I suppose eighteen months is, at least superficially, better than the indefinite postponement of a new independence referendum being proposed by Pete Wishart. And I know Pete Wishart will protest that indefinite postponement is not what he is proposing. But the “optimum” time cannot be defined – not even by Mr Wishart or any of his supporters – and it most certainly can’t be predicted months or, if some have their way, years in advance. If the time-frame lack any identifiable fixed point then the timescale is, by definition, indefinite. Pete Wishart’s protestation won’t change that, no matter how engorged with indignation they are.
Another thing those advocating this indefinite, or protracted, delay are unable or unwilling to explain is how they intend to deal with the actions of the British government during this period of procrastination. The British Nationalist ‘One Nation’ project is not going to be put on hold while Scotland dithers at the behest of Pete and The Postponers. That project will proceed regardless. And no part of that project is concerned with presenting Scotland’s independence movement with the “optimum conditions for success”. On the contrary, it’s all about preventing the people of Scotland from exercising their democratic right of self-determination – ever!
A document came to my attention today. It purports to be an outline of the main provisions of a “New Act of Union” being drafted by a group calling itself the Constitutional Reform Group. Readers can visit this group’s website and judge for themselves the extent to which those involved represent anything other than the structures of power, privilege and patronage which define the British state.
I cannot testify as to the provenance or authenticity of this document. What I can say is that it is a true and accurate representation of the British Nationalist dream. And Scotland’s nightmare.
- Part of a nation could decide to remain in the UK.
- UK Parliament is sovereign.
- UK Parliament permission required for independence referenda.
- UK Parliament MPs form the upper chamber for the Parliaments of Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales.
- Monarch can amend an Act of Parliament.
- Life peerages continue.
- UK parliament controls public borrowing of all nations.
- “Central taxes” controlled by UK Parliament.
- Barnett formula abandoned.
- New Public Borrowing Board controls public spending of the nations’ Parliaments.
- New “Bank of the UK” controls UK central banking.
- Duty of all public authorities to “protect the UK as a whole”.
- Legal systems of the nations legislated for by the UK Parliament.
- Unified Civil Service for the whole UK.
- Gaelic excluded from the new Act of Union referendum.
- 16 and 17-year olds excluded from the referendum.
- Reserved or “Central” matters include the Crown, UK constitution, Devolution Legislation, Foreign Affairs, EU membership, treaties & conventions, Defence, NATO, Human Rights, Economy, Tax, Currency, Law & Order, National Security, Immigration, Emergency Powers, Political Parties, Civil Service.
- UK Parliament can add areas to list of “Central Powers”.
Are you worried yet?
The Postponers aren’t. They seem oblivious to the very existence of a project to realise all or any of the above. They appear unaware that locking Scotland into this nightmarish new Union is a major imperative for the British state. They behave as if the British state is benign. They want us to behave as if Scotland’s democracy isn’t under real and imminent threat. They us to disregard the fact that everything we value in our nation is in serious jeopardy.
Even a delay of eighteen months gives the British state time to implement, in part if not in whole, its plans to constitutionally redefine the UK, and the status of the ‘peripheral’ nations, within a ‘reformed’ political union devised without any reference to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland or our elected representatives.
Are you angry yet?
You should be. But we must not let that anger dissipate in a pointless and ineffectual outburst of rage. We must use that anger to energise demands for a referendum in September 2018. Then we must set about creating the “optimum conditions for success”, rather than waiting in the hope that, if we wait long enough, they will arise spontaneously.
We must use that anger to overcome the paralysis induced by fear of losing by ‘going too soon’. Fear which blinds some to the fact that waiting too long has precisely the same consequences, but makes them a certainty.
We must direct that anger where it belongs; aimed at those who would impose on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland their repugnant, grotesque, horrifying vision of ‘Greater England’.
We must demand that the Scottish Government act to defend Scotland’s democratic institutions, distinctive political culture and essential public services against a British Nationalist onslaught which is already in progress.
We must stand united. We must be as one in our determination to stop this onslaught. We must give our full support to Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers as they confront the might of jealous Britannia.
Even eighteen months is a potentially fatal delay. We must not wait!
