While we’re investigating
Today has seen the entry into the independence debate of the magnificently batty Vote No Borders campaign group – not on any account to be confused with the No Borders campaign group, whose aims are to “struggle against borders and immigration controls and strive for freedom of movement for all” and are therefore the very antithesis of what the British state has increasingly come to stand for.
Various puff pieces in the media have given the group free space to advertise themselves as a “grassroots” campaign that is non-party political. But the funding figures mentioned – £150,000 raised before the group had any kind of public profile at all and hope of raising another £250,000 on top – may well cause more cynical readers to detect a somewhat piscine odour.
As we’ve got our journalism hats on, let’s have a sniff.
Vote No Borders first came to our attention a couple of weeks ago whilst perusing the Electoral Commission’s register of permitted participants (which is a very handy tool). No Borders lists one Malcolm Offord as their “responsible person”, and today seems to mark his first foray into the debate.
Vote No Borders registered as a permitted participant on the 19th March 2014 – 43 days before the launch of their website. If that seems odd, No Borders only registered with Companies House on the 18th March 2014. It became a permitted participant the day after forming.
(The permitted participant address is 26 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, despite Malcolm Offord’s address being listed as a west London postcode, and that of No Borders being listed as 24 Chiswell Street in London).
So within 44 days of forming, this “grassroots” campaign has already managed to amass funding totalling a whopping £150,000, despite having absolutely no public profile. Wow, even we’re a little jealous.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. VNB’s other stated director (and “communications advisor”) is Fiona Gilmore, director of Acanchi Ltd, whose address is, by a remarkable coincidence, also 24 Chiswell Street. (You’ll note Malcolm is also of Acanchi.)
A quick browse of Acanchi’s website sheds no light on what they actually do, other than the catch-all term “consultancy” (although it’s interesting to note that they’ve “taken on many assignments with Governments and leaders to position their countries, regions or cities in the world.”)
Fiona is also director of Flowers of Union Ltd, a company with absolutely no digital footprint to speak of despite having existed since 19th December 2013. The same address, 32-34 Great Marlborough Street, crops up in both Malcolm and Fiona’s profiles, and is listed on Acanchi’s website as their contact address.
Why mention Flowers of Union? Well, apart from the obvious bit in their name, the VNB website claims to know of a band “whose members have been working with the No Borders Campaign to create a song”. The name of this young group of enthusiastic grassroots supporters of the UK? Amazingly enough, it’s “Flowers of Union”.
We think it’s safe to say that every up-and-coming bunch of young troubadours sets itself up as a company at Companies House before making a website or releasing any songs or playing any gigs. Nothing strange there.
(As an aside, the VNB website was registered by one Gary Waple, who as well as being a director of Acanchi until last year, is currently an associate at The Prudential Regulatory Authority in… the Bank of England.)
So that’s grassroots, No-campaign style. Of course, this was all extremely complicated to find out – requiring the ability to both type some things into Google AND then click the resulting links – which is presumably why the Herald and BBC didn’t bother having a cursory glance into the campaign group’s background, to check just how “grassroots” it really is.
We’re so lucky to have such a diligent professional media, or the state of the Scottish independence debate could be a right old shambles, eh readers?
The No campaign consists of the UK Government in various disguises. No grassroots activists to speak of. The UK Government is doing everything it can, lying propaganda included to ‘hold us fast’. Our struggle to break free and rid us of our albatross.
Douglas Fraser surely has access to a wealth of CBI business intelligence and director connections. I’m sure I read the BBC membership was down to “investment in development and training”.
It’s almost as if they aren’t looking or questioning anything (Scotland-Russian foreign relations aside).
Simples
Blackops
I hate to be critical of a new venture, especially one on the referendum, but if this crowds song is anything like their videos ( I’ve watched 3), they are doomed to failure. Their researchers need a boot in the bottom and their subjects need to finish secondary school. On a positive note, it’s another nail in the No Campaigns coffin.
The utter lack on inquisitiveness among the churnalists at the BBC is, as Johann would say, astonishing!
Every single member of the British nationalist vote No campaign seems to be within the political or business elite.
No wonder these parasites a so keen to avoid independence as it would be they are no longer able to suck the money and resources from society.
Thanks for pulling this together Stu. So Gary Waple works at the Bank of England. How very murky are the waters of the no campaign
WOW!
It looks like we really do have a fight on our hands now chaps. Now if only we could create a grass roots campaign for independence then we’d really have a fight on our hands, oh wait a minute we do. 🙂
I love where their *ahem* grass roots is coming from … wealthy business folks, NOT exactly what grass roots is all about now is it. Still they’re making an effort bless em. 😛
So we have a new group for NO, funded I strongly suspect by Malcolm Offord for the most part, still how else can an organisation that is NOT known by anyone get funding unless it comes from those involved in setting it up in the first place. 😉
What I find amazing is that they expect to raise £400,000 in one month and SPEND £400,000 in the same month. Now THAT is a lot of money raising and spending by anyone’s standards!
Why does Fiona Gilmore and Acanchi ring a bell with me? I read an article about both recently and I’m sure it was related to the indy debate, something about a statement made by Fiona Gilmore.
Are we allowed to find out where this £400k came from/will be coming from?
And good to see an excellent couple of articles today from Doug and Alistair, well done guys.
Murray
You mean this kind of development and training?
link to newsnetscotland.com
The journo’s at the Herald and BBC will read this and be so jealous that they don’t have access to Google.
Wait a minute, wasn’t she on a vote No panel recently?
This is interesting: link to haaretz.com
As an aside, the VNB website was registered by one Gary Waple
And
Registrant type:
UK Individual
according to a whois search.
No wonder Jackie Bird and the other bbc bint found it hard not to laugh during that piece in yesterdays Reporting Scotland bulletin about the latest BT crybaby moan about funding – i mean even bbc drones must a sense of humour, right?
steviecosmic – possibly. There’s a biography on Acanchi’s website that says she’s been on the Money Programme and Question Time.
Oooh, BBC programmes. Fancy that…
Seasick Dave
Spot on.
Yeah, because looked at the Acanchi site about a week or so ago. I can’t remember the article I read (maybe linked from Twiiter) but she drafted in as a No expert or something.
This stinks to high heaven. She walks in powerful circles, so this has UK govt written all over it.
Massive bettertogetherBBC country wide news blast for the no borders campaign, which oddly enough may well explain why old Sweaty Brewer pulled up WoS and Bella at end of his we hate Alex Salmond don’t we Newsnicht grot last night, completely out of the blue and ofcourse its because they wouldn’t want anyone to think voteNO BBC was biased in any way.
Unhappy retirement Sir Gordon Brewer and hopefully lots of your fellow UKOK propagandists in Pacific Quay on the 19th Sept.
Big thanks to Alistair Davidson ( nae bayonet ) for the
Picking up a Buzz story.
Same goes tae Douglas Daniel, for While we’re Investigating
both of you guy’s have put in some Sterling work, not to
forget The Rev Stu,whit a week this has been,every Winger
will be walking about pidgion chested (oor crops fue).
Roll on next week.
Never mind the fish. Our MSM haven’t learned anything about succulent lamb.
Having fun on the No Borders site though. It is descending in to farce
like on the betting exchanges—-follow the money
Had a look on Linkedin for Fiona Gimore, 12 profiles for that name ( starting section of where they have studied etc )but none match. Although I am not a member to get all the full prolies, none appear to be her.
From the “who is Acanchi” bit of her website
“Acanchi was established in 2003 as an independent and privately owned London based consultancy. This independence ensures its neutrality and objectivity.”
So everyone from voteNO BBC, fasttrack Whitehall civil servants and now these liggers are all neutral and objective
except/until they turn their brilliant minds to Scottish democracy. Spooky.
Do Acanchi have/had any contracts with H.M. Government, either in the UK or abroad?
If so, what was the nature of these contracts?
I am reminded somewhat of what the CIA used to do, in funding certain front organisations in Miami to discredit Castro.
But that wouldn’t happen here. Would it?
I’m too wee, too stupid and too poor to suggest such a thing.
Ask my Mrs.
Just as a wee aside.
My partner is just back fae up the street where she bumped into, not physically 😛 , a friend, yes folks we do have A friend. 😛
They had a brief conversation that went something like this:
F: I’m voting NO
P: You’re voting NO
F: Aye I’m voting NO
P: but we all had you down as definitely voting YES
F: well I’m voting NO
P: well that’s a big surprise
F: Aye I’m voting NO to NO! 😛
Maybe we could use that as a new catchphrase or something. 😉
Vote NO to NO!
I only hope James Cook, uncle Ken Macdonald or Isobel Fraser read this. They are the only decent BBC journalists around. There may be others of course?
Pity we’ve got performing seals rather than journalists up here. If any of them read this site then they should be ashamed of themselves being outshone by folk working with vastly inferior resources. Have they really got no professional integrity? Sad.
Can we have that in a flow chart please!
O/T breaking news:
link to bbc.co.uk
The CBI’s application to register with the Electoral Commission has been ruled void because an unauthorised signatory signed the application. The EC says it will continue to monitor the CBI but is apparently not stipulating that the organisation registers again properly. Curiouser and curiouser…
Sergio Casci says:
I had a look at your Israel link and yes that must be her, so they have high level involvement.
Looks like this is a long established last ditch attempt to thwart Scottish democracy right enough, or she would not be involved. Black arts indeed. Being pulled in as required, by our Lords and Masters!!
I wonder how much this is costing Westminster and how much in cash comes from OUR taxes????
We all need to get twittering and alert our masses, as well as all the bloggs and facebook.
Also from the Acanchi pages the Chi of Acanchi- “the Chi is all about creativity, the ability to see things in new and potentially valuable ways”
So, have you told them they’re too small? yes, too poor? yes, too stupid? yes, how about a nice vote no song? ok!
I checked the site and laughed out loud when I saw that one woman was voting no so it would be easier for her to live in France!
I guess news of Cameron’s EU referendum hasn’t reached her yet.
(more great sleuthing btw, Stu)
Another site,twitter account and petition that I suspected is link to toscotlandwithlove.co.uk although probably not on the level of dodgyness of that vote no borders.
Three people seem to be contactable on it, all from around Hastings area.
One is a Counsellor (not the local authority type)
One seems to be a second hand book seller
and the other is a novelist of sorts and has written for various news papers and magazines including the evening standard.
The whole website is like a copy and paste from better together rhetoric handbook.
Great bit of detective work there Douglas. Now you’ve gone and opened up a can of worms all we need to do is ‘monster’ it and the predictable BBC will attack us and at the same time drive more people to the truth. 🙂
Fiona is also director of Flowers of Union Ltd, a company with absolutely no digital footprint to speak of despite having existed since 19th December 2013.
But they have registered the domain name flowersofunion.co.uk on 21 January.
Registrant:
Acanchi Limited
Registrant type:
UK Limited Company, (Company number: 4698446)
Unfortunately it wasn’t Gordon Brewer who fronted Newsnicht last night heedtracker it was his junior side kick Gary Robertson. Can you imagine the amount of froth that would have been coming out of Brewer’s mouth if he had to show the picture of Wings last night? 😛
link to centralfm.co.uk
CBI’s reverses Independence “error”
The CBI’s managed to reverse an embarrassing mistake over Scottish independence.
The business lobby group- which is supposed to be independent – registered with the Electoral Commission to support the “no” campaign.
Several companies, including STV and some leading Universities quit the group as a result of the decision.
The CBI quickly claimed it had made an error, and the Electoral Commision’s now formally rejected their application.
Good stuff Doug. As has often been said on here the ‘grassroots’ No campaign actually consists of the MSM and one tentacle or other of the British establishment.
Re the appearance of WoS on Newsnight. Mind the week long smear campaign the BBC mounted against the FM over Murdoch immediately prior to the 2012 council elections? Mind how they then ran a ‘vox pop’ on election day ‘proving’ that the negative coverage would not affect the result?
Well, watch out for a vox pop brewing at Pacific Quay ‘proving’ that their referendum coverage is exemplary in its fairness. Hey, we showed WoS, ontcha know..
I am not bothered in the slightest about this group,but what really grinds my wheels is how easily they got positive exposure on Newsnight Scotland. They must have some very powerful friends to come from nowhere and then get headline news from our favourite aunty.
I ssaw their petition the other night tayside, it was a link from Twitter but here it is.
link to tinyurl.com
Try and keep the laughter down to a dull roar folks please, I’m still suffering a wee bit from last night’s newsnicht shock! 😛
Kenny,
I expect the press will be sending in a lot of FOI to the Electoral Commission on this or maybe they won’t. How would they know which signature is the authorising signature?
Part of Mr Offord’s solution to ‘Bankrupt Britain’:
“Reform the bloated benefits system of this country to reduce the burden on the state and, just as importantly, boost the growth rate of the country by helping more people to be productive and contribute to the country’s (and their own) wellbeing.”
and
“There is a growing body of evidence that the hand-outs actually embed the recipients in poverty, in hopelessness and in worklessness which not only degrades them as people but also robs the state of economically valuable citizens. The Shannon Matthews case where a mother has seven children by five fathers all paid for by the state does not provide strong endorsement for the benefits system”
The pdf link is interesting.
link to google.co.uk
Grass roots that run all the way back to London. 😀
Right, they’re just being silly now.
One of the things I admire about these people is their ability to spin failure as if it was success
To give an example: Fiona Gilmore is an author, amongst other things. She has written three books and the last one was a runaway success, apparently. It was called “Brand Warriors, China” and it was published in January 2003. Seems it sold 25,000 copies in its first 6 weeks. To a population of a mere 1.3 billion.
Impressive
Anybody thinks int services are not involved here are not paying attention . My god look what went on across the water, they have a lot more to lose if we shoot the craw , it’s just starting to get really dirty , why , we’re winning
Fiona Gilmore – more background here:
link to camfed.org
link to powerbase.info
link to wikispooks.com
“Fiona is a graduate from Cambridge University with an MA in French and Russian and also speaks Italian.”
In the past her companies have ‘rebranded’ Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Bahrain (my very selective list).
“Acanchi is a London-based public relations company specializing in country and city branding projects. In October 2008, the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that Acanchi would rebrand Israel as a land of achievement.”
