AFTER BREXIT

Should anyone wonder why Scotland now has a larger deficit than Greece, these two can be added to the £300 million+ the current SNP has thrown down the drain on failed IT projects:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/713237/Nicola-Sturgeon-hands-over-12m-UK-taxpayer-funds-to-golf-tournament

EXCLUSIVE: Austerity now? Nicola Sturgeon hands over £12m of taxpayer funds for GOLF PRIZE

SCOTTISH First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been criticised for supporting payments of £12m of taxpayers' money to bankroll a private golf tournament and even giving away prize money.

A proportion of the money handed over to finance firm Aberdeen Asset Management is paying the cash prizes for the winners, the Government admitted in a press release.

This is despite Ms Sturgeon repeatedly blaming Westminster austerity measures citing it as the reason for food banks and poverty in Scotland.

But it can be revealed the 46-year-old, who has attended the glitzy tournament for two years in a row, has been bankrolling the Scottish Open despite controversies that include hosting the event at a club that even banned women members.

The government, which is legally known as the Scottish Executive, has admitted it has been paying part of the prize fund which will hit £3.5million next year.

Now Express.co.uk can reveal that despite the huge cash injections handed over by UK taxpayers each year that interest in the tournament is declining.

And that the attendance numbers since they committed public funds to the sporting event has dropped by half.

In 2009, the Scottish Open attracted 85,921 people but that has since dropped to 41,809 in 2016.

Now critics say the First Minister should stop funding the tournament immediately amid fears over the spending of taxpayers' money.

The SNP led Government has agreed to fund the event to 2020 while at the same time slamming austerity and making large cuts to public services.

Ironically the private firm Aberdeen Asset Management reported after tax income of £309million in 2015.

That same company employs SNP former Chief of Staff Geoff Aberdein as its Head of European Public Affairs much to the concern of taxpayer groups.

And:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/713469/Scottish-MPs-expenses

Holyrood MSPs claimed £12 MILLION from taxpayers last year - and spent it on THIS

HOLYROOD politicians charged taxpayers almost £35,000 a day last year to pay for top-of-the range computers, fridges, and even a bin bag.....etc.

Barstewards.....

Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael - whose Orkney and Shetland seat is the furthest from Westminster - flew only economy.

Ah, a laddie who is not a trougher! Way to go, wee Alastair!!!! LL

It was, IMO, beyond foolish of Carmichael to pull that 'what Sturgeon said to the French ambassador' stunt, LL - from all I've read, he seems to be a good constituency MP, unlike most of the current crop in Scotland.

That said, the way he was pursued afterwards soon began to look like a vendetta, and backfired very badly in the Holyrood elections; Sturgeon and co were convinced Orkney and Shetlanders would be so disgusted by him they would vote SNP. In fact, the very opposite happened and they stayed LibDem.

I don't think the SNP have grasped how much support from the famous Silent Majority is slipping away from them; they seem more concerned with courting the obnoxious Irish Republican vote in the Glasgow area, than the rest of the country.

I wish Mrs May would call a snap general election - a lot of these useless SNP troughers will be thrown out in the Borders, East coast and generally rural constituencies. I have never seen a political party promise so much and achieve so little before.

I have no idea what was said re the French Ambassador - and I don't want to know! Jo Grimond was the Liberal MP from the 1950s when I was growing up and LibDem from 1988. Orcadians and Shetlanders are such sensible people, rather the devil you know than the one you don't especially when that particular 'devil' was bl**dy good at what he did. Carmichel is indeed a good MP, I am told by relatives still living on the Islands. LL

What she says:

Mhairi Black MP ‏@MhairiBlack Sep 19
Fantastic to see the work of Citizens advice and @StepChange, both making sure no one is left destitute because of #Austerity

What she does:



Because nothing says 'anti austerity' like taking one-hour flights in Business class at the taxpayer's expense.

