* .* .*
With less than two months of the year left to go, the 2025 Scot Goes Pop fundraiser is still short of its target figure. If you'd like to help keep the lights on during the several months it will take me to find out whether an alternative funding model is viable (realistically it could be a wait of around four months or more), card donations are welcome HERE. Or, if you prefer, direct donations can be made via PayPal. My PayPal email address is: jkellysta@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks to everyone who has donated so far.
The SNP/BinS alliance is certainly the best device available to us presently. Modest progress was also made at SNP conference in strengthening independence support on key party committees. I seem to remember that when a similar advance was made some years ago it crumbled quickly when the Sturgeon personality cult counter attacked.
ReplyDeleteHopefully lessons were learned that careerists and psychophants will defend their troughs and petty gods against what they consider to be 'non us'.
As the slow motion collapse of the UK continues we can't afford to be driven back again or we will be dragged down with the desperate and deluded supporters of the pound shop Mussolini, Farage.
I think you need to contemplate more closely the nitty gritty of how the 'Sturgeon personality cult' trope was deliberately manufactured and whom it best served!
Delete“ The word cult is defined as a system or a group of people who practice excessive devotion to a figure, object, or belief system, typically following a charismatic leader.”
DeleteAnon at 12.46pm the “ Sturgeon personality cult” was created by Sturgeon and it “ best served “ Sturgeon’s gang and hangers on and, of course, the British state. Texans cry remember the Alamo. I say remember the Hydro. I say remember the big pictures of Sturgeon on buses. The cult was so strong that the followers believed Sturgeon couldnae look at a set of accounts and wonder why over £600k of “ ring fenced monies “ just vanished. They also couldnae ask themselves why Sturgeon didnae ask her husband and SNP Chief Executive where the money had gone. The cult was so strong that members would think up nonsense to excuse away the money going missing. Scottish Skier punted that the money had not gone missing as it could be easily replaced by getting a loan from a bank at any point in time. If you agree with Skier you are in the cult.
How did a non story, run by The Telegraph last week develop into an avalanche which took out the BBC Director General and the CEO of News?
ReplyDeleteThe histrionic claims from The Telegraph spoke of a “whistleblower”, and an “internal audit”. In reality the document was the (biased) musings of one disgruntled, former employee.
Preposterously, and crucially, the document claims BBC bias against Israel. Repeat, AGAINST Israel. This is the stuff of Jonathan Swift, Lewis Carroll, and Franz Kafka, force fed on steroids.
While the BBC has run some investigative pieces which exposed an interesting light on the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, the overwhelming number of articles have been pro Israeli.
Israeli “hostages”, and Palestinian “prisoners”. Lurid, and unsubtantiable tales of mistreatment of one Israeli prisoners of war, while ignoring documented evidence of torture of hundreds of Palestinian hostages, up to, and including amputation of limbs, and bullets to the back of the head at point blank range.
If any audit is conducted, cherry picking individual news items is an invalid method of assessment. This is an academic discipline, and such work has been conducted in the past (University of Strathclyde, Media Department). Reporting has to be reviewed over a period of months on a quantitative basis. Any such exercise would prove a systematic PRO Israeli bias.
Good comment anon at 10.54pm. It’s clear that Farage wants rid of the BBC in order to replace it with an even more right wing pro Israel broadcaster. That is the way it is going if we do not get independence soon. All these years wasted with various complacent commentator's ( eg Skier) just saying it will happen in the future as if by right.
DeleteGood that people outwith Scotland are getting to see BBC News for what it is - London government's Pravda.
DeleteAbsolutely correct ifs. It is the fault of the Skiers and Dr Jims that the SNP are only just waking up to the need for independence when it's probably going to be too late.
DeleteYears of blind subservience and explaining away every misstep fueled the decade of SNP inaction.
Ifsy and his wee pal's noses will be completely out of joint now.
ReplyDeleteJust waiting for their usual dumb diatribes in response.
Incoming.....
“ I simply ignore their negative stuff” says this troll on 9/11/25 at 11.21pm yet here he is at 12.21 pm today saying he is just waiting for my post. I note once again he has nothing to contribute on the Believe in Scotland plan. Not interested in independence are you troll. You seem more interested in the shape of my nose. Sums up your intellect and contribution.
DeleteJames, thanks for your considered views on the Believe in Scotland plan for independence. Unlike the ultra SNP trolls who frequent your blog you can be relied upon to give your own take on matters. These intellectually challenged trolls are obviously having to wait to hear what the official SNP ( Swinney ) view is before they can express an opinion. That opinion being Swinney’s opinion. SNP drones seems to be an apt description.
