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Life at the poles

Posted on October 14, 2020 by

We just noticed a finding from the most recent opinion poll that surprisingly seems to have escaped the attention of every Scottish newspaper except the Press & Journal.

As far as we can ascertain, the P&J was alone in reporting the obviously newsworthy fact that just a quarter of Scots believe the First Minister’s ridiculous cock-and-bull story about “forgetting” the occasion when she first heard that her friend, colleague and mentor of 30 years was facing charges of trying to rape some of her other friends.

But the figures are part of a wider and depressing trend.

Remarkably, even SNP voters aren’t buying Sturgeon’s tale – fewer than half of them (45%) told ComRes that they believed her. But the numbers split down party lines in a manner that’s unusually stark even for modern times.

More SNP voters were willing to swallow the insultingly absurd claim than from all the other parties put together, as were more than three times as many Yes voters as No voters. (Interestingly, Remain voters – who Sturgeon has devoted most of the last four years to – were significantly less supportive than the Yes ones she’s sidelined in her futile attempts to frustrate English and Welsh voters’ desire to leave the EU.)

It chimed all too dismayingly with another poll we saw a few days ago over who voters blamed for the recent big surge in coronavirus cases in the UK.

Labour voters laid the responsibility squarely (55%-29%) at the feet of the government. But Conservative voters overwhelmingly (by more than 11:1) blamed the public while completely absolving the government, and Lib Dems took almost the exact mirror image of Labour voters’ stance.

(For what it’s worth, we’d put it at about 50:50. The government’s handling of the crisis has been incompetent beyond the wildest dystopian nightmares, but at the end of the day it’s still people who transmit the virus to each other by behaving irresponsibly. No matter how useless the government’s messaging is or how hypocritically it behaves, you still shouldn’t need to be TOLD not to do really obviously stupid things like gather in large groups without wearing masks during a pandemic.)

It shouldn’t need to be said that there’s no difference between Tory voters believing absolute nonsense just because it comes from the Tories and SNP voters believing absolute nonsense just because it comes from the SNP.

Wings is a site with an unashamedly partisan political position, but we still base all our beliefs on facts. We’ve defended the SNP for most of the last nine years against false attacks from Scotland’s pathologically dishonest Unionist media, but when the party’s behaviour has changed and uncomfortable facts have arisen about multiple aspects of its conduct, we’ve responded to reality and become critical – without ever changing our position on independence, because nothing has happened to justify any change to the fundamentally logical view that countries should elect their own governments.

For doing what we’ve always done – assessing events as rationally as we can – we’ve been met with a torrent of abuse and vitriol easily the equal of anything we’ve endured from Unionists since Wings started in 2011. But there’s a famous quote that’s always been at the absolute heart of what we stand for:

We don’t think there’s ever been a time in either Scottish or British politics when fewer people have held to that philosophy. And we don’t mind telling you, folks, it frightens the living hell out of us.

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  1. 14 10 20 12:57

    Life at the poles | speymouth
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  2. 15 10 20 15:57

    Life at the poles – politics-99.com
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160 to “Life at the poles”

  1. Patricia Spencer
    Ignored
    says:

    I for one am most grateful for WINGS, the forensic attention to detail, tenacity and openness in these dystopian times. Thank you

  2. Sharny Dubs
    Ignored
    says:

    You and me to

  3. Terry
    Ignored
    says:

    I figure Lesley Riddoch just might be on the side of facts too – check out her latest podcast when she covers Nicola’s Sky news interview and other matters.
    https://twitter.com/lesleyriddoch/status/1316021371932205056?s=21

  4. susanXX
    Ignored
    says:

    It scares me too Stu, people’s tribalism is astounding.

  5. Alison
    Ignored
    says:

    She’s carefully built her reputation on being transparent, as someone who is always across her brief with an eye for the detail. Yet suddenly on something so monumental that it could shred the reputation of her predecessor & potentially send him to jail, she ‘forgets’? Aye, right. No wonder there’s widespread scepticism. It’s BS, we all know it.

  6. Kate
    Ignored
    says:

    There’s a song titled. “Without You, What Would I Do” fits exactly how many of us feel about this site, if it were not for you, & your Wee Blue Book Way back when, so many would never have known the truth. The way you do your journalism, is what really upsets the MSM in this country. Keep Doing What YOU Do Best…

  7. Shug
    Ignored
    says:

    So who will lead us into mays elections

  8. Giesabrek
    Ignored
    says:

    Your impressive investigative powers, stating facts (unusual for a journo) and clear reporting convinced me long ago to view the current SNP administration with suspicion, so while some are starting to see the truth about Sturgeon and Murrell, I can say, albeitvdepressingly, it’s been reported for some time now.

  9. Fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    It truly is frightening that so many still refuse to open their eyes to the facts, especially those who still believe that the current snp will take us to independence before that option is forever removed from us by Westminster at end december.

    The future, complete with chemically contaminated and faeces-smeared foods from the US, no nhs, blistering water charges, even more blistering health insurance charges, on top of a corrupt and uncaring snp government in Scotland, is now quite terrifying for all of us. But perhaps even more so for those of us already with disabilities fast approaching that 65+ age group, knowing we are first in line to be sacrificed so that US global companies can make fast bucks, and both our corrupt, greed-saturated governments can cut their social security bills while investing in shares in the medical/health companies that stand to make obscene profits. How did we ever let things come to this?

    Re suggestions to block access to the colonial masters hub in Edinburgh, I would be first to join you if I was in a position to do so. Already I feel a strong urge to commence my own civil disobedience, such is the anger I feel and the utter contempt in which I hold the legal elite and their enablers, police and politicians alike.

  10. Ian McCubbin
    Ignored
    says:

    You give clarity and sense to a myriad of spin and lies. Keep doing what you do. You have many grateful supporters, and I am one.

  11. Breastplate
    Ignored
    says:

    Shug,
    Here’s a conundrum for you.

    Would you rather a leader who has handed the decision of Scottish independence to your enemy…..or anybody else?

    It is a tough one.

  12. Fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    I should add, my thanks also to Stu for providing the facts, painful as it has been, to open our eyes. And to carry on with his ruthless fact-checking, in spite of all the abuse he has taken for being the messenger. Keep on shining that light into the dark, murky corners, Stu.

  13. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Shug @11:40

    “So who will lead us into Mays elections”.

    We know who led us into May’s Now Is Not The Time.

  14. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Posting this forward from last article… It will likely provoke a converstaion…. Maybe Rev Stu is already on it…


    Big Jock says:
    14 October, 2020 at 11:21 am

    Please read this by Ian Lawson.

    It’s quite shocking.

    https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/14/the-fix-is-in/

  15. holymacmoses
    Ignored
    says:

    This is a grand post Mr Wings – and as you have probably sussed by now, chimes with the way I think.

    It worries me how little people think and how angry they become when you try to encourage them to try a bit of synapse-clicking.

    Nicola Sturgeon’s treachery depresses me greatly and I would love to be like so many SNP people and be able to ignore the bald facts of it – it simplifies so much if you’re able to take what’s chosen for you rather than accept everything and do your own analysis and selection

    COVID depresses me because I look at meanings and the word literally means ‘a united vision’
    I don’t want to unite – I see an opportunity to be a self-sufficient Scot and the reality is being kept out of reach by the Even Greater Pretenders of Scotland

  16. Calum macdonald
    Ignored
    says:

    The P & J date should read the 29th. March , I think.

  17. Shug
    Ignored
    says:

    Breastplate
    It sure is
    I can live with her leading the charge and we can address the salmond case and the alphabet coven after. There will be space in the jails after we are free.
    If stu is correct and she does not call it will the moment be passed.
    The disruption of a new leader right now is a hard one

  18. Dave M
    Ignored
    says:

    Keep on keeping on, Stu. We appear to be in some kind of post-truth era, where evidence and objectivity count for nothing. I wrote my RPR for Higher English on the extent to which Orwell’s vision has become reality. In 1994, when I wrote that essay, there was plenty to discuss: the onset of the surveillance state the most prominent. Twenty-six years later, I could re-write the essay and probably produce a book. The book would probably be called Nineteen Eighty, since we are so close to the realisation of Orwell’s dystopian warning.

