As I'm in a generous mood, I'll explain in a bit more detail why the results (with one exception) were not that great for Labour.
Whitburn and Blackburn: The SNP won the popular vote in this ward by just one percentage point in 2022, even though they were twelve points ahead of Labour nationally. So on a uniform swing, they would have needed to be eleven points ahead of Labour nationally to win the ward on Thursday. Although several polls have shown the SNP recovering since the general election and moving back into the lead, there has not yet been a lead of eleven points or more. On no planet were the SNP favourites to win this by-election - although, as it happens, they very nearly did.
Doon Valley: Labour were more than two points ahead of the SNP in this ward in 2022, even though the SNP were twelve points ahead of Labour nationally. By any standards, that makes it an unusually Labour-friendly ward. To have won it on Thursday on a uniform swing, the SNP would have needed to be ahead of Labour by about fourteen-and-a-half points nationally. No, it is not a major problem for the SNP that they are not fourteen-and-a-half points ahead nationally at this stage.
Colinton/Fairmilehead: The SNP weren't even starting from second place in this ward - in 2022 they were in third place with just 17% of the vote, in spite of being miles ahead nationally. The idea that there is any shame in failing to win here on Thursday is completely ludicrous. There was in fact a technical swing from Labour to the SNP, although admittedly in practice that was mainly caused by movement from Labour to the Lib Dems.
Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse: As I stated several times yesterday, this was the one and only result that was genuinely good for Labour and disappointing for the SNP. In 2022, the SNP's lead in the ward was a little above ten points, very similar to the national picture, meaning on a uniform swing they would only have needed a tiny national lead to win on Thursday. So yes, this particular one was a poor outcome, but it's one out of four, guys, one out of four.
KC, you're always earnestly claiming to be an independence supporter, you do it at least fifteen times a day. That's one of the many reasons I have to delete almost everything you post.
ReplyDeleteMr Self Righteous "All Must Share My Views Or Perish" Troll, you've been in overdrive today - well over ten downright nasty comments, and I think enough is quite enough. No more, thank you. In any case, from your writing style I've no doubt whatever that that you're one of the two people I told around a year ago were no longer welcome to post on this blog. For the love of God, man, take the hint. Do not post here again. Find something constructive to do with your time, and stop wasting your own time and mine.
ReplyDeleteAnd it goes without saying thst the same goes for KC a hundred times over.
In fairness to KC there’s no nastiness in his comments, it’s more like good natured banter with him, tho I dinae find his Nessie jokes particularly funny.
DeleteFor the uninitiated, the above is KC himself. He imagines he's throwing people off the scent if he chucks in the odd minor criticism of himself and does it in "Scots".
DeleteSNP performance under Swinney had been good.
ReplyDeleteThe SNP are firmly in landslide territory, in Westminster terms.
ReplyDeleteOn these by-election numbers, indeed they are. But it's customary to use inverted commas when quoting someone (ie. me).
DeleteOT - https://archive.is/1Ymc5
ReplyDelete"Why The National is staying on Twitter/X ... for notw"
I don't do twitter, but good for them. They clearly explained why.
On the other hand there's a huge amount of virtue-signalling about Musk, who is also SpaceX which will be driving internet on Scotrail in the north. But Starlink is also supplied to Ukraine which the same people would probably support.
But people are happy to use features on mobile phones like maps and locations - using GPS supplied by the dreaded US military. Not forgetting SKY which used to be the dreaded Murdoch and of course then there's Branson's escapades.
But according to some if you don't condemn some people totally and utterly then you obviously support and defend them totally and utterly. It seems there's no room for the 99.9% of us who sit somewhere in the middle.
Let's hear it for the 0.1% who want us all to be like them!
'Virtue signalling'. The new derisory term for doing the right thing. Thanks, Elon.
DeleteI'm guessing you're not one of the 99.9% ...
DeleteYIR2, I think that's a really well put together comment. It seems a knee jerk reaction in modern times to seek division on every point and because an individual supports one thing they are a confirmed supporter of many other things by association.
DeleteTbh, I'm thoroughly sick of it all and yearn for a time when respectful discussion could lead to tacit agreement or an agreement to disagree but with a better knowledge of the alternate viewpoint.
I'm a solid supporter of indy but it shouldn't be a wildly controversial statement to say that I rate some Unionist MPs / MSPs (as people and politicians) more highly than some nationalist MPs / MSPs. An articulate, reasoned conviction politician trumps a careerist apparatchik any day, regardless of clan. That makes me a slavering, butcher's apron clad yoon in social media circles, which is of course, simplistic nonsense.
