Saturday, May 30, 2020

Your suggestions for poll questions, please...

So just a quick update on the crowdfunder to run a new poll on independence.  At the moment (just after 11pm on Saturday night) the running total stands at £5112, so hopefully we stand a good chance of reaching the target figure of £6000, or at least getting very close.  Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, or spread the word on social media.  Thanks also to The National and to Paul Kavanagh of Wee Ginger Dug for giving the crowdfunder a plug.

All things being equal, I'll hopefully begin my attempts to commission a poll on Monday, so if you have any brilliant suggestions for questions, now is the time to put them forward.  My tentative plan is to ask the standard independence question, plus the Westminster voting intention question, and then four (or possibly five) supplementary questions.  I know it may seem odd to ask for Westminster voting intentions when it's the Holyrood election we have on the horizon, but remember that Holyrood polls take up two questions (constituency ballot and list ballot), so would leave less space for supplementary questions.  The main thing is that we'll get a sense of the direction of travel (if any) from a Westminster question.

Last time around, it was just after the election and the supplementary questions practically chose themselves.  This time I've got lots of ideas, but it's trickier to know which are the most important topics to be asking about at this precise moment.  So even if you don't have any specific suggestions for questions, feel free to give your thoughts on which general topics would be best, and why.

Click here if you'd like to donate to the crowdfunder.

140 comments:

  1. Maybe ask respondents something along the lines of: "To what extent has your current view on independence been influenced by the Scottish Government's performance in dealing with the Covid Crisis as compared to the UK's?"

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  2. Were it permitted, would you support the temporary introduction of vehicle checks on the Scotland-England border to ensure adherence to COVID-19 travel guidelines?

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    Replies
    1. Oh, and obvious but worth stating - a "how receptive are you to indy" not/slightly/undecided/quite/very. Useful to gauge shifts over time. Maybe a no-deal Brexit question given the extension deadline is only a few weeks away.

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  3. If pro-independence supporting parties win de majority at holyrood and Westminster again refuses a referendum would you support: a) consultative referendum b) UDI c) some other pash

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  4. Which sources have you trusted to provide accurate information about COVID-19? Then allow multiple options from various political, news and scientific sources, plus social media and/or friends and family. Or go with "which source... most trusted" and only allow one option.

    What is the most likely effect of the COVID-19 crisis on Brexit? bring forward / delay / cancel / nothing

    What is the most likely effect of the COVID-19 crisis on support for independence? increase / reduce / nothing

    And finally, the most important one;

    Who is most likely to have done Nicola Sturgeon's hair during the lockdown? Nicola Sturgeon / a hairdresser / Peter Murrell / aliens

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  5. Fools and their money are soon parted.

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    Replies
    1. Likewise fools (like you) and their precious time!

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    2. I guess you have not chipped in, so won't be commenting on poll results GWC?

      Or are you a subsidy junkie too lazy to help pick for Britain?

      Delete
    3. Actually I did pick for Britain when you were pissin your nappies. All fit people and on furlough should be called forward to do their patriotic duty for Scotland and that includes you paddy. You do not turn up you and your Mrs are deported to ROI.

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    4. Actually I did pick for Britain when you were pissin your nappies. All fit people and on furlough should be called forward to do their patriotic duty for Scotland and that includes you paddy. You do not turn up you and your Mrs are deported to ROI.

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    5. I'm not on furlough. I'm a key worker.

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    6. I should have expected that you would abuse key workers.

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    7. How would I know you were a key worker? What country are you a key worker in? Is it the ROI, Scotland or France?

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  6. For comparison, I suggest asking as many of the same questions as possible as you did last time, and truthfully, I do not remember what you asked last time. Other than that I suggest asking how their opinion on independence has been affected by COVID and its handling. Maybe ask if their opinion has been affected by the Cummings scandal.

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    Replies
    1. It was a media made scandal there for not a scandal.

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    2. Where, for not a scandal?

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  7. Holyrood 2021 to be an Indy plebiscite?

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    1. I think it woul dbe good to test the water in some way, though the downside of having to explain what it would mean, and also it's a bit of a double hypothetical, as it would mean assuming a party likely to win it gadopting it as policy as well as voting for it.

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  8. If WM refuses a section 30 should Holyrood result in 2021 be used as a defacto indyref ?

