The soft block
The BBC came in for a spot of criticism this week when its new BBC Scotland channel opted to show some snooker instead of Nicola Sturgeon’s major speech about a new independence referendum. But then things started to get weird.
An alert Wings reader noted that they hadn’t been able to locate any coverage by the state broadcaster of the SNP’s annual conference this weekend either, even though they send live cameras to just about any other party’s gatherings even if they amount to three people in a phone box (hi, Scottish Lib Dems).
The plot swiftly thickened.
There were plenty of links to the Scottish Conservatives 2019 conference, even though it hasn’t actually happened yet:
And for Scottish Labour:
But of the SNP’s 2019 event there was no sign:
The top story was a news piece about an SNP councillor getting suspended at last year’s conference for some sort of kerfuffle, and then there were a couple of links to previous conferences from 2013 and 2011.
The list of results went on and on, still with nothing current.
At this point a lot of people were asking questions, and the Corporation’s reporter Philip Sim stepped in to explain that it was because the search term “Scottish National Party” should have been used instead of “SNP”:
He even included a link to show it worked. Which was fine, except when other people tried the same term, they still got nowhere.
So we had a go ourselves, starting with the iPlayer app, on which our region is set to Scotland. And sure enough, searching for “scottish national party” or “scottish national party conference” both brought up conference coverage for just about every political party in the UK except the SNP:
Just for completeness we tried for anything political with “snp” too. No luck.
The iPlayer website (as opposed to the app) was no better:
By remarkable coincidence, the same thing happened with Plaid Cymru, on both the app and the desktop website:
There were no problems with Unionist parties, though, whether large or small:
So then we went and tried the standard BBC website – on which our location is also set to Scotland – on both an iPad and a PC:
Zero. Yet the same method worked fine for other parties:
This year’s Scottish Labour and Scottish Lib Dem conferences showed up, and some Tory election broadcasts, but nothing from the SNP. And stranger still, adding the word “party” in the search box to “scottish national” actually REMOVED a programme called The Rise Of Scottish Nationalism (see the first two in the block of four pics above).
We’re at a loss to legitimately explain why the BBC website and app seem to be suppressing search results for the main Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties, while enthusiastically pushing results for every Unionist party from the exact same technique. We very much look forward to hearing an explanation.
aye guid luck with that
Not sure I’m understanding, or perhaps I have a magic browser but searched for SNP conference on BBC and got a result
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004w7d
Don’t hold your breath Stuart. This needs thorough in depth investigation – certainly by the SNP.
Important to remember we pay for this service, or lack of! This utterly scandalous. I hope the SNP take the BBC to court over this. The blatant bias aside the BBC looks to be actively silencing a political party. Which is made all the more worse considering that this is the Scottish government here. This could be the chance we’ve been waiting for to finally take them down a peg or three.
Brutish Broadcasting Chicanery!
It’s in the name, what else do we really expect?
Scottish media, not doing what it says on the tin!
Lord Reith,the first DG of the BBC,complained of State interference in 1926 during the General Strike,
https://tinyurl.com/yabq4bwl
Lord Reith was not a man to be easily coerced by anyone,
that was nearly 100 years ago,
how much UK State misinformation,fake news and propoganda has the BBC spewed out in these 100 years.
s/he who controls the news controls the narrative.
We’ve hit peak SNP and there is no appetite for independence (sic)
@Jim Arnott
I wouldn’t hold your breath. It would appear from the outside that it is SNP party policy to softsoap the BBC 90% of the time. The suppine media tactics of Yes Scotland continued.
It really is pathetic.
My region is set to London and when I search the website for SNP conference I get 7 recent articles from this week, about the 2019 conference (1 about Nicola’s speech from midweek) including a link to the programme guide showing its on BBC Parliament this afternoon.
Which sort of deepens the mystery. Why can I find it in London but folk in Scotland can’t…
This is one reason I do not pay for a TV license, nor do I watch it.
With such a High budget meant to keep the UK whole you would think they would be far less pathetically amateur.
And yet, DESPITE all this gaslighting, the SNP have won election after election over more than a decade, are 3rd largest WM party despite only sitting in 59/650 seats and are 2nd largest party by membership !!
It seems that the media is all that stands between a narrow future indyref win and an utter landslide.
Wonder what the same media will do in a post Indy Scotland, especially faced with the prospect of actual press regulation and the demise of current unionist parties in an indy Scotland, as currently constituted ?
Especially when you consider they are employing all or nothing tactics, save their union or lose it and have ZERO credibility nor reason to exist, in an indy Scotland.
Can’t wait to find out.
I looked for snp conference yesterday and I have submitted a complaint – I hope many other will do the same.
I commented a month or so ago, in the middle of all the brexit carry on, that the Daily Record & Evening Times (papers I must buy everyday for the auld yin) that there was no mention of brexit ‘up here’ – plenty in the others ‘southern’ papers though.
Scottish media was on full blown ‘dont mention brexit’ mode.
And now this. whats next? utilising article 13 to target Wings??
Because they need to shut us down somehow.
The BBC is a British state propaganda service. Always was, always will be. Control the message, control the people.
Col – I don’t pay for it. They keep sending letters, threatening a visit…oooh, I’m scared! But nothing as yet. I just keep my blinds shut now anyway, so they’ll never know what I’m watching if they ever do show up.
I’ve just searched SNP conference on the BBC website and got a load of returns.
Proof positive, and more, of the deliberate airbrushing wherever possible of SNP from BBC news coverage. The party of government of Scotland deemed barely to exist. Reminiscent of Basil Fawlty and @Dont mention the war!@! Just at the moment when support for independence and the threat to the union has never been greater . . . Sssshh . . . Deprive Scotland of the oxygen of publicity!
I found the same and I’m based in Scotland though I havn’t set the BBC website to a REGION!
I watched the Conference on Youtube. It was a good morning. Speeches by Joanna Cherry, Phillipa Whitford, Jeanne Freeman and a rousing speech from Ian Blackford. Standing ovations all round.
Nicola this afternoon.
The Youtube link yesterday stopped working for me in the afternoon session so I had to resort to the SNP Facebook. So do check early if you are wanting to hear Nicola.
Forget the BBC, they are a complete disgrace. Any complaint (if you have the will to go through the convoluted process) will never see the light of day and the conference will soon be over. It’s the Electoral Commission who should regulate this obvious blatant bias.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di_gs9cs8vg
yesterday i went to bbc scottish politics an couldnt find link to snp conference
missed the 1st 10 mins trying to find it
eventualy went to snp site an watched on ipad
British Nationalist Broadcasting Corporation continue doing it’s patriotic duty, defending “The Precioussss Union” as per the British Nationalist Broadcasters Royal Charter (aka ‘only obeying orders’).
Propaganda straight oot the Joseph Goebbels play book whether by omission or EssEnnPeeBaaad.
6. The Public Purposes
The Public Purposes of the BBC are as follows.
(4) ………and help contribute to the social cohesion and wellbeing of the United Kingdom.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/577829/57964_CM_9365_Charter_Accessible.pdf
The BBC.
Its a bit like having an inbred neighbour who feeds seagulls in their garden, you complain to them and they reply by rubbing seagull shit in your face, and as they are a protected bird!!??WTF, you cant do a thing about it.
But deep down you know what the solution is. Grow a pair or keep paying the licence SUCKERS.
The BBC for many decades has been one of the best state propaganda broadcasters. Slowly they are losing their grip over Scotland. It’s just a matter of time they know it and we know it. Young people do not watch/read MSM crap. They know it is propaganda crap.
Scotland would have been independent decades ago but for the mainstream media. The SNP should have insisted back in the late 90s that Labour kept in the Scot parliament bill the devolution of the media. Labour removed it at the last minute. Ultimately it just slowed down Independence just like the pockled 1979 referendum.
Independence is coming. A better Scotland is coming.
Just ask Donalda MacKinnon, Head of BBC Scotland.
That’s the same Donalda MacKinnon who, according to the Guardian, has said “she wants to convince critics the corporation has no agenda”.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/media/2019/feb/18/bbc-scotland-director-donalda-mackinnon-question-time
That’s ‘no agenda’, just like Dr Harold Shipman had no agenda either.
(On 31 January 2000, a jury found Shipman guilty of the murder of 215 patients under his care. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with the recommendation that he never be released.)
Have they perhaps fixed it? I tried & got quite a few references to SNP conferences – see http://archive.fo/hHG9F
wow nice info cubby
didn’t know labour removed devolution of media
Ah, but the BBC is the pinnacle of unbiased broadcasting, envied around the world. And if you dispute that, you’re just an anti-British, grievance-mongering, whinging little nationalist.
I see Donalda is doing a cracking job of “restoring trust in the BBC in Scotland.” Well done, hen. Keep up the good work.
Actually, it’s probably a waste of time complaining to the Electoral Commission too.
Perhaps a complaint to the Council of Europe would be better. Or to the OSCE who oversee elections. There is an EU election happening right now and all parties should have equal broadcasting rights.
Westminster funded state broadcaster caught cheating again. OFCOM investigates RT without waiting for a complaint. Don’t hold your breath though.
Always streamed on the Periscope app – rediculous having to rely on alternative sources when it should be broadcasted on Tv. The Blatant Biased Corp aint interested in the Scots population being properly informed they just want everyone to cozy up to the shit One Show way of life and be brain washed and blow dried….
It will be interesting to see what the SNP do about this?
I want to see the SNP take action?
SNP conf is listed on new Scottish channel (108 on Virgin) as ‘The Conference’, no SNP mention in title, at 15.00 to 16.30.
It states SNP in details of prog.
Something stinks to high heaven in the BBC’s coverage, and lack of coverage, of the SNP. It’s almost tantamount to a blackout. I have retweeted this and will do so over the next few days so that folk returning from the SNP Conference can access it with ease
And coincidentally the issue of The Scottish Parliament was discussed on BBC Radio 4 this morning.
Sue McGregor (good Scottish Surname) had as guests Henry McLeish, Wendy Alexander, Jim Wallace, Roseanna Cunningham, David Steel and their main political editor M/s Smith. For the latter apparently her daddy ran the Labour Party, I assume no official Tory means they still don’t want a Scots Parliament.
The BBC have 6 Brit unionists on to 1 pro Scots Independence supporter.
This is called BBC impartiality.
We are in a be War of Independence. The establishment, and the MSM are part of the establishment. They will not fight fairly, nor have they done so in the past. This needs to be called out loud and clear, over and over again, and in the case of the BBC, until an honest explanation is given and they desist. The vast majority of people will not even notice unless it is pointed out to them.
It’s also on the parly channel (605) with same listing as above on 108, 15.00 to 16.30.
I’m not at a loss. The BBC are simply agents of the state. That state is Britain. You can be any batshit crazy party as long as you are British. Scottish, Welsh and Irish parties that do not identify as British are blocked or ignored just as the media in Iran or Russia or China would block any political party not sanctioned by the state.
We will get no assistance from the BBC. Anything we achieve is in spite of the media not because of it. It rips their tits that we can mobilise around and over their barricades of negativity.
It’s also on parly channel, 605, at same time as 108.
Cracker from Chris McEleny:
https://twitter.com/SNPChris/status/1122094237112315904
Yesterday I watched conference on SNP’s Facebook channel- great reception. Today its rubbish – buffering all the time. 500 ppl watching but pretty much unwatchable- buffering for everyone. Gave up so went Wings & now I see why. Someone is playing silly buggers.
Lollysmum @ 1.42
Same here Lolysmum the coverage is not reliable!!!
How’s the leg now? Are you back to full strength?
Although, I do hope you’re no back into ” I’ll just climb up there mode” 🙂
What time is Nicola on at please ?
Conference SHOULD be livestreamed on the SNP Youtube page. It didn’t work for me yesterday afternoon though the morning session was fine. Check it out anyway. Nicola due to speak at 3.15 pm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYWla7NwSO0
Listened to the paper review this morning on radio shortbread. Thought Andrew Tickell was very good and Katy Grant did her bit but I didn’t feel her heart was in it to same extent as previous years. I think she may be scunnered with many of the current Labour and Tory politicians. She did big up McColm’s piece in the Hootsmon but it sounded like Euan is reduced to reading tea leaves to make political analysis.
Andrew shot down the you will have to use the Euro lie instantly. Nice to hear that done politely and effectively.
YES! The link is working for the afternoon session
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYWla7NwSO0
Cubby says:
28 April, 2019 at 1:02 pm
Scotland would have been independent decades ago but for the mainstream media. The SNP should have insisted back in the late 90s that Labour kept in the Scot parliament bill the devolution of the media. Labour removed it at the last minute. Ultimately it just slowed down Independence just like the pockled 1979 referendum….
I think we missed a trick in 2014. The BritNats had promised Scotland more powers, but never specified which powers they meant. I said at the time the SNP should have called for a snap plebiscite to canvas the Scottish electorate and have the people specify those additional powers by Constitutionally Sovereign demand, and put Broadcasting at the top of the the list. We could have had truly Scottish TV since 2014/15 if we had been bold enough to go for it even in defeat.
A number of years ago I asked the BBC how many anti Scottish complaints they received in total and how many upheld. The Answer – we keep no data on this. I then asked how many complaints about anti SNP were upheld. Again the answer – no data.
I suspect they have never upheld a single complaint on this subject matter.
The BBC totally unbiased in its own mind.
The BBC can do what the hell it wants as it is the controversial state funded propaganda broadcaster.
Anyone ever had a complaint to the BBC upheld. All of mine were summarily dismissed.
Rule Brittania , Brittania rules the (air) waves.
