Someone asked me on Twitter the other day why I had stopped promoting the Scot Goes Pop fundraiser, and I said I was a bit conflicted about the whole thing, because there are a number of important SNP election crowdfunders ongoing and I don't like deflecting attention or funds from them. However, this is the first general fundraiser I've run for almost two years (the ones in the interim have been earmarked solely for our exclusive opinion polling), and with the unusual circumstances of lockdown my financial circumstances have been tightening alarmingly. I really, really wanted to wait until after the election before pushing hard to reach the target figure, but I've been having a hardheaded think over the last few hours and realised that is simply no longer an option. I've incurred some unexpected expenses in recent weeks, and that's been the final straw. So with apologies for the atrocious timing, this is the official launch of the Scot Goes Pop General Fundraiser 2021.
There are two pieces of good news: firstly, we've already made a great head start since I quietly set the page up in late January, so a million thanks to everyone who has donated so far. And secondly, I'm going to try to kill two birds with one stone this time - the original target figure was £10,000, but I've changed that to £14,000 so that this is now a dual purpose fundraiser, with up to £5000 of whatever is raised set aside for further polling. My hope and plan is to commission the next poll during the election campaign proper in April (ideally from Panelbase, although I can't guarantee that), so hopefully with some carefully chosen questions we can have a real impact and influence the trajectory of the campaign by putting the unionist parties on the spot.
As for the rest of the funds, I'm sure by now you know what you'll be getting: I try to cover all Scottish opinion polls as fast and as extensively as possible, and having an independent source of income helps me to do that, because otherwise I wouldn't have the time or the flexibility to drop everything when I see that a new poll is out. (However, just to stress for the benefit of passing trolls, the blog is not my sole income: I do freelance writing elsewhere, and until lockdown interrupted it, I also did some other work that thankfully had nothing whatever to do with writing or politics.) And of course, I also regularly provide general political commentary. The last few weeks have been bruising for me, especially on social media, but hopefully they've proved one thing: that I'm a genuinely independent voice within the movement, and I'm not a slave to any particular faction. Pretty much every grouping has lambasted me at some point, because I've just been calling things the way I see them.
Additionally, I've started a Scot Goes Pop podcast and I hope to keep that going. My free storage allowance on Soundcloud will run out after Episode 4, so at that point I'll have to make a choice between paid hosting or moving to a free platform.
On the whole GoFundMe has proved to be a good fundraising platform. However, I know a small number of people have run into payment problems, and others don't like the fact that there are processing fees (they're fairly minimal, but they do still exist). So for anyone looking for an alternative means of payment, my Paypal email address is:
jkellysta@yahoo.co.uk
That's different from the contact address listed in the sidebar, simply because I joined Paypal long before I had a Gmail account.
One or two people have encouraged me to make my bank details publicly available in the way that Craig Murray has done. It may be irrational of me, but I don't feel comfortable doing that. However, if anyone feels strongly for whatever reason that they would rather donate by bank transfer, by all means contact me privately.
Lastly, I'd just like to reiterate that the SNP election crowdfunders are absolutely vital and shouldn't be overlooked. Keeping a blog afloat is all very well, but it's winning the election that really matters.
Given the sudden re-emergence of nuclear willy waving, down the road, be sure to poll on Scottish attitudes to weapons of mass destruction. Lesley Riddoch and Pat Joyce reckon on their podcast we haven’t had figures on this in several years. We could use a fresh hard figure on how unpopular nuclear weapons are among Scots. Especially when they are housed among Scots against our will! It really is the most laughable kind of Love Bombing! And yet Westminster can’t even wrap its head around the fact Scots overwhelmingly oppose Trident.
ReplyDelete(I’d also ask about the government possessing WMDs in general, but maybe that’s just me.)
Good luck with the fundraiser!
As an Irishman, I wish Scots a happy St. Patrick's day from my Irish side.
ReplyDeleteMy Irish family hope you can join Ireland as an independent country soon.
My French family wish the same.
MPD.
DeleteOh, and my Irish family say don't trust the English brexiters like David Davis. They lie to you and break their word.
ReplyDeleteMy 'There was no conspiracy and sturgeon isn't going to have to resign' ometer has now topped 95%, up from 90% at the beginning of the week.
ReplyDeleteF**k me, I mean if we are down to believing the truth comes from Nigel Farage, sorry David Davis (same difference), there's pretty obviously nothing to the whole story and the committee / Hamilton's reports are not going to be fun for unionists.
