Lingering virus
Some stories rise up the news agenda then fall, all in a single day.
Some linger longer.
Others hover persistently in the background, occasionally breaking through.
Swine flu falls into the latter category.
When first detected, it was dominant.
Remember the fuss when the first confirmed cases arrived back in Scotland?
The grim expectation must be that it is about to become dominant as a news issue again.
We must all simply hope that the vaccination programme is as successful as possible in limiting the impact.
On this issue, as Health Secretary in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has proved capable, steady and focused.
She has offered the right balance of blunt warnings tempered by sensible reassurance.
She has worked co-operatively with counterparts in London.
Due praise too for health officials in Scotland who have responded efficiently to date.
Again, we must simply hope that this effort is sustained in the notably challenging period ahead.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~15~RS~)
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This comment has been referred to the moderators. Explain.
So, nothing about the Scottish Labour MPs with their snouts in the trough or the looming by-election in Glasgow NE or even the the lack of interest by the UK government to secure the rights for the fishermen in Scotland. Instead we get a piece about a 'flu that might or might not affect Scotland in the coming winter. Thanks Brian.
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On the previous thread comment 754 Brownedov wrote:
Glasgow City Council have informed me that they only received the writ on Monday 19 October. They have this morning put a link to the new
I wonder, does this mean that the BBC were wrong to effectively render the first few minutes of Salmond's speech inaudible?
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This deserves another mention:
Click Here
I wonder if the Scottish media will have the gall to completely ignore this emerging 'Local Hero' story?
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Is that it Brian? Is that all you can muster?
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In England:
CON 47 (+8)
LAB 24 (-1)
LD 21 (-3)
Good grief (or words to that effect !!)
Where is the Labour vote going in Scotland?
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You're correct about swine 'flu, Brian, and the winter will certainly tell us more, but doesn't your "[o]thers hover persistently in the background, occasionally breaking through" apply equally - or at least until 12 November - to the by-election candidates in general and Mr Bain in particular.
Is some investigative journalist from the BBC planning to ask Mr Bain about where he currently lives during the working week, his familial status and where he pays Council Tax?
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Brian love - You can have more than one sentence in a paragraph you know. We're not Sun readers.
Political Betting are reporting that the latest MORI poll puts the Conservatives on 47% in England, a massive 23% lead over Labour. Their percentage lead over Labour is greater than their total share of the vote in Scotland. Even if every single Scot votes Labour at the next election we'll still get a Tory government.
Someone ought to explain basic arithmetic to Jim Murphy.
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Yes, Ms Sturgeon and her team have reacted very well to the swine flu problem but I for one, despite being in a high risk category, will NOT be having the vaccination. If one looks back at the last time swine flu reared it's ugly head in 1976, the vaccine had to be withdrawn because of serious side-effects. Indeed many people actually got flu and others went on to develop the possibly fatal condition, Guillain-Barre Syndrome which affects the nervous system rather like a raging attack of MS.
In the US, the government had to pay out millions in compensation to side-effects sufferers. I can't see any of our governments doing the same. It all boils down to this; how likely am I to get swine flu? And how likely is the vaccine liable to make me ill. The answer to the first is about 25% and the second...well we don't actually know. I'm not about to leap into the unknown. I say, give ALL the cabinet the vaccination and all their families it and then wait and see how it goes. If any member of the cabinet pops off then it'll be, 'Goodbye and thanks for all the fish (never could spell)'.
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Nicola has done well and co-operation between neighbouring countries is the norm rather than unusual. Welcome to the future!
Now. As to polling, I mentioned the English only data in the recent Ipsos-Mori poll as a new development. Turns out that this was commissioned by Mike Smithson at Political Betting
http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2009/10/21/the-blues-open-up-23-point-gap-in-england/#comments
It looks like the new PB polling by Angus Reid (the Canadian Company) might also start publishing England only data.
PB gives us the English change over the Conference season
CON 47 (+8) : LAB 24 (-1) : LD21 (-3)
Why am I posting this? Because for the first time, England is being measured as a distinct political system on its own (which it is).
The political differences between Scotland and England will therefore be highlighted in the 6 months up to the election. These polls tell us little about the Scottish position, of course, and we really need post Conference polling here.
As I thought at the time, the SNP wish for a balanced Parliament seems unlikely, given that the polling suggests almost half of the English will vote Tory. Scots voters need to see what is going to happen and I go back to the point I made previously. "Which party will best protect Scotland?"
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I hope to see little Nicola having the vaccine live on tv, just to show the public that the rumours about it's safety are untrue. Maybe she'll do a Tony Blair and say " not for me or mine , but ok for the punters "
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Onlin Ed Here
Links to the Newsnet Scotland blog are now being prohibited by the mods. I believe that this is the only blog to be censored by the BBC in Scotland.
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I would like to nominate this story for a glencampbelly award, in the section for "having to say something to avoid discussing a labour problem". It tells us nothing new, we already knew Ms Sturgeon handled things much better than her counterparts.
Desperate stuff indeed. How much have labour MPs scammed from the taxpayer, nothing or millions ? I really want to know.
Does the labour candidate for the forthcoming by-election actually live in london ?
Go on Brian try blogging on why we still don't know the answers to the questions I have posed.
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13. astonishedII
"Does the labour candidate for the forthcoming by-election actually live in london ? "
I think this has turned out to be a non-story. Willie Bain has a home in London, but stays with his Mammy when he's in Glasgow. Like a student, he is entitled to be on two electoral rolls as long as he only votes once in any election.
If he spends as much time in Glasgow as Labour suggest, then there have to be questions asked as to whether he is giving loyal service to the students of South Bank University - but that's a matter for them.
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#4, if Wardog is correct on that the mainstream Scottish media should be screaming it from the rooftops (if they were neutral). The fact that Bain served as Speaker Oink's Election Agent might be worth a mention? Nevermind that he already has practice at playing the absentee landlord before even entering the absentee landlord parliament!
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I'm going to post a link to the newsnet scotland blog on the next comment - no more than that.
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Here's the link.
http://newsnetscotland.blogspot.com/
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Labour in London = Lingering Virus?
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#17. Excellent news blog, Ed!
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17. U14094468
Just read your latest blog. Very good.
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afternoon ,all those who are not too chuffed at the choice of subject for this latest blog are possibly missing the point.
Could it be that Brian actually quite likes his job and the topics he chooses are the nearest too what we want to debate that he can get away with?
he might be the BBC Scotland political editor, but even he has gaffers!!
If Mr Bain had not made the comment about living in the constituency just to make the snp candidate look bad there would be no problem. The SCREECHER made the same stupid mistake in the Glasgow east bi-election.
I don't think the BBC said anything about that so don't hold your breath guy's
Sid
PS please don't get drawn into the religion debate stick to what matters.
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#4 On line ed
All good stuff but how and when does the info go out to the public at large without the cooperation of the media?
Twice my e-mails on the subject have been turned down on The Times article.
Dr Wilson's speech at the SNP conference suggested that the party had to get tougher and start using the same mud slinging tactics as the opposition parties. Mr Bain's background would be a good place to start. There must be opportunities coming up for David Kerr or others to drop it into the conversation on Newsnight Scotland for example.
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Brian wrote: Some stories rise up the news agenda then fall, all in a single day.
A not-so-subtle reference to the Al Megrahi story yesterday perhaps? The two fingered salute?
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23. hamish42
"the same mud slinging tactics as the opposition parties"
Wilson was talking about emphasising the negatives of the Union - not mud-slinging. Let's not go down that road.
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al-Megrahi has died. Coverage on Sky.
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Al-Megrapi has died, unconfirmed.
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news flash - 16:24 radio Scotland reporting unconfirmed reports of the death of Mr Al Magrahi.
confirmed by Lybia.
sid
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23. hamish42
"
Dr Wilson's speech at the SNP conference suggested that the party had to get tougher and start using the same mud slinging tactics as the opposition parties."
I'm a bit dubious about Gordon Wilson's proposal. And I suspect I am far from being alone in this. Acknowledging that others may have a different perspective, I am totally convinced that the rise in support for the SNP is very largely due to it having eschewed the negativity of the unionist parties. I think the SNP should be very, very wary of losing the goodwill they have won by being positive and optimistic. In fact, I think they should build on this perception.
Having said that, they should not be afraid of going on the attack where this is warranted. But they must be very selective and highly disciplined in doing so. The targets should be policies, not personalities. Future intentions rather than past records.
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#25
Mudslinging v negativity
Is there a difference?
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29 Electric
I couldn't agree more. I firmly believe it's the positive outlook the SNP promote that has people switching to them rather than all the negative mudslinging the Unionist parties throw around. You are far more likely to enjoy the company of a positive person than that of a doom and gloom monger
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30. hamish42
"Mudslinging v negativity
Is there a difference?"
Of course there is. Negativity is about hammering home the cost of the Union and its immoral stances - Iraq, aggression, Trident etc etc. Mudslinging is personalising attacks on individual politicians.
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According to Sky the al-Megrahi story originated in London. Dirty tricks anyone?
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Recent noteworthy news Story's since Brians' last blog...
1. Orange Order pledges support for Labour Party.
2. Mr Bain (prospective Labour MP) Possibly not living or spending as much time in the Glasgow North constituency as he claimed.
3. Al Magrahi evidence shipped to Germany and the USA without the Court's knowledge.
And what do we get from Brian...
... A dubious and fairly pointless post on Swine Flu (Which by the way has killed far fewer people than the common winter flu has just killed in the last few months)!
Get real Taylor, you are supposed to be a journalist!!!
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And further to the dirty tricks suggestion
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Reports-Lockerbie-Bomber-Al-Megrahi-Has-Died-Sky-Sources/Article/200910315410685?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15410685_Reports_Lockerbie_Bomber_Al-Megrahi_Has_Died%2C_Sky_Sources
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Sturgeon has proved herself capable, and impressive.
Out of all SNP future leaders I respect her the most.
I met her in Stirling when she did the Uni lecture thing a short while back, and she was realy pleasant- not at all how she seems to be portrayed by the mainstream media.
Her work in the medical field has been the most solid SNP ministerial performance from the entire team. To be fair I think she'd make a good leader for the SNP sooner rather than later, Salmonds own persona is very popular but it risks turning the SNP movement into the Salmond party- they have too much positives to offer to let this happen.
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The SNP are the only party to oppose Trident.
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Ps. If Magrahi is not already deceased, then he must be very close to the end for reports such as these to be surfacing.
