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84 thoughts on “Something to Read in the Meantime”

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  • Anon1

    Hello Craig, glad to hear that you at last have time to relax.

    Could you tell me what the implications of Corbyn, who is certainly anti-austerity and not at all Tory, becoming leader would be for the SNP, whose key stance in favour of independence is that all the Westminster parties are various shades of Tory and are therefore opposed to the will of the Scottish people?

  • craig Post author

    Anon1

    Well, I could had I not just announced I am resting. But a Corbyn-led Labour Party would certainly be very much more acceptable in Scotland than a Red Tory one. Which would not be a bad thing – Scotland needs a credible opposition. I don’t think it would change the dynamic around independence much. But of course I am thinking about a post on the subject once I have gathered myself.

  • bevin

    Mark Steel- always worth the price of admission. And, like The Guardian cartoonists, licensed under the old Clown Act, to say the things that neither reporters, columnists nor leader writers are allowed to say because it is their job to wash brains daily, rinsing out any traces of criticism as they promote the Emperor’s latest line in attire.

    I imagine Anon 1, that Corbyn will be viewed with some enthusiasm by that section of the Scots electorate which formerly voted Labour. It has to be remembered that, from the first, Scotland was far more critical of Labour’s inborn tendency towards compromise with imperialism than the English sections were. And the best among the Scots socialists, such as John Maclean, Willie Gallagher or Jimmy Maxton, never did settle into selling out like Manny Shinwell and Ramsay Mac.

    The next move will be for the North of England and Wales to shuck off the juvenile Blairites, who adore everything bad about the USA, and work to regain the losses the working people have suffered in the past half century.

    Labour is not meant to be a political party but part of a movement for social justice and equality. What they all have in common is a determination to bring power as close to the grassroots as is possible, obviously devolution will be part of that process as people-forced to protect themselves from predatory elites- claw decision making back from Westminster, the City and Washington DC where all the important choices are made ‘for us.’

  • Becky Cohen

    If the majority of Labour supporters want Jeremy Corbyn then they should have him as leader. Of course, goes without saying. Otherwise, the 2015 Labour Party will start to look like some Soviet politburo of the 1950s. I still think the biggest setback for the left in this country will go down as the defeat of Ed Miliband at the 2015 general election, though. He seemed less keen to appease and/or make compromises with reactionary forces than Jeremy Corbyn does.

  • fedup

    Hi Craig,

    Thanks for the laugh, rarely I have read such a beautifully crafted work, I was in stitches.

    “I canna vote Labour, they don’t abstain enough for me, the wee morons.”

    And the best part;

    “Spurs and Everton, Spurs and Everton, we’ll abstain on this one evermore, we’ll abstain on this one ever-more”

    Sums up the venal Burnham so succinctly.

  • John Spencer-Davis

    That’s strange, this is definitely by Mark Steel and I am sure I read it in the Independent, but it does not seem to be attributed to him here, or at least I can’t see it.

    Kind regards,

    John

  • Alasdair Macdonald

    Thank you! A fine piece of irony. It is sad that it is so easy to do following recent events. The response of the Blairite loyalists to Jeremy Corbyn, is exactly the same as their response to Scottish Independence. They simply cannot comprehend why so many people find a committed expression of values, and the ability to engage in nuanced debate about issues that matter – like self governance, poverty, land reform, etc. – as things that are interesting and make people feel empowered to change things in a more redistributive way.
    I listened to a debate on GMS today between, the bayonet man, Mr Ian Davidson, and another ex-Labour MP. I never thought I would write this, but Mr Davidson, actually praised the SNP for eousing policies which he and a large chunk of the Scottish and UK population find attractiveness! The other, sadly, was still in her default uncomprehending numptiness, basing everything on a ‘straw man’ that Jeremy Corbyn had never changed his views since the 1980s and so, he is a …… CONSERVATIVE!!. Maybe she should look at the energy with which a real, Tory, Mr George Osborne, is pursuing a really radical agenda – an agenda that horrifies me, but which Labour feels it should not oppose.

  • Mary

    A ‘review of the papers’ always gives a good opening for the establishment line.

    Clive Myrie guides the anti Corbyn conversation here on BBC News a fortnight ago. Does he act on his own initiative? No. It is an editorial decision.

    The dreadful female dummy is Beth Rigby, dep political editor FT.
    No idea who the male dummy is.

    BBC Lesson 1. How to be condescending “Shock Horror – Poll Shows Jeremy Corbyn 1st”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhQXnlzshoQ&app=desktop

  • Republicofscotland

    Well according to Tom Harris, ex-Labour MP and (red Tory) Labour are having a nervous breakdown.

    Harris the red Tory that he is, said voting for Jeremy Corbyn would condemn the party to impotent opposition, (erm..that’s what they are just now, infact a Eunuch has more potency than the red Tories ).

    Harris did however get one comparison right with regards to the red Tories in Scotland, he said of Dugdale and MacIntosh, with regards to the contest for leadership of spineless Labour branch office, it was like to bald men fighting over a comb.

  • Republicofscotland

    Meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon has written to David Cameron, looking for an explanation why GCHQ are spying on and recording calls to and from the Scottish parliament,and all the other Home nations parliaments.

    The FM, wants to know why GCHQ and Cameron have bypassed the Wilson Doctrine, which was set up to protect British politicians having their communications intercepted.

