Minimal swearing

Bankers bounuses blog topic on 'the other Scottish site' closed by the BBC after less than a day with only 8 comments allowed (all critical).

Surely the Scots have bigger balls thasn this???

Who continues all this non-value adding establisment tat! Unfortunately there are a minority that continues to have all this waste of time and money to justify their lot in life! 3 x NODs, is that akin to funny handshakes.....

Time for change. That's what people want.
That's what they voted for.
Time to put that mad dog known as the Tram Project, down.
-----------------------------
Tram boss quits
https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13454021
-----------------------------

They need to hand over the dosh for the contract -and tell them to take a hike.
Never darken our doors again. Thankyou. Goodbye.
Don't call us again, ever. We'll call you.

If they don't the financial damage to Edinburghs city centre could be incalculable, it's hanging on by its fingernails as it is.
Another 10 months of chaos would kill the Edinburgh golden goose for good, she's severely beaten and stunned after the previous tram stuff and now we've got this credit crunch piling on the pressure.
They should have trusted the locals, instead of what are laughingly known as "experts" up here.

What a mess.
Time to get yer shovel out Mr Salmond, those Edinburgh voters are in a fickle mood and they're watching.

Scottish parliament building [public sector] - late; way over budget.

Wembley Stadium [quasi-public sector] - late; way over budget.

Heathrow Airport's terminal 5 [private sector] - on time; within budget.

So which model was followed for the Edinburgh trams project? No surprise that it is overbudget, and will not deliver what was promised!

Couldn't believe the discussion on Radio Scotland's "Call Kaye..." yesterday, when the principal supporter of the project expressed the view that it was better to finish a curtailed tram system, because it could serve as a spine and later be added onto. So, not only does he want a tram service whatever the cost, but he fully intends repeatedly returning to ask "Please can I have some more?" to extend it in the future.

On yer bike.

Come to think of it, Edinburgh should have invested in a few million bikes, and made them available for free (or nominal fee) to visitors and residents alike - it would have worked out far cheaper,.....

3.At 12:47 19th May 2011, Ady

How much of the £440m has Richard Jeffrey "earned" in his two years? His predesessor quit after two years as well. Were they paid bonuses?

I wonder if anyone can tell me where I can see today's swearing in and yesterday's speeches in parliament by Alex, Gray, et al?

3 Ady ... Who are the 'they' you fulminate over ??? ... The Contractors, Tie or Embra Coonsil ??? ... My 126 from the immediately previous thread is a hint that 'we' (if I'm right in the assignation of your labels) could be at least in part to blame, by not being good or smart enough in constructing the Contract ... Do such possibilities never cross your mind ??? ...

History suggests that, as the size of a Project grows, the complexities combine exponentially to derail (as it were) the Plan, often because there was simply not enough thinking done before the action started; hubris ineluctably precedes incipient vertical realignment (this applies equally to caterpillars) ...

The "full working majority" is the problem. One of the benefits of the minority government was that SNP had to prepare proposals and bills that would, could and did suffer oppositional if not hostile scrutiny. However the CUP (Combined Unionist Parties) proposals, the Tram, Calman, cheap booze, the Tesco Tax, were not subjected to sufficient scrutiny as the CUP had a full working majority on those and ignored their opposition.

Let us hope that the (ever changing) leadership of the CUP now swear, privately or publicly, to give honest opposition to today's SNP juggernaut.

Scottish parliament building [public sector] - late; way over budget.
But delivered functional and fit for purpose.

Wembley Stadium [quasi-public sector] - late; way over budget.
But delivered functional and fit for purpose.

Heathrow Airport's terminal 5 [private sector] - on time; within budget.
Unfit for purpose and international shambles. Still has lost luggage from when it opened and is still a mess.

There is always more to the story. You can have good, cheap, or on time. Pick one.

As for the swearing in, well it seems Brenda thinks fully independent Ireland is more important than one of her sovereign lands since she couldn't be bothered to even take a one hour flight to Edinburgh today. She could easily have flown to Edinburgh and back from Dublin for the swearing in of one of her Parliaments and still have proceeded with the state visit. That she didn't speaks volumes about how Scotland is valued in the Union. The Union isn't working.

Since Brian seems to want to be pedantic, I presume that his reference to "the Act of Union" is in fact to the two Acts of Union (Scotland's "Union with England Act 1707" following on from the English Parliament's "Union with Scotland Act 1706").

Also, Brian refers to the "Scottish executive" being enshrined within the terminology of the Scotland Act. Not so; the Scotland Act 1998 (Section 44) concerns itself with the "Scottish Executive" - Each Word Merits A Capital Letter. Similarly, I know of no one who has referenced the "Scottish government" (meaning the institution rather than its function) rather than the "Scottish Government".

Is the 'Shift' key on Brian taylor's keyboard not working properly? The foregoing follows on from his pre-election move to refer to Wee Eck as the "first minister" rather than the "First Minister".

