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This is Wednesday, tax is bad

Posted on February 25, 2015 by

We’re starting to think that we could save ourselves an awful lot of trouble by only posting every other day. Obviously that’d reduce the workload in numerical terms, but also we could avoid the impossible task of having to keep track of Scottish Labour’s endless litany of U-turns, flip-flops and reverse ferrets on policy, which as far as we can make out appear to switch 180 degrees on alternating days.

Whichever one we picked we’d end up with positions that were at least consistent, and not have to try to make sense of which of two totally conflicting viewpoints the party was professing to hold according to whether the date was odd or even.

As it stands, we have to deal with this sort of thing.

We’re sure that alert readers will recall that Labour regularly railed against both tax breaks for big corporations and the council tax freeze during the referendum.

The former was usually done in the context of complaining that an independent Scotland under the SNP (no other government apparently being possible) would reduce Corporation Tax – which was a bad thing, even though Gordon Brown cut it twice in the last Labour government and promised more.

uwlcorp1

The latter was harder to follow, with Labour’s policy all over the place and seemingly delivered by throwing a dart at a wall covered in Post-It Notes with different positions on them whenever anyone asked them for a quote, but this from just over a year ago was fairly typical:

“Scottish Labour’s local government spokeswoman Sarah Boyack attacked Mr Swinney for continuing to freeze the council tax, saying the “prolonged” policy had led to reduced levels of service and job cuts.

She added: ‘The SNP have broken local authority finance through their sustained and underfunded council tax freeze that actually costs people more money as charges to deliver services are increased to provide vital funds.

Under the SNP’s prolonged, underfunded council tax freeze the rich prosper and those who most need the support of councils lose out.'”

But this is Wednesday, so tax is bad again.

“Fife Council leaders and former prime minister Gordon Brown have held talks with Tesco over the future of the supermarket chain’s Kirkcaldy store.

They had a dossier containing a package of measures – including rent and rates reductions – which they claim could save Tesco £1m a year and turn the loss-making store into profitability.”

Corporations in the UK don’t come much bigger than Tesco, but a generous Mr Brown is proposing “rent and rates reductions” – in other words, local tax breaks – in order to keep a seemingly-unviable arm of a massive company operating and prevent small local shops from regaining a foothold.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Fife, the party is having even more trouble than usual getting its story straight over Council Tax, about which Labour has agonised for years:

“Council tax will not rise under Labour and the leader of Fife Council should stop ‘banging on’ about the prospect, according to an MP.

Representative for Dunfermline and West Fife Thomas Docherty has attacked authority leader David Ross over the possibility of ending the current freeze as an internal war broke out over the issue.

Mr Docherty said: ‘Enough is enough. David Ross has to accept council tax is not going to be raised under a Labour executive. David Ross keeps banging on in Fife Council about raising council tax. Jim Murphy has made it absolutely clear this is not something Labour will even be considering.'”

(The piece in The Courier also notes that “a commission to examine a council tax replacement has been set up”, which we must admit was news to us. The last time Labour set up a commission to find a CT replacement it shrugged and gave up. But we did some digging and found out that the new one is in fact a new Scottish Government initiative from this month, and which the Tories are boycotting.)

So for today at least, Scottish Labour now BACKS tax breaks for big business and OPPOSES increasing Council Tax. Tune in tomorrow for the Thursday position, folks.

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Macart

We’ll damn you if you do, damn you if you don’t (Labour policy in for opposition parties in a nutshell).

Macart

Oops!

Should read ‘Labour policy for opposition parties in a nutshell’. 🙂

heedtracker

To be fair Tesco bosses just treated themselves to a 39 million dollar link to gulfstream.com

Tesco need these Crash Gordon tax breaks in Kirkcaldy if only to buy a couple more jets at reduced prices. Buy two $40 million Gulfstream jets, get your local SLab MP to fix your tax bill.

Desimond

Wee Ruthie in Edinburgh promised tax breaks for SMEs paying the living wage last week. Give it a week for that one to make its way west to Labour HQ and Megs or jimbo claiming its always been on their thoughts.

handclapping

No you’re barking up the wrong tree here, Stu. This is not Labour, not even Scottish Labour, this is Gordon Brown doing what he does best – giving our money to the undeserving.

And nobody in the Labour party is going to stand up to him in case they get Nokia’d

ghostly606

Great article as ever Rev. No criticism of Paw Broon’s planned tax breaks in the mainstream press as usual. He is above criticism.

