The scorched earth
We’ve just been sent this report from today’s meeting of the SNP’s National Executive Committee, which ended a short time ago. There’s no official confirmation yet but it’s come to us from several independent sources and we’re sure it’s true.
(“NS” and “JC” are of course Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry.)
Our understanding is that the (elected) Women’s Convener and Equalities Convener were not allowed any input at all on the definition.
We’re also informed that Fiona Robertson and Graham Campbell, supported by Nicola Sturgeon, argued that anyone found tweeting or even retweeting links to Wings Over Scotland should be expelled from the party, although we don’t yet know if any action arose from this discussion.
[EDIT: Now confirmed by Graham Campbell, a man so bright he thinks Mike Small is called “Mike Smart” and Neil Mackay is called “Neil Murray”.]
(The First Minister made a rare appearance at an NEC meeting, seemingly for the sole purpose of forcing the definition through and scowling menacingly at any dissenters.)
30% of the members of the NEC are not elected by conference, and Fiona Robertson was of course voted out by members last year, but appears to be regularly slithering back in as a substitute for representatives from unelected affiliate groups.
It appears the party no longer cares about even a pretence of democracy, so long as it can ensure its current ideology is sustained if/when the First Minister is brought down by the Alex Salmond scandal, as now seems all but inevitable. It certainly looks like Joanna Cherry’s days in the party are numbered, along with several others.
We would advise anyone with any plans involving Scotland being independent in the next decade to reconsider them as a matter of urgency.
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APPENDIX
Below is the final definition adopted:
We’re not yet clear on exactly how wide the “wider trans people” have to be.
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APPENDIX 2
We now have the official minutes of the meeting, taken from the MySNP website, confirming the definition was adopted.
“Decisions of the National Executive Committee – 20 February 2021
The NEC agreed that our priorities are the forthcoming election and securing independence through a second referendum. Leaking and misinformation hinder these aims.
A Campaign Rally will be held online in late March, open to all members, setting out our message for the election in May, and will be the largest online event of its kind.
A working definition of Transphobia was agreed, to help members in the first instance to consider their own behaviour, and work to deliver similar definitions in relation to homophobia and misogyny and further definitions is being developed.
The 2021 budget was agreed, including £1.5m Holyrood election spend, £600k this financial year for referendum preparations, plus new Headquarters staff to support local government and the complaints processes overseen by the National Secretary.
There was also agreement on the further interim recommendations of the Governance Review Group, which has secured input from significant a number of members, on communications, and support for activists and office bearers.”
An online campaign rally! Be still our beating hearts! But that second-last item is rather interesting. The SNP don’t have anything like £2.1m in the bank – in fact they don’t even have 1/20th of that in ready cash, and their total net assets are only £272,000.
Wonder where they’re going to find it?
Los says:
21 February, 2021 at 6:38 am
link to archive.is
““As some day it may happen that a victim must be found …..”
Ko-Ko, Lord High Executioner, The Mikado.”
“Then the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone
All centuries but this, and every country but his own;
And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy
And who “doesn’t think she dances, but would rather like to try”;”
Aye, “And they’ll none of ’em be missed ”
I once played Yum Yum.
holymacmoses/The Isolator
Sturgeon can ask the Cabinet Secretary who is Head of the Civil Service to remove the Permanent Secretary if “things” are no longer congenial.
I do hope that RCS have nothing to do with the judicial system in Scotland.
This is an organization that is more than happy to see an innocent man sent to jail and failing that to repeatedly smear him with the false allegations that he was acquitted on all charges in court by a judge and jury.
If RCS do have any influence on the courts, even indirectly via victims, then I would bet that there will be some innocent men in jail right now as a result.
There are a nasty, malicious, dishonest organization who make a mockery of real rape victims.
Someone gets raped and they send in Widow Twankie. It would be a joke if it was not so sick.
Captain Yossarian says:
21 February, 2021 at 9:09 am
@holymacmoses – you can optimistically shout ‘seize the day’ when we are known the world over for honesty, accountability and ingenuity.
Hello Captain. I lectured in India for some time and got to know many local people whilst staying there.
Mr Sheik was a Moslem and ran the complex I had been lodged in. He spoke excellent English and tried to sell me Indian ‘Scotch’ within a week of my being there. I suggested to him that it was ill-advised to sell crap Whiskey to a Scotsman and he was duly contrite and begged my forgiveness. I was speaking with him a few days later and he asked me where I came from – I told him ‘Scotland’ and he responded ‘what State in America is that in’
I have distant and new found relations in Nevada and Kentucky. Their parents are French and English. They send me ‘occasion’ cards and always address them as ‘Glasgow, England.
Given the number of ‘Macs’ there are in South America and North America and the Carribean etc etc – I’m sure that the Scots (if they are know at all) are known as slave owners and opportunists in the same way as the English are. We are still struggling to be known separately abroad and this ‘episode’ will do nothing BUT enhance our reputation as as a new and burgeoning place where the people will NOT accept the old regime of corruption.
I may be an optimist BUT I’m not a facile optimist
even Caribbean – sorry
Really heavy-duty criminality has interested Scots for decades. If we take the case of the Duff and Phelps Directors, malliciously prosecuted on behalf of the COPFS by our Lord Advocate.
Who is the criminal here?….it is the Lord Advocate, surely?
The Duff and Phelps Directors have already stiffed us for £10m each and they are looking for more. Most commentators expect them to get more, substantially more.
Why is James Wolffe smiling at us and laughing his way through the Fabiani Inquiry? Does he think he is untouchable somehow? In Sturgeon’s government of delinquency, anything is forgivable?
We can see the same over-confidence in Councillor Graham from Glasgow; issuing threats to readers of Wings. Another interminable arsehole of Sturgeon’s Junta.
Captain Yossarian
I sincerely hope so.
There is nothing ideological or party political in demanding that the basic principles of good governance are in place before we take the plunge.
If we get a changing of the guard and an explicit commitment to the eradication of corruption, things could turn around quite quickly.
But it will require new folk at the top.
So now we see why Saint Nicola removed herself from the nuts and bolts of the Salmond stitch-up process and replaced herself with Leslie Evans.
As the sharks are honing in on Sturgeon, and they are coming from far and wide now, smelling blood in the water, Evan’s corpse is to be tossed in her wake as she tries to frantically limp to shore before it is too late…
News flash Nicky. It’s too late.
@holymacmoses – the head of the laboratories at the local hospital was an Irish chap. He made excellent whisky. You could order ‘Speyside’ or ‘Islay’. He was deported from the country after leaving the Irish Embassy drunk. He was never seen again and his excellent whisky disappeared from the black market overnight.
I worked with many Phillipinos. They were governed by a husband and wife team too for many years, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. They used to be paid in gold-bullion. Imelda Marcos used to wear 4″ heels too and had a collection of hundres of pairs of them.
The legal system broke down in that country and nowadays I hear that they throw drug-dealers out of helicopters. Hence, that’s where we are all heading. Mind-you, according to Councillor Graham, if we all stop reading Wings, we’ll all be OK. So, let’s all stop listening to Mr Wings and start listening to Mr Graham instead.
Evans is supposed to be the ‘firewall’ to keep Sturgeon safe.
This is their ‘cunning’ plan.
This is the recurring problem for the plotters (and has been all along). They are all borderline idiots. Real nasty ones though.
Oh you did not know till April you say Nicola and it was all the Leslie Evans one who did it all and ran away.
Hmmmm sounds totally legit Nicola. Totally plausible.
So they don’t want Wings’ followers as supporters and donors, then? Have they said so?
(One forum foible which interests me: sometimes I see the comment below the box in the form in which it will appear. Sometimes I don’t)
Captain Yossarian says:
21 February, 2021 at 9:39 am
@holymacmoses – the head of the laboratories at the local hospital was an Irish chap. He made excellent whisky. You could order ‘Speyside’ or ‘Islay’. He was deported from the country after leaving the Irish Embassy drunk. He was never seen again and his excellent whisky disappeared from the black market overnight
The Indians I knew had the decency to spell all ‘Scotch’ they made ‘whiskey’ OR maybe they didn’t know the difference. I hope your Irishman flourished as a distiller of note in a needy country – it wasn’t India – not in my experience anyway.
I recall that Sturgeon did speak about Alex ‘Big Boots’ and her ‘High heels’ when she came to power.
