What isn’t a fact
God bless our dear old pals at the Labour-fronted Tory money-sink that is Scotland In Union. Fresh from their latest stirring morning office singalong of “No Pope Of Rome”, they’ve decided to belatedly get in on the fact-checking game.
As the established force in the field, we had to have a look.
But first, let’s set the scene with a small and pertinent digression. Publications of all sorts like to compete over the strapline slogans that they emblazon on their front-page mastheads. The Telegraph, for example, proclaims itself “Britain’s best-selling quality daily”, the Press and Journal is rightly proud of being “The UK’s best-selling regional paper” and the Daily Star goes for the more prosaic “10p cheaper than The Sun”.
(The Scotsman plays the age card with “Scotland’s national newspaper since 1817”, although it too is in fact officially a regional newspaper now, shifting about a third as many copies as the P&J.)
The hierarchy and semantics of such lines are moderately interesting. The most prized is, of course, “The UK’s best-selling” whatever. But if you inconveniently AREN’T the best-selling, all isn’t lost.
Second most prestigious is “The UK’s fastest-growing“. This is perfect for newer titles, because it’s easy to achieve and sounds dynamic and full of momentum.
You might only be selling 4,000 copies a month, but if you’ve gone up from 2,000 the month before that’s a 100% increase, whereas even if the market leader has increased its sales by five times as much – say from 50,000 to 60,000 – that’s still only a 20% growth rate, so you can legitimately say you’re “faster-growing” than them.
The booby prize, if you’re getting absolutely tanked all ends up by everyone, is to fall back on subjective and unquantifiable statements which mean absolutely nothing, such as the Daily Express’ boast of being “The world’s greatest“ newspaper.
A similar claim is to be “The world’s leading“ something. It’s most commonly a PR puff phrase, of the sort frequently found in the pronouncements of governments, and SIU have chosen to accuse the Scottish Government of doing the same.
It seems, for the reasons we’ve outlined above, like a strategy with a decent chance of scoring a hit. But the First Minister’s actual comment – that Scotland is a global leader in emissions reduction, not the global leader – is entirely fair and reasonable. SIU grudgingly admit that it is in fact perfectly true, with Scotland’s reductions over the last 26 years in the EU top five, and double the EU average:
And at that point, the actual measurable facts abruptly run out.
The rest of the piece is given over to some environmentalist types bleating about carbon-reduction targets currently being set for 32 years into the future. Scotland’s is “only” 90%, whereas some other nations have pledged 100%.
It should go without saying that this is empty, meaningless hogwash. You can pledge anything, knowing that there’s no chance you’ll be in power (or perhaps even alive) to deliver it. Any government could promise that its entire energy needs would be met by magic beans in 2050 if it wanted to, but the next one elected could throw that promise in the bin and fuel its power stations by burning toxic waste and babies if it chose to.
(A Scottish Parliament’s term is still officially four years, so there are due to be SEVEN new governments in Holyrood between now and then, in goodness only knows what environmental and political circumstances.)
But remarkably, that’s the end of SIU’s “fact-checking”. It concludes that yes, Scotland has made particularly significant progress in tackling global climate change, but then that somehow this means Scotland is NOT “leading the world”, seemingly purely on the basis that Patrick Harvie’s had a bit of a whinge about it.
(We’re scratching our heads over what “Failure to tackle airport duty” is supposed to mean. Environmentalists don’t want cuts to Air Passenger Duty, and as yet there haven’t actually been any, although the SNP has said it wants to reduce it in future. We’re also enjoying the dramatic sudden gear-change from SIU screaming endlessly about how rubbish Scotland’s economy is to becoming born-again tree-huggers and demanding we leave 50 years of oil worth hundreds of billions of pounds in the sea.)
So in summary: the “fact check” only actually checks one fact, finds it to be true, but then announces that it’s false anyway, based on stuff that might or might not happen three decades from now and the opinions of people who aren’t actually in charge of anything and never will be.
Speaking as professionals: don’t give up the day job, lads.
The folks at the Scotland is Useless campaign can always be relied on for good comedic value.
Any chance of a link to their list of distinguished funders? Always good for a laugh that one!
Well done Stu, busy week for me and so glad you are keeping the yoons in their place.
Bless their little heart, they’re trying hard.
I’m however starting to get irksome with the consistent cringeworthy “too small, too poor, too stupid” mantra.
Alarmist drivel, outright lies, unfounded accusations: isn’t “spreading fear and alarm” exactly what defines terrorism?
Why don’t we equate these scaremongering tactics to terrorism, and act accordingly?
Maybe they should be looking for the #DarkMoney, they certainly know where it cam from.
Nat Fact Check?
Whit aboot the Tories’ Dark Fat Cheque?
That’s the best they can produce. It actually exceeded my expectations (even though it’s still trash)
British Nationalists give British Labours Pamela Nash at SIU a fat cheque to write a fact check but instead she spews out a hack wreck.
The SNP says we might consult on doing a thing, the opposition says *You Bastirts how dare you consider doing a thing* the SNP say We’ve consulted on that thing and decided against it, the opposition say *You bastirts should be doing something about the thing you promised you’d do*
Scotland in Union are people who quote the bible as a historical document y’see that should be the end of any discussion right there
This can be countered with ‘BritNat Fact Check’.
Take yer pick, said Des O’Connor.
Mon the climate!
Lovely oil.
[…] Wings Over Scotland What isn’t a fact God bless our deal old pals at the Labour-fronted Tory money-sink that is Scotland […]
Well done, Stu. As you say, you are the established force in the field of media investigative journalism.
Pamela Nash, former Labour MP of Airdrie and Shotts, protégé of John Reid, former Labour MP of same. Pamela is now in a created job in the Red/Blue British Nationalist Alliance as Chair of Scotland in Union. Basically, her job now is to hug Tories in Scotland, and anyone else who hates the SNP. Yes, she’ll still hug Labour supporters, but there’s not enough of them to keep her going. Wouldn’t it be really interesting to know how Pamela Nash spends her day, not to mention her remuneration package. My bet is she’s employed by the Labour Party and paid by them
The media, the politicians, SIU, all seem determined to take the same route. Find something the Scottish Government are doing well for the benefit of the population and try to disparage it.
Over the past few years the attacks on services and initiatives has been relentless in spite of every other country in the UK being verifiably worse at everything they provide for public wellbeing.
I wonder how they would like to rely on those provided elsewhere.
It truly sickens me that they deliberately overlook any good in their own country to extol the virtues of utterly incompetent administrations elsewhere. The bottom line is that regardless of how well they are served by the SNP in Holywood, they will cling on to their Union Jack mentality which has already failed generations of Scots.
They and not us ,are truly the blinded nationalists.
It is of course the job of the Greens to hold the governing party’s feet to the fire and say, yes, but you could do better. So of course Harvie said that. But it does not mean we are not one of the best in the world.
This is UK politics!
They make headlines to suit their agenda and bore you to death with mind numbing statements so that you just accept the headline and move on.
What kind of sub human species promotes us to dispel the best government Scotland has ever had to replace their services with inferior NHS Services, workers rights, and environments, etc?
The Westminster parties don’t give a damn about Scots.
They just want to secure themselves and their party in the gravy train by means of lies and deceptions.
The English Party with claims of socialist policies are full of £Millionaire Lords with very lucrative part time posts.
They know that if an economy has a finite sum of monies generated then loading up the wealthy automatically takes money from the workers and the disabled.
No one in England seems to have a problem with this and that is why they can go jump off the Brexit cliff without Scotland.
Case in point: there’s a jackhammer going outside at the moment. The council is replacing the old lowish concrete lamppost with a taller metal one. The new one will be set back against the property wall so it is not in the way as the old one is but more importantly it will be fitted with low energy LED lighting. Whiter than the old one but brighter for less power.
The council has been going around doing this gradually for several years and at last it is our little road’s turn. The modern low energy LED street lighting is lowering the energy cost of street lighting and improving things as well. A win-win’win.
The new set back position means you can park your car without having worry about opening your door into the old one but perhaps more importantly it will be easier for the blind and partly sighted to navigate and in the winter the council’s little pavement tractors will be better able to trundle the footpaths gritting and ploughing with less impediment.
I just hope they dig carefully, the new position is rather close to where our cable for the interwebnet etc comes in . . .
The Ferret should fact check the SinU’s fact checking.
Aw… Scotland in Union is looking for “Alert Readers “..
and they’re all over here on Wings… ok dear, what a pity, never mind!
And isn’t true that Scotland would be further down the road on emissions if Westminster hadn’t cut subsidies to green energy etc; something which Scotland is leading the UK on; not to mention thieving the revenues on oil, which also could have gone towards clean energy production?
If Ms Nash spent more time seeing to her constituents needs instead of working full time for SIU we may see less of this.
Pamela Nash MP. Heard of her?
Airdrie MP Pamela Nash was this week facing questions about why she missed her own debate at the Houses of Parliament.
After her late showing at Westminster last Tuesday she was reported saying she had been in bed with the flu for a few days.
But it was pointed out online that she had tweeted a picture of herself smiling at the BAE Systems shipyards last Monday – the day before she failed to appear on time in London.
link to acadvertiser.co.uk
In November 2010, Ms Nash came bottom of a list of Scotland’s newest MPs compiled by website TheyWorkForYou.com which looked at the number of questions asked and speeches made in the House of Commons.
I went to the site. Is that it? I thought they might have managed to work up a Wee Khaki-Coloured Book or something.
From the list of members/donors for SiU it is obvious some of this shower don’t actually have a vote in Scotland!
How can that be acceptable – donating money to an organisation whose sole aim in to meddle in the affairs of, what is to them, another country?
This is morally all wrong. If SiU was a Scottish organisation financed by Scots who just happen to hold different views from ourselves, than that’s fair play. It’s not. Much of SiU’s money comes from outside Scotland given by people who don’t even vote here.
Does this indicate we now need to set up a SIU fact checking website service to check their fact checks. Or can we just assume as the first one is nonsense, and they have had ample time to check before publishing, then their is no point reading any more of them.
It will no doubt go down well within their core support, but how many would waste their time visiting the site. It is being promoted by two of Scotland’s failing papers though (maybe that should be their strapline).
Probably more honest if they simply titled their latest gimmick Whackanat? Rentawhinge? Hatethumnats? The facts are what we say they are, seems to be a theme of theirs and a tiresome one at that.
They mibbies want to ask themselves a question though. Given their track record of misdirection, misrepresentation and downright naked fibbery. What makes them think THEY are worth trusting or listening to anymore?
I trust any of them about as far as I could chuck a JCB and have a great deal more reason to consider them utterly harmful to the welfare of the general public. They think nothing of using people as political coinage. They lay waste to anything they touch in their practice of politics and have happily sacrificed the reputations of individuals, movements, services and institutions in pursuit of their own agendas. They’ve undermined trust in everything worth anything.
Fact check on Nats… Huh! That’s the title of their current wheeze and if that alone doesn’t tell you what’s wrong with who they are and what they represent? Then nothing will.
Not to mention the countries they say are outperforming Scotland are all tiny former Soviet countries. It would take a quick check on google to find out why (they would have closed on or two massive industrial or energy generation plants which were horrendous for the environment). Its remarkable countries like Poland have not even outperformed Scotland.
SIU are nothing if not rank amateurs. However, this is an interesting switch in position. They are not specifically challenging independence here but simply a political party. This makes SIU a party political animal rather than a pro-union collective. This will be important in days and times to come.
Beau Nash could run things in Bath in the 18th century.
Pamela Nash can ruin things in Scotland in the 21st century.
@ Bob Mack
Well said Bob . Ever notice how the media and British Nationalists politicians are so coordinated in each attack every day.. Sadly for them the genie is out of the bottle and won’t go back. No matter how much shit they throw at us..
Is Energy not reserved anyway? This is the Richard Leonard school of criticism and, as someone correctly pointed out above, Westminster is cutting subsidies on Renewables so that they can incease them on Nuclear.
Apart from all that, all the swirly colours make my head spin nd my eyes go gozzy.
This may turn into a learning experience for them. As they get to grips with reality, they will find it aligns very well with the SNP point of view.
We could send them helpful pointers to issues worthy of their attention. The Health Service in Scotland, Rail Transport, Crime Reduction, narrowing the attainment gap etc.
A good place to start would be the “Our Record” section of the SNP website, a rich seam of facts to mine. Here’s a very small sample:
link to snp.org
”We need your help. You are our eyes and ears throughout Scotland, and we need you to get in touch whenever you see or hear a nationalist politician making a questionable claim…”
They’re going to have some wait. Every solitary word that comes out of an SNP politician’s mouth is anatomised by the Establishment and Britnat supporters on an hourly basis and this has been the case for decades now.
On a positive note by the time they, and their ”eyes and ears”, check out all of the SNP’s fabulous claims, and find them to be true, some of their eyes and ear numpties may actually become converts. Very bad move on the part of SiU, I would say, as it could culminate in a rise in popularity for the SNP and of course with Pamela left gnashing her teeth (sorry – couldn’t resist).
@ ian stewart says at 1:37 pm ……. ”If Ms Nash spent more time seeing to her constituents needs instead of working full time for SIU we may see less of this: …..
link to acadvertiser.co.uk
In November 2010, Ms Nash came bottom of a list of Scotland’s newest MPs compiled by website TheyWorkForYou.com which looked at the number of questions asked and speeches made in the House of Commons.
…………………
Ha ha ha! Good one Ian. They seem to be keen on ”scrutinising”, so let’s go with scrutinising them and get it on here.
Fact check: Pamela Nash, Chief Executive of Scotland in the Union, is a shirker and a liar.
Despite the undermining of renewables in Scotland it’s still a success. Who knows how much more it would be if not for deliberate sabotage.
Seems to me that fact check is doung the SNP a favour “Scotland at 45%, favourably compared to the UK at 39%, the EU at 24% only beateen by blah blah”.
Have SiU seen sense and switched sides? All are welcome in the cause of Independence!
O/T
I hope that everyone is supporting the Independence cause by buying (if you can afford to) the National / Sunday National. The Sunday National is proving to be the best newspaper on the (Sunday) market now with some fantastic contributors. More than anything full of info that you can’t find anywhere else.
Meanwhile I thought that this would be of interest.
‘BBC Scotland responded to our bias allegations … this is what they said…’
”The oft-used Robert Burns quote about having the power to see ourselves as others see us is about the self-delusions we each have that get us through our day.
It’s a difficult thing to do. It requires introspection, honesty and it means not just dismissing the criticisms others have of you. Discussions are at an early stage and the dialogue only just beginning, but on the basis of its first response it does not appear to be a power BBC Scotland possesses.
During the recent protest outside Pacific Quay, BBC bosses offered to speak to organisers about their concerns. Two weeks ago, a fellow independence supporter and I took them up on that, and presented them a document with our concerns.
The response from Ian Small, who is head of public policy and corporate affairs, has just come in. It was not brief, at six pages and 3000 words. He took time over dismissing the points we made.
In fairness to him, he has promised to come back to us on many of the issues, and the majority of the responses that were given tended to either dismiss the original point or outright refutation.
On the subject of news coverage, Ian spoke of the King Report – on impartiality, published back in 2008 – and the changes the BBC had made as a result. He told us: “Since that time there have been various initiatives put in place – the introduction of a Scotland Editor for network; better and more regular connectivity between Scotland and network news teams; and, most recently, the proposed introduction of a new TV news programme on the new Scotland channel.”
Ian claimed this was a “really important development” and again brought up the new programme which he highlighted would bring “over 300 additional hours of television news and related programming to screens” which equates to less than an hour a day. Ye’ll huv hud yer news then?