JPfife

Another flop that has flipped is the Yes For Labour idea, which Murphy apparently quashed a few days ago; but Princess Ukok has today put up a post about it by a “Scottish Labour activist in Glenrothes & Central Fife”.

link to labourhame.com

Archive is/today:
link to archive.today

The Man in the Jar

Slightly OT.

I visit friends in Kirkcaldy now and again and have used the Tesco shop in question. The truth is that it is just not fit for purpose.

First of all you have to prowl the local side streets to find a parking space and as it is in the town center you can only park for 30 minutes. So you are obliged to use the car park on the roof of Tescos. Thats owned by Fife council who will charge you £1.20p minimum if memory serves me well. Once you have your shopping unless you use the stairs you are obliged to use a stupid wee lift back to the car park. A lift that only holds half a dozen folk never mind their trollies. As for the shop itself it is a dark windowless space more like a multi storey car park than a shop, with pillars and attached drainpipes everywhere restricting the isles.

Now both Sainsbury’s and ASDA have nice new stores on the outskirts of town and recently Morrisons have opened a large superstore at the bottom end of The Prom. There is also an Aldi within walking distance from Tesco. So the reality is that Tesco must be losing money hand over fist at the current location.

So to sum up Gordon Brown and Labour are throwing lots of good tax payers money at a lost cause. (No like them eh?) Ach well I guess that they think that there may be a couple of votes in it for themselves. Muppets!

john king

This is confusing, Im sure I just heard Tom Clarke complaining about the SNP’s council tax freeze,
um my brain hurts!

K1

Are the Labour party (Scottish branch in particular) not just simply political whores?

There is no ideological position that they will not adopt in pursuit of remaining in office. They are quite literally bending over for any issue that they think will procure more votes.

There’s no right, left or centre ground that they exist on within the political spectrum anymore. They’ll quite literally sleep with anyone if it maintains the illusion of relevance.

Whit a sad ending to a once great movement that was the Labour Party. Rest in Obscurity.

Stoker

HAW MURPHY, SEE YOU AND YER POLICIES, SEE WIT YEV DONE YA BAM!
link to archive.today

Lollysmum

It seems that we should just be saying that Labour’s policy is 180% about turn from the referendum position or completely opposite to whatever the SNP says. Take your pick-one of them is bound to be right 😉

It would appear that this is the only policy they have. Bereft, I tell you, bereft 🙂

Oh I give up!They aren’t worth voting for & that’s coming from an ex Labour voter for 40 years.

K1

Oh Stoker…you make me laugh! 🙂

H

I do wonder what they media and politicians think about the electorite , sorry I know I said think, not sure 100% we actually come in to the equation, when they churn out bullshitology

Lollysmum

JPfife

You deserve a medal. I thought they were an endangered species so you did well to find a labour activist in Scotland. Congratulations 🙂

dakk

That way they get the best of all possible worlds and assume enough of the electorate are as thick as shit for it to resonate.

We shall find out in May whether they are correct in this assumption.

Luigi

Mmmm, panicky Red Tories getting careless again.

You know what folks? I think the Red Tories are sweating even more than they did just before the referendum. After all, last September, it was only their precious union at stake. This year, their cushy jobs are on the line, and boy do they know it!

jimnarlene

“SNP bad but, we rather like their policies, so we’ll make them ours; no,they’ve always have been ours.” Said a Slab spokesperson, probably.

Desimond

Remember INEOS….Len McLuskey the Union leader comes out and thanks the Scottish Government for doing everything they could to ensure the plant was safe.

All the Labour folk from disgraced local reps\leaders to Johann Lamont…nowhere to be seen!

Marie clark

I notice that council tax is not going to be raised under a labour EXECUTIVE. Will they not be the Scottish Government then if we should be daft enough to vote for them next year.

Forward to 1997 folks. Back to the future.

They have no idea do they, all over the place. What a flippin mess they’ve gotten themselves into.

By the way, how can Broon promise Tesco anything. Oh same as before with the vow then. Right oh.

dakk

@Stoker. 4.18

LoL.That’s one Chris Cairns would be proud of.

Muscleguy

@The Man In A Jar

Thanks for that. Brown and SLAB make you think this is a vital amenity the loss of which will leave poor Kirkcaldy without any supermarkets. I can imagine the problems from the good picture you paint.

What’s the betting Tesco come back after closing the store with and application for an out of town site and Pa Broon will lean on the council to let them do it.

