Given that the election court had just found that he told a “Blatant lie”, Alistair Carmichael struck absolutely the wrong note in his statement after the case. He could have said:
“I did tell a lie, and it is something I deeply regret. I apologise to my constituents, to my family and to the people of Scotland for all the trouble my lie has caused. I have learned from it. I am grateful to the court for giving me aother chance, and I have now learned never to indulge in that kind of bad behaviour again.”
Instead, with extraordinary arrogance, Alistair said this:
“I am pleased with the decision of the court.
Although I was always confident of winning the last few months have been a difficult and stressful time for me and my family.
We have been enormously grateful for the tremendous levels of support received from local people, in both Orkney and Shetland, regardless of which political party they normally support…
This case was politically motivated. It was a deliberate attempt by nationalists to remove the last Scottish Liberal voice at Westminster, and is a mark of the unhealthy polarisation of Scottish politics since the referendum.”
Co-ordinated statements were put out by Willie Rennie and “Bomber” Tim Farron saying much the same thing. So the utter lack of any humility must have been deliberate. This is an orchestrated act of arrogance.
You will recall that I predicted that there was no way that Scotland’s deeply conservative and unionist judiciary would find against Carmichael. The reasoning behind their judgement is intellectually risible. They say that Carmichael only lied in denying a specific leak; he was therefore not making a false claim about his general character. If he had specifically stated that he never leaked he would have been making a false claim and disqualified.
Here is the pathetic “reasoning” of the judge Lady Paton:
They explained that if a candidate made a false statement that he would never leak an internal confidential memo, no matter how helpful that might be to his party, as he regarded the practice of leaking confidential information as dishonest and morally reprehensible, and he would not stoop to such tactics, when in fact that candidate had leaked an internal confidential memo containing material which was inaccurate and highly damaging to an opponent, they would be likely to conclude that the candidate had given a false statement “’in relation to [his] personal character or conduct” because he would be falsely holding himself out as being of such a standard of honesty, honour, trustworthiness and integrity that, in contrast with what others in Westminster might do, he would never be involved in such a leaking exercise.
“In the present case, when speaking to the Channel 4 interviewer, the first respondent did not make such an express statement about his personal character or conduct,” Lady Paton continued. “We are not persuaded that the false statement proved to have been made was in relation to anything other than the first respondent’s awareness (or lack of awareness) of a political machination. Accordingly we are not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the words used by the first respondent amounted to a ‘false statement of fact in relation to [his] personal character or conduct’. It follows that we are not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that an essential element of section 106 has been proved.
There are several glaring errors in this reasoning. The first is that if I denied knowledge of a murder I had in fact committed, I would be making a false statement about my general character whether or not I had added a condemnation of the morality of murder.
The second is that Lady Paton ignores the “conduct” in “false statement in relation to his character or conduct.” In denying knowledge of a leak he had in fact made himself. Carmichael was beyond any reasonable doubt making a false statement as to his conduct, even if we accept Paton’s argument it did not go to his character. Note that there is no reference to his “general” or “usual” conduct.
This is the judgement of a woman justifying a pre-determined stitch-up.
Despite al this, I would not be tremendously concerned about the result if Alistair had the decency to be a bit chastened by it. It is only because of our ridiculously undemocratic electoral system that representation is so skewed. You didn’t ought to get over 95% of the seats on 52% of the votes, and I am not sure what is gained by magnifying that other wrong. But any mixed feelings I have on those grounds are dispelled by the utterly inappropriate triumphalism the Lib Dems are displaying, as though to be found a blatant liar by a court is something to be proud of. The brass neck of it all is sickening.
“Oil at $40 dollars and forecast to fall further, if Scotland went independent now people in Ethiopia would be holding pop concerts for us.”
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Strange then Fred that the Treasury doesn’t want to devolve it to Scotland then, the way you put it Fred, it’s not worth much at all.
The majority of Muslims are loving, kind and generous people. 2Billion out of 7Billion.
The total hypocritical Western politicians and MSM. They have been illegally killing and maiming Muslims for years. Banning Muslims for years. Secretly and illegally taking their resources years. It’s astounding.
RoS
“Strange then Fred that the Treasury doesn’t want to devolve it to Scotland then, the way you put it Fred, it’s not worth much at all.”
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That may or may not be right, RoS, but the English are universally known and respected for their sense of duty towards their weaker brethren. Have been for centuries!
I thought Angela Eagle did very well today in her first stand-in at PMQs, up against the coke-head…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL6IanKY25E
“The Irish Republic in the 1930s was an authoritarian, priest-ridden state with a President whose sympathy for the German and Italian fascist régimes was similar to that of Portuguese strongman Salazar’s.”
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Speaking of authoritarian states, I see there’s not one Catholic cleric represented in the House of Lords even though…..
The Church of England says about 26 million people have been baptised, the Catholic Church claims just over four million members in England and Wales – and another 695,000 in Scotland.
Out of a total population of about 60 million, that means about one in 12 people in Great Britain is Catholic.