Now that she’s sorted out Israel, Land of Achievement, it appears that Fiona will be working her magic on Brand UK through the medium of shit music.
@Dave Beveridge 3.14 ( inferior resources yes )
Quality of the Journalistic integrity beyond reproach,no
to bad fur Grassrooters. Eh professional Journalists, kin
Wings Journalists join ure union. answers probibly naw
they’d be the Editors in nae time.
I see Mr Offord is also something of a philanthropist through his English-registered family charitable trust, putting some very serious money into a number of good causes in Scotland, from his Greenock roots and beyond.
Let’s not make it personal, though the VBN website does seem to be very fair game so far as the referendum goes.
Kenny, your o/t breaking news is one of the funniest things I’ve seen today.
It’s not pressure that forced their about turn, not even when all those agencies and companies said see ya later. Oh no, it’s all down to them having their application to the Electoral Commission signed by someone who didn’t have the authority.
Can anyone else smell that? I know there’s a farm nearby but it doesn’t have cattle. That fine smell of bovine ordure must be coming from somewhere else.
And of course, if their excuse is true… how much confidence would that give anyone in their professional standards?
It all matters little. We all know they are about as biased as Better Together against Scottish independence. Removing their registration with the Electoral Commission doesn’t change that.
I’ve just been on the VNB site what a load of GUFF!
I don’t know where “Farah” works in Glasgow but apparently it must be rock solid 100% full of NO supporters. According to her wee *ahem* video everyone she’s talked to are NO supporters and she has never met a YES supporter but don’t worry folks cause as she says there probably are folk out there who will vote YES. 😛
Shock, horror everyone she’s met who’s voting NO have very good reasons for voting NO. HURRAH! there are people out there who can finally be put forward to give the positive case for the union! Yee Ha! 🙂
Oh dearie me, apparently Scottish independence will end up the same as the partitioning of India and Pakistan, erm no it bloody well won’t you stupid woman. ARGH!
link to tinyurl.com
@ Arbroath 1320, thanks for the correction. Its usually on in the background, they all sound the same and they all sing from the same sheet, load of sheet. Anyway the Reverend is quite fond of future Lord Brewer of Pacific Quay for some reason but noone is perfect:-)
“Branding countries and cities”
Does that sound like a respectable skill? Or does it sound like bullshit? You decide
You’re all being very horrid and unfair. Every time a new indy website is launched it’s featured on the BBC News, isn’t it?
Nice piece of investigative reporting, Rev.! Keep up the great work, aye.
The two girls on the no borders song. Are both plumby voiced posh Scots who are now based in England. Enough said!
The Electoral Commission has ‘nullified’ the CBI registration:-
link to bbc.co.uk
CBI apparently remaining a “politically independent and impartial body”.
In what universe?
Edward is voting No for stability 🙂
link to youtube.com
Oh, and re the tentacles of Westminster. We should be growing more and more concerned about the role of the Electoral Commission in this referendum, especially given the CBI news today.
Anyone feeling confident that this body will oversee proceedings in a robust and even-handed manner?
Since there does not appear to be any “grass roots” in this “grass roots” no campaign, is it wise to give them some by commenting there? Not convinced, at present
This:-
link to bbc.co.uk (CBI Registration Nullified)
Is now archived here:-
link to archive.today
Just sayin’
Acanchi is nothing more than a British Government ALMO that works closely with other governments around the world without generating publicity from the media. The fact that they started off No Borders with a balance of hundreds of thousands £££s, and their website is so vague about what they do, is a giveaway. The reason that it is not an official quango is because spending would be accountable to the public purse, this is more like tax payers money being used on the quiet.
Just say to yourself, why is a seemingly benign London PR company (run by two-people) interested running, and funding of, a campaign in the Scottish referendum seemingly off their own bat? There is no sense to that. Of course the answer is they working on behalf of the British government using tax payers cash disguised as ‘Acanchi money’. Expect more of these ‘local campaigns’ to pop up around Scotland and well funded. It also proves that Better Together has failed and Whitehall has panicked. (seen Alistair Darling lately, anybody?)
Ah hud a look at that Toodledoonthebru Brian & A Neil,
I would be very suprized if Alex Salmond did’nt ask for
Devo Max Devo Plus in the Edinburgh agreement,Toodle B
missed the point yes it was’nt in AS remit to demand Devo
anything, But he knew Cameron would refuse, as Toodle b
says Cameron wasent providing a parachute.
AS had pulled the ripcord, knowing the answer
YES – No Cameron beat, dont play the odds, wie a betting
man.
Might be worth investigating the activities of Cashmaster (Holdings) Ltd where Malcolm Offord is a Director and is registered at Dundas and Wilson’s offices in Edinburgh.
Has anyone come across Cashmaster Holdings? What do they do?
Glad to be of service heedtracker. 😉
What on earth is it with all those folk on these VNB videos and their insatiable desire to let everyone know how old they are?
I mean what on earth is it with this” I’m Joe Bloggs,…..$£ by the way” nonsense.”
Hang on Edward, 40 years old from Shieldhall. You have a WEE girl doing HIGHERS. Well excuse me but if she’s doing her HIGHERS then she’s not exactly a WE lassie is she?
Fiona
Bullshit, or not? 🙂
link to youtube.com
Malcolm Offerd also writes for The Tories link to conservativehome.blogs.com
Slightly OT, but I have noticed on the Herald forums that there has been a sudden surge in new posters appearing. ALL of them pro-Westminster and with a fairly similar MO. Disparaging remarks and “cringe”. The appearance of these campaigning groups seems to be following this trend. I suspect, though can not prove, that they are all being coordinated.
But if I said this out loud, I would be accused of paranoia!
Flower of the Union and grass roots musics – sounds like a covert wee campaign for waccy baccy.
@ Arbroath 1320, its how the woman Farah after 1 minute brings in the British partition of India, spread of wealth, the killing” etc that really opens up how desperate projectfear has become.
Did every other country that said goodbye to England have to listen to so much hard core fearmongering? Oh well, I’m away to watch reruns of that lovely Jon Snow wondering along a beach next to Lewis and him wishing put loud it was still WW2 so we could all be dead together:D
Hello.
I think you’re all missing the point here, its important to remember that LFI is an SNP front!
Grahamski said so this morning on twitter, this is just a distraction from the real issues.
You cybernats are uncontrollable.
😉
Just had a swatch at that VNB. Boring amateurish shite. Whoever was daft enough to give these people money should demand it back pronto.
As it is, it’s rapidly becoming an alternative off-topic site for us. (Hey Cameron, why don’t you send them some of your back-list?)
PS Someone has ‘egged’ Nigel Farage.
Kenny and Nana Smith
So presumably the guy who was going to get his jotters for signing and sending off the form, will now get a promotion for giving CBI an excuse to continue their “impartiality” without being formally tagged as a NO organisation?
VNB website is begging for an egging! By which I mean, it would be nice to let them know politely and reasonably why we want independence.
Ian Brotherhood
I wouldn’t dream of it. I am taking my contribution to that site’s objective, very seriously. I intend sticking with them for the long-run. 🙂
VNB is quite a hoot at the moment. Only 2 of a maximum 40 (?) comments are real. They’ve spent (well someone has..) an awful lot of cash for this. Also it seems they have raised £142,015 in a matter of hours from 3 named donors. Damn impressive I’d say.
Watched Edward (40, shieldhall, wee lassie) who went to Spain saw multi story buildings with no one working on them, Ireland 6 euros a pint and hethinks that is terrible, thinks “we’re awright the wey we are ‘n that y’know?” has a golfing mate who is a most definite YES “but he’s inta politics an that an am no'”
Dear Edward, listen to your mate. He has the brains.
LinkedIn/ACANCHI has a number of first name/no surname types who are all Oxford/Cambridge educated…..just saying, like.
Of course heedtracker we must always remember that we are too wee, too poor and too stupid not to realise that there is an alternative way to independence that does not require huge battles fought along the frontiers as the Berlinesques type walls are built. 😛
The thing that struck me about Mr Offord is, that he says the campaign is ‘…going to allow the voices of ordinary Scots people to be heard…’ (today’s Herald page 6.) Mr Offord doesn’t seem to be very ordinary himself. How many ordinary Scots could afford to give £100,000 to the Conservative party, which he seems to have done? (same page today’s Herald.)
I heard the young enthusiastic singers on the radio this morning. Two wee lassies, Molly and Caroline. One day they’ll grow up.
P.S. There’s already a couple of good eggs on the site. One of them has just commented that he is relieved no nasty cybernats have turned up to spoil the site. 🙂
@ Arbroath 1320
Ahh I see Vladimir Putin has signed.
The YES campaign seems to have developed its own momentum and appears to be rocketing towards the referendum under the radar of the TV and press.
I’ve watched some of the indy live streams, and have never heard so many educated people putting forward sensible views, in so many different accents. It makes these attempts at an alternate view, look like what they are, contrived and artificial.
Farage update.
link to bbc.co.uk
Funnily enough Moss I was thinking something similar as I was listening to him trying ever so hard 😉 to keep a straight face. Honest I was. 😛
@ seanair
Aye his CBE is in the post!
A bheil gaidhlig agad?
If you want to hear Fiona Gilmore listen to a broadcast on Monocle which was broadcast on 26/11/2013
The Scotland segment starts at 12:30 and her piece starts at 18:37.
She doesn’t say anything much but she does get a Braveheart mention in.
At work so can’t look, but would Aranchi perhaps be a member of CBI?
This really does STINK to high heaven.
CameronB says:
P.S. There’s already a couple of good eggs on the site. One of them has just commented that he is relieved no nasty cybernats have turned up to spoil the site. 🙂
I tell you what then Cameron the guy who hasn’t seen any nasty cybernats hasn’t looked very far has? I mean I have a post up there THREE down from his. Is he trying to tell me I’m NOT a cybernat?
I don’t like where he is taking this. I mean I have been wearing my cybernatery on my sleeve with pride until I can go into hospital for the operation to have it engraved onto my heart. 🙂 Now someone pops up on anti NO to NO site and tells me I’m NOT a cybernat! What on earth is the world coming to?
Wow, so ‘Better together’ cannot make a convincing case for the union, so now Westminster is covertly employing re-branding marketeers, to create a fake ‘grassroots campaign, with a fake Edinburgh address (really with head office in England).
Hang on, I thought David Cameron kept telling us he cannot debate with the First Minister because ‘this is a matter for Scots only’, yet here we see the London Government (for it is they who will be funding this sham), interfering directly in a democratic process.
Is this how it’s going to be for those who oppose independence, using a fake pretendy ‘grass roots’ group rather than have open discussion and debate????
Well that was fun.Just been posting on the VNB[wasn’t that an ultra commie group in asia]website as “Interior Decorator”.
Be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Re the CBI and their ‘honest mistake’ this what the CBI Director General John Cridland said in a BBC interview with Evan Davis on 21st April when asked about the CBI registering.
JC: This is a really key point. We took a decision that we needed to comply with these regulations. We’re an independent organisation and have to operate within the law. Simply to do our normal activities, including events and public statements we were advised we needed to comply with Electoral Commission rules because we have a position on the issues.
Doesn’t like an honest mistake to me
Full transcript of interview here
link to cbi.org.uk
.
I wonder, if a certain Vitol is connected…
Just read your input over on VNB goldenayr, BRILLIANT! 😛
DougtheDug says:
Well it ain’t loading now, saying it cant be loaded at this time. I think GCHQ are watching all links that could be used as soon as they can. No point on the ones they miss, but I have seen this many times.
Arbroath 1320
Perhaps you’re not trying hard enough, though I think your eggsaperation with Iain might be misplaced. 😉
Just visited VNB but didn’t leave a comment – it seemed cruel. I had a look at the People’s Voices – Out & About section, and the people in the pictures look like they’re swithering whether to hang themselves and end the misery. The Music section depicts a quartet of wholesome ‘youngsters’ that someone should hire to sing at the Maisie Gilfillan Memorial Hall next time there’s a VE Day celebration.
The CBI nailed its colours to the mast. We know where they stand. The rest is all just face saving smoke and mirrors.
As for No Borders – another Tory front I suspect although obviously Offord is an ex-pat with an interest in the outcome. I read Bankrupt Britain yonks ago, I hadn’t realised it was the same chap. A paper that found much favour with the Conservatives I believe.
Just been over to VNB. Whit, nae Laurel an’ Hardy?
They don’t rate them in Mauritius:
link to blogs.telegraph.co.uk
@Training Day said:
“Anyone feeling confident that this body will oversee proceedings in a robust and even-handed manner?”
My answer: NO
Ah this is amusing! A few of us have posted respectful, honest but clearly derisive comments poking holes in their wafer thin argument on the VOTE NO BORDERS site. I have not seen one NO argument at all to their latest offering!
Weak Astroturf Campaign!
The keep exposing this mob is whenever their fingerprints are seen. Discredit them constantly, and make everyone aware of what they are behind. They will not like that, these people prefer shadows.
Aye on second thoughts, fifth read through maybe you’re right. 😉
If I’m misundertstanding people and the site then so is W. Allan. 😛
I’d note NO to the Borders given the chance, I mean what use are they really? Get rid of them and the journey home to the Central Belt will be that much quicker!
I love it, and I live in the borders, 10 mins from Carlisle. 😉
Gilmore is her married name.
She was just plain old Fiona Triefus when she went to New Hall Cambridge obtaining a degree in Russian and French.
Her first company was Springpoint which was involved in branding.
This google lark is fun.
So, what is the CV of of these people? What have they actually be doing in the past?
That should give us an idea of what they have been hired to do now!
The best way to blow them out of the water is to do what is being done above, blow their cover!
Don’t get me wrong – it would actually be nice to see some real people on a genuine mission to argue for their Union. Somehow, I don’t quite think that’s what we’re looking at here.
Sorry to be OT again. Just completed the FSB survey I had a link emailed to me (I’m a member). Same as I’ve seen before for them: “While maintaining our own strictly neutral position, the FSB wants to ensure that you, our members, have the information you need on the issues that impact on your business before you cast your vote. Moreover, we want to make sure that small business issues are heard during the debate.”
