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Wings Over Scotland


The Scottish Media For Dummies

Posted on April 23, 2018 by

A beginner’s guide to how it works:

SUNDAY: The Sunday Times copies an SNP BAD nonsense story wholesale from the previous day’s Scottish Daily Mail.

MONDAY: The Scottish Daily mail copies an SNP BAD nonsense story wholesale from the previous day’s Sunday Times.

(The story itself being a worthless nano-crumb of utterly spurious cobblers from an unnamed source making vague allegations flatly denied by the SNP, very much like the infamous “memogate” fiasco of two years ago, except this time they’ve learned the lesson and not identified the person so it can’t be embarrassingly disproved.)

Our advice: expect to see one or both of them leading tonight’s Reporting Scotland.

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bobajock

Journobot strikes again.

The hilarious UK media – used to be about journalism, now its … a playground for sad failures.

Darrin L Hall

Oh FFS, anyone falling for that shite needs to see a doctor, because they are obviously delusional. The SNP don’t NEED to be sneaky or underhand, because we have a bloody MANDATE for a second Indy Ref…….

Gullane No4

Remember of course that the BBC actually subsidise these papers from our licence fee to produce that guff in the first place.
Seems to be a Unionist magic money circle.

Bob

We need to stop referring to the UK government and parliament as just that and acknowledge the charade by referring to them as the English government and parliament.

The UK is just a massive scam run by the establishment for their own benefit, with the media backing them up as outlined by the Rev.

Archbishop of Dork

As if the SNP leadership would show their hand to a firm they hadn’t hired and never went on to hire. Only an simpleton would believe this.

Jim Watson

The only way your advice will be wrong is if another royal parasite is born this very afternoon, but even then it would be a close call in the “editorial” meeting…

Archbishop of Dork

It’s obvious the shady British state has decided to use the Cambridge Analytica expose to their advantage by crudely trying to frame the SNP. As Rev Stu says it’s memogate all over again.

In fact you know who Brittany Kaiser looks a bit like. Has anyone seen Alistair Carmichael buying lippy and a wig in the shops? That man would do anything for England.

AndyMcKangry

So, Archbishop of Dork, that will be 55% of our population then!!!!!

Macart

Rinse and repeat. The shampoo strategy.

Honestly? They really need to look at the reality of the situation. The vote was that England and Wales voted for Brexit, without any aid or input from the essenpee and NI and Scotland voted remain.

THAT is the reality. Westminster government endangered standing devolution settlements, internationally binding agreements and the 2014 indyref outcome in order to settle a party political pissing contest. THAT is a story.

They’ve endangered protected civic and human rights, an economy, the political structure of the entire UK and placed people directly in harms way through ill considered and thoughtless legislation because… reasons. THAT is a story.

What we get on a day to day fucking basis? Chinese whispers of essenpee badness. Mibbies just me, but were I in their shoes? I’d maybe be looking at my definitions of what constitutes real newsworthy badness

Dan Huil

Zinoviev Letter No. 12,456,876,194,459… and counting.

galamcennalath

All this fake news guff is targeting an ever shrinking group of politically unengaged voters. And therein lies the strategic flaw – their target group is mostly disinterested!

Politically aware BritNats must know it’s guff too. Their motivation to continue their Union and to vote for pro Union parties is based on personal status, wealth, and identity. Many of them might even admit the SNP SG is doing a fair job of administration.

The BBC’s (with others) tactic of omission, sidelining, and playing down is probably more effective from a BritNat perspective, than gossamer thin fake news.

Jim Clark

It all goes to show how little real SNP baaahd there is.

Proud Cybernat

Weird thing happened to me today. Received my payslip and it shows I am paying (slightly) LESS tax than I did last year. But the BBC and the MSM were saying for months that, because of the ScotGov’s new tax bands, I’d be paying more tax here in Scotland.

Did the BBC / MSM make a mistake or did they misinform me?

Point is – if you’re going to broadcast a big fucking fib, at least have the intelligence to broadcast one that won’t catch you out when it is not what people are actually experiencing.

Idiots.

Clootie

…journalism was once a respected occupation!

Dr Jim

SNPs secret plans to invade Poland is being changed to Paisley because uniforms didn’t arrive in time due to SNP incompetence says a textile worker

I’m kinda thinking this is all going to get beyond parody because of Keith Browns imminent election to deputy leader of the party and statement on Indyref being as close as next April

Next April folks, put your hands over your ears to keep out the high frequency sqealing

HandandShrimp

The royal sprog will likely trump all other stories for the next week but second billing maybe? They did a piece on radio shortbread the other day about Alex Cole Hamilton’s deep concerns and worries that some private vehicles were still using the old Forth Crossing. Such was the Beeb’s concern that they had a team there for two days counting vehicles and you know what? They saw a few. Setting the agenda I think the Lib Dems and BBC call it.

I could barely eat my breakfast for the horror!

Fireproofjim

clootie@12.07

You cannot hope to bribe nor twist,
Thank god, the British journalist.
But seeing what unbribed he’ll do,
There’s really no occasion to.

Bill Hume

So, David Torrance is ‘retiring’ from journalism.
Did he jump or was he pushed?
Do we fu**ing care?

Greannach

We had friends from Austria visiting over the easter holidays and they were flabbergasted by BBC Scotland’s behaviour. They had see just as bad in other countries but on private channels not on a state broadcaster financed by a TV tax.

Truth

Well, that’s me convinced. It’s Ruth Harrison all the way for me now.

I’m sick of the way everything, on any metric you choose has improved since the SNP took the reigns in 2007. They do it all on purpose as well.

Just when will people waken up to their competence and track record of delivering on they’re manifesto pledges?

You’d have to be an idiot to vote for them. Er, wait a minute.

Proud Cybernat

A new prince is born. Makes me feel so British, so it does.

galamcennalath

A lot of weens will be born today. The one the media is focusing on is guaranteed privilege and opportunity. What about the many who are doomed to a life of poverty, poor health, and no prospects because of Westminster policies?

A media which did its job would seek out and compare what some other new mothers and babies are faced with.

The whole circus and all it represents is exactly what I don’t want for iScotland,

sensibledave

… notwithstanding the article, there are some interesting twists in all of this.

Assuming the UK does Brexit, then one of two things will have happened:

1) The Irish Border thing will have been sorted
2) The Irish border wont have been sorted.

In the event of the latter, that would raise the specter of a hard border between England and Scotland in the event of Scottish Independence (and assuming that Scotland wanted to join the EU.)

It is hard to see a situation where the cause for Independence would be enhanced by such an outcome. Scots having to apply to the UK to come and work here as “immigrants”? Needing a passport to cross the border? A trade deal with the UK based upon whatever is agreed with the EU? The “swing voters” in the middle 20% would be swayed, negatively, by that I think.

In the event of the former, then we can assume that a decent Brexit deal has been agreed and the post Brexit UK has better prospects than originally thought. In that eventuality, are Scots going to be keen to vote to leave it at that very point to throw their lot in with the EU, have the Euro, etc.?

It increasingly looks like the best prospects for Scottish Independence are based upon Brexit not happening at all. Which is the least likely outcome?

… and that, as it happens, is the strategy that the SNP have been pursuing all along!

Where’s my tin foil hat?

Maybe Ms Sturgeon worked out a long time ago that the only way that the Scots will vote for Independence is if the UK is still in the EU? Hence all the dithering?

Proud Cybernat

What galamcennalath said.

Tackety Beets

H&S @ 12.21

Ref folk crossing the old Forth Bridge

I would anticipate that those folk who were crossing did so in error. Ie Not trying to be smart etc.

I used to travel some 30 miles to work everyday thro some wee villages , sometime arriving at my destination & thinking Feck ….. I did not really recall passing thro’ the wee villages !

I would assume there will be the occasional driver who lands on FRB as he may have done for decades.

There will be some who realise their error but it’s too late etc ……I’m perfect but it’s has to be SNP Baad

Ps any decent MSM would be askin’ SCH if Libdums were in power how many people would be using the FR Bridge ? Or would it be closed for repairs ?

As posted above all these tidily minor matters illustrates what a reasonably good job the Scot Gvt are actually doing as the English Parties are struggling t find any errors.

Roll on the announcement of Keith Brown as deputy , as he does thwart the media quite well & our SCOT REF date of course.

David Smith

Retired? I was unaware David Torrance had ever been a journalist…

jfngw

Spotted this on Wings twitter feed.

link to youtube.com

winifred mccartney

Will this third royal child be on the civil list or will it be limited to only 2 for state benefits?

Imagine being a helicopter parent at 92 and your son is a pensioner. Is that not what is called undue influence or nepotism.

You’ll not hear that on the 6 o’clock news.

Greannach

I hope the new royal baby will be called Jabney-Lee. I do.

David Smith

@sensibledave.
I live in Carlisle. I’ve a Scottish birth certificate.
I let my UK passport expire out of embarrassment as well as not wanting to renew something that doesn’t reflect my actual nationality.
In the scenario you envisage; what are you going to do about me?
And seeing as you’ll have a genuine ‘terror threat’ to contend with again after 20 + years; how are you going to win hearts and minds for your glorious ‘Britain’?

Referendum1707

“Our advice: expect to see one or both of them leading tonight’s Reporting Scotland.”

I wouldn’t piss on Reporting Scotland if it was on fire, never mind would I actually sit and watch it. Why would I?

louis.b.argyll

Sunday

Monday

Happy-days?

geeo

So…despite being endlessly told an indy Scotland will be OUT the EU, Risable dave the troll, is now claiming there will be a hard border, post Yes vote , because we will be IN the EU ?

Make yer mind up ffs.

If a hard (customs) border is required between Scotland and England, then so be it. But that will clearly mean a hard border in Ireland and the end of the GFA.

If a hard border is avoided in ireland, and since all sides are against it, it is probable a compromise of sorts will be found, that is a precedent set, which would easily apply to an indy Scotland in the EU in relation to Our border with England.

Independent Scotland, in the EU/CU/SM..with border controls….or Not independent and continued rule by WM…!!

Ooh…its a tough one that huh ??

Time to send risable dave home tae think again.

Astragael

I dare say this child can look forward to a useful career in tropical medicine, in those parts of the commonwealth where they still use leeches.

Breeks

OT

Lots of love from Scotland Catalonia!

(Catalonian Valentines Day today).

Proud Cybernat

New royal baby name. Bookies’ odds:

Tait 5 / 1

Lyle 3 / 1

Silverspoon EVENS

Ah’ll get ma jaikit.

Smallaxe

The News Where You Are:

Alien lizard beings have landed and taken over control of the U.K. Deaths are thought to number in the thousands so far and this number is set to rise. Many thousands more are suffering severe shortages of food or adequate heating.

An unknown number of people have sadly perished in burning high rise flats. People are sleeping on the streets and others are being forced to leave the country altogether because of chaotic conditions.

Hospital staff are under great pressure in trying to deal with the numbers of people needing urgent treatment.
Hospitals in the north of the country are still able to treat patients well but there’s no way of telling how long this will be allowed to last in the present situation.

