politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Turning on taxes. The tectonic plates of Scotland’s politic
politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Turning on taxes. The tectonic plates of Scotland’s politics are moving
We have heard a lot in the last few years about the desire for Scottish independence. This has often been couched in general terms as a desire for a fairer and more prosperous Scotland based around a social democratic consensus. Specific large scale points of difference from current UK policy, however, have been largely elusive. While the Scottish Parliament has substantial powers, so far the Sc…
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Arc of Prosperity ....
Titter ....
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Second!0
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Peak SNP?
FMQs will be interesting....
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!0 -
Inevitably, the refreshing breeze of Corbynism will go swirling clangorously and vibrantly northwards across the border, and the hated and despotic SNP régime will be swept away by a landslide victory for the Scottish People's New Scottish People's and Peasants' Party (Hoxhaist-Maoist) which will win 128 seats. The sole opposition will be a lone renegade bourgeois Lib Dem in Shetland, who will escape over the border into Norway within hours of the revolution.0
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Another good article from Mr Meeks as he is now. It is quite amazing that five months before the elections no-one is discussing the policy areas in which the Scottish government has authority such as health and education. Maybe given recent events Transport and Policing might be starting points for the opposition parties?0
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For as long as the SNP own the Saltire they will run Scotland and win huge majorities.0
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She's right, though. The Scots undoubtedly have the government they want.CarlottaVance said:Peak SNP?
FMQs will be interesting....
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!
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A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
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yeah cause there's hardly any right-wing talk shows or tv shows or anything in the US. it's political correctness gone madSandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
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.SouthamObserver said:
She's right, though. The Scots undoubtedly have the government they want.CarlottaVance said:Peak SNP?
FMQs will be interesting....
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!
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.0 -
Nailed it - years of playing the race card here has all but destroyed the notion of free speech and the Labour party are doing it again in the London mayorals.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
While SO is busy playing the mental health card - you couldn't make it up.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
Alastair is right that the discussion of actual policies, other than Independence, plays a remarkably small part in Scottish political life. This is partly because in many respects the SNP minority and majority administrations have largely been a continuation of the policies of SLAB focussing on centralisation, producer interests and bureaucratic solutions.
I think the first crack in this has been national policing, the administration of which has been an unmitigated disaster and caused considerable irritation everywhere except Strathclyde (whose model has been imposed on the rest of us).
It will be interesting to see if the fiasco of the Bridge and the terrible price being paid for the populist policy of abolishing the tolls strikes home. At this point it is the closely linked decision to postpone what turned out to be essential maintenance that is getting the attention. There is also considerable hostility to the absurd idea of having a named employee of the State responsible for every child, a truly ridiculous waste of scarce resources.
The failure to modernise or reduce administration costs in the NHS gets less attention and the fact that several cancer drugs available in England are not available here, once again because of the lost income of free prescriptions, seems to have little traction except with those affected.
Although there is a general perception that all is not well in our education system, an awareness that the number of funded places for Scots at University is falling (the result of yet another "free" policy) and that there have been severe cut backs in college education the SNP have largely been successful in blaming Westminster for the cuts rather than their own policies.
As I know quite a number of people who are earning considerably more than average tax is an increasing concern but Alastair is right that so far it is a dog that hasn't barked in that the SNP line has been we can have all those goodies for free and without additional taxation. That cannot continue. How can the SNP be anti austerity and yet not want to increase the taxes required to pay for it?
At least 2 generations of Scottish politicians have been focussed on constitutional issues and have addressed almost every other question, to the extent that they have, through that lens. It really is time they got back to the day job and politics in Scotland got somewhere near normal. But I am not holding my breath.0 -
I can't see past SNP dominance next Holyrood election.
No bet for me.0 -
An alternative explanation for Trump might be that for years the Republican party has refused to tackle the increasingly inflammatory language of the Tea party and has, in fact, continuously pandered to it, so emboldening those on the lunatic right - such as Trump - to go further and further. They have never had their right to free speech shut down; instead, they have used it freely and forcibly to say what they believe.felix said:
While SO is busy playing the mental health card - you couldn't make it up.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
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Indeed.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
On the other hand, illegitimate discussion can be racist and/or Islamophobic. A problem is that what is 'legitimate' and 'illegitimate' varies depending on your viewpoint.0 -
You are wasted in the Tories! Top Trotskyism writer on PB.JohnLoony said:Inevitably, the refreshing breeze of Corbynism will go swirling clangorously and vibrantly northwards across the border, and the hated and despotic SNP régime will be swept away by a landslide victory for the Scottish People's New Scottish People's and Peasants' Party (Hoxhaist-Maoist) which will win 128 seats. The sole opposition will be a lone renegade bourgeois Lib Dem in Shetland, who will escape over the border into Norway within hours of the revolution.
