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Wings Over Scotland


The Unseen Sturgeon

Posted on June 09, 2015 by

We’ve already brought you the First Minister’s appearance on last night’s The Daily Show in the US, but in addition to the seven minutes that were shown on TV there were a further seven minutes of interview which didn’t go out on air, but were shown on the Comedy Central website, region-blocked so only US residents could see them.


When the FM goes abroad to represent Scotland in the outside world, though, we think it’s only fair that Scots get to see what she’s saying and doing on their behalf, so we didn’t let such trifling obstacles get in our way.

If you’d prefer to watch the whole 14 minutes at once, it’s here.

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  1. 09 06 15 15:19

    The Unseen Sturgeon | Speymouth
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171 to “The Unseen Sturgeon”

  1. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    What a star.

  2. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    Superb, she’s done herself no harm in going, why do we have nonentities like the Tories Johnston & Davidson in this country. Roll on the election.

  3. Brotyboy
    Ignored
    says:

    How many political leaders can go on a TV programme like this and come out with their reputation enhanced? Yet that is what I’m sure Nicola has done with this appearance.

    Not just her reputation as a politician but also as a human being. Great stuff.

    I have a sneaking suspicion that John Stewart likes her and has some sympathy with the pro-Indy argument.

  4. Alan
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Stu! Top public service broadcasting.

  5. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    Our MSM employs thousands, spends how many billions and still manages to “overlook” this.

    And then there’s Stu, just him, costing thousands and producing it for us.

    If it hadn’t been for the internet, we would never have known. The UK MSM is a conspiracy against the people.

  6. Anne Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    Stuart,

    Well done for unblocking that part of the show.

    Jon Stewart had a lot of admiration for her, I think, as I do.

    She did well for Scotland.

  7. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Superb performance. Makes me proud to have a star like Nicola representing me/us on the world stage.

  8. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola got it right when she said all the opposition would be tuning in to see if it goes wrong.

    The “Saddam’ comment is everywhere. In the meantime more people are going to vote SNP, and 24-35 yr olds, a massive 80%.

    So, unionist parties and commentators doing well in securing the future vote.

  9. Andrew Morton
    Ignored
    says:

    Just been on the Mail Online story about this interview. Even after many years of exposure to this ‘news’ organisation I still marvel not just at the twisted reporting, but also the sheer ignorance fuelled bile of the Below The Line comments. It’s significant that the stupidest commenters all seem to have grandiloquent handles;, presumably these are penis substitutes.

  10. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh, I think we could call that job done. ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Al-Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    Stu.,

    THANK YOU for bringing that extra segment of our First Minister on American television to Wings Over Scotland.

    I cannot remember the last time I had a tingling of pride going through my spine at such a decent, world class person.

    That Nicola Sturgeon is our First Minister just fills me with pride, and confidence that we, as a nation, are in the very best of good hands.

    Today has been a good day.

  12. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    I think we always knew Nicola Sturgeon was a political star … now we know that she is also a comedienne as well. ๐Ÿ˜€

    What a star indeed. I think she really did outshine John. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    I can not believe that ANY westminster unionist politician, from Blair through Brown to Cameron and Johnson were or could be anything like as funny as what oor Nicola was on that show. ๐Ÿ˜›

  13. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done Stuart ๐Ÿ™‚
    This is why you are worth supporting-you go the extra mile just as Nicola & SNP try to do.

    Magic interview (parts 1 & 2)-she has really put Scotland on the world stage this week.

    Compare & contrast Nicola, Kezia, Ruth & wee Willie. Forget that idea there’s no competition in Westminster never mind in Scotland. The rest are just a joke but class (I don’t mean social) always stands out from the crowd.

    She is doing a wonderful job of selling an independent Scotland whilst we have a PM constantly whining about everything being the fault of EU & dragging our name through the mud day in day out.Which one looks & sounds like a leader? It ain’t Cam that’s for sure ๐Ÿ˜‰

  14. Tony Little
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent stuff. That’s what a political leader acts like. She charmed the pants off the yanks! Let’s hope they’ll see us in a more friendly light in future.

  15. Al-Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T But important to democracy.

    The small matter of People versus Carmichael fundraiser just tipped over 100% a few moments ago.

    Now at ยฃ60,119.

    https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-people-versus-carmichael

    THAT just shows how engaged people in Scotland are with politics since the Referendum.

    THAT also shows how enraged people in Scotland are with political liars.

  16. Muscleguy
    Ignored
    says:

    It is so nice having a national leader who can go out into the world and be an exemplar of you. We had that in NZ when the redoubtable Helen Clark was our PM. I feel similarly about Nicola.

  17. carjamtic
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘True inspirational leaders,are made from something they have inside them,a desire,a dream,a vision’

    It’s all there in spades

    Thanks for sharing Rev.

    ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. Grizzle McPuss
    Ignored
    says:

    Well don FM.

    Our cousins across the big pond must look at Scotland and see so many similarities to their own events 242 years ago in Boston.

    Could we have the Bathgate Tea Party?

    Round up Fluffy & Bayonet Bob (Davidson) and throw them both into the Bathgate public baths?

    Oh, and a nice cup of tea afterwards to celebrate a job well done.

    It might not achieve much, but there is a thing called satisfaction (โ€ฆโ€canโ€™t get noโ€ฆโ€)

  19. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks, Rev.

    She’s a class above the rest.

    I wonder what JS whispered in her ear at the very end, probably something along the lines of; I want the first personal invite to your independence day celebrations.
    ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Nicola, if you’re reading this, well done on your choice of suit colour, perfect, it’s you, can’t stand seeing you in red. There are just some colours not suited to certain individuals. Anyway, i don’t like the idea of Slabber possibly getting your credit.
    ๐Ÿ™‚

  20. Marie clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Gon yersel Nicola. Whit a star.

  21. Graeme Doig
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola is a charmer. What a leader we have.

    You can only behave like that as a leader when you have total confidence in who you are and what you’re doing.

    Nicola and our 56 are far too good for the mad house down the road. Hope she never has to set foot in the place.

  22. Taranaich
    Ignored
    says:

    “This is the dream, John.”

    Wee tear oot the corner of my eye, there.

  23. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s another interview NS gave to Bloomberg in New York yesterday.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-06-08/scotland-finding-its-place-in-the-world-nicola-sturgeon

  24. Macnakamura
    Ignored
    says:

    Stoker says:
    9 June, 2015 at 1:47 pm
    Thanks, Rev.

    Sheโ€™s a class above the rest.

    I wonder what JS whispered in her ear at the very end, probably something along the lines of; I want the first personal invite to your independence day celebrations.
    ::::::::::::::::
    Smewhere in th scottish Ofice, a civil servant and SPAD are indulging in a little creative writing whilst composing a loose interpretation of that little exchange.

  25. Garmony
    Ignored
    says:

    Why doesn’t Wings send all the negative comments from msm, especially the reference to Saddam, back to the Jon Stewart Show just to prove Nicola’s point about her enemies? outrageous to try and twist things to create more ill feeling towards a woman who is head and shoulders above all those right wing rags who don’t know their arse from their elbow.

  26. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for that Rev. Not much more I can add about Nicola other than it takes real courage to go on a show like that, especially when you’re still in office as it could make or break you.

    Iโ€™ve read that sheโ€™s become the most senior serving UK politician ever to appear on this show. Jon Stewart interviewed Tony Blair and Gordon Brown after they left office. So they basically bottled out whilst still in office and I canโ€™t imagine that Broon would have been a barrel of laughs when he did pluck up the courage, eventually, to go on the show.

    It was also heartening to see that Jon Stewart seems to be on the ball with regard to UK politics and as others have said I think he has real admiration and even a liking for Nicola. I also came across a video of him saying that he thought the SNP would do really well in the forthcoming Election. Must have had his eye on Nicola and wanted her on his show!

