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The warning signs

Posted on May 13, 2017 by

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  1. 13 05 17 08:56

    The warning signs | speymouth

311 to “The warning signs”

  1. Morgatron says:

    Brilliant Chris , so subtle,but so true. Mum , im scared .

    Reply
  2. jimnarlene says:

    Very subtle and very good, nearly missed it.
    I need glasses or a bigger screen.

    Reply
  3. Ghillie says:

    Suits Kim.

    Reply
  4. mumsyhugs says:

    You know what they say -“less is more!” Subtle but true ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  5. Ken500 says:

    The US should stop sanctioning and starving North Korea. They have been for over fifty years. The US are dealing arms with Saudi. The most desport absolute monarchy in the world. People in Yemen are now starving.

    If the US cut military spending they could have an excellent public healthcare service. 26,000 Americans kill each other with guns every year. The US has the most debt in the world.

    The rest of the UK has more debt. Not enough is raised in the rest of the UK to pay for essential services. The Tories just borrow and spend even more. On grotesque projects of no value. Hinkley by the sea, HS2, Heathrow and Trident. All with more credible alternative. Fallon is living in the 1950’s. Trying to rake England back to the 1930’s. Gross mismanagement.

    Reply
  6. gerry Parker says:

    Great ‘toon Chris.
    It’ll be the Black Watch tartan suit next.
    Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.

    Reply
  7. Free Scotland says:

    You had me scratching my head there Chris, until I saw the shoes.

    Reply
  8. Eecoul says:

    That’s good and very scarey. I think we all see where this is going.

    Reply
  9. sassenach says:

    Says it all!

    That May woman scares the life out of me, what are the people in England (mainly) thinking about, giving this nasty piece of work an even bigger mandate?

    Reply
  10. Brian Powell says:

    ssassenach

    She does what the English, and many blue rinse Scots like to do, or appears to do, put people in their place, tell them off, proving the superiority of the right kind of people.

    Reply
  11. Socrates MacSporran says:

    sassenach

    The (mostly English) Establishment are brought-up by and large by nannies. Yer archetypal British nanny offers strength and stability while poor little Algernon or Camilla is growing up.

    Thus, in adulthood, if you can seem like a strong and stable, nanny figure, the Establishment and the wannabe Establishment will love you.

    Maggie did it, now Nanny MacMay is trying to do likewise.

    Reply
  12. Calum McKay says:

    Theresa May’s Scotland – never!

    Amazing how many in uk can’t Mrs May for what she is.

    Reply
  13. Breeks says:

    I see it…

    But to my eye, Theresa May’s egotism is false and artificial. It reads like she has been coached to make her Leadership all about her and her tyrannical aspirations, so that nobody focuses on the muppets, spivs, and crooks round about her, or the monumental cliff edge stupidity of Brexit.

    Dear God… No. It cannot be…You don’t think that… that maybe the Tories actually BELIEVE dropping the word “Conservative” from their campaign literature has paid dividends in Scotland and led to Ruth Davidson’s “popularity”??? Nobody is daft enough to actually think that. Right???

    I don’t know who is responsible, but Theresa May is obviously listening to her very own “Christlike” prophet guru John McTernan type…

    That’s either terribly, terribly funny, or terribly, terribly sad.

    You get a sense the UK can circle the drain, reputation in tatters, with food riots in the streets, but so long as “somebody” compares Theresa May to Margaret Thatcher before the final whistle, there’s a pay cheque on its way to a lifestyle coach.

    Reply
  14. Capella says:

    The Nasty Party with Kim Jung Ruth hair and TM kitten heels. The re-branding isn’t entirely successful.

    Reply
  15. Peter, LL.B says:

    The shoes have it! Designed to walk all over us…

    Reply
  16. Effijy says:

    Great Chris!

    If you look at the Picture of Kim Jung Ruth with the Fishermen’s Enemy, she has started a wee fringe as she must she in the mirror that she passes as a Twin with her role model in North Korea. lol

    When she shaves In the morning after a drink, she must look in the mirror and panic thing that North Korea has invaded and she is getting a personal visit.

    Reply
  17. Tinto Chiel says:

    Great work again, Chris. I had to enlarge the image to get it, and you’ve caught Kim perfectly with just a few lines.

    Strangely enough, few minutes ago on Pravdasound4 there was a report of concern about a personality cult developing around Theresa May.

    Don’t you first need a personality for this to happen? She is a mere sock-puppet for the darker forces of the Establishment.

    What’s the English for Toom Tabard?

    Reply
  18. Grouse Beater says:

    There’s always a scapegoat country ready to attack us, Chris, the only way to keep us in fear, docile and subservient, ‘us’ being the population. We seem to have chosen similar themes this weekend. Great cartoon!

    Your weekend reading:

    Never land on a planet that has no public toilets: link to wp.me
    How the power elite control our thoughts: link to wp.me

    Reply
  19. Dr Jim says:

    Well Ruths favourite word is “Important” and she repeats it in every sentence
    eg: People “need” to listen to “me” because this is “Important”

    And if we don’t she’ll set the OO about us with a fish called Treeza

    Reply
  20. galamcennalath says:

    Excellent cartoon. Very subtle, very hard hitting.

    Why can’t far more people see the trend with the Tories, their government, and leaders?

    Not only far right policies but attempting to bypass democracy and parliament to focus power within a ruling junta – to call it want it is becoming. The signs and warnings of totalitarianism are everywhere. The EU and the ECJ are hurdles to be removed. Laws and rights will be swept aside to create a low regulation weak rights country.

    Scotland must take a different path, nothing special just the normal European path.

    Reply
  21. Almannysbunnet says:

    It took a minute but it’s true what they say about minimalism. Less is better ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  22. old highlander says:

    That evil woman would start ww3 without a second thought.

    Reply
  23. HandandShrimp says:

    I see that the P&J have picked up on the Buchan story. It appears to have attracted a couple of raging bigots ranting about Tims and the IRA onto Angus’s twitter. Nothing as weird as seeing the world through fish eyed lens of a bigot.

    They don’t like it when they are the focus of attention though, do they? I am willing to bet that there are people in the Tory office checking their way through other names and twitter accounts to see how many more of these there are.

    Reply
  24. Chris Cairns says:

    Ahem … it’s not just, or even primarily, the shoes.
    Come on you lot – put your mental backs into it!

    Reply
  25. Clootie says:

    Altogether now sing “…the shoes my harmer wore”. You know the tune…the Scottish Tories certainly do.

    Reply
  26. Swami Backverandah says:

    Treeza May’s Kim Jong Un Country Team billboard leopard-skin pillbox hat shoes?

    Reply
  27. mike cassidy says:

    OT

    Apologies if I’m behind with things here, but I thought the Tories had taken over Wales.

    link to archive.is

    Labour in England would sacrifice their firstborn for a ten point lead at this stage.

    Nice example of headline misdirection though!

    Reply
  28. Lorna Miller says:

    At least they’re not slagging the fuck out of you and shouting for you to be banned ?

    Reply
  29. Swami Backverandah says:

    Treeza May’s a cult?

    (Will I get points deducted for misspelling?)

    Reply
  30. Macart says:

    Oh, neatly done. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  31. Hamish100 says:

    BBC NORTH branch -Shereen . Listening to ex Labour MP Harris. What a complete erse. No wonder Labour ended up in the state they are in.

    Reply
  32. heedtracker says:

    SLabour have used North Korea as a purpose and reason for Trident, for decades. Their wars in the East never end.

    Reply
  33. defo says:

    Nice work Chris.
    Particularly like the expression on General No.3’s coupon.
    Like he’s just caught the first whiff of something nasty.

    You must be due a holiday soon ๐Ÿ™‚

    #therealbnp

    Reply
  34. Bob Mack says:

    Indicates surely the para militarisation of the Tory party, appealing to the extremist element of society.I. e. Orange Order etc. Almost the way you would do for a dictatorship. I think that would make even the most ardent Tory wary of the future path.

    Reply
  35. Capella says:

    Well if it’s not about the kitten heels, the hair-do, the “strong leader” I-am-the-country rebranding (l’etat, c’est moi), the military, the wave to non-existent adoring fans, then WHAT?

    Reply
  36. David says:

    We all know that the english votes will win the general election and elect the next government, the votes of scotland wales and northern ireland combined will not affect that aspect of this union, the balance is all wrong, every country in the United kingdom should have the administration it votes for to govern them, and then each country can join in a union of independent countries with each one having the same say in how that union is run, what we have is an english parliament made up of mostly english MPs and they allways vote for what is good for england, but allways seems to be bad for the other three countries in that union, this is not democracy , this is and allways has been just paying lipservice to democracy, ofc parties like the tories will allways say the people voted for us and that is why we are in power, Did scotland vote for them we ask, and they don’t answer because they know what the real answer is, so there is not real reply to the question put to them

    Reply
  37. defo says:

    It wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that even senior Tories are now expressing concerns at her behaviour.
    i.e. Hiding, in plain sight.

    What’s my prize CC ?

    Reply
  38. bleakfuture says:

    The Party that dare not speak it’s name. Some might say they are too ashamed of their deeds.

    Reply
  39. Dan Huil says:

    Nicely done, Chris. The suppine media is hidden from view; preparing their pre-authorized questions do doubt.

    Reply
  40. Chris Cairns says:

    @Capella – it is, as you say, the I-am-the-country rebranding (see ‘Theresa May’s Team’ posters). Go to the top of the class.

    Reply
  41. Chick McGregor says:

    “Well Ruths favourite word is โ€œImportantโ€ and she repeats it in every sentence”

    I notice one of her favourite mantras is: “What I’m saying is…” intoned in an uber authoritarian manner like ‘I’m saying it, so it is right.’

    Reply
  42. Chick McGregor says:

    Totally get it Chris.

    Kim is trying to be a combination between Emelda Markos and Michael MacIntyre. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  43. Swami Backverandah says:

    Oi!
    What about my team billboard post at 10.29.

    Talk about favouritism, just because Capella’s got a pretty frock and I’m doomed to this black hole avatar forevvveeeerrrrrrrrrrr.

    Reply
  44. gordoz says:

    O/T

    Hey Rev did you catch the bit on QT when ‘David Hayman’ nailed the local election result for SNP, stated facts of result and then the state broadcasters own rep David Dimbleby said, I quote ” those figures are disputed” no doubt directer shouting in his ear !!

    Reply
  45. K1 says:

    Ruth Dum Cun really does have delusions of grandeur…her military and media training have prepared her well for her role as Supreme Leader of Bigots of Britain, she’s so extreme-ly…right .

    Brilliantly captured Chris…did ye copy fae a photie? ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  46. call me dave says:

    @Capella your a star. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I only got as far as the shoes and never thought to the deeper levels.

    @Swami Backverandah that was tough shurley an oversight! ๐Ÿ™‚

    PS:
    Sad news about the death of ‘The National’ editor of the wonderful cryptic X-word section Calum Macdonald.

    PPS:
    Scottish resilience committee has had two meetings on the ransom ware IT problem but Theresa May says “no Cobra meeting as all the cabinet are out and about over the country”

    Reply
  47. Capella says:

    @ Chris Cairns ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  48. Swami Backverandah says:

    Bedtime for me, night all.

    @Capella It is a very pretty frock ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  49. Capella says:

    @ Swami Backverandah – Rebrand – it’s very fashionable. What about a magenta black hole?

    Noticed this article by Moriarty (really) in the Irish Times about the Ulster fishermen wanting out of the EU so they can scrap the quota system.
    Of course, it would depend on Scotland staying in the UK otherwise their fishing waters would be curtailed.
    link to archive.is

    Ulster features in the background to a John Buchan picture holding up a flag. It has a quote about “Ulster’s fleet sacrificed by the EU. in the …. Cod recovery”
    Click to enlarge the picture:
    link to twitter.com

    This “Ulsterisation” of Scotland has obviously been planned for some time.
    Now is the time to end it.

    Reply
  50. Robert Peffers says:

    @Chris Cairns says: 13 May, 2017 at 10:18 am:

    “Ahem โ€ฆ itโ€™s not just, or even primarily, the shoes.
    Come on you lot โ€“ put your mental backs into it!”

    Very subtle Chris. Strangely enough I picked up on the board but missed the shoes. Mind you for all I would know the great North Korean leader might well wear such shoes as a matter of course.

    Reply
  51. Brian Powell says:

    OT But noticed in the National an article saying, “A hard border between NI and the Republic would be a ‘disaster’,” says Tony Blair. ?

    He was speaking at the European Peoples Party conference in County Wicklow.

    The important questions are, why the hell was he there? who the hell invited him, the butcher of Bagdad. The other point would be in response to his statement and that would be, No shit Sherlock.

    Reply
  52. defo says:

    Worth a listen, even with the anyarse type voxpop being overwhelmed by obvious party peeps.
    Aberdeen.

    ‘Charles’ is a real beaut. Fracking !
    He sounds like Lord Foo. A ringer.

    The lady convinced that wee Willie is “the only leader focused on local issues”, is a laugh.
    Wasn’t that last months spiel ?

    And the loonyoon (probs labour, going by the bile level) ranting about the SNP starving the Granite city is particularly delicious.

    Lots of good guys, in amongst the w***s. Clever ones too. ๐Ÿ™‚
    A lively debate. Untypical. It’s on now on the World service. Online shortly.

    link to bbc.co.uk

    Reply
  53. heedtracker says:

    Capella says:
    13 May, 2017 at 12:23 pm
    @ Chris Cairns

    Now I get it. So is the tory Dear Leader branding, Lynton Cosby, strong and stable, also why BBC Scotland are telling everyone that the tories actually won the Scottish council election last week too?

    Crush the saboteurs!

    Reply
  54. Chick McGregor says:

    @gordoz

    Just calculated that the share of the vote for the SNP and the Greens increased by over 5% from 2012 to 2017. No way can that be depicted a backslide for indy.

    Very sorry to hear about Calum MacDonald.

    Reply
  55. Lochside says:

    Defo @ 1.01pm listened to that broadcast and thought..how stupid are so many Scots?
    Unlike you, I despair at the 10 people on the ‘panel’ assembled, which was fairly representative with 2 x English and one Welsh and 7 x Scots, demonstrated that the majority of folk in this country are dummies who either don’t think or don’t read anything but facebook or the tory press.

    Both English, as usual, were anti Indy, usual shite about people being ‘local identifiers’ the ‘further away from the dreaded ‘central belt’.You could hear the disdain in their voices for that bunch down there of buckie drinkers and redclydeside chib merchants; the one that was a’therapist’ was a complete rocket…apparently Theresa May looks like someone who wants to get ‘fired’…remind me not to consult her!
    then there was the George Foulkes soundalike Tory ‘business man’ farting out the usual snpbad; and the thick labour woman bleating about poor Aberdeen’s shortfall from the SG..Nowt to do with profligate Wullie Young and his redtory mob.