Petty politicking or what....

Watched Kenny MacAskill being interviewed on RT (Russia Today) (Channel 85 Freeview). He was relaxed and gave a good account of the case for wanting representation in the World's various forums as an Nation State. I pondered on why he came across so well, was it the confidence gained from the election result and/or the interviewer who wasn't as beligerent or dismissive as the UK journalists tend to be thus giving space for his case to be made.
Also in the current Head of State's speech in Dublin she used a good phrase to describe the UK's relationship with Ireland viz 'firm friends and equal partners'. This seemed good enough to describe our aspirations for our future relationship with England and Wales and Northern Ireland in contrast to the negative southern journalists who believe that we can't have a relationship other than subservience due to size, wealth and intellect.

Re Florence 6

You could use
https://www.holyrood.tv/

alternativley https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_9487000/9487515.stm

Brian Taylor is pure dead brilliant, and never makes any mistakes factual, typographical or grammatical.

(Wonder if that will clear moderation, unlike post no.10, which PROVED that the contrary is the case.)

after the Scottish news night debacle. does anybody know what happened to David mcletchie,s live speech.as the program closed early with no explanation, other than technical problems at Dundee.
leaving me feeling quite bemused!

12 MADPIRATEDAD: Thank you.

Dear Brian, Can you inveigle the First Minister into a discussion about yon greatest of misnomers, 'Scottish Enterprise', please? I have been trying to find out how their budget divvies up into salaries, consultants salaries, committee members salaries, a multitude of offices, car fleet and expenses, travel, how much cash they invest in Scotland (particularly in SME's) and how many jobs they have created in the last 12 months (not 'saved' or 'protected')? Even with the freedom of information act I can't mange to get top the bottom of this. Personally, I have never known a bigger bunch of warmers. What fine and satisfying views of their colons they must have...

"And with a nod - or, more precisely, three nods - Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond becomes the first first minister with a full working majority"

and

"and with three nods - Anabella Gouldie, Iain Gray and Tavish Scott resigned enmasse as leaders of their unionist parties"

Whose got who by the short and curlies now?

Chortle!

C McK

Miserable excuse for using 'Scottish Executive' - even the official government web site uses 'Scottish Government.'

Also, why do you continue to use the term 'first minister' instead of 'First Minister'. Try to come to terms with the political reality Brian, there's a good boy. It is noted that you have never had problems with 'Secretary of State for Scotland.'

I found Goldie condescending to the other politicians with her matronly school marm Thatcherite camp girl nonsense.

Not suitable for a professiona politician.

Fortunately, she was largely ignored by everyone.

Rennie, a lot of great big enormous small background hiss. LibDems are now pointless true blues.

Life Is A Cabaret@13 : Why not put your comment on the "site that must not be named".

I don't doubt you for a minute.


I believe "lessons are being learned" from ..............North Korea

I agree with R ( post nine ) If we have to kow-tow to Lizzie Saxe-Coburg Gotha ( and why should we?), her horse-loving Majesty could at least have left Phil the Greek at the stables and made the effort - just don't send the "Joke of Rothesay" - that would have been an even bigger insult...

I was astonished and not a little annoyed by Aunty Bella's snide and unpleasant little response to Alex yesterday. She reminded Alex that the SNP did not get a majority of votes from the Scottish people. Well strike me down with a lead-filled loofah but how many people in the UK voted for her Lord and Master, Cameron? Even less. She obviously can't deal with the anihilation of her cabal of list MSPs. Sorry Ms Goldie, you are an ex-parrot. Her parting of shot of suggesting Alex was really after a Scottish Republic was low and unworthy.

Iain Gray on the other hand was refreshingly concilliatory in his speech and he is to be applauded for it, he knows why he lost and is man enough to admit it.

And Willie Rennie, yes I didn't know who he was until the election, seems to be sitting on a bucketload of snide comments that he can't wait trot out at FM's Questions..to paraphrase wee Wendikins, Bring It On!!! He seems to think that the talking heid, Michael Moore is in charge and thinks that Alex should bow down before him. I think one of the things Alex should press for the abolition of the office of Scottish Secretary. We don't need a Viceroy!!!!

After four years of attempting to influence Scottish viewers culminating in spectacular failure on 5th May 2011, I am afraid that most people with even half a brain are not taking you seriously any more.

@23 bencruachan

Were you talking to someone in particular? Brian? To us all? :-)

We don't even know if a yes vote would allow us to break away yet.
Reminds me of the Hungarians when they tried to break away from the Soviet Union.

---------------------------------------
The current bill does not deal with the prospect of a referendum, and Mr Moore will not guarantee that if Scotland does vote yes to independence the Westminster government will consent to its breaking away from the UK.
https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13458257
--------------------------------------

The Irish only got away from the Union after a heck of a struggle.

Going to be a long road this one...