Compare and contrast this to the dreaded and discreditted CBI.
I’d encourage Indy supporters and FSB members to submit your surveys too!
Nice ordinary wee hoose / office at number 26
link to charlottesquarecollection.com
Sorry to bore everyone with VNB, but you have to have a look at the Contact Us section [ link to votenoborders.co.uk ] where there are a few comments. The two from Tiffanetta Churchill (not kidding) have got to be a joke, or else the UKOKs are in trouble psychiatricly speaking.
I had a feeling something like this might be played out.
Get a band or song out and give it as much positive, over hyped press coverage as possible, aimed at a young crowd ect.
Get it into the charts. Possibly even say the proceeds are going to charity or suchlike…then wham bam a few weeks of free better together coverage aimed at the easily manipulated younger generation who would go out and buy it in droves as its the cool thing in town! (I thought they would get someone like one direction or susan boyle to do a better together as Britain song, perhaps under some kind of WW1 remembrance cover)
Theres no way it could be pushed out of the charts by the nasty nats as theres not enough of us.
norrie says:
Ain’t it just!
DaveDee
So obviously the CBI will be reapplying with the signature of someone with the correct authority on the paperwork.
norrie says:
Nice ordinary wee hoose / office at number 26
link to charlottesquarecollection.com
What you saying norrie?
You telling us that you do NOT live in a house like that. Oh of course I forgot your wee house is more upper class a bit more like this. 😛
link to tinyurl.com
I’ve just read her post Greannach, what on earth was she on when she wrote that. Whatever it was I’m certain it wasn’t legal. 😛
unionist trojan horse nothing else. thing is people in general don’t buy their billy brit bullshit and the more they try to push it on folk the more they will alienate.
Cameron B
The guy Edward on the VNB video says his daughter was in 6th Grade at High School. Has he been in America for a while or something.
I don’t know anyone from Glasgow who would say their daughter was in 6th Grade, they would say she was in 6th year.
Watchin too much Hannah Montana I think.
Oh, and he’s an eejit into the bargain.
Arbroath 1320
Well obviously after we get our Yes vote!
Glad we got that sorted out then norrie. 🙂
Might one suggest they are more a Tap Roost than a grass roots? What with tapping up folks for dodgy contributions.
What we really needs must do is play them at their own game. Start up a fake Bitter Together supporting web group and ask bitter together supporters to crowd fund it. Then push them hope,truth and honesty rather than fear, lies and dishonesty.
Arbroath1320 – yeah, you’d need to get your mind altered to team up with that crowd of crackpots. I wonder if they’ll all join in with Tory Rory’s jaunt to Middle Earth at Hands Across the Border.
I may have just fallen in love with Tiffanetta.
I’m sure I read somewhere but not sure where that Mr Offord donated £100,000 to the Tory party. But that might just be a scurrilous rumour, him being head of an apolitical grassroots organisation ‘n’ all. I’m sure it’s ascertainable fact though, if one knew where to look. 🙂
Aye Geannach I can just imagine now that Tiffanetta flittering along the length of Hadrian’s wall, torch in hand, or should that be wing. Oh wait a minute she got me at it now…what the hell was in that cup of tea I just finished. 😛
link to companydirectorcheck.com
check out the address,
Malcolm Ian Offord address:
9 GIPSY LANE
Not wanting to appear a bigot but I find it kind of ironic.
RosiePosie
Herald today states over £100,000
Greannach
whats a chaffinch is it a posh sparra
O/T A trailer for forthcoming film Scotland Yet on Michael Greenwell.
link to michaelgreenwell.wordpress.com
Can we do a spoiler on their cheesy love bomb Flower of Union song? Like maybe organise a major twitter fest to publicise how a London based group with UK govt connections are planning to storm the charts before they can release it?
And we should point out the Flower of Scotland / Flower of Union contrast (bloody cheek), I’m sure most Scots will take offence at that.
Paula Rose: Can you do us a new version of Flower of Scotland only Flower of Union this time? Your lyrics last night were fab.
caz-m
When he said he was just trying to beat his pal, I wondered if he meant with a nine iron. 🙂
Seems Ton Gordon of the Herald has done an article on the matter: –
link to heraldscotland.com
Brilliant bit of journalism. Incidentally, Britain (i.e.UKOK) has slipped down the press freedom list to number 36. link to tinyurl.com
If the EC can not see that the CBI is not impartial, as a quick trawl through their website would confirm, then the Scottish Government needs to get the EU to send monitors to safeguard the referendum.
Capella
Only Westminster can request observers. Go figure.
@Arbroath
Still not received your e-mail old bean ?
Just watched two of the video clips – Kathleen and Paul. Feel so sorry for them – I just want to give them a cuddle and tell them to do a bit of research and vote Yes, pet.
@taysideterrier
I had a look at link to toscotlandwithlove.co.uk,
and it is just full of complete and utter nonsense.
All the commenters seem to have some link with London or England.
I don’t know which site is the worst, To Scotland with love or that VNB.
This is an astroturf campaign
link to en.wikipedia.org
Offord donated 4 x £25,000 to the tories and £2500 to Michael Gove.
link to searchthemoney.com
Good article and excellent sluething too.
So like the wizard of Oz behind the curtain, project fear disguised as a cuddly toy exposed already.
PS
Wee Ginger Dug, been on the HoC wine I think… 😉
Mr Bateman a bit more serious the last two days strong stuff.
Acanchi lists the UK Government as one of their clients on one of their websites.
Suggest we all save Wings server disk space by using NoBorders as the Quarantine page.
That’s a lot of money for an organisation hardly anyone has heard of. The wings fundraiser (I’m guessing here now)may be less,but may well have more individual contributors,all will vote if they can. Less money,but more votes. Grass roots, you see.
Hmm, that’s a bit worrying cause I sent it last night, although I forgot to put my Arb moniker on the bottom. The e-mail definitely went somewhere. 😛
I’ve just sent a test e-mail let’s see what happens. 😉
@Vronsky
That actually made me laugh out loud. 🙂
Farage egged.
I didn’t know there was so many anti-English people in Nottingham.
Vronsky – we could use VNB as the Off Topic laughs page. But I think it already is that.
I’m sure Alex Fergusson (Tory MSP) will be fealing “uneasy”-as per the Daily Mail article- about this intrusion by a millionaire into the debate.
Nana Smith
Chan eil mi a’ tuigsinn!
More ww11 stuff on the news lol,is THE WAR all they have?
“To Scotland With Love” – bleeuurrggghhhh! Don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as puke-inducing. A site grabbing the best from the Heil and the Torygraph BTL comments would be a lot more honest. 🙂
Is this the site some here use
newsseeker.co.uk if so it has been disabled.
If it is not, could someone post the link for me please.
Oh jeez, I’ve just shown my partner some of the upper class highly informative comments over on VNB. I had to show her because I couldn’t see the screen to read them out because of the tears, from laughing so much, were rolling down my face. I really must stop visiting all those highly informative sites they certainly do not do my health much good. 😛
@ Caz-m
“I hope I shall not have to fumble for my passport,” says “bookseller” quoted on the iffy new website, “To Scotland With Love.” (Connery will like that title.)
He loves walking the Scottish hills.
What will he think when confronted by a red-faced gamekeeper:
“Get aff thi Laird’s grooned! Yer trespassin’!”
Here is her CV from the Acanchi site. I especially like “Fiona is a thought leader” [?]
Fiona Gilmore- researcher, adviser, author
Fiona Gilmore is founder and Chairman of Acanchi Limited, an independent consultancy which advises governments on country brand capital development and positioning strategy.
Over the past fourteen years Fiona has become one of the leading experts on country positioning strategy. She has given counsel to numerous countries and regions around the world helping to focus their efforts and provide them with the requisite skills to sharpen their offer. These include Bahrain, Britain, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, England, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Israel, Lebanon, Mauritius, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Wales and Zambia.
She is an adviser to Governments, the Private and Public Sectors as well as NGOs and other institutions.
Fiona established her first company Springpoint in 1991, which developed quickly into an international consultancy, with offices in three countries. In 2001, Springpoint was acquired by the international group IPG and in 2003 she left the group and founded Acanchi.
Fiona is a thought leader and author of three books, Brand Warriors (HarperCollins 1997), Warriors on the High Wire (Profile 2001) and Brand Warriors China (Profile 2003). Brand Warriors China was published in Chinese in January 2003, selling more than 25,000 copies in the first six weeks.
Fiona is a regular speaker on country development and positioning and has participated in TV programmes including ‘The Money Programme’ and ‘Question Time’. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was a trustee of both the United Learning Trust and WaterAid for six years.
She is a graduate from Cambridge University with an MA in French and Russian and also speaks Italian.
Arbroath
Not many for NO popping their heads above the parapet… But good to see no abusive language or swear words yet.
Usually the True Brits let their standards drop. 🙂
It will be a ‘NO’ go zone soon, comments will be moderated and comments closed within a week probably, due to the tsunami of yes support.
Seanair
Tha thu tuigsche gle bhath
Co as a tha sibh?
My gaelic grammar is rusty!
Seanair
Meant to say I was asking if you spoke gaelic due to your name [Seanair/Grandad]
I hope this is the headline with that photo above they show on Newsnight Scotland tonight.If the MSM can do it…play them at their own game.
john king says:
Yup, you got it John!
@Cameron B at 3.42pm Edward is voting No for stability
When Edward says he was playing golf with a Yesser, and he states that the Yesser is more into politics and he isn’t, and that’s why he thinks the Yesser is more inclined to vote Yes!!
Speaks volumes as to why the Yes voters take the time to look at all the arguments and make a rational decision based on the facts.
Unfortunately, most of the No voters I speak to have the same thoughts as Edward. The big worry for me is they are all going to vote no, based on no sound research or for that matter not even bothering to find out the facts and they still will vote anyway.
Here’s a weird thing – I signed up to be a vile cybernat troll on the VNB site. I used a fake name. And it automatically gave me an avatar that I used on a long-inactive Twitter account. Can someone explain how that happened, cos it kinda freaked me out.
She helped to ‘country-position’ Rwanda?
Hang on a wee minute – don’t we know someone else who’s been over there?
She is a graduate from Cambridge University with an MA in French and Russian and also speaks Italian.
Shame she does not speak truth…..
@Arbroath
Nope, will post detail in quarantine..
STV hard at it on 6pm News. Showing FMQ’s priority given to the terrible trio, they got much more collective airtime than the FM. Commentator says the FM will not be allowed to forget it! Now that I DO believe.
Just waiting for a wall to wall repeat on BBC Scot 6.30pm
A ‘thought leader’ – I’ve thought about it for a minute, and reckon it either means Hypnotist or Witch. 😐
kenny – from your IP address I assume.
These new pro-yoonyin sites most likely won’t last long. Whatever happened to that http://www.toryhoose.com one? 😉
You can find a picture of Ms. Gilmore at
link to africayoungvoices.com
in which she claims to be a global lead in country rebranding/repositioning.
She’s also a board member of Camfed, a charity based in Cambridge, England which educates African girls and supports young women to become leaders of change.
Ian Offord & Fiona Gilmore do they allow their neighbours to run their homes and families for them, or do they run them for themselves.
Well done Dougie, it seems you’ve discovered some shady covert operation, probably backed the London government, or some wealthy business group with the same goals as, Westminster politicians.
It appears,that Better Together can’t cultivate grassroots movements, so they’ve decided to buy them, by throwing lots and lots of money at them, how else could you explain, such large amounts of money invested in an inactive or newly active organisation.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid,but I think Westminster and Whitehall, will try anything they can to stop independence.
Meanwhile the CBI is dealt another blow.
link to bbc.co.uk
re Gilmore, check this out:
link to veteransnewsnow.com
Any truth in what I’m hearing, that this is from the Same guy that wrote the ‘bankrupt Britain’ dross which has been popping up everywhere – a pile of scaremongering paranoid garbage. Why in the name of would I want any part of what this clown is offering.
YES until I die.
Look like this has been brewing for a while
From linkedin resume:
Research Assistant Acanchi Country Brand Capital Development August 2013 – November 2013
• Involved in the development and implementation of a proposal and subsequent micro-initiatives for a campaign supporting the ‘No’ Vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014
Internship Acanchi Country Brand Capital Development June 2012 – September 2012
Collated and formatted material for a proposal document promoting the pro-union arguments in opposition to the SNP’s call for Scottish independence including development of narratives, a positioning strategy and a programme of micro-initiatives for this project
Wee bit O/T
Do all the companies and organisations that resigned from the Scottish CBI now re-join because the CBI are an impartial and neutral player in the Independence debate?
In, out, in, out, you shake it all about,
you do the hokey cokey and you turn around,
and that’s what it’s all about.
Ohhhh, You know the rest!
No borders, no morals, no ethics, no sense of FairPlay more like.
Spooks, bankers, Government Diplomatic automatons and a band and video crew.
They have bought a dark side version of National Collective without the knowledge or insight to make it truly effective.
Might just be a Trojan horse to deflect from other activities, that would be it’s only useful purpose.
Feel sorry for the musical youngsters though, maybe naive and just desperate for some funny money to launch their pop career!
Keep it clean!
R
I hope that calling yourself a ‘thought leader’, results in an automatic 5 year jail sentence in an indy Scotland.
I wonder how many other unionist blogs and websites, are just fronts created by the Better Together camp or Westminster, no doubt the aforementioned, will have made sure the trail can’t lead back to them.
Did I just imagine it, through the haze that a particularly bad hangover has brought on, but was Bella and Wings just mentioned on Newsnight?!
Is this a new thing?!
Right…try again.
getiton@bbc.co.uk
Sorree,can’t do links,anyhoos they’re doing footie team anthems.Lets give them our suggestions for Scotland v England in November.
kendomacaroonbar says:
@Arbroath
Nope, will post detail in quarantine..
Damn this is a wee bit concerning Kendo. That’s two e-mails I’ve sent and they have gone somewhere.
Dear BT get your act in gear.
country rebranding/repositioning = Place marketing.
Neo-liberal voodoo.
