Chief Editorial Editor at The Independent:-- "When you
look at Darling now, though, and you listen to what he says about Scotland, and
you hear him saying petulantly, as he did on Monday, that he was “angry, very
angry” about what he insisted was the loose way of the Salmond team with its
economic figures, did you believe him? Or did you think, as I instinctively
did, that Darling, with his clipped phrases, his mock scorn and his negativity,
were the past, and the future was somewhere and someone else?"
 |
| I think that's mean Santa. Give the boy a gun and some bullets, and some for his friends. |
 |
| He's all heart, apart from his head which is clearly a condom, suggesting that he's a bit of a..... |
 |
| Who on earth is this idiot? Anyone here watch daytime tv ? |
 |
| Oh look, Mr Duncan Smith is on fire. If I wasn't so tired, I'd phone the fire brigade. Still, I'll be refreshed in the morning. Maybe I'll phone then. |
Dear Scotland
It seems that our esteemed first minister Carwyn Jones has
visited your country to warn you against the evils of independence.
Please do not assume that he speaks for all Welsh people. He does not. He speaks only for the Labour party in Wales.
Labour has ruled Wales as a political feoff for almost a century and has, in that time, reduced our nation to a door mat for our next-door neighbours to wipe their feet on. The Welsh electorate are regarded as mere voting fodder. We are here to ensure that Westminster occasionally has a left-of-centre government.
Welsh constituencies contain communities that are amongst the poorest and most deprived in the UK. Little has been done to improve their conditions: after all, poor areas are more likely to vote Labour that affluent ones.
Many of us in Wales are eagerly following developments in Scotland. We look to you Scots to lead the way.
We hope that you grasp your future and lead your nation from under the cloud of English domination into the light of freedom.
Good luck Scotland.
Chris Schoen,
Tal Gwynedd, Heol y Bedyddwyr, Penygroes, Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
Please do not assume that he speaks for all Welsh people. He does not. He speaks only for the Labour party in Wales.
Labour has ruled Wales as a political feoff for almost a century and has, in that time, reduced our nation to a door mat for our next-door neighbours to wipe their feet on. The Welsh electorate are regarded as mere voting fodder. We are here to ensure that Westminster occasionally has a left-of-centre government.
Welsh constituencies contain communities that are amongst the poorest and most deprived in the UK. Little has been done to improve their conditions: after all, poor areas are more likely to vote Labour that affluent ones.
Many of us in Wales are eagerly following developments in Scotland. We look to you Scots to lead the way.
We hope that you grasp your future and lead your nation from under the cloud of English domination into the light of freedom.
Good luck Scotland.
Chris Schoen,
Tal Gwynedd, Heol y Bedyddwyr, Penygroes, Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
pedants r us
ReplyDeleteDear Mr King
Thank you for your further correspondence regarding the edition of Saturday Kitchen Live broadcast on 2 November.
As I’m sure you may have gathered by now, James is passionate about his home county and the reflection of the recent news story about Lonely Planet’s rankings struck a chord with the show. It was simply a chance to praise the county of his birth at a time which was editorially relevant. James did seem to confuse the lists and although he didn’t say which list he was referring to, if any, he did group Yorkshire with Brazil and Antarctica.
James: “Yorkshire got voted number 3 in the world. Check that out. This is number 3 in the world. Antarctica, Brazil, and Yorkshire”.
This was simply a slip of the tongue under the pressures of live TV. Indeed at the same time James was saying this, guest chef Glynn Purnell (from Birmingham), was saying that Birmingham belongs at number 2 so it was clearly a bit of fun and banter. However, we’re sorry if you feel the comments could be misconstrued.
While I hope this addresses your concerns, if you feel this constitutes a serious editorial breach and you wish to take your complaint further you can contact the BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit (within 20 working days). You can email the ECU at: ecu@bbc.co.uk , or alternatively write to them at the following address:
Editorial Complaints Unit
Media Centre
MC3 D3
201 Wood Lane
London
W12 7TP
whadja think I should do folks? look at the word "further" they having a pop do you think?
I was thinking along the lines of a reply
ReplyDeleteIn the interests of "fun and banter" it would reaaallllyy peachy (melba) if Jamsie could insert a retraction next week before he talks anymore crepes (as they say in Edinburgh)
cumon I need inspiration for my next gastronomic masterpiece :)
"although he didn’t say which list he was referring to, if any, he did group Yorkshire with Brazil and Antarctica."
