What didn’t really need saying
Here are two snippets from a couple of recent “Better Together” leaflets:
Curiously, that 16% increase has fallen to 13% in their latest “briefing” full of made-up numbers Blair McDougall has pulled out of – well, let’s be polite and say “thin air”. But since they’ve been specifically named, let’s just check the claim with Tesco.
We haven’t been able to get hold of a better-quality picture of that email, but an alert reader confirmed its authenticity with the retailer (click the pic for the original tweet on Twitter so you can see that it is indeed referring to the pic above):
So there we have it – an official rebuttal direct from Tesco, stating unequivocally that “there is no truth in the leaflets” that BT is circulating, and that the claims of price rises post-independence are “not true”. (As any sensible person already knew, of course – despite what Jackie Baillie might tell you, Scotland isn’t going to actually move in the event of independence. The cost of shipping goods there will be exactly the same as it is now, and the grocery business is hyper-competitive.)
Tesco joins a long line of organisations flatly stating on the public record that No-camp literature citing them is telling people lies, most recently Great Ormond Street Hospital and NHS Blood & Transplant but also including respected academics and dating back to impartial charities like the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Not a single public apology for any of these categorical misrepresentations of neutral organisations has been made, either to the organisations themselves or to the public. The Scottish media has been completely uninterested in pursuing them – of the three examples above, only the Great Ormond Street one got ANY coverage in the press.
If the people of Scotland were to arrive at the conclusion that they literally can’t trust a single word “Better Together” says about anything or anyone, it would be difficult on the basis of the available evidence to construct much of a counter-argument.
———————————————————————————————————–
There’s no oil left either
http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-economy/9692-new-report-suggests-recoverable-oil-and-gas-could-be-double-current-estimates
It maybe didn’t need saying, but “every little helps”!
Well that’s a relief, I was seriously getting worried there. I thought that I was going to have to start going along to my bank, no not my local food bank my local money bank, to get a loan to cover my weekly shopping after independence. Now I know that I won’t need to do that I can sleep a wee bit easier at night now. Thanks Stu for sorting me out with that one. 😉
Anyone monitor how often the No and Yes supporters were interrupted on Call Kaye Radio Scotland.
When rUK leaves Europe , prices WILL rocket thanks to farmers losing EU subsidies and the fact that they wont be in a single market.I dont suppose they mention that though. I dont know as BT leaflets are recycled without reading in my house 🙂
Somneone ( *cough* Stu *cough* ) could maybe contact these organisations and see if they are willing to officially complain to BT – possibly directly to Darling – and the media about these gross misrepresentations about them.
After all, one would imagine that the Board of Tescos might not be too happy that the BT campaign are maligning their good name in such a manner.
Plus , we are a net exporter of food.
Its so much more cutting when the companies quoted by ‘Lying for Britain’ (AKA Better Together) actually call them out on said printed Lies !
Excellent reporting here yet again – lets get it out their not a game changer but a huge factless blurb gaff yet again from No Thanks.
PS – Just seen the D Record today
Think my new pub has to be the ‘YesBar’ near Central station, (Formerly Vespbar), Yessers lets get in there and support it !
Even without response from Tesco, the claim was obviously nonsense, as even now we don’t all pay the same price in big supermarkets. Pricing for items can vary even between branches of the same chain within the same city!
In an independent Scotland, supermarkets will charge what the market will bear, exactly the same as they do now.
The people of Scotland have to decide on the 18th of September what kind of future they what.
A future of lies, or a future of hope.
It only costs more to ship to Inverness than Birmingham if the goods are produced closer to Birmingham. What about Scottish meat, fish, etc.? Will they cost more in Inverness than in Birmingham? If so, why?
BT should be renamed DT (DIRTY TRICKS)
shocking how they are getting away with this, YES official campaign need to get this out that this is a clear lie about Tesco raising prices in an iScotland
Excellent piece of work. The media once again refuse to implement basic journalistic checks on BT claims.
I hope this article is copied far and wide.
I wonder if the Westminster parties in Better Together realize what tremendous (and I suspect permanent damage) they have done to their reputations with this campaign of scaremongering, lies and deceit?
I don’t think that I could ever consider voting for any of them again.
I received this lying crap through the door yesterday, it also mentions a thing called the “UK NHS”, an organisation I have never heard of in my life.
OT but could it be that there is a Yes sympathizer working at the Guardian? See today’s Severin (!) article – esp. the picture of G Brown glaring out with mad eyes from under the title blathering about Brown and Prescott rallying to save the union. Should scare no end of Nos Yes-wards. I know it frightened me.
I work in the Oil.
All the Oil companies are going to leave in the event of a Yes vote so a No voter tells me.
All the oil companies 😀
@BigRik
That can be a double edged sword. NZ is for eg an even bigger net exporter of food (bigger landmass to exploit) than Scotland. There is a long running complaint there over the price of milk. Basically because there is a free market in milk local milk prices reflect the global price, not the cost of production plus a modest profit. So it looks like profiteering. But no milk producer is going to sign a contract for domestic prices at much less than he or she can get for export purposes.
There are flipsides though. Periodically an export fruit consignment will literally miss the boat and be dumped on the local market at ridiculous prices. You get big crates sitting in the middle of the supermarket filled with export quality fruit at jamming/bottling prices.
Also the Asian market pays big money for huge, perfectly symmetrical, blemishless peaches. The rest, much nicer because they are not all water are sold on the local market.
It’s just a pity such economies don’t apply to whisky as it is a non-perishable product if kept in the dark and well sealed and may even increase in price over time.
Better together seem to have a lot of vested interests on side. I received a glossy publication from my union the CWU yesterday. Full of patronising shite urging me to vote NO. Most of the nonsense contained within was myth and scares, already roundly countered by debate and argument here in Scotland where it matters. At least the RMT had the decency to ballot members, and they were YES. First order of play this morning – subs cancelled- fuck the CWU.
Common sense tells us it costs more to transport stuff to Inverness or Stornoway than to Manchester or Birmingham, apparently. Not from Dingwall, it doesn’t.
It appears that I live in a country where a huge proportion of the movers and shakers are downright liars. This is truly awful stuff from the No bunch.
Better Together in the form of Darling, Brown, Murphy etc are actually worried that their own personal income and wealth that they generate by being members of the London Elite will diminish with the advent of an Independent Scotland.
Better Together don’t actually care about people who live in poverty or struggle in Scotland to put bread and butter on the table, Better Together are worried that the lobster and champagne lunches will run out for their London Elite career politicians.
When all the Lies are being repeated and are perpetuated ad nauseum by Bigots Together, when their Lies are serially discredited on a daily and weekly basis, what is it they are trying to do – other than looking completely stupid.
Informed debate resides here on these pages.
Do they really think that Independence is solely about Money.?
The higher dreams and expectations of Scots are signally NOT REFLECTED by Skeletor and Bigots Together.
Krash,Flipper, Skeletor, Curran and all their SLAB MP`s expect to be re-elected to Westminster next May.?
We must stop that as a matter of priority on Sept 20th.at Holyrood.
BTW – Where are all the new recruits to Wings over Scotland who have not yet posted their view.?
Dip your toe in these wonderful waters.
Tesco and the other supermarkets are also liars. There is no meaningful competition and they do not offer the best possible prices. This is perfectly obvious and the performance of Aldi and Lidl demonstrates it. People have realised how they have been ripped off by those companies and are voting with their feet.
http://thosebigwords.forumcommunity.net/?t=49187012
My Irish relatives tell me that they find supermarket prices in the UK very expensive. And I find that prices in Ireland are low. Not a scientific study, but anecdotal evidence that BTNT are lying.
There’s a surprise…
Horacesaysyes – It’s worse than that. It’s mostly the stores in the poorest areas that charge the most – quite a lot more in some cases. Check out a report called “Walking The Breadline” by Church Action on Poverty.
There are stores already charging poor people more than 16% extra compared to richer people. Let’s hear BT tell us what they’re doing with all that huge concern for ordinary folks.
These bastards are telling people that if you live in Scotland it will cost you more to buy your ‘made in China,’ kettle, toaster, shaver, toys, etc etc etc (whatever) than if you live anywhere else in the British Isles. That is ridiculous. Don’t they know anything at all about international trade?
I just don’t know how these ‘Better Together’ shits can look at themselves in the mirror.
Supporters of independence would happily shop elsewhere if they felt that they were being penalised for exercising their democratic right. At this point in the referendum, if you believe the polls, that’s half of the electorate of Scotland. Tesco’s share of that would be a huge loss to their business, not to mention the masked threat and scaring of their customer base.