Now what was it you were saying about Fascism.
Republic of scotland
“Now what was it you were saying about Fascism.”
_____________________
Happy to help, Ros.
I was saying that 1930s Ireland had a President “whose sympathy for the German and Italian fascist régimes was similar to that of Portuguese strongman Salazar’s.”
All clear now? 🙂
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVzfER-WEAA1WVI.jpg
I see it’s the witching hour.
Jack McConnell – who has done well for himself now, from the runty Glasgow ned he once was to Lord Whateverthefuck, after voice-coaching rasped his diction acceptably flat enough for polite company – that Jack the Bad, who ferried Trump and his rooftop menagerie around by helicopter, at tax-payers expense and gave assurances that his golf-course would get the greasy palm New Labour nod and a wink.
For a sickening misuse of huge slice of land, and a useless ‘industry’ for an elitist pursuit, Scotland again as play-park for the leisure-afflicted in violently discordant leisure-wear. Horrifically toxic, the chemical run-offs from the dozens of chemicals used, flouting bans, rashly risking workers and players, run-off distributed far and wide, entering watercourses, killing more than just diversity.
I’d put them under the plough, if the toxin-laced soil’s products wouldn’t be unfit even for bovine consumption. Confiscate and smelt golf-clubs into some more useful implements.
A sacked Ambassador, carpeted for dog-whistle blowing.
In the 1930’s many countries were depressed. That’s why it’s called ‘The Great Depression’, the Wall Street Crash.
It was Salmond who got approval for Trump’s golf course after the local planning authority had turned it down. The whole business stank from start to finish.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/donald-trump-fails-to-deliver-on-golf-resort-jobs-pledge-8693854.html
No mention there though of the bullying and intimidation of those locals who opposed Trump.
Golf Developments or Sporting Estates. Land coming into public use or private Estates. Decisions, decisions.
Santa’s grottos or birds being throttled.
An Ambassador was just a Princess with a hatch-back.
“Strange then Fred that the Treasury doesn’t want to devolve it to Scotland then, the way you put it Fred, it’s not worth much at all.”
The oil companies would object, negotiating with two governments would be an administrative nightmare. Even if Scotland were independent the only changes would be on paper, the North Sea would still be administered from Westminster, the oil sold and revenues collected in London. Things would continue as they are and the two governments settle up at the end of the year.
The Local committee approved it. The infrastructure chairman, the one was stopping all development, voted against it. There was outrage. The Council called for a full council vote. They voted for it. Alex Salmond was the local MSP. People were demanding something be done about it. The Scottish Gov called it in. The greens got chucked out of the LibDems. They became Independent’s and then joined the Greens. An Inquiry was held (wasting taxpayers money). Matters were gone over again (same as before – at the Local Committee meeting – Thry banned the Press). It took six weeks. The Reporter gave permission.
The house building (500) was given permission to mitigate the cost of the Development. They would not be built until 9 years after the Inquiry. After the Course, , the Hotel, time-shares were built. Not much has happened so far. The course is smaller. The Club House is built, and the Hotel has been converted from the Estate House.
The handful of objectors did plenty of bullying and intimidation. They shut the Airport, causing delays, They intimidated locals who objected to their behaviour and total a pack of lies and sent the Police to their door. Their raised court action against the Development when they lived in houses without planning permission. They complained when their properties were included in planning which increased their property values.
The Resident Inquisitor seems to think it was wrong for Ireland to seek independence. It follows that he must think that Ireland should not be independent today.
Reductio ad absurdum.
But he has long exhibited his hostility towards the Irish. So no surprise here.
He objects to the politics of Ireland in the 1930’s, which were dominated by the anti-English feelings of the Irish people at the time, feelings quite understandable in view of Ireland’s history.
He seems to have no trouble with the manifest fascism of the I-country today. (I am not spelling out the name of the country, because doing so seemed to provoke moderation on this site yesterday, and for all I know would still do so today.)
The Oil sector is mainly in Scottsh waters. Unionists lied to hide the value, claimed Scotland was subsidised and took all the revenues an built up London S/E. Canary Wharf, Tilbury Docks. Thatcher cut the Scottish budget,written on the documents -”This must be kept secret’. devastated the notyh economy. Scotland bore the brunt. Westminster doesn’t need Scottish votes. There was higher unemployment in Scotland. Westminster economic policies unemployment in the North is a price worth paying for jobs and prosperity in the South. Labour kept the McCrone Report secret for thirty years, under the Official Secrets Act. Wased the revenues on illegal wars, banking fraud and tax evasion.
All the administration work is done in Aberdeen, the revenues just go South. The London Offices are for overseas and so the bosses can go to the Opera. Westminster governance is a disaster. UK Health & Safety Rules are not followed. There have been disasters and deaths because of it but no Inquiries.
Helicopters have fallen from the skies 4 in 4 years. People have died. Robert Goodwill MP refused an Inquiry. BP the worse company in economic history has broken Health and Safety Laws caused disasters and polluted the Gulf of Mexico etc.