We know the committee has already largely concluded; they're putting the final touches to their report now, hence the increasing hints in the media as to the outcome and Davis type desperation. Hamilton's expected conclusions will already be circulating too; it's hard to believe the government would not know the FM is going to have to go by this stage.
Since the SNP are not preparing for a leadership contest, it's all pointing one way.
Keep sticking your head in the sand. While shooting all the messengers. Davis is merely repeating widespread knowledge and evidence which the inquiry has been consistently been blocked from considering or even looking at. It is irrelevant that it is Davis. What is relevant is the failure of the Scottish institutions to hold the executive to account, with the essential separation of powers and the ability to impartially examine failures of governance. Essential requirements of any democracy, which have been deliberately undermined.
DeleteI just need to watch Davis breaking Scots law to see corruption and people 'above the law'.
DeleteThe messages Davis was talking about have all been seen by the committee. Lady Dorian saw them too. The former will conclude on them. Lady Dorian dismissed them as not relevant and Salmond's team agreed, not appealing that decision.
Davis is an English MP breaking Scots law using English law as protection. The man is a criminal corruptly interfering in Scottish democratic and legal procedure.
The question should be how he should be brought to account and ideally before the courts.
Meanwhile, I await the unionist / opposition dominated committee and independent Irish international observer Hamilton's reports.
I think we can firmly trust both given who is preparing them.
Salmond told us to trust Hamilton. After all, he was instrumental the ministerial code process and was FM when Hamilton was recruited.
I hope so. Contempt of court is a very serious matter. English MPs should not be able to disrespect the Scottish courts like this using English law to protect themselves.
Deletehttps://twitter.com/KennyMacAskill/status/1372135705007247367
Kenny MacAskill
@KennyMacAskill
So are Crown Office going to instruct Police Scotland to interview David Davis MP regarding leaked documents? Perhaps the Crown Agent can advise.
IainM - Smearer Skier is shooting blanks at the messengers of truth. Smearer Skier wants people who tell the truth prosecuted. Does Smearer actually work for COPFS?
Delete"Lastly, I'd just like to reiterate that the SNP election crowdfunders are absolutely vital and shouldn't be overlooked. Keeping a blog afloat is all very well, but it's winning the election that really matters."
ReplyDeleteWill the SNP blame the people for not donating to their election fund if the SNP does not do well?
Probably. It'll be interesting to see if the "it doesn't matter that the SNP are crookeder than a swastika, vote for them anyway and we'll sort it all out in the People's Republic of Scotland" meme continues to have any currency going forward.
DeleteTBH, I'd rather have crooked politicians from my own country running things than crooked politicians from a neighboring one.
DeleteBut then I'm normal person just like normal people from other normal countries which also have their share of crooked politicians.
"Crookeder" was a poor choice of words. "Swastika" wasn't. If people in the SNP were simply corrupt in the monetary sense I would agree with you. Unfortunately, they are ideologically corrupt, and by "ideological", I'm not talking about Scottish independence. I want to see that myself. I'm talking about its woke agenda and its determination to destroy freedom of expression. Anyone voting in Scotland now is going to have to decide if independence is worth recreating the Soviet Union for.
DeleteThe so-called united kingdom is certainly fascist. And certainly totalitarian, as far as overruling Scotland is concerned, in the USSR sense.
DeleteAn independent Scotland won't be perfect but it will certainly be much much better for Scotland and its people.
SNP x 2
The net is closing in on Sturgeons gang. How long before they all do a runner to Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteJust waiting for Farage to produce the next 'revelation' from a Somerset beer garden and the SNP will be sunk.
DeletePersonally I'm still waiting for:
Deletea) anyone to show were the accusers were identified in the speech yesterday (thus breaking the courts instructions)
b) the committee to be allowed to see all the documents referred to yesterday so that they can come to their own conclusions.
Adam, the accusers were not identified in Davis's speech. The anonymity of the accusers has been used as an invalid excuse throughout the Committee investigations to redact large chunks of evidence and prevent others evidence being published or requested. Some of the accusers jumped in to the criminal trial knowing their spurious (lies) accusations would allow all this redacting and cover up to happen to any investigation into their actions by the Inquiry. The Crown Office dutifully obliged.
DeleteFinally, the Committee members all have agendas and it is not always finding the truth. The Britnats want to get a level of the truth but not enough to prevent them still being able to smear Salmond. They want to get Salmond and Sturgeon. The SNP members just want to protect their bosses and are more than happy to join in smearing Salmond.
If they truly wanted the truth they would have requested all the papers from Salmonds lawyers months ago.
I understand committee has all the documents it wants here / evidence it considers important.