Surely the upper echelons of Tesco must officially rebut this lie as not to would be a dereliction of their duty to themselves, their business and their customers in Scotland!
Hewitt83 says:
5 September, 2014 at 10:49 am
Strange suggestion by your NO voter.
I attended last years meeting in Aberdeen “The Next 50 Years”. It was not titled the last 50 years OR the End is Nigh.
Has he any idea of the current investment taking place by companies!
Once again they assume we would run the industry as a model of a mini London outpost. I am certain the cooperation and “win-win” of operating this industry from a Scottish/partnership perspective would be significant.
I’m only approaching my 4th. decade in the Oil & Gas industry – what would I know.
Maybe they should have used Aldi instead of Tesco considering the number of new customers using my local one which is right next door to Tesco.
I would also say to BT that when it comes to checking prices in Ireland they need to look at the price of petrol, when I was there it was cheaper in Ireland which had no oil than in oil rich Scotland.
Isn’t Scotland in this ridiculous situation where local foodstuffs are sent to England to get packaged and redistributed back into Scotland? When Scotland becomes independent firms UK-wide and international will want to have a Scottish headquarters and distribution points, so it stands to reason that Scotland will benefit with jobs and business infrastructure. No-one is leaving an independent Scotland and its customer base, in fact the situation will be the opposite.
If we are independent would we not import directly rather than through some english port? How, then, would it be more expensive to transport stuff to Inverness than to Birmingham? This would be one of the benefits of independence because it would bring jobs to Scotland. Which is one of the things we can look forward to if we have control of our own arrangements
I also have to say that these people seem to hate their country and countrymen and women so much that they will happily sell them into servitude.
Sorry O/T : But D R made me laugh today .. on pointless No ‘Fears’
“If there’s a YES vote, will we still be able to keep a House of Lords ?” Irvine welsh (Twitter)
Now come on; stop laughing, these are real genuine fears for proud scots everywhere.
Ppphhhh! Sorry
@Clootie
Some are beyond help and reasonable discussion.
I focus on those I can convert.
There is still so much to do. A huge amount of ignorance still exist. Just canvassed for the first time and had one don’t know and 5 hardcore no’s.
They didn’t have any argument that couldn’t be rebutted and I passed on the wee blue book and pleaded with them that this book would answer there questions. Admittedly this was an affluent area, but it seems to me that a huge number of people still haven’t engaged. Questions that have been answered time and time again on pensions, defence affordability. If i’m honest though i imagine they were probably mostly conservative voters.
Felt demoralised but will be back out on Monday, hopefully with better results.
The polls are tight, they should be 80% plus.
I need some positive stories.
@ Rough Bounds
They can’t, RB, the poor mirrors shatter when they try …
These things need to get into the mainstream media, though. It is all very well Wings Over Scotland readers patting ourselves on the back, but lets be honest, this is mostly read by Yes supporters. All the No supporters are reading their own websites. Lets convince Tesco take it to the mainstream press and kick up a fuss. That might cause BT the suitable amount of embarrassment.
@macdoc
Even in affluent areas round the west end of Glasgow there has been a marked increase in the number of yes posters in windows. I do not think that the reports that affluent areas are necessarily solidly NO are true, just judging from that. Not evidence, I know: but it is not nothing either
Need official yes campaign to encourage people to boycott Tesco over threats to increase prices. That would make Tesco come out and force withdrawal of the lying leaflet. Remember Lego caused some embarrassment by forcing changes to infamous Yougov buzzfeed item, though it didn’t stop ridiculous lies.
It already costs more to ship products to the highlands and islands from England anyway. So much for better together.
We should all be contacting Tesco to ask them to publicly rebuke BTNT. The last thing Tesco need right now is bad publicity
Sorry also O/T, but a friend of my wife has informed her that there was a debate/event last night at Loretto School (former pupils Norman Lamont and Alastair Darling) which ended in an overwhelming Yes vote.
Elaine C. Smith was one of the participants allegedly. Does anyone have any firm information about this “interesting” occasion?
The hysteria of NO. The increasing imbecility of its tactics and propaganda. Centuries ago someone said.”The greatest terror for the dark spectre is the hope of its intended victim” And then there is the prospect the joint effort of Brown and Prescott to ‘woo’ disaffected Labour voters …. Where is Spitting Image when you need it:)?
My weekly shoppingh has just been delivered by a cheery man from Tesco. He arrived at our front door at the same time as a Yes Scotland chap was delivering leaflets about a meeting with Jim Sillars at the local school next week. We (Tesco man, leaflet chap, Mrs WLQ and myself) had ourselves a 5 minute meeting on the doorstep.. the feeling is in the air.. this thing IS happening! It felt terrific to just pause and share enthusiasm with them… we can do it, and (daft or no) after our wee get together I feel more confident than ever before that we will. YES Scotland.. ya beauty!!!!!
Chatting to an interesting bloke on the stall yesterday in Galashiels and turns out that he writes on contemporary Scottish history.
I suggested that the potential post referendum for reviewing all the divisive stuff, I’m afraid mainly from the NO campaign, could be fascinating.
I would consider Greg Moodie’s book a first instalment – be great to re-read it after the 19th !
Fiona, I notice this too …. even in such brittle NO areas as Banchory …… Big NO signs in farmer’s fields but YES stickers beginning to appear, almost timidly, in windows of houses, cars and on a baby buggy!
Unlike Blair McDougall, who perhaps has only ever ran a hot bath or a software update on his laptop, I’ve actually ran large businesses; up to $1 billion in revenues across multiple business units to be specific.
The business imported raw materials & converted them to industrial ready & retail packaged products & sold them across distributed networks in muliple US states, including supermarkets.
Local competition meant that prices between ANY two sales points were rarely the same. Sure, there were minimum margin targets but even then, some products were sold at or below cost in order to secure a contract that included a family of retail & industrial products.
The largest costs were the raw materials & energy. Due to the high level of automation, labour a was a very large but distant third major cost. Transportation costs from the factories were driven by distance but this is invariably fixed so the cost of fuel was the only unpredictable transport cost.
The legislation in each of those states is very different because each sets its own income tax, sales tax, property tax & business license fees for example. And while, over time they all change, none ever change so that one would cease trading because they are insignificant compared to the cost of energy, raw materials, labour & transportation.
The main reason food & grocery prices change so often then is due to the change in the price of crude oil (energy & fuel), unpredictable weather & local competition.
But crude oil is priced in dollars & affects everyone. Shite weather is not exclusive to Scotland & local competition is not even a feature exclusive to the UK.
In summary then, Better Together’s hypothesis that supermarket prices will suddenly & dramatically rise just because Scotland is independent is nonsense & reveals it to be nothing more than a baseless scare story.
If McDougall or one of his volunteer interns is reading this, he can contact me at any time for a one to one review of his emotional intelligence & IQ.
our humble servants, i wouldn’t trust an apology from them @ this stage, in any case, as we would have to give their “sorry for misleading you”, it’s value.
as for the sinister yes camp orchestrating mischief, serves now to make murphy look like a paranoid idiot.
they had to be proved wrong, they knew they were wrong.
here’s a silly song, sincerely sung, and it works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z71RvEhV1VY
Right from the word get go BT have swamped us with lie after lie and one by one they have been dealt with but when Scotland`s media refuse to do their job these lies become fact to many people. If it wasn`t for sites like wings it would be impossible to counter this so thanks to all the internet sites doing what the MSM should be doing. I think we will win this referendum and it is hugely important that when we move forward not only is Government held to account but all media organizations also.
It would be incredible if we could crowd fund to either set up a newspaper or TV channel even which draws on the many talented folk who have worked on sites like wings. Stu for editor for sure.
Our democracy deserves as many voices as possible instead of a just a few that serves the rich and powerful. We the people need a voice again.
Scotland is self sufficient and surplus in food and energy. The rest of the UK is not. This leads to a massive balance of payments deficit in the rest of the UK.
Scotland will always be able to afford food at a reasonable cost. Scotland’s food and drink industry is a success. Climate and resources are beneficial to the success of the food and drinks industry. Exports more than it needs.
The immigration situation in the UK is a result of Westminster foreign/defence policies.
TESCO have an online customer enquiry form ( takes 1 minute )
Can everyone get on it. NOW.
Can we all ask them about this proposed 16% price rise and threaten to boycott them for interfering in the democratic process. Best to assume for the purposes of this that the BT leaflet is true ( despite knowing it isn’t !! )
If they are bombarded by enquiries asking why they propose punishing us for a YES vote they may be forced to issue a public statement.
