Ahh that'll be why it's in the law courts at the moment then? of course it's a legal challenge by the remoaners, or at least a delaying tactic. By the same token it's political suicide for any MP who does not follow/ support the will of the people. Of course the real shame lies with the MP's who (as far as I'm concerned ) do not represent the interests / wishes of their electorate. With respect to the immigrants DA, all I can say is that I live in a city where certain areas have become almost overrun with immigrants in recent years. Many of whom do not work and have no will to work.. Why should they when almost everything is supplied for them? A city council who bend over backwards to clean up their fly tipping. Bend over backwards to move them up the housing list. Of course , you don't quite have these problems in North Devon. May I ask, what's the job situation there? many unemployed ? I doubt whether there's full employment. What's going to happen to unemployment figures in North Devon if 10,000 immigrants decide it's a nice area to settle down in? Yep, unemployment will suddenly increase by 10,000. I look at immigration realistically DA. If we need skills , then by all means allow those with the skills to move here. But only those with the necessary skills, not everyone and his dog.
As you know I follow Scots affairs closely (large 'family contingent' up there) and must say the Scots have enormous grievances, particularly against Tories. 'Snatcher Thatcher" still hovers up there - she destroyed the industrial base, along with her acolytes, Lang and Forsyth. Trident, being placed less than 30 miles from Scotland's largest city also didn't help! (not Thatcher, I know). More recently they have had Cameron and EVEL, and Westminster voting down every Scottish amendment to the Scotland Bill - Tories trooping in from the bars to record votes to stop all Scots suggestions - just because they could. Do you ever watch the Scottish Questions half hour each month? The contempt that the English Tories have for the SNP MPs is palpable. Personally I am embarrassed and ashamed by such behaviour of my own countrymen against Scots elected MPs. Many Scots feel that they are not in an 'equal' union, so what is the point of being in it at all? I know you are not among those who feel like that (and I respect that, even though I find it hard to understand). However more political 'ammunition' is presently being handed to the SNP, every day, it seems. There is a growing inevitability about the direction of travel, and I suspect all of us in England will end up the poorer for it.
I don't watch Scottish QT to be honest, and I have to confess I am largely out of touch with what is going on there at ground level. I find it hard to believe that Tories vote down the Scottish amendments 'just because they can', tho'. Why would they? Yes, I can remember Thatcher as well as the next person (and - cough - also remember the SNP voting with her against Labour... ouch! Ok, enough said on that.), but I am not simply cynical about all politicians even of the Tory persuasion. The SNP is built on idealism, not realism. The Labour party did genuine things to improve Scotland's lot (Dewar must be rolling... ) but simple populism won over that - a chant of 'US!', delivered with Salmond's swagger, is all it took for the SNP to swing politically from one end to the other and win the populist vote. All based on ego-massaging and dreams. Which are rapidly unravelling. (The folk I know up north tell me there is growing dissatisfaction with the SNP. Is this not the case?) Weird political things happen with financial crashes. It has always been thus. But we never learn. Divide divide divide because we are told (by Salmond, Farage, Trump) "it'll be better on oor ain". Build the wall. Eject those not like us. Take back control! Hollow words. The popularity of the SNP can disappear just as quickly as it amazingly appeared. It's a house of cards. Built on fabricated dreams. Like Brexit.
DA You really should watch those Parliamentary sessions some time. I tend to watch proceedings in the House rather than rely on the often distorted view of BBC presenters. I watched the whole debacle, just after the last referendum, when all the Scots amendments were voted down, in rapid succession - they did because they could! Otherwise at least a few of the many amendments might have got through - it was nauseating to see the empty chamber rapidly filling with shire Tories as a division bell sounded. It was all planned, be in no doubt.
