I wonder why they chose Manchester? Of all the places in the UK what made Manchester the best place to collate the figures? Birmingham, Leeds, even Sheffield, I should have thought would have done just as well if they wanted a big city outside London.
Mind, if the result is going to be "out" then the best place to announce it would be Winchester, England's historical capital.
Manchester has a history of being the venue for epochal election result announcements.
For example, Ed Miliband winning the Labour leadership was announced in Manchester.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Given that St. George was foisted on us by the wretched Norman overlords, you claim makes no sense at all (and, yes, I am ignoring your sub-text that St. George, if he ever existed, was a Turk or some other sort of johnny foreigner).
If, as I fervently hope, we vote to leave the EU and Scotland votes to leave the UK the ENglish should return to its proper patron saint, St. Edmund, and to the white dragon as its flag.
I wonder why they chose Manchester? Of all the places in the UK what made Manchester the best place to collate the figures? Birmingham, Leeds, even Sheffield, I should have thought would have done just as well if they wanted a big city outside London.
Mind, if the result is going to be "out" then the best place to announce it would be Winchester, England's historical capital.
Maybe its to poke them in the eye, if the UK votes Leave.
Even leaving aside all the usual big advantages in the SNP's favour, another factor is that Sturgeon is frankly just in a different league to Kezia Dugdale. Even if some of these problems that people are mentioning (the Bridge, public services' underperformance, some SNP MPs' dodginess) catch up with the SNP, they can just turn it into a presidential contest and say "who do you want to be first minister?" Even I would struggle to vote SLAB in such a contest.
I'm still in a minority of one I guess when I say Johann Lamont should be brought back.
Even leaving aside all the usual big advantages in the SNP's favour, another factor is that Sturgeon is frankly just in a different league to Kezia Dugdale. Even if some of these problems that people are mentioning (the Bridge, public services' underperformance, some SNP MPs' dodginess) catch up with the SNP, they can just turn it into a presidential contest and say "who do you want to be first minister?" Even I would struggle to vote SLAB in such a contest.
I'm still in a minority of one I guess when I say Johann Lamont should be brought back.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Given that St. George was foisted on us by the wretched Norman overlords, you claim makes no sense at all (and, yes, I am ignoring your sub-text that St. George, if he ever existed, was a Turk or some other sort of johnny foreigner).
If, as I fervently hope, we vote to leave the EU and Scotland votes to leave the UK the ENglish should return to its proper patron saint, St. Edmund, and to the white dragon as its flag.
St George was no ordinary Jonny Foreigner, he was a Jonny Foreigner from the Middle East.
St Edmund would be fine with me, but I think national pride would be damaged by having as Patron Saint someone who was slain by Ivar The Boneless.
Even leaving aside all the usual big advantages in the SNP's favour, another factor is that Sturgeon is frankly just in a different league to Kezia Dugdale. Even if some of these problems that people are mentioning (the Bridge, public services' underperformance, some SNP MPs' dodginess) catch up with the SNP, they can just turn it into a presidential contest and say "who do you want to be first minister?" Even I would struggle to vote SLAB in such a contest.
I'm still in a minority of one I guess when I say Johann Lamont should be brought back.
To bastardise a football adage "It's a woman against a girl"
they can just turn it into a presidential contest and say "who do you want to be first minister?" Even I would struggle to vote SLAB in such a contest..
The problem there is it's not a Presidential system.
The rest of Nicola's cabinet make the Keystone Cops look competent.
Swinney can't count. Transport, fail. Education, fail, Health, fail, and don't get us started on T in the Park...
One of the comments under there struck home with just how hard the splits will be to heal:
Sorry but revolutionaries don’t look for common ground with the old order. They look for enemies of the revolution. There’s no room for comprise.
In this respect this by John Harris is also interesting:
He notes the two types of new labour joiner/supporter. The old (55+) lefties who have rejoined after decades sulking in the pub and are now intent on causing maximum trouble by using procedures and deselections and conference motions and all the rest. And then there's the 20-somethings, young and heady with idealist ideas, many of whom have probably switched across from the Greens. The problem I can see, which Harris doesn't mention, is that the young are more likely to drift off after a few months or years, bored with the whole endless meeting thing and intimidated by the old crusty militant types.
A problem in a lot of the coverage is that because Jez prompts strong reactions, the writers themselves often have a strong agenda which colours their impressions (and most journalists, including Harris, aren't big fans of his). Thus it's simultaneously claimed that the new members are often zealots bent on hijacking every meeting and that they're all ivory tower types who don't turn up at all. Momentum is reported as simultaneously a sinister Trot conspiracy and a shambolic rabble with no coherent agenda. Similarly, Parliamentary sketch-writers really dislike Jez's dry civility, so every Labour speaker who reverts to the old slam-bang politics is greeted as the new Messiah.
