[0762]

In his latest pontification. Alister Jack (Sec of State for Scotland) suggesting we have to save the world from climate change before it’s safe to vote again on independence, which is a bit rich considering his party’s woefully inadequate zero emissions by 2050 target and his chancellor’s determination to add to those emissions by halving domestic air passenger duty plus "pushing on" with allowing the Cambo oilfield extraction nr Shetland. Do remember this is the same oilfield that the Tories and their "better together" allies/liars in 2014 professed to the Scot electorate never existed. This man must be one of the most despised politicians in Scotland and just never stops with his ignorant anti indy and SNP comments and deliberate misrepresentation of the facts covering future finances, bypassing the Scot govt as well as trying to avoid or suppress criticism of Brexit and the accumulative damage that is being incurred to lotsa people, businesses, shops, deliveries, transport etc.

[0762]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59197759

Brian Cox, an ex-Labour man, slamming in to SKS on the Andrew Marr show and rightly so! It's a pity he didn't make it personal, just call him a "wooden top" and be done with it - totally brainwashed and undemocratic when it comes to commenting about the constitutional question in Scotland and would rather not talk about it at all, hoping it will go away (not!!). Brian Cox is a staunch Scotindy backer now and, contrary to Starmer's deluded aspiration, will never return to the Labour fold and has articulated exactly why that is the case.

[0762]

I notice DRoss has now referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over forgetting to declare a total of £28k of income on upwards of twenty separate occasions. His plethora of excuses in a news article such as "I don't know why I did that" are completely irrelevant. His strong, detailed, sincerely held and oft repeated opinion on forgetting to record info IMO leave him no option but to resign as a Westminster MP.

[0762]

https://www.believeinscotland.org/55-yes...-campaign/
At long last - 55% supporting Scotindy! I know there have been a lotta distractions due to this awful pandemic. However, the reasons to go our separate way are mounting up on a weekly basis and my fellow Scots, even the sceptical ones, can't be any different from me in realising that fact as the Johnson govt "runs riot" with so many gross violations of proper governance and a disregard for the democratic process as well as an inhumane disregard for vulnerable people who need help, not oppression.

[hibeejim21]

Finally the penny seems to be dropping.

Especially if you look at how Northern Irelands strong economic recovery from covid. They are getting the best of both worlds, yet their lunatic loyalist fringe want to tie themselves to Boris Blowhard instead of securing their youngsters future.

[0762]

Aye! NI's economy has performed better than all other parts of the UK nations and regions. The ONS data on the Covid pandemic "bounce-back" showed the region is thriving under NI protocol, with its economic output over recent months only 0.3% below the same period of 2019. The stats show NI performed better compared with the UK's overall economic recovery of 2.1% over the same period. The protocol, allowing NI to be part of the EU single market, has clearly benefitted their economy, with trade between NI and Ireland also going up since Brexit. The benefits of being part of the EU's single market are clear for all to see. It seems to be a marvelous idea and one the UK should maybe consider joining or at least give Scotland, a country that voted against Brexit, that option as well - SURELY ONLY FAIR EH WHEN ONE CONSIDERS WE ARE PART OF THE SAME UNION. Only we don't do violent confrontation etc up here and that seems to be a ridiculous precedent to set as we watch these unionists "doing it again" in violent confrontation and intimidation to try to avert what is actually a good situation for their own economy. For Scotland, it's time to leave that fractured Union asap.

[0762]

https://www.businessforscotland.com/how-...s-economy/

This is a vg informative questionnaire compiled by Business for Scotland exposing the massive detrimental effect of Brexit (a lie/deception that 62% of our population sussed out and rejected in 2016!!) on the Scottish economy (as predicted a long, long time ago by independent experts and analysts!) and testing one's knowledge re many of the key issues and comments made about Brexit. It will be one of the main factors (not the only one!) why we will be taking leave of this fractured Union as soon as practically possible and a lot more Scots will be joining up to add to the 55% pro-indy opinion as the vanguard of the Scotindy campaign finally "hits the doorsteps" to enlighten more n more Scot households of the reality of the political position up here.

