At the recent Tory hustings in Perth, there was nothing really new or anything of note to report to you. Neither of the two protagonists will ever under any circumstances permit, allow, countenance or agree to a Scottish independence referendum. They will both cut taxes for the rich. They will grind the poor down further by reducing welfare. They will be so hard and so cruel to immigrants and Johnny Foreigner none will even visit Blighty for a holiday! They will give Russia a good old English talking to and show them just who is the boss. They will make England so great as to make the old Empire look rubbish. In fact everything will be a bed of roses whichever Tory sociopath is elected apparently!
The real interesting events took place outside the venue and in the hours after the English Tories had skedaddled back to mother England. For recent times a fairly substantial crowd gathered for a midweek evening political protest in the lovely city of Perth.
This was of course, an anti-Tory protest. This did not chime well with the Uncle Jock media or House Jock Parties. They had pre-determined it was to be an evil, baying, independence supporters anti-English hatefest.
The unionist media and their tame Uncle Jocks never let the truth get in the way of a good smear and sneer against Scotland. In the protest crowd Unison the trade union was very well represented. The same for the Socialist Workers Party. The WASPI Women were represented by a grand bunch of ladies, as in adult human females! There were anti-war protestors.There were Stand up to Racism protestors.
There were some anti-Brexit people there too. Also a wonderful couple both retired doctors there to protest about the attacks and dangers to the NHS. They articulated their case wonderfully well to Phantom Power. The foreign owned MSM, of course, had no interest in hearing such intelligent and thoughtful views.
Former Doctors at Perth Hustings warn Scotland about the future of the NHS pic.twitter.com/SeRBiiKUYD
— Phantom Power (@PhantomPower14) August 16, 2022
There was the Scottish Resistance crew, their entire raison d’etre is to protest and shout. They would turn up for the opening of an envelope if they could just be allowed to protest. There were people who support the SNP, Alba Party, maybe even members and considering the Trade Unions were there no doubt some Labour voters too. There were people of no party who have just had enough of this horrific Tory Government. In other words a good cross section of Scottish society.
Neither the Alba Party, the SNP or ISP were there officially. There were no MPs or MSPs of any party, apart from the Tory MPs inside the hall. This was very much a people’s anti Tory Government protest. The Tories Are Scum banner was there too. I do not know which group lays claim to that particular banner and to be honest I don’t care either. Some people get themselves very upset about this expression believing it doesn’t help the cause. The cause, in this case, was the anti-war, anti-Brexit, Socialist Workers, Unison, Defend the NHS, anti-Racism, Scottish Resistance, Jock Tamsans, WASPI women’s protest! (Apologies if I missed anyone out!)
Yesterday I tweeted a meme of one of my heroes Nye Bevan the man that brought the NHS into being. It has been doing the rounds on social media for about a decade now, funnily enough it has brought no comment from the media or any politician. Nye refers to Tories as lower than vermin! Who am I to argue with such a great man?
What transpired is that some of the protesters decided to protest by shouting. Tory Scum! was heard, cries of boo, hiss resonated throughout the Perth crowd! I have no doubt there was a few expletive deletives too, it is Scotland, some of us cuss and swear! Clutch those pearls Morningside ladies! This show of anti-tory dissent was enough for the easily offended House Jock politicians and msm scribes to immediately call it an anti-English, evil, non civic nationalist independence rioting crowd of hooligans and anti-Democrats.The Torygraph referred to it as a Perth mob!
Someone gave James Cooke the BBC Reporter a bit of lip. This apparently, according to all the Unionists on both sides of the border and the SNP hierarchy is a crime worse than the Yorkshire Ripper and Fred West combined. Indeed, even the Russians in Ukraine are not apparently as evil or bad as the Perth protesters.WASPI women take note! Personally I think if you work for the BBC in Scotland you deserve all the contempt coming back at you! You give it out, expect it back! It should also be mentioned all those upset about James getting a bit of lip have never so much as uttered a word about the illegal imprisonment of Julian Assange. The jailing of Craig Murray. The wrongful arrest of Mark Hirst. Seems it is not just Lady Dorian that believes there are different kinds of journalists.
That the SNP Leader, Deputy Leader and several MSPs and MPs within minutes of hearing from TORIES and their sympathisers that the independence supporters were on the rampage in Perth took to social media to convict and condemn Scots just practising their democratic right to protest is disappointing to say the least.
