Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Last call to register to vote in the European elections

It's 7pm as I write this, so you now have only a few hours left to register to vote in the European elections (that is, if you aren't already registered as a result of responding to the household enquiry form a few months ago).  I realise that the majority of people reading a politics blog will already be safely registered, but what's more likely is that you know someone who isn't - maybe a young person, someone who has recently moved house, or an EU citizen.  If so, and particularly if they're pro-independence, cajole them, bribe them, do whatever it takes, but make sure they're registered by midnight.  The link to the registration page is HERE.

Remember that EU citizens also have to fill in an additional form (I believe it's some sort of declaration that they won't be voting twice in the European election in two different countries).

81 comments:

  1. Boycott the EU corrupt bloodsucking wasters. Waste your ballot paper. Write on it public services before unnecessary politicians.

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    1. Don't be fooled England, this is a typical example of the hardcore jocknatsists attitude towards the EU, they want NO Deal.

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    2. Ya, cause war was so much better!! Stop the EU attack on good old fashioned breakfast sausage!!

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    3. Hey Bill you better put your sausage away and stop the war on your wife ya yankee wifebeater.

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    4. Is Bill in favour of, or against the EU, does he just love war, does Bill even know?

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    5. Following on from your question in the last post Bill, I wasn't exactly sure where Dundee was either for a while until I found out they had a fabulous crocodile reserve nearby. Its got a river, swamps and glades all full of crocs, it's absolutely amazing, a sight to behold and I've remembered the place ever since.

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    6. Well, FYI: was the BBC that said the Dundee election was NOT in Scotland. Not me. I was asking if there was another. BBC. Also, I actually post who I am!! Having people who don't know their own name oppose you is kinda fun, Ignoramus!

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    7. I do know my own name usually and I've put it in but the darn thing comes up as unknown, my IT skills are up there with the BBC's geography knowledge. Although ignoramus probably fits.

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    8. Unknown used to hang around with a woman from Girvan called Jako.

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    9. Yeah, because May giving out knighthoods in exchange for supporting the Brexit deal isn't corrupt...

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    10. Anonymous - I never understood why Unknown used to hang around with Jako, but your explanation makes perfect sense.

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  2. When will you have an up date on the results, James ?

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    1. There are no results, it's the deadline to register not the actual election you muppet. FFS

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  3. 92% now disapprove of the way the UK government is handling the Brexit negotiations. Who the feck are the 8%.

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    1. RtHon Colonel Mother Superior R Davidson MSPMay 8, 2019 at 2:04 PM

      The families of Tory MSPs, MEPs, MPs and their staff.

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    2. I doubt it's the Tory party, I think most of them jumped ship a long time ago. With confidence in the UK government at an all time low, little bit worrying that yes aren't ahead.

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    3. Mother Ruth of the Sacred DishclothsMay 9, 2019 at 11:58 PM

      I don't know about jumping ship but a few of the Conservative delegates tried to jump me at the Conference in Aberdeen. I'm a sprightly 78 year old but my would-be jumpers couldn't get out of their walking frames or mobility scooters. I saw Ross Thompson getting sprightly in the bar, but he seemed to fall over and that was the last I saw of him. I saw a pair of apparently disembodied hands flailing around and heading for male nether regions but I can't imagine who they belonged to. Instead of entertaining my fantasies of getting conservatively jumped, I think I'll just watch Escape to the Country and think of rampant masculine role model Jamie-Lee Green.

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  4. Great to see the IRA boys back in business a most welcome return, there's only one language the British establishment understands at the end of the day. Shame we can't hire them because as the old saying goes...

    If you've got a problem with the British establishment and no-one else can help and you can find them maybe you can hire the IRA-Team.

    Don't you just love it when a plan overcomes Better Together.

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    1. RtHon Colonel Mother Superior R Davidson MSPMay 8, 2019 at 2:06 PM

      I see old Cordelia AKA GWC seems to be posting as "Unknown" these days.
      And yes, old chum, I love Better Together.

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    2. Most definitely not the clown that is GWC, should be pretty obvious from both style and content. Your clutching at straws.

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    3. In fact I pity the fool that is GWC.

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    4. Jacqueline PodewilMay 8, 2019 at 11:13 PM

      There she is. Look! In the mirror. Hi Cordelia! Hi love!!

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  5. Well, that's the 'Border posts at Gretna!' and 'Independence will cause people to die because they'll be refused treatment in England!' shite shot down before the iref#2 campaign even kicks off.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-48194071

    British and Irish ministers are to sign a deal to preserve the Common Travel Area after Brexit.

    It guarantees free movement for citizens crossing the Irish border and cross-border access for study and health care.


    Unless some nats are right of course, and it's true the English are anti-Scottish.

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    1. I like you. I like you a lot. I'm thinking about you and getting aroused. Mmmm.