I don't have an overall picture either, but I think that different CLPs are having different experiences. A longstanding observation is that a lot of politics in London is much more intense, so whereas there seems to have been some genuine insurgency in Walthamstowe, the experience in places like Broxtowe is generally harmonious. Every CLP has a few hard left and hard right characters who basically want a fight, but the median view is that the members want an idealistic party (hence 60% Jez) but they don't want a bloodbath. There is very little support for direct confrontation from either side, and centrists who promote alternative agendas get an interested hearing, while grumblers don't.
At one time, actually not too long ago, the square mile of Edinburgh was "richer" than the square mile of London. Most of the major UK Insurance Companies were headquartered on George Street. Sunlife comes to mind immediately. Nearly all of (a lot of) Scotlands Banks had their HO's there. Off all the major companies, I think only Standard Life Investments is left. SL HO itself is in Lothian Road. A walk along George Street will take you past the Dome which if you enter now, will give some indication of the one upmanship that was normal in those days, plus you can get a decent pint of beer (if you can get an overdraft;^)
Who remembers any of them these days after all the consilodations with the ultimate take overs by originally Edinburgh then London based companies. Nope, I am not complaining or moaning. Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and many more UK cities went through the same experience.
The real problem is that not a lot came in to replace the lost leaving too many empty offices and unemployed staff. Sure, we now have "Retail Experiences" and call centres in place, but a lot of the profit disappears out to countries with low/no taxation, and no incentive to manufacture here. Service Industry is just another name to shuffle the same money round all the same companies, not produce anything.
It is not just the Scotttish Government that has to change things, Westminster must also.
There was a time when there were more millionaires in Broughty Ferry in Dundee than there were in the City of London. Wealth creation comes and goes but it is the task of government to encourage it to thrive where it can.
According to my left leaning friends this is Cameron engaging in social cleansing of the poor.
Council tenants lose lifetime right to live in property
Government brings in five-year limit on new secure tenancies with local authorities forced to review contract at end of term
Really excellent move. The left, of course, are dead keen on protecting entrenched interests, despite noisily claiming the opposite, so they won't like this.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
Haha well its not that clear! I thought UKIP wanted every country to leave the EU
There are two schools of thought within UKIP, which I shall call the Socrates (late of this parish) and the Morris_Dancer school.
The Socrates school says: the countries of continental Europe have gone their way. They are fundamentally different to us in terms of methods of law, and of methods of government. These countries have chosen to come together, and that is their choice. It does not match the British way of being, and we will be forever unhappy if we try and be a part of it. Therefore, we should walk away from it. But we should remain on excellent terms with the countries of Europe and the EU, because they will always be close trading partners and neighbours.
The alternative school says that the EU is - whether we are a part of it or not - an existential threat to British interests. It has never been in Britain's interests for Europe to be united, not under Napolean or Hitler or Juncker. Therefore, not only should Britain seek to leave the EU, but it should support those movements on the continent opposed to the EU.
Interesting, I'm with Socrates
As am I. I very much miss his contribution to these debates.
Likewise - he was my favourite jousting partner (usually on matters of criminal justice). I think OGH/PBModerator/ANOther banned him for 24 hours for some reason, and he chose not to return.
According to my left leaning friends this is Cameron engaging in social cleansing of the poor.
Council tenants lose lifetime right to live in property
Government brings in five-year limit on new secure tenancies with local authorities forced to review contract at end of term
Really excellent move. The left, of course, are dead keen on protecting entrenched interests, despite noisily claiming the opposite, so they won't like this.
Seconded – And yes, Polly will be absolutely outraged, bless her.
You forgot the third school of thought, let's call it the Sir Humphrey school:
the EU is - whether we are a part of it or not - an existential threat to British interests. It has never been in Britain's interests for Europe to be united, not under Napolean or Hitler or Juncker. Therefore the UK should remain a member of the EU and seek to bugger it up for everyone else
But Robert was referring to UKIP schools of thought and your - quite valid - 3rd alternative is certainly not one I think anyone in UKIP are likely to hold.
For the record, I think that the Sir Humphrey approach has been taken by a lot of British governments. Usually as part of an adhocracy rather than as a strategy, mind.
This has done little good for us, and little good for our European partners.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
As do nearly all of the people that join IS or plot terrorist attcks. Depends on what you think the trade off is I suppose
He could go forward to the final list.....however, anything outside top 3 is an unwinnable place and number 3 is in serious risk anyway (because it would mean confirming 2011 result and I would expect SLAB to go down). So basically realistically only the top 2 will likely go to Holyrood
SLAB shortlisted candidates going forward to the membership ballot for regional lists ranking last weekend. Annoyingly they didn't post a full report on their website and I've to rely from people announcing on twitter ("Oh, I am so proooooud") , local papers, etc...anyway in 2 regions I've the full shortlists... ......