Bad enough believing Tories against your own but to believe it before even amassing the evidence is shameful. They believed that eggs and spit were being launched 30 or 40 yards hitting these delicate Tories up in Perth just to listen to their next English Leader. Indeed, from 30 yards away some independence contortionist was apparently grabbing Tory pensioners by the scruff of the neck and shaking them vigorously. All this was happening in front of the police who were there in huge numbers. Funnily enough there was not a single arrest or cautionary word meted out to anyone.
If you were to read the Tory press or read the tweets of SNP luminaries you would believe this was the biggest show of civil unrest since the Bolshevik Revolution!
We have determined that this was not an independence rally or gathering in any way shape or form. This was multiple groups of people from trade unionists, pensioners organisations, pressure groups, individuals all there by their own cognisance. None of these individuals were there at the behest of an independence party or the SNP. Not coerced by the YES group, SSRG or Salvo. Just ordinary Scottish citizens using their democratic rights to protest against a party we in Scotland have not elected in 66 years!
However, these Tories, their tame media and House Jocks never miss a chance to attack Scotland or the Scots. We have grown used to that over the decades and centuries. The only new phenomenon is that now we are being attacked by the so-called party of independence for exacting our democratic rights. Be that protesting at the border at the height of covid when our government would not protect the citizens of Scotland. That time too they called us racists and morons for attempting to do what our elected government should have done.
David Linden MP THOUGHT he was calling independence supporters morons! The SNP obviously does not want the votes of the WASPI women or Trade Unionists or Anti Brexiteers, defenders of the NHS and just ordinary Jock Tamsons bairns! He managed to insult them all as well as the decent, honest hardworking dedicated independence activists and supporters. The same activists and people that made the way clear for him to be elected on to the SNP gravy train!
The worst kick in the teeth of all was, of course, our great leader that woman of the people, Nicola Sturgeon. Here was another bandwagon for her to jump on. As usual not thinking, not gaming the outcomes. Not a chance of waiting to find out the actual facts.The Tories and MSM said it, so it must be true! I mean Tories nor their tame media ever lie do they Nicola?? That bandwagon might not be there tomorrow. Two feet, she jumped right in! She worries more about her own reputation in England and what the opponents of Scottish independence think than the fears, hopes and dreams of her fellow Scots.
Shame on you Mrs Murrell taking the side of the liars against good honest decent Scots doing what you should be doing every day. Making life uncomfortable for the Tories. Instead, you prefer enabling them. You enabled them to win seats at Holyrood in 2021 with your SNP 1 2. This year you enabled them to gain control of almost every council in Scotland with your SNP 1 2 only!
This week you helped enable them to demean and defame our movement and nation. I just wonder which side you are on, apart from your own? Tony Blair betrayed the labour Movement and look where we are now. Ten years of Tory austerity, misery and despair. You are making the exact same mistake by ripping out the soul of the movement.
You are meant to be the leader of the independence movement. You are not meant to attack your own side to assist the unionists! You should have been leading the protest at Perth. You should be at the head of every independence march and rally. Instead of Fringe appearances and promoting books for your mate how about doing some serious independence work? If you haven’t got the heart, belief or wherewithal then go, just go! We will manage fine without you. Recently you are more of a hindrance than a help anyway.
Years and years of blaming the Tories for all that’s wrong, then when people protest about their policies at the very meeting where the next Tory leader will be decided, Sturgeon jumps to defend them. Out of touch and soon to be out of power.
Roddie
The SNP lost my vote a while back and they ain’t ever getting it back. I tweeted Swinney to politely ask him to gather the facts before he blames his own, of course no reply but there is little point in engaging with the SNP any more, they are unionist party in all but name and drifting further right as the day is long. It says so much about the state of Scotland right now that an ‘alleged unionist’ plant hurls abuse at what passes for a journalist at BBC Propaganda Scotland and not one so called journalist tries to get any truth out of it. The even sadder fact is we are actually no longer outraged at the SNP or their masters anymore, a few of us have moved on, yeah we will keep hammering the SNP and Sturgeon as they deserve our contempt as much as the unionists do but the fact that it really doesn’t upset us any more tells a story. The SNP is a dead party now leading us to our next independence defeat, if leadership is a word that we can use in the same sentence as SNP, after 2014 there was a little hope that we were on a journey leading to independence in my lifetime. Now there is only hope in new media and the wider YES community to leave behind a legacy that our children can build on so the dream doesn’t die with us, that is down to Sturgeon, her pretty much unionist and useless politicians, and her army of gender deniers. What a mess.
