Wings Over Scotland

Is this for real? If it is I’ve some rethinking to do, as I suspect do most of you.

Auld Rock

SLAB and the FibDems would first have to drop their hard core unionism and opposition to the referendum being held. Otherwise they would simply be a fifth column in government and seek to wreck things in order to make things look worse for Independence.

BUT if asked to do that they would simply come back and insist that the SNP and Greens drop their support for independence.

IOW Mr Pia’s scheme is rather rosy eyed. The parties are at daggers drawn because Independence is such a dividing line. It is also how much of the electorate sees it as well as the hardening of the unionist vote behind the Tories indicates.

Besides SNP plus Green is a working majority all by itself.

Thought pia came over sometime ago?

He did scottieDog, lot of people don’t know this though 😉

Great article here on why the SNP must not put referendum on back burner just because it upsets some soft Tories.

link to scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk

Remember the Labour vote in Scotland did not go up by any meaningful amount and SNP won the election in Scotland.

Potential SNP voters stayed at home because they weren’t enthused enough by the campaign. However it wasn’t Nicola Sturgeon’s fault that our manifesto launch had to be postponed by a week but it was weak and the election caught the SNP by surprise.

Time for a radical reassessment of SNP policies, campaign organisation plus some new faces in Scottish government front bench.

Don’t scrap referendum as that will hand Davidson a real victory as opposed to the Pyrrhic victory she has due to her new MPs being found wanting as mere placemen and women at Westminster.

Derek Bateman sensible as usual

link to derekbateman.scot

We have a trip lock mandate for another referendum AFTER brexit terms are known (not unlike the Lib Dem policy that hapless Christine Jardine couldn’t justify on Politics Show.)

“You don’t dance to someone else’s tune and call yourself a leader. We don’t need another Kezia”.

Very positive from Simon but is he still a yes after Corbin has done so well

I do think the snp has to go strong on when we know the brexit deal we will give the people the choice

People who are too scared to attack Nicola. Turn to attacking Nicola’s husband. They have both done more for the SNP and Independence and Scotland. Than any of them.

To settle old held personal grievances. Cowards.

@Proud Cybernat 4:52 pm

If you had said that last week I would have agreed, but now and especially to-day with the Herald article on the SNP CEO, I thought for the last 18 month they had a middle management problem, maybe that is not the case, the local elections were a disgrace and unfortunately the Tories kept going on and on and on.
At grassroot level It seemed to me ,that it was OK to lie to members, to acquiesce to their masters.And I have to say it seemed that few of the so called stalwarts had lost both passion and any notion of independence..That is only my view and 2 particular branches,others may have different perspective

Too much juice again. Or just slavering.

Very good these videos.

My hat is off, for style and content, to the instigators and film makers.

We don’t get nearly enough of this sort of rational explanation of issues and opinions in the mainstream mud-slinging media coverage of politics.

I’m struggling with this chap.
While I welcome his conversion to Yes, a part of me is saying – “he was a Labour spin doctor and look what happened to them.”

Labour was failing in Scotland long before the SNP won power in Holyrood. That would have been on Simon’s watch.

Should I question his judgement and idea about a Grand Coalition of the SNP, Labour, LibDems & Greens?

Reach out to Labour when they encouraged people to vote Tory?

So Simon is either very optimistic (and I’ve missed something) or he’s smoking something that he shouldn’t be.

Doesn’t Holyrood have fixed term Parliaments? Imposed by Unionists ( when it suits them).

More journo nonsense.

It just need Boris Johnstone as MP as predicted. For the final Indy push. 60%+++.

Everything lining up nicely, as predicted. Get ready for the next IndyRef Campaign. It just needs the administration and everything in place before the date is set.

Shug says:
11 June, 2017 at 5:46 pm
Very positive from Simon but is he still a yes after Corbin has done so well

I do think the snp has to go strong on when we know the brexit deal we will give the people the choice
=========================

Aye Shug I am with you. In fact I don’t trust Simon Pia, I would like to be wrong but over his comments on the GE has me worried. I note in his piece he talks about Lab and SNP at war with each other, and urges Nicola and SNP to reach out. Perhaps he should be talking to his Labour colleagues and convincing them to stop the attacks and lies they throw out daily. He might also ask Dugdale and co. to change and reach out to the SNP then demonstrate their change.

Time for action, not words. Time to stop playing by britnat establishment rules. Action? Surely there are some weel-kent SNP/Green politicians who have the guts to put their careers on the line by taking illegal but non-violent action to further our cause.

How about some SNP/Green politicians proclaiming publicly that the bbc tax should be boycotted and guaranteeing the Scottish government would never allow members of the public who follow suit to be prosecuted for non-payment in the Scottish courts?

