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Wings Over Scotland


Work for idle hands

Posted on April 12, 2015 by

There’s very little actual political news today, so the papers have largely been forced to either basically not have any at all (the Sunday Post and Scottish Sun On Sunday) or make up totally mad stuff for laughs to fill the space.

We’ve picked out some highlights for you below.

SNP secretly plotting to abolish the BBC in Scotland (Express)

Sturgeon is Thatcher, says Prescott (Mirror)

Scottish pensions to be slashed, says Miliband (Telegraph)

Scottish pensions to increase, says Miliband (Mail On Sunday)

Lib Dems will form next government (Scotland On Sunday)

Glasgow East is like the Wild West (Telegraph)

For our money it’s a tough call for Most Bonkers between Prescott and Gilligan, but we think the former Deputy Prime Minister – just roll THAT thought around in your mind again for a moment, readers – narrowly edges it.

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David Smith

Ach well; a quiet pause while they await the False Flags rolling in…

John Thomson

Stuart this is a brilliant idea, very relaxed sunday morning reading Nicola’s article in Sunday Herald. What a contrast keep up the good work mate

MajorBloodnok

I can’t even spell swasticker and I know which way round they go. C’mon MI5 – get your act together, you’re letting the side down (well done at the boat race by the way).

Donald MacKenzie

Yep,I’d agree. Close call between Gilligan and Prescott. However, on the basis you think Gilligan might have some intelligence, then the fact that he is willing to put his name to stuff like that, probably makes him the winner in my book.

Paula Rose

Um which frenchman is Prescott referring to?

auldmcintosh

Thanks for this Rev I was in need of a laugh this morning,
I do believe the Westminster bubble will yet implode in my time yet. Gideon did not give himself any credence this morning on the AM show but really neither did AM it looked like they had booked to many and were determined to cram it all in.

chossy

One of the comments on the first article about the BBC says.

‘The SNP are as bad as muslims’

Charming : /

heedtracker

Danny Alexander’s just there really laying in to the “heartless” horrible tories just now on BBC vote anyone but SNP we beg you TV, while ConDem’s plead Scottish tories to vote for him.

Stoker

I’ve just read the link to the Express story about the SNP “secretly plotting to abolish the BBC” and then started reading the comments.

Third comment comes from some racist coward hiding behind the username of “Yorkshire” and he/she states:

“The SNP are just as bad as muslims”

Well, i can’t for the life of me work out how that cretin comes to that nasty racist conclusion on a story about devolving media powers to Holyrood and making the BBC in Scotland more accountable to our political ministers.

Couldn’t read beyond that comment, racist and idiotic in the extreme.
Feckin halfwits been spending too much time with his/her uncle.
Inbred moron.

Grouse Beater

Great replies below the Prescott drivel.

How lazy can you get?

“Heck, need ta write column fer Mirror. Ah, that Sturgeon is easy target, a woman – What can I say? I know! I’ll say she’s another Thatcher. Can’t get more original than that. Damn clever, that’s me. ‘Nother £1000 squid in me pocket. Easy money. Fancy I treat you to a hot pie Sunday brunch, Pauline, love? Done me column fer this week.”

Helena Brown

Cast my eye very quickly round that load of tosh, goodness can’t they get together and at least make a stab at keeping to the story they wish us to believe or is it being run out for the southerners benefit.
Andrew Gilligan is now an Establishment shill, M15 have obviously frightened the hell out of him. Prescott is and always was the “tame” socialist, working man who was brought out to quell the fears that Labour were no longer the party for the self same working man. So few of them in Labour with that tag have ever been a working man, our ex speaker for instance did not do much whilst he was in employment, being a Union official as soon as he got in.

Clydebuilt

BBC1 Scotland 11.30am leaders debate AGAIN …..Nicola on her own against Murphy, Davidson and Rennies…….tee Beeb are trying to drum up an audience…made it the lead article on the 11am news…….

[…] There’s very little actual political news today, so the papers have largely been forced to either basically not have any (the Sunday Post and Scottish Sun On Sunday) or make up totally mad stuff for laughs to fill the space.  […]

Harry Shanks

Whilst Gilligan wallows in his self-appointed role as the arbiter of truth, he cites the Nick Robinson report of AS “refusing to answer” a question put to him by Robinson as an example of SNP arrogance (as Gilligan would characterise it).

What the Telegraph fiction writer fails to mention of course, is that Robinson was subsequently found guilty by the BBC itself (no mean feat) of completely misreporting the incident. Many would be far less mealy-mouthed and just say that he lied in an effort to discredit Alex Salmond.

Yet no mention of this from Gilligan. Quelle surprise

caz-m

Rev, Pete Wishart/SNP devolving media powers, I have been hunting for that link all morning.

Thanks for putting the link up.

Best story of the day.

link to archive.today

Tick tock, BBC Scotland, tick tock!

Joemcg

I was intrigued with a link on the previous thread with a story from 2 years ago, an exactly the same scenario (set up?) with vandalised Tory offices,the Q on the door is almost identical to the one yesterday. Strange or sinister?

Geoff Huijer

I will vote for any Party that says it will abolish the BBC.

aitchbee

John Prescott, in the Mirror: “I remember having SNP supporters scream “("Tractor" - Ed)” into my face, their spittle like venom.’

Apparently we have all turned into cobras 😉

alexicon

Gordon Brewster on politics Scotland has already set out his stall by constantly interrupting Nicola Sturgeon, but freely letting the unionist have their say.
Shocking and blatant bias.

Fiona

If wiki is to be believed Mr Gilligan has some strange ideas. In 2011 he criticised Leveson and wrote

He wrote that the public still trusted the press,

galamcennalath

All the pish they talk. Some people will believe it, but once someone stops believing it they will never go back to accepting MSM stuff as credible. The more they talk pish, the more likely individuals realise that it just can’t all be true … next step they realise most of it isn’t true!

It’s a one way street. Gullibility is, in most cases, a condition from which people can recover.

The Man in the Jar

Congratulations to The Wee Ginger Dug for being quoted in that Gilligan article in the Telegraph. 🙂

almannysbunnet

No news? Nicolah is currently being ambushed by Brewer and pals on Sunday politics!

scotspine

Sunday politics on BBC now.

Outrageous gang attack on Nicola Sturgeon with Murphy, Davidson, Rennie AND Brewer taking it in turns and collectively to talk over, shout at, interrupt, laugh over and generally behave as arseholes towards Nicola Sturgeon.

Disgraceful.

Valerie

Wow, real shouting match on Sunday Politics, Murphy cannot keep his gob closed

One_Scot

From the Revs twitter feed, if that does not show that we need TV media change in Scotland, I don’t know what does.

Calgacus

Bbc and Brewer a disgrace, allowing Shouty Jim, Wullie Rennie and that Tory whatshername to literally scream and shout over the top of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Had to switch off. An affront to democracy.

caz-m

Watching Sunday Politics Scotland at the moment. Nicola Sturgeon getting attacked by Jim Murphy, Ruth Davidson, Wullie Rennie and Gordon Brewer, all at the same time.

They are like a pack of starving Hyenas tearing their prey apart.

Nicola fighting her corner well, even when the whole studio is against her.

Go Nocola, we are right there with you.

Joemcg

Murphy “Nicola, talking over everyone won’t help!” Quote of the century!

David McKeen

I’ve really got to stop watching politics; watching Jim Murphy on Politics Scotland and I’m starting to develop a real visceral hatred for the pr**k.