    I wonder what they talked about off camera? Maybe even more important than what we can see / hear. I hope she was filling him in about all of the dirty dealings, smear tactics, scaremongering, media manipulation and the pillaging of Scotland’s resources (just for starters).

    Anyway great performance from Nicola.

    PS Anybody get the feeling that Dugdale, Baillie, Murphy, Davidson, Rennie, Cameron, Miliband et al, et al, et al are all on here watching the videos and are bl**dy-well raging, lol?

  27. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    as BBC Scotland grovels to/provides Donald Trump with a soap box to monster anything SNP Scots.gov but Daily Show satire really puts right wing America to the sword. Murdoch’s Fox 10 and CNN, Americas version of the BBC is also a Daily Show em, subject.

    It’s satire so good, it could well cost bettertogether red or blue tory boy world elections, which is why we don’t have anything like it.

    The great Jack Black. Wish we had him.

    http://videos.nymag.com/video/Daily-Show-Lewis-Black-Supports#c=FGCPY6223PZ860QM&t=Daily Show: Lewis Black Backs Trump for President

  28. seanair
    Ignored
    says:

    Andrew Morton
    Why do you punish yourself by reading DM trash? Their circulation is falling (although not quickly enough), and their readers are people you wouldn’t want to associate with in real life.
    Even if you are not buying a copy, I believe that clicking on gives the DM income so please think about that before you succumb.

  29. scott
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Scotland news mostly about missed targets in new hospital,missed climate change targets,small piece about our FM why,why not just a small pit of praise for Nicola,asking to much I suppose.

  30. Linda McFarlane
    Ignored
    says:

    Stu – Thank you very much.

  31. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for this Rev. This is all over Facebook now. Lots of Wingers posting it.

    Something we would never have seen on any TV channel here!

  32. sionnach
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh, she wowed them real good. I felt there was true warmth in the applause at the end. And real warmth from Jon Stewart too. It helped that he is (as Petra just said) on the ball with UK politics – as you’d expect from a top satirist.

    Great work, Nicola – keep living that dream ๐Ÿ™‚

  33. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    As BBC Scotland grovels to F**kface VonClownstick, Jon Stewart presents real world Trump to America, but it could just as easy be tory gits like Cameron or Osborne or Fluffy or Carmicheal…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00Pg8Yi0RK0

    Google Donald Trump v Daily Show, unless your at work and not supposed to laugh out loud at your desk.

  34. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Macnakamura wrote:
    “Somewhere in the scottish Office, a civil servant and SPAD are indulging in a little creative writing whilst composing a loose interpretation of that little exchange.”

    Oh you betcha! There’s nothing surer!

  35. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “This is why you are worth supporting-you go the extra mile”

    Cheers, but this is me slacking ๐Ÿ™‚

    It’s been a mad few years, and readers will doubtless have noticed that we’re averaging just a single post a day since the election. Partly that’s because it’s the summer silly season and there isn’t really much going on – and soon to be even less when the Parliaments go into recess – and it’s partly just me taking it a little bit easier for a while to recharge the batteries after the referendum and the election in quick succession.

    You should probably expect things to stay this way for a good chunk of June and July, before starting to build up again towards Holyrood 2016. If the sodding sun ever actually comes out I quite fancy enjoying some of it this year.

  36. Desimond
    Ignored
    says:

    Mr Ambassador, may I present Ms Theresa May

    Woah Woah woah hombre, may indeed, may I just stop you right there. i was told I would be meeting the leading lady of British politics, the wee Scottish lassie, funny, witty, someone to look forward to meeting, not this drone…no offence ma’am….

  37. Mik Johnstone
    Ignored
    says:

    And yet the Daily Fail runs with ‘What? You think you’re Saddam Hussein? …. Deluded Much ? Nicola is a leader in every sense of the word….

  38. Calgacus
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev.Stu.

    If anyone desrves to rest on their laurels it’s you.Enjoy the summer!

  39. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    Stu, you can coast all summer like this! These are great videos to cheer us, and the sun IS out here. Loved the parliament tv broadcast of the Scoltand Bill debate. More to come next week so plenty to be getting on with.

  40. Jim Lamb
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice 1 Stu!

    Oor Nicola is a lire star. She does oor country proud at every turn.

    Shame on MSM for not giving this interview the coverage it deserves.

  41. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev
    Yes, I noticed you’re slacking. It’s been an intense 3-4 years, and didn’t stop after the Ref either. To some extent I think we can all rest a bit, recharge the batteries, but unfortunately your analysis of the media is probably needed more than ever as it seems to have retrenched and dug in. It can’t push Labour like it used to as Labour’s in turmoil and needs to change, so instead it’s becoming more anti-SNP, anto-Sturgeon, anti-Salmond, you name them, than ever.

    Hopefully it’ll discredit itself totally and finally, but a little helping nudge along the way doesn’t do any harm …

  42. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    It is exceptionally ironic listening to Liam Fox talking about the different British mentality, The inevitable result of closer ties with Europe is Union he states,and that is not good to be absorbed by a bigger State.
    These beggars don’t do irony ,do they?.

  43. dawninnl
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi all
    Fantastic job by Nicola. Loved it.

    There was one bit I couldnt quite catch (I am hard of hearing) even after rewinding a few times. It is around 9.50 and Nicola has her back to the camera – what did John say and what was her response? (I suspect this is the “This is the dream” part, but I would love to have the full context.
    Thanks in advance for your help.

  44. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola was excellent both on The Daily Show and in the Bloomberg interview. Leagues above any of the Westminster Better together crew.

    She just might be the one who will get us out of this “occupation”, for that is really what we live in.

  45. Doug Daniel
    Ignored
    says:

    There seems to be a really good rapport between them in this clip, a nice friendly chat, which makes a change from seeing Nicola having to bat back hostile questions from cynical hacks.

    Imagine the good she could be doing if she was able to represent us in the EU, the G20 and all that stuff. What a missed opportunity it’ll have been if Nicola doesn’t get a chance to lead an independent Scotland on the world stage.

  46. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Jon Stewart was nice and gentle with Nicola and allowed her to shine (Good Guy)
    Having said that the girl done good (Very proud Nippy)

    The Westminster lot and the Media must be spewing

    Great innit!!

  47. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Veggy haggis? Never seen that species. Do they eat lettuce?

  48. Lanarkist
    Ignored
    says:

    Liam Fox giving a master class in cognitive dissonance!

    Everything coming out of his mouth with regards to Westminster’s relationship with Europe mirrors Scotland’s relationship with Westminster.

    He is unable to see that UK is just a smaller older version of the EU instead of this great Nation State that they brainwash the populace into believing that they exist within.

    The great lie!

    It is strange to think that Alex Salmond and Liam Fox were close contemporaries at St. Andrews University when you see the chasm of difference in their outlook and interpretation of the World at large.

    SNP Group are allowing them enough rope to hang themselves and their argument, sure hope we don’t end up swinging off the same gibbet with them!

  49. Betty Boop
    Ignored
    says:

    It must make a pleasant change for Nicola Sturgeon, and Alex Salmond before her, dealing with foreign correspondents or on a tv show such as Jon Stewart’s where the interviewer seems genuinely interested in having a conversation without the sniping and turned up noses which are a feature of media here.

    She has to come back to la-la land though and deal with the treacherous media rabble here.

  50. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Poor old Herald. I’m at it again! From an article there this line:

    “Copies of the correspondence uncovered by The Herald’s sister paper, The National”

    I noticed for a fair time that the SH got to get inside info, and the investigative reporters were active there. In other words doing their job, whether pro or anti. Seems they’re also active on the National. Seemed to me for some time the Herald were just taking stories from other sources and virtually or ven completely parroting them with no checking or investigation. In other words, no proper reporting. Including lately the DT and perhaps even the DM. And of course, press releases from the Unionist parties.