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  9. For or against indy is of course primary but don't we need to be establishing commitment to methods of getting there ? Masses for independence are no good if they all want 'permission' to do it.

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  10. How about, "Would you support, in principle, the Scottish Government introducing a Universal Basic Income. ". Lots of talk about this just now but I don't think I've seen a poll on it.

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    Replies
    1. Stop this drivel. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Just stop it. Now. Stop pummeling and favouring.

      Delete
  11. Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh and also a member of the Sage modelling group, Spi-M, said there was very little chance of eradicating the virus. “That was the World Health Organization’s strategy in the early stages of this pandemic. That’s a strategy they only formally abandoned a few weeks ago. And given that yesterday saw the highest number of cases reported globally ever, global eradication doesn’t look like happening any time soon,” he said.

    The relationship with Covid-19 we have had for five months “might turn out to be a lifelong relationship”, he said. It is not possible to maintain physical distancing for ever and there is no vaccine yet. “A second wave really is a clear and present danger,” he said.

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  12. has the man from Bath, gone down the plug hole?

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    Replies
    1. it's a bit far away to see! but it certainly smells like a gutter

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    2. That would be a great question, though I'm not sure what you'd do with the answer?

      Delete
  13. Question posed to those who voted SNP at Westminster 2019 election only:

    In the event that Nicola Sturgeon stands down as First Minister (...and leader of the SNP) later this year, prior to the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2021, of the following, who would you prefer replaced her as SNP leader?:

    *Ian Blackford
    *Joanna Cherry
    *Angus Robertson
    *Alex Salmond
    *Alyn Smith
    *Other (please specify)

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    1. You fake-indy wannabe splitterists just never stop tryin'. As if what the country needs right now is any reconsideration of a leader who is currently head-and-shoulders higher in public esteem than any other in the entire UK. For which we obviously need no poll. Duh.

      You really have to try harder.


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    2. Why is this a list of people who are NOT currently MSPs and therefore not in a position to be elected FM by the Scottish Parliament?

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  14. Will it include 16 and 17 year olds?
    EU nationals?

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    Replies
    1. What is an EU National? and what have they to do with a Scottish election?

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    2. They are like empty bags of crisps.

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  15. On second thoughts re: my question above, it might be worthwhile asking the question to voters of ALL political parties (and asking who might do the best job) then splitting the answers by vote recall at Westminster election just past to see how it splits according to voters of each party.

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    1. Alternatively they could describe their ideal choice in terms of colour. Like traffic lights.

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  16. I'm not in favour of asking a question about who should lead the SNP if Nicola Sturgeon stepped down. That feels very premature to say the least. I think it also gives support to a narrative that the Unionists love, viz, in-fighting amongst those of us who support independence. There will be a time for such a question but it is definitely not now.

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    1. It may or may not be premature, but it's unlikely that any other polls are going to ask the same or a similar question, and that's exactly what I thought the purpose of a crowd-funded poll should be - getting answers to questions we might not otherwise?

      Serious questions are being asked about Nicola Sturgeon, and there IS a split within the SNP, whether we like it or not.

      Denying reality isn't going to advance the cause, and it's perhaps legitimate for supporters of Independence to question who might be leading the SNP post-Sturgeon.

      We're no closer to IndyRef2 despite 4 clear mandates in the last 4 national elections. The SNP leadership, and the largely Unionist media-funded polls, aren't going to ask such questions, so the only way we will get answers to such questions is by asking them ourselves in a poll such as this one.

      Probably the fairest way to do it would be for James to pick 8-10 questions and summarise them in a poll on the blog here, or Twitter, and them the most popular 4/5 questions go in.

      James will obviously know the best methodology for asking such questions posed, but if we can't get answers to questions that Independence supporters want using opportunities like this one (and we all want to advance the cause of Independence, even if we disagree on the road map) then what's the purpose of going to the effort of a crowd-funded poll?

      Delete
  17. Here's a question

    *Given that the UK government head all documents as "Her Majesty's government" should Scotland be taking the Queen to court in the even of section 30 refusal

    The UK claim that they work for the Monarchy on all of their legal documents even though the Monarchy has no legal standing or authority, so all UK documents must be illegal surely

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    Replies
    1. What a great question. Take the rest of the day off.