    One guy was good..but he worked in the foodbanks. Possibly 3 SNP out of 10. Unbelievable!…I worked in the North Sea and lived in Aberdeen. I still have friends there. But I warned them years ago that being the branch transit camp (remember Europe’s Oil Capital?) for UK oil was a recipe for eventual boom and bust. Unlike Shetland..no oil fund or special help frpm UK governments, and through the Thatcher/ Blair years gradual stripping away of all other infrastructure.

    But I did encounter many locals oblivious and arrogant to this prediction. They were doing alright…Dundee was a dump as was Glasgow in their eyes and deserved it because…but I never got a coherent answer. When I pointed out that a strategic Scottish government based in Scotland with all economic powers and with the potential to create an oil fund could support future regeneration after oil…all I got was blank stares. Not surprisingly my objection to RUK labour being preferred and getting priority to Scots from the rest of our country also was seen as of no interest. Hence the large and hostile incomer vote that still resides in the city and surrounding towns.

    I left the oil industry in the early 80’s so I was not being wise after the event. But when I think about the Buchan tory orangemen friend of Harrison in the previous thread, the uncontrolled influx of non Scots and the insularity of many locals has contrived to create a melting pot of right wing angry entitlement amongst a polyglot group of ‘I’m not alrightanymorejacks’ who see Theresa May and her blame nasty party as a natural home for their inarticulate rage at their impoverishnment.

    Reply
  56. Cactus says:

    Welcome to this years guest invitation on the Eurovision Song contest…

    Representing North Korea / Tory… it’s ‘Kim-may’

    It’s all about your foot-wear.

    But can they entertain?

    Can they dance?

    Can they sing?

    “Kneel-pois”

    Reply
  57. Proud Cybernat says:

    Took a moment or so, but nice one Chris.

    In a galaxy, far, far away…

    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  58. Maria F says:

    Superb Chris.

    When I saw the shoes I laughed my head off, but when I saw the poster it sent a chill down my spine because it looks scarily close to reality: the UK tory party are rebranding themselves as a one man band the same as the Tory branch in Scotland did for the Scottish elections 2016.

    If there is a word that defines the tories that is deception. Their continuous need to morph onto something else hints precisely at this.

    Reply
  59. galamcennalath says:

    Cactus says:

    Eurovision Song contest

    โ€œKneel-poisโ€

    That provoked a lateral Brexit thought. We all know politics enters into the sing song. I suddenly felt very sorry of the 2017 UK entrant, whoever that is, because naughty old UKnotsoOK isn’t going to be very popular with our fellow Europeans!

    I’ve never been over excited by the Eurovision Song Contest, however, the first time iScotland appears will bring a tear to my eye. And perhaps get a cheer from the audience and maybe some points from the wider viewers!

    Of course, we’d need a singer and a suitable euro pop song ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  60. dakk says:

    Too true Chris.Great stuff.

    That’s where we are headed bar independence.

    I would like to see a version of this with Theresa’s Alan Partridge haircut atop and/or the leather breeks.

    Reply
  61. Foonurt says:

    Whaur’s ma leopard-skin pillbox-hat? Bob Dyla………. .

    Reply
  62. John H says:

    O/T.
    I was relaxing at home this afternoon with an episode of Eggheads on in the background, when one of the questions caught my attention. In which year did the normans conquer Britain?

    Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, were of course independent countries in 1066 and weren’t involved. Devious, sneaky, Auntie BBC.

    I obviously pay the licence fee, for very good reasons which I won’t go into here.

    Reply
  63. Skintybroko says:

    O/T WTF is going on with the Scottish Colleges, the management have walked away from talks and the EIS are blaming the Scottish Government – if the gift were at fault the BBC would be all over this, their silence is deafening – the cynic would reckon the College Management have already spent the funds provided by the SG to pay the lecturers as agreed last year and are stalling until enough strike have been used so they have the cash to pay what’s due. Crazy situation needs some serious journalism to understand what is going on here.

    Reply
  64. galamcennalath says:

    John H says:

    In which year did the normans conquer Britain? …… 1066

    Indeed. The ignorance, arrogance and not a little element of state propaganda pervades all BBC output. It’s in the culture, they can’t help themselves!

    The Statute of Rhuddlan of 1284 declared that Wales was “annexed and united” to the English crown.

    Scotland, of course, didn’t join into their United Kingdom, or Britain (political sense, rather than geographic) until 1707!

    However David I invited in Normans and their culture to consolidate Royal power …
    link to en.m.wikipedia.org

    So, when did the Normans capture Britain? In any meaningful way, never, seems as good an answer as any!

    Reply
  65. John H says:

    galamcennalath.

    Never trust the BBC, even when watching a seemingly innocent little programme.

    Reply
  66. Robert Louis says:

    O/T

    I have to say, I like the lass singing for the yookay in the Eurovision song contest tonight, but I think the story all night will be…

    ‘and now the results from the French (or any other country) jury….Royaume uni nul points’.

    And so on. Seems everybody hates brexit obsessed England these days.

    Reply
  67. Effijy says:

    The BBC have finally managed to kick the hornet’s nest wide open after years of lies and deceit.

    The Petition against their Blatant Bias against Scotland has picked up momentum with the 92,400 signature just about to
    be marked against them.

    No Dimbleby dubiety! They are as guilty as hell!

    link to you.38degrees.org.uk

    Reply
  68. Robert Louis says:

    Effijy at 634pm,

    So, once you have your required signatures what is the plan? Will the BBC be sued, or taken to court, or has the UK Government agreed to take firm action against the BBC once the signatures are in the bag. On the 38 degrees website, it says the BBC SHOULD be investigated. Does that mean they will? What’s the plan, and how soon after you get the signatures will the investigations begin?

    Serious question.

    Reply
  69. Ken500 says:

    The Buchan family were fined for landing ‘black’ fish. The assets are ยฃ16Million. Poor fisherman?

    They do not adhere to the quotas. Or pay full tax due. They support the Union but do not adhere to the Laws or the tax regime. They do what they like. Hypocrites. HMRC not fit for purpose.

    Reply
  70. Croompenstein says:

    The battlebus is painted up Chris and our dear leader is on it with her expensive shoes..

    OT – Stu came across this old programme for Rangers v Ayr from 1974 some good stuff but check the founded date on the info bit.. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  71. galamcennalath says:

    The BBC will be an enemy of Scottish democracy until our Independence Day.

    The stakes for the London establishment’s mouth piece are too high to turn back now,

    Perhaps even beyond Indy, when the English rump of that organisation will continue to misled its southern audience about true events involving their new northern neighbour.

    The only way to rein in and deal with the BBC is to win Indy.

    Reply
  72. One_Scot says:

    STV news there trying to brainwash us with Ruth Davidson saying that young people are joining the Tories in droves to oppose a second referendum.

    Jeez, I’m not sure who is worse, Rape Clause Ruth, or STV News for pushing it.

    Reply
  73. Chick Mcgregor says:

    @gallamcennalath

    Malcolm actually invited some Normans into Scotland before 1066, including some with the Bruce name but not close relatives to the later more famous branch.

    Reply
  74. One_Scot says:

    Test.

    Reply
  75. ian murray says:

    galamcennalath at 7pm spot on

    There is nobody to rein them or the media in, it is going to get a lot worse

    Reply
  76. One_Scot says:

    I take it there is a block on some words?

    Reply
  77. Glamaig says:

    One_Scot says:
    13 May, 2017 at 7:25 pm
    I take it there is a block on some words?

    There is but you have to guess which ones. If in doubt put an asterix in every word ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  78. Dr Jim says:

    Today in Bishopbriggs Ruth Davidsons Orange Lodge banged and whistled it’s way through our wee village centre and continued to bang and whistle it’s way further on demanding to be up to their knees in Fenian blood

    Why does Ruth Davidson continue to call a second Scottish referendum divisive does she think we might want to disband her band of bloodthirsty supremacists

    I’m not religious in any way shape or form but there are two main complaints I’ve always had about these people
    1: They march about celebrating the taking of life not commemorating occasions on which lives were lost in a legitimate way
    2: This is a big one for me, I’m a musician!

    Reply
  79. Rock says:

    gordoz,

    “Hey Rev did you catch the bit on QT when โ€˜David Haymanโ€™ nailed the local election result for SNP, stated facts of result and then the state broadcasters own rep David Dimbleby said, I quote โ€ those figures are disputedโ€ no doubt directer shouting in his ear !!”

    The reply to Dimbelby should have been something like: “the figures are not disputed – the BBC is flogging fictitious figures to downplay the SNP’s win.”

    SNP politicians on the BBC should do what Alex Salmond did with Robinson – don’t let the BBC get away with anti-SNP and anti-independence lies.

    Reply
  80. One_Scot says:

    Lol, it might have been something to with an endearing term for Ruth Davidson and a certain policy which has as one of its exceptions being if:

    ‘a child was conceived as a result of non-consensual sex’

    Reply
  81. One_Scot says:

    Anyway, the comment was regarding STV news tonight trying to brainwash us with Ruth Davidson saying that young people are joining the Tories in droves to oppose a second referendum

    Iโ€™m not sure who is worse, ‘My lovely friend’ Ruth, or STV News for pushing it.

    Reply
  82. Free Scotland says:

    Ken500 says:
    13 May, 2017 at 6:53 pm
    “The Buchan family were fined for landing โ€˜blackโ€™ fish. The assets are ยฃ16Million. Poor fisherman?”

    Hey, Ken. By purest coincidence, I’ve just been checking out that very subject on the web. Ironically, the company that bigot worked for until the scandal broke was called “The Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association Limited.”

    link to checkdirector.co.uk

    link to beta.companieshouse.gov.uk

    Reply
  83. galamcennalath says:

    Eurovision. Why does some very unfunny prick from the BBC insist in talking over people who are talking perfectly good English!?

    Reply
  84. Robert Peffers says:

    @One_Scot says: 13 May, 2017 at 7:25 pm:

    “I take it there is a block on some words.”

    Yes.

    “Rape” and “("Tractor" - Ed)” are among them.

    Reply
  85. Westie7 says:

    @Free Scotland, Ken500

    Another wee snippet from the era of over-fishing and filthy rich boat families..

    Nearly everyone was paid through EBTs
    Something else they have in common with Govans fibest ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  86. Robert Peffers says:

    One_Scot says: 13 May, 2017 at 7:25 :
    “I take it there is a block on some words?”

    part 2.

    So now your problem is to work out what they are.

    Reply
  87. Robert Peffers says:

    @galamcennalath says: 13 May, 2017 at 8:10 pm:

    Eurovision. Why does some very unfunny prick from the BBC insist in talking over people who are talking perfectly good English?

    I believe, galamcennalath, you actually answered your own question.

    Reply
  88. Cactus says:

    Eurovision…

    SO what’s the voting system for this contest…

    Do they use the STV too?

    Next up.. Kim-may.

    Reply
  89. Glamaig says:

    Perhaps it’ll be a notional win for the UK at Eurovision.

    Reply
  90. Sandy says:

    Buchan’s boat financed by Norwegian banks?

    Reply
  91. Glamaig says:

    Just spotted a saltire at Eurovision!

    Reply
  92. Cactus says:

    What is it with dudes singin’ with this weak high-pitched squeaky voice?

    Modern pop music sucks..

    Sing like a man, boy!

    Hello France.

    X.

    Reply
  93. Robert Graham says:

    A bit silly but before someone at the BBC clocks it and erases it , in tonight’s Dr Who at 19.45 on the IPlayer running order “The Union is a myth ” Clearly heard , oops I wonder who slipped that one in , also a decided anti capitalism theme throughout the program, have we undercover friends deep in the BBC , stranger things have happened, look what Edward Snowden did, that was just one person.

    Reply
  94. Nicola is on The Marr show tomorrow,

    starts at 9 0`clock,

    Blairite/Red Tory apologist Saahra Smith is also on,talking up Ruth the mooth and criticising Nicola no doubt.

    Reply
  95. Cactus says:

    Ahhhhh ha ha ha.

    Arse flasher with his UJ flag.

    He did a Jarvis Cocker!

    He’ll be in the pokey ra night.

    Ahhhhh ha ha ha!

    Reply
  96. Croompenstein says:

    Iโ€™d rather be in Tokyo
    Iโ€™d rather listen to Thin Lizzy-oh
    Watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku
    Thereโ€™s something wrong with me, Iโ€™m a cuckoo

    Reply
  97. call me dave says:

    Tommy Shepherd trying not to put the heid on Nolan after being asked three different ways to admit we’re too wee & too poor.
    Radio 5 live.

    Tories popular says Nolan doubled their vote …Aye right!
    Shepherd puts him right and mentions % vote was pish but Nolan don’t believe… ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  98. call me dave says:

    Nolan says SNHS piss only 91% of AE patients seen in the 4 hour target.

    He obviously hasn’t read the English figures about 87/88% from recent memory. ๐Ÿ™‚ What a plonker

    Peak SNP says Nolan wont admit the 47% YES latest is > 45% in YES 2014.

    Well done Shepherd….Nolan “I was only following orders” Failed

    Good old Auntie…Must try harder.

    Reply
  99. crazycat says:

    @Croompenstein

    Watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku

    Be careful what you wish for – they were Elvis impersonators when I went there. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  100. HandandShrimp says:

    Nolan?

    Was that one of the Nolan sisters interviewing Tommy?

    In other strange news I see Australia is in Europe. I liked the Azerbaijan song but it was clearly too odd for the Europeeps.

    Reply
  101. Robbo says:

    Is that the hard border going up then is it May? Ireland gave us nil points.

    Reply
  102. call me dave says:

    Stephen Nolan does Radio 5 interviews for Auntie London on his late night show, he’s Irish by birth & voice.

    Radio Ulster BBC other job on other days.

    Make up your own mind.
    Has a severe weight problem too which I have heard him talk about.

    Got Edwina Currie on now regular guest…knows everything about patronising Scotland lovely woman.

    Reply
  103. heedtracker says:

    Observer makes no mention of rich guy’s buying seats in Scotland, he just wants 140 Remain MP’s 140 seats in Britain

    link to archive.is

    Hosking said he had opted to back exclusively Tory candidates because their support for Brexit would in effect create a โ€œgovernment of national unityโ€ under May that could deliver on the referendum mandate to leave the EU.
    He said that he was prepared to spend heavily in order to secure โ€œthe sovereign future of this independent-minded democracyโ€.