How about next time there’s a delivery convoy to Faslane one or two SNP/Green politicians or weel-kent supporters follow Mr Brian Quail’s example by blocking the way of these WMD?

The latest of these excellent short clips, well made and the people’s stories are inspiring .

What kind of distribution have they had ? Who has actually seen them ? has anyone at the SNP seen them , apart from crowd funding has the SNP or the Scottish government in the form of some kind of artistic grant helped.

In short the MSM are intent in actively ignoring and trying to make the SNP invisible, so please oh f/in please in the few occasions they are on TV make it count don’t get walked over or Talked over, and reach out to the rest of the Independence movement, everyone has to be involved ,

After the severe kicking we have had over the last few weeks, a lot of folks here are pretty short tempered because most have been offering solutions to problems that were becoming evident, most here could see the outcome of these TV Debates and the way they were going, so why continue to get battered when it could have all been avoided, fight back , being nice isn’t working the BBC are not friends, treat them like the plague they are .

Simon Pia is just another No voter that changed their mind and have now decided to vote Yes. I welcome Simons vote as I would any former Labour voter voting Yes.

There are many just like me who are former Labour voters that support Yes and that’s why the SNP got 50% at the 2015 election. What we need now are half the remaining Labour supporters and I believe we can win them over.

You former Labour supporters that voted Yes and still do that is your job, you know the people to target and talk to. I really feel we ALL have to do a bit more. Just do our best.

Well shall we all be ‘humble’ and why would we want to ‘park’ indy for now asks Mr Pia

link to twitter.com

Unfortunately Simon Piaget has little influence in Labour. Other than possibly Edinburgh at Council level Labour would rather form alliances with Tories.

Was at a birthday party today near Stirling today and met a fellow Winger, and we had an enjoyable chat about the current situation.

Simple question, who wants to be part of a less hard UK but which will inevitably swing back to the right at some point, and who wants Scottish independence where we make our own future?

I’m with the latter.

At the moment the Indy movement risks being overwhelmed by the former.

The UK with a Tory minority would seem unlikely to be a hard right as it would have been with a big majority. Brexit looks to have had the extremism curbed,

If the next Holyrood election plays out like this general election then there will be no Indy majority. That means no IndyRef2 whatever reasons arise to justify one.

However, we can’t have IndyRef2 in the shorter term if Brexit moves to single market membership as it seems to be.

Just watched Mayhem go on about her reshuffle, rather than looking strong and stable, she looks like a giant Weebles Wobble.

galamcennalath says:
11 June, 2017 at 7:58 pm
‘However, we can’t have IndyRef2 in the shorter term if Brexit moves to single market membership as it seems to be.’

The messages are all over the place. Yesterday Corbyn seemed to hint at single market, today he ruled it out. He has to reconcile his young voters with his constituencies in places like Essex and the NE which were strongly Leave. DUP are hard Brexit but want an open border. Tories are going to tear themselves apart again. It just takes Soubry and Clark and one or two others to rebel and theyre fked. Its chaos, a year after the EURef and over 2 months after they served Article 50. For me thats reason enough to get out and away from these incompetent arseholes.

So we just dont know. We are left in the same place which is, Indyref when we know the Brexit terms’. The softer the solution, the harder the decision for us.

Im not sure if its any worse to have Indyref2 and lose, or not have it at all. Either way we might not get another chance for a very long time, so we might as well go for it. One thing to consider is that the only way we have increased indy support significantly in the past is by having a campaign, and we are starting at 45% plus.

Very nice to hear all that. Opening up Scots gov cabinet slots to Lab/Lib/Green is great idea, but look at what they all do when they hold levers of power, everything unionists do is the UK first, Scotland second. And they’ve all been very well rewarded for the loyalty too.

We all have a unionist catastrofuck ups in their Scotland region WTF list.

AWPR by-pass round Aberdeen is up there, 4 decades late, why? well you see Aberdeen’s the oil capital of Europe with a very busy port supplying a multi billion pound offshore oil industry.

So that’s why Aberdeen does not need decent transport infrastructure. Its every other city and town in England first, and then maybe, when the oil’s in decline, we might consider it, because its always, the UK First.

link to en.wikipedia.org

This is the 400 year old bridge into Aberdeen, either to Aberdeen Airport, or the harbour, I UKOK shit you not.

‘However, we can’t have IndyRef2 in the shorter term if Brexit moves to single market membership as it seems to be.’

Can’t see Mayhem moving position on Brexit. She is in the pocket of the ‘Money Men’ who control the UK. They would go ape shit.