Neil Carmouche

Is that secret plot the one Pete Wishart was discussing on Radio 4 more than a week ago ? ???? ffs don’t let the SNP into govt or MI5,s plans will be “secretly” printed in the Sun

Seriously ,is the scale of the change to come so massive that any shred of journalistic ability is thrown away?

ErinT

Of course the BBC should be “abolished” (read: devolved). It isn’t working well currently and BBC Scotland being autonomous and better able to cover Scottish events without having to be partisan is only a good thing.

As for what the Scotland and Sunday is on about? Who cares. I’d rather have a large contingency of SNP MPs that aren’t involved in government than have more Lib Dem or Labour MPs. The SNP MPs might actually care about constituency issues that both Labour and Lib Dem have overlooked for so long. And if my constituency gets a Lib Dem again they will continue not caring about Scotland anyway.

Donald Urquhart

Being worn down by evil cybernates and Wings ‘types’ is clearly taking its toll on the msm.

I just watched Alan Cochrane on the Andrew Marr Show, stating he did not believe the polls but this week was beginning to think the GE result could be bad for Labour in Scotland. What kind of political editor needs to wait until this week to start to get their head round what has been inevitable since last year.

At the end of the Andrew Marr Show there was the strange sight of Lulu singing, ” if I put my faith in you, I’d be insane” … to George Osborne and Harriet Harman. Pretty much sums it up, Lulu!

I’d have to call it a draw between Gilligan and Prescott.. it’s a bit like being asked who’s most mad, the lunatic or the insane man.

I’m interested in Prescott’s inference that the French Ambassador was being ‘diplomatic’ in agreeing Sturgeon was not lying when she denied ‘Frenchgate’.

The closer the election gets the more this illogical ranting will get. Let’s keep up our humour in the face of it all… remember that Gilligan and Prescott are exemplars of a lost argument.

Lollysmum

Joemcg
No-just same person doing it.

Re the Scottish Express & Nicola they really are being economical with the truth

‘His comments were echoed by his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, who blasted the amount of licence fee cash paid to Scottish football.’ Completely misses out the point that she said it wasn’t enough. Must keep on eye on this Greg Christison-seems he aspires to join the big boys in Fleet Street.

BOB Mooney

If this programme does no prove that the BBC is biased then nothing else will.

Four against Nicola including Gordon Brewer – not clever.

Fireproofjim

If this is BBC “balance” then I am all for abolishing it tomorrow.

Socrates MacSporran

It shows the paucity of ideas in the three Unionist parties that, rather than putting forward any policies of their own – they simply attack what they think will be the SNP’s policies in 2016.

And, yet another Scottish political debate has quickly become a stairheid rammy.

heedtracker

BBC vote SLabour on else, with Jim Murphy monstering Sturgeon for SNP growth not austerity reduce UKOK deficit proposals one minute, next minute Jim Morphy explains SLabour’s planned growth not austerity reduce UKOK deficit. Conman in action, another one.

Kenny

Slightly less than half the population of Scotland has the whole Westminster establishment throwing hissy fits, running “The Son of Project Fear (aka Project Smear)” and now thinking of resurrecting Gordon Brown, John Smith… anyone!

So what will it be like when the roughly 15% who truly want devo max join the 45%? Or when SNP ideas of good government + anti-austerity start spreading into England? I remember thinking before the indyref: it would really be better for them in the long-run if they let us go now…

One_Scot

At some point you would think that Scotland will wake up and say enough is enough.

Donald Urquhart

bugger this… lets merge Labour, Lib Dem and Torys into one big Unionist Party. Their symbol could be a big, f++k off, submarine.

If you mix their colours you get a browny, purple……. think, the morning after eating beetroot.

Lollysmum

aitchbee
You have to remember that this is the bruiser who punched a guy when he egged him LOL. I’d have given the guy a medal personally.

It strikes me that it’s AOK for them to threaten anyone else but it’s not OK for the electorate to answer back.

The whole lot are a bunch of complete wussers without a principle between them.

Tick, tock, tick, tock 🙂

GrahamB

Oh well, predictable rubbish as usual

The BBC one is hardly news, it’s been SNP policy for years and PQ have accelerated their own demise.

Prescott always churned out ill thought out nonsense, st least when it’s written down someone can sort out the grammar for him, but he should check his facts occasionally.

Pensions are only going to be slashed under FFA, Big Dim Jim was telling us on Friday we wouldn’t get any at all!

The LibDem story is just speculative arithmetic, only shocking thing is they might get as many as twenty seats.

Gilligan is falling into the same trap as Prescott in not bothering to check facts before writing, did any windows actually grt broken? He’s become unhinged since the Dr Kelly incident, surprising he still gets a platform.

alexicon

Brewer not Brewster.

Having a sore head day today.

frankieboy

I think if you buy a ‘unionist ‘ newspaper and expect news you are a bit loopy One great thing about the Referendum is that it highlighted the political bias and leanings of the BBC and MSM that a blind man on a galloping horse can now see it. Thanks to Stu and other sites who have scrutinised and in part educated people on how to read ‘news’.

Cag-does-thinking

BBC suddenly have a leaders debate or as I like to call it “Lets shout at the SNP loudly”. This is going to be hugely successful. Even for a Gordon Brewer inspired rammy this is dreadful. Thankfully only the diehard politcal shouters are watching this!

caz-m

Another wee reminder:

Nicola Sturgeon will be at Paisley Town Hall at 1.30pm today.

She will be appearing with Mhairi Black, our SNP candidate for Paisley South/Renfrewshire West.

If you are in the area, then come over to Paisley Town Hall and give Nicola and Mhairi your support.

Stoker

The BBC should be flooded with complaints to clog their system.

A disgraceful bullying gang attack on Nicola.

Absolutely shocking – they can’t get away with this behaviour.

heedtracker

Gordon Brewer’s bringing back the mullet now. That’s news.

Calgacus

Wow Shouty Murphy just committed electoral suicide and took Labour’s last chance of averting complete and utter carnage.

Nobody likes a big bully ganging up with their establishment mates to attack a wee Glasgow lass.

Red Tories OUT. Vote SNP.

One_Scot

Does Scotland really want to carry on like this forever?

Fireproofjim

Nicola is doing well despite the pack of Unionists attacking her. She is off to Paisley town hall in an hour for another rally.
She is so important to the campaign and our future that I hope she does not exhaust herself.
My wife says she looks tired.
Please take a day or two off. Even the indestructible Rev did that!

Fiona

@Stoker

They clearly can.

As with the articles in the OP, they can do and say whatever they like. The press defend it on the principle of the “free press”. The state broadcaster insists that they are providing “balance”.

It seems that they are all persuaded that the “big lie” is effective, and they have some evidence in support of that proposition. But it does rest on the idea that, as Mr Gilligan says, the people trust the media. To work you have to presume that the reader believes they will not tell out and out lies, though may be aware that some “reading between the lines” might be required.

I do not think that is where we are now, though. I think more and more people do realise that lies are the order of the day, so far as the print media is concerned. And when that is true there is no point in reading it, because no matter how sophisticated you imagine yourself to be, you cannot get to the “truth” by any amount of careful reading of what is omitted, or slanted by the subtle use of language. The truth is not there to find. Hence falling sales, IMO.

