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Wings Over Scotland


What Adam Didn’t Know

Posted on February 07, 2018 by

The Scottish Conservatives have taken us all on quite a ride with regard to the UK government’s Brexit impact analysis on Scotland. In October, David Mundell told us it definitely existed. Then just a week later he told us it definitely didn’t. And this month he finally admitted it did.

But his Scottish Tory colleagues knew one thing for sure all along – if it did exist, then it certainly wouldn’t resemble the ridiculous, over-the-top, hysterical scaremongering figures conjured up by the Scottish Government.

 You know where this is going, right? Let’s all save some time.

Tomkins was sort of right, of course. There really are some people you just can’t trust.

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heedtracker

That’s my girl. All to keep Scotland down and in its place. Great kisser too.

fuzzynavel

Unfortunately the Anti-SNP damage is already done…Maybe this can get into FMQ’s

Simon Curran

Any comments from Adam Tomkins yet?

Highland Wifie

And we know who they are.
How on earth Mundell and his hingers on can get away with the sheer number of lies that are told without any challenge from the media is quite breathtaking.
Surely the wheels are coming off the shoogly wagon soon. Even the half asleep will start to notice, won’t they?

Ian Brotherhood

When Tomkins is forced to comment on this he will at least have the common decency to appear embarrassed.

No such ordeal for Fluffy, who simply lies his way through each and every ‘drama’ as and when it presents itself by doing precisely what he’s told to do.

Who tells him? Who gives a fuck – all that matters now is that he fucks off and stops claiming to represent Scotland with regard to Brexit or anything else. He doesn’t, never has and never ever will.

heedtracker

Murdoch’s tory crew of turds also carrying it, but without my Slovene girlfriend. Most odd. How come Scotland’s a back and forth UKOK region and nation anyway?

Even Colonel Ruth’s two cents would have been something. The lengths UKOK msm go to protect toryboys of Scotland and Slovenia…

link to news.sky.com

mogabee

‘Another one bites the dust’…

Really and truly getting to the end point here folks as each BetertheGither scary tract has vanished in front of our eyes.

Now the Scottish government is standing even taller the nicht as they ‘told you so’!

So, next? ???

Cactus

Or more realistically…

BRUKexit will cut Scottish GDP by at least 9%.

SO think about that, Scotland.

Velofello

Frankly, just what does Tomkins know or understand about economics? Is he a part-time lecturer on …law? And why is he a list MSP who polled a pitiful number of votes and so a product of the nonsensical D’Hondt “selection” system.

I really do not understand the Scottish Tories objectives, they talk about wealth creation, enterprise, and yet they endorse Scotland being tied to a union with quite adverse objectives to those clearly in the best interest of Scotland.

Maybe sadly they have been conditioned.

Mike d

Hope all you PSB’S arent taking this westminster bulls**t on board.

Robert Graham

As has been mentioned FMQs is the place to get this out in fact let’s have a wee change , let’s turn it into Tory bloody questions

Have them answer the bloody questions , for every question they ask return it with a short yes or no , never mind the long detailed reply ,

No we dont agree and while i am at it the assessment done by the snp government was rubbished by the arses to my left defend your position now go on lets hear your reply Ruth .

The perfect opportunity for labour and lib dems to get at the real problem namely the tory party will they ?,aye it would take a spine to be inserted first before they break ranks Cowards .

Macart

And as we’ve seen from last indyref and pretty much anything written by better together… It wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

As I posted last thread:

All those…’people’… in the media who had a damn good snark at Scotgov’s version? You lot can form an orderly queue to proffer an apology to Scotland’s First Minister. The lady is due one at this point. That is, when you’re all finished screwing about in people’s lives.

In your own time then.

Maybe not hold our breath though. The opposition aren’t known for having regrets, humility, a sense of contrition or indeed self awareness.

Ian McCubbin

Ckwar sense that you expose Tompkins fkr the spin merchant he is.
I never believe Yoon press nor BBC either.
Dont watch the latter.I am sure more and more people see theough this fear tactic rhetoric

jfngw

Mundell who it looks like he is planning to try and fool the Scottish people that his setup in Edinburgh, which will claim to be taking the power grabbed devolved matter decisions, is power being returned to Scotland.

He must really think we are stupid to believe a Scottish Office stuffed with a minority party in Scotland is representing Scotland.

It is irrelevant anyway as an indy vote will wipe out this last colonial stronghold. A no vote will, in my view, effectively be the extinguishing of Scotland as a country.

Clydebuilt

Ch4 7pm news Michael Crick went through a list of regions of the UK with the percentage damage done to their economy by Brexit . . . He omitted Scotland!

Dr Jim

I present to you ladies and gentlemen on this day of days *A star is born* as Annie Wells takes the starring role in the new blockbusting PPB for the Conservative and Unionist party
where her opening line is “Ah jist waanted tae help, ah wiz workin in Marks and Spencers and here ah am an MSP fur the conservatives” (it’s the common touch)

But the final line goes to Roof Davidson who says “No more referendums just get on with the day job”

I could hear neighbours laughing out loud three doors away

Meg merrilees

I think Nicola might have a field day tomorrow at FMQ’s.

Sure that (t)Ruthless will go on and on about the Police again esp. now he’s resigned, but I can’t wait ti hear oor wee Nicky ‘slapping her down’ – to use the Daily Heil language- about the brexit analysis.

Hyppocrytes the lot of them – except Nicola, of course!

Meg merrilees

I note that the BBC has already reworded the article – spot the subtle difference…

I hour ago they said:
The figure is slightly worse than the 8.5% hit to GDP predicted by the Scottish Government last month

Now it reads:
The figure, calculated over a 15-year period, compares with the 8.5% hit to GDP predicted by a Scottish government study last month.

Dr Jim

I just looked up the law about Tomkins and Mundells lies but unfortunately they don’t have to resign or even be sacked in these circumstances (Carmichael versus Scotland) in which Mr Carmichael was found guilty of being a stinking wretch of a liar but avoided conviction or punishment as it’s deemed legal if you lie to Scotland because Scotland doesn’t exist as a country so obviously there are no actual human people to lie to

So we’ll not be expecting an apology soon either

[…] Wings Over Scotland What Adam Didn’t Know The Scottish Conservatives have taken us all on quite a ride with regard to the UK […]

Doug Bryce

Brexit is delivering everything they threatened independence would 🙂

1) Out of EU.
2) Banks relocating
3) £ permanently crashed making us all poorer
4) UK less global influence
5) Internal border to British Isles (NI)

Who is going to stand up and make a serious case for the Union now ?

Socrates MacSporran

Off-Topic

Thanks Rev. My late wife is one of the girls meeting Elvis in that pic from The Guardian, mentioned in your twitter feed.

geeo

Missed this earlier..TM failing to give assurances on American access to NHS services…!!

link to archive.is

shug

Even with all this there are still died in the wool unionists insisting Sturgeon needs to stick to her day job, the BBC continues with the SNP bad line and the press fudge the important details

How do we the Jockholm syndrom folks to waken up

Ian

And not reported on UK news OR Reporting Scotland unless I missed it hiddened at seventh or eight item.

Robert Peffers

@Cactus says: 7 February, 2018 at 9:06 pm:

“Or more realistically…
BRUKexit will cut Scottish GDP by at least 9%.
SO think about that, Scotland.”

Ach! Cactus, If I had a pound coin for every unionist party supporter I had to explain to what Per Capita GDP was It would be too heavy a burden for me to carry. So just what kind of impression do you imagine these people will derive from that claim of a loss of per capita GDP will have on such voters?

Do you think they will do a few swift mental calculations to find out their average annual income, then calculate what, “at least 9%”, of that figure is in actual weekly income and then vote for independence? I don’t but some switherers will and that may be enough.

Welsh Sion

When Ruth dived and Adam spun
Who was then the gentle mun?

Answer: Neither.

Phronesis

A very concise analysis of the effects of Brexit- written by the CBI. The horrendous trading deficit figure is based on sound evidence, not scaremongering,

‘The National Institute of Economic and Social Research estimated that the increases to UK trade from concluding FTAs with the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand combined are less than 3% of current total trade in goods and services. Meanwhile, the estimated trade increase from concluding FTAs with the BRIIC (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa) countries combined is even smaller, at just over 2%. In contrast, evidence shows that leaving the single market would lead to a long-term reduction in total UK trade of between 22% and 30%’

link to cbi.org.uk

Valerie

9% is a cautious estimate, based on the current state of play, which is, as we know, already on the slide.

Even 9% would take a generation, with good luck, to get back to where we stand today, only ankle deep in shit.

This country is smouldering, and the Tories, north and south, are running fetching wood and firelighters on a daily basis, with Labour egging them on.

In the week No 10 said – no Customs Union, thereby putting the Irish peace back into jeopardy, the alleged Leader of the supine Opposition, opened his PMQs with – police numbers, allowing May to run riot with all manner of lies.

So bloody sick of it all.

jfngw

@Dr Jim

Annie Wells also claimed she was elected, she forgot to mention she came third and was list selected not elected.

Legerwood

Clydebuilt says:
7 February, 2018 at 9:33 pm
Ch4 7pm news Michael Crick went through a list of regions of the UK with the percentage damage done to their economy by Brexit . . . He omitted Scotland!””
…………..

Channel 4 news always omits Scotland unless it is something that shows Scotland in a bad light.

heedtracker

So we’ll not be expecting an apology soon either

Tbf, Professor Smirky was a very very Remain high tory. He went btl Remain mental, btl stinky old The Graun, in the run up to Brexit ref, very mental.

It was odd to watch, if only because this toryboy couldn’t say out loud, if you lot back in England vote Leave, its going to trigger indyref2, in my Scotland region.

So it was quite fun watching a high tory britnat chancer going economic catastrofuck berserk, at fellow tory English Britnats, as only Prof T can. WHen he really wanted to scream at them, vote Leave and we will lose control of Scotland! Poor Prof Smirky

Yes, he did reach for the same “you YES Scots are all fascist scum” too, but English Leave votes this time, as it looked like England really was going to vote Leave.

He’s a barefaced liar is Prof T but does anyone lie like a tory?

Jockanese Wind Talker

Aye that’s a fair whack o’ cash @Phronesis says at 10:18 pm

Evidence shows that leaving the single market would lead to a long-term reduction in total UK trade of between 22% and 30%’

UK Exports: £323.6bn (year to September 2017, Q4 not published yet)

22% of 3/4 of UK Exports 2017 = £71.2 bn

33% of 3/4 of UK Exports 2017 = £97.1 bn

Scotspine

You know, no slight against anyone saying they cant wait til FMQs, to see the Tories (of whatever hew) handed their collective asses on a plate, but its about high time we started properly kicking off about the shitstorm that will engulf us when Brexit hits.

Playing nice by their rules aint going to win the day. We play nice and they play underhand with their compliant msm, plastic Scots with an orange hew and secret societies (rich pricks from outwith Scotland financially supporting rich pricks owning vast swathes of Scotland).

They aint going to let go of Scotland with us playing by Queensbury rules. They have that all sewn up.

They will already be plotting for the next Indyref with their “burly men” and Postal voting samples and fake fire alarms at counting stations and “storing” Postal votes outwith the jurisdiction (somewhere in England).

Its time folk woke up to that, or simply rolled over and presented their bellies like compliant pet dogs.

Bit fucked off tonight if you didnt notice.

Robert Peffers

@Velofello says: 7 February, 2018 at 9:08 pm:

Maybe sadly they have been conditioned.”

Oh! they are most certainly conditioned, Velofello. First of all they are conditioned to believe that the simple term, “The United Kingdom”, describes a single unified country and not the disunited bipartite union of kingdoms it has become.

Secondly they are conditioned to believe the country called the United Kingdom is Britain and next conditioned to believe that Britain also means England and that England, being the country, has sovereign control over the other three United King countries and that the Kingdom of Scotland was wiped out by the Treaty of Union between the two, equally sovereign kingdoms that signed the treaty.

These people are far more conditioned than Pavlov’s dogs. Pavlov accidentally came across, “classical conditioning”, unintentionally while researching animals’ gastric systems. He was measuring the salivation rates, (drooling), of dogs and found they would drool when they heard or smelt food and anticipated being fed. This is, of course, a normal reflex we expect to happen because saliva has an important role in the digestion of food.

However, Pavlov’s dogs soon also began to salivate when things happened that were otherwise not normally related to being fed. For example the sound of Pavlov’s assistant opening the outer door on the way to feed the dogs.

Then, by playing certain sounds to the dogs before feeding them, Pavlov demonstrated how they could be conditioned to subconsciously associate neutral, unrelated events with being fed.

The only difference between the dogs and the unionist supporters is that they are conditioned, not by food, but by the promises of money or of influence and particularly of political influence.

Jockanese Wind Talker

The economy of Scotland is the 43rd largest in the world with an estimated nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of up to £152 Billion in 2015.

So 9% of 2015s GDP = £13.68 bn

HandandShrimp

The petards are well and truly hoist.

S. Perspective

Interesting bit of corroboration. So WM and the SG can finally agree on something: Brexit is going to be an economic calamity. The difference is on what to do about it. The SG says mitigate it, or better, avoid it. WM says, embrace it! And here’s the thing: 3.5% off a plush SE/London income is possibly affordable in return for a bit of patriotic grandstanding. But the 16% calculated for NE England is the difference between just-about-managing and downright destitution. What a madhouse even to consider such no-brainier. And we’re … better together???

Ken500

Could the Tories make a bigger mess. Yet people vote for these imbeciles.

Just unbelievable.

jfngw

Reporting Scotland in full mode tonight, turning the accusations of bullying into a full attack on the SNP’s competence. Moved from an individual story onto an attack on the formation of Police Scotland.

Meanwhile the SoS for Scotland being less that honest with Holyrood doesn’t even warrant a mention. I suppose they didn’t want to eclipse the upcoming Conservative PPB, the one with the ‘get on with the day job’ catchphrase.

orri

FMQ’s with the SNP feeding questions to Sturgeon.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop as far as the Smart Alec Brexiteer Tories are concerned writing in and putting May within a couple of letters from a leadership contest. They aren’t the only ones who can do that and they’ve set it up so it only needs a few Remainer Tories to pull the trigger and remove their blackmail. This latest might be enough to do that.

Jack collatin

This chancer Tomkins stood in my constituency,
We booted him out on his arse. Yet there he is, front and centre lying his fucking head off and backed up by the Yoon Broadcasters and Press.
Ruth Davidson on her pathetic amateurish cheap laughable vacuous PPB.
‘Get on with the day job. No more Referendums’.
Ruth Davidson, why don’t you just fuck off to England and leave us all in peace.
I hold you responsible for premature deaths and attacks on the social fabric of our country, Scotland.
The West Midlands (of England) will take a 16% hit according to the Forecasts That Never Were.
Jaguar No More, Land Rover No More, Peugot No More.
There may be Troubles ahead.

heedtracker

Wrong thread bugger it.

Sturgeon’s misled everyone says Severin not Prof T. Its odd what makes tory liggers in Scotland jump though. Must be quite a deal, as Gruan liggers pile in to help the tories.

link to archive.is

Just another UKOK day at the coal face, to keep UKOK rule and get us all to vote against our interests ofcourse.

Robert Peffers

I thank everyone who offered condolences but I really cannot face reading through the threads just yet so will probably be a bit quite for a little while. I have now outlasted two wives and now my youngest son but nothing gets you hardened to your loved ones passing away. Young Robert was a really nice person and literally wouldn’t harm a fly.

Mind you he seemed more relaxed with animals and spent most of his free time helping out at a local farm and did so for free. His great passion was horse riding and he would travel miles for a horse show. Many will miss Robert.

K1

When are the lifeboats getting launched? I am not standing by to just watch us being led into this total fucking horror story created by a bunch of right wing Tory fuckwits who have led England’s serf electorate into this under the guise of ‘taking back control’.

Time for Scotland to leave this stinking rotten carcass of a Union.

Valerie

off topic

Very significant case raised in Netherlands by the Brexpats (Brits living in NL) have been granted leave for their question on removing their EU rights, to the ECJ.

They maintain the result of a referendum should not remove their EU citizens rights.

Full story in Guardian. Any ECJ verdict will be followed by the rest of Brits living in EU.

link to archive.is

Robert Graham

Heedtracker ever get the feeling you woke up this morning on the wrong planet, and your trapped in the movie one flew over the cuckoos nest , and everything that’s going on around doesn’t quite make sense, Confused you f/n bet I am , beam me up Scotty doesn’t come close .

Capella

@ Robert Peffers – so sorry to hear about your son. I had no idea until I read your comment above. Many of us are at the age when those we love pass on. It is natural, even welcome where illness is too severe to support life.
Nevertheless it is always a blow.
Take care and take time. Do please come back to comment when you feel able.

Returnofthemac

Today’s FMQ’s unfortunately will be the same old same old.Blootermooth will bang on about the ex high heed policeman and look for a resignation. The joke that is Leonard will talk about weans in poverty if he’s able to keep his place on his notes.Wee Willie Winkie will batter on about police SCOTLAND when it’s already been answered.I would just love it if Nicola launched both barrels and told a few home truths instead of her usual well mannered responses.

Returnofthemac

Re previous should of course be high heid policeman..