Grand coalition of yes…bricks and mortar…set the yes move- ment in stone.

£5
nobody listen,s

Religions and politition,s sell magic pumpkins,but people
buy them.

So how do they know indy is not just another magic pumpkin,
we need a home.

@robert peffers.

You nailed it. Thanks.

I have faith in the theory that the arrogance, ignorance and incompetence of Westminster will deliver independence to Scotland.

Brexit means brexit meets chaos means chaos, strong and stable turns out to be crippled and clueless.

In the meantime it just requires a bit of quiet analysis and honest refelection to find a way to move forward, while leaving the foaming hysterics to the loons/yoons.

Some self-censorship by some of the over-large egos currently parading their wisdom here – and more importantly – on the enemy’s broadcasting station would be very helpful just now.

Read what Stu has done with the figures, think about all that was done badly or in error, come up with a better plan in a short timescale, AND INVOLVE THE WIDER YES MOVEMENT, rather than putting everything on the SNP and Nicola, however vital they are to political success.

Ii’s disgraceful that a corrrupt political party, with hidden financial backers, accused of covering up decades of sex abuse, guilty of direct links with people who commit violence and terrorism against civilians, and social attitudes mired in the eighteenth century should be allowed into government by the back door. The DUP should be ashamed to be associated with such reprobates!

Keep calm , don’t panic, watch the fun, remember the spider.

For those who voted Tory to ‘Stop the Essennpee’.

The biggest economic and social catastrof##k EVER is about to engulf the whole of the UK. It’s already started. See the price of your wee holidays to Spain and Greece, price of food in the shops all rocketing? That’s just the tip of the Brexit-world iceberg.

Now, Nicola Sturgeon by offering you a vote at the end of the Brexit negotiations is essentially offering you a lifeline, ONE CHANCE to reverse the economic carnage that will engulf this country, the first burning embers of which we are already witnessing in this f#cked up UK.

That is all Nicola Sturgeon is saying. With IndyRef2 here’s an opportunity to get things (more or less) back to normal by maintaining our strong social and economic ties with the EU. Now – why would you spurn such a golden offer to save yourself and your family’s future? Is it because you are just f#cking stupid or that you just hate the f#cking Essennpee?

Why not simply accept Sturgeon’s referendum on the final Brexit Deal and quietly keep it tucked away in your back pocket – JUST IN CASE you might decide you actually need the damn thing. No one is going to force you to vote to leave the UK and become Indy within the EU. You can bloody well VOTE NO to it. Are you afraid of having IndyRef2 because you are too scared to vote NO a second time? Well what if you think the Brexit deal is the baddest deal ever and you change your mind? Wouldn’t you like to at least have a contingency plan in your back pocket just in case that happens?

Most sensible people WOULD. Why not at least hedge your bets? That is all Nicola Sturgeon is offering you – a potential way out of what could be a very bad situation for you and your family which may bring you to a change of mind (as many former NO voters now are).

The EU is not perfect but the UK is a damned sight worse. The EU countries pool some of their sovereignty with each other for the benefit of everyone. The UK suppresses your sovereignty for the benefit of London and The Establishment. They do not care about you or your family. Can you imagine the EU President saying to David Cameron about the Brexit referendum: “No David. Now is not the time.”

The EU simply could NEVER interfere in such national decisions of the UK nor of an independent Scotland within the EU. But the UK, however, can indeed tell Scotland “Now is not the time”. THAT shows you precisely how undemocratic the UK is and how democratic the EU is. The EU is not the problem here (though I concede it is not perfect) – the UK is the problem.

Rather than supporting Ruth Daidson’s maniacal positon of “No to a 2nd Referendum” and denying yourself a ‘get out of jail free’ card, you should, IN FACT, be DEMANDING that card.

At least, you would if you were smart. It could very quickly become your only hope. So, why agree with Unionist parties who would prevent you from ever having that choice? To deny yourself that choice, that final say is, to me at least, rampant stupidity on the biggest stilts you could ever find.

FFS – give yourself a choice. Give yourself a chance.

To say that the Scottish government ‘were not honest enough with the Scottish public’ making it seem like a future of ‘a land of milk and honey’, absolutely disagree with that. He says that the Scotgov did not tell people about ‘the problems and challenges that lie ahead, there were, potential problems in the early days’. I think his tenses are mixed up there.”

That’s what made me lol Artyhetty.

We all know you could NOT move without BBC Scotland alone, hysterically raging at us all on their main subject, how terrible Scotland’s economic future is, unless we’re controlled by our neighbour.

