One of my oldest and dearest friends has gone public on his support for Scottish Independence. I am greatly cheered by this. More thoughts later.
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A salient justification for Scottish Indys, ASAP?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-crumbling-lockerbie-case/5366601?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-crumbling-lockerbie-case
Why, then, have the Scottish police and Crown Office failed to approach the witnesses who can attest to the mismatch between the fragment and the Libyan timers – witnesses who include the man who made the boards used in the those timers, and two independent scientists? The obvious answer is that they want to avoid evidence that shows the official case to be built on sand.
What a total hypocrite.
Jack Straw’s tribute to ‘family man’ Tony Benn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26776391
Many comments today on Medialens about his funeral.
“A salient justification for Scottish Indys, ASAP?”
No Ben, one of the worrying things about independence is that the people would lose their right of appeal to the Supreme Court and the House of Lords. They would be left at the mercy of the Scottish establishment.
Take a look at this site and all will be revealed.
http://scottishlaw.blogspot.co.uk/
Communication Management Units are a new kind of prison born out of 9/11. People, mostly Muslims, are banged away, imprisoned for no known reason. Readers of this blog who refuse to believe what is going on, or divert attention from the truth, must be ignored or everybody who opposes the US, will end up in some kind of high-security penal institution, regardlless of whether they have committed a crime or not.
Annie P. Waldman investigates these little Guantanamos. Wake up world.
http://www.vice.com/read/inside-the-kafkaesque-world-of-the-uss-little-guantanamos
Less than three days after McGowan published his article on the Huffington Post, the Bureau of Prisons remanded him into custody for “publishing under his own byline,” a violation of his probation. Although McGowan was released after one evening and was not charged with anything, the detention deeply troubled him. It was a reminder of the bureau’s ability to curtail his freedom of speech. It was a reminder of the lack of transparent rationale or process. As in the CMU, it seemed to McGowan that the bureau was making up the rules and regulations as it went along.”
A Node, thanks for your post in reply. I agree with what you say – yes, some disagreement is inevitable between people who broadly agree on things. I’m very much in favour of joint campaigns in general, unless the gap between groups is irreconcilable; for example, I fully support Craig being interviewed for Galloway’s film. The need to bring Blair and company to justice is of substantial importance.
We should remember that disagreement amongst Left groups is always more likely (and of greater vehemence) than groups supporting the Establishment – this point is often forgotten. The distance that anti-war campaigners, feminists, socialists, and gay rights campaigners have to travel is much farther than those who believe in the status quo. So, here, we have another reason for tolerating small differences.
That all said, there’s no harm in sifting through Galloway’s views, in this small corner of the internet. I didn’t know his position on independence before his recent tour, so it has come as a surprise to me. I’d have greatly thought that his views would have matched mine: London’s arrogance is that Westminster will retain as much power over Scotland – and its
income – as it can. Some minor powers may be devolved, but they will be carefully circumscribed, if they are even delivered upon.
Meanwhile, Scotland is in social terms more generous than the English, poisoned as we are with the anti-politics of middle class envy and the petty jostling within a class pecking order of our own making. So, when Scot’s views are genuinely sought, achieving policy that is a social benefit to Scotland might extend beyond excellent outcomes such as free higher education. I see an independent Scotland as putting forward Scotland’s majority view on war, too. Even a campaign like Yes, wanting to be all things to everyone, is happy to state unequivocally: nuclear weapons are immoral and London can find a new home for them. Good for them, I say.
I’d have thought all of the above would be the poke in the eye that Galloway believes Westminster deserves, after Iraq, and austerity, and the increase in the wealth gap. With all that in mind, the “Naw” position seems to be: Scotland, don’t abandon us to the Tories! We’re better off being mediocre together!
I should welcome further notes on these reflections. Meantime – though I forget who used to be annoyed at my love of a good dram – a small Scotch is called for! Tomatin, I think – not a well known distillery, but highly recommended.
“I didn’t know his position on independence before his recent tour, so it has come as a surprise to me.”
If you check I think you will find that George has always spoken out against Right Wing Nationalism. He opposes Nationalists in his English constituency, he opposes Zionism in the Middle East.
I hope the Berezovsky family request a second inquest and that the police keep the case open. I believe the word of the German pathologist, Progessor Brinkmann who said that Berezovsky did not hang himself and that there were two people involved.
Germany has a reputation for excellence in forensic pathology.
Open Verdict In Berezovsky Death Inquest
The coroner’s finding follows months of speculation over whether the Russian oligarch was killed or committed suicide.
http://news.sky.com/story/1233125/open-verdict-in-berezovsky-death-inquest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernd_Brinkmann
‘However, evidence pointing to suicide was called into question when an expert on hanging and asphyxiation cases said he believed Mr Berezovsky had been strangled.
Professor Bernd Brinkmann said: “In my view there is no way for death by hanging.”
He told the hearing there was evidence to suggest two people were involved in the death of the businessman, who was known to have survived two assassination attempts.
Firstly, the marks on his neck were “far away from the typical inverse ‘V’ shape” usually seen in hanging cases, Professor Brinkmann said. Secondly, congestion to Mr Berezovsky’s face was not consistent with being hanged.’
Professor Brinkmann of course.
Ah Fred, if memory serves: you and I had that discussion before, and we were unable to resolve it. I’m aware that you see parallels between the campaign for Scottish independence and the BNP, but I’m afraid I still don’t see them. We will have to continue to agree to disagree on that one.