Britons ever ever ever shall be slaves. (Especially Scots).
Breeks@2.19pm
I agree.
I have posted previously that the SNP should not have agreed the post 2014 Vow Smith commission unless The media was included. A bad mistake IMO. They should have dug their heels in.
In 1997 – the SNP were in a weaker position to resist the smarter Labour people who wanted devolution removed from the bill. In 2014 SNP were much stronger.
I have tried and failed to lodge a complaint with OfCom. So I have now complained to OfCom about their own procedures:
‘I have tried to lodge a complaint about the BBC. However I am unable to do so because I do not have a document from the BBC to attach. The reason for this is part of my complaint.
So I wish to complain to you that you have failed to accept a serious complaint about the BBC when complaining to the BBC itself is useless.
The BBC has violated its charter by failing to provide balanced and fair coverage of the SNP. I have complained previously to the BBC on related issues of bias and false reporting but was met with contempt.
It is therefore your job to investigate and if you find my complaint to be reasonable, take action.
Please see the following link for reference:
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-soft-block
So, quis custodiet ipsos custodies?’
Meanwhile:
Kezia Dugdale silent over claims she will quit as MSP
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48084634
Do to them what they do to us. Shut them down de- platform them.
Even some who don’t support the SNP, and/or who are daft enough not to want their actual own country to be independent, do not subscribe to the BBC anymore.
Some people pay the BBC tv tax because they are terrified not to pay in case they go to prison ( as some are incarcerated for not paying, in England) or in case they are hounded and fined, even though they never watch the British, brutish everything in your face propaganda.
You can’t be locked up for debt in Scotland, if you don’t watch the BBC on any ‘device’ ( why would you unless it’s your job to) it’s not compulsory! We just had a wee reminder,
I will again just copy the letter, send it back and say they would have to pay me to watch their propaganda, in all seriousness. You can have 10 tv sets, but if you don’t watch BBC you have so much choice it’s almost overwhelming, much is free, like the National Library film archive, or archive.org,
or ‘Short of the week’, or you tube, or just old fashioned DVD’s, we all have lots of those.
The fact they are silencing, or trying to silence Scotland’s lead party, a democratically elected political party, is sinister, but tells us all we need to know about the Britnat state. Scotland is collateral, an appendage, a gravy train, a colony, a slave. Do as you are told and shut up!
Anyone believing that Scotland is an ‘equal partner’ in this cesspit of a so called union is off their head.
Hopefully an actor will not be doing the voiceover Thank you capella for the link. I can listen and have my soup at the same time. Always best to get what is said in total.
Nipping back to that 49% Yes 51% No poll result.
The media, as is their usual MO, have failed to mentioned a rather important wee detail, which is the 3% margin of error allowed for in these polls.
So, in actual fact, Indy support in that poll could be 50/50 or 51% Yes or even 52% Yes.
Well the live link has now ended just as Nicola is about to go onstage. No idea why. Will try to find an alternative.
Facebook seems to be working
https://en-gb.facebook.com/theSNP/
If they haven’t created the articles, no amount of searching will find them. This of course means people who aren’t searching but who are looking at the bbcs news/ front page don’t see them either while they do see reports on those other conferences.
Wouldn’t want any comparisons made would we!
I forgot to add, having seagull shit rubbed in your face is more probably more pleasant than watching the BBC.
Bit inappropriate quote in the circumstances maybe, but…
“@BBCPhilipSim
Ian Blackford tells #SNP19 that “the choice before us is between Brexit and Scotland as an independent European nation”; everything he says about indyref2 makes a clear link to Brexit. However he then adds that “SNP MPs will fight to stop Brexit” – how do those two sit together?”
I am curious about a third dynamic… how does an IndyRef2 scheduled before 2020 sit together with Ian Blackford’s assertion that Scotland will not be Brexited against its will? By trying to stop Brexit, aren’t we playing Devils Advocate, and perhaps with a little too much enthusiasm?
It seems to my mind this IndyRef2 strategy is only applicable in circumstances where Brexit doesn’t happen. Nobody seems keen to address the big elephant in the room, what actually happens if it does?
Do we roll with Brexit and hope to redeem ourselves by later Referendum, or do rail we against Brexit, an save ourselves with a more immediate and direct Constitutional “mutiny”?
The answer is not only to not pay the license fee but the SNP should make it publicly known that they will have nothing to do with the BBC until the BBC apply their own rules of no bias and equall representation in other words fair play
Oops – Facebook was a recording of an earlier session. So waiting for the livestream to return but it’s not looking likely. Bizarre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEsj2jO9lmM
YES it’s back. Nicola about to go on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEsj2jO9lmM
On behalf of Scotland I’m sure the SNP will take the BBC bias right up the jacksy and do sweet FA about it, they are to soft and nicey nicey. We need people who have that No more mister nice guy attitude. Then we might get somewhere.
tweeted the been with regards to coverage ofcthe conference. Then sent them an e-mail cancelling my TV licence and the reason to why.
Should have done it years ago.
No point in moaning on here regarding the media, they are state sponsored and consider themselves above any moral or even legal obligation to inform honestly and impartially.
A petition demanding a Judicial review on what civil and legal rights are being undermined by politicians and the media through lies, misinformation, distortion and omission, preventing the people of Scotland from making an informed decision on constitutional issues, or indeed any issue.
We might not get the judicial review before we bin this union, but they will know we are coming after them.
If you put in “SNP” to the BBC News website it comes back with “sorry no suggestions were found”
I have reported a fault in their search facility to them.
But, hey ho, I don’t really expect them to fix it.
BREAKING: FM – Indy Ref2 legislation to be introduced in HR next month to be passed by end of the year.
the bbc is showing kubrick films this weekend
– makes you almost willing to pay the licence fee
2001 was a bit funny last nite
– I dont remember the spacechild ever saying
ESSENNPEE-BAAADD
– to the striking notes of also sprach zarathustra
there is no bbc bias, only russian hackers
We all know on this site
That the government finances the BBC
That the licence fee is a con trick designed to offset the cost
But it’s still worthwhile cancelling your licence if you have one
Because the con requires them to stress the importance of the the number of licence holders
Hoist by their own licence petard so to speak?
Whoever is behind the wheel of the anti-Indy operation in London, has clearly decided to change gear.
There is no doubt in my mind, that Scotland is now engulfed in the last great Propaganda offensive by the British Establishment.
Aimed at its Scottish Colony, the goal appears to be, to suffocate the entire Independence movement by denying it the oxygen of publicity and thereby get the public to think that the Independence movement is falling away – after all, if its not on the telly, it cannot be happening.
We are at war. There’s no two ways about.
Oh dear… This one isn’t funny.
This is a failure of fairness and impartiality… I would have thought this should go right to Ofcom… But they only seem to moderate election and referendum broadcasting.
I don’t even know who the SNP could complain to. But that lack of coverage is not coincidental.
time to get yer jaikets oan
🙂
Strange it was difficult to get to watch the SNP Conference on Youtube so had to switch to twitter and found the link.
A version of the wee blue book is going to be publish by the Scottish Government.
It was on the Channel listing. Full speech just ended. Parliamentary Channel
The BBC lying Lord now spouting for honours and £Millions. The ‘expert’ who akways gets it wrong. Head of the polling association censored and fined many times. Corrupt activity .Breaking the professional code of conduct. Electoral commission in collusion.
Still waffling on
On Sky? Some of it?
Well that was exhilarating, not least because of the touch and go nature of finding a stream. The Youtube stream did restart just seconds before Nicola came on stage. A very positive speech. Mentioned “independence” umpteen times. Legislation for a referendum next month.
The unionists really will have something to complain about.
Hall was packed as usual. No sign of the civil war but I expect the media will do their best to find it.
Ann@3.37
The warmest of welcomes to “The Free from the Matrix Club” you will maybe miss certain programmes for the first few weeks, but once you have “broken the Matrix bond” you will wonder why you ever watched the BBC.
We have never looked back, normally in a hotel the TV will be in the room, we find clicking through the channels, then switching off is the norm.
If you have internet access through your TV, you will find a more reliable source for news, entertainment, etc.
Remember never watch/record anything live, and stick TWO fingers up to the establishment.
You may get the usual demand/threatening letters, be polite in response and document all correspondence.
My wife replied to one of the first letters, “that they can sit outside our house (not blocking the drive 24/7 and their “detector gadgets” will NEVER find us watching a live source.”
The best way to hurt them is to stop feeding them.
The more who realise this the better.
Brexit is stopped. Neverending. The Tories are toast. So are Labour. All unionist Parties. Going down, down, down. Get Labour out of the way. Take the fight to the Tories. The SNP/Independence will win,
Jean Freeman pretty good. Giving it lardy. BBC numptie.
Missed it all… poor internet connection not fully working here for the last 90mins. Fettling with WIFI no good.. Hmmm!
Just came back on to full strength 5 mins ago. 🙁
Gin and tonic time catch up later.
Dugdale away? Doesn’t like Court action. Liars always get found out.
It will be all over the Internet shortly.
Turned on the TV to watch The Conference.
What do I immediately get – Kerr/toodle ooh the noo/ Sir Prof Curtice all giving me the Britnat view of the SNP. Bloody awful BBC. Any chance of a presenter that is not a Britnat – NO – obviously.
For those posting re not paying the license fee – good on you but not everyone lives in a single person household or has a partner/ family/ friends who are happy to get the perceived hassle of not having a license.
The Cons Party Con in Aberdeen, Saturday. That will be a laugh. Clear the streets. The Cons are coming. Doon the toon. Hunners.
Gie’s strength. Lidlington and Brewer. What more do you need to be disgusted. The wee Tory liar. BBC nonsense. Waffle, waffle, waffle. The Brexit clowns. Lie after lie, after lie. Liars always get found out. The Tories going down, down, down. In the wilderness. Oblivion.
The BBC don’t give a ####.
If we vote for independence they know they are out on their ear. If as before we vote to stay in the Union they carry on as usual spewing state sponsored anti SNP propaganda.
But this sort of story needs to be headlined in the National to bring attention to what is going on.
It really makes my blood boil that Westminster can trample over democracy yet claim it is a bastion of decency and civil rights.
Lidlington. Aylesbury MP lying forever. Lie, after lie, after lie. On and on and in. Lies. Liars always get found out. On the way out. Waffle, waffle, waffle.
As a state broadcaster might say “we never give a sucker an even break”.
Brewer’s on the drink
Pathetic. Enough is enough. Bye, bye BBC
The Conference
For goodness sake it then got worse.
Interview with Andrew Wilson and his Growth Commmision rabbitting on about deficit and debts inherited from the U.K. GERS and all that crap. What about our share of the UK ASSETS?
I started to think I was watching an anti Independence Party broadcast rather than tuning into an SNP conference leaders speech.
The BBC Is truly appalling.
The censorship is so crude. Plainly ‘they’ are running scared. What next a law protecting the territorial integrity of the British State? Spain has such a law and they lock you up for such ‘treasonous’ activity.
Wonder what you fanatics will do when we leave the EU and vote to remain in the Union. Psychologists will be in large demand. At least there will not be a brain drain.
Have you tried using different search engines? I use duckduckgo which does show SNP ect. This may be an issue with google.
Self-determination is a health state of being and will benefit Scotland in ways not yet imagined.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/soc-pol/welldev/wed-new/network/research-review/Review_1_Ryan.pdf
The MAD in the name becomes self explanatory. It is not mad as insane,but mad as in angry.
The answer of course is we will continue to fight ad infinitum to achieve a free Scotland, whilst you get all cosy with the likes of Yaxley Lennon. Sucker!
Cubby@4.31
Apologies if it sounds like picking on licence payers, “never the intention.”
It took the wife and I a lot of thought before “taking the plunge”, I do realise there are households with kids etc. who think they need the constant fitting in with “their peers” etc.
I can honestly say I wish my mum had never put a TV in the house 50ish years ago. (excluding watching Gerd Muller/Barry Sheene)
I know plenty of people who have never had a TV and their kids/grandkids have never suffered from it.
Conversation takes over from brainwashing.
Well I think Sturgeons speech has put paid to the bonkers plan that the SNP should vote for the UK leaving the EU in return for a sect 30. What a pathetic sell out that would be. A sect 30 that we don’t need in return for a vote against the wishes of the Scots.
Sturgeon made it clear the SNP will not vote for Brexit. Not a Tory Brexit not a Labour Brexit not any Brexit.
It always comes back to that one word with the bbc – TRUST – and lack of it!
Mad Unionist @ 4.46
We’ll do what we always did,we’ll keep going.
You see with us independence is never off the table!
But as I’m sure you can tell, if, yer being honest, there’s too many of us now and this Mad Union is over…
So it won’t be necessary now 🙂
“Mad Unionist”
…. well, it certainly appears to have drained your brain !!!
Gary45%@5.05pm
I totally agree personally that is the way to go – not pay the license fee – even though the UK will always fund the BBC. It is just simply not always possible in all households.
Hey, perhaps you should now change the 45% to 49%. LOL. Or are you waiting till the polls go higher.
It’s another sign, should one be needed. The BBC once accorded SNP conferences the same coverage as those of the unionist parties. That was when they thought independence was an unattainable dream and they could afford to play at being even-handed.
The snp should task all agricultural colleges with planning new farming processes taking into account climate change
We need a plan for our farming industry to deal with climate change
This may also apply to fish farming as water temps change
Hi, Harry mcaye, be careful with those curtains their detectors used to be able to pick up a signal from your TV. I seem to remember that if you have an old radio with Long Wave you could scan the received channels and you used to be able to pick-up your TV. Now I don’t know if this works with ‘digital’ TV’s.
