Tory Idiot Of The Week
We’re clearly going to have to make this a regular feature.
And it’s not as though the competition isn’t stiff.
This, for example – even by Murdo “God Save The Queen’s 11” Fraser’s standards – is a remarkably open and brazen display of sectarian dog-whistling.
For those of you, like us, who had to look it up:
So that’s triumphalist Brexit sneering, tying football to religion AND flat-out factual inaccuracy (Celtic are by no means out of Europe – they still have two games in the Champions League left and are likely finish third in their group and therefore be in the Europa League after Christmas) all in a single 20-word tweet. An impressive feat of efficient bigotry and stupidity, if nothing else.
But of course, Scottish Labour are rarely outdone in the dribbling-clownery stakes.
(The timeline of Kelly, former Labour Lord Provost of Glasgow and one of the Celtic directors who took the club to the brink of bankruptcy in the early 1990s, is an eternally reliable fount of jaw-dropping buffoonery on any subject you can think of.)
They’re usually more careful about pretending to oppose the Tories than this, too:
And we were also somewhat startled, after a series of Daily Record columns by former leader Kezia Dugdale demanding that men take the lead in tackling sexism, at the response from Scottish Labour types when some men took the lead in tackling sexism.
Particularly as both the Presiding Officer (elected as a Labour MSP) who chaired the meeting and the official representative sent by Labour were, um, men, despite half of the party’s MSPs being female and presumably available for the job.
Sadly, of course, as Annie Wells demonstrated so ably at the start of this article (perhaps the first time she’s done anything ably since being sort-of elected last year), switching the gender of Unionist M/SPs in Scotland is no guarantee of a higher IQ.
@schrodingers cat
we will be asked this very question and “who cares… we will worry about that once we are indy” isnt really a good position to have.
As regards the EU question I think the answer is simple.
“After Independence we will let the people of Scotland decide whether they wish to remain in the EU, join EFTA or stay out altogether”.
The point being only after Independence can the choice be ours.
Alex Clark @ 12.58
Well said.
The point you and Nicola Sturgeon make is Scotland has the choice.
Only after we are independent.
The corrupt EU has a human rights subcommittee. lol!
A scottish mep is actually on the committee.
He tweets fitbaw and snp baaaad to pass the time.
@ Alex
+1 😉
Get the joab done first then argue the toss aboot which club we are gonna sign fir.
Richt now on a personal level, ehm no happy wi the EU’s position wi regard tae democratically elected politicians being in jail fir facilitating democracy. Eh dinnae even ken if eh’d vote now for EU membership eftir wir done wi Indy.
It’s no like they backed wi up in 2014 is it? The failure to speak up now on behalf o the elected representatives o Catalunya languishing in a jail cell the night is disgrace as far as eh am concerned.
It’s no as RJS trehs ti paint it as some form o isolationism. Of course single market access is crucial to Scotland’s success as an independent nation but, it’s also aboot respecting fundamental human rights and upholding shared democratic values. If we lose sight o that then wi may as well no bather.
Simple as that fir me.
William Wallace @ 1.41
You got that right in one.
Just a quick view re Jeanne Freeman on QT.
Fluffy was asked( yesterday now )about the specific Scotland Brexit Analysis and the answer forthcoming was maybes ayes maybes naw.
The lack of accountability this man has is a disgrace and someone somewhere ( preferably with access to a front page) should be pressurising this man to actually do his job.
Anyway Jeanne Freeman included in one of her answers about tax , the impact of Brexit, to much muttering from the audience .
I wonder if maybe the Scottish Govt have an idea of what is coming down the line and why the turn around now and new taxes are being proposed?
Much as I hate to say it, their are an awful of lot of I’m all right jacks in Scotland really needing a wake up call and at present if I’ve read it right, the S Govt spend 43% of their budget on health so despite trying to maintain services , if the all right jacks think things are so awful just now just wait til March 19
Personally in this time of chaos , I’d rather have a Govt planning for the unknown even if it does involve raising taxes and showing some leadership than hiding in number 10 waiting for the next chapter of decay.
pS after this term of Tory Govt surely people in England somewhere must be saying to themselves – this party, this system , this does not work . How can we change it ?
@ Molly
pS after this term of Tory Govt surely people in England somewhere must be saying to themselves – this party, this system , this does not work . How can we change it ?
Having spent a fair amount of time down here I can say with conviction that your sentiments are shared amongst the real people in England.
As to how we change it? Let’s work with those in England’s deprived communities and those seeking social justice in order to bring about a real period of social change. None of us want this.
Attacks on the disabled and the poor. Tax breaks for the rich. An establishment full of sex cases and a broadcasting network held to ransom because they are one and the same.
We can change this.
We can, we must and we will.