Robert Graham

Robert Peffers sorry I missed your very sad news , I posted a comment before I read of your sons passing , my post now seems so petty and well insignificant now while you have a serious issue to deal with . My best regards .

Ealasaid

@Robert Peffers
I always find so much information in your posts and have done so since 2013. So sorry to hear of the loss of your son, which I only read about a few posts above. Children should never go before their parents, it is so heart breaking whatever age they are. Remember and cherish all the good happy times and let the bad distressing times fade.

Kangaroo

Most people cannot relate GDP changes to their own circumstances so find the whole GDP thing a bit artificial.
Here’s an example to help make a drop in GDP understandable for your average punter.

An employer XYZ has sales of 100 and a cost of sales of 80 a gross margin of 20% or 20 and after expenses a net profit of say 6% or 6. A not unrealistic scenario.

Now GDP (sales) drops by 10% to 90 then the cost of sales drops to 72 leaving a new gross margin of 18. So far so good. But that drop from 20 to 18 feeds straight to the bottom line and reduces the net profit from 6 to 4 or 33%.

In the context of XYZ it’s a massive drop as this would mean that they would have to reduce their dividends by a similar amount. Shareholders are not going to be happy so the management will have to cut cut cut to regain the margin and return on shareholders funds.

The cuts are going to fall on the numbers of employees and their wages. That means YOU.

Liz g

Robert Peffers @ 11.52
Check in with us Robert…..so we don’t worry.
But other than that take all the time you need
But….and there’s always a but….ye hiv freens aw room ye here … don’t be furgitin that noo! XXX

heedtracker

Robert Graham

We live in a tory media world that’s relentless in its work, trying to get enough people to vote against everything and anything that threatens great wealth and privilege.

eg, where did Prof Smirky come last Scots GE, third, fourth, with just another professional liar beeb gimp. These are our imperial masters.

Adam Tomkins MSP Retweeted

Philip Sim
?
Verified account

@BBCPhilipSim
Jan 31

Nearing the finish line in the budget debate. Adam Tomkins closing for the Tories attacks the SNP over tax rises: “promise after promise after promise – breached, broken, betrayed”. He then sums up Labour approach as “tax, spend, regulate, nationalise, repeat”

Petra

@ Dr Jim at 9:39pm ……”The English Conservative and Unionist Party’s Scottish Lackeys PPB.”

What a laugh, eh, Dr Jim! Even worse than the last one that I saw when they didn’t realise that someone in the background was rummaging around for food in a bin. Why would they right enough when they seem to be totally oblivious of the poverty-stricken.

As Woof Davidson demands that her toxic London bosses stay away from the Scottish Tory Conference she’s made sure that the most noxious of her Scottish cronies, accounting for around 99% of them, aren’t in the PPB either. Is she ashamed of them or what? What relating to trying to pull the wool over the Scots eyes by using three of her more ‘ordinary’ colleagues to front the scam, with not a millionaire amongst them. These three numpties no doubt numbering amongst those that she planned to get rid off.

No list being rattled off, in relation to what the Tories have done for Scotland either, unlike in the SNP PPB, just Annie in the starring role: That’s the Annie who doesn’t believe in the Scottish Parliament and all it stands for (does she actually know?), but is delighted to pick up the big buck pay cheque every month and then we have the Woofer herself ending their PPB fiasco by telling everyone, AGAIN, not to support independence. Just support her, she’ll “serve you” she says, that’s the woman who hasn’t just done a Brexit U-turn but pirouettes. Just support Treeza May and her Tory party in London (the crowd she wants to dissociate herself from); the party that’s practically destroyed England and Brexit hasn’t even kicked in yet. The party that she knows will totally decimate Scotland, if they get half a chance.

Anyway now that the Annie Wells of the Tory World have been shoved into the limelight, by the Tory’s psychological, propaganda so-called experts, I await her (and her “I’m the son of a miner” pal) being interviewed by Brewer or Marr on Brexit (given up on them questioning Davidson now) or don’t give her such a hard time, forget about Brexit, and just ask her some simple questions, using simple sentences, such as what’s been devolved to Scotland and let’s see her justify the massive pay rise that she’s received from going from being an M&S shop assistant to Holyrood politician. Now the Scottish Tories ‘PPB Star.’

All together now folks, clap your hands, stamp your feet and bellow all the way to the BBC: “We want Annie, we want Annie.” “Let’s here it from Annie.” “Encore, encore.”

Petra

Oops, I’m sure that you got the gist, lol, however I’m rectifying the spelling mistake! It should have read “hear”, not “here.”

heedtracker

Pretty good from the National. Lets see the tory dingdongs wriggle out of this one, or just not be asked anything at all, beeb Scotland gimp network wise.

Where’s Rock anyway?

link to thenational.scot

Auld Rookie

Was at SNP branch meeting tonight and raised topic of Independence. This was quickly put on the back burner by top table.

Felt I was not on message.

Robert J. Sutherland

Sorry to hear about the loss of your boy, RP. Any loss of a loved one is hard to take, but as a dad myself that’s probably the hardest one of all.

Condolences in Dutch is “deelneming” and in German “Anteilnahme”, which both literally mean “taking a share”. Which clearly we all do. In the hope that it helps, even if only a little.

Petra

Aw Robert I’ve just taken the time to run through the posts and come across the terrible news of you losing your son. I know that there’s nothing I can say to take the horrendous heartache away, nothing that anyone can say, however please take some comfort from the fact that the vast majority of people who visit this site think highly of you and of course are thinking of you at this time. All my love and a great big hug from afar X

Bill not Ben

Ruth Davidson, a very humble woman and a woman that has a lot to be humble about, it was reported she was to be taken on a visit to the local sewer, but no worker would accompany her, when asked why she could not go down into the murky waters ,a union official said, we have enough shite down there as it is

Dr Jim

I have nothing but huge respect for our FM, in my book she’s a giant and her tolerance patience and methodical thinking is second to none, her mistakes have been so few they’re notable by the surprise we get when she makes one, however tomorrow at FMQs I believe it must be time for her tolerance to be put aside and dispense with the usual niceties she employs for FMQs and kick the shit out of the greasy lying lot of them, to take no prisoners and show the people of Scotland they have a leader and not just a good manager, a leader who’s had enough of the tuppenny halfpenny jumped up little twits who come to our Scottish parliament and insult our nation on a daily basis

Time to get them well telt and chase them wae their tails tucked in

Get them Boss!

Molly

It must be something very powerful or very scary that Conservatives are willing to crash and burn the UK,destroy their party and allow themselves to be humiliated day after day on TV.

Anything to do with the EUs intention to turn their attention to transparency in finance just as the UK are due to leave in 2019?

The time must come though when self preservation kicks in and for the likes of Prof Tomkinson his credibility and reputation will be more important than the party because let’s face it,like it or not the fallout from Brexit isn’t going to effect Annie Wells getting a job when the Tories crash, but it will him .

David Cameron you arrogant erse you created a monster

Anyway there’s a hands round Holyrood on the 23rd of March which hopefully will have a good turnout and send a message to David Mundell- like the rest of us, we’re only passing through but Holyrood stays!

manandboy

Brexit will badly hurt the UK economy and while that’s bad enough, it will be the National Debt which puts the UK on the floor.
Thanks to State Propaganda, very few people are thinking about the Debt such is the scale of coverage of Brexit. But a day is coming when debit and credit cards will no longer be accepted, when ATM’s/Cash Machines will all be closed, and the banks will close their doors.
On that day, Brexit will be the least of our worries.

Unless we come to our collective senses as a country first and vote for Independence.

Michael McCabe

@ Robert Puffers. Sorry to hear about your loss. You are in our thoughts at this sad time.

yesindyref2

This is the list of Scottish Conservative MPs who will be responsible for that 9% loss to GDP for Scotland, as they could stand up for Scotland and vote against Brexit:

Aberdeen South Ross Thomson ross.thomson.mp@parliament.uk
Angus Kirstene Hair kirstene.hair.mp@parliament.uk
Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock Bill Grant bill.grant.mp@parliament.uk
Banff & Buchan David Duguid david.duguid.mp@parliament.uk
Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk John Lamont john.lamont.mp@parliament.uk
Dumfries & Galloway Alister Jack alister.jack.mp@parliament.uk
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale David Mundell david@davidmundell.com
East Renfrewshire Paul Masterton paul.masterton.mp@parliament.uk
Gordon Colin Clark colin.clark.mp@parliament.uk
Moray Douglas Ross douglas.ross.mp@parliament.uk
Ochil & South Perthshire Luke Graham luke.graham.mp@parliament.uk
Stirling Stephen Kerr Stephen.Kerr.mp@parliament.uk
West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine Andrew Bowie Andrew.Bowie.mp@parliament.uk

Meg merrilees

Dear Robert, so sorry to read about your son; you are in my thoughts and prayers. Stay warm and safe. Big hug on its way.

yesindyref2

It’s time for the Conservatives in Scotland to decide whether to be part of the far right UK wreckers like Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Fox, Davis and May, or can they be heroes and save Scotland going down the tubes? The names of the Conservative MPs from Scotland, and their constituencies are:

Ross Thomson Aberdeen South
Kirstene Hair Angus
Bill Grant Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock
David Duguid Banff & Buchan
John Lamont Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk
Alister Jack Dumfries & Galloway
David Mundell Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale
Paul Masterton East Renfrewshire
Colin Clark Gordon
Douglas Ross Moray
Luke Graham Ochil & South Perthshire
Stephen Kerr Stirling
Andrew Bowie West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine

Will they stand up for Scotland, or be known forever in history as the Toom Tabards of the 21st Century, despised by generations yet to come?

galamcennalath

yesindyref2 says:

far right UK wreckers like Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Fox

The Scottish lot seem well aware that the “far right UK wreckers” are toxic because I understand they have been banned from the wee conference they are having in Scotland.

If they feel they need to distance themselves, doesn’t that also tell them that they should be thinking about doing so permanently? And, think of their constituents, for a change?

I hae ma doots! But anything seems possible now!

yesindyref2

@galamcennalath
It’d be pretty cool if face masks were made of all them, and showed up outside the conference anyway 🙂

Craig P

>>Doug Bryce says:
7 February, 2018 at 9:58 pm
Brexit is delivering everything they threatened independence would ?

Nearly, they haven’t bombed our airports yet, but give it time!

Arthur Martin

Robert, I’m so sorry to hear of your youngest sons passing. It’s desperately sad news and my best wishes and thoughts are with you and your family. If you are a parent, this kind of news hits hard. All the best to you and yours Robert.

Robert Peffers

@Legerwood says: 7 February, 2018 at 10:25 pm:

“Ch4 7pm news Michael Crick went through a list of regions of the UK with the percentage damage done to their economy by Brexit
. . . He omitted Scotland!”

That’ll be because correctly there are only two regions in the United Kingdom as there are only two kingdoms in the United Kingdom.

Of those two kingdoms Scotland has three regions Highlands & Islands, Central Belt and Southern Uplands.

The Kingdom of England also has three regions, the countries of England, Wales and Northern Ireland all of which comprise that kingdom. Then each country of each kingdom has regions of shires, counties, provinces and even city states such as London itself.

Sinky

BBC Scotland determined to keep the Brexit analysis which will cost Scotland £15 billion off the political agenda by going big about a Chief Constable who voluntarily resigned after numerous complaints about his personal conduct and whose wife failed in her attempt to play the anti English card.

starlaw

@ Robert Peffers, Sorry to hear about your loss, you are in my thoughts, time brings awe thing tae an end, and the sun will shine again. All the best to you and yours.

Orri

Given that, according to reports, Prestwick is being used to launch air strikes by the US I’d say the papers are doing their best to have our airports bombed.

gus1940

BBC PQ Breakfast News is now forecasting the news as opposed to reporting it.

All morning so far it has led with a forecast that Gormleygate will be a leading feature of today’s FMQs.

yesindyref2

@Orri
Refuelling tankers, not air strikes, apparently. I’m a little bit dubious too they’d be used for refuelling strikes in the Gulf or Syria for instance, more like for Eastern Europe or the Baltic – currently exercises and such like.

Socrates MacSporran

As an Ayrshireman, I have a particular affection for Prestwick Airport.

Prestwick was opened in 1934, with the control tower etc opened a year later. American aircraft have been using Prestwick since at least 1941, when the USA entered the war, indeed, when I was at school, we had a couple of American pupils in our class, whose fathers were stationed at the USAF base at Preestwick.

The SNP Scottish Government has only been nominally in-charge of Prestwick since 2007, for just 11-years of the facility’s 84-year history, which includes 77 years of American flights into and out of the airport.

Everyone in Ayrshire has known about frequent, generally unannounced American flights landing and taking-off from Prestwick, they have been going-on for so-long.

Given how under-used Prestwick is, it’s perfect for the CIA’s flights they would rather were not noticed or reported.

It is also generally understood here in Ayrshire, by those of us who care about Prestwick that, just when the airport starts to become popular with general passenger airlines, something happens, and the venture either fails or goes elsewhere.

Laker flew out of Prestwick, as did British Caledonian, as does Ryanair, but, something always “happens” to make Prestwick less-popular.

But, it has never closed, wonder why?

My take is, the Westminster government wants Prestwick kept open – why?

And if, anytime this side of Independence, the SG gets something going which will make Prestwick popular and profitable, something will happen again, and it will stem from Westminster.

So, conspiracy theories not withstanding – Jackie Baillie’s latest effort at causing bother over Prestwick is simply this – another poor example of BLiS looking to promote an SNP Bad story.

starlaw

Brexit will cost Scotland a major recession which could last Ten to Twelve years. Brexit is about protecting offshore tax free investors. The common man can take a running jump as far as the Tory’s are concerned.

Socrates MacSporran

I have never liked Anna Soubry, since her conduct at the time of the 2014 Referendum, where her distaste for the SNP in general and Wee Eck in particular was all-too-obvious.

But, I am glad it is the Maybot who is nominally in-charge of the Tory Party, rather than Mrs Soubry – or becoming Independent this time round would be a lot harder.

Nana

Links

A new Scottish Government @scotgovt paper today makes its case for maintaining freedom of movement – and more broadly for devolved migration policies tailored to Scotland, based on its different demographic profile.
link to gov.scot

link to facebook.com

link to scottovoce.wordpress.com

link to newsnet.scot

Clootie

…get ready Scotland…this is just the foreplay for what is to come.

The post Brexit world will decimate Scotland. The slow bleed will accelerate in order to ensure that we can never recover as a nation. We will be too poor by the time they are finished.

Nana
Nana

link to nation.cymru

Probably the most frightening thing you will watch todayhttps://twitter.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/961282397194072064

link to politics.co.uk

link to theregister.co.uk

Nana

Theresa May – we don’t need any more anti-abuse laws
link to archive.is

Neither DExEU nor the Cabinet Office have “credible” plan to recruit, says Public Accounts Committee.
link to archive.is

Jonathan Lis on LBC discussing what the customs union is, why we need to stay in it, and why, besides shafting Ireland and manufacturing, we’ll still be trade-deal Billy No-Mates even if we leave
link to soundcloud.com

link to politico.eu

Smallaxe

Good morning, Nana, Thank you, for your links.
Kettle’s on!
🙂

Clydebuilt

Police Scotland
The BBC & Unionist politicians are working to get into people’s minds that the resignation of the first two Chief Constables is a result of the way the force has been created.
The problem with the ex CC Gormley had nothing to do with the creation of Police Scotland, he bullied his staff.
The resignation of the first CC Stephen House was due to teething troubles of the new force, and individual error by a call handler, helped along by an anti Scottish Media.

Giving Goose

O/T

Anyone catch Jo Swinson on Radio 4 pathetically excusing MPs in Westminster from allegations of sexual harassment?
Apparently they require training first.

Now, I have never required training to know that sexual harassment is wrong, but Westminster MP’s need it.

Unbelievable.

What an excuse for a public servant Jo Swinson is, and to think that people actually voted for her.

Then to round off her interview she asked a diversionary question of the interviewer. Must not put Westminster under the spotlight and ask difficult questions now, must we Jo?

Macart

@Nana

Plenty to be getting on with there. This may require two cups of coffee. 🙂

Smallaxe

Dead link @ 8:50 am;

Probably the most frightening thing you will watch;
link to twitter.com

Nana

Good morning Smallaxe, I have an appointment this morning so here’s a couple more links before I go

link to politico.eu

One for Farage and his racist followers
Cheddar Man,’ Britain’s Oldest Skeleton, Had Dark Skin, DNA Shows
link to archive.is

Nana

@Macart Make it a large pot!

@Smallaxe well spotted, eagle eyes 🙂

galamcennalath

Nana says:

A new Scottish Government @scotgovt paper today makes its case for maintaining freedom of movement

… ah …. so that’s why the Express is running a story …

” … Scots want Scotland to leave the single market alongside the rest of the United Kingdom after Brexit in order to put an end to freedom of movement … “

Express, so utter ‘Jackie Bailey’, of course.

Highland Wifie

@Robert Peffers
I’m so sorry for the loss of your son. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you after everything else.
I hope you find the strength to return to btl in due course as I for one find your posts interesting and extremely informative. They are a reminder of how much of our history has not been taught and/or deliberately ignored.
Best wishes to you.

