Tuesday, March 2, 2021

An election in which the voters weren't allowed to know the rules

Chris McEleny, who has been seeking a place on the SNP's regional list for the West of Scotland, has published the questionnaire he was required to fill out when putting his name forward.  It reads as follows:

"Reserved place for a BAME candidate

The National Executive Committee have decided that there will be a reserved place for a BAME candidate in your region.

BAME means Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic.

We use the term as meaning all classifications other than the 'White' classification in the census."

Compare and contrast that absolute clarity with the email that I and tens of thousands of other SNP members received when we were invited to cast our votes - 

"Dear James 

In the autumn we asked you to help us select the SNP's constituency candidates for this year's Scottish elections. 
 
It's now time to rank the SNP's candidates for the regional list election. 

Nominees for your regional list have come forward. 

It's now for you to decide the order in which you'd like to see the SNP candidates ranked on the regional list. 

Your role is important. It is the regional list vote which decides the overall balance of power at Holyrood. And therefore, which party forms the Scottish Government. So, we need to maximise the SNP vote to re-elect Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister and secure a new independence referendum. 

You can help ensure we select the very best team of candidates. 

Please play your part. You'll find full candidate information once you have clicked on the Vote button below."

That wording is very carefully chosen to be consistent with the reserved places scheme, while giving the false impression that the selection is occurring by the normal process.  Note that members merely have a "role" and are merely "playing their part" and are merely "helping" to choose the right candidates - those are the only real clues that members' votes will not actually determine who is at the top of the list, which in most cases is likely to be the only position on the list that actually matters.  The members are being 'protected from the truth' - essentially treated like children.  Why?

I had initially thought the reason was that the powers-that-be weren't really sure whether they would be able to press ahead with their decision to stitch up the selection (they had been given clear advice that to do so would be illegal), so they were leaving some creative ambiguity in case they ended up backing down.  But judging from the questionnaire sent to prospective candidates, the decision was already set in stone from the start of the process, and yet members were deliberately kept in the dark anyway.

It's very difficult to think of many examples of an election in which the voters aren't informed of the rules until after they cast their votes.  I mean, you don't ask people to vote in a general election, and then say the day afterwards "oh by the way, that was a first-past-the-post election", or "oh by the way, that was proportional representation", or "oh by the way, the election was just consultative and we'll be making the final choice for you".  What it reminds me of a bit is voting in reality TV shows where the producers reserve the right to make up the rules as they go on if they don't think they're going to get the 'right' result.  (For example, it would suddenly be announced after the vote is already underway that two people are going to be 'evicted' rather than the expected one.)

Does any of this matter?  Most people will just vote for their favourite party on the list, regardless of the ranking of candidates or how that ranking was determined.  Ironically, the people most likely to be alienated are those closest to the process, ie. SNP members themselves.  That's still potentially a problem - a few hundred or even a few dozen misplaced votes could potentially make a difference in some cases.  For my own part, I'm extremely relieved not to live in the Lothian region, because if, as seems entirely possible, Graham Campbell is placed at Number 1 on the Lothian list against members' wishes, I'd have found it hard for personal reasons to vote for a candidate who falsely accused me of racism a few weeks ago.  (He did it "without a shred of evidence", to use the buzz phrase of the epoch.) It's a hell of a lot easier to swallow your pride in those circumstances if you know the candidate you have an issue with has been selected by a free and fair process. 

125 comments:

  1. I think I can just about vote for the individual candidate for the SNP in the constituency section after he was endorsed by someone I respect and trust (although I will check the manifesto before I make a final decision).

    With these shenanigans going on, though, I am extremely reluctant to endorse the party leadership's current behaviour. I helped to vote in the mediocrity who is my current MP because he was the SNP candidate, I'll not make that mistake again.

    Is there no one in the membership willing to take legal action, or is it considered too close to the election to rock the boat?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Should have said "endorse the party leadership's current behaviour by voting SNP in the regional list.

      Delete
    2. When you vote on list, you endorse the list candidates. It's not a vote for the leadership, who might not even get elected.

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    3. Unfortunately, my SNP candidate is Angus Robertson.....

