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This wheel’s on fire

Posted on May 21, 2017 by

Following the striking success of their tactical voting campaign at the general election of 2015, the Unionist parties are keen to repeat the strategy this year, and have once again deployed THE WHEEL.

There’s only one problem. They can’t quite agree on the colours of the spokes.

Don’t get us wrong. They all agree that SOMEONE should stop the SNP. But who?









Now, to be scrupulously fair, “STOP THE SNP” isn’t the only message/policy being pushed by the Unionist parties in this election. Sometimes it’s “BEAT THE SNP”.

It’s probably fair to say that the “Don’t mention the SNP” bit isn’t going terribly well. But luckily, there’s a grand plan afoot.

Don’t say you weren’t warned, Scotland.

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  1. 21 05 17 10:56

    This wheel’s on fire | speymouth
    Ignored

  2. 05 11 17 11:06

    The Pit and the Pendulum | A Wilderness of Peace
    Ignored

344 to “This wheel’s on fire”

  1. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Impressive, Rev.

    This grand unionist coalition. Bring it on.

  2. admiral
    Ignored
    says:

    Is the John Boothman, byline in the last caption. the same one who used to propagandize for BBC Scotland and is married to an ex Labour MSP?

  3. David Briggs
    Ignored
    says:

    Reading all that pish has made me ever so slightly queasy.

  4. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Phew, read through all those..feel a bit ill now.
    A clear pattern of the Unionist’s abuse of politics itself.

    They really do insult our intelligence as a nation.

  5. Martin
    Ignored
    says:

    A grand alliance. How lovely. Will make other politicians simply “pre-tories.” There’s a time coming where it really will be SNP or Tory. Staggering to think the labour voters of Scotland would prefer the latter. Grandparents spinning in graves

  6. jimnarlene
    Ignored
    says:

    The grand unionist coalition,there’s fascistic tone about that.
    Stop democracy, or at least skew it, by any and all means necessary.
    Shameful, and history will NOT be kind…

  7. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    But! But! But!

    This election is about electing a government at Westminster Government.

    Why then are the only parties that can form a Westminster Government concentrating upon stopping the SNP who cannot form a Westminster government except by entering into a formal coalition with one of the parties so obsessed with preventing them from even keeping the Westminster seats the SNP already hold?

    Correct me if I am wrong but are not the Westminster parties just a bit over obsessed with Scottish independence rather than telling us what their manifestos for Westminster politics are all about?

  8. Jim Arnott
    Ignored
    says:

    All I can say is: “Bloody Hell!”

  9. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    As usual they have forgotten something, the SNP are people, they are going for an alliance to stop people exercising their democratic rights. That always backfires.

    Of course the tactic of making people not people goes back a long way, dehumanising is an old story.

  10. Bugger le Panda
    Ignored
    says:

    Tory, Labour and LibDums all together, not a good military strategy, as one. metaphorical shot, takes them all done.

  11. cctxt
    Ignored
    says:

    Enough !

  12. Cuilean
    Ignored
    says:

    If you vote Tory, you are a Tory. You can’t lend a party your vote. By voting for them, you become them.

    You can see why they don’t mention any of their policies or Brexit in their literature:

    Deny poorest children free school meals – often their only protection from starvation.

    Bring back fox hunts & hare coursing so small mammals can be ripped to shreds. Imagine your cat or dog dying in that manner.

    Legalise elephant ivory trade, thus hastening elephants’ extinction.

    May’s calls to Unite the Nation is code for Shut down Holyrood and abolish Barnett Formula which will end the SNP’s ability to protect Scotland from worst of Tory policies plus Scots will be 2nd class MPs with EVEL.

    A vote for Tory is a vote to subjugate and destroy Scotland’s social fabric.

    As Stu says, don;t say you are not warned Scotland. The Tory leopard will not change its spots. We know this.

    Vote SNP as the only means to protect Scotland as, by God, Scottish Labour & Libdems never will. They’re too busy jumping into bed with the Tory bastrads.

  13. blackhack
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m beginning to think that there’s a bit of a conspiracy to beat/stop the SNP….
    o/t…I hope that dog was licking it’s arse before licking Ruthie…

  14. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Jim Arnott says 10:13 am
    All I can say is: “Bloody Hell!”

    A bloody hell is exactly what the Tories and their elite funders will turn the world into.

    War, famine, disease and disasters are,
    to them, necessary stages of control, allowing human rights to be shunned for the greater good of shareholders lifestyles.

  15. Joe of the Coutts
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeremy C appeared at a Libertines concert last night, and was well received by 16000+ people.
    Not a mention of it on Scot Radio, although it was mentioned that Tory support had dipped, which would have provided an obvious balance. Oh well.

  16. Clydebuilt
    Ignored
    says:

    Ruthless’s Lies

    Gaining a few Scottish MP’s doesn’t put Ruthless into a position of power in charge of budgets where she would have any say on funding the things she pretends she would protect and maintain.

  17. mike d
    Ignored
    says:

    Scrolled quickly through most of that sh**e,as i nearly brought my breakfast up. And some mugs will be taken in by it.

  18. Quentin Quale
    Ignored
    says:

    Stifle the Press, refuse debates, a lurch to the far right in policy and now the Tories would like to wipe-out/speak for Lab and LibDem in the ‘national interest’. Interesting strategy from the Tories.

  19. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone know what the Conservative & Unionist Party, The United Kingdom Labour Party and the United Kingdom LibDem Party policies on United Kingdom Government matters are?

    I’m finding it a wee bit hard to find out what their United Kingdom Government policies are. I can only find them all trying to stop the SNP who have no chance whatsoever of forming a Westminster Government on their own.

    Would I be wrong in thinking that the only influence the SNP would have in the government of the United Kingdom would be in either a formal or informal coalition with the Labour Party at Westminster? Yet it seems Labour are not up for actually forming a Westminster Government but only in protecting the Tories as a Westminster Government.

    Latest figures show that Labour are closing the gap between themselves and the Tories so it seems to me they should be encouraging the SNP voters as a Labour+SNP coalition could actually prevent the Tory Party returning to government. By coalition with the SNP Labour could at least form an effective opposition to curb the worst excesses of the most vile right wing Tory government to ever hold power in the United Kingdom.

  20. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Kinda insulting dontcha think when around half the voters actually like the SNP and vote quite happily for them
    and that Includes some Tories even I know

    Some folk might not want Independence but they’re reasonably sensible enough to realise when that choice comes along the SNP gives them that very choice to say Yes or NO whereas the rest would give no choice at all leaving us all to the mercies of what could be the biggest political mistake any country has ever made without a get out clause

    So to say stop the SNP even if you oppose some of their ideas is the dumbest thing on the planet to do
    Only the extreme right wing nutters actually believe the SNP are really Baad they just say it a lot from sectarianism or just inbred habit

    Most folk realise the Labour lot are useless and would be garbage in government, the Tories are just terrifying with the thought of Ruth Davidson bouncing up and down with so much delight as she killed off half the country, and the Liberals, well!

    See me, I like the SNP I’m even in it so I think It’s great , but even if you don’t you’d be bonkers to vote for any of the other lot

    Your choice! have one or don’t

  21. Bob p
    Ignored
    says:

    Martin 10.07am. Yes my uncle who died many years ago from lung disease(ex miner), a labour stalwart would be turning in his grave today at the thought of labour voters voting tory. And selling Scotland down the river.

  22. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Vote Tory, only if you support the actual policies they will push through the Westminster Parliament.

    Voting Tory, for ANY OTHER reason, makes one an idiot.

  23. Hoss Mackintosh
    Ignored
    says:

    Davidson is going to look like a right clown if she splits the Tory vote in Scotland, lets the Lib-Dems and Labour pick up seats and it ends up with a hung Parliament in Westminster.

    This election could get very interesting – hung parliament and a complete shambles in the Brexit talks – all good for the next Indy refrerendum.

  24. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeremy Corbyn – Rock Star

    https://twitter.com/LFMmag/status/866022702804594688

  25. Bob p
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr jim 10.33am. Yes there’s only one lot of football fans in Scotland ,Whom I’ve heard on television singing f**k the snp.

  26. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Enough,enough,enough!

    Nobody is going to bully me and tell me what I can or cannot do.

    I will now definitely vote SNP to shut up these squabbling Unionist Tories and wannabees.

    SNP gives Scotland a voice.

  27. Auld Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    You forgot about their 5th Column – the OO. Don’t help them for they’ll find out again that, ‘Too many cooks…….etc’.

    Auld Rock

  28. Truth
    Ignored
    says:

    All I see when they say “stop the SNP”, is “stop democracy”.

    It’s not a good look, and only shows they cannot be trusted even if they did appear to have any policies.

  29. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Somewhere along the line, someone has to take the emotional attachment difficulties out of this election and be pragmatic. It is not about saving the Union. That is what the Unionist parties would like to portray. It is about daily life in Scotland.
    It is about maintaining and improving the public services we currently have.
    Look at England Wales or Ireland and compare them to Scotland.There is no comparison.

    If you want to keep the Union you have that choice. At some point over the next two years you can put an x in a box stating you want things to remain the same or not.

    To throw your country and citizens to the Tory wolves because of the title UK is somewhat overdramatic for a message of defiance of the SNP.

    I suppose for some what I am describing is the best of both worlds. SNP government and a choice of whether or not to choose independence. You can have both if you wish.

  30. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    People who vote Tory in Scotland are being somewhat indulgent. They do so knowing that they will not have to live with the consequences of their vote, that is a Tory Government and it’s damn able policies. They know they will be protected from the worst effects of these policies by the SNP in Government in Scotland. A party they apparently despise but whose good governance they enjoy.

    They are voting Tory knowing full well they do not have to live with, the consequences of their vote. Hence, the indulgence.

    If these people who vote Tory are so keen on that party and it’s policies then ask them why they are not moving to England to enjoy the full benefits of life under a Tory Government and their policies.

  31. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Wait. I’m beginning to see a pattern forming.

    I think they’re obsessed with independence you know. I wonder what their policies are on representing Scotland’s electorate in the day job?

  32. Maureen
    Ignored
    says:

    I worry for their mental state, the calls for no independence has become so strident and isn’t going to let up any time soon.
    I recall these parties banging on at SNP being a one trick pony but it seems to me that they have all become a parody of their own making as a result of this.

  33. chocolass
    Ignored
    says:

    Why exactly are they calling themselves labour,conservatives and lib dems?
    They’re obviously a moveable feast and should all get together
    and call themselves unionists.-save a lot of paper and easy on the voters.
    By the way when I type tories it comes up goriest ,mmm

  34. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    As Robert Peffers says above all the WM establishment parties are about is to stop the surge of the SNP votes and seats and claim some sort of victory.

    They thought the could destroy the Independence vote dead after the Indy 2014 vote. But as we have seen it has only strengthened and hasn’t subsided as they thought it would.

    How TM and the rest of the WM parties deny what the people of Scotland have voted for is totally undemocraric and unacceptable.

    But as we know we in Scotland do not have that democratic right that all other countries are entitled to.

    We are having to fight for our rights like every other country that has been through their fight for Independence. Unfortunately for Scotland there are still a fair number who think the establishment is worth sticking with. As we know the state broadcaster and MSM is ensuring this number is not currently shifting in our favour. Give it another year or two and this is likely to change and people will waken up to how the WM policies are really only going to favour the few and not the many in this country.

    Please people of Scotland wake up and see the reality of what voting for the WM establishment parties does to you and your country. Just read the postings above and you can see what they stand for i.e. themselves and the Union above all else rather than you the people of this great country and more importantly Scotland itself.

  35. jenthepaint
    Ignored
    says:

    Nobody I know has seen so many Tories and Labour canvassers as you’ve managed to find. Actually, not one. Photo ops are not always telling the truth, Ruth. And I’ve been knocking on doors for weeks now.

  36. The Isolator
    Ignored
    says:

    They sound a bit panicky all in all.

  37. Cuilean
    Ignored
    says:

    Stop the SNP or beat the SNP actually means stop or beat democracy.

    It is not the SNP that wants to stop Scots deciding their own future and what kind of country they want to live in and have their children and grandchildren grow up in.

  38. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    The Tories are using this nonsense to steal Labour votes. Kezia hasn’t been agile and quick witted enough to deal with it so far. However, the Tory manifesto is a shocker. If that doesn’t put paid to Ruth’s attempted love in nothing will.

    The polls suggest that the penny is dropping and that cuddling the Tories is a bad idea.

  39. Sher Shon Shez
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers, Hoss Mackintosh, Bob Mack –

    On the money. Over most of the past 20 years the Scottish electorate have shown themselves sophisticated enough to recognise the difference between a Westminster election and a Scottish one, and have voted accordingly. Granted, indyref#1 kinda exploded that.

    We now have the spectacle of unionist parties fighting a UK General Election in terms which suggest Scotland is already independent, heedless of the effects on Westminster, while simultaneously denying the legitimacy of the Scottish Parliament vote on indyref#2.

    I can’t work out if this means we’ve won, or not.

  40. Andrew Coulson
    Ignored
    says:

    Serious question: What are they dreaming of? Suppose this works beyond their wettest dreams — let’s say, 30% national vote for the SNP — do they really want to live in a country and a political system where 30% of the voters know that they’ve been stuffed like this?

  41. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    Save democracy – Vote SNP – it’s a moral imperative.

  42. Orri
    Ignored
    says:

    Ironically May and the real Tory Manifesto have provided the counter to this shite.

    Although nebulous they’ve mentioned public consent. That’s got to be something more than just bums on seats.

    The way I see it playing is the Green vote will be dismissed as irrelevant even if by some miracle they get a seat.

    Next the SNP vote will be dismissed if less than the combined total of the three “unionist” parties. Or less convincingly if less than 50%.

    Then, in order of plausibility, the Tories will be declared winners if the get over half the unionist tally, more than Labour, the most seats.

    Regardless of all that by referencing “public consent” that manifesto changes the goalposts to it not being about seats won and all about percentages.

    That’s kind of a two edged sword but illustrates the stupidity of voting for a party on a single issue. The legal position is that while parties have no obligation to single mindedly follow every manifesto pledge if they are able and willing the the ability of the HoL is limited.

    Make no mistake it doesn’t matter why you vote for a party?. After this election a vote for the Tories will be a vote for them alone and an endorsement of their policies. Regardless of who you vote for they will argue that for the SNP it still doesn’t cover all their policies. For any other party it’ll be an anti SNP vote regardless.

    Also worth noting where campaign leaflets ignore local percentages for Scotland wide ones.

    This has nothing to do with opposing the SNP and everything to do with generating the impression that Scotland somehow endorses the Tories and their policies. Whatever “tactical” intent you had in casting your vote will be ignored. Just as wherever possible SNP councilors are being ignored.

    Also take a clue from the “in the national interest” tagline. That’s plan B if there has to be another Tory led coalition.

  43. Andy in Germany
    Ignored
    says:

    2 things come to mind:

    1: Look at te pro union canvassing teams. With some exceptions they are largely white, largely male, and gener<ally older people, and pretty small teams (taking three pictures of the same team from different angles does not make it grow)

    2:
    Even if I supported the union, I wouldn't vote Tory if they promised a federal UK with Edinburgh as the new seat of government for the entire lot. I am apalled by these people who are saying they used to vote labour but switched to the Tories. Have they the tiniest idea what they are voting for? have they even looked at the disgusting right wing society these people want you to aquiesce to? In other words, are these swing voters ignorant, misgiuided, naiive or simply nasty?

  44. clan rossy
    Ignored
    says:

    There is only one word that can describe them

    Tractors every last one of them.
    they will be remembered in history
    for what they really are .

    and when scotland regains its rightful
    place in this world . i shall never forget
    what they have done till my dying day .

    evil bastards every one of them.

  45. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for posting this stark reminder of what most of us more or less gathered what has and what is happening .
    We have a 10 team league and 9 teams are wearing the same strip , i dont know if that would be allowed in any football league in the world , but there you have it thats scottish politics, SICK & DEPRESSING .

  46. McDuff
    Ignored
    says:

    I really do hope the SNP manifesto will state that if it wins a majority of seats it intends to hold a referendum within the next 2 or 3 years. That way its made clear that a vote for the SNP is a vote for independence and thus it has its mandate.
    Running Holyrood is fine but its not independence.

  47. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Very scary. Daily Heil’s SLabour correspondent Tom Harris MP’s maybe taken things a bit too vote Tory far though, or probably not. Or Heil creeps may be trying to take the piss but maybe their not, they are that demented, you cant be sure.

    http://archive.is/CyWOe

    “These are exciting times for socialists. Red-blooded, Left-wing policies have been so watered down by various Labour leaders that they resemble homeopathic medicines – too weak to change anything yet still inspiring the faith of a deluded few.

    Now, at last, we have a leader who will stand up to the elites, to big business, to exploitative bosses. A leader who will raise taxes where necessary, who will make sure the workers have their say, who will intervene in free markets to protect consumers.
    Just listen to our future Prime Minister:”

    At least Tam’s getting into the vote anyone but SNP tactical spirit of red and blue tory madness.

  48. MrMac1040
    Ignored
    says:

    A grand coalition – it was only a matter of time before the Tories went for this. We should have been expecting it all along. Scotland is realigning politically from a left/right split to a nationalist/unionist split (sound like anywhere else that we might know of? – shudder!). The Tories and their allies are fast becoming the mother of all single issue parties – forget all other (substantial) party differences and defend THE UNION! They are actively encouraging the nat/union realignment and courting real discord in the process, allied as they are with the likes of the divisive Orange Order. The more afraid of Independence they become, the harder and more unyielding their unionism will become; the more shrill; the more unreasoned; the more violent. Davidson, Rennie and Dugdale are playing fast and loose with the future stability of Scotland and I fear the damage they may yet inflict upon us all with their inflammatory rhetoric and irrational obsession with this tawdry Union. We must remain steadfast in our positive vision of an independent Scotland in the face of a the violent Unionist onslaught that is coming. The night is darkest before the dawn.

