So what do we do now with Theresa May apparently obdurate on blocking the referendum?
It is important to realise politics are fluid. In a week’s time the situation will not be what it is today. The battle for public opinion is key. The unionist media (ie virtually all of it) are asserting continuously, as a uniform line, that opinion polls say the people of Scotland do not want a second Independence referendum in the timescale Nicola Sturgeon has set out – even though that is not true at all. The serial Tory crooks at You Gove came out with an opinion poll right on cue “showing” that support for Independence is hitting new lows. But I suspect it will not be long before evidence emerges that May’s unattractive diktat has profoundly assisted the Independence cause. That will change the game.
So with a wind of public opinion behind her, what does Sturgeon do if Westminster denies a Scottish Parliament request for a referendum? There are several options:
1) Hold an Advisory Referendum
It appears probable (though not undisputed) that the Scottish government can hold a referendum which is not binding, without Section 30 permission from Westminster. It is hard for Westminster to dismiss the result of an advisory referendum, given that Brexit was only an advisory referendum and May has taken as a matter of faith that it is binding.
But as we saw in Catalonia, a boycott by unionist forces can be quite effective in denying the credibility of a non-binding referendum result. I strongly suspect that would be their attitude to an advisory referendum, and I do not see it as a strong way forward.
2) Call a New Holyrood Election
This is an attractive option in many ways. It would be predicated on the plain statement that a new pro-Independence majority would declare Independence unilaterally. That would be the normal and internationally accepted way for a country to secede – a referendum is very much the exception.
But there are problems with this approach. The first is that it would require a two thirds majority of the Scottish parliament to dissolve it, and the Unionists would in all probability simply block it. Forcing them to do that may be a good move, but doesn’t take us far forward.
The second problem, should parliament dissolve, is the campaign itself. As it would not be a referendum campaign, media coverage would not be balanced on independence, but the unionist parties in effect given three times the coverage of the SNP, assuming the Greens continue to be very poorly treated. But as the “Balance” of the referendum coverage was risible anyway, I am not sure this is so much of a drawback.
More difficult is the uncertainty created by the appalling De Hondt system. There is no doubt that the optimum outcome for Independence would be for every Independence supporter to vote SNP 1 and Green 2. But in practice that will never happen on a significant scale, and what is the best way to utilise your vote to achieve independence is simply not predictable. Risking all on a system so prone to statistical fluke is a problem.
3) Call a National Assembly
In the event that Scotland is being blocked from holding either a referendum or an election, the Scottish Government could move to convene a National Assembly. This might consist of all MPs, MSPs and MEPs and that body could declare Independence. To be clear, that would be a revolutionary act in UK terms, but it is perfectly normal for such an act to be required at the birth of a new state and is no bar to it being accepted in international law as a state through recognition by the United Nations General Assembly.
The argument would run that, having been blocked at every turn from holding a democratic vote either by way of referendum or parliamentary election, the Scottish government had taken the option of convening all representatives democratically elected at the national level – MSPs, MPs and MEPs, and these elected representatives of the Scottish people had made the decision. That is perfectly respectable and entirely analogous to the way many EU members such as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent.
To return to my original argument, the possibilities depend very much on how public opinion is seen to be trending. May’s calculation appears to be driven firstly by a desire to play to her Brexiteer base in England – which judging by the rabid comments pages across the media is very successful – and secondly by a desire to further polarise Scottish politics to the benefit of the Scottish Tories. She is more than happy for Independence to be decided on a straight SNP vs Tory field. That May thinks she can win such a battle is an example of staggering hubris.
I have been saying in all of my speeches across Scotland in the last year that the game has changed and we have to be prepared for the idea we may have to achieve Independence without the consent or cooperation of the Westminster government. I am happily no longer a radical outlier in this belief.
I’ve just watched a tv documentary about Princess Diana.
As a rule I don’t watch tv, but did so out of politeness to my guest. I was there at the time, when Diana’s funeral took place in London (after she was murdered in Paris). The tv programme I’ve just watched didn’t mention anything about Diana’s relationship with Dodi Fayed.
This is complete ‘post-truth bullshit’ which all half-way sane people should rail against.
Are there any half-way people left?
Hey Fred, you’ve have a protector against the non-gentlemen, as defined by Habbabkuk, who oddly enough, from his Gentlemen Assessment Perch, is inclined to post personal insults to others here.
