Coming home
Did you hear Philip Riddle on the wireless this morning?
Boy, did he do his job in emphasising the glories of Scotland, as witnessed by the Homecoming initiative.
The Gathering? Which lost money for private backers?
It was wonderful, glorious, a great success.
The final concert? Which has had to be scaled back? Great, superb, top of the range.
Mr Riddle is chief executive of VisitScotland, which presupposes a cheery, upbeat outlook.
But he now believes he has figures to back up his eager enthusiasm.
Funding problem
From a budget of £5.5m, it is estimated the Year of Homecoming will achieve its aim of raising £44m.
The figure so far - with roughly a quarter of the sums done - is £19.4m.
OK, so visitor numbers from North America are down by 20%. In the rest of the UK, they're down 24%. The Homecoming dividend?
Plus more folk are coming to Scotland from Europe and the remainder of the UK. The recession dividend?
Two things. It is entirely right to find out what happened to the funding of the Gathering.
It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.
But, looking forward, it is surely right to build upon the Homecoming spirit.
Disdain heritage
Nations should use their strengths. Scotland has a potential strength in history, heritage and our diaspora.
I have little patience with those who urge that we disdain heritage in favour of a more modern image.
Yes, by all means tell the world about biotechnology and computer games.
But never forget that umpteen other nations are in these fields too.
Heritage can give us an edge, a USP that can get us a responsive audience - who might then listen to our other attributes.
I'm 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~17~RS~)
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Overall, Homecoming was a success. Some people of course, anxious to find something to moan about (national past-time), complained about The Gathering 'losing money', but overall this was absorbed by the overall profit for the economy generated by Homecoming itself.
We should definately build on this for future events. Considering this was the first large scale project of its kind, we didnt do too badly.
I also agree with Brian that 'disdaining heritage in favour of a more modern image' is a disaster waiting to happen. There is a long list of other nations with similar skill-sets but with no public image - they can do nothing but stand in the endless line shouting to be heard.
This is where Scotland has an advantage. Smart Scots use the Scotland brand to get a foot in the door; then, as Brian says, they can promote whatever else they have to offer. most nations would kill to have a brand like ours; it's just a shame that it has taken us so long to use it effectively.
One other point is important however; the value of something shouldnt just be measured is economic terms. Things can also have a cultural value, a social value - it shouldnt all be about 'how good it was for the economy'.
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Online Ed Here
The BBC have overstepped the mark again with Tim Reid's broadcast on Good Morning Scotland (approx 07:30). The subject was Al Megrahi, however I'll ignore the latest piece of conflation from our state broadcaster.
The broadcast contained a blatant lie when Reid stated clearly that the Scottish Government's advisors "gave Megrahi 3 months to live".
This is simply untrue and will form the basis of a complaint from me – and I hope from others.
Here is what the official advice was:
The clinical assessment, therefore, is that a 3 month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for this patient.
Reid goes on to suggest that every day beyond 3 months that Megrhai lives will fuel beliefs that the release was the result of a conspiracy. Quite how Megrahi responding to treatment is evidence of collusion escapes me. The only conclusion that I can draw is that Reid is suggesting the prognosis itself was 'tainted'.
This latest piece of nonsense follows the recent broadcast by former Labour politician now BBC reporter Catriona Renton. A broadcast that resulted in the BBC issuing a personal apology to the SNP's Alex Neil.
The BBC must not be allowed to get away with fabricating news in this manner.
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Well done Brian, another pertinent, cutting edge, political article.
Obviously there's nothing worth writing about in Hollyrood, or is it just that there's no negative stories about the SNP for you to dredge up?
Thanks once again for keeping us enlightened, the BBC must be proud of you.
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"It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers."
Cant believe you actually put that in writing
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You’re right, Brian: we shouldn’t ignore our heritage. Our strong cultural icons and identity are known all over the world, and gain us a global recognition disproportionate to Scotland’s size.
The trouble is that far too many Scots are ignorant of the range, depth and quality of Scottish culture and heritage. They think it’s just Jimmy Shand, putting on a kilt, and playing ‘Scotland the Brave’ on the pipes. They’re susceptible to the regular ‘discoveries’ that obvious icons such as bagpipes, porridge, kilts, haggis, etc are not exclusively Scottish and, having no more than this superficial knowledge, tend to downplay the the national identity. You get this among a lot of Labour voters.
By all means, let us live in the modern world and look to the future, but if we don’t nurture and promote our culture and heritage, we’ll just be a dreary, nondescript little corner of the western world.
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oh dear,dear,dear . still on a high after Sunday's result Brian?
I nearly choked on my bacon sandwich when I read your best line of the year so far .
"It is entirely right,indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers"
you and your colleague's in BBC Scotland have failed to do so time after time after time.
so whats the difference this time???
oh ,another chance to slag off the Scottish government maybe or maybe you should re-write that sentence to read:
it is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers, as long as they are not Labour politicians.
Sid
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skintybroko - You beat me to it !
Brian, have you no shame :-"It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers."
Here is the question we all want answered where did Bain of Glasgow/London live when labour proclaimed him the "local candidate" ? And how did he get to work ?
I bet you don't answer this question because the answer will bring down your house of cards.
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Online Ed Here
I have read the comment on Mr Bains residency and his possible registration as a voter in Hammersmith.
I'll visit the quirky website later this evening to see if there's anything we can use on Newsnet Scotland - we can only use stuff that is verifiably true.
I'm already lookign into Jim Murphy's claim that there was a "cybernat campaign" attacking the voters of Glasgow North East - quite an accusation.
Thus far the only evidence put forward has been the comment from a poster who claimed that GNE lacked intelligence (I paraphrase).
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Online Ed Here
It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.
Note that Taylor is only speaking in the context of the Homecoming.
I suppose to ask questions within such a narrow remit than to ask them outwith then simply fabricate the answer.
Over to you Ms Renton.
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An interesting blog, Brian.
One sentence in particular caught my eye: ‘It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.’
If only you would apply this criteria when blogging on matters of a political nature.
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The snipping related to the homecoming encapsulates the mentality of some unionist, they would rather see Scotland fail than succeed.
Some unionists are like the scorpion on the fox’s back crossing the river in one of Aesops fables, it in their nature to sting. They would rather see Scotland sink without trace than play a positive role in bettering all our lives.
Succeed and we may get too big for our boots and we will be inclined to seek further autonomy and independence. Fail and they can say we told you so, you’d be better doing this under the umbrella of the union.
Moral of story is you can’t…………….
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"It is entirely right,indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers" Brian Taylor without a hint of irony.
I would like to nominate this comment for the glencampblly awards.
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#9 online ed unfortunately there were a good few people attacking the voters of Glasgow NE.on this site alone.
the good news being they were outnumbered by the rest of us, most stating it only showed how much work was still to be done.
I would suggest a "cybernat campaign" is a pretty pathetic soundbite it is almost as accurate as Britian is the best placed country to get out of the recession.
OOPS, there goes one of those unanswered questions ,Brian, sorry!
Sid
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My comment at ten only repeated my post on the previous blog and asked if someone close to the labour party determined the subject of Brian's blogs.
Someone is very touchy !
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Another aspect of Willie Bain’s candidature which BBC Scotland excused from Brian’s principle that “(I)t is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers” was the political staff’s lack of curiosity about Bain’s campaign concentrating on issues pertinent to Holyrood, which he could not influence, while disowning policies pursued by the Labour Government at Westminster, which he will be obliged to support.
Please let us know if you read comments appended to your blog, Brian. If no confirmation that you do appears, I think commentators might be as well not wasting time in reading it, and use their energy for a weekly barrage of complaints directed at BBC Scotland’s management.
