The terms “BritNat” and “Unionist” are lazy and wrong

Mick Watson takes on the descriptions “BritNat” and “unionist” which are widely used on social media against opponents of Scottish independence, and sets out why this is both lazy and wrong.

As a heavy social media user who is generally opposed to Scottish independence, I’ve had the same experience many of my peers have had – of being called a unionist, and more recently, a BritNat (short for British Nationalist). I’m sorry, but these terms are just lazy and wrong, and I want to set out my reasoning here.

Let’s tackle the BritNat trope first of all. I’m not a nationalist, of any kind, and just because I don’t support Scottish independence, that doesn’t make me a British Nationalist. To be honest I would rather we didn’t define people by the nation they originated in at all. But it’s a sad fact of life that to exist (i.e. to have a passport, to have a job and pay taxes etc.) we have to be give our “nationality”, but there we are.

Nations are arbitrary. There, I’ve said it. They make no sense in that they are not rational or logical groupings of people (if we have to group people at all). Nations are arbitrary groups of people defined by arbitrary lines drawn on maps (i.e. borders) thousands of years ago by men whose motivations are completely irrelevant today. Why on Earth people think those borders are important today is unfathomable to me. If you are patriotic, or a nationalist, you will probably be sat there, mouth agape at what you are reading, but there it is.

And there are millions like me. We’re not nationalists, not Scottish nationalists, nor British nationalists. Borders are weird, arbitrary lines. Why should they define us? Why should people one side of a line be treated differentlty to people on the other side? It genuinely seems ridiculous to me that nations and borders can somehow define us.

Of course, I recognise that nations exist, that trade exists, that border checks exits, that national governments exist who supposedly act in the national interest. I get it. But that’s historical, and there is no logical or rational reason for it. We can see in both the EU and the UK unions of nations that make borders matter less, that try to ensure people are treated equally regardless of their nationality, and who make borders irrelevant in terms of trade and travel. That is the direction I think humanity needs to go in – to break down borders, not strengthen them. As I said, I am not a nationalist, of any kind.

So on to the union, and not being a unionist. Being a unionist to me suggests someone who is in favour of the United Kingdom in its current configuration. Well, I’m not one of those either. Just because I don’t want your change (i.e. Scottish independence) it doesn’t mean that I don’t want any change; it doesn’t mean that I want to deny Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or even England the opportunity to change the union if they want to. For what it’s worth, I think the UK works for many people, but not for many others. Could it be improved? Of course. Could it change politically or geographically? Of course. Should it? Well that’s for the people to decide, or the politicians (we live in a representative democracy, after all).

To say “you do not support Scottish independence, therefore you are a unionist” is a logical fallacy, because it’s perfectly possible to support neither. If I vote against Scottish independence, I am not voting for the union, I am just saying “Sorry but your proposed change to the union is not the one I want”. There is a difference, and as long as you’re not angry and draped in a flag, you’ll probably admit I have a point.

It’s been suggested to me that to try and deny nations the chance of being independent is by default nationalism, because it reinforces the status quo. This is some tortured reasoning – again, just because I don’t support your change, does not mean I support no change (i.e. the status quo). A rejection of a specific change is not a vote for the status quo. And nor would I deny any people the right to self determination. Crack on and have another referendum – I predict Scotland will still be part of the UK afterwards, and if you’re reading this blog with an open mind, perhaps you’ll figure out why.

So there we are. I do not support Scottish independence (yet), but nor am I a British Nationalist or a Unionist. So what am I? I’m a Labour Party member. I want a society and an economy that works for everyone. I want people to have jobs, a good education, access to good housing, good education, a legal system that is fair and equitable, a trade policy that encourages growth of an economy that benefits everyone. Is the UK government currently delivering that? Hell no. Would a UK Labour government deliver it? Possibly, though I’ve little love for our current leadership. So why not leave the UK? In other words, why not support Scottish independence? Well because I don’t believe independence will deliver those things either. And that’s the rub, right there. Yes many things in the UK are awful; but if you are proposing a change, there has to be evidence that the change will improve things, and that evidence is just not there for the Scottish independence movement.