...Hope the innocent dude does not suffer too much (a wish I do not have for the real perpetrators of the crime).
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23. At 4:09pm on 21 Oct 2009, hamish42 wrote:
"Dr Wilson's speech at the SNP conference suggested that the party had to get tougher and start using the same mud slinging tactics as the opposition parties. Mr Bain's background would be a good place to start. There must be opportunities coming up for David Kerr or others to drop it into the conversation on Newsnight Scotland for example."
I think the SNP must keep positive. I have said this before. The positive vision offered is infinately superior to the negativity of Labours rhetoric of 'Scotland cannie make it mate'.
Any "Broken Britain" campaign risks surrendering the best electoral advantage the SNP have, their positive, strong alternative vision.
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23. At 4:09pm on 21 Oct 2009, hamish42 wrote:
Mr Bain's background would be a good place to start. There must be opportunities coming up for David Kerr or others to drop it into the conversation on Newsnight Scotland for example.
There certainly will be, Brian Taylor's 'Big Debate' features the candidates this Friday, I will be listening intently.
The problem is that Brian will ask generic questions on policy and will not scrutinise individual claims of 'local man'.
So yes, it's up to David Kerr to go after Bain himself and highlight the fact that he abandoned Glasgow for London. He also needs to nail him on the 'Integrity' and 'secomd home mortgage' blunder now that Global has demanded the expenses review leave such perks well alone.
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The UK
http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2009/10/lords-expenses.html
"No accountability, no transparency, no democracy" That was Labour MP John Mann's verdict on the House of Lords
Labour have been in power for 12 years, but they and their Tory pals in the British political class still have done little to sort out the endemic corruption in the institution that is sovereign under English Law.
Scotland (and I don't mean the Baroness) needs to rid itself of the Brits.
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Online Ed Here,
The SNP need not stoop to the level of Murphy and co - however I am firmly supportive of them letting loose on partisan journalists like Glenn Campbell.
The BBC are refusing to reign this individual in, so like the famous Lions rugby team of the seventies when the southern hemisphere refs refused to act, the SNP will have to deal with him themselves.
If Scotland had any decent satire shows then Campbell would be lampooned mercilessly along with the likes of Gray, Foulkes, Curran and Murphy.
Yes, Eck would get it as well, as would Mrs Doubtfire, but the real fun would be had with the aforementioned others.
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About Project Censored
They are looking for stories.
"Some of the most important stories Project Censored evaluates are sent to us as nominations from a worldwide community of concerned citizens."
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I notice that al-Megrahi's lawyer is denying that he has died so I think it's probably not true. However, it does probably indicate that the end is probably near for the poor man--and I have finally come to the conclusion with the most recent evidence that he was indeed framed for the crime.
Having had a near relative die of cancer, I know that for him the end will be a release from horrendous suffering.
I'm not sure that David Kerr should go after Bain. Perhaps he should raise the questions, but it should be done very carefully so as to not appear making a personal attack. This almost always goes over badly with the electorate and it gives Baen the chance to say that he comes home 4 days a week to care for his ailing Mum. Now I'm skeptical but Kerr shouldn't just invite him to make an argument that would likely gain him sympathy.
Always remember, attacks CAN turn around and bit you on the arse.
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35. oldnat
Expect this inquiry to finally nail the "release for oil deals" conspiracy theories. Which won't stop the conspiracy freaks spouting about it, of course. But it will show them for the fools they are.
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AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED A KILT WAVING, BRAVEHEART NATIONALIST,I HAVE TO SAY NICOLA STURGEON DOES DESERVE SOME CREDIT FOR HER RECENT WORK,HAVING SAID THAT,THE SUBJECT IS NOT ONE TO BE PLAYING POLITICS WITH.
ONE WISHES ONE COULD SAY THE SAME OF HER BAFFOON OF A LEADER,THE MAN WHO NOT SO LONG AGO SAID SCOTLAND HAD THE BEST BANKING SYSTEM IN THE WORLD!WHO DID AWAY WITH BRIDGE TOLLS ONLY TO BEG FOR A LOAN TO BUILD A NEW BRIDGE!WHO TOOK AN OFFICIAL CAR 200 YARDS TO A CURRY HOUSE!WHO CHARGED US FOR FOOD AND HOTEL STAYS WHEN PARLIAMENT WAS SHUT!WHO TOOK TWO OR THREE SALARIES,WHEN MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT GOT ONE!AND WHO FACILITATED THE ABERDEENSHIRE CLEARANCES FOR ANOTHER GOLF COURSE!
PEOPLE ARE REALISING,THAT TALKING BIG [ REMEMBER GLENROTHES ?! ]IS A FOOL`S GAME.THE END IS COMING FOR ALEX I FEAR !
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47. sadnats
More accustomed to crayons, are you?
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47. sadnats
The "Caps Lock" key is the third one up on the EXTREME left.
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47. At 5:40pm on 21 Oct 2009, sadnats
" HAVE TO SAY NICOLA STURGEON DOES DESERVE SOME CREDIT FOR HER RECENT WORK,HAVING SAID THAT,THE SUBJECT IS NOT ONE TO BE PLAYING POLITICS WITH"
Sturgeon has not ever sought to play politics with this issue. This is why I respect her so much, she restricts herself to doing the job at hand.
There is no evidence to support any claim or indication that she has played politics over this issue.
48. At 5:47pm on 21 Oct 2009, Electric Hermit wrote:
"47. sadnats
More accustomed to crayons, are you?"
lol - I think you hit the nail on the head with that.
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47 sadnats
"PEOPLE ARE REALISING,THAT TALKING BIG [ REMEMBER GLENROTHES ?! ]IS A FOOL`S GAME.THE END IS COMING FOR ALEX I FEAR !"
I take it you are unfamiliar with the SNP recent polling figures? They are hardly 'talking big' and heading for the end.
Labour however..Captain Jack Mediocre, Bendy Wendy, Gray-man..the joke is on your lot [I assume your Labour given your zealot behaviour].
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Further to oldnat's #35 -
Scottish Affairs Committee announces new inquiry
The Committee will be looking at:
* Whether there are effective channels of communication between the UK Government and Scottish Executive to ensure that each is informed and can comment on decisions and policy of both administrations that affects the other;
* In particular, whether there are satisfactory arrangements in place between the UK Government and Scottish Executive to assess effectively the impact of UK foreign policy on Scottish interests and vice versa;
* How these arrangements functioned during the negotiations with Libya including the Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) and the consideration by the Scottish Executive of the PTA application from Libya;
* This inquiry will also include examination of the co-ordination between the UK Government and Scottish Executive in representing Scotland’s interests to the EU as well as Scotland’s interface with individual EU institutions. This was previously a separate inquiry which will now be included into the new inquiry;
* How could the Joint Ministerial Committee be better used to improved the working relationships between the UK Government and Scottish Executive; and
* How will the revised Memorandum of Understanding and concordats between the UK Government and Scottish Executive improve matters.
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Sturgeon is a credit to the SNP and a formidable politician, every time she stands in for Alex Salmond on FMQ's she does a great job and makes Labour look like fools, actually this is quite easy nowadays they do it for themselves.
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Why is it that Sadnats only flies to his keyboard when al-Megrahi's name is mentioned?
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Over at Labour List Willie claims he is going to do something about Glasgow Buses, stop Glasgow being ripped off and other buffoonery that is actually the remit of the local MSPs and councillors.
He wants to make Glasgow safer..... funny I thought the overall recorded crime figures are going down due to SNP action on the recruitment and retention of Glasgow's Finest and getting polis to do their job rather than filling in reams of forms to make Nu Labour look good. Isn't crime reduction also the responsibility of Glasgow City Council; that fine bastion of 'New Labour' thinking?
I think this LPPC needs some sort of injection.... Nurse Nichola, the big jaggy needle if you please....
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# 767 oldnat
Strange that you say that but I only found one.
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Guest Post: What price t'union?
"I believe in the union. But I also believe that, the way we are going, the union is destined to end in divorce. A pessmistic view, you might think. But I have to look at what the SNP have achieved in Scotland, and when I do look I see something quite extraordinary."
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#47 Sadnads;
A bit of advice, don't type in all capital letters when you have nothing sensible to say. Even Labour politicians have learned that when they don't have an argument, it is better to ignore the subject rather than shout about it.... at least sometimes *;o)
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47. Funny. That "buffoon of a leader" has the highest polling numbers of any leader in the Scotland (and in the UK for that matter). Either a lot of people like a buffoon for a leader or else your take on the man is a highly partisan one not shared by most Scots. One or the other. :-)
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# 47 sadnat - Welcome but there is no need to SHOUT mate we can see (hear) you fine. Suggest you have a read through some of the recent blogs on BT's site regarding the "BAFFOON" as most of the questions you raise have been discussed comprehensively.
PS You don't have to be a kilt wearing etc, to credit good governance, just human. But beware of the moat in the "BAFFON"'s eye as there would appear to be planks in the eyes of the other parties! Tell us how you feel about having the orange lodge backing labour for example?
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#47 sadnats - sorry but people just don't trust a word any labour ,so called, politician says , i wonder why?
is it because a very large percentage of them are able to tell a different lie out of each side of their mouth at the same time?
is it because of their crass stupidity?
is it because of their arrogance?
Is it because they have nothing positive to say about anything?
is it because they ran out of any new ideas years ago?
is it because they have left the UK as close to bankruptcy as you can get?
is it because the MP's have robbed us blind?
is it because big business is more important to them than Joe Public?
or is it because the United Kingdom has had it's day or past it's sell by date because one thing is certain United it ain't
what the people of England see as a priority and what the people of Scotland see as a priority is like chalk and cheese.
Sid
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55. slaintemha
"Willie claims he is going to do something about Glasgow Buses, stop Glasgow being ripped off and other buffoonery that is actually the remit of the local MSPs and councillors."
He's spent so much time in London that he doesn't realise that Westminster doesn't run things up here any more.
Maybe our eagle-eyed media will ask him some difficult questions about what an MPs remit actually is (I can dream!) - actually the easy questions would be too hard.
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#2 gedguy2
Good post, and many thanks for your investigative work on the previous thread. There may well only be enough proof to accuse Mr Bain of being economical with the truth, but he certainly needs to be challenged to justify his story so far on the facts.
Clearly Aunty Beeb won't run with this, so the $64,000 question is how to get a mainstream journalist to run with it.
Iain Macwhirter has been posting stuff far superior to the herd of late. You might want to give him the details via his blogspot, which is always worth reading anyway.