We will continue to give updates on this unmitigated disaster constantly as it unfolds.
:
:
Now the Cricket;
SPECSAVERS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE
LIVE
Apr 20-23, 2018 – at Kennington Oval, London
Surrey 211 & 407/9d
Hampshire 147 & 226/7 (80.2 ov, target: 472)
Hampshire require another 246 runs with 3 wickets remaining
:
:
And Exciting News!
The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to yet another little Prince.
:
:
This Just In!
People in the north of Great Britain are taking shelter in their nearest polling station and making the sign of the cross as it is believed by many that this is the only way to save themselves from current and impending catastrophes.

Dr Jim

Is the law Unionist?

The man with the wee Nazi saluting dug gets fined £800 for offensive behaviour
The football fan who sings at the top of his voice demanding the blood of Roman Catholics gets Unionist politicians to get a law repealed that was trying to put a stop to that offensive behaviour and is patted on the back for freedom of speech (banter not offensive)

The Orange Lodge marches through our towns and villages triumphantly banging drums and singing about past victories over murdering Roman Catholics and indeed in 2001 issued a statement saying if Scotland became independent the OO would become a para military organisation, but apparently that’s not offensive either

So any Martian arriving in Scotland being presented with these and many other examples would be at the very least *hard pressed* to judge Scotland as being treated in a fair and equal manner by it’s *owners*

I say *owners* because even dogs are treated better than Scottish people now because we really are in a situation where if England expels noxious political odours from its ever increasing Unionist rear end Scotland is the beneficiary of the smelly fallout

Please sir Unionists offend me on a daily basis can I have them criminalised

Oh here I might have offended a Unionist there, well that’s me for the high jump eh

torquil fflufington smythe

Tell me good people–are they keeping Prince Philip on ice– to produce when a really bad newsday surfaces soon?

Ken500

They knowingly print absolute lies.

Another one hits the dust. David’s gone. Time running out. How much longer for the rest.

sensibledave

David Smith and Geeo

As usual, you are so busy spoiling for a fight that you completely miss the point!

IF the Irish Border issue is resolved (which you argue is the most likely outcome) then that would be indicative of many other big issues being sorted such that Brexit is more likely to be successful and therefore, one assumes, a less scary proposition and therefore not an economic “disaster” for a Scotland that is is still in the UK (and therefore not an added impetus for Scots to vote Yes in an indyref2.

If the Irish border issue isn’t resolved then, I guess, some sort of Hard Brexit will have happened. If that is the case then for Scotland to be Indpendent then, I assume, a Hard Border would have to be put there too. Again, it is hard to see how that would make an Independent Scotland more attractive to potential floating voters.

This all assumes though that an Independent Scotland was able to quickly join the EU. To do that, the currency issue would loom large immediately. It is even harder to imagine Scots voting for Independence and therefore having to have the Euro. Possible I suppose, but unlikely. Maybe Scots might like their economy run by The Bank of England and their laws produced by Brussels?

With respect to David Smith at 1.27 and his question about “what are you going to do about me”. I wont be doing anything David. I am a non affliated individual living in South Oxfordshire – there is nothing I can do.

If I was to guess, in the event that the UK is out of the EU and then Scotland decided to leave the UK, then I guess you might be required to choose what nationality you want to be going forward? If your claim is that you are a SCot but you want to continue living in England, then I guess you could be given similar dispensation to other EU citizens that currently live in the UK.

It would be good if you stayed though so that you would be paying tax in the UK rather than Scotland?

KOF

Smallaxe says 14:27

“And Exciting News!
The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to yet another little Prince.”

And yet, still no word about the Countess of Strathearn. She was expecting another child too, at this time. 😉

Terence callachan

Sensibledave says that a hard border between England and Scotland will be a possibility after Brexit.
I agree.
55 million English people will have to apply for a visa to cross the border..perhaps
5 million Scottish people will have to apply for a visa to cross the border…perhaps
I suppose the gas electricity water piping its way to England from Scotland will be stopped too
None of those come the other direction Scotland has excess of all three.
scotland has nothing to fear from independence and much, very much indeed to gain.

Socrates MacSporran

Cambridge Analytica – funny name for a boy. Or, am I getting mixed-up?

Terence callachan

I cannot think of a single commodity that Scotland relies on for supply from England
Pretty much everything I think of that England could supply to Scotland ,is in fact already produced in Scotland

Moonlight

O/T I just received a renewed driving licence.
It is now defaced with the butchers apron, but what makes me wonder is where it used to say born in Dundee, it now says SCOTLAND.
Does anyone have a recent licence issued to those born in England or Wales? What do these licences say.
Is someone preparing for some event where this information will be important?

Will it be enough to get me through the razor wire and round the concrete blocks if the great day arises when I am abroad.

Smallaxe

KOF says:

“And yet, still no word about the Countess of Strathearn”

I had to Google that! FFsake shut the door they’re comin’ in the windae’s.
🙂

louis.b.argyll

In the future..
but before the aliens come..

We’ll be able to pick up hate-speech from space, send a drone to find offending Pug-dog and zap accordingly, based on Cambridge Analytica voter/owner/dogfood preferences.

Smallaxe

Socrates MacSporran says:

“Cambridge Analytica – funny name for a boy. Or, am I getting mixed-up?”

Aye, Socrates, your getting mixed up with the Cowboys in the Cambridge Anal Tricklers. The movie’s coming to a picture hall near you, soon.
😉

Peter

Rev –
I meant to raise this before – I noticed an advert in the back of the Sunday Herald a few weeks ago from those jolly press people in Dundee who were looking for someone to coordinate the various newspapers in Scotland – as well as the BBC – in (and I quote) “holding the Scottish government to account”. The job appeared to be jointly financed by each of these parties which, I suppose simply formalises their existing cosy relationship in doing down Scotland – and the SNP in particular – at every possible turn. It certtainly confirmed for me that the relentless and well-orchestrated negative press from all sides (bar the National) was no coincidence.

Stravaiger

Didn’t see the new article…

Regarding all this talk of a Constitution for an Independent Scotland, would anyone find any value in an online forum to discuss such things? For that matter it could be useful for discussing cranking up the Yes movement. It would be open to all committed independence supporters.

The Indyapp is supposed to be getting a forum but it’s not there yet.

I used to run a wee forum called ‘Quirkynats’if anyone remembers it.

Fred

Mair advice from Carolyn Leckie for the SNP, she used to be a sumdy before it all went so tragically tits-up so now concentrates on the side-lines carping. She can’t actually cough up the few shillings to join the SNP because she used tae be a sumdy as I said & that very fickle Scottish electorate had enough of the comedy capers & pulled the rug away.

So while I broadly agree with her, she cannae reciprocate because that very varied membership in the SNP want independence for Scotland and she’s different.

Jack collatin

I see that David Torrance and Herald Britland have parted company; due to musical differences within the band?
Rumours abound that he has bought a hoose in Findo Gask.
Is his next gig selling advertising space on the Findo Gask Thunderer?
Or is he joining Magnus and Fluffy on the Scottish Office £600,000 a year Goebbels Team?
Stu, you continue to be a thorn in the side of this bunch of Fourth Estate Fifth Columnists.
The Record is the Police Gazette, Herald Britland, the Sellick and Ranjurs chip shop wrapper.Sold to knuckedraggers to read about the exploits of fellow knuckledraggers.
The BTL idiots fleshing out Hootsman drivel are a dried up kernel of Brit Nationals who can barely string beads on a necklace, never mind two sentences together.
It’s comin’ yet for a’ that.
Seriously, Stu, hire Security.

auld highlander

Meanwhile the sleekit tories want to make voters prove their identity by taking either their passport or driving licence with them when they want to vote. Now that stinks cos they will get rid of poor people with neither who would normally vote against them.

Hopefully they will get their erses well and truly kicked at next weeks local elections.

Robin

We’ve had the Russian poisoning. the Syrian Bombing, now we have a new addition to the english royal family,

Then there is the royal wedding between two people who aren’t actually royal at all.

More english royal baby bullshit, just before we head off to Russia for england in the World Cup. Then I think there is another english royal wedding and maybe a few more illegal bombings by our english air force.

That should take us up to October and the Brexit deal, where Nicola will hopefully save us all from going completely bonkers by announcing the date for IndyRef2.

Amen !!!

scunner

Recently had to spend a week holed up with elderly relatives (nae internet) being subjected to their Yoon newspaper of choice and the Beeb.
Each day, the cobblers stories were so obviously mirrored but the wife had me muzzled as we were guests.

Most irritating one was the Big Yin with his repeated bollocks about Anti-Englishness “I’m the least patriotic man in the world”.
Front of Express and on the Beeb, he was over to promote his doc about Sir Stanley Spencer. An artist I’ve always admired, but Big Yin felt the need to pop some Scots-English nonsense in there. I’d like to think he was misquoted – can’t fathom it otherwise.

Smallaxe

Jack collatin says:

“I see that David Torrance and Herald Britland have parted company; due to musical differences within the band?”

I heard that he was asked to leave because he kept ‘Blawin’ ‘is ain trumpet’.

Hello, Jack, I hope you and yours are well, my old friend.
🙂

sensibledave

Scunner 3.42

… Hate to be “picky” Scunner, but if you look at the comment just preceeding your comment at 3.42.

Robin Wrote “More english royal baby bullshit, just before we head off to Russia for england in the World Cup. Then I think there is another english royal wedding and maybe a few more illegal bombings by our english air force.”

Would you forgive me if I detected a wee bit, perhaps a “smidgen” of “anti-englishness” in there – of the sort that yer Big Yin might be alluding to?

Timing is everything!

Fred

@ Dorothy, google “Orca Film Western Ferries” taken on Saturday, a bit of a show!

Clapper57

‘Unnamed source ‘ and ‘some critics’ onus free reporting.

Memo to self : must try this myself as exceedingly cunning way to say abso..feckin..lutely any old shit….while taking no responsibility as got info from ‘some critics’ and sometimes ‘unnamed sources’ .

Here goes…

Unnamed sources have said that Willie Rennie and the LibDems secretly voted for Leave just so that their party could be relevant again and get maximum publicity in calling for another Brexit Referendum.

Some critics have said that the Unionist parties at Holyrood and WM have no real workable policies in their combined manifestos that would in any way benefit any man, woman, child or beast in Scotland.

Think I am getting the hang of this malarkey…train as a Journalist ?…….Really ?……when one could just write fantasised fiction….and get paid for it ?

Of course I have a conscience….. so perhaps a career in Journalism is just not for me alas……..still good to know I can, when required, use the above examples when I need to stir up some shit…just for fun obvs.

Robin

Stephen Dornan SNP MSP getting slaughtered for this statement over in the Scotsman today.

“I truly despise being part of the UK. I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots. At least we have the opportunity to leave ahead of us, all we need is the confidence in ourselves to take it.”

link to twitter.com

Proud Cybernat

FM has just congratulated the royals on the birth of their new baby.

I hope she offers them a baby box – gift from Scotland.

Tatu3

Moonlight
‘re driving licence
Just renewed ours, mine says for place of birth – Scotland. Whereas my husband’s says for place of birth – United Kingdom.
I was born in Scotland. He was born in England.

auld highlander

Just read this letter in the National.

link to thenational.scot

auld highlander

Tatu, get yersel a wee saltire and stick it over the offending flag.