Ian agreed on the need for clarity in reporting in terms of reserved versus devolved issues and pointed out it was something the news teams “regularly discuss with network colleagues” and said they were “increasingly aware of how the nations of the UK each differ from one another – and how Scotland differs in so many important ways”.
There was recognition that the representation of Scotland on the network news was sometimes “frustrating” for audiences but the “we don’t get it right every time” response is basically dismissing the notion there is a fundamental flaw. On the points we made around editorial policy, almost every one was met with a variation of: “I don’t think we do that but I’ll look into further.”
The issue of when and how often news reports reference the “SNP Government” versus “Scottish Government” was interesting. Ian claimed to have “examined” TV news scripts since the beginning of the year and found only a “handful” of references to “SNP Government in the scripts”. The interesting part was where Ian suggested there may have been “unscripted” usage of the terms. What other instances of going off script might there be?
The protection of Ruth Davidson and the lack of coverage of the dark money scandal received the briefest response. Two sentences. We asked her about it, move along. The single question she was asked on camera didn’t reference the phrase “dark money” or give any details of the accusations. There was no follow up questioning, no interruptions, no details, nothing. That the BBC consider that “covering” a major scandal in Scottish politics is genuinely worrying.
This comes after another dark money scandal involving the Scottish Conservatives, the DUP and a Saudi prince that went significantly unreported. Given the length of the rest of the replies the brevity of this one stood out. When it comes to reporting issues concerning the Conservative Party in Scotland, it looks increasingly as though the BBC has a problem and that it really doesn’t want to talk about it.
Ian did say this was part of an ongoing dialogue and agreed to look further into the issues raised. But anyone fluent in managementese would have cause for concern reading the reply. It’s one thing to say you know you have problems, but if you reject the criticisms of those telling you what those problems are it begins to look as if you don’t really believe you have problems and you’re just saying that because it’s a thing people do.
In terms of whether the BBC has the power to see itself as we see it, we’ve given it the tools. Whether it has the ability to, only time will tell. More on that, later.”
link to thenational.scot
Well, those in SIU clearly have just started to write without actually engaging their brains first – it is not the first time, mind.
They talk about “nationalists” in Scotland. Well we have got at least two types, haven’t we? The Scottish Nationalists are pursuing a better future for Scotland by returning power to the hands of the people of Scotland by taking it away from the hands of England MPs. The British Nationalists however, are fiercely pursuing for England MPs not only to retain that power over Scotland but actually to steal some more from the hands of the Scottish people so they can retain control of Scotland’s precious assets and the aristocracy and other privileged individuals currently forming SIU donors list can continue siphoning wealth from Scotland unchallenged.
So which ones do SIU intend to spy on? The first ones or the second ones? Because it seems to me that the nationalists that are really toxic for Scotland are the second ones, which interestingly, seems to define pretty well some of the villains within SIU ranks.
So are SIU planning to scrutinise themselves? Well, that would be a first and a brave thing to do. Problem is most British Nationalists linked to politics I have come across with are nothing but opportunistic cowards.
Or have they been infiltrated – again 🙂
This is a job for – Police Scotland and MI5!
Just been reading one of the hold ups for a British Brexit is retaining the Cornish Pasties. Seems to me Pasties get more say on the British withdrawal from the EU than Scotland.. Maybe
“We need your help. You are our eyes and ears throughout Scotland, and we need you to get in touch whenever you see or hear a nationalist politician making a questionable claim.”
Well, they’ve put out the invitation, perhaps we should help them out here. OK, here’s one for them:
“If you are interested in the (relatively) new Edinburgh publisher I mention in the interview, you can find them here – @CharcoPress”
link to twitter.com
Now, who is the “you”, is it really “you? Or is it you pretending to be you?
What does “interested” mean, in the context of “you”?Are we really interested
Is the “new Edinburgh publisher” really new, in Edinburgh and indeed, a publisher? Could it be an old radio message from Mars?
What “interview”, did this really happen?
Verdict: false
O/T
No doubt one of the reasons for this is that it would highlight that a great deal of our exports don’t go to England at all, but much further afield.
…………………
‘Appalling’ secret Tory plot to shut out Scotland in Brexit deal exposed by leak.’
Under the EU plan, goods will be tracked using barcodes on shipping containers under “trusted-trader” schemes administered by registered companies.
link to thenational.scot
……………………….
‘FM opens up to young people on bullying in Question Time Next Generation.’
”During the event, broadcast on STV’s current affairs programme Scotland Tonight, the First Minister reiterated she would not stand in the way of a second vote on leaving the European Union.
But she was clear she “would like to be convinced that if there was going to be a second vote Scotland would have an assurance that we don’t just end up in the same position all over again”.
She stated: “The big question for Scotland though, if there was to be another vote on EU membership, is how do we make sure that we don’t end up in the same situation again where Scotland votes one way but because the rest of the UK votes another way, we effectively end up being taken in a direction against our will.”
link to thenational.scot
Are Scotland in Union a terrorist group detected to undermining Scottish nationhood and, subsequently, the democratic pluralism and human rights enjoyed by Scots? Perhaps.
link to jmvh.org
link to bristol.ac.uk
link to tandfonline.com;
The future is looking anglospheric.
link to theguardian.com
We must out of this political relationship before the next tidal wave of colonialism hits our shores.
You would have thought there would be a rash of polls about Independence today on the anniversary of the referendum.
Vince Cable did not mention the SNP once but borrowed much from the SNP policies and manifesto. He favours Willie Rennie to advance but Willie is stuck in his pettiness with objecting to advances in education. Housing and taxation too hints at borrowing from SNP.
@Petra
“The protection of Ruth Davidson and the lack of coverage of the dark money scandal received the briefest response. Two sentences. We asked her about it, move along. The single question she was asked on camera didn’t reference the phrase “dark money” or give any details of the accusations.”
It’s such a shame they didn’t apply the same emphasis to the Michelle Thomson non-story.
Wonder how Ian would view that.
Standardised tests have proved too difficult for Opposition MSPs *journalists* and British nationalist parents as they can’t tell the difference between a dog and a duck or a horse and a glass of milk
This is a worrying finding in Scotland today given that in the light of recent findings on mental health Scotlands entire population of young people is apparently unfit to be left alone to butter a piece as the stress of that task could lead to immediate mental breakdown
These findings clearly show beyond all reasonable doubt that far from being an Independent country Scotlands population shouldn’t be allowed to vote on political issues at all so in the future all decisions regarding the health and welfare of Scotland will be returned to the westminster parliament where the population of England who brought us all Fucking Brexit will decide these matters
Apologies for the sweary bit but it felt appropriate
It’s not my fault though I’m Scottish, so blameless and useless at the same time
Maybe we should have some sympathy for “Scotland in the union “.
After all they are financed by the dying press and most of their members will soon sadly be dead.
But most of all it must be so distressing to see their precious union crumbling around them.
Then again we have a new nation to build and living in the past is an un healthy thing to do.
As with all the other misinforming websites, this one, “SiU” is certainly one of the ones which must be taken to task, if/when it misrepresents the truth.
During the last independent referendum there was not an immediate response to project fears misinformation, partly due to not getting airtime on the t.v. channels, so this coming one MUST be different, I believe Stew is showing the way.
Stu, On offence meant when I spelt your name after on of my favourite meals!! .
In Psychology, DENIALISM, is the inability to accept even those facts which are substantiated by overwhelming evidence.
The reason for denial is that if you accept these facts ,then everything you have ever believed is challenged.
Remember when everybody believed Labour was a party of the working class,and accepted it as such.We now know better.
Unionists are fighting with every tool they have,because we are challenging them to look at 300 years of history in a different light. If they believe us ,then they realise that their life was a falsehood, and this has profound effects on their mental outlook.
Basically ,they are fighting for everything they have been taught to believe throughout their lives.How destroying must it be to look on your life as being years of liesand propoganda which you believed. They want and need to be right for their own sanity.
We are more fortunate. We have seen through the veil.
When the truth fails them, they resort so easily to lies, because it is all that is left for their defence. Inevitably the lies will also crumble. The Internet has caught up with the old adage that a lie can travel all the way round the world before the truth has its boots on.
Now both arrive together. It now only needs the ability to question both.
Petra- Had my first look at the Sunday National this weekend but I’m afraid I had to put it back. A huge match report on Spurs-Liverpool, far bigger than all bar one Scottish game (Rangers naturally, not league leaders Hearts) plus another feature on Everton. One Scottish second tier match covered, the other four ignored and the ten fixtures in the third and fourth tiers also ignored.
Pick up an English Sunday, and unless there’s been an Old Firm match, you’ll see no mention of Scottish football anywhere except the results section. Why do they continually do this? The Sunday Herald was the same.
I don’t know if Dons supporting Rev is aware but The National completely ignored the Motherwell-Aberdeen semi last season, not only on the day before the game but in the actual Saturday edition, the day of the match. Wall to wall coverage of a certain game on the Sunday between the two arse cheeks dominated their pages. I’d be surprised if any Well or Dons fans bought it ever again!
There was a petition for Nash to resign as an MP. Nash caused controversy in November 2013 when she failed to attend a Labour instigated vote condemning the Bedroom Tax in the House of Commons. Defending herself Nash claimed that she could not vote as she was attending a European Space Policy Institute one day conference on Space Against Youth Unemployment in Vienna. However it was later revealed that the one day conference occurred the day before the vote and ended in the late afternoon causing opposition politicians to attack Nash and claim that she could have easily returned to London that night and questioned her explanation for not attending the evening vote the next day in Parliament. Interestingly, Nash never claimed any expenses for her important’ one day conference on outer space according to IPSA.
“We need your help. You are our eyes and ears throughout Scotland.”
Sounds more like a recruitment campaign for boosting Reservists in the ‘Support Group’ of 77th BDE.
Christ Almighty, the Elmer’s are actively pursuing a course of action to promote it’s own country and people as Fannie’s. And to think that America is stoked by people u patriotically kneeling during their anthem. What people in the world would seek to self destroy their credentials? Yoonunists, that’s who.
Just do one!
Just catching-up and I may have missed these facts. Crossrail, ONE YEAR LATE and £600 million over budget and the reason they didn’t realise that they would encounter THREE different and incompatible signalling systems. As for the NEW TRAINS for East Coast they can’t run because the ‘high electro-magnetic energy’ which surrounds the power cars is disrupting the signalling systems along the route. Now way back in the days when BR, starved of cash developed the Advanced Passenger Train (APT) and which was scrapped by the Tories when they, realised that with proper funding APT could be a world leader. Instead the West Coast service is provided by Italian Pendolinos with developed APT tilting mechanisms. Oh, and they knew all about the ‘high electro-magnetic energy fields’ for they issued a warning about possible dangers to passengers with heart pace-makers.
Ah, nothing new under the sun just a pity the over hyped ‘private enterprise’ couldn’t read the engineering summaries from the APT, might have saved US a few bob, for no doubt we’ll all pay in the end when they go belly-up.
link to opendemocracy.net
Will we hear about this on the BBC?
Will the MSM investigate?
Will Ruth be available for questions?
@ Petra – ‘Ian did say this was part of an ongoing dialogue and agreed to look further into the issues raised. But anyone fluent in managementese would have cause for concern reading the reply. It’s one thing to say you know you have problems, but if you reject the criticisms of those telling you what those problems are it begins to look as if you don’t really believe you have problems and you’re just saying that because it’s a thing people do.
In terms of whether the BBC has the power to see itself as we see it, we’ve given it the tools. Whether it has the ability to, only time will tell. More on that, later.”’
Re fluent managementese… below is a response I posted on Derek Bateman’s site in relation to the BBC. Not a lot of point trying to phrase it differently.
I did point out all the evidence gathering done by the London Calling Team, which I won’t repeat here.
Well done the guys for meeting the BBC and calling them out. Another avenue they cannot now pretend has not been met half way.
You (Derek Batemen) often defend the BBC with the tired old excuse of they didn’t mean it, its a new team, its a bedding in period etc, etc. Well I have over 20 years service in a male dominated workplace and like any female there could write a book about discrimination, so trust me when I say that the first line of defence when challenged on it is the ‘daft laddy’ defence of, oh we didn’t know, we didn’t mean it, its a new team, a bedding in period….
The Beeb could publish the figures for how many people in Scotland have stopped paying the fee in the last 2 or 3 years. It is substantial. Any boss, in any other industry, loosing custom like that would be out on their ear.
It is not accidental, it is not incompetence, it is not inexperience, it is not a bedding in period, it is not cut backs, it is clear and deliberate policy from the weather map up. And given its size and status, it has to be called out on it.
Kind regards to all.
Mev Brown thinks Scotland supports Brexit. His argument being that if it hadn’t been for the pro-Remainers coming out to vote and the pro-Leavers staying at home in 2016 then Leave would have won.
Can’t fault the logic. If Remainers had stayed home in sufficient numbers and Leavers had voted in sufficient numbers to give Leave a majority then Scotland would have voted Leave. Faultless logic indeed! Can’t refute it.
It’s just that’s not reality Mev. Logic and reality are not coterminous you see. Also wish dreams and reality ain’t exactly on speaking terms.
Willie Rennie wittering on again about no second indyref. Perhaps he can answer one question, and then use logic to come to the obvious conclusion.
Since Scotland has twice voted to remain in the EU, what political solution can they take to ensure their vote has been respected.
He will say support a second EU referendum, but he then doesn’t carry it to its natural conclusion if Scotland votes remain for a third time but are still taken out of the EU.
It’s time for Rennie to stop sitting on the fence and support Scotland remaining in the EU no matter what England decides, any other position would reek of British Nationalism.
Watched that hilarious BBC interview with someone claiming that 62-38 remain vote was an aberration and he has it on authority that Scotland is now in line with rest of UK regarding EU membership. Then proceeds to lie about youth unemployment. There you have the BBC balanced interview, one rabid unionist, and one EU supporting unionist discussion Scotland leaving the EU. At least they were in agreement, the SNP are bad.
O/T
4 years on – as the Tories refer to the anniversary of the first referendum as “union day” (Bawk!) people from around Scotland are emailing their parliament to exercise their sovereignty under the claim of right. It’s amazing to watch!
link to forwardasone.scot … | #scotref #indyref2
link to twitter.com
Just back from four days out-of-Scotland, made a nice big mug of tea, sat down to check the e-mails and this place, turned on the radio, and whaddya know, there’s Brian Toodleoothenoo banging on about the Scottish Govt exposing ‘weak flanks’ on education policy etc etc.
It is fuckin relentless and so much more noticeable when you’ve been away from it, even for a short time. They must be bricking it.
Roll on Edinburgh AUOB…
@Daisy walker
Anyone who has worked at the BBC like Mr Bateman should know that Mr Small is no more than a PR face to the BBC, he has no editorial input. He will have a meeting with department heads who will talk to him politely but totally ignore him. They will send him away with a few platitudes to send back to the complainant. Nothing will change.
I suspect if everyone in Scotland stopped paying the TV licence it would make no difference. This is not a commercial organisation, the money to supply the output will still be provided. They may even be happy for you to consume it without paying, after all I’m not convinced it is there to accurately report facts anyway.
Mev Brown blew my mind – is this guy on mescaline?
Different things are the same if you ignore the differences.
The next financial crisis is around the corner (MAYBE)
The UK is in a BETTER position to HANDLE it than EUROPE(!)
EUROPE is a financial house of cards waiting to collapse(!?!?!)
– and I can prove this with some figures on “youth unemployment” I pulled out my arse and which are WRONG even by the govts own sources.
This is not wrong – its WRONGNESS at the fucking ANTIPODE
MEV – you cannot take ALCOHOL with certain PRESECRIPTION DRUGS
BTW I just saw Archie MacPherson up the Main St. Had overwhelming desire to shout “WOOF-T”
But didnt.