  49. @scotsnat
    Ignored
    says:

    How deppressing. The UK is that united they brand huge swaves of Scotland no better than insurgents. A cancer on their imperial way of life. How dare we reduce them to trying to stop what they said was over. Apparently its not the Brittish way.

  50. Brian McHugh
    Ignored
    says:

    Get your YeSNP Windaes up. Now is the perfect time to peak for the GE. Spread this everywhere on Social Media… Twitter, Facebook… get it done. #Decorate4Indy

  51. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    There’s an up side to all this.

    A grand coalition in Scotland, but not in the rest of the UK, reinforces the view that Scotland is different.

    When Scotland is subjected to overwhelming UK level media, they are going to find it difficult to promote a coalition in Scotland between parties opposing each other at a UK level. The chaos will look thoroughly chaotic!

    It also looks like they are ganging up on Scotland, while politic continues as normal elsewhere.

    The Tories will be the dominant force. In 2014 Labour ‘successfully’ fronted BetterTogether. Better for Indy that the Tories, still toxic to a majority of Scots, are seen as the Indy oppposition.

    Bring it on.

    We need ScotRef prior to the next Holyrood election and it looks like the Brexiteers will make that happen!

  52. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks like the SNP will claim that a win in this GE will be a mandate for a seat at the Brexit negotiations.

    This IMO is an excellent move. The Tories will totally spit the dummy on that. The idea that an SNP presence will be arguing for single market while they go/want hard, is a non starter. However, the game is to make the Tories say that … to declare that a majority in Scotland counts for nothing, our representatives should be out voted by England etc etc..

    That sets the scene nicely to get on and have ScotRef at the time of our choosing.

  53. IAB
    Ignored
    says:

    A hung parliament would be a great result.

  54. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    I thought that Ruth Davidson pic third from the top was a Trump meme.

    I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but google images of Donald Trump with a long tie. Some inspired villain on the internet has been photoshopping them longer and I promise the pictures will make you giggle.

  55. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    If you vote Tory in Scotland and they win more seats here then you are sending a signal to London Tory HQ that you are not happy with the only party in Scotland that is protecting you against the worst effects of Tory policies. That is what you will do.

    Is it worth doing that just to agree with Ruth Davidson who wants to take away your democratic rights not to mention all the other henious policies in their manifesto that they do not actually want to talk about?

    If you vote Tory now then you will have to live with the worst effects of their policies because–let’s be clear about this–they have signalled clearly their wish to undermine and neuter the Scottish Parliament. As such, there might not be an SNP Gov around to cointinue to ameliorate the horrid Tory policies for you. Think about that. And neither will you have a chance to get out of it because they will have also taken away your democratic right to a referendum.

    You can indulge yourself now (perhaps believing the SNP will offer a buffer against the Tory policies) but vote Tory/Lab/Lib now and you WILL suffer the full consequences and may have no way out of it as you might not get another chance to, even after a considered change of mind.

    You should ALWAYS reserve your right to change your mind; no one but NO ONE should ever take that away from you. But that is precisely what the Tories/Lab/Lib fully intend doing. No #scotref EVER is what they want. If you change your mind in future then tough because voting Tory/Lab/Lib in GE17 you will have forfeited your right to have another say.

    Or you can vote SNP in GE17, keep the Tories at bay in Scotland and keep your absolute right to say “NO” in a future #scotref.

  56. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    They are such a bunch of lovely horrors. I was saying to the other half how much the Tories up here will just love the fact that they will have to put their hands in their pockets to pay for all the freebies that presently are supplied through the SNP government
    They used to say you could always tell a Tory but never very much, seems to be the same with those who were caught in a death embrace with them. Hell mind them, this Nation will not.

  57. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Why Oh Why won’t a Tory, Labour, or Lib knock my door or stumble into me in the High St.

    I’d really like to let fly at these corrupt colonialists who want to keep Scotland bound and ties to Westminster Corruption and Austerity.

    Vote Tory and give rich people the profits from all your public services.

    Vote Labour and give all your money to career politicians who can’t count and organise disaster like the horrific over build costs of the Holyrood Parliament, Edinburgh Trams, PFI Schools, etc.

    Vote Liberal and get the wee hanger on parasite party who
    will support anyone and anything in order to get a higher profile job for 5 minutes.

    At least the Raving Loony Party name informs you that will get what the other 3 parties are delivering.

  58. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Hmm …

    Interesting …

    I think this explains quite well the latest opinion poll from YouGov where Corbyn is now only 9 points behind Feartie McFeartie. In fact I read last night over on Twitter that it will only take a couple of more points to fall from Feartie’s lead to have the UK end up in hung parliament territory.

    We all know a hung parliament means don’t we folks … Lib Dems rushing towards to back seats of government cars as they, once again, jump into bed with the Nasty party!

    http://archive.is/otQnW

  59. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC vote tory show, Ligger Neil signs off Sunday Politics with, “Scotland’s now a straight fight between the Conservatives and the nationalists.” Only actual non SNP mention in whole hour show too. The old fake tanned, hair dyed Murdoch goon, can’t even bring himself to say three letters, SNP, assorted tory ligger special guests, Glenda Slagg from the Heil especially, nod agreements.

  60. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry for O/T here but just read that North Lanarkshire Council, one of those now run by the First Division and Fourth Division Tory party, are planning to CUT classroom assistants and ABOLISH Breakfast clubs.

    Vote Labour get Tory get PUNISHMENT of the POOR!

    https://twitter.com/allanstubbs/status/866006155604226048

  61. scottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    With my paranoid hat on I sometimes feel that the deep state sees a Corbyn victory as the only thing that can save the union.

  62. Ann
    Ignored
    says:

    To be honest, I think they need to see a shrink. They all seem to be a tad obsessed with the SNP.

  63. ScottishPsyche
    Ignored
    says:

    It seems as if in rUK they are catching on to the myth of the Tories being competent with the economy. In Scotland, those still blinded by Unionism will perpetuate the myth.

    The state of the UK economy, the English NHS, education system and now their social care policy have allowed even Marr to see ‘strong and stable’, economically competent Tories are the equivalent of the Emperor’s new clothes.

    Why have they taken so long to see it? Why are uncosted black hole policies seen as credible? Why have the people who are universally recognised as inept regarding Brexit given a free pass on the UK economy? The media, of course.

    What has changed? Maybe the media being edged out instead of spoon fed the juicy stories has taken the blinkers from their eyes. Maybe they see they will be shafted as much as the rest of us unless they call out May and her useless party. It all seems too little too late.

  64. Rookiescot
    Ignored
    says:

    Dugdale is toast.
    She knows it.
    Her party know it and the electorate know it.
    Who replaces?

  65. Peter A Bell
    Ignored
    says:

    Tactical voting only works for anybody if nobody else is voting tactically.

  66. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy in Germany says: 21 May, 2017 at 11:20 am:


    Andy in Germany says:
    21 May, 2017 at 11:20 am

    ” … are these swing voters ignorant, misgiuided, naiive or simply nasty?”

    Ignorant and naïve is the answer, Andy. But ignorance doesn’t mean stupid, it means they just do not know. You probably cannot change the views of a stupid person for they will always remain stupid.

    You not only can stop a naïve person being so naïve by showing them why they are mistaken but can often lead a naïve person to follow a better course by simply encouraging them to giving the matter more careful thought.

    What we have here, though, is simply tribalism, team loyalty and English/British, blood & soil nationalism. Note the connection between the sectarianism, British Nationalism and tribalism of the Loyal Orange Order and the, “Their Team”, loyalty.

    Now, for example, a ICT fan may also be a football fan who will still follow ICT down in a lower division. However, if they are also a football fan they will want their team to win by playing good football and not by luck, biased refereeing or cheating.

    The problems begin when the team loyalty is such that tribalism dictates such as, “My team, right or wrong”, is the mantra and it is a very small step then to becoming, “My country – right or wrong”, for that is then, “Blood & Soil Nationalism”, and blind, unthinking, loyalty.

  67. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Monster Raving Yoon Party of Kez and Ruth, sounds spot on.

    Read more at: The Hootsman, not a clusterfcuk of hysterical tories at all.

    Toby Williams 12:0212:09Sunday 21 May 2017

    “Tories ‘may form Labour coalition’ to oust SNP from Holyrood

    The Scottish Tories could form a coalition with Labour and the Lib Dems to force the SNP out of power at Holyrood, it has been reported. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, a source close to Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said they would be “happy” to work with Labour after the next Holyrood elections in 2021.”

  68. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Rookiescot says:
    21 May, 2017 at 12:28 pm
    Dugdale is toast.
    She knows it.
    Her party know it and the electorate know it.
    Who replaces?

    Wings over Scotland party 😀

  69. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Is it just me or has Scruffy Fluffy the little tea boy (Junior Grade) just confirmed Feartie McFeartie’s plans to demolish Holyrood?

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/101639850456727702167/6422550151095248258?icm=false&authkey=CKfv0vC7kaSPAg

  70. Ann
    Ignored
    says:

    @heedtracker

    Maybe the SNP should just step aside and let them. Only then will people realise how lucky they have been over the last 10 years.

  71. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I want your votes to give me strength to do Brexit says Mrs May
    What’s the deal then Mrs May, No tellin ye, trusst in meee says Mrs May

    Jeremy Corbyn says give me all your votes so that I can promise you stuff
    What stuff Jeremy, No tellin ye but It’ll be fair stuff like the nationalisation of everything in a hundred years time after a debate Says Jeremy

    Nicola Sturgeon says give me all your votes so I can stop these two lying to you and Swirlin us down the Swanee or you’ll end up with worse shite than you’ve already got
    and at the end of it I’ll offer you options to decide on

    And there are still people out there who aren’t sure?
    Whit, are they nuts!

  72. Ferncake
    Ignored
    says:

    There’s something these Britnat zealots are missing here; in portraying next month’s GE as some sort of scorched earth policy top get rid of a plague of Nationalist rats, they had better realise that these same rats aren’t going anywhere.

    In other words, some of the more astute would-be switchers might quickly cotton on to the fact this will not be a ‘one-zap-kills-all’ removal of the threat to ‘our precious union’, and it may be in everyone’s interest to instead have a grown-up debate about the future of this country.

    Or is Scotland about to be cast into some dystopian future in which every aspect of policy and daily life becomes totally secondary to the maintenance and preservation of the Ancien Regime ? Good luck with that crypto-Scots !

  73. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    Anne if it did not hurt all the rest of us I would say bring it on.

  74. Faltdubh
    Ignored
    says:

    Kevin McKenna’s article in yesterday’s Herald is a brilliant read and touches on this unholy Alliance Ruth is talking about.

    The way the Conservatives are acting and behaving shows that they are both worried about the union (constantly shouting NO2INDYREF2) whilst they may receive a small bounce of support at the present, but the long run will be the end of the Union.

    Take away the SNP’s stance on independence. The SNP obviously have voters who are unsure of independence and we accept that, we have to win them over and the Tories are doing our job for us by vilifying and alienating near enough 50% of the population by refusing to even accept their support then it’s game over.

    A good example is an old Labour pal of mine. Voted No and whilst we had a few robust arguments at the time we remain friends. He is voting SNP now – our constituency is a bit of a three-way tie at the moment, although I’d say mostly Lab v SNP (Dundee East) and his reasons are a lot thanks to the behaviour of the Tories – he doesn’t want them and is strongly considering a Yes vote in the next referendum. He was an unmovable object on independence or at least I thought he was up to about 12 months ago, and whilst no doubt Brexit, the SNP’s competence has played a part I think a huge part of this is the Conservative’s ugly rhetoric and behaviour.

    As for the Unionist tactical wheel, it truly is amazing and hilarious.

    Let’s take West Aberdeenshire/Kincardine for example – it was a strong Lib Dem seat for years and the SNP win it in 2015. Yet for some reason if you are a tactical Unionist you back the Tories there. So if you are a unionist, but pro EU and not a Tory are you really going to back the Tories? Even if they won it in the 2016 Holyrood election.

    You also have three-way battles in Edinburgh South, Renfrewshire East, Dunbartonshire West where I think the confusing will help us to retain and hopefully win seats e.g Edinburgh South.

  75. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Ann says:
    21 May, 2017 at 12:37 pm
    @heedtracker

    Maybe the SNP should just step aside and let them. Only then will people realise how lucky they have been over the last 10 years.”

    Indeed. But the way its going, there wont be a SLab party left for Ruth to merge with anyway. Holyrood D’hondt does keep zombie SLab going right enough.

    Mergers are here and now in Scotland anyway, its such a democratic fraud on all of us and our fledgling democracy.

    So if Ruth’s out in the open merger with Pacific Quay and the Scottish Cons did come out of the UKOK closet, at least they would all stop looking like such a complete and utter bunch of nutters, in their giant studios of BBC says vote NO, vote tory.

    Vote for the BBConservative party, to save this precious union, and our Pacific Quay cushy high paid numbers.

  76. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Stop the SNP’. Stop them from doing what exactly, mitigating tory austerity on steroids?

    So these unionists are obviously hoping that their mantra on repeat, will actually brainwash enough people into voting for tories even if they are actually allowing people to die as a result of their dreadful political agenda. Some are that fickle, but they must see the way that the SNP have been and continue to cushion the blows of tory cuts.

    Every time I see a friend who travels to the NE of england a lot, I hear about major libraries and galleries closing. The DLI musuem in Durham has gone, and a major Poetry Library in Morpeth has gone. Tip of the iceberg. Essential services are no doubt suffering in many parts of England.

    The yoons have only one tactic left, try brainwashing. People are not stupid they can see for themselves what would be in store if the unionists ever got a total grip on Scotland again. No thanks.

  77. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    So.

    What this boils down to is that one unionist party does NOT want us to vote for them cos the bad ole SNP will get in and the other unionist party DO want us to vote for them because the yukky SNP would get in and the other OTHER unionist party just want to play on the slides so the SNP won’t get in…

    Ok, I’m lost.

  78. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t want to put anyone off their lunch but here’s the line up, in case you missed it, of tonight’s Leader’s debate on Conservative Broadcasting Corporation. (CBC)

    Kezia “all vote Tory” Dugdale
    Ruth “unwelcomed sex” Davidson
    Willie “whaurs ma bus” Rennie
    David “whaur am I” Coburn
    Patrick Harvie
    Nicola Sturgeon

    First question is how many seconds will Nicola or Patrick be given before being rudely interrupted by CBC “”unbiased” presenter.

    Second question is will Kezia “all vote Tory” Dugdale answer questions about why her sticklet office is sleeping in the same bed with the Tories in Councils across Scotland.

    Third question is will Kezia “all vote Tory” Dugdale answer the question about why anyone should vote Labour when she is telling everyone to vote Tory.

  79. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    The stridency of the Tory SNP out demands are becoming comical. I think there is a going realisation that the Tory manifesto is a massive own goal and that the last thing the Tories can afford to do is talk about it.

    The thing is which Labour or Lib Dem voter is daft enough to be willing to risk increasing the Tory majority when once in the Tories are going to shaft them so senseless they will be begging for Indyref2.

    The SNP counter must be a manifesto that throws into sharp relief how ghastly the Tory one is. I wondered about the wisdom of leaving the launch so late but in this instance seeing what the Tories are proposing has been a positive gift.

  80. John Young
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Robert Peffers and others – Clydebank Blitz

    broganrogantrevinoandhogan.wordpress.com/2013/11/

  81. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Arbroath

    I am surprised that Coburn is in the mix to be honest but there should be comedy relief if nothing else. Some of his comments might well place Struth in a difficult Brexity place too. 🙂

    Davidson is just going to try and say No Referenduuuum! non-stop. I do hope they pin her on the Tory manifesto commitments on pensions, school meals, care costs, winter fuel allowances and brexit.

  82. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    HandandShrimp says:
    21 May, 2017 at 1:04 pm
    The stridency of the Tory SNP out demands are becoming comical.

    Their spin doctors are even funnier. BBC Scotland says SNP “notionally” lost the Scots council elections. Graun’s clown in residence say “Local elections: Sturgeon plays down Tory success in Scotland.” That was their actual headline. From Kez, no Graun comment. Its funny to watch but its a very nasty business, uk politics.

  83. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Davidson is just going to try and say No Referenduuuum! non-stop. I do hope they pin her on the Tory manifesto commitments on pensions, school meals, care costs, winter fuel allowances and brexit.”

    I want to see YOU deserve the truth Ruth, explain tory rape clause nightmare tonight.

  84. Alex McArthur
    Ignored
    says:

    Does Ross Thomson only have one pair of trousers?

  85. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @McDuff says: 21 May, 2017 at 11:32 am:

    ” … I really do hope the SNP manifesto will state that if it wins a majority of seats it intends to hold a referendum within the next 2 or 3 years. That way its made clear that a vote for the SNP is a vote for independence and thus it has its mandate.”

    Why on Earth would the SNP do a daft thing like that, McDuff?

    The SNP already have a mandate to hold a referendum when & if they choose to use it. Why take a chance that they lose it by putting it back up to be voted for again?

    This is exactly the crazy action that Theresa May has taken, with a snap GE, and now it is beginning to look like she might have made a grave error of judgement. The latest opinion polls show Labour are beginning to close the gap between the two parties. If the Tories end up with even a one seat loss Labour will claim the Tories have lost their manifesto promises.