    Truth is whatever The Party says it is, which is why I cannot vote for the SNP (under it’s current leadership), or indeed any other party. I want independence and dignity for my country. The SNP is the biggest obstacle to that goal right now. I won’t be told by anyone that I MUST vote for them on the off-chance that they pull their finger out of their arse and take action. A healthy democracy has a range of alternative places for citizens to place their X. Scotland’s democracy is rotten to the core right now.

    Sturgeon MUST go, but she won’t. The SNP MUST replace her with someone who will start to campaign for independence, but it won’t. Alternative pro-independence parties MUST emerge and offer their own compelling vision of what an independent Scotland would look like, but that won’t happen either.

    My optimism is diminishing with each passing day, which is why I’m grateful for voices who ask questions of those in power: Wings, Lesley Riddoch, Kevin McKenna, to name but three.

    As a nation, we need to start saying No to those who claim to wish to represent us, and that must begin with the SNP. If not, we are already consigned to sending a fresh-ish Feeble Fifty to Westminster every five years who achieve nothing beyond the lining of their own nests. Only this time they’re dressed in yellow rather than Labour red.

    Rant over.

  19. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks @11:47

    Why waste words? Sturgeon must go.

  20. Graeme
    Ignored
    says:

    I take it the March 9th 2018 date published in the P&J piece is a misprint, shouldn’t it be March 29th 2018 ?

  21. Papko
    Ignored
    says:

    For years Wings has concentrated it’s withering fire on the hypocrisies of the Scottish media with their clumsy attempts to hinder democracy.
    Now the incumbent Govt of Scotland is the target.

    The party voted in by the Scottish people to enact their will.

  22. Ronnie
    Ignored
    says:

    Always been a supporter Stu, including of late,

    but feel it’s worth mentioning that large public gatherings outdoors have not been spreading the virus particularly

  23. Yasmin
    Ignored
    says:

    Very disturbing when irrational, illogical and untruths dominate and those countering these are attacked! Keep persevering and resisting. The breakthrough will come.

  24. Breastplate
    Ignored
    says:

    Shug,
    She isn’t leading any charge, we are in full retreat.
    We had years notice to build momentum for the first Independence referendum.

    What we have now is somebody asking us to vote for them so they can ask if it’s ok and not terribly impolite of us in approaching Westminster to grovel pathetically for a decision from them to let us ask the Scottish People if they would like to make their own decisions.

    Shug, please tell me I’m wrong and why?

  25. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    The truth has to be the basis of society. Thank you Rev for sticking with it – at huge emotional and mental cost. Not to mention the Met Police removing your tools of trade.

    It is on democratic grounds that I would like to see a leadership contest of sorts – even if it leaves the current leader in position at least it is better than an automatic rolling over of the role. The membership should at least be asked the question.

    But there is very little time to organise this as the result is made known at Conference, apparently.

  26. katherine hamilton
    Ignored
    says:

    Ach Rev,
    According to your enemies, (not opponents, enemies) your a vile, mean, divisive sonofabitch.
    Hey Hey. To paraphrase the yankee politico who coined it. Yeah he is, but he’s OUR vile, mean, divisive sonofabitch.
    Keep it up.

    (Oh, and, your not)

  27. stuart mctavish
    Ignored
    says:

    Pandemic?

    As the number of deaths from all causes have returned to average levels and the weekly counts of deaths involving COVID-19 are low, NRS has stopped publishing a full report on a weekly basis

    (next update 11 November)

    https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/general-publications/weekly-and-monthly-data-on-births-and-deaths/deaths-involving-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland

  28. Janelochleven
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s how you are brought up I think… integrity and honesty. Wings has that. It’s important. No matter how painful it is, you have to live with yourself and stick your head above the parapet. Keep going.

  29. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Papko,

    When did the Scottish people give free reign to the SNP to create Hate Crime and GRA legislation exctly? I await.

  30. Kenny
    Ignored
    says:

    I believe Indy Social media is now heck-all to do with independence but more to do with users maintaining a comfort zone, still stuck in 2014, refusing to move-on, lost sight of why they’re even there, not wanting to know.
    I don’t use facebook but am a regular on Twitter; many of the accounts I follow are clearly and aggressively Nicola Sturgeon before independence. Jeez. We still have work to do.

    Iain Lawson has more cans with more worms to tell you about – quite the rotten, squirming mass.

    https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2020/10/14/the-fix-is-in/

    Good work, Stuart.

  31. holymacmoses
    Ignored
    says:

    Bob Mack says:
    14 October, 2020 at 12:15 pm
    @Papko,

    When did the Scottish people give free reign to the SNP to create Hate Crime and GRA legislation exctly? I await

    …………………………………………….

    The Scottish people were (and still are) in Rip van Winkle Land

  32. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP members who still pay into this corrupt Party are as complicit in the actions of the Murrell’s as the English Establishment are who have infiltrated the Party.

    You need to tell Sturgeon you have caught onto what she is playing at and cancel your membership.

    Only then will she really see the results of all her evil deeds.

    Contact SNP HQ today and tell them you are finished, that you have had enough grief of being associated with a corrupt government, who has forgotten all about their primary aim,,, Fighting for Scottish Independence.

    And keep the pressure up Stu,,, it’s working,,,walls are ready to tumble.

  33. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    The National gave Suzanne McLaughlin, in the running for Glasgow Kelvin SNP candidacy, a double page spread (pages 6&7) on Sunday. Lo and behold, she seems to be the partner of Callum Baird, editor of said paper. Are the other Kelvin hopefuls going to get treated to the same?

    McLaughlin retweets the likes of Mhairi Hunter, Alex Kerr and yon Rhiannon. Enough said.

  34. Joemcg
    Ignored
    says:

    100%. Criticise Nicola or the party on any Indy page and get prepared to be slaughtered. Any dissent is immediately pounced on with every claim under the sun about your credentials as a yes supporter. Maybe the claim is right from the yoons that we do exude cult like behaviour. Just wish there was a strong alternative to voting for them. They know they have the monopoly so this encourages arrogance and narcissistic behaviour.

  35. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Big Jock

    I received an e-mail this morning telling me….” the ‘final, vetted SNP candidates seeking to be the SNP candidate for Stirling ( and hopefully our next MSP)have been confirmed:
    then follow 7 names.
    No information about any of them, who they are, where they live, what their aims are
    ‘There will be no shortlisting ballot which means that voting for who you want to be the candidate opens on Friday, October 23rd. This means that we must hold hustings before then. Unfortunately we are still gripped by a pandemic, so the busting s will be held safely via zoom ‘…. organised by…..

    They are planning two zoom meetings and if you wish to attend you have to register with Eventbrite then they provide the link to the meeting. I think 6 of the 7 names are feminine but( I don’t mean to be rude) I don’t recognise the gender of the final non-British name so I presume it is an all female list. Never a good thing – reverse discrimination!

  36. Shug
    Ignored
    says:

    Breastplate
    I am no expert but the approach seems to be to try and force wm to agree. This is necessary for a clean handover and to manage the substantial minority that will vote no.
    If wm say no in the face of a majority the Scottish no voters will start to move
    We can withdraw from wm any time if we have a majority of the people
    I think

  37. TheMadMurph
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev Stu., Has the P&J got a typo about the date of the meeting, or was there another meeting before the 29th March one?

  38. mountain shadow
    Ignored
    says:

    No poll has Yes at 58%, so perhaps Nicola is riding out the storm on the back of the Covid crisis.

    And ultimately, the vast majority of Scots now see independence as the only way forward.

    We just need Nicola to get on with it.

  39. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T. Just received a mail shot that I’ve been expecting regarding
    The Mandatory Installation of very expensive Smoke, Heat and CO2
    detectors in All Scottish Homes.

    My home for example must have all devices interlinked so it’s CO2 detector in the Dining room as a cupboard there contains the Gas Boiler, another in the Lounge where the Gas Fire is,
    Heat detector in the Kitchen as Smoke from cooking would be likely,
    Smoke Detectors in the Lounge, Lower Landing, Upper Landing and up in
    The Loft Conversion.

    That’s 7 Devices for me!
    Some could be relatively mess free if they are the more expensive Wirelessly Interlinked type but with think walls and poor Wi Fi signal upstairs these should need to be linked up with the others by
    Cable.

    So if I wish to hide ugly surface cabling I need to spend circa £500 plus VAT on the devices, a few hundred quid for an Electrician to install them, then a plasterer to cover the sunk in cabling, a joiner to lift and replace upper level floor boards and skirting and then of course paper, paint and a decorator to return things back to normal.