It’s not just the BBC, Channel 4 News, Jon Snow included, are just as bad when it comes to balanced coverage of the SNP’
interesting
independence is now front and centre of the snp. good
last time we did this, treeza called a ge and bitch slapped the snp,
i know the plan was to wait until we knew what brexit meant before relaunching indyref2 but i dont think this will be a problem this time.
treeza is stalling and cant call a ge without a leadership election, if she does go down this route, the tories will elect a no deal leader.
intruth, regardless of intent, legislation will take a few months so this brexit goat rodeo will be played out before the actual indyref2
For anyone who missed Nicola’s speech, here you go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEsj2jO9lmM&feature=youtu.be
I thoroughly enjoyed a couple of days at the conference. It acts as a reminder of how much the ‘day job’ entails. Also, it brings home how poorly the BritNat anti-Scottish MSM fail to report ‘day job’ progress and achievements.
Speeches by the main players were good. The pro Indy, pro EU message was strong.
Must admit, didn’t see much BBC presence. There was a room with a BBC notice on it (can’t remember what it said). I didn’t see any BBC ‘celebs” or equipment branded as BBC.
All the searches … what does Scottish NationalIST Party bring up? Just joking, even that would be messed up.
Mad Unionist
You have proved yourself a mad unionist over and over again with so many of your posts.
Embrace Scottish independence and throw off your mad tendencies. You’ll feel a lot better for it. No need to lie all the time for example.
The UK union is like the Soviet Union. No union at all – a prison.
One of the neighbours’ weans told me she’s seen Iggle Piggle live in Edinburgh. I thought she was talking about the SNP conference.
On a more serious note, regarding the conference, Am I the only one that thought the excited applause wasn’t matched by the audience’s faces when the FM promised Indyref2?
Maybe it’s just me but, it seemed even many of the audience don’t believe Indyref2 will happen during this parliamentary term, even though they wish it would happen.
Everybody and their dug knows that, even if the Scot Parl legislates for indyref2, when the UK Govt refuses a S30, the FM will bend the knee to her British Imperial overlord and indyref2 won’t happen.
But the FM is at least putting independence centre stage, which is a welcomed improvement.
Just heard Radio 4 headlines 3 mins ago, not a mention on SNP conference or Nicola’s speech although may rate a brief mention further in.
For the BBC and England we are of no consequence. Thank you BBC and keep up the good work in confirming that – all grist to the mill.
@Artyhetty says: 28 April, 2019 at 3:00 pm:
” … You can’t be locked up for debt in Scotland, if you don’t watch the BBC on any ‘device’ ( why would you unless it’s your job to) it’s not compulsory!”
You just don’t listen/read the truth do you?
I’ve posted the truth till I feel I’m banging my head on a wall.
There is no BBC tax. The Licence fee does not go to the BBC it goes into the Treasury as general taxation and Westminster makes an agreed annual grant to the BBC from general taxation. So even if you don’t pay a licence fee you pay for the BBC.
Furthermore it doesn’t matter if you never watch the BBC for the verb, “Licence”, means to give permission and a TV licence is permission from the government to watch any form of live video on any kind of device, TV, computer or even a mobile phone.
I’ve posted all this till I’m blue in the face and every time the subject crops up there is someone claiming wrongly that the TV licence money goes to the BBC and that if you don’t watch BBC you are safe from prosecution. I’ve even given links to the BBC itself where, usually hidden away in small print on page 9,999, that the BBC was originally given the job of collecting the TV licence money After the GPO was sold off but then the BBC farmed that job out to TV Licensing, a part of CAPITA, and it Is TV Licensing that sends out letters and tries to gain entry to homes by trickery and bothers people, in my case for years, and I haven’t watched TV since around 2002, and they are still sending me threatening letter accusing me of being a criminal now in 2019.
17 years of threatening letters and there is no statutory requirement for anyone to tell the BBC anything. In fact it is a criminal offence in Scotland for anyone to attempt to extort money from someone by threats and those threats include threats of court or criminal proceedings.
Just what is the point of posting the truth and citing real sources here when people would rather continue to believe the State propaganda?
This is nothing new. It’s always been like that.
I haven’t used the BBC website for at least six or seven years and it was like this back then too.
If you wanted to find anything it was better to use the Google “site:” search. At least that way you could be sure if it existed or not.
Vive l’Écosse! Vive l’Écosse LIBRE!
to echo General De Gaulle in Quëbec on the 24 july 1967.
Hailsa anis! Fredom nou! Al houriyat al2ân!
Hailsa anis!
Hailsa???
@ Rob Outram says at 12:06 pm … ”Not sure I’m understanding, or perhaps I have a magic browser but searched for SNP conference on BBC and got a result.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004w7d
The SNP Conference WAS shown on the new BBC channel (9) this afternoon. I checked to see if it had been broadcast yesterday on that same channel, but seems not. Looks as though all of the hullabaloo made them have a change of heart.
I was just wondering too has the BBC ever, at any time, broadcast an SNP Conference? Can anyone remember / know?
Nicola was brilliant as usual and made announcements about climate change, further grants to new parents, children first attending nursery / school, new homeowners and Brexit. All of which got her a standing ovation. There was much more which I’d need to recheck. One point that she made clear was that the SNP will not be voting for any Brexit deal .. Big T’s or Corbyn’s.
That was followed by John Curtice, Westminster’s ”numbers” man, who tried to throw cold water on one aspect of the Conference after another and somehow forgot to mention (his line of work) that the ”numbers”’ supporting Independence is rising.
……………………….
@ Breeks says at 2:19pm … ”I think we missed a trick in 2014. The BritNats had promised Scotland more powers, but never specified which powers they meant. I said at the time the SNP should have called for a snap plebiscite to canvas the Scottish electorate and have the people specify those additional powers by Constitutionally Sovereign demand, and put Broadcasting at the top of the the list. We could have had truly Scottish TV since 2014/15 if we had been bold enough to go for it even in defeat.”
I thought that broadcasting was on the SNP list but that the Unionists, in particular Labour, voted overwhelmingly against it (Smith Commission).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29570658
The STUC was seemingly pushing for Scotland to get control over broadcasting too.
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/2014/11/10/could-scotlands-broadcasting-be-devolved/
………………….
@ Liam says at 2:51 pm … ”Meanwhile: Kezia Dugdale silent over claims she will quit as MSP.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48084634
A new job in the offing? An offer from the BBC? If so, the two make for a good match.
Plainly the Gaelic language is proscribed…yet again.
Cubby 16.02pm
I am mad thus my name. I do like the shoes Sturgeon wears they must have been bought at an Emelda Marcos bring and buy sale. Us mad Unionists are not going away so try and sleep Cubby me girl.
@Breeks says: 28 April, 2019 at 3:13 pm:
” … Bit inappropriate quote in the circumstances maybe, but…”
Doesn’t matter anyway, Breeks, everyone knows by now that no matter what it is, in your humble opinion of course, it will all be the SNP’s fault as usual.
Robert Peffers@6.08pm
“Just what is the point………. ”
The point is that the facts do get out to people and the truth is important. So keep on posting even though it may be extremely frustrating for you at times. The truth is not ” puff ” as Robert Knight said in a recent post. We are only in this position as a nation because the Britnats do not tell the truth.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
The SNP is the third largest party in the “Mother of all Parliaments”, and the BBC is desperately trying to airbrush their Conference out of existence, yet “we’re” the fanatics???
There’s nothing to learn about the UK’s Brexit strategy that you couldn’t pick up just by watching Terry Thomas and Eric Sykes in a 1960’s B movie… Any 1960’s B movie. It’s the same old shite and tired old stereotypes rehashed over and over again anyway. Five decades later it’s UK Government flagship policy.
Joanna Cherry:- ”Delighted ?@theSNP? conference overwhelmingly passed the #CitizensAssembly resolution proposed by me?. It’s an idea whose time has come #SNP19 #indyref2
https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1122450538854060032?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
……………………….
‘Joanna Cherry: Why I pushed for Citizens’ Assembly.’
…”Since then support has grown for the idea with the vocal backing of Lesley Riddoch and the expert input of people such as Willie Sullivan from the Electoral Reform Society and Oliver Escobar from What Works Scotland.”…
http://www.thenational.scot/news/17602648.joanna-cherry-why-i-pushed-for-citizens-assemblies/
Golfnut@3.40
Agree no point in general moaning but when you have something specific and dodgy like this it is worth making a huge fuss. Someone somewhere gave the order to do this. You want Plaid make ing a fuss as well and Keith Brown should be asking the director general of the BBC what is going on and demand that it is fixed.
Hopefully the National’s front page tomorrow.
Good 2 day conference in Edinburgh misreported by the MSM and BBC yoon goons as per usual. Intelligent, thoughtful and nuanced opening address by Mike Russell, John Swinney peerless, really good contributions from delegates, councillors, MSP’s, MP’s and MEP’s, a rousing address from Angus Robertson and rock solid inspirational closing address from Nicola. I lost count of the number of times she uttered the magic word “independence”. Was pleased at the announcement of planned hard copy delivery to 2.4 million Scottish households of positive economic case for indy. SNP and wider YES movement really should not waste any time with MSM or BBC and make greater use of the mass membership to deliver hard copy material every month. 2.4m divided by 100,000 members equals 24 items per member to be delivered – is that too much to ask?
And if you can’t be bothered watching / listening to Nicola’s speech, you can read it here.
‘READ: Nicola Sturgeon’s full speech from the SNP Spring Conference.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/17603494.read-nicola-sturgeons-full-speech-from-the-snp-spring-conference/?ref=mr&lp=2
Interesting article on Scotland by John Harris in the Guardian.
Comments are Non Existent is the new section there by the looks of it although they still have the CiF logo.
Robert Peffers says:
28 April, 2019 at 6:08 pm
@Artyhetty says: 28 April, 2019 at 3:00 pm:
Just what is the point of posting the truth and citing real sources here when people would rather continue to believe the State propaganda?
Not quite figured how propaganda works yet Robert?
Just imagine, people would listen to a liar on the BBC rather than honest auld Bob Peffers chewing on another wasp.
Now that it has been widely reported, the EBC put up the links
in hope they can get away with it Red Handed-Again.
Only 93,169 people could be bothered to sign his petition against
BBC Bias.
It would put the BBC in a very awkward position if 100,000 signed
it but I’m sure we can see them spin the number to prove they are not biased as less than 100K think they are.
Bias Bastard Corruption-BBC
Surely the BBC in Scotland are not attempting to suppress a political identity that is indigenous to Scotland? Not half they’re not, the BBC is not a liberal institution.
https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/chapter/the-social-self-the-role-of-the-social-situation/
Petition link
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/independent-enquiry-into-bbc-bias-regards-scottish-independence-referendum?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1407608884
John Harris article
My England is in a mess. Scotland’s case for splitting away is stronger than ever
http://archive.fo/YU7Bi
@Blair Paterson says: 28 April, 2019 at 3:14 pm:
” … The answer is not only to not pay the license fee but the SNP should make it publicly known that they will have nothing to do with the BBC until the BBC apply their own rules of no bias and equall representation”
You will probably disagree with me but it seems to me the SNP may just have struck the right balance by not upsetting people who like TV watching and complaining until they make themselves unpopular all round by just doing what they are doing.
Is it not true that increasing numbers of the population are noticing the media bias for themselves? Any statistics you might be able to find indicate that a greater number of Scots are non-licence payers than any other parts of the United Kingdom? There has to be a reason for that?
Just come from conference where i was a steward along with 5 of my friends walking back to the hotel there were 3 BBC vans parked at the Back of the EICC why were they there if they were not going to broadcast another waste of money
Petra@6.21pm
The BBC used to show extensive coverage of the SNP. I even remember watching a John Swinney speech on a sat afternoon – fell asleep mind before the end. Knew I should have went to the golf even though it was raining heavily. LOL
Broadcasting – my point was that the SNP should have stood firm on broadcasting and insisted it was devolved or no smith commission deal. The only reason it was not devolved was to maintain Britnat propaganda.
Thanks for your uplifting and informative post (6:38pm), Clive.
…..
Nicola also said that it’s time for us to get our jackets on. In other words get out there and make this happen. Get the stats over 50%, ASAP, if for no other reason (my reason) than to shut the MSM, politicians and Westminster, in general, up (and send a message to the EU/UN). All we ever hear from them is that Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t have a mandate to hold another referendum, as a majority of Scots don’t want one. They use this point over and over again, including to undermine her credibility during interviews, and of course no mention from them that she already holds a democratic, triple lock mandate to hold another referendum. We’re around 2% off of that target, if the polls are correct. If every visitor to this site could convert one person each we would achieve that objective. Go for it.
I seem to be able to find it no bother but this was after seeing it on Reporting Scotland at 6.35pm and searching for coverage on I player. Not very up on commenting on your site so am prepared to accept may have appeared after you had raised it. Is this the case? I’m afraid I lose the will to live when ploughing through all the comments on your site as I use it mainly for your blogs/articles so apologies if this has been raised already.
‘Nicola says’
What are you? 12 years old?
Why would a grown person talk about the leader of a political party using their first name? Shades of ‘princess diana, queen of peoples hearts’.
You people are beyond hope. You’ll have a breakdown when she lets you down. Mark my words.
@Wullie says:28 April, 2019 at 3:34 pm:
” … On behalf of Scotland I’m sure the SNP will take the BBC bias right up the jacksy and do sweet FA about it, they are to soft and nicey nicey. We need people who have that No more mister nice guy attitude. Then we might get somewhere.”
