The seekers of fury
While we were out this afternoon diligently patrolling for bears in the 20C beauty of a Bath early spring (largely because there’s a rather implausible 40% chance of snow forecast for next Wednesday), an email flooded in from Tom Gordon of the Herald.
“Hello Stuart. We’ve been contacted by a reader who says he also contacted you about a post on the website in the early hours of Saturday. Referring to Nicola Sturgeon, the poster says “Decapitating this witch would stop the SNP dead in their tracks.”
Our reader, Ian Reid, an SNP activist in the Borders, has been a regular Wings reader but was taken aback by the language. He had hoped you would have deleted the post, but that hasn’t happened.
He has reported it to the police and given a statement to them.
He has also given us these comments on why the Alba Party should condemn this sort of material and cut its ties to the Wings site.
“Alex Salmond and the leaders of the new party need to separate themselves from that, they need to call it out. They seem to be trying to set themselves up as the moral guardians for women’s rights, which I absolutely support. At the same time, we’ve got somebody posting this on a blog that they clearly associate with and clearly use.
On the one hand, they’re talking about gender-proofing their policies, which is great. On the other hand, they’ve got this where a woman is being described as the devil herself, and where there’s a reference to decapitating the witch having a justifiable end.
That needs to be called out. The party needs to come out and say something about it. The best possible outcome would be that they do condemn it. It would be such a powerful message. Separating themselves from that cesspit would be a very politically astute thing for them. As long as they don’t, it’s colluding with it, it’s condoning it.”
This is for a potential story online and in print.
Would you care to comment?”
And, y’know, of course we would.
Now, we hadn’t seen the offending comment until we got the email, and the first thing to note is that we do NOT appear, in fact, to have been contacted by Mr Reid at all. There’s absolutely nothing in our email inbox, including the Spam and Junk filters, from anyone of that name or making any reference to the comment in question.
(Someone in the Borders who knows the concerned gentleman personally informs us that while he may indeed be a “regular Wings reader”, he’s certainly no fan of it, which is presumably why he refers to Wings as “that cesspit”. In fact we banned him from posting comments a couple of weeks ago for trolling.)
This was the comment:
In context it’s staggeringly obvious that it’s referring to the well-known political concept of a “decapitation strategy”, meaning to damage a party or a government by removing its leader or senior figures without having to actually win a general election.
The commenter expressly says that they live in Glasgow Southside, and that they therefore plan to vote for Anas Sarwar, in the knowledge that if he defeats Nicola Sturgeon she’ll be removed from Parliament and will have to step down as SNP leader, because she’s highly unlikely to get in on the list due to the SNP’s new policy of fiddling all the top list spots for BAME and disabled people.
(We think you have to be an MP or an MSP to be SNP leader.)
We’d already described that exact scenario as a “decapitation” plan in a post almost four weeks ago, so any true regular reader would have known exactly what it meant:
Naturally we pointed all that out to Tom Gordon, and at the time of writing no story has appeared in the Herald. (And as we told him, “the comment has now been deleted to avoid causing any more confusion to the pathologically stupid and those frantically seeking to be outraged about something”.)
Because Mr Reid revealed his true colours and purpose when he tried to weaponise this apparent let’s say “misunderstanding” into an extended and barely-veiled attack on the Alba Party, coupled with a demand for it to disassociate itself from this site.
He clearly hopes to add to the catalogue of “dirt” the media has already dug up on the party’s candidates – the worst being an ugly comment from boxer Alex Arthur about Romanian beggar gangs, the feeblest being a limp furore about another calling Nicola Sturgeon a “cow” on Twitter, which in Twitter terms is practically a love note.
(Both comments were withdrawn and apologised for.)
All it’s really achieving is showing just how scared the Unionist parties, the media and the SNP alike are of Salmond’s new party and its growing support, and of Wings. And call us old-fashioned, but anything those people are terrified of is almost certainly great news for those who, like us and Mr Salmond, actually want independence for Scotland.
Watch your back. They’re out to get you at all costs.
As the “someone in the Borders” who knows Ian Reid personally, I can confirm that he’s been making persistent snide digs at Wings at our Zoom Yes meetings. I don’t like this development one tiny little bit, as it has the potential to split or even destroy a very effective Yes group in a unionist area where such groups are very much needed.
They’re after all indipendinistas
Now that reply is what I call proper investigative journalism with evidence to back it up.
More power to your elbow Stu.
I think searching for bears would be a far better use of a sunny day than dealing with the likes of Gordon, or Reid, or anyone else who is desperate to sew discontent in the new team, no matter how many times they fail.
Did you find any bears, or was it straight to the ice cream van?
At least he gave you the right to reply I suppose. Normally they just get their hatchet out and get on with it.
I left the SNP last year due to certain policies I do not agree with. I stupidly believed in the material change being our ticket out of the union but when I witnessed the SNP do everything in their power to undo that material change for the past 4 years, I knew it was never a priority for this current administration. I wasn’t even going to vote I was going to spoil my paper, then when I heard about the Alba Party and Alex Salmond I knew I had to join and now I will vote holding my nose for the SNP 1 and Alba 2 only because of Alex Salmond and his commitment to an independent Scotland.
Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
As a precaution you should moderate all posts and delete all containing any figurative speech. Even references to snowflakes: Bound to offend lovers of ice-crystals.
I don’t join political parties – I’m happier working at grassroots. But I’m sorely tempted to join Alba just as a GIRUY for the pearl clutchers in the SNP who have watched:
Jo Cherry and Joan McAlpine being threatened for the past five years and done nothing;
allowed a succession of women to leave the SNP over GRA without any attempt to speak to them; and
silenced any opposition at NEC level and said nothing – all trying to claim the moral high ground.
I realise that it’s substantially less sophisticated, but I would’ve probably just gone for:
“Fuck off, Tom.”
Purity spirals yet again, but only against the wrong kind of independence supporters…so transparent. A good start for Alba would be to ignore these purveyors of purity.
Just keep exposing them for what they are. Or in this case, letting them expose themselves. Transparent and pathetic.
(For thick people who work for the MSM, because you dont seem to understand grown ups talking, when I say expose, I dont mean getting your dangly bits out in public, I mean revealing your pathetic attempts at selling out your country by taking coin to tell lies. Why not put your time to good use you nefarious, underhand sell outs).
I love the way he refers to “our reader, Ian Reid”. Do they really have only one??
If I were the law, I’d charge this MF with wasting police time.
These ridiculous literal interpretations are so Better Together 2014.
ALBA will have to be more aware though as the entire Scottish press have been mobilised to scrutinize, wilfully distort and misinterpret as only they can.
Meanwhile Joanna Cherry is on sick leave because of actual r*pe and death threats from devotees of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP think they have the moral high ground.
The love in between Scottish media and Nicola tells you all you need to know.
The campaign against every ALBA candidate confirms the concern Sturgeon has that She may have no excuse to not pursue Independence. She was hoping to carry on in a minority Government.
We had several options until last week but the true supporters of Scotland have put their Nation first. A pity that Sturgeon thinks her tiny cult is more important.
Snp1/ALBA2 and watch the squirming after the Holyrood results announced. We will get to spend that 540,000 Pounds the SNP is holding for the YES movement.
LUTB at 6.35pm.
I can’t agree with you, I’m afraid. If Mr. Reid is so lacking in literacy that he has no sense of linguistic nuance or figurative speech, he will be weighed in the balance and found wanting, as they say.
Unless he’s being disingenuous. Surely not?
Watching BBC misreporting Scotland talking about the leaders debate. It’s actually hilarious how they’re just totally ignoring the big story. Surely even the dimmest Facebook users must start to see what’s going on soon?
Will he have a legal case once Yuseless stasi hate crime bill gets passed ?
I bet he hopes he does.
“calling Nicola Sturgeon a “cow” on Twitter, which in Twitter terms is practically a love note.”
snort !
Not all women consider “witch” to be an insult!
It was meant to mean, taking the head of the SNP Party out of Scottish Politics altogether.
Achieved by Sarwar defeating her at the ballot box.
And I will continue to campaign against Sturgeon.
Glasgow Southside…
Labour 1 and ALBA 2.
We will still achieve our Supermajority, even with the loss of this seat.
Tom Gordon fake journalist in a fake rag posing as a newspaper.
It’s sales figures reveal all.
They have become such an obvious blunt instrument of
Unionist propaganda that even Unionists find it pathetic.
They have cut jobs to the bone and then some but still
don’t make the money of a remote Starbucks Drive thru.
The newspaper along with truth died some time ago.
Time to see it buried to stop the stink.
As another in the Borders who knows Ian Reid personally he only came onto Wings a few weeks ago as Linton Lad & got tore to shreds deservedly so by below the line commenters.
He is a patronising prick that I’ve had to block from my Facebook page that I only use for pasting political articles for information-I don’t comment on those articles just put them up for information.
Then he took to texting & phoning me so I had to block his phone. He is an obsessive & hates Wings with a vengeance. I also think he’s not particularly bright because I did tell him what sort of reception he’d get here if he wasn’t careful. But like Johnson he knew better.
In other news I see that as of this morning The National has now enforced its long threatened ‘strategy’ of only allowing comments on articles from subscribers.
The only reason I have ever read The National is to take part in the comments sections and let the happy-clappy SNP seals have it between the eyes. As of now they will just be left to themselves and their myopic views will have even less of a circle of vision.
Ah, well. ‘Bye ‘bye National.
Perhaps Ian Reid needs to give the police another call and report The Herald:
“The SNP group has been decapitated, with the loss of their Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, their elder statesman, Alex Salmond, and their Chief Whip, Mike Weir.”
link to heraldscotland.com
It’s a cesspit, I got similar on Facebook yesterday trying to get @SNP folk to see the maths in SNP 1 Alba 2. I gave up after two counts of personal attack.
So all independence activists watch your backs.
The once great Glasgow Herald with its long history and this is what it is reduced to.
No surprise that its readership online and in print is miniscule. The once great name reduced to tatters.
Ah well Rev at least you can smile at the audience your online journal gets compared to the Penny Dreadful that the Glasgow has become.
The Alba party has to really investigate all who are coming over to join,
There are people who have a murky background with agencies,like In terrify initiative, institute of statecraft and others who have already infiltrated political parties. Who will gleefully cause discontent and change the proposed aims,just look at how the SNP have changed position on ideals, NATO, nuclear weapons and foreign policy.
Almost anyone can be persuaded to follow their dangerous policies
I just love it when that reptilian upstart is spit roasted.
Sadly I have not had the pleasure of meeting our chum Mr Reid so his recent clyping is all I have to go on. I have to say that despite what I have no doubt at all his sincere commitment to women’s rights and civility in online discourse, he strikes me as a rather pathetic soul.
What on earth does he hope to achieve by feeding material to the Herald in an effort to bring about publication of the 5000th OMG Wings is awful article?
The people who read this site don’t care and those who are upset by it either don’t read it or in sadder cases keep giving it rage clicks in an effort to feel something in their empty lives.
As for wanting some sort of public denunciation from the Alba Party,what would that achieve? A swiftly forgotten article and Alba members reading and contributing on the fly just like SNP members? Oh and the usual influx of new readers dropping by to see what the fuss is about.
Most people learn that reactionary appeals to authority are pathetic and embarrassing after they whine “I’m telling my mum” following an episode of childhood rough and tumble and are rightly,roundly mocked. Let’s hope it’s not too late for poor Ian to learn what the rest of us worked out prior to leaving nursery.
TLDR: Ian pees the bed.
Damned spell check
integrity initiative
“Hello Stuart”! Jings is he trying to be your pal? Bugger that. Yer oor pal.
Canny be in two gangs. Mr Campbell would be the polite approach.
Interesting to note that, if you were daft enough to give a story to Tom Gordon, he’s happily grass you up as his source; without even being asked!!
This is the oldest trick in the book of the outrage seekers, and has been rife with people like Corbyn and Craig Murray. That is, anyone who professes to support these people and makes online comments is immediately appointed a spokesman for that person, as if their target is obliged to patrol and censor the thought and comments of every single opinionated commenter, however unhinged or rude. It is called guilt by association. If you are in the vicinity of a controversial person, on a march, or unwittingly share a platform with them, you are denounced in the Stalinist fashion as a ‘fellow traveller’ who must definitely agree with and approve of the person’s attitudes and politics. Because you yourself have failed to denounce such behaviour. You cannot host a blog or website, attend meetings or appear in public unless you have mineswept the area for potential offenders of public decency, political radicals, loons and crackpots. That is your responsibility for ever. God, it makes you weep with the utter desperate absurdity and futility of conducting a grown up political debate. People like Reid are professional stirrers, and the media are suckers for a flimsy ‘scandal’, so they are prone to accept such manipulative claptrap without checking anything, or using some common sense
Herald, you can print my comment.
I really don’t know what hell this current SNP lot have in store for us over the next 4 years with power.
If fact I do actually, so please delete the first sentence above and just replace it with, “Welcome to hell” the new progressive SNP all the way from the puritans and calvinists types of the 16th century but with the caveat that we’re “no after the Catholics any more as long as you accept men with penises can identify as women anytime, any place they like”.
Oh what joy.
i see the daily record have grabbed the decapitation story.it should be remembered that news papers are there to sell print.thats always, the bottom line.
If you were trying to set yourselves up as the moral guardians of women’s rights you would most definitely not want ‘Kcor/Andy’ representing you.
The Herald and The Scotsman used to be fabulous newspapers. Now they’ve been sucked into an empty vortex and are now simpering servants to the SPADS of Holyrood.
@Betsy says @6.58
On reading your post I would have sworn you had met, so accurate did it appear to be.
TLDR version was even better.
Thanks for the laugh-did me a power of good.
Yes groups up and down the country are open to anyone from any political party. I believe all they have to want is independence, these groups should be looking out for political party interference
If the police have been informed recent precedent suggests it would probably be prudent to pop round to the local late shopper for several hundred tea bags and a couple of bags of sugar. Some scones and maybe a few gross of ginger cake would probably not go amiss either.
So Alba are responsible for the opinions of every single comment on a blogsite which approves of them? Yes, makes total sense. In the paranoid world of skullduggery and feeble attempts at censorship that the SNP represents.
Hey, Reid, ever think you’ve been had? lol
Yip, I think I’ll say it again the ALBA party champion women’s rights, something the SNP and the Greens don’t do. So any small infringement by any ALBA candidate or pro-ALBA commentor with regards to say, the SNP leader, is jumped upon by the pro-union media.
Of course its perfectly fine in the eyes of the media to still bring into question Alex Salmond’s behaviour and credibility, as does the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon without any consequences for doing so.
Of course it wasn’t Alex Salmond that mislead not just the Scottish parliament, but the whole nation of Scots.
He certainly picked a pretty feeble example. I’ve seen Sturgeon called a c*nt in the below-the-line comments on this site. For that, Stu’s hammers ought to be out. There’s enough to criticise without resorting to name-calling that just makes the commenter sound like a misogynist dick.
Alba is going to do REALLY well, I can just feel it. All those people who had become scunnered by the SNP and were going to stay at home like in 2017 will now be galvanised into getting out to vote. Turn-out is essential and this site has a big part to play in that. I suspect that most of those who stayed indoors in 2017 were the sort of folk who read and listen to Wings and similarly-inclined independence arguments. When Wings gets behind a cause, it puts wind in its sails. Let’s get tore into the Unionist bams.
The SNP were quite happy with this site while it sang from the same hymn sheet. As soon as you disagreed with anything the SNP then started using unionist smears to attack the site. The SNP are the establishment now and they treat grassroots indy supporters like vermin, the parallels with the new labour are unmistakable.
I wonder if this Ian Reid has been directed to contact journalists or if he’s just a ultra loyal cult member.
Unbelievable.
The more this goes on, the more I utterly loathe these scheming cowards. They’re actually using Westminster tactics… nothing positive to sell/contribute, so it’s smear & deplatform. Pathetic.
And thanks man, for doing this. Because if you didn’t, we’d be getting ‘truth’ like a watered down pint.
Hi, just posting this as a newbie and will be along to join the debate.