The Carmichael ruling is nothing if not predictable.
The British Establishment will always protect its own and those who serve it. Doesn’t matter whether you have shot prostrate youngsters in the head from point blank range with a high velocity rifle in front of dozens of witnesses in Derry. Or caused the deaths of scores of football fans at Hillsborough, then lied about the circumstances and orchestrated a smear campaign against the dead. Or lied the UK into an illegal war that caused the deaths of over a million Iraqis and led directly to the current disaster in the Middle East. Or fitted up innocent Irish workers for bombings you know they didn’t commit. Or spread poisonous fabrications in an attempt to influence the outcome of the democratic process…
There may be the tiresome theatre of a court case or an inquiry (invariably an inquiry held as far after the event as possible and lasting as long as possible). But the Establishment will ensure that you will be okay – don’t have any doubts about that. Just as that same Establishment will ensure that those who threaten it will definitely not be okay – as politically motivated rioters given sentences of years for stealing bottles of water would be able to testify.
Despite the state’s propaganda that would have you believe the opposite, British justice is, in reality, a medieval farce.
The Irish campaigned for Independence for years throughout the 18C. 1860’s. The majority of Irish wanted Home Rule, The Movemrnt was led by Protestants. The Catholics were didcrimibated against under the Law. Charles Stewart Parnell was a Landowning Protestant. The Irish catholics were not allowed to hold land or own a sword or a horse. UK Law discriminated against Scotland as well. The Clearances. The land was given over to deer and sheep estates. People had to emigrate. Catholics could only become MP’s in 1861. In NI Catholics were not allowed to vote in Belfast in the 1960’s. Bernadette Devlin. 90% of public services jobs and housing allocations when to Protestants. The Masons – the handshake. The Catholics were in poverty. .
In Ireland people wanted land reform and civil rights. There were Home Rule bills passed but the Lords blocked them. Eventually the Lord power was curtailed and they can only stop a Bill twice. Then it becomes Law.
Only in the case of Irish Home Rule, after the Lords had stopped the bill twice, the First World War intervened to block it again, for years.
If Carmichael had been found guilty, so would most of Westminster. It could be damage limitation. Otherwise they would have to shut Westminster down. It would have set a precedent and most of Westminster MP’s could have been sued by the public. The House would have been empty. Then people could have started on the Lords. They still could. . It is a warning across the cuts.
If Westminster had to shut down, we would always have the alternative of the Athenian system.
1916 Esster uprising. 1922 Partition. Ulster and the 6 counties. Irelsnd could vote to be reunited. The demographics have changed.
A point that had not occurred to me, but which I think is valid: Trump’s religion test for immigrants is standard practice in Israel – See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/12/trumps-religion-test#comment-158381.
It would be hard to beat the irony of this: Trump’s Muslim Comments Draw Rebuke From Netanyahu.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu is going ahead with receiving Trump’s visit on De3c. 28.
@Spelling – small screen – tired eyes – predictive text
Also Nevermind – Re the Richard Bacon Letter – and Syria,
Western air strikes without the approval of the Syrian government are not only illegal, they lack credibility in their stated aim.
But either way, the imperative here is that Syria re-establishes its sovereignty and the principles of international law. If Syria is lost, then Western state sponsored banditry and terrorism will only escalate. Russia is already being targeted by the West’s asymmetric warfare, as is Iran and China.
Therefore, a line has to be drawn. And with Russia’s military support, Syria has the power to do just that. From now on, NATO warplanes violating Syrian territory should be put on notice. Keep out or get shot down.
http://friendsofsyria.info/index.php/2015/12/09/syria-tells-nato-keep-jets-out-or-get-shot-down-oped/
I posted this @ 19.15.
‘Villager probably knows more about the Bushes than I do.
And wasn’t it clever of Anon1 to copy Fred’s absolutely hilarious one liner and add ‘Ahahahahahaa!’
Mod I said that earlier but it was deleted. Why does Anon’s silly little comment stay?
In connection with the LDs I also posted a comment about Vince Cable joining a community not for profit bank in Hampshire as opposed to Brown and Darling joining American usurers. As this is a political blog, I think that was an appropriate and interesting comment. It has been deleted too. Soon you will only have trolls’ contributions. That is your lookout.
I added a link about Cable’s observations on his relationship with Osborne, again political. That has gone too.’
It was deleted. Therefore I take the hint. I have had enough of it and I am just wasting my time so bid farewell and wish friends here a Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
I wouldn’t take it personally, Mary. Probably an over-keen mod (or one just following orders), who’s been told the order is to make sure it stays on topic at least for the first page of a new topic, and not to allow bickering. That’s the way I’ve read it, anyway.
Lets try Glen’s Theory for another wee While mary..See how it pans out.
Peace to ye.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Joint-List-MK-Trump-visit-to-Temple-Mount-will-set-whole-region-on-fire-436794
Lysias 9.47pm
His visit is indeed going ahead but worse still above . Now what could possibly go wrong ……?