Not surprising, really....

yescotland ‏@yescotland 4h4 hours ago
Apparently SNP MP Black spent £48.35 on storage for White Paper.

Speaking of troughing and greed....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/09/26/the-deutsche-bank-crisis-could-take-angela-merkel-down--and-the/

The Deutsche Bank crisis could take Angela Merkel down – and the Euro

That's worth keeping an eye on.

http://stv.tv/news/west-central/1368249-mp-natalie-mcgarry-charged-in-connection-with-fraud-offences/

Glasgow East MP Natalie McGarry has been charged with alleged fraud offences.

STV News understands the alleged offences relate to her involvement with the pro-independence group Women for Independence and the SNP's Glasgow Regional Association (SNP GRA).

A complaint was made to Police Scotland by members of WFI's national executive committee in November 2015 after an internal audit of the group's finances left money unaccounted for.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "On Tuesday September 27 a 35-year-old woman was charged in connection with alleged fraud offences.

"A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal."

McGarry was a leading figure in the group from its launch in 2012.

The MP also served as convener of the SNP GRA for a number of years before entering parliament.

The 35-year-old withdrew from the SNP whip at Westminster in November 2015 after a police probe was launched following WFI's complaint.

She has denied any wrong doing since the police probe was launched into the complaint.

McGarry became an MP at the 2015 general election after toppling Labour's Margaret Curran with a swing to the SNP of almost 31%.

A spokesman for the MP said: "Natalie McGarry will not be making any comment at this time".

Oops!

Quite a few scandals bubbling away under the surface in Scotland just now.

Remember the truly disgusting slum that Govanhill has been turned into on Sturgeon's watch? Questions are being asked as to why she is doing NOTHING about it. It is being suggested that it is because this character:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/snps-kalashnikov-councillor-in-fake-membership-1065326

SNP's 'Kalashnikov' councillor' in fake membership documents probe

owns a lot of the properties concerned. He has friends in high places, it seems.



Just gossip, of course. No doubt the truth will come out in the fullness of time.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/714963/Resigned-Scottish-National-Party-MP-Natalie-McGarry-charged-in-alleged-fraud-case



Nicola Sturgeon @NicolaSturgeon
Great morning campaigning with @nataliemcgarry in #glasgoweast #voteSNP #GE15
7:48 AM - 7 May 2015

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37495811

SNP government defeated after Holyrood health debate

That'll be more crockery smashed in Bute House.

I am afraid the modern SNP is going to sink as rapidly as it rose.

None of this is actually good for democracy, as it is liable to leave the Tories as the only party standing.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14775041.George_Galloway__to_stand_for_Natalie_McGarry_s_seat__as_he_announces_plan_for_Westminster_return/

George Galloway will take on the SNP for Natalie McGarry's seat after announcing plans for his return to Westminster.

A spokesperson for Mr Galloway told the Herald that the former MP will stand for Westminster again and is determined to return if the opportunity arises.

It has been reported that Mr Galloway will take on the SNP by targeting Ms McGarry's Glasgow East seat.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon is using Brexit process to "push for independence", says David Mundell

The ex-Labour and Respect MP said he will stand as an independent and campaign against a second Scottish independence referendum.

The former MP, who stood for Mayor of London in 2016, lost his Bradford seat in the May general election.

http://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-eu-laws-to-stay-on-brexit-day-10602284

Theresa May will introduce a "Great Repeal Bill" in the next Queen's Speech that will scrap the legislation that took Britain into Europe 44 years ago.

Sky News understands that moves will be made to remove the European Communities Act from the statue book next year.

EU law and regulations would then be enshrined in British law and subsequently removed or kept, depending on what the UK Parliament decides.

This process could take years - meaning many EU laws could be in force long after the UK leaves the union...etc

I am none too sure whether than is complete madness, or a stroke of genius.

