The state of Scotland
This tweet sums it up pretty well.
“I have no idea if it’s true, but it’s still worth celebrating.”
God help us all.
The idea that 7000 people suddenly joined the SNP last night on the strength of Nicola Sturgeon’s hollow bravura acting performance in front of the Fabiani inquiry is of course a complete and utter nonsense. It has no source and no evidence – we can’t find a single official SNP representative making the claim anywhere – and appears to have simply been plucked from thin air by a clutch of highly questionable accounts.
(Although we did raise an eyebrow at another tweet we saw, subsequently deleted, from someone who claimed that they’d just joined and been part of a 10% membership increase. Firstly, how on Earth would they know that? But secondly, with everyone else miraculously punting the same figure of 7000, that would suggest membership was around 70,000 rather than the 126,000 the party still absurdly pretends it is. Since we know it was 87,000 slightly more than a year ago and the party’s been in civil war since then, we strongly suspect that first number is pretty close to the truth.)
One thing we can be sure of, though, is that all 7000 new members have known Nicola Sturgeon since she was 16 and feel lucky to have her.
The SNP’s astroturfing operation has long been an embarrassment, but last night it hardly even bothered making the effort. A handful of accounts with 23 followers and six tweets in five years all announced they’d joined the party – just barely enough for MPs and activists to have several to retweet – and a scattered few punted the “7000” figure (along with the one poor sap who’d been fed the “10%” line instead) for the same reason, and lo and behold there was a handy distracting narrative.
Having been thoroughly scunnered by Sturgeon’s eight hours of assertions without evidence and denial without rebuttal, we gave ourselves the night off and played some videogames, to the extent that a number of people sent us worried emails, especially after the site was apparently down for a brief period.
But the simple reality, folks, was that we just didn’t have anything to say that you don’t already know. You know just like we do that the First Minister is lying through her teeth and has been doing so for the last year or more. We’re bored of proving it, because anyone who’s actually going to listen to the facts has already been convinced, and the rest are Melissa Taylor.
So we’re probably going to take it easy for the next few days. There’s no point in the two sides just yelling at each other, because nobody’s going to change their minds. All we can really do now is wait for James Hamilton QC and the Fabiani inquiry to deliver their results, or for the Tories to make good on their threat of a no-confidence vote.
Our views, too, are the same as they were before – unless James Hamilton QC is as corrupt as the rest of the Scottish establishment, which we have no grounds to believe he is, we can see no way for him to avoid concluding that Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly and deliberately misled Parliament (as well as breaking the Ministerial Code in numerous other ways), in which case she would be required to resign.
That doesn’t mean she WOULD, of course. She left any normal ideas of decency, dignity and integrity behind a long time ago. But clinging on in defiance of such flagrant breaches of the rules might just possibly be a step too far even for the spineless Greens to stand idly by.
All there is to do now is wait and see. And while we’ve had a couple of false dawns in terms of when the waiting time will be over – Hamilton’s report was meant to be published last month – it really can’t be much longer now.
Parliament officially rises in less than three weeks, and both reports have to be in before then. Either Sturgeon will be gone, or Scotland will be doomed to five more years led by a corrupt liar passing policies almost nobody wants and occasionally making token pretences at delivering an independence she has neither the intention nor the ability to achieve. But at least we’ll know.
So hang tight, readers. Go do something that makes you happy, from the very limited range of options that are still legal. Let the bots and the sockpuppets and the activist accounts have Twitter for now. One way or another, truth is coming.
Enjoy some time off Stu. The forecast for your manor is looking better the morn. Squirrels need attending.
I heard that 7,000 joined the SNP yesterday but assumed this was in response to the Tories pushing for a vote of no confidence, rather than on the back of Sturgeon’s evidence.
What games you playing just now?
Roll on BUTTERSTONE SCHOOL enquiry, let’s get WOS busy again!
Can’t have REV. Wandering around in his Hawaii shirt twirling his thumbs , can we! Lol
Fantastic job REV. Keeping us informed and on the ball. Cheers for that. Much appreciated.
Enjoy the rest indeed Stu.
You can go to sleep soundly counting sheep leaping over the SNP membership fence. But whether they’re lambs jumping over to join, or rams jumping over to escape will remain to be seen.
I know what I think, but everyone loves a bed time story.
All over SM today are organised claims of massive SNP membership increase. It’s Cybernat central at work again. It will backfire once real date comes out, not that the SNP have a good record in that regard
I think she’ll do the right thing and resign at the end of March in response to the findings of the inquiries.
In May, the SNP will elect a brand-new, clean and shiny First Minister on the back of an election win by the name of Nicola Sturgeon.
My view is that NS will be recalled . NS will not resign … I suspect she will be forced to resign ..after further evidence from AS legal team surfaces .
The Committee overall was amateurish .. LF as Convener takes the Oscar for best supporting actress !
NS was allowed to repeatedly dodge questions .. deflect .. lie .. and smear AS .. far from being a robust performance .. one she claimed she relished .. it just open up more cans of worms ,
A lot more to come yet ,
I’m having a man cave built out back, which I intend to devote most of my time to, and a house to empty and sell. Plenty to be going on with, that should take me well beyond May. Maybe after that there will be hills to climb and bike rides to enjoy.
To hell with it all.
A good interim conclusion Stu.
I plan on continuing hobbies and art, looking in on politics for the next while without comment.
As one of around 7,000 new subscribers to Wings Over Scotland, and having known you since you were 16, may I say enjoy a well-earned break!
What games did you play?
To take our minds off the current pile of dogshit that is the Scottish political situation, can you recommend any decent games, Stu?
Those pesky Russian BotNets.
Note even Alex Salmond said that breaking the ministerial code is not in itself always a resignation matter (and while repeatedly lying to parliament is, I doubt few people understand the difference). So it will probably boil down to numbers – that is are the Greens willing to vote her down.
On that aspect I wonder if her performance, which in my view *looked* good despite not actually being good, may be good enough? Though she would definitely have to jettison some colleagues – I think Andy Wightman’s performance on Tuesday and his tweets make it clear that there is no trust into the Lord Advocate, Murrell, and probably neither Evans.
Any idea *when* Hamilton will report?
I’ve known Bishopbriggs since he was a Reverend. lol
Sturgeon has no boundaries. She absolutely will burn down the SNP, ScotGov, and sell out the people of Scotland to save her own skin and preserve her power.
Because that is what psychopaths do.
A trial of destruction is always their legacy.
I wish I’d been as popular as her when I was at school. 🙁
No wonder she became a cult leader when she grew up.
That is to say, she will not resign.
One thing Nicola said yesterday which will stick in my mind [and I suspect was a clear ‘tell’] was when she said “investigation AGAINST (Alex)” which she quickly corrected to “into”. I don’t know anyone in an investigative role who would use ‘against’ because it shows an underlying bias.
What is happening with the messages?
Salmond told the committee that he had been given a memory stick in the build up to his criminal trial that contained messages which involved “pressuring police”, “collusion of witnesses” and “construction of evidence because police were felt to be inadequate in finding it themselves”.
The committee said the Crown office according to Jackie Bailie was to allow the committee to see them.
Why didn’t the committee serve Salmond’s lawyers?
Will they see the light of day?
Last nights tweets were embarrassing as are today. I’ve held on to my membership in the hope things would improve. The only decision I have to make is when to cancel it. Right now, after the election or just cancel the DD and let it lapse because I don’t want to fund a party who’s decency has dropped to such a low level over the last 6 years. The rot has been firmly set
I find it interesting that the English language internet is full of references to foreign subversion of the US and UK but not much about the reverse.
There is a side to the Sturgeon Salmond affair suggestive of state subversion. Scottish independence is certainly not in the best interest of the British state so destabilizing and corrupting the process is advantageous. A Wilderness of Mirrors, that myriad of stratagems, deceptions, artifices, and all the other devices of public disinformation which intelligence services use might describe the current situation
To the guys in M15 this affair just keeps giving.
Wow 7000 newbie Essenpeers!
Altogether…
Be glorious, our free Fatherland,
A reliable stronghold of the peoples’ friendship!
Banner of the Union, banner of the people,
May it lead from victory to victory!
The media were so busy wetting themselves over headlines about Alex Salmond being a sex offender that they’ve completely overlooked the biggest Scottish political scandal, possibly of all time. They could easily have taken her down if they’d been paying proper attention. Looking on the bright side, if we ever do get another indyref (not holding my breath) at least we know for certain that the British media are a bunch of mediocre amateurs.
I’m in an up mood today – I bet there’s some powerful people unable to say the same?
Anyway, I’m off out later, probs take a spin down to Pt Glasgow and check out the Clyde and the slip at Coronation Park (in prep for a cracking Summer’s small-boating) whilst munching a salad roll. Yo, Chris McEleny – gie’s a shout if you fancy seeing your hame toon fae the waater.
Enjoy your brekk, Stuart.
It’s going to be a great Summer.
What’s the betting Stu won’t get his ‘next few days’ in peace?
Something else will happen, probably before the day’s out.
Nicola’s evidence yesterday was a total farce, I’m disappointed, scunnered and despondent. She answered nothing, she insinuated Alex was still guilty, she implied he tried to put pressure on her to stop an enquiry and made it sound like he was pressurising her. Alex must be feeling gutted! I’ve now got to vote snp knowing I have lost any respect I ever had for Nicola. She’s a massive disappointment, she’s taking us for fools!
I know Nicola Sturgeon as leader of our country and I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw.
I rarely read Peter Bell these days, let alone recommend him, but his latest piece pretty much sums up my feelings.
I’m also reminded of the Buffy episode Once More With Feeling. For non Slayer fans, a spell makes all the cast sing and in so doing reveal their hitherto unspoken thoughts and motivations. The final song, sung as they all contemplate the shocking and uncomfortable secrets they have heard about each other, is a depressingly sung ‘Where Do We Go From Here?.’ That’s the vibe I have today.
Sandy W says:
4 March, 2021 at 10:45 am
I think she’ll do the right thing and resign at the end of March
Sandy do you not think you need a wee lie down??
#I’m with Sam @ 10.48
Sandy W @10:15
I’ve got a bridge tae sell ye
Sturgeon repeatedly made reference to the Hamilton inquiry yesterday and how we must wait for and respect the outcome. This to me, is a worrying sign that he has been got at and she already knows the result! Hopefully I am wrong.
