“My recollection with 2005 was that Tories got more votes than labour in England, but no idea what that does to seats. could look tomorrow: gut feeling is that its a close run thing”

It wasn’t close at all, actually – Labour were miles ahead.

But-if the supposed anti-English driver of the SNP were actually true (which it isn’t), then Joan McAlpine would be a heroine. She isn’t, she is simply an inexperienced politician elected for the first time last May. Again, in Cameron style, the non-neutral referee Dimbleby allowed Nicola Sturgeon to be bullied about it on Question Time, thereby ironically neutralising it as an effective attack on the SNP in Scotland.

In political terms by speaking without due care to how her words would be perverted by her opponents, she has allowed the SNP’s opponents a rare opportunity to pretend that she is anti-English when she simply believes (as I do) that the union and the unionist parties do not prioritise Scottish interests. 

So you simply believe that your opponents are rogues or fools rather than people who hold different views from you?

“So you simply believe that your opponents are rogues or fools rather than people who hold different views from you?”

Their actions rather speak for themselves.  They could have just respected the mandate delivered last year – as they said they would do.

If the SNP are going into battle on the basis that only they are true Scots, that’s a courageous strategy.

“If the SNP are going into battle on the basis that only they are true Scots, that’s a courageous strategy.”

That’s certainly a courageous interpretation of my words.

Apols if posted already – this is rather amusing if you aren’t a Nit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va6r5Ez-VF8

The priority of the 3 major unionist parties is the establishment of a Westminster Government dominated by their particular party

All else is understandably, but unacceptably to me and many others in Scotland, a secondary consideration.

My unionist opponents are not fools (though some are indeed rogues like the “parcel of rogues in a nation” referred to by Burns) , but they have tried to fool the electorate that they could prioritise Scottish interests while pursing their principal goal-they can’t.

“James MacMillan disagrees with you.”

Er, that’s fine.  It’s a free world.

Apologies if already posted, there is a new downfall vid about the SNP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va6r5Ez-VF8

He seems to think that the fact “he met this woman once” gives him some kind of special authority.  Well, I met her once as well, as have countless numbers of people, I suspect!  

There have been reports that Mossad is false-flagging anti-Iran operations as CIA initiatives, which is not calculated to impress the Americans.

You think that bothers the Israelis? Not nearly enough.

“It isn’t a free world.”

Only because we have the likes of Cameron telling us what we can and can’t do.  Joan McAlpine is a huge asset, for my money – when she’s not being quoted out of context.

I see that it was uploaded by Tom Harris – wonder if he wrote the script himself?  The bitterness about “lottery wins” would certainly tie in with what we’ve heard from him recently.

Socrates

Latest analysis is indeed that the US called the exercise off, not the Israelis. The US issue? Israel wont give them an assurance that they’ll attack Iran without telling the US first. They are in a wild sweat that the Israelis are going to go for it and clearly don’t know for sure. The major trigger is the plans to wind down Dimona which the US have interpreted, possibly correctly, as a precursor to an attack. Dimona will take time to close though. 

As if the Israelis would be so stupid. They routinely do not tell the Americans about plenty (including their acquiring of their own nuclear capability) and no country is going to have its right to independent action stymied, whatever the consequences. 

Still, lets see whether all those US troops who have parked up for a multi month stay go home or not.

It wouldn’t suprise me if it was written by Tom Harris

I have just started watching Ed Miliband on the Andrew Marr Show. I am about three minutes in to the interview and can see immediately that there is scope for another Downfall spoof, if it not being made already.

Joan of Arc of Prosperity. Burn Lassie Burn.

Labour are screwed. They made the critical mistake of letting their opponents define the position of the party.

The Labour-hating PB.com herd and Telegraph-readers aren’t suddenly going to start supporting Labour.

All Labour has done has single-handedly destroyed the narrative and undermined their own credibility. They’ve handed the Conservatives the next election on a plate.