ReplyDeleteI find it incredible that I have been trolled as a unionist since 2020 for advocating a de facto referendum yet here we are back to a plan that advocates a de facto referendum years in the future. The plan itself holds out little hope of the UK gov ever agreeing a sec 30 referendum. Again something I have said since 2020 and been pilloried as a unionist. Of course the de facto referendum that the plan advocates is at a UK GE and the plan ASSUMES it will happen in 2029. That is not a given as the UK elections of 2017 and 2019 show you cannae guarantee a date for a UK election. So this is a flaw in the plan. It is not within the control of Scotland. Westminster determines when it will happen.
I advocated a de facto referendum at the 2021 Holyrood election when the SNP and independence were riding high. This was a massive opportunity to get a majority vote for independence and it was totally wasted by the SNP. We now have this plan which advocates a UK de facto which is much less favourable to an independence vote than a Holyrood vote. It is possible that it could happen at any time up to 2019 and the SNP and Believe in Scotland could be caught out and be unprepared.
Another factor is who knows where the SNP and Believe in Scotland relationship will be in 2019 or at any time between now and then. The SNP could just ditch Believe in Scotland. Has Swinney endorsed this plan? You also have to ask yourself if you think this plan is fine then why could nobody in the SNP come up with it. After all, the SNP are always saying they own independence but it now seems they have sub contracted it out to Believe in Scotland.
As you say in your video Sturgeon punted a de facto for the 2014 UK GE yet it never happened so why should I trust the same group of people in the SNP to go for it at the next UK GE. Swinney has been there all the time in the last 11 years of non delivery re independence. This is the man who in his own words on TV said he advised Sturgeon NOT to hold an independence referendum. People in the SNP know that and in any organisation the people who want to personally progress their careers always fall in line with the leaders viewpoint. I do not trust the SNP and a cynic would also say the plan nicely takes Swinney up to retirement age.
After the previous debacle over fund raising for a referendum I obviously missed the bit where any monies by this Believe in Scotland appeal for funds raised will be “ring fenced”. I will not be contributing any money.
The plan also builds in a number of very hopeful events occurring but does not make it clear if they are on the critical path to independence.
I suppose some sort of a plan is better than nothing at all even if it is a flawed plan and is more of the jam tomorrow, but give us money now, type of plan.
Ifs thinks he has intellect!! Will someone let him know he hasn’t.
DeleteI would like to thank the troll(s) at 2.33pm and 12.21pm for proving the points I make about them. They really really are that dumb.
DeleteThe SNP are masters of putting the carrot just out of reach.
DeleteAye we know IFS, everybody's Dr Jim, they're all out to get you
DeleteAnon troll at 7.43pm if they are all out to get me then they are not doing a very good job. They haven’t laid a glove on me since 2020.
DeleteThe Sturgeon elements have to be expunged. Otherwise a new party will be needed. The agenda brigade are still intent on using the party for their own purposes. Unbelievably Sturgeon still won’t hold her hands up and acknowledge the mess she allowed the gender brigade to get the party into. Hopefully in 2026 she can be finally distanced from the movement. London can have her. I’ll chip in for the train fair. Independence based on emphasising the financial, social and political benefits of an independent Scotland. Toilet conference that way. Independence this way.
ReplyDeleteSovereignty is the party for you !
DeleteWe need a new independence party says anon at 1252. Where have they been? Loitering outside toilets? They are so interested in what’s in someone’s groins. The rest of the population moves on regardless. SNP YES X2 in 2026. Maybe by that time they will come out of their cubicle.
DeleteAh, stung a bit are you at 2.42 and 2.47? Nothing to actually say about how we move forward? How many M Ps did you lose us in the Westminster election? SNP support sits at in or around 37% and you are happy they are getting it right? If only your posts were satire, but sadly you actually believe. Let’s have your thoughts on Swinney’s master plan? Drop the insults and contribute to discussion. In your own time.
DeleteOk Stu.
DeleteI shake my head sadly every time I hear Mairi Macallan mentioned as a potential party leader.
DeleteIncrease in the Brit trolls = they are getting worried. Ask ifs or Sarwar to confirm.
DeleteTroll at 9.22pm why not ask me yourself?
DeleteOops IFSy getting caught out as an anon again. Silly wee billy.
DeleteTo the extent that there is merit in the Believe in Scotland plan, it lies in the eventual destination of a de facto referendum.
ReplyDeleteThe weakness lies in an extrapolation from presumed future events.
* David Cameron’s, English Votes for English Laws moved the dial a bit in our favour, and boosted SNP revenue in the form of Short money (what else that achieved eludes me).
* The Smith Commission, and the betrayal of The Vow ©️, moved public opinion very little, if at all.