    Sad.

  51. steveasaneilean
    Ignored
    says:

    @heedtracker – thanks for this! It’s broken the ยฃ60,000 barrier. Ya beezer!

  52. Lanarkist
    Ignored
    says:

    Interesting comparison between media interviews taking into account this is a show based on satire and British Broadcast Media is supposedly factual.

    Interesting also that Pacific Quay hasn’t suffered from more interruptions to broadcasts other than those originating from inside the organisation whenever a broadcast from Scotland is due to air.

    They must be being interrupted by all that cyber security that they have to employ to prevent any Cybernat friendly groups disrupting their daily propaganda output.

    The BBC broadcast to the world daily from hot spots and remote locations and cannot secure a good link North of the Border.

    Funny that!

  53. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Love ” afriend in America” tag on the youtube video. Sturgeon’s right about the UKOK media waiting to monster her if they get a chance, even at 4am Scottish time.

    Rancid The Guardian’s got thousands of British Cifers raging away at her in New York.

    last week Salmond said “woman” to a demented tory front bencher, same again, thousands of CiFers going apeshit in this family of nations, dysfunctional as fcuk at just the sight of Scots working for Scotland.

    Funny that.

  54. jethro
    Ignored
    says:

    Awesome!

    Nicola even called out the interviewer straight away on his flattering but completely made up statistics.

    That’s a bear trap I’m sure ANY of the other Scottish or UK party leaders would have walked straight into, smiling for the camera as they went.

  55. Lanarkist
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha Heedtracker, funny that!

  56. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Watching AS talking about EU ref. As the camera turns on English MPs of any persuasion, the absolute ‘stink looks’ on their faces says everything you need to know about the Union.

    Then, when they chip in with a little interruption, their point shows they just can’t comprehend what AS is actually saying. Their entire way of thinking, mindset and knowledge base appear to have no overlap with SNP MPs whatsoever.

    The two sides are just talking past each other as if speaking mutually non understood languages!

    It’s all quite an astonishing spectacle. There is absolutely no way this can continue for long!

  57. Anne Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T but I have had a reply to my email from the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards talking about the Commissioner opening an investigation into Alistair Carmichael and whether he breached the H of C Code of Conduct.

    It says inter alia:

    “If the Committee agree that there has been a serious breach of the rules, the Committee will make a recommendation as to any sanction, which the House as a whole may consider. If a Member is suspended from the House for a period of at least ten sitting days, the recall petition process may be initiated.”

    Would a Winger, with more knowledge than me, explain the bit about the recall petition process as I understand that Bill has not been enacted yet. How can it apply to him therefore? Am I wrong? I’m confused!

  58. william wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    The Topps,the only class act in town oor Nippy

  59. paul gerard mccormack
    Ignored
    says:

    fantastic!

  60. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Brotyboy says: 9 June, 2015 at 1:23 pm:

    ” … I have a sneaking suspicion that John Stewart likes her and has some sympathy with the pro-Indy argument.”

    You may be right but what I’d like to know was what he said to Nicola at the very end when he put his hand before his mouth and whispered something to Nicola. I noticed that he first slid along towards her and, I presume, away from the microphone to do so.

  61. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    One more for the scrap book of UKOK neo fascism collectables.

    https://archive.is/iWPSN

    Express actually out Daily Mail’s the Daily Mail on this crisis of teamGBness.

  62. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    I noticed that he first slid along towards her and, I presume, away from the microphone to do so.

    He always does that Robert.

    If you’re a lefty and you’ve not watched the Daily Show before you really should. They’re a highly politicised very left, progressive liberal, anti GOP, anti war, anti gun, pro public health care, pro environment, endless mockery of US media, which is just as awful as the British but without the BBC’s very creepy “world famous unbiased, neutral and honest” bullshit. Even Hilary Clinton and Obama get it.

    Its nearly all over though, with Stewart leaving but their back catalogue is extremely funny. You should see their royal wedding special. You wont look at any royal with a straight face again, if you dont already.

    They even held their own rally last US elections.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/30/AR2010103001573.html

    Imagine a phoney like Rory BetterTogether Bremner having what ever it takes to attempt the above. Too small, too phoney, too right wing, too UKOK.

  63. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s a wee something ๐Ÿ˜‰ for those of a legal disposition. ๐Ÿ™‚

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BywaCeQ4YrDMTEpWVEswa0xVY00/view?pli=1

  64. Russ
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Stu for making this available.
    I watched the first part of the interview previously, but this was much more informative.
    As usual the audience really warmed to Nicola and I think she has a fan in John Stewart, who I think treated her with the respect she deserves, whilst delving into the past and future of Scotland.

  65. arthur thomson
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola is a star. She personifies what we believe in. We are so very fortunate to have her. We are fortunate too in having a whole list of other excellent women who are taking the reins and guiding our political movement. I have said before and I genuinely believe that it will be our women who will ultimately determine that Scotland will be independent.

  66. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Lesley-Anne, its a bit dry though.

    This is now a google bookmark under/as Bare Faced Lying for Dummies, so I can get away with bare faced lying, officer.

    Or big stuff like who ate the last wagonwheel, was it you? “No, listen to what I am telling you, I will cooperate fully with Sir Hoohaa’s inquiry but it is Sir Hoohaa’s inquiring and that is why I will answer questions to him. I am telling you the first I knew of the missing Wagonwheel was when I received a phone call from a journalist on Friday afternoon. It was a Daily Telegraph journalist and everyone knows their not a pack of lying fcukwits either”

    http://news.channel4.com/election2015/04/05/update-931/

  67. jimnarlene
    Ignored
    says:

    Simply brilliant.

  68. msean
    Ignored
    says:

    Couldny believe that there was a Tory on telly bleating about purdah. We know how purdah was treated by the UK Government last year.

  69. Alastair
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Lesley-Anne.
    All the “admits” doesn’t leave much for the Parliamentary Standards to investigate.
    Hopefully we won’t have to wait till the end of of the year.

  70. Jason
    Ignored
    says:

    Found this article on cracked and its so relatable its unreal http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-ways-powerful-people-trick-you-into-hating-underdogs/

  71. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    John Oliver who used to work on the Daily Show is also brilliant. Here’s a couple of vids on his take on the referendum and the general election.

    http://tinyurl.com/q28sbns

    http://tinyurl.com/krthomf

    BTW the Daily Show will continue with a new host once Stewart leaves.

  72. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    I think the thing that most comes across when Nicola is in these situations, and which stands her apart from the rest of the political circus, is that while the rest are full of their own piss and importance that young lady is just her own natural and uniquely nice person.

    To me that when Nicola takes an interest in a child, for example, she does it because she really does care about the child and is not bothered about how it looks for her public profile.

  73. tartanpigsy
    Ignored
    says:

    Great clip and no wonder the Dr and their ilk are leading with the Saddam Hussein line.

    O/T but Bella’s fundraiser is needing a help over the line. Its got 2 and 1/2 days to run so at a crucial point.
    I’m not on there much but it’s a crucial cog in our Indy wheel.
    https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bella-caledonia#/story
    I hope they get full funding so they can operate at the level they want to.
    There’s not much worse than not being able to fulfil your ideas because of lack of resources.
    We’re going to have 11 months of relentless negativity from the usual suspects in the MSM and the more variety of alternatives we can offer the better for us all.

  74. Meindevon
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry OT but local bbc news here in Devon is that Devonport dockyard has had a radiation leak.

    Hmm, makes you wonder about that amazingly quick check of systems at Faslane to counter act the whistleblower.

  75. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @scott says: 9 June, 2015 at 2:24 pm:

    “BBC Scotland news mostly about missed targets in new hospital, missed climate change targets.”