If you find these articles interesting please consider a small donation to help support this site and my other activities on behalf of Scotland’s independence campaign.
Peter A Bell 
Read regular Peter , always good stuff . I think you and Gordon Ross at indycar are on a similar wave length , you can check out his latest youtube vlog here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hGb50_32nw
Keep up the great work , we need to win the next one , it looks as if it might be our last .
LikeLiked by 3 people
Scottish Nationalist condemns and criticises British Nationalists for being….. erm nationalist.
Oh the irony.
LikeLike
New readers should know to ignore this British Nationalist fanatic. We keep it around as a sort of pet. Like many pets, it occasionally leaves little ‘deposits’. Just step over them.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I am trying hard to see the point of this message, but the word that leaps to mind is “silly”. What is it that I’m not getting?
LikeLike
Pretty much everything, it seems.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am so angry I feel sick.
http://www.constitutionreformgroup.co.uk/publications/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female and commented:
http://www.constitutionreformgroup.co.uk/publications/
LikeLike
Bravo Peter! That says what has to be said.
If the SG followed Wishart’s stategy and backed off from using the indyref mandate then it would give out all the wrong signals to the Yes movement and to the people of Scotland. It would sap the resolve of people in the battle to protect the devo settlement. It would embolden the Westminster Britnats to proceed without caution in their project to finish Scotland as a nation.
The consequences of losing indyref2 could never be anywhere near as bad as the consequences of shirking indyref2.
LikeLiked by 2 people
@westminster. Yes they would. Peter keeps on banging on about September 2018 as indyref2 day… not going to happen, and if it were to happen, you would lose. Look at the GE, look at the polls. Look at the in-fighting.
McNeill wanting indyref2 now.
Wishart wanting it later.
Black wanting a different approach to….. well not sure what exactly, tho’ diet coke was mentioned.
Kerevan not wanting a New Zealand model.
Sillars is the only one talking sense.
From a unionist perspective, I’m loving it, but I will give you advice. Get the Murrels out of office and get Salmond back, otherwise your movement is doomed.
LikeLike
Oddly, with ‘Sillars talking sense’ simply marks you as a unionist. Its like listening to a child.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well – I’ve said many times, the broad church that is the ‘Yes’ movement are smeared across the ‘in the know’ to ‘living in fear’ chart.
Peter looks like he’s in the know, and akin to me, I want a call when we find out what the ‘offer’ is for Brexit come Sep/Oct. At that point we will know, and it should be distilled down to what my business knows – utter hell to come – I’m a finance worker
Wishart is in a different camp, but I don’t mind his view tbh, its just maybe one where he doesn’t have the data, or naivety – more like most people I know outside finance circles.
But we have to all understand that the ‘chart’ is broad, multidimensional, and never perfectly in line with anyone.
If it happens, our Westminster lords will struggle. But it won’t happen and this is what the Red/Blue/Yellow Tories will say:
pre-2019 – “now is not the time”
post 2019-03 – “it would be too complex”
post 2020 – “you have no mandate”
post 2021 – “No”
post 2022 – “No with batons and a ‘state police force’ ”
So lets have a late Sep/Oct 2018 referendum – non-binding – its mandated.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Peter.. G’day. ‘The Shackles are Ready..’ Guid stuff.. Can be very succinct as regards my response to the article: You and I – WE – think alike, we are of VERY similar attitudes, opinions, and mindset.. Keep up the good work, bud.. Yer Mucker. G.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ace, Mr Bell.
It is argued that there in not enough time left to mount a winnable Indyref2 by the autumn.
By October 2018 the Brexit Deal will be laid out before WM and the EU27 Parliaments for sign off by March 2019.
We have a year before we are dragged out of the EU against our will.
For six months of that year we will know what life outside the Customs Union, The Single Market, with badly needed immigration curtailed by England’s Homeland Security, and no longer protected by ECJ Laws, will mean.
If we target holding the actual plebiscite in early Spring 2019, there is plenty of time to mount a campaign and win.
Pete Wishart is not the first to exhort us all to ‘wait and see’. in the hope that after a couple of years in Empire 2 wilderness, the Scottish people will demand Indyref 2 as an escape pod.