I hope we are slowly returning to a better quality of argument. I sense a pushback against divisive politics and cancel culture. 'Yes' has the stronger argument. We shouldn't need to resort to shouty, authoritarianism to get our point across.
The “I support trump Elon musk brigade” under the guise of free speech.
Delete. It is not a requirement in order to have a debate that you must be on Twitter/ X. It seems to be a poisonous soup of right wing mysogeny and the rest. Why not be on a blog where your views are heard and debated properly.
Douglas Fir - "I hope we are slowly returning to a better quality of argument.".
DeleteHopefully, but it needs the majority to call out people whose only purpose is ad hominems. Elsewhere for instance the two nasties are now attacking Ken, who was one of the first to post on Newsnet Scotland, a regular on the Guardian and the Herald, posted during the National Conversations, and probably like me, during Devo Ref on UseNet. But hey, he doesn't have the same views on Trump.
I have seen nothing in support of Trump on here. Where is it?
DeleteYesindyRef2, you are complaining about ad hominems, have a word with your mate IFS.
Delete1:15, Have a word with yourself. You're probably one of the lynch mob that gang up on IFS with monotonous regularity.
DeleteAnon at 2.53. If you pick and choose which ad hominems are ok (you seem ok with those made by IFS) you are part of the problem. Time for you to have a rethink? Try and avoid an angry response.
DeleteAnon at 3:40 PM
DeleteTime for you to have a cup of tea. Try it with bromine.
3:40, As i thought, you seem pretty happy with ad hominen posts yourself as long as you're the one behind them. Maybe you should look in the mirror before criticising others.
DeleteAnon@ 5:40, Don't you know that anyone who hasn't a problem with IFS is a unionist apparently? We need more easily offended snowflakes like Mr 3:40 on here to keep us all thinking the right way.😁
DeletePretty sure all your mirrors are cracked.
Delete@The Laird “virtue signalling” isn’t doing the right thing which can be done humbly and generously without need for reward or recognition - virtue signalling is advertising loudly what you say you are doing in hope of lavish praise (generally from your echo chamber buddies).
Delete3:40, James seems to be okay with IFS comments as he's been posting here for years. Is James 'part of the problem' too? I think it's you who has the problem - you have made no comments here other than to criticise others for criticising others? Are you just pompous or are you a hypocrite as well?
Delete“Discuss” - what a pompous twit.
Delete"Discuss" is not the sharpest Javelinn in the playground.
DeleteAnon at 10.19. Remarkable self awareness. Well done.
Delete
Delete”Discuss” the arrogance oozes out of this poster.
Anon@9:33 What IS your point? If you're the same anon who has complained about ad hominen attacks, you have contributed nothing on this page apart from ad hominens on other posters. What are YOUR thoughts on Flynn since you haven't given them?
DeleteTroll at 1.15pm - as ever you are wrong - yesindyref2 is not my mate.
DeleteAnon at 11.00am - there is no point to this troll other than trolling.
Very interesting breakdown of the four sub-elections. Thanks 😊
ReplyDeleteSub elections? Now there’s a new one…
DeleteI've just been in Tenerife. Nobody's listening to me. IVE been in f***King Tenerife
DeleteInternationally, and maybe also in Scotland if we're not more politically incisive, only the radical, fascistic right is finding a way to cut through the bland conventional politics of failure to find a way past neoliberalism. Scapegoating based on pre existing prejudices is their 'secret weapon'.
ReplyDeleteIndependence with a socially inclusive approach is surely the key to our alternative to the collapsing UK ? A way out of poverty, insecurity, inequality and the tyranny of greed can be our weapons.
The current pathetic SNP fad of "responsible government" is a chocolate fireguard. It's only the vague hope among voters that the SNP is a party of independence that keeps it from sinking. James' analysis shows us that a good chunk of our voters, by sticking with the SNP, are trying to give us time to come up with an effective, new approach. They can't and wont keep that up forever. So called 'Reform' will come snapping at the heels of the aimless SNP and Labour.
The USA is about to show us where that trajectory goes. We have less time than some of us like to think that we have.
We have now entered a new era of 'consensus politics' with the two main WM Parties agreeing on mostly right-of-centre policies in repect of big business adulation, wealth subservience, benefits disparagement and Pro-Zionist foreign policy.