David Linden left his wife and weans to shack up with a Labour MP. I’d say English Labour MP but that would be tautology as Linden is hetero and wee Ian Murray widnae interest him.
Well said. I would only point out that it is the English government, its establishment and media rather than just Tories. Scotland is in a treaty with England. It seeks to terminate that partnership and the full might of England is fighting against its termination. They have to. Without Scotland’s wealth and resources and even its geopolitical position England would be viewed globally as a tiny country on an isolated island. Therefore, it should be made abundantly clear that it is the English government and its establishment. That is who Scotland is in a treaty with. There being only 2 signatory parties to it. Additionally, the English government and its establishment openly stated that they do not believe the treaty was ever enacted and if it ever was it was no longer the case. Along with their claim that Scotland was extinguished and subsumed into a Greater England albeit under the new name of UK. The term used by almost all Scots who likewise treat their treaty partner as though they are sole authority of the state and have dominion over Scotland. No wonder the English establishment hold such a view when they themselves have stated Scotland is independent within GB and sovereign but the Scots parrot the sole continuator state narrative instead of asserting their authority and acting as England’s equal. Why raise those last two points? Because to them it is not a union nor to many English establishment supporters both sides of the border. To them it is not even a treaty. And Scots parroting back that same message embeds that false narrative.
If you tell a lie often enough it is believed. That has been the case in Scotland. The Scots believe the lie that Scotland is beholden to England. That the English Government can do as it pleases while Scotland uniquely cannot. That of the TWO SOVEREIGN STATES that entered a binary treaty only one – England – has a full say on governmental and constitutional matters. Fully ignoring the fact that it matters not the number of MPs, population or vote share. England even with Wales and Northern Ireland only make up one half of the treaty. They have no authority over its treaty partner whether that treaty is between Scotland and England or anyone else.
Why make this point? The Murrell’s, for all intents and purposes, is acting essentially as head of state. The monarch, though sitting in separate capacities, has proven to be derelict in her duty to Scotland. As such, Mrs Murrell’s support of the English government, its establishment and media is all the more contemptible. To actively support unquestioningly the opposition to Scotland’s full statehood and cause is to actively violate the trust and sovereign authority imbued in her and the station she holds. To treat Scotland as subservient to England is an act of gross dereliction of duty and of utter betrayal. Her attack on the Scottish campaign brings her betrayal into sharp focus. As you rightly ask, whose side is she on? Perhaps a look at those who betrayed their own in other countries that fought for their independence will show similar actions and answer that question.
Excellent view of what went on, Roddy! I’m disgusted that so many Indy supporters called those people out, saying ‘that abuse was shameful to the Indy Movement’, that ‘abuse makes indy supporters look bad’. Why are so many quick to conflate that protest, with the Indy Movement? As you say, it certainly WASN’T the ‘Indy Movement’ per se (though who knows how all those groups, individuals, etc. vote! *I* certainly don’t know! How can anyone else. But by golly people like John Nicolson & Pete Wishart knew it was ‘ALL ALBA’S NASTY FAULT’.
Not only have SNP jumped in on cue to castigate against their own people, they have made it their mission to make sure it’s all at the feet of ALBA! They’re taking full opportunity (or they created it, which is worse!) to make ALBA seem like the baddies here so that apolitical people will think the worst of that party. I’ve seen a few saying ‘my neighbour isn’t political but was shocked that the Indy Movement could be so abusive as they were in Perth’. I’m afraid I lost my rag & give them ‘what fer’! I know this was all a Put-Up job by ?? Tories? SNP? BOTH? Both are very much possibilities! But I was truly GOB-SMACKED and I’m afraid the ‘Red Hair Rage’ got the better of me & I lost my cool again – when Joanna Cherry piped up that it was disgraceful abuse! Now… I gave her a bit of leeway because I know she’s been abused pretty badly & is now probably very touchy about anything that smacks of abuse & hate. That said, I had to remind her it was simple NAME CALLING, and given the reason – the TORY POLICIES THAT ARE GOING TO KILL PEOPLE THIS WINTER, she too needed to give people a bit of leeway & think ‘Priorities’!! It was a PROTEST! Not some wee nyaff sending a personal unsavory message, not a threatening email! It’s was NAME CALLING. But oh, it was the gallant James Cook & we shouldn’t call him names! He’s 50 (i’m guessing here! LOL!) not FIVE YEARS OLD! “Mommy, that man called me a bad name!” He’s not a kid! I’m sure his Mom told him ‘sticks & stones, etc.’ and from the look on his physog, he was NOT the least bit angry, scared or humiliated! He seemed to take it as it was – just being called a bad name! And that’s ALL it was! Abuse is the way Brits are being treated by their own government. THAT is abuse & THAT is shameful! And I have no time for those that won’t prioritise properly.