Please take 1 minute and Google Tesco asap
Also, not so odd that BT aren’t making public the list of item(s) they claim are identical.
They could have bought one item or thirty one items. The fewer items purchased, the larger the potential price variation.
Of course I am (foolishly) giving them the benefit of the doubt that they ACTUALLY purchased in “UK” and Eire.
As Stu says, probably just figures plucked from somewhere unappealing (higher probability than “thin air”).
Excellent article from Angus Roxburgh
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/09/letter-edinburgh-what-it-really-means-be-scottish
Blustering NO chap: “Who will protect us from Putin, ISSL?” Built of such cards doth the house deservedly fall. VOTE YES.
How many times does it need to be demonstrated that BT and Westminster are waging a campaign of fear based on lies in order to manipulate the public?
There are lots of new readers who come to these sites every day, so for any visitors out there ask yourselves – Who does this? What kind of government deliberately sets about terrifying families to manufacture a result? What kind of campaign targets pensioners with threats of a pension collapse? What kind of human being first insults then intimidates to get their way (we’re looking at you Robertson)?
We deserve better than this and we can have better than this. Just put your mark in the YES box to start the ball rolling.
If you have to go to a foodbank to feed your family, (in increasing numbers) then it seems moot point. Vote Yes.
To ensure reasonable prices in Scotland, it is appropriate to invest in Renewables.
Of course after the Yes majority vote on the 18th (please, please, please)I reckon most of these lies will turn out to be ‘jokes’ according to their leader’s previous admitted record of malarky or that BT were dreadfully mislead by the endless ranks of “experts” that they keep citing?
New Aldi’s being built near by. Who needs Tesco’s. Profits warning.
A moot point…apologies
http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/costs/fuel-prices/
Even the price of fuel jumps around the yewkay. Inverness litre of diesel, £1.42.9, Belfast £1.32.5, Aberdeen much the same. Why NI fuel prices so much less than Inverness cant simply be down to longer distance for delivery costs.
Everyday brings another moment of disaster for Better Together.
You kind of wonder who is going to hire McDougall after this. His running of the campaign is literally like the Faulty Towers staff running the HMS Titanic. You just wonder where the next hilarious calamity is going to come from…
Better Together, No Thanks uKOK always come out with these mad scary Armageddon stories about businesses putting up prices, moving out the country, taking away our groceries, services, and hairdressers (my addition there’s been no claim of Nicky Clark shutting down – I think)..
What I can’t help thinking though. Surely if a business does come to the decision that after a YES in the referendum they will choose to move away, or change it’s pricing structure, another company/business will come along and fill that void, and offer better prices.
Business will always find a market if there is demand. If one firm won’t do it, another will come along. It’s like drug dealers. You remove a supplier, another moves in to fill the gap left in the market – Not the best analogy, but the only one I could think of the now.
I personally wouldn’t care if Starbucks/Tesco left, or put up there prices. I’d just get a coffee/tea etc else where.
For me, there are far more important issues than Clubcard points and an iced frappe at stake – are these really the things that Better Together, No Thanks uKOK think make for a productive, progressive nation? God help up if it is.
It’s not fair to threaten Tesco with a boycott.
It’s not their fault BT printed this pish and they have posted their opposition to this a couple of times on Twitter now. That’s good enough for me and shows up BT for what it is.
Focus your efforts elsewhere, there is less than a fortnight to go and more important things to be concentrating on.
In relation to the imports/exports of food and everything else, we must develop our ports. There is absolutely no need for goods to and from Scotland to be shipped through English ports, other than in exceptional circumstances.
This will save on road transport and fuel, and create jobs.
We must also reinstate the Coastguard stations in the Clyde and Forth. With the current UK government’s cuts to the Coastguard Service, these areas are now covered from outside Scotland. A Scottish Coastguard Service will represent a serious improvement in maritime safety.
By the way, the RNLI, a totally voluntary organisation, will certainly continue to provide lifeboat cover in Scotland, as it has done without interruption in the whole of Ireland since it was established. RNLBs sail under the British or Irish ensigns as appropriate. I will be proud to see our lifeboats fly the Saltire.
I also hope that the now privatised Search & Rescue service can be taken over by the Scottish Air Force and Scottish Navy, both of which will provide much better surveillance and safety cover in Scottish waters and in the North Atlantic/North Sea than the UK’s grossly overextended armed forces do. S & R is excellent training for hostilities (though, please God, we hope to avoid those) and is too important to be left to private companies.
It is also ridiculous that we have no ferries between Scotland and Continental Europe. An independent Scotland can sort this out. The UK government have no interest in doing so.
@fraser allan whyte
So we now have an ex-PM, 2 ex-chancellors and an ex-deputy PM from the government that led us into the deepest recession in living memory coming up to Scotland to convince us to vote for more of the same. That should work then.
I know the Tories only have one MP up here but they did poll 400,000 votes in the last GE, I’m sure their supporters must be bemused/confused/angry about what their party is doing to help keep the onion together. Makes you wonder.
Listening to call KayE this morning quite a few YES voters said they would have been voting for devo max had it been on the ballot. I’m concerned that all 3 onionist parties might bring out a set of proposals that they all agree on, and assure voters will be guaranteed irrespective of who win the next GE. Some undecideds or 6/7s might fall for the ‘jam tomorrow’ and vote NO.
Then we will have 1979 all over again, because sure as the eggs are well…. eggs they will renege on the promise.
Or maybe I’m just paranoid 🙂
If tesco do not condemn this then it can only be taken as an endorsement. Pure and simple. Time to send an email that I will no longer use any of their shops if they feel it OK to be used as part of a political campaign.
O/T
I’m looking to order the “Bottle This” leaflets, but the link in the
http://wingsoverscotland.com/time-to-get-busy/
is broken
(http://my.mutterings.co.uk/shop/product/wings-over-scotland-leaflet-ii-100)
anybody know where I can order them from? I need about 1000.
Ta.
GH Graham
I fear you would be having a battle of wits with an unarmed man if you took them on IQ most likely same as their shoe size
Well blow me – more expensive in Ireland, you ain’t kiddding. Was there 6 months ago, almost €5 Euro for a beer, but I am surprised they didn’t rune with the €13 for a bottle of Buckfast story.
Incidentally, unemployment benefit in Eire is approx €188 for a single person who had been earning > €300 – now why do they not publicise that ?
Westminster politicians abused children Hague destroyed the Report, naming Tory Ministers. Criminals.
Where is the Chilcott Verdict?
I think you will find that the irish shopping cost is in euros and they have used the £.
G H Graham
Thanks for that.
Anyone been in touch yet? … you don’t have to answer that.
That’s a wee cracker Fred. 😛
There is no thinking we are are going to win Col it is most definitely we KNOW we are going to win 😉 just don’t tell the Better whatsit gang just yet lest’s keep it to ourselves and surprise them on the 19th. 😛
Everyone should message Tesco saying they’ve received this leaflet and that they’ll never shop at Tesco again – See how quick Tesco take UKOK (or whatever they’re calling themselves these days) to task.
Macdoc
I know a few areas that are 50/50 when canvassing but again those are ‘expensive’ areas shall we say.. which to be fair even that gives us a chance.
However there are lots of areas like here in Cumbernauld where I’d say Yes must be at least 70%+ for Yes… and growing!!
Not a single public apology for any of these categorical misrepresentations of neutral organisations has been made, either to the organisations themselves or to the public. The Scottish media has been completely uninterested in pursuing them – of the three examples above, only the Great Ormond Street one got ANY coverage in the press.
If the people of Scotland were to arrive at the conclusion that they literally can’t trust a single word “Better Together” says about anything or anyone, it would be difficult on the basis of the available evidence to construct much of a counter-argument.
It is almost as if the No campaign is full of careerists in full self preservation mode, while the MSM is trying to cover their backs…
gordoz says
““If there’s a YES vote, will we still be able to keep a House of Lords ?” Irvine welsh (Twitter)”
No really, what did he really say? if he’s got fears we need to open to him and try to allay them.
so come on gordoz what WAS his fear,
nae jokes noo!
According to the ‘UK Non-Financial Business Economy, 2012 Regional Results (Annual Business Survey)’ of the four main sectors of non-financial industry (service, production, distribution and construction) distribution accounts for only 11% of our GVA compared with 15% of GVA for the UK as a whole.
Now, you would think that given much of Scotland’s apparently higher ‘costs’, in terms of both public spending and issues such as Supermarket overheads, are due to distribution of our population, that the proportion of our GVA accounted for by distribution should be higher than the UK average.
The only answer would seem to be that much of these additional costs are bourne by us, but the economic benefits are felt by distribution firms based elsewhere in the UK.