Anyway, a glimpse of reason from you. Housing, not at all straightforward.Locals on the housing waiting list allegedly find incomers given preference. And I’m advised that prisoners having served their sentence, and without a home, must be provided with accommodation.This proviso also causes locals to find themselves bobbing up and down the Council waiting list, confused and resentful.
Has not that been the way since “The Last King of Scotland” sent us lots of “refugees” = “British paid hangers-on”?
The police officer killed in a terror attack at Westminster has been named by Scotland Yard as PC Keith Palmer.
The 48-year-old husband and father was among five people who died, including the attacker, near the Houses of Parliament.
The attacker, whose identity police believe they know, stabbed the officer before being shot dead.
Forty others were also injured after a car struck pedestrians on nearby Westminster Bridge, before it crashed.
PM Theresa May said it was a “sick and depraved” attack on the heart of the capital and attempts to defeat UK values were “doomed to failure”.
Ministry of Truth
Listening to the top cop, he said there working assessment was International Terror.
He did not exactly say Islamic.
But he also warned people about retribution.
He was, I think, particularly warning Far Right Groups from taking action.
He said they are fairly sure they know the shot dead, knifeman.
“The police officer killed in a terror attack at Westminster has been named by Scotland Yard as PC Keith Palmer.”
Thanks Michael! He shall not be forgotten!
Not to put too fine a point on it but when will the UK disable or declare illegal, all knives, swords, sharp objects etc. Vehicles are deadly and have nearly unlimited reloading capability…
This scourge of lethal instruments must stop.
We already did. It’s an offence to carry any knife in public
‘Basic laws on knives. It is illegal to: sell a knife of any kind (including cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under 18. carry a knife in public without good reason – unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife’
This is a close up of the knife used. I will not comment but leave it to you to think about it.
http://e3.365dm.com/17/03/750×563/ea3242d86499ea597709e2ad1b3820f6f3760befe33a01718ceeceec7d19dbd4_3914869.jpg?20170322174208
from last night’s Live Updates from Westminster
http://news.sky.com/story/live-car-ramming-stabbing-gunshots-in-westminster-terror-attack-10810697
When I went back through the entries I find all the photos of that scene have been taken down?? Why?
Respect for the dead.
Why is there no blood on it?
Would a butter-knife qualify? It is kept in the kitchen.
AN SNP Cabinet member was at the centre of a row tonight after having “a meltdown” over Holyrood’s suspension in the wake of the London terror attack.
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham berated Tory MSPs after the decision was taken to halt a vote on Nicola Sturgeon’s demand for another independence referendum following the atrocity outside the UK Parliament.
The Perthshire South MSP was heard branding the decision a “disgrace” and said to have had to be calmed by colleagues after jabbing her fingertowards their benches.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/782658/london-terror-atack-snp-minister-meltdown-holyrood-suspension
Anyone know what Ms. Nicola Sturgeon means by
“sense of solidarity” felt in Scotland for people in London.
Ministry of Truth
is she actually capable of feeling emotion other than rage at Westminster?
” a sense of solidarity”
is not quite the same as solidarity.
You’re right Fred, it’s a disgrace that anyone should be using these deaths to make cheap political points.
Yes Node.. Like Andrew Neil’s tweet about the 2nd referendum debate not being suspended after the W Westminster attack.. and all the Nasty following tweets.
michael
“sense of solidarity” felt in Scotland for people in London.
Sense and sensibility too
It is of course, possible to be Very angry at Westminster ( Esp at the ongoing war crimes ) yet to also feel for our fellow Common folks in London… Grow up Eh
Sense and sensibility
Yes Brian, I thought it was hypocritical of Fred to complain about disrespect while he was himself making political capital out of the same tragedy.
I quoted a newspaper article without comment.
What are you doing?
The Westminster attacker was British-born and known to the police and intelligence services, the prime minister has revealed.
In a statement to the Commons, Theresa May said he had been investigated some years ago over violent extremism but had been a “peripheral figure”.
“He was not part of the current intelligence picture,” she said.
Eight arrests have been made following the attack on Wednesday that left four dead.
Those that died are PC Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade who worked at a London college, a man in his 50s and the attacker.
Seven of the injured are still in hospital in a critical condition.
Ministry of Truth
Apparently the murderer had two knives.
