NAME THE DAY!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the First Minister of Scotland’s determination to call a second EU referendum. It is almost as if she has done a deal with the European Union to do all in her power to keep the UK as a member state.

Scotland is now in danger of being dragged out of the European Union against our will, surely the First Minister should be concentrating on Scotland and not the rest of the UK. My frustration has now turned to anger as the last defence against this Tory Government was kicked to the curb. The Continuity Bill was designed to defend the people of Scotland and our Parliament against the punitive Tory polices that have so many of our fellow citizens under the austerity jackboot. With the judgement released just days ago we can now see that we are in fact, defenceless.

Enough is enough First Minister, the people of Scotland will never forgive you or your party if you allow this country to be decimated at the hands of the Tories again. Please put the people of this country first. I am sick and tired of hearing about a second EU referendum. If you put as much effort into preparations for a second referendum on independence as you do another EU referendum we’d be miles in front by now.

Name the day, time is running out!

 

 

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Oh what a circus…

“Oh, what a circus, oh what a show…” lyrics from the musical Evita. Well Mrs May is no Evita but what a circus she has created on the world stage. The audience now gaping, not in wonderment but in horror as the once mighty Rule Britannia crashes against the waves; never mind the iceberg that is Brexit.

You can imagine the surprise as I ventured home after a long, long day on Monday, intent to continue writing my three-part drama (The Clearing) as images of Parliament flashed over my television screen. Twitter alight with condemnation of what had just happened. Yes, after the whirlwind of the past few weeks, as Mrs May jetted around the United Kingdom trying to sell her deal to, well the already converted. And her puppets rushed to TV studios to assure everyone that the meaningful vote would go ahead on Tuesday. Mrs May appeared in the chamber to dictate to the house that she was in charge and there would be no meaningful vote.

Yet, is this not what she had planned all alone? It was her way, or no way. That is not the actions of a Prime Minister of a democratic parliament. This is the actions of a dictator. Mrs May is acting like a dictator and this is a very dangerous concept if allowed to continue. Last week Mrs May’s Government were found to be in contempt of the house; yet it was business as usual, there was no consequence, no redress, no punishment. Yes, there were soundbites on the state-run media channels but other than that, nothing.

Now we have Mrs May facing a vote of no confidence by Labour and the Scottish National Party etc. And the 1922 committee have the required letters needed to oust her. Now the question is, will she go quietly, i.e. resign or will she have to be ousted? Either way my diary will be cleared from 6pm-8pm. The Ross girls will just have to wait a while before the big massacre starts. Yes, I should be writing, but have cleared the way for the showdown with Mrs May, that is if she turns up of course.

This has been a shit-show from start to finish. Mrs May fired the shot on Monday then left. Never has anyone left parliament this quickly after taking questions on why she pulled the meaningful vote. She must have been saying something like “I’m the Prime Minister, get me out of here.” As she hurried past the speaker. Then she was off on a jolly around Europe in the pretence of having extra talks. I would not be surprised if they invited her to hideout at their place for a while until the storm blew over. As mentioned in the opening sentence, “Oh what a circus, oh what a show…” this week certainly has been a circus and a show that is enough to put the Hugh Jackman’s ‘Greatest Showman’ to shame. Only time will tell if Mrs May goes of her own volition but something tells me she will not.

 

Strong and Stable

Strong and Stable, that is what the people of the United Kingdom were told when May decided to have another General Election. She wished for a Strong and Stable Government. Well how is that strong and stable government looking now? From the off, May has tried to steamroll things through parliament, often times without the consent of parliament. She wanted the final withdrawal settlement to be pushed through parliament without those (democratically) elected politicians to scrutinise, let alone have a final say. Perhaps May knew the outcome of permitting a vote before negotiations had concluded.