BBC got more and more hysterical as 18th Sept got closer. Where I was, we had BBC 24 news on and all day, that crew had a Flipper Darling special adviser and Herald ligger seated in their studio’s on the half hour, doing a very hammy act of a poor wee frightened Scottish housewife, from the 50’s, in her wee mac, shaking with fear at independence and, “Alex Salmond cant even tell us what money will be in my poor wee Scottish purse tomorrow.”

Beeb gimps never mentioned that special guest poor wee Scottish house wife from the 50’s is a political editor of The Herald, as well as Flipper Darling’s special adviser. Her son was given a great job in London at the Treasury too, shortly after her Bafta winning performance. Parcel of rogues doesn’t come close.

Maybe Mr Pia missed all this BBC style economic honesty but he is a spin doctor, academic too:D

Another Union Dividend @ 17:01,

Late on in the day now, but thanks for that prompt to ScotGoesPop upthread. For some weird reason I don’t seem to be able to post btl on his site, but every single word of James’ article was right “on the button”.

If you haven’t already, definitely worth a read:

link to scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk

You don’t often post long, PC, but that was worth it.

We have a doubly-democratic vote on Indyref2 in the bank, waiting to be deployed when Brexit exposes us to the most injurious of consequences. Let us allow it to play out disastrously and then slap it on the table.

To those Yes supporters who fell for Corbyn’s de-kilted manifesto but who say they will still vote for Yes in a future referendum: if the SNP don’t win a majority in the next Holyrood election, there may not be another referendum. We cannot presume conditions will be favourable before then to push the referendum button, giving the hostility of MSM/BBC.

Think on, Poindexters.

With the possibility of another election and the possibility that Labour could win.Will the Tories include Labour in the Brexit negotiations just in case they have to take over?

RE:Heedtracker@8.36

The bridge is nice, but 400 years old must mean it was built before the act of so called union just over 300 years ago.

Just not surprised on ebit that the oil capital of Europe has been kept a wee bit, in the dark ages re infrastructure. The unionists would not have it any other way for too wee,and poor Scotland.

The DUP could insist on Nigel Farage (who is a freemason) having a role in Brexit negotiations.

Who was the last person to make such a suggestion? That’s right, Donald Trump (who is a freemason).

Interesting that Theresa May went to the count in Maidenhead dressed in bright orange.

@Chick McGregor
I agree, and posted similar in Herald. Some constituencies will have different reasons though, particualrly the NE.

My main worry is that, due to the Conservative terror of holding another election, this scabby coalition will try to hold together for a long time. We have to hope it falls apart, as I can’t see a Section 30 being approved by the DUP while it persists.

@Legerwood, 9.13
Pile all those 35 MPs into a bus and head down to South Queensferry for a photo op in front of that beautiful bridge.

The SNP won. Act like it.

Well said, Legerwood

heedtracker @ 10.21

I agree with you- I know shocker – about Aberdeen.

I had never been there apart from passing through in the early 1970s before the oil. A couple of years ago I decided to visit Aberdeen and spend a couple of days there.

I have never been so disappointed in any city or town I have visited as I was in Aberdeen on that visit. There were one or two small pockets that were nice. Out by the University. The long esplanade between Don and Deep but overall it was awful.

No one would ever believe it was ‘the Oil Capital of Europe’.

Where did all the money go?

The pygmy Tory/Unionists will get the backlash in the NE for their corruption and criminality. The majority in the NE are in shock and horror. In disbelief Total disgusted because of the Tory/Unionist lies. The best politican ever, admired the world over has been displaced in the NE. The NE is in mourning. The Tory/Unionist will suffer the major backlash ever for their lies. More Unionist crooked politicians who have never done anything for the NE but been in the take. Embezzling and wasting public money. Ignoring the majority wishes. Cheating on electoral expenses. Even when there is an investigation. They just get away with it. The Unionist cover up. Wasteful unnecessary overpriced contracts given to their cahoots and cronies. Essential services, education, welfare, social services etc cut and slashed. No proper bus services, A groteque expensive, plush unnecessary headquarters for their tea and cakes. Hospitality so they can feed their face at the trough. The usual corruption.

Every investment etc that came to the NE came because of Alex Salmond. Every improve and essential service was accomplished due to his efforts. Accomplished After 40 years of Unionist total and complete and utter neglect. While £Billions of Oil revenues went south. The Tories/Unionist illegal high Oil taxes have ruined the Oil sector and lost jobs, The Tory/Unionists will suffer a major backlash. They are already totally despised. May, Westminster, the Tory and Unionists crooks ruining the world economy.