    I think this would cost me around £1,500.00.

    As it’s for every home, how do most pensioners cope, the unemployed, those in work using Foodbanks, those on minimum wage, the disabled, etc.

    It is a great aspiration I can’t fault and wonderful for all new build homes but this is another idealist woke pice of nonsense legislation from the SNP government.

    http://www.aico.co.uk/Scottish-legislation.

    Aico are the leading manufacturer for these products but as they are based in the Irish Republic
    a price hike is inevitable with England’s Brexit plans.

    I understand Porsche have the best car brakes so from a safety aspect, perhaps we will see legislation where we can only drive their cars?

    Who knows?

  40. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Rev Stu., Has the P&J got a typo about the date of the meeting, or was there another meeting before the 29th March one?”

    Yeah, that’s a typo.

  41. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “O/T. Just received a mail shot that I’ve been expecting regarding
    The Mandatory Installation of very expensive Smoke, Heat and CO2
    detectors in All Scottish Homes.”

    I saw that story yesterday, seemed very worrying [avoids saying “alarming”]. The need for all the devices to be networked is surely going to mean it costing an awful lot in installation fees for people who don’t have that sort of money going spare.

  42. Blair Paterson
    Ignored
    says:

    If I can quote some old pleas and sayings to A.S . Your country needs you will you no come back again we badly need you now cometh the hour cometh the man Its only words but words are all I have to get you to return to the front

  43. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I don’t recognise the gender of the final non-British name so I presume it is an all female list. “

    It’s not Mridhul Wadhwa, is it? That’s a bloke pretending to be a woman.

  44. Fran
    Ignored
    says:

    Totally with you. No one in a position of power is beyond scrutiny. When they are ment to be on the same side as you it doesn’t excuse them from it. The actions of the SNP over the past few years won’t change my desire for independence, but it makes it more difficult to convert those who don’t see the positives of the case.

  45. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    You are always on the ball Rev.
    Should have known your internal alarm would have picked up this
    new Smoke and Mirrors legislation.

    Another insane aspect of all this is it’s compulsory installation date of
    February 2021.

    If Civid wasn’t here and every approved installer was to work on this scheme only,
    you could install this in millions of homes by 2023.

    Has it been considered who is to enforce it?
    Is there to be new laws or warrants to force the Police or Council Officials into
    your home? Are the Police and Councils not already short of personal and finances?

    Sorry, but this is another scary joke devoid of joined up thinking.

    Can you see new prisons with wings being built for pensioners who didn’t pay the
    BBC License Tax or install all this expensive equipment while they wait for God?

  46. A Person
    Ignored
    says:

    Not to be sycophantic Rev, but you are one of the few journalists out there with the courage to expose wrongdoing whether by “them” or by “us”. That takes a lot of guts, good on you sir. This site is, to my mind, worth more than the rest of the Scottish media put together.

  47. Milady
    Ignored
    says:

    Going by my Twitter experiences if you speak out on any issue critical of SNP, be it GRA, Hate Crimes bill, Salmond case or whatever, the standard response is “wheesht for Indy” and/or “you are clearly a Unionist”.

    In response to me saying it wasn’t anti Indy to want your elected representatives to have integrity and be honest I was told “at this particular time it is!”. So there you go. We live at a time when it’s ok to be duplicitous because it’s our side doing it. These same people tweet constantly about the lies uttered by Boris and Gove and Cummings. It is cognitive dissonance of the highest order.

  48. A Person
    Ignored
    says:

    -Milady-

    I was always of the view that Indy was necessary to **get away from** The corruption and mendacity of Westminster.

  49. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Sturgeon and her twitching lips.

    Watch when she is asked a difficult question, how the fingers go up immediately to hide them.

    Twitching lips, uncontrollable blinking.

    She is just one lying little bastard.

    Asked what she thought about the latest INDY poll sitting at 58%, her reply was,,,

    “What the fuck has that got to do with me”

    William Wallace she is not.

  50. SilverDarling
    Ignored
    says:

    There would have been a time I was elated at 58% support but seeing how fragile that support is and how easily trust is lost it worries me quite a bit.

    SNP one-notes like Wishart and Mhairi Hunter will equate that support with support for the SNP and continue with their misguided head in the sand approach.

    The Tories and MSM are reframing their attack, just look at Kenny Farq and his attempts to rewrite his dismissal of NS role in the AS debacle. And just who were the SNP MPs sliding into his DMs with titbits of info? Do we even have to guess?

    https://twitter.com/KennyFarq/status/1256888753257361408

  51. Freshmint
    Ignored
    says:

    “O/T. Just received a mail shot that I’ve been expecting regarding
    The Mandatory Installation of very expensive Smoke, Heat and CO2
    detectors in All Scottish Homes.”

    That would be the leaflet with a woman fascinating her children by pouring cereal into a bowl while a pot goes up in flames not two feet from them?

  52. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Yu just have to look across the pond and to the latest Westminster government to realise that fact don’t matter anymore, what matters is what you can get away with.

  53. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    From up thread, but worth repeating,,,

    The SNP members who still pay into this corrupt Party are as complicit in the actions of the Murrell’s as the English Establishment are who have infiltrated the Party.

    You need to tell Sturgeon you have caught onto what she is playing at and cancel your membership.

    Only then will she really see the results of all her evil deeds.

    Contact SNP HQ today and tell them you are finished, that you have had enough grief of being associated with a corrupt government, who has forgotten all about their primary aim,,, Fighting for Scottish Independence.

    And keep the pressure up Stu,,, it’s working,,,walls are ready to tumble.

  54. Paul D
    Ignored
    says:

    J.M. Keynes also said: “Words ought to be a little wild, for they are the assault of thoughts on the unthinking.”

    Sums up Wings for me. Keep up the good work.

  55. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to Kapelmeister at 1227pm.

    Suzanne McLaughlin is the partner of the Sunday National Editor Richard Walker (now a candidate in Ayr) not Callum Baird who is the Editor of the National Mon/Sat.
    As far as I can see no other candidate has been afforded a two page spread AND she has a column in the paper. It’s like toy town.

    Suzanne McLaughlin was particularly mean when Natalie Mcgarry was down and out, she was pushing to get selected for an expected by-election.

  56. John H.
    Ignored
    says:

    Fionan says:
    14 October, 2020 at 11:40 am

    It truly is frightening that so many still refuse to open their eyes to the facts, especially those who still believe that the current snp will take us to independence before that option is forever removed from us by Westminster at end december.
    ……………….
    Fionan, even then, we will still have the option of a majority at Westminster being enough to give us independence. Even Thatcher said that a majority of Scots voting for independence was enough for us to take it. But that only works if we have a leader who actually wants independence.

    We could take it now if our leadership wanted to go for it, but they/she doesn’t

  57. Donald Raymond
    Ignored
    says:

    You’d think the 58% support for independence in the latest opinion poll might at least be worth a mention on a site that supports independence!

    (I say this as someone who agrees with you about Sturgeon)

  58. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Abalha @1:26

    Thanks for the correction. My apologies to Callum Baird.

  59. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Sturgeon’s message to her faithful,,,

    “Protect the NHS and protect my husband and I’s job. We really do appreciate your support, because without it we will get chipped out of Bute House and loose the limousine lifestyle,,,and the quarter of a million pounds that pours into our Bank account every year. So thanks very much, you simpleton bastards”.

  60. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Blackford at Westminster,,,

    Fuck Off!!!

    You fuckin fat waste of space.

  61. Stan Broadwood
    Ignored
    says:

    No Voting Farmers and No Voting fishermen,

    Fuck Off!!!

    You voted to remain in the UK.

    You voted for Brexit.

    I hope every stinkin one of you go down the fuckin drain.

    BASTARDS!!!

  62. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “You’d think the 58% support for independence in the latest opinion poll might at least be worth a mention on a site that supports independence!”

    You mean the poll that came out two hours after this post went up?

  63. LeggyPeggy
    Ignored
    says:

    Abalha @1.26 pm
    Kapellmeister @ 12.27 pm

    I was just going to reply about Suzanne McLaughlin and Richard Walker being her partner when i saw that you had already replied . Interestingly enough I’m pretty sure that Suzanne McLaughlin was on stage as a speaker at the rally held by the National in George Square in November last year just before the 2019 GE . If she wasn’t a speaker she certainly had her photograph taken with Nicola all over social media . Nicola Sturgeon addressed that rally but cannot turn up to an AUOB march and rally .

