FREEDOM!!!! [3]

Pinkish shoes? I wonder what our two shoe experts, Figgy and Orwie, will have to say about that?  

Not pinkish- salmon(d)   

if its salmon I am allergic

A fine example of our biased press today.

Here are a couple of sample headlines from today's Scottish papers-

Law Society calls for YES to set out currency and EU plans

Lawyers Question Salmond

Law Society demand YES give answers over tax, currency and EU systems'

So what did actually happen?
What are these questions YES must answer, well here they are case by case-

1. What would independence mean for Scotland's membership of the EU and international organisations?

This is not a question for Salmond as he cannot answer it. Scotland is not independent, we cannot negotiate our membership until we are.
However Westminster does have the power to ask the EU for its position and to indicate how it would act in the event of independence. Westminster refuses to do so because they say they will not concede to any negotiations before the vote is taken. And because if they got an answer they could no longer fear monger with claims its all a leap into the unknown.
So this is not a question for the YES side, as only the NO side can provide the answer, but they refuse to do so as they refuse to pre-negotiate anything at all.

2. Would the UK government support an application by an independent Scotland to join the EU?

This is addressed to the UK government not the YES side.

3. What contingencies does the Scottish government propose if negotiations are not concluded by their proposed independence day of 24 March 2016?

This is addressed at YES. Not sure if it can be answered so much as a 'deal with it if it comes up'.  But it a question for the YES side to answer.

4. What timescale for further devolution would be proposed by the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties?

Another direct question for Westminster parties.

5. To what extent are the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties prepared to agree a joint programme for additional powers?

Again, addressed to Westminster parties.

6. What contingency plans exist if the UK government does not agree to share the pound with an independent Scotland?

Answers in the White Paper, which lists four possible contenders for currency- sterling zone, using the pound outwith a sterling zone, the euro, and our own currency.


So 6 questions- 2 of which are directed at YES. And second of which the White Paper already answers.

The rest are either questions directly for the NO side, or the answers to which can only be found out by the NO side.

But remember those headlines!

Lawyers Question Salmond

Law Society demand YES give answers

Best not let little things like facts get in the way of an agenda.

Good info- particularly liked the Project Fear section where he points out all the misreporting and misrepresentation in the press.

Thanks Chris.

Chancellor George Osborne is to announce £18m of funding for life sciences and a new centre for business when he visits Glasgow later- BBC

Mmm, I wonder, could this have anything to do with Glasgow having the densest population of Labour voters in the country, the densest population in the country and polls showing more and more Labour voters there switching to YES?

A little bribery can go along way! (They hope)

Out of curiosity, has there been a marked increase in Westminster spending in Scotland (or in promises of spending) since the campaign began? It would be interesting to see if anyone has ran the numbers to see if they point towards a deliberate attempt at "bribery" or not.

Well thats the second announcement of money for Glasgow in the last three months- the last time there was a big announcement about spending that sort of money there was when Thatcher was trying to bribe the city in the early 80's

Mind you you'd think they would learn that Glaswegians will happily take a bribe, then do what they want to do anyway and when confornted will reply, "Whit aboot yer money? Yi want it back coam oan an get it."

NSFW

   Foul mouthed mucky pup  

Hottest day of summer so far at 25

Well tonight is the first tv debate on the referendum with Alex Salmond debating with Alistair Darling for two hours.
And presumably Alex will be trying very hard not to smirk all night every time someone addresses a question to Darling.
Its going to be like watching Blackadder Goes Forth!

The first big debate is tonight and the NO campaign open the day with a blatant attempt at bribery-

'The Scottish Parliament would be granted more powers over tax and social security if voters rejected independence, David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have said.'

Yup the No campaign, which ruled out categorically at the start the option of more devolved powers being on the ballot, are now offering it as a sweetner to vote no.

But as usual its full of political promises, ie worded so at to say nothing definite or they can be held to-

"We support a strong Scottish Parliament in a strong United Kingdom and we support the further strengthening of the parliament's powers.
The Scottish Labour Party, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have each produced our own visions of the new powers which the Scottish Parliament needs.
We shall put those visions before the Scottish people at the next general election and all three parties guarantee to start delivering more powers for the Scottish Parliament as swiftly as possible in 2015."


Its an odd decision. According to the No polls they are comfortably ahead. So why make this offer now?
And phrases like 'as swiftly as possible' are obvious political speak for we are making no definite commitments here.

Also its hard to underestimate how much the Tories are hated in Scotland, and for a long time Scottish Labour voters have been uncomfortable with Westminister Labour telling them what to do, seeing Scottish Labour standing shoulder to shoulder, signing agreements with Westminster Tories is hurting Scottish Labour quite badly, and is in part responsible for the Scottish Labour for YES movements.
Its hard to see what the NO side think making prereferndum promises will do- no one believes them- Clegg is the man who fought an entire campaign on no tuition fees, got all his MP's to sign pledge cards on the matter- then with the Tories bright in tuition fees as soon as elected.
An Cameron is like a snake-oil salesman and he still refuses to even come to Scotland as PM to defend the Union in open debate- which is why tonight's debate is not between the First Minister and the Prime Minister, but the First Minister and a Campaign head.

Still should be an interesting two hours.

Could the English dwelling members let me know -are they showing the debate in England, given either result now will seemingly affect England?

Well no knock out blows in the debate I would say. More a restating of positions. Both sides had stronger moments and weaker ones.
I reckon if you are already decided it wont change your mind, and if you are undecided it wont have helped you choose.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Well no knock out blows in the debate I would say. More a restating of positions. Both sides had stronger moments and weaker ones.
I reckon if you are already decided it wont change your mind, and if you are undecided it wont have helped you choose.

Sounds like pretty much ever debate.

The most interesting bit of the debate- where they cross examine each other-

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28656324

In a little-noticed move, a small number of police officers are now routinely carrying sidearms while on patrol in much of Scotland - the first in the UK outside Northern Ireland to do so. How did this come about, and does it alter the relationship between the constabulary and the public?

The whole article is worth reading, although it doesn't mention if policing is a devolved power resting with the Scottish government.

Other facts:

• A 2006 survey of 47,328 Police Federation members found 82% did not want officers to be routinely armed on duty.
  
• All major police forces in Europe, as well as the US, Canada and Australia routinely carry firearms. The exceptions are Britain, the Irish Republic and New Zealand.

I think this one is a storm in a tea cup.

What happened was Scotland has a small armed response unit- but they dont do much most of the time as armed assailants are rare, thankfully.

So when not responding to armed instances they go on normal patrol- but they get to keep their guns with them because in an emergency they might not have time to go back and get them first.

I think the figure is 1% of our police are armed. And s far at least no one has fired a gun on a routine patrol- only in armed response situations.

  very good, very funny   

Got my polling card today   

The Australian PM has waded into the independence debate saying- 'it was "hard to see how the world would be helped by an independent Scotland" and 'those who would like to see the UK break up were "not the friends of justice... [or] freedom".'- BBC

Well then I expect we can soon see his proposals to return Australia to Westminster then if he thinks its such a good idea not to have independence!
We thought we could at least rely on you Ozzies to support our cause of self determination from Westminster- but it seems not  

Well despite the media telling us for the past two weeks that the YES campaign took a battering over the currency issue- and that the momentum is with the NO side now- the latest polls show a further 2 percent increase for the YES side putting them well within winning margins.
So much for Project Fear.

Which polls are you looking at? I like to see the numbers and a little bit about the methodology before I pay much attention.