“I was impressed at the Investment Partnership Forum, with the endorsements from world class organisations such as African Minerals, Cape Sierra Hilton Hotel and London Mining. By being here one can appreciate the spirit of the place and I feel a palpable energy and momentum amongst Sierra Leone’s communities. Sierra Leone is poised to become one of Africa’s best investment destinations in the next few years, bringing jobs for Sierra Leoneans. Whilst there are inevitably obstacles to growth, I am excited at what I have seen for myself, from the dedication and welcome of the fishermen on Lumley beach to the expertise of the new generation mining companies,” she noted.
Or in English, market deregulation and the exploitation of finite natural resources. This will enable vast wealth extraction by foreign multinationals, the benefits of which might trickle down to eventually benefit the poor. Perhaps.
Not content with crying his eyes out, when Kate Moss spoke on behalf of David Bowie, Jon Snow on his channel 4 news programme, reveals the results of a YouGov poll, surprise surprise,the YouGov polls, puts YES at 42% and No at 58%, the poll was commissioned for Channel 4.
link to channel4.com
No mention on STV News or Reporting Scotland of Ian Taylor’s Vitol donations to Better Together.
The First Minister brought it up today at FMQs at Holyrood.
This is the Russian Oil Baron Igor Sechin who is on the US banned list and who Alex Salmond mentioned today at FMQs,
link to bbc.co.uk
And here is the link between Igor Sechin and Ian Taylor of Vitol, who are major donors of the Better Together Campaign.
link to cc.bingj.com
Scottish chamber of commerce. 18% of small to medium sized companies will consider or will leave Scotland if there is a YES vote.
Can these companies please let us know who they are so I can show them the same consideration and loyalty as they are showing my country and it inhabitants. One good turn deserves another.
Over the past fourteen years Fiona has become one of the leading experts on country positioning strategy.
Can she reposition Scotland a bit further south so can grow some olive oil to go with the North Sea stuff?
She has given counsel to numerous countries and regions around the world helping to focus their efforts [can you be more specific dear?] and provide them with the requisite skills to sharpen their offer [I see…er…]. These include Bahrain, Britain, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, England, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Israel, Lebanon, Mauritius, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Wales and Zambia.
I didn’t realize Britain was a country, separate from say, England and Wales. And I note Scotland is not on that list…
Channel 4 are now filling a little bit of stuff, the BBC are under the microscope for.
Turnip_ghost… yes. No dream. Newsnet Scotland were apparently preparing their Lawyers to write to the BBC to complain that the BBC always note what the Unionist MSM press are saying, but never refer to independent Pro-independence journalist sources on line. Think the BBC are bricking it at the mo. 🙂
goldenayr
If you are stuck with links because…..just click once on the address bar at the top of the page, to highlight the link, copy (Ctrl and c at the same time), and paste here, there and everywhere.
Sorry if you’re way ahead of me.
gman says:
Look like this has been brewing for a while. From linkedin resume:
Research Assistant Acanchi Country Brand Capital Development August 2013 – November 2013
• Involved in the development and implementation of a proposal and subsequent micro-initiatives for a campaign supporting the ‘No’ Vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014, etc.
This is where an FOI request to the UK Government to find out if they have engaged Acanchi to do anything might be productive. Such engagements should be on public record.
@Arbroath
Strange.. as soon as you can get me your postal address I’ll post what I have left of the stickers on to you.
O/T Got in about 6.30 and the other half was watching RS – I know!
They were reporting that AS is having to send a letter to the Scots Ukranians who complained and explain his position – I said to the O/H – that’s ridiculous, mountain out of a molehill etc and he said – but all the newspapers are saying it as well.
That led to an exchange – what about George Robertson and so.
Next item up – some business folk and we ‘need more information’ – ‘what currency are we going to use’ – aaaaaarrrggggg.
Last item up – how a Scots weather man saved DDay.
I couldn’t find the head phones quickly enough to blot out the incessant whataboutery.
There has to a one central command that co-ordinates all this media propaganda.
They must give all newsrooms the nod when to run a smear against Alex Salmond.
One day it could be EVERY TV station and newspaper running the same story at the same time, or spread it some days between newsrooms.
This week is Ch4, next week could be Sky News and so on.
That way the YES campaign can’t go after one particular news outlet.
So, a guy called Offord from Greenock makes money in the financial industry in London. He decides he’s politically right wing & wealthy enough to make various donations to the Conservative Party or members thereof.
Along the way he joins/supports some English charities & UK quangos etc & uses his wealth to help establish his own charitable foundation in England.
Somewhere, he crosses paths with Fiona Gilmore who is based in London & claims to specialise in rebranding/repositioning countries (who knew, eh?). She is also involved in charity work based out of Cambridge, England.
Offard also acquires a trustee position with Columba 1400, a Scottish charity that helps challenged teenagers. It has bases on the Isle of Skye & on Loch Lomond.
So far so good; all very humanitarian & to be applauded. And no doubt the political donations are all well above board.
Recently though, Offard & Gilmore establish a company in London called Vote No Borders. It is clearly intended to be a political campaign group because it’s name was offered to the register of permitted participants.
But to make it appear Scottish, Vote No Borders is indicated to have an address as 26 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh. To those that are unfamiliar, this is one of the most prestigious & expensive addresses in the city.
In summary then, one wealthy Tory donator & one brand expert, both based in London & each with strong ties to various companies, institutions, quangos & charities based in England, team up to create an apparent grass roots movement in Scotland, based out of one of the most expensive addresses in Edinburgh.
Well done.
I don’t think anyone in the Scottish media will notice anything odd.
I have been trying to spread wings on some non-political pages to raise awareness. How about some light-hearted posts that can be shared to attract the less-engaged to WOS.
link to scotlandnow.dailyrecord.co.uk
kendomacaroonbar says:
@Arbroath
Strange.. as soon as you can get me your postal address I’ll post what I have left of the stickers on to you.
Thanks kendo.
I’ve e-mailed you my snail mail address.
I hope you receive it OK 🙂
Arbroath 1320
So the two world wars and the Post Office gambit doesn’t play with you then? 🙂
If you are unhappy about the reporting of the Independence debate by Ch4 News, then here are their FULL CONTACT DETAILS,
link to channel4.com
Don’t be shy.
Another fruitless adventure by Better Together that will crumble into ash…
It’s amazing that they thought their true identity, location and background would stay out of sight.
Apart from the hundreds of thousands who will see it here, people are already putting this info on newspaper column comments, it is on twitter, and I have already spoken to three people who didn’t know and now do.
Multiply that up, in a few days and each time they are mentioned this info will come up again.
CameronB says:
Arbroath 1320
So the two world wars and the Post Office gambit doesn’t play with you then? 🙂
Now I have had time to think about it Cameron I may have been a wee bit hasty in putting up that reply. 😛
Maybe I should have counted to 10 before posting anything. Come to think about it nah, post and be damned was the right approach after all. 🙂
JLT
Sorry to bore you…but.
When I said “But is it us?” I was referring to a reflection of us as a modern 21stC country.Not as you assumed a “cringe”.
Just had to clear that up.
Sorry for going O/T but this petition was highlighted on our new “best friend’s” website. It appears things might be moving towards looking at getting IDS and co up in front of the European court. Not a bad idea in my view. 😉
link to tinyurl.com
Arbroath 1320
Did I take that too far, or do you think it didn’t really mattered after I’d mentioned sausage rolls? 🙂
Is this working for anyone?
link to new.livestream.com
Herald on line is reporting the ch4 poll as ,
Latest indyref poll: Yes 37%, No 51%, Don’t Know 12%.
Papadox , I’m with you .I’d like to add them to my wee list of items I will not invest in or buy.
Tunnocks T cakes – what a sacrifice!
Does anyone know Rory Stewart’s reaction to this group’s intention to get rid of the Borders?
Maybe his fun show was to stop this group in its tracks? Good work Rory.
@cynicalHighlander
nothing for me
OT
STU remember your thread about YES Glasgow a few days ago and the BT ‘no show’.
Well it appears that it will take place tonight as planned. They have found 6 panellist’s:
YES: Jeanne Freeman, Patrick Harvie and Moi
NO: Garry Coutts, John_McKee and Martin Bartos
I believe it is to be live-streamed but as yet I cannot find a link.
This Info comes from EU Citizens for Indy face book page.
You need to scroll down a wee bit, it is on the left.
cynicalHighlander
Not getting any video,rest of site fine.
CameronB says:
Arbroath 1320
Did I take that too far, or do you think it didn’t really mattered after I’d mentioned sausage rolls? 🙂
To be honest Cameron I think it was the piece and sausage that started me off and I was finally pushed over the edge by the omission of the wee dugs. What have you got against wee dugs? I mean they’re wee and don’t cost much to run and of they’re wee and… 😛
Arbroath 1320
Sorry, I’m more of a cat person and I don’t think Seperation will change that.
@Arbroath
Still nothing.. this is really bizzare…
Ch4 poll WTF,
Yes 42%
No 58%
16% gap, What happened to the polls closing?
Or is this as reliable as a John Mackay STV poll.
In other words, a joke.
@Cynicalhighlander
“Over the past twenty years Fiona has become one of the leading experts on
country positioning strategy. She has given counsel to numerous countries and
regions around the world helping to focus their efforts and provide them with
the requisite skills to sharpen their offer. These include Bahrain, Britain, the
Dominican Republic, Dubai, England,”
Eh?
“She has given counsil to Britain and England?
QUE?
A little bit of light relief!!!
link to facebook.com
kendomacaroonbar
Email me and I’ll forward it to Arb.
Add a 2 at the end of my name on a gmail address.
kendomacaroonbar says:
@Arbroath
Still nothing.. this is really bizzare…
I’m beginning to think GCHQ are getting into the act here somewhere along the line. 😛
I’ve had a wee thought of a round about route hang fire for a wee bit. 😉
Anus Sarwar talking bollocks on CH4
No change there then…
Two hours left to get another 60…
link to change.org
Sorry – Anas Sarwar (genuine mistake) – not into childish insults.
Perhaps its a massive tax write-off?
After all I suspect there may be a need to wine and dine key figures, and possibly fact finding missions to warmer climes. And I’m sure they’ll be drawing a fine salary from the ‘business’.
If you donate to a political cause can you write that off like charity donations?
Has anyone checked to see if they’re registered as charities as well as businesses, is that sort of thing allowed?
How do Private schools pull the charity thing off?
Fiona Gilmore does it all with chi – check out Ian’s link at 6:24!
Anas is just a paint by numbers politician with a bit of smear thrown in for good measure.
Goldenayr,
No probs. Leave it at that. Enjoy the rest of your evening though. I’m away back to studying. It never ends…
@caz-m
Yes, and the Unionist political editor of the Sunday Herald is taking great delight in the C4 poll on Twitter.
Beats me why anyone is suckered by the Sunday Herald.
I will cancel my newsagents order for the Sunday Herald
@Kenny says
Looks like browser cache has remembered all your history. Google “clear browser cache”.
Nana Smith
I thought that’s what you were saying and decided to pretend that I was fluent in Gaelic, so found some notes from when I studied the language. Can’t hide the fact that I’m a sassenach however and my grip of the language is not what it used to be.
Seanair means grandfather as you say, and I AM a grandfather!
Mo bheannachaen ort.
Is it just me or is Jon Snow a wee bit patronising? I can’t decide if it is just a Magnus Pike over enthusiasm or genuine condescension.
A view on the latest polls from James Kelly:
link to scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk
Dear Lord! I had a wee visit to the VNB site and just for fun put up a few comments about The Borders (ahem…)
Unfortunately, my head now hurts. I have completely lost track of who is a parody and who is not. It’s awfully hard to tell the difference. I don’t know whether I’m arguing with a fellow Winger or a bona fide bampot.
Darkened room here I come.
Part of an article I was sent
Hundreds of years ago during the Age of Enlightenment, liberty-minded philosophers argued that governments could only derive their authority to govern by receiving consent of the governed.
And that the people would have to voluntarily surrender some of their freedoms to government in exchange for certain services (and protection of their other freedoms).
This idea has become twisted and mutated over time.
Sounds right to me!
jingly jangly
Looks as if Ian Gray might be interested in this site.
I believe he boycotts Subway,now,as well.
Its on now.
link to new.livestream.com
I G
Just watch oot for Arbs aliens and I hope you’ve no borders on your walls.
Done well there Humza.
I seem to remember an interview with the First Minister a few weeks ago on ch 4 news.
Right Kendo, I think I’ve just found a wee problem. I’ve made the appropriate changes and re-sent the e-mail. Fingers crossed you’ll be receiving it any time now. 😉
I tried to find the e-mail address for Lucy Adams the journalist who compiled the article to send her a link to this article but no luck in finding it. There is a need to educate our investigative journalists.
This is one of the best pieces I’ve read on here in a while. Wait and see if newsnight mention this tonight after the publicity they gave them last night.
I G says:
Dear Lord! I had a wee visit to the VNB site and just for fun put up a few comments about The Borders (ahem…)
Unfortunately, my head now hurts. I have completely lost track of who is a parody and who is not. It’s awfully hard to tell the difference. I don’t know whether I’m arguing with a fellow Winger or a bona fide bampot.
Darkened room here I come.
All this cybernatery stuff can be fun at times can’t it IG.
Never mind the “Darkened Room” is open for business and all are welcome. 😉
Geoff Huijer says: Sorry – Anas Sarwar (genuine mistake) – not into childish insults.
Ach, just put it behind you.
A part of me feels sorry for the unionist team. They have to run around changing disguises and names in an attempt to look like a horde. Even worse is that they are paid – it is not done because of a desire to do the right thing or a belief in something. It is done for a pay cheque.
I’m watching the Glasgow event on the wee roku device i got,gives me a bigger screen through my tv.
Um… if no wingers were commenting on VNB, it’d only have a handful of comments! Well done everyone keep it going, I love the ‘get rid of the borders’ angle – just imagine, one step out of England and you’d be in the central belt!
I was just thinking that with all the merriment voter sans frontiers had a certain ring to it, except without Stuart Hall laughing his perverted head off in the background.
If the ungrateful B
orderers are going to vote No we should take out railway back
cynicalHighlander
Working here. Packed hall by the looks of things.