The Lib Dems have shown themselves to be neither Liberal nor Democratic, Moore seems to think he is in charge of Scotlaand and can dictate what we can and cannot have. I have no idea about Willie Rennie but that is no great loss.
My own local MP Malcolm Bruce had his usual column in one of the local weekly papers where he started off trying to be magnanimous but fell into his usual arrogant snide comments about the SNP, I look forward to the next Westminster election and look forward even more to the people of Gordon giving hime the heave ho too!

reincarnation

Sorry! I should have said "Scottish voters" I was taking to Brian and his employers.

Treaty of Union

Treaty

"Treaties can be loosely compared to contracts: both are means of willing parties assuming obligations among themselves, and a party to either that fails to live up to their obligations can be held liable under international law."

BBC Scottish Election Results 2007 & 2011

BBC Vote 2007

Number of seats
Lab 46
Con 17

BBC Vote 2011

Number of seats
Lab 37
Con 15

My calculation gives:

Lab 46 - 37 = (-9)…… Not (-7)
Con 17 - 15 = (-2)….. Not (-5)

Where the BBC has shown inconsistency are the two following seats:

Dunfries Result: 2007 Labour - Hold

Dunfries Result: 2011 Labour - Gain

Eastwood Result: 2007 Labour - Hold

Eastwood Result: 2011 Labour - Gain

Brian, my mate is a ‘conspiracy theorist’ of the first order, whilst I feel that it is merely down to confusion or miscalculation. Please can you clarify so that I can silence his theories!

@ 25. At 20:13 19th May 2011, Ady wrote:
We don't even know if a yes vote would allow us to break away yet.
Reminds me of the Hungarians when they tried to break away from the Soviet Union.

---------------------------------------
The current bill does not deal with the prospect of a referendum, and Mr Moore will not guarantee that if Scotland does vote yes to independence the Westminster government will consent to its breaking away from the UK.
https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13458257
--------------------------------------

The Irish only got away from the Union after a heck of a struggle.

Going to be a long road this one...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I've just been reading the article too, Ady. It strikes me that Westminster (Tories especially) will be caught by the dilemma of getting rid of Labours most likely way of getting back in Number 10 or explaining to their entire electorate why Scotland is so essential to the "success" of the UK Union.

Either way they lose all credibility quicker than Clegg breaks promises ;P

@25
The situation reminds me more of the velvet divorce of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. There will be bumps along the road, but in general everything will be pretty amicable. The situation with Ireland was quite, quite different due to the rather charged times that it happened in.

As for Westminster blocking independence after a successful referendum...oh that would be brilliant. That would be the most optimum outcome. You see that would trigger an automatic UDI which, due to being backed by a successful internal vote, all EU countries would be bound to accept by treaty. It would also mean we could dump any and all national debt on England as well as lawfully seizing all assets (Faslane etc) of the state within Scottish borders. If England accepts the result, we have to negotiate for a degree of national debt to carry, as well as negotiate to see what assets of state we can retain. Those will be hard negotiation at which England will most certainly cheat. I'd much rather they get on their high horse and refuse to accept the vote TBH, it would be cheaper for the resultant independent Scottish state.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Just watched Kenny MacAskill being interviewed on Russia Today. A great interview, the journalist asked some tough questions but listened and allowed Kenny to answer. The result was a good piece of journalism and telly, very critical and informative - which is the point. Take note Paxman, yer style is tedious and infantile.

I wonder if anyone can explain to me just why Scotland should share part of the UK national debt?

We did not cause the debt, that was all Westminster incompetence.
We never shared in the boom years, our pocket money stayed the same.

So since we never shared in the good years and the debt is all down to Westminster, just why should we take a share of the debt?

to post #18 - bmc875,

disgraceful isn't it, the independent Scottish judiciary refusing to comply with the new FM's use of 'government' instead of the legal title 'executive', as Brian says it's going to change, but until they do the court has to use the correct term, we don't want the appointment of Alex to be in doubt do we.......?

to post #9 - R,

think you'll find the queen will be here to formally open Parliament......

good post Brian, momentous day with the swearing in of the first majority government's FM, here's hoping for bold, innovative, but above all, wise use of the majority.

em dubbieside; how about the RBS and HBOS bail out.....? just one of many reasons.....

and as for Westminster, we voted for the individual M.P's from Scotland we send there, so it's our problem as much as any other part of the UK....... if we don't like it and don't want to be responsible, we should return a majority of SNP M.P's....we didn't tho.

#22 crazyislander

you might have struck on something, over the talking heid.if we need a secretary of state for Scotland he should be picked from the ruling party of the Scottish parliament to insure impartial negotiations.

ps anymore on David mcleachi,s speech

@36 leithlad
"em dubbieside; how about the RBS and HBOS bail out.....? just one of many reasons....."

Please enlighten us ignorant heathens in what you are blethering about!

@29 - Due to redrawn boundaries some of the seats were notionally held by parties other than those who had taken them at the previous election.