The ball and chain had hers renewed due to house move a couple of months ago and it says United Kingdom.

Dr Jim

Tory minister admits from the dispatch box there was electoral fraud in 2014 on information now made public by the electoral commission

Why did they wait till now to tell us and not at the time? well, because the Tories want to introduce ID cards in order to prevent chosen folk from voting the next time

Oh, in other news Ireland has just bought the worlds biggest transport boat, of course if Scotland becomes independent they’ll have less use for it, they can jaunt over to us drive across and jump on to another big boat at Embra and Boom Boom EU here we come

Greannach

Isn’t it marvellous how Prince Phillip has just given birth to a new sponger. Save his lady wife the bother.

Smallaxe

Link;

link to newsthump.com

It’s true, honest!
😉

Jack collatin

smallaxe @4.04 pm.
Hail, bridge builder and crafter of ships!
Today’s Herald Britland headlines that a ‘new poll’ which suggests that ‘over half’ of Scots want to Remain in the EU.
An ‘old poll’, the EU Referendum itself, recorded 62% of those who could be arsed to do so, voted to Remain.
Are we witnessing the death Rattle of the old, tired, worn-out, insignificant Blah?

Keep well, smallaxe.

Hamish100

With a steven lawrence day announced by PM May and with No disrespect to the family but are we to have a Lockerbie commemoration or a Dunblane or an Ibrox or a Piper Alpha or a Stockline Clarkston etc. This decision smacks of the lowest form of tokenism by the tories.

Dr Jim

Amber Rudd invents a new way of not answering questions on immigration in the HOC saying “I’m going to resist talking about that issue*

Resist! eh? whit? It’s yer fecking job tae answer missus no “Resist”

Smallaxe

Peace off, Jack.
😉

Dorothy Devine

Fred , many thanks!

Smallaxe

Germany’s Incredibly Shrinking Role on the World Stage;
link to spiegel.de

Gary

It may be funny, but it is actually quite worrying just how LAZY journalists are. These are supposed to be NEWSpapers, facts should be checked.

But they are NOT newspapers. They have a political point of view and they come up with poorly put together, ill thought-out, spurious ‘stories’ to support their point of view. A point of view, I might add, that they take ONLY because it opposes SNP and NOT because they believe in it.

They don’t deserve to be called newspapers. There are so many major news stories in Scotland, UK and worldwide that go unreported and they dish up this thin gruel for readers? They should have to refund the cost of purchase or rename themselves ‘comics’

Dan Huil

David Davis, Britnat bulldog, visited the Irish border today… without telling anybody he’d be there.

Auld Rock

Listened to a few minutes of Whinging Wullie yesterday to hear him call for how if Shona R had been Fib/Dem then he would have her resign. This immediately prompted the question, “Why is Carmichael still there?” Oh silly me, forgot it’s OK to be called a liar by the High Court or to indulge in phoney election accounting but you’ve got to resign just because you set-about mucking out the the Tayside Health Board.

Hope women in London weren’t looking for a Mid-wife this AM, seems there were 24 of them ensuring another cost, for us, was safely delivered. As a couple I really do wish them well, honestly.

Breeks

Torrance seems awfully young and short of a life peerage to be taking early retirement. What’s he playing at? Can’t we force him to work down a mine or something? He’ll be giving genuine pensioners a bad name.

What happened? Did the Tory gutter Press rumble he was Scottish and start prodding him with Barge poles? Or was there some other monkey business involved?

Torrance is a truly gifted wordsmith. All he has to write is “Oh! Oh! F***!” And there you have it. – The graphic account of a rags to riches career in journalism disappearing down the toilet.

Maybe he should have stuck to playing golf…

Cubby

Sensibledave = boring obnoxious arrogant British Nationalist paid to wreck this site.

K1

“More english royal baby bullshit, just before we head off to Russia for england in the World Cup. Then I think there is another english royal wedding and maybe a few more illegal bombings by our english air force.”

Perfectly ‘factual’ statements. You’re a prick trying to pick a fight as only a prick can do.

Dan Huil

“If you are the Royal couple having a third child, the Prime Minister will congratulate and the state will support you for life. If you are a citizen needing to claim tax credits for a third child, she will deny support and condemn you to poverty.”

Alison Thewliss MP [SNP]

yesindyref2

The RAF isn’t English, it’s British or the UK. But since I expect many or even all of the Royal family were born in England and are normally resident in England, including for tax purposes, they’re individually English, and perhaps that makes the whole concept of the Royal Family English. Certainly international usage would imply English, rather than British. The baby of course is English by birth and parentage and so far at least, residence and tax status.

The to be married couple are half English and half American is it? I expect she’ll have to apply to the Home Office for citizenship or be deported, good luck with that. I hope she can name the main characters in Emmerdale or even the Archers, and the Magic Roundabot to prove her knowledge of UK culture. Understanding of the word mince and knowledge of OXO cubes or Bisto is essential.

So the OP was largely right with the exception of the RAF which is a British Armed Force under the control in theory of the English Royal Family, but in practice under the control of Theresa May’s RPG real life character. She’s English, from Maidenhead, allegedly.

There, that’s that sorted.

K1

Maybe fairer to state that the RAF is run by the English? All top staff are I presume of English heritage?

Greannach

I wonder what Hewitt and Sparkle’s first sprog will be called – Hank? Elmer? Chuck?

Prince Hank Hewitt sounds like a nice name.

Jack collatin

I wonder if Harry’s Squeeze will be coached by the Home Office to ‘sound English’ to blend in with the locals.
It worked for Lulu and Sheena Easton right enough.
Will the young Windsors be told that they won’t be getting Privy Purse money for a third child, in the spirit of the Austerity Cuts with which the Lumpen Proletariat have to put up?
Of course not. They are part of the 1% who own and rule the planet.
I vow not to watch TV for a week until the arse licking forelock togging media turn their attention to the next Brexit avoiding scoop.
Idiocracy is here already, well at least down there in Merrie Old White England.

Chick McGregor

Many years ago I saw a list of Battle of Britain pilots on line, the majority of them seemed to be made up of a mix of Scots, Irish, New Zealander, Canadian, American and Polish pilots which was rather astonishing since in all the innumerable films made with that backdrop they are always depicted as white, middle class English to a man.

Chick McGregor

It says much for Harry’s bride to be that she is willing to live under the continual threat of deportation. Love conquers all.

Chick McGregor

Updated music hall joke.

I say, I say, I say, I know a woman who has gone to live in her parent’s ancestral Caribbean homeland.

Jamaica?

No the government did.

Lenny Hartley

Wow they werent long in picking a name for the new Royal wean, named after a legendary French Rugby player, the baby is to be Christened Parra Cite.

Chick McGregor

Sorry Greanach, ‘Elmer’ is still under temporary licence to SLAB.

We had Elmer Fud and now we have Elmer Fed.

Robin

K1 6.24pm

Perfectly ‘factual’ statements. You’re a prick trying to pick a fight as only a prick can do.

Please tell me why I am a “prick” K1?

If I want to refer to the royal family or anybody else as english then that is my business.

Why this sudden defense of the english K1???

Who’s side are you on.???

Indy2

May Suffers Fresh Brexit Defeat As Lords Vote To Keep EU Rights In British Law
Cross-party alliance gives PM another Brexit bloody nose.

Theresa May has suffered a fresh Parliamentary defeat over Brexit after the House of Lords voted to keep the EU’s human rights charter in British law.

Peers voted by 316 votes to 245 for a cross-party amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill that aims to retain the so-called Charter of Fundamental Rights even after the UK quits the bloc in 2019.

Several senior Tory rebels helped inflict the defeat – by a majority of 71 – including former Cabinet ministers David Willetts, Michael Heseltine and Chris Patten.

The amendment was led by independent crossbencher Lord Pannick, supported by an alliance of Labour former Attorney-General Lord Goldsmith, Lib Dem frontbencher Lady Ludford and the Tory John Gummer.

Pannick said that the Government’s move to ditch the charter – which gives millions of EU citizens political, civil and economic rights – was “unprincipled and unjustified”.

link to huffingtonpost.co.uk

Robin

I truly despise being part of the UK.

I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots.

At least we have the opportunity to leave ahead of us, all we need is the confidence in ourselves to take it.

Northern Rock

EU FURY: Brussels boss has THIS furious response to Jacob Rees-Mogg Brexit threat

EUROPEAN UNION Commissioner Phil Hogan has fired back at Jacob Rees-Mogg after the Conservative MP said Theresa May should “call the EU’s bluff” on the Irish border problem.

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EU FURY: Brussels boss has THIS furious response to Jacob Rees-Mogg Brexit threat
EUROPEAN UNION Commissioner Phil Hogan has fired back at Jacob Rees-Mogg after the Conservative MP said Theresa May should “call the EU’s bluff” on the Irish border problem.
By JOE BARNES, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
PUBLISHED: 19:37, Mon, Apr 23, 2018 | UPDATED: 19:48, Mon, Apr 23, 2018

1

Lord Mervyn King: Negotiations ‘not going the way we’d hope’

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The leading Brexiteer and chairman of the influential European Research Group of eurosceptic Tory backbenchers said the EU’s reluctance to accept a British proposal for the Irish border should only serve as a reason to push for a no deal Brexit scenario.

Mr Rees-Mogg’s outburst comes as negotiations reportedly broke down after Brussels rejected two of Westminster’s options for solving the must disputed issue to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.

However, his comments provoked an angry backlash from Brussels with the bloc’s agricultural chief showing signs of frustration after being questioned about Mr Rees-Mogg’s weekend comments.

The Conservative MP for North East Somerset said: “Ireland has said it doesn’t want a hard border, the UK has said it doesn’t want a hard bored and the EU itself has said it doesn’t want a hard border – so frankly it’s up to Brussels if it wants to start putting up border posts. We should call their bluff.

link to express.co.uk

Rock

The Kingdom of Scotland has a new prince.

Rejoice.

Brian Powell

auld highlander

Certainly the battles is on to save the Scottish Parliament but the war is on to get rid of Westminster.

Macart

No words.

link to archive.li

Southern Rock

From Revs Twitter:

Kirk J Torrance,

My statement regarding @TheCommonSpace article confirming me as @theSNP’s so-called, ‘unnamed external consultant.’
I would like to take this opportunity to repeat what I said about #CambridgeAnalytica at the time… “They are a bunch of snake oil-selling cowboys!”

link to twitter.com

Yalta

There is no point in greetin a boot the press, or swapping semantics with the BBC.

It’s time to hit them with a club they will understand, called money and power.

Legislate to make the license fee in Scotland a discretionary purchase, like Sky or BT sport.

Time to regain the initiative.

Smallaxe

Macart,

I have some words.
Shameful, disgusting, inhuman, tragic, heartbreaking, terrifying, and just plain, WRONG!

Sadly, I have plenty more if you require them, my friend.

Dr Jim

Unionist defence attack is always *you Nats are anti English*
it’s their immediate go to position because they’re so used to that from every other country in the world

But have they wised up yet

Noooooo! Everybody’s wrong

In other news Amber Rudd says it’s not a *hostile environment*, it’s a *compliance environment*
Last week Nazis, this week *The Borg*

Do these folk not watch TV…..ever

Macart

@Smallaxe

They’re not fit for purpose and I’m going to stop there, because what I’m typing is NOT what I want to type.