    Is it a case that they organised the rally ‘ knowing ‘ that they would be passed in the vetting process when GOOD candidates were failed by the vetting committee . Makes you wonder when you see the amount of woke candidates who have passed vetting and would vote for the GRA reforms no problem .

  64. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    RE Richard Walker. I worked with Richard when he was on the way up in journalism. I’ve known him for around 40 years.

    He is an absolutely brilliant production journalist. When it comes to the essential skills of placing a story in a paper, then showing it off to the best advantage, he has few if any peers in Scottish journalism today. He is also a very-good Editor.

    However, Richard is not a great writer. He can take the work of a great writer and so-present it, it is improved, but, his best work is done in the background, largely unseen.

    I fear, however, should the sitting member, John Scott, stand again in May, I do not see Richard being capable of unseating him.

  65. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Seems that in Cunninghame North Osama Saeed or Osama Bhutta as he now styles himself has announced that he is suspending his campaign due to rule breaking by he says the local party.

    I’ve just posted the undernoted to his blog but as you’ll see it’s being held in moderations –

    willie
    14th Oct 2020 at 1:56 pm

    Your comment is awaiting approval. This is a preview, your comment will be visible after it has been approved.

    “Osasma Saeed or Bhutta or whatever your style is now please do not give us the theatre of crocodile tears.

    This is a party where the rules have been broken utterly, where there is no constitution, and only the manipulation and abuse of the coterie of control who hold themselves out to have authority.

    And you Osama Saeed or Osama Bhutta appear to have been very much part of that. Your website, early doors at that, makes that perfectly clear. In advance of internal selection you have publicly held yourself out to be the next candidate or Cunninghame North when you were absolutely NOT the candidate..

    However, in delving deeper into your website and within a bit titled ” get involved – Join The SNP ” one then finds the site calling for people to joint the SNP telling them that although they were to late to be participate in the constituency candidate selection, new members being subject to the three month voting rule could possibly catch the regional list vote rankings.

    Some members, especially long term members might consider this as trying to ” stuff the box ” with “Johnny Come Lateleys” and it is of course not an unknown phenomenon to stuff memberships and even pay for ghost members.

    The members Mr Saeed, the ordinary members are fighting back. But maybe, just maybe, you might be taking comfort that new members might get you up the regional list – but if so, I doubt it.”

  66. WT
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
    14 October, 2020 at 1:49 pm
    “You’d think the 58% support for independence in the latest opinion poll might at least be worth a mention on a site that supports independence!”

    You mean the poll that came out two hours after this post went up?

    Yes but you still haven’t put it up. You seem more interested in the SNP internal wrangling than independence. All that’s on here is stuff about Nicola Sturgeon versus Alec Salmond or GRA related stuff. The GRA has similar in most countries and in the UK most parties except the conservatives are having the same discussions and stresses as they have in the SNP.

    The UK government has just introduced a number of bills that will breach international Law and make Scotland party to that yet you have not addressed this issue. That is a serious issue, as are the likes of child poverty and housing but on here its yah booh about Sturgeon and co. Don’t you think its about time to put up something positive?

  67. Astonished
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland relies on you ,Stu. As we wont get the truth anywhere else.

    Do you think the majority are now seeing through NS’s lack of leadership ?

    The ridiculous SNP woke cry- ” May is Scotland’s most important election” is sounding more hollow every day. As everyone knows BJ will simply refuse a section 30 order.

    May I also remind Ian Blackford that we are being taken out of the EU against our will.

    The only way NS can save herself is by calling indyref2 before the november conference. Sadly I don’t think she will. Happily I cannot see her holding on until November.

  68. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    On the candidates in Stirling.

    As somerlad posted the National article for Sameeha Rehman is one of the 7, she would be my pick, supported by Joanna Cheery for example.

    Three are local councillors;

    1/Ellen Forson SNP Councillor for Clacks South, Leader of Clackmannanshire Council

    2/Susan McGill, SNP Councillor for Stirling North Ward. Convener: Children and Young People on Stirling Council

    3/Evelyn Tweed. Trossachs & Teith Ward

    Rosemary Hunter was very involved, still is with Women for Independence, she’s on their ‘board’ (personally no fan of them as an organisation, of course many grassroots people who’re great but those in control, hmmm.)

    Mridul Wadhwa, also standing in Edinburgh Central.
    In their own words
    ‘Rape Crisis Centre Manager, Scot, Indian, Independence, Trans, Migrant (She/Her)’

    Final person on the list is a Moraig Henderson, also standing in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, but getting information has so far proved difficult.

  69. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    From a writer of detective scripts:

    Holyrood’s inquiry into the Salmond Crucifixion is duty bound to discover how David Clegg and the Daily Record knew about internal complaints – from a ‘tip off’, according to Clegg – on 31 October 2017, when, we are informed, no-one in the Scottish Government, including Nicola Sturgeon, had any idea they existed.

  70. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @WT,

    You’ve found something positive about the SNP?

    Put it on here then rather than wait on Stu.

  71. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Pete Wishart says, in the light of the new poll, that we must stop undermining the leader. What’s that Pete? We’ve to stop undermining the underminer?

    In calling us to order ‘Speaker’ Wishart says “fragmentation must cease”.

    Fragmentation must cease. What a truly poetic phrase. Runrig should have had him writing the lyrics.

  72. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Grouse Beater,

    I’m sure there will be a reasonable explanation to do with Halloween etc.

  73. Astonished
    Ignored
    says:

    WT @2.04

    Don’t YOU think the first minister should do what she said she would and release all the documents relating to the Alex Salmond stitch up ?

    “If you have nothing to hide -you have nothing to fear” as the red tories told us when they were peddling i.d. cards.

    If NS does this and is shown to be innocent then it will all go away.

    There is only one reason she is trying to stop handing over the documents – isn’t there?

  74. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:


    somerled says:
    14 October, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    This is one of the Stirling candidates…

    No world of lie Somerled, but mention of the word “Stirling” now fills me with more knee jerk trepidation than any permutation of her Scottish/Kenyan heritage, ex-refugee status, or tender age of 21.

    My natural instincts would be to make her welcome as a new Scot, and hopefully teach us how an Independent Scotland can better serve the needs of refugees and asylum seekers and work towards a productive result and rewarding lifestyle which benefits both.

    It’s mention of the word “Stirling” that nowadays screams out the need for a background check. I’m actually quite angry that it’s a prejudice the SNP’s Wokerati has instilled in me.

  75. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Gordon Dangerfield has come up with the same question Grouse Beater.

    https://gordondangerfield.com/

  76. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Mr Osama Saeed Bhuttu

    Has posted on his website that he is withdrawing his candidacy for Cunninghame North constituency over concerns about breaches of party rules.

    To be pedantic about it, I thought he was putting himself forward to be a Candidate, and had not yet been selected, but hey, I’m not an expert in communications.

    He states,
    ‘This behaviour harks back to the bad old days of internal branch stitch-ups.’

    One wonders if that is in bad old days of Labour, or the bad old days in the SNP?

    Osama Saeed aka Bhutta cousin of Humza Yousaf
    Employed by Al Jazeera TV as an ‘expert’ in Communications.

    Founder and Chief Exec Scottish Islamic Foundation set up in 2008. Intending to hold an Islamic Festival in Glasgow.
    Given £400,000 in public money.
    Humza Yousuf a Director of same 2008/09.

    SIF folded months later,
    Audit Scotland reviewed it, found Inadequate Record Keeping.
    Officially folded 2013 with ‘nothing to show for almost £200,00 public money’ From The Herald 29/9/20

    When asked why he wants to be an MSP Saeed/Bhutta (Expert Communicator) replied,
    ‘ I don’t know really, it just kind of came about’

    Then posted on video,
    ‘because elected representatives are turbo-charged merchants of deep solidarity and empathy’.

    Which for all those of us without the benefit of communications expertness – is called meaningless bullshit and is really, really not going to convert anyone over to Yes.

    Meanwhile in 2016 his cousin (currently Scot Gov justice Minister SNP) Humza Yousuf – while Scottish Transport Minister was convicted and fined for Driving A Friends Car. Stated that following his divorce he had renewed his insurance policy and assumed its policy continued to provide the previous ‘fully comp’ cover, which it no longer did.