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Brian,
I nearly choked on my lunchtime sandwiches when I read your "It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers."
Is this a Statement of Intent from the Northern British Newsroom of the BBC ? Has somebody finally found some backbones in an old cupboard somewhere sealed with a fist grasping a red rose, the numbers 1997 and the Phrase "Only to be opened in the event of Tory Government" ?
I strongly suspect however than any member of said august body actually asking awkward questions of, oh, purely as an example, of The Murph or The Grey Man will be either finding themselves posted as Special Correspondant from Rockall or Reporting to Room 101 for a spell of Re-Education.
Still, no chance of that, eh ? We await with interest the latest contributions from Glen and Catriona for dissection of The Awkward Questions.
Here's an awkward question to which we expect an answer.
Will a certain weel-kent BBC Northern Britain "Reporter" with previvious form in this regard either confirm or deny that she will be standing as a Labour Candidate in either the 2010 General Election or the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary Election ?
That aside, an interesting blog. We noted with interest the anti-Government spin in the article about The Gathering that you refer to and commented on that at the time.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
You do seem to be saying that for an "outlay" of £5.5m, the Scottish Economy gets a return of in excess of £44m ? I'ld like some shares in THAT please rather than shelling out another 12BN for Lloyds/TSB/HBOS.
Isn't that a quite astonishing return and one worthy of fulsome congratulation rather than the damnation by faint praise of your
article ?
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2 Online ED,
Could you not draft up a complaint that we could all copy and paste and send to the BBC???
Serious point, I would like to complain sometimes but just don't have the time to write a letter from scratch, I doubt the copying of content matters to the BBC what matters is the number of complaints on a certain article/interveiw.
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One would be hard put to glean any good or upbeat message from listening to the report on the Homecoming from BBC Scotland at lunchtime. They just managed to squeeze a little bit of credit, but carefully couched in a large measure of disbelieve, going by the tone of the presenter. The BBC have a handy knack of knocking everything that the government is involved with in their overwhelming motivation for dealing every blow they can get away with to the SNP.
We are starting to get some small feedback on the flood damage in Dumfriesshire, but only on the parochial BBC Scotland. A minor event, with water only up to the windowsills. As far as the national news is concerned it never happened.
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Funniest news of the day is the newspaper story the the Supreme soviet are going to purge Gray and bring back comrade Jack, to sort out the party faithful. Obviously his role in the fancy uniform and cocked hat is no longer a possibility and he cannot look forward to a life of wining and dining in poverty stricken Malawi as the representative of herself. He now wants to get back to entertaining the staff of the BBC and Glasgow city council at Bute House (assuming Alec will move aside and let him in ).There might of course be competition for this residence if a certain overweight ex PM gets his feet kicked from under his Fife stronghold at the general election , which is a distinct possibility.
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It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.
This comment will come back to haunt you Brian...
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#21 kaybraes
Anent the ex PM, the SNP have chosen a candidate, a young lad who's given up his job to fight the election. They must have some good polling to let him do that. But we've still only had the one leaflet, and that from the LibDems, since 2007.
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Brian like to comment on Swinney's announcement else where on the BBC?
"Finance Secretary John Swinney said departments were getting better at using resources and sharing services."
"A total of £838.8m of government efficiencies were made in 2008-09, against a target of £534.4m."
".....meeting or exceeding these is ever more crucial as we recover from recession and deal with the damaging effects of a cut to our budget by the UK government."
Sorry, I forgot - EBC Pravda only lets you talk about possible SNP failures or possible 'Tartan Stoochies'.
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"The final concert? Which has had to be scaled back? Great, superb, top of the range."
Mr Taylor might like to note that the Scots Trad Music Awards and Gala concert, (the Scottish traditional music scene pays tribute to those who work tirelessly for our culture) to be held in Dumfries on 28th November as part of the 'final' Homecoming weekend has been sold out for weeks (900 tickets). Why not mention that in the mix? My impression of the media coverage of the entire Homecoming event including the Gathering is that it has been sour and disgruntled and almost entirely negative. Yet the Gathering itself was an excellent event with many thousands of people from across the world attending. That it proved too much for a private company to fund? - certainly there are lessons to be learned. But, in terms of any other measurement, visitor numbers etc it was a huge success. I really wonder why those in the position to say or write positive things about our nation want only to to disparage effort and destroy the seeds of an event that could be good for the country. Scotland doesn't need to look elsewhere for enemies.
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Brian, 'ackward questions' - LOL.
Can you ask Willie Bain the following: -
- Where are you registered to vote.
- Why have you not spoken in the House of Commons.
- Have you resigned from your job as a lecturer.
- When will you arrange the job conference you promised the electorate of GNE.
Brian, you're a journalist, I'm sure you can think of some other ackward questions for Bain.
Freedom
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the terms culture and heritage keep getting bandied about here. just what are scotlands culture and heritage?
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#18,
I suspect the £44m figure will be sales revenue generated by extra visitors to Scotland - event tickets, hotel rooms, restaurants, that sort of thing - and not clear profit. But £44m will sustain a lot of jobs so is definitely significant.
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Brian why have you and your fellow journo,s Catrina Renton ,Glen Campbell etc NEVER asked Murphy any awkward questions ??
Could someone pleaer explain the adoration that BBC"Scotland" and the "Scottish" Press have for Murphy.
There is an excellent website called "They work for You" It gives out some very interesting info on Unctious Jim that the BBC or Press obviously know about would dont print.n
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24. Is this an independent figure or merely a claim by Swinney?
We have seen the SNP spin on figures on many occasions so I'd like to see what Audit Scotland say about this.
Just a reminder: 'reduced spending' does not equal 'efficiency savings'.
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interesting that Brian's colleagues are making a big play on the drop of American visitors during the year of homecoming, whilst conveniently forgetting that the recession started in the USA and is worldwide .
(that is of course the gospel truth cos the great one uttered it.)
oh and the European visitors and the British visitors went up but whisper that bit guy's!
could I suggest the number of visitors from the USA dropped after the great Mr Glenn (outrage)Campbell visited them and put them off!
would you visit a country if everyone was just like Glenn???
no nor would I!
Sid
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30. Reluctant-Expat
Don't you know how to find the figures, the Scottish Government's website, or even "elsewhere on the BBC" etc. for yourself?
Here's a helper for you: http://u.nu/4fey3
Anyway, you keep believing that nonsense. Whatever gets you through your day.
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#30: Reluctant-Expat -
Quelle and, indeed, surprise!
When the figures suit you (The ones you haven't made up, that is) - you announce them from on high with all the gravity of Moses delivering his list of ten 'things ye shouldnae dae'. When the figures don't suit you, you - you're demanding proof and public enquiries; left, right and centre.
I think this might go some way towards enlightening your ignorance. The key words [emphasis my own] are - "independent interim analysis"
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Online Ed Here
The BBC in Scotland, to those of us who actually pay attention to their manipulation of political news, resembles a travelling fair who have parked in Scotland and erected a structure of mirrors that distort whatever they reflect.
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32. So, it's from Swinney and not an independent report then. Thanks.
33. Jump the gun again, did we Bandages? Oops!
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Ochhhh!!! Brian see what you`ve ? you have upset the SNP cyber nutz ....How dare you question were The gathering cash disappeared to ...what is £600.000 against £44 mil ..tut ..tut...
Wee Eck could give up another one of his pay checks and put it in the Pot to make up for the missing loot .......
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It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers.
Mentioned within the BBC's total broadcasting spend for 2005-2006 is a figure of £107 million for restructuring. That's right, £107 million for RESTRUCTURING.
Aside this figure, Homecoming's spend seems pretty reasonable. I wonder, what was our return on this £107 million?