The reason I say “yet” above is that, should such evidence be produced, I would of course change my mind. Any logical, rational person would. And there are millions like me. So stop calling me a unionist or a British Nationalist. I am neither; if anything, call me a rationalist.

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68 thoughts on “The terms “BritNat” and “Unionist” are lazy and wrong

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    1. Sigh. Recognising that nations exist is not nationalism. This is an idiotic take.

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        1. Well, I have the dictionary definition of nationalism if that helps?

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      1. From the sources displayed from your link:

        Wikipedia; “Arguably, all types of nationalism merely refer to different ways academics throughout the years have tried to define nationalism. This school of thought accepts that nationalism is simply the desire of a nation to self-determine”.

        So if you accept that nations have the right to self-determine, you believe in nationalism. If you believe that nations do not have a right to self-determine, you do not believe in nationalism. It appears the definition of “Nationalism” has changed over the years …. is still changing …. and always will.

  2. Here is a short lesson in lexicography for you, Mick. Most words have more than one meaning, and these meaning develop and change over time, as they are adopted and rejected by different groups of people. Your definitions of ‘nationalist’ and ‘unionist’ are certainly valid, but there are others, used by other groups of people, which are equally valid (and certainly not ‘lazy’ or ‘wrong’!). Using terms like ‘logical fallacy’ when discussing polysemous terms is, ahem, a logical fallacy đŸ˜‰

    I am a nationalist because I believe that nations are good things and the world needs more of them. I believe that, in the era of the internet and mass higher education, small nations are better than large nations – both internally and externally. I am a Scottish nationalist and an Irish nationalist and an English nationalist and a Welsh nationalist and a Breton nationalist – you get the picture. You are a ‘British nationalist’ and a ‘unionist’ (in my terms) simply because you are not these things – you believe that the unitary UK state is a better option going forward than decentralising sovereignty to the component nations. To be fair, I accept that there are other, stronger, senses of ‘British nationalist’ and ‘unionist’ (implying WASP supremacy over lesser peoples) which do *not* apply to you. You should call yourself a ‘weakly British nationalist’ or a ‘quasi unionist’ to make this clear …

    Some of your others points are not really relevant to your argument. Obviously, nations are arbitrary. Obviously, people cannot be defined solely by the nation they live in. Obviously, we all think that we are rational people. There is plenty of evidence that favours Scottish nationalism over British nationalism – you just choose to downplay it and accentuate (the last remaining shreds of) evidence that favours the contrary.

    1. To be honest you are not really engaging with my arguments

      E.g. “you believe that the unitary UK state is a better option going forward than decentralising sovereignty to the component nations.”

      No I don’t, and I explain above that I don’t. What I ask for is that the change requested (in your case, Scottish independence) provides evidence that the people of Scotland will be better off. This is logical and rational, by any measure.

      I accept that there are many definitions of nationalist etc but political discussion goes nowhere as soon as we end up discussing semantics.

      Here is the definition of “nationalist” from the top google hit, a dictionary definition:

      “a person who strongly identifies with their own nation and vigorously supports its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.”

      In those terms, I am absolutely not a nationalist.

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  3. Mick,
    You say, “If I vote against Scottish independence, I am not voting for the union,…”.
    Yes you are. If in a referendum where you are asked one question, (as in 2014, “Do want Scotland to be an independent country?”), where there is only two choices, Yes or No, if you vote No, you are voting to maintain the status quo, you are voting for the Union to continue and not for independence.
    You can try and dress this up with long and with as much complicated discourse as you can think of but you can’t change a simple fact of logic.
    Logic is a part of mathematics. The study of logic is a science. Laws apply. If there are only two choices, Yes or No, and you support one choice, you therefore oppose the other.

