Like many men, I shed tears very seldom and hide myself away when I do. But I had salt water on my keypad when I read this brilliant piece of writing from Wee Ginger Dug this morning.
Paul Kavanagh has been an essential node in the vast and sprawling social media network which has outwitted, out-thought and out-communicated the mainstream in the Scottish independence referendum. The Wee Ginger Dug’s particular contribution has been not just clarity of thought and a canine nose for bullshit, but beauty of expression.
The deftness of touch, wit and penetrating humour of today’s piece is inspired. But what is so great about it, is the spirit that can achieve these heights of writing, when Paul has so recently suffered the heartfelt loss of his partner Andy. Paul’s account of Andy’s death was itself very evocative; but it his unquenchable spirit today that made me cry.
I can’t say the article brought tears to my eyes, but flying the saltire as a campaign gimmick does look desperate.
I didn’t cry (being English) but appreciated the wit- comparing Speccie editor Fraser Nelson’s strangulated accent to Loyd Grossman’s was spot-on.
John Ward’s blog has an interesting post today, pointing out that a poll more recent than the YouGov effort shows the ‘Yes’ lead widening- and that there’s a tumbleweed silence about it from our MSM-
http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/scotsvote-breaking-big-westminster-three-race-to-rescue-yes-lead-doubles-to-eight-points/
Very true! Paul’s writing and command of language (not just the English language) is inspirational.
To continue to write with such wit and vision whilst recently bereaved just makes it all the more admirable.
This made me laugh. But it does have a serious point to make. Perhaps best to read the last para first.
http://www.tribunemagazine.org/2014/03/martin-rowson-28/
Others use guns. The Scots are writing a revolution.
PERFIDIOUS ALBION
SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE
If you expect Scottish independence and you don’t understand perfidious Albion then you have a likely fatal problem. Literally.
Some history –
INDEPENDENCE – THE, ER, TRADITIONAL METHOD
– Ireland. GPO 1916 – Michael Collins –
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiTJuEv7OYk#t=00m51s
– One way to get rid of the Sassenachs –
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-L3zeCNzH8
Followed by three years of British Imperialist death squads – the ‘Black and Tans.’
– The Wind That Shakes The Barley – Youtube – OR search youtube –
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVcD8MgpkyY
SO. Where is England’s Cairo gang in Scotland now? Because if you don’t know you’ve got a fatal problem …
WE DIGRESS –
> “I’m from Dublin, Ireland. I don’t like the IRA” – Joe Soap. (OR a UK shill??? Ed.)
Reply –
> You may not like the IRA but they’re the reason you’re writing from Dublin, Ireland rather than Dublin, United Kingdom.
HA!
Ditto Scotland???
Comment to “IRA vs Al Qaeda – I was wrong” by the War Nerd Gary Brecher 27th April 2011 – The Exiled Online –
– http://exiledonline.com/wn-38-ira-vs-al-qaeda-i-was-wrong/
>Others use guns. The Scots are writing a revolution.
Except for … Perfidious Albion.
SO. Is the, ER, traditional method be the fallback position. Or is it just a bit of laugh?
Being semiforeign many of the names mean nothing but the last paragraph is inspirational miown greekstreetdug couldn’t put it better!
A brilliant piece of writing. Vote Yes.
http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2014/09/10/how-the-rest-of-the-uk-should-negotiate-with-scotland/
Fruitbat time from John Redwood.
The comments are illuminating too.
re WGD
I burst out laughing when I read that Fraser Nelson had Irritable Vowel Syndrome
Bugger (the Panda) –
I reckon Salmond’s cup would run over if Redwood, ex-Head of Thatcher’s Policy Unit and ex-Head of International Privatisation at Rothschild’s -yes, really – were to venture across the border to promote the No campaign. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if Alex invited him personally.
Thanks for the grim laugh.
Bugger the Panda
“http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2014/09/10/how-the-rest-of-the-uk-should-negotiate-with-scotland/
Fruitbat time from John Redwood.”
__________________-
Having read John Redwood’s “negotiating points” I find them tough but not insane.
Which of his points do you find unsane, and why?
“insane” in last line , sorry.
Some more great writing.. this time George Monbiot The Guardian yesterday
Where, in Scotland’s Labour party, are the Keir Hardies and Jimmy Reids of our time? Where is the vision, the inspiration, the hope? The shuffling, spineless little men with whom these titans have been replaced offer nothing but fear. Through fear they seek to shove Scotland back into its box, as its people rebel against the dreary, closed future mapped out for them – and the rest of us – by the three main Westminster parties.
‘Having read John Redwood’s “negotiating points” I find them tough but not insane.’
The last 2 re PFI contracts and the basing of nuclear submarines are pretty laughable. However Redwood’s point about the funding of the retirement pensions, and public sector pensions for Scottish citizens and residents, is right on the money.
Really, OldMark?
8. Scotland will take financial responsibility for paying …. the state retirement pension promised to her citizens by successive UK Parliaments.
Only if cash* to the value of pension entitlements already accrued in the UK is transferred by the rUK to Scotland. The rUK would have no right to these, under such an arrangement. Actually, it would make much more sense for existing SRP’s to run unchanged – contributions going to and pensions paid by the rUK.
*which the UK doesn’t actually have, having spent it on loan interest long ago
‘to the value of pension entitlements already accrued in the UK’
Read, for greater clarity-
‘to the value of pension entitlements already accrued by Scots in the UK scheme’
Can we expect a 4am “I cried this morning” link?