BrianW

The Scottish Govt released figures to reflect the damage to Scotland’s Economy in August 2016 ( link to archive.is )

At the time these figures were used by Brian Taylor to be described as ‘.. an arithmetical forecast, with caveats.’ and ‘..primarily – a political tool.’

More recently BBC Scotland used the Official Scot Gov Brexit analysis to quote the Tories criticism of the report as ‘..over-the-top in its scaremongering.’

Given the nature of BBC Scotland’s Reporting prowess I do not expect the UK Govt’s recent leak of it’s Brexit Analysis (with near identical/similar outcomes) to met with the same critical evaluation from them or Brian Taylor.

As shown in the the Rev’s article above the UK Figures are just ‘..slightly worse.’ Not bad for analysis which apparently didn’t exist – link to archive.is

heraldnomore

Well said, Giving Goose, I suspect that drinking in the workplace may be a relevant factor; and of course not something that’s normal in any other workplace.

ScottieDog

@Robert Peffers
My sincere condolences Robert.

Calum McKay

No doubt Davidson, Tomkins, Mundell and Fraser will be available to explain why 8.5% is scaremongering of the worse kind and a greater figure of 9% is not.

And tories wonder why people do not trust them and view them as lower than vermin,……..

mike cassidy

This is a fun read in light of the renewed attacks on social media by the powers that be.

Could the Westminster/BBC-funded journalist training scheme be a classic example of digging a deeper hole?

link to archive.is

admiral

Giving Goose says:

8 February, 2018 at 8:58 am

O/T

Anyone catch Jo Swinson on Radio 4 pathetically excusing MPs in Westminster from allegations of sexual harassment?
Apparently they require training first.

Now, I have never required training to know that sexual harassment is wrong, but Westminster MP’s need it.

Unbelievable.

They also didn’t know it was wrong to claim for expenses that you’d never actually incurred.

Lawmakers who don’t know the difference between right and wrong. Who’d have thunk it?

gus1940

Given that BBC QT is supposed to be a topical political debate and that they like to get high viewing figures is it not odd that this week’s panel looks decidedly weak and uninteresting.

To liven up the program and attract viewers it might have been an idea to have on the panel the likes of Anna Soubry or Ken Clark up against the likes of Rees-Mogg and Redwood with perhaps pro and anti Brexit journalists making up the numbers – that would be worth watching and I haven’t even mentioned the usual planted swivel eyed audience loonies.

galamcennalath

Apparently there is a correlation between areas which voted Leave and those which will be hit hardest.

I suppose that might be seen as justice.

A Twitter Tweet suggested the UK might be the first country to win a Darwin Award. Alas, this won’t be the case because the awards are never given when innocent bystanders become casualties.

Proud Cybernat

BREAKING from Pravda Quay
with Union Jackie Kim Ono:

link to imgur.com

winifred mccartney

Robert, Sorry to hear of your loss, a terrible sadness, heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.

Peter McCulloch

I haven’t heard many members of the public talking about this unfolding disaster that is Brexit and the impact it will have for their standard of living and jobs.

My suspicion is many of them are still in denial and ignoring the issue hoping it won’t happen or it won’t be that bad and Westminster will get all those wonderful trade deals from around the world.

It will be interesting to see their reaction if/when
what is predicted about Brexit happens.

Proud Cybernat

So, a -9% impact on Scotland’s GDP is expected by the Tory Gov in London.

For some perspective:

“For 2007, GDP growth was reduced to 2.4 percent from 3.4 percent, turning one of the strongest years of the decade into one that was average.

By contrast, in 2009 – when the economy was thought to have shrunk by 5.2 percent – output in fact declined by only 4.1 percent. The year still remains by far the worst for Britain’s economy since at least World War Two.” – from link to tinyurl.com

This was at the height of the global banking crisis. It looks like we are to face more than double that carnage.

Fred

I heard some professor from Caledonian Uni’ explain that the loss of two Polis chiefs was entirely down to Polis Scotland being much too big! Given that half of Scotland was already in Strathclyde Polis & the sky never fell & that there are English forces bigger than Polis Scotland, how come this clown whatsisname? is educating our youth?

Scot Finlayson

Was Mary still Queen of Scots when she was butchered by the English on February 8th 1587 ?

“Then she, lying very still upon the block, one of the executioners holding her with one of his hands, she endured two strokes of the other executioner with an axe, she making very small noise or none at all, and not stirring any part of her from the place where she lay: and so the executioner cut off her head, saving one little gristle, which being cut asunder, he lift up her head to the view of all the assembly and bade `God save the Queen`”.

galamcennalath

Peter McCulloch says:

still in denial and ignoring the issue

Most folks don’t really plan ahead for very much, they drift along reacting to events which come their way and disturb their routine. However, when things do impact on their daily lives and those close to them, they suddenly react!

I think with Brexit it’s being dismissed as ‘academic’ and not part of most people’s daily experience. “Ignoring”, as you say.

I just hope people are pushed into action before the calamity becomes too advanced!

jfngw

The BBC Scotland role since 2015 and the large SNP win at WM has been to undermine the competence of the SNP as a government. That’s why every story is turned into an criticism on the SNP, and you get copy that describes Police Scotland as a flagship policy conveniently forgetting it was passed at Holyrood by 101 to 6 votes (I suspect the 6 were the LibDems).

They describe the resignation of the chief constable as damaging to the SNP, but most people in Scotland understand this was a complaint about behaviour. Although this story may get journalists excited, I find the story pretty boring. I’m not interested in following every nuance of an internal disciplinary procedure and then trying to extrapolate that to a totally dysfunctional service.

What the media want is a resignation of a minister, it doesn’t really matter which one, that is what will satiate their hunger.

Whilst Scotland’s financial future is at risk BBC Scotland focuses on the minutiae of parochial stories.

Just for clarity, and the benefit of the BBC, I didn’t vote SNP because of their ‘flagship’ policy on the police service, it didn’t even register in my voting decision.

Scott

O/T
Douglas Ross TAX RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS’

He is asking for this for them stationed in Scotland “As Scotland is the highest Taxed part of UK”could someone who has knowledge on Tax tell me if soldiers stationed in Germany pay German Tax and get relief.

Does Ross have to pay Tax when he Referees abroad??

Proud Cybernat

So WHY are the likes Rees-Mogg so driven in their desire of a hardest of all BREXIT? Is it in the country’s best interest?

No. It is in Rees-Mogg’s best interest:

“The political motives for an exit from the single market were laid bare today after it was revealed that a prominent Brexiteer is also a major shareholder of an emerging markets investment firm.
Jacob Rees-Mogg is a long-term backer of investment management firm Somerset Capital, which has “9.6 billion dollars” under management according to its website.
The Leading Brexiteer recently ridiculed the idea of the UK staying in the single market and customs union after Brexit, joining other Eurosceptics calling for a “clean” separation with the EU so the UK has the freedom to strike new trade deals.

Moves to create barriers to trade with the EU would force UK companies to strike up deals elsewhere, directly profiting companies backing the emerging markets.” – from link to archive.is

His ilk simply do not give a shit about you or your family’s future. With a -9% GDP forecast, 80,000 jobs could disappear in Scotland.

That could be YOUR job, your parent’s job, your son/daughter’s job. This -9% collapse will make the 2007-8 nabking crisis and all the UK Gov austerity it ushered in look like a picnic compared to what’s coming down the road unless Scotland stays in the Single Market & Customs Union.

Scaremongering? I’m sure the likes of Rees-Mogg would tell you that. But he won’t be the one losing from BREXIT.

WAKEN UP Scotland. Stop this madness. Stop it NOW.

heraldnomore

Britsh Forces Posted Overseas are deemed to remain on British soil for tax purposes, never classed as non Resident. No idea whether Scottish bases are now deemed to be rUK bases or whether the new local tax regime would apply.

Given the lino’s demand I suspect it must be the latter, thus denying our sodgers the benefits of the 19% band whilst presumably still allowing them free prescriptions and university tuition etc whilst resident hereabouts.

Velofello

Denmark, comparable population to Scotland has a single police force.

Recorded crime is reducing in Scotland.

The appointment of not one, but two Chief Constables from outwith the Scottish Police Force was just plain silly., worse than silly they were from the Met.

Just what would they know about the culture of Scottish policing? Oh I know, that old ruse of “I’m a Generalist, and apply my managerial skills to whatever environment”.

The Tory PPB was like a colour episode of Laurel and Hardy.

Jockanese Wind Talker

The phrase you are looking for @jfngw says at 10:37 am

Is ‘Soft Coup’

And the reason is simple:

2014s Indy Ref being so close to a YES vote

2015s SNP Landslide at Westminster

And ever since the BritNat Media (in particular the BBC) have been the propaganda arm of the establishments aim to get a BritNat Scottish Government installed in Holyrood.

They need this:

1. To remove any divergence from Westminster Policies so the electorate don’t see there is a different way/better way to run the country

2. More importantly they need that to negate a 2nd Indy Ref and the loss of Scotlands resources (they need this to service the UKs £2 Trillion National Debt)

Failing this it will be:

1. The blatant and public closure of Holyrood and the return of direct rule from Westminster

or

2. Bypassing Holyrood with the repatriation of EU Powers to The Fluffsters ‘Scottish’ Office so Westminster can control (Fish, Agriculture, Forestry, Fracking etc.)

Both of these are overt and risk a public backlash.

If the BritNats are gambling on an apathetic electorate to roll over and let this affront to democracy happen (which when you look at % support for EU Membership and Indy) looks to be unlikely.

It really is getting close to the wire for the BritNats now.

heedtracker

Whilst Scotland’s financial future is at risk BBC Scotland focuses on the minutiae of parochial stories.

Beeb Scotland gimp network exists solely to get the majority of Scotland to vote AGAINST our own interests and vote FOR a tory ruled UK.

Coupled with STV and the whole of the UK tory press, here’s a threat to the liggers UKOK brainwashing that they can’t control but can attack.

Think of the children whine the great UKOK tory propagadanda shitrags, think of the children on Facebook.

link to archive.is

As a backlash against Silicon Valley gathers momentum, Salesforce chief executive Marc Benioff, speaking in Davos last month, called for Facebook to be regulated like a cigarette company because of the addictive and harmful properties of social media.

McNamee finds this a useful metaphor.

“Because there was a situation where marketing was used to convince a whole generation, particularly women, that smoking was a really good thing for them. Franklin Foer in his book [World Without Mind: the Existential Threat of Big Tech] talks about how after the second world war the convenience was applied to food so we went to TV dinners and nobody told us they were loading them up with sugar fat and salt and now we have an obesity epidemic because we didn’t know until it was too late. I hope it’s not too late here.”

Legerwood

Velofello says:
8 February, 2018 at 11:

Stephen House, the first chief constable, had been in charge of Strathclyde Police for a number of years before taking over the PS job.

Jockanese Wind Talker

Douglas “prioritise tougher enforcement against Gypsy Travellers” Ross MP (and Fitba Linesman) asked the MayBot about the wrong tax and wrong Country@ Scott says at 11:00 am

“Douglas Ross TAX RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS”

He’d have been better asking the MayBot to give UK Soldiers based in England a Cooncil Tax rebate.

link to archive.is

Meg merrilees

Surprise surprise, none of the Scottish newspapers headline the Cost to Scotland of Brexit

Why?

Only one paper has a small mention at the side but definite dereliction of duty of the remainder to inform and tell the truth… all ranting about Head of Police scenario.

If the guy was innocent he should have stayed and gone through the court proceedings and cleared his name – instead he has run away. Draw your own conclusion.

Get another one- no one is indispensable, maybe time will show that Matheson was correct all along.

FMQ’s about to reveal all…. another squirrel.,

Let’s hope Nicola wrenches it round to the real issue i.e. the cost of Brexit to Scotland.

Yesindyref2 anent your Toom tabards….

Made the mistake of looking at Stephen Kerr’s twitter feed last night. A more rampant SNP-BAD you couldn’t find. Absolutely scathing – so much for respect for one’s colleagues.

Robert Graham

Meg – re- mistakes , yes me as well , i made the mistake of having a look at the spectator oh god i need a shower now , one of their contributors Steven oh i cant remember his name dislaney or something like that , well he appears to have only one subject ” I HATE THE SNP ” carefully cherry picked little gripes that must have taken hours to weed out , gee if that was my day job i would give up ,what a pointless individual , what is he for , what benefit does this item give to the world .

Robert J. Sutherland

Socrates MacSporran @ 08:33:

Laker flew out of Prestwick […]

Indeed his sadly short-lived venture did, before it was scuppered by Brit Airways anti-competitive shenanigans.

I still remember walking down a wee country road from the station to get to the airport, back in the early 70’s before they built the railway extension.

Prestwick is still the only Scottish airport with an integrated rail connection!

Robert J. Sutherland

Proud Cybernat @ 10:32,
galamcennalath @ 10:37,

What I don’t understand is why this awfy theoretical “-9%” isn’t turned into an equivalent amount of money, as someone did on one of the recent threads here.

The BritNats who were endlessly banging on about “Scotland’s £14Bn black hole” have all shut up now, so isn’t it time we turned the tables and be talking more about the UKExit Black Hole?

Proud Cybernat

“The BritNats who were endlessly banging on about “Scotland’s £14Bn black hole” have all shut up now, so isn’t it time we turned the tables and be talking more about the UKExit Black Hole?”

link to imgur.com

galamcennalath

Robert J. Sutherland says:

What I don’t understand is why this awfy theoretical “-9%” isn’t turned into an equivalent amount of money …. Scotland’s £14Bn black hole

If Scotland’s GDP is a nice round £200Bn when the -9% applies, that’s £18Bn lower than it is predicted to be.

That’s real business investment lost, real jobs lost, and a real recession!

However, isn’t the BritNat’s £14Bn a GERS type government spending figure? i.e. Servicing a share of England’s massive debt, AND not getting the economic and tax benefits of spending attributed to Scotland but actually spent elsewhere, AND excessive military spending, AND totally mismanaging oil and gss?

IMO any BritNat Scottish ‘black hole’ could be wiped out instantly with a few sheets of paper and some signatures from our leaders!

velofello

@ legerwood: ref. Stephen House, and so he couldn’t cope with the step up in responsibility? I only remember him for his photos standing beside police motorcycles, probably because I’m keen on motorcycles.

Robert J. Sutherland

galamcennalath @ 13:13,

Of course, the BritNat “black hole” was a purely propaganda effort. Scotland’s presumed share of UK-incurred debt, a substantial figure that mysteriously was never mentioned.

Whereas the UKExit Black Hole will be very real, not just a number on some spreadsheet or a PR figment, and will, directly or indirectly, hit us all.

Eminently-avoidable “austerity-plus” on the back of near 10 years of austerity.

But it’s the public relations effect I’m getting at. Not just excellent efforts on here like that of PC, but for our mainstream politicians and twitterers to get busy. We need to try harder to waken people up to what’s coming if we don’t get a shift on.

(Instead of SNP people like Fiona Hyslop still apparently trying to get a better devo on immigration that’s never gonna happen.)

Petra

‘Kevin McKenna: Male-only clubs like the Freemasons are the proof of the UK’s gender inequality.’

…”What was surprising about the disclosure of Masonic activity at the mother of all parliaments was that it extended to journalists. It has emerged that running alongside the politicians’ lodges is one for Westminster lobby reporters. Thus, down through the years a shadowy assortment of journalists, whose job it is to expose the secrets of power, have actually established a secret wee chamber of their own. It’s like discovering that the Green Party holds shares in BP or that Jeremy Clarkson is in Friends of the Earth.

Any newspaper editor worthy of such an exalted status would surely be aghast on learning that one of his or her top political operatives was in a secret society with journalists from other newspapers and that they had all pledged loyalty to each other. Why, they might even begin to wonder why their star reporter’s best stories are very often identical in content to those of selected others on rival publications….”

link to thenational.scot

…………………………….

‘Looking for Robert: Where was the Bruce’s final home?’

…”WHAT are now Dalmoak and Mains of Cardross Farms and the ancient area in what is now Renton known as Pillanflatt or Pailleanflath – it means tent of the great hero – have all been indicated as the location and eight years ago, Stuart Smith and the members or the local Bruce heritage society the Strathleven Artizans found stone and mediaeval objects at the latter site – the best hint yet that somebody important lived there.

The case for Pillanflatt – called Pillonflett on a 17th-century map of the area – is strong. In the 14th century it would have been next to the Leven which has shifted its course over centuries, and it would have been surrounded by woods and very little farmland…”

link to thenational.scot

………………………….

Looking for Davie too. Seems he’s gone into hiding with Ruth Davidson.