    PS, please don’t try and accuse me of ‘taking you out of context’, the statement, “If I vote against Scottish independence, I am not voting for the union” stands on its own, it makes sense in a literal sense, those reading it will understand the statement, but the indisputable fact is, it just does not stand up to logical scrutiny.

    I have just gone back and reread your article ; “A rejection of a specific change is not a vote for the status quo”.
    Please Mick, don’t insult us.

  4. I agree, you are not a BritNat nor a Unionist. Why? Because you might be open to changing your mind about supporting Scotland’s Independence. Sadly, many Scottish Labour supporters still steadfastly refuse to consider the positives for the people living here in spite of the broken promises that we’ve seen since 2014 and the disastrous Brexit result and its implementation.

    I support the EU. I think we need to work in close partnerships with our neighbours. It is one of the reasons I supported Independence; because I feared that England was about to do exactly what it went on to do. I am not blinkered in the belief that the EU is perfect – I was out there campaigning to prevent TTIP for example.

    There are obvious risks with Independence, possibly ones a rationalist struggles to accept. But the positive nation that we could be, especially compared to the what we face as an insignificant part of broken Brexit Britain, still drive me to support independence. Even if other, smaller minded folk, label me a separatist or nationalist when more accurate labels would be humanist, internationalist, environmentalist, pacifist.

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  6. Mick you will find you have stirred up a hornets nest .
    I am in the Labour party so in the press I read I am in a Unionist party .
    In the press I read people like me are Brit Nats Its a general description quite deliberately used .
    Yet at the next Independence referendum if we get one this time I will vote yes or leave .
    At the EU ref I voted remain so I am a remainer or remoaner
    You are correct the press love names to hang on events Brexit being one Brexiteer or remain supporting MP MSP etc .
    In years gone by SNP members in particular had to put up with all kinds of abuse .
    You know when I speak to people nobody calls me names and I don’t call them any we have a laugh .
    I buy the National because I like to read what other people whose views are not mine are thinking .
    I would not have National Flags or National anthems of any kind but I accept there is no chance of that happening .
    What we should be doing is trying to get to the kind of people who are threatening MPS MSPS with rape murder and forcing them to change their way of life .Because of Brexit
    I think most terms like Unionist etc are a convenient way to hang a label on political parties or members we just have to get on with it .Its not personal its political .
    The AUOB march in Glasgow I have read yes in the National there is deadlock over planning because of the numbers expected and organizers are meeting the Council today to try and sort things out .
    I can remember being on poll tax demos and marches for devolution we had 500 on one Demo and at one in Glasgow the entire demo was accommodated in a marquee for speeches Edinburgh not much better but at least we got Horse Deacon Blue and Margo Macdonald haha
    AOUB have been getting huge turnouts on a regular basis without problems as have the peoples vote campaign
    I have spoken to someone who has been on AOUB marches I am told they are well organized family friendly and fun to be on .
    The old firm are away from home on the day of the next march if Glasgow can handle huge Orange Order marches why not AOUB
    Well folks Politicians are back from Holiday which means Brexit the PM and her famous can are back on the Telly .
    Nicola is to give her Indy Ref update Wednesday will Nicola kick her Irn Bru Indy can down the road at least until after her conference and a certain growth commission report are out the way .
    And just when we thought things could not get worse President Trump is coming back in June for D Day celebrations .
    At least last time he was here the news was not boring Mick I will come back to your subject

  7. This article is the work of a naive dreamer who has ignored basic human emotions and instincts to advocate some dreamy utopia where everyone just “gets along”, “sees each other’s point of view” and comes to an amicable agreement …. on a global scale. It won’t work …. It can’t work …. and the consequences for all but the most powerful and well-armed would be catastrophic. I don’t think the author has fully thought through this fantasy.

