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Wings Over Scotland


To the editor of the Scotsman

Posted on June 13, 2014 by

Your defamatory lies really ought to stop.

In today’s edition, you allege in reference to me that:

“Mr Campbell – who recently registered Wings Over Scotland as an official participant in the independence campaign – has also used the site to call on nationalist campaigners to photograph their opponents so that they can be publicly identified.”

This, as I’m sure your journalists are perfectly well aware, is absolutely untrue.

It can only refer to an incident in January in which we documented alleged “Better Together” events at train stations. However, what we actually said at that time was:

Now let’s be absolutely crystal-clear about this, as if it needed saying: we DON’T want anyone harassed. Any photographs sent in will have the faces of the leafleters blurred out.”

In the subsequent articles, any faces of ordinary campaigners that were visible were indeed completely obscured. We had no interest whatsoever in “publicly identifying” opposing campaigners, and did not do so.

I expect these untrue lines to be removed from the online version of the newspaper immediately, and an unequivocal apology for this disgraceful – and clearly deliberate, since there’s no possible way of reading our comments or actions to mean the exact opposite of what they said – smear to appear in tomorrow’s print edition.

Further to this matter, your smear also includes the utterly untrue assertion that:

“The claim about Ms Lally first appeared on the Wings Over Scotland website, run by former journalist Stuart Campbell, who has built a following among nationalist campaigners but caused outrage for his views, which include blaming the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster for the crush that killed them.”

I have never said, and would never, say such an appalling thing. I have said, and stand by the view, that OTHER Liverpool fans were partly culpable for the deaths of the 96. I have always made abundantly and repeatedly plain that the VICTIMS themselves were completely innocent.

If you can provide a quote from me saying otherwise, please do so. If not, kindly lift your excrement-covered heads out of the sewer for a few brief moments and withdraw and apologise for those remarks too.

Such gutter journalism is the shame of Scotland’s media. I will be in touch with the Press Complaints Commission.

Yours,
Rev. Stuart Campbell

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Bugger (the Panda)

They are rattled and they are coming to get you.

In case anyone hasn’t noticed this from the bottom of the centre column.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they come to fight you, and then you win.” (M.K. Gandhi)

Stuart Paterson

Get em tell’t Stu.

Bobby mckail

And the they come to fight you…..

Seasick Dave

“Nationalist’ campaigners?

What’s that all about then?

jackie

Wow. You must be really getting under their skin! You have been targeted. Congratulations.

Indy_Scot

Well done. These people need to be held to account for the lies and smears they make.

Lou Nisbet

You would think that the morons in charge at the NOrthBritishMan would count their sales V your readership and think before they publish such libels but hey – they’re morons.

I should think their falling sales figures are in direct proportion to their lying headlines. As they seem unable to stop lying we can look forward to the demise of this miserable rag.

TheGreatBaldo

Just tell us know when the fighting fund for the defamation case begins.

Grahame

Bang out of order. there are some decent Journos at the Scotsman, but some of them like to wallow around in the gutter

Oui Things

…then you have a big party to celebrate, and get happily drunk. Then you go to bed, then you wake up with a sair heed, then you have a full English whilst reading the Scottish press, then you laugh….

Stoops

Well said Sir. Let’s not tolerate this.

Maggie Craig

This is truly shocking. The Scotsman must print an apology and retraction.

steviecosmic

It’ll get worse. As Sillars said the other day (and I’m loath to quote him), MI5 and the CIA were in it up to their necks during the devolution referendum in 79, so to think that anything has changed since then is naive at best. I fully expect a story to appear soon of the Rev’s weird sex games, sex being the most effective flavour of smear. Or perhaps some alleged financial misdemeanour, nothing quite like a tax dodger to incite outrage.

No one, absolutely no one, expected this site to be as successful as it has been, and as such it represents a clear and present threat to the establishment.

Swello

It’s almost as if one of the hacks who wrote it used to work for the News of the World….

Brendan

The MSM are suddenly discovering that online sites are where people csn resd the truth free from spin and they hate to think that we might have access to facts.

Debbiethebruce

Just read this on-line,they never stop lying do they.

Hubby usually fills the copies at his local tescos with YES leaflets,although i question wether this will change the hard NO voters who are still reading this rag of a paper.

Pat

As someone who is living in Citalapram City at the moment, please take care off yourself Stu, I know you’re battle hardened anyway but still…

Devorgilla

Careful Stu. And all. Jim is warning about agents provocateurs.link to 1001campaign.com

joe kane

A straightforward lie.

The closer we get to the referendum vote the more the supporters of the British establishment are getting pro-Indy campaigners and activists wrapped up in non-referendum issues such as this one and others such as non-existent internet abuse.

Chani

They really hate the media exposure you are getting lately. I expect more of this type of nonsense to happen over the remaining period. Soon the Labour hatred of all things SNP will be eclipsed by their hatred of all things Wings.

Keep up the good work Stuart. It must be wearing but you have a ton of people supporting you and I am sure I speak for most when I say that we really appreciate what you do.

heedtracker

UKOK media’s dropped any pretence at professional journalism now, although the gits don’t use by-lines if their bettertogether propaganda is just too heavy, god knows why though.
link to archive.today

“Hillary Clinton intervenes in independence debate, declaring she would “hate” for Britain to “lose Scotland”.

And

“I would hate to have you lose Scotland,” Clinton told BBC 2’s Newsnight”

M4rkyboy

‘They’ are building a narrative around their own web of lies.
It’s like a delay pedal that’s on loop and growing chaotic.

frankieboy

The NO campaign are on the rack. Thankfully, the Scotsman won’t be on racks for much longer.
It has taken all the might and negativity of the MSM including BBC to let it be known that the Scottish branch of the British Labour Party held a meeting to declare their intention to vote NO.
I suspect all their huffing, puffing and faux outrage has given them high blood pressure and little else.
I also suspect that the Scotsman is perhaps doing its own clever placement marketing by mentioning a much larger news outlet like WoS to promote their own dinky, parochial gripe sheet. I hope they do not gain any clicks from any WoS. Thanks Stu, for reading through the trash so that we don’t have to.

Duncan Spence

Well said Reverend. Your grace and wit are an inspiration.

Elaine Colliar

@Devorgilla I need a break – now I have pictures of Mr Sillars in an underwear catalogue!! Putting on my right specs now!

Notice the bit they didn’t mention that despite being challenged to find people and photograph them …….. we couldn’t find any. Empty stations were all we could find.

Tumbleweeds ……………………….

Brian MacLeod

And that sort of thing is why I stopped buying the Scotsman.

I don’t mind an editorial stance in a newspaper, even if it is contrary to my views, but I do expect the reporting to be truthful.

If you know one thing they are reporting is a deliberate lie and distortion, then you have to wonder about everything else they publish.

So don’t drink from the poisoned chalice.

Indy_Scot

Given that Susan Dalgety has great enthusiasm for condescendingly explaining to people ‘how the media works in Scotland’, I’m sure she will be contacting the Scotsman to put them straight.

Oh sorry I’ve made a mistake, she knows how the media works in Scotland.

Achnababan

Project Fear has now been taken over by the UK Dirty Tricks squad comprised of ‘Scottish’ Labour, the BBC and shadowy figures and organisations charged with maintaining the ‘security’ of the Westminster establishment.

We must stay positive and aspirational if our country is to be free – do not let these people drag us into the gutter.

Do not hate them – pity them. We will be free so smile and carry on campaigning.

PS …. and don’t pay the licence fee

desimond

Its all getting personal so you know your doing well as theyre trying to play the player and not the game. Im sure if you have to crowd source a legal suit then he money will fly in

#McPetrocelli

TheItalianJob

So the attack is on for WOS and all of us contributers. As of 9.00am ths morning this Scotsman article had 286 comments.

Robert Kerr

As the actress said. “There is no bad publicity”

On radio, TV and the scotsman newspaper.

What’s not to like?

Seriously though.Take care.

Papadox

Hope you have better luck with the press complaints commission rev. Though as part of the state apparatus I won’t be holding my breath.