@ Ian Brotherhood
I see my very favourite tory councillor has just signed your petition, wouldn’t have thought he had the moral fibre!
He’ll be so pleased when he gets the email thanking him!
Stay away from the unionist newspapers – don’t comment, don’t add to their revenue. With respect to some who have praised it The Sunday Herald is owned by the same people who own the daily version. See the comment above about the Editor. They may fool some by the good cop, bad cop stance but wait until the last month and they will reveal their true colours – red, white and blue!
Grass roots indeed! 26 Charlotte square is a VERY high-end address. It’s Georgian townhouses which were recently redeveloped. The neighbours are private banks and the like.
The Scotsman did a story on the development.
link to scotsman.com
so did a trade magazine
link to buildingscotlandmagazine.co.uk
@ Bill Maclean — that leaves the unionist version of wevery story unchallenged, able to fool casual readers. Far better to spend a few more months rebutting the endless lies: let the papers sink or survive after that according to their merits.
@Arbroath & Goldenayr.
Message received and now we are cooking with gas ! 🙂
You couldn’t make it up could you – well you could if you’re so desperate to create the illusion of a group to counter YESscotland and Radical Indy.
link to stores.agilityems.co.uk
I am no supporter of conspiracy theories but I do believe in the conspiracy of action. What we seem to have here is a high profile public image consultancy. It appears to have been hired to create a “grassroots” pressure group to try and create that positive campaign that has been so lacking. They are also there (imho), to create the campaign on the ground level, as it is practically non existent at this point. Yet its taken Stu, and most of the good folks here, only a few hours to peel it apart.
They’re plastic unionists. Phony cut outs from central casting. Poor old Bettertogether – having to invent friends for itself. Lets get the news out there if we can.
@ David Agnew – seems like we already are the grass-roots that VNB wish to attract!
kendomacaroonbar says:
@Arbroath & Goldenayr.
Message received and now we are cooking with gas ! 🙂
Don’t you love all this new fangled technological thingamy gig stuff kendo. 😛
unless i am mistaken looking at the background of this photo i would say it originates from america not scotland
“unless i am mistaken looking at the background of this photo i would say it originates from america not scotland”
Er, yes. Captions are where we tend to do jokes 🙂
Bill McLean
Totally agree with you!
I’m kind of hoping that we get around to starting up a ‘boycott the papers’. You know …tell our family, work colleagues, friends that we should boycott the newspapers until they change their ways. However, it’s one thing to tell people. You really need a movement where EVERYONE is doing it at the same time. Something that grabs everybody’s attention, even if they are not that much into the Referendum debate at the moment. The thing is, that it would make even those folk who are disinterested in the debate to sit up and wonder what was being said in the papers.
If it was a case of …’OK, On the 10th of May, we begin the campaign to stop buying papers and tell everyone else to do it too’, then it might; it just might put the Fear into our wonderful and unbiased Scottish newspapers…
If this Fiona Gilmore character is such a guru on country repositioning, how come she hasn’t repositioned the UK to somewhere near Turkey with a great climate and nice people. OK, Prince Philip might sweat a lot, but give the rest of us a chance. Come on, Fiona, get repositioning!
Right I think I’ve got to grips with the root of my problem with VNB being a grass roots organisation. Consequently I have asked for help from the site to help me identify the type of grass we are talking about in this grass roots organisation. I need to know you know. This is a very important question. 😛
@steviecosmic
Is it this? link to palgrave-journals.com
A country — can it be repositioned? Spain — the success story of country branding
F Gilmore is one of the two founding partners and CEO of Springpoint, a brand strategy and corporate identity consultancy established in 1991. Fiona has spent the last 17 years directing brand positioning, migration strategy and identity programmes for organisations including Vodafone, Unilever, Giorgio Armani, the Britain brand, the Hong Kong brand and Lloyd’s. Fiona is a regular speaker on brand positioning and corporate identity. She has participated in The Money Programme and Question Time and has judged the BBC design awards. Her books ‘Brand Warriors’ and ‘Warriors on the High Wire’ were published by HarperCollins in 1997 and 2001, respectively.
Correspondence: Fiona Gilmore, Springpoint [address]
Abstract
Active repositioning of a country through branding can be done successfully and holds great potential for countries. This paper argues that thoughtful brand positioning gives a country a competitive advantage over other nations. The framework suggested explains how the core of a country’s brand must capture the spirit of its people and how it can be developed into a brand positioning after consideration of four essential factors — macrotrends, target groups, competitors and core competencies. It advises that the positioning derived should be rich enough to translate into sub-positionings to target diverse groups and that it should be substantiated in terms of what the country can actually offer.”
The framework suggested explains how the core of a country’s brand must capture the spirit of its people and how it can be developed into a brand positioning after consideration of four essential factors — macrotrends, target groups, competitors and core competencies. It advises that the positioning derived should be rich enough to translate into sub-positionings to target diverse groups and that it should be substantiated in terms of what the country can actually offer.”
So she speaks three languages but none of them is english. I see
@ Fiona – sort of like kilts and saltire face make-up maybe.
@Arbroath
My wife is amazed I can operate an iPhone and iPad but have no interest in an iRon 🙂 (I’m a hunter gatherer me ! lol )
kendomacaroonbar says:
@Arbroath
My wife is amazed I can operate an iPhone and iPad but have no interest in an iRon 🙂 (I’m a hunter gatherer me ! lol )
Ho Ho Ho very good kendo, I like that one. 😛
I have come across the Indian independence/partition argument before alongside the balkanisation of Europe argument if Scotland votes Yes. I think it was on the Scotsman comments. I wonder if it is the same person.
I thought the Vote No Borders website was very good.
It reminded me of that Middle-Earth documemtary on the BBC on the TV a few weeks ago.
Are they in any way related?
Fiona gilmore pops up as a neutral radio commentator on 26 Nov 2013 just after the White Paper was published.
link to monocle.com
(scroll down to the bottom to play or download the audio. segment starts at 12:30 minutes)
No 542 26 Nov 2013
Professor Malcolm Chalmers of RUSI and Fiona Gilmore, founder of Aranchi, reflect on the potential impact of an independent Scotland
Posts going missing again 🙁
Like cosmicstevie I have a definite feeling of having come across this woman in some completely doifferent context, and her former company Springpoint rings a bell here.
A couple of weeks ago, some msm show or paper did something about what expats make of the referendum, and one person they interviewed seemed to me to be not quite the random member of the public presented. I googled her — but I cannot now remember her name: yet this is where this vague, tantalising association comes from. can anyone remember this expat interview I’m talking about? Could it be the same woman? I really am not sure.
It would be such a shame if all that money has been spent on setting up a seemingly genuine grass-roots site, only for it to be full of people taking the mickey.
I heard that song on radio Scotland GMs either today or yesterday, was pretty crap
Paula Rose says:
It would be such a shame if all that money has been spent on setting up a seemingly genuine grass-roots site, only for it to be full of people taking the mickey.
What you saying Paula?
Who’s taking the Mickey?
Just you point them out to me and I’ll be over there in a shot and sort them out. How dare they be so flippant. I won’t hold. Honestly I won’t. I give them a right telling off. 😛
Talking of flippant what’s Alistair Darling doing these days?
“What we seem to have here is a high profile public image consultancy. It appears to have been hired to create a “grassroots” pressure group to try and create that positive campaign that has been so lacking. They are also there (imho), to create the campaign on the ground level.”
How rivetting is all this, absolutely fascinating.
Wish we had some journalists in the print media that would pick it up and run with it.
O/T – but see the second reading of the National Service Bill is passing through the UK Parliament – or the ability to send our Sons and daughters to illegal wars very cheaply.
This should be screamed from the rooftops to every parent in our Country.
Scottish children will not be used as cannon fodder to justify the remains of a crumbling empire being a big player on the World stage
Nice thing about VNB is that if you don’t have one of those gravatar thingy’s you get a nice egg.
I just hope you’re not allergic to eggs Paula. 😛
I’ve been on it all day laughing and as someone said without us it would be blank. It raises a number of disturbing questions as to why it was even done, how they expect to raise 400k and spend it before the end of this month. It just doesn’t add up at all.
Are Fiona Gilmore & Malcolm Offord “Civil servants”? Or contractors! Wink wink nod nod.
@haud on the noo – maybe the 400k is already there !!! quelle surprise
and they get to say the beat WOS as the quickest crowdfund coz everyone wants us to stay
I don’t think that nigey character from HICUP likes them much.
When Fiona Gilmore was in Rwanda she did an ‘afro-turf’ campaign.
link to theguardian.com
Great debate their in Glasgow! Project fear lads were very very scary and very very angry but dwarfed by the YES. So as downer read this grot from one more teamGB ligger the great Severin Carrel who has the gall to write
“Offord said the soft, barely-promoted launch on Thursday of the No Borders website was in part to begin fundraising, which in turn is needed to help pay Flowers of the Union to produce a music video.”
If this is soft, barely-promoted launch across every media outlet I am Severin Carrell.
Ian Brotherhood says:
When Fiona Gilmore was in Rwanda she did an ‘afro-turf’ campaign.
Didn’t the brave Ian Gray go on a world tour of Rwanda at some point?
I wonder if Fiona Gilmore was his tour guide?
That’ll be the flowers in union with the grass then?
Oh do go and have a look folks…
link to votenoborders.co.uk
Fiona Gilmore and her ilk appear to be just slightly above the esteemed level of telephone sanatizers!
Paula Rose says:
That’ll be the flowers in union with the grass then?
Now just hang on a dog gone second there Paula.
No one ever said that this grass roots campaign would involve scattering flowers in amongst the grass roots. Have you any idea how difficult it is to cut the grass when there are flowers scattered all over the grass. Almost impossible! 😛
The livestream from Glasgow was good, eh? Thought the chair was a tad harsh with the guy who asked why BT hadn’t turned up. Seemed a fair enough point but she told him to sit down. Which he did.
But it’s about No Borders – how else can you do it?
Auntie grinding her high heels into Scotland. But hey we’ll manage.
link to bbc.co.uk
I wonder if the 400k is already in the bag and this is just a vehicle to try and dress it up as some kind of surging no grassroots support. Prob don’t want any attention to small number of big donors and source.
Something isn’t right about that picture. Those houses look American. The banner is awfully neat for any self respecting anarchist, and everybody wearing black is hardly consistent with anarchy either.
The people in that picture are American, from the G20 summit in Pittsburgh 2009.
Methinks someone is playing games.
link to globalpost.com
wee e – with respect do you think anything you post in the Herald/Sunday Herald changes anyone’s mind. Has John MacIntyre OBE come over to our side – there were others when I used to post but forgotten their names. Jezerna was another. For all the time I posted there nothing ever changed only the comments varied from day to day on whatever topic the scare story was. Nobody has changed, the Herald hasn’t changed – in fact with the acquisition of Magnus Gardham it has got worse not only in scaremongering but in quality of writing. No matter what truths you post the Herald will not publish an article supporting your point of view. It is a unionist paper first and foremost – people who post are simply providing them with revenue – nothing will change. I gave up on the Scotsman, the Express and the Herald about a year ago and all I glean from comments on websites is that not only have they not become more balanced but in fact have become more entrenched in their unionism scaremongering. Why bother? Post where people have an open mind, where people are looking for info – don’t argue with the closed minds of those who appear in those newspapers.
I know I’m a bit slow these days, but having read this Fiona person’s CV here and on some other sites, can someone please tell me in words of one syllable what she actually does. I mean, what does she actually do? All that quackspeak means nothing to me. As a matter of fact, it did cross my mind that if she’s so good at cavorting around the world helping countries to talk themselves up (have I got that right) maybe she should be working for YES Scotland, helping us to prepare for re-branding ourselves and tapping into our true potential … blah blah blah, instead of taking the negative angle. Seems out of character. (Only joking, folks.)
Ref.comments from tayside terrier and Mary Bruce,
I have recently heard an “independence” song
to “blow them out of the water”
Check out “amber road ” at the tiree music festival
Singing “I hear the nation” .we should back this one
Nearer the date
Paula Rose says:
But it’s about No Borders – how else can you do it?
Well aye you’re right enough. I have to admit I thought they were about no borders on interior decorating methods I hadn’t actually thought about external borders. Oops! 😉
Glasgow debate was excellent and Ms Riddoch; Ms Freeman; Mr Harvie far too strong for the NO’s Huge audience and 675 on-line at one point.
Posts on heedtracker lnk at 21:52
Nob Orders!
A bit like U KOK!
hahaha
Good grief.
link to newsnetscotland.com
@Arbroath 1320 says “Talking of flippant what’s Alistair Darling doing these days?”
According to an e-mail I received today, this –
In Conversation with Alistair Darling
Event to be held at the following time, date and location:
Thursday, 22 May 2014 from 18:00 to 19:00 (BST)
Dalhousie Building
University Of Dundee
Old Hawkhill
Dundee
DD1 5EN
Five Million Question’s David Torrance will lead an in depth conversation that will cover the main issues of the debate so far, as well as Alistair Darling’s political and personal motivations as we approach the defining moment of this political era in Scotland. Previously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Darling is the leader of the Better Together campaign, and is also currently MP for Edinburgh South West. David Torrance will chair an in-depth discussion with Alistair Darling on his political and personal motivations in leading the Better Together campaign and his thoughts on the implications for businesses in an independent Scotland.
“It advises that the positioning derived should be rich enough to translate into sub-positionings to target diverse groups and that it should be substantiated in terms of what the country can actually offer.”
Gilmore’s sales pitch there is interesting considering how hard the London 2012 Olympics were used to sell the UK and the union jack but where was Scotland in any of it? All I can remember is the 20 seconds of children’s choir in Edinburgh and that was it, 2 hard weeks of teamGEnlandB. Just mentioning any of this makes me a rabid nationalist, that had to chip in my share of another countries sales pitch to the world.
Millionaire Tory from GREENOCK, you don’t get many o them in a lucky bag.
@wee e at 9.48pm
Good find. Fiona starts by saying AS is a good salesman and will be able to convince the Scots to vote Yes by being positive. Then finishes by saying saying a lot of Bravehearts will find this appealing too and vote Yes.
Not much there that we don’t know already but it was broadcast last November.
