Brexit about to be triggered?

Speaking of turncoats - today's SNP EU policy, according to Salmond:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15158935.Sturgeon_may_not_offer_to_reverse_Brexit_in_referendum__says_Salmond/

ALEX Salmond has added to speculation that his successor will ditch EU membership from her independence offer in the next referendum, despite calling the vote because of Brexit.

The former First Minister suggested Nicola Sturgeon would not try to reverse Brexit by keeping Scotland in the European Union, but would instead promote membership of the looser European Economic Area (EAA) in order to be part of the EU single market.

On his weekly LBC Radio phone-in, the former First Minister also said that if the UK’s Brexit deal ended with something akin to EEA membership, the referendum would still go ahead.

Ms Sturgeon said on Monday that she wanted a referendum between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, when voters should know what Brexit will look like.

However she refused to spell out whether independence would mean reversing Brexit.

Although the SNP’s long-standing policy was for Scotland to be an independent EU member, she said: “Obviously we are in different circumstances now.”

The Herald revealed yesterday that, with a third of SNP supporters voting Leave last year, the SNP leadership is now trying to move away from the EU as an issue in the referendum.

One option is to join the single market, then perhaps have a referendum on full EU membership later.

Mr Salmond said the argument for having a referendum within the next two years was “to say that will allow us to have a continuous membership of the European Economic Area, not necessarily the European Union incidentally."


Sheer spite.

David Davis says the SNP didn't WANT to do a deal with ministers over Brexit negotiations as he accuses them of generating row to call referendum
Brexit Secretary involved in bad-tempered clashes as he gave evidence to MPs
Accused the SNP of not 'wanting' to reach deal with ministers over Brexit talks
Nicola Sturgeon has declared her determination to call fresh independence vote


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4316762/Davis-says-SNP-didn-t-WANT-deal-Brexit.html#ixzz4bTl1zUjv
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

That's been obvious for a while; Sturgeon has been making impossible demands as an excuse to pick a fight. (See Erdogan, Hitler, for script.)

It's time, IMO, she was reminded that her SNP is just a political party, and is NOT Scotland.

http://news.sky.com/story/queen-prepares-to-sign-brexit-bill-into-british-history-10803211

Queen grants Brexit bill royal assent
The Queen has given the Brexit bill royal assent paving the way for the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50.

The Prime Minister is free to officially notify the EU that the UK intends to leave after the Queen granted the Brexit bill royal assent.

Officially known as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, it passed the Parliamentary process following votes in the Commons and Lords on Monday.

It has now become law meaning Theresa May will now decide when to invoke the two-year negotiation period for Britain to leave the EU.

Excellent. Now Ms May should invoke it ASAP - and call a General Election.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39285798

Indyref2: What is the SNP's approach to EU membership?

Haven't a scooby, it changes every hour or so. Maybe the article will help?

I do not think Nicola Sturgeon will formally drop her policy of seeking full EU membership.
But I do think she might propose a step-by-step route to achieving that.
In other words, an independent Scotland could initially seek a Norway-style relationship with the EU.
That is, membership of the European Economic Area (the single market) through membership of the European Free Trade Association.
Nicola Sturgeon previously said she would accept Brexit and not call for an independence referendum if Scotland could achieve this status *within* the UK.
Membership of the EEA would require the approval of all EU member states.
It would be far less contentious than full EU membership for countries like Spain, keen to discourage their own nationalist movements.
EEA membership might also be easier to sell to independence supporters who voted to leave the EU in 2016.
From this position, an independent Scotland could then choose to apply for full EU membership.
What is less clear is whether or not the Scottish government would propose deciding this through a further referendum.

Er, right. No, it didn't really help....perish the thought Sturgeon should give up banging on about referendums and actually DO HER JOB.

Prepare for mega-screechings:

http://news.sky.com/story/pm-tells-sturgeon-now-is-not-the-time-for-scottish-independence-referendum-10803625

Theresa May has refused to agree to a second Scottish referendum before spring 2019, telling Nicola Sturgeon "now is not the time".

The Prime Minister says she will not start discussions with the First Minister on her proposals to hold a second independence vote when she is about to begin Brexit negotiations.

Mrs May said it would "not be fair" to expect the Scottish people when they did not know what the future partnership with the UK would be or "what an independent Scotland would look like".