Yes but then you would say that, wouldn’t you, Wullie?
Did you watch Nicola’s speech at conference, Wullie? She gives such as you the answer to that accusation. The SNP are elected as the Scottish government and they are called the Scottish National Party – not the Scottish Nationalist Party for a geed reason.
Their remit is to serve ALL the people of Scotland, not just those seeking independence. However, it is taken as read that the SNP’s main raison d’être is to gain independence for Scotland. I expect I’ll have to explain that for you.
As a political party their main aim is Scottish independence but as a government in power they must serve everyone in Scotland and, unlike all the other parties, their remit is to serve all the people, even those who oppose them. Which might explain why they get elected with a higher vote to government than has so far NOT YET given them a clear majority for independence – but according to the latest opinion poll they seem to be getting their.
@ cassandra – Princess Nicola to you, if you don’t mind.
@ Abulhaq at 6.21
Not in its entirety. As has been regularly pointed out, but you just do not happen to have seen, certain words are replaced, in order to stop people signing their posts s-a-o-r a-l-b-a.
All other instances of those letters in that order (but minus the hyphens 😉 ) will trigger the same replacement. Consequently, the country whose capital is Tirana appears to have reverted to its Roman past.
@ Cubby says at 6:59 pm … ”Petra – The BBC used to show extensive coverage of the SNP. I even remember watching a John Swinney speech on a sat afternoon – fell asleep mind before the end. Knew I should have went to the golf even though it was raining heavily. LOL. Broadcasting – my point was that the SNP should have stood firm on broadcasting and insisted it was devolved or no smith commission deal. The only reason it was not devolved was to maintain Britnat propaganda.”
Thanks Cubby. I’ve got to the stage that I don’t know what I’ve seen, heard or read anymore, lol.
As to the Smith Commission / broadcasting … ”devolved or no smith commission deal”. Can you imagine how that would have played out in the MSM? The SNP have scuppered the Smith Commission deal altogether. No new powers for Scotland at all due to the SNP. As usual the Scottish Unionists, who do nought for the betterment of Scotland, had the SNP over a barrel with this, imo. And what really p*sses me off is when we have to listen to Leonard, the ignoramus, demanding that Nicola do something about ”whatever”, when she doesn’t have the power to do so due to them … his own Labour party.
And yes of course, not having broadcasting devolved to Scotland was all about continuing to keep the Scots in the dark. I can remember at the time the Unionist lackeys, on the Smith Commission board, were reported as having to contact their London bosses before they could agree to anything at all, followed by the same lackeys, and their colleagues, having the brass neck to say that if broadcasting was devolved the SNP would use it as a propaganda tool.
They would have used it right enough to expose THEM and that was what worried the Unionist cabal, in particular Labour. Imagine, as two examples of hundreds, getting the McCrone Report (Heath, Wilson and Callaghan) and the Stolen Seas (Blair, Brown and Dewar) beamed right into every livingroom in Scotland? That would have put an end to the Union there and then.
@Golfnut says: 28 April, 2019 at 3:40 pm:
… A petition demanding a Judicial review on what civil and legal rights are being undermined by politicians and the media through lies, misinformation, distortion and omission, preventing the people of Scotland from making an informed decision on constitutional issues, or indeed any issue.”
Some years ago I read something on the EU website about petitions on human rights grounds and parts of the long article did mention State broadcasting and state propaganda.
I have several times since tried to find it again but failed. Thing was that it was not what I was looking for at the time and I made a mental note to check it out but then forgot about it and where I was looking at the time.
@Nana
Thanks for theYouTube link to Nicola’s speech. Very inspiring and should put to bed all the people questioning the SNP’s commitment and dedication to Scottish Independence.
For the Unionist’s to even suggest Scotland and its people have “no appetite for an Independence referendum” is total nonsense.
The polls show, people’s views on social media show it and even in some MSM newspapers it is also shown.
Westminster cannot stop Scotland having an Independence Referendum and they know it full well.
This is proven through the SNP mandates in both Holyrood and Westminster backed by the Scottish voters themselves.
So the job is starting again.
Persuading the non voters to vote for Scotland requires them registering to vote now.
Watching the Tories and right wingers from returning 90% returns from care homes!
One thing. I have the feeling we are becoming a little too middle class. A few more radical reforms would do it for me.
Land reform needs more reform for a start.
@ cassandra says at 7:10 pm …”‘Nicola says’ What are you? 12 years old?”
Is that you on to cause trouble again? And by the way I’m still waiting on an apology from you and a retraction of your comments about me. You know in a way, apologies / retractions, that decent adults behave unlike 12 year olds.
………………………
@ cassandra says at 10:36 am (from the mouths of eggs) … ”And the insinuations about money Petra, don’t play innocent. If I were the Rev, I’d return every penny to you and boot your sorry arse out of here, but he won’t and if it is me that goes so be it, but it needs to be said.”
You had better elaborate on YOUR insinuation Cassandra about ”money” and in fact retract that comment, ASAP.
Money? I’ve happily contributed to every crowdfunder on here (and elsewhere) and will continue to do so. I have in fact suggested more than once that we should crowdfund to £million, if possible, to get more Blue Books out. I’ve posted my support for Stu consistently, including financial, in relation to legal issues. I’ve suggested crowdfunding to give Stu a break abroad (and Nana) and even crowdfunding to buy him a house in Scotland as a thank you for all the great work that he has done for the cause over many years. It’s all on record.
One thing for sure is that you’re NO innocent, rather a Machiavellian little minx. ”The curtain has been drawn back” on you and exposed you for what you are … and it’s not a nice sight.
Having listened to the FM’s conference speech, I thought this might help some understand the principled approach the FM has taken towards Brexit. Remember, Scots may have voted to remain in the EU but they also voted to remain part of Britain, when last consulted. IMHO, she needs commending for taking a morally enlightened approach to Scotland’s self-determination.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292866451_Two_concepts_of_self-determination
Wow. The Snp had all the new merchandise, leaflets and everything ready to go at the conference. I was personally delighted about the adoption of the citizens assembly policy. Can you imagine on the doors and at stalls when we say that this randomly selected cross section of society backs independence? Yes. I’m jumping to conclusions that they will. But you know and I know that they will when faced with the evidence. The unionists can’t then brush it off as the Snp, Nicola etc.
There’s a lot to like in using this model. Check out its successes in Ireland and Canada. Also it’s much harder for the MSM to attack than politicians.
I hear what the rev is saying about a delay in asking for section 30. But I reckon the Snp govt has that strategy in hand.
I think we are going to win. And win big.
Geographical locations in Scotland are often described as ‘remote’. Remote from W1A 1AA?
London, Arschloch der Weld?
@Abulhaq says: 28 April, 2019 at 4:45 pm:
” … What next a law protecting the territorial integrity of the British State? Spain has such a law and they lock you up for such ‘treasonous’ activity”
You wouldn’t be a BBC employee by any chance, Abulhaq?
You know damned well that Spain is a totally different case than the United Kingdom and you know damned well there is no such thing as, “THE”, British State. There are several British States and The United Kingdom is just one of them.
Spain is a country, (the United Kingdom is a kingdom and not a country), Spain is composed of many semi-autonomous regions – The United Kingdom is composed of only two kingdoms.
Spain has a written constitution and the United Kingdom has no constitution – written or otherwise.
Just what is your objective, Abulhaq? Is it to spread fear and alarm for the Westminster Establishment?
@Breeks says: 28 April, 2019 at 6:45 pm:
” … Just imagine, people would listen to a liar on the BBC rather than honest auld Bob Peffers chewing on another wasp.”
Truth is, Breeks, those wasps are really delicious – that is they are compared to the taste of the never ending SNPBAAAD! claptrap that seems to be your never-ending basic diet.
How long has it been, if ever, since you had a good word to say about the FM, the Scottish Government or the SNP?
If I wanted to read such utter pish I’d read the Scotsman.
Cassandra@7.10pm
“You people are beyond hope.”
True Britnat words there Cassandra.
Give the full-English Brexit is largely driven by English electorate’s hostility to immigration, along with the Prime-minister’s determination to exclude Scotland from the Brexit process, British nationalists can’t claim Scotland does not suffer from a democratic deficit. The health of unborn Scots will be damaged by this, even if Scotland chooses independence.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331967843_Self-Determination_Democracy_and_Exclusion
Are Scots happy the their grandchildren will enjoy diminished life opportunities thanks to the exclusionary cultural chauvinism of the full-English Brexit?
Debating the Ethics of Immigration:
Is There a Right to Exclude?
Abstract
Do states have the right to prevent potential immigrants from crossing their borders, or should people have the freedom to migrate and settle wherever they wish? This book develops and defends opposing answers to this timely and important question. Appealing to the right to freedom of association, the book contends that legitimate states have broad discretion to exclude potential immigrants, even those who desperately seek to enter. Against this, it argues that the commitment to the moral equality of all human beings—which legitimate states can be expected to hold—means national borders must b … More
Keywords: immigrants, freedom of association, moral equality, open borders, equal access, ethics, immigration
http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199731732.001.0001/acprof-9780199731732
Mad Unionist 6.29pm
Now that you have admitted you are mad why don’t you pissof and get some help instead of wasting your time posting utter crap on here.
I have no problem sleeping and I am not a girl so take your patronising comments wrap them in your Union Jack and ………..
I have come across plenty of mad unionists and you are nothing special – typical in fact.
The oppression of a Scottish political identity is clearly underway. At the same time, Kezia Dugdale is described in the press as, “One of Labour’s rising starts”, which is simply wrong on so many levels. British nationalism simply will not allow Scotland a democratic voice, and so can not claim to be a liberal ideology.
Satire is dead apparently
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/457611-wikipedia-founder-newsguard-reliable-sources/
@Nana
Thanks Nana. Good link. 🙂
Worth reading.
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/the-way-out/
WGD:- ‘The way out.’
………”A pro-Independence result in such a ballot would provide a clear and unequivocal mandate which would allow the Scottish Government to ask third countries to recognise Scottish independence and to put pressure on the British government to negotiate.”…..
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/the-way-out/
I have no idea how many viewers the BBC will have had for its live broadcast of Nicola’s speech today nor how many will have listened to the follow up interview of John Curtis.
No matter: the BBC is giving Curtis an unrivalled national platform to broadcast his personal opinions – and today he did so without making any explicit reference to quantitative evidence based on relevant polling data (his area of expertise).
Moreover, he received no challenge from the interviewer today; there were no other interviewees on a panel to offer confirmatory views to those of Curtis, to offer a slightly different view or a wholly different view. Curtis was simply being given a personal platform available to very few.
We the viewers are told this is an ‘academic expert’ but then hear speculative, subjective, data free comment – and with no right of reply at the time given to those that are the object of Curtis’ negatives and no interrogative challenge provided on our, the viewers’, behalf by the BBC interviewer. Happy to have Curtis’ views broadcast but NOT as some unchallenged sage especially when he strays from statistical analysis wholly into subjective political analysis!
@ Robert Peffers.
A lot of our rights are about to drop off a cliff edge, and half the population of Scotland are ignorant of just exactly what’s happening. That’s down to the media and politicians. A petition with enough signatures might get this front and centre in our Parliament, just imagine the furore this would cause with the Britnat dross at Holyrood and their media pals. Enough is enough.
Cubby, I need you and your fellow expert CameronB Brody to enlighten me.
Ha ha ha. Snap, Macart.
@Petra
Heh! Only just. 😀
Been off on my wanders for the past few weeks Petra, but I do enjoy looking in on the Dug when I can.
Cubby Boy, Do you feel bullying people online by telling them not to comment. Is this the future in Scottish Nationalism a kind of follow up to Hungary!
@cassandra says: 28 April, 2019 at 7:10 pm:
” … ‘Nicola says’
What are you? 12 years old?
Why would a grown person talk about the leader of a political party using their first name? Shades of ‘princess diana, queen of peoples hearts’.
You people are beyond hope. You’ll have a breakdown when she lets you down. Mark my words.”
Oh! Dear! How misinformed can one person be?
So I suppose I had best inform the congenital idiot.
First of all everyone I Know also calls the leader of the Tory party Theresa.
However, that is not the point I am about to make. Scots law is based mainly upon the Declaration of Arbroath. Now, besides that declaration stating The Kingdom of Scotland is an independent kingdom and that Robert Bruce was its proper King the declaration also stated the People, not either the monarchy nor the parliament were legally sovereign.
BTW: The Kingdom of England, (three countries), acknowledged those facts by the Edinburgh-Northampton Treaty of 1328.
Furthermore, That’s a bit of Scots Law the United Kingdom Supreme Court did not dispute just recently. Nor have the United Kingdom Parliament disputed the Scottish Claim of Right, (the people’s Sovereignty).
However, there is another bit of the Declaration of Arbroath which states that if a Scottish Monarch, (They are not kings or queens of Scotland but only kings or queens of Scots), then the legally sovereign people of Scotland can legally sack that unsatisfactory monarch and appoint another in their place.
Now considering the function of the current Queen of Scots, Elizabeth Regina, is charged with the task of being defender of the People’s Sovereignty and has signally failed in that regard it is highly likely that the legally sovereign people will wish to sack the current. unsatisfactory, Queen of Scots and appoint another in her place.
Who more worthy than the leader of the Scottish Government who is leading the Scots from English bondage imposed by Tony Blair in instituting EVEL and thus treating Scottish MPs as second class Members of Parliament.
Now does not, “Nicola Regina I”, sound rather good on the ear?