‘Gold Bullion’ you say? What sort of wallet did these boys carry?
Some Scots seem to be paid in ‘gold-standard’ bullies as far as I can see:-)
I think Mr Graham is a man on a mission and has hung his hat and coat on the wrong peg in the wrong church – but I’m not going to be too angry with him. I’ll reserve that for the Murrells whose actions I detest and who I hope may be punished in this life rather than the next.
I think that even BBC Scotland are being used by Sturgeon and her SPADS just now.
Questions have been asked of Glenn Campbell’s interview last week with one of the alphabet women:
1. What was the provenance of the interview? Was she put forward by a SPAD or a spin-doctor. Did she suggest it herself or was she asked by the BBC?
2. If the BBC realised she was an alphabet woman, why did they agree to interview her? Surely their anonymity must be protected at all costs?
There are a few journalists who are going after the story – Andrew Neil, James Matthews, for example. Many others are just tip-tapping around the subject (Conor Matchett for example).
We should see a masterclass from old-Alex on Wednesday. I think we’re all relieved and looking forward to it now after the pail-fulls of skitter we’ve heard from all of the others.
I wonder if the NEC and the Sunday Times article are part of a public bargaining/hostage negotiations ploy by Sturgeon to stop Salmond and Aberdein from giving full evidence?
The NEC actions were almost a public way of saying ‘look what I can do to the party you love, strike a deal or its Cherry, MacAskill, Mcelheny and McNeil next and you’ll inherit a MSP cohort of Spears, Robertson and Graham’
The Sunday Times article regarding Evans is interesting. I always thought Sturgeon would throw Evans and Liz Lloyd under the bus but how does she offer up her Husband without applying more pressure to her own position? The article almost reads as someone from Sturgeon’s camp testing how many resignations would be enough to end this situation. Perhaps a signal to Salmond that she will offer up all those people if he will just not give evidence.
I wonder if she hopes Salmond will settle for a deal that allows Sturgeon to get to the May election and then stand down a couple of months later with a public excuse of exhaustion due to covid?
The rumours of an interdict to prevent Salmond’s evidence are perhaps also kite flying by Sturgeon’s party to indicate an excuse of why Salmond doesn’t have to give his full evidence?
This is why Gordon Dangerfield describes it as a coup. Because if Leslie Evans did all this without Sturgeon’s knowledge and approval then it would have amounted to a coup, an extraordinary one.
Of course GD does not really believe it was a coup and neither does anyone else who has followed all of this.
Nicola ‘green lighted’ the whole operation to stitch up Salmond. The first step was to insulate herself by removing herself from the process and replacing herself with Evans. She obviously knew of the allegations back then and by her actions was clearly an active participant in the plot. (As FM you have to assume she is the leader of the plot and Evans is merely acting as her ‘agent’.)
Her Chief of Staff, her Permanent Secretary, her husband, and most of her ‘inner circle’ make-up the plotters. Exactly as this site and Craig Murray always claimed. Just as Salmond tried to reveal in court but was blocked.
It seems there is some overlap between the roles of plotters and roles of accusers. People who know the identities of the accusers AND the plotters all say it is damning. This is of course the real reason it is being kept hidden (at least for now).
The only thing protecting them is their brazen exploitation of anonymity laws designed to protect real victims and not false accusers.
Sturgeon expects us all to believe that she shared a house with Peter Murrell for five months and nothing was mentioned. That Leslie Evans went to shocking lengths to engineer into place the stitch-up process to get Salmond that whole five months and never once informed Sturgeon of any of it.
This is the story that Nicola thinks will save her…
@holymacmoses – forgive me, I forgot one type, you could order ‘Speyside’, ‘Isaly’ or ‘Cooking Whisky’; I never once ordered cooking whisky as I suspected it would be too course, but many preferred it and thought it was fabulous. I seem to remember you got 30% more for the same price.
Well, it is now completely clear that Nicola Sturgeon is as mad as a box of frogs. If anyone was in any doubt before, then the way she is prepared to kick out half of her party in pursuit of a policy that has nothing to do with independence, should show that she is very well capable of fitting up Alex Salmond; if anyone was in any doubt before, they now see that she is capable of it.
She is `guilty but insane’. How much longer until they put her in a straight jacket?
People need to realise this isn’t about trans – it’s about paedophilia.
In the long run, it’s about legalising paedophilia.
Human rights for everyone and all that pish. They want their kiddie love recognised as normal and anyone criticising that criminalised.
And they don’t much care for homosexuals – who have bled, died and struggled for decades to get to where they are today.
I see trouble ahead.
hundred idiot
you are talking stupid pish
“Do either Sturgeon or the Scottish Government have the power to sack Evans?”
Of course they do! Even if “officially” Evans is a UK civil servant and cannot be removed from payroll by the fraud, the only thing the fraud Sturgeon would have to do is to go to the press and make an official statement indicating Evans can no longer work in the Scottish Government and exposing the reasons, one by one.
Then finish the statement by saying, “but we are being forced by the British state to keep her because the civil service is imposed on us because it is the eyes of the British state in Scotland. Therefore we have decided we will just remove her access privileges to the Scottish Parliament to stop her messing anything else and put her permanently in garden leave until the UK cabinet office sends us a fit for purpose and politically impartial replacement”
“I am sorry Scotland’s taxpayers are still forced to continue paying the over inflated salary of this incompetent individual. It is not an imposition from us, but from the British state that we deeply regret. This appalling waste of Scotland’s taxpayers’ funds and institutional incompetence and corruption forced on us would have never been tolerated in an independent Scotland”
And then sit back and watch the Uk cabinet office implode and Johnson’s ministers scramble for cover.
But, hey, you need some serious balls, real commitment to independence and more than anything, not being up to your armpits in dirt that Evans and the UK civil service conspirators can hold against you at any time. Sadly that is not a luxury the fraud Sturgeon can afford.
Clearly Evans and the conspirators know exactly where Sturgeon’s rotting bodies are buried.
I’m amazed at the time, money and effort put in by Unionists
at the moment.
I work on several Unionists to turn them but several simply disengage
their brain when facts overwhelmingly show Independence is the best way forward.
With Rangers looking likely to win the league for the first time in a decade ive received quite an
extensive and professionally complied video draping this victory in Union Jacks.
Even though they became bankrupt and haven’t won anything in ten years they are now the elite?
I also received a very long list of SNP disgrace that I’ll attach below.
Much of it nonsense and minuscule to Westminster’s abuse of public funds.
Put your crash helmet on-
SNP HALL OF SHAME ….. that’s a very long list ?
1. Derek Mackaysending text messages to a sixteen-year-old boy telling him he was really cute.
2. Mhairi Blackbringing a drag queen called Flowjob to a primary school.
3. Derek Mackay spending £230 million on ferries that were not built
4. John Swinney overseeing an exam fiasco leading to marks being inflated
5. John Swinney being responsible for teaching primary school children about anal sex, rimming and pornography.
6. Natalie McGarry resigned the SNP whip because of fraud offences relating to the Women for Independence group. She pleaded guilty was convicted and jailed, but later had the conviction quashed. She still faces trial for embezzlement.
7. SNP coverup over the Covid outbreak connected with Nike in Edinburgh
8. SNPGovernment involved in clinical waste storage scandal
9. SNPMPs Chris Law, Ian Blackford and Brendan O’Hara had expenses claims totally £760,000 from the UK Parliament. They were the three with the highest claims out of all MPs.
10. Ian Blackfordmade a 600 mile trip to Skye while complaining about Dominic Cummings making a trip to Durham.
11. Scottish businesses complain that they don’t get as much in furlough as colleagues in other parts of the UK
12. SNP have been criticised for failing to pass on money received to help Scottish businesses.
13. Proportionally more elderly Scots died in care homes than anywhere else in UK due to SNP incompetence when it sent sick elderly people from hospitals to care homes. The report looking at this action has been delayed
14. Students were unnecessarily sent back to campuses across Scotland leading to an increase in Covid cases plus students being imprisoned in their halls of residence.
15. Mark John KerrSNP member of North Lanarkshire Council was charged with sexual abuse.
16. Ian Blackfordmade an 88-mile round trip at the height of lockdown to visit Broadford hospital. He wasn’t ill and didn’t need to go.
17. Peter Murrellalthough SNP chief executive knows nothing about what the leader of the SNP says or does nor what goes on in his own house. Sturgeon know just as little about him.