    Be very interesting to see court records of the trial to ascertain if he produced, as evidence, his joint insurance policy from the time of his marriage and if it did indeed cover him ‘fully comp’.

    At the time he was under fire over Railway networks, etc. Jackson Carlow of the Conservatives said of this conviction, ‘its not a resigning matter, move on’ or words to that affect.
    How do you drive Someone Else’s vehicle without checking you have proper insurance?

    So Mr Saeed/Bhutta is a really crap commuicator, and an ineffectual Chief Exec of a folded institute which did not keep proper records and may have lost £200,000 of public money with nothing to show for it.

    With such a fine CV and proven track record of competent handling of public money, its clearly obvious he’s an outstanding ‘character’ to be elected, and the contacts, connections and family relationship he has with cousin Yousuf are hardly worth mentioning in any way.

    After all Mr Yousuf is very generous, wants his wife to get elected also.

    And one thing it does not do, is ‘hark back to the bad old days’ of plain old nepotism.

    Anyway, here’s wishing everyone, ‘turbo-charged merchants of deep solidarity and empathy’.

    And thank goodness NS has ensured proper due diligence is in full place when it comes to selecting fit and proper people for us to vote for.

  77. Bob W
    Ignored
    says:

    @WT
    So many squirrels, this is about honesty, integrity and loyalty, not sycophantic following of one person or party’s hierarchy, who appear to be neither honest, loyal or have any integrity.

  78. crisiscult
    Ignored
    says:

    re Fire alarms, https://www.gov.scot/publications/fire-and-smoke-alarms-in-scottish-homes/

    Seems they can be linked but not wired so should be much cheaper than the cost of electrician and the very expensive repair for raggling (or whatever it’s called – you know when they destroy your plaster to get at the cables).

    On SNP member seeking election, who is Sid Khan? Standing in three seats? Is that normal?

  79. Northman
    Ignored
    says:

    @Fionan 11.40 am

    The ignorance people show about how USA works is baffling.

    The US is a place where it is common enough that people resist or physically fight to avoid being picked up by an air ambulance that it isn’t considered news. Instead odd “happy” news reports about people that “only” have to pay north of 10.000 dollars instead of north of 30.000 dollars after repeatedly stating that an air ambulance wasn’t necessary and being moved by one anyway. This is on top of medical bills.

    It is the only place I know where corporations have full time employees billing r*pe victims harmed sufficiently to have been delivered at the emergency entrance. It is considered “creating income” by extracting payment from someone too run down to resist. Because the hospitals doesn’t have the right to fleece the victims in these circumstances it is considered “voluntary”.

    Still, Scotland have an out, freedom.

  80. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev @ 12.48

    Correct with the name – you got it right first time.
    Didn’t know if i was allowed to mention people by name as that might possibly give them an unfair advantage. But it didn’t ring true somehow….
    Interestingly, the email from the branch contains further instructions to us plebs that we must only ask questions within a narrowly defined range of topics and must not include anything that criticises any one, or more, of the candidates.

    What could they possibly be thinking that we might say that was criticism of any of the candidates???

  81. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘The time has come’, the Walrus said, ‘To talk of many things’… of Scotland crushed, freedom too, and more support for Wings.’

    In the teeth of Westminster’s far-right plan to crush Scotland.

    ‘Civil Disobedience’: https://wp.me/p4fd9j-oNR

    It seems a shame,’ Our Nicola said, to play them such a trick,
    After we’ve brought them out so far, and made them trot so quick!’

  82. somerled
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks, I agree entirely. The post was in reply to above about Stirling candidates. Stirling is home to some of the worst woke misogynists. I think this lady (and anyone 21) is too young to be an MSP tbh. We don’t need another Ross Greer.

  83. Balaaargh
    Ignored
    says:

    @freshmint 1:20pm,

    I’ve only just found out the same about the new smoke alarm requirements.

    Don’t be fooled by the leaflets. You don’t need a fitter nor do you need to interlink the CO alarm which reduces the price because only the big brands do this.

    My task for the weekend is to replace my set up so that I can advise my parents. Cost me £80 for new detectors.

  84. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to crisiscult at 222pm

    Sid Khan has been around for a while, he was on the Glasgow list in 2010.
    http://lallandspeatworrier.blogspot.com/2010/09/snp-regional-list-rankings-for-holyrood.html

    And from a Sun article in 2012

    ‘Community worker Sid Khan, a former member of the board of Glasgow Central Mosque, said: “Honour abuse has nothing to do with faith — it is a cultural thing.There are many, many scriptures in Islam which prohibit this kind of
    abuse’

    https://archive.is/KJvL1

  85. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “The UK government has just introduced a number of bills that will breach international Law and make Scotland party to that yet you have not addressed this issue. That is a serious issue, as are the likes of child poverty and housing but on here its yah booh about Sturgeon and co. Don’t you think its about time to put up something positive?”

    Make your mind up. Do you want an article about child poverty and the UK government breaching international law, or something “positive”? Because neither of those sound very positive to me.

    Another poll? So fucking what? You don’t get a referendum with polls. Until there’s an actual plan to secure a referendum, higher poll numbers just make the UK government LESS likely to concede a Section 30.

    If the SNP had gotten off its useless arse in 2016 and gone to court to secure us the right to hold a referendum whenever we chose, instead of dicking around with a pointless attempt to stop Brexit, then 58% Yes would be brilliant. Right now it means fuck-all, and since the last nine in a row have all had Yes majorities it isn’t news either.

    If you want to jump up and down and clap about it like an over-excited seal, go on Twitter and knock yourself out, plenty people will join in. I’m kinda busy trying to win independence, not opinion polls.

  86. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Somerled @ 1.31

    the girl in the article is one of the names on the list – but I recognised her name as a feminine gender.
    All the others are definitely female names, bar one, – no pictures so I can’t align face and name and no other information.

    The Rev has clearly and accurately identified the 7th name upthread – see his post @ 12.48pm.

    Breeks @ 2.14pm have to say the list has elicited a heavy sigh and deep depressive reaction from me. It was bad enough having our WM candidate parachuted in but why do I now think that any semblance of us electing the person we want to represent us has gone ‘oot the windae’ ?
    Whoever gets the job will find Bruce Crawford a hard act to follow and if they’re weak/useless it will be glaringly obvious.
    Why can’t we just be allowed to vote for the best candidate available rather than the best candidate available after 50% of the options have been removed.( assuming there are two genders).

  87. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to Somerled and Breeks

    Having looked at the 7 Stirling candidates (well can’t get info on one), I have to say Sameeha Rehman would be my choice and she has the support of Joanna Cherry.
    Was campaigning for independence in 2014 at 14, I don’t think age either old or young should necessarily count someone out.

  88. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to Meg Merrilees 6 of the 7 have twitter accounts with images, apart from Moraig Henderson, cant see anything on them.

  89. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    I think solidarity of our response to covid-19, would be significantly enhanced if there were not so many right-wing voices being given media platforms to punt dodgy science and immoral politics. Which alarmingly mirrors the Scottish government’s approach to women’s rights. Though that’s apparently acceptable to the Lord Advocate. ;(

    #ragging

    Cuadernos de Bioética, 2019; 30(99): 135-147
    RECONCEIVING BIOETHICAL PROCEDURALISM:
    AN ONTOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

    http://aebioetica.org/revistas/2019/30/99/135.pdf

  90. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Seems they can be linked but not wired so should be much cheaper than the cost of electrician and the very expensive repair for raggling (or whatever it’s called – you know when they destroy your plaster to get at the cables).”

    How else do you link smoke alarms?

  91. crisiscult
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev.

    Re smoke alarms – dunno. One of the few areas of life I’m not an expert on 😛 However, was trying to reassure the earlier poster that they wouldn’t have to go through all the expensive tradesmen malarky.

    Now I’ll get back to my proper job of picking fluff out of my bellybutton and let you grown ups get on with grown up stuff. 😀

  92. Livionian
    Ignored
    says:

    And those 25% are scrolling through the Bella Caledonia comment section as we speak, talking shite

  93. crisiscult
    Ignored
    says:

    @Abalha

    Thanks. That’s who I thought it was. Met him years ago at SNP related stuff along with Humza. Anyway, standing in three constituencies: is that something suspicious or just par for the course these days?