We are many and they are few. 😉
Dave McEwan Hill says: @ 2 November, 2017 at 11:49 pm
It really is the mindset of the British Broadcasting Corporation that can only see Scotland as a region of the UK and the needs of Scotland a minority interest that it is duty bound to cater for in the same way it has to do for other minorities outside the British ‘norm’.
Derick fae Yell says:
2 November, 2017 at 9:33 pm
Bluster and magical thinking lost us the 2014 Referendum. We cannot go into another vote on the same basis, because if we do, we will lose again.
Only an independent state can join the EU, or indeed EFTA. And the only way into the EU is via the Article 49 process. There is no magical route in, and certainly no even more magical way to just magically stay in.
You’re the only one talking about magic.
If the UK splits, it reverts to two sovereign nations. If it splits before Brexit, they are two sovereign Nations still in the EU. If England and Wales proceed with Brexit, that’s their prerogative. Scotland will default to being a sovereign nation with EU citizens, in The EU, because it chose to stay in the EU and severed itself from the lunatic UK which wanted to leave,
Article 49 relates to a country which is not a member becoming a member. Irrelevant. Scotland will have isolated itself from the U.K. before the U.K. left the EU, so to eject Scotland, the EU would require new instruments of control to eject a Nation against its will, and if such an expulsion took place, then Scotland would have a huge grievance and claim to take to the European Court of Justice with compelling chance of victory.
Article 48 would apply if the positions were reversed, as in Scotland had elected to secede from the the U.K. remaining in the EU, because the rUK would be recognised as the continuing state. This however presumes Scottish Independence is an act of secession, not the revocation of a bipartite Treaty between two sovereign equals. Europe has been taking its brief of the U.K. constitution from Westminster.
Neither Article 48, nor 49 are appropriate to Scotland’s circumstances, and for the EU to advocate or rule out one or the other reflects, in my opinion, they have been briefed on the U.K. constitution by Westminster, the only interlocutor which the EU currently recognises. That’s the point. Scotland must stablish the principle that nobody speaks for Scotland except Scotland.
It is not fanciful to expect the EU to improvise ad hoc arrangements when required. There was no precedent for German reunification. West Germany did not have to reapply for membership as Germany. Europe dealt with the special circumstances with innovation and expediency. Provided Scotland knows what it wants, the same expediency and innovative solution will be found.
The EU has been presented with a view of Scotland defined by Westminster – Annex A
Opinion: Referendum on the Independence of Scotland – International Law Aspects, which is a thoroughly misguided and distorted perspective of the truth.
If Scotland gets off its arse and contests the Parliamentary Sovereignty of Westminster in lieu of Scotland’s own popular sovereignty, (no electoral mandate or majority required), either we fail, and default to a Region of the U.K., or we partially succeed and see U.K. sovereignty reduced in status to disputed sovereignty, or we succeed in establishing Scottish sovereignty reigns supreme in Scotland and Scotland is a legitimate, indeed the only legitimate interlocutor for international treaties and agreements which affect Scotland.
If Scotland wants Independence it better man-up pretty quick and start defending itself and it’s interests. It makes no difference in Constitutional terms whether Scotland has a democratic majority for or against Independence. Let me say that again. It makes no difference in Constitutional terms whether Scotland has a democratic majority for or against Independence, because it is the Constitutional question itself which determines whether that majority one way or the other is a sovereign edict of a Nation or merely a regional level opinion poll.
If people are satisfied we can win that constitutional argument after a successful referendum, then we can save ourselves a load of grief and anxiety if we win the same constitutional arguments before the referendum and make sure before the event that our referendum has its own sovereign legitimacy so that we are not subjugated like the Catalans.
Links
link to news.gov.scot
Farming subsidies should be scrapped, says Chatham House report
link to archive.is
link to randompublicjournal.com
link to cablemagazine.scot
link to scottovoce.wordpress.com
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com
link to grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com
In Defence of a Declaration – Christina McKelvie MSP and Catalonia
link to youtube.com
link to skwawkbox.org
Food is rotting in the fields’
link to archive.is
Liam Fox admitted today
link to archive.is
European nurses and midwives leaving UK in droves since Brexit vote
link to archive.is
link to irishtimes.com
link to davidhencke.com
link to lizcastro.com
How Catalonia’s crisis is turning into a European problem
link to archive.is
link to noglory.org
link to opendemocracy.net
link to nicholaswilson.com
Ihttps://averypublicsociologist.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/the-problem-with-gavin-williamson.html
Breeks says:
These are legal issues, not one that the person on the street can fix. So where are legal people who could have the wit and the brains to sort the issue of Sovereignty once and for all.
Where are they? who has the wherewithal and gumption to do it and do it well, and win our case?