    As to the “laziness” of the Unionist and Britnat descriptions; they are no lazier than the Nat or Separitist descriptions of those who support a multi-cultural independent Scotland “rejoining” the family of nations. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

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    2. I am just writing this as a critique of the author’s view of nations and borders as illogical and irrational. The initial complaint in the article is both trivial and petulant. If you campaign for the retention of the Union you are, de facto, a “Unionist”. Even if it is only for the duration of that campaign or subsequent debate. “End Of” and “get over it” as the sayings go.

      Nations are not arbitrary and are not nonsensical. They derive from those basic human instincts and needs to security and belonging. Throughout the entire existence of human-kind we have needed those things. The basic building blocks of it are as important now as they were countless millennia ago.

      It starts with the family. We all wish to belong to it, protect it and provide for it. We do this by claiming a space for it to reside and survive. It required food so we claimed land to grow crops, hunt animals and source water. We then protected that land from other “families” as to give it up would threaten our families existence. As time passed, families became communities/tribes (groupings of families that lead broadly similar lives and might share common beliefs) but the basic principles remained. Land and resources were still necessary for our communities existence so sufficient was claimed to provide for it. Conflict occurred with other communities/tribes (groupings of families that might lead lives different to “ours” with differing beliefs) when resources were found in one place but not another. This would be resolved by “agreements” that would recognise the right of one community to live in one clearly defined area while the others lived in other clearly defined areas. These were not “arbitrary lines drawn on a map” but necessities in order to limit conflict and maximise the security of those who resided within them. These groupings of communities might coalesce into what we would call a “Nation” (multiple groupings of communities that lead broadly similar lives and might share common beliefs and institutions). The Nation would require land and resources in order to survive and would ultimately come into conflict with other Nations (multiple groupings of communities that might lead lives different to “ours” with differing beliefs and institutions). This in turn would lead to agreements that recognised the “borders” between these “Nations” thus protecting them and their culture.

      I fully understand that my description above simplifies the complexity of human existence to a massive degree but the basic principles apply none-the-less. Borders are there to both protect those within them from unwelcome outside interference and those without from “our” unwelcome interference. They mean that those on one side can have a democratic government while those on the other side suffer under a tyranny. They mean those on one side can have a high-tax/high public spend policy while those on the other side can have a low-tax/low public spend policy. They mean those on one side can champion human rights while those on the other side abuse them. Etc, etc. To be rid of them would cause anarchy and those with the biggest sticks would forge Empires, destroy cultures and oppress/exploit peoples. It is all in the history books.

      The rise of the European Nation State in the last 200 years (not thousands as the author claimed) has been largely positive in regards to the plight of ordinary people. Formerly poor “regions” have become prosperous “Nations”. Wars have been remarkably rare between them. Sure, you can point to WW1 and 2 and, possibly, the Franco-Prussian war …. but these were “Imperial” wars fought by Empires that many Nations could not avoid (though some did). As these Empires broke up into Nation States, wars between them have become almost unthinkable. The rise of the EU, a grouping of independent “Nation States” working together under agreements (see above), has cemented this phenomenon.

      I see nothing “weird, illogical or irrational” about any of this as the author of the article does. His view is a luxury living in the peaceful age of the European Nation State has allowed him. It has allowed him to believe that peace and prosperity for peoples is the “natural” state of affairs and that borders are a hindrance to his utopian vision becoming reality. His vision is, however, a fantasy that can never come to pass without the very emotions and instincts that make us individuals being suppressed and the entirety of humanity being reduced to logical automatons. It is an illusory indulgence; not serious politics.