I expect he was attempting to behead the policeman.
I’ve made my point, not interested in bickering about it, bye.
Maybe you should have decided you didn’t want to bicker before you called me hypocritical.
Consider this:
Erdogan states that Europeans will not be able to walk the streets in safety if they do not change their attitudes.
A few hours after making this statement a number of people are deliberately run over in London.
Try to imagine the reaction had Putin made the statement that Erdogan made and subsequent events had unfolded as they did.
Man would we be defending ourselves from “Russian aggression” with all the aggression we could muster. Defend ourselves from Erdogan? Are you mad Turkey is a NATO member and is an essential component in standing up to Russian aggression.
Nature has a way of dealing with the terminally stupid.
http://mondoweiss.net/2017/03/apartheid-wears-veil/
Baby steps. Apartheid is the nice word for genocide. Apartheid and genocide entail the same obligation erga omnes to prevent. World war is the Ziocidaires’ way out of hostis humani generis outlawry but it appears to be out of reach, now that Russia dominates the Syrian theater and has imposed, de facto, the Military Staff Committee required by UN Charter Article 47. When Israel’s Syrian war is stubbed out, transitional justice will end Israeli apartheid but the world will need a few criminals to make examples of.
There’s obviously not enough idiots trembling in their boots here, so we’ll keep it up for another few days.
Fear, fear, fear! and anyone who does not buy into ‘fear’ is a Russian agent.
It’s like living in a lunatic asylum.
When will the adults take charge again?
That’s up to you, the people.
United Kingdom police have confirmed that five people have now died as a result of Wednesday’s
Westminster attack and 40 people have been injured.
“We think we know who the attacker is,” Acting Deputy Commissioner & national lead for Counter Terrorism Policing Mark Rowley said but stated that they were not willing to divulge the assailant’s name at this time, though they did admit that it
“Islamic terrorism is our assumption.”
https://www.rt.com/uk/381771-gunfire-loud-bangs-parliament/
Fair comment, Michael, and thanks for the link,
I think the coming days will show this to be total bollocks or not.
But that’s almost beside the point, because people like you want it to be true.
There’s a steam train of a revolution about to happen (don’t believe all the bollocks the MSM tell you). The sad thing is that people like you could really help change society, but all you want to go on about is niggas and wogs.
Marianne, a bronze statue where modern democracy started. Place de la République in Paris. There’s a revolution going on and all you people in Britain want to winge on about is ‘immigrants’.
Don’t you have any balls?
Liberté, égalité, fraternité.
You really need to understand what civil liberties are.
You are not serfs or slaves, you are CITIZENS.
“Don’t you have any balls?”
I won’t offer to speak for those among us with ovaries, but haven’t got any patience or manners? You may well be right in some of your claims but which ones? By the time you have all the information you’ll probably have alienated most of the people you want to reach. Take a deep breath.
This article by Denis Kucinich ought to be read:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/46717.htm
Then there is this one in The Intercept regarding Apartheid in Israel.
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/22/top-israelis-have-warned-of-apartheid-so-why-the-outrage-at-a-un-report/
So far as identifying acts of terrorism through the religion of the perpetrator is concerned why not go all the way and call them what they are not Islamic but Wahhabi terrorists. The wahhabis are a tiny portion of the Islamic world, not much more significant than one of the tiny sects among Protestants.
There is one big difference however: they wax fat on the revenues of Saudi Arabia which they earn by legitimising the Saud family’s kleptocracy. And that means that they are untouchable because the Sauds are Imperialism’s friends and they buy weapons and hire mercenaries from the UK and US, and they discourage Palestinians from seeking justice.
Almost all these terrorists are not only wahhabis but members of the same militias, such as Al Nusra and ISIS which owe their existence, their arsenals and their treasuries to the, undeniable, assistance of the imperialist powers, including the UK whose government has been licking the arses of rich wahhabis (and Russian oligarchs) on a professional basis for decades.
I don’t think it’s innocent ignorance which sustains much of the phony dialogue across the country and the west. Those in charge keep pushing the limit of what people are willing to accommodate in return for their luxuries, while threatening them with self knowledge if they aren’t obedient. Then there’s this:
http://thephilosophicalsalon.com/the-cia-reads-french-theory-on-the-intellectual-labor-of-dismantling-the-cultural-left/
I have often thought Derrida was an utter fraud, just talking obscure bollix in order to seed confusion.