    Too many Labour Party hacks and poodles at BBC Scotland, Scott. They even share the idiocy of claiming to be Scottish just as the Labour Party do. They are not either, “THE”, British Broadcaster nor are they the Scottish Broadcaster. They are both the branch office of the UK Establishment Labour Party and Broadcasters respectively.

    The Hospital is still in the shakedown phase and like all new systems needs time for management, staff and equipment to settle down and all the kinks to be smoothed out.

    As for climate change targets, we do not have full control of these things. For example there is need for better power lines and distribution systems to take advantage of the renewables. The disgraceful grid connection charges that should be set to encourage the areas with the highest renewable assets to make the most of them is set to take an estimated ยฃ100 million from Scotland while subsidising electricity producers in the extreme south of Britain.

    We need out of this UK madhouse ASAP.

  76. SquareHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud Cybernat says:
    9 June, 2015 at 3:56 pm
    “Veggy haggis? Never seen that species. Do they eat lettuce?”

    Yes, we do. And the odd carrot.

  77. ian
    Ignored
    says:

    In the previous thread there were some comments about Americans confusing Scotland with Ireland and the difficulty of getting their support.
    Americans do not receive the same education as Europeans.
    They tend to be taught that if it is not USA related it is not significant.
    That is why they have so little knowledge about world issues.
    US media like the UK is agenda driven.
    The new “common core” education program will dumb down American kids even more to world events

  78. fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    absolutely brilliant Nicola! Thank you so much Stuart for bringing this to us. You are worth your weight in gold! Our First Minister is a star, no doubt about it. I felt so sad when AS stood down, thought it might signal the beginning of the end for the independence movement but couldn’t have been more wrong.

  79. anton le grandier
    Ignored
    says:

    for those of us of a certain vintage it is very gratifying to see Ms Sturgeon take the centre stage in the way she has.It is no surprise that at every public appearance,TV or otherwise,people warm to her and recognise someone who isnt their view of the typical politician.IE a self serving prat who dodges every question at every opportunity.Sturgeon doesnt have all the answers but,incredibly,is prepared to admit that publicly and is transparently a person of conviction and integrity.as a veteran of umpteen elections where the SNP struggled-Hamilton/Govan etc etc-and it appeared Labour rule was set in stone,it is very fine indeed to see Nicola Sturgeon rise to prominance in the way she has done IE the hard way.No SPAD machine politics here.Nicola Sturgeon has stood by her beliefs in election after election and is now reaping the benefits,as in fact is the entire SNP with their multifaceted group at Westminster.Of course it wont all be success after success but the present situation has been built on years of effort and,I would suggest,is not going away any time soon.

  80. Craig
    Ignored
    says:

    What impressed me more than anything else about this interview, not once did Nicola stick the boot into the Red Tories but simply explained why Slab lost and they look to blame the SNP for losing.

    The fact she didn’t even get pissed off about that shows her class, other politicians would do well to take a leaf out of her book

  81. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder what JS whispered in her ear at the very end?

    Is that C******* Carmichael still clinging on?

  82. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Really enjoyed both clips. I have always liked Stewart and Oliver. The Daily Show is one of the best satirical political shows to come out of the US.

    Nicola did really well, warm, relaxed and funny. She appeared to be enjoying herself without forcing it. I think anyone watching the show in the US who may have seen the “most dangerous woman in the universe” hyperbole from the UK press will be wondering what the hell the headlines were all about.

  83. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Stuart

    A great speech from Salmond in the HoC today on the pros and cons of the EU Referendum, and its stupidities.

    Worth giving readers a link to it.

    Watch and hear his contemptible opponents in attack.

  84. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    It won’t be very long before the unionists and Pravda GB start attacking her for the expense of her trip.

  85. Hamish10
    Ignored
    says:

    Compare this with the BBC and ITV over the past 8 months as to how they approach the “Most Dangerous Women in the UK”.

    Night and day.

  86. Albaman
    Ignored
    says:

    Who watched STVs Scotland Tonight show, where Alex Johnston commented on N. Sturgeon’s working visit to the U.S.A.?.
    What an odious person he is, for those who can control thier temper, or have a old T.V., have a look on STV “‘catchup”.

  87. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s a measure of the British Establishment’s propaganda success that has even far-off Americans believe England subsidises Scotland.

  88. Simon Curran
    Ignored
    says:

    Really enjoyed the clip. I’m tempted to say excellent
    ‘performance’ but that’s the very thing that stands her above most of her opponents. It’s not polished sound bites and spin but she always comes across as genuine and very human compared to the ruling clones.

  89. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    SquareHaggis says:
    โ€œVeggy haggis? Never seen that species.”

    They tend to vote Green.

  90. Democracy Reborn
    Ignored
    says:

    Great link, Stu, many thanks.

    Excellent interview by Nicola : poised, confident, articulate, down to earth, able to impart the simple message of why the SNP were so successful and Labour trounced.

    Coming up the next week – Ian Murray on Fox News, talking about the wonders of regionalism and why 50% of Scots are unthinking, brainwashed numpties.

  91. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Rev Stu.

    Ta very much for working out how to capture the Daily Show videos. Much appreciated.

    I spent DAYS Googling free proxies and so on and found nothing that actually worked. Then ‘James123’, in the previous page, provided the ‘Modify Headers’ advice. That worked – but I can’t download and save. Never mind, you’ve done the needful. We may have to do you another badge…

    BTW: I’ve now watched the 14 minute video twice today – and managed to download and save. As others have pointed out, that was a ‘statesman’ going about her day job. So, well don Rev Stu and well done Nicola!

    2nd BTW: someone suggested in the last couple of days that “Sturgeon For First Minister”, like the Salmond version from a few years ago, could work next year. Nah – it has to be “Nicola For First Minister”!

    8=)

  92. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    The comments on Nicola only mean one thing. We are winning big time.
    They do not have the first idea how to cope with her other than attack her at any opportunity.This of course rebounds on them in the age of modern communication,where we can all see for ourselves that the reality is far from the media version of events.
    Oddly they still believe that we cannot find out for ourselves exactly what our first minister said and did ant to who. It is as if they still feel they control the information given to the populace.Perhaps at one time,but not now.Thank goodness for modern technology and the freedom it gives to ordinary people like myself.
    I have broken the shackles which limit my knowledge,like many of the people in Scotland,and I see the media for what it truly is.
    It is a tool of suppression,and a servant of the State,nothing more.
    Nicola is indeed a gem and one we should take good care of.People and leaders like her are indeed few and far between.

  93. An Teallach
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T For those asking about maiden speeches and other SNP MPs talking in the commons you could check out this site

    http://www.stirlingsnp.com/snp-maiden-speeches/

    Scroll down the page to get the speeches etc by date. They’re from the live Parliament TV but cut to start at the right place to save you trying to find the bit you want. Alex speaking today is listed (though I haven’t had time to watch it yet)

  94. Connor McEwen
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP outers do realise that Westminster needs Scotland more than vice versa and it Galls,Galls,Galls to the pit of their Kidney and liver and Bladder.
    The vitriol will never end.
    http://WWW.ukfinancialmess.blogspot.co.uk. John Jappy

  95. Roll_On_2015
    Ignored
    says:

    test

  96. SquareHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Albaman,

    Odious is too kind a word and I’m struggling to find one that wouldn’t be struck from the annals of the Marquis de Sade.

  97. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers.
    Don’t know about bbc Scotland, but one of the masters in London is to attend the very secretive Bilderberg conference.
    So for many who think, myself included, they are part of the state machine it just goes to show how thick they are with the thieves.

    https://archive.is/WzkG5

  98. katie
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for the link to the maiden speeches. Much appreciated! Need to get the popcorn out! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

  99. Calgacus MacAndrews
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T As tartanpigsy said earlier …

    Bellaโ€™s fundraiser is needing a help over the line. Its got 2 and 1/2 days to run so at a crucial point.
    Iโ€™m not on there much but itโ€™s a crucial cog in our Indy wheel.
    https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bella-caledonia#/story
    I hope they get full funding so they can operate at the level they want to.