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#61 Sidthesceptic, all of the above... plus the fact that they want to build new Trident for loads of dosh we can not afford, they want to build new nuclear power stations and they seem happy to follow illegal invasions of sovereign independant countries around the world.
There is probably a few more reasons also?
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61. sidthesceptic
"what the people of England see as a priority and what the people of Scotland see as a priority is like chalk and cheese."
I'm not sure that is true. People tend to concerned about much the same things wherever you go. Unfortunately, voters in England lack a political party which genuinely represents those concerns.
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"what the people of England see as a priority and what the people of Scotland see as a priority is like chalk and cheese.
Sid"
Not neccessarily true. I think Scots and English folk both feel concern at the recession for example. We are all in that together at least.
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#17 U14094468/Online Ed
Thanks for the update - good stuff, and without any pecuniary interest in it, I do think the blogspot series, with a personal dashboard of blogs one follows, offers an excellent range of opinon, from Dean's and Ian Dale's to yours and J.A. MacN's. I doubt it's a secret which end of the spectrum I incline toward.
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The BBC does use "British" inappropriately!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/fromthewebteam/2009/10/wednesday_21_october_2009.html
"Britain's white working class have been left behind, allowing the BNP and far-right groups to flourish."
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I have to echo what others said about the topic of this blog. Is the swine flu really a political topic? Aren't there more pressing political matters to be discussed? I can see that an ongoing bye-election might be off-limits although the rules about that are a bit confusing to an American, but there are definitely other subjects at hand.
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66. deanthetory
"I think Scots and English folk both feel concern at the recession for example. We are all in that together at least."
But the solutions may be different due to significant differences in the way the economies are structured. Which is why we need independence.
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Online Ed Here
67. At 7:06pm on 21 Oct 2009, Brownedov wrote:
#17 U14094468/Online Ed
Thanks for the update - good stuff, and without any pecuniary interest in it, I do think the blogspot series, with a personal dashboard of blogs one follows, offers an excellent range of opinon, from Dean's and Ian Dale's to yours and J.A. MacN's. I doubt it's a secret which end of the spectrum I incline toward.
Noted.
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The divorce is coming I think,
JRMacClure hit the nail on the head, we have different priorities and we cannot capitalise on them when we are being funded by a restrictive block grant from another country.
We need the financial flexibility of any other modern nation to survive and prosper, under this union we never will. It's sad to say but I think supporters of the union are wrong to assume we benefit from being part of this outdated union, it is nice that we thought together through wars etc which is often the argument for maintaining the argument, but I see no reason why this couldn't long continue should Scotland be independent.
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Dean the Tory
Sadly I find that your, dare I say, praise of the SNP on this blog and your accusations of 'snake' like politics in the previous is dulled somewhat by your flat out lies claiming that Stirling University nationalists want to 'hang the Queen'
Perhaps if you hadn't spent all day on these blogs you might have made it down into the Student Union, who like us, are very interested in speaking to you over this remark.
I am the Convenor of the Student nationlists at the University and we've now been waiting over a week for Dean to find his way down to the Union and explain his comments.
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Brian - a very short blog today. Is this a sign that the BBC has caved into the Tory-Murdoch demands that the BBC reduce its footprint?
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69. JRMacClure
"I can see that an ongoing bye-election might be off-limits"
Comments aren't banned except during voting hours.
Swine flu was the main item on BBC Scotland News tonight - and Brian does tend to track these items.
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73. StirlingSpiel
Do you have a procedure for suspending someone who brings the Union into disrepute? (take "Union" in any meaning).
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11 KEYBRAES: She said on television today that she was not in a high-risk category and so was not eligible for vaccination at this stage but that she will be if the time comes.
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Watched PMQs today. Thought it really sad that Lindsay Roy,the once respected head teacher of Kirkcaldy HS, but now MP for Glenrothes, had sunk so low as to be asking a planted question about swine flu for GB to claim that "we are ahead of the world" in dealing with it.
Only problem was that Roy fluffed his lines by first of all congratulating NHS Fife---that would be NHS Fife working with the Scottish Government?
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Bored at work in the call centre again.
Is anyone else annoyed at the Scottish Tories wanting to privatise Scottish Water. I for one would rather not have the poor shoddy service received by our English neighbours!!! Plus keeping it public will help rake in money for the Scottish Treasury ;), selling it to those Water poor english lol.
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I see nothing wrong with a political blog featuring H1N1 flu today, given that the vaccination programme is being launched. Mark my words, if services grind to a halt as a result of the epidemic people will be jumping up and down and demanding to know why the Government didn't 'do something', so it certainly is a valid political topic.
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If there is one person in the Scottish Government I trust it is Sturgeon. She has proved her abiities as Health Secretary, and has driven NHS Trust managers to deliver.
The one issue that seems to have arisen with swine flu is the misdiagnosis carried out over the telephone. I have used NHS 24 a few times for other reasons and I have nothing but praise. But it is difficult to make a proper diagnosis over the telephone.
I'm well aware GPs and A&Es are stretched at the best of times. But I'd like to see a different approach to dealing with suspect cases.
However, I'm not a medical professional, even though I am a frequent visitor to A&E!
==============
72. At 7:25pm on 21 Oct 2009, nate_oz wrote:
The divorce is coming I think,
JRMacClure hit the nail on the head, we have different priorities and we cannot capitalise on them when we are being funded by a restrictive block grant from another country.
We need the financial flexibility of any other modern nation to survive and prosper, under this union we never will. It's sad to say but I think supporters of the union are wrong to assume we benefit from being part of this outdated union, it is nice that we thought together through wars etc which is often the argument for maintaining the argument, but I see no reason why this couldn't long continue should Scotland be independent.
Nate, the problem at the moment is that not enough people are interested in independence. If there was a huge ground swell of support people would be on the streets. They are not. More people ARE interested in independence, but at present many cannot see what would benefit them as an individual. One reason the SNP are so popular is that the current Westminster government is deeply unpopular. Added to the fact the opposition up here score more own goals than Rangers (oops!) makes them appear even more professional.
But you have to show those who are completely disinterested in changing the status quo how they are being suppressed by England. They are free to walk the streets, they have free speech, they can vote who they like, they can live where they like. People have comfort in familiar surroundings. Independence to many is like moving house or moving to another country - they do not know what to expect. You have to give them a strong incentive to change.
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#75. Thanks for the explanation. I'd seen comments that there were some rules that applied--such as the thing blanking out part of Salmond's speech which still confuses me.
Your rules and ours on this side are quite different in this regard.
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76. At 7:43pm on 21 Oct 2009, oldnat wrote:
73. StirlingSpiel
Do you have a procedure for suspending someone who brings the Union into disrepute? (take "Union" in any meaning).
I'd suggest that if he thinks dean is being libellous he seeks legal advice rather than try and develop an argument on here. If what Dean is alleged to have stated is correct, then I would judge that to be out of order.
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Don't mean to spoil everyones evening.
The BNP are Scotland's problem too says Murphy
To use a gov site to denegrate another political party however odious they are is surely more of a threat to democracy than that said party.
Maybe Murphy should look and see who these members previously voted for, not pointing any fingers.
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#84. I'm sorry, but I don't see why Dean had the right to make such as statement here and yet you seem to say that StirlingSpiel doesn't have the right to defend himself from such an allegation.
In fact, you rather imply that you take Dean's word for it with no proof whatsoever and in the face of repeated denials. This is exactly the kind of thing that socalled "cybernats" are constantly being accused of saying without proof.
It is time that nationalists do deny making such statements and take to task the people who accuse them. My observation is that at least 75% of the truly nasty, negative statements come FROM unionists toward nationalists, not the other way around.
And yet I see nationalists meekly accept the accusation that "cybernats" are always in the wrong. I think this relates to the Scottish cringe issue.
Nationalists have as much right to present their viewpoint as any other group and when someone accuses them of such blatant wrongdoing, they should be required to come up with some proof
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84. Neil_Small147
"
I'd suggest that if he thinks dean is being libellous..."
There is no such thing as libel in Scottish law. It is called defamation. The distinction is important because the term "libel" implies a requirement for publication which does not apply. There is no distinction in Scotland between a written and a spoken defamation.
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My daughter is pregnant , which puts her at the front of the queue for the vaccine.
I have memories of thalidomide and am averse to her going anywhere near a drug untried on pregnant anything.
I am never reassured by Westminster and unwilling to take the Liam Donaldson word either.
I have to say my daughter declared her lack of interest in being innoculated , having declared herself healthy and rattling with vitamins ,she says she is prepared to chance 'flu rather than vaccine.
I know not how to advise her.Do I go with my fears and tell her to stick to her healthy routine and her vitamins?
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84. Neil_Small147
"if he thinks dean is being libellous he seeks legal advice"
We're talking student politics here. Just because dean posts in the big bad adult world, we're still talking about 18-21 year olds who (on all sides) have more passion than experience.
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Neil Small,
In response, I believe people will take to the streets when a referendum is more likely. People know the opposition parties are blocking this at the moment so why waste their energy. Also alot of people are interested in independence, it effects everyone in Scotland, to suggest that people are not is obsurd.
In regards to the SNP government, perhaps they are popular because they are actually doing a good job, that's nonsense about the Westminster parliament being unpopular and thats the only reason. The SNP were popular enough to win the election when the Westminster parliament was not as unpopular as it is today.
Us students are happy that we know longer have to pay a graduate endownment fee, I no longer have to pay tolls when I cross the bridge, and my mum hasn't suffered a 40% hike in council tax like under previous administrations, thats why the SNP are popular
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85. cynicalHighlander
"The BNP are Scotland's problem too says Murphy"
Odd that Murphy chose to add a couple of thousand to the BNP vote in Scotland. The actual figure was just over 27,000. Not the 29,000 he suggests. That was 2.5% of the vote - compared with 8% in the NW of England.
No one has suggested that Scotland is free of racism, but those spouting BNP slogans such as "British Jobs for British Workers" and promoting British Nationalism must take a fair amount of the blame for the number being as high as 2.5%.
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86. JRMacClure
"you seem to say that StirlingSpiel doesn't have the right to defend himself from such an allegation."
Not what I said at all. But we need to have a sense of proportion about student politics - and involving lawyers would be nonsense. I'm quite sure that StirlingSpiel and her/his colleagues are well capable of both defending themselves and exacting retribution than by using lawyers.
