Scareforce One Makes Day Trip To Aberdeen

Oh my....

From:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27089800

Broadcaster STV has become the latest company to leave the CBI after the employers' body formally backed the campaign against Scottish independence.

In a statement, STV said rules on impartiality meant it had "no choice" but to resign from the organisation.

It comes the day after Aquamarine Power and the Balhousie care home group also announced they were quitting the CBI.

The CBI said it was confident the "vast majority" of its membership agreed with its stance on independence.

It has registered with the Electoral Commission as a backer of the pro-Union campaign.

The registration as a non-party participant allows it to spend up to £150,000 on campaigning during the regulated period from 30 May until the referendum on 18 September.

However, it is understood the CBI - which is the leading body in the UK representing large employers - has no money earmarked to influence the campaign.

Confirming that STV had resigned its membership, a spokeswoman for the Glasgow-based broadcaster said: "STV is a public service broadcaster with a duty of impartiality and as such we have no corporate or editorial position on the independence referendum in September.

"In light of CBI Scotland's decision to register with the Electoral Commission we have no choice but to resign our membership of CBI Scotland forthwith."

Responding to the earlier withdrawals of Aquamarine and Balhousie, a CBI spokesman said: "While any member deciding to leave is a cause for regret, the CBI is confident we have a mandate from the vast majority of our membership on the question of Scottish independence."

But in an open letter to CBI Scotland chief executive Iain McMillan, which was released on Friday, Select - which represents 1,250 engineering companies - said: " "In taking this action you do not reflect our views."

The letter added: "The owners of our member companies and their employees, like the rest of the Scottish population, cover the full range of political affiliations.

"We are agreed that the way in which each and every person associated with Select votes is a matter for them alone."

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/272211-businesses-protest-after-cbi-announces-decision-to-back-no-campaign/

Three companies have left a major business lobbying body after it registered to back a No vote during the referendum.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Scotland represents many businesses across the country, and announced on Friday that it would campaign to keep Scotland in the Union.

A spokesman said: "The CBI has clearly stated its position in the Scottish referendum debate, that Scotland and the rest of the UK are stronger together as part of the union

"We have registered this with the Electoral Commission in accordance with the law."

But it later emerged that not all members were happy with the decision and two firms had quit the body as a result.

The first two companies to leave were the Balhousie Care Group and wave energy specialists Aquamarine Power.

They were later followed by STV, who said the decision conflicted with their duty of impartiality.

Balhousie chairman Tony Banks, who also chairs the pro-independence Business for Scotland organisation, said the CBI "was not representing its member's views honestly".

He said: "CBI has attempted to hijack its members without proper consultation on their views and many must now feel they are in an impossible position.

"There should have been a transparent sign-off by all members in the same way as Business for Scotland asks each of its members to sign the business declaration in favour of independence."

His comments were echoed by Aquamarine chief executive Martin McAdam, who said: "The CBI has registered with the Electoral Commission as a No campaign backer without consultation with its members.

"As a business, Aquamarine power has been firmly neutral on the matter of independence. We have adopted this view after consultation with our board and management and, as a consequence, we can no longer remain members of the CBI."

Electrical contractors union Select, which represents 1250 companies with 18,500 employees, has also demanded the CBI review its decision.

The union said the Better Together affiliation does not reflect its views.

Select said: "The owners of our member companies and their employees, like the rest of the Scottish population, cover the full range of political affiliations and, within Select, we are agreed that the way in which each and every person associated with Select votes on September 18 is a matter for them alone.

"We would appreciate it if CBI reviewed this decision before taking action."

A spokeswoman for STV said: "STV is a public service broadcaster with a duty of impartiality and as such we have no corporate or editorial position on the independence referendum in September.

"In light of CBI Scotland's decision to register with the Electoral Commission we have no choice but to resign our membership of CBI Scotland forthwith."

Oops!

You must be so happy Bonny, and looking for this to continue?

I'm in a Too good to be true phase just now, Lily. I am staggered by the mess the Unionists have made of their 'campaign'; they manage to offend previously-undecided voters every day.

Look at the CBI deciding it was speaking on behalf of Scottish businesses - including the main commercial broadcaster. Madness.

And the laughing had barely died down from George, sorry, Lord Robertson prophesying boiling seas, rivers of blood and plagues of frogs if we voted YES, when another 'expert' out-nuttered him.

Unfortunately, this nutter is the UK secretary for defence. Seemingly, we're going to be in danger of attacks from outer space if we vote YES. Even the Unionist Mail realised he'd made a plonker of himself:



All of which is leading uncommitted voters to decide they don't want ruled by a shower of corrupt raving lunatics any longer.

We should be part of Scotland.

A fair chunk of the north of England wants us to take them with us and save them from the mad people in Westminster, Lily.  

Some of us here would like to join too.   

Cornwall is going down the same road as us:

'This is a proud day for us': Cornish will be recognised as national minority group for the first time after 15-year campaign
Cornish people will now receive same rights as other minorities in UK
Public bodies must take their views into account when making decisions
Campaigners say region deserves measures such as fuel duty reductions
Government put £120,000 into Cornish Language Partnership in March

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2611599/Cornish-recognised-national-minority-group-time.html

Give it a decade, and 'England' will consist of the M25 corridor. Which is all Westminster cares about anyway.

Does this mean that in time, politicians will be the majority?   

That's a huge boost to the YES campaign.

And the fall-out from the Euro election brings even better news for the YES campaign!

From:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/coburn-i-d-legalise-drugs-ban-same-sex-marriage-1-3423000

Glasgow-born Mr Coburn, whose postal address was declared as being in Kensington, London, said he wanted to work with other unionist parties in the No campaign. The MEP also claimed the surge in Ukip support was due to the SNP government becoming more unpopular after seven years in power, as he promised his party’s leadership would play an active role in the referendum.

Mr Coburn, speaking after his victory speech, said: “I did offer to help keep Scotland in the UK and we should work together. I will talk to anyone. I’ll talk to Tories and I’ll even talk to demoralised SNP people. A lot of people are sick and tired of the SNP. I’d like to thank Alex Salmond for his tremendous help in getting us elected.

“Nigel intends to come up a lot more. He’s as keen as mustard. We’ll be seeing him a lot.”

Great news! There's nothing like a pack of braying, patronising English tw@ts to annoy Scots voters! Especially as more is now coming out about this buffoon, and no-one will own up to actually voting for him.

Please note:

1. The SNP vote is exactly where it's been for the last few elections, it's not dropping at all, which is unheard-of for any government after seven years.

2. Coburn only scraped in by 8,000 votes out of the whole of Scotland. If a few more people in each voting area had got off their bums, he would not have been elected.

3. He only got elected by the peculiarities of that voting system. If the thirty-ish voting areas had been on first-past-the-post, the SNP would have won 15 seats, Labour would have got 10, and the remainder would have been split between the Tories and Lib Dems, as both actually won in a handful of areas.

Unlike UKIP, who didn't win anywhere.

Cornwall has always been very badly treated. Tourist come in in droves, clog the roads and use the water, while Cornwall pays.
Back fifty years ago when I lived there, the local Tory MP treated us all like a load of brain dead morons who actually had the audacity to ask questions at his "Love In."

I can well imagine, Sabot. I am pleased to see that Cornwall is starting to get some recognition as a separate county, and the Cornish language is slowly coming back from the brink.

http://news.sky.com/story/1270290/scots-independence-costs-badly-misrepresented

Scots Independence Costs 'Badly Misrepresented'

Government officials are accused of being "crude" in their calculations - and of overstating a figure by 12 times.

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent
The Treasury has "badly misrepresented" a study on the cost of Scottish independence, the academic behind the research has said.

Patrick Dunleavy, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics (LSE), says that when Treasury officials used his research to calculate the start-up costs of independence, they overstated the figure by 12 times.

The criticism is an embarrassment for Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who is due to present detailed figures on the economics of independence at an event described by Whitehall officials as a "major milestone" in the independence debate.

Speaking ahead of publication, Mr Alexander said: "Our analysis ... is forward looking.

"It is the most comprehensive analysis of the fiscal position of Scotland yet produced and will set out the scale of the current and future UK dividend for Scotland."

However, the controversy surrounding figures presented to the media in a Treasury briefing threaten to overshadow Mr Alexander's launch of the analysis paper.

Officials had briefed that, partly based on the research of Professor Dunleavy, they estimated the start-up costs for an independent Scottish Government at £2.7bn.

It was a calculation of how much it would cost to set up 180 government departments, in line with recent equivalent costs in Whitehall.

The Scottish Government strongly criticised the figure, saying it would not need anything like 180 departments and that much of the departmental infrastructure was already in place in Scotland.

The Professor himself echoed the view.

He wrote on Twitter: "UK Treasury press release on Scotland costs of government badly misrepresents LSE research.

"Appears to take minimum Whitehall reorganisation cost of £15m and multiply by 180 agencies to get £2.7bn. Overstates maybe 12 times?"

Later, he tweeted: "Could they be this crude? Phone call from Treasury guy later confirms: Yes, they had been."

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has demanded the Treasury withdraw the figures and apologise.

He said: "This is a devastating verdict on the Treasury's figures from one of the authors of the report they have been using to base their work on.

"And it totally undermines everything they have to say this week about the finances of an independent Scotland."

Mr Salmond is also due to publish his analysis on the economics of independence in a separate media briefing.


How very embarrassing for Westminster!     

http://wingsoverscotland.com/its-about-democracy-stupid/

An excellent piece by an American in Scotland. And it's rude about Obama's meddling.

Yes it is, Bonny, and also some really good comments.

I think many Americans are bemused by Obama's remarks. More incompetence and nothing to do with him at all.

Stopping Scottish independence is more important than re-electing David Cameron to safeguard Britain's 'special relationship' with the US, former Tory Prime Minister John Major has claimed.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2661242/Stopping-Scottish-independence-important-electing-David-Cameron-Sir-John-Major-warns-against-UK-break-up.html#ixzz350t68iRz
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

    

They haven't half been coming out with some twaddle about this of late.

Who haven't they got involved?

I don't think there can be many left, Lily - have we had the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem yet?

I have to admire their strategy, though. Getting the Tory most famous for having sex with Edwina Currie    to tell us what to do for fear of annoying Obama - that's a real vote winner.

For YES.

No, you must await his pleading for the no separation vote.

To be honest, why worry about upsetting Obama?   

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2014/07/disunited-kingdom-201471083219774686.html

That's a very good report, I saw it when AJ broadcast it.

I have discovered that there is NO point in expecting the BBC, the Mail, etc., to report in a truthful, non-hysterical, non-scaremongering manner on the referendum. The BBC may as well be the Voice of Downing Street, and the tabloid press isn't fit to read.

The only reports I have seen which are sane, reasonable and accurate summaries of what is going on at ground level have been on Al Jazeerah and Russia Today.

What that says about the state of most of the UK media, I shudder to think....

What it says? They have sold out.

It tells me something else, Lily. I can see for myself that AJ and RT are pretty much accurate about what is happening here and now, in Scotland, so it makes me more inclined to believe their version of other matters.