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Remember Brian "It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers." and lets hope that you encourage others in an unglencapbelly way.
OECD economies return to growth and the UK is leading the top 30 countries to reach the bottom first.
"Japan delivered the strongest growth, expanding by 1.2%, while the UK posted the weakest, contracting by 0.4%."
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#35 RE
I find it difficult to get my head round your ability to believe everything emanating from Westminster and nothing coming from Edinburgh when it's the same Civil Service that is producing these reports whichever location they come from. Do you think Civil Servants in the Treasury would allow Darling to say that the UK hadn't borrowed the billions it did in October? So why do the same Civil Servants allow Swinney to get away with telling lies?
Do please explain.
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An interesting blog, Brian. I can't make out whether you are for or against the 'Homecoming'. I accept your premise that awkward questions should be asked as it should of every government be it the Scottish government in Holyrood or the UK government in Westminster. I'll leave you to ponder the posting about 'awkward questions' put forward by some of the other posters on here.
As has been pointed out by other posters (but I'm always happy to emphasise their points) that the economy took in an estimated £40 million from the exercise during a severe economic worldwide downturn, and the Glen Cambell campaign to rubbish the 'Homecoming', then I would say that we done not bad. It is always sad to hear that a company did not make the expected profits and took a loss, but to put that into the context of the recession then it is not unexpected. Let's hope that when we get out of this recession that the future of encouraging the Scottish 'brand' is continued in the same manner as has been shown by the Scottish governement.
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39. Do I really need to post obvious response?
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#41 RE
Yes. An explanation also would have to be nice.
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YouGov Scottish poll details are available - unfortunately details for "others are only available for the list poll.
Party, Westminster, change cf 2005, SP Const, change cf 2007, SP List, change cf 2007
Lab, 39%, (0), 33%, (1), 30%, (1)
SNP, 24%, (6), 32%, (-1), 29%, (-2)
Con, 18%, (2), 15%, (-2), 14%, (0)
LD, 12%, (-11), 14%, (-2), 14%, (3)
Green, -%, (-), -%, (-), 6%, (2)
SSP/Sol, -%, (-), -%, (-), 4%, (3)
What is remarkable is how little change there has been since the last relevant election - apart from the collapse of the LD vote for Westminster, and its capture by the SNP and "others". On these results, the SNP would lose its largest party status, but largely to the Greens and SSP.
The majority against independence has been highlighted, but what hasn't been noted is the satisfaction with the SNP Government
Approve 41% : Disapprove 36%.
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Coming home (are you sure you really want to?)
Did you read Brian Taylor on the BBC this morning?
Boy, did he do his job emphasising the failures of Scotland.
The Gathering? Which lost no public money.
The Final concert? held in a cludgie.
The basic premise? Promoting Scotland abroad. Not only that, they did it deliberately.
Scotland's regional status is in danger of being downgraded to a nation.
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The Queen of the Iceni appears to have had too much mead.
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Online Ed Here
Poor David Porter, the Westminster correspondent, has fallen victim to the BBC Scotland malaise of fabricationitis.
Yes, he also stated that Megrahi had been given an exact limit fo three months left of life - Porter at least had the decency to hesitate as he uttered the lie.
So, two broadcasts that I have heard today each contain complete untruths as to the prognosis of Megrahi's condition. How likely is it that both Tim Reid and David Porter would have made exactly the same mistake?
Here again is what the official advice was:
The clinical assessment, therefore, is that a 3 month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for this patient.
Comment 19:
I'll draft a complaint for anyone to use and post it here some time tomorrow. The BBC will most probably draft a response and send it to everyone, however I have been informed that such complaints are in fact noticed.
Comment 15:
Yes, I am aware that there were a few individuals who suggested the voters had used little by way of grey matter when casting their vote.
The 'Monkey in a red rosette' is the usual phrase, although one person actually described Glasgow North East as the "thickest constituency in Scotland". He did however try to explain that he meant that they were poorly educated but his original choice of words could have been better.
We also have to be wary of people masquerading as one side and posting abuse/insult.
However I managed to find many such opinions from around the UK, demonstrating that the view is one held by many and not just 'Cybernats'.
Indeed one website that lamented the way that Labour appear to take for granted some constituencies was a Labour site. Yes, Labour supporters from England criticised their own party for complacency and used the 'Monkey in a red rosette' phrase.
The point is that such expressions are to be found everywhere. Lib Dens, Tories, independence supporters and yes even Labour supporters themselves make the same claim about the electorate leaving reason and logic at the booth entrance when casting their vote.
There is even one Labour supporting blog in England that proudly displays a cartoon of a monkey wearing a red rosette.
If Murphy is correct about such expressions finding their way onto the web then the whole of the UK is engaged in this online campaign.
There was a very funny satirical blog created by (I believe) an independence supporter. It featured an hilarious photo of 'Oor Wullie' sporting a grotesque smile with both thumbs up.
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I think it is a bit unfair to try and knock down the Homecoming. True, it hasn't been marketed very well in Scotland of all places, but if the economy got any boost, be it 20 million or 40 million, then surely that is a bonus, especially considering the way the global economy is.
The fact that private investors lost 600k in the Gathering is of concern, as that may stifle private investment in the future.
I'd say that the Homecoming has been successful, but not fantastically so, and that is down to a number of factors - the economy, the politicalisation of the event by some people and poor marketing of the events in Scotland.
Mr Riddle is not going to say anything other that it was a great success - that's his role. It's like Gordon Brown saying he's made a mistake.......
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Online Ed Here
...I'd say that the Homecoming has been successful, but not fantastically so
You can say that if you like, however The Homecoming has indeed been a fantastic success.
..... the politicalisation of the event by some people
That'll be the same people that sought to politicise the release of Megrahi and are still at it.
The organiser of the final concert lambasted the opposition parties for their politicising of the event. He explained that their constant sniping and false claims had led people to believe it was some sort of SNP rally when in fact the SNP had nothing to do with the event.
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# 48 U14094468
The organiser of the final concert lambasted the opposition parties for their politicising of the event. He explained that their constant sniping and false claims had led people to believe it was some sort of SNP rally when in fact the SNP had nothing to do with the event.
You'd think that those people would put aside their politcal points of view to try and make this a success for the people and businesses of Scotland, as opposed to trying their best to degrade it at every opportunity. Just because something was done for the country of Scotland while the SNP was in power doesn't mean that it is bad for Scotland. The political point scoring by Labour and most of the major media outlets in Scotland is nothing short of scandalous. It's a pity that there isn't one major media outlet in Scotland that isn't unglencampbelled against the democratically elected government of Scotland.
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# 47 Neil_Small147
True, it hasn't been marketed very well in Scotland of all places
Do you think that this may be due to the rabid Scottish media determined to destroy anything that can, in any way, be politically linked to the SNP whether true or not?
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#43 oldnat
I looked for those figures earlier on YouGov as the questions were set by Prof King.
Torys up to near 1 in 5 and the same level as the SNP in 2005, not worth mentioning.
The LibDem support halves and no-one notices, says it all really.
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I see that Jim Devine, Labour MP, has been named as one of those put forward to the CPS by Scotland Yard for consideration for prosecution. I'm surprised that the Labour party haven't thrown him out of the Labour party now.
Scotland Yard forwards four MPs' expenses files to prosecutors
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@48 Online Ed wrote
"The organiser of the final concert lambasted the opposition parties for their politicising of the event. He explained that their constant sniping and false claims had led people to believe it was some sort of SNP rally when in fact the SNP had nothing to do with the event."
