FREEDOM!!!! [4]

well to be fair in the UK they call each other The Honourable Member for Slaphead-on-Sea, but then spoil the effect by adding, 'is an incorrigible ass'

{{That's kind of what's so shocking and offensive here Halfy- its so against the form for these occasions. At the very end of the vid you hear the SNP member on the front bench genuinely shocked and puzzled say "What was wrong with that?"
This is not normal when a UK patron St gets their mention on their day in the Commons- the normal response is agreement not jeering. }}

{{The SNP's Mhari Black rips the government for doing over an entire group of women in society by screwing them out their pensions- sadly though it doesnt seem to get her anywhere. A diamond in the rough that lass.   }}

She aint one for shutting up- Azriel

{{Or as we call them in Scotland- wimmin! }}

Just listened to a bit (gotta ration my data) but from what I heard I'd vote for her! I wonder if our President-elect would consider her for a cabinet position?

{{She is the youngest MP at 22. SNP.

Heres her maiden speech in the Chamber (with transcript for Dave!)



'Firstly in my maiden speech I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Douglas Alexander. He served the constituency for many years. After all, I was only three when he was elected. But it is because of that fact that I want to thank him for all he did for the constituency and I especially want to take a moment to commend him for the dignified way that he handled himself on what must have been a very difficult election night. He did himself proud, he did his party proud, and I wish him the best for the future.

Now, when I discovered it is tradition to speak bout the history of your constituency in a maiden speech, I decided to do some research despite the fact I’ve lived there all my life. And as one of the tale end doing the maiden speech of my colleagues in the SNP I’ve noticed that my colleagues quite often mention Rabbie Burns a lot and they all try to form this intrinsic connection between him and their own constituency and own him for themselves. I however feel no need to do this for during my research I discovered a fact which trumps them all. William Wallace was born in my constituency.

Now, my constituency has a fascinating history far beyond the Hollywood film and historical name. from the mills of Paisley, to the industries of Johnstone, right to the weavers in Kilbarchan, it’s got a wonderful population with a cracking sense of humour and much to offer both the tourists and to those who reside there. But the truth is that within my constituency it’s not all fantastic. We’ve watched our town centres deteriorate. We’re watched our communities decline. Our unemployment level is higher than that of the UK average. One in five children in my constituency go to bed hungry every night. Paisley Job Centre has the third highest number of sanctions in the whole of Scotland.

Before I was elected I volunteered for a charitable organisation and there was a gentleman who I grew very fond of. He was one of these guys who has been battered by life in every way imaginable. You name it, he’s been through it. And he used to come in to get food from this charity, and it was the only food that he had access to and it was the only meal he would get. And I sat with him and he told me about his fear of going to the Job Centre. He said “I’ve heard the stories Mhairi, they try and trick you out, they’ll tell you you’re a liar. I’m not a liar Mhairi, I’m not.” And I told him “It’s OK, calm down. Go, be honest, it’ll be fine.”

I then didn’t see him for about two or three weeks. I did get very worried, and when he finally did come back in I said to him “how did you get on?”

And without saying a word he burst into tears. That grown man standing in front of a 20-year-old crying his eyes out, because what had happened to him was the money that he would normally use to pay for his travel to come to the charity to get his food he decided that in order to afford to get to the Job Centre he would save that money. Because of this, he didn’t eat for five days, he didn’t drink. When he was on the bus on the way to the Job Centre he fainted due to exhaustion and dehydration. He was 15 minutes later for the Job Centre and he was sanctioned for 13 weeks.

Now, when the Chancellor spoke in his budget about fixing the roof while the sun is shining, I would have to ask on who is the sun shining? When he spoke about benefits not supporting certain kinds of lifestyles, is that the kind of lifestyle that he was talking about?

If we go back even further when the Minister for Employment was asked to consider if there was a correlation between the number of sanctions and the rise in food bank use she stated, and I quote, “food banks play an important role in local welfare provision.” Renfrewshire has the third highest use of food banks use and food bank use is going up and up. Food banks are not part of the welfare state, they are symbol that the welfare state is failing.

