Voices of the people
Posted on
August 26, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Things you’ll never hear a Scottish interviewer say.
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A tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
Awesome. Class act. (I believe she’s a retired teacher.)
Face to face, Door to door, Street to Street, City to City.
We are winning this.
That part fair made my night. Wonderful.
Funny, I haven’t heard it repeated yet!
An absolute joy to behold.3 weeks and we’re on the way to getting rid of the shame that is Westminster for ever.
“If we are Better Together, why are we not better together already?”
Absolutely cracking question. Well done that man, a hero indeed.
I think some ads and billboards with that on them could be effective. Perhaps with a picture of a food bank.
No doubt the Daily Mail will be tracking down these hideous cybernats as we speak.
Absolute class – simple, to the point and very,very effective.
I wonder how Jim Murphy will handle it now at his soapbox if the crowd say ” I hope you feel Bevan on your shoulder”
Becase in Wishaw murphy reiterated G. Broon’s lie about Organ donations and transfusions.
I hope, I trust these hitherto ignored, even pilloried voices such as these two articulate ones will be proclaimed loudly in a YES Victory. There will be every tactic fair, but mostly foul, employed by NO and the predominately Unionist media. The BBC spin is nauseatingly foul in its fetid attempts to wring a positive outcome for NO from the debate. Real people will decide the real outcome … YES they will.
link to bbc.co.uk Darling’s still counting on this giant lie machine to get over the line. Only pacific quay BetterTogether con men can cook up headlines like this.
That’s him telt!
Have been dipping in and out of the RS call-in, and every caller I’ve heard so far has been a No.
Any Yes supporters’ calls been taken yet?
This is why we will build a better, independent Scotland. The people are finding information out for themselves, instead of being spoon fed propaganda. We will hold our politicians to account in just the way this lady did. Proud moment.
@tartanfever
“No doubt the Daily Mail will be tracking down these hideous cybernats as we speak”
If they do, we can tell folk about it. The London-controlled media is a large part of the current UK political problem. We need to part company with both.
That gentleman, and particularly that lady, were absolutely superb. Had me punching the air like my team had just scored a goal. 🙂
After nearly 3 years there are still idiots out there who demand real information – whilst doing zero to garner the very info they request.?
Salmond won the debate hands down.
He struck too many blows versus Darkling that are borne out by recent history and exhibited his utter incompetence in Westminster office until only 4 years ago.
Brilliant. Think Darling thought she was going to say something like “we should all try to get on no matter the vote” then WHACK !!!! Like a left hook from Joe Frazier. Ha ha! And the best bit about it is it shows up our alleged journalists for the weasels they are. Not one would ask these kind of questions.
What a boost this has been for everyone on the Yes side. How utterly deflating it must be for the No side. Who could possibly champion BT-NT
Thanks, heed tracker. This links to a tone which will become even more strident and destructive in days to come – but as my grandson says, only 22 sleeps to go …. before we have the privilege of a lifetime to jump into into the YES lifeboat!
@ goulashman, my postal vote’s due today! Think I’ll probably go home and actually stick in the ballot box though, way too important to just drop into a solid for peanuts to the City boys RM post box.
Everyone at work was talking about the debate this morning, I even heard folk in the adjacent room talking about it. Everyone thinks Darling absolutely blew it. Even folk who still aren’t convinced by Yes can’t defend his performance.
In footballing terms, Darling was the last defender, and he’s just given the ball away on the half way line. All we need to do is pile forward and we’ll win this. It’s in our hands now.
If you’ve not started helping your local Yes group with canvassing yet, then stop making excuses and just do it, because this is the week to start. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
SOLD for peanuts Royal Mail. Auto correct’s a no vote.
Ian Brotherhood
The BBC is bound to e impartial during this period before the Ref.
Darling was monstered last night and so the BBC has to take the opposite view and spin for No.
That is how the BBC define balanced reporting?
Words mean whatever the BBC want them to mean.
It is Alice Through the Looking Glass come live at Pacific Quay.
When she told Darling you can see it on Darling’s face, his lightbulb went on, that was the moment he realised he is going to have to get a new job because he is not going to get elected again anywhere.
‘Stand-by Louise…hysterical pensioner on Line Four…’
Also, I hope it’s okay to suggest people download this video so it can be re-uploaded for when the BBC issue their copyright infringement notice.
Keepvid.com is good for downloading YouTube videos.
It’s very clear that if a no vote occurs it’s out of pure fear and ignorance. That’s why a no vote will not occur. Last nights debate highlighted for all to see the huge concerns people have with U.K politics. Salmond very ably exposed it as a failing system of self entitled elites. This was just what YES needed.
Wife just said this morning that two female friends have just added a YES twibbon on their Facebook page and BOTH have said that Salmond’s performance and arguments last night was the reason.
I had a couple of family contacts last night both positive, and one undecided almost a certain YES.
BBC going all morning about angry shouty debate and Ipsos Mori chap said snap poll showed no change.
Its early morning but evidence from my wee circle shows change!
Now the shy Yessers won’t be shy anymore.
Enjoy folks!
I just hope the BT machine doesn’t go after the woman, making false claims about her. It’s something I would not put past them.
Ring ring
Good Morning, Goldmam Sachs Wall Street. How may I direct your call?
Good Morning, it is Alistair here from the UK.
I beg your pardon, Alaister who?
Darling, Alaister Darling.
Have a nice day sir.
Clunk brrrrrr
Another brilliant one from a member of the audience last night was:
“…..why are we not better together now?”
This seems to have made an impression with many people.
Darling was reeling when these women gave it to him right between the eyebrows!
Interestingly, none of the commentators mentioned it. AS seem to grow in strength after this.
By the way when Darling was babbling and shaking, did you notice the camera swinging wildly away from his close up to a rabbit in the headlights Glen Campbell?
Life is sweet!