Smallaxe

Macart,

Seen. My friend,

Capella

It’s almost as if both stories came from the same press release. Could the Tory Party have circulated this to the chosen few?
Ruth can attack the SNP in Holyrood. The yellow press can whinge on for weeks, and the BBC can reference it beause …err Ruth Davidson and the newspapers are bigging it up.

Makes a change from the Skripals, Syria, BREXIT, Cambridge Analytia actually working for the Tories, the Windrush disaster, the Grenfell disaster and every other disaster this Tory government has created.

Jason Smoothpiece

Slightly OT

Great day for Royalists.

Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state always looking for members, just saying.

Smallaxe

Sage advices:
Posted on 23/04/2018 by Peter A Bell;
link to scottovoce.wordpress.com

Robin

OK,,maybe got a bit carried away with my use of the word english. It is a built in hatred that I have of the english (establishment).

London Rule is holding my country back and I get frustrated and angry at that. And I don’t recognise the royal family as anything other than english.

So if I come across as anti-english (establishment) then it is because I am. If it offends a few people then I’m afraid you will have to live with that.

And it can’t be news that a Scot is not england’s biggest fan.

Robin

James Dornan SNP MSP kinda agrees with me on his Twitter pages today:

I truly despise being part of the UK. I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots. At least we have the opportunity to leave ahead of us, all we need is the confidence in ourselves to take it.

Where is this hatred you speak of? Unless of course you mean I hate having major decisions made by a govt in another country run by people who think it’s ok to target the most vulnerable in society whilst looking after their own. Yep I sure hate that

Read the tweet. Nowhere do I say anything against residents of any other country, and why would I? Westminster is a corrupt institution which has failed the people of Scotland. I have no desire to be run by it or be a part of the UK????

Yep and I’ve been no fan of being a part of the UK for a long time. In recent years I’ve completely despised it. Uncaring, xenophobic, fantasist exceptionalism is all I see from it

link to twitter.com

Tatu3
Northern Rock

Theresa May should accept the EU’s offer of a Canada-style deal and claim a diplomatic triumph.

Tucked away in Parliament and hidden in the corridors of power, a moment in history has been unfolding over recent weeks – something which will determine the future of the UK.

Largely unnoticed by a population bored of Brexit and bemused as to why we haven’t simply left the EU, the Prime Minister and her close officials have been machinating over parliamentary arithmetic and the merits of a Customs Union with the EU.

Only now has it emerged into the post-Easter light that there was – and perhaps still is – a very real chance of the Prime Minister acquiescing to some form of customs union membership: a fudge to undermine Brexit by stealth and a further climb down by the Prime Minister in the face of bullying by Brussels.

The realpolitik behind all this is, however, coloured by the Gordian knot represented by the Prime Minister’s mutually exclusive commitments and red lines, the fulfilment of which depended entirely on the goodwill of Brussels – an outfit whose stated intention is to give the UK a “punishment beating” for having the audacity to leave the EU, lest others might follow suit.

The Prime Minister has committed to leave the Customs Union, to a “soft border” in Northern Ireland and to an ambition for a deep and special relationship with the EU, including as frictionless trade as possible.

These various red lines are likely to be incompatible and the net result of all this is that Mrs May is, in reality, going to be faced with a choice between three possible options.

The first option is of having a Great Britain-only Brexit and therefore leaving Northern Ireland within the EU sphere – something that she has rejected. The second option is that of keeping the whole of the UK in the Customs Union and thus having Brexit in name only, as the UK would continue to be shackled to EU tariffs, EU trade restrictions and in practice, regulatory alignment, all overseen by the European Court of Justice. Her final option is that of leaving the EU without a deal.

This is true Brexit, but would nonetheless produce short-term disruption. If Remainers continue to act as a fifth column, making common cause with our adversaries in Brussels, the most likely of these is that we will leave without a deal. This will be very good for the UK in the medium to long term, but not optimal. However, the Prime Minister still has the option of playing a “get of jail card” which would produce the same result as a no-deal approach, but with minimum disruption: that is to take up the EU’s offer of a Canada-style deal and to execute that deal by October.

This would allow for the free movement of the vast majority of goods and agricultural products and would enable us to leave both the Single Market and the Customs Union. It would also facilitate a much shorter transition period – only as long as it takes the 27 member states to ratify the arrangement.

The Prime Minister could claim to have fulfilled all of her commitments, achieved a deal and a triumph of diplomacy.

Should seeking such a deal result in further mendacious intransigence on the part of the EU, then it will be crystal clear that our only option is to go for a clean break immediately – and that Brussels is our enemy not our friend.

In which case, the Prime Minister would be entirely justified in seeking to just leave. Even the most ardent Remainers would find it difficult to argue with that.

link to brexitcentral.com

Thepnr

@Robin

“I truly despise being part of the UK.”

“I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots.”

“It is a built in hatred that I have of the english (establishment).”

“Where is this hatred you speak of?”

Those sentences don’t make much sense.

Better to be indifferent if anything at all, hatred doesn’t generally go down well with people and if we want Independence I doubt hatred has a part to play.

Better to focus on the positive Robin, at least that’s just my opinion of course. Always remember, there are others reading and we might need their vote and hate will get us nowhere.

Dave McEwan Hill

O/T

Peter A Bell will be the guest at the Forward Shop in Dunoon on Wednesday evening (from appx 7.15pm )

I will be interviewing him sometime betweeen 8 and 9 (on Argyll Independent Radio (online)

Dr Jim

Unionist says: You’re anti English
Nat says: What would be the reason you think that
Unionist says: You’re full of Nationalistic hatred
Nat says: If so why?
Unionist says: You Nats have an answer for everything that’s why we hate you
Nat says: Umm

galamcennalath

Tatu3 says:

This is good

This is VERY good. It’s spot on! Particularly….

“… the next Scottish Parliament elections are intended to be the ultimate subordination of Scotland. The final solution to the Scottish problem. The realisation of a ‘One Nation’ British state that will last a thousand years. Greater England at last! “

IMO everything is working towards that aim. WM is playing for time and delaying clarity on Brexit in an attempt to make an early ScotRef difficult to justify.

Their Union continuing is what matters most, Brexit is secondary.

We must set the timetable. We must take control and push ahead. If we stand back and let WM set the agenda, ALL will be lost!

Thepnr

@Northern Rock

It would be very helpful if you could distinguish between your own views and those of the article you’re quoting from as the two can become the same. Even just use quotation marks would make a difference.

I could tell that what you posted was written by a hard Brexiteer and thought initially that it was your views

BrexitCentral is not something I’d hope you’d like to be associated with as it supports the views of the hardest Breiteers.

[…] popular press has taken a different approach, inexorably trivialising the debate, with attacks on minimum alcohol pricing, the baby box, and the cost of the First Minister’s temporary accommodation – all […]

Big Del

So…….Why is it ok for certain Engerlish people to hate the jocks tho??? I don’t hate Engerlish people, I just don’t like densible Dave the Dick.

I’ve been down souf and had my as Scottish money refused, had a barmaid in a restaurant/hotel tell me “ sorry love we are closed” only to see her serve a local 10 minutes later….she also said no tables for 1 allowed and I would need to eat my meal in my room.. Hoyland common was the shit hole.

I’m sure a few of us have had experienced their bigotry.

But I honestly don’t think we as a nation/website “hate”England or her people. Just their attitude and establishment.

My boss here off shore is English and I could not hope to have a better one. He knows my desire for a free and independent Scotland and fully understand that and does not hold a grudge for my beliefs.

So as I read earlier… if there is a hard border put up between our two counties how will all the English guys and girls get to work in Scotland? Will waistminster really want to go down the road of that and deprive her citizens of work in our country? Thousands of English work up here so turn THAT question on them….

Sorry for the rant.

Morgatron

I see a couple in Englandshire just picked up their kid from a private hospital in London after his Mrs went in and out in less than 10 hours. What suprised me though the two of them are living on state benefits. Scroungers. Thats probably why they kicked her out early, to stop them complaining about the SNP bed blocking.

cynicalHighlander

@Moonlight says:
23 April, 2018 at 2:47 pm

O/T I just received a renewed driving licence.
It is now defaced with the butchers apron, but what makes me wonder is where it used to say born in Dundee, it now says SCOTLAND.
Does anyone have a recent licence issued to those born in England or Wales? What do these licences say.

YooKay.

ailsa craig

How to spoli your holiday.
If it isn’t bad enough to have our driving licences disfigured by the butcher’s apron, try filling in a car hire form from GoldCar in the Canaries.

KA postcode [west of Scotland – Kilmarnock district] and indeed country named as Scotland [UK scored out] was interpreted by the computer as
‘Border Counties,
North Britain.

What is going on behind our backs? Is our country indeed being written out of existence?

Marcia

A name for the Windsor’s new offspring – Windrush.

Hamish100

With Torrance leaving the Herald who will Tom Gordon use as his source?

Rock ,Colin Alexander job available?

ScottieDog

How apt.
Torrance finds employment in the very bowels of the establishment..

Robin

thepnr 10.26pm

The words you quoted were by SNP MSP James Dornan from his Twitter account today.

So I am afraid you will need to take that up with him.

Here is Mr Dornan again:

I truly despise being part of the UK. I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots. At least we have the opportunity to leave ahead of us, all we need is the confidence in ourselves to take it.

Where is this hatred you speak of? Unless of course you mean I hate having major decisions made by a govt in another country run by people who think it’s ok to target the most vulnerable in society whilst looking after their own. Yep I sure hate that.

Thepnr,,you can find more of what Mr Dornan says here:

link to twitter.com

Thepnr

For anyone interested, just to add to ScottieDogs revalation.

“Herald columnist David Torrance has revealed he is leaving journalism after 18 years to take up a new post at the House of Commons Library.”

link to archive.is

Indy2

Tomorrow’s National:

Tomorrow’s front page: Shocking rise of food bank use in Scotland is revealed with Tory benefit cuts and Universal Credit blamed. 55,000 parcels were given to Scottish children in the last year.

link to twitter.com

Thepnr

@Robin

Apologies for attributing those quotes to youself.

Try using quotes or italics to make it plain that what you are posting is attributed to someone else. It would help.

Northern Rock

THEPNR

The story I posted was about the direction the Brexiteers are wanting to go in. It highlights the in fighting within the Tory party.

Very sorry if you were offended by the source of the story, I have never heard of “Brexit Central”, it was a story that was on MSN website front pages.

Again I deeply apologise if you were offended. But for the life of me I can’t see the problem with it.

Each to their own I suppose.

I have saw links to right wing sources on Wings before. So I will be watching to make sure you give them the same grief that you gave me.

That is only fair, is it not sir???

Now can I get back to helping Scotland win her Independence.

Wings is turning into something you would find in the old East Germany with the amount of self appointed snoops.

Thepnr

A couple of pointers for people poting to Wings. It is generally accepted that we try not to give clickbait to MSM sites. That is we do not want them to earn any money from advertising by that which we we post.

We do this by using archieving sites such as achieve.is and you will find on that site a simple button that you can add to your bookmarks and any page you are looking at will automatically be archieved or you can cut and paste the page you want archieved straight into the site.

