Brexit slowly becoming a Farce.

[Cheese]

21 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

I would also prefer Saruman to Gandalf but either is decent.

You don't really get folk like that anymore do you. Can't imagine Mark Rylance going off to fight the Serbs in 95.

Could absolutely see Laurence Fox doing war crimes in Iraq tbf.

[Jacksgranda]

22 minutes ago, sophia said:

Indeed. This is an example of such a thing.

Those of a nervous disposition and those that might  be induced to rage should avoid clicking the link.

Suffice it to say that the pinned tweet, sets the tone...

"It is incompatible to be a Rangers supporter & someone sympathetic to - or voter of - the #SNP. End of."

Anybody induced to rage by that needs to go on an anger management course, imho.

[welshbairn]

28 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

I would also prefer Saruman to Gandalf but either is decent.

You don't really get folk like that anymore do you. Can't imagine Mark Rylance going off to fight the Serbs in 95.

Tommy Cooper got busted smuggling dope from Palestine into Egypt during the war.

[Guest Jedi]

4 hours ago, coprolite said:

 

I don't dispute that there will always be a low tax, small state faction in the Tories. They might be able to exploit not being in the EU to achieve their objectives if they can persuade the leadership that it will win votes. 

I think you misunderstand the plan-free populist opportunist nature of this government. I guess it's comforting to think that there are unseen forces with a masterplan rather than imbeciles making shit up as they go. 

I think that your belief in the EU (containing Luxembourg, Ireland, Netherlands, Malta, Cyprus) as a paragon of tax justice is also misplaced. 

 

This is a fair point. Ireland in particular has a really shoddy record when it comes to tax avoidance.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/nov/28/12-eu-states-reject-move-to-expose-companies-tax-avoidance

Especially enabling Apple to avoid $13 billion in tax, by reducing their corporation tax  to 0.005%, in contravention of EU directives. Interesting that there are claims that the Irish economy would tank if it wasn't able to slash corporation tax to 6.4% (in contrast to the UK's 19%), to keep the 'big' players on board. That is not a healthy economy.

There is also an argument to be made that Johnson, who, after all, is only interested in what benefits himself, switched from supporting Remain to Leave, thinking that Leave would lose narrowly but it would then best position him to become the Tory leader. This based on the assumption that he could appeal to the gammon sections of the membership by promising to keep fighting the nasty EU, following a referendum defeat. I think that this consideration was certainly in the mix, and can conflate with 'they never had a plan in the first place' model.

So, a combination of Johnson's own ambitions, the belief that leaving the EU would make it easier to hide tax, and slash regulations on corporations resident in the UK, and all the while selling the immigration card to the masses. What a toxic mix.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Jedi

[Jacksgranda]

7 minutes ago, Jedi said:

This is a fair point. Ireland in particular has a really shoddy record when it comes to tax avoidance.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/nov/28/12-eu-states-reject-move-to-expose-companies-tax-avoidance

Especially enabling Apple to avoid $13 billion in tax, by reducing their corporation tax  to 0.005%, in contravention of EU directives. Interesting that there are claims that the Irish economy would tank if it wasn't able to slash corporation tax to 6.4% (in contrast to the UK's 19%), to keep the 'big' players on board. That is not a healthy economy.

There is also an argument to be made that Johnson, who, after all, is only interested in what benefits himself, switched from supporting Remain to Leave, thinking that Leave would lose narrowly but it would then best position him to become the Tory leader. This based on the assumption that he could appeal to the gammon sections of the membership by promising to keep fighting the nasty EU, following a referendum defeat. I think that this consideration was certainly in the mix, and can conflate with 'they never had a plan in the first place' model.

So, a combination of Johnson's own ambitions, the belief that leaving the EU would make it easier to hide tax, and slash regulations on corporations resident in the UK, and all the while selling the immigration card to the masses. What a toxic mix.

That's a good anaylsis, imo.

[Ira Gaines]

48 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

Is it bad that I immediately elaborated that to him getting captured and featuring in an ISIS beheading video.

No.

[Billy Jean King]

Lolz at the OAPs picking up their pensions in their Benidorm caravans going ballistic as they discover that their UK Sky systems and Sky Go will no longer work from tomorrow.

Someone needs to explain the concept of VPN to them !

[doulikefish]

26 minutes ago, Andrew Driver said:

The Scotland in Union New year address


While there are undoubtedly challenging days still ahead, the rollout of the coronavirus vaccines means there is light on the horizon.

And there is hope too that the togetherness generated in 2020 has made a lasting impact on our society.

There is greater recognition of the vital role of key workers and a renewed sense of community spirit thanks to acts of kindness by hundreds of thousands of people.
 