18. SNPclaimed EU left a light on for Scotland, but it was the SNP that paid for the stunt
19. Linda FabianiSNP MSP telling Linda Evans “I am afraid that I am becoming uncomfortable” with questions and answers at the Salmond Inquiry.
20. SNP spent 9 million on laptops for needy school children, but didn’t give them out.
21. SNPappointed Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Catherine Calderwood visited her second home despite telling everyone else not to do so.
22. SNP had plans to suspend jury trials during Covid until an outcry made them change their minds
23. Neale Harvey suspended by SNP for using anti-Semitic language later readmitted
24. Aberdeen locked down in August, but Glasgow not locked down later despite having many more cases.
25. Angus Robertson looking forward to the death of elderly No voters. Not a good look when the SNP are responsible for care homes.
26. Nicola Sturgeon’s perfect hair that we are supposed to believe she did all by herself even the back
27. Steven BonnarSNP MP charged over a street disturbance
28. A spreadsheet error delayed the opening of Edinburgh’s Sick Kids hospital. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow was also affected by SNP incompetence in running healthcare in Scotland.
29. SNP are not much better at building bridges as Queensferry crossing is closed because of falling ice shards.
30. John Mason compared IRA murderers to ANC freedom fighters.
John Mason refuses to represent unionists.
31. Alyn SmithSNP MP tells people they are on an SNP naughty step database.
32. Alex WilsonSNP councillor got together with his wife when he was twenty and she was thirteen.
33. Angus MacNeil charged the taxpayer for the cost of his hotel when entertaining his mistress
34. Angus MacNeil had three in a bed sex with 17 and 18 year old girls
35. Stuart Hosie stepped down after revelations about his extra marital affair
36. There is rumoured to be a super injunction taken out by a senior SNP politician about something we are not allowed to talk about.
37. Scotland keeps falling down the world’s educational league tables
38. Mark MacDonaldSNP MSP suspended by party after admitting his inappropriate behaviour caused a woman considerable distress
39. Frank AndersonSNP councillor suspended for sharing an anti-Semitic blog
40. Michelle Thomson withdrew herself from the SNP whip over police investigations into fraud. The case was later dropped.
41. Kenny Macarena SNP councillor suspended for book burning.
42. Former SNP MPTasmina Ahmed-Sheikhwas found guilty of professional misconduct and fined £3000.
43. Lewis RitchieSNP councillor suspended over an alleged fracas at the SNP party conference
44. Donnie Kerr SNP councillor suspended for describing a colleague as a “stupid bitch” during a meeting.
45. Alex Salmond accused of sexual assault and attempted rape. He was acquitted. He did admit to having consensual sex.
46. Alex Salmond accused of bullying members of staff.
47. There was allegedly a policy of not allowing female workers to be alone with Alex Salmond.
48. Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of failing to cooperate with the Salmond inquiry. Is this because there is something damaging about what she knew during the independence referendum in 2014 or is it for another reason?
49. Peter Murrellhas been accused of obstructing the Salmond inquiry. What is he trying to hide? Why does he need a law firm to help him keep his secrets?
50. Margaret Ferrier went shopping and travelled to London on public transport after suspecting she may have Covid. She then travelled back home again on public transport after testing positive.
51. Catastrophic failure of Ferguson Ferry fiasco
52. BiFab collapse after Holyrood announced it had pulled financial support
53. Demanding EU flag is flown on government buildings after UK has left EU
54. DEBT-LADEN Prestwick Airport is being put up for sale by the Scottish government After costing taxpayers £40 million. SNP ministers bought the loss-making operation for £1 in 2013 to prevent its closure and safeguard jobs.
55. Scotland has higher tax bands than the rest of UK
56. Scotland payer more for alcohol than the rest of the UK.
57. Deliberately holding back education review until after May election
The SNP has a terrible record of mismanagement and scandal. The campaign for independence has let into public life people who are completely unsuited to it.
The SNP is extremely secretive. It has turned Scotland into a place in which the press dare not investigate and women are not believed if they complain about senior SNP politicians.
Ian Mac
Repeat after me then;
‘Paedophilia is sick and rightly criminal’
Let’s make all MPs and MSPs state that (you know, BLM style) and let’s see how many refuse to.
These idiots keep saying ‘Human Rights for all’ – you need to read between the lines. My comment above meets their Number 9 (under conspiracy theory), so, do you think I should be criminalised for that?
If I had told you 20 years ago drag queens would be reading to primary school kids in their class-rooms you would say I was talking pish.
Now, school books are called things like ‘Pink is for Boys’.
If you can’t see what’s going on, there’s no helping you.
Ian Mac yesterday@11:09pm
Very interesting – thanks.
A fifth of Scotland is grouse moor
That’s a staggering amount of land. Throw in the amount for managed deer and there’s probably not much left. All for the benefit of a few. The other numbers quoted are just as impressive – this is despite active attempts at conservation. There really needs to be a substantial shift in policy. The current mindset clearly is not delivering.
Also have to say that this idea that the SNP is progressive is utter crap. On personal, social issues, yes but on everything else it’s definitely a no. In their drive to be all things to all people and survive a successful vote on independence they’ve tried to spread themselves across the political spectrum. Progressive policies are paid lip-service at best.
How Wightman bought into this Land Reform Panel is beyond me. Just another carrot. I thought he’d be clever enough to see that. But he’s proved everybody wrong on so many things.
@Mia – Lesley Evans is the mother of unethical civil-servants working in Scotland just now and there are many of them. This is not the first time she has lied, but I can see it being the last.
However, she has told the Inquiry many times that she only carries out the instructions of Nicola Sturgeon.
Nicola Sturgeon has many human shields, Evans is one and Swinney and Wolffe are two others.
The head of the Scottish Government takes the responsibility in the end and that is Nicola Sturgeon.
I cannot see any British State involvement in the decision making of Nicola Sturgeon.
Mia says:
21 February, 2021 at 10:20 am
“Do either Sturgeon or the Scottish Government have the power to sack Evans?”
That’s really what I meant Mia:-)
Gradualist Kirsty Blackman Interview-The Guardian
This from the Guardian re ms Blackman…
‘She is markedly less keen to talk about Scottish independence, the SNP’s founding principle. She says she is not in Westminster to pressure the government for a referendum.
“I don’t think most folk in their daily lives give two hoots about whether Scotland is a member of the union. The constitutional issues are not the biggest concern for an awful lot of people and, in fact, I very rarely talk about Scottish independence in the chamber.”
Anyone thinking that Pete Murrell is shortly for the push has not being paying attention.
The new ‘preparing’ for Indy Ref 2 will be used to account for the Missing Ring Fenced Money. It will be accounted for in wages to the staff appinted to same. And since £160,000 is rumoured to be PMurrells annual wages, its likely that he will be the person appointed.
One thing is clear Dougie Champman is not one of the good guys.
Joanna Cherry having to go into defence mode already.
link to twitter.com
Bill Craig @8.33a.m. There was a post on Wings a few weeks ago appealing for any information on the history of Graham Campbell before his appearance in Glasgow.
All I know about Lesley Evans is that she moved to a lovely big house as soon as she got the Sturgeon appointment and that she has a husband known as ‘Del Boy’
These are not facts that would make anyone suspect her:-)
Lesley Evans will be the scapegoat to save Sturgeon.
I’m sure she will be well looked after, probably end up in the HoL.
The SNP are unsalvageable, feeling so much beyter for having left them.
This May for me, no votes SNP.
If I could vote for eithet Joanna C or Joan McA, or Chris McE, I would but I think their time in the SNP might be over
Message for the Rev.
If you have sent me an e-mail (so that I can forward you a document) it has not arrived.
Repeated messages I’ve sent you via Contact – do not arrive.
I have no way of knowning if this is a technical issue, or if its your way of telling me to ‘f’ off.
If its the latter, I would appreciate if you could let me know your reasons.
This SNP government reminds me of the last days of John Major when they were all preachy towards the public and shagging each other and everyone else, behind closed doors. The sheer hypocrisy.
Remember ‘Lady Marmalade’ by Labelle, you know the one that goes ‘Voulez-vouz couchez avec moi, ce soir?
I don’t know why that came to mind.