Looking forward to it.
@Lollysmum,
Thanks. Our posts crossed so I hadn’t seen your earlier post before hitting send. His behaviour towards you is quite alarming,though hopefully more annoying than anything genuinely threatening. From what you describe he might want to spend a bit more time reflecting on his own conduct than finding fault with others.
Our reader, Ian Reid, an SNP activist in the Borders, has been a regular Wings reader but was taken aback by the language. He had hoped you would have deleted the post, but that hasn’t happened.
The best possible outcome would be that they do condemn it. It would be such a powerful message. Separating themselves from that cesspit would be a very politically astute thing for them
I’m quite curious as to why Mr Reid was surprised when you didn’t delete the post – because being the ‘cesspit’ that you are ..well did he really expect you to do the ‘decent’ thing:-)
Sturgeon’s got a feeble crew at the moment. They can’t even lie properly.
I hope ALBA is going to release a high profile name or two during the leaders debate tonight? Please tell me they are? It would be a great excuse to be on Twitter rather than watching.
I KNOW MR Wings – you DID delete the tweet:-)
I have tried to apply for alba membership and the only way to pay is by credit card which I dont have …so thats me i canny join.
Women being called witches is not news.
The only person Tom Gordon would like to decapitate (in the political sense) is Alex Salmond and Alba.
Calling female politicians ‘witches’ by their opponents is depressingly common place.
In the 2016 POTUS election, Hilary Clinton was regularly depicted in witch’s hat with green skin.
Disaffected Tories referred to their then leader, Theresa May, as a witch.
Labour MP Diane Abbott has also been decried as a witch.
Just 6 days ago, Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Fein, was depicted as a witch in an Irish newspaper cartoon, actually stirring a bubbling cauldron, which her male political opponents described as an accurate reflection of her ‘shrill’ and ‘strident’ tones.
Arlene Foster, the DUP leader has also, just to be fair, cast in the witch role.
Indeed there is no powerful public women on the planet not called, at sometime and by some (male) person, as a witch. It’s, almost, an earned badge of honour.
There’s no male equivalent for powerful male politicians. They are not regularly referred to as unnatural, evil forces. There is no male equivalent to the exclusively female pejorative ‘witch.’
So, Tom Gordon, spare us your false concern, your mock outrage, your sham moral high ground on behalf, (as you would have us believe), wronged women everywhere.
From Joan of Arc to Mary Lou McDonald, we know you don’t actually give a damn. You just want to stop Alba, and that’s all this wee Scots witch needs to know, to, (cackling all the way to the polling booth), give it my second vote.
It seems reasonable in the present cultural zeitgeist to surmise that it will be the author of this site who is charged with wasting police time rather than Mr Reid.
You would have thought the mention of the ‘devil herself’ might have given him a clue to the metaphorical.
The only crime i can see here is misgendering Beelzebub.
Lyn, it was Lintonbairn he was calling himself, although I think he said Linton Lad on Zoom. I had to search all the posts on the word Linton to find him.
A suitably childish handle for childish spite.
Wouldn`t surprise me if some `comments` are made for the sole purpose of bringing Wings into disrepute,
a sort of `false flag` poster.
L.U.T.B. says:
30 March, 2021 at 6:35 pm
‘figurative’
Are you saying i’m fat?
Ha Ha Great Stuff eh
When I clicked on the ” read the rest of this entry ”
Well I expected to see ???????????????? And Duck You yah dick
But no , a measured response by Stu and giving some examples of previous political comments on other outlets and platforms , sometimes it’s better just to let people froth off at mouth they are a bit excited and they don’t realise it because they are kicking themselves in the nuts but are too dumb to notice .
What’s the verdict ? a feeble try and definitely No Cigar, Christ if that’s the best the opposition can dream up you are pretty safe,
Is Tom Gordon carrying-out a straightforward journalistic public interest effort, you know, in the spirit of Bob Woodward of the Washington Post…..or is it more an attempt at intimidation of a less well-connected, but more popular journalist. I suspect it is the latter, which tells us all we need to know about Holyrood Scotland, doesn’t it. Has Tom Gordon been appointed as the Murrell’s new ‘Consigliere’? (members of the mafia will know what I mean) – That’s my guess, but only he will know the answer to that.
mags says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:26 pm
I have tried to apply for alba membership and the only way to pay is by credit card which I dont have …so thats me i canny join.
————-
Cath. You can sign up with debit card. I did on 1st day.
They would give you the dry boak.
He controversial. Await a reply. Be offended by what you were trying to create in the first place. Smile at your ingenuity.
Report. Go back to being a loner.Repeat.
Most journalists read wings comments, be careful……Snp 1 Alba 2
Oh God its tedious drivel. I miss the days when the SNP wasn’t so rubbish.
Just how badly would the SNP have to do in the constituency voting for their list vote to start to matter I wonder.
Though I suppose any seat they lost to one of the shades of unionist would drop the list vote of whoever does win it and still help ALBA at least.
link to archive.is
Alba Party urged to cut ties to Wings Over Scotland blogger after Sturgeon ‘decapitation’ row
mags says:
I have tried to apply for alba membership and the only way to pay is by credit card which I dont have …so thats me i canny join.
I used my debit card when I signed up on day one Mags, worked fine 🙂
I am a Scottish politics nerd, have been interested in politics all my life, been a member of and campaigned for the SNP, can identify most MPs and MSPs by sight and know a bit about them, can tell you the character and history of each constituency, know all about polling trends etc.
And I had absolutely no idea who the lady with the blonde hair and the glasses was who will be on the debate tonight, apparently she is the Green co-leader, I had literally never heard of this person.
link to web.archive.org Remember folks – don’t give the Brit media the advertising click throughs
TG still went for it
link to archive.is
“And call us old-fashioned, but anything those people are terrified of is almost certainly great news for those who, like us and Mr Salmond, actually want independence for Scotland.”
They are absolutely terrified of you and Alex Salmond-ALBA working together and will do everything they can to make ALBA distance itself from you.
As the official Yes side had done during the referendum campaign.
The reason Wings Over Scotland is absolutely the best is the Rev. Stuart Campbell cannot be bullied into submission and fights them head on and exposes their dirty tricks as he has done here.
Twitter would have banned Andy, the Rev. Stuart Campbell hasn’t because he is one of the very few journalists who believe in freedom of speech.
I very much hope that a couple of weeks before the election, Wings Over Scotland will have an article supporting a tactical vote in favour of Sarwar to unseat Sturgeon in the Glasgow Southside constituency.
I wondered where Wurzal Gumage went Christ it’s Curtis the polling punter if this how he gets dressed up to appear on Council TV he better watch if he goes to the shops he might not get in .
How the Duck did Nash get on my telly I guess money has changed hands on that one because it’s definitely not her knowledge of the Scottish political scene that will become clear very quickly
At the end of the Tom Gordon article it says:
“The Laba Party has been asked for comment.’
Does he mean ‘The Labour Party’. They should definitely be asked for comment.
I think it’s pretty obvious to everyone that Andy is a Labour Party activist posting on Wings on behalf of Anas Sarwar.
The Laba Party?
Tom Gordon nearly paying lip service there.
They really are terrified of Alex Salmond. Actually, let me re-phrase that, they really are terrified of a legitimate, electable political party which genuinely wants Scottish independence.
You can literally smell the fear, SNP and unionistas alike.
“In fact we banned him from posting comments a couple of weeks ago for trolling.”
Could you not reveal the name under which he was posting so we can go back and read his trolling comments?
It would be fun.
Will the Herald now be demanding that the Tories distance themselves from the Times after Matt Chorley used this term in the article cited above- written after the death of Jo Cox?
@Tom Gordon
Who are the “Laba” party you have asked fir a response?
My goodness It’s panic in all quarters, except for those who want independence. Alex & the ALBA party aren’t even a week old yet. Can’t stop laughing here.
So much for being a yesterday man eh! They’re really scared of the Boss.
Nicola Sturgeon has really got her nickers in a twist & It’s squeaky bum time for the Unionists.
Looks like it’s going to get very interesting between now & 6th May. Looking forward to the yes folk getting what they’ve all striven for , for so long.
Leaders debate started so thousands must be joining the SNP!!!
Sarcasm for the hard of thinking.
Well, I guess this means that Tom Gordon and his ilk are scanning EVERY BTL POST for anything that they can hold up and screech “extremist!” at.
In that case, let me share my personal opinion directly to the bold Tom.
You’re a third rate shill for a failing and broken paper (and system) that is happy to force you to write propaganda you know is bullshit in exchange for what? Because it sure ain’t self respect.
Bet you didn’t imagine this as a career when you came out of uni, eh Tom?
Congratulations, whatever ambitions you may have ever had are thoroughly unmet.
Silly me. He must have posted under his real name since you could identify him.
I will be searching for comments by Ian Reid in previous articles, unless you have removed them
@Ruby
Transpose the first two letters, they can’t spell Alba correctly, never mind pronounce it. 🙂
Kcor @ 7.56 pm
No. Cos you’re another troll.
Cenchos says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:55 pm
The Laba Party?
Tom Gordon nearly paying lip service there.
Reply
ooh err missus! 🙂
By the way, Thatcher was and is called the witch and devil in Scotland.
Has Ian Reid and The Herald ever objected to that?
I note in the archived article that Mr Reid is described as a social work manager and his age is 57.
Oh dear! Sad bunny!
Allium says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:40 pm
Oh God its tedious drivel. I miss the days when the SNP wasn’t so rubbish.
Then do better yourself . Your remark adds nothing
Managed 45 seconds of the leaders’ debate there…
Going to do the dog’s toenails now.
Andy, she is back. Don’t take the bait.
According to The Herald “The Laba (sic) Party has been asked for comment.”
Alex & the ALBA party aren’t even a week old yet. Can’t stop laughing here.
I haven’t had so many political laughs as I’ve had this week since 2014. Alex is an absolute genius at playing the media and watching them all run around like headless chickens while imagining him sitting back wryly smiling is making my day. The past 3 or 4 years have been political puranitism and silencing of the worst kind. Suddenly it feels like there is an escape route and we can have a laugh and debate things again.
Nope not watching the leader debate, caught a glimpse as I switched channels, saw Sarah Smith, I’ll have nightmares now.
Reading Ruby’s link:
“However since Mr Campbell appeared on Mr Salmond’s show on the Kremlin-funded TV channel RT, it has swung increasingly behind the former first minister and against Mr Sturgeon.”
“The Laba Party has been asked for comment.”
Mr Sturgeon? The Laba Party? Hahahaha, that’s a classic! 😀
“All it’s really achieving is showing just how scared the Unionist parties, the media and the SNP alike are of Salmond’s new party and its growing support, and of Wings.”
Wee Ginger Duggers are furious that the Rev. Stuart Campbell was allowed to ask questions at the launch of ALBA.
Watch out for zoomers posting threats and making out they are Alba/wings/independence supporters
I think , given the readership of the Herald, we can ignore that article as a waste of time. Mr Gordon is not really a journalist is he? More a 5th form school magazine boy.
Ah well.
OK forget my earlier post I am now an alba member, got an email with receipt confirmation 4341. Would that mean the number of members there is and if so thats really good going since last friday for a new party?
Wee Willie was the first to mention Alex. NS does not look confident so maybe the ATM has just spat out the party bank card.
@Republicofscotland says:
30 March, 2021 at 8:08 pm
“Nope not watching the leader debate, caught a glimpse as I switched channels, saw Sarah Smith, I’ll have nightmares now.”
Just think of The Ring.
Try and get that image out of your head 🙂
I have never bought a newspaper in my life, so I was kind of ignorant of whom Tom Gordon was,
Wow did I get an eye opener when I heard him asks( I am being polite here) AS questions when he launched the Alba party,
Due to the absolute lack of respect from this reporter to a man that had been cleared in a law court, I decided as long as this man worked for the herald I would never become a new subscribed newspaper reader to the herald, in fact he reminded me of why I do not, and did not read newspapers in the first place.
As long as newspapers and editors allow this low level knuckle dragging viperious kind of reporting within their papers, I cannot envisage any new subscribers and there we see the demise of why newspapers are becoming irrelevant in this modern world.
People are fed up with the attacks on them. By made up propaganda to grab a headline , but when the truth comes out, or someone brings legal charges against these reported headlines, and wins, we are reminded just how little editorial content has been applied.
It certainly does not inspire one to buy a newspaper.
@ Kcor says:
30 March, 2021 at 8:00 pm
Silly me. He must have posted under his real name since you could identify him.
I will be searching for comments by Ian Reid in previous articles, unless you have removed them
He posts here (and elsewhere) as Lintonbairn. You can still find his comments if you search Lintonbairn rather than his name. Reading between the lines I think he’s very cross that we won’t all wheesht for indy and like all sad little men who can’t handle hearing the word no, he’s thrown a tantrum and called the police and the papers.
Lintonbairn (Ian Reid) is 57 years old.
Andy says,
“We will still achieve our Supermajority, even with the loss of this seat.”
Andy, as the Rev says, BE MORE ALERT.
Even one SNP seat will not be lost – Sturgeon replaced by SNP BAME candidate Roza Salih:
Rev. Stuart Campbell says (Scheming on a mirage),
“It’s much the same as the Glasgow Southside situation. You’re not choosing between Anas Sarwar and Nicola Sturgeon – Sarwar is top of the Labour list so he’s getting in no matter what happens. What you’re effectively doing with your constituency vote in Glasgow Southside is choosing between two SNP MSPs – Sturgeon or Roza Salih. If you’d prefer Salih, vote Sarwar on the constituency paper.)”
A totally WIN WIN situation for all except the diehard Sturgeonists.
If this is the best that the anti Alba guys can do, then there is surely the scent of sulphur in the air. Panic.
Hi mags says: at 7:26 pm
You typed,
“I have tried to apply for alba membership and the only way to pay is by credit card which I dont have …so thats me i canny join.”
They appear to be using “credit card” as a term, instead of “payment card”. As others have pointed out, other cards are acceptable, like my Visa Debit card.
I’m #3071 – from Saturday afternoon.
The whole situation stinx like an inside job, I’d bet money Ian came here in the twilight hours and made that particular comment himself knowing the post wouldn’t get censored and be left up for hours so he could then report it to the police.
While you’re spot on about the hypocrisy, to imply that the comments section of this site isn’t regularly full of pretty disgusting comments and descriptions of NS is pretty inaccurate. Whether or not you care of course is another matter, that’s your choice of course. No one has to read this if they don’t want to.
I reckon Tom Gordon was looking for 2 x scalps in one;
“..and when asked his opinion on the comment, Campbell replied with an expletive, threatened to sue this newspaper then called me something that can’t be repeated in print”..
I wonder if the editorial team (2 folk, sometimes 3, depending on who’s out getting the rolls and sausage) sit round a table all day and think up plots to ‘outwit’ pro-indy people?
..why don’t you phone him and ask him for a comment? – maybe you can get him to swear at you? Make sure you record the conversation.. The shape of things to come.
The SNP have been exposed! For a few years wings has helped people understand just what the SNP have been up to.
The Alba party had made the scales fall from our eyes.
The SNP and unionists together ( BT mark 2) are in full panic mode
I hope someone’s watching this shite so I don’t have to , when will people learn these politicians will make up and tell anyone who will listen the biggest load of bullshit they are ever likely to hear, if voting made the slightest bit of difference it would be fkn outlawed .
The next what is it 5-6 weeks will see unfathomable amounts of manure being shovelled round Scotland just to keep some lying fkr in a well paid job , do they really deserve our money ? .
Question How would the country run without politicians
Answer probably a lot fkn better than it ever has done .
Sack everyone of the Duckers you know it makes sense
Is that Tom Gordon being disrespectful to Sturgeon by this paragraph in his paper, on does he know something we don’t.(MR?)
LOL
“However since Mr Campbell appeared on Mr Salmond’s show on the Kremlin-funded TV channel RT, it has swung increasingly behind the former first minister and against Mr Sturgeon. “
Ruby says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:06 pm
“If you were trying to set yourselves up as the moral guardians of women’s rights you would most definitely not want ‘Kcor/Andy’ representing you.”