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84 Neil Small
There's no question as to the validity of Dean's comments, they were a flat out lie. There have been several attempts made to arrange a meeting between Dean, the University and the Student Nationalists to try and sort things out in a reasonable manner but he has summarily failed to make any efforts to participate.
As you say, the next stage is sadly legal action which I don't think anyone at the University wants to see, but I will not see my society's name dragged through the dirt in public like this. Least of all by the man who would have us believe him to be the compassionate face of Scottish Conservatives.
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86. JRMacClure
Sorry. Misread the post number you were referring to!
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92. oldnat
This is why we were willing to sit down and discuss this with Dean when it came to our attention. However, if he remains unwilling to get in contact with the Student Union and us to explain his comments and lodge an actual complaint if he feels its valid then we have to look at further action.
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#70 & #65 ,electric hermit ,thanks for your thoughts. I think I was trying to highlight the significant differences in the way Scotland and England see each other moving on from the situation we find ourselves in.
significant differences on nuclear power,immigration,social policy,Europe and the NHS to name but a few
Sid
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93. StirlingSpiel
Forgot to say "Welcome" btw!
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#92. Oldnat, look again. That was specifically in response to Neil Small's comment. It was not in response to yours and I didn't say you said that.
Nor did I refer in the least to lawyers. I said he had the right to defend himself here.
Perhaps it would be best if I stopped posting on this blog. Like the "cybernats" I'm getting a bit tired of defending myself from being too stupid and "silly" to speak.
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I do love a common English view of social class.
Over on the Newsnight blog this -
"10. At 8:47pm on 21 Oct 2009, hattie wrote:
There's no such thing as the working class. What you mean is poor people, those earning a low income or quite often unemployed. So why don't you call them that and stop pussy-footing around."
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#94. I will admit your comment upset me, but apology accepted.
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StirlingSpiel
StirlingSpiel I have been in hosptial overnight which is why I cancelled the meeting for today. Nothing about lack of engagement, I have sent Tom an email asking him to pass on his apologies to anyone affected. I assumed he would have passed on my apologies to you.
As for anything I have said about SUSNA on these blogs we can iron that out when I am not undergoing hospial visits perhaps?
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98. At 9:25pm on 21 Oct 2009, JRMacClure
"Perhaps it would be best if I stopped posting on this blog. Like the "cybernats" I'm getting a bit tired of defending myself from being too stupid and "silly" to speak."
Please keep on posting here, it would be a loss without you.
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90. At 8:59pm on 21 Oct 2009, nate_oz wrote:
Neil Small,
In response, I believe people will take to the streets when a referendum is more likely. People know the opposition parties are blocking this at the moment so why waste their energy. Also alot of people are interested in independence, it effects everyone in Scotland, to suggest that people are not is obsurd.
In regards to the SNP government, perhaps they are popular because they are actually doing a good job, that's nonsense about the Westminster parliament being unpopular and thats the only reason. The SNP were popular enough to win the election when the Westminster parliament was not as unpopular as it is today.
Us students are happy that we know longer have to pay a graduate endownment fee, I no longer have to pay tolls when I cross the bridge, and my mum hasn't suffered a 40% hike in council tax like under previous administrations, thats why the SNP are popular
If you read my comment I pointed out that it is ONE reason. And I never said the SNP are doing a bad job in government. Yes, there are areas where they could improve, but that applies to all parties anyway.
As for your first paragraph, I would suggest that if the vast majority of people wanted independence they would be out on the streets now demanding it. Support is growing, but has not yet reached the tipping point. To imply that people are just waiting at home for the right time sounds like Labour saying their voters all stayed at home when they lose a bye election.
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98. At 9:25pm on 21 Oct 2009, JRMacClure wrote:
#92. Oldnat, look again. That was specifically in response to Neil Small's comment. It was not in response to yours and I didn't say you said that.
Nor did I refer in the least to lawyers. I said he had the right to defend himself here.
Perhaps it would be best if I stopped posting on this blog. Like the "cybernats" I'm getting a bit tired of defending myself from being too stupid and "silly" to speak.
I made the comments because the last thing I want on here is two people having an argument about their own uni which has got nothing at all to do with what is discussed here, even if we all do go off topic a lot.
87. At 8:49pm on 21 Oct 2009, Electric Hermit:
I never was good at law!
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I am trying to get a handle on the "whiter than white" Willie Bain. Apparently he commutes to work three days a week in London but stays in Glasgow.No work available on the home patch then? Where does he work and he must be on a nice little earner for such little input. Does he get a second home allowance?
Before the Speaker was obliged to stand down for his flagrant mishandling of the MP's exoenses issue Mr Bain was allegedly his election agent so he must bear a great deal of responsibility for the present condition of Glasgow North East. Guilty by association as they say. Why then does it suddenly need his improving hand? Has he not done enough damage already?
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100. JRMacClure
Glad of that. Errors are minimised when the monicker is used as well as the post number.
Mr B's application via Firefox is great for that!
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Dean,
Of course such things as hospital appointments take priority, but once again please stop trying to portray an image that is a complete fabrication.
The Student Union have been trying to reach you since I brought this to their attention. I would be curious to know just how long you were in hospital, as I was at the University from 10am and you were posting on here before 5. When was your email sent? As it was not confirmed to me that you wouldn't be there until around half 3.
You should have received an email from the Student Union today offering a variety of dates for your convenience, please consult your calender before deciding this time.
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@86 JRMacCLure, spot on. I am sick to death of reading about comments (especially offensive ones) made by so called cybernats. One infamous unionist kept a painstakingly gathered file of these which upset him greatly and he often cited. It was kind of ironic as one days comment thread in the Daily Mail, Guardian or Telegraph would have yielded ten times as many far more virulently anti-Scottish ones, cancelling out all his good work.
If people are so pathetically naive as to have overlooked the possibility that some of these posts are just as likely to have been maliciously posted by unionists then more fool them.
I fear that those patriotic red white and blue types who have yet to get a suitable term of their own have been shortchanged in the blogosphere and as Glencambly has been successful enough to almost trip live off the First Minister's tongue, we'd better give them one forthwith.
Step forward and take a bow, the CYBERBRITS.
If we're finally getting tough with the British Brainwashing Company lets kick some behind on the blogosphere too. If we can't end the identifying of SNP posters with a snide term intended to make them appear outside the mainstream, lets play dirty just like them.
On this blog, for some delightful reason, in defiance of both the owners and the author, the cyberbrits ARE the "outsiders".
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104
Once again my apologies to everyone for bringing something like this onto the message boards when it could and should have been dealt with in the University.
However, as I have already pointed out Dean seems more interested on posting on here than showing his face there.
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105. carnoch
"I am trying to get a handle on the "whiter than white" Willie Bain."
He is a Senior Lecturer in Public Law and an Admissions Tutor in London South Bank University. He lives in a rented flat there where he is (quite legitimately) registered to vote. The stories about his having a wife and children in London were lies.
In reality he is a single guy who lives with his Mammy when he comes back to Scotland. According to the Labour Party he only works 3 days in London, and spends the rest of his time in his Mum's home. Presumably the University and his students are happy with that arrangement.
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106. oldnat
"Mr B's application via Firefox is great for that!"
Wouldn't be without it. All hail Mr B!
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#85 cynicalHighlander
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
What an odd rant by the Skeletor, asking everybody else but NuLab to bring his own former supporters back into the fold. I suppose it does demonstrate how skint NuLab are that they abuse their power as the UK government by getting the taxpayer to fund their plea. How many of their new 26,000 voters come from the SNP, the Greens or even the unLib unDems, I wonder? A few might have broken ranks from the Tories, I suppose, but few would have dared defy Aunty Bella.
On second thoughts, perhaps it demonstrates more the loss of control of NuLab's high command over their own MPs, since one must presume that they can no longer rely on their own lobby fodder to ban the BNP.
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#91 oldnat
"The actual figure was just over 27,000. Not the 29,000 he suggests. That was 2.5% of the vote - compared with 8% in the NW of England."
Sorry to nit-pick, but I wouldn't want it thought that as many as one in forty voters in Scotland chose the BNP.
The actual numbers were 27,174 voters and 2.46% of the vote.
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#85 CynicalHighlander,
http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/12863.html
"Mr Murphy said that BNP support in Scotland had increased ten fold in the past decade and now only our largest football stadiums could accommodate all Scottish BNP voters at once."
...He's not referring to Ibrox surely, as I just don't see him mean Celtic Park... and other than Hampden, these are indeed our largest football stadia *;o) LOL
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Topical story from the Herald:
Scottish Government delivers blow to Royal Mail.
The Scottish Government has awarded a multi-million pound postal contract to a private company in a move that has been denounced as “another nail in the coffin of the Royal Mail”.
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Online Ed Here
Looks like Labour will be back to their predictable worst tomorrow, if I am correct then Gray is expected to use the now well worn tactic of attacking an SNP minister. I think it's to be Fiona Hyslop for daring to take a break.
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108, Yep I think it is because the CyberBrits are truely in the minority... and the ones who do post, do so because they have a high tolerance to self embarrassment. :)
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107. At 9:54pm on 21 Oct 2009, StirlingSpiel
"I would be curious to know just how long you were in hospital"
I am not prepared to discuss my medical visits on here.
"When was your email sent? As it was not confirmed to me that you wouldn't be there until around half 3."
Couldnt have been 3:30, my email wasnt sent till quarter past 4.
"and you were posting on here before 5"
My first post on here today was at 4:57pm, long after I sent the email to Tom.
"You should have received an email from the Student Union today"
I have not recieved an email from the Uni today so far.
"please consult your calender before deciding this time."
My hosptial visit was entirely unexpected so no need for 'this time' remarks.
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106. oldnat
"Mr B's application via Firefox is great for that!"
[blushes]
aw shucks...
just in case anyone doesn't know about it, it is the bbc comment responder (you can tell I gave a lot of thought to its name ;)
You'll find a description of what it can do at that link, briefly it helps you to respond directly to posts and fills in the username and postnumber for you, it also qutoes text for you. You need add greasemonkey to firefox first - it's dead easy and you can get that here.
Still can't believe the beeb still haven't got round to building this sort of stuff in for everyone.
(i'll post on topic next, to make for this :)
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57. cynicalHighlander
Good post, thanks for the link.
I found it particularly interesting as I've always felt that the economic focus was largely an artifact of fact that it seems to be the unionists first hurdle for nationalist justification.
It looks like they've perhaps painted themselves into a corner by raising a crop of politicians on a deceitful presentation of these economics.
Or perhaps my initial premise is wrong and the economic focus can't be laid at the feet of unionist strategy.