If you are going to quote from a link then it again it’s important to distinguish between your own view and that of the link your quoting from use quotation marks or change the font using the HTML commands such as open italics without the spaces and close it with without the spaces.

I realise I might seem like a pain in the arse but hope this proves helpful and at least at my end it might help prevent a lot of confusion as to what a poster is actually saying which often is not what I’m reading.

Brian McHugh

Is it me, or is RT down everywhere? The TV. Internet?

scunner

So, “Sensible”, you highlight a token Bravehearter’s ill-judged comment to refute my rejection of your ScotNat=anti-English trope, “proving” that all those who desire to break away from your beloved Union really are the xenophobes you imagine in your wee head.

Riiiight, OK.

The Big Yin is right in many of his utterances but not this one. He once made one to the effect that he feels a common bond with a welder in Liverpool, having once been one in the dim and distant (yeah I know, the affinity of the millionaire and the wage slave).

I have many friends and colleagues over the border, we work, raise our kids, get on with life. We like the same culture, the same music, the same food – we are actually very similar. We get along, there is a common bond.

Unfortunately, they just have this godawful habit of continually choosing the most despicable shower of charlatans to lead them and, by their sheer volume, us too. They are hell-bent on dragging us all down to a dog-eat-dog selfish cess pit. The entrenched privilege, the corruption, sense of superiority amongst many faults. We cling to a hope that we in Scotland might be able to take another fairer path.

One of my fears had we been successful in this endeavour, was that we’d end up with a mini version of this ridiculous system of governance and be no better off, and before you start, I’m not talking about paying the bills, I’ve never believed for one second the too wee, too poor nonsense. It’s always been about governance.

geeo

Squirrels aside, Brexit Bill going well in the suddenly unpopular House of Lords…!

link to archive.is

geeo

This explains a lot..

Express now part of group which owns Daily Record.

(Pending Government intervention).

link to archive.is

crazycat

@ Thepnr

Quotation marks or italics are fine (provided people remember to close the tag if using the latter).

I find blockquote even better, because it also

indents the quotation.

For those who don’t know how to do this, it’s just like italics or bold, but with the word “blockquote” between the less than and greater than signs – and of course “/blockquote” to close. (Without the quotation marks, of course.)

(Test – when I used the signs rather than describing them, they did not appear in the preview box, but they may in the post when it appears: )

Reluctant Nationalist

@ Robin

Anger/hatred is a perfectly normal and healthy thing to express. Just ignore the likes of that self-appointed jobsworth thepnr, and for K1 to criticise you stinks of hypocrisy considering the way he’s reacted when folk have told him to watch his cunting inflammatory language in the name of the interests of those who view the site.

The ‘glish are dogs, and the sooner we cut them loose the better. Don’t be ashamed of letting that out when it becomes too much to bear. Rev is the ONLY person you need to tailor your comments for when asked. No one else.

crazycat

No, just a blank space.

geeo

@brian mchugh

Re RT.

Scheduled maintainence work (on RT channel screen)

Brian McHugh

Got it back on website and Twitter… It was weird it disappeared from Google for a short while.

Cubby

Sensibledave = Rock = boring paid to troll British Nationalists.

Dr Jim

You’re allowed not to like something, it doesn’t make you anti that something, it’s a stupid argument deployed by silly people How far do you take that stupidity, tea or coffee? Oh coffee thanks, why? are you anti tea?

Dumb argument for folk with no real reasoned position except to accuse in order to give themselves a faux indignant position that doesn’t exist

Anti stupidity! now that’s another thing, nobody’s exempt from stupid, we all get doses of that

manandboy

David Torrance writes: “After 18 years as a journalist I’m having a career change; It has, of course, been a privilege, but also fun & fascinating.”

David is “having a career change”, even though his previous job “has, of course, been a privilege,.. fun & fascinating.”

Of course, he could be working in the House of Commons Library but be on the payroll of the Scottish Office as part of its greatly expanded propaganda and spying duties. I mean there are 31 SNP MP’s at Westminster 4/5 days a week in need of BritNat surveillance.

In his new career, Torrance is going to have access to all the comings and goings of the SNP MPs in their use of the Library facilities at Westminster.

Confidentiality will of course be paramount in David’s future conversations with his minder and lately important Mr Mundell.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Robert J. Sutherland

manandboy @ 01:24,

That last SNP PPB really did for his street cred, it seems.

The referenced Herald article (for which thanks, Thepnr) says:

The writer […] will be working in a politically-neutral research role.

Which BritNat newspeak pretty much confirms your (and my) suspicions about exactly what he will be up to.

WM’s very own trained Scottish poodle.

The BBC will surely now have to find another ubiquitous dispassionate =ahem= observer. (Oh well, every cloud, and all that… )

yesindyref2

It’s all in the way it’s put. Some of the more extreme unionists try to say the Independence movement is anti-English, and they even try to accuse Sturgeon of being anti-English, Strugeon who has English family and an English origin husband though he likely thinks of himself as a Scot these days – it’s an attitude of mind. Hence probably Sturgeon’s tweet yesterday:

Happy St George’s Day to all my English family, friends and constituents, and to everyone celebrating.

She is aware, and obliquely tackles the problem.

It’s the way it’s put. The UK Parliament is made up of 85% of MPs from English consitutencies, though a few are actually Scots. But it means that to call the UK Parliament “English” is democratically correct, though it’s supposed to represent the whole UK. England voted for Brexit (and Wales) whereas Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. But that 85% English majority in the House of Commons easily outvotes the 15% from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, even if the MPs voted unanimously against Brexit. In fact of course the Tories from Scotland are even pushing it through, as is the DUP from Northern Ireland, ignoring the majority vote in their own country, so it’s not just English MPs ruling the roost.

But to all intents and purposes the UK Parliament is the English Parliament. If they voted to take all civil service jobs out of Scotland and dump nuclear, chemical and even biological waste in Scotland, charge 85% corpotation tax to Scottish companies, cut the block grant in half, that is what would happen unless the few devolved powers allowed the Scottish Parliament to overrule it. We’re helpless to stop it, despite the best efforts of the likes of Pete Wishart who, whatever his views on the timing of Indy Ref 2 is a long-term Westminster warrior. That’s one of the reasons we’re voting for Independence. We have no control over what the English parliament wants to do to us.

It’s the way it’s put. To talk about the English establishment, the English Parliament even, the English Royal family considering all weddings, births, public events occur in England, London mainly, and most residence and spending in England, is recognising the reality and is not anti-English, though some like sensibledave will try their best to twist it that way.

To talk about or even carelessly imply, that it is the English people who are to blame, do nasty things, are something nasty, is being anti-English. It’s really not the fault of the English people themselves, they are as entitled as we should be, to do things their and our own way.

It’s the way it’s put, and we need to be careful about that, which is why K1, Thepnr, myself – and others, take people to task – even if nothing was actually meant by the poster. Don’t forget there are false flag trolls who will try to stir things up, trying to tar Indy supporters as anti-English, racist, sectarian, violent and even undemocratic, by expressing anti-English sentiments while pretending to support Indy.

It’s the way it’s put.

Liz g

@ Robin
Haven’t really seen ye post before… and tryin to catch up!
I hope that I am no creating more heat than light..
Anyhoo..

Of course you must “say what you see” and I hope you will agree, that when you do!!
Ye should be willing to explain,defend or apologise fur it??

There are no many places left anymore that have relatively free debate,and,yes, we all have to allow the Rev to judge… no what we say,but rather what is “sutiable” for his site, and it is, as he knows to his cost, his site!!

But having said that….
I think it’s also fair to say that…
Most here are not looking to shut an opinion down,but rather just that…
What you say can be questioned… sometimes, it has to be said.. no in the most positive way??
But even so…let’s have the row…let’s find the middle ground..
But more than that explain what you mean,and keep on explaining it,in every different way that you can!!
If you are genuine and decent everyone will eventually get it!
This is an Adult site.. Of course it is…. So we must expect the debate to be robust.
It’s the personal shit that’s a wee bit hard to take and best ignored.
But if you feel you have something to say..go for it..
And keep going….Wasn’t it Einstein who said ” if you can’t explain it to a 7yr old ye probably don’t understand it yerself???
SOoo if what you say is being taken the wrong way…or questioned… Try telling it to us “like we were 7” ?

K1

Robin?

sensibledave says:
23 April, 2018 at 4:06 pm
Scunner 3.42

… Hate to be “picky” Scunner, but if you look at the comment just preceeding your comment at 3.42.

‘Robin Wrote “More english royal baby bullshit, just before we head off to Russia for england in the World Cup. Then I think there is another english royal wedding and maybe a few more illegal bombings by our english air force.”

Would you forgive me if I detected a wee bit, perhaps a “smidgen” of “anti-englishness” in there – of the sort that yer Big Yin might be alluding to?

Timing is everything!’

——————————

I reponded to ‘his’ post. Yes we can argue that I should have been more thorough in quoting his first before responding to his absurd criticism of this part of ‘your’ post. But he knew exactly as did many, ‘who’ I was calling the ‘prick’.

——————————

RN? Try reading the fucking thing I wrote under SD’s post…which I’ve just explained to Robin…you’re a bit too keen to jump in when it’s fucking obvious both of you have completely misread my fucking post. SD is the prick, you prick 🙂

K1

For the avoidance of doubt my position is that what Robin stated was ‘perfectly factual’. Yesindyref2 went into more detail and I followed with the suggestion that RAF were top of the tree run by the English.

Fuck, did anyone read on after the knee-jerk? That’ll be a no then.

Liz g

K1 @ 4.01
Oh dear
Have I just made things worse?

K1

No Liz, I’ve just come on and seen this misunderstanding of my initial response to SD’s ridiculous assertion that Robin was being ‘anti-English’. I’m responding to that and that alone.

As I said above, I should have been more clear in terms of citing the whole of SD’s post, but I thought my comment regarding ‘perfectly factual statementsl’ was indicative of my ‘agreeing’ with his descriptors, therefore it’s odd that that was perceived as me calling him a prick…if I had just agreed and called those very statements ‘perfectly factual’, why would I then call him a prick?

As for RN? Way off mark and we all know what that’s about. 😉 Stirring cunt. 🙂 (hope that’s ‘inflammatory’ enough for you RN?)

yesindyref2

@K1
Yes, sorry, I did read your post, had my tea and as seems to be usual these days went off to sleep for a few, then had some work to do.

Just had a quick look at “List of Royal Air Force air chief marshals” which I meant to do, down as far as B and a NI one, Scottish, one of Scottish origin. Pretty sure there’ll be more, and a good few Scottish pilots – one QRA Typhoon pilot from Largs (did great displays for the Viking Festival) joined the Red Arrows a few years back. So the RAF is controlled by the British = basically English establishment, but even senior posts probably fairly allocated – I have a feeling a good few more Scots than average, similar RN and probably Army. The Met for instance and other English police forces have had a disproportionate amount of Scots in charge and senior posts!

link to en.wikipedia.org

yesindyref2

@K1
Yes about RN. I don’t forget either.