After years of division – both political and societal – there is an opportunity for unity.
And yet there are those in the nationalist movement who are still so obsessed with the constitution that they want to divide Scotland once again.
 

What an insult to everyone who has lost so much in 2020 it would be to abandon the solidarity that has helped us through these challenging times.

No serious politician should even contemplate holding a divisive second independence referendum any time soon.

If SNP MSPs and MPs are looking for a New Year’s resolution, it should be to stop campaigning for separation and instead work on bringing every community together.

Instead, we have Nicola Sturgeon still wanting to have a referendum in the near future, and senior SNP figures George Kerevan and Steven Bonnar MP making disturbing remarks, with the former comparing their campaign to break up Britain to civil rights movements for the most oppressed, and the latter even – chillingly – claiming a “fight to the death” for separation.
I am certain I am in the majority of people who felt physically sick upon reading their comments.

All this at a time when we need our political leaders to be completely focussed on rebuilding our country. It will take time; that is not in doubt. There will continue to be sacrifices as Covid restrictions continue until the vaccine is fully rolled out, and there will be long-term challenges for both public services and the economy.

With so many NHS operations cancelled at the start of the pandemic, there are concerns about future spikes in conditions such as cancer.
And while there has been an unprecedented level of support for businesses, with more than £8 billion added to the Scottish budget from the UK government to assist the Covid-19 response, jobs and livelihoods will still be at risk for years to come. It’s clear what 2021 must be about: recovery.

 

hat must be the focus of both the coming Scottish election campaign and the parliamentary term which follows.

The people of Scotland, in opinion poll after opinion poll, have made it clear what our priorities are.

In one survey, over three-quarters of respondents said they did not want a second independence referendum to be prioritised over recovery from Covid-19, including 64 per cent of SNP voters. In another, the economy and the NHS were by far the top priorities for people, with independence barely in the top ten.
 

The climate emergency has not gone away – and Glasgow is hosting the Cop26 UN climate summit this year.

Let’s focus on ensuring that Scotland sets an example to the world, rather than subjecting international delegates and journalists to an insular debate about our constitution.

And there is an urgent need for the Scottish government to prioritise the drugs crisis in 2021.

Our drug-related death rate has increased and dwarfs all EU countries. The drugs debate is a prime example of how the powers of devolution can be used.
 

hile laws around drug classification and consumption rooms are reserved to the UK government, treatment and recovery services are devolved to the Scottish government.

Rather than searching for grievances, it’s time to remember that co-operation should be at the heart of devolution, not division.

A recent poll found that a majority of people in Scotland are dissatisfied with the way that our two governments work together, and particularly want the administrations to co-operate more amid the coronavirus emergency.

Both governments must put their differences aside and work harder to bring everyone together.

 

Of course, it won’t be easy as intergovernmental tensions will inevitably increase this year as a result of Brexit, and Nicola Sturgeon is already wasting no time in using it to promote her case for separation.

It is almost comical the number of positions the SNP has gone through: the euro, not accepting the euro; leaving the EU is a price worth paying for independence, we are being dragged out the EU against our will; ‘no deal’ is the worst possible outcome, let’s vote for ‘no deal’.

The only SNP position on Europe that is consistent is that it will take the populist line of the day in order to try and gain support for Scotland to leave the UK. And the repeated claim that a separate Scotland would stroll back into the EU simply doesn’t hold water – there would have to be a crippling plan for reducing our deficit in place and a commitment to join the euro, with no guarantee of success.

Long before any repeat debate about Scottish independence is held, the SNP must be honest with voters about the reality.
 

But that debate should be for another time.

Right now is the worst possible time to find new ways to divide Scotland, which is why the SNP should abandon its plans for a divisive second independence referendum that would tear communities apart.

 

Instead, let’s make sure that 2021 is a year of hope, when we build on the community spirit of the past 12 months and we work harder than ever to bring people together.

Pamela Nash is chief executive of the pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union

 

Tldr

[doulikefish]

The Gibraltar problem popped up today 

Bo and co caved...freedom of movement for Gib

Edited December 31, 2020 by doulikefish

[welshbairn]

1 minute ago, doulikefish said:

Tldr

Here's a summary.

28 minutes ago, Andrew Driver said:

The drugs debate is a prime example of how the powers of devolution can be used.... laws around drug classification and consumption rooms are reserved to the UK government.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

2 hours ago, Jacksgranda said:

Anybody induced to rage by that needs to go on an anger management course, imho.