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    2. Sir Michael ForsythJune 1, 2020 at 9:36 AM

      I agree with Arlene.

      Delete
  18. If you could conveniently leave Scotland to live and work in another country, would you go?

    Disillusionment with Scotland might be an indicator of potential support for independence.

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  19. Do you wish Scotland to have complete control of all Scotlands natural resourses and its international waters.

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  20. ScottytheScotinScotlandMay 31, 2020 at 11:16 AM

    Open Letter to the Lord Advocate.

    I would like to commend James Kelly for adding his name to the open letter to the Lord Advocate. Well done sir.

    Good to see you and WGD both coming out against blatant injustice against independence supporters.

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    Replies
    1. Excluding James Kelly and Wee ginger dug who are Independence supprters there are folk out there who aren't Independence supporters but claim that they are for entirely other reasons

      The law is not designed for justice or it would have been controlled by the people, but lawyers became involved in order to exclude the people from justice so they could apply the law for lawyers to control
      These two things are different and anyone looking for justice from the law is looking in the wrong place

      There are people the law likes and respects and there are people the law does not like and will never respect, Craig Murray and Stuart Campbell are on that list so irresepective of who's right or who's wrong who wins or who loses, the law will find a way to assert and exercise its will on who it chooses when it chooses

      Delete
  21. A very important issue, key to winning the IndyRef 2, and one where the SNP leadership have their fingers in their ears and eyes blindfolded.

    1) Should an independent Scotland introduce its own currency shortly after Independence Day?

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    1. If you were a member or had ears you would know that currency has been debated many times within the SNP and there is a plan to introduce Scotlands own currency within a fairly short time post Independence

      So the sticking fingers in ears and blindfold comment is something you must have been doing yourself

      Delete
    2. You have not been paying attention. It was me that proposed Amendment D at the April 2019 conference, therefor I am the author of the current SNP policy. That is 'to have our own currency as soon as practicable after independence'. That means 2 to 3 months. The hierarchy are not listening to that. Andrew Wilson made it very clear that he thought conference had changed nothing. Therefore the plan remains to muddle along with sterling 'for 10 to 15 years'. Only last week I had a video call with Alyn Smith who said the Growth Commission remained policy and was the best thing since sliced bread.

      I set up the Scottish Currency group and the www.reservebank.scot web site, and so far I have done more than 25 talks on currency and the economics of Indy all the way from Dumfries to Stornoway. BTW we can now do them via zoom so if any group would like a talk then email us at info@ reservebank.scot.

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    3. Andrew Wilson doesn't make policy as you well know

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    4. Does he make scrambled eggs?

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  22. Supposedly there's some splits over Sturgeon and Salmond and GRA, I don't think it's up to much to be honest, but would like to see some sort of question along the lines of

    "What are your priorities in order:

    Staying alive from Covid-19
    Keeping a roof over my head
    Family
    Paying the Bills
    Independence
    Brexit
    Ending Lockdown
    Getting a drive-thru takeaway
    GRA
    Salmond's justice
    Sacking Sturgeon"

    Maybe rated top priority down to low. That sort of thing.

    Seems to me there's very little interest really in the last 3 on that list, apart from a few afficio ... affi ... wac ... aff ... enthusiasts.

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    1. ScottytheScotinScotlandMay 31, 2020 at 1:14 PM

      I don't see the point of Salmonds justice being on the list. He has already got justice by winning both his cases. Perhaps a more accurate option would be the politicising of the justice system to attack independence supporters.

      Also the sacking Sturgeon option is just silly. The list looks as if it is your personal order of priorities.

      Delete
    2. There's people who claim "most people" for whatever they're claiming. Like GRA "Most women will leave the SNP / won't vote SNP". Yet support for the SNP rises and rises, as it does for Indy. And in fact for Sturgeon - I know previous NO voters who didn't like Sturgeon now think she's great - because of her handling of Covid-19.

      Similarly for Salmond, if you say you're not that fussed some people accuse you of having two heads. And Sturgeon-hating has become a way of life with some, but not many, I think.

      Having such a question takes the "most" claim and puts some sort of figure to it.

      That after all is one of the points of having a survey / poll. If the budget was say £10,000 there could be more questions, at £6,000 it's clearly limited so we can only get some sort of idea.