ReplyDeletewhat? trying to out pedant me?
you notice no mention of the S word seems like we have gathered a reputation as toxic as the Shakespeare play who's name shall not be mentioned, the Sc, the Sco oh?
the play from the land where they paint their arses blue or is that the cold?
"guest chef Glynn Purnell (from Birmingham), was saying that Birmingham belongs at number 2 so it was clearly a bit of fun and banter. "
ReplyDeletein the spirit of "fun and banter" I would like to propose that london relinquish the title of capital of the UK and give it to Edinburgh,
no really!
hand it over you've had your fun for 300 years it's our turn now,
That's a bit of a climb down from their previous position, John.
DeleteThey seem for the first time to have accepted that he made a mistake. Live television... Of course he should probably be experienced enough to not make mistakes just because he's live.
I honestly think you should thank them politely for their reply and suggest that james might make a point of mentioning his error on live tv, and apologise for any distress it may have caused viewers in Scotland. You could also point out that this is a very sensitive time in Scotland and people are rightly aware of any effort to degrade Scotland's status.
But then I'm not the perdant that you are... :)
But well done for forcing the BBC into a climbdown.
"But then I'm not the perdant that you are... :)"
Deleteehh thanks?
The future right but not the snp one that
ReplyDeleteleads only to the triumph of evil and
the destruction of our society.
The snp led by Alex salmond are demons
ruled by the devil.
whatever futre is chosen by Scotland within the UK
it aint gonna be the snps version.
as the latest opinion polls show.
Which Poll Niko?
DeleteThe Real Arguements For Independenc
OK Niko...
DeleteNumber 1: Why is it an SNP future and not an Old Labour future, or Scottish Socialist Future or even Green Future?
Number 2: Have you ruled out the possibility of labour forming a government in Scotland without having to take into consideration the quite genuine needs of 10 million very rich people in the south of England when drawing up its manifesto?
Number 3: Are you happy that our oil money is putting in a super sewer in London and building a railway to Leeds (which apparently will be so expensive to use that people like you and me could forget it, even should we wish to travel to Birmingham, from London?
Number 4: Why would a party that tried to help to the maximum of its legal powers, those worst hit by the inhumanity of George Osborne, and builds council houses for people who can't afford the price of a house, be evil?
Answers would be appreciated matey!
Yesterday George Osborne crowed about how we could not afford a welfare state. The poor it seems are to be criminalised, their punishment more poverty. Labour oddly quiet and looking nervous. The very fabric of the union is being torn to tatters by a cosy yet fundamentally dysfunctional westminster.
DeleteYet Niko comes here and yet again lets forth a display of such moronic blatherings about the SNP as a force of Evil. FFS Niko what is it you actually expect to happen here? Why do you come here to this forum. Do you think anyone here actually thinks your opinions (and I use that term broadly) are worthy of merit.
I have no idea why Tris bothers with you. Your increasingly insane and offensive utterings are worthy of nothing more but utter contempt.
I really think you should stop coming here, I really do. You are without a doubt the dumbest supporter of the union i have ever com across.
James
DeleteWhy dont you have yer own blog then you can ban who you like,probaly cos yer so horrible no one will visist let alone read the nasty things you write. seems in the inclusive common weill of the nats doesn't include people with psychological impairments, as you like to use it as way to demonise and attack those you disagree with.
To be honest yer lack of control speaks volumes on you and
your personality a sad and lonely one at that.
James...Niko and I go back a long way, and he doesn't men most of what he says. He's just winding me up.
DeleteIn the end I bet he'll vote yes, because actually underneath the rubbish he writes, he's intelligent, well read and a decent sort of bloke...Honestly (I know it's hard to believe).
Seriously there is no malice in Niko. You just have to take what he puts up here, and on his own blog, with a pinch of salt.
And Niko! Stop being rude to other people who are posting here, or I'll get Taz to bite your ass.
What is Labour's answer to the pronouncement from Osborne that Britain can no longer afford a Welfare State... the one that was set up by Labour?
Nico says
Delete"The snp led by Alex salmond are demons
ruled by the devil.
whatever futre is chosen by Scotland within the UK
it aint gonna be the snps version."
Wow you really need to not eat strong cheese before you go to bed
I dont feel like a demon, ? am I a demon tris? anyone?
I cant carry this burden alone ppplllleeeaassse put a stake through my heart and put me out of my misery waaaahaaaaa
You're not a demon John. Don't worry.
DeleteNiko's a nutter though!!