Typical Ian Reid type dishonesty.
What does arguing against the following comment have anything to do with “women’s rights”?
Ruby says (“Three choices”),
“I’m voting SNP 1/2 because I want Nicola Sturgeon to have to face the consequences of her actions.”
For the record, SNP 1/2 is official SNP and Wee Ginger Dug policy, which is opposed by every single genuine independence supporting commentator on Wings Over Scotland.
I tried to join Alba party. I registered and set up email. Does anyone know the process for actually joining.
Please dont type … look at the website
Wan oh thon men wae a penis came on Ella apparently. You look nothing like a wumin. You are a man in a dress ya clown
It’s getting more like Macbeth as time goes on,lol!
Beware the Birnam trees, I’m sure I saw them moving!
Oh treacherous blade wherefore will thy come? From the front or from the lecherous spineless back? I wait in hesitation………
Hilarious they went with it.
I am wondering if it would have been ok if he wrote ‘Vlad the Impaler herself’ hence the cutting off of head.
There are comments on Craig Murray’s tweet still getting offended, what a hill to choose to die on (oh no the d word).
These nutters have 2 options read it metaphorically as intended or take in literally in which case they are bullying someone with mental health issues (a hate crime?) who thinks Nicola Sturgeon is the female incarnation of Beelzebub and wants her head. Are we being so cruel to schizophrenics in the NewSNP. Do they have no sense of compassion or sense of poetic license.
@Lothianlad 8.35pm
link to albaparty.org
Happy to help! 🙂
FFS Alex Arthur’s nose look less broken than that Canadian lassie’s.
What was she before entering politics? MMA fighter, centre half?
@de brus says:
30 March, 2021 at 8:26 pm
“While you’re spot on about the hypocrisy, to imply that the comments section of this site isn’t regularly full of pretty disgusting comments and descriptions of NS is pretty inaccurate. Whether or not you care of course is another matter, that’s your choice of course. No one has to read this if they don’t want to.”
Have you ever saw The Herald’s comments section? They’re fine ones to talk! They could start getting their own house in order – after all, THEY’RE the ones supposed to be the professional journalists!
(Even if their webshite is actually being run by subcontractors in India – hence the dodgy adverts that have my Internet security software screaming at it 24/7!)
Mind you, considering the tedious pish they allow Janet Godley, Robert McNeil, Catriona Stewart and Umza “You’re All Racist” Mir, and Neil “Temper Issues” Mackay to post as columnists, they can’t tell the difference these days probably.
https://www.albaparty.org
Excellent – the Brits have steered the conversation towards, which indy party is best? The Brits are dumb as fk.
The Herald should report real news for a change, like the fact 2,207 people have died in Scotland within 28 days of being vaccinated.
Where’s the outrage over this disgusting murder rate?
link to reddit.com
Just noticed the Laba Party, you can’t make this shit up! Worra plonker.
@Lollysmum 6.52pm
That’s appalling.
You’d think that if Tom Gordon was so interested in highlighting the heinous treatment of a female, he would check his source more carefully and not pander in print to a guy who has such difficulty in controlling his behaviour that he would stalk a female by any means.
I sincerely hope that Gordon and his #hackwit mates in the press read your comment and drop this guy’s tale like the hot, rancid potato it is before they’re called out on it.
@Lothianlad
To join. Just look at the very top of the webpage and you will see in bold letters: “Become a Member”. Click on that and then just follow the prompts offered.
Failing that click on this:
link to albaparty.org
Is this the same Tom Gordon who asked that childish, stupid and utterly pointless question last Friday of AS?
And too thick to realise he wasn’t going to get a right of reply to the response – dafty.
I imagine he was spitting feathers. These type of unionists are the ones who cant sleep at night at the thought of Scotland going it alone.
Camomile tea, Tom, camomile tea.
(cos we know you’re reading – you’s just cannae help yersels!)
Jeezo what is that thing hosting the debate. Seriously where does the BBC find them all.
I think they are working with that Doctor from The Boys From Brazil in some shady lab in South America, surrounded by weird little psycho kids who look strangely like Andrew Marr and Nick Robinson.
Sorry Stu but my first reading of the post had me in the garage oiling down the guillotine I got on ebay in the first lock-down.
I knew it would come in handy.
It must be quite discouraging to be a Scottish journalist no matter what title they give themselves.
A few thousand copies sold per day in spite of your best efforts, when a magazine like Ideal Homes sells over 115 thousand every issue.
Pity Tom wasn’t an interior designer instead of an intrepid failure.
I notice that the bookies have the SNP at 100 to 1 on to win the election. They are seldom wrong. If this is a true forecast of the result,then El Sturgeon has nothing to worry about. She can happily plod on for four more years.
From The Herald:
“The SNP arguably pursued a decapitation strategy against Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson in 2019.”
“However Mr Reid said Mr Campbell’s response, given the increasingly volatile nature of politics, and in light of the 2016 murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, was “defending the indefensible”.
In other words, after the 2016 murder, the SNP decapitated Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson in 2019.
But a campaigner in Glasgow Southside cannot advocate decapitating Sturgeon in 2021.
Total hypocrites.
But don’t forget the whole purpose of this is to smear both ALBA-Alex Salmond and Wings Over Scotland-Rev Stuart Campbell, as they are terrified of them.
Is the story already on the BBC website and the rest of the MSLyingM?
The point above about Reid posting in the middle of the night then running to Gordon, knowing it would still be there in the morning is I think well made. Gordon didn’t contact you for nothing, Rev. He wrote the whole thing up anyway. Not journalistic courtesy, but fishing.
Is this the beginning of an orchestrated plan to use your admirable open mindedness re comments against you. The Twittler Youth will have been watching and taking note.
I literally know nothing about running a blog or website. Is there someway, even if only for the duration of the election, you can protect yourself from what I believe will be a concerted attack.
Slimeballs will slime. Asking for a concerned friend.
BBC Debate Stitch up to an embarrassing level-again
First 5 audience 3 rabid against independence and 2 English living up here.
For balance a young boy who could hardly speak I think said Nicola should have multi tasked independence and Covid.
We did have a more eloquent Indy speaker who was cut off quicker than anyone.
F****** pathetic!
The BBC selection of audience was amazing. You have more chance to get on as a man in a dresss than an Independence supporter.
I stopped watch Question Time so long ago now I cant even remember, 10+ years I think. I recall John Redwood was on the last episode I watched.
Watching this debate here to give me a feel for May is reminding exactly why I did. It is bringing it all back
Everyone comes across as such a grandstanding phony.
I don’t believe any of them are sincere in anything they say.
Dreadful.
Andy Ellis and Peter n.
Thanks!! 😉
D Ross is absolutely useless.
Even the slabour is destroying him. Funny as fuck.
Waiting for catch-up with fast forward button before watching the debate.
Douglas “I would like to see tougher enforcement against Gypsy travellers” Ross there being asked to condemn prejudice.
Effigy began Post at 6:52 pm thus:
” Tom Gordon fake journalist in a fake rag posing as a newspaper…”
I think I can safely say The Herald, and it’s other Tabloid stablemates are a dead duck.
A dying breed, clutching their pearls as they jump blindfolded into the real world.
Without wealthy politically motivated owners and handouts from a government keeping them afloat, they are indeed The Deadwood Press.
NEVER AGAIN.
Betsy says,
“He posts here (and elsewhere) as Lintonbairn.”
Thanks. I am going to look them up on Wings since he has been identified as a troll by the Rev. Stuart Campbell himself.
Interesting fact.
Star Wars the Movie was made BEFORE the last execution by Guillotine in France.
Ian Reid 5 days ago…
“We’ve got an election in Scotland coming up on the 6th May – 6 weeks today.
You’ll know I like my politics. You’ll know I support Independence for Scotland. A lot of my pals do as well. A lot of my pals don’t. Really doesn’t matter one way or ‘tother.
I’ll no doubt be posting more stuff related to the election over the coming weeks. You’re, of course, v welcome to have a ‘look see’, comment, like, dislike, pass it by, ignore it, whatever you fancy.
All I would ask is that if you’re commenting, I don’t mind strong views but please keep things civilised, respectful and let’s not get finger-pointing, shouty or derogatory towards each other.
If it does – the puppy pics stop!!
??”
He has very pointy fingers…
I am so glad they all studiously avoided talking about ALBA.
Only the lib dem duffer slipped-up once by mentioning Salmond.
None of them came out of that looking great.
One thing I will say after seeing that is that ANYONE who thinks the Greens are a better option than ALBA as their regional vote is off their head.
Just imagine the difference having Salmond in there.
DRoss must hold a new personal record for mentioning
the next Indy ref in the one BBC sponsored unionist show.
He wants Scotland to Unite when 75% of us want nothing to
do with his London based Tory party and that has been the case
for over 65 years.
If he pissed off back down there with his half wit lap dogs we would be one nation.
Easy to see why he was a linesman and not a referee.
Waving his wee flag and dreaming of getting a whistle one day.
By backside will be whistling Dixie before he ever became first minister!
Oh ffs, what utter shite. I can’t even be assed to archive the page.. It’s really not worth saving.
link to heraldscotland.com
Fekking snowflakes everywhere and a very good indication of the lack of education in the curriculum for excellence when they can’t even do basic interpretation!!!(btw where is the report ??? Is it with the £600k)
I’m sorry Stu that these lunatics are after you, but on the up side, it means that they are scared of the truth which you bring to anyone with a modicum of sanity!
tbh, the head of the snake DOES need decapitated and free us all from her hubris.
I think you need to be moderating all new commenters Stuart.
katherine hamilton says,
“The point above about Reid posting in the middle of the night then running to Gordon, knowing it would still be there in the morning is I think well made.”
No, it is not.
If you had read the comments before posting, you would have noticed that Andy, the original poster, has made a comment on this very thread.
Andy is not Ian Reid.
Andy advocates a tactical vote in favour of Sarwar to unseat Sturgeon in the Glasgow Southside constituency, something I support 100%.
Only diehard Sturgeonists can be against Andy’s totally rational stand:
Rev. Stuart Campbell says (Rallying to the banner),
“If you believe Sturgeon is a block on independence it’s a very rational position.”
Tom Gordon quick to jump but has only made himself look stupid.
And of course the Herald just loaded with anti Alba stories, desperate stuff.
Doubtless Tom Gordon and his ilk would insist Diderot was a danger to kings and priests?
O tempora, o mores indeed!
“Les Éleuthéromanes”
J’en atteste les temps; j’en appelle à tout âge;
Jamais au public avantage
L’homme n’a franchement sacrifié ses droits;
S’il osait de son cœur n’écouter que la voix,
Changeant tout à coup de langage,
Il nous dirait, comme l’hôte des bois:
La nature n’a fait ni serviteur ni maître;
Je ne veux ni donner ni recevoir de lois.
Et ses mains ourdiraient les entrailles du prêtre,
Au défaut d’un cordon pour étrangler les rois.
(I display the times; I appeal to the age
The public is never advantaged
Certainly, mankind has not sacrificed its rights;
If man dared listen to the voice of its heart, changing suddenly the language,
It would say to us, as it would to the animals of the woods:
Nature created neither servant nor master;
I seek neither to rule nor to serve.
And its hands would weave the entrails of the priest,
For the lack of a cord with which to strangle kings.)
the leaders debate is kinda comedy –
american wummin, possible tranny – american accents are condescending and intimidating, like shock and awe is coming if you object
willie rennie, looks jumpy, like he’s waiting for the pigs to fuck behind him
rennie is big on mental illness
the questioners are the fucking dregs –
rainman – some guy has trouble with words and sounds; write it down mate, then just read it
unconvincing tranny goth worries about gender surgery; send him to me, I have a clothesline and a japanese kitchen knife
incredibly incoherent chilean guy rambles – te the theh te the theh theth eh theth
blue haired chick, I bet its about r4p-artist culture
young greta in specks on the climate
now its a stairhead rammy
the intellectual level of this is in the toilet
sara smith is a diddy; everyone is just virtue signalling in soundbites with generalities; she steps in as rennie is starting to embarrass himself
universal basic income – against it, but its coming, for one day there will be no jobs
is the labour guy a dentist? steve martin would be a better leader, with the carnivorous plant as deputy
everyone agrees about “online abuse” – its a grand old scottish tradition – flyting
– my valid point is your abuse.
any consensus for more civility in debate will NOT be applied to ALBA
big yankee wummin on about diversity – if there was balance in the scottish parliament, it would be 96% “white” and with hardly any homosexuals; no space for americans, unfortunately, and lesbian numbers would have to be cut from current levels
the nine now has idiots commenting on this chimps tea party
How about a little tit for tat? Why not go through the comments on WGD, The Herald, The Record and The National and report all the objectionable ones to the Police. That way the cops cannot be seen to only follow up complaints against comments on the Wings blog.
Perhaps Stu could be magnanimous enough to respond in kind with a “Failing Newspaper Writes Bait Post In Order To Drive Up Own Website Traffic From More Successful Political One”
Perhaps along with all those other funky titles they give their journalists?
After all, there’s:
Christopher Jack – “Senior Rangers Writer”
Neil Mackay “Writer at large”
Barry Didcock “Senior Features Writer”
David Leask “How Long Do You Have”
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Since this appears to be his new job, they could have:
Tom Gordon – “Master Baiter”.
(I missed my vocation in Business Consultancy)
Are we still allowed to use the term of endearment known as snowflake or is that banned now?
Elmac says,
“How about a little tit for tat? Why not go through the comments on WGD, The Herald, The Record and The National and report all the objectionable ones to the Police.”
How about reporting Sturgeon, Rape Crisis Scotland, BBC for contempt of court for repeatedly stating that Salmond is guilty despite being cleared by a jury?
Sorry, we can’t do that because the corrupt lying criminal James Wolffe, Lord Advocate of Scotland, is in Sturgeon and Murrell’s pocket.
Well said Mr Campbell, it’s people like you who make the blogosphere worth while. I had given up hope about the population of this country till I found this site.
I think this Social Work Manager Mr Reid should, If it was him’ get a manager.
Wny?
He shouldn’t be handing himself
Social Work Manager, is he?
Wonder if his bosses will be having a poke around?
Is fabricating complaints, not an offence? Or is there an exemption for the Nicola Luvies
Confused – thanks for the summary. Justifies why me and my boy are watching Predator instead (the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, not Patrick Harvie).
Like millions of others, I bought a copy of “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” to celebrate the demise of Maggie Thatcher – universally and un-affectionately known as “The Witch”, in the hope of pushing to Number 1.
I think in terms of witchiness, Thatcher was far ahead. People born after the mid-nineties will have no idea how bad that witch was. Which is why that generation thinks ‘woke’ politics is ‘right-on’ and radical.
It ain’t
Confused says:
30 March, 2021 at 9:19 pm
the leaders debate is kinda comedy –
incredibly incoherent chilean guy rambles – te the theh te the theh theth eh theth
—————–
Bit harsh I think.
Actually, I understood the guy fine. He was Chilean yes who speak with a dialect (Chilean Spanish) which I found no different to from trying to understand a Geordie or Yorkshireman or a Scottish islander.
The guy was fine and was actually for Indy – maybe you didn’t notice?
I remember reading that comment at the time and cynical as I am wondering if it was not somebody deliberately planting it the blog to give the powers that be an excuse to close your blog or to throw more dirt and controversy to it. We all know they are absolutely desperate to have it closed down.
I do not know how the rest of the people reading the blog feel but in my case, far from being scandalised for such comments, I actually feel insulted that these people think we are all such idiots that will no spot their dirty little game when they are less subtle than demolition hammer drills.
There is only a name for these people: party-poopers.
We are all clearly very excited and re-energised with the launching of ALBA and we can’t hide it. We don’t want to hide it. Why should we? Sturgeon led us to a very dark place and Mr Salmond and his new party is bringing the light back to us. And the wnkrs and sore losers simply cannot stand it.