ReplyDeleteAnd both those main WM Parties are now ABSOLUTELY in consensus in their complete and utter rejection of Scotland's RIGHT to choose our own constitutional future for the foreseeable future.
'Consensus Politics' seems to ge just fine......IF and only if, you hold all the power-cards.
If you do not, 'consensus politics' will simply crush you to death.
We in Scotland either fight against the above with everything we have or we will be absorbed by that 'WM consensus' which wants to destroy any notion of Scotland as an Independent Entity, for ever.
I will never 'consent' to that.
Long live Adversarial Politics!
As someone who voted No in 2014, I’ve become increasingly despondent with the UK. Brexit, the Tories, now Labour looking like they might be no better.
ReplyDeleteHowever the SNP haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory in recent years either. If only they could demonstrate competent governance, I’m sure support for independence would be higher.
Also, and importantly, if the SNP or Yes movement in general could, for once, answer the really important questions regarding independence, maybe the likes of myself could be persuaded to switch to Yes.
The important issues are, of course, the likes of currency, border with England(our biggest trading partner by a large margin), pensions, replacing the money we receive from Westminster through the Barnett Formula, etc, etc.
If these crucial issues had been addressed in a positive manner ten years ago, then maybe the referendum would have had a different outcome. Ten years on, we still await answers on these critical issues. Without doubt, in my view, this is what’s needed to advance the independence cause.
The Barnet thing was a red herring 10 years ago and I'm surprised someone with an open mind is seriously raising it.
DeleteEvery country on earth just about operates in the international money market. Where do you think London gets its overspend from?
Anon@10:27am,
DeleteThe Barnett “thing”, as you put it, isn’t a red herring.
I note you don’t mention the other important issues I mentioned at 10:20, regarding independence. These are the things that will need to be addressed positively in order for people like myself to be converted.
The important thing is to
Deletelook across the North Sea to Norway and you see Norway with a trillion pound wealth fund. That’s exactly what you said no to in 2014.
Yeah, questions need to be answered properly. One that wasn't even addressed was mortgages - would and how would they be redenominated or transferred to a Scottish building society / bank, and would there be any extra cost? That made part of my family vote NO, and even though I did a lot of research I couldn't find any answers.
Deletecurrency - money is money, Denmark runs the Krone and has problems keeping its value DOWN - they have to keep buying euros to keep the exchange rate very closely the same (much closer than the ERM requires). No reason the Scot pound backed by oil, renewables, water - and us - wouldn't be the same. But I'd suggest a time for parallel currencies maybe a couple of years - both sterling AND our own growing currency. It's an idea that's slowly gaining traction (far too slowly, though Salmond did pick it up).
border with England(our biggest trading partner by a large margin). If we're not in the EU then we should be similar to Ireland even now - CTA (Common Travel Area). It would be say 2 or 3 or even 5 years before being in the EU if that's the choice and there's no reason things should be any different as far as trade is concerned until that happens.
pensions - state pension is paid out of current taxation in the UK and would be the same for us as them. The contributory element would be owed to us by the rUK unless traded away by our negotiators which frankly I'd prefer. Private pensions - see mortgages, no answer from YES Scotland or the SNP in those days.
replacing the money we receive from Westminster through the Barnett Formula. No need. We pay taxes and receive some back. We'd just have our own treasury and bank and tax collection. However, there's an element claimed that we get more than our fair share. On the other hand, Scotland via GERS is "charged" for things for our benefit paid for by the UK Governent. Yes, but much of the employment and corporation taxation and NO etc is down south - this would clearly relocate. It's called I think "accruals" and on this (and little else) Richard Murphy is of course correct - GERS doesn't cater for this.
One more problem you mentioned effectively - why should an ordinary punter like myself have to do this? Because the f'ing SNP don't. Kate Forbes did say she'd give an Indy type accounting but then Yousaf sacked her.
Very quick reply, any typos and errors excepted!
Anon 5.01pm - Scotland the only country in the world that cannot be independent until it answers your questions.
DeleteYou are a bit of scaredy cat who wasn’t brave enough to go for independence even though there is the example of extremely wealthy Norway across the North Sea.
Yesindyref2,
DeleteThanks for your response to my post at 10:20, and taking the time to address the issues I brought up. You clearly accept there are issues on independence that need addressing and questions answered to convince people like myself on its merits. It’s refreshing that there are people on the Yes side who recognise the concerns of people like myself.