    Reply
  104. Capella says:

    I see Australia, Israel and Azerbaijan are in Europe. But Russia is not in Europe. Apparently, their singer appeared in the Crimea and, because the hosts are the Ukraine, that disqualifies her. If Israel qualifies then anybody can qualify.

    Reply
  105. Cactus says:

    Aye aye Robbo aweright ~

    Ireland have spoken..

    Kneel pois 4 UK.

    C’mon Espana!

    Reply
  106. Ann says:

    I also liked Azerbaijan.

    Reply
  107. Still Positive says:

    Interesting that Ireland gave their maximum points to Belgium.

    That should be a message to the UK.

    Reply
  108. ChewinTheFat says:

    Ha-ha. Good one.

    The way it looks to me, Kim Jong-Un actually idolises Theresa May and wants to be her or be like her. Even the slight Nazi saulute is there. What’s funny about it is the soldiers/followers are NOW worried about Kim Jong-Un as he looks up to May and wants to be like her lol.

    Reply
  109. heedtracker says:

    Not that much of an unusual response from our tory masters,

    “Why donโ€™t you f*** off back to Scotland’: Tory MP blasts schoolgirl wanting Scottish independence”

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  110. Juan P says:

    @heedtracker

    That tory MP’s comment to the Scottish schoolgirl is clearly a crime.

    Surely the father will report the MP to the Police, and given his admission, the CPS will have a fairly simple task in directing that he be charged.

    Unbelievable that he thinks an apology is sufficient. Brexit really has emboldened the racists and bigots to speak their minds.

    Reply
  111. Capella says:

    @ Heedtracker – so it’s Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer, paid for by wealthy financiers’ ill gotten gains.
    โ€œThere is no way to unpick Brexit that doesnโ€™t involve civil war. What would be the upside for the government? It is not a difficult choice.โ€
    Creepy.

    Reply
  112. Cactus says:

    SCOTLAND IS FUCKING EXCELLENT!!!

    Reply
  113. crazycat says:

    @ Juan P

    Unbelievable that he thinks an apology is sufficient.

    Not only that, he wrote to her once the school had brought her concern to his attention. If they hadn’t, he’d not have said a thing.

    Why do people ask questions when they only want to hear one answer? He’s a pal of Liam Fox’s, which probably explains everything.

    Reply
  114. Thepnr says:

    Just a reminder of Jeremy Paxman comparing Alex Salmond to Robert Mugabee. Doesn’t get much worse than this but it can.

    Patronising git.

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  115. Chick McGregor says:

    OT Eurovision. TBH, I felt the UK entry should have been in the top 5.

    No quibble with the winner though my personal vote went to Bulgaria.

    Reply
  116. heedtracker says:

    Juan P says:
    14 May, 2017 at 12:04 am
    @heedtracker

    If you’ve never had the tory telling you to fcuk off back to where you came from experience, you’ve probably never actually encountered one.

    Its a tory thing.

    Reply
  117. heedtracker says:

    Capella says:
    14 May, 2017 at 12:05 am
    @ Heedtracker โ€“ so itโ€™s Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer, paid for by wealthy financiersโ€™ ill gotten gains.

    Hard core right wing power grabs are normally funded by big bucks, as we all know.

    Its certainly going to be an interesting decade here in blighty though, with the challenge on same hard core tories to keep standards of living as they are today, for their base 35%.

    English house prices are already not going up in price as fast as they have been for 2 decades now. Tory England does love its very pricy property too.

    Reply
  118. Cactus says:

    Re ra toon:

    I’ve often thought the generals hats were ill-fitting, far too big.

    Swap them hats for the long black furry ones used in London toon.

    It’s no different.

    OK ~ now ahm worried.

    Reply
  119. Cactus says:

    Nae Fear ’17

    Never forget that..

    Scotland is a really really cool country (Universal)

    Reply
  120. Maryscot says:

    Been saying to my kids for weeks that it won’t be long before Mayhem will be deporting me from England back to Scotland (would love to if it wasn’t for my grandson).

    Reply
  121. HandandShrimp says:

    I am glad the Mirror highlighted the Tory MP’s comments to the Scottish schoolgirl. Joking my arse. Who on earth tells a schoolgirl to fuck off in a school political debate?

    The Tories – keeping it classy since never.

    Reply
  122. Chick McGregor says:

    Thepnr

    Paxman also referred to Burn’s poetry as ‘doggerel’ and on University Challenge described St Andrews as a small cold place on the East of Scotland.

    Perhaps he should have been named Bellaman.

    Reply
  123. Cactus says:

    Re ra toon:

    Here’s North Koreas very own trio…

    link to youtube.com

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  124. Meg merrilees says:

    Colonel ‘finger-lickin’ Davidson, Tory leader in Scotland and erstwhile First Minister( in her dreams) has done a surprising U-turn.
    What? Again? I hear you exclaim…

    It seems the tories are now supporting Free Prescriptions as part of their manifesto north of the border for the upcoming election.

    A. Salmon described it as a ‘Damascene conversion’ and S Lab accused her of doing anything to win votes.

    Article in the Sunday Herald..

    Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say!

    Reply
  125. Still Positive says:

    Chick McGregor @ 12.52.

    The bloody cheek of Paxman. Considering his great-grandmother (?) died in the poorhouse in Glasgow.

    Reply
  126. bugsbunny says:

    James Heappey MP for Wells, Somerset tells a 16 year old Scottish schoolgirl, “Why don’t you fuck off back to Scotland”. Imagine the uproar and the media space/reaction if an SNP MP told an English Schoolgirl to fuck off back to England?
    Meanwhile in BBC Scotlandshire Jackie Bird is wetting her knickers at made up statistics and essenpee bad stories.

    Reply
  127. William Wallace says:

    Fcuk rule 8

    Reply
  128. William Wallace says:

    Tired of people telling us what we can and cannot say.

    FUCK RULE 8

    Reply
  129. Ken500 says:

    The Tories cut NHS spending on upgrading NHS computer system. Useless Trident systems could be cyber attacked.

    May says ‘ good will’ on both sides could be found for Irish border. Not for Scottish border through and Scotland staying in the EU. Voted for 62 – 38.

    Reply
  130. Ken500 says:

    Sky’s disrespect to Nicola and Scotland once again. Unsubscribe from SKy.

    Reply
  131. Dorothy Devine says:

    That piece about the Tory MP telling the young ‘un to fuck off back to Scotland , anyone know why the offensive ba$tard was in the school in the first place?

    Surely the school should be politically neutral or did it invite every other political party on the planet too?

    Reply
  132. Robert Louis says:

    Pretty angry now. A current Tory MP is reported as telling a wee Scottish schoolgirl in England to “f*** off back to Scotland”, because she happens to believe in Scottish independence.

    I WANT the FM to talk about nothing else but this today on Marr. This is bang out of order.

    Can you imagine the response if an SNP MP said to an English schoolgirl in Scotland ‘why don’t you f*** off back to England’.

    It is time the SNP and especially the FM tackled this kind of anti Scottish abuse and blatant wanton racism by the Tory party and its racist supporting Scum. Let’s stop being so damm nice about such things.

    Even aside from its racist nature, a comment like that from a Tory MP, supposedly a grown adult (he is 36 years old) to ANY child, should see him sacked.

    The Tory MP in question is James Heappy of the Tory party.

    Now, over to you, rape clause Ruth Davidson, this is one of your friends. Any comment???

    This must not be just allowed to be swept under the carpet and quickly forgotten about. If we just let it pass, then it means we all think it is quite alright, and it isn’t.

    In a normal country our media would be all over this, but up here in Scotland, it is just ignored by the servile, England worshipping so-called ‘Scottish’ journalists’.

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  133. Nana says:

    Links

    So as you are about to read in the following statement Scottish labour and in particular North Lanarkshire Labour are willing not only to defeat democracy at a local level.
    They are also prepared to have Tories side with them in order to do it.
    Read the rest hereโ€ฆ
    link to m.facebook.com

    link to target59.wordpress.com

    Ten Big Brexit Issues: Questions for the General Election
    link to scer.scot

    link to democraticaudit.com

    Reply
  134. Nana says:

    link to novaramedia.com

    Omfg!!! Tories not only Zero Security on critical NHS computers but patient medical records not backed up!!
    link to twitter.com

    link to thecanary.co

    link to politico.com

    Reply
  135. Nana says:

    Brexit squeeze: Wages to fall by ยฃ1,000, Bank of England warns
    link to archive.is

    link to morefollows.wordpress.com

    link to republic.org.uk

    link to rawstory.com

    Reply
  136. galamcennalath says:

    I am utterly disgusted that any candidate could behave as that Tory one did in a school with youngsters. The Scotland aspect is incidental. If the girl had been Polish or Pakistani he would have said the same.

    I’ve never voted Tory, never liked their policies.

    However, I feel that today’s Tories are quite different from the so called one nation conservatives of my youth. There was a time when they appeared to be completely behind the NHSs across the UK. Also, so much of the industry in Scotland which has now gone was put in place by Tory governments – Linwood, Bathgate, etc etc.. They honestly don’t seem so bad, looking way back.

    As for what they are now. Are there enough expletives in the English language? They seem to attract all the moral dross, dregs and dodgy characters. Spivs, bigots, and flash Harrys. And with that, principles and political policies to match.

    I’m Scottish, get me to fck out of this!

    Reply
  137. Brian McHugh says:

    Stwong an’ Staybow.

    Reply
  138. Smallaxe says:

    Nana, Good Morning.ย It’s looking to be another nice day.ย Thank you, for yourย links.
    Kettle’s on! Peace Always to You andย All true hearts.ย 
    ๐Ÿ˜Ž

    To others, Your day is coming to an end.Take heed, he who digs the pit willย be thrown in it!

    Reply
  139. Effijy says:

    Robert Louis says:
    13 May, 2017 at 6:44 pm
    Effijy at 634pm,
    So, once you have your required signatures what is the plan? Will the BBC be sued, or taken to court, or has the UK Government agreed to take firm action against the BBC once the signatures are in the bag. On the 38 degrees website, it says the BBC SHOULD be investigated. Does that mean they will? Whatโ€™s the plan, and how soon after you get the signatures will the investigations begin?

    Hi Robert, the petition is substantial and undeniable proof of the Blatant Bias used by the BBC to keep Scotland shackled to the stifling corruption that is Westminster.

    As things stand we highlight the error of their way here on Wings, but what use is that for an Independence supporting politician, or an Indy supporter trying to persuade the undecided to have a look at what the BBC are doing?

    100,000 people have got to have a point, they have got to be noticed!It cannot be brushed off as nothing here to see!

    Prof John Robertson and G A Ponsenby have extensive files quoting thousands of incidents of Blatant Bias, but the BBC just sends them a nice letter, just like the ones that I get, confirming that they are right and you are wrong,
    get lost.

    We all must challenge the BBC in every conceivable way, until we have a national broadcaster who understands what fair and impartial reporting actually means.

    Do you think it a waste of time to cancel your TV license, march over to Pacific Quay, write in your own personal complaint, calling in to Kaye UK, or correcting any other BBC Bias programming.

    I’ve done the lot and I’ll continue to do everything listed

    This is a free choice for everyone.

    Do nothing if you think it helps the cause, or stand up against corruption at every opportunity and in everyway possible way.

    So far 92,507 Scots say that they must be stopped and truth and justice is being denied to our nation.

    link to you.38degrees.org.uk

    Reply
  140. cearc says:

    School outrage?

    I think you’ll find that that is a perfectly acceptable ‘joke’ in a top english public school.

    All part of producing the next generation of Britnat rulers.

    Reply
  141. Nana says:

    Good morning Smallaxe. Lovely day here [so far]

    Two more links

    Lynton Crosbie at work in the Highlands.

    OPINION: Tory surge in the Highlands, and Sturgeon set it rolling
    link to archive.is

    Theresa Mayโ€™s Vapid Vision for a One-Party State
    link to archive.is

    Reply
  142. Were Alex says:

    I’m surprised anyone is surprised at the OO and its likes supporting the Tories.

    What is happening now is that Brexit has emboldened them to come out and express there bigoted views. The Tories don’t care who supports them but equally their nastiness is now being exposed to the voters and it might be having an impact on their vote.

    Davidson will be checking out her focus groups before deciding whether or not to sack the growing number of bigots in her party. If there is any backlash from the voting public, then they will go, they are expendable.

    Locally the likes of Majury is dead meat. They might think they can ride it out and it will all blow over. Think again, people are unforgiving, especially parents. You better have a thick skin.

    Reply
  143. Brian Powell says:

    Nana

    I get the impression that Colin Campbell i writing the article on Highland voting is in fact a Tory who doesn’t want Indy.

    I wonder how they will feel if they get their way and all the European funding dries up for Highland projects.

    Reply
  144. gus1940 says:

    Marr states as a matter of fact that untRuth is the star of the political show in Scotland.

    Anybody else unable to access The Sunday Herald site today?

    Reply
  145. galamcennalath says:

    Brian Powell says:

    I wonder how they will feel if they get their way and all the European funding dries up for Highland projects.

    I do wonder that too. I’ve spoken to country people who actually believe that the money being sent to Europe just now will, after Brexit, be available to continue to pay CAP subsidies and Highland infrastructure projects. I keep telling them, not a snowball in Hell’s chance.

    Westminster in general, and the the Tories in particular, just do not have rural Scotland on their mind. They couldn’t care less about somewhere far away of which they know little.

    It’s a message the SNP need to get out NOW and continue it up until ScotRef.

    Reply
  146. stu mac says:

    @Robert Graham says:
    =============

    I know a guy who worked for the BBC (England) long ago. They were always pro-establishment and right wing news wise (though not so blatantly back then) he says but in arts and entertainment you sometimes got more left wing and independent thinkers working. They needed to allow this or they’d deprive themselves of a lot of talent. That’s probably how you still get all these complaints about left wing bias in the BBC from Tories, even though the news is nothing but Tory propaganda.

    Reply
  147. Legerwood says:

    gus1940 @ 9.35

    I can’t connect to on-line Herald site today. I also get the digital Herald and Sunday Herald and the Sunday Herald is not available for download either. Usually get an email to say it his available but nothing so far

    Reply
  148. Macart says:

    @Dorothy Devine

    Yeah, say that piece in the Mirror.

    Tories and bigotry wherever you find them really. It’s who and what they are. Given the theme we’ve seen developing for some time in Scotland its no surprise really.

    The truth of the Tory is not unity, it’s hierarchy. They glorify in exceptionalism, exclusion and division by caste and nationality. They don’t contribute to wider society, they don’t reflect society. They manipulate and they divide for self and for profit.