Quite true. The problem of course is that the long planned event took place while the SNP were in government.The unionists don't want anything successful to be associated with the SNP so operation "HarryLauder/It's all just tartan tat" had to swing into action.
At the end of the day, for some people it's all just too uncomfortably.....well..... Scottish.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Online Ed Here
The next comment from myself will contain a draft of my complaint to the BBC along with a link to their complaints site.
It's up to you good people.
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51. handclapping
I'm not that fussed by current polling about Holyrood (during a Westminster election campaign - when minds are focussed on UK issues). I reckon minds will change when a lot of those voting Labour in 2010 see that the English will give them a Tory Government anyway.
If people really want to see a Scots Government "picking fights" with Westminster, then a Lab Scots Government and a Tory UK Government would be really bad!
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I believe overall the Homecoming was a success. Yes, some failures here and there but risk is always there while investing so I don't see it as an issue.
But Neil, why should the Homecoming be marketed in Scotland? I would expect small amounts but it's suppose to attract others from abroad and not the locals.
Personally I feel that Homecoming became a political battlefeild. Anything and everything that could increase the populations feeling of Scottishness must be shot down by the opposition in order to not risk increasing support for independence.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Strange how a computer hacker has stolen internal e-mails from a university in England showing that the scientists are manipulating the statistics and yet no word in the British media.
Hackers catch scientists on global warming data manipulation
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# 58 U14094468
There's a surprise.
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Online Ed Here
Well, there you go - the mods are (thus far) refusing to publish the complaint which is more or less what I've already posted about Tim Reid, David Porter and Catriona Renton.
All factually accurate, no disallowed links and no abuse.
I'll post it on the Newsnet Scotland blog if the mods don't relent later.
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#56 oldnat
It is worrying that, whereas political anoraks like us may know the powers reserved from the Scottish Parliament, Prof King and the respondants to this poll don't, so 60+% think the Scottish Parliament should be concentrating on solving Westminster's problem with our, in the UK sense, unemployment and it's consequential effect on Scotland.
I am increasingly worried about the YouGov polling. Identified LibDems 71, weighted up to 114; LibDem Westminster voters 100, weighted up to 111. And this is a continuing pattern in their output for months. If they can't get any more LibDems because they don't exist then at worst you are looking at a LibDem share of 6.2% (71/1141) and that is really game changing.
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62. handclapping
"60+% think the Scottish Parliament should be concentrating on solving Westminster's problem with our, in the UK sense, unemployment"
Not really surprising, as many people are hurting and scared. They want "them" to solve the problems - and aren't bothered as to who "they" are! In many ways the political class in all countries of all parties only have themselves to blame - they have all promised that they can deliver Paradise.
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@56 Oldnat
re your last para " If people really want to see a Scots Government "picking fights" with Westminster, then a Lab Scots Government and a Tory UK Government would be really bad!" I'd like to think that would be the case (that they would stand up for Scotland), but I cant get the feeble 50 out of my mind.
Good stuff on the site tonight. What a chortle about Brian's "It is entirely right, indeed essential etc". Maybe he is trying to tip us off that the unionists intend to cut up rough about the success of the Homecoming. Well done to everyone of whatever party and none that made it so (including yon bonny blonde piper lassie at the gathering) and ya boo sucks to all the gripers and greeters...
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50. At 8:21pm on 24 Nov 2009, gedguy2 wrote:
I wasn't sniping at the SNP, I'm just saying it could have been marketed better in Scotland. It would have been nice if more people who live in Scotland were aware exactly what was going on, instead of the moans and groans in the press.
57. At 8:59pm on 24 Nov 2009, Thomas_Porter wrote:
It would have been better to involve as many Scots as possible. Not only the ex-pats and tourists, but perhaps instil some more national pride and make the opponents disappear.
It's ironic that the whole idea was started by the very people who tried to shoot it down.
And for the record I said months ago people should wait until it was over before making comment.
----------------------
59. At 9:12pm on 24 Nov 2009, gedguy2 wrote:
No wonder its not on the news: it would put into question all these "green" taxes. I'd like to see what Patrick Harvie has to say about it all....
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61. At 9:20pm on 24 Nov 2009, U14094468 wrote:
They will use the standard "off topic" reason.
62. At 9:25pm on 24 Nov 2009, handclapping wrote:
I think the Lib Dems are in serious trouble. It is quite possible that they may end up on parity with the SNP at the general election, assuming the SNP get 20 seats.
The question is where will all those Lib Dem votes go? In England almost certainly to the Tories, but perhaps different up here. I've never really understood the politcal mindset of the Lib Dems.
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# 65 Neil_Small147
I wasn't saying that you were sniping. I was trying to make a political point about the reasons it wasn't a roaring Scottish success.
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# 65 Neil_Small147
No wonder its not on the news: it would put into question all these "green" taxes. I'd like to see what Patrick Harvie has to say about it all....
Indeed. Another con to tax us and possibly a western con to try and halt the industrialisation of up and coming industrial super powers like China and India. Where have all the journalists gone who would be willing to stand up to the industrial might of the western powers? We have been getting conned for years and we are so used to it that we actually believe it and support those who are conning us.
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Angus Reid poll
Party, GB, E&W
Lab, 22%, 21%
Con, 39%, 42%
LD, 21%, 22%
Labour in 3rd place in England.
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Online Ed Here
Anyone else find it strange that the HBOS received a loan from the BOE months before Brown met with the Lloyds chairman to discuss the takeover of HBOS?
Brown would have known about the loan, but Lloyds are claiming they weren't informed - so what were the discsussions about?
Either Brown knew and deliberately tried to stitch Lloyds up or there was another motive for the HBOS takeover by Lloyds and the loan to HBOS was not an obstacle.
Was Lloyds in trouble and HBOS was a very convenient smokescreen whilst allowing this Scottish based asset's HQ to be removed from Scotland at some future date?
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Labour involved in deceit and lies with 60 Billion of our money.
What I would give for another five years of Gordon Brown. Makes me almost proud that I actually once voted Labour.
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The Iraq enquiry
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00650/TTM253101CC_RGB_ONL_650193a.jpg
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72. oldnat
You mean it will be a whitebeard and not a whitewash!
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"It is entirely right, indeed essential, to ask awkward questions and expect answers."
Here's a couple. First for Jim Murphy.
Why did he claim £5,200 London food allowance last year (at £400 per month?)claiming EVEN when Paliament wasn't sitting, EVEN when he was in China and EVEN when he was in Scotland most of the time - or so he said when he justified "flipping" his home for a large sum of public money on the basis that he now was mostly in Scotland.
Or another one. Why exactly did David Marshall suddenly stand down at Glasgow East?
Or another one. How many times has Alistair Darling "flipped" his home?
Or another one. If Willie Bain stayed in Glasgow on a regular basis how come the neighbours hadn't seen him for months before the by-election?
Or another one. Why is the "cost" of the Gathering described as a "loss"
Or another one. Why is the jamboree described as the "SNP's Homecoming" when it was devised by the last Labour administration.
I could go on all night.
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69. At 10:35pm on 24 Nov 2009, oldnat wrote:
Angus Reid poll
Party, GB, E&W
Lab, 22%, 21%
Con, 39%, 42%
LD, 21%, 22%
Labour in 3rd place in England.
----------------
Could be interesting. You could end up with a solid Tory majority, or possibly a hung parliament where Labour and the Lib Dems would form a coalition.
But in Scotland I think the Lib Dems will be slaughtered regardless.
With fptp I think the odds would be on the Tory majority.
Out of interest, how would such a result be reflected in pr?
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72. At 11:20pm on 24 Nov 2009, oldnat wrote:
:)
More likely he will age enough to look that old before he turns up.......
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#72 oldnat
But, even with the beard, they found him and hauled him 'h'off to Holland.