So where are our champions and are they hiding? If not hiding, emerge please, we really need you.
link to taxresearch.org.uk
The Balfour declaration and the war on Palestine that followed
link to twitter.com
link to brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com
link to politico.com
We’re a awa tae build a wa, signed… The scottish branch of the Tam o Shanter bricklayers association and Donald Trump appreciation society
@ Nana – Richard Murphy hits the nail on the head once again. What a pity our media are silent on this even when the Scottish tax institute sends them a press release on the day taxation is the topic in Holyrood.
Thanks to Mr Murphy for flagging this up.
Good morning Capella, highlighting it doesn’t suit their agenda.
It would show Westminster in a bad light and as we all know it has to be snpbad every time.
By the by have you seen this
link to amazon.co.uk
@Capella, I meant “have you read this book”
Here’s the broken link at 8.31am
link to averypublicsociologist.blogspot.co.uk
I caught the last couple of minutes on LBC this morning at about 7.40 of Nick Ferrari interviewing a foreign, I think Spanish, woman. She was against Catalan independence, but did point out the difference between Scotland and Catalonia. Scotland is an independent country says she. Oops, next item.
Also, last night was the first time in a long time I have watched QT. It will be the last.
o/t – re- last nights QT ,A woman asked the question .
Why as a scottish woman should i be asked to pay more tax ,
Hardly a difficult question , until you remember thats ruthie’s usual rant ” the most taxed part of the country “.
She mentioned all the FREE stuff Bus Pass Prescriptions etc all the things Labour would withdraw if in a position to do so , we have a mixture of labour / tory policies or ( unionist ) to be clear .
I thought at the time do people really want these things withdrawn so they can have a few more pounds ? i dont know .
I then thought ok Mrs here is your £5.00 or £10.00 Quid , now you and your family pay for all these services , i respect you might not use any of the services , but other folk rely on them.
Happy Now ? .
If Scotland wants Independence it just has to vote for it. It already has soveignty under Scottish Law. It just needs to vote for it. Coooer judgement 1953. A separate legal system under the terms of the Act Union forever. It has never been treated equally, as required under the terms of the Act of Union. Westminster unionists try to keep the criminal behaviour secret under the Official Secrets Act. Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Illegally Sanctioned under Westminster rule. HMRC not fit for purpose.
The Westminster tax evaders and their cronies with impunity above the Law. Most of them should be put in jail. Not fit for public office. Ruining the UK, Scottish economy by people not voted for in Scotland. No Democracy or justice. £Billions of public money wasted illegally. On grotesque projects of no value. No one wants. Essential services which everyone wants, uses and needs are cut.
The Green (taxes) and nonsensical policies. Colluding with unionists to waste public money. The Catalonia irrational comparision, without qualification. A Totally different situation. It could cost Scotland Independence support. Put people in Scotland from voting for it. The sycophant Press. Now losing support.
The Catalonians did not vote for it. 2.3Million. An electorate of 5.3Million. 700,000 not eligible to vote. Why? 6million. 1.5milion under eighteen. 7.5million pop. 1/3+ support?
The Brexit vote. 17Million. Electorate 45Million. 2million++ not eligible to vote? No taxation without representation. Pop. 62Million.
Now Westminster unionists trying to push it, with disasterous consequences. The Tories will negotiate less for more. Less rights and decision making for a higher contribution. They are ignorant incompetents. Psycho bastards. Lining their pockets illegallynwith public money and other people’s misery. Killing vulnerable people. Casing the worst migration crisis since 11WW. Ruining the world economy.
Brexit could increase support for Independence. The Tories must be gone before they can do any more damage. Especially to Scotland. Total mismanagement. They are now abstaining so they can’t be voted down and out. Desperate and appalling. They are acting illegally all the time. Staving and killing vulnerable people. Wasting public money and resources. £Trns in debt, They are just a disgrace. How much longer can this farce continue?
The tide is turning. The majority in the UK want to stay in the EU.
Why people watch QT is a mystery. Giving that nonsense oxygen. Keep on repeating the same behaviour. With the same results.BBC wasting £Billions. Half remuneration goes on administration of land estate. £3.7Billion of mainly nonsense. Over paid prima donnas and perverts. Breaking the Law at every opportunity.with impunity. Backed up by the Westminster Press Office. Also breaking the Law at every opportunity.
Not anything new but something I think that needed saying:
link to thenational.scot
Just been over on another forum, and some of the people there report that one of the audience featured chipping in and then allowed to ask a question is a big Britain first supporter called mcquade, and he is well known for sharing anti Muslim stuff on Facebook.
The shouty ukip guy from the Stirling edition, wearing the orange tracksuit, was also there, as the viewer posed a captured screenshot with him in it.
Breeks
You have a lot more faith in the EU than I do given its lack of warmth towards Scotland in ’14.
Setting aside that we don’t have time now to get a referendum Bill through Parliament, obtain a S.30 and arrange a referendum before Brexit. And that there is not a majority at present for Independence.
