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Wings Over Scotland


You can have this one for nothing

Posted on July 14, 2013 by

Dear “Better Together”,

Today I, a Scotsman, travelled from England to Wales to buy some Irish chocolate. This might not be possible if Scotland becomes independent. (Of course there isn’t any conceivable reason for that to be the case, but – as you know only too clearly – if you put the word “might” in front of scare stories nobody can say you’re actually lying.)

idm2a

Feel free to use that one. DON’T LET ALEX SALMOND STEAL MY SWEETS.

58 to “You can have this one for nothing”

  1. Atypical_Scot says:

    Don’t you mean you might be able to have one for free.

    Reply
  2. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    In Chepstow I was also in a Wetherspoons which had a “World Beers” section on the menu, featuring Newcastle Brown Ale.

    Reply
  3. ronald alexander mcdonald says:

    You’re surely not accusing Better Together of deception are you? 

    Reply
  4. Currywurst says:

    Scottish “independence” will have no effect whatsoever on your travel arrangements from Bath.
     
    It’s only those of us who actually live here who have legitimate concerns about what could happen if a separate Scotland ended up outside the current UK-Ireland CTA.

    Reply
  5. The Man in the Jar says:

    Woo Hoo I’m feart! Curryworst has convinced me. I’m voting no. Aye Right!

    Reply
  6. Tony Little says:

    @Currywurst
     
    Why should it?  Seriously, to all these “might be/could be/maybe” questions, the answer is, WHY would rUK behave in a way that does nothing except cut off its nose to spite its face.  Seriously, what would drive the rUK politicians to behave like that?  And if they WOULD behave like that after YES in 2014, WHY, OH WHY would anyone want to remain in a “Union” with them?

    Respect my arse!

    Reply
  7. Tasmanian says:

    I’ve done some exhaustive research, Stu, and Newcastle is definitely in the World.

    Reply
  8. Atypical_Scot says:

    HEADLINE
    Scot jailed for Bath chocolate smuggling ring.

    Reply
  9. Tattie-boggle says:

    What will the Duty free quota be when I visit Newcastle?

    Reply
  10. Atypical_Scot says:

    Foiled again.

    Reply
  11. Atypical_Scot says:

    Okay who spiked my drink?
     
    link to guardian.co.uk

    Reply
  12. Yesitis says:

    Currywurst
    It’s only those of us who actually live here who have legitimate concerns about what could happen if a separate Scotland ended up outside the current UK-Ireland CTA.
     
    There are nearly 200 INDEPENDENT countries in the world.
    Anyway, good to see you so quick off the mark to get your comment in. It must be scary in your world where this isolationist state on the edge of Europe falls off the edge of the world into an abyss of poverty and despair.
     
    Well, that`ll be your UK after a No vote then?

    Reply
  13. Doug says:

    Currywurst
     
    Was waren Ihre “legitimen” Bedenken, weise würzig wurst?
     
    I see no realistic prospect of the rUK being obstructive/,dickish about travel to/from an independent Scotland.  it would be of no benefit to them.

    Reply
  14. Doug Daniel says:

    Off-topic, but I wonder what the new Irish European Minister’s thoughts on Scotland being accepted into the EU are?
     
    link to rte.ie

    Reply
  15. The Man in the Jar says:

    What Tony Little said! 🙂

    Reply
  16. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    “It’s only those of us who actually live here who have legitimate concerns about what could happen if a separate Scotland ended up outside the current UK-Ireland CTA.”

    Thanks for reacting to my silly joke fear story with one only marginally less laughable. Nice to have you enter into the spirit for once.

    Reply
  17. HandandShrimp says:

    Tiffen was one of my favourites…I haven’t seen that for ages

    Reply
  18. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    I just noticed the two Tiffin bars have different wrappers. What’s with that?

    Reply
  19. Gordon Bain says:

    Whatever happened to Old Jamaica? I can’t remember the last time I saw it in a shop.

    Reply
  20. john king says:

    “Scottish “independence” will have no effect whatsoever on your travel arrangements from Bath.”
     
    Dont look into the darkness currywurst 
    we get bogged down with all the what if’s and maybe’s we stay exactly as we are, 
    are you really suggesting that our current situation is as good as it gets?
    because I gotta tell you man, you have a very limited  outlook, and personally I feel sorry for you, try to see what others are seeing, you at least are prepared to come on here and debate, you wouldn’t do that unless you were looking for answers,  look into the light. 

    Reply
  21. john king says:

    Nice one atypical,
    “David Cameron urged to turn Tories into party for working class”
     
    Oh goody I was wondering how I was going to be able to afford to clean my moat
    your a toff Dave. 🙂

    Reply
  22. john king says:

    “I just noticed the two Tiffin bars have different wrappers. What’s with that?”
    Whats this? spot the difference, doh I just gave one away. 

