Trogdor

It turns out Keith Brown and Mike Russell were the good guys to the baddies Sturgeon, Murrell and Oswald. With Brown proposing governance changes in 2021 via a 41 page report. With none of the changes being implemented. Blocked by? You've guessed it, Sturgeon, Murrell & Oswald. www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/kirsten-oswald-peter-murrell-blocked-29660551.amp It's long past time to empty the stables. Over to you, Humza.

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Oooft, Blackford cosplaying as Portillo? That's got to be up there.

Some episode that. Really well done.

Talk about some drama. Great save by Foster for the penalty.

The linesmen are atrocious as well.

When in doubt. Attack! Out of curiosity. Since inception in 2007 how many directors has the EHRC had? The two you cited are they the percentage equivalent of those who believe the earth is flat or more significant than that? There is ambiguity in the existing Equality Act. That is a matter of fact. Sex cannot simultaneously mean legal sex and biological sex. See Michael Foran's analysis, I linked to it a page or two ago. The attacks on the EHRC are orchestrated by groups including the Good Law Project (including the fox clubber, Jo Maughan) and Stonewall amongst many others. Who even complained to the The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions to review the EHRC's accreditation which was rejected. Unless the Global Alliance of Human Rights Institutions has been hijacked by Tories as well? I think I'll take their judgement as opposed to the twitter activists or the activists at the Good Law Project and Stonewall. My original point still stands, where is the evidence that the EHRC is amending the EA to the detriment of trans people? I haven't seen any. This is alarmist fear mongering and it will have the opposite effect of what's desired here. If these groups genuinely want change they should be engaging with the EHRC constructively. Not denigrating it. As for the wallet inspector. I think they've already paid you a visit good sir.

I'm sure the new and improved highlights package will be along in a minute.

Which is precisely why its important to understand that Salmond told him to step down. At which point, it was Sturgeon's judgement that he should continue and her judgement that is at question now. What's clear to me now is that Sturgeon was a brilliant communicator and she cultivated an image of competence and being above reproach. What's happened subsequently has shown it was exactly that, a construct, her judgement was horrendous and her policy achievements minor but she was a proven election winner. All in all, a bit of an enigma. Its hard not to feel like it's a big opportunity missed for the cause and all this crap, the constant drip drip drip isn't helping and will take its toll. I feel for Humza as he's inhereted a shit show. He needs to get on and sort it or it'll finish him too.

I broadly agree with how you see it. It would have to be fraud to impact Sturgeon. The whole rigmarole and chaos since she resigned has already knocked her standing. The vast search is the strange bit though. I'm no expert on Police searches but it was visible and vast. Multiple locations, at least 30/40 officers. Which feels like overkill, unless its just for the optics of Police Scotland (look - no-one is above the law!). If it was for the optics, it's a dreadful misuse of resources. Just on the Alba das - Craig Murray seems to be going all in on something to do with Gupta and Liberty Steel. Even so far as to link it to the Murrell investigation. I don't see how that is even tangible tbh but also worth keeping an eye on what they are thinking (with a heavy dose of salt at the ready!).

He's certainly becoming more visible, in the last two weeks it's been like a renaissance. He's been on everything, smiling like a cheshire cat as he enjoys the schadenfreude. Whether that translates to being more electable, I'm not convinced.

I'd suggest you buy the books and read them. The book was written by David Clegg and Kieran Andrews. David Clegg was Political Editor of the Daily Record and broke the story about the complaints about Salmond. So he's not exactly a Salmond ally. Whereas Gunn could be considered one, I'm not 100% sure where Gunn sits. Books being published after said events isn't unusual. Also a book published 6 years after was probably getting researched and written for a year or two in advance of that. It certainly came out before the fallout. I've known it since before covid, I cannot remember the exact date though. I expect the actual conversations would be private ones. So I doubt you'll get a witness as such. I would suggest the fact it hasn't been denied either speaks volumes too.

If I was to have a guess, I expect Murrell has been doing a few dodgy things, leaving the spending of the £600k to one side. Which comes down to was it restricted for spending on IndyRef2 and what actually constitutes spend on IndyRef2? Which is a bit of a question for a technocrat which will all come down to the wording on the crowdfunding website. I suspect (this is guesswork, I have no evidence) he may have done some or all of the following. The reason I reference these that they are all financial and have been seen before: 1) personal expense claims which aren't business expenses 2) has bought assets through the party and reimbursed the party 3) increased own salary without committee approval and increased own employer pension contributions (without approval). This the sort of financial crime you hear about in businesses. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It's hard to say for sure as it's covered by contempt of court. Anyone who does know what's alleged can't breathe a word.

That would be fine except its not the Tories, is it? It's the EHRC who have been asked to look at it and recommend changes. The EHRC is not a Tory proxy despite what a lot of activists will claim. If I'm niave then you're being cynical bordering on alarmist. Rolling back the rights of trans people isn't the vote winner for the Tories that you fear it is.

There are two or three sources for Salmond warning Sturgeon and Murrell it's in the book "Break-Up: How Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon Went to War". Campbell Gunn (who worked for Salmond and then Sturgeon) also confirmed that it happened during their handover and I'm also sure it's in one of Salmond's biographies as well. The reason why it's never really come up is because NS assured everyone there was no issue. You dont need to be Einstein or Hawkins to realise it was unhealthy and a pretty significant conflict of interest to have the CEO and party leader being one half of the same household.

Salmond also told them both that they couldn't hold the positions of Party leader and CEO. Murrell would have to step down. That was just after the Independece Referendum in 2014. They clearly thought they were untouchable and treated the membership with utter contempt. Sturgeon should be shunned for the utter mess she has left the SNP in. Support for Independence is at stake and the drip drip drip of bad news will eventually start to impact support as voters start to question if you would trust the party to run an independent country. Omnishambles doesn't even touch it. There needs to be mass resignations from the NEC. The sooner that happens the party can heal and reset. A reset is inevitable now, even for Captain Continuity. The longer the report takes into the governance of the SNP the more this will be drawn out. That report won't be pleasant reading either, the party is a dysfunctional mess and hasn't been following the constitution for at least the last five years. It's going to make for painful reading and the buck stops at Sturgeon's door.

I've done as you instructed. Remortgaged the house too.

The life of us Ayr fans...

Aye, that was my thought. Tories are duplicitous by nature.

Aye, It's pretty indefensible. One of the best bits from that meeting is Graham Campbell insisting that he needs no reminding on governance or finances due to his extensive business experience. I literally laughed out loud. The utter fantasist. I really can't see how anyone who was on the NEC at the point when they rejected the Audit Committee's report can continue. Especially when half of the Audit Committee resigned. How the NEC just decided to continue as normal and then actually berate the Audit Committee I'll never know. That simply wouldn't happen in any other organisation. Dysfunctional doesn't even cover it.

You've caught me! I've had a traumatic week and came onto P&B for some light relief.

Iain Gray hides out in Subway...

Sounds horrible for your friend. I think you misunderstood my proposal. Only have gender neutral facilities. Not male, female, gender neutral, just have gender neutral toilets (no urinals at all!). It makes it a moot point. Modifications will need made but that's what I would do tbh. Rather than introduce a fourth toilet.

At least the board is setup right...