DA, when I was first married, I took my (then) wife, up to the hameland, so she could see where I lived in my younger years. We had an almost fantastic time.. Until, one evening we'd gone out to a local pub that had entertainment on. Me and the wee wifie sat there enjoying the evenings entertainment (supplied by one of my pals from primary school) We sat there talking quietly between ourselves at various times during the evening (in a distinct Derbyshire accent) I went up to the bar to order another few drinks and one chap turns to me and said "Hey son, is that lassie wi you?" I replied (in a broad Scots accent) that she was indeed with me and that she was my wife. "Well, pal,,, You better get her oot o here quick, because she's English, an we hate the English." Needless to say, I didn't bother ordering another drink, but left with the wife. Another time , I'd gone up for the Hogmanay celebrations and on New Years Day, my cousin's husband took me round to the Labour Club, for a lunchtime drink. We'd been there about half an hour when the shout went up,, "Can anyone here play the box?" (meaning,, Can anyone play the accordion?" My cousin in law shouted back that I could play the box (learnt off ma faither) So a couple of committee members came over and asked if I'd play a few songs (and there wid be a drink in it fur ye) So I went up on stage and strapped the accordion to myself and started playing (think it was something that was fairly modern) Anyway, someone shouts up "Kin ye no play any Scottish music?" So I started playing "Flower of Scotland." and half the capacity crowd started singing along with me.. A few bars in and a committee member comes up and shouts in my ear,, "Listen son, ye canny play that in here, because it's against Labour policy tae play oanything wi a nationalistic association." I stopped playing immediately, went and sat down with ma pint, and refused all calls to "Get up and play the box " Bloody hypocritical b'stards. Proud to be Scots, but not proud enough to go against Labour policy.
Are you sure that these amendments were bona-fide and not merely red herrings by the SNP to try and demonstrate how Westminster is overriding us? Deliberate self-fulfilling prophesies? "Hah - chust you wait to see how they'll dismiss oor amendments! SEE! I told you so!" These are sadly the types of tricks the SNP-run Scottish parliament tries to play. All sorts of populist policies that the Scots love - free this and free that - and all ultimately unaffordable. When the deficit increases, it's always because (a) Westminster are starving us of our fair share and (b) Chust wait until we are independent - we can have it all... This is a horrible new type of populist politicking. It's just dishonest. (Yes, it has always been so to some degree, but now very much more than ever before.)
Ouch. Could have been worse. Imagine if they'd been expecting to talk to the shadow home secretary...
That is shocking bigotry. Pure staggering ignorance. I'd certainly hope and imagine it wouldn't be that bad today? And it's why we need more unity and not more division. 'Labour policy to not play nationalistic music'?! That publican was either having you on or was completely deluded. That is nonsense!
Why would she want to leave such a booming time. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...pound-slide-liberates-uk-from-malign-grip-of/
You know what I'm going to say, don't you Phil...? Stop posting silly links to silly articles. Chust come out and say what you are slyly trying to imply. I'll give you the words if it helps - all you have to do is adopt these words as yours; "Hey, SF forum, the British economy is now GREAT as a result of Brexit. And it's gonna be even MORE awesome after Art 50..." Let's see you claim anything remotely like that, Phil. (I'm anticipating a squealing swerve or simply tumbleweed...)
The Labour Club was following Labour policy at the time, and Labour were against Scotland having any power of it's own at the time (this would be the mid 80's) Flower of Scotland was seen as Scotland's National Anthem and these Labour sort didn't want anything that went against policy at the time. I couldn't believe it DA as I'd been asked to play "something Scottish" Twas the "Committee" that told me it wasn't allowed. Christ the "Committee" told everyone what to do (jumped up twits)
Soz - I missed the part where you mentioned it was a Labour club. Sounds a bit twittish of them right enough. But I do get it - there is real hatred betwixt the SNP and the Labour party, much more so than with any other party including the Tories. There are good reason for this as I well know from being involved in the Labour party on my wee Scottish island at one point. And, yes, 'Flower of Scotland' very much reflects the worst of what is Scottish Nationalism and jingoism - swaggering, posturing, 'we'll give 'em a bludy nose'... Yuck.
The strange thing is though, once Westminster allowed some form of freedom for Scotland (ie have it's own parliament) The Flower of Scotland is allowed to be sung/ played in the bloody Labour Club.
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