Here is another story linked to another UK party that, so far, the BBC have avoided on their website, yet as a situation it is shocking for Scotland and devolution, but it’s not surprising it’s being neglected by the BBC, as let’s not forget this is the BBC we are talking about (or writing about) and it also relates to the Tories.
So firstly there is this:
On the 1 October JK Rowling responded to someone asking her about Nicola Sturgeon and her new role in giving a masterclass on women’s leadership.
Rowling’s response “I learned not to ask why there was £400k missing from the accounts or why my husband had three coffee machines. I can also teach you how to delete WhatsApp messages, say “no comment” to police and “launch” non-operational ferries! (Pro tip: don’t forget the fake funnels!)’”
Funny that, because coincidentally the UK media seems to have “learned” not to ask why Rowling wrote this below prior to the 2014 Independence Referendum and why it now seems to be proven as being a load of old cobblers.
She wrote:
“ I’ve heard it said that ‘we’ve got to leave, because they’ll punish us if we don’t’, but my guess is that if we vote to stay, we will be in the heady position of the spouse who looked like walking out, but decided to give things one last go. All the major political parties are currently wooing us with offers of extra powers, keen to keep Scotland happy so that it does not hold an independence referendum every ten years and cause uncertainty and turmoil all over again. I doubt whether we will ever have been more popular, or in a better position to dictate terms, than if we vote to stay”.
Because now Scotland is in the precarious position of being punished and not rewarded because we (some of us) voted “to stay”.
Where it now seems that none of the major , or new rogue parties, are currently “wooing us” but many of them are threatening us and our devolution.
In fact “Keeping Scotland happy” does not seem to be at the top of their agenda as that would mean that they actually would have to care about us, which clearly they do not.
As to “uncertainty and turmoil” well if Rowling thinks that there has been certainty and stability since 2014 then I suggest she , like others, is (intentionally) deluding herself , all because she supports the UK State, but also with her vast wealth then she does not experience the same negative impact as us ordinary folk in Scotland so, what with the many cruel and bad decisions that have been taken by various UK governments since 2014.
We , Scotland, are seemingly more “unpopular” and are definitely not in any “position”, as a nation within the UK, to “dictate terms” as clearly the “terms” , of the UK State, are being “dictated” to us, like for example the restrictive (for Scotland) UK Internal Market.
Now it seems that the Tories seem emboldened to actually shout out loud their plans for Scotland and devolution, if , that is, they are elected in the next GE .
Today one of English newspapers that is distributed in Scotland wrote:
“Tory leader (Badenoch) will review Scotland Act” , and that this “move signals the end (of what they say is) the Devolve and forget” system (that they say currently exists) and that they, the Tories, will “Consider withdrawing powers from Holyrood” .
Yesterday at the Tory Conference Andrew Bowie , Shadow Energy Security Secretary aka Tory HQ puppet, declared this:
“A new Tory government will legislate for new nuclear power in Scotland” and he told ministers of the Scottish government to “bring it on” if they “object”.
He also said that in relation to Nuclear power in Scotland that “We will legislate to get it done – no more Mr Nice Guy, no more devolve and forget”.
Obviously Bowie is going through another phase where he seems somewhat ‘mad with power’ , because HQ have singled him out as a YES man , who as a HQ YES man , will do HQ’s bidding irrespective of the negative and detrimental consequences to the country that he was elected in as a constitutional MP, i.e. Scotland.
This also exposes Rowling’s fantasy words prior to the 2014 Scottish independence Referendum as pure hokum, which we all knew anyway, as clearly what is happening to Scotland is that we are being punished for (some of us) voting NO to independence in 2014 , as opposed to us , and our country, being rewarded for that inexplicable and undeniably wrong and bad decision that was made by some in 2014.
Lies , fantasy and project Fear being the order of the day via BT NO’s campaign.
Funny how certain billionaire’s and their money, think that they can say what they want , whenever they want in order to try to get what they want , yet when it comes to remorse in accepting that they were wrong , well that does not happen, as still they are defiant in then continuing to campaign against the SNP and also campaigning for Scotland to stay within the UK.
Why ?