[ritchiebaby]

Unfortunately the reality of the political position up here is that Nicola is having to go to Boris "cap in hand" to get funds to fight the new Covid variant. I am pro-independence, certainly not pro-Nicola, especially now that she is trying to put my stepson, and thousands of others, out of business by effectively shutting down their hospitality businesses. Businesses that can manage their customers by social distancing, mask-wearing, etc as they have in the past. But Nicola tells people to cancel Christmas parties no matter what. My son has lost at least 80% of his bookings after buying in stock to service them and is looking ahead to possibly being locked down completely, now that Nicola has the funds.

[0762]

I regularly refer to the VI words, in previous conversations with my wife after another listen to some bbc radio news broadcast (or other media channeled grump about Covid), and the grumping that is attached to it from various angles/business sectors/educationalists etc etc for the past 12 months or longer. What does the VI acronym stand for? It means VESTED INTEREST and I can sincerely sympathise with lotsa parties who are casualties of this horrible crisis that has been imposed on us. I have the right to grump like lotsa other people who definitely have the VI words attached to them. I'm fed up, the same as millions of other people and I'm certain Nicola Sturgeon is one of them as well because I've listened to most of her addresses to the nation during this difficult time and she is pissed off, no doubt about it, and understandable!! I try to get on with it as best I can and I'm sure most other folk are "in the same boat". Note other countries in Europe are "locking down" again, The Netherlands is the latest one to lock down (no choice said De Ruiter, the Dutch PM!!), but The Netherlands, an independent country for a long time, has borrowing powers to deal with a further lock down; I listened to a restaurant owner in Amsterdam, similarly gutted because he was returning to his shop to dispose of all his fresh food and provisions to cover the Xmas period. Scotland has not hit that extreme yet!!! Scotland doesn't have that borrowing power either and we are dealing with an aggressive and disrespectful Brit govt trying to bizarrely "play games" currently in a fiscal situation where we are not interested in playing their silly RW games any more - that is part of this problem and the FM's position in dealing with businesses is as my wife has previously described it (she has no interest in the politics whatsoever btw) - a no win position - damned if you do, damned if you don't!! We are still in a pandemic crisis - just look down south at the London shambles that is unfolding!! Also my niece and her family have just been infected through the primary school Covid spreading threat - some infected, some not, but the Xmas visit to relatives down south totally scuppered and isolating now!! I repeat, we are coming up to the two year anniversary of all this shit and I AM FED UP!! Too much, but I'm still trying to lift friends and relatives as best I can and avoid grumping about it. Call it "keeping a stiff upper lip" during unprecedented times where I'm sure a lot more vulnerable people than myself must be finding this situation absolutely intolerable and stressful beyond belief. Also re the hospitality sector, lets hear from the workers/staff often paid low wages for long hours, not just the celebrity chefs who seem to be given such a higher profile and appear to be oblivious to the fact there is a pandemic - their sense of entitlement is gobsmacking and clearly evident that a lotta hacks must dine at their premises, giving them media fixtures to utter their sob stories while ignoring the fact everyone is struggling. Remember that line, "We are all in it together"???? You wouldn't think so when listening to the wailing coming from people representing an industry that is still notoriously immune to unionisation and workers rights. There are sectors and individual industries likewise wailing about their own situation as if they operate in complete isolation, a joke!! Each speaks of their own unique problems and how they are suffering terribly. HERE'S THE NEWS - WE ALL ARE!!! There is no separation between "public health" and "business". It's as if we have entirely forgotten that we have a collective interest at all - almost as if Thatcher's mantra that "there is no such thing as society" has come to roost 40 years on. Also the hospitality sector is a broad church where I have no doubt small, independent businesses are struggling far and beyond the big chains.

[BouncingHibees]

Unfortunately the reality of the political position up here is that Nicola is having to go to Boris "cap in hand" to get funds to fight the new Covid variant. I am pro-independence, certainly not pro-Nicola, especially now that she is trying to put my stepson, and thousands of others, out of business by effectively shutting down their hospitality businesses. Businesses that can manage their customers by social distancing, mask-wearing, etc as they have in the past. But Nicola tells people to cancel Christmas parties no matter what. My son has lost at least 80% of his bookings after buying in stock to service them and is looking ahead to possibly being locked down completely, now that Nicola has the funds.

I'm much the same as yourself, have totally fallen out of favour with Nicola and will let that known in the next ballot, the problem for me is Omicron is much milder than previous strains and we are all double or triple vaccinated which should make a huge impact against COVID anyway, we cannot go on like this for years and years to come every time there is a new variant it's simply not sustainable.