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    4. Mr Marmalade himself. Now that would be a very difficult decision to make

      Delete
  2. I'm cautious about all this stuff because I remember being told by siren voices that the constituency vetting was rigged, so I should think about voting for some new list party backed by English bloggers.

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/18712782.snp-reject-msps-concerns-re-selection/

    SNP deny claims it is aiming to stop some MSPs from re-selection

    THE SNP have rejected claims that the party have an agenda to block some independent-thinking MSPs from standing for re-election to Holyrood next year...

    ....They include Christine Grahame, the deputy presiding officer, and a long serving SNP MSP, and John Mason, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Shettleston.


    This included my own MSP Christine Grahame. So I sought her views and she said:

    She told the National she had no concerns. “I understand the deadline for vetting has been extended and I am very relaxed about it,” she said.

    So I ignored the siren voices and of course she's standing in my constituency again.

    I was also told by the same people that Joan McAlpine wouldn't be a borders candidate due to a similar purge. Yet she's standing as a consistency MSP and I recently put her top of my list choice. Yes, I'm aware this disabled / BAME thing may yet impact her.

    And of course if this silly procedure is used, it doesn't look legal so will likely be backtracked under threat of challenge.

    I guess I've always been one to only get angry at things that have happened, rather than what might be happening and might yet be undone.

    Incidentally, if Christine Grahame said there was definitely a Salmond conspiracy, I'd take heed. So far, not a single person I trust has told me it's definitely the case. It's all the people I don't trust / not sure I trust telling me it's 'the truth', from Murdo Fraser to English right-wing bloggers and IfS.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "I guess I've always been one to only get angry at things that have happened"

    No, what you're saying is that you don't get angry at things that have actually happened for as long as there's a chance that a court will subsequently rule it to be unlawful. That's quite a statement. "Don't worry about being defrauded, the courts will sort it out later."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, that's not what I meant. I hoped the example I gave would help.

      Me being angry won't solve anything as I am not a big party active person. I choose this / my level of involvement, which is donating and voting for candidates when asked. I campaign on a person basis. So I wait and watch what happens. I may yet get angry depending on how much of an erse up this turns out to be and that will affect how I vote in the future.

      Delete
    2. 'Personal basis', i.e. between friends, colleagues, family. That's how I do my bit for Yes.

      Delete
  4. Incidentally, does Sturgeon not step down soon? I mean a new FM must be selected following May, so like it or not, her term is ending.

    So if she's broken the ministerial code and needs to resign, it's much of a muchness. She could stand in May and get a new mandate.

    It would be just like any other politician stepping down due to a breach of the rules. They then ask for their constituents to give them a new mandate. In Sturgeon's case she could then seek a new backing from her party / the parliament to be Scotland's FM for the new term.

    That would all be totally legit. She would have resigned and not stayed in power after breaking the code.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enough hypothesis ...lets wait to see what tomorrow brings eh?

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  5. I shall vote while biting my lip I am keeping my eye on the Indie prize so it's SNP 1 And 2. I was going to give the Greens my 2nd vote but not after they sided with the multi coloured Tories against John Swinney.

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    Replies
    1. I'm with you Unknown....in truth...if I was a member of the Greens I would probably sell my soul as well if it meant an extra list seat.But I'm not....so hell is where they are going if they vote to bring down the FM.

      Delete
  6. 'He did it "without a shred of evidence", to use the buzz phrase of the epoch.'

    Ah, but the wokeists don't NEED evidence to convict, do they?

    You must always remember that Asking for Evidence of racism IS Racism.

    Apparently.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Labour got their fingers burnt in the Better Together pact with the Tories in 2014 losing 41 MP's in 2015.
    Jackie Baillie bricking it tonight on Channel 4 News when she was asked if Labour was backing the Tory no confidence motion against Nicola Sturgeon.
    Nearly felt sorry for her. Then I remembered her antics on the Holyrood committee.
    LibDems and Greens also "mulling over their decision"
    The FM is the best politician we've had in Scotland. If she had to resign because of these sleekit chancers who are fighting for their political lives
    they'll be swept away by a sea of anger in May. Bastards the lot of them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would like to think that List placements would be reserved for those who actually believe in Indy first, second, third and last. I no longer believe that is the case in the SNP under this hopelessly corrupt leadership. Sturgeons poodles more like.