Setting that aside – there is only one way for a new state to joint the EU. And that is via A49 of Lisbon. That’s what Barrosso and the Commission said regarding Scotland in 2014. That’s what Jacqueline Minor, the European commission’s head of representation in the UK, said regarding Scotland in February 2017. That’s what Juncker is saying regarding Catalonia now.
That’s what’s down in black and white in the Lisbon Treaty. Which can only be amended by unanimous agreement of 27 states, some of whom are hostile to internal self-determination movements.
East Germany has not joined the EU. It abolished itself and became part of an existing member state. There was no accession because there was no longer a state to accede. There was no issue with encouraging secession, because East Germany wasn’t seceding from an existing state. It abolished itself.
The only way Scotland could do anything close to that would be to close the Scottish Parliament, abolish ourselves as a nation, and become part of, say, Denmark or Ireland. Literally part of an existing EU member state. I would suggest that is not very likely.
The Sovereignty of the Scottish People has just been explicitly demonstrated in the Supreme Court. Legally in the UK, it doesn’t exist.
Yes, Scotland, once independent, would probably be welcome as a member state. And might get a fast track – 3 rather than 4 years, followed by six months or so for EEA accession. It’s too slow.
Get rid of Ofcom .
digit.fyi/may-scotland-broadband-powers/
Here! Here! Les Wilson.
Scotland’s Constitutional defenders please make yourselves known.
Petra, you once referred me to a constitutional dsussion which I think it was Liz described as a left wing wish list. What is needed is a high brow Constitutional think tank to cut through 300 years of Constitutional impropriety, and produce Scotland’s reciprocal version of Westminster’s Annex A “Opinion”.
link to gov.uk
Somebody, (was it Iain Mhor??) Posted two links to texts which disputed Annex A, but I can’t find the links and for some inexplicable reason I didn’t bookmark them.
What we need is an official argument disputing Westminster’s Annex A version of events. We need a watertight Scottish definition of Scotland’s Sovereign Constitution that has the gravitas of Scotland’s government backing it.
@stu mac says:
3 November, 2017 at 9:57 am
============
Would just add that though a good rant and Brown deserves most that he is accused of, the author goes far too far in blaming almost everything on Brown. Blair of course and his close Blairite chums must take a lot of blame.
But previous Tory governments are far from blameless and the succeeding Tory governments and the LibDems without whom the Tories wouldn’t have been able to progress their extreme austerity program – austerity was needed but not the extreme version we got which was counter productive.
Finally the right wing press (and most of the TV media including the BBC) which promoted all the policies which Brown, Blair and the Tories/Lib Dems fell into line with.
Great links Nana! Scotsman editorship next career move when oor Eck takes over:D
Robert Graham says:
3 November, 2017 at 9:47 am
o/t – re- last nights QT ,A woman asked the question .
Why as a scottish woman should i be asked to pay more tax ,
Fact is, under red tory Crash Gordo, the 1% got rich beyond avarice, a tiny minority with insatiable greed, and then, after giving New Labour 12 years in No.10, the ungrateful 1% hoofed poor old Crash oot the door.
How it works in teamGB.
Here’s just one mega rich fuckwit in action in the Torygraph.
Telegraph News
Prince William warns that there are too many people in the world
Victoria Ward
2 NOVEMBER 2017 • 10:33PM
Rapidly growing human populations risk having a “terrible impact” on the world, the Duke of Cambridge has warned.
The Duke said that as a result, wildlife was being put under “enormous pressure” and called for the issue to be addressed with renewed vigour.
His concerns echo those of his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, who in 2011 advocated “voluntary family limitation” as a means of solving overpopulation, which he described as the biggest challenge in conservation.”
McDuff says:
3 November, 2017 at 9:58 am
Breeks
“You have a lot more faith in the EU than I do given its lack of warmth towards Scotland in ’14.”
It’s not faith McDuff, it’s taking the time to appreciate why the EU is anti-secession in principle. Secession is the antithesis of EU philosophy. They didn’t back Scotland in 2014 because they saw the act of secession first, and didn’t need to look any further.
With Brexit, everything has changed. Scotland’s “secession” from the UK is a protest against the much greater secession of the UK from Europe. Scotland’s secession to embrace Europe becomes the exception which proves the rule, an exceptional “secession” which the EU can properly support.
link to ejiltalk.org
Read the link above, and hopefully you see Europe’s thinking behind discouraging secession and separatism, not as pointy stick to jab at Scotland or Catalonia, but as an overriding strategic principle.
In 2014, Scotland was seceding from the UK, and thus the EU too.
In 2017 Scotland wants to secede from the UK for the common good of Europe. In Europe’s eyes, that potentially changes everything.
Europe isn’t our auto-friend, but support European ideals and Europe will embrace us and extent its umbrella to protect us. We didn’t understand that, and simply got it wrong in 2014.