Remember “the mad hatters tea party” think that’s what “our” democracy is based on.

Hope I haven’t frightened our bullied any quivering unionist with my beliefs.

caz-m

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

Mahatma Gandhi.

Capella

This illustrates the expression “gutter press”. The lies mustn’t be tolerated. Well done on rattling their cage so effectively.

yerkitbreeks

I’m surprised, as the Hootsmon is part of the fan club, it didn’t resort to the Rowling description of you as Death Eaterish which I see the BBC today hides away

link to bbc.co.uk

Ian

I’m just waiting for your report on the 19th September, headlined “It’s Wings wot won it”.

Iain

Scoop McCombover on the byline. Now there’s a surprise.

Alfresco Dent

Who knew we were despised quite so much?

Training Day

They are shitting themselves. Smears is all they have left.

We are going to win, and that victory will in no small part be due to the efforts of Stuart Campbell.

cath

Why the PCC and not a libel lawyer?

sionnach

Shameful and scandalous, an object lesson in atrocious, unprofessional journalism. Still, it confirms (if any confirmation were needed) that Wings – and more specifically, the Reverend Stuart Campbell – has truly ARRIVED, and the world is taking notice. Gang canny, Stuart – we know you will, and we’re right there with you! 🙂

Albaman

Time to don the tin hat Stew, now that you have been ” visualised” on T.V. You are now a target for all the union press and their hacks!, trust none of em.

Les Wilson

Well, the Scotsman will obviously understand that online sites/ blogs, are mostly responsible for their sales going through the floor. This is yet another attempt to vilify our “community”, in the hope that some mud sticks, which is familiar across the Bitter Together alliance.

Still, this time it is personal!
Even less sales will be the result. Give them enough rope etc…….They reap what they sow. Take them to the cleaners ref, it looks like you have the right to do so.
Power to you!

Justin Ross

Johann Lamont in Parliament yesterday:

“Does the First Minister not realise that, if he does not sack Campbell Gunn, we can only conclude that all the bullying that goes on, wherever it comes from, is done by order, by design by him?”

That type of wild slur and accusation, which Ms Lamont regularly makes in the chamber (protected against prosecution for defamation by parliamentary privilege) is totally unacceptable, cheapens the debate and only encourages offensive comments in this debate, from all sides. “Leaders” should set an example and practice what they preach.

desimond

Rev, thanks for the edit, hope good intention was noted on my part.

gordoz

So what have we learned from this; what does it prove –

The NO campaign coalition of LABOUR / Tories ? & the other ones – (FKA Formerly Better Together)really do work hand in hand with most of the newspapers sold in Scotland.

The Newspapers really are little more than a front for the NO campaign – (AKA UK STATE).

It also proves they are targetting WoS full on; perhaps for highlighting this fact again and again.

TheItalianJob

We all know how important the internet, social media websites, YouTube etc is, in getting free speech out to the general public vs what is sent out by various governmemt’s supported msm.

desimond

@Justin

Of course now we can wait on some paper reporting “And there have been suggestions…First Minister..blah blah.” on which every NO spokeperson can then start referencing “reports are out there….” as hard facts.

Classic spin tactic.

galamcennalath

link to en.wikipedia.org

Defamation … is the communication of a false statement that harms the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government, religion, or nation. Most jurisdictions allow legal action to deter various kinds of defamation and retaliate against groundless criticism. …. In Scots law, as in other jurisdictions that base themselves on the civil law tradition, there is no distinction between libel and slander, and all cases are simply defamation. The equivalent of the defense of justification is “veritas”.

Sue the shirts off their backs!

Lindsey Smith

You tell them! Not that you should have to remind them of how to conduct themselves.

Is it any comfort that you must be doing something right, if they are lying about you?

Nation Libre

I’m ready to help fund a court appearance. Surely we must have a lawyer on our side who can take this on free gratis. Maybe even the setting up of a very visible fund would make them think twice in future. Or maybe, as I’m typing I’m thinking, is this what they want, Rev distracted during the run up?

MajorBloodnok

cath says: Why the PCC and not a libel lawyer?

…one thing at a time; there’s a process.

Illy

“Does the First Minister not realise that, if he does not sack Campbell Gunn, we can only conclude that all the bullying that goes on, wherever it comes from, is done by order, by design by him?”

I’m waiting for the retort that she obviously feels that being mistaken for Pat Lally’s daughter-in-law is a grave insult.

Where’s the defamation suit from Pat Lally’s daughter-in-law?

Cath

“I would hate to have you lose Scotland,” Clinton

Wow. She really “gets” Scotland, doesn’t she? I still hate that Britain “lost” the USA. Real shame that. They would have been much better still belonging to us. That’s
b us
Clinton, for the moment at least, Scotland as well.

heraldnomore

I’m sure what Ms Dalgety meant to say may have been:

Let me tell you how we work the media in Scotland.

Proud Cybernat

Then they come to fight you… and then you win.

They are bricking it.

Prof. Dumb Down

And what of the article’s claims in relation to your views on Hillsborough?

I suppose a lesson has been learned in respect of the importance of checking your facts are correct before publishing something.

This whole incident has exemplified the way people in BT and their friends in the press are content to manufacture outrage as they continue to demonise supporters of independence. However, it hasn’t been a great week for this website.

I suppose on the plus side page views must be up and now you know the first ministers’s special adviser is an avid reader, perhaps even Alex himself.

Kenneth McCargow

Don’t let the buggers grind you down, Stu. You’re doing a marvellous job, and you have many supporters who are totally behind you.

Conan_the_Librarian

We’re winning.

Bob W

@Stu

The claim made, in the article, in the paragraph preceding the one you quoted above, is in my view, even more defamatory,

haud on the noo

Sorry to go OT so early.
Stopped the Scotsman ages ago, then the Herald likewise so have been getting the FT (I need a paper) – been pleased as its pretty much factual in content.

Today carries an opinion piece by Philip Stephens (no idea who he is) on the Referendum – its as bad as the guff in the other press..another paper loses sales.

I aint the best with words so someone smarter than I can email philip.stephens@ft.com.

Nana Smith

Go get em Stu, more power to your elbow!

desimond

Rev,
Noticed last night that Tesco Express are doing Stella Raspberry Cidre ( not cider!) for £1.50

Take 3 quid out the kitty tonight and sit back and smile with a couple of cold ones. You deserve it.

Flower of Scotland

They are really trying to shut the online debate down. They can’t control it and it’s ALL about control. You are doing sterling work Rev. It’s very much admired and appreciated. They must be really worried!

Muscleguy

Rev Stu, get out now and obtain a paper copy of the Hootsmon on English soil. Document the purchase. Then you can sue them for libel in England both because you live there and because you can prove the material was published in England. They will retract, apologise and correct with alacrity. No way can they afford that.

Janet Macbeath

Like all ‘porkies’ it will be grilled, put in a roll and eaten for breakfast ..just another meal for ‘yes’.
Sad to see Jim Sillars misreading and misrepresenting the truth …

eezy

Gutter Press absolutely.
I know you won’t let this go.
Bye, bye Scotsman.

Justin Ross

Cath

That “lose” Scotland bit really stuck in my craw too. So Britain is to “lose” it’s “colony” of Scotland, just like it lost it’s American colonies in 1783?

I would have expected someone of Hilary Clinton’s experience to be a bit wiser and more careful in her choice of words. I guess it does show that many people furth of Scotland, regardless of their experience, just really don’t get what the independence campaign is actually all about.

Votadini Jeannie

I think we can all safely agree that the gloves are well and truly off, and the fight is getting dirtier. And we all know who’s side the referee is on.

Keep the heid folks, and mind your manners (not that the Wingmen need to be told that anyway) – even breathing the wrong way will now be taken as an evil smear attempt orchestrated by the First Minister.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t let lies and deceit go unchallenged, we just need to be really careful about how we word our comments. Don’t give them another inch, then they won’t be able to stretech out the mileage.

gordoz

O/T

On a brighter note – some good news emerges from recent Survation Poll re / the North East & Glasgow

The latest survey by Survation showed that 43.5% of people in the NE region would vote Yes if the referendum was held tomorrow, while 38.3% said No.