If anybody is under the illusion that the BT mob will be honest in the last few weeks of this campaign then sadly they need to seek medical help.
They (BT) are desperate and will resort to any lie and any low lying trick to try and secure a win.
I expect a lot worse to come.
No use complaining after the event, Glenrothes anyone?
Nothing will change that.
Like someone said, I think it was Mutley, on yesterday’s thread, we cannot take things for granted and we should not rest on our laurels to secure a YES victory.
We ALL must go out and fight for every last vote right up until the polls close on the 18th.
Well, as someone who lived in Dublin for 5 years, perhaps I can shed some light. A like for like comparison between Tesco’s UK and Tesco Ireland does indeed show that Tesco’s charges more for some items – a typical bill will be higher. However, a like for like comparison between M&S UK and M&S shows no difference. The reason? Tesco’s charges as much as it can get away with and indeed they refuse to produce separate sales and financial data for Ireland. Simply, they are profiteering. Given that historically, the Irish grocers markets was very uncompetitive and of low quality (Dunns Stores, Superquinns, err that’s about it), it is easy to see how Tesco’s can achieve the margins which they historically have. Having said that, the entrance of Lidl and Aldi have essentially revolutionised FMCG and put significant downward pressure on Tesco’s. The pertinent question for Scotland is whether or not you believe that the Scottish grocery market well become significantly less competitive. If the answer is no, this is information – not for the first time – is nothing short of cherry-picking scaremongering.
It is also worth pointing out that, the Ireland governments being, sovereign, have choose to raise tax in their own way so for example, while there is a premium tax on sparkling wines, the cost of filling your car with petrol is c.25% less. Something which they failed to mention.
Nation Libre
done
I was disturbed to see Better together using a Tesco receipt to highlight an assertion that Tesco’s prices would rocket should Scotland become independent, I would take a personal assurance with a piinch of salt , it be very much in your companies interests to publicly rebuke the BT assertion I look forward to a public statement forthwith.
Just trying to send my customer inquiry form to Tesco.
It’s struggling to send.. I think their inbox maybe getting full 🙂
I asked if they could confirm BT’s claim on their leaflet as if so I will be taking my business elsewhere from TODAY!
To paraphrase the quote the other day from someone at BTNT (or their spin doctors) that ‘we don’t have to worry about people with mattresses in their front garden voting’. I think this is dangerously wrong of them.
Areas of deprivation and poverty are where community matters most. Now that they are engaged, mostly thanks to RIC, on the 18th September these are the areas where people will chap on each others doors to make sure their neighbour votes, I can envision them marching down to the polling stations together a street at a time, a scheme at a time. Maybe a bit OTT, I know 🙂
This is the most important thing that has happened to my country in my lifetime, so I only hope we get it right.
Tesco in Elgin yesterday festooned with Saltires.
FergusMac
I agree with you completely. These transport and associated industries are currently all focussed on the South and London in particular. From a UK perspective, that might make some sense because they get economies of scale. So they try to route all international flights through Heathrow and Gatwick. They try to get all container traffic going through Felixstowe. But Scotland pays a high price for this – first we have added transport costs, but also (and I think more importantly) we lose out on the jobs that we could otherwise reasonably expect given our level of economic activity. These transport hubs are major employers – if we create our own hubs we will get a fair share of the jobs.
Rebalancing our economy in this way will never happen as long as the vested interests at Westminster are running things. It will only happen in an independent Scotland.
I have long thought that “exported jobs” is a major factor in the economic case for an independent Scotland. Repatriating these jobs will be hugely beneficial and will not cost us anything because we are paying for them anyway – it’s just that at present we pay for a job at Felixstowe or Heathrow.
I found they demand a mobile phone number (which I dont have) so I just entered the example mobile number, job done.
Asda supports the SNP.
Things are stirring at Westminster folks. The skids will be under David Cameron if we have a YES vote – quote from fellow Tories who are ready to ditch him “Losing Scotland would be a traumatic event, a horror show that David Cameron could not possibly survive,” a former government minister told the Independent.
“The move will take place immediately,” said one senior Tory MP. “David Cameron will be unable to contain the anger at the humiliation. His position will be terminal.”
Full story here on Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/05/cameron-scottish-independence-resign_n_5770540.html?1409908771
I genuinely thought I would put my bits through a mincer before I would ever buy a Daily Record, but I have just seen a photo from the paper of Greg Hemphill with what appears to be a giant Yes sticker on his head.
I am seriously thinking about it. Buying the paper that is.
Readers might get a laugh if they put – tesco better together – into their search engine. About the third link gives this result:
“Buy Better Together from our Modern & Contemporary Fiction range at Tesco direct”.
It’s too late for Devo Max.
It wouldn’t wash, at least 40% of the voting public are now hellbent on independence, questions would soon be asked about why they didn’t do this before.
We are winning this. We are doing this. Scotland will be independent. Keep it up and accept no substitute.
Alba Forever.
P.s I shop in Aldi now, Tesco is crap, Asda veg is crap.
Plus you get Killie pies in Aldi.
Just out story on Herald online with LiBDem councillor on Skye coming out for Yes.
That adds to Dr Michael Foxley, former leader of Highland Council; Alan MacRae, former Lib Dem candidate for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election; Andy Myles, former chief executive of the Lib Dems; and Denis Robertson Sullivan, a former treasurer of the party, are also voting Yes.
Seems like we’re missing a trick here to also focus on LibDem voters if they are soft No’s.
I think it is great that Stu does these things, who else does? I was thinking that perhaps he could send, and post online an open letter to BT asking them to explain themselves. With this again an open letter posted online asking every MSM outlet if they agree with BT’s “conclusion?
They will not reply but the letter would be out there ie facebook, twitter, it would show the BT/MSM crew up for what they are. People would take notice because it is a subject they care about. Just saying.
their judgement is not to be trusted, it is in 2 places @ once.
please stay you parasitical subsidy junkies, you bring nothing to the union, but we beg you to stay!?
power devolved is power retained!
now we get our hands on the tools and levers to rebuild scotland.
35yrs of savage cuts to reverse, we have a lot of work to do.
when i started my apprenticeship in 1968, there was a genuine feeling of working for the common good.
we all went the extra mile, because we believed we would all benefit from our efforts.
the reality is that the riches of those extra efforts have been brokered away from us, siphoned off, sold off @ the highest profit, we paid with our labours, but ended up broke, sucked dry.
NEVER AGAIN!
watchwords today by labour
double devolution
New Union
bfh–must be hearing on doorstep labour devo powers suck
Schroders predict a YES and a Currency Union
check it out from 4min 40sec onwards
http://bloom.bg/1qzuF44 via @BloombergTV
Thatcher economic policies centralised transport through London. UK gov subsidised slots at Heathrow etc. Led to congestion in London S/E. Thatcher spent the equivalent of £Billion of Oil revenues (secretly) building massive container port in London, Canary Wharf etc. Taking jobs etc from Ports all around the UK, especially in Scotland. The North/south divide engineered by Thatcher. Unemployment in the North was a price worth paying for jobs and prosperity in London S/E. Depopulating Scotland to help herself (secretly) to £Milions of public money. People join Unionist political parties to (secretly) line their pockets with public money, at the expense of others. Vile.
Anywhere but Heathrow.
Note also the not too subtle suggestion that we are being fed by the goodwill of down south, despite much of the food coming from Scotland in the first place. Beans come to us from down south we are told. Thanks London!
Well, after independence they may well go down south from here especially if we have competitive ports for food importing.
Sorry O/T.
I heard a commentator (I didn’t catch the name) on the radio this morning say that a sure sign that someone feels superior to others is when that person goes round patting people on the back.David Cameron did it to everyone at the NATO summit except one…Obama.
This leaflet came through the post yesterday. My wee girl asked to see it, so I let her (she is really interested in what this is all about, has even asked to take her for a drive so we can go Yes and No sign spotting! Interestingly, we saw 19 Yes and 5 No, 1 Spirit of Independence truck, 6 deer and 1 peacock. I think the strutting peacock was called Murphy?!) I have been really careful to explain impartially and simply what both sides are saying, making the focus more about history being made, how lucky we are to be able to do this regardless of outcome and leave it at that.
After she read it, asking about each bit and I responded impartially, mind – she announced that she might think No is good if she had 100 leaflets. Why? well, mummy, if each leaflet had a different reason for going for No, there might be more chance they have some good ones! She’s six. I asked her how she would vote, if she could. ‘I would vote Yes mummy. Because ANYTHING could happen, and that’s exciting!’ That’ll do for me!