I'm friends with some people who think Jeremy Corbyn has sold out to Blairites since becoming leader
Undeniably he has. Quite apart from anything else, he's bought a suit and sung the national anthem.
His most heinous crime is not purging the lick-spittle capitalist running dog lackeys in his Shadow Cabinet. There's plenty of them that wouldn't look out of place in the Tory party *spit*.
I'm friends with some people who think Jeremy Corbyn has sold out to Blairites since becoming leader
Undeniably he has. Quite apart from anything else, he's bought a suit and sung the national anthem.
It was the giving the free vote to Labour MPs on Syria that convinced them.
My high point was when one of them wished we had Barack Obama as PM.
I didn't have the heart to point out that was the Obama who has been bombing Syria for months and encouraged Dave to do so.
From the point of view of taking control of the Labour Party, it was quite a good move on his part. He demonstrated that most of his MPs agree with him, while minimising a damaging rebellion.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
I remember on another forum some people couldn't quite believe I was of Pakistani heritage.
They were like, your constant mocking of the French that's like 20th generation English level mocking.
In all seriousness, Corbyn's ratings will continue to fall even further as he loses support both from the far left (for 'selling out', as he will inevitably have to continue to do) and from the centre-left, as people stop giving him the benefit of the doubt.
The Labour PCC in Bedfordshire lost the re-selection trigger ballot in Luton South CLP. Luton North CLP will vote this weekend and a struggle is expected there too. However, CLPs outside Luton could be more favorable for him.
In all seriousness, Corbyn's ratings will continue to fall even further as he loses support both from the far left (for 'selling out', as he will inevitably have to continue to do) and from the centre-left, as people stop giving him the benefit of the doubt.
@JournoStephen: .@NicolaSturgeon says SNP govt didn't have "a crystal ball" to foresee problems with the Forth Road Bridge. #FMQs
maintenance: noun [U] (WORK) - the work needed to keep a road, building, machine, etc. in good condition.
Or are Scottish bridges immune to the requirement?
Sometimes it's better to just say "We made a call. It was a bad call. Sorry, we'll do better in the future". Then privately beat the shit out of the civil servant(s) who wrote your option paper.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
I remember on another forum some people couldn't quite believe I was of Pakistani heritage.
They were like, your constant mocking of the French that's like 20th generation English level mocking.
To be fair mocking the French is just a sign of intelligence. I am sure anyone sensible from almost any country in the world would mock the French if they actually knew them. :-)
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
As do nearly all of the people that join IS or plot terrorist attcks. Depends on what you think the trade off is I suppose
I don't believe there is a trade off. Judge people as individuals rather than as an amorphous mass. The exception of course being the French. :-)
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Quite right too. English is a cultural thing. I have said it before on here and I'll say it again; some of the most English people I ever met came from families that only arrived in the country a generation or so ago.
As do nearly all of the people that join IS or plot terrorist attcks. Depends on what you think the trade off is I suppose
I don't believe there is a trade off. Judge people as individuals rather than as an amorphous mass. The exception of course being the French. :-)
I wish we did judge people as individuals rather than an amorphous mass, then we wouldn't have mass immigration and all the problems that it has brung
I know you are being light hearted w the French thing, but I have never understood dislike of other nations/name calling. I wonder why people do it
I actually love France and the French. The language is so beautiful, and it even crosses over to the English spoken by French people. Anyone who listened to Olivier Giroud speak after last nights hat trick will understand. Their phrasing is so much more poetic
Haha well its not that clear! I thought UKIP wanted every country to leave the EU
There are two schools of thought within UKIP, which I shall call the Socrates (late of this parish) and the Morris_Dancer school.
The Socrates school says: the countries of continental Europe have gone their way. They are fundamentally different to us in terms of methods of law, and of methods of government. These countries have chosen to come together, and that is their choice. It does not match the British way of being, and we will be forever unhappy if we try and be a part of it. Therefore, we should walk away from it. But we should remain on excellent terms with the countries of Europe and the EU, because they will always be close trading partners and neighbours.
The alternative school says that the EU is - whether we are a part of it or not - an existential threat to British interests. It has never been in Britain's interests for Europe to be united, not under Napolean or Hitler or Juncker. Therefore, not only should Britain seek to leave the EU, but it should support those movements on the continent opposed to the EU.
Interesting, I'm with Socrates
As am I. I very much miss his contribution to these debates.
Likewise - he was my favourite jousting partner (usually on matters of criminal justice). I think OGH/PBModerator/ANOther banned him for 24 hours for some reason, and he chose not to return.