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Talk about winning the lottery.
According to Newsnicht, in addition to oil + green energy, we have 10% of Europe's coal. I knew we had plenty for ourselves if we needed it - but 10% of Europe's total ? God, we are such a nation of losers. I must have misheard, the reporter must surely have said cola.
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Brian,
Seems like excellent news but it might have been even better if they had released the 1911 Census as our English cousins did. Seems the English have a better Freedom of Information Act than we have.
I did email to the Minister in charge but he was happy to let the General Register's Office in Edinburgh make the decision to hold it back till 2011 and didn't want to comment.
So here we are with 1911 released for England, Wales and even Ireland, who have put it on-line for free, but Scots and the descendants of Scots living abroad have to wait and wait and wait.
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#78govanite wrote:
Talk about winning the lottery.
....
Yes, but unfortunately for us someone's stolen our ticket..
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#79 Sheneval
See #77 on the previous thread.
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70. U14094468
I said as much a while back either here or elsewhere, given that the BOE suddenly decided to tell us about the secret money that was loaned last year , who is to say they secretly did other things and they have yet to tell us if at all, wonder if someone was going to blow the whistle on this, so damage limitation to get it out now before the election.
We are in the "Thick of It" now spin city here we come
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77. At 00:07am on 25 Nov 2009, handclapping wrote:
"So the English break their promises to people, well I never! *shock* If you promise to keep something secret for 100 years and don't, who is going to tell the truth in the 2011 census? Governments should keep their promises."
The 100 year rule was made in 1841 - times change and new Governments have to change with them or just like the Dinosaur they will fade away.
The release of this Census during the year of the Homecoming could have benefited Scotland greatly by attracting Genealogist from overseas - up until now Scotland has been in the lead with release of this type of information - it will be a great pity if we allow others to overtake us.
I am pretty certain that the people who gave the census information would be more than happy to see their ancestors interested in their life and happy to see the country benefiting from their research.
People do not trawl through hundreds of pages of entries out of idle curiosity, apart from the fact that it is meaningless unless you are related to the individuals concerned, it is far too expensive.
Visitors living outwith the UK not only pay for the information, they also visit the area where their kin live and spend money locally - many of them are elderly and might not be in good health etc. by the time the information is released, so the ability to make a visit is lost - there is a big market out there and we should be exploiting it for all we are worth.
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Angus Macleod is increasingly becoming one of the few political journalists who has the ability to identify the problems and opportunities for political parties in Scotland.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6930462.ece
When Labour lose the next GE the UK Labour party will choose a new leader - who won't represent a Scottish constituency - and no major position will be held by a Scot.
In order to gain power (and Labour is about nothing else now) they are going to have to outdo the SNP in "Scottishness". The Union is about to become a liability for Labour as Scots Labour politicians will have nothing to gain from it.
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Online Ed Here
Below is the complaint:
I am writing to complain about two items that appeared on BBC Radio Scotland on 24 November.
Both items related to the release of Al Megrahi from Greenock prison and both drew attention to the medical prognosis/advice that led to the release.
The first item was broadcast on Good Morning Scotland at around 07:35, the correspondent was Tim Reid. Mr Reid’s broadcast contained a blatant factual inaccuracy.
Mr Reid stated that: "Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill released Megrahi who has prostate cancer and was given three months to live by doctors."
This was not true, Megrahi has never been "given three months to live by doctors", to present such an inaccurate statement as fact in a matter as sensitive as the Megrahi release is at best incompetent and at worst malicious.
Here is the official medical advice released by the Scottish Government:
"The clinical assessment, therefore, is that a 3 month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for this patient."
The three month timescale was only ever an estimate as it is in all such cases.
Later on that same evening at around 17:10 your Westminster correspondent David Porter made exactly the same erroneous claim, again stating that Megrahi had been given three months to live.
Twice in one day the BBC have blatantly mislead Scottish listeners over a very serious matter, a matter that has been politicised by the Unionist parties at Holyrood.
Indeed the Labour MSP Dr Richard Simpson has been pursuing just this line in an attempt at casting doubt on the integrity of both the team who gave the medical advice and Mr MacAskill.
This misreporting by the BBC will surely bolster Dr Simpsons case in the minds of those listeners not aware of the truth, that the three months period was an estimate.
Following on from revelations that the BBC in Scotland were recently forced to issue a personal apology to the SNP's Alex Neil(but refused to broadcast it) after political reporter Catriona Renton attributed views to Mr Neil that he had not made, one is left with no alternative but to question the professionalism and objectivity of those who are in control of the BBC's political reporting in Scotland.
In this latest instance, an acknowledgement of the mistake made by your reporters is the very least you should do – an apology to the Scottish Government and your listeners would also be in order.
Failing that, then please explain why such misreporting is deemed acceptable.
Regards
Make your complaint here.
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84. oldnat
"In order to gain power (and Labour is about nothing else now) they are going to have to outdo the SNP in "Scottishness"."
That thought had crossed my mind!
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Coming Home........In a Box.
The inquiry into the Iraq war has begun. Is it too much to ask the state broadcasters correspondent for Scotland to focus on the scottish soldiers who came home in a wooden box?
Wansanshoo.
Nationalist & Anti Theist.
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85. U14094468
Link doesn't work, Ed. You've repeated the http:// part.
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85. U14094468
How slow-witted am I? :)
Here's the link BBC Complaints
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I caught a piece by a Scots lass on radio 4 yesterday about golf in Scotland.As I drove along I listened to a chap from NZ who lives and works in golf over here , he was an enthusiastic chap ,very pro Scotland and golf.Indeed every one interviewed was very pro Scotland and golf, with the exception of our wee interviewer who did the " ah But....."and the damning with faint praise ( with which we are all familiar!)
I was so irritated that it took until the sight of the first two Christmas trees of the season in a couple of Yoker windows to cheer my spirits!
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Online Ed Here
Well, well – London Labour’s press spokesman appeared on Good Morning Scotland. Nice to see two mildly awkward questions be asked amidst Jim Murphy’s SNP bash fest.
Murphy stumbles slightly when it is suggested that Calman was as a resulr of the SNP winning the 2007 election. Then at the end Murphy twice ignores the ‘Full Fiscal Autonomy’ question before stating that Professor Anton Muscatelli said it would damage Scotland.
Sadly no questions on the ‘big idea’ that is tax raising and the very many clear reasons that it is a ridiculous sham. It’s such a shame that the very many questions that might elicit some valuable info and much needed clarity are never asked.
Had to laugh when Murphy, after relentlessly insulting the SNP as he always does, then accuses others of being “obsessed with the SNP” – priceless.
If you listen again watch out for Gary Robertson state that support for a referendum is roughly 50/50.
Oops, sorry about the faulty link on my previous post.
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Bit of a busy morning for Murphy - rudely awakened by him on R4s Today programme, approx. 7.10am fyi. Naughtie disappointingly bland, Morphy's usual 'there's no support for Independence so we don't need a referendum even though we know we (Unionists) would win it' going pretty much unchallenged. Another blatantly negative piece on Independence at 8.35 whose general tenor was things are awful but we'd better stick with what we know. Also the canard that RBS and HBOS are solely Scottish institutions repeated ad nauseum. The SNP get to put their view later this week which is I suppose the Beeb's attempt at balance. I don't expect every view and interview to be countered immediately, but I do expect interviewers to at least challenge or test the views that are broadcast. Also this was pretty much a communique to Middle England from the far north, and I would have expected R4 to show the same objectivity and breadth of vision that they display in reports from, say, Rwanda or the Ukraine.
At least a bit of rage gets you going in the morning.