‘David Mundell REFUSES to speak with BBC about Brexit forecasts.’

link to thenational.scot

Dr Jim

UK Guv says no separate immigration deal for Scotland because people could wander over the border to work in England even though Scot Guv says there are plenty of ways for that not to happen

So post Brexit when immigration to the Republic of Ireland goes on as normal how does the UK Guv with its non existent border with NI prevent EU workers walking over this non existent border and working there, and the answer is, the UK says it can

So for NI anything is possible but for Scotland nothing is possible which brings me to the UKs main political party in Scotland the BBC, whose new attack strategy on the SNP as designed by Bryan Toodle ooh the Noo Taylor is adopted as follows

*Anything the UK does is to be followed up by repeating constantly that the SNP will want to *USE* the bad situation created by the UK Guv to gain Independence*

The implications of this strategy are pretty clear in that the SNP in informing Scotland of the disaster the UK is leading us into is somehow part of the SNP plan to get what they want and NOT what is the right thing to do for the country and that makes the impending disaster in some strange Unionist perverted way all the fault of the SNP

In 2014 when the Unionists attacked Alex Salmond on Independence they insisted that he was trying to take Scotland out of the UK on a promise he couldn’t prove
Now here we are in 2018 and Theresa May is trying to take us out of the Europe we voted to stay in on a promise, which their own figures have informed us were and are actual lies, I mean lies, not mistakes, big giant LIES

So the current position is the UK have lied cheated and inveigled themselves into a horrendous situation where they’ve effectively admitted that every man woman and child in the UK will suffer in every respect because of their mismanagement of the UK, except those who are millionaires, but somehow it will appear to be the fault of everybody else, the EU, Saboteurs, Judges, Gina Miller, but in Scotland more particularly the SNP who have zero control over any of it and have zero involvement or consultation in it, because the UK kept them out of it as they did with the Welsh

So to clarify everything that has happened involving Brexit is has and was a Tory decision
But even after all that is completely clear to a dead dog they still want to deny any and all options and chances Scotland should be able to choose for itself

And you know what, there are people out there who will insist its all OK and fine to fall for this UK BBC shit

AnTeallach

@Robert Peffers
Very sorry to hear of the loss of your son, Robert. Condolences to you and your family

Petra

I wonder if Phil Gormley will be replaced by another top cop from England in a year that’s absolutely crucial to us getting our Independence?

………………………………

High time this crowd ‘walked’ solely in Ireland or London. Key centres relating to the King Billy affair. Better still send them off to Afghanistan where they can walk around all day, every day, wearing their ‘uniforms’, banging on their drums and tooting away on their wee tin flutes.

‘Talks held to avoid Orange Order parades impasse.’

”MINISTERS have with begun talks with police and local authorities to resolve an issue which could block the Orange Order and other organisations from holding marches and demonstrations.

Police Scotland has said that it would no longer close roads for processions at short notice without a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRRO) after a report suggested that in doing do officers may be exceeding their powers.

With the cost falling on the organisers of events using the roads, there have been claims that this could mean street parties, processions, parades and demonstrations would be priced out of proceeding.

However, with the threat of legal action on human rights grounds from some groups hanging over the issue, the Scottish Government has now said it is working with officers to find away round the problem…..”

link to heraldscotland.com

…………………………

If you want to have your say such as in relation to who can register and vote in Scotland get cracking and fill the form in now.

”This is the Scottish Government’s consultation on Electoral Reform. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring access to democratic participation for all citizens. The way we vote in elections has remained unchanged for over 100 years. Modernisation takes place across all aspects of society and now is a good time to think about the kinds of innovation people in Scotland would like to see in elections.
If you want to have your say on

link to consult.gov.scot

Jockanese Wind Talker

See link below for Gross domestic product (GDP) of Scotland (excluding North Sea GDP) from 2011/2012 to 2016/2017 (in million GBP) @Robert J. Sutherland says at 12:55 pm

Scots GDP 2016/17 = £150.025 Billion

link to archive.is

Therefore a drop of 9% of Scots GDP (ex Oil & Gas) = £13.50225 Billion.

As @galamcennalath says at 1:13 pm “that would make our GDP lower than it is predicted to be” (£13.5 Billion lower using the figures I’ve cited) “in real business investment lost, real jobs lost, and a real recession.”

So Project Fears Indy Black Hole becomes our Brexit Blackhole.

Surely that is the now the full set of Indy Ref Project Fear “vote yes and this will happen” being shown up for the shite it was.

stewartb

Well what do I know about political strategy? Not a lot it seems.

We’ve had the ‘revelations’ about the UK Government’s Brexit impact assessment for Scotland this week and the exposure of the Secretary of State for Scotland’s and Adam Tomkin’s prior denials of any such analysis and the rubbishing of the Scottish Government’s own analysis. I really thought there was an opportunity now to challenge, in a very determined way, the integrity and concern for Scotland’s interests being demonstrated by these two Scottish Tories.

I thought there was a chance seriously to mount a challenge to Mundell’s position -given this; given his handling of the ‘power grab’ issue with his failure to bring key amendments to the HoC as promised; and given his absence from the Westminster government’s key Brexit ministerial planning committee.

I listened to FMQs fully expecting an SNP MSP to give the FM an opportunity to address these issues. But no – not a whisper on Scottish Tory mendacity over Brexit. Can anyone offer an explanation for not shooting at an open goal?

Jockanese Wind Talker

More important than Black Holes with regards to Indy is that if Scotland was to accept 8% of UK National Debt (remember Eire walked away without accepting any liability) she would be entitled to 8% of UK Assets.

“March 3rd 2016 – The government owns £1.3 Trillion of assets—the Ministry of Defence alone owns roughly 1% of all land in Britain”

link to archive.is

8% of £1.3 Trillion = £104 Billion (or 6.9 Indy Black Holes).

Black Hole?

What Black Hole, BritNats?

Oh aye and nae BoE cheque as it’ll probably bounce 🙂

Robert Graham

Eh has Brexit went away ? , is it all over ? .

I was expecting a comment , indeed any comment on the recent sighting of the f/n great big iceberg we are about to collide with , you know the one it has Brexit on the side in big red lettering and it’s so blooming big it will cause a shock that will make the 2008 crash look like a rehearsal .

Nope I listened intently not one question , not one remark , not a single comment on the after effects , just like the Scottish media is everyone in denial , have heads been hidden under the bed covers , what the f/k just happened , oh the police service was discussed , incidentally if this goes really badly more than a few folk will be requesting their assistance to cover the chaos that’s on the horizon .

galamcennalath

Robert J. Sutherland says:

it’s the public relations effect I’m getting at

Evidence suggests people aren’t heavily influenced by numbers, and they tune out when two opposing politicians just make counter claims. They are influenced by personal and close people’s experiences. And they trust close people’s opinions.

Hate to say it, but fearmongering seems to work. Probably because folks can imagine the effects on themselves.

Obviously pushing unfounded fears is as immoral as propagating any other fake information.

However with Brexit, evidence of highly probable negative effects is emerging. This should be translated into meaningful real life terms.

The way to present the impending Brexit disaster is probably – which jobs are likely to be lost, wages will drop in real terms, which imported items will become expensive, youngsters won’t find jobs, what will a contracting economy mean for services, even holiday disruption.

What are the negative elements of the models which predict the -9%? Get them translated into genuine threats to real people.

Short hard hitting sound bites sink in, get remembered, and get passed on.

Jack Murphy

TODAY. I’ve just found this—-The BBC’s Scotland Editor does it again for a second time. 🙁

“The BBC’s Scotland editor Sarah Smith has come under fire after yet another broadcast relating to Scottish politics contained false information……………”

link to tinyurl.com

ben madigan

@Robert – just checked in and read about your son’s passing. Sad news. Very sincere condolences. Burying a child is a hard,hard thing for any parent – hard to do and hard to get over. Please accept heartfelt support from afar

nodrog

Why do you think Rachael Hamilton asked a question about reporting online abuse at FMQs today?

Bill not Ben

I am like a lot of independence supporters, every time we have to vote we allways vote SNP, no matter what the vote is for, because we can never give our votes to anything that smells of unionism.
But in saying that, i could not be happy staying in any kind of political union with europe, of course we want to be in a trading union with them, but lets be honest, would any of us be happy with a european army controlled from Brussels, and lets not forget we would have no control over any of those unelected people, they could actually in practice force our own armed forces to control us if we stepped out of line, so for that one reason alone i would not want to be in another political union that only answers to whoever is in charge of those kind of decisions, and does not have a mandate to do so from the people it governs, we need to get back to what it was created for, and that was a common trading market, and not some kind of dictatorship as it has become now, lots of eastern european states like Poland and Hungary, are not going to be dictated to by anyone, just remember Hitler and Stalin to understand why they will never allow or accept that kind of union again.

Blair Paterson

Stewart B like you I am baffled by the SNP the number of open goals they have missed is not real there maybe something I am missing here but I can’t understand their reluctance to act on these matters and it has been going on for years ???

Macart

Worth reading

link to europarl.europa.eu

and pages five and six of the Wee Bleu Book.

link to yeswecan.scot

Petra

Well worth reading again.

‘Early warning signs of Fascism. Powerful and continuing Nationalism.’

link to byline.com

……………………………

As is this.

‘Is the Scottish Office preparing to intercept Scotland’s returning EU powers?.

..”For example, healthcare is devolved, and any future trade deal with the US or current ones being rewritten by the Trade Deal Bill (such as with Canada) that could involve access to NHS contracts for North American companies would therefore be subject to a veto by each of the devolved administrations.

Ipso facto, the UK Government does not have the powers it needs to negotiate third nation trade deals, unless it takes powers back from the Scottish Government…”

link to businessforscotland.com

………………………

I don’t know if Cameron has posted this before, or not, but as the Pavlov classical conditioning dog experiments were brought up by Robert (P) recently it’s worth considering work carried out by psychologist Martin Seligman which led to the ‘Learned Helplessness’ theory.

”Learned helplessness has since become a basic principle of behavioral theory, demonstrating that prior learning can result in a drastic change in behaviour and seeking to explain why individuals may accept and remain passive in negative situations despite their clear ability to change them.”

Just substitute ‘electric shocks / dogs’ or ‘loud noise / humans’ with the shock of loss of jobs, constant low standard of living, and so on, plus ‘loud noise’ propaganda being used endlessly to inform the Scots that they are stupid, the SNP Government is hopeless and that our country is too small and poor to go it alone, always has been and always will be.

You can see how it grinds people down and has lead to voting No for Independence. Westminster’s propaganda machine beat Seligman (1965) to it by hundreds of years.

link to britannica.com

Cuilean

Bill Not Ben

(a) The people had no say in Blair’s illegal Wars.

(b) Churchill sent English troops, with machine guns & tanks into Glasgow in 1919. The Scots troops, back from WW1, were locked into their barracks.

(c) British troops fired and killed over 500 unarmed British civilians in Dublin in 1916.

Fred

Leslie Riddoch’s parochial alternative to Polis Scotland in the National will be applauded by the international crime syndicates who suffered big-time under the Fife Constabulary. Quite apart from being a dripping-roast for Val McDermott.

Petra

@ Bill not Ben says at 2:54 pm …. ”I am like a lot of independence supporters, every time we have to vote we allways vote SNP, no matter what the vote is for, because we can never give our votes to anything that smells of unionism. But in saying that, i could not be happy staying in any kind of political union with europe…”

You are not on your own as we know BnB, however let’s get our Independence first and take it from there. See if the situation differs when Scots take their seat in the EU rather than some numpty from England calling the shots on our behalf, see if the EU changes as it looks increasingly likely to do and if we’re still not happy call for an EU referendum whereby all the VALID facts and figures will be laid out well in advance.

Acquiring our Independence will result in disentangling 300 years of being part of this so-called Union. In other words no mean feat. Setting up our own establishments, Embassies and so on. Why on earth would we make the task even MORE difficult by pulling out of the biggest trading market in the world at the same time? Crazy! More than likely leading to a total shambles. A recipe for disaster, imo, as we can clearly see right now with the fiasco called Brexit. A disaster of course that Westminster would be well and truly gloating over and just waiting for another referendum being called in Scotland. One with the question ”Do you want to be part of rUK again?”

geeo

Blair Paterson yet again asking a question he has had answered dozens of times…trolling unionist prick.

Yer nae coco, are ye ?

Fred

Scotland has been in the EU for a generation now, when did Brussels give us any hassle?

When did Westminster give us any hassle?

galamcennalath

Fred says:

when did Brussels give us any hassle?

Off hand, I can’t think of anything! I can think of positives though. The EU isn’t perfect but…

WM … spit …. IMO everything I see wrong with Scotland is either as a direct result of WM actions, or through the neglect of WM’s inaction!

Holyrood? Like the EU it ain’t perfect, but it has brought a lot of good things to Scotland we wouldn’t have had under direct WM rule.

Conclusion is obvious – ditch WM and stick with Holyrood and the EU.

Dan Huil

@Fred 3:46pm

“Westminster Hall is the oldest building in Parliament and almost the only part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in almost its original form. … The Hall was built in 1097 under William II (Rufus), the son of William the Conqueror.”

So, hassle since 1097 [at least]

Bob Mack

I was at one time ambivalent about European membership, but I do know this much. The European Court has continually forced members to change tack on some very damaging legislation, and has protected the rights of ordinary individuals.

Regarding a European Army, I can only say from experience that Europe regularly trained their armed forces together for joint combat missions. These were done under the NATO umbrella , but nonetheless it is nothing new.

British troops have served in Europe on active service and training for decades already.

If some country decided today to attack Germany or France do you really believe that the British government would do nothing? We would be in action within a week.

Dr Jim

Amidst widespread concern over Police Scotland

Survey just completed inside and outside Morrisons supermarket of around 40 people, the question *have you ever heard of Phil Gormley* of those who answered, around 36 of them said NO the rest said, is that the cop guy?

Nobody asked *why who is he* and nobody expressed any interest in why I asked the question

I felt I didn’t need a pen to write this scientific stuff down

Dr Jim

The product brand *Scotch* is protected under EU legislation
as are many other products of Scotland, post Brexit NONE of these protections of branding will apply

Just think about that for a minute….take your time……got it yet

colin alexander

geeo

No, they aren’t colin alexander under another id.

The other critics of the SNP’s poor handling of the EU situation, are just stating the obvious.

The SNP should have followed one course only: fighting to uphold the democratic vote to Remain by the Sovereign people of Scotland and if rejected – they should have gone all out 100% for independence.

It’s fair criticism of the SNP for failing to put the UK Govt and Tories ( and Labour) under intense pressure for the shambles that is Brexit.

Even the legal action that the SNP has taken ( or Scot Govt) has been badly chosen.

All the biggest issues have been avoided, This is not an absolute list but indicative of the lack of action: eg Scotland’s sovereignty and constitutional right of self-determination within the UK Union.

Scotland’s right to remain part of the EU, and Scotland’s people’s EU citizen rights.

The SNP sometimes talk the talk but soon fold.

Where they do make a stand, it’s on issues that are obviously a loser from the start, eg devolution, Sewel Convention.

Cuilean

If it’s not ‘Police Scotland’, it’s ‘NHS Scotland’ and ‘Education’.

They are Scotland’s yoon MSM’s Holy Trinity to their god ‘SNP Baad’.

Universal Credit. This is a huge disaster looming over us all, but, apparently, nothing to do with Scots Tories.

Trade & Industry, Broadcasting, Constitution, Defence, Employment,Equal Opportunities,Foreign Policy,Immigration are all reserved.

How often does the BBC Reporting Scotland lead stories involve these subjects?

And on the rare occasions reserved powers come up, are the Tories, responsible for them all, as relentlessly criticised, as the SNP? Don’t be silly, you ignorant plebs.

What other ‘country’ in the world hears only about its Police, Health & Schools, as the ONLY stories in town?

How mean and parochial are our media!

The Constitution is reserved but no questioning this week of Scots Tories’ Brexit Blues Report.

If said UK Brexit Reports had been positive, the BBC would have had Davidson on wall to wall, all day, pontificating like a latter day messianic Gordon Brown, over a mythical Devomax Shangra La. But just keep up the pretense until they vote NO!

When was the last time Jackie Bird mentioned Devomax?

But the wee YES malkies are coming, Jackie Bird!

Then whit’ll ye day, Mrs, eh?

“When ye hear thum shauchlin doon yir loaby,
Chanting, “Wee Malkies! The gemme’s a bogey!”
Haw, missis, whit’ll ye dae?”

So biding my time & keeping my energy honed and ready for the return game kickoff.

Canny wait.

yesindyref2

@Fred
Seems to me to be a poorly researched rant from Lesley Riddoch, an article for the sake of an article. Here’s what I found in 30 seconds, not even mentioned in her article:

There are 13 local policing divisions, each headed by a Local Police Commander who ensures that local policing in each area is responsive, accountable and tailored to meet local needs. Each division will encompass response officers, community officers, local crime investigation, road policing, public protection and local intelligence.

PS Lesley, tell us more about these “13 local policing divisions” you never even realised existed, apparently. If you don’t know the directions, ask a “bobby”, though personally I call them polis.

As she ends her poor article: “Surely the public and bobbies on the beat can expect better?

Indeed.

Dave McEwan Hill

Yes.Very poor and inaccurate article from Lesley. I’m very disappointed.

heraldnomore

… an’ I’ve just been out and bought her McSmorgasbord too. Still it’ll be good to read what the Nordics do, on much more than just their cops.

yesindyref2

I’m just reading that about Police Scotland page, having already skimmed through the executive team page. It’s not long, worth a read:

link to scotland.police.uk

and the team:

link to scotland.police.uk

To be completely blunt, that structure looks fine to me, so rather than bleating about local accountability being missing, why does a “writer” not check out how much local accountability those 13 divisions have, or are planned to have? Sound like a non-BBC style plan? Maybe even ask police Scotland for more information? I’m sure they’d happily oblige, and if not, then there’s a story in itself.

yesindyref2

@Dave McEwan Hill
I’m a long fuse sort of person these days, but my fuse is running out. Everyone and their keyboard seem intent on running down all our public services, and never mind the flaming politics, what about the people who work there – and the actual services themselves?

yesindyref2

The one thing I’d say, simi;ar to a previous comment on Wings, is that as well as ” Assistant Chief Constable – Local Policing West”, East and North, there should be one for South.

