This speech was delivered despite one of the greatest hangovers in the entire history of the universe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERWrcBR1Wd0
I am rather proud of it. Even more proud of the extraordinary continuing vibrancy of the independence movement.
Blogging will resume very shortly. As several of you have noticed, there has been a great deal of technical work and stress testing done on the blog the past few days. This is almost complete: there may be something of a change in appearance shortly.
29 October 2014
Smith Commission: House of Lords debates Holyrood powers
The debate is likely to include contributions from about 50 peers
Scotland: What next?
Lord Smith attends childcare talks
Salmond considers Westminster return
Smith: First talks ‘constructive’
SNP calls for major post-No powers
The House of Lords is to have a full debate on the powers of the Scottish parliament later.
About 50 peers have indicated they will contribute to the discussion, which follows the “No” vote on independence in September’s referendum.
One of them will be former Labour First Minister Jack McConnell.
Lord McConnell, who has recently been critical of his own party’s approach in Scotland, has said any new settlement should “stand the test of time”.
A package of additional powers for the Scottish parliament is being considered by a commission chaired by Lord Smith of Kelvin.
A white paper is scheduled to be published by the end of November.
Lord McConnell has previously insisted the package of measures should not emerge from a “back room deal”.
He said: “If you are designing a new tax system for Scotland, the system has to work and be sustainable for at least a number of years, so I hope Robert Smith will note the proposals from the different parties, but then start a discussion on the basic principles that should determine what is delivered.
“If he can drive it on points of principle, the parties will need to treat the this issue seriously and not just be looking back for a back room deal.”
/..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29811444
Nothing has changed.
‘Thousands More’ Settlements Planned – Israel
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/14890-israeli-media-government-planning-thousands-of-new-settlement-units
EU wants to know more – “ill-judged and ill-timed”
http://www.timesofisrael.com/eu-seeking-israeli-clarification-on-new-settlement-homes/
“Incompatible with peace – USA.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/americas/14918-us-israeli-settlements-incompatible-with-peace-efforts
LATEST – UN TO DISCUSS PLANS
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/UN-Security-Council-to-meet-on-east-Jerusalem-building-plans-380084
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=735989
Gaza Fishermen Under Fire Again
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=26884
RoS: Ultimately David Cameron will conform,to EU policy due to trade, and the CBI breathing down his neck, but where do you draw the line on EU power, that is another question.
Options:
1. Governed by Europe
2. Governed by the US
3. Governed by corporate interests, regardless of location of centre of government.
4. National sovereignty and a productive (not money-laundering) economy.
3. is what we’re getting. Lowest common denominator wages for the serfs, maximised profits for money-laundering hedge funds and speculators. So your question is off the mark. The EU is at least a little more concerned for human rights than our bunch, for the moment, but its laws are otherwise uncritical of globalised economics.
Lucky you. You’re in Scotland. You can still make a push for (4) above. Make sure you do.
Obama’s hangover-Netanyahoo–Maher-Meier= MAYOR Kahane=Mayor Netanyahu. (chuckle)
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/10/the-crisis-in-us-israel-relations-is-officially-here/382031/
MJ
28 Oct, 2014 – 11:15 am
“Fact is that the margin of victory for the No vote was consistent with the overall trend of the opinion polls for the previous two years, suggesting that the campaigns of both sides had little or no net effect on the final outcome. The suggestion that the last-minute interventions of the party leaders somehow swung the vote is most likely fallacious.”
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In other words MJ; state propaganda, media and corporate scaremongering, the hyperbole from the three main parties; false promises and “The Vow” made no difference.
Oh, and people are not influenced by advertising either.