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  6. Yesterday was a bit fraught for my sister. It started off normally. I called her for a family catch-up.She then happened to mention that only two in her household of 6 working adults had received their polling cards (her daughter & son's partners) but no polling cards for herself, her husband, her son or daughter.She's lived there since 1997 and voted in every single election/referendum.

    I told her to phone the electoral office for our area immediately to make sure the 4 missing poll cards were just an error by Royal Mail & they were on the electoral roll. My sister thought the deadline was the 9th but I told her, no, it's today! Phone them now. She did.

    She was told that she, her husband, daughter & son were not on the electoral roll.

    She said how can this be? I've not moved or re-registered elsewhere & I've never contacted you to be taken off the roll!

    The woman said she's need to check and see what has happened here & that she's call my sister back. After a couple of hours she called back to say that when my nephew's partner had registered online, she had ticked a box which said 'are you the full occupant' as 'YES'. She had taken this to mean she stayed there full time. In fact it means are you the only occupant? When she ticked YES by mistake the 4 other names were then deleted by the electoral register without any checks by them to the 4 persons they deleted from the Roll. The officer said a letter was sent out about the changes but my sister swears blind she never received it.

    My sister then said to the officer, but my daughter's partner received a polling card, so how did he receive his OK? The officer could not explain this.

    However the officer did advise my siter to register online which the four members then did OK. As my sister does not know her NI No off by heart she did have to drive to her office (a 50 mile unplanned round trip) in the middle of a very busy working day, to get her NI No off a file in her office. She then re-registered OK online.

    But my point is, if my sister had just assumed she was still on the roll (and she had no reason to suspect she was not on the roll) 4 people from my family were disenfranchised by one (innocent) click of a button online. It may be a lot of people will be in for a shock on the 23 May. I hope the Electoral Commission are keeping tabs on this and sort out your online system so that people cannot be taken off the Roll with just one click!!!

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  7. P.S. All 6 in my sister's household will vote SNP. We are sympathetic to the Scottish Green but feel it is a wasted vote as the Greens will never get near enough, under the D'Hondt system, plus the fact there are only 6 seats to win in Scotland, to get 1 out of only 6 seats.

    PPS

    My, you have some absolute stoater 'comments' trolls.

    Take it as a compliment.

    It reminds me of the crabs which carry venomous sea urchins on their backs. Not that I'm calling you a crab, James. I love your stuff.

    It's when they stop trolling you have to worry, apart from when they stop because we have won independence.

    What will happen to all the trolls after Indy? Will they slink off into the night? Will we wear T -Shirts saying, 'Old trolls never die, they just cave-in?'

    Who knows but I'm looking forward to finding out.

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    1. Billy Bones, another Bill. Question for you Bill, with your nautical knowledge and all, when you stop, apart from when you stop getting crabby, probably because you found the treasure at the bottom of Davy Jones's locker. Yaaaaar yaaaaaaaar Yaaaaaaar Land ahoy .

      Why are pirates called pirates?

      Because they arrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

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    2. Condemnant quod non intellegunt

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    3. Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare

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    4. Contra principia negantem non est disputandum

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    5. Dulce est desipere in loco

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    6. Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit

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    7. Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit

      Quod supplantandum, prius bene sciendum

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    8. Google translation engines have a lot to answer for.

      “They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, on the other hand, a great emboldener” RLS

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    9. Wasn't google translation that would have been smarter, I just scrawled through wikipedia. Nothing like a good contretemps.

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  8. I wouldn't worry too much Bill the thought police will be along soon enough, when they wake up. You'll have JK Prowling like a stasi inspired North Korean newshound deleting any alternative viewpoints or provocative comments. So much for free speech. What was it Voltaire used to say...............

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    1. RtHon Colonel Mother Superior R Davidson MSPMay 8, 2019 at 2:08 PM

      Voltaire used to say "Jesus Christ, my arse is itchy."

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    2. Às Berkshire Conservatives said, "Common oik".

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    3. Shut your farter. There's a draft in here.

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  9. Scots should be encouraged not to vote in this election. Voting will just encourage the EU Mafia corruption to continue in its same old way. The EU elites will vote down any chance of change to their lifestyles.

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    1. We know what your lifestyle is Cordelia. Did you get the jab?

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    2. I went when it started oozing.

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  10. Because if no-one in Scotland votes the EU will come tumbling down......or,..... F all will happen coz they wouldn't give a flying feck. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Rant into the dying of the light GWC.

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    1. On the plus side, if we had no MEPs we'd save millions on all the Kippers fiddling their expenses

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    2. Exactly and the other fiddlers. If you vote you give the fiddlers a fiddle.

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    3. Our 6 MEPs are cheap as chips compared to the 59 unnecessary MPs we send to the country next door to sit in the corner of their parliament powerless while it makes laws for Scotland that Scots didn't vote for.

