The Wee Blue Book – how you can help
We’ve been absolutely blown away by the response to The Wee Blue Book, readers. As we write this it’s about to pass an astonishing 200,000 downloads in just two days, and we’re besieged by enquiries about the print edition, which should be rolling off the presses any time now.
But it’s no use just sitting around patting ourselves on the back about how much Yes supporters seem to like it. The most exciting and encouraging responses have come from No and undecided voters, and we need to get the book into as many people’s hands as possible in the next five weeks. Let’s get to work.
Firstly, lots of people have asked us for permission to do their own print runs of the book. We hereby publicly grant that permission to anyone and everyone. You don’t need to ask us individually. If you can afford to make copies yourself and distribute them in your own area, that’s brilliant – it saves a lot of money and admin.
If you can’t, though, don’t worry. A large part of our fundraising money from March this year has been set aside for printing the WBB. The first collector’s-edition run of 20,000 should be on the streets within days, another 50,000 will follow right on its heels, and probably more after that. If the demand keeps outstripping supply, we may do another fundraiser to pay for more.
If you’d like some to give out on doorsteps or wherever, please drop us a line via our contact form USING THE SUBJECT LINE “WEE BLUE BOOK DISTRIBUTION” and we’ll get them to you.
(Please only get in touch under that subject line if you can distribute at least 1000 copies. Obviously we don’t have enough yet to put through every door in Scotland, so we’ll be prioritising orders that can serve as large local “hubs” – if you want smaller numbers, we’ll tell you where to get them from somewhere near you.)
We’ve also printed tens of thousands of business cards containing a link and QR code for instant download of the digital edition. These can be easily handed out in the streets, popped through letterboxes, left in shops and pubs and so on (only with the proprietor’s permission, of course).
You’ll be able to pick the business cards up from the same places as the books themselves, or just get some made yourself using the image files. We recommend VistaPrint for fast, cheap, high-quality printing – if you click this link it’ll take you to the appropriate section of their website – but you may have your own favourites.
The process is very simple – just upload the front and back images. (The reverse side is slightly more fiddly – you’ll need to remove the two bits of text “furniture” and then manually size and position the image to fit inside the dotted lines, as shown in the diagrams above, but otherwise it’s child’s play.)
We use fancy-pants high-gloss finishes, but the basic card will do fine – you can get 500 made for under £14 (plus £6 postage), or five times as many for twice the price.
We also have a single-sided version (below), but on VistaPrint that doesn’t actually work out any cheaper. It may do with other printers, so feel free to use it if you prefer. (If you use the single-sided version you can stick anything you want on the reverse side, like a list of other websites or whatever.)
You get the idea, anyway. Everyone can do something, whether it’s printing copies of the book, giving out cards or just sharing links and pictures on social media. But the important thing is that we need to get out of our comfort zone and reach people who aren’t already voting Yes, because otherwise it counts for nothing. Spread the word.
Hi Stu, I’ve downloaded all versions and printed a few to dish out. I have a duplex laser printer and would like to make the booklet up as it would be a bit handier to carry about A5 size. Can you possibly provide a download in the correct order for duplex printing so that I may produce the booklet please
It’s been a tonic, that Wee Blue Book. I posted details on my blog and it has been by far the most popular page view of recent times. Also, lots of clicks on the download link too. Hopefully its undecideds looking at it.
WEE BLUE BOOK DISTRIBUTION
Hi, I’m part of the Yes Paisley team, we have been running regular street stalls and also coffee mornings for undecided voters. We’ve been canvassing a lot and have quite a number of undecided voters identified. The Wee Blue Book would be an excellent source of information that we could pass onto them. We can also hand some out from the Yes Paisley shop. We could easily shift 2,000 or so if you have enough – any amount would be gratefully received.
thanks
Kenny
I could do with 600 of the W.B.B so I would need someone in the Chapelhall Airdrie area to take the other 400 .
Uncle Ronnie I am looking for your help in this as I know your house is a veritable treasure trove of YES goodies .
Rev , well done on all your hard work , it’s great to see our money being put to good use .
I’d be quite happy to sit at a street stall and hand them out to undecideds in Edinburgh. Anyother wingers in the area fancy it?
Now we’re talking
This is more stirring that young Nicola’s rendition of Loch Lomond at the opening ceremony!
Stu, you’re an absolute bloody marvel.
Hi Rev.
It may be something at my end, I’m not sure…
When I click on either the “front” or “back” for the business card links all I see is the “back” image.
downloaded and opened in a variety of packages and only see the “back”.
Advice?
Stu.
When giving permission to everybody to feel free to print copies I think it should be added that the contet may not be changed in anyway.
Rev
Any bus shelter or roadside ads planned with
“Have you read the Wee Blue Book yet” style prompting, people hate to feel left out and many love a challenge?
Theres also those vans that drive around with Advert trailers behind, might be worth considering?
Hi Kenny
I am looking forward to seeing you and the team in Paisley this weekend.
I’m really glad we are handing out the Wee blue book.
I’m sure you have secreted a camera about our apartment Stu. How else would you know to put this thread up today? 😉 I mean here we were discussing our YES South Annandale meeting TONIGHT and look what pops up on Wings? 😀
Coincidence, NAW I say inside knowledge! 😛
this is pure wonderful amazing, the truth is getting out there. “don’t blame the media, become the media”.
everything needs to be said @ the right time and this is exactly the right time. welldone to all concerned.
don’t let WM to continue to steal our futures, they have already stolen enough of them!
We could also try, via our respective online avenues to get
WeeBlueBook Wednesday going!
I’ve already forwarded it to 2 undecideds and one No.
Appending the link on my e mail too so everyone I e mail gets the opportunity to read or download it.
How about asking the Sunday Herald if they could put a copy of the Wee Blue Book into each edition, on one of the Sundays between now and 18 September?
200000??? This is BIG.
Hi, Has anyone found a good deal with a printer for getting the book printed?
Best wishes,
Ed
Yeah i’m in Airdrie too and part of the local yes group. I’d love to ge some and will make a wee request asap.
Cheer’ for this Stu this could be our wee game changer.
The Wee Blue Book Club
Is that not the Big Wee Blue Book Club?
On the best seller list?
Will it be getting serialised by the Herald or Scotsman?
I’ll get me coat.
🙂
Just point me towards the Edinburgh hub. 😉
I know it’s not much, but I emailed the PDF file to the wife at work and asked her to pass the email on if she finds anyone looking for more information, or is not sure how to vote.
Socrates MacSporran – what a great idea. I wonder if Stu has approached the Sunday Herald to ask if they would do this. It would shurely increase their sales on that particular Sunday. Maybe, though, it could lead to the same people getting 2 or more copies and we’ll all manage, in our own way, to get as many, or more, delivered ourselves.
I’m going round to my Yes shop in Easter Rd, to ask if they will take the WBB for distribution or just handing out in the shop. I’ll let you know their response.
James Sneddon + CammyB – do we need to get the council’s permission to have a stall for distributing the WBB? I’d be happy to help do this, as long as it’s from lunchtime-ish onwards. 🙂
@Nation Libre – I use a duplex colour laser. You will find that the paper tray probably can be set to take A5 stock (remember to adjust the thing that tells the printer what stock size is in the tray!).
I use the original “desk top edition” of the WBB, print off pages 1 and 37 (any number of copies as required); then print off pages 2 to 36 (same number as before).
Make sure you single side the cover pages and have them set as portrait.
Make sure you double side the body pages, have them set to landscape and “flip on SHORT side”.
You can then put together a booklet with staples on the short side at the top of the front page. It has four A6 sized pages per sheet inside that are perfectly readable.
That will produce a booklet of 20 sheets. My semi-industrial stapler does struggle a wee bit, but hey, where’s the fun in a stress free production run? 😉
At last night’s meeting in Troon with Jim Sillars, Philippa Whitford, Ivan McKie and Ben Brotherston on the panel, we shifted all the booklets I made earlier; they went like snaw aff a dyke. The place was packed and had to turn folk (confirmed Yessers) away.
“Can you possibly provide a download in the correct order for duplex printing so that I may produce the booklet please”
I’m not actually sure what that means. The book is designed to be A6 size, by the way, for easy pocketability.
[…] « The Wee Blue Book – how you can help […]
Hi, I’m part of the group ” EU Citizens for an independent Scotland and I would love 2000 copies if possible to distribute. I live in Beith , North Ayrshire.
Cheers 🙂
The wee Blue Book is a cracking read Rev.
I have to hand it to you this time. Can’t count how many time i have been surprised .
We owe you a debt that will never be repaid Stuart Campbell. I hope one day to shake the hand of Scotland’s Premier Blog.
Huge thanks
Rev., I think Nation Libre is asking for the document to be ‘imposed’ i.e. set up as printer’s pairs rather than reader’s pairs. I wasn’t in production so that is where my expertise ends. 🙂
Try making up a wee booklet from scrap paper, numbering each page. This will give you the order the pages need to run, apparently. 🙂
I may just be terribly confused though. 🙂
I’d like 300 for my area of Dundee. I’ve emailed Stu to enquire who in Dundee wil be distributing them.
If anybody else in Dundee knows of plans can you let me know please.
(After just receiving a reply from Yes Dundee saying they won’t be ordering any as they have plenty of the Your Choice booklets etc to be delivered….)
TJenny- You don’t need council permission. I got advice from Edinburgh North and Leith about this. The important thing is not to cause obstruction. At the moment I’m trying to source tables and transport etc. Another thing I’m working on is setting up a central Edinburgh distribution point where YES groups can collect WBB’s for distribution to undecideds. I will bear in mind your availability for the stall thanks.
If anyone wants to help me distribute at Danderhall, Edinburgh please let me know. Thanks Ed
@Nation Libre
I did my own A5 version just using screen captures. It is perfectly readable but my laser printer prints ‘smudge’ artifacts that don’t show on the screen.
Wouldn’t be a problem with pdf originals.
The A5 size is perfect because folk can keep it in their pocket or handbag. It is also a lot cheaper in terms of ink and paper and faster than printing A5s.
Plus, just a couple of staples and wullah! a proper wee booklet.
I would say though, that I would prefer two separate pdfs one for front and one for back since my laser printer does not have duplex. No big deal refeeding the reverse side.
I’ll send the Rev low res/bandwidth jpegs since working out layout for them is a bit time consuming.
Hope he has the time to do this.
“Can you possibly provide a download in the correct order for duplex printing so that I may produce the booklet please”
That is a function of your printing program.
Go to ‘print’ and then select ‘properties’ then the ‘Document Options’ tab.
This should give you the option to print in “Booklet Layout” and the program will calculate the page positions.
TJenny
I’m keen though don’t know the ins and outs of getting permission. I’d be happy simply to hit the streets, even though they are full of non-voters right now.
James Sneddon
I’m, free. 🙂
link to bbc.co.uk
I remember the Scotlands Future white paper was available free on amazon. It would be good to get The Wee Blue Book on there as well. Shouldn’t be too hard to get it on the best seller list if we all download a copy.
link to kdp.amazon.com
Not so sure that getting it into people’s hands is going to be the challenge.
After all anyone who wants it can freely download it.
The challenge will be getting people to actually read it with an open mind.
There are those who’ll see the Wings logo and go: “ooo, no, that’s those nasty Cybernats the papers warned us about!”
(And yes, I’ve actually met people who are that heavily brainwashed!)
Not to mention those No voters who are unwilling to even look at the other side of the story.
(Ashamed to admit I have one of those in my own family!)
Still, I agree that anyone who does make the small effort to read this will find themselves with no viable excuse for considering a No vote. Very well written! 🙂
I’ll definitely be passing the link around as much as I can 🙂
But goldenayr…
WHAT IS THEIR CONTINGENCY PLAN B?
Hello,
I’ve got a question on the statement on the Currency in the Wee Blue Book
“No matter what happens after a Yes vote, whether the UK government agrees to a currency union or not (although the overwhelming likelihood is that it will), Scotland WILL keep the pound. Because of the nature of Sterling, this is one of the few aspects of the debate which can be absolutely, unequivocally guaranteed.”
Don’t you mean “CAN” keep the pound, not “WILL”. In the unlikely event of a CU being refused, afaik there has been no announcement of the chosen plan out of the options available, therefore using “WILL” isn’t accurate here.
Cheers,
Eoan
Rev, google chrome on my ipad is blocking all WWB downloads but Netscape downloads them all.
@Eoan i like WILL better as it is statement of fact ,where as CAN suggests something we will be allowed to do by another party ie westminster who will have no say in what we WILL do post yes 😉
Contact form sent.
I could definitely use 1,000 copies and would be really happy to be a hub for folk who would like a wee bundle.
Thanks again Rev – the WBB is absolutely excellent.
The Bank of England remains the lender of last resort to Scottish financial institutions and the guarantor of the currency during the period of negotiation over how Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom separate.
Tobias Hendry says:
“I remember the Scotlands Future white paper was available free on amazon. It would be good to get The Wee Blue Book on there as well. Shouldn’t be too hard to get it on the best seller list if we all download a copy.”
Good call – it’ll get it significantly more attention in the MSM.
@Eoan
On the STV debate and since Alex Salmond has consistently said Scotland WILL be using the pound. Stu is quite right. It doesn’t matter what happens, CU or not, Scotland will use the pound.
heedtracker
All the ducks appear to be lining up. Must be kismet. 🙂
Eoan
will keep the £ after a yes vote is fine. from the BoE
link to bbc.co.uk
This is the only link or download chrome let’s through
link to smashwords.com
I’ll email you Stuart but I need at least 2,500 to cover my little forgotten part of the North East. I can also drop off to other distributors if you want.
@ CameronB Brodie, all that “give us yer plan B AlicSamin” Flipper Darling finger jabbing, shouty posturing last week goes down the yew kay drain.
Wonder what’s made the Treasury act now? Good lunch in the City no doubt, on expenses.
@Derek M I’d say “CAN” says we can if we chose to no matter what. “WILL” means we will.
@heedtracker Ok, it says “after a Yes vote” — I read that as meaning on Independence Day. If this is meant to mean between Yes vote and Independence Day then fine, but it didn’t read like that to me.
@CharlieMurphy
Is that Duggie reappearing with a new altar-ego?
(gettit!)
CharlieMurphy
Brother Number Ane, if you don’t mind.
heedtracker
it’s something they dreamed up in desperation, it’s all they had.
now it comes back to haunt them.
should sturgeon take salmond’s place @ the next “debate” i wonder?
@desimond
Nah Chaz aint our wee 👿 duggie, duggie was far more articulate when he talked utter rubbish. 😀
@ Eoan, it’s there in black and white old fruitee,
“The Bank of England remains the lender of last resort to Scottish financial institutions and the guarantor of the currency during the period of negotiation over how Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom separate.”
The real laugh in all the CIF frighteners that I read from my Slovene girlfriend to ace but mentalist Professor Adamski Tomkins at Glesga, is negations will take a decade or more.
Sp, another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust, and another one bites another one bites the dust… Doing my Freddy Mercury thing here”
I’m 62 years of age,well educated(degree level in physics),and I’m streetwise due to my upbringing.I tire of all the debate about this referendum ,but one thing I do know is that someone is trying to con me,and it ain’t Alex Salmond
Thanks for all the kind offers of help here and on twitter. I’ve got a central Edinburgh distribution centre set up (Hub in new money) Rutland Square can’t get more central than that!). So just waiting on WBB’s arriving and coordinating times with various YES groups for them to be collected or delivered to them (depending on availability of car) As regards street stall I’m thinking more of handing out copies from bags. It’s just the best locations I’m thinking off. Given it’s the festival I want to reach locals living in Scotland not the visitors. So thinking along lines of shopping malls. Any other suggestions regarding locality welcome.