I do not think he got an answer. The programme is likely to be delayed – given that we at least will now have a catapult on the second carrier then we would be able to use alternative planes.

Yes, she’s inexperienced enough to make the mistake of revealing what she really thinks. We all know its part of Salmond’s brilliance that he’s managed to put up a facade over the tartan jingoism.

It was a similar thing in Ireland that made them poor as **** for a half century after independence: because once they left, it was the tub-thumpers in power. It took a couple of generations before they actually get objective, serious people in charge again. I’m sure the Scots would find the same thing with independence: it will suddenly become clear its not a panacea for all ills. But it would take decades before its realised by those with nationalism running through their veins that they’re poor and they’ve no longer got anyone else to blame.

“Yes, she’s inexperienced enough to make the mistake of revealing what she really thinks”

Of course it’s what she really thinks.  The only criticism that could be reasonably made of her is that she was naive to use words that could be taken out of context and twisted.  But seen in its full context what she said was perfectly legitimate.

Now if Joan McAlpine had said those sort of negative things about the likely state of England over the next few decades then that WOULD have been anti-English

Well, “legitimate” is a pretty amorphous word. I don’t think there’s anything illegitimate about her jingoism, but let’s view it for what it is. Anyone who “interferes” with the SNP’s plans is “anti-Scottish”. You’re the first to react when some of the more right-wing posters on here start saying policies are “anti-English”.

The mask has slipped, and it isn’t pretty. You’d do the cause more favours if you followed the example of people like Southam who call out bad behaviour from their own side.

I have seen a couple of sources that say Tories had more votes in England in 2005.

here is one
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/2005_british_general_election.htm
‘More people voted for
the Conservatives in England than for Labour – but the Conservatives won 92
seats less than Labour within England (285 to 193). The Conservatives
received 60,000 more votes than Labour in England.’Wiki says so as well if that counts.

But if you are bringing spending forward then it will be cut back the following year and so will tax revenues.

“Anyone who “interferes” with the SNP’s plans is “anti-Scottish”.”

Nope.  The interference is not with the SNP’s plans, but with the Scottish people’s sovereign authority – hence the anti-Scottish point.

“You’d do the cause more favours if you followed the example of people like Southam who call out bad behaviour from their own side.”

I do.  I know what it looks like and this ain’t it.  Sorry.

On the subject of a lack of “prettiness”, I can only add my assent to JPJ2′s observation on your previous post – and in the circumstances, I’m not sure now is the ideal time to make references to “masks slipping”.

Yes. I seem to recollect that the Tories are utterly committed to FPTP (although in is only PR that, relatively, saves them in Holyrood)-so it served them right, whereas I voted for AV and James Kelly advocated it strongly on PB.

It all falls into the usual Tory pattern of wanting to pervert referendums so that no-one can vote on genuine PR or on Devo Max.

What has that got to do with the distrust of the Whitehouse amongst regional allies over its stance on Iran?

‘Disqus won’t seem to let me post this reply’ – this means Disqus is exhibiting symptoms of artificial intelligence.  Computers may be taking over the world sooner than we think

New thread 

“this means Disqus is exhibiting symptoms of artificial intelligence.”

Given that the sole problem with my comment was seemingly that I was trying to quote Kevin McKenna, you may well be right.

I think the actions of Israel in Palestine, showing complete disregard for her ally’s views, has been a key cause of the lack of trust between both sides on Iran. The US wouldn’t need the firm commitments its asking for if it could trust Israel to act prudently.

I’m not sure if you realise, but the Scottish are currently part of the United Kingdom, and their parliament is a devolved rather than a federal one. The idea that the UK can not comment on such matters is preposterous. The idea that such comment is actually “anti-Scottish” is narrow-minded jingoism.

Socrates : I’m not sure if you realise (OK, it’s blindingly obvious you don’t), but that doesn’t address the substance of my point at all.

John Lilburne : The Scottish people do have full sovereign authority, both under this country’s tradition and under the principle of self-determination.  Therefore the question you ask me is based on a false premise.