According to staff at the Dewar’s Centre in Perth – capacity 1,000 – the attendance at David Cameron’s “Rally for the Union” today was just 220. Even the ultra-Tory Dundee Courier only claimed 300.
That the Prime Minister of the UK cannot fill a hall, at least to not embarrassingly empty, at an event billed as a “rally” to “save” his country, at which he stated that to lose the referendum would “break his heart”, is astonishing.
Even more astonishing is the body language of his supporters. Look at the faces behind him in this BBC video. Have you ever seen a body of people look less enthusiastic about anything? Had they been instructed that they must at all costs look sullen and unpleasant? What on earth can be the explanation?
Are you sure these attendees are actually from the area?
For all we know they could have been bussed up from down south (various conservative back offices). I don’t trust these upright rodents one iota, hence best get on with identifying the faces in the crowd, to verify their bonafide.
I am waiting for the tweets to start “evil cybernat bullies crowd at enthusiastic Cameron event”.
‘What on earth can be the explanation?’
Were they promised there would be biscuits?
Perhaps they read about the lavish conservative fund raiser in London
and were wondering why they hadn’t been given a slap up meal in a fancy
restaurant.
I immediately recognised 2 of them and those 2 were indeed from Perthshire.
I can’t believe he was at his party fundraiser in London last night and manages to get up to Scotland to make speeches. What’s his diet? The man is superhuman!
The Sky version.
Patriotic Scots Can Vote No To Split, Says PM
Critics brand David Cameron is out of touch as he argues voters do not have to “choose between the Saltire and the Union flag”.
http://news.sky.com/story/1294484/patriotic-scots-can-vote-no-to-split-says-pm
They have comments on their articles now. The ones on this piece are very strange.
No mention from the ultra loyal BBC that he was talking to an empty hall… and doubtless the reason the audience was behind him, and he was speaking in the opposite direction is that a crowd scene would have been embarrassing.
Perhaps one of Stuart’s ‘alert readers’ has sneaked in … and a photo will be available.
A silent majority of 220, huh… for the prime minister?
Humiliating.
Whether Cameron can fill a hall seems irrelevant to the general point here.
£100 that Scots vote No.
Will you take it?
“A silent majority of 220, huh… for the prime minister? Humiliating.”
The point is that a majority of voting Scots will vote No in September. Nat Scots can fill venues and dominate social media because they offer something radical and have a fanatical following that will attend rallies. They can summon a flash mob in an instant, as recently demonstrated during Nigel Farage’s visit to Edingburgh, but that ability shouldn’t be construed as popular support for a Yes vote, which is why I make my offer of £100 to Craig today.
Would it be a correct assumption to suggest that Ms Daye Tucker will be voting No?
http://www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66&Itemid=98
Funny that Daye Tucker I didn’t recognise a single one and I live in the centre of Perth, about 1/2 a mile down the road from the Dewar’s Centre?
He’s not very brave is he? This week’s visit to Scotland talking to a bunch of Tory activists, not looking very active but unlikely to tell him he’s talking mince. Last week it was Armed Forces Day in Stirling so no opposition there to his speech.The week before that , talking to soldiers (TA?) in Glasgow followed by a visit to a school.
We see the pattern–never engage with anyone who might disagree with him. Pathetic.
Iain Macmillan
Aaah, I think you have to peer into the windows of Range Rovers as they drive past!
If Cameron wanted a massive crowd of enthusiastic unionists he should have brought some doe-eyed virgin boys in fairy costumes.
Mary
Not necessarily a fair assumption – there are plenty of farmers who support independence, not least because they would be very silly to want to leave the EU with England.
Craig.
I can’t imagine many of them actually venture into Perth city centre tbh. They might have to mix with the proles.
Mary
http://www.farming4yes.com/ Although the organisation you’ve linked to will be pretty solidly against a Yes as they tend to represent, shall we say ‘larger’ concerns
Well Anon (9.20), that’s an interesting theory, and one in which I can see some merit and logic.
But you’d think that for publicity reasons they would have managed to get out more than 20% of a hall for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I mean he’s not just anyone. He’s not boring old opposition part-time backbencher Darling, or Blair MacDougall functionary, or even just Jo Lamont.
He is the Great British leader of the ‘silent majority’ of Scots who prefer to think of themselves as British. He’s Eton and Oxford. He’s related to the Queen.
I still say 220 is an embarrassment in his own country.
Dave sounding like Ian Duncan Smith with his quiet man theme…..
Anon
Certainly I will take your bet. Although I don’t normally drink, gamble or sleep with bad women. At least not simultaneously.