Mad Unionist
You are nothing but just another Britnat disrupter. Bye bye. Away and talk to yourself.
Cubby Girlie Boy, Teddy bear and pram come to mind. You have lost it. So that boring snooker took preference over the aw inspiring Sturgeon speech on the BBC.
@TheItalianJob says: 28 April, 2019 at 7:32 pm:
” … Thanks for theYouTube link to Nicola’s speech. Very inspiring and should put to bed all the people questioning the SNP’s commitment and dedication to Scottish Independence.”
You just have to be kidding, TheItalianJob.
Some of these people who claim they are supporting independence here on Wings are worse than Scotsman commenters and we all know who the Wing ones are.
O/t what time ,and is the AUOB march starting from on saturday. Keep hearing conflicting answers?
And is there a wings stall after?
Mad Onionist@9.25
Is that the best you’ve got???
Peel back an onion and all you see is tears.
Scotland in Onion, says it all.
Try again son.
Hi Bobp.
As far as I’m aware, AUOB are sticking to the later start, as first proposed.
The earlier start (11am) appears to be being spread by those who want to disrupt the march.
As to a Wings presence at Glasgow Green…
Ronnie’s the one who shepherds us. There will be a WOS presence at GG – whether that’s a stall or just a “get-together” location, is up to Ronnie. After all, he cares for the gazebo. And the merchandise. And the Proud Lurkers. And Wingers.
Cubby, Cubby, Cubby.
You are truly the least challenging person on the internet I have ever come across. Any other phrases that trigger you and cause a knee jerk frothing response? Please tell me so that I can use them.
Oh dear the faithful are not happy, are they?
How will I ever be accepted back into the sweet embrace of ‘our blessed Nicola’? Luckily for me I couldn’t give shit and actually there are quite a few of us ready to press the eject button on her non-existent leadership skills. And guess what, we actually have some influence within the SNP, so back to my plotting.
We plan on achieving Independence for our country, not talking about it on the internet, and complaining in 20 years time how we should have taken the opportunity when we had it.
Away back to making rainbow cupcakes for Indy and praying to the temple of Saint Nicola.
Apologies to all for the AUOB this Saturday, will be in sunnier climate.
All the best for hopefully a Biggie.
I heard a guy on LBC James O’Brien, inviting James up to the march, hopefully he takes up the offer.
Hi cassandra.
Just to make everything clear, as you seem to be a relative newbie here:
Who did you vote for in the 2017 GE?
Who did you vote for in the 2016 Scottish GE?
Did you vote Leave or Remain in the 2016 Euro referendum?
Who did you vote for in the 2015 GE?
Did you vote YES or no in the 2014 indyref?
Your answers to those questions would give us a better idea of why you feel the need to comment btl on WOS.
@Mad Unionist says: 28 April, 2019 at 9:01 pm:
” … Cubby, I need you and your fellow expert CameronB Brody to enlighten me.”
Nah! I believe I know exactly what you need and it is neither enlightenment from either Cubby or Brody.
I’m determined we’re as tooled-up as possible this time. 😉
Building Usable Conversations: Effective Conversational Design
https://dev.acquia.com/blog/building-usable-conversations-effective-conversational-design
Cassandra@9.48pm
Aw did I upset you. Sorry diddums.
What a nonsense post.
CameronB Brodie, tooled-up! You must have been a street corner boy.
Mad Unionist
Engineers use tools to bring force to and enhance the power of theory. Scotland needs to engineer it’s way towards an inclusive democracy. The tools I’m highlighting are intellectual perspectives and practices, and offer the means to liberate Scotland’s potential. Thanks for showing interest. 😉
Brian doonthetoon. Thanks brian, my brother txted me a 1.30 start from kelvinpark. But i’ll make sure i’m there before that. Good omen, may 4th is my birthday.i’m up on fri night visiting family for a week.
The little green God of jealousy and hate is spewing out all over our nation
If todays events were a Hollywood film and the FMs words spoken by an actress people would be leaving the cinema with their eyes streaming and wishing they had politicians who were like that
Scotland does have such a politician and she’s real, but that’s the problem isn’t it, she’s real and the Scottish cringers can’t take it so they hate, because you know the haters are more right than the FM no matter what she says or does, she’s wrong wrong wrong and they can’t help themselves, one of ours can’t be right, a Hollywood actress could’ve been but not no way Nicola Sturgeon
It should have been the way I wanted it because I’m right and it’s not so I’ll hate and you all know who you are including the owner of this site and that’s why I said I was out of here because this is not a healthy way to live
Mad unionist you must be earning a fortune in overtime down there at denison barracks in hermitage berks . Do us all a favour and f**k off you boring troll.
Dr jim dont you go anywhere pal. Love your straight to the point no nonsense posts
@Cubby says: 28 April, 2019 at 10:06 pm:
” … What a nonsense post.”
What else did you expect, Cubby, from a commenter with a nom de guerre of Cassandra?. Do you know the Greek myth about Cassandra?
Cassandra was supposedly the most beautiful woman in the World, (so probably actually a male). Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam and of Queen Hecuba of Troy. The myth goes that Cassandra was given the gift of prophesy but was then later cursed so that no one believed her prophesies.
So here we have a numptie making prophesies here on Wings, and guess what? No one on Wings believes the prophesies. Are you surprised?
Hi Bobp.
Just talked to Ronnie via the telephonic apparatus. There will be a WOS stall at GG, which will also provide a roof for Paul Colville (the indie poet), who has a new book to push, and Paul Kavanagh (WGD), who, apparently, also has a book to push.
Hopefully, Brian & Pete will have some badges for perusal.
I’m hearing, also, from Ronnie, that iScot magazine will be there or there aboots also.
It probably because I’m rusty but I’m struggling to find guides on planning and conducting conversations. I hope folk get the idea though, start spreading the news that indy is on it’s way.
Also, apologies for the repetition of “also” in my comment as well, too, an’ a’.
The Independence March in Stornoway this weekend seems to have gone well.
http://www.hebrides-news.com/independence-march-in-stornoway-27419.html
CameronB Brodie @ 10.18 pm. That comment deserves to be put on a tourist board linen shopping bag for posterity. Winston Churchill would have been proud.
As the FM is a fan of the Enlightenment, fancy some feminist philosophy? IMHO, an essential tool in the fight against the authoritarian paternalism of the New Right.
https://digressionsnimpressions.typepad.com/digressionsimpressions/2018/06/some-elements-of-grouchys-political-economy.html
Mad Unionist
I aim to please, thanks for noticing. 😉
It’s not a healthy way to live, Dr Jim, but it’s the only way to go if we want to live in a better world. Desire a better future, in particular, for our children and grandchildren.
Fight that hate with love and lies with truth. Continue to do so as we’re in the end game now and can’t afford to let them win. There’s too much at stake for us to just give in X
The ‘Union’ only works for those who gerrymander it.
The British Establishment knows every trick in the book. But their favourites are brainwashing, ‘divide and conquer’, and the careful manipulation of election campaigns.
OT Spanish election. Far right VOX party expects to get 24 seats. Their slogan “Make Spain Great Again”. Dearie me. Wonder if Donald Trump’s advisers have been interfering in another countries elections. Surely not.
The Socialists have the largest number of seats but looks like they will need the Catalan independistas to get a majority. Most of their leaders are in jail. BBC will be gutted.
Interesting situation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48081540
I’d like to see an AUOB, or well known Wings supporter, use their Clicker to actually count those in attendance at this years event.
It would also be very useful if lines of 5 or 6 abreast and gave a couple of meters space between ranks to make it easier for count.
Permission should also be given to Police and Council workers to take their socks off when counting numbers greater than 10.
Sand Buckets will also be provided to help Tories and BBC Reporters bury their heads as the procession passes.
Dick Leonard will attend and can be found at the George Square
Web Cam to ensure the Labour Accounting Unit tradition of the system breaking down as soon as a Saltire or SNP Banner comes in o sight.
MARCH FOR INDEPENDENCE- GLASGOW
SATURDAY- 4TH MAY 2019
KELVINGROVE PARK TO GLASGOW GREEN
GATHERING EARLY, LEAVE 1.30PM SHARP
PROCESSION ROUTE:
Kelvingrove Park, Kelvinway, Gibson Street, Eldon Street, Woodlands Road, Sauchiehall Street, Pitt Street, West George Street, Blythswood Square (S), West George Street, Nelson Mandela Place, West George Street, George Square (N), George Street, High Street, Saltmarket, Glasgow Green.
MAKE SURE YOU JOIN THE EVENT ONLINE..
SHARE THIS EVENT PAGE AND IT’S POSTS…
INVITE AS MANY FRIENDS AS YOU CAN!
BRING YOUR FLAGS, BANNERS, PIPES & DRUMS!
END LONDON CRUEL RULE ??
SAORAIBH ALBA!
Come along to The Square or see Scotland stuck in a vicious circle! Bring your Triangle if you don’t have Bagpipes!
@Petra
Not on this site Petra, haven’t you noticed what it’s becoming?
By invite
My Repeat from Wings’ Fbook. On BBC’s Debate Night during the debate, there was NO applause at all. They must have been told not to? Not a buzz of emotion or response when asked by Lesley Riddoch if folk were happy for 4-5 year olds to go to primary school, when so many countries began at 6-7. Stephen Jardine miles ahead of Fiona Bruce and panel was given time to answer. A flutter of response would have gauged opinion.
Some more philosophical backstory on the forces shaping contemporary western politics. This is partly how academic intellectual capture is fueling the ongoing attack on open, liberal society. See academic economists, especially.
https://handlingideas.blog/2019/03/18/against-history-of-philosophy-shunning-vs-ignoring-history-in-the-analytic-traditions/
I can see it all so clearly Dr Jim, can see what you can see, but there’s nothing else for it, IMO.
Man, it really is scary how much I’ve forgotten about stuff. Just as well we’ve got Kevin Hague’s graphs then, eh?
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195396577/obo-9780195396577-0207.xml
Sometimes I feel like I’m an immigrant in another country.
My home country is seldomed mentioned on TV, coverage of its culture is actively suppressed, apart from ‘local’ news programmes I seldom see any of my people on TV, and my country’s politics is ignored. The politics of another country has total prominence. When my country is mentioned it is attacked and disparaged. A local road race in another country gets more than 4 times the coverage on ‘Scottish’ TV than the party conference of the party of government in Scotland.
The thing that gets me is. How can the Scottish unionists be comfortable with the democratic corruption that is so clearly taking place. I haven’t heard any complaints from any of them. Have they no common decency? How can the so called ‘proud Scots’ be happy seeing their country being extinguished?
Having just listened to our FM ‘s conference speech on u tube , I am not surprised that the BBC and other “ National network” broadcasters have deliberately blocked any live broadcast . They undoubtedly do not want the electorate of RUK and England in particular to hear such and outstanding politician ( champions league in football terms) , share her vision for a fairer more inclusive and equal country in preference as she says to a country spending 200 billion pounds on weapons of mass destruction where 1 in 4 children are living in poverty and a Westminster government hellbent on inflicting further economic damage with Brexit. Might not these same citizens outwith Scotland possibly ( just possibly) sit up and take notice of what this political leader’s sincere and heartfelt vision for a “ better nation” could mean ( not just for Scotland) , for the many and not the privileged “ few” elsewhere in the “ United” kingdom. The neo liberal elite are “ running scared” of our FM and her social democratic vision for Scotland.
As I say , little wonder the state propagandists don’t want to broadcast her message either within ( and absolute disgrace .shameful!!) or probably more importantly outwith Scotland .
So how many saps are still paying the English TV TAX?
Philosophy is important, as it provides the foundations for an understanding of social relations and guides the direction and nature of the social imagination and social inquiry. I’m not a professional philosopher though and it’s a very long time since I was using analytical philosophy and stuff.
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/oTX2LXHqXqYg2u4g6/less-wrong-rationality-and-mainstream-philosophy
#NeverEnoughAxiology #OrCulturalPhenomenology 🙂
I’m breaking all the rules Rev but what can I say,my hearts breaking a wee bit,indulge me ?
In remembrance of a Winger who has passed away.
Cearc… Maria…
She was inspiring and incredibly wise..
But that mischievous look still lingered in her eyes!
Her efforts made us humble,her persona unique,her commitment to Scotland,a promise she’d keep..
She was at the Raigmore where her needs they did tend,but sadly on the 20th her life came to an end.
We’ll remember her fondly and how hard she tried,but mostly her efforts to gain Scotland’s prize.
Bringing eggs for a raffle and downing a dram, dancing with Cactus and recommending we stay calm..
Her wisdom was endless and sure enough we’ll know…
Cearc hasn’t left us,not really, we’ll see she lives on in the hearts of too many Wingers for that to be!
When we march and we gather,most of us will find, there’s the whirr of a wee wummins scooter just a half a step behind,
We’ll get the impression the driver’s wearing a hat,and constantly talking about this and that!
And on that day, when we’re finally free,we’ll say, “” We did it, Wings – MARIA – and me “” !!!
Aw Maria,gang awa hame Lassie xxx
Liz didn’t expect to start the day in tears – lovely eulogy.
It makes a change from utter rage with the media though.
Sorry to hear that news Liz. I didn’t know her personally but noticed her post on here now and again. She’ll be sadly missed on Wings. Sending condolences to her family and friends.
RIP Cearc X – Maria X
Sad. Amen to that. A wee tear. A greet. For all’w that.
Good to see Nana, Mr Peffer’s Dr Jim back. Other great comments. Petra shining bright. +++ others. Sun is up. Wee ginger dug branching out. Travelling all over the place to speak with enthusiasm.