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Online ED,
Thanks for the prepared complaint, sent this morning I will advise if I get a reply in due course (anything up to 10 days)
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Murphy was also on the Today programme and a number of people in Kilmarnock were interviewed to determine if there was any economic optimism. Alf Young was also interviewed.
Essentially, the answers were along the lines that whilst there was absolutely no economic optimism in Kilmarnock the economic risk of independence was far greater than the risk of staying part of the UK and that the time for independence was 30 years ago when we still had a reasonable amount of industry.
Quite remarkable really because if one thinks about it that means that the Tory/Labour destruction of the Scottish economy has Scotland even more dependent on the union. What's really worrying though is that the only way to maintain that position is to ensure the Scottish economy remains depressed.
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I also heard The Murph this morning. Poor Gary, he'll be off to Room 101 this afternoon.
As Far as I heard,What he did wheedle out of The Muprh was
i) that "(this) will only happen IN THE NEXT PARLIAMENT IF LABOUR ARE RETURNED TO POWER"
ii) that The Treasury are unlikely to implement any of the proposed changes in the Tax System before TEN YEARS.
So the White Paper is meaningless. No powers will be handed over to The Parly in advance of next year's General Election. "Fiscal Responsibility" depends on the whims of Whitehall Manadrins.
SPIN, SPIN, SPIN......Listen Subjects in Northern Britain, be good and vote for Gordon and you might get some of what we might promise you sometime. Possibly.
Hang on, the Parliament has by dint of the Scotland Act the power to vary the rate of Income tax by plus or minus up to 3 percent. How can we do that by vote of Parly but have to wait Ten Years to set a base rate of 10% and have Parly add to that ?
Not saying that there aren't some technical issues in the way, not saying that either would be easy but it's jam (or rather bananas) tomorrow if and only if you vote for that Nice Mr Brown. Yes.
OK, elections are all about promises. But It is insulting that The Murph has taken this approach and is trumpeting the White Paper as "proof that Labour's approach to completing Donald Dewar's legacy" (or words to that effect) Is The Way, The Truth and The Light and that those Nasty Secessionists are bent on destroying our Scotland.
It's Time.
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85. Are you serious?
When a doctor says to some poor soul, "You have 3 months to live", do you think that is an estimate or will the patient definitely die exactly 3 months later?
I predict the BBC will give your 'complaint' just treatment.
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BBC Scotland's most used words - might,maybe,could be, possibly .
It's amazing what you can promise when you know it will never happen when you are in power!
whilst full fiscal autonomy is my preferred option I am sensible enough to accept that it will not happen ,simply because ,the United Kingdom or more accurately England cannot afford to "allow" Scotland even a sniff of full fiscal autonomy never mind Independence
the calman commission is but an absolute shambles, every single recommendation has been set up to be as difficult to implement as possible.
just like BBC Alba it was set up to fail!
Sid
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"96. At 09:25am on 25 Nov 2009, Reluctant-Expat wrote:
85. Are you serious?
When a doctor says to some poor soul, "You have 3 months to live", do you think that is an estimate or will the patient definitely die exactly 3 months later?"
That's why a doctor would never in any situation express himself in these terms. We leave that to people with 'agendas'
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#96 reluctant- expat
you have 3 months to live = a doctor or specialist's best estimate using all the experience they have as well as how they think the patient is personally dealing with what is happening to them.
every cancer is different,how every patient reacts to the cancer and how they react to any treatment is as an individual. there are no standard cases!
the other part of this has to do with the patients state of mind . They will either give it all they have got and fight tooth and nail to stay alive or they will throw in the towel and allow the doctors statement to become a self fulfilling prophecy.
As someone who is fighting tooth and nail to stay alive your #96 post is an absolute disgrace and simply confirms my thoughts about the kind of person you actually are.
Sid
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So we have Labour MPs being referred to the CPS by Scotland Yard for consideration of prosecutions relating to possible fraudulant claims by those MPs. We have a meeting of the world's politicians in Copenhagen to discuss climate change but information has emerged that this is a con based upon misleading data. We have something strange going on with the Bank of England and Gordon Brown over the takeover of HBOS by Lloyds and an undisclosed sum of £60 billion. We have the start of the Iraq inquiry which might shed light upon the Labour government's decision to back Bush in, what many people would consider, an illegal war and what do we get?
We get a piece by Brian that doesn't tell us anything about the 'Homecoming'. Oh what a lovely UK country we live in.
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If a doctor claimed that I had several months to live but yet I live past that time limit, I suspect I may be able to bring forward a law case since the doctor put me through misery by getting it wrong.
Doctors should never predict but instead estimate the situation.
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An interesting piece in the Telegraph about Climategate: the final nail in the coffin of 'Anthropogenic Global Warming'?.
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96. Reluctant-Expat
As someone who has lost a teenage daughter to leukaemia, I regret that BBC rules prevent me from expressing my candid opinion of you.
This is just too obscene for words!
I was tempted to refer it to the moderators but decided that it was best left hanging, to rot in full view of people who understand the meaning of common decency! I hope the stench of it doesn't drive them away.
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#103 albamac- sorry to here that, I concur and ask everyone else not to even think about referring #96 it should be left up for everyone to see.
it has nothing to do with politics , it has to do with being a decent human being full stop!
Sid
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99, 101 and especially 103:
Read 85 and 96 again and maybe then you'll realise the total lack of comprehension and subsequent ridiculous over-reaction within your comments.
Quite happy to have my post stay where it is.
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Another piece of unionist propaganda by the Unionist press Alex Salmond urged to scrap independence referendum after Daily Telegraph poll.
If the Unionists are so confident of winning the referendum then why don't they just let the people of Scotland vote on the matter and put the question to bed? What are they afraid of? According to their poll they would seem to win the referendum without having to do anything, so why not have the referendum? Are they frightened that the people of Scotland might decide to vote in the direction that is not suitable to the unionists?
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106. Because it once again highlights how utterly obsessed Salmond is with this independence campaign.
And with only 12% considering the referendum a top priority, Salmond's threat to make any blocking of a vote an election issue, is not only a weak threat but is going to highlight his obsession even more.
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#92,
Both RBS plc and HBOS plc are incorporated in Scotland, they were similarly both incorporated in Scotland at the height of the banking crisis 12 months ago.
How would an independant Scotland have supplied the 60bn in emergency loans that we learned about yesterday. That must be pretty close to the country's entire GDP for 1 year.
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106. Finally seen the full figures of that poll.
Labour are now back ahead of the SNP on every poll; Westminster (39%-24%), Holyrood Constituency (33%-32%) and Holyrood Regional (30%-29%)!
Tie this with the continuing fall in the already minority support for independence and a referendum...
...Are we witnessing the collapse of Scottish nationalism? Was it just a fad?
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108. £60bn is about half of our GDP but nearly double Holyrood's budget.
I remember Salmond trying to claim Scotland could have afforded to bail out RBS and HBOS on its own as "the two banks have paid over 40bn in corporation tax"...
...somehow neglecting to state that was for UK-wide operations and that CT revenues for an independent Scotland would have been a small fraction of that.
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Reluctant-Expat,
"...Are we witnessing the collapse of Scottish nationalism? Was it just a fad?"
Hmm... I feel your over reacting. I'd call loosing every seat in Scotland a collapse (Conservatives) or the possibility of a total wipe out in the general elections a collapse (Labour) but the SNP and Labour still dominate Scotland, lets not forget that Labour at their grass roots are typically nationalistic, so I doubt we're seeing a collapse but we are seeing two of Scotlands largest parties battling for dominance.