Iain Gray's Subway Lament

There’s an Aldi near this Tesco so as had been said, it’s hardly rocket science to work out that Tesco they are doing so badly. Aldi just offer far better value all round.

Well, that and the fact that Tesco seem to have as good a grasp of economics as Brown did when he crashed the economy.

link to itv.com

James McPherson

This is a perfectly sound article, and you are quite right to criticize the hypocrisy of Scottish Labour in this situation. However, I do still feel this diverts attention away from the SNP – their policies on cutting corporation tax do not become less problematic when placed next to Labour’s issues.

Les Wilson

Stoker says:

Yes, that gave me a good laugh to! We;; done.

Marcia

Labour’s opinions seem to blow with the wind.

I see that the ‘The National’, now has it’s own dedicated website. Traffic to the daily paper should reduce.

link to thenational.scot

john king

Stoker @ 4.18
link to youtube.com
Ok Santa if you an yer ahem reindeer are still here when we get back
YER LIFTED

john king

Marie Clark says
“I notice that council tax is not going to be raised under a labour EXECUTIVE. Will they not be the Scottish Government then if we should be daft enough to vote for them next year.”

I watched Tom Clarke rising in parliament today at Scottish questions and criticize the Scottish government for its continued freeze on council tax, they haven’t a clue what they’re doing

Clootie

I’m getting dizzy again!!!

Wouldn’t it be a good idea if Labour developed a policy they believed in instead of trying to oppose any developed by the SNP.

I now not only regret the labour party surrendering once held values of 40 years ago. The new low is that they now oppose anyone holding any values designed to benefit those in greatest need. We need a fairer society and holding down a major household cost such as Council Tax looks sensible to me.

Has everyone forgot how much the council tax went up under Labour.

The only labour policy that seems to be consistent is the following – “Better Tory led than any gain in seats by the SNP”

What about the people?

Murray McCallum

Maybe Scottish Labour are using astrology to determine their tax policy?

I’m sure there is a very irrational reason for their considered positions.

Keeping it positive.

Joemcg

You cannot imagine the bullshit that the Red Tories must have got away with for decades before WOS and stu. Must have been blood curdling stuff.

No no no...Yes

Many voters do not engage until much nearer polling day. The Scottish Leaders’ debates will be a hoot. Murphy will have to come out from his Daily Record sponsored cocoon, and face the public.

Murphy will not know what to say, he has so many versions of every policy buzzing about in his head. He has nothing to offer and daren’t even mention the word Miliband.

Trident and Austerity will spell disaster and even if his mantra is still vote SNP get Cameron, he is on a hiding to nothing. The public will be well aware of that nonsense by then.

Nicola will emerge as the only credible politician with an progressive vision for Scotland, and Murphy? Well he won’t know if he has been punched, bored or countersunk.

Popcorn anyone?

msean

Noticed that use of ‘executive’ there, too.

Moone

I tend to envisage more like tv’s ‘Game of Fortune’, where the main wheel is split into segments with policies on them. They could include Council Tax Freeze, Corporation Tax Cuts, Bedroom Tax etc.

Then a second smaller wheel split into coloured segments with green meaning good and red equalling bad.

Spin the big wheel “And Today’s Policy is.. Bedroom Tax” then the little wheel..”Is Bad”.

It could be called The Decider, and maybe even a new Saturday night gameshow for BBCGlasgowLabourparty*.

*Only for viewers in Scotland.

Joemcg

Guaranteed if Slab ever get back into power at Holyrood they will attempt to obliterate any hints of a Scottish identity.So it’s bye bye Scottish Government.

Marcia

No No No Yes

Murphy has not been invited. It is the Westminster Leaders (the real ones anyway) and NS.

link to tinyurl.com

Legerwood

Of course Mr Brown has to save Tesco. It has the Post Office franchise apparently and if the store closes the nearest PO is Glenrothes I believe.

Now whose policy was it to close POs and give franchises to the likes of WH Smith and Tesco? Was it the last Labour government by any chance?

I hope the people’s jobs can be saved but what services will be cut to make up the £1 million shortfall?

bjsalba

I am single and so the supermarkets with their supersized BOGOFF offers are of little interest to me. In fact the last time I went into one I fell for the bulk offer and cursed myself roundly when I got home. I am still cursing as I have not used it all up yet.

