four years before going back to the polls. The entire landscape is changing.
Breeks @11:19
“The entire landscape is changing.”
Indeed it is. A dancing landscape as they call it in the science of complexity. When such a landscape appears, some players can find themselves exchanging a trough for a peak very quickly. Alba will be a major force before long and exerting a gravitational pull in Scottish politics.
In 2011 Sturgeon had a miscarriage and for any prospective mother that is a complete tragedy. However…
It seems to me that the First Minister had replaced the children she never had with Trans people.
Trans people are her new and forever family. Her children she never had. Forever to be nurtured, protected and encouraged to be all they can be – whatever that is.
If that is the case, Nicola Sturgeon is mentally insane and we, who desire Scottish Independence are completely fucked.
Depressing isn’t it?
Big Al the kiddies pal,
Give it a rest.
There are intelligent people (me included), trying to have a grown up conversation here.
Is the burden of Voting SNP 1 getting too much for you?
You just have to accept I am far to good for you, you are not in my class numbnut.
Your turning into a screaming skull.
Try doubling your valium dosage, it might help.
Now can I get back to my intellectual friends dafty?
I will not converse with you again, you are toxic Big Al the kiddies pal.
Hey Gordon,
If we want your SNP1 opinion, we’ll send Alex Arthur round to beat it out of you.
Got that Nicki woo woo wee Gordon wimp boy?
Eh?
Well, well, there’s an opinion piece in the guardian by none other than Nicola Sturgeon and i kid you not, without the slightest awareness of irony the piece is titled –
‘Ignoring the will of the Scots would be an act worthy of Trump’
too right, Nikla, too right.
.
Gordon,
You may call yourself intellectual, but anyone who libels and slanders in a schoolyard manner is a pathetic hypocrite like you.
Your obsession with calling everyone on Wings a pervert when each is clearly tortured by this shows just how immature you are.
Gordon/Andy/odeP/reknaW you are a busted flush.
EVERYONE knows you are Norman-No-Mates, the site Troll who talks to himself.
Gordon, away and find a village lacking an idiot and see if they will accept your job application?
Andy/Gordon the Pedo Obsessive wi name pals.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Speaking of Angus Robertson, I had a letter in the post;
“You have two votes in the Scottish Parliament election; the first for your constituency MSP, and the second that determines the winning party and who can become First Minister.”
That’s not true (the second part), is it?
Just as an FYI for fellow Wingers with no direct knowledge of such things.
Miscarriage and / or childlessness doesn’t send women insane or drive them to displacement mothering .
That’s a myth straight out of Incel skool …
As much as the pretendy insults between the Gruesome twosome above are fake….
1964 I just about remember that. I was washing dishes in the SNP kitchen with my old Maw. How times have changed. You were due a kicking then. Now?. You are due a kicking if you don’t support the SNP. Luckily the old Maw trained me to have an Independent brain.
@ kapelmeister who said at 10:25 pm
“Nowadays no Scot would be accepted as PM”
That’s thanks to David Cameron, not the “knuckle-dragging, Express reading middle England”.
No Scot can become PM because of EVEL – English votes for English laws
“Mr Wishart, the Scottish Nationalists’ shadow Commons leader, told The Times: “English votes for English laws would make it very, very difficult — almost impossible — for a Scottish MP to become prime minister. It would also be almost impossible for a Scottish MP to be secretary of state in a devolved department such as health any more. They wouldn’t be able to turn up to debates.”
link to thetimes.co.uk
.
Hi Gordena,
You really are a thick cunnt.
I am one of the RARE ones here that is NOT voting SNP1. I cannot stomach voting that way as the SNP are beyond the pale. Can you understand that Gordena or do I need to explain it in single syllables? Jeezo, I know the British Army 77th Brigade standards are slipping, but you really are the bottom of the barrel.
I’ve told you this 8 times. I AM NOT VOTING SNP1 OUT OF CONSCIENCE.
I AM VOTING ALBA (C) LIST.
DO YOU GET THAT GORDENA?
Nope?
You repeat the same copy/paste Squaddie crap more often than a farting woopie cushion lying and bleating like your pet sheep ya Barmy Army sheep shagger.