Finally the right wing press (and most of the TV media including the BBC) which promoted all the policies which Brown, Blair and the Tories/Lib Dems fell into line with.
BBC’s a fascist outfit. Last night beeb r4 news gimps positively revelled in the jailing of Catalonia politicians by Spain, their fascist onanistic pleasure at fascist Spain getting stuck in, oozed out of the radio, which has to be kept out of reach, from being continually thrown out the window:D
As per, beeb r4 fascism collected a broad range of teamGB political opinions, left, right, centre, including and as usual, FM Sturgeon. How’s that for fantasy brit public broadcasting.
If this was the 30’s, tory beeb gimp network today would back the nazi’s in Germany.
Nicola Sturgeon
16 hrs ·
Regardless of opinion on Catalonia, the jailing of elected leaders is wrong and should be condemned by all democrats. The disagreement about Catalonia’s future is political. It should be resolved democratically – not by the jailing of political opponents.
o/t – re- last nights QT ,A woman asked the question .
Why as a scottish woman should i be asked to pay more tax
‘Cause a majority of us here in Scotland are selfish Tory gits and actually are concerned about having a better, fairer society for all.
* aren’t
TheWasp says:
3 November, 2017 at 9:58 am
Just been over on another forum, and some of the people there report that one of the audience featured chipping in and then allowed to ask a question is a big Britain first supporter called mcquade, and he is well known for sharing anti Muslim stuff on Facebook.
The shouty ukip guy from the Stirling edition, wearing the orange tracksuit, was also there, as the viewer posed a captured screenshot with him in it.
————–
Wasp, just entered his name into Facebook, looked through his timeline. Do not see anything about Britain First or Muslims. A couple of pics of anti-SNP letters in papers. Personally the most objectionable thing about him is that he goes down to watch Liverpool when he has a team on his doorstep in Kilmarnock. Even if he supported one of the two arse cheeks it would be better but hey ho, it’s his money and that 0-0 with Man Utd (again) must have been worth it!
How I hate the internet at times, I haven’t been able access my old E-Mail account so, I have had to create a new account.
On the subject of the woman in the audience on question time last night not only complaining about why she as a Scot should pay more tax as well as about all the freebies, such as Free prescriptions etc.
To me, she sounded too much like a typical tory, so give her what she wants take all the freebies away from her that she’s entitled to.
I’ll bet in no time at all you’ll hear her bleating,that she already pays her taxes for them.
I have received a reply to my complaint about the removal of the saltire from Tesco stores. Make of it what you will.
…………..
Hello Mr Higgins
Thank you for your email.
We are extremely proud to be Scottish agricultures biggest customer, as any customer visiting our stores or buying our products in Scotland will see. There has been no recent change to how we use the saltire to celebrate Scottish food and drink.
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch.
Kind regards
Tesco Customer Service
Union Jackery getting exposed , just keep complaining .
link to edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk
It wasn’t Iain Mhor, it was Legerwood…
link to journalonline.co.uk
link to journalonline.co.uk
Bookmarked both now… thx again Legerwood.
Pretty much a straight forward lie there from Tesco. Where there used to be Scottish butter there is now only Union Flag British butter as just one example.
Breeks @ 10.00 am
I think the links you are referring to were posted by me on the previous thread.
Can’t repost because do not have the links on my phone but go to the previous article and search for Legerwood and you will find the links to the rebuttals of Crawford and Boyles article
@Breeks 10:00am
I think it was originally @yesindyref2
link to wingsoverscotland.com
And @Legerwood
link to wingsoverscotland.com
I don’t have access to the Rock’s database, so it was via the “Find on Page” function in my mobi browser… 😉
Ninja’d by everyone 🙂
Tesco on Victoria road here in Glesga’s got Scotland flags in its window, with union jacks plastered all over their food. Maybe its just down to each branch manager, or they try to make a sale in different places.
In other news/views:D
link to vanityfair.com
“Whatever the grim necessity of these revelations, they contribute to a sense of decline and institutional failure, and thus to an increasingly dangerous lack of trust. But the rot in Westminster goes beyond alleged sexual harassment, to other forms of subversion that have yet to be exposed.”
You still have to take your hat off to the red tories though, Crash and Bomber Blair’s legacy, to the super rich 1%, needs to be appreciated for it is.
@ Breeks
“If Scotland gets off its arse and contests the Parliamentary Sovereignty of Westminster in lieu of Scotland’s own popular sovereignty…”
Okay–how can this be done? Can WE (the People) bring a test case before the relevant courts? I’d be happy to organise a Crowd Fund to make it happen.
Sorry to burst yer EU Balloon folks ,
The version of the EU is not yer Saviour .
The EU Hierarchy were taking the piss with their oh so Cordial meetings with our scottish government knowing fine well they only ever deal with member states , not regions of states , these nice meetings were used to piss off the wholly English negotiators.
