Agenda 2019

  http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/18/alex-salmond-reignites-row-with-nick-robinson-over-bias-bbc-scottish-independence#comments Alex Salmond reignites row with Nick Robinson over ‘bias’ Alex Salmond is interviewed by Nick Robinson I am not a member of the SNP.Neither am I a supporter of that party.Mowever, I am able to recogise and comment on bias when I see it. Far from being a "sore loser" Alex Salmond is absolutely right in complaining of BBC bias during the referendum campaign. I reproduce in full, an article taken from my Blog, "New Agenda" and dated 15th September 2014. Headed: BBC bias in Scottish referendum. Notwithstanding yesterdays protest, which was given only passing acknowledgement on the BBC news programmes incidentally, the BBC reverts today, to its now accepted role as “The Union's Champion” and official propaganda tool for the "Vote No" campaign. About as subtle as an e...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snp-fury-as-hs2-finds-no-business-case-for-taking-fast-train-service-to-scotland-10272342.html SNP fury as HS2 finds 'no business case' for taking fast train service to Scotland    High Speed Trains. Not going to Scotland anytime soon! I am not an HS2 supporter and personally would scrap the whole idea. However,having been practically promised the HS2 link into Scotland, it is very understandable why the SNP and presumably hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland, would be incensed at yet another "English renege" on an undertaking now clearly designed to promote a "No" vote in the Scottish independence referendum. How many more promises, undertakings, assurances made to the Scottish people during the campaign will be broken by Cameron and his wretched government over the coming months? More Scots now wishing they had voted "Yes" is hardly surprising.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-referendum-secures-glorious-future-for-gb-gordon-brown-that-is-9746502.html Vote secures glorious future for GB (Gordon Brown, that is) Gordon Brown vows 'powers will be delivered' Brown seems to be jockeying for some sort of position within the Labour Party, perhaps even usurping Miliband and installing himself as leader! It does sound rather conceited of the man to assume that he, as a backbench MP, is in a position to "make sure that these promises that have been made will be upheld." and that the " the timetable we set out will be delivered." Ed Miliband addresses supporters in Manchester   He may have resigned as Leader of the Labour Party, and lost an election as Prime Minister, but he has certainly managed to hang on to the delusions of grandeur which drove him, Blair, Mandelson and Campbell in their mission to destroy the Labour Party. Is it conceivabl...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/scottish-referendum-results-crossparty-consensus-collapses-amid-torylabour-spat-on-the-english-question-9745125.html The Conservative, Labour, Liberal consensus of "The Vow" which finally defeated calls for Scottish independence, has been shattered     Cameron: Further powers for Scotland will be linked to change in England. Within hours of the results of the Scottish referendum being announced, David Cameron and Ed Miliband threw the question of further devolution of powers to Scotland, and the timetable for implementation of such changes, into chaos. The much publicised "Vow" to the Scottish people bearing the signatures of Cameron, Miliband and Clegg, was heralded days before the vote as, a solemn undertaking to begin the process of greater devolution of Scottish affairs "the day after" the Referendum vote takes place. At the time, many writers considered that "The Vow" was nothing mo...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-final-opinion-polls-show-undecided-voters-could-swing-the-result-either-way-9739059.html Final opinion polls show undecided voters could swing the result either way Cameron, Clegg and Miliband reveal the "Vow" and promise to protect "Barnett formula"  For anyone in Scotland thinking about voting “No” in today’s referendum, there is a very good reason for voting with the “Yes” campaign. For anyone who thinks that the promise made by Cameron, Miliband and Clegg in respect of greater autonomy to the Scottish Parliament including powers over taxation, spending an even greater devolution, in exchange for a “No” vote, should consider what has emerged since the three “leaders” went to Scotland to unveil their “Vow” and plaster the front pages of practically every newspaper in the United Kingdom with the text. It has become apparent that not all MP's at Wes...