Stephen Jardine this morning did a phone-in on the viewers verdict this morning on Radio Shortbread. I didn’t hear all of it but was surprised to hear Shona Craven – who is normally quite sensible – say NS did well. It is a low bar indeed.
Most callers focussed on how long the questioning took and her powers of endurance and her EMPATHY. Oh Lord, it was embarrassing, She has succeeded in making it all about her feelings and how let down she was so the tactics have worked in that respect. It is not surprising that a party that has lost its collective mind prioritising feelings over facts went down that route.
Some callers pointed out the inconsistencies but it seemed to wash over the heads of most callers. One woman even said ‘I vote for the person and she seemed human’. We deserve the dross we get based on that alone.
Thinking about it this a.m. the most glaring point for me was that she was adamant she did not know the women, had not seen all the texts but could assert there was no ‘plot’. She might not have been part of it, and AS never accused her, but she cannot speak for others unless she is privy to their thoughts and deeds.
I think I will break some Covid 19 rules. Well enough of them to get jailed. I think the criminals in Peterhead might be more honest and decent company than many in the present corrupt SNP Govt right now or even many of my neighbors. At least I will get three meals a day and don’t have to cook them.
I completely understand why you wouldn’t be motivated provide a lie-by-lie breakdown of Sturgeon’s performance yesterday, but can anyone point me to anyone who has so I can post it around some friends who have only recently started paying attention? Cheers.
I think the thing that will sink her will be the missing money or Mr Salmond’s complaint.
Hope that cheers everyone up.
Any news of the big ‘game changer’ that was coming (jeggit, stu and other)?
mr laing b. french says:
4 March, 2021 at 10:39 am
Roll on BUTTERSTONE SCHOOL enquiry, let’s get WOS busy again!
There was, of course, an ‘independent investigation’ which did exactly what WoS readers would expect it to do, i.e. whitewash those who destroyed our school community.
Justice will/can only come through the courts.
Hence the current efforts to bring a ‘malicious prosecution/malicious falsehood/misefeasance in public office’ action against John Swinney et al.
We piggy-back on this site because we 1) respect the intelligence of the discourse, 2)share the aims of those pushing for independence with integrity, 3) are horrified at the state of Holyrood and our government institutions.
In terms of the legal cases(s), we have consulted junior counsel (who drew attention to the parallels between what happened to us and what happened to Whitehouse & co v Lord Advocate) but have yet to determine the critical angle of approach.
Believe us when we say that whilst this may appear to be a small case, it could have big implications and should not be dismissed as just another example of the mundane corruption that has become normalised over the last few years.
link to tns2019.org
“What games you playing just now?”
I’ve been playing this a lot, which I had a small part in the creation of:
link to spectrumcomputing.co.uk
And a load of other retro stuff and a few Switch games like Hotshot Racing and Moto Racer 4.
“Any news of the big ‘game changer’ that was coming (jeggit, stu and other)?”
I’ve never said anything about that because I have no idea what it’s supposed to be.
She won’t resign. She doesn’t have the moral capacity to resign. Think I’ll have a few days off sm because if I don’t I’ll be arrested. Enjoy your break.
The claim that “party membership has surged” is a weary tool to placate the rank n file.
Like so many of their nifty phrases. They are well used by now and exposed for the cynicism they are.
The game is up for this current generation who were swept along since 2012 and the first campaign.
ClanDonald says:
4 March, 2021 at 10:57 am
The media were so busy wetting themselves over headlines about Alex Salmond being a sex offender that they’ve completely overlooked the biggest Scottish political scandal, possibly of all time.
Nope, they deliberately turned a blind eye to the scandal since it suits them and their precious union to have Sturgeon at the helm than whoever would replace her e.g. Joanna Cherry.
Thanks Stu,
you have summed up the situation nicely there.
I was utterly sickened by the performance at the enquiry yesterday and all the astroturfing on Twitter.
Can’t believe this is now the state of things, but sadly it is.
Very depressing. Nothing to do now but wait 🙁
Interesting read. Your point that no SNP rep. is crowing about the “increase” in membership is, however, not correct. I heard it this morning from someone high up. As I’m the enemy and don’t want to cause embarrassment I won’t divulge his/ her name, but the claim was made. As you say it’s bollocks. How could they know?
Anyway, though we come from different angles, keep writing, keep them funny.
Good idea to take a break after all this midden of an ‘investigation’ by the committee. The stool pigeons did their job, as Lady Macbeth washed her hands.
What is really pathetic is their desperate need to astroturf with such feeble, risible tweets and PR stunts, which tells how stupid they think the electorate are. As was confirmed by the idea that people had watched the Sturgebot and suddenly rushed to the phones in their thousands – a claim of Trumpian proportions, like the ‘biggest ever crowd at his inauguration’etc. We are in the land of utter make-believe.
As for Humza, he demonstrated exactly how the SNP has blurred all distinction between party and government, and is quite blatant about it. It augurs badly for Scotland under this lot of amateur hour mediocrities who display no awareness of any princciples or basic requirements of responsible, accountable government. Why should they, when they can rig whatever they like in their favour, and the majority of the media roll over for them?
I agree Rev.
Take a well deserved rest.
I’ve decided to keep off SM for a few days.
There were bots aplenty supporting NS yesterday but intertwined with that were real supporters of indy who are part of the cult.
One of the most depressing things for me, when Val McDermid posted a quote from NS where she was dissing Alex S, many called her out and, wait for it, she accused us of being Russian bots because AS had a prog on RT.
WTAF, somone who I considered to be sensible.
This is the 1st time since SLAB were in power, ruining Glasgow in particular, I wish I lived elsewhere.
I did go abroad for a couple of years during the feeble 50 time.
I’m going to take up painting.
Having a rest and refusing to rise to the bait from several comfortable and content SNP politicians who really enjoy the trappings of devolution and couldn’t give a toss for independence lest it disturbs their nests is good advice. The belief in Scottish independence is either in your heart or it isn’t. It won’t be determined by this or that leader of the party which currently occupies the space as the primary party for independence supporters to vote for. Scotland the cause is always much bigger and more important the the SNP the party. What NS did yesterday was cleverly pose the whole sorry saga as Her Vs Alex. Forget the WhatsApp messages, withheld evidence, criminal leaks and political prosecutions of Mark Hirst and Craig Murray. There is no conspiracy. It was all just a series of coincidences and anyway I don’t even know the accusers, but even though I don’t know them I know they don’t know each other and I say that because if the public knew their identities the claims of conspiracy involving the SNP hierarchy would be strengthened 100 fold. What a sad and tragic farce. During your downtime listen to Kenny MacAskill MP discuss the failures of leadership at the head of Scotland’s institutions and why several heads should roll link to sptnkne.ws
link to sputniknews.com
Back in the day when posters with a “meaning” in them were all the rage there was one I liked. A group of hippos all standing around with their mouth’s open. It read-
“When all’s said and done, there’s a lot more said than done.”
Going round in my head these last few days. Doubt much will happen now. The committee’s decision not to call Mr. Salmond’s lawyers to give evidence under oath confirms their corruption.
Richard says:“Sturgeon repeatedly made reference to the Hamilton inquiry yesterday and how we must wait for and respect the outcome. This to me, is a worrying sign…”
Yes, noticed that. Not something a prudent person, uncertain of outcome, would do.
…one would think.
Don’t know if I am optimistic or pessimistic today, but just got the feeling that nothing is going to change so i suppose pessimism is slightly winning but just like Craig Murray we just have to play the waiting game now and who knows how very much is at stake for Scotland and its people and country in the months/years ahead.
mr laing b. french says:
Roll on BUTTERSTONE SCHOOL enquiry
The report has been out since July 2020.
link to gov.scot
Pretty scathing stuff.
Enjoy your break. Let’s hope there is some good news to bring you back.
Number crunching. First Minister resignations.
Wendy Alexander: receiving a £950 donation.
Henry McLeish: failing to declare £36,000 office rental income during his time as MP which he did not benefit from personally.
Nicola Sturgeon: At least £1m wasted on contesting a judicial review of an unlawful, unfair and biasedcomplaints p
We the people will lead the move to Independence now.
Our government either comes on board, or hinders.
We can’t wait for their leads anymore.
I think I need a bigger KABOOM.
What adult posts ‘I have no idea if true but worth celebrating’?
One with an IQ lower than 50? or someone being sarky?
As for the ‘I have known Nicola Sturgeon’ brigade – words fail me.
Number crunching. First Minister resignations.
Wendy Alexander: receiving a £950 donation.
Henry McLeish: failing to declare £36,000 office rental income during his time as MP which he did not benefit from personally.
And – not yet,
Nicola Sturgeon: At least £1m wasted contesting a judicial review of an ‘unlawful, unfair and biased’ complaints procedure, obstructing and lying to Scotland’s highest civil Court, rejecting offers of mediation, arbitration and legal advice.
I *think* i might have known her since 2014. Turns out i didn’t.
Wishart’s still tweeting about it, welcoming the new party members in Perthshire North. He really has become the Sturgeonistas’ Lord Haw Haw.
I woke up today with an air of clarity… something that has not happened since the penny dropped those many months ago and I figured out the full ramifications of this whole fiasco.
The clarity I reached today, was that I can never ever again vote for the SNP, below are my reasons why:
I cannot support a party leading the charge to completely mangle and destroy all of our human rights, civil rights and freedom of speech rights through the warped machinations of the HCB and TRA policies.
I cannot support a party who have refused to run an open, honest, democratic and lawful government, the polar opposite of what the party once stood for.
I cannot support a party who have castrated and neutered the ability of its members to hold its leaders to account, a collosal democratic deficit within the party.
I cannot support a party who refuse to publish evidence in full when explicitly requested to do so by court orders and when explicitly requested to do so by the Scottish Parliament.
I cannot support a party who use and continue to use Scottish citizens protected by court orders as human shields to avoid and deflect public and political scrutiny.
I cannot support a party who use and continue to use Alex Salmond as a shield, to avoid and deflect public and political scrutiny
I cannot support a party who conspired to incriminate and imprison a free Scottish citizen for explicit political gain.
I cannot endorse a party and its leaders who has been at the helm of all of the above, a party which I have supported for all of my adult life.
They no longer represent my views politically, socially or democratically.