Thats all Folks . Nice empty words .
While I’m looking in and on the subject of QT (Watch or not)
I know fairly conservative (small c) apolitical, older folk tuned in, just because it was a show from ‘their toon’
Anyway, the feedback was generally “Who were those people? They didny come fae the toon!” through to ‘Whit a lot o’ nonsense!’
Now, I’m not sure what they were expecting, possibly discussions of matters relating to Kilmarnock and locally, or just because they are so starved of Scottish content on ‘National TV’ – but it fair triggered them off!
Is that a good thing then – QT that is?
It’s so bad that (I use this kindly) ‘less engaged viewers’ could see the bias. I heard more politics and angry reaction than I’ve ever heard from them before.
Robert Graham says:
3 November, 2017 at 11:59 am
Sorry to burst yer EU Balloon folks ,
The version of the EU is not yer Saviour .
No one expects them to be.
EU kept out of Brexit 2016 completly didn’t they? Not a peep out of any of them at all, not a single EU member said and did anything to influence this shithead union’s vote on EU membership.
Unless I totally missed the EU’s Project Fear campaign, 2016, and the EU version of Blair MacThunderbutt, lying his big mottled fat arse off, night after night on the grand old beeb gimp network.
Beeb Scotland gimps strike back.
link to bbc.co.uk
“He added that the paper does not support one political party over another and it strived to fill the newspaper with content about Scotland, written in Scotland.
“So Mr Salmond is either ignorant of the paper’s content or perhaps he equates pro-Scottish as being pro-SNP,” he added”
Aint no shyster like a Pacific Quay shyster, he added:D
HandandShrimp says:
I avoid anything with a Butcher’s Apron on it.
I am puzzled by the thinking behind plastering it on products. I assume it’s a UK wide marketing strategy rather than some anti Scottish politicking. I find it difficult to believe that a hard headed commercial outfit would do anything which damaged profits. Supermarkets are good at analysing what sells, why, and how. Perhaps for most people across the UK their wee flag is seen as positive.
Of course I don’t get that same rosy feeling when I see it! What’s wrong with labelling products as Scottish, Welsh, Irish, English?
Many small specialist shops sell quality cheese with all the correct wee flags in the big lumps. I like to see a decent Stilton with a St George, as it should have.
Aldi and Lidl take a different approach to Tesco. Also, it should be said that Waitrose is pretty at country highlighting despite being a mainly English supermarket chain. (And remember, Waitrose is part of John Lewis which a trust holding the company on behalf of the employees,)
When I see a product which I associate with England, I expect it to be labelled as such. Wine has this sorted out! English wine is a quality product from England. British wine is something quite different!
The same questionable status gets attached to British Beef – wtf is that? Scotch Beef is a quality brand, cattle bred to be eaten. In England, beef is in part a byproduct of the dairy industry. When I see British Beef, I assume inferior product.
Country of source is important and I fail to see why marketing folks think otherwise.
It could all be because most folks across the UK don’t distinguish between England and ‘Britain’.
Proud Cybernat/Breeks et al
Does Solicitor’ for YES still exist? Count me in for a crowdfunder.
Galamcennalath
My understanding is (or Tesco’s lame excuse is) that lots of English people complained because so many rasps and strawberries were being sold with Scottish flags. They felt that their own, homegrown berries were being neglected.
Believe that if you will…
I also believe that there was a move afoot, post the Brexit vote to prepare all goods for the world-wide trade that will flood our way ( pauses to wipe a tear from eye and stop choking with laughter) and many firms have revised their packaging to fit with that concept.
The latter seems more likely and would fit with the lately gleaned info that Ministers representing the UK in recent trade deals with Canada did not reserve any special recognition for Scottish Beef, Salmon, Welsh lamb and Cornish pasty etc brands.
meg merrilees says:
Which adds weight to the theory that they perceive Union Flag branding and British source, as meaning English! Even if the product was from Wales or Scotland that is fine and dandy because they are really part of England anyway, in their wee minds.
Your point about global marketing seems valid, however they are both optimistic and premature! They are a long way from trade deals and fresh agricultural products have the highest WTO tariffs. Anyways, half of food consumed in the UK is imported, the flow in inward, not out.
Proud Cybernat says:
3 November, 2017 at 11:58 am
@ Breeks
“If Scotland gets off its arse and contests the Parliamentary Sovereignty of Westminster in lieu of Scotland’s own popular sovereignty…”
Okay–how can this be done? Can WE (the People) bring a test case before the relevant courts? I’d be happy to organise a Crowd Fund to make it happen.
I don’t see why not, but I’d like something semi-formal from the Scottish Government first, – just in case it would step on their toes. We are on the same side after all.