  94. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Re heat alarms – Fire Statistics from 2018 – 19 quote as follows:

    There was a 2.1% increase in the number of fires attended in 2018-19, rising from
    26,172 last year to 26,726.

    This was mainly due to an increase in grassland fires, the
    occurrence of which varies considerably each year as a result of weather patterns
    amongst other things. Secondary grassland fires rose by 1,112 (21.9%) to 6,180 while
    the more severe ‘primary grassland and crop’ fires increased by 61 (59.8%) to 163.
    Refuse fires also increased by 5.6% to 7,293.

    Other categories of fire decreased this year including a 3.5% reduction in the number of dwelling1 fires.

    As can be seen from figure 4 the long-term reduction on the number of fires in Scotland has levelled in recent years. Figures 5 and 6 show that for dwelling fires, ‘other building’ fires and chimney fires the trends have continued,

    while the headline trend is dominated by refuse fires and grassland fires.’

    So the cynic in me is wondering who pushed for this new legislation which is going to impact so heavily on households across Scotland. And were they ‘lobbied’ by the firm selling the equipment?

  95. Balaaargh
    Ignored
    says:

    @rev Stu,

    They can link via RF BUT there is no standard so you have to buy all your new detectors from the same manufacturer.

  96. OldPete
    Ignored
    says:

    Seems a large majority of the public seem to think the Scottish government with Nicola Sturgeon as FM are performing very well during this difficult time.

    Nicola herself seems very popular with ordinary punters that support Scottish Independence. If she is forced out as most on here wish then who is going to lead ?

    Alex Salmond is probably too damaged. Joanna Cherry seems possible but she can appear too desperate for self glory and can come across to some as being arrogant and pompous similar problem Alex has. Philippa Whitford would be a superb health minister but doubt if she would want to be the leader. Can’t think of any other big hitters as leaders that would have Independence support around the region of 55% ?

    So any ideas who could unite the party after the fall of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband ? Please do tell.

  97. Livionian
    Ignored
    says:

    Not that any of this will harm the SNP at the polls mind you

  98. Balaaargh
    Ignored
    says:

    @daisy Walker,

    https://www.gov.scot/publications/fire-and-smoke-alarms-in-scottish-homes/

    It’s supposedly an output from Grenfell.

  99. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to crisicult

    Ishrad Ahmed is also standing in three, there are about 12 standing in two seats.

    From memory in 2015 Westminster and 2016 Holyrood some people, like John Nicolson, stood in more than 3, pretty sure in 2015 he stood in 5 or 6.

    So seems to have become normalised.

  100. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    How else do you link smoke alarms?

    Might it be, and I am speculating, might it be via ‘blueteeth’ and the interwebby of things type tech?

    Or failing that you get a couple of tin cans and some string. Put a hole in the cans and tie one end of the string to the can and attach it to one of the Heat detectors.

    Do the same to the other can and attach it to the next Heat detector. Sit under the detector. If a fire occurs at the first one, it will melt the first detector and can number 1 will fall to the ground and ‘pull’ on can number 2, which will also fall – and hit you on the head, alerting you to the situation at Can number 1. NB be sure to use empty cans, for safety reasons.

  101. Breastplate
    Ignored
    says:

    Old Pete,
    Nicola Sturgeon’s plan for independence is to ask Boris if it’s ok.

    On a scale of 1 to 10, could you give rate this plan, 10 being the best plan ever and 1 being the funniest joke in the world.

  102. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev Stu,

    Latest alarms have wireless link.

  103. Dave Beveridge
    Ignored
    says:

    Linking smoke alarms? It can be done wirelessly. I had to do it this way as there was no crawl space above the ceiling in the flat-roofed extension of my old place. Battery-operated and linked to the other devices in the house via RF. 100% legal and passed all the safety inspections before house sale.

  104. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Grenfell? Oh for heavens sake.

    ‘How else do you link smoke alarms?’

    Sausages.

  105. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes Bob, but as I say with my old thick walls Wi-Fi doesn’t reach upstairs let
    Alone the Attic room so there is a need for cabled detectors too.

  106. Liz
    Ignored
    says:

    58% pro indy and guess what. Nicola is concentrating on Covid.

    I despair.

  107. Kenny
    Ignored
    says:

    Me and my tin foil hat – I’m not apologising, there’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of cynicism;

    That’s a convenient poll showing further growth for indy.

    At a time of the most beleaguered of First Ministers, is it possible that poll has been manufactured to cast poorly upon those who would speak out against the current administration?
    As Robin McAlpine once reasoned; during a time of Brexit, a growing disgruntlement in a woefully prepared Scotland etc, etc, who would the uk govt prefer to be in power in Scotland – Nicola Sturgeon.

    Sorry to burst your bubble, folks, but the poll changes nothing (and I’m still pro-independence)

  108. crisiscult
    Ignored
    says:

    @Daisy

    Thanks for the advice. Can I find you on mybuilder? I’ll get you round to install.

  109. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    For those who have wireless devices fitted,
    many manufacturers may not have wireless
    CO2 detectors and as they must all be linked
    you are back at square one.

    Scot gov also asked for the devices to have no access batteries that
    Have a 10 year life span.

    After 10 years you start it all again with new devices.

  110. Lorna Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Facts and truths have been replaced by shallow and partisan delusions. Not only that, which would be bad enough in itself, but we are all expected to collude in this state of affairs and leave our brains in our underwear drawer. It is happening right across the board in all aspects of life. If black is white, then white must be red. Reality is being replaced by fantasy. Frightening. Truly frightening. Necessary, however, for ‘wokism’ to exist – or, pseudo ‘wokism’, that is, because that is not actually real or heart-felt either, just something that makes you look like a full-on ‘good’ person regardless of whether you are actually a full-on, nasty wee s***e.

  111. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Liz says:
    14 October, 2020 at 3:02 pm

    58% pro indy and guess what. Nicola is concentrating on Covid.

    I despair.

    Counting down to the end of December with no Constitutional rescue even being discussed…

    I double despair.

  112. Paul K
    Ignored
    says:

    All of this really is tragic timing for Sturgeon. Independence is now looking inevitable and it’s the next First Minister who will go down in history.

  113. Alison Whiteford
    Ignored
    says:

    I am saddened by the unthinking tribalism in our society. It seems to be getting worse not better. You are the sweary George Orwell of our time. More power to you Stu.

  114. Thomas Dunlop
    Ignored
    says:

    Can we have ceasefire until independence is won?

  115. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    I did the training course Aico, the manufacturer Of the detectors provided
    and I’m afraid there is a great deal more to this than you can see.

    Housing Associations have to install these systems and by the thousand.
    The cost is horrific and you’ll know what will need to happen to rents to pay for it.

    I’ve mentioned some ramifications regarding enforcement and I’ll predict that you
    will need this expensive equipment installed for your home report or you can’t sell it.

    The intentions are great but the reality for the general public is horrific!

  116. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t know anything about lining smoke alarms, but I do know a bit about defending the vulnerable from unjust law. So I hope our Justice Ministry is still monitoring WOS, and that the Lord Advocate enjoys getting his incompetence highlighted by a vulnerable member of the public. I also hope the SNP’s NEC are taking note of how to support democracy. ;(

    #ragging

    At the Foundations of
    Bioethics and Biopolitics:
    Critical Essays on the
    Thought of H. Tristram
    Engelhardt, Jr.

    https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-18965-9.pdf

  117. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Effigy,

    Fire Angel devices at Screwfix have wireless tech and pretty easy to fit and tune. Around £12 a pop.

  118. paul
    Ignored
    says:

    Old pete says:
    Can’t think of any other big hitters as leaders that would have Independence support around the region of 55% ?

    You denigrate the others for supposed personality defects that are trivial compared to the increasingly obvious failings and derelictions the current leadership family are displaying.

    Party leaders generally have a rather short half life these days, correlated with the circumstances of their departure.

    I’m sure any honest candidate clearing out this self serving clique/claque would retain that support and would seek to build on it rather than seek personal support from it.

    The current leadership is the temporary benefactor of increasing enthusiasm for independence, not its creator, and certainly not its champion.

  119. HYUFD
    Ignored
    says:

    Mountain Shadow It does not matter if Yes is on 99% Boris is PM and has a majority of 80 and has made clear he thinks 2014 was a once in a generation vote and will refuse indyref2 as long as he is PM not matter how much Sturgeon asks him.