This all goes to show you are a Troll.
Now Grodena, please fuckity fuck off and invent a new fantasy pal with another fake ID so you can talk to yourself more. FBut this time in those killer heals and that nice frock you started wearing so you can get in as an SNP MSP on their trans short list.
Gordena Transena the SNP Pal.
@ Derek at 12.42
No, it’s not true. He’s lying.
The First Minister is elected by the MSPs in the Holyrood chamber. It is of course almost certain that the leader of the largest party will win, but it is not decided by your regional vote.
What is true is that the regional list ballot papers have the slogan “Nicola Sturgeon for First Minister” in the SNP slot.
@PhilM says: 24 April, 2021 at 9:38 pm
@Mark Boyle
Your argument is verging on incoherence because with one hand you denigrate the word ‘conspiracy’ – fair enough – but then you describe a form of economic behaviour that is not too far from that of a classic cartel, which is basically THE economic form of conspiratorial behaviour.
(ducks for cover in anticipation of being shot down in flames…)
A conspiracy is people or groups getting together in secret in order to achieve goals which are illegal.
What I described are practices which are unethical, but not actually illegal – otherwise you could have been sure the Conservatives would have done something long ago about Labour being allowed to run certain parts of the UK as private fiefdoms by set families for decades.
It isn’t anything to do with cartelisation as that only concerns independent traders working together to dominate the market, keep other competitors out, and screw over those dependent on their stock in trade. In this case, it’s the customers screwing the traders.
I see ComeToGhana’s Twitter account has been suspended.
I wonder why?
1. Standing up for LGA and their newfound charity status
2. Pointing out who the lovely Eilidh really is
3. Self-excommunication from the church of St Nickla
4. Other
Take your pick
crazycat says:
25 April, 2021 at 1:18 am
@ Derek at 12.42
“What is true is that the regional list ballot papers have the slogan “Nicola Sturgeon for First Minister” in the SNP slot.”
I think I’ll write “Alex Salmond for First Minister” on my constituency paper.
I too got the election leaflet with second vote for Nicola Sturgeon as first minister.
Won’t be happening in my family, many of whom are lifelong SNP voters (nor the first vote tbh).
S A Somerville out the tin lid on any hope they ever had of votes from us on Friday. I fucking hate liars, especially liars who don’t give a fuck about the consequences of their ineptitude.
Crazycat and Derek:
Anent Angus Robertson and his explanation of how the FM is appointed, it’s not necessarily a given that he’s lying. Remember, it’s Angus Robertson; he probably just doesn’t understand how the system works.
Whatever happens on 6th May: THE ALBA DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE
“Foreign Affairs Committee” accused government ministers of risking national security by “turning a blind eye” to Russian, “dirty money” flowing through the City of London. Concerns were also raised about “golden visas” being issued in ever-increasing numbers despite the alleged involvement of Russia in the Salisbury Novichok nerve agent attack. In its conclusion, the report demanded that the Government get tough on foreign nationals by tightening the rules of the scheme making it more secure. But interestingly, the one voice of dissent from his own committee was from the then Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson who suggested that “there was no real role for Government in the process”.
link to caltonjock.com
Chris @ 6:48
I wonder if this has anything to do with it. Perhaps Twitter just wanted the link to bbc.com
* the handle
The Media black-out for Ivermectin is criminal.
James Barr Gardner says:
24 April, 2021 at 8:13 pm
“No more Alasdair Milne’s will ever be employed at the BBC -“
Plenty of Warks and Kuenssbergs, though?
PhilM says:
“@Mark Boyle
Your argument is verging on incoherence because with one hand you denigrate the word ‘conspiracy’…”
What struck me about dropthevipers’ original comment was that, if the evidence sought were available, then the matter would no longer be a ‘theory’ in which to believe.
The general news blackout regarding ALBA, whether ‘evidence’ or no, is a reasonable pointer to the Establishment (in WM and Holyrood) being in a bit of a tizz about the new party’s progress.
If you can be relaxed about that sort of thing happening in your own country, then expect more of the same in future.