K1

Good to know yir2, I guess because of the disproportionate number of English heads of our Universities and Cultural institutions, I’ve assumed similar in other areas. I stand corrected.

yesindyref2

@K1
I think we don’t always respect our own, but take to “foreigners” easier, and seems the same for a lot of countries. With what I used to do for a living in my previous life, I got the most respect, and the best contracts, out of Scotland 🙁 Maybe we work at it a bit harder when in foreign places!

Liz g

K1 @ 4.19
Well yes K1…. Totally agree that the immediate assertion Robin’s comments were ” obviously ”
anti English,were .. well stupid…
Because with the potential exception of the RAF,
The one thing we can comfortably say is that..
They are DEFINITELY NO SCOTTISH..
Therefore the guy should only be invited!! To explain..?

Fred

The notion of Torrance having “fun!” is ludicrous!

ScottieDog

@scunmer
“The Big Yin is right in many of his utterances but not this one. He once made one to the effect that he feels a common bond with a welder in Liverpool, having once been one in the dim and distant (yeah I know, the affinity of the millionaire and the wage slave).”

Yes this ‘brothers in arms’ crap gets rolled out on a regular basis. Sadly so many are still wrapped in the MSM bubble they fail to see much more successful and equal economies not far from these shores.

The fact is, an independent Scotland prospering would show them, on their doorstep, what is possible and that is very dangerous for the London establishment. If anything folk in England are more likely to wake up to the fact they have been duped.

Of course if you point out Scandinavia, you get the Pavlovian dog daily mail reader response “high taxes”
Yes tax is high because prosperity is high. Spending comes BEFORE taxes, unless you are a counterfeiter! before Tax just redistributes money that was already in existence.

Smallaxe

Get a Grip;
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com

The ‘Brit Washing’ of Scotland;
link to randompublicjournal.com

Al-Assad: Britain Getting its Story Straight;
link to randompublicjournal.com

Smallaxe

Britain sticks to plans on EU customs union, government ‘as one’;
link to reuters.com

Driver kills 10, injures 15 ploughing van into Toronto sidewalk crowd;
link to reuters.com

How a vote to stay in the customs union could trigger another snap general election;
link to scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk

Smallaxe

Theresa May’s Dilemma;
link to barrheadboy.com

Condemned By Their Own Words;
link to craigmurray.org.uk

A BBC Scotland complaint – The ‘R*pe Clause’ edit
link to indyref2.scot

Smallaxe

While children are going hungry, the government spends millions on luxury travel;
link to thecanary.co

VIDEO: HENRY ‘EYEBALLS’ MAY: “WINDRUSH RACISM LIKE WHAT FRUSTRATED LAWRENCE INVESTIGATION”;
link to skwawkbox.org

VIDEO: MAYBOT ‘CAMPAIGNS’ IN DUDLEY. ‘NOTHING HAS CHANGED. NOTHING HAS CHANGED’;
link to skwawkbox.org

Smallaxe

More Brexit defeats for No 10 in Lords amid reports of cabinet split;
link to archive.is

How The Media Reveal Inconvenient Truth About Syria;
link to timhayward.wordpress.com

Referendum Commission launches information campaign;
link to rte.ie

Have a great day, folks.
🙂

Ken500

Another one hits the dust. Torrance back on the direct Tory payroll. Herald now knowingly printing absolute lies. An insult to SNP legitimate campaigning.

Jobs are advertised, health boards etc but who gets the jobs. Their mates.

Too many admirals etc. Include Anne’s man. The class system. Woman has a baby surrounded by Press.

Scotland loses £Billions to Westminster rule. The McCrone Report kept secret. Trident, HS2, Hinkley Point, etc. All a total waste of public money. For which Scotland has to pay. £Billions of Oil revenues gone on illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Whisky companies pay no tax.

Illegal wars causing the worse migration crisis since 11WW putting migration up in Europe. EU countries have to sort out the mess at great cost. UK/US and France meddling in the Middle East for years taking resources. Sarkozy on trial in France for taking £Millions from Gaddafi. Then killing him to cover up. Blair, Obama, Clinton, May, Johnston etc taking money from the Saudis (and Russian oligarchs) May/Tories refused to take in 30,000 children with relatives in the UK.

The Tories are illegally chucking out UK citizens. An absolute scandal. They are manipulating immigration figures. Including foreign students. Not including Brits abroad who have taken EU citizenship for tax reasons. Portugal, Spain etc. Cheaper to live. Lower cost of living, Healthier lifestyle. More sunshine.

The Tories are collecting £65Billion less in taxes a year since 2010. £600Billion – now £533Billion. Still borrowing. PPI. Tax breaks and evasion for the wealthiest. The wealthy illegally manipulation and buy elections and Referendums. In order to keep in tax evading. Millionaires/Billionaires breaking the Law with impunity. Not protecting data. Using it for illegal purposes. No one needs to be in Facebook. They pay no taxes,

They have cut Scotland’s budget 10% a year, Now cut £3Billion, The Tories have cut Education £6Billions (£6Billion a year). They have cut the NHS £20Billion. £4Billion a year from 2015 to 2020. Cameron elected to protect NHS and Clegg elected to protect education. The biggest betrayal of all.

The Tory are wasting £Billions on Hinkley Point and HS2. The British/Chinese investment consortium. The Tory slush fund. Cameron, Carrington, Osbourne et al with their spouts in the trough. Ripping off the public purse. In fee, bank charges and consultancies etc. Osbourne best man and brother in law got £Millions in bank charges from the Royal Mail sell off. Father in law a HS2 consultant, Westminster graft and corruption. Costing Scotland £Billions,

The Oil sector ruined in unfair, illegal Tory taxes. 40% since Jan 2016. Losing £Billions and 120,000 of jobs. Scotland would have had full employment putting up wages and decreasing poverty etc.
The Tories are killing off their supporters. Vote Tory to die younger. Vote Tory to be unemployed in Scotland.

Scotland raises more (pro rata) yet ends up poorer because of Westminster policies. The £Billions being mismanaged and misappropriated out of Scotland. Iraq, Dunblane and Lockerbie being kept secret for 100 years. Westminster unionists hiding their criminality under the Official Secrets Act.

The Brexit mess is a disgrace. It will hit Scotland hard. Scotland exports £15Billion to the EU. Plus £Billions of grants, CAP payments and shared Defence costs. Exports to the rest of the UK £10Billion? £5Billions? overseas. Without Oil & Gas The Tories have ruined the industry. Stopped coal production CCS reneged upon. Lost £Billions. Banned on shore wind turbines. Reduced investment in solar and renewables. Overspending £Billions in HS2, Hinkley Point and Trident. There are cheaper, better alternatives.

Military reduced from 100,000 to 80,000. With not expected take up of reserves. A reserves force provision not being realised. Scotland does not have patrol boats to patrol the shores. The Tories have ruined the fishing industry for forty years. They should have been using bigger nets and not throwing dead fish back. Conservation and reorganisation. Better terms and condition of employment. Richard Lochhead was negatiaing higher quotas for bigger nets successfully when SNP Rep was allowed. Now lost to no show voters. You know who you are.

Vote SNP/SNP. Vote for Independence. For a better healthier, equal Scotland,

Shame on anyone who complains but does not come out to vote. 1/2Million people. Do not sit on yer bum next time. Independence is not just for one vote. Independence is forever. Just like Scotland’s rights and sovereignty.

Vote SNP/SNP. Vote for Independence. Get someone to vote as well.

Scotland needs a Central Bank. It would not be possible to have an Indyref during the Brexit mess for economic reasons. Until the dust has settled. A winter campaign is not advisable for obvious reasons. Pete Wishart has a point if there is no resounding majority vote for SNP Holyrood elections . With 1/2milion voters not turning out last time GE to give support. What are these people thinking. Get the vote and use it. Or lose it. Do not vote you get nothing. Vote NO you get nothing but betrayal and broken promises,

Northern Rock

Last week we highlighted how the BBC weather forecasters used the word “Country” to describe the whole of the UK and they told us that it would be warm in the “Capital” etc…

Well today I listened to the language being used by our Carol on the BBC weather forecast and I noticed a complete change of language.

She was actually calling the country the “UK” and she named the actual countries within the UK. Scotland got mentioned as did Wales N Ireland and england.

Do you think the BBC read Wings and have had a change of policy in the way they present the weather?

Macart

@Yesindyref2

Pretty much.

The YES movement and the SNP Scottish Government have been accused of xenophobia and blood and soil nationalism many times. Its not only wicked demonisation, but tiresome. The difference for all to see these days, given the increasing regularity of headlines of systemic racism present within both the Labour party and the Conservative government, is that unionists at the very highest level actually practice it with near impunity. Policy and legislation enacted to the detriment of ethnic and religious minorities, mainly because they can, because it’s useful for them and because it’s deemed expedient.

And people? Today, Scots (which includes all the peoples of Scotland) and those supportive of self determination ARE one of those ethnic minorities in the UK. You need only check out the headlines of the usual suspects in the run up to any ballot to see how Scots are regarded and used by the UK media and their chain tuggers. Used to affect the opinion of England’s electorate. Used as the bogeyman under the bed to terrify the weans. Who could forget Tartan Terrors, The most dangerous woman in Britain or the Thames running red editorials. Those who run the Westminster system in that cosy wee closed shop have discriminated for years along countless demographic lines. They live for the exclusionist strategy of the day. The worst offenders aren’t even true racists. They own allegiance to no flag or nationality. They use people like that to do their dirty work and take the headlines should it all go terribly wrong. No. Their motivation is power and wealth, pretty much end of. That’s just how callous these bods are. They use.

So when folk are fed up of being used? That’ll be when we can call time on these creatures.

Fred

Morning Smallaxe, early bird kid!

Smallaxe

Morning, Fred. I got up early, had a stretch, opened the window and climbed into the house. I didnae wake up grumpy, I left her sleeping.
😉

Macart

Cheers Smallaxe.

Good crop this morning. 🙂

Smallaxe

Macart,

Thank you, you’re most welcome, my compassionate friend.
🙂

Ken500

UK spends £40Billion (average) on military. 80,000 personal? Redundant weaponry?

US spends (320Million pop) spends $600Billion. (Msssive Deficit).

Chinese 1.2Billion pop spends $150Billion.

Russia 150Million pop spends €80Billion?

Saudia Arabia pop 33Million spends €80Billion (same as Russia)

Germany 90 million pop spends €40Billion.

Wikipedia

Boris Johnston is a threat to world peace. A criminal liar not fit for public office.

Kangaroo

Re Drivers Licences

Posters above saying the following appears on the licence

Born in Scotland licence says “Scotland”
Born elsewhere in UK licence says “United Kingdom”

I think this shows they are desperate to depict Scotland as not being the UK to assist in the upcoming propaganda fight to retain the UN security council seat and other vital international organisations when Scotland gains it’s independence before the end of 2018.

Cubby

Cubby does not like sensibledave Rock or all the other paid to troll British Nationalists.

Cubby is anti British Nationalist paid to troll wankers. Get yourself a decent job that so you can have some self respect.