    Please help Bella if you can …

  100. SquareHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Grouse Beater,

    Posted on previous thread but playing catch-up

    Yep, saw that, quite striking stuff from Mr Salmond

    It can be read here, about half way down

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/207/

    Not been able to locate on YT yet.

  101. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @Jason says ”Found this article on cracked and its so relatable its unreal http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-ways-powerful-people-trick-you-into-hating-underdogs/

    @ alexicon / Robert Peffers

    ”Donโ€™t know about bbc Scotland, but one of the masters in London is to attend the very secretive Bilderberg conference. So for many who think, myself included, they are part of the state machine it just goes to show how thick they are with the thieves.”

    https://archive.is/WzkG5

    Thanks for the links. Two pieces of the Dictatorship / Illuminati jigsaw.

    @ An Teallach says ”For those asking about maiden speeches and other SNP MPs talking in the commons you could check out this site.”

    http://www.stirlingsnp.com/snp-maiden-speeches/

    That’s a great help An Teallach. It’s been so frustrating trying to find the ‘lost’ youtube videos. Off to watch.

  102. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ An Teallach.
    Yes, thank you very much for the link, much appreciated.
    http://www.stirlingsnp.com/snp-maiden-speeches/

  103. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    So, Alistair Carmichael’s response, via his legal advisors, is that he ‘misstated his awareness’ of what he knew about the Frenchgate memo.

    ‘Misstated his awareness’.

    We’ve had some testy discussions on recent threads about ‘bad’ language, but this is the real deal – it’s the equivalent of Carmichael baring his arse to everyone who donated to the fundraiser, or in any way criticised his behaviour.

    That he has sanctioned the use of such duplicitous waffle in a legal submission only serves to highlight the depth of his contempt, not only for the electorate, but the entire system which has allowed people like him to prosper in the first place.

  104. Kevin Evans
    Ignored
    says:

    Just listening to the HSBC drama. It had a bit where some director was getting quizzed on the banks dodgy dealings with drug cartels and so on. His response was “sorry” and that made it all ok. Like Carmichael, he said “sorry” so it’s all ok. Do ya think if I went to court for robbing someone’s house or running someone over with drunk a sorry would cut it and all would be forgotten. Naw wid it fuck. I thought magnacarta (probably spelt wrongly) made everyone in the land under the same laws no matter who ya were.

    I guess the point am making is we are going backwards where some ARE above the law. This is unacceptable.

  105. Kevin Evans
    Ignored
    says:

    Just watching the way BBC are reporting on the migrates in France from Libya. It’s pure racism being broadcast from the BBC

  106. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian
    “So, Alistair Carmichaelโ€™s response, via his legal advisors, is that he โ€˜misstated his awarenessโ€™ of what he knew about the Frenchgate memo.”

    Ignorance is no defence, even if enough gullibles are found who believe that was the case.

  107. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Proud Cybernat 3:56, SquareHaggis 6:56 and others interested in zoology – fascinatingly enough the vegetarian suitable form of the species has legs of equal length.

  108. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Chic: Carmichaelโ€™s response … he โ€˜misstated his awarenessโ€™ of what he knew about the Frenchgate memo.โ€

    “Misstated”? That is sooo funny, and brazenly wicked.

    It must be the equivalent of the now infamous ‘wardrobe malfunction’.

  109. Graeme Doig
    Ignored
    says:

    Alexicon and Petra

    And on that note :

    http://ppr.li/r?trail=contributor%3Dtwitter%3A181710337&url=http%3A%2F%2Faction.sumofus.org%2Fa%2Frbs-sell-off%2F&urlhash=40c11b5f

    The Bildeburg gang just canna get enough.

    (apologies if i have the link all wrong)

  110. Graeme Doig
    Ignored
    says:

    Ooft looks like i have :/

  111. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    @Kevin Evans

    Magna Carta was for the Lordly classes – not for the serfs.

  112. Graeme Doig
    Ignored
    says:

    Should have just linked to the Reuters article from 10th May (it’s at the bottom of the petition info)

  113. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Chic McG –

    re Carmichael:

    ‘Misstated my awareness’ will be a millstone around Carmichael’s and the LibDem’s neck, just as ‘economical with the actualite…’ did for Alan Clark and the generation of scoundrels he represented.

    ‘Political language โ€” and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists โ€” is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.’

    It’s not the first time Orwell’s ‘Politics and the English Language’ has been quoted on WOS, and it won’t be the last. Below is a link to the full essay for those who may not have seen it – if you are one of those people, consider yourself lucky, because you’re in for a treat. Tip – please print it out and keep it. It’s a priceless manual for improving all aspects of one’s writing, especially blogging/Twitter, which has no room for BS generally.

    http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit

  114. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Keep getting an annoying box appear over Wings pages โ€“ โ€œThe identity of this website and its integrity cannot be verifiedโ€.

    Well, I should hope not.

    The notion Wings might become respectable horrifies!

  115. SquareHaggis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Paula Rose,

    ..and only one shoe

    http://www.lomondbooks.com/webimages/30636_1.jpg

    ๐Ÿ˜‰

  116. IvMoz
    Ignored
    says:

    If you actually look up the definition of misstated it means to state wrongly or falsely.

    Misstated does not mean ignorance or mix-up.

    Carmichael is admitting he lied.

  117. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Salmond on Newsnight shortly…

    Also on Newsnight more on Sturgeon’s appearance on ‘Daily Show’…

    Thanks for the link, Haggis! ๐Ÿ™‚

  118. Graeme Doig
    Ignored
    says:

    With all that money constantly flowing upwards a guy could be forgiven for entertaining thoughts about Illuminati/satanic/end of the world conspiracy theory …

  119. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    Karine Polwart,s song “Sorry”, sums up Carmichael.

  120. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    ivMoz: Look up the definition of misstated – it means to state wrongly or falsely

    Sure, but it’s employed to reduce the appearance of guilt.

  121. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    An Teallach, Very much appreciate that link to the maiden speeches, well done you and well done Stiling SNP for getting these out there!

    http://www.stirlingsnp.com/snp-maiden-speeches/

    Square Haggis if it’s Alex speaking in parliament today re EU that you are referring to, I think the YT of this is at the bottom of the page on the link to Stirling SNP’s page as mentioned by others.

  122. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    Fred, the very song, one of my favourites and applies not just to Carmichael but to the lot of them, past, presentโ€ฆand inevitablyโ€ฆfuture.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syd8kF2fVI

  123. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian B
    “@Chic McG โ€“

    re Carmichael:

    โ€˜Misstated my awarenessโ€™ will be a millstone around Carmichaelโ€™s and the LibDemโ€™s neck, just as โ€˜economical with the actualiteโ€ฆโ€™ did for Alan Clark and the generation of scoundrels he represented.”

    Well, if by yet another stain on the integrity of the Scottish Legal system Carmichael gets away with it, I hope the voters of Orkney and the Shetland Isles do not ‘misremember’ his actions in 2020. (Lets face it, if they don’t have good hindsight that year… ?)

  124. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Update from the People v Carmichael team.

    Two weeks ago when we started the crowd funder at Indiegogo it seemed reasonable to hope that we would have the ยฃ6000 needed to cover the surety by the time the petition had to be lodged in the Courts that Friday, reasonable but optimistic. We were astonished when it was raised on the first day. The the next target was to raise the full amount by the time the case came to court but as no one had ever tried to do this before, it felt, at least to some extent, rash.

    How little we knew!