To stick the pot on the burner meantime, I wondered whether the Rev might like to do a Wings article taking apart that Annex A Opinion piece from Westminster line by line. I reckon that could really put the cat amongst the pigeons…
link to gov.uk
Whatcha reckon Rev?
@derick fae Yell
You dribbled this pish…
…….
The Sovereignty of the Scottish People has just been explicitly demonstrated in the Supreme Court. Legally in the UK, it doesn’t exist”
………
That ABSOLUTELY DID NOT happen.
The Supreme Court STATED they could not answer that question as it HAD NOT BEEN ASKED.
The reason it had not been asked, is because the Supreme Court HAS NO AUTHORITY to even address that question (Scots people’s sovereignty).
What you have done, it to simply regurgitate unionist lies and 100% INCORRECT interpretation of something which ABSOLUTELY DID NOT OCCUR.
Writing stuff in capital letters doesn’t make it true.
FACT!
British Produce and Butchers Apron branding is all part of the “UK Single Market” Bollocks @meg merrilees says at 12:28 pm
“Ministers representing the UK in recent trade deals with Canada did not reserve any special recognition for Scottish Beef, Salmon, Welsh lamb and Cornish pasty etc. brands.”
That’s because Scottish produce is WORLD renowned for it’s quality.
But wait….
There can be no unfair advantage for any of the Home Nations as this would unfairly skew the “UK Single Market” (in Scotlands favour) says Mikey (Rollies) Gove.
That’s why Westminster is retaining agriculture rather than letting it go straight back from the EU to Holyrood).
So even though Scottish produce is WORLD renowned for it’s quality it MUST be British or folk will leave the inferior rUK shite on the shelf in preference and their economy would suffer.
So British Beef, British Lamb…..
The farmers are f*cked.
The “New Zealand Model” for no farming subsidies our BritNat Fascist overlords now propose will kill the family/small farming operations and the Tory Landed Gentry/Gentleman Farmers will hoover up their land to create massive commercial farming operations.
Seriously and Fuds like ‘The Jockshirts’ referenced in the next article lap this shite up and vote anyone but the ESSENNPEE and thon Sturgeon wummin.
🙁
Derick fae Yell says:
3 November, 2017 at 3:49 pm
Writing stuff in capital letters doesn’t make it true.
FACT!
The AXA vs Lord Advocate case at the Supreme Court :
Judgment date -12 Oct 2011
Neutral citation number [2011] UKSC 46
Case ID UKSC 2011/0108
In a case about Insurance and exposure to asbestos, AXA essentially tested whether the devolved Scottish Parliament actually had the competence to make law. In delivering its judgement, the Supreme Court acknowledged that it had no power to set aside any bill, statute or act of the Parliament of Scotland where that bill expressed the clear will of the sovereign people of Scotland.
Ken500,
“If Scotland wants Independence it just has to vote for it.”
How can we “sovereign” “plebs” demand a vote?
Because I can say with 99% confidence that Nicola will not defy Saint Theresa and give us an “illegal” vote without Westminster’s permission.
And if she does, her position will be exactly the same as that of Puigdemont in the eyes of the UK, the EU, the UN, even Ireland.
To paraphrase Dave McEwan Hill,
“At no point did the EU say that the Scottish referendum was illegal. It cannot make such judgements. It said that the Westminster government said it was illegal which is completely different.”
Breeks @ 4.53
Mibbi ye should start a letter writing campaign to auld Betty Windsor.
And don’t let her of with the Queen doesn’t get involved in political issues.
You are no askin about Political Sovereignty…. The current Scottish government are addressing that.
You are no even askin about Legal Sovereignty you have neither the expertise or financial means to explore that avenue of your constitutional position….YET!
What you do require is an explanation of, how she will protect your personal Scottish Sovereignty arrangements,signed up to by Queen Anne and bequeathed to her by the acceptance of the Honour’s of Scotland.
This is no a political role but rather a duty handed to her, and only her,from god and only she can answer fur it……therefore can she assure you that she does indeed intend to keep her covenant with the Scot’s and will act if your Sovereignty is ever under any kind of attack.
Even if that attack is from one of her other realm’s?
It’s no mibbi what I would do at this point in time Breek’s but you seem really keen to do something….. and ye never know ye might at least shine a light on the Sovereignty thing that could wake more Scot’s up to the issue!
Especially if you made enough noise aboot it….
Just don’t waste yer time with internet petition’s though, its actual letters that the palace answer…
If ye’ve the time and the persistence it will cost ye nothing but stamps!
Just so yer clear Breeks….this is a genuine suggestion and not Snark….
RE. My 6.11 comment and..
Before Robert Peffers pick’s me up on it..lol
When I say “a duty handed to her from God” I of course ment through us Scot’s first!
But it does track back in one way or another to the Great Architect of the Universe….
And anyone sayin different could threaten the legitimacy of the English crown….wee shame that!