Luckily I fell and twisted my ankle, so the main supermarket I used to patronized is outwith my current comfortable walking distance. I now use the local butcher/baker/fishmonger etc and I find I have more money in my purse at the end of the week and less stress because I don’t have to figure out how to use up the impulse purchases, or how to squeeze more into the already overcrowded freezer.

I plan to continue this way from now on.

Valerie

Yay for Broon, the loon, cos there just ain’t enough Tescos around, despite Labour councils giving them prime real estate around the country.

You should see the bile from my Council, North Lanarkshire, spitting blood because John Swinney is a ‘ dictator, obsessed with teacher numbers’ North Lan had planned to axe 126 teachers, and now they can’t, ‘because there is a gun to their head’.

I’m not a parent, and I think Labour councillors who want to increase class sizes are bloody criminal. Like children living in some of these towns, need any more disadvantages.

Absolutely heinous scumbags.

Clarinda

Like everyone – I can’t keep up with the Labour conveyer belt of guff – malicious, ignorant or vile – whatever.

Would it be an idea for Rev. Stu to set up a daily blog heading of –

‘MURPHY SLAW BAR
Pish of the Day’

(insert list of latest cooked up ideas/outpourings)

galamcennalath

Labour in Scotland have a fundimental problem which is inescapable but they dare not openly accept …. they are not allowed to have any policies of their own regarding reserved issues.

They are allowed a degree of latitude regarding devolved matters. So if they want to talk about policies which are theirs in a Scottish context, they can only talk around devolved issues. However this is a WM election, Holyrood is next year!

By not focusing on the election in hand and ignoring UK level policy they appear either stupid or evasive.

Lesley-Anne

So wee Gordie Broon ( link to youtube.com ) 😉 thinks he can sucker punch TESCO into staying in Kirkcaldy with HIS promise of rent and rates cuts!

He does know he is talking to TESCO and not the “blinded by the VOW” Scots doesn’t he? 😛

Oh dearie me I feel the need … the need for speed this … AGAIN! 😀

link to youtube.com

clachangowk

Anent “Executive” SLAB MP Brian Donohoe also uses the word when referring to the Scottish Government. It shows them up for their hatred not only of the SNP but also of the idea of a Parliament in Scotland that does more than carry out instructions from Westminster.
They have been left behind and though they may not yet realise it, they will certainly know come May 8

Marcia

Lesley-Anne

Surely with earning of a nearly £1,000,000 in addition to his annual salary he could pay the rent and rates for a few years from his own pocket as a thank you for the money he has made over the years?

frogesque

Kirkcaldy does not need NEED Tesco in the town centre for the reasons given above by Man in a jar. It does however need a Post Office. The real Post Office was closed several years ago and moved a few hundred yards – to Tesco

The rest of the town’s many small businesses will be white hot ballistic at Mach 10 if a multi like Tesco get tax breaks and other concessions just to save Pa Broon and Feifedom Council from embarrassment that their policies have wrecked a once prosperous town centre.

I am sad for the 180 or so souls who will lose employment but the writing has been on the wall for a while.

Tamson

Hang on, Dave Ross is a Labour councillor in Fife? But I thought all Labour types in Scotland were Cybermen these days. They can’t even be consistent in which Doctor Who baddie they’re impersonating!

Cuilean

Won’t ASDA, Lidl, Morisons, etc., which are located in Kirkcaldy, not demand similar tax breaks as Tesco? Not forgetting all the other ‘little’ Kirkcaldy shops?

Also, is it actually within the power of Kirkcaldy council to favour Tesco in this manner, with preferential treatment and sundry tax breaks?

I could be wrong, but didn’t we just have a referendum for independent tax powers like this, (among other powers), which Gordon Brown and the local Labour council opposed?

Gordon Brown earned £1,400,000 last year in extra-political activities, (quaintly termed ‘homers’), which ‘homers’ are over and above his paltry £67,000 as an MP, the highest ‘homer’ earner at Westminster Palace. That explains why he is never there.

Denizens of Kirkcaldy, have you woken up yet?

john king

I have a question,
If the Great Gordo can negotiate a preferential deal with the council to cut Tesco’s council bills, whats to stop every other trader in Kirkcaldy complaining that it puts them at a disadvantage?

[…] This is Wednesday, tax is bad […]

Cactus

Indeed. It’s highly possible that tomorrow will be Thursday and tax will be good again, who knows what Friday’s got in store for us all?

Let’s play it by the internet hour.