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  23. Another suggestion I have is something like: "Given that the country is currently approximately evenly split between those who prefer independence and those who do not, do you believe the broadcasting media in Scotland fairly reflect that range of opinion?"

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    1. This is a good question. From a "fake-indy wannabe splitterist" (infiltrating the SNP membership since 2002)

      Delete
    2. Touché! (A long-term sleeper agent, then?) More seriously though, as others have already observed, why waste resources questioning people about putative "splits" in the SNP, and especially on the good standing in the country as a whole over its leadership at this time? It's unnecessarily divisive and distractional when what's surely needed is focus. It's this tendency to reflectively agonise over issues that don't trouble ordinary folk out there that is the bane of the indy movement, and moreover a tendency that is now being deliberately fanned by those who are up to no good.

      In this case, we need to ask questions that cause ordinary people (the unaligned potential converts, not diehard supporters) to reflect on the realities as they see them and hopefully glean some useful insight about their views which we currently lack. (Hence this suggestion, of which I'm heartened you approve.)

      Delete
    3. Sometimes grizebeard it's worth asking questions to get a reply of "eh?" so it can be eliminated from the list of things to worry about - or take action about. Kind of a null question.

      Personally I think any new list independence party fits into that category as well, all of them put together would attract a maximum of 10,911 votes ...

      Delete
    4. It's not about splits, but planning for a post Nicola future, which is very much a possibility in the coming weeks and months.


      We know splits exist, and this poll is commissioned Independent of the SNP, which from top down has a narrow party agenda, which sometimes clash with the aims of the wider Independence movement.

      I understand that anecdotal evidence from friends is self-selecting, but speaking to other long term supporters of the cause, I'm not the only one interested in the answer to this question.

      Independence is bigger than Nicola or the SNP. The party won't ask these questions in polls, neither will the media, so it's useful for us to ask things we wouldn't otherwise find out the answers to.

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    5. I honestly have no idea whence you get the notion that Nicola will be gone any time soon. I suppose we could also start to plan for who is going to be the third First Minister of an independent Scotland, but do get real. Please.

      Given her high standing in the country at large (as opposed to a small minority of utopian malcontents) there is no way that Nicola isn't going to be leading us into the next round of voting, in whatever form that will take. Any hints of anything else at the moment are fundamentally self-defeating, whether borne out of deliberate ill-will or a simple failure to grasp basic political realities.

      I despair sometimes. It's exactly this kind of self-obsessive navel-gazing that is the bane of the indy movement, however it originates. It creates nothing but puzzlement among the non-aligned ordinary "soft-no" voter. It's them we need to understand and win over, because it's them who will win or lose indy for us. (Unless the mindless backstabbing gets out of hand, that is.)

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    6. I have an idea of how the notion happens, it's because those that do not want Scotland to be Independent make it happen. It's called spreading discord, you know sow the seeds of discontent among the masses and let it run riot.

      It has a foothold, but is barely hanging on and if we recognise it for what it is then it will disappear entirely.

      Delete
    7. ScottytheScotinScotlandJune 2, 2020 at 12:44 AM

      Glad to see that Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon, Liz Loyd, Ian McCann, Shirley Ann Somerville have all signed the letter to the Lord Advocate - ��������������.

      Did 'nt see your name on it. Just not had the time yet I guess.

      Delete
  24. Well, since I wasn't in the January one I'm in this one for a token £10. Still got £748 to go for the original target, and I guess if it goes over that more questions can be asked :-)

    Roll up, roll up, Independence needs YOU!

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  25. How about this:

    "Please consider the following hypothetical scenario: Wings Over Scotland issue a legally-binding commitment that in the event of a Yes vote for Scottish independence, they will permanently disband and step down from all public life immediately. In that event, how do you think you would vote in an independence referendum?"

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    Replies
    1. Are you talking about writing a blog or a new political party? You can't permanently disband something that has never existed.

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    2. (I do believe it was nothing more than a wry tease on the back of a former WoS poll question...)

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    3. I meant the blog. It served a purpose but now causes more harm than good.

      Delete
  26. As a last throw for here and now, how about something Brexit related? Eg. "Do you believe Brexit should be postponed until the UK has properly got Covid-19 under control?" (After all, the main reason DomCom is still securely in place is precisely in order to push Brexit ahead no matter what...)