I was thinking more a psychiatrist and strongly suspect the people involved would have a very similar mentality on whether being a Rangers supporter is compatible with being pro-SNP. Union Jack seethe how dare they, GSTQ splutter the end of civilisation as we have known it, etc. Do think though that when a Conservative government is doing things that are clearly completely incompatible with Ulster Unionism (the Irish Sea customs border) and are hanging their Scottish wing out to dry in the run up to a Holyrood election (fishing quotas actually going down for white fish stocks in the North Sea) people who go into an exagerated Billy Briton mode to wind up the less cerebral SNP supporters on here should maybe devote some of their energy towards inquiring of Boris and co WTAF is going on.

[welshbairn]

22 hours ago, MixuFruit said:

Haha

 

 

Rev Stu seems a bit discomforted by this but dismisses the laughter by proving he gets more visitors on his blog than Bella. True I suppose, but in the same way that Trump gets more visitors than just about anyone and the way people stop to look at car crashes.

[Granny Danger]

55 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

Lolz at the OAPs picking up their pensions in their Benidorm caravans going ballistic as they discover that their UK Sky systems and Sky Go will no longer work from tomorrow.

Someone needs to explain the concept of VPN to them !

Reciprocal health care benefitted the U.K. more than Spain.  Whilst those who have already retired to Spain will not lose any benefits it will be a huge discouragement for many new retirees and I believe will lead to a significant increase staying in the U.K.

So even greater pressure on the NHS as an increase in older people requiring their services.

 

[Granny Danger]

41 minutes ago, doulikefish said:

The Gibraltar problem popped up today 

Bo and co caved...freedom of movement for Gib

The Spanish government have totally bottled it; decades of a claim on Gibraltar and when they can really apply the screws they don’t do it.

 

[Cheese]

Are brexit, are rock.

Simples.

[Academically Deficient]

5 hours ago, madwullie said:

3 of the 4 twitter profiles have ranjurz names and are bigging up Michael Gove for a piece of startling hypocrisy that even has conservatives cringing - hypocrisy btw which is designed only to try to dog-whistle amoebas like these dudes away from actually noticing that they've just been properly shafted by the party they presumably vote for. 

It's not infantile, they're just childishly transparent  

It's encouraging how many Rangers fans are actually pro-independence, but I guess they have to keep quiet about it on match days

Of course, there are still too many who think their political views are a function purely of the team they support, but what can you about that. 

If I did that I would need to form the Recovering Drug Addict Party. And dont ask to see our accounts. All donations cash only please.

[DrewDon]

1 hour ago, Andrew Driver said:

And yet there are those in the nationalist movement who are still so obsessed with the constitution that they want to divide Scotland once again.

Imagine sincerely writing this sentence when you are literally the Chief Executive of a nationalist campaign group focused exclusively on the constitution which, by your own logic, divides people according to their views on Scottish independence. 

[coprolite]

2 hours ago, Andrew Driver said:

The Scotland in Union New year address

Of course, it won’t be easy as intergovernmental tensions will inevitably increase this year as a result of Brexit, and Nicola Sturgeon is already wasting no time in using it to promote her case for separation.

It is almost comical the number of positions the SNP has gone through: the euro, not accepting the euro; leaving the EU is a price worth paying for independence, we are being dragged out the EU against our will; ‘no deal’ is the worst possible outcome, let’s vote for ‘no deal’.

The only SNP position on Europe that is consistent is that it will take the populist line of the day in order to try and gain support for Scotland to leave the UK. And the repeated claim that a separate Scotland would stroll back into the EU simply doesn’t hold water – there would have to be a crippling plan for reducing our deficit in place and a commitment to join the euro, with no guarantee of success.

Long before any repeat debate about Scottish independence is held, the SNP must be honest with voters about the reality.
 

But that debate should be for another time.

Right now is the worst possible time to find new ways to divide Scotland, which is why the SNP should abandon its plans for a divisive second independence referendum that would tear communities apart.
 

Pamela Nash is chief executive of the pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union

 

I've edited out most of the rambling shite so it's just the bit about brexit. 

I kind of agree with what she's said about the SNP's position. That doesn't change the fact that Brexit has strengthened the case for Scottish Independence, or any of the pre-existing underlying arguments. 

[welshbairn]

58 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

The Spanish government have totally bottled it; decades of a claim on Gibraltar and when they can really apply the screws they don’t do it.

 

Will nobody think of the Gibraltarians and Spanish commuters? It's a cracking deal for them, Single Market, freedom of movement and all the jobs for hosting tax dodging bookies and offshore banking spivs. And cheap booze, fags and plenty of Moroccan spliff! Rule Britannia! Go the EU! Viva Espana!

[Highland Capital]

Scotland In Union are a bit like the Masons or the Orange Order.  Take themselves ultra-seriously but no-one else does.