Completely O/T
Talking to my nephew on the phone about who was getting the messages for my sister’s return home tonight,
“You know I’m No inclined. (At Christmas he was dead against!) What did you make of the debate? (Nothing as I don’t do TV) What was reported in the papers wasn’t what I saw at all. I was impressed by Alex Salmond. Darling came across as a nasty, shouty, pointy man.”
And I’d not said a word!
PS He’ll be getting a Wee Blue Book 😉
@ fred blogger, no I stand by Salmond personally. Sturgeon would be much the same and anyway, just because AlicSamin is teamGB’s public enemy no 1, he doesn’t poll that way here in Scotland, dark and deepest Surrey? Not so much etc.
One game changer? Two reports.
link to bbc.co.uk
link to bbc.co.uk
Guess who rammed this in to our side of the non border border?
“Mr Darling added: “The governor has confirmed that a currency union would not work without shared taxation and spending, the very things that Alex Salmond wants to dismantle with a Yes vote.”
@heedtracker I agree with you. I just think the wording suggested after Independence, not after a Yes vote. I guess then it depends on how long we define the period of negotiations, as this could continue after Independence day.
I always understood that “Rev” was short for “Revolutionary”.
😉
gerry parker – that’s what I thought too. 🙂
Once copy sent to my “I’m abstaining. I hate all politicians” pal.
If anything, he’s not voting – so that’s not a vote lost, but once he reads this, I suspect, we’ll see a vote gained.
This along with a few Ayetalks speeches from Caroline Leckie and Robbie Shepherad too.
This is great work though on the WBB. I consider myself lucky that in my inner circle of pals/close family – I have only 2 no voters, and 25 yes, plus maybe 3/4 undecided/1 not voting pal (mentioned above).
They’ll all be getting this forwarded to them. I doubt it’ll change 1 of the No voters – he’s a BritNat basically. The other is “We’re too wee” but he has done next to no research into Indy, a lot of deaf ear attempts from me and others – so maybe no success.
But..
It will shore up the yes voters, many are voting yes on nationality alone question, but a few have been crying out for more info on currency, borders etc to squash numbskull talk and be more conifdent in public when discussing Indy.
And I strongly supect we’ll convert the “Ah’m no voting for either” pal.
No doubt about it, folks. No/BT are shiting it! 200k downloaded in two days, of course some will be for the other side, but I’m seeing links to the WBB everywhere on Social Media.
What we all need to do though. Is get this book out. If it’s mass printing, delivering through doors or forwarding to people’s email addresses.
The Amazon shout is great as well.
All the best EVERYONE.
WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS (Sorry for shouting, but we are!)
Anyhoo – back from the Yes shop in Easter Rd but they don’t store the Yes papers for delivery neither do they have the space to be used as a hub for collecting WBB, though they said they’re happy to take some to be given to customers.
The main Yes shop for Ed N + Leith is in Timberbush.
James Sneddon – Rutland Square you say. Central + posh, and handily just round the corner from my hairdressers. 🙂
@ Eoan, why do you think that though? Why is negotiation going to take longer then the White Paper proposes?
Some UKOK screamers CIF or BBC etc say EU membership will be a decade plus wait but we are not voting to leave the EU and will we be EU citizens while our country isn’t, for over a decade? Way to many nutters around and some even in Law depts. at Glesga.
@heedtracker I never said they would, I’m simply saying they could. For the wording, I’d have preferred ‘CAN’.. or a little more clarification that this is specific to the period between Yes Vote and Negotiations concluding, regardless of when they conclude. Anyway, not a major issue. Cheers.
TJenny “just round the corner from my hairdressers” Is that not a good place for WBB distribution. ALL hairdressers
James Sneddon
You thinking about a stall just for the WBB I’m in Leith and maybe be able to help with tables transport ect.
creag an tuirc
Good shout. I have one in mind, as well. Thanks.
Ps think I maybe able to sort out storage in Leith need to contact the guy with the celler to be certain.
creag an tuirc – hairdressers seem a good distribution point to me too, especially as folk sit reading whatever’s available whilst they’re waiting.
My hairdresser is currently a No (but could be persuaded maybe) and his shop was on STV news a few weeks ago and the girl that they asked there about voting in the referendum, replied that she didn’t have enough facts. (Unfortunately I wasn’t there:-( ) So I think as a service to his customers he may well allow me to leave some of the WBBs. 🙂
So Carney has contingency plans for the BoE but won’t say what they are i.e. he won’t tell us his Plan A, Plan B, or whatever.
Why not? What’s your Plan A, Mr Carney? And the dependents expect Salmond to asnwer their dumb questions.
CammyB – you have a hairdressers in mind. 🙂
James Sneddon
Space for storage sorted just of Constitution Street Leith (Queen Sharlot St) if needed.
Having just had 193,000 News#4 pass thru my garage (for Edinburgh delivery via the individual area groups), the grassroots in Edinburgh has a ready made structure to get large quantities distributed.
I believe there maybe a batch designated for Edinburgh…
We can get it quickly to the 6 area groups, who can then make smaller quantities available from their shops/hubs/stalls.
Just designate a quantity for Edinburgh, and the rest will follow!
30k copies (5k per group) would be a starter.
Though as we are canvassing undecideds widely, I think we could easily take double that.
I don’t know if this has happened yet, but it’s about time you, and your efforts which includes The Blue book, needs some official recognition, after all we are all fighting towards the same end result.
O/T.
Mark Carney the Governor of the Bank of England, has contradicted the Westminster government this very day,by implementing currency,contingency plans, if a yes vote is returned. The Westminster government have always said they, wouldn’t plan ahead with currency in mind.
TJenny
Obviously not one that I use myself. 🙂
@CharlieMurphy
Am i too late or am I still in time to hear Charlie’s point by point destruction of all items within Stu’s pishy pamphlet?
(Pulls up chair, sits comfortably)
Ok Charlie, Please begin…
Tip Top Stu – you’re a marvel
@Eoan
“Will” is a statement of intent, it’s not a guarantee.
“Shall” is compulsory because you’re being TOLD you have to do it.
“Must” us an extremely strong statement of intent that is almost as powerful as “Shall”, but not quite because there is an element of conditionality inherent in its use.
“Can” is an optional statement.
“Should” is guidance.
“Would” is conditional guidance/statement of intent
I know you’re specifically looking at “will” and “can” but there are many other possible flavours of wording. I used to proof read, and publish, regulatory docs as part of my job and understanding the context is also very important.
#JustSaying 🙂
Anyone Glasgow Kelvin/ West End area? There are four of us here ready to liaise and help organise? Got storage if necessary.
Wondering how many of the ‘facts’ are based on verifiable reality:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28761179
@ Desimond.
His shift finishes shortly, he’ll have no time to go into any detail.
🙂
I wonder if this statement from Mr Carney, who seems a pretty sound guy, is his way of telling the UK Govt.to cut out all this crap about refusing a currency union. This “reassurance” from the Governor is probably to steady the nerves of investors and traders if the thick-witted-ness on the CU Osbourne/Balls and Fanny boy continues after a Yes vote.
AS must surely be able to turn this big time on Darling at the next debate and I’d love to see Darling try and discount the Governors views in the contemptible way he does everybody elses’.
Maybe a we sublimal message here from Mr Carney that he’s no overly impressed with the UKOKS.
All local yes groups have been canvassing. They have a vast amount of information including all those that canvassed as undecided. That information can be used to revisit those people and if they are still undecided then give them a WBB. That represents a better use rather than handing them out randomly. I also intend to furnish all my groups canvassers with their own copy.
Have pm my local YES co-ordinators and asked them to get in touch with you Stuart, in respect of quantities needed. Would love to put in some wbb’s into the hands of our undecided and soft yes based on our latest canvassing returns. but reading down the threat the demand is overwhelming but we cannot toss them out willy nilly and not to hardened NO’s that would be pointless. Only to 4 – 7 on the scale.
@Eoan
My first attempt at replying to you did not post, so I’ll try again – I wonder whether you are taking into account that “will use the pound” includes using it outside a formal currency union? It is perfectly possible to express intent about that.
The “Arithmetic for thickos” post on the 8th of August covered that. (Sorry, don’t know how to turn text into a link)
Apologies if I have misunderstood what you were asking.
@gerry parker
Gargoyles do shifts 🙂
The thought that “It will be harder to find a proud NO voter come October than it will be to find Danny Alexander good job prospects” makes me smile when i see such sad wee folk. ( I mean Charlie…gargoyles are awrite!)
desimond
I wouldn’t hold my breath with Charlie .
I asked him for ONE reason for the union that would matter to the average person, just one and the bugger never got back.
he likes to throw in cheeky one liners usually about Wee Eck and his vision for a free indi Scotland. They usually don’t amount to much and short to the point little digs.
i imagine he now boasts to his mate (s) ?? that he’s an anti-Winger.
Bless him.
@YESGUY
I can hear Charlie the noo “Pah, Arguing is soooo last year. A typical Nats attitude!”
An Anti Winger – A Wonger?
“Will”
“Can”
“Must”
“Could”
“Would”
“Should”
……….
How about my series of words.
“Vote”
“Yes”
“End”
“Of”
…….
Charlie and Jim Thomson,
Pedants for No !!!
ot:
Update on livestream tonight.
About
Robin McAlpine & Dr John O’Dowd (Academics for Yes) 7:30PM Kirkintilloch Miners Townhead Kirkintilloch, G66 3AA Glasgow, United Kingdom
BBC in full No campaign spin mode for Carney’s anmouncement.
They aren’t even trying to hide their bias anymore. Laughably blatant.
I would not just give them away randomly. Target undecided and especially soft No voters, give some away free to the Yes Shops. Ignore Yes supporters as it would be a waste of resources.
I read the WBB on my breaks in work and it’s a masterpiece. It’s just the right length not to put people off and will make a refreshing change from the bitter darkness spewed out from the mainstream media.
Well done Rev and everyone who helped make it happen.
I am a solid YES voter and found the wee blue book a revelation. Thank you for helping me to feel 100% confident.
Marcia, the wee blue book will still be useful for team managers on the ground to help provide concise cogent replies on a number of issues to those helping with ground campaign. But just giving them out to those already convinced is, as you rightly point out, a waste of resources and should be discouraged. Firm Yes voters can easily use the links for the download version.
I have a small printshop and I would also like a booklet printable version to hand out to my customers (I would print). I’m in Banchory which is fairly full of landed gentry who are scared of losing out under Independance.
What i wonder about canvassing and all the great results is this.
1) Are canvassers gutted out in YES clothing. This will obviuosly affect the result of a)what people say and b)who answers the door.
2)Are they just asked the simple Yes and No question.
3)If No or D/K do the canvassers try and change opinion.
4)How are areas chosen. Is there a good range of affluency postcodes that are sampled.
5) Are the results just of who answers the door or are the whole household included.
6)Any patterns picked up according to age, sex, region, affluence etc.
I’m unsure whether to believe these results or the official standardised polls.
BBC1 Scotland Tonight 22:35
Our friends in the North.
“The referendum debate will be dominated by the relationship between Scotland and England, but shouldn’t we look further afield to define what Scotland’s future, independent or not, will be? Many supporters of independence look north, to Scandinavia, for inspiration.
They talk of the Nordic model, which marries dynamic, open economies with high public spending, greater equality and excellent public services. Allan Little has reported for the BBC from more than eighty countries. In Our Friends in the North he asks whether we could pick the Nordic model off the shelf and use it here.”
Worth a watch.
O/T
Labour are a disgrace without doubt
link to snp.org
The WBB is a great addition to our armoury. Had a meeting last night featuring Jim Sillars, Ivan McKee and the superb Dr Philippa Whitford and the Wee Blue Books we had printed flew out the door.
I had also concocted a flyer about the WBB with info on downloading and made them available to as many as possible at, as my son called it, “rammed out” meeting.
We had a great meeting BTW. There are plenty of undecided voters out there who just need the confidence to jump to yes. Seeing and hearing the positivity and vision at such meetings encourages them.
Onward!
Just went to order cards on Vista Print and the price quoted is £27.74 + postage. Can’t find the 1/2 price deal Rev was showing in this article. Any pointers please.
macdoc: “What i wonder about canvassing…”
Only one way to find out.
Join your local Yes Group’s canvassing efforts, and all will be revealed!
Training provided.
The local Yes groups that have been building for the last 2 years are still welcoming volunteers.
They are experienced, have the resources and contacts, and always need extra help.
@geeo 6:08
Yeah, well, it was my working life for long enough, old habits die hard 😉
Completely agree with your series of words btw.
Who’s “Charlie”?
Jacky Bird is a DK
O/T. I’m sure Ms Bird will give Mr.Darling the same kind of treatment. Aye Right.
Alex did very well though.
Re Vista print – discount at checkout still came out at just over £22 plus £6.99 delivery with estimated delivery date of 28th Aug(unless you want to pay £17). :{
“Re Vista print – discount at checkout still came out at just over £22 plus £6.99 delivery”
Hmm. Did you register an account? I got the screenshot with the prices on it by signing in as a new person, not using my existing account, because I wanted to make sure that’s what people would pay.
Nana Smith
Labour have accepted the ‘underclass theory’ touted by social Darwinists like Boris Johnston.
Marx makes a clear distinction between proletariat as salaried workers, which he sees as a progressive class, and Lumpenproletariat, “rag-proletariat”, the poorest and outcasts of the society, such as beggars, tricksters, entertainers, buskers, criminals and prostitutes, which he considers a retrograde class.[11][12] Socialist parties have often struggled over the question of whether they should seek to organize and represent all the lower classes, or just the wage-earning proletariat.
link to en.wikipedia.org
Kraus and Keltner found that the higher people perceived their social class to be, the more strongly they endorsed just-world beliefs, and that this difference explained their increased social class essentialism: Apparently if you feel that you’re doing well, you want to believe success comes to those who deserve it, and therefore those of lower status must not deserve it. (Incidentally, the argument that you “deserve” anything because of your genes is philosophically contentious; none of us did anything to earn our genes.)
link to slate.com
Hi guys its your frendly ebay distributor of leaflets again
Do you want me to put up a listing so that people who can only pass out 10-100 can order them straight through ebay
I did well sending out 100 leaflet sets and if stu wants me to do it with booklets then I am happy too
Stu – if you want to work it this way let me know
Reader let me know if this helps you if you only want small quantities
That birdy one is a —–
Sneering and sniping her way through an interview, shows herself up
kestral
That would be perfect for myself.
@Rev. Stuart Campbell says: 13 August, 2014 at 3:07 pm:
“The book is designed to be A6 size, by the way, for easy pocketability.”
Now he tells us :-))
Now I know why my attempts at A5 were a wee bit strange.
Bird’s a bit of a shock to watch as its no doubt how they go at it in Pacific Quay news room all the time. Bird sneers “the English NHS is NOT being privatised and its just YES doing it projectfear style”
Is that true BBC in Scotland?
Quick google “NHS privatisation England” and first up
Make your bloody minds up bettertogetherBBC perlease!
link to bbc.co.uk
Halt NHS privatisation, says Labour’s Burnham
You dont have to be mad to be a vote NO BBC ligger but it helps. Nice face lift though Jacky, maybe nip and tucked your memory too sadly.