Croompenstein

FFS came home to an email from Creepy Jim…

The video is on Scottish Labour website so I wont link to it but suffice to say it is just run of the mill Creepy Jim 1000 nurses waffle waffle pishtalk

Dear Croomp,

Scotland needs a plan that will make a difference to you and your family.

Later tonight I’ll outline Scottish Labour’s plan for Scotland in a new TV broadcast.

There are big challenges and this is an important moment for our country, so I want you to take a look at the video now:

There is so much at stake at this year’s election.

We know that when families prosper, Scotland prospers.

Another Tory government would be bad for Scotland, and bad for Scotland’s families. We have to stop the Tories from being the largest party again. Only a Labour government can stop the Tories and make the changes that Scotland needs.

Scotland, let’s unite, let’s back Labour’s campaign to defeat the Tories and make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim Murphy
Scottish Labour Party Leader

Lesley-Anne

I’m 100% with you on that one Marcia. 😉

Oops I forgot we are discussing Labour so I really should Murphy mathematics here … I’m 117% with you on that one Marcia! 😀

Marcia

Scottish Referendum take 2

link to archive.today

handclapping

Its not just the Tesco workers who will feel it. The taxi rank outside often stretches all the way back to the MSP shop for David Torrance. Except when it rains of course when they all vanish back to their garages in case their paintwork gets spoiled.

I wonder if the local SNP have thought of using the space for a pop-up shop for the GE15? Maybe that’s what Broon’s afraid of.

Helena Brown

Cuilean, very good point,also why don’t Tesco ask the very generous Council to help fund the new Tesco Store they have just built in Dunfermline to service the West of the city. This was built reluctantly after roads were realigned at some expense and a much smaller store than was originally planned.
It has to be Labour doesn’t it. I think it really is time Crash Gordon got out of Politics, of I forgot he has.

Mat

Jim Murphy.

A man.

A plan.

A dead man walking.

link to youtube.com

Bob Mack

Labour policy seems to be written on a boomerang.You throw it out and inevitably it comes back to hit you on the head.

snode1965

Its not only Slab that are poaching SNP policies. Osbourne on BBC stating Manchester to get devolved NHS and social care under one umbrella. Unbelievable the influence that progressive Scottish politics are having on the wider UK.

Who amongst us thought they would ever live to see times like these, the Establishment really are shitting themselves!

Bugger (the Panda)

It appears that Jim Murphy has data-mined me.

Bugger, Good thing I use my real name to post here

Scotland needs a plan that will make a difference to you and your family.

Later tonight I’ll outline Scottish Labour’s plan for Scotland in a new TV broadcast.

There are big challenges and this is an important moment for our country, so I want you to take a look at the video now:

Scottish Labour has a plan

Share it with your friends and family on Facebook or Twitter:

Marie clark

Marcia I said that quite a few weeks ago, that we appear to be fighting referendum mark 2. Quite why that should be i’m not to sure.

Labour N.B. accounting unit would appear to have forgotten that it’s a G.E. and all the pish and bogeymen that they bombarded us the last time won’t work.

As someone else said, they are not allowed policies of their own for the G.E. They have to toe the London line and it’s not good news for them. Mind you one wee decent policy or idea might help.

The only thing they seem to manage is pinch other folks ideas and SNP very very very BAD.

Roll on the real Referendum mark 2. Sooner rather than later.

Bugger (the Panda)

Forgot this bit, sorry

addendum

There is so much at stake at this year’s election.

We know that when families prosper, Scotland prospers.

Another Tory government would be bad for Scotland, and bad for Scotland’s families. We have to stop the Tories from being the largest party again. Only a Labour government can stop the Tories and make the changes that Scotland needs.

Scotland, let’s unite, let’s back Labour’s campaign to defeat the Tories and make Scotland the fairest nation on earth.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim Murphy
Scottish Labour Party Leader

Marie clark

Bugger the panda, Labour has a plan. Would that be a cunning plan by any chance. Have they now recruited Baldrick tae help oot.

Bugger (the Panda)

@ Marcia Clark

At least it wasn’t

Dear Bugger,

Robert Peffers

@jimnarlene says:25 February, 2015 at 4:35 pm:

““SNP bad but, we rather like their policies, so we’ll make them ours; no,they’ve always have been ours.” Said a Slab spokesperson, probably.”

Thing is, jimnarlene, that as the Labour lot change their policies every second day it gives them two correct claims.
First of all they just need to check what day it is to claim they had that policy but if it is the wrong day they can claim it is the SNPs policy.