  8. I’ve been thinking about this article over night and there is another point I want to make.
    Mick, you might not like the term ‘unionist’ or ‘Britnat’, (I don’t like the latter either, but only because I don’t like abbreviations, always strikes me as kind of lazy), but there is no getting away from it, your party (I presume you are a member), The Scottish Labour is the most perfect example of a British National Party.
    The Scottish Labour Party saved The Union. That is an another indisputable fact. Way back, in the run up the the 2014 referendum, It wasn’t The Conservative and Unionist Party that swayed it, they played a small part, but it was Scottish Labour primarily, in its alliance with the other minor unionist parties, in the vanguard of Better Together, Alistair and Gordon leading the charge, that did it. That was brave, siding with The Auld Enemy, the nasty party, to defeat The Greater Threat – Independence.
    You have to admire that kind of conviction in an individual or an organisations’ fundamental beliefs, whether you are a supporter or not. Scottish Labour in its conviction that The Union must be maintained, was prepared to ignore the wishes of its own members and core supporters and oppose independence regardless of the costs. Costs as in votes at future elections. You don’t often see that kind of principle in politics these days.
    And that is exactly what has happened. Scottish Labour are now an irrelevant third force in Scottish politics. The conservatives are now seen as the official opposition to the SNP in Scottish politics. Trends point to these positions becoming more entrenched.
    Getting back to my musings, last night as I tossed and turned over your article I thought, Mick, you shouldnt be ashamed of being a unionist or a British Nationalist you should be proud of it. Your party and yourself (I presume you voted No on 18.09.2014) saved Scotland from the terrible fate that awaited it had we voted Yes. Rather than denial and historical revision you should ‘come out the cupboard’ and embrace your inner Britishness and rejoice, rejoice in the final victory, over the centuries old scourge of the Scottish people, their belief in self determination.

  9. I would like to pay tribute to the people of Sri Lanka at this time of terrible tragedy .And the families of the dead and injured .
    Also today we had the funeral of the young woman journalist murdered in Londonderry last week .
    I saw what the priest said on the news why did it take the death of a young woman to bring politicians together .
    I am not ashamed to say I joined in the standing ovation and have clapped every time I have seen it today .
    I did spot it and news bulletins have mentioned it .The politicians of all parties from Ireland North and South and all parts of the UK all parties their faces were tripping them and they only belatedly got to their feet .
    I would also like to pay tribute to the 16 year old who was in the UK to tell the politicians follow the science on global warming its telling us something .
    I have great faith in todays young people they wont and I don’t want them to put up with the nonsense from the politicians that my generation did and I am 64

  10. Mick l think the term Britnat is an appropriate name for all members and supporters of the Labour Party UK, after all it is UK wide party and we all know the Scottish Labour Party is not an actual Party as such and for all intensive purposes it is actually a section of the Labour Party UK and for accuracy therefore it’s name should be changed to read as “The Scottish Labour Section.”

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  13. Name calling I sent an email to the National on 13th April Martin Hannan wrote a piece advertising the AUOB march in Glasgow .
    One of the main organizers said this in the article .Nay saying media lapdogs
    Homegrown turncoat politicians of the British state regurgitating the same lies after lies after lies
    Anti democratic enemies decrepit fiends etc .this guy was supposed to be promoting an all inclusive friendly march .
    I pointed out is this the kind of language that should be used when MPS and MSPS of all parties are receiving online threats of murder and rape .and Corbyn was physically attacked .E mail not printed .
    That’s the kind of stuff I am talking about when we start going round canvassing talking to people just see what the public reaction will be .Who ever is doing it .
    The next AOUB in march in Glasgow is expected to be that big the city on safety grounds want the start time pushed back from 130pm to 11am AOUB have refused on the grounds the city has handled other huge events with no problem
    They met Tuesday and did not resolve the matter AOUB say they are going at 130pm anyway I have some sympathy with them but safety and common sense must prevail for a safe family friendly fun day which the other marches have been.