Support for independence in Scotland’s biggest city was up six points to 44.5%, while the proportion of No voters was down about four points to 35.4%.

Now that is good news –

link to pressandjournal.co.uk

Justin Ross

If anyone wants to crowdsource funds for the Rev. to take legal action, count me in too. You do a fantastic job Stuart, it’s just really depressing that the vast majority of the MSM seem unable or unwilling to search for the facts and the truth in every story too.

Dcanmore

The Distraction Wars, to try and tie up your opponent in frivolous distraction to keep them away from analysing and deconstructing their opponents line of attack and outing their lies and deceit.

The Scotsman, now being a zombie title, is now nothing more that tool for the British State, it is being fed and kept on life support by the British State. Even if there’s a NO vote it won’t survive hence its own trashing of any credibility it has left as a journalistic tome. If you want to know what living death looks like, look at the Hootsman.

TheItalianJob

They can’t shut down the online debate. Look what it did for the Arab Spring, which the msm praised to high heaven for the freedom that it brought to many citizen’s of those countries.

Tartan Tory

The ‘informed’ demographic of Scotland is becoming polarised along two divergent paths. There are those who accept political and media spin, which has an obvious editorial bias and which thinks itself, beyond reproach.

These are the people who read the newspapers from whatever standpoint or hue they emanate. They believe the BBC is gospel and that clouds are made of fluffy cotton wool with kittens bouncing on it. They live in a bubble with an exaggerated surface tension which they don’t want to be burst. These people are not stupid! However, they are so wrapped-up in their own problems that they don’t even want to consider the alternative of what may actually be happening in the real world, if they lift their gaze from the print or the TV screen. In soviet terms, the mainstream media in the UK has become the opium of the masses.

Then, there are the inquiring minds, the ones less content to believe everything they see in print, or on the TV. Some decry them as cynics and conspiracy theorists. They are, in fact, skeptics. They can be found here and other on-line places, where skullduggery is exposed regardless of its origins. They make life in the clouds uncomfortable for those who stop to look beyond the rainbow-clad horizon.

Finally, there is a third demographic. The ill-informed glut who exist in the world of soap operas, celebrity culture and Playstation reality. They get their news from FaceBook and they can be vociferous in their condemnation of people/events via their keyboards. These are the people who suggest a mass burning of Harry Potter novels and post hateful messages to people who go public with opposing views. Sometimes, the views are not even opposing – they are just a band-waggon to jump onto, because somebody in their circle has started it rolling.

The problem is that it is all too easy for the mainstream media to lump the ‘informed skeptics’ in with the loony FaceBook fringe, since they share the same (Internet) platform. In essence, Internet becomes BAD, whilst print/TV is GOOD.

Here we have a publication which may once have appeared to be a noble broadsheet (The Scotsman) using gutter tactics to infer that Stuart/Wings is more akin to the FaceBook Fringe than anything else. We need to counter this in every way that we can, although I doubt if the PCC is the short-term answer. Wings has to be seen as a beacon of information and truth to those who might otherwise believe the mainstream media, not as a group of anarchists on a mission to suppress opposition through aggression.

Rise above it and keep-on doing what you are doing. The fact that the mainstream media are having to involve you during this past week, only shows that you are getting to them. Keep it up. 🙂

gordoz

Is this not right up the ‘Peat worriers’ Street ?

NODROG

A little O/T.

Ferguslie Park, Paisley. Often referred to as the most deprived area of Europe. It has been said they suffer the worst of the worst and have no reason to vote because nothing changes anyway. If you remember Stuart this was highlighted in an article , I believe , on the same John Beattie programme when you were interviewed. At the end of the article a man was interviewed who said he had a community hall which he could fill with 500 people and challenged that someone should come and convince those people why they should vote. In the current furor I had forgotten this but I now bring it to your attention. If you have access to Blair Jenkins, Nicola Sturgeon , Jim Sillars , Tommy Sheridan, etc. please encourage them to get there buts down there and talk to those folk, if they have not already done so. Accept the challenge. By the way I do not think they read The Scotsman!

Free Scotland

I wonder how many undecideds or soft no voters read that article, then came to this site, then had one of those “light-bulb” moments, and decided they would never again buy that rag. Its very name is a joke: any Scotsman worth his salt would be ashamed to be associated with it. There is a plus, though: it could count as yet another unionist own-goal.

Haggis Hunter

Riddicule has always been the weapon of choice for the unionists.
The Scotsman has been considered a crank organisation for some years now. It has turned off its readers who, rightly, dont consider LabServative spin as news.

Devereux

Rev I rarely comment but often on. You guys are great ,witty, funny and a big reason Yes is on the move. But you are playing in to their hands by reacting. Truth – these spats deter undecideds from coming on – you are now the story. Pursue a legal recourse and or apology in private. Open letters will give their story oxygen. Ignore them . Give them the butterfly.

JLT

Rev …said it the last two days. I had an uneasy feeling when you were asked to appear on various programs. They’re definitely gunning for you.

Chin up, big man. Less than a 100 days to go. Once the 19th passes. We’ll either have won or lost …but I expect things to clam down, and common sense to prevail.

Just bear with it, Rev. You’re doing a great job in the face of insurmountable odds. David slew Goliath. There’s nothing to say that we can’t do the same here.

Stick to the higher ideal, and we will win.

Dr Ew

SCENE: Somewhere deep in the bowels of Pacific Quay…

COMMANDER JAMES BOND (ret.): Come on now, Macquarrie! THe Scotsman are doing their bit but it’s not enough! We’ve got to do more to stop him and his damned Wings Over Scotland! Something, anything to poison the brand. Think now… evil… Wings…

KEN MACQUARRIE: Can we get Paul McCartney to sue him over the name?

JB: No! We need something really nasty, something that’ll stick. Think, think!

KM: Um…

JB: Evil… reverend… religion… beard…

KM & JB slowly turn to look at one another. They smile, then…

JB & KM (together): AL-QAIDA!!!

They laugh.

KM: I’ll get right on it, sir!

KM: Er… Jesus?

JB: Hardly.

that beard… the religious title…

He’s AL-QAal-Qaida!!!

TheItalianJob

Stu. I wondered why you missed the Hillsborough bit, the first time you posted. I couldn’t believe it when I cliccked on the Scotsman online.

Absolutely defamatory. You have every right to go to the PCC and complain.

Nana Smith

@NODROG

Brilliant idea…I did spot this when it was first highlighted. Please keep pressing for a debate in that area

Dr Ew

Yeh… buggered that up not deleting first go. Try again!

Dr Ew says:
13 June, 2014 at 10:22 am

SCENE: Somewhere deep in the bowels of Pacific Quay…

COMMANDER JAMES BOND (ret.): Come on now, Macquarrie! THe Scotsman are doing their bit but it’s not enough! We’ve got to do more to stop him and his damned Wings Over Scotland! Something, anything to poison the brand. Think now… evil… Wings…

KEN MACQUARRIE: Can we get Paul McCartney to sue him over the name?

JB: No! We need something really nasty, something that’ll stick. Think, think!

KM: Um…

JB: Evil… reverend… religion… beard…

KM & JB slowly turn to look at one another. They smile, then…

JB & KM (together): AL-QAIDA!!!

They laugh.

KM: I’ll get right on it, sir!

Nation Libre

You can see where they’re going with this, give you a bit of profile on the media to identify you and WoS to the greater public then gradually drip feed these sorts of lies over the next few days. All within a certain timescale that even if the lies are corrected, it will be too late and certainly the correction will not receive the same coverage as the lies. Sadly what I think they don’t understand is that WoS has such a following, we can all see it happening and can point it out to friends and colleagues. It’s just more proof of media corruption. You can blow out a candle, but you can’t blow out a fire…

Devereux

What I mean is we should be analysing Hilary Clintons comments so that when I go round the doors I can direct people to it . …not the obvious fact the hootsman is off its trolley.

kalmar

It’s funny, in one of the recent interviews, Stu was pulled up for the remark about Lally lying about the NHS status, saying “you can say things like that on the internet but couldn’t get away with saying it on air or in print” (despite having just said it very clearly). But here’s a clear example of the press directly printing the sort of smears you see on Twitter from nutcase stalkers!