Peak Nat? If Labour was not in such disarray then I might believe it. The SNP will have to accrue far more scandals before they get chucked out.0 -
MikeK
Mike Smithson has asked you before and is now telling you, you are no longer permitted to post anything to do with Islam or Muslims on here.
You've posted graphic, inaccurate stuff, and you've in the past admitted you despise Islam, so on that basis no more as it derails PB threads.0 -
For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
I would argue otherwise - what fundamental and necessary rights not protected by other laws would we lose? Britain was pretty fair and just in 1996.viewcode said:
Repealing the Human Rights Act is not a libertarian proposal.Mortimer said:
I am not a social conservative and I agree with every one of those proposals.Sean_F said:
Inter alia, repealing the Human Rights Act: reinstating the Primary Purpose Rule; leaving the EU; repealing the Racial and Religious Hatred Act; abolishing the Equality and Human Rights Commission; repealing the Hunting Act; reinstating Catholic adoption agencies; permitting smoking rooms in public houses and private members' clubs; ending compulsory ethnic monitoring and targeting in public sector bodies; reinstating the assisted places scheme. With the exception of leaving the EU, these would restore the status quo pre-Blair.MikeL said:Whenever I hear the phrase "social conservatism" I'm genuinely baffled about what people are actually talking about.
Banning gay marriage?
Banning abortion?
Can anyone actually provide a list (of say at least 5 items) of specific "social conservative" policies that might realistically actually be introduced by a UK Government?
They are Libertarian proposals.
The problem with HRA is that it doesn't force concomitant responsibilities on individuals.
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That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.-1 -
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
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Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/
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A large number of people take a different view about Mr. Trump's views - your labelling him and by implication them, as' lunatics' is unlikely .o change their minds. Surely far better to defeat his arguments with rational responses to his errors.SouthamObserver said:
An alternative explanation for Trump might be that for years the Republican party has refused to tackle the increasingly inflammatory language of the Tea party and has, in fact, continuously pandered to it, so emboldening those on the lunatic right - such as Trump - to go further and further. They have never had their right to free speech shut down; instead, they have used it freely and forcibly to say what they believe.felix said:
While SO is busy playing the mental health card - you couldn't make it up.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
Everyone is free to read the Daily Mail or not to. And everyone who does is free to believe that everyone who doesn't is morally vicious and should be put to death.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
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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.0
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'SNP line has been we can have all those goodies for free and without additional taxation. That cannot continue'
Oh I suspect there is lots of mileage in that yet. And the next position will be 'we can have all those goodies paid for by a handful of the super-rich paying their fair share' or similar. Labour has been running with that line for many years.0 -
Somewhat hyperbolic view of the typical reader of the Daily Mail.Innocent_Abroad said:
Everyone is free to read the Daily Mail or not to. And everyone who does is free to believe that everyone who doesn't is morally vicious and should be put to death.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/0 -
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
It would be if I suggested that they exercised their freedom. Only the ones who post here do that, howeverfelix said:
Somewhat hyperbolic view of the typical reader of the Daily Mail.Innocent_Abroad said:
Everyone is free to read the Daily Mail or not to. And everyone who does is free to believe that everyone who doesn't is morally vicious and should be put to death.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
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Sounds like utter rubbish to me, especially where there are real and actual grievances.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/0 -
Events dear boy...Alistair said: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.