  http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/15/david-cameron-emotional-plea-scotland-independence David Cameron makes emotional plea to Scotland David Cameron makes emotional plea "David Cameron gives emotional speech to the Scottish people"? Well, not quite. What he gave was another rambling speech to a selected audience of Tory party hacks, members, "Vote No" campaigners and the party faithful, who cheered and applauded at the end of practically every sentence. We have seen similar performances at Conservative party conferences over many years with the customary standing ovation at the end. The scripts of the "speeches" actually seem to contain the phrase "Pause for applause" liberally sprinkled throughout the text. What "the Scottish people" actually got, was the potted and edited version of the good bits, which the BBC, Sky and the other political editors of the television stations chose to put into their broadca...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-scotland-protests-scottish-independence-referendum-coverage-institutionally-biased-salmond-claims-9732095.html   BBC Scotland's referendum coverage 'institutionally biased'. BBC Scotland protests   Notwithstanding yesterdays protest, which was given only passing acknowledgement on the BBC news programmes incidentally, the BBC reverts today, to its now accepted role as “The Union's Champion” and official propaganda tool for the "Vote No" campaign. About as subtle as an elephant rampaging around the shelves of Royal Doulton or Wedgwood or Royal Albert dinnerware in some exclusive department store, the BBC bounces back on its news programmes (so far) this morning, with all the “too close to call” headlines and interviews with Labour shadow ministers who, with their own agenda for retaining the Union, are given leading questions to be used as a vehicle to trot out the now well worn prophesies of do...

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/12/scottish-referendum-icm-poll-too-close-to-call-union "Vote No" big guns fail to halt "Yes" bandwagon. Vote Yes campaigning.   Should the "Better together . Vote No" campaign win the referendum vote next Thursday, it will not be due to  winning the economic, social or prosperity arguments. It will the consequence of many people voting as a result of fear. Fear, generated by the "No" campaign, orchestrated by the Westminster political parties, because they have most to loose should the Scottish people decide to become an independent nation.  Today, 13th September, the last weekend of campaigning, the "Vote No" camp and its allies in the television and media, together with those sections of business who fear for their own positions in an independent Scotland, have launched the most vicious, vindictive and vociferous assault on the voting yes camp ever seen before in British po...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scottish-independence/scottish-independence-ten-days-to-save-the-united-kingdom-as-george-osborne-promises-further-devolution-after-poll-shows-shock-lead-for-yes-camp-9717329.html Ten days to save the United Kingdom after poll shows shock lead for Yes camp Yes or No? The "Vote No" campaign continue with their policy of threat, intimidation and scare mongering, in an attempt to bring about a referendum result which will retain "the Union". Even at this late stage, when all the evidence suggests that their negative campaign is having the opposite effect on peoples voting intentions, it seems that Alastair Darling and those on his side of "Britain is Better Together" are unable to provide any positive reason why the Scottish people should vote anything other than yes. In a bizarre promise from the government, the Scots are given a firm undertaking that if they reject independence, they will be giv...