The BBC can muck up all it likes. Millions do not like it’s news coverage causing trouble, all over the world, Not world class but struggling. Blanked out ‘Marr’. £3,7Billion for a bad, poor effort. Failing. The Tories on their way out. To oblivion. Hopefully. Brexit mess and shambles. What a catastrophe. Public money paying for that muck up. They could not make a worse unionist mess and there have been many.
The terrible costs of the Westminster imbecile unionists mess caused worldwide. An abomination. Blowing the world to bits and causing strife everywhere. Pathetic sychophant psychopaths, Utterly appalling, Now the Brexit mess. They don’t know what to do next to muck up every more. They will be gone.
Achievement can be done. In spite of the Labour Mafia BBC Scotland. The SNP is still flying high. Higher than ever. Independent support increasing religiously as more come on board.
It looks like it is better not to have BBC support. They just bring folk down. The unionists going down and down. The SNP doing things right to help everybody. Millions are satisfied. Bring it on. The time is right to have a Referendum? is when it can be won. Nicola and Co knows that. A canny operator. Brings the reluctant women etc on board. A fine example for everyone.
All hail to Alex Salmond. He nearly got it over the line. A massive, major task. Really missing his input but the Independence trail is going for strength. Thanks for the AWPR, the turbines in the Bay, the golfing Development, the sports facilities. Thanks Alex, Nicola and co. Changing people’s lives fit the better. All the great major improvement and opportunities. Helping bring Scotland into the 21C. Amazing, Absolutely brilliant.
Pity about the unionists politicos wasting public monieat every opportunity. Then complaining about it. Incompetent, ignorant liars. Liars always get found out.
Black Donald
In answer to your last question –
Because they (the proud Scots) are not Scots.
They are British. And that is an adopted English identity.
Call them out for what they are and what they are not.
Oh Liz. I am so sorry to hear Cearc has slipped away.
What a lovely and interesting lady =)
I hope somebody with a good heart is looking after her hens.
Ach. Cheerio Cearc xxx
@Liz g
That was lovely. So sorry to hear about Cearc. X
Oh Liz, so sad to hear about Cearc. My condolences to all of her family and friesnd.
I didn’t know her personally, but I always enjoyed her contributions. Very sad news indeed.
Dr Jim @10-30pm
You are spot on, this is becoming not a healthy place since the court case, in my opinion.
As a long-time SNP member and Indy supporter, for years I have had this site as my “Home page”, and visited more than daily, but, of late things have changed (including the Rev’s views, I reckon), and I no longer find it enjoyable, or uplifting.
I will never vote for anything but Indy/SNP, as I see SNP as the ONLY way, but I cannot wade through all this anti-SNP rhetoric.
I don’t agree with SNP’s policy of pouring many more £millions into the property market so making the property developers even richer. A policy Thatcher would have approved of.
This is money that could be spent on support for families with young children such as extra nursery places, especially for lower income families.
Research findings, the result of a study carried out across the English speaking world, highlight what we already know and that is that the Scots are less likely to bullsh*t, lie and deceive, than others. Please note that the study didn’t clarify if members of the Scottish media were involved or not. Guessing Not.
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2019/04/28/north-american-and-english-young-people-significantly-bigger-bullshitters-than-scots/
Having been at the conference and having listened to the speeches I know why the didn’t want it watched by those who call Scotland home.
Ignore the media and get on with the campaign.
A good start would be attending the AUOB in Glasgow!
@Liz g says:29 April, 2019 at 4:33 am:
” … Aw Maria,gang awa hame Lassie xxx”
Aye! Liz g, there’s many of us hanging on by a thread and that thread is a wish to spend even a day in an independent Scotland that we have waited for almost all our lives.
It is indeed very sad when one more of us doesn’t make it to our one remaining ambition.
I note from the Rev’s twitter feed, the good Colonel is back from her maternity leave, and calling for compromise.
I trust everyone realises she is calling for Conservative compromise; this means we all immediately agree with ber and Mrs Melchett down there in Downing Street.
And we do exactly what they tell us – starting with dropping any mention of an Independence Referendum, for which, as she will no doubt tell us, there is no demand.
We must also stop trying to soften Brexit.
That is what the Toerags mean by compromise.
Links
For anyone who missed the FM’s speech yesterday and if you prefer to watch the video, see link posted above at 5.55pm
https://www.snp.org/nicola-sturgeons-address-to-conference/
https://www.gov.scot/news/further-gbp-70-million-to-improve-waiting-times/
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2019/04/28/reporting-scotlands-astonishing-brass-neck-complaints-department/
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/the-way-out/
Who’s Who for Scotland In the EU Elections
http://ballotbox.scot/whos-who-eu
http://independenceconvention.scot/voices-for-scotland-launch-of-a-new-civic-organisation-to-engage-voters-on-independence
A RECORD-BREAKING PLACE TO INVEST.
Scotland is the UK’s most attractive location for foreign direct investment outside of London. If you’re looking for a new home for your business, Scotland is the place to behttps://www.sdi.co.uk/
https://joansjigsaw.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/listen-to-the-words/
@ Liz g
That was well said.
Statement on the Glasgow Life fiasco with background on some of those driving this policy and advising public bodies.
https://forwomen.scot/28/04/2019/glasgow-life/#more-1160
On Loch Lomond’s banks, anger grows at £30m resort plan
Locals and naturalists oppose a proposed hotel development on ‘beautiful and historic’ wooded national park land
http://archive.fo/x38la
HELP SAVE LOCH LOMOND – Say no to Flamingo Land in Balloch
https://greens.scot/ross-greer-msp/loch-lomond
Human rights campaigners have criticised Scottish Liberal Democrat MP, Alistair Carmichael, and his team after two of his researchers were treated to gifts and a day at the races by the Qatari government.
http://archive.fo/MmjSF
https://www.centreonconstitutionalchange.ac.uk/blog/referendum-or-citizens%E2%80%99-assembly-plot-thickens
Get your US trade deals with a bout of ecoli on the side
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/26/health/e-coli-outbreak-ground-beef-bn/index.html
https://europeantomorrow.blogspot.com/2019/04/poison-spreading-conversion-of.html
Brexit has made us unwilling combatants in a Tory civil war
http://archive.fo/eUBGx
Natasha Engel and former Labour MP, has, as far as I can see from Wikipedia, no background in science. She was, however, previously a consultant to Ineos
The bbc don’t mention the above
Fracking tsar resigns after six months over ‘ridiculous’ rules
http://archive.fo/R5sRw
Before she resigned, Shale Gas Commissioner Natasha Engel admitted routinely destroying her correspondence with fracking companies….
https://twitter.com/alextomo/status/1122414961068843008
Hundreds of overworked NHS nurses have died by suicide – whose fault is it, Tories?
http://archive.fo/Xs1bI
Police in England and Wales
In recent years concerns have grown for the mental well-being of emergency personnel who are under increasing pressure due to a combination of factors.
Officers have highlighted how the cuts to policing budgets, leading to around 21,000 fewer officers than a decade ago, as well as cuts to partner agencies, had led to increasing workload.
http://archive.fo/rCc0P
https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/brexiteer-jacob-rees-mogg-admitted-to-me-he-didnt-know-what-the-irish-border-was-bertie-ahern-38057788.html
I worked on David Attenborough’s documentary. The grim reality gave me climate anxiety
http://archive.fo/4FELz
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/women-pensions-loss-child-benefits-men-partner-husband-claim-a8876941.html
Tories should expect to lose 800 seats in local elections, says analyst
http://archive.is/1V4uO
link at 8.23am
A RECORD-BREAKING PLACE TO INVEST.
https://www.sdi.co.uk/
A view from across the border.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/28/england-mess-scotland-splitting-away
DWP blasted by doctors over ‘fit for work’ letters that ‘endanger patients
http://archive.is/5rrot
Brexit: the receding tide
http://eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=87221
Will not archive
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/homicides-in-england-and-wales-at-highest-level-since-2008_uk_5cc1734ae4b0ad77ff7fec28
Last Saturday we had the great pleasure of welcoming the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Derek McKay to Donoch to speak to the local Branches. Derek, as usual was an articulate, informed and passionate speaker but also has the gravitas which comes with having to make some hard decisions in power.
http://scotsindependent.scot/?p=2466
https://www.thepeoplesnewsonline.co.uk/single-post/2019/04/23/the-eu-referendum-corruption-on-a-machiavellian-scale/
Same-sex marriage referendum in Northern Ireland could break political impasse – Fianna Fail
http://archive.fo/EgIaf
Mike Russell said
https://twitter.com/bbcdebatenight/status/1122607251989123072
Haha looks like the bbc’s go to guy for economics assessment is the graphman!
https://twitter.com/HossMackintosh/status/1122643522190966785
I was expecting a play down of the SNP conference by the media. However the extent of the containment is breathtaking!
Do the BBC really consider this balanced reporting?
Lesley Riddoch: The future of the Union sits on a gey shoogly nail
http://archive.is/vTEBB
https://www.politico.eu/article/facebook-advertising-brexit-uk-politics-peoples-vote-britains-future/
Brexit will slow UK economy for rest of 2019, forecaster warns
http://archive.is/aSa60
and finally a wee reminder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rp2XS1nbvA
That’s all for now
Could anyone give me a clear rundown if England wanted to leave the Uk. What would be the procedure in this case. S30, asking permission, referendum.
Wullie : damn good question.
Wullie excellent
So sorry to hear such sad news today. Condolences to the family. A fine woman, who I only ever spoke to via phone, but who was so quick to offer me help and support when I was in a very bad place. Rest in peace Cearc, the world is a poorer place without you.
The btl comments on Mail Online re “Sturgeon’s SNP” are to be savoured. Some much anti-Scottish venom. I smell fear.
The wee Jimmy Crankie references are rich, the referent being a hard line Unionist.
I complained to the BBC about the lack of live coverage of the First Minister’s speech on Wednesday. Here is their reply. It is a great comfort to me to know that the BBC really cares and takes my comments seriously. Seriously!?
bbc_complaints_website@bbc.co.uk
5:06 AM (4 hours ago)
to me
Dear Mrs *******
Reference CAS-5418277-MGNCDG
Thank you for contacting the BBC.
I understand you were unhappy that we did not provide live coverage of Nicola Sturgeon’s speech on a potential second Scottish independence referendum on 24 April.
I was sorry to learn of your disappointment with the coverage given to the First Minister’s speech. Choosing which breaking news stories to provide live coverage of and the length of time we should devote to them is a subjective matter and one which we know not every member of our audience will feel we get right every time.
However, Ms Sturgeon’s speech was reported on news bulletins throughout the day across our TV and radio services as well as on the BBC website. For example, we featured it on the BBC News at Five, BBC News at Six and BBC News at Ten, as well as on other programmes such as Beyond 100 Days and Outside Sources. It was also the lead story on that evening’s edition of Newsnight.
It is worth noting too that Ms Sturgeon’s speech was broadcast on BBC Parliament that day. You can still watch it by following the link provided:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004xqn
We also offered live updates on the BBC News website which you can view by clicking on the link below:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48012145
Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that we value your feedback. All complaints are sent to senior management every morning and we included your points in our overnight reports.
These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC and ensures that your complaint has been seen by the right people quickly. This helps inform their decisions about current and future output.
Thank you once again for getting in touch.
Kind regards
Terry Hughes
BBC Complaints Team
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints
NB This is sent from an outgoing account only which is not monitored. You cannot reply to this email address but if necessary please contact us via our webform quoting any case number we provided.
@Clootie says: 29 April, 2019 at 8:58 am:
” … Do the BBC really consider this balanced reporting?”
The BBC are rather like a butcher I had a run in with way back in the early 1960s. There were few supermarkets back then so we had no option for buying meat but local butcher’s shops.
Now I’m very good at judging weights and was very suspicious that the meat bought by my wife was underweight. I decided to go with her to see what was going on.
The shop, as usual, was crowded and being a village shop everyone knew each other but we were newcomers to the village and although most villagers knew my wife few knew me. I had been away on detached duty.
So there we were standing in the queue and I was closely watching to see if I could spot whatever the scam was that was selling my wife underweight meat.
It was easy to spot and as the butcher was wrapping the meat I stepped up alongside my wife, reached over the counter and took hold of the butcher’s hand, spread his hand over the chopping block and picked up a meat cleaver.
The butcher turned pale stuttering, “Whit ye daein! Whit ye daein!!. I said,, “ye weighed that thumb, sae if Ah’m payin fir if Ah’m hivin it”.
This guy was up to all the tricks but he got caught out and his business suffered. So, like the BBC he was biasing the output. He was pressing on the scales with his thumb but got found out and lost customers.
A BBC reporter in Spain this morning referred to “the illegal referendum held in Catalonia”.
So unbiased, aren’t they?
Just searched for ‘SNP conference’ on iPlayer on my laptop after reading this and the results included their live coverage of the conference from yesterday. Not sure why people might be getting different search results, but that’s what came up for me.
It reminds me of the anti-austerity march coverage.
There was a march in London a couple of years back. It was attended by 50k plus marchers and had a rally at the end of it. The BBC gave absolutely NO mention of this whatever on ANY news programme despite a march of this size in the middle of the nation’s capital causing so much noise etc that one of their reporters, doing an OB from Whitehall, had to have the camera pointed at them backed a wall, and shout over the tumult to AVOID any coverage of it accidentally being given.
