I'm not going to the event at the Science Centre tonight, but don't leap to conclusions - it's not because a certain Somerset gender politics blogger will apparently be making a rare-bordering-on-unique foray into northern climes. It's simply because I'm counting the pennies at the moment and the ticket price was a wee bit on the steep side. However, for obvious symbolic reasons I do feel it's important that the anniversary events for the referendum held a generation ago are seen to be well-supported, so I spent a couple of hours at the Hope Over Fear event in George Square this afternoon. I was too late to hear the former First Minister, but I did hear Tommy Sheridan speak twice. He may be a controversial figure, but bloomin' 'eck, nobody can deny he's still a powerful orator, and I agreed with 90% of what he said.
Two other thoughts: whatever my mixed feelings about the Salvo project, I must compliment them on having a superb logo that looks amazing on flags. And I never thought I'd watch a singer on stage performing a song that contained the genuine lyric "the SNP and Alba both think they're right", but that's something that actually happened today.
After the event was over, I suddenly got this strange notion that I'd like to look up the HMV on Argyle Street where I used to spend half my life when I was a student. I assumed it would be long gone, but I was delighted to find it's still there and in fact it's barely even changed.
Time for Alba to go, A S to bow out, and Campbell just get tae. Pleasing to see the big fall in the number visiting and posting on his blog.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's been really noticeable. And hardly surprising either: what's the gap in the market for a site that *used* to support independence?
DeleteDon't be ludicrous!
DeleteI'm not sure if it was intentional, but rather fitting that James concluded with a photo of the long-suffering Alba slaves taking down their stall.
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t aware a generation was only ten years!
ReplyDeleteQuite right. It's seven.
DeleteThe Salmond event was a sell out and the discussions have been very good indeed.
ReplyDeleteA "sell-out" tells us nothing without knowing the capacity. How many people are actually there?
DeleteThe unsold tickets were given to Alba members for free. The pics posted had loads of empty seats. That’s the problem with free tickets people don’t show up
DeleteWhy are you so bothered about it? I'm not there but support independence like roughly half the country. What's your point caller
DeleteDeception, lies and spin. I would rather have honest politicians but they are none - just egos - that’s Scotland’s tragedy
DeleteFor God's sake do away with anonymous posting. It's really confusing and sometimes posters seem to be talking to themselves.
DeleteGood to see the flame still going. Ironically support clearly higher than at any time in our lifetimes ..if a bit demotivated. .more clarion calls and strength of feeling needed from our leaders.
ReplyDeleteIt'll come yet for aw that
The flame is still going, just. More of a flicker at the moment.
DeleteLet’s all hope better times lie ahead though.
People are demotivated, weary and angry at the snp for mismanaging themselves to the point two leaders ended up arrested. However Labour were also similarly reviled and have come back from an even WORSE position...the future cannot be known but if SNP continues to be the alternative its only a matter of times (could be 10 years like Labour) before they sweep to power again.
DeletePolitics is waves. Need to keep a life raft in choppy waters.
But I do genuinely believe because independence support isn't going away and pro independence parties remain the alternate parties of power, there is more than a little flicker of hope.
There's two views (both of which were actually expressed last night).
DeleteStuart Campbell believes that the greatest roadblock to independence at this point are the SNP. That the internal structures have been so badly damaged to such a great extent there's no saving it and the best thing to happen is for the SNP to essentially be destroyed and replaced.
Alex Neil believes that the SNP needs a complete change of personnel, disagrees that the Party should be destroyed but that it needs reformed. It may need to be dismantled in certain aspects but it can then be built back up again etc.
Square was half full at beginning and middle
ReplyDeleteThe event was an excellent night of reflection on #indyref and the path ahead. Alex Salmond, Bernard Ponsonby and Stu Campbell et all on good form. Got to meet them personally. Well worth it.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Campbell called you a c*** because without that you really didn't get the full Campbell experience. Bernard Ponsonby is a towering figure and deserves better than you lumping him in with Campbell.
DeleteYou were impressed by someone who lives in Bath, votes Lib Dem or Tory, does his best to damage the prospects of Indy every time he opens his mouth, doesn’t have a vote in the matter, but if he did, wouldn’t vote Indy. And, surprise surprise, you handed over money for the privilege. Each to their own.
DeleteSalmond even made a point of saying that in certain quarters it's claimed Campbell no longer supports independence and he asked him outright if he still does.
DeleteStu responded by saying that he has always believed that countries should run their own affairs and that hasn't changed.
Just one snag: the country he's referring to is the United Kingdom.
DeleteWonder if they mentioned Shauny Boys video the Tarten Messiah! Wonder if Wobblies Heid Nike has watch it? Her sister Gillian will also self combust?
DeleteAnon at 12.45. That’s not an answer to the question put. A simple yes would have sufficed. Why did he not say that? Because he is on record as saying something else. Take off the blinkers.
DeleteImax event. Agree Alex, Bernard and Wings/Stu were great. Fergus Ewing was on very good form too. Was able to meet Bernard and Stu after but only briefly as it was a bit chaotic. A very successful event.
DeleteSuccessful in what way? How has the Indy cause been progressed? Campbell will be hoping his appearance and surrounding publicity help his dwindling numbers of posters on his rapidly declining web site. And another attendee has just unwittingly confirmed that Campbell still wouldn’t vote for Indy if he had a vote. The crowd feel good factor is short lived. Alba are democratically bankrupt, A S has no credibility amongst the electorate, and the salaried hangers on are exactly that. Regrettably, SNP are in a similarly shambolic condition. Depressing.