The Express votes Genius:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/716657/Theresa-May-announce-Britain-enshrine-all-Brussels-EU-laws-Brexit

As part of the process a new "Great Repeal Bill" will be introduced in parliament as early as next year. If and when it is passed by MPs it will formally sever one of the UK's key legal links with Brussels upon the country exiting the bloc.

Repealing the European Communities Act was a key pledge at the heart of the Vote Leave movement during the EU refrendum campaign, and Mrs May's commitment to it is likely to reassure Brexiteers worried about any possible attempts to backslide on the result.

The move is also designed to show the Government's critics that it does have a plan over how to handle Brexit, and will calm nerves that workers’ rights secured via Brussels, such as parental leave and automatic holiday, will be secured for the forseeable future.

Tonight Tory MP and leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg described the move as "the sensible way to proceed".

Maybe it takes the wind out of the sails of all those who were intending to get the exiting UK trapped in a tangle of red tape? Dunno.

Bonny, I certainly don't know. Does anyone else?

Fasten your seatbelts, folks!

The papers that backed Leave are happy, Lily, so I guess it is Genius.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14777132.Indy_Scotland_will_need_to_nationalise_banks__says_SNP_MP/



AN INDEPENDENT Scotland will have to nationalise its banking system to deliver the investment needed for a fairer society, one of the SNP’s Westminster economics team has said.

George Kerevan said that unless the state directed lending away from speculation into socially useful projects like housing, even an independent Scotland would be “blowing hot air”.

A member of the Commons Treasury Committee, Kerevan told the Radical Independence Conference in Glasgow yesterday: “We have to nationalise the banks. We have to nationalise them and put the flow of investment and the flow of lending into social means, rather than for the use of the highest profit. If we don’t do that, if we forget about doing that, then nothing will change.”....etc.



And just sit back and watch the capital flight...

These are the people who have thrown away half a billion pounds on failed projects and then bleat about Toarries! Austerity!!!!! When they're not being investigated for fraud, that is.

Such a parcel of rogues in a nation.

http://stv.tv/news/politics/1368655-sturgeon-mocked-for-lunch-meeting-with-junior-german-minister/

Sturgeon mocked for lunch meeting with junior German minister
Aidan Kerr
Aidan Kerr
6 hours ago

STV News has learned the meeting took place in a restaurant as opposed to German foreign office.

The First Minister's meeting with a junior German minister in August has been mocked after it emerged it took place in a restaurant.

Sturgeon travelled to Berlin on August 9 for a meeting with Michael Roth, a junior minister in Angela Merkel's coalition cabinet, to discuss the UK's vote to leave the European Union.

The meeting was not publicised to the Scottish press before the trip and was announced in a joint press release after the engagement between both parties.

On the day of the trip Roth's office refused to disclose to the news agency Reuters where the meeting was held despite stating in the press release that the pair initially met at the German foreign office.

STV News has learned through a Freedom of Information request that the meeting was actually held in a restaurant as opposed to any German federal government venue.

Roth, who is a member of the SPD which is the junior party in the coalition, took Sturgeon to Vau after posing for pictures with her inside the foreign office.

Vau, which has a michelin star, was described as a "backstreet brauhaus" by the Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Jackson Carlaw.

Carlaw said: "Not only are heads of state across Europe refusing to meet Nicola Sturgeon, but even those who do agree only to see her in a backstreet brauhaus.

"The SNP may like to think it has terrific influence abroad, but that is clearly not the case.

"The Scottish Government would be much better served teaming up with UK counterparts and getting the best deal possible than fantasising that they have influence in Germany while consuming local sausage and a plate of bratwurst."...etc

Oh FFS! No wonder she wouldn't release any documents about it! This is almost as bad as the 'meeting with the Estonian consul' who turned out to be a rat-catcher from Paisley who'd gone to the country with the Tartan Army and got friendly with a couple of barmen.

Please, Ms May, call a snap General Election!

Oh, she's making a cracker of a speech at the Tory conference - be prepared for Outrage! from Guardianistas....