Being in the position of KNOWING that this march was taking place I searched the BBC for the story and, after about 40 minutes of struggling with different wordings and searching various parts of the site I FOUND IT!! It was on BBC London and was in a local news section. There was a six second sound clip. Honestly, that was IT!
But, to give the BBC there due, they HAD reported on it. They had just done it in such a way as to actively hide the information from the entire population and what they DID report was utterly inadequate.
We can no longer kid ourselves that the BBC is a ‘trusted broadcaster’ They are not. To FAIL to report on certain news items is almost worse than lying about those you DO report on. I remember back in the 70s and 80s we used to laugh at the type of news propaganda that the USSR pumped out. We’re not laughing anymore, are we??
@ Liz g – thx for letting us know that Cearc has passed away. Sad news. I met her once at the Aberdeen WoS night. She was, as you say, a bright witty lady with a twinkle in her eye and a cheeky hat. She will take a lot of love and happy memories with her.
The excitement at PQ will be mounting, the anointed one is returning, one of their own. Will there be a live speech an conference broadcast, to quote something I once saw on a machine in a gents toilets ‘if it’s going on, it’s going in’ (I believe it was an old newspaper advert).
It was in The Yellow Carvel pub (circa 19723sh) for any old frequenters of Edinburgh pubs. Which may in fact be in the anointed ones constituency if it was still there.
This is to be expected from the British state mouthpiece broadcaster. They’re afraid to show the support for the SNP and Scottish independence on their bias channels.
Is it any wonder then why broadcasting isn’t devolved.
Gary@10.08am
It us not just the BBC or the rest of the media that is like the Soviet Union. The UK Union just like the Soviet Union is no proper union at all. The Soviet Union kept its members prisoners of its Union just as the UK Union does as well.
A Union can only be a Union when it’s members freely agree to be members. Otherwise it is a prison. Westminster is holding Scotland prisoner. A quote from a Tory MP in the HofCommons during Brexit debates. “We must put Scotland and Northern Ireland back in their bottle and firmly replace the cork.”
We are prisoners. The well known Queen song comes to mind.
Robert Peffers
A real street wise guy.
What a load of nonsense.
The BBC will carry on unabated and only independence will silence it’s lies.
Not a surprise whatsoever. This is what the BBC do. It is blatant propaganda.
As RP points out, the BBC is not funded via the TV ‘license’ fee, as that money goes straight to the treasury in London. It is just a TV tax paid to london via a private company called capita. The Government in London then decides how much money to give to the BBC. It is that simple. He who pays the piper calls the tune.
The REAL irony, is you regularly see BBC so-called ‘journalists’ condemning Russia Today as a state run Russion government mouthpiece, yet somehow they are blinded to the fact that they themselves are employed by a state funded government mouthpiece.
The BBC will never change. It is the most powerful tool the Westminster government has. Why else do you think the Tories have not privatised it, or introduced pay per view etc… Do you really think Tories hang on to ‘free’ to air public television because it is something they believe in??
No, the BBC are a Westminster funded propaganda outfit. I do not doubt their are many who work on it, who do not realise just how it is used to manipulate public viewpoints. And of course they will say, ‘well nobody tells me what to say at the BBC’, and as Naom Chomsky pointed out, that is right. Nobody is telling them what to say, but the fact they have a job with the BBC as a so-called ‘journalist’ is exactly because they are not Scottish nationalists or believe Scotland should run its own affairs. Poeple with non -establishment viewpoints are weeded out. People with such views are either sidelined, or never get employed at the BBC in significant roles in the first place.
It is like SKY news and their ‘newspaper’ reviews. Always seems a bit biased towards the right wing, but they don’t tell the reviewers what to say. Instead the bias is introduced by the choice of person they get on to do the reviews. If you are a coherent and well spoken enthusiast of Scottish independence, and believe Scotland is an oil rich nation which could do better without English colonial rule, you will NEVER get a gig reviewing the papers on SKY ‘news’, and if by some chance you do, as soon as you make such views clear, you will likely not be invited back.
And let’s never forget the BBC themselves admitted that in the past they used to vet potential employees with MI6. Of course they tell us this was in the past, but I suspect it still happens. That is why it is rare to see or hear anybody from the BBC speak out against, for example, the royal family.
The BBC is an English state propaganda outfit, maintaining the view that Scotland is sh*te, and couldn’t possibly survive without London colonial rule. It is straight out of the propaganda handbook.
Why the SNP to this day, despite everything still indulge the BBC, I have no idea.
Clootie@8.12am
“A good start would be attending the AUOB in Glasgow”
I attended last years march in Glasgow and for me it was the best of the year. I will be attending again on Sat. We need to get out of this corrupt Union that is not really a Union but a prison.
Cubby says:
Exactly!
Those BritNats who compare the European Union with the UK Union are totally off the mark.
The EU is like a golf club. You pay your dues and you obey club rules so everything runs smoothly. You can leave when you want after settle bills.
The UK is like a prison in comparison.
Wullia at 909am,
That is the point exactly. If England one day decided to leave the union, they would just do it.
Cubby
You can hide the pictures of conference but you cannae hide whit people see going past their window or car or bus stop or shop.
I am saddened to post this message from cearc’s daughters .
Dear All,
It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that our mother, your relative, friend or acquaintance, Maria Patricia Nolan, passed away suddenly on Saturday the 20th of April at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
We are making plans for a service to be held in Inverness on Wednesday the 8th of May. Further to that we will be having a memorial gathering at her home on her birthday, the 20th of May. To both, you’re most welcome, but please let us know at your first convenience if you wish to attend either or both and we will inform you of our finalized plans. These do depend on the number of people attending.
We gathered your details from personal contact lists, however we are unsure how complete this list is. So please do pass this on to anyone that you think should know and extend our welcome to them.
Warm regards,
Emma, Aubrey and Morwenna Hewes
RIP Maria always in our thoughts .
Robert Louis 1055…
Well said
England would leave the union in a flash if it wanted to , there would be no S30 nonsense no discussion it would be done and dusted quickly
Have a read of weegingerdug post today, I’ve had to disagree with it, he is in favour of S30 and dancing to England’s Westminster tune saying that if we go ahead without a S30 the media BBC Westminster and the labour Tory Lib Dem’s in Scotland will boycott it and get heavy with strong arm tactics if we win and still go ahead after a boycott but my view is that all my life people have boycotted votes and elections they don’t think they will win but the result still went ahead and was recognised in fact you could say that right now in Scotland possibly UK possibly the world over that young people have boycotted elections because they don’t trust politicians and don’t think there is anyone to vote for who is representing them ? Do we hear a call for ignoring the election results because young people don’t vote. . ..? NO we don’t
If SNP have a majority of MP,s in holyrood and Westminster, more than the labour Tory Lib Dem added together, we have every right to vote on Scottish independence and carry it through if a majority vote for it.
Stuff the media the BBC the Tory Lib Dem labour who boycott
Use it or lose it that is the way voting is done
Robert Louis @ 10.55 PM
“”Why the SNP to this day, despite everything still indulge the BBC, I have no idea.””
Do they indulge the BBC?
It is just a few weeks ago that there was criticism of the BBC for repeatedly cutting off Ian Blackford when he rose to speak in the HoC. The BBC changed its behaviour for all of 2 minutes then reverted to type.
The SNP know full well that they are on a hiding to nothing in any face-off with the BBC and, to a lesser extent, with the rest of the MSM. Rather than waste energy on that the SNP and SG have found other ways to get their message across to the voters – look at the polls – by bypassing the BBC et al and in doing so laying bare the deficiencies of those bodies.
@Cubby
I’ll be at AUOB. I’ll be dressed in a smart dress and jacket, nude courts with 4-inch heels and my hair will be short, with auburn lowlights. I’ll be self-identifying as ‘Nicola’. No scrap that, the real Nicola would never be seen dead marching, not in those heels.
How about if I wear my yellow and black ’Kill Bill’ jumpsuit? Too much or not enough? You’ll be able to pick me out no matter what, though. I’ll not be waving my flag quite vigorously enough or my rictus smile will momentarily droop. Or it will be just instinct, you just know who is real and who isn’t, don’t you? I might vote for the SNP or even be a member longer than you have been able to type ‘Britnat’ but in my black, black heart and soul I’m not the real thing because I don’t think Nicola Sturgeon is all that great.
I’ll let you into a secret, I didn’t really like Alex Salmond either. I liked John Swinney though, everyone did but he wasn’t a great leader. No-one liked Gordon Wilson – we didn’t know you had to like the leader and refer to them like your family back then.
So changed days and I suppose I am just not positive enough anonymously on an internet site for people I don’t know nor care about. But guess what, I’ll still vote SNP and still vote for Independence and I won’t be questioning the integrity of people who, when I am canvassing, express doubts or anxieties. I won’t tell them they are stupid and should have memorised spurious dates in history to show their devotion to the cause. I won’t interrupt them and tell them they are brainwashed if they use rUK, because we all know what that means IRL.
So I might see you or maybe not because I’ll be enjoying myself too much to even think about internet idiots like ‘you people’.
Silence the BBC. Don’t pay the bastards any money !
@Gary says: 29 April, 2019 at 10:08 am:
” … We can no longer kid ourselves that the BBC is a ‘trusted broadcaster’ They are not. To FAIL to report on certain news items is almost worse than lying about those you DO report on. I remember back in the 70s and 80s we used to laugh at the type of news propaganda that the USSR pumped out. We’re not laughing anymore, are we??”
As a laddie way back in the 1940s I was a short wave radio fan. Mind you I’d been building crystal sets before that. Anyway, as a fan I read up on the BBC’s real history and I’ve posted it on Wings many times but here we go again:-
“Wireless”, amateurs, *Hams”, were the driving force behind radio broadcasting. As Hams they designed and built their own transmitters and receivers and used them to speak to each other and, “Broadcasting”, had not been invented. These Hams included such as Marconi, Murphy, Philips who were leaders in the Ham hobby.
These Hams started to build wireless transmitters and receiver as a business and, of course, their only customers were other Hams but most of these built their own gear. It was thus a small market.
So in order to grow a customer base they decided they needed to sell to the general public and so, “Broadcasting began”. On 14th February 1922. Station 2MT began transmitting from an ex-army hut next to the Marconi laboratories at Writtle, near Chelmsford. However 2MT did not become part of the BBC and was closed down on 17th Jan 1923.
On 11 May 1922 a second station (2LO) was allowed to broadcast for one hour a day from 7th floor of Marconi House in London’s Strand. These stations were essentially classed as Ham Stations hence the Ham style callsigns 2MT and 2LO. So initially they were only allowed to transmit as amateurs for 7 minutes, after which “the operator” had to listen on the wavelength for 3 minutes for other Hams to contact them.
Anyway, to cut a long story shorter, these more well informed wireless hams formed a company together to advance Wireless broadcasting so as to grow a market for their Wireless sets.
Westminster, via the GPO, (General Post Office), saw the use of Wireless as a government propaganda tool and, as the GPO had already made it illegal for Hams to operate without government permission and had, “Licenced”, them.
They gave the Ham’s wireless receiver company, (I think it was then called, “The British Broadcasting company, a Royal Charter and an annual grant of taxpayer’s money, and The British Broadcasting Corporation., was born as the Westminster Propaganda Service from day one.
The BBC, from the day it became the British Broadcasting Corporation, has always been the Westminster Propaganda wing and was licenced as such from day one.
So there you go “2MT”, at Chelmsford was the first UK public broadcaster but you have to search very hard to get any information about it and it was NOT part of the BBC from it changing from a private company to a state funded private corporation with a Royal Charter and an annual government grant.
So, there you go. The truth about the birth of the BBC.
Had to go for a haircut this morning,so while waiting I had a look at the papers laying around. The record, the express and the mail.
No national of course.
Absolutely wall to wall propaganda against Nicola and the SNP.
They are really ramping up the Scotland/SNP bad stuff. Really shameful stuff and obviously beyond bias.
I am really glad I have never bought one for years now,I do the National of course. To read the “Scottish” britnat stuff from these papers is bad for your blood pressure, and emphasises the ways the media plays it’s part in keeping Scotland under Westminsters agenda. Scum the lot of them. Roll on Indy so we can do something about it.
@Ofcom rules against @BBCPolitics after @afneil falsely claimed one-in-five Scottish schoolchildren were “illiterate” during Alex Salmond interview and slams BBC for its post-false-claim dissembling
https://twitter.com/Ian_Fraser/status/1122813110455349248
NEW: Broadcast regulator Ofcom finds the BBC and Andrew Neil “misrepresented a factual matter” and misled viewers in 2017 local elections in Scotland
link to ruling here
https://twitter.com/MarkDiStef/status/1122801990315196417
Cassandra@11.51am
A cracker of a rant. You have been trying to pick a fight with me for some time. Congrats. Your post seems to link me to a manner of things none of which I have said or done. When venting your crap perhaps you should get your facts correct.
What another nonsense post. Independence is nothing to do with who you like or not. I couldn’t care less about who you say you like or not. It’s Britnats who always like to personalise the SNP, eg Salmond’s SNP.
It is clear that Britnats do not like people who use the term Britnat. So I guess I will keep on using it.
Just another disrupter on Wings.
New trough found for dugdale
@kezdugdale is to stand down as an MSP in the summer and will take up the post as director of the John Smith Centre for Public Service at Glasgow University.
https://twitter.com/holyroodmandy/status/1122825356673732608
Sad to hear of Cearc’s passing, a nice lady, RIP and condolences to Family and Friends
Smart move of the John Smith Centre for Public Service to appoint a defamer as their first director. They had John Major deliver their inaugural lecture. I think we get the picture.
https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolitical/johnsmith/news/
@Robert Louis says: 29 April, 2019 at 10:55 am:
” … Why the SNP to this day, despite everything still indulge the BBC, I have no idea.”