Phronesis

The WM system is being palliated by the MSM no one knows when the terminal event will be but that outcome is certain. If Lord Prescott is worried about the Thatcher legacy he should look to his own party who embraced her neoliberal ideology which believes that the poor deserve nothing more because they do not have it in them to be any better and the rich are worth their riches. She did of course argue in 1988 that ‘ Everyone in the nation has benefited from increased prosperity- everyone ‘ which of course is not true particularly if you are north of the Watford Gap.
Tony Blair was very fond of using the ‘beacon’ metaphor to convey the message of hope and expectation- how hollow that sounds now given the illegal war in Irag, selling off state assets, the rise in inequality under his leadership.
Thankfully in the YES movement which does represent hope and real aspiration the ground troops along with the cyber networks are building social capital and developing a bottom – up political movement that is viable and resilient and the participants are the new conviction rhetoricians.

Capella

I’m so looking forward to “more ‘shortbread tin’ programming” (Sunday Express).

But I agree, John Prescott has to get the prize for the most gratuitously offensive contribution to the debate today. Gilligan is certainly sinister. But the comments under Prescott’s piece are a joy to read. Ian wares is excellent and here’s a short response from leither:

“This scurrilous piece of trash illustrates why Labour are doing so poorly. You’ve given yourself a riddie, John.”

call me dave

It’s war, almost armaggedon in Scotland for the three unionist tribes.
Worry not… another queue of folk signing up to join the SNP,SSP or the Greens after watching their shouty arguments at the FM.

Footie; Scottish: Two games today. Chill…

link to crichd.tv

bookie from hell

brewer attacked Nicola first 10 mins non-stop

then let 3 unionists off the leash

bbc training carrying on from referendum

abystander

Brewer had no control over that programme. None!

He let Murphy, Davidson and Rennie interview Sturgeon. Amazing.

By the way I am more and more impressed by her. I think in fact having three clearly over excited losers bawl at her can only up the SNP vote.

Why don’t they just cut to the chase and form one party?

Robert Louis

My oh my, what a shocking ‘debate’ that was on the BBC. It consisted of a chariman who sat back and let THREE people bully the First Minister, over and over and over again. Of particular note, I must say (having spoken to a female friend of mine) is the outrageous aggressive demeanour of Murphy.

Tell me something does Murphy think that acting like the class bully in such a way will win him votes??

Pretty angry about this. Well done to Nicola for standing up to the three unionist bullies (I actually feel sorry for her).

Robert Kerr

O/T but useful for the doorstep and online.

Hidden debt in PFI.

link to archive.today

Macart

Car crash Sunday politics.

Four ganging up on one and they think that’s political discussion, or that we don’t see it for what it is. What I saw was that you couldn’t put a fag paper between three of them and that the fourth couldn’t control his own floor.

Simply dire.

Aceldo Atthis

I just watched the Sunday Politics Tag Team. A very typical format to the show really; they ask Nicola Sturgeon a series of deceitful questions then they take turns badgering her so that she doesn’t get time to answer. At one point 4 people, the three hand puppets and Gordon Brewer, were shouting at her all at once. It’s actually quite distressing to watch and reminds me of those nature shows where a gang of vicious dogs catches a gazelle or something.

Clearly the goal of each of them, including Brewer, is to impress their British bosses and show them how they put the rebellious Scots in their place.

I remember reading about the Pinochet coup in Chile and the same dynamics existed there with local born and bred sycophants trying to impress their imperial masters (the US government); if you are willing to shit on your fellow countrymen, by definition you are a success. It doesn’t matter how you do it because nobody will ever hold you to account.

scott

Politics Scotland,what a bloody disgrace Brewer no control all of them allowed to attack our FM I always said BBC was biased but this program today was the lowest of the low,I would rather trust Davidson than Murphy and that is saying something,as for Prescot he was like the rest just in it for the money.

No no no...Yes

Sunday Politics Scotland- this episode was the worst ever. We all knew it would be a gang of 3, but Brewer made it 4.

Brewer completely lacked chairing skills and his pointy finger at Nicola, the First Minister of Scotland, really showed a lack of respect to the office.

Murphy did his usual shouting and vein bursting rants over everyone.

If any of the 3 Unionist party leaders were trying to tout themselves as contender for First Minister they failed disastrously. This episode will help the SNP at Holyrood 2016.

Iain Gray's Subway Lament

Curiously the BBCs Andrew Gilligan makes no mention of the SNP activists getting attacked in Possil very recently, (not property mind, actual people being attacked with the police having to help stop the attack) or indeed the many death threats against Nicola and Alex which were serious enough to merit police action and indeed court cases.

But then Gilligan is best known for his lazy and sensationalist journalism. Which is precisely how he dropped Dr David Kelly right in the shit by misquoting him and booting him right into the centre of the Iraq firestorm for the likes of Blair and Alistair Campbell to set their dogs on in the press and elsewhere.

We all know the grotesque and scandalous events that then followed for Dr David Kelly and it sure as fuck wasn’t Gilligan who paid the ultimate price. Gilligan is an westminster establishment poodle who would sell out a source at the first sign of trouble.

gordoz

Perfect example why Media & TV needs to be governed & administered locally – not from London. That alone would be enough of a RED LINE issue for me.

GET RID OF THE BBC

[…] Work for idle hands […]

Morag

I was on Gilligan’s side over the dodgy dossier affair, but my God he’s a piece of work.

HandandShrimp

It says something when the Telegraph are trying to drum up support and sympathy for Labour.

Goodness me are they rattled or what?

Glamaig

@David McKeen 11:54
I’m starting to develop a real visceral hatred for the pr**k.
Me too. Once Ive finished leafletting my wee area here Im going over to East Ren to do a stint there because I want the satisfaction of, hopefully, watching his Portillo moment on live TV and knowing I made a small contribution.

liz

Derek Bateman was saying a while back that he and all other journalists were ready to offer full support to Gilligan when he was being demonised for his ‘sexed up’ document.

This is the thanks he chucks back our way.

Wonder if Brewer is deliberately trying to rattle SNP supporters cages (or blk ops)to encourage anger against him, so it can be reported that a poor wee BBC journalist is ‘being attacked’ by nasty cybernats.

Clarinda

The degree of searing hatred, fear and anger on display from Mr Murphy was even worse than I expected and his revolting behaviour beggars belief that he’s capable of leading anything other than his supporters into a rather deep political abyss.

Would any other nation allow their First Minister to be so brutally and discourteously treated – never mind called by their first name – or perhaps I’m just old fashioned?

I’m not saying that Miss Sturgeon isn’t able to deal with this type of attack – she most definitely is – but this particular display from four inseparable rabid foes was unacceptable on so many levels.

ErinT

I can only think that the gross caricature of unchecked testosterone-bloated unrefined and violent caveperson-masculinity paraded by both Ruth Davidson and especially Jim Murphy today on Sunday Politics Scotland will have hindered their campaigns.

I especially used to have a soft spot for Ruth Davidson due to her LGBT credentials and apparently feminist persuasion not to mention seeming sensible and adorned with political acumen. Not any more. That was vile and she degraded herself on that programme.

Jim Murphy comes across as creepy, dishonest and the type of person you avoid sitting close to in a bar or restaurant. He is the type of person you cross the street to avoid and I think he has just lost support amongst women. Incredibly misogynistic and obsessed with asserting his dominance. Repulsive. I don’t even think he will appeal to most men. Ned in a suit.

Willie Rennie is just bland. He joined in with the bullying but probably because he was scared. It wasn’t honorable but at least he wasn’t so toxic as Ruth Davidson and Jim Murphy.