OT: tris Derek Bateman blog have changed address.
ReplyDeletehttp://derekbateman1.wordpress.com
http://derekbateman2.wordpress.com
I'll get that changed the CH... Thanks
Deletetris
ReplyDeleteno 1 any win in the referendum will be portrayed rightly or wrongly
as a victory for the snp which i can not countenance. if the snp want all
the credit they are going to have to get the votes on there own
no 2 i refer you to my answer above
also the dominant rich number far less than the millions you suggest
no 3 err ! no i am not happy
no 4 not sure how a tax freeze for the rich helps the poor the snp
white paper say no income tax increases another bung for wealthy scots they think. perhaps they could use the cash to help those without,
why dont they do that eh???
Nationalism is everywhere and always evil people who support it are at best misguided at worst evil with malice aforethought.
Now sometimes i embellish a bit to reflect my artistic side but don't
recollect being as offensive as Mr morton (horrid boorish as he is )
Still he just reveals how as the tide is not contrary to the snp faux bravado flowing the snps way. Some more extreme nats in panic are beginning to behave in a more aggressive, volatile way as he shows sad but there you go.
And as for him acting as the self appointed doorman to the republic well me and taz shall just ignore him, after all he is not the landlord.
Niko if the UK collect all of taxes it is instead of letting c£120 billion be sent offshore then taxes could be cut and social security increased but that would not be allowed by the city of London.
Delete1. But it won't be... and that's a bit insulting to people like Mr Grogan. I doubt very much the Labour press or the unionist BBC in Scotland will be wanting to give Salmond all the credit.
Delete2. It doesn't really matter how many people there are in the South East of England. The deal, as Mr Mandelson said, is that you have to win the south east to form a government. Scotland Wales and the North of England can be relied upon to vote Labour anyway.
3. Neither am I. Just imagine what Scotland could do with that. And we don't even get a share of it!
4. Because for the poor, an extra few pounds makes a huge difference. Saving £5 a week is a big deal when you can buy enough own brand crap to feed your kids with it. On the other hand the £7.50 the rich save on the same tax is totally unnoticed.
It would be good if there was a way to put up the rich's tax take from housing, without taking from the poor... Oh wait, there is. It's called local income tax, but Labour and the Tories voted against it.
You be nice to people in here... do you hear me? You don't want to get Little Munguin cross, do you?
And worse, I'll tell Mr Brownlie... adn you know what that means.
tris
ReplyDeleteLabour did not create a welfare state they instituted social policies
to ensure the citzens of the UK had a modicum of social security.
the term welfare is a neo-liberal term used to denigrate the benign use of
the state to aid their citzens in need.
Niko: I accept that the term Welfare is exactly what you said, but I've taken this from Wiki:
DeleteA welfare state is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. The general term may cover a variety of forms of economic and social organization."[1] The sociologist T.H. Marshall identified the welfare state as a distinctive combination of democracy, welfare, and capitalism. Scholars have paid special attention to the historic paths by which Germany, Britain and other countries developed their welfare state.
Modern welfare states include the Nordic countries, such as Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland[2] which employ a system known as the Nordic model. The welfare state involves a transfer of funds from the state, to the services provided (i.e. healthcare, education) as well as directly to individuals ("benefits"). Esping-Andersen classified the most developed welfare state systems into three categories; Social Democratic, Conservative, and Liberal.[3]
The welfare state is funded through redistributionist taxation and is often referred to as a type of "mixed economy".[4] Such taxation usually includes a larger income tax for people with higher incomes, called a progressive tax. This helps to reduce the income gap between the rich and poor.[5][
>>>>>
Following the Labour election victory in the 1945 general election many of Beveridge's reforms were implemented through a series of Acts of Parliament. On 5 July 1948, the National Insurance Act, National Assistance Act and National Health Service Act came into force, forming the key planks of the modern UK welfare state. The cheapness of what was to be called National Insurance was an argument alongside fairness, and justified a scheme in which the rich paid in and the state paid out to the rich, just as for the poor. In the original scheme, only some benefits called National Assistance were to be paid regardless of contribution. Universal benefits paid to both the rich and the poor, such as Universal Child Benefit, were particularly beneficial after the Second World War, when the birth rate was low. Universal Child Benefit may have helped drive the baby boom.
But I accept that the "Welfare state" actually started with the Liberals, in the 20s with the introduction of a pension for people over the age of 70 and still alive. (Very few.)