    Reply
  23. john king says:

    “Whatever happened to Old Jamaica? I can’t remember the last time I saw it in a shop”
     
    still get it, usually supermarkets have a range of chocolate like the ones above and other long forgotten sweets,
    marathon, opal fruits,topic,
    no I made that bit up 🙂
    I’ll get my coat 🙁

    Reply
  24. Macart says:

    There’s an excellent wee sweetie shop in Kilsyth main street which sells old favs as a speciality. Old Jamaica, Frys, midget gems, Russian toffees etc. Make a point of a visit whenever I’m in the area.
     
    I’m right behind Tony on this. Hammer – nail – head.
     
    If indeed rUK would behave like that toward a neighbour wouldn’t we be better off losing such a union anyhoo? We are already perfectly aware that Westminster is elitist, corrupt and self serving. These very qualities should serve to ensure that they wouldn’t cut off a valuable revenue stream post independence.

    Reply
  25. Patrick Roden says:

    Just saw this vote on Internet explorers front page. 15% of labour voters in the Uk think they need a change and would vote for a new labour party!
    What about Ukips vote!
     
    Would you vote for a new party of labour?

    Yes, we need a change

     
    15 %

    Yes, we need a change
    3,559 votes

    I would stick with the Labour party

     
    13 %

    I would stick with the Labour party
    3,138 votes

    I would vote Conservative

     
    16 %

    I would vote Conservative
    3,789 votes

    I would vote Liberal Democract

     
    1 %

    I would vote Liberal Democract
    338 votes

    I would vote Ukip

     
    37 %

    I would vote Ukip
    8,391 votes

    I would vote for another party

     
    5 %

    I would vote for another party
    1,131 votes

    None of the above

     
    13 %

    None of the above
    3,079 votes

    Reply
  26. G. Campbell says:

    It’s fantastic work like this that makes Hootsmon opinionista Alf Young the economic commentator of choice for programmes like Newsnicht.

    2013:
    “AN agency set up to regenerate one of Scotland’s most economically depressed areas has dramatically failed to meet key targets on jobs, homes and investment despite being awarded tens of millions in public cash. Riverside Inverclyde, whose board includes the leader of the local council and other members of his administration, met only 7% of its 2600 job targets in the seven years it has been in existence.”

    link to heraldscotland.com

    2011:
    “An enterprise leader has described feeling “absolutely betrayed” at a 70% cut in funding as he demands answers from the Scottish Government as to why it was so severe. Alf Young, chairman of the board of Riverside Inverclyde, expressed dismay and astonishment at the “eye-watering” cut in funding from Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government from £9.5 million in the current year to March to just £2.9m in 2011/12.”

    link to heraldscotland.com

    Boards’ Membership 2013
    Alf Young – Private Sector (Chair)

    ri (Property Holdings) Ltd Board Membership
    Alf Young – ri Board (Chair)

    link to riversideinverclyde.com

    Reply
  27. G. Campbell says:

    Saturday:
    “Those of us who do dare ask questions have long grown weary of the ("Tractor" - Ed) charge.”

    link to scotsman.com

    Today:
    “Nobody was available for comment from Riverside Inverclyde.”

    link to heraldscotland.com

    Reply
  28. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    I guess they don’t like Alf Young ( aka Alf Troof) at the Heald anymore?

    Reply
  29. frankieboy says:

    How is Iceland, that geographically, politically and economically separate state getting on? Do they have chocolate there?
    I know you cannot buy Scottish produce in Waitrose in England because I asked them why and they replied stating there was no demand for Scottish products outside Scotland. In effect Scottish producers are outwith the current UK trading zone already, according to them.

    Reply
  30. Currywurst has obviously picked up on the latest Project Fear mantra that Willie Rennie started chanting after Alex Salmonds excellent speech at the Nigg Phoenix project hope. “If we bang the door shut on England they might just turn the key in the other side.” WOOOOOOOOOOOO how scary is that, am so feart so um ur.  The mistake that Project Fear makes is in line with the colonised minds of Scotlands political class who are totally dependent on Westminster, London, England for their remunerations. Like the fire raising attempted murderer Lord Watson who set a hotel alight because he was refused a drink. Or the odious toad like Foulkes who fiddled his expenses by claiming rent on a house owned by his mum.
    If England were indeed as malevolent as these self interested small minded politicians are then they deserve to become the north Korea of Europe. But knowing English people as I do, and the ways of trade and commerce, I know that the Wee Willies of the UK are talking utter bollocks. And are simply projecting their malevolent visceral spite and colonised mantras in to a situation that in the bright shining light of Scottish Independence will evolve as two countries who are the best of friends and cooperate willingly on every aspect of life, with out one partner been treated as subservient to the other.
    Here is what the real situation is.
     
    A rather different picture than that painted by the house flipping red faced shouty Alistair Darling, or the pompous trough snuffler Foulkes.