Carpe Diem … and all that shit.
This new tactic is reeking of desperation. As shrimp posted earlier the change of tactic is to be noted and is quite a departure for the unionusts.
My best guess is that either their private polling has sent a shockwave, or that they are not confident in the supreme court coming down on their side next month.
We now have a huge growth in “research groups” who all claim “authority” and “professionalism” when they are in effect unionist propaganda or Brexit propaganda.(…or both)
It also appears that you can announce yourself as a “fact checker” with the same ease to package your propaganda.
I wonder why they bother when they have the BBC, Herald, Scotsman, P&J etc doing it for them already? Could it be that it is losing impact and the idiots think a new forum will fool people…the believe that we are too stupid is still a cornerstone of their campaign obviously.
Is Pamela Nash embittered, do you think?
Is there something in her recent employment history (2015) that may shed light on this?
O/T: Sorry it’s a bit quick but needs to be watched now.
link to youtube.com
“Shine a light on claims made by nationalist politicians”
So they’ll be looking into Ruth and Co’s lies then?
What is also misleading is that the Patrick Harvie quote is not even from the same day. Its from early May this year so not even on the same debate! But it is wedged in there to make it sound like he was having a go about what Nicola said on the 4th of Sept!
Here is the post I done on the Yes Eildons page about it:
Nationalism and Nationalist are words usually intended as an insult. When I say BritNat I am insulting them – that is my intention.. When they call us nationalists, they mean it as derogatory. To most of the world, nationalism means extreme patriotism, ethnic elitism, and far right politics. Say you are a nationalist anywhere across Europe and you are saying your politics verge on fascism.
WGD makes this point strongly with Spain. He always describes himself in Spanish as an independentista escocés never ever a nacionalista.
There is an archaic definition … ‘advocacy of political independence for a particular country’ … but very few worldwide recognise that. The word nationalism today comes with far too much baggage to be used in this context.
Scottish nationalists? But, but civic, but. If you can only use a word by accompanying it with a stack of caveats, then you need to find another word!
For most people, nationalism is … ‘an extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries’.
If that’s you, fair enough. However, it certainly isn’t me nor anyone I know in the Scottish independence movement.
@jfngw,
I haven’t paid the TV License since April 2014, gave my TV away as a raffle prize for a local Folk Club.
I agree that if we all stop paying, (like the newspapers falling sales) they will increase their output, since accurate reporting and accountability is not what they are there for.
When you look at BBC finances – even what they earn in a year from offshore sales (which included advertising) is in the thousands of million pound figures, much of it likely to be tax free.
But on the other hand… money is money. About 2.4 million households are deemed to be in need of a BBC License in Scotland 2.4 x £145 = 348 million. Which currently goes down to London and pays some very lucrative wages down there, even if it first has to pass through Westminster before being allocated.
1% of that is £3.48 Million which can be spent in Scotland, for things like Wings.
Every person who can be persuaded to stop paying the BBC Tax, will have £145 to invest or spend in Scotland.
And that is probably much more of an issue for Westminster and the Beeb than decreasing viewing figures.
Best wishes.
Re. the BBC in Scotland. Should they also be considered as a threat to democratic pluralism and human rights in Scotland? They are directed by a Charter which opposes democratic pluralism and requires the promotion of British nationalism. Subsequently, their business practice is shaped by a culture of exclusion and their relentless anti-hope dogma endangers Scotland’s public health, for starters, so yes, I think so.
link to cambridge.org
The royal road to sociological truth? Is there a need for critical realism?
link to criticalrealismnetwork.org
Critical Realism in the Social Sciences, Agency and the Discursive Self
link to cairn.info
The corrupt British state in all it’s many forms(britnat politicians, newspapers, broadcasters,civil servants,and ‘security’ services) are now heavily using the old black art of deflection.
Everyone,not least themselves know the British state is a filthy,lying, warmongering,and even paedophile enabling, blight on mankind.
Mandated by our british nationalist elecorate I must point out.
This latest bogus ‘fact check’ aping of Wing over Scotland is just another attempt at deflection away from the cesspit of lies in which they prosper.
A few weeks ago we had the pathetic attempted deflection of their genocidal warmongering nature onto the Scottish Government with the absurd Raytheon diversification grant attacks.
Then we had the manufactured ‘sex scandal’ with the orchestrated Alex Salmond peccacdillo allegations.
They deflect all their repugnant characteristics on to those who expose them,and like the conmen they are, fraudulently assume the form of those who do seek,and tell the truth.
The british have gone to war with us.A cold war at least.
Capella @ 2.20.
Very much agree with you.
I have turned a few heads and observed a few slack jaws when I have punched up the SNP achievements record.
Rev beats Mev every time.
@Daisy Walker Great posts.
SIU: Shitting In Unison
OT – Rant – pretty directionless really.
So now you’ve got SIC “starting the campaign” on St Andrews Day which, frankly, belongs to all of Scotland not just the YES voters, same as Rabbie Burns though he clearly would have been a YES voter on the quiet and in spare time from being an exciseman. Well, seems to me Elaine C Smith said the same thing last year, the year before and maybe even the year before that. “We’ve got to start campaigning!” Many of us never stopped, apart from about 5 self-indulgent minutes sobbing our hearts out.
You’ve got McAlpine in SIC wanting to present the same far left “vision” as last time for Indy Scotland which all of YES MUST GET BEHIND which got 45% not 51% of Scotland last time. Who also doesn’t want Indy Ref until about 2023 as he said at a Glasgow Green thing 3 or 4 years back totally sickening a great Winger at the time who wanted to get his life back. But you still see him on various twitter thingies (Tam). He’s missed, at least by me.
Then there’s BC doing down Wings, in fact loads of others doing down Wings, the only reason being sheer and utter jealousy because Wings can get £150,000 whereas they – can’t.
Then there’s Wings where some posters want to totally control what other posters post, not just here but elsewhere. HELLO, do you not understand what INDEPENDENCE means, in personal terms not “just” in terms of Country?
Then there’s The National which apparently covered Spurs v Arsenal or Millwall v Chelsea or whatever it was over about 10 pages and didn’t cover Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen or even Auchinleck Talbot.
Sich a Parcel of Brogues in a Nayshun.
I’d make this longer to piss off the long-winded complainers but off the top of my head can’t think of anything else to say. Boo.
Just thought I’d add since France is the First quoted with Zero emission targets….
Nicolas Hulot Frances (former) Environment Minister and a famous ecologist in France resigned last week on Air due to the French Governments lies about targets and inability to meet said targets.
Not something we should be emulating.
Each time I need medical care, I find myself treated very well by the Scottish NHS, with care and respect and in a friendly and professional manner.
There is clearly something disturbingly wrong with people like the secretive Donalda MacKinnon, boss of the discredited BBC Scotland, whose organisation never has a good word to say about Scotland’s first class health service, in spite of it being the best in Britain.
Donalda MacKinnon should resign, and, like Ruth Davidson MSP, perhaps pursue another path in life for the sake of her already worrying mental health.
After all, there must be something seriously wrong with someone who trashes Scotland for a living.
@Daisy Walker
There is a snag of course with the licence fee, anyone with Sky subscription or a cable service cannot avoid it, they are registered in those companies databases and I suspect most have them have it for the sports coverage. Can’t see them being dissuaded from paying the fee.
I off course am a hypocrite in this sense as I still have a licence. It’s not my love of the BBC news, although some of their other output is still ok. But my family would probably lynch me for not having TV access. Nothing in life is straightforward and choices are not always totally within your own control.
As someone once said: “The BBC relies on it’s viewing statistics, not on the intelligence of it’s viewers”
Cactus 12.56pm
“Take Your Pick” says Des O’Connor.
Was it not Micheal Miles who presented Take Your Pick Cactus?
Oh the memories,,,lol.
What’s Scotland got, it’s got the lot.
I was by a by-way in D&G most of Sunday p.m. for various reasons, well, one anyway, and in all that time there were two pairs of cyclists and one car. The one car had a YES badge on it. YAY! 100% success for YES D&G, well done!
Sticker not badge. Mmm, an old-fashioned enamelled RAC type radiator grille car badge for YES, now that’s an idea.
@jfngw 6:10pm
If I may interject, jfngw, go to youtube and see the many ways you can still watch tv without paying the bbc tax.
What is Treeza up to?
Westminster has told her they will not accept her Brecit Plan and the EU have told her that they will not accept her Brexit Plan.
Petra @2.44
The charm offensive continues: –
I heard on the radio this morning that Ms. Davidson is to be interviewed on Woman’s Hour on BBC R4 on Monday morning.
Nana
looked at the Forward as One petition. Bit confusing.
At the top it says ‘the call for a Section 30 should happen within 60 days’ of september 15th – and at the bottom the wording says ‘the call for a section 30 should happen before October 15th’ which is only 30 days after September 15th.
Harry mcaye @4.13pm re English football coverage in the Sunday National & absence of attention to Scottish matches.
The sad fact is that the sports coverage (and the magazine) are the very same as get dished out with The Herald on Sunday.
I think this is a rotten way to treat independence supporters, who think they are buying an entirely “National” paper but who are in fact cross-subsidising a Unionist one (and I have no interest in sports coverage).
It verges on the dishonest and, as you point out, adopts an unsatisfactory Britnat view of the superiority of English football.
Something to take up with the editor, I suggest. If the sport has to be shared with the Herald, are they too scared to offer Herald readers decent coverage of actual Scottish football?
A Clockwork Orange
Unlike a mechanical watch,it is possible for the MSM to over wind their SNP bad stories and while it may not be possible overwind a mechanical watch, we must remind the MSM ‘to think carefully about their futures’ as like the mechanical watch it is possible to strip-out the ‘screw down crown’,rendering it useless.
#BleakyWinders
Note the Labour Party in Scotland collaborating with the Tories again tomorrow in the Scottish Parliament (and the Greens who lose no opportunity to make themselves relevant by joining the anti Scottish bandwagon.
Oddly both BBC and STV coverage effectively demonstrated this evening that tomorrow’s vote on P1 assessments is grubby political point scoring.
Ten points to John Swinney.
Huge demonstration against these assessments outside Parliament this afternoon. Three ladies. Three posh ladies.
@Dan Hull
Youtube is not a viable alternative to broadcast TV, the technical quality of much of it is terrible, looks awful on a HD TV. I have Netflix and occasionally Amazon Prime (Outlander) but they also not the same. I have spent too much time scrolling through their pretty awful user interfaces and failing to find anything I want to watch.
@Dave McEwan Hill
They still seem to have missed P1 testing was in the Tory manifesto, well they did on the BBC, don’t know about STV. The BBC is certainly keeping this Tory u-turn secret. It is either deliberate or they are truly incompetent, let’s guess.
@ Harry at 4:14pm ….. “Sunday National.”
Harry I don’t have a solitary clue about football, so can’t really opine on what you say / found at all. I, in fact, give these pages a miss. If I were you I’d contact the National and tell them how you feel. Give them a chance to rectify the situation.
What I would say is that the National / Sunday National are the only newspapers that support Independence right across the UK. The only newspapers that afford key Independence supporters a voice. You come across information, other than football, that you don’t find on here or in any other newspaper. Information that you can use effectively to change other people’s minds … from No to Yes and that’s what we want to see happen, is it not?
The Yes movement has two primary mediums to disseminate information, newspapers and online sites. The online sites are under threat, so if we all decide that we don’t like an aspect of our Independence newspapers and put them back on the shelf they’ll be lost to us too, Harry. That of course is what Unionists would like to see happen.
As I’ve said already the staff at the National are open to ideas and suggestions, Harry. Why not contact them? Just think, someone like you, with your knowledge of football, could make a massive difference if you did so …. push up their sales.
@jfngw 7:17pm
Apologies, jfngw, I should have made it clearer. What I meant was there are many youtube vids about not paying the bbc tax whilst still watching “normal” tv. Breaking the law? Maybe. Whose law? Westminster’s. And When Westminster’s laws are bad they deserve to be broken.
Emeritus Prof John Robertson’s comment is well worth reading here…
link to thoughtcontrolscotland.com
Surely they didn’t sing that song – never read that anywhere!!!
@galamcennalath says: 18 September, 2018 at 5:27 pm:
” … Nationalism and Nationalist are words usually intended as an insult.”
Aye! galamcennalath, but so also are the terms bullshit & balderdash. However, in both cases the context they are used in is key to their meaning and usage.
Now you and Wee Ginger Dug’s helper want us to start behaving like the Westminster Establishment and corrupting perfectly good terms to suit their particular, and often illegal erroneous usage for their corrupt propaganda.
Well no thanks. I have been a committed nationalist for as long as i could reason and I will continue to be so, and proud to be so, until a shuffle off this mortal coil.
Have a thought to what you are advocating.
I’ll quote here just a few of the perfectly good terms in the English language that English Westminster unionists have corrupted to mean something other than their true meaning:-
British Patriot – used by Westminster to describe a British/English nationalist of the most evil, virtually Fascist, kind but that is not what the dictionary describes it as.
The UK Government used with the initials, “UK”, so as to wrongly describe what Westminster isn’t.
Westminster is a government that is the de facto parliament of the country of England that is the superior of three dominions, (dominated countries), of England and Westminster is thus devolving the powers of that country of England to the three dominions of England.
However the term, “United Kingdom”, actually legally describes a bipartite union of the Kingdom of Scotland and the, three country, Kingdom of England.
I could go on with terms like, “The Country”, wrongly used to describe the United Kingdom, and many other such corruptions.
You cannot fix this evil corruption of the English language in order to steal the birth-right of many generations of Scots, Welsh and Irish nationals by going along with their corruption.
On Scottish independence day the entire World, excepting Westminster, will realise that without deliberately spilling a single drop of English, and hopefully, Scottish Blood the Nationalists of Scotland have won back what was theirs all along – the Nation of Scotland.
Sorry Wee Ginger Dug, (and your handler), I do not often disagree with you but I must on this matter.
Scotland has given much more to this old World than most other nations but perhaps giving back to the World the truth of the term, “Nationalism”, will prove to be one of Scotland’s greatest gifts of all.
Just to be quite clear about all this – the term, “Patriot”, is a direct synonym for the term “Nationalist”.
The Dictionary defines Patriot thus:-
Furthermore, the term, “fascist”, is not a synonym of either nationalist or patriot.
Here y’are, one of the best of Ian Bell, to make us all think. Comments and all.
link to archive.is
About The National football coverage, I too am not interested but many are, and many in Scotland do follow English league teams. But what are they going to do after Independence – still follow Arsenal?
The National made Scotland the Brand a still active campaign, why not try Scottish Football, bigger spread, smaller spread for other teams?
@Dan Hull
.
OK, we were at cross purposes, happens often online when the nuance of what someone is saying is missed.
It’s not the BBC or law that I have an issue with. It’s the fact that if I consume material I really think the person that made it should receive some income if I view it.
‘Nationalism’ … I’m with Nicola in all things … “the word is hugely, hugely problematic”.
“If I could turn the clock back 90 years to the establishment of my party and choose its name all over again, I wouldn’t choose the name it’s got just now, I would call it something other than that,”
link to youtube.com
@ Admiral at 4:27pm ….. “Tory Dark Money.”
All of these investigations must be cracking the Tories up. Billions swirling around Worldwide and they’re being thwarted on getting their claws on it now. Future plans having to be altered?
What I’m really waiting on is the dark money link to Davidson being proven in turn to be linked to ousting Alex Salmond, Angus Robertson, et al, out of their seats. Will it happen? Doubtful, but who knows someone, whistleblower, may get scunnered by the total wee conwummin Davidson and stab her in the back.
