The BBC is now joining in the propaganda for tactical voting against the SNP, quoting an Andrew Skinner from United Against Separation as saying: “They won’t say it publicly, but be it a Labour or a Tory area they are happy to vote the other way to keep the SNP out.” Err, you just did say it publicly, Mr Skinner, and thank you for the confirmation that the Red and Blue Tories are all in it together.
It is hardly a coincidence that the BBC did this piece to promote unionist tactical voting centred on Dundee West, just after the Guardian did exactly the same thing , not only promoting Labour/Tory tactical voting, but about the same constituency. The unionist media really are absolutely determined to try to keep my friend Chris Law out, aren’t they? No chance.
Tactical voting is not all on the unionist side. Tommy Sheridan, Carolyn Leckie and Pat Kane are among the diverse figures, not SNP members, who have called on supporters of independence to vote SNP in this FPTP election. All of those are much more substantial figures than Andrew Skinner. Yet strangely the BBC and Guardian have felt no urge to interview any of them, or discuss pro-independence tactical voting. The shameless bias of the unionist media appears to have no limits.
Michael Fallon’s comments on Miliband and Trident this week also brought a welcome reminder that the Red/Blue Tories are no different, as the Labour Party hastened to affirm their love for weapons of mass destruction and their earnest desire to spend unlimited sums on ever greater potential to destroy mankind. Thanks for the clarification.
I should however like to see clarification from the SNP. Labour and Tory can of course combine to vote Trident replacement through. If that happens with Labour in office, the SNP should make plain that would mean the withdrawal of support for that government. For the SNP to allow Labour to push Trident through with Tory support, and then the SNP revert to supporting the Labour government in office, would be a betrayal of the Scottish people. To me, there has not been absolute clarity in our response on this issue. It must be given.
Has the proposal been made to move Trident bases out of Scotland into England? That sounds like the sort of “compromise” the SNP brass who vetoed Craig’s candidature would go for.
A move of Trident to , for example, Portsmouth would require extensive preparations and some 25 billion, enough lute to rekindle the debate of whether an unusable indiscriminate nuclear weapon system still has value for us?
Fine by me, Portsmouth would become a prime target, which, in a system such as this, can easily be explained away with some communal bribes.
Bevin, not sure that moving Trident to England can be said to be an SNP compromise. The core aim of SNP is an independent Scotland. Lets assume Scotland was independent with an SNP government holding majority at Holyrood in 2020. They would serve notice on rUK to remove Trident, giving a reasonable time for arrangements to be safely made, perhaps 2 to 5 years. If rUK decided to relocate Trident within their territory they would be perfectly entitled to do so and there would be no leverage the Scottish government could bring to avoid this. That is not a compromise. However, as a practical matter I have not read anything to indicate that Trident could be relocated in rUK, and certainly not in the short term of 2 to 5 years. A more likely scenario would be the 4 subs would be home-ported to the US where they already are regular visitors for arming/updates for the leased missiles. This would be regarded as a national humiliation by the Britnats which would be a wonderful thing to behold. Hope you are attending the Faslane blockade on Monday 13th at the early hour of 7.00am.
I have not voted Labour since 1992, however, I find it ironic that the SNP, who have benifeted from tory tactical voting to keep labour out for decades(it was the SNP”heartlands that voted no) to no start calling foul. On the issue of Trident I think it is crass hypocracy for the SNP to have a policy of remaining in an aggressive military organisation (NATO)with a policy of first use of nuclear weapons. I have yet to decide if my vote will go to Greens or TUSC
Lysias
I do hope you’re going to put aside a little time this afternoon to watch the Boat Race – as an Oxford man, I take it you have heard of it (unlike the Bullingdon Club)?
Why, there might be some chaps from your old college (still unidentified) in the Oxford Eight! 🙂
Martin,
Agree with you on NATO. But we will change that within the SNP. I don’t think too many of the new members are keen on NATO.
or even: – I take it that you, as an Oxford man, have heard of it (unlike the Bullingdon Club)?
Chris Law, if you’re reading this; the reaction of the establishment proves you’re doing something just right. Power to you, and Best wishes.
If nationalists refuse to accept the result of the referendum for at least a generation as they promised then it’s obvious that a lot of people will be putting their country before their party and voting to keep the SNP out.
If SNP get the 45% nationalist vote and Labour, Conservative and Liberal have 55% unionist vote between them then it’s obvious the SNP would win. The other parties have no option but to work together so long as an overwhelming SNP win would be seen as a mandate for another referendum or if the SNP would use their minority at Westminster to force a referendum on us.
Some things are more important than party politics.
Bevin
“Has the proposal been made to move Trident bases out of Scotland into England? That sounds like the sort of “compromise” the SNP brass who vetoed Craig’s candidature would go for.”
______________
Perhaps the SNP had discovered the joys of good old English Nimby-ism?
Can’t be hypocrisy, surely – not from the SNP!
Fred, it’s more than 45% for independence now. Lots of No voters regretted their vote as soon as the result was announced. More changed their minds as Westminster broke its promises and also opted for unending war in the Middle East.
A coincidence that I am watching the recording of Michael Fallon speaking at RUSI. Heretofore, the ConDems used to wheel him out when oil was needed to pour on troubled waters.
He had to resign from his lucrative directorships when he became Business and then Defence minister, poor thing.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10194
‘Fallon has been a director at Tullett Prebon, a leading brokerage firm in the City of London, and one of the biggest supporters of the privatisation of Royal Mail.’ Nice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Fallon
Any tips for the National, Mary?
“Fred, it’s more than 45% for independence now.”