We don’t need an army darlings pointy figure will do.
This only underlines the fact that BT don’t seem to have been put on the back foot by the media until recently.
Did you see the wee smirk flicker across his lips at the end of her question?
“If we’re better together, why are we not better together already?”
The question of the campaign for me. Brilliant question – sums it up completely.
link to nairnyes.wordpress.com
Ben Thompson @BBCBenThompson
Sir Martin Sorrell at @WPP tells me that ‘uncertainty is not good for business and regardless of yes/no vote, firms need to plan’ @BBCNews
Ben Thompson @BBCBenThompson
Martin Sorrell warns ‘in a world of geopolitical challenges, Scotland voting for independence could cause firms to delay investment plans’
Better Together hired media strategists Blue State Digital.
WPP plc is the parent company of Blue State Digital.
Martin Sorrell is CEO of WPP plc.
Any of that mentioned in the BBC interview?
BBC Scotland, MSM and Better Together are still trying to dictate the agenda. All they want to discuss is the currency.
Our YES reps on TV and radio seem to be getting drawn into this trap.
They must start talking of all the positives that are awaiting Scotland after a YES vote.
They’ve been ducking and diving for the past few years but finally last night YES nailed them to wall in public.
So what is the Better Together Plan B now that they’ve been forced to public admit an indy Scotland can use the Pound?
If you’ve not started helping your local Yes group with canvassing yet, then stop making excuses and just do it, because this is the week to start. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
Yep, I know many of you have been at this for ages, but for the remaining shy folk; let’s all make an extra effort to speak to a few people today.
I just spoke to a colleague (undecided) who missed the debate last night (so I spoke about it anyway). She listened carefully to the arguments (trident, currency, Westminster (Lords)), but the lights really went on when we got to the NHS. No decision yet, but she is very concerned and is going to check this out.
Everyone has a deal-maker (or breaker). You only find out what it is by conversation. Get out there Shy Yessers, reveal yourselves and speak to your friends, relatives and colleagues. It can and will make a big difference.
Telt!
Yon’s nae a wumman tae tak a broken pay packet hame tae!
Joking aside she is she is worthy of respect and admiration for speaking out so eloquently in the lions den.
I suspect that whoever supplied Glen with the audience map will be getting their jotters today.
I’m assuming that the controlling and manipulative BBC would at least have tried to put together a general layout of where Yes/No/undecided were parked in the audience for Glen’s use. I know I would have.
Darkling was offered several chances to DEFEND his partners in Bigots Together or these Unelected ConDem Mutts – and Darkling totally refused to defend the Tory billionaires who are funding his campaign for Bigots Together.
No-one told him this was not a Labour Party Propaganda Party?
When he cannot defend the indefensible he reverted to type and flung stoor in the eyes of the audience.
“Keep them dumb
Keep them glum
Keep them poor
Covered in stoor” – a liebour party adage.
That lady took Darling by complete surprise, same with most of us I would think. She was straight to the point and he had no answers, and looked so uncomfortable as seen in his face.
Also, all the debates going on just now, almost exclusively YES groups, and women are becoming more and more involved and I am really happy that their voices are being finally heard.
It is coming across and everyone is noticing.
Superb. And that was only two of the great questions and comments from the audience. I think the bused in Noes or Darling had no idea what they’d got themselves into.
I’m sure the BBC is thinking ‘we can’t let that happen again’ but it will be too late, cat’s oot the bag.
BT BBC are desperate to steer the argument away from the NHS and back onto, what they consider to be safer ground (currency).
I think the NHS message should now be hammered relentlessly until polling day. It will resonate with many people (even pensioners)!
I noticed on BBC Scotland 2014 last night that it was busily trying to re-write history. Presenter Sarah Smith claimed an independent Scotland wanting to use the pound was never really in question. George Orwell would be proud of his former employers where he got most of hid ideas on how a state propaganda service works in practice.
I didn’t fully understand the background of the woman’s comments. This helped:
link to cwunorthwest.org
“If we are Better Together, why are we not better together already?”
I am so taken with this one liner!
Unionist live in a different world, perhaps the London Bubble is on Mars, might as well be.
The had the Calman thingy which was supposed to come up with the ultimate devolution settlement. The prefect solution to the Scottish problem. Enshrined in the Scotland Act 2012, passed a year AFTER the SNP had won the 2011 election and an independence referendum was inevitable. The Unionists believed this was still the ideal devolution setup. New and shiny.
Then they realise that referendum might not be a push over for them. They know the reality is Scotland hasn’t been better together but their only positive tactic (among much negativity) is to dismiss all their recent devolution changes as not fit for purpose, and propose more ‘jam tomorrow’ changes.
And here we are, 3 weeks to go and Darling can’t name any job creating powers in the ‘jam’!
We haven’t been better together for a long time, if ever. And now Darling admits, despite all the fancy catch phrases, that they have no firm plans to actually deliver anything to make us better together anytime soon.
What planet?
OT Cochers has standard piece in Telergaph link to telegraph.co.uk
The header shows more than 100 comments but when I load page no comments are shown.
BUT when I load page from a US proxy the comments are visible. Similar has been happening on other Telegraph independence articles for a few days at least.
Anyone else find this?
You can hold a thieves hand , and show him the error’s of his ways, but you can never hold a lier’s tongue… Darling is a fool
if he thought the people would still swallow his lies..
YES signs have been removed from Broomknoll St & Sth Bridge St AIRDRIE these signs cost a lot of money,any Wingers Yessers out & about if you,s see that happening take Registration numbers & report them to the POLIS.
The radio scotland phone-in is pretty amusing!
The guy speaking right now is “don’t know” because of the uncertainty of where his car would be registered.
the way he shook his head in no, says it all, as he struggled not to nod his head in agreement.
he let the cat out of the bag and blew it.
there are many experts on the 35yr step by step stealth construction of the health and social care act, that agree with the truth of that questioner.
watkins, absolutely!