Iain Gray's Subway Lament

The BBC has already trashed it’s reputation in scotland even more than it did when it happily lied to the scottish public about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

If the BBC want to go out on a limb again with comically obvious bias like in the first Indyref then we should just stand back and let the public see for themselves since it is so blatant it can hardly be missed.

It is an utterly futile attempt from the BBC to try and ‘save’ unionist parties like ‘scottish’ Labour. They may well end up almost as tainted as ‘scottish’ Labour are in the public’s eyes.

With less than 50% of the scottish public trusting the BBC and almost 50% of the scottish public voting for the SNP it’s only going to drive down the already scant trust the scottish public has with a westminster establishment broadcaster like the BBC.

The easiest way to respond to the BBC’s pathetic bias is to save yourself hundreds of pounds every year by opting out of the TV Tax.

Here, again, are all the legal facts and handy tips in how to stop paying the unfair TV Tax and watch online instead of live TV. 🙂

link to moneysavingexpert.com

jake

Re the Telegraph article,here it is again but this time with addition material, from as far back as Ian Grey and the sandwich shop, to the mysterious “Q”s on the door.
link to eaglecurrent.com

ShazyNat

I laughed out loud this morning in Tesco reading the headlines! Other shoppers were looking at me…

“getting rid of the BBC” was my favourite!

Kenny

Apologies to Charles Dickens:

“I see Murphy, and Davidson, Rennie, Nick Robinson and Jackie Bird, the Red, Blue, Yellow Tories, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this same retributive media instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use. I see a beautiful Yes city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out.”

Dinnae hash, we are seeing the death of the old and the ushering of the new. If you want to see what the future will be like and want to get away from unionist lies and propaganda, have a wee look on You Tube for the lovely Leanne Wood’s speech to the SNP Conference on 15 November 2014. Enjoy!

laukat

I actually thought Nicola nailed Murphy on FFA. Murphy tried to give Nicola a hard time over growing the economy to close the gap but then had to admit that the answer to closing off deficits UK is to grow the economy. When Murphy said Labour was going to grow the economy Nicola picked him up on it beautifully.

Puts Murphy and Labour in a difficult place on FFA. How do you argue against Scotland wanting the powers to grows its economy and mange its deficit when that’s the approach most how most left of centre parties would adopt?

Also thought Brewer adopted a fairly decent line of attack with all parties around are you growing the economy or cutting back and by going with Nicola first on FFA it left the others either agreeing that growing the economy or going for cuts.

I do agree that Brewer went too long on FFA, by all means ask but given this is UK election you have to give at least similar grilling to the UK parties on UK finances. Also the BBC need to look at the 3v1 approach. Why is Willie Rennie there when Partick Harvie is not?

Fireproofjim

Contact the BBC at – newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk
I have just written to them objecting in the strongest terms about the Politics Scotland programme and the harassing of Nicola by the unionists including Brewer.
Let us flood them with anger, but keep it free of the deserved obscenities. We are better than them.

velofello

Hope the public response to the BBC Sunday Politics show this morning is another surge in SNP membership.

A dimwit, a laughing hyena, and a bully, all three led by Brewer, against Nicola. Disgraceful.

ScottieDog

I’d happily pay more tax to devolve broadcasting from this shit.
Just think of the foreign coverage. YOu wouldn’t get all this embedded reporting in the ‘trenches’ in Iraq for example. Far more chance of proper impartial coverage.

Ian Mackay

Disappointing news of another referendum result: Malta votes to keep its spring hunt and keep blasting migratory birds out of the air. Still some work required by campaigners to convince the majority… (I wonder if Unionists think that Birdlife Malta should close it doors and give up campaigning to save wildlife… )
link to timesofmalta.com

woosie

Missed Brewer’s latest assault on Scotland and Freedom of Speech, but the reports here don’t surprise me. I think we’ll find that many who did witness it will change their vote to SNP, as has been happening for some time now.

Since we all had our eyes opened by ukgov, bbc, msm, and their ridiculous behaviour during the referendum, I think a very high percentage of scots are aware that honesty is the real virtue in a politician. Look at Sturgeon, Hosie, Swinney, Salmond, and you know they’re telling the truth. Then look at Cameron, Osborne, Milliband, Murphy etc and decide for yourself.

BTW, did catch Osborne getting torn to shreds by Andrew Marr this morning, and Harman didn’t get off much lighter; maybe Andrew’s coming round at last!

John D aka Nkosi

Nicola’s Article. link to archive.today

HandandShrimp

Ignore Brewer, there is a sub story being developed about Nasty Nats. They are so rattled, probably by that last YouGov poll showing a wipe out, that they are attackiung on all fronts. There is a desperation now for something to stick against the SNP campaign be it a drunken Q scrawled on a Tory office or a attacks on the BBC (although given the BBC’s appalling record over recent years on everything from Iraq, Kelly, Savile and all the rest I am not entirely sure why anyone thinks the BBC are anything other than a corrupt adjunct of the establishment.)

We are heading into the last three weeks of this campaign. Let’s keep the heid. The polls show we are striking a chord with the electorate. We keep on doing that very thing. It is Murphy Rennie and to a lesser extent Ruth (who has little to lose in Scotland) that must make the running and in doing so make ever wilder promises and threats.

David

actually thought it was April the 1st today given some of the lead stories.

Robert Peffers

@Paula Rose says: 12 April, 2015 at 11:08 am:

“Um which frenchman is Prescott referring to?”

Ach! Paula Rose, Baron, “Two Jags”, Prescott, is English and he failed his 11 Plus exam, so he probably means all of them.

Iain Gray's Subway Lament

” Why is Willie Rennie there when Partick Harvie is not?”

Or indeed why is Willie Rennie anywhere? 😀

More to the point why has nobody got round to asking wee Wullie how it was that the Telegraph went straight to him after “dirty tricks” Carmichael’s dept. leaked the bullshit memo?

Joemcg

Dear Nicola, please make it one more red line issue along with Trident. Scrap the BBC.

John H.

John Prescott –

“I remember having SNP supporters scream “("Tractor" - Ed)” into my face, their spittle like venom.
Those who dared put up pro-UK posters ended up with their windows smashed. People became too ­frightened to speak out.”

That’s not the same referendum that I remember. Prescott is either losing his marbles… or lying.

Marie clark

Stopped paying the licence fee after referendum, so did not see Sunday politics show. Sounds really awful by all accounts. Mind you it has been an awful show for a long time now.

If James Francis Murphy BA Politics (failed) thinks this is the way to conduct yourself when allegedly trying to debate, it highlights one things in particular for me. He does not have anything worthwhile to say. He is always all over the shop and just makes it up as he goes along, till someone from London tells him that what he has said won’t be happening.

A very unedifying site one man trying to bully a female politician, able though she undoubtedly is. But to have three unionists plus the chairman joining in, well, words fail me.

As others have suggested, why don’t the just have one unionist party, because they really are all the same. Pitiful, just pitiful.

Robert Peffers

@Clydebuilt says: 12 April, 2015 at 11:25 am:

“BBC1 Scotland 11.30am leaders debate AGAIN …..Nicola on her own against Murphy, Davidson and Rennies…….tee Beeb are trying to drum up an audience…made it the lead article on the 11am news…….

Yep! Three Unionist Proud Scot buts all talking over Nicola while the fourth one, Brewer, is outdoing them all at shouting Nicola down. The obvious has to be said – Brewer couldn’t organize a the proverbial in a Brewery.

I’ll get ma jaikit.