DeleteOff Topic, I have just seen Nick Clegg up here to patronise the Glaswegians by telling them they were courageous.
DeleteWhy was he here? He's the MP for Sheffield. It actually made me feel sick.
If we want a comment from a UK politician then Jim Murphy, who was actually there on the night and was part of the bravery and compassion, would do fine.
Gawd Niko "Round and round a rugged rock a rugged rascal ran if you can ........" These carousel points go round faster than the Magic Roundabout with you sam, same, ad infinitum just to stop you saying Yes.
DeleteScottish independence: A lifeboat for disabled people drowning in a sea of cuts
The Labour party have promised us Tory spending plans until 2017 and have been receiving advice from the Fabian Society on cutting a further £5 billion by extending disability cuts (via re-assessments) to pensioners eligible for attendance allowance. Echoing the Tory narrative, the Scottish Labour leader, Johann Lamont, has spoken publicly of Scotland as the only “something for nothing” country in Europe. Labour remain steadfastly committed to the path of cuts and austerity, while saying precious little about how they will reform the taxation system to eliminate the rampant corporate and high net worth tax avoidance that is depriving the UK of up to £120 billion a year. They talk incessantly about making “tough choices”.
It is said "Put up or shut up" voting no means you agree in punishing those unable to help themselves.
The thing that bugs me most is this something for nothing.
DeleteWe pay national insurance and tax.
It's not for nothing. It's not some beneficent overlord from the aristocracy or royalty who are doling out THEIR money to us.
We have paid for it all our lives, and furthermore they haven't saved any of it for us.
None of the pensions are funded. They have to be paid out of taxation. Our taxation.
We don't, Ms Lamont, want something for nothing.
We do, though, expect something in return for all the tax we have paid for all the years we have been working, and all the VAT and duty and TV licence fee and road tax and all the other ways you politicians manage to take out money and waste it.
On the other hand we don;t really want to go around the middle east blowing up brown people because they are brown and have oil.
Just a little side note here.
I see Cameron has been humiliated by the state owned and run People's Daily.
Never happened to our first minister when he went there.
Oh dear, you better hope America hangs on to the top spot a little longer. If China gets it... Britain is finished.
ch
DeleteMy disabled brother has failed his atos and now awaits his appeal, a tragic situation and just a nightmare for him.
my other brother passed his ( being unable to walk may have helped) , But then was informed he failed (boo) and then they realised they made a mistake. and he had passed (hooray ).
unfortunately having stopped his benefits immediately its going to be six weeks to reinstate his payments, meaning no money over xmas. so we turn to the the traditional method of social security......the family who have rallied round . till he gets sorted out.
So you see ch your silly little attempt at meaningless point scoring is a bit off key.
Lord Niko that is terrible.
DeleteReal sympathies to your brothers.
All politics apart.
Of course in your case the family is there to help, and yes, that was the original social security. But when that was what we had to rely on we didn't pay 12% of our salary for it.
We were promised we would be looked after cradle to grave, for the money that we had to shell out.
So much for promises.
The trouble is that some families just cannot afford to help much.
Wicked.
Let's know the outcome.
tris will do when his appeal turns up
Deletetris
ReplyDeleteyeah well cameron couldn't come as the Scots don't like him
so he went to China, Er ! were he isnt liked either Oops !
too much Flashman and not enough Statesman. Although he
is not much of prime minister or politician he couldn't even win an election.
What are you offering to your fellow Scots by voting no or abstaining Niko? It is about time you started to answer questions put to yourself otherwise you could be classed as a troll, which I don't believe you are but your verbosity against Yes suggests otherwise.
DeleteTrue Niko... and the new post points out just how his going there has humiliated Britain, and him...
DeleteHe'd have been better off staying in in country mansion, or one of them, where maybe he is liked.
Any notion that Clegg came becasue he was liked is a bit of a joke. He''s even a bigger liar than Cameron.
Cameron promised he wouldn't be TOO nasty before the election that he didn't win (but you know that's the system of government that he chose to support in his referendum). So he lied a bit. He's been a complete bastard.
Clegg on the other hand pretended he was going to be a nice guy... and has annihilated the Liberals for a couple of generations.
Neat work, you two faced git. Now sod off to Sheffield and don't come back. We don't need patronising rich people to come and tell us we are staunch and brave.
Off you pop and see if you can find a greenhouse anywhere...
CH. You know he's just winding you up.
Deletetris
Deletetrue but the stomach churning truth is they the tory scum are
attracting a level of support which makes me reflect badly on human nature.