On the other hand we have anonymous at 6:12, who is typical of many, who just dismisses my points and accuses me of being a scaredy cat for not being brave enough to go for independence!
Well, as I said, there are members of my family voted NO and probably still would. Some would call them "BritNats" - I'd pay to see them say that to their faces :-) Or scaredy cat come to that.
DeleteBowl of milk for anon 6.48pm.
DeleteI note the cat ignores the Norwegian wealth fund. A common response by Britnats who put Rule Britannia above everything else.
Entirely predictable response from anonymous at 7:37.
DeleteMore milk for the cat 🐈⬛
DeleteThe Britnat cat still ignoring Norway’s wealth. How predictable.
The horse has bolted with the Norway/oil wealth comparison.
DeleteOil exploration in the North Sea has virtually stalled.
Now we are getting the true Britnat stance - the oil has been just about finished since the 70s according to these jokers.
DeleteThe phoney I’m thinking about converting to independence is out the window.
Hi there, I'm the poster who said it'd a red herring.
DeleteI didn't mention the other ones because I have a life and won't rehearse the whole thing in a post here.
I do think the other stuff needs work.
But I mentioned the Barnet thing because I don't think that does.
The differential would come from the same place Westminster takes its differential from. It's nothing extraordinary and this idea London is giving us it is stupid. They're in deficit themselves (like every other western country).
Barnet has nothing to do with receipts. But the proportion of overall funding scotland would need which would be debt would come from the same place it comes from now, the same place Ireland's, Sweden's, Slovenia's, and Austria's does.. the international money market. Fin.
We've literally got a country next door who look and smell just like us with a similar population and poor diet lol
DeleteThe idea this is impossible for some reason is just bs.
Would it be better? Do i or you have all the answers? No. But how blind do we have to be to not see Ireland acrosd the sea, Norway up north, Iceland with the population of Aberdeen and hundreds of miles from anywhere all at the very least doing ok and actually better than us. Who knows but you don't have to be an expert in economics to see it's eminently possible and definitely not some kind of economic suicide the way some present it.
I think that the most important issues in council politics in Whitburn are Scottish independence and the Israel/Gaza war. Or maybe not....
ReplyDeleteDo you think that? Wow. You should get the Nobel Prize for Thinking. Do your head hurt when you think up such earth shattering notions? Maybe Kezia Dugdale could get you a job in the tank she thinks in. There's probably plenty room. What other original thoughts are you going to spoil us with?
Delete"I always think New Year can be a sad time."
"Poetry doesn't need to rhyme."
"There were only ever two true communists, Jesus Christ and Robbie Burns.:
Pass me the suck bag.
I see the BBc interview with Stephen Flynn - why appear? Is then followed by the Jackie Baillie and then the tories onto to attack. Similarly ponsoby on the bbc radio says 1 mp should not have any other jobs. In that respect I would agree but what of labour , tories, Lib Dem’s who have many jobs sitting on boards of companies etc. I take it that it doesn’t count. BBC radio have a commentator from the Spectator. Another right winger.
ReplyDeleteSo rule should be 1 MP/ MSP , 1 job. If you don’t get elected too bad.
Maybe there could be a survey as to how many politicians have more than 1 job. Councillors/ MSP’s/ MP’s , Boards of Directors, 2nd jobs, Dame Jackie Baillie?
ReplyDeleteDame Baillie of Greggs is also a full time cake tester.
DeleteAnon at 12:48 PM
DeleteThat's enough of that kind of nasty unionist talk, Sarwar.
From the National: https://archive.is/em7TA
ReplyDelete"Part-timers are a bad idea even if we need talented people at Holyrood"
What we need at Holyrood from ANY party, is not just talented people, it's people with integrity - something Scotland used to be known for and which had massive international business value (still does in fact).
"STEPHEN Flynn is risking the anger of SNP members with a bid for Holyrood – but may be doing so to establish himself as a successor to John Swinney, Professor John Curtice has said. "
DeleteNo shit Sherlock!
I watched Flynn in the BBC Sunday Show this morning. The word missing from his lengthy justification was ‘independence’. The guy is a smarmy careerist.
DeleteWhy would he mention independence?
DeleteYes good point. Why would you expect a careerist/devolutionist to mention independence.
DeleteDependence works so well for the SNP.
DeleteWhy can't Flynn have just gone.on the list?