I persist in my belief that he did return, as JEO. Who now also seems to have gone. Very open to this being wrong. In whichever form, he does have a unique and valuable contribution.
That's on a level of fantasy that reminds me of the historical fiction that described the lesbian coupling between Anne of Cleeves and Catherine Parr.
What was it? "Ja, meine lieber dich, and it vos the best night of my life."
Actually, Katherine Howard. The scene features in Brandy Purdy's "Vengeance is Mine" aka "The Tudor Wife." She writes historical novels of the So Bad They're Good variety. There's another scene where Henry VIII asks Katherine Howard to "fix me some toast honey".
This review, from Johnny Hazlenut on Amazon sums it up. Brandy Purdy couldn't get a publisher to touch it, so she self-published, and it was a runaway best seller.
She wrote another one about Edward II and Piers Gaveston, in which Piers is portrayed as a pagan rent boy whose mother was burnt as a witch (Edward I would really have knighted such a man and made him his son's companion!)
Basically, money given helps get books from the publisher into UK/US bookshops. Also, giving cash gets certain rewards (obviously, more rewards the more you give) such as e-books, books, and so on.
Disclaimer/clarification: the Sir Edric's Temple/Treasure deal I have is with Tickety Boo Press, the publisher in question. Because it's not out yet, giving cash will not result in dinner with me
If you're into sci-fi/fantasy, then some of the offers actually amount to savings (I think), as for £30 you can get about 15 e-books.
That's on a level of fantasy that reminds me of the historical fiction that described the lesbian coupling between Anne of Cleeves and Catherine Parr.
What was it? "Ja, meine lieber dich, and it vos the best night of my life."
Actually, Katherine Howard. The scene features in Brandy Purdy's "Vengeance is Mine" aka "The Tudor Wife." She writes historical novels of the So Bad They're Good variety. There's another scene where Henry VIII asks Katherine Howard to "fix me some toast honey".
This review, from Johnny Hazlenut on Amazon sums it up. Brandy Purdy couldn't get a publisher to touch it, so she self-published, and it was a runaway best seller.
She wrote another one about Edward II and Piers Gaveston, in which Piers is portrayed as a pagan rent boy whose mother was burnt as a witch (Edward I would really have knighted such a man and made him his son's companion!)
Mr. F, I was just thinking much the same on Gaveston.
Edward I was many things, but a soft touch he was not.
Ydoethur made a hilarious post once, in which he said that he had to explain to his pupils that Elizabeth Woodville and her mother didn't really have magical powers, and Lady Margaret Beaufort didn't murder the princes in the Tower, and Richard III wasn't a saint, but he felt he was fighting an uphill struggle.
Morning all. To be clear, I'm not predicting that a 7/1 shot will come home, merely that the odds look too long to me.
My header could be summed up in one question: "what do the SNP actually want independence for?". It's the question that the Better Together campaign never got round to asking properly.
It's nothing to do with oil, the economy or free presriptions they simply want to be free from rule by Westminster, good for them.
No they don't. This matter has been resolved for a generation by the sovereign democratic will of the Scottish people.
Loyalists are doing such a great impression of a child sticking fingers in their ears and screaming "I'm not listening".
It's not settled and will never be settled until Scotland is free of the jackboot of Westminster. Independence support is now twice as high as it's history level.
This has no dependence on oil prices or bridges or whatever utterly ridiculous SNP Baaaaad story the Loyalists invent or twist. The battle is over and the Union lost.
Morning all. To be clear, I'm not predicting that a 7/1 shot will come home, merely that the odds look too long to me.
My header could be summed up in one question: "what do the SNP actually want independence for?". It's the question that the Better Together campaign never got round to asking properly.
It's nothing to do with oil, the economy or free presriptions they simply want to be free from rule by Westminster, good for them.
Free to do what?
Govern themselves?
I'm not Scottish, I have sympathy with the Nats even if I disapprove of their boorish behaviour. I've always thought Ukip's stance hypocritical, didn't want Scottish independence but want to leave the EU
What next?
If you look at what the SNP have done with their powers to date, the devolution settlement seems to give them all the freedom they need. What are these things that they cannot manage for themselves under existing arrangements?
I'm not hostile to the idea of Scottish independence, but it seems rather purposeless at present.
Your argument is nonsense.
It boils down to the SNP seeking power for power's sake. The problem with this is that the vast bulk of the SNP hierarchy joined the party when they were a minority, niche grouping, with no prospect of governance and the best they could offer careerist politicians seeking a trough was one of a small handful of Westminster seats, none of which would ever be guaranteed.
Even after Holyrood was set up, they did poorly in 1999 and disastrously in 2003.