The DUP crooks have been backing the Tories in Westminster since 1928. The British State ruined and Partitioned Ireland and supported these crooks. Most of them should be in jail. Instead of ripping off and stealing UK public money. Majorly overfunded to keep them quiet, while they illegally persecute others and break UK/International Law. Breaking the Law with impunity. Foster is a crook. Has illegally funded her cohorts and cronies with illegal grotesque schemes etc. Illegally threatening other people. Bigoted, criminals. Discrimination. Absolutely appalling. They get away it. A Unionist cover up.

Just read that f/kr Kelly of Labour on the BBC website , they should get back to the day job, now where have we heard that from before ? , And that arshole says the SNP have been woeful in government, I will tell you what’s bloody woeful yah tosser , do you want a list let’s start with PFI , i could go on the list is that bloody long , they couldn’t even get their leader Jeremy over the finishing line down south for f/kn it up , up here, oh aye vote Tory who thought that belter up . A useless party with no idea what they are it would have been kinder if they had lost all their MPs on Thursday, that would have spared us the bloody wining death rattle when they do finally expire .

Legerwood, Simon curran, Aberdeen is an awful yoon culture legacy, with giant debts. No investment but giant debt is probably highlighted by the AWPR by-pass, in that it was blocked for decades, or ignored, and now its shows just how badly it was needed, 40 years ago.

Union Street looks like the aftermath of war, once glorious beach boulevard is horrifying to see, god awful post modern eyesores are being thrown up, see the great Wullie Young Marischal College £100+ million white elephant, yoons dumped giant PFI debt on Aberdeen for a school rebuild that was the most expensive in the world of finance, and simple renovation was all that they needed.

Wullie Young ran up so much debt in the City, it was used as an indy weapon by Aberdeen yoons, in that the City spivs said that they probably wouldn’t be lending ACC any more money, if we voted YES, its that barking mental. That’s how Aberdeen actually learned of their £1.2bn debt, the spivs that loaned and the yoons like Wullie that pissed it all away, have both started using it, as a political NO weapon.

But there is hope. Look at Dundee today, they’ve transformed their city just with a bit of thought, intelligent design, rational affordable spends, at their Tay front. It looks stunning already and their future looks great. Lucky sods. It makes you want to weep, if you’re from Aberdeen. Wullie Young’s minted though.

Slow but sure it will prevail

The SNP should use their former MPs to set up a Council/Committee to find a way forward for Scottish independence.

Ditch the Spads in suits as Craig Murray says.

2 words : FUCK OFF. Again, thanks to arseholes like this we are in the mess we are in now…

Meindevon. evel doesnt mean anything at the moment as the tories have a majority of english seats. And the evel part of it is actually a veto for english mps at the first reading stage. After this any bill that goes forward is voted on by all mps. So in reality the only likely scenario is a Lab gov with a majority of mps (but a minority of english mps) putting a bill down which the tories (with their engish majority) can then veto.

Lallands peat worrier did a post on it which is where I’ve found the above. The above is from memory but that should be the gist of it as I understand it.

Meindevon@12:am
Whilst here can someone help me with why no one is mentioning EVEL with regard to the Scottish Tories and the DUP?

Many voters in England have no idea the shit storm about to arrive if this pact goes ahead.

I think EVEL will be the least of their worries in Westminster. Although that is a question that will be interesting to hear the answer.

@BJ
EVEL has been mentioned in the media “The DUP” won’t be able to vote on that”, but I think it’s a red herring.

Wales – Con 8, Lab + PC 32. Con = -24.
Scotland – Con 13, SNP + Lab+ LibDem 46. Con = -33.

England – Con 287, Lab + LibDem + Green 236. Con = +51.

Con Majority on EVEL = 51 (minus 1 for speaker maybe).

However, after the committee and EVEL stages it goes to a full vote, so DUP would be needed to get a majority then, and they could refuse while the rest of us be nasty to the Tories!

Doing NI

DUP 10
SF 7
Other 1 (no idea!)

So overall Commons majority = 4 (+ or – speaker, who would be elected I think in the opening session?)

You’ve gorra laugh

England Con 297 not 287, that’s where I went wrong.

Don’t know if anyone’s commented on this, but for the first time for a long time England is dependent on NI and Scotland. We know how it feels to be dragged along by the opposite party from what we voted for, but England is going to go beresk.

I expect to see growing support for an English Parliament, and for booting out Scotland, and NI as well probably.

The Union may well end with England and we can sit back and do – nothing.

yesindyref2 @ 02:48,

More in fond hope rather than expectation, I have said at least once before that the English might get so fed up of us that they might eventually offer us a deal to leave the UK (and thereby avoid much of the loss of face of us departing). It might well please ordinary English Daily Heil readers, but those in UKGov who presumably know our true contribution to their coffers would absolutely squash any such notion in horror.