Donald Urquhart

TV Leaders Debate, last week… Jim Murphy ” we will raise the minimum wage to £8.50″

Labour Party website, today…. ” we will raise the minimum wage to £8.00″

I was about to write that one of them must be lying. However, this being Labour and Jim Murphy, it’ll almost definitely be neither of those figures.

John H.

Since I don’t pay the BBC licence fee I didn’t see the assault on Nicola this morning. From what I’ve read here I don’t think I’ll bother watching it now anyway.

Robert Peffers

@Calgacus says: 12 April, 2015 at 11:53 am:

“Bbc and Brewer a disgrace, allowing Shouty Jim, Wullie Rennie and that Tory whatshername to literally scream and shout over the top of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.”

I got called into my pals house to watch that BBC show and it was utter chaos. I’m not sure who was doing the loudest shouting but I think my pal just about edged Murphy for that honour.

What I found absolutely hilarious was how Brewer only used his position as chairperson to call everyone else to order to allow Wee Willie Rennie to get his several chances to shout Nicola down.

It’s what they call impartiality at the BBC – everyone must be given equal chance to speak against the SNP person and the SNP person must have equal shares of the Unionist drivel spouted at them.

I’m still laughing and it’s now nearly 01:30pm.

izzie

I wouldn’t worry about Nicola she sis not get to where she is today without being able to handle a few roughnecks. Also made
a complaint to Beeb mainly about the quality of the programme
(I don’t think you get anywhere with bias) stated that format
did not allow for close questioning on issues and a rethink is
needed. Suggested that Murphy could have been asked about coalitions and Rennie about memogate

Katie

Well… I cant wait to sit down on the couch on a Saturday night to watch all my ‘shortbread tin’ programmes! Hahaha.. as if!!!

John D aka Nkosi

My Letter to the BBC,

Dear Sir / Madam,

I found your program aired on Sunday 12 04 2015 called Politics Scotland a disgust and vindictive attack on our First Minister, Gordon Brewer and the Unionist party representatives resembled a pack of African Wild Dogs at a kill. I found Mr Murphy’s behaviour the most reprehensible and not becoming of someone who is supposed to be a leader.

You,the BBC, are supposed to be balanced, unfortunately you seem to be completely unbalanced. It is high time you had a good long look at yourselves, you won’t like what you see in the mirror.

For balance, next week lets have, Mr Murphy, fending off Nicola Sturgeon, Tommy Sheridan and Patrick Harvie. The little bully will run a mile.

Regards,

Robert Peffers

@David McKeen says: 12 April, 2015 at 11:54 am:

“I’ve really got to stop watching politics; watching Jim Murphy on Politics Scotland and I’m starting to develop a real visceral hatred for the pr**k.”

Oh! Dear! (I just can’t help myself, sorry David).
;-))

Have you always been a late developer?
DARFC

H Scott

Why would SNP supporters shout ‘Tractor’ at John Prescott, he’s not Scottish?

Craig

For the purpose of balance in regards to todays Scotland’s Politics show, yes, it was disgraceful the way the (4) Unionist ganged up on the First Minister of Scotland, however in saying that, in that moment of shouty Jim, Nicola caught him brilliantly in regards in how to grow the economy when he ridiculed Nicola Sturgeon for that suggestion.

Any respect I had for Ruth Davison went right out of the window, she has shown her true colours and that is a bitter right wing tory, I honestly believe that if she was growing up in the 80’s, she might not be so enamoured of the party she represents.

Wullie Rennie, to be fair to him, wasn’t as rude as the other 2, he didn’t really get much chance to get the big bites in unlike Ruth and Jim, so much so that Gordon was trying to get them 2 to shut up to allow Wullie to have his go, that was probably his only saving grace.

Gordon, had zero control and I don’t think he wanted to, I think he was happy to let Ruth and Jim have their go and interupt Nicola when trying to reply to their comments.

The good thing about this is that the viewers will see the conduct of all 4 leaders and will cast their judgement on the 7th May and it will be likely to be towards the one party that shown how to conduct themselves in the face of hostile behaviour.

Almannysbunnet

Posting anything on here is the closest I can get to publicly thanking anyone. Nicola Sturgeon, thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting up with this abuse. We know you fighting for Scotland and its people. I was so angry at your treatment on the Sunday Politics show that I nearly joined the SNP for a second time but I’m not sure two memberships are allowed. Never doubt that we are 100% behind you!

Noel Chidwick

I didn’t watch the programme, but I can imagine hat happened easily enough. It probably won’t matter very much as most folk won’t have watched it.

Except of course the BBC will now pick the juicy bits and broadcast those on the news – which most people will watch.

geeo

My take on murphy via facebook..

Perhaps this is a better question for the female voters..

Why would you vote for Jim Murphy ?

I can only dream of a platform like this fanny has, i tend to think i would use it to try promote my thoughts and feelings on the issue at hand, the General Election, and use the chance to reach out to the audience to at least consider if my argument is valid for them or not.

What i would absolutely not do is to use that platform to shout over, berate and bully a woman trying to use the platform given as i would use it.

Nicola let him drone on in his patronising monotone, let him show himself up for what he is and people will notice that wee smile she allowed herself when Murphy was trying to put her down on a personal level as opposed to trying to put down her political ideas.

Gave him the rope to hang himself, didn’t even need to put it around his neck for him.

Job done. What a woman, what a politician, Scotland in safe hands for sure.
Go Nicola.

heedtracker

BBC r4 lunchtime news, SNP deal with Labour giving really good grilling, Stewart Hosie holds up to all kinds of what if, Trident, how English left reacting, all kinds of scenarios and forecasts.

Next up creepy Jim Murphy, given free complete uninterrupted reign to waffle 1924 largest party, no deal as David Cameron delighted SNP stealing SLabour MP’s, patriotic Scotsman from Glasgow, 1924, don’t count SNP vote until May 8, blah blah, no Barnett, economic cuts £7bn Scotland collapse as per.

Or usual corupt BBC farce. They must be wondering how on earth Scots polls are not doing as they’re being told by now. So plan B ballot fraud, these guys are not leaving Scotland be.

Donald Urquhart

Whilst they deserve every kicking they get ( metaphoric – Mr Gilligan), I feel compelled to give Labour a wee bit of free, strategic advice.. must be out of some mis-placed sense of compassion.

Labour; in the remaining weeks of the election campaign put James Francis Murphy BA Politics (failed) away in a box. He is a total liability to your party. Please let him out on the evening of the 7th May.

You see, if the election campaign is like Crufts, you’ve entered a hyena….. it ain’t going to win. Hell no!

Taranaich

I found this interesting little piece in Friday’s Greenock Telegraph:

ALONG with I assume all constituents, I recently received a letter on House of Commons paper and in a House of Commons marked envelope from Iain McKenzie.

The letter detailed a constituency surgery which is fair enough, but the envelope also contained a leaflet which, although not stating vote Labour, was nothing short of a re-election leaflet detailing the then-MP’s campaigns against the UK government.

I emailed his office asking who had paid for the correspondence, the taxpayer or the Labour Party, his reply… my expenses… i.e. the taxpayer money.

Inverclyde is a large constituency and the cost of the leaflet and postage must be considerable.

Name & Address supplied

This, of course, jibes with the fact that Labour have been using the Royal Mail to issue leaflets rather than activists/councillors. My grandfather and several family members received such a leaflet, which I plan on dissecting today.

Louis B Argyll

I like shortbread. And the tins are handy, having a tartan finish instead of a biscuit brand.