Capella

We’re still waiting for Jim Murphy to produce Clause 4 (ver. 2). I think he may have taken on too much.

Wrinkleyreborn

So, Paw Broon, savior of the world financial system, now corrects the free market principles to save Tesco, Kirkcaldy. Perhaps he could save North sea oil’s tax problems before he retires and gives Jim Murphy his superman costume.

galamcennalath

Marie clark says:
“Roll on the real Referendum mark 2. Sooner rather than later.”

Indeed. I believe there is a very real chance that this might be the last WM General election in Scotland EVER!

Given the way WM and all Unionist parties are behaving towards Scotland, the Union can’t possibly last beyond the next 5year term.

Fiona

I also got the email from Mr Murphy

I have twice asked these people to remove my details from their data base since I don’t know how they got them in the first place

Is there any provision in data protection to stop them sending me this rubbish?

Lesley-Anne

Sorry for going O/T here but some folks may find these interesting. 😉

First up is news about the latest newspaper sales figures. When you look at the list alert readers may notice there is a certain *ahem* leading newspaper missing from the list. 😛

link to archive.today

Secondly our beloved BBC has an article about the Secretary of State for Portsmouth. In it he is reported to have told the House of Commons that we are all about to receive a leaflet from his office, how nice of them 😉 , detailing the powers we *ahem* MIGHT see being handed over to Holyrood. 😀

Every household in Scotland will receive a leaflet explaining what new powers might be handed to Holyrood.

link to archive.today

Finally here is a wee link to a Gulf site that has a list of the top 30 British M.P.’s who *cough* earned cash from the Middle East.

link to arabianbusiness.com

Jeez what a Muppet Murph the Smurph is.

Thankfully I wasn’t drinking my coffee when I watched that link Mat.

I LOVE >/b> this bit.

“We will ban zero hours contracts.”

Hmm I wonder if he has passed this idea on to his buddies in GCC cause I believe THEY are one of the worst offenders of Zero hours contracts!

liz

That’s great news about the Sunday Herald. maybe the others will realise that they are alienating customers.

As for Lab banning zero hours contracts, they said that last time they were in power and did sweet FA

Robert Peffers

@Marie clark says: 25 February, 2015 at 4:37 pm:

” … By the way, how can Broon promise Tesco anything. Oh same as before with the vow then. Right oh”.

Ah Yes! Hang on, Marie, and I’ll clarify it for you.

Gordon Brown has nothing to fund those promises from so he isn’t speaking as the MP for Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath. He is speaking as the spokesperson of the joint Fife Councillor & Westminster MP Action Group.

That means Gordon is not putting his hand in his own pocket nor getting funds from Westminster. Neither are the Fife Councillors going to reach into their pockets to fund the inducements for Tesco. Oh! No! That’s most certainly NOT on the table.

What is are the Council Taxes paid by we Fifers in the Constituency and, of course, the funds provided by the SNP Scottish Government that have been increased from within the Scottish Block Grant to compensate the local councils for the freeze on council tax.

You know that SNP Council Tax freeze that the London Labour in Scotland Branch Office is currently complaining about? The same one Labour want done away with so that Labour led local councils can raise the Council Tax for their constituents to pay more of. Aye! THAT COUNCIL TAX”,

Now do you get the idea?

Gordon wants the council tax payers to subsidise TESCO to stay in Kirkcaldy using council taxpayers money and the funds given to Fife Council by the SNP Scottish Government.

Now why do you think the Scottish MSM and Broadcasters have not explained that to the electorate?

Lesley-Anne

Just checked my e-mail … yup I’ve had a wee meesage from oor Jim. There was also one for my alter *ahem* Labour ego … a certain Gordon Brown! 😀

Paula Rose

I’m sure the Scottish Labour thingy has some cupid stunts lined up for wooing the electorate –

that’s what Dr Spooner tells me.

Anne

Rev, your last sentence, surely you mean OPPOSES ‘freezing’ Council Tax.

SquareHaggis

Water intae wine?

link to tinyurl.com

But whae gets the revenues?

Stoker

This link previously posted by LA shows the most recent sales figures for certain newspapers. However, there is no mention of The Daily Rectum. Anyone know why and/or how we can find out the reason for the omission?
link to archive.today

Rob James

As a resident of Kirkcaldy, I know that it will be a blow to not only those who may lose their jobs, but also for many customers who do not have their own transport due to it’s proximity to the bus station and the aforementioned taxi rank.