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  9. Sturgeon fallback phrases tomorrow.

    1. I am the evidence.

    2. The people will decide in May.

    3. I forgot.

    4. Don't attack my husband.

    5. Not a shred of evidence from Salmond.

    6. No new evidence was tabled on Friday by Salmond.

    6. We must remember it is all due, as usual, to a powerful man and a woman (me) then has to sort out the mess.

    7. Just because a jury found him guilty it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

    8. It was all Lesley's fault she represents the UK civil service.

    9. It was all Peter 's fault.

    10. Boris has stitched me up like a kipper.

    11. In all this we must remember there are women who have been let down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are wasting your time. Bless.

      Delete
    2. Unknown thanks for your vote of no confidence. They seem to be in vogue at the moment.

      Delete
    3. Humza used nos 2, 5 and 11 earlier tonight on TV channels.

      How many will Sturgeon use tomorrow?

      Delete
    4. Sturgeon will use 1, 7 and 12. 12 Being it is all a Tory stitch up. That is the line the Sturgeon cult is peddling tonight. She wouldn't want to use 11 as she let them down but that was on their own heads really.

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    5. Iainm - how could I could forget the classic and ever useful "it was the Tories". Most times actually true but not this time. This is a homegrown disaster made by people (SNP/Scotgov) who thought they were smarter than they are and thought they were all powerful.

      Delete
  10. The other BAME candidate in Lothian, Irshad Ahmed, is endorsed by Kenny McAskill, and is a VERY pro-Independence candidate. Let's hope that enough Lothian SNP members were made aware of this.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Maureen Watt's Question tomorrow.

    What particular skill set would you say you have First Minister to have enabled you to have saved so many people from Covid?

    30 mins later Fabiani interrupts to say First Minister this is not a Covid briefing but many thanks that was useful.

    Alasdair Allan's Question Tomorrow

    First Minister could you say a little about how you came to be so good at being First Minister ?

    45 minutes later Fabiani interrupts to say thank you First Minister that was very helpful.

    Stuart McMillans Question

    First Minister thank you for attending today. I am new to the Committee could you perhaps outline how the First Minister interfaces with the Civil Service and the Crown Office and how the SNP is the best party to govern Scotland.

    An hour later Fabiani interrupts and says thanks First Minister that was very useful. That concludes today's meeting. Last out turn off the lights please. Nothing to see hear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It will soon all be over and you will stop wasting your time boring us to death with all your boring insults and trolling about this committee. You will not get what you and the Britnat MSM wanted. LOL

      Delete
    2. Unknown - you need to pay more attention. It is Sturgeon and her gang that have been working with the British MSM not me. I didn't give millions to the billionaire owned independence hating British press. Sturgeon did. I didn't recruit Murray Foote one of the architects of the infamous vow that broke the Edinburgh Agreement. Sturgeon did.

      In summary, unknown you are a bit of a simpleton.

      Delete
    3. Insults, insults and insults, it is all you have. LOL

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1lxDjd_fi8

      Delete
    4. Unknown you have reading difficulties. More evidence you are a visitor from the looney old folks home WGD btl.

      Delete
    5. No, I can read better than you. LOL

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    6. LOL last person I remember using that was David Cameron and he thought it meant lots of love. You do know it doesn't mean that. Try and update yourself 😂🤣

      #🙈🙉🙊

      Delete
  12. James you said previously that splitting the vote risks damaging the SNP when the idiot over at Wings was flirting with the idea on having his own party. Now you appear to be supportive of a Alex Salmond party judging from the amount of detail you put into your previous post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, so you'll have missed the seventy-nine billion times, over a period of a year, that I've said "the one and only exception to that would be if Alex Salmond sets up a list party, because he's literally the only person with enough of a following to make it work" and "if Mr Salmond does set up a party I would probably get behind it".

      Yes, if you somehow managed to miss all that I can see why you might be confused. Not really much I can do about that, though.

      Delete
    2. Bird fell of his perch landed on his head and sustained permanent reading difficulties. Try the RSPB for assistance.

      Delete
    3. You just get insults from the bird-brain IFS. LOL

      Delete
    4. Unknown Tip for you - Only diddies laugh at their own comments and most of yours are pretty pathetic not even mildly amusing. Some like that one above is just drunken gibberish. Drunk old folk from WGD?