This deal, if you can even call it a deal works for no one, expect, perhaps the European Union, who can now hold the United Kingdom in a Union that England and Wales voted to leave. This is the deal, take it or leave it. They are not going to accommodate more uncertainty for the existing member states. And why should they, the United Kingdom are the ones leaving. The only other alternative, is a no deal Brexit, that is indeed if that is still an option. Or the UK could just stay in the European Union as Article 50 can be revoked. Where would that leave democracy? There was a vote, England and Wales voted to leave, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain. Seems a solution has been found for those parts of the UK who wish to stay within Europe; all except Scotland.

Scotland is not seen as a country by those in Westminster, it has been merged into England and Wales to become Britain. Even the map on Victoria Derbyshire (Monday) showed the main part of the United Kingdom as being British, draped in the union flag. What was more interesting however, was that Ireland seemed to have been reunified.

Scotland’s identity has come under a sustained attack, even more so than usual, with BBC map, union flags all over our produce, and the mere fact that we have been side lined and ignored. That is what happens when you do not stand up for yourself. That is the result of Scots not taking the bull by the horns in 2014. Scotland gave Westminster another change and they have thrown it back in our faces; in the most public of ways. Our politicians are shouted down, laughed at, and ridiculed. Mundell, even stated that we were not partners in the United Kingdom, we are part of the United Kingdom. Therefore, all talk of remaining within our family of nations was a downright lie. All talk of us leading the UK were lies. To secure a no vote.

Now look where we are. Tied to a government who are systematically torturing those who cannot stand up for themselves. They have made the from for PIP assessment so difficult those who are entitled give up. Government enablers, constantly hounding those actively seeking work by making demands that they should search for work 35 hours a week. The result of which is bombarding employers with CVs and applications for jobs they are not suitable for. And if you think this government are going to change Universal Credit, you can thing again. It is doing what it was designed to do. It is a weapon, and an effective weapon at that.

Strong and Stable, yes in some respects this Westminster government are strong and stable, it is strong and stable in its reserve to punish the poor for the mistakes of the rich. Effectively stealing what rightfully belongs to those who find themselves in a time of need. Who have paid into the system for years and are only taking out what they put in. Yes, the government’s resolve to inflict the most pain possible to make themselves feel better is most certainly strong and stable. Almost to the point of being sadistic.

This government are also Strong and Stable when it comes to immigration, quietly deporting people who have made the United Kingdom their home. Who were invited to the UK to help rebuild after the Second World War. Who have outlived their usefulness. Yes, strong and stable and sadistic. Their cruelty knows no bounds, guilty of heinous human rights abuses. Their use of austerity to bring the UK’s working population to its knees, and death to countless others while the rich feed off their still warm carcass.

Exiting the European Union will be disastrous for Scotland, that is what we are being told. And it will be, however, remaining in a toxic Westminster union when the partner is abusing the most vulnerable, beating workers into submission, and threatening to take their human rights away all together. It is time to go. Regardless of the reason. The Scottish National Party has a mandate, they had better use it, and quick for they may find the people of Scotland have very little patience left for Westminster and indeed them. Use the mandate given to you by the people in 2016. Which states “If there is a material change, such as Scotland being dragged out of the European Union against the will of the Scottish people…”

Scotland stands at a crossroads, do we take our future in our hands, or do we let those with ill intent towards our people continue their systematic abuse of the most vulnerable. If that is what they are getting away with now, just think what these psychopaths will do once they have taken our human rights, workers, rights and indeed our very right to life.

Strong and stable, perhaps not when it comes to Brexit, but they are most certainly strong and stable when it comes to destroying the lives of those they hate.

 

 

SOMETHING QUITE SICKENING ABOUT A BUNCH OF TORIES RUNNING AROUND TWEETING THEIR GOOD DEED FOR THE DAY!

There must have been some sort of Tory exercise this weekend, to see who could donate the most food to their nearest foodbank, in this case Trussell Trust and Fair Share. Twitter was full of images and tweets of Ross Thomson, Kristine Hair and Dominic Raab who seemed to have visited their local Tesco to buy food, nothing wrong with that, however, it was where it was going I had a problem with.