WM and the English Establishment will begin dismantling the Governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales by April 2019; of that there can be no doubt.
We have been passive for too long.
Now is the year of action and determination.
This ‘Constitutional Reform Group’ is the Real Brit Nat Imperialist Deal.
From next Spring, we will be swept aside, considered colonial agitators at best, enemies of the English State at worst.
I for one, refuse to let that happen.
LikeLike
Unbelievable,. Like lemmings you ignore ALL the information that you have in front of you and continue to bury your head in the sand,
There will be NO referendum this year. Got that?
Support for your cause is fading fast,, the last poll showed that 42% wanted an indie Scotland, and what… only 35% want another referendum in the next five years? Yet you would all steam in, heading towards certain defeat. And you know why? Over three years later and STILL no viable currency plan, still no word on how we are going to reduce the deficit and still no answer as to how we will cope without the £10b fiscal transfer.
Beggars belief, it really does.
LikeLike
If you are so absolutely certain that Scotland’s independence campaign is doomed, why are you constantly in such a pant-wetting tizzy about it? (Rhetorical question. I’m back to ignoring you already.)
LikeLike
I’m not in any sort of tizzy Peter, from from it, the shadenfreude is delicious, but you will lose, and deep ion side you know you will lose, but you and your ilk are so determined to get your referendum ASAP regardless of the dire consequences, as though that May granting a section 30 would in some way be a victory in itself, a guarantee of whatever. It would me a pyrrhic one for sure.
LikeLike
The troll known as ‘Geacher’ speaks of ‘ignoring the facts’, and that, consequently, WE,THE SCOTS PEOPLE, will lose IndyRef2; methinks it happens to be him that is wilfully ignoring the facts.. Polls in support of independence consistently running at 45 – 48% . . . AND THAT’S WELL BEFORE A BLOW HAS BEEN STRUCK; THE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH AND KEY DATE HAVE YET TO BE DECLARED . . . HAS THE TRUE IMPACT OF BREXIT – REAL HARD, IN-YOUR-FACE, WHAT-DOES-IT-MEAN-FOR-ME-AND-MINE BREXIT ?? – BEEN ASSESSED AND MEASURED YET ON COUNTLESS DOORSTEPS OF SCOTLAND, AND PEOPLES’ INDYREF2 VOTING INTENTIONS AS A CONSEQUENCE..?? NO. REPEAT – NO. AND THAT’S ONLY BREXIT . . . TO ADD TO THE MISERY, WHAT ABOUT THE ARRAY OF BROKEN PROMISES WHICH SCOTLAND HAS BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF SINCE 2014..?? ‘DON’T LEAVE – LEAD . . . SWIFTLY FOLLOWED BY THE ENACTMENT OF ‘EVEL’ LEGISLATION..’ Difference between Geacher and myself is that I look forward to the future with confidence, inclusive of the referendum itself . . . WHILE HE HARKENS BACK TO AND FOR A WORLD (AND AN EMPIRE.. ) WHICH HAS GONE, NEVER TO RETURN; HE AND THE SUBSIDISED LIFESTYLE OF HIS FELLOW COUNTRYMEN IS ABOUT TO COME TO AN ABRUPT END, AND HE KNOWS IT; PERHAPS THAT IS WHY HE NOW DISPLAYS ALL OF THE CLASSIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE STRESS..? SAOR ALBA GU BRATH.
LikeLike
@ Gordon Sprott : 12/4/18 17:32
In this blog Peter Bell lists 18 scary bullet points which he claims are the policy of the Constitutional Reform Group to which he provides a link. However so far I have been unable to find evidence for most of these claims in the CRG’s material. So why refer to them in the first place? While I don’t doubt for a moment that there are people in positions of power who would screw with Scotland given the least chance, making claims that are not based on evidence simply undermines you own case. Once you start being ‘economical with the truth’, no one is going to believe anything else you say, even if it happens to be right.
“I cannot testify as to the provenance or authenticity of this document [i.e. the 18 points]. What I can say is that it is a true and accurate representation of the British Nationalist dream.”