Labour has called for the NHS in England to stop privatising services until after the general election.
In a speech, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said “privatisation is being forced through at pace and scale”
Hi Silvertay
I can do chapelhall, as I live in the new estate
Also but not only
link to theguardian.com
“The NHS is on the brink of extinction – we need to shout about it” outside bettertogetherBBC Pacific Quay HQ, preferably
heedtracker 6.41pm
“Jacky Bird is a DK”
Tell me you’re joking heedtracker.
or have we to fill in the blanks, D–K?
link to yesscotland.net
heedtracker
dr lucy reynolds on nhs privatization. how it has been slowly set to make privatization easier with no big bang.
link to youtube.com
heedtracker
dr lucy reynolds on nhs privatization. how it has been slowly set to make privatization easier with no big bang.
link to youtube.com
@heedtracker
Did Jackie Bird really say that the NHS in England was not being privatised?
Wp,
“I’m sure Ms Bird will give Mr.Darling the same kind of treatment.”
I am sure it’s Sally Mags turn to interview Darling tomorrow night.
Good grief as if Cameron wasn’t bad enough…
link to standard.co.uk
@jamessneddon – there’s a Facebook event set up to leaflet the Hearts/Hibs game on Sunday, so that might be a good way to get leaflets out to Scots rather than Festival visitors!
@ muttley79, yes Bird is not a Yes vote, shock. I think that was part of her attack, sorry interview, strategy, that YES is trying projectfear’s thingee.
Then she leaned back and goes, come on that’s a crock England’s not privatising NHS and you lot use private hospitals anyway. Salmond’s very good though, laying out Bank of England independence and how it controls monetary policy but Scottish government would control fiscal policy, tax n spend basically. Its all to play for and FLipper will no doubt get a nice back rub and there there Alistair, they are a bunch of blood and soil dictator worshipers:D
Bird not likeee!
It is Sally Magnusson (I’ve never understood why she is not called Magnusdottir!) so we can’t compare and contrast. Bird was so condescending. I wonder what Philippa Whitford made of her assertion, her opinion (like Marr!) that the NHS down south is not being privatised. Others have already provided the links to show that it is a real threat to the NHS in England.
OT – New found footage of Jackie Bird as a wee lassie just after she lost at conkers to wee Alicsammin…
link to youtube.com
Bird is there to interview politicians, not sit and disagree with them and spout lies as a rebuttal.
You would never have guessed she’s not too keen on this Independence thing.
She asked Alex Salmond a question, and before he got two words out in reply, she was talking over him.
Oh, they are a bitter lot down PQ way.
I’m sure I saw Alistair Darling’s slippers sitting under that desk in the studio tonight.
“There there Alistair, is there anything else I can get you before we start our little tete a tete.”
Why does airhead Jackie Bird think she has to be a cross between Kirsty Wark and Jeremy Paxman. She was a complete embarrassment,the Sally Magnussan interview was head and shoulders above that travesty. Hopefully if her colleagues aren’t honest with her, her kids will be when she gets home.
@Kestral:6.47 that would be great. I know I won’t be able to give away huge amounts but definitely like some to share.
@dodecostanza
You need 300, I’ve requested 1000 from the Rev so a good start is to give you what you need. Email me at aclark@oenseasengineering.co.uk
Thanks Rev and Every one here on Wings . I have been concentrating mainly on the general public out there responding to their questions etc . I can happily report my son has just e-mailed the family the WBB and he is now YES ! Hopefully he can make an impact with the others . I’m too passionate to discuss with those closest to me . Like many here I can’t understand or believe anything from BT etc Sadly if you check any “No” trail on line they can only insult and swear etc , its quite uncomfortable reading ! Nothing of substance , reason or politeness like the good people of Wings . I’d go so far as to compliment everyone , sadly Wings is very very addictive . The recent figures indicated 6 mins per session ….. more like 6 hours EVERY session ! ….. 12 /10
bugger. openseasengineering not the above.
@James Sneddon
James … happy to help you in Edinburgh.
Heres’ the independence live debate with Robin McAlpine in Kirkintilloch began at 7.30pm.
link to new.livestream.com
Will be printed and left in my office after today’s fiasco.I listened over and over again to two women slagging Salmond and why they would vote no because of him.After deep breaths I eventually lost it and said :”you are not voting for Alex Salmond!”We went round in circles and I said stop falling into the msm trap and personalising a vote for your nation.They then said who would vote for Salmond answer was me and 47% of the Scottish nation at the last election.Also advised that they were a very competent government.I said in any case he is just the leader you are not voting for him.One guys attempt at humour that’s what Hitler said!Just ignored that as the so called humour to me is barbed.Good god the people I work with!
I think it’s about time that the FM and the rest of the gang took action against the intruding ,interrupting interviewer by folding their arms and saying , ” Fine – you tell the viewers what I think , I’ll just keep schtum”
I wonder what the rude ,conceited, arrogant ,self important buggers would do.
I don’t know if anyone remembers the Parkinson interview with Robert Mitchum – Mitchum conducted the entire thing with ” Yup” “Nope” answers. Parkinson didn’t enjoy it.
Regards Oil
I thought some might find the following interesting to read
they are all .pdf available online
First is about investing in Hurricane and what they have
link to investorschronicle.co.uk
(you will have to add the https to above)
The ‘Pilot’ pages shown on the above are from this :
link to pesgb.org.uk
(you will have to add http to the above)
and finally from Business Scotland :
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
(again add http to the above)
Also here’s the Radical independence, public meeting from live from Pollokshields.
link to new.livestream.com
Jake the Burd what a waste of space and nasty with it, the way she tried to act in her superior way to try and look down her nose at ECK. What a snob and nasty piece of work totally unprofessional, arrogant, ignorant and biased to the bone and thinks she has the right to show it openly.
She is the epitome of your middle class NO snob, and is not the brightest button in the box, appears to be prerequisite for a career in EBC, it ain’t what you know it’s who you know.
How about another crowdfunding excercise? The more money we raise the more books we could get printed.
These guys should be the soundtrack for the indyref movie. Something along the lines of Pulp Fiction, IMO. 🙂
messer chups – trashman upgrade
link to youtube.com
Ooh this is weird!
I’ve got both Kirkintilloch and Pollokshields livestreams up and running at the same time. Confused? You soon will be! 😛
RE Vista Print
Rev, I registered a new account.
Anne Don Yes, I saw the Hibs and Hearts fans for indy advertising their joint stallvat Tynecastle. I havn’t heard from the Rev yet when the Wee Blue Books will arrive, maybe we’ll have some over for the next derby.but until then we’ll be distributing them to various YES groups in the area. But it looks like the initial batch of 1000 are already claimed for distribution (visions of wings readers trying to look undecided sliding up to YES stall for a copy :D)
Didn’t see it, but she will have won us a few thousand more votes.
Hopefully YouTube will have it.
@David – Here it is, stand in awe of our impartial media..
From 4:10 in..
link to bbc.co.uk
“She is the epitome of your middle class NO snob”
No she isn’t. She maybe thinks she is.
I remember her from her Dundee days in the Scout Bar.
Hello Jackie. 🙂
Albaman,
“I don’t know if this has happened yet, but it’s about time you, and your efforts which includes The Blue book, needs some official recognition, after all we are all fighting towards the same end result.”
Forget about ‘official’. This will be a grass roots win and we the people will give Stuart a massive welcome and thank you when he returns home.
Banock 1314
I stay in St Abbs way and have been delivering the your choice and YES newspapers around the estate .
If you are willing I will see if we can get a thousand from the Rev as we need 600 to cover the estates that includes Dalbeatie Braes and Lammermuir Drive etc .
There are another 3 estates as you turn up Lancaster Ave from the roundabout at Penny Cabs .
If the Airdrie and Shotts Yes team are getting a delivery we could maybe get a 1000 from them .
Meanwhile Guardian Cif continues to attract raging Brit nats. The latest is:
Its not a smear when it is true.
And when people are threatened to be rape and/or killed by Yes supporters.
Stop distracting the point that the Scottish National Party is a nationalist party and is the product of Nazi sympathisers. Its true whatever way you look at it.
Thanks for that link Croomp. I missed it as I was out at our local YES group meeting. Having just watched Jackie Bird do her own version of self destruction I think I made the right choice tonight. 😀 I can’t wait for tomorrow night’s all comers “love-in” with Alistair Darling! 😛
@muttley79
I think that person needs flea in their ear. Give me the link please.
Off topic:
Just thought I’d share this wee bit of entertainment from Aberdeen Coonsil:
link to pressandjournal.co.uk
Halt NHS privatisation, says Labour’s Burnham
It is a joke Heedtracker, you know what a joke is don’t you?
Croompenstein @8:37pm
BBC iplayer link.
Thanks. I watched Jackie Bird, or will it be LadyBird, interview the FM.
He was on top form and despite her interruptions with inaccurate information, he had time to develop his points.
Wan’t wait for Flipper’s turn tomorrow
I see the BBC have confirmed that Alex Salmond will meet Alistair Darling for the BBC debate on 25th August at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and will be presented by Glenn Campbell. Well that’s all fair and above board then. 😉
Just watched the Jackie Bird interview.What a nasty sneering piece of work.Hope you are proud of yourself Jackie!At one point I expected her to produce a punishment exercise for Salmond..Bad Boy!
Mary Bruce 9:01pm
Aberdeen Council magaxine cover. Here was me thinking that “Newsh*te” was the BBC’s replacement for Sarah Smith’s dire Scotland2014.
wingman et al I’m pulling together hand trolleys and bags for holding WBB’s so we won’t break our backs lugging them around town. So expect a announcement in the near future. If you’re on twitter I’m @sneddon666 otherwise I’l make a O/T announcement in the latest post with my contact details.
Brilliant job Stu and your helpers with the WBB. Please also check out the Business for Scotland site for their Vision for Scotland publication. Also excellent support material in the run up to the 18th.
Croompenstein
Found Jackie Bird’s interview style completely and utterly disgraceful.
Not quite sure who she was trying to emulate, but her condescending approach was not what a journalist should be.
Okay Bird is not a journalist, so why have her interview, instead of someone like James Cook, Brian Taylor or Isabel Fraser?
Jackie Bird should stick to presenting, general entertainment is what she is good at, but that’s all
Jackie Bird’s future in Scottish broadcasting? she should stick to what she is good at, she is no Kirsty Wark
Apart from what I’ve said, as far as the bias meter, she was completely of the scale!
Lets see how she performs with Darling
Just watched Jackie Bird, haha – can she look any more condescending.
“That’s NOT independence”
I’ll probably be unpopular for saying this, but I thought the interview was OK. She asks questions and allowed the FM to develop his answers. She played devils advocate and asked him questions as if she were speaking as a ‘No Thanks’ person (cough). It worked well. Alex was able to get his points across and came out of it ultimately smelling of roses.
Looking at it dispassionately it was a super advert for the ‘Yes’ campaign and I don’t know why anyone should be uptight about the interview.
Alex Salmond was a superb advocate of the vote for ‘Yes’. I’ll take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Don’t forget either Faltdubh that, according to oor Jackie, the N.H.S. down South is NOT being privatised and is in fact receiving MORE money. Hmm, must be great constantly living in the alternate universe these days. 😛
i posted a link up the way re nhs privatization, the content of it prove salmond to be absolutely spot on.
Wee Blue Book Tips issue #666 :-
Anybody that gets on TV (on the panel or in audience) take a copy of the book, and show and refer to it at every opportunity.
Anybody that gets on radio (on the panel or call-in) have a copy of the book, and refer to it and quote from it at every opportunity.
Anybody organising or attending YES meetings from here on in make sure a supply of WBBs are available, and that this is mentioned and recommended to NOs and UNDECIDEDs from the platform and audience (also picked up on Livestream or any filming of meeting).
Anybody making or putting up Pro-Indy YouTube videos from here on in please feature the WBB (and web link to download it) at the end of in the video closing credits.
Trying to register a complaint with the national broadcaster is a wholly futile exercise and total waste of time. They truly believe that they are infallible but the “interview” tonight of the FM by Jacky Bird was excruciating. This made the Dundonian pieman look competent and professional.
Stick to the Hogmanay show, Jacky!
Salmond patiently and courteously corrected the several wrong assertions as JB slavishly followed her script and fluttered her eyebrows, apparently under the impression that ham acting would get her through. Sadly she was not even competent at that.
As they say at Pacific Quay, “Toodleoo the noo”
I’d almost let you off with David except for her behaviour during the part of the interview where she all but came out and called the First Minister a flat out liar. 😉
@David – The FM was ok, it was just Jackie Bird’s sneering, contemptible attitude that stank.
Loved it at the end though where Alex said the yes campaign and this FM are ‘up for the cup’ 😀
I herd a rumour that SLAB, Glasgow City council and Aberdeen Council are making plans to move to Engerland in the event of a YES vote.
SLAB spokesperson said “we have been rumbled by the illiterate so it’s time to call it quits and move back to our Fatherland”
Jake the Burd has been awarded the cross of St. George (3rd class) for services to Engerland, HMG and the EBC. God bless her. A lady of the (rich) people.
Oops!
Looks like I’ve upset the moderator with my last comment, oh well wrist well and truly slapped. I don’t know why I’m slapping my wrist but hey moderator says go into moderation then off I go slapping wrist as I go. 😛
@ Kestral,
eBay would do nicely if you can set it up 😉
not a problem guys and gals
I will email stu for a 1000 at the moment and will get some of the business cards printed myself
I can then do a
Booklet only
Business cards only
mixed pack of them both
Then people can get the exact mix they want under the one postage
🙂
@Croompenstein
We can be too sensitive at times. We have to look at the whole picture. It was a great advert for the ‘Yes’ vote and I for one was greatly taken with the whole thing. The ‘No Thanks’ view was made to look pathetic by the First Minister and it was a win for us.
However Bird wanted it to pan out, we won hands down with the interview and I don’t see the point of bitching about it.
We won and that’s all that matters.
Ok – will take a 1000 from the Rev to deliver – can’t wait. I think this may be great for the soft no who may instinctively turn away Yes canvassers.
Plenty of No voters are otherwise very intelligent people – the kind who will pore over party political leaflets from parties not their own. I think getting this through the door will be a bit of a revelation for anyone with an even semi open mind.
I live in a fairly middle class area – I reckon the intelligent and logic approach is perfect for this demographic.
As for the undecided – it is pure dynamite.
Our only barrier are the numbers Stu can print unless there is another fundraiser.
Am contacting Tommy Sheridan Jakie Birds no getting a lend of his tanning machine again
Eek – anybody able to explain how to upload the business card for printing in laylady’s terms?
Jim sillars has an excellent piece in todays Edinburgh evening news regarding how one man from the m.o.d. put the kybosh on oil and gas exploration around the firth of Clyde in 1981.
As he points out this was at a time when thatcher’s policies were decimating Scottish industry,a time when we were crying out for new jobs,but the mod decided for us that having a few jobs with trident was the way to go.
@David – no probs let’s not get hung up on the big burd there’s a wee blue book with a whole load of undecided’s names on it 🙂
@David S Briggs
I agree.
Is anyone arranging print copies for Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire?
Flashed through the thread but couldn’t see anything.
There is a Wee Blue Book cover image (showing download link) here : link to i.imgur.com
I have printed it out on my laser printer full-page A4, and it is going up in the window with my YES and YouYesYet posters.