@ Nana 9.17 – only just caught up with this thread – yes I have seen the J J Patrick book. But I haven’t read it, being up to the ears already with stuff I should read.
I am also sceptical about the “Russia is always bad” narrative. A country encircled by NATO bases at its borders has to defend itself somehow. If Putin has neutralised NATO then good for him. Quite an achievement!
Craig Murray was adamant that the election hacking was nothing to do with Russia. So who really knows.
Maybe now we can get rid of the nukes on the Clyde and get an RT Channel?
Well, regardless of why the Butcher’s Apron suddenly became all-pervasive – threaten to hit them in their pocket and surprise, surprise, they back down and abracadabra … there’s the Saltire again.
M&S now selling Scottish Whisky; Tesco now selling more items with Saltires – so they say but still to verify.
Wasn’t there a historic committee formed ( House of Lords, pre 2014 ref… 2012/13?) to look at ways of making Scotland seem less separate from the rUK e.g. changing the name of Scotrail.
I remember that there was a proposal to rebrand our trains in red,white and blue and call them the Union Line. And another one was to have children from the North live with families in the South during their school holidays to see how similar a life they led, and realise that we are not different – aye right!
Wonder why none of this went ahead?
Apparently we are supposed to feel more british because we have the Apron on our driving licences.
Reminds me of a directive issued when I was working.
We all had I.D cards with the ‘crest’ of the business on them.
I had been there for 20 years.
Suddenly we all had to get new cards – not because our photos were out of date but because ‘they’ had decided to remove the ‘crest’ from all but the board of directors’ ID cards. Our new ID cards were ‘crestless’- when I asked why it had been removed I was told, in all sincerity, that not having the ‘crest’ would make me work harder to try and aspire to become a member of the board and get an ID card with the ‘crest’ on it.
Funnily enough, though I stayed another 12 years, I never became a member of the board.
Agreed @Meg merrilees says at 7:37 pm
“Well, regardless of why the Butcher’s Apron suddenly became all-pervasive”.
It didnae work after 1746 Meg, and it willnae work now.
🙂
For some reason, Jockanese Wind Talker’s comment, “It didnae work after 1746 Meg, and it willnae work now”, reminded me of this…
link to youtube.com
@ Derick fae Yell
“East Germany has not joined the EU. It abolished itself and became part of an existing member state. There was no accession because there was no longer a state to accede. There was no issue with encouraging secession, because East Germany wasn’t seceding from an existing state. It abolished itself.
The only way Scotland could do anything close to that would be to close the Scottish Parliament, abolish ourselves as a nation, and become part of, say, Denmark or Ireland. Literally part of an existing EU member state. I would suggest that is not very likely.”
———————-
This is not correct.
What was “East Germany” – “GDR” German Democratic Republic “DDR” was in fact a part of Germany that had existed from 1871 onwards.
See Bismarck.
After WW2 Germany was divided in to 4 occupation zones -the British, American, French and Russian zones.
Due to political and “cold war” reasons the Russian Zone and their political German “Puppet Governmaent” declared themselves independent with a capital city comprised of (divided) East Berlin.
This lasted about 40 years.
In 1989 the people of the “GDR” in peaceful revolt “The Monday demonstrations” and in cooperation with the “new” political leadership in Moscow – Gorbatshow – managed to open the “Wall”.
A lot of political fiddling went on in the background between Kohl, Bush, Gorbatshow etc. but the result was that the “GDR” took the “decision” to abolish itself and RETURN to the mother country of Germany from where it originated.
The GDR did not simply “secede” from something and join another country – it in fact went back after a forced political interlude to the original State where it came from.
The EU, pragmatic as they nearly always are, just said OK, no problem, the daughter returns home. Germany is back to its original size (more or less – see Danzig/Gdansk etc.)
It’s time to move on.
Aw, c’mon.
We’ve got to keep the pages in chronological order. It’s not right that the older page has newer comments than this newer page.
Somebody must have a comment to add to Graf Midgehunter’s comment?
Folks commenting on farm subsides and NZ not having them. Farmers in Fife saying it isn’t so much the loss of subsidies as not being able to get farmworkers which will create the bigger problem.
Hi Brian Powell.
I’m not up on the farming industry but it would appear that Brexit will deliver a double whammy – removal of CAP subsidies AND removal of a mobile workforce.
For some farmers it is the loss labour that will hurt – especially fruit and vegetable producers.
But for most hill farmers who have extensive grazing systems it will be the loss of subsidies that will hurt the most.
I really fear for the latter, with many close to retirement age and no one left to take on the farm, the loss of subsidy will destroy the sector. For 1000s of years people have grazed our hills and in short while we may witness the end of livestock rearing in the Scottish hills.
A tragedy in my view, but I suppose a great opportunity for the super rich to avoid tax by acquiring their own wee kingdom to go shooting with their city mates