So, let me see if I get this right. This chap reads the offending comment here and like a hypocrite, instead of acting ethically as the big man by writing a comment to highlight the offending comment to others and asking publicly to have that comment removed to avoid others to link to it, he runs quietly to grass the blog to the police and to a reporter of a unionist newspaper compromising the blog?
That is really petty. It says a lot about the tactics of these people.
This has the same putrid whiff that the strategy of releasing Mr Salmond’s confidential information to the Daily Telegraph hours after Mr Salmond informed of the interdict, that the grassing of Mr Hirst or the hacking into Alba’s databases and releasing the names of members without their consent.
I would be deeply embarrassed if the political candidate or the political party I am supporting is so pathetically mediocre and incapable to win by its own means that to give them a chance to win I have to go behind enemy lines and like a petty thief I have to either plant dirty comments in their blogs so they can be exposed afterwards or patrol the blogs to take something completely out of context to gain brownie points.
How pathetic and how far down the barrel these people have fallen.
I really hope the new Alba party does not go down the Snowflake road, I’m heartily sick of the offended by everything generation.
As I’ve said a million times to anyone who knows me that you couldn’t offend me if you tried really really hard.
Almost everyone who quickly plays the offended card has an agenda to be offended. Period.
Tom Gordon, in contacting you, is playing their game. Arse!!
Any non moron, and I’m not sorry for offending morons, knows what decapitation means in this context.
It’s time the majority of people of ALL people take back the world from the bonkers brigade.
@covidhoax 30 March, 2021 at 8:45 pm
“The Herald should report real news for a change, like the fact 2,207 people have died in Scotland within 28 days of being vaccinated.
Where’s the outrage over this disgusting murder rate?”
People die all the time , some die going to the toilet, some die while sleeping ,some die after eating a fish Supper, some die while driving the car but it doesn’t mean that if a known aneurysm you had 10 years burst two weeks after having a vaccination that the two things are related unless you are a dick that spends your life reading and beleiving conspiracy websites. If you die two hours after eating a fish supper it doesn’t mean the Turkish guy from the chippie is a murderer…comprende ?
Bigly agree with confused, the stupid woman hates old white men, would they be the same white men who fought and died for the democracy that the woke warriors seem intent on throwing away?
Sturgeon looked even more shifty than usual, of course as the panel later suggested she was just a wee bit tired!
Time to get the gloves off Alex.
I am sure chilean dude is a wonderful person, but some concision on telly is needed
link to youtube.com
– it also made me think of the old radio clyde phone-in where incredibly rambling questions would be asked, only for (was it davie provan), to snap
WHATS YOUR POINT CALLER
A very downbeat Nicola Sturgeon who seemed cowed by the attacks on another independence referendum probably because she does not want one.
Anas Sarwar did seem to come out of it relatively well from a bad bunch.
Cuilean – There’s no male equivalent for powerful male politicians. They are not regularly referred to as unnatural, evil forces.
I thought the go-to insult for male politicians was “Hitler”.
The story is now in the Herald Stu. Written as if it were you that made the comment, in the misleading headline.
Didn’t watch the BritNat Brainwashing Channel tonight, as is the norm in my house on any given night.
Did Sturgeon have her flying monkeys in the audience, or did Sara Smith stand in for them as usual?
Mark Boyle says:
30 March, 2021 at 8:41 pm
Have you ever saw The Herald’s comments section? They’re fine ones to talk! They could start getting their own house in order – after all, THEY’RE the ones supposed to be the professional journalists!
“Two wrongs don’t make a right!!” or so I was told many times as a kid!!!!
I find pretty much any comments section on any site on any subject to be pretty disgusting on the whole. I just feel sometimes that all the work done to construct argument and opinion on this site is often undone by the tone of these comments, which then easily leads the casual reader (and anyone wanting to make a point) conclude that this is just a place for people to spew out vile, bitter and mindless comments which rarely have any connection to reality or the articles they follow … all of which then rub off on “Wings” itself.
Spread the word at what a potential disaster it would be for the Yoons the more SNP voters voting for Alba Party on the Lists would mean.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
Well, the Herald article refers to ” MR Strugeon” and at the end “The Laba Party” … so … that’s a good start.
It’s interesting because it’s exactly the same tactics as Nicolae’s friends in the trans camp deploy. Anyone who gets involved in that debate who does not conform to their ideology (biology is irrelevant to gender) is not only screamed down, but it is standard practice to denounce them, find out their employer and harass them by declaring their employee is a ‘bigot’ and employs hate speech.
Incredibly, people, very often in academia, have lost their jobs, or are shunned to the point of resigning. It is a huge issue in universities, who easily fold before campaigns like these.
This is the same tactic. Denounce, brand as ‘hate’ and then try to cut them off from public discourse or their source of a living. It is stalinist intolerance, censorship and mob rule, even though the actual mob is tiny. Social media gives losers a lot of power completely disproportionately, especially when institutions run scared of them and don’t stand up for free speech and tolerant debate.
Silver Darling. Your summary is exactly how I saw it. She had no fire at all like she knows the fire has left her party. I found out today someone
I knew in Edinburgh left to join Alba. This guy was an Organiser going round all the polling stations to work on Get out the Vote on election day. Losing people like that is a deathblow (obviously not literally just in case polis are reading).
I also thought Sarwar had the right strategy and it is the 2and time I have seen him attack Dross.
I would think Police Scotland will consider if Mr Reid is deliberately wasting their time and resources on his own personal political vendetta.
Maybe he will be the one getting the chap on the door.
Red says:
30 March, 2021 at 9:47 pm
Cuilean – There’s no male equivalent for powerful male politicians. They are not regularly referred to as unnatural, evil forces.
I thought the go-to insult for male politicians was “Hitler”
There’s also the mythical patriarchy, white male privilege, toxic masculinity and the good old misogyny to fall back on.
Clavie Cheil says:
30 March, 2021 at 10:01 pm
Spread the word at what a potential disaster it would be for the Yoons the more SNP voters voting for Alba Party on the Lists would mean.
———–
1st reply from alspals01 is classic. Some people eh !
O/T Jim Eadie ex SNP MSP is standing for Alba.
I don’t know the name. Anyone got any information?
Not interested in the British Biased Corporation. Leaders debate a waste of my time especially with the horrible (nicest term I could use) Sarah Smith who should do something useful and clean up our sewers as she spouts utter c**p everytime she speaks. Always switch the channel if she appears. Complete useless waste of space not worth listening too. Pity we have to pay the licence fee to pay her wages. But Hei Ho that the British Establishment for you.
Ruby says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:55 pm
At the end of the Tom Gordon article it says:
“The Laba Party has been asked for comment.’
Didn’t he also call her Mr Sturgeon, or did i misread ?
@ Sarah at 10.09
Jim Eadie was the MSP for Edinburgh Southern until he was beaten by Labour in 2016.
Connections of mine were his constituents for a while and thought well of him.
Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head
Starring Humza Yousaf as Citizen Robespierre
” robbo says:
30 March, 2021 at 10:07 pm
Clavie Cheil says:
30 March, 2021 at 10:01 pm
Spread the word at what a potential disaster it would be for the Yoons the more SNP voters voting for Alba Party on the Lists would mean.
———–
1st reply from alspals01 is classic. Some people eh !”
==================================================================================================================
Aye knitted by his mammy no doubt.
Post-debate twitter action is interesting, #BothVotesLabour trending and then there’s this clown.
“In fact we banned him from posting comments a couple of weeks ago for trolling.”
Could you not reveal the name under which he was posting so we can go back and read his trolling comments?
It would be fun.
The name was “Lintonbairn”. You’ve all known for years where I live.
Mags @ 7.26
Do you have a debit card/ bank card. I paid for mine with my debit card as I never use a credit card and it went through ok.
Ornith said at 9:14 pm
” I think you need to be moderating all new commenters Stuart.”
A Yes to that.
It is amazing that these supposed righteous pedant presstitutes don’t do proof reading , maybe if they did they wouldn’t be subjecting themselves to possible misgendering claims
Mr Gordon writes
“Kremlin-funded TV channel RT, it has swung increasingly behind the former first minister and against Mr Sturgeon”.
Perhaps Mr Gordon can clarify if he was referring to the current FM Nicola Sturgeon usually referred to as Ms Sturgeon or if he was referring to Ms Sturgeon’s husband known as Mr Peter Murrell, or is he asserting something completely different
Mr Gordon also writes
“The Laba Party has been asked for comment.”
Is this another new party , or is this the Gaelic spelling of ALBA ,or has Mr Gordon been in such a hurry to print his SCOOP that he has openly shown his stupidity in not proof reading
Don,
Any death within 60 days of a positive Covid 19 test will result in that death been registered as Covid 19, meaning if you test positive and then get knocked down and killed by the No 36, that death goes down as Covid.
Not conspiracy, just a fact.
I don`t know if Tom Gordon is a UK state funded Local Democracy Reporter,
the UK State, through the BBC, pays for and supplies all the newspaper groups with reporters,
£40,000,000 of our taxes handed out to these newspaper groups,
the UK state wants nothing back in return for giving big newspaper £40,000,000 , no siree.
What I find astonishing is the pleb Tom Gordon asked Stuart Campbell for comment b4 going to print and still made these errors. Truly amazing.
You very, very rarely find any of Stuart’s articles if any at all with glaring typos.
That 36 bus must be a murdering monster!
Get the jag!
Jimuckmac
I find that hard to believe. So if someone got murdered or died in a house fire or whatever and if they had a positive covid test within 60 days they would be recorded as having died of covid?
Bollocks
Perhaps the Herald is trying to set a squirrel running – after all they are the ones who published the names of new ALBA members to highlight the website glitch.
In fact, the Herald is guilty of breaching the Data Protection regulations – how will they explain that to the judge?
@ crazycat at 10.17 “Jim Eadie Edinburgh Southern SNP MSP until 2016 …thought well of..”
Thanks for info, crazycat. We need Alba Party to have some experienced and quality candidates as well as new faces.
Kcor says:
30 March, 2021 at 8:04 pm
By the way, Thatcher was and is called the witch and devil in Scotland.
Has Ian Reid and The Herald ever objected to that?
Buddy she gave witches a bad name.
Sawar telling Dross to grow up was hilarious.
What I find astonishing is the pleb Tom Gordon asked Stuart Campbell for comment b4 going to print and still made these errors.
I think somebody else might already have pointed out that the purpose of asking for a comment isn’t to find out what happened, it’s to fish for a gotcha comment.
When journahoors contact you, they’ve already written the story. Nothing you say will change it, but if they can twist something you tell them to make you look stupid or mad, so much the better.
Tom Gordons typos are down to his obvious distraction with his constant frothing at the mouth.
@ twathater at 10.26pm:
“The Laba Party has been asked for comment.”
I didn’t even make the connection between “Laba” and Alba. I assumed ‘Laba’ to be the English pronunciation of Labour. Either that or a mis-spelled reference to a part of the female anatomy!
Ayrshire Rob, JimuckMac and Don,
The daily figures are exactly this – people who have died within 28 days of a positive test which is why the weekly NRS figures are important because they only count the ones with COVID on the death certificate.
Anyway, the troll making reference to Reddit was trying to say that 2,200 people have died AFTER THE VACCINE JAG.
Correlation is not causation however, and looking at the official stats from the NRS the total number of deaths since say Mid-December at the start of the vaccination program would be approx 15,000. So that’s 2 million elderly and vulnerable people have had the jag with 2,200 deaths and 15,000 out of the entire population of 5.4M have died so he is arguing that 13,000 people from the healthy population who haven’t had the jag have died?
What he’s saying is that you are more likely to die if you haven’t had it. So get the jag. Or just ignore him because he’s talking pish.
Sandy Brindley RCS on newsnight now
Jesus that wumin does ma nut. Dissing the jury again.
“JimuckMac says:
30 March, 2021 at 10:31 pm
Don,
Any death within 60 days of a positive Covid 19 test will result in that death been registered as Covid 19, meaning if you test positive and then get knocked down and killed by the No 36, that death goes down as Covid.
Not conspiracy, just a fact.”
You’d be awful unlucky to get knocked down by a 36….not much of a service…. 😀
Is this what the once mighty Herald been reduced to? Getting stories off blogging sites on the Internet?
Mr Reid has gone and done it now, SNP activist admitting publicly he’s been reading Wings. Ooops!
Jim Eadie was our MSP 2011-16 & also I think a local cooncillor for a while. I met him a few times at a local school Parent’s Council. I think he was well enough regarded and the worst thing I ever heard about him was that he was a Nationalist! 😉
That Andy has been an embarrassment on here for ages as is that Denise Findlay on twitter.
It’s a dafty commentator on a blog but there’s a whiff of it from the extended followers.
Doing all they can to bring Sturgeon and gender politics into Alba. Many others trying their level best. If you can be positive f off.
What happened to concentrating on the positive case? Salmond would be furious.
I want to vote for Alba! I probably still will but some of the folk are off-putting . Baffling.
Hi from the Basque Country! I’ve been following this blog for about a month and I’m so impressed… and envious… because we don’t have anything like this over here. People are manipulated with ease and corruption won’t be curbed any time soon. But in Scotland you have something exciting going on now. Best of luck! (you’re going to need it, the UK won’t be letting Scotland go without a fight)
FFS Sandy Brindley from rape crises Scotland on Scotland tonight now advocating for non jury rape trials. Watch yer back Alex might be a retrial coming grrrrrr
@ sarah at 10:44 pm
Been out all afternoon and evening so catching up.
I understand Jim Eadie will be an Alba candidate on the Mid-Scotland & Fife regional list.
After AFI standing down, it looks like Martin Keatings is now looking to stand as an independent candidate in that same region, so potential to split 2nd votes with no pooling of votes between Alba and him.
Kapelmeister @ 10.18pm
Might I suggest, Humza Yusaf is more Citizen Camembert – not quite the biggest cheese.
Nae maiter whit, fowk shudnae loss thair heid.
Arnold Kemp would never have allowed this to get into print. There’s no story here.
As for Mr Reid –
‘I don’t like this development one tiny little bit, as it has the potential to split or even destroy a very effective Yes group in a unionist area where such groups are very much needed.’ (Morag, 6.22pm)
– I’d normally go for cock-up over conspiracy, but making mischief seems to be the point of his actions in this instance. There’ll be a lot of it about.
@ Dan at 11.06
Martin Keatings wants to be an MSP at least in part to add weight to his Section 30 court case – the opposing argument was that only elected representatives could even ask.
I believe he originally intended to be an independent, then when AfI managed to register, he moved under their umbrella. I think I can remember that he mentioned that surplus votes would help the next candidate on the list, so it’s a shame that won’t now be the case. He thought he might be an Alba candidate at one stage.
@shershonshez
Indeed.
link to twitter.com
@Betsy at 8pm
Are you really sure you haven’t met Ian Reid aka Lintonbairn. You seem to know him so well or are you psychic? Either way spot on.
Sandy Brindley on Scotland Tonight not coming across well. Really trying to discredit juries as unrepresentative and ignorant. The barely concealed target of her ‘points’ was almost comical.
The advocate, Edith Forrest, came over well and quashed a few downright lies. She spoke of the jury having direction if the victim doesn’t react the way they might expect and explanations for different patterns of behaviour are offered.
Michael Laing. I’m having a Labia day too. Brain making the wrong connections. Labialamp. Fanny by Gaslight.
I see cushy P Wishat is slavering again on twitter. To be fair cushy Pishart I thought Sarwar came across better than NS. Maybe she’s just tired eh.. It’s a pity Sarwar and 50% of what’s left of his party are unionists and he doesn’t want a referendum just like you and SNP hierarchy cos you like the doe too much and your cushy life.
Get Indy sorted or you’re defo out on your arse next election.
Stop spending my fucking money in Strangers Bar in WM.
well Nicola’s was not setting the heather on fire tonight and its 2 years till an indyref 2 now!!!!
Rev
Apologies to you and anybody else who was so deeply offended at my misunderstood comment.
Guy’s like Tom Gordon are setting the boundaries, and if we step outside these boundaries they will come down on us line a ton of bricks.
All Gordon has done is highlight the campaign guys like myself and Kcor have been running and that is to vote for the most credible candidate that will unseat Sturgeon in 6th May.