Hair tweeted:

Today I visited @Tesco Forfar to drop off food donation and meet the Angus Foodbank team Tesco are working with the @TrussellTrust and @fairshareuk to help those who find themselves in need, and you can help by donating long-life food at your local store to.

Thomson Tweeted:

Today I visited @Tesco Wellington Road to meet volunteers for @TrussellTrust and @Fairshareuk. I was pleased to make a donation to the local food bank to help those who are vulnerable and in need.

Let us keep an eye on Thomson and Hair to make sure these two Tory MP’s do not claim the money for their donations back on their expenses. Nothing would surprise me. It makes you wonder just why now, why right this very minute and why so public? The most galling thing for me was the smiling face of Thomson, dressed in his expensive looking coat grinning as he handed over a bag of food for those his party had shafted and have been shafting ever since the crash of 2008. The poor, the disabled,  those who are most vulnerable and elderly really have paid the price for the banking crash. And they are still paying now.

The Trussell Trust were delighted, mind you, they are always delighted, although I think they had bitten off more than they could chew yon day when they were happy to have Fluffy Mundell open one. They weren’t so happy to watch the cretin being chased out of town by the angry residents, those with more empathy for their fellow human beings in their little fingers than Mundell had in the whole of his body. To see Tories grinning like Cheshire Cats is really something that would release the bile from the pit of anyone’s tummy, excepting maybe Tory voters who have something in-humane about them.

The Trussell Trust tweeted:

We’re loving seeing all the kind donations for foodbanks & Fairshareuk at Tesco food collection. Last year you donated 850 tonnes of food, supporting thousands of people all over the UK. Don’t forget Tesco top up 20%

What do they mean Tesco top up 20%, twenty percent of all that is collected? I really should go and research it but I have no time this morning therefore I can only assume that’s what Trussell mean.

The sense of irony shown by Tory MP’s like Thomson and Hair is something to behold. Do they not realise it is their policies that are pushing people into poverty? They not realise that people are having to use foodbanks because their wages do not cover the basic needs for survival? There is something quick sickening about Tories running around buying food and posing for a photo-op. Saying quite simply, “Look at me I care.” No, you do not care, if you did there would be no need for foodbanks. If people in this country and in the rest of the United Kingdom had a decent wage, there would be no need for foodbanks. If the Tory party and their enablers in the Labour Party and indeed the civil service stopped their attack on the working poor and indeed the poor and gave the wage they themselves receive then there would be absolutely no need for foodbanks in this and indeed the rest of the countries of the UK, to tar everyone who is unemployed with the same brush, to ‘other’ them just because they do not have a job and cannot survive on what little benefit they receive because the Tories have put a cap on the welfare State, or are thrown into rent arrears because Universal Credit has been designed as if it is a job and therefore you have to await your first payment, five weeks now, it used to be six. Universal Credit is going to have more and more people at foodbanks. Especially as it is still being rolled out all over the damn place.  Perhaps the real reason for the Tory PR stunt.  

 

 

 

 

Go Gentle into the New Year and a new era dear Scotland!

Like most in the independence movement I am impatient, chomping at the bit to get going. Like we should have been independent ‘yesterday’ however, I know we must wait until the chaos that is Brexit plays out. Until every opportunity for a favourable outcome has passed. But what if the First Minister does not call a second referendum? What if we have a second referendum on EU membership? What then?

The Prime Minister, is not going to agree to a section 30 order, Westminster are not going to let Scotland go. Not with all that 200 billion we give them each year. What then? Do we just go quietly into the night, or do we fight? And if we fight, then how do we fight?

 

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the wait, irritated at what is being done to Scotland and her people. The injustice, the systematic abuse of the most vulnerable, the mere fact that people, whose only crime was to lose their job, or become sick,  will face a bleak Christmas as they move to Universal Credit; the Tory government’s flagship policy which has been an absolute failure. Well when I say failure that is the spin that is put. It has not failed, it is doing what it was designed to do. Remove people from welfare in order that the welfare budget be reduced; until the welfare state is gone completely. And we are taken back to Victorian Times, where the Tories feel most at home. And where the ‘us’ and ‘them’ divide was rampant.