Someone ought to tell me which it is, otherwise I may have to think - ouch!
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Online Ed Here
91. At 9:01pm on 21 Oct 2009, oldnat wrote:
85. cynicalHighlander
"The BNP are Scotland's problem too says Murphy"
Odd that Murphy chose to add a couple of thousand to the BNP vote in Scotland. The actual figure was just over 27,000. Not the 29,000 he suggests. That was 2.5% of the vote - compared with 8% in the NW of England.
No one has suggested that Scotland is free of racism, but those spouting BNP slogans such as "British Jobs for British Workers" and promoting British Nationalism must take a fair amount of the blame for the number being as high as 2.5%.
Cathy Jamieson has gone for a variation on the theme with her insistance that Labour will ensure 'Local Homes For Local People'. This is a BNP slogan right out of the Isle of Dogs, London in the early nineties when the BNP had a councillor elected in the ward.
The problem had been caused by the destruction of the old community by developers and of course the local people could not afford the new houses. Legislation at the time saw some local authority homes being awarded to immigrants who took the blame for the situation.
The solution would have been to build council houses - the very policy adopted by the SNP in Scotland.
Labour are moving onto very dangerous territory of late.
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#106. At 9:52pm on 21 Oct 2009, oldnat wrote:
100. JRMacClure
Glad of that. Errors are minimised when the monicker is used as well as the post number.
I always felt that there was a reason I shouldn't post here although I've lurked at this blog for quite some time. I wonder if anyone else other than myself who posts here is female.
Frankly, I doubt it.
At any rate, I apologize for entering where I am obviously adding nothing to the discussion. Electric Hermit has at last convinced me that I am indeed too stupid, ignorant, female, silly and irrational to take part in your very elevated conversations.
I'll probaby still lurk a bit and pop into certain other blogs.
Best of luck.
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Online Ed Here
110. At 10:02pm on 21 Oct 2009, oldnat wrote:
The stories about his having a wife and children in London were lies.
I believe I was the one who first posted that claim on here, I did offer the caveat that it was as yet unconfirmed. However, I apologise for basically helping to spread a malicious rumour.
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112. Brownedov
"What an odd rant by the Skeletor, asking everybody else but NuLab to bring his own former supporters back into the fold."
I'm going to be very careful with this post!
It is at least possible that the voters to whom you refer are not former supporters of Skeletor's party, but of Auntie Annabel's - and who are now transferring their support to Skeletor.
There is a deep anti-Catholic strand within the BNP
http://antifascistnetwork.blogspot.com/2008/05/bnp-candidate-in-anti-catholic-claims.html
An academic analysis of the social networks populated by the 27,000 BNP voters in Scotland would be well worth while.
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109. At 10:01pm on 21 Oct 2009, StirlingSpiel wrote:
104
Once again my apologies to everyone for bringing something like this onto the message boards when it could and should have been dealt with in the University.
However, as I have already pointed out Dean seems more interested on posting on here than showing his face there.
I agree that Dean really should have dealt with this privately. I for one don't believe a group would publicly make such statements as alleged.
It's worth you contributing to the blog as the more on here the better, regardless of political viewpoints.
114. At 10:20pm on 21 Oct 2009, BoNG0_1 wrote:
#85 CynicalHighlander,
http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/12863.html
"Mr Murphy said that BNP support in Scotland had increased ten fold in the past decade and now only our largest football stadiums could accommodate all Scottish BNP voters at once."
Why do all the parties start moaning about the BNP? For one, they are fuelling the publicity. Secondly, like it or not they are a legal political organisation, and thirdly if some people are attracted to their politics then people should be asking why.
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111. Electric Hermit
Well thanks EH! No hailing required :)
It is genuinely gratifying to see people using it, and it's satisfying as a programmer to be able to contribute something to a (non work) community i belong to. There are many on this blog who bring their own experience and skills (not least your good self) for our mutual benefit, that community feel is one of the things that kept me reading it (before i started posting), so it's nice to join in.
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122. JRMacClure
No one was insulting you. You'll be more than welcome if you come back.
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118.
I will take your frequent comments on here to mean that you are now fit and available again and will be able to contact the Student Union to inform them of when would be most suitable for a meeting.
I consider our discussions on this page finished now and will expect an email from the Student Union shortly informing me of the time and date of the meeting.
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I've never gotten to understand the rationale of politicians saying they refuse to share a stage with the BNP and will not debate with them.
Parties such as the BNP thrive on the misinformation and shadows that form around such avoidance. It allows them to do as they are doing now, where they can play the sympathy vote and portray themselves as victims of the big parties trying to undermine them.
The major parties in England (and to a lesser extend Scotland) are creating a political atmosphere within which the BNP can easily pick voters off the further right of the Conservative core without having to justify themselves or their policies.
The way to defeat the BNP and any other extreme group has always been to drag them out into the light. Stand their politicies, politics and values naked in the cold light of day and ask them to justify them. If the other parties were to hold regular debates and allow the electorate to see the BNP for what they truly are I think there support may well dwindle again.
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#124 oldnat
"It is at least possible that the voters to whom you refer are not former supporters of Skeletor's party, but of Auntie Annabel's"
I don't deny it, and you could well be right. If - and I admit it's a big one - Skeletor is adequately advised, would he not have regarded the propest of using extra BNP votes as a means of scoring against the SNP as an ineffectual weapon? OTOH, if he can find even one ex-Tory in their ranks it's potential anti-Tory propaganda, capable of being used effectively in any nook or cranny of Great Britain.
Up before 0600 today and now post 0000 so this post will be my last of the day, but back tomorrow.
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Would be interesting to watch Question Time tomorrow night, but I'm at the Fleetwood Mac concert!
Will QT be on BBC iPlayer?
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129. StirlingSpiel
"If the other parties were to hold regular debates and allow the electorate to see the BNP for what they truly are I think there support may well dwindle again."
To a large extent I agree - but if these views are simply buried in the Labour and Tory votes, they still remain poisonous within the body politic.
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122. JRMacClure
I'm not female, but I'm as stupid, silly, ignorant, and irrational as the next person (apologies to whoever posts next ;) I still post here - with relish!
I always tell my kids that the only people who can actually convince us of things are ourselves.
I find it strange that you've had a persistent feeling that you shouldn't post on this blog - it seems a curious state - if you stick around maybe we could go off topic on it.
I, for one, have enjoyed your presence here, and hope that you perhaps opt to just post less for a while rather than not at all.
If you choose not to keep posting, fair enough and good luck JRMacClure!
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129. StirlingSpiel
I agree. Their existence as a political party is a fact. Failure to deal with them by clearly rebutting their policies and values is a dangerous folly - they will not vanish simply because the mainstream parties denounce the party.
However, it must be nice for the mainstream parties to have a high-profile extreme party live in the media, it helps keep us sheeple from wandering out of our limited political bounds.
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129. StirlingSpiel
BBC to allow BNP on Question Time
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# 122 JRMacClure
I am indeed too stupid, ignorant, female, silly and irrational to take part in your very elevated conversations.
Apart from that what is your reasons for not wanting to post on here anymore? ;-)
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A bit strange nevertheless for a political party to not have a policy on knife crime?.
Surely it doesn't help their cause.
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#133. mrbfaethedee
Did I leave being American off my little list of sins? The other obvious reason I shouldn't be posting here.
But I wanted to make the suggestion on my way out that you put some hint how to run your script thingie. Not all of us are techies and when I looked at it, I just shook my head in puzzlement and went away.
It is a good idea though and it's great that you made such a substantial contribution.
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134
I'd take the argument further than that. The BNP's existance must be acknowledged not only to drag their policy into the light, but because failure to acknowledge them is an affront on democracy.
Like it or not there are people in this country and any country with extreme left and right views. Democracy claims to give a voice to all, so to subjegate one element of society and tell them their voice does not deserve to be heard would be to drive them underground and undermine the basis of democracy.
It is not to us or anyone to decide where to draw the line on freedom of speech. While you may not agree or even accept BNP policy, they have as much right to express it as any. Even if that voice is miniscule and drowned out by the crowd, the right to have that voice must exist or we are not free.
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# 138 JRMacClure
Did I leave being American off my little list of sins?
I can understand the burden you have to bear with that reason but I am confident that you are big enough to carry it off. It would be a shame if you left because you're the only one who laughs at my jokes. :-(
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138. JRMacClure
"But I wanted to make the suggestion on my way out that you put some hint how to run your script thingie. Not all of us are techies and when I looked at it, I just shook my head in puzzlement and went away. "
Fair enough! You're right, techies are lazy with that sort of stuff, and even when trying not to assume a lot, we assume a lot :)
I'll see if I can make a screencast (a video of someone's computer screen as they are doing some task/s) and show the world how easy it is - but you've got to promise to lurk to catch the link to it, and then post a reply using the script to show me that the screencast worked - deal?
I'm still not sure about your reasons, but they're yours and you clearly feel them - what about reincarnation, you wouldn't be the first on these pages...
oh well, I'm done for the night...
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137. brownresolute
"A bit strange nevertheless for a political party to not have a policy on knife crime?"
What party would that be?
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#141. gedguy2, you do make me laugh. You're a nice guy. Thanks for that.
#140. I'll lurk and post when you put up a link. I'm sure northhighlander and Electric Hermit would hate me however reincarnated. Such is life. Arguments happen on any blog/forum but the attacks have come to make this one simply too unpleasant to be enjoyable for me any more.
Perhaps, as you say, at some time in the future I'll feel differently.
Most of you have been great. I've appreciated your graciousness to someone butting into what isn't really my business.
Thanks again.
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137. brownresolute
Well I would say welcome, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you are one of the occasional Labour supporters who appears, makes an erroneous or irrelevant post, and then disappears when challenged.
However, let's take you at face value for now.
The Justice Secretary has made clear that those who use a knife should expect to go to jail. Instead of producing a policy for the purpose of a by election (a policy which has been severely criticised by the Chief Constable) the SNP has tackled crime more widely and as a consequence knife crime in 2008-09 was 11 per cent down on the level the SNP inherited from Labour.
Perhaps your original post should be amended
"A bit strange nevertheless for a political party not to have a workable policy on knife crime?
Surely it doesn't help their cause."
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139. StirlingSpiel
"While you may not agree or even accept BNP policy, they have as much right to express it as any."
BBC to allow BNP on Question Time
I hate to think how much whining there would be if Griffin actually had been stopped from appearing on QT.