    All this MSM and Broadcaster backed propaganda works two ways. The claim that the Tories won the Council elections in Scotland because they made modest gains from Labour and the laughable claims that the SNP lost seats has already backfired on the Tories.

    The fact is that the SNP had by far the greatest percentage of votes, won some seats, were the largest party in several more councils and pushed Labour out of Glasgow. That’s certainly not a Tory win and neither is it a Tory revival.

    It simply is the Westminster Establishment unionists showing their true, red, white and blue, colours. Some of those unionists just going from red to blue Tories as the Tories run ever more terrified of Scottish independence. They always have stood together when the union is under threat.

    Look what happened in WWII – a coalition government took over throughout the war years. To the Westminster Establishment the union will always come first.

  86. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    The cult of Yoonism in Scotland strips the follower of all logical and critical faculties. Three centuries of cultural domination have left proud Scots begging for their own slavery to England.

    These benighted souls need our pity and our help towards normalisation with the rest of humanity.

    Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

    Our shared principles and commitments

    10. The new Agenda is guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including full respect for international law. It is grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights treaties, the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document. It is informed by other instruments such as the Declaration on the Right to Development.

    https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld

    “The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.” (Article 1.1, Declaration on the Right to Development)

    “The human right to development also implies the full realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, which includes, subject to the relevant provisions of both International Covenants on Human Rights, the exercise of their inalienable right to full sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources.” (Article 1.2)

    http://www.un.org/en/events/righttodevelopment/pdf/rtd_at_a_glance.pdf

  87. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    I just wonder what lies, because they will be lies the Labour Party in north Lanarkshire will pedal to justify enacting Tory Tory policies in the council area, how can they look voters in the eye and offer any excuse for assisting this disgusting Tory party,
    The people who voted Labour have just been treated like dirt , HAPPY ? .
    That’s your f/n Labour Party , weasels every one , what’s your solution Kezia ? .

  88. msean
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m quite sure the Tories think all the other Unionist parties button up the back. Every party that joined with them for any reason gets scorched at the ballot box. See what happened to every party that worked with them since 2010 for examples.

  89. Andrew
    Ignored
    says:

    Scary stuff. Do the unionist parties genuinely believe all the guff they spout or are they just having a laugh.

  90. naina tal
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Tory cu*ts in N Lanarkshire.
    Mebbe I’m thick, but seems to me that with Holyrood giving money direct to headmasters the council basterts are just saying “If they want brekfists and classroom assistants the heedies have goat the dosh, let them pey for it.” Naw?

  91. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    scottieDog says:
    21 May, 2017 at 12:23 pm
    “With my paranoid hat on I sometimes feel that the deep state sees a Corbyn victory as the only thing that can save the union”…..

    Funny saying the ScottieDog, I’m kinda tuning in to the idea that May declaring her support for fox hunting, and the trade in elephant ivory which encourages brutal sadistic poaching, is a cry for help from somebody who doesn’t actually want to win an election and have to carry the can for Brexit.

    Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s true. Theresa May is the real deal, fox fur stole and leather britches kind of Madame, with the finest handbag money can buy made from skinned crocodilian dinosaur.

    I’m telling ya, give Scottish foxes and birds of prey the vote. They’re on our side. Ewya has heard us.

  92. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    @CameronB Brodie

    `Three centuries of cultural domination have left proud Scots begging for their own slavery to England`.

    Malcolm X in his speech `The House Negro and the Field Negro` to me sums up those `Scots begging for their own slavery to England`

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kf7fujM4ag

  93. MARGO STRONACH ALLAN
    Ignored
    says:

    I AM FEELING GOOD BY VOTING NICOL AND HER TEAM SCOTLAND .AS A PENSIONER I AM FEELING FRIGHTENED OF LIVING TO LONG UNDER A WESTMINSTER TOXIC [for pensioners ] TORY GOVERNMENT .

  94. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    Tonight on the leaders debate, I want to see the sectarian unionist coalition (red tories and blue tories) nailed on their policies.

    So, Ruth, we know you oppose a democratic referendum in Scotland, but what is YOUR Tory policy on foxhunting/ funding social care, the rape clause, the death tax, immigration, means testing winter fuel benefits, raising the immigrant income threshold, government controlling what can be said on the internet/censorship and so on. Oh, and why are they just the same as UKIP?

    Then,

    So, Kezia, do you have any policies, or do you want to confer with your true blue Tory sectarianist colleague Ruth first?

  95. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    The Scottish people and vis-a-vis their elected government have already a mandate for another Indy vote.

    May can spout all she can about “now is not the time” but it is not in her powers to deny when and at what date the SG sets for the next Indy vote. This has been advised to WM as passed by the democratically elected Scottish Parliament.

    On the other hand she goes for an election right at the time the WM government should be negotiating a BREXIT deal for the country.

    She is now running scared and not facing upto to the realities of both BREXIT and Scotland leaving the Union.

    Her and her party are delusional. Let’s hope her and her crowd of hangers on here in Scotland are made to pay for this shambolic state of affairs in the GE.

  96. Richard Duncan
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh how the mighty have fallen.

    I take great pleasure in seeing theses tractors beg and swap for each others vote to keep SNP out. The only party in the GE that cannot form a govt.

    So they use the referendum as bait for the switchers and its not doing them really any good. lets be honest here this is the same shit but different day since last time and the time before.

    I feckin HATE Labour with all my heart . Seeing them grovel for tory votes gives me the satisfaction of knowing they are nothing more than has beens and rejects .

    BRING IT ON I SAY

    The SNP support has not slowed down or lost any members. On the contrary a few thousand joined after the council elections so let the MSM tell us we are doomed and the ” Sturgeon surge ” is over . i see 50 plus seats regardless for us .

    The rest is MSM bullshit .

    Everyone must ensure that we get our voters out . We get our votes in and we win in Scotland regardless of the rest.

    And we already have a mandate for the next Ref so chill out and enjoy propaganda at WAR levels . Take note of the constant repeating thats pissed off Scots voters for years.

    The English still have the scales covering their eyes . WE have a very clear view of the future .

    The bullshit will mean a few YOONS , who would never vote for SNP anyway to fritter their votes to these has beens. they are split between three and have no chance of coming together as one to defeat us .

    Well done Greens by the way, Standing down in most seats allowing their supporters to vote SNP will make up for the slack of losing a few vulnerable oaps and OO stooges .

    And well done again Stu . This reminder keeps us on our toes and we will not fail . Even if they try to spin it that way .

    P.S Hope you do a seperate fund for your court case . I for 1 will donate as much as possible to help you on your way . Am sure the rest of the Wingers will do same too 🙂

  97. katherine hamilton
    Ignored
    says:

    “Grand Alliance to save the Union”. Hmmm, does that indicate they sense they are about to lose it?

    “Stop the SNP”. Doesn’t have any intrinsic meaning. “Beat the SNP”. OK, it’s an election.

    Elephant in room time. Stop the YES movement in our communities and indeed our hearts? Never. YES never mentioned by them.

    That’s the big beastie they’re running scared of.

    We will trample them.

  98. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Somewhere along the line, someone has to take the emotional attachment difficulties out of this election and be pragmatic.

    The opportunity to achieve such is long gone. Ideological nationalism(s), such as British nationalism, are constructed much like an ethos of abstracted and totalitalised identity which is statically bound in some unidentifiable period of mythical time.

    Ideology and ethos do not support pragmatic reason, they constrain it. British nationalism and reason are like oil and water. We are dealing with an embedded cult here folks.

  99. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Stop the SNP stop them, for God sake somebody stop them

    From what?

    Offering choices, we don’t want choices, have’nt we had enough choices, it’s time to get over choices and do as we’re told. It’s time to listen to the folk who lost the election because there’s more of us, if you count the dead the dying the soon to be dead and maybe some who aren’t born yet, they would be on the side of the silent minority, strike that, Majority I mean, that’s what my sums say!

    I am Ruth hear me bluster
    Eh, and I’m Kezia hear me whine
    Me Willie

  100. Anagach
    Ignored
    says:

    So everyone should be in no doubt, vote for Labour or Lib Dems and it will put Ruth and her Tories in charge.

  101. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Scot Finlayson
    Do we need a Scottish Django? 🙂

    That was a joke folks.

  102. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    katherine hamilton says:

    YES never mentioned by them. That’s the big beastie they’re running scared of.

    Indeed. They appear to be willing to have their pro Union stance above party politics, yet somehow will never admit that YES is actually above and beyond party politics too.

    You are right, they never say ‘Stop YES’, ‘Stop Indy’, it’s usually ‘Stop the SNP’, or sometimes ‘Stop the SNP calling another referendum’.

    Focusing on the SNP is intentional I’m sure. They try to deny that it is something bigger. They don’t want it to be about fundamental constitutional change, they want it to be about just SNP policy.

    Truth is, it’s about allegiance to Scotland versus allegiance to Greater England.

  103. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    the Upsetters – Return of Django
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4v8kgw-HlU

  104. Silverytay
    Ignored
    says:

    naina tal
    NLC has already tried to force H.T to pay for the breakfast clubs and classroom assistants .
    NLC also tried to steal the money that the Scottish Government gave H.T to spend on deprived children
    Remember this was the council that got caught fiddling teacher numbers .
    I have also seen posts on F.B and Twitter blaming the Scottish Government for the cuts due to the government reducing council budgets .
    They convienently forgot to mention that the Scottish Government has had its budget cut by westminster or the fact that the Scottish Government gave them extra money for ring fenced projects .
    Not sure but I think the extra money was for Health and Social , I am sure others on here will be able to confirm what the extra money was for .

  105. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    CameronB Brodie says:

    British nationalism and reason are like oil and water. We are dealing with an embedded cult here folks.

    Totally engrained in the proud-Scot-but.

    I am fairly certain that the British nationalism of Scots Anglophiles and English Tories are different things.

    To English Tories, British nationalism and England nationalism is synonymous because they struggle to separate the concepts of UK, Britain , and England. Any actually differences are easily dismissed. The nationalism of England is only an issue to Scotland because it’s sense of entitlement and exceptionalism give them an imperial desire to rule anyone daft enough to let them.

    The Scots Anglophiles believe the Union offers them acceptance and benefit. In some respects they are simply wannabe English. They go along with the concept of a Greater England because it is the cosy comfort blanket they believe they are dependent on. Like all additions and dependencies, it will be hard for some to break free.

  106. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Naina tal – Exactly following Ruth with her let the SNP raise taxes, twisted and perverse using children to make a point, and this Labour lot will do everything that they can to hide from voters what they are up to, and I urge all snp supporters in north Lanarkshire to contact their councillor to complain of this disgraceful act by Labour .

  107. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    HandandShrimp says:
    21 May, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    Arbroath

    I am surprised that Coburn is in the mix to be honest but there should be comedy relief if nothing else. Some of his comments might well place Struth in a difficult Brexity place too. ?

    Davidson is just going to try and say No Referenduuuum! non-stop. I do hope they pin her on the Tory manifesto commitments on pensions, school meals, care costs, winter fuel allowances and brexit.

    I think you are right about “where am I” Coburn HaS. Despite whatever “unauthorised sex” Davidson says his comments will do MORE damage to her than anyone else of that I am certain.

    The one major problem about tonight’s “wee blether” as far as I can see HaS is that it is on the CbC and is therefore under complete Tory control. No matter what the quaestions tonight I’m sure wee Glenny boy will temper them such that they do NOT damage “unauthorised sex” Davidson in any way. He will though make sure maximum damage is done to Nicola and Patrick, that is when he is not constantly interrupting them that is.

    The fact that “where am I” Coburn is on leads me to wonder if Nicola will have a wee chide at him being “unauthorised sex” Davidson’s backup team in a similar fashion to how she called it on “nutty” Nuttall the other night. 🙂

  108. AndyH
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Richard Duncan.

    Well put!

    Totally agree with all of that.

    I don’t understand what they hope to achieve by stating the SNP vote is dropping.

  109. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T. Just in case people haven’t seen this before .

    http://www.facebook.com/PeterStefanovicJuniorDoctors/videos/419085045140790/

  110. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    What has happened to our beloved (NOT) alleged tycoon (or should it be tycon)Baroness Mone?

    She seems to have been struck dumb since the GE campaign started.

    Probably TM having sensed how much we in Scotland adore and admire her has got her safely bound and gagged locked up in The Tower until 9/6.

    And another thing still not a cheep from Jakey with barely 3 weeks to go till we vote.

  111. Scott
    Ignored
    says:

    6 40 minutes in Brewer tells Angus Robertson I’ll have to pull you up regarding talking about your constituency,what the hell is going on here.

    Christine Jardine permitted by BBC to discuss her local seat despite Ofcom regulations.
    BBC Scotland at its worst these barstewards should get booted out.
    I hope the National or our Nicola will put this to BBC tonight and see what is their reply.

  112. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    galamcennalath
    Have you been reading up on your post-colonial literature and theory? Well linked with the influence that personality types have on one’s political outlook, btw. 🙂

  113. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    R4 hatchet job on Jeremy Corbyn at lunchtime today was the worst I’ve ever heard. He is a “useful idiot” and could “soil himself” if he wins and his adviser, Seamus Milne, is so far left as to be bordering on communist etc etc. They pointed out that SMs father was Alasdair Milne, summarily sacked by Thatcher.
    Unbelievable. Michael White, Guardian political editor, and Ann Clwyd, Blairite, contributed.

    Have they done a similar job on Theresa May and Lynton Crosbie? If so, I missed it.

    They are just as terrified of Jeremy Corbyn as they are of the SNP.

  114. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    Just remember folks, the only reason the unionist coalition (Labour and Tories) oppose an independence referendum is because they are feart they will lose. They are pathetic.

    Nicola needs to say that loud and clear tonight.

  115. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Lot of good comments on this thread already., eg. Cuilean @ 11:03:

    Stop the SNP or beat the SNP actually means stop or beat democracy.

    Exactly so. Ruth Davidson shouts: “Scotland SHUT UP”.

    The fact that the best plan the assorted Unionists can come up with is “never mind our party policies, whatever they are, we’re just against the SNP”, and they are now even considering a Unionist Grand Coalition, demonstrates that we’re into the end game. The home stretch.

    False democrats who are actually fighting to prevent the people being able to choose for themselves. And we all know why – because their hoary old lies can’t be made to stand up again for a re-run. So they are getting ever more desperate to prevent it instead.

    This is beyond party politics now. You are either a democrat or you are not. If people are wise, they will realise that whatever their view of independence may be, they have to protect their right to have a say.

    And the only way they can do that is to reject these false-flag fakers.

  116. Richardinho
    Ignored
    says:

    What’s good though is that not only do they hate the SNP they also hate each other, and the individual candidates are desperate to get elected and use whatever means necessary to do so.

  117. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Ross Thompson Tory MSP seems to drive around Scotland with the same folk take their picture and move on. In fairness the dog only appeared once otherwise I complain of cruelty.

  118. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    The knowledge I have attempted to share with folks, was largely gained whilst training to join the Royal Town Planning Institute. The RTPI is proud of it’s membership and outlook being predominantly Fabian.

    The core of knowledge I’ve drawn from is “critical social theory”, which originated in the “Frankfurt School” and was introduced into British academia by the Fabian Society. It came into being as an intellectual response to totalitarian authoritarianism.

    Little of the knowledge I’ve presented is original thought and most of it is at least a decade old in it’s accedemic acceptance.

    There is no positive case for the Yoonion but there is overwhelming ethical and scientific support for Scottish independence.

    Bring it on!

  119. clipper
    Ignored
    says:

    Arbroath 1320 12.36

    That would make a feckin great billboard. Why aren’t they up already?

  120. Douglas Gourlay
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, OT.
    I am in Cyprus and just watched the Angus Robertson interview with Gordon Brewer. The satellite time lapse they struggled with also happened to Alex Salmond with Andrew Neil recently. My girlfriend is currently visiting family in west coast USA. Pretty much the other side of the world. We have no time lapse when we FaceTime. What’s wrong with the BBC communications system, that they can’t manage this in the same time zone?

  121. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    OK, all that election literature certainly shows that the Unionist parties are obsessed almost to the point of mania about preventing another indyref. (Since they lost the vote in Holyrood, despite all the recent Tory bluster about “winning”.)

    But do ordinary people share their obsession? Everyone is fed up with so many elections, it’s true, since there seems to be one a month at the moment thanks to Theresa, but do they actually hate in principle the idea of another referendum? Especially since the existing standoff can’t be resolved and won’t go away until we do have one. (Not “now”, as Mayhem and Rude Gal, her servile puppet, keep trying to claim, but in something like a couple of years’ time when the Brexit situation will be clearer.)

    They are hanging a lot on reactionary tactical voting. The LibDems are toast, it seems, but are the stubborn remnants of the Labour tribal vote going to fall en masse into the seductive arms of Ruthless? I doubt it.

  122. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks to britnat obsession the constitution will be the major political issue in Scotland at least until Scotland regains its independence.

  123. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Defending the indefensible…

    http://imgur.com/a/vdqmV

  124. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Hope WoS doesnt follow the BBC er suit

    Privacy Information
    Privacy and Cookies Policy
    Our policy in full
    Last updated: May 2017
    Version: 2.0

    9. Offensive or inappropriate content on
    BBC websites

    If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content anywhere on or to BBC websites or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on any BBC service, the BBC may use your personal information to stop such behaviour.

    Where the BBC reasonably believes that you are or may be in breach of any applicable laws (e.g. because content you have posted may be defamatory), the BBC may use your personal information to inform relevant third parties such as your employer, school email/internet provider or law enforcement agencies about the content and your
    behaviour.”

    Their “breach of any applicable laws” is pretty quick. I’ve already had two fresh licence fee demands, watching BBC politics shows lunchtime, from a cafe, via BT hotspots. If beeb gimps tell my bosses, will same beeb gimps come to an unfair sacking tribunal?