What last nights debate showed was that we Scot’s aren’t that stupid and gullible and believe everything we are being told by the MSM and are looking for information elsewhere and getting it.
Now that the genie is out the had with regards to the privatisation of the NHS in England and Wales and the MPS and Lords who have invested interest in it and along with the knock on effects to the Barnett Formula, that will be the vote winner with women.
I don’t think it will just be Bevan looking over the present Labour Party MSP’s and MP’s shoulders, but also Keir Hardie and many of the old Labour stalwarts.
The word “hypocrite” was apparently one of the most used words on social media during the debate. Wonder why? 🙂
Ronnie, I thought Airdrie was only famous for steel’n coal!
Quick glance at the papers suggest Scottish Sun has came out strongest for Salmond’s last night, ridiculing Darling’s stuttering performance.
Jim Thomson says:
I’m assuming that the controlling and manipulative BBC would at least have tried to put together a general layout of where Yes/No/undecided were parked in the audience for Glen’s use. ”
You could see sections of the audience clapped, or not clapped, at the same things. Yes & No were in clusters.
74 year old Scottish Granny living in Surrey entirely due to family ties. Feel I have been waiting for this all my life and devastated I can’t have a vote, but I am now on a mission! I have booked a week in Edinburgh from 15th – 23rd Sept with the intention of finding a couple of Nos to work on, one for the vote I can’t have an the other as we all have to convince one other person to our side. I’ll have two days to to find my “victims” before 18th and two days to celebrate.
On 14th Aug. I decided to put my money where my mouth is and went into a Bookies for the first time in my life, got carried away and tried to put on £100! Betfred had to phone up head office as it was a “novelty bet” so I could only put on £25 at 11/2 (not sure if that is good). Next on to stanjames after lots of dithering and the chap not really knowing what I was on about he let me put on £50 at 5/1. Beginning to worry a little bit about my last £25 went into WilliamHill, they had no idea what I was talking about and eventually looked it up on the screen under race courses, they were looking for a horse call “Scottish Referendum”. I despair at the ignorance down here and the attitude that it won’t make any difference to England.
I was at the debate last night.The place was in an uproar at times,mainly at Darling,s expense, although it was very muted on tv. The lady in question was cheered to the rafters as were others tho, not to the same degree.Before COMRES contacted me I was informed by a friend that he had given them my details but that he was told by them he couldn,t attend because he was a member of the SNP and an activist.I asked my wife if our membership was live to be told that it had expired in July and that she would renew it .I told her to leave it to the end of the month.When they phoned and asked all their questions I was able to say in all honesty I was not a member.I was in.There seemed to be lots of no voters many of whom appeared to know each other.Perhaps they only met on the coach up.The chap next to me had been turned at the door at the first debate but had been contacted for this one.He confirmed that a lot of yessers had been denied access at the first debate.Last night was wonderful.The number of ordinary people bursting to ask questions,the quality of the questions,the laughing in Darling,s face when he lied about,well,virtually everything was amazing.Last night the audience smelled blood and Darling knew it.Towards the end he loses it big style shouting ,pointing to Salmond and referring to “HIM” .The audience were not amused.One last thing totally O/T,last week Bitter together were bragging about having Obama,s election organisation on board .How many millions is that costing and who is paying and how?
Speaking of analogies to a football game, here is what the match commentary might have sounded like after the final whistle at the end of last night’s debate –
“Are you listening Maggie Thatcher? Are you listening David Cameron? Are you listening Boris Johnstone? Are you listening Ian Duncan Smith? Are you listening City of London bankrupt crooks?
You’re boy took a hell of a beating last night. A hell of a beating!”
Bjørge Lillelien
link to en.wikipedia.org
That lady is a star and I near choked when she fired that lot off last night.
Well done Mrs.
Was it only me, or, did anyone else notice how, when an audience member asked Darling an awkward question – rather than turning to him and asking him to answer: Glenn Campbell immediately took a different question and moved things on.
David Dimbleby might be an old Unionist and out of the Westminster bubble, but, he has, on Question Time, shown himself enough of a mischief-maker to have asked Darling to answer the question – which would have been even-more fun.
I am afraid, the real loser last night was Glenn Campbell. Bang goes any dreams he might have had of a call to London.
What’s the chance of a sudden opinion poll result coming out soon (from nowhere), showing NO at 70% and all over the front pages of MSM?
After all, the BT troops desperately need a morale-booster, quickly, after last night’s gubbing.
Listening to Radio Scotland phone in with Louise White, I was struck by how many no callers had an intense dislike of Alex Salmond.
Louise White gave it away when she said one caller had already spoken to the “phone in reception” or words to that effect.
Does this mean callers are vetted before going on air?
Has anyone captured Darling’s freudian slip where he meant to say “people” but said “pounds” instead, and either didn’t realise he’d said it himself or just thought “fuck’em, they’re ten year-olds, they’re ten year-olds…” on a maddening loop?
Anyway, a stunning insight into a modern Labour politician’s mindset either way.
If you need any more proof that Scotland and the rUK are heading if different directions then you only have to have a scroll through the comments on this article
link to bbc.com
The hate filled bile that is directed towards us is deplorable. It exemplifies everything that the NO campaign is built upon.
Instead of directing their fury at us, why not take a good hard look at what we have achieved and start to direct that fury at the politicians in Westminster?
But jealousy is a dangerous thing and often brings out the worst in people.
The media, as well as BT, must have been reeling last night. God knows what the rest of the UK made of it on BBC2? What we saw last night, was Alistair Darling taking a trouncing, not just from Alex, but from the common man and woman on the street. He was scathingly told the truth and the people are definitely not happy! The people are sick to the back teeth of the fear mongering and the perception that Scotland is just not capable.