They the Tory scum/filth have created a fall guy/woman for
the nasty peole in the uk to blame. now them being poor disabled and vulnerable leads them to presenting an image
of looking poorly dressed and in ill health . which is Brill for the tory media see pic of physically disabled scruff contrasted with rich healthy fashionable tory.
now who should you believe the lazy scruff scrounger or the tax paying hard-working good looking Tory ???
see vote for the tory and burn the poor who deserve all the pain as it makes some feel all warm inside,
in a nut shell the Tory/ Lynton Crosby winning strategy they hope. lots will vote for it..I could throw up and I will hold me hand up and say there job was made easier as Labour made it so the torys only travelled a bit further and a bit faster than labour had been going.
Which is why only by voting YES will the rest of the UK be shaken up by the populace rejecting Westminster and its corrupt inhuman policies.
DeleteWinding one up tris in a trivial matter is not a problem but independence is on a completely different scale and requires a far more intelligent response from unionists such as Niko as people get angry by their flippancy as displayed by James above.
Deletech
ReplyDeleteanger is understandable but does not entail aggressive abusive attacks
on people in an attempt to shut down and censor any opposition to the nat agenda.
Flippancy well most people throughput Scotland and the uk
believe not without justification politics is joke occupation.
and whatever way you vote business will decide the policy
any government will implement,
and the snp to date have done nothing to disprove that fact.
Shallow response Niko as everything there is an opinion which is why aggression comes to the forefront because bottling it up is not good for anyone. You have compared the SNP to the Nazi's in the past which I and no doubt many others find very offensive and peoples well being is not a joke which you are playing there.
DeleteHow do you know what policies a government in an independent Scotland will come up with, you don't so get real for once in your life rather than oppose for oppositions sake.
I think we should be able to have a discussion, and have a laugh at the same time guys.
ReplyDeleteWe've all known Niko for over 4 years on here, and before on Advanced Media Watcha and Conan's blog and others.
We all know he's pulling legs, and sometimes he goes too far (don't you Niko?)
Maybe I should just ignore Niko as he is wasting my time as he is unable to back up any his ludicrous assertions with facts.
DeleteI'll treat him with the respect he desrves.
LOL... almost as cute as Munguin (but obviously not).
DeleteWhen he's in one of his rants, he's not expecting a serious argument from you CH...
But I'm determined to try to convert him...
I know his socialist mind will see sense in the end.
niko,
ReplyDeleteI can never, ever, understand when you have personal experience of the evils of ATOS and the other private capital companies set up by Labour and Tories that you still, like many others unfortunately, bury your head in the sand, toe the party line, doff the begging cap and vote No to reinforce the hegemony enjoyed by the Westminster buggins-turn governments.
You refer to evil and scum but I cannot think of anything more evil than Blair and his "dodgy dossier" which was nothing less than an incitement to murder. It was common knowledge in the Westminster bars that not only was the dossier "dodgy" but that the invasion was going to go ahead regardless. Despite that the Labour MPs, to their eternal shame, voted in support of Blair and, thus, condemned hundreds of thousands to death.
Because it was common knowledge they cannot use ignorance or trust in their leaders as an excuse.
There is talk that, in the event of independence, some of the Labour "big hitters(?)" will play a prominent part in Scottish politics but if that is the case then none of the bastards who voted with Blair will ever get my vote and I will be doing all I can to ensure that they do not get enough votes to form a government in Scotland.
.
brownlie
ReplyDeletefair enough but were have the snp said the private sector and profit
seeking will play no part in provision of public social policies in Scotland???
I do know that when they got in to power in 2007, they got rid of many (if not all) the private contracts to provide heath care that the previous administration had entered into.
DeleteIn all but two hospitals in the country they got rid of parking charges, the two exceptions (ERI and Ninewells) had contracts sewn up too tight for them to be broken.
So when I took a fried to hospital with pneumonia I had to pay £2 up front for parking in the emergency car park. not to do so would involve a fine... never mind she could hardly breathe!
Nico,
ReplyDeleteGive me a Scottish Labour party with Malcolm Chisholm as First Minister and I'll vote for that. Either that or Cathy - I know her heart if in the right place!
Yeh yeah... it's not her heart you're caring about!
DeleteI've often though Chisholm was a good man (he kept his seat when many other lost theirs, but I don't see him as being the kind of man who wants to be a leader.
He's a free spirit though and a decent man.
Pity there are so few like him.