Now, the Government quite rightly pays for me through tax payers money to be able to live in London whilst I serve my constituents. My housing is subsidised by the tax payer. Now, the Chancellor in his budget said it is not fair that families earning over £40,000 in London should have their rents paid for my other working people. But it is OK so long as you’re an MP? In this budget the Chancellor also abolished any housing benefit for anyone below the age of 21. So we are now in the ridiculous situation whereby because I am an MP not only am I the youngest, but I am also the only 20-year-old in the whole of the UK that the Chancellor is prepared to help with housing. We now have one of the most uncaring, uncompromising and out of touch governments that the UK has seen since Thatcher.

It is here now that I must turn to those who I share a bench with. Now I have in this chamber for ten weeks, and I have very deliberately stayed quiet and have listened intently to everything that has been said. I have heard multiple speeches from Labour benches standing to talk about the worrying rise of nationalism in Scotland, when in actual fact all these speeches have served to do is to demonstrate how deep the lack of understanding about Scotland is within the Labour party.

I like many SNP members come from a traditional socialist Labour family and I have never been quiet in my assertion that I feel that it is the Labour party that left me, not the other way about. The SNP did not triumph on a wave of nationalism; in fact nationalism has nothing to do with what’s happened in Scotland. We triumphed on a wave of hope, hope that there was something different, something better to the Thatcherite neo-liberal policies that are produced from this chamber. Hope that representatives genuinely could give a voice to those who don’t have one.

I don’t mention this in order to pour salt into wounds which I am sure are very open and very sore for many members on these benches, both politically and personally. Colleagues, possibly friends, have lost their seats. I mention it in order to hold a mirror to the face of a party that seems to have forgotten the very people they’re supposed to represent, the very things they’re supposed to fight for.

After hearing the Labour leader’s intentions to support the changes of tax credits that the Chancellor has put forward, I must make this plea to the words of one of your own and a personal hero of mine. Tony Benn once said that in politics there are weathercocks and sign posts. Weathercocks will spin in whatever direction the wind of public opinion may blow them, no matter what principal they may have to compromise. And then there are signposts, signposts which stand true, and tall, and principled. And they point in the direction and they say this is the way to a better society and it is my job to convince you why. Tony Benn was right when he said the only people worth remembering in politics were signposts.

Now, yes we will have political differences, yes in other parliaments we may be opposing parties, but within this chamber we are not. No matter how much I may wish it, the SNP is not the sole opposition to this Government, but nor is the Labour party. It is together with all the parties on these benches that we must form an opposition, and in order to be affective we must oppose not abstain. So I reach out a genuine hand of friendship which I can only hope will be taken. Let us come together, let us be that opposition, let us be that signpost of a better society. Ultimately people are needing a voice, people are needing help, let’s give them it.'


And heres her rebuttal of renewing Trident-




'Why are so few members in the chamber?'- Halfy

{{debates on specific subjects tend to only attract ministers with some departmental or personal interest in it- the Tories couldn't give a shit about those women, so as Mhairi jokingly points out at the start she is humbled so many of them have turned up to hear her this time (it probably actually indicates that the civil service department heads have sent their ministers in to back up their man and make sure Mhairi doesn't manage to turn this into a more publicy known issue, as they dont have a moral leg to stand on here}}

It's weird how often politics do not mirror the populace it's supposed to govern. More young people involved in running things can surely only be a good thing, a different perspecitve, a more long term perspecitve hopefully on how to govern a country. It is sadly a point of fact that education is important, and it takes time. Limiting the applicability of the admittedly highly positive point stated above. It's nice to see someone get it right though.

{{Well Sturgeon is playing her hand- and its the one I predicted she was setting up to play long ago-

'Nicola Sturgeon has suggested a soft Brexit would see the prospect of Scottish independence removed - in the short term.
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, the first minister said she believed Scotland's "direction of travel" was towards independence.
But she said this could be "put aside" in the short term as she seeks "consensus and compromise" over Brexit.
Ms Sturgeon said she wanted the UK to retain membership of the European single market, the so-called soft Brexit option.
she acknowledged that "in terms of the timetable of Brexit" the prospect of Scottish independence could be taken off the table if a soft exit could be achieved.