  14. I knew this would happen I hoped it would not letter writers to the papers fed up with Brexit and the climate change protest being on the telly non stop have been complaining that Greta Thunberg the 16 year old got to meet all those politicians and got on the telly .
    One person wrote William Hague at 16 the star of a tory conference slightly irritated her she was also irritated when Greta appeared well I think we know Greta is right

  15. I have heard this over the last few days people are sick of Brexit being on the telly every time we put the telly on and as I was told today now Nicola is going on about Indy which she is not getting it will be on the telly nonstop .
    1 man told me on the bus the huge demos for and against Brexit and climate change and the numbers on Indy marches and with most people fed up with all of it shows people are beginning to get angry and there is a potential for violence .Especially over Brexit .
    But I am meeting people who are that fed up with all politicians they are not going to vote so can I appeal to people I hope you vote labour but vote starting with the Euros people in the past got us the vote use it

  16. Never mind all that there was a murder at my local bus shelter on good Friday a dead mouse in our bus shelter
    Now this caused consternation as everybody including me would not go into the shelter .Where were Nicola Richard Ruth the PM when we needed them
    The bus turned up the driver on being told of the dead mouse in the shelter put on her best what do you expect me to do look
    The mouse was there until Monday with no one using the Bus shelter The local cats are the chief suspects We should have sent for Taggart the crime scene our bus shelter minus the mouse was back in use on Tuesday haha

  17. Nearly forgot the Lords think to help young people we should end free bus passes and free tv licences for the elderly game set and match to Nicola

  18. On the way to my surgery today a woman at the bus stop told me when she lived in Rochdale she voted leave and I did not understand the impact immigration had on the area and the vote I was also told she was sick of Brexit on the Telly and now that Nicola has mentioned Indy that will be wall to wall as well .
    I defended Nicola by saying Nicola believes in Indy totally .
    Nicola told the BBC that if Brexit does not happen by 21 then she will put her views on whether Indy happens then
    she told STV News next year

  19. The bus back from the Surgery 30 mins approx. late I got a seat driver having to continually ask passengers to move up the bus we had a pram and wheel chair on board people pressed against them .
    The bus was full we stopped at Irvine Town centre let 1 person of driver had to argue with waiting passengers who could not get on .
    Passenger next to me agreed we have not seen this in the Town centre before.Then Greenwood Academy most of the waiting School kids left at the stop .
    Crosshouse Hospital most waiting passengers told cant get on and that’s on a cold day at a hospital when we got to Kilmarnock Bus station the driver got off and leaned over a rail clearly upset and furious I told her you did your best .She just nodded
    Things like this count Stagecoach have no opposition here on the no11 Kilmarnock to Ardrossan and vice versa route .
    I don’t know what caused todays problem but why cant Stagecoach introduce bus conductors onto the route daytime only and don’t put up the fares .

  20. Keir Hardie ( founder of Scottish Labour)
    advocated that Scotland should have Dominion Status ( same as Australia, Canada etc), so we would have independent decades ago.
    I agree with Hardie. I don’t regard myself as a “nationalist” as being Scottish is no better or worse than being French or Maltese or whatever.
    We have the notion of being Scottish and if you have lived in England will recognise that they regard their identity as English. Nothing odd or wrong about this. National identity is worldwide: it’s not a “learned” thing: it comes naturally, and should be a positive feeling: a sense of belonging.

    1. Thankyou for your comment Gavin
      Correct but we have to end the name calling from whoever does it

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  21. Well Jeremy is not going to the state dinner for President Trump good idea bad idea I don’t know he does not forget slights and if we eventually leave the EU his Ambassador to the UK will be calling on the PM with a trade deal that he will say is the deal of the century and protects American jobs

  22. I watched Pipers in the Trenches about pipers in WW1 very moving you can see it online I saw it on Telly Debenhams 1200 jobs going used to be we would be out protesting and demonstrating against job cuts now we just accept it why .
    And today in my area cards arrived for postal voters telling what to do when ballot papers arrive around May 9th for EU elections
    I hope you vote Labour but whatever happens please vote.

    1. David, while I agree we should all vote, a vote for Labour is a “nothing” vote.
      They might be pro Brexit, but they might not.
      They might be for a new referendum, but it seems they are not—-really.