However I thought you'd be happier with a strong SNP in Scotland because the unionists will never allow a referendum but the SNP are willing to co-operate with the Conservatives since Labour will argue over anything and everything the SNP propose, so why aren't you happier, shouldn't you be worried about Labour controlling Scotland once again, leaving your Tories out of power for a long-time?
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Reluctant-Expat,
Please point out Salmonds claim that Scotland could have bailed out RBS and HBOS because I appear to have missed it.
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105. Reluctant-Expat
From your #96: "Are you serious?"
Your opening calls the grounds for the complaint set out in post #85 into question. Since the complaint maintains that inaccurate reporting gives the impression that Megrahi's estimated life expectancy has a three month deadline attached and your question disputes that contention, then it looks like you share the view that Megrahi is at liberty without license if he survives beyond the cut-off date that has been falsely attached to medical opinion.
You close with this snide one-liner:
"I predict the BBC will give your 'complaint' just treatment"
My reading of that is that you've used the words I've highlighted to underline your dismissal of the complaint with sarcasm.
Did you expect us to deduce from this that you agree with the complainant? I doubt it but, if so, please rewrite #96 so that we can be perfectly clear about your position with regard to Megrahi's reluctance to die on cue.
In plain English, is the complaint valid, should Megrahi be returned to custody in Scotland or should he just die so that jackals may feast?
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112. Even better, it appears he was only referring to RBS (strange how he accepts this is a Scottish bank and nats like you don't....anymore).
Anyway, can't find a transcript of what I heard him say on R5L but here's what he said on another programme:
"RBS in its heyday over the past 10 years was clocking up £4bn a year maximum in corporation tax, which all went to London."
"If we'd had over the past 10 years the ability to build up a capital fund through Scotland being independent and controlling oil revenues, and getting the corporation tax, then you would have the sort of capital fund that, for example, Norway has used to stabilise its financial sector."
Another home-run for the self-claimed economist who considered Iceland and Ireland as models for our economy and also campaigned to have banking regulation reduced to "light-touch regulation suitable to a Scottish financial sector with its outstanding reputation for probity".
You couldn't make it up. It's literally as if he is trying to destroy the SNP's credibility himself.
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Reluctant-Expat,
#114.
I would thought light-touch regulation is something a typical Conservative would support, we are witnessing David Cameron starting a row with Labour for allowing France to have an economic post.
Do you have a real opinion to share on the issue or are you simply annoying the posters here?
By the way what makes you believe Alex Salmond would not be in favour of the idea of free market capitalism? Personally, as a high flying economist I would expect nothing less but to be typically right leaning in their ideas.
But lets not pretend that Alex Salmond were alone in their calls ;-) However I also feel it was to gain friends in the business community, I doubt the party would have really allowed the banking systems to be lightly regulated. That's not the thing socialists do.
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Y'know, I'm beginning to understand the low number of Lab/Con/Lib attacks on the SNP despite numerous SNP (especially Salmond) comments and actions that clearly warrant a response.
I think the reason is that the opposition just can't do a better job of discrediting the SNP than the SNP themselves, so they leave them to it.
A taxi driver in Edinburgh actually predicted this in 2007 when he said to me: "They should just leave the SNP to gather enough rope to hang themselves".
Godwin's comment: It similar to WW2 when the allies didn't want to have Hitler killed as he was their best chance of destroying the Nazi machine.
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116. Reluctant-Expat
"A taxi driver in Edinburgh actually predicted this in 2007 when he said to me: "They should just leave the SNP to gather enough rope to hang themselves"."
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Don't you ever tire of this? Your boring the nation to death but what else can we expect from a 'Scottish' Tory - the longest funeral procession in history!
It's all been said and done before. It didn't work then and the dullards still don't understand why!
Iain Macwhirter writing in The Guardian:
May, 2007
"The Scottish Sun front page featured a hangman's noose in the shape of an SNP logo. "Vote SNP today and you put Scotland's head in the noose," it cried. The Daily Mail was equally direct: "This man wants to destroy Great Britain," it screamed over a picture of Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, looking shifty. The Daily Record, the second largest-selling tabloid in Scotland, ran a front page editorial attacking the nationalists. "Do not sleepwalk into independence. Do not let a protest vote break up Britain".
The fact that the result of tonight's election will certainly not break up Britain was hardly mentioned. Highly questionable assertions from Labour election leaflets were presented as if they were hard fact. Scottish taxpayers would pay £5,000 per head, said the Sun; income tax would go up 3p; thousands of jobs would be lost. None of these are credible claims. The alleged hike in income tax refers to the SNP policy of replacing council tax with a local income tax, which actually involves a £400 million tax reduction.
...
Similarly, claims that Scotland would be left defenceless, that Alex Salmond would create conflict with Westminster, that there would be a flight of professionals out of Scotland, are intemperate to the point of hysteria. It is the chancellor, Gordon Brown, who has said that he would refuse to work with Alex Salmond, should the latter become first minister.
...
You would have to be highly active politically to be able to see past such character assassination by the press.
It has been a disgraceful performance by people I am ashamed to call my journalistic colleagues. It is an offence against democracy for the press to seek to influence public opinion by such blatant and crude propagandising - more like a tin-pot dictatorship than a modern democracy.
No one expects the press to be non-partisan. Of course they will advise their readers how to vote. But to use such intemperate language and imagery; to grossly misrepresent the programme of a major political party; to denigrate and traduce its leader, is simply the politics of the gutter.
What impact will all this have on the result? Hard to say - but it will undoubtedly influence some voters. The combined circulation of the three most vituperative titles is well over a million. These papers will be read by a majority of Scots voters. When the newsstands are decorated with lurid claims about Scotland being on the eve of destruction, portraying Salmond as a cross between Neil Kinnock and Joseph Stalin, voters cannot help but be influenced. We can only hope that in this unseasonallly hot weather, people have been sitting in the sun rather than reading it."
I dare say we'll be hearing from the taxi driver's American cousin, Joe the Plumber, before long. LOL
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"116. At 1:43pm on 25 Nov 2009, Reluctant-Expat wrote:
Y'know, I'm beginning to understand the low number of Lab/Con/Lib attacks on the SNP despite numerous SNP (especially Salmond) comments and actions that clearly warrant a response.
I think the reason is that the opposition just can't do a better job of discrediting the SNP than the SNP themselves, so they leave them to it.
A taxi driver in Edinburgh actually predicted this in 2007 when he said to me: "They should just leave the SNP to gather enough rope to hang themselves"."
A taxi driver as oracle; why doesn't that surprise me. Presumably the Lab/Con/Libs feel they can't compete with insights like that (and on recent performances, they can't)
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117: Albamac:"It's all been said and done before. It didn't work then and the dullards still don't understand why!"
I refer you to my previous posts:
"Labour are now back ahead of the SNP on every poll; Westminster (39%-24%), Holyrood Constituency (33%-32%) and Holyrood Regional (30%-29%)"
Also support for independence is down to just 29% from 46% just two years ago and this is without a third 'more powers' option being given.
Support for a referendum is down to 45% from 75% just two years ago.
Only 12% of those polled considered a referendum a top priority.
How about that worldwide online petition that has only managed to attract just over 900 signatures (did you know there is a more successful online petition from Bermuda to have their PM sacked? Seriously, it's on the No.10 e-petition site and it has more signatures after just 5 months than the SIC's heavily-publicised effort has managed in two years).
Y'know, maybe your comment would be more aptly applied to nationalists, such as yourself, who have been blitzing any and every Scottish-related blog for a good few years now, with as much pro-SNP/anti-UK propaganda as you can manufacture.
In light of your progress over the past two years, maybe you would all like to ask yourselves why all your efforts haven't worked? Mmm?