Her refusal will escalate an already bitter war between Mrs May and the Scottish First Minister, who have already traded blows this week.

More follows...

Kevin Schofield‏Verified account
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Alex Salmond tells the BBC "no self-respecting Scot is going to take a Westminster Prime Minister undermining Scottish nationhood".

One plot, lost. Just wait for the blood and soil stuff to start.

How quickly they forget!

They all seem to be alike.

SNP say Conservatives are running scared of independence vote.

SNP Deputy Leader Angus Robertson will accuse the Conservatives of "running scared" of Scottish opinion.

Speaking at the SNP spring conference in Aberdeen later, Mr Robertson is to claim Prime Minister Theresa May "panicked" in turning down calls for a referendum on independence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39299305

.....Says the fat trougher who's going to lose his seat at the next election due to COMPLETELY ignoring his constituents.

Frankly, they're all sounding more and more like Erdogan accusing other people of being 'nazis'. The SNP has NO mandate for any of this, they lost their majority at Holyrood and are only being kept in office by a handful of useless Greens.

They are doing this, IMO, for two reasons.

1. To divert attention from their own complete and utter incompetence.

2. Because keeping their backsides on the gravy train matters more to them than what their constituents want.

I wish May would call a snap general election, a lot of them would be out of a job.

Quite a good piece on the background to all this:

Brian Wilson: Thank goodness – the Four Day War is over



Well, I’m glad that’s over and we can all get on with our lives, undisturbed by the prospect of a two-year campaign leading to indyRef2. Launched on Monday, sunk on Thursday – a mercifully short voyage.

Nicola Sturgeon’s unlikely success in allowing a Tory Prime Minister to speak for the great Scottish majority – who did not want to kick off another referendum, 30 months after the last one – is unlikely to be looked back on as her finest hour.

She chose the wrong ground to fight on and will not change that by trying to crank up indignation, egged-on by her attention-seeking predecessor. The test here is “reasonableness”. To most Scots, the grounds for refusing another referendum are reasonable while the convoluted case for demanding one carried no such credibility.

Whatever one’s views on independence or Brexit, the idea of a secessionist referendum campaign in parallel with vital negotiations over the whole UK’s future relationship with Europe was unreasonable, cynical and selfish. It was a manoeuvre too far, which drew the widespread response: “Give us peace.”

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/brian-wilson-thank-goodness-the-four-day-war-is-over-1-4394217

Chris Musson‏Verified account
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Sturgeon's spokeswoman repeatedly refuses to rule out Scot Gov holding #IndyRef2 without permission,simply saying "plan" is to get s30 order

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Murdo Fraser‏Verified account @murdo_fraser 3h3 hours ago
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Murdo Fraser Retweeted Chris Musson
So now @theSNP are suggesting wasting our money on a pointless informal referendum? Good luck with that.

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Kevin Schofield‏Verified account
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John Swinney fails to rule out ANOTHER independence referendum if the SNP lose the next one. #Neverendum


Sturgeon and co are going the right way to get Mussolini-ed outside Bute House. They don't seem to grasp that people in Scotland who formerly were supportive are starting to HATE them, and that their face-painting cult does not represent Scotland.

 So there you go....

In fairness, Ms Sturgeon has done one thing which demonstrates her political genius.

Causing a Tory revival in Scotland.

.....quite by chance.  Karma is dreadful!  

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/uncategorized/733438/ruth-davidson-is-shock-favourite-to-be-next-scottish-first-minister-bookies-revealed-today/

Ruth Davidson is shock favourite to be next Scottish First Minister, bookies revealed today
The Scottish Conservative leader has odds of just 6-1 to succeed Nicola Sturgeon
By Robert Collins
16th March 2017, 5:58 pm Updated: 16th March 2017, 6:28 pm

RUTH Davidson is the shock favourite to be the next Scottish First Minister, bookies revealed today.

The Scottish Conservative leader has odds of just 6-1 to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.

Ladbrokes suggest she is the favourite for the post, closely follow by former SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie, who is a 10/1 shot.

Other Nats listed by the bookies include Health Minister Shona Robison at 10/1, Deputy Leader Angus Robertson at 12/1 and rising star Mhairi Black at 12/1

Davidson had told earlier this year how she would be keen to replace Sturgeon as First Minister.