Today for the first time in months I awoke with a completely clear head.
I am a politically disenfranchised free soveriegn citizen of Scotland, and I am happy about that.
Happy, because I know my moral compass is true and my conscience is clear.
Quote from Rev’s article above:
“Parliament officially rises in less than three weeks, and both reports have to be in before then.”
Just seen someone state on Twatter they’ve “heard” Hamilton’s report is to be released in 3 weeks.
If true done deliberately to clash with Parliament rising.
“Sick of politicians
Harassment and laws
All we do is get screwed up
By other people’s flaws.”
The Psychedelic Warlords, track 1, Hall of the Mountain Grill, Hawkwind, 1974.
Every day is a Hawkwind day.
Sam says:
4 March, 2021 at 10:48 am
As one of around 7,000 new subscribers to Wings Over Scotland, and having known you since you were 16, may I say enjoy a well-earned break!
up ticks x 7000
as i see it,scotlands institutions are not robust,there are no checks and balances in place (that work).there is a scarcity of political talent.it should be remembered that scotlands parliament is quite young.
independance,as we speak,would right now be a disaster.when i was a young lad,scotlands roads were the finest in the uk,it had an envied education system and its investment and insurance industry was the best in europe and beyond.
This Twitter thread seems to be about as fair and objective an account of the whole sorry saga as one could expect to find anywhere:
link to twitter.com
So the unleashing of the 7000 squirrels on twitter is the most interesting part. It’s all very obvious and all very ham-fisted, but does it work ? – any measure of success will suffice if anyone wants to offer an answer of yes.
The woke are clearly organised and their insiders at twitter have proved pretty effective at shutting up the opposition. Now that politics, post Cambridge Analytica, is all about influence, is there any real way of opposing what’s going on other than blogging and hoping that people come to their senses.
Maybe justice and democracy are already gone, we just haven’t realised it yet.
Its the classic “if you come at the Queen make sure you dont miss” etc
I keep saying only avenue left is hard physical evidence being leaked . The Hamilton Inquiry wont make any difference..it will be dismissed as interpretation and Jock Public doesnt care.
The Tories shot themselves in the foot and Labour have washed their hands as even they see its political self harm at present to attack brave Nicola.
Even pursuing Swinney looks petty now after yesterday.
Nicola wont go anywhere soon.. shes the Covid Queen and will glorify in May Elections and vaccine rollout and Be there front and centre at Climate Change Conference. She wont step down for at a year from now.
It looks like 5 years of kicking heels. Ho hum.. decorating here I come.
link to spectrumcomputing.co.uk
I owned the C64. I always remember feeling sorry for my Spectrum owning friends and considered the C64 to be vastly superior. Having said that, Spectrum games appear to have aged better and have a rather cool retro look and sound to them.
The playground debate of C64 vs Spectrum was soon replaced by the Atari ST vs Amiga. I miss the days of gaming piracy. I don’t think I ever bought a single game for my Amiga, yet I owned well over 100.
I have never been stupid enough to use twitter, but I want to state here and now, that I am a boy and my mother did admit it.
And another thing, I won’t get fooled again, I am a happy jack and I intend to stay that way
I knew her since she fired Mark MacDonald for sending a text.
All these people who’ve known Sturgeon since she was 16. I’d never realised Dreghorn was such a big place.
Personal feeling is that someone, somewhere will say “Fuck this for a game of soldiers” and spill the beans. In France, in US, whatever.
Then it’s game over, and – arguably – it makes the cover up look worse.
We live in hope
The worrying thing for me from yesterday was Sturgeon made reference to the Hamilton Inquiry several times. She had a smirk when she did. I do hope that Hamilton isn’t as corrupt as Sturgeon and her lot.
Instead of rehashing yesterdays events, I’m taking a different view.
In particular, I see many similarities with the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn and his battle with Labours inner sanctum.
Ultimately a battle of the left against the Blairites of New Labour, it divided a party so drastically that it actually saw factions within it sabotaging the GE of 2017. In the end, the PLP (parliamentary labour party) won out and have now installed Keir Starmer, a knight of the realm, as the workers champion.
Since his victory and appointment, and the claims he would be far ahead of Boris Johnson in the polls after 6 months, he still trails despite both COVID mishandling and cronyism plus Brexit.
IMO, this is exactly where the SNP are heading. The leaked Labour Report details some of the shenanigans employed within various internal party groups, and make for familiar, if difficult reading. Think NEC, civil service, Stirling cabal etc – and you will find equivalents in Labour.
Personally, I always thought Corbyn should have done one of two things – either set up a new left wing party (and there were millions of voters wishing for just that) or completely purge Labour of Blairites.
He did neither of those things.
Personally, I think it’s impossible to purge the SNP as it stands, especially with such dangerous policy agendas about to happen.
So the only alternative is to vote for someone else – who that is is your choice.
I would only advise that the damage done now will not be resolved in the next few years, this will drag on, like it did for Corbyn.
We should learn the lessons of recent history.
The Ricky Bell one is hilarious. He posted it just after retweeting Mary Burns’ one – the one I assume was the C&P source for the rest as it looks legit. I mean, it’s plausible he too has known the FM since she was 16, but couldn’t he be arsed to say “I’ve known her since I was 16 as well”, rather than copy the text he’s just retweeted?
Oh, and in case anyone says “don’t mind, he’s just another Twitter nobody”, he’s the Glasgow City Council Treasurer.
Well I’m sure with the subs paid by all these new members, Mr Morrell of Morningside will be able to say the SNP cashflow crisis is over.
I look forward to his statement. I suspect he will have to make it because Douglas Chapman as Treasurer probably can’t.
If I had known the first minister since she was 16 and was so convinced of her character, I’d probably have joined the SNP long ago, rather than whilst she’s under investigation for lying to parliament. I’m not saying these tweets are all lies, I’m just saying they’re very difficult to believe
I’m trying to get an understanding of the ‘wheesht for Indy/only with the SNP’ mindset.
Best I can come up with… if I were a lawyer, defence or prosecution, under current circumstances, with all the skulduggery ongoing? Would I quit, or try to fix it from within?
Hmm? At some point, the evidence needs to come out, but to whom? What organisation could be trusted? The Police? The Government?
So, with bills still to pay. I’d probably keep my head down and hope for the best.
I don’t suppose its too different for those in the SNP, no doubt they see themselves as much as an institution as COPFS.
I wonder how the prosecution is going with JC’s assailant? Anyone have any update.
OT – Dear Tommy Sheridan – please, please, stop shouting when you should be speaking, and please start using Paragraphs – they’re free and in no way compromise your ‘man of the people/socialist standing’. Thanks. (Also, I’m being snarky – sorry, one of those weeks). Feel free to give me a row for it, your entitled – but only if you use Paragraphs.
@Ken McIntyre, 11:23 –
Wendy Alexander resigned as Labour branch manager – she was never First Minister (thank God)
7000 new members Murrell. Get weaving!
First post on here, have followed your excellent coverage of this corrupt shitshow. Agree that continuing to shout at each other isn’t going to achieve much at the moment until it plays out fully. My view of yesterday is that despite the party spin, sturgeon is fucked and likely perjured herself multiple times.
Was shocked to note that Craig Murray, who helped expose the plot against Alex Salmond and could end up imprisoned himself shortly has declared he is going to vote SNP 1 and 2!! And thinks others should do the same!!
First off, does he not realise that he might not even be able to vote if he ends up in prison and secondly, how on earth does he think re-electing the corrupt bunch of bastards who have tried to destroy Alex Salmond (and him) is going to achieve anything?! It means everything that he and others like him (and you) have done to expose this radioactive on fire oil tanker wreck is for nothing?!
Do you have any thoughts on this Rev? What on earth is Craig thinking? By folding like this after he has exposed what is going on he is actually going to do more damage to the cause to make government in Scotland accountable than if he hadn’t bothered his arse. I despair at how ridiculous his position is.
I cancelled my membership last night after being an active campaigner and office bearer in my branch for several years.
When it gets to the point you can’t trust the word of your Party or it’s leader, you know the game is up.
St Nic has turned the SNP into a Party I no longer trust, or recognise.
It is now almost indistinguishable from Unionist Parties.
To say I am gutted is an understatement.
They say ignorance is bliss, but when you know what manner of chicanery exists in the Party under St Nic, bliss turns to anger, and a feeling of betrayal.
But it’s not just me and my family they have failed. It’s all the people of Scotland.
Best news today is that a poll for ITV Tonight programme (10.45 STV) shows Welsh Indy nudging forty per cent. One might say that the more fronts that Johnson has to firefight on the better.
colin lees says:
4 March, 2021 at 11:27 am
as i see it,scotlands institutions are not robust,there are no checks and balances in place (that work).there is a scarcity of political talent.it should be remembered that scotlands parliament is quite young.
independance,as we speak,would right now be a disaster…
You miss the big point Colin. Ever stop to think about the reason why Scotland has such dysfunctional and amateurish facilities and institutions?
Independence wouldn’t be a disaster, for better, worse or no difference, it would mark Scotland grabbing hold of a lifeline, and giving itself a chance to address the myriad of dysfunctional components which make up our society, and do it without the disruptive interference of the UK Establishment and rancid, rotten media.
Without Independence, there is nothing.
Sturgeon is a willing puppet of the British State, we can only hope that Hamilton QC is made of sterner stuff; I have my doubts though.
Did I mention, apropos of nothing in particular, that MI5 have a lot of info on a lot of people?
Those still advocating for loyalty to the party only need to look at those who have left and compare them with those purportedly re-joining to see what the SNP has become.
I notice from Twitter for example that one of the high profile flouncers who left the party after the abortive purge of the NEC last November ( @wgsaraband ) has announced he’s rejoined.
The Sturgeonistas have won. If you stay in the party or vote for them, you are endorsing their platform, their methods and their worldview. Shame on you: I’m embarrassed even to be in the same movement with people like that.
The age of science and truth are dead,
we are now entering the age of `feelings and rainbows`
and if you don`t like it Humza will have you locked away until you admit 2 + 2 = 5.
I don’t believe for one moment that SNP has 7000 new members in a day. Any organisation that had that surge in membership would make an official announcement.
I’ve already said to someone this morning that at the huge rally after the first Indyref when Nicola was crowned, they managed to have a live running total of newly signed up members on a huge screen. If they could manage that then I have to ask myself why not now? It should be quite easy for them to let us know just how many joined between yesterday and today.