How can you say it’s true in one breath, yet claim you have no evidence of origins and authenticity in another? You don’t know whether it’s true or not. It’s simply a rumour that happens to feed you pre-existing prejudices. It _might_ be true, or some parts might, but without evidence you’re simply preaching to the already converted, but much more to the point, turning off most of those who might be amenable to reason.
LikeLike
“In this blog Peter Bell lists 18 scary bullet points which he claims are the policy of the Constitutional Reform Group…”
I made no such claim. You are a liar and a fool, as was pointed out earlier by Gordon Sprott.
You are too utterly stupid to even be aware of the stupidity of the stupid thing you are doing. You are taking the reference to the document out of the context of the disclaimer regarding its provenance and authenticity and presenting this reference as a claim about the provenance and authenticity of the document before than referring to the disclaimer as contradicting the very thing that it disclaims.
You’re a total fuckwit!
LikeLike
What was the point of the ref. to the CRG’s documents then? Are you now admitting that you pulled your 18 Points out of thin air, or off Twitter which usually amounts to much the same thing? Hey, maybe you’re just a false flag op. trying to discredit the Indy movement as nothing more than batshit extremists. These are dangerous times, but panic never helped anyone.
LikeLike
Nobody claimed they were “the CRG’s documents”, you dullard. Evidently, you have some kind of reading difficulty. Normally, I would be sympathetic to somebody with your condition. But you’re such an offensive bladder, I’ve decided just to ignore you from this point.
LikeLike
Well I went to their site and read the Explanatory Notes here :
http://www.constitutionreformgroup.co.uk/publications/
and while I woudn’t trust your average BritNat any further than I could throw them, TBH I can’t see anything really terrible in their aims. I appreciate it could all be a fiendish smokescreen, but they appear to simply want to tidy up the mess that has resulted from uneven and piecemeal devolution within the UK. To give England its own ‘devolved’ parliament and to create a sort of federal body to oversee shared areas of responsibility to allow for common citizenship etc.
“The essence of the policy of the Bill is that it starts from the position that each of England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a unit that both can and should determine its own
affairs to the extent that it considers it should; but that each unit should also be free to choose
to share, through an efficient and effective United Kingdom, functions which are more
effectively exercised on a shared basis.”
Taken at face value this would imply that each constituent of the UK (I admit the use of ‘unit’ is unfortunate!) is in principle sovereign, but they agree jointly to delegate some powers to the ‘federal’ UK level. In effect this would amount to creating a sort of ‘mini-EU’ for the UK, which might well make sense if Brexit in fact happens.
Please show me why and how this is all so terrible. On the face of it it would seem to grant more not less sovereignty to Scotland … which is not to say it might be mangled into something entirely different in its passage through WM!
BTW where is the threat to Gaelic? Surely this would remain an entirely devolved matter on a par with Welsh and Irish? (Just asking, gabh mo lethsgeul).
LikeLike
I stressed that I could not vouch for the authenticity of the document that has been attributed to the Constitution Reform Group (CRG). Although I did so knowing that this disclaimer would have to be endlessly and wearily repeated. I don’t suppose for one moment that it is an accurate representation of the CRG’s aims – stated or otherwise. The Gaelic language thing is a bit of a giveaway. Although your reference to it being “an entirely devolved matter” suggests that you’ve totally missed the point. Which is that, while the CRG’ aims and intentions may be relatively benign, they represent the thin end of a very nasty wedge. At the thick end of which there is no Scottish Parliament. There is no devolution. There is no protection for the Gaelic language.
Thankfully, your comments are redeemed by recognition that even the most benign proposals from CRG would be “mangled into something entirely different” by the time the British political elite were done with it. There is no “might” about this. That is precisely what would happen.
There can be no satisfactory or acceptable constitutional reform of the UK because the Union means Scotland cannot freely negotiate that reform as an equal party. Any talk of a new form of association between Scotland and rUK can only commence from Scotland’s rightful constitutional status as an independent nation being restored.
LikeLike
Thank you for your prompt reply. I’m unclear as to exactly what document you’re referring to “attributed to the CRG”. Could you provide a link please so that we’re not talking at cross purposes.