    Plus in Quebec in 1990 1 poll put Yes to independence from Canada on 61%, 5 years later it still voted 51% No
    https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1316343510149271552?s=20

  120. stuart mctavish
    Ignored
    says:

    @WT
    Fiddling that poll around to make it full of reasonable assumptions gives the SNP a 25 seat majority whilst fiddling it further (ie to accommodate a Salmond led indy list party capable of attracting 50% of indy vote) would give Nicola an 11 seat majority and held to account by 25 indy minded MSPs (the main opposition) and 3 greens:

    http://www.electionpolling.co.uk/swingometer/scottish-parliament?election=2016s&cSNP=58&cLAB=14.3&cCON=19.4&cLD=7.3&rSNP=26&rCON=19.4&rLAB=14.3&rGRN=6&rLD=7.3&rUKIP=0&rBREX=26#Scotland

    From posts elsewhere about fixes being in, and notwithstanding the common covid agenda, most difficult part may yet be ensuring Holyrood stays open (and parties remain legal, accessible and popular) in the new year.

  121. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1316343606085644308

    Ha ha.

    Car in Stirling self ID’s as a train…

    I’ll just get my coat…

  122. Breastplate
    Ignored
    says:

    Thomas Dunlop,
    Everybody here will disagree with you about many things including who should be FM but all of them will vote Yes in an Indyref.

    Does it matter who is FM if they get independence?
    There’s no need for a truce, there’s no war. What we need is an Indyref2 or some equivalent.

    We just need somebody with a coherent plan. Right now, that isn’t Nicola.

  123. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Effigy.

    The CO detector(s) do not have to be linked to the heat and smoke detectors. From:-

    https://www.gov.scot/publications/fire-and-smoke-alarms-in-scottish-homes/

    “Q: How many alarms are required to meet the standards?

    A: The standard requires:

    one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes
    one smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings
    one heat alarm installed in every kitchen

    All alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked.

    Where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance (such as boilers, fires (including open fires) and heaters) or a flue, a carbon monoxide detector is also required which does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.”

  124. Andrew Orr
    Ignored
    says:

    Early electioneering. Vote Wings.

  125. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Could agree more with your comments Daisey Walker @ 2.17 about Mr Osama Saeed now styling as Osama Bhutta.

    He declares to the public that he is suspending his campaign as candidate.

    ” Vote Osama Bhutta”
    “Cunninghame North’s next SNP candidate
    People power will make our society fairer, beat climate change, and create our new country. Together, we will win.”

    Funny isn’t it for a Candidate to publicly declare that he that he is suspending his campaign when he’s not he he is NOT absolutely NOT the candidate.

    I think folks within the Party would be better asking him about the substantial grant monies ( £400,000 ?) that went un-accounted for when the SIF ( Scottish Islamic Foundation of which he was chief executive ) folded with no proper record of where the money went.

    But check under his old alias Osama Saeed, and or maybe ask him too why he is now now using a different name.

    (In fact maybe ask him too to ask his cousin Humza the Justice Minister if he knows anything about the unaccounted public funds.)

    Suspending your Campaign Osama – aye right as they say, you’ve been at boy, and you’ve been found out.

  126. alan_b
    Ignored
    says:

    @bob mack @3:17pm

    This is getting wildly off topic, but I don’t think the £12 smoke alarms do wireless interlinking. There are ones that do for about £36on Amazon.

  127. Vronsky
    Ignored
    says:

    Keep it up Stu. It will continue to be thankless work for a while yet. Be comforted by the knowledge that in this case the truth will out pretty quickly. And you’re not fighting alone – you have formidable allies in people like Craig Murray, Gordon Dangerfield and many others (assuming they can all stay out of prison for a while).

    It is a pity that this has happened, but it’s not yet (I hope) a disaster. It might even be a blessing – an indolent leadership destroys itself even before most of their soldiers have realised it needs to go. The SNP membership needs to fess up and deal with this mess, and urgently.

    This time next year you will struggle to find anyone who didn’t know the truth, and unblushingly claims to have agreed with you all along.

    **Tip from recent history for consideration by a certain type of SNP supporter. One of the cleverest gambits of the British spooks was to convince the IRA that their most effective members were informers, resulting in many of them being shot by their own side.

  128. Saffron Robe
    Ignored
    says:

    We should always remember that Scotland is one of the co-founders of the United Kingdom. England does not have the legal or constitutional right to act unilaterally without the express consent of the people of Scotland. And that consent has been denied to the authority of Westminster (for over sixty years now) and, more recently, to the withdrawal of Scotland from the EU. Westminster can try to pass as much legislation as it wants, but if we are to respect and uphold democracy and the rule of law, then Westminster no longer has any authority over Scotland. They are acting, to all intents and purposes, as a criminal state i.e. ultra vires. And brazenly so!

    Unfortunately Nicola Sturgeon is in no position to stand up for Scotland because she herself is compromised (along with her husband). Stuart is correct to identify Nicola Sturgeon as the greatest roadblock to Scottish independence, and as we all must do who care for Scotland and our future, work to remove that roadblock well before the year’s end.

  129. Colin Alexander
    Ignored
    says:

    http://lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

    Above is the direct link to Lesley Riddoch’s latest podcast, 13 Oct. Lesley discusses the Sturgeon Sky interview and a whole lot more.

    Scroll down and you’ll see: “Wheesht For Indy”. Click to play.

  130. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    I see Osama Saeed Bhutta has changed his pinned tweet at some
    point today with a different video.

    Funny given he’s currently ‘suspended his campaign’.

  131. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    HYUFD @3:30

    “It does not matter if Yes is on 99% Boris is PM.”

    That’s your level of sophistication regarding justice and political rights? The whole of Scotland could want independence, but that could be invalidated by the whim of a sociopathic Old Etonian?

  132. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    And another Osama Saeed Bhutta story from 2010.

    ‘Salmond and Sturgeon made speeches appealing for funds for Osama Saeed, a former Salmond aide who is now the SNP.’s Westminster candidate in Glasgow Central. The event made at least £12,000 – mostly from the auctioned lunches’

    https://archive.is/L5CGB

  133. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Abalha @4:17

    In 2010, two grand to have lunch with Nicola Sturgeon.

    In 2020, Nicola Sturgeon too grand to have lunch with anyone (except her fave novelists or Hilary Clinton).

  134. Hatuey
    Ignored
    says:

    Re. The Lesley Riddoch podcast.

    Interesting as it was to hear her thoughts, at last, on the Salmond scandal, and she was good enough to admit that she had been deliberately avoiding the subject until now, the most interesting thing she mentioned was the possibility of a new Salmond-led party being created.

    A new party with Salmond at the helm makes some sense and explains a few strange things – like, why are so many MSPs stepping down next year? It’s important too that the current SNP leadership understand that we can create alternatives to the soul destroying piss that they’ve been funnelling down our throats for the last 5 years.

    Of course, the sensible thing would be for Spud to resign. If she doesn’t, I will take great pleasure in giving both votes to a new Indy party and throwing money and support at it.

    The Committee to Re-Elect the Babbling Wreck needs to understand that there’s an opportunity for them here to save the party and avoid the swift decline and disintegration that’s inevitable if she doesn’t go with her gimmick of a husband.

  135. Liz
    Ignored
    says:

    @Hatuey that would be brilliant. The gradualists can vote NS, the indy supporters the new party.

    I do hope this happens

  136. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Brian,

    My open planing Dining Kitchen can use a combined
    Heat and CO2 Wireless Interlinked detector.

    Now the Heat aspect must be interlinked and so the CO2
    is linked because it has the one housing.

    If I only required a CO2 detector there and didn’t fit an interlinked device,
    Family sleeping in the loft conversion may not hear it going off 2 floors below
    with very thick Victorian walls.

    It would be bad practice to not having it interlinked when it would set off the soundest in all devices
    Including the one in the loft.

    There are 3 main manufacturers but without prejudice the Aico range is the best device for reliability
    for features and for meeting the very detailed specifications set by the government.

  137. Cuilean
    Ignored
    says:

    I rarely go onto twitter since thon wee shower o shites had you shut down. They must be regretting that pyrrhic victory since leaving that ‘Online Bedlam’ has allowed you to concentrate on the finest journalism in the UK. Admittedly not a high bench-mark for excellent journalism but if we did not live in such a dystopian journalistic fantasy from the facts, you would be winning journalistic awards across the board.