    Welcome to the machine:D

  125. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Douglas Gourlay

    Standard Operating Procedure for BBC and other totalitarian broadcasters.

    NEVER BROADCAST IN REAL TIME.

    Put in a delay so that any contentious statements can be stopped before reaching the aether.

    Enjoy

  126. Andy Anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    The Indy vote is very stable and has increased slightly since 2014. The yoons can rant and lie as much as they like. We will overcome. Two votes to go as Macart states.

  127. Ian McCubbin
    Ignored
    says:

    Well as a tactical group they are not in agreement seems like it’s first past the post with the biggest ones propaganda.
    To be honest safest vote for Scotland has to be SNP

  128. Ian McCubbin
    Ignored
    says:

    Well as a tactical group they are not in agreement seems like it’s first past the post with the biggest ones propaganda.
    To be honest safest vote for Scotland has to be SNP.

  129. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    gus1940 asked at 3:11 pm
    “What has happened to our beloved (NOT) alleged tycoon (or should it be tycon)Baroness Mone?

    She seems to have been struck dumb since the GE campaign started…….”

    Fear not,the Scottish Tory,now Baroness Mone of Mayfair has been very busy,especially last week:

    “Launching my new jewellery collection live on [BLANK] TV at 3pm & 9pm [BLANK] [BLANK].”

  130. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    While tactical voting, to a degree, may have worked during the local Council Elections, I think there is an underlying sense that for the Scottish Tories, they may have not just overplayed their hand, but revealed too much in the next round of cards.

    As the revelations that both Labour and Tories fielded members of the public who have either OO affiliations or just basic sectarian values, having these type of people in positions of power has not gone down well across Scotland. If this is Ruth’s idea for saving the Union, then a lot of folk in the last couple of weeks must be disgusted and repulsed by it.

    On top of that, the Tories manifesto where folk have to trade their bought houses for elderly care has gone down like a lead balloon. My own parents who are pretty much for the Union, are squawking like crazy at the proposals, and are now cursing the British State (it doesn’t mean they’re for indy, but they are no longer banging the drum for the Union – to me …that’s huge!!! LOL)

    So as Stuart’s article highlights, the Unionist parties now have a problem. SLAB may finally be cottoning on that sharing a bed with a Tory is actually quite bad – usually the SLAB candidate gets burned at the stake by the public as punishment for their stupidity. The Tories since the Local Elections are finally being properly analysed by Joe Public, and Ruth’s one policy mantra of ‘no 2nd Referendum’ means absolute squat to the OAP’s when they are being asked to hand over their assets for elderly care. Leaving nothing to their siblings as the British State hoovers up their key asset is a bigger priority than ‘no 2nd Referendum’. Seriously …who is going to do this? Who is going to hand over their house for what will literally be, 2 Star treatment from the UK State? As to the Lib Dems …who cares? No one else does except key areas of the North-East of Scotland.

    As to this grand alliance, how the hell is that going to work? Are Lib Dems and Labour MSP’s seriously going to vote through policies that punish the poorest in the land. What happens if Lib Dems don’t agree with Tory proposals and vote along with the SNP and Greens? Surely nothing will get passed over the 5 years in Holyrood if we were all living under this ‘Grand Alliance’. It may sound good in theory. It’s bloody awful in practice. Therefore, it’s utter nonsense.

    There is a fair chance that Ruthie’s boast of beating the SNP may begin to sound hollow as the Tories in both nations are slowly questioned on not only their actions (OO Councillors and promoting the underside of sectarianism), but also their policies (elderly care and pensions). Hopefully, while the Unionists squabble over who should be priority in certain areas, all the SNP have to do is make sure that all their supporters turn out. If they do, then another heavy victory for Nicola means she can look Theresa in the eye and state ‘…you’re not the only one with a mandate’.

  131. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s the latest tactic by the RED Tories to win supporters for their PURPLE Tory team folks.

    https://twitter.com/shinyhappydan/status/863033858878582784

  132. Douglas Gourlay
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Kerr

    Haha, yep. Sums them up. Cheers 🙂

  133. Cllr Craig Fraser
    Ignored
    says:

    AS an SNP councillor (born in Birmingham) over the years campaigning successfully for the SNP. When I come across people born in England but have moved to Scotland. I say this – you moved to Scotland all those years ago either because you like the scenery, people, education, health etc, whatever the reason you made a lifestyle choice. Seeing things as they are south of the border would you move back? Overwhelmingly when asked they say no – they prefer to be in Scotland the SNP government are getting things right most of the time. No government gets governance correct 100% of the time.

  134. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    There’s no doubt in my mind that with the TNP (Tory Nasty Party) getting nastier by the manifesto, by the minute even, Labour should be prioritising keeping the Tories out in Scotland, and getting them out in England.

    And yet they concentrate on the SNP to get out, and hence sound their own death knell. If they don’t start to get their priorities right – workers, ordinary folk, pensioners, children yet to be born even, they really do deserve extinction, and that’s the first time I’ve ever said that.

  135. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Douglas Gourlay says: 21 May, 2017 at 3:43 pm:

    ” … What’s wrong with the BBC communications system, that they can’t manage this in the same time zone?”

    I’ve explained all that several times already, Douglas.

    It is because the BBC time delay isn’t caused by the satellite system but because the BBC have a built in time delay.

    Long ago this was done via a special reel to reel tape recorder and an endless belt loop of tape. The recorder had a double set of heads so the signal could be delayed between the microphone and the transmitter. How else did you think they could beep out swearie words?

    By the time someone said something wrong during a live programme and a production guy or gal could react to it the signal was already in transit to the nation’s receivers.

    Nowadays signals are digital and as easy to manipulate as are photos with Photoshop.

    The reason for the noticeably longer delay whenever an SNP representative is being interviewed must now be plain to you. However, here’s another wee thought for you to mull over.

    Why do the BBC usually have the yoon guests in the studio but usually have the SNP guest on a monitor from somewhere else?

    Go figure – bearing in mind the artificially introduced time delay.

    Another thing to watch out for that proves my point is that often the lip sync is well out of synchronisation in what is supposedly, what the Beeb claims to be, a live broadcast.

    Rather sloppy editing has obviously been taking place in the studio and if it were a real live broadcast there wouldn’t be any lip-sync problems as it is a composite audio/video signal.

    Ever had lip-sync problems with your own camcorder? My own video editing software can separate the video and audio for editing but the original recording right from the camcorder is a composite signal track.

    Furthermore, much of the stuff the BBC broadcasts from the UK does not use the satellite anyway. Every studio is linked by landline and has been since TV came to Scotland in 1952.

    My then best friend was a sound engineer with the BBC TV in Glasgow He had to be on duty for the news insert at teatime on Saturdays and then for the sports later on with the White Heather Club later still. Between times we used to access the BBC Music Library in London and tape record stuff from the BBC sound archives.

  136. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Tech mannie at WordPress. “she canna tak’ any mair SNP Bad Stu, you’ll burn oot the warp drive”

    Mediocrity, mixed with a large dollop of contempt for the electorate seems to be the flavour of the season.

  137. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    OK peeps. Time for us aw tae get aff this Tory run website! 😀

    https://twitter.com/WingsScotland/status/866292201160155138

  138. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Wonder what the Welsh poll contains that is making Prof Scully say Blimey!

  139. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes. I saw the interview with Angus Robertson and Brewer.

    Always a BBC induced time delay when interviewing an SNP person in an outside broadcast. Deliberately done as this never happens with a Union politician.

    Good point Robert Peffers raises I have missed i.e. Yoons always interviewed in a studio.

  140. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ HandandShrimp

    I’m hoping it’s a Plaid surge – and fearing it’s a Tory one!

  141. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Buyer’s regret now starting to occur? (O/T but relevant nevertheless.)

    The What Scotland Thinks website is showing a poll conducted by YouGov a few days ago which asks “In hindsight, do you think Britain was right or wrong to vote to leave the European Union?”, and the result is striking:

    57% wrong to leave
    31% right to leave
    12% don’t know

    Removing the “don’t knows” makes the ratio of “oopses” to “hurrahs” 65% : 35%.

    Not much of a vote of confidence in how things are (not) going in the exit day job so far. Could it be that another wheel is starting to come off Mayhem’s (and Corbyn’s meee-tooo) Kipperwagon…?

  142. Meindevon
    Ignored
    says:

    The Scottish ‘opposition’ parties seem to have completely forgotten about this being a GE with their obsession with removing the SNP from power.

    Slightly o/t but down here in DDD I have just seen a small clip of JC at that Libertines concert. New nothing about it even though I watch all the news and political programmes. I asked my nineteen year old about it and he had seen it. He said yes, he had watched it all on Twitter. What did you think, I asked? He was pretty good he said. He talked about music and other stuff and he was surprised how good he was at speaking to the public. He had not really seen him talk before.

    I think JC was clever to do this. It reaches the people of all persuasions in the crowd and can’t be edited by the media!

    I’m still not voting for them though. 🙂

  143. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Sunday Politics Scotland – nothing ever changes at The EBC they seem to have no shame whatsoever with their blatant bias – Brewer’s studio guests – The Herald’s leading SNPbad star and arch Tory Katie Grant.

  144. mumsyhugs
    Ignored
    says:

    Dinnae panic folks – they’ll cancel each other oot wi’ their tactical voting.

  145. CameornB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m not trying to show off here but I really should be more accurate. It all boils down to the semiotic bridge between thought and reality…see. 😉

  146. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert J. Sutherland says:

    Removing the “don’t knows” makes the ratio of “oopses” to “hurrahs” 65% : 35%.

    … and that’s before the Brexit shite storm begins in earnest.

    Another indicator of the state of the Union.

  147. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers

    So what are all those giant and small satellite dishes for outside Pacific Quay Rabbie?

    Rain water collectors, for the jannies gardens. Art maybe, or just all part of their BBC reigns over Scotland architectural symbolism, like how huge Norman medieval castles were plonked all over rebellious regions back in the day.

    We’re here, we’re shite, we’re permanent, get used to it, and vote BBConservative, if you know what’s good for us:D

  148. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    mumsyhugs says:
    21 May, 2017 at 5:28 pm

    Dinnae panic folks – they’ll cancel each other oot wi’ their tactical voting.

    THAT would be about the funniest thing ever.

    I’d love to be a fly on the wall of the Tory branch office for their post election de-brief. 😉

    RD: What the **** just happened?

    KD: what do you mean?

    RD: the plan WAS to get everyone to tactically vote

    KD: they did

    RD: what are you talking about?

    KD: all my supporters voted Tory

    RD: YES! and all MY bloody supporters voted Labour!

    KD: so what is the problem exactly?

    RD: they were all supposed to be voting for the SAME party not different parties. Where’s that idiot bus driver?

    WR: Hi … did I miss anything?

    RD: what happened? … why did your lot not vote?

    WR: well … erm … it’s like this you see …

    KD: oh do shut up Willie!

  149. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    Let me guess it is being funded by anti Scottish bigots from outwith Scotland again.

  150. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Just thinking.

    The Dutch rejected the populist far right. Then the French also turned their backs. Many countries, like Scotland, haven’t given them much space at all.

    So, now England. Are they really going to follow the trend of sanity and reject the far rightists?

    Everything has an up and down side. Defeat of the nasty fringe is always good, but Scotland’s best chance of independence will require an unacceptable WM government with alien policies. Perhaps the best outcome is a very week Tory government possibly relying on the NI and a few Scottish Unionists for a majority.

  151. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    @Arbroath1320 at 5.40pm

    Enjoyed that one. You’re on top form and getting busy with your posts as you did during Indy2014 and GE2015.

    Also thanks for posting the twitter posts which I always access as I’m not on twitter. Lots of good info posted on them.

    Keep posting.

    Ta

  152. ben madigan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Robert J. Sutherland who said s:
    21 May, 2017 at 3:53 pm
    Everyone is fed up with so many elections, it’s true, since there seems to be one a month at the moment thanks to Theresa,

    I hope everyone is aware the Unionist/Conservative mantra of “Voting/Referendum Fatigue” is simply another mind-game to dissuade people from getting out to vote

    https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/referendumvoting-fatigue/

  153. Meindevon
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    I’ve just returned from the west coast of the U.S. Very different attitude to Trump from the mid west where I usually travel to. Don’t like him and don’t get him at all.

    A couple of folk I spoke to also think Indy for Scotland is completely fine. Why wouldn’t Scotland be a normal self governing country? One guy from Seattle said his friend’s wife is Scottish and very pro Indy. I passed on Wings to this guy and a few others. It struck me that it would have been fab to have business cards to dish out. I’ve had a look at the shop but can’t see any. Maybe I missed them…quite a range of stuff I didn’t know the Rev sold!

    Any way it made me think about all you folk up there. What’s not to
    I’ve about leaving Wings business cards all over the place.. Cafes, buses, etc.. The news your not getting on them maybe? If it’s been done sorry! But a thought maybe?

  154. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Glad you enjoyed my wee ditty TIJ.

    I have these moments from time to time and something just has to give … usually the keyboard. 😀

    Glad the Twitter posts are useful. It’s amazing what you can find out … especially when you are not looking for something. 😀

  155. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC are to blame for everything!

    If they hadn’t spent decades pushing an inward looking view of the UK full of ideas of exceptionalism and deserving of a special place in the world, British nationalism would never have got out of hand.

    If they hadn’t spent so much effort into talking up a loonie far right party i.e. UKIP this whole Brexit fiasco would never have occurred. The UK would have been working constructively to make a better EU.

    If they hadn’t played a pivotal roll in undermining IndyRef1 by promoting the lies, deception, and false promises we would have been gone by now.

  156. Douglas Gourlay
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers et al.

    Yes, time lapses on obs’ is normal and understandable, but surely not in election time, political interviews! A prospective candidate using a profanity or worse is suicidal. And quite the boon for the interviewer that brought it out. It also raises an issue of the broadcaster, potentially, editing or manipulating the words of the speaker. Surely not an appropriate way for the media to act in a democratic society.
    I was surprised that Mr Brewster mentioned and emphasised that it was happening.
    Interesting point about unionist representatives being studio based. Had me raise an eyebrow before, but didn’t really follow through and watch closely.

  157. North chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    EBC with Scottish leader debate as second item on “National” news at 0600pm
    obviously getting ready to subsequently ” big up ” Ruth Davidson post debate.
    Otherwise they wouldn’t be bothered with ” regional politics”

  158. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    Not sure about these Scottish Leader debates, but I think Nicola has to land a good few punches on Davidson, so that the Scottish public can see what the Tories are really all about.

  159. Jimbo
    Ignored
    says:

    “Stop the SNP” – But other than that, not a policy in site.

    Ever get the feeling that desperate people with nothing to offer and plenty to hide know they are fighting a lost cause?

  160. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @heedtracker says: 21 May, 2017 at 5:39 pm:

    “So what are all those giant and small satellite dishes for outside Pacific Quay Rabbie?”

    Who said they were all satellite dishes, heedtracker?

    I was working on antennae very like those years before there were any satellite up yonder. I think the biggest ones I worked on were on the converted Radar Picket Destroyers such as HMS Battleaxe :-

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Battleaxe_(D118)

    Although I did work on other ships converted to Radar Picket ships and it is hard to remember which ones had the biggest Radar antenna.

    These ones were not in the form of dishes though but many radar antenna were dish shaped. With the beginning of satellites, of course, Radar Picket ships became obsolete.

    I also remember the BBC used to have Outside Broadcast vehicles and trailers with dish aerials on their roofs long before the days of satellites. They would set up a chain of such vans to relay live outside broadcasts signals back to the studio when land lines were unavailable.

    If memory serves the BBC News used to show a graphics clip of dish antenna with red graphics for signals from antenna to antenna when the news was starting. They may still do so for all I would know.

  161. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Remember it’s all about Independence says the BBC

    Nicola Sturgeon’s always banging on about independence
    Just a small snippet there of tonights pre reporting from the BBC there

    Nicola Sturgeon banging on? as she is hardly ever on the telly without someone else asking her about it or the BBC telling us about everybody else who talks about it
    I really do wish someone had been given the task of counting the amount of times everybody else was banging on about it in comparison and I would bet my house that even the BBC has banged on about it far more than the FM
    and as those of us with a brain know the SNP is the only political party who’s literature doesn’t have it on

    I suppose it does show that that kind of low intellect brain damage campaigning works on the feeble minded though
    Sort of Verbal water boarding

    And of course the BBC staying away from the word that shall not be spoken in regards to the constitution
    Sectarianism
    I suppose they’ll wait until some Bampot riled up by Davidson carries out their threat against our FM before that comes up, even then who knows
    But for any Sectarianists out there reading this the consequences of such an ill advised action would be more than massive

    Both Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale are flagging in the polls for different reasons will they seize the opportunity to take that leap of stupidity into the panic zone tonight and say something ridiculously stupid seeing as how it’s a telly chance to score a winner

    Nicola Sturgeon need do virtually nothing but let them squabble and attack each other
    Oooh! Nearly forgot about Willie
    No! that’s all

  162. Free Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Had to laugh at the “DO NOT LET THE WHEEL BECOME CONTAMINATED” part of that tweet. With that assortment of colours, it’s already contaminated.

  163. Brian McHugh
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC just managed to find a guy in Kelso at the horse racing that ‘thinks the SNP keep banging on about independence… but he will vote for her (Nicola) anyway, cos he wont vote for the Tory’s”

    ROFL LOL …Incredible.

  164. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim

    Of course the BBC didn’t ask the FM. BBC involved in propaganda techniques there.