At the risk of playing Devil’s Advocate, a glass half-full approach might view the CRG proposal as a step towards the orderly dismantling of the present UK, leaving just a shadow overall structure, while not only Scotland but also Wales progressed towards genuine self-determination. Optimistic, I know 😉
Oh, and if there does happen to be an advocate in the house, perhaps they could interpret this article for us lesser mortals :
LikeLike
I stressed that I could not vouch for the authenticity of the document that has been attributed to the Constitution Reform Group (CRG). Although I did so knowing that this disclaimer would have to be endlessly and wearily repeated.
LikeLike
I don’t doubt your disclaimer, I simply wish to see the ‘evidence’. What was the source?
LikeLike
The “source” was a document widely circulated on social media. But the source is irrelevant. For reasons explained in the article. I am NOT explaining them again.
LikeLike
What is it with people and details, Peter..? Dot all the i’s, cross all the t’s, what’s the source, where.does this come from..? MISSING THE POINT .. COMPLETELY .. EVEN THE EXISTENCE ( OR OTHERWISE..) OF SAID DOCUMENT IS NOT THE ISSUE . . . THE ISSUE IS THAT IT IS AN INCONTOVERTIBLE FACT THAT THE RIGHT-WING OF THE TORY PARTY WOULD ABOLISH HOLYROOD .. SCOTLAND ITSELF, CULTURALLY, SOCIALLY, POLITICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY, TOO, FOR THAT MATTER .. IF IT THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT THAT THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH IT; THEY ‘PUT UP WITH US’ IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT US, TO DRAIN FROM US THE RESOURCES WHICH THEY REQUIRE TO REMAIN SOLVENT; THAT IS THEIR ENTIRE MINDSET IN A NUTSHELL – AND THE EXISTENCE OF LEGISLATION, PIECES OF PAPER, DOES NOT AND WILL NOT CHANGE THAT MINDSET ONE IOTA . . . WHY-OH-WHY CAN PEOPLE NOT SEE THAT..?? G.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Patience, my friend. Patience!
LikeLike
Thank you again. I shall study the documents more carefully and if time allows address each of the points you’ve listed. However so far you claims look like just more ‘fake news’. We most certainly need to be wary of “Englishmen bearing gifts” but at the same time need not reject a possibly helpful approach out of hand. For example, if there is not sufficient support for Scotland to make a clean break, then a face-saving (for London) half-way house might be a realistic alternative. A sort of “soft Scotxit”. Cf. the Irish Free State, and the way the Commonwealth was set up to soften the blow of loss of Empire.
LikeLike
You seem to have missed the fact that the “half-way house” approach has been tried. And has failed. What do you imagine devolution was supposed to be?
Devolution has failed because it was always about withholding powers from the only Parliament that has democratic legitimacy in Scotland. Any devolution settlement which succeeds in terms of the aims and objectives of the British state necessarily fails in terms of the aspirations and priorities of Scotland’s people. Only the restoration of Scotland’s rightful constitutional status resolves the issue. There is no way to rectify the anomalies of the Union. It is fatally flawed. It must be dissolved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The problem with ‘devolution’ is that it is unbalanced, give them credit for at least aiming (if you take them at face value, big if!) for a proper balanced federal system. A fully Indy Scotland will be much more difficult to achieve technically post Brexit. Hence their idea of a sort of mini-EU within Britain. Otherwise all the same problems that face Ireland with a hard border will face the Island of Britain also.
The other ‘imbalance’ inherent in existing Scottish devo is that from a Scottish POV the Edinburgh parliament is potentially sovereign under the Act of Union, a revival of the pre-union body, whereas from London’s POV it is simply a glorified local authority. Maybe the courts can settle this one, maybe not, or they won’t need to.
But why deny England their fig-leaf for a few years should that be what it takes to move gracefully to independence?
LikeLike
Which brings us back to the question which is never answered, or addressed or even acknowledged, by those who insist the final push to independence can be delayed indefinitely – or “for a few years” – without any consequences. I’m not even going to bother repeating that question. What would be the point?