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.0 -
It's Enoch Powell....JosiasJessop said:
Sounds like utter rubbish to me, especially where there are real and actual grievances.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/
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I am not seeking to change anyone's mind. I am expressing an opinion about Trump. I do not consider those who support him to be lunatics. I think that there are any number of reasons why he gets a hearing and support - most of them very complex. The main thrust of my argument on here is that the idea Trump has arisen because the Tea party and other right wing groups in the US have been muzzled by politically correct left-wingers is plainly absurd, as anyone who has watched Fox, listened to radio phone-in shows and watched the Republican right in action in Congress can attest.felix said:
A large number of people take a different view about Mr. Trump's views - your labelling him and by implication them, as' lunatics' is unlikely .o change their minds. Surely far better to defeat his arguments with rational responses to his errors.SouthamObserver said:
An alternative explanation for Trump might be that for years the Republican party has refused to tackle the increasingly inflammatory language of the Tea party and has, in fact, continuously pandered to it, so emboldening those on the lunatic right - such as Trump - to go further and further. They have never had their right to free speech shut down; instead, they have used it freely and forcibly to say what they believe.felix said:
While SO is busy playing the mental health card - you couldn't make it up.SouthamObserver said:
It's not the right's fault that a right wing lunatic is saying very right wing things. Hmmmm.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
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The Scots, like many other people across the UK, have become increasingly isolated from and contemptuous of the Westminster political machine. The SNP's genius has been to use the Saltire to hoover up their votes. In the rest of the UK there is no equivalent party for people of differing political views to coalesce around.felix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
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Good morning all. Insufficient paragraphs to be easily parsed by my aged eyes. From what I can glean, there's some merit to the argument. The US has spent well over a trillion dollars in the War on Terror post 9/1.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/0 -
If the Scottish system leads to a Parliament that is more representative of the views of Scottish voters than the Commons is of the views of UK voters that has to be a good thing.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
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See the Tories and pensioners.runnymede said:'SNP line has been we can have all those goodies for free and without additional taxation. That cannot continue'
Oh I suspect there is lots of mileage in that yet. And the next position will be 'we can have all those goodies paid for by a handful of the super-rich paying their fair share' or similar. Labour has been running with that line for many years.
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We are about to test the limits of that strategy.SouthamObserver said:The SNP's genius has been to use the Saltire to hoover up their votes.
"Why is the bridge shut?"
Slap a Saltire on it!
Ummm...0 -
Bridge opening - limited fallout ...what are you suggesting?Scott_P said:
Events dear boy...Alistair said: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.
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.0 -
Not while Labour have their current leadership.SouthamObserver said:
If the Scottish system leads to a Parliament that is more representative of the views of Scottish voters than the Commons is of the views of UK voters that has to be a good thing.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
I hope you are right Scott but I fear you are excessively optimistic.Scott_P said:
We are about to test the limits of that strategy.SouthamObserver said:The SNP's genius has been to use the Saltire to hoover up their votes.
"Why is the bridge shut?"
Slap a Saltire on it!
Ummm...0 -
Do you mean London or the North British Branch Office?DavidL said:
Not while Labour have their current leadership.SouthamObserver said:
If the Scottish system leads to a Parliament that is more representative of the views of Scottish voters than the Commons is of the views of UK voters that has to be a good thing.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
Our many big brains here may enjoy this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12041894/GCHQ-Christmas-card-question-Do-you-know-the-puzzle-answer.html0
-
vaguely related to (sugar) taxes
I read this today
"Over the last few decades, the dietary composition and total calorie intake in most Western countries has changed dramatically. Based on the data from US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the adult total calorie intake has increased 6.9 % in men and 21.7 % in women from 1970 to 2000"
and found it somewhat astounding.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11882-015-0538-9
"Cane and beet sugar, plant-derived unsaturated fat, dietary fibers, and resistant starches have been replaced by corn-derived sweeteners, animal-based saturated fats, and simple sugars"
I sort of knew this part, but didn't guess that the overall calorie intake would be different0 -
If you used the bridge before to commute - how long is the detour route to get to the other side now?
I'm trying to get a handle on the scale of the problem - like closing the Dartford Crossing? Closing that has a massive impact, fortunately - it's never been more than a couple of days for weather IIRC.Scott_P said:
Depends how long it stays shut.DavidL said:I hope you are right Scott but I fear you are excessively optimistic.
0 -
'Our fellow Scots'?felix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
I hadn't realised that you claim to be Scottish. Though the repetitive bleating about how everyone is so beastly to Dave/George/the Tories certainly fits in with your victim mentality proposition.0 -
I know.Innocent_Abroad said:
It's Enoch Powell....JosiasJessop said:
Sounds like utter rubbish to me, especially where there are real and actual grievances.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/0 -
Lavour only got North and Leith last time out in Edinburgh didn't they? Snp to take N&L this time out is a money purchase - without the georgian terraces of the city centre or stockbridge there is nothing to halt the pro-indy c2de's of leith bar Trinity.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
I think, he means equal members of the Union of 1707?Theuniondivvie said:
'Our fellow Scots'?felix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
I hadn't realised you claim to be Scottish. Though the repetitive bleating about how everyone is so beastly to Dave/George/the Tories does fit in with your victim mentality proposition.
