Eastenders Threat to Scots 50


I am sitting now in Andalucia watching Andrew Neill on the Daily Politics. To do this will apparently be impossible in an independent Scotland.

The Guardian has just published its eighth article in three days pushing Gordon Brown’s views on independence. This one warns Scots they would not be able to watch the BBC after independence. Just as presumably I can’t be watching it in Andalucia, but am suffering some delusion. Apparently we won’t be allowed to read Harry Potter either.

This nonsense gives me the excuse I craved to link to this absolutely superb article from my friend Robin McAlpine of the Reid Foundation. I republish the start but do read it all through here.

Gordon Brown exists only in an intensive care unit manufactured for him by certain sections of the Scottish media. They keep him politically alive through regular injections of myth.

For example, a myth such as that he had a firm grip of the UK economy and knew what he was doing. Can we once and for all put this idea to bed? The UK economy was substantially weaker after Brown was finished than when he began. The decline in manufacturing (as a proportion of the overall economy) was actually three times faster under Brown than under Thatcher. It was this shift from skilled labour to a low-skill ‘post industrial’ labour market which caused the UK to end up as the second lowest paid economy among advanced economies. Brown was not a visionary but someone who adopted the opinions of whomever was the most powerful lobby (in his case the financial and equity industries – which did most to strip away the manufacturing economy). When there was a global economic shock (the US sub-prime mortgage fiasco) it affected countries in proportion to how robust their economy was. In Europe, Britain was in a gang with Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland (though none of those came out of the crisis anything like as heavily indebted as did the UK). We should have been in the gang of Nordic and Germanic economies which were only mildly affected – or even in a middle category with France and Holland that suffered a bit but not catastrophically.

The profile of the UK economy was less balanced, less productive, lower-paid and much less resilient when Brown was finished than when he began. That is on him

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50 thoughts on “Eastenders Threat to Scots

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  • Rehmat

    I have always enjoyed my stay in Andalucía.

    “For almost eight hundred years (under Muslim rule), human energy in Spain had produced such an abundance of food, comforts and luxuries as the world had never before imagined. After Granada fell, human energy continued to operate in Spain and through Spain upon the New World and Europe, for two more generations. The third generation no longer knew that men are free, and energy weakened in Spain. The fifth generation could not get support the government, and their children died of starvation. Spain had practically ceased to exist,” Wrote American journalist and author Laura Lane.

    http://rehmat1.com/2011/10/08/spain-jewish-history-without-muslims/

  • Andrew Nichols

    My favourite G Brown anecdote is of a G8 meeting breakfast where GB asked Angela Merkel how Germany had come through the GFC so well. Ms Merkel replied “Mr Brown – Germany still makes things”

  • Mary

    Personnally I find no babarity (sic) ‘agreeable’. What a sick comment.

    The second link there emanates from an outfit whose trustees are mainly Reaganite relics, some of them members of the Council for Foreign Relations.

    I especially liked Ms Holland Coors. Almost mummified.
    http://www.isi.org/bios/bio.aspx?id=E26ECB97-0485-4A3C-AD15-5E0404F9FF6E&source=Books&select=true&detail

    and old Mr Allen http://www.isi.org/bios/bio.aspx?id=f85fff32-2837-478a-bf39-13618afa7720&source=Books&select=true&detail

    http://www.firstprinciplesjournal.com/articles.aspx?article=60&loc=s

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    Yes, of course the Scots will still be able to watch the BBC – and for free!

    One more example (yes, I know it’s petty of me, but you brought it up..) of a future independent Scotland hanging on the UK’s coattails (£ sterling, the Monarchy, defence…..) LOL

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    John Goss

    John, is there any thread or comment you are unable to twist round so as to get in a quick reference to Eastern Ukraine?

    This “white phosphorus” trope is getting a little wearisome, and repeating it over and over again will not hide the fact that the Kiev govt is slowly but surely gaining the upper hand over the dubious mix of Russian-leaning fascists and local oligarchs fomenting the current unrest on Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine is now on the pro-European (=modernity, democracy and futre prosperity) trajectory it was on before Big Vlad threw a hissy fit.

    PS – and no, an independent Scotland won’t get a “better channel” than the BBC; you are again making the mistake of idealizing what life would be like there.

  • craig Post author

    Habbabkuk

    I think you are wrong, and that a free Scotland will almost certainly have a better news channel than the BBC – and hopefully some very good homemade drama etc. While we will still be able to watch the BBC’s horrible output if we wish.

  • Mary aka Habbabkuk's Bitch

    This might interest you or Nadira Craig. Tamara Rojo, the Spanish ballerina from the ENB has been on Radio 4 in Desert Island Discs. An interesting choice of music and some interesting observations about Spain.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045xz2k 2 mins in

    45 minutes
    First broadcast:Sunday 08 June 2014

    ‘Kirsty Young’s castaway this week is the ballerina Tamara Rojo.

    On stage she is a principal dancer for the English National Ballet and when the curtain comes down she performs the role of the company’s artistic director. World-renowned as a stunning, emotional and dramatic performer, it must surely be a very different set of characteristics she employs off stage, marshalling her company of dancers and propelling the organisation’s creative journey.

    She was just five years old when, sheltering from the rain she found herself in the school gym, instantly beguiled by the peace and order of a dance class. Despite her father’s attempts to widen her horizons with music, sport and art lessons – her path in life was set.

    She says, “Life on stage is like nothing else. I’ve never done heroin but I’m sure that’s what it’s like. Every feeling and sense exploding. Every nerve in your body complete awake”.’

  • John Macadam

    Craig, if you’re in Granada go to Calle Navas, just off Plaza Carmen, for the best street of tapas bars in Spain

  • Abe Rene

    Plundering pension funds and selling off the country’s gold reserves for a song. Indeed, such things must not be forgotten.