LikeLike
Wholeheartedly agree Peter. Just been through Heathrow with its British national message splashed every 20feet about how country, industry, culture, media, education, innovation is all Great, in Britain with union flag adorning every picture. Can see the not so subtle placement of the union Jack in programmes made by English programmers. The truncated version of union Jack with a border and corners cut off which displays the English cross even larger. That unit is charged with making Britain one country and denying national identities within it. Once we leave Europe will be too late for a meaningful referendum.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Firstly, the New Act of Union, if genuine, would surely have to be signed by a person/persons elected by the Scottish people. Ruthie would no doubt step forward if elected to do so, but that scenario is unlikely. Again though, if genuine, it would make the union constitution resemble post Franco Spain’s fascist driven constitution, with Catalunya etc secured as apparent legal parts of Spain. Scotland, Wales and NI would become parts of greater England.
As for the optimum time for indyref2, I can understand Pete Wishart’s point of view. However once out of the EU, things could move very quickly. The present UK govt would love to introduce something like the document above, and unless we vote again within the next 18 months (or preferably a year), we might find the route to a referendum blocked. Of course there are other options.
T May, without proper mandate or majority, is considering military action in Syria without consulting Parliament. If she can ignore the HoC, she can more easily ignore Scotland and Holyrood.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You acknowledge that “things could move very quickly”. What makes you think we’ve got 18 months? Or even a year?
The British Nationalist ‘One Nation’ project is rolling NOW. The process is under way NOW. What makes you suppose it will be halted, or even slowed rather than accelerated, while we fart around trying to make up our minds to do something about it? Is it your impression of the British state that it’s obliging that way?
LikeLike
@shouty Gordon. Polls are running at 43% Yes.
What broken promises?
In your own time, fella
LikeLike
So .. Geacher .. You will not accept that various polls .. on various platforms .. are running at 45-48% in favour of independence – but you anticipate that I will blithely accept your figure of 43%..? I do not think so, Sir; as saying goes, lies, damned lies, and statistics – and I, too, can keep up with the news streams.. Changing tack.. What’s it like to be of a mindset which appears to get its’ kicks from the deliberate subjugation, domination AND exploitation of another, smaller nation.. Oh, and in case you think this is paranoia, this ‘exploitation’ applies to ALL of the nations, large or small, which the Empire ruled in its time; everywhere that explorers/colonialists travelled, they came to rule, power absolute; c.100K expatriates or so at any one time in charge of India, from the days of the Raj onward – in a country of, at that time, c.400 MILLION; not, I hasten to add, for the betterment or advancement of India or the Indian people – but to exploit resources ( modern day analogy plain for all to see..) to pour said wealth backto London, to advance ONLY the monarchy, so-called elite, and Empire; oh, and to bring this right up to date, to make it contemporary, said exploitation of people, infrastructure, and resources is EXACTLY that which WasteMonster has been grossly guilty of as regards Scotland since the Act of Union in 1707, and acutely so since the discovery of oil .. Union of Equals ? Divine Right to Rule ? To both statements, one response: MY FUCKING ARSE..