Well done Doug et al. Excellent sleuthing by everyone. This is real incompetent Keystone black ops. Disassembled inside a day.
I take it we are all paying for the privilege of being patronised like this. Or is this courtesy of one of BT’s uber tory sanction busting backers.
When we’ve reached the stage where every new utterance or initiative emanating from Westminster or Whitehall is met with hilarity and derision, the game’s a bogey methinks.
Studied Russian at Cambridge, spooky
I remember a scary film called ‘Flowers in the Attic’. Maybe that’s where this group of cool hipsters got their inspiration from. Why do I imagine that this funky combo will resemble Judith Durham and the Seekers of 1960s fame? I liked them when I was 8 or 9. Not enough to turn me into a UKOK, though. Not a game changer, I’m afraid…
@ Thepnr, just looked at nob.orders.com but there’s a post from someone called Black triangle with a quick cover of this very rich man’s career in banking then there’s a list of just some of the people who lost their lives when ATOS and Work Capability Assessment came for them. Its upsetting to read, this lottery of teamGB life.
Remember folks – you have to log in to enjoy VNB, so remember to log out.
Has it not got through to the Better Together lot that when they point their long scary fingers at YES campaigners and attempt to make, “Nationalism”, seem such a very bad and dangerous thing they are actually much the bigger Nationalists?
Their perceived, “Nation”, “The United Kingdom”, is not only a bigger landmass but has the doubtful virtue of being composed of four nations of which the larger has made itself that Union’s de facto parliament and thus is devolving its powers to the three smaller nations.
Is not that the same kind of nationalism that saw nationalistic European nations start two World Wars – one of which the Better Together lot are now in the process of celebrating the start of?
If they will pardon me I’ll abstain and reserve MY OWN celebrations for the end of that World War.
CameronB!!
They take music vids on that VNB site, and you don’t even have to clip off the http or anything! I just posted ‘The Final Countdown’, by ‘Europe’, and the link is alive! It’s alive!
Why don’t y’all drop in there and give them a wee song to celebrate the launch of their splendid site? – at last, at last, we have some serious UKOK action!!
link to votenoborders.co.uk
I was watching the debate in Glasgow on livestream. There was no official No politicians there, there were 3 No speakers though. I have been very impressed by Jeanne Freeman of the Yes campaign, and she was very good again.
Remember the hooha yesterday when the no campaign were claiming that the grassroots yes groups were fronts for Yes Scotland and all their spending should be counted as part of the main campaign spending limits?
Shouldn’t the electoral commission now be looking into whether or not No Borders is part of the official No campaign? I’d be very interested to see what they find out when they follow the funding paper trail…
@ Ian Brotherhood – damn, my OH wants to watch all-in wrestling or some such so I have to hand the computer over, still, gives me time to work out my playlist – hope you’re reading this CameronB.
I did Russian at school and university in the 70s. I was crap at it. A girl the year ahead of me went to London for a civil service job interview and was taken aside by spooks – she really could speak Russian. Colonel Blimp was on the panel and said – Why are you Scots so bloody loud mouthed these days?. She got livid and said ‘We’re just trying to copycat you lot’. She didn’t get the job or any other civil service job. She did primary teaching and still loves it. It was only cheap devolution on offer then. Imagine what they’ll do to stop us getting independence – welcome to East Germany.
gman says:
“I wonder if the 400k is already in the bag and this is just a vehicle to try and dress it up as some kind of surging no grassroots support. Prob don’t want any attention to small number of big donors and source.”
I think that is exactly right gman.
Money vehicle for BT.
Question is: whose money?
I’ve just watched that video Ian. Let’s just say it brought back a wee tear to my eye. Back in the time when bands were huge and hair was big and well we’ll skip the next bit shall we? 😛
Awesome video by the way. 🙂
Brrrr! Just been on Telegraph BTL. Now I need a wash.
Nana Smith
Not only did BBC Scotland not mention Lord Robertson on Putin but there was also no mention of Ian Taylor’s links to Putin’s inner circle and donations to Better Together.
Selective and biased reporting by BBC Scotland.
BBC Newsnight milking the Putin affair. I bet they don’t show Newsnet Scotland’s headline news this evening.
Oh Jeez! Brewer on newsnicht just started and guess what folks that’s right First Minister and his Putin remarks! ARGH!
I wonder if they’ll do a balanced piece and also mention Blair courting Putin, or Brown coutring Putin or Cameron courting Putin or Robertson courting Putin.
Excuse me if I don’t hold my breath over this s***e!
To Clootie @ 8:09
Not so much “Beau Geste” – more “Better Geste”.
So as flowers of the union is launched upon us, these two young innocent girls simply looking out for their countries best interests, expressing it in all innocence through their chosen medium of art. Thrust unassuming into the media spotlight. Then sadly “attacked” and I mean attacked, by vile Yes supporters. Emotional human interest story at just the right time. And they probably don’t even know it themselves. We’re just waiting on that emotional heart breaking human interest story depicting the evil extreme scotch seperatists that just runs and runs. Surely no.
Just give it one up them on VBN
Newsnight continuing the Putin smear.
A ‘vox pop’ commissioned by the BBC will appear next week ‘proving’ that the BBC smear has had ‘no effect’.
Incidentally, Bill McLean above is spot on about the Unionist media.
Just gave it one up them on VBN
link to youtube.com
Well he DID ask for songs after all Thepnr. ! 😛
@caz-m
Spot on. I was about to say to my better half, while watching BBC tv news “look AS has the paper with Lord R & Putin and it suddenly went to AS speaking missing out that part”
But I saw it live and you can see it all here.
link to bbc.co.uk
@twenty14
I think Scotland (at the moment is exempt) England & Wales only. Posted this on a thread here a few days ago
link to publications.parliament.uk
Brewer on NNS tonight an absolute disgrace. Just would not let the George Robertson NATO issue be raised and at the end when it was the interview was stopped.
What have these people been promised when they are so willing to trample all over democracy
@greannach know a few that studied Russian / History. And met a few spooks too later on into the job too, and Uni recruiting is where it began. Perfectly obvious to all where Fiona is coming from. Given her history and other investors.
Did the Newsnet Scotland editors snip the rest of the comments of SNP MSP James Dornan which began with “George Robertson…”?
Front page of Scottish Daily Heil: “Support for Union soars to 58% in latest poll as SNP is savaged in Holyrood for praising Russian tyrant.”
Amazing how they can interpret a DECREASE in no the no lead from the previous YouGov poll, as support for the union soaring. Utter lies and deceit.
I bet Brewer has it up in a minute on his front pages slot.
Er, yes. Captions are where we tend to do jokes
Sorry, Rev. These jokes go over my head. These captions are not visible on an iPad; or, if they are, I don’t know how to make them visible.
A few weeks ago Standard and Poor declared that an independent Scotland would qualify for its highest economic assessment, this positive news for the Yes campaign was barely mentioned on the BBC.
Compare this to the wall to wall coverage Moody’s less than favourable assessment is receiving. Positive news simply doesn’t fit into the BBC’s narrative, a successful independent Scotland is beyond their belief and comprehension.
It’s laughable the way the Scottish media have been attacking Salmond over his remarks on Putin when they themselves are just as corrupt and biased as their Russian counterparts.
Ians latest vid on VBN is well…just brilliant. I’m off to bed.
twenty14
O/T
Here’s a link to a petition re the National Service bill.
link to change.org
Well what a surprise James Dornan tries to point out the downfall of the unionist attack on the First Minister and every attempt is shut down by Brewer. Sounds like orders from Better Together HQ have been passed on down to Brewer to ensure nothing but the GQ interview is permitted to be discussed. Typical BBC cowardice!
Another scalp for Gordon Brewer! David Martin labour mep asked if he is re-elected as mep and there is a Yes vote,
Do you expect to complete your term?
Yes
Therefore you accept snp argument that Scotland would continue to be a member of the European parliament?
No…
Wonderful stuff. I will miss Mr Brewer’s interviews.
Sorry
Rev Stu – over to you!
VNB is such fun! I wonder how long the comments will last? I wonder if they themselves see the irony in claiming to be a “grass roots” campaign when they are so astroturf you can almost smell the rubber.
Do they hold us in such contempt that they think we won’t notice their whacking great overnight donation and posh address? These people have money behind them, make no mistake. Grass roots, my auntie arse…
Can’t find any evidence of the “unionist” editor on Sunday Herald as suggested by training day at 7.44. Can we get some indication of this?
call me dave
National Service my ass. It’s slave labour for all their Tory pals.
It’s the same with this new rule on the unemployed, they are being forced to do unpaid work for six months.
Also watching Question Time and it has absolutely nothing to do with Scotland, N Ireland or Wales. It was about England, England and….England.
@Call me Dave – thanks for that, seen on Facebook but didn’t notice any exemption for Scotland ( too angry ). But did read on your link that ” Non-exempt individuals who do not serve one year of national service before
the age of 26 years shall be guilty of an offence ”
the modern YTS scheme – only jail or starvation if you don’t participate
And further, I would add that devoting half of the interview to the last labour party political broadcast not mentioning Europe once – absolutely brilliant! He repeats this about 5 or 6 times!
Gordon just ends up laughing at the guy. Taxi to Brussels!
Hi noticed this on the FT , interesting to see how it goes.
link to archive.today
Maid in Scotland,
She makes loads and loads of dosh from big words and pish.
Well you got to hand it to her she stars in the snake oil salesman league. What a success story. I bet when you hear Israel or Rwanda mentioned you never think ‘apartheid warmongers’ or ‘genocide’ but only of the new brand description that she so sucessfully (for her bank balance) promoted.
Such powerful marketing that it overwhelms the memory – well that must be why no one has a clue what the new brand images are.
Can’t help thinking this is all a trap.
They want you to sign in with facebook/twitter/email etc.
Someone else mentioned them setting an account up and it was able to retrieve an old avatar.
They will use this to analyse what you post elsewhere and will seize on anything to discredit you.
I would leave well alone, or only touch it with a specifically created identity for visiting their site only.
Be careful people. This mob clearly have UK Govt money, what other assistance have they got?
@Greannach
Their loss is our (and our kids’) gain.
caz-m
Yep the so called National service bill is what you say, slave labour and cheap or free army in fact. My son looked it up on govuk and wasn’t sure if it applied to Scotland, need to check but cant see it wouldn’t unless we vote fir Independence. It would be compulsory for 18-26 yr olds…owned by the state or what.
He also saw that it is giving the option if community service! aye right.
It’s only about a couple of months ago that Wings items got a few responses. Now it’s hundreds. We’re going to win this because we tell the truth. I nominate Pharell’s song ‘Happy’ as Wings anthem.
Caz-m
Acht – you have missed an absolute joy on Newsnight. I wondered about watching question time but I can’t resist the chance of watching Gordon Brewer putting his guest in a political full – Nelson. You could see a wee look between the labour mep and Brewer at the end which said “ok, enough, I submit”
Hopefully someone will link it somehow
Question Time from Leeds… SBC canny come soon enough!
Hey everyone, Yes Scotland has 149,999 likes. Go on someone and take it over the 150,000!
On facebook that is, I should add.
Interesting new graphs from Prof Curtis.
link to blog.whatscotlandthinks.org
What is Fiona being sent in to do? She’s tasked with repositioning all who live in Scotland as true Brits.
@Dave
Evidence? You’ve seen Tom Gordon on the Politics Show, right? When he agreed with the Sunday Times journo that Yes were not gaining and would not gain enough traction? You saw his tweets pre the 2012 Indy March in which he sneered openly at the participants? Are you oblivious to his tweets in which he constantly attempts to wind up a Bath based blogger?
You have the right to go on buying the Sunday Herald, and you’ll do so as you’ve made clear repeatedly. Some of us won’t be fooled.
Interesting that good old Professor Curtice’s website “What Scotland Thinks” just happens to be the website shown by Brewer at end of newsnicht tonight. Coincidence?
Dorothy
I don’t want to be repositioned. I like the stance I have 😉
@Mary Bruce
‘Scot goes pop’ see link top of page has commented on the UGov poll.
So they are now ratcheting back their ambitions, they were orginally No Scotland now it is just No Border. What do these people have against the Borders? Does Morag know about this?
Training Day
Tom Gordon (who is not one of our supporters) is a journalist and is certainly NOT the editor of the Sunday Herald.
The editor of the Sunday Herald is not a unionist
I will certainly continue buying the Sunday Herald.
I suggest you read its editorials over the last few months
Slightly O/T. There seems to be vast Twitter activity from BT tonight, (I follow several just out of morbid interest) compared to normal, including several crude attempts by Councillor Willie Young from Aberdeen retweeting things which imply fascism = nationalism. I wonder if we’re seeing the start of some concerted smear campaigns. May have to unfollow my BT links to keep my blood pressure down!
Sky news weather report Northern Briton then North of Scotland fekin idiot.
@Truth
Can’t help thinking this is all a trap.
I know where you coming from but for the likes of me and many more who post here it is probably too late to be worried about “honey pots” and potential smears.
I still did sign up to that account using a mailinator email address so never gave any details away, at least to to the owners of the site.
Why be worried is my view when your only crime is fighting for democracy. Fight fear with banter, facts and truth!
@Dave
If you reread my post at 7.44 you’ll see I referred to Gordon as the political editor. At no time did I suggest he was the editor.
Glad you acknowledge Gordon is not on our side.
For anyone who was following the big debate in Glasgow tonight here’s the result.
Stop sniggering there, yes you in the back there stop sniggering! 😛
link to tinyurl.com
Wot no borders! Where will I put my delphiniums?
Truth,
You think GCHQ don’t know who you are?
Ruth Davidson, slamming her pen down and looking like she’s just been well and truely skelped… check her out, at just on the 19 minute mark, after Alex Salmond has just finished wiping the floor with her. So funny 😀
link to youtube.com
@ call me Dave, yes, thanks, I had seen Scot goes Pop. That was why I knew that the Daily Heil interpretation was a pile of shite.