      Delete
    5. You are not getting the right seed.

      Delete
  13. Lothian?

    I thought the author lived in Cumbernauld. One of the few places in the world to be voted to be turned into glass by it's own inhabitants. I'm a wierdo and I went there to observe the horror. And Cumbernauld 'town center' is spectacularly horrific. The rest of it is crap. I mean all of it. Every single flagging concrete-harled grimblok.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would hazard that "I'm extremely relieved not to live in the Lothian region" implies that he doesn't live in the Lothian region.

      Delete
    2. Ah, are you American, Mouse? "Town center"?

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    3. Cumbernauld Town Center is called 'Cumbernauld Town Center'. Apparently you live there. It's the gigantic concrete thing in the middle of your town that you can probably see from space.

      Delete
    4. This is remarkable - you actually are American (or Canadian), aren't you? There's no other explanation for why the point I made went over your head. Cumbernauld Town Centre is, of course, spelt according to UK rather than US conventions, and no, I don't live there. Cumbernauld is geographically as big as a city - I live about three miles from the centre.

      Delete
    5. Not my problem if you are a speling pedant that lives in a car-centric dump. That's your problem.

      Delete
  14. If you live in Cumbernauld you might you might be considering what burns in spate will carry you on your turnip raft to Glasgow.

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  15. Humza the Justice Secrtary is kicked out his bunker tonight and sent out to defend the indefensible.

    He joined liars united tonight.

    He also made a tactical mistake by stating that the vote in May was a vote for Nicola Sturgeon. That pissed me off. I vote for independence. I am not voting to say it is ok Nicola to carry out wrongdoing, abuse your power and misuse public funds. I am not voting to say just carry on in the same way or worse for the next five years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peak Unionist MSM tonight. Unionist troll night. LOL.

      Delete
    2. Unknown - you are awful but I do like you.

      You monkey you 🙈🙉🙊

      Delete
  16. After receiving an invitation to take part in the Lothian Regional List selection process from him I wrote two weeks ago to newly elected NEC member and National Secretary Stewart Stephenson.

    I informed him politely that I would not be taking part in the process as to do so would be to endorse a clearly illegitimate process.

    I let him know that reserving places for ANYONE prior to taking account of votes was in effect disenfranchising me and the rest of the SNP membership that form the internal party electorate.

    I informed him that my view was that in a democratic process candidates should be selected according to their suitability for the position and in light of their respective merits and demerits. I asked him for his opinion on that principle.

    To date I have not received a response, despite sending a polite reminder a couple of days ago.

    Stewart Stephenson is a very experienced politician, has been in the SNP for decades and is a former minister in the Scottish Government.

    If he didn't see the folly of this or was not prepared to do anything about it - he was present at the NEC meeting where the gerrymandering took place and, as I understand it, passed the legal advice indicating that the process was likely unlawful over to the chairperson, Kirsten Oswald - then I despair for the party.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a litany of lies and Smears of Salmond by Sturgeon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Revelation more like.
      Salmond apologies to woman. Was this one of the women in the case he was tried for?
      If so it's strange he pleaded not guilty. If not it seems he has previous form.
      BTW James, you think Alex Salmond could stand and have a chance to win a list seat.
      Even in the NE 52% of voters are female.
      It's a long way back for Alex Salmond. He'd be well advised to bide his time IMO.
      An example this year is Tommy Sheridan standing for AFI on the Glasgow list. Time

      Delete
    2. Ramstam -

      1. sorry to hear you have never apologised to a woman.

      2. Your choice of the word Revelation does give an insight in to your mindset - sorry to upset you Ramstam Sturgeon is a politician not a prophet of other religious leader.

      3. Ramstam if you do not know if it was one of the women in the trial then you clearly know jackshit.

      4. Your other comments confirm that the initial phase of the plot to smear Salmond has worked. Does that make you proud of the current leadership?

      Delete
  18. The First Minister of the Scottish Government says she can't answer for the Scottish Government.