Mhairi Black? You'd have to get her out of the bar first....

All Sturgeon had to do was run a competent devolved administration, look after schools, health, the police - essential things like that. Instead, she's run public services in the ground, while she's trotted round Europe being Important.

She's had ample money from Westminster to run things, but has managed to blow some £500,000,000 on failed pet projects, all the while whinging about Tory austerity.

I don't think people outwith Scotland realise how utterly incompetent Sturgeon actually is, under her fiesty wimmenz act. Or that the SNP is a minority government propped up by a few useless Green stooges.

What a disappointment for Scotland, it seems.

http://news.sky.com/story/nicola-sturgeon-tells-snp-there-will-be-a-referendum-10806506

She went on to lambaste Theresa May, saying that "the Prime minister's attitude should worry us all" and warned: "Stop putting the interests of the right wing of your party ahead of the interests of the people of our party."

Ms Sturgeon also invited people in the UK who did not like Brexit to come to Scotland.

She said: "We will become a magnet for talent and investment from all cross the UK.

"So let me issue this open invitation today: Scotland isn't full up.

"If you are as appalled as we are at the path this Westminster government is taking, come and join us. Come here to live, work, invest or study.

"Come to Scotland and be part of building a modern, progressive, outward-looking, compassionate country."

Must be a different Scotland she's talking about. Because the one I live in has native Scots sleeping in the streets, and thousands homeless.

Oh, and collapsing public services and the biggest deficit in Europe.

PS - don't bother coming if you're English, unless you are prepared to swear a blood oath of loyalty to Ms Sturgeon and the SNP.

Among the SNP activists who have friended him on Facebook is Scottish housing minister Kevin Stewart, whose surgeries Mr Rekas has promoted, and French-born former MSP Christian Allard.

Rekas has also claimed to have discussed immigration with Ms Sturgeon. On his Facebook account he was asked: “So when and who told you that Scottish authorities prefer Polish and Hungarian immigrants to Muslim ones?”

Rekas replied: “Nicola Sturgeon. A week ago.” He was then asked: “Really? On the record? That would be a bomb.”

Rekas replied: “She told me so off the record.” Explaining his support for independence and the SNP, Mr Rekas wrote: “Social-pacifist, an independent Scotland would also be a blow to the most loyal European ally of the United States, a kind of detachment from the stern of land the aircraft carrier USS ‘United Kingdom’.”

He added: “Free Alba [Scotland] [would] remove from its territory submarines with nuclear weapons .”

Mr Rekas is acting leader of his party – which is not officially recognised in Poland – after the arrest of its leader Mateusz Piskorski for allegedly spying for Russia.

The link was first discovered by Jonathan Stanley of the Tories’ Bow Group in Scotland. He said: “I was sickened discovering that a pro-Putin party chief was pallying up to a Scottish government minister.

“When this ultranationalist is not cheering paramilitaries in the Balkans he is campaigning with SNP councillors in Old Aberdeen and it seems he’s been having off-the-record meetings with the First Minister about immigration.

“He boasts Scottish independence would blow the stern off the UK and end US-led Nato as a credible force for peace in Europe, and is all too interested in Trident and Faslane.

“There is no way the SNP was unaware of this toxic character. It begs the question who else they are happy to keep lurking in the basement.

"Given the First Minister will be speaking in Mr Rekas’ new home city of Aberdeen she is perfectly placed to answer very serious questions.”

Labour Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray said that Rekas’ involvement highlighted why Scotland does not want a second referendum.

He said: “Scotland is divided enough. This individual is misguided and dangerous.

“The First Minister must take strong action and ensure he has no involvement with her party .” The SNP last night declined to comment.

There is no way the SNP was unaware of this toxic character. It begs the question who else they are happy to keep lurking in the basement.

IRA supporters, Polish fascists, Hamas activists - they're all welcome in the present-day SNP.

Ex-UK leader Gordon Brown enters Scotland independence fray.

LONDON (AP) — Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Saturday that Scotland should get more sweeping powers but stay in the United Kingdom — comments that came even as Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would proceed with plans for an independence referendum.

Brown entered the fray over the region's future with a speech in Scotland saying Britain's planned departure from the 28-nation European Union makes the case for Scottish independence weaker, not stronger.