So, Robert Louis, you still don’t get even although you have been told it many times?
The way propaganda works best is because the people being brainwashed don’t realise they are being brainwashed. Now here’s a few wee facts you may never have considered. The BBC Overseas service, (or whatever they call it these days), broadcasts on every waveband there is in the World and it is the largest by far radio service in the World and it always has been. It has been spreading Westminster propaganda almost as long as the BBC here in the British Isles. The majority of overseas listeners have not the slightest idea they are being brainwashed.
Now think on this – if the SNP were to attempt to tell the non-politically engaged general public that the BBC was brainwashing them the BBC would simple tell them the SNP were attempting to tell them lies and would do exactly what they are doing right now. Ignore anything and everything to do with the SNP and those non-engaged listeners/viewers and readers will blithely carry on being brainwashed in total ignorance.
However, instead of getting all up tight and raging at the BBC the SNP carry on doing what they do best running Scotland at Holyrood, taking part firmly and robustly at Westminster and speaking with great eloquence at Brussels the general public begin to wonder why the SNP are not getting mentioned. Just look through Wings comments – we all can see the BBC and other broadcasters and newspapers obvious bias.
People aren’t, (generally), daft and they do notice. Mind you a discrete word here and there doesn’t go amiss. Simply thanking a Scottish NHS staff member in a busy waiting room and saying that the SNHS is the best in the World can make the SNHS, and the SG, a lot of friends.
@ Lizg and Ronnie
That’s so sad about Cearc – we can remember her dancing at Dow’s, though, delighted that she could do so, pain-free, for the first time in years.
Well that’s fairly interesting. Following on from John Harris’ opinion piece in the Guardian (with no comments permitted) there now follows Simon jenkins on the inevitability of Scottish Independence (also with no comments permitted).
Interesting in the sense that this long term die-hard unionist journalist far remote from the political scene in Scotland, now opines that ‘the union’ is effectively over.
I really didn’t expect to ever read that from him.
Interesting, Glasgow University employs someone a judge decided was too stupid to understand what words mean.
Academia is probably the most political environments outside of politics. Glasgow University simply appears to be a bit thick with yoons.
given kezas dismal intellectual performance these past years
– her intent to leave holyrood seemed dubious to me
– she has 61778 reasons to stay
– could she do better, working as a lawyer in the real world?
… aye, so the speeding ticket stands, nae luck – but why is the sheriff got a black hankie on his head
will she just quote led zep in every case – sometimes words have two meanings … the dictionary, commonly agreed, and MINE
now the old skool has gifted her a cushy knife and fork job – but why?
is she a secret royal bastard or something?
The MSM are now convinced they can make Ruth Davidson the FM, they gave up with Labour after the last vanguard exploded in their faces. Lets see if they can overturn 60 years of Scotland rejecting the Tories, it would of course need Labour and LibDem backing them (not totally unrealistic to be honest, they are pretty much all on the same page – a party of unionist unity).
Can I please appeal to all Wingers to make a special effort to be at AUOB in Glasgow on Saturday?
Actions speak louder than the proverbials!
🙂
Simon Jenkins in the Guardian speculating some kind of Scottish Independence is inevitable, and May should position herself for some version of “Indy-Lite”.
It’s only a little bit patronising.
It does however kinda resonate with my own belief that Scotland should be pressing hard for intermediary status as an Indy Nation in Europe, but with a bilateral trade agreement between an EU Scotland and Brexited England.
Give the English something tangible to grasp in Scotland’s Independence, something to get them off the hook with Europe, and present them with the provisional ultimatum that Scotland can only deliver salvation from Brexit catastrophe if Scotland is inside the EU, and thus Scotland requires to be a sovereign Nation in every respect.
I know that sounds like a deluded pipe dream, but an Indy Scotland offering buffer trade status would mean that the EU and Westminster would be obliged to reopen and revise Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement, and if a “Buffer State Scotland” also offered a ready workaround for the Irish Backstop, the “revised” Withdrawal Agreement would be readily approved by the big Brexit majority Parties in England. Theresa’s Deal MkII would skip through Westminster unchallenged.
As ever however, the game doesn’t stand still. The longer we delay, the more likely the impetus down South switches from Leave to Remain and a People’s Vote to kill off Brexit altogether, and then yet another window of Brexit opportunity closes for Scotland.
In essence, I suppose this is similar to Rev Stu’s argument that the SNP could bargain with the Devil, give May her Withdrawal Agreement in exchange for a clear run at an IndyRef, but I would drive for a much harder bargain than a troublesome Referendum compromised by a rabid UK media… I would spell it out…Scotland can only offer Westminster a Brexit EU Trade lifeline, (and Irish Backstop workaround), IF, and only IF, Scotland is an Independent State and EU Member. We dissolve the Union by mutual consent, but then find a solution to England’s dilemmas by mutual respect and cooperation.
That means we don’t sit in Europe scoffing at England’s trials and tribulations and flicking them the “v’s”. It means we Scots bargain forcefully with Europe for our “British Trade Cooperative” to be genuine trade body of recognised and respected importance and potency.
We should agree that if Westminster was to cooperate and work with the SNP constructively to maintain Scotland’s place in Europe, Scotland (and Europe) would reciprocate and undertake to use Scotland’s EU Membership, and the historic precedent of unitary trade throughout the former UK, to create a quasi-federal “mini common market” of English speaking British Nation’s, a little bit like a British Benelux arrangement, but where Scotland and Ireland are EU nations and England and Wales are not.
Give Westminster and the English something positive and constructive to come out of Scotland’s freedom to remain in Europe. – Scotland, Independent yes, sovereign yes, but providing England with a conduit for all its EU compliant trade.
We would have to negotiate hard, negotiate fast, and negotiate now. If May won’t budge, if Corbyn won’t budge, then work around them. Forge the proposal with Michel Barnier, and take it directly to the people of England if necessary. The reasoned thinkers will understand what it offers, and the Brexiteering vegetables will be glad to see the back of us anyway.
Michel Barnier, indeed all the EU Leaders are calling out for cross party UK consensus… but that hope looks forlorn against the backdrop of such a dysfunctional Parliament of Westminster, but a solution which gives Scotland independence and EU membership, gives Brexiteers the Brexit they crave, dissolves the Irish Backstop problem, and gives hope to Remainers that Scotland is enabling at least some some ongoing relationship between Europe and England. There is a solution in that mix.
I earnestly believe there is a workable solution within our grasp. The big question is whether there is enough vision, and yes, courage to see it.
It’s pretty clear that being appointed to the leader of the Labour Party branch office in Scotland is not a great career move in politics. It used to be great for getting in to the House of Lords and a life helping yourself to freebies courtesy of the taxpayer.
Murphy and Dugdale Labour dream team – what a pair of jokers – and I think that is pretty fair comment.
Lamont and Grey – a pair of nonentities.
It won’t be long before Labour in Scotland is fighting to stay ahead of the Lib Dem vote in Scotland.
The correct reward for the damage Labour has done to Scotland.
re. Glasgow Uni., British nationalism, the BBC in Scotland, the British constitution, Brexit and the whole sorry mess we are in. This is what happens when you let the New Right anywhere near power and replace evidence based policy with narcissistic self-faith and the neo-liberal ‘logic’ of the market.
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/46qnWRSR7L2eyNbMA/the-lens-that-sees-its-flaws
John Smith Centre – “represents a positive vision for representative politics.” “Champions excellence in politicians to act as role models in public life.”
Then promptly tears up it’s own standards by hiring Kezia Dugdale! What a joke.
Dugdale gone to another Labour Mafia sponsored post. Patronage. Habitual useless liars always get found out.
Another one gone, another one down one hits the dust. Left before they were voted out. Total opportunist.
Taking the liars to Court makes some of them keep their lying mouths shut. Liars always get found out.
Thanks Rev Stu for all you do. Calling out the hypocrites.
Poopy pants spewing shite again. Go and find some new knickers. Soiled.
Brexit will never happen. Brexit is Brexit is Brexit. What is Brexit? An illusion of some manipulated fanciful imagination. No very real at all. Liars always get found out. The Brexit lie.Total disillusioned right wing Tories. Now getting found out along with Labour and the rest of them. To line their greedy pockets with public money. Total wasters. Always have been, always will be.off into the wilderness once again. Parasites.
May and the Tories will not be doing anything. They will be gone. A S300 order can easily be applied for through the Courts. After the appalling undemocratic way Scotland has been treated by the Westminster unionists.
The last George Square gathering Wings stall was not there. Some people were looking forward to it.
Glasgow Uni infiltrated by the Labour mafia for years. Failed Labour politicians. First class degrees? Labour patronage. Now being diluted. Fifty years of lying Labour and their sychophants. Dying away.
Breeks @ 1.55
There’s many workable computations that would offer a way round Brexit for Westminster!
But I think the bottom line is they cannot actually afford to Brexit without Scotland!!!
And I don’t know if you picked up on it,but Nicola ruled out voting for Brexit under any circumstances in her speech?
@Capella
Among the requirements for the post as advertised in the website (the link you provided):
“The Director will require gravitas and outstanding communication skills to represent the Centre on an international stage, including in media appearances, and must be comfortable leading from the front in a high-profile role”
Kezia gravitas? Outstanding communication skills in media appearances?
Not sure about that one, to be honest.
Liz g says:
29 April, 2019 at 2:46 pm
Breeks @ 1.55
And I don’t know if you picked up on it,but Nicola ruled out voting for Brexit under any circumstances in her speech?
But we don’t vote for Brexit at all. Brexit evolves into Eng-Exit. Scotland doesn’t leave Europe.
And yes, I know it’s a stretch to think Westminster would go for it because they couldn’t accommodate losing Scotland, but that notion kinda runs aground if they’re going to be losing Scotland regardless.
Thanks for the links Nana.
Kezia and the John Smith Centre! Sounds as though it’s not so much what you know, as who you know.
Hey Cassandra since you are supposed to be good at telling the future can you tell us whether it will rain in Glasgow this Saturday afternoon for the independence march.
CameronB Brodie. 1.21pm. Would that make it a yooniversity? University students used to have a sense of humour in the old days and had a very funny rag I think was called Ygora. The PC Liberal lefties ended it.
The John Smith Centre is like a national holocaust memorial. It is there as a warning from history: how unthinking support for the ‘Scottish’ Labour Party and its brutally senseless officers lead to decades of nothing but drabness and disappointment. Kezia Dugdale has been sent there as the living embodiment of those terrible, wasted years.
Could not find the SNP conference on the BBC well the leaders speech was live only on the BBC the conference was on the BBC News websites there were interviews but funnily you do not criticise STV and SKY who don’t do ANY live coverage why not
I had always thought that the “British Broadcasting Corporation”‘s news output would cover news from “Britain”, aka The British Isles, the UK or whatever you want to call “this sceptered isle”.
The FACT that the BBC only covered Nicola’s speech, the preamble, and the dissection, on Sunday, shows that they are in ‘SNP suppression” mode.
Just watch how much coverage the tank commander’s party conference gets this weekend, compared to the SNP coverage last weekend.
I have begun to look on the BBC – particularly the news and current affairs output – as the UKEBC; the UK Establishment’s Broadcasting Cabal.
If you check universities across Scotland you will find ex Labour Lib Dem Tory politicians with ambiguous jobs in all of them.
Wendy Alexander Dundee university for example , big salary.
Most of these people hardly ever attend the university that pays them.
They all claim they are not involved in politics.
They all ARE involved in politics.
This is what has happened to Scotland
so many of its top positions are occupied by English people
and others opposed to Scottish independence
so they employ these political types to oppose Scottish independence from within our big institutions
Universities NHS etc etc
giving talks sending out messages and driving the force for UK
You see devolution allows it
It’s a well practiced tool used in many countries across the world that England’s Westminster has found to be very fruitful
But let’s face it nothing to fear with this latest one
If you check universities across Scotland you will find ex Labour Lib Dem Tory politicians with ambiguous jobs in all of them.
Wendy Alexander Dundee university for example , big salary claims not to be a politician but was on radio 4 joining in political debate the other day, in London ? must have had the day off !!
Most of these people hardly ever attend the university that pays them or live in the same town !!
They all claim they are not involved in politics.
They all ARE involved in politics.
This is what has happens to Scotland
so many of its top positions are occupied by English people
and others opposed to Scottish independence
they employ these political types to oppose Scottish independence from within our big institutions
Universities NHS etc etc
giving talks sending out messages to the employees and customers as a driving the force for UK from the inside
You see devolution allows it you know , oh yes it’s perfectly legitimate ,if you get voted out of your political position by “the people” …you can still get to and get at “the people” by getting an inside job with one of the big institutions where most certainly you will never ever ever be voted out and can go on and on and on being a politician only you get paid by a university or the NHS etc etc and not the Labour Party etc who are skint
It’s a well practiced tool used in many countries across the world that England’s Westminster has found to be very fruitful
But let’s face it nothing to fear with this latest one
We already know what she is about
David, Sky and STV are not publicly funded and do not have a charter which lays out the purpose of the channel. The BBC is publicly funded (licence fee) and has a Charter to inform, educate and entertain.
I’m not simply bumping my gums for the sake of it, I honestly think Rawls would be the ideal subject for KD’s inaugural lecture.
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/philosophy/files/staff/116/rawlsonmill.pdf
Doh! Wrong thread.