I would recommend anyone who has a house which has at least one window to get one printed and do the same.
This will get the WBB message out there on the streets.
Ditto on any notice boards than anyone has access to …
(CameronB … dinnae gae me grief aboot the font.)
Yep- unprofessional BBC there. She got slaughtered.
They’re using the rope they’ve been given.
🙂
Ronnie Cowan
Re info gained through canvassing by Yes groups. My thoughts exactly. Just emailed local coordinator for his thoughts.
Using all the info on undecideds seems best way to target WBB.
Just hope Yes are up for it.
Stu : No matter the result your work is above and beyond. Well done mate and many thanks.
Pacific Quay are the last barons of Scotland so complaining probably gets the game of thrones chop your head off treatment in the been news office of fun.
The cameras at BetterTogetherBBC always zoom in close up for SNP people but old Jacky Bird gets the long distance approach. I’m not complaining, I don’t actually want a close up of the old gal but no doubt they’ll be rubbing Vaseline on their lenses next, aka Doris Day, anything for TeamGB propaganda.
I want to send £30 to wings over Scotland to enable them to increase publication and, encourage my freedom fighters to do the same, providing you think this is a good, viable and acceptable idea. The wee book is our chance to circumvent MSM propaganda? qui!
@heedtracker
Your an absolute nutter!
Lang mae yer lum reek.
Ah hope Alidoonstair Darling gets the same aggresive Jakie
Burd, ah dont think.
Inside knowledge is a dangerous thing these days Thepnr, particularly, it seems, in the hands of heedtracker. 😛
Devereux, happy to co ordinate with anyone in the west end to deliver through doors, and leave aboot park benches, cafes, (and of course the uni grounds…et al) 🙂
O/T
Hope it’s safe to go o/t
Bloody Hell Kendo , I have just been posting music from you tube to my F.B page and your wings advert pops up , absolutely brilliant , well done
X_Sticks says:
13 August, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Is anyone arranging print copies for Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire?
Flashed through the thread but couldn’t see anything.
I would like to get some for our area but I haven’t done anything yet.
Papadox,
“I herd a rumour that SLAB, Glasgow City council and Aberdeen Council are making plans to move to Engerland in the event of a YES vote.”
SLAB is just English Labour’s North Britain branch that will be closed down after independence.
Glasgow has already been moved to Engerland by the BBC, so it is natural the elected councillors follow.
@ Thepnr, yours too!
Clootie says:
X_Sticks says:
13 August, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Is anyone arranging print copies for Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire?
Flashed through the thread but couldn’t see anything.
I would like to get some for our area but I haven’t done anything yet.
Guys Colin put up this post earlier today, but I don’t know if it is any good to you though. 😉
Colin says:at 4:21 pm
I’ll email you Stuart but I need at least 2,500 to cover my little forgotten part of the North East. I can also drop off to other distributors if you want.
Best if we all coordinate Clootie – I could take 500, and probably more once I phone around. You could talk to Brian up there to see if he would want any.
Diddy Dave sending Tornado,s to Iraq but not to fire on ISIS, sending in Chinooks to rescue poeple of the mountains, I think it would be more appropriat to mitigate the threat of ISIS before you rescue people, but who am I to offer military advice,YER WEEKS TO LATE FOR FUCKS SAKE.Westminster hud a committee meeting an DIDDY DAVE wiz on Holiday.
David S Briggs
Are you a TROLL?
There’s something not quite right with you, a bit sneeky.
I don’t see you on here much, you were the one who pulled me last week for calling Ponsonby a bias bastard.
You seem to like jumping to the defence of our friends down at Pacific Quay.
Are you Glen Campbell working undercover?
To people wondering how to get the WBB and other info to undecideds: find out by joining your local Yes group (search on the events section at the Yes website) and go out canvassing. It’s dead easy and you’ll get shown the ropes by an experienced canvasser. You’ll have lots of conversations with people who’ve yet to make up their mind, ample opportunity to hand out or even just quote from the WBB.
O/T – from the Guardian and Sev Carrell – ” Second Scottish independence debate to be screened live across UK by BBC
Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond will go head to head on 25 August, as 700,000 postal votes are sent out for the referendum ”
700,000 postal votes – this worries me
@X_Sticks says:
I’ve asked Stuart for 2500 for the Portlethen area, but I could get more and supply you. Where abouts are you?
@Gerry Parker could you get some for Satnite I,ve already asked the Rev.
Thanks Lesley-Anne (was that you getting into trouble earlier? Tsk!)
Colin, which little part of the NE was that 2.5k for? Would make sense to get all Aberdeen and Shire in one load, no?
@ronnie anderson says:
Am contacting Tommy Sheridan Jakie Birds no getting a lend of his tanning machine again
I think Jackie borrowed the machine off the “Oompa Loompas for Indy”.
link to i.imgur.com
crossed posts lol
Calgacus MacAndrews
I’ll hud ma wheesht. 🙂
Not far, Banchory-Devenick
You are not alone twenty14 in your concerns over postal voting. There are more than a few individuals on here who share your concerns. Not only the 700,000 postal votes but the 20% EXTRA ballot papers that each Returning Officer is required, by the Electoral Commission, to hold for this referendum. 20% in most people’s eyes seems an extraordinary HIGH number of *ahem* spare voting slips.
Let’s face it when we go into the voting booth it is not going to be rocket science making that choice, after all it will be YES or NO for gawd’s sake! How difficult can it be to decide YES or NO?
@Silvertay
🙂 I had to pay for that.
So far over 7,000 views and a few hundred redirects to the WoS site. If that translates into YES votes then it will be money well spent.
@Thepnr
The link is here. I am not replying to the person again, there is no point. You can post something if you want though, do not be too aggressive as it will get deleted:
link to theguardian.com
2 minutes away, I fly my plane there and screech past your door on my motorbike 😉
@ Twenty 14 where did you get the 700,000 postal votes from.
Glad to help X_Sticks and yes it was I still haven’t got a clue why though. 😛
Still it appears I’ve now been de-moderated so everything is hunky dorey now. 😀
Evening folks,
A duplex booklet version of the PDF is en-route and will be with you shortly 🙂
I would suggest that any sniff of irregularity in this vote will lead to a bit of a stooshie.
If they’re stupid enough to try it i have a feeling they’ll regret it.
MC
“We will, as you would expect us to have, contingency plans for various possibilities, possibilities that could relate, and I’ll broaden this to issues that Alex Brummer [of the Daily Mail] raised earlier globally: issues in financial markets, issues such as could be related to Scotland, so we have contingency plans we develop. It’s never a good idea to talk about contingency plans in public, other than to assure people that we have contingency plans and I just underscore in terms of our responsibilities for financial stability we do have a wide range of tools and plans.”
“as you would expect..”
And the genii who run the Treasury are too arrogant to do the same. Or lying.
Or they’ve been told to be slipshod/ lie.
Never asked to produce reports on one of the major issues that holds serious financial implication’s for a rUK ?
Stanes.
BTW Have you seen the moola the Whitehall old boys are awarded ? To stop a flight to Business obvs.
Serious Bonus payments, for those who hold senior positions.
As for the other Flight, why bother, when you’ll only have to move on after the Tories win in 2015.
Imagine selling a Brexit threatened pound to the market.
The Sponsors certainly won’t like it.
@K1 says ‘Devereux, happy to co ordinate with anyone in the west end’
There are 4 of us here involved with Yes Kelvin and 1 who goes out with Women For Indy. Radical Indy have a weekly stall in Partick too. How is it best for us all to get in touch?
The wee blue book is absolute dynamite, and couldn’t have arrived at a better time seeing as Shawlands is going to be granted an audience with the magnificint Jim Murphy.
Don’t tell anyone but I think he’s going to have a well informed and curious welcoming party.
700,000 dodgy postal votes, that’s going to be hard to over come.
@Colin / Clootie any other WoSsers in NE
I’ll come back with firm numbers by tomorrow night, if anyone else wanting could do the same and take it from there regarding delivery etc.
Don’t know if there is any cost involved but can you make it available on Amazon for free downloading.
You could then spend some cash promoting it to people using the site to buy other stuff.
@ Ronnie A – in the Guardian Ronnie under ” Second Scottish independence debate to be screened live across UK by BBC ” by our friend Severin Carrell. Is this part of the master plan to distribute over 700,000 postal votes then just add what’s necessary to get a No vote
I can feel a Glenrothes coming on.
I just watched the Jackie Bird-Salmond interview and thought it was fine (honestly). I have seem a lot of interviews which have been far more confrontational. I have to admit I thought it was a good interview.
@Bob Sinclair says:
The wee blue book is absolute dynamite.
Don’t tell anyone but I think he’s going to have a well informed and curious welcoming party.
Printed in A4, this link to i.imgur.com would be just the job for photobombing.
700,000 postal votes? That equates to about 20% of the electorate if I’m not mistaken.
Some very big, very serious questions need to be asked VERY loudly. I will not have my country being stolen from me by fraud.
@Indy Scot
There will be a fair proportion of the 700,000 who will vote Yes.
Typical BBC National News coverage at 10 news when they did not point out that after Independence we will be keeping the pound.
When Brit Nats ask about Plan B we can quote Mark Carney ” It’s never a good idea to talk about contingency plans in public.”
700,000 – we’re being pissed on and told its raining
Google postal vote numbers in last GE with 15% so 20% high but within reasonable range? oh christ.
link to democraticaudit.com
As many as 15% of registered voters were issued with one in the 2010 general election.
I’m just thinking, yes folks I know it hurts my solitary brain cell but hey what else is there to do this time of night. 😛
I know there is around 5.4 Million as the population of Scotland but does anyone know how many people in Scotland currently have the right to vote?
I’m only asking cause this 700,000 works out at around 13% of the population in Scotland, but of course not the whole 5.4 Million have a vote in September so this 700,000 figure will work out at considerable higher percentage than the 13% I worked out above.
@ Mutley79 – does this mean approx. 20% of our population have asked for a postal vote. I seriously don’t think so. What if all those that don’t vote and aren’t on the voting register all of a sudden become postal voters – would put nothing past them
@kendomacaroonbar
The WOS crowd raised £180 something and it will be winging it’s way to you to do something sensible with. Get ronnie to send me your email and we can arrange summit.
Alan Little’s “Our Friends in the North” just started on BBC1 Scotland
Devereux, I don’t want to put my email add. out on here, so not sure. Could you ask rev for my add., if you are co ordinating the order of the WBB from him? And contact me that way?
Would that be okay Stu? (hope it’s not a hassle)
O/T
Just asking the question, if there are any Wingslanders that have a printing business in Scotland that could offer ‘mates rates’ for printing the WBB ?
@ThePnr
Hang on to it to help fund hairy string and other such essentials for you road warriors 🙂
Muttley: The link is here.
I reported the moron for hate speech. If paying attention the moderator will flush his vomit into oblivion.
@muttley79
I had a keek and there ws no point following up. The guy is a divvy and shouldn’t be sticking his nose in anyhow.
TheBetaMan
London, Male
Joined: 1 Mar 2014
About me
I work in research and global strategy for a major UK company.
A former Liberal Democrat voter.
Atheist.
Apparently severely dyslexic amongst other things – so please forgive me if I make the odd grammar mistake!
I CAN FORGIVE YOUR SPELLING BUT NOT YOUR IGNORANCE.
David S Briggs: I’ll probably be unpopular for saying this
Taking a break from harrassing independence supporters on the Guardian site?
Incidentally, all countries rely on other countries for their survival. To be frank, the moronic phrase, ‘Is that independence?’ is woefully pig ignorant.
@K1 have emailed Stu
“These can be easily handed out in the streets, popped through letterboxes, left in shops and pubs and so on (only with the proprietor’s permission, of course).”
Oops. With the Yes/Aye Right/National Collective leaflets I’ve already left, I can see me being barred from the Kingshouse Hotel, Dundee Law and every bus in Scotland.
@ twenty14, for starters there’s approx 100,000 North sea Scots offshore expro workers, then military, better together’s been at the army a lot.
link to gov.uk
They’re looking to recruit 15,000 more people over the next 5 years because its running out in three.
Devereux, look forward to sorting something out 🙂
Just spotted this. Another £1M donation to SNP.
link to bbc.co.uk
4 million notifications to be sent out by councils for vote ‘polling cards’. STV news.
Sink quotes Carney:
i>When Brit Nats ask about Plan B we can quote Mark Carney ” It’s never a good idea to talk about contingency plans in public.”
Excellent advice. Will do.
Lesley-Anne
The total number of voters in Scotland is about 4.2 Million.
O/T
Not one of the late night news programmes mentioned Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for the disabled in an Independent Scotland.
I,think we should all do it ourselves do not, leave it up to others get the message out there, it is the only way, get off
your ass.
Thanks caz. Working off these figures and the 700,000 that means we’re looking at something like 17% of the electorate will be receiving a postal vote. I’m thinking that this might explain the Electoral Commissions idea of Returning Officers hold 20% above required number of ballot papers. I’ll leave to everyone who is more election minded to figure out whether this is a low, medium or high figure. 😉
@barracouda
Best post of the night. Get aff yer arse and out there.
Stu, in late so probably been suggested. Is it possible to have a room to put us all in to discuss distribution of Wee Blue Book without inundating you?
You sound surprised there caz about the news from Nicola about future plans for the disabled being *ahem* omitted from all news reports. If any news report had covered this news BTHQ would have been straight on to said news channel demanding the sacking of said reporter! 😛
My non-political pal asked me if I see “Ecky” on Reporting Scotland (I met him before I did, I watched it thanks to the link on iplayer later), but anyhoos, he said Bird was a disgrace and “I think Ecky’s awright, but she was rolling her eyes. A disgrace. He’s our leader, deserves respect”
He’s voting YES, folks. Was undecided – said he’s never voted since 2001.
This movement of Yes from the SNP, Greens, SSP – official campaign to the grass roots is huge.
@Thepnr
Yes, Sir!
link to twitter.com
@silverytay
I stay Rockcliffe Path, and I think I spotted you delivering last week
you will see the Yes in the window of my house and on my black insignia
Just down from the man with the Yes flag
O/T , but what, 4million voters
Say 80% turn out 3.2 mil
Will over 2 million voters vote against their country?
Many of the undecided/heavy heart brigade -many not vote Yes, but a large number will never vote against their own country and stay at home that day.
So I think overall we’re looking at a 70% turnout – the can’t be arsed and heart-head voters who wil not vote against their own country)
1.6/7 to win
900k and I imagine by the month of Sept we’ll have 1mil Yes declartion signers.
200k Labour voters apparently voting yes
The 5-600,00 left – they are out there. They’ve never voted before or not for a long time.
“The missing million”
@ heedtracker – is it possible that 500,000 have requested postal votes and councils ( between them ) spread out another 200,000 then are signed as required. Is there anyway names and addresses can be randomly checked. This is the one area I am seriously concerned about. Do we have Wingers on the ferries
Cracking photo Nana, and the MSM/BBC keep telling us that YES is trailing …AYE RIGHT! 😛
Is that not about 17% in postal votes if it’s 4.2 million eligible to vote?
@Faltdubh
Is your pal registered if he’s not voted since 2001? Could be worth checking as the deadline (2 September) approaches. He may well be, but it would be such a shame if he isn’t. I was talking to 3 young men at the weekend who were all keen to vote Yes, but one of them confessed he wasn’t sure if he was on the electoral roll. He was given the phone number to check, and a form just in case.