You’re absolutely right, Gayle. Sturgeon could change things SOOOO dramatically -if she was willing to. She’s not. We have to accept that SNP too are Tory wannabes who are enjoying big money & have no intention of giving it up for the good of their country. We’ve been brainwashed to accept that WM is the major power in the union. I know it isn’t and I hear exactly what you say re being an EQUAL PARTNER. There is NO article in the ToU that gives England the upper hand, the bigger share of the power. NOTHING in the ToU says England, even with their greater pop number, gets to make all the decisions. The whole ‘RESERVED & DEVOLVED’ NONSENSE is just that. It would be SO SIMPLE for Sturgeon to say ‘show me where in the Treaty it says YOU are in control of all OUR powers! There’s NO SUCH THING as ‘reserved or devolved’ – just those powers they’ve not stolen from us, b/c they don’t provide enough money for THEM. I know all this, yet I’m guilty of sometimes using words that basically mean I’m giving WM my sovereignty, my consent, to harming myself & my fellow Scots. I’m trying to stop it! But it’s a bad, long held habit – like someone biting their nails (I don’t do that. LOL!) that is hard to break. But I’m determined to do it!
TOP article Roddy! All the right points made! And great comments!
Sturgeon and Swinney – vicious, Vichy collaborators.
We will remember you.
Recently you are more of a hindrance than a help anyway.
Sorry I disagree! She has been a block to Indy for years and years. Her actions are ALWAYS against the Indy movement
SHE IS A PLANT
Thanks for articulating the aspects of the events in Perth I found/find most enfuriating Roddy . I won’t reiterate them , you’ve done a great job in laying them out .
Just to say , with you , the indecent haste which , once again , the Sturgeon Squirrel Club have jumped in to condemn Independence supporters without being there themselves , uncritically accepting as true the MSM * version * of what happened , leaping to the defence – yet again – of the very people who have never shown an iota of journalistic integrity re the case for Independence ( what was yr man’s intent in going straight to the noisiest section of the crowd and proceeding to record it with his phone/camera ? . Hmmm , let me think ….. ) tell us again ( and again and again …..) where their priorities lie .
And let’s not mention the hypocrisy of giving it * SHOCK ! HORROR * at – as Katie points out above – words , name-calling , of people whose ACTIONS have revealed them to be seriously nasty , vindictive characters
Well said everyone. Sturgeon is surely a plant and leading us nowhere. We should ask her, Swinney, comfy Pete et al; ” What have you done in the last 8 years to advance the cause of Independence?”. It will be a very short list.
Great article, Roddy. Good to read the truth.
Sturgeon certainly has been a total block to Scottish Independence since her ridiculous “coronation”. I’m heart-sick at her deliberate destruction of the SNP. I can’t wait to see the back of her and her friends. Traitors all.
I think it’s long past time we all accepted that the SNP are a full on unionist party , they have no interest in independence or collaborating in any way with the the wider YES movement as a whole and that includes anyone associated with them. nothing they do or say against the Indy movement or in defence of the union should surprise us anymore.
At the last GE I voted for SNP on Alex Salmonds advice then at the recent LA elections I gave them my second vote on James Kellys (Scot Goes Pop) advice both times against my better judgement and both times the SNP betrayed us, never again.
Sadly Peter A Bell still believes the SNP are our only route to independence but thankfully he’s an idiot
No, he is like many SNP voters and sees them as a tool to reassert Scotland’s full statehood. This view may change as the humanitarian crisis grips Scotland even more and the SNP sit on their hands enjoying the suffering of the people. To them it equates to votes at next election. Like myself, Peter wants a denunciation (proclamation) of the treaty of Union. SNP will not be doing that just as they refuse to suspend the treaty. For many SNP are on borrowed time and it is ticking quickly away.
So someone uses the word scum at a protest – a fairly common insult these days, to the extent that it has little power to insult any longer and the SNP ans Sturgeon condemn the users. Godley uses a sign held in a way that it represents what some would consider a far more offensive insult to Donald Trump and the SNP employ her to make a promotional video. How can they justify this? Could someone on twitter maybe ask the Stasi National Party to explain please?