Where BT go from here is anyone’s guess. It’s too late in the day to sit down, come up with a new game plan, and change direction. To do so, would only have people realising that it was lies all along.
What BT also got, was the real truth from the people. To Better Together; this is what the common Scots person looks like!! Not some PA who works under a Labour councillor or Labour MSP pretending to be one. This was a rude awakening for Better Together.
While the audience savaged Darling at every opportunity, it should be noted that Alex walked away pretty much unscathed. The closest comment was the one where the guy queries about 8,000 jobs at Faslane, and even that was batted away. Darling even blew it on that one saying the subs will remain there until 2028. Well, okay then …that gives us roughly 15 years to setup a new navy and bleed it in slowly alongside the subs rather than going with the 5 year gap proposed by the Yes Camp. Another bonus in my book!
And as for Darling’s closing speech. Absolutely terrible! Still harping how better we are together without giving examples. Still harping on about ‘We still don’t know what Plan B is’. Well, we do, we got 3 Plan B’s …all lined up like buses, just as Alex said.
Canvassing tonight …should be very interesting…
Excellent piece about last night from Wee Ginger Dug, Paul Kavanagh here: link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
I was at the debate and I think the audience was somewhat muted when you hear it on TV.
At one point Darlink said “I don’t think…” and as he paused I shouted out “We know!” Plenty of laughts at that one, but you can’t hear it on TV.
link to youtube.com
@Kalmar – re car registration – I know it’s completely pathetic but it could be the guy my brother works beside as he told him that.
People around the world fight and die for their country’s independence and he won’t because of his number plate!
I thought it was great the number of women who were out and out Yessers – I think the low poll for women supporting indy is probably fixed as they think women are more likely to vote for consensus.
Footsoldier says:
Listening to Radio Scotland phone in with Louise White, I was struck by how many no callers had an intense dislike of Alex Salmond.
Louise White gave it away when she said one caller had already spoken to the “phone in reception” or words to that effect.
Does this mean callers are vetted before going on air?
Yep, afraid so. BT BBC are desperately trying to dampen down the effects of a big YES momentum, likely after AD’s train crash last night. Their agenda is to make it look as though AS is still unpopular with many people. So nothing changed last night, it was just a stairheid rammy. Aye, right!
That may be the case, based on some of the strange comments from NO voters on GMS this morning. However, it is becoming clear that AS is now appealing to women and Labour supporters, two crucial groups.
The pensioners represent another important group. Less likely to vote YES, but BT would be unwise to take their NO votes for granted. Over the next two weeks, the consequences for the NHS of a NO vote will become clear, and to many pensioners this is as important to them as their pensions. Reassure them about their pensions and raise awareness about NHS privatisation south of the border (and its’ consequences for Scotland) and many old folk will start to consider the option of Scottish independence seriously.
Philippa Whitford’s latest and most comprehensive speech about the dangers of a No vote to our Scottish NHS is on the Reekie Auld youtube channel now. Please share this as widely as you can. Undecided voters need to know that we need full financial control over our NHS to protect it from privatisation, and a No vote means that our block grant will continue to be cut in line with public spending reductions in England.
“The media, as well as BT, must have been reeling last night. God knows what the rest of the UK made of it on BBC2?”
Quite simply it was one sided from the very start, as soon as Salmond did the whole ‘Westlife’ thing of coming forward and then laying out plan B,C,D etc it was game over for Darling and the rest of his NawBags.
Salmon brought up the NHS, WMDs, Bedroom tax, child poverty amongst other things whilst Darling was ironically left without a plan B as he kept going on about currency which he even admitted Scotland can use during his shambolic stuttering mess he made trying to defend UKOK.
I’m getting a postal vote. But I would rather vote in person.
Is my best option to take the postal vote down to the polling station on polling day.
Or should I try cancelling the postal vote.
And as for Darling’s closing speech. Absolutely terrible!
I couldn’t believe just how bloody awful it was. By then, I suppose, AD had lost it completely and was just looking forward to his hot chocolate and a good night’s sleep. He might even manage to wake up the following day and discover it had just been one big, bad dream.
There were 2 groups of people who all had their names called and were taken elsewhere.When we arrived in the hall they were already seated.Also to Footsoldier,when you call the bbc they ask you what your affiliations are and what your point is.After you have called a couple of times they may very well answer by saying your name and then asking what your point is.They know you and your contact number and if you are one of the awkward squad they can ignore you.
Slightly O/T but not really as the main topic ‘still’ today on the wire is currency.
Somebody help me please. The BoE was nationalised in 1946, and is now wholly owned by the UK Government. Therefore is an ASSET of the UK. Ergo Scotland owns approximately 9% of it.
Can someone please explain to me why even without the OK of the rUK government we couldn’t use that 9% share to be guarantor or lender of last resort to banks, businesses and depositors in Scotland. As long as we don’t spend more than our share what’s the problem.
Alternatively could we get the BoE to dump all our share into either a current Scottish bank, or newly created Scottish bank to act as our central bank.
I too thought the chair was showing bias in favour of Darling. So all the more congratulations to Salmond and the brilliant audience questioners. Salmond managed to get the ball back many times despite the pressure. I don’t have a vote as I’m over the border but I dearly hope the yes campaign wins. If only we could find a way out of Westminster rule too!
The truth, plain and simple. Used like an anti-bullshit grenade!
Make no bones about it, Alex Salmond’s triumph last night was an earthquake for the British media. Like last time they would have had their columns already written before last night’s encounter, the knives were poised as Salmond was heading into a carvery. It didn’t happen, so much so that the scribblers had to re-write and concede Salmond won. That is how much the win for Alex reverberated throughout the country.
Time to ride that creast of a wave and go to the people like never before.
Notice how they say ‘Salmond relentlessly’ talked over Blinky ….