If nothing more, it’ll be needed with Independence for the Borderlands 🙂

Robert J. Sutherland

Bill not Ben @ 14:54,

Sorry, but this one has to be filed in the “square tomatoes” section. We’ve had years of this kind of thing from the BritNat rags, so it’s hard to unravel all the guff from the bare-bones reality.

But for starters:

The EU is a co-op of sovereign nations. None of them are dictated to by “Brussels”, they have made common legally-enforceable rules by which they have all agreed to abide. That’s actually what makes your wished-for free trade possible.

Conversely, it’s tearing ourselves out of these common agreed rules that makes free trade impossible. Which will hurt, and badly.

There is no “European Army”. As someone already mentioned, it’s co-ordinated action by the armies of these aforementioned sovereign nations under a NATO umbrella. You should wish that they don’t operate common equipment and can’t function effectively together?

In plain fact, it’s the EU that has been able to keep some of the worst excesses of WM off our backs. Which is one of the reasons why WM is desperate to get out of the EU and drag us with them. That’s what “taking back control” really means – all of it sucked back to WM.

The EU would be able to protect us against rUK far more if we were independent. Just ask the Irish about that right now!

Please, think about sources. Who has been telling you these things? If you don’t believe the BritNat dead tree scrolls about indy, why should you believe any of their blatant lies and scare stories about the EU…?

Dave McEwan Hill

Cuilean at 3.09

Is this what you are referring too (written I think by Dominic Behan when he was working for STV and living in Lanarkshire). link to youtube.com
The fact is that most of our people have no idea about the behaviour of Britain in Ireland and don’t understand that the IRA was a response to centuries of British savagery in Ireland. My father,a good Scot, was in a seminary in Dublin during the Irish War of independence and the Irish Civil war that followed it. His absolute revulsion of the Black and Tans, who sprayed bullets at old ladies sitting outside cottages and shot people under their beds, stayed with him until he died. He was a sergeant in the A&S Highlanders in WW2 but after an illness found himself transferred into KOSB which was to him like a transfer into hell as KOSB has worked with the Black and Tans in Ireland.

link to youtube.com

AlbertaScot

It always seemed like a dumb ass idea to me to have all those pomegranates at the top of Police Scotland.

Maybe even subversive.

Police Scotland should be weaponized as an institution of political change.

Since we can’t have an army it should be Scotland’s great symbolic force – both domestically and to the world.

Kinda like the Canadian Mounties or US Marines.

Honour guards, Queen’s Speech, UN Peace Keeping duty, kilts, pipe bands, the whole nine yards.

Maybe with Gormley getting the can tied to his sorry butt it can now happen.

The SNP started strong but clearly missed the boat.

Time for Nik to get her ass in the saddle.

K1

Och Robert J, yer wasting yer time wi that one. Repeat and rinse M.O. well established 😉

geeo

“Yer nae coco, are ye” DOES NOT mean “are you coco”

A person who knows anything about Scottish language would know that of course.

Fucking diddy.

CameronB Brodie

(t)Ruthless Harrison and Fluffy are British nationalists not Scottish patriots, and Tories don’t do ethics, simples. Time I tooled folk up properly.

Public Reason—Honesty, Not Sincerity

Political liberals believe that when we attempt to justify political policies in a pluralist society, our arguments must be supported by claims that can be accepted by all reasonable people to whom the policies might apply.1 Such claims rely on public reasons, or reasons based upon shared values that all reasonable people can accept. To offer these kinds of reasons as justifications for political action is to adhere to the ideal of public reason and is necessary to legitimize the exercise of political power, according to political liberals.2

Some political liberals believe that adhering to the ideal of public reason requires adherence to a principle of sincerity. This requires that the justifications we offer for policies be based on reasons that we sincerely believe provide sufficient justification for those policies, in addition to being reasons based on values that we know to be endorsed by those to whom they are offered….

link to onlinelibrary.wiley.com


Book Review: Political Discourse and National Identity in Scotland

The authors begin by looking at what defines nationalism and how this feeds into Scotland historically. When one is asked to think about what makes Scotland stand out as a cultural space in itself, separate from the union, many images are sure to resonate: the legacy of the Kailyard – the school of Scottish fiction developed in the 1890s; myths such as Scotch Mist; and the noble savage or the “lad o’ pairts”. But according to Michael Keating in his 2001 book Nations Against the State, “Scottish Nationalism is one of the least romantic”. If the appeals to nationalism made by the institutional elite are to be believed, then Scottish nationalism is a civic, as opposed to non-civic, nationalism, defined less as a set of exclusive personal criteria (say of ethnicity or language), rather steeped in tolerance and pluralism.

link to blogs.lse.ac.uk

Discourse Analysis: Varieties and Methods
link to eprints.ncrm.ac.uk

K1

Apropos nuthin’ ah’ve just thought a better description for Mone: Mutton dressed as Spam. 🙂

yesindyref2

@AlbertaScot says
Eh?

call me dave

Like many here, who always take an interest in what you have to say, I express my sincere condolence regarding the sad death of your son.

Been away at Oban for a few days and just catching up. 🙁

Legerwood

yesindyref2
8 February, 2018 at 4:42

Like you I get fed up with the ‘loss of local accountability’ criticism of Police Scotland. It does not bear up even under the most cursory examination.

I served on our local Community Council for a period that straddled the change to Police Scotland. Under the old and the new system a designated policeman from the local station attended meetings. Prior to the meeting he/she circulated a report of incidents that had occurred in the community in the previous month including the number solved and the ones still on going.

The report also included the policing priorities which were drawn up in conjunction with the Community Council. For example, if particular areas of the town were having outbreaks of anti-social behaviour and so needed particular attention. The priorities were kept under review.

The other oft repeated criticism is along similar lines to loss of local accountability but is loss of local knowledge.
To which my response is always: ‘Oh you mean all the Borders Police were sent to Shetland who moved to Strathclyde, Tayside went to the Western Isles who took over Stirling etc etc. Cue sputtering and lots of but, but.

Again a complete nonsense. Police may have moved stations within their area as the number of stations were rationalized but that did not mean lack or loss of local knowledge as a consequence.

Get totally fed up with the facile and shallow but unrelenting criticism of the police and other public services all in the name of party political point scoring.

CameronB Brodie

There really is a lot of misconception about the EU. I think this tells us the BBC has completely failed in its role as public educator, preferring to boost far-right, English cultural nationalism, instead. Now there’s a surprise.

The Democratic Deficit

Finally, the power of the European Parliament has steadily increased since its inception,and it now plays a greater role in such areas as the budgetary process of the European Union, as well as the appointment of such officials as the President of the Executive Commission. Increasing the power of the European Parliament vis-a-vis the Executive Commission and the Council of Ministers, is designed to counter the “democratic deficit” which critics argue marks the decision-making process in the European Union.

link to ocw.umb.edu

Neofunctionalism and European Integration: Is it Still a Case of Spillover?

Neo-functionalism has been described as a synthesis of David Mitrany’s theoretical ‘functionalism’ and the pragmatic approach to management taken by Jean Monnet, the first president of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).1 As well as an important founding father, Monnet is seen as a central character in the story of the EU because he sought to realise tangible gains for ECSC members whilst simultaneously creating the conditions for further gains through the development of the European Economic Community (EEC). On the basis of Monnet’s strategic vision, neo-functionalism introduced a political dimension to Mitrany’s functionalism by attempting to explain how and why European integration would result from the choices of competing political actors. However, the theory fell out of favour amongst theorists of integration after it failed either to recover from criticisms made by intergovernmentalists or provide reasons for the contradictory empirical evidence which emerged in the 1960s. This paper will argue that neo-functionalism is thus widely regarded as an unsatisfactory account of European integration, but that particular efforts to (partially) revive the movement have nonetheless been well received by integration theorists, particularly as result of their analysis of supranational institutions. …

link to e-ir.info

Sovereignty in Theories of European Integration and the Perspective of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal

Abstract:

The subject of the article is the place of sovereignty in different theories of European integration. It is argued that European integration in traditional theories of integration, such as functionalism, neo-functionalism and federalism, limits the sovereignty of the Member States and leads to the establishment of a new political entity. Intergovernmental theories claim, on the other hand, that states retain sovereignty in this process. The multi-level governance approach assumes, in turn, that sovereignty is partially exercised by the state and partially by EU institutions. Constructivists approaches maintain that sovereignty never attains a final form and requires constant upkeep.

In the judgements of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal sovereignty is not subject to division or delegation to the European Union. EU membership places limitations on the freedom to act, but this does not imply a loss of sovereignty. This position is closest to the realist theories and the intergovernmental approaches advocating that states retain their sovereignty in the process
of European integration.

link to ce.uw.edu.pl

Socrates MacSporran

I was speaking recently to a friend of mine, a retired Chief Superintendent, who had been a Divisional Commander with the old Strathclyde Police.

His daughter was in the force, before marrying and retiring to have her family, his son-in-law is a Chief Inspector. My mate keeps in touch with his contemporaries and he tells me, the ordinary guys and girls on the beat absolutely loved Phil Gormley, who they reckon listened to their concerns and tried to make their jobs easier.

However, he (my mate) got the feeling quite a few high-ranking officers, used to a cushy life in some of the smaller Scottish forces didn’t like Sir Stephen House tryig to introduce some harder Strathclyde Policing methods to them, and liked it even less when Mr Gormley continued this.

Apparently, these ccusations of “bullying” stem from Mr Gormley telling one or two time-servers: “You are a waste of space,” and they decided to be rid of him.

Now, I accept this is hearsay, but, maybe, just maybe, one or two guys who wanted a quiet life leading to early retirement, took exception to being made to work a bit harder, and, you never know, maybe Gormley’s demise was all plotted doon the ludge. Just saying like.

jfngw

What we can guarantee, no clairvoyant required, is whatever Ruth Davidson raised at PMQ’s will be the Reporting Scotland headline at 6:30.

Chances of them mentioning the magical disappearance of the SoS for Scotland rather answer questions on his lack of veracity at Holyrood, practically zero.

colin alexander

geeo says:

“Fucking diddy”.

geoo, don’t put yourself doon like this, it’s no nice. Try to think positive thoats aboot yersel and try to be nice tea others anaw.

Once ye dae that, ye’ll mibbie cheer up a bit.

Ken500

Osbourne raised the police pension contributions. Many resigned. John Swinney wanted to mitigate the increase but Osbourne would have cut the Scottish budget. Experienced staff left and other people had to be recruited and trained.

Too many people are put in cells overnight on ‘charges’ that can never come to court. Wasting £Millions.

Crime is down and will fall further when minimum pricing is introduced in May. There is a close connect between crime and drink/drug abuse. There should be proper total abstinence drink/drug rehab counselling. Cheaper than prison.

colin alexander

The EU is an undemocratic rich man’s club, where indyScotland would have a say, but would be outvoted. Only on a few areas would Scotland have a veto.

Whereas, with the UK parliament we have a UK Parliament consisting of a head of state we don’t elect, a House of Lords we don’t elect, a Commons where only 59 out of 650 MPs are elected in Scotland. A Commons dominated by hundreds of Tory MPs mainly elected in England, so Scotland can NEVER vote them out.

We were told that in the UK we are treated as equals with England in a family of equal nations: Scotland voted Remain, so we’ve to leave the EU, cos England voted Leave. And there is no veto on anything.

Hmmm.

Meg merrilees

link to bbc.co.uk

Seems the WM gov bass decided that MSP’s can see their Brexit analysis but only in total privacy, and under supervision…

MSPs have voiced fury at arrangements which give them “extraordinarily limited” access to UK Brexit papers.

A letter from Mr Walker to Holyrood’s presiding officer said the reading room at the Scotland Office would be available between 10:00 and 13:00, and 14:00 and 17:00 on Thursday and Friday.
However, MSPs pointed out that the Thursday hours clashed with committees and main chamber sitting hours, including first minister’s questions, while members have responsibilities in their constituencies on Fridays.
Mr Walker also stressed that MSPs would have to book a viewing slot in advance, and said “there will be at least one UK government official in the reading room at all times”.

K1

Coco your pretendy ‘Scots’ accent on here is just that, pretendy. It’s obvious to more Wingers than you can possibly imagine. geeo merely pointed out that bnb was a cheaper version of you, you failed to realise the factual reason for him calling you a ‘Fukcing diddy’. The translation, to assist you better is ‘only an idiot would body swerve in the manner you did to conceal your lack of understanding of the term he used’.

He wasn’t saying bnb was you. It’s very clear you didn’t understand the expression.

Stop digging.

yesindyref2

OT – Rugby
Good to see Greig Laidlaw back in the side but I’d like to see him captain again, he was always pointing, talking, shouting. Barclay is a nice guy but too nice – and quiet. Had to say this, but not on any forum he might read – don’t want to risk putting him off!

geeo

April 7th coco.

Be there ya fuckwit, if ye dare. (No chance)

My bet, your balls will shrivel up and you will not attend.

Well ?

Time to put up or shut up.

K1

Joan McAlpine, very angry, posted the letter in full Meg:

link to mobile.twitter.com

It’s a shocking (not) state of affairs and a display of the utter contempt that ‘Scottish MSP’s are held in by the Tory Government especially regarding UKExit. By proxy Scotland’s electorate are held in exactly the same regard.

Tinto Chiel

“Scotland has been in the EU for a generation now, when did Brussels give us any hassle?

When did Westminster give us any hassle?”

That’s a concise one for the doorstep, Fred.

*Makes note on phone*

Unfortunately, I might get “They’re straightening my banana (ooh!)/Merkel banned my haggis/ah’m no eating compulsory salami” from Daily Heil Frothers, though.

Was it Dominic or Brendan Behan who said, “If work was any good, the bosses would keep it for themselves”?

Always liked that one…

Davie Oga

Cuilean says:
8 February, 2018 at 3:09 pm
Bill Not Ben

(a) The people had no say in Blair’s illegal Wars.

The “people” gave Labour a thumping majority after they trashed Iraq and murdered a million. Friendly welcoming Scots voters were instrumental in their victories.

colin alexander

K1

No meaning to sound cheeky or anything K1 but, if I want your opinion, I’ll let you know.

As long as your opinion is aye to independence, that’s fine by me.

As regards me or your opinions of me: haud yer wheest!

Proud Cybernat

It gets worse – sector analysis:

link to twitter.com

colin alexander

K1

No meaning to sound cheeky or anything K1 but, if I want your opinion, I’ll let you know.

As long as your opinion is aye to independence, that’s fine by me.

As regards me or your opinions of me: haud yer weesht!

yesindyref2

The EU is an undemocratic rich man’s club, where indyScotland would have a say, but would be outvoted

What a load of ignorant Daily Mail rabid shite. It’s totally democratic, there’s a Parliament, there’s 2 levels of Councils, and when it comes to a quailified vote in the Councils, the smallest 13 nations representing less than 9% of the EU’s population can prevent any legislation getting through:

For example Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Croatia, Ireland, Slovakia, Finland, Denmark and Bulgaria with a total population of 42,742,200 can stop EU legislation for a population of 511,806,000 – just 8.35% of the total.

link to yesindyref2.wordpress.com

Valerie

@ Socrates

Its highly possible some older polis did get their cages rattled. The lazy never like new brooms disrupting their wee routines and rituals.

Anyone thats come into a big organisation at a senior level will tell similar tales.

Trying to get some to up their game to the average speed usually erupts into screams of bullying. An experienced manager keeps records of reasonable requests, supportive suggestions to the lazy, and are ‘prepared’.

In Gormley’s case, being played out in the public eye, more cases coming forward, did for him, sometimes you have to throw the towel in, if its a concerted effort.

He could always bring a case of constructive dismissal if he can evidence there was some kind of plot, and HE was not supported in his duties to bring reform or enact improvements.

Seems to be a lot of relief he has resigned, but it may not be over if he has a case of his own.

Folk on Twitter were saying – what were complaints, tell us. I responded, its not appropriate. Both parties have right to confidentiality, and cases were ongoing.

None of it is a good look. I hope Susan Deacon has better luck.

colin alexander

Geeo

I socialise wi people I like and have respect for.

Once some people oan here earn my respect, then I’d mibbe hiv mair time fur them.

geeo

Thought so, coco.

You are a fucking shitehawk.

Macart

From Tory twatter and meeja reactions over the past twenty four hours, the strategy appears both insane, yet entirely (these days) predictable.

Conservative government has broken faith with Scotland’s electorate on every conceivable level. On every pledge. On every assurance given. Their response to getting caught in yet another epic piece of deception?

Inflate every minor gripe or failure of the SNP government. To saturate the media sphere with misdirection and lies, then project their runaway dishonesty and non existent discipline onto their opposition.