It does seem that the so called Prime Minister of the “UK” can not have more than 220 people supporting his “Union” is bizarre to say the least
Where are all these #NO voters
How many of these people were his entourage
His comment “It will break my heart”
Well Mr cameron it will break our country if we stay we simply cannot afford to stay
BUT i wish you well
His audience doesn’t look like they’ve just heard good news, do they?
Why only some of them with boards? Were they all offered boards? Did some refuse? Were they all actually tories, or did some of their pals from labour or libdem help bolster the numbers?
Desperate promises of bribery. Smacks of panic.
Even more bizarre is the notion of “democratic elections” in which a minority (those voting for whichever winning side) from among a minority (those whom bother to play the game of lets tick the box, the only interactive component of the aforementioned “democratic process”) supposedly give a “mandate” to one of the outfits that are purportedly to guide and guard the interest of the “we the people”, for a considerable time.
When Saddam managed to get 95% of the vote, everyone laughed at him, when these chaps get into office based on 20% of the votes everyone hails the triumph of democracy and blame the lazy bastards whom never bothered to turn up and vote! Further, when two million people march on the streets of London protesting the warmongers wet dreams, all the stenographers are tasked with bombarding the airwaves with; “strong leader not changing hie/her decision”, although the same gaggle of free loading stenographers (lets face it reading an Autocue is not too difficult) then flock to make fun of “dear leader” in DPRK.
Craig,
If you manage to find a solution to the curse of linearity, ensure to release it under the GNU license terms so that none of the scoundrels can claim prior art.
“I don’t normally drink, gamble or sleep with bad women. At least not simultaneously”
I take it you’ve never met Victoria Coren then.
Agreed then, Craig.
Fortunately I have caught you drinking and gambling at the same time. 🙂
Craig,
You are speaking about Scottish freedom – let me remind you:-
THE BLACK AMERICAN, FREDRICK DOUGLAS, FREEDOM FIGHTER HAD THIS TO SAY SOME 150 YEARS AGO:-
“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; y our national greatness, swelling vanity; your sound of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants brass fronted impudence; your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanks-givings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.”
What does “American Independence” really mean?
1. Does it mean the freedom for US imperialism to destabilize nations, murder millions, and force the world into its political and economic sphere of influence?
2. Does it mean the independence for US imperialism to imprison the largest number of (mostly Black) people in the world?
3. Is “liberty” defined by the US imperialist system’s centuries-long colonization of Native and Black America, now taking form in the privatization of entire cities like Black Detroit?
Or – all the above?
CB
Prescient and intuitive thoughts, Courtenay.
It took 100 years for the 14th amendment to take effect in the US. Even after countless deaths from Civil War. Freedom is not free.
Imagine the dilemma of the camera director.
“Camera 2, zoom in closer, cut out those empty seats in the auditorium” …. “Oh no, zoom out again, don’t show those sour faces” …. “Oh, God, the place is nearly empty … Close-up on Cameron” …. “Aargh, face like a cabbage patch doll, quick, pan” …. “No, not those faces again, ah fuck it, I’m off down the pub”
Anon,
I actually just feel sorry for your cocksucking slavedom to whosoever pays ya.
Now and again i get a glimpse that you’re a smart cat.
I cant imagine what you must’ve done to be enslaved to such an idiot narrative?
Kinda like Habba too…smart cats that have to do a job that y’all know is a crock of shit..
Why is Prime Minister David Cameron using the phrase ‘Silent Majority’?http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28135335
Agent Cameron is using a phrase that Nixon used
‘He’s doomed’ as Private Frazer used to say in Dad’s Army.
David Cameron
Strathclyde University politics professor John Curtice believes the prime minister’s use of the phrase is an “implicit recognition” that “No” supporters are less likely to take part in the referendum campaign, in comparison to a highly visible and passionate “Yes” side.
He said: “‘No’ supporters are much less active in terms of campaigning, going on the web, and knocking on doors.
“They are ‘silent’, relatively speaking, in comparison to the ‘Yes’ side.”
But why would this be – do “No” supporters not believe in the Union as much as “Yes” supporters believe in independence?
Prof Curtice said: “The ‘Yes’ side are so passionate because they have probably believed in independence for their whole lives, whereas the ‘No’ side probably wish the referendum wasn’t happening.
“They might be less enthusiastic campaigners, but that’s not to say they’re less likely to vote.”‘
A Node
Brilliant What a Laugh… but is there something sinister going on there…. No public..dour faces.
Mary Great points
Craig great post… Doing the rounds on Fbook…
Hope John is ok