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JR
My reaction was the same as yours, until someone helpfully showed me how to install something called "greasemonkey" which made it work.
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Odd for some poster to ignore the rise in serious crime.(strange)
I suppose the very same posters will ignore the serious down turn in the Scottish economy.
Giving that the Scottish economy has shrank by at least 3.2% over the past six months. When will the Scottish government update the ( ) unemployment stats?
Do the nats build new prisons? come on, your having a laugh, they don't even build new schools.
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#32 Oldnat
On your comment about the difference between mudslinging and negativity. If you believe what you say to be true why are the SNP supporters on this blog speculating on Mr Bain's background? Wouldn't you be happy that the info would be shouted from the rooftops? I am all for disclosing Bain's background if he is trying to give the appearance of being something that he is not, but don't pretend that this is the moral high ground. Salmond has said that it was the media that defeated the SNP in the past. I just hope it will not be allowed to happen but if a timid approach is taken it may just slip away again, as Gordon Wilson has suggested.
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147. brownresolute
It seems oldnat has you sussed. That's a laughably week effort even for one of the BLP's amateur propagandists.
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Electric Hermit
Week or Weak?
It's been a laughable two years my English friend, oops, looks like another sussed case. Suspicion such a tragic thought.
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147. brownresolute
Oh dear you are one of those.
2008-9 Scottish crime figures
* a two per cent drop in the total number of crimes
* a two per cent drop in violent crimes
* a three per cent drop in sexual crimes which includes a nine per cent reduction in recorded cases of rape and attempted rape
* an increase in crimes of dishonesty: theft by opening a lockfast place increased by nine per cent and shoplifting increased by ten per cent and
* a seven per cent decrease in recorded cases of vandalism
* a clear up rate for all recorded crime of 49 per cent
Don't come on here and make vague charges - you will be caught out and convicted of wilful ignorance.
Why do you want to build more prisons? Scotland already locks up 139 per 100,000 people compared to 67 per 100,000 in Denmark. Or are you one of those cringeworthy Scots who simply wants to emulate England and push up the rate to match England at 150 per 100,000?
Obviously you don't realise that imprisonment disproportionately apply to the poor.
If you hadn't noticed the major economic drivers are reserved to Westminster where your party is in power. How about your candidate campaigning on the powers of the Parliament he is standing for. Why aren't you on here triumphing Labour's record on Aggression, WMD, the economy?
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Oh it's derek again in another "disguise". And I thought we had a new toy to play with :-(
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150. brownresolute
It's called a typo. Grown-ups don't get excited about such things.
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151. oldnat
"2008-9 Scottish crime figures"
I admire the effort. But you do realise it's a waste of time, don't you? These dolts are like Weebles. You knock them down with facts and they just bounce right back with the same lies.
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154. Electric Hermit
As always, I post the facts just in case some lurker reads derek's nonsense and is persuaded.
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oldnat
"Don't come on here and make vague charges - you will be caught out and convicted of wilful ignorance."
Such as thee to lay a baron charge, re-check your work it's outdated figures from 2008. Now, is he woeful.
"Why do you want to build more prisons? Scotland already locks up 139 per 100,000 people compared to 67 per 100,000 in Denmark. Or are you one of those cringeworthy Scots who simply wants to emulate England and push up the rate to match England at 150 per 100,000?"
Scotland crime figures will continue to rise under this SNP admin, you have got that right.No matter how much you try and loop us in the our Scandinavian neighbours oldnat, we are and continue to be apart of the uk.
"Obviously you don't realise that imprisonment disproportionately apply to the poor"
Obviously you don't have a clue about disproportionately applying?
"If you hadn't noticed the major economic drivers are reserved to Westminster where your party is in power. How about your candidate campaigning on the powers of the Parliament he is standing for. Why aren't you on here triumphing Labour's record on Aggression, WMD, the economy?"
Why do the nats always cut and run when they are asked to explain their lack of budget knowledge? look, today the SNP gave a postal contract to TNT an 8million pound contract to a private firms, why don't you explain those Thatcherite moves to your party members.Why are several poster who proclaim to represent the SNP on this blog trying too stir up racial bigoted tension?. dont kid me you and your party are from the left, total nonsense, you are and remain the TARTAN TORIES.
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Strange that both oldnat and Electric Hermit seemed excited to give the wrong news earlier that Megrahi had died?.
So what is it to be? may fellow morbid freaks, happy in death or alive?.
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155. oldnat
"As always, I post the facts just in case some lurker reads derek's nonsense and is persuaded."
My remarks were not intended as a criticism. You are quite right to challenge the lies.
Following your good example I will point out that while the BLP was in power at Holyrood only one person was convicted of selling knives to under-age people in Strathclyde. Far from having no policy, the SNP has put in place legislation that should actually work rather than simply generate headlines. The Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007, together with a tougher enforcement regime developed in cooperation with police rather than being imposed on them, is already having an impact.
Probably more significant than this legislative approach, however, is the fact that the Scottish Government has boosted police numbers enabling more officers on the beat and more intervention and rehabilitation programmes. It's always better to stop the offending than punish the offender. Even if this doesn't give the Neanderthals quite the same macho buzz.
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157. brownresolute
"Strange that both oldnat and Electric Hermit seemed excited to give the wrong news earlier that Megrahi had died?"
Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death.
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159 Electric Hermit
"Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death."
Why? are you having problems with your memory and what you say?.
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160. brownresolute
"Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death."
Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death.
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161 Electric Hermit
"Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death."
"Remind me what I said about the reports of al-Megrahi's death"
Is this double speech? cant you remind yourself.
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156. brownresolute
"today the SNP gave a postal contract to TNT an 8million pound contract to a private firms"
Why no mention of the £17million contract awarded to Royal Mail? Or the £2.95million annual saving secured by Procurement Scotland, set up by the Scottish Government last year?
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Just a note for anyone confused by derek (well that's everybody I suppose).
You will all have noted that the figures I gave were for 2008-9. This is still 2009. The figures for 2009-10 will be published in due course. In fact they will be published in 2010.
Shattering news for derek, I know.
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162. brownresolute
"Is this double speech? cant you remind yourself. "
You've been caught again. The fact is that I made no mention whatever of the reports of al-Megrahi's death. But facts aren't really your strong suit, are they?
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163 electric hermit
" Why no mention of the £17million contract awarded to Royal Mail? Or the £2.95million annual saving secured by Procurement Scotland, set up by the Scottish Government last year?"
Why not just say that the SNP started the break up of royal mail and the 8 million pound loss will further erode one of our last nationally owned assets.
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#125, come on Neil Small, the one piece you chose not to quote from my 114 was quote " *;o) LOL ", which kinda changed the whole meaning of my #114 post.
...I posted my #114 tounge in cheek and you turned it into something serious.
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166. brownresolute
"Why not just say that the SNP started the break up of royal mail and the 8 million pound loss will further erode one of our last nationally owned assets. "
Well, the £17million contract should soften the blow. If your "arithmetic" is correct (Stop sniggering, oldnat!) that's turned an £8million "loss" into a £9million "profit". Plus £2.95million a year for the taxpayer. Everybody wins! Except the BLP's amateur propagandists, of course. But they are born losers.
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168 electric hermit
" He told Business Minister Pat McFadden: "Even without the impact of strike action we have the very alarming news in Scotland, that one of the major public sector contracts, the Procurement Scotland public sector contract which deals with the mail to NHS Scotland, colleges and most councils in Scotland is going to be given to a private sector operator."
What part of that statement dont you understand electric, the SNP and their procurement, is Thatcher re-visited.
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Yep Brownresolute #156 is DerekBarker.... note the comment "We are 'apart' of the United Kingdom"
...I always found this common Derekbarkerism quite funny, as it actually supports the Nationalist stance rather than "a part of" *;o)
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169. brownresolute
You forgot to mention who said this. Posting quotes without attribution is very amateurish. It was Alistair Carmichael. Just another unionist politician providing anti-SNP sound-bites for the unionist media. Ho-hum!
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" Well, the £17million contract should soften the blow. If your "arithmetic" is correct (Stop sniggering, oldnat!) that's turned an £8million "loss" into a £9million "profit". Plus £2.95million a year for the taxpayer. Everybody wins! Except the BLP's amateur propagandists, of course. But they are born losers."
Typical tory boy attitude, there may be a little crusty growth on your lip that just cant help to spill tripe and dirt but we know what your like and we have your tag.
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169. brownresolute
"Thatcher re-visited"
A good way of describing the Blair/Brown years.
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170. BoNG0_1
"...I always found this common Derekbarkerism quite funny"
I take it from your remarks and oldnat's that this individual is a "known offender". Not very good, is he?
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#166, Derek quote; "Why not just say that the SNP started the break up of royal mail and the 8 million pound loss will further erode one of our last nationally owned assets.
"
... aye Derek, the UK wide Royal Mail destroyed by the SNP government!!!
In my best 'Del boy' cockney accent "Your 'avin a laff!" *;o)
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The Scots dont like "CABS" much, Electric, most people can re-arrange the idea as quoted.
What do you know about Scotland anyway. There was a time when you only posted on the other blog?
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172. brownresolute
"we know what your like and we have your tag."
Gosh! That sounds almost like a threat. Unfortunately, you're no better at intimidation than you are at debate. Can you whistle? If so, I'd work on that, if I were you.
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#172 Derek quote; "Typical tory boy attitude, there may be a little crusty growth on your lip that just cant help to spill tripe and dirt but we know what your like and we have your tag."
...We? I only hear this tripe from you? Who else is going to back you up here to provide the "We" in "We know what your like"
Sorry if I jumped in on your debate EH, but just had to *;o)
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For the real geeks
The Devolution Monitoring Programme Report for Scotland (Sept 2009) has now been published.
It's a useful document despite the persistent comments by John "red socks" Curtice that the SNP is trying to create a "grievance culture" and a really crass error that I've already emailed the editor about -
"Al-Megrahi’s welcoming reception in Libya (with much of the crowd waving Saltires)"
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/devolution/devo-monitoring-programme.html
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#174, always good for a laugh though *;o)
Derek does light up these boards with comedy from time to time!
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176. brownresolute
"What do you know about Scotland anyway."
Only what one might glean from having lived here for several decades. Seems you are more seriously confused than I first thought.
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177. Electric Hermit
Ah! But he disnae ken whaur yer Auntie bides!
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#174, he is lucky us nationalists don't simply lock up all known offenders! LOL
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181. Electric Hermit
I've often noted that an inherent anti-Englishness is much more prevalent among Labour people than SNP.