    Instead we have ‘award-winning’, performing-circus acts to contemplate, like Garavelli, Sarah Smith, Call Tokyo Kay etc.

  138. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Had a look at an Aico RF detector with a 10 year life span
    £85 each but how many people are incapable of fitting them
    And getting them to interlink.

    Do you need 5 of them at a self install cost of £425?

    Seriously with the number of pensioners, disabled, unemployed and
    Working Foodbanks users are never going to install this kit.

  139. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Such a shame John’s rubber-earing you over this stuff cause it’s not going away anytime soon.
    Surprised Sturgeon held back from just having the match scrapped but we can be sure she was very very tempted. The fans will be getting blamed on Saturday evening anyway, regardless of what happens.

  140. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Want another peek at just how ideologically opposed to natural justice our legal Establishment is? Yes we need new leadership, but we also need to clear the friends of fascism out of our judicial system. British nationalism has run its’ course, let’s not allow our legal Establishment’s intellectual narrowness and ingrained cultural bigotry, to further harm Scotland’s cultural fabric and democracy.

    Euorpean Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 2 No. 2 (2011)
    Can bioethics live without tradition and history? How Fritz Jahr translated the 5th Commandment into the present and future. A methodological and conceptual case study.

    https://www.jahr-bioethics-journal.com/index.php/JAHR/article/view/166

  141. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Please ignore my last – it was meant to be in the wee message box of a chess move!

    🙂

  142. meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    The Rev, Abaha and Somerled:

    RE Stirling candidates

    Just had my Member update e-mail from the incumbent MP which includes the following sentence: –
    “Stirling is as you know an all woman shortlist, and I am delighted we have seven women applying to us, we’re a plum constituency with a great organisation, it is only to be expected we have a strong showing of interest from women across the Party. …..Councillor Ellen Forson, Moraig Henderson, Rosemary Hunter, Councillor Susan McGill, Sameeha Rehman, Councillor Evelyn Tweed and Mridul Wadha. “

  143. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201209/six-reasons-why-politicians-believe-they-can-lie
    And when certain politicians and certain scientists schmooze…WOW, that’s a mega WHOPPER!

  144. Muscleguy
    Ignored
    says:

    I think a lot of SNP/Yes people have bought into the cult of personality around St Nicola. Fortunately they are now a minority. Also the media are not very good at reporting everything about the building scandal or may have believed Nicola’s blink, stuttering performance recently.

    On twitter I have been trying to remind them that she is toast for having mislead parliament AND used her official Holyrood office for party political business in meeting Geoff Aberdein whcih meeting was not recorded so to hide it.

    Except Aberdein was truthful in the witness stand alerting us to this bad behaviour by Nicola who being a lawyer should have known better. It shows how she thinks she is above the rules probably from having surrounded herself with yes people who will not speak truth to power both party and civil service people. Always a dangerous move by any leader.

    No wonder the SNP high heid yins are utterly out of touch with the wider Yes campaign folk like us. They try and take us for granted idiots with ‘SNP 1 & 2’ malarkey etc.

  145. Kenny
    Ignored
    says:

    Talking of polls… very interesting tweet from Joanne Cherry, if you can read between the lines.

  146. Fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    Link to Joanna Cherry’s twitter, anyone?

  147. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    Reply to Fionan at 510pm

    This will be the tweet

    https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1316337562139734016

  148. Christian Schmidt
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder whether all these polls that have independence >50% is what keeps Nicola Sturgeon in her job?

    It strongly looks like she lied. If independence would still be at 40-45%, then I think there’d be many more within the SNP that would be calling for her head. But now, with independence a real possibility, who will want to rock the boat?

    (I know that Stuart doesn’t think the prospects are high, but I think that’s a misreading of the politics, I think they are very high.)

  149. Kenny
    Ignored
    says:

    I wanted to add, I do not really understand all the talk about referendums.

    The 2016 vote on Brexit was very clear in Scotland. To my mind, that was enough for the Scottish parliament to introduce a motion declaring independence.

    Ukraine declared independence in August 1991 and then held a consultative referendum on the decision to declare independence in December 1991. It got a 90% YES vote.

  150. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    In reply to Meg Merrilees at 456pm – interesting but he’s being fairly general.

    My post at 205pm was in moderation, out now, but gives you some more detail on the candidates, of course you’ve maybe found out more yourself.

    Did the email tell you 2 of the 7, Moraig Henderson and Mridul Wadhwa are standing in other seats, MH in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, MW Eedinburgh Central.

  151. Kenny
    Ignored
    says:

    I do not trust polls that say the figure for independence is so high either. I do not see this reflected in the vox populus (meaning who I chat to on the street).

    Anything near 60% is impossible to get and would be a done deal anyway – which, to my mind, is exactly whey NS has stated she wants to see a figure of 60%.

    If the polling is high, I think a lot of it is over Covid-19 and it is precisely the sort of voter who, when you tell them that independence will mean their house price will drop by £5,000 (or any such nonsense broadcast on the BBC), they will blow an absolute fuse and go straight back to “cannae stand yon SNP” mode.

  152. Abalha
    Ignored
    says:

    Seems Moraig Henderson no longer standing in C, S and R.

    https://twitter.com/MareeToddMSP/status/1316391675636469760

  153. Balaaargh
    Ignored
    says:

    @effijy,

    Realistically, unless the council come round for tea, it’ll only matter when either your house burns down or you sell it. Whichever you think comes first! 🙂

  154. Albert Herring
    Ignored
    says:

    “Fire Angel devices at Screwfix have wireless tech and pretty easy to fit and tune. Around £12 a pop.”

    Sorry, those ones aren’t wireless. The wireless ones are £50 each.

  155. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Getting back to Scotland’s pathological inability do defend the fabric of Scottish culture and civil society, from the expansionist and authoritarian tendencies of English Torydum. Much of this is due to our legal Establishment’s intellectual rigidity and narrow cultural bigotry, but our education system takes a lot of the blame as well. Historically anyway.

    That’s why WOKE theory was invented, as a means of decolonising educational and legal practice, in order to enable opposition to neo-liberalism and the radical right. So Scotland’s legal Establishment is actually actively undermining our capacity to resist the radical right. Not that that surprises me in the slightest. ;(

    #ragging

    European Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 2 No. 2 (2011)
    The actuality of thoughts of Fritz Jahr in bioethics education or why Fritz Jahr advocates character education

    https://www.jahr-bioethics-journal.com/index.php/JAHR/article/view/167

  156. Wee Chid
    Ignored
    says:

    Effijy
    14 October, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    I’m in social housing and was due to have had a smoke alarm fitted in my living/bedroom. (I’m in a bedsit and there is already one in the hall). Also due to have a heat detector in the very small kitchen. The installers have said it won’t take long so I don’t understand how they ate going to do the wiring in such a short time. So far I have put them off because of COVID. What happens if people have a coal fire or stove in their living room – do they still have to have a smoke detector – in the room where there is bound to be some smoke at some point. Are people no longer allowed to smoke in their own homes? Surely folks electricity bills will rise with all this new electronic stuff to run?

  157. Fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    Thank you for the Cherry link, Albalha. Interesting to see the responses, the majority are reading between the lines and in agreement. Still a few ostriches though. Interesting times indeed!

    Fire alarms – my council house and the one next door had folk in to fit them yesterday. It took around an hour and the cables were passed through above the ceiling, no mess and no need for re-decorating. They do seem (hopefully) better designed – the OFF switch is within easy reach, and they have compensation mechanisms for dust, steam etc which were always a problem with previous detectors – my old ones were whacked off the ceiling when for the umpteenth time they went off when I opened the bathroom door after a shower, and once even in response to cooking a clootie dumpling! Seems manufacturers have finally realised that endless false alarms lead to disabling them. Golf clubs come in handy sometimes!

    There was an additional one fitted in the back porch, not sure why, by the time you are exiting you are pretty much aware there is a fire.

    Must be an expensive business for home owners though. And no doubt council costs will be levied via rent and council tax increases. Which of course would suggest that home owners will be paying twice over.

  158. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Who will police it?

    Simple insurance companys as if not fitted no pay out.

  159. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Re poll results.

    Anyone ever heard of Angus Robertson.

    He’s the Managing Director of Progress Scotland Ltd. He / they do polls.

    Straight up folks, absolutely straight up!



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