Sherlock Paisley's investigation then uncovered the 'shocking' information that SNP Good Guys, ForWomenScot and the LGB Alliance all share the same internet hosting, that Denise Findlay follows ForWomenScot, LGB Alliance, WomensPledge and TransgenderTrd, and that - get this - they all follow her back. And that's pretty much it. Yes, I know what you're thinking - with this standard of cutting-edge investigative journalism we could have the makings of the dullest episode of Panorama ever. (And it would still only last twenty seconds.)
Not to be outdone, the MP John Nicolson then ratcheted up the absurdity to a whole new level by claiming that the entirely circumstantial link with the LGB Alliance means that the SNP Good Guys literally are the LGB Alliance, and are therefore a "sinister far right" organisation. He then urged his followers not to vote for anyone endorsed by the "far right" - including several of his current and former SNP colleagues in the House of Commons, even though a) by definition no-one has any control over whether someone else endorses them, and b) the whole "far right" characterisation is a pile of nonsense anyway. Essentially Mr Nicolson is making a dog-whistle attempt to (deniably) paint highly respected fellow parliamentarians such as Joanna Cherry and Neale Hanvey as quasi-Nazis. I think he's jumped the shark on this one, and that SNP members aren't nearly as stupid or as gullible as he seems to imagine.
Where does the "far right" accusation come from? Presumably the idea is that the LGB Alliance and the SNP Women's Pledge are "transphobic" and therefore "bigoted" and therefore "far right". Which is odd, because the standard term of abuse chucked at alleged transphobes is "TERF", in which the "RF" stands for "radical feminist". And whatever other criticisms might be legitimately levelled at radical feminists, it's a bit of a stretch to argue that they're on the right of the political spectrum, let alone the far right.
Denise Findlay makes no secret of why she backs the candidates she does - she wants people who put independence first, and who will prioritise the rights of women and girls (ie. sceptics on GRA reform). I'm not as preocuppied as she is with the trans debate, but I'm certainly on the same page as far as putting independence first is concerned, and I do worry that some current SNP office-holders are culture warriors first and independence warriors second. It's ironic that the likes of John Nicolson, David Paisley and Alyn Smith should characterise "SNP Good Guys" as the work of "entryists", because to me and to many others it looks like the entryism has actually been in completely the opposite direction, and that there are now an awful lot of people in positions of influence within the SNP who care a hell of a lot more about their own identity politics zealotry than they do about independence.
For that reason, if I had a vote this weekend, I'd probably end up voting for quite a few of the people on Denise's list. Not necessarily all of them, because I don't know enough about some of them, but it goes without saying that I'd vote for high-quality and high-profile candidates such as Douglas Chapman, Joanna Cherry, Neale Hanvey, Amanda Burgauer, Corri Wilson, Roger Mullin, Catriona MacDonald and Chris McEleny. (Far right, John? Really?!) I'd also give serious consideration to Denise's recommendations for the Women's Convener and Equalities Convener votes, because frankly I think the incumbents in those two positions have been far too divisive. Here's a suggestion - why not ignore John Nicolson's silly slurs and make up your own mind by checking out Denise's list of endorsements HERE. Whether you vote for them or not, I think you'll agree with me that they're impressive people and that there's not a Nazi amongst them.
By the way, a bonus point for anyone who correctly identifies the episode of Blake's 7 that I took the title of this blogpost from.
Well, let's be accurate, shall we? After the SNP announced her resignation, she questioned whether she had really done that, and the allegations of antisemitism were contested, to put it mildly.https://t.co/TvN9qbaPft
— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) November 28, 2020
David Paisley instantly blocked me after I tweeted this. As you can see, there was nothing abusive or inaccurate about it, so I think that says rather a lot about him. The self-styled "anti-factionalists" (ahem) are over-reaching themselves. https://t.co/POQR2DEZLe
— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) November 28, 2020
MI6 must be pretty pleased with themselves. It was unavoidable that they'd get a few in, but right at the very top? Kudos, guys. Who was it said that the way to control the opposition was to lead it?
ReplyDeleteIf I was MI6 top brass, I'd be firing any plants.
DeleteSNP and Yes vote has soared to historic highs.
Which makes no difference to having either labour or their evil twins in charge. We could have 99.999% Yes in the polls and as long as Mrs Murrell gives an english twat a veto over my country then nothing will come of it.
DeleteYou want to roll over and accept that England won't recognise Scottish indy even if other countries do?
DeleteI personally would never vote for a leader that would just meekly accept Boris's no. Nope, I want that vote machine to run and run with him then folding like the coward that he is. At least Lukashenko has the balls to follow up a 'No' with jackboots. The Brits want to end democracy but are too chicken to do it properly.
No thanks. We'll be having our iref when we choose, and that time will be when we will win it (which now appears immiment). And England will accept it as the world looks on.
SS - "I want that vote machine to run and run" - is that you back to your let's wait another 5 years just to make sure we have enough votes to win - or do you just like another 5 years of Tory rule like the good Tory you really are.
DeleteSo when will this fantasy referendum happen Skier - too chicken to take up my challenge.
Stay calm, don't be swayed by platform rhetoric from 'great leaders', or culture war parasites, and vote carefully to restore party democracy. The responsibility and opportunity, lies with every conference delegate.