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/04/hms-elizabeth-naming-ceremony-hailed-pro-union-occasion  Britain's largest ever warship, a vast aircraft carrier, has been welcomed into the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth, a four-acre, 65,000-tonne warship   The euphoria in the shipyard and the ceremony of christening this ship, has filled our media and television screens. Even before the bottle of Islay malt whiskey had smashed into the hull, (it used to be champagne but the symbolism of "scotch" has not been lost), the hyperbole's had been coming fast and furious. The new flagship is Britain's largest ever warship,  "a source of inspiration and hope for us all", "a national instrument of power", a national icon to all, and will help to keep the great in Great Britain,". The 280-metre-long and 56-metre-tall HMS Queen Elizabeth cost a mere £3 billion and will be the flagship of the British fleet. Another super carrier, the ...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/scottish-independence-david-cameron-promises-best-of-both-worlds-if-scots-reject-yes-campaign-9380765.html David Cameron promises 'best of both worlds' if Scots reject 'Yes' campaign David Cameron promises more devolution if Scotland votes "No"  “Scotland knows it has a good level of devolution already and would have the opportunity for more devolution in the event of a No vote.” As the time of the referendum draws nearer, the "Vote No" campaign seems to be reaching new levels of desperation in their attempts to bribe, blackmail, cajole or otherwise persuade the Scottish people to remain as part of the United Kingdom. Public opinion, certainly as reflected in the opinion polls, seems to be moving in the direction of voting for independence resulting in almost panic responses from the establishments of the major parties and their remaining supporters in the media. With only som...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5c266dd0-9f83-11e3-94f3-00144feab7de.html Standard Life warns on Scots ‘Yes’ vote A rally in support of a yes vote in the Scottish Referendum   More threats and bullying from the "Vote No" camp. Politicians, businesses and others determined to blackmail the Sottish people to reject the concept of independence. When organised workers take a stand for a principle, pay or conditions, they are "holding the country to ransom". When businesses and anti independence politicians use blackmail as a weapon, they are trying to preserve the status quo. Pathetic hypocrites.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/17/business-leaders-alex-salmond-currency-union?commentpage=1 Business leaders attack Alex Salmond Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling   Vote No. The "Vote No" campaign propaganda is getting nasty and it is getting personal. Last nights media coverage with contributions from Danny Alexander, Alastair Darling and the rest, was full of comments and snide remarks aimed directly at Alex Salmond on a personal level. "If Salmond gets his way", "Salmond hasn't got a plan" and "Salmond making empty and angry speeches", were amongst the more moderate comments from some  Westminster politicians and those "business leaders" who each have their own agenda's advocating a "No" vote in the referendum. In every political campaign associated with elections or even referenda, there comes a point when one side or the other resort to the tactic of "personalising...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-osborne-accused-of-bullying-scottish-people-into-no-vote-for-independence-9124423.html George Osborne accused of 'bullying' Scottish people into 'No' vote for independence     Chancellor George Osborne   Osborne is not the first, nor will he be the last of the "main political parties" politicians to resort to threats and bullying in an attempt to bring about a "No" vote.  An independent Scotland may well be in the best interests of the Scottish people, but for the "establishment"in Westminster, it would not be a good move. It has nothing to do with the retention or otherwise of the Pound as a common currency. It has even less to do with "employment opportunities" as Darling has suggested in the past. or any of the other spurious reasons trotted out by the "Vote No" lobby. The hierarchy of the main political parties are vehemently opposed to independen...

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/independence-white-paper-should-scare-scots-1-3255313  An independent Scotland may well be in the best interests of the Scottish people, but for the "establishment2 in Westminster, it would not be a good move. Alex Salmond    On Thursday 18 th September this year, the Scottish people will go to the polls to vote in the referendum as to whether Scotland should be an independent country. Upon that vote, lies the future of some 5.5 million people, many of whom have been seeking an independent Scotland for hundreds of years. Between now and the date of the referendum, we in Britain, may expect an increasing level of publicity from the “Yes” and the “No” camps seeking to persuade people how to cast their preference. Many “facts” (some of them mischievous and some only partly true) will be placed before the public in Britain in the hope that many Brits with Scottish friends or relatives will be ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/02/10/scottish-independence-cameron-referendum_n_2655567.html?utm_hp_ref=uk#comments  Cameron Insists Scotland 'Better Off In Britain' Cameron drew on Olympic glory to suggest  breaking up the union would be damaging to Britain What a strangely warped view of reality this Cameron person actually has.  At the last general election (to the Westminster government), the Conservative party won 1 seat with 16% of the vote and yet formed a government, aided and abetted by the Liberal Democrats (who incidentally won only 11 seats with just 18% of the vote), to govern Scotland from London for the next 5 years. Historically, it has invariably been the case that the government in London does not have popular support north of the border and there is a perceptible growth in the feeling amongst Scottish people that they are not adequately or properly  represented in government of the United Kingdom, which perhaps ex...