ReplyDeleteTrying to take someone else's seat looks bad in my view.
The fighting over the seats also looks very old Labour, taking voters for granted.
Not pleased with a guy I've held high hopes for
I fail to see what the appeal of Flynn has been up until now. A slick talker with a pasted on grin. He's been a policy lightweight who has shone because of the comparison with others of the SNP who are allowed a bit of MSM attention.
ReplyDeleteHe's pretty close to the stereo type of a modern careerist. In the north of England they would say - 'fur coat and no knickers'.
Entirely correct. I really don’t get the praise he’s gotten, at all. He’s as dull as John Swinney and as slimy as Angus Robertson. Exactly the kind of politician that’s there for the career and bugger all else. Indeed, the kind that gives politics such a bad name.
DeleteWhere’s the passion? Where’s the personality and the spark? The voters still want it, but the parties seem to screen it out of their candidates.
Flynn is a chancery, another Mhairi Black or Nicola Sturgeon. All talk.
DeleteThe Chancery can offer a sanctuary in the midst of this, our busy, world. Respite from the hustle-bustle and drama of everyday life. Peace, quiet and the abandonment of turmoil.
DeleteAlt clut - with your obvious talent and constant constipating grimace and comments and can see why you are jealous
ReplyDeleteNo words. There are no words.
DeleteWings now publishing guest articles by folk who wanted Trump to win and want the indy movement to learn from Trump campaign. If the writer and most of the folk who comment on Wings were representative of the indy movement then we would be screwed. Just waiting for Campbell to post an article praising Putin.
ReplyDeleteYou're a thick plank of wud Tomlin. I knew it was Tomlin.
Delete.....then we would be screwed.
DeleteThe point the author is making is that (in his opinion) Yes would a lot better off in terms of achieving it's ultimate goal if it adopted a more populist approach.
Right now we are completely screwed because Yes has been hijacked by niche issues.
He has a point, and we are going down the road plotted out in the article as part of the U K anyway.
DeleteTurning us into a hate squad that doesn't give a toss about climate change and plays to people's worst instincts is hardly gonna leave is in much of a better place than the incompetent, niche-obsessed spot place we're in now, just from bad to worse
ReplyDeleteWhy gain independence if we're to be a useless, hateful, racist toilet of a society that doesn't value what's important? That's the direction most Wings commentators seem to be heading (and no, I don't mean the opposition to the SNP's gender nonsense)
ReplyDeleteStopwatch on. Deary me. Snowflake central.
ReplyDeleteAye it’s cold -
DeleteUnlike the brain, the stomach alerts you when it’s empty.
ReplyDeleteThey weren’t going to win those due to where they were being held. If only there was other independence parties polling higher? Nope, I don’t see any.
ReplyDeleteSo the SNP are making staff redundant as well as moving out of the offices they only spent a good bit of money on recently. It would be nice if McCann and Ruddick were getting the boot. Sturgeon's gang running the SNP in the same way they are running the Scottish government - incompetent shambles.
ReplyDeleteIf only the SNP had a secret warchest of, say, £600k.
I shall never vote for Sturgeon IFS.
DeleteI said in the past and I'll say again - all you SNP trolls are cheapskates - instead of spending time trolling me you should be asking for extra shifts at Dominos or Burger King to earn more money and give it to the SNP. You don't do you - lazy cheapskates - if you actually put your hand in your pocket to give the SNP more cash then perhaps they could have purchased another luxury motor home. You could have two motorhomes sitting in a polis compound.
DeleteDo you not trust the SNP to use your money wisely? Are you worried it will be used to buy a speedboat 🚤 for use on Loch Lomond? Some SNP arse will then claim it was to be used for campaigning at an election.
The SNP has lost 60,000 members from its peak of 125,000 members. What have the SNP trolls got to say on the matter - zero.
DeleteWhat does the SNP say on the loss of membership - certainly the greatest loss ever of a political party in Scotland - zero.
Or what about the dramatic loss of SNP MPs.
An SNP troll below has the cheek to claim I have no self awareness. There is a whole political party of 65, 000 that have no self awareness. I have been posting for years now that the current SNP leadership would be a disaster for independence and the SNP. SNP trolls prefer to stick their heads in the sand and shout Unionist or Britnat - and that's why we are where we are - a resurgent Labour back from the dead and nothing happening on independence. That is your doing SNP members/trolls/WGD numpties - own it.