The MSM in Scotland deserves a pauper’s grave and then to be forgotten.
A new Survation poll has Alba on 3% for the list.
I think we can disregard the Comres poll. If the Survation one is accurate and Alba are 3% nationally, then it must be more than 3% in the party’s strongest regions. Still on course for seats I’d say.
Conspiracy does not denote illegality.
My favourite commenter on that Angus Robertson Twitfeed has to be:
Amnesia Sturgeon@SturgeonAmnesia.
Luigi says:
25 April, 2021 at 7:57 am
Whatever happens on 6th May: THE ALBA DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE
There is another component to that…
To Scotland’s enemies in the media, ALBA needs to be killed off early. ALBA will never be weaker than it is now and they cannot allow the cub to grow into a tiger. The better ALBA does, or appears to be doing, the more the BritNat media will come gunning for it. The worse ALBA does, the more we’ll hear all about it. My advice is tune out. Don’t listen. Use the lessons we learned in 2014.
The sickening sight is the deluded SNP faction cheering them on, actually doing the media’s job for them. But surely that cannot sit well or feel comfortable draped around the shoulders of any right thinking Independentist. Hopefully the voters are a little less gullible, and a lot less bitter.
SNP1 ALBA2 is the strategy that delivers. If it fails, those responsible for that will have to answer for it… and that doesn’t just apply to ALBA’s detractors, it also applies to those ballot spoilers who won’t return an SNP majority.
A 2/3ds Supermajority in Holyrood requires strength in BOTH components. SNP1 ALBA2. Hold that line and keep putting one foot in front of the other until you hear something different from the Boss.
Breastplate
Conspiracy does not denote illegality
/
Conspiracy does not denote illegality necessarily
Grouse beater has nailed it once again:
” PhilM says:
24 April, 2021 at 11:14 pm
Just read the latest Grouse Beater.
Fantastic stuff. One of his very best.
‘Administrative aristocracy’ is a phrase, for which I’ve been on a quest for what seems like a long time”
We do indeed have an adminisrative aristocracy. Unaccountable. Un-touchable.
Deliverers of the very “arbitrary justice” that AS warned us about at HR.
Why does the leader of a party projected to get 50% of the constituency vote a week on Thursday need a puff-piece of the sort delivered by The Scotsman today? Is it boosterism for the election….or something that might occur after?
Jayne Secker on Sky (to her, and maybe her producer’s, credit) has just given Lorna Slater a very difficult time on Sky News.
“I voted Alba because that nasty teenager Pete Wishart said not to”
Did anyone see Sophy Ridge this morning?
The Greens’ boss eyed muppet Lorna Slater was on, Ridge asked her about the proposed reforms to the GRA and the potential dangers, and Slater completely floundered, reduced to babbling that it was all “dogwhistle politics”.
If Deputy Dawg can’t even answer questions on the Greens pet topic without looking clueless, don’t fancy the rest of their chances coming up with legit excuses.
Given that NS has never aligned herself in any way with AUOB, is it likely that AUOB will be formerly motivated to vote ALBA 2 on the regional list as opposed to the wastrel SNP 2 or even GREENS 2?
I hope the English electorate, in refusing to accept a Scottish PM again, will remember to remember Michael Gove’s nationality.
Breeks @9.14
No matter how hard it feels I agree very much with your restatement of the advice of SNP 1 and ALBA 2 unless and until, as you say, we hear anything different from the ” Boss ”
Alex Salmond will have access to detailed polling that none of us have access to. So yes, stick with what he says. Maybe he will advise something slightly different, nearer the time, maybe not.
After the election there will I suspect be a huge shift and or restructure of the SNP. That I think is guaranteed. So in the meantime for those justifiably scunnered, keep the scunner in check, and use your focus to get the message out about Alba.
Blogged this earlier, but did you see that nascent Alba, not even four weeks old from launch, and subject to a media black out, took nearly the same crowdfunding money as Labour when it came third in the crowdfunding stakes. ( Ergo SNP £194,151: Labour £59,641: and Alba £55,855.
Correct Stephen
PhilM says:
24 April, 2021 at 11:14 pm
Just read the latest Grouse Beater.