They do not have the history you are trying to claim.
That's on a level of fantasy that reminds me of the historical fiction that described the lesbian coupling between Anne of Cleeves and Catherine Parr.
What was it? "Ja, meine lieber dich, and it vos the best night of my life."
Actually, Katherine Howard. The scene features in Brandy Purdy's "Vengeance is Mine" aka "The Tudor Wife." She writes historical novels of the So Bad They're Good variety. There's another scene where Henry VIII asks Katherine Howard to "fix me some toast honey".
This review, from Johnny Hazlenut on Amazon sums it up. Brandy Purdy couldn't get a publisher to touch it, so she self-published, and it was a runaway best seller.
She wrote another one about Edward II and Piers Gaveston, in which Piers is portrayed as a pagan rent boy whose mother was burnt as a witch (Edward I would really have knighted such a man and made him his son's companion!)
Q Does zero tolerance of tax avoidance extend to SNP MPs?
A Look at the polls!
Q Is your Transport Minister a knave or a fool?
A Look at the polls!
Q What did the FM know about the Forth Road Bridge when she was Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure?
A Look at the polls!
Q Will there be a second referendum commitment in the SNP manifesto?
A Look at the polls!
Q Has the Scottish Govt redone their sums reflecting $40/oil
A Look at the polls!
Q Why did the former FM say in 2013 that Sindy would support Syrian air strikes?
A Look at the polls!
She's right, though. The Scots undoubtedly have the government they want.
The SNP have huge leeway right now. The Scots are not for seeing the flaws in their governing party, although there is much that is very poor quality and would not have been tolerated by another.
What am I talking about? Labour was tolerated for decades and could still give a masterclass to the SNP about piss-poor management and pocket-lining. The Scots people may have hoped for better from the SNP, but I suspect those decades of Labour fiefdoms have left them with ridiculously low expectations of their government.... The SNP are safe until they sink lower than the Scots have known in recent history.
They are titans compared to the money grubbing lying toerags that infest Westminster. We just look south and realise that the SNP are by far the best of the bunch.
Morning all. To be clear, I'm not predicting that a 7/1 shot will come home, merely that the odds look too long to me.
My header could be summed up in one question: "what do the SNP actually want independence for?". It's the question that the Better Together campaign never got round to asking properly.
It's nothing to do with oil, the economy or free presriptions they simply want to be free from rule by Westminster, good for them.
Free to do what?
Govern themselves?
I'm not Scottish, I have sympathy with the Nats even if I disapprove of their boorish behaviour. I've always thought Ukip's stance hypocritical, didn't want Scottish independence but want to leave the EU
What next?
If you look at what the SNP have done with their powers to date, the devolution settlement seems to give them all the freedom they need. What are these things that they cannot manage for themselves under existing arrangements?
I'm not hostile to the idea of Scottish independence, but it seems rather purposeless at present.
What?, are you barking , they have diddly squat powers. Any money raised is deducted from block grant.
Unless we see a reverse of the voting patterns of 2010/2011 or some ludicrously unlikely split vote AMS maths I cannot see beyond a SNP majority.
Events dear boy...
The Bridge is key. It's highly visible, massively disruptive, and has SNP fingerprints all over it. There is a direct correlation between abolishing the tolls (which the SNP have been trumpeting for years) and cancelling the maintenance (which the SNP have admitted) and the closure
If it opens in January, maybe limited fallout. But it might not.
The decision not to repair truss ends was taken in 2010, by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, comprising 4 councillors from Edinburgh, 4 from Fife, and 1 each from two other councils. AFAIK at that time the SNP would have had 3 or 4 of the 10 committee members, equal to the Lib Dems, and did not hold the convenorship. There will undoubtedly be a degree of blame-sharing with the hapless LDs if a real row erupts.
The Scottish economy is facing a triple whammy at the present time.
Firstly, the on going shrinkage of the Financial Service sector and the RBS in particular has lost Scotland a significant percentage of its private sector higher rate tax payers.
Secondly, the collapse in north sea oil prices has drained money out of the whole Scottish economy, once again seriously affecting the tax base. The collapse in PRT is a UK problem but the collapse in spending power in Scotland affects housing, retail, restaurants and car sales. It hurts us all.
Thirdly, we now have massive disruption arising from the failure of one of our key infrastructure portals.
Only 1 of these is even arguably the Scottish government's fault but a grown up Scottish government has to deal with the consequences. Where are the next generation of HRT payers in the private sector to come from? That is what the next election should be about. How can we improve our infrastructure to attract business, reduce taxation on business to attract investment, improve our education so our children can be employable, ideally in Scotland?
All of the elections since Devolution have been about who can offer the most sweeties, the most freebies and who hates the Tories more. It would be naïve to think this one will really be any different but we have serious problems and we need some serious answers.