0 -
I'll do some polling of Fife based co-workers today to see if the bridge will make them less or more likely to vote SNP.0
-
That is probably right, it is hard to see Malcolm Chisholm hanging on. But a lot will depend on how and if the Unionist vote consolidates around the candidate most likely. I expect to see an increase in tactical voting in the constituency vote. Under the system it would be mad not to.Alistair said:
Lavour only got North and Leith last time out in Edinburgh didn't they? Snp to take N&L this time out is a money purchase - without the georgian terraces of the city centre or stockbridge there is nothing to halt the pro-indy c2de's of leith bar Trinity.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
Yes; but the United States has no absence of right wing comment. Rather the opposite, in fact. Fox News, for example, is the exact opposite of what Douglas Murray decries.felix said:
Nailed it - years of playing the race card here has all but destroyed the notion of free speech and the Labour party are doing it again in the London mayorals.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
Trump rose in a world with Fox News. There is no "suppression" of discussion about immigration or Islam in the media in the Unities States. Which makes his - otherwise interesting article - completely wrong.0 -
Hour and a half, if there is no traffic.Plato_Says said:If you used the bridge before to commute - how long is the detour route to get to the other side now?
I'm trying to get a handle on the scale of the problem - like closing the Dartford Crossing? Closing that has a massive impact, fortunately - it's never been more than a couple of days for weather IIRC.
11 mile tailback the day it closed0 -
I used to commute from Dundee to Edinburgh via the bridge. I now make the journey via Stirling. The journey has increased from about 1 hour 20 mins each way to just over 2 hours. This makes commuting seriously unattractive so I have had 2 nights in Edinburgh this week and will work at home tomorrow. I expect that to be the routine now until the Bridge opens again.Plato_Says said:If you used the bridge before to commute - how long is the detour route to get to the other side now?
I'm trying to get a handle on the scale of the problem - like closing the Dartford Crossing? Closing that has a massive impact, fortunately - it's never been more than a couple of days for weather IIRC.Scott_P said:
Depends how long it stays shut.DavidL said:I hope you are right Scott but I fear you are excessively optimistic.
0 -
I bet they don't. £20?SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
I thought the premise of the article was that criticism of Islamic extremism was dismissed as Islamaphobia, not that there wasn't anyrcs1000 said:
Yes; but the United States has no absence of right wing comment. Rather the opposite, in fact. Fox News, for example, is the exact opposite of what Douglas Murray decries.felix said:
Nailed it - years of playing the race card here has all but destroyed the notion of free speech and the Labour party are doing it again in the London mayorals.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
Trump rose in a world with Fox News. There is no "suppression" of discussion about immigration or Islam in the media in the Unities States. Which makes his - otherwise interesting article - completely wrong.0 -
That must be it!Carnyx said:
I think, he means equal members of the Union of 1707?Theuniondivvie said:
'Our fellow Scots'?felix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
I hadn't realised you claim to be Scottish. Though the repetitive bleating about how everyone is so beastly to Dave/George/the Tories does fit in with your victim mentality proposition.0 -
OK, depends where you are starting from. I have friends who live in Dunfermline and commute into RBS. Or not...DavidL said:I used to commute from Dundee to Edinburgh via the bridge. I now make the journey via Stirling. The journey has increased from about 1 hour 20 mins each way to just over 2 hours. This makes commuting seriously unattractive so I have had 2 nights in Edinburgh this week and will work at home tomorrow. I expect that to be the routine now until the Bridge opens again.
0 -
Still stuck in traffic, hun?Theuniondivvie said:
Though the repetitive bleatingfelix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
Oh well, the toll-free crossing was fun while it lasted!
Was it worth it?
120 year life expectancy cut by 70 years?0 -
It's funny: isam talks at length about prescient Enoch Powell was, and how we need to heed his lessons.Innocent_Abroad said:
It's Enoch Powell....JosiasJessop said:
Sounds like utter rubbish to me, especially where there are real and actual grievances.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/
While never mentioning the things he said that were batshit crazy. Like his view that, after the British Empire had rid the world of the Nazis, then it would have to do the same with the United States.