Let’s do this! Free the unicorn!! 🙂
Awwww, they never missed off the end of Irvine Welsh’s tweet, did they?
“If there’s a #Yes vote, can we keep the House of Lords?
ASKS NOBODY”
A snippit from Bloomberg TV – the comments about Scotland are in the last minute.
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/schroder-sees-chaos-if-scotland-votes-yes-zpGc2y7mQg6I6U_2pOfZZw.html
the headline does not reflect the discussion – he means chaos in London.
I’ve just left a comment on the Tesco Facebook page asking why my grocery bill will increase by 16%. Perhaps if everyone does the same, they will make a public statement.
@john king
Pretty sure he was pointing out what a loss (?) they would be to Scotland.
Just think of all the good our Scottish Lords do.
Lets think .. hmmm, they have restricted our renewables capacity on our behalf (without asking us),
Oh and trimmed our marine resource and fisheries boundary to England’s favour again on our bahalf (and yes again without asking us).. its nice for them to look out four us
http://www.oilofscotland.org/scotlands_stolen_sea.html
Yeah I fear we’ll miss them 🙂
Watch the pies. Pie companies only put proper ingredients in M & S pies, according to a pie factory ex employee.
Right that’s my comment sent off to Tesco, I think. I pressed the send form thingy but it’s still up so I don’t know if it has gone or not, hey ho! 😉
You got a secret camera in my flat Chalks. How the hell did you know that we are going to Aldi’s after lunch and how else would you know that we are having Killie pies for lunch! 😛
I live 2 miles from Grangemouth , a port that is underused , and has rail links… not to mention Peterhead ,Ullapool and Stranraer….jobs , jobs , jobs 🙂
They use the euro in Ireland, so it’s not really a direct comparison anyway as exchange rates vary.
Forget my last post, I missed out an option that needed filling in. DOH! 😛
Given the libDem defections, does anyone have any data on libdem voters voting yes in their traditional areas of Borders, and the Highlands ?
Making a noise about LibDems moving to Yes can only help the momentum build up.
The problem is that the people who make their decisions based on these lies are not likely to come to this website ands learn that they have been lied to. So we have a situation where if there is a “No” vote, it will be because Better Together have lied to people to get that result, with the MSM on their side backing those lies.
That is a mockery of democracy.
I was at referendum debate a few nights ago in which the “No” speaker, Conservative MP David Mundell said that without a currency union there would be no central bank which would mean that your mortgage payments would go up. Half a dozen hands went up, presumably to challenge this lie (my hand was among them – precisely to challenge that remark), but the chair refused to take any more questions on the subject.
Tabbycat
I now spend my bus journeys looking for window posters on the way to the destination. It is akin to counting the Christmas trees in windows in your childhood. Still puzzled to the few No posters in windows of houses rather posters in fields in the country owned by the landed gentry.
I’m off for a week self catering in the Irish Republic.
Shall need to buy groceries.
We shall see!
BT’s leaflet shows stack of coins which exaggerates the difference to look 50% more rather than 11%, apart that is, from the usual bollocks.
t.co/c96lChrgR0
Try again!
BT’s leaflet shows stack of coins which exaggerates the difference to look 50% more rather than 11%, apart that is, from the usual bollocks.
http://t.co/c96lChrgR0
It may not need saying, but there are still intelligent, educated people out there who are so entrenched in supporting a continued UK, they’ve lost sight of the fact that they’re being exploited and made a fool of, in doing so.
Re Dan HUIL COMMENT, Tesco are obviously “changing their tune” lately , as Union flag used to be prominent “in store”, in contrast to ALDI and LIDL WHERE THE SALTIRE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROMINENT.Possibly and hopefully an indication of “wind direction” as regards the vote on 18/9?
I wouldn’t put it past Better Together to cherry-pick items that are on special offer here but not in Ireland at that particular time.
We know we simply cannot trust the liars in the slightest. They have been caught flat-out lying so many times that it makes sense to simply assume that they are always lying.
Helena Brown says Ireland has no oil. Sorry Helena but on this one you are wrong, oil/gas has been discovered west of Counties Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Connemara,Galway and Kerry. Helena you might recall the protests over the damage to peat bogs in Co. Mayo when Shell were laying their pipeline ashore. Also there are the production drilling by Cairn Energy in the Burren and Spanish Point blocks. Just Google Spanish Point to read all about it. So just watch Ireland’s economy exploding back very, very soon.
Auld Rock
No voters will tend not to show support publicly ( unless signs are miles from actual mansion house). I know a lot of no voters and they have pretty much been this way since day 1. Do know lots of undecided to yes however. It is going to be tight. Need everyone to focus on undecideds and ignore no voters other than to highlight lies like above
Marcia, it was actually my wee girl who pointed that out to me when we went sign spotting (four No’s were in fields, one on a house) and asked ‘do all the No people have lots of land?’ Looks like it, my dear. Looks like it…
surely the electoral commission presides over the election and this , must surely, breach some electoral laws? How is it possible to blatantly lie to the people of the country on the run up to a referendum, without recourse? To make a claim, albeit spurious, is one thing but to lie through your teeth to the electorate, unchallenged, is a complete travesty in the 21st century. Especially from a so called democracy and in such a crucial event?Something for our new constitution I should think…
Who believes these dicks anymore, they are still making a fool of themselves about currency and assuming everyone except themselves is thick.
The question that anyone thinking of vote NO and any journalist worth their salt should be asking themselves is this:-
If Scotland really is subsidised by England and has a basket case economy, then why is Westminster fighting tooth and nail to keep Scotland in the union instead of helping us pack our bags and holding the door open for us to leave?
Tabbycat, its the same where I live, the toffs and Lairds have plastered the place in No thanks. The people in the villages and towns, along with the farmers who do work (rather than going shooting) are right in with Yes.
@Marcia – watched that Bloomberg report – God these folk are a bunch of spivs – very complimentary on AS ‘playing a blinder’ , thinks there will be a CU and Scotland is too small to have a big effect on the £.
Also re supermarkets – I used to shop daily in Sainsbury’s as that is the one closest to me- and they used to be wall to wall union jacks – I have boycotted them now for months.
I was pushed for time so popped in to get a couple of small items and saltires now on the fruit!!!
Sir John Scarlett
The ex-spy chief is a controversial figure who was behind the so-called “dodgy dossier” on Iraq which wrongly claimed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction which could hit the UK in 45 minutes.
says vote NO
Oil/gas my dear Marian, oil/gas for without this income Westminster sinks and they know it, hence the ‘love bombs’.
Auld Rock
“The Scottish media has been completely uninterested in pursuing them”
Thank you for using ‘uninterested’ instead of the common misuse of ‘disinterested’. Yes, I know it’s probably only you and me that still worry about it.
And you get quite a report from Ambassador Craig Murray:
“If independence is achieved it will be down to a popular movement and not to any politician. Indeed, if one person has to be singled out, I would say the Rev Stuart Campbell has made the most decisive individual contribution in the campaign.”
Just checked Twitter timeline for 4th Sept and no sign of this tweet. Definitely not there at time stated on Tweet. Looks like photoshop at work.
Jeez Karmanaut is he STILL spouting this muck?
I’ve been to a few *ahem* debates where he was up against Joan McAlpine, she wipes the floor with him every time by the way, and he always brings this guff up. I even managed to pull him up on his pathetic “what currency will we use in an independent Scotland?” garbage. Let’s just say that by the time I was finished with him he was extremely red faced. Oh and he’ll never forget the blonde in the wheelchair wearing the Western hat either. 😀
Never mind on 13 more days to put up with it and then we can all lay back, chill and have a damned good laugh at Mundell the Blundell and the rest of his cohorts crying in their cereal wondering where it all went wrong! 😛
Its what we knew all along but nice of them to tell us and you only asked if it was true about the claims made about Tesco prices. Nice of them to go that little bit further and confirm “THERE IS NO TRUTH IN THE LEAFLETS.
Fortunately, fields don’t vote.
Customer feedback form dispatched to TESCO, await response!
My WBB business cards have just arrived and they look the business!
My bundle of WBB due at the house soon – well excited!
Onwards!
what didn’t really need saying?
Nice to see that come the post yes vote, our standards of English language syntax will not be dropping. Nice avoidance of splitting the infinitive there. Three cheers!
Another tale surfacing, concerns the validity of our votes.
It seems that unless the vote is cast in pencil, it is invalid.
Can anyone confirm?
If so, a vote in biro AND pencil would be valid?
SEE BELOW – You can also get to Tesco on their Facebook page
TESCO have an online customer enquiry form ( takes 1 minute )
Can everyone get on it. NOW.