DeleteFirstly, it was fully attended. Secondly, the speakers and discussions were excellent. Nobody is claiming the event is intended to shift the political dial. It was filmed and I am hoping you will all be able to see some clips in due course.
DeleteI really don't get the instance amongst some that we should all just be miserable and complain about how shite everything is. Spend our days just commenting on blogs in order to share in our collective misery.
DeleteHow does that help anything?
"Firstly, it was fully attended."
DeleteWe've already been told there were empty seats.
It was a really positive and energetic event. All speakers like Stu, Bernard and Fergus were very good. Well organized though a bit chaotic afterward. Place was full of people enjoying it and it was IMHO successful.
DeleteIt sounds to me like the same person keeps leaving comments going on and on and on about how "successful" it was, in his "IHO". Are you a PR man for the event?
DeleteBe interesting to see how many actually attended. I heard on the radio yesterday it was a “low key” event, which a few hundred attended.
DeleteI am told that there will be clips of the event on "Scotland Speaks with Alex Salmond" on some of the upcoming Saturdays.
DeleteWere you "told" that, or did you in fact film the clips for the programme yourself? Is that why you keep banging on about the "success" of the event?
DeleteLittle confused: Isn't it to be expected for pro-indy people to bang on about a pro-indy event on a pro-indy blog?
DeleteBut all he keeps saying is that it was a great success. There's discussion and then there's robotic propaganda.
DeleteHope that clears up your "little confusion".
It would be the simplest thing to say how many were there. It was clearly low hundreds at best, or we would be told the actual number. And the criticism is fully justified for reasons I and others have set out.
DeleteThere's literally photos of the event, a couple empty seats but not many.
DeleteVenue has a seating capacity of 370. So like 350?
Not exactly packing out the Hydro like Nicola Sturgeon did, then.
DeleteCould she pack it out now? 🤣
DeleteHonestly hand on heart is the UK a better or worse place today than it was 10 years ago?
ReplyDeleteIf you talk to the average Joe on the street are they more likely to say that everything is great, life is good or that everything is shit?
It's not a unique problem for Scotland as well, they're already pissed off at Labour for choosing to cut pensioners Winter Fuel Allowance for example. With that kind of reality independence will never die as it offers the chance to do things differently.
Note: This was in response to a comment that was previously here.
Delete"If what you’re saying is true, why isn’t support for independence higher?"
Because the SNP have stopped being effective. They simply react to events rather than highlighting how the issues that's making everyone feel like shit tie into the independence argument.
Take pensions for example, the UK has one of the lowest State Pensions in Western Europe. Similarly sized countries to Scotland have a much better pension system and they're happier for it. But the SNP have stopped framing the issues in that way.
"Look at the record of the SNP in government in recent years!"
Independence and the SNP aren't one and the same. We could become independent and then immediately elect a Labour government if we wanted to. It's not about who's running the country, it's about having all the levers at our disposal to enact meaningful change. Rather than just trying to mitigate the problems out of our control we can actually attempt to address them.
Scotland isn’t independent because it faces 24/7 lies and disinformation from the BBC and the MSM. The SNP wrongly thought they would change this by being polite and respectful. Needless to say didn’t work. The SNP is the only political entity capable of delivering our Independence and it needs an aggressive leader and also someone who’s role was solely challenging the lies and disinformation on a daily basis. They told us it was being created. That never happened. Smash the lies and disinformation and we will get Independence. The economic case is overwhelming. John Swinney is not the person to do it. Neither is Salmond. Depressing.
DeleteAnon@12:17,
DeleteDear oh dear oh dear!
“The economic case is overwhelming “ !!!!!!!
What a deluded fool you are! Independence is utter pie in the sky nonsense. You need to get a grip, seriously!
If the Yes Movement has to rely on the likes of Stu Campbell it must be in a pretty desperate state.
DeleteAnon 12:17,
Delete“The economic case for independence is overwhelming “
Seriously, you urgently need to seek help!
Anon@12:37, few could argue the Yes movement is indeed in a desperate state.
DeleteAnon at 12.37. More likely you need to seek an education. Come back in a few years and I’ll explain the basics to you.
DeleteAnon at 12.29. i suggest you team up with the other economic illiterate I have already dealt with and get the same school bus. Methinks it may take longer than two years. You are Ignorant and stupid. Deary me.
DeleteWas the event a success?
ReplyDeleteAny crowd that gives Campbell a hero’s welcome isn’t a crowd most people would want to be part of. 1% support for Alba? Campbell was there for his own reasons. Spoiler alert. Nothin to do with helping you get your Independence.
ReplyDeleteI take it was free of charge to the independence movement? The issue is how he behaves here and now. He is a british agent provacateur it seems to many.
ReplyDeleteSo is Sturgeon to many as well. Doesn't make it so.
DeleteCampbell said he was voting Tory at the last election. How did that work out ? Reform UK is the ideal party for him.
ReplyDeleteHe's the Vicky Pollard of English politics. Yeh but no but shurrup
DeleteNo
ReplyDeleteAnon at 3.19 : is that you Reverend?
ReplyDelete