He could just be far cleverer than me though.
Self-knowledge sounds painful. The CIA need some more than most. Maybe the CIA could experiment with its clients in t’he Muslim world who they have stripped of their innate and taught cultural values, respect for others lives, dignities and freedoms through the industrialised means of torture and psychotic drug re-education.
Feeding us TV tripe and then illuminating us with culture might win hearts and minds in the West. But exactly how do they plan to return the Muslim Brotherhood army of cultural nihilists to the inevitable scurry, after Trump’s jihad against them, to normal life in the West? The only other thing they can do with them is move them ever further East.
As in Northern Ireland, or those in military service, once the required number of monkeys have been programmed to violence, it becomes very difficult to eradicate in normal life. If ever the disaffected, Western youth were to share ideas with the brain-washed terrorists returning from mercenary work for USUKIS it might lead to civil unrest.
I watched a group of about 60 Asian lads and lasses watching a fight where one brother had been got to the ground. Have the neo-cons thought through the repercussions of Trump dismantling their Muslim Brotherhood war machine? I suppose they will blame Trump for causing their return to places where raping stealing forcing threatening or starving are not considered polite.
Vomit vomit everywhere and ne’er a drop to eat.
Hope Craig is OK. This post came on 17th and most recent tweet on 18th.
he Royal Navy is to hold its first large scale cyber war games.
Information Warrior 17 will involve Artificial Intelligence (AI) and test the protection of warships and submarines against cyber attacks.
The training will be held during Joint Warrior, a major Nato exercise taking place in and around Scotland from 26 March to 6 April.
This exercise, which is held twice a year, involves thousands of army, navy and air force personnel.
The Royal Navy said Information Warrior 17 would “set the foundations” for cyber warfare in the future “because, as our enemies become more technologically advanced, so must we to combat these threats”.
Ministry of Truth
Still nobody from the S. N. P. has made a guess,
at how many people in Scotland, are employed, directly or indirectly by The Royal Navy,
not your job, so not interested?
The choice to be made must leave absolutely no opportunity for those unionist extremists who would claim just cause to arm themselves or commit violence. We should not underestimate the lengths some people will go to if we give them a hint of a grievance. Due process must be followed, that means a vote! It may even mean more than one vote
Brian Watters, would you be able to enlighten us as to what you mean by ” unionist extremists”
thank you
My condolences to all those who had relatives/children killed or injured in this incident which is being treated as a terror attack, not that of a madman.
How many people died of hunger in South Sudan yesterdays because they are scared by armed tribal conflict getting worse every day?, how many at the hand of our arms, and what about Yemen, were these arms are being used in an indiscriminate way?
do we care?
The terror narrative and international pity on us for having to suffer another attack in London will reverberate for days on end, with no other issue, such as the Holyrood Indyref 2 debate, the impending Brexit wrecks it event, as well as the increasing animosity between Israel and Syria surrounding the occupied Golan, will all disappear, will be hidden behind the prioritisation for our own concerns.
Off course the ‘get Corbyn’ relentless attacks will carry on and be of significance to the MSM/BBC, so don’t expect the Tories to be questioned about anything like
-accusing the wrong man for this terror incident, for a whole hour before they realised he’s still in prison.
-that this was thoroughly trained for some days before. Was there a warning? do we now have to expect similar attacks at anniversaries of previous events/massacre?
How long before some deluded and most likely ‘mad’ person, enticed by all this right wing rhetoric from our western leaders, uses Breivik’s terror anniversary for just such another attack?
That the name of this attacker, seemingly not known to police, has yet to come out, and arrests have been made in Birmingham, what was his previous life here like and who affiliated with him?
“My condolences to all those who had relatives/children killed or injured in this incident which is being treated as a terror attack, not that of a madman.”
Seven arrested. It was not the work of a “madman” or “lone wolf”, much as you and the media keep telling us these attacks are all carried out by “mentally ill” Muslims.
But congratulations for getting every possible diversion into you post – Isr-el (naturally), Breivik, “right-wing rhetoric from our Western leaders”, Yemen, indyref2 – why don’t you just go full retard and call it a false flag?
“-accusing the wrong man for this terror incident, for a whole hour before they realised he’s still in prison.”