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  27. I'm finding it harder and harder to believe a Section 30 order will be granted, so definitely a question relating to alternative routes, e.g.
    "If an Independence Referendum were not conceded by UK government, in the 2021 Holyrood elections, would you consider an elected majority of MSPs who had Scottish Independence as part of their manifesto, as a valid basis to declare Independence?"

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    1. Hmmm, I'm wondering if this question would best be if a party had independence as the sole item in their manifesto. Thereby making the election a clear referendum, no quibbles about "good management", "other policies", etc. Dunno if the SNP have the balls for something that stark, but that's what it might take to make it happen, barring any easier alternative. And such a question might reveal how effective in the popular mind such a strong tactic would be...

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    2. On this, we are in complete agreement.

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    3. I think it would be good to get this issue on the political agenda. If there emerged a substantial support for it it would have to be taken seriously.

      Sure, the Unionists would say the SNP was running scared of defendng its record (and SNP may wish to defend it, and have it endorsed, using the weight of the pro indy vote to do so)(though, therein lies the difference between aspiring to being a good devolutioanry government, and a vehicle for independence).

      But the Unionists couldn't boycott it, if they were serious about gaining power or influence wihtin Holyrood.

      Then again, with a plebisicte election, what would pro-indy Green voters do? (assuming Greens stood on their own manifesto?) Switch for once to SNP on an effective "Yes for indy" ticket?

      Delete
    4. Sure, if the party's sole policy was independence it would make the mandate more unambiguous. But much more important than that is securing a popular majority, not just a parliamentary one.

      Delete
  28. Do you believe that before another Independence referendum is held that the Scottish government and UK government should agree to respect the result? Yes or No.

    Do you agree with the statement: "The Scottish government have the right to hold referenda on any subject it chooses?"

    Do you agree with the statement: "The UK government have the power to stop the Scottish government holding an Independence referendum, even if a mandate has been given by the Scottish people in an election?"

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    Replies
    1. Those last two suggestions would probably give very similar results but from opposing sides. Any variation of this type of question will show support for a second referendum but without putting a timescale on it.

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    2. I think the third question you've listed here is the most useful.

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    3. Showing off. Big words. Fancy ideas. Sad

      Delete
  29. OK, one very last, last suggestion. List some of the most salient promises made by Bitter Together ("nearest think to a federal UK", "leaders not leavers", "broad shoulders of the UK", etc., etc., and ask to what extent 5 years later the respondent believes these promises have been kept...

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  30. I'm told there could be a referendum as early as next November following May elections

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    Replies
    1. ScottytheScotinScotlandMay 31, 2020 at 6:44 PM

      Was it the tooth fairy that told you that or the one at the bottom of your garden?

      Delete
  31. When the full facts of the virus are known in later months the Scottish Nat sis will be exposed as the lying deceitful bunch they are. They are bumming about how better they are doing than the English. What an atrocious policy they should get on with the job and save lives in Scotland.

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    Replies
    1. The public certainly agree they are doing better job. Overwhelmingly so.

      Delete
    2. Is that they are agreed on the death toll? Or they have swallowed the Nat si propaganda for the moment.

      Delete
    3. The covid death toll across the UK is the ultimate responsibility of the UK government; devolved governments being answerable to London, which is able to overrule these at any time (e.g. brexit devolved power grab, no section 30). Every covid death in Scotland is therefore Westminster's responsibility, as it can intervene if it believes Holyrood is risking lives. To not do so would be negligent.

      By contrast, every live saved / protected in Scotland can be attributed to the Scottish government, if this is a result of Holyrood policy.

      That will apply until such time as Scotland is independent.

      With governance of the UK comes responsibility. Westminster cannot claim to ultimately rule the whole UK then pass the buck as suits.

      Delete
    4. Every life saved in Scotland is attributable to the Scottish Gov. Every life lost in Scotland is attributable to Boris Johnson. Well said Skier it would make sense to you Nat sis.

      Delete
    5. Boris is PM, with Holyrood a devolved sub-level of the British government. Johnson can intervene to save lives in Scotland if he wants. So the buck ultimately stops at No. 10.

      This is what you want as a unionist.