Fantastic stuff. One of his very best.
‘Administrative aristocracy’ is a phrase, for which I’ve been on a quest for what seems like a long time. Finally!
And what about:
Aye, the boy can write!
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
The First Minister is having an absolute disaster of an interview on Marr.
He is running rings around her, and she’s lost her temper again.
SNP1 ALBA2 has the following consequence. Post-election someone can openly remind the SNP and the public of the voting figures, and that for every ALBA2 there was an SNP1, and how would the reaults have looked without this. Would the SNP like it to continue?
“Holyrood just hasn’t worked-out, has it”
Just as it was specifically designed to do by those in Westminster who didn’t have a choice but reconvening Scotland’s parliament to contain the increasing interest in Scotland’s independence.
Holyrood was specifically designed to not work out as proven by the speech given by David Davis in England’s as “the UK” parliament.
Thanks to Mr Davis we were all disgusted to learn that despite the British state knowing for centuries that you can only ensure democracy and that Holyrood would only work if the powers of the executive and those of the prosecution service were separated, they deliberately choose to not separate those powers when they set up Holyrood. In other words, they set Holyrood up to fail from day one.
Even after the warning of Mr Davis in the House of Commons, even after the unprecedented level of abuse of power we have all witnessed by the combo Sturgeon’s corrupt government + COPFS, those powers remain united today.
Westminster is the only one that can establish the separation of those powers officially. That they remain unseparated after what happened and the warning of Mr Davis, tells us just how little Westminster wishes Holyrood to work or how much the British state has been involved in this conspiracy against Mr Salmond. I let you choose.
One thing is clear, if those powers were separated, the Scottish taxpayers would not have had to foot the bill for a series of malicious prosecutions, a civil case that costed us over 500,000 pounds and a criminal case and police investigation that is going to serve us with an unnecessary bill of millions of pounds. If those powers were separated, we would not have to endure today a corrupt to the core politician still fronting the main political party of Scotland. If those powers were separated we would have seen several of those corrupt to the core civil servants and SPADS in Scotland sacked for gross misconduct instead of having to foot the bill for an increase in their already overinflated salaries.
Mr Davis also confirmed that despite our MSPs being elected by the people of Scotland to represent them and therefore having far more right to speak on behalf of the people of Scotland than England MPs, those who set up Holyrood denied to our MSPs the same privileges that their counterparts from England have. That is discrimination where there ever was one. You could even consider it a form of subtle racism.
But that deliberate discrimination is what allowed a crown agent, a corrupt COPFS and corrupt Lord Advocate to get away with suppressing incriminating evidence that should have seen STurgeon and the Lord Advocate out of government in disgrace and some of those civil servants out of their jobs and disciplined for breaches of the civil service code of conduct.
Yet, it is today and our MSPs still don’t enjoy the same privileges than their England counterparts despite of what happened. Again, this is more proof either that Westminster never wanted Scotland’s MSPs to be able to stand up to the COPFS without threats of being imprisoned for doing their jobs, or it was just the British state making use of one of its personal back doors to gerrymander a Scottish parliamentary inquiry into the behaviour of its puppet STurgeon’s government and the corrupt civil service in Scotland. Again, I let you choose. From where I am standing both look as bad as each other.
What all this fiasco and Mr Davis’ speech has revealed is that Westminster never had any intention whatsoever to even properly devolve power to Scotland or allowing Scotland to have a functional parliament, despite the people of Scotland, the owners of those powers, demanding it.
Clearly the British state deliberately removed the locks of a few back doors to have a way itself to get in, undemocratically, against the will and interests of the people of Scotland and gerrymander things when they did not go the way it wanted. Just as we saw with that crown agent pushing for Mr Salmond’s prosecution and handing the complaints to the police against the will of the accusers or what we have seen in the way the COPFS was threatening MSPs and witnesses with jail to suppress evidence.
Frankly, now that we know what we know and the obstacles Westminster left deliberately in place to stop Holyrood functioning like a real parliament, it very much looks like Holyrood has functioned remarkably well and proven to be quite resilient considering the toxic set of cards it was given to play by Westminster.