      129 Scottish MSPs in a Scottish parliament is already more than enough; let them make our domestic laws.

      Returning to the MEPs... I'd rather trade laws for Europe were made by elected politicians rather than 'unelected bureaucrats', but maybe that's just me.

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    4. Jacqueline PodewilMay 8, 2019 at 11:16 PM

      Yes maybe it is just you. Maybe it is, my wonderful friend. I'm riding a long one, the crest of a wave and the son is in this guy

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    5. You mean like the EU were Scotland would be powerless to stop the majority of legislation it makes, even if it did not support it?

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    6. Scotland could veto legislation it didn't like, Ireland style (or Belgian regional parliament style re TTIP).

      And if it really objected, it could just leave and the EU would not try to legally block that, telling it 'Now is not the time and it never will be!'.

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    7. And anyway, Scottish independence is a separate issue to EU membership. Norway and Switzerland are not in the EU.

      There's a very large number of Scots voters who back a Norway style independence. They voted for Brexit and are saying they won't vote for independence 'tomorrow', but they will as soon as brexit legally happens. This is a good part of the reason why 48% Yes 'tomorrow' (current average), becomes an 'overwhelming majority' if brexit goes ahead in polls.

      Unfortunately, many unionist are stupidly associating brexitism with unionism, even though a rather decent proportion of Yes 2014 / SNP voters voted for it. Unionists are relying on Jim Sillars to save the union.

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    8. Vast majority (circa 80%) of legislation cannot be vetoed. Of course vetoes go both ways, something could be really good for Scotland and prevented from happening by another countries veto.

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    9. Sure; what kind of dumbfuck imagines you can have mutual trade deals / be in a trade block and have things all your own way. If Scotland was outside the EU, it would have to comply with all the same rules (if it wanted to trade), but have no say in them at all. Best then be involved.

      Luckily the UK only voted against 2.4% of EU laws during its membership. This, and 62% Remain, means the majority of Scots agree with EU laws.

      As an independent member, Scotland would have a veto and a seat on the council of Europe. It could even chair the council. It would have the same veto power as Germany, France or any other member. That's quite a contrast to the UK union.

      As part of the UK, Scotland gets no say in anything. England decides everything due to overwhelming force of numbers and the fact there is no 'Council of the UK' where Holyrood can wield a veto. Not only that, but the UK apparently doesn't let you leave, unlike the democratic EU.

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    10. it would have to comply with all the same rules (if it wanted to trade), but have no say in them at all. Best then be involved.

      So you don't agree with EFTA then? (has to follow rules but no decision). I thought you said that EFTA would be absolutely fine?

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    11. Yes, EFTA would be fine. It would not be a disaster at all. However, it's not as advantageous as membership for the reasons discussed, hence I prefer EU.

      Outside the EU/EFTA/EEA is the worst of all; you have to comply with all European rules (for selling to all the neigbours and to not deviate so much as to make other international companies charge you more for having to make different Scotland-specific products), but you don't even have the ability to freely sell there.

      As free movement is the most important factor to me, EFTA would be acceptable to me.

      Really the EU doesn't affect domestic life much; it's all about trade. This is why most brexiters can't actually name which EU laws they object to if asked. They normally end up naming British or ECHR laws which are domestic and/or nothing to do with the EU.

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    12. Really the EU doesn't affect domestic life much; it's all about trade

      THose days are long gone, trade blocks do not concern them selves with that the time is or what you can watch on YouTube or how your data is stored, certainly a trade block would not even be hypothetically talking about having its own army.

      Not saying that EU laws are necessarily bad but lets not pretend that they are about trade only anymore.

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    13. You are genuinely trying to tell me that data protection isn't fundamental to trade in a digital world?

      It's the first item on the agenda if you want to sell services / particularly digital. If the seller isn't regulated, who knows what they'd do with data never mind the playing field not being even.

      Same applies for copyright (Youtube etc). Obviously. Right on the first page of any trade agreement along with mutual patent protections.

      There is no EU army being discussed. Unless you think NATO is a 'Norther Atlantic superstate' army? Did you know that if a NATO country is attacked, we have to go to war to defend them even if we don't want to? 'How is that independence!' says a brexiter.

      EU is certainly far, far less integrated than the UK. If someone wants more independence, then the UK should be dispensed with way ahead of the EU. Hell, the Scottish army has been totally disbanded and our soldiers are sent to war without any Scots / Holyrood say at all. A far cry from an EU mutual defense agreement, which, appeals to me over a NATO dominated by a nut-job racist Trump.

      After all, as a Scottish-Irish - and probably French in due course via the wife - citizen, what the hell is wrong with standing shoulder to shoulder with European people like me?