    Time to get a new FM that can and will. Not one hiding behind a process designed specifically not only to get Salmond but to attempt to give Sturgeon no responsibility for her government's actions.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sturgeon says I cannot sit here and say that any actions taken by a Civil Servant are inappropriate.

    On the other hand Sturgeon has no qualms about continually saying Salmonds actions were inappropriate.

    ReplyDelete
  20. John Somers Sturgeons Principal Private Secretary had two meetings with a complainer in Nov 2017. The fact that these meetings took place were kept hidden until recently. Somers says he told Barbara Allison about them and then forgot about them despite the fact that he said to the Committee that it was horrifying to hear the details. No one told Sturgeon - aye right. He never thought that the person should go to the police.

    Liars united.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sturgeon says the procedure says the perm Secretary will only come to her at the end of the process. The procedure also says the First Minister will be involved if the accused is not cooperating. Most reasonable people would say Salmond was not cooperating.

    Is Sturgeon lying or is she not familiar with a very small process of about 9 small paragraphs?

    ReplyDelete
  22. thanks for the updates IFS. No matter your own obviously deeply held views :), I suspect that NS has made a good strong and clear impression in pretty much all she has said, such that any video clips that are shown will reassure anyone who might want to vote for the snp (or perhaps vote for 'her'). I don't see this issue having a big effect on opinion polls.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Donald never said it would change polls or I wanted it to do so. Doesn't change the truth, evidence or facts of the matter.

      Is this a person to trust to deliver independence - now that is a different point.

      Delete
    2. When the legal advice released yesterday confirmed that it had been followed to the T, I didn't expect today to go to well for unionists.

      So far it hasn't. We even have Ballie having to admit through gritted teeth that the fuck up isn't Sturgeon's fault.

      I would have squeaky bum if I was 'London's woman in Scotland' leslie evans though.

      Delete
    3. Smearer Dkier ( liar since 2014) - pathological liar.

      Delete
  23. The moron Cole - Hamilton says to this date the two complaints have never been fairly or properly adjudicated. They were fairly and properly adjudicated in the criminal trial.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't think you need to worry about Graham as there is another really excellent BAME candidate on the Lothians list that I’m pretty sure most members would have voted for.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The seriousness of the allegations were first known to senior members of the Scotgov in Nov 2017. Despite the Police telling them they should not be investigating the complaints and do not have the skill sets to do so they persisted and only involved the Crown Office and the Police 10 months later in August 2018.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sturgeon continues to punt the line that it was only one little mistake by the Zinvestigating officer meeting the complainants before the process was completed.

    No mention of the fact that the Perm Secretary Evans - the decision maker - met one of the complainants and spoke to the other on the phone.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Total mince by Sturgeon on why she didn't intervene.

    Let's say today there is a complaint about John Swinney. Sturgeon is the person in complete control of the process and decision making for her friend as she is the person responsible for CURRENT ministers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oldpete you are delusional about the referendum.

      Sturgeon is embarrassing Scotland.

      Delete
    2. Well it looks like old Pete has vanished. I guess WGD has told him it's past his bed time.

      Delete
  28. Aye. This kind sums things up for me so far.

    Baillie: Why has nobody resigned?

    Jackie Baillie says the first minister has talked about a "litany of failures", errors in the investigation and in the judicial review, and errors in the supply of information.

    Scottish Labour's deputy leader says she appreciates the first minister's apology as head of the Scottish government, but says: "You are ultimately not directly responsible are you?"

    The first minister says things happen in the Scottish government that she is ultimately responsible for, but concedes she was not directly involved in the issues that led to the collapse of the judicial review.


    I am much more partial to believing people who apologise, even when things are not really their fault. It shows honor and humility.

    I don't trust people who cannot apologise or it has to be forced out of them. This is unfortunately common in politicians and they fail to realise how the public don't like it, seeing it as weakness. The public prefer 'sorry'.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) - care to apologise for all the lies you have posted on this site.

      Delete
    2. If I have posted something that isn't true, I apologise. I would not do that intentionally.

      Delete
    3. Smearer Skier ( liar since 2014) - glad to hear that but it is not a true apology is it.

      "If I have posted ...." tends to give the game away that you are not serious.

      Delete
  29. IFS, people can follow proceedings on line and make their own minds up. There's no need for your running, totally partial / biased, rant fueled commentary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is the Bath School of Reporting.