If the British State has been so deliberately unjust, unfair, so petty, so profoundly undemocratic and authoritarian and has showed such level of contempt for the people of Scotland that deliberately left the executive and prosecution unseparated and Scotland’s MSPs without parliamentary privilege ensuring the impossibility of real democracy, real functionality of HOlyrood to represent the people of Scotland and impossibility of holding a corrupt executive and COPfS to account, the solution will never be to close Holyrood but to empower it by giving it what should have been given to it 20 fckng years ago. The solution will be to close the toxic well that has been deliberately poisoning Holyrood from its very conception and from its the roots and deliberately undermining the interests of the people of Scotland: Westminster and the Scotland Act.
Westminster and an unfit for purpose and excessively restricting by design Scotland Act are the root of Holyrood’s problem. Why? Because it was in England MPs’ hands to establish a strong, robust, fair, democratic Scottish parliament as demanded by the people of Scotland. Instead, they deliberately established, against the will and interests of the people of Scotland, a puppet, a pretend toothless parliament that was deliberately set to fail since day one and that was designed not to represent Scotland, but to protect England’s interests at all times.
You don’t kill a dandelion by pulling out the flower. You kill it by pulling out the roots. In the exact same way, you will not get rid of the problem that HOlyrood has by design, by closing Holyrood. You will get rid of the problem by closing down the designer of the problem, Westminster, and by empowering Holyrood with all those powers that England MPs in Westminster have been for 300 years hoarding for themselves. You will get rid of the problem by finally getting the Scottish people to make each and every single one of their country and parliament decisions instead of being forced to accept the toxic decisions the MPs of another country take on our behalf.
Do not close Holyrood. Reform it. And the only way you can reform it is by getting rid of the toxic well that has been poisoning it from its inception to steal the Scottish people’s powers: Westminster.
As far as I could see, there is only one political party actively campaigning for closing down Holyrood “to save the union” and that is UKIP. Are you a unionist kipper pretending to pass as a pro independence supporter, captain Yossarian?
If we want independence the first thing to do is to eject from Holyrood the representatives of England parties, aka the useless lumps of lead holding our country’s ankle to stop it growing, progressing and moving in the direction the people of Scotland want it to go. The only way we can do this is by voting SNP1+Alba2.
Marr interview
Sturgeon has this ladder next to her bookcase.
There is a vase of flowers on the top step.
Not a lot of reading going on.
All for show.
@Mia – The well have been poisoned all-right, but not by anything Westminster has done, or failed to do. Holyrood is Holyrood. We’ve had it for 20-odd years. If it still doesn’t work then Holyrood itself is the problem.
Mark Boyle, PhilM,
You’re both right as least as far as the practical effects are. However Mark’s right on the money with economics. Just look at the press websites. Costs are being pared to the bone and then some. They don’t even bother checking articles for spelling and grammar errors. The entire industry is on life-support and they are never ever, ever going to do anything that disrupts advertisers from writing them cheques. So the SNP has power of life and death over them. Our £3 million guaranteed their servitude to the government for ever more.
It’s probably a miserable life being a mainstream journalist. I hope the pain continues.
Sturgeon on the Andrew Marr Show – a minor car crash.
Marr, pitching to his mainly English audience, decided not to attack the SNP’s record in government, but, to shamelessly play the Independence card.
In this, he came up with the usual misrepresentations and lies, but, Sturgeon, also as usual, as she always does: talked too much. Someone really should coach her, even at this late date in her career, to give short, concise answers, then shut-up. But no, she insists on over-talking.
Marr went for hypothetical sistuations, he never once tackled her on the issues where she is vulnerable: the SNP’s record in government, its promotion of the likes of the GRA legislation or the Hate Bill.
And Sturgeon did not pull him up on his false premises over this notional Scottish deficit.
A minor car crash, caused by both parties. I still think he took it easy on her.