Leithlad

You mean the bail out that Brown arranged so his incompetence would not mean many thousands of account holders loosing their savings. Just what part did Scotland play in that.

When RBS paid the largest capital gains tax bill of any company ever in the UK what was Scotlands share of that? When did Halifax move to Scotland?

Yet more proof that the feeble fifty followed by the feeble forty were just that, feeble.

Alex Salmond is no walkover. He is a fighter and has delivered a mighty uppercut to many party leaders. As for Michael Moore, his days are few as The Scottish Office is no longer relevant. We had not heard of 'call me Dave' proposals yet, he is letting Michael Moore take the mighty blow from Salmond. But little does he know, Salmond has some sharp jabs to knock Cameron to the canvass. Cameron will not allow himself to be beaten to a pulp with a Salmond sucker punch, and use anyone available to take it for him.

Saor Alba.

#29, Roll_On_2011, I believe the gains and losses are based on the notional 2007 results under the new boundaries. For instance, Glasgow Southside is shown as an SNP gain because, notionally, it was held by Labour under the new boundaries, even though Nicola Sturgeon has held the real seat for the past four years.

I yon Tony Blair is off in the Middle East telling Israel it has to recognise a Palestinian state and working for Palestinian independence, and being backed by Cameron et al too, and yet opposing the same goal of self determination and statehood for Scotland. it seems the great and good of Westminster are all for independence and self determination for everywhere bar Scotland. NIMBYs the lot of them.

I wonder if anyone can explain to me just why Scotland should share part of the UK national debt?
--------------------------------------------

You get the good bits and you get the bad bits when you have a divorce.

At least we won't be saddled with invading countries full of swarthy people in the future. There always seems to be an "emergency contingency budget" for them things, which in english means more giant wodges of debt.

We all owe about $180,000 apiece as far as the national debt is concerned.
Mainly through the socialist bailout of the banks.
The car industry, shipbuilding industry, coal industry, aircraft industry, rail industry, machine tool industry etc etc etc all got left to go belly up, but Westminsters pals all work in the financial services sector, so we get to pay for their mess.

This isn't going to be the easy road with a garden of roses at the end of it as some seem to imagine.
It's going to be a long hard slog.

1. Getting out of the Union with all it's baggage
2. Rebuilding a sustainable financial future

The longer we wait the worse it's going to get, London is enslaving everyone with amazing levels of debt, we're second only to Ireland if memory serves.
This debt means an ever increasing upward spiral of taxes as they factor in the repayment of your own personal $180K of debt across a lifetimes work.

London seems to be hell bent on dragging us into a financial abyss and the sooner we bale out the better, Westminster is riddled with incompetents and financial impropriety and it aint going to get better anytime soon.

If I had kids, I'd seriously consider emigrating, each individual in your family is about $180 grand better off if they quit the country.

I just re-read this post...what a pessimist...at least we've got a route out and a shot at turning things around.

If we don't grab this chance then we deserve everything we get.

We need new working practices, to motivate our workforce.
Germany is now the second biggest exporter of goods in the world, after China.
We need bosses who understand workers!

German insurer Munich Re held orgy for salesmen
https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13454160

Ady

What were the good bits? That must have passed me by.

We gained nothing extra from the so called boom years, so we owe nothing from the bust years, simple.

hi dubbieside,

63% of us in Scotland played a part in that by voting in the last UK election in 2010, more than the 50 or so % that voted this year in the Scottish General election....which we declare to the be the will of the peole - no argument from me on both counts - both the will of the people, however you can't have it both ways, we're just as complicit in the actings of Westminster as we will be included in the actings of Holyrood

...as for the profits made by HBOS (registered head office - the Mound Edinburgh) and RBS they're dwarfed by the taxpayer bailout that we ALL contributed to whether we live in Scotland, Wales, NI or even, dare I say it England, last I heard they paid taxes down there too...

evening cheesed off,

who are the 'ignorant heathens' that I need to explain things to? Try lightening the tone a little, you seem a little aggressive....

@44 Ady
"the socialist bailout of the banks"

eh?

I thought Iain Macwhirter was a reasonable antidote to the FUDvert masquerading as the Gray/Brewer interview on NNS tonight.

Didn't the First Minister run through some examples of the levels of cooperation possible after devolution? Why are some organisations insistent that I ought to be confused and uncertain about what 'independence' might mean.
Oh, the fear! the uncertainty! the doubt!

@48 leithlad

Why bail out bankrupt global corporate businesses?

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

@47 leithlad

All those Unionist MPs that Scotland sent to Westminster meant that Scots voters thought it was a spiffing idea to share the debt. Fortunately, we share the assets as well.

hey cheesed off,
my argument is not about the pros or cons of bailing out the banks, merely that we in Scotland were complicit in that action by returning members to the Westminster parliament, therefore we're liable to pay back a proportion of the debt incurred in bailing them out as the debs was incurred through the actions of our elected representatives. In the same way we're complicit in all the debts incurred by Westminster.
if we wanted to cut up the 'joint' UK credit card we should have voted - before the bailout - for a majority of SNP M.P's and forced independence - we didn't so the debt falls to be paid, divided up between Scotland and the remainder of the Uk if we get independence.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

@54 leithlad

What proportion are we liable to take on? And of how much (for the 'bailout' part of the UK's national debt)?