      I'd prefer the ultimate responsibility to lie with the Scottish government, but that's only possible with independence.

      Delete
  32. Just make sure they are properly worded.
    Maybe turn it around and ask if people think Boris and Dominic etc should be prosecuted for not taking prudent steps on Corona. It's called manslaughter in USA.

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    Replies
    1. That was funny Bill although that would pass you by. You Yanks are experts on manslaughter and murder. Must be great being a criminal lawyer in the USA.

      Delete
  33. Would it be worth a question on whether the border with England should be closed, for example in circumstances when England is in a high alert level but lockdown is being released against scientific advice? Or is it possible to have a multiple choice question on "in what circumstances should border be closed/controlled"?

    One reason for asking is that there's a genuine public health issue here; and there is a danger it's conflated with the constotutional issue; but if it was found that there was a substantial support even from Unionists, in a temporary border closure in X circumstances, it could help embolden a cautious Scotllish government sensitive about media reaction?

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    Replies
    1. We could get a kerry oot and play spin the bottle to identify the experts who disagree with each other however the Scottish Nat sis have the real experts. Kill Granny and Granda in care homes and we will survive. The Darwin Approach. Sounds like Darien!

      Delete
    2. .. I would question your ability to even spin the bottle GWC .... might be possible after you had drained the contents of Methylated Spirits.

      Delete
    3. Always the Nat si method of evasion. Just fire shite when you evade the issue. It will not always work. However I believe a concoction of meth, milk and Irn Bru is a general stimulus for those you Nat sis have left behind in society.

      Delete
    4. Slimy little coward

      Delete
  34. .... happy to chuck in my 20 quid, James .... are we near the 6 Grand target today ?

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  35. After the Indy Q - Did the imminence of the Brexit deadline form any part of your answer to the previous Q?
    and then
    Did the Scottish Government's performance in the NHS response to the Covid_19 pandemic form any part of your answer to the Indy Q?

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  36. If the next Holyrood election is a plebiscite on Independence how would you vote ?

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  37. Every 15 seconds a can of Irn Bru is sold around the world

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    Replies
    1. And a bag of chips and a deep fried Mars bar. Good healthy food recommended by the Scottish Gov.

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    2. Slimy little coward

      Delete
  38. I think a supplementary that would potentially embarrassing for Carlow would be useful.

    If I was being mischievous I'd put a pick up and ask people to name him or describe what his image embodies. But probably an approval rating question would do just as well.

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  39. “In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” said Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, the capital of the northern Lombardy region, which has been the worst-hit by the pandemic. “The swabs performed over the past 10 days have showed a viral load that is absolutely infinitesimal in quantitative terms compared to those carried out a month or two months ago,” he said in an interview on RAI television on Sunday. Someone has to take responsibility for terrorising the country”.

    ReplyDelete
  40. "Where do you go to get news on Scottish politics?"

    Would be interesting to discover the reach of websites & blogs vs social media vs newspapers vs BBC.

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    Replies
    1. Go to *Wee ginger dug* for Scottish politics and Independence talk and thankfully up until now free of Stuart Campbell and his Wings rabble

      Delete
  41. As a longtime reader of this blog I would be appalled to see a question about who follows Nicola Sturgeon. That would just be pandering to the Popular Front of Judea splittists. Every day as people compare Sturgeon and Johnson, independence gets a little bit closer.

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    1. As I said above, Johnson is PM, so can overrule Sturgeon on devolved legislation. The buck stops with him. If Sturgeon was really sending grannies to the death chambers, it would be because Boris chose not to stop her.

      This is fundamental to unionism and your ideal of a one nation UK.

      You need to vote for indy if you want to blame Holyrood for everything.

      Delete
  42. The only people who want to replace Nicola Sturgeon are Unionists and the Stuart Wings Campbell lunatics

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    Replies
    1. ScottytheScotinScotlandJune 2, 2020 at 10:12 AM

      Are you Lesle Evans?

      Delete
    2. Most of the people posting on Wings now are Unionists and that includes Campbell himself.

      Delete
  43. Considering Wings recent poll that asked, when you would like a referendum, with 2years or 5. Why not explores this by asking voting intentions tomorrow, for each group.