    They can delete social media histories. They can hide behind their media and their soundbite, but their nature will always out.

    Reply
  149. Breeks says:

    That’s not how I see it Were Alex.

    I’m not surprised arch Unionists like the O-O support the Unionist Tories, but rather, it seems incredible that the Unionist Tories are content to embrace bigoted, prejudiced, sectarian imbeciles and promote them to positions of office and responsibility.

    In political terms, the Orange Order should be red, black and blue; not from Unionism, but from the bruises as they get when poked by so many barge poles.

    The Tories whine about “yet another divisive referendum”, but are quite happy to agitate and fan the flames of sectarianism in Scotland because it provides momentum for ongoing Tory rule and Unionism. For most rational folk, that isn’t just scraping the bottom of the barrel, that is scraping through the barrel and digging a hole beneath it.

    The 2014 Referendum was marked by is dishonest propaganda and scaremongering, and the absolute absence of any progressive and positive case being made for the Union. It settled nothing.

    It seems the 2018 Referendum is to be marked by blind hatred and bass prejudice. It is all that Unionism has left to offer. Their lies are exposed. Their propaganda has met its Waterloo in the truth coming out. Their Champion propagandists at the BBC are widely derided and stripped bare of all pretensions of integrity. And there still isn’t any progressive case to be made for the Union.

    Furthermore, Brexit has not only furthered the interests of independence, it has for many non political ordinary people made Independence a vital and essential necessity if they want to hold their place and dignity in the civilised modern world, rather than suffer the insane prejudices, greeds, malignancies, dishonesties, improprieties, obscenities and despair of a “United” xenophobic intolerant Kingdom, run into the ground by corrupt shape-shifting Blue Tories, Red Tories, and Orange Tories.

    If Scotland does not stand on its own two feet, be prepared to be woken up by an obnoxious marching band of bigots banging a big bass drum outside your window. That’ll be the Tories.

    Reply
  150. Glamaig says:

    galamcennalath says:
    14 May, 2017 at 8:28 am

    ‘However, I feel that todayโ€™s Tories are quite different from the so called one nation conservatives of my youth.
    They seem to attract all the moral dross, dregs and dodgy characters. Spivs, bigots, and flash Harrys.’

    Yes they’ve really gone downhill. I have an old-school Tory relative, proud Scot, ex army and very conservative. He’s a very decent guy and I think he would detest the likes of Majery and Buchan, although here’s the key he probably doesn’t know anything about them because of where he gets his news from.

    I don’t see him often so probably won’t be enlightening him.

    Reply
  151. John H says:

    Andrew Marr doing a total hatchet job on Nicola Sturgeon just now. Marr doing his bit for the Union.

    Reply
  152. Dorothy Devine says:

    OT I was just thinking about QT and David Hayman and I recall the nasty Mrs Cochrane and her piece about having the vapours with Mr Hayman next door as an independence supporter.

    That’s Mrs Allan Cochrane or Jenny Huil, Huile, Huill who seems to have been google searched away!

    Reply
  153. Chick McGregor says:

    “We all must challenge the BBC in every conceivable way, until we have a national broadcaster who understands what fair and impartial reporting actually means.”

    They do understand what it means – independence for Scotland.

    Reply
  154. gus1940 says:

    Disgraceful interview of Nicola by Marr.

    We are in the middle of a General Election (Westminster) and Marr goes on Education and Health which are both devolved for what must have been about the first 90% of the interview.

    If it had been QT Dimbleby would be saying ‘Shut Up this is a national program’.

    Reply
  155. WP says:

    I think Nicola came across really well. She got the massage across and didn’t let that weasel beat her. She’s too good for any of them.

    Reply
  156. old highlander says:

    BBC Scotland should be shut down and their staff paid off when Scotland gets it’s independence.

    Would we care? Not a jot.

    Reply
  157. Dr Jim says:

    The UK must like politicians who lie constantly, maybe in some way it helps them to feel more secure for a while until those politicians are found out or maybe the public knows the politicians are lying but it makes it easier to be Ostriches to what’s going on

    Then we have Nicola Sturgeon who tells the truth and that seems to horrify some folk so much so they froth and squeal at whatever she says as if somehow they expect lies so how can what she’s saying be the truth

    The Tory political classes of both red and blue hues employ the lie like a nuclear deterrent that’s never going to be discovered that it doesn’t work, so when the lie is exposed a new lie is fabricated as an excuse for using the first lie because it somehow was a necessary lie in the publics interest

    Nicola Sturgeon tells the truth and people always say they want the truth, but do they, because I have a feeling

    They can’t handle the truth

    Reply
  158. John H says:

    No soft interviews for Nicola Sturgeon. That type of interview would never have happened with Theresa May. She gets an easy time of it, and gets to pick the questions too.

    Reply
  159. Fred says:

    Obviously the likes of scatter-cash Hosking isn’t being taxed nearly enough!

    Reply
  160. galamcennalath says:

    gus1940 says:

    Disgraceful interview of Nicola by Marr.

    The objective set out in advance would have been to keep discussion away from criticism of, and attacks on, TMay. Distraction tactics focusing on devolved areas which should be irrelevant to a general election.

    It’s a pattern, talk the constitution not local issues for council elections, talk about reserved matters for Holyrood elections, talk about devolved matters for Westminster elections. Talk about the irrelevant and prevent the SNP appearing relevant.

    Reply
  161. Ken500 says:

    Andrew Marr is a liar. His attitude is wrong.

    In England class sizes are 36. They are trying to get it down to 31. The Tories are cutting education spending in England.

    Scotland has one of the best education system in the world. 55% of the population go to University. 30% from school. 25% from mature students. Scotland has more Universities pro rata. Life long learning. Teachers are more highly educated and get 10% more pay.

    The SNP has been in full control at Holyrood for 5+ years. The teachers are still trained under the Unionist system. Teachers qualifying now are trained under than system. Teachers need more training in additional needs. There is more inclusion now. The unionists were means testing student Ian on household income. Many students of households of average earning did not get a full loan. Families still have to support students, even with a full loan.

    The SNP are introducing mandating tests for dyslexia and other needs for adults too. Conditions on the spectrum can be incorrectly diagnosed as mental illness. When people are diagnosed strategises can be put in place. Most invention in the world has been made by people on the spectrum. Too many people with additional needs are in prison, disproportionately. They have not had adequate support. The Police and other public services, retailers etc should be more informed. Putting in place, often simple measures to benefit people.

    Scottish pop 5million has 15 Universities + Colleges.
    Finland pop 5 million has 10 Universities + Colleges 40%+ go to University
    China pop 1.2Billion had 2200 University + Colleges 40%+ go to University
    South Korea pop 100 million has 200 University. 45 public. 40%+ go to University

    In South Korea 35% of pupils are out of education by 15 years old. Pupils study from 8 am until 12 pm. Students commit suicide. Higher test results are the result of child abuse. They are moving to a less stressful system.

    Reply
  162. Meg merrilees says:

    Dear God – I am slowly losing the will to live.

    The Biased Broadcasting Company has plumbed new depths this morning.

    Sunday morning – easy listening radio- lying in bed. NO WAY!!!

    Total unadulterated Tory love-in.

    Jane Garvey fronting the programme must be the most unashamed tory presenter ever to grace the air waves – blatant Conservatism.
    All opinion, opinion, opinion – why not just report the facts and let us form our own opinion?

    I can’t direct you to any of the dreadful bits as the BBC now makes it impossible for me to playback (or listen live) on my laptop without identifying myself which I will not do. Switched off after 35 minutes in sadness and disgust.

    We had TM and Philip on the sofa displaying their ‘strong and stable’ marital relationship, Carol Thatcher and her father, no mention of Lib dems,Greens, Plaid, DUP/Sin Fein.
    passing mention of Jeremy Corbyn discussing his manifesto leak and comparison with Harold Wilson and how the party wanted rid of him.

    Then a horrific, chilling clip from Enoch Powell’s ‘river of blood’ speech – NOT THE USUAL BIT ABOUT THE RIVER OF BLOOD BUT…
    Any nation that annually allows in excess of 50, 000 migrants into their country is basically f*cked because they will breed and that country is setting it’s own funeral pyre…

    As for the interview with John Nicholson( poss about 9.15 not sure) – he did very well with the hostile questioning but it started with:

    JG: So, John, how many seats are you going to lose at this election?
    John: Well we had 56/59 seats at the last election, I’m fighting to win in my seat and so are all the others

    JG:You are upset by TM’s ( no mention of Toxic Tory here) majority at WM but ok with nationalist majority at Holyrood?
    John: explained that the different voting system is designed to make it impossible for any party to have a majority at Holyrood – we had to make alliances – ‘as I’m sure your expert guests will verify for you”

    JG: What do you think this election is about?
    John: Brexit, voters on the door concerned because it will be bad for Scotland

    JG: but a large percentage voted to leave. What about them?
    etc…
    Cringing question about ‘may-llenials’
    JG: How many May-llenials have you come across so far in Scotland?

    John: What is a may-llenial?
    JG 17-18 year old who will vote for TM.

    SNP only got 5 minutes and I thought John did very well – kept a cool head and gave cool answers.

    This was a blatant Conservative party political broadcast by the back door.

    I switched back on just before 10.00(in the kitchen now) to hear a discussion about the state of the NHS in N. Ireland and how Nurses earn a good wage but there are dwindling numbers, can’t get GP’s and will have to charge for appointments.

    I’m now wondering if MI5 or the toxic tory government has created the cyber attack yesterday to create an image of TM in control of a desperate situation and up her credibility.
    Also, further do down the NHS in the eyes of the public after all it has been mended so easily – by a young lad who paid ยฃ8 pounds to become a ‘national hero’.

    I hope I’m just paranoid because if I’m not then the alternative is unthinkable…

    George Orwell was right but he was 31 years out!!!

    Reply
  163. Socrates MacSporran says:

    This morning’s Andrew Marr Show was yet another clear example of BBC bias.

    Marr’s main interview was with Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the SNP, the third-largest party in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons.

    Yet, after it was over, Marr sat down with two representatives, of the two main parties. Subliminal message, in BBC UK, the SNP does not matter.

    We got your message BBC, but, sooner or later, Independence is coming – BBC, be very afraid.

    Reply
  164. gordoz says:

    Its time for SNP to back away from the BBC. Give them no oxygen whatsoever.

    They’ll report as they like anyway and always in the interests of the Union.

    Compare FM interview with that of the untouchable one.

    Reply
  165. Wee Alex says:

    Breeks, I agree with almost everything you say, the biggest difference between Tories today from the Tories I knew Is their belief that they can get away with anything as they can control the agenda.

    thankfully we have the Internet and weget to see the bigots in action and no amount of deleting tweets will work.

    Yes, they are openly encouraging the bigots by I’m heartened by the backlash I’m beginning to detect.

    The Tories won seats in the Council election by attacking Indyref 2 but it looks to me they didn’t expect to win them and put up candidates whose background they never checked out. Its now coming back to bite them on the bum.

    Thanks to the Internet, the bigots are being exposed and Ruth Davidson will do whatever she has to do to win votes. If the racists, etc in her party continue to be exposed and she does nothing, it will destroy whatever credibility she has built up.

    She may win a few more Westminster seats but It will be a short lived success.

    Reply
  166. Morris says:

    Voting Tory & the Kleptocratic Mrs May from la-la land

    … is almost IDENTICAL to Turkeys voting for Christmas
    … and some Scottish people ACTUALLY HAVE DONE this ๐Ÿ™

    Reply
  167. Meg merrilees says:

    Tories and tRuthless losing the plot in Scotland now:

    Next indy ref should be in 2049
    link to thescottishsun.co.uk

    Reply
  168. Nana says:

    @Brian Powell

    He probably is a Tory but the paper is popular in the highlands and some folks are easily manipulated as we all know.

    Having spoken to a few people lately, they are clueless on EU subs, actually pretty clueless about everything. Was told on Friday “immigrants seem to get every benefit while we are losing ours”
    They seem to think there is a bottomless pit to draw from and have no idea Westminster only return a fraction of our money.

    Trying to counteract some of their witless assertions leave me feeling hopeless at times. I debunk one so called fact only to have “but it was on the bbc” thrown at me.

    Whilst speaking to a remain voter who stated if we are leaving then we need people like TM & Davidson who are standing up to the EU. I pointed out that they both stood for remain and had stark warnings against leaving the EU.

    The woman had no recollection of that. Obviously some folk have very short attention spans, exactly what the Tories want.

    Regarding Ruth’s popularity

    Chat on Marr about Ruth D’s popularity in Scotland. Here’s what Lord Ashcroft found. Sturgeon +11% Davidson -21% May -23%
    link to twitter.com

    Nicola on Marr
    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  169. ScottishPsyche says:

    Regarding the education statistics in Scotland, at S2 level literacy ability has apparently fallen when measured against literacy ability taught under the same system 4 years ago?

    However, Higher passes and University entry have risen – are children taught to Higher level under the new CfE system by the time Highers come around, doing better? Does the new system allow for the later development of these skills? Are we comparing like with like?

    The SSLN results are held up as robust by Keir Bloomer, a staunch Labour man, surely they should be adapted to take into account differences in the curriculum?

    Alex Salmond on Sky is clarifying what the stats mean, I really wish the media would raise their game.

    Reply
  170. Hamish100 says:

    FM should have said to Marr this morning– the Scottish public gave us a mandate in the Scottish election no let’s talk about brexit ,fishing rights, agriculture, DWP rape clause etc being held at Westminster.
    Too easy diverted into Marrs Tory agenda of avoiding the Tory brexit mess we are in as it moves to the right of UKIP.

    Reply
  171. Proud Cybernat says:

    It gets worse…

    link to imgur.com

    Reply
  172. Sunniva says:

    Marr interview was disappointing. This was a GE. Why did he keep 98% of the interview to devolved matters?

    Reply
  173. Nana says:

    Nicola on Peston

    video here
    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  174. Sunniva says:

    The education statistics are suggesting that children who began Primary school 13 years ago in 2004 (when SNP were not in power) and are now entering highers, are doing well; both now and when measured at S2 four years ago.

    But those that began school in 2009 and are now in S2 are falling behind.

    However aren’t this year’s crop of S2s that began in 2009 the product of a Lib-Lab administration?

    Reply
  175. Hamish100 says:

    You are allowing the BBC television dictate the debate by discussing Scottish parliamentary remit issues.

    Turn the debate onto brexit, the looming job losses as a result, the hypocrisy of the flip flop and lies on fishing, agriculture fully returning to Scotland’s control. The lunacy of trident missiles renewals and the lies over the ships to be built on the Clyde.