Puir wee ifs. Sturgeon must laugh at your retro posts.
ReplyDeleteCheapskate. Give them your money.
DeleteAnon at 5.18pm - more likely she is laughing at SNP members. I doubt she reads SGP. Go on save the SNP give them your money you know you want to.
DeleteIfs- the britnat without the self-awareness .
ReplyDeleteCheapskate - give them your money.
DeleteAnon at 5.24pm - You really need to get a fundraiser called Save Our SNP up and running before it's too late. Just make sure it's
Delete' ring fenced ' you wouldnae want some chancer using it to buy their next car now would you.
Comments on WGD belong in a strait jacket. What a sad decline. It's even worse than WOS.
ReplyDeleteIs that you YI2?
DeleteHow do you put a comment in a straitjacket?
DeleteNothing could be worse than the pro Brit WoS.
ReplyDeleteThere is one thing worse - Andre Rieu.
DeleteNicola Sturgeon didn't have to crowdfund mugs to get herself a bent lawyer to plead for mercy for her, and she can get the top off her own bottles of Tomato sauce and manage to stay alive
ReplyDeleteDr Jim you been on the sauce or you just going senile. Ya daftie.
DeleteSturgeon and the rest of them used SNP funds to pay their lawyer fees. So I'm guessing a big SNP nicophant like you ain't going to stump up any money. No wonder the SNP are skint with people like you supporting them. Big on talk tiny on funding.
too much toxic smog from ifs
ReplyDeleteSNP spending £1.3million per annum on staff costs. It's not only the SNP politicians troughing away. Just how much money have you numpties been giving to Murray Foote over the years. Idiots just disnae do justice to you lot. You have been funding Britnats.
DeleteIfs is indeed a strange character.
DeleteAnon at 11.04pm - are you going to give the SNP a big cash injection or are you just a simple troll?
DeletePay my subscription. You stay in the gutter looking up.
ReplyDeleteIfs- Brit Nat supporter offering no hope
ReplyDeletehey ifs Starmer's shafting farmers.
ReplyDeleteI see some irrelevant wee tosser in Bath, Engerlandshire and his equally irrelevant cult followers, are, yet again, predicting the early demise of THE Party of Scottish Independence...........because THEIR alternative party attracts less support than Starmer at a Mosque!
ReplyDelete"THE Party of Scottish Independence"
DeleteWhat ones that?
" THE Party of Scottish Independence" - that does NOTHING to get independence. The same party that garnered votes and money on the promise of Indyref2 for years and broke that promise.
Delete50% yes 30% SNP says if the SNP really was THE party of independence the SNP would be 50%.
THE Party of independence funding Murray Foote for years. I suppose it could be worse they could be giving your money to Gordon Brown.
THE Party of independence losing 60,000 members says all is not right in the SNP.
£1.3 million annual outlay on staff to try and convince the people of Scotland that science disnae exist and failing says all is not right in the SNP.
9 MPs says all is not right in the SNP.
A Chief Exec charged with embezzlement says all is not right in the SNP.
SNP members sticking their head in the sand for years says all is not right about the SNP
IFS@10:50am,
Delete50% Yes???
You’re obviously very selective in the polls you look at!
@12:06, you make a reasonable point. However I think people on both sides of the argument are “selective “ in the polls they believe.
DeleteThank goodness ad hominem posts are still being deleted.
ReplyDeleteJohn Swinney deserves credit for these results.
ReplyDeleteNot just for these results, but in general. He really has steadied the ship.
DeleteI’m feeling more optimistic than I have for a while. What encourages me most is the fact that he’s making positive noises on independence, which is something we haven’t heard for quite some time.
" He really has steadied the ship." Is this the Glen Sannox or some other ship?
DeleteMeanwhile with snow on Goat Fell the last couple of days, frost in the garden and ice in the supermarket car park, Reeves the pensioner freezer and Starmer the pensioner harmer are not going to improve on their popularity stakes.
ReplyDeleteOpportunity knocks for the SNP to save lives this winter - or are they too thick and self-conceited to take it?
Which other services will we cut back on to free up the £500 million? And the £500 million less we get back from our taxes sent down to Westminster, where do we get that from??
DeleteIt isn't £500 million, you're confused - that's what it could cost extra overall because of the employers NI increase - which the ScotGov is seeking reassurance they'll be compensated for.