Before, it was a Wings thing, but now the whole world knows that the Indy Parties will still get the Supermajority, even with the loss of the Sturgeon seat.
Let’s hope it encourages more Indy voters to vote Labour in Glasgow Southside Constituency.
With Sturgeon out of the way, the road to Independence will be so much smoother.
Sturgeon has no intention of delivering Independence, she wants to persue the never never road to Indy.
And I noticed the usual suspects attacking me, the SNP 1 and 2 brigade.
Anyway, the Unionist media and Sturgeon Ultras want us to curl up in a corner and die.
No chance.
I will still fight to de-throne Sturgeon.
In a few weeks time, all the doubters will be begging for Glasgow Southside Constituency Voters to vote Labour, because Sturgeon will become so unbearable.
I am no snowflake and will not be silenced by an “International Banker” like Gordon.
That’ll be Glasgow slang Tom, look it up.
So for the record,,,
Vote Labour 1 and ALBA 2 in the Constituency of Glasgow Southside on 6th May 2021.
Andy @ 11:34
‘I will still fight to de-throne Sturgeon.’
Are you suggesting that the queen of Scotland be de-throned – risking a fall, potentially incurring a spinal injury, to our dear leader?
Because if you are – I’m off to call the cops
mags says:
30 March, 2021 at 7:26 pm
I have tried to apply for alba membership and the only way to pay is by credit card which I dont have …so thats me i canny join.
A debit card works just fine
Hi Rev, just a word to say should I step out of line with any of my posts please feel free to redact them, I believe the guideline handbook on this can be obtained from SNP headquarters, Edinburgh. Alternatively the Crown Office could probably supply a copy. K–p u- t-e g–d -ork.
Interesting comments about the lack of mention of Alex Salmond in the debate. The Daily Record post mortem saying folk are sick of him yet he is meat and drink to the Scottish press.
One comment I agreed with was that no one wanted to bring him up because they were scared and to do so was to give him life and a presence that they all want to avoid. A bit like the Candyman, if you say his name he appears…
No doubt NS will have to face him sometime.
ahundredthidiot 11.42pm
Yes, we are in crazy times.
Innocent:-
Andy
Craig Murray
Alex Salmond
As I said, Gordon and the rest are trying to set early boundaries as an example to anybody else who dare say a word against Sturgeon or her Party.
the UK state wants nothing back in return for giving big newspaper £40,000,000 , no siree.
I was listening to a BBC radio interview a wee while ago – might’ve been Craig Murray – and the interviewee mentioned the BBC being a state propaganda broadcaster.
BBC guy pissily denied it and threatened to terminate the interview if he didn’t drop it.
So last month it came out that the BBC and other “news” organisations take money from the Foreign Office as part of a secret project to “weaken” Russia.
Quite a scoop, eh? The sort of thing the heroic investigative reporter wins a Pulitzer prize for exposing, if we lived in a film from the 1970’s.
But what actually happened was the story was completely ignored, and Twitter attached a wee sticker to any mention of it, warning you that “this story may have been obtained by hacking”.
What disturbs me about this is that more people aren’t disturbed by it. If they’ll take Government money to lie about Russia, what won’t they lie about?
Anyway, after Tom Gordon slithered out with his wee “story” today, the bit about the “Kremlin-funded Russia Today” that Alex Salmond has a programme on caught my eye.
If you remember about 20 minutes ago, the establishment were quite unhappy with the Brexit Party and tried to make out it was a Russian op. This led to the Electoral Commission making the unprecedented decision to basically raid their offices on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, looking for anything they could use against them or just hoping to scare away normies from supporting them because of the highly publicised “investigation”.
Can you see where I’m going with this?
Alba is a clear and present danger to a lot of very powerful and wealthy people. Alex Salmond is public enemy numero uno.
Expect lots of dirty tricks, smears, and ops to come, because they’re not going to let us have our country back without a struggle.
I read in one of the reports on the debate that Anas Sarwar skelped Douglas Ross’ erse.
Such violence from the leader of the Labour Party to Douglas Ross who lost his heid in etc etc.
Vicious assaults and murder on BBC. Outrageous!
@SilverDarling
“No doubt NS will have to face him sometime.”
If she does it will be in Holyrood after the election. From her comment earlier about not dealing with him until he apologises, I suspect she’ll go on to claim she is “no platforming” him out of her sincere commitment to the women (no laughing at the back).
Looking at how tired and flat she is these days, I actually don’t think she’d be able to cope with him in a debate.
@ Betsy at 12.17am: “Looking at how tired and flat she is these days, I actually don’t think she’d be able to cope with him in a debate.”
No doubt her conscience is troubling her. I suspect she knows too that her career is nearing its end and that it’s she, not Alex Salmond, who has “questions to answer”.
Betsy
She’s missing her Covid sermons.
The Covid crisis flattened out a couple of months too early for her.
Nobody can be arsed even discussing Covid anymore.
She has no fuel left in the tank.
The days of lecturing to us are over.
You would think a journalist would have a basic understanding of the English language. Nothing fancy, just the kind of thing you do in secondary school. You might even think it is a basic prerequisite for the job.
But no. Because he and his colleagues at the BBC and Record do not understand what freaking FIGURE OF SPEECH is. God help us and the Scottish education system. It has clearly dumbed down to moronic levels.
A figure of speech is not meant to be taken literally. For god’s sake. See, I didn’t really mean anything about religion. I think I’ll shoot myself. Ah but, an expression of frustration about idiocy in Scottish newspapers and TV doesn’t mean I am actually going to take my life. Or yours, if I say i wish you’d drop dead. No, it’s called the richness of language and expression. Clearly journalists have no idea about that. After all, their trade is only writing. Or was, it’s now apparently barrel-scraping propaganda.
A weak effort, but a welcome reminder of not handing easy ammunition to our enemies.
Can we ‘neutralise’ her instead?
Something similarly spelled for Peter!
😉
Oops, I did a hate crime.
So political metaphors are now problematic ?
I guess there isn’t much else going on in Scotland worth talking about… it must be tough being a journalist when there’s no news and nothing to talk about in the approach to an election.
The best way to tackle crime is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle drug deaths and addiction is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle child poverty is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle health is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle alcoholism is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle mental health and depression is to tackle poverty.
The best way to tackle falling standards in education is to tackle poverty.
That list could easily be twice as long. Scotland has some of the worst poverty black spots in the whole of Europe. Within the UK Union, vast areas of Scotland and huge numbers of the people here are subject to third world levels poverty.
Nobody gives a fuck. Everything’s perfect. All the big stuff is sorted and that frees us up to talk about gender issues and the silly things people say online.
It’s the best of all possible worlds.
My new moniker does not mean I am a new poster.
My old one had my photo turned sideways.
Dr Morag is a daughter of the manse not five miles from here.
I met her and Rev Stu on the Calton Hill and disagreed re tartan exhibitionism.
Joined Alba so I am told I must resign from SNP.
Dr Morag . Please advise easiest way to do so.
Thank you all.
T. Jenny, Ian Brotherhood and all the rest. Including Robert Peffers who was so educational.
The Game is afoot and winnable!
“….is [Laba] the Gaelic spelling of ALBA “
=====
No
ALBA is the Gàidhlig spelling of Scotland
@ Cynicus 2.11am I was being facetious in highlighting the ridiculous pedantry of a churnalist who hadn’t the sense or BASIC professionalism to do a proof reading of his ridiculous article
Lintonbairn used to post on Iain Lawson’s blog as well where quite a few of us remonstrated with him , his comments and posts always reminded me of another poster who thought nicla could do no wrong and the sun rose from her derriere , that poster was Me Bungo Pony who called everyone who disagreed with saint nicla or her actions a miscreant
“She turned me into a newt!”
link to youtube.com
twathater says: 3:12 AM
that poster was Me Bungo Pony was on Iain Lawson’s blog.
Reply
He’s still on Iain’s Blog. Has been told off for replying to nearly every post, always criticizing. He’s a bit of a troll.
twathater says:
31 March, 2021 at 3:12 am
…. Me Bungo Pony who called everyone who disagreed with saint nicla or her actions a miscreant…
Not miscreant, I’m sure the favourite word was malcontent..
It was meant to be a derogatory barb I’m sure, but the cap fitted so well I wore it with pride and found it very comfortable. 😉
I pretty much remained a grumbling malcontent, with a good measure of despair thrown in, until the ALBA party broke from cover last week and resurrected the prospect of Scottish Independence. And now here I am, suddenly cheering for the SNP to romp to victory in the Constituency seats!
All thanks to Mr Alex Salmond; the remarkable man who can lead the SNP to emphatic victory when he isn’t even in the SNP.
Quite extraordinary when you think about it…
Breeks says:
“All thanks to Mr Alex Salmond; the remarkable man who can lead the SNP to emphatic victory when he isn’t even in the SNP.
Quite extraordinary when you think about it…”
———————
Priceless ……… 🙂
Breeks
Sometimes a single line can capture the mood perfectly.
You just did!
I didn’t watch it but there is a vicious rumour going around that Alex Salmond won last nights debate even though he wasn’t there.
The SNP have a leader in absentia. It is no wonder Queen Nicola despises him. It is no wonder the Yoons tried to destroy him and are still trying to destroy him.
Daddy Smith in the SNP’s Staat’s Organ, Neues Schottland aka The National rants “about the brazen attempt to game our democracy”
I’m really pissed off with this anti Alba, Pro Saint Nicola agenda at the National.
Taken from Wiki
This a clever move for the London based Unionist Parties 3v2
Membership of Smith Commission
The five political parties with representation in the Scottish Parliament were each invited to nominate two representatives to the Commission. Those nominated were:
Maggie Chapman (Scottish Green Party)[7]
Linda Fabiani (Scottish National Party)[7]
Annabel Goldie (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)[8]
Iain Gray (Scottish Labour Party)[7]
Patrick Harvie (Scottish Green Party)[7]
Gregg McClymont (Scottish Labour Party)[2]
Michael Moore (Scottish Liberal Democrats)[8]
Tavish Scott (Scottish Liberal Democrats)[8]
John Swinney (Scottish National Party)[7]
Adam Tomkins (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)[8]
The Herald,its 3 readers and Tom Gordon really scraping the barrel with this pathetic nonsense.
Imagine a supposed ahem,serious,journalist being reduced to this infantile drivel.In the days of real journalists this would be a story for the tea boy as a wind up.
Ian Reid? Lol…you can’t fix stupid.
I am reminded of the holier than thou football commentator who condemned a football player for the ‘provocative’ gesture of pretending to fire a gun after he put a screamer into the corner of the net from a free kick. Of course a perusal of the language used by this commentator over the years would reveal he used phrases such as ‘penalty shoot out’ and the oft used ‘pull the trigger’ referring to a player about to let fly with a shot at goal. Seems that all metaphors are equal but some are more equal than others.
I hear on English owned Radio Clyde that rabid Labour
supporting GMB Union have instructed Scottish Nurses
to reject the Scot Gov’s 4% pay rise.
Recognise that no one no where in the country has been offered or
are hoping to get anything near that offer.
Next the GMB decides to defend the Westminster’s Tory Government’s derisory
and insulting 1% offer? REALLY?
They say the 1% isn’t their final offer so they are good, Scotland bad?
If there are any Nurses reading this or GMB members I think you should join another
Union that does joined up thinking and doesn’t attack your country with spurious charges.
Unbelievable.
Turned on Westminster national broadcaster’s Breakfast news
for a propaganda update.
Audit office telling Scotland you are spending 30% more per head than England
and you just couldn’t survive without England.
If all this endless drivel from Westminster fails to make you feel inferior and subsequent
then there are always Tanks they can put on the street to persuade you!
Our day is coming and this land will be free of malevolent vermin.
A Bruce…
“Pro Saint Nicola agenda at the National.”
Been that way since the trial. Simple solution, don’t buy/subscribe.
Subservient not subsequent!
Another scare I experienced typing the above was when I typed Scot Gov’s
it automatically replaced Gov’s with Scot Gove’s?
It’s terrifying that weasels name seems to rank as more likely than Gov.
twathater says:
31 March, 2021 at 2:20 am
@ Cynicus 2.11am I was being facetious ….
——
Oh – the irony!
I have almost wet myself laughing at the Yoon Press and Media kissing Sturgeons arse. It is just a matter of time before they turn on her though.
I hear that the first poll with the Alba Party in it will be coming out in 4 days. Anybody heard anything?
Last post today!
Red
So last month it came out that the BBC and other “news” organisations take money from the Foreign Office as part of a secret project to “weaken” Russia.
That’s a massive story that must be spread and highlighted.
Would it be possible under freedom of information to find out and exact sum given
out by Westminster and to what recipients?
Would the money show on the BBC’s Accounts and be called what?
Russia Dirty Tricks Propaganda Payment?
Could we see another account under Scotland Bad top up fee?
The chains of the U.K. media are growing and tightening around Scotland’s neck every day!
Mikel from the Basque country , you are most welcome here.
Enjoy the Revs articles – they are far , far more accurate than anything you will find in the mainstream media.
And the folk below the line help with the cut and thrust of argument – (am I allowed to say that?)
Didn’t watch the ‘leaders’ debate – there was a leader missing as far as I’m concerned – sorry for any of you who bothered when a quick precis is all that is needed.
Clavie- From what I heard about the debate. Sturgeon looked tired and not just physically. Out of ideas , stale and seeing out time. I honestly don’t think she will be there much longer after the election.
@TheItalianJob 30 March, 2021 at 10:12 pm
Nobody HAS to pay the licence fee because nobody HAS to own a TV or similar device.
If you can’t conceive of a life without TV, that’s fine, but lots of people can, and they don’t have to pay the licence fee.
This is not a complicated subject. If you disagree with something, then don’t fund it. It’s a small sacrifice to make, and millions of people throughout history would laugh in your face if you tried to convince them of your suffering.
It’s a terrible state of affairs.
Walter the softie and his chums have taken over the asylum.
When did openly acting like a weasel becoming a thing?
For all the snivelling little weedy pansies reading these posts.
You need to grow a set and Man the feck up!
Maybe Trump wasn’t so bad after all.
The headline on today’s Mail is “Sturgeon on the Rack”, perhaps someone should report this to the police for inciting the deployment of Tudor torture techniques on the first minister, alternatively maybe we could use our common sense
Effigy
They certainly are. And if we get independence that same corrupt unionist media will still be in place agitating, determined to destabilize our country, that is something that will needed to be sorted out ASAP.
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
link to barrheadboy.com
Graham Harris Graham was an occasional commenter btl on WOS.
RIP.
link to thecourier.co.uk
Martin Keatings is now looking to stand as an independent candidate in that same region, so potential to split 2nd votes with no pooling of votes between Alba and him.
As I understand it he’s standing on the constituency not the list, so head to head with Shirley Anne Somerville. Potential for the independence movement to, er…I was going to say take a scalp but would hate to be accused of literally suggesting a barbaric practice. I can’t think of another good metaphor sadly so will just say it’ll be interesting for people in Fife to have that choice.
Exactly 100 years ago, in 1921, was the final year in which Wimbledon held the Challenge Round. This was the actual final – in which the previous year’s Champion, who had been given a bye until this round, took-on the winner from the actual entrants that year.
Maybe the BBC, those guardians of the Championship, are going to re-institute the Challenge Round this year – between the winner of their Scottish Political Leaders Debates and the reigning Champion of Scottish Politics – Mr Alexander Salmond of the ALBA Party.
Certainly, last night, it seemed as if Snow White was out of the cottage, as the five dwarves: Blinky, Blue Dopey, Red Dopey, Willie Dopey and Bashful squabbled among themselves. They looked as if they needed the grown-up to return and keep them in line.
“A Person says:
31 March, 2021 at 8:37 am
The headline on today’s Mail is “Sturgeon on the Rack”, perhaps someone should report this to the police for inciting the deployment of Tudor torture techniques on the first minister, alternatively maybe we could use our common sense”
================================================================================================================
Why is she being tortured on a medieval torturer device by her English/ Britisher Allies? Please explain the content of a rag that historically would have approved of the Gestapo?????