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" It's a useful document despite the persistent comments by John "red socks" Curtice that the SNP is trying to create a "grievance culture" and a really crass error that I've already emailed the editor about "
It's a useless document that only hughlight the grievance culture in Scotland.
Th wee dug' stole a haddy bone?
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178. BoNG0_1
"Sorry if I jumped in on your debate EH, but just had to"
Debate? Hardly that!
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181 electric dreams
Decades? more than 5 or less than 1.
you should be able to answer that one.
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182. oldnat
;¬D
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#184 oldnat
Suspicious mind can hold no time, oldnat.
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#186 EH "Debate? Hardly that!"
... I was trying not to be too hard on Derek, remember his role model is Iain Gray :)
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184. oldnat
"I've often noted that an inherent anti-Englishness is much more prevalent among Labour people than SNP."
So it seems. As I'm not English I'm not quite sure how to feel about it. Apart from the usual disgust one feels when confronted with such naked xenophobia.
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190. BoNG0_1
"I was trying not to be too hard on Derek, remember his role model is Iain Gray :)"
I thought the gibberish seemed familiar.
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A quantum leap from the Electric mind however rather than a forward motion the Helmit has taken a leap of faith back too those thatcher days.
The SNP the party that privatises our public services.
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#193, come on then lets have a debate?
"The SNP the party that privatises our public services."
Can you please expand on this statement brownresolute, in order that we can discuss the specifics of your claim?
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# 137 brownresolute
Hello Derek, nice to see you back again. I thought that you would have kept your head down for a bit longer until the Orange debacle had gone away. Talking of the Orange debacle, what are your views on the Scottish Labour party accepting help from a bigotted organisation?
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# 178 BoNG0_1
Maybe it's Derek's Orange friends.
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#196, Maybe... but they have become awfully quiet of late!
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# 174 Electric Hermit
Derek, has had many reincarnations; you may remember him as 'giggletheloneranger' and before that he was 'Derekbarker' and before that 'reluctantexpat' (not the nice one). I'm sure that in the future when he gets ignored again he will resurface as someone else. Personally, I liked him as Derekbarker as Derek used to post some funny links.
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brownresolute:
#193.
"The SNP the party that privatises our public services."
Did I miss something, when did the SNP agree to sell Scottish Water?
How come we get the trolls... :-( I don't mind newbies but there is never anything constructive with wondering trolls.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8319596.stm
"BBC head Mark Thompson said the case against having the BNP on Question Time is "a case for censorship".
Writing in Thursday's Guardian newspaper, Mr Thompson added only governments could decide which organisations should be banned from the airwaves."
I hope he bears this statement in mind when considering the SNP request to be included in any Leaders debate!
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@179 oldnat, that sounds like typical fare from self appointed unionist pundit Curtice. Incidentally his socks aren't red although his comments always seem to favour Labour. The estimable Prof is a yellow sock wearing Lib Dem.
Now that the furtive season is approaching we may start to hear similar thoughts from his former partner in heavily slanted unionist punditry, Prof Arthur "bleak" Midwinter.
One of my biggest issues with the British Brainwashing Company apart from their Glencambly reporters is that they wheel out people known to despise the SNP like Lorraine Davidson , Alf Young etc to comment on Scottish politics without explaining to viewers that these people are not impartial commentators.
For those of us who know about their well established Labour Party links their comments can be taken in context and dismissed as hardly impartial but for the rest of the watching public it just appears that for some reason, political commentators on the BBC don't like the SNP much.
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I see the Glasgow Evening Times has a piece about Margaret Doran's redundancy payment.After stepping down as head of Glasgow city council's education department she recieved a £278k redundancy package. She had been in post for 2 years.
p.s sorry about not putting a link in, maybe one of the techie types would oblige?
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Now that Guy Fawkes Night is nearing might I suggest a way for Labour to seal their friendship with the Orangemen.A good loyalist bonfire of old tyres and pallets would be the perfect social event for these two groups to get together informally.Lord Mike Watson could bags the honour of getting the blaze started.And to keep it going I hear that Jim Devine has got some shelves he won't be needing.As for a venue,perhaps Larkhall would be suitable.
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"Shake-up of Scottish constituencies begins"
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/shake-up-of-scottish-constituencies-begins-1.927547
Details can be found here
http://www.scottishpolitics.org/images/scotlandproposals09.gif
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Out now, but I'll be back later to find out what derek's new name is -
perhaos OrangeWaverer?
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198. gedguy2
"you may remember him as 'giggletheloneranger' "
Oh, yes! I remember that one. Total waste of keystrokes.
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200. BoNG0_1
"I hope he bears this statement in mind when considering the SNP request to be included in any Leaders debate!"
I had noted the double standards on this. The people demanding that the BNP be given a platform are often the same ones demanding even more vociferously that the SNP be barred. Hypocrites!
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122. JRMacClure
You're not letting a couple of crossed post references be the death of you?? Blogger burn out seems to always come and go :-)
If you want a different area to comment on, try the quirkynats forum - no moderation queues!
And there is more than "one female poster in the village" ;-)
Though not that many, you're right, we are a small troup. People ask my husband (I've four sons), "Does your wife not feel outnumbered with five men in the house?", and he replies, "No, she says five men, one woman, it's about even!" Make good use of your advantage!
Come back sometime - do you owe a drink?? You have to "staun yer haun", this is Scotland!
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"brownresolute"
Sounds painful!
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#148 hamish42
"I am all for disclosing Bain's background if he is trying to give the appearance of being something that he is not, but don't pretend that this is the moral high ground."
Quite so. Mr Bain was hardly press-ganged into standing and has himself made his local credentials an issue from the outset, both on air and in his web material. Yet his website, despite proclaiming "our local voice" on every page gives us no more information about his current activities than: "He now teaches public law" without so much as a mention of where he teaches it or his mammoth commute.
It's in that light which questions are rightly raised, particularly coming from the "nothing to hide, nothing to fear" party.
It's not as though this has all just been sprung upon him, either. George Laird of The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University posted in August on his blogspot that "Willie Bain is a 36 year old University Lecturer who works in London South Bank University, London" and "As to his bio on his website; he is surprising secretive, not open and transparent by any means as you would expect a person standing for public office to be".
Laird's many other threads on Bain make it clear he's no fan of Bain's politics, and neither am I, but Bain's unwillingness to set the record straight does him and his campaign no favours.
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http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2685335/House-of-Lords-is-Kirstie-Allsopps-location.html
So, Posh Dave plans to pack the House of Lords with his chums after the election. Pre the election, we have seen the ennobling of Martin and Mandelson.
I want to live in a country that elects its Government. Is there a UK political party than even dimly grasps this idea.
Politicians, if you want my vote in a Westminster election
Scrap the House of Lords - immediately, and the nwork out how to replace it with something elected, if it is felt neccessary. The mainstream parties want appoint their failed sleazebags, and a selection of media friendly TV people to govern/ How can this be acceptable?
I want you to scrap Trident and get us out of foreign wars as well. but scrapping the House of Retired Expenses Cheats would be a good start, followed by a clean up of the House of Common Criminals.
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#202 snowthistle
Re Margaret Doran's £278k redundancy package. She's married to Michael Connarty, the Labour MP with the second highest expenses claims. We don't know yet what (if anything) Sir Thomas Legg has asked him to pay back but maybe her redundancy money will come in handy.
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PS to my #210
Before moving on to the new thread, where doubtless the same issues will arise, it's worth mentioning that it wasn't even the wicked blogosphere which first cast doubt on Mr Bain's localism but that bastion of separatism, the formerly Mancunian Grauniad in their Labour pins hopes on local activist to replace Michael Martin in Glasgow of 30 June 2009, which points out that Bain is "a public law lecturer at London South Bank University".
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211. obviousalias
"Scrap the House of Lords - immediately, and the nwork out how to replace it with something elected, if it is felt neccessary."
Seriously bad idea. A revising chamber is essential. Better the HoL than nothing. Bear in mind that it has actually served democracy quite well on many occasions. The HoL needs to be replaced. Of that there is no question. But we'd be smart to ensure that we replace it with something better. Until then, let's just plod on with what we have.
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214. At 12:47pm on 22 Oct 2009, Electric Hermit wrote:
211. obviousalias
"Scrap the House of Lords - immediately, and the nwork out how to replace it with something elected, if it is felt neccessary."
Seriously bad idea. A revising chamber is essential. Better the HoL than nothing. Bear in mind that it has actually served democracy quite well on many occasions. The HoL needs to be replaced. Of that there is no question. But we'd be smart to ensure that we replace it with something better. Until then, let's just plod on with what we have.
I can't agree with you on this point. I think the HoL is a lingering source of infection at the heart of our politics. It gives chancers like Mandelson and Martin a free extra life, and rewards failure and malfeasance. It's the Establishment incarnate, and it denies us democracy.
If Cameron, as seems likely, packs it with his pals, how does it defend anything apart from the Conservative and Unionist Party?
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raisethegame #212
That's right and, if I remember correctly, there were questions raised around why some of the items which Mr Connarty claimed for were delivered to an address in Glasgow.
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215. obviousalias
"I can't agree with you on this point. I think the HoL is a lingering source of infection at the heart of our politics."
A bit over the top on the rhetoric, but not worth arguing about. I am not trying to defend the HoL as it stands. I am simply saying that it is better than nothing. And far better than any alternative that the parties, looking to their own advantage, might put in place.
I say again, the HoL needs to be replaced. But it needs to be replaced with something better. People calling for its abolition are playing right into the hands of those who seek to increase the already excessive and overly centralised power of the executive.
Focus less on tearing things down, and more on building something up.
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Gedguy, Is TNT not a dutch owned company?.
Do you think it's ok for the SNP to use private firms instead of royal mail?.
The procurement of privatisation will cost the SNP thousands of votes.
the socialist will hammer home that fact at the Glasgow N E by-election.
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217. At 1:27pm on 22 Oct 2009, Electric Hermit wrote:
Focus less on tearing things down, and more on building something up.
Good point, and well made. I wait to see if any of the UK parties will put proposals forward, although I see Cameron's alleged plan to pack the Lords with his creatures is a sign that the inertia will continue.
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218. brownresolute
"Do you think it's ok for the SNP to use private firms instead of royal mail?"
The Scottish Government just awarded a £17million contract to Royal Mail. The truth (you may need to look that up) is that they are using a combination of Royal Mail and private contractors so as to get the best deal for service users and taxpayers. Which is exactly what they were elected to do. And exactly what the British Labour Party so spectacularly failed to do for all those years when it had a stranglehold on Scotland's politics.