She said: "We want to try to work with others across the UK, across the political spectrum, to try to keep the UK in the single market."
Ms Sturgeon said if that could not be done then her government had put forward a plan to UK ministers detailing how Scotland could retain membership of the single market, that includes devolving powers over areas including immigration and employment law to Holyrood.
"I think there's a lot of consensus starting to build around some of those additional powers, for example around immigration. We've put forward very detailed plans about how we avoid a hard Brexit and the reason it's important to avoid a hard Brexit, let's not forget, is because that will have a devastating impact on our economy and on jobs. So I'm in a sense willing to put aside my preferred option of independence in the EU to see if we can explore a consensus and compromise option."- BBC Scotland


Told you it was never about another independence referendum per se, but about getting extra powers over key areas devolved to Scotland- the old SNP plan of the slow creep of powers until the point when Westminster does so little people start to wonder why we need it. }}

{{that's a pretty gloomy summary of Mays position, or lack of }}

Pettytyrant101 wrote:


{{that's a pretty gloomy summary of Mays position, or lack of   }}

Theresa May says ''Brexit means Brexit'' in public what she really means is 'Brexit means                        '

{{Skip to abut a minute 10 seconds in- Angus Robertson of the SNP- at PMQ's being given the most ridiculous, disingenuous, unwittingly ironic answer ever from PM May!



Seriously?!!!! The SNP have always a argued for EU membership and Scots voted over 60% every single constituency to Remain in the EU and whilst May is in the MIDDLE of dumping us out thats her attack on the SNP?!! WTF!!! c}}

{{The Scottish press today are covered in headlines claiming Scotland would be a 'third world country' if we become independent- all from the words of economist Douglas McWilliams.
A little digging though shows he is employed by a right-wing think tank. And on top of that he has been saying this for 16 years now!
He first made the claim and got wide coverage for it when Scotland first got devolution, with the BBC reporting it under the headline- 'Warning of Third World Scotland' (2001)- claiming it would result in Scotland being 'a third world country by 2030'.
In his latest claim, made in the Express under the ridiculous headline -'Nicola Sturgeon to make Scotland a Third World Country as economy will fail'- thats now 2047- so I guess we will be ok for 17 more years than he thought 16 years ago?

Why the press keep giving him coverage Ive no idea- when he was an advisor to George Osbourne he was questioned by police after a video emerged of him smoking crack with prostitutes. I am assuming he was on crack when he came up with this- nevertheless its made many of the front pages.

Here's what the BBC's Douglas Fraser (Economic and Business reporter for Scotland) said in his column about McWilliams assertions- 'I can't think of any politician who would venture forth with this quality of analysis, and expect to last long in the job.....But let's not treat this too seriously. As Prof McWilliams struggled through the Edinburgh Festival crowds last week, his analysis might have been best suited to the comedy end of the Fringe program'

And yet there he is all over the press today making the same claim again.}}

{{{ Big announcements today on how the BBC are going to deal with BBC Scotland- top of the agenda the 'scottish six' - the nightly 6 o'clock main BBC news- currently we get that broadcast at us from London, main headlines are often abut Health or Education- which are devolved matters here so England's health and education are not of much importance here. Our is. Currently we have to wait until after the main news to get the Scottish news which is presented inthe local regional news spot for the UK.
Westminster have opposed Scotland having its own news program for decades on the basis it furthers independence.

Also money. The BBC has long been shafting Scotland as the figures show-

'The BBC's 2015/16 accounts showed £320m was raised from the license fee in Scotland. Of that, £176.5m was spent on local content and Scottish-made BBC network output.'

Compare that to Wales and NI-

'95% of licence fee funds raised in Wales in 2015/16 were spent in Wales....with the figure for Northern Ireland standing at 74%.'  }}}

{{Well politics won the day. The BBC have announced a new BBC Scotland channel which will broadcast from 6pm and will include the much wanted Scottish news, produced in Scotland- only not until 9pm at peak time when noone will be watching- and we are stuck with the 'national' ie english news as the main 6pm bulletin
Not only that- why a whole new channel noone will watch? All they had to do was make sure the money raised here from the license fee was spent here- it didn't have to be on 'scottish' programming- BBC Wales makes Doctor Who and Sherlock, they are hardly 'welsh'- the point was to keep the money in the country so that artists, writers, set designers, directors, lighting folks ect have somewhere to hone their trade and learn and put their visions into practice without being brain-drained to London.
All they had to do was increase the spending and BBC facilities here to match other parts of the UK and give us a Scottish main news. Instead we have this expensive excursion just to avoid giving us a main scottish news.
And can you imagine the English putting up with a main news that for the first 30 minutes was solely about matters devolved to Scotland and NI and nothing to do with England? Not for a second!}}}