…………………
@ Daisy at 4:28pm ….. “BBC.”
That’s it Daisy, someone had the gumption to take up Ian Small’s offer and the ball’s now in their, BBC, court. What they do with it now is entirely up to them. They deny that they are biased and if that is the case then they are then surely totally incompetent when other online sites are “broadcasting” information that they seem (every day) to have missed (aye right), such as open democracy (4:27pm).
Excellent letter to Derek Bateman, Daisy. How long do they get to clean up their act? It’s five years alone in relation to the SNP / Independence situation and God knows how long before that in relation to National / International news in general ….. and the propaganda just goes on and on and on. Beggars belief that Mr Bateman can’t see it (or can he?).
…………………
All parties and no parties. Every walk of life. Every point of origin.
If you believe in self determination? If you believe that a country (and Scotland IS a country), should be entitled to the government and system of government that its population chooses?
Then you are a YES voter.
Being a Scot isn’t simply an accident of birth. It’s a state of mind and a way of living.
Vote YES on the day and you’re in good company. And for all those many different demographics and ideologies? Might be we should ALL be grateful that other folk feel the same way we do about one important thing.
All parties and no parties.
Worth a thought.
Re Section 30’s
Just because Westminster claims to be sovereign, doesn’t make it so.
Don’t need a S30. Its just a device to keep Westminster happy, a face saver perhaps, but not necessary.
You don’t ask permission to be Independent, you just do it.
Really power cannot be given, it must be taken.
Interesting take from YouGov about those happy to see a housing price crash due to Brexit. I assume they think it will make houses more affordable.
The bad news is it will make housing even worse I suspect, those currently with a mortgage will never be able to sell without ending up with a large debt and builders are unlikely to construct new houses at 65% of the cost they are currently. Of course the repossessions may come on the market cheaper, but their gain just results in someone else being homeless.
There are no positives from Brexit, even for the things that on the surface may look attractive.
Here’s a reply to that Ian Bell article, or rather a reply to a posting that quoted the google definition of “Nationalist” (the first part of the quote):
““1. patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts” – grand stuff, “3. advocacy of political independence for a particular country” also grand stuff, and “2. an extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries” ”
In the immortal words of Meatloaf “two out of three ain’t bad” unfortunately the British nationalists (did you see what I did there 😛 ) focus on the bad part, which is why I also don’t use the N word to describe my views.
This also goes some way to explaining why the MSM routinely describe the SNP as “The Nationalists” or “The Nassshinaalists” while hissing through clenched teeth.”
The Establishment have indeed taken control over the word “Nationalist” to turn it into a bad word, and we have the choice either to fight over a word, or fight for Independence. Or try to do both at the same time. I think it’s a personal choice, and maybe all three options are needed by different people, at different times. Personally I still avoid the word, it’s the easy option.
Sarah Smith’s report on BBC News at 6 was a classic of its genre. All the powers coming to Holyrood after Brexit. No appetite for second indyref. You get the picture.
I wonder if SiU will Fact Check it.
jfngw at 7.28
The mentioned that on STV and had an unfortunate Tory on to beg that she had changed her mind!
@ Robert at 5:06pm … “Wullie Rennie video.”
What a hypocritical wee plonker. Rabbie Burns wrote a poem for the likes of him: To a Louse. In his case a bl**dy NIT.
It’s clear he sees Brexit as a catastrophic threat to his constituents / Scotland / the UK. What I’d like to know is when EUref2 doesn’t materialise is he going to stand back and watch Scotland going down the stank or support Independence?
………………
@ Cameron at 5:35pm ……. .”… BBC: Relentless anti- hope dogma endangers Scotland’s public health…”
Cameron I want to thank you for your input on here. Your posts are superb. Boris is another who seems to get little feedback but knocks his pan in for our cause. Don’t think because you don’t often get a mention that no one reads your posts. The same applies to many others on here. I read every post (internalise), find some extremely interesting, funny etc, but don’t have the time to reply.
In this instance I reckon research should be carried out to establish if broadcasters such as the BBC / STV are causing (or contributing to) anxiety and depression in Scotland. I watch their news day about. Tonight STV managed to depress everyone in my household by covering Scottish education, the NHS, Police Scotland and the rest. Last night we were depressed by the BBC. Why do we watch? Because we want to know / keep a record of what they’re getting up to. We also remind ourselves that we won’t have to put up with this for much longer.
I don’t think it’s Nationalism, with either a capital N or small n, that drives Yessers and the Yes movement. I am Scottish by birth and choice. I love Scotland, it’s a stunningly beautiful place, particularly the west with it’s islands, lochs and mountains. I love the fact I’ve freedom to roam and exercise my freedom to roam my country as often as I can. I love being a SOVEREIGN Scot and grateful of the sacrifices others made to make me so.
Yet, I don’t feel as though I’m a nationalist. I want my country to be self governing because we deserve to get the government we vote for EVERY time, not our neighbours forced upon us.
I’m a democrat seeking DEMOCRACY. Nationalism doesn’t really come into it. Scotland is a country and every country should govern themselves. THIS IS NORMAL. Maybe I’m a NORMALIST!
Juan says:
18 September, 2018 at 9:27 pm
…..I’m a democrat seeking DEMOCRACY. Nationalism doesn’t really come into it. Scotland is a country and every country should govern themselves. THIS IS NORMAL. Maybe I’m a NORMALIST!
I myself find the word “Independentist” to be a very comfortable fit…
link to newscatalonia.com
Juan says “Maybe I’m a NORMALIST!”
Nice one Juan, I will be borrowing that from now on.
The term ‘nationalist’ has become too convenient for Britnats.
All the britnat propaganda with the images of Jo Swinson and baby in westminster,and now the sickly fawning photos of the gross impregnated Davidson remind of the Royal family britnat propaganda.
When a leading SNP politician gives birth can you imagine the same treatment.
‘Runt/C..t given birth to by future Prime Minister of Scotland,’
We are the untermenschen of their Britin.
Re. the deep social suspicion of “nationalism”. Another legacy of Victorian thinking that is embedded in the practice of being British, along with our shared propensity towards phenomenal conservatism, as I understand things anyway.
link to pdfs.semanticscholar.org
RECENT THEORIES OF NATIONALISM
link to icps.cat
Phenomenal Conservatism Über Alles
link to oxfordscholarship.com
It`s the Scottish National Party,
not the fricken Scottish Nationalist Party,
it`s the party for the whole Scottish nation,
jeezo stop letting the British Nationalists and the cringing culturati of Scotland redefine every aspect of our country to suit their hatred of all things Scottish,
if they don`t like us as we are they can f@ck of elsewhere and spout their pish.
@ Meg at 6:27pm …. “Davidson charm offensive.”
Offensive without the charm, I would say Meg. We’ve got all of this … “she’s so brave in revealing her past.” Well I don’t know about that. She’s over egging it now (never off the TV) looking for the sympathy / goody two shoes vote which will dissipate soon enough. Then again maybe she’s on a high right now – low to follow? Sad to say too, that people who have suffered from clinical depression often experience relapse or go on to show signs of bi-polar condition, such as following having a baby or in a time of crisis (loss, grief etc) which most of us experience at some time or another. She’s now foolishly, imo, left herself open to scrutiny for the rest of her life, which I’m sure she’ll come to regret.
……………
STV news mentioned the Tory Test 1 U-turn. Tory, Liz Smith nervously chuntered on about keeping “tests” for some primary groups but that they had changed their minds about P1. Two parents, English sounding women, talked about removing their children if this was passed. I felt like telling them to move back to England if they’re not satisfied, then I reckoned they may be Tory supporters and / or the hellish English educational record (and NHS) had encouraged them to move here in the first place. That and being asked to contribute financially for pens, paper and toilet rolls etc, etc. A Head of School then said that these assessments are not new. They’ve been carrying them out for years now. It won’t matter what the SNP try to do. Everything from here to Independence Day will be torn to shreds, no matter who suffers, including our children. Shame on the lot of them.
@Petra says:
@ Daisy at 4:28pm ….. “BBC.”
‘That’s it Daisy, someone had the gumption to take up Ian Small’s offer and the ball’s now in their, BBC, court. What they do with it now is entirely up to them. They deny that they are biased and if that is the case then they are then surely totally incompetent when other online sites are “broadcasting” information that they seem (every day) to have missed (aye right), such as open democracy (4:27pm).
Excellent letter to Derek Bateman, Daisy. How long do they get to clean up their act? It’s five years alone in relation to the SNP / Independence situation and God knows how long before that in relation to National / International news in general ….. and the propaganda just goes on and on and on. Beggars belief that Mr Bateman can’t see it (or can he?).’
I thing the boys did good. And I’m pleased to see from their response so far, they are in no way naive. Now its a box ticked and the BBC can’t say they made the offer and they Yes movement were too huffy to take them up on it.
With regards Mr Bateman. It wasn’t a letter, just a reply to one of his blogs. I really appreciate his writing on the whole. With regards his view of the BBC, the nicest thing I could assume is that he has a blind spot there. The aulder, mair cynic in me thinks he’s putting out his stall for top job if there is ever some form of revamp.
Hey ho, if he ever got it, for what its worth I think he’d be very good.
Anyway, just about off to bed.
Can I just make folk aware. We are about to come into Poppie Season again. I know, I know, and this year is the 100th year since the armistice.
I am sick of Poppies, been buying them for over 40 years. Why the hell can’t we look after our soldiers in this day and age. So I long for the day when they are no more.
But I will not have the British Nationalist Establishment steal that emblem, romanticise the whole greedy murdering machine of it, and write the Scottish troops out of the whole thing.
26% was the death rate for soldiers in the Scottish Regiments in WW1
13% for soldiers in regiments rUK.
2:1
This year I wear 2 Poppies and if anyone asks, I say, out of respect for the fallen.
And if anyone reading this sees someone wearing 2 Poppies – they will know,
at the dimming of the sun
and with our Votes – We Remember Them
Apologies in advance, but I will probably post the 2 Poppies again and again, nearer the time.
Best wishes to all. Hope all your Thrawn levels have been given a stir.
Strange what you find when doing a search, found an article in the Shropshire Star that was more balanced and reported the P1 exchange at FMQ’s more fairly and balanced that any of the BBC Scotland coverage. What does that tell me?
Petra- Oh believe me, I have contacted them. I sent another e-mail today, not that it will do any good, they rarely reply. Callum Baird, their editor, did reply about my complaint about the frankly indefensible ignoring of one Scottish Cup semi final. Believe it or not, Callum is a Motherwell fan but was on holiday and didn’t know what they’d done in his absence!
I thought perhaps you didn’t follow football and I know independence is a MILLION times more important but for a Scottish independence supporting paper to give over a page to English football (the pic extended onto the facing page) and blank the majority of Scottish games is incredible and pathetic.
The National have upped their game in the last few months with sport. I enjoy the coverage the Women’s game gets and of course they have to fit in rugby, tennis etc. It’s their haphazard decisions on what to include with regards to football (and remember more Scots watch football per head of population than anywhere else in Europe) that winds me up. St Johnstone-Aberdeen was the game to completely miss out on Monday. Aberdeen again, Rev! Meanwhile every movement at Ibrox is dissected. At least they have finally introduced a horse racing section. Got zero interest myself but it should attract some of the older male crowd.
Oh well I see an earlier post mentioning RP, Cameron Brody, Boris and so on hasn’t appeared. Time to call it a day. Off to get on with some work now. Grr!
Liz Smith has changed her tune ‘cos she was caught lying and now trying to cover her tracks.
Oops sorry Cameron should read “Brodie.”
Petra
I’ll no doubt have done worse in the past. 😉
@ Breeks
Independentist sounds a bit like a self employed oral hygienist. But I know where you’re coming from. It feels rather clunky in English. I like the Catalan “independentista” and have used that in the past.
Now I kinda just stick to the Democrat, Democracy seeker, NORMALIST thingy.
NORMALIST is always better in Capitals. Some things just need shouting from the rooftops.
@ Shinty, no worries. You’re more than welcome. It’s what Wings is for.
What are the odds…
The Trunchbull has a girl: Elizabeth
” ” ” ” boy: Charles
Place your bets…
@jfngw – if you have a smart phone you can look up videos in youtube then cast them to your tv. There’s an icon like a tv screen with wireless waves beaming from the top. Tap that and your tv will start playing the video.
Lot easier than the user interface on the tv.
I just watched the Leonard Cohen memorial concert from Montreal 2017. Brilliant.
I’m back on for a sec. Take a look at Wee Ginger Dogs article (great poem) and another in the comments section. Wha’s like us? What talent!
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
………………………….
Harry I hope they see your post on here and get it sortit, ASAP.
@ Breeks. Meant to have added, cheers for the link. Nothing in there I wouldn’t agree with. So thanks for that. Will definitely use that at some point.
link to newscatalonia.com
@galamcennalath says: 18 September, 2018 at 8:32 pm:
” … ‘Nationalism’ … I’m with Nicola in all things … “the word is hugely, hugely problematic”.”
Nicola said nothing of the sort. In the first place the SNP is not, “The Scottish Nationalist Party”, it is the Scottish National Party. Therefore, it is a totally different meaning.
It is the party of the nation of Scotland – not the party of nationalists of Scotland.
Get a grip. Take the would be insult that the unionists attempted to use against the Yes movement, “Cybernat”. They aimed to use the term to denigrate the movement.
The Yes movement really has no leader for it arose spontaneously right across the entire kingdom but the movement grabbed the would be insult with both hands and proclaimed to the World, “I’m proud to be a vile Cybernat”, and the English nationalists were laughed at right across the World.
It is a well tried and tested tactic to overturn such attempts at insults. Just by chance I posted one such long forgotten episode in British history that used that tactic here on Wings just the other day.
It involved, of all people The Conservative Party and how they came to be known as Tories.
In fact the term, “Whig”, that became the Liberals also began as a derogatory term.
So stop attempting to fall in line with the Westminster propaganda merchants or folks will begin to suspect you of being one of Westminster propaganda merchants.
Well … just putting it out there.
Firstly… Words don’t actually have meaning, they have use!
So Secondly…. Why don’t we just own the word Nationalist?
In the way that African Americans own the (mindful of the Revs filter) “N word “..
Intended as an insult and used in a derogatory way protected by a Constution, now only the targets of that vileness can say it without paying a price..
Since we Scots are supposed to be getting insulted and degraded by the British Nationals use of the word!!
Why not do what the African Americans did and change the use to what WE mean by it?
Snowflake is a relatively new use of a word and I’m no exactly suggesting Nazi be changed( which also changed from an acronym to a noun) here because as we all can see that word is still being used as is was during Hitlers murderous regime.
But Nationalist has the potential to be redefined, break the interchangeable connection between those words.
Most Americans don’t have a problem with the “this great nation “phrase never was it ever connected with Nazis, Westminster cannot really do that phrase to the same extent, not because of Hitler, but because they don’t speak for a Nation!!!
They do dabble with it, but cautiously…
We could use that?
Time might be against us though, but still, worth a thought???
And in the thinking of it… even if we don’t decide or manage to change the use of Nationalist mibbi we could do a thing about the use of British… well short term, campaign wise..
Cause Indy will redefine that anyway
Jist sayin..
If case you haven’t see the warnings, take care with the wind tomorrow, most of Scotland will be battered for much of the day with potential for gusts over 70 mph right across central Scotland.
Travel disruption and power cuts are likely too.
Petra @ 11.11
Aye well seen,, you could only stay back on for a “sec” Madam.
Jist exactly whit dae ye mean… Wee Ginger DOG…. DOG ye Say DOG.
I only hope you will realise you’re grave mistake and, return forthwith to rectify it..