Would Scots prefer tin-pot drama.

Derogatory remarks about tartan take the biscuit.

Valerie

Yup, as above, Murphy is a Ned in a suit, shouting loud, and then telling everyone else to stop shouting over him.

I’ve met lots of his type, even in my own family, and steer clear. It’s a basic and fundamental lack of respect for another person, because your opinion is all that matters, or in Murphy’s case, his job.

I think many will have simply switched off, because it was so unedifying to watch pack behaviour in people elected to office.

I’ve said many times, there needs to be some type of psycho metric testing of traits, abilities and character for those standing to office.

Jim Thomson

@heedtracker 1:47pm

That’s my worry too.

I spent a lot of time during the IndyRef monitoring the opening of postal votes (went every day for the full session apart from two days where I could only attend a part session) and have to say that I have no great feeling of “security” as far as them being proofed against tampering and/or substitution.

By that, I mean the entire process from signing up to postal voting, right through to the final tipping onto the counting table of the papers themselves.

I now actively discourage the use of PVs and try to get people to accept that turning up on the day and putting their cross in the box is a better (although, again, not foolproof) way of ensuring a less corruptible outcome.

Jim Thomson

@Taranaich O/T

Just tried to access Wilderness of Peace and it doesn’t seem to be responding.

Wrinkleyreborn

Isn’t it time that we saw a BBC political interview with Jim Murphy facing Patrick Harvey, Nicola and Tommy Sheridan Now that would be worth watching. Who knows maybe Ruth and wee Willie would want one too.

Jim Thomson

Ah-hah looks like someone was watching the thread. WoP now back on line…

KennyG

Oh no, no more strictly come dancing, the voice or masterchef. Whatever will I fill my life with?

Willie Rennie “the cherished BBC”. Blinkers on.

Anyway isn’t BBC iPlayer available abroad?

Valerie

@Jim Thomson, it’s pretty well talked about that postal voting is the best way to subvert, a few scandals down south.

Capella

Sunday Politics BBC. By all accounts a travesty of political debate.

“This programme will be available shortly after broadcast”, it says on the iPlayer site. But no. Two hours after broadcast and it’s still not available. What can be the problem?

I was going to subject myself to the horror of watching it. Maybe it’s a mercy that it isn’t possible!

Onwards

I think the SNP need to clarify exactly what extra powers they want at this time.

It is easier to do it in stages.

If they said Corporation tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Broadcasting, then opponents have to argue why London should control these and not Holyrood.

Louis B Argyll

I agree, the country is safer with Nicola..
Cant imagine JM trying to negotiate on anyone’s behalf with any skill.
He can’t even represent his own views correctly.

Inbhir Anainn

Aye have to agree and we should in all honesty thank Mr Murphy during Brewer’s BBC styling of the Spanish Inquisition for making Nicola’s case for her, in by him growing the economy comment, caught red-handed game set and match to Miss Sturgeon.

Vote Scotland, vote SNP

Jim Thomson

@Capella 2:08pm

Just run a listing via a wee program I have and it shows, for Sunday Politics”, eight regional versions available. No surprise though that “Sunday Politics Scotland” isn’t among them.

Ho-Hum, nothing suspicious about that at all.

SheenaJ

Worth a read, some research into the postal vote by a volunteer from Argyll and Bute link to static.ow.ly

HandandShrimp

It is a strangely quiet day on the politics front. No polls in the Sunday papers as far as I can see and most of the stories a load of nonsense and side issues. FFA is a Holyrood matter and will not happen unless Westminster agree it so it isn’t something that the SNP can implement, it as an aspiration for the future…or a bargaining start point for Smith so that Labour actually devolve a sensible ranges of powers.

Seeing Cochrane speak to Marr the other day was interesting though. Cochrane saying that he hadn’t really thought the polls were right but the last one by Yougov and the gloom amongst senior Labour ranks has made him think again. Labour could be starting from scratch in Scotland said one leading Labour figure if they can’t turn things around. With 24 days to polling Labour are running out of time.

YESGUY

Ive had a few Leaflets from LIEbour delivered by my posty. Bit of a bugger cos i am always looking out for a LIEbour canvasser and theres none huh.

They are full of spin and drivel and argue on “devolved ” issues rather than Westmidden policies.

We would never trust LIEbour with devolved issues. Remember the landslide that couldn’t happen but did in the last SE.

As for the ganging up of the FM. They are still in BT mode and will suffer big time for the scares. No one likes bullies. And it shows big time.

Take heart folks the polls tell us no matter what drivel they come out with we will be voting SNP .Most Scots want much more powers. They (unionists) are playing a blinder. We’re not the only ones shouting at the telly. I could hear the guy above me shouting that Murh was a shitty union tool. Hilarious 🙂 He’s feart of the web so gets most news from the BBBC and like and is SNP through and through since Sept last. 🙂

May will be our revenge for years of dereliction of duty to their voters.

And as many have mentioned we’re with Wee Nicola. And she knows it. Don’t underestimate the lady. She’s been well trained and knows her stuff.

Nicola is the most respected and trusted politician in the UK. (Who’s have thought eh 😉 )

Tick tock

H Scott

Re the Politics Show, I don’t think many people are converted by what politicians say on these programmes, but I think how they say it and how they conduct themselves gives viewers a bit of insight into the politician’s character. Bad behaviour doesn’t win people over, quite the contrary.

Mealer

Only the SNP will stick up for Scotland.

chalks

Rev, you missed out the sos article about a labour, tory and yes voter…voting for jardine in gordon…someone best tell the tories up here

Marie clark

@Donald Urquhart 1.47.

Come on now Donald, nane o’ that giein advice oot tae Labour.

Never interupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.

Jim Graham

Just noticed a host of Labour canvassers going round the doors in Renfrew. In the past 39 years that I have lived here this is the first time that I have seen Labour canvassers going round doors. Never at a GE or Assembly or local elections.

They must be scared of something…wonder what it is?

Robert Peffers

@Phronesis says: 12 April, 2015 at 12:19 pm:

” … If Lord Prescott is worried about the Thatcher legacy he should look to his own party who embraced her neoliberal ideology which believes that the poor deserve nothing more because they do not have it in them to be any better and the rich are worth their riches … “

Well that’s not quite the Thatcherite mantra as adopted by the Blair/Brown mob. Remember that Peter Mandelson said, “We are all Thatcherites now”. Both Neoliberal lots often spoke of, “The Trickle Down of Wealth Principle”. Claiming that if you increased the wealth of the top 10% the wealth trickled down to the lower orders.

Snag for that theory is that as the gap between the very rich and the poor has massively increased under every government since Thatcher, (and actually more so under the Blair/Brown administration). The truth is the trickle effect has always been in an upwards direction.

We are now in an almost equal situation when the Mine, Mill & Land owners owned everything. With tied hovels for the workers, they owners owned the company store, they ran the company pub and thus every penny they paid to the workers was just a brief loan.

The rent of the hovel came off the wage as did the totals on the slates in both the company store and the company pub. By Tuesday the contents of the wage packet were back in the company safe. If prices fell the wage was cut.
Mind you it was in those days our cities saw the twin growths in beautiful architectured mansion houses, fine country estates and sprawling rundown urban slums.

This was the start of the birth of the co-op, trade union and Labour movement.

This time round Labour are in the same mind-set as the Tories and the LibDems, like ladies of the night, are onybodies fir a few bob or an ermine jaikit.