From the article below-
In Monday’s TV debate, Salmond relentlessly talked over Alistair Darling, the leader of the anti-independence movement, arguing Scotland would be wealthier, freer and better governed if it became independent.
link to businessworld.ie
Both the people in the clip did well but you missed another lady who said the Yes campaign were fighting for Scotland whereas the No campaign were fighting to keep their jobs.
An essential truth of the Westminster campaign!
@Luigi – I thought it was ironic that at the start of the program Louise White agreed with the first caller that it was not about personalities and we would stick to the bigger picture.
I would guess at least 70% of the NO contributors made derogatory comments or mentioned their dislike of Alec Salmond. I would also say at least 25%-30% of the YES contributors admitted to disliking Alec Salmond.
This was not by accident or coincidence, it was planned.
Hmmm…John Curtice is The Grauniads psephologist.
link to theweek.co.uk
Out and about this morning delivering the summer YES newspaper and the business for Scotland leaflet.
I got so many smiles that I checked my flies twice!
I feel it.We are on our way!
BT BBC are desperate to regroup. They need a morale-booster and they need it quickly. And they need to show there is no momentum building for YES.
Therefore, expect a strange opinion poll result to come out in the next day or so. Brace yourselves.
It’s the only weapon they have left.
Before the Debate there was a BT meeting in Helensburgh at which Malcolm Rifkind (Scottish Tory deserter) and Jackie Baillie shared a platform.
I watched the audience of around 200 enter the hall. I thought at first it was an event selling Funeral Plans.
All old Tories , speaking to themselves!
Whoops, finger slipped and I just accidentally emailed the Panama Ambassador to ask how they’re going to respond to Darling’s slandering of their economy
link to bbc.co.uk
Macsenex at 11:31am
Sorry I misread part of your post as “Malcolm and Jackie shared a platter…”
I’ll get my coat…
@Beanstalk & others
With postal votes you can take your completed postal vote (in its sealed envelope) to any polling place within your local council area on polling day. What I don’t think you can do is to vote normally there as you will be marked down as a postal voter.
Personally I’d not want to change from a postal vote to a normal vote at this late stage just in case something goes wrong or gets lost in the post or whatever.
Cheery morning here. Some months ago a secretary at work raised the indyref subject with me, indicating that she’d like independence but “do you think we could do it?” She sounded quite dubious about it all, even though I assured her we were actually stinking rich. I had her on my list for a Wee Blue Book WHEN I GET THE BLOODY THINGS.
This morning she saw my YesMobile with its rather conspicuous Yes decals.
link to mobile.twitter.com
And pointed to her own car, saying “I’ve only got one wee sticker”. One wee sticker is fine by me. (One less WBB needed, too.)
Referendum AD the only NOOK plan for ukScotland is the forced labour of the work programme extended to local authorities, is this what the LibLabCon Cartel are cooking up in the closets Westminster.
They are really going to punish the Scots in the event of a NO vote.
I remember watching Glen Campbell, in the wee small hours of post election night, with his head in his hands after the second (and landslide) SNP Holyrood victory. I thought he was going to burst into tears. So when I heard he was the ‘ref’ for last night’s debate. I knew BTBC had called up their star player for the No side. BUt much as I hate the man’s bias, last night Glen seemed actually quite unbiased. Has he had a ‘Road to Damascus’ epiphany conversion? Is he now a closet YES? STranger things have happened. Of course I might just be still as high as a kite after the trouncing delivered to Darling’s lies. His downright, petty rudeness will also really put off women voters. There is never any need for bad manners and he just came across as a very nasty lot, indeed. The truth will out, of course. Soon as I see that Curtice guy I immediately turn over. cannot stand the man and so clearly biased
Was there not also someone in the audience who told Darling that all he was interested in saving was his own job? Brilliant.
I remember watching Glen Campbell, in the wee small hours of post election night, with his head in his hands after the second (and landslide) SNP Holyrood victory. I thought he was going to burst into tears. So when I heard he was the ‘ref’ for last night’s debate. I knew BTBC had called up their star player for the No side. BUt much as I hate the man’s bias, last night Glen seemed actually quite unbiased. Has he had a ‘Road to Damascus’ epiphany conversion? Is he now a closet YES? STranger things have happened. Of course I might just be still as high as a kite after the trouncing delivered to Darling’s lies. His downright, petty rudeness will also really put off women voters. There is never any need for bad manners and he just came across as a very nasty lot, indeed. The truth will out, of course. Soon as I see that Curtice guy I immediately turn the tv over. Cannot stand the man and so clearly biased!
Read a tweet last night that someone from the NO side stated they were involved in the counting process and if two ‘X’s were on the paper it is void. It felt like they were promoting this tactic.
Is this possible.
Luigi
There is the last throw of the die and it is an outrage one.
Expect that but how severe depends.
I am sure it will happen in reality or scare form.
Sorry O/T
Here is a link that shows what can be done to diverse your economy when oil prices go a bit lower. In this case again it is Norway, it is interesting. It shows what could have happened and may still happen in an Independent Scotland.
link to energy-pedia.com
[…] « Voices of the people […]
You want to know what the best bit of all that was?
The two people in the audience who scored such big, big points really were extraordinary, “ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC”, and not planted insiders of Labour in Scotland.
Just confirming the pre Postal Voting instructions from the Electoral Registration Officer covering the Lothians read:
6.Complete and return your vote as soon as possible.The Counting Officer must receive it by 10PM on Thursday 18 September 2014. If you have not posted it in time,you can deliver it to the Referendum Office,The City of Edinburgh Council,City Chambers,High Street ,Edinburgh,or to ANY POLLING STATION in the council area on polling day.
Other council areas will have similar instructions.
I enjoyed the highlighted comments, as has everyone else. Also important was the one, noted above, about YES figting for Scotland, while NO were fighting for their jobs!