(I realise this is the view of Lovinputin1983)0 -
The article talks about the suppression of certain points of view.isam said:
I thought the premise of the article was that criticism of Islamic extremism was dismissed as Islamaphobia, not that there wasn't anyrcs1000 said:
Yes; but the United States has no absence of right wing comment. Rather the opposite, in fact. Fox News, for example, is the exact opposite of what Douglas Murray decries.felix said:
Nailed it - years of playing the race card here has all but destroyed the notion of free speech and the Labour party are doing it again in the London mayorals.Sandpit said:A rather thoughtful piece from Douglas Murray. If you keep shouting down legitimate discussion as racist and Islamophobic, then eventually you end up with Donald Trump.
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-left-is-to-blame-for-the-creation-of-donald-trump/
Trump rose in a world with Fox News. There is no "suppression" of discussion about immigration or Islam in the media in the Unities States. Which makes his - otherwise interesting article - completely wrong.
There has been no suppression in the United States.0 -
Anyone who has to use the Kincardine Bridge has a serious problem, no question. That is why I drive as far west as Stirling.Scott_P said:
OK, depends where you are starting from. I have friends who live in Dunfermline and commute into RBS. Or not...DavidL said:I used to commute from Dundee to Edinburgh via the bridge. I now make the journey via Stirling. The journey has increased from about 1 hour 20 mins each way to just over 2 hours. This makes commuting seriously unattractive so I have had 2 nights in Edinburgh this week and will work at home tomorrow. I expect that to be the routine now until the Bridge opens again.
0 -
The "assign the yes vote to the snp" technique means that n&l is pretty much a lock. The Westminster constituency had a Yes vote of 40 percent and an SNP vote of 41 percent , the different boundaries means lots of demographic no voters are dropped and extra people from edinburgh East (which had the highest yes vote in edinburgh) are added. Even in a pure two horse race I'd be fancying the SNP.DavidL said:
That is probably right, it is hard to see Malcolm Chisholm hanging on. But a lot will depend on how and if the Unionist vote consolidates around the candidate most likely. I expect to see an increase in tactical voting in the constituency vote. Under the system it would be mad not to.Alistair said:
Lavour only got North and Leith last time out in Edinburgh didn't they? Snp to take N&L this time out is a money purchase - without the georgian terraces of the city centre or stockbridge there is nothing to halt the pro-indy c2de's of leith bar Trinity.DavidL said:
Not sure I would go that far. I think the Tories may well hold onto their 2 seats in the borders, the Lib Dems may hold onto 1 of their seats in the far north (although yesterday's embarrassment might not help) and it is possible Labour might hold on to something somewhere, most likely in Edinburgh. The way the Scottish system works, however, is that that will mean the SNP get pretty much no list seats so although it will give them a majority it will be far less decisive than a FPTP system would be.SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
Its not really that funny. I just don't comment on things that I haven't ever thought about and am not interested in.rcs1000 said:
It's funny: isam talks at length about prescient Enoch Powell was, and how we need to heed his lessons.Innocent_Abroad said:
It's Enoch Powell....JosiasJessop said:
Sounds like utter rubbish to me, especially where there are real and actual grievances.isam said:Regarding Trump...
'The Gresham’s law of extremism, that the more extreme drives out the less extreme, is one of the basic rules of political mechanics which operate in this field: it is a corollary of the general principle that no political power exists without being used.
Both the general law and its Gresham’s corollary point, in contemporary circumstances, towards the resort to physical violence, in the form of firearms or high explosive, as being so probable as to be predicted with virtual certainty. The experience of the last decade and more, all round the world, shows that acts of violence, however apparently irrational or inappropriate their targets, precipitate a frenzied search on the part of the society attacked to discover and remedy more and more grievances, real or imaginary, among those from the violence is supposed to emanate or on whose behalf it is supposed to be exercised. Those commanding a position of political leverage would then be superhuman if they could refrain from pointing to the acts of terrorism and, while condemning them, declaring that further and faster concessions and grants of privilege are the only means to avoid such acts being repeated on a rising scale. We know that those who thus argue will always find a ready hearing. This is what produces the gearing effect of terrorism in the contemporary world, yielding huge results from acts of violence perpetrated by minimal numbers. It is not, I repeat again and again, that the mass of a particular population are violently or criminally disposed. Far from it; that population soon becomes itself the prisoner of the violence and machinations of an infinitely small minority among it. Just a few thugs, a few shots, a few bombs at the right place and time—and that is enough for disproportionate consequences to
follow.'
http://traditionalbritain.org/blog/road-national-suicide/
While never mentioning the things he said that were batshit crazy. Like his view that, after the British Empire had rid the world of the Nazis, then it would have to do the same with the United States.