  165. Brian McHugh
    Ignored
    says:

    Curtis on now “She wants another independence referendum”… She?… Don’t you mean the Scottish Parliament voted for another independence referendum John?

  166. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Free Scotland @ 19:17,
    Actually. I was having a muse about that odd use of language too. Words like “contaminated” rather hearken back to some kind of blood-and-soil “purity” agenda, and has very sinister overtones. That’s a notch or two up in the “shut up” agenda, where those who don’t are no longer merely “annoyances”, but are presumed to be “saboteurs” and “enemies of the state”.

  167. Maryscot
    Ignored
    says:

    Leaders debate just starting. Don’t know if I can stomach seeing or hearing Ruth Davidson. Here we go already – Dugdale already mentioned stopping SNP.

  168. sinky
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Scottish leaders debate, I thought this was a UK general election called by May to strengthen her hand over Brexit.

  169. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    Unionists so predictable, referendum this, referendum that, absolutely pathetic. It’s a general election.

    Looks like its going to be a bash the SNP from the unionist leaders and the BBC.

  170. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    The media led by the BBC, the enemy of the Scottish people, will promote the Tories to save the union.

    Is it too late for Patrick Harvey and the Greens to step aside completely to let the SNP have a clear run against the unionists?

    A high profile campaign by Harvey in Glasgow North will be unnecessarily unhelpful to the SNP.

  171. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    Sarah Smith cannot help herself – 15 minute in and she is already backing the Unionists. She’s a less-impartial chairman than even Dimbleby.

  172. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Ms SMith on BBC . Over 1million Scots voted to leave the Eu.

    1st Lie 1,018,322 VOTES for brexit. That means that only 18322 non scots voted out. I think if she looks at her own statement again she would have to admit she is wrong but knowing the unionists it will be the SNP fault.

  173. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    “Don’t say you weren’t warned, Scotland.”

    A “grand coalition” is not something to be laughed off, either in Scotland or at Westminster.

    That is what will happen if there is a hung parliament at Westminster.

    Does anyone seriously think they would let the SNP hold the balance of power?

    If Brexit is halted, so is the independence referendum.

    If Brexit goes ahead, the independence referendum is blocked.

    Do not underestimate the British Establishment from your armchairs.

  174. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Crookett has been parading around Aberdeen City. Cheek doesn’t come into it. Labour are a complete and utter disgrace.

  175. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    For those interested, it is worth having a look at the SNP twitter feeds. Up to the minute updates etc..

    https://twitter.com/theSNP

  176. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Just tuned in to BBC Scotland tv debate, journalist opinion room, behind journo talking, Murdo Fraser, why the fcuk is a tory MSP smirking away in the BBC Scotland spin room? stupidest question of the night.

  177. Mike
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC audience seem really unbalanced and pro union partisan.

  178. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    There are two near certainties in politics right now.

    1. England will be leaving the EU

    2. Scotland will be holding an Indy referendum

    Everything else is fluid.

  179. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Headtracker Why is a X Labour msp Karen Whitfield in the spin room, btw its no cawed the spin room for nothing , they’re spinning to the Hacks

  180. jfngw
    Ignored
    says:

    @Mike

    Possibly they use some notional system to select the spread of Scottish opinion, based on the support of the MSM would fit the BBC bill.

  181. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    Watching the debate???
    I thought we were having a General Election not Scottish Election

  182. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    So far everything’s been SNP Holyrood monstering, on BBC Scotland Westminster general election tv debate. Kez and Ruth taking it very easy because everything is SNP bad.

    Clever tory yoon stuff from BBC Scotland tonight.

  183. Mike
    Ignored
    says:

    Fucking BBC have rigged the debate to ensure its all about Devolved issues and not UK wide policy. Avoiding all the Tory manifesto vile policies altogether. Avoiding putting Labours manifesto under a cost debate.

    Fucking BBC actively campaigning for the Tories.

  184. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    ronnie anderson says:
    21 May, 2017 at 8:25 pm
    @ Headtracker Why is a X Labour msp Karen Whitfield in the spin room, btw its no cawed the spin room for nothing , they’re spinning to the Hacks

    Sarah Smith said its the spin room of journos not the spin room of journos and MSPs. Not that it makes any odds though. Everything’s a con coming out of beeb Scotland. Teresa May just does not exist in this farce at all, but she is the ruler of Scotland.

    Like I said, really cunning vote tory stuff from BBC Scotland tonight.

  185. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    galamcennalath,

    “There are two near certainties in politics right now.

    1. England will be leaving the EU”

    The UK, including the North Britain part of it, will be leaving the EU.

    The UK Supreme Court has already ruled that constituent parts of the UK don’t have a say.

    Without independence, Scotland has no say.

  186. Mike
    Ignored
    says:

    Ive just switch it off. I might have fucking known. Bastard BBC.

  187. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock says:
    21 May, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    “The media led by the BBC, the enemy of the Scottish people, will promote the Tories to save the union.”

    Mike says:
    21 May, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    “Fucking BBC actively campaigning for the Tories.”

  188. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    And their we have the lying propagandist BBC exposed for ALL to see. They hold a leaders debate for a Westminster election, then make sure all the questions are about NON Westminster matters, thereby avoiding scrutiny of Tory manifesto.

    The BBC, the Pravda of Scotland. Liars every single one.

  189. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    Debate is a heap of dung. It’s all Holyrood election issues we just had! Nothing about Westminster, Brexit, Trident, pensions, Barnett, rape and so on.

  190. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Takes a guy with Asperger’s syndrome to try to bring this BBC fraud debate actually back to Mayhem’s Westminster policies in Scotland. All Ruth can say, we are trying to crack down on corp tax dodgers. And that’s enough of beeb shysters, for this vile sep this evening:D

    FM Sturgeon is working very hard for her pay tonight.

  191. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Hamish100 at 7.48

    Those figures are correct.
    http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/electorate-and-count-information

    – details for Scotland:

    Remain 1,661,191
    Leave 1,018,322

  192. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    If anyone had any doubts about where the BBC stands in terms of bias against the SNP, well after tonight they should be in no doubt whatsoever.

  193. stewart fae stoney
    Ignored
    says:

    the unionist parties have talked more about indy ref 2 than the SNP, is becoming an obsession for the yoons whilst Sturgeon and co are concentrating on getting 59 seats but the yoon parties are definitely working as one. Its like the scots rock band Gun classic “Taking on the world” is comming home to roost. Listen to the song and pay particular attention to the lyrics, did they see into the future some 30 years ago

  194. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Facebook says that the nurse that has to use foodbanks is married to,

    “This from Jackie Flynn on Facebook. This “Nurse” who says she needs to use Foodbanks is the WIFE of a Tory Councillor!
    Plant anyone?”

  195. jfngw
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Scotland lets itself down again, who could believe it. Luckily I could not see it but I wouldn’t worry too much, the majority of people who watch this sort of thing have already decided who to vote for. The vast masses will have retuned to something more entertaining.

  196. Training Day
    Ignored
    says:

    Wow. The BBC line up English settler plants to attack the SNP on devolved issues – which remarkably becomes the ‘memorable’ highlight of the night according to unionist stooge journos from the Daily Record.

    No SNP strategist could possibly have foreseen this. Right out of the blue that one.

  197. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC are wholly and completely biased against the democraticaly elected Government of Scotland. They should be run out of Scotland, every single last one of the utter shysters.

    What an utter disgrace.

  198. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    I just caught a few minutes of the debate. Ms Sturgeon was speaking about Ms Davidson’s obsession with the Independence referendum – mentioned 25 times in their 4 page election leaflet but no mention of NHS. Ms Sturgeon got a laugh when she said that she could hardly get a word in about independence because Ms Davidson was forever going on about it. Lots of applause for Ms Sturgeon after that bit.

    But the really interesting thing was the look on Ms Davidson’s face when Ms Sturgeon was making her points. Ms D’s expression changed from a smile to a rectus grimace. It was horrible to behold. Not sure what expression she thought she had on her face but it came across as someone with serious constipation complicated by vicious wind.

    Turned off then.

  199. Mike
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC clearly cooperating with the Tory party agenda with that debate on Scottish Parliament issues and Indyref 2.
    The BBC load the audience with pro union plants then make the excuse that the questions were decided by the planted audience and it wasn’t them that done it.

    FUCK YOU BBC!

  200. admiral
    Ignored
    says:

    “Robert Louis says:
    21 May, 2017 at 8:43 pm
    And their we have the lying propagandist BBC exposed for ALL to see. They hold a leaders debate for a Westminster election, then make sure all the questions are about NON Westminster matters, thereby avoiding scrutiny of Tory manifesto.
    The BBC, the Pravda of Scotland. Liars every single one.”

    Exactly. It’s like austerity isn’t happening. The bedroom tax isn’t happening. Foodbanks don’t exist. Trident isn’t going to cost £100BN+ whilst conventional defence is run down to the bare bones. The dementia tax isn’t happening. Taking away school dinners isn’t happening. Brexit isn’t happening. Billionaires are actually paying fair taxes. Pensions are at a fair level. The sick and the disabled and the vulnerable aren’t being viciously targeted on spurious grounds to cut their lifeline benefits. The health service isn’t being privatised by the back door.

  201. SeanW
    Ignored
    says:

    First time poster, have perused through wings & the comments since 2014,I just want to make sure my paranoia isn’t getting the best of me but did anybody see Ruth Davidson colluding with the host pointing to the audience as if to suggest who the next question was from? Camera angle changed sharply… was it just me?

  202. Brian McHugh
    Ignored
    says:

    Welcome Sean… yup. I saw a whole number of creative shot selections… and more.

  203. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Well what did we learn, eh, nothing because they didn’t talk about the relevant issue, but was that the BBC Agenda or was it because the audience were Arseholes or plants’ we’ll never know

    One thing we did learn however and I think this is important
    Jackie Bird’s going bald

    See that’s what happens when you use the wrong hair die too much Jackie

  204. haudonthenoo
    Ignored
    says:

    Daily reader, infrequent poster.
    As others have said elsewhere – the BBC simply do not care aboout how obvious the bias is now – another plant ? So what they think – who is going to do anything about it ?

    Sickening.

  205. Graeme McCormick
    Ignored
    says:

    Education for primary and secondary schooling is the responsibility of local councils. Very few were controlled by SNP councillors. Most were controlled by Unionist councillors. They appointed the Directors of Education and head teachers. It’s because of their failure theScottish governmenthas had to step in to provide funding direct to the head teachers. Why hastheSNP not challenged this?

    On the nurse on the Bbc debate tonight? How does she need to use food banks when other nurses do not ? She was a plank.

  206. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    admiral says:

    SO you are saying that BBC Scotland chancers actually held a UK general election nationwide tv debate, that had almost nothing debated about the policies, of the current near on 10 year UK Conservative government, only SNP bad, with a nurse planted in the audience again, who’s probably married to a tory councilor and says she has to use to food banks.

    Pacific Quay will be high fiving each other like crazy at this very moment.

  207. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    The Plant. So obvious. A nurse married to a Tory councillor has to go to food banks. They must have a joint income of £40,000+. They are sponging from Food banks. Disgusting. Typical Tories. All the wee journos kidding on they were taken in. Clegg the mug. Aye right.

    Con/LibDem Aberdeenshire Council is going to cut £4Million from education. Cut all additional needs services. They have previously shut bases. They are dispicable.. Yet all Davidson/Rennie go on about is education standards. Rather than put up Council tax for those who can afford it £60 a year.

    Scotland has one of the best education/SNHS in the world. There is a need for more additional needs training. Teacher training established by Unionists. Minimum pricing would help the SNHS. Opposed by Labour/Unionists at Holyrood.

  208. Another Union Dividend
    Ignored
    says:

    The English Nurse on BBC Scotland complaining about having to use foodbanks must be cheating the system if as reported elsewhere her husband is a Tory councillor earning at least £16K a year.

    A band 5 Nurse starts at just over £22k a year (before shift allowance) and increases annually by around £1000 a year

    Combined salary of at least £38K per annum is not a fortune but no way is a poverty wage that requires referral to foodbanks.

    It’s time this charlatan was exposed.

  209. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    With reference to the regular appearing “nurse” who appeared on the farcical WM debate tonight. I’ve just come across this on Twitter.

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/101639850456727702167/6422684650431026178?icm=false&authkey=CIXo3a-agdWd3gE

    Only ONE thing to say about this bitch. She is a flat out LIAR. NO nurse working for BUPA will be in need of Foodbanks … EVER …

  210. Chick McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    The great thing about this, is the more they make it a ‘Save The Union’ election, the more mental their inevitable denial that an SNP victory does not equate to a mandate for an indyref2 becomes.

  211. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Are the BBC are simply incompetent? It is a UK general election and people need to vote on the policies that pertain to the general election.

    If it is true that the nurse is related to the Tory Councillor that was on QT last week then questions need to be asked about the impartiality of this debate. It looks like BBC/Tory collusion to me.

  212. Graeme McCormick
    Ignored
    says:

    My mum said that if u have to point at people to make your point you are not only discourteous but an habitual liar. Guess who pointed the finger on the BBC debate tonight?

  213. Robbo
    Ignored
    says:

    If this nurse in the audience is having to go to food banks-which food bank was it I wonder? She should be called out and requested to provide household income. If her husband is a tory councillor( which is saleried) and probably has a well paid real job too,along with her salary, these are the type of people that should not be allowed to use food banks. What kind of measures are in place for this? I thought you had to provide a note from DWP or some other way charity or whatever note to prevent thieves claiming food they aren’t entitled to and defeat the main object of food bank provision.
    I don’t believe this nurse at all.So a plant it looks to me.

    I’ve never used a food bank so don’t know what checks are made.

  214. louis.b.argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Aye Sean, a lot of shenanigans from the establishment going on tonight.

    The post debate prompt for ‘..never seen Nicola Sturgeon quite so uncomfortable..’

    Huh? The embarrassment supposed to be caused by the plant never materialised, as the FM has nothing to be ashamed of.

  215. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    As I have said before, Scotland will not become independent until the BBC has been completely destroyed.

    Our priorities should be:

    1. Completely destroy the BBC;

    2. Hold an independence referendum.

    We ran away when Tommy Sheridan needed our help and have no right to ask him to lead the fight.

    Unfortunately, no-one else in Scotland has the spine to take on the BBC in an anti-poll tax like fight.

  216. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s time this charlatan was exposed.

    SUN might expose that plant nurse tonight. Its they kind of thing uncle Rupert could be given a quick call about, on a Sunday, in his $150 million Fifth Avenue penthouse apartment. Democracy in Scotland is very mad.

    HandandShrimp says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:23 pm
    Are the BBC are simply incompetent?

    I think they will be absolutely delighted that Teresa May was just totally ghosted tonight, tory Central office and Pacific Quay. No wonder Murdo Fraser looked such a happy toryboy, in the BBC Press room.

  217. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    Didn’t hear many Scottish accents.
    Didn’t hear much General Election debate.
    89% of facts stated were statistically incorrect.
    The SG doesn’t employ nurses.
    The SG doesn’t employ teachers.
    The BBC is a disgrace.
    Children not leaving school illiterate and innumerate as claimed
    In fact a total farce.
    Every BBC employee biased as all hell.
    Strangely Big Brian, the Orange Balloon, was least biased.
    Total waste of everyone’s time.

  218. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    Just saw the last 20 mins of this charade…Sarah Smith unashamedly admitting she had on one level made a complete botox..sorry bollox by allowing Devolved matters to over-rule GE matters, because the (planted audience) ‘demanded it’…well that’s alright the lying over facially restructed charlatan!

    And as for ‘nurse’ in the audience 5 will give you 10…who has been conveniently all over the media all week… was a Tory/Unionist plant..no doubt I missed the rest.

    Representative?…well all I saw in any depth were the ‘commentariat’…David Clegg..N.I.loyalist, David Torrance tory Thatcherite who actually looked shamefaced about the biased nature of the ‘broadcast’ then ..Jackie Baillie ffs! plus some Lib Dem glovepuppet and then ‘toodlelootheneoo Brian fatboy slime’ mouthing some inconsequential shite that totally ignored the SNP and NS.Richard Walker was on his tod farting against thunderous Unionist bullshit. Byrd cut off Joanne Cherry when she was getting going.

    The only light in the gloom of yet another BBC/UK State stitchup was the ‘Sun’s guy oblique reference to the ‘nurse’ living off foodbanks..’we will find out who she is’….small mercies as ever. Did NS mention the Barnet?…I fucking hope so!

  219. Robbo
    Ignored
    says:

    Another thing. That daft wumen dugdale swallowed it hook line and sinker- bloody disgrace she is sitting there shaking her head with that bleating I’m aboot to cry look. Get her off the telly,makes me cringe..

  220. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    HandandShrimp says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:23 pm

    If it is true that the nurse is related to the Tory Councillor that was on QT last week then questions need to be asked about the impartiality of this debate. It looks like BBC/Tory collusion to me.

    Think I’ll just leave this here for you HaS. 😉

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/101639850456727702167/6422688195207380994?icm=false&authkey=CLaFoJa4usfRYg

  221. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:27 pm
    As I have said before, Scotland will not become independent until the BBC has been completely destroyed.

    Our priorities should be:

    1. Completely destroy the BBC;

    Yes well we can’t Einstein. BBC is a core UK institution, like the cops, military, NHS, royals, you name it.

    They have always been tory and always will be. They destroyed the miners and Scargill and since then, they’ve never looked back.

    BBC will never change and You may as well say lets all destroy the moon Rock.

  222. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock says:
    21 May, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    “Do not underestimate the British Establishment from your armchairs.”

    louis.b.argyll says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:26 pm

    “Aye Sean, a lot of shenanigans from the establishment going on tonight.”