But another very telling comment came from the young man who said that he was inclined to vote NO, but that Darling had not given him any good reason to do so.
How many voters think similarly? These ‘soft NOs’ are not all going to vote that way after last night’s performance. Some – a few – will cross over to YES, but many will not bother to turn up.
On the other hand, I cannot imagine that any ‘soft YES’ voters will think similarly. Their resolve will have been strengthened.
@indigo
I’m thinking that the Better Together HQ will shortly be receiving a card from the Panamanian Ambassador challenging Alastair Darling to a duel.
Time: Noon
Place: Behind the cathedral
Weapons: Banana skins
I think salmond missed a trick when darling declared “you can’t spend money you don’t have”
From the former custodian of one of the most highly leveraged economies in the world…
You couldn’t make it up.
Good old EBC pushing the NO camp for all it’s worth. Flogging a dead horse comes to mind a disgrace for a public broadcaster.
News reader, Simon McCoy states its good if it gets the people engaged in politics. Where the f*** has he been the last 2years, shows the level of interest and knowledge at EBC.
Panama was a sleekit public schoolboy dig at the Scots.
@Indy-Scot
A ballot is only invalid if it cannot be determined what was the intention of the voter or it can be identified to a particular voter.
Two Xs in the yes box are as valid as one, however “Indy-Scot says Yes” is likely to be rejected as your handwriting can be identified.
Nana Smith says:
Or there is the truth, he did not let Darling away with his ramblings!
Re Darling on Jobs as a reason for keeping
Faslane nuclear submarine base and weapons storage at Coulport.
A girl reporter in last night’s Herald web page
likened it to keeping Auschwitz open
for the sake of the guard’s jobs.
Unable to trace it now.
MajorBloodnok
Panama ambassador better hurry, Alastair is getting lots of practise in with all these banana skins he’s been treading on.
I am heartened by the outcome of the debate and an sure it will boost the YES vote.
Better Together recycling propoganda that is at least two years old on their social media outlets today.
Desperate, desperate stuff 🙂
SKY News giving Darling a lot of air space, who would have thought it!
Couldn’t quite make out Ally’s Blink Rate per Minute when the lady came out with her comments.
It was a peach of a comment though. Funny. I’ve not seen in repeated in any of the Debate Highlights, and don’t really expect too.
Something else I’ve noticed about the reporting after the debate is that Nick Robinson said this about Darling: “He clearly lost. Alex Salmond, on the other hand, looked utterly determined that he’d come out on top.
But Brian Tayolor can’t bring himself to report the truth staring him in the face and only reports: “From the last debate over currency, Mr Salmond turned it round and made it a challenge to Mr Darling.” and “However, on the night it was a effective argument and performance from Mr Salmond.”
So London can see the truth of the event but BBC Scotland can do nothing but skirt around the edges and never commit itself without it’s blatant Better Together, No Thanks uKOK slant.
Look on the bright side. After the YES vote we can have a Broadcaster who will report impartially, cause we sure as hell don’t have that the noo.
@manandboy
“A girl reporter in last night’s Herald web page
likened it to keeping Auschwitz open
for the sake of the guard’s jobs.”
Brilliant analogy.
This “add an extra cross” thing is just mischief-making.
Even if it were possible to take a pencil that would make a mark like the voting booth pencils into a count, the tellers are working under close scrutiny. Hardly possible to interfere with any papers, at most 2 or 3. And if by some subterfuge it was done, it wouldn’t take too many papers like that before the Returning Officer smelled a rat, or was being bombarded by counting agents who smelled a rat.
I admit I was a bit tense before the debate. Oh me of little faith!
We are so lucky to have a pair of stars like Alex and Nicola at this amazing time.
Off leafleting with a song in my heart.
@ Hewitt83
I’m surprised that Better Together, No Thanks uKOK, aren’t remixing the Grange Hill “Just Say NO” track from years ago.. (oh no.. have I just given them ideas..argh!)
It would be nice tie in track to go with the two year old recycled propaganda.
What is frequently missing in nearly every online set of comments pages
is the realisation that there has been
a huge cultural shift in England to neo-liberalism
while Scotland has remained very largely social-democrat.
These two philosophies are incompatible.
A union NOW between the two is never going to work.
The past is now past.
It’s time to face up to reality.
The Union is over.
It’s time to separate, to split up.
Just like thousands of people do every week.
It’s a part of life.
The big problem is the money.
Scotland has lots of it
and London has gotten used to taking it.
As for guys like Darling -especially after last night –
he’s fighting for his personal political future and fortune,
like so many on the Westminster gravy train.
On BBC NEWS now Douglas Alexander given all the time he needs to rubbish the debate, along with all the rest blah blah.
This is not like the BBC Huh!
@ Hewitt83 12:02pm
I’m surprised that Better Together, No Thanks uKOK, aren’t remixing the Grange Hill “Just Say NO” track from years ago.. (oh no.. have I just given them ideas..argh!)
It would be nice tie in track to go with the two year old recycled propaganda.
@ Hewitt83 12:02pm
I’m surprised that Better Together, No Thanks uKOK, aren’t remixing the Grange Hill “Just Say NO” track from years ago.. (oh no.. have I just given them ideas..argh!)
It would be nice tie in track to go with the two year old recycled propaganda.
Postie delivered my 12 WBB this morning – thanks kestral
Big brain on tv….look out, convention is coming!
@Jim McIntosh says: 26 August, 2014 at 11:15 am:
“Somebody help me please. The BoE was nationalised in 1946, and is now wholly owned by the UK Government. Therefore is an ASSET of the UK. Ergo Scotland owns approximately 9% of it.
On what legal fact do you base that claim of 9% owned by Scotland? There are no such indications in the Treaty Of Union which is a bipartite agreement between two equally sovereign KINGDOMS. Population proportions have fluctuated throughout the life of the Union.