To be clear – UK gov is in full on panic mode right now. They display biblical levels of dishonesty, party political disharmony, ineptitude, arrogance and ignorance. This is possibly THE worst sitting UK government of the post war period, rife with scandal, infighting and calamitous mismanagement. Yet they would have the public believe that themessenpee folk are somehow worse??!!??

WTAF?

This government, it’s predecessor and their practice of politics, have brought the economy of the nations of the UK to its knees. That same practice of politics has fractured society almost beyond repair. They’ve shattered standing agreements with N.I.. Drove a bus through the devolution settlement and have taken the UK’s international standing into the sewer with an EU referendum which could only be described at best, as driven by mistrust of Johnny Furriner and sheer dishonesty. Trust in institutions from services to government are at an all time low. Indeed most folk wouldn’t piss on our media were it on fire about now.

In spite of all this carnage which they have visited upon the peoples of the United Kingdom, the bad guy is always someone else.

Not a single redeeming quality to be found anywhere in sight. Most certainly not honesty.

Petra

@ Robert J. Sutherland says at 4:52 pm …. ”Bill not Ben @ 14:54 … Sorry, but this one has to be filed in the “square tomatoes” section. We’ve had years of this kind of thing from the BritNat rags, so it’s hard to unravel all the guff from the bare-bones reality….. Please, think about sources. Who has been telling you these things? If you don’t believe the BritNat dead tree scrolls about indy, why should you believe any of their blatant lies and scare stories about the EU…?”

A decent explanation in relation to this subject has to be proferred when it crops up and you’ve explained it well RJS (Cameron and others). There’s no doubt that many (new) people visit this site on a daily basis, people who support independence but abhor the EU, who expect to receive an alternative view, from as you say the Britnats blatant lies and scare stories. Dismissing (or worst still) concerns on here, genuine or not, isn’t helpful, imo.

………………………..

@ Legerwood says at 5:58 pm ……… ”I served on our local Community Council for a period that straddled the change to Police Scotland. Under the old and the new system a designated policeman from the local station attended meetings. Prior to the meeting he /she circulated a report of incidents that had occurred in the community in the previous month including the number solved and the ones still on going ………. Get totally fed up with the facile and shallow but unrelenting criticism of the police and other public services all in the name of party political point scoring.”

That goes for my Community Council in Renfrewshire too Legerwood and I reckon that they are all doing an excellent job. On a positive note employees of the SNHS and Police Scotland must be absolutely scunnered with the unrelenting MSM ‘crisis’ reports. Scunnered by people like Mr Leonard due to his scathing remarks about Police Scotland. They seem to forget that these people, their relatives and friends actually have a vote and they’ll use it in the very near future.

heedtracker

The “people” gave Labour a thumping majority after they trashed Iraq and murdered a million. Friendly welcoming Scots voters were instrumental in their victories.”

That’s what Blair says all the time. Its interesting that Brown is never asked about Iraq, let alone ever actually saying anything about it all.

Its probably just an anomaly in the Britnat propaganda machine, but then again…

None of Labour have ever been held accountable for Iraq, no matter how much time was spent investigating it, merely because UK state is a self preservation society, office gropers to boot.

colin alexander

yesindyref2

What makes you think all these other countries would want to vote in the same way to protect Scotland’s interests?

Iain mhor

Just catching up after a few days and very sad to hear Robert Peffer’s news.

My sincere condolences Robert and best wishes.

Legerwood

O/T

Channel 4 news in full on English mode on Knife crime.

May be a wee report from Glasgow at some point but so far no
sign that anyone taking part have any idea of the situation in Scotland.

K1

Coco. This is an open forum and I can proffer my opinion and make comments on anything I want.

So…let’s be clear, it’s not your site, you’re not the moderator. So kindly refrain from talking down to me or anyone else on here, just because you are unable to address the substantive points on the post you object to.

You are indeed a cowardly little man.

GORDON FORREST

Does anyone have any idea why the bbc Scotland is not carrying the link on their main page for FMQS as they usually do? Its hidden away in the politics Scotland page. Not its usual one. A cynic might think that since they cant bash the bad Snp and now that their fellow unionists have been caught red handed lying to the public they can hide them away away until all the furore dies down.Makes you wonder who is the more contemptable the tories or the press.

Petra

@ Socrates MacSporran says at 6:03 pm ….. ”Apparently, these accusations of “bullying” stem from Mr Gormley telling one or two time-servers: “You are a waste of space,” and they decided to be rid of him. Now, I accept this is hearsay, but, maybe, just maybe, one or two guys who wanted a quiet life leading to early retirement, took exception to being made to work a bit harder, and, you never know, maybe Gormley’s demise was all plotted doon the ludge. Just saying like.”

Phil Gormley was being investigated after several allegations were made against him, some but NOT all (wonder what they were?) related to bullying. It seems strange to me SMS, that the Chief Constable of Scotland of all people didn’t have the gumption to deal with these accusations, but rather decided to just walk away. A bit of a ‘big girl’s blouse’ type of individual if you ask me. Not quite what we’re looking for in a person holding such a post.

Then again maybe there was a great deal more to these accusations, than just a case of telling colleagues that they were a ”waste of space”, with his lawyers advising him to bail out? His own wife was a former lead officer for HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in England and Wales and had previously been involved in looking into allegations of bullying against senior officers. Surely she would have told him to see this through to the end if he was innocent of all charges?

I don’t get it to be honest for if I was under investigation, by say CC Gormley, relating to ‘misconduct’ in my workplace, I doubt I could just come out with, ”well I’ve decided to resign Mr Gormley, so stuff your investigations” and walk out of the Police Station.

To my mind if Gormley is planning to remain in the Police Force south of the border the investigations should carry on regardless and if there was (is) some sort of witchhunt going on that would come out too and be dealt with which would help to protect others in the future. However from all MSM accounts the investigations have been dropped.

Meanwhile Michael Matheson SNP has been left by Gormley to take the flack, exacerbated by Gormley’s wife, with Leonard and others calling for HIS resignation again today.

galamcennalath

The Sun … “Theresa May summons ministers to country house retreat to hammer out Brexit deal after five-hour meeting ends with no agreement”

“Hammer”. Could this be like the scene in the Untouchables at the table with the baseball bat?

Macart

This pretty much says it all.

link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com

yesindyref2

@Legerwood
Not really listening, but the presenter or whoever did say something about seeing how Glasgow’s tackled it, and I think they have someone from Police Scotland there.

Yes by the way to the community council, and they are responsive to requests, which come from the councillors or though them, from the rest of us plebs!

yesindyref2

@galamcennalath
Probably the very British “Brexit Hold’em”, and it’s May all in, will the others see or fold?

Robert Peffers

Dear Me! I’m just getting round to FMQ’s now and I’m really amazed at the Labour Dick head of the London Labour Accountancy Unit in Scotland.

He stands up in the Scottish Parliament and accuses the best performing police force in the United Kingdom of being a disaster.

With Scottish crime figures currently at the lowest point they have been for over 40 years, if that’s a disaster then please, Mr MSP leader of the Scottish Accountancy Unit of London Labour, can we have some more?

Robert J. Sutherland

Petra @ 19:27,

I suppose there are some who have had more than enough of WM interference in their lives and so are understandably leery of interference from somewhere else, especially from an artificial EU ogre manufactured by the Pals of WM, for whom the EU is certainly a serious rival.

But the “ruled by Brussels instead of London” is definitely a BritNat meme. The old divide-and-conquer.

Back to an old analogy:

If I want to play lawn bowls (action at a distance, a wonderfully sneaky game!), I could of course set up a nice well-tended green in my own back yard, but =meh= what a lot of work to set up and =ugh= maintain, even if I had the space in the first place. So who does that? – Well, nobody really.

Instead you join a bowling club, who provide all the essentials for a membership fee, which is far less expensive in time, effort and money. Because it’s shared.

OK, there are rules, mostly self-evidently sensible but perhaps irritating sometimes, but no-one – absolutely no-one – complains that the club committee (elected by the members) is dictating their bowling experience, do they? (People would laugh if they did.)

Fair enough, sometimes you have to rub along with types you don’t particularly like, but other times you are able to enjoy agreeable company in pleasant surroundings that you wouldn’t otherwise have.

It’s a win-win. Which is why there are bowling clubs all over, and nobody’s arm is getting twisted over it.

stewartb

GORDON FORREST @ 7:44 pm

You write: “A cynic might think that since they (BBC Scotland) cant bash the bad Snp and now that their fellow unionists have been caught red handed lying to the public they can hide them away away until all the furore dies down.”

The contrast between how BBC Scotland TV news and BBC 1 UK news covers NHS issues was shown up in stark contrast tonight.

The 6pm News on BBC 1 introduced its main news item by making reference to the toughest winter that NHS England had faced (i.e. gives some context) BEFORE reporting the worst A&E performance data. Notable editorial choice of framing!

But whereas in Scotland the bad news would be all we got – and rarely any context – on England’s NHS, the BBC then spends time and money on a long outside filming piece which shows examples of interesting, caring, innovative things NHS England is doing to mitigate difficulties for its patients in these toughest of times! (Remember this is in a news bulletin which in scope covers UK and international subjects unlike Reporting Scotland.) So again, a notable editorial effort by BBC 1 News to provide some positive framing for an NHS England story around what is otherwise a ‘bad news’!

Petra

@ Meg merrilees says at 6:40 pm

Seems the WM gov bass decided that MSP’s can see their Brexit analysis but only in total privacy, and under supervision…

MSPs have voiced fury at arrangements which give them “extraordinarily limited” access to UK Brexit papers.

A letter from Mr Walker to Holyrood’s presiding officer said the reading room at the Scotland Office would be available between 10:00 and 13:00, and 14:00 and 17:00 on Thursday and Friday.

However, MSPs pointed out that the Thursday hours clashed with committees and main chamber sitting hours, including first minister’s questions, while members have responsibilities in their constituencies on Fridays.

Mr Walker also stressed that MSPs would have to book a viewing slot in advance, and said “there will be at least one UK government official in the reading room at all times”.

link to bbc.co.uk

……………..

This was reported on STV news tonight Meg. ‘Tucked in’ at the very end, surprise, surprise. Joan MacAlpine was absolutely raging. She said that the letter was sent on Tuesday and that they received it yesterday. They had to race to get a ‘viewing’ and were given even pages only with the odd pages arriving after 4:30pm. Putting the slap on the face to one side, ANOTHER one, how on earth can you make sense of a document by reading every second page only, initially?

I hope that Nicola Sturgeon et all visit this site and read that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! As soon as we know ‘roughly’, because roughly is all we are ever going to get, what’s going to happen re. Brexit a Referendum should be held. October I reckon with a franchise which includes a five / ten year residency limitation and IF possible kick the Electoral Commission into the long grass.

And if we lose it (which we won’t) step down Nicola, recall our Westminster MP’s and let the Unionists get on with it. It won’t be long thereafter before the Scots are begging on hands and knees to get out of the hellhole.

colin alexander

K1, it’s an open forum for discussing politics, not for proffering abusive opinions about me or other commenters.

So, how about setting a good example by not addressing me as coco. I don’t call you abusive names, so why do that to me?

I gave you credit when you debated by proper means, you were earning respect that way from myself and others.

You clearly have more sense then geeo, so if I may offer you advice, which you are free to reject: don’t sink to his level.

Let’s get back to promoting independence for Scotland.

Fred

Lesley obviously wearing her backward-looking, rose-tinted spex on this. I can recall the Northern Constabulary making an arse of a whole series of murders & when a lack of cooperation between other forces let murderers go un-apprehended for years! The new Polis-Scotland forensic facility at Gartcosh, for example, is superb, Scotland is not a big country & 5 million peeps much less than some cities.

Slab used to have a Greek-Chorus which concentrated on knife-crime, what happened to that? It would be nice if recruiting for the post is restricted to candidates who actually know what a Procurator-Fiscal is.

Unfortunately the last two were duds, shit happens, Slab have been led by half a dozen!

heedtracker

The Ginger Dug says it all really, about beeb Scotland gimp network attack propaganda,

“There was no mention of the Scottish Conservatives calling the Scottish Government’s study “over the top scaremongering”, even though their own government’s paper showed the same, or worse, harm being caused.

If you’re expecting BBC Scotland to hold the Conservatives to account, you probably also expect that Brexit will deliver everyone in the country a free bus with a misleading slogan written on the side of it.”

Its only going to get worse and worse beeb gimp wise, for Scottish democracy.

Petra

@ Robert J. Sutherland says at 8:06 pm …. ”Petra – I suppose there are some who have had more than enough of WM interference in their lives and so are understandably leery of interference from somewhere else, especially from an artificial EU ogre manufactured by the Pals of WM, for whom the EU is certainly a serious rival….”

Bowling Club … good analogy RJS and yes there are no doubt MANY, MANY Scots, including those who want independence, who don’t want us to be in the EU at all. Not just BnB. I can understand it because I have my reservations too.

It’s our job therefore to keep on getting the message across, in particular for new visitors to the site. Vote for Independence and give the EU a chance under the auspice of Scots. If people are still unhappy then hold a referendum when we eventually stabilise our new-found independent country. Imo, if we wait until we’re out of the EU we can forget about ever getting our independence. Westminster will make sure of that when it’s totally unhindered by the EU.

Robert J. Sutherland

K1 @ 19:40,

I see that The Joker has switched back to anti-EU again. No principles and no policy except whatever suits his moment.

It’s a sair chauve nailing doon these sleekit craturs, is it nae? =grin= (Ma ain mooth’s mair gobbin than sweelin.)

Legerwood

yesindyref2 says:
8 February, 2018 at 7:53 pm
@Legerwood
Not really listening, but the presenter or whoever did say something about seeing how Glasgow’s tackled it, and I think they have someone from Police Scotland there.””
………
The piece from Glasgow came at the end and lasted about 3 minutes. The reporter in Glasgow in his intro to the piece said the murder rate in Glasgow had halved in a decade thanks to the Violence Reduction Unit. But the whole programme was about knife crime not murder in general. No stats given for Scotland as a whole. The VRU initiative started in Glasgow then rolled out across Scotland but not mentioned.

There then followed a short interview with the man who was instrumental in setting up the VRU. He was good but hardly any time. Then back to the studio and very little discussion of the Scottish experience and its effectiveness.

The parents in the studio who had lost children deserved better than what they got.

yesindyref2

@Legerwood
The little I saw seemed a bit of a mess, too busy to watch any more, just happened to be on.

colin alexander

I never said I’m anti-EU. Scotland voted Remain, so did I. The EU’s handling of Catalonia sickens me though.

As REMAIN is what the people voted for, that’s what the Scot Govt should be fighting for, no UK Soft-exit.

If that does not happen, the option of independence should be offered.

If Scotland became independent, that’s when debates about the pros and cons of Scotland’s EU membership should arise.

Arguments over the EU is putting the cart before the horse.

Let’s get independence first, then consider the situation at the time re the EU or whatever other options present themselves then.

heedtracker

Japan knows more about Brexit than Better Together Holyrood. Its all a long way from the beeb gimp propaganda pouring out of Pacific Quay.

link to independent.co.uk

heedtracker

Herald’s says its Westminster accused and the guarded room is quite creepy too, no mention of viceroy Fluffie as usual.

“WESTMINSTER has been accused of showing “contempt for Scotland” after suggesting it would only allow MSPs to view controversial Brexit analysis in a guarded room for a 12-hour time period.

UK Brexit minister Robin Walker gave MSPs less than 24 hours’ notice regarding the arrangements, which come as many Scottish politicians prepare for parliamentary recess.

In a letter sent to the Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh, dated February 7, Mr Walker said MSPs would be able to view the documents during working hours on Thursday and Friday at the Scotland Office on Melville Crescent in Edinburgh.

But MSPs said they only received the letter at 1pm – meaning they had already lost half a day’s viewing time.

The Scotland Office later insisted it had “made clear” that the Brexit documents would be available to view from Thursday onwards via appointment, despite Mr Walker’s letter only referencing four three-hour time slots.

Only eight MSPs will be allowed to examine the papers at any one time, with “at least one” UK Government official present throughout. MSPs also need to make an appointment in advance.

The Brexit analysis, which was previously leaked, shows Scotland is forecast to lose at least £15 billion in growth if no Brussels deal is agreed.

Mr Walker wrote: “Members will be issued a visitor’s pass and be escorted to the reading room by a UK Government official.

“When members enter the reading room, they will be required to sign in and indicate their acceptance of the rules of the reading room.

“There will be at least one UK Government official in the reading room at all times.”

His letter adds: “In keeping with the arrangements for previous reading rooms under this and previous governments, no mobile phones or other electronic or recording devices will be permitted in the reading room.

“Members will be able to write notes which can be taken away when they leave. It will not be possible to remove any of the documents from the reading room to photograph, scan or copy in any way.

“Any unauthorised disclosure of the documents or information contained within them is strictly prohibited.”

Joan McAlpine MSP, who posted the letter to social media, said it showed “total contempt” for the Scottish Parliament.

She added: “They think a last minute invite to view the analysis they denied existed – at the other side of town, while parliament is sitting – is good enough. Well it isn’t.”

Scottish Labour’s Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay said: “This is an absolute nonsense, and takes no consideration of MSPs who have constituencies far from Edinburgh – or indeed the fact that Holyrood is sitting at those times on a Thursday. This is the shambolic Tory approach to Brexit summed up.”