JLT

Tartan Tory
They believe the BBC is gospel and that clouds are made of fluffy cotton wool with kittens bouncing on it.

Ha ha ha …love it!

Ghengis D'Midgies

Well nobody with a brain reads the Scotsman anyway but I am certain that the worthless BBC will somehow manage to give the liars oxygen.

Bob W

@Stu

As an aside, whether or not a retraction is forthcoming, you could use the spare shiny badges as perks to fund a case for defamation. (BTW when are they going to appear through our letterboxes?)

Murray McCallum

As well as defame Rev Stuart Campbell they are effectively defaming every participant on this site.

I am willing to contribute to whatever it takes to get the Scotsman to publicly and unreservedly apologise.

Seasick Dave

The more they indulge in this destructive behaviour, the clearer it becomes that we must vote Yes.

Scotland has been kept under mossy boards for decades by this negative outlook and now that the boards are being lifted, we can see a brighter future.

We must thank Mr McComb and Ms Dalgety for their views because they help to focus our minds on the prize that lies waiting for us.

Keep focused Rev and don’t let this distract you.

G H Graham

Get used to it Stu.

In my previous career, I whistle blew on a company in the USA that killed 14 of its employees and endured a multi million dollar war against me for several years.

Some puerile copy then in The Scotsman should be easy to deal with.

By the way, the more attention you get means the closer your knife is getting to cutting out their heart.

Keep stabbing away buddy. You have thousands of us on your side.

Haggis Hunter

Rev., you are doing a great job.
The Brit media is an embarrassment, with 1/2 million people fleeing extremism in Iraq and storms wrecking parts of Northern Germany, they can only come out with the usual pash about CyberNats and poor Mrs Lally, it’s cheesing off the real ordinary people, and the average Scottish voter is not so dumb that they will take this onboard.

heedtracker

Behind this WoS attack by the Scotsman is the fact that the even more hideous Daily Mail did exactly what the Scotsman’s accusation is all about ” photograph their opponents so that they can be publicly identified.”

link to wingsoverscotland.com

The PPC isn’t going to do anything, they never do. There’s good youtube vids of Daily Mail photographers taking photos of people outside BetterTogether offices in Glasgow. They use men in parked cars taking photos as two other Mail hacks approach and photograph people on the pavement and they really do not appreciate being photographed themselves. Such is teamGB media.

desimond

No mention that you like Rats?…cant believe they missed that opporchancity!

faolie

Put my tuppence worth into the North Briton’s comments. Surprised it was accepted.

heedtracker

Sorry, the PCC isn’t going to do anything, they never do!

dennis mclaughlin

I’m quite sure WOS legal dept will be in action soon if no retraction is forthcoming….
Legal funding is assured by all on here.
Keep up your sterling efforts on our behalf, you ARE appreciated.

David MacLeod

The Daily Record, online edition anyway, nice picture of a man looking harassed by a DR journo who, it is claimed, is a “cybernat” that tweeted something about putting Sarwar against the wall come indy.

From looking at the evidence, he’s a rubbish cybernat as his digital footprint is practically non existant.

However, his non obscured face is there for all to see.

Conan_the_Librarian

@ desimond

“No mention that you like Rats?”

Professional courtesy…

Milady de Winter

Well epic fail fail for the Scotsman if they were trying to put people off WOS. Just put £10 in your donation box because of this. Have been lurking here for some time and have found WOS to be an invaluable source of unbiased info about the indyref issues. I am becoming more and more disillusioned with the main media reporting. Two years ago I would probably have instinctively voted no…being a risk averse woman ..ahem. Thankfully I realised a year ago that I needed to start engaging and researching properly and when I did..well let’s just say I am now YES and evangelical about it. I wish I could afford to donate more but am retired now so not able to do a JK Rowling but I hope that continuing to try and raise and discuss real facts with friends and family will be worth as much.

Helpmaboab

Euan McColm can’t be responsible for that article. It contains punctuation marks.

Brian Powell

As an alumni of St Andrews University I received the Chronicle, the University magazine.

In it was an article by Brian Taylor; The Independence Debate, and one gem jumped out at me:

“I am playing my part in scrutinising and analysing the competing arguments in Scotland’s independence referendum”.

How I laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

gerry parker

@galamcennalath

“Sue the shirts off their backs!”

Aye Stu, have them sobbing as they sign the compensation cheque, it was not only you that was defamed, but every one of us.
And my feelings have been really badly hurt.

🙂

john king

“I am willing to contribute to whatever it takes to get the Scotsman to publicly and unreservedly apologise.”

I’m with you on that one Murray!

Onwards

Don’t think that Hillary Clinton quote will go down too well in Scotland.

It comes across like we are some kind of possession.

Fairliered

I will be delighted to help crowd fund legal action against the Scotsman. Losing a court case would hopefully be enough to finally finish of the rag.

john king

“And my feelings have been really badly hurt.”

A feel the tears welling up right noo. 🙁

heedtracker

So who runs the noble and not corrupt Press Complaints Commission then? Vote No Guardian says it some one called

“Lord Black. He may not be a household name but the Conservative peer, director of the company behind the Daily Telegraph”

You really couldn’t invent a bigger teamGB farce. Dinnae waste your time Rev. They’ll have a good laugh and take as long as they possibly can and long after Scottish independence too.

Liquid Lenny

Prof. Dumb Down

Where do you get the bad week for this website from?

Ive been away for a couple of days and have missed much of the furore regarding the Lally woman. However, I read the original WOS article and the Rev did not state that she was Pat Lally’s daughter in law. He may have thought out loud that this may have been the case but that was all.

In my humble opinion its not been a bad week for this website, there are hundreds of thousands more people who now know about the website, and there are tens of thousands if not more that saw the Rev on TV and would have concluded that he was a decent chap.

I would imagine that the page views are due for another spike.

Nana Smith

O/T but we need a laugh.

Nana Smith,

It’s my honour to invite you to join my table at a Labour dinner and party hosted by Ed Miliband on 9 July in London.

Please make a suggested donation of £3 to help us win the next election, and you (and a friend) will be automatically entered into a draw to be my guests at Labour’s annual gala dinner next month.

You’ll have a chance to chat with Ed Miliband, and then you’ll join me at my table for dinner.

We want to give this opportunity to supporters from anywhere in the country, so Labour will cover travel to London and a night’s accommodation for you and your guest.

There will be many great and inspiring Labour supporters, campaigners and politicians there to celebrate — and I hope you’ll be there too.

Good luck, and I hope to see you on the night.

Doreen

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE

P.S. You can fill out this form to enter without donating, but we really do need more funds to beat the Tories next year, and even as little as £3 will help!

Weedeochandorris

Steady now Stu. You knew this was going to happen, you’ve always known they’d come at you, and so have all of us on here. *Breathe*. Keep your think straight hat on. You know how to deal with this lot, you’re too smart, too upstanding and tell the truth way too much for their agenda. Don’t take the bait. All their lying and deceit will all come out in the wash anyway.

Doug Mcgregor

What a pity that Mrs Clinton couldn’t wait till the 4th of next month to advise us of the benefits of our union.

Mike

Stu Dont allow yourself to get bogged down in the smear game with another publication or you will forget your main purpose of exposure and news distribution. Whatever you do do not let the unionist media distract you from the exemplary work youre doing and all you have accomplished to date. Keep digging and keep showing the relevent articles that make this site the one they are all afraid of.

Joss Lorenson

I’m sorry but in what way were “other” Liverpool fans culpable for the deaths at Hillsborough? This disaster was a result of a failure of policing, not “other” Liverpool fans. You’d do well to educate yourself on this subject before you talk rubbish.

Grouse Beater

As I said yesterday, the power elite have no rational argument to retain Scotland so they must defame and bully to control.