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#218 brownresolute
"the socialist will hammer home that fact at the Glasgow N E by-election."
You're on the cusp of making a half-decent point there.
McVey and Sheridan [unclear which one you mean] will doubtless and quite rightly be having something to say about Lord Mandy's cosying up to TNT as part of NuLab's campaign to flog off the family silver. You're off target over who it's likely to cost "thousands of votes", though.
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220 Helmit
"
The Scottish Government just awarded a £17million contract to Royal Mail. The truth (you may need to look that up) is that they are using a combination of Royal Mail and private contractors so as to get the best deal for service users and taxpayers. Which is exactly what they were elected to do. And exactly what the British Labour Party so spectacularly failed to do for all those years when it had a stranglehold on Scotland's politics"
Where in the SNP manifesto did it say it would part privatise the royal mail?. Hermit your just being a flake, a tory who has crawled out of the wood work because you believe the right wing movement is on the march again. Your time will come.
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221
To be fair Brownedov you know nothing about socialism because if you did you would realise that this SNP administration has just effectively started the part privatisation of royal mail by giving TNT a contract.
The SNP are just a protest party what have they ever done is the great shape of things, other than protest, wave flags and sing abusive songs.
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#223 brownresolute
"you know nothing about socialism"
So, as you're the expert on socialism, please name five socialist things Duff Gordon did while Chancellor and five he's done since reaching the top of the greasy pole.
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222. brownresolute
"Where in the SNP manifesto did it say it would part privatise the royal mail?"
Where in the real world is the Scottish Government making any moves to privatise Royal Mail. They don't have the powers to do so even if they wanted to. It is the British Labour Party that is planning to part privatise Royal Mail. The SNP's position was made abundantly clear in the motion passed unanimously at their Spring conference in April, while Royal Mail workers were protesting outside a BLP conference in Gillingham.
1. Royal Mail:
This Conference is fundamentally opposed to the plans of the UK Labour Government to part privatise Royal Mail; and believes that Royal Mail should remain a publicly owned company.
Conference deplores the deliberate destruction of the postal network which was an essential precursor of this privatisation and condemns those Labour MPs who tried to pretend they were supporting campaigns to keep local post offices open while meekly trooping through the voting lobby at London Labour’s command.
Here is the motion as passed.
2. The Gillingham Protest:
Postal workers are today staging a protest outside a Labour Party conference as part of a campaign against government plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail. Members of the Communication Workers Union are lobbying delegates to the South East Regional Labour Party Conference in Gillingham.
Terry Jackson, the union's south east regional secretary, said: "We will use every opportunity to take the Keep the Post Public message to the Labour Party, Government and public. "We will be reminding Labour delegates of the agreements reached and the Labour Party conference decision last year which all endorse a wholly publicly owned, integrated Royal Mail group. "Normally we would have taken a stall and advertised in conference brochure, but we felt it was inappropriate at this time to give additional funds to the party while our members' livelihoods are under threat.
Some of us remember the days when Labour passed such motions. But it's a memory that is rapidly fading.
I'm not a "tory". That's why I don't vote for the British Labour Party. I am an unashamed democratic socialist. That's why I vote SNP.
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225 electric
How can you post such nonsense when the SNP government have clearly gave a private firm a contract, rather than use the present royal mail.
Today over a 100 labour MP have backed royal mail, while the reality in Scotland is, that the SNP government has backed the private sector over royal mail.
Again, where in the SNP manifesto does it say that the SNP will part privatise royal mail by giving private firms contracts?.
If you are a trade unionist, then get a grip comrade and support our public services from the doom of the TARTAN TORIES.
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226. brownresolute
"How can you post such nonsense when the SNP government have clearly gave a private firm a contract, rather than use the present royal mail."
The Scottish Government actually gave a £17million contract to Royal Mail. This fact doesn't seem to have penetrated yet. Royal Mail admitted that it could not compete for the other part of the contract, so it went elsewhere. But the bulk of the contract went to Royal Mail. £17million worth.
Did I mention that the Scottish Government just awarded a £17million contract to Royal Mail. Perhaps you'd like to congratulate them on supporting Royal Mail in this way while the British Labour Party is trying to privatise it.
Or perhaps you'll just keep spouting the nonsense you have been spouting - like a rather less erudite, literate and coherent version of George Foulkes. (That's not a compliment, by the way!)
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226. brownresolute
"Again, where in the SNP manifesto does it say that the SNP will part privatise royal mail... "
Nowhere. Because (a) privatising Royal Mail is British Labour Party Policy; (b) the SNP opposes the British Labour Party policy of privatising Royal Mail and (c) the Scottish Government has no powers to privatise all or any part of Royal Mail.
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226. brownresolute
"...get a grip comrade and support our public services from the doom of the TARTAN TORIES."
Thanks for the advice. I'll certainly do as you say and continue to vote SNP - because I'm a real socialist and not just a muppet with a red rosette.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I am interested in swine flu and was hoping that JR was still around to offer information on the cases in the US.
I'm off to check Franch and German newspapers to see what they are saying.
I have such mistrust in the Westminster gov.that it would not surpise me to find that the rest of Europe was not going for a total vaccination of the public with an untested vaccine.
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230. brownresolute
brownpantz
The joker on the radio from the strike brigade: "The royal mail is a public service..." Doesn't mean skirting all responsibility for running it efficiently!
Yep, good old "socialism". Fine until you run out of somebody else's money, eh? ;-)
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230. brownresolute
You are evidently incapable of making sense, far less participating in discussion. Others did warn me. And you can't say I haven't given you every opportunity to raise your game. But you have failed - comprehensively and miserably.
You will be ignored. You've earned that much.
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233
What's up Electric, unable to back up your support for a part privatised royal mail in Scotland, Shoot off like some loose catalyst then have a blackout.
So that's it, just refer the posts when you cant get your own wicked way.
I never asked you to engage? you chose too and failed to deliver or substantiate your claims.
For me! I will put your misgivings down to youth and knee jerk reactions.
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234. brownresolute
It's me that's referring your posts.
Wrong yet again. Why don't you just give up? How many personae is this now?
I stood up for you in the past when others were against you because, like dean, I thought there might be a grain of sense from a brit and I wanted to see some form of debate.
Looks like I was dead wrong. You are simply a wrecker. You will be ignored and and any of your posts that even hint at breaching the guidelines WILL be referred.
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235
O' dont you see just how much of a contradiction you make by refusing to engage and debate?.
Well! Sgt: give up, lets hope no-one ever challenges you.
Until further notice, carry on!
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#232 eye_write
"Yep, good old "socialism". Fine until you run out of somebody else's money, eh?"
Come on, Ma'am, play fair. That's the only respect in which the Bliar/Mandy/Brown NuLab resembles Socialism. Their actual policies are entirely antithetical to it, which is perhaps why the new brown one here has developed schizophrenia.
Annoying and disturbing, yes, but, like the derek of old s/he's probably more in need of sympathy and education than reciprocal vilification.
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#237
Name sake! it would seem that some are allowed to express their bile without being referred?. Why?.
As to your vilification as a foreigner wishing to express your thought on a long established community in Glasgow! well, keep skimming those stones, they may just reach the otherside.........LoL.
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237. Brownedov
Brownedov, my comment was intended solely to annoy Derek. That was its design, and not valid political comment. Sorry to be so bad! 8-)
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240
"Yep, good old "socialism". Fine until you run out of somebody else's money, eh?"
Eye-write, and the anti tax party policy.
I see your true colours shining through.
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241. brownresolute
No, I just don't believe in pi$$ing it away! Shocking, eh?
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Well Aye -write,I hope your going to behave this time around?.
Tell me eye-write would you choose Independence if you thought it would raise the levels of racial and religious tension?.
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243. brownresolute
If that were the case ('tisn't??) I'd say that independence will promote the opposite, as there is a policy of inclusion - if you live here at independence you can apply for Scottish nationality. Plus "immigration"'s not a dirty word up here, like it is in some bits of England. Religion is separate from the state and government in Scotland (unlike the ole H of Lords)..... You scaremongering me again?
Would you like it to raise the levels of racial and religious tension so you can say independence is wrong??
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244eye-write
Of course not.I raise the question because of the hightend tension of the Glasgow NE by election and the level of religious swaying on this web-site.
I tend to agree with with you, that religion and politics should not mix.
When you suggest the link with religion and the "ole H of Lords"(aka England) are you bringing the crown and queen into the argument of politics and religion?.
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#245 brownresolute
"When you suggest the link with religion and the "ole H of Lords"(aka England) are you bringing the crown and queen into the argument of politics and religion?"
Do you really know so little of the polity of the UK?
The reference to the H of L in eye_write's #244 was purely in relation to the separation of the state and religion. Are you unaware that the direct representation of the Church of England in that body makes it the only legislative body in the EU which guarantees membership to one religous sect?
Your lot have made numerous manifesto promises to democratise that place but after more than a dozen years in power have done nothing to achieve it.
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246
"The reference to the H of L in eye_write's #244 was purely in relation to the separation of the state and religion. Are you unaware that the direct representation of the Church of England in that body makes it the only legislative body in the EU which guarantees membership to one religous sect?"
Are you aware that the SNP say they will keep the queen if Scotland gets Independence?.
Skimming again Brownedov
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The SNP will not be in any position to keep or remove the Queen as head of state of an independent Scotland.
That will be the prerogative of the Scottish Parliament. So you shouldn't confuse the two though its very flattering that you believe that the SNP will be the perpetual government of Scotland after independence.
The SNP takes the sensible position that whether the Queen remains or has to go is irrelevant to the campaign for Scottish independence and that he decison should be taken by the Scottish people in an appropriate referendum after Independence is achieved,
Next silly point?
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248sneckedagain
Silly point? A referendum of whether an Independent Scotland keeps the queen or not.
Yet no referendum on whether an Independent Scotland gets the Euro?.
SILLY is as SILLY does.
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Obviously you missed the vote at our conference which was that Scotland would join the Euro at the right time and only after a referendum - which merely reinforced the position we had already taken.
Actually I don't believe that there is any sensible alternative to Scotland joining the Euro so I don't think a referendum has any point - but hey, that's democracy for you. My position is that the Scottish Government should be encouraging a dual currency economy which operates in Sterling and in the Euro at the moment to make change over seamless.
Insults aren't at all clever but then again neither are any of your silly posts to date.
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