Smallaxe

*%”~>?X BBC:
Food bank charity gives record level of supplies;
link to archive.is

The first bit is X RATED!
🙂

Smallaxe

Cubby,

Don’t be too harsh on them, my friend, some of them might be good singers.
😉

Lenny Hartley

Yes indy2 ref, current RAF heid bummer comes frin Killie

Kangaroo

Baby Names

Born on St George day and that name already taken by a sibling, how about “Dragan” as a suggestion.

auld highlander

May causing more trouble.

link to uk.businessinsider.com

Robert Peffers

@sensibledave says: 23 April, 2018 at 4:06 pm:

“Would you forgive me if I detected a wee bit, perhaps a “smidgen” of “anti-englishness” in there – of the sort that yer Big Yin might be alluding to?

No we certainly cannot forgive you for your quite anti-Scottishness by deliberately confusing anti-Westminster Parliament and anti-German/English – (a.k.a. British). Royal family with being anti-English.

None of those things you allude to are in any way anti-the normally decent and fair minder, “peoples of England”.

Note too that I described them as, “The peoples of England”, “The peoples of Scotland”,mainly define, “The English”, as anyone of any creed, colour or country of origin who have their main residence in England and who are registered to vote in English elections as one of the people of England.

This is quite a different matter to being anti-the English monarchy who are perceived by most Scots and decidedly by most of the peoples of England as being the English Royal family but the monarch’s roll under Scots law is not as the legally sovereign head of state but as the protector of the legally sovereign peoples of Scotland’s sovereignty.

A roll the current holder of that office has signally failed to uphold and thus, according to Scots law, the legally sovereign peoples of Scotland have legal right to sack and legally replace.

So there you go – it cannot be anti-English to be against the United Kingdom Government at Westminster that is factually the de facto parliament of the country of England nor to be anti-the Royal family who, according to Scots law, we should have replaced with someone more able to do the job that the royal person is assigned under Scots law.

Ergo – You are the bigot on this forum spouting openly anti-Scottish pish.

Smallaxe

Pay rises for NHS staff, but Social Care Sector faces further Uncertainty.
link to mearsgroup.co.uk!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/#!News%20Feed/0/7e4a62d9-36a5-4d49-8d55-97e36daec67e

Footsoldier

I have bought The Herald every day for most of my adult life but sadly, despite claims to the contrary, it appears to be losing its impartiality and seems to have become a lot worse these past few months.

The Herald’s morphing process to become a broadsheet version of the Scottish Daily Mail will soon be complete. Former Daily Mail columnists whose previous contributions to the constitutional debate have verged on the vitriolic are on board along with many headlines against the independence cause and those who support it.

A cabal of career letter writers are favoured and whose letters appear in just about every newspaper published, often on the same day and always anti-SNP, Scottish Government or independence. Some of these same letter writers have a trolling history which has been criticised by others and in The Herald itself but that is no deterrent to publishing their letters which are well toned down compared to their social media content such as can be found here:

link to blogs.spectator.co.uk

Today’s front page expose “Consultant who met controversial data firm was digital expert” is a case in point. The headline is designed to suggest that not only was the SNP meeting a controversial data firm, the SNP had the temerity to use someone experienced in the subject of the meeting. The headline would have been far more interesting if it had read “Consultant who met controversial data firm was SNP office cleaner”.

Smallaxe

Please ignore the last link. I’m off my skull on ‘Night Nurse’.
😉

Indy2

UK has chosen to ignore the Remain voters of Scotland and Northern Ireland:

THE two remain-voting areas of the UK face being hard-hit by Brexit. Brexit fears are different in several respects in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Most obviously, the peace process, the operation of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, and the future of the Irish border are existential issues for Northern Ireland; there is no equivalent set of concerns in Scotland.

But there are some important similarities between the two areas. These centre on the impact so far of Brexit on political divisions in both, economic and social consequences (including questions around EU citizenship), and tensions between Westminster and the devolved regions and nations.

Lack of ‘Remain’ Voice

THERE has been a remarkable lack of concern at UK level over the fact that two of the four constituent parts of the UK voted “remain”. In both Northern Ireland and Scotland, the “remain” voice has not been adequately represented since the vote. This is particularly the case in NI – where the absence of an executive and assembly has meant there is no proper representation for the range of views that exist there. This has been exacerbated by the unanticipated and disproportionate influence of the “leave”– supporting DUP.

Although SNP MPs voted against triggering Article 50, the Scottish Government has focused more on pushing for a “soft” Brexit and on protecting devolved powers than on arguing to halt Brexit. But with both the Labour Party and the Conservative Government supporting Brexit – albeit with some Scottish Labour politicians still opposing a “hard” Brexit – the two-thirds of Scottish voters who back “remain” are not strongly heard at UK level.

In NI and Scotland, most voters would prefer a “soft” to a hard Brexit – but there has been no suggestion at UK level that such a compromise approach could be a way to reflect the range of views across the UK. Instead, Theresa May’s focus and priority has been on holding together a tenuous consensus in her divided Cabinet. This underlines the image of a Brexit driven principally by English Conservatives to the neglect of wider interests across the UK.

Deepening Political Divisions

Despite the many differences between NI and Scottish politics, in both there are now deeper political divisions than before (albeit not only driven by Brexit).

In NI, with the loss of representation by middle-ground parties in Westminster, the two extremes are now in a stand-off: Sinn Fein supporting Irish unification and opposing Brexit, the DUP supporting Brexit and the union with Great Britain. The nature of power-sharing in Northern Ireland means that big decisions tend to be squeezed into the boundaries set by the limited extent to which the two polar extremes can bend to touch. As Brexit exacerbates the difference between these two hard lines – not least by bringing the spectre of the Irish border back to the forefront of political debate – it reduces both the scope and likelihood of their ‘bending’ as needs be to find agreed policy.

In Scotland, the union versus independence divide has not shifted – the SNP (and Scottish Greens) support independence while Labour and Conservatives (and LibDems) oppose it and support the union. Debate around a “devo max” middle ground had already all but disappeared after the 2014 independence referendum even before Brexit. But Brexit now adds to that division over independence – the SNP and Greens oppose Brexit, Conservatives and Labour support it (even while a majority of Labour voters do not). With the UK taking Scotland in a direction that most of the public do not support, the alienation of Scotland from the rest of the UK should be of great concern – however it appears that London’s attention would only be secured if there was growing support for Scottish independence.

Challenging and Changing Devolution

If the future UK-EU relationship is essentially a deep free trade agreement, then some specific arrangements will be needed in Northern Ireland in order to meet the commitments made by the UK and EU in the December Joint Report. The UK Government (and DUP) have been reluctant to admit and address this directly – hence the lack of progress in talks in Brussels on Ireland/Northern Ireland. The working assumption of the government appears to be that greater internal differentiation in the UK would promote (rather than moderate) nationalist ambitions in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Indeed, the UK Government’s emphasis on the unitary and centralised nature of UK politics works against rather than with the grain of devolved politics. From the insistence on bringing repatriated EU powers in devolved areas back to Westminster first, to the weak and limited consultation with the devolved administrations prior to decision-making and announcements on Brexit, devolution has been seen more as an irritation than as a central concern in planning Brexit.

This unsettling of devolution has been more pronounced in many ways in Northern Ireland, as seen in the absence of an executive, Theresa May’s confidence-and-supply arrangement with the DUP, and the border issue and Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. But an unsettling of devolution has also been felt in Scotland, and in Wales too.

The fact that Westminster (after the Supreme Court case at the end of 2016) had a vote on Article 50 but the devolved administrations did not reinforces the impression that devolution remains in the gift of Westminster, rather than being a firmly entrenched part of a constitutionally devolved UK. The push for a unitary Brexit reinforces this, as does the stand-off over the EU Withdrawal bill; the essentially centralised nature of the UK political system has been firmly underlined.

Conclusion

Overall, Brexit has already done substantial damage to the UK’s political system as far as devolution is concerned. While the UK Government continues to prioritise keeping its cabinet of rebels united and its majority in parliament via the support of the DUP, the democratic and policy concerns of the majority view in both Scotland and NI has been largely ignored. In Northern Ireland, some of these concerns have been brought to the fore via Irish and EU diplomacy. Nonetheless, this does little to counter-balance the marginalisation of Northern Ireland, along with the other devolved nations, in the unfurling of Brexit within the UK.

link to thenational.scot

Robin

Regarding my thoughts on england.

In my opinion 99% of the english nation think they keep Scotland afloat with a £15 Billion pound a year subsidy. This is the Barnett payment we get as our pocket money.

The english actually think we don’t contribute a single penny into the UK treasury. They think we just sit here living off english tax payers money.

You ask any english person if they think Scotland could survive without england and they would laugh in your face.

Just look at any forum from england regarding Scottish Independence and the same “Subsidy Junkie” theme runs through every single one of them.

If I am wrong, then please point me in the direction of any website that contradicts what I have just posted.

The english think the world would collapse without their financial support.

They are even coming away with similar comments about how the EU will not survive without english funding.

They just can’t help themselves, they think the world owes them a favour.

Boy are they in for a shock when they are out of the EU and also without the cash cow that is Scotland.

Dr Jim

The Unionist position in Scotland is *we don’t care what Scotland voted for or wants because there are more people in England so we do what they say*
The Unionist position on Scotlands elected representatives in government (see above)
The Unionist position in Scotland over Scotlands parliament (as b4)

Why and how on earth do folk with a brain hope to change the minds of people who have no identity to the country they live in and only blind loyalty to a country they don’t live in who doesn’t care whether they even exist as long as they can own the ground those loyal people stand on

As long as these loyal people believe that being Scottish is of lesser value than any other nationality and defend that loyalty with their vote without understanding that the rest of the population will never agree with them even if Independence for Scotland is won there will still be and impasse of monumental proportions

Just like I will never give up on Scotland being a normal country the loyal people will never give up on their servitude to their uncaring diety

Robin

The average englishman think that they “Bailed Out” Ireland a few years ago.

They also tell us they “Bailed Out” Greece at the same time.

In my opinion the average english person is a deluded self-centred selfish ignorant racist. It is just the way they are.

This Union we are stuck in is all about england, england and ..england.

For proof of that just look ate your TV. Our National news bulletins are about england england and england.

Our political shows on TV are all about england england and england.

Even football on the TV is all about england england and england.

That is why 99% of englishmen/women haven’t got a clue about what is happening in Scottish politics and as for Scottish Independence, they don’t even give it a thought.

Iain mhor

I caught a little angry friction while catching up.
A forum type format is notorious for misinterpretation.
It’s not a conversation, I’d rather be a little more circumspect and query a poster and leave room for explanation and elucidation before piling in with invective and indignant rage and triggering a pile-on. I’d suggest few posters have never had comments misinterpreted, I certainly have.
The potential for instant invective resulting is one of the reasons many lurkers and new posters are reluctant to air their views.
I generally would leave a little space to allow a query and right to reply between original posters to understand any clarification. It’s usually illumunating and quite educational, becoming a conversation rather than a slapping match.
Of course, re-reading this I now interpret it as presumptious and sanctiminious lecturing to fellow Wingers.
Oh well, I’ll leave it as a piece of self flagellation and example of how difficult this is.

A cartoon for levity:

link to xkcd.com

Referendum1707

Robin 10.56

It’s been suggested before, though to no avail of course, that we should be doing/saying whatever can be said/done to encourage English plebs to believe that they’d be sooooo much better off if they just cut Scotland loose and get the Scottish monkey off their back. We should be encouraging them, by absolutely whatever means, to demand that their mp’s act accordingly.