Can we all ask them about this proposed 16% price rise and threaten to boycott them for interfering in the democratic process. Best to assume for the purposes of this that the BT leaflet is true ( despite knowing it isn’t !! )
If they are bombarded by enquiries asking why they propose punishing us for a YES vote they may be forced to issue a public statement.
Please take 1 minute and Google Tesco asap
Scarlett is a Unionist spy. Scarlett and his associates knew that Saddam did not poccess WMD that could hit ‘Cyprus’ in 45mins. They knew the fantasist, who made the story up and was rewarded with £Millions of public money, was lying. Scarlett was illegally rewarded with £Millions of public money for lying. Scarlett is a criminal. Committed crimes of mass destruction.
Seems Tesco is having probs paying the living wage. Just received an email from 38degrees.
Dear Friends,
Things aren’t going so well in Tesco – so the new CEO has been wheeled in early, and started his job this week.
He’s going to have a lot on his plate, and analysts agree that one of his biggest challenges will be reforming Tesco’s image for its staff, customers and shareholders. [1] What better way to meet that challenge than by doing the right thing and becoming the UK’s biggest Living Wage employer?
Our meeting with Tesco’s senior team is set to go ahead in a month’s time, and we want to make sure that new CEO Dave Lewis is up to speed. So, we’re going to pay a visit to Tesco HQ on Tuesday with a massive welcome gift for Mr Lewis – a giant ‘Living Wage clubcard’: a reminder from tens of thousands of us calling on Tesco to invest in its staff by ending poverty pay.
Received a response from Tesco. 😉
Your feedback is really important and we’re aiming to be back in touch with a personal response within 24 hours. This might vary during busier times but we’ll do our best to reply as soon as we can.
I’ve bolded the relevant section. 😀
I don’t think the person who sent the e-mail realises just how busy they are likely to be, yet! 😛
Lies over fact, fear over hope, we’re bettetogether. Just got a giant email blast from project fear the noo. Even has Archie Macpherson and the dude from BigBrother who teaches in Orkney, security, safety, strength, power, whiter whites try Daz.
If all their UKOK safety, security bleh actually works for fatboy, vote No vote Labour, a lot of people are in for a very nasty shock or a lovely surprise, if you’re loaded.
just got NO leaflet—Tesco thru the door
personalised
Do both camp have registered voters list of every voter?
Warning for WM careerists: The Gravy train service from Scotland will be gradually withdrawn and end on the 24th of March 2016. We the people of Scotland advise these self-
serving individuals to find new careers which benefit Scotland, rather than themselves and the mendacious WM elite
BASTA! BASTA!
Marcia says:
Ref Bloomberg post. Then it comes to the Scottish question, he seemed unfussed, goes on to say yer there will be negotiations, Scotland will get the CU no matter what Osborn says. He then says Alex Salmond has played a blinder, momentum is with YES, and momentum is hard to stop.
He believes there will be a YES vote. Pretty positive stuff.
It is the easiest thing in the world to create a central bank. This is our central bank and put our money in it. It just needs Independence. Westminster will not want that solution because Scottish funds will not be deposited in the BoE. (ie the Bank of UK -Scottish assets are deposited/used by the BoE in which Scotland has a share).
The UK has one of the highest borrowing rates in the EU. Scotland’s borrowing rates would be lower, more assets pro rata – needs less borrowing and can pay down the debt.
Lesley-Anne… I received the same response to my Tesco submission at 11.50. Suspect they’ll have to arrange some overtime in the customer response department over the weekend if they are to meet their deadline of 24 hours!
Can you imagine the look on Mr Carney’s face Ken when the wee man from the security truck knocks on his door and asks for the £4 Billion + securities currently held in the BoE cause he has to transport it all up to Scotland? 😛
I think if nothing else ian they, Tesco, will have most definitely found out that the people of Scotland are NOT to be messed around with. Either way I think it is a win/win for the people of Scotland. 😉
With regards to all our e-mails I do hope that Tesco listens and does actually put out a statement condemning Better whatsit for using their name, Tesco, in this obviously huge lie. 😛
We snippet from Herald (archive me not)
Mr Miliband, who was campaigning in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, highlighted his plans to scrap the bedroom tax, freeze energy bills and increase the minimum wage if he wins next May’s General Election. He attacked the SNP’s claims that independence would build a fairer society and criticised its plans to cut corporation tax for business, including the big six energy firms. He said: “The right choice for social justice in this referendum is No, not Yes.”
But he faced some opposition in the former mining community, with one heckler telling the Labour leader “you are not welcome in Blantyre”.
As Mr Miliband left Scotland there was embarrassment for the Labour leader as members of the transport union RMT narrowly backed a Yes vote in the Scottish independence referendum.
First Minister Alex Salmond has been named politician of the year by men’s magazine GQ. The magazine praised the SNP leader’s “audacity, panache and persistence” in its Men of the Year Awards, published in the latest edition.
Also heard the big debate on Radio Scotland at lunch time Sturgeon and Harvie dominated the proceedings. 🙂
Just in from Tesco after my email to them
Dear Stevie
From reading your email, I understand you’re concerned about the leaflet you have received. I imagine how concerned you must be and I appreciate your comments and concerns with this.
We’ve got a great business in Scotland and our job is to create the best offer for customers whatever the outcome of the referendum.
Your feedback will always be appreciated and your concerns have been noted.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Kind regards
Claire Jenkins
Tesco Customer Service
Tesco Logo
……………… Original Message ………………
To: customer.service@tesco.co.uk
Received: 05/09/2014
Subject: Tesco Customer Service Enquiry Email Form
ClubCard: 634004024059992943
Option: Other
Wish a reply:
Additional Information: I have read a leaflet posted by Better Together campaign telling me Tesco will in the event of a Yes vote for Scottish Independence be increasing their prices by 16% I find this absolutely unacceptable and unless this is recanted I will no longer be shopping at Tesco and I will be discussing this with my immediate family members to get them to do the same, this is a democratic election and Tesco should remain impartial regardless of the outcome Yes or No
Should say, never use Tesco, too many other and better choices in and around Central Fife.
But I will email them anyhow.
Meanwhile Herald reports that;
Ferguson shipyard workforce to quadruple within three to five years The businessman who stepped in to save Ferguson shipyard has pledged to quadruple the workforce within three to five years.
Good luck to him and the employees.
Claire Jenkins no surely not… @:0
Tesco’s are in a bit of trouble ,like Morrisons, and the emergence of Aldi and Lidl. This lie from the ‘better together’ will cause Tesco much soul searching and anger at Darling & Co.
Meanwhile
http://www.businessforscotland.co.uk/supermarket-prices-may-fall-after-independence/
That’s another e-mail off to Tesco.
I got that leaflet too. Literally the first thing in it is a lie. It’s a graphic showing two stacks of coins together, representing the public spending in Scotland & the UK. But the Scottish coin stack is 43% higher than the UK one, when it should only be 11% higher. It’s primary school levels of deception.
Actually, every single thing it mentions is either a blatant lie or pure speculation. I know it’s been repeated many times, but I really don’t see how it is legal to lie when it comes to political leaflets.
dadsarmy says:
Readers might get a laugh if they put – Tesco better together – into their search engine….
They will also see Tesco’s ‘Core Purpose’ – ‘We make what matters better, together’
Oops?
I guess the comma is critical.
Just had an interesting ‘Chat’ with ‘Lucy’ at Tesco Customer Service. Seems they’ve been briefed, but haven’t actually seen the flyer. After consulting with her Business Team, she admitted that Tesco had not agreed to this. I suggested they might like to make a public statement to that effect. My comments are being ‘referred to Head Office for review.’
Watch this space.
Fred Blogger
Superb tunes .
I have gone to TESCO to demand answers for the BT price rises . Awaiting answer. Please everyone contact them and they can issue a statement demanding BT bugger off.
Hears mine.
We are seeing a Better Together advert saying TESCO will raise prices by 16% if Scotland votes YES.
Explain please why BT are threatening us and using TESCO name.
IF this is true i will stop shopping at your store immediately .
I would like a quick answer if possible as i usually shop at the local store in Dalkeith at the weekend. . If this is the case i will go elsewhere.
lets see BT/NT get out of this one. If enough people complain then they will be forced to go public.
What a scummy bunch of liars BT are.
Mrs Lamont(I have sold my pink jaicket on e-bay)is actually out working today. Snippet from Herald.
___________
Ms Lamont took Labour’s campaign for a No vote on September 18 to the heart of Scottish Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Glasgow Southside constituency.
