Let me see. According to official figures, the lowest levels of race-related crime in the UK, perhaps lower than the majority in the West? Religious bigotry falling steadily toward insignificance according to Professor Devine’s figures? Domestic abuse well below UK-levels?
Not much evidence there, Mr Brown.
Which Western countries are less divided than Scotland?
England’s Asian and Black communities ghettoised and disproportionately imprisoned? Fascists marching outside Westminster and advising the PM?
Northern Ireland’s paramilitaries only on stand-down?
The USA, your favourite holiday location! The Black and Hispanic populations in ghettos, poverty pay or in prison? The melting pot never even heated up. White supremacists and survivalists, armed and ready to fight the state. ‘Christians’ killing abortion surgeons. Children massacring their classmates?
Belgium split down the middle by language and distrust?
Spain beating its Catalan civilians with night-sticks?
Hungary brutalising its Roma?
Oh, I give up Gordon. What do you mean?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
This is the same guy who took weeks to acknowledge the election of an SNP government when he was PM.
This is the guy who wanted “British jobs for British workers”. *Warning*—Xenophobes at work!
This is the guy who was one side of a hill-billy feud within his own party.
This is the guy who, night after night in 2014, promised more to Scots, than Scheherazade promised her King. —Enabled by a corrupt BBC and his own eco, knowing nothing he committed to, would come to pass.
This is the guy who stayed silent as first Cameron, then May and now Johnson ignores and demeans the people of Scotland.
This is the guy who commands attention from the “Scottish” media, yet never says one thing to help Scotland—always to keep Scotland “in its rightful place”—on the floor.
Just where is your Home Rule, Gordon?
Where is your Federalism?
Where is your Devo Max?
Four equal nations?
A Union of equals?
Blah-de-blah-blah!
Keir Hardie would spit in your good eye, and call you the FRAUD you undoubtedly aare!
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I should also point out that Wee Wullie Rennie is participating on the “Golden Bullshit Tour” with Broonie—off to Newcastle to big up a UNITED country with the NHS at the centre. Wee Wullie is to claim the NHS as the centre-piece in the UK—pointing to a US based “Commonwealth Fund” report from 2017 which gave the NHS top billing—partly due to access and equity—but the UK scored 10th out of 11 for health outcome (which is surely the whole point).
The UK also scores pretty low on European health systems, with Switzerland, the Netherlands, France (which my family has used quite a few times) and others way, way ahead.
This is partly due to funding and investment, and when Wee Wullie’s Lib Dumbs were in Coalition with their Tory chums, health spending collapsed to less than 2% per annum.
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Broon has given up on the Better Together message (with England that is) because clearly we are not and is now using the only tool left in their box,project fear 2.0
If they are so concerned about the democratic process promoting division,then they should go and live in China or some other country which agrees with that idea.
We Scots like the idea of democracy because,in part,we have been denied electing a government of our choice by Broon and his fellow unionists.
Democracy is divisive,get used to it.
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And, of course, Good Morning Scotland gave an unquestioning ‘puff’ for it this morning, in a programme that was clearly planned to be a series of stories critical of the SG – an education report based on an FoI request by a Ferret journalist and EIS activist, a story about a doctor who was once employed by NHS Tayside, ‘whispering’ in the SNP against the FM, then the report on Gordon Brown’s planned speech. There were also three ‘vox pops’. When Mr Swinney was interviewed he was persistently interrupted.
And, there was the old BBC Scotland ploy: “The SG DENIES allegations by …..”
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GMS SNP baad mode full on this morning . Nick Erdley slipped in a piece to Gary Robertson completely unrelated to anything , about how big trouble is really brewing for Nicola Sturgeon . Discontent with her leadership could see replaced , Alex Salmond trial could see her falling on her sword, Kenny MacAskill say “there’s not a vacancy YET ” ! . BBC stirring things up nicely , or do they know something we don’t ! .
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“….or do they know something we don’t !” Don’t tell me the weasel words are getting to you, too????? It is this Calvinist upbringing – We’re doomed! Doomed, I tell ye!!”
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But meenister I huvnae goat ony teeth tae gnash.
Madam, teeth will be provided!
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Never been a Calvinist in my life Alasdair , doubt there have been many in Scotland for generations , but what I do know is politics is a dirty business . No , journalists haven’t got to me , I know what they are capable of ! .
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“Calvinist upbringing”. Calvin believed in predestination, indeed double-predestination, so not only were the “good” elected to heaven, the “born bad” were set for damnation. Nothing you could do about it!
I wonder if Broonie is of this disposition—BritScots set for wondrous success (even under Tories like Thatcher and Johnson) because its “all for the best”.