      Everything the leadership says is hedged around with ifs and buts—maybes aye: maybes naw. This is NOT the action of a government-in-waiting, but what we all do, when with friends over a beer or two.
      I don’t think Corbyn can decide if his ideological purity, which has seen him rebel against LABOUR dozens of times, is more important to him, than the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the midlands and elsewhere.
      If Corbyn was a proper leader, he would stand against Brexit, casting the UK adrift in a spasm of Anglo-British nationalism.

  23. How about this yesterdays times yes folks I read the National and the Times .
    Boris Johnson on top of his MPS salary .Is paid 275 thousand a year for his weekly column in the daily Telegraph
    On March 2nd he was paid 122 thousand for a speech for India today on March 12 he received 38 thousand 250 pounds for a speech from Citigroup Bank for a speech .
    In March Jacob Rees Mogg was paid in champagne by Global Media 12 bottles total value 323 pounds 52p Sir David Gerrard gave 10 thousand to former Labour MP Ian Austin MP and 18 thousand to former Labour MP Joan Ryan MP now with change UK .
    He has also given 10 thousand to Tom Watson Labour MP to support his office .

  24. SNP MP Stewart McDonald in a commons debate has criticised public figures who appear on RT he said there are members of my own party one quite high profile former member who even has his own television show on Russia Today .For shame that they continue to appear on this for shame that there are members of this house who not only appear but take money in return for appearing
    RT responded it is always reassuring to hear calls for de facto censorship of news media from supposed freedom advocates .
    They expose their hypocrisy better than we ever could .

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      1. Thankyou for your comment Dave
        I only found out about the Alec Salmond show when Nicola and John Swinney condemned it in the Scottish Parliament and banned cabinet members from appearing .
        Andrew Neil at a PMQS it was during the week that the Government were found in contempt of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn said at PMQS they were debating Brexit all week so he wanted to go with a very urgent subject that was being neglected Universal Credit .
        Andrew Neill was most put out by this on air I complained by phone to the BBC I was told my complaint would be passed to the Politics live team and someone would get back to me still waiting .
        The BBC is the only broadcaster that covers FMQS live yet and I don’t mean you Dave I don’t see any complaints about STV SKY CH4 not doing any live coverage and the BBC were the only channel to do live coverage of Nicolas speech to conference

  25. I see the Lords might have to declare business interests this will be good and Kezia all the best

  26. SNP Nicolas Conference speech she was in a jam how to keep the Indy now delegates happy I have read in the Sunday papers David Cameron to keep his Euro sceptics happy gave them what they wanted a Euro ref .
    Now Nicola to keep her party happy has given her party faithful an Indy date ref next year ,But has she got herself into another jam .
    Up until this week it was see how Brexit works out .now suddenly a promise of next year and we will put the necessary legislation through Holyrood sounds good but why was that not done some time ago .
    Nicola knows she does not have the power to call a legal ref .
    Herald on Sunday says she is expecting a minority Labour Government to be in power by the end of the year with SNP support they will get the required Indy ref powers we will see but come next year none of this comes to pass another fix will be needed .
    The currency try selling that round the doors Indy ref 14 manifesto dumped plan B now in place for next time .
    Citizens assemblies I thought that’s what councils and community councils were for

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  27. David,
    I appears Labour’s National Constitutional Committee (NCC) reckon Anas Sarwar is a liar, and that Councillor Davie McLachlan never said to him “Scotland wouldn’t vote for a brown Muslim Paki”.
    I find it hard to believe that Mr Sarwar would make something like that up. What do you think David?

    1. Thankyou for the Question Richard haha
      Baring in mind lawyers will be all over this from what I saw on Scotland tonight and have read in todays papers the Party admin is shocking .
      I know the party has little funds but I think an outside independent firm should be brought in to deal with these cases quickly and fairly
      From what I read today it was a phone call between them .
      Then when Annas told others on the day what had happened it was Labour that complained But this and other cases are taking to long its not fair on anyone .