Broken promises..? Don’t leave, LEAD – followed by enactment of ‘EVEL’ legislation .. Agriculture / Farming:Then Minister Owen Paterson heads to Brussels to cut a deal for £1 billion vis-a-vis ‘support payments’ for all FOUR nations of Great Britain; comes back with £225 million – and proceeds to allocate precisely NOTHING of this amount to Scottish farmers’ .. Fishing: As we speak, rich Scottish fishing grounds to be leveraged away, YET AGAIN, by a corrupt and prejudiced Tory administration at WasteMonster – in order to help ‘secure’ EU passporting rights for the City of London .. The infamous ‘Vow’, followed by the Smith Commission: Again, in both cases, not worth the paper which they were printed on, FULL STOP .. Shipbuilding contracts on the Clyde: In the run-up to IndyRef1, bribes offered – yes, to the Scottish electorate, BRIBES – that , in the event of a ‘NO’ vote, and the Union being left intact, 21 repeat 21 ships for the Royal Navy would be commissioned within Scotland; at the last count, said contract is now of the order of 3 repeat 3 vessels .. Vote ‘NO’ – and by so doing, the jobs at HMRC, East Kilbride, will be saved; facility is now closed.. Climate change: Contributing mightily to the achievement of set reduction targets re Paris Agreement and such like, Scottish engineering and entrepreunerial spirit demonstrates world-leading capability in the development and advancement of ground-breaking technology; response from this obnoxious, reprehensible Tory adminstration / WasteMonster establishment..? Cut / eliminate completely the financial subsidies which were driving and fuelling the sector .. For the moment, last but certainly not least:: Only a ‘NO’ vote will maintain our relationship with, and status within, the EU; within 2 years ( 9/14 – 6/16 ) Scotland votes 62 – 38 in favour of ‘Remain’, only now to be dragged out of the EU by our old friends, yes, once again – the right-wing of the Tory Party; to add insult to injury, Scotland does not even have a voice, any form of representation, within the Brexit negotiations.. Query ‘broken promises..?’ Keep your rhetorical questions, bud, go waste them on some other mug…
Your country wishes to subjugate, dominate, and, thereafter, exploit; that is the history, the lesson, and the legacy of the Empire ( India .. Ireland .. Falklands .. Gibraltar .. Hong Kong .. Australia .. Canada .. Africa .. NewZealand .. Even, early doors, the United States – ‘Taxation without Representation’; it’s in your DNA, the so-called ‘Divine Right to Rule’ . . . But we here in Scotland are of a completely different mettle, different stock, different character ENTIRELY; we do not .. cannot .. do not wish to .. rule; we have no desire whatsoever to fall out with anyone, much more fun falling IN with them; all that we desire is the right to self-determination, a status enjoyed by countless other nations in the world, to make our own decisions – and that those decisions be made by the best people to make them: Scots’ people, living and working in Scotland; oh, and at this juncture, please do not insult me by saying ‘But you had a referendum – and voted ‘NO..’ Statistically true – but only as a consequence of the victory having been stolen from us by a combination of corporate, intelligence, media, and political forces hell-bent not only on maintaining the status quo – but on securing the continuation of influence, power, patronage, and privilege enjoyed by ‘the Establishment / Elite’ since time immemorial; left alone to the Scottish electorate, matters would have been entirely different . . .but we both know that such an eventuality was NEVER ( at that time.. ) going to be allowed to happen; WMD on the Clyde, and resultant military ‘connection’ with the U.S , ‘Special Relationship’, etc .. the contribution of oil, whisky, and the rest to ENGLAND’S Balance of Payments account, ‘cos, yes, it happens to be true: You do NOT subsidise us – WE SUBSIDISE YOU.. FULL STOP. Oil revenues to the Treasury of c.440 BILLION since 1975 are proof positive of that argument… The ONLY country to have discovered oil – and finished up WORSE OFF, courtesy of WasteMonster; do not, at this point, get me started on the DELIBERATE suppression by Denis Healey ( Labour Chancellor at the time.. ) of the McCrone Report, back in the 70’s, of the oil wealth contained within the North Sea..
Lastly, a final thought: Much prefer to be called ‘shouty’ . . . Than to EVER be described by ANYONE AT ALL as a ‘troll..’ And here’s a statement to stick in your craw: SAOR ALBA GU BRATH ( ‘FREE SCOTLAND, FOR EVER.. )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Scotto Voce.
LikeLike
@Gordon: polls… my 43% was from Panelbase published last Sunday… where is your 48% from please?
“subjugation, domination AND exploitation…..” Really? I think you need a huge reality check.
As for the rest of your rant, if you condense it down and make it vaguely readable, I’ll have a go at answering.
As for “Oil revenues to the Treasury of c.440 BILLION since 1975 are proof positive of that argument…” Why begin at 1975? Why not 1950? Or 1990? The days of us raising more money than we spend is long gone…..only three times in the last 19 years, and in one of them it was literally pennies.
But that is what pooling and sharing is all about, when we have we give, and when we don’t, we receive.
And boy do we receive right now.