When asked if she would accept the evidence of a QC, Duncan Hamilton, obtained under oath, NS replied that she would need to ‘see the evidence’
I have always been of the opinion that there was less to her than meets the eye. But, credit where credit’s due, that response was top drawer sleaze.
Did 7000 people miss that one? I’m sure Duncan Hamilton didn’t. Nor Kevin Pringle. Nor Geoff Aberdein.
Enjoy your well earned rest.
Well if that’s the standard of the new “7000” members the SNP is well and truly down the pan. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
@andy ellis yes the return of the prodigal son, whereas others who left are told they have to wait 2 years before reapplying.
I will not vote SNP in May, they are corrupt and voting for them just approves their corruption
Ricky Bell – I’m pretty sure he is an ex-boyfriend of Nicola’s so I’d say it’s possible he’s known here since 16, or perhaps early 20s.
link to holyrood.com
Kenny MacAskill – Says Evans should be sacked, to prevent her getting a Gold Plated pension. The fact she is still in a job ,tells you that the tail is wagging the dog.
She has something on Sturgeon.
@Eileen Carson 1101
@McLaurin 1103
Did you actually read all of my post?
If one thing was made abundantly clear yesterday, it was that Sturgeon doesn’t have a clue what goes on from day-to-day within her party and that those employed to to keep her abreast of internal events haven’t been doing so.
She has either been too busy forcing home her personal agenda, which has little-or-nothing to do with Scottish independence, or, she is spectacularly lazy thus easily influenced and lead by her advisers.
When the Hamilton report is received, will it be published straightaway? Will it be published at all? Perhaps the gov can sit on it till after May.
I have known Nicola since she was a spotty obnoxious know it all teenager. She and several of her studenty pals stayed at my house in 1987 when we were working on Alex’s election.
From the time NS took over from Alex nearly seven years ago, she wasn’t really taking over..continuing the cause, it was replaced by her cause, her way and nothing to do with Scottish independence.
The grace of Alex last Friday in comparison with the pathetic ramblings and cheap accusations of this woman was a sight to behold.
It was an ugly listen.
Despair.
Getting embarrassing these Sturgeonbots. Isn’t it Ross and alyn who are always warning of bots??? Now the SNP buys them!!n
From the time NS took over from Alex nearly seven years ago, she wasn’t really taking over..continuing the cause, it was replaced by her cause, her way and nothing to do with Scottish independence.
The grace of Alex last Friday in comparison with the pathetic ramblings and cheap accusations of this woman was a sight to behold.
It was an ugly listen. There’s no getting away from that.
Despair.
Amen, Stuart.
Sorry rev, posted twice.
Fmqs starting now , Could be interesting after yesterday’s Committee session .
I understand the anger over Sturgeon, and the desire to get rid of her.
But can someone tell me what happens after that ?
Isn’t she just going to be replaced by another acolyte ?
From what I can see, out of hundreds of SNP staff (MP’s, MSP’s, councillors, party staff etc) only a few have actually raised their voices in question. And I mean only a few.
In the face of such blatant corruption, that so many will not raise their voice is a damning sign. It appears that there are many to be sacked from the SNP.
How long do you think it will take ?
Is it even worth trying ?
Are you prepared to wait until the next decade for another indyref ?
in response to beeks,thanks for your thoughts.scotland needs to show its population that it does have strong institutions and most importantly,within those institutions its parliament is able to hold its executive to account.it can”t keep blaming the english for all its woes.this current fiasco if nothing else has shown many gaps.
Like you couldn’t bear to watch to hear lies on oath. It is hard to believe that she has sunk to Westminster depths. Either she has had a lobotomy or she has been gollumised!
Hamza yousaf appears to be learning from the best. Talk about a justice sec bringing down his office. It just can’t get any worse.
If she doesn’t go the only way for people to get rid of her is through the election process. Spoiler votes seem attractive now. That way perhaps there’s an opening for the return of Alex Salmond and a chance for Independence…I hope!
Numbers being banded about willy nilly now. 10,000 new SNP members earlier. Now it’s 12,500. People on FB literally just typing numbers as responses to posts, unevidenced, unsourced, with no explanations.
I have to agree with many of the posters above it is very concerning how confident the “great leader” was when she mentioned the Hamilton inquiry.
Now with the pitiful state of modern politics this could well be because she already knows what the final report will contain. However it could just be bravado, playing for time or a genuine lack of self awareness that she did anything wrong.
Of course I also seem to remember statements saying “Scotland will NOT be dragged out of the EU against its will” … so confident statements about future events and how those events turn out aren’t something the current version of the SNP have much of a successful track record with.
Therefore I don’t think we need to worry too much about the Hamilton report being a whitewash. However I do think the bigger issue is even if the Hamilton report does find the FM in multiple breaches (as I believe it will), I think the likely response will be “I respect the findings, but do I not agree with them. I will not resign as FM during this Covid crisis and it is up to the people of Scotland, in May, to decide if I did anything wrong”.
David H
I’ve been wondering about that too.
We are told there is all this incriminating evidence out there but never gets produced. Salmond invited the committee to contact his lawyers and they would make available some enlightening evidence that suggested it was important . Did the committee seek this evidence, and if they didn’t why not. Will we ever know. And will AS let us know if they have.
There are so many things I don’t understand, like Sturgeon’s continuing attacks on AS and his reluctance to defend himself against this woman who has caused him So much pain.
I think there is an Everest of stuff out there that is being hidden.
Kenny MacAskill in The Scotsman
link to scotsman.com
Marie Burns Me for Myself FFS,
Sturgeon’s Commander for NAC.
and all round piece of shit
She so far up Sturgeon’s arse, Sturgeon will need an enema to remove her
Another piss poor human being
Scotland is a great country. Lovely people. I urge Stuart C to visit sometime. He might even like it.
Apologies, the archive version of that Scotsman article: link to archive.is
NS gave a rebuttal to some of the points that revstu has been going on about for months – and NOW is the time he suddenly has nothing to say? It’s a bit disingenuous to stop talking as soon as the other side gives evidence on oath, and rely only on “she’s a liar”.
Just saying.
I’ve known Stu since he was 16.
We are lucky to have him ?
That question mark should have been a laughing emoji ??????
Mathematics has never been my strong point, however – I had a go at doing the arithmetic around the SNP membership.
We are told peak SNP membership – around the time of the 2015 General Election, was 126,000.
Yesterday morning, it was believed to stand at 70,000 – a fall of 44.5% from its peak.
Assuming the claimed 7,000 new members was correct – it now stands at 77,000 – a Fall of 38.9% from peak SNP.
Following the 2015 General Election, the SNP had 56 seats. This represents 92.2% of the Scottish seats
Today (including Margaret Ferrier’s seat) the SNP has 48 seats. This represents 81.3% of the Scottish seats. This is also a drop of 11.8% in SNP support.
The Sturgeon-led SNP went into the 2016 Holyrood Election with an overall majority in the Parliament 69 or 53.5% of the seats.
Today, with the 2021 Holyrood Election looming, the SNP has 63 or 48.8% of the seats. This is a drop of 8.8% in SNP support.
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 38.9% of its membership.
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 11.8% of its Wesstminster seats
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 8.8% of its Holyrood seats.
This is before we raise the subject of the “missing” ring-fenced referendum fund.
Neil Lennon lost his job for less.
Metoo! Ive Known Irrev Stu Campbell since he was 16yrs.
Greens will be demanding we wear 4 masks to breathe in far more CO2 than the average 10,000ppm Co2 normal with a mask on. To save us from Climate Change we will have to turn OFF all gas heating, eat or grannies for food and stop driving cars and switch off the ITS-OOR-OIL campaign and keep it all in the ground and be happily DEID. And while we are permanently locked in our HOMES like PRISONERS we can chant FREEDOM!And watch BRAVEHEART on the TV and we will in the words of Klaus Schwab of the WEForum all be ‘Happy and own nothing’. NS is a globalist selling out Scotland and if we dont wake up to that reality NOW we are F****d! But of course our FACIST MIND CONTROL Global Masters who own the media have every second idiot spouting Conspiracy Theory to any form of real TRUTH as they poison and control us and create chronic illness to make profit out of it. Who gives a damn about this eh? No reality will be on ANY PARTY MANIFESTO other than give me a big fat job boost my pathetic self importance and steady the ship of state. Carrots dangling lies and Bull**** as our social fabric is torn apart and the dystopian PARTY party party obsession of careerist shallow bandwagon jumpers destroy democracy as they all do. Well as the JAM said The people get what the people want! ‘Where is the soul of Freedom fled? Immingled with the mighty dead!’ Where are the people with the bottle to stand up for their country and see through all the utter shit going on?
Stu, enjoy your wee break. By the way there are those of us who don’t actually believe you spent the ring fenced money on Gin. we think you used it for the benefits of your employment and to add value to society.
Unless we see a picture, there might need to be an inquiry!
Tommy – as Daisy W said, break your text into paragraphs, please. I find it difficult to follow and tend to give up. Though I’d value your viewpoint. Perhaps if you checked it with a friend?
I am sorry, I see a lot of concern for the “accusers” by all sides, MSM etc
NS repeats “at the heart of this there are women who have been let down”
She has now in parliament accused Ruth Davidson of “forgetting about the accusers”
I am sorry, in this current “New world”, am I wrong in asking…….How have these women been let down?
The JR was about policy, procedure & law.
The Court case with Alphabet women did happen. The Court verdict clearing AS was not based on Policy or procedure or law on an HR policy.
The claimants had their opportunity in a court of Law……..how have these women been let down?
Graham @12:42
She didn’t give any evidence. Just assertions and evasions.
Mark Macdonald in my view is like Alex Salmond in that he is not a “sex pest “ but their inappropriate behaviour is naivety and a sort of innocence in the face of a world with events like Love Island etc. I cringe as I recall Alex Salmond in his Fringe show telling the audience that he had invited Theresa May but he failed to make her “come”. It was such a schoolboy joke.
In my experience real sex pests are not naive in sexual matters.
If everyone’s having a rest then fair enough…
But did we hear another version of the ‘truth’ about the March Aberdein meeting yesterday – the GA had requested the meeting the day before?
Is that new? I don’t recall hearing it before.