According to wise sage Rowling, (as distinct from the unwashed masses who use the internet) Scotland is too intellectually poor and too weak to withstand life in the 21st century, so we should take the slings and arrows as they come for Westminster will give us a hug at bedtime.

Zap them in the badoolas, Stuart!

desimond

@Doug McgDregor

Theres a “Hilary, Come on!” joke to be a dress’d in there somewhere im sure!

big jock

Yes someone needs to take the Scotsman to court over the multiple lies they have been getting away with. Enough is enough they are now verging on insanity. The rot has to stop we will all help you take them down Stu.

Roddy Macdonald

Euan McColm and John McTernan pontificating on internet nastiness. RIP Irony. The funeral will be on Monday.

Tony

“OTHER Liverpool fans were partly culpable for the deaths of the 96”

Appalling statement.

fairiefromtheearth

I know what i would do to these people that lie to the public but the Revs TOO forgiven for that. I see the liberty tree we can deal with this SCUM with laws (witch are probably already their but the public funded police dont work for the public) after Victory Freedom. 😉

Proud Cybernat

The Hootsman don’t realise it, do they? That they are dealing with People Power here. They will lose – big time.

Doug Mcgregor

I read that central Scotland is one big shale deposit , as fracking is now forbidden in the Home counties then it has to be somewhere , our aristocracy with its mineral rights still intact will be rubbing their hands in expectation. Just get this damn fool independence out of the way.

norrie

Rev get a lawyer lined up now. Let him deal with all the paperwork, correspondance ect. Please don’t play into thier hands and get distracted. I will contribute like many others.

handclapping

Mr Martin said: “Some of the most vicious cybernats pump out material which feeds the First Minister’s office. The First Minister’s office doesn’t lead the abuse; they are led by it.”

But I thought that us evil cybernats were personally led by the FM in a batsuit. Come on NO thinks, which is it?

Doug Mcgregor

Don’t sue them Rev , they’re skint!

Al

Project Fear know that whenever their scaremongering is challenged, it falls apart. These stories today and in the last few days are there to distract us from challenging their “too wee, too poor, too stupid” mantra and its variants. Lets not allow them to succeed.

fairiefromtheearth

I wonder if they will give us a few terrorist false flags or would that backfire on them? your only safe in the union these terrorists are just waiting to set up the Islamic State of Scotland lol wouldent put it past them.

A. Murray

Run a fund raiser to pay for any legal expenses and I will pitch in.

bookie from hell

Wings over Scotland has MSM and mspoliticians rattled

your mentioned on TV and newspapers,at least it will take people to the site

REV in your dreams,I don’t think you thought you would be in this position

fairiefromtheearth

cmon trolls im putting down the onion and my selin is sooo bad.

bookie from hell

If Hillary was against Irish Independece her run for the White House would be doomed

Clydebuilt

heedtracker says:
13 June, 2014 at 10:31 am

There’s good youtube vids of Daily Mail photographers taking photos of people outside BetterTogether offices in Glasgow. They use men in parked cars taking photos as two other Mail hacks approach and photograph people on the pavement

How do you know they work for the Daily Mail

Nobby Power

Another one right behind you in this, sir. Don’t stand for it.

Marian

The Westminster establishment are clearly getting very worried about the way things are going for them in this campaign when they are using the flimsiest of excuses to attack and try to shut down what they see as their implacable enemies in the YES supporting social media.

All along they have been desperately creating smokescreens to try to divert voters attention away from any talk that gives light to the overwhelming case for independence but now that has turned to trying to shut down online opposition altogether.

Nicola Sturgeon was at Craiglockart the other evening and gave a brilliant speech and question and answer session on independence. Journalists were present but nothing has appeared in the media because they don’t want the case for independence to be given the oxygen of publicity.

Westminster and its acolytes please take note that this is an affront to democracy and most certainly not the kind of nation state most of us in Scotland want to live in.

HandandShrimp

Euan in a huff that you were the telly again?

It is also worth pointing out that the photos proved that in many instances there were no Better Together activists to be seen anywhere which was the point we were trying to make.

It is also worth pointing out that most activists are photographed in action by their own side and the pics put up on the Yes Scotland and Better Together Facebook pages. I know on the Yes side people are more than happy to be seen doing their bit. I would imagine the same is the same on the BT side…or is Unionism the love that dares not speak its name?

ronnie anderson

Rev, Reach out & touch somebody’s hand ( wie a Twase )

make this World a better place,withoot liers in the Land.

msean

” I’d hate to have you lose Scotland” oh dear,does she mean like a person loses a thing they own? We are not owned,but some seem to feel that Scotland is a possession of England as they see it. We,the people of Scotland,own Scotland,it has our name on it.

Robert Kerr

Count me in for a fighting fund too.

Talk to Tommy Sheridan re defamation lawyers.

Good luck

Gillie

First they ignore you,
then they laugh at you,
then they come to fight you,
and then you win. (M.K. Gandhi)

Well that is the first three stages complete, just one to go.

When you consider the depths of abuse on the Scotsman site they really do need to shut up.

fairiefromtheearth

Im just wondering could i print a load of lies about liebour polititions and put them through every letterbox in Scotland and nothing would be done about it, or how about the poor wee lassie Lally could i print the truth about her and post it round her area you know exposing the FACT that she dosent look after her weans 24/7 like jalo said, no shes got plenty of time for the liebour party and you know what happens to GOOD people once they start hanging around the liebour party.

heedtracker

PCC’s even got gorgeous pouting Trevor Kavanagh, Sun political editor, the Murdoch UKOK bootboy that makes Kelvin MacKenzie look like Snow White. There’s also a vote no Guardian ligger in there, for the good old teamGB balance n shit.

Truth

@Rev Stu

As someone said the other day, I hope you have swept your place for bugs since you were out at studios all day the other day.

Personally, I’d be thinking of replacing all my IT equipment as well. I’m sure nobody would mind you spending the crowdsourcing money on keeping yourself safe.

gordoz

Rev: In case you haven’t seen this –

Its worth a read too.

link to newsnetscotland.com

Dorothy Devine

Happy to contribute to taking the Scotsman to the cleaners.

Someone wrote that there are good journalists on the Scotsman – care to name them?

kalmar

“Evil cybernats destroy much loved institution The Scotsman.”

john king

Janet MacBeath says
“Sad to see Jim Sillars misreading and misrepresenting the truth …”

Your restraint does you credit Janet I on the other hand saw red when I read that idiotic open letter by Sillers, what by all that is holy is that man playing at?
I had post this on the last thread.

What in Gods name is Jim Sillars playing at?
link to 1001campaign.com

Is he for real?
its akin to berating the guy run over by a bus for being run over by a bus,
all he’s doing here is playing in the unionists brass band,
no scrub that he’s put down the Tuba and taken the conductors stick,

Shut yer face Jim your only adding to their faux anger!
for every one knuckle dragger from the yes side you can see a hundred on the no side protected by the complicity of the msm (yawn) but going off on one like that only feeds the trolls,

Maybe you would have been better advised to look at Robin McAlpines post on Bella before you started painting us all with the pot of tar and the brush they gave you!

Dorothy Devine

Kalmar – YES please!

fairiefromtheearth

LOL the way BT are going on you would THINK they are behind in the pools. That we have the numbers advantage why else are they scared of repucutions(ye ye i cant spell) after the vote?

Bawheid Bragg

If it comes to a court case I have to wonder if Johnstone Press can even afford a lawyer, never mind damages!
who knows – if it happens & you win Rev, they might just have to give you the keys to the building as compensation! 😉

john king

repercussions?

grahamlive

It seems you’ve got them rattled Rev. You’ve clearly gotten too big for your boots and they don’t like it one bit.

Keep up the excellent work Though Stuart, this website has been of great help to me and I’m sure thousands of others. I’ve used the info on this site to sway the minds quite a of a few doubters, any hopefully many more before the referendum.

Fergus Green

Stuart, if Johnston Press have to hand over the Scotsman titles as compensation, would you mind keeping the crossword?