* Much to the surprise of all of us, the Brexit vote had hee-haw impact on support for independence (despite the margin of victory for Remain in Scotland, and the fact that every local authority defined constituency voted Remain).
* Boris Johnson, and the hardest of hard Brexit settlement couldn’t even alter hearts, and minds to a measurable degree.
The outcome of elections in Wales, and the occupied counties of Ireland will have no discernible impact on whether a referendum is given Westminster approval.
The line from the BiS manifesto which has garnered the greatest (justified) derision is:
“There is zero chance that the UK government would be able to … deliver against the hopes and dreams of the Scottish People.”
To give BiS the benefit of the doubt, they could be using this as a rhetorical flourish. Another deployment of the old argument; “Look we’ve done everything we reasonably could, and Westminster still won’t acknowledge the right of Scottish self determination.”.
To be clear, the UK is a Spookocracy. The state which is capable of perpetuating the Salisbury / Skripal / Novichok garbage on its citizens (and a mass media which happily propagates such purple pish) ain’t gonna grant a Section 30 order this side of general entropy dissolving the last hydrogen atom into its constituent parts.
Two articles in the National:
ReplyDelete"This is why an independent Scotland must have its own currency"
and
"Forget a new currency. Here's why an independent Scotland must use pound sterling"
which seems balanced but it shows the polar mentality of either / or. For years I was advocating btl in the National to use both for a few years, parallel currencies, while switching over in a controlled fashion when people wanted to, and as central bank reserves built up. Salmond went for that idea, but then it disappeared again.
But it has been what happened when countries changed currencies, albeit for a few days or months. Just do it for years and you get stability. To some extent Denmark does that even now as its own currency is so strong. To steal a phrase "The best of both worlds".
Good to see BiS and SNP, as the two most powerful organisations for Scottish Independence, getting together.
ReplyDeleteThey will have some areas of disagreement for sure and their plans may be less than perfect, but the partnership shows some real promise.
The usual whining voices around the periphery of our movement who have their own destructive agendas fuelled by an irrational hatred of all things SNP, can be safely ignored as the insignificants they really are.
We need some more momentum to galvanise yessers behind the SNP's already dominant position for the 2026 election and this could well help.
One thing is for certain, Wings Alba and their fellow inbreds have nothing left to offer our cause.
Thankfully, most folk can now clearly see that fact.
Anon at 1.58pm. Here we have another one of the “ can be safely ignored “ crowd who keep just going against their own words by not ignoring the people they say should be ignored. Mind you SNP drones all seem to act in the same way. The drones/trolls cannae bring themselves to say they like plan outright. Is that because they would be agreeing with me that a de facto referendum was always the way forward and they have wasted the last 11 years and we now have to wait a further 4 years ( assuming this plan isnae kicked in to touch by the devolutionists in the SNP ).
DeleteI wouldnae be surprised if this same drone thought the Bute House agreement showed “some real promise “ and Yousaf was growing in to the job. The poor old Scottish Greens are now getting ghosted by the SNP. The Greens are not one of the “ two most powerful organisations for Scottish independence “ says the drone. Ach it’s terrible when friends fall out.
This SNP drone shows you his character by calling other Independence supporters “ inbreds”. A very strange way to ignore people.
Well said
DeleteFrom the National on Sunday: "MacIntyre-Kemp said he no longer believed Holyrood 2026 would provide the route to independence because the “SNP are not ready”."
DeleteI guess "most folk" doesn't include GMK of Believe in Scotland. He's removed any incentive to vote SNP in 2026, and so far the SNP haven't replied to that, and even their website hasn't been updated for 4 weeks.
Yesindyref2 you make an important point. Even Swinney’s new pal McIntyre - Kemp disnae believe in Swinney’s plan.
Delete“ SNP are not ready” if that is a surprise to anyone or you don’t believe that is the case then you are in the cult.
You don't half drone-on ifsy.
DeleteLowlife troll at 10.54pm
DeleteScotgov produces iGERS report August 26 2026. Is in the Believe in Scotland plan. Great stuff. Question - have the Scotgov agreed to do this and it begs the question why have they not done it previously as Sturgeon promised her pal Derek McKay would do one. I’ll be looking out for this document next year as an important milestone to prove this a genuine plan and not something cobbled up in a horse box.
ReplyDeleteStop stalking Sturgeon. Weird. You think you are so important.
DeleteIFS is as hateful as it gets, him and his kind have lost the anti SNP battle and like all nutjobs he's gone totally batshit with rage
DeleteLowlife troll at 9.37pm and 12.04am
DeleteYou can imagine the scenario frankly. You're sacked and are considering via solicitors taking action for unfair dismissal. The ex-employer then sends an incomplete form for something else entirely to those solicitors demanding a signature (rather than the ex-employee who they should send it to as they have no right to cause that ex-employee any solicitor costs for their own purposes).