The Labour leader claimed that people there are set to vote by two to one in favour of Scotland staying in the UK.
Nationalist politicians have been trying to woo Labour supporters in the run-up to the referendum, with Ms Sturgeon claiming a Yes vote could help revitalise their party, which has been out of power at Holyrood for more than seven years.
But Ms Lamont said that while some of those who voted Labour in the 2011 Scottish elections would be backing independence, she claimed more of those who supported the SNP in that election would be voting for Scotland to stay in the UK in less than two weeks.
Labour cited YouGov research as showing 20% of SNP supporters from the last Holyrood elections were set to say No to independence, with this amounting to more than 180,000 people.
That compares to more than 176,000 people who voted Labour in 2011 but who plan to vote Yes in the referendum, the party said.
__________
Interesting that she is admitting that amount of leakage to the YES. So imo the figure is probably more than she says.
Anyone know if these figures are accurate ?
Indy_Scot says:
5 September, 2014 at 10:44 am
“The people of Scotland have to decide on the 18th of September what kind of future they what.
A future of lies, or a future of hope”
That statement sums it for me.
Drunken Hobo
Coins exposed http://t.co/c96lChrgR0
I emailed Tesco at customer.service@tesco.co.uk and explained to them that if they did not publicly condemn their name being used in a political campaign where they are directly lying then I could only assume that Tesco were giving them the green light to do so and would not only cease to use their stores but I would be encouraging many others to follow my lead.
You know that old adage “Never interrupt you enemy when they are making a mistake”. They need to lie (partly cos their case is weak) and really the worst thing they could do with an educated public who are on the lookout for this crap now is to over egg even those silly claims. It just makes them look incompetant. No wonder people haven’t trusted politicians in recent years if this campaign is a reflection of politics in action. How could you believe anything the No camp say? If you have shot both feet off it might be time to stop shooting.
O/T I am deriving much amusement from all these pieces of Call Me Dave from the NATO summit. Apart from a plane which looks like it’s the Planet Express ship from Futurama parked on the lawn he did a lovely piece to camera with a tank barrel pointed at his back. Do you think the BBC have a sense of humour?
email also despatched to Tesco 😀
@seoc
I believe someone on this website contacted the Electoral Commission and was told that it was OK to use a pen. Perhaps those involved with checking the votes for WOS could confirm this please?
Just fired this off. Will let you know what I get back.
—
I have seen that the “Better Together” campaign in the Scottish Independence Referendum are circulating a claim that if there is a “Yes” vote in September then the cost of Tesco’s shopping will rise by 16%.
Would Tesco put their prices up just because of this? You operate stores in the Republic of Ireland, with pricing that does not result in a rush of shoppers flooding across the border. I imagine you would operate stores in a possible Independent Scotland.
I expect this is all nonsense, so I am really interested to know if you have complained to the “Better Together” campaign and have requested of them that they clarify this prominently and publicly.
Day to day household economics are a MAJOR factor in helping people make up their minds in the debate, and allowing gross misrepresentation of the situation is deceitful.
Can you confirm if you have contacted “Better Together” over this, and if not will you and demand they apologise and clarify the situation publicly?
Many thanks
—
I’ve been a teller / counter for the SNP at election counts and have seen votes in ink and all seemed acceptable at the count.
What you have to watch is that the mini bundles of votes for your party don’t get slid into another party’s pile near the end.
Surely not. . I hear you say!
The response from Tesco that folk are getting is encouraging. I would not be surprised to see a disclaimer from them soon.
@call me dave
Thanks for that. Know quite a few folk who are worried, with all the dirty tricks that are around.
Just e-mailed Tesco and I await a reply. On this topic of supermarkets, I work for one in a distribution center. My boss is warning us will loose our jobs after indepence. He cites a Eu law that prevents multidrop deliveries to a foreign country ( Cabotage ) on compition grounds. He said because we are a UK company, they will close depot and move to Carlisle! I thought for a minute then asked him, but that means that the company would still have to multidrop in a foreign country ie scotland. He just gave me a blank look. My problem is this, are the other companies spouting this pish to distribution staff?
This is going round facebook at the moment. Any sign of a MSM response yet or will I be waiting a while?
http://www.yesscotland.net/news/fresh-embarrassment-no-tesco-reject-supermarket-scares
There are only two stipulations about voting. One is that the voter’s intention is clear. The other is that the voter hasn’t identified himself on the ballot paper.
That’s it. You can mark your ballot in blood if you like, so long as you don’t sign it. It doesn’t even have to be a cross. Votes have been counted where someone put sad faces against all but one of the candidates and a smiley face against their choice.
You can even write rude things about the candidates or the government on the paper, and so long as you haven’t identified yourself and you have marked a clear choice, your vote will be counted.
The returning officer is charged with allowing votes if at all possible, and only marking them spoiled where there is no alternative. Counting agents get to scrutinise all spoiled or doubtful ballots, to make sure it’s fair. The way people write you’d think there was a stern headmaster waiting to disallow any ballot he can on whatever trumped-up technicality he could think of. That’s just not the case.
I mean, for goodness sake, most people probably mark postal ballots with a pen. If it was mandatory to use a pencil, they’d tell you! Indeed, if the use of the pencil in the polling booths was compulsory, THEY’D HAVE A NOTICE UP SAYING THAT.
They don’t, because it isn’t.
Just contacted Tesco customer service with the following message. Given their current travails they might not be too amused at the Unionists for pissing off their customers. I already boycott Baxters, Barr Travel and Mackies so it wont be much of a stretch.
Message read –
Better Together have published a leaflet stating that Tesco will charge their Scottish customers 16% more if Scots vote for independence. Have Tesco given the Better Together campaign group permission to use their name in their literature ? Unless I see a very public and equally prominent repudiation of Better Together neither myself or my wife will ever shop in Tesco again.
My first time writing on Wings. This was posted on my fb, thought was very interesting
http://www.tickld.com/x/wtf-is-wrong-is-wrong-with-americans-this-guy-nails-it
While listening to the radio this man from Ireland was talking about the referendum and I would like to mention some of the points he was making along with one or two of my own.His viewpoint on the UK government and the Scottish politicians trying to say that they want Scotland to stay in the UK because they love us and they are now ready to love bomb us and propose more powers for us .If they were honest and open about their concern for Scotland and it’s population why would they try and scare us and refuse to answer the questions that we would require to make a decision on our future, that’s not what sincere friends do.It’s not as if we can’t tell a lie from the truth it’s Scotland we are talking about and we don’t suffer fools gladly,and now that the yes voters are gaining in the polls the more they will try to scare us and put us down,or even put some further powers for us on the table. My only fear is that we vote no because after 40 years of Westminster rule the bank of England hold the debt at £1.4 trillion how many zero’s is that? and they want us to believe that this is good governance,no wonder they want us to stay , or should I say they need us to stay .The other question I would like to ask is can they tell us what the financial consequences for the UK will be in the event of a yes vote and they refuse the proposed currency deal with Scotland.
Q. a) Does anyone know where the ballot boxes will be taken to after the polling stations close and
b) will this happen immediately the boxes have been
sealed?
I agree a hugh debt is owed to The Rev. in this campaign but I will always be grateful to Tim Berners Lee for giving the world the internet free (He could have been a billionaire) which has cut the control the Press Barons have always had over us and lets the ordinary people have their say. I don’t think we could have done it without this fantastic facility.
Tesco sailing close to the wind
read this
Dear Mr King
Thank you for your email regarding the Better Together advertisement which made for concerning reading, I understand how alarming this must have been.
With regards to this, there is a higher cost of operating in Scotland which is covered within the UK currently. At the moment we are not sure what will happen if Scotland goes independent; there are a lot of uncertainties still to be looked into. Please be assured that we do have a great business in Scotland and our job will be to create the best offers for our customers whatever the outcome of the referendum.
Kind regards
Louis Boston
Tesco Customer Service
Aspen,
Agree . The MSM would have had a ball without the internet. The whole world can see what’s happening anywhere. We will be top billing over the next fortnight.
The whole world will watch the last gasps of an old empire and the re-birth of Scotland. A country in her own right.
The media have failed folks. The polls say it’s close but i doubt that now. The negativity and scares ,old ones at that,are only bluff and bluster.
Momentum is a good thing and there is so much drive now we are unstoppable . Strong Labour wards are now strong YES. Everyday we hear of defections. has anyone changed from YES to NO ??? . I am now firmly in the belief that the tipping point is past. Most know how they will vote.
Anyway If NO wins it will be a dull hollow victory. No fuss, GE to sort out now , austerity rools yeh.