    MODERATION MODERATION WTF?

    Reply
  31. Dorothy Devine says:

    Ah! old Jamaica still available and on sale in B&Ms (” bums and mince” thanks to a young man who works there! Ah! the banter!)
     
    Completely off topic an offering absolutely no apology , I saved the Short Straw article from many moons ago and every now and then I open it up and guffaw – fair cheers me up!

    Reply
  32. Luigi says:

    Aye, BT are certainly very fond of the word “might”. It’s a very convenient way of scaring people with —– nothing!  Thankfully, more people see through their deceptions with each passing day.  The stories are becoming more and more ridiculous.  Hopefully, this process will begin to accelerate and we will reach the tipping point well before September 2014.

    Reply
  33. John Lyons says:

    I hope the Irish Chocolate you’re refering to isn’t the stuff in the picture. Cadburys was English until like nearly everything else in Britain it was bought by the Americans….

    Reply
    • Bugger (the Panda) says:

      John
       
      If you double click on the image and look at an enlarged version I think you will see they are Irish versions but whether they were made there I cannot say.
       
      Incidentally the two Tiffin packs are the same. It is just the label on one is displaced slightly to give an appearance that there two slightly different designs. The RHS Tiffin is also physically displaced on the photo closer the top bar and so it appears smaller.

      Reply
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

      “I hope the Irish Chocolate you’re refering to isn’t the stuff in the picture. Cadburys was English until like nearly everything else in Britain it was bought by the Americans….”

      Companies have divisions. For example, at least until quite recently Australian Cadbury’s Dairy Milk was a completely different chocolate to the stuff sold in the UK – it was all dairy, with none of the vegetable fats found in our version. The Tiffin/Mint Crisp wrappers say “Made in Ireland since 1933.”

      Reply
  34. Macart says:

    YES/SG= This is what we intend to do. This is what we can achieve.
     
    BT= But it ‘might’ be bad and we don’t don’t know enough about the future.
     
    The two arguments in a nutshell. Which one looks more appealing?

    Reply
  35. scottish_skier says:

    CW: It’s only those of us who actually live here who have legitimate concerns about what could happen if a separate Scotland ended up outside the current UK-Ireland CTA.

    Have you ever left the UK/Eire? It’s really not that troublesome. Try it. It’s like when you fly from Edinburgh to London. As is the case for that trip, you’ll just be asked to show an acceptable form of identity such as a passport or national identity card at most. I’ve never found myself all flustered over that. Not noticed anyone else getting all hot and bothered about it either when awaiting my turn. Maybe it’s just you who frets over such little things?

    Reply
  36. BuckieBraes says:

    Amazin’ Raisin bars might not be reintroduced in an independent Scotland.

    Reply
  37. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    Take a biscuit that’s no bigger than a button
    Take a raisin that’s bin layzin in the sun
    etc etc   and on the punchine
    TIFFIN
    Why the feck can’t I remember what I had for breakfast?

    We’ll be doing the Bisto chant next

    Will Bisto and Marmite be sold in a Free Scotland or will we have to import Vegemite and other gravy browners from Free Oz?

    Reply
  38. Jeannie says:

    I really don’t see why Westminster politicians would make life difficult for themselves by placing obstacles in the way of freely and conveniently travelling between Scotland and England post-independence.  There are many voters in England who want to travel to Scotland for business, leisure and family reasons.  They won’t thank their politicians for making the process harder for them.  Upset your electorate – lose votes. 

    Reply
  39. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    Jeannie
    Post Independence Day, the incumbert rUK Gov will do whatever the Press tells it to do, or at least will bend the knee.
    We already see the swivel eyed press in the Daily Mail/Telegraph/Guardian etc etc .
    The more that Scotland is a success the more it will show the good English voters voters how Westminster has been hoodwinking them too.
    A backlash would be expected but what also would be expected is a deflection on that anger to Scotland because we have stolen their “wealth” and deserted them.
    It is already there as a current part of the “UK” press narrative and just needs nuanced post independence.
    It will, until the English cotton on.
     

    Reply
  40. @Bugger (the Panda)

    Incidentally the two Tiffin packs are the same. It is just the label on one is displaced slightly to give an appearance that there two slightly different designs. The RHS Tiffin is also physically displaced on the photo closer the top bar and so it appears smaller.
     
    Err, are we just ignoring the fact that one of them has stripes on it, and one has spots? 😉

    Reply
  41. John says:

    The BBC likes the word “could” when it covers Project Fear stories.

    Reply
  42. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    Horace
    Bugger!
    Can’s see the wood for the trees

    Reply
  43. Jeannie says:

    @Bugger the Panda
     
    I agree – there’ll be a lot of heat initially, but once it dies down, I think people will get practical.  I was reading recently that the Lord Mayor of the City of London (not Boris) has said that the business community will make sure that trade continues to flow between the City and Scotland, irrespective of the politics.  That was encouraging.