If we are to be an open and inclusive society then Scotland need to dissolve this union, it has never worked, nor will it ever work, as it was never designed that way. It was designed only for the elite, the noblemen of old. And that is how it has been since. The gap between rich and poor has never been wider. The elite with their eyes on the prize. The little wealth accumulated by the lower middle class and once extorted, the elite will move to the middle class. In other words, they want it all. Everything that we have worked hard for, these unscrupulous parasites want. As previously stated; the only thing these individuals value is money and power, and not necessarily in that order.

The people of Scotland must to get away, that said, it will be an uphill task, especially when some are still convinced that Westminster actually care about them. About their business; about their health. They care, not a jot. Time to go and go quickly, perhaps in the New Year, May or June. Or sooner, but no later than June. The longer we wait, the more damage this unscrupulous Tory government and their enablers in the Labour party will do.

 

GOOD OLE AUNTY BEEB SINK TO A NEW LOW!

Good old Aunty Beeb, once the stalwart of British Broadcasting has now sunk to the depths of stupidity. How the Newsnight  production team ever thought they could get away with planting a Reverent, or Minister, or whatever character she was playing this time around onto the panel  to give her informed opinion of Brexit is beyond the realms of most people, if they did this without checking the credentials of this individual then that is a serious misjudgement on their part, however, if they tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the public,that is downright disgusting.

Perhaps good ole Aunty Beeb thought they could get away with it because they have been getting away with it for years and years. Putting plants into their audience to blend in seemed to have been the norm. However, with the birth of social media, and a media savvy population this can no longer be the case. Good ole Aunty Beeb have been caught out tirelessly allowing those who share their views, or the views of the British Government a platform to air said views unchallenged, while stifling the views of the opposing side.

Even in their interviewing technique, those they agree with, i.e. Ruth Davidson are promoted, she and her 13 Tory MP’s who were elected to parliament were given full coverage and painted as some kind of comeback for the Tories in Scotland, to the detriment of the SNP. This was a falsehood, the SNP may have lost seats, but they still won the general election. For the BBC to promote a minority party such as the Tories in Scotland as having won was not honest and fair reporting, that said, when has Aunty Beeb every given honest and fair reporting, on anything?

It has been clear to the people of Scotland that good ole Aunty Beeb is the kind of Aunt you tolerate at Christmas, whose opinions are rammed down your throat while appearing to hear both sides of the argument. Aunty Beeb have an agenda, they are the STATE BROADCASTER, they always have been and they always will be. They claim to be impartial but are no such thing. That is just a nice clause in their charter which should be removed forthwith.

Now it would seem the rest of the United Kingdom have awoken to the trickery of good ole Aunty Beeb, perhaps they will no longer get away with trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the public.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SNP AND THE WIDER SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT

In writing this joint statement we, the undersigned – bloggers and other influencers in the campaign for Scottish independence, affirm our commitment to independence and to the unity of the independence movement in its entirety. It is not our aim to cause discord or to encourage members of the SNP to cancel their memberships. We hope only to raise our concerns and to ask that the Disciplinary Committee and the leadership of the SNP reconsider their decision, and we hope sincerely that the contents of this letter will be taken seriously and in the spirit in which they are intended.

Yesterday the decision was made by the Disciplinary Committee of the Scottish National Party to rescind the party membership of Gareth Wardell, the well-known and much respected author of The Grouse Beater blog. This decision was made as a result of an article he published addressing the issue of the GMB, a London-based trade union, acting in Scotland to deny people their democratic rights. Owing to the author’s reference in the blog to the Nazis’ attitude to trade unions in the 1930s and 40s and his quotation of the term “the Jew” – in the context of citing Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf – the leadership of the GMB union accused him of making an antisemitic attack on Ms Rhea Wolfson, who, unbeknownst to Mr Wardell at the time of writing, is herself Jewish.

We agree without reservation that antisemitism and all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are always wrong. The campaign for Scottish independence is an open and inclusive social and political movement which welcomes the participation and activism of everyone who believes independence is the best option for the future of our country. However, after much discussion and careful consideration, we do not accept Mr Wardell’s contribution was indeed anti-Semitic or racist or discriminatory in the least. It is our firm belief that his words were deliberately and opportunistically taken out of context and weaponised against him and the entire movement in a concerted attack by the union, members of the Scottish Labour Party – to which the GMB is affiliated, and elements of the anti-independence tabloid press.

Frustratingly, this unjustified accusation was taken up by and supported by a number of high-profile people in the SNP – most notably Ms Fiona Robertson the SNP’s national women’s and equalities convener. In an article published on her own blog titled: Holding Ourselves to Our Own Standards, she made the claim that “most people… are not people who have enough background experience of anti-Semitism to make that judgement.” Yet she herself, without any qualifications in racism or antisemitism in particular, is – apparently.

Misquoting and wholly misrepresenting Gareth Wardell, Ms Robertson went on in her piece to offer a somewhat problematic definition of antisemitism and from this establish her case that Mr Wardell was sending out a “dogwhistle” to anti-Semites and racists:

The explanation is as follows: if you are writing about a union leader who is Jewish, bringing up Hitler’s view on unions – that they were dangerous because Jewish people controlled them – and then specifically talking about the Jewish union leader implies a link. Otherwise there is no reason whatsoever to start quoting Hitler. It essentially says ‘Hitler believed that Jewish people controlling unions was bad, and this person is Jewish and is controlling a union in a way I don’t like.’ The link between those two dots is ‘so maybe he had a point’.

“Bringing up Hitler’s view on unions,” even when speaking to a Jewish person, is not in and of itself anti-Semitic. This is at best a tenuous grasp. Gareth Wardell at no point claimed unions were dangerous “because Jewish people controlled them.” This much is a serious misrepresentation of the point he was making. On this Mr Wardell was clear; that this was Hitler’s view, and that the Nazis used this pernicious belief in order to undermine and attack trade unions – which Mr Wardell describes as one of the “cornerstones of democracy.” Ms Robertson concludes this argument by suggesting that Mr Wardell’s conclusion is that “maybe [Hitler] had a point.” This assessment, sadly, suggests only one of two things; either Ms Robertson has failed to understand the article she is critiquing or malicious intent. The Grouse Beater article implies no such thing.

It is reasonable to conclude, given the position of Fiona Robertson in the SNP, that her opinion has become the uncritically accepted opinion of the party’s leadership and has therefore informed the judgement of the Disciplinary Committee and its decision to expel Gareth Wardell from the party. We, the undersigned, hold that both this judgement and the decision to cancel Mr Wardell’s membership of the party are unwarranted and utterly unacceptable. This decision undermines freedom of expression within the party and the movement, and seriously damages the trust that we depend on, that the party will not dispose of us in order to satisfy a perceived need in the political leadership of the movement to appear above reproach.

 

Signed (28 November 2018):

Barrhead Boy

Craig Murray

David Hooks (PoliticsScot)

Gareth Wardell (Grouse Beater)

Jason Michael (Jeggit)

MacAlba

Mr Malky

Tommy Sheridan

Tradasro

WeeDetour

Did you see the First Minister’s Press Conference? No, neither did we, unless you were on social media and had access to Russia Today!!!

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave a press conference yesterday, did you see it? Well if you relied on BBC or STV you would have seen a heavily edited version. I however watched it in its entirety on RT (Russia Today). Yes, the people of Scotland must rely on a foreign broadcaster to get our news as our own broadcasters work tirelessly against us.

How are the people of Scotland to make an informed choice when the mainstream media continue to undermine and side line our democratically elected First Minister and our democratically elected MSPs.