Attrition over such matters as the Great Repeal Bill may be what Nicola was planning next, and the anticipation of some such “guerrila tactics” may even be what sent May over the edge. So one may still hope..! =laugh=

Re Supposed SNP media weakness in the face of pro-uk media bias.

Someone mentioned ‘sending out the attack dogs’ to face questioning.
I’m afraid Attack dogs are the last thing the enemy want, and so unfairly enough, isn’t overly keen to invite them to give their views/the game away.
Not dissimilar to the 100% ( now is not the time) chance of winning a referendum that isn’t held desperation strategy.
Trying to get a message out through press conferences, to an audience of aforementioned pro-uk media whores…

You could stun them into life with links to non daily heil type sources, an’ shit, but then the juju is strong with them, and he who pays the piper…

Those invited, and also those obliged to speak ?
Well maybe they could insist on prearranged questions, and on which they will comment, ala TM.
Nicola should insist on being interviewed before a montage of images, from Culloden & its subsequences, to the Clearances, Ravenscraig (mid fall), Jimmy Saville tonguing Betty & Maggie, the wee girl who outflagged the two unimongs apre No day, to the Saltire flying above Edinburgh Castle…and on a massive central screen,Archie Gemmils 1978 goal, on a loop.
A red line, no playee issue.

As for prearranged questions…

The broadcaster at FMQ’s must be able find a way to convey source links to claims made by MSP’s.
MSP’s should be obliged to submit, in the yoon case, their shit. Pre smear.
(Heil rules apply here too).
n.b. Emergency questions could circumvent this, but then that depends on what you define as an ’emergency’.

Beware stirrers. There’s a bitter tasting reason the likes of Sillars and co are the way they are.
This perceived weakness on fundamental questions and issues being driven in the media, drummed up on the back of what was actually a relatively successful election, given the timescale, has brought a right rash of shysters out.

Lots of peeps who are probably just impatient really too.
Steady the horses.

Here’s a different example of the effects of the establishments desperate, hubristic attempts to retain their grip.
TM waffling for Billy O.

link to twitter.com

Morning all,

had a wee conversation last night with a neighbour re snp, brexit oil, etc.

He is of the too wee, too poor, too stupid brigade.

He laughed when he said that even Ferguslie Park had tories now.

Looking for he link that was on here re boundary of Ferguslie Park.

Thanks in advance.

link to caltonjock.com

@Sandy at 12:29 am

You claim the orange order has nothing to do with freemasonry. You are the one who needs to do some research:

James Wilson was probably the most influential of the founding fathers of Orangeism and was an ardent Freemason. Respected Orange historian R.M. Sibbett records, “Wilson was a member of the Society of Freemasons, which fully qualified him for establishing a new Order of a secret character.”

More softening up. Auntie is talking in funereal tones about TM’s upcoming, uncomfortable meeting with the capitalists of the 1922 committee.”

BBC r4 toryboy Today show gimp, demands Labour get behind/work with Mayhem now, in some kind of for the good of the country Brexit EU commission thing. Why did tories go for an opposition crushing GE again?

Another day of great BBC tory propaganda farts into action. Macron’s winning in France too. What a bunch of BBC it all is.

Steady folks!

Hold the line. We took a painful beating last week, and people need to let off steam. However, time to let it go – further indulging in the blame game helps no one but our enemies. We are still standing, with a triple lock on the next indyref. Ruthie’s quick move to distance from May on DUP shows she is highly vulnerable on this issue.

Nicola Sturgeon has done as good a job as was possible. The timing of the Indyref vote in SP was unfortunate, but who could have foreseen Turkey May voting for Christmas? Events, dear chap, events. The Scottish government has been caught up in events not of its making and last week was caught in a classic pincer between fearful NO voters and hopeful Corbynites. Throw in disgruntlement with Scottish Brexiteers and a disgraceful media, we have to say that Nicola did well limiting the damage. Losing Alex Salmond and Angus Robertson was awful, but believe me, it could have been a lot worse.

In the long indy term, last week changes nothing. In fact it could be argued that Nicola is in a stronger position because she has much needed breathing space. As other folk have mentioned, WM vote has no bearing on the next referendum – that is safely now in the bank, ready to fire at a time of our choosing. Momentum is of course important, and we may take a few more hits if there is another GE this year. However, there is a monster of a BREXIT storm heading this way – no one can predict what the landscape will be like when the dust settles, but the integrity of the the UK will be tested as never before.