Well we know what sort of impact the first two are having and how the Scottish Government are managing those impacts despite the destructive influence of Westminter.
And so far, the Scottish economy continues to grow despite such exceptional and potentially destructive exogenous shocks.
Again, you blind yourself to the obvious truth, the SNP offer excellent governance for Scotland. Their record stands the test.
I imagine others will do the same if the bridge remains closed for an extended period. Would an eff-up make me change my vote? I doubt it.
The difference is there are lots of great jobs in Edinburgh that are not replicated North of the bridge. A lot of the communities in Fife are essentially dormitory towns for Edinburgh, and without the bridge they are in deep soapy
In Fife, the area worst affected by the Forth Road Bridge closure, almost 31,000 people commute from the area every day, according to the most recent census. This is the equivalent of just over a third of the area’s own workforce population.
Plenty of flapping gums from the frothers today. Is it concerning you from the luxury of your tax haven. I can understand Scott given his stupidity he probably thinks it affects him in his bedsit in Edinburgh.
@RuthDavidsonMSP: People of Hawick; you've spent 10 years asking for flood defenses, but the SNP say you 'need to take responsibility' https://t.co/LXVH6RfNG6
I remain astounded by the armies of keyboard warriors roaming every part of the internet to defend the SNP. The story referred to seems (to me) to be clearly shitty behaviour by the Scottish Government: Hawick - we've begged you for defenses for a decade, and now we're knee-deep in water. SNP - It's your own fault. Man up.
Yet under Ruth's tweet, there is post after post after post effectively saying that the SNP response was entirely reasonable and correct, that the government is not responsible for protecting your homes and livelihoods, and that Ruth is evil for "politicising the misery of others".
I know this shouldn't surprise me any more. But it does.
Another thick lying whinging Tory fanboy joins the pb bore with his SNPBAD mince
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
Given that St. George was foisted on us by the wretched Norman overlords, you claim makes no sense at all (and, yes, I am ignoring your sub-text that St. George, if he ever existed, was a Turk or some other sort of johnny foreigner).
If, as I fervently hope, we vote to leave the EU and Scotland votes to leave the UK the ENglish should return to its proper patron saint, St. Edmund, and to the white dragon as its flag.
St George was no ordinary Jonny Foreigner, he was a Jonny Foreigner from the Middle East.
St Edmund would be fine with me, but I think national pride would be damaged by having as Patron Saint someone who was slain by Ivar The Boneless.
Hmmm... yes, but don't you think it rather pathetic that someone wants to revert back to legends and patron saints from the early middle ages as a basis for pursuing 21st century foreign and economic policy?
I wonder why they chose Manchester? Of all the places in the UK what made Manchester the best place to collate the figures? Birmingham, Leeds, even Sheffield, I should have thought would have done just as well if they wanted a big city outside London.
Mind, if the result is going to be "out" then the best place to announce it would be Winchester, England's historical capital.
Manchester has a history of being the venue for epochal election result announcements.
For example, Ed Miliband winning the Labour leadership was announced in Manchester.
Manchester is at the heart of the northern powerhouse. As this is a UK wide referendum I fail to see why its result should be announced at some previous medieval capital of England.
Excellent and reasoned article as usual. I'm not going to read too far down the comments today, but I confidently guess that they are less reasoned and thoughtful in places.
I think the SNP do hope to continue to rely for as long as possible on being an opposition in exile rather than a government in Holyrood. They are, of course, both. For the SNP the voice they have in Westminster is the new factor that will perpetuate the opposition narrative, whilst the opposition within Scotland will seek to localise things. So, ironically, the nats will be more UK focussed and the unionists more Scotland focussed.
What the transfer of powers says to me is that 2017 is the likely time that the SNP will have to throw their dead cat on the table then to perpetuate the opposition in exile strategy. I expect they are likely to discover that whatever Indyref 2 red lines they have set out have been triggered somewhere fairly close to the point they gain full tax powers.
Ha Ha Ha , what transfer of powers would that be then , the road traffic signs.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
I see no contradiction between supporting both my country's independence, and its territorial integrity.
I don't consider the the UK to be my country. It is a State but States come and go. My country is England and I wish it to have a harmonious relationship with the other countries in the British Isles but not to dominate and control them. The same applies to the relationship between England and the other countries of Europe.
Fair enough, but I see myself as British first and English second.
I'm English. I'm a bear of simple brain, I can only be from one place - that's England. My Mum was Welsh and Dad Irish. It's funny how nationality works inside our heads .