“Can someone please explain to me why even without the OK of the rUK government we couldn’t use that 9% share to be guarantor or lender of last resort to banks, businesses and depositors in Scotland. As long as we don’t spend more than our share what’s the problem.”
The BofE didNOT bail out the failing banks. The countries where the failing banks paid most and the UK Treasury paid the rest. In point of fact the BofE has taken on lots of the entire National Debt since then by means of Quantitative Easing. The debt is run up by the Treasury issuing Government Bonds, (Gilts).
Alternatively could we get the BoE to dump all our share into either a current Scottish bank, or newly created Scottish bank to act as our central bank.
First up there are two components belonging to Scotland in the BofE. Our negotiable share of it’s nationalise assets and the sum in BofE notes held by the BofE to guarantee the banknotes printed and issued by the Scottish Banks, This last belongs exclusively to Scotland and must be paid back if Scotland demands it.
Rerunning on BBC NEWS selective comments from the debate.
Completely Biased view given, yes they also show Salmond but they have carefully selected comments from Darling.
We need to boot them out.
Re: The possibility of 8000 Faslane jobs.
Well these dont currently exist so do not relate to the approx 600 jobs that would be lost. On the other hand it is just as valid to say up to 100,000 London and SE oil related jobs could be lost with independence moving them all to Scotland (Based on Oil and Gas UK job figures)
For the 8000 jobs how many of those would be for people commuting or moving from other parts of the UK as opposed to people already living in Scotland?
Is there a source for the 8000 figure? It is probably exaggerated by the usual 10 times but is this already a UK government commitment? It can in any case be overturned at any time for any reason.
P.R.D. says; “Panama was a sleekit public schoolboy dig at the Scots.”
That didn’t dawn on me… I suppose I’m looking to the future like most Yessers, not harking to past history… but what a childish carp from Darling… if he has time for this, then he is truely a waste of time.
link to en.wikipedia.org
The comeback from MSM/UKTV/SLAB Stoogery is that it was all a bit too ‘shouty’, yet tune into any WM debate and what you get is nothing but shouty shouty boo hiss hiss here here yaboo hiss boo shouty shouty etc … and that’s from one of the more articulate debates …
@Aspen
Madam, I doff my hat to you.
You are indeed the spirit of independence and a shining example to us all.
The idea of coming here for a weeks holiday to convert two No’s to make up for you not having a vote is real commitment.
At the very least I think Rev Stu should send you an honorary Wings badge.
While on about commitment, as the Wings Referendum Agent for Aberdeenshire I currently have ONE volunteer to help cover the Aberdeenshire postal vote (10 mornings approx) 128 polling stations and the count on the 18th at the AECC. If anyone else is interested (especially anyone in Inverurie who can help with the postal votes) contact me at colinizat (at) Hotmail (dot) com. As always, I will do what I can, but without help there is only so much I can do.
Last night Blinky said he doesn’t want Scotland to be like panama for as much as 6 minutes.
Last week when Jim Murphy said that Scotland would be like Panama in the event of a pegged currency being used I asked him “So, is Panama a diddy country then?”
“Don’t insult Panama” said Murphy. He started it, and Blinkin’ Flipper is carrying on doing it.
Are the Panamanians aware just how much they are being held up as an example of a banana republic by members of the UK Government?
Incidentally Wikipedia says that Panama has the second largest economy in Central America and it is also the fastest growing economy and the largest per capita consumer in Central America. In 2013, Panama ranked 5th among Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index, and 59th in the world. Since 2010, Panama remains as the second most competitive economy in Latin America according to the Global Competitiveness Index from the World Economic Forum.
Chew on that Flipper.
I like Alex Salmond.
He is a very accomplished and shrewd politician.
I can’t imagine anyone else
who could have done the job
of getting us to the Referendum
as well as he has.
But what I like most about the First Minister
is that he is FOR Scotland 100%.
I can’t say that about ANY No politician or spokesperson.
And I can’t say that about the BBC, STV or the Press,
all of whom try to rubbish Alex Salmond,
including particularly, the Labour Party,
which simmers with permanent hate for him and the SNP.
None epitomises this hatred more than
the nations bete noir and incomparable incompetent,
Johann Lamont.
All of these, and more, are only interested in what they can GET OUT of Scotland as they ride the gravy train.
Their days must surely be numbered.
I will not say “i told ye so”
But i had No doubts about the debate and there was always going to be one winner,
A. Salmond is the best politician out there , hands down. He’s fought tooth and nail against the Westminster estab. for decades. Love him or hate him , you want him on your side. If he ran the NO campaign it would be over barr the shouting.
Am a big fan of Salmond, Sturgeon , Swinny etc they have done a very good job in govt. This gives me confidence to vote YES . We have fantastic people on our side and the hope and energy will ensure Scotland will do well.
Great audience , fantastic questions and a really cheezy grin on my face when i talk to folk about the referendum.
“And we shall rise now and be that nation again.”
Brilliant stuff last night, a great boost for YES campaigners, shot in the arm. Got 50 WBB from YES Aberdeenshire yesterday and they’re going like hot cakes, even my very shy wife took 4 into her work today to give to undecideds.
Xsticks…. contact YESAberdeenshire on FB, I’m sure they’ll be able to help you out
S
My first thought was how the feck she got in
Re Panama, I’m sure I read somewhere recently that they have found oil in, of all places, the Darien jungle. Good for them. 🙂
Think I may email the Panamanian Ambassador with an abject apology for the ignorant and insulting rant from AD against there lovely, successful wee country and that Scotland bears them no ill will whatsoever.
Maybe all Wingers should do so?
Lets not forget he insulted Iceland and Ireland as well. Two countries that since the financial crisis have out performed old blighty.
Iceland stood up to and jailed the reckless bankers who destroyed their economy.
Ireland now pays less on it’s borrowing than the UK.