    Still complaining about my “negativity”?

  223. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    I would not normally say this but “tell me MORE” about the nurse. If you are going to spin as she did e.g. We are going on strike / I am going to leave the profession / I use Foodbanks and then forget to mention that you work for BUPA then it needs highlighted.

    An NHS nurse in Scotland ( although underpaid) has a higher salary than a counterpart in England.

    Com’n – someone must know her!

  224. Fran
    Ignored
    says:

    By the sound of things I’m really glad I don’t watch telly

  225. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Strong and stable? The current direction and speed of travel HMG is taking away from the rule-of-law, does not fill this Scot will confidence over his continued safety or his security, frankly.

    N.B. The “Right to Development” is considered “soft-law” (legal principle still requiring formal adoption by all as law).

    International Development Law

    Introduction

    One central thrust of contemporary analysis and practice in law and development is the search for better understanding of the relationships between social and cultural factors and international development law in promoting more multidisciplinary approaches. Another central theme is the role of the state in development. The state is not simply a formal legal institution, but has both internal structures of legal competence and external, international legal commitments. There is a pattern of litigation history between the compatibility of the two, with implications for development law. Extensive debate continues over what constitutes development, why and how developing countries should pursue it, and what the eventual goal ought to be. This debate is necessary in retaining the vitality and practical relevancy of law. Development constitutes a form of social and societal change, and the relevancy of law depends on its responsiveness to such change; as such, the role of law in development should be of significant, if not dominant, importance.

    Theoretical Overview

    Over time, the perceived purpose of law has shifted from being an instrumental means to development to a, if not the, principal objective, alongside economic and political development. While legal, economic, political, and social systems were seen as mutually constitutive, law was held to have primary function, being conceived as having the capacity to engineer development (Tamanaha 2011). However, attempts to transplant this legal model to developing countries were unsuccessful (Merryman 1977, Tamanaha 1995, Levy 2011), a key explanatory reason being the absence of underpinning legal cultures in these countries requisite for legal models to take root.

    http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199796953/obo-9780199796953-0121.xml

  226. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker,

    “Yes well we can’t Einstein. BBC is a core UK institution, like the cops, military, NHS, royals, you name it.”

    As is the North Britain part of the UK which they will never let go.

    No spine, no freedom.

    That is why we are waiting after 310 years while the poorest of the African colonies became independent decades ago.

  227. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve nieces who are nurses & as far as I’m aware have never set foot in any foodbank. Jackie Bird even manages & she’s only on 200K.

  228. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Just in case folks who watched the joke of a WESTMINSTER debate tonight missed it here is the point where Sarah Smith openly admitted that education was included cause it would influence voters!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uEZkvZoeYQ

  229. Robbo
    Ignored
    says:

    Arbroath1320 says:21 May, 2017 at 9:32 pm
    HandandShrimp says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:23 pm
    https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/101639850456727702167/6422688195207380994?icm=false&authkey=CLaFoJa4usfRYg

    OMG

    Now I’m fecking spitting bullets!

  230. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Guardian

    Nurse’s name is Claire Austin

  231. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    No conspiracy theory
    Nurse on debate identified as Claire Austin, a charge nurse in Edinburgh

    http://www.facebook.com/claire.austin.756

    Better rush Stuey before she deletes her facebook

  232. Elizabeth Stanley
    Ignored
    says:

    Is this the nurse?
    https://twitter.com/ClaireNursey/with_replies

  233. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    If this ‘nurse’ really is a plant and a tory by marriage i.e. to a tory politician…and she has been on QT and all over the BBC’s radio stations or something similar then this should the trojan horse that the SNP should use to drive into the black and corrupt heart of the ‘Scottish’ branch office of the BBC AND TO KILL ITS CREDIBILITY ONCE AND FOR ALL! and Kezia Mugdale.

  234. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh Jackie always in a hurry when anyone defends the SNP just has to rush away, with a room full of right wing, I hesitate to use the word journalists and only a handful of any support, she just has to move on , just to get a wide view of opinion, must think we’re f/n stupid.
    Was this or was this not on the general election, Sara Smith at every turn let that rabid Tory continue talking even when she was trying to tell her to stop talking, like an out of control child .
    As a few others have pointed out the nurse looks like a plant . Going off to do my usual complaint to the BBC, what’s the chances of a reasonable reply, aye I know waste of feckn time .

  235. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    I have no doubt that we will learn all about the “ordinary” nurse in a W O S article very soon.

    The “independence supporting” The National should be on standby to offer the Rev. Stuart Campbell a reasonable fee to reproduce it as front page headline news the next day.

  236. Elizabeth Stanley
    Ignored
    says:

    Answered my own question…..
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BT9dhnUhXe8/

  237. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    That Tory councillor wife stuff very well may be fake. Came out of nowhere. Teen girl said it’s her mum and it’s rubbish.

    Doesn’t get away from it being a debate all on devolved issues. But the flip side is this proves how irrelevant Westminster now is, that we don’t need them, and to have all powers in Scotland.

  238. McDuff
    Ignored
    says:

    rock

    Agree. The BBC and the MSM are getting away with murder and until the 1.6 million who voted yes start making their voices heard it will get worse.
    Tonight`s debate was a travesty of democracy. As soon as Nicola was getting the applause Smith picked two people out of the audience for comment, one who attacked the SNP on teaching and a nurse with a ludicrous story about having to visit food banks. Presumably she is on the same salary as the rest of nurses working for the NH so why is she is unable to feed herself when the rest can. Nicola should have asked her for her details with a promise to look into it and the truth would have come out.
    I also noticed there was a disproportionate number of English people in the audience for a Scottish debate.???

  239. SeanW
    Ignored
    says:

    The journalist Q&A segment with that Jackie Bird afterwards, it’s like ok viewers you’ve seen the debate but god forbid you form your own opinions about it so here is what we want you to think…

    I suppose I, along with many others, should thank the BBC for their disregard for our intelligence; our ability to spot a lemon. Living in Scotland over the last 5 years has been like seeing behind the curtain,before I couldn’t care less about politics, news or the format in which it was presented to me. The veil has been lifted ,the game is rigged. Whoddathotit? Currently trying to convince my mum to stop paying her licence, will actively encourage others as well, cut off the funding for the propagandist machine!

  240. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robbo –

    So far as I know, being a ‘client’ of a foodbank is far from easy. No-one can just walk in and claim a bag of edibles.

    Knew a couple who worked in a foodbank here in Ayrshire, weekends, voluntary – best as I can remember, they needed to see a referral from the local Social Work Department before even addressing what to put in the ‘box’, and the recipient was made well aware that they couldn’t even apply to ask for more help for a minimum period (which was weeks, not days).

  241. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeff Dugdale was left, let’s say puzzled
    and he’s her Da

  242. Edward
    Ignored
    says:

    By the way Claire Austin (who needs food banks) is being economical with the truth concerning her pay
    She is claiming on twitter that she is on £ 22,345
    But on her Facebook she claims to be a Charge Nurse in A&E

    According to RCN Guidelines a Charge Nurse is Band 6
    therefore is on a minimum of £ 26,565, increasing to the top of Band 6 which is £35,577, most likely she is on
    £ 29,636 (source : http://www.rcn.org.uk/employment-and-pay/nhs-pay-scales-2016-17)

  243. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    She doesn’t seem to be related to the Tory chap, just unfortunate enough to sat next to him. Let us not be too hasty to condemn. Seems to be on her own mission whatever that might be. If, as is quite possibly the case, she is at the bottom rung of nursing and trying to live in Edinburgh then she may well find things tight.

  244. Phronesis
    Ignored
    says:

    How many ways can you shout about saying no to a 2nd Indy referendum when really the GE debate- as most of the enlightened electorate know- should be about the policies of WM .Do we want to spend money on Trident for example, vote for children to become poorer, erode human rights, remove pension security. Taxes, business regulation, immigration laws and labour market institutions are controlled by policymakers at WM therefore it is within their job description to promote the key mechanisms of equalisation –unionisation, progressive taxation of income and wealth, public intervention on private sector wage setting.

    Have the Conservatives addressed any of that whilst in power or have they spent their time abandoning checks on income dispersion and concentration of wealth. Do we really want to put back into government a party that’s so arrogant and certain of being re-elected that it is publically declaring itself as the party that will rob you from the cradle to beyond the grave whilst keeping the very rich connected to their shell accounts and off shore tax avoidance schemes.

    Scotland will have another independence referendum because the YES movement is not weakening its resolve to recalibrate this rotten political UKOK system which is incapable of recognising that Scotland is a country and as such is entitled to determine its own economic and social policies without any reference to another country controlling its options. That would be reminiscent of an imperial mind set wouldn’t it and out of kilter with a modern, inclusive and progressive democracy.

  245. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    A Charge Nurse gets more money?

    Did Carrell know her name in advance? Spelt wrong.

    ‘After the interview, – the cruise ship had sailed’ Took a job in Edinburgh 2016? Weird.

  246. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    Did she get that at a foodbank?

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BSmIjALhbju/

  247. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    This ‘nurse’ claims to be single…so what the hell is she doing claiming from a foodbank? She was on a recent QT.. definitely… so we have an English, Scottish based BritNat agitator given free air time..yet again..so is this more of the BBC’s established right wing bias audience selection? …as proven by the REV in his revelation of the producer who’s a big fan of extreme right wing politics…but is apparently still employed by the BBC…as was wee Ruth…whioch doesn’t appear to be a factor…ever…in these programmes.

    When will the SNP media group support NS and the party spokespersons and stop these ridiculous ambushes by the British State Propagandists?

  248. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Likes wine, food and the theater.

  249. Robbo
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood says:
    21 May, 2017 at 9:56 pm
    @Robbo –

    Yes as I thought then Ian. I seem to remember that program from Manchester where the nun runs FOOD BANK Sister///? On there i remember they had to have a note from DWP before they could get stuff after first visit.That nun would soon put her in her place if she thought she was at it.
    I do see she has 5 kids though??, not sure they all live with her so that may make difference somewhere along the line,but something kinda fishy anyhow.

  250. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t agree with @Rock on much but he’s right about the BBC
    including that collection of “Journalists” within it

    Statement from the First Minister in order I think

    It’s time!

  251. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Lots of wine, food and the acting theater

  252. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Just listened to the BBC report of the Scottish leaders’ debate.
    Apparently, the entire Scottish political situation revolves around Independence.
    Nicola Sturgeon said that they could be a strong voice at Westminster but all the other parties except the Greens said a vote for them would stop the nationalists going on about independence.

    Ms Sturgeon was questioned repeatedly by a nurse who is struggling to get by and has to use food banks.

    but undoubtedly the clash of the night came between Ms. Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson (NB the bias there in the use of formal title for Nicola but familiar, friendly first name for Ms. Davidson…)

    Nicola was accused of not listening to the people of Scotland by ignoring the result of the NO vote in 2014.

    All very innocuous sounding but very economical with the truth.

    Unbelievable statement from Sarah Smith explaining why they allowed the discussion of reserved matters!

  253. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Two observations about tonight’s Scottish leaders’ debate.

    1. In the first part, where all the leaders were standing at lecterns, I found it “interesting” that when Nicola was speaking, all the others’ mikes were “open”, so you could hear the others interjecting over her.
    However, when Ruth Davidson was speaking, Nicola’s mike volume was turned down to around 30% so you could hear she was trying to interject but couldn’t actually hear what she was saying.

    2. If a qualified nurse of that age, earning probably £5,000-£9,000 a year more than me, has to go to a foodbank, her education has been sadly lacking in the field of home economics. (Do they still teach that at secondary school?)

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212816838405963&set=a.1259050966573.39174.1538618524&type=3&theater

  254. David Robertson
    Ignored
    says:

    It reeks of desperation, or perhaps it’s even more visceral than that. If there were ever a more demonstrative image of the collective Unionist panjandrum realising that their demise was imminent it is this.

  255. ben madigan
    Ignored
    says:

    someone above said not to underestimate the British Establishment
    here are my thoughts on what they might be up to!!

    https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/corbyn-for-pm-its-a-great-british-thing/

  256. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Grandchildren? Not dependent children.

  257. Arbroath1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Now that things seem to becoming a wee bit clearer over our nurse “friend” it looks like THIS is her and all her moderately rich and moody lifestyle.

    https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/101639850456727702167/6422699349220938930?icm=false&authkey=COakvtXe3aTqzQE

  258. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    I must admit I kind of see the nurse as a squirrel which is diverting our attention from the fact that the BBC presided over yet another poor debate. Sarah Smith should apologise for calling herself a political journalist. The UK election is about Westminster policy and we needed to hear from Davidson and Dugdale what their party policies mean for us. Pensions, taxes and Brexit will impact upon us all. Talking about devolved issues illuminated nothing. The BBC were complicit in uniforming voters.

    A real political journalist would have nailed it.

  259. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    McDuff,

    “rock

    Agree. The BBC and the MSM are getting away with murder and until the 1.6 million who voted yes start making their voices heard it will get worse.”

    Unfortunately, big mouthed “sovereign” Scots have no spine.

    They are incapable of putting their money where their mouths are.

    Which patriots would even think of the “Economic case for independence”?

    Do we really have any pride in our country if we are frightened we might be poorer after independence?

    They will never listen to our voices.

    Until we start hitting them where it hurts – their pockets.

    A massive public refusal to pay the BBC propaganda tax, together with a massive public boycott of Sky should be the starting point, in my view.

    But we have no-one with a spine to lead us.

    Could someone sound out Derek Bateman for the task?

    What about Ian McWhirter?

    Any Ghandis in Scotland?

  260. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Sean W Welcome 1st of all, from a Lurker to a Lurcher lol I like people who find they’re bark & very observant to boot .

  261. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Legerwood says: 21 May, 2017 at 8:57 pm:

    ” … Not sure what expression she thought she had on her face but it came across as someone with serious constipation complicated by vicious wind.”

    Not for the first time when I observe Davidson with that particular look on her face it reminds me of someone with either a bit of shit just under her nose or extremely acute halitosis.

    I always expect her to say, “I smell shite”.

    To tell you the truth the only time I’ve ever seen that look before was on a mother changing a particularly ripe nappy on a baby.

  262. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    Lol Ben, you could be right. She is definitely either the worlds most extreme megalomaniac, or she really does want to lose the election.

    My money is on the first option.

  263. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Davidson a while back was a lot jollier and more relaxed. These days she just looks permanently furious. Even in neutral she appears to be grinding her teeth.

  264. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    gus1940 says:
    21 May, 2017 at 5:25 pm
    Sunday Politics Scotland – nothing ever changes at The EBC they seem to have no shame whatsoever with their blatant bias – Brewer’s studio guests – The Herald’s leading SNPbad star and arch Tory Katie Grant.

    Can anyone tell me of a time that the BBC invited a Pro-Independence Journalist on to any of their propaganda shows?

    Can anyone tell me about a Pro-Independence BBC Reporter, Editor, Board Member?

    Strange isn’t it when both are supposed to reflect the State of the Nation’s Society.

    https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/independent-enquiry-into-bbc-bias-regards-scottish-independence-referendum

  265. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC have kindly posted a clip of the “audience nurse” saying how demoralising it is to work in the NHS. In case you missed it.
    See their website live blog at 20:56 “THE NHS NURSE”:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39993086

  266. SeanW
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Ronnie, the bark has been brewing, WOS has, for some, time been a refuge and a cure for my utter disbelief at the blatent contempt these people have for Scotland and her people. I truly believe their days are numbered.

  267. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Help me out here, but yet again on the Scottish Leader’s
    debate, our First Minister didn’t take on this so called Scottish black hole of £15 Billion.

    Isn’t time we established that Scotland has never been permitted by Westminster to borrow any money at any time, but yet they have included us in circa £1.7 Trillion of UK debt wracked up by Labour and Tory Governments.

    If we have any legitimate debts, not paying for things like London Olympics, London Crossrail, Refurbishment of Westminster, England’s High Speed rail Network, Trident,
    illegal wars, the House of Lords, and the BBC, we will soon have the Scottish economy leading the way!

  268. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    A massive public refusal to pay the BBC propaganda tax, together with a massive public boycott of Sky should be the starting point, in my view.”

    They would just get the losses made up by London BBC or whoever it is. BBC is a £4,0000,0000,0000 a year UK gov outfit. Its cheap at half the price, for your average Whitehall toryboy.

    Even if we all rose up and dragged their £400,000,000 glass box of UKOK crap down to Carlisle from Pacific Quay, they’d merely broadcast it all back in.

    All EU countries have state broadcasters like the BBC, from Germany raising almost €8bn a year on electronic gizmo tax, tv’s included, to The Netherlands on about a €1bn a year.

    State broadcasters are a fact of life. The big threat to the BBC is ofcourse, their output is terrible. The worse their programs, the fewer minds they can reach/brainwash.

  269. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    HandandShrimp…the ‘nurse’ is not a squirrel..and Smith is not a ‘true’ anything…never mind a journalist. This is all about a life and death struggle by paid shills like all the aforementioned ‘tractors’ to hold Scotland fast at all costs. They need us and more importantly, our resources , more than anything. It is not about incompetence.. it is all about absolute BritNAT NECESSITY.

  270. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    I am currently watching tonight’s debate on EBC having recorded it earlier.

    I thought that the whole point of the debate was that it was a General Election Debate yet the second audience question was on education which is a devolved matter.

    Given that Smith and the EBC knew in advance what the questions would be it is a disgrace that the EBC allowed this to happen.

    Of course it seems to be one of the main weapons being used by the EBC and the MSM throughout the campaign to use attacks on devolved issues to divert attention away from the non-devolved issues which should be at the heart of the debate – anything to allow the unionists to shout SNPbad.