      Delete
    2. Smearer Skier ( liar since 2014) - what I post is up to me and James Kelly.

      Delete
    3. I was trying to be helpful. If you want people to listen to you, it's best not to rant on at them incessantly with stuff they've already read / seen. Anyone with an interest in today's proceedings would have been watching them, like I was.

      Delete
    4. Prefacing every comment with your lame made-up nickname for another commenter just makes you look like an oddball, IfS.

      Delete
    5. commentor - thanks for the advice.

      Smearer Skier(liar since 2014) - of course you are lying again because a lot of what I posted was not covered. You are never trying to be helpful so once again you are lying. Smearer do you think you own this site or something?

      Commentor - guess what I decided not to take your advice. Thanks anyway.

      Delete
    6. The same feed available to you was available to everyone IfS.

      Delete
    7. Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) - but clearly not the same level of knowledge.

      What uni do you work at Smearer?

      Delete
  30. Sturgeon and other Committee members continue to apologise to the two complainants but not one apologises to Salmond for applying an unlawful, unfair and tainted by apparent bias process on him.

    As Sturgeon apologises to the two women she logically accepts some responsibility for what happened but just smears and launches character assassinations on Salmond. Some friend of 30 years.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Sturgeon now playing the victim is vomit inducing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Victim of what? Have people been accusing her of something?

      Delete
    2. Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) - what uni employs you?

      Delete
  32. My comment was blocked twice!
    Can only IFS post on this site.
    I'm with Nicola. Is that it FFS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If it was a recent comment, ie. within the last twelve hours, then I certainly didn't delete it - it must have been a technical gremlin. (I do reserve the right to delete any comment at my own discretion, though.)

      Delete
    2. Ramstam - a big overreaction there. Ramstam it was me - us true independence supporters have magical powers.

      Delete
    3. Hey Ramstam - I provide this info to ease your paranoi. James has deleted/prevented posts of mine appearing in the past and may well do so in the future.

      Delete
  33. Well, you don't even have to have watched the past couple of day's proceedings to see how things went for unionists.

    Just a quick read of IFS's posts tells you things didn't really go their way at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Smearer Skier ( liar since 2014) - what uni do you work at?

      Delete
    2. Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) - have you forgotten which uni you work at? Drop your hammer on your head again.

      So the same Smearer that used to post long winded comments saying why you must wait until the Committee and James Hamilton produce their reports now is in some sort of triumphant mode. Lies and inconsistency with a measure of hypocrisy - the Mark of Smearer.

      Delete
  34. Thanks James. And you could ration that radge IFS. Mind you - freedom of speech etc Eh?
    Meanwhile as I was trying to say, Nicola was truly brave today in the face of hypocritical Unionist attacks.
    The least she should expect now is that all SNP members become single-minded in pursuit of an SNP victory in May.
    Nae IFS Nae buts.
    BTW that was a typo!" Spooky.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You wee monkey Ramstam.


      🙈🙉🙊

      Delete
    2. Ramstam - what is brave about using her power as First Minister and Leader of the SNP to try to send Salmond to jail and then continue to smear and harass him.

      Nothing brave about designing a process to attack Salmond and conveniently ensuring that the process says it wisnae me it was that big bad Perm Secretary that done it but she didnae run away she got a pay rise.

      Delete
    3. Ramstam - how many SNP members are there? I don't think there is enough to win an election but lying seems to be all the rage in the SNP these days I wouldn't be surprised if you say there is.

      Delete
    4. Unknown you wee monkey. On a day trip out from the old folks home called WGD BTL.
      🙈🙉🙊

      Delete
  35. England set to break international law for a second time.

    The English haven't even consulted the people of N. Ireland on what they want, forcing them out of the EU against their will, and have told them 'No referendum for 40 years / you can't have reunification without England's permission!'.

    https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-nireland/eu-vows-legal-response-as-uk-moves-unilaterally-on-northern-ireland-idUSKBN2AV1AQ

    EU vows legal response as UK moves unilaterally on Northern Ireland

    Total rogue state. Won't be long before we start seeing sanctions and the international community angling for regime change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Westminster is bad is hardly breaking news Smearer. They have been bad for hundreds of years. Please pay more attention.

