Saturday 22 February 2014

THIS IS WHAT THEY THINK OF US. VOTE NO AT YOUR PERIL


Priti Patel said the Prime Minister should demand the country starts to “pay for itself”. (Instead of paying for itself and a bit of the rest of the UK, I presume she means.)

Patel said Scots get a better deal than the rest of the UK due to policies like free prescriptions and tuition fees. (I wonder why that would be... something about good governance maybe?)

And in a speech organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs – Maggie Thatcher’s favourite think-tank – she said the independence debate provided a “good opportunity” to slash spending. (Well, there, don't say we weren't warned.)

Her outburst will embarrass Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson and undermine the Better Together campaign to keep Scotland in the UK. (It should embarrass her and the right wing of the Tory Party too, so steeped in ignorance as it is. But the BT campaign and Davidson are not easily embarrassed, have no fear.)

Patel said: “There are many areas such as elderly care, tuition fees and prescriptions where Scots are basically getting a better deal than the rest of the country". (She should delve into why England doesn't have these things. They were brought in by either Labour controlled or an SNP government. The right wing governments of England don't care about the elderly or the sick.)

Patel claimed the latest figures showed the public sector in Scotland cost billions. (I don't know where she got the figures from, but as the bulk of the UK civil service is in England, and in London, I am wondering. She might also remember that Thatcher and Major did send some Civil Service jobs to Scotland as compensation for the many thousands that they destroyed in our heavy industry.)


“So there is a good opportunity now for the UK Government to actually start having discussions to make sure that Scotland actually pays for itself.”

(A recent report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies showed public spending per head in Scotland was £1200 higher than the rest of the UK but noted that oil revenues more than make up for this.)

Patel’s comments were last night seized on by the SNP. MSP Jamie Hepburn said: “What unbelievable claptrap from this top Tory. (She's not a top Tory in fairness. She's a backbencher, and not a very bright one, otherwise she'd have made the bottom ranks of minister by now.)

“Once again the mask has slipped and we see the true attitude of the UK Government towards Scotland.

“Scotland more than pays its way – generating 9.6 per cent of UK tax revenue in return for just 9.3 per cent of expenditure.

“But who can doubt that the Tories would cut Scotland’s budget even further if the referendum result was No?”

A Scottish Tory spokesman (unnamed) said: “Priti Patel obviously does not understand that while Scotland benefits from free prescriptions and free personal care, we have 2000 less (SIC(fewer) nurses – and patients with rare cancers go without life-saving drugs, unlike in England. (WHAT? NO WONDER THEY DIDN'T GIVE THEIR NAME! The Tory spokesman must, or at least should, know perfectly well that there are drugs available in Scotland that are not available in England and vice  versa. These low life just can't help slipping in a lie to make their case sound better.)

“Politics is all about choices and she would do well to take this into account when making future speeches about the devolved settlement in Scotland.” (Well at least they got that right. We could note that in France everyone does get whatever drug they need, and cancer patients are treated within days of diagnosis, but in fairness they do pay a great deal more for this service. They also have almost twice as many doctors per head as in the UK, but they pay them very much less...so choices is the name of the game.) 

Patel, the MP for Witham, Essex, since 2010, also demanded Cameron target funding for trade unions and foreign aid to cut the deficit.

23 comments:

  1. Patel is a Tory, red in tooth and claw.

    I imagine when you get far enough up the hierarchy of Torydom you get a special operation to remove any pity, sympathy or humanity from your brain. That might explain why, rather than emulating the Scottish Government, they prefer to sow envy amongst their electorate, for make no mistake it is almost exclusively an English electotrate.

    However, it is wrong to view this sort of speech as 'just a back bencher'. This view, wrong as it is, has been meat and drink for the 'backlash' against Scottish independence. You, very decently, allow me to comment here, but this MP has a far larger stage to conduct her lies upon.

    WoS 'dictator bingo' has now morphed into 'name a country bingo'. Recently we have been compared to the Ukraine and Kosovo. (I wish the peoples of these countries well, but their troubles are not ours).

    I frankly despair of the laggards at the back, like Patel, who has no knowledge whatsoever of what she speaks, yet will be given miles of column inches tommorrow.

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    1. I wonder if they are born with it instead Douglas... or rather without it. Just as some people are born without a sense of humour.

      When I said she was just a back bencher of course, I didn't mean to say that her speech was any the less poisonous. Indeed most of the really poisonous people in the Tories are "just backbenchers". They have to be kept far away from the public eye, because even in the affluent south east, they go a bit too far.

      But they have enormous pull and influence these people. They don't care for Cameron because he isn't harsh enough.

      I think some of them believe that they are a superior species,; that they and us are quite honestly the rulers and the ruled.

      It is reinforced of course by the incredible wealth from which some of them come and which keeps them at arm's length from life as it is really lived by ordinary Scots or Englishmen...

      Patel doesn't come from that background herself, she is the child of Ugandan Asians who were expelled by Idi Amin. But she seems to have adopted the ignorant and blinkered view of the world that they have by birth.