  271. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Hope someone has been doing screenshots of Nursey’s twitter and instagram entries – they’ve all been deleted in the last few minutes.

    e.g. Tyran’s link at 10.03pm showed a food plate laden with a large steak with a pat of butter and various veg with the comment ‘it just has to be meat!’

    I went back to look through them as there was a remark she made about challenging the Tory guy on QT who’s daughter was a nurse and doing quite nicely. Apparently after the question, she asked him where his daughter was nursing and it turns out she is with the Scottish Nursing Guild to which our ‘innocent’ nurse had tweeted’ Bloody hell!’

    Edward @9.44

    She’s already deleted it.. but she asked her friends if they had seen her on TV and there were remarks congratulating her on her performance tonight and several friends thought ‘ well done, you’ll be in the papers tomorrow’.

    If you have nothing to worry about, you don’t need to delete you Facebook page, right?

  272. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC Nurse.

    Can’t wait to hear about her background.

    She isn’t happy that unlike the Tory or Labour run NHS Services in England and Wales, NHS Scotland has protected staff from redundancies, spend proportionately more per patient, lead the way in combining Health and Social Services, paying our Scottish Nurses more while in Training, and when qualified, than any other UK NHS.

    All of this on top of having the best performing NHS in the UK, by a distance, and not having sold off 12% of NHS England’s Services to companies like Virgin Health and Serco. You may also have noticed that we haven’t had Junior Doctor Strikes like the Tories in England.

    The First Minister went on to assure that she is fighting now to stop any pay caps and registers inflationary rises alone would deliver 2.7%.

    The final figure will be arrived at by accepting the recommendations of their pay review board and the trade unions.

    Would someone out there tell me why this is supposed to be an SNP Bad Story?????

    England ,

  273. Cag-does-thinking
    Ignored
    says:

    In east renfrewshire they are tripping over one another. The Tories have sent a leaflet which says little but A vote for the Tory (Paul Masterton age 17 and a half) is a vote against a second independence referendum. But if he gets elected his mum might not let him do late night debates.

    Ahh but then came a leaflet from Blair MacDougall for Labour which says little except HE is the one to vote for to guarantee a vote etc etc. And he needs a job what with Better Together not being errm together any more. What they need is the wheel or more interesting leaflets with at least one more policy.

  274. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    Effijy….just saw your comment. I noted NS missed an open goal again…re. the £15 BILLION bullshit comment by another English settler. ..How amany more times are the SNP going to let that particular lie hang in the air for the undecided to go”aye that’s right…we are too poor!’

    Tell me this…the SNP said let’s fight this as a GE election. Yet the Unionists are fighting it as a Ref Campaign…and even the best estimates are that we are losing 6-8 %. Which means we still end up with maybe circa 50 seats. Last time we had 56 and it meant SFA, so why should waverers vote for more of the same? Shouldn’t we be fighting this on Constitutional terms now?

  275. Clapper57
    Ignored
    says:

    Just watched repeat on later tonight channel 131 of Scottish Leaders Debate.

    The nurse who was commenting/complaining….apologies if someone already said this but was she not on question time in Edinburgh sitting next to second Tory Councillor ( one with glasses) in audience…not the Tory Councillor who asked the first question….the one who was commenting on constant referendums, am sure she was nodding her head when he was speaking….only think it was her as she is quite distinctive looking.

  276. Sher Shon Shez
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice to see the Scottish Govt being held to account by articulate members of the public come election time. A wee bit early, though, no?

    I’d’ve laughed till I burst if Nicola had simply said, ‘If things go wrong then it’s my fault and you can do something about it – in 2021.’

  277. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Yeah, I’m getting a bit fed up of our party representatives, including Nicola, not poo-poohing the £15 Billion deficit claim.

    When faced with an open goal, why not take the shot?

  278. Tam the Bam.
    Ignored
    says:

    Sher Shon Shez … 11-08

    The Scottish Government being held to account.
    Its a General (Westminster ) Election …. surely even the dimmest yoon must realise that by now.

  279. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    I’d’ve laughed till I burst if Nicola had simply said, ‘If things go wrong then it’s my fault and you can do something about it – in 2021.’

    Can’t argue with that. Kez looked hysterical though, nonplussed that her Slab leader gig really could be all over, June 9.

    She needs a break on the SLab back benches now anyway. Oh but this is not about Holyrood is it?

  280. Training Day
    Ignored
    says:

    @Lochside

    Aye, that open goal was indeed passed up. It’s not alone. It’s going to have to dawn on the SNP – and right soon – that we need to galvanise the Yes movement and not keep playing by the rules of the BBC and the British establishment. Nicola was set up tonight and maybe the SNP even now didn’t expect it – that’s the really scary thing.

    BTW I have been an SNP member since Nov 2008.

  281. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/05/bbc-news-pure-utter-tory-propaganda/

    Exasperated Craig Murray.

    To be fair, if we want this fledgling Scottish democracy of ours to succeed, we are getting our arses handed to us, by assorted tory beeb gimps.

  282. Graeme McCormick
    Ignored
    says:

    It is highly likely that the nurse is not on the basic starting salary in Scotland. Assuming that this is the case and published salary scales she is likely to be on at least £26500 per annum which is around the average UK salary. Figures published bytheTrussell Trust and others suggest that in total 3 million families may be in receipt of Foodbank parcels. As the number of households in the U.K. must be around 20 million this lady must have very individual challenges to find herself in need of food banks.

  283. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Effijy @ 22:52

    The BBC Nurse.

    Can’t wait to hear about her background.

    Here’s what I’ve found out so far:

    She’s English, born in Lichfield in 1966, currently lives in Edinburgh and does indeed work as a nurse in A&E there.

    She is also a member of the pressure group “Nurses Fighting For Decent Pay”, and seems to have connections with the trade union Unison. I don’t know, though, if she’s actually a member of that union. Should be easy enough to find out.

    She was a member of the audience at QT last Thurs. Fair enough.

    But here’s the thing: admits on Twitter that she was invited back tonight by the BBC to ask her question. A question about nurses’ pay which, like the teacher’s one, which was about a devolved matter, as the BBC very wekk know. And was their initiative.

    A Labour set-up, then. One consequently has to wonder about two other things:

    + Who in the BBC was involved in asking her back? Was presenter Sarah Smith part of that?

    + Was the teacher who asked the other irrelevant question on devolved matters also a Labour plant?

    As some of you may recall, I’ve not been one to believe that BBC Scotland has been engaged in an explicit conspiracy against the SNP and the SG, reckoning it’s mainly due to institutional bias instead, but this whole episode stinks.

    The BBC in general and Sarah Smith in particular have some real questions to answer about this. At best it is a deliberate abrogation of the BBC’s duty to educate and inform, at worst it is something very rotten indeed.

  284. Sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Was that nurse on the programme tonight abusing food banks. If so, shouldn’t she be investigated. All there to see, name, address, etc. After all, she was in the public domain.

  285. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Direct quote from the BBC summary of the debate:

    The debate also saw Ms Sturgeon come under fire from the politically balanced audience over the SNP’s record on health and education – both of which are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. ,/I>

    The nurse in the audience who took the first minister to task will go down as the most memorable moment of the debate, and will no doubt be the element which leads tomorrow’s headlines.

    And they admit their bias:
    At times it was like a Thursday session of First Minister’s Questions, with the leaders of the main parties trading barbs over a faintly baffling mix of devolved and reserved policies.

    Did you all clock tRuthless saying Nicola and I believe that ‘People are better at spending their own money rather than having the government spend it for them”
    SO
    Why is she against Scotland spending it’s own money rather than have the WM government spend it for us???

    David Coburn is an embarrassment and Willie Rennie should be expunged from Holyrood for saying that Indyref2 should be cancelled…it has been democratically decided in Holyrood – there was been a vote and it won – so he’s actually bringing Holyrood into disrepute, and if he doesn’t respect Holyrood and the decisions it takes, then he should stand down.
    No, he prefers to take the salary and then whinge when he doesn’t get his own way.

    In 2014 it was three against one in the debates.
    Tonight it was 4 erstwhile party leaders; the whole of the BBC, specialist ‘plants’ in the audience and a biased host in Sarah Smith against Nicola the Fearless and she still ran rings round them.
    Even David Torrance thought she had been the best on the night.

    Looking forward to the manifesto launch on tuesday – disappointed I can’t be there.

  286. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Graeme McCormick @ 23:27,

    She states on Twitter that she earns £22345.

    She also apparently likes drinking wine and her favourite sport is water-skiing. Hard to believe she actually has any need to attend a food bank, then. Unless she has grossly over-indulged on her fav things in life, that is.

  287. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Switzerland has voted today to phase out nuclear power stains and get it’s energy from renewables. No new power stains will be built there after today’s vote which won by 58%+.

  288. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside and Effigy

    You obviously don’t get it. There is no benefit in arguing about this £15 billion fantasy deficit. It just gives the enemy oxygen and ammunition and an opportunity to argue it and throw figures about all of which go straight above the head of most of the public.

    Not ideal but better ignored than argued about with people that control all the information media.

  289. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    sorry – power stations… this blooming keyboard wouldn’t let me type ‘stations’ it kept jumping between stains and statins !!!

  290. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    me @ 23:32.

    Oops. Finger trouble. – I’m still seething about that travesty of a programme.

    Change to: A question about nurses’ pay which, like the teacher’s question, was about a devolved matter, as the BBC very well know.

  291. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    We need a reality check here with this nurse tonight. If you can’t survive on over £20k a year, as a mature adult, youre getting something extremely wrong.

    Foodbanks are not back ups, for people who over spend their salaries. If £20+k a year is not enough, nurses can double this in the UK private sector and quadrupel it abroad, middle east, USA, all countries and states that pay mega bucks for UK trained experienced nurses.

    She is may not be in that great shape mentally though but if she is all there , she’s making a total mockery of all of us in Scotland today, just like the BBC creeps did when they invited her to come on their comedy Scottish politics debate show, again.

  292. AndyH
    Ignored
    says:

    I still struggle to see what is gained by appearing on these ‘Debates’

    My all time favourite (not) had to be the Joanne Lamont fish wife rammy.

  293. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    One would have thought that in what was supposed to be a General Election Debate neither Mrs May, her party’s manifesto or the Labour manifesto would have merited a mention but single word.

    No doubt some will say that The SNP have not yet published their manifesto but that is no reason not to mention what have been the political highlights of the past week.

  294. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @meg merrilees says: 21 May, 2017 at 11:45 pm:

    “sorry – power stations… this blooming keyboard wouldn’t let me type ‘stations’ it kept jumping between stains and statins !!!”

    It is not your keyboard, Meg, and it is not your spelling checker.

    It is in the settings and it is “predictive text” that you need to turn off.

  295. dakk
    Ignored
    says:

    Just watched the leaders debate.

    If that hackit English red nosed nurse has ever used a food bank then I’m Dutch.I’d rather fester than get a bed bath off that.

    Thought Nicola done OK in a humble genuine sort of way

    The Yoons were their usual narky useless Britnat selves.

    Noticed the BBC flashed to the hackit nurse right at the beginning of the show.A total set up.

    bbc,you trashy disgrace to humanity.

  296. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    From Claire Austin FB page & I only do this as she states she was invited back tonight to ask the Q ? GE election is about Scottish NHS ? BBC needs to exlain ?

    ” I am truly saddened by what has been said about me tonight. When I spoke tonight I spoke on behalf of ALL NHS staff, not just myself but ALL NHS staff, not just nurses but CSW’s, the backbone of many wards, HCA’s, again invaluable, but the porters too. I am NOT married. I was sat next to that guy on QT and did not get to ask my question. Therefore I was invited back tonight to ask my question about pay rises. I am sad, although in this climate not surprised, at the verbal attack and abuse I have suffered from other nurses tonight, in my view are they are disgrace to our profession, and we wonder why so many want to leave.
    Thanks for your support guys!!!! “

  297. Elmac
    Ignored
    says:

    I had only intended to comment on the attack on the pensions and assets of the older generation by May the maniac but became distracted and incensed by the lying nurse. It appears that May thinks her election prospects are so secure that she can now take the risk of ripping off our senior citizens to fund major corporate tax reductions to further enhance the wealth of her puppet masters.

    The triple lock on pensions is to go which will have a cumulative effect on the UK state pension, the value of which is already well down the pecking order in Europe. When we all earned our first pay packet we started to pay National Insurance Contributions. Part of what was paid was to provide us with a liveable state pension at retirement age. The government was acting in the same way as an insurance company when it took the money. In fact the money was misappropriated from day one as no fund was created to meet the liabilities of future pensioners and the “contributions” disappeared into the pot.

    Over the years the reasonable expectation of the value of the state pension has been eroded and the latest Tory betrayal will compound the shortfall. In addition the retirement age has been raised. Why should honest, hard working tax paying individuals be forced into poverty and food banks? Can you imagine what would happen if an insurance company collecting premiums for a private pension acted in this way? Many will remember what happened with Robert Maxwell and the Mirror Group pension fund. This was a minute fraction of what should have been in the state system and he only stole part of it!

    The tory proposal on stealing the assets of the old and infirm to pay for their care is disgusting. Most will have been tax payers though their working lives and have paid National Insurance Contributions part of which related to health cover free at the point of delivery. What part of dementia, Parkinsons and other debilitating illnesses are not health related? The Tories are refusing to honour the insurance contract which exists between the government and its citizens.

    You may think that the pension and care cost issues are an English problem only as the Scottish Government will protect its population. If May wins big in June we may not have a Scottish Government with any meaningful powers for much longer. Even if we do how long would we be able to stand the cuts in funding which would surely follow. Of course RD will shout to the rooftops that the SG should raise taxes to meet the cost – and then shout that we are the highest taxed part of the UK!

  298. Meindevon
    Ignored
    says:

    Personally, I think that comment is out of order Dakk. New readers could be put off…I know I would be.

    Maybe read the Revs rules on commenting.

    ‘Play the ball not the man (or woman) and ‘argue with people’s views, don’t insult them personally’.

  299. Liam
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert J. Sutherland says:
    21 May, 2017 at 11:38 pm

    Graeme McCormick @ 23:27,

    She states on Twitter that she earns £22345.

    !!!! That’s ridiculous! My wife and I earn less than between us – we’re bringing up three school age kids and have a well-balanced diet; most meals cooked from scratch and no need to even think about using a food bank – mind you we don’t water ski maybe that’s where we’re going wrong.

  300. geeo
    Ignored
    says:

    So, the BBC nurse is a plant, works for Bupa and goes on lavish holidays.
    When not doing that, she appears (by invite) on BBC debate shows claiming to speak for all NHS staff, and takes food from a food bank when she does not need to.

    Oh look, a squirrel…

  301. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    geeo @ 01:51,

    I’m not sure she does work for BUPA, but it doesn’t matter if she did, nor that she belongs to a protest group which might or might not be affiliated with Labour funder Unison. The real question is twofold:

    + Did she lie about needing to attend a foodbank? She wasn’t speaking on behalf of anyone she might know, like eg. some hospital porter, she was talking about herself. Was it true or not? Given her admitted salary, it seems very likely she was fibbing.

    + Why was she invited onto an UKGE election debate to ask a question that the BBC knew fine well was about a devolved matter? Sarah Smith’s on-air “justification” of the teacher’s question (and by implication the nurse’s comments too) is laughably disingenuous.

    Those are the critical issues. We might also wonder if Claire Austin was a knowing accomplice in all this or merely a pawn being exploited by others.

  302. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Scottish Sun carrying the nurse story.

    https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1039924/edinburgh-nurse-election-debate-food-banks-online-snaps-swanky-meals-and-champagne/

    The URL summarises the story nicely.

  303. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Can I suggest a petition to EBC Scotland demanding that they hold a General Election Scottish Leaders Debate before 8/6 because we didn’t get one last night.

  304. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    If this nurse is attacking the pay scales of NHS Scottish, who pay more than any other UK NHS, is she fighting for a Westminster based party to be elected so that she can have a pay cut?

    If I was struggling to feed myself, I wouldn’t be paying for Broadband, buying wine, travelling to wherever her nearest water skiing centre is, or paying transport costs to as many BBC propaganda shows as I can get my hands on!

    Shady Smith put forward that the public demanded to speak about Devolved matters such as the NHS, even though this show was supposed about General Election issues and manifestos.
    How come the BBC tracked down this nurse to ask about the NHS?
    That isn’t by public demand, that is by design of the BBC being underhand.

    People wanted to know about the Tory Dementia Tax, but nothing. Ra*e Clause, nothing?

  305. Tony Little
    Ignored
    says:

    I am not going to comment on the Nurse’s personal lifestyle directly as we do not know her circumstances, albeit her social media presence raises more questions than answers.

    This is a distraction. I am tempted to say a deliberate provocation by the BBC who specifically invited this nurse to come onto the programme to raise a devolved issue in a debate which should have been on the record of the national parties. It has created a useful stooshie which will submerge the dreadful “performance” of Ruthie and Kezia and Wilie.

    Job Done, according to BBC bosses. The (over)Reaction on Twitter to her dubious comments is understandable, but inevitably self-defeating. But it is THAT which will be the lead in most of the media and especially the BBC. (I can predict what the major topic will be on Kall Kay(e) today.)

    IF (a Big If) she has been lying and is given sufficient publicity, then maybe the BBC propaganda will have failed (I see the Scottish Sun has a story about it today). But let’s keep our powder dry in future and find out hard facts before assuming (quite rightly) the worst on every occasion.

  306. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    I see Scottish labour are releasing their Manifesto today:

    Scottish Labour’s manifesto will also include a series of pledges aimed at delivering “transformative change” in Scotland.
    These include commitments to bring forward Member’s Bills on banning MSPs from holding paid second jobs, extending breakfast clubs into every primary school, banning onshore fracking, improving access to sanitary products to tackle “period poverty” and scrapping the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.