So we have:
– never happened
– oh, of course, it did happen, I just forgot. GA put his head round the door while he was visiting someone else
– GA phoned the day before to request/book the meeting.
All of which contradict GA’s evidence that the meeting was requested by her office, weeks in advance.
“Milady says:
4 March, 2021 at 11:01 am
I rarely read Peter Bell these days, let alone recommend him, but his latest piece pretty much sums up my feelings.”
Interesting you said this, I do not normally read his articles, personally his writing style does not work for me, today it’s a cracking article. I too would recommend it for people who do not read his blog.
Sturgeon at FMQ’s tells the chamber that the James Hamilton’s report will be handed over immediately on its release, of course Sturgeon’s word is now not something that we hold as gospel.
We can now only hope the committee or/and Mr Hamilton QC comes up with the goods, I don’t hold high expectations of the former delivering, but the latter could, hopefully he will.
Tackety -I think the inference is because they couldn’t make the allegations stick , the women were let down.
How else can you take it. Because many of them were actually lying. They were not victims , so how can they be let down.
I despair at this narrative.
I’ve known the Supreme Chancellor since I became bot 7000
#istandwithsupremechancellor
#istandwiththechipsonthesupremechancellorsshoulder
#ibendthekneetothesupremechancellor
Yours truly
Bot 7000
Graham, she didn’t give any ‘evidence’ on oath. She repeated her lies. Her emotional gibberish does not stack up well when you actually look at the hard evidence eg legal advice when finally published. And sitting there for 8 hours saying ‘I don’t think, I don’t believe’ and smearing Salmond isn’t evidence. It’s a clear example of a poor dimwit leader missing a conscience. Stuart has already comprehensively documented her lies and all dear leader did yesterday was reiterate those lies. Perhaps you should take off your rose tinted glasses and clean your ears so you can see and hear clearly when any ‘evidence’ materialises! Failing that order yourself a dictionary.
Thing is. She broke the Ministerial Code. That is already admitted. It’s now simply down to the degree to which she broke it.
For us on here, she is bang to rights. But politics is playing into her hands with Covid and the election coming.
Regarding Hamilton enquiry, the First Minister mentioned yesterday that the spirit and law of the Ministerial Code should be respected.
Back in the day that meant even if she did not actually break the code she contravened the spirit and had to resign.
BUT NOT NOW, IN THIS CRAZY WORLD OF DUPLICITY ….
Just like the case of Priti Patel, Hamilton will find that Sturgeon did break the code, but quite inadvertently, and not in a very serious way.
He departs stage left never to be heard of again and she clings to power claiming that her breaches were minor, and at all times she respected the spirit of the code which is about ‘serious stuff’
Sorry but the Hamilton Report will be a damp squib – betcha!
Even if we assume the Greens back Sturgeon in a VONC, that only gives 66 votes for her to 60 against (I think we can assume the opposition will all vote against her).
Surely there must be more than 3 MSPs in her own party who would be happy to see the back of her?
7,000 alleged new members, oh well they need something to distract the Sturgeon die hards and let’s face it they’re easily distracted.
Especially after Jackie Baillie’s sneaky question to Sturgeon, Was the Salmond Story leaked to prevent a story being printed in the Daily Record about you?
Most people might have missed it but could it be Jackie Baillie was hinting at one of the alleged stories about Nicola Sturgeon that has one of those things that people aren’t allowed to mention or know even exists.
On FMQ’s today its a disgraceful state of affairs that Alex Salmond’s character is still being derided, in comment exchanges between party leaders in their bid to outdo each other as to who can use the so called injustice against the women, and Salmond in the same comment.
Alex Salmond was acquitted by a jury of his peers made up mostly of women, yet to listen to the leaders of the parties at Holyrood speak about him you’d have thought that he was convicted when he wasn’t.
Yet those women still play the victim, some should be prosecuted for bare faced lies, but they haven’t and we know it reflects badly on the Crown office.
I am surprised Stuart Campbell has managed to keep this blog going for so long without saying out loud ah fk this I have a life, pretty good surroundings it’s ok where I decided to live , do I really need all this hassle and having to constantly deflect crap from all directions the information is all out there I am just the fkn messenger ,
As far as I know Stuart Campbell hasn’t peddled lies on this site and has given people the source of the information he has published its up to the adults to decide what’s relevant or just frivolous free will it’s what we all have so I will understand if he says ah fk this goodnight all , be seeing you.
I found out the site was unavailable last night from the weirdos on WGD the ones who never have a look and believe Stu is the Devils Spawn a unionist operative or in the employment of the MI5 , I have a feeling that they all look in to get some news because let’s face it typing the same shite for years on end kinda wears you down ,
We have a Election to Win ,that was one of the pearls of wisdom I read amongst the usual Dross , sooner or later the Ladies over the wall will have to face reality ,come to terms with the fact not the belief this version of the SNP are not going to lead them to the promised Land , and most of them will be dead before it’s even sighted, like a lot of others I can’t be arsed dealing with fkn idiots anymore, going round and round , it’s a pointless excercise , who needs it .
As I asked on Iain Lawson’s blog, has anyone got a link to the additional legal advice supposedly published last night?
I can’t see it on the SG website which was originally published, I can’t see anything in their publications or news pages which might be it, the closest being a policy/procedure note from a 2018 FOI request which was published last night. Also nothing new has appeared on the SP committee written evidence page.
Regards twitter, George Galloway was trying to push a SackNicola (or something very similar) campaign via twitter last nite. He maintained that twitter was shutting down the numbers, in the same way they have done with link to twitter.com
This is a revolution we are involved in, and the powers that be run deep, thus everything is being manipulated to protect those who are ultimately protecting the Union (NS).
All, and Stuart.
I need some help and advice here.
Remember the talk of the “ring-fenced” fund for, and solely for, financing a referendum. NOT to be used for day to day party expenses. The £600.000
I phoned my bank a couple of weeks ago, having a recollection of a donation I had made during 2017 for this, and as their on-line account access only goes back a couple of years, asked if they could access this account.
I should say I resigned around April last year, after mulling over Ms Sturgeon’s sermon at the end of January. Received Mr Murrel’s nice cheerio.
After a chat, the lady I spoke to said they would send printouts of the entire year, which I received a couple of days ago. Also, they sent a sheet for Dec. 2016, which was just as well because I discovered a donation there as well. There was one in March 2017 as well.
These were not your £20 s, BTW.
Payments were made via the SNP website, using my Visa debit card.
So, what is the consensus of retrieving this money, before more of it goes to lining Murrel’s pockets.
Thanks in advance, guys.
“Thing is. She broke the Ministerial Code. That is already admitted. It’s now simply down to the degree to which she broke it.”
Big Jock @1.03pm.
Jock.
Yes I think that’s the crux of the matter, Iain MacWhirter in a radio interview with Times radio, mentioned that point, that if its seen as a minor infraction that she might well survive as FM.
Republicofscotland
‘Sturgeon at FMQ’s tells the chamber that the James Hamilton’s report will be handed over immediately on its release, of course Sturgeon’s word is now not something that we hold as gospel.’
The question should have been, ‘will the report be handed over intact – without edit and redaction ?’
As others have pointed out, Nicola’s approach was a humanistic and emotional one (possibly very emotionally intelligent) but fails on objectivity, evidence, rationalism and logic.
The balance of public response will be based largely on how snippets of the performance are used to emphasise one or other. For example, the Holyrood article by James Mitchell, focuses on the later tests. However, most responses seem to based on the former elements.
Having watched a couple of hours yesterday, Nicola clearly wanted to get a message across that she is well-intentioned, a campaigner for women against powerful men, and she feels very deeply about everything that went on and went wrong (to the extent that she doesn’t want anyone losing their jobs over this – by the way, compare her “compassion” to the Nicola we have seen dealing with Michelle Thomson, Mark McDonald, or basically the ruthless side many of us have seen or heard about).
I’m not too fussed about how nice someone appears to be. As an outsider, all I can judge is actions and evidence. Nicola presided over a catalogue of failure. I can’t judge her intentions and neither should a committee tasks with collecting facts to test whether that catalogue of failures comes to anyone’s door. However, I accept that my approach or attitude to political figures seem to be out of date. Plenty of folk on social media put emotions first, and their feelings about people’s intentions. Salmond did something good? He did it because of his ego. Nicola did something bad. She did it with the best of intentions.
Robert @1.05pm.
Robert.
Patrick Harvie was the only party leader at Holyrood’s FMQ’s today that didn’t ask Sturgeon about her illegalities, Harvie preferred to focus on Covid-19, which says to me that the Greens will back Sturgeon if it comes down to a vote.
@Cath 12.42
Indeed. That’s a significant article for an SNP elected rep to write.
Ever play any VR stu ?
I do feel slightly disheartened today, not by Nicola’s performance as that was expected, but by the cult happy clappers who cannot see through her lies or read her body language. Everything is a falshood yet is celebrated as the gospel truth.
I think she will now survive into the next election as time is running out and I suspect the other inquiry is already sown up in her favour. A new party looks like the only option.
I hope Alec is fine and calm after that despicable bastards smears and lies yesterday. She really is a shameful creature.
“Nicola did something bad. She did it with the best of intentions”
Best intentions for whom?
Certainly not Scotland.
Tartanfever @1.12pm.
That remains to be seen, but if her track record is anything to go by, then damaging sections to her and her government, will see them resort to redacting those parts.
I can’t see Sturgeon sitting through eight hours at the committee only to be shotdown by James Hamilton’s unredacted report, though I hope I’m wrong.
Mia -Someone pointed that out in the enquiry I think.
Basically the analogy being a banker who loses £600k , and then says ” It was done with the best intentions” so can I just keep my cosy job.
Unless it’s fraud. Most monumental errors are done with the best intentions, but you get sacked.
I have had to tell a few family members and friends some home truths about what I think of Sturgeon and the SNP.
They are all going on about the new members and how she blew them away. It’s like all they are reading is Humza’s tweets. It’s almost like a football forum for a fans club. They can only see through blinkered vision.
The difference being that football managers get sacked if they do this kind of stuff.
I knew Willie Wolfe when I was 16. I knew Hamish Watt, Douglas Crawford and George Reid when I was just 14. Not one of them would have stabbed a friend in the back.