(I realise this is the view of Lovinputin1983)
I think mass immigration is the biggest problem of our time, and there is a man who forecast the damage it would do / has done, 40 years before it happened, so I tend to quote him0 -
Terrible scenes at Chelmsford station last night, surprised it didn't make the news.
Station inundated with racists who covered their nefarious activities by wearing santa hats and collecting for charity.
I knew they were all racists when I heard them singing "white Xmas" - shameless the lot of them! :-)
0 -
Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?Alistair said:I'll do some polling of Fife based co-workers today to see if the bridge will make them less or more likely to vote SNP.
0 -
Doesn't everyone have a helicopter?MonikerDiCanio said:Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?
0 -
What odds are you offering?rcs1000 said:
I bet they don't. £20?SouthamObserver said:
Yep, there will be an SNP tsunami in May. They look set to win every single constituency seat.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.0 -
Years ago when they decided to widen a huge stretch of the M25 - I left my HQ offices in St Albans to drive home to Burgess Hill in Sussex. I passed several new signs saying "Roadworks until XYZ [2yr hence] and in that moment decided to resign...
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.DavidL said:
Anyone who has to use the Kincardine Bridge has a serious problem, no question. That is why I drive as far west as Stirling.Scott_P said:
OK, depends where you are starting from. I have friends who live in Dunfermline and commute into RBS. Or not...DavidL said:I used to commute from Dundee to Edinburgh via the bridge. I now make the journey via Stirling. The journey has increased from about 1 hour 20 mins each way to just over 2 hours. This makes commuting seriously unattractive so I have had 2 nights in Edinburgh this week and will work at home tomorrow. I expect that to be the routine now until the Bridge opens again.
0 -
They might all be remote working now.MonikerDiCanio said:
Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?Alistair said:I'll do some polling of Fife based co-workers today to see if the bridge will make them less or more likely to vote SNP.
0 -
#YouAintNoMuslimBruvFloater said:
Terrible scenes at Chelmsford station last night, surprised it didn't make the news.
Station inundated with racists who covered their nefarious activities by wearing santa hats and collecting for charity.
I knew they were all racists when I heard them singing "white Xmas" - shameless the lot of them! :-)0 -
I know that old biddy thing stung, but there's no need to endlessly stalk me with with the same not-very-funny joke.CarlottaVance said:
Still stuck in traffic, hun?Theuniondivvie said:
Though the repetitive bleatingfelix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
Oh well, the toll-free crossing was fun while it lasted!
Was it worth it?
120 year life expectancy cut by 70 years?
What am I saying, that's your modus operandi!0 -
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 soapyPlato_Says said: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.
0 -
No one willing to bet on a Tory majority at Holyrood? Disappointing...
0 -
Remote working in England like mighty Nationalist Wings over Scotland.Alistair said:
They might all be remote working now.MonikerDiCanio said:
Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?Alistair said:I'll do some polling of Fife based co-workers today to see if the bridge will make them less or more likely to vote SNP.
0 -
The SNP will continually blame everyone else for the bridge closure until the mud sticks.Scott_P said:
Events dear boy...Alistair said: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.
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.
Anyone from Cameron to Carmichael will be in the frame for their own failure to maintain the crossing. Twas ever thus.0 -
They cancelled the unicorns.....Scott_P said:
Doesn't everyone have a helicopter?MonikerDiCanio said:Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?
0 -
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.0 -
No, the SNP's 'Free Stuff' - which has come at a cost - is Scotland's 'not very funny joke'......120 year life span infrastructure in trouble 70 years early, fewer poor children going to University, NHS drugs not available in Scotland that are in England - oh, how we laughed!Theuniondivvie said:
the same not-very-funny joke.CarlottaVance said:
Still stuck in traffic, hun?Theuniondivvie said:
Though the repetitive bleatingfelix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
Oh well, the toll-free crossing was fun while it lasted!