@ Famous15 at 5:18 pm
She has created a false narrative, by not naming the lies,
she hopes something will turn up.(she thinks she is safe behind that practise, She is not, and she not bright enough to see the flaw
It’s a bit like “Have you stopped beating your wife?” and as nothing will turn up she leaves an innuendo
Cherrybank says:
21 February, 2021 at 10:38 am
Bill Craig @8.33a.m. There was a post on Wings a few weeks ago appealing for any information on the history of Graham Campbell before his appearance in Glasgow.
I don’t like to be suspicious but I’m not sure how Mr Campbell is involved with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy as reported in the Herald newspaper when he claimed thousands in phone calls. Maybe it’s just that I can’t find it. Mr Salmond would know because he was a member up until 2016.
An article by Fraser Nelson in The Spectator today explains why Scotland is now moribund. Access to law is only available if you are a millionaire.
Many Scots read The Spectator because our press is so crap nowadays.
Before Sturgeon, we had free legal aid available to anyone. Now it is only available to the Directors of Duff and Phelps and The Spectator. Each time Scotland is taken to the Courts, it loses.
Scotland is indeed in a mess. I would rather close Holyrood until our law is back up to scratch and working freely again.
“However, she has told the Inquiry many times that she only carries out the instructions of Nicola Sturgeon”
Which is another lie. No FM has the right nor the power to demand from any UK civil servant to breach the civil service code of conduct or to risk prosecution without risking her own position. If Evans went along with this farce is because she cleared it up with her own boss in London to ensure she was protected if she went ahead with it. That is what any individual on a big salary and with very few years left to retirement as Evans was a the time, would have done.
If Evans or any of those other civil servants had gone to the press at the time saying they were demanded by STurgeon to break the law, Sturgeon would have been finished, the SNP would have been finished and independence permanently stalled. You would think that a British state desperate to keep Scotland would not let an opportunity like that pass by if Sturgeon was really an inconvenience for the British state. If she and Murrell are still where they are is because for now, at least, they are more useful to the British state where they are than out.
“Nicola Sturgeon has many human shields”
Sure. But Nicola Sturgeon herself and Murrell are the human shields of somebody else. Who? The Crown Agent or somebody in London? Whoever it is, it is somebody else who has been moving the strings of all this and continues to do so.
“The head of the Scottish Government takes the responsibility in the end and that is Nicola Sturgeon”
Well, I do not think Sturgeon has the integrity to take that responsibility, but even if she did, taking responsibility for something does not mean the responsibility is all yours. You may have just chose to take the fall as the scapegoat if you are paid well enough for it and spared prison. It is not like we have not seen that happening in the British state often enough.
You have attempted many times now to make me believe this is all Sturgeon’s doing. I have attempted just as many times to make you understand that while I indeed believe Sturgeon is in it up to her armpits and should be in prison together with the conspirators, I do not believe even for a moment that she concocted this plot on her own. She just does not have neither the power nor the brains for it.
Look at the absolute boob job she has doing in the SNP NEC recently just to sack Joanna Cherry, or the way the blocking of the seat so the booby price could waltz in, took place. She just applies blunt force. She is not diplomatic, nor canny.
The plot against Mr Salmond is defined not by blunt force, but by its secrecy at every step of the way and the willingness to participate of too many actors.
Looking at the actions in the SNP regarding Ms Cherry, the whatsapp messages or the way the cash has been “woven”, you see the job of amateurs. The main core of Salmond conspiracy and specially the way the evidence is being suppressed requires the involvement of many actors, many of them beyond Sturgeon’s control. I am therefore convinced she is just another minion of the British state.
If she was not, we would not have “crown agents” involved on this, we would not have silence from the press that is exclusively focussed on smearing Mr Salmond, we would not have the UK civil service involved in this conspiracy, pushing a demonstrably unlawful procedure with no precedence anywhere else in the UK and then risking criminal prosecution by taking part in a farce criminal case to benefit from anonymity so they could stop the damning evidence of the conspiracy reaching the public.
If it was just Sturgeon’s doing, we would not have been insulted with the charade that Fabiani’s Farce has been and which was clearly designed to stall the release of evidence and to protect Sturgeon’s arse in order to keep her going until May.
If it was just Sturgeon’s doing, we would not have the opposition parties and Westminster looking the other way when the police, COPFS, the UK Civil Service and millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money are being used to send an innocent man to prison.
If it was just Sturgeon’s doing we would not have a fishing expedition already active on 31 October 2017.
If it was just Sturgeon’s doing, she would have pulled the ultimate lever to save her own arse: to make the May election a plebiscite.
No matter how many times you attempt to tell me this is just Sturgeon’s doing, I will reply back to you saying that there is no way Sturgeon on her own would have convinced UK civil servants to break the law, to perjure themselves in a criminal court risking losing their careers and prison, to totally compromise the COPFS and the crown agent sitting on it or the police force without being hanged out to dry.
No. This is an orchestrated attempt to stop the May election being a plebiscite and it is the result of a collusion between the British state, Sturgeon’s non pro independence government and the plants within the SNP executive.
The two years that the young Nicola Sturgeon was a member of CND prior to joining the SNP. Hasn’t CND long been a noted arena for infiltration by people spying on behalf of the state? Was young Nicola earning her spurs there before being sent in to join the National Party? Or is that being outlandish?
Betting £5 on the possibility that L Evans may decide to spill the beans in order to save her own skin :p
holymacmoses at 10:38 am
“she has a husband known as ‘Del Boy” DEL BOY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED is the name of his company.
link to find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
His name is Derek Mcvay a former musician. He was an SNP Party activist, a member of Edinburgh Central and campaign organiser for Alison Dickie.
Evans became Perm Sec on 1 July 2015, she has been an employee of the SG since September 2000. She has held very senior posts so I doubt her salary prior to working for NS would have been vastly different to prompt a house move.
Leslie Evans is just another mere pawn for a closed controlling Machiavellian cabal, as is Sturgeon.
@ Stuart MacKay
I’ve got to crack on with chores today but if I recall correctly there was an article a while back possibly written by Craig Dalzell or Robin McAlpine on grouse moor economics.
Something along the lines of 20% of Scottish land returned a pitifully small percentage towards Scotland’s GDP.
Jeggit’s latest.
link to randompublicjournal.com
ebreah @ 11:15
Don’t waste your money.
@ msdidi at 6:20 pm
I would suggest you don’t say anything about not voting for the SNP, as more than likely the convener will close yor links to party web site and suddenly you have written a “resignation letter”
At which point you say ” Produce it”
Long term it’s easier to omit the words “ain’t going to vote for the SNP” …..Keep all correspondence preferably within an email and the date
kapelmeister @ 11:12
Facts about Spycops in Scotland and questions remain unanswered.
However, it is known, the state conducted large-scale surveillance of CND, including phone tapping and the use of informers.
@Stuart MacKay The one fifth of Scotland is grouse moor has been debunked so many times but still lazy churnalists print it as fact. The true figure is about 7% of the land mass. I have no dog in the fight over grouse moors but when rewilders etc churn out crap like this you have to question what other things they are lying about.
People are reading too much into this whole debacle. Never see malice, where instead a cacophony of incompetence will suffice.
The whole situation reeks of low wattage pettyfogging by a 4th rate lawyer and events spiraled out of control after she attempted to knife her predecessor. Even the woke-y faction embracement can be explained by the sheer level of adulation they give her. Small minds are impressed most by flattery and they know how to please her.
Alex Massie: It’s open season on Alex Salmond’s accusers.
‘For their part, however, the first minister and her allies seem happy to hide behind the women. They are to be used as human shields protecting Sturgeon against potential embarrassment.’
‘It is hard to banish the suspicion the government has used the women’s rights to anonymity as means of parrying legitimate inquiry.’
link to archive.is
“Wonder where they’re going to find it?”
Easy, just self identify chocolate coins as ££’s.
Seems simple enough to me.
I get the feeling I’m on some kind of blacklist of the Rev and Craig Murray.
If so be good of either one of them to get in touch and at least let me know what the charges are.
Funnily enough I get a reply quick enough when I donate money to either of their causes, but when I ask for simple acknowledgement of communications… mehhhh.
Fundamentally rude.
@Mia – Lesley Evan explained this at least twice, she takes instructiond from Nicola Sturgeon. No-one else. Sure, she appraised those at Whitehall of what she was doing and they advised her not to do it, but her boss is Nicola Sturgeon and only she tells her what to do.