Yes indeed.
https://twitter.com/AgentP22/status/844655853970112512/photo/1
Milo Yiannopoulos Hits Out At Aamer Anwar After Glasgow University Rector Loss
The ‘darling of the alt-right’ suffered a crushing defeat.
22/03/2017 12:34 | Updated 18 hours ago
Milo Yiannopoulos has hit out at human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar after his defeat in the race to become rector at Glasgow University.
Following a campaign in which he pledged to ban safe spaces, pull funding for therapy sessions and make sure students encounter as much “upsetting, offensive, and bubble-bursting material as possible”, Yiannopoulos received just 533 of 8,210 student votes.
The former Breitbart journalist missed on the position of rector – an honorary role that represents the entire student body – by a big margin, with 4,458 students opting for anti-war campaigner Anwar.
/..
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/milo-yiannopoulos-aamer-anwar-glasgow-university-rector-defeat_uk_58d23f1de4b02d33b746e38e
Anwar has just been on the BBC OB joining the stream of the great and the good expressing their thoughts on yesterday’s events.
Sharp Ears, you seem to be unable to grasp reality.
Perhaps stop posting for a few days and do some deep breathing exercises?
There speaks a racist and then a nutter. The latter displays his gross hypocrisy!
i think quite a few around here have a good grip on reality. As for others-‘By their posts ye shall know them’ And more on here than practically anywhere else.
Good advice from Norton to the Virus!
There speaks the t….’s apprentice. I expected that.
I have been out for a few hours and see the MSM stooges are still at it on all channels having started off again at 6am with OBs.
IDS and Thornberry are on with Neil now. All the pocket pols are anxious to be heard reciting their anecdotes. All wearing black of course. May’s HoC statement is being repeated. Mr Bercow acknowledged support from a representative of the French government present in the house. That will please Mr Hollande in his war on terror.
The hypocrisy is gross but the people do not shout out against the propaganda. If your memories go back as far as 1991, you might recall that there has never been any similar massive coverage of horrific acts in NATO’s offensive wars such as the aerial attack on the Amiriyah Shelter in Iraq for example when 408 people were incinerated.
‘The Amiriyah shelter bombing was an aerial attack that killed at least 408 civilians on 13 February 1991 during the Persian Gulf War, when an air-raid shelter (“Public Shelter No. 25”), in the Amiriyah neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq, was destroyed by the U.S. Air Force with two laser-guided “smart bombs”.
The shelter was used in the Iran/Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War by hundreds of civilians. According to the U.S. military, the shelter at Amiriyah had been targeted because it fit(ted) the profile of a military command center; electronic signals from the locality had been reported as coming from the site, and spy satellites had observed people and vehicles moving in and out of the shelter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiriyah_shelter_bombing
In 2010 Felicity Arbuthnot wrote of the horror.
Iraq: St. Valentine’s Day Massacres: Still Ongoing
http://www.globalresearch.ca/iraq-st-valentine-s-day-massacres-still-ongoing/17618
Think on.
Sharp Ears,
The 1991 Persian Gulf War was not ‘a NATO offensive war’. Military action was authorised by the United Nations under Resolution 678 which drew legtimacy from Chapter VII and Article 41 of the United Nations Charter. Having cited International Law a few days ago, I am surprised that you are unable to distinguish between the UN and NATO. While obviously there is an overlap in membership between the two organisations, NATO did not direct either the air or ground war against Iraqi forces who were illegally occupying Kuwait.
Perhaps, since you are so aggrieved by the MSM, avoid tuning in? I detest the pro-Putin bias of RT, therefore I do not watch it. I can’t stand the casual relationship which Fox News has with both facts and the English language, therefore I do not watch it. All rather simple.
FFS. Just stop mindlessly copying and pasting.
Afzal Khan to stand for Labour in Manchester Gorton by-election
Ministry of Truth
On Tuesday George Galloway said he would stand as an independent candidate.
Labour have held this constituency for more than eighty years.
Exactly the same length as Labour held Copeland.
That is now in the hands of the conservatives.
It was probably, one of Labour’s safest seats.
General Election 2015: Manchester Gorton
Labour Gerald Kaufman 28,187 67.1%
Shatnersrug/Rob.G
Go back and take a screen shot of Habbs veiled threats, keep them, I have several stored from prior roundabout threats.