He said Scotland should be able to set some tax rates, sign international treaties, and have more control over agriculture, fisheries, environmental regulations, employment and energy once Britain has left the EU. This would be better than leaving the U.K., as Sturgeon wants, or remaining under current conditions, he said.

"I think it will become clear over the next few months that the third option, that Scotland has more powers as part of a federal agreement with the UK ... will be the best option," he said. Sturgeon seeks another independence referendum in late 2018 or early 2019 when Britain's Brexit negotiations are expected to be nearly concluded.

This has put her on a collision course with Prime Minister Theresa May, who said the timing is unacceptable. Scotland needs the British government's approval to hold a legally binding referendum. Sturgeon told her Scottish National Party conference on Saturday that she will not drop plans to lobby the Scottish Parliament for the authority to hold a referendum, with the debate expected to begin next week.

She said she would be flexible on the timing "within reason" but that the view of the Scottish Parliament ultimately has to be respected by British authorities. "The will of our parliament must and will prevail," she said.

Brown's intervention may be important, because he helped persuade Scottish voters to reject independence in the 2014 referendum. But the Labour Party he once led has lost considerable strength in Scotland and his influenced may have waned.

The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. While most British voters backed leaving the EU in the Brexit vote last year, most Scottish voters wanted to remain in the bloc.

I question whether whatever it was that Brown said last time had that much real effect, LL - I can't even remember what it was. He's very much Yesterday's Man, and would be better employed concentrating on his campaign to clean up Kirkcaldy beach.

I don't think he grasps that the SNP have no intention of embracing federalism; they don't even want devolution to work. They were offered sweeping powers over welfare, which if they were genuine, they should have eagerly embraced. Instead, they told Westminster, No thank you, it'll be at least three years before we are ready for that, all those people living in poverty will just have to wait.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/732699/Nicola-Sturgeon-HALTS-disability-and-welfare-payments-plan-on-the-sly

Benefits disaster as Sturgeon HALTS disability and welfare payments plan 'on the sly'

NICOLA Sturgeon is facing a massive backlash in Scotland as it is revealed she is refusing to take control of welfare powers granted from Westminster.

By SIOBHAN MCFADYEN

The under-fire SNP leader will not be able to take over the delivery of 11 benefits from the UK government after she asked for them to be deferred until 2020 to "minimise risk."

It throws Ms Sturgeon's continued push for independence for Scotland into serious doubt as her government tries to mandate another referendum.

According to minutes released following a recent meeting between the Scottish and UK governments, the SNP asked for a delay before powers contained in the Scotland Act are devolved....etc.

It's written in the usual Express overblown style, but is accurate. She's no intention of compromising when it's easier to blame 'Westmonster' for everything - the SNP has gone seriously bad.

Today's map of angry Scots people:

http://petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com/?petition=180642

I wish Ms May would call a snap General Election - a good few of these useless troughers would lose their cosy seats, which would stop Sturgeon's nonsense dead in its tracks.

Outside the Central belt, the SNP would lose seat after seat, as people voted for Lib Dems or Tories - whoever stood the best chance of getting SNP MPs out. It's a great pity that Labour is now so useless, though Ms Dugdale is starting to fight back a bit.

The previous generation of SNP supporters are appalled by the incompetence and dishonesty which is currently being inflicted on Scotland, but when they speak out, they are immediately attacked as 'quislings' and 'MI5 agents'.

This afternoon's policy:

http://news.sky.com/story/sturgeon-scotland-will-keep-the-pound-and-apply-for-full-eu-membership-10807681

Nicola Sturgeon has said an independent Scotland would keep the pound because it is "our currency as much as it is the currency of anywhere else".

Scotland's First Minister told Sophy Ridge on Sunday that sticking with sterling would be the "starting point" if the country voted for independence.

However, she also insisted she would apply for full membership of the EU - which would mean Scotland would be pressed into adopting the euro.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The starting point for consideration is that Scotland would use the pound.

"It's our currency, it's a fully tradeable international currency; but as I am sure you know I have a growth committee right now looking at a plan for the economic future of Scotland, but also looking in detail at currency options for Scotland."...etc.

Oh, away and feed your unicorn, you madwoman.