By the way, the civil-servants we are talking about are not bright souls. At Victoria Quay anyway, many are fairly daft.
Scottish law is a uniquely Scottish affair and not interfered with at-all by anyone from the UK Gov. That’s been the case for hundreds of years.
Scottish law has become a world-wide joke since Sturgeon took over. It was OK before that. Think back to Chris Cairns’ cartoon yesterday….that’s where we currently stand. You can get access to Scottish law but only if you’re a millionaire and there are not many of those in Scotland.
So, law in Scotland is now there to protect the parliamentarians from the people. That’s what Sturgeonism has brought us.
Alex Salmond can set this out far better than I can. He’s been on the receiving end of Scottish justice – the good and the bad of it. Neither you or I have and so we should leave it to Alex to explain.
By the way, I don’t think Alex will be blaming the English.
Strathy @11:28
Alex Massie begins his sub-heading with “Complainants have become pawns…”
Have become pawns? I think most of them always were dear.
I can’t help but think that the SNP have in part suffered from the problems of changing from a small family run business to a much larger corporate affair.
During the early days there was not such a need to be formal. Later, and specifically under sturgeon there has been a need for strict procedures to govern its functioning.
Sturgeon has failed miserably. Trying to run a large organisation like your private company will allow all sorts of shouty minorities to gain power that they really should not.
@’
GlenIslay says:
21 February, 2021 at 11:28 am
People are reading too much into this whole debacle. Never see malice, where instead a cacophony of incompetence will suffice.
The whole situation reeks of low wattage pettyfogging by a 4th rate lawyer and events spiraled out of control after she attempted to knife her predecessor. Even the woke-y faction embracement can be explained by the sheer level of adulation they give her. Small minds are impressed most by flattery and they know how to please her’…
Oh really,
2017
16th March 2017 Terrible May officially rejects NS S 30 / IR2 request. ‘Now is not the Time.’
4th May 2017 – Scottish Local Elections
8th June 2017 – Terrible May calls a GE and wins.
AS loses his seat.
NS takes IndyRef2 off the table. Now is not the time.
A marked difference in her attitude is seen.
‘Not until the Terms of Brexit are Known becomes the mantra.
13th June 2017 Not sure if this is correct date?- Ref-Scot taken down at £482,000 of £1 million target – no accounts published for same – which is a contravention of Electoral Commission rules, and extremely bad practice. Terms and conditions of the fund raiser were that it was specifically to be Ring Fenced for the next Indy Ref, and not used to fund day to day SNP party expenditure.
The Brexit deadline time line is I think November 2018 ish.
Mark MacDonald MSP in Aberdeenshire area, faces allegations Mid 2017 of sexual harassment. Full enquiry revealed he had texted a female co-worker using the word ‘dingied’ and auto correct changed it to ‘fingered’ – in his text he told her of this and made a joke that it was a good thing he’d checked before he sent it. Forced to resign Nov 2017
July 2017 (source Civil Service World) HM Revenue and Customs confirm the go ahead on a new Civil Service Hub to be built at Waverly St, Edinburgh to staff 11 Civil Servant departments – 3,000 positions. 20 year lease taken out. Artisan the contractor.
August 2017 Police Scotland drop / close the enquiry into Michelle Thompson MP (she lost her seat in the GE earlier). No charges ever brought against her. It took Police Scotland from Sept 2015 – August 2017 to establish she had not committed any crime!!!
**** check date/yr 30th August 2017 Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans meets with Civil Servant Unions to attempt to gain support against AS.
Both Pete Wishart – October 2017 and Tommy Shepherd (Tommy did this in a public talk, as far as I can tell he was the first person to run this up the flagpole, since then he has kept his head down on this subject (his background is old/new labour) start to talk about ‘not until after Brexit and the hard effects are felt, should we go for IndyRef2’. PW is fully supported in this view by John Swinney.
October 2017 ScotGov begins review of complaints policy.
Aamer Anwar makes allegations of ‘ticking time bomb’ ‘catalogue’ of sexual harassment at HR.
Complainer H makes first disclosure of her allegations of sexual assault at the hands of Alex Salmond to her boyfriend.
This is thought to be her current partner and a politician within SNP hierarchy.
31st October 2017 Scot Cabinet meet to discuss Parliament announcement re new actions on sexual harassment in light of #METOO movement. John Swinney later does a speech in Parliament re same.
31 October 2017 Daily Record / David Clegg receive a tip off from Scot Gov regarding sexual offences allegedly committed by AS during his time in office. David Clegg is known associate of a close member of NS staff. David Clegg openly reports this tip off (and the date of same) in the latter part of 2018 when the Alex Salmond issue goes public following another leak.
31st October 2017, well before the “concerns” of Woman A and B in the civil case had even been communicated to anybody in Government or Woman H
– Ms Anne Harvey’s private phone was inundated with text messages asking for information on Mr Salmond. This suggests the fishing expedition had started in earnest well before Woman A and B from the original case or Woman H. Anne Harvey worked alongside Alex Salmond over many years and became a vital defence witness. She knows of and was friends with at least one of the complainers.
NOVEMBER 2017
Around this time (possibly a month or 2 earlier) Angus Robertson drafts and introduces new NEC procedures within the structure of SNP which effectively remove democratic choices about policy and candidate selection away from the members and concentrates it within the SNP HQ. Multiple candidates from GRA supporters installed into places on NEC.
Rumours abound that AS has the backing to take over the Scotsman newspaper.
There are also rumours he is not happy at lack of Indy progress being made by NS and is intending to return to front line politics.
The witch hunt against Mark McDonald – forced to resign – now appears unwise, as it has opened up an MSP vacancy in Aberdeenshire…
The following staff become instrumental in receiving and dealing with historic complaints of sexual harassment between staff and former First Minister Alex Salmond.
Barbara Allison – Scot Gov Director of Communications Ministerial Support and Facilities – official job title for this Inquiry is to provide ‘pastoral care’ for the complainer.
Gillian Russell – Scot Gov Director of Safer Communities as a ‘confidential sounding board’ for complainers
Nicola Richards (Director of People)
Judith Mackinnon Deputy Director of People Advice
Leslie Evans – Permanent Secretary to NS
John?– Private Secretary
One other female member of staff – Redacted
**** Complainers A and B in the initial civil harassment procedure were allocated different Alphabet letters in the Criminal Trial (K and F- F did not want to report) later. For this reason, and in an effort to clarify, for the purpose of this report, they will be referred to as A1 and B1 in the Civil Harassment Procedure.
NB – it was not always clear if the abbreviation PS meant Private Secretary or Permanent Secretary.
4th November 2017 MSP Mark McDonald had resigned from his role as children’s minister in the Scottish Government
5th November 2017 Woman H said during the criminal trial, she communicated the SNP HQ her complaint on the 5th November 2017, that was before woman A1 and B1 issued their formal complaints.
Woman H issued one the most serious complaints – attempted rape. We do not know exactly (sometime in 2018) when that complaint was reported to the police and would be very interesting to know.
Specifically, when giving evidence as to why she reported it to the SNP rather than Police, she said she wanted the SNP to know, so they could use it for vetting purposes should AS return to the Political front line.
The response she got from SNP HQ Ian McCann: “We’ll sit on that and hope we never need to deploy it.”
It was suggested to the woman by AS defence team at trial that if Mr McDonald had quit, she may have thought there was a “possibility” Mr Salmond would try to re-enter Scottish politics.
Ms H said: “I don’t think I linked the two events together. I wasn’t aware he (Mr Salmond) wanted to stand for the Scottish Parliament again.”
The QC asked if it was “coincidence” she’d contacted Mr McCann the day after Mr McDonald resigned and said: “You didn’t want Alex Salmond to pass any future vetting process.”
The witness said: “It was not a coincidence in terms of the #MeToo movement and the whole issue of women basically being abused by people in positions of power.”
McCann is – within the SNP – Peter Murrell (NS’s husband) CEO of the SNP officially maintains he was not informed of this information.
****
8th November 2017 Barbara Allison – Scot Gov Director of Communications Ministerial Support and Facilities is contacted by complainer Ms B1. Ms B1 discussed events involving AS, at this time with her. Nicola Richards informed.
9th November 2017 AS gets his own TV Show on RT. While the Yes movement is delighted at an evening up off the media inequality… the official SNP and NS – pursed lips all round.