I keep wishing the folk at Butterstone School well in their campaign. They are on the Holyrood hamster-wheel: you write to them and they don’t respond; you write to their lawyers and they don’t respond either. You never know who Holyrood lawyers work for and that’s a big problem. I am represented at Holyrood by the excellent MSP from Dumbarton and I have been on the hamster-wheel for 7-years and that, for me, is as good a measure as any of how crap Holyrood is.
Anyway, I contacted the excellent ‘public interest’ lawyers from Edinburgh; they have been in the news recently. That was a fornight ago and already we have progress. The safety of my school has now been checked by one of the most reputable engineering firms in the country. Somehow, I don’t think it will be long until we have an answer. Even better news: they have been given all of the information with nothing redacted, no items removed and nothing hidden. Just like it was in the old-days then when we lived in a decent and law-abiding country.
Believe me, Holyrood and their lawyers have been dreadful. I think it is the ambition of all of them to die of old-age before they get round to sorting-out this thorny problem. Unfortunately for them, that’s not the way the public see it. They may think that their lives have been put needlessly at risk these past five years and something should be done about that. Parents and teachers can be difficult, especially when they have a common complaint about something or someone and especially when they are right to complain.
Interestingly enough, my case has been taken forward more than anything by the efforts of a blogger (not WoS). A smart guy who has posted-up all of the unanswered letter so that the teachers and parents at the school can see what has been going-on – or what has not been going-on. They are no doubt asking their representatives: what the f*** are you doing about this?
Anyway, it should all be over soon.
It might serve the people of Scotland better if our ‘wonderful ‘ media gave information on the state of our country rather than giving us the sulky pouting and faux outrage drivel.
I recommend Iain Lawson to you all and for those who indulge in Facebook and Twitter pass it on.
The Englishification goes on by English Tory gashes. Can I say that?
link to news.stv.tv
Effigy, The pay rise of at least 4% to the NHS has been thrown out there as in my view a bribe. It will be an ongoing cost unlike the £500 given out late last year and I haven’t seen any real costing about it. While most would agree with lower paid NHS workers having decent pay rises you also have to accept that others in different sectors will see this and expect similar treatment in % terms. It has to be paid for so where will there be cuts?
@ Cath
I saw some folk suggesting he go up against SAS in the constituency which may be a development, but I took it he was standing in the Mid Scot & Fife Region from this tweet.
link to twitter.com
@ BDtt
Aye, t’was very sad to hear about Graham. I mentioned his passing btl a couple of days back but wasn’t sure what had happened. Such a loss in so many ways.
I’ll again link to his site for those that may wish to scroll through the amazing gallery of his pictures. But stress that I don’t know if purchasing through the site is wise at this point in time in case it was Graham himself that dealt with the process.
link to ghgraham.com
Effigy says: ……
The thing about the NHS pay review in England is that it is “an independent” review panel.
So one side says they can only afford 1% meanwhile the other side says we want 12% .
The review panel judge the case for a pay rise and make their recommendations.
Meanwhile in Scotland Nicola has announced a 4% pay rise . This is better than the 1% offered by the “English” government but nowhere near the 12% that the nursing unions want.
The other thing to note that this is a lift to the pay bands and is the minimum rise that will be given . Incremental step awards will also be given to those who qualify.
GMB are right to say don’t accept if the English review comes back at say 6%.
Still we could try to (redacted) the head of GMB
@Brian Doonthetoon,
That`s sad news about Graham Harris Graham,
i`m sure i met him at the gallery in Culross a couple of years ago, not knowing he was a poster on Wings,
another Scot gone not seeing his country free,
fricken tragedy,
RIP Graham.
link to twitter.com
OH dear. That wasn’t very nice. Humza ?
“robbo says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:31 am
link to twitter.com
OH dear. That wasn’t very nice. Humza ?”
====================================================================================================================
The Greens are touchy. Party of snowflakes obviously. Can I say that?
Taking the moral high ground will divide Alba like it divided the snp.
Demanding people vote your way or else and calling them conspiracy theorists is not a good look. Your obsession on a single issue will be your downfall.
Global political issues are dominant and far more important.
You can’t return to a europe who don’t want you.
Cheers Dan – you’re right, my mistake. He’s standing on the list. Urging SNP1
link to mobile.twitter.com
@ Clavie Cheil says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:14 am
Anything that Lord McConnel advocates or supports for Scotland we knew will be detrimental to Scotland and the Scottish people.
He’s been well rewarded for his loyalty to the British Establishment.
He can go and take a running jump.
It’s a funny thing but my posts to this site are regularly deleted, simply for politely asking if anyone could try to provide details of how Scotland would function as an independent country outside of the UK. Those of my posts which do succeed in overcoming an apparently haphazard process of moderation are met with by any number of non – answers, some lengthy, some less so, but all of which amount to the same thing, that being no one has any answers.
I am, therefore, grateful to Ms Phillipa Whiteford MP for explaining that mere details such as currency, debt, deficit, borders, lender of last resort, central bank, trade, EU membership and all manner of mandatory state apparatus are of no significance when one is blessed with infinite quantities of rain and wind.
Can I assume that the majority of readers here are of a similar mind?
@Dorothy Devine says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:10 am
Thanks Dorothy. I saved the Ian Lawson home page and will be following his blogs with interest.
Once the shackles of Westminster are released we can join all the other successful countries in recent years who have gone on to be successful Independent countries.
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:54 am
It’s a funny thing but my posts to this site are regularly deleted, simply for politely asking if anyone could try to provide details of how Scotland would function as an independent country outside of the UK. Those of my posts which do succeed in overcoming an apparently haphazard process of moderation are met with by any number of non – answers, some lengthy, some less so, but all of which amount to the same thing, that being no one has any answers.
I am, therefore, grateful to Ms Phillipa Whiteford MP for explaining that mere details such as currency, debt, deficit, borders, lender of last resort, central bank, trade, EU membership and all manner of mandatory state apparatus are of no significance when one is blessed with infinite quantities of rain and wind.
Can I assume that the majority of readers here are of a similar mind?
————-
Never seen any of your posts on it to be fair. Maybe because you haven’t made any on those points under that name?
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:54 am
some of us don’t care -we just want to be a normal sovereign country with only ourselves to blame if the shit hits the fan. We don’t want to live with an abusive parent any longer.
Scottish NHS already pays a higher wage that NHS England.
England stopped bursaries for Nurses in training while we support them and
give them free University places, if they want them.
We haven’t chased away any NHS works from the EU as indeed
England’s Brexit did.
We don’t impose fees of £1,200 for a temporary work permit for Doctors and
Nurses from other foreign nations.
We never came up with the cap on Nurses pay during Tory Austerity that delivered a 14.5% cut in their pay due to inflation.
We don’t want to privatise the NHS but England has so far managed to
offload around 8% of its work to the private sector.
The English Pay Review Board will award just what Boris dictates to them.
Their own nice gravy train can come with nice pay rises for the few and maybe
even a hint of a Betty Gong or Ermine robe down the line.
I doubt Boris will tell them match or trump Scotland’s offer as there are no Westminster elections due
and even if there was he gets very few seats in Scotland that he doesn’t need them.
I think 3% will do with the media in his pocket the Triple Pay Rise headline will be dashed across every front page.
That’s a Tenner a week for many nurses and after the new tax rates they could take home as much
as £6.50. It might just about cover their increased Council Tax payment and the Gas & Electricity
price hikes. But nothing left for the increase in their English Hospital Staff parking charges.
Tell me again GMB where Scotland got it all wrong.
Funny how many Tories complain to me about how Westminster subsidies (ha ha believe that if you will) Scotland.
My reply to them is to lobby your Tory MP to support a bill for Westminster to release Scotland from the Union and all should be well. Funny how they then shut up and don’t know what to say.
A S
Scotland would succeed the same way all other small countries do including Iceland pop 400,000.
If that fact has to be explained to you then you are either a rabid unionist or not very bright.
@WeeChid says:
31 March, 2021 at 10:00 am
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021
Absolutely WeeChid. We can raise and spend our own revenues rather than as we do now and give it all to the U.K. Treasury and get a small amount back as a handout.
If the economy is going well or isn’t so good then Scotland as an Independent Country is accountable in full and we will solve our own issues rather than the mess we have at the moment with next to no financial clout on how we spend ALL of our revenues we raise and give to the U.K. Treasury.
ALBA incurs the wrath of the Traniban:
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:54 am
It’s a funny thing but my posts to this site are regularly deleted,
Well, when Scotland leaves the Union, the rUK will be surviving on Mr Johnson’s wind and very little more:-)
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:54 am
https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/cvT9HaXZRkedaV7OlA43Yg–~C/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9MTcwO3E9ODA7dz0xMjA-/https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP.AyyAg0UyiBnOl5kKWkSrGAAAAA&w=120&h=170&c=8&rs=1&qlt=80&pid=3.1
As anyone can see from the answers to my most recent post today at 09.54 not only does no one seem to have any idea how a notionally independent Scotland would function outside of the UK, no one even seems to care!
@Arch Stanton says: 31 March, 2021 at 9:54 am
You see my friend there are two kinds of Wings posters in this world, there are those who have their questions answered at once and there are those who dig. You dig ;p
It is clear that the sheer number and complexity of the questions I raise present an insurmountable challenge to all concerned, therefore I will try to break this down a little.
What currency would be used by an independent Scotland outside of the UK?
Remember the British Establishment needs Scotland they will degenerate it say it will never survive on its own despite scores of small countries now independent since the break up of the Soviet Union and doing very well thank you.
@ Arch Stanton
Perhaps you would like to tell us why Scotland is uniquely amongst all nations in the world unable to run our own affairs ?
Mark Boyle
Refreshing to encounter someone of such intelligence Tuco..?
“If you can’t conceive of a life without TV, that’s fine, but lots of people can…”
It’s true. I’ve actually met one of them. He was a survivalist, used to collect rainwater in big tubs in his garden. I made a joke about it — something about saving rainwater for a rainy day — and within a week he moved to Penicuik. He took the big tubs with him.
Sorry for so much posting today but you can push on past if it’s too much.
On Scotland’s currency options, are we not declared to be equal partners in the U.K.?
Why wouldn’t we use the U.K. bank when we leave?
It’s ours as much as theirs.
When Ireland broke free they used the pound.
Egypt used the pound even Syria.
That rock that the English stole over in Spain uses the pound.
We have all options open to us.
Our own currency, the Euro and if a host of Caribbean nations
link to the Dollar I think it wouldn’t be a crime if we did.
Did you ever reject a holiday or buy goods from a country as you didn’t like the
name of their currency?
Estonia has very little to offer in comparison but it’s economy has boomed dramatically
since being freed of Russian rule.
Norway as one of the wealthiest of nations should be on a par with Scotland
but we have even better resources than them.
Have they ever regretted breaking away from Swedish rule.
Ireland doesn’t have our resources but look at the powers they have in the EU.
They had the Celtic Tiger boom and then handled the global crash very much
better than Westminster.
We are in a better position than most EU nations and all of them are surviving
and all of them have debts.
The constant life time long drip, drip, drip of propaganda telling Scots we are inferior
is totally absurd. I and my country are an equal to any people or any nation.
Get off your knees and see the reality before you!
Balaaargh,
Why are you encouraging people to get the vaccine jag? You do realise the four nations of the U.K. removed Covid 19 from their pandemic register on the 19th March 2020 (4 days before the first lockdown) because if it’s ‘low mortality rate, I will say that again….its ‘low mortality’ rate.
Fishy Wullie,
I didn’t say it isn’t. I’m just asking how?
GHG was an excellent poster on here and so sad that he has passed away. I spoke with him just after his move to Culross outside his gallery and he was a very affable fellow as well as a fine photographer.
The cause will miss him.
If I see one more simping incel on Twitter rushing to find an excuse to White Knight Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens this morning, I will scream.
Classic Blonde White Woman Syndrome at its worst.
I remember the days when The Herald used to be a decent newspaper with very good investigative journalists .
My ! How the mighty have fallen into the useless newspaper that The Herald has become nowadays .
Arch Stanton
I don’t know if you are aware, but the very author of this blog produced the Wee Blue Book answering all of your questions in great detail. I suggest you read it.
Alternatively, you could continue to troll the comments section wondering why your posts are deleted.
@Arch Stanton
Too wee NO Too Stupid We see you AS Too Poor Hahahaha
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 10:18 am
Fishy Wullie,
I didn’t say it isn’t. I’m just asking how?
—————————————————————-
Well if you’re not saying it isn’t then your asking a stupid question
@Arch Plankton
W e e B l u e B o o k.
U N D E R S T A N D?
Archie – What currency would be used by an independent Scotland outside of the UK?
Scotland can use any currency it wants, be it pounds sterling, the Euro, the US dollar, the Japanese Yen, Bitcoin, ginger bottles, gold, IOUs, 1980’s Panini stickers of Maurice Malpas.
But the plan that’s most compatible with democratic self governance is to reestablish a Pound Scots.
Interestingly, Bitcoin was launched basically at zero cost (no central bank, no physical assets) and there are now $700m worth of them in circulation.
@Arch Stanton 9.54 am
I doubt very much that’s true Arch: Rev. Stu is if anything too tolerant of people who come on here with a view to troll or simply divert threads with pointless whataboutery, as the late unlamented Cameron Brodie’s input attests all too well.
Few if any states have ever become independent after having to prove that they are capable of doing so, or of convincing their own people that every i will be dotted and every t crossed. The insistence from britnats and domestic yoons that we guarantee things will be better and show our workings, is just a distraction technique on the part of those who are mostly very unlikely ever to support independence.
Anyone who thinks now that Scotland is uniquely incapable of making a go of independence is making a priori assumptions. You’re already assuming that nations like the Baltic states and former. Yugoslav republics, with few of our advantages, are somehow better equipped than Scots to prosper as independent states. Slovenes and Estonians didn’t decide to give up because they thought their debts would be unmanageable or their currency questions weren’t asked.
Do you really think we aren’t capable of establishing a central bank? Will our trade suddenly stop the day after independence? It’s not that your questions aren’t important, it’s just that most unionists asking for the evidence of how we can function are not really sincere in being persuadable. That’s not a criticism per se: I’d still vote for independence if it made me worse off financially. Many people wouldn’t of course, and that’s their right. I steadfastly believe however that in the medium to long term we would be better off financially and be better governed as an independent state.
Like many, I think the risks are outweighed by the potential benefits. Of course I can’t prove that, anymore than you can prove the counter factual. You can assert that the risks of independence outweigh the benefits of the union, but you can’t prove it either. We can however point out that 300 years of being in the union hasn’t resulted in the kind of society many Scots want to see. If the case for the union was that strong, we’d hardly be where we are today would we?
You may put yourself forward as being persuadable, but in the end you come across as just another yoon who in his heart of heart believes the “too wee, too poor, too stupid” trope, but lacks the intellectual honesty to say it out loud. To paraphrase Derek Bateman in his preface to the wee blue book I believe, such people are not Scottish in any meaningful sense, they are British because they prioritise that nationalism over Scottish nationalism. The trouble for them is that as we’ve seen in recent years, the vast majority of British nationalists regard themselves as English first, or simply assume that English and British are one and the same. To them, and to most Scots unionists if they’re being honest, Scotland is just North Britain: a glorified county like Yorkshire with a more colourful history.
If the cap fits I always think folk should wear it.
Effigy says:
31 March, 2021 at 10:17 am
Sorry for so much posting today but you can push on past if it’s too much.
The constant life time long drip, drip, drip of propaganda telling Scots we are inferior
is totally absurd. I and my country are an equal to any people or any nation.
____-
The way I read most of your posts is that you have fallen for the “propaganda” and feel inferior because most if not all seem to rail against the English.
Now it could be that I am mis-reading your posts and I would accept that as I may have had a different exposure to the “propaganda” .
In my reading all your positives about Scotland denigrate the English.
Try a post without mentioning them.
@Arch Stanton,
Try this.