DeleteThe police, CPS and court have already seen the Davis stuff. Lady Dorian dismissed the messages concerned (I understand) and it seems the committee are of the same mind for probably similar reasons. This 'evidence' has been waved at them since the court case; it's not some new bombshell.
Hell, the committee has probably finished its report now and is just checking for spelling etc. It's done. Over.
As a result, from what I can see, we're down to right wing foreign politicians that pose a threat to Scotland breaking Scots law under English protection to give the English press stories in the hope of undermining Scottish democratic and legal process ahead of an election.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19158586.msps-to-dismiss-claims-peter-murrell-messages-prove-salmond-conspiracy/
MSPs 'to dismiss claims that Peter Murrell messages prove Salmond conspiracy'
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19123699.andrew-tickell-understanding-legalities-behind-holyrood-committee/
On my understanding, Alex Salmond’s lawyers made an application to introduce the contested evidence [messages in question] at a preliminary hearing in the spring of 2020, and Lady Dorrian refused to admit it on the basis it was “collateral”. This is the material the former First Minister regretted he was unable to turn over to MSPs on Friday.
If this evidence disclosed clear evidence of a conspiracy on the part of one or more of the complainers, this is a difficult decision to understand. Scottish judges are not in the habit of preventing people on trial for serious offences from leading evidence which proves the allegations against them were confected or falsified.
But even stranger, in this context, is the failure to appeal against the decision to exclude this evidence from the criminal trial. Under section 74 of the 1995 Act, Alex Salmond had every right to instruct his lawyers to challenge Lady Dorrian’s decision. He did not do so.
I think the contempt of court in this case relates to release of the evidence documents and/or their contents under Section 162 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010. If Davis has documents covered by the above and read from them to the public he's a criminal. He may yet be prosecuted. It was clearly not in the public interest, but for political gain.
https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,salmond-lawyer-hits-out-at-harassment-committee-for-not-seeking-trial-evidence
ALEX Salmond’s lawyers have hit out at Holyrood’s harassment committee after MSPs decided not to order the law firm to hand over evidence from the criminal trial.
The committee has a specific remit and it isn't political. I won't vote for any party that makes it so.
The remit is to find out what went wrong in Holyrood in terms of handling of the complaints and how to fix that so that others in the future are not failed, including ministers and/or complainers. That might involve looking at SNP correspondence, but only if it is deemed important to what happened in Holyrood. Peter Murrell and associates don't work for the Scottish government and were not involved in the investigation, obviously. As a result, they can't can't be responsible for failings.
Of course if Salmond has what he believes is evidence for a conspiracy to commit perjury / pervert the course of justice he can show it to the police and/or his trial judge. He has done this and there is no police investigation with his trial judge dismissing it and him / his team agreeing with this decision; i.e. it showed no evidence of conspiracy.
The committee are heading towards the same conclusion it seems; if they could see evidence the SNP had somehow influenced the Holyrood investigation, Murdo Fraser et al. will be sure that's included.
Anyway, we'll know soon. The ink must be drying.
People need to accept the findings and not go all Trumpist.
More on the great British brexit anti-vermin WWII white cliffs of dover 'bombshell'.
Deletehttps://www.holyrood.com/news/view,complainer-says-david-davis-claims-about-liz-lloyd-interfering-are-fundamentally-untrue
Salmond complainer says it's 'fundamentally untrue' Sturgeon chief of staff interfered in investigation
AN unnamed civil servant has rejected claims made by a Tory MP that the First Minister’s chief of staff “interfered” in the Scottish Government’s investigation of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.
Thankfully this will be over soon.
Deletehttps://twitter.com/andrewlearmonth/status/1372215945549217796
The Rape Crisis Scotland organisation in the pocket of Sturgeon issue a statement saying he is lying. Well who would have thought it.
DeleteThankfully this will be over soon.
DeleteA corrupt government would aim to have any reports come out after the election.
An honest one would seek to have this all done and dusted a good month of so before people voted so they can pass judgement at the ballot box.
I understand both the committee and Hamilton reports should be out before the parliament comes to an end and MSPs - sturgeon included - all step down on 25th March.
Brexit united in the form of David Davis and Wings have already confirmed to me what the findings are in all probability going to be, and right wing unionists probably won't like them.
London's woman in Scotland Evans looks to be for the chop, but I suspect Sturgeon is going nowhere.
Smearer Skier ( liar since 2014) - I am sure Sturgeon won't be going anywhere at present - she wouldn't break her own lock down rules would she. In the future she may have to do a runner to Vietnam.