  • John Goss

    Though I’ve never been to Andalucia when I was younger I was inspired by Laurie Lee’s travels there in “As I walked out one Midsummer Morning” and a “Rose for Winter”. It was the poetry of the writing that moved me as much as anything.

    I’ve seen Spain, having cycled from Madrid to Central France via Biarritz and seen the eagles over the mountains. I must get to Southern Spain before I pop my clogs. But then there are a lot of other places too.

  • Jives

    I’d happily pay not too watch the BBC.

    Propaganda fails at the first hurdle when its done so badly its laughably obvious.

    The BBC,and partiicularly the woeful BBC Scotland,are absolute masters of 9th rate propaganda.

  • Trowbridge H. Ford

    Now Hillary has piped up about voting No in the referendum.

    Would be more persuasive if she ever talked honestly about something she was really informed about, like why Vince Foster died, and she led the cover up.

  • John Goss

    “This “white phosphorus” trope is getting a little wearisome, and repeating it over and over again will not hide the fact that the Kiev govt is slowly but surely gaining the upper hand over the dubious mix of Russian-leaning fascists and local oligarchs fomenting the current unrest on Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine is now on the pro-European (=modernity, democracy and futre prosperity) trajectory it was on before Big Vlad threw a hissy fit.”

    Funny that. First mention I’ve seen of this in Ukraine unless I missed something. Certainly no mention on BBC. Is it wearisome because your heroes are breaking international law perhaps? I notice there has been a lot of condemnation of Israel for using it. Is that where you got confused Habbabkuk?

    My own view, and perhaps that of many people living in Ukraine, is how much better it was under Yakunovich. And you seem also to be confused as to who the Fascists are, Svoboda and Right Sector. Happy to oblige with the history lesson my friend.

  • Kempe

    Silly Habbabkuk. Didn’t you know that EVERYTHING will be better in a “free” Scotland, even the weather!

    Seeing the close proximity of Wee Eck’s face and Murdoch’s bum these days it seems most likely that any post-independence state news service will be an offshoot of Sky. I’m not sure many people would call that better, anyway Scotland already has it’s own independent TV news service.

    http://news.stv.tv

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    Craig

    I note that you have now narrowed things down to a better “news channel”.

    Well, we shall see in the fullness of time(or not, if the outcome is NO).

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    Mr Goss

    “My own view, and perhaps that of many people living in Ukraine, is how much better it was under Yakunovich. And you seem also to be confused as to who the Fascists are, Svoboda and Right Sector. Happy to oblige with the history lesson my friend.”
    ____________________

    You might consider the possibility that your view is wrong, but I know that’s a big ask with people of your political persuasion.

    For once I can quote hero Uncle Joe with a straight face:

    “Life has become better, life has becoime merrier!”,

    adding only that as Ukraine draws nearer to Europe in the future, thing sill get better still.

    I feel happy for the Ukrainians and you should feel the same.

    Finally, no confusion about the fascists, mon cher ami : they’re Russian-inspired, perhaps even of Russian nationality (possibly some of the 11% who voted for fascist parties in the last elections in Russia).

    ************************

    and, on a happier note, happy to agree with you about Laurie Lee.

    Forget southern Spain, though, and do the walk to Santiago de Compostela instead: you will be purified physically and, more important, spiritually!

  • Jives

    Shills proselytising about purity and spirituality!

    LMFAO!

    Next they’ll be telling us all about truth and honesty.

    Did your line manager really allow you to write such drivel Habba?

    You really are an eejit.

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    Jonathan

    “Next they’ll be telling us all about truth and honesty.”
    ___________________

    Alas, that would be like talking to a blind man about colours.

    And now Jives, you Creature of the Night, now I’ve paid some attention to you, get some sleep before you implode 🙂

  • Jives

    Habbabkuk,

    You wouldnt know truth if it hit you on the head with a week old large but floppy kreplach.

    You are a fake,a shill for other people because of money they give you to serve their agenda.

    I dunno why you call me Jonathan,its not my name but hey,fill yer boots troll.

    Now go and change that malodorous string vest sunshine will ya?

    You are the Kevin Turvey of this blog.

  • anne hilditch

    As a lifetime Labour supporter, until the Iraq war, I’ll never forget the landslide majority in the 1997 general election. I was euphoric, not just with the result, but with the scale of the victory. After the disaster that was the Thatcher years, Labour could have introduced any policies it wanted, the opportunity was huge. I remember thinking, I wish my mother and father could have seen this’.
    There followed the biggest betrayal of working class voters that has occurred in my lifetime. I agree with every word Robin McAlpine says. His analysis is spot on.

    As for the BBC, I understand that The Republic of Ireland pays the BBC something in the region of £20 million per year for their programmes. I believe Scotland is currently contributing £300 million in licence fees. Bargain or what?

  • Habbabkuk (La vita è bella) !

    Jives

    “I dunno why you call me Jonathan,….”
    ____________________

    Possibly because some time ago you claimed your name was Jonathan Ives and you even appeared to give your address (in Glasgow, I believe) – and then you immediately went on to castigate others for not revealing THEIR names and addresses.

    However, if you now wish to tell us that you were just lying/bluffing/bull-shitting/biustering at the time, then that’s fine by me. Although I can’t say I’d be too surprised, Jonathan.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Are you going to be Of the Night tonite?

  • Jives

    Habbabkuk-Turvey,

    Jonathan was my name until i changed it by deed poll 2 weeks ago

    It is no longer my name.

    Call me,sweetie…i’ll immediately refer to your string vest so youll know its me.

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