And apologise to us the hugely offended for your transgression.
We will not tell Ginger, of this, we do not wish to hurt him!!
Not only is British nationalism opposed to democratic pluralism, it also stands in opposition to the achievement of a sustainable society, as pluralism of thought and practice are integral components of a sustainable approach to living.
@BBC
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
Cultural Relativism
link to courses.lumenlearning.com
Exploring Sociocultural Perspectives on Race, Culture, and Learning
link to spf-spe-dci-urbaned.wikispaces.asu.edu
Explaining sociotechnical transitions: A critical realist perspective
link to sciencedirect.com
@Juan
Normalist is cool. Being independent is the normal State, I’m a Normalist.
Aye she did, at some Edinbirgh book thing, reported all over the place:
“The word [nationalism] is difficult. If I could turn the clock back, what, 90 years, to the establishment of my party, and chose its name all over again, I wouldn’t choose the name it has got just now.”
link to scotsman.com
@Juan says: 18 September, 2018 at 9:27 pm:
” … Yet, I don’t feel as though I’m a nationalist. I want my country to be self governing because we deserve to get the government we vote for EVERY time, not our neighbours forced upon us.
Well then, Juan. You have just described yourself as a nationalist because that is the correct meaning of the word. It is the British/English Nationalists who are the ones in the wrong. They constantly bastardise the English Language to mean something it doesn’t actually mean.
Let me quote you a very similar misuse the same people use to demonise another group of innocent people. They have demonised the term Islam to mean terrorist. Islam is a religion of peace.
So just as nationalism, love and respect for your own country, is a good thing but extreme nationalism, (a.k.a), fascism is a very bad thing, So Islam is a good thing but extreme Islamic action is terrorism.
Here’s a wee fact for you to mull over. If you visit the United States of America, (who incidentally have The United States of Mexico as their next door neighbours), you will be amazed and surprised at the numbers of private dwellings with flagpoles on display with the USA proudly flying in full view. There will hardly be any business premises NOT flying the Stars & Stripes. Yet the USA, just today, imposed further Trading Sanctions upon China.
The so called Land of the Free is the World’s worst nation for imposing trade sanctions against other nations free trading. Of course in their eyes that’s all right because it is their trade restrictions on others.
Now how about the latest round of Butcher’s Aprons on goods produced in Scotland being sold to Scots in Scotland.
But, Hey! that’s not, according to them, nationalism it’s British Patriotism and it’s their patriotism – so that’s all right then.
So what I’m saying is that both patriotism and nationalism, (the terms mean exactly the same thing), are good things the extreme versions of both are really bad things and really should be described as fascism.
Look at it this way – I do not know a single Scottish Nationalist that wants Scotland to run anyone else’s country. They just want Scotland to run Scotland – That’s nationalism.
But almost every Englander I have ever met thinks it is perfectly normal for England to run Scotland, Wales and N.I. and when I was a boy they thought it the done thing to run the majority of countries throughout the World and not just the Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
India and Pakistan only gained independence in 1947 after WWII. Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. Ireland in 1937.
So just which kingdom in the United Kingdom is the bad nationalist and which the good Nationalist kingdom?
Yet the Kingdom of Scotland partner in the United Kingdom is, according to Westminster, is the very bad nationalists and the Kingdom of England are the very good patriots.
Aye!
Richt!
Yet we seem to have some among us who seem to agree with Westminster – and not just about nationalism either. Strange that – or is it?
Since Winnie Ewing won the Hamilton bye election in November 1967 I have supported Scottish Independence.
It was reported in the papers the following day that the SNP believed that as Scotland is a nation it should be independent.
I have not wavered since then so I suppose I am a normalist.
Cameron B Brodie @ 11.58
Nice one Cameron,and right on time…
Especially interesting is the findings on how Schooling/Education is structured to maintain social class..
Dont get me started on the many examples I could testify to on this…. and they say testing is the live issue.
Naw … Picking school’s to only educate most kid’s just to keep the machines running is the bloody issue…
One final wee thought – why do you imagine the Britnats or English Nationalists always misuse the term and call the SNP the Scottish Nationalist Party?
Why would they make a distinction between two terms that mean exactly the same thing? Nationalism and patriotism are quoted in the Oxford Dictionary as being synonyms of each other yet these numpties attempt to claim that they are patriotic and good while the Scots are nationalistic and bad.
There is a whole long lexicon of words these idiots have attempted to change the meanings of to suit their British/English/United Kingdom propaganda agenda.
Liz g
They always said I could do better, so I’m trying, or so I’ve been told. 😉
It is just possible that the 27 Leaders of the EU Countries have lost patience with Westminster and want the Agreement over and done with.
Which brings us back to the question – from whom precisely is Mrs May taking her instructions?
I’d be interested in viewing a British flag, there’s a Union flag, a Scottish flag, an English flag, Irish, Welsh, all fine flags but where’s the flag of this country they speak of, Britain Hmm?
The bending and twisting of history and geography or a great British cock-tail including the bull-shit:
Where is this mythical *country* of Britain or should we say when was it, who said it was and how can there be four nations in it if it’s one nation and how did the English convince folk who lived in the constituent countries of these islands to call themselves something they’d invented
I’m a Scotsman, if you don’t support your country’s right to be self governing then you’re British and you’ve accepted the invented nationalism England has invented for you
You can be English Irish or Welsh or any nationality and support the same things but if you don’t, well then you’re the nationality that doesn’t exist British
Britnats like to say they’re Scottish and British but that’s a smokescreen of pretence
Take a Unionist Northern Irishman who claims to be British when he’s in Northern Ireland but when he’s abroad he becomes an Irishman, very convenient isn’t it, and why does he do that
well because he’d rather be ruled by England than the idea of a Catholic ruler, which proves he doesn’t really have any loyalty to the British he just hates Catholics more, and who told him to be like that
People around the world don’t actually know anything about Britishness except they’re a quaint people with a Queen and do Shakespeare, well that’s pretty much English really
Do any Scots really feel that applies to them, are we just the shortbread tin dancer Brig o Doon tourist attraction with even funnier accents than England which most people around the world including the English don’t even realise that English is our second language and that some of our *funny accents* are in fact some of our own languages mixed in
Scotland is a nation of linguists, we speak many foreign languages and dialects and understand many other accents very well and can always make ourselves understood everwhere we go because we as a nation have always travelled plus we have no broadcasting of our own so are used to hearing speech from all over so by osmosis we learn
The Flemish people had a long battle to have their language recognised although I don’t recall if the Belgians actually killed the Flemish for speaking it unlike here in Scotland where the English did just that very thing and a great deal more
Now if that’s not the eradication of culture and ethnic cleansing I don’t know what is, but as we know the British were famous for that
To sum up I suppose Identity isn’t terribly important to some people but those people are likely to already have an identity and haven’t had it forcibly removed so maybe don’t fully understand those of us who would like to have our identity back thanks very much
A Scotsman who in the eyes of the world has no country
Always note those who use the term ‘nationalist’ in the denigrating way we are subject to never have an answer to the question about all the other countries who are deeply patriotic, which is just about every country on the planet?
One example would be that none of those who indulge in this childish and immature ‘name calling’ would ever consider calling those from the USA ‘nationalists’ in that denigrating manner? The USA is the biggest flag waving patriotic to its core western democracy on the planet…they literally have a prayer they say to their flag? They ask God to bless America after every speech by its president? If that’s not ‘nationalism’ I don’t know what is.
There was a guy on here recently who literally capitalised the ‘national’ part of the SNP as if he was making some serious point about this word meaning something ‘bad’, it’s fucking laughable how thick these people are…after that one comment, you know pretty much every thing else they say is utter crap. How can anyone take anyone making those sorts of infantile statements seriously?
Ye cannae.
Imv Nicola feels as she does, because it is used as a ‘battering ram’, all because the word National is in the party title. And so it proves.
Oh well, while I’m drinking my cuppa wondering if I secured the bins from wandering around in the light breeze, I did some googling:
“The College of Arms is the official heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the Commonwealth including Australia and New Zealand.
As well as being responsible for the granting of new coats of arms, the College maintains registers of arms, pedigrees, genealogies, Royal Licences, changes of name, and flags.”
And there’s a page for the Union Flag which curiously does NOT come under “England, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the Commonwealth including Australia and New Zealand” unless we became Independent without realising it and are part of the Commonwealth. Hmmm. Very remiss of them.
link to college-of-arms.gov.uk
But hey, guess what? Nothing for the British Flag. Oh dear, someone forget to tell the College of Arms, they will be most heraldically displeased, in fact they’ll probably get their balls gules in a right fankle.
I like this question though from the FAQ:
“Q. How should the Union Flag be flown?”
Any suggestions?
Cameron B Brodie @ 12.44
Oh no Cameron, you’re doing just fine.
The “they” are a bit self affirming… we need a “you” that can pick out the relevant stuff.
We are no talking in the abstract here, we’ve a Country tae build
Keep on Keeping on my friend…
Robert Peffers says:
19 September, 2018 at 12:13 am
@Juan says: 18 September, 2018 at 9:27 pm:
”Well then, Juan. You have just described yourself as a nationalist because that is the correct meaning of the word. It is the British/English Nationalists who are the ones in the wrong. They constantly bastardise the English Language to mean something it doesn’t actually mean.”
I’m a Weegie. I proudly basterdise the English language on a daily basis. According to you that makes me an English Nationalist! I’m tempted to use the Weegie F U, but we have another wee phrase for people like you. “You kin talk the heid aff a stamp”. If that works for you, to bore people into submission, mer power tae ye. Me, I’d rather swipe the legs from under them. I prefer to turn their words against them and make them think. I don’t want to waste time arguing the point of the true meaning of the word “Nationalism”. I’d prefer to to get them to examine THEIR Nationalism. I’ve yet to hear anyone argue that wanting their own country to govern themselves is a terrible thing, or Democracy is baaaad!
I don’t just want independence for the sake of it. I want to live in my country, where the people of Scotland choose our own government and not have another country choose their government to rule over me and mine. THATS NOT NORMAL. Scotland is not, never has been and NEVER WILL BE “an EQUAL PARTNER IN A UNION” with England. It’s Dictatorship and COLONIALISM. Exactly as the “Union” was always intended to be.
Still, I do use the Treaty / Act of Union and the words contained within, as weapons against those Colonialists and Colonialist enablers. Just as you’ve done and I applaud you for enlightening many, repeatedly on here, to do the same.
“Now how about the latest round of Butcher’s Aprons on goods produced in Scotland being sold to Scots in Scotland.”
I wouldn’t touch any product adorned with a Butchers Apron with a barge pole.
“Yet we seem to have some among us who seem to agree with Westminster – and not just about nationalism either. Strange that – or is it?”
You could start a fight in an empty hoose.
Try it some time Robert. “I’m not a Nationalist. I just want my country to choose it’s own government and not have our neighbours forced upon us. It’s called DEMOCRACY! It’s NORMAL NOT Nationalist.” Watch their eyes. Watch their internal conflict consume them and waves of turmoil wash over them. It won’t win over everybody. Some would rather drown in a sea of denial, but most will be stunned to silence. Then Robert even if they walk away, they do so with a head full of doubt, questioning everything they’ve ever been taught and believed in. If they remain, they’re ready for their reprogramming.
THE HARE IS RUNNING
link to chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com
Did you think Brexit is a problem that can be solved through negotiations?
Well, like most people, you’d be mistaken. Why? Because according to Michael Grove, the British Government have no intention of committing to anything. The Tories prefer to keep their options open indefinitely.
It’s a bit like the government saying we’ll make the speed limit on our roads variable from time to time when we feel like changing it.
It’s time for Independence because it really is time to abandon what is a stricken ship, the SS Union.
SIU hopelessly unimpressive as usual.
OT/ Take care out there today folks.
The $64,000 question remains:-
FROM WHOM IS THERESA MAY TAKING INSTRUCTIONS?
Whoever it is, that group is running the whole Brexit show.
The City? If not, who else can it be?
WHO IS IN CONTROL OF BREXIT?
Why, the British of course. They are keeping 27 countries waiting. And by their way of thinking, that’s how it should be. After all, aren’t the English superior to all other nations?
The British Establishment will not tolerate being told what they can or cannot do by anyone – and certainly not by foreigners.
Ah, the habits of Empire.
Links
link to news.gov.scot
link to snp.org
link to theorkneynews.scot
link to randompublicjournal.com
link to peterabell.blog
link to scottishhousingnews.com
Watch Brian Taylor effectively *admit* the P1 assessment vote is a scam. Worse, he then tries somehow to link it to the ignoring of the Scottish parliament by Westminster on the Power Grab. Journalism? What a nauseating charade.
link to twitter.com
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com
The Tay Cities Deal faces a funding threat with the UK Government cutting its contribution to the £1 billion investment package.
link to archive.is
RAF Lossiemouth could be used as a key bargaining tool to secure Nato membership for an independent Scotland, it has been claimed.
link to archive.is
Scotland blocked by uk from getting a similar customs deal with the EU, to that of Northern Ireland according to leaked papers in Brussels.
link to facebook.com
link to opendemocracy.net
link to davidhencke.com
Honda warns no-deal Brexit would cost it tens of millions
link to archive.is
link to irishtimes.com
link to sluggerotoole.com
link to politico.eu
link to newshoundsnewsround.wordpress.com
Probe into MP’s election expenses dropped
link to archive.is
link to opendemocracy.net
link to rt.com
link to taxresearch.org.uk
Belfast hospital workers to be offered food bank vouchers as they “struggle” with low wages
link to archive.is
Reality check for Andrew Bridgen
link to twitter.com
Rightwing thinktanks unveil radical plan for US-UK Brexit trade deal
link to archive.is
oh dear, that’s time I will never get back. See how long you can bear listening to this drivel
link to twitter.com
Brexit: the moment of truth
link to eureferendum.com
It’s official, but no less tragic: Britain is on the brink of an unprecedented poverty crisis. Figures released today by the Social Metrics Commission point to a shocking 14.2 million people living on the poverty line – something unheard of since WWII.
link to twitter.com
Jock McDonnell
Re Section 30’s
Don’t need a S30. Its just a device to keep Westminster happy, a face saver perhaps, but not necessary.
—————————
this is true, we dont need a s30, the euref didnt have one, but it is desirable none the less. It gives a green light to other countries, eg, the EU, to automatically recognise an indy scotland. Situations where new countries break away from existing states have in the past led to conflict and as such, many countries are wary of the process of recognising emerging nations. I know scotland is a special case, already being a recognised country in many feilds, branding, football etc, but i believe other countries would still be wary of recognising us.
Also, without a s30, the unionists would boycott scotref.
———————-
You don’t ask permission to be Independent, you just do it.
Really power cannot be given, it must be taken.
——————-
all good and fine if we had the numbers behind us, but as yet, we are still in the minority. Power can also be taken back, WM would simply close holyrood and imprison the SG.
no, contrary to what sarah smith said, treeza did not refuse a S30, she said “no the now” I’m unsure if treeza can refuse outright and if she did I think nicola will mount a legal challenge.
Re. the British Government having no intention of committing to anything. I think I might have mentioned that Tories can’t be trusted and that contemporary British nationalism is an expansionist form of English nationalism. One that is looking rather despotic, from a critical Scottish perspective.
link to skemman.is
Just watched @BBCsarahsmith give the most bizarre report on @bbcnews Filled with strange claims to downright lies. See what you think
link to twitter.com
link to rte.ie
Michael Segalov completely destroys Nick Clegg live on the BBC
link to twitter.com
Lib dem conference, my what a crowd!
link to twitter.com
@ Liz g at 11:33pm ……. Wee Ginger Dog, eh, Dug.”
Ha ha ha!