Delete"An unnamed civil servant has rejected claims made by a Tory MP ..... "
DeleteUNNAMED - yep it could be anyone or just made up by Rape Crisis Scotland the organisation that got a big increase in its funding immediately after the Salmond trial. Just a coincidence no doubt.
So Scots, if there was another referendum tomorrow, would you vote:
ReplyDelete- Leave
- Remain
Bearing in mind that in an independent Scotland
DeleteA - the SNP would likely form the first government and
B - if they lost a subsequent election, there is an excellent chance they would refuse to cede power.
Congratulations, Athanasius, on the most idiotic comment of the year so far.
DeleteHear Hear.
DeleteThanks, James, that means a lot. But perhaps a little more elucidation?
Deletethere is an excellent chance they would refuse to cede power.
DeleteSort of like 'No vote for a generation / 40 years' or similar you mean?
Maybe claim that 'democracy has failed' so they need to cancel it for a while until it can be fixed? That the courts are the 'corrupt clown office'?
Sounds rather familiar. Belarus I think.
I suspect athanasius means the snp would send in the British tanks. Sort of similar to relying on the garbage being spewed out at Westminster to determine how ‘correct’ things are in Scotland. Why the hell should we care what David Davis says there?
DeleteAn example of Swinney being helpful to the Inquiry
ReplyDeleteIn a letter to Fabiani dated 15/3/2021From Swinney.
The last paragraph says: "In your letter of 9 March, the Committee asked for further information in addition to the legal advice already published by the Scottish Government. We are considering this request urgently and I will reply separately as soon as possible."
Aye very helpful Swinney - not. Swinney has deliberately delayed and attempted to hide info from the Committee even now right up to the last few days he is running down the clock.
We will read in the report if there was any key info missing.
DeleteIt won't be released if it is missing something vital.
Smearer Skier (liar since 2014) says " It won't be released if it is missing something vital". How exactly do you know that then Smearer? Lying again ?
DeleteUnionist press reporting London's woman in Scotland for the chop. Again.
ReplyDeleteMust have been told what's in the committee report.
Letter from Salmonds solicitors dated 15/3/2021 to Fabiani - The opening paragraph:
ReplyDelete"Thank you for your letter of 22th March.
Our client cannot understand why a Parliamentary Committee does not wish to see relevant material which will help fulfil its remit. The decision not to seek such relevant material , in fact , undermines your remit. The public is left wondering, after our clients evidence session, why such material cannot be considered by you and published. He offered to produce it when giving evidence before the Committee, it has been repeated twice in correspondence and your Committees willingness to accept the offer (at least partially) was publicised in a number of media outlets."
So much for the Inquiry wanting to get to the truth and having all the relevant documentation. Every member of the Inquiry has an agenda and getting the full truth is not
part of any of their agendas.
If Murdo Fraser etc don't think there's anything to a possible anti-SNP story, there probably isn't.
DeleteI’m just a bit befuddled by all the different evidences that seem to be able to come from the various camps - in this case the evidence that mr tickell notes his surprise about the ban on publication not having been appealed and the evidence that it appears to the same party as being vital to be disclosed to
DeleteThe committee and to which they say ‘ hmm no it’s fine actually, thanks’.
It all seems the same to me. But for sure I feel that we will not be having any FM or depute FM resignations. Which for the absence of doubt is a ‘good thing’ for an election that is due on may 6.
Donald.
DeleteOne is a criminal trial in which the judge decides if evidence is relevant to the charges at hand.
The other is an Inquiry in which if the people carrying out the Inquiry do NOT get to see all the evidence how can they come to a judgement that the evidence is not important to their Inquiry which has a different terms of reference from a criminal trial.
The committee don't seem to want the documents which lady Dorian discounted as being 'evidence'. If the documents were relevant evidence, they would have been accepted as that for use in court. Even Salmond didn't think they were important as he didn't appeal the initial rejection, which means he agreed with it.
DeleteSmearer Skier (liar since 2014) - posting pish again Smearer.
DeleteCorrection "Thank you for your letter of 12th March.
ReplyDeleteDavid Davis was right here:
ReplyDeletethe Scottish Civil Service was left as a part of the wider UK Civil Service. It therefore does not have its own mechanisms of control and accountability in place but is only loosely controlled by Whitehall
Here you go:
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/civil-service-devolved-nations
but erm, hud oan...
We have known for centuries that the separation of powers is fundamental to a functioning democracy. Yet in Scotland, the Lord Advocate both leads the prosecution service, and serves in the Scottish Cabinet
Hmmm...