The storm is coming – time to batten down the hatches and see it out. Hold the line folks. Now is not the time to loose nerve. Stay focussed and disciplined, and please be patient. It’s still coming!

Hold the like. 🙂

Nana: Good morning. Overcast and windy today. Thank you for your links.
Kettle’s on! Peace Always. 🙂

Given speculation re Davidson’s views on Brexit it’s worth a reminder of words in *Scottish* Con manifesto
link to twitter.com

Repercussions of Tory/DUP deal ‘severe for Northern Ireland’
link to archive.is

link to economist.com

New publication by HansardSociety on parliament and minority government.

link to assets.contentful.com

Good morning Smallaxe. It’s not too bad here, a little overcast but dry so far.

Nicola is off to London today

.Nicola Sturgeon in London today calls for #Brexit talks pause to find new four nation, cross-party consensus

One more link

link to thecommongreen.scot

Mornin’ Nana

First two links are pretty much on the nail. Good addition by Mr Joyce t’boot. 🙂

I don’t know if people are familiar with ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ showing Sunday nights? It is set in a dystopian America where women are chillingly stripped of all human rights, under a ‘christian’ police state sharia style law.

Well, back in the real world, just across the water in N Ireland, (whose beautiful Antrim coast I can see from my window on a clear day), the state police there can raid any woman’s home and arrest her for having the ‘morning after’ pill – a perfectly legal form of contraceptive used throughout the world, as taking, even possessing, the morning after pill is a crime in N Ireland! Even if you are not pregnant!

Abortion in N Ireland is deemed unlawful under law NOT changed since 1861!!!!! Queen Victoria was on the throne then! Vicky would have known all lack of contraception – she (like the lot of most women then) had to have nine children plus a few miscarriages!

Abortion on demand is a basic human right which British women in the rest of the UK fought hard for & won in 1967, but Victorian times still exist in N Ireland for women there, where abortion is deemed unlawful. It’s shameful.

N Irish women must travel to England for abortions (or Scotland) but THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, EVEN ON THE NHS!

The Supreme Court is to judge, this week, on a case brought by a N Irish woman (15 at the time) who had to leave N Ireland for an abortion, claiming this this breached her human rights.

The case has been ignored (like everything else that happens in N Ireland)! by the UK media. I think last week’s Election might change that… but let’s see if Sarah Smith covers the DUP’s support of anti female rights in N Ireland & if Smith questions Davidson on why her Tory party is happily slipping ‘into bed’, politically, with such an anti-womens’ rights, anti-LGBT rights party.

I rather doubt that Sarah Smith, Jackie Bird etc. etc. and their yoon zealots at BBC Scotland will want to draw too much attention to the DUP monsters Scotland’s Tory voters may have helped into power on 8th June 2017!

Here’s the law for women seeking an abortion under N Ireland’s 19th Century legal system! It’s bad. Very bad.(Taken from Marie Stopes site):

“Abortion is legal in Northern Ireland but only under strict circumstances. The majority of women would still have to travel to England to have access to abortion treatment. If you come to Marie Stopes UK from Northern Ireland, you will have to pay privately for your treatment as you would not be entitled to an NHS abortion in England.

The criteria to have access to a medical abortion (abortion tablets) in Northern Ireland under the Law are as follows:

TO PRESERVE THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER, if the continuance of the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother, or would adversely affect her mental or physical health.

In most cases, the risk of the adverse effect occurring would need to be a probability, but a possibility might be regarded as sufficient if the imminent death of the mother was the potential adverse effect.

If continuing with the pregnancy would have other serious permanent physical or mental health effects. The adverse effect on her mental or physical health must be a “real and serious” one, and must also be “permanent or long-term”.

It will always be a question of fact and degree whether the perceived effect of a non-termination is sufficiently grave to warrant terminating the pregnancy in a particular case.

To receive medical abortion treatment, the pregnancy must be under 9 weeks 4 days gestation. If you have been pregnant for over 9 weeks, you will need to travel to England for surgical treatment.

If you believe that you might be entitled to medical abortion in Northern Ireland as described above, Marie Stopes UK can offer you a medical assessment over the phone or by appointment in our clinic in Belfast.

If you believe that you do meet the criteria due to a psychiatric or medical condition, it is crucial that you have evidence of your condition at hand so you can make reference to this during your assessment call with Marie Stopes UK.

If you have a face-to-face appointment at Marie Stopes UK Belfast, please bring any relevant medical information (written evidence) with you.

All abortion treatment in Northern Ireland depends on your medical assessment under Northern Irish Law.

Once completed, you will be informed about the treatment you can have in Northern Ireland or if you need to travel to England to receive treatment.