{{ The way it is right now the actual Scottish news which follows the main UK 6pm news is often redundant- in that if its a big story it will be on the running order of the 6pm bulletin- in which case you just get a repeat of the same news on the Scottish news. Or its stuff that really should be covered more indepth- such as important political or economic news, but there isn't the time too because, despite us having our own Parliament and all the devolved stuff we still have to fit it all into the same time slot as an English region gets for its news.
This problem was particualry evident in the independence referendum- when the main 6pm news would cover it at length, but from a very London/Westminster centric angle using political corespondents with little knowledge of Scottish politics, then the actual Scottish news would come on afterwards with reporters who have covered Scottish politics for years and not have the time to do the subject justice, and as many people just saw it as repeating the same news they had just heard they didn't bother watching more about it so only ever got the UK news version of events.}}}

azriel wrote:I loved this !

yeah I loved that too.

{{To add insult to injury over this new Scottish channel from the BBC the BBC Director General has had to admit before a Holyrood committee that even with the new channel the BBC will still only be spending 68% of the money raised in Scotland on Scotland. Still considerably behind the 95% in Wales.

The excuse for the 9pm news bulletin rather than giving us a real one art 6pm is- ' "I think the BBC is a team and I very much want Donalda to draw on the resources of the whole BBC, behind BBC Scotland the channel and all the things we do....I know that we can put the entire resources, journalist resources, global as well as UK, behind a news at nine o'clock for an hour."

UM, ok, so we arent getting a real news because one at 9 when noone will be watching can have all the resources of the BBC behind it? Why does it need that? The whole point of it is that its Scottish focused and all editorial decisions are made here- so why would it need say the resources of BBC London behind it?
I smell bullshit!   }}}

{{Scottish Labour have begun their conference, in a telephone booth I expect, and Kezia Dugdale their leader has proposed a 'new Act of Union' to replace the 300 year old one, leading to a federal UK.

'It would see extra powers for English regions as well as Holyrood via a "People's Convention" for the UK....Her deputy Alex Rowley has called for Scotland to "move beyond narrow unionism and nationalism.'

Given Labour have spent the last 10 years accusing the SNP of being obsessed with the Constitution this seems a little rich.
The SNP have been unsurprisingly dismissive- '"Labour have been promising a supercharged, powerhouse, federalism-max for years - and consistently failing to deliver it.....Billions of years from now I half expect Labour politicians to be staring into the dying sun calling for a constitutional convention." Ouch!
And even the lone Tory is having a pop- '"Surely 10 years of SNP government obsessing over the constitution has taught us that this is the wrong priority. Like everything we see with Labour right now, it is a complete mess. It is little wonder that nobody has a clue what they stand for."

That last point is Scottish Labours biggest problem. Talk of federalism again is all well and good, I actually think there is some future possibilities there- but not right now. But in the meantime what does Scottish Labour stand for? At Westminster they voted through the Tory austerity plans and the benefit cuts so they dont represent those people any more. They don't represent the working person any more- in their English heartlands they are largely at odds with their own grass roots over the EU and in Scotland those working class areas have been picked up by the SNP who have more obvious and clear progressive politics than Labour do.
There are no unions on the scale there once was to provide voters and funds either- in fact Scottish Labour have run into a deficit as donations have collapsed.
I dont see what policies they are offering which are likely to entice voters back to them, federalism is not going to excite the masses nor is just repeatedly yelling "SNP BAD!" as they have been for 10 years (and look where thats got them- on the verge of extinction in a country where they once said you could stick a red Labour rosette on a monkey and it would still get elected and where Labour votes weren't counted they just weighed them. }}

Like everything we see with Labour right now, it is a complete mess.

Sad!

Pettytyrant101 wrote:{{stick a red Labour rosette on a monkey }}

Might be worth a try. It would be a great protest vote! What have they got to lose?

Why don't you become an MP Petty? genuine question.