Footsoldier

Watched Sunday Politics Scotland with Gordon Brewer. At least half the programme was devoted to GB,JM,RD,WR interviewing or questioning Nicola Sturgeon on SNP policy relative to FFR

Towards the end there was a half hearted attempt by GB to put a question on cuts to JM but he easily slid off it.

The Scottish section of Sunday Politics was a disorderly rabble. Time Brewer was put out to pasture.

desimond

Imagine youre Jim Murphy…in the eyes of the public AND the BBC…youre the same as Ruth Davidson and Wullie Rennie.

Now Thats embarrassing..you can decide who for mind..him or them

Dr Jim

What a great day it’s been for Radio and Tv Pish of the highest order of Pishdom
You just can’t stop laughing at them today they’ve all gone nuts, somebody said earlier it’s like watching Inspector Dreyfuss on the pink Panther “Brilliant Description”

Nicola Sturgeon
What can you say, a backbone of pure Titanium
The patience of a Saint
The courage of Joan of Arc
You could run out of adjectives to describe her character

Total Total Respect

heedtracker

Jim Thomson says:
12 April, 2015 at 1:55 pm
@heedtracker 1:47pm

That’s my worry too.

I had a referendum postal vote in Aberdeen, I know right, the city owned by likes of Wullie Rennie and idiot Barnie whatisface, but I was in Aberdeen anyway so delivered it myself for kicks.

The postal ballot box was like a big black bin dumped next to the main stairs in Aberdeen town house and the box opening itself was so wide you could easily see each ballot envelope and you could reach into it with your hand, not that the seals were all that either.

I know we get a row for suggesting postal fraud but buying ballot boxes with such huge openings creeped me out.

No exit polls referendum day. Who made that decision?

Ruth Davidson knew and announced the referendum result hours before count even began on BBC tv, nothing happens?

Postal Ballots are opened and examined by who knows who, as soon as they start coming in three weeks before 18th Sept, they called it ballot sampling, why?

Electoral Commission revamp electoral register 19th Sept, day AFTER the referendum, I check for more kicks if I am registered last month, but I’m no longer on register after 35+ years. Why?

If all this is usual procedure, it stinks.

KennyG

The wild west lol.

“Groups of men intimidating female canvassers,” shouting things like, “you’re finished in this town.”

Oh the horror. Listen dear, that’s just the local electorate telling you what they think of you. If you’re intimidated by the local electorate voicing their opinions to you in public then you’re in the wrong game!

Auld Rock

Politics Scotland and Brewer, just got my blood pressure back down and got the cat off the curtain rail, she fled there when I missed the telly and hit her with the cushion I threw at Murphy. As someone above said the other three should just form one Anti-Scottish Party. As for the BBC, all broadcasting should come under the authority of the Scottish Parliament. As for Desperate Dan in Inverness and all his lies pleading with all those nasty Tories and Red Tories who he despises to vote for him, what a fraud. It is still being alleged that the Sec. of State for Portsmouth was inexorably linked to a Civil Servant writing his/her own P45 by breaking the Official Secrets Act. If any of you good people would like to help us up here in the Northern Isles to get rid of this joker then please visit our site at,Orkney and Shetland SNP Campaign 2015/Indiegogo and help by contributing to our campaign.

Auld Rock

Finlay McAndrew

I was expecting murphy to shout no surrender.

murphy’s behaviour reminds me of the excesses displayed by extreme Ulster unionists, nasty, small minded and bigoted, with little between the ears.

Women of all political views will have seen three bullies take on one individual, the three supported by the so called neutral adjudicator.

They will have drawn their own conclusions about the three and the bbc.

That said, we are all guilty and complicit as we put up with it, shame on us.

ailsa craig

Sunday Politics still not up – almost 3 o’clock. Is it being cynical to think it is being edited? Saw the original and made a few notes as thought that might happen after about 15 minutes.

caledonia

For anyone who has not watched brewer and the branch managers of the main english parties bully nicola please watch it as Jim murphy gets well cought out even ruth laughs at him and shakes her head

Also getting rrid of the bbc would be great but to many eastender fans to use that just now i think for the SNP to go for it

billy

What an absolute fool Nicola made Smurphy look.
Smurphy – Nicola how will you make up the 7b shortfall.
Nicola – I will use growth.
Smurphy – But we are already the fastest growing economy in western world
Nicola – Smurphy how will you make up the 7b shortfall.
Smurphy – I will use growth.
Nicola – LOL

Robert Peffers

@abystander says:12 April, 2015 at 12:21 pm:

” … Why don’t they just cut to the chase and form one party?”

History proves that they have been just one party, (The Establishment), since the Romans came to Britain before Christ was born. If you have never been an insider in any kind of organisation you may not realize that all such organs are factionalised with one faction at a time holding office.

The Establishment is no different the factions there are political parties. The original idea was that the whole UK was divided into more or less equal constituent parts, (constituencies), and each constituency elect a spokesperson to represent the constituency. It was the elected members who, for their good not their electors, factionalised as political parties.

Parliament does not officially recognize parties just members. That’s why a member changing parties does not result in a by election because they still legally represent their constituents.

Thus, basically, the parties are just differing factions of the Establishment and predictably will unite if the Establishment is threatened. As in a war with a common enemy – and if you cannot see that every main Establishment party is presently treating the Scots, democratically elected, government as their common Enemy you must just not be looking.

The newer Westminster parties, (excepting UKIP), are not yet regarded as Establishment parties. If, like Labour they remain at Westminster without changing the original set-up then they eventually become members of The Establishment. They have all to begin with had a policy to change the system and that includes Labour and the Liberals. Remember that even Kier Hardy was originally a Home Ruler.

Anne Bruce

I’ve been looking in on WOS since before the Indyref but not posted much. I don’t have someone to ask and you guys seem knowledgeable. My question is about voting. Can I use my own pen to mark my cross? I would be more comfortable using a pen than the provided pencil but I’m not sure if my vote would be invalid.

Valerie

There can be no denial about postal voting fraud – just Google it! There has been screaming for a number of years to overhaul t.

Thepnr

@Anne Bruce

Marking with your own pen is acceptable.

3.18 A ballot paper marked by means other than a pencil should not be rejected simply because of that.

link to electoralcommission.org.uk

gerry parker

@ heedtracker

QUOTE
No exit polls referendum day. Who made that decision?
UNQUOTE

I think it was part of the Edinburgh agreement that Alex made with David Cameron. In his book he says that that may have been one of his mistakes in the referendum.

QUOTE
Ruth Davidson knew and announced the referendum result hours before count even began on BBC tv, nothing happens?

Postal Ballots are opened and examined by who knows who, as soon as they start coming in three weeks before 18th Sept, they called it ballot sampling, why?
UNQUOTE

The “sampling” that took place was illegal. Each referendum agent had to sign a requirement for secrecy saying that they would not attempt to see the result of the ballot papers, and that they would not transmit that information to anyone else.

Police are investigating some breaches of this requirement for secrecy.

Seems a number of “Spanish customs” have been developing regarding postal vote opening. Wings referendum agents were being particularly “Alert”.

The “opportunistic sampling” was being done by both sides. Doesn’t make it right though.
My personal take on it was that as the vote had not yet been taken, information from this sampling would be used to change tactics. We see how late some of the NO Thanks initiatives were brought out.

desimond

@caledonia

Eastenders fans would be catered for..we just wouldnt need to spend hundreds of millions to only get ten of millions back to Pacific Quay.