    The late Margo MacDonald, believed that MI5, had infiltrated the Yes movement during the Scottish referendum.

    The sooner independence is obtained from Westminster, the sooner we get rid of the ball and chain, so to speak.

  • Republicofscotland

    On a more cheery note the Governor General, to Scotland, aka the Secretary of State for anywhere as long as it’s not Scotland, David Mundell, got it in the neck yesterday.

    Mundell who vehemently denies that there’s a link between poverty and foodbanks, opened one in his constituency yesterday, as scores of people booed and harangued the bufoonish Tory as he made his to and from the foodbank.

    The crowd shouted “shame on you” and “Have you no sense of irony fluffy” a nickname given to him by his friends.

    The Trussell Trust said it was disappointed with Mr Mudells attitude….aren’t we all.

  • nevermind

    What an excellent piece you linked to Craig, factual dripping irony, and so right about his ever increasing election record.

    Labour is now feeling the silence of the vacuous empty space they have created by abolishing what little they had in clause 4.

    Blairites are into marketing, taking on other parties agenda’s even if this increases poverty and hardship to many, I’m not surprised Corbyn is so popular.

    speak soon

  • nevermind

    Jeez Fred, keep up with reality, Pegida and the NSU in Germany do demonstrate as well today, not just in the 1930’s, its UKIP and your unionist friends here who are supportive of these CDU/CSU lovies in Government, who sit by and watch what happens, ‘expressing their outrage’ now and then. But its not the SNP.

    http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-registers-sharp-increase-in-attacks-on-asylumseekers-a-1045207.html

    The police always comes too late to these incidents, the same attitudes exist today, here and in Germany.
    You are just not happy with the report into vote rigging in Argyll and Bute, aren’t you?

  • Habbabkuk (la vita e' bella)

    Wagenknech!t

    “I’m not surprised Corbyn is so popular.”
    _________________

    But the question – for all practical purposes – should be “but popular with whom?”.

    With a large number of those eligible to vote in the forthcoming leadership election, perhaps.

    An electoral “roll” which is minute compared to the electoral roll for general elections.

    Will he be popular with the general electorate is the question.

  • RobG

    From yesterday’s Independent…

    http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/i-am-the-corbyn-supporter-that-many-will-tell-you-doesnt-exist-10413325.html

    There was only a 66% turnout in the May general election. Out of these people who could actually be bothered to vote, about a third voted for the Conservative party, to give them a slim majority in the first past the post system.

    Despite the propaganda from the corporatocracy, there is a large constituency who will vote for Corbyn.

  • Republicofscotland

    Someone puts a link on to the Daily Mail, regarding the SNP, as if it’s gospel, the Daily Fail is anti-SNP, it’s a diehard unionist rag, no surprise their..duh!

    It’s a bit like linking to the red Tories (Labour) website and expecting to find socialist policies, only to be greeted with Milton Friedman ethics.

  • fred

    “You are just not happy with the report into vote rigging in Argyll and Bute, aren’t you?”

    There was no vote rigging in Argyll & Bute.

    No won by a margin of 11,000 votes. The postal votes are checked, they check a random sample of at least 20% of the ballot papers to ensure the signature matches the signature given when the postal vote was requested. I do not believe anyone forged the signatures on thousands of ballot papers.

    We have an electoral commission to ensure elections are fair and procedures for anyone who suspects fowl play. We don’t need our elections being decided by internet conspiracy theorists.

  • fred

    “Someone puts a link on to the Daily Mail, regarding the SNP, as if it’s gospel, the Daily Fail is anti-SNP, it’s a diehard unionist rag, no surprise their..duh!”

    Hell you keep posting links to the blog of some pretend reverend in Bath as if it means something.

    Did the Rev. Campbell file his spending return for the referendum campaign yet? I only ask because people going on about imaginary fraud in Argyll & Bute but seem to be ignoring genuine fraud.

  • Daniel

    That the reining in of support for Corbyn by the labour party hierarchy is at odds with the continued support he is receiving from the membership, is indicative of the former’s total disregard for democracy. They really are all in it together. As I stated previously:

    “Increasingly, the political battle lines are being drawn, not between the ruling party and the opposition, but between the ruling party, opposition and the rest of us.”

    http://danielmargrain.com/2015/07/22/dont-believe-the-hype/

  • Mary

    As you were saying Republic of Scotland @ 6.21pm.

    “Fluffy” Mundell flees the Food Bank
    Shameless Government minister hightails it from an angry crowd protesting against the ‘hurt and misery’ of savage cuts that are pushing millions into poverty and hunger.
    by Stuart Littlewood / July 25th, 2015

    It was not your usual celebration to mark the launch of a new venture. While Secretary of State for Scotland David ‘Fluffy’ Mundell was opening a food bank upstairs from a baker’s in Dumfries town centre, noisy demonstrators gathered in the street outside demanding he came down to explain himself. But ‘Fluffy’ chose to treat his constituents with contempt and slink out the back door under police protection and into a waiting car.

    Photo

    I was witnessing another extraordinary moment in the Tories’ suicide mission in Scotland. Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, is the sole survivor of his species north of the border – their last man standing.

    /..
    http://dissidentvoice.org/2015/07/fluffy-mundell-flees-the-food-bank/

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