Greens external affairs spokesman Ross Greer MSP insisted “the Tories’ contempt for Scotland knows no bounds”.

He added: “They’ve chosen to make this information available to MSPs for just 12 hours over two days with no prior notice – two days in which we have committees, debates and constituency business.

“Given the massive economic damage this analysis predicts, it’s no surprise they’re making it as difficult as possible for us to know any more than what has already been leaked.

“It’s like the planning application from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – in the cellar, with no lights or stairs and at the bottom of a locked filing cabinet in a disused toilet behind a sign saying Beware Of The Leopard. Except this isn’t fiction.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We wanted to give MSPs the opportunity to view the document before recess.

“That’s why, in the letters to the Presiding Officers, we made clear that the reading rooms would be open from Thursday 8 February.

“If MSPs would like to return to review the document at any point (including after recess) they would be very welcome to do so.”

Capella

The National article on Scotland excluded from Theresa May’s War Cabinet on Brexit.

Responding to the concerns, a UK Government spokesperson said: “The UK Government is seeking the right deal for Scotland and whole of the UK as we leave the EU. The Secretary of State champions and promotes Scotland’s interests at the heart of Whitehall every day, including at the Cabinet table.”

Ahead of a war cabinet meeting yesterday, which will continue today, it emerged that the EU wants a mechanism to sanction the UK for breaches of any transition deal.

://archive.is/nV2fp

heedtracker

Who knew this shitrag was so tory or imagine a Scottish democracy free of thousands of professional liars? Only tories can get this good a cover up from THe Graun in its Scotland region.

link to archive.is

Scottish politics
Nicola Sturgeon rejects calls to clarify US military Prestwick use
Scottish Greens have urged first minister to release heavily redacted documents

Robert J. Sutherland

heedtracker @ 21:50,

Frankly, in this instance I think a bunch of MSP’s should go in mob-handed, photo the pages on their phones and send them out right there and then, regardless of the resident UK minder(s).

Time for some pushback for once, and a sight less pussy-footing.

It’s a damned disgrace. This is our future at stake.

Clootie

@colin alexander

…I wish you would say what you think instead of what you think we want to hear.

Dr Jim

Reporting Scotland brought a man on via webcam to inform us that Phil Gormley is a good guy and he was only gotten rid of because Police Scotland are Anti English

I’m amazed nobody noticed this

Further to my wee Morrisons supermarket survey, anybody had their car nicked today? been burgled? attacked in the street maybe? No?

Polis must be working fine then eh
As far as we’re concerned who cares who the top cop is as long as the bottom cops do their stuff

The rest is political and we should all know that

As for the media if they want to run the country they should stand for election because they don’t represent me or anybody I know
The job of “journalists” used to be guardians of the truth
now they’re the spreaders of manure

geeo

Newsflash for coco the clown unionist.

The Scotsgov HAVE addressed the issue, ya radge.

2016 SNP Holyrood election…Scotland dragged out EU against our will = INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM.

That was before EU ref even took place, coco.

The reality is, the SNP SG have been “on it” from a long way out.

Really pisses you off, knowing that wee fact, doesn’t it, coco ?

And do not try pretend you are pro indy, you rancid shitehawk. Nobody believes that ‘jackie baillie’.

Legerwood

Dr Jim @ 10.26pm

I noticed it but was not surprised the BBC took that route.
More or less expected it. They have become so predictable in how they report things

heedtracker

It’s a damned disgrace. This is our future at stake.

One should take photos of everything, papers, the guards, the buildings, the rooms, and lets see what the UK gov does. Take them to court, send round plod with battering rams to their homes, jail them, Catalan fascist style?

geeo

Good points re police, Dr Jim.

Top cops everywhere are political pawns in some manner, usually, but as you also say, cops on the ground are clearly doing a great job in Scotland. As such they deserve credit, pity that ONLY the SNP currently seem to recognise this.

It is also worth pointing out, despite turmoil ‘at the top’ of Police Scotland, the actual STRUCTURE is clearly sound, as Police Scotland figures continue to head in the right direction.

As for media..I am old enought to remember when some media REPORTED the news, NOT to try SHAPE the news to a political agenda.

yesindyref2

@RJS
Much easier way to do it. Just report the Scotland Office for a data protection breach, and the polis can go in with “battering rams” and seize the lot.

stewartb

Molly @ 2:02 am

You write: “Anyway there’s a hands round Holyrood on the 23rd of March which hopefully will have a good turnout ….”

I’ve heard mention of this before. I’ve also asked the question here on Wings before – who’s organising this and what’s planned? I got no response.

How is this being promoted? Can you offer any more info, Molly?

I’ve managed to find a Facebook page with this title but, with respect to those involved and whilst it may be seen as ‘early days’, I do hope this is not the extent of the promotional info.

Public support for our Parliament which is under threat is really important – a poorly attended event on a March Friday would not, in my view, give out a helpful message.

Davie Oga

heedtracker says:
8 February, 2018 at 10:39 pm
It’s a damned disgrace. This is our future at stake

Absolutely. There comes a point where there is nothing to be gained by playing by Westminster rules. Time to make that “Stand up for Scotland” slogan a reality. Screw their secrecy and privileges.

Liz Rannoch

Robert Peffers.

So sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts are with you and your family. The man who made me see history not as something to fear and detest, but something to learn from and if not exactly enjoy, (yet!) at least to open my mind to how we, on here, are where we are now. Thank you.

Clootie

…misreporting Scotland has just gone into overdrive. Pure unionist crap!

Morgatron

Dr Jim @ 10.26pm
I noticed this clip too. Obviously we are racist up here and so us our Gov in north britain The stooge in the clip shown states that Gormley lost his job because he was English . I was fucking appauld that this was allowed to be aired by these arseholes at the BBC. The Scot Gov should make – need to lodge an official complaint .

heedtracker

Scotland” slogan a reality. Screw their secrecy and privileges.

One of them should get one of those mini camera pen things, film it all, stick it all online and then lets see what Viceroy Sir Fluffie Mundell OBE does.

Transported to the colonies might be quite nice really. At least the colonies are not plagued by likes of the relentlessly ghastly BBC Scotland creep show.

link to amazon.co.uk

Cheap as chips.

It is just like the early days of Hanoverian domination of Scotland pre and post Culloden. If you get the chance, its truly fascinating comparing and contrasting how Hanoverian British rule worked over early 18th century Scotland with today, exact same interests and forces at work too.

gus1940

Apparently Anna Soubry is scheduled to appear on tonight’s Brillo Vanity Extravaganza.

I hope she gives both Brillo and Portillo the full handbag treatment.

gus1940

For ages it has been normal to refer to Misreporting Scotland.

Is it not time to be more explicit and just refer to it as Reporting SNPBad.

heedtracker

Kirsty Wark currently interviewing one of Orange Hitler’s spin docs Anne Coulter on fake news.

She’s now world famous for coining the term, Pres Trump’s “alternative facts,” everytime Orange Hitler’s endless lies get queried by US media, on BBC Newsnight.

A neo fascist spin doc from America, given a beeb gimp soap box, to rage at fake news?

You can invent a greater fraud on democracy than the BBC, not now:D

K1

Quite the patronising and condescending little shitehawk ye are tae…eh Coco. 😉

Footsoldier

What I do not understand is why any of you expect the MSM and the BBC to do anything other than to promote the status quo.

Is it me or you that is stupid?

ronnie anderson
Graeme Doig

Dear Nicola,

Due to the publics interest, no, the publics right, I think it is, without doubt, the Scottish Govts duty to ensure this information is released.

I don’t know and care less what conditions have been demanded by Westminster, you need to know that the people of Scotland expect you to do our bidding not theirs.

If you don’t have the bottle to stand against our overlords in this matter then we’ve no chance.

Yours

A long time fighter for independence.

(No apologies for the rant)

Graeme Doig

She might be having a wee read before getting her beauty sleep 🙂

Tam the Bam.

Pretty sure she’s not THAT desperate for a bedtime read.

Still Positive

macart earlier re wgd etc.

I have never been so scared in my life as to what the UK is coming to. Too many millionaires in the Cabinet and Opposition who do not have a clue about what coming out of the single market will mean for ordinary people.

The last time I was this scared was in October 1962 when I was 12 and the Bay of Pigs when I thought my life may be over before it really began.

Thankfully that ended well. As I said to my son earlier, the 1962 episode and Brexit have similarities for me: in both I felt powerless. With Brexit I feel, as a mum and gran, I cannot protect my children and, more importantly, my 8 lovely grandchildren.

Dave McEwan Hill

I continue to be perplexed by the naivety of many of our well meaning supporters and even long standing SNP members

We are producing YESNP magnetic car stickers and a couple of members said to me today.”Maybe we should leave the SNP out of design.”

Exactly what our enemy would like.
I had to explain. When the SNP is under continuous attack what you do is identify as SNP. Car stickers, flags, etc badges. You don’t back off and hide. You do the opposite.

manandboy

We are in the period between the public announcement of the offshore earthquake and the imminent arrival of the tsunami. Except that Brexit is not the tsunami.

The really destructive tsunami will be the arrival of the collapse of the banking, monetary and financial system due to the £2 trillion UK debt.
The consequences of this are so bad that no one wants to think about it.
The widely held belief in the UK is that we can survive Brexit.

There will be no surviving the next financial collapse.

There is only one get out – for Scotland, Independence.

Dave McEwan Hill

manandboy at 12.57

As soon as possible. The hit on the dollar is very worrying. We are existing in an economy of fantasy money that doesn’t actually exist. A collapse in the ludicrous house prices for instance sinks the UK economy and that could happen in days.

Robert J. Sutherland

yesindyref2 @ 22:44,

Hmmm – don’t we own the information? It’s clearly not classified (eg. like McCrone), and after all, it relates to us and we basically paid for it.

Info of considerable public interest, unlike all those specious FOI requests the BBC and the FibDems specialise in.

So couldn’t SG or the Scottish Parliament order its seizure under Scots Law? With the same result as your cunning plan – the capital’s finest turn up with a warrant to take possession of said documents for handing over to our proper authorities for immediate public release…

Petra

HIGH TIME THAT HALF DECENT JOURNALISTS IN SCOTLAND MADE A POINT OF PROTECTING THIS COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE.

IS THERE ANY ONE OF YOU, SUCH A PERSON, OUT THERE?

WHAT SAY YOU? DO YOU SUPPORT SCOTLAND OR NOT?

THE WORLD IS WATCHING. DECENT JOURNALISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU. EMBARRASSING OR WHAT?

ARE YOU JUST ANOTHER WEE CREEP TRYING TO MAKE A FAST BUCK AND TOE THE LINE TO YOUR FOREIGN MASTERS OR IF YOU ARE A DECENT SCOTTISH JOURNALIST IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS, YOU ARE IN FEAR OF LOSING YOUR JOB? IF THE LATTER THINK ON. NOW IS THE TIME TO COMPARE LOSING YOUR JOB IN COMPARISON TO GIVING AWAY YOUR CHILDRENS AND GRANDCHILDRENS FUTURE. A SACRIFICE WILL HAVE TO BE MADE IN SOME INSTANCES. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT?

IT’S NOW MAKE UP YOUR MIND TIME. THE UK IS GOING RIGHT DOWN THE STANK AND YOU KNOW IT. ARE YOU REALLY WILLING TO LET SCOTLAND GET DRAGGED RIGHT DOWN THAT SAME HORRENDOUS STANK TOO?

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO FROM HERE? TELL THE TRUTH? INFORM THE SCOTS OR NOT? CONTINUE TO LIE TO THE SCOTS AT YOUR OWN PERIL? PERIL MEANING THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGIVEN OR FORGOTTEN. ARE YOU WILLING TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS BEING A BUNCH OF LYING SCHEMERS?

AND REMEMBER POST AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A JOB WITHIN A MOST FABULOUS COUNTRY. A COUNTRY THAT PROMOTES HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY. WE SCOTS WILL DEMAND IT AND YOU JOURNALISTS WILL REAP THE BENEFITS.

TIME FOR YOU TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND GET REAL.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT NOW. THIS IS IN FACT YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TELL THE SCOTS THE TRUTH.

Dr Jim

@Dave McEwan Hill

My sense is Dave the Unionists are slipping behind and they can feel they’re losing so they’re shouting louder to compensate for the position they’re beginning to find themselves in, and you’re indeed correct now’s the time to intensify our presence not diminish it

These people must not be allowed to get to their feet and be allowed to draw fresh breath, if they’re going down let’s make sure they stay down

The more sarcasm ridicule and scorn we can pour on them the better, it’s the weapon they used against us and they won with it, now it’s our turn to be visible and look like we support what we believe in

Saltires everywhere, stickers flags pins badges to make it obvious we’re getting bigger and stronger

twathater

Petra @ 1.29am AMEN TO THAT , well said but a hae ma doots ony o them have the cojones to stand up for Scotland

Robert J. Sutherland

Dr Jim @ 01:40:

Saltires everywhere, stickers flags pins badges to make it obvious we’re getting bigger and stronger.

There’s a lot of sense in that. It’s a sobering thought, but there’s a swathe of people who just want to feel that they’re “on the winning side”, and that kind of manifestation can win them over far more effectively than screeds of closely-reasoned argument. It’s immune to oppo propaganda as well, because it’s seen as the popular will.

Yes, ridicule of BritNattery too. It’s self-evidently becoming a world laughing stock anyway. A good dose of well-aimed satire can also win hearts and minds.

Molly

Stewartb , sorry like you ‘the hands around/off our Parliament’ came up in my newsfeed but no idea who is behind it.

I met up with a few friends and they’re certainly talking about going along really just to make a point

louis.b.argyll

Has he gone? He wrote this.
‘Arguments over the EU is putting the cart before the horse.’

A few hours after opening a comment with-
‘The EU is an undemocratic rich man’s club.’

And his faux craic shows ignorance.

Robert J. Sutherland

louis.b.argyll @ 02:10,

Aye, but he’s not actually against the EU, is he?

After all, he assured us so afterwards!

=laugh till falls over=

(I’m beginning to think it’s actually some kind of experimental AI project. A steppie or two up from that “Eliza” program way back that kinda sorta answered questions. Mostly IIRC by asking other questions back… =grin=)

yesindyref2

@RJS
There was a poster in the Grun called mrbvb or something like that, very annoying, possibly from around Newcastle. He said at one time it was a drinking game with his pals I think. Macart / Heed might remember him.

gus1940

Is it just my imagination or has WM Central Media Control ordered that the MSM should rein back on criticism and ridicule of Trump?

Ken500

The Tories could not make a bigger mess. Just a bunch of imbeciles. Labour and the rest of them are just as bad.. They could have taken them down but kept them carry on. Enabling them. They want to destroy the world economy to line their own pockets but it is rebounding. Total hypocrites in every way. Make the mess then try to blame everyone else as usual.

May and the Hedge fund manager doing deals with Saudi Arabia etc the absolute despot monarchy in the world. Total misogynistic. The welfare cuts affected women and children the most. Cuts to NHS and education affected the sick, the most vulnerable and children etc. Cuts to social care now having to be made up by increases in Council tax. Instead of progressive taxes in the rest of the UK. Then lecturing about women’s rights. It is disgusting.

May and her cronies and the rest of them are just total hypocrites enablers. Davis that idiot without a clue is now trying to blame the EU. Just proposperous.

The Independence supporters who did not come out to vote SNP allowed the Tories in in Scotland. To let this mess and shambles happen. Some folk never learn. Vote No you get nothing.

The lying Tories in Scotland now hiding from the EU deficit reports.

Thank goodness for the SNP standing up for Scotland. This farce will continue until the Tories are voted out. Then the next lot of Westminster idiots trying to destroy the economy. Most of them should be in jail. Trying to change the Law so they can’t be criticised. The Press Office controls the Press and Media.

Nana

Links

New poll: satisfaction with NHS services in Scotland reaches 93%. Get the facts on Scotland’s NHS
link to twitter.com

Watch @feorlean give evidence yesterday to the Oireachtas EU Affairs Committee on Scotland and Brexit
link to oireachtas.ie

The A9 speed cameras have seen a drastic decrease in collisions, casualties and speeding. Overall fatalities are reduced by 49% since October 2014.
link to archive.is

link to autonomyscotland.org

Nana

link to indyref2.scot

link to holyrood.com

Tory members celebrate and shout, “Scotland, know your place! You have no rights!”
link to facebook.com

link to theneweuropean.co.uk

Nana
Nana

The UK Government isn’t talking to business about Brexit preparations. This leaves them with little choice but to look to the EU for details, argues Joe Owen.

link to instituteforgovernment.org.uk

When divisions are this deep, nobody is considered neutral
link to ft.com

link to politicshome.com

seanair

Going out today to possibly buy a book called “The BBC:Myth Of A Public Service” by Dr. Tom Mills.
Paperback, £12 (?) Now in bookshops. Could be interesting……

Smallaxe

Good morning, Nana.
Thank you for your links. Kettle’s on!
🙂

Nana

Good morning Smallaxe 🙂

carjamtic

Good Health Robert,no words.

link to scottisharchivesforschools.org

Jock McDonnell

Dr Jim/Dave Mc

I’m all for that as long as its not too happy clap, it made us look a bit lightweight last time – sober, serious, determined is the way to go – like its important.