I'm so English, I'm practically a descendant of St George
I'm Btitish then English then Lancastrian. There is nothing tricky about that. I imagine its easy for a German to hold the notion in his head that he is also a Bavarian. What is it that makes certain people so crass and ignorant and sneery when it comes to their own country? Salmond and Sturgeon must lap up every single comment that comes out like that.
He, offering this opinion spontaneously, thinks it's stupid for people to be blaming the SNP for the problems with the Forth Road Bridge.
Has he read a paper?
Only a dullard like you could suggest something as pathetic as that. Stick to trumpeting your dodo party revival , no seats and your leader booting people out in Edinburgh to try and get a consolation prize says it all. Competition between the Tory losers and Labour losers to see who can whinge the most , like baldy men fighting over a comb.
"Scotland’s points of departure from the rest of the UK have often been more negative than positive – declining to introduce student fees and not updating NHS structures being good examples"
Reached this early point when I realised, with absolute certainty rather than mere expectation, that this would just be another unionist "SNP bad" diatribe.
Then you were wrong. I do however thing the word 'negative' was not quite the one Mr Meeks was possibly searching for. I think 'passive' as well as being alliterative was perhaps more apt.
@RuthDavidsonMSP: People of Hawick; you've spent 10 years asking for flood defenses, but the SNP say you 'need to take responsibility' https://t.co/LXVH6RfNG6
I remain astounded by the armies of keyboard warriors roaming every part of the internet to defend the SNP. The story referred to seems (to me) to be clearly shitty behaviour by the Scottish Government: Hawick - we've begged you for defenses for a decade, and now we're knee-deep in water. SNP - It's your own fault. Man up.
Yet under Ruth's tweet, there is post after post after post effectively saying that the SNP response was entirely reasonable and correct, that the government is not responsible for protecting your homes and livelihoods, and that Ruth is evil for "politicising the misery of others".
I know this shouldn't surprise me any more. But it does.
Another thick lying whinging Tory fanboy joins the pb bore with his SNPBAD mince
The Scottish economy is facing a triple whammy at the present time.
Firstly, the on going shrinkage of the Financial Service sector and the RBS in particular has lost Scotland a significant percentage of its private sector higher rate tax payers.
Secondly, the collapse in north sea oil prices has drained money out of the whole Scottish economy, once again seriously affecting the tax base. The collapse in PRT is a UK problem but the collapse in spending power in Scotland affects housing, retail, restaurants and car sales. It hurts us all.
Thirdly, we now have massive disruption arising from the failure of one of our key infrastructure portals.
Only 1 of these is even arguably the Scottish government's fault but a grown up Scottish government has to deal with the consequences. Where are the next generation of HRT payers in the private sector to come from? That is what the next election should be about. How can we improve our infrastructure to attract business, reduce taxation on business to attract investment, improve our education so our children can be employable, ideally in Scotland?
All of the elections since Devolution have been about who can offer the most sweeties, the most freebies and who hates the Tories more. It would be naïve to think this one will really be any different but we have serious problems and we need some serious answers.
Well we know what sort of impact the first two are having and how the Scottish Government are managing those impacts despite the destructive influence of Westminter.
And so far, the Scottish economy continues to grow despite such exceptional and potentially destructive exogenous shocks.
Again, you blind yourself to the obvious truth, the SNP offer excellent governance for Scotland. Their record stands the test.
Macro economic policies and economic growth and job growth across the whole UK helps governance in Scotland.
Comments
For example, Ed Miliband winning the Labour leadership was announced in Manchester.
Interesting article by Theodore Dalrymple on why the expansion of tertiary education is not necessarily a positive development:
http://takimag.com/article/triumph_of_the_mediocre_theodore_dalrymple/page_2
If, as I fervently hope, we vote to leave the EU and Scotland votes to leave the UK the ENglish should return to its proper patron saint, St. Edmund, and to the white dragon as its flag.
I'm still in a minority of one I guess when I say Johann Lamont should be brought back.
St Edmund would be fine with me, but I think national pride would be damaged by having as Patron Saint someone who was slain by Ivar The Boneless.
http://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/jane-kelly-the-liberal-sky-falls-in-on-trump-but-his-heretical-views-are-endorsed-from-japan-to-hungary/
He, offering this opinion spontaneously, thinks it's stupid for people to be blaming the SNP for the problems with the Forth Road Bridge.
No Majority might be too skinny at 7/1.
The rest of Nicola's cabinet make the Keystone Cops look competent.
Swinney can't count. Transport, fail. Education, fail, Health, fail, and don't get us started on T in the Park...
I don't have an overall picture either, but I think that different CLPs are having different experiences. A longstanding observation is that a lot of politics in London is much more intense, so whereas there seems to have been some genuine insurgency in Walthamstowe, the experience in places like Broxtowe is generally harmonious. Every CLP has a few hard left and hard right characters who basically want a fight, but the median view is that the members want an idealistic party (hence 60% Jez) but they don't want a bloodbath. There is very little support for direct confrontation from either side, and centrists who promote alternative agendas get an interested hearing, while grumblers don't.