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  44. Wings only does polls for himself asking convoluted questions so he can reinterpret the answers the way he wants to, and he always comes up with Nicola Sturgeon bad as the answer

    Now Campbell is whining because the law has clearly told him to bugger off, and if he can't behave himself they'll throw him in the pokey

    That'll be a crowdfunder for more moolah for the Gnome of Bath

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  45. ScottytheScotinScotlandJune 1, 2020 at 7:47 PM

    Are you Kezia the Dug?

    ReplyDelete
  46. There is a good chance.the euro will be on parity with the pound.after covid & brexit..and stay around there as the uk economy goes down the tubes..? On a yes vote would you be willing that scotland pegged its scottish pound to the euro on day one of independence..

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    1. The pound was supposed to collapse under the pressure of the euro. Yet the Scottish nat sis wanted the GBP when they went into the 2014 referendum.

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    2. Out of interest, what does a 'Great British' pound note look like? I don't think I've ever seen one.

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    3. a pound sterling note (ISO code GBP) out of circulation now but picture here:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_England_%C2%A31_note#/media/File:Bank_of_England_%C2%A31_obverse.jpg

      Delete
    4. That's an English pound. I've seen plenty of them in my time. I meant one of these fabled 'British' pounds. You know, something that says 'Great British Pound' on it. Even 'United Kingdom Pound' would do.

      Delete
    5. Nope its pound sterling. Which as i clearly said has a ISO (ISO 4217 to be exact) of GBP (Great British pound). If you have an issues with the ISO coding suggest you take it up with them:
      https://www.iso.org/home.html

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    6. I've no idea what you are rabbiting on about. I know what sterling is, I was on about £'s.

      I was asking for a picture of a 'British' pound note. It seems there is no such thing, just English pound notes, Scots pound notes, Falklands pounds, Egyptian pounds etc.

      It's like how there is no British language, birth certificates, legal system etc. No British notes either.

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    7. £'s are sterling, the fact its written on the note gives it away. Sterling is Great British pounds - its quiet simple.

      There is no such thing as Scots pound notes, we have had this conversation before, if it did it would have currency code. I have asked you to provide this to prove your claim there are Scots pounds and you failed to do so. (due to the fact that it does not exist.)

      The code for Falklands pounds is FKP and Egyptian pound is EGP - completely separate currencies.

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    8. Show me a picture of a pound with the words 'Great British' or 'UK' on it then. This what I asked about in my first post.

      And £'s are not sterling. There are pounds which are not sterling. I named Falkland pounds and Egyptian pounds above; these are not sterling, even though the former is a British territory.

      Seems you don't know a lot about currency.

      And of course there are Scottish pound notes:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banknotes_of_Scotland

      There are just no 'British' notes; the notes issued in Scotland and N. Ireland are different to those in England.

      And we are back to the mythical 'British pound' with 'Bank of Britain' or something on it. Doesn't exist.

      Why is it called the 'Bank of England' anyway? Racism? Is this just like how England appropriates the name UK?

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    9. The Bank of England and the Bank of Scotland were both established before 1707. So it was one bank per country. It is just that the Bank of England gradually evolved into a central bank and then got nationalised in 1947 while the Bank of Scotland did not. You are correct about the bank notes. They are Bank of England promissory notes and there is no such thing as a British bank note. Sterling is the coins (which are British) so if you ask for the £10 note to be redeemed the BoE would give you coins instead. The Scottish coins continued to circulate into the early 19th century so you had Pound Sterling (i.e. British) and Pound Scots (pre 1707 Scottish coins) and these were exchanged at a rate of 10 to 1 I believe, i.e. S£10 = £1.

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    10. Show me a picture of a pound with the words 'Great British' or 'UK' on it then. This what I asked about in my first post.

      Don't need to the notes have sterling on it. Sterling and Great British Pound is the same thing.

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    11. Exactly. No Scot would look at an English banknote and say 'This is the currency of my country'. It says 'England' on it.

      You can argue Scots notes are 'one form of Great British' currency', but N. Ireland isn't legally part of Great Britain, ergo Sterling isn't actually the 'British' currency, it's the currency of the United Kingdom (of GB & NI). The ISO name is a legacy and technically incorrect. It should be UKP, which is actually used sometimes.