And to further highlight how out of touch the nationalists are with the rest of us, in the latest YouGov poll, SNP supporters genuinely believe having a referendum is considerably more important than tackling drug abuse!
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Wow, there is an online petition from Brighton to stop a fire station being re-located, that has more signatures than the nationalist petition for a referendum on independence!
LOL!
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Reluctant-Expat,
The pro-independence supporters have no need to manufacture anti-UK propaganda. This recession has demonstrated quite well the weakness in Great Britain. I love watching the old Empire burn into ashes, I love more the individuals who still believe Great Britain is the worlds super power showing the rest of the world the way forward.
Hmmm.. now the choice between a nationalist utopia fantasy or continue to pretend that Great Britain is the super power of the world, which fantasy do you think is most preferable? I would rather believe in the utopia instead of the idea that the UK still has any influence at all compared to the imperial days.
Personally I don't care about drug abuse. It's time individuals take responsibility for their own wasteful lives. End of.
Next topic for discussion, please.
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119. Reluctant-Expat
"I refer you to my previous posts:"
No, let me refer you to your previous posts - all 1099 of them between Friday, 2nd May 2008 and Tuesday, 24th November 2009, according to the BBC.
Makes this look a bit dodgy doesn't it?
"Y'know, maybe your comment would be more aptly applied to nationalists, such as yourself, who have been blitzing any and every Scottish-related blog for a good few years now, with as much pro-SNP/anti-UK propaganda as you can manufacture."
Blitz? I don't think so, Hermann! I don't post anywhere else but here's my history on BWB:
Comments made by albamac between Wednesday, 4th March 2009 and Wednesday, 25th November 2009 = 88
Another smear attempt bombs!
Nothing but sneer and smear since my previous post. Is that it then? All done? Good!
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[79. At 00:10am on 25 Nov 2009, Sheneval wrote:
Brian,
Seems like excellent news but it might have been even better if they had released the 1911 Census as our English cousins did. Seems the English have a better Freedom of Information Act than we have.
I did email to the Minister in charge but he was happy to let the General Register's Office in Edinburgh make the decision to hold it back till 2011 and didn't want to comment.
So here we are with 1911 released for England, Wales and even Ireland, who have put it on-line for free, but Scots and the descendants of Scots living abroad have to wait and wait and wait. ]
If you word an FoI request properly, you can use that legislation to force them to give you any census information from 1911 that they have concerning your family/ancestors. Someone posted about it on a 'find your ancestors' website. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm emailing from work and can't access the site here!
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123. At 5:21pm on 25 Nov 2009, GlasgowGooner wrote:
"If you word an FoI request properly, you can use that legislation to force them to give you any census information from 1911 that they have concerning your family/ancestors. Someone posted about it on a 'find your ancestors' website. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm emailing from work and can't access the site here!"
I hope you are right but I am told that the FOI Act does not cover the 1911 Census in Scotland - however, I will endeavour to ascertain if your info. is correct.
If so, I wonder if the Reidtrar General will change his decision not to publish if he ends up getting thousands of emails from all round the world? :-)
Many Thanks
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#110
Yes and the bail out was for UK wide operations as well as 90% of RBS operations are outside of Scotland in such venerable Scottish institutions as Nat West and Ulster Bank.
Do you think we are all daft?
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Like the archtypal bully or coward Reluctant Expat suddenly reappears shouting abuse when he thinks things are running his way.
Neither of the banks he refers to are "Scotish" banks in any real sense. They are large international banks being painted "Scottish" by persons trying to make a political point.
RBS certainly is a Scottish institution remaining HQ'd in Scotland (interim)but is largely owned internationally and operates 90% of its business internationally.
HBOS is not a Scottish institution and is referred to as the "Halifax" everywhere else but in Scotland. It was the Halifax portfolio of bad loans that took it down.
In actual fact there was and still is a very strong argument that the UK Government should have allowed the banks in trouble to go bust. I am far from alone in holding this opinion and the hit would have been mainly on the internatioanl speculators who were scooping vast sums of money out of these institutions through behaviour which was tantamount to massive fraud.
However the UK Labour Government, ecstatic about the huge tax revenues it was pulling down from this funny money, encourgaged this behaviour (as it also encouraged an unsustainable housing bubble because it made people feel they were rich).
It was UK Labour who knighted Fred Goodwin for his "success" at RBS.
The money Gordon Brown has borrowed (mostly from China)to plough into the banking black holes would, im my opinion,have been better ploughed directly into the industries and indiviuals hurt by a banking default.
The US,of course, let several major banks go to the wall but despite this they poured proportionately more (borrowed)money into their economy than has been poured into "Scottish" banks. Does this mean that the US can't be independent?
In fact "banking" and "the economy" are related but separate issues and a banking collapse has little constitutional significance as Ireland and Iceland are presently establishing.
Unionists would like this banking crisis (another Union dividend?) to become "Darien 2010". There are indeed a number of Scots whose personal vested interest means they are playing enthusiatically the same game as the parcel of rogues in 1705/6.
Scotland is actually the only part of UK which has the collateral to pay back its share of the huge debt that UK Labour has plunged Scotland into.
Growing at around £500million per day it is unsustainable and RE wants us to cling to this sinking ship.
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123. At 5:21pm on 25 Nov 2009, GlasgowGooner wrote:
"If you word an FoI request properly, you can use that legislation to force them to give you any census information from 1911 that they have concerning your family/ancestors. Someone posted about it on a 'find your ancestors' website. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm emailing from work and can't access the site here!"
As a folow up to my previous response, I have today emailed the Scottish Commissioner for FOI and requested his assistance in giving those of us living in a Devolved Scotland the same Freedom rights as those living in other parts of the UK.
Again many thanks for your previous response; coupled with the article in the BBC's Magazine on the War years information, it gave me the kick I needed to try and do something rather than just accepting the dictate from the powers that be.
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#125 & #126,
Of course RBS and HBOS plcs are both multinationals. Only a fool would claim otherwise. However, both are legally incorporated in Scotland and it is a more than reasonable assumption that they would have continued to be incorporaated here in an Independent Scotland.
So, back to the original question: how would an Independent Scotland have raised the 60bn funds for the emergency loans?
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Bingowings87:
#128.
Have you evidence to support your claim that an independent Scotland would have followed British policy if we were independent 30, or 70 years ago?
I can't tell you and neither can you predict the financial situation in an independent Scotland. Please do not pretend that you can because it ruins debates if we begin using the 'what if' questions.
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#128
It is highly unlikely that an independent Scotland would have operated the sort of inadequate regulation that was actually utilised by the UK government to energetically encourage them (like doling out knighthoods and so on in exchange for massive tax yields) in their extremely dangerous behaviour.
Had an independent Scotland done so I would have demanded the banks to be allowed to go bust.
Regulation like that employed by Australian owned Clydesdale Bank would have done the job
Why do you imagine an independent Scotland would have been obliged to find any funds to save Nat West or the Ulster Bank or the Halifax anyway?
Anybody sighted Iceland or Ireland anywhere?
Oh, they're still there, are they?
No doubt they are clamouring to rejoin UK and Denmark respectively.
They're not?
My, my. They must be busy dealing with their problems themselves.
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128. bingowings87
"So, back to the original question: how would an Independent Scotland have raised the 60bn funds for the emergency loans?"
Exactly the same way that the Fed and BoE have done 'quantative easing' basically toilet paper money. THe UK, USA and others are bankrupt states who have been borrowing from the future to keep themselves afloat and have been doing so for decades.
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128. bingowings87
"So, back to the original question: how would an Independent Scotland have raised the 60bn funds for the emergency loans?"
Nah, the original question was, "Did you hear Philip Riddle on the wireless this morning?"
Why complicate matters?
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