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    14. Anyway, there's not much point in discussing the EU further. Brexiters got whipped in Scotland on that issue. Polls point to Remain support hitting new highs of 66% in Scotland too; even higher for an indy Scotland. Settled for a generation it appears.

      Indy by contrast is hitting new highs, with Y/N tomorrow a statistical tie (48% average from more pro-No pollsters). Very much knife edge. No really needed 60%+ in 2014 to convince Scotland to continue long term with its temporary (in terms of long term history) UK membership.

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    15. So a EU mutual defence agreement were if a EU country is attacked, we have to go to war to defend them even if we don't want to, but a NATO equivalent is bad?

      But your right its a none starter. 22 EU countries are in the NATO, there not going to switch to a inferior EU one. Trump is only going to be around for a few more years so that's not an augment.

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    16. I didn't say a NATO one is particularly bad; it's brexiters arguing that, i.e. that being in NATO 'isn't independence' and it's a 'North Atlantic superstate army'. Just like they argue we shouldn't be in the WTO as that means other countries, including Argentina, making our trade laws.

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    17. The reality is that only a total prize dumbass would try to argue that a join EU defense 'EUTO' pact is somehow a disastrous loss of sovereignty whereas NATO - a joint North Atlantic defense pact - is not.

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    18. no different to supporting being in the European Union but not in the UK Union. Both involve loosing some 'sovereignty'. People have there own reasons for supporting one or the other. Just because you don't personally support there opinions does not make them 'dumarses', unless that's what you want to call circa 50% of the Scottish population.

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    19. The UK isn't a 'union'. Not if it does not allow 'members' to legally and freely vote to leave at the time of their choosing.
      It's also not even a confederation (like the EU) or even a 'scary' federation; but a fully unitary state; the most 'sovereignty destroying' model possible.

      I didn't call half the Scottish electorate dumbasses; you just lied about that / made it up.

      I said trying to argue one defense pact of ~29 countries was totally different from another defense pact largely the same ~29 countries, both headquartered in the Brussels area incidentally, as radically different.

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    20. Scotland can leave tomorrow, all the Scot Gov has to say is we no longer want to be part of the UK and thats it, there is no law that says it can't do that.

      Of course if you are saying that Scotland needs England permission to leave then there is no point in the SNP, they can't deliver Independence. Polling is irrelevant as well, support for Independence could be at 99.9% it wouldn't matter as England would simply no.

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    21. That's irrelevant to my point.

      Legalities aside, the EU doesn't tell members they can't leave without it's permission / threaten to try and overrule member state governments who seek to depart the block.

      The EU is a union, i.e. voluntary. In the eyes of the UK government, the UK is not.

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    22. No its not really, either the Scotland can leave at any time, or England permission has to be given, if the latter then the indy movement is pointless as it cannot change anything.

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  11. ... not to mention, Scottish Skier, the unnecessary expense of the undemocratic 'Scots' in the House of Lords!

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    1. Tommy fae GowkthrappleMay 9, 2019 at 9:45 AM

      My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen. Where are the Gentlewomen? I rest my case.

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  12. Com res EU elect sub sample (%/seats)

    SNP 33/3
    Lab: 20/1
    Con: 15/1
    LD: 6/0
    Green 6/0
    CHUK: 4/0
    BRex 13/1

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    1. Opinium Westminster subsample:

      Con: 16%
      Lab: 16%
      LD: 5%
      SNP:42%
      UKIP: 2%
      BREX:16%

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    2. Ruth has some serious explaining to do.

      And the collapse of the conservative and unionist party would of course be expected to herald the end of the union. Rather obviously.

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    3. https://twitter.com/fracture2010 /status/1126567050112061440?s=09
      This has SNP at 55 or 56 seats again, without any local adjustments.

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    4. Fingers crossed! Thanks for that.

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    5. Mother Ruth of the Sacred DishclothMay 10, 2019 at 12:14 AM

      You need to cross your legs and learn to say NO. Doubt if that'll ever happen with your history of easy access. Front & back.

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  13. Meanwhile...
    https://www.rte.ie/news/enviroment/2019/0509/1048525-climate-emergency/

    RTÉ report that Ireland is the second country to declare a climate emergency. RTÉ recognises Scotland as a Country!

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    1. RTÉ weather map for its European weather forecast shows Scotland and Wales borders on a par with France, Germany, Poland etc. Thus started about a month ago.

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    2. I loved it when I was applying for my Irish birth certificate (registering a foreign birth).

      I had a brief moment of panic when the drop down menu did not contain either the 'UK' or 'Great Britain' as options for my 'country of birth'.

      Then I searched under 'S', smiled, and all was well.

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  14. Rte is talking about the UK which was the first country
    https://www.ecowatch.com/uk-parliament-climate-emergency-2636090140.html

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    1. Boo hiss. Ireland are third RTÉ are wrong...

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    2. What's an American doing living Mintlaw?

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