ReplyDeleteYeah right, if I was in that position I'd sign an incomplete form where the ex-employer would be able I guess, to insert a paragraph of their own choosing and claim I'd signed up to it. I'd trust them not to take advantage of my utter cupidity and stupidity!
What a load of baloney!
Unintentionally hilarious piece from Alba drone Gareth Wardell:
ReplyDelete"Chairing the two day’s meeting, a thankless task, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh was more relaxed than I have ever seen her. The absence of antagonism and personality clashes from the floor was a welcome change. Unity was everywhere."
I'm sure it was, Gareth, I'm sure it was, just as the Ba'ath Party had "unity everywhere" after Saddam Hussein executed everyone with a mind of their own. Saddam, too, tended to be fairly "relaxed" afterwards, with very few remaining "personality clashes".
There is one difference, of course. Saddam actually had power over a nation, whereas Tas has hollowed out her own party so much that she is now the unchallenged Queen of Nothing and of Nowhere.
👍👍👍
DeleteRound about the 14 minute mark you ask 'where else will the pressure come from?' There shouldn't need to be pressure. That's the point. The SNP are not driving independence. And there is a reason for that James, and it's a simple one, they are not up for it. Nothing in the BIS plan has an answer to either Westminster saying 'get stuffed' nor Swinney saying 'Naw, this isnae the right time'
ReplyDeleteSpot on WT. “ There shouldn’t need to be pressure.”
DeleteThe answer was always a de facto referendum. There has been nothing stopping the SNP calling a Holyrood de facto at any point over past years and even now they could but as you say WT they ain’t interested. The SNP trolls on SGP are just interested in the SNP winning elections. That will not protect them or Scotland if Farage becomes PM. Whether Farage becomes PM will be down to the voters in England and, as ever, Scotland the colony has to wait and see what a Westminster run by Farage will do.
What absolute tosh you talk IFS, everybody and his dog knows no Scottish political party can affect what England votes, but we can affect what Scotland votes by telling you and your cronies that Alba the never was party are never ever going to be anything more than what they are, NOTHING
DeleteSNP 1 and 2 is and was before the only option
👍truth
ReplyDeleteHas John Swinney played a blinder by putting the future of the UK into Keir Starmer’s hands?
ReplyDeleteI think he has. And I’ll admit it, I’ve got my tail between my legs and a slice of humble pie on my plate (I've been very critical and dismissive of Swinney). What looked like weakness might just turn out to be strategy of the highest order.
Because if the SNP win a majority of seats in May 2026, 65 or more, perhaps even all 73 constituency seats, then the mandate is beyond question. The ball will be in Keir Starmer’s court. And whatever he does next will define not just his government, but the Union itself.
If Starmer refuses a Section 30 Order, he’ll prove to Scotland, and to the world, that this is not a voluntary union at all, that the United Kingdom is a fraud built on denial of democracy. And that must bring an end to the Union.
If the SNP get a parliamentary majority of 65 seats and John Swinney goes to Keir Starmer and Starmer says 'No', and then Swinney picks up the phone, or jumps on a plane, and invites the President of the US, American-Scot Donald Trump, to be the first world leader to recognise Scotland as an independent state, I don't for a second think that he'd also say 'No'.
So yes, Swinney may well have played a blinder. It’s now down to us. Whatever we do with our second vote, we must unite behind the SNP in the constituencies to deliver that majority, the mandate that forces the issue.
(I'll be voting SNP in the constituency vote, not holding my nose, but methaphorically shaking Swinney's hand as I do so. My regional list vote will go to Alba, to maximise the number of pro-independence MSPs in Holyrood. i.e. SNP 1 & Alba 2 for me)
It's time for a few home truths if someone has somehow convinced you that voting Alba on the list will "maximise the number of pro-independence MSPs". In the most recent poll, Alba were on only 1% of the list vote - just one-sixth, or some would argue one-eighth, of what would be required to win list seats. That simply isn't going to happen. If you vote Alba on the list, then as far as seat distribution goes you are abstaining, because Alba will take zero seats. To maximise the number of pro-independence MSPs you need to vote for a party capable of winning list seats. Only two such parties exist. Those parties are the SNP and the Greens.
DeleteI have to believe this is satire with the Alba List vote statement. No one can possibly believe Alba will secure any list votes. They might not even get 1%. As for Swinney playing a blinder and the idea of relying on Trump for anything, that has to be a mickey take. What Swinney has done is establish a precedent that will haunt Indy for the foreseeable future.
Delete