      She should reflect on her own lot in life.

      She famously said that Brits are the laziest workforce in the world. Nice.

      But I must protest. I don't "allow" you to comment on here, though, Douglas... I am delighted that you share your views , as I am with all our other correspondents. :)

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  2. I just heard that Barroso is up for the job as Nato Secretary General... and Cameron is backing him.

    Well, who would have thought it?

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    1. Told you so, on WoS anyway. Barosso is in it for Barosso and nobody else. He is an ex Maoist, by the way.

      On the other hand, If Anders Fogh Rasmussen the current head of Nato was to be offered Barosso's job, that would be a win for the EU. He was a very serious candidate for the EU top job when Barosso got it in the political horse trading that in how these jobs seem to be decided.

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  3. we wil soon be rid of you labour voting parasites VOTE YES please !!!!!

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    1. I think that many people will return to Labour after independence.

      Labour could be, without the interference of London, which , of course has had to make its policies based on the needs and aspirations of the South East of England (ie, where the voters are).

      A proper Labour party would welcome the opportunity to put Labour policies into place.

      Still.... I agree with VOTE YES!

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  4. If Scotland has given Westminster anything it's a platform to indulge their ignorant views

    Davie reckons the oil and gas industry would be better remaining in the UK Who would have guessed that going will be giving him sleepless nights?

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    1. I hear that heis likely to tell us that without the UK's broad shoulders we would never have managed to extract any oil.

      Good luck to him with that one.

      As I recall the only foreign accents you hear in Aberdeen are Texan!

      I think it was American oil companies that helped us to extract oil.

      I wonder where the broad shoulders of the Uk were in the Norwegian oil industry?

      Another blunder on the way, I fear.

      Still, this should be a good week for us. A whole bunch of Tory Posh Boys and Tessy May coming up to patronise us...

      Splendid.

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    2. fairforfochen

      Push for Scottish independence losing momentum

      Almost half of Scots (46 per cent) say a Yes vote would bad for the economy, while just 35 per cent believe it would be good.

      And despite a drive to create a more equal society being at the heart of the SNP’s independence drive, including a pledge to scrap the bedroom tax, voters remain to be convinced that the situation will get any better after a Yes vote.
      http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/push-for-scottish-independence-losing-momentum-1-3316371

      Just over half (51 per cent) say inequality levels will remain unchanged or even get worse after a Yes vote. Only a third say this situation is likely to improve, while 16 per cent don’t know.

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    3. SALMOND SHOULD REALLY BE CAMPAIGNING IN ENGLAND

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  5. I don't think 'anonymous' quite gets it...

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    1. I fear so...

      How are you Conan? Long time no hear...

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  6. tris

    Hmm ! nice positive message for Independence Im sure Alex
    will be proud of the campaign.

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    1. Aye, sometimes there's even negativity on the YES side.

      It must be infectious.

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  7. Been pretty ill.
    Was in A&E Friday the 13th of December! Needed five units of blood, been off work ever since.
    Couple more tests and hopefully back to work sometime in March.

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    1. Truly sorry to hear that Conan. I had no idea. Sometimes you just lurk, rather than comment.

      I'm relieved to hear that you're on the mend mate.

      I could ask Niko to pop in and see you if you like....?

      :)

      Or maybe not...

      Just get well matey!

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    2. Sorry to hear that Conan, get well soon, looking forward to seeing you at Ians gathering in Glasgow.

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    3. Jeez the Lurgi still got ye?

      Still getting mouth to mouth at home?

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  8. Hi Niko
    I would question anything the Scotsman prints Why else is it going down the pan

    I live in hope Niko that things will improve with independence, we will only ever know if we do it and I have every faith in my fellow Scot We have proved over and over again we have the ideas and the people to put them into action I believe life will only get worse if we go on as we are.

    It is not for myself I hold these hopes My needs are few I have good health a roof over my head and enough food for my belly What more could I want for myself but I can hope for the same for everyone else who find themselves in a less fortunate position


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  9. Tris

    She is only saying what they are all talking about and people better realise the result of a no vote on Scotland. I have also been disappointed by the YES campaign recently, it is now time to get real. They need to come out and say we are using the pound either way, if no agreement then we will negotiate a very tough settlement as far as debt goes. We need to also say that in the event of a no for Europe then fishing in Scottish waters will not be allowed by anyone but Scottish vessels. Its time to get all Jim Sillars on the NO Nay Sayers.

    Bruce

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    1. Well, certainly what a lot of people are saying.

      Even the Tories in Scotland seem to realise that what you spend your money on is a matter of choice. God only knows what the English spend theirs on. We spend ours on pensioners and bailing out the poor from the horrific effects of the Tories' vile social security cuts.

      The EU won't turn us down. That's just silly.

      But supposing for a minute they did I would agree. Fishing rights for all would have to stop.

      And the YES campaign needs to be absolutely clear that it will use the pound.

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