  28. I am asking every one Euros if we have an election please vote .It counts
    And SNP MP Pete Wishart wants to be next Commons Speaker there was me thinking he wants independence not to be part of the Commons Establishment .
    And even by just announcing does that not undermine his SNP colleagues when they say Westminster is not fit for purpose and for me its not

  29. Alec Salmond show I enjoy it Alec Neil on Thursday obviously not to bothered Nicola does not want her MSPS on it .
    English Local elections don’t see any great labour breakthrough not bad should have done a lot better Tories bad night should have been a lot worse libs Greens good night UKIP cheerio I hope but don’t think so .Independents good night
    Earlier in the week A labour MP for Wigan told CH4 news on the doorstep people telling her Brexit get on with it main doorstep issue Wheely bins
    Today a journalist told us with some disbelief the main topic on the doorstep was local services Brexit fed up with it
    Then today Barry Gardiner my favourite MP not told a studio debate where Labour lost Councils people blamed them for cuts to local services but failed to make the connection that it was because of cuts to funding from Government .
    That is treating people as if they are daft how dare they use local elections to vote you out for messing up local services
    Gov cuts valid point but he should have appeared on the door step to help explain that

  30. Had to wait in today for engineer coming to service oxygen equipment telly was on said I am in the Labour party what do you think told me never thought he would vote to break up the UK .
    But now voting SNP in the hope an Indy Scotland will join EU reason the oxygen company is Italian owned and has moved its HQ out of Scotland to Dublin the staff are worried about their jobs and after Brexit they fear that American companies whose oxygen equipment is massed produced and a lot cheaper will be allowed to move into the Scottish health service and people like him will lose their jobs .
    Now this I can understand that’s the real world
    Again Euro elections please vote it counts

  31. Saw this in todays National Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership is proposing to cut its budget for homeless by 2pt 6 million .charities not happy
    The plan is rapid rehousing and all service users affected by this will move to either housing first tenancies mainstream tenancies or have appropriate support provided from alternative care group resources .Charities not pleased they were not told of this at a meeting last week and are very worried at the potential impact on services and people.

  32. Mick – best you retire to the British National Marxist – association club in Glasgow. You will find many ex Labour MP’s and MSP’s last century’s men. Labour – the party that left Scotland on it’s financial knee’s.
    Don’t be greedy – share the oil – who got conned.

  33. I find it a bittie funny that people and political parties that won’t use the word (independence) but use the word (separatist) instead, then feel they can moan about being called a “unionist” or “britnat”.

    Sorry but there’s no cake left – live with it.

    1. Billy Davy you wont win anything by calling anyone names I was called recently a communist but a nice one and Nicola is a Marxist I defended her for her beliefs an independence supporter called me names for buying the National .
      Have you not seen all those senior SNP people quite correctly calling for the so called keyboard warriors to stop hiding behind their keyboards and stop online harassment both sides .
      My own SNP MP went on Scotland Tonight to say name calling in the written media has to stop as well .
      The AOUB march in Glasgow looks like they had a great day usual arguments about numbers but still a huge crowd well done .
      We are possibly about to have European elections if we do I will join the campaign for Labour and I can assure you if either me or anyone else starts that Unionist separatist rubbish we will get doors slammed in our faces
      Don’t know if any of you have done it but these campaigns are hugely enjoyable people will tell us exactly what they think of us our parties our leaders then shock horror we will find out our favourite subjects like Brexit Indy ref aint even on Joe publics shopping list but roads and busses etc are its a chance to find out what people think have a laugh and eat humble pie hope we do it .
      Postal votes are out in my area for the Euros please vote.

  34. Watched Scotland Tonight the anniversary of the opening of the Scottish Assembly as it was then l saw the emotion on Donald Dewars face
    Then we had real political leaders in Donald Dewar Alec Salmond Dennis Canavan etc compare them to todays Westminster crew .

  35. Also can I ask with President Trump coming in June if there are demonstrations remember do not disrupt anything to do with D Day

  36. Bank holiday today so a Sunday bus service busses running late diversions due to road works and a fairs increase and very unhappy passengers thanks Stagecoach haha

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