    To have raised the full amount in 16 days is incredible. The speed of giving from such a large number of people itself became a news story and ensured that the campaign was mentioned even in the Financial Times and taken seriously. It has demonstrated the strength of public feeling about Mr. Carmichaelโ€™s position in the House of Commons.

    The runaway success of this crowd fund shows that people care about truth honesty and cleaning up politics. Michael White said in the Guardian that we would have forgotten about this by Christmas. We will not because you have given us the ability to try the only legal opportunity that we have to challenge an MP.

    The amount of trust placed in us is incredible. To most of you, we are strangers and to give hard earned cash to people of whom you know nothing is wonderful. Every individual donation is important because it is an indication of a real person giving what they can for something they believe in and want to happen. We feel very humbled and will do everything possible to make sure the resources are well used.

    We have to keep the fund open because we do not know what is going to happen. Mr. Carmichael has as of yet made no public statement about his position nor has the Liberal Democrat party. It is likely that he will be responding to the petition in the Court of Session today. The case will go to trial now unless Mr Carmichael resigns or accepts a peerage. This means we may have to come back again asking you for more money as we are personally liable for all the expenses of the case if judgement goes against us. On the comments page on the site it has been very made clear to us by many people that nothing bad is going to be allowed to happen to us. We have complete trust in those promises.

    Thank you again – and what a birthday for me!

    Tim Morrison

  125. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    Dunlop at the Lords answering and fudging questions from the usual suspects on the Smith commission. It’s the iplayer right at the start, all of 7 or 8 minutes devoted to this yesterday!

    Watch Reid his usual smug self, how Labour hate Scotland’s ambition for self determination. At least Forsyth addresses the new situation in light of the May result. Foulkes is a gibbering fool, and Dunlop is Westminsters placeman in HoL’s.

    They are determined to continue with their deception that this Scotland bill is somehow providing the Greatest Devolved Parlliament the Universe Has Ever Witnessed, bunch of fraudulent Bastards.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05ykvyh/house-of-lords-09062015

  126. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Michael White said in the Guardian that we would have forgotten about this by Christmas.

    Thanks for the update, Pnr. White’s attitude to Scotland’s democracy doesn’t stretch much beyond annoyed we do not conform to Westminster expectations.

  127. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Radio Scotland midnight news has just carried the same report, from Tim Reid, about Carmichael, and repeated that same phrase – ‘misstating his awareness’ – which appeared in earlier bulletins.

    There can be no silly-shallying about this. Carmichael is twisting in the wind – whether he is doing so on the advice of others or by choice isn’t clear, but the longer this pitiful ‘defence’ is maintained, the deeper into the mire does he plunge.

    Consider some synonymns of ‘misstated’ and ‘awareness’ (from Oxford Compact Thesaurus, 2001):

    Misstated: misreported; misrepresented; took/quoted out of context; distorted; twisted; put a spin on; falsified.

    Awareness: consciousness; recognition; realisation; understanding; grasp; appreciation; knowledge; insight; familiarity; cognizance.

    ‘I misrepresented my grasp…’

    ‘I twisted my realisation…’

    ‘I falsified my cognizance..’

    Nah. Not very good, are they?

    No matter which way you pair them, the combination chosen by Carmichael and/or his legal team is by far the most emollient when it comes to disguising the bald fact that he told a big giant hairy whopper, and knows he did, and knows we know he knows he did, but can’t quite bring himself to say-so in language which ‘ordinary citizens’ will be familiar with.

    They needn’t have bothered – all they’ve done is embolden campaigners, and insult every other voter in Scotland into the bargain. Presumably, they wouldn’t have done it unless they thought there was a chance it might work – that, alone, demonstrates the value these people place on sophistry over probity.

    We Once Were Bruisers! Aye, right. Carmichael’s a piece of burned toast which has been flung out to the starlings, and even they can’t swallow it.

  128. WRH2
    Ignored
    says:

    I remember many years ago someone saying that “Mary Robinsons don’t grow on trees.” At the time I felt envious of the Irish that they had someone so respected to represent them. Now we have oor Nicola. How proud I now feel!

  129. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Watch Reid his usual smug self, how Labour hate Scotlandโ€™s ambition for self determination.

    Reid: Archetypical Labour thug invariably front line sent in to ‘soften’ the enemy.

  130. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Apologies for mixing my metaphors (after having the cheek to quote Orwell earlier!) – of course, Carmichael can’t ‘twist in the wind’ and ‘sink in the mire’ simultaneously, but he could do the latter if suddenly dropped from whatever height the former requires.

  131. Stevie boy
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola is an asset to Scotland.

    A normal, funny, intelligent, compassionate human being.

    So glad she’s on our side ๐Ÿ™‚

  132. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian Brotherhood

    Apologies for mixing my metaphors (after having the cheek to quote Orwell earlier!) โ€“ of course, Carmichael canโ€™t โ€˜twist in the windโ€™ and โ€˜sink in the mireโ€™ simultaneously, but he could do the latter if suddenly dropped from whatever height the former requires.

    Yes, he can do both simultaneously. We used to use just such a tool in the Shipyards before they were all closed.

    It was called a “windy drill” and it was boring!

  133. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    “misstated” = Terminological inexactitude

    A phrase introduced in 1906 by British politician (later Prime Minister) Winston Churchill. Today, it is used as a euphemism or circumlocution meaning a lie or untruth.

    PS:
    Well done all in getting to the target. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Meanwhile George is out to dinner but eating too many mushrooms for starters and William Pitt being dug up for afters!
    ————————————————————-
    GEORGE Osborne will tonight call for a “new settlement” in the political debate on tax and spending by proposing a permanent commitment to an overall budget surplus in Britain’s public finances.

    The Chancellor, delivering his annual Mansion House speech in the City of London, will point to an unsustainably high national debt – 80 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – and continuing global economic uncertainty.

    He will say, that as the UK recovers, there is now a need to fix the roof while the sun is shining.

    He will say Britain should aim for a “permanent change” in its approach to fiscal responsibility, pointing to countries like Sweden and Canada, which, because of sound public finances, have not had to make large spending cuts in wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

    “The result of this recent British election – and the comprehensive rejection of those who argued for more borrowing and more spending – gives our nation the chance to entrench a new settlement.”

    This settlement, he will propose, should be accepted across the political spectrum that:

    *without sound public finances, there is no economic security for working people;

    *that the people who suffer when governments run unsustainable deficits are not the richest but the poorest and

    *therefore, “in normal times”, governments of Left and Right should run a budget surplus to bear down on debt and prepare for an uncertain future.

    Mr Osborne will tell business leaders that he will set out the details of “this strong new fiscal framework to entrench this permanent commitment to that surplus and the budget responsibility it represents” in next month’s Budget.

    He will also announce the fiscal framework will be voted on by MPs later this year – in a bid to tie in Labour and other parties – and it will be assessed by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

    “I don’t want our country to give up on the future,” the Chancellor will declare. “I don’t want to look on from the sidelines as other parts of the world pioneer new science, promote new business, take forward new art and say to my two young children: that used to be us; that used to be Britain.”

    The Chancellor will add: “It is within Britain’s reach to become the most prosperous of all the world’s major economies in the coming generation and for that prosperity to be shared widely across our one nation.

    “Working together, achieving these new settlements for our public finances, for our financial services, and for fairness in Europe, will help us secure that bright future for us all.”

    Mr Osborne will also announce that next month the Committee of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt – established by William Pitt the Younger – will meet for the first time in 150 years.

  134. James Dow
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola, Queen of Scots” Moving around her empire, The Great Scottish Diaspora. Please come to Australia to meet your loyal subjects.

  135. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Everyone knows that Carmichael is a confabulator and he can’t get out of it as it’s on record. I think that the crux of the matter will be based on him stating that he didn’t actually get involved in composing the memo / see the memo and he’ll get away with it if no one contradicts him. Get away with it in relation to the case being held in the Court of Session.