@X_Sticks
You know the score and are excused. The rest of you you? Could do better eh. Five Fuckin Weeks. Don;t waste a day without talking to someone.
This will be enough for Yes to win, the MSM is powerless against the people. We are the people. So please stand up and do your wee bit.
heedtracker says:
Yes, ref the North Sea/oil er running out. They put out articles like this, do they think we are blind. F,ing idiots!
Moderation – pourquoi
Point of information: Jackie Bird’s dad was the jannie at St. John Ogilvie High School in Hamilton.
However she or others might describe her, she is from a working class background and didn’t get where she is through political connections or nepotism.
Haven’t seen the interview, so will try to get it on i-player.
Watched last nights debate from Inverness on i-player and it was a much more productive format than Salmond-versus-Darling last week. Anyone I have spoken to of either persuasion agreed and also felt it was better for us.
Les Wilson
what ever the outcome i have personally learnt, one thing is sure, we now know beyond doubt that we are right. that fact can never be changed. nothing in politics will ever be the same again.
That’s how I worked it out Harry. I took the 700,000 postal votes and just did a straight division by the 4.2 Million eligible to vote which gave me just under the 17%. The thing is as Faltdubh points out not all of the 4.2Million will go and vote either by postal vote or actually at the ballot box. Obviously as less than the full 4.2 Million will vote then the percentage of postal votes will in effect rise. If you work off the 80% expected to vote number, around 3.4 Million then our by now *ahem* infamous 700,000 works out at around 21%.
I’m thinking that the Electoral Commission are working off this 80% figure and hence they expect that as there is around 20% postal voting then there will *cough* obviously be 20% spoilt voting papers. I’m just thinking out loud on this whole thing you understand and ad everyone knows on here I know nothing about anything. 😛
@Lesley-Anne
“I’m thinking that this might explain the Electoral Commissions idea of Returning Officers hold 20% above required number of ballot papers. ”
That can’t be right. I’m registered for a postal vote but that means I’m on the electoral register. The 800,000 additional ballot papers were said to be for spoilt or lost papers. Not the postal votes.
Stop NHS privatisation in England by Labour MP Clive Efford.
link to cliveefford.org.uk
Time and again my constituents tell me how worried they are about the privatisation of our NHS – and they are right to be so. The NHS is the service which is there for us from when we enter the world to when we come to leave it and it is being shamelessly dismantled before our eyes. Quite simply private profits are being put before an integrated health care system, safe clinical decisions and ultimately patients’ needs, and this is reflected in the scandal over Lewisham A&E and the broken promises regarding Queen Mary’s.”
Hi Stu
Congrats on the WBB!
A couple of questions
1 I’m presuming best targeted at don’t knows
2 DK’s ideally those identified by YES / RIC canvassing which I understand ( as someone who has been asking the Yes/No/DK question) will be used as the final round of canvassing
3 As you know YES at least are currently against promoting anything produced by you – tossers!
4 We can obviously continue (or for some start) to use the YES target list and simply hand out your WBB without discussion?
5 Does this cause any issue with data confidentiality or referendum spending rules ?
If you can clarify these questions we can all decide how many WBB’s we can use before Sept 18. I amongst many will be much happier to participate in the final canvassing if we can use and properly target your material!
Alex I think it might only be YES Central Office that is against promoting anything from Wings. I was at my local YES group meeting earlier tonight for example and they can’t wait to get their hands on the WBB. I think it actually falls down to the individual YES groups. From what I’ve read so far though they, local YES groups, are gagging to get their hands on the WBB all over Scotland. 😛
The picture files as downloaded are too big. The maximum file size for uploading to vista print is 5MB.
@Devereux
I’m in the west end and have my final hand in on friday, after that (and a day or so to recover) I’ll be free to do running about if required in between trying to find a job. Not so great on the face to face but happy to be a cycle courier or back room support.
keep getting put on moderation – why?
Join the club twenty, don’t worry about it I don’t and I’ve been driving the regular’s on here up the wall for quite a considerable amount of time. 😛
will repeat – @ heedtracker – is it possible that 500,000 have requested postal votes and councils ( between them ) spread out another 200,000 then are signed as required. Is there anyway names and addresses can be randomly checked. This is the one area I am seriously concerned about. Do we have Wingers on the ferries
@Twenty 14 maybe because your scareing the shit oota everybody we,re paranoid as it is lol,any mair an your sinbined.
@Ronnie A – I’ll man the Govan Ferry 🙂 !
I’d just like to thank everyone for the numerous links they post on here. Great for getting the whole picture.
twenty14 – we also don’t have any WOS monitors in Stirling apparently which is a concern given the unionist council.
Or in D+G + Shetland or was it Orkney?
I think I heard on the STV news that it is expected that the result of the referendum will be announced on the morning of 19th Sept. Does this mean the Western Isles will start their count right away instead of drawing the whole process out for days?
Earlier I mentioned that I had created ‘booklet’ jpegs. i.e. jpegs that when printed can be made into a double sided printed, centre stapled booklet of A5 size. I was somewhat dismayed that my laser printer was picking up on ‘artifacts’ which , although the text was still easily readable, had a, to my mind unacceptable, ‘smudged’ appearance.
I therefore backed other requests for a booklet download.
An A6 booklet is ideal for all sorts of reasons mentioned previously.
I said I would send the Rev. much reduced res versions of those since working out the required layout is time consuming.
Meanwhile Scott said it should be possible via printer functionality. This sidetracked me somewhat into spending a joyous hour or two or three trying to get booklet format to work. However, this failed, won’t go into the details but pages wrong size, orientation, out of sync etc.
So eventually I get back to doing shrunk, lower res, versions of my jpegs so I could send them to the Rev.
Because I had faffed about with them a bit, mainly changing the file names to better reflect better the content, I thought I’d better test print a run to make sure I hadn’t screwed something up.
That is when the weird thing happened. Despite being a much LOWER res, the files printed acceptably cleanly.
Don’t ask me how. Possibly at the lower res the ‘artifacts’, which were only ever visible in print and not on screen, have been ‘filtered’ out.
OK, the text isn’t quite as well defined, but I think the result is acceptable.
Yippee. Printed off booklets.
Err A6 size.
T Jenny I e-mailed Stu earlier tonight about D+G. When the call went out for volunteers I was late to the call up and by the time I came onto the thread I’d already seen Stu tweet for folks to stop applying cause he had enough, or something like that. 😉
Anyway I put the call out tonight at the local YES group tonight so we’ll see what happens now as far as D+G is concerned. 😀
Jackie Bird, for all her broadcasting experience, came across as very amateurish in the interview with the FM — a bit like one of theses females in the silent films with their exaggerated gestures and expressions. She should have taken a few lessons from Derek Bateman beforehand, and ensured more accurate preparation of her script. Insisting that the NHS in England is not being privatised flies in the face of everything her counterparts down south have been spouting about on news programmes for a very long time.
L-A – you are a wonderful lady. 🙂
@Twenty 14 ah wudna let you man wan o ma comical coricals
I did think Dorothy that there were a couple of instances during her *ahem* interview of the First Minister that she seemed to be pausing almost like she was waiting for further instructions from *cough* higher up! 😛
Crivvens – my last comment went into moderation.
GCHQ at it again? Waves. 🙂
its bewitching hour time for O/T
@Dorothy
It will be interesting to see if she pulls the same snide grimaces and sarcastic tone with Darling.
wordpress is acting up I,m in moderation
You as well TJ? I’ve been sent to to stand in the naughty corner TWICE tonight so far! 😛
It’s PARTY TIME! We’re all going, no not on a Summer holiday, but into moderation! Yee Ha! 😛
@ T Jenny clear out the cookies my 2nd post went through ok
@ TJenny – I seriously think this will be there main game plan. This is outwith anyone’s control and cannot be determined by anyone and if the result goes against us the whole of the MSM will already have had their headlines written 3 days in advance about us calling foul. On another matter – The whole campaign – Yes, BFS, SNP, Greens, Radical Indy etc, etc must, at every occasion force the Claire Ridge Oil find and ask Darling, Cameron, Carmichael, Osbourne etc, etc -is there a massive new Oilfield off Shetland and are their Oil fields off the Clyde ? and state that if it is hidden till after the Referendum ( and they knew about it ) then we will not have to wait for a generation till the next vote but can call for one immediately – Mcrone 2 ” will be its name
Lesley – Anne – all me comment said was that you were a wonderful woman, in response to you rallying the D+G Yes group to provide a WOS monitor. Seems a strange thing to be moderated for, therefore I suspect gremlins, or BTnutbots.
If you are posting posts that say you are in moderation then surely you can’t be ? 🙂
No more talk, just action, it is the only way, do it yourself
do not leave it up to others, talk is cheap, be a part of a new life for the future, the past is history, it is the future that counts, let us all be part of it, go and win one vote.
My post at 11.27 still says I’m in moderation – must have been the shift change down south 🙂
kendomacaroonbar – my post at 11.58 is still awaiting moderation. Subsequent posts OK. Maybe a midnight behind the scenes webby update thingy.
The crazy thing kendo is that it’s not every post it seems to be the most iniquitous of posts that seem to be upsetting GCHQ tonight. 😛
WooHoo, I managed to get a post into moderation, I think that is a step up from them disappearing into the ether 🙂
Ref postal voting.
Can you physically take your postal vote along to the polling station on the 18th and use it to vote the conventional way ?
If so I would urge any YES voters if poss to do this.
@twenty14, I estimated from the times of some posters, that GCHQ has a shift change about 11:00pm.
Everything in moderation…d’oh !
@a2 says@k1 ok will be in touch re a meeting when more details from stu
Dear Mr GCHQ.
You can blank our posts. You can hide our posts. You can even push all our posts into moderation but guess what?
It makes not one iota of a difference. You want to know why?
WE are the main deal. We are the REAL deal. WE are the force YOU have to fight, but if I were you I’d give up now cause guess what on the 19th WE will have WON! 😛
Just tried a few variations on a popular breakfast cereal and none worked. Bizarre. 🙂
Lesley-Anne:
‘Dear Mr GCHQ.
You can blank our posts. You can hide our posts. You can even push all our posts into moderation but guess what?’
You’ll never take our FREEDOM! 🙂
Whoever it is on Donaldson Road, Hayocks, Stevenston, with the YES posters in upstairs/downstairs windows?
More power to ye – seems a lonely furrow up there. I was at a mate’s to see the football, had to hoof it back down to the bottom end, but it gave me time to scan the windows. Yours were the only YES posters I saw.
The power of a simple poster in a window should not be underestimated – I was drookit, half-cut, and a bit down, but seeing those posters lifted me instantly.
Big shout to Yessers in the Hayocks – we know you’re there, so please make yourselves seen, eh?!
Thanks for that TJ I knew I’d forgotten something! 😛
@ James Sneddon I am happy to help out any way I can regarding Edinburgh. Think I met you and your mate at the Newsroom 4th of July.
@ Scot Finlayson
Yes, you can take your postal ballot to the polling station, in its envelope so that the signature can be compared with the one supplied when registering, and put it in the ballot box. I haven’t actually done this, so I don’t know if there are any further formalities. The comparison of the signatures is not done in the polling station; somebody described the process in the thread a while back asking for volunteers to monitor this checking as well as being at the count, etc.
Hello GCHQ & good nite logging of but will be back bright & early.
Good nite my fellow travelers, I shall be here tommorrow as per usual.
No Plan B Required. Plan A is Assured.Portuguese
In an earlier post I indicated my preference would be for Scotland to establish it’s own currency following a, “Yes” vote in the referendum. But I am aware the Scottish government’s preferred option is to stay with Sterling, with or without monetary union with rUK.
The response from Westminster politicians is that there will be no monetary union. The rUK will by result retain responsibility for all current debt at the time Scotland branches out once more as an independent nation. In a follow up it was stated that rUK would not undertake the role of the, “Lender of Last Resort” in the event Scotland met debt difficulties at any time in the future, (not that this would arise since Scotland is a well organized nation).
Clearly the Westminster Elite are attempting to blackmail Scottish voters into a, “no” vote by constantly harping on about a, “Plan B”. Mr Salmond, (Scottish First Minister) repeatedly states, there is no, “Plan B”. Scotland will use Sterling as it’s currency. He is of course, entirely correct in his assertion. The under-noted information sets out the position of the EU in regard to support of member state currencies. Westminster politicians might need to be reminded of it.
EU (The Lender of Last Resort)
European Union, finance ministers, were recently summoned to Brussels to sign up to the, “European Stabilization Mechanism”. Britain was unable to veto the measure as it was put through under the, “qualified majority voting” system. The deal, to be applied to any member country’s currency, was denounced as a “stitch-up” by the UK government. The proposals were put in place so that the, Irish, Greek, Spanish and Portuguese government’s would be able to finance their debt.
Euro-zone leaders acted to bypass objections from the UK by invoking Article 122 of the Lisbon Treaty, intended to enable a collective response to natural disasters. This did not require unanimous agreement since the decision was taken by qualified majority vote, 16 euro zone leaders ensured its passage.
UK exposure to liabilities created by the bail-out under the scheme amounted to around 10 per cent of the total loan. If any country had failed to repay, the cost to the UK would have been, (£8.6 billion, for every £86?billion) on which the said country defaulted.
The European Commission President stated, “We will defend the currencies of our member states, using the, “Lisbon Treaty” clause as the legal basis for a European bailout scheme. Under the clause, an EU member state hit by “natural disasters or exceptional occurrences beyond its control” can receive “financial assistance” after a qualified majority vote by European leaders. It was agreed, “exceptional circumstances” included market, “attacks” on any, “Member States” currencies.
The change legally obliges the UK treasury to undertake responsibility, together with all other EU member states to be a joint, “lender of last resort” for any EU member state that might be liable to default on that nations debt.
Night, night Ronnie and all.
What Nuada and YESGUY said…
These next few weeks are going to be very special.
Watch out for landslides!
# Dorothy Bruce
re – “Jackie Bird, for all her broadcasting experience, came across as very amateurish in the interview with the FM — a bit like one of theses females in the silent films with their exaggerated gestures and expressions.”
It was cringing and embarrassing to watch.
Why waste time trawling govt. websites, talk to people, give them the facts, TWWB, tell them, tell them, TELL THEM.
Rev you really are a bloody marvel. Blindingly brilliant, that wee book. I’m on my third re-read because I can’t get enough of it. Thank you.
barracouda,
Where do you think half the material on here originates ?
You need something to tell them, and where better a source from, than HMG material itself.
‘Alert reader’ ring any bells 🙂
Lesley-Anne: I put in an order earlier with Stu for 1000 printed copies for D&G. If I end up in the first batch of deliveries I will let you know and I can bring some down to Annan for you.
So if i take my postal vote to the polling station it could be spoiled for not matching a previous signature ?
I think i will change to a normal vote if i have time.
Hi Defo How you doing Mate. Information is always best from the horses mouth. Its kind of hard for them to try and spin it then.
5 of those postal votes are Yes at least.
2 are ma’s pal(she’s ticking Yes for herself and her hubby)
3 of the rest are for my workmate (me, meh wife and meh daughter are all yes, so eh took a postal vote)
Plenty more out there.
Look at the polls not just for the 2011 election and late SNP surge (by the last week they were all suggesting a SNP win but NONE a SNP MAJORITY)
but the referendum in 97 and now again 2014 – All the polls in 97 were heading towards around 61% win yet come election day, we voted 74% for a Scots parli.