Conan_the_Librarian

@ Bawheid Bragg

As far as I know JP is selling it to a computer games company.

msean

Chaos in Iraq ,B-52’s back at Fairford,I hope the uk aren’t getting involved again,even as a base for bombing missions.

Andrew Brown

I too will contribute to any fighting fund you set up Stu. It’s high time someone in the MSM or BT was legally held to account for spouting completely untrue rubbish ‘pour encourager les autres’. As someone else said they can’t fight fairly because they know they’ll lose.

David Martin

The naysayers are well and truly rattled now. I was concerned when the Rev appeared on telly; a modicum of publicity, then the smears and knock down.

fairiefromtheearth

Well all i mean is if no wins are they expecting a civil war or mobs of angry yes supporters lynching no supporters? cause thats what they are implying.

heedtracker

@ Clydebuilt, the YouTube vid I watched is titled Daily Mail journalists taking photos of people in Blytheswood Square, Glasgow, outside BetterTogether office, with the vid showing youngish female, a man and another man in a car nearby with camera taking all their pictures too.

Cath

“Sad to see Jim Sillars misreading and misrepresenting the truth ”

I don’t think he is. My feeling is that post is a warning to yes supporters. It’s absolutely obvious what they’re trying to do, and that is rile Yes supporters, generate anger, try and get a reaction. Then they’ll use that reaction. But it may not be as clear-cut as just pasting it on the front of the Daily Record. At some point the “online abuse” narrative will need to shift to the well worn “real life” one.

That’s what happened in the 1970s when independence was nowhere near close – there was only devolution proposals then. To shift it from online to real life, will obviously mean real people within the grassroots doing that same kind of riling up, then trying to make that anger spill over.

He’s just saying careful out there and don’t be that one eejit, I think.

Tony Little

@Tony

“OTHER Liverpool fans were partly culpable for the deaths of the 96?

Appalling statement.

Why is stating the obvious truth an appalling statement? People were being crushed by other people pushing on when there was no where to go. Did they STOP and refuse to go on further? No they didn’t. Are they SOLEY culpable – NO, and that’s not what Rev Stu was suggesting. Are the Police culpable? Yes to a larger degree. But it is not acceptable for people who refused to stop moving,. despite pleading by others close to the front, to abdicate ALL responsibility and place it elsewhere.

A lot went wrong at Hillsborough. the ONLY people completely blameless are the victims.

R. Duncan

Now that your a face on TV they will do everything in their power to tar you as a Cyber-natzi Stu.

Your doing an incredible job and have the support of all your Wings readers. I know it must take its toll and we are all human but know this, WE ARE RIGHT BEHIND YOU STU.

90 odd days to go and the whole State against you now will have been blown away . Keep up the great work you do , you are not alone.

As for the hootsmon…… does anyone take that rag seriously. I doubt it. Talk about cyber bullies. That rag has the very worst of them. I never go near it because of comments pages. They are Scotlands shame.

We’re with you Stu.

desimond

Doug Mcgregor

Those central frackers!

link to frackoffscotland.org.uk

Neil MacGillivray

I will be pleased to contribute to a defamation lawsuit.

desimond

Tony (and Tony)

Focus!

desimond

Tony (and Tony)

Focus!

Cath

Oh, and be wary of anyone who appears a bit too passionate and shouty.

ronnie anderson

Read all about it, read all about it.

Hands knees whoops ah daisy

Hootsman slips in ah shit puddle

of their own making.

Any WOS activists with legal degree’s ( lawyers)

want to be be put on a retainer,jist in case the Rev

decides to use the Wit of the Writ, crowdfunded of course.

[…] « To the editor of the Scotsman […]

Juan Pablo Del Roomigrant

I’d like tae thank you Rev, you are gien me the strength tae take on my bully of a landlord.

I’ve been, and still am bein bullied rotten, but nae mer.

On Monday I am seeing a lawyer

Cheers again.

ronnie anderson

Remember Remember the 4th of July WOS nite oot in Emburgh

its Ronnie rantin no rhymin.

fairiefromtheearth

Cath do you think we are too stupid to Nationalise the oil? cause Jim Silly dose too stupid for that are the Scots out his own mouth.

Helena Brown

Any fighting fund to wipe any sort of smile of these peoples faces will be duly supported by our household. It is time someone took them and their lying to task, they have got away with just about murder and what worries me is that this might be their next move. Time to stop it now.
O/T I have a wee smile on my face at the picture of cybernats people must have, and Wings seems to be the target. Well we will fight them with oor zimmers, etc.
Anyone under the age of 50 is excused.

Adrian B

@ Tony Little,

I think that if the comment that you are replying to had an smily face then the contact may not have been misconstrued. 😉

ronnie anderson

@ Cath thats me telt then.

Adrian B

sorry context. Bl**dy auto correct.

TheItalianJob

Stu. Any further funding required, I with this 100%. Let us know what you need and I will contribute.

We shall not take this lying (no pun intended) down.

Sinclair Macleod

I’m sorry, but the Liverpool supporters were culpable of nothing more than wanting to see a football match.
The problems with Hillsborough started long before that day.

Thatcher’s cages, the FA’s decision to use a ground that LFC had already expressed concerns over, the decision to put the Liverpool fans in the wrong end, the truly awful policing of the fans who were treated like cattle. These were the reasons for the deaths.

As for the MSM, we are now seeing the real bitterness at the heart of the No campaign and the Scotsman has just sunk to new levels. However, I fear it won’t be as low as it’s going to get.

Capella

Hilary Clinton is well aware of the irony of regretting that “Britain” will lose Scotland. Apparently, during her election campaign, she used to write under the moniker “Paula Revere” in honour of the great American patriot who rode through the night to warn the rebels about the approach of the British troops.
link to tinyurl.com
The Clintons also paid the obligatory visits to Ireland as no American President can afford to ignore the Irish vote back home.
She will be responding, like Obama, to appeals from DC to stick up for the UK in return for our support in the Middle East and Ukraine.

galamcennalath

Jings! Wit a stoochie, things are gettin’ fair het up!

BT politicians losing the plot, MSM slurs, probable false flag activity, foreign interventions … it can only mean one thing … they realise they are losing!

The question is, just how far are they willing to go to preserve their Union?

Their problem is, of course, when they get caught out not playing with a straight bat it turns even more opinion against them!

I’m beginning to wonder if the best tactic for BT would have been to never have moved beyond the ignore stage! Hate to suggest it, but BT and followers might be generating just as much Yes support, than Yes campaigning has.

However, BT et al have progressed to the fight stage. What they don’t appreciate is that it cannot degenerate into ‘no hold barred’ because that will be their certain downfall.

Tony Little

@Adrian

Ah! Maybe. I am just fed up with the “blindness” some people possess over that tragedy.

And, yes @desimond, you are right – our focus needs to be on the prize.

Cath

Jim Sillers eh ok time to take the gloves off Margo is spinning in her grave you STUPID old man

I really doubt that. I suspect Sillars knows Margo somewhat better than any of us do, and they would be in agreement about what’s needed to win. As I say, I read his piece as a warning to yes supporters. The gloves are certainly off now. But in terms of the media, we’re fighting an opponent we can’t possibly win against – we can’t even compete.

We CAN win the referendum despite this but not by fighting them on the turf the choose.

Ali

Scotsman is a hateful rag. It’s demise can’t come soon enough for me. Stay strong Stu you’ve got loads of people supporting you. Remember how quickly you raised your fundraising target.

Dan Huil

I’m afraid you can expect more abuse and lies targeted at you,Stu. Don’t forget your supporters are with you 100%. The number of WOS followers continues to grow whilst readers of rags like The “Scotsman” continue to decrease. That says it all.

Mealer

Bypass the media.Take our message straight to the people.

desimond

The worse thing about this weeks events has been no coverage of William Hague out and about with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Shame as that could have had all the groups in Tartan Torys listing logging onto Wings at the same time!

Brian McHugh

In support of Stu and all Wingers, my first post under my real name. From now on, only my real name will be used to counter the lies from the MSM that Cybernats are below human. I’m still a Proud Cybernat, Winger and very much normal (well, as much as normal exists) and definitely human (I hope) LOL 😉

a2

“former journalist”, to my mind is the most sinister bit as it suggests they don’t understand what journalism actually entails.