ReplyDeleteSaw somebody on the BBC HYS call Peter Bell far right too. I don't agree with everything Peter says but he has never struck me as a closet UKIP member.
ReplyDeleteI find a disturbing synergy between the Tory HYS faithful and a lot of the supposedly outraged independence supporters, especially where there is a conflict of ideas and strategy such as Wings. Concern trolls and 77th Foot and Mouth Brigade seem to be working to a script. It is more organised than in 2014 although it is rather artless. Nevertheless it is bit depressing to see a feed back loop with SNP MPs recycling the script.
Politics...can't live with it can't live without it.
Independence, first and foremost.
ReplyDeleteLOL.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55114365
BA 'sorry' for tweet supporting England over Wales
As for the 'woke' vs 'TERF' factions; anyone using this kind of language to abuse others is risible, whatever 'side' they are on. Thankfully most SNP members and voters have no time for such zealotry, and instead see that it's perfectly possible to calmly debate and legislate (if needed) to ensure everyone's rights are respected.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, from what I can see, it's mainly just unionists pushing the whole trans thing as the hope to use it to divide the pro-indy camp.
Is David Paisley a unionist? Is John Nicolson a unionist?
DeleteI did say 'mainly'.
DeleteThere quite obviously are a few zealots on both sides within the SNP and indy movement, but they're a minority like most zealots. It's not reflective of the party nor its leadership.
DeleteI'd be happy to have anyone using terms like 'terf' and 'woke' to insult people be reprimanded, no matter how senior they are.
I've been on the receiving end from both groups because I'm fairly balanced on the issue, but TBH, many of these attacks smelled of unionist troll opportunism. Certainly, the unionist press and English right-wing anti-SNP blogs have been very keen to use the issue to try and divide the Yes movement.
It won't work though; the public are just not that interested and it's obviously naff all to do with indy; it's a domestic issue that will exist inside and outwith the union.
SS - checked under your bed yet for the unionists you see everywhere. You Unionist demon hunter you.
DeleteUnionists make up a bit less than half the population. They are not hard to spot.
DeleteSkier really does see them everywhere. There is a name for this condition.
DeleteJohn Nicolson seems the epitome of an MI6 plant.
ReplyDeleteI suspect he's just another Gay man who hates women. There's a lot of them about. Some of your actual men may hate women but they have to pretend to like them in order to have sexual relations. Homosexuals are free to indulge their true feelings.
DeleteI blame Will & Grace for creating the Gay bestest friend, who knows women better than any real man and knows men better than any women. They really don't exist.
I don't know Nicolson so won't comment on him, but aye, you get racists, women/men hating, bigoted, violent, right wing, nazi... whatever LGBT people.
DeleteAbout 30% of people in the UK openly admit they are racist to some degree. So that's 30% of trans, 30% of gays, 30% of lesbians...etc roughly are likewise racist.
There does seem often to be this idea that minority groups are all somehow nice, liberal, persecuted people. No, they generally have the same proportion of wankers amongst them as the population as a whole.
I had a gay neigbour once who was friendly to all the male neighbours, but a total wanker to female ones. His sexuality was naff all to do with it; he just hated women like some hetrosexual males do.
Do MI5/6 recruit at schools? JN joined the SNP when he was as school. He is certainly no plant.
DeleteSS - " I don't know Nicholson so I won't comment on him" - it hasn't stopped you in the past commenting on people you don't know. Your different personalities shining through again.
DeleteNicolson needs kicked out pronto.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know - does the SNP leadership have a contract with a farm for a supply of carrots.
ReplyDeleteAnyone want to say when this fantasy referendum will take place. It used to be 2018, then it was 2019, then it was 2020 then it was 2021 now it is ?
A party of independence would put a mandate for ACTUAL independence in its manifesto for the 2021 election not hand out carrots to get people to vote for them.
I'm glad we didn't lose a referendum in 2018, 2019 or early 2020.
DeleteUnionists now of course wish in retrospect one had been held during that period as polls strongly suggest they'd have won it.
Independence will not happen because the SNP wants it, or because they hold a referendum or put it in their manifesto.
It will happen because Scots want it and have decided to make it happen.
So rather than spending my days attacking the SNP as unionists do, I continue to quietly campaign for indy every day, gently attempting to persuade unsure friends and colleagues on the merits of it.
As the SNP said 2014 to date... 'For Scotland to be independent, we need to persuade more Scots to support it', which is a statement of fact if less than half the electorate back it.
It seems we've succeeded, hence unionists now attacking the SNP for not holding a referendum previously.
Skier can forecast the result of a referendum that did not take place in the past but is not confident enough to forecast when indyref2 will take place never mind forecasting the result.
DeleteStick to bashing rocks Skier you are of no use when it comes to forecasting.
"Wheest for Indy should be shot at dawn and buried in an unmarked grave."
ReplyDeleteGrousebeater.
as the good ship Indy hove into view, a great roar went up from the crowd, but wait isn't she a bit rusty, and look at the Skipper he's a woman and she's got a beard, oh ffs, I couldna get on that ship.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if the good ship is rusty or who the skipper is, we can fix that on the journey.