Friday 10th November 2017 Permanent Secretary – Leslie Evans appoints Gillian Russell – Scot Gov Director of Safer Communities as a ‘confidential sounding board’ for complainers.
Around this time Complainer A1 reports her incident involving AS to GS.
**** 8th – 10th November 2017 A1 and B1 have officially made their ‘concerns’ known to Scot Gov officials about alleged incidents of sexual harassment towards them by AS.
Gillian Russell, with the consent of Complainer A1 updated Ms Nicola Richards – Director of People, who then updated Leslie Evans and Deputy Director of People Advice – Judith Mackinnon.
Ms Russell and Allison are instructed to liaise with A1 and B1 and see if they want to report the incidents to Human Resources. They do. This takes place on 29/11/17.
17th Nov 2017 – Sky New reported to be actively investigating AS over historic incidents from 2008. This turns out to be the ‘killer heals’ incident at Edinburgh Airport and is so lacking in substance that they never publish it.
First Documentary ‘The Only Game In Town’ is aired on WOS.
Nov 2017 – Evans confirmed she raised the issue with Sturgeon after learning about media interest in an incident at Edinburgh Airport in 2008-9. Airport informed Angus Robertson (can’t pin down when).
8 Drafts of complaints procedures (for dealing with current and previous employees with regards harassment complaints) – all of which have official role for First Minister with the procedures.
23rd November 2017 Nicola Richards sends an e-mail to Leslie Evans and copies Judith Mackinnon into it, ‘we would need to consult with the individual before disclosing to another party or the Police because of the risk of the matter getting into the press and the individuals being identified. We have a duty of care for our staff which means we shouldn’t do something that puts them at risk – so if they don’t want us to share information or got to the police, it would be very difficult to justify (sic) doing so (without putting them at risk of being identified and wider impacts.)
This was to be changed on 9th January 2018 to, ‘SG as employer will not refer specific cases to police without the knowledge/consent of the employee.’
24th November 2017 Draft of new procedure sent to Nicola Sturgeon
29th November 2017
Complainers A1 and B1 formally report their allegations to Human Resources.
**** At this time, Proposed Draft Procedures are Not Yet In Place. The Protocol should have been that Leslie Evans was duty bound at this time, to inform the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the complaints.
On this date
a Civil Servant with a role as ‘sounding board’ for complainers (GR?) exchanged emails with Ms A1.
The Sounding board wrote to Ms A1,
‘as agreed, I sent your narrative on in confidence to Nicky (Richards) and Judith (Mackinnon). I have now been asked by Nicky and Judith if you would be prepared to speak to them following receipt of your narrative.’ And goes on,
‘As part of this discussion Nicky would like to share with you the developing policy for handling complaints against former and current ministers. This would give you an opportunity to test whether this would have helped at the time and also to consider next steps.’
Later that day Ms A1 agreed to do so.
Also on this day,
Nicola Richards has a meeting to discuss issues with Leslie Evans.
Leslie Evans has a separate meeting with Nicola Sturgeon to discuss development of proposed procedure.
Also on this day,
Barbara Allison has contact with Ms B1.
A text from Richards to Mackinnon, ‘redacted the woman who spoke to Barbara – has been in touch to speak. She hasn’t made a statement but IS STILL IN TOUCH WITH THE ONE WHO DID redacted’
1st Dec 2017 Nicole Richards – Director of People – contacts James Hynd re draft number 9, its, ‘agreed with Permanent Secretary I would test it with some of the key individuals’
5th Dec 2017
Judith Mackinnon – Head of Peoples Advice has meeting with Ms A1 and shared draft procedures with her.
On this date also
– Deputy Director Within People Directorate Scot Gov e-mails Police Scotland seeking advice for SG re approach to Sexual Harassment procedures following #metoo movement and, SG obligations in response to allegations made by staff or former staff which may constitute criminal offence. Face to face meeting set up for next day.
Also on this date,
Nicola Richards introduced what was to become the final draft procedures – a dramatic change from the previous ones. The First Minister’s role in the process is now removed completely!
The Permanent Secretary is now the ‘ultimate judge of conduct’ for any complaints.
6th December 2017
Nicole Richards sends ‘final draft (9) to PS Leslie Evans.
Also on this date, Deputy Director within People Directorate has face to face meeting with Police to discuss existing reporting procedures.
Advised complainers should be provided with details of support and advocacy services to allow concerns to be discussed with experienced advocacy worker with knowledge of the criminal justice process and support the individuals to report matters to Police.
This advice was reiterated on several occasions throughout the ongoing contact between December 2017 and August 2018.
A number of hypothetical questions were posed during email and telephone contact around the criminal justice process. Police Scotland advised that, without specific details, no appropriate response could be given and no assessment of risk could be made.
It was further emphasised that individuals should be directed to the relevant support services as it appeared that the hypothetical questions were predicated upon a specific set of circumstances and the SG response to that set of circumstances, rather than development of a generic procedure.
The hypothetical questions suggested more than one victim of potential criminality and as such, it was stressed that, without knowledge of the detail, any risk that a suspect might present, could not be properly assessed or mitigated.
Police highlighted that SG staff were not trained to undertake such investigations, or to engage with victims.
No details of potential victims or perpetrators were provided by SG and, throughout the contact, Police Scotland encouraged SG to refer victims to appropriate support services.
Police Scotland was not invited to provide comment in relation to a draft ‘procedure’ or framework for the handling of harassment complaints, nor was any draft or final document shared with Police Scotland.
On 12th December 2017 Leslie Evans and Nicola Sturgeon have a meeting and discuss hard copy of procedures.
20th December 2017 LE wrote to NS asking formal agreement to adopt procedure. Approved by NS this date. This draft, unlike the previous 8 excludes the First Minister from any formal role in the process.
INTERLUDE:
Around about this time period, the new Procedures, which make Employment Laws, Retrospectively Enforceable – were submitted to the Civil Service at Westminster for their opinion. They said No. And to this date have made no steps to introduce them at Westminster.
Legally speaking, if you stop to think about it, there is no way Retrospective laws can ever be lawfully, or fairly enforced. One day you’re driving down the road obeying the speed limit. The next you’re getting a ticket for it, because they’ve Retrospectively changed the laws and the speed limit. That’s just bonkers. I’m no lawyer, but even I can grasp that simple truth.
The fundamental structure of this law, this retrospective law, is blatantly unjust. Even before anyone got caught in its trap, Nicola Sturgeon, as First Minister and a qualified Lawyer – should Never have signed off on this procedure. Bad laws target the most vulnerable in society first. They become a stick with which to beat them, not a torch for justice.
Core to the new complaints’ procedure would also be that
– accused would not get to see the ‘letter of complaint’ but would have to rely on the ‘Judge’ of the whole procedures – in this case Leslie Evans’ interpretation of same.
– The complainers would be granted anonymity – from the accused – for complaints of harassment in the workplace! Throughout the whole process.
– Accused would not be afforded the opportunity to present a defence
—————————————————————————————————————
2018
January 2018 Sky News approaches the SNP re allegations of a sexual nature against AS.
9th January 2018 (Nov 2017 Nicola Richards sends and e-mail to Leslie Evans and copies Judith Mackinnon into it, ‘we would need to consult with the individual before disclosing to another party or the Police because of the risk of the matter getting into the press and the individuals being identified. We have a duty of care for our staff which means we shouldn’t do something that puts them at risk – so if they don’t want us to share information or got to the police, it would be very difficult to justify (sic) doing so (without putting them at risk of being identified and wider impacts.)
Changed on 9th January 2018 to, ‘SG as employer will not refer specific cases to police without the knowledge/consent of the employee.’
16th January 2018
Formal complaint from Ms A lodged.
Judith Mackinnon official appointed by Leslie Evans in role of Investigating Officer – requirement within procedures, even in final draft state, that the IO should have no prior involvement…****
23rd January 2018
Ms B formally registers her complaint.
31 January 2018 e-mail with Route Map of new Complaints Procedure sent out from ‘redacted Head of Brand of People Directorate to ‘redacted’ list of recipients.’
If you think the above is Cacophony of incompetence, I have a bridge to sell you. And the above is just the start.
There have been comments about grouse moors, including criticism of the Langholm purchase. I feel that one instance is worthwhile, as I hope it will show the benefit to the community of subsequent change*. (Personal interest: I contributed).