@Andy Ellis says:
4 March, 2021 at 12:02 pm
“I notice from Twitter for example that one of the high profile flouncers who left the party after the abortive purge of the NEC last November ( @wgsaraband ) has announced he’s rejoined.”
I thought that wasn’t allowed?
@crisiscult
One word comes to mind to describe this mercurial First minister of ours.
Sociopath.
KOF says:
4 March, 2021 at 11:26 am
Every day is a Hawkwind day.
Thanks KOF for jump starting old memories.
Way back in the early seventies my pal Matt McDonald and I ran a mobile disco called Silver Machine and when we set up at a gig the first record played was Silver Machine by Hawkwind.
We travelled from Ayr to Aberfoyle in sky blue VW 1 ton van, happy days, if your still on the planet Matt, good on you !
If this fizzles out Stu, who in the Yes camnpaign are you going after next?
Glenislay – That is probably more accurate than anything else.
Take your pick –
Lack of empathy for others
Impulsive behavior
Attempting to control others with threats or aggression
Using intelligence, charm, or charisma to manipulate others
Not learning from mistakes or punishment
Lying for personal gain
Generally superficial relationships
Sometimes, stealing or committing other crimes
Trouble with responsibilities such as a job.
I’m saddened to be doing this. I’ve been an indyref supporter for years and almost daily perused wos for info. Over the past 18 mths there’s been a slow but fundamental change in both postings and attitudes within the site. Gradually this once pro-indy site has become a sham it’s almost as if it’s been taken over by some unionist group.It is shameful that you crowdfunded large sums of money from scots indy supporters,I think that source of income will diminish. I do not want you to think I’m just against you, I’m against people who pretend to be one thing when they are the total opposite. Enjoy your new life and friends in unionist land
Come back when you’re sober katsoft.
Then again, don’t bother.
katsoft says:
4 March, 2021 at 1:48 pm
I’m saddened that there are independence supporters who are willing to accept less than honesty and integrity from our politicians. Also disappointed that they are unable to see facts because they let their blind faith get in the way. I am no unionist but it seems obvious to me that the SNP under Sturgeon are no seekers of independence. Enjoy your new life in the land of obfuscation, lies and genderwoo.
JamesS says:
4 March, 2021 at 1:46 pm
What Yes campaign?
How in hell did we get from the united movement of hope of 2014 to our current schism division discord and despair? Who is Scotland’s Grima Wormtongue? How long have they been pouring their weevil words of discontent into the ears of our politicians, senior civil servants and prosecutors? How near the top must they be to have access to those ears? Who is David Harvie and where is he now? Has he been acting alone or with others? Can Scotland find a Gandalf to bring light into the halls of Theoden King, and will he be in time to reunite the fellowship or will Saruman’s agent prevail with his evil, treacherous malicious whispering campaign?
Big Jock @ 12.11
I’ve been doing a bit of research on LE and find she has been a Machiavelli for a number of years. She wields a surprising clout, suggestive of a big stick flailing around behind the scenes and with a big Union Jack on her back.
As for the SNP, they might have ?7000 new members, they certainly have one less since NS voiced a doubt over the jury’s verdict…. mine. TBH, I feel that I have had the marrow sucked out of my bones. If anyone can give me a crumb of hope, I’d shin the chimney stack and wave my saltire.
@katsof It is traditional for despots to shoot the messenger bearing bad news.
The fact is these events happened and for it to have taken the trajectory it did, then either Sturgeon is corrupt or grossly negligent/incompetent.
Nonetheless, if the SNP really have picked up a huge swathe of members (it remains to be proven) then this becomes a storm in a teacup.
I dislike dishonest politicians, but I’ll be voting based on my desire for independence just like all the happy clappy Sturgeonistas.
We can fix our government when we actually have one of our own.
katsoft – Go off and live in your pretendy la la land.
I prefer the truth. We don’t seek popularity on here. That’s Nicola’s remit. We will probably be called all sorts of things until the truth is finally exposed. We are big , we can handle it.
But let me ask you this. Do you honestly in your heart of hearts think Nicola is telling the truth. Do you think she is going to get independence. Do you think the SNP is a democracy. Do you think Jo Cherry was wrong. Do you think Leslie Evans should still be in a job. Do you think the way she has treated Salmond was morally correct.
We will still be here when the truth comes out. Until then , enjoy your fantasy.
@Robert, 1:05pm
I think most of the MSPs capable of independent thought (in all parties) are standing down in May. There are few voices in the SNP willing to rock the boat, and most of the potential new intake will be enthusiastic cheerleaders for Nicola.
Most of the remaining independent thinkers for the SNP are at Westminster (obviously Cherry and MacNeil but a few others too)
Well folks, despite the revelation that 7000 converted to the Snp after listening to the Gospel according to St. Nicola I can confirm I resigned my membership of the party. She appears to be getting away with it because I cannot see an Irish lawyer sticking his neck out and being held responsible for the collapse of the Scottish government. Felt a total empty mess last night, similar to the feeling after Indy 1. God help us all!
If this fizzles out Stu, who in the Yes camnpaign are you going after next?
What a strange take. The person in the independence movement who has been most brutally “gone after” is Alex Salmond. He has the entire media and unionist opposition after him – always has. The difference now is that the SNP are also on their side gunning for him, smearing him, even trying to have him imprisoned. If you don’t have an issue with that (I mean for the love of God, an issue in morality and justice would be nice, but an issue with where the SNP leadership now stands as well) I don’t know what to say.
Others who have been gone after: Wings (creator of the WBB which won most votes); Joanna Cherry; Grouse Beater and all other pro indy blogs; Commonweal; anyone in the party not putting identity politics and I love Nicola above anything else including independence. What does it take to wake some idiots up to what’s happening here?
Hoonose – I share your pain.
Think about this.
The Sturgeon loyal are all in la la land dancing on Alex’s grave.(for the moment). So it makes us look to them that we are petty and vindictive.
Yet it was their very own Sturgeon who rolled out the vindictive mix tape yesterday. She has painted Salmond as a monster.
Monsters don’t attack friends and try to jail them. So who is the real monster?
Hoonose says:
4 March, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Big Jock @ 12.11
If anyone can give me a crumb of hope, I’d shin the chimney stack and wave my saltire.
Reasons for hope
1. All political careers end in failure
2. It is nearly spring
I’m struggling now……
Stay well
“Kevin Kennedy says:
4 March, 2021 at 1:19 pm
Ever play any VR stu ?”
Don’t you think he’s had enough of “virtual reality” the last few days from reading and listening to Dear Leader and the Sturgeonistas pish?
katsoft
Remember this as you toddle off to worship at the High Kirk of St Nicola…
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Hoonose – I share your pain.
A crumb of comfort.
The Sturgeon followers are all dancing round their cauldron , and stamping on Salmond. (they think they have won). They view us as petty and vindictive , bitter even.
Sturgeon was the only one who was petty and vindictive yesterday. She painted Salmond as a monster on her Sturgeon mix tape.
But a monster is surely someone who disowns their friends in times of need, who tries to jail them and who publicly destroys their character.
Ask yourself who the real monster is?
How do the deaf find out what Nicola Sturgeon said to the committee?
There’s no signing, no subtitles, no transcript.
Making your service accessible: an introduction
link to gov.uk
“Your service must be accessible to everyone who needs it. You may be breaking the law if you do not make it accessible.”
I bet coming on here and trolling is the new initiation ceremony when you join the SNP.
Well done, katsof. You passed but something more original would have been better. “Despot” was good but you would have received a warmer embrace if you used “malcontent” or “demagogue”. Aword of advice. Don’t try and outclass Comfy Pete.
Rev Stu says:
So we’re probably going to take it easy for the next few days. There’s no point in the two sides just yelling at each other, because nobody’s going to change their minds
I interpret that as; ‘why should I continue to burst my arse, not getting paid for it, taking all the wholly unreasonable flack that’s going, undertaking more investigatory work than your average gumshoe, etc, etc, etc, when no one’s making the killer move to topple this crook?
Stu will also be saying; ‘There’s more than enough evidence to damn her and her crew straight to Hell for a very long time, and still nothing’s being actioned?’ and ‘Why should I continue to do this?’..
I would nod my head in complete agreement at that statement and ask; ‘Why should Stu be doing all their work for them, and when will the honest among them finally nail her?’
@ Cath: well spoken and spot on. Current SNP power is a horrible party. Kenny MacAskill has an article about “Old SNP” compared with “New SNP” in The Scotsman [per his Twitter] – can anyone post it on here so we can all read it, please?
Yet another Daily Mail front page promo on Wingsoverscotland.
Credibility issue.
Just received SNP application to vote by post. Two things. It is straight in the bin. Secondly I have not been a member for some time but still on their database.
I say,
I too knew Nicola Sturgeon when she was 16, although I did believe her name to be Nicolas at the time.
After entering service at Wankworthy Hall for a two week trial as housemaid, Mr Longstaff the Head Butler dismissed her out of hand. Something to do with incessant dull chatter and never getting around to serving tiffin I believe.
Presently, she had accused Mr Longstaff of impropriety with the stable girl, made off with my Georgian silver spoons and fouled the well in the grounds of Wankworthy Hall.
Damned disgrace.
Now good day to you.
@Menstruator 1.31pm
Indeed. I heard it bandied about by those inside the party who appeared to know the rules, at the time of the mass flounce of the Twitler Youth, that anyone who publicly resigned had to wait 2 years before rejoining and that had to be signed off by the high heid yins.
Either exceptions are being made or they were not deemed to have done it flagrantly enough? Nothing would surprise me with the SNP these days. The Woko Haram tendency will welcome such folk back with open arms, which only goes to demonstrate that those who think the party has changed are delusional.
Why are so many on here feeling down? We are in no worse a place than a few weeks ago and arguably better. Sure we got our hopes up that Sturgeon would have an attack of decency and resign or that the true facts of the Salmond stitch up would emerge. Neither happened due to lies and corruption but an awful lot of people have wakened up to what is going on. The happy clappy Sturgeon idiots may be in the majority for now but give it a year and the penny will have dropped with more of them that Sturgeon’s SNP is the antithesis of an independence seeking party.