    If for some strange reason he loses his case in the C of S and his QC appeals against the decision the case will then be heard in the House of Lords. That will mean that more money will have to be raised as it’s very expensive to take this forward unless the Solicitors and the QC representing the complainants waiver their fees.

    Three Law Lords sit in the C of S and 5 in the H of Ls. They all know one another from days of yore. They all have links to politicians / political parties of course: the old boys network. In fact the Solicitors and QCs from both sides will probably know one another. In my case they used to traipse off at lunch time to have a meal / drinks together.

    The legal process is mind boggling. They use prior cases to debate the ins and outs of the current case and that’s when they start using legal jargon such as relevance, material factor and so on such as heard in the Coulson Case. To give an example, I sat through a whole day of them battling over the absolute meaning of the word ‘THE’ in a prior case to relate it to mine.

    On the otherhand I reckon that others knew about the memo such as shifty Mundell and crafty Cameron. DC won’t want the case to go ahead at all as God knows who could be called as a witness unless it’s thrown out like Coultarts before certain witnesses could be called.

    The Standards Commission investigation, to my mind. poses the greater threat to Carmichael losing his seat. Will he be used as the scapegoat? Will a bi-election be called? Interesting times ahead.

  136. eastendleo
    Ignored
    says:

    My first exposure to Nicola Sturgeon.

    I am hugely impressed. I would vote for her in a second. You all are so lucky to have her!

  137. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    You heard it here first folks, a Tory MP complaining to Phillip Hammond that “government will use the apparatus of state to push a case (eu referendum) rather than letting the two sides have an equal argument”, he (Peter Bone MP) had said before that it is not acceptable for the government to use the civil service to influence the outcome of the EU referendum!!!

    ANYONE?

    FFS!!!

  138. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    Greame Doig @11.09
    “With all that money constantly flowing upwards a guy could be forgiven for entertaining thoughts about Illuminati/satanic/end of the world conspiracy theory โ€ฆ”

    Where the hell is David Icke when we need him eh? ๐Ÿ™‚
    _________________________________________________________
    @me ๐Ÿ™‚
    To Tim Morrison
    you and your friends will go down in history as the first people to stick their heads over the parapet and say enough is enough,

    This country (no matter what the outcome)owe you all a debt of gratitude that cannot be repaid,

    What you have done is put these people on notice that lying to the public will not be tolerated and the crowdfund success proves that what can be done once can be done again and again and again until they get the message, well done Tim well done.
    ____________________________________________________________

  139. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    GEORGE Osborne will tonight call for a โ€œnew settlementโ€ in the political debate on tax and spending by proposing a permanent commitment to an overall budget surplus in Britainโ€™s public finances.

    Dear God! If only the UK, or at least Scotland had a fair and balanced media, we would all know that the last term of Tory Government seen the Deficit DOUBLE!

    They are now trying to sell everything that they have not already sold, bailed out banks, Royal Mail etc.
    Who do you think will have spare cash after all of their “Difficult” decisions.

    Yes Osborne and Cameron with a combined wealth of ยฃ100 Million are likely to make a few more ยฃMillion
    by buying want to suffered to buy, once they decide how far below market value they and their friends should buy them at.

    The UK will never have a budget surplus in my lifetime!
    It is just not possible on the back of the disastrous decisions
    made by a procession of Labour and Tory governments.

    The whole thing is just a good sound bite for their media mates
    to fool the public into fantasy land.

  140. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    john king says:

    “… Tory MP complaining ….. it is not acceptable for the government to use the civil service to influence the outcome … ”

    I often suspect many down south ( that may or may not include the above MP ) have absolutely no idea the extent to which BetterTogether played underhand in Scotland.

    Either, the precedent has been set and we will see the same conduct again, or they will apply higher standards to ‘their own’ referendum.

    I suspect it will one set of rules for us, another set for them. When was it ever anything else?

  141. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    @5.14am, John King, yes, there is an awful lot of deja poo, same old shit, going here with the EU Ref. But it’s obviously an outrage when it’s visited on them.

    Personally, I find its bringing back bad memories from last year.

    But I think the best is to come in terms of business threats, when the big guns come out like Toyota etc

    Also watched an interesting bit of debate on the referendum, when Labour accused Cameron of working a double bluff strategy, as he really wants out.

    Not too sure I subscribe to that, but then who really trusts him when he says he will step down and either Gideon or Boris will take over – what a horrible thought this early in the morning!

  142. Beor
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Rev Stu

    A bit O/T but if you are still in a lotus eating mood in July I for one would be proud to buy you a good meal and some drinkies for all the work you have done over the past few years.

    Since I am a summer denizen of sunny Minehead – not too far away from where you are it wouldn’t be too difficult to arrange.

  143. JIm
    Ignored
    says:

    How come when I use an American IP address then go onto the BBC news website; it does not have the menu for Scottish politics?

    There is a menu for politics but it has only one Scottish story and that is, “Are you Saddam Hussain”.

  144. Colin Church
    Ignored
    says:

    Thought I had gotten bored of sentences with OMG and BBC or GMS in it.

    This morning is a corker. Sneaky Glenn drops he met Sturgeon “in a particularly plush hotel”, Bradford on another SNP bad health concoction and Alex Neil thought he must have been at ministers questions in Holyrood.

    Do the BBC here think they are now the official opposition party in Scotland. Compare with the fluff pieces the EBC cover on their Tory love in and the economy / debt / deficit deception.

  145. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    Sounds like more BBC propaganda on Radio 4 right now (9.40ish), to try to counter Nicola’s good impression. How the UK wields lots of soft power.

    Followed by Greece is a Basket Case.

    Same old, same old. Don’t believe any of it.

    Used to have the radio on for a lot of the day. Not any more.

  146. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    Jim @ 8:41 am
    That will be BBC.com as apposed to BBC.co.uk
    Its the BBC’s online equivalent of the ‘World Service’ and its how the BBC wants the UK to be portrayed to the outside world, outside the UK

    You cant access BBC.com easily from within the UK, just as you cant easily access BBC.co.uk from outside the UK
    its pure BBC bullshit

  147. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Glen has been sent to shadow Sturgeon in the US, but as an aside, finds time to interview Allan Cummings on SNP policy matters.

    Why? … Well we know why, as it turns out there was nothing to see there so move along.

    PS:
    Similarly, back in Alba, Alec Neil’s interview on the ‘Housing Crisis’ was amateurish and he settled all the BBC’s concerns and even helped them with the questions as well as the answers.

    BBC ‘Your Call’ on next…getting drunk and acting unsociably abroad, is it right? …er!! Etiquette on e-mails.. and so it goes!

    Beautiful day, so visiting the Fife East coast for some sun and think of an independent Scotland.

  148. Molly
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra
    The timing will be interesting to as I see Nadine Dorries is being challenged about her conduct too ( for different reasons) but depending how much publicity her case gets .

    Surely the bottom line is though as SOS , he was either aware what was going on in his department or he was not ?

    Either way , he was responsible for that departments conduct otherwise why take the title and presumably renumeration ?

    Or is that rule only for us in the cheap seats ?

  149. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T
    An interesting view of the MSM impact in the digital age
    http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/nrs-uk-monthly-readership-sun-falls-behind-independent-amid-mobile-traffic-surge

    Nice to see the Scotsman still failing

  150. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Edward says:
    10 June, 2015 at 9:00 am

    Jim @ 8:41 am
    That will be BBC.com as apposed to BBC.co.uk
    Its the BBCโ€™s online equivalent of the โ€˜World Serviceโ€™ and its how the BBC wants the UK to be portrayed to the outside world, outside the UK

    You cant access BBC.com easily from within the UK, just as you cant easily access BBC.co.uk from outside the UK
    its pure BBC bullshit

    _____________________
    Thanks for the quick response; this is censorship and propaganda almost worthy of China and North Korea.
    Scumbags the lot of them.