LikeLike
Short message from yourself (and reference to a ‘rant’ – which it is anything but.. ) tells me 2 things: 1) You have no counter to some if not all of the points raised in my post; and 2) You cannot back up and support your own arguments.. Talking about ‘Why not begin at 1950?’ – when oil, and SERIOUS revenue streams to the Treasury, from the North Sea, only commenced in c.1975 . . smacks of desperation, clutching at straws .. Likewise, mention of ‘pooling’ is laughable – were it not so serious; WasteMonster’s version of ‘pooling’ can be defined as ‘What’s mine is mine – and what’s yours is half mine..’ You ask for details as to ‘broken promises’ – and then, when presented with said details, ONE AFTER ANOTHER ( a ‘diluted’ list at that, anything but comprehensive or exhaustive.. ) you run for cover, and shout ‘rant’ ( read ‘cannot be bothered, ‘cos I don’t like it WHEN THE TRUTH HITS ME RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES..’ If you wish to argue the point regarding ‘subjugation, domination and exploitation’ ( a comment which, clearly, you take issue with..) please, do NOT take my word for it – go and discuss the matter with the indigenous populations of the nations which you ruled for, in some cases, centuries; assuredly, those peoples’ see matters in a completely different light from that of WasteMonster / Empire; one only need take a brief look at the political situation across the water on the island of Ireland to see the absolute BALLS-UP that London made of that; down the years/centuries, so-called ‘political elite’ never happier than when interfering, UNINVITED, in other nations affairs ( pointer.. check Gough Whitlam, Australia, 1975, and the role of the then Governor-General for further evidence of London’s interfering busybodies.. )
No comment /response from yourself on oh-so-many issues within my previous post: EU vote / betrayal; Scotland’s inherent right to self-determination, comparable with other nations; WMD on the Clyde; Royal Naval contracts; the suppressed McCrone Report re oil wealth; the ‘Vow/Smith Commission’; that your headstone will quote that you happened to be no more than, or better than, a TROLL, sowing division, discord, and discontent – characteristics which are anything but complimentary .. Could go on here – but quite sure that fellow readers do get the picture: ‘NAE ANSWER’ EQUALS ‘NAE RESPONSE..’ Not the case that my comments / opinions are any better, or more pertinent / relevant, than anyone else; but try living within a system whereby it does NOT matter who you vote for, YOU ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THAT WHICH LONDON DEIGNS TO GIVE YOU . . . AND THEN COME BACK AND TELL ME THAT YOU YOURSELF WOULD NOT BE PUSHING FOR SELF-DETERMINATION. As my late father was heard to remark, ‘If England had sought to be a true member of the Union, as like as not Scotland would have sought the same objective’ . . . But, as always, historically AND contemporarily, England / Wastemonster seeks to have and retain ONLY the jam; the other nations in this man’s reprehensible Union get no better than the scraps from the table… On the morning AFTER IndyRef2, the result having been declared, one of us, you and I, will, for sure, be laughing on the other side of his face; politics being for the big boys only, I’m afraid, Sir, that the person laughing will NOT be you… Once again: SAOR ALBA GU BRATH ( ‘cos I KNOW that said phrase sticks in your craw BIG TIME… )
LikeLike
Tell you what Gordon… when you can write cohesively, with proper words and structure so that I can understand exactly what you you are talking about, I will reply. For example…
“‘If England had sought to be a true member of the Union, as like as not Scotland would have sought the same objective’ ”
Gobbledegook.
Sair elbow
LikeLike
‘Tis your misfortune to be both conceited AND as thick as mince.. Take your ‘Seeds of Discontent ‘ . . AND PLANT THEM WHERE THE SUN DOES NOT SHINE .. When I have the misfortune to encounter boorish Unionist trolls such as yourself, only serves to remind me why WE, The Scots’ People, wish to be shot of the whole damn lot of ye.. Goodbye .. and Good riddance to VERY bad rubbish…
LikeLike
See? When you keep it short and concise it makes sense, unlike your usual bowl-of-alphabet-spaghetti-chucked- at- wall style.
Sair elbow.
LikeLike
Now who’s talking gobbledy-gook.. Take a hike, ‘fella’ ( a ‘term’ which is as patronising as it is feeble.. ) Go for a long walk – OFF A SHORT PIER..
LikeLike
Now you are learning…. short posts work just fine, Gordon.
LikeLike