Gordon Wilson ‘The Turbulent Years 1960-1990’ talking about the May 1964 SNP Conference, and later;
‘In the news, there had been a proposal to erect a barrage in the Solway to generate power from tidal movement. This was to be welcomed, but the planners had suggested that the northern bank of the Solway in Scotland would need to be transferred to English jurisdiction. This would have meant part of Dumfries and Galloway being incorporated into England. When the resolution opposing the transfer went through by acclamation, a delegate, on a point of order, asked the Chairman what action would be taken by the SNP if the scheme proceeded. Arthur Donaldson replied:
“When Scotland’s territorial integrity is at risk, nothing can be ruled out.”
The delegates went ballistic, on their feet cheering and clapping. The National Anthem, Scots Wha Hae was sung with increased fervour …’
‘… Some of the same spirit was missing when 40 years later, when Westminster transferred thousands of square miles of Scottish sea to English jurisdiction, so that any fisherman caught fishing as far north as Arbroath could be prosecuted in English courts. Not a squawk of protest came from Scottish and SNP MPs.’
How the times change, eh?
I’d be happy if at the very worst case scenario we get at least Salmond back at Holyrood. Any kind of breakthrough would be good here.
It’s incredible how dense a lot of the SNP voting polulace is. They knew how much media hostility existed towards the SNP when Salmond was leader. It’s not there now. I wonder why…
Alba should contest the Council and UK elections too.
Yes great piece from Grouse.
The propaganda against Alba is intense on SM, that tells us they are nervous.
I agree that this is the start and may just be a small step but it is needed.
Even if NS is FM again, she is on a downward trajectory and her ego won’t be able to take that.
Also very, very few activists out for SNP, the woke weans don’t do hard work, they are far too spoilt and indulged for that.
I though Nicola was pathetic on the Marr Show just now.
Why on earth did she get caught on a potential border with England
if we rejoined the EU?
N Ireland is trading in the EU right now and Boris assured us there is
no border with the U.K.
why didn’t you hit him with this?
Why didn’t you highlight the Billions Scotland
has lost in trade with the EU since 1st January?
Why didn’t she say the fiscal studies showing an Indy
Scotland would have debt is due to debt created by Westminster
during the 300 years when we’re not allowed to borrow?
Why didn’t she compare us to Estonia who have increased their GDP
4 fold since breaking away from Russian control.
Why didn’t she attack the worst Covid death rate in Europe due to
Boris mishandling it at every turn.
Why not mention Boris crashing the U.K. economy harder than any other
country in Europe.
Why didn’t she mention Ireland standing strong in the EU and while smaller
than Scotland the pensioners there have almost double the pension rates.
Go on those shows to discuss these points no matter what they ask you for Gods sake.
Comment of the day from Tory trade minister-
The UKs new trade deals will see better prices for Frois Gras for example.
Well luxury force fed Goose Liver isn’t up there in my family’s future!
willie
Don’t forget the initial membership rush. That probably added several times the crowdfunding figure up front and much more spread out over the year.
@Socrates
Sturgeon is just one cheek of a new Unionist arse.
It’s just an act now. I started to get suspicious of her when she kept backing the GERS figures. That as well as her hostility to Wings and other pro Indy sites.
What’s happened about the Ofcom hearing of Alba’s complaint against the BBC? Can we expect an answer before May 7? Nothing to see on the link to ofcom.org.uk website
Stuart MacKay
A fair analysis of the eecline of the msm in Scotland, in particular the written press.
My local paper, for whom I wrote for some years, is now put together in an office some 40 miles away. At one time, they had a staff photographer and a six-strong editorial staff, based in the twon whose name was on the masthead.
Today, there is one reporter, based 40 miles away, and a sports reporter, who works across half a dozen titles, no staff photographer.
That degree of cut-back has to have an effect on circulation and reader engagement.
It’s even worse on the nationals, the Herald and Scotsman are mere shadows of their great days.
And, it’s all the fault of the managements, who have still to work-out how to handle journalism in the modern era. I thought the National had got it half-right: a small but dedicated production staff, mainly dealing with freelance writers. Maybe they picked the wrong freelances, or the wrong production journalists, but, it hasn’t worked as it could have.
Liz – I’ve noticed a distinct lack of SNP feet on the ground. I imagine betrayal is not a good motivator.