Scottish_skier’s re-weighting of National ID in the YouGov poll is really interesting, he reckons it turns out at Yes 43% and No 44%. Hope he’s right!
think we should put up in lights the national service Bill
After the past 10 years most sensible people will view this in great distaste – training children in the art of war is not the best way to bring up the youth of today
Papadox – “a millionaire tory from Greenock ” – just what I was thinking.
news, sorry to hear this but Moodies say an independent nation would immediately drop 2 notches. ( FT )
Arbroath… every little takes Scotland forward. If there were 20 undecideds there tonight, that now understand and realise what is at stake and what needs to be strived for to make Scotland a fairer better place, then the debate tonight was more than worth it. In the last week, three undecideds (one a family member and who you would have never have predicted anything but a No’er), have come out to me a voting Yes.
Start looking to over 60% Yes when you consider giving the bookies yer poonds. 😉
@Mary Bruce
I might have known you were on the ball and on face book too.
🙂
I’ll need to get a child of 5 to teach face book to me, got a phone with a brain as big as a planet, call it Marvin, but looks too complicated same with tweeting!
O/T
This beggars belief. We are subsidising grouse shoots whilst people queue at food banks.
link to theguardian.com
I know that I’m maybe stretching things a bit but I’ve had a gut feeling of around 75% or above. Hey I’ve always been glass half full kind of person. 🙂
Glad to hear about your recent converts from the “dark side” Alba 😉
Acanchi rebranding in countries. “These include Bahrain, Britain, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, England, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, Israel, Lebanon, Mauritius, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, Wales and Zambia.”
Notice which country is missing?
Maybe the current co-ordinated smear campaign in the style of Zinoviev letter against AS is the start of an Acanchi campaign “rebranding” Scotland. The fact that the original interview was by Alistair Cambell suggests that the old spin master is involved.
@Truth et al –
They know who each and every one of us is, and they always have. ‘Hiding’ is an option, yes, but merely creates an illusion of safety, and makes no difference in the long run.
Some years ago, in an e-mail exchange with a (once) good friend about a highly controversial topic, he refused point-blank to respond to my asking him what he thought of essays by such-and-such an academic. My friendship with this person was largely based on a shared interest in off-kilter subjects, conspiracy theories etc. He kept ignoring the material I sent him, fudging. Eventually, I asked him outright why he wouldn’t respond to it. His response (and this is not verbatim, but pretty close) – ‘If you don’t drop this you could end up losing everything you have.’ At that time my weans were still pre-school, so I took the warning/threat seriously.
I ceased all contact with that ‘friend’ following receipt of that e-mail, but I’ve never stopped asking questions and chipping in to whatever debate is ongoing, especially when it involves my weans’ futures. No doubt, we have folk among us who are working for the other side (remember that belter, the senior cop down south with the big beard, who boasted that the Police had at least one person in every street all across the UK? – arrggh, can’t remember his name…Anderson?) – we probably meet these people each and every day, so why hide?
Have a wee think about it – isn’t there one person in your street who makes it their business to keep right up to scratch with what everyone else is up to? They don’t necessarily feel that they’re doing anything wrong or subversive, but they do it all the same, and any form of unusual behaviour (for example, stickers, posters in windows etc) is the type of thing they’re asked to look out for. Point is – if there’s only one of these characters per street, they’re well outnumbered by the rest of the residents, and the way things are going? most of their neighbours are Yes voters.
What are they going to do? Start bumping us off?
We’re on the way mister – the bookies know it, BT knows it, everyone in Westminster knows it, the bankers know it, and, most important of all, we know it.
Enjoy this summer folks – regardless of the weather, it’s going to end well.
Les Wilson
Is the Moodies rating only if we were starting with a new currency??
I think they are saying that the UK would not enter a currency union. Which is totally wrong.
@Alba4Eva That’s hilarious!!!!!!
Er, forgot about the rule about hunners of exclamation marks. Sorry.
@ call me Dave, I wouldn’t worry too much about facebook, I find it useful for keeping up with friends and family but not so much for cybernatting.
I prefer Twitter, it’s much better for sharing information with strangers and finding out the gossip as it happens. But most developments make their way onto this site almost instantly so you’re not missing out on too much.
Sorry for going O/T but apparently some naughty individuals have been very naughty indeed.
link to tinyurl.com
Now I do not want to start pointing fingers but you know who you are. So we’ll have no more chatter about sending dear Nige a couple of tons of scrap metal, or some spare bottles of our other national drink. Oh and for that upright piano I’m afraid I have some bad news. It appears our Nige doesn’t play the piano so he’d have no use for it. Sorry. 😛
anyone visiting or logging on to the vnb site should be aware it’s powered by nationbuilder. This isn’t wordpress or somesuch, it’s seriously powerful software and has been designed specifically for political campaigning. Take a look at the nationbuilder website and in particular the “apps” that have been designed to monitor and map visitors and contributors.
Oh golly gosh, people haven’t been sending UKIP books and things have they?
What sort of leftie roofer would do a thing like that?
@Ian Brotherhood and others
I am well aware they know all about each and every one of us.
What they can’t actually do is publicly expose how they know this.
That knowledge is in essence therefore publicly useless. It becomes useful however, when their honeypot catches all the cyber(g)nats and they can link back to some clumsy language you used in a tweet somewhere, which when taken out of context paints you as a rabid nazi/facist/racist/whatever.
How they will use that, I have no idea. This sudden appearance of this entity with all it’s overnight money and clear Govt backing makes me uneasy, and therefore I think it prudent for people to be careful.
Having said all that I have read some of the comments, and I’m sure they are mighty pissed off!
Ian Brotherhood… I came across a similar thing with a couple of guys I used to know who were always going on about the Orange Lodge and this n’ that… When I asked them why they bothered, they came up with money as the reason for being ‘in’ it.
Both of them were always constantly skint for as long as I knew them.
This Acanchi bunch are commercial lobbyists and promotion merchants. They’re not doing this because they love the union, they’re doing it because they have been commissioned to do it as a job.
Who is paying them?
Never mind though. Remember Mr. “Ordinary Man” Keith Howell, my esteemed neighbour who took out these adverts in the Metro the day of tubegate? Have we heard anything more about him? No, thought not.
NoBorders and Flowers of Union will sink just the same way and probably just as fast. (At least Mr. Howells is a genuine resident of Scotland and registered to vote here, which is more than seems to be the case for this present lot.)
[…] latest ‘grass-roots’ movement ‘NO Borders’. Both National Collective and Wings Over Scotland have effectively skewered the entire thing quite neatly so I shall refrain from doing so myself and […]
Morag, do you think whoever are paying this Acanchi bunch are going to be asking for their money back? I imagine they’re a bit upset that their scam has been rumbled so quickly.
Herald: “Latest indyref poll: Yes 37%, No 51%, Don’t Know 12%. The campaign to keep Scotland in the UK appears to have gained support“. As many have pointed out, the last yougov poll showed Yes 37%, No 52%, so the vital thing is for all to reply to this, and other media, that they should compare yougov to yougov, and not to other pollsters. 51% is clearly less than 52%.
As for why the Herald is spinning, I think this is a last ditch attempt to try to stop the evening of the polls. After Yes passes No, as it will do soon, the fickle mass media in Scotland will start supporting Yes, knowing then which side its bread is buttered. And that’s the beginning of the end.
For the Herald, it wins awards for its online website success and loudly proclaims this – without thanking the posters who play a significant part in this success. By disrespecting the posters also via arbitrary meaningless deletions, and readers by increasing its bias, it will ensure that after the YES vote, its forums will be empty, apart from football posters!
The Herald, contrary in my opinion to what some other posters say, has played a cautious and fairly even game up to now. I think it’s in the process of crossing the line, and there will be no way back. Bye bye Herald. You used to be good.
Amusing to read you guy’s reactions to phony government websites pretending to be honest citizens, and sites with spyware able to determine who you are and where you are if you contribute to them.
You should worry. I have a spy “in our midst.”
My cousin married a US of Amnesia “Aarforce” Colonel, one stationed at Kirkliston when it was an “Aarforce” base. He later admitted he was also a CIA operative.
We laughed, but not long because he was a genuinely highly decorated “Aarforce” Colonel.
He used to say things such as, “Never praise the Red Army Choir in my presence!” Or, “I don’t care if the quality of choreography of the Moscow Ballet is unsurpassed, they’re all commies.” He retired, with my gullible cousin, to run a “winery” – as Yanks insist on calling a vineyard – in Tennessee, no doubt feeling he had served his country well.
His clammed up, buttoned up attitude to anything mildly pink or liberal was the first indication something was seriously rotten in the alleged democracy of America.
The jerk – good American colloqualism – might as well have been a Scientologist. His brutal isolationism managed to convince my pretty cousin to sever all contact with her Scottish family and roots to the extent she didn’t attend her own mother’s funeral.
You’re a friend to the USA if you think as the USA.
[…] There won’t be much in the way of updates over the weekend. I’ve got to do exciting things like cleaning the toilet and de-minging the oven. All those joyous wee jobs that you keep putting off in the vain hope that perhaps a magic pixie will come in the middle of the night and do them for you. But the magic pixies are all fully occupied creating a grassroots movement for Better Together, courtesy of a Tory donating millionaire and a London PR company that specialises in rebranding through the medium of New Age woo, as discovered by Douglas Daniel, writing on Wings Over Scotland. […]
Kendomacaroonbar says
“My wife is amazed I can operate an iPhone and iPad but have no interest in an iRon ”
I bought an iRon, it burnt ma ear.
I went out hunting and gathering with the wife yesterday,
came back with a hat, a handbag, and a nice pair of shoes, I dont think I should take the wife hunting again.
BBC newpaper reveiw @05.45am
Seems the Telegraph is bigging up the south side massiv
when it reports in its business section that the rUK could end up with a better credit rating if Scotland votes for independence, snigger.
Alpesh Patel finance commentator says
“Scottish independence could have a beneficial effect on the rUK’s credit rating”
but qualifies that by saying “a triple AAA credit rating does not justify chopping off bits of a country”!
I have a question,
What if a bit of the country is all gangrenous and rotting does that justify chopping it off before the whole country goes the same way?
Greannach says
” how come she hasn’t repositioned the UK to somewhere near Turkey with a great climate and nice people.”
Naw I’ve done the monobrow look it wasn’t good.
Cearc says
“Oh golly gosh, people haven’t been sending UKIP books and things have they?
What sort of leftie roofer would do a thing like that?”
My wife said she heard of an abandoned ship sitting off Cornwall doing nothing, seems nobody can decide who actually owns it, now if that were to have a free post thing stuck to it by some evil person mwahaaahaa.
I had a look at that VBN site,
seems as if they have a few dandelions poking up through that nice astroturf sward already. 🙂
The Times announces today that Moody’s will give iScotland a credit rating on a par with Chile’s. They could have said that we’ll be on a par with Japan and China. I guess that didn’t fit the agenda so well.
“This mob [VNB] clearly have UK Govt money”
Anyone got any evidence for this? Just the usual paranoia?
Oh Flowers of Yoonyon
When will we seee
Yur deeeveedeeee!
Hailey Miller and James Naughtie on GMS, having a wee snigger at Scotland, after she read out that Moodies compared Scotland to Botswana in their credit ratings.
We also listened to James Naughtie taking great delight in reading out the results of the YouGov poll results for Ch4.
And still no mention of Lord Robertson wanting Russia to be part of NATO of Ian Taylor’s Vitol links to the Russian inner circle.
BBC Scotland GMS were only concerned about what Alex Salmond said in the GQ interview.
Greannach says
” Why do I imagine that this funky combo will resemble Judith Durham and the Seekers of 1960s fame? I liked them when I was 8 or 9. Not enough to turn me into a UKOK, though. Not a game changer, I’m afraid…”
The Seekers were Australian.
Andrew Morton
GMS used Botswana, BBC Scotland TV news used Croatia I think, and the Times Chile.
They’re all having a right giggle about it.
Don’t underestimate these characters and the powers behind them. This a revolution and they are part of the counter-revolutionary forces. They wouldn’t have stayed in business this long if they couldn’t deliver. The campaign is a close run thing, they only need to achieve a few percentage points for No and they have earned their crust.
Truth says
“Can’t help thinking this is all a trap.”
I was well aware of that before I signed in (with my real name) I could not give a shit if they know who I am!
They have has a huge launch, with the normal MSM assistance, but the ‘No Borders’ website isn’t exactly mobbed with U-KOK types commenting:-
link to archive.today
I can’t remember which agency recently commented favorably on iScotland’s credit rating, but I did suggest another agency would be along shortly to rubbish it.
These ratings agencies are private guns for higher. They are neither democratic nor accountable. They are snake oil salesmen.
Cancelled my subscription to the Herald and feel better already. What a mug I was, paying £1.20 a day to have my intelligence insulted.
Will keep buying the Sunday Herald but if it does a last-minute about-turn, it will be dropped too. If there is a NO vote these papers will suffer badly in the aftermath.
John King
The Seekers and New Seekers, were from New Zealand.
Cearc says
“Wot no borders! Where will I put my delphiniums?”
You can shove em right up your Antirrinhums 😉
BtP says
“The Seekers and New Seekers, were from New Zealand.”
link to en.wikipedia.org
Owned 🙂
John King
Myself, I have deployed a subtle monicker to keep them off the scent… officially there is no Tam Jardine. It’s like I don’t even exist. Keep schtum!!
Oh dear BtP
link to en.wikipedia.org
Tam Jardine ays
“It’s like I don’t even exist. Keep schtum!”
Know how you feel, its like that in my house as well, 🙂
john king
Did the New Seekers have any Scottish connections.
caz-m
Eve Graham was from Perth , I think her parents had a small newsagents in Glover St
John King
(Wee smiley face) Have a guid one!
BBC Morning Call Milking the Putin issue at 8.50
Call 0500 92 95 00. Text 80295.
Email morningcallscotland@bbc.co.uk
Still a news blackout of the First Minister’s reference to the statement from the president of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Zenko Lastowiecki, who said of Labour Lord Robertson’s more recent invitation to Putin to join NATO: “We can’t comment on his reasoning but is extremely bizarre whilst insulting to the Ukrainian nation who are on the edge of a precipice driven by Russia.”
link to newsnetscotland.com
The Scottish political opposition had been silent on Russia’s human rights and on Crimea, which was only handed over to Ukraine by Krushchev in 1954 allegedly after a drinking bout, until they thought they could take Salmond’s words out of context and smear our First Minister..