Well based on what has and is still happening to Scotland , then it is clearly for Scotland to continue to be the abused “spouse who looked like walking out, but decided to give things one last go”.
Though now it seems that the abused “spouse” just has to like it or lump it , as after they “decided to give things one last go” they, as the abused “spouse” are now being kept in this supposed ‘Union’ against their will.
BTW the BBC website , on their main Scotland page and Scottish politics page currently have no articles on Bowie’s speech that included a threat to ride roughshod over devolved powers in Scotland where they as Tories intend to impose nuclear power stations onto Scotland.
Nor does the BBC have anything upon what Kemi Badenoch has declared in what she plans to do to Scotland and our devolved powers , as in remove some of those powers from Holyrood, if the Tories win the next GE .
No surprise that they, the BBC, have omitted to highlight both Bowie’s and Badenoch’s planned dictator like impositions which they intend to thrust upon Scotland, as that is clearly a situation that would then be, for Scots, a very much #ToryBad.
Liz S
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The Tory SOS for (against) Scotland, Harriet Cross, is on BBC QT tonight , which is in Peterlee in County Durham, England.
Now I am not sure what her input will be.
However I strongly suspect that she will contribute a fair amount of #SNPBAD comments.
Nevertheless in order for sense of balance and fairness the host of this programme, Fiona Bruce, should point out that any criticism and allegations against the Scottish government (by Cross), are being made by her , Cross, with no representation on the panel from the Scottish government.
So then Fiona Bruce should say that “as the Scottish government (the SNP) are not here to defend themselves we should point out that ‘X Y and Z’ “.
(Then she could , as host, explain her understanding or knowledge of their, Scottish government’s, position or correct the person if they are obviously wrong in what they are saying – or even point out that it was worse, as a position , in England when they were the former UK government).
Apparently it is required by them as a BBC host to fulfil strict legal and regulatory obligations regarding editorial impartiality and fairness.
BBC editorial policy includes this:
“There may be occasions when the omission of views or other material could jeopardise impartiality or accuracy“.
“When dealing with ‘controversial subjects’, current public policy or political issues, the BBC must ensure a wide range of significant views and perspectives are given due weight and prominence, particularly when the controversy is active. Opinion should be clearly distinguished from fact”.
So considering the recent comments made by Tory Bowie and Tory Badenoch in respect to Scotland, if, that is, the Tories win the next GE, what then will Harriet Cross say tonight on BBC QT and also why is a Shadow SOS for Scotland appearing on a panel of a programme that , in this episode , is visiting an English Town ?
Cross also had much to say about Scotland and the SNP when at the recent Tory conference such as :
“The SNP use independence as their safety blanket”.
“They know that they can use that to pull it over people’s eyes to distract from what they’re actually doing – and they always know that there’s going to be a rump of the country behind them if they wave that flag and shout loudly. But the Scots aren’t stupid – they can see what’s happening”.
“Safety blanket” – the Tories UK one
BritNat Flag(s) plural for the Tories in interviews and speeches.
Also Tories knowing the “rump of the country is behind them”
These are all surely examples of Tory projection.
The fact is that various Tory politicians and their various leaders often try to pull the wool over our eyes as Scots , especially in trying to impose Nuclear Stations upon Scotland .
We do not need Nuclear power Stations in Scotland as our renewable energy capacity and potential easily meets our own domestic electricity needs and is sufficient to also export a substantial surplus elsewhere too (which, if we were independent , we could then sell that surplus as opposed to it being taken (stolen) by the current UK government for elsewhere in the UK – i.e. places in England).
Of course I suspect Harriet Cross is on BBC QT to do what she does best , as in declare, on repeat, #SNPBAD.
BTW I do know that various SNP MP’s have also, in the past, been invited onto BBC QT when an episode was in various English regions but Harriet Cross is not just a MP elected in Scotland she is the Shadow SOS for (against) Scotland and her role then is a combination of being MP for her constituency in Scotland but also as the Tory Shadow SOS for (against) Scotland which as the SOS is to:
Monitor and challenge the policies, actions, and spending of the (Labour) UK Government’s Scotland Office.