Alba is definitely making headway. I am hopeful. And I believe in what Alba is selling.
P.S. I was planning a trip to Ghana but their tourist website is down – Any reason why ? ( I assume it was the hitlerite wing of the wokeratti – they hate anyone having a good time).
Astonished says: 25 April, 2021 at 10:44 am
P.S. I was planning a trip to Ghana but their tourist website is down – Any reason why ? ( I assume it was the hitlerite wing of the wokeratti – they hate anyone having a good time).
“Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts which violate the Twitter Rules.”
TBH amazed it managed to stay up that long. The Twitler Yoof tend to be very persistent about such things.
Some notes on MSM in 2021
Local events
MSM go to Twitter/Facebook where people post info about local events. They also post photographs. MSM get in touch to ask if they can use photo.
Result no need for reporter or photographer to be anywhere near the event.
Advertising of local events can be done online through Facebook/Twitter.
Politics
MSM watch Parliament TV for info & they use screenshots to illustrate their opinion piece.
No need for reporter or photographer.
Public can also watch Parliament TV so not reliant on MSM.
Public can also post opinion pieces about events seen on Parliament TV.
Person writing his/her opinion in the MSM isn’t any more valid than those writing opinion pieces online.
Everyone is a journalist/photographer.
“The well have been poisoned all-right, but not by anything Westminster has done, or failed to do”
Nonsense. If Westminster had separated the executive powers from those of the COPFS, Sturgeon would not be today leading the SNP and campaigning for another go at FM, Lesley Evans would not be enjoying an overpaid salary in the civil service instead of having been sacked and the Lord Advocate would not have got scot free for his role in malicious prosecutions. The three of them would be most probably facing prosecution for gross misconduct themselves.
It is in Westminster’s hand to change that today. It was in its hands to change it the day after Mr Davis brought it to the other MPs attention, so there is no longer any excuse to ignore it. In light of this, it beggars the question as to why Westminster may be so determined to let these 3 corrupt individuals, among others, to escape justice and scrutiny.
If Westminster had given the MSPs the same privileges as it falls over itself to give to England MPs, then we would have all read by now all that incriminating evidence Sturgeon’s Gov and COPfS suppressed by threatening Mr Salmond and the committee with prosecution.
Again, it beggars the question as to why Westminster may be so determined to set MSPs to fail by keeping one of their hands tied behind the back, to stop incriminating evidence reaching the public and making HOlyrood parliamentary toothless.
“Holyrood is Holyrood”
And as England MPs fall over themselves to force down our throats at every opportunity, it is THEIR creation because THEIR parliament is the only one that “is sovereign”.
“We’ve had it for 20-odd years”
And therefore beggars belief that after 20 years of maintaining those powers unseparated knowing that it was a ticking bomb, after it has been exposed just how damaging that mistake has been, England MPs have not yet repaired their tremendous mistake by separating those powers and giving Scotland’s MSPs immediately the exact same privileges they are themselves enjoying.
“If it still doesn’t work then Holyrood itself is the problem”
First of all who says Holyrood does not work? You? I think it is working very well, considering it was deliberately set to fail by Westminster from day one.
Secondly, if there is a problem with your car because you put deliberately the wrong fuel in the tank to stop it working and giving yourself an excuse to ditch it, the mechanic will not indulge you blaming the car. It will blame you for setting the car to fail – you knew the car could not function with the wrong fuel.
The same applies to Holyrood. Holyrood was, allegedly, “created” by Westminter, or so we are being constantly told. It was Westminster who passed the Scotland Act. It was Westminster who deliberately left those powers unseparated and the MSPs without the same privileges as England MPs have, when they knew for centuries that that was the wrong thing to do. You cannot blame the car (Holyrood) for the deliberate mistake of the owner (Westminster)
The solution in the case of the car is very simple: take the dodgy fuel out and drain and clean the engine and you will have a functioning car again. In the case of Holyrood, the solution is simple too: modify the Scotland Act to include the separation of powers and the allocation of the same privileges to MSPs that England MPs enjoy. Flush the COPFS of dodgy crown agents and corrupt Lord Advocates, spring clean the Sgov by ejecting all those corrupt civil servants and SPADS and put brand new locks in those undemocratic doors Westminster left for itself. There, easy. If this was England, it would have already been done. So why hasn’t it been done yet in Scotland?