  151. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    Listened to the crap coming from GMS this morning about Ninewells Hospital

    Remember what Bradford states this morning and no doubt later today will be Labour’s rant tomorrow at FMQ’s

    So the question for Bradford/Labour is – What is Triage?

  152. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    I have just gone to the BBC.com having set my location in the US and Scotland, Wales etc are there.

    https://archive.is/Ww4i2

  153. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    cynicalHighlander @ 10:08 am

    Were you able to easily find Scottish Politics page?

  154. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    @ K1, many thanks for the Karine Polwart link which I omitted to add, so……”Sorry”.

    Think I’ll send Carmichael a recording! ๐Ÿ™‚

  155. Brian milligan
    Ignored
    says:

    I am informed from a USA friend, the interviewer is Scottish or from Scottish parents.

  156. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    @cynicalHighlander

    That’s not what I meant; What I meant was that the Scottish politics tab is not there.

  157. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Molly says ”Petra – The timing will be interesting to as I see Nadine Dorries is being challenged about her conduct too ( for different reasons) but depending how much publicity her case gets .

    Surely the bottom line is though as SOS, he was either aware what was going on in his department or he was not ?

    Either way , he was responsible for that departments conduct otherwise why take the title and presumably renumeration ?

    Or is that rule only for us in the cheap seats?”

    Molly he was ultimately responsible for his department, has admitted to knowing what was in the memo before it was released, admitted to lying, has wasted time / money and should be kicked out. However I think they will focus on the ‘intent’ behind all of this i.e. was this done to deliberately smear Nicola Sturgeon? (and in my opinion influence the outcome of the Election).

    I don’t know of course but if this was just about him lying he wouldn’t be going to Court at all, as the case is cut and dry in relation to this. Maybe a bit like the Coulson case whereby he lied but was his lying relevant and material to the outcome of the Sheridan case. Carmichael could get a bit of a berating in Court / wee slap on the hand for lying and for being incompetent in relation to the position that he held but that doesn’t really matter now (to his mind) as he no longer holds that particular post.

    The main issue here, imo, is what happened the week after the NS meeting with SB? Who passed on the information about the meeting (The French Consul General?); to whom; what was said, was the information misinterpreted (or just cobbled up), how many conversations did AC have about this; with whom, did he see the final draft of the memo before it was passed on to the DT and why did they pass it on?

    They didn’t reckon on this happening – wee plebs taking him to Court – and *IF* they are forced to delve into this it means that everyone involved from, what we know of, the Special Advisor to the French Ambassador will be called as witnesses or should be.

    No matter how they deal with this, or more likely not, Carmichael’s position is absolutely untenable now. If he gets away with this on a technicality at the Court of Session I would imagine that even more people in O & S will be up in arms and demand that he stands down.

    He seems to be determined to hold onto his seat but I think he’ll face major problems in relation to the Standards Commission investigation.

    โ€˜โ€™The paragraphs of the Code of Conduct for MPs under which Mr Carmichael is being investigated are:

    Paragraph 10 โ€“ Members shall base their conduct on a consideration of the public interest, avoid conflict between personal interest and the public interest and resolve any conflict between the two, at once, and in favour of the public interest.

    Paragraph 14 โ€“ Information which Members receive in confidence in the course of their parliamentary duties should be used only in connection with those duties. Such information must never be used for the purpose of financial gain.

    Paragraph 16 โ€“ Members shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its Members generally.โ€™โ€™

    I reckon he’ll ultimately just skulk off to the House of Lords.

  158. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    @Edward

    Yes but it took an age to load.

    https://archive.is/PLbiq

  159. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I cannot find the link to Scottish politics?

  160. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    @Jim

    It’s on the story timeline @ 1 hour ‘Scotland Politics’.

  161. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    On the question of who can vote in the EU referendum

    Just to be clear, if your a citizen of the UK, Ireland or a Commonwealth country and are 18 and over you can vote

    But if your 16 or 17 you cant, but you can in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections

    If your a citizen of OTHER EU countries such as France, Portugal or Spain, you cant vote either

    Which is strange to say the least.

    If your a citizen of ANY of the Commonwealth countries, including Mozambique, Swaziland or Cameroon, as well as Canada and Australia., you can vote in the EU referendum

    There is a word to describe this and that is CRAZY

  162. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    @Edward

    “If your a citizen of OTHER EU countries such as France, Portugal or Spain, you cant vote either”

    Not quite. EU citizens of Malta and Cyprus will be able to vote, I believe.

  163. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    galamcennalath

    Actually citizens of Malta and Cyprus can vote , not because they are EU citizens but Commonwealth citizens
    Like I said C R A Z Y ๐Ÿ™‚

  164. Roy Bohan
    Ignored
    says:

    The question to ask is whether Alex Salmond ever considered, pre-referendum, whether he or Nicola Sturgeon should have let the Yes campaign? Given her performance in the US, Salmond made the wrong decision.

    His advisers would certainly have told him that he was disliked by many women voters, but it looks as though his ego cost the Yes vote.

    Just imagine what the result would have been if he had been sensible enough to realise that he was the wrong person to lead the campaign.

    Instead of lauding him as some great Messiah, I think you need to start questioning his decision making.

  165. Alan R
    Ignored
    says:

    The UK media make me feel sick but now l realise they are our only opposition to stop indy. Labour no more, the rest were not worth a mention. Stand up Scotland. Please, please in my lifetime.

  166. Richard McIntosh
    Ignored
    says:

    Ray Bohan,

    I think you need to get your facts straight, Alex Salmond didn’t lead the Yes campaign Blair Jenkins did.

  167. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan: Stand up Scotland. Please, please in my lifetime.

    Maybe these essays will cheer you up! ๐Ÿ™‚

    https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/independence-is-here/

    https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/a-brief-history-of-time/

  168. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Bohan: Just imagine what the result would have been if he had been sensible enough to realise that he was the wrong person

    And if Sturgeon had been First Minister then do you think the British Establishment and all its weaponry would have treated her and her cause with the utmost respect?

    The No campaign would never have existed, Alistair Darling would have declined to demean his own country, Brown applaud Sturgeon as a genuine socialist, and Sir Nicolas warn colleagues not to transgress the strict civil servant code of impartiality by subverting the democratic process.

    Or perhaps you’re expressing guilt that a grass roots democratic movement was diverted at the last minute?

  169. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    Roy Bohan says:
    10 June, 2015 at 5:24 pm
    Salmond did not lead the yes campaign! Those in the No camp hate Salmond because he is good. Those same people hate Nicola for the same reason. You think she gets an easy ride? Watch the video clip on this link, still makes my blood boil. The establishment would wheel out the same dirty tricks as they did during the last referendum. Whether the Scottish public would fall for it again is, amazingly, still up for debate.
    http://newsshaft.com/what-on-earth-happened-on-this-weeks-bbc-sunday-politics-scotland/

  170. Will Podmore
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP opposes a referendum on the EU, and it insists that any minority, in either Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland, should be able to veto the decision of the majority. (But only if that majority votes against the way the SNP wants – itโ€™s not proposing that a minority could veto a decision to stay in the EU.)
    A March 2015 survey by a team from Edinburgh University found that people across Britain oppose Sturgeonโ€™s call for multiple vetoes on โ€˜Brexitโ€™. Clear majorities in England (68 per cent), Northern Ireland (60 per cent), Wales (64 per cent) and Scotland (55 per cent) disagree with the First Minister and believe that an overall majority of the votes cast across Britain as a whole should determine the future of our relationship with the EU.
    the SNP votes in Westminster against an EU referendum, but 58% of Scots, 63% of SNP supporters, want an EU referendum. Once again the SNP does not respect the wishes of the people.



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