IE finding out stuff and reporting it accurately. Oh!

Ulfisch

As vile as this general smear campaign is, I am afraid its showing some effect. Was out canvassing yesterday and had some remarks made about “Alex Salmond bullying that poor woman”. So the general strategy is clear….turn the independence debate into something that feels unpleasant for the general voter and most of all….keep them away from the internet.
The NO campaign obviously does not give a Shit about the long term divisions they create.

Let’s get the debate away from this and focus on the positive future an independent Scotland will offer.

heedtracker

Future Prez Clinton’s rewarding Westminster for all their support in Iraq, Afghanistan, spending hundreds of billions on US arms and above all else, marching off to the next UK/USA war and the next and the next. Note how she stayed out of England leaving the EU.

We need to ask ourselves questions like is it worth sticking with the giant ukok war machine (4th largest on the planet) and a neocon US/Westminster foreign policy of attack and war.

Schrodingers Cat

fairiefromtheearth

rev, please ban this insulting troll

Adrian B

@Tony Little,

Yes I agree. Good to see you back commenting on Wings.

kendomacaroonbar

Stu,

I am up for making a donation to a legal fighting fund to hit these guys where it hurts most…their pockets.

desimond

Latest email updates from that nice wee wummin frae Irvine…

Yesterday’s poll in the Daily Record shows us nearly neck-and-neck with No – and it reveals that if Scots believe David Cameron will win the next general election, we’re in a clear majority.

Those moving to Yes this week include the Head of Muslim Friends of Labour in Scotland, Anum Qaisar, senior Labour Party official Jamie Kerr, and Taggart star Alex Norton.

More positive news – Yes Scotland research shows that undecided voters are now moving to Yes at a rate of two to one.

David Wardrope

I have to say, I’ve lost a bit of my humour over the last couple of days. FMQs yesterday was the last straw for me, I cannot and will not have any time for people who share the views of their 3 unionist party leaders from now on. These (alledged) heads of their party are in minority Scottish government, the only way to gain ground is to gain voters and I am sick fed up listening to them call me vile, a virus, a nazi, a racist is no way to win a popular vote. And to call straight up justified opinion as an attack on people?

There are an idiotic few who will post rubbish but to tar all with the same brush?? Should I from now on suggest that all labour voters supported the Iraq invasion? I am vexed that they believe all Yes supporters opinions come directly from Alex Salmond himself, I assume it’s just because that’s how the No campaign do it, they can’t possibly fathom the true meaning of a grassroots movement. And to top it all, MSM chrun it out no questions asked, which shows bias or shows the reporters to be incompetent, either way they should not be let near the opening of a supermarket let alone the biggest decision in Scotlands political history for generations. Sorry for the venting, and apologies if I’m offending anyone with my post (no attacks intended)

gordoz

@ronnie anderson

Note the date ! – take it Obama & Hilary are comin’ ??

(Phphphph!)

a2

aye, keep the head, keep plugging and let them run about daft until they run out of puff.

Tony

Adrian B, I don’t need a smiley face on a post. I meant what I said.

Tony Little. It’s widely accepted that the police were primarily responsible for the tragedy, not to mention the fact that dozens would have still been alive today if they had got swift medical attention.

In case you missed it, the Hillsborough Independence Panel found that NO Liverpool fans were responsible for the tragedy. Not partly responsible.

It’s pretty embarrassing that you’ve ignored this in order to defend the initial appalling statement. Quite frankly beggars belief given what we know of Hillsborough and the shameful cover up.

Sinclar Macleod is correct in what he has said in his post.

HandandShrimp

There was a discussion on the radio yesterday morning about news and social media. The chap on talking said that over 50% now got their news from social media and most hits to newspaper sites are via social media links where comment on it has already been passed.

The media are not the power they used to be. Social Media is close to supplanting it as the fourth estate if it hasn’t already. It is fast becoming a love hate relationship because the newspapers are relying on hits from sites like ours. They need us more than we need them.

Jim Marshall

It”s not the Rev Stuart Campbell vs The Scotsman, it”s the People vs The Scotsman. You will have the support of all of us Stuart as we have had enough of the media lies.

Derek M

im new to wings but in the short time ive been here you guys have raised my spirit you all do a great job ,but i would like to offer some words of caution ,dont be dragged into a court battle with this lot you will lose even if you are right and they are wrong plus there is nothing more they would like than to tie us up in distraction, just continue to do what you do best and expose them for what they are and keep enlightening the people of Scotland to the lies being spun,rise above the gutter press shrug your shoulders and laugh in their faces ,let them lie deceive spin nonsense and trust in the people of Scotland to see through it all we are not as thick as they think we are.

a2

ps let’s not let them make us angry and make any irrational mistakes,like becoming mr sweary, that’s what they want.

deep breaths everyone.

:):) 🙂

Clootie

If you need a fund raiser for legal fees count me in. It’s time we took one of these newspapers to court.

Hit them early because it is just going to get worse.

desimond

SUPPORT THE BATH 1!!

Lets all send a rubber duck to the Scotsmans offices!

Luigi

We have to concede that a number of YES campaigners and bloggers have made silly mistakes. A few clangers. These have usually been quickly rectified. Certainly worth a few slaps on the wrists, but nothing more.

Compared with the deluge of blatant lies and deliberate misinformation spewed everyday by BT (and never retracted), the YES errors are but a drop in the ocean.

You would never know that though, if you depended entirely on the Daily Record and BBC for your information.

mr thms

Today

link to bbc.co.uk

“Oil prices have risen to a nine-month high amid concerns that developments in Iraq may affect global supplies.

Brent crude futures rose 3% to $113.27 per barrel, while US crude gained more than 2% to $106.71, the highest reading for both since September.”

March 2013

link to express.co.uk

“Even with a cautious estimate of prices remaining at $113 a barrel, it is clear that Scottish oil and gas could generate more revenues than has previously been assumed.”

Kev

Gawn yersel Stu, take them to the cleaners if you have to, they are a sinking ship as it is so any substantial payout will likely finish them off with any luck, and if not, a Yes vote certainly will.

Walking on Sunshine

The press in this country and I mean every national newspaper (with the exception of the Sunday Herald), are no better than guttersnipes. They are the lowest form of life crawling on this planet. They could not sink any lower. Total and utter scumbags, and I would rate the so-called ‘Scotsman’ at the bottom of the pile. Scumbags of the lowest order. Sue the arse off them for every penny you can get.

HandandShrimp

Derek M

I would agree that a court battle would be pointless. It would tie up Stu’s energy whereas they would just leave their legal people to do the heavy lifting.

However, that doesn’t mean that we cannot call them liars and take them to task….actually we do that already 🙂

Schrodingers Cat

any one got a link to the p&j poll?
paywall blocking me

Cath

There’s something deeply ironic about someone publishing a lying smear about a comment on Hillsborough on THE SAME DAY all three Westminster anti-independence party leaders are pictured smiling and holding up a copy of the Sun.

desimond

Cath
That isnt irony, its totally planned ..”Look…everyones on board the same shitty ship on way or another!”

Sonas

Don’t comment much but wanted to express my support. Get them telt, and take care of yourself.

Graham

It saddens me to read some of the vitriolic comments about Jim Sillars. Having read his piece I’m in full agreement. Rational argument is much more effective than mindless a buse. This is where BT and Westminster establishment have gone wrong – they constantly talk Scotland down and abuse and ridicule the SNP and Yes, often abusing Salmond at the same time in terms that amount to character assassination and then go on to peddle outright lies and untruths.

I heard D Alexander on GMS yesterday saying Scotland’s finances are going to get worse and worse. Well, if that’s the case (which it isn’t) then what’s his plan for getting Scotland to stand on her own two feet, or does he think we’ll just sink into the “subsidy junkie” state of Establishment mythology? Then this morning the Treasury called Salmond’s plan to revitalise Scotland’s manufacturing economy as “pie in the sky”. What’s their plan?