What a mistake to make on here, of all places. Made a dugs dinner of it. Please all believe me when I say I’m not a wee Englander nationalist in disguise. I was so focused on getting “wha’s” and “sortit” right that I slipped up. Not great at multi-tasking. So yes I apologise profusely for my transgression and beg you all for forgiveness. Down on my knees grovelling in fact. Jist hopin that this disnae get back to the dug noo. Scottish dugs in general. Just waiting on some Unionist, SiU?, jumping on this followed by a real nasty report by the BBC the day …. “barking mad Cybernat accused of animal cruelty.” Hauners anyone?
Nana re the tay city deal facing a threat….
All these City deals are built on smoke and bubbles. They are just another VOW. If you stay with us we’ll give you all this money for your projects – but if we vote to be grown up and make our own decisions just watch the money disappear. WM magic at work again.
Re the Sarah Smith report – my jaw dropped. How she can lie so easily is appalling.
Holyrood will be stronger on agriculture and the environment after brexit…. I don’t think so! those are two of the specific powers WM wants to retain and all the bumf about percentages for and agin Indy is breathtakingly wrong!
Oh Dear BBC/MI5 you really are concerned aren’t you.
Is it just me or are anti nat stories getting more bizarre. Even the likes if tom gordon seems to be losing the plot
@schrodingers cat
The real point is – the law is a product of politics. If we have the numbers, as you highlight, then we win. There can be no artificial or fake barriers to Independence. Like Dorothy in Oz, after the sham is revealed, we always had the power. It just needs to be realised.
CBI Head of EU Negotiations says
I’ve been away for a week. Making my way through the inbox on the train in, and it’s reminder after stark reminder that the JLR and BMW stories are the tip of the iceberg.
Here’s just a hint of what’s going on in the business world right now (1/4)
link to twitter.com
link to sputniknews.com
The Tories and their *still* suspended Labour pals just voted to remove affordable housing contributions from developments in the city centre. Look at those profit margins soar…
link to twitter.com
That’s all for today, hospital appointment this morning.
re. Michael Segalov. I think I also pointed out that austerity paved the way for Brexit. It creates the conditions for social strife and hostility to out-groups/others. These Tory fuckers know what they are doing, they have a script.
T4 Program
Nazi policy
link to britannica.com
@Petra says: 19 September, 2018 at 8:07 am:
” … What a mistake to make on here, of all places. Made a dugs dinner of it. Please all believe me when I say I’m not a wee Englander nationalist in disguise.”
I don’t know about anyone else but I do not think I have seen any video clips of marches, gatherings and such things as protests about BBC bias that were not well represented by Scottish, and even Wee Ginger immigrant, dugs.
Mibbies it is time to have an opinion poll of the dugs of Scotland for they seem to favour Scottish Independence and there sure as hell are more dugs for independence than LibDem unionists that attended Wee Willie’s LibDem Conference:-
link to twitter.com
I am a nationalist. I believe in my nation. I am a member of the Scottish NATIONAL Party. I am very appreciative of the NATIONAL Health Service and used to be indebted to the NATIONAL Coal Board That is all. This is a silly discussion.
If my party was called the Scottish Jam Party they would find some way to sully the word “Jam”. After all the nazis liked jam.
Stop this backing down right now.
yesindyref2 says:
“Q. How should the Union Flag be flown?”
Half Mast, simples.
Talking of people who try to define things for us, here’s something you won’t like but should think about:
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1565669/the-press-and-journal-among-the-most-trusted-newspapers-in-the-uk/
Still, the Daily Wrecker is near the foot of the table. And the first job ad that popped up on the link was for a “Tractor Person”. No comment.
Re. the British government not committing to anything. I think I might also have suggested that pragmatism without recourse to ethics is simply clown-shoes fascism. A practical description of the current British government’s approach to governance, IMHO. 🙂
link to compellingtruth.org
What Is and What Should Pragmatic Ethics Be?
link to journals.openedition.org
Pragmatism, Critical Theory and Business Ethics: Converging Lines
link to link.springer.com
I wonder if Scotland in Union has any adults working for it.
Thanks for the links Nana and good luck with your hospital visit. Maybe you could report back later to let us know if our SNHS is as lousy as the Unionist mouthpiece, the BBC, tells us it is.
……………………………….
Ooooooooooooooh, they’re coming for you Ruth. Booooooooo Hooooooooo!
link to opendemocracy.net
………………………………
@ Robert at 9:01am … “Libdem, eh, get together.”
It looks as though there are less than 100 people there Robert and that probably includes wee Wullie’s many relatives, a couple of his bus passengers, reporters, homeless people, individuals doing their nosy and maybe even a group of paid professional mourners. Wee Wullie a real threat to the SNP, right enough. What an embarrassment. Time for him to think of giving up – (thanks for the dimwit Rennie video that you posted earlier).
Robert Peffers @ 9.01
Don’t know if ye noticed aw the wee loudspeakers pit aside roond the wa’s. Obviously no needed for sic a wee getherin?
Petra you asked Nana to report on NHS Performance hope you dont mind if I but in and advise of my recent experience. Last late Wednesday afternoon went to local Doctors Surgery on advice on a bleed, was offered an appointment the following morning with a Nurse. Decided time didnt suit me (Too early 🙂 ) so got one for lunchtime Friday, there it was escalated to Crosshouse Hospital. Given an appointment to see specialist nurse at 1:45 Tuesday, left Arran on boat at 11:05 , met a friend on boat who said he would take me direct to Crosshouse so arrived there an hour earlier than appointment, they rearranged things so i was seen within ten minutes, and was on way home again before original appointment time. A world class health service we should all be proud off.
yesindyref2,
‘“Q. How should the Union Flag be flown?”’
In a well-sealed one of they germ-proof envelopes, in cargo.
There’s no “butting in” on here, Lenny. We want to hear of ordinary people’s experiences and I’m pleased to hear that yours, SNHS, was extremely positive, as is EVERYONE else that I know of. Take note BBC / STV and newspapers.
Let’s just hope that with Independence, when we get our hands on our own dough, you’ll not need to leave Arran to get the type of treatment that you required. Meanwhile revel in the fact that you live in one of the most beautiful places in the UK. Best wishes for great health Lenny and good luck for the future.
This is to a degree, off-topic, but, I feel worth sharing, today of all days.
I have just seen, posted by a mate on Facebook, a story of a gutted ex-pat Scot being consoled by an old Aussie, as they watched news coming in of the Indyref1 result.
“Don’t wory mate – you lot have just slackened-off a very tight lid,” was the old Aussie’s advice.
You know, looking at it from where we are today – I think he was correct.
Bit blustery out isn’t it?
4 years ago on this day it was just dreich…in the heart and soul of our country at least. I recall walking around the office (a big office with hundreds of people) and seeing a lot of glum faces and thinking if this many people supported Yes how did we lose. However, we had a lot of young people and that gave me hope for the future. It was not the aspirations of the 16 to 40 year voters that faltered on the 18th of Sept 2014 but rather fear of change in those thought they had something to lose.
I don’t think Union flag waving figured in a lot of No votes (the green ink brigade aside obviously) just unease about the future. Well they won an uneasy future regardless. Fortune favours the brave. I didn’t think we would get another chance in a hurry but divisions with the Tory party were always thin ice for “you will have had your cereal” types.
I hope in four years time we are in the process of debating which party is best suited to running an independent Scotland.
Lenny Hartley
Can I endorse your comments re the Scottish NHS. My 23-year-old grandson has severe Asperger’s Syndrome, so he doesn’t always communicate.
He asked me to arrange a GP appointment for him and I got him one for 9.20am the next morning. Off that, he got an appointment at an out-patient clinic at Ayr Hospital for that afternoon and was admitted afterwards.
He is now home, while he awaits the results of tests they have done, but while in Ayr he had ultrasound, ECGs, a CAT scan and first-class care.
The staff at the local surgery and at Ayr were first-class, the feed-back we have had, ditto. The Scottish NHS is terrific.
Another friend, a well-known personality in world rugby, was an emergency in-patient at Ayr at the same time. Now out, he too will not hear a word against Ayr Hospital, or NHS Scotland.
In spite of the BBC’s efforts, people are realising – we have a great health service, with many terrific staff members working for us there.
Cheers Petra, should point out that we have an amazing wee Hospital on Arran and the only reason that they dont have that type of specialist Nurse there is not due to funds , but because after the incumbent retired they cant find anybody that wants to do it.
Good morning all, rain is lashing down here. Definitely a duvet day.
More and more with Brexit I think the only deal they are trying to broker is to get the Tax Laws withdrawn. All else is brinkmanship.
In order to get that, they will need people in the 27 countries, in positions of power, with similar amounts of ill gotten gains stashed away.
Hmmm. The problem for them is that the current tax dodging culture is now at the point of threatening first world economies, and the neoliberal agenda, is threatening the EU powerbase.
I’d like to suggest that who Terrible May meets in Salzburg when the cameras are switched off is likely to be important. But in reality, she’s so inept, the deals will be attempted by others, in smoke filled rooms.
And another thing, the EU is not naive with regards tax dodging – Switzerland and Lichtenstein probably invented it. Given the expense, so far that Brexit is costing, they can easily adjust the tax laws to suit themselves once the Brits are out. Why help them.
Plus countries like Germany, France, Poland etc, they’re already starting to benefit from all the big manufacturing jobs leaving the UK and being re-invested there. That’s going to help EU politicians on their own turf.
The mad Brexiteers really are incredibly stupid, aren’t they.
Reading Nana’s links on Scottish City deals . A modern day Darian scheme uk Gov making promises then S Gov committed to funding these projects uk welshing on the funding .
Never trust a Westminster Gov of any Hue .
Great links this morning Nana , hope everything goes well at hosp, get back soon XX .
I had to go for a small surgical procedure last week. I had been told that they only did these in the mornings and they had given me the latest time because of the over 2hr. travel time.
Unforeseen circumstances arose and I phoned en route to say I couldn’t make it until almost an hour late. ‘Nae bother, we’ll do it, keep coming.’
I had to wait a while but they found another room to do it. Excellent!
Just a heads up. I hear through a source that waiting times have gone up in the NHS. No doubt this will be the next point of attack.
Difficult balance to enable a population to grow older whilst maintaining perfect health. They need more input of course which takes resources time and effort.
Still way ahead of the opposition though throughout the rest of the UK.
@ Socrates
That old Aussie was right, very wise observation. I suppose lots of us started to realise that in the days after, as the ranks of SNP swelled.
Another wise observation I try to remember, and I read it on here, so forgive me, I can’t remember who posted it.
It was always too big a job for the Scots to end the Union, it requires the Tories’ help.
Here’s a wee bit of pettyness I just heard
Post Brexit all EU flags to be removed from public buildings
Who’s next?
As we are chatting about NHS experiences, I’ve got a kind of funny one.
I was being sent to Monklands, my local, for a routine ECG, due to slightly elevated BP.
I always taxi it, as I cannot abide being late, if you get caught out searching for a car parking space. Got there, taken on time, back out at the front, and phoned my taxi company.
The taxi driver that waved at me, was the same guy who had brought me there! He was incredulous, so we had a chuckle, with me saying, of course, we read such bullshit about our NHS.
I was hoping he would tell the story back at his HQ.
Petra @ 8.07
Your immediate and unreserved apology,proves that you’re no a British Nationalists Petra!
We all know that they canny do that before 30 year’s have past and at least 2 muti million pound enquiries have taken place…. (I suspect it’s genetic )
I don’t think Ginger need know of this…and we shall never speak of it again….Agreed?
What happens BTL on Wing’s stays on Wing’s!
Now my only concern is that,after this I don’t slip up and do the same bloody thing,auto correct hates me!!!!
…………………………
Yesindyref2
Q. Where should the Union Flag be flown?
A. Away far far Away…
Just watched @BBCsarahsmith give the most bizarre report on @bbcnews Filled with strange claims to downright lies.
What a nasty bitch special on the EBC Channel.
She has a rare talent for distorting the Truth and basically just lying without any need to blush.
I can see her getting Donalda the Harbinger of Doom’s job shortly.
Maybe even a contender for a wee ermine robe and a seat next to Moan the Snake Oil Slimming Pill peddler?
Ali has arrived, or at least his vanguard. Trees are taking the brunt of it. I expect I will be using my trusty chainsaw before long.
Take care everybody, as the winds could quite literally blow you away. Stay clear of trees if you can. Duvet day with plenty of coffee or tea.
So, what’s the skinny on creaky old Hunterston and nuke power in Scotland?
Labour are agitating for something recently. Probably a new nuke plant purchased under a PFI deal and I recall Peel Ports wanting to invest in the Hunterston Deep Water terminal to handle the Heathrow expansion since coal has dropped off. (shipping components & materiel?)
So is the general view that Scotland no longer needs Nuke plants (except to keep the lights on in England – step forward Labour) or do we still need one or two because renewables can’t handle Scotlands power needs?
Just wondered, on topic and all that.
I grew up in the Labour era when my GP rented a back room from a woman at the bottom of my street and a hospital refurbishment was a send in the painters job to a crumbling victorian building and the only thing nice about that time were the nurses uniforms and who incidentally lived in a dormitory beside the hospital
In those days the NHS did what it could but life expectancy was low in Scotland and not just because you might be poor we were dying like the flies on the inside of many hospital windows
Today with the SNP in charge we have more new facilities than you can shake a stick at even though the demand is now much higher because we’re all living much longer leading to more complex ageing diseases and illnesses bringing with that a need for a huge increase in NHS staff to cope with the amount of us who are, well, just old
Today the NHS can fix just about anything except death and who knows maybe even around the corner they might just do that too, but all these pressures require more staff more financial recources more management just more of everything
so what and how do we keep up with the demand for magical health
There is a solution that the opposition parties to the SNP have come up with and it’s to elect any one of those political parties into government so they can undo all the amazing work the SNP has done and send us back to the 1950s when our population died from everything then Scotland would realise how good the SNP actually were and given the chance every person in Scotland would vote for independence immediately if we don’t already have it by then that is, and that includes all the elderly people that I’m surrounded by who voted NO because they don’t have the first clue about how it came about they have a health worker visiting them several times a day because the Labour party tells them it’s them and them alone who makes these things possible and not the SNP because they’re just Baad people
Of course all these folk of which I spoke, like me will be dead by then
Imagine lying on your deathbed then finding out the political party that kept you alive the longest in Scotlands history by modernising the NHS is the party you voted against doing that very thing
It’ll be a bit late to feel stupid then
@ Iain Mhor
Not sure if you are aware, but no nuclear since 2007, that’s SNP policy.
They get around it, much like fracking “ban”. Planning permission will not be given.
Post brexit everywhere above Birmingham will simply be styled The North, as on motorway signs and weather forecasts. That will solve the Scottish, oops Northern problem at one airbrushing stroke. Paint supplied by Davidson, Fox, Gove associates, contractors to HM colonies.
O/T sorry if this is old news but I’ve only just found out.
A post indyref voter study by Edinburgh Uni. revealed that 37% of the No vote wanted more powers for Scotland and a further 10% were divided by Yes & No.
So only a hardcore ‘no surrender’ of 8%
Effijy says:
19 September, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Just watched @BBCsarahsmith give the most bizarre report on @bbcnews Filled with strange claims to downright lies.
Likely she only got the job because of who her mummy and daddy were. Its all about networking and a safe establishment pair of hands, doesnt seem to be anything to do with talent.
Dr Jim @ 1:07 pm
Great post – you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone
Cheers @Valerie
Thought as much. I was sure it was basically “Keep Torness going for another 10 years until renewables replace Scotlands needs”
Probably a toughie to counter – jobs etc. I’m sure there’s a big support industry around nuclear.