‘Actually, it would make much more sense for existing SRP’s to run unchanged – contributions going to and pensions paid by the rUK.’
That argument has some merit for as long as England and Scotland keep the same retirement age- Salmond has hinted that he won’t raise it to 66 in 2020, as is the plan for England. If that happens, the Scots will clearly have to go it alone here.
You didn’t query Redwood’s comment as it relates to unfunded public sector pension liabilities for Scottish police,firefighters,teachers, civil servants, NHS employees, local authority employees etc. As these public bodies will devolve 100% to Scotland post independence there can be no quibbles with Redwood on that one. It is widely reported that the Scottish public sector is 20% larger per capita than its English equivalent, which makes for some interesting projections on the Scottish ‘funding gap’ in respect of these pension beneficiaries in ,say, 2030. Employees of BBC Scotland may also come under this remit- which possibly helps explain the Beeb’s hostility to the ‘Yes’ campaign.
The position on Armed Forces pensions may contingent on whether the Scots regiments are disbanded, or taken under the wing of an independent Scotland, post 2016. If the former, residual UK will probably continue to pick up the tab.
You didn’t query Redwood’s comment as it relates to unfunded public sector pension liabilities for Scottish police,firefighters,teachers, civil servants, NHS employees, local authority employees etc. As these public bodies will devolve 100% to Scotland post independence there can be no quibbles with Redwood on that one
I think that could be arranged fairly to all sides, much as discrepancies in retirement ages could be for the state pension sector. The fact that Redwood sometimes displays flashes of sanity, or states the moderately obvious, doesn’t make him balanced, or any kind of guru, in my book.
…after all, transferring private pensions is routine.
‘I think that could be arranged fairly to all sides’
Agreed Komodo- and given that these public servants did their public service within Scotland, and that the great majority of the beneficiaries will draw, and spend, their pensions in Scotland, it would be fair for the fiscal responsibility for these pensions to become, on independence, a wholly Scottish matter.
pensions to become, on independence, a wholly Scottish matter.
Bearing in mind always that their original contract was with the UK, and that the UK received (and almost certainly spent) their employee contributions. I certainly don’t agree that the entire value of a Scot’s pension should be funded from the iScottish exchequer, unless and until he has worked for iScotland for his entire career. If A. has contributed to the UK for 25 years, say, and to iScotland for 5, before he retires, iScotland should be responsible for 1/6 of his pension. Fair?
@Vonsky
We are learning to sing an old song again. We’ve sort of got bits of the tune knocking around our heads since we took our parliament out of abeyance (it smelt a bit musty after 300years in a Westminster cupboard but it worked, sort of) and now we have the tune in full and are writing modern words to go with it. This being Scotland it needs a reel to go with it and we are imagining that on the doorsteps, in the pub, over a coffee, on the bus or the supermarket queue (done all that) and it is truly glorious.
I haven’t felt like this since we mugged the politicians back in NZ and replaced FPTP with MMP which really shook up politics. There’s a GE imminent back there and the politicians are worried there will be a record low turnout. The record low is 74.4%, for a General Election. Scotland can be a polity like that. I can imagine it and having been bitten by the campaigning bug I might just help to make it a reality. I discovered I get a real buzz registering people to vote.
Komodo @12.41- I was referring in the 12 noon post to public sector pensions, not the state pension. Of course there are unfunded liabilities to Police, Fire Service, LGPS etc. pension schemes both north and south of the border. The point I was making was that the jobs undertaken by Scots beneficiaries of these scheme benefitted residents of Scotland only, and that on retirement these pensions would very largely be spent in Scotland. Many public sector pension schemes, both English and Scottish, are in deficit- the police and fire service schemes massively so, given the low median retirement ages prevalent in these jobs. If however Salmond thinks English taxpayers will continue to fund the early retirements of, for example, thousands of Scots policemen, firefighters and others post 2016, he is pissing in the wind.
As for the state pension,the rump UK Treasury could for example pay existing pensions to Scottish pensioners, but freeze them(as happens to UK pensioners in Australia) and leave the Scottish government to pay all future increments to existing beneficiaries. As Scots workers retire post 2016, their state pensions would be met by the new state, and not the state to which they previously belonged- which seems fair since Scotland would be free to set the pension age, and the pension rates for its citizens, without reference to the rUK.
The point I was making was that the jobs undertaken by Scots beneficiaries of these scheme benefitted residents of Scotland only, and that on retirement these pensions would very largely be spent in Scotland.
I think it’s irrelevant where the pensions are spent…Costa del Sol, Castlemilk, Luton. The pensioners are unconditionally entitled to the pension as per their contract. I’m not sure the location of their service is relevant either. At the time of their service, they were benefitting the UK as much as their colleagues in London or Belfast. The hiatus only occurs when they cease to be benefitting the UK by virtue of Scotland having left. Pensions for service in Scotland after S-Day (should it happen) should be paid by Scotland, yes.
One for the lawyers as much as the accountants, and I am neither. Redwood is still a c**t, however.
I have not missed a single post from Paul, his eloquent output was truly brilliant until a few days ago, when it remained brilliant but became heroic. Later today, Paul will bury Andy and we should all carry that in our hearts for a few hours, at least.
http://nationalcollective.com/2014/09/12/donald-urquhart-artist-we-finally-have-it-in-our-hands-to-end-this-unfairness/