Anybody got the result of the Bucksburn and Daneston by election?

@56 mrbfaethedee

In the Velvet Divorce, Slovakia and the Czech Republic agreed to split it in proportion to population. In our case, that would mean 8'5% of the debt and the assets.

#57 reincarnation

The count will take place at the Britannia Hotel, Bucksburn, from 10.30am on Friday 20 May.

@59 Roll_On_2011

Ta.

@59 Roll_On_2011
Come to think of it, why are they hiring a hotel to do the count? Did the previous council sell off all their halls?

#61 reincarnation

Probably cheaper than one of their places?

If you have any queries regarding this, or any other news story, please contact Aberdeen City Council on: 08456 080910

I see my comments on MacAskill's Russia Today interview are still being moderated. Don't know why.

Anyway, we should stop talking about sharing military bases with England. It causes confusion and gives Westminster something to oppose. The bases will be Scotland's and we may, just may, allow ANY of our allies access to them. But they will be our bases and our choice.

@ #63 govanite

An independent Scotland should retain military bases in Scotland for defensive measures only and never be used in such cases as Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan etc Unless they attack Scotland/UK first.

I know this is an old article but it is certainly worth rereading:

https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article5728477.ece

Can anyone explain why this is an acceptable way for a partner of equals to behave?

#29 Roll_On_2011
"BBC Scottish Election Results 2007 & 2011 ...
Brian, my mate is a ‘conspiracy theorist’ of the first order, whilst I feel that it is merely down to confusion or miscalculation. Please can you clarify so that I can silence his theories!"

Iain's #39 is quite correct in stating that "Due to redrawn boundaries some of the seats were notionally held by parties other than those who had taken them at the previous election."

Both the BBC and STV used Prof Denver's notionals on their vote 2011 sub-sites.

Brian's Boundary changes could give Tories electoral boost of 8 September 2010, gives a good summary of them and includes a link to "Prof David Denver's boundary changes study in full". It's in PDF, so I can't link to it direct.

Unfortunately, extracting the data in from the PDF is not entirely straightforward, but Mods permitting, I'll post the notional results in tabular form shortly, using the PRE tag.

PS to my #66

The notional results in the plurality seats were:

Seat	Region	1st	Lead%	Notional 2007
 1	106	SNP	 1.4	Aberdeen Central
 2	106	SNP	13.1	Aberdeen Donside
 3	106	L-D	 7.3	Aberdeen S & Kincardine N
 4	106	SNP	14.1	Aberdeenshire East
 5	106	L-D	12.5	Aberdeenshire West
 6	104	Lab	 2.6	Airdrie & Shotts
 7	103	SNP	 0.0	Almond Valley
 8	106	SNP	20.9	Angus North & Mearns
 9	106	SNP	19.7	Angus South
10	102	SNP	 2.8	Argyll & Bute
11	107	Con	12.7	Ayr
12	106	SNP	39.2	Banffshire & Buchan Coast
13	102	L-D	 8.6	Caithness, Sutherland & Ross
14	107	Lab	14.6	Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley
15	105	SNP	 2.8	Clackmannanshire & Dunblane
16	108	Lab	10.6	Clydebank & Milngavie
17	107	Lab	 3.7	Clydesdale
18	104	Lab	18.3	Coatbridge & Chryston
19	105	Lab	14.6	Cowdenbeath
20	104	Lab	 7.9	Cumbernauld & Kilsyth
21	108	SNP	 0.1	Cunninghame North
22	108	Lab	 9.2	Cunninghame South
23	108	Lab	 5.3	Dumbarton
24	107	Con	 2.1	Dumfriesshire
25	106	SNP	16.5	Dundee City East
26	106	SNP	 8.4	Dundee City West
27	105	L-D	 0.3	Dunfermline
28	104	Lab	 6.8	East Kilbride
29	107	Lab	 6.7	East Lothian
30	108	Con	11.2	Eastwood
31	103	L-D	 2.5	Edinburgh Central
32	103	Lab	 1.8	Edinburgh Eastern
33	103	Lab	 7.2	Edinburgh Northern & Leith
34	103	Con	 8.6	Edinburgh Pentlands
35	103	L-D	12.3	Edinburgh Southern
36	103	L-D	17.2	Edinburgh Western
37	107	Con	 5.2	Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire
38	104	Lab	 6.1	Falkirk East
39	104	SNP	 2.6	Falkirk West
40	105	SNP	 9.1	Fife Mid & Glenrothes
41	105	L-D	15.5	Fife North East
42	107	Con	 7.7	Galloway & Dumfries West
43	101	Lab	20.1	Glasgow Anniesland
44	101	Lab	 7.0	Glasgow Cathcart
45	101	Lab	 4.5	Glasgow Kelvin
46	101	Lab	17.2	Glasgow Maryhill & Springburn
47	101	Lab	19.8	Glasgow Pollock
48	101	Lab	28.2	Glasgow Provan
49	101	Lab	22.5	Glasgow Shettleston
50	101	Lab	 0.1	Glasgow Southside
51	108	Lab	15.6	Greenock & Inverclyde
52	104	Lab	13.3	Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse
53	102	SNP	13.6	Inverness & Nairn
54	107	SNP	 4.0	Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley
55	105	Lab	11.7	Kirkcaldy
56	103	Lab	 0.9	Linlithgow
57	103	Lab	 5.2	Midlothian N & Musselburgh
58	107	SNP	 3.7	Midlothian S, Tweeddale & Lauderdale
59	102	SNP	25.9	Moray
60	104	Lab	22.8	Motherwell & Wishaw
61	102	SNP	 5.0	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
62	102	L-D	28.6	Orkney Islands
63	108	Lab	14.6	Paisley
64	105	SNP	21.5	Perthshire N
65	105	SNP	 4.5	Perthshire S & Kinross-shire
66	108	Lab	11.1	Renfrewshire N & W
67	108	Lab	20.4	Renfrewshire S
68	101	Lab	21.4	Rutherglen
69	102	L-D	50.1	Shetland Islands
70	102	L-D	10.3	Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch
71	105	Lab	 1.2	Stirling
72	108	Lab	10.0	Strathkelvin & Bearsden
73	104	Lab	20.9	Uddingston & Bellshill