    The consequences to Scotland of a Tory majority and a weak RUK labour and how we will be punished by the ultra right wing UKIP types now in the Tory party. The weak, the infirm, the poor , in fact all of us who are not mega rich or Tory will feel the retribution.
    Scotland and independence Is our only hope.

    C’mon guys lets not get dragged into their game.

    Reply
  176. jfngw says:

    Is there ever any truth in Davidson’s statements, as when I examine them they are usually misrepresentations of any subject or report.

    Her latest bit of deception is to give the impression that the Tories are now in favour of free prescriptions. As this is a UK election and these matters are devolved what exactly does this mean, they will campaign to have the free Scottish prescription receive extra funding, they will campaign for free prescriptions for the UK. Of course not it’s a bit of empty rhetoric to give a misleading impression.

    Reply
  177. Movy says:

    Andrew Marr was awful. It was so bad – focusing on devolved matters – that I am beginning to wonder if, as a person of Scottish origin, he is concerned to be seen as biased if he isn’t aggressive? Does he secretly agree with her stance but can’t let that be seen? He was so rude, talking over her and not allowing her to complete answers. Truly awful. I thought Nicola handled him extremely well. And to think I used to admire Andrew Marr and his work.

    Reply
  178. HandandShrimp says:

    One plus from the appalling treatment of Corbyn by the media is that just about everyone is aware that the media is biased and needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Anna Burnside a MSM writer herself referred to the scale of the bias and used the term MSM. It is a long haul but hopefully the message is getting across that the media tries to lead not report and that goes for the BBC, Sky and ITV too.

    Reply
  179. Nana says:

    The Sunday Herald’s New Ferret Fact Checker Service Ruth Davidson’s claim that ‘one in five children leave school functionally illiterate’ is … FALSE

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  180. Ken500 says:

    Do people really believe 50% of people in Scotland can’t write?

    What a load of nonsense.

    Andrew Neil giving the Tory a going over.

    Labour Manifesto has SNP policies. Building homes, education, public grid, railways and Royal Mail. Tax on higher bands etc.

    Scotland has over 90% of coverage of politicians for whom they did not vote.

    Many unionists in Scotland do not want to obey UK Law or pay UK taxes.

    Reply
  181. Auld highlander says:

    Tory MP James Heappey tells schoolgirl to F**k off back to Scotland.

    link to dailyrecord.co.uk

    Reply
  182. Brian Powell says:

    Auld highlander

    It is what the Daily Record campaigned for.

    Reply
  183. gus1940 says:

    Marr with Nicola – concentrated on Education – devolved.
    Ridge with Eck – the same.
    Peston with Nicola – a bit fairer but stilll had a go at Education.

    That’s 3 out of 3 so far just Brillo and Brewer to go for a full set.

    Does anybody still believe that the media agenda is not being set daily by our colonial masters.

    Reply
  184. Chick McGregor says:

    Surely the functional innumeracy of the Scottish Tories is a far clearer indictment of the private education system?

    Reply
  185. heedtracker says:

    NOW WATCHING 11:00 – 12:15
    Now WatchingSunday Politics London
    14/05/2017
    Andrew Neil and Tim Donovan are joined by shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, housing minister Brandon Lewis and American political pollster Frank Luntz.

    Great way to end a whole vote tory BBC morning of toryboy BBC propaganda. Apparently the Ligger, a SUN ligger, Heil, and Express? guest think Mrs May is going to win.

    Worst thing about beeb gimps relentless vote tory attack propaganda? its just so boring.

    Cue annoying jaunty light hearted tune, as BBC tory propaganda defrauds democracy all over again.

    Reply
  186. crazycat says:

    @ Nana at 11.20

    That article from The Sunday Herald refers in its headline to “The Sunday Herald’s New Ferret Fact Checker Service” – which is most odd.

    I went to the launch of the Ferret Fact Service (FFS) a few weeks ago, and it is not connected to the SH at all. The Ferret itself is “an independent media co-operative that is owned by its writers and subscribers” (link to theferret.scot). Some of its writers also contribute to the SH from time to time.

    The FFS is funded by Google (something that rather put me off; indeed the whole launch event was a waste of my time and I wish I hadn’t bothered). I know Neil Mackay won’t have written the headline, but I’m puzzled by it.

    Here’s the Ferret article on the subject:
    link to theferret.scot

    Reply
  187. jfngw says:

    Davidson tweet:

    Corbyn’s spokesman saying Jeremy wasn’t on the side of the IRA, but simply seeking peace is offensive to anyone who’s worn the uniform.

    I wasn’t sure which uniform was she referring to, is it the one with the bowler hat?

    Reply
  188. Nana says:

    @crazycat

    I did wonder about that when I saw the Ferret fact checker service and whether there was a connection to theferret.scot.

    @jfngw Here is that tweet.

    link to twitter.com

    Further down the thread there is a link to a petition some of you might want to sign
    link to change.org

    Reply
  189. jfngw says:

    Marr interview comment with Sturgeon now on front of BBC Website, it is of course general election issue or SNP WM record free and merely regurgitation of every recent SNPBad story.

    Reply
  190. crazycat says:

    @ Nana

    I’ve contacted The Ferret to ask them about it. They may not reply today, but if it’s interesting, I’ll report back.

    Reply
  191. Nana says:

    @crazycat. Well done, will be interested to hear what you find out.

    Here’s a few more links before I go out

    link to davesworld2017.wordpress.com

    link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com

    link to scottovoce.wordpress.com

    Heartbreaking
    link to aljazeera.com

    Reply
  192. heedtracker says:

    BBC r4 tories savaging Sturgeon, top billing headline style. BBC r4 tory crew does this every news bulletin headline now, which may say a lot about tories in Scotland chances June 8. They may not be as great as beeb Scotland gimps say.

    Lovely Scottish site here,

    link to edinburgh.org

    with this,

    A vigil for a Scottish Parliament

    Take a stroll up to Calton Hill to see object number 87 from our #Edinburgh101 list, the Parliament Cairn.

    link to edinburgh.org

    It should object number 1 ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  193. Maryscot says:

    James Heappey MP for Wells, Somerset has been suspended today for his comments. Good news.

    Reply
  194. Swami Backverandah says:

    “Ruth Davidson has made a significant switch on health policy by announcing the Scottish Conservatives will endorse free prescriptions in Scotland, as she moves to capture working class unionist votes in the general election, writes Severin Carrell.”

    #weakandwobbly

    Reply
  195. Dr Jim says:

    Well Ruthie’s done it now hasn’t she
    She’s only gone and opened up her coat publicly to reveal her sectarian colours and views and not even trying to hide them now and it looks like she wants to be up to her knees in a certain section of our societies blood (who’s next Muslims Hindus Mormons or just anybody not one of Ruths team)

    She’s gone full on blatant them or us now in the hope of gaining votes
    It’s disgusting and here’s hoping all civilised folk see this for what it is, and the lengths to which she’s happy to go to destroy our country so’s to control it

    Let’s hope the SNP and the Greens don’t let her of the hook with this behaviour

    There’ll be little support from ex soldiers for this

    Reply
  196. crazycat says:

    @ Nana

    The SH have had their knuckles rapped and the online article has been taken down. The print version is apparently in line with the agreement they made with the Ferret.

    The Ferret and its fact checking are completely independent.

    Reply
  197. heedtracker says:

    Even more warning signs. Ich bin ein Dubliner. Dublin is really nice too. City slickers will love it.

    While we in Scotland are stuck with strong stable, bigot tories, laying down the law, telling our kids to fcuk off back to Scotland etc…

    Crush the saboteurs.

    link to irishtimes.com

    Reply
  198. katherine hamilton says:

    Ach, Davidson changing her mind on free prescriptions is mince. She’ll change it back when it suits her.

    Reply
  199. Hamish100 says:

    Frank Luntz– chatting with right wing Andrew Neil basically saying Corbyn is doomed helped along by Neil’s questions. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland -who are they?

    Of course has links with Fox news and Murdoch’s empire.What a coincidental.

    Free independent bbc or press in the UK is just a pipe dream but pushed by the moral corruptable bbc, times, mail, express

    Reply
  200. jfngw says:

    @Swami Backverandah

    What difference does the apparent change in the Tories prescription policy do, nothing it makes no change in Scotland or England since it is not the policy of the Tory Party and Scotland already has it.

    This idea that there can be different policies within single UK parties at the GE is really trying to take the piss out of the voters. Labour are at this trick also, claiming to be for and against income tax rises.

    Reply
  201. heedtracker says:

    Hamish100 says:
    14 May, 2017 at 1:51 pm
    Frank Luntzโ€“ chatting with right wing Andrew Neil basically saying Corbyn is doomed helped along by Neilโ€™s questions. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland -who are they?

    That show alone ended in Ligger Neil’s Prime Minister Mrs May coronation rehearsal for June 8.

    Come on hubris.

    Reply
  202. heedtracker says:

    Vote anyone but SNP stinky old Graun, in the east end today, trying to get the tory vote going a bit.

    “Victory” for the tories? Its the stench of Graun’s hypocrisy that really sticks out up here.

    “Itโ€™s fair to say Kerr was equally shocked by his victory. โ€œWhen you stand as a candidate in the East End of Glasgow for the Conservative party you donโ€™t expect this to happen,โ€ he said after his surprise win.

    Kerr grew up in neighbouring Cranhill and, as a young boy, canvassed for Labour, but decided to join the Tories in 2011 after Ed Miliband became leader. He has put his success down to the fact he is โ€œa local boy, a local voiceโ€, and said he would โ€œstand up for local peopleโ€ who โ€œwanted to send a message to Nicola Sturgeon that they didnโ€™t want a second referendumโ€.

    Reply
  203. Meg merrilees says:

    link to heraldscotland.com

    Article in the sunday herald by Prof Curtice – exposes the myth of Tory working class revival. I’ve copied it in case the paywall obscures it.

    ONE of the UKโ€™s leading political scientists has dismissed claims that the Scottish Tories are enjoying an upsurge in working class support.

    The media focussed on Tory councillors elected to socially-deprived areas Ferguslie Park, Ravenscraig, and Shettleston โ€“ although this was misleading as the first two are part of larger, more prosperous wards.

    However, Professor John Curtice said the gains in those areas were largely due to the single transferable voting system used in Scottish council elections.

    Curtice said the system, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, meant there was a lower threshold for winning a seat in a ward that has a number of councillors.
    He pointed out that the Tories finishing second overall in Scotland on 25 per cent of all votes, meant the party picked up seats in areas in which it had traditionally been weaker.

    He added that the overall Tory success was largely due to an upsurge in support in places such as Aberdeenshire and the Borders โ€“ once strongholds for the party.

    Curtice said: “The Tories didn’t win Shettleston in that sense. It was the threshold they reached. It was because of the proportional system.

    “The Tory vote went up mainly in areas like the North East, Aberdeenshire and the Borders โ€“ middle class parts of these areas โ€“ where they used to win seats in the 1980s and in 1992,” he said. “Those are the places where the Tory vote went up the most โ€“ middle class areas. It was here that there was this bedrock of Tory support.”

    Curtice, a professor of politics at Strathclyde University, added: “People’s initial reaction was that the Tories are winning in working class Scotland, but if the Tories win 25 per cent of the vote of course the electoral system is going to reflect that.

    “So they are gaining traction, but not any particular traction. It was mainly in places in the North East and Borders, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Perthshire โ€“ all locations where the Tories have won support in the relatively recent past, but where their vote collapsed in the late 1990s.”

    So it takes a month for the truth to actually come out?

    Reply
  204. Thepnr says:

    Totally O/T but I see Labour in Wales and doing exactly the same as Labour in Scotland and that is attacking Plaid Cymru just as they do the SNP up here.

    Responding to Leanne Woodโ€™s article in todayโ€™s Sunday Times, Chris Bryant said:

    โ€œThis General Election is a straight fight between Welsh Labour and the Tories. A vote for Plaid is a wasted vote. Leanne Wood knows her party cannot win the election, and a vote for Plaid Cymru just risks letting the Tories walk all over Wales.”

    This takes me back and no doubt will for a many on Wings. A wee video Wales for Yes Scotland made before the Referendum.

    If you missed it first time around it’s worth a watch. Class.

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  205. Dorothy Devine says:

    Thepnr, thanks for that .I loved it first time around and a r.e visit gave me a boost

    Reply
  206. louis.b.argyll says:

    I agree with many on here that, for the purposes of this GE campaign, the SNP should/could remove themselves from all BBC OPINION PROGRAMMES..

    Times are a-changing, the SNP SHOULD PUT IT’S FOOT DOWN REGARDING EDITORIAL BIAS.

    Cause a fuss, risk losing a few ignoramuses, to gain a clearer insight for many. The proof is out there..and on here, but not in BBC output.

    Upset the poisoned apple-cart, it’s that serious.

    Reply
  207. Meg merrilees says:

    Just listened to Nicola and Andrew Marr.

    Thought she was given a tough time but she was brilliant.

    Much better than the other woman on R5 with Emma Barnett but i agree, the material was twisted towards devolved matters and made it irrelevant for a lot of southern listeners…
    Pity!

    Worried about he voice though – I think she’s getting progressively hoarse and notice she’s coughing quite often these days – hope she’ll be ok.
    What a way to spend the weekend!!!

    Reply
  208. jfngw says:

    Found a quote that could have been written for our dear Ruth.

    I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart. But the saying is true: โ€œThe empty vessel makes the greatest sound.โ€

    Reply
  209. Robert Graham says:

    Now it’s obvious what they the Tory party’s intended target is in this election , domestic issues Education being their number one point of attack, they will unhindered by a compliant media peddle the most outrageous lies and half truths.

    The SNP response should be in my opinion be the Tory record, it can’t be defended, keep it simple, who do you trust- the UN – Oxfam – the Red Cross, is it credible these organisations are telling lies,

    All Ruthies lies can’t disguise the fact that all these organisations have found the Tory party guilty of serious mistreatment of disabled people in this country.

    All this is without the rise in food bank use, the increase in Zero hour contracts,

    It’s a totally open goal, even the stupidest person can see things are far from right in this country.

    Reply
  210. 10/30 says:

    Watched the review of the papers late last night on the BBC. The show was hosted by Martine Croxall with Anne Ashworth and Bonnie Greer giving their take on the rags.
    Didn’t start well for Croxall and went down hill fast as Greer savaged May and held her to account over the NHS hacking.The body language and facial expressions on Croxall and Ashworth was something to behold as Croxall tried to desperately to divert Greer away from her rant about May.Would be interesting to hear the instructions coming through Croxall’s earpiece on how to stop Bonnie Greer’s rant.
    Could someone upload the programme from the BBC iPlayer for viewing on the Rev’s site.