Oh well, looking forward to Labour demanding a new nuclear power station shortly then…
link to peoplesrepublicofcork.com
“Historical nonsense underpins UK’s Brexit floundering.
From Hastings to Dunkirk a past that blinds Britain to reality has been peddled.
Christopher Kissane”
A rare description of the English point of view, and one you will NEVER read in a British newspaper.
@Juan says: 18 September, 2018 at 10:45 pm:
” … Now I kinda just stick to the Democrat, Democracy seeker, NORMALIST thingy.”
I was intending not to answer you as it is pretty much pointless attempting to do so with those who do not know how to present their ideas – and you don’t. Part of your previous reply claimed that I posted at length and bored everyone to tears. Since when were you appointed to speak on behalf of other Wingers?
So I will respond and do so with he logic and truth that is totally absent from your thinking. You are, “an apologist”, better known in Scotland as a sufferer of the Scottish Cringe.
Why do you imagine you need to apologise to an obvious Britnat for being a Scottish Nationalist? When accused of being a nationalist I reply, “Yes, that’s me and I’m proud of it”. Then I continue, “And so are you a British Nationalist but the difference between us is that I only desire my nation of Scotland to run Scotland’s business while you and the evil form of nationalist, probably with the big dollop of fascism thrown in for good measure and you desire for your nation of England to run the affairs of England, Scotland, Wales and as much of the country of Ireland you can hold by force”. I then pause and wait for a reaction and if it comes I continue and your idea of your nation is not even a country it is a two partner United Kingdom and has never been a country in its life.
There is the answer – make it clear that they are the evil face of nationalism and Scots the benign form of nationalism.
NORMALIST is always better in Capitals. Some things just need shouting from the rooftops.
Thing is I do not suffer from the Scottish Cringe and I never have.
Sarah Smith could always go back to driving a taxi, which is why she talks out of the corner of her mouth! “St Pancras mite?”
@ Lenny at 10:14am …… “Lack of Specialist Nurse.”
That could be resolved too Lenny when we get out of this hellhole of a Union, such as EU nurses remaining, English nurses fleeing England and our own home grown nurses deciding not to emigrate. Hope it’s resolved soon, as it’s a bit of a journey especially when you’re not feeling great.
…………..
@ Liz g at 12:34pm ……. “The dug …. We shall never speak of it again…”
Oh thank God for that Liz. How kind of you. I’ve been worried sick all morning and then I watched BBC news to see if they’d picked up on it. But no, top of the bill was the P1 tests not about how catastrophic Brexit will be for Scotland compared to NIreland, latest Dirty Money court proceedings or ME. How amazing is that?
Your comments have just made me realise that my faux paw had nothing to do with a lack of ability to multitask. My autocorrect was to blame, now under control of the Unionists with the covert plan of changing Scots words into English. You use a lot of Scottish words Liz that’s why, “autocorrect hates you”, lol.
Petra @ 2.26
Ah… it’s all clear now… Thanks Petra..
I’m away tae write an amendment fir oor Scottish Constution that proposes…
In an Independent Scotland.
Auto correct will be required to recognise the Dugness of Dugs… or face being Snib’ed!
I just don’t get this carry on about P1 assessments, NOT tests. Wait until the children are in P4 before assessments are carried out? If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years as an educator and parent is that if you don’t identify gaps in knowledge early on the child loses confidence in themselves and automatically falls behind. Sometimes for the rest of their educative years.
As ONE example I have a niece who was born with a major heart problem and was operated on when she was 2/3 years of age. Her mother wouldn’t allow her to go to nursery subsequently, protected her from the outside world in general, and then when she started school she struggled to understand many basic concepts. I suggested that they help her more at home or employ a tutor to bring her up to scratch before novel work was introduced to her. They didn’t do either, said she’d catch up, but by the time she was in P3 you could see that she’d just shut off altogether. Didn’t ever listen to the teacher from then on, at all. She was bottom of the class throughout primary and struggled through secondary being bullied for being “dumb” etc. It didn’t help either that her younger sister and cousins all excelled at school. She was miserable, nervous and constantly uneasy (probably depressed too). Her memories of her school years were hellish to say the least, as you can imagine. Later on her choices for work were extremely limited, she married a no user due to her lack of self-worth and her life in general up until now has been a struggle.
Now this all started because my brother and sister in law were overly protective of their daughter, imo, wrapped her up in cotton wool due to her early health issues and didn’t afford her the opportunity to have normal life experiences, pre-school. An extreme and thankfully rare example, however many children especially from deprived backgrounds experience the same lack of opportunity / input from parents, start school as disadvantaged as she was and if the gaps in education are not detected early on could (and do) lead to the same outcome.
Apologies for the long winded post, folks. It’s just that this political point scoring issue absolutely enrages me with the Unionists playing wee games with our children’s lives in the here and now which impacts massively on them in the future.
When you want to condider the Unionist mindset think about this.
There are many ,who whilst safely tucked up at home, are sending complaints to Scottish transport about false claims made about the Queensferry crossing.
Apparently they are unhappy that high sided lorries are unable to go across the new Queensferry crossing whilst the old Forth Rd bridge is shut.
Today Forth bridges recorded wind speeds of 102mph at the crossing, but the new Bridge remains open to cars and single decker buses. However that is not good enough for Unionists.
They feel the shielding on the new Bridge should have been better.
This is the entrenched minds we are up against . More to be pitted than scorned
If a child can’t tell the difference between a horse and a glass of milk it seems pretty important a teacher know that before proceeding with 2+2 so they could maybe understand why they don’t know, then again maybe some parents are afraid of looking bad, but again when you think about it this wee test could help expose a number of things like the need for spectacles or the understanding of spoken words even deafness or colour blindness
I know I’m being a little flippant but essentially that’s all it is and the opposition politicians are exposed for what they are here charlatons on a mission to win a vote just for the sake of it and to hell with education, just beat the SNP
So for the parents who are supporting the removal of these assesments think on what you’re exactly supporting here this wee test could uncover a medical problem with your kids you didn’t even know they had
Why don’t you want that
There is website called
myEU.uk
which was set up earlier this month. Your supposed to enter your postcode and it will show how much investment the EU has made in your area.
Apparently it was going a fair. I’ve logged on and get the site, but no map and unable to enter my postcode.
I tried to contact them but need a’google’ account – which I’m not going to do.
Can anyone else see if they can work it. Would probably be quite a useful tool, which is also probably why its not working now.
Kind regards
Interesting , Kez has funding rug pulled by Labour
Sorry not archived
link to heraldscotland.com
@Daisy Walker
Works fine for me Daisy using Firefox, pop in any postcodes and a pin of the location appears on the map. If there has been EU money spent in that area you will see the projects highlighted as circular Euro flags with a £ sign in the middle.
Click one of these and you get details of the spending. It’s actually pretty good and would be useful to show to any Euro sceptics I would think.
Thanks Thepnr, will pass it on even if I can’t work it myself. Very useful tool I would think;)
I’ve nuthin much to say to yizall (- that is publishable at least!) – but I’m pissing my tits off at the REVS twitter
link to twitter.com
– there’s new stuff about Kez
– looks like she’s spraffed 90K of other people’s dosh to defend a court action she could have settled for ?10K to charity?
– and now they ain’t paying up no more
– it seems the daft bint went total YOLO with the ImaCeleb money
– BUT NOW SHE COULD FACE PERSONAL COSTS
Whenever I look at “Dejenuer sur l’Herbe” I think of Stu and Kez.
– if only I could do emoticons I would do a big smiley one with tears flooding out
This woman is so stupid she should be doing the Brexit negotiations.
Mel Stride, a minister in Britain’s finance ministry [never heard of him], says ..
“Those to the right of the party – the pro-Brexit wing – will be very concerned that if that deal doesn’t prevail, they’ll end up in the situation where we could have a second referendum and we could end up not leaving the EU altogether. There is a danger of that happening.”
link to reuters.com
Probably pressure on the loony right to back whatever May ends up with. Instead of the No Deal the ntters would like, they may get No Exit!
What is interesting, though, I think it’s the first time a government minister (even one we’ve never heard of) has uttered suggestions of an EURef2.
@Thepnr & @Daisy Walker
Same here, it works on Firefox.
Having listened to the BBC R4 (evening of 14/09/2018?) I was struck by how negative the reporting of the then yet-to-be-announced first paying SpaceX customer to the moon. Really depressing stuff on what should have been an uplifting article, the main contributor being David Whitehouse of the Planetary Society. An quick internet search showed no obvious links to the Planetary Society though, surprise, surprise, an old article about screening for alien life by a Dr David Whitehouse of the BBC, BBC News Online Science Editor link to news.bbc.co.uk.
Mmm…, coincidence?
The real question though, is there really any meaningful life in an alien BBC?
@Naina Tal says: 19 September, 2018 at 9:33 am:
” … Don’t know if ye noticed aw the wee loudspeakers pit aside roond the wa’s. Obviously no needed for sic a wee getherin?”
Naw! The only loudspeaker I noticed was the wee bachle ahint the podium.
Nicola should have put the fear of lost seats on the agenda by saying that the Government cannot properly govern when the entire opposition unionist parties gang up on the government for political reasons.
What have the SNP got to lose? A wee spell with a unionist coalition in charge and the SNP voting against it might be just what is needed but a more likely result would be the SNP returned with a bigger majority.
I don’t care very much whether we have an euroref2 or not. These idiots have taken us to the brink of insanity. A fact which will not be forgotten in Scotland.
Tackety Beets @ 16:30:
now archived at:
link to archive.is
Oh good old Labour, with friends like that…
Socrates MacSporran @ 10:07,
Thank you, that cheery thought made my day!
Liz g @ 12:34,
You get my vote for the indyref2 UJ suggestions received so far. =grin=
Bill Hume @ 17:36,
Oh, Bill, but they’re still only starting! If they carry on as planned (which is probably way too strong a word for what’s actually happening), we’ll be in Blindbrexitland not Kansas anymore and (as one of nana’s references mentioned), this infernal distraction will go on for years and years and years, as Gove let slip.
Before too long, we’ll all be clinically certifiable. Then (and only then) the Tories will probably look like a reasonable choice. =sigh=
It’ll be aweright on the night.
Independence that is.
@ tackety beets at 4:30pm …. Kezia Dugdale.”
Well that’s a shocker don’t you think? I don’t have a lot of time for Kezia Dugdale, especially since she stood up in Holyrood and tried to drag Nicola Sturgeon into her “homophobic” fiasco, however now we see that the Labour Party is leaving her in the lurch to foot her own bill. Up until now it’s run up £100,000 being covered by the LP. Just imagine what the next round will cost her, if the Daily Rag throw her to the wind.
Kezia didn’t turn up in Edinburgh for the P1 vote today, said to be because the trains were off, however I’m sure she could have got a taxi and charged it to expenses.
Maybe she’s scunnered with the whole kit and caboodle of spiteful, backstabbing ignoramuses. High time she exposed them (no doubt has loads of ammo) and brought her supporters across to support Independence.
Did anyone else hear Farage on lbc there… a measured mispronouncing of the SNP with the SF of Ireland.
Some of their callers are cuckoo-cuckoo too.
17 days remaining to go like…
The last caller from Lanark, Scotland on lbc radio got cut off by farage when he said the word FREEDOM.
An excellent end to his show.
Cheers caller. 🙂
Robert Peffers @ 14.13
Has calling folk facists converted them to Yes?
Too close to call today with that vote on testing so I think to settle it Big John Swinney should just get to punch the shit out of that little Green weasel Ross Greer who is rumoured to be the original architect behind this debacle, either way folks you know what to do with your votes next time around
If not that then big John should at least get to slap Murdo Fraser for just being an ass wean child
OK every Ind supporter, the Daily Record are going to take over paying the Kezia Dugdale case.
If you are still buying the Daily Record then you are supporting the case against Wings.
So inflation is now higher than was forecast in part due to the drop in value of the £ and as we pay many of our goods and services in US$ costs go up. So we are now worse off and more to come.
I think the tories, libdems, liebour call it the benefit of being in the brit union.
Independence or Brexit
Just got back in to see the result of the P1 testing vote. The Britnat vote and their reasoning was, as expected, both hypocritical and opportunist. The why is never in doubt where they are concerned. Opposition for oppositions sake. It’s what they do and who they are. The childrens’ needs were never a consideration in their deliberations.
Who knew?
The Greens though? This was not the time to play politics. They’ll come to regret their recent votes.
Worse. We all will.
If people want a Britnat parly run by a bigger Britnat parly? You know how to vote. If you want the popular policies and social gains made over the past eleven years reversed? You know how to vote. If you want Ruth Buffalorider or Richard Thing and a return to the good ol days of La Cosa Labour, even (God help us) Wee Wullie rentaquote as First Minister? You know how to vote.
ALL of whom by the by, take their lead from parties based in a parliament that has laid waste to your economy, ignores your voting opinion, takes your cash and pisses all over your democracy. You’re aware of this already I’m sure.
But if that’s what you want? You can have it and ALL that goes with it. ALL THAT GOES WITH IT.
Or? Or you can show them how you appreciate the way they practice politics and gamble with YOUR cash, YOUR powers, YOUR democracy and YOUR lives. You can show them how much you appreciate being used as political poker chips and having your life yanked from pillar to post to suit their cretinous and self serving tribal idiocies.
YOUR choice.
Patrick Harvie and the Greens stab the SNP government once again. Hope folk remember this come the first elections for the Scottish government.
Thanks for the suggestions to thequestion from the FAQ:
“Q. How should the Union Flag be flown?”
I can’t make up my mind myself between, by the next interstellar umnanned probe, or proudly alongside the Saltire and the EU flag, same as for the Stars and Stripes, Tricolour or any other national flag when iScotland receives a visiting head of state.
I think the second 🙂
@Brian Powell
Or the Sunday Mail, it is merely the Sunday edition.
I’m already having a negative reaction to Tunnocks products since they are apparently now a symbol of unionism. Interesting marketing approach to alienate around 50% of you potential Scottish purchasers. Mind you in my opinion apart from their caramel wafers all their other products are pretty poor quality crap. I remember once being given a Tunnocks trifle (don’t know if the still make them, it was the 1980’s), not an experience I would want to relive. Pretty convinced it would have glowed in the dark).
So P1 assessments eh? This is a bit long but is a summary for anyone wanting up to speed.
Tl:dr – Reports that P1 asessments are to be banned or not occur at all are ridiculous. It is specific points around the implementation which are the issue. Viz : ‘cohort testing and public distribution’ Any party missing that and calling for a blanket ban are imbeciles.
Informal assessments are carried on right from Nursery or ‘Early Years’ no-one expects a scenario to exist where parents can say:
“My child has serious learning difficulties at Primary School! Why didn’t you do something? Why didn’t you inform us? – “Really? news to us, we just assumed she was doing fine”
There has to be some degree of framework to inform and have a degree of continuity across the country. This was implemented two years ago as the ‘NIF’ and in broad agreement with stakeholders. These are principally informed by EIS guidelines (guidelines) of which these appear to be the sticking points:
1/ “Are whole cohorts or classes of pupils assessed at the same time using the same assessment tool?”
2/Is standardised testing/assessment being used to gather data to enable the setting of pupils by ability, school to school comparison, or the creation of accountability measures?
3/Are the results of standardised tests/assessments used as an exclusive measure of learners’ progress and achievement?”
There are others, but these appear the problem,
The rest of the current P1 SNSA assessments broadly follow EIS guidelines; So, if there is a question around the suitability, then granted, a hiatus to discuss these would be reasonable – Not a “Ban on Testing”
The NIF was agreed to (with caveats) and subsequently SNSA’s were implemented with a view to review after a 1 year timescale. The EIS have consistently voiced their concerns over specific areas (not blanket opposition) so far so good.