Most of those attacking Salmond have no idea of what led up to the pro Russian agitation in the Ukraine which was provoked by the actions of the current pro West President whose supporters undemocratically overthrew the former pro Russian president in Ukraine allegedly backed by the CIA..
It was not so long ago in December that The Times Newspaper declared Vladimir Putiun as the International Man of the Year for 2013.
Aye yer right enough silvertay
Eve Graham (born Evelyn May Beatson on 19 April 1943) is a Scottish singer who found fame in the early 1970s with the pop group, The New Seekers.
AUD
You beat me to it.
Time to love bomb Kaye on morning call.
Ah – so there is nothing wrong with Scotland in UK.
We just need some “re-branding” from Acanchi.
Silvertay
I thought there was a Scottish connection, Ta.
“People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”
Ruth Davidson should have remembered that at FMQs yesterday. Ales Salmond’s slap down when she brought up the subject of Putin is brilliant and her resulting tantrum caught on camera at 19 mins. is hilarius.
Talk about an own goal what an idiot!
link to youtube.com
I posted this last night, but relevant now.
The First Minister brought it up today at FMQs at Holyrood.
This is the Russian Oil Baron Igor Sechin who is on the US banned list and who Alex Salmond mentioned today at FMQs,
link to bbc.co.uk
And here is the link between Igor Sechin and Ian Taylor of Vitol, who are major donors of the Better Together Campaign.
link to cc.bingj.com
No borders just given another plug on BBC news….grassroots my Erse.
TmitJ says
“Talk about an own goal what an idiot!”
Ha ha ha ha ha ha owned
she’ll never learn.
The man in the Jar
Brilliant video of “Wee Ruthie huvvin a Stoochie”.
That’s the equivalent to her kicking the ball away in a game of football.
Worth a yellow card, at least.
Malcolm Offord’s book review
link to telegraph.co.uk
FFS it’s the return of the wicked witch, Call Kaye with an “E”.
High Priestess of the “Let’s kick the shit out of Scotland” campaign.
Next week on Call Kaye: should Alex Salmond apologise for being Alex Salmond? Did YOU ken his faither? And do YOU think that scones are better than tea cakes? Give us your views!
@ John King
Bugger!
Now this guy was from New Zealand,
link to youtube.com
You can tell by the sheep on his heid.
GMS Kay Adams cutting short the interview phone call on people supportin A Salmond Lets see if she gets back to
George Keravan
I listened to Mr Naughtie carefully structuring his questions for Mr Martin this morning. My only real surprise being that he didn’t conclude the interview with “thank you for being so lovely”.
Martin made the point the EU elections would have no bearing in September. Was that Mr Martin conceding that the SNP might do well in three weeks and that he was just heading that eventually off at the pass?
I can’t believe the polling figures down south. 38% for UKIP what on earth is going on down there Stu?
Caz M
Again it doesn’t suit the Scottish Media’s pro Union sympathies to report that Better Together’s main donor Ian Taylor, boss of giant oil-trading firm Vitol, gave the Tories £134,000 last year, a sum which buys him private meetings with the prime minister. His donations since 2006 total more than £600,000.
Last year Vitol went into partnership with trading firm Glencore to lend $10bn to fund expansion at the Russian state-owned energy firm Rosneft (run by Putin’s close ally Igor Sechin), to be repaid with oil deliveries. Vitol is partially headquartered in the EU (in Rotterdam and Geneva) so any genuine sanctions could disrupt its business.
Personal business
Vitol’s Russian interests go beyond Rosneft. Last November, Russia’s government-owned gas firm Gazprom announced that it was working with Vitol to develop underground gas storage and gas-fired power stations in Europe. While the UK government discusses reducing reliance on Russian gas because of the Ukraine crisis, Taylor’s Vitol is going into business with Gazprom to increase it.
Vitol says Taylor’s donations are his personal business, but Taylor personally announced both the Rosneft and Gazprom deals, and was among those at Gazprom’s London offices for its annual champagne reception last month. Meanwhile Vitol boosted its Tory links last month by employing former energy minister Charles Hendry MP as a £60,000-a-year consultant.
Nana Smith
Thank for the link. The closing sentence is a corker.
“Increasingly, if we want future prosperity, there is no alternative. This has become a national emergency.”
The specter of Thatcher and TINA is still very much with us.
I actually forgot about how much I detested K Adams.
Adams and Naughtie are both Little Englanders trapped in a Scots body.
And you could add Andrew Marr and Andrew Neil to that list.
How could they face anyone in London again, when, after Independence, they will all become “foreigners”.
Sinky
Do you think the BBC Panorama programme would investigate Vitol on behalf of the YES campaign.
Don’t expect Call Kaye to ask the Ukrainian spokesperson what he thinks of Lord George Robertson’s comments.
On the plus side the fact that the Bitter Ones have to desperately make so much hay out of Salmond saying a couple mildly pleasant but cautious things about Putin is that it shows they are absolutely scrapping the bottom of the barrel in trying to find something negative to say about Salmond, the SNP, the Yes campaign. These people are running on empty and it shows.
You’ve confused me with the addresses you listed
Surely Vote No, Borders would be based in Dumfries and Galloway ?
caz-m says:
How could they face anyone in London again, when, after Independence, they will all become “foreigners”.
… they are fighting to keep a role in BBC London. A Yes win and they have little future either here or London.
I, foolishly, just viewed FMQ’s via the BBC site.. Boy have they had fun editing..
None of the Putin stuff is present, and the “pen slam” has made it to the cutting room floor..
Surely the BBC, the bastion of fairness and balanced reporting can’t be on the fiddle..
hmmm, answers on a brick to UKIP’s freepost address 🙂
@CameronB:“I can’t remember which agency recently commented favorably on iScotland’s credit rating”.
It was Standard & Poors Follow this link:-
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
caz-m 9.09
Our history is littered with Scots whose main goal in life is to make it big in London. It started with James1 in 1603 and continues to this day.These people are the cancer of our country.
Handandshrimp says
“On the plus side the fact that the Bitter Ones have to desperately make so much hay out of Salmond saying a couple mildly pleasant but cautious things about Putin is that it shows they are absolutely scrapping the bottom of the barrel in trying to find something negative to say about Salmond, the SNP, the Yes campaign. These people are running on empty and it shows.”
Your absolutely right, h&s,
If I were an undecided voter who has no real interest in politics and heard Alex Salmond had made a comment about a politician I’ve only been fleetingly aware of before (many people don’t know who Joanne Lamont is)they would be asking, is that it? is that all you’ve got?
Btw Kaye Adams behaviour was despicable when she ripped into a woman who said Salmonds comments were made before the Ukraine issue blew up, you would honestly think she was challenging a politician.
@ turnbull dryer
“I, foolishly, just viewed FMQ’s via the BBC site.. Boy have they had fun editing..
None of the Putin stuff is present, and the “pen slam” has made it to the cutting room floor..”
Must have been a very short video! 🙂
Jimsie
Its Jamie the Saxt not the first 🙂
Well done Craig Murray
link to craigmurray.org.uk
Seriously, it’s blindingly obvious that Acanchi have been commissioned by someone to set up a “grass-roots for No” campaign. I mean, what’s the chances of the only such campaign in existence just happening to have been set up by a couple of people who live in England who just happen to run a company which specialises in international political manipulation?
I don’t suppose anyone in the media is even slightly interested in discovering who is paying these people’s salaries at the moment. The Electoral Commission might not be terribly impressed though.
@caz-m says: “it’s the return of the wicked witch, Call Kaye with an “E””.
Whit div ye jalouse happint tae her ither, “E”?
@Jimsie says: “Our history is littered with Scots whose main goal in life is to make it big in London. It started with James1 in 1603 and continues to this day. These people are the cancer of our country.”
In fairness to Jamie Saxt the facts are that he, as a Scottish Monarch, was NOT Sovereign under Scots law but was totally sovereign under the three country Kingdom of England law. That is until, “The English Glorious Revolution”, deposed him and imported as the English monarchy William, (of Orange), & Mary as joint English monarchs. Can we blame him for going English?
However, as Scotland in 1866 was still an independent kingdom, this did not change the Scots monarchy. Although English history claims that the Jacobites were rebels, you cannot rebel against a monarchy not your own, it was actually an uprising. This change of English monarchy was the cause of the Jacobite Uprisings that began in 1688 and ran to 1745.
It is also the reason the Treaty of Union is not actually legal under Scots Law as this law states that it is the people of Scotland who are sovereign and the monarch only the protector of the people’s sovereignty. As we, the people, have never yet been asked to devolve our sovereignty we still remain The Sovereign people of Scotland and Westminster really has no legal sovereignty over Scotland. It fact, to put it shortly – Our collective word is law – VOTE YES
[…] a suspiciously astro-turfed (that’s fake grass roots in case of any doubt) group who have suddenly appeared campaigning for a No vote based on emotion and shared history. Stepping away from the media […]
Aw, VNB has removed all of the comments. 🙁
[…] Wings Over Scotland – While We’re Investigating […]
[…] Borders group. Rather than repeating them here it’s best to read the articles themselves by Douglas Daniel and Craig Murray. Suffice to say it raises a number of questions about the claims of the No Borders […]
That’ll be the agent orange – deadly for vegetation.
VNB: here’s a comment from their website under the “Have a Say” section:
“I don’t want to have to apply for a visa to stay in France; there’s enough paperwork as there is!” Adam Crosbie
Is this a joke?
They won’t even let me register at VNB – sob sob sob, even more sobs. They let me join their gardening debate last night – but no more, sob sob.
link to shawotis.wordpress.com
where the image looks to have came from ?
link to crimethinc.com
this one shows a slightly wider image….and maybe gives the location?
Nope – nae chance I’m barred from nae bothers, and I thought getting barred from BT was bad, I’m distraught.
[…] many others, we in the Yes campaign have Douglas Daniel, to thank, yet again it was someone not in the Scottish or UK press pack doing some basic […]
Just been barred from VNB facebook page.All I did was state I’m Scotish and British and after independence I’ll still be Scotish and British.I’m voting for HOME RULE not Westminster rule,I’m voting for Independence not Alec Salmond…lasted 5 mins at 11.50pm.Can’t understand why, nothing political there and obviously meets their emotional criteria for posts.I’ll not sleep now.
It’s because I’ve spelt Scottish wrong isn’t it ?
“It’s because I’ve spelt Scottish wrong isn’t it ?”
Well what did you expect, that mispelling was a dead givaway that your a ROLLING EYED SEPTRATIST NUTTER! 🙂
Rober Peffers says
“It is also the reason the Treaty of Union is not actually legal under Scots Law as this law states that it is the people of Scotland who are sovereign and the monarch only the protector of the people’s sovereignty. As we, the people, have never yet been asked to devolve our sovereignty we still remain The Sovereign people of Scotland and Westminster really has no legal sovereignty over Scotland. It fact, to put it shortly – Our collective word is law – VOTE YES”
I used that very argument with the ODIHR to ask for their protection from media(citing BBC lies over a year ago)support for the union and got totally blanked!
well actually it was more like a polite sod off,
Paula Rose says
“They won’t even let me register at VNB – sob sob sob, even more sobs. They let me join their gardening debate last night – but no more, sob sob.”
Just what did you say?
Have you any idea how hard it is to get yourself barred from that site?
it must have been really bad,
I suppose you’ll be waiting for the polis to knock you door? 🙂
No sign of Astroturf here: link to i.imgur.com
This is what a genuine grass-roots movement look like.
YES Edinburgh Super Saturday 03/05/2014
YES activist turnout was 250-300.
@ John King – what, do the polis want borderless gardening or are they determined to crack down on it?
[…] I wont bore you with repeating the arguments See the following: Craig Murray, National Collective, Doug Daniel – and no doubt a dozen I’ve […]
[…] digging by the online community (those pesky, meddling cybernats) revealed some of the information the BBC […]
Acanchi’s activities can be deduced from this:
link to theguardian.com
Less measured account here:
link to redressonline.com
Acanchi also did a rebranding job on the Isle of Man, from whose brand statement it intentionally deleted a reference to IoM’s 1000 years of independence.
For some reason Acanchi’s impenetrable guff common to all ‘branding’ outfits is hosted here:
link to stores.agilityems.co.uk
agilityems .co .uk appears to be their private server, but don’t quote me. There doesn’t seem to be a puff piece for their work on Israel, but Bahrain is acknowledged.
£150,000 raised in no time! Clearly a very dodgy outfit. Certainly funded by capitalists. When could workers raise that much money so quickly?
Is it EU-funded? ‘No borders’ would suit the EU as a slogan; ‘no banks’ added in to fool the gullible. Anarchists helping the state – whatever next?
[…] BBC tried to pass off the latest Tory funded astro-turf group as a new grassroots campaign. Expertly dissected on ‘Wings over Scotland’ the group are clearly not what they say they are. So either […]
[…] winner is the man behind pro-Union astroturf campaign Vote No Borders, Malcolm Offord. The sinister VNB group has been under intense scrutiny […]
[…] there is no doubt that the stand out winner was this horrific statement from the pro?Union astroturf campaign, Vote No […]
[…] more aware of how media bias works in the UK, and how public relations consultancies are used to manipulate the democratic process. Yet even before political tensions began to run high, many people had been […]
[…] Wings Over Scotland. […]
The Accounts for No Borders Campaign for the period from 18 March 2014 (date of incorporation) to 31 March 2015 were lodged at Companies House on 8 February 2016 (Late return liable for filing penalty of £375). The accounts lodged are abbreviated accounts and give little in the way of detail. However total income and total expenditure are both in the region of £462,000. This is well in excess of the Electoral Commission limit of £150,000. However, the accounts do state that the amount spent during the official campaign period was £147,000. It does seem odd that a company set up specifically to carry out a campaign should spend less than one third of its total expenditure on the campaign during the Campaign period?
I also note from Companies House that Acanchi Limited was dissolved on 8 January 2016. The last accounts lodged for that company were for the 12 months ended 30 September 2013.