For a conservation and rewilding viewpoint, revive(.)scot could be a place to start.
*Additionally there was a study of grouse / hen harrier numbers there, forming a baseline.
@Daisy Walker 11.31am
I doubt someone who appears free to post what you are posting is likely to be on a black list.
I also doubt describing Stu as “fundamentally rude” for not dancing to your tune and answering your tech queries given the amount of email he gets is likely to end well?
You do you of course, but be prepared for a trenchant response!
Daisy Walker says:
21 February, 2021 at 11:31 am
Daisy, Stu isn’t known for his easy-going tolerant manner. Maybe I can head off an “incident”.
I know for a fact he responded in person to one of your comments on an earlier thread on this subject, telling you that he had received no communicatiation from you. Unfortunately I don’t know which one. Maybe you can go back and have a look for it.
SOG
I think we have to be very careful how this is presented. This was sold as a community buyout with great potential for species like Hen Harrier. However not every purchase is going to be successful and not every parcel of land will be offered with the communities interests in mind. There’s a real risk that marginal land will off-loaded onto the taxpayer with a fanfare of great opportunity. The whole process could quickly run out of goodwill and so grind to a halt.
“Lesley Evan explained this at least twice, she takes instructiond from Nicola Sturgeon”
Sure, and who is taking Nicola Sturgeon instructions from?
Wouldn’t that be precisely what Evans would be expected to say if she had been instructed by the British state to deflect any suspicion of implication of the British State in the process in order to ensure her own safety?
Let’s be frank, who is going to protect Evans’ arse when the sht hits the fan, is that going to be a failing Sturgeon or is it going to be the UK cabinet office?
Do not bite the hand that feeds you, they say.
Besides it is not like this woman has been 100% sincere in all of her interventions, is it? So why should we believe something that she says but not the rest?
“Scottish law is a uniquely Scottish affair and not interfered with at-all by anyone from the UK Gov”
Sure!! so what are the crown agents doing in all this? sightseeing?
“Think back to Chris Cairns’ cartoon yesterday”
I can not think in anything else. The thing is while you seem to have just looked at the picture, I have been wondering how long it has taken for the British state to infiltrate the system in such a way to render our democracy and justice system totally blind, deaf and with a blunt sword. Was this a job of tens or rather hundreds of years?
“law in Scotland is now there to protect the parliamentarians from the people”
From where I am standing the law in Scotland is not there to protect parliamentarians, but rather the dark figures of the British state that have been moving the strings from the shadows all along.
“That’s what Sturgeonism has brought us”
Nope. this is not what Sturgeonism has “brought” us. This is what Sturgeonism has UNCOVERED.
“He’s been on the receiving end of Scottish justice”
He has been on the receiving end of a plot where the British state apparatus (including COPFS, police and Civil Service), the plants in the SNP and a fraud pretending to be a pro independence leader colluded to stop him returning to politics and leading us to independence.
“I don’t think Alex will be blaming the English”
“the English”? Who is blaming “the English”? I am blaming the British state, its apparatus and its pawns in the civil service, COPFS, the police, the SNP, the Sgov and parliament.
sharny Dubs:
21 February, 2021 at 11:42 am
Sharny,I have seen a few similar situations to the current SNP in a few companies over the piece both large multinational and smaller family run businesses. Things are going well until either the driving force goes on to better things or retires and the inhouse successor inwardly questions their ability to take things forwards. They then are unable to make the main decisions and appoint people below them who also aren’t up to the job but will be no threat. Things then get out of hand, the better people leave or start criticising and then get shifted sideways or out the door and everything starts falling apart.
If your lucky someone makes the right decision early enough and cuts out the rot at the top, things slowly improve and the dross leave as they see they have no future, don’t cut quickly enough or deep enough and it’s to late and it only ends one way.
For the SNP I think it is too late but would still take the chance on cutting out the Murrels, Swinney and one or two others and so long as Robertson is nowhere to be seen the remaining good people in the SNP will slowly regroup but it has to be done now.
@Daisy Walker. Check your emails for spamminess at mail-test.com. Perhaps they are falling foul of over-zealous spam filters.
@ Andy Ellis
re
I also doubt describing Stu as “fundamentally rude” for not dancing to your tune and answering your tech queries given the amount of email he gets is likely to end well’
This is not the first time this has happened. And in each case, rather than expect him to ‘dance to my tune’ and in response to his answer btl he responded that there was not trace of him receiving my ‘comments’.
That time and now, I responded, once again btl asking him if he would e-mail me so that I could submit information.
Both times silence… which Craig Murray also seems to be adopting the same MO.
Years ago, early 20’s, I applied for the Fire Service – got no reply. It was their unofficial, offical policy for not recruiting females.
The great thing about blacklisting someone on the QT, is you never have any of that pescie having to tell them what they’re accused of stuff – such a bother when its just a wee female.
Anyway, I’ll either hear soon or I won’t. The ‘won’t’ will clarify it absolutely. And he can be abrupt as he likes – I’ll respond in kind.
In the best of times I just can’t cope with some 200 emails, not including spam, I get every day.
The last few weeks I have been on trial and have a new baby. I am genuinely apologetic for missed emails, but absolutely no slight is intended,
Daisy Walker @ 12:46
Are you aware Craig Murray had an addition to his family just 3 days ago?
@Mia.
And also the police investigation that cost £10 million. Police forces are strapped for cash. I was watching the documentary on the Nielsen murders. There the police were under pressure from politicians to stop the investigation cos of costs and yet police Scotland had money galore to pursue the trumped up charges against Alex – and some of them ridiculous. As Kenny Macaskill says – thats the sort of sum spent on serial killer investigations – and even then it’s hard to get politicians to agree to the spend (see earlier comment).
Hence – i wonder if Westminster subbed Police Scotland for the Eck case? Also i get your point re MI5 etc however they must have been rubbing their hands in glee when they realised that Nicola and the gang were away to do the majority of their dirty work for them – with the ample assistance of an ex MP.
Of course with westminster civil service on the record as advising Nicola not to make the policy retrospective they can put some clear water publicly between them and the plot.
Craig Murray says:
21 February, 2021 at 12:55 pm
In the best of times I just can’t cope with some 200 emails, not including spam, I get every day.
The last few weeks I have been on trial and have a new baby. I am genuinely apologetic for missed emails, but absolutely no slight is intended,
Thank you Craig, when / if you ever get a moment (congratulations on the new arrival) there should be an e-mail for you with an updated Timeline.
As there have been genuine tech problems, please get in touch if its not there. I appreciate you have more important family matters to deal with just now.
I’ve today sent the following email to SNP headquarters:
“Hi there
I’m an SNP member. I’ve seen the definition of transphobia recently accepted by the NEC.
I’ve never though of myself as transphobic – all the trans people I know are lovely people.
However, I now suspect that I may hold a view which falls foul of the new definition. I’m giving that view below, and I’d like clarification from the SNP as to whther that view is regared as transphobic:
I am of the opinion that any irreversible, or effectively irreversible, procedures carried out on children are unacceptable anywhere, should by law not be permitted, and should be regared as child abuse. Such procedures include FGM, male circumcision, tattoos, and puberty blockers. [There are obviously a few medical exceptions.]
Does that statement make me a transphobe in the eyes of the Party?”
Ian Mac @10.17.
I’m afraid that there is some truth in what ahundredthidiot says. Some very influential theorists have, either deliberately or through unintended consequences, allowed arguments in favour of the legalisation of sex with children to gain traction and ‘validation’ (via the truth by authority fallacy).
The trouble with some theories is that they do too much. In seeking to overturn ‘normative’ value beliefs you really have to overturn them all or else explain why you’ve left some unchallenged. And by starting to explain away why some existing beliefs can remain and not others, you may then have to start eating away back into the new theory you are proposing. Knocking holes in one’s own proposals can be, therefore, very inconvenient for a theorist, so it is sometimes easier to just dump the bathwater with the baby still in it.
In seeking to overturn accepted belief systems which manifest in phenomena such as the nuclear family, patriarchy, passive womanhood, and so forth, it may also be necessary to challenge traditional/normative beliefs regarding children. (I write ‘may’ because some theorists are honest and rigorous enough to realise the implications of their ideas and deal with them.) Among ideas challenged are ideas of childhood innocence, and of children existing as non-sexual beings, as well as adult ‘rights’ of ‘free expression’.