Totals	Party	Seats
	Lab	 35
	SNP	 21
	L-D	 11
	Con	  6
	Total	 73

PS to my #66 & 67

The notional results in the list seats were:

Region	SNP  Con  Lab  L-D  Grn  Ind	Notional 2007
101	  5    1    0	 1    0    0	Glasgow
102	  2    2    3	 0    0    0	Highlands & Islands
103	  4    1    0	 0    1    1	Lothian
104	  5    1    0	 1    0    0	Scotland Central
105	  2    3    2	 0    0    0	Scotland Mid & Fife
106	  0    3    3	 1    0    0	Scotland North East
107	  3    1    1	 2    0    0	Scotland South
108	  4    2    0	 1    0    0	Scotland West
	 25   14    9	 6    1    1	Totals

So the 2007 notional totals by party were:

Party	Plurality      List    Total
SNP	      21	25	 46
Lab	      35	 9	 44
Con	       6	14	 20
L-D	      11	 6	 17
Grn	       0	 1	  1
Ind	       0	 1	  1
Total	      73	56	129

#64 Caledonia 67

i'm not sure what i said excludes your opinion, with which i have some sympathy

Scotland 5more years. with abit of luck if we use our selective rubber ears as we did in may 5Th. taking in the positive and disregarding the negative.if we do we can filter out the bias of the media taking that they take the same approach as pre may 5Th if we do we can give westminster our last double whammy!

PS to my #66, 67 & 68

So the gains/losses in seats for 2011 are:

Party	2007	2011	Change
SNP	 46	 69	 +23
Lab	 44	 37	 -7
Con	 20	 15	 -5
L-D	 17	  5	 -12
Grn	  1	  2	 +1
Ind	  1	  1	 none
Total	129	129

The changes agree with those currently stated on the main Scotland [sic] politics page of this webite.

70 Rouser

With four decent years of governance and experience behind us, we also have the momentum of a majority, a reinvigorated SNP team, demoralised opposition that don't know if its New Year or New York and the final realisation that Labour's grip of Scotland may be in tatters.

There's a fair wind behind us and I can't see it letting up.

Come on ye SNP, don't let us down.

Maybe Brian and his colleagues might care to join us on the way.

"In the Act of Union (Clause 24 for the enthusiast), it is provided that "from and after the Union, there be One Great Seal for the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which shall be different from the Great Seal now used in either Kingdom." (In the interim, the Great Seal of England was to be used.)"


Look forward Brian, not backwards, do you believe the great seal is of any relevance toa single mum living in povery in Drumchapel, an OAP in Abroath or a fisherman in Skye.

Scotland needs to move on, if bbc and other media are prepared to fight Scots move to self determination, popular opinion will deem you irrelevant as other media channels gain popularity.

The English Queen this week spoke of partnership of equals between Ireland and britain, inconsistent when britian seeks to keep Scotland as its prized possession.

The election on 05 May 2011, had one meaning, Scotland is moving forward with confidence and optimism. Get on the bus or get left behind!

C McK

P.S. any news of the Scottish Six???

72.At 09:46 20th May 2011, Louperdowg wrote:
"Maybe Brian and his colleagues might care to join us on the way."