There’s no point in mindless abuse, it deflects us from the real issues and hands the opposition a rod to beat us with. But it’s worse than that, for they then exaggerate for all it’s worth, working hand-in-glove with an ever obliging MSM.

We mustn’t joint them in the gutter.

fairiefromtheearth

so lets get this right im for independance against wars of agression, im for the law being applied equally so aye ban me because im a little bit mentally ill 24849837 thats my army number. Gulf Medal 1990-1991 Gulf Clasp 16jan-28feb91 and thats the medals i got for Killing dozens of Iraqis but hey im a wee bit mentally ill so ban me.

gerry parker

@ Desimond
“Lets all send a rubber duck to the Scotsmans offices!”

Do they have free post address?

I don’t like to see lawyers making money, it would be much better if the readership themselves caused the demise of the paper. Would you be happy reading a “Newspaper” that peddled lies. Even if it is a low circulation regional one.

Schrodingers Cat

link to pressandjournal.co.uk

this is the real news today

glasgow is the key

gordoz

This of course is also following a plan of action for NO MORE Scotland campaign.

They realise what they are doing with personal smear activities and that Rev Stu will be distracted with having to fight this fire.

All very clever having looked at it. Sure this is some kind of plan.

‘Wings’ scrutiny / analysis of Media machine will now be disrupted.

All very establishment in a way –
“Get this dreadful ‘peoples’ oik roadblock out of the way’ – get Project fear back on the road” … “this conversation never happened; you do understand”

Findlay Farquaharson

rev stuart campbell-” you sir, have insulted me for the last time” (slap across dish with soggy glove). i challenge you to a duel.

euan mcColm- “erm no, please someone call the police.

i would love to donate to a libel case against mcColm, he is a smug, cowardly little man who hides behind the system when issuing personal insults to his victims.

galamcennalath

Wee thought. Could there be a concerted effort to deflect online anger away from the BT campaign and politicians and onto the MSM?

The MSM can’t be held to account, unless they break the law. Politicians can be held to public account for misrepresentation.

Yes, the Scotsman needs to be dealt with, but let’s not get deflected away from the activities of Darling, Lamont, Broon, Reid, etc etc..

Eddie Black

The more they lie and the more they try to muddy the waters, the more i’m going to try to convince the undecided that I know to vote yes….Their dirty tricks campaign is working in making the undecided sit down and look at the facts.
Now is the time to point out all the lies and hinted at untruths…..Just keep on spreading the word…My old school motto was “The truth will set you free” I never realised that it could be so apt in these turbulent days….

gordoz

@Schrodingers Cat

Yeah posted at 10.13am about P&J significant poll news about Glasgow, but as I say we are perfectly distracted by Media smears at the moment.

Deflecetion I think they call it ?

Cath

I am sick fed up listening to them call me vile, a virus, a nazi, a racist

Yup

is no way to win a popular vote.

And yup again.

I’ve kind of stopped being angry after realising they managed to smear my Mum as an oppressive, evil NAT yesterday. That should not be possible. She’s a fairly recent yes convert from one of the groups that are almost solidly no. One of the reasons she converted was realising the smears that were being perpetrated against well respected friends who were yessers.

So however angry we might feel, we should stay relentlessly, irritatingly polite and focus on that second statement: it’s no way to win a popular vote. Once they’ve smeared and offended over 50% of the population we’ll have out tipping point 🙂

Sinclair Macleod

Rev. I totally agree that you should pursue the case against such flagrant lies. I wish you well with it.

James123

From the BBC Website:

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she would “hate” for Britain to “lose Scotland”.

So why did the BBC feel the need to break up her quote in such a manner. Because what you she actually said was “I would hate for you to lose Scotland”

Oh and by the way Britain wouldn’t lose Scotland because Britain is an island not a country.

Cath

And actually, smearing everyone who’s yes or swaying towards yes is probably now already smearing more than 51% of the population.

TD

Re the Jim Sillars intervention, I think it is a bit over the top, but he does make some valid points. OTT because certainly in respect of Lally, the comments were fairly mild. Rowling got a bit more of a doing, but certainly no worse than many Yes supporters (the Weirs spring to mind) received.

Where I agree with Jim is that we need to remember that we are trying to persuade large numbers of people with varying perspectives. We aren’t going to convince all the DKs, so we need to get some people currently in the No camp to vote Yes on September 18. We are not going to achieve that if we are abusive to, or even just unnecessarily unpleasant about the people that those No voters currently support. They will just entrench. Remember that the vote of someone who is easily offended is just as valuable a vote as yours or mine.

We cannot expect even-handed coverage from the media, so we need to be squeaky-clean. The moral high ground is where we are. Let’s not surrender it.

Patrick Roden

Think about a couple:
The woman realises she doesn’t love him anymore and tells him she is leaving.

He warns her she will never survive without him but, she says ‘I will be fine, just you look after yourself’

He gets mad and starts to threaten her.

She becomes terrified, and turns to others for help, police, family etc, but they don’t help her’

As he issues threats, he also promises her hat he will give her more freedom and treat her better, but only if she stays.

She becomes so scared by what he has threatened, she thinks again, and she also hopes that he will indeed give her more freedom and treat her better.

She decides to stay.

How does she feel, the same?

No deep down inside she despises him.

This is what’s being played out in this referendum.

This Union is finished, it can never ever be the same again.

We have all experienced the corrupt stinking dishonest society that we didn’t know existed, and we have saw first hand how people who are involved in politics/media are quite prepared to deceive Scots, to keep themselves on the gravy train.

IT’S OVER!

a2

“seeing as I can’t comment on Jim Sillars article re hiscastigating the ‘so-called cybernats. Ill post here in the hope he might see it.

Dear Jim

please reflect on your own words.

“Are you so naive, that you never think that perhaps MI5 and special branch are taking a role in this campaign?”

If there has indeed been foul abuse of JK and Ms Lally, lets see it, and lets lay blame for it where it belongs.

Do not however take the presses word as gospel that it:-
A. Exists
B.emenates from those of us who are currently being demonised for it.

The media do not require licence from us to pontificate or take the moral high ground.

sorry Jim but it is you that is “playing the game that suits only the No side.” by buying into the “vile cybernat” fiction that the media is punting. Please look into the actual facts.
thanks

M4rkyboy

The Bruce exercised a policy of denying the enemy a stronghold.
Reducing the Scotsman to financial ruin would be a good start.

Devereux

Please another article Rev? On the independence debate ASAP – the real reason for the Obama hug for Cameron maybe ? Or the jump in polls or….

Claire McNab

Stuart, get a lawyer. Fast.

Don’t waste time getting sucked into the PCC.

Fireproofjim

The editor of the Scotsman can be contacted at istewart@scotsman.com.
I recently contacted him re the anti-Salmond spin they put on the Putin interview in the New Statesman. Got a denial that they had done anything wrong.
If you contact him please keep it cool and factual as they will love to report on any abuse.
Meanwhile I also will support any legal costs incurred in suing the rag.
It used to be such a good paper too. (Sigh)

Cath

Do not however take the presses word as gospel that it:-
A. Exists
B.emenates from those of us who are currently being demonised for it.

I’m quite sure he isn’t. He’s among the people being demonised, after all. It’s all of us in the Yes camp.

Ian Garvie

Surely this must be a case for the courts, they not only have stopped reporting news they have now come to the stage of being libellous, go Stuart the the bastards to court. Mind you I’m no longer surprised at how low this lot will stoop. The Scotsman…what a misnomer.

Tamson

I’m with deveraux. Time to get some basic factual articles up, rather than wrestling with pigs.

You – and we – are being deflected.

Nana Smith

Happy to donate to a fund for a lawyer.
Go get em!

David McCann

Meanwhile in the real world whilst canvassing in a working class area of Alloa, not a single person of the 82 houses canvassed, mentioned this spat.

Results as follows 25 Yes. 9 No, 48 DKs.

All to play for folks.
Get out there and get the REAL message across.

Sue

Now we know that the Scotsman also allows junior members of staff lacking proper authority to write their articles!

Count us in for the legal fund, Rev.