      Overlooking this shows the same lack of respect that 'Team GB' did for the people of northern Ireland. They were right to complain than this excluded them, either through ignorance, racism or spite.

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    12. The first heid bummer of the BOE was a jocko.

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    13. Well i'm a Scot and a think the sterling is the currency of my country and don't really care what is written on it as long as I can spend it.

      As for the ISO name the reason is quite simple and took about 10 seconds to find out:

      Why is the acronym for the British pound GBP and not UKP
      It’s because the ISO-3166–1 country code for the UK is ‘GB’, and the currency codes are based on the country codes.

      But why isn’t the country code ‘UK’?

      That’s because ISO’s policy was to base codes on the distinctive and unique part of a country’s name, not on decorative phrases like ‘republic’ or ‘democratic’. ‘United’ and ‘Kingdom’ were deemed to be similar to those decorative phrases, with ‘Great Britain’ being the ‘distinctive and unique’ part.

      So nothing to do with lack of respect, unless you are accusing the International Organization for Standardization of being racist. If you are then you should contact them.

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    14. If you think a banknote that says 'England' on it is Scottish, then ok. Scottish notes were retained primarily due to the Scottish public wanting to keep distinct Scottish notes. They are part of Scotland's culture and identity, just as the English pound is to English people.

      I assume you also look at your birth certificate and even though it has zero mention of British or UK, you still call it a British certificate?

      No, the lack of respect was you saying £'s and sterling were British when neither is.

      A number of countries use pounds, so pounds are not uniquely British. Likewise, sterling is used by northern Ireland which is not British, ergo sterling is not uniquely British either.

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    15. Northern Ireland is British and the various notes in NI are backed by the BOE. There is another country just south of NI caled ROI and it is backed by the ECB.

      Delete
    16. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, but is not part of Great Britain, ergo is not British.

      From your BBC (which likewise excludes NI as it should be the UKBC).

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37058920

      Who, What, Why: Why is it Team GB, not Team UK?

      How come British Olympic athletes compete as "Team GB" when this title excludes Northern Ireland?

      After all, Great Britain comprises England, Scotland and Wales, whereas the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That's one of the home nations left out...


      Sterling is the currency of the UK, not (just) Britain / Great Britain. How come us nationalists know all this and so have more respect for the different nations than unionists?

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    17. I assume you also look at your birth certificate and even though it has zero mention of British or UK, you still call it a British certificate?

      I call it my birth cirtificate. Its in a box at home, cant rember the last time I needed to get it out let alone look at it. As i said don't care what is written on my money as long as i can spend it. Its nationalists who loose their shit over that sort of stuff.

      Delete
  47. As it's been a huge issue in the twittersphere, can you try asking some sensible questions about the trans issue / SelfID?

    I am a donator to the poll fundraiser, and as Stu is making such a big deal about it, and his questions are so heavily loaded it would be great to see how the public really feel about the legislation

    I'd like to add I'm a supporter of SelfID, transrights and women's rights and firmly believe the latter two aren't an either or choice.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry to (have to) tell you, but the intense zealotfest that is the "twittersphere" isn't real life, where real voters are. And where real hopes for an independent Scotland reside. (At least for those for whom that's the actual goal.)

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    2. I think that's why Mike was suggesting it is asked. Because it might show that Stu is creating controversy and division where it doesn't naturally exist.

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    3. And you know this *Stu* really well do you? Good buddy is he*
      I ask again who actually knows this guy? and the answer always is "Eh well never actually met him* but, eh, but, well erm

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    4. @grizebard, you hit the nail on the head

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  48. I would like to see how many people think that England subsidises Scotland. Done in such a way to highlight how wealthy Scotland actually is by say including wealthy countries that we are on a par with.

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  49. How much debt does the Scottish Government have? I know it is nil but it would be interesting to know how many have been brainwashed into believing that Scotland has billions of debt. Perhaps a guess on both Westminster and Holyrood deficits.

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  50. The euro is stronger against the pound atm ..

    British licking currency update 😆

    https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-independent-scotland-would-have-to-adopt-euro-after-joining-eu

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  51. Currently staying away because of coronavirus should SNP MPs permanently stay away from Westminster?

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  52. Just did a panelbase poll, assuming it was this one?

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  53. Hey Skier did being the poster with the mostest qualify you as a key worker?

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