Ok, we are fair bit behind in the polls but we don’t need 74 or 61, all we need is 51.05 and well if we take those polls as gospel, we’re looking at well,
A
YES WIN
Good Michael. Off to France for a couple of weeks work, back in plenty time for the fun & games.
Even the best information is useless, if people don’t see it. (or are too scared to look)
I really hope this WBB is worth a % or two to Yes.
Saturation coverage, like Mao’s Wee Red one 🙂
Hi everybody
I’ve just received a fantastic suggestion from a friend that may be effective in persuading your undecided or soft no friends or relatives, especially if they are older and unlikely to make use of the internet or seek out facts for themselves.
Sit down and write them a hand written letter – with a pen (ok type if you have doctors handwriting) and lay out in an appropriate way (for them) why you think they should vote yes, pop in whatever supporting materials are right for them, be that the wee Blue book or something else that might suit them better.
We all have at lest one or two people who aren’t quite sure or not engaged at all and that kind of personal reassurance may well be enough. How many of us is there again? cumon, one each will swing it!
Oh yes and either hand it to them personally or Post it with a stamp and stuff (remember them?)
Chic McGregor says
It will be interesting to see if she pulls the same snide grimaces and sarcastic tone with Darling.
The Alistair Darling show won’t allow that kind of shenanigans
BBC news says
Removal of Trident from Faslane would be “technically feasable” according to a defence think tank, but would take much longer that the Scottish government wants, “experts at the Royal united services Institute think it could take up to 12 years to build a facility in England or Wales, but they dont think that it would be prohibitivly expensive”,
UK government ha said it would “cost billions of poinds and take many years”
Now I dont know about anyone else here but when we say get the hell out of our country, I dont expect to be met with “ah but you see, I’ve nowhere to go and its raining so you’ll just have to put up with me for a while longer”,
I expect when we we say get the hell out of our country for them to do just that, tout suite, I couldnt give a shit where they go just get the hell out and dont come back
besides we need that base for the Scottish navy so fuck off now!
Loki on Independence…
link to youtube.com
Ronnie Anderson saysa
“Ah hope Alidoonstair Darling gets the same aggresive Jakie
Burd, ah dont think.”
Ah hope Alidoonstair Darling gets the same aggresive JAIKIE
Burd, ah dont think.
Fixed that for you. 🙂
The wife started tidying up when Reporting Scotland came on last night,
I thought she was expecting visitors,
no she was making sure there would be no ammo such as cups and the like lying about when that scrawny burd came on with Alex Salmond,
5 weeks folks 5 weeks and we can be rid of creatures like her off our screens forever.
BBC Scotland seem to think we are obsessed with a wee Somalian runner who moved to England and now stays in America.
Mo Farah, the guy who missed the Commonwealth Games through illness, seems to have got his fitness back very quickly.
Top story on BBC News this morning…
link to bbc.co.uk
…strange that I cannot find this story on the BBC News SouthWest page?
I would have thought WMD’s being re-homed at Plymouth would have been a least a bit newsworthy for the locals? No?
On the subject of the Euro Athletics Championships, Team GB have about FIVE Scots in the team, out of about seventy five athletes.
Try telling all those Scots athletes that done so well in the Commonwealth Games they are “Better Together”.
The majority of Scots were dumped from Team GB in favour of English athletes.
An Independent Scotland would have a full team of athletes representing Scotland at all International games events.
If I was a Scottish athlete, I know how I would be voting on 18th September.
…actually, the BBC went for ‘Winner found in Fireworks battle’ for Plymouth…
link to bbc.co.uk
…hoping the bright flashes are enough to distract from huge hunks of evil black metal entering port no doubt?
@john king – I couldnt give a shit where they go just get the hell out and dont come back
They are at it john, chancing their arm to keep their toys right next to our biggest city.
Wonder if Jackie ‘That’s not independence’ Bird thinks we should keep the abominations
On GMS earlier Naughtie was interviewing Sir someone Macdonald who just shut him up even though he was trying his…”yes but what about…” Completely trashed the OBR assessments, Oil prices etc, said all the White paper proposals completely sensible and workable, put naughtie right on the currency, …following Irelands example…
Naughtie asked him why he had become a yes, replied that when he became aware that the westminster parties would never agree to any version of home rule, or extension of powers.
Sorry a bit vague, was still half asleep, would say it was about 7.15 or so. Well worth a catch up.
Croompenstein/John… go try and find the Nukes story on the BBC Devon page.
The story is purely manufactured for Scotland, otherwise such an important story to Plymouth/Devon would be dynamite… instead they just got some fireworks.
Got feedback on the WBB from one of my definite noes( I hate that Alexsammin)
“that’s very interesting”
You don’t know how big a change that is for them, it’s working.
I don’t care how big a problem removing trident is for what’s left of the UK, life is full of problems, I want to know what their plan is for removing it, complete with timescale. And I’m not interested in a plan B.
BBC Radio Scotland on lengthy debate with one very anti Indy guy from Scottish Research Society(never heard of it either?) and “neutral” John MacLaren debating what Independence would cost Scots.
Typical that no person from the Yes side was allowed to counter these doom merchants and was obviously a BBC inspired spioler to detract from Sir Donald Mackay’s support for Independence.
When the Wee Blue Books are available, can someone let me know where I can pick up a few hundred for distribution to DKs in the south side of Glasgow?
Sinky, this is who they are.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Another day, another spanking from vote NO Graun with Royal United Services Institute kindly telling England that they might get radiated but
“Introducing nuclear-armed [submarines] to Devonport will unavoidably introduce a new risk that an accidental ignition of one or all of a submarine’s Trident D5 missiles could spread radioactive material over some of Plymouth’s 260,000 inhabitants.”
Explains why Scotland was chosen by our chums in the south.
Michael McCabe- Hi fella, yes I remember we had a good chat and put the world to rights :). I’ll stick something up on Wings when the WBB’s have arrived and we’ve got a date arranged to hand them out.
@MacDoc
Went out for the first time with RIC on Tues. Paired with an experienced person as is usual. We were just asking them what they thought about the referendum, nothing leading, other than a lot of Yes badges and introducing ourselves as from the Yes Campaign.
Where appropriate we asked people to rank themselves 1-10. Those who opened the door saw us, said ‘No Thanks’ an shut it again were automatic 1’s. Other than that we estimated what to put based on the conversation. We found more Yes or inclined to Yes than Noes and at least half of the Noes were soft 3s and 4s. Exactly the sort who need a WBB.
We had a clipboard with the streets and a listing of what was known about the residents at each house. So this was a followup visit. We divested ourselves of various information leaflets as well as Yes stickers.
We hectored nobody, just had friendly chats, even with No voters. Don’t believe anyone who tells you the elderly are all No either. One old gent told us he was voting Yes for his grandkids.
The Rev predicted that the Scottish Research Society would surface soon. He was correct.
What a terribly biased interview on GMS a few minutes ago.
BBC GMS trying to spin all the Yes good news re Trident, re Currency, into bad news. They are pathetic. Naughtie tried his best to hijack his interviewee and get the answers he so desperately wanted.
No mention of Sir somebody MacDonald on BBC website
@Sinky
I think the SRS were called out as another funded front for BT propoganda on here previously with a “watch out” notice having formed in summer. “Sottish” to make them sound they have Scotland’s interests at heart and Research to make you think that what they say is thought through facts (see what they did there?). But of course get a free platform on GMS without any call out that they are rabid anti-indy who just make stuff up and take BT UKOK to the very limits. Arguing on a population based share of oil!!!. Good we had MacLaren to balance so we could have a fair discussion of how much worse off we would be. New depths being plumbed by BBC and did not think that was possible. Too wee, too poor, oil will be our ruination – job done. WBB for air drops on Pacific Quay?
can anyone find that interview online with sir donald mackay & Naughie ?
I have no idea why they parachuted Naughtie in. He doesn’t seem any different to any of the other presenters and often I have to catch his name before I know it is him. He just reads from the same Unionist script as the rest.
The Andrew Neil show and whatever show came on afterwards is the first BBC current affairs I have watched/listened to for a while. I am grateful to Stu for covering all this stuff because the BBC News department just makes me want to boak. I will not be going back after the vote whatever the result. They have burnt their bridges.
2 unionist economists afforded free rein to doom-monger about an independent Scotland on the prime time 8am slot on GMS. No input at all, far less the opportunity to provide balance, from Yes.
I’m sure it won’t have escaped the attention of Prof Robertson’s team at UWS that, in the last few days as we move towards the official campaign period, Unionist voices have had a monopoly of this 8am slot.
It is absolutely imperative that we vote Yes for all sorts of reasons, but getting rid of the corrupt propagandist that is the BBC is right up there.
@Sinky
Scotland Institute launched by Alistair Darling & hedge fund millionaire Azeem Ibrahim. Presented as neutral by @BBCScotlandNews
The real story regarding the United Services report on Trident is this interesting wee gem of a quote “Introducing nuclear-armed [submarines] to Devonport will unavoidably introduce a new risk that an accidental ignition of one or all of a submarine’s Trident D5 missiles could spread radioactive material over some of Plymouth’s 260,000 inhabitants.”.
So its a risk for the 260 000 people of Plymouth, but really quite fine and dandy for the 596,550 people who live in Glasgow, where the warheads currently are.
This just typifies the mindset down south. Can’t put the English folks at risk, but it’s quite ok for Glasgow, Scotland’s most populated city.
Yet still some Scots want to vote NO. Wake up FFS!
Vote YES so we can get these useless and dangerous nuclear bombs away from Glasgow and out of Scotland for good. Where London chooses to put them is of no freaking concern to me or an independent Scotland. We never eanted them dumped up here, and it is time they went. ONLY a YES vote will make sure it happens.
Trident in the Herald and Jackie B. lies again
link to archive.today
O/T – ‘Outlander’ (Scotland’s ‘Game of Thrones’), having premiered in the USA, will show on TV in Canada, Australia, and Netherlands before the IndyRef.
But it is not showing on TV in the UK before 18th September.
Filmed in Scotland.
Powerful drama.
Gives a great impression of Scotland.
But we are not allowed to see it before the vote.
@Training day.
I’d momentarily forgotten about Prof Robertson’s team.
It will be interesting to see what they make about the Burd’s interview with Alex Salmond, and compare it to the interview with Alistair Darling.
Forgot we actually had the full set on GMS. All these numbers are just too complcated for voters to decide, how can we possibly make up our minds and vote – too stupid! job done. Here’s a thought BBC – maybe if you stop airing these made up fountains of pish the poor voters wouldn’t be so confused. But then that is the agenda isn’t it?
Banock 1314
Yes it was me last week and there are a few houses on the estate now starting to put YES posters on their windows . I am fighting with my wife to get posters put up on our house .
I drive a red astra with 2 yes stickers , a newsnet and a wings .
As I said if you include the new Wimpy estate , St Abbs Way , Dalbeatie Braes and Lammermuir Drive etc the estate takes 600 leaflets .
I have asked the Rev for a thousand as YES Airdrie & Shotts will be able to use them as well . I will be in touch as soon as I hear anything from the Rev .
I will shortly be putting up lamppost posters on Lancaster Ave
@ John King, Pedant spoiler,Smiles.
Trident, if/when we get independence, it has to go. As some retired admiral said recently, it would be unthinkable for any country to house it’s nuclear deterrent on another country’s soil.
It has to go to England. Sending it to Wales or N Ireland would be stupidity, from their perspective. They might have to move it again sometime!
They could, of course, simple scrap it.
However, what they do, really isn’t our concern, post removal.
Rev Stu
I’m sure you will have thought about this already, but please send a copy of WBB to the Scottish National Library. They accept all sorts of material which reflects the situation at a given time, and WBB is certainly that. In fact it could be a game-changer, “the book which won the referendum”.
Might be time to do an article on who is behind all these think tanks the BBC give air time to.
@training day
Pre-empted by BBC. I think will not be interviewed by same interviewer (Sally Magnusson “doing” Alistair I heard) so “no direct comparison can be made” “differences are primarily due to differences interviewers style and tone adopted by interviewee” ” Mr Salmond made more contestible statements” See what they will do there? Easy ride for AD -job done
Plenty of chalk caves around Dover to house missiles
I am currently obtaining quotes from a Glasgow based printer for a large print run of the WBB.
For all those people who want to receive small volume but can take advantage of large volume discounts, then please bear with me as I collate this data during the day.
i can be reached at kenmcdonald1(at)btopenworld(dot)com
Why is housing Trident so expensive? Is it security? Or, as I suspect, the missiles need to housed in a manner which can contain accidental ignition?
Sheesh, how did we ever end up with them 25miles from Glasgow!?
If the John Maclaren on Radio Scotland this morning was from Glasgow University then I doubt he is a ‘neutral’.
He was in the Labour Party and a SPAD to Henry McLeish.
He works at the CPPR with Jo “sell off Scottish Water asap” Armstrong.
Jo Armstrong former SPAD to Jack McConnell also works at the Fraser of Allander Institute with Brian Ashcroft.
Brian Ashcroft is Wendy Alexander’s husband.
Not to say that he isn’t genuinely neutral, but …
Re duplex printing, thanks Jim, Cameron, Chic, Scott & RogueTrader
Yip, as CameronB states, imposed in printer pairs would probably be much easier for most folk but figured out the ‘Booklet’ setup, thanks Scott
Made the mistake of thinking it was an A5 booklet, not A6. Off to buy some A5 paper. Thanks all
@a2 “Sit down and write them a handwritten letter”
Started doing exactly that with my address book. However I have decided not to personalise the letter. My views are well known and some might switch off. Instead framing it as an invite to a coming event of interest which might attract them ie Women For Indy, Academics or Tommy Sheridan depending on taste. I mention WBB is crowdfunded by ordinary folk and include a wee pic of contrasting media spin from whatever paper or TV programme I know they watch and to get them thinking the ownership of Yougov. Sounds a lot but only 4 pars with WBB download info at the bottom. Am also including with the letter an extract from WBB again geared to their concerns which I know from talking to them eg pensions or currency.
According to the ‘wee blue book’ – “most” economic experts apparently believe that the UK parties are bluffing on currency union, and “most” economic experts apparently believe that using sterling unofficially would be a “BETTER” (capitalisation as per the book) plan for Scotland.
The book then quotes just two of these ‘experts’ while ignoring the views of all the other experts who think differently.
This is what’s called a dicto simpliciter fallacy, or sweeping generalisation – ignoring acceptable exceptions in order to try to claim “most” experts think a certain thing when the reality is that they don’t.
@Colin Church
Indeed, the ‘debate’ – such as it is on the BBC – is noticeably being steered in the direction of ‘it’s all so complicated and no one knows what to believe, so best to do nothing’. Hayley Millar was doing exactly that on GMS this morning, as was the ‘undecided’ on the BBC panel in Inverness on Tuesday.
That’s not to say the context on the BBC does not remain hard-line Unionism, leavened with inane kailyard such as this morning’s phone-in topic, ‘should children head footballs?’
Attack the FM as its all they have…
link to politics.co.uk
galamcennalath
From what I have noticed about the MOD and Westminster’s defence procurement ethos is that everything HAS to be expensive.
After all they tend to boost costs for their chums in the defence industry, then by some ‘chance’ those that served on the defence procurement committee’s and with the MOD, just some how end up in director level posts in the defence companies.
