This is my first ever attempt at a podcast. The family think it is hilariously boring, like a TