BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Briggen

Listed below are comments made by Briggen between Sunday, 4th January 2009 and Monday, 9th March 2009.

«Newer
Older»

'A good day for Mr Gray' 2:42pm on 09 Mar 2009 #100 Sheneval

Arguably, perhaps, but, welcome though the 2011 elections will be, the issues will, of course, be many and various. Consequently, various competing claims about support for independence and for an independence referendum will continue to be made, even if the independence party comes out on top again.

Even if the SNP were to win a majority in that election, the unionist opposition would doubtless claim that that merely reflected support for matters already within the competence of the Scottish Parliament.

The only way to gauge public opinion on the independence issue clearly and reliably would appear to be to separate it from other issues by holding a referendum. This is, I believe, why the SNP wants to do that and why unionist parties do not.
'A good day for Mr Gray' 2:23pm on 09 Mar 2009 #96 northhighlander

I have not grown quite tired of the blinkered unionism that infiltrates these posts from time to time, tiresome though much of it may be.

Minority opinion should not be ignored.
'A good day for Mr Gray' 1:50pm on 09 Mar 2009 #89 Sheneval

According to the most recent opinion poll on Scottish independence, only a minority of Scots expressed support for the Union (about 40 per cent), most of the remainder expressing support for independence.

That being so, it appears to be the case that the independence issue is important to a substantial proportion of the population of Scotland, to say the least.

How large that proportion is, of course, can only be accurately gauged if an independence referendum is held, which the Scottish branch of the political party which has just been meeting in Dundee appears now to be determined to prevent for some reason.
Elementary arithmetic 4:20pm on 03 Mar 2009 #13 miked10270

I note what you say and take it on board.

As for the return of our local officer, without wishing to make a general point based on this, I am actually very confident that this is a total and utter certainty. If, however, it doesn't go through, I'll let you know.

Apparently, the police service in this part of the world is in the process of engaging in a comprehensive re-organization following a review of policing methods. Don't ask me for details, though.
Elementary arithmetic 2:03pm on 03 Mar 2009 #4 miked10270

No, with respect, we in our small village are getting our locally based neighbourhood bobby back, the one they swiped from us in 2003, saying we were such law-abiding citizens that we were a complete waste of their time . . . after which minor lawlessness, followed by quite a few substantial thefts and then the cannabis-growing and the white slavery. OK, so I lied about the white slavery, but at least we know it won't happen now.

So PC Murdoch IS coming back, just as soon as a wee hoosie has been prepared for him and an upside-doon bucket for oor wullie to sit upon.

The SNP government be praised and blessings descend upon all who voted for it.
The big freeze 5:17pm on 12 Feb 2009 #134 Ed Iglehart

Oh, I expect nothing other than to carry on travelling hopefully. Should one ever succeed in arriving anywhere, that is a bonus.

#130 bighullabaloo

I'm so sorry. Have I trodden on your territory? A thousand apologies.

Of course they are claiming to be impartial, as is so very well known. That goes without saying, I would have thought. What purpose would be served in being biased if one did not claim to be impartial? The more convincing the claim to impartiality the more profitable the exercise in biased reporting is likely to be.
The big freeze 11:55am on 12 Feb 2009 #112 Matthew_Hicks

To announce that a measure for which one has no parliamentary majority will be introduced when one can command a majority for it is a plain and simple statement which comprises an incontrovertible statement of fact concerning the present parliamentary arithmetic and an undertaking which would appear to be identical to the undertaking given in the SNP's 2007 election manifesto.

As the 2007 election produced no majority to permit the SNP government to introduce LIT in the present parliament, it is unsurprising and logical in the circumstances in which it finds itself for the governing party to point out at this stage the need to secure such a majority at the next Scottish general election and the intention of doing so.

The alternative would appear to be to flog a dead horse, which is not a sensible course of action for anyone to pursue, I venture to suggest. Perhaps you disagree. If so, please state your reasons for wishing the government to flog a dead horse.
The big freeze 09:46am on 12 Feb 2009 #83 fourstrokes

My goodness me, my dear fellow. One condemns inaccurate reporting of a statement issued by the Scottish Government and is represented as being opposed to "critical reporting". My dear fellow, your misrepresentation of my #57 speaks for itself. I submit that there is a distinction to be drawn between inaccurate reporting and critical reporting. The fact that I am aware of it and you are apparently are not aware of it does not indicate to me that I should "seriously get a life", whatever that is supposed to mean.

I am perfectly well aware, thank you so much, that there is more than one political party advocating independence. I find nothing in my post which should give rise to any supposition that I might be unaware of this fact.

I stated a reason for being seriously concerned about the reliability of the BBC so far as the reporting of news is concerned with particular reference to the matter which is the subject of this thread. I contrasted its account of the Finance Secretary's statement with an extensive quotation of that statement so as to facilitate comparison of the two. On the basis of this comparison I find that the UK state's broadcasting system has carried out its not very surprising function of defending the UK state and its interests, which are, of course, diametrically opposed to those of the governing party at Holyrood.

Criticism of the BBC is not allowed? Criticism of an organisation whose practices have been found to be worthy of criticism in the past is not to be tolerated? One is to be urged to 'get a life' if one lifts a finger to submit a post in the least bit critical of it? Apparently so. Your suggestion that I might desire "slavish reporting" of any political party is a contemptible misrepresentation of my post. The fact that you choose to stoop to that is quite revealing and rather interesting, as it is essentially misrepresentation that is the subject of that post. To misrepresent a post on misrepresentation is clearly not only to defend misrepresentation but to add insult to injury by practising it yourself.

Thankfully, we can look elsewhere for reliable information, and I urge people to do so. The BBC is not to be relied upon for accurate reporting of Scottish politics. Its well established and wholly to be expected bias in favour of the UK state is a fact of life which we need constantly to take into consideration. The question of whether any of us also need to "get a life" appears to me to be neither here nor there.
The big freeze 7:08pm on 11 Feb 2009 The BBC, while showing a representation of what appeared to be purported to be the tearing up of the SNP manifesto, informed me at the beginning of this evening's news on BBC1 that the SNP had torn up its manifesto commitment concerning Local Income Tax . As I find, however, that this is in fact not the case, it is apparent that the BBC has again shown itself to be a disreputable organisation devoted to the flouting of the democratic will of the people of Scotland by disseminating outrageously false information about the SNP government. Heads should roll.

As a previous poster has indicated, the actual intent of the minority SNP government is as it always has been: to introduce LIT when it can command a parliamentary majority to do so. In the present parliament it has proved impossible to construct such a majority, as the Finance Secretary said in the Scottish Parliament today:

"(...) our proposal to abolish the unfair council tax and replace it by a fairer local income tax would give the biggest tax cut for low and middle income Scots in a generation.

"When we launched the proposal in 2007, we identified a 450 million pound tax saving, with two thirds of Scots better off and fewer than 2 out of ten at the very top of the income scale paying a little more.

"However, the financial context has changed.

"The current Labour government in London has announced a reduction of as much as 500 million pounds in Scotland’s budget next year and the year after - a planned 1 billion pound raid on Scottish public services.

"These UK government cuts will have a substantial impact - threatening frontline services, reducing investment and undermining our work to create and protect jobs. Their planned cuts are the wrong choice as we emerge from the current recession.

"Presiding Officer, it would not be wise, and indeed would not be possible, to introduce a tax reduction of the scale we propose in the face of such swingeing Westminster imposed cuts.

"We have also taken account of the Parliamentary vote on 4 December and the experience of the budget process over the past few weeks.

"Those events highlighted in the starkest possible terms the realities of minority government. The parliamentary arithmetic means that while we might get the support of the Liberal Democrats for our proposals to introduce a local income tax, the Labour and Conservative parties are united in their opposition.

"The Green Party MSPs, while opposed to the council tax, have made clear they do not support local income tax. Margo MacDonald believes that such a radical reform should be considered only once Parliament has full control over taxation matters.

"In short - we cannot put together a stable majority to enable us successfully to steer detailed local income tax legislation through this Parliament.

"Indeed, the parliamentary vote in December last year made clear that there is no consensus in this Parliament on the best way forward for local taxation.

"The Cabinet has therefore decided not to introduce legislation to abolish the unfair Council Tax and replace it with a local income tax until after the election in 2011.

"But make no mistake, this government will fight that election to win a parliamentary majority that backs the abolition of the unfair council tax.

"And we look forward to a financial environment at that time more suitable to the introduction of a fairer local income tax."

The BBC has demonstrated that it is an utter disgrace, an anti-democratic servant of the unionist parties in their determination to oppose the Scottish National Party and the right of the people of Scotland to choose to reject the UK and opt for independence. The BBC's claim to be an independent purveyor of reliable news is completely shot to pieces. What a sham. That organisation has shown time and time again that it is nothing more than an arm of the UK state. It IS the UK state in broadcasting form. But then we knew that.
Christmas cheer in the chamber 2:12pm on 04 Jan 2009 The Labour UK government attempts, for blatantly party-political reasons, to sabotage a vitally urgent and essential element of the Scottish Government's transport-infrastructure programme, the building of a second Forth road bridge, and the Scottish Labour poodle immediately whines, upon being given the cue to do so, that this shows that the SNP administration is incompetent. The Labour Party should stop playing petty political games that harm the Scottish interest. It is a disgrace.

Here, then, is yet more evidence of the unsatisfactory nature of the devolution settlement, which seems to be allowed to work, after a fashion, only so long as the same party is in power in both London and Edinburgh.

This is undemocratic and untenable. The Scottish interest requires that devolution be replaced by independence, and the sooner the better.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

Briggen