ScotScots are pre-doomed–no matter how we strive, we can never thrive. Broonie probably agrees with Johann Lamont about Scots deficiencies—- “we’re not genetically programmed in Scotland to make political decisions”.
Oddly, if Scots leave Scotland, this genetic programming disappears —Scots in Australia, Canda, new Zealand and even England appear to thrive, and become national leaders.
Perhaps our double helix unravels as it passes the border.
Maybe Goh-don Brew-wah will ask Magrit Curran or some such luminary when he has her on his LabourLuvie show.
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Of course Scots do well in Canda, but do even better in Canada.
And there is no “LabourLuvie” show. Its the “Lay-bahLuvie” show!
Goh-don being phonetically deprived ( presumably by choice) and non-rhotic, like many other BritScots..
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Timed just when both rangers and Celtic plying European games in the hope that his nonsense will spark discussions
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Who said this was about Calvinism? Who started it? Is that a form of trolling?
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Well GB is a son of the manse so Calvanism may come into it somewhere.
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Calvin and Hobbs—more fun than Calvin and Knox.
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All this talk of divisiveness by Mr Brown reminds of this from the Social Mobility Commission report ‘State of the Nation 2018 to 2019’:
Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/798404/SMC_State_of_the_Nation_Report_2018-19.pdf
“This data highlights that both Scotland and Wales are becoming significantly more socially mobile, as a person’s job and life chances are less determined by their socio-economic status at birth. This is encouraging and compares favourably to England, where social mobility has not improved.” (p. 138) And the report goes on:
“The Commission recognises the Scottish Government’s efforts at tackling in-work poverty by becoming an accredited voluntary living wage employer, as well as strongly encouraging other employers to do the same.” (p. 138).
Mr Brown’s concerns over divisiveness also remind me of this from the British Social Attitudes Survey.
Source: https://bsa.natcen.ac.uk/media/39363/bsa_36.pdf
“It has long been apparent that those with a strong English identity are less likely to embrace the greater social diversity that may be occasioned by immigration, a product perhaps of the fact that in England at least, the idea of creating a ‘multicultural’ society has been associated with Britishness rather than Englishness (Curtice and Seyd, 2001; Jeffery et al., 2014.). ”
So this report provides extensive evidence on ongoing polarisation of Britain, and in particular South Britain.
“…. there are strengthened relationships too between support for leaving the EU and both people’s sense of identity and their broader libertarian or authoritarian values.”
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Has someone slipped a dash of truth serum into ‘Union’ Jackie Baillie’s lunchtime glass of champers? I note from STV news site that the Faslane Fury has been outlining how north brit labour sub-branch are likely to disappear without trace at 2021 Holyrood election – For once I reckon Jackie might be onto something – link and snippets below:
https://news.stv.tv/politics/baillie-scottish-labour-facing-fight-for-survival?top
Baillie: Scottish Labour facing fight for survival
The Dumbarton MSP spoke ahead of a campaign event in Glasgow on Friday.
Scottish Labour deputy leadership candidate Jackie Baillie has said the party is fighting for survival in next year’s election.
“This isn’t a debate about what kind of future we have – but about whether we have a future at all.”
She added: “We are fighting for our very survival at the next Scottish Parliament election and we owe it to our party members…. to get our act together.”
Scottish Labour slumped to third in the last Holyrood election, with the Conservatives becoming the official opposition.
Labour lost all but one of its MPs in Scotland in December’s general election.
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What can we learn about this supposed cause of bad ‘divisiveness’ from our recent past? Did the political division in Scotland in the lead up to 2014 and afterwards turn out so bad? – apart from the indyref result ofcourse!
The ONS Annual Population Survey assesses a sample of UK citizens about personal well-being. It asks people to evaluate, on a scale of 0 to 10, how satisfied they are with their life overall, whether they feel they have meaning and purpose in their life, and about their emotions (happiness and anxiety) during a particular period.
Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/measuringnationalwellbeing/januarytodecember2017#scotland-is-the-only-country-to-show-improvements-across-any-measures-of-personal-well-being
“Between the years ending December 2016 and 2017, improvements in worthwhile and happiness ratings in the UK were driven by Scotland, where average (mean) ratings also improved.”
Also, average life satisfaction, worthwhile and happiness ratings in Scotland between the years ending March 2012 and December 2017 showed a STEADY IMPROVEMENT on all three metrics.(see Figure 2a)
Average anxiety ratings in Scotland between the years ending March 2012 and December 2017 (see Figure 2b). Interestingly the average anxiety rating actually FELL in Scotland according to the ONS from 2012 and until around late 2014, i.e. it fell over time leading up to the indyref. It has risen thereafter – as has mine!
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Despite the trailer for Mr Brown’s ‘divisive Scotland’ speech, I can find nothing about it anywhere on the BBC site. Even the Scotland page makes no mention of it.
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