    Reply
  211. jfngw says:

    Finally understand the bull riding exercise by our great Scottish Tory leader. Sources close to the Tory party have revealed it was obviously a misunderstanding as she was supposed to be ‘riding the goat’.

    Reply
  212. Robert Kerr says:

    O/T
    More Tory maths.
    From the Independent
    “Mr Fallon also claimed the Government had set aside more than ยฃ1.9bn in an effort to tackle cyber threats, of which a โ€œlarge chunkโ€ of ยฃ50m went to the NHS after an official security review highlighted hacks as a major threat.”
    By my count. 50m is 0.05 bn. 2.6% of total = “a large chunk”
    No wonder there are cost over-runs on defence procurement projects!

    Reply
  213. Edward says:

    Meg merrilees @3:21pm

    For a contrast, suggest watching Nicola Sturgeon being interviewed by Robert Peston on ‘Peston on Sunday’

    Nicola had gone straight from the BBC studios over to the studios of ITV
    But the difference was stark

    Robert Peston was more relaxed , but focused main questions about the General Election and only briefly touched on Education.

    The viewers would have learned more from the Robert Peston interview han the idiotic posturing of Marr

    Reply
  214. boris says:

    link to caltonjock.com

    Reply
  215. Chick McGregor says:

    jfngw

    “Found a quote that could have been written for our dear Ruth.

    I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart. But the saying is true: โ€œThe empty vessel makes the greatest sound.โ€

    Or the Gaelic proverb equivalent:

    Far an taine ‘n abhainn, ‘s ann as mo a fuaim.

    Where the stream runs shallowest, greatest is its noise.

    Reply
  216. Cactus says:

    Aye, people need to be able to read the warning signs.

    Many are obvious, most are subtle.

    Warning signs.

    Be aware.

    Be alert.

    Warning Signs:
    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  217. Meg merrilees says:

    Robert Kerr

    Thakyou for doing the maths. I heard that remark about ยฃ50m going to the NHS for software etc… and thought it wasn’t much in the scheme of things.

    Trouble is ,to most people ยฃ50m sounds like an awful lot of money! 2.6% indeed, well, well.

    How do these chancers sleep at night?

    Reply
  218. Cactus says:

    From Wings twitter with a darling letter to ER:

    “A vote for the Conservatives won’t stop another divisive referendum. It will simply let the SNP win again.”

    link to twitter.com

    SO… that’s a win-win for the SNP then.

    Reply
  219. meg merrilees says:

    Edward

    Thanks for the suggestion’ Just listened to Peston and Nicola.

    Wow – what a different stele completely; Interesting journalism, polite but searching questions and attentive answers.

    NO OPINIONS!!!

    Really showing up the BBC for the blatantly biased corporation it has become

    Reply
  220. Cactus says:

    โ€œA vote for the Conservatives wonโ€™t stop another divisive referendum. It will simply let the SNP win again.โ€

    So the message from the Conservatives to constituents is…

    A vote for the Conservatives will let the SNP win again.

    Therefore, vote for any party EXCEPT the Conservatives.

    Ahhh ha ha ha!

    Genius.

    Reply
  221. jfngw says:

    Apparently Lord Darling has retired from politics, he merely goes to the HoL for a nap. Of course I may be confused and that picture in the fancy regalia may just be a ruse to temp back a particular unionist vote that seems to be drifting Tory.

    Meanwhile the BBC News pumping out more Tory propaganda regarding Sturgeon interview. BBC News the official voice of Tories. They will deny it but it is the point the Tories want to run with and it is not an GE issue as it is devolved.

    Reply
  222. jfngw says:

    Apparently Lord Darling has retired from politics, he merely goes to the HoL for a nap. Of course I may be confused and that picture in the fancy regalia may just be a ruse to temp back a particular unionist vote that seems to be drifting Tory.

    Reply
  223. Dan Huil says:

    Don’t know if this has been posted already:

    link to pbs.twimg.com

    Reply
  224. Cactus says:

    The Wings twitter link above to the tweet re Lord Darlings letter appeal to the excellent people of East Renfrewshire…

    Is another example of a warning sign!

    Did you have a read:
    link to twitter.com

    Sunny Glasgow this Sunday evening.

    Reply
  225. Thepnr says:

    Just reminiscing.

    Tommy Sheridan v Owen Jones 2014.

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  226. North chiel says:

    As regards the Tories ( TM prominent recently attacking the FM on this) and their establishment propagandists fixation on ” Scottish education” could well have an ulterior motive. Notwithstanding the Tory attempts to discredit the FM on her ” supposed failures” on education in the run up to the GE it could well be a forerunner to the ” imposition” of Westminster ” direct rule” on our ” Independent Scottish Education system” , with a victorious May basking in a landslide win , a power grab from Holyrood might commence with ” Scottish Education” top of the list. The likelihood of this will be enhanced if the Tories make significant gains in Scottish seat numbers next month.
    Far from increased devolution of powers being on the agenda, Teresa May will be determined to ” clip the wings” of our fledgling parliament and this could be the real reason for the establishment attack on our centuries old independent Scottish education system .How convenient would it be for May to announce that due to the Scotgov’s ” failure” on this she was rescinding the devolved power and handing control to the ” Scottish office” ( Mundell and his ” emergency response team “?).
    The First Minister was absolutely right recently to ” flag up” the possibility of a Westminster ” power grap” on Holyrood and in the run up to the forthcoming GE the voters must be warned that the ” Independence of our Scottish Education system “is under threat from the Tory Junta in London and their “Scottish lackies”.
    ,

    Reply
  227. Phronesis says:

    A perplexed unionist writes- โ€˜Do shut up Scotland- youโ€™re not supposed to have any voice in running your own affairs. Itโ€™s been a terrible shock to my system to have all those Indy minded MPs in WM reminding us on a daily basis that Scotland is actually a country and not an irrelevant regional backwater.
    I retired from frontline politics because my altruistic self had become so traduced by subverting Scotlandโ€™s will that my only option was to toddle off to the HoL (which doesnโ€™t even pretend to be remotely democratic) where those of an elevated status can make lots of money in our preferred business arrangements that we are allowed to exclusively vote for.
    My heartfelt plea to you all is to keep me resident in the HOL and spare me the trauma of having to interact with the big issues of the day which I spectacularly failed to do when I was actually in governmentโ€™.

    Even the Lib Dems are at it- vote for X to beat the SNP and stop another divisive referendum โ€˜The Liberal Democrats are leading the challenge to the SNP. They are demanding that the Scottish Government drops its independence plan and gets back to work on the economy, schools and health serviceโ€™

    Really.How does one address the economic challenges exactly when SG doesnโ€™t have full control of its economy? And are we not very fortunate that in Scotland we have a government that is ideologically committed to a nationalised health service?

    Can we suggest that the unionist vote is metonymic for rising inequality, illegal wars, the bedroom tax, the destruction of the welfare state, Brexit, the emergent precariat class, dereliction of human rights, a dual economy of rich and poor and a scandalous rise in child poverty.

    Perhaps the UKOK contingent could read this report and reflect on their own divisive politics.

    โ€˜Nearly one in five children in the UK is living in poverty and inequality is blighting their lives, with those from the most deprived backgrounds experiencing much worse health compared with the most affluent. Despite some improvements in the health of UK children over the last decades, there is clear disparity with Europe, and major cause for concernโ€ฆ

    The UK ranks 15 out of 19 Western European countries on infant (under one year of age) mortality and has one of the highest rates for children and young people in Western Europe. There is a strong association between deprivation and mortality, for example infant mortality is more than twice as high in the lowest compared with the highest socio-economic groupsโ€ฆ

    Immunisation is safe and effective, protecting infants, children, and young people against serious and potentially fatal diseases. The UK falls below the WHO target for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, with take-up in England at just 88.2%. Without a sustained high rate of population cover, these diseases will return, as happened with the measles outbreaks in Wales and most recently, southern Europe. The UK needs a public campaign to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination and address vaccine hesitancyโ€™

    link to rcpch.ac.uk

    The resurgent of Victorian childhood diseases- scurvy, rickets, widespread malnutrition and childhood destitution with descriptions that could be lifted out of the Poor Law Minority Report -not exactly the record of good government is it. Perhaps UKOK should stop obsessing about a 2nd referendum and SG competencies and turn their attention to their own failings.

    Reply
  228. Bob Mack says:

    A referendum divisive ? Is it actually then impossible to vote no ?

    What is divisive though is trying to set Protestant against Catholic and other religions to keep your political party in power and a country locked into a destructive union. That is indeed divisive, but will be backed by the media who will call it the will of the people.

    The Tories and Labour should learn from their experience that such actions always end in tears.

    Reply
  229. Patrick Roden says:

    “The bloody cheek of Paxman. Considering his great-grandmother (?) died in the poorhouse in Glasgow”

    Wasn’t it Dundee?

    Reply
  230. Cactus says:

    Just a random thought…

    Scotland is currently in a UK union (of two kingdoms, p&p)

    In addition to the above, say Scotland already stood as an independent individual country member of the EU (along with Ireland’s, England and Wales as separate countries, NOT the UK.)

    Following the vote, how would that scenario play out?!

    “Is this a wall I see before thee..”

    Reply
  231. Fergus Green says:

    Just saw this on Facebook:

    YouGov poll conducted on 9/10 May.

    SNP 46% (+5)
    Tory 26% (-1)
    Lab 14% (-5)
    LibDem 11% (+2)

    Anyone know more about this? I usually go to Scot Goes Pop for poll analysis, but there’s no mention there.

    Very encouraging if true.

    Reply
  232. Thepnr says:

    @Fergus Green

    Well I can’t find a poll from Yougov from 9/10 May though there is today’s published in the Sunday Times from 11/12 May.

    It has a Scottish sub-sample of just 150 and the headline question on Westminster vote can be found on the first page below.

    Now the figures are nothing like what you have given but for some odd reason they have lumped the SNP vote in with Plaid Cymru. Looks like bollocks to me to be honest. Numbers can be found at the link below for anyone interested.

    link to d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net

    Reply
  233. Cactus says:

    Eurovision Song Contest

    “The 43/46 countries represented in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest

    Albania
    Armenia
    Australia
    Austria
    Azerbaijan
    Belarus
    Belgium
    Bulgaria
    Croatia
    Cyprus
    Czech Republic
    Denmark
    England
    Estonia
    Finland
    France
    Germany
    Georgia
    Greece
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Ireland
    Israel
    Italy
    Latvia
    Lithuania
    Northern Ireland
    F. Y. R. Macedonia
    Malta
    Moldova
    Montenegro
    The Netherlands
    Norway
    Poland
    Portugal
    Romania
    Russia
    San Marino
    Scotland
    Serbia
    Slovenia
    Spain
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    Ukraine
    United Kingdom
    Wales

    ***** ***** * * *

    Which is the odd-country-out..?

    Illegal entrants in bold.

    Seeing is believing ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  234. crazycat says:

    @ Thepnr

    I think they’ve put SNP/PC together on a single line because there are no constituencies where they both stand. The separate figures can be found in the appropriate “regional” columns, and it saves them from having two lines with only one non-zero result in each.

    What’s odder is that Wales is lumped in with the Midlands, though all Plaid’s support presumably comes from Wales. That’s not new, though.

    Reply
  235. Marcia says:

    Fergus Green

    This is a subsample of a UK poll. These subsamples are not weighted as a full poll so can be a bit misleading but I think the SNP don’t seem to go below 41% in these subsample polls. They can fluctuate wildly as the latest one today shows. You can find all the poll details on the Yougov website.

    Reply
  236. Cactus says:

    Dang.

    Northern Ireland comes before Norway, but after The Netherlands.

    Sounds like a party!

    Reply
  237. HandandShrimp says:

    Thepnr

    Here is the 9th/10th one

    Again just a sub sample of 152 but there is a consistency of results developing around the 43% mark for the SNP and 28% for the Tories. The SNP have risen a little and the Tories have fallen back, after the initial bump they got from the election being called.

    link to d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net

    Reply
  238. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Just had a swatch at the oddschecker site for GE numbers on the Three Yoon Amigos.

    Mundell (Fluffy, Conservative) 1/5

    Carmichael (Liar, LibDem) 1/3

    Murray (Lonely Boy, Labour) 5/4

    Odds offered for their SNP opponents are 3/1, 10/3 and 2/1 respectively.

    Reply
  239. crazycat says:

    @ Ian Brotherhood

    I don’t understand odds (having never betted) – are the ones you’ve given consistent with Mundell and Carmichael increasing their majorities and Murray losing to the Tory?

    That’s what I’m expecting to happen, as an inveterate pessimist.

    Reply
  240. Cactus says:

    Some Sunday sounds frae yer Mama Cass:
    link to youtube.com

    And you can dance.

    Reply
  241. Hamish100 says:

    When BBC Ms Smith so called journalist just happens to pop up on the Marr show you can’t help wonder if she was there to brief Marr prior to his attack tactics that he employed. 80% of his inquisition of the First Minister had nothing to do with the General Election.

    So ms. Smith how come you just appeared on the same Sunday as the First Minister?
    I thought the BBC had nae money.

    Reply
  242. Ian Brotherhood says:

    It could be read that way for Fluffy and Carmichael, but Murray’s on an altogether stickier wicket. The Tory for Ed South is currently 11/4, 3rd fave behind SNP, so I suppose they must be in with a shout.

    I don’t know if you’ll remember this, but we had that extraordinary few hours, just two, three days before the last GE, when the odds-on SLabbers in Scotland ALL tumbled simultaneously. Say, just for argument’s sake, it was the Monday before the election. It’ll be in the archives, right here, and we were watching it happen. Curious thing was, there seemed no obvious reason for it. No major public event or announcement could be found to account for it. But it was real enough, and by the time it was over the prices gave a pretty accurate reflection of the eventual outcome.

    I had been keeping a record of, say, ten seats which were all held by top SLab folk like Donohoe, Katy Clark etc. They were all heavy faves right up until that afternoon – by late evening they were all tipped to lose or, at best, were on Evens (e.g. Murphy, and we all saw what happened to him).

    I showed my wee chart to a friend who managed a bookmakers shop decades ago when all the odds and shifting prices were handwritten on huge marker boards. This guy knows all the tricks, can calculate ‘Yankees’ and suchlike in his heid, and he was astonished by it – his verdict was that ‘something happened that day’ but we’ve never ever worked out what it was. Only logical conclusion is that the bookies (or, at least one of them) got wind of something which put the frighteners right up them and so, all of a sudden, they ‘knew’ what was going to happen.