Was it worth it?
120 year life expectancy cut by 70 years?0 -
they could have voted labour and flown across with owlsCarlottaVance said:
They cancelled the unicorns.....Scott_P said:
Doesn't everyone have a helicopter?MonikerDiCanio said:Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?
0 -
However, until Scotland inevitably becomes independent, the SG can always blame England and get traction with the Scottish electorate.CarlottaVance said:
No, the SNP's 'Free Stuff' - which has come at a cost - is Scotland's 'not very funny joke'......120 year life span infrastructure in trouble 70 years early, fewer poor children going to University, NHS drugs not available in Scotland that are in England - oh, how we laughed!Theuniondivvie said:
the same not-very-funny joke.CarlottaVance said:
Still stuck in traffic, hun?Theuniondivvie said:
Though the repetitive bleatingfelix said:
That seems a reasonably likely scenario to me also - it seems a large number of our fellow Scots have enthusiastically embraced the victim mentality and this blinds them almost completely to rational thought. To think what a mess they'd be in right now thanks to the oil price drop.DavidL said:For the avoidance of doubt though I fear Alastair has wasted his money on his no overall majority bet. The collapse of SLAB, the death of Scottish Liberalism and the persistent weakness of the Tories puts the SNP in a similar position to which the Tories might find themselves in 2020 if Labour persist with Corbyn: no alternative that is even vaguely credible.
I expect the Lib Dems to lose more seats, the Tories to make 4 or 5 gains, Labour to lose quite a few seats (but probably stay just ahead of the Tories) and the SNP, if anything, to slightly increase their current majority.
Oh well, the toll-free crossing was fun while it lasted!
Was it worth it?
120 year life expectancy cut by 70 years?0 -
Well, that's one approach......
SCOTS who are not registered as organ donors could be refused a transplant under plans being considered by the government.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14132991.Scots_not_registered_as_organ_donors_could_be_refused_transplants/0 -
What's stopping you from agreeing to be on the list before getting your transplant, and then immediately reversing your decision afterwards?CarlottaVance said:Well, that's one approach......
SCOTS who are not registered as organ donors could be refused a transplant under plans being considered by the government.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14132991.Scots_not_registered_as_organ_donors_could_be_refused_transplants/0 -
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.Scott_P said:
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 soapyPlato_Says said: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.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/commuting-in-scotland-who-is-on-the-move-and-where-to-1-39707140 -
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
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Free to do what?blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.0 -
btw FPT
I lolled at Mr Nabavi claiming not to be "tribal".0 -
dugarbandier said:
they could have voted labour and flown across with owlsCarlottaVance said:
They cancelled the unicorns.....Scott_P said:
Doesn't everyone have a helicopter?MonikerDiCanio said:Will they get to work in Sturgeon's Scotland ?
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No they don't.blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
This matter has been resolved for a generation by the sovereign democratic will of the Scottish people.0 -
Govern themselves?AlastairMeeks said:
Free to do what?blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
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
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To surf the waves of milk and honey. You're correct though in you're question. I suspect that the SNP coalition would find that question difficult to answer outside generalities. Although I note that a similar question hasn't stopped the general political hegemony of the ANC in South Africa.AlastairMeeks said:
Free to do what?blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.0 -
The arguments against Scottish Independence and leaving the EU too often come across as a rich husband telling his unhappy wife who doesn't fancy him anymore that she would be worse off financially if she left him.
That's why I suppose the SNP schtick worked at the GE, they sold the romantic dream. It mirrors many romance films where people root for the unhappy partner to give it a go0 -
What next?blackburn63 said:
Govern themselves?AlastairMeeks said:
Free to do what?blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
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
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.0 -
Of course that's true, I was talking about the NatsMonikerDiCanio said:
No they don't.blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
This matter has been resolved for a generation by the sovereign democratic will of the Scottish people.
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Hmm, they can't change the basic rate/higher/additional rates of tax wrt each other.AlastairMeeks said:
What next?blackburn63 said:
Govern themselves?AlastairMeeks said:
Free to do what?blackburn63 said:
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.AlastairMeeks said: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.
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
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.
They would not for instance be able to reduce either a "flat tax", or a UBI ^_^'';0 -
@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/LXVH6RfNG60