Judging from this article Could Alex Salmond scupper the Scotland Bill? I think this is unlikely.

I tried to comment on this yesterday, but obviously dissent is not allowed.

I'll leave it to you to decide for yourselves.

Oh, and BTW this article had a different title yesterday. Maybe my dissallowed posts had something to do with the name change.

My 32 was a CORRECTION!!!!! They are not allowed anymore. How rediculous can you be??????

@58 reincarnation
"In the Velvet Divorce, Slovakia and the Czech Republic agreed to split it in proportion to population. In our case, that would mean 8'5% of the debt and the assets."

Thanks,
It seems hard to argue against debt and asset redistribution based on population, and it's not obvious to me that there are any useful alternative approaches.
Perhaps a little to straightforward a basis for this FUD filled stage of the progression to independence ;)

brian, I see you still have a chip on your shoulder regarding referring to Alex Salmond as "first minister".

Honestly you should let it go, move on. I guarantee you will feel a lot better.

SHOULD SCOTLAND GO IT ALONE AND SHOULD WALES FOLLOW SUIT?

Better than a blether and not so biased.

@74 X_Sticks
"
Oh, and BTW this article had a different title yesterday. Maybe my dissallowed posts had something to do with the name change."

X_Sticks, what was the original title?

79.At 12:14 20th May 2011, mrbfaethedee wrote:
"X_Sticks, what was the original title?"

Holyrood v Westminster
Two parliaments square up over Scotland Bill

It still has this title on the UK politics page.

Winning the Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone ward on the first count, there's another large swing, primarily from L-D to SNP, since May 5.

I suggest Mr Rennie needs to re-think rather urgently his unqualified support for Calman and now Calman Minus. If he does not find the federalist roots, which even Tavish Scott finally seemed to grasp are the sole hope for the L-Ds, his party is in severe danger of sinking without trace.

Yesterday's Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone by-election produced the following:

First Preferences %
	Party	2007	2011	Change
	SNP	36.2	51.4	+15.2
	Lab	24.9	23.1	-1.8
	L-D	26.2	11.0	-15.2
	Con	8.3	8.7	+0.4
	Grn	2.0	2.2	+0.2
	Ind	2.4	3.7	+1.3
	Total	100.0	100.0

This compares with the May 5 swings in the Aberdeen Donside plurality seat:

Votes %
	Party	2007	2011	Change
	SNP	44.8	55.4	+10.6
	Lab	31.7	28.5	-3.2
	L-D	16.0	6.0	-10.0
	Con	7.5	8.1	+0.6
	Ind		1.2	+1.2
	NF		0.8	+0.8
	Total	100.0	100.0

And in the Scotland North East list vote:

Votes %
Party	2007	2011	Change
SNP	40.5	52.7	+12.2
Lab	19.6	16.4	-3.2
L-D	15.2	6.8	-8.4
Con	15.2	14.1	-1.1
Grn	3.2	3.9	+0.7
Other	6.2	6.0	-0.1
Total	100.0	100.0

@80 X_Sticks
"Holyrood v Westminster
Two parliaments square up over Scotland Bill

It still has this title on the UK politics page."

So I see, classy!

Och well, I live in hope that this sort of confrontationally tribal offering from the BBC becomes more rare as the BBC itself starts to aspire to reason and maturity in its coverage of constitutional affairs.

PS to my #81

The Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone ward result is now reported on this website's SNP's Neil MacGregor secures Aberdeen by-election win.

Apart from being bad news for Mr Rennie, it's not good for the L-D group on Aberdeen City Council, as the Hootsmon reports.

82.At 12:41 20th May 2011, mrbfaethedee wrote:
"Och well, I live in hope that this sort of confrontationally tribal offering from the BBC becomes more rare as the BBC itself starts to aspire to reason and maturity in its coverage of constitutional affairs."

I hope you are planning along life mrb!

I noticed the author of this "article" was informing us yet again that "under a third of Scottish voters backing independence". I'd like to know what they (he) backs this claim up with. Truth is, since the 6th no-one knows.

I also questioned the claim that westminster would have to consent to Scotland's independence. "Mr Moore will not guarantee that if Scotland does vote yes to independence the Westminster government will consent to its breaking away from the UK."

Re the Dyce Election Result:
Many congrats to Neil, and what a victory margin!

That will give Rennie, and others, something else to digest!

Councillor switches to SNP

“ An independent councillor this week sensationally joined the SNP group.

Former Labour group leader Douglas Campbell jumped ship, insisting he’s impressed by his one time political opponents.

His decision is a massive coup for the SNP group, which, the Post believes, is set to snare a second Independent councillor within weeks.

Councillor Campbell said the Labour Party he once knew ‘has ceased to exist’ “

The NuLabour rot continues!

Don't worry Roll-On, soon you'll have your one party state with El Presidente at the helm!

86.At 13:46 20th May 2011, Roll_On_2011 wrote:

"Councillor switches to SNP
The NuLabour rot continues!"