Two pretty good examples of smaller countries facing up to challenges and overcoming them.
@CalumCarr
I suspect you’re right. I’m in Australia and I can see all the comments. To be fair – you’re not missing much! It’s pretty much just people outside of Scotland bickering. Mostly the arguments are those you’ve heard a thousand times before.
Cheers,
WJ
Morag,
“it wouldn’t take too many papers like that before the Returning Officer smelled a rat, or was being bombarded by counting agents who smelled a rat.”
Aren’t the majority of Returning Officers unionist council employees? I wouldn’t trust them one bit.
Is it allowed to use one’s own PEN on the ballot paper?
Postal votes are not filled in pencil are they? Because they could be easily INTERCEPTED and changed before reaching the Returning Officer. Well, even pen filled ones would actually.
They will NOT let us win this fairly and democratically.
Let alone humans, is there any dog or cat left in Scotland who knows the capital and flag but still doesn’t know the currency of independent Scotland?
Rock, that’s just tinfoil hat paranoia. You can use your own pen or anything else you like to mark your ballot. The pencils are only provided for convenience.
Returning Officers are people, with the normal integrity level of most people, that is pretty trustworthy. They know their job and take a pride in it. They are subject to the law like the rest of us.
Have you ever been at a count?
The sealed boxes are opened under the very noses of the polling agents and candidates. The reconciliation and counting steps are again done with polling agents sticking their noses into every step, from just feet away. Mostly they’re trying to get a squint at the votes to see if they can get a handle on how things are going, but they’d spot any shenanigans pretty quickly.
It’s not impossible to fiddle a vote a bit. A bundle of votes for candidate A with a single vote for candidate B on top, put in B’s stack. That sort of thing. But it’s penny-numbers, and would be found out at a recount. More “mistakes” than could reasonably be made by someone acting honestly would be investigated.
If anyone wants to fiddle this vote in a meaningful manner, it will not be done by altering genuine voters’ ballots or miscounting at the count.
I do worry about the lax arrangements for postal voters. What is to stop No from registering genuine names at genuine Scottish addresses (with these names’ permission) who are actually based elsewhere in the UK, then someone at those addresses filling in No and returning the ballots? I looked at the registration form. It asks for your previous address where you were registered before. Presumably this is then checked before the voter is added to the roll. But nowhere on the form did it ask to see proof of residency within Scotland. Such as a utility bill.
Of course, to make a difference, tens of thousands of such fraudulent votes would have to be created. That is one kind of check I suppose. But if the vote is close, I think the postal votes should be re-examined for potential fraud, especially new registrations of voters previously registered elsewhere in the UK or EU.
YesGuy
I agree we are very fortunate to have Alex Salmond but feel the reason that he is doing so well is because he’s not talking pish, as all of the No politicians are. He does appear to be principled, as do many others in the SNP. Yes i’m a member but I’d dump them in a heartbeat if I didn’t believe in what they are punting
There’s nothing I hate more when people say, ‘I’m not into politics, they’re all lying bastards’ as if politics is totally detached from their every day life
It absolutely amazes me that so called representatives of Scottish constituents, particularly Labour ones, are feeding bare faced lies to the people they are supposed to be representing
People must open their ears and decide who’s lying and who isn’t FFS
And if I hear ‘what’s your plan B’ again, I’m going to have a ‘Falling Down’ moment
TJenny, I’m thinking of doing just that. Panama is being held up by the unionists as being the nightmare scenario, the archetypal banana republic.
In North Lanarkshire where I live they have already dished out the referendum jobs for the boys to trusted staff:
link to whatdotheyknow.com
I’ve also asked the Scottish Governement what measures are in place to prevent fraud. Not a great deal I’m afraid:
link to whatdotheyknow.com
As far as I’m concerned Alex Salmond is principled, brave and moral and about as honest as a politician can be. Also, as an inveterate gambler on the cuddies he knows how to take a calculated risk. Thank God we have him heading up the SNP, it makes the difference between night and day.
Registering real people at addresses where they don’t actually live is obviously possible and it will obviously happen. By and large it will be Scots who have moved away who prevail on their parents to register them at the family home. Some people seem to be registered at their holiday homes too. Some of these people will be No and some will be Yes and I very much doubt if this will swing the vote.
To be effective, a fraud would have to get a large number of unreal people registered and then return votes on their behalf. I find it hard to see how this could be accomplished on a large enough scale to swing a Scotland-wide referendum.
Morag – I remember reading (on here ?) that you had to use a pencil on the ballot paper as the scanning machine can only detect graphite and not ink. Seems bizarre to have a modern day scanner that can’t detect ink, but do you have any info on this?
Re the tweet last night, from someone who’d been confirmed as a counting attendant, about the spoiling of ballot papers, I think they said, if the paper had an X in the Yes box, they would put an X in the No box and therefore it would have 2 Xs and be a spoiled paper, followed by ‘BT it is then’. Hope that’s not a possibility. 🙁
Will the dead rise to vote again I wonder.
@ Grendel
As the Election agent for Wings over Scotland in North Lanarkshire I can nominate polling agents and counting agents for the forthcoming referendum.
gerry[dot]parker[at]gmail[dot]com
The next dingbat that uses the expression, ‘it wasn’t a game changer,’ gets all his bloody boxes ticked!
Morag,
Do you seriously believe that this will a fair and democratic vote without any rigging?
watching that clip reminds me of a BBC ‘Question Time’ episode filmed in Glasgow a good few years back.
The topic of discussion was re a judge who had aquitted/served a lenient sentence on an alleged rapist because the victim was ‘wearing a short skirt’.
Dimbleby turned to the audience after the panels comments, to solicit comments from the floor & one wee man says:
“Theses judges, the state o’ them – they don’t know whether it’s New York or New Year”.
(the camera returned to dimbleberry, who was speechless!)