So things can start getting creepy pretty quickly. And even a half-baked theory can function as a permission giver, a straw of justification, to someone who is sexually attracted to a child. And so, unfortunately, children can become collateral damage to certain ivory tower theories and theorists.
Terry says:
21 February, 2021 at 12:59 pm
@Mia.
And also the police investigation that cost £10 million.’
Police Forces throughout the UK are able to access Westminster funding for ‘major’ enquiries – such as a Murder.
Newly promoted blue eyed Detective Superintendents, always try and re-invent the wheel on that one to include – attempt murder – and lump in every serious assault they can get away with under that title. They always (not being the first to try it) get it knocked back.
It would be interersting to know the funding stream of the AS Police Team and indeed the internal recruitment process.
Its generally considered bad form for an officer to go into a specialist unit – such as plain clothes detective /sexual offences unit – without completing at least 2 years Uniform duties – that being 2 years after completing their probation (also 2 years).
Given that none of the ‘senior investigators’ on this team appeared to know basic (really, really basic!!!) legislation criteria for the Mark Hirst investigation – what exactly was the interview process, were the positions advertised, why was the ‘team’ not disbanded after the High Court Trial.
Questions, questions.
@Daisy Walker
Nothing of which cannot be explained away with Hanlon’s Razor.
They are incompetent petty-minded people with chips on their shoulder, who botched a political knifing of their old boss and then, in the most amateur way possible, attempted to use the courts to cover up their betrayal and misdeeds, only to end up creating a Streisand effect, and through their attempts to suppress Streisand effect by using their lawyers as mobster-like enforcers, ended up creating the hydra effect, and now it’s out of control, hurtling towards their wee cabin in the mountains like a giant snowball of karma.
@ Glenislay – its a lovely Bridge, one careful owner, lovely shade of battleship grey. You’ll love it. Never mind the quality – feel the width.
TBH I think the choice of Judith McKinnon to assist in the set-up was fundamentally flawed, unless, of course, they had thought to set her aside as a potential ‘fall-guy’ if they had any unforeseen problems
If you want a little giggle watch this!!!
link to twitter.com
Sylvia says:
21 February, 2021 at 11:17 am
holymacmoses at 10:38 am
You haven’t written anything that I didn’t already know Sylvia. I tend to use irony quite a lot.
As much as I value independence, there is next to no way I can motivate myself to vote for these morons with their woke bullshit. Don’t understand why they went down the woke route, the Green Party already had that market cornered. ISP all the way.
“Of course with westminster civil service on the record as advising Nicola not to make the policy retrospective”
But did they advise her not to make the policy retrospective, though? Because I cannot find that piece of evidence.
Either I am missing something here or the only email I could find to that effect is an email sent on the 17th November 2017 from the UK cabinet office to James Hynd. That email does not say anything about the UK cabinet asking them not to make the policy retrospective to cover former ministers at all. What they seem to indicate in that email is that using THAT procedure (the draft as it was) in particular to highlight the fact they had a way to complain against former ministers felt uncomfortable. The only email to this effect I have found reads:
“Hi James
This feels very uncomfortable to be highlighting a process for complaints about MInisters and former Ministers”.
“[redacted] doing a quick review for Jeremy on whether our processes have kept pace with the developments/concerns. Would it be possible to wait for this?”
Is this process/guidance more than you have in place for complaints about current/former civil servants?”
I may be nit-picking here, but I do not interpret that email as saying they were uncomfortable with the whole thing or that they considered pursuing former ministers as uncomfortable. My interpretation is that THIS (I am assuming they mean the draft) to be used as a way to demonstrate the existence of a procedure to complaint about former ministers and ministers was uncomfortable. And there is no wonder, as first of all you really have to question the legitimacy of the civil servants in the SGovernment to actually implement this procedure over ministers that did no longer work in government and hence did no longer have to abide by the ministerial code. Secondly, the only disciplinary measure the civil servants in the SGov could think of at the time was to inform the leader of the party the former minister belonged to so they could be disciplined via the party. So this course of action brings two questions:
1. if political impartiality is fundamental in the civil service code of conduct, what place does any civil servant have to refer any government matter to the leader of a political party?
2. what if the former minister does not longer belong to a political party? What if they joined another party so the current party is no longer the one under which the alleged incident took place?
It has far too many holes to be a credible proposition.
I am yet to see any correspondence from the UK cabinet office that clearly state their advice against such course of action. The 17 November 2017 is when this email from the UK cabinet office was received. It clearly states that the conversation is to be followed up, and from the email sent by Private Secretary 1 to Hynd on the same day, it was obvious they were waiting for a bigger review. Now if the follow up from that email had totally exonerated the UK cabinet office, they would have provided it to the inquiry already.
Message received from the Rev. Many thanks. Sorry for the misunderstanding on my part. Have replied by e-mail.
Mia @ 12.10
“I am blaming the British state, its apparatus and its pawns in the civil service, COPFS, the police, the SNP, the Sgov and parliament.”
George Osborne described these entities – copfs, police and civil service – as ‘the arms’ of the British state in Scotland. An thay ‘airms’ aye haud Scotlan doun in aw weys, much as we can see when we take a closer look at the inner workings of our colonial oppressor.
On reading through the 570 or so comments above I get one positive vibe from the whole thing.
Back in 2014 after the disappointing referendum result it would have been so easy to pack up & go home & believe that dreams of an Indy Scotland were dead. But what happened was that a lot of us said ‘f that!’ & started thinking of ways to continue the fight. For many (myself included) that meant joining the SNP; Ok, so that might not have worked so well…
Now, many of us are recognising that the SNP are a busted flush & can’t be relied on to achieve our goals. And what I’m seeing is that a lot of us are again saying, ‘f that!’ & starting to look for alternative parties & organisations to continue the fight.
There is still hope for Scotland.
That said, I’m not at all convinced I’ll be voting for anyone in 2021. I can’t see myself giving any votes to the SNP now unless a miracle occurs and, as yet, neither the ISP or AFI have done nearly enough to convince me to vote for them. I don’t think I’ll vote for any party that doesn’t put “plebiscite election” in their manifesto this May. Come on folks: be bold, be resolute & f’ing stand for something worth voting for.
Interesting link here about how being transgender (a) doesn’t mean you are a species of morally elevated superbeing and (b) gets you undue protection and concern when you act like an arsehole and are a threat to democracy.
link to apple.news
Isn’t it hilarious how a covid breach gets you a suspension from the SNP but writing for wings over scotland gets you a ban?
Says it all!
Hugh Wallace
Strongly agree, a plebiscite election party is all I am interested in.
@Hugh Wallace 4.07pm
I think many will be share your pain, your frustration and your determination that things have to change. Like you, there’s no way I will ever vote for the SNP again. Even if they do change, the brand is far too tainted for me to ever trust them again. We need a new party that espouses the values those who are horrified at what the SNP has become want prioritised.
It would be great if Salmond, Cherry, MacAskill, MacNeil and others dropped a bombshell announcement of a breakaway party soon, but I have my doubts that’s going to happen sadly. Like you I’m unconvinced (as yet) by either the ISP or AFI, though I’ll happily lend them my vote in May if it helps unseat yoons and unsettle the SNP.
I’m afraid we have to face the likelihood that we are stuck with the SNP for the present. I hope the membership do stage a palace coup, but the evidence so far is they just don’t have the political balls to do it. That means we have 5 years to stand up a real alternative in time for the 2026 Holyrood elections (or earlier Westminster ones) standing on an explicitly plebiscitary mandate. There is nothing to lose if the current SNP leadership isn’t changed because they have no chance – and indeed no intent – to deliver indyref2 anytime soon.
The real question has to go out to those in the SNP who aren’t Sturgeonistas, woke Wahhabis or just party ultra loyalists who will never leave under any circumstances: what is it going to take to get you to do the right thing?
@daisy Walker, 11.47am
Thanks for that timeline. What is coming to the forefront is the malice behind the whole operation.
@Mia, 11.08am, 12.10am
Thanks for the thoughtful, detailed comments.
This is an orchestrated attempt to stop the May election being a plebiscite and it is the result of a collusion between the British state, Sturgeon’s non pro independence government and the plants within the SNP executive.
Agree and, if it does become a plebiscite, there is the ploy of taking a few days to count the ballots.