It always amazes me that Westminster, when boasting about defence, always state that they have the fourth largest defence budget in the world. But never ever talk about actual manpower or equipment
“Sources: [64] Wikipedia [65] Wikipedia”
Oh dear. Even Wikipedia itself cautions against using Wikipedia as a source:
“We advise special caution when using Wikipedia as a source for research projects. Normal academic usage of Wikipedia and other encyclopedias is for getting the general facts of a problem and to gather keywords, references and bibliographical pointers, but not as a source in itself”
I’m not sure something that sources Wikipedia on at least two occasions can be taken seriously, can it?
@ Stewart Mckenzie, thanks Stewie. In precis, “shut up, vote No.” Gotcha.
“The rebate is a sum of money paid by the EU to the
entire UK, including Scotland. It’s therefore a moveable
UK asset, and as such will be part of the independence
negotiations like any other asset. Scotland is entitled
to its share.”
This claim doesn’t have a source. Where was this information obtained?
“Sources:
[119] Wikipedia [120] Wikipedia [121] Wikipedia [122]”
“[1] Wikipedia [2] House Of Commons Library [3] Wikipedia [4]
Wikipedia”
Oh dear. It’s considerably more than just a few occasions that the ‘wee blue book’ cites Wikipedia as a source, despite Wikipedia itself saying it should NOT be used a source in itself.
What a shame, this was a good opportunity for a proper fact-filled publication but, sadly, it appears that most of the ‘facts’ are either sourced from Wikipedia, unverified by any sources, or dicto simpliciter fallacies.
@ I’m not sure something that sources Wikipedia on at least two occasions can be taken seriously, can it?
Actually it should be taken seriously precisely because they caution using Wikipedia as a source.
Scottish independence has been attacked day in day for years now by a BBC that tells the world how impartial, unbiased and honest they are. That’s one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated on the people of Scotland, compelled by law to pay their wages.
Not good Stewie boy.
‘Actually it should be taken seriously precisely because they caution using Wikipedia as a source.’
Er…..right. Sources from Wikipedia should be taken seriously because Wikipedia itself cautions against using sources from Wikipedia?!
I think you need to re-think your attempted argument.
link to energyvoice.com
@Stewart Mckenzie
Differing expert opinion is not a problem in a democracy – the presentation of only one side is. There are two sides to be heard! What are you afraid of ?
Dear GCHQ, can you imagine how much all of us up here are going to be rolling about laughing in our wee new democracy when your gloriously failed empire gets booted off the UN Security Council to be replaced with adults? 😉
“Differing expert opinion is not a problem in a democracy – the presentation of only one side is”
Correct. As I’ve just said, I would welcome a properly verified, accurate, fact-filled publication that presented the other side of the argument.
Sadly this isn’t it.
@stwear mckenzie
One from your side would be most welcome but I suppose 👿 ain’t that bright.
The great benefit of the union at work, starve the poor.
Disgusting labour,tory,lib dem enriching themselves at our expense.
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
As I understood it, the references we need are within the Wikipedia entry.
I think you need to re-think your attempted argument.
I think you’re making a vote no point from nothing, but we’re more than accustomed to cheap frauds now, as in this morning with a clown like Jim Naughtie. If they lose this, they should be made to present Scotland’s independence day celebrations, as the the last ever garbage BBC show from Scotland.
@Devereux
Well said. We have had months of drivel from BT, VNB, HMG, BBC and almost every printed publication from Lands End to Thurso.
This campaign has been completely asymmetrical and a blatant attempt by one side to subvert democracy through propaganda and manipulation.
We applaud Stu for producing The Wee Blue Book as a counter to all the lies, misinformation and twisted words of the NaeSayers.
link to eveningexpress.co.uk
@heedtracker
Well said!!
“I think you’re making a vote no point from nothing”
If I was making a vote no point then I’d make a vote no point.
Pointing out the failures of this ‘wee blue book’ does not advocate voting either way.
“We applaud Stu for producing The Wee Blue Book as a counter to all the lies, misinformation and twisted words of the NaeSayers”
But sadly this ‘wee blue book’ isn’t a counter to misinformation or twisted words, as I’ve already pointed out.
McKenzie,
The objective here is to publish & distribute as many copies as possible. No one is really interested at this stage in your pedantry.
This is a crowd funded website & a crowd funded publication. The people that help keep this website are delighted to have a publication that helps project their point of view because almost the entire print & broadcast media offers a different view that supports the status quo.
Just show us what effort you are going to make to help or perhaps leave these pages because you are contributing zero help otherwise.
Councils organise a commission that duly states Councils should have more powers – quelle surprise!!
link to bbc.co.uk
Councils should be able to raise most of the money they spend from local taxes, according to a report on the future of local government in Scotland.
A commission on improving local democracy says there should be far more grassroots control over the cash available for services.
It says there should be no place for a nationally-imposed council tax freeze.
It also suggests power over some other taxes could be moved from central government to councils.
The Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy was set up by local government organisation Cosla to try to find ways of giving local communities more power.
Debate tonight in Inverness 7.30pm
link to ross-shirejournal.co.uk
@Stewart Mckenzie
Well, if you feel so strongly about it, why don’t you go off and produce your own counter to the BT, VNB, HMG, BBC and MSM lies, misinformation and twisted words?
You can make much of the intellectual argument and the veracities but what about Jackie Bird twice asking the FM “Would it not be more honest etc” TWICE. Will she use the same technique with Darling in asking about how he arranged Tory,Labour and LibDem to agree to there will be no currency union as condition of his”Leading” the Better Togethers.Go back and see when that suicidal view came into vogue!
Heard suggested that to guard against pole fiddles that anyone can take pic of their ballot form showing unique number with perhaps Newspaper date alongside and vote X in place in the privacy of polling booth. Yes?
Let me guess
Stewart McKenzie is one of those “Im a Yes voter BUT…” people we get on here every now and again.
Welcome, I hope that dull pain deep down in your knotted stomach eases soon enough.
@desimond
Don’t think so desimond he’s more of the wee 👿 duggie persuasion.
Shift change at GCHQ but glad to see all BTUKOKNOTHANKers money is being well spent 🙂
Please lads n lasses done engage the TROLL, ah TELT you,s the Rev wunt be happy,& you,s will get skelped roon the lugs.
JUST TAKE THEM AWAY!!!
Moving Trident nuclear submarines out of an independent Scotland would be “very difficult but not impossible”, according to a study.
QUELLE SURPRISE!!!
The report by the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) also said relocating the submarines would be far cheaper than previously assumed.
But it could take a decade to build a base for the submarines elsewhere in the UK, it said.
The SNP wants to remove nuclear weapons within four years of independence.
The submarines carrying the UK’s nuclear deterrent currently operate from the Faslane naval base on the Clyde.
There have been concerns over how they could be relocated in the event of a “Yes” vote in September’s independence referendum.
Milford Haven in Wales and Plymouth on the south coast of England have been suggested as potential new homes for the submarines.
The UK government has choices on what it decides to do with its nuclear weapons following their removal from an independent Scotland”
Former cabinet minister Lord Forsyth has previously warned that the potential difficulties of moving the submarines would mean that the UK could be forced to give up its nuclear deterrent if Scotland votes in favour of independence.
But in their paper, Rusi research analyst Hugh Chalmers and research director Malcolm Chalmers said relocating Trident would be both financially and technically feasible.
They suggested that recreating the required nuclear facilities outside Scotland would add between £2.5-3.5bn to the cost of maintaining a nuclear-armed fleet, plus the cost of acquiring and clearing land.
This would be far less than a previously-predicted £20-25bn, they said.
Hugh Chalmers said the research by the military think tank contrasted with an “unlikely consensus” between supporters and opponents of Scottish independence that it would be impossible to relocate the nuclear weapons elsewhere.
If the question mark over Trident’s future could be answered, it would help untangle a difficult issue surrounding Scottish independence, he added.
line
Britain’s nuclear deterrent doesn’t come cheap. It’ll cost around £20bn to replace the current fleet of four Trident submarines, sometime during the next decade.
Not everyone’s convinced – either in Parliament or the MOD – that the UK can afford or really needs a like for like replacement.
This study, by the distinguished defence think tank Rusi, highlights the additional costs if Scotland votes for independence.
It concludes that moving the deterrent from the Clyde and the secure storage facilities for the warheads at Coulport is financially and technically feasible but wouldn’t be cheap – between an additional £2.5bn to £3.5bn.
It’ll also cost a lot of political capital – persuading people of Plymouth and Falmouth that it’s in their interests to have the deterrent and warheads based in their backyard instead of 30 miles away from Scotlands largest City.
Mr Chalmers said: “When people start considering options for relocations it’s only natural to assume that it would be quite expensive and very difficult and that is certainly the case. But it is not impossible.
“We estimate that essentially the net costs of relocating could actually be £2.5-3.5bn at 2012 prices, rather than the tens of billions or even £20bn that has been put forward so far.”
It is difficult to estimate the total costs, or how long it would take, to replicate the facilities at Faslane, but it would likely cost taxpayers billions of pounds and take many years”
But he said it would take a long time, and was unlikely to be completed by the SNP’s target date of 2020.
Mr Chalmers said: “It may be possible to deactivate Trident by that point and have it out of Scotland but it’s unlikely we would have been able to have it up and running in a new location by that point.
“The Scottish government has acknowledged that if they were to become independent there would be a period of time where the UK would be basing its nuclear forces in an independent country. The UK would be the first country to ever do this.”
Mr Chalmers said the Rusi paper showed the possibility of a “space for a friendly and amicable settlement” over Trident in the event of independence.
He added: “Effectively this is a key aspect of any negotiations that will emerge after a Yes vote.
“This will be a very, very important issue. If both Scotland and the UK can show that they can come to some sort of amicable arrangement then that untangles a very knotty issue.
“We are trying to essentially dispel the myth that relocating Trident out of Scotland is impossible and in doing so create some space allowing an amicable settlement to be reached in the event of a Yes vote.”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “As Rusi’s paper shows, the UK government has choices on what it decides to do with its nuclear weapons following their removal from an independent Scotland, including of course the potential to reconsider the possession and planned renewal of Trident. “The Scottish government will work responsibly with the government in Westminster in securing the speediest safe withdrawal of Trident from an independent Scotland. “We look forward to the opportunity to discuss these arrangements with the UK government following a vote for independence.”
A Ministry of Defence HEAD IN THE SAND LA LA LAND spokeswoman said: “We are not planning for Scottish independence and as such it is difficult to estimate the total costs, or how long it would take, to replicate the facilities at Faslane, but it would likely cost taxpayers billions of pounds and take many years.”
David Says:
The Trident missiles nuclear warheads could be gone from Scotland in a few weeks months at most, since they get ‘serviced at Aldermaston at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). The nuclear warheads could be moved out of Scotland and stored there in a matter of months at the most. Since there is only ever one of the four Vanguard subs out on patrol at any one time and since for some years now they are not fully armed only 8 missiles and not 12. Under the terms of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, they are armed with a maximum of eight missiles and 40 warheads….we have 8 missiles and 40 warheads out at sea at any one time….so getting them out of Scotland should not be difficult at all just don’t bring them back here please.
How many warheads are stored at RNAD Coulport is impossible to know BUT according to Scottish CND, the depot can hold up to 36 Trident missiles in 16 nuclear bomb storage bunkers.
The UK have 58 Trident missiles and have 160 warheads.
The Trident missiles themselves get serviced on a rotating basis in the USA as they are in a shared pool with the USN missiles.
Seems eminently doable to me to get the nasty bits of of Scotland in well under a year.
As to where to put the servicing side of the subs and the missiles that is for sure not a Scottish problem I am sure the sub servicing part could stay in Scotland until the NIEW (Northern Ireland England and Wales) have got that bit sorted – according to the MOD this is going to take ten years That ten years guaranteed income might be nice to have for an Independent Scotland……now would that be in pounds Sterling?
But the storage of the nuclear warheads in Scotland is a different thing I wonder what the MOD’s Plan A B and C is for that wee issue??
Solved that one …….time for a cup of tea
@stewart mckenzie
this is what’s called a dicto simpliciter fallacy, or sweeping generalisation – ignoring acceptable exceptions…
It’s actually what’s known as a reduction ad absurdum – your creeping about endlessly looking for ways to talk Scotland down.
Perhaps you’d be better spending your time advising the UK government about how to sort out their £1.5 trillion debt.
looks like we will also be in a different time zone from rUK come independence.
link to bbc.co.uk
or is it just another joke mr Darling 🙂
ronnie anderson says:
Aye, richt enough, Ah shouldnae hae swallit the bait.
Stewart McKenzie
I name you Norsewarrior,
and claim my £100.00!
I hear that Celtic and Dundee Utd supporters are planning to hold up YES posters at their match on Sat. Great idea and I hope it catches on at all football matches up till Sep18th.
@Desimond COSLA translates as Confederation of Scottish Labour Authority,s, started by that stallwart of Labour Tom Clarke MP when he was the Provest of Monklands District Council,in other words another lying troughfing Bastwort.
The mainland United States manages very well with ET/CT/MT/PT & some states like Indiana, Ohio & Tennessee for example have two time zones within the state.
Only Imperial Britain’s pedantry & obstinance could make having two time zones on these islands a disaster for business.
I am looking to see in newspapers references to all their scaremongering articles. It would lead them back to Project Fear.
I watched (ahem) on Bbc a programe on the making of Panama hats noo they cost thousands of $$ shall I order 7 one for each day of the week,naw I,ll order 8, a Indy Scotland can afford tae hiv a day of.
Derek Bateman hitting the nail on the head again ….
link to derekbateman.co.uk
“If you ask a Scot why he believes in Union, there is little more than platitude. It is because Scotland is too small, Britain works, the war, it’s too complicated…They don’t say it’s socially just or there’s even distribution of resources or it has an outstanding record on human rights and social mobility. They don’t say it’s a fair society or it’s democratically run or it looks after its elderly, respects workers’ rights or leads the worldwide green agenda. It’s as if Britain does not need to be explained. It just IS.”
Aye, exactly what is the point of this Union they fight so viciously on behalf of?
@Jim Marshall
Talk of a large YES TIFO (large image generated by fans holding up sheets), lets see if that makes it into papers.
Along with YES banners theres also register to vote stands being set up.
@Stewart Mckenzie
Wikipedia… seriously… after 3 days of pouring over the Wee Blue Book the best the NO camp can come up with is it references Wikipedia at points.
I’ll give you a clue, it says it will link to web pages that have links to avoid being FAR TOO LONG.
Now look at the bottom of those Wikipedia pages and you see the references cited and links to the sources.
As for not putting forward the NO campaigns position… its not a no campaign book. We are quite clear that we are biased to YES… BUT we back up our arguments with citations from experts in the book.
You might not agree with us. You might not like us. But you cannot say that we fail to back up our arguments with evidence, and its THAT which gives credibility, not us, the evidence provided.
desimond 11.09
Excellent! Hope this is the start of an action campaign by all football supporters.
@ galamcennalath, Bateman link says it like it is
“And for every Ronnie Corbett and…(Christ, I can’t even remember the others…) who plead with us to stay, there are nests of online reptiles hissing hate-filled spite and scorn, willing our destruction and humiliation in anti-Scottish tirades.”
My personal favourite this fake this Slovene all the way from Glasgow uni law dept.
link to id.theguardian.com
who even gets to give evidence to Ian Chairchoob Davidson, bayoneter in chief.
Scott,
Of course, the lie filled anti independence brochures from the UK Government sent to every home, cited only one source, HM Government. Hmmm. which to trust? the UK Government or wikipedia? tricky.