If you feel intimidated by them take the screen shots to the police immediately, that way you’ll have a crime report number. But keep them for future reference.
As far as I know giving an opinion on a event is not a crime in Britain, yet.
You’ll go far in the S. N. P. RoS
Don’t you think the police have more useful things to look into, like five deaths and forty injuries in Westminster.
You are really pathetic.
These events really show up the sick and evil. Pathetic is way too mild. Even Einsteins Theory of Stupidity doesn’t do justice.
It seems the we have a new term to avoid having to say “Islamic terrorism”.
“International terrorism”.
Yes, Islam is now a Nation. Long live the Caliphate!
Well spotted Anon.
“The attacker appears to have been motivated by international terrorism”.
International Islamic terrorism is what it fucking well is!
They haven’t yet assimilated that the blackguard Obama has gone and Trump is the new Guard?
S. N. P. parliament to continue with Indyref2 on Tuesday, following the terror attack in Westminster.
Brexit vote: Single market benefit ‘largely imaginary’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39356664
The trade benefits of belonging to the European Union have been “largely imaginary”, according to the social policy think-tank Civitas.
Its analysis argues that exports from non-EU countries to the single market have grown faster than the UK’s, since its creation in 1993.
That lends weight to the argument that no EU deal is better than a bad deal, the author said.
Theresa May will start talks on the UK’s departure from the EU on 29 March.
The prime minister will officially notify the EU of the UK’s intention to leave by triggering “Article 50” and writing to European Council president Donald Tusk.
“Brexit vote: Single market benefit ‘largely imaginary’”
________
Well I suppose that’s not the only thing that could be said to be imaginary of late.
Massive arms dump eXplosion in The Ukraine
https://www.rt.com/news/381933-ukraine-munition-city-fire-explosions/
“Ukrainian media report that nothing serious has happened, saying that just one explosion took place and no one was injured. But my friends and I, who saw [the incident] with our own eyes, say that… some people have been injured.”
Explosions are still occurring at the munitions depot, Evgeny said, adding that the entire city of Balakleya has been evacuated.
The civil defense department of the city’s district administration earlier told RIA Novosti that most of the population of Balakleya had been evacuated.
“The first wave of the evacuation has come to an end. Most of the population have been evacuated by buses. Now the buses are returning to evacuate the rest. Specialists are going from house to house checking who remains,” the district administration said.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balakliia
So it “might” be in the area of Russian influence?
I’ve tweeted a virtual candle under the hashtag #PrayForLondon and liked a page on Facebook.
Hopefully it’ll all go away now, until the next time.
Scotland
Tayside and Central Scotland
‘Unity’ plea from brother of murdered aid worker after London attack
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-39364922
The brother of a British aid worker murdered by so-called Islamic State has made a plea for unity and calm in the wake of the Westminster terror attack.
David Haines, 44, who grew up in Perth, was beheaded in Syria in 2014 after being held prisoner for 18 months.
His elder brother Mike said it was “vital” that communities “remain calm and united”, regardless of the motive.
Mr Haines works with groups to combat extremist indoctrination of young people in the UK.
The prime minister has said the attacker, who drove a car into pedestrians before stabbing a police officer, was British-born and known to MI5.
‘Kindness and solidarity’
Mr Haines said: “My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of this tragic attack in the heart of our nation’s capital.
“In the midst of the hurt and heartache that we are all feeling in this moment, it is vital that we as a society remain calm and united, no matter who or what was behind this attack.
Mr Haines said that terrorism “in all its guises” sought to “spread fear and divide us”.
He said: “In confronting this evil, we must stand shoulder to shoulder, with confidence that we are all stronger when we stand together.
“The reports of kindness and solidarity amongst those on the scene, proves our togetherness.
“Whatever the motivations, they will not succeed in sewing distrust amongst us – I have seen first hand that we are stronger than that.”
Just watching the parliamentary gush-o-thon, it’s clear that they haven’t named the terrorist because they all want to queue up to tell us this has “nothing to do with Islam” first. Then they’ll release his name.
Paris
Paris
San Bernardino
Brussels
Orlando
Nice
Wurzburg
Reutlingen
Ansbach
Munich
Ohio
Berlin
London
Nothing to do with Islam.
No I-slam(ming) allowed!
Maybe the body hasn’t been formally identified yet.