    Reply
  44. Erchie says:

    As it stands I can’t fly within the UK as I do not drive nor a current passport, so no photo ID no fly. In the UK.
     
    Currywurst’s objections always seem to centre on rUK punishing Scotland, rather than deal with a neighbour equitably. Why Currywurst wants to supportsuch a spiteful, vindictive construct is beyond me

    Reply
  45. Morag says:

    Went on a cruise, not just out of the UK/Ireland, but out of the EU.  Don’t much remember what happened on the way out, I think the cruise registration involved showing that you had a passport with you before the little plastic card that lets you spend money way too easily was issued.  And that was that.
     
    Off the boat in Norway, and right on to the tour bus (to spend a couple of hours listening to a tour guide boasting about Norway’s standard of living, low levels of inequality, excellent public services, and oil fund that has bought up most of Oxford Street).
     
    Finaly left Norway and landed in the Faroes.  Same thing, no passport checks at all.  The only difference was this time the guide was boasting about the lack of any property taxes, and the basic state pension of £12,000 per year.
     
    Next day, landed on Orkney.  Again, headed straight for the tour bus without so much as a by-your-leave.  (The boasting was about the brand new swimming pool, and the new hospital that was in the pipeline.)
     
    Next day, left the boat at Leith.  Same thing.  It was only as we were driving out of Edinburgh that it occurred to anyone that we hadn’t even been asked for any form of identification, never mind passed through customs in any shape or form.
     
    I think somebody is way too frightened of his own shadow.

    Reply
  46. Morag says:

    As it stands I can’t fly within the UK as I do not drive nor a current passport, so no photo ID no fly. In the UK.
     
    Try BA.

    Reply
  47. John Lyons says:

    “If you double click on the image and look at an enlarged version I think you will see they are Irish versions but whether they were made there I cannot say.”
    And if it said Love Scottish food would that make it Scottish?

    Reply
  48. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    John Lyons
    If it was a brand or a product registered as a uniquely Scottish, or from within a geographically defined area of Scotland, that is to say with the EU, such as Scotch whisky, Scotch lamb, Scotch beef.
    Scotch pie and egg could come from anywhere as could cheddar cheese and curiously English Gin as it is a style not a geographical descriptor. Not sure about Plymouth Gin though.
     
     

    Reply
  49. MajorBloodnok says:

    I like tiffin, particularly as it is one of Sid James’ euphemisms in Carry on up the Khyber.  Favourite quote:
    Sergeant-Major MacNutt (Terry Scott): [Pointing to the red line Widdle is painting just inside the entrance] What is that supposed to be, Widdle?
    Private Jimmy Widdle (Charels Hawtry): The thin red line – they’ll never get past this!
    Sergeant-Major MacNutt: Widdle, if you don’t get out of here, I’ll paint a thin red line across your thick white backside!

    Reply
  50. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    On Topic
    Heinz Tomato Sauce is made from different recipes in different countries
     
    O/T
    It is good to see that our Lords and Masters at Westminster have upped their subsidised (by us) wine consumption by 20% last year.
    link to chinchinjobs.com
     
     
     

    Reply
  51. Hetty says:

    The Guardian article on D Cameron turning tories into a ‘party for the working class’, confirms exactly what he and his lot are, priveleged, and respresenting only the priveleged and keeping them that way as an ongoing project. Deny decent education, decent wages, keep the unemployed and sick and disabled destitute, divide communities and then infiltrate them. For the only ‘working class’ tory to be wheeled out at this stage is just a sinister and patronising ploy, lets hope the ‘working class’ so called, see right through it.
    Oh and hopefully we will mostly trade in fair trade chocolate come Independence!

    Reply
    • Bugger (the Panda) says:

      Straight out of 1984.
       
      They are using it as a blueprint.

      Reply
  52. Jiggsbro says:

    And if it said Love Scottish food would that make it Scottish?
     
    It might, it might not. But then there’s no ‘Love Scottish food’ brand. We can be a little more certain about the Irish version.
    link to loveirishfood.ie

    Reply
    • Bugger (the Panda) says:

      Yes Jiggsbro, this is a voluntary code which has rules for the use of the logo and membership of the organisation.
       
      I just googled the EU version and see the whole idea od a country declaration is a minefield of conflicting laws and cultural traditions.
      The UK rejected the generic EU origin labeling.

      Reply
  53. mato21 says:

    MajorBloodnok says:
    15 July, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I like tiffin
     
    Funny how you immediately sprang into my mind this morning when I saw this (smiley) I could just hear you saying I like tiffin

    Reply
  54. garyjc says:

    @MajorBloodnock at 10.23 – Fakir Off. I think I’ll have to dig out the vid – been far too long

    Reply


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