Please note that we will need to complete a written consent before treatment if you were to receive treatment with Marie Stopes UK in Northern Ireland or in England.

Women who do not qualify for treatment under Northern Ireland Laws as listed above, can call Marie Stopes UK on 00 44 345 300 3737 to make an appointment in the UK. ”

End of Extracted Quotes From Marie Stopes Site

So a pregnant rape victim in N Ireland? Too bad lassie, it’s God’s punishment/Will! Suck it up!

I do hope the ‘sisterhood’ of Sarah Smith & Ruth Davidson condemn any government for even thinking about getting into bed with such an obscenely anti-womens’ rights party from the dinosaurs era!

But, dinna fash, the DUP, as well as not believing in womens’ rights or gay rights also don’t believe in dinosaurs either! According to them, the world was created in just 7 days and schools should teach this. Anything else is blasphemy….Piss off, Darwin.

Over to you, Ruth….

Good morning Macart.

I’m ashamed to say there are tartan tories in my own family [thankfully not close family] selfish people who covet money above all things. It’s very difficult to keep a cool head and a tight lip when talking with them. I know once brexit comes along and the purse strings need tightening, they will be the first to screech.

I spoke with a pal yesterday who reads wings, he told me yesterday’s comments left him feeling very down.

Let’s see more positivity and less of the negative folks. We have come this far, we must not falter now.

Negativity from yessers plays right into the unionists hands, they want us at each other’s throats. Divisive tactics are very much on their agenda.

Brexiteer crook Gove back to flood the airways. Corrupt Murdoch’s mate. A major switch off. Do they never learn. Sicking. How longer can this farce cobble on. The ‘psycho bastards’. Causing a depression.

Westminster is now in control of extreme right wing DUP criminals who break UK with impunity, and have done for nearly 100 years bring down the world economy. Causing a depression. Disgusting.

@Sandy says: 12 June, 2017 at 12:29 am:

“Free masonary has damn all to do with the orange lodge bigots. Please, do some research before you make sweeping statements.”

While you are correct that the two organisations are different organs, Sandy, they are both evil and discriminatory in nature and thus both should be equally abhorred. I worked over 50 years in the MOD and the promotional chances of non-masonic employees in both the civilian and services were always dominated by Free Masonry.

Any system that chooses to promote people because they belong to a particular organisation is not only not good business practice but is counter productive and prevents the best possible people gaining control within whatever business they are involved in.

That includes the armed services, security services, private enterprise, political parties, sports organisations and the churches.

Nana says:
12 June, 2017 at 9:00 am

“Let’s see more positivity and less of the negative folks. We have come this far, we must not falter now.”

Well said, Nana, we can state and debate our positions, that’s what Wings is for but can we please stop with the name calling and insulting each other, the unionists will be delighted if they see us arguing and fighting amongst ourselves.That is their goal.

Peace to All Wingers

Put the country first has not been considered by past UK governments where is the infrastructure investment for a non oil North East. Unlike Norway

@Song42

You are very welcome. Hoping the weather is nicer where you are, clouding over here and it’s very clammy.

@RJS
On the other hand, those 13 Tories from Scotland are going to have to perform, and to do that they’re going ot have to rock the boat and upset a lot of the English Tories – and the Brexiteers, like the far right media and those who post on them.

It’s popcorn time – again 🙂

When I first joined the SNP at the age of 17 (fifty years ago) the attraction at that time was that no matter what your parties colours were the offer was “Scotland First”. I have maintained that ever since.
Mr Pia speaks sense …if independence is the goal then “normal” politics is put to one side and our voice supports the SNP. Unless that happens potentially the headway made over recent times could be lost so the message must reach out to members of other parties.

Cuilean @ 8.54

Just a couple of points to add to your post about NI and abortion.

The first is about the two children cap on tax credits and the rape clause exemption. As we all know in order to complete the form a woman has to tell a third party about her rape. In NI, however, if you tell a 3rd party you have been raped then they are supposed to report it to the authorities.

The NCC1 form they have to fill in has a version specifically for Northern Ireland which states that ‘normally’ the third party would have to report it. A great word that – normally.

Second point on women coming to UK, NHS England, thanks to Jeremy Hunt, operates a residency condition on women wanting free abortions so women from NI don’t qualify. I believe there has been a legal challenge to that ruling but don’t know the outcome.

In November last year Ms Sturgeon announced she was exploring ways whereby women from NI could come to Scotland for an abortion on the NHS and not have to pay. The DUP were angry about this apparently.

Between the rape clause and making women pay for an NHS abortion in England if they come from NI it looks as if the Tories and DUP have a lot in common.