@ Jim Marshall, Thepnr has a WOS banner, I left two more,(ones the Rev,s so that cant be used )Cmon lads get them on poles fur the Dundee United game.
If I was making a vote no point then I’d make a vote no point.
Pointing out the failures of this ‘wee blue book’ does not advocate voting either way
Not subtle enough Stewart we get concern trolls here all the time, they stick out like sore thumbs…in your case a recipient of a blow from a 2lb mash hammer.
packhorse pete
Err, 4 billion plus debt from Sept 30th as they have to adopt new accounting rules which means that they cannot hide the PFI and Public sector pension liabilities off the books..
When they take Trident away will they be taking the rusting decommissioned ones at Rosythe also?
An accident of any kind at Milford Haven would destroy the liquid gas terminal and shut down most of england. It’s not an option.
Also notice how the time zone nutcases never mention Wales, or poor benighted Ulster. Everything has to be arranged for the presumed benefit of london. Although nobody has ever explained how Sunset at 5:00PM will bring in millions of winter tourists compared to Sunset at 4:00PM. Just more hatred whipped up against Scots.
Re the failing state of the UK…
link to taxresearch.org.uk
link to twitter.com
@Liquid Lenny
I take it that the figure is £4tn not 4bn
Hello everyone,
For those who are interested in trying to distribute a smallish number of the blue books, perhaps through standing on the street leafleting, how about this to try to focus the books towards undecideds and away from No (and also enthusiastic but strategically naive Yes voters) by also printing off the business cards above. You can hand out the cards, and while doing so, ask people if they are undecided. If so, ask if they would like a Blue Book.
What do people think. Critical comments please – let’s sharpen the strategy!
Also, I’ve seen some people posting on here proposing splitting large print runs. Nice idea.
ClanDonald says:
Lesley-Anne: I put in an order earlier with Stu for 1000 printed copies for D&G. If I end up in the first batch of deliveries I will let you know and I can bring some down to Annan for you.
Apologies for the long delay in getting back to you CD. That would be great. I did ask Stu for the usual 1,000 although I also put in a wee *cheeky* request for 10,000. 😛 I think Stu might still be recovering from that one though. 😉
How are you fixed within your group CD for folks to do the observing thingy during the vote? I e-mailed Stu last night to let him know I’ve asked our group to see if there are any who want to be involved. As I asked then I think my partner and I will be doing it, mind you watching the count from a wheel chair is going to be fun! 😛
link to burdzeyeview.wordpress.com
Malcolm Chisolm shot down in flames should be a good debate today
@Lesley Anne
I am looking at a Glasgow printer for the WBB, are you still interested in 10,000 copies ?
@RH
I am trying to ascertain if we can consolidate the myriad requests of small batches into a tangible order then I can press our printer into printing volume now, rather than wait for full payment to achieve the desired price breaks.
my contact details are in the WBB post area in this forum
@ Stewart McKenzie
It is perfectly acceptable to cite Wikipedia entries, the point being to provide the sources of information so that the reader can follow those sources and verify the origin and reliability for themselves should they have any doubts, Wiki pages themselves should be properly referenced (although of course sometimes they arn’t).
In any properly sourced article, you are not expected to refer purely to primary sources and a secondary source which can be followed to wider reading if the reader has the time or inclination is perfectly acceptable. Statements by politicians, “experts” newspapers etc. are potentially just as unreliable as any wiki entry in fact probably more so as there is no mechanism for verifying where their information came from in the first place.
Of course you know this already and I must admit you’ve succeeded admirably in wasting my time when I should know better.
@ronnie anderson
“Please lads n lasses done engage the TROLL”
Sorry ronnie, trying to finish my Thesis and any distraction seems more attractive than ordering my Bibliography.
Well I was but to be honest I only put that in my e-mail to Stu not seriously expecting a response to that one. 😛
I’m sure my group would be interested but they’d need to know what sort of costs will be incurred by them. I may not be able to get a response from the right folks who hold the purse strings till next Wednesday though.
@ Scott Minto @ 11:11
Yes, I can just hear the howls of derision if we asked that Better Together leaflets included some Yes arguments for balance. Even the media which is meant to be impartial can’t be bothered with that!
Re: taking photographs of the ballot paper
During the Euro elections there was discussion of this, after a politician in the Netherlands took a “selfie” with his ballot.
It is apparently illegal in the UK to photograph a completed ballot paper, presumably because people could otherwise be forced to demonstrate how they had voted by anyone putting pressure on them to vote a certain way.
Looking for evidence about this, the best I could do was
a) this, from a photography site, which was quoting from a guide on the BBC website, which has since been edited and no longer includes the quoted paragraph:
IT’S MY FIRST TIME VOTING. CAN I TAKE A PHOTO?
No. British democracy works on the basis of a secret ballot. For that reason the media are banned from filming, taking photographs or reporting from inside the polling station. The same applies to individuals. Don’t be tempted to take a picture – you’ll be asked to delete it and told not to do it again.
and b)this site – link to giveyourvote.org – which includes a response from the Electoral Commission which led them to remove a recommendation on the site to photograph your ballot.
Promo t shirts for the wee blue book the magic square will work to link phones to wings article so if you don’t mind your chest being oggled / photographed you can be a walking ad for the WBB.
link to goo.gl
“you cannot say that we fail to back up our arguments with evidence”
So where is the ‘evidence’ for the following uncited claim made in the book then?
“The rebate is a sum of money paid by the EU to the
entire UK, including Scotland. It’s therefore a moveable
UK asset, and as such will be part of the independence
negotiations like any other asset. Scotland is entitled
to its share.”
“you cannot say that we fail to back up our arguments with evidence”
So where is the ‘evidence’ for the claims made in the book that “most” economic experts think the UK parties are bluffing and that “most” economic experts think using sterling unofficially is a “BETTER” plan for Scotland?
And that’s from just a quick glance through the book, I’m sure there are numerous other unproven unevidenced claims.
What a shame that the yes campaign have distanced themselves from this site and its creator, otherwise they could distribute your wee book for you.
@ Stewart Mckenzie, if you dont want to read WBB, start here Stewie
link to theguardian.com
Life will be simple. No more Tories, ever. Scotland will achieve what no other democracy in the world has done, and have no effective or sizeable right of centre political representation.
The first 5 years of independence will be spent blaming the legacy of the Tories for the fact that secession has not changed our plight. Then the next 5 will be spent awkwardly wondering when utopia will arrive. Only after that will effective change start to happen.
Around then, there will be a gradual realisation that the only successful countries in the history of our planet have had a robust, open and balanced political system, a strong emphasis on the free market (yes, with a strong safety net – read Hayek from 1943), an entrepreneurial work ethic and willingness to take risks, and a liberal view of areas like immigration, trade, and borders generally.
But that will be 15 years away. 3 lost generations away. I can’t lose that much of my life.
Re: “Mr McKenzie”
The Cringe is strong with this one.
Best to disengage – much constructive work to be done elsewhere…..
I have received budgetary prices from a Govan printer as follows :
50,000 @ 0.19 p each
100,000 @0.18 p each
Now, I’ve pinged off a mail to the Rev asking how this compares to his printers costs, however I have no intention of competing/compromising his efforts. We need to aggregate the demand and centralise the orders. Over n’out.
Kendo
Is that stapled A6 booklet?
Chick Yes, Generally as per the spec given by the Rev.. Need to check that the paper weight is the same though, as that is where most of the cost comes from apart from the machine rate which is better if we can do a higher run.
Print set up costs are the same whether we print 1000 or a million, it’s just amortised into the volume run.
A cheaper approach would be to use 1-Click Print. They are excellent quality and prompt, I’ve used them often in the past, and you could get 20,000 glossy colour A6 booklets for about 13-14 p each.
The catch is that this would be 9 orders of A5 and would require an army of staplers to staple them. e.g. a hundred volunteers, 200 booklets each.
But logistically, the stapling could be done at the point of use, so for example somebody wanting 50 would get the set of sheets and staple them up themselves.
P.S. Distribution of small ‘orders’ of flat sheets to remote areas is cheaper than for booklets. (Standard letter post ).
P.P.S. Wife just back from the Women for Independence meeting she organised. The A6 booklets I gave her went down well and the ladies have offered to pay for more to be printed ASAP.
P.P.P.S I miscalculated.
Scratch that idea its double the cost I said it would be.
Had 9 sheets in my head from the A4 print run I did.
A6 from A5 would need 18 orders not 9.
Your price looks great Kendo.
Let me know when available to buy or if you need money up front.
Meanwhile I’ll churn out another batch from my laser printer.
Must have another go with booklet settings since others seem to have got it to work.
Vistaprint have put their prices back up to full price. So I only ordered 250 cards, after paying they offered me a better than half price deal on another 250 so picked up 500 for around 2/3rds of their full price. I’ve used Vistaprint before and their offers are very random so if you use them have photos of the kids , dog etc. ready in case you’re offered free calenders, mugs …..
@Chic
I gave the details to the Rev which he will probably look into. I hope to progress this further tomorrow.
Would it be possible to do a large print version? The No/undecided voters that I know are mainly elderly and receive their news from the MSM.
“We can say more confidently, however, that so-called sterlingisation – an option Alex Salmond dubs “quite attractive” – is the most probable, if still elusive “Plan B” for the Scottish Government. That would see Scotland continue to use the pound, albeit in an unofficial, informal fashion. The country would have no central bank and no lender of last resort. It is, however, an option the First Minister’s own fiscal commission deemed unattractive.
A formal currency union or, alternatively, sterlingisation, might not on the face of it affect the lives of “ordinary hard-working Scots”. The pound in your pocket would remain the pound in your pocket. But it would most probably have an impact on the country’s financial services industry. Edinburgh, in particular, might have cause to be anxious about sterlingisation. The upside, from a nationalist perspective, is the possibility of reneging on past assumptions about sharing the UK’s debt and beginning independent life with no national debt.”
The Scotsman link to scotsman.com
“An independent Scotland could flourish either by using the pound sterling without the permission of the rUK (or by setting up a “ScotPound” pegged to sterling through a currency board, which would achieve a similar end). This ‘sterlingization’ would emulate a number of Latin American countries that use the US Dollar without an official agreement with the US government. Because Scottish banks would not have access to a currency-printing lender of last resort, they would have to make their own provisions for illiquidity, and would necessarily act more prudently.
“Scotland actually had this system of ‘free banking’ during the 18th and 19th centuries, during which time its economy boomed relative to England’s and its banks were remarkably secure. And Panama, which uses the US Dollar in this way, has the seventh most stable financial system in the world.
“Everyone says Mr Salmond needs a Plan B if the rUK does not agree to a currency union with Scotland. But unilateral adoption should be Plan A, making Scotland’s economy more stable and secure. The UK’s obstinacy would be Scotland’s opportunity.”
The Adam Smith Institute link to adamsmith.org
“Alistair Darling, the leader of the pro-union campaign Better Together previously called a currency union “logical” and “desirable” if Scotland were to vote for independence, however he would not be drawn on the comments by Salmond in last weeks debate on independence and has since argued that a currency union would lead to a political union and be bad for both Scotland and the UK.
Salmond has been derided for not having an alternative “plan B” to a unified currency, but Scotland could still adopt the pound without approval from Britain.”
City AM link to cityam.com
“Truth is usually the first casualty of political battles, as it is of war. I believe that Scotland and England are individually stronger for being part of the UK, but 25 years in currency markets tell me that the No campaign’s argument that Scotland cannot keep the pound is false.
It would certainly be a limited version of independence, but there is nothing stopping an independent Scotland from declaring sterling sole legal tender and borrowing it on the financial markets to hold in reserve. However much it may appear to be like having your cake and eating it, neither action requires the permission of the rest of the UK.
First, the list of countries that have adopted a currency issued by another state, outside formal agreement, officially or not, includes past monetary sinners like Russia in the 1920s, Mexico in the 1980s and many others. Today, it also includes about 30 small countries from Andorra to Panama and the Vatican that have officially chosen to do so. History and the present day teach us that currency substitution is possible. It should also be easier for Scotland than others, because it already uses sterling and its economy is tightly integrated into the rest of the UK economy.
Second, the Bank of England cannot even deny sterling liquidity to any Scottish-focused bank prepared to put up the necessary collateral, without jeopardising sterling’s international liquidity and external value. Moreover, assuming Scotland continues to run a healthy external balance of payments, courtesy of 90 per cent of the UK’s oil and gas being in Scottish waters and other foreign currency earners like whisky and tourism, sterling liquidity will likely flow from the rest of the UK to Scotland. Scotland will be a net lender to England.”
City AM link to cityam.com
“Scotland would continue to be a net financial contributor to the EU budget after 2020. The net budget contribution will reflect the outcome of negotiations on issues such as the rebate and an independent Scotland?s share of EU spending programmes. The current EU budget has been agreed until 2020 and as such the Scottish Government would not intend to re-open budget discussions until the next financial period post 2020. Scotland and rUK will be required to negotiate the division of the UK?s contribution up to 2020.”
link to scotland.gov.uk
“What a shame that the yes campaign have distanced themselves from this site and its creator, otherwise they could distribute your wee book for you.”
You appear to be confused given that they have not ‘distanced themselves’.
One batch of leaflets was pulped for not having the printers details on them as per EC rules. We are still on the ‘Aye Right’ leaflets being handed out now.
As for delivery, they cannot co-ordinate that for us as it would mean the Blue book counts to their spend.
We are a separate organisation. The Blue Book is ours. Your tactics to sow division and attack this site are blatant and of a low standard.
Bye.
This is a truly brilliant effort – nice to see my campaign donation money going to the heart of the conversion process.
Apologies if this has already been suggested, but would it be a good idea to take out another ad in the metro (or elsewhere) to advertise the book, including the QR code? I think we experienced a lift in number of Wings readers the last time we advertised like this and perhaps it would be a simple way to reach more people and stir up even more interest in the book. Would something like this generate enough interest/downloads to justify the cost?
@Colin / Clootie any other WoSsers in NE
Yes West Aberdeenshire have already put in an order for 2.5k WBB.
Could we try to co-ordinate delivery of all WBB for the NE?
Deliver to Aberdeen and distribute from there?
Any volunteers to help distribute in Midlothian?
Anywhere I can pick up some in Perth to deliver? I can also assist anyone in Perth who is delivering. I can be contacted on nobelang@hotmail.co.uk
Downloaded the wee blue book last night and read it on the train this morning on my way to Aberdeen for a union meeting. Absolutely brilliant read, a must read for any undecided. Managed to get three other people at our meeting to download it and spread the word.
Have been a fairly quiet yes voter in the office but recently passed the WBB around (digital copy) and have been getting great results. Our resident britnat is also reading it and appears to have fallen silent. What a great resource, this will be a gamechanger for many people. Good job Rev!
Can anybody tell me if there is coordinated delivery of the WBB happening in Edinburgh? Especially to a list of no or undecideds?
I had a look at the Vistaprint site and it’s charging extra for colour printing on the other side. I can only get the same price as shown here for a one sided card. 🙁
Ah, it’s okay. I saw the IGG promotion available for everyone to chip in to get cards cheaper. Great idea! 😀
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/promoting-the-wee-blue-book–2/
Hi there. I have ordered 5000 of the business cards promoting the Wee Blue Book and I will be distributing them around Edinburgh and possibly the Lothians. Does anyone have any idea where the areas of undecided or loose No voters are? I’d love to be able to target these areas for its obvious benefit.