Kirkcaldy once had an enviable shopping centre, which has steadily seen the loss of many retail outlets. I walked along the street just the other day and was shocked by the amount of empty properties and charity shops.

I realise that this symptom is not unique. Due to competition from the retail park on the outskirts of town as well as online shopping, footfall has drastically decreased.

However, I do blame much of this on the labour controlled council who appear to be quite happy the way things are, and have the vision of cave dwelling salamanders.

Kirkcaldy has a wealth of resources including beaches, a castle, harbours and parks as well as a mile long promenade. Unfortunately nobody on the labour controlled council can see the potential, and so the promenade resembles Beirut during the early eighties.

In addition, many small businesses can’t afford the high rates, and the excessive parking charges divert more custom to the retail park.

However, they still went ahead with the £6m upgrade of the already plush Town House, despite Fife Council’s debt of approximately £70m.

Vote Labour Get Shafted

AndyC

Re Broon and Tesco,
Of COURSE all the other traders in Kirkcaldy will threaten to upsticks and leave the toon if Tesco are given preferential treatment with rent/rates.

The local labour controlled ‘rag’ states the nearest post office will be in Glenrothes. Not true, there are other sub post offices in Kirkcaldy.

Kirkcaldy Kremlin operates one of the most vile nepotistic money grapping councils in Scotland. I live nearby and stopped shopping there years ago due to their exorbitant parking charges and policy of double yellow lines everywhere within miles of the high street, thereby forcing you to use one of their pay carparks.

Their greed has damn near killed the town as a shopping experience. This council is still Labour controlled only by way of a Lib/lab/con/Ind coalition.
Roll on May.
Rant finished!

Lesley-Anne

Stoker, I think the reason everyone’s *ahem* favourite newspaper has been reported *cough* Missing In Action might have something to do with its new “secret” Editor in Chief … non other than Murph the Smurph. 😀

He has obviously prohibited any circulation or sales figures about his wee leaflet getting out just in caseone of those horrible nasty cybernattery sites like … erm … this one 😉 and having a damned good laugh! 😛

Gary

NB the dossier is exactly the same offer the council made to Tescos already. It was rejected. Gordon hasn’t added anything as they were specific when interviewed about the amount of the savings and where they came from. More lies…

Fixitfox

Nail on head, as per, Stu. Hope you’ve got a bodyguard. I’d have you taken out if I was #CreepyJim’s Chief of Stuff (not a typo)

macbeda

O/T watch Citizenfour tonight on Channel 5 to see hstate monitors you.

Charles Kearney

Just published this on Jim Murphy’s ‘New Plan!’

Charles P. Kearney 1,000 New Nurses promised by Labour–who first introduced Privatisation into the NHS, ‘Help’ for ‘Hard Working Families? was that not David Cameron’s Promise! Brown and Darlings ‘Soft Touch’ on the Banks led to Britain suffering the very worst effects of the Bank Crash, now Murphy says he will Tax them to Pay for Apprenticeships, Aye sure, You are not in ANY position to Tax Anyone! £100 a Week Extra for New Dads to be paid for by Tax Dodgers—is every single ‘Promise’ in his Manifesto to be dictated by whatever is ‘Making it Big’ in the Latest Newspaper Headlines?’ Is there a single ‘Policy’ that has not been Cobbled Together from This Week’s Daily Mail? Will he be urging you to get Two Jobs, like Jack Straw? Is this Trash what he is paying the execrable John McTernan and Blair ‘Better Together’ McDougal to churn out like Scots are completely Stupid? NOT THIS TIME, SUNSHINE, YOUR TICKET IS WELL AND TRULY PUNCHED!

Marie clark

@ Robert Peffers 6.59. Sorry it’s taken a wee while to answer you Robert. I was away oot fur a while.

Thanks for the explanation, I did realise that it was probably taxpayers money that Broon was promising. He’s very good at that. Giving away other folks money I mean, isn’t he.

The sooner Scotland gets rid o’ him and his ilk the better.

[…] We’re starting to think that we could save ourselves an awful lot of trouble by only posting every other day. Obviously that’d reduce the workload in numerical terms, but also we could avoid the impossible task of having to keep track of Scottish Labour’s endless litany of U-turns, flip-flops and reverse ferrets on policy, which as far as we can make out appear to switch 180 degrees on alternating days.  […]


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