What was presented to the people of Scotland was a few edited seconds which did not please those who had watched the speech by both Nicola Sturgeon and Mike Russell, yes, he was there also. To a roomful of hacks, the First Minister set out her plans for Scotland should we be dragged out of the European Union against our will. She explained her decision to wait until the Brexit plan was known and that she would only decide on Scotland’s constitutional future then.

By the response in the room by so called journalists seemed very hostile indeed, but what is new in that department. Scotland’s First Minister, her MP’s, MSP’s and Councillors are all treated as if they have some sort of plague by these fraudsters. Not one, expecting perhaps the National, have any integrity whatsoever. They are paid by their masters to undermine all that is good in Scotland, their soul job is to make sure the people feel inferior and will sell Brexit to the public as if it is the best thing since slice bread.

These hacks have no interest in Scotland whatsoever, they would sooner see it destroyed to appease Westminster and their media baron bosses. They really have no place in this country. Why should the people of Scotland put up with this? There are many who have taken a stand against the BBC licence tax, and no wonder. Why should people pay for something that does not reflect their views. From an un-bias media who time and time again prove just how bias they are every time they opened their damn mouths.

Scotland has been side-lined, Scotland’s democratically elected government have been side-lined. The British Broadcasting Corporation should be renamed the CBC. Conservative Broadcasting Corporation. And let us not forget Scottish Television’s role in this. They should be utterly ashamed of themselves as their coverage is no better, perhaps that is why they have seen a major dip in their viewing figures. There is only so many times the mainstream media can put out the same old tired rhetoric, of Scotland being too wee, too poor, and too stupid. The people have woken up; even those avid elderly viewers are starting to see through the nonsense. It is an insult to the intelligence when the blatant bias is on show for all to see, when hacks attack our democratically elected politicians, when they are shut out of debates, ridiculed and humiliated whilst being interviewed.

Next time I hope the First Minister does not bother to invite them, perhaps Broadcasting Scotland, Independence live, and Phantom Power would do a better job. Might be online, but social media seems to be taken over the mainstream these days.

 

The end is nigh…or is it?

Like most in the independence movement, I am chomping at the bit for Scotland to be an independent country. And believe me my friends, Scotland is more than capable. You only have to watch the meltdown of unionist journalists and politician to know this. This week has been particularly interesting, especially the wee poll Scotland in Union put out to fool everyone. Trouble is, they are only fooling themselves. Lulling themselves into a false sense of security as they believe the country is with them. It is not and with our exit from the European Union less than five months away, more and more people are thinking of independence and what that would mean for them.

I have said all along that we will only bring people with us when their livelihoods are at stake, when their cushy little lives are threatened. And it would seem they are threatened. That said, there are those who are thinking of their businesses and what leaving the union would do to them. Therefore, it is works both ways; those who will be affected by our ‘FORCED’ withdrawal from the European Union. And those who believe their business would suffer if we leave the Westminster Union. Those are real concerns and must be addressed.

It is hard to know where the balance is, are there more people worried about us leaving the European Union, worried for their jobs, do they outweigh those who do business with England? We in the independence movement must take this into consideration, we mustn’t be persuaded by the polls that show an increase for independence for Scotland because polls have been wrong before. However, by the way the unionist parties and journalists are acting, there must be a reason. Telling the First Minister to forget independence could be a bluff, perhaps to goad her into going too early, or they could genuinely be frightened because they know the end is nigh for the union. Either way we will know soon.

The ramping up of scare stories about what will happen when we leave the European Union is just that, scare stories. We do not know because we have not left yet, therefore it is something to bear in mind when we leave the union with Westminster. There are already scare stories of things being worse if Scotland leaves the union.

Worse for which part though?

We are always told how bad it would be if Scotland left, but never how bad it would be for England, therefore, the next time a unionist politician tells us how bad it would be for Scotland, perhaps we should ask him or her to explain how bad it would be for England. I have a suspicion it would be worse for them, but no journalist or politician will tell you that.

The end is nigh, either way, soon, the people of Scotland will have to make a choice, question is, do we leave it to our leaders, or do we demand it for ourselves?