    That’s why they usually win in the end!

    And that’s why I’m so suspicious of these numbers. We should expect to see something similar with these three – my gut feeling is that they’ll all remain favourites, but it can’t hold because bookies won’t be damaged by paying out at those odds. They can, literally, afford to keep them that way. But as and when any serious money is placed on the SNP candidates?

    Could be very interesting indeed.

    One more thing – with Fluffy being the only Tory, but his SNP rival currently at 3/1, it suggests that Ruthy D’s bluster about taking x-number of seats across Scotland is nothing more than the kind of crude bluff we’ve come to expect from her.

    Reply
  243. Thepnr says:

    @HandandShrimp

    Cheers HaS

    @Ian Brotherhood

    Funnily enough I’m looking at that right now on Paddy Power, not for a punt but to see what they’re thinking. According to Paddy Power then here are the seats where the SNP are most under threat.

    Don’t forget though that they are favourites to win in many of these seats but the Tories or Lib Dems are close second favourites.

    Aberdeen South

    Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk

    Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross

    Dumfries & Galloway

    Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale

    East Dunbartonshire

    East Lothian

    East Renfrewshire

    Edinburgh North & Leith

    Edinburgh South

    Edinburgh South West

    Edinburgh West

    Moray

    North East Fife

    Orkney & Shetland

    Perth & North Perthshire

    Ross, Skye & Lochaber

    Stirling

    West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine

    I was thinking of writing some more on these seats and the chances of the various parties, for example I don’t believe Angus Robertson will lose Moray for various reasons. Also I just feel that Ian Murray will lose his seat to the SNP and I have reasons for believing that.

    Might be an exercise worth doing though it takes time and I don’t always have a lot to spare so wouldn’t start if I couldn’t do it justice.

    Reply
  244. Robert Graham says:

    Well there you are , Ruthless and her friends in the media get their way,
    National news 10.00 pm Scottish Education failing, with a selected clip of Nicola Sturgeon’s comment from the Andrew Marr program, devoid of any explanation, like the small relevant point it’s only because the SNP put in place measures to gauge pupil performance that were resisted by all parties, there never has been any sort of method like this used before, in a sense the SNP in trying to do the right thing only handed all the opposition parties a big club, and by f/k they grabbed it with glee, bugger the pupils and teachers, we scored a hit aren’t we f/n cleaver . Little barstuards .

    Reply
  245. Thepnr says:

    Does anybody want FREE money? Well better grab it quick because here is the perfect example of how bookies can get it WRONG!

    link to oddschecker.com

    Look at that link above and you will see that Corals will give you odds of 5/6 for UNDER 53.5 seats, self explanatory. the SNP get 53 seats or less then you win. So lets say you put ยฃ60 on your return would be your original stake ยฃ60 plus winnings of ยฃ50, so ยฃ110 back.

    Now what if the SNP get 54 seats or more? Now look at the only other bets on offer, Betway are offering 10/1 for 54 to 57 seats stick a tenner on that and your return including original stake would be ยฃ110 and just for a laugh you put on a bet for SNP to get 57 seats or more at 33/1 say ยฃ3.50. Then if that happened your total return would be ยฃ119.

    Total stake ยฃ73.50 minimum return ยฃ110! Better hurry probably won’t be there much longer since I’ve posted this LOL.

    Reply
  246. Thepnr says:

    Disclaimer re above post, try and stick too much on and you’ll no doubt get screwed over when your bet is refused. Any bets are All at you own risk so don’t be me for your gambling problem ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  247. Meg merrilees says:

    Dearie me – they’re still at it!

    Listening to the late night news on R4

    and now a report from Scotland where I interviewed 4 young Scots ( aged 18-22)
    All 4 are at university, one studying in York. 3 male and 1 female.

    First male is Conservative and he can’t wait to cast his first vote ever, second one is labour, third male is passed over (guess what party he supports) and the girl can’t really decide because she has been too busy with exams and doesn’t really know much about it.

    Yes, you’ve guessed it, the BBC managed to find three Leave voters and one undecided

    Two of the guys and the girl want to stay in the UK union!!! and now we hear that the third guy, because he is SNP, of course, won’t want to stay in the Union, to which he agrees.

    When asked what they are worried about the Conservative says he’s not worried because Brexit will be good and he knows we’ll stay in the UNION.

    The Labour guy is worried that he might not get on the housing ladder but wants to stay in the Union and is not worried about Brexit.

    The girl takes it as it comes because she can’t really make a difference by voting.

    SNP guy tries to explain that Nicola has a mandate and that the Scottish people should make the decision re the Union and he’s worried a bit about Brexit.

    And so the propaganda is perpetuated…

    Reply
  248. K1 says:

    Talking of Angus Robertson, this letter from ‘Moray ‘Leave’ Campaign’ coordinator has been retweeted by the Rev, think oor fishing communities may be getting a wake up call:

    ‘Message to Moray Coastal Communities’

    link to mobile.twitter.com

    Reply
  249. Legerwood says:

    Thepnr

    Yougov poll.

    I think that poll was one I took part in a few days ago. I noticed that the SNP were lumped with PC. One way to muddy the waters. Small sample size too

    Reply
  250. HandandShrimp says:

    They do lump the SNP with PC to get the overall national 6% but the 46% in Scotland are unlikely to be voting PC as are the 2% in the Midlands and Wales to be voting SNP.

    I think the main gripe there is that by lumping in Wales with the Midlands it is very hard to see what PC are doing in the much smaller Wales electorate.

    Reply
  251. Famous15 says:

    Re Scottish education difficulties. What research has been done into the austerity measures by the Tories being a major contributor to lowering basic education standards in Scotland.

    You cannot learn on an empty stomach.

    Reply
  252. crazycat says:

    @ K1

    I can’t remember where I saw this (so it might be rubbish) but that Moray Leave campaigner is allegedly a member of the SNP who stood aside for the EU referendum campaign and has now rejoined.

    So he hasn’t changed his mind on independence or Angus, though his modified views on Brexit might of course persuade some others to join him.

    Reply
  253. K1 says:

    Thanks for the heads up crazycat, if he’s changed his stance re Brexit then yes it could help to persuade others in that sector who too voted leave. Here’s hoping.

    Reply
  254. Thepnr says:

    I maybe should have mentioned that in the other 40 Scottish seats the SNP have an 80% or greater chance of winning and in fact in very many it is a 99% chance.

    Of these 19 seats the “Lord Ashcroft Model” which is a new thing he’s trying combining traditional polling with demographics and betting showed interesting things for these seats.

    Of the 19 only two are Likely Conservative and another two Leaning Conservative. One is Likely Labour (Ian Murray Hahaha) and one Leaning Labour. Carmichaels seat is deemed to be Leaning Lib Dem. Finally for SNP one Likely and one Leaning, the rest of the seats are “too close to call”.

    This is just playing with numbers, no way is Murray going to hold on to his seat when the Tories that voted for him last time desert him, I can’t see the SNP knocking Carmichael out but irt could just happen and Mundell well who knows. I reckon his jaiket is on a right shoogly peg.

    Whatever, this election is not that important for me, really it is an irrelevance. We’re going to have Theresa anointed then we have Brexit. Then we have the main event another Independence Referendum. I’ll do what I can now to get the best result we can, though I will be saving some energy for when it will really be needed because it will be coming.

    All the best Wingers ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  255. Cactus says:

    Scotland is F-F-F Faultlessly excellent!

    Reply
  256. Ian Brotherhood says:

    @Thepnr –

    ๐Ÿ™‚

    I laughed aloud when I saw your disclaimer above. Fantastic.

    You clearly know your way around a Ladbrokes chit, but for those who don’t? the whole ‘bookies’ thing is a nightmare, as crazycat alluded to upthread.

    There seems to be a real distrust of bookmakers generally, as if they’re trying to ‘trick’ people. I don’t believe that, and never have. They literally cannot ‘afford’ to. Yes, they can get involved in dodginess (e.g. I read very recently that Ladbrokes was actually ‘paid’ to promote betting on the Booker Prize, aye, the literary award) but there’s no way they’d dare try to get involved in affecting the outcome of democratic elections. If there was only one ‘State’ bookie, aye, you could imagine it being possible, but with such an open market (and it surely is as open a market as any capitalist could ever dream of) it’s a non-starter.

    That’s not to say they can’t be suckered though – if they’re relying on polls (and that’s another kettle of proverbials) then they’re every bit as susceptible as the rest of us.

    FWIW, I believe SNP will clean-sweep Scotland and the Three Stooges will be jobless on June 9th.

    Let us make it so!

    Reply
  257. Still Positive says:

    pnr @ 11.48

    Not convinced re Orkney & Shetland. Miriam Brett could just take the seat in the light of his (AC) trial. Remains to be seen in the early hours of June 9th.

    Reply
  258. Thepnr says:

    Forget my earlier FREE money bet. Corals have already changed it to under/over 47.5 even though Oddchecker still show over/under 53.5

    Reply
  259. Cactus says:

    Aye aye, I see and agree wae ye bro of bros.

    Anything’s possible..

    #snp59ge17

    Do it.

    Reply
  260. dakk says:

    Famous15 says:
    14 May, 2017 at 11:26 pm
    Re Scottish education difficulties. What research has been done into the austerity measures by the Tories being a major contributor to lowering basic education standards in Scotland.

    You cannot learn on an empty stomach.

    Good point Famous 15

    I have been thinking the same thing since this Yoon offensive started.

    Increased poverty due to being in the Union has a direct effect on learning for children.

    The increasing need for families to use food banks in our Great Britain means we should be comparing education standards to those in the Vicorian era of Darles Chickens.

    Reply
  261. Thepnr says:

    @dakk

    Darles Chickens brought a smile to my face. Brilliant.

    Reply
  262. dakk says:

    @thepnr

    Don’t want to make light of a serious matter,but as Famous 15 said the widening gap between rich and poor,food banks, and the development of underclass by Tories will definitely affect academic achievement.

    This should be pointed out by Scot Gov when Yoon MSM attack.

    Reply
  263. Thepnr says:

    @dakk

    Neither would I ever make light of a serious matter such as hungry children so we are in agreement there.

    I’ve experienced hunger as a child, even on Christmas Day when all the family had to eat was a packet of fish fingers given to us from the neighbour upstairs in the close.

    I’ve had even worse and there were no foodbanks and your mother goes to the Samaritans because that’s how desperate you are. You get no help, they gave her a half empty tin of powder soup.

    That was to feed her and her five children.

    Things are different now, amazingly we all done fairly well despite what life threw at us in the early days, call it resilience and that’s why I fight now for a fairer Scotland.

    I want a Scotland with no hungry children and I won’t accept that this goal is not possible because Tories say it’s not. It bloody well is and it’s our duty to make that happen even if just as human beings that care for the rest of our society.

    We won’t achieve this goal while tied to Westminster. It’s time to make our own future, the naysayers will come around.

    Work your wee cotton socks off to make it happen as I will.

    All the best.

    Reply
  264. Ian Brotherhood says:

    @Thepnr –

    Hear hear brother.

    A fine comment indeed, and one which sends me to the scratcher with a wee smile on my coupon.

    ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  265. boris says:

    This article achieved 6000 hits on my site bu strangely very few from “Wings”. It might be it was missed so I’ll post it once again

    link to caltonjock.com

    Reply
  266. Ed t head says:

    The unionist way is to make as mutch money as they can not think about the future Scotland is a better place as we try to look after the people not stomp on them . I can’t see brexit doing anything positive, and the fishermen might see they have been sold out as agri and fishing are about 0.2 % of uk GDP. I can’t see them being a big voice. Still it’s news in the election with the vote for two faced Ruth and cake tomorrow, or is it thanks Ruth now f off back north we will keep the oil and union at all costs what is the loss of a Tory leader in Scotland as long as we are stron and stable. I did watch SS GB didn’t think it was true but now.

    Reply
  267. gus1940 says:

    Is it not time that BBC News Bulletins were renamed Opinion Bulletins .e.g. The 6 O’Clock Opinions.

    Reply
  268. Nana says:

    Links

    link to indyref2.scot

    Would Scotland need a phased approach to the EU?
    link to scer.scot

    link to rt.com

    link to grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com

    Reply
  269. Nana says:

    link to indyref2.scot

    link to ayerightradio.wordpress.com

    Opposition parties slam โ€˜humiliating shiftโ€™ as Tories make a U-turn and back free prescriptions
    link to archive.is

    link to mewsingoutloud.wordpress.com

    Reply
  270. Nana says:

    link to thecanary.co

    Archiving only saves part of the articles, I donโ€™t have time to copy the article.
    link to independent.co.uk

    An NHS Chief Executive revealed that Theresa May ordered a cover up of the NHS crisis
    Listen here
    link to twitter.com

    Nurses vote in support of strike ballot over low pay
    link to archive.is

    Reply
  271. Smallaxe says:

    Nana, Good Morning.ย Overcast and wet hereย today.ย Thank you, for yourย links.
    Kettle’s on! Peace Always.
    ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  272. heedtracker says:

    Can you believe World No.1 Andy Murray is 30 today! Happy Birthday Andy, Scotland’s greatest athlete ever.

    link to atpworldtour.com

    Reply
  273. Nana says:

    Good morning Smallaxe, doesn’t look too bad here, cloudy but dry.

    A few more links for later

    link to skwawkbox.org

    link to silicon.co.uk

    link to presstv.com

    Reply
  274. Breeks says:

    I am gobsmacked by the Tories attitude towards debate in the media.

    We have a Tory PM who will not debate, on a media which will not cross examine or interrogate the Tories, turns a blind eye and deaf ear to the agitation of sectarianism, while “kettling” Nicola Sturgeon to discuss only devolved matters.

    And yet the UK still wonders how Brexit happened.

    Reply
  275. Nana says:

    @crazycat

    Thank you & well done. Goodness me I wonder if anyone at the SH feels any shame.

    Just spotted this

    link to irishtimes.com

    Reply
  276. TheItalianJob says:

    Great posts and the disgraceful interview by Marr et al with NS on non election issues and the follow up news articles were the Establishment at their most devious.

    @Thepnr

    Good posts your childhood one really hit home as to why Scotland needs to be Independent.

    Beware the “Ides of May”. They want to postpone The Indyref to at least 2021 when they are are targeting an non SNP majority in the Scot Parliament.
    No SNP majority.

    No Indyref and no Independence.

    Reply
  277. Bill says:

    Slight OT but it has been mentioned, I fact it’s all over Facebook and Twitter about Trident’s Windows for Submarines.