She is not out of the woods yet. Much depends on what additional evidence can be brought to light despite the worst efforts of the Lord Advocate and the Crown Office. Hamilton may surprise us by being honest in his report or someone with a conscience in the hierarchy of the SNP party, the Scottish Government or the Civil Service may break ranks and tell all. I think the most likely event to upset their little empire of lies will be the bankruptcy of the SNP. They were technically insolvent at 31/12/19 per their accounts despite pilfering £600,000 of ring fenced money. Their membership subs we know will be massively down and there are less people willing to do fund raising. We now have a Holyrood election looming and the SNP will need to spend cash on a campaign if they hope to win. That’s cash they do not have.
Tackety Beets 12.49
The two women referred to were let down by the Scottish Government! They insisted that they didn’t want to go to the police and the SG forced a police inquiry on them. NS merely forgot it was HER government wot did it.
Elmac @2:33
“Why are so many on here feeling down?.”
That’s just what happens when people have to listen to eight hours of Sturgeon. It’ll wear off quickly enough.
When loads of identical tweets are sent out, don’t their “authors” care that their tactics are blatant?
It’s even funnier, of course, when there’s an error in the tweet that no-one spots and corrects.
This time it’s
Just because a word ends in -est, it isn’t necessarily a superlative.
Hone, honer, honest
No, something wrong there.
Tuppence worth.
Hamilton will say that although there could have been greater clarity there is insufficient certainty to declare a breach of the Ministerial Code.
He will recommend then that some further discussion of criteria should be given the attention of the next Parliament.
Well, something like that, anyway.
I hear Santa has joined the SNP and there are now 7001 new members. I have no idea if he really exists or if the claim is true…but it’s still worth celebrating right?
Prince Andrew didn’t know Nicola Sturgeon when she was 16…. he wiz at Pizza Hut.
“Most monumental errors are done with the best intentions”
Sure. But I fail to see how forcing a judicial review to proceed against legal advice can ever be considered “a mistake”. It is at best gambling with taxpayers’ money. At worse disgraceful negligence. In any case, it is a breach of the ministerial code. Nicola Sturgeon’s “intentions” do not even enter the equation.
I’m with Sam @ 10.48 too!
As one of around 7,000 new subscribers to Wings Over Scotland, and having known you since you were 16, may I say enjoy a well-earned break!
“Go do something that makes you happy” – pretty sound advice, I’m lucky enough to also enjoy video games which is an activity which frankly has kept me sane this last yaer. Well, that and red wine!
I don’t understand why people would read or comment on a blog that they think is a sham.
I think it’s sometimes quite interesting not to offer any counter argument and to see what happens.
I never see any point in having an debate with those that ‘are so blind they will not see’
Quite interesting that Stuart is having some downtime when I imagine, judging by some comments that there are a lot of twitters desperately looking for a counter argument.
Is it possible that some are getting angry so have resorted to posting nasty comments on here? 🙂
” katsoft says:
4 March, 2021 at 1:48 pm
I’m saddened to be doing this. I’ve been an indyref supporter for years and almost daily perused wos for info. Over the past 18 mths there’s been a slow but fundamental change in both postings and attitudes within the site. Gradually this once pro-indy site has become a sham it’s almost as if it’s been taken over by some unionist group.It is shameful that you crowdfunded large sums of money from scots indy supporters,I think that source of income will diminish. I do not want you to think I’m just against you, I’m against people who pretend to be one thing when they are the total opposite. Enjoy your new life and friends in unionist land”
========================================================
My BS detector went kaboom again.
In politics, globally, there are self-preservationists, scumbags, criminals and liars on every side, and in every corner – and there always will be. As the big man said “the desire to be politician should bar you for life from ever being one.”
The unionists are laughing their arses off at all of this, you’re all aware of that, right?
Thankfully, the views presented by this site were never going to, and never will, make the slightest bit of difference either way when it comes to the future of Scotland. Top marks for whipping a few people up into a frenzy though.
You know, for all the noise the youngsters make about being the hifi scifi wifi generation, all us oldies being out of touch, and how they will be the misty-eyed standard bearers of a Brave New Scottish-American world…they’re really not very good at it, are they? That scabby, shabby few-tweets attempt at convincing us all that Nicola Sturgeon is She Who Has Come From The Sky To Deliver Us From The 5errors Of The Deadites (sorry, Tories – Evil Dead 3 – blame my dissident misspent youth) is really, really pitiful and embarrassing.
This whole damned thing has been pitiful and embarrassing, top to toe, and that, partly, is what really hurts – what a load of misguided, self-righteous weans, and a few corrupt politicos, have done to show us up as parochial and inept on the world political stage. “Big girl did it run away!” Christ, whit a bloody riddy tae gie us, whit a beamer! Mortifying. And the Motherfucker Of All Parliaments thinks it’s all just simply spiffing and hilarious, old boy, top hole entertainment from the porridge munchers, keep it up! Almost as much fun as fox hunting and charabanc dogging, eh what?
So the many bile-spewing, independence-wrecking conspiracy theorists here are taking a break while Stuart does too? You all gonnae go and help out your local Unionist party during that time? You help them loads on here and are planning to do so on election day, so you should do it now too.
If she truly didn’t know about it then she’s criminally negligent.
If, as the evidence indicates, she did know, then she is simply criminal.
Great read. I hope Craig doesn’t mind me posting this here.
link to craigmurray.org.uk
Dan Hardy says:
4 March, 2021 at 2:43 pm
I hear Santa has joined the SNP and there are now 7001
Reply
I thought Santa was already a member, been a member since she was 16.
Santa Nicola the Virgin of Dreghorm
When you renew your vows are you counted as a new member?
Sarah @2:29
The article was posted earlier, however I will post it again.
Old SNP’ bit their tongues as ‘New SNP’ played down their dreams but they have finally had enough – Kenny MacAskill MP
link to archive.is
@ Sir Fortescue
Does Wankworthy Hall have extensive grounds and a lake?
I’m a fookin demon at sorting lawnmowers, tractors, classic motorbikes & cars, growing fruit & veg, and catching fish.
I think I would be an asset to Wankworthy and trust you will inform me should any position of employ that suits my skillsets arise at your humble abode.
Good day to you.
Stu will also be saying; ‘There’s more than enough evidence to damn her and her crew straight to Hell for a very long time, and still nothing’s being actioned?’ and ‘Why should I continue to do this?’..
That’s what’s depressing me right now. This is an establishment stitch up of such magnitude it seems impossible for it to even come out into the open. And the SNP is right there at the heart of it. The inquiry will do absolutely nothing at all which helps Alex Salmond. Every single one of them on that committee is 100% against him. That’s why it’s so gutting the SNP have also turned against him.
If it’s left to a handful of blogs which are being termed “conspiracy theorists” to keep shouting about it, even when all the evidence is out there and so glaringly obvious, it’s never going to come to light and Scotland and the independence movement shifts into a very dark place indeed. Andrew Neil and people like that are only interested if they think there is an anti-independence slant in it. If it becomes purely about justice for Alex Salmond and regaining his reputation, they’re long gone. It needs people with some real power to step forward, people in the legal profession and state institutions, honest (if there are any) journalists.
And mostly it needs SNP MPs and MSPs (if there are any decent ones left) to start standing up and speaking truth. If that doesn’t happen, and I were Stu, I’d be quitting and leaving it to the young happy-clappers who appear to think it’ll be a cake walk with a “good luck” sign off post.
All that said, for the time being, I do still have some optimism. There’s still just about time before May to turn things around and produce a big pro independence, but not all SNP, majority. And this case has shown clearly where work needs done to be an independent county, which is probably critical. It doesn’t need that many brave and principled people to stand up, especially when so many know the truth. And if we don’t have any of them…what does that say for Scotland anyway?
Giesabrek says:
4 March, 2021 at 2:52 pm
“You all gonnae go and help out your local Unionist party” Naw – we’ll leave that up to the ineptitude of Sturgeon and her blind followers. If she’s not a Yoon plant they should surely recruit her fast. She’s their best asset.
I remember feeling embarrassment at the vocal push to accord Donald Dewar Sainted Father of the Nation status when he died, and that awful statue. Now I can forsee a second plinth in Glasgow for Nicola to be commemorated as Scotland’s Mummy – only it’ll probably be erected long before she passes away.
People are so cringing sometimes. I suppose it makes them feel comforted and secure.
I did suggest on a previous thread that I felt sorry for Stuart having to watch the 15th Meeting of the Committee live.
I suggested he wait until catch-up was available when he could fast forward and copy & paste from the transcript.
I have no complaints. Enjoy your break Stuart.
There are plenty of BTL posters keeping me entertained & informed. Thank you all for that.
“Tales from Wankworthy Hall” very entertaining.
Thanks for comments/replies.
1 if you noticed i was commenting on someone who pruports to want an indy scotland. Is that still so?
2 i never mentioned NS or SNP in my post, reason? I’m not a member of any political party but, unlike some, i have remained a supporter of independence through thick and thin.
3 for those who made some comments its maybe time to take off the jack tinted glasses
4 normally i don’t reply to obvious unionist trolls but I’m feeling in a good mood so decided to reply
pretty thin gruel
no one is saying geoff aberdein didnt tell hamilton and pringle the name of an accuser confirmed by a government official
hint, nicola wasnt at the meeting?
also, salmond already knew this name as he had apologised to her for a previous incident, most likely geoff aberdein knew about this incident or salmond had informed him.
if geoff already knew the identity, how could this gov official “revealed” anything? at best this official “confirmed” what salmond/aberdein suspected.
but since nicola wasnt at the meeting, how is this a resigning matter for her?
“but since nicola wasnt at the meeting, how is this a resigning matter for her?”
It isn’t. It’s a resigning matter, and indeed a criminal matter, for the person who did it.
Oh dear they are getting a finger wagging lecture from Miss katsoft.
I wonder if those who commented are shaking their shoes whipping off their jack tinted glasses and stuttering out an answer to Miss katsoft’s questions. She sounds very strict! I wonder why she’s called Miss katsoft and not Miss Trunchbull?
Yes Miss katsoft. Whatever you say Miss katsoft!
Independence Supporter Miss katsoft! Yes Miss katsoft!
The Scottish Government will later reveal their plan to combat climate change.
The Arctic and Antarctic regions with be protected from further melting by deploying Nicola Sturgeon to deflect the sun’s rays back into space, a Government strongwoman has heroically revealed, to the Daily Record.
I wonder if those identical tweets came from our friends in the 77th Brigade. After all, their job is to defend the UK from its enemies.
link to army.mod.uk
Military intelligence?