Jon, welcome back. Scottish independence is a bit of an enigma for me. I am a recent convert to it because of Tory interference by getting its servants to threaten withdrawal of business from Scotland to put pressure on voters – a really disgusting piece of dirty politics. I am still an ardent supporter of the European Union which might seem like a contradiction. In essence I would like Scotland to be part of the UK but because it is running its economy more on socially-concerned policies, like the non-existence of university fees, and Westminster imposes all kinds of capping on town and county councils, it needs a sizeable part of the UK to show that London is not the only place of any significance. I would personally like to see Birmingham break away. We get so little from the national pot. London bankers get so much!
Jon 27 Mar, 2014 – 10:34 pm
“I’m aware that you see parallels between the campaign for Scottish independence and the BNP, but I’m afraid I still don’t see them.”
Er, nationalism?
Clark
Are ya serious about coming to Stay in Scotland… i shall keep my ear to the ground for ya..Inverclyde area.
Independence movements may use nationalism as a means of rallying people, but they’re always much more braodly based than that.
That’s why you often get civil wars after the event.
So far as I can see the SNP mostly make economic arguments.
I’d say that the BNP types are mostly on the Unionist side of the argument, the remnants of British empire nationalism.
“So far as I can see the SNP mostly make economic arguments.”
Oh good, do they have the budget deficit forecasts?
“Oh good, do they have the budget deficit forecasts?”
There certainly do appear to be some differences of opinion over oil revenues and whether they’re decreasing or not.
“There certainly do appear to be some differences of opinion over oil revenues and whether they’re decreasing or not.”
So that just leaves us with the “unfair, biassed, scaremongering” economic arguments then.
fred 27 Mar, 2014 – 11:30 pm
Let’s check the UK deficits while we’re waiting, Fred ………
Ahhh …… an average of 131.25 billion/year for the past 4 years.
And your point was, Fred ….?
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/3/20/1363802502484/Deficits-by-chancellor-001.jpg
” Scottish independence is a bit of an enigma for me. I am a recent convert to it because of Tory interference by getting its servants to threaten withdrawal of business from Scotland to put pressure on voters – a really disgusting piece of dirty politics.”
John it didn’t happen.
They are businesses not charities. They will go where they make most profit which is the country where most of their customers are. The UK government didn’t get them to do it any more than the Scottish government got the ones that say they will stay to stay.
It’s all bottom line with businesses, if there is no monetary union then the businesses with most of their customers in the UK will move to the UK and those with most of their customers in Scotland will stay in Scotland. Anything else is just Nationalist propaganda.
“Let’s check the UK deficits while we’re waiting, Fred”
At least they will be this year’s forecasts.
“At least they will be this year’s forecasts.”
Not a strong inducement to stick around, though
“Not a strong inducement to stick around, though”
Their honest, based on this year’s figures, they aren’t still using last years figures because they’re better.
“Their honest, based on this year’s figures, they aren’t still using last years figures because they’re better.”
They’re honestly terrible, then.
I can’t understand why some folk get so vexed over the issue of independence.
It seems a very simple matter of democracy to me.
Should countries govern themselves, or should they get a neighbour to run their affairs for them? I would think the people best placed to govern a country are those that live there.
Jon, Fred
Do you categorize in any way yourselves?
Good/bad
Educated/uneducated
“Anyone who knows Galloway’s politics knows full well that the views he expresses on Press TV or RT are his own and are views that he has expressed long before those channels offered him any shows.
So Ba’al Zevul / Komodo or whoever; as you must be fully conversant with Galloway and his views you are being dishonest and misleading.”
No, I think that’s unfair. I don’t think RT or (especially) PTV would buy time from anyone who wasn’t prepared to advance their agenda, whether he was aware of it or not. I don’t know if he approached them or they him, but that’s irrelevant IMO, as the ideological fit – as you say – was well known in advance. And as an MP – which he chose to be – he has responsibility to this country first and foremost.
As I said earlier, I am equally critical (on the record) of those admirers of the US and Israel who sell, or even lend, their talents to the agendas of those countries. As an MP, he has a clear responsibility to his constituents, within the context of their being British citizens, and as I have said, with figures, he doesn’t seem to make this his priority.
I stand by what I said, therefore. I think he is at best naif, and at worst a self-promoting, self-deluded Messianic chancer in the Blair mould, whom you would damn utterly were he a Tory, and rightly so. That said, I freely acknowledge his adoption of the Palestinian cause , with the caveat that by further polarising the issue, and placing himself firmly outside mainstream politics (which has the only power available to change things) he is probably not helping the Palestinian cause as much as he may think.
But he’s not actually important.
Fred -“If you check I think you will find that George has always spoken out against Right Wing Nationalism. He opposes Nationalists in his English constituency, he opposes Zionism in the Middle East.”
And he strongly supports Russian nationalism – which is no more leftwing than Prince Philip – in the Crimea:
http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/ukraine-significance-crimea-referendum-206/
Just sayin’.
The comments are fun, too.
Fred, A Node: ““Their honest, based on this year’s figures, they aren’t still using last years figures because they’re better.”
Any chance of seeing the figures from either side? With some idea of how they are reached? I’d welcome the chance not to have to search the Google world of finance myself, and I’d like to see this catfight underpinned by solid numbers. Not a chance, though. We are dealing with predictions, and , inevitably, predictions massaged by each side to suit its own cause. Fred, you’re between a rock and a hard place. You have to believe statistics emanating from a Tory government to make your Socialist case. Caution!
“And he strongly supports Russian nationalism – which is no more leftwing than Prince Philip – in the Crimea:”
I don’t tend to watch RT much but I’d assumed George supported the union of Crimea and Russia.
Is Craig’s tweeting brevity encouraging concise responses; hope so.
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WhatIsLeftOrRightWing
Against exploitation and slavery!