    Yes it’s XP, but a version that has been tweaked by MOD programmers and has updates. Nevertheless can someone point out where the USB port is on the hull, I don’t remember seeing one.

    Reply
  278. galamcennalath says:

    TheItalianJob says:

    They want to postpone The Indyref to at least 2021 when they are are targeting an non SNP majority in the Scot Parliament. No SNP majority. No Indyref and no Independence.

    Definitely. Also, after Brexit they will begin to change the UK in big ways. Laws, rights, devolution, regulation, health and safety, food standard … all changed to achieve their demonic vision!

    Without EU and ECJ oversight they can do what the wish with Scotland.

    The RIGHT time for ScotRef is immediately after we know the form Brexit will take, and well before it happens. And I keep thinking that might be much sooner than we expect if it’s a crash and burn Brexit.

    Reply
  279. Ken500 says:

    They are lying about the Scottish education system.The SNP put in more stringent tests than before. It is just the same. With more inclusion. There is a need for more additional needs training for teachers. The one in five (20%) can’t write with proficiency is not true. They have miscalculated the figures. Deliberately?

    In England class sizes are 36. They are trying to reduce it to 31. Education spending has been cut and tuition fees are ยฃ9000.

    Scotland has one if the highest % of population going to University. 55%. The unionists were means testing student loans on household income. Students of households of average income could not get a full loan. Now even more will go to University. Scotland pro rata has more Universities. 5 million pop – 15 Universities + Colleges and good apprenticeships.

    Labour have copied SNP policies. – education, public grid, Royal Mail and Rail. The SNP Gov wanted to take the railways into public ownership. Westminster refused. The unionists refused most powers that were promised.

    Brexit. According to May, ‘good will’ will being agreement on Irish border. No such agreement for Scotland to stay in the EU. The EU costs nothing and brings benefits for Dcotland. The UK Union costs Scotland ยฃ20Billion a year. Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. The US/UK have caused the worst migration crisis in Europe since 11WW. Germany has taken in 20% pop of migrants and is doing well.

    Fishing. The unionist red herring. The fishing industry threw back dead fish for years. They just had to use bigger nets. Like Norway. They destroyed their own industry. The Spanish 5%? Any government would have had to bring in conservation measures. Under EU regulation each home port has an exclusive 12 mile limit for home vessels.

    They opened up MacDuff Harbour for three boats. Someone is employed 9-5 week days to catch the ropes so the boats can land. A skipper was complaining saying someone should be employed all the time at taxpayers expense. Why doesn’t he employ someone or give someone a phone to help. Or land when there is someone there. The crew were foreign. The fishing industry needs migrant workers and the EU markets for the best prices. There is low unemployment in the NE because with transferable skills they went and worked in the Oil industry on the rugs or supply boats and got better conditions. The Tories have ruined the Oil sector with high Tory taxes. Lost ยฃBillions and 120,000 jobs. The fishing quotas have increased. EU investment/Grants are funding an extension of the fish market.

    Alex Salmond was the MP for Banff and Buchan for years. 10,000 majority. The SNP has high support in the NE.

    The STV system should be changed. It is just ridiculous. The voters do not understand it. It is not representative of the vote,

    Reply
  280. Dorothy Devine says:

    Nana, thanks for the Canary with Mr Corbyn – he spoke well and I grudgingly like him, apart from his complete lack of knowledge of Scotland.

    Reply
  281. gus1940 says:

    O/T

    I see that BBC Alba have made a series of programs based on a journey round The North Coast 500 with the first program going out this tuesday on Alba at 20.30.

    I hope that this series is eventually broadcast on BBC Scotland.

    Given the plethora of soaps, cookery, property and confusingly contrived quiz programs it would be a pleasant change.

    I suppose it would be too much to expect it to be shown nationwide i.e. UK although we are subjected to all the similar programs featuring England.

    While on the subject why not show the excellent Landward on the network.

    I suppose that it wouldn’t suit the WM political agenda to give any prominence to their northern colony.

    Reply
  282. TheItalianJob says:

    @galamcennalath

    Exactly and that’s why we need to keep the pressure on for an Indyref in the next year or so.

    Westminster know they are currently on a sticky wicket with regards to Indyref, which they are likely to lose in the current climate.

    The people of Scotland voted for a pro Indy majority in the Scots Parliament in which our democratically elected MSPs voted for another Independence ref.

    To then try and deny this right to the people of Scotland is not what democracy is about. But we are talking about Westminster politics here which as we know is about as democratic as a dictatorship ship is vis-a-vis FPTP and non elected upper chamber full of party donors and friends of the Westminster parties elites.

    My case rests.

    Reply
  283. sensibledave says:

    Cactus 9 .48

    Which is the odd country out?

    I am guessing …. Australia?

    Reply
  284. dakk says:

    @thepnr 1.32 am

    Well said,and we all know we are headed back there or worse under WM rule.

    I try do my bit on an ongoing basis using the info gleaned on here to fight our cause.As we all must.

    Reply
  285. sensibledave says:

    Sunniva 10:52 am

    You wrote “Marr interview was disappointing. This was a GE. Why did he keep 98% of the interview to devolved matters”

    … maybe because Ms Surgeon is First Minister of Scotland and isn’t putting herself forward for election to HoC?

    Reply
  286. gus1940 says:

    Here is an idea for The SNP Manifesto:-

    In what was/is probably the largest in a long line of Asset Stripping Exercises performed on Scotland every single penny of the proceeds of Council House Sales in Scotland went directly to The Westminster Treasury instead of being retained by the councils to build new houses for rent.

    The SNP should demand that every last one of these pennies plus interest and an amount based on inflation be refunded to the councils to build new houses for rent.

    Reply
  287. gus1940 says:

    Even if we ignore the fact that Scotland voted 62 to 38 in favour of Remain our wonderful near 100% Leave media together with May and her Moronic Three Musketeers seem to have forgotten that Leave only won by 52 to 48.

    However, anybody perusing the media and what May & Co. are excreting over us would get the impression that the whole UK is up in arms demanding Brexit.

    Reply
  288. Sunniva says:

    Geez, sensible Dave, she is also the leader of the SNP.

    Reply
  289. sensibledave says:

    Sunniva 9:52 am

    You wrote “Geez, sensible Dave, she is also the leader of the SNP.”

    …. I say again, she is not a candidate in the General Election but she is First Minister of the Scottish Government and isn’t her record of leadership in government, in Scotland, the thing she should actually be questioned about?

    Reply
  290. Brian Powell says:

    As much as many in Scotland admire or respect Jeremy Corbyn for Scotland he is a non-goer.

    Even if we ignore the facts, such as he is against independence and is Leader of a Party which voted down every SNP amendment that would have increased powers in Holyrood, there are two further massive issues.

    First he won’t be the next PM, second if Labour somehow got in the Tories would be back and continue where they left off. Third, every policy he put forward doesn’t take Brexit into account.

    Reply
  291. Socrates MacSporran says:

    According to a Daily Depress headline which I spotted on the Rev’s twitter feed: “Ruth Davidson has parked her tanks on Alex Salmond’s front lawn.

    Is one tank not enough for Ruthie – Tank Commander?

    Reply
  292. louis.b.argyll says:

    Was Trident hacked?

    I hope not..but what with a weaponised crew and their mental health, missile glitches, crashes into bridges and hackers…Trident IS TOO DANGEROUS TO BE ANCHORED NEAR SUCH A LARGE POPULATION.

    Reply
  293. ronnie anderson says:

    Why bother using a envelope when you print the message on the front of the envelope.

    Will you be in on the 22nd May ?

    Another intimidating threat from Darlington ( bbc licence fee ) will be dropping through your letter boxes ( variable dates if they come at all )

    Dont pay the Bbc Licence Propoganda Fee .

    Reply
  294. heedtracker says:

    “Trident is too dangerous to be anchored near such a large population.” So its not.

    Strategy dictates you keep your WMD’s as far from main population centres as possible. But not too far. Orkney was considered a Polaris and then Trident site but clearly too exposed and its a little too far away to protect large population centres.

    Reply
  295. Ken500 says:

    McMilliian insisted on getting Polaris.The US did not want the UK to get it. It was going to be sited at Fort William but the Americans wanted it at Faslane. Without the majority in Scotland’s permission. All the work is done in Devonport or Barrow but the subs are sited in Scotland with the radiation problems. They can site them in the rest of the UK and pay for them. With Brexit they could be gone. They are supposed to part of EU Defence. More than likely they will be moved or scrapped.

    Reply
  296. asklair says:

    Was going to reply to a troll post, but we all know, do not feed the trolls. Still not got a TV licence, never had one, sorry to read about the interview done by Marr, but……. it is the BBC. There are many gestures we make to free ourselves from the shackles of Westminster, non-payment of the TV licence is simple and the more who do it then the more powerful it will become.

    Reply
  297. David Cunningham says:

    Ruthie in London directing operations.

    Shouting North that Nationalism is not Patriotism but too feart to say it in Scotland.

    Will we hear her from so far away?

    PS:

    Gary adopts the new technique on interviewing FM this morning.

    FM I’ll ask you a question and then after 2 secs I’ll ask you another one and repeat ad nauseam ?

    Reply
  298. Rob says:

    TV Licence follow-on.

    I’m in a wee village in darkest Aberdeenshire. I haven’t had a TV licence since November last year. No regrets. I’ve just had a chap come to the door asking about that status, he was satisfied when I said I didn’t watch broadcast television. He didn’t ask to see the TV and was happy to record me as not needing a licence, telling me I wouldn’t be getting any more reminders or warnings. Just for the courtesy of it, I let him in to see the set (aerial-free) for himself. Painless.

    Reply
  299. Regarding, Gary in this case, non stop interviewing and interrupting: they must dream that they are Jeremy Paxman at his best. They all nag about the same topics, the same printout. Nicola is a star.
    Although Andrew Marr did also rabbit away at Mr Fallon. Emily is nicely unflappable. She was dismissive of Mr Fallon.
    Beware the properly dressed Conservatives, with tie.

    Reply
  300. Jack Murphy says:

    This morning. BREXIT. First Minister.
    “Nicola Sturgeon has said a vote for the SNP would strengthen Scotland’s hand over Brexit and allow her to argue for a seat at the Brexit negotiating table.

    The first minister was speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme ahead of the 8 June election.

    The Scottish government wants Scotland to remain in the EU – and in particular the single market…….”

    “And, by voting for the SNP, to give me the ability to strengthen Scotland’s hands in those [Brexit] negotiations, get a seat at the negotiating table and argue for Scotland’s place in the single market.

    Scotland’s first minister went on to reiterate that if Scotland became independent then she would want the country to be a member of the EU……….”

    IT’S A MUST,TO BE AT THE BREXIT TALKS AND REMAIN IN THE SINGLE MARKET.

    Even more importantly it’s vital for Scotland to be a full member of the European Union. ๐Ÿ™‚

    BBC Scotland:
    link to archive.is

    Reply
  301. Dr Jim says:

    SKY News

    Phew! Thank goodness the Tories are apologising for being racist sectarian bigots now, so that’s OK then everything’s alright

    Sorted

    Reply
  302. admiral says:

    Dr Jim says:

    15 May, 2017 at 11:29 am

    SKY News

    Phew! Thank goodness the Tories are apologising for being racist sectarian bigots now, so thatโ€™s OK then everythingโ€™s alright

    Sorted

    Yes, sorry cures everything (if you are a Tory). Caught red-handed (no pun) committing large scale electoral fraud? No problem – just say oops, you’re sorry, the CPS will understand and withdraw criminal charges.

    Reply
  303. Capella says:

    To counter the Scottish Education bad meme being carefully spread by the BBC, here is a 2014 report by the ONS which puts the recent test results in context.
    Scotland is the best educated country in Europe:

    It says that nearly 45 per cent of people in Scotland aged between 25 and 64 have had some kind of tertiary education โ€“ including university degrees and further education โ€” ahead of Ireland, Luxembourg and Finland, which were the only other countries to get more than 40 per cent.

    “In terms of the proportion of the population going into higher and tertiary education, Scotland actually has just about the highest in the world,โ€ ONS chief economic adviser Joe Grice told ITV News.”

    โ€œScotland also does very well in terms of people in the working-age population (16-64) that have got a qualification at NVQ4 or above.โ€

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  304. Jack Murphy says:

    Nana said at 7:34am:
    Links
    “http://indyref2.scot/why-is-bbc-scotland-targeting-devolved-areas-in-a-general-election-campaign…………”

    Everyone should read this article—-it’s vital for the democratic process in the devolved broadcaster otherwise known as the BBC in Scotland.

    It was only last year the Director of BBC Scotland Donalda MacKinnon said,”My mission is to restore trust in the BBC”!!!!

    I’ll politely repeat—-read the link. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  305. Jack Murphy says:

    Link:
    link to indyref2.scot

    Reply
  306. meg merrilees says:

    Well there may be a silver lining to some of this…

    Scottish newspapers not printing very much about the upcoming election other than SNP baad, tRuthless wonderful.

    They may not be giving much(any) oxygen to the SNP campaign but they can’t help themselves with tRuthless’ team. She gets a daily mention.

    Given that there is so much publicity about her ‘parking her tanks’ on A. Salmond’s lawn and her treat to unseat him – it could be a brilliant strategy to galvanise the SNP voters to come out in their droves and free publicity to GOTV.

    It will bring out the best in Alex and I’m sure he’ll relish the fight. If she struggles with Emma (? forgotten her surname) on R5 live she’ll be chaff in the wind with Alex.

    Bring it on!

    Reply
  307. t42 says:

    i don’t understand who would vote for that disgusting person who eats lice out of his beard?

    Reply
  308. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Ruth D has been taking a total doing since last night over her ‘IRA/Corbyn’ tweet.

    If you’re on The Twitter, please RT each and every condemnation of her stupid and dangerous comment. We’re seeing the same pattern as with the ‘R’ Clause – she shouts ‘Fire’ in the cinema, then fucks off.

    She’s openly inciting unrest and she must be stopped.

    Reply
  309. Nana says:

    The Scottish Tory leader has made an epic balls up in just 23 words [TWEETS]

    link to thecanary.co

    Reply
  310. Thepnr says:

    @Nana

    Glad to see the Canary picked up on that. Ruth Davidson is evil, seriously she’s just evil and cares only for her own career.

    Reply
  311. Nana says:

    @Thepnr

    She is bad to the bone. She is like a smiling assassin, laughing while she sticks the knife in.

    I’m trying to maintain a good BP level right now Pnr but it ain’t easy. lol

    Reply


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