Council tenants lose lifetime right to live in property
Government brings in five-year limit on new secure tenancies with local authorities forced to review contract at end of term
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/09/council-tenants-lose-lifetime-right-to-live-in-property
The SNP and Nicola Jong-Il can do no wrong in North McKorea.
US mag OK! claims Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton having 'three month romance after snog at Royal Wedding'
http://bit.ly/1TCTQjg
This has done little good for us, and little good for our European partners.
More importantly, who reads news papers these days?
My high point was when one of them wished we had Barack Obama as PM.
I didn't have the heart to point out that was the Obama who has been bombing Syria for months and encouraged Dave to do so.
shitetalent.They were like, your constant mocking of the French that's like 20th generation English level mocking.
Nicola's answer?
"It wasn't broken 5 years ago..."
- the work needed to keep a road, building, machine, etc. in good condition.
Or are Scottish bridges immune to the requirement?
Sometimes it's better to just say "We made a call. It was a bad call. Sorry, we'll do better in the future". Then privately beat the shit out of the civil servant(s) who wrote your option paper.
http://tinyurl.com/gw5294y
I know you are being light hearted w the French thing, but I have never understood dislike of other nations/name calling. I wonder why people do it
I actually love France and the French. The language is so beautiful, and it even crosses over to the English spoken by French people. Anyone who listened to Olivier Giroud speak after last nights hat trick will understand. Their phrasing is so much more poetic
What was it? "Ja, meine lieber dich, and it vos the best night of my life."
This review, from Johnny Hazlenut on Amazon sums it up. Brandy Purdy couldn't get a publisher to touch it, so she self-published, and it was a runaway best seller.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2463887.Vengeance_Is_Mine
She wrote another one about Edward II and Piers Gaveston, in which Piers is portrayed as a pagan rent boy whose mother was burnt as a witch (Edward I would really have knighted such a man and made him his son's companion!)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ticketyboopress/launch-tickety-boo-press-titles-into-bookshops-in
Basically, money given helps get books from the publisher into UK/US bookshops. Also, giving cash gets certain rewards (obviously, more rewards the more you give) such as e-books, books, and so on.
Disclaimer/clarification: the Sir Edric's Temple/Treasure deal I have is with Tickety Boo Press, the publisher in question. Because it's not out yet, giving cash will not result in dinner with me
If you're into sci-fi/fantasy, then some of the offers actually amount to savings (I think), as for £30 you can get about 15 e-books.
Anyway, I just thought I'd flag this up.
Edward I was many things, but a soft touch he was not.
When 'Things Can Only Get Better' played at the Labour HQ Xmas party https://t.co/2inW8mAPm5 (ht @wallaceme) https://t.co/YWN9OSlnje
It's not settled and will never be settled until Scotland is free of the jackboot of Westminster. Independence support is now twice as high as it's history level.
This has no dependence on oil prices or bridges or whatever utterly ridiculous SNP Baaaaad story the Loyalists invent or twist. The battle is over and the Union lost.
Tick tock.
It boils down to the SNP seeking power for power's sake. The problem with this is that the vast bulk of the SNP hierarchy joined the party when they were a minority, niche grouping, with no prospect of governance and the best they could offer careerist politicians seeking a trough was one of a small handful of Westminster seats, none of which would ever be guaranteed.
Even after Holyrood was set up, they did poorly in 1999 and disastrously in 2003.
They do not have the history you are trying to claim.
Dr. Kathryn Warner's review of the Confessions of Piers Gaveston is hilarious.
The SNP had " once in a generation opportunity " and Eck threw it away.
Now all they have left is wailing at the dying of the light.
New Thread New Thread
And so far, the Scottish economy continues to grow despite such exceptional and potentially destructive exogenous shocks.
Again, you blind yourself to the obvious truth, the SNP offer excellent governance for Scotland. Their record stands the test.
@kevverage: 2011/12 Audit Scotland report on FETA; massive budget cuts, projects deferred, risks known
https://t.co/6SuzXladET https://t.co/WxrDX2uCem
As this is a UK wide referendum I fail to see why its result should be announced at some previous medieval capital of England.
There is nothing tricky about that. I imagine its easy for a German to hold the notion in his head that he is also a Bavarian. What is it that makes certain people so crass and ignorant and sneery when it comes to their own country? Salmond and Sturgeon must lap up every single comment that comes out like that.
Is the electorate going to decide "SNP Bad" or "SNP Good" next May? The latter, I would say :-)