    Isn’t one of the newly formed council Slab/Tory coalitions just announcing that they are getting rid of Teaching assistants and breakfast clubs? (N.Lanarkshire/Ayrshire? can’t remember which one)

  307. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Well said Tony – play the ball not the ‘nurse’…

    Sarah Smith’s remark has been largely passed over yet it is a blatant admission by the unbiased BBC that they were absolutely NOT unbiased and huge questions should be asked as to why WM matters were hardly discussed; perhaps a discussion with Fluffy, Murray, Liar and Angus would have been more appropriate.

    The BBC should be exposed for their blatant policy of fixing audiences and trying to influence the outcome of this election. That is illegal.

    Seems to me the BBC and the Scottish party leaders are confused about their role on this debate
    Why does the Scottish Tory manifesto give ‘detail’ on devolved matters and gloss over WM Reserved issues and ignore Trident.

    Even today, SLabour are revealing a Scottish manifesto that pledges to transform Scotland. How can that be debated at WM e.g breakfast clubs in every primary school in Scotland, Offensive Behaviour at Football Act etc. at the last count they had one MP.

  308. admiral
    Ignored
    says:

    Nursegate, a couple of points:

    1) Sarah Smith said that the BBC didn’t set the questions, it only asked the questions that the audience wanted. Nursey said that she was invited onto the debate to specifically ask her question. Something smells dodgy.
    .
    2) Re nurses pay, ISTR that it is set by the NHS pay review body, under the auspices of the Department of Health in London. There isn’t a separate body for the Scottish NHS. The 1% cap on public sector pay was set by the UK government. The Scottish Government has fully funded the award every year, although the other NHS administrations haven’t. The Scottish Government, AFAIK, doesn’t have the power to overturn the pay review board recommendation. So if nurses feel hard done by, it is the UK government’s fault.

  309. Jock McDonnell
    Ignored
    says:

    @yesindyref2

    If what the article says is true, she has done a massive disservice to her fellow public sector workers. Humiliating.

  310. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Sarah Smith is locked with th Tory Labour cabal . Why wouldnt she? They have supported her career and her family for decades. Her mother Dame Everidge sits in the unelected Lords dictating laws over Scotland that nobody wants and she was elected by nobody.

    As for the nurse – set up it looks all the First Minister and others need to say is I am here to discuss the GE. And incidentally nurse in England are paid less.

    Is the lady in question working in the NHS? I think we should be told. Is she in a senior post, qualified or untrained as all would have a bearing on her salary. Seems though judging by the photographs foodbanks is the last place she needs ie visits to New York, slap up meals etc.

  311. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    http://annandale.tv/stories/6595-first-minister-tours-moffat

    For anyone who missed Angus Robertson on Sunday politics yesterday
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPaOnOl3urE

    http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2017/05/19/now-it-makes-sense-dementia-tax-is-an-insurance-scam/

    Theresa May’s election guru Lynton Crosby in tax haven scandal after pocketing six-figure sum
    http://archive.is/Jne6p

  312. Orri
    Ignored
    says:

    The impact of overall budgets set by Westminster on devolved matters is hugely relevant. The NHS nurse simply posed her question to the wrong person and didn’t have the brains to rephrase it so it wasn’t about herself.

    Given the introduction of EVEL Scotland’s MPs are severely limited on what they can say in Westminster on devolved issues even if they have an effect on budgeting.

    As such if both Labour and Conservatives blank them then there’s no one to speak for Scotland on those issues other than however many MPs they have from here and even then only really if they need them for a majority.

    The nightmare scenario for the Conservatives will be exactly that. A Government elected on the underlying message that it’s not just the SNP but Scots that must have no part in governing the UK but having a slender majority based on Scottish MPs. They might spin that Labour have fewer seats but so what?

    The only question is how soon EVEL would be dropped.

  313. Silverytay
    Ignored
    says:

    Meg merrilees@7.07
    It’s North Lanarkshire Council which is officially a labour council although it is being propped up by the tories to keep the SNP out.

  314. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    http://www.ericjoyce.co.uk/2017/05/in-surprise-development-rich-guy-pulls-money-from-labour-for-not-forming-tory-alliance/

    Story in yesterday’s Herald about Idox can be read here. Sorry I don’t have time to copy it all.
    https://twitter.com/clan_macdonald/status/866273610700390401

    Labour getting a telling on the doorstep. video here
    https://twitter.com/Yesfreedom45/status/866293974834827264

  315. Sher Shon Shez
    Ignored
    says:

    Meg merrilees @ 7.21

    I don’t think there’s any perhaps about it: the wrong people were on that platform. Should have been Mundell, Robertson, Murray, Liar, Coburn and Harvie. And every damned thing that WM has done should have been flung in Mundell’s face. That would have been a programme worth watching.

    Nana @ 7.31

    Yes, that Jay Rayner piece in the Observer on the effects of Brexit on food production is a belter. Civil servants running scared of the hard right & pressuring genuinely concerned business folk to keep schtum. Head, meet sand.

  316. Dorothy Devine
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana, the one on English numeracy and literacy should be sent to Ruth Davidson and the EIS – and any other interested party who might be rubbishing Scotland ,like the BBBBC at Pacific Quay .

  317. winifred mccartney
    Ignored
    says:

    It is the bbc that should be investigated about last night – no one I know who has applied for tickets to QT or debates get on – but here we have someone ASKING ABOUT DEVOLVED ISSUES being invited to come back and ask her question. BBC debates are just vehicles for labour, tories and the bbc to rail against indy. They knew many of the questions were about devolved issues and the chair had an opportunity to educate and show the difference between devolved and reserved issues, but no it was more about bash the snp. Typical bbc.

  318. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    @Sher Shon Shez
    Indeed and it seems there is no intention to make a deal

    Read the thread
    My former civil service colleagues agree. There is no plan for negotiating a deal; when they question why; it’s “we won’t be doing a deal”

    https://twitter.com/acgrayling/status/866441949552799744

    @Dorothy
    I’m quite sure they already know Dorothy, remember it doesn’t matter what is going wrong in England, to them it’s all about trashing Scotland.

    Here’s another English report
    Classroom assistants doing teachers’ jobs and giving lessons due to school staffing crisis
    http://archive.is/H0uzL

  319. orri
    Ignored
    says:

    The ridiculous thing about the challenge regarding nett migration is that it’s not meant to be answered in any sensible manner other than “independence”

    Even accepting the lying involved due to the way it’s calculated, I assume that nett is a rule of thumb of subtracting deaths adding births and seeing how the total changes, the fact remains that what is being asked is,

    Westminster are going to attempt to severely restrict the amount of immigration to UK and given we haven’t analysed how our unspecified measures to bring that about will actually effect Scotland we’ll assume the ratio between here and the rUK will remain unchanged. Given that is so and that we’re ignoring the make up of the particular kinds of immigration to both Scotland and the rUK then what is Holyrood going to do about it when Westminster has the power to intervene at the drop of a hat?

    It’s basic bullying where you’re asked to account for something that by the standards set is already more than they’ll allow but not entirely in your control. When a bully sets that kind of challenge they mean come on take a shot at me so I can justify beating you to a pulp.

  320. AndyH
    Ignored
    says:

    WTF will the SNP start attacking this ‘Black hole’ pish?

    That and the nonsense about the UK being our biggest trade partner.

    Who else will the UK buy from?

    Also the ‘Strong Voice’ stuff is weak IMO.

    Is this all some kind of cunning ploy?

    SNP get intae them FFS!

  321. orri
    Ignored
    says:

    Other than the obvious lack of knowledge of her financial background i’d suspect that the question about strikes and foodbanks was one that the nurse was asked to ask. There’s clues on her twitter feed about it. She was simply to thick to reword it and, possibly, didn’t realise that it was a devolved issue.

    However assuming she genuinely has had to resort to a foodbank we still don’t have a clue as to who pays for any of the “luxuries” in her life. If she’s divorced then perhaps the father pays for he daughters education and even the trip to New York.

    Nor do we know her health record although if she’d been ill long enough for her pay to fall then that’d be down to the benefits system.

    That said the point about talking about the SNPs record in office is excusable if it’d been to set up a line of attack based on “This is what you do when in charge of devolved matters why should you be part of government for the UK?” but only if a similar light were cast on not only the Conservatives but Labour and Lib Dems.

  322. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    The Beeb wanted a show to put the FM under pressure and NOT the PM so they engineered it that way
    It’s what the Beeb is paid to do, protect the British state that pays their wages

    Why does anybody seriously think the BBC wouldn’t do that
    they know perfectly well the FM would have been well prepared to slaughter Ruth Davidsons and Mrs Mays party so they made sure she coudn’t get much chance to do it so made it all about SNP Baad

    Any football manager finds the other teams weakness or unpreparedness and attacks that area
    The fault overall was the SNPs (even though that’s my team)
    for taking part at all
    By now the SNP know the BBC are always up to something so they could have done what Mrs May does and just not show up
    it would have done the SNP no harm whatsoever because then the BBC would have had to go on Westminster issues

    I used to think we could play their game but just do it better but it invariably turns out a bit like the 7 Samurai where you put up a valiant fight but know in the end you’re going to die

    We need to do it another way although I do get it that the BBC will claim fear of scrutiny

    Let them

  323. harry mcaye
    Ignored
    says:

    dakk – that’s precisely the kind of comment the Daily Mail will seize on and publish to smear independence supporters. Or was that your intention?

  324. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    OT.TODAY. ABERDEEN COUNCIL.BUSINESSMAN WITHDRAWS LABOUR FUNDING.

    “An Aberdeen businessman who is one of Scottish Labour’s biggest financial backers has said he will not give the party any more money during the general election because of its suspension of councillors in the city.

    The nine-strong Labour group was suspended last week for forming a coalition with the Conservatives…….”

    The Labour group signed a deal with the Conservative and independent groups last Wednesday, allowing them to out-vote the SNP – who finished as the largest party on the council in the recent election……” [!!!!]

    “….The council had been run by a Labour-Conservative coalition since 2012.”

    BBC on-line Archived:
    http://archive.is/vgqGF

  325. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana

    Scary link!
    https://twitter.com/acgrayling/status/866441949552799744

    It all falls into place now!

    TM has NO intention of negotiating Brexit. She has said so all along – No deal is better than a bad deal.
    At no point have they had ANY plans.
    She has been deliberately rude to Europe – see her remarks immediately after leaving Buck. Palace to announce the election ( one she announced she was holding before she got her majority vote in WM);

    she has told Parliament that they will get a vote to accept the proposed deal but if they disagree tough – there will be NO further negotiations.

    She purports to have called the election to give her a mandate and strengthen her Brexit hand – in other words let her do what she wants.
    More like get them out of a tight hole- just walk away and with a huge majority for 5 years, she can weather the storm.

    The Great Repeal Bill is on the timetable for this session of Parliament – once she has that she ‘s good to go…
    and of course, now is not the time for Indy ref 2…

    David Davis has been saying for days now that there will be no deal -that may happenl.
    TM today says that the EU should be giving the UK money – that won’t happen.
    She expected a landslide – that just might not happen!!

    But Corbyn has just thrown a spanner in their plans – no wonder they’re on all out attack with his IRA views today.
    Ironically, if Labour do win, they will have to negotiate Brexit-unless they go for a second EU referendum??
    A hung Parliament would leave TM in the driving seat trying to negotiate something which they have no plans for – nightmare!

    I did hear him defended on the BBC this a.m. and they said that for the last 30 odd years he has been consistent in that he rejects ALL bombing and terrorist activity and will not single out any one group so this is old news.

  326. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Ireland’s not a happy Brexit neighbour right now. Its a final act of English nationalist vengeance,

    http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/don-t-believe-tory-claims-there-will-be-no-hard-border-1.3090898

    “Do the Irish adopt Brexit language, blaming it all on Brussels? Or after months of being in denial can the powerful Irish lobby – its business leaders, superb diplomats, TDs and MEPs linked to European political parties, and the diaspora in Britain and the English-speaking world –

    start to make clear that a full amputation of the UK from the EU single market and customs union is the final revenge of English nationalism on the people of Ireland ever since they had the impertinence to follow America 140 years later and assert their right to be a free and independent nation no longer ruled by the English?”

  327. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    For 6 years Mrs May was in charge at the Home Office and talked tough on getting immigration down
    It went up

    Now we have Mrs May talking tough on something she never voted for in the first place but making us pay for the UKIPPERS big idea which is to get immigration down
    It’s still going up

    Brexit will mean a poorer Britain, Mrs May told us all that when she voted against doing it but such is the size of this brittle womans ego she took the job nobody else really wanted to deliver a policy of poverty on the UK solely for the purpose of crushing UKIP as an opposing party
    but by doing so has become UKIP
    And immigration is still rising

    I do hope the very short memoried members of our society who voted for the completely and totally proven incompetent Mrs May in order that she fulfill their dreams of Sunny Upland cricket on the village green with a pint of warm beer in their mitts England aren’t terribly heart broken when their lives are reduced to destitution and poverty even more than they think they have at the moment when they’re forced to pay for the policies they thought they wanted and where back in the real world where the rest of us live don’t forget we told you so when

    Immigration still goes up

  328. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Slide in a plant, monster the SNP for all of it. SNP “extremist” is another display of BBC Scotland’s attack propaganda, boosted around UK media.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/snp-leaders-debate-nurse_uk_59228478e4b094cdba55109f

    NEWS
    SNP In Humiliating Backpedal After Claiming Leader’s Debate Nurse Was Wife Of Tory Councillor
    ‘Shocked by the witch hunt by SNP extremists.’
    22/05/2017 09:01 | Updated 10 minutes ago

  329. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan even makes HuffPost. We’ve all disgraced Scotland.

    Duncan Hothersall ? @dhothersall
    Every single person who sought out on social media the nurse who spoke in #LeadersDebate tonight in order to attack her disgraces Scotland.
    10:14 PM – 21 May 2017

  330. watchin' out for you
    Ignored
    says:

    “Heedy”

    I see you are STILL posting links to Unionists websites.

    You are a Troll.

  331. Welsh Sion
    Ignored
    says:

    Betray Us Together II.

  332. bugsbunny
    Ignored
    says:

    If you thought it couldn’t get any worse with “The Ordinary Nurse Claire Austin”, (remember “Ordinary Nurse” Claire Lally?), people on the Yonniverse are now saying what a poorly paid nurse she is, and how by pointing this out we are inhuman monsters?

    I wonder what Gary Laurenson, 30 from Hamnavoe in Shetland’s politics are? He was the organiser of a £10 a head charity bash that mounted a swastika flag on the hall walls. I’m not saying who did it, but when asked about it, he replied, he “wasn’t aware” of the flag being hung before adding, “So what if it was?”

    It’s a wonder that he’s not a tory councillor. If he was I’m sure the local fascists would complain, about being likened to a tory.

  333. bugsbunny
    Ignored
    says:

    That should read, “Ordinary Mum, Claire Lally”.

  334. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Not content with last night’s disgraceful ‘GE debate’ Nursegate is now in full flow again on the Daily Politics with a disgusting JoCo interview with Drew Henry where she keeps going at him saying that The SNP Government have the powers to raise nurses’ pay.

    Unfortunately although Drew made the point that nurses pay is higher in Scotland than England he missed the open goal of replying to her provocation by making the point that nice Mr. Hunt also had the power to increase nurses’pay in England.

    JoCo has learned a lot sitting beside loathesome Brillo and is fast becoming just as loathesome, nasty and biased.

  335. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker said at 11:19 pm last night:

    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/05/bbc-news-pure-utter-tory-propaganda/

    Exasperated Craig Murray……..”

    Apologies for the long Copy and Paste,but that piece from Craig Murray a former British Ambassador really MUST be read and widely distributed.

    Mr Craig Murray begins:

    “I genuinely cannot believe what I have just seen on the BBC national UK news.

    A report on the general election in Scotland in advance of tonight’s Scottish Leaders’ Debate. I know we have become used to the unfettered Tory bias of the BBC, but this was at a level of propaganda which has left me seriously disturbed.

    In the 6 minute piece, four different BBC presenters told the viewer that the election in Scotland is dominated by the issue of a second independence referendum – which is not true, but is precisely the way that the Scottish Conservatives are trying to frame the debate in every single one of their leaflets and broadcast appearances.

    They then had a piece by Sarah Smith from Kelso – a walk from the border with England and the second most Tory place in Scotland. Why choose somewhere so entirely unrepresentative?
    Then in Kelso they found an “independent” journalistic commentator to explain the situation to us.
    This “independent” journalist was the Conservative’s arch Conservative, Alex Massie of the Spectator, of Murdoch’s Times and often of the Daily Mail, possibly the most right wing man in Scotland.

    Did the BBC introduce Massie as a Conservative, or at least as from the Spectator, known to be the Tory house magazine? No.
    They passed him off as an independent journalist.
    Did they balance him with another commentator who was not a raving Tory nutter? No……….”

    Anyone with a belief in democracy should be really seriously worried.
    Very worried.

  336. Greannach
    Ignored
    says:

    Lovely to see the Pouter’s Wheel spinning back into existence. I wonder if this is the most sophisticated political tool ever created.

  337. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    So many treacherous b*stards in Scotland.

  338. Suzy Cargill
    Ignored
    says:

    They have Perth and North Perthshire as a Labour target on the wheel? Unless I’m completely misunderstanding the wheel’s purpose?

  339. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “They have Perth and North Perthshire as a Labour target on the wheel? Unless I’m completely misunderstanding the wheel’s purpose?”

    I may have subverted the wheel.



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