DeleteIt's £160 million for the WFP to continue to be universal (that's Scot Gov's own figure), and to counter that, there's an extra £3.4 billion in Reeves budget for Scotland, most of it already accounted for but some isn't - which could be used to cover the £160 million.
Facts are chiels that winna ding an' downa be disputed.
As for suggestions, the ScotGov could cut the limo service which seems to be used for ministers to take friends and family in comfort to football and rugby matches, while pensioners die of hypothermia or starve. That would save £1.4 million a year - every little helps.
DeleteAnon at 11.52am - they could stop wasting money on a range of failed policies e.g. DRS.
DeleteYesindyref2. Yes the £500 figure was in error. The question remains. The £160 million is being directly cut from moneys received back by SG. If it continues the payment what gets cut? The S G issued letters over a month ago setting out the process to ensure those who qualify for it get it. If S Gcintinue the WFA It is not countered by extra money from Westminster. We don’t get money from Westminster. We get some of our tax revenue back from Westminster We continue to be short changed year in year out. You seem comfortable with Reeves. I’m the first to call for abuse of ministerial perks to be hammered, but it doesn’t address the WFA issue.
DeleteThe £160 million is not the actual additional cost to make it a universal payment in Scotland. The figure will be £160 million less the amount the Scotgov will payout anyway through means testing. Contrast that sum with the hundreds of millions of pounds companies are suing the Scotgov for the DRS debacle.
DeleteAnon at 2:18pm "You seem comfortable with Reeves."
DeleteAh, you're one of those whose argument is so weak or non-existent that they totally misrepresent what people post to try vainly to suit your own fell purposes. That's very dishonest. Luckily on this forum replies to such dishonesty don't get deleted to protect the guilty.
No I'm not happy at all with Reeves - was there something about in my opening post "Reeves the pensioner freezer and Starmer the pensioner harmer" you didn't understand, or are you illiterate?
You also totally ignored "there's an extra £3.4 billion in Reeves budget for Scotland, most of it already accounted for but some isn't - which could be used to cover the £160 million" which does indeed, address the WFP.
Do you want to make it three out of three times you fail?
Well said yesindyref2 at 9.09pm. Anon at 2.18pm - what a plonker.
DeleteIFS - the plonker is probably from that other blog.
DeleteFor some reason some people seem to think it makes sense to ask stupid questions. Hello, I'm not only not a Minister of the Scottish Government, I'm not even an MSP. Ask them, fool (Anon at 2.18pm). I'm just a voter and an Indy activist.
Yes for Indy. You just prove my point. Look at what you wrote. “There’s an extra 3.4 billion.” How kind of Reeves. Nothing is extra. It was ours in the first place. We are getting back some but nowhere near all of what we send down in tax revenue back. If you cannot see that your words are supportive of Reeves then it explains a lot. You and your tag partner should take time out. Ad hominen attacks and constant vitriol and negativity. It’s all you both offer. And the age old “I didn’t say that” when it is there in black and white for everyone to see. Are you both actually the same person? Definitely same M O. No wonder Indy is struggling with the pretend Indy brigade on here and WOS.
DeletePicture this. You are the Chief Exec of the SNP and you know that the SNP needs some cash. You see two possible options:-
ReplyDelete1. Sell the luxury unused £100k motorhome that has been sitting on your mother's driveway that nobody knows is there, or
2. Give the SNP a personal loan of £100k from your own funds.
You choose option 2 but don't tell your wife and leader of the party that you are doing this.
The Nicophants will be along in a minute to 'explain' it all.🤣
DeleteIt’s a real puzzler. Sturgeon had the Crown Office Prosecution System and the police in her pocket, until she didn’t?
DeleteA loan made to the SNP? How strange. And?
DeleteAnon at 2.20pm - your post has no relevance to my post. Its a puzzle as to why you think it does.
DeleteYour limitations do not allow you to make the connection. No surprise, but it makes discussion with you virtually impossible when you cannot join the dots. You must try harder.
DeleteYou can’t sell anything if the police hold it as possible evidence? The attack the snp by the britnats is predictable as is their lies.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 1.30pm - the motorhome wisnae being held by the polis at the time he made the loan. So I expect an apology.
DeleteDo you really ? 1. Sell the luxury unused £100k motorhome that has been sitting on your mother's driveway that nobody knows is there, You cant, the polis has it. You know that already. Still waiting mind you for your way forward to independence. You don’t have one of course as you are a wee Brit Nat troll with mr angry tendencies.