      Delete
    2. You sound like you are trying to cover for them IfS.

      Delete
    3. Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) - what uni employs someone who really really cannot read well. Want to make sure a family member never attends there. Or are you lying again?

      Delete
  36. Skier, We're in trouble then, we've ACTUALLY GOT WMDs Shit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ramstam - so says the man to the other man that just wants us to hang around until Sturgeon or any of the devolutionists think maybe we should have a referendum sometime in a far of offfuture.

      Delete
    2. It is not your day. Things did not work out for you and your cohorts. It seems to have produced quite a few joining the SNP this evening. LOL.

      Delete
    3. To be honest ramstam, the way things are going, I can't help but wonder if the English government will at some point be paying the impoverished (by them) to take a bus into the capital to burn EU flags and shout 'death to Europe!'.

      Delete
    4. Unknown - can you still not think up a moniker - I recommend "stupid arse."

      Delete
    5. Unknown - anybody joining the SNP now are probably more neo liberal Britnats.

      Delete
  37. Sturgeon and Cole -Hamilton keep referring to the Sky Edinburgh aiport sexualt assault incident.

    As there was no actual complaint by anyone, Sky did not run any story, no connection/involvement to any of the civil or criminal trials why is it continually referred to and why not just say what this incident was. There is absolutely no reason it cannot be clarified.

    They both do not give any details because they both just love Smearing Salmond. It was nothing.

    Smearer Sturgeon
    Smearer Cole - Hamilton
    Smearer Skier
    Smearer Ramstam

    This is Scotland under Sturgeon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have a drink of hot milk and a digestive. It can calm you down. Bless.

      Delete
    2. Unknown - You cheeky monkey.

      🙈🙉🙊

      Delete
  38. Peter Murrell.

    Sturgeons excuse for him lying at his Committee meeting was that he is not very good at these things. So combined with the fact that he cannot write messages to convey what he wanted to convey this man is Chief Exec of the SNP. I wouldn't let him run a book club.

    I suppose it does mean that when Nicola is doing his annual performance appraisal she has a couple of areas she can put down for more training.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so sexist. Like Murdo Fraser.

      Delete
    2. Smearer Skier ( liar since 2014) you are employed by what uni?

      Delete
  39. Whatever you think about Salmond vs Sturgeon, it would be nice to see Bozo grilled for a whole day in front of the nation the way Sturgeon and Salmond were.

    Scotland is certainly no tin pot dictatorship. The electorate have been able to watch every minute of proceedings. They can judge both those being questioned and those doing the questioning (Murdo Fraser, take note). Their PR elected reps were free to grill to their hearts content, and will collectively conclude on things.

    In a few weeks Scots voters can make their verdicts known.

    When is Boris doing his day for the cameras on the UK acting unlawfully? It's an almost daily occurrence after all.

    Scotland is definitely ready for indy. The Salmond enquiry confirms it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A tactical mistake by the BBC to have the proceedings broadcast live for the whole day. I doubt Johnson would ever allow himself to be grilled for 8 hours. It did the opposite of what the Tories wanted.

      Delete
  40. Skier, The UK is more like the alamo with Bojo playing Davy Crocket.
    He's vernear got the hat!
    IFS, You fancy yourself as Santiana.
    And Nicola could be Joan of Arc.
    Just sayin'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sturgeon is the SNP's Tony Blair.

      A great politician.

      A great actor.

      A great fraud.

      Thank goodness she is not in charge of any Armed Forces..

      Delete
  41. The Wings brigade don't seem to be happy tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Most Scots voters don't see the rabid Unionist attacks weekly on FMQs.
    This live on TV enquiry was I'm sure watched by millions either as it happened or in news programmes.
    A lot of eyes will have been opened.
    Looks like it could be backfiring on
    the unholy alliance between blinkered Salmond misogynists and BritNat unionists.
    Seems Nicola wasn't the only woman who got a bit greety and angry at some of the hypocrites questioning the FM.
    Apparently some have just joined the SNP. Fancy that.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Replies
    1. Delusional,.
      🙊🙉🙈

      Delete
    2. Oldpete you got that post correct - there will be no independence for Scotland under Sturgeon.

      Delete