Tuesday 22 April 2014

Sooo... The Daily Express, Pensions and the CBI in Scotland.

You know how this works don't you, its a main plank in the Unionist's armament of techniques  against independence. Its not about the substance of the debate but the nature of the debate itself, where an action with a pretty obvious reaction actually means the opposite and a message printed for Scotland is the exact opposite of the message printed for England.

Starting with the Express, if its Diana, Franklin Mint plates and crimplene trouser (with elasticated waist bands) you're after - this is the publication for you. You'll have seen this on twitter, if you use it at all.

HT to @gordmatheson (not the leader of Glasgow Labour, well I don't think he is.)
The top image was the English paper's front page while we in Scotland got the lower half as our front page, although mercifully, there was nothing about Princess Diana or Royal Baby X. I have no idea who buys the Express in Scotland, I don't have a budgie - but if I did, I wouldn't use it to line the bottom of the cage lest the poor animal catches a glimpse of a headline and dies from fright.

You might remember this from some time ago, the Daily Mail gave free reign to Simon Heffer's arsehole - the top headline is from the English edition, the bottom is what we got in Scotland - proving Heffer's backside and the Daily Mail have little in the way of courage and nothing in the way of wit or intelligence.



These publications think the border has already gone up, denying any cross-border 'journalistic' or indeed any sort of informational exchange.

But that isn't all.

Although its not really being reported, possibly because not even the Scottish press in its craven recounting around the independence debate, could with a straight face report any warnings Gordon Brown has to give about pensions in an independent Scotland.

Listen to him if you will, as long as you do so with this in mind.
Meanwhile, after Gordon Brown has finished talking about pensions, Jim Devine will be giving a seminar on Honesty & Virtues in parliament.

Jim hopes to revive his political career on the back of several lectures on parliamentary ethics.

But wait, there's more (and boy did I laugh like a drain when I read about this...) The CBI - in a move it describes as 'a compliance issue' - has registered with the Electoral Commission as a supporter of the pro-union campaign in the run up to the referendum. Already, a number of members have become - well - ex-members; Glasgow Uni, Aberdeen Uni, Edinburgh Uni along with Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland, Aqua Marine Power and Balhousie Care Group and STV all left the organisation with more leaving as companies & other bodies re-evaluate their position.

CBI Scotland in reality never had much of a mandate in Scotland, yet have been one of the more shrill supporters of the Union and Better Together. Its gratifying to see them being brought down a peg or two, but as ever, they wish to bend all of our understanding of language and reality.

John Cridland said of the move:

"We are not trying to campaign to influence the Scottish voter but we are a business organisation and on the business issues – jobs in Scotland, growth in Scotland, living standards in Scotland – we have a view," he said. 
"We don't think the economic case for independence has been made and we think the economy in Scotland and the economy of the United Kingdom is stronger together."

Right, because reading that makes me think you are trying to influence the way people vote. 

Never forget, the 'B' in CBI stands for British.

In our next blog entry, we talk about how The Waltons - even although they said goodnight to each other at the end of each episode - NEVER WENT TO BED!



6 comments:

  1. "Jim Devine will be giving a seminar on Honesty & Virtues in parliament" as well as handing out tips on personal grooming and launching his own skin care range...

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  2. Aye Tris...

    Not sure if that snap is post or pre prison time.

    I wish I could say I could've picked a more forgiving picture, but they were all much of a muchness.

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  3. I think its a pre-pokey snap. A few weeks' abstinence did him a power of good.

    But I'd imagine he's back where he started by now, although doubtless on more limited means.

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  4. Pa

    I can't remember the last time I read or shal I say laughed at an Express. No doubt there are people in Scotland who buy it but they must be Tories, UKip or Labour supporters.

    You would actually think that the papers would have learned by now that there is a thing called the internet and people, even in dreary Scotland, actually have access to it. I guess they are aiming, like Bitter Together, for the grey don't know votes.

    Gordon Brown, how disgusting is he. The man is such a liar now, I never ever liked him and always thought there was something not quiet right with him as a person or his politics. He definately comes across as a bully, no one can take this man seriously at all. He won't be found anywhere today with Miliband bringing the D Team up to Scotland to spread the fear, in Glasgow, their heartland. They just don't get it, who in their right mind thinks Miliband will ever be PM. I have even heard people here in Dundee saying they would prefer Cameron to Miliband, that really does say it all for his chances. Labour will not win the next GE and the followers in Glasgow better get used to that idea.

    CBI=stupid bastards, enough said.

    Bruce

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  5. Hi Bruce.

    So true, listening to a caller on Radio Scotland this morning demonstrated the type of blind faith some labour voters have, she was talking about socialist values and how the SNP (whom she mentioned rather a lot - more than she mentioned Labour) were a travesty.

    The idea that Labour has any socialist values is risible, just risible and how a person can think they do is, well, quite confusing.

    Drew Smith MSP was on too, apparently he's Labour's Scottish constitutional spokesperson. He said he wasn't interested in removing nuclear weapons from Scotland, he was more interested in removing them from the world - which I would have thought starts with removing them from Scotland...

    He then mithered on about how 'British' Labour if we vote for them would rid the planet of Nuclear arms for ever.

    What a total spanner.

    I am enjoying deeply what is happening to the CBI in Scotland, they go on and on about 'their mandate' from members to talk down independence - and they're all leaving.

    Still makes me smile.

    Never liked Gordon Brown, Never liked any of that crowd.

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Thanks for comment as always and I apologise if you have to jump through any hoops to do so. Its just that, I'm still being spammed by organisations who are certain I can't get it up or when it is up its not big enough or that I don't have anyone to get it up for.

Who knew blogging could be so bad for ones self-confidence?