Macart

Mornin’ Nana

Timing perfect as usual. 🙂

Nana

Good morning Macart 🙂

Capella

@senair – it is indeed a very interesting book. I got the kindle version but hard copy will be useful.
So many insights – such as the deliberate move to involve people from business and finance and exclude working class interests and trade unions. You never hear from them nowadays.

Graeme

They’re laughing at us because we’re not fighting back, they’re ignoring us because we’re not fighting back, they have no respect for us because we’re not fighting back, they treat us with contempt because we’re not fighting back, they’re openly lying to us because we’re not fighting back, they despise us because we’re not fighting back

When will we fight back

frogesque

Think the next march should be at Fluffy House. Time the SO were told to fo.

Macart

@Still Positive 12.39

Yes. It is scary, but not hopeless.

We have a central government driven by an autocratic right wing agenda. We have a fractured society in these islands driven by a self seeking right wing media t’boot. The loudest voices in our society given a soap box by this same media are intolerant, isolationist and hateful in the extreme, but here’s the kicker.

They are still the minority.

The affluent, powerful and their dog whistle support make only the slimmest percentage of the populations of these islands. There is no nations, no union, no state without the people. More particularly in Scotland’s case where the power of the state rests with the people and not a crown or parliament. The population of Scotland have a choice and one they can make at any time of their asking.

We can choose what kind of country we want to live in. We do have a way out of the intolerant and isolationist nightmare that a self seeking minority have driven the population toward.

Made the point elsewhere but, anyone else notice that the amount of essenpee badness doing the political and meeja rounds is directly proportionate to the amount of criminal screwup and fibbery practised by the Tory government?

The worse they act, the worse the essenpee badness is ramped up. That should tell people something. They’re afraid.

They’re afraid and they’re willing to throw major demographics of the population under a bus to hide their epic mismanagement. They’re even willing to sacrifice their own (see under 13 useless examples of lobby fodder and a SoSfS), in order to protect their own myopic interests. If ever there was an example of a Western, so called, democratic state willing to sacrifice the welfare of its population to protect its establishment classes, it’s the UK state and its two party hegemony.

Petra above makes a good point about our media and its representation, but it doesn’t go far enough. It’s time for those who are still able in our media, our political institutions and our society, to look about themselves. To look about themselves and see, SEE, the harm they have done and are still doing to their own people. To ask themselves why, what for? Are the creatures they are working for worth THIS? Is this the country, the world they want to leave behind for even their own children?

We’re better than this. We DESERVE better than this and more importantly our future generations deserve better than this. If things work out the way I hope over the course of this year, we’ll soon get a chance to do something about that.

colin alexander

The EU is a rich man’s club but, under the current circumstances, I would rather have Scotland ( and possibly N.I.) as the UK member of the EU rather than all the power concentrated at WM’s Tory rich man’s club.

Once announced Indyref, it is something that should be put into effect.

If they weren’t going to hold one right away, then they shouldn’t have talked up indyref and asked for talks about holding one.

But that’s now by the by, indyref remains an uncertainty until it happens.

In the meantime, the EU is being allowed to kick Scotland out of the EU along with England. The UK is being allowed to drag Scotland out of the EU because England voted Leave. All this is accepted by the Scot Govt without legal challenge. The EU is being allowed to strip Scots Euro citizens of their EU rights and it was left to ex-pats in the Netherlands to legally challenge that.

The SNP should have done more to fight it, instead of their Soft Brexit stance.

However, the Scottish Labour MPs and MSPs have been an utter disgrace. Totally missing from action in fighting to protect Scotland’s interests.

frogesque

@Macart 8.59

Couldn’t agree more!

Peter McCulloch

@galamcennalath
8 February, 2018 at 10:37 am

You are right in what you say, however I fear
ordinary people won’t react until Brexit hits them
really hard.

I also suspect we will have Labour politicians here in Scotland doing their usual when this Brexit disaster happens and attempt to blame the Scottish Government for not doing enough to pressurise the Tories into getting a better deal
from Europe.

Robert Peffers

@Footsoldier says: 8 February, 2018 at 11:57 pm:

“What I do not understand is why any of you expect the MSM and the BBC to do anything other than to promote the status quo.
Is it me or you that is stupid?”

Perhaps it could be a wee thing called, “The BBC’s Charter”, Footsoldier?

link to bbc.co.uk

Here is the actual current BBC Charter:-

link to downloads.bbc.co.uk

HandandShrimp

Heedtracker

Ann Coulter is I think who Katie Hopkins models herself on. Ann is an ultra conservative, militarily aggressive Christian…as only an American can be. Her solution to the middle east was to bomb it, kill all the leaders and forcibly convert the peasants to Christianity.

Her ardent support of Trump and antipathy to any negative reporting of the orange tosser is a given. I just wish she didn’t have such a Scottish name.

winifred mccartney

It does seem incredible that the msm and bbc are not door-stepping Mundell and Davidson about the Brexit analysis – but then why are we surprised – it is just another day of bbc protection for tories in Scotland and another snp bad day.

Sarah Smith – 2 serious ‘mistakes’ in a month, someone from England telling us the Scotland is ‘racist’ re Gormley and no response from anyone – the bbc have a lot to answer for. You have to wonder about their reporters when a bbc enquiry reports there is no gender balance in pay at the bbc but everyone else knows there is – should they not be questioning other reporting too or do they all really know what they are doing, that they are just mouthpieces for the establishment paid to criticise the scottish govt and all things snp in the cause of the union.

HandandShrimp

In other news I see that the Express and Star has been sold to the Mirror. “It won’t change their editorial stance”.

Be interesting to see how long that lasts given the Star’s boob count and the Express’s reactionary right wing hatred of garlic and Corbyn.

Sinky

Hootsman with another full page puff for Ruth Davidson this morning including her appearance on Great British Bake Off.

Bill not Ben

My brother buys a paper every day, its that paper you can get for 30 pence, and that is why he buys it, cause of the price.
That is the only paper i get to read, cause i get to see it for nothing, i often wonder about that paper, what kind of idiots actually buy it, then it struck me as i was reading the letters page, the people who buy this paper want a cheap read and don’t give a shit about real politics, they sent in a text and moan about the latest piece of MSM nonesense because they are hoping to get into the letters page so they can show their pals, look i’m in the paper, ain’t i just wonderful.
And what is the name of this wonderful newspaper, you have probably guessed, its The Daily Star, imagine cleaning your arse with that, you would probably end up in hospital with a right bad dose of skittery lies

Dorothy Devine

Yes Macart , it is a puzzle as to how they think unless every last one of them has a bolthole south of the border . Once the dust settles here there will be no place for them in Scotland unless they want to live as the reviled.

Why would anyone want to decry their country on such a hideously regular basis? What reward awaits them?

It must be soul destroying to believe that the country in which you work and play is a ‘shithole’ and that the way to earn your crust is to spread the word how shitty a shithole it is – from the NHS to the Police to education as often as possible and twice on Sundays.

I’m beginning to feel sorry for the bastards.

Bill not Ben

Donald Trump

A president that protects america’s borders from illegal immigrants, and has brought unemployment down with his tough stance against american companies who located to mexico to use cheap labour, yes i can see why anyone would hate this man, those kind of policies are really bad for america. lol

manandboy

In David Davis, Tory arrogance and hypocrisy are, well, just what you would expect – breathtaking. Add their sense of entitlement and ‘effortless racist superiority’ over ‘Johnny Foreigner’, not to mention Scotland, Wales and Ireland, to complete the picture of the obnoxious English ruling class.

Bloomberg: Discourteous’ EU

Brexit Secretary David Davis accused the EU of being “discourteous.” He slammed Brussels for releasing a document that threatened to suspend some benefits of single-market access if the U.K. violates any EU laws during the transition. “I do not think it was in good faith to publish a document with frankly discourteous language,” Davis said. “We think it was unwise to publish that.”

manandboy

As for Mundell, there are no words, only a disgusting smell.

Footsoldier

Robert Peffers: In the case of Scottish independence, the BBC Charter will count for nothing, BBC and MSM will always defend the Union. It’s part of their DNA and we need a reality check to think otherwise.

Even if we win an independence referendum,the MSM and the BBC and captains of industry will be directed through private meetings in the seats of power to do everything to thwart it.

manandboy

The EU laying down the law to the UK. Best prepare for a tantrum from the Tories.

link to amp.theguardian.com

“There will be no wriggle room for the UK government,” said Philippe Lambert MEP, the leader of the Greens in the European parliament, who was briefed in Strasbourg earlier this week by the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier. “We are going to state exactly what we mean by regulatory alignment in the legal text. It will be very clear. This might cause some problems in the UK – but we didn’t create this mess.”

Robert Graham

Anyone make any sense out of NO reference or mention of all this information regarding the after effects of Brexit in holyrood yesterday .

I presume there must be some kind of strategy being worked on but by f/k its being well hidden , the biggest story out there just now Brexit and the scottish media and the bbc have sidelined it.

Does this mean everyone else has to comply with the blanket disregard of the aftermath of leaving , its Baffling .

Fred

@ Nana, good news on the A9 speed camera link, I remember a clown called Burns? from Inverness was never off the news rubbishing the governments safety initiative. I notice a big difference on the road myself.

Bob Mack

Ah, I see we have a Trump admirer in our midst. Try this

The American establishment is trying to get rid of him because they think he is dangerous. Now ponder that for a second.
In a country where 20,000 + citizens die at the hands of their fellow Americans each and every year, yet they fail to change their laws, they consider Trump to be dangerous.

They allowed foreign wars over the past 6 decades, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan,Grenada,etc ,all sanctioned by various Presidents and backed by Congress and the Senate.

Why therefore should the people who work with his administration daily, consider him to be dangerous?

Answers on a postcard to Bill and Ben

Ken500

The Gormley’s did not even move to Scotland. Commuted. Then they make claims of racism.

heedtracker

HandandShrimp says:
9 February, 2018 at 9:24 am
Heedtracker

Its more that Coulter gets so much BBC attention, that’s the issue. BBC made Farage a household name as BBC producers are selecting the far right and handing them massive audiences to do their neo fascist thing. Compare and contrast how BBC gimps presented Farage and Salmond to their UK universe.

Trump’s being seriously monstered by all kinds of msm in the US, as is Coulter, resurgent and divisive far right politics must be good for ratings but there’s nothing like it at here in the UKOK zone.

Coulter’s “alternative facts” came up while defending Trump’s endless bare faced lying. BBC politico producers can simply throw someone this far right on Newsnight and then just not report anything they do not want consumers of their politics grot to know about.

BBC have always been tory but its got worse and worse over the last decade.

Or, why is there no nationwide famous lefty Hopkins? Can’t imagine the next Brexit Rule Britannia decade is going to be anything more than the right in the UK going totally apeshit.

Tinto Chiel

“I’m beginning to feel sorry for the bastards.”

Dorothy, you’ve taken that too far!

🙄

Liz Rnannoch

@ Nana

Lovely linksss! Especially the speech by Christine McKelvie. This is what we need – mair fire in oor bellies, like Macart @ 8.59 – brilliant.

@ Dorothy Devine 9.46
“I’m beginning to feel sorry for the bastards”. Don’t you dare!

Fluffy – aye there is, naw there’s naw.
I have a ‘snip’ (don’t ask – I’ve got hundreds of them, don’t know what I’m going to do with them) of a statement supposedly said by him at a commons select committee –
“to reveal the truth about impact studies on the effect of Brexit on Scotland’s economy would risk causing an Independence Referendum” – hmmm.

Please remember to visit to support ‘oor telly’

http://www.trulyscottishtv.com/channel-2—scots-govt-channel.html

Anybody know how to get in touch with Indy Car Ross – he might know about who’s behind ‘Hands Off Oor Parliament’, do we have to know this before we support it?

Anybody know what would happen if one/some of our MSPs published the papers?

Meg merrilees

O/T re the take over of the Express and other newspapers announced today – the bBC provided us with this gem!

Monthly circulation:
Daily Mirror: 581,877
Sunday Mirror: 493,069
Sunday People: 191,188
Daily Star: 391,509
Daily Star – Sunday: 239,853
Daily Express: 364,933
Sunday Express: 317,893

How the mighty have fallen!

Meg merrilees

RJS @2.03am ( and Dr. Jim)

misread your last sentence given your subject matter I realised it was subliminal programming…

‘A good dose of well aimed satire’ became:

A good dose of well aimed SALTIRES can also win hearts and minds

ronnie anderson

link to thenational.scot

Weil done tae the wee Lassie wishing her every success , notice the absence of the Butchers apron on her karate suit .

ronnie anderson

Aye Dorothy am wie Tinto Chiel oan that Never gie yer enimas ah even break . lol

Nana

Journalist Jason Michael @Jeggit interviews Paul Kavanagh @weegingerdug a leading light in the Scottish independence movement.

Part 1
link to youtube.com

Robert Peffers

@Footsoldier says: 9 February, 2018 at 10:08 am:

“Even if we win an independence referendum,the MSM and the BBC and captains of industry will be directed through private meetings in the seats of power to do everything to thwart it.”

That, Footsoldier, was exactly my implication the point being that the BBC in particular are in breach of their”Royal Charter”.

As the monarch of the legally two equal kingdoms that form the, so called, United Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland her actual legal standing in regards to her sovereignty is NOT being legally upheld by Her Majesty. By the Westminster Establishment, of which she is the legal leader, or by the BBC who are charged by the joint monarch to uphold the Royal Charter.

That may require a little explanation for it is not immediately apparent to a casual reader. Legally Her Majesty as the legally sovereign monarch over the three countries that comprise the Kingdom of England she legally owns all England, all Wales and all of what remains as a monarchy of Ireland.

This because the parliament of England rebelled against their rightful monarch in 1688, (Glorious Revolution). and deposed that rightful monarch. However, instead of that kingdom becoming a republic with a sovereign parliament they requested their invited replacements, Mary of Orange, to become their new monarch. Mary, however, refused the invitation on the grounds that this would have made her husband, William, a consort and thus her inferior. Then the English parliament offered the crown to the husband and wife but with the condition that they legally delegate their, “Divine Right to Rule”, to the Parliament of England. Upon Mary & Billy accepting those conditions the parliament of the Kingdom of England made England, Wales and all Ireland legally a, “Constitutional Monarchy”. i.e. the monarchy, while remaining legally sovereign, gave their sovereignty, (The Divine Right to Rule), to the Parliament of England.

Trouble is that in 1688 the Kingdom of Scotland did not depose their monarchy and that is why Westminster had to force the Treaty of Union upon the Scots in 1706/7. Why, if Scotland was already a part of a united kingdom in 1688, would there need to be a Treaty of Union in 1706/7? Note, though, the English were still slaughtering Jacobites in 1745 at Culloden.

Just to complicate and prove that the English claims were/are false and illegal the Scottish monarchy lost the Divine Right to Rule to people of Scotland in 1320. Who said so? Why God’s first call representative on Earth, (in 1320), The Holy Roman Se, headed by the Pope. The European Union in those far of days was known as, “Christendom” and its crown head was God represented by the Pope on Earth.

Not, unless you can quote a document that says otherwise, is there any proof that the monarchy of the United Kingdom is other that the Queen of England and simultaneously Queen of Scots.


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    • Hatey McHateface on Trump’s Card: “Maybe naebody kens fit a repocussion is, Geri. Could it be some kind of replica soft thing you sit on…Dec 14, 21:00
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Trump’s Card: “Dr John Campbell’s broadcast today (‘The Banality of Evil’) highlights this powerful quote by CS Lewis: “The greatest evil is…Dec 14, 20:59
    • Geri on Trump’s Card: “I can’t for the life of me think who was responsible for that.. You must be delighted they’ve emptied all…Dec 14, 20:57
    • Captain Caveman on Trump’s Card: “Still waiting. /tumbleweedDec 14, 20:56
    • Hatey McHateface on Trump’s Card: “It’s certainly a great favourite of the chief Orc himself, poot. He said it’s: ”a symbol of the creative genius…Dec 14, 20:50
    • Geri on Trump’s Card: “Well isn’t that strange? The ICJ ruled that countries had to cease & desist supplying weapons to aid in gen-ocide.…Dec 14, 20:32
    • Hatey McHateface on The Wage Thief: “So you believe protesters “dress up” to protest? My, my, Geri, who could ever accuse you of being “boring”! Get…Dec 14, 20:30
    • Mark Beggan on Trump’s Card: “Down Among The Big Boys.Dec 14, 20:24
    • Mark Beggan on Trump’s Card: “The AK-47 is the African way of doing business.Dec 14, 20:23
    • Geri on Trump’s Card: “Aye, she says she’s not leaving. WTF do they find these mentalists?Dec 14, 20:16
    • gregor on The Wage Thief: “The Sherbs: The Skill: I Have The Skill: “I have the spirit, I’ll never be broken… W?ll maybe you think…Dec 14, 20:04
    • Hatey McHateface on Trump’s Card: “Syria is already a war torn failed state. Inexplicable you couldn’t have noticed, Ros, but maybe there’s no media in…Dec 14, 20:03
  • A tall tale



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