If YES win . THE BIGGEST PARTY ON EARTH . and NO voters, we’ll help you get over the disappointment after all today we are all Scots.
Macandroid – Good to see others have picked up on that one. It’s insultingly obvious.
I really wish people would start asking “If what they’re saying is right, why do they need to lie?” Not just for the referendum, but for everything!
Tesco’s like many businesses/banks donate to the Tories. Sainsbury donate to Labour and Lord Sainsbury was a Labour Minister (science?) Co-op donate to Labour.
https://fullfact.org/live/2014/sep/tesco_says_prices_wouldnt_be_16_higher_in_an_independent_scotland-34921
Snode1965
You are right and the manager is talking nonsense. Cabotage within the EU allows countries to move goods from point to point within each others countries. A number of companies also have single point European distribution centres which conduct cross border distribution. There is no competition issue with a distribution centre in Scotland distributing to points within Scotland or to other parts of Europe.
If Scotland is an Independent country there will be more depots in Scotland. EU has an open trade agreement. Instead of companies trading in Scotland under UK/EU Law. They will trade in Scotland under Scottish/EU Law. More taxes for Scotland. More jobs in Scotland in depots, businesses and administration.
Lidl and Aldi would not shed a tear if Morrisons and Tesco priced themselves out the market. I think Morrisons and Tesco know that.
Beef, pork, vegetables, tatties rape seed oil, fish, cereals (bread), biscuits fruits (berries),cheeses, butter, water, Whisky etc all produced locally in Scotland. Are Scottish prices supporting transport cost to the rest of the UK. Scotland surplus in food and drink. Major exports.
Just like Scottish Oil/energy prices are higher (it’s colder) in Scotland despite Scotland being in surplus. Scotland bears the transport costs to the rest of the UK.
I spoke to Geriant(customer services) on Tesco live chat about the BT claim and his answer was its not true and trotted out(cut and paste) the bit about best prices regardless the outcome of the referendum. Not quite the answer @John King got.
Morrison and Tesco’s are struggling in the recession. Both have issued profit warning and share prices are down. Lidl and Aldi have increased profits. (not UK Companies) Lidl and Aldi might not pay UK corporation tax. Might be tax evaders.
Aldi, Lidl are German companies,
@Morag
Many thanks for that. There has been a lot of discussion about this at work where there has been a lot of effort at spreading Yes (beneath management radar).
I have used postal vote for many years, after not making it to the polling station once due to full day and really bad night on call. I am sure the postal vote states use pen, though I have requested polling card for this. But some have said that it had to be pencil or would not be counted. Of course pencil could be changed. I seem to remember that I had seen hand scrolled notices in polling stations in the past saying pencil must be used. As this was before any thought of using computers, I do not know why this should have been.
Anyway I have copied your reply and sent it to as many as possible. These votes were too hard won to be risked on an assumption when I knew the facts could be found here.
Thanks again.
Email sent to Tesco suggesting a robust and public statement denouncing this suggestion to avoid Tesco’s name being tarnished and customers voting with their feet given the widespread distribution of this info in Scotland.
Awaiting response…
Snode1965
Not just distribution staff. Guy i know got one from Advance security a couple of months back.
Wheels coming off the wagon? or are they already off?
The BTNT leaflet that arrived through my door – Full of elephant sh1t, which is way bigger the cow sh1t – just heard on BBC radio 5 live that Tesco’s have confirmed that the cost of groceries will NOT cost more in an Independent Scotland as they will offer the best price for customers. So the comparison with Ireland (they do not say north or south) is a lie. If BTNT are so sure of their argument for a better “untied kingdom” why lie? BBC Radio commented on the referendum but did not mention Tesco’s wonder why?
If I was asked to sum up the state of the union and Scotland’s place in it in one word, it would be.
FOODBANK’S
In the last few hours BT have been claiming on their FB page that the cost will be now 30% higher at Tescos? However they are comparing it with RI which uses Euros? Doh! The depth of lies and deception from the bitter together camp really has no limits…
Just sent this to Tesco. If they get enough like it perhaps they will spark. “I live some miles from your nearest store. However whenever we are in town we do a large shop to stock up until the next time. However I will be withdrawing my custom from you as I will be unable to afford the 16% increase that you will be charging on independence.”
Tesco’s response at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29087393
They confirm that this info on BT’s election info is a lot of nonsense. Not huge headlines from BBC but at least it is there. Jackie Baillie [kind of] exposed as a liar.
I know I’m being a pedant on this, but the education section of the leaflet is very misleading. It states “£4.5 billion – the budget for every Scottish school”
That could be interpreted that every single Scottish school receives £4.5 billion on an annual basis, which of course is utter nonsense. It should read as “£4.5 billion – the combined budget for Scottish schools”
Lying, deceitful, scum!
Furthermore, shall I assume that Craig, the shipyard worker doesn’t work at Ferguson’s? It’s a pity that people like Craig have been fooled by the duplicitous Westminster government, the same government that gave a four-ship order to South Korea, for the Tide-class tankers that will serve with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
I wonder if Craig ever asks why that order was not given to Scottish shipyards? That order would have kept a shipyard in work for a few years, but let’s keep quiet about that one.
Great article on Business for Scotland – Employees should not be pressured by No camp’s biased bosses – http://www.businessforscotland.co.uk/employees-should-not-be-pressured-by-no-camps-biased-bosses/
Business for Scotland is aiming to tackle the pressurising of employees. Please read article and if you have experienced this, or know of anyone who has, please contact BfS. Not sure who you should email, but suggest david.bell@businessforscotland.co.uk.
Thanks for that Dorothy.
Tesco received my complaint and I’m now awaiting their response. Tick…tock…
We’ll after the dust has settled maybe stu can write a book about the train wreck that better together has been, throughout this campaign the sheer mendacity of the team is truly breathtaking, this is our UK Government and their bag carriers, they have proved themselves to be completely inept from the very top to the bottom, from Osborne and Cameron showing their hands much too early,-sermon on the pound, no Euro, noEEC, noNATO, no BBC, oil running out, the list is endless.
Now Lamont takes a film crew into Govan and is rebuffed on camera, the woman is deluded, what did she expect? to be greeted with open arms? after letting down core Labour voters for years,
meanwhile yes are still sitting with all their cards ready to play in their own time, surely a guide how not to conduct a campaign, could be a worldwide best seller.
Just mailed tesco will wait for a reply.
” I have recently had delivered a Better Together advert saying TESCO will raise prices by 16% if Scotland votes YES in the forthcoming referendum.
Explain please why Better Together are threatening us and using the TESCO name. Have you authorised the use of your company name in this political leaflet. If you have not authorised this I presume a public retraction is being prepared to refute the use of your company name, if not I can only presume you are giving them the green light to print this information as a fact.
IF this is true i will stop shopping at your store immediately .”
If she’s wasting her time trying to foment talk nationalists voting No it can only mean that she’s given up completely trying to reverse the trend in her own party’s members an supporters. LFI on the march methinks.
@seoc and @ ealasaid
I contacted the electoral commission,they said using a pen was acceptable, you can also leave it in the booth for the next voter.
Some very nice pens 50p at your local YES shop.
Ask them yourselves, they’ll reply. The email was forwarded to the rev.
Might go into my local Tesco here in Devon and ask the manager if the leaflet sent to mum in Scotland is true. She is an elderly pensioner (true) and Tesco is her nearest shop(almost true) and she absolutely could not afford a 16% hike in her shopping bill (thank goodness not true). Will threaten to not shop there again if it is true.
Will be interested to know if they even have any clue down here that this leaflet has happened. I would imagine not. Hopefully if head office is contacted they will know the word has spread.
It’s now 30% seemingly.
http://bettertogether.net/blog/entry/independence-would-cost-families-in-scotland-dear-says-expert?fb_action_ids=820187711346358&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
The only problem is not everyone will see the lies exposed, unlee you are prepared to delve deeper. Some people believe this nonsense reporte in daily newspapers and on leaflets. The lies need to be exposed on a more mainstream level. How do we do this?
Should we be taking what Tesco says on face value
I see nothing on the original leaflet that says Tesco said anything. Certainly a sneaky trick by Better Together to imply that they did.
However, the rebuttal from Tesco says nothing concrete. A win, win situation for them I think. A cynical marketing ploy. They will have had input to this. You don’t use the Tesco logo without permission. If things had swung to the No view, then they could say they were a responsible trader. And, as has happened, they have gone the other way, then they’ve got out of it gracefully – until they raise prices anyway.
And I am a yes voter. However I see the birth of an urban myth with this one. Do you have a full copy of the leaflet showing actual statements by Tesco.