This stooshie can only be a result of the government pushing the policy as permanent after rejecting any amendment to the specific points of objection. So it is a stooshie of their own making and they should have realised political capital would have been carved from it. Unless… The opposition parties did not object/pretended to back it, specifically for this end.
The current political parties did not kick up a stooshie last year when the SNSA’s were introduced. Nor the NIF (National Improvement Framework) two years ago. Which the P1 SNSA’s is formed from. The EIS has been consistent in its concerns:
“The EIS challenged early drafts of the NIF which articulated an intention to test cohorts of young people across the country within a given assessment timetable and to have the results of these tests published school by school”
“Having made strong representation around the educational arguments against such measures the EIS welcomes that the final version of NIF:
* Recognises the importance and primacy of teacher professional judgement in the assessment of pupils
*Confirms CfE levels achieved based on teacher judgement, informed in part by the results of standardised assessment alongside other assessment evidence, as the basis for public information
*Indicates that standardised test scores will not be collected (other than on an anonymised sampling basis) nor published for P1, P4, P7 and S3;
*Does not require that pupils be assessed at a specific point in the year
*Does not specify explicitly that all pupils must sit standardised assessments, recognising the primacy of pupil learning needs is underpinned by the assumption that current standardised testing / assessment across the primary sector will be made redundant by the provision of national standardised assessments.
“Design of the standardised assessments is still a work in progress… the EIS will oppose any aspects of the final design that is found to be in conflict with EIS policy on assessment…” (Refer NIF guidelines below)
EIS guidelines PDF (1 page graphic)
link to eis.org.uk
NIF framework guidelines PDF (8 page document)
link to eis.org.uk
Mmm, BREAKING NEWS
My contact at area51.nasa.gov informs me there’s a rumour that if Boris Johnson becomes PM he’s going to sell of the NHS and use the money to send HIFUD on a MANNED probe with a Union Jack to Alpha Centauri, to tell them they’ve always been better off, are and always will be, as part of the British Empire.
Apparently the ion drive probe fitted with a cryogenic chamber will reach warp 0.1 and they are preparing for the inevitable all out attack by the Alpha Centaurans in the year 2178 – a date to keep in our diaries. The UK Government are apparently already stockpiling immodium.
“Q. How should the Union Flag be flown?”
Never flown but draped over the maledorous corpse of the Empire as it trundles screaming into the end.
@macart
Well said!
Every dug in the street knows what you said was spot on
But some dugs in the street have been wearing a union collar since birth and cannie get it aff.
The Greens tae, what are they like! Best ushered to the side of the plate next time.
Liz Smith bought a new powder blue jaiket for the Holyrood debate I noticed. 🙁
Swinnie will kick the can down the road on that one a wee while and do a bit of fettling I hope then we’ll see what happens.
STV interview a few folk coming out of school and all I saw and heard was a broad acceptance of the SNP P1 policy
Ah right, don’t panic, I’ve now been informed by “a senior SNP source” as the MSM puts it, that HMSS Scotia will be retrofitted with boosters, the stardrive invented by Peffers tinkering with his Heathkit and broadband, and the Scottish Martian wormhole drive, with a suitable space marine contingent, re-entry amphibs and four of the Delta-7 F35-B and by the time HIFUD reaches Alpha Centauri, the Centaurans will have been members of the Caledonian Rebel Alliance for some 75 years, with the Saltire firmly planted on the highest peak. That’ll be a surprise for Emperor Rees-Mogg VIII.
The Farce is strong in all of us.
Listen up folks. If you thought Brexit couldn’t get any worse you should read an article in today’s Sun newspaper. Sorry I can’t access and post the article in question.
To be honest I’m getting REALLY, REALLY p*ssed right off now.
“Hard Border Police Aid Offer.
In brief:
Speaking after a summit of UK top bosses on Monday 17/09/2018 – a pact was sealed for a UK wide joint unit to respond to Brexit.
Scots cops could be deployed to Northern Ireland if a hard border is reinstated after Brexit, top brass revealed yesterday. CC Iain Livingstone pledged Police Scotland support amid fears of clashes on the 310 mile frontier. Officers in the provinces are wary of attacks by dissident Republicans if free movement between the neighbouring countries is axed next year.
Scots would carry out “routine” policing duties, while the NIrish Police would man the border.
Not known how many would be required but the PSNI needs more than 400 officers.
They also fear that the UK could lose access to cooperation tools such EU Arrest or Europol systems if they don’t strike a deal.
David Hamilton of the SPF said cops had been sent to help during the marching season, but this was a different matter entirely.
………………….
From ‘The Sun Says’: “Wakey-up time.”
“Haulage companies are planning for crippling tailbacks that will bring the distribution system to a grinding halt.
The NHS is stockpiling medicines. The Government is telling food manufacturers to lay on extra stocks of imported products. Land Rover is moving to a three-day week.
The Irish Government has guaranteed funding to hire 450 border guards and customs inspectors. And now Police Scotland is getting ready to send officers to Northern Ireland to help quell civil unrest and a return to the Troubles we thought had been extinguished for good.
Is this really what a million Scots voted for?
Did all those who believed Boris Johnston when he told them Brexit would bring £350 million a week for the NHS vote to see factory workers on short time?
Did they vote to have Scottish Police flung into street battles in Northern Ireland?
How long can these Brexiteers go on dismissing these serious concerns from serious people without providing a single, solitary fact of their own?
With only six months to go until we leave the EU, how long can they go on pretending that everybody is out of step with BoJo?
Let’s hope they wake up before our police officers are forced to clean up the mess.
…………………
Well now that the SNP no longer count on the Greens perhaps the SG can allow the local people in Sutherland their wish. The Greens objected to the building of Coul Links on very sparse scientific evidence in the face of overwheming local support (unlike Trump’s Menie). That local support were amazed when the SG called in the plans as they support SNP and Labour mostly.
The locals know they need the development to keep young people in the area.
Come on SNP do the needful. And fast!
Well now that the SNP can no longer count on the Greens perhaps the SG can allow the local people in Sutherland their wish. The Greens objected to the building of Coul Links on very sparse scientific evidence in the face of overwheming local support (unlike Trump’s Menie). That local support were amazed when the SG called in the plans as they support SNP and Labour mostly.
The locals know they need the development to keep young people in the area.
Come on SNP do the needful. And fast!
@Robert Peffers 2:13pm
I’m no apologist. I’ve never apologised for being Scottish. I don’t appreciate your condescending tone. Nor, unlike you, would I ever count myself as “British”. As for Scotland not being a country? I hear that a lot from BRITNAT colonialists and enablers. Don’t bother with the explanation of UK and Kingdoms, because Scotland is a Kingdom, Country and Nation. It’s possible to be all three at once, as Netherlands, Norway and Denmark prove that. The difference between Scotland and the aforementioned is they are Self governing, which is what I aspire to for Scotland. You should seriously question your own thinking on that. You’re WRONG!
I speak only for myself and never claimed otherwise.
I don’t normally post that oftenhere because I cannot be arsed with petty, egotistical point scoring.
You can argue all day for all I care, about the pedantry of Nationalism. It’s a distraction. Which the rest of your post regarding history of USA etc is, further distraction. Rather than waste my time I’d prefer to spend it constructively changing No voters perceptions and minds. I’ll continue to argue that Scotland is a country and every country should govern themselves. I’ll continue down that route as it works for me. The whole point of having independence for me is to have democracy. Until we are self governing, England decides everything. Being dictated to by your neighbour just isn’t normal, nor will I be dictated to by you.
The 1919 rent strikers were labelled as ‘Red Clydesiders’ and many Weegies are proud of this label still to this day. It was a hinderance. It painted them as ‘revolutionary commies’. They had a rent strike when they should have had a revolution. The revolution should’ve been to restore Scotland’s independence. Unfortunately the Red Clydesiders tag put off many in Scotland, and they simply wouldn’t support “communists” and therefore didn’t support the rent strike. It stifled what should have been a defining moment in freeing Scotland from English colonial rule. That’s the danger of labels and allowing yourself to be labelled by others. You can spend hours waffling about civic versus blood n soil Nationalism and if it convinces others, good for you. I’ve been there and done that. I haven’t found it to be that effective or efficient use of my time and energy.
There’s no single magic bullet that will convert every No voter to Yes. The closest I’ve found is to get to the crux of the matter, which is for me anyway, Democracy.
It’s a lot more difficult to argue against Democracy than it is to argue against Nationalism. Nothing apologetic about that stance at all. It’s about saving time and energy and being efficient with both.
It takes all sorts and the bigger the Indy tent, the better, but it means more opinions and fewer are likely to agree with you or me, for that matter.
@Petra
I saw news of the involvement of Police Scotland, paid for by Scotland, to police a hard border because of a Brexit not voted for by 62% of voters in Scotland, and not supported by the Scottish Government, the party of Government, nor the Greens, nor, in fairness, Labour and the LibDems.
I don’t think it’s right or proper.
It’s official Burnley is the British Isles most stupid town
In interviews with local residents of Burnley who were the highest leave Brexit voters in the UK the residents claimed they voted to leave because they had too many immigrants from the EU and far too many people of colour and they didn’t care if they became poorer because of it
Now they needn’t worry because post Brexit not only will the people of Burnley be poorer only some of the EU citizens will be leaving but to be replaced by immigrants from Africa so they’ll have twice as many brown people as they had before which were the very people they voted to get rid of in the first place
Not only stupid but really really racist in Burnley
@Juan
Please keep posting here, quite a few of us have had the same delusional “treatment”.
@Gfaetheblock says: 19 September, 2018 at 7:02 pm:
” … Has calling folk facists converted them to Yes?”
“What has that got to do with the price of fish at Peterhead fish Market?
In the first place the term, “Fascist”, would have been used, not, “facists”, as you ask.
The reason the term was being used was because they had made the accusation that there was something inherently evil about me being a nationalist. In which case that person was effectively calling me a, “Fascist”, by confusing the term NAZI, (National Socialist German Workers’ Party), as a Nationalist organisation.
The NAZI Party were neither nationalists nor were they socialists. They had ambitions to take over the World by military might and a record of totally anti-social actions. They wanted to be the Master Race. Just like your typical Britnat.
Now consider this, these people are also internationalists as they want their nation to rule my nation, whether I like it or not. I’m the one with ambitions for my nation to only rule itself but their ambition is for their nation to rule mine.
Such people are never going to have a sudden conversion on the road to Damascus. They are what they are and will remain so.
If you want to spend your time attempting Damascene conversions then good luck to you. You are going to need lots of such luck. If anyone has just accused me of being an evil nationalist while they themselves are just such an evil nationalist they deserve all they get and there is little chance they will ever change.
You go and cringe before them if you so choose but I never will. Oh! And by the way – yes I have had some success by giving such people a short sharp shock. Few it must be said but they have returned later and admitted, “I’m sorry, I never looked at it that way before but you are right the SNP only want to run Scotland and do not stand candidates in the rest of the UK”.
Now whether they changed their voting habits I wouldn’t know but they sure as hell now know where the YES movement is coming from.
Thanks for the P1 tests (assessment) info Iain (7:30pm).
Looks as though the EIS and Holyrood parties want the P1 assessments banned altogether, as from now.
link to theargus.co.uk
link to theschoolrun.com
Robert Peffers @ 20.13
I am confused. You say that folk you called nazis are dyed in the wool britnats who are beyond redemption, then say that you have changed some of their minds. This is contradictory surely?
I feel sorry that you feeel that everything needs to be a confrontation.
I cringe to no one, as I know Scotland will be successful in Union or in indepednace.
Politics is the art of persuasion and constructive interpersonal relations require mutual respect. A bit of disdain is fine but one needs to show respect in order to gain respect.
link to us.sagepub.com
Engaging Theories in Interpersonal Communication
Introduction
Meta-theory and Theory in Interpersonal Communication Research
link to in.sagepub.com
link to tandfonline.com
yesindyref2 says:
19 September, 2018 at 8:09 pm
@Juan
Please keep posting here,
Cheers. Been reading WOS since it started, when Wee Ginger Dug, Scottish Skier, Morag, Major B and others were regulars. Even if I don’t post, I’ll still be reading every day and will post occasionally, when I’ve something to say, that hasn’t already been said, and said better by somebodyelse.
I usually spend time posting on MSM social network sites, where there’s more opportunity to expose the media lies and BRITNAT posters.
Sorry if this has already been posted. Not long home and catching up.
Wee Ginger Dug’s on fire again.
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
“You can’t be a Unionist if there is no Union. You’re just an apologist for British nationalism, for English nationalism in tartan drag.”
They’re all BRITNATS now and the more extreme are BritNazis.
@Gfaetheblock: “I cringe to no one, as I know Scotland will be successful in Union or in indepednace.”
Yes G, Scotland was successful, is successful and will be successful, regardless of whether we’re in the Union or not – it’s the people make it a success, and I’ve always found the people very adaptive – we’ve had to be.
But think whether you think Scotland has been better off with Devolution and the limited powers it has, regardless of whether it’s the SNP or was Lab / LibDem, and if you think it has done better (92% want to keep Devolution), then think how much better it could be with all powers, full powers, Independence.
Again, regardless of which party is in Government. It’ll be the one we vote for, with all the powers that 196 countries have worldwide.
@Petra 7:25pm
Ta for the links.
I think the paper is embellishing the matter (as ever)
The EIS are reported as supporting a petition to halt/ban aspects of the SNSA’s not in its entirety. So is still consistent with what they’ve said. SNSA’s are supported, just not particular aspects of the assessments.
Basically the first three I listes on previous post
‘Don’t have them assessed en-masse at a particular point in the curriculum, assess only on that particular ‘test’ and collect and publish it for public consumption.
The assessments should be done, but as part of an ongoing asessment, in conjunction with other milestone markers, to inform where specific attention/improvements can be made for both pupils and school.
The EIS most certainly do not want any and every form of asessments scrapped/banned or otherwise not implemented. Any reports of that are disingenuous.
They have a problem only with the rigidity of the assessment dates (does not allow for incremental improvements to a childs progress to be ‘recorded’) similarly, all schools assessing on the same date and as a group.
Basically, to take an example from ‘early years’
Children at nursery are continually asessed through various interactive methods on numeracy, language skills etc. At such a young age, milestones vary for children. A child assessed as having poor numeracy may improve within days.
Nurseries are well aware of this and attend to individual needs where improvements may be tailored for the child.
Periodic milestones are taken for individual children throughout a term. These are communicated to parents. They get records of activities – daily diaries if you will.
But to have a whole class assessed at the same time, at the same date in the term, across the country and those figures to be used as a benchmark at a single pount in time (or worse published as a league table) would do a great disservice to pupils, teachers and schools.
Get a class of nursery children to sit at the same time to be asessed – good luck with that. If you think that’s easier to do by P1 think again. Some children will possibly be distressed by that. Not by the asessments. The asessments are what they do every day as play and learning and love it. But in their own small groups, or individually and importantly – when the teachers, at their discretion, think they are ready and at their individual pace.
@Iain mhor
Thanks for posting all that information about the assessments in particular your take on the view of the EIS. This kind of thing needs to be spelt out in Parliament so everyone can get a clearer picture and I can’t understand why it isn’t.
As long as I remember, inspectors and testing in schools has frustrated teachers who are delayed in getting on with the job. It a false check to have the children ready for a test.
Too many managers as with most institutions.
I would like to leave the education bodies to run education without politics messing it up. Whatever parties.
@ Yesindy, excellent point about weans assessed being found to need glasses. Time to cleanse the Augean Stables of the EIS.