By the way, you forgot to answer my question:
only UKIP is campaigning to have Holyrood closed. Are you a kipper pretending to pass as a pro independence supporter?
AndyH says:
25 April, 2021 at 10:33 am
I started to get suspicious of her when she kept backing the GERS figures. That as well as her hostility to Wings and other pro Indy sites.
Reply
Wasn’t Derek MacKay going to write an alternative GERS?
Flowers on the stepladder have been refreshed since interview with Sophie Ridge on 18th April
Flowers on stepladder is obviously a permanent thing or perhaps they are just there to take attention away from her massive eye bags. It looks as if she has been up all night crying her eyes out since around 26th March.
link to tinyurl.com
Sturgeon on Andrew Marr 25/4/21
link to tinyurl.com
Sophie Ridge interviews Sturgeon.
18/4/21
I received a leaflet for the Scottish family party yesterday. Rather impressive mostly. “We oppose transgender ideology, especially the confusing of children”, “we protect free speech, opposing all hate speech legislation” that alone was leading me to giving them my vote, until I opened their site, the first photo was of an African woman. I will do some more research before deciding but there is more chance of me “holding my nose” for them than suffocating myself for the Scottish tranny party.
Cenchos says:at 9:44 am
“I hope the English electorate, in refusing to accept a Scottish PM again -”
Isn’t the PM just the leader of the majority party? As such, the English electorate don’t really get a say.
(Although some recent examples, such as Bliar with his lovely war, and Brown, who raided the pensions and sold off the gold at rock-bottom prices, weren’t much of an advertisement.)
.
Hi Socrates and Stuart MacKay.
Thanks for a perfect summation about Andrew Marr car crash tv.
Yes (the only YES in the same sentence with the word “Sturgeon” in it), she does speak too much? The CIA NLP Behaviour Panel would demolish Blinkety Blank Bland Nicola. Here is an interesting perspective on two other public domain characters they analysed. It was fascinating…
link to m.youtube.com
Socrates, it makes me very sad that the National has not worked out as well as it could. I bought it every single day from launch to when it got Woke-Captured. Even if it required a visit to three newsagents and four supermarkets given the National’s huge difficulty securing newspaper sale shelf space.
All that is a distant memory.
Methinks the BIG BATTLE and this is already kicking off in America, is the dangerous fight back against GERRYMANDERED WOKE.
The gender lobby have a very important set of points to make.
But the Wokerati have shot themselves in the foot by stealing the rights of others in favour of their own.
The analogy that comes to mind is of…
Male Tranny Queens throwing children out of the sinking Titanic lifeboats to save their own perfect skins and glitter lippy with matching tiaras.
As for the drowning children? Tranny Queen Maria Antoinette remarked: “Let Them Wear Woke”.
Whilst Tranny Diva Gordena Gopherna says, “Have one of my inflatable breast inserts Tiny Tim, that’ll save you from drowning”.
People are waking up to the fact it is Woke policy to userp legitimate governance and corruptly install their stooges into places where they take over and corrupt swathes legitimate government agenda. Their crime? The do it DISHONESTLY.
I genuinely have numerous friends from the LGB community and two ex British Army men who transitioned fully to female. Sorry but it takes guts to have surgery on your nether regions. Nobody does that lightly.
My Trans friends are appalled at Wokeism. They fear a huge backlash when Joe and Josephine McPublic figure out that Trans and Woke pressure groups STOLE Scotland’s right to self-determination. All because a bunch of hormone imbalanced “You Are TERF” selfish me, me, me, I, me, I, me , me… screamers want their addictive publicity.
It may get very handbags at dawn in the next 5 years. I just hope and pray the Yanks do NOT do what they normally go for and have a huge vicious backlash.
If Alba was lead by a buffoon or they had a really good scandal held over Alex’s head to smash him with you can bet anything they’d have him on in a heartbeat to roast him. It’s all so predictable.