David

Murphy was shouting at everybody through nine degree-less years at uni and, as we see this morning, he learned nothing.

PictAtRandom

As a lapsed something-or-other it’s obviously against my principles to watch such stuff but I’ll take people’s word about the Sunday Politics.
But Skeletor really has a style of his own, hasn’t he? First he pours out some irrelevant schmaltz about loving the NHS or whatever — but then spoils it by cocking a mad eyebrow. The shouting comes later (and for that see Wikipedia on sociopathy and the political-managerial classes).

But, more seriously, this Lib-Lab-IndUU coalition nonsense in the SoS is pretty desperate, isn’t it? How long do you think that any govt. with around 325 seats would last? That’s why I’d prefer the SNP to get around 35-40 seats this time round, with the possibility of another 10-15 in a snap General Election 2.0 to keep the momentum going (and ward off negativity from the usual suspects).

Maureen

Have sent in a complaint after watching disgraceful treatment towards Nicola Sturgeon.

I would like to complain in regards to how the BBC allow people to be treated whilst being interviewed on their political programs. For the interviewer (Brewer) to allow and take part in talking over, shouting and generally allowing all other politicians to do the same, towards one person throughout what is supposed to be a balanced, unbiased and articulate program is disgraceful.

I would like to let you know that due to this unseemly behaviour of all involved that I am seriously considering cancelling my tv licence as in my opinion, the BBC is not unbiased as it is supposed to be regarding politics.

I think I can also say that this type of behaviour, that is shown daily on the BBC is actually turning people off, not from politics, but from the BBC. By allowing such negativity towards one political party is actually waking people up and forcing them online to find alternative views that are not biased against one particular party. All I can say is the sooner the BBC is devolved, the better, then I might actually tune in again. You have lost me as a consumer until then. Thankyou.

Got my membership card yesterday!

Donald Urquhart

I thought Patrick Harvey did much better than Jim Murphy, this morning.

Anne Bruce

Thepnr re using pen on ballot paper.

Thanks for that. I will take a look at the link provided.

gordoz

Remember “Scary, Shouty, Sneering – Ned Murphy” will be reported in the Herald by Gardham as Labour score major tactical hits on SNP black hole fantasy economics via reasoned argument; despite BBC bias and format that helped SNP. “Joan of Arc Davidson” defends the Union against SNP low shots yet again and Willie Rennie who he ?

And all the other British press outlets will follow suit
National excluded of course.

Scotland you know how this works by now surely 😉

thomaspotter2014

My favourite quote from The Sunday Express on the SNP want to axe BBC drama was-

‘There would also be serious concerns over the Scottish Government exerting political influence over the new broadcaster’

Now that’s really gotta take the biscuit when you consider who’s directing BBC,especially on shows like Sunday Politics Scotland

BBC gotta go asap.

And if there are no exit polls for GE then SNP better get some sorted out pronto.

Sleazeball Murphy keeps spewing shit about the vote count and these bastards have got form.

Dave McEwan Hill

Gerry Parker at 3.25

I very much doubt if any sampling was done. Ruth Davidson was told by some other agency not to worry as the postal ballot was hugely for NO (as did John McTernan) and she then had to give a reason for knowing this.

She was probably unaware that postal ballots checking did not consist of opening ,just checking that the signatures etc properly matched and that to open them and look at the vote was a criminal offence. So she has blurted out the first thing that came into her head.

Next time you are in our Dunoon Forward shop you can pick up a copy of DFS report seriously questioning the postal vote

Dave

gerry parker

@ Dave.

Sorry, sampling was done. Witnessed by my Postal voting officer.

Fairly easy to see the Yes/No tick as the ballots were taken out of the envelopes for initial count.

Even I could do it, after the Postal Voting Agent showed me how it could be done.
Some referendum agents were there solely for that purpose, that’s how Ruth got the information. Being Wings, and above politics, we deplored the practice regardless of who did it and we reported the matter to the Deputy Counting officer, and in our case, also the Police.

Other Wings referendum agents in other local authorities noticed it happening too.

Dave McEwan Hill

Onwards at 2.10

No they don’t. The unionist parties need to clarify what offers of new powers they made. Which would be pretty difficult as they offered virtually nothing but their media pals pretended they did.

All the SNP is trying to do is establish that this was a deceit.

Dave McEwan Hill

Good to know,Gerry

Barbara McKenzie

Nicola Sturgeon is Thatcher – I hope you are keeping an eye on this Rev? (As you did with the Salmond name-calling.) Looks like Nicola is joining an illustrious line-up.

I’m afraid I rather enjoyed the very robust replies to Prescott in the DM.

Katie

Just complained to BBC about todays show, come on every o e join in…. ‘ I would like to complain about the Politics Show Scotland broadcast today. I feel that all other members on the panel and also the the presenter Gordon Brewer spoke ver and bullied Nicola Sturgeon. I don’t think this is acceptable especially as no viewer was able to here what she had two say as people contantly talking over her but whenever the other three candidates spoke , viewers were allowed.to hear their point of view. This is not democratic! ‘

Effijy

Gordon Brewer used to be known as a Trotskyite in his youth.
Flipper Darling the same story.
As the word is difficult to pronounce, can we just call them “Shites”?

Fud Smurphy is such an idot!
He picks up wee sound bites that he likes and repeats them 3 times. lol. Boris Johnson wants FFA, Boris Johnson said he would give SNP FFA, Boris himself said they could have FFA! LOL
I’d have paid a fortune for Brewer the “Shite” to as Fud if he had heard anything about Boris and FFA.
He would have repeated it again, if he did, unsure if his mouth had yet engaged with brain.

Brilliant that SNP couldn’t, in his opinion, help reduce the deficit with economic growth, and soon after suggest that Labour’s missing shortfall would indeed be covered by economic growth. Lol, lol.

McTernan will need to stick his hand up Smurph’s backside and use him like a ventriloquist’s dummy if ever he is going prove useful as his mouthpiece.

Blatant Biased Corruption BBC.
If this mafia group were to prevent Scots from accessing the 312th re-run of Dad’s Army, 298th of Last the Summer Wine, Tory Bird’s New Year Show and UK OH Kayes distorted diatribe on the Radio,I would go on a protest march right over to my laptop. lol

Gary

Hehehe! You just couldn’t make it up, no..wait..that’s EXACTLY what they did!

Barontorc

What puzzles me is that Murphy has full responsibility for the Labour outcome in Scotland in just three weeks time.

The polls are consistently showing a huge lead for the SNP over Labour. Prof Curtice and Cochrane of the Telegraph, both very openly anti-SNP, each concede the game’s up for Labour in Scotland.

Yet Murphy has this fixed rictus-like grin on every possible BBC TV program and he was even on ‘Off the Ball’ with Tam Cowan who asked him if he went to Strathclyde Uni for 9 years and left without a degree – to which Murphy replied (lied) No!

Is the guy of this world, or is he just delusional? Does he know of some (very unpleasant) surprises heading our Scottish way that are set to rig the GE result?

His air of hyper-excitability linked to a deeply profound one-track thinking process inextricably amoral when it suits him – not only makes him a one-man political car crash – but beggars belief.

Unless, on cue, there is already a ‘get-out-of-jail’ scenario already set by the black arts brigade.

Why did Cameron stipulate that there should be no Exit Poll taken after the Referendum? Salmond now regrets having acceded to it. Why?

Is the ‘ballot box’ so easy to rig and fiddle? If so, why is this not being tightened up? Time to get real folks.


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