From 1765 to 1938 Britain drained the equivalent of £20 trillion (yes trillion pounds) from India alone.
Get every year India was found to have a financial deficit.
It’s how the Westminster cabal roll. Pick your pocket and make you thank them for the deed.
Scotland will survive just fine.
GMB providing BritNat EssEnnPeeBaaad, Scotland shite to order as per usual @Effigy says 31 at 7:50 am
GMB can advise nurses in the same way they can advise airline pilots and it having the same effect.
Absolutely fuck all.
Nurses Union is RCN = Royal College of Nursing
Midwifes Union is RCM = Royal. College of Midwifes
Pilots Union is BALPA = The British Airline Pilots’ Association
GMB = British Labour propaganda mouthpiece, Richard Leonard was GMB Rep who advised GCC to refuse equal pay for women and his wife is a Regional Convener with the GMB.
Plantation Quay have GMB on speed dial for this kind of thing.
Effigy 31 March, 2021 at 10:17 am
You wrote: “On Scotland’s currency options, are we not declared to be equal partners in the U.K.?
… You are whilst you are in the UK – not when you are not..
and “Why wouldn’t we use the U.K. bank when we leave?
It’s ours as much as theirs.”
… No it isnt. The international community would have to take into account that you do not have your own currency or monetary policy in their financial dealings with Scotland – good or bad.
and “When Ireland broke free they used the pound.”
…They did. A long time ago, pre Euro
“Egypt used the pound even Syria.”
Yep … they are doing great.
That rock that the English stole over in Spain uses the pound.”
… Its a British Overseas dependency???
and “We have all options open to us.”
… and none of them particularly attractive or helpful.
and “Our own currency, the Euro and if a host of Caribbean nations link to the Dollar I think it wouldn’t be a crime if we did.”
… and what is the financial world’s perception of the financial status of such caribbean nations?
… you could, but it isnt very “Indpendent” is it.
Dont get me wrong Effigy, I have no issue with Scotland becoming an Independent country if that is what the majority of Scots want when they know the facts. It is though somewhat indicative of the problem that you are asking those questions – and have no policy answers.
It strikes me that the strategy that could be attractive is to move straight from UK membership to EU membership – but that might take a while.
Jockanese Wind Talker says:
31 March, 2021 at 10:41 am
GMB providing BritNat EssEnnPeeBaaad, Scotland shite to order as per usual.
Richard Leonard- who is he?
Is it him on right? link to gph.is
@Andy Ellis says:
31 March, 2021 at 10:33 am
@Arch Stanton 9.54 am
Very concise and accurate summary of what and Independent country is all about.
The following para is spot on in your summary. Excellent.
“Few if any states have ever become independent after having to prove that they are capable of doing so, or of convincing their own people that every i will be dotted and every t crossed.“
Arch Stanton at 09:54
You pose the question how will Scotland survive outside of the UK and complain that nobody has answered you. The problem is that if you ask a question that would take thousands of pages to answer in full, then you are unlikely to get a meaningful answer. But to give you my personal quick answer, we have a good understanding of how many aspects of an independent Scotland would function, but it is true that some things would need to be worked out. That does not mean that Scottish people, uniquely in the world, would be unable to work these points out.
Let me throw a question back at you – do you doubt our ability to resolve these issues? And if so, why? Indulge me and answer another – how will England function in a post-UK world? At least in Scotland we have figured out a lot of the answers – have the English? Remember that the institutions of the state, e.g. the Bank of England, as well as the currency are shared with Scotland.
Your answer should not exceed 200 words.
robertknight @ 07:59
I gave up subscribing over a year ago, due to the direction in which the paper was going, but you could still comment on articles until yesterday. Now they’ve closed that off and comments are only open to subscribers. I was getting a bit pissed of anyway accused of being a yoon most days, although I’ve been an independence supporter for 50 years.
And all countries that have become Independent in the last 20++ years especially those with small populations like Scotland are doing very well.
@Arch Stanton says: 31 March, 2021 at 10:17 am
I think your choosing of an alias shared by one of those from the trolls favourite webshite Pie & Bovril hasn’t helped your case – not the first from that quarter to have come over here looking for “bites” like fking remedial cases.
As others have said, the Wee Blue Book does all the work for you.
As for Tuco, maybe he was smarter than he seemed, since according to the later books after adventures with the Mexican Army he becomes a mayor in California, whilst The Man With No Name, after helping Tuco one last time, disappears off into the Canadian wilderness. 😉
The Accountancy Trick that hides Scotland’s wealth.
link to businessforscotland.com
There seems to be a persistent misunderstanding, based on an apparently instinctively defensive response to being asked questions to which there appear to be no answers. I do not seek to assert or imply that Scotland could not be an independent country or to suggest that any proof is required we could do so.
I merely ask the questions any reasonable, rational or responsible person would ask, when being asked to consider embarking on such a monumental constitutional change. So again, to make it easier for you all, what currency would we propose to use and how do we intend to finance our debt and deficit as an independent country outside of the UK?
You misunderstand me Mark Boyle and I have never even heard of the site to which you refer,let alone seek to borrow an alias from such a site.
Lots of responses here and even more deflection but still no attempts to answer.
Why is that?
Effigy – Ireland doesn’t have our resources but look at the powers they have in the EU.
They had the Celtic Tiger boom and then handled the global crash very much
better than Westminster.
No, they handled it a lot worse.
The Council of Ministers got together and the Irish were forced to accept a “bailout” package which cost the Irish taxpayer over €40Bn by 2019 including an additional €1.1Bn a year spent on servicing the debt. Allowing bankers to eat their own losses wasn’t an option – they were told by Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB to accept punitive measures or be expelled from the Eurozone.
As a result, Ireland was plunged into years of full-blown austerity to a degree that would’ve caused rioting in the streets had the Tories tried it here. Savage cuts and sackings, and a roll back of public sector services that looked like Thatcher on steroids. It caused enormous youth unemployment and a wave of emigration.
The UK did better, because the Bank of England was able to quantitively ease away a lot of the pain into devaluation rather than budget cuts and job losses.
Iceland just let the banks fail, because they couldn’t afford to bail them out. That was painful in the short term, but long term they’re in a better position than either Ireland or the UK.
Unfortunately the policy responses to Covid seem likely to be a lot more painful than the ~2008 financial crisis ever was. Western economies are drowning in debt, have nowhere else to go after bringing in the lowest interest rates in history, and still won’t abandon plans to radically “decarbonise” the economy, which will cost us trillions we don’t have while making no difference whatsoever to global weather patterns.
There may be trouble ahead.
link to taxresearch.org.uk
@Arch Stanton
The successful independent small nations are working as they are not part of western civilisation. That is why they are doing well.
Scotland is part of a civilisation that is in economic and political decline. Europe, America and the UK are shrinking economies and can mot compete with the east.
We can barely maintain our populations due to declining fertility levels and women refusing to breed.
How will independence halt the decline of the west? That is the question they refuse to answer.
Dateline 2030.
Today Pete Wishart tells our news team that this is the sixth time the Tories have fought an election with “no” to Indyref.
“The next time will be different.” Said a defiant Wishart.
George Osborne view of Scotland is not colonial but one of Slavery.
link to taxresearch.org.uk
robbo says:
31 March, 2021 at 9:31 am
link to twitter.com
OH dear. That wasn’t very nice. Humza ?
Reply What wasn’t very nice? Most of us her are banned from this pathetic mans page.
Can you elaborate?
Would it be fair to say that the difference between Independence supporters and Unionist is one of faith.
Independence supporters have faith in the people of Scotland
Unionists do not hence the type of questions posed by Arch Stanton.
It’s very sad & insulting!
Arch Stanton,
“Ships? I see no ships”
You are not looking for answers so it would be no surprise that you find none.
What currency would be used by an independent Scotland outside of the UK?
Arch Stanton,
To answer one of your questions, the currency we will be using the day after independence will 100% be the £ Sterling.
I have a question for Sensible Dave & Arch Stanton.
Do you know why the English electorate are so keen to keep Scotland in the Union?
Arch Stanton says: 10:14 AM
What currency would be used by an independent Scotland outside of the UK?
Reply
Whatever currency they decide upon. If you have the goods to sell countries will buy. Currency is not a problem.
@ Arch Stanton 10.56am
I notice you didn’t address any of the points in my reply Arch: why’s that I wonder? One might almost think it’s because you have no real answers?
In relation to currency, I don’t really care. What does it matter? We set up a central bank, have our own currency and deal with it. It seems implausible that the sky will fall down here any more than it did in any other state which has done so in history.
As to debt, that has to be negotiated so we don’t know what the figure will be. It might be zero, as legally and historically “seceding” states are not obliged to assume any liability for debts they didn’t occur. Westminster was quick to reassure international markets that they stood behind true UKs debt when it looked like we might vote Yes in 2014: they can’t do any less now. The Irish negotiated a share of UK debt in the 1920’s, but it was never collected in return for them accepting the gerrymandering of the border with Northern Ireland.
As others more knowledgeable than me about the dismal science, current performance and GERS figures tell us precisely nothing about what the situation will be at independence and thereafter. Until we know what share of UK assets we get, if we assume any of the UK debts, and what different taxes a Scottish government raised and what spending rises or cuts it will make, we can’t predict what the balance sheet would be.
I can however identify £2 billion pounds per annum of savings just on defence. Doubtless there are other similar changes in UK imposed spending we can make. Doubtless you’re going to assure us we have a fiscal black hole of galactic proportions right about now, huh?
Stun us with another!
Arch isn’t asking questions to get answers he’s asking questions to be offensive, that’s the point, the questions are offensive like asking why black people should be allowed to sit on the same bus as white people, his questions imply that Scots are somehow inferior to other people,
He/she’s a troll ignore
Considering how much it is believed that Scotland costs the English taxpayers these English football fans make more sense then those fighting with ever fibre of their being to keep Scotland in the Union.
link to tinyurl.com
@ Ian Murray at 7.30: “SNP nominated members on the Smith Commission…Fabiani and Swinney”.
Oh what a missed opportunity. Just imagine if the party had nominated Alex Salmond? What a different outcome there would have been fun.
It makes one wonder why Alex wasn’t nominated…
WeeChid and Italian Job, I echo those sentiments.
I want my country to deal with the crap things , celebrate the good things and look after all those who choose Scotland as home from the old to the young , the poor to the rich , the feckless to the competent.
I want it to recognise that honesty , integrity and compassion are worthy components of good government – I want rid of the spite and shite.
A country which can look itself in the eye with pride and which welcomes others in need.
I would have let the paper print what that nipple was saying, make a fool of him, and make a fool of the said paper.
The truth always wins in the end
I think this concise and accurate Breeks statement (at 5:52 am) of the change in the political situation is brilliant:
“ All thanks to Mr Alex Salmond; the remarkable man who can lead the SNP to emphatic victory when he isn’t even in the SNP.
Quite extraordinary when you think about it…”
Gordon Strachan the ex/celtic manager was very wary of the press and was careful in what he said, he new they liked to twist his words into a juicy story.
At the end of one of his meetings with the press, he stood up and began to walk away, gordon a voice cried out, can I have a quick work.
Certainly gordon said… Velocity lol
And all the naysayers on Scottish Independence are at this ilk.
Jim Hood Labour MP
In February 2014, Hood outlined his opposition to Scottish independence in a commons debate, stating “Even if the SNP was right and there was a grand, great thing at the end of the rainbow for the SNP and its debate for independence, I would still be against it. If the Scottish people are going to be better off economically and so on, I would still be against breaking away from the Union”
We wonder why we don’t vote Labour!
A countries currency is its wealth and its people, that’s what decides its worth, anything else is just a load of bulshit to confuse the stupid
John Martini (shaken), says:
We can barely maintain our populations due to declining fertility levels and women refusing to breed.
How will independence halt the decline of the west? That is the question they refuse to answer.
I dunno if asking women to “breed” is going to convince them to winch you, but it’s true that the entire developed world is facing a terrible fertility crisis.
Not just the West – Japan, Korea, and even China aren’t having enough babies. Something about modern urban life is killing us slowly.
Scottish independence won’t solve a global demographic catastrophe, seems daft to expect it to, but the status quo clearly isn’t “working”. So let’s try something different.
But are you a citizen, or a mere civilian?
A citizen accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic, of which he is a member, defending it, if need be, with his life. The civilian does not.
And here is Jim Hood in all his glory in the House of Commons in 2014.
link to youtube.com
I visit a lot of unionist sites as David Caledonia, on a site yesterday I was pulled up by an eejit
He said, I have never had a vaccine jab in my life and I am perfectly healthy.
Just a few days before a young woman had died of covid, she was 8 months pregnant, the baby was delivered but she died.
Her young husband was devastated, I must admit I had a little cry to myself about what had happened to this young family.
Ask that young man about the covid vaccine, and I am 100 percent sure, he would say, I wish my wife had been one of the one’s who had got it, ofc her age group would have got it eventually, but alas for the poor lady its to late now
I will always remember you little lady with sadness of what a tradgedy life can sometimes be.
The Westminster Establishment has very many scams in place to cheat Scotland and many of them are still well hidden and will only become common knowledge after Scotland has full independence.
However, the way that export/import figures are accounted by the Westminster Robber Barons is one that is known.
They account as a United Kingdom country’s exports not as from where the product originates but from where it leaves the United Kingdom.
Thus the most obvious result of this Creative Accounting can be seen in the export of, “Scotch”, Whisky. The largest by far exporters of, “Scotch”, are without doubt, “Diagio”, who have their head office in London. Diagio exports this produce of Scotland from English ports and airports and it is thus accounted by Westminster as being an English Export.
What is not so well known is that over 70% of the Gin exported from the United Kingdom is also produced in Scotland and is also mainly exported via English ports & airports. The very same happens with the United Kingdoms soft fruit exports that mainly come from Scottish Fruit growers and many engineering products are accounted in the same manner.
Then there is the fact that as these companies doing the exporting via England are also registered with London Head Offices and thus their taxation, and that of their shareholders, is accounted as being from England when Westminster cooks its books.
No one can ever hope to disentangle this creative accounting until after a Scottish parliament is up and running Scotland.
Likewise the way that oil & gas revenues are accounted with Westminster classing these revenues as from, “Extraregio”, Territory. The definition of the term, “Extraregio”, is defined as, “Territory unable to be assigned to any particular region”, but geographically over 98% of the oil & gas revenues come from what is undoubtedly Scottish Territorial Waters but Westminster, while grabbing the entire revenues, only accounts Scotland with raising only 8.4% of the revenue on a population basis and that only for use in compiling other false accountancy statistics. In practice Scotland gets not a single penny of oil & gas revenue.
Scotland’s only revenue comes via the Block Grant that is only calculated by the use of the Barnett Formula and, of course, from 2017 onwards from the very much less important direct Income Tax that began that year – and that was also a trap that Westminster set-up in the hope that Scotland would fail to show it has used the powers properly.
It would appear that the latest excuse for not answering my most basic of questions on how Scotland would function outside of the UK is that I don’t really want answers and that I am nothing but a troll.
Wouldn’t it just be easier to answer, or at least attempt to answer, at least one of the questions?
It appears to me there is not a single proponent of Scottish separation from the UK who has the merest inkling of what that means, but, even more disturbingly, there appears to be no such proponent who even cares!
I refuse to believe so many people could possibly be considering voting for something they neither understand or have any interest in understanding and continue to hold out hope that someone, somewhere, can answer these important questions?
I used to deal in forex with a little success, but eventually I stopped as I found it so frustrating, you have your strategy all worked out, it cannot fail, then some bloody bad news comes along just as you pressed the button to deal
Whacko, all your gains gone, its not for the faint hearted or the down at heal, I was neither, but I found another way to earn a few shillings, and it never fails, like dipping your hand into your own pot of gold.
I never reveal what I do to anyone, apart from my sons, and they just seem to be to lazy to do it, well, they have me with my pot of gold lol.