Yeh yeh I heard it all before.
We had a referendum, it’s the results of that which count not nationalist fantasies.
Meanwhile in Aberdeen Nationalism rears it’s ugly head.
http://m.stv.tv/news/north/316854-police-probe-after-conservative-and-labour-offices-vandalised-in-aberdeen/
“Any tips for the National, Mary?”
I’ve got a pound each way on Unioniste.
Red Tory, Blue Tory; Political Harmony – the Greens understand, and in Scotland the SNP is the way forward:
https://commonspace.scot/articles/957/political-harmony-green-party-wins-social-media-with-spectacular-election-broadcast
‘Any tips for the National, Mary?’
Are you asking me because you remember that I abhor the cruelty of horse racing.
http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/
One has died today.
Why don’t the Con/Lib/Lab just call themselves the Westminster Party and be done with this pitiful charade.
Desperation written all over tactical voting.
Sometimes you have to sup with the devil,(use a long spoon) in order to get what you want,hopefully Alex Salmond,will take the seat of Gordon,and become the Charles Parnell of Scotland,a Westminster agitator if you like.
If the red and blue Tories,along with the LibDems push through Trident,then,theres not a hell of a lot the SNP can do about that.
The SNP cant just go in a huff,about Trident,we need to keep focused,and still push for full fiscal autonomy,which will in my view,lead to independence.
“Meanwhile in Aberdeen Nationalism rears it’s ugly head.”
___________________________________
Meanwhile in Dundee the unionists are thrown out of pub by police,for threatening staff.
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/former-dundee-mp-jim-mcgovern-told-to-leave-city-bar-after-alleged-confrontation-with-staff-1.862552
It makes a change from Eric Joyce,a one time Labour MP who loves to throw punches.
If a Labour-SNP coalition forms the next government, I am sure the SNP will act with integrity and would not support the government in keeping Trident up to date. The Tories will do it instead. If the SNP do not succeed in getting a share of government, the ruling party will retain Trident.
Either way, we will retain our nuclear deterrent in the Clyde. 🙂
Fred : “I’ve got a pound each way on Unioniste.”
Fell at the first fence. It’s an omen.
“Meanwhile in Dundee the unionists are thrown out of pub by police,for threatening staff.”
Meanwhile in Barrhead Nationalist threatens to cut Labour canvasser’s head off with a chainsaw.
http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/terror-on-streets-of-scotland-labour.html
Unioniste, like the unionist parties in Scotland, was on its last legs.
I wonder how many of the O/O put a bet on that nag,only to witness it fall.
It couldn’t have been nationalists that spray painted Labour and Conservatives offices in Aberdeen,why? well they sprayed Nazi Scum,on the office.
Fred is forever banging on about Alex Salmond as Der Fuhrer,and nationalists are his Nazi’s,the unionists,like their namesake nag that fell,are so desperate,thdy probably,done the dirty deed themselves.
Still no one held to account over Frenchgate.
“Still no one held to account over Frenchgate.”
Nicola wants to be kicking up a fuss about that.
Unless, of course, the civil service have the phone call on tape in which case she might like to keep quiet about it.
Who are you backing in the General election, Fred? LibDem John Thurso? Think he’ll be able to keep his seat any better than Unioniste’s jockey?
Not according to bookies William Hill :
8/15 SNP.
Liberal Democrats 11/8
Labour 25/1
Consevatives 150/1
I look forward to your first post after May 7th when you tell us the people have made their choice and the losing minority should stop their whining, etc, etc ……..
Republicofscotland
11/04/2015 4:50 pm
“Still no one held to account over Frenchgate”
The investigations editor of the Sunday Herald (Paul Hutcheon) asserts on his blog that Pierre-Alain Coffinier, the French Consul General, has refused to comment on whether or not Nicola Sturgeon said at that meeting that Ed Miliband was not Prime Ministerial material.
http://paulhutcheon.blogspot.co.uk/
Although M. Coffinier did deny that Sturgeon had expressed a preference for David Cameron as PM. If true, that would suggest that this sentence in the memo:
[Nicola Sturgeon] “confessed that she’d rather see David Cameron remain as PM (and didn’t see Ed Miliband as PM material)”
is half correct. That would seem to suggest that it is not an MI5 / MI6 fabricated smear as Craig Murray believes.
Sorry, but I have to call it as I see it.
Kind regards,
John
One of these people,leaked or was told to leak,the smear document known as Frenchgate.
All work for the misnamed Scotland Office.
Alistair Carmichael
David Mundell
Helena Gray
Glenn Preston
Laura Crawforth
Chris Flatt
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/scotland-office
Here is the exchange with Monsieur Coffinier:
Shown the section of the leaked memo regarding Sturgeon’s views on David Cameron and Ed Miliband, he said: “Well, yes, that is not accurate.”
Asked if any of it was accurate, he said: “I’m not going to disclose that. My comment is very clear. There has been no preference expressed regarding the outcome of the elections.”
Pressed on whether Sturgeon said Ed Miliband was not Prime Ministerial material, he said: “No, I’m not going to answer. No comment… I don’t want to answer that. I don’t want to answer that.”
______________________________________
John could you please,show me any evidence with regards to your statement below
[Nicola Sturgeon] “confessed that she’d rather see David Cameron remain as PM (and didn’t see Ed Miliband as PM material)”
is half correct. That would seem to suggest that it is not an MI5 / MI6 fabricated smear as Craig Murray believes.
Sorry, but I have to call it as I see it.
Both parties haven’t strenuously denied saying anything of the sort, yet the press persist with dragging it out.
Thanks