DeleteGive IfS an apology or he'll go in a huff.
DeleteWhy did Murrell loan the party money when, at the time he did so, they had a 100k asset sitting doing nothing in his mother's drive? You haven't answered IFS question.
DeleteAnon troll at 3.17pm is the true liar and Britnat. He knows fine well that Murrell's loan was made while sitting on Murrell's mother's driveway. Waste of time discussing anything with him. He avoids the truth like the SNP avoids independence.
DeleteI'm not waiting troll for your way forward to independence because like the SNP leadership you don't want one.
Anon at 4.54pm - of course the troll cannae answer. The point of trolls like him is to troll. It is worth noting the motorhome would be depreciating in value as it sat doing nothing on the driveway when the SNP needed funds. A ridiculous choice for any Chief Exec to make.
DeleteIt's incredible isn't it? They still insist that the police had the motorhome at the time. Of course, the real reason he didn't sell it was because he had bought with indyref2 money as a wee treat for him and Nicola, whereas a loan from him would have to be paid back.
DeleteThey we hate Nicola brigade are more than predictable. Mysoginists all.
ReplyDelete'Misogynists'. Don't use big words if you're too thick to spell them.😁
DeleteYou're a thick plank of wud Tomlin.
DeleteAs an aside it's quite common, or used to be, for an individual, often a director, to buy goods themselves and "introduce" them into the company, and then reclaim the cost later. You have to watch the VAT position.
ReplyDeleteAnd the other thing of course to be wary of is loans repaid within the year, within one year - or repayable over more than one year. These should be declared properly in the annual accounts.
DeleteClearly my trolls have been building up their bile in my absence for the last week. What a bunch of losers. As most of them are WGD numpties what else can you expect.
ReplyDeleteI know why Dr Jim and all the other SNP trolls are so angry. They've realised that they won't be getting Sturgeon's book for Xmas this year. Sad and angry Nicophants.
DeleteYou were absent last week? I thought the blog improved.!
DeleteDr Jim @ 6.29
Delete6.29pm I doubt anyone would ever miss an anon like you.
DeleteA nonentity.
Dr Jim @ 7.22
DeleteAnon from half an hour ago: I'm afraid your pompous comment simply didn't "cut the mustard". A poor effort. Deleted, but please take this "feedback" on board.
ReplyDeleteAnd after that poor start, it got worse with the two follow-up comments. Every "casual reader", who I embody and speak for in every particular, is "chiding" you for their dreadful shortcomings, I'm afraid. 1/10 for the first, 2/10 for the second. Neither up to scratch, both deleted.
DeleteI think ifs would ask if anyone could bother getting him a gravestone would have inscribed on it “ I hate sturgeon”. Sums up his view of the world.
ReplyDeleteI'd have one too!
DeleteI shall never vote for Sturgeon IFS.
Delete6.33pmpm - Your inscription would be " I was anonymous". Sums up your contribution.
DeleteDr Jim @ 7.26
Deleteoh the humour.
DeleteOh no! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2d1kd1vjvo
ReplyDeleteStarmer is fleecing the farmers
ReplyDeleteFucking hell Tomlin it's always fucking Tomlin. You're a thick plank of wud Tomlin.
ReplyDeleteI knew it was Tomlin. I knew it.
ReplyDeleteSo far no great deluge of SNP numpty trolls pledging loads of cash to help the SNP finances. Sums them up. Big on talk, tiny on cash. Even the SNP trolls don't want to give the SNP any more money.
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't want to be giving the SNP any money - they'd only go and buy a motorhome with it.
ReplyDeleteThe tories and labour buy bombs for their pals
DeleteDr Jim @ 8.38
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't be more wrong. Fwiw, I hate Sturgeon with a passion for what she has done to Alex Salmond and the SNP. I very much if doubt Dr Jim feels the same🤣🤣🤣
DeleteDr Jim @ 10.12
Delete?!
DeleteDr Jim @ 11.37
DeleteANON 1012- Hate destroys the soul and distorts your view on life. While you hate the rest of us still do our best for Independence. I think AS family has the right to move on even if you seem to think you have some claim.
ReplyDeleteDr Jim @ 11.00
Delete??
DeleteDr Jim @ 11.36
DeleteIt will sail, the English high speed train paid by us won’t get past, Manchester, England costing billions more
ReplyDeletePathetic nationalist deflection.
DeleteAh, but the brit nationalists are derailed.
ReplyDelete