I just like to put little stories up here to get other topics looked at, I am a curious bugger, always have been, that will never stop till the day I snuff it, my only problem is I get bored very easily, so I hardly read any of the comments, I just get the gist of what’s going down and that does me, lot of good people on here, and some who are quite obviously just trouble makers, but hey, it takes all sorts, and if you can’t get allsorts try a tube of smarties, mmmmmm love them
Arch,
You have just shown that you haven’t read any of the replies to your questions proving my earlier comment.
You sound exactly like Nick Robinson telling everyone that Alex Salmond didn’t answer his question after they all watched Alex answer his questions.
0/10 for effort, run along now.
Don’t bother answering that guy above me, he obviously is not aware he is an eejit
Not you breastplate lol
Where are the answers?
Please explain where anyone has ventured even a guess at what our currency will be, who will underwrite it, where central banking reserves will come from, who will act as our lender of last resort, what our border arrangements will be, what our trade arrangements will be…
I could go on but let’s keep it simple.
What currency will be used in an independent Scotland?
David Caledonia:
“…he is an eejit..”
Final answer David?
@Arch Stanton. Your trolling is too obivous, ffs. If you’re doing this on your own behalf then your incompetence is forgiven, but if you’re working for the dark side then they will expect much better if you’re to earn your shilling.
Toddle off, there’s a good chap.
If the FM lost her seat to Sarwar I think it would be likely that the SNP’s NEC would change their rules to allow her to continue to remain as leader.
On that note, it’s interesting in the context of ‘gaming democracy’ accusations that the SNP’s NEC have made so many changes to get the type of candidates elected that pass their social policy ideology. I think the pot is calling the kettle black. I hope Tom Gordon and Ian Reid understand that I do not use that term as a racial slur.
Thank you Tom Gordon. It’s good for Scottish democracy that you have brought to attention a voting strategy to remove Nicola Sturgeon from political life after all.
Because Nicola Sturgeon is the architect of a toxic work place culture where close colleagues are allowed to run riot, ignore the verdicts of judges and jurys and parliamentary inquires – evading accountability for their actions.
Inscribed on the Cannongate Wall are the words of Walter Scott: ‘When we had a king and a chancellor and parliament men o’ our ain, we could aye peeble them wi stanes when they werena gude bairns. But naebody’s nails can reach the length o’ Lunnon.’
Now in the literal meaning the Scottish people should stone there politicians, when they didn’t act in their interests. But I’m sure Walter Scott’s words are more akin to the meaning of the Scottish people being able to hold the government of the day to account.
Just like the post which very clearly implies tactically voting to remove Nicola Sturgeon, because Parliament and the Scottish people have failed to hold her the government of the day to account for their actions or lack of.
I will be voting Alba Party with great pleasure.
Arch Stanton
You’re going too fast. Before you can even start to address the questions you raise, you have to establish axiom 1:
DEFINE INDEPENDENCE
A country with its own ultimate government, economic policy, laws, legal system, constitution, borders, defence policy, international treaties and reciprocal trading agreements. Its politicians answer only to its citizens.
OR
A minor bit-player within the EU, its government rubber-stamping EU directives, its economic policies subject to EU competition law, its laws and legal system subservient to the EU, its borders and defence policy, international treaties and trading agreements set in Brussels.
A lot of commentators BTL here favour the latter answer. One of the things that tickles me is that plenty of people who deride the too wee, too poor, too stupid, trope are in that group. If that doesn’t suggest a lack of confidence in Scotland’s ability to thole independence, what does?
Lyn Hay
So still no answers?
Surely you can speculate, guess, take a stab in the dark…..?
Then again perhaps you would prefer to continue in the same vein as the others here, by exhibiting an astonishing capacity for wilful ignorance and inexplicable absence of curiosity?
Only one ‘n’ in Canongate!
Thank you for a courteous response John Main. The thing is one cannot even apply to become the second option until one has become the first. Yet, despite this, they don’t have the foggiest idea what it is they are proposing in order to achieve the first, let alone the second.
It is like the wilfully blind leading the wilfully blind…
The currency that will be used in iScotland will be the currency the Scottish electorate decide to use.
OK Arch I’ve answered your question how about you answer mine.
“Why are the English electorate so keen to keep Scotland in the Union?”
Do you agree considering how much it is believed that Scotland costs the English taxpayers these English football fans make more sense then those fighting with ever fibre of their being to keep Scotland in the Union.
link to tinyurl.com
So Ruby,
What currency options might be available to us and what would be your personal preference?
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 1:10 pm
So Ruby,
What currency options might be available to us and what would be your personal preference?
Reply
Your turn to answer my question.
See above.
Ruby,
You haven’t answered my question at all. In fact you have just said what everyone else always says, which is “we’ll see”.
As for the English electorate, I’m not at all sure they care if we stay or go, but I find it curious you should seek to deflect from answering on currency options, by asking me to speculate on the sentiments of English voters..
Arch Stanton says:
As for the English electorate, I’m not at all sure they care if we stay or go
Reply
How can you not be sure?
Haven’t you heard what their elected representatives have been saying?
Arch Stanton says:
31 March, 2021 at 1:13 pm
Ruby,
You haven’t answered my question at all.
Reply
Oh yes I did!
@Arch Stanton 1.01pm
Your assertions are no better or worse than anyone else’s. There is no shortage of proposals for what pro indy people would like to see happen on all the areas you outline. Most of us accept that the camping in the currency and economics in 2012-14 was weak, but much of the hysterical Project Fear response was just plain agitprop, so it could hardly be described as a rational response or alternative either. Given subsequent events of course, the unionist claims to be on the side of economic competence and staying inside the EU ring rather hollow now don’t they?
The fact remains the overwhelming majority of Scots still support EU membership. I don’t personally for a variety of reasons (treatment of Greece, Catalonia, neo liberalism etc) but it’s plain I’m very much the minority. As Finland showed membership can be done in 2 years from ground zero. An independent Scotland would probably be welcomed with open arms in less time, if for no other reason just to piss brexiteers off!
Andy, I haven’t made any assertions, I am merely asking a question which no one seems willing or able to answer. An independent Scotland would not even have the right to apply for EU membership until we had a credible and established currency of our own, established borders with our neighbours, a credible plan for reducing debt, a credible plan for deficit reduction and so, so much more.
I doubt that anyone here has lost more than myself from Brexit, or regrets more our departure from the EU, but there is no way back in via independence until and unless my questions are answered, the solutions found and successfully implemented.
Despite what the instinctively defensive here would insist, I am neither a troll or a unionist ideologue. I simply want to see and hear how we would function outside of the U.K. and despite what you say, there is no such detail anywhere.
They’ve been answered Arch, I’ve already answered your currency question and you have ignored it, yet you have the cheek to talk of other people being wilfully blind.
At least, you’re entertaining.
@Arch 1.39 pm
You just come across as disingenuous. Nobody is buying your faux näif “I’m just asking questions, why won’t you answer them!” schtick.
Your questions are largely unanswerable, or only answerable to the extent we can take a punt at what might happen. That’s no different to not being able to guarantee what’s going to happen if we remain in the union. The prospectus we were sold in the Vow and in Project Fear certainly hasn’t come to pass. Would the result have been reversed if the unionist position had been “We’ll take you out of the EU and make your worse off!” do you think?
Either you accept Scotland would be a perfectly viable independent state, or you don’t. There are no guarantees we’d be better or worse off, any more you can guarantee we’re better off if we do nothing. Strange you find that concept hard to grasp and insist on certainty and exactitude when none is available on either path.
The EU is pretty flexible. As we are already outside the EU we will have to reapply, yes. But there is no queue. They’ll be quite happy to welcome Scotland back if that’s what Scots want. The terms will of course be negotiated. Certainly if they can negotiate the UKs exit, they can do the same to admit Scotland. It may take a few years, but examples like Finland show it can be done relatively rapidly. Scotland’s laws and our time in the EU would mean it’s highly unlikely to take us longer than the Finns. If you honestly think setting up a central bank, dealing with debt and deficits are something that the Scots – uniquely in the world – will be unable to do, then I’m afraid you’re simply not arguing in good faith, not indeed would you appear open to reason.
Arch Stanton
I asked similar questions a week or so ago. Like you, I got no sensible replies. However, abuse was plentiful.
I want Independence but will not vote for it if it means a lower standard of living for me and more importantly for my kids and grandkids.
If this makes me a troll in the eyes of some, so be it.
Chas,
I think you mean your world view wasn’t reinforced on this site and this was upsetting for you.
Breastplate
What an idiotic comment. Shut your eyes and your mind and problems simply go away. Is that it?
@Chas 2.16pm
It doesn’t ipso facto make you a troll, but it depends how it’s phrased and debated. You’ll forgive some of us on the other side of the debate for being wary of yoons who insist their open to persuasion- or even in your case apparently just open to being bought.
I’m sure there are many “proud Scots, but…..” types who think as you and Arch do. They want, nay demand, risk free independence. They want a guarantee it won’t leave them worse off. Presumably they’d still feel the same if it could be definitively demonstrated that it would improve the lot of poorer Scots, just on the basis that it adversely affected their pensions or investment or property values?
Given polling evidence it’s overwhelmingly likely your kids and grandkids support independence. The younger generations seem much more positive – or at least sanguine – that the risks of independence are outweighed by the potential benefits or opportunities.
Unlike you, I’d happily see myself being a bit worse off as the price of independence, in much the same way that I’d happily pay more in taxes to ensure a fairer and more equal society. Whether you’re a troll, a libertarian, a political/social/economic conservative or just a 90 minute patriot makes no odds to most of us. If your vision of the future is centred only on demanding it results in you being personally guaranteed a better standard of living, I feel rather sorry for your narrow horizons and selfish “I’m alright Jack” worldview.
Chase, you are the one with your eyes and mind closed, you have been given the pertinent information, examples and different opinions on the things you have asked for. More than enough to make an informed decision.
Perhaps you should also try to understand irony and hypocrisy.
*Chas
Andy Ellis
Naivety can be quite touching in a young kid but not so endearing in an adult. Unless the questions raised are addressed, like the last time, Independence will simply not happen. ‘It will all be fine’ does not wash with the majority of free-thinking Scots.
I dislike being patronised, as do many others and will not vote for the unknown. It is up to the ‘independence parties’ to convince me. I will vote Alba 2 in May but, as it stands, the SNP will not be getting my vote this time around.
I have horizons, you have idealogy.
@Chas
If you post things which are childlike in their naïveté then you will unsurprised feel patronised when others set you straight. Whether you are trolling for the LOLZ or just genuinely ill informed or ill intentioned is interesting but beside the point.
There is no slam dunk answer to your posited queries, only people’s best guesses based on what we think should or could happen. You raging against the machine that you demand certainty and assurances that you won’t be financially disadvantaged is puerile as well as self serving. Even if the independent parties came up with answers to your questions, whether they would convince you is unknowable: nobody sane can guarantee outcomes. That goes for unionists as well as independence supporters. Are you demanding similar assurances from all the unionist parties that they will perform better than if we became independent and rejoined the EU? How do you thing they would demonstrate it, still less “prove” it?
You’re basically saying you’re not convinced by alternatives from the pro indy camp, but you ARE convinced by arguments to stay in the union or by their promised future. Why is that? What makes their predictions more authoritative than ours? Past performance? Really? You think this is the best it gets? What a want of ambition and courage on your part!
The reality is that even if Sturgeon retired from politics and went into business so never even so much as commented on a front page news article again there are so many cronies around her by now and the party careerist machine has such a head of steam it will continue as is for the long term. The party wouldn’t just go away, nor would it suddenly change for the better or worse because of that alone.
Political parties that large and long established are almost like forces of nature and bigger than any one person. In this case the SNP is determined to go right off the political cliff and drag Scotland and independence down with it.
SNP will get voted out. That’s how it works and it will work as we see with the Alba party and no doubt many others who will step up to the task of replacing the old bad with something new to try again.
Andy Ellis
I will sum up your arguments.
What do we want-INDEPENDENCE
When do we want it-NOW
What will we do when we get it-WE DON’T KNOW?
Andy Ellis
“If your vision of the future is centred only on demanding it results in you being personally guaranteed a better standard of living, I feel rather sorry for your narrow horizons and selfish “I’m alright Jack” worldview.”
Good God Andy, you’ve got me bang to rights.
But you know what? I thought that’s how most of the world’s citizens are thinking. I thought improved standard of living is what is driving most people to strive for promotion at work, sacrifice time and freedom for study, emigrate to other countries, aspire to better themselves and improve their kid’s prospects.
I even thought that is what is motivating many of the pro-independence supporters. For every one who demands only Scotland’s right to take its place among the first rank of sovereign nations, there are a hundred focussed on the flow of Scotland’s wealth to the UK exchequer and demanding some of it be re-diverted into their own pockets.
Nobody sensible is demanding a personal guarantee from the future. The lesson of Covid must surely have settled that one for a while. But the undecided are looking for some confidently plausible predictions that things won’t be materially worse for them, and the undecided still have the power to swing any future Scottish Independence vote in either direction.
Kudos to you Andy Ellis, Breastplate and others for responding rationally and patiently to Chas and Arch whether they are trolls or just here for the entertainment
I have posted numerous times on this and other blogs the outrageous abject failure of Sturgeon and the SNP to provide information for the last 6 years that would EDUCATE and inform people whether NO or UNDECIDED to the benefits of independence , but as we are all aware that failure to produce and inform has other reasons
The FACT that it is left to individual supporters of independence to produce evidence to thwart and destroy spurious claims says more about Sturgeon’s belief and commitment to independence
Andy,
You suggest that I come across as disingenuous without any evidence to support such an assertion and then go on to state, without shame, without any sense of irony and without equivocation, that the manner in which Scotland might function as an independent state is an unanswerable mystery which should be of interest to one and that we will just have to take a leap of faith on the basis of no one having a clue what might happen next.
As recommendations for remaining in the UK go, thry simply don’t come any better than that!
Chad 4.50 pm
Absolutely Chas but it is worse than that. Not only don’t they know what independence would mean, they don’t even care. They literally see leaving the U.K.as a a religion, which anyone who doesn’t adhere to is a troll who asks awkward questions,
I’m literally struggling to imagine anything which might make less sense than such a mindset.
Breastplate,
I just noticed that you claim to have answered my question re currency. When, where and what is it then?
Profuse and sincere apologies Breastplate. I see you have stated clearly and unequivocally that on day one of separation from the UK, Scotland will use the Pound Sterling as our currency. What you do not say is if this will be a case of Scotland using the Pound unilaterally, thereby shadowing the actual Pound Sterling, whilst operating without any lender of last resort, or, having been authorised by the UK Government to use Sterling officially and the Bank of England as a lender of last resort, to cede complete control of our monetary policy to a foreign country, with no Scottish influence whatsoever, thereby ruling out any hope of acceding to membership of the EU?
I’m sure you would agree that such a distinction is important and worthy of clarification.
Poor Tom……he is a trier, but never seems to land a blow eh.
Media still worried about you Stu……
Brilliant
.
Just had this very story from the Glasgow Herald pollute my internet feed.
The Herald really isn’t doing itself any favours.
Proper journalists such as Woodword and Bernstein would be all over Sturgeon and have acted in the impeccable evidence that Alex Salmond gave to the Fabiani Inquiry.
Yet Nicola Sturgeon has been the darling of the Unionist press. Very strange.
Cut Bono.
We have no independent national newspaper nor television journalists in Scotland. They are ALL discredited and tarred with the stench way back to the Milly Dowler phone hacking scandal. Either directly or via their network of off-the-record unattributed source ally drinking buddies.
I rarely take pleasure at unemployment, but the sooner these dreadful hacks are either having yo beg Pritti Patel for their Universal Credit benefit or better still a tranche of the contempt-of-courters such as the dick-wad at the Glasgow Herald goes the way of the Downing Street perjurer and ex-prisoner Andrew Edward Coulson the better.
Also good news is the speed with which the putrid Glasgow Herald is headed towards insolvency.
Surely when a “national” newspaper’s circulation fall to less than 30,000 a day with only 22,000 actually paying money for the rag, it’s days are numbered.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the circulation figures showing the inexorable decline of the Glasgow Herald to extinction…
link to statista.com