Act as the primary spokesperson for the official opposition on Scottish affairs at Westminster.
Help formulate alternative UK policies concerning Scotland as part of a UK “government-in-waiting”.
Advocate for their party’s vision for Scotland’s place within the United Kingdom.
So then let’s just see if Harriet Cross does indeed uphold the above responsibilities that her role dictates she must maintain as SOS for (against) Scotland .
So when she is on BBC QT tonight , instead of her colluding with other pro UK panellists (including the host) in a succession of #SNPBAD comments , perhaps she could argue against Labour and their policies on (against) Scotland.
After all she is a UK MP and also a UK Shadow Minister that seemingly is meant to speak up mostly on behalf of the UK and also on behalf of her Tory HQ party.
(Scotland is , to her and her party, something that needs to be controlled, over ruled and so then diminished as a Nation within the UK)
BTW does her Tory party also intend to remove devolved powers away from English local combined authorities and English Metro Mayors if they win the next UK GE ?
Liz S
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The Tories – that very same party which has failed, often by a long way, to win any national or UK election in Scotland since the mid 1950s – has the gall to threaten to downgrade the Scottish Parliament. They have certainly changed the political climate with their expressed intent, if elected to be the UK government, to remove further powers from the Scottish Parliament in order to impose nuclear power generation within Scotland and regardless of the policies of the latter’s elected government.
It’s worth revisiting the foreword penned by Lord Smith of Kelvin to the Smith Commission report in 2014:
“Scotland voted ‘No’, but it did so with each of the three main UK parties promising more powers for the Scottish Parliament.”
And significantly: “I took on the job in the knowledge that the three leaders of the main UK parties had committed to take the recommendations set out in the agreement and turn them into law – fulfilling their commitment to strengthen the powers of the Scottish Parliament within the UK.” (my emphasis)
And also of note: “.. the recommendations are explicitly designed to create a coherent set of powers that strengthen the Scottish Parliament’s ability to pursue its own vision, goals and objectives, whatever they might be at any particular time.”
The clear impact of the latest Tory proposal will be the opposite, to prevent the Scottish Parliament from pursuing its own vision, goals and objectives!
And later in the Smith Commission report there is a reference to agreeing reforms in order to create ‘A more autonomous Parliament’. For the avoidance of doubt (!), Smith was referring to Holyrood becoming a ‘More autonomous Parliament’ – one was always suspicious of this given the reputation of ‘perfidious Albion’.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/28_11_14_smithcommission.pdf
The planning-related power that the Tories wish – perhaps as a minimum – to remove from the Scottish Parliament is of course NOT one that was devolved as a result of the post IndyRef1 Smith Commission and the subsequent Scotland Act. The power the Tories wish to remove is foundational, one that dates back to the original devolution settlement. But then devolved power is conditional: it is no substitute for the agency available to an independent nation state.
One upon a time, the UK leader of the Liberal Party could write this (in ‘A Personal Manifesto’, 1983) ): “I do not like the word devolution as it has come to be called. It implies that power rests at Westminster, from which centre some may be graciously devolved.”
Grimond went on: “I would rather begin by assuming that power should rest with the people who entrust it to their representatives to discharge the essential tasks of government. “
‘Once we accept that the Scots and the Welsh are nations, then we must accord them parliaments which have all the normal powers of government, except for those that they delegate to the United Kingdom government or the EEC.’
But devolved power remains limited, conditional and fragile.
A veteran politician from the Labour Party in Scotland, David Martin , writing in Labour List (October 1) states this: ‘For two decades, Scottish Parliament elections have behaved like classic second-order contests. ….. voters use Holyrood ballots to signal discontent rather than choose the government that commands their primary economic loyalty. These elections reward niche grievances and ideological signalling in a way Westminster contests simply do not.‘
And: ‘We are not a regional protest outfit; we are a party built to govern. Holyrood elections may generate headlines, but Westminster elections decide who holds power across these islands.’ So let’s rub it in for the Union?
Given such attitudes alongside Tory threats, those that value our Scottish Parliament cannot be complacent. Perhaps the status quo is really not an option for Scotland’s governance! We need to choose – if we’re ‘allowed’!
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