There cannot be many left on the unionist side - except the beeb the MSM and ex-westminster failures like darling!

Maybe they too will eventually get the message.

# 85.Saltire Won
Doesn't this make the SNP the largest single party, although without overall control?
Doesn't this change chairmanships of committees?

@84 X_Sticks
"I hope you are planning along life mrb!"

Sounds good to me! :)

As to the article - poorly informed, or FUD, or both?
The beeb really have to start getting to grips with constitutional affairs - I think that soon everyone is going to start noticing that the BBC look like idiots or lackeys (depending on your level of cynicism).

Aberdeen City Council's Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone ward is a four-member one and elected two L-D, one SNP and one Lab councillors in 2007, but the profile of their next ward to hold a by-election, Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee (on 23 June 2011) is rather different. It's a three-member ward, and picked one Con and two L-Ds in 2007, with the by-election caused by one of the L-Ds - Scott Cassie - becoming a different sort of con yesterday.

In 2007, the first preference percentages went:

	L-D	37.6
	Con	27.4
	SNP	17.3
	Lab	12.8
	Ind	 4.8

If the swings are anything like those in Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone, the SNP could well come from third place to take it, or perhaps red unionist second preferences will bolster up the blue unionists to retain the seat for the union. The ward is in the Aberdeen Central plurality seat, where the notional SNP plurality of 1.4% "only" increased to 2.5%, with the L-D's losing 17.6% of the vote apparently fairly evenly shared between the SNP and the red unionists.

#87 In moderation

With reference to one of your previous posts. You don’t have much choice doon sooth, you have:

• The Blue Tories.
• The Red Tories.
• The Yellow Tories.

Or a mixture of two, as is the current case.

I don't think dividing debts/assets based solely on population is fair. Simple yes, but not fair.

I would argue that the democratic deficit suffered by Scots throughout the period of the union has led to policy making from Westminster that has caused population growth - mainly in the south of England - but has caused depopulation in Scotland. Lack of skilled work and opportunity within Scotland has led to many of our people leaving our shores to find it in England - or Australia, Canada or the United States.

Scotland's population in 1707 was one million. It is only now above five million thanks to the active 'recruitment' of immigrants - mainly from Poland. England, in 1707 had a population of roughly five million. It is now roughly 52 million. So we can see that whilst Scotland's population in the past three hundred years or so has grown five times what it was, England's has grown ten times what it was.

It would be a double whammy for Scotland to be further (and permanently) disadvantaged because we were historically disadvantaged by our more powerful neighbour throughout the period of union.

86

And there's more to that story...

Councillor Campbell held on to his Labour Party membership, despite becoming an Independent councillor.

And earlier this year he twice wrote to Labour leader Ed Milliband by recorded delivery.

He was seeking a party investigation into the forged signature incident.

But Mr Milliband did not reply. And Councillor Campbell said: “For a national political party to condone and collude with, what people would generally regard as, fraud is to my mind wholly unacceptable.

“It is a sad day when you cannot trust your colleagues who are elected to represent the families and communities of South Ayrshire.

“Even today the remaining members of the Labour Group believe that fraudulently signing my name on an official council document is something that any reasonable person would have done.”

91.At 14:41 20th May 2011, Barbazenzero wrote:
"If the swings are anything like those in Dyce/Buckburn/Danestone, the SNP could well come from third place to take it"

This will be an interesting one right enough! If the SNP take this as well it will really set bums squeaking in Aberdeen. Pity the local SNP here aren't exactly top of the class when it comes to local affairs!

Thing is Roll-on what is the SNP now other than Nationalist party? Once it gets independance - what will it be then? Maybe a Scottish 'catch them all' party!

#96, No... it will still be the Scottish National Party,

"The SNP is a centre-left, social-democratic political party. The party's stated aim is "to create a just, caring and enterprising society by releasing Scotland's full potential as a sovereign state in the mainstream of modern Europe."

So what would change post independence? ...apart from hopefully the attitudes of the unionists of course!

@93 IRN - Tax doesnt have to be taxing
"I don't think dividing debts/assets based solely on population is fair. Simple yes, but not fair."

Perhaps you're right IRN, but off the top off my head I'd prefer a non-optimal but (relatively) quick and straightforward redistribution over a highly optimised but difficult (and slow) to arrive at solution.

That's not to say that I don't take your point, just that I want a solution that can be got to fairly quickly and amicably.

The First Minister completes the team...

https://bbc.kongjiang.org/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13468304

Mr Salmond said: "This is an excellent team to take Scotland forward. While the overall number of ministers is unchanged, it blends the tried and trusted team which received such strong public endorsement at the election with significant new talent."

@96 In moderation
"what will it be then? Maybe a Scottish 'catch them all' party!"

Do you mean a party that seeks to engage with the whole of the nation and tries to represent the whole of the nation?
I like the sound of that!

You seem less keen, which is a shame, bad pokemon experience?!