@Anon1: What about the many many more people who are muslims who don’t do shit like this? Has them NOT doing things like this got something to do with islam too?
Of course it’s got ‘something to do with islam’ if the bloke thinks he’s doing it for islam, but ascribing direct causal relationships to the religion without balancing them against the relationship between islam and the vast majority of muslims NOT doing terror is inaccurate and silly. The most you can say is that for some very unusual people, islam might be used as an excuse for this shit; while for most muslims it would be used as an excuse NOT to do it (eg all the muslims I’ve ever met are (like the Christians I know) pretty much goody two shoes types who’s religion makes them much less likely to do harm to others). It’s like calling a quaker a bigot because of westboro Baptist church.
Have you tried working out the proportions of people who become active extremists in all the different ethnic communities in different countries? (I’d include trained psychopaths like the SAS in this) I’d guess it’d be a similar proportion, being more to do with a certain type of personality/life experience than race or culture.
I’d like to take notice of your argument about the ‘Advisory referendum’ but you fail to detail legal constituional evidence from both sides of the argument on this.
You also fail to detail the shinangans around joining the EU and again the legal constitutional arguments from both sides of the argument.
Please wipe the bile from your mouth when talking about the Brexiters, you do youself a diservice amongst and otherwise sxceptional blog.
A worrying number of SNP supporters appear to be of the belief that the whole thing was staged in order to scupper the Scotch indyref debate…
I have been watching the Scottish Andrew Neil show, all turned over to the terror in Westminster yesterday.
the Scottish Laura Juliet Kuenssberg has told us that the terror suspect was shot by the Defence Secretary’s close protection officer and that if the Defence secretary had not been about, there would likely have been nobody armed on the gates of the Palace of Westminster.
That is the reason he was shot with a hand gun
and not with a machine gun.
Islamic State have said the murderer was one of their foot soldiers.
The Scots parliament should dissolve the treaty of 1707 simple.
Legally I don’t think it could. The current Scottish Parliament has no power to make or ammend Treaties be they current, past or prospective.
Police name attacker in London parliament terrorist attack as Khalid Masood
https://www.rt.com/uk/382049-khalid-masood-attacker-london/
The London terrorist attacker has been named by police as Khalid Masood.
Masood, 52, was born in Kent and detectives believe he was most recently living in the West Midlands. Masood was also known by a number of aliases, Scotland Yard says.
Masood was not the subject of any current investigations and there was no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack.
Belgian police stop attempted car-ramming attack in Antwerp
https://www.rt.com/news/382024-man-arrested-tried-to-drive-into-crowd/
Authorities said they found knives, a gun, and a gas can with an unknown liquid in the car
So much for the ludicrous racist and right wing anti-terrorrism ban on immigrants, here in Europe and in the US.
Khalid Masood was British and born in Kent. He had a history of violent behaviour with several convictions we are told.
‘The Metropolitan police said Masood had previous convictions for a number of violent offences, including GBH and assault, but had never been found guilty of terror offences. His first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last was in December 2003 for possession of a knife, police said.’
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/23/westminster-attack-police-arrest-seven-people-in-raids-at-six-addresses
It is said he is of Pakistani lineage,
describing himself as an English Teacher.
Scotland Yard said Khalid Masood “is not at this early stage believed to be his birth name” and that research into his aliases was being carried out.
Ministry of Truth
Europe has the same type as anti immigration law as the US? Really?
I didn’t say law. I said ban. See the right wing politicians emerging throughout Europe and there are racists amongst us here in the UK.
Helpful of the Guardian to carry this muck.
Anti-immigration politicians link London attack to migrant policy
Marine Le Pen calls for tighter borders, while Nigel Farage says London attacks prove Trump’s hardline policies are right
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/23/anti-immigrant-politicians-link-london-attack-migrant-policy
Royal Bank of Scotland to shut lots of branches
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39368740
Fred, c’mon, do you really consider the Express to be a newspaper?
Question 1: What is a newspaper? It’s purpose? it’s responsibilities.? It’s place in society? Discuss.
If you don’t like the Express read about what a nasty shit Roseanna Cunningham is in one of the other papers.
There are plenty to choose from.
https://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=dJnY9iIyw9wJgzMVTISnveFg_IzWM&q=Roseanna+Cunningham&lr=English&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY17jy1O3SAhXlBcAKHVTYD2sQqgIIJTAA