@ Sir Fortescue Wankworthy 2:30pm
Fit like
If yous had gave him/her a jolly good seeing to maybe none of this would have happened.
Noblesse oblige ken
Hoots mon
Socrates mentioned…
We are told peak SNP membership – around the time of the 2015 General Election, was 126,000.
Yesterday morning, it was believed to stand at 70,000 – a fall of 44.5% from its peak.
Assuming the claimed 7,000 new members was correct – it now stands at 77,000 – a Fall of 38.9% from peak SNP.
Following the 2015 General Election, the SNP had 56 seats. This represents 92.2% of the Scottish seats
Today (including Margaret Ferrier’s seat) the SNP has 48 seats. This represents 81.3% of the Scottish seats. This is also a drop of 11.8% in SNP support.
The Sturgeon-led SNP went into the 2016 Holyrood Election with an overall majority in the Parliament 69 or 53.5% of the seats.
Today, with the 2021 Holyrood Election looming, the SNP has 63 or 48.8% of the seats. This is a drop of 8.8% in SNP support.
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 38.9% of its membership.
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 11.8% of its Westminster seats
Under Sturgeon, the SNP has lost 8.8% of its Holyrood seats.
This is before we raise the subject of the “missing” ring-fenced referendum fund.
And perhaps add…..
2014 – Alex Salmond (on resigning as FM) hands the SNP 48% of the voting/ surveyed electorate as in agreement with Scottish Independence.
2014 – EVEL
2016 – UK-EU Membership Referendum – including Vote Leave funding (VL) scandal, discredited and unlawful Cambridge Analytica activities and VL campaign claims
2017 – UK initiates Brexit while ignoring Scotland alternative democratic decision – SNP and Scotland meekly accept ‘Now is not The Time’.
2019 – Brexit negotiation period extended when hard Brexit advocate Boris Johnston becomes PM.
2020 – Fishing Rights is the Key Sticking point in the Brexit Deal. Neither the Scottish Government nor the SNP are in the room to represent Scottish interests
2020 – UK officially withdrew from the EU – all sovereign Scottish national lose them European Citizenship
2020 – NI Citizens remains in a Full EU Custome Union. Retaining all previous guaranteed rights, the free movement of goods, capital, services, and labour,
2020 – Gibraltar remain in EU under the Schengen Agreement the islanders (as NI) retain full EU Citizens Rights under this EU Protocol Schengen
2020 – UK Internal Market Bill, and the controversial protocols diminishing the rights of the Scottish Parliament, are ratified.
2021 – During this period (2014 to 2021) – a period of unprecedented loss of Scottish Sovereign rights & citizens entitlements the
2014 – 48% of the voting/ surveyed electorate in agreement with Scottish Independence increases to – 50%
so aye, 2014 to 2021 under sufficating nicola voting/ surveyed electorate in agreement with Scottish Independence increases 48% to 50%
@katsoft
i have remained a supporter of independence through thick and thin.
I still support independence, but I will not support a corrupt administration. That does not make anyone a unionist troll. I won’t be voting SNP does that make me a “yoon”?
Apologies if linked to already but here’s the SNP take on proceedings: link to twitter.com
Leak the Peter Murrell conspiracy emails. Destroy the woke faction. Liberate the SNP.
Just one little point
“2020 – NI Citizens remains in a Full EU Custome Union. Retaining all previous guaranteed rights, the free movement of goods, capital, services, and labour,”
AFAIK NI citizens are entitled to FOM e.g. to travel,work and live within the EU as long as they have Irish passports, which they are entitled to hold and can choose if they want.
If they opt to be British passport holders they are subjected to the same restrictions as other British subjects.
That said, the Irish government has extended access to Erasmus to all NI citizens, whether they are Irish or British passport holders
@ Kenny J at 1:12 pm
“So, what is the consensus of retrieving this money, before more of it goes to lining Murrel’s pockets.”
I think you have an excellent chance,
What you do in very basic order is set all the payments out on a spreadsheet , That gives you the total, you write to the SNP and state your reason for the return of the money, you say you want the money within 14 days, failing to do so will result in court action.
That more or less it.
I have cut it very short,You don’t need a solicitor. You can do all the stuff yourself
Stoker @4.16
Fascinating that Nicola takes this attitude…
I answered questions for 8 hours yesterday ….I intend to rest on that to allow both the Committee, and the inquiry on the Ministerial Code, to conclude their work.
and yet at the beginning of the eight hours she was complaining that Alex had not apologised to the women.
Interestingly his statement during his session, when Cole-Hamilton asked him to apologise, was along the lines of
‘I have been through two Court cases, before a Judge and a Jury over the past two plus years and I think I’ll leave it there’
Is she parodying him?
I take exception to her saying she answered every question – I think Jacquie Baillie asked her a question about the March 29th meeting but NS didn’t agree with the ‘premise of the question’, acted glaikit and opted not to answer. Plus I think she opted out of answering one of Margaret Mitchell’s questions.
Chancer!
Am I the only person who finds people tweeting copied and pasted brainless propaganda on behalf of the party line thoroughly depressing?
To think we used to laugh at North Korea.
Quite a lot of people knew Nicla when she was 16, should she no have been in school.
Don’t know if other people have posted the barrhead boy’s latest podcast. here it is
link to barrheadboy.com
One point the speakers made struck me – what if the roles had been reversed?
In other words what if A Salmond was still FM and N Sturgeon was the person who had been cleared in court etc? What would people think then of the FM’s behaviour?
Adrian Kent Try Alex Thomsons “Eastern Approaches” on youtube
Or UK column news again on YouTube
@ MorvenM at 5.39pm:
“Am I the only person who finds people tweeting copied and pasted brainless propaganda on behalf of the party line thoroughly depressing?”
I don’t understand what they think they’re going to achieve by doing it. As with the astroturf anti-independence campaigns in 2014, it just makes it blatantly obvious that there’s no genuine support for the point they’re trying to convey, and that their campaign is fake. Besides, I don’t believe for one moment that recent events have led to any increase in support for Sturgeon or the SNP. Quite the reverse.
I watched FM questions and wee nicla was fair fired up, she was desperate to show the acolytes and apologists that she wis on tap o her gemme, look lads and lassies yesterday wisnae a fluke a cuid dae this for another 8 hoors nae bother , and that big besome ruthy fair goat her erse skelpit
But unfortunately all I saw was a false bravado, a bravado created by a falsehood that believed people, the electorate were taken in by her lies and non answers, it didn’t matter that £1 million pounds had been misused for revenge on AS whilst families with children were attending food banks , FFS what do they want I said I was sorry and nearly meant it
So never mind the acolytes and apologist members, will NORMAL people celebrate £1 million wasted on vanity , the GRA and HCB, chicks with dicks teaching anal sex education to children
Clavie Cheil the SNP are sham Nationalists and they Sturgeon are riding the arse off a bogus pandemic predicated on Tory Government lies the bring in the so called ” great reset”. You should Google it World Economic Forum.
“but since nicola wasnt at the meeting, how is this a resigning matter for her?”
In 2 ways:
a) Another attempt to mislead Parliament
In one of the last FMQs I distinctively remember Ms Sturgeon being asked about this and she said in categoric terms and portraying feeling insulted at even being asked that nobody revealed the name of a complainer to Geoff Aberdein. Then she went to great lengths to make it look like it was just Mr Salmond’s claim, not the truth, which really takes the biscuit as you clearly say she was not in the meeting, so how the hell did she know who was telling the truth?
Only when pressed by Rennie and asked directly if she was saying that Mr Salmond had lied, she tried to put on emergency reverse gear saying “to the best of my knowledge….”. But as you say, she was not in the meeting, so “the best of her knowledge” of what happened in that meeting amounts to zero.
b) Somebody had to give the name of this complainer to this civil servant. Who? Was it Nicola Sturgeon? If it was Nicola Sturgeon and indeed this civil servant had no involvement in the procedure and therefore no professional need to know the name of any complainer, then Ms Sturgeon should resign. It is not only a matter for the civil servant that blurted the name to Geoff Aberdein to resign. It is also a resigning matter for whoever passed that information to a civil servant that may have not been involved in the process. Was that person Nicola Sturgeon, Lesley Evans or somebody else?
And then we have schrodingers cat taking a wee break from WGD in an effort to wind Stuart up , what’s up SC is it too boring with all the celebrations going on over there, queen nicla has disposed of the disbelievers
SNP just tweeted that it’s 7600 new members since yesterday so Stu was correct to say that 7000 was “a complete and utter nonsense”.
The sexual proclivities of the Woke Brigade sponsored by the Murrell Foundation are driving SNP policy potentially to introducing at Holyrood legislation encompassing GRA and Hate Crime bills and by so doing denying due process by the membership under the auspices of annual Conference. Democracy so denied!
WAKE UP HONEST MEN AND WOMEN SNP MEMBERS, TAKE BACK CONTROL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COUNTRY AND YOUR OWN INTEGRITY AND DO IT NOW!
@ Sylvia at 2.55: thank you for posting the Kenny MacAskill article again!
I agree absolutely she is damaged goods, and she will not be missed when she goes. My only question is, if she is required to resign now, what are the options? If the Tories get handed their scalp on a plate at this time, would that not be a guarantee of a Tory administration at the next election? And the end of devolution, never mind independence?
.
I have known @NicolaSturgeon since she was 16 and able to count up to 50 lies an hour…
link to mobile.twitter.com
She is one of the weakest, dishonest and most cowardly women I know.
She dedicated her life to perks of high political office paid for by the taxpayer and presided over the embezzelment of £600,000 of ringfenced donation money.
We’ve been very unlucky to have her leaching off of us this past year. She cannae even get the basic questions right…
link to mobile.twitter.com
How much did we, the taxpayer pay her for that eight hours of “evidence” at the the gerrymandered “Linda Fabrication Inquiry”.
Jamesofthefells AKA James Barr Gardner re your recent post
Get in touch at kgbmoscow@aol.com
@ayemachrihanish 4 March, 2021
“so aye, 2014 to 2021 under sufficating nicola voting/ surveyed electorate in agreement with Scottish Independence increases 48% to 50%”
You clearly don’t understand EVEL so here is a fellow Nationalist Barrister explaining it link to lallandspeatworrier.blogspot.com