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office/about
The [UK Government] Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is a ministerial department which supports the Attorney General and the Solicitor General (the Law Officers). The Law Officers are [UK] government ministers who:
- provide legal advice to [the UK] government
- superintend, or oversee, the main independent prosecuting departments the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office
- superintend, or oversee, Her Majesty’s CPS Inspectorate, which inspects how cases are prosecuted
- superintend, or oversee, the Government Legal Department, which provides legal services to government
Glad that's cleared up.
Cannae trust Davis, that's for sure. Selective truth like 'new English' brexiters Mr Campbell and Michael Gove.
This is what we should note.
http://www.advocates.org.uk/news-and-responses/news/2021/feb/importance-of-maintaining-confidence-in-judicial-system-and-rule-of-law
THE Faculty has released the following statement, in the name of a Faculty spokesperson, in relation to public debate surrounding the work of the Scottish Parliament’s Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints:
“The Faculty of Advocates is becoming increasingly concerned at the debate, both in the media and in parliament, in relation to the parliamentary committee into the investigation of harassment allegations. The debate appears increasingly to be focussed on the courts and Crown Office.
“The Faculty wishes to remind all concerned of the importance of maintaining confidence in the judicial system and in the rule of law. Maintaining that confidence requires, amongst other things, recognition of the importance of the independent role of the Lord Advocate, the independent role of the courts and, perhaps most importantly, the vital place of the verdicts of impartial juries in criminal proceedings.
“No one in public life is beyond reproach, and healthy public debate surrounding the justice system is to be encouraged. However, when the public discourse fails to respect the basic tenets of the independence of the system, it is in danger of leading to irreparable harm. Such harm is something which might be to the detriment of Scotland as a whole in the long term.”
", the vital place of the verdicts of impartial juries in criminal proceedings. "
ReplyDeleteYes that is something that all the Salmond Smearers like Sturgeon, Swinney and all you lesser smearers out there should respect.
Of course I forgot to mention one of the worst Salmond Smearers - Sandy Brindley of Rape Crisis Scotland. Sandy does not respect the jury decision and regularly smears Salmond. Sandy says she speaks for all the alphies but does she? How can she prove it?
DeleteWe feel your pain whilst you are clutching straws.
DeleteUnknown - is that the best you can come up with. Not very good at this trolling lark are you.
DeleteLetter from Swinney to Fabiani dated 8/3/2021. Second paragraph:
ReplyDelete" My letter of 5 March confirmed that the Scottish Government does not hold formal minutes of meetings with Counsel during the Judicial Review,......
Aye right Swinney - pull the other leg it's got bells on it. Cover up cover up cover up.
Bless, you will have to move on to something else to troll blogs with. Do have a lovely day now it is a bit warmer. Get away from the keyboard and enjoy the spring like weather.
ReplyDeleteUnknown - which one are you? Are you clueless or moanalot or stupid arse? Perhaps you should call yourself The weatherperson that is if you actually have the ability to set up a moniker.
Deletehttps://www.thenational.scot/news/19169697.yes-regains-lead-latest-poll-scottish-independence/
ReplyDeleteYes regains the lead in latest poll on Scottish independence
An Opinium study for Sky News found 51% of Scots would vote Yes, with 49% opposed once undecided voters were removed.
The results are based on research carried out this week.
A new poll from BMG has Yes at 52%. SNP doing well too.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/PhantomPower14/status/1373928777554726913
Survation presents a more negative picture:
Deletehttps://twitter.com/ElectionMapsUK/status/1373920450414325761
Survation is the dodgy Scotland in union poll which is nearly 2 weeks old now.
DeleteThe poll details in the Herald.
Deletehttps://archive.is/fgBz6
Mike Russell, who in January said a referendum this year was policy, now says 'after the pandemic'
ReplyDeleteI am reluctantly coming to the conclusion that a vote for the SNP is neither a vote for a referendum or for independence. It is just a vote for the SNP.
Only an idiot would set a date for the referendum well in advance; it would be a total gift to Westminster.
DeleteBest to keep them guessing. The referendum bill should contain no date; it should be open ended, with say 4 weeks notice of a simple parliament motion to kick it off.
You hold it when you know you are going to win it. No being bounced into it by unionists like last time. Pandemic is perfect for keeping the enemy guessing, shooting off all their ammo in the dark.
If a referendum was legally blocked; which unionists could leave late to delay any pre-announced vote, the FM resigns and Yes block the election of a successor, which in 28 days forces a general election and then they go for an indy plebiscite.