On the same subject I don’t hear anything about SNP MP’s in WM (what, these days, in the hypothetical event of another uk ge, is the point of voting to send SNP MP’s to WM?) doing whatever they can to confront and disrupt the WM establishment and piss them off big time so much so that they start to actually think that getting rid of Scotland would be a good idea.

The fact that it would leave them completely screwed would be their problem, not ours.

K1

I would add a caveat to Robin’s posts re the ‘average’ English person. They are not unlike the ‘average’ unionist in Scotland, tuned into the BBC and the rags for generations, this is were they have gathered all their information and their outlook has been shaped by these influences.

But I do agree most people down south have very little interest in what takes place in Scotland and even less understanding of the constitutional relationship between the two nations.

Breeks

Question about the BBC…

Who is more damaged by their bullshit? People like us who see it? Or the poor sods on both sides of the Border who don’t?

Who knows? But I’d much rather be one of us than one of them.

sensibledave

Peffers 10.12

… you just can’t spare us the boring pedantry can you.

You wrote “Ergo – You are the bigot on this forum spouting openly anti-Scottish pish.

Firstly, feel free to quote back to me an example that you can find of anything that I written over the last few years Mr Peffers that could be described in any way as being bigoted towards the people of SCotland. Good luck sir.

More topically, my comment was in response to Scunner not being able to understand why the Big Yin might have issues in the way some people handle their Scottish Nationalism and they way they speak of others. I didn’t write anything other than to point Scunner to the comment above his – and ask whether he thought that might be the sort of thing that Big Yin might be alluding to?

You obviously see no issue with “Robin’s” comment and do not think that Big Yin could possible interpret Robin’s words as, perhaps, being a bit of a sleight against the “English”.

Contrary to your assertion, I think if you just keep repeating the adjective “English” in the context of everything you perceive as being wrong with world (including describing the RAF as the English Air Force), then people, people like Big Yin, might just think you are a cretinous numpty and wonder why you feel the need to keep using the word “English” in a pejorative context?

If “Robin” wanted to have a “pop” at the Westminster establishment then, perhaps, Robin should have said Westminster establishment.

I think that you are a pompous ass – but it would be insensitive, lacking in thought and disrespectful to other Wingers and the rest of the population of Scotland to suggest or imply that all Scots are “pompous asses”.

I know this will be a bit hard for you to follow because you are already itching to tell me, for the 50th time, why the carve ups in the 1700s by Kings, Queens, Lords, Lairds, despots and murderers are more relevant to constitutional issues than the democratic decisions made by all the people of modern day Scotland in modern times.

Keep writing that stuff Mr Peffers, I am sure that you will eventually find someone who is persuaded by your arguments. On the other hand, maybe not.

sensibledave

Peffers

Following all the accusations “Robin” is being “misunderstood” and we are misunderstanding his inner feelings and that his problem is not with the the ENglish people – but the Westminster Establishment, we have further information.

We are extremely grateful to “Robin” for his assistance in helping to clarify his position and any misunderstandings that may have been made. At 11.11 above, he wrote:

“In my opinion the average english person is a deluded self-centred selfish ignorant racist. It is just the way they are.”

Now, do you think maybe the Big Yin, or indeed anyone else, might be left in any doubt that “Robin” is nothing more than a racist and, that the likes of Peffers who valiantly seek to “defend” him, are not much better.

scunner

I understood exactly what you were implying.

You were trying to pull a Ruth Davidson “reek of hypocrisy” play.

I’m not going to dispute that there are a few BraveHeart McGlashan types among us but you and your fellow travellers are forever tarring us ALL with the same brush. It’s a snidey wee tactic that reflects badly on you.

Robin

sensible dave

I seem to have touched a nerve with you regarding my personal opinion about our southern neighbours.

Are you english???

I am of the same opinion as Mr Dornan the MSP who says he despises being a part of the UK.

As far as the english are concerned, my views stand. They ARE a selfish arrogant ignorant self centred racist nation. They really do think the world owes them a favour. Well I have news for them,,The Empire is dead.

Well I have news for them/you, The World will get on just fine without england. Especially the EU and Scotland, after we become an Independent nation.

The english blame everyone but themselves for all their troubles.

They never put it down to badly handled policies coming out of Westminster.

Personally, I treat england as a foreign country, I want nothing to do with them. And the quicker we are legally Independent of them the better.

I of course only speak of 99% of the english Nation, the other 1% I could probably put up with,,just.

These are my Personal opinions and in no way reflect the views of the owner of this Website.

Robert Peffers

@sensibledave says: 24 April, 2018 at 2:34 pm:

… you just can’t spare us the boring pedantry can you.
You wrote “Ergo – You are the bigot on this forum spouting openly anti-Scottish pish.”

Oh! Get real – pedantry indeed?

Here you are claiming I’m a pedant by replying to a comment by you where you wrongly imply a wings poster is guilty of being anti-English.

You have been pulled up for falsely playing the English victim on these columns before. Yet here you do so yet again. Accusing wingers of being anti-English you exhibit that idiotic trait yet again.

“Firstly, feel free to quote back to me an example that you can find of anything that I written over the last few years Mr Peffers that could be described in any way as being bigoted towards the people of SCotland.

I just did. Your false accusations that we are anti-English is confusing several things in several ways.

First of all Westminster isn’t English as it doesn’t belong to either the country of England nor exclusively by the peoples of England. It is anti-Westminster Parliament or anti-United Kingdom and Scotland is an equally sovereign partner in that bipartite union.

The current Westminster Parliament building was purpose designed by Charles Barry after the Great Fire of 1834 that destroyed the former Palace of Westminster and was finance by tax gathered from the bipartite United Kingdom’s taxpayers, which Kingdom of England partner includes both Wales an N.I.

It has gone through several costly reconstructions after various ravages of the 20th century, such as the Second World War, to become the run down, and badly in need of demolition, as the out of date and inefficient dump it is today.

It was thus built as the home of the United Kingdom Parliament which parliament factually only has two kingdoms as its legal partners. It is thus neither the sole property of the country of England nor of the three country Kingdom of England.

It is thus not anti-English to be against the United Kingdom nor is it anti-British because The United Kingdom does not encompass the whole of Britain.

Nor is it anti-English to be anti-Royal Family for not only are the royals the royals of the country of England but as their two kingdoms include Scotland they are legally sovereign in the three countries that comprise the Kingdom of England and the non-sovereign royal family of the Kingdom of Scotland where they are legally the protectors of the people of Scotland’s legal sovereignty as they also are the non-sovereign protectors of the three British royal protectorates.

There is thus nothing anti-English in being anti-royals. BTW: those Royals have changed their original family name several times and only the last such change was very slightly English, they are a German family and only thus English by association.

Furthermore, it isn’t even anti-English to be anti-sensibledave. It is only co-incidental that you are English as it is your obvious anti-Scottish Toryboy persona we are against.

Cubby

Sensibledave = boring offensive arrogant paid to troll British Nationalist plonker.

Boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring. It’s very boring when a plonker keeps repeating the same boring boring boring crap.

Get yourself a decent job and gain some self respect. What a plonker.

sensibledave

Mr Peffers 4.46

Err, I think you may be a little behind the times Sir!

You Wrote “Here you are claiming I’m a pedant by replying to a comment by you where you wrongly imply a wings poster is guilty of being anti-English.”

Keep up Robert! Robin, at 4.42 Wrote “As far as the english are concerned, my views stand. They ARE a selfish arrogant ignorant self centred racist nation. They really do think the world owes them a favour. Well I have news for them,,The Empire is dead.”

Now Mr Peffers, I am going to generously work on the basis that at the time you posted at 4.46, you hadn’t seen “Robin’s” post of 4.42.

As I am a very magnanimous person, rather than crow about my greater understanding and ability to “read” people”, I will simply give you the opportunity to withdraw your accusation that I “wrongly imply a wings poster is guilty of being anti-English.”

Robin, sadly, for both of us, is an unashamed racist – nothing less I am afraid. I should clarify that I do not believe for a moment that you hold similar views to Robin when it comes to his views on the “English”. But Robert, you do need to learn from this and understand that there are nut jobs everywhere and Wings has its fair share. Be careful you are not judged by the company you keep (and defend in any circumstance) Sir.

Rock

Robert Peffers, (18th February 2017 – “Here comes a surprise”):

“The fact is that a little common sense will show that the immigrants mainly come to find work. Elderly English cadgers excepted, these who sell up expensive city homes for cheaper, or better, Scottish accommodation, free bus passes and the benefits of such as free prescriptions, care at home and cheaper Council Tax. These are often the ones most prone to call scots subsidy junkies.”

The English are of course not a race, but by the tone of that comment, Robert Peffers is very anti-English.

Rock

Robin says:
23 April, 2018 at 4:11 pm

“Stephen Dornan SNP MSP getting slaughtered for this statement over in the Scotsman today.

“I truly despise being part of the UK. I feel so sorry for those who are permanently stuck with this bunch of incompetents and bigots. At least we have the opportunity to leave ahead of us, all we need is the confidence in ourselves to take it.””

Where does that leave the gutless Nicola who stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Saint Theresa and the “ghastly” Boris Johnson in condemning Russia while Corbyn showed real guts in questioning the “evidence”?

Cubby

Sensibledave = Rock = bloody boring offensive arrogant British Nationalist paid to troll. Boring boring boring boring.

Liz g

Robert @ 10.50,am re ,”The” English.

Well ye certainly did take the opportunity to explain!

And that’s quite an extraordinary claim yer makin as well.
….99% of the English nation EH,wow Robert that’s nearly all of them
Mind giving us a run down of yer methodology there?
I mean Extraordinary claims should require Extraordinary evidence, don’t ye agree?
Which % don’t use the internet and how did you examine them?
How did you form a control group?
Are all of the 99% on this Island?
Oh and what about the Children?
Your stated opinion throws up Sooo many many questions.
But I guess the BIG two are …. How exactly did you determine what millions of people “think” and are you concerned at all about the lack of diversity,in their thought processes,when forming you opinions?

Bobp

AndyMckangry.11.37pm. Yup, 55% of plastic Scots creaming themselves over another royal parasites birth.

Liz g

My 11.21 post….
Apologies I am addressing ROBIN no Robert..
Must have been auto correct…. Well that’s ma excuse and im sticking tae it!!

K1

Scunner says:

‘I’m not going to dispute that there are a few BraveHeart McGlashan types among us but you and your fellow travellers are forever tarring us ALL with the same brush. It’s a snidey wee tactic that reflects badly on you.’

That’s the ‘nub’ of it wi him. Forever insinuating ‘we’re all’ anti English. Never ever acknowledges the utter contempt that emanates from his ‘culture’ wrt to Scots…not all English people think the Scots are ‘subsidy junkies’ eh? But the entire England centric msm has convinced millions of his country folk that we are? It’s that ‘officially sanctioned’ ‘anti-Scottish’ rhetoric that feeds this view of the Scots down south, is it not?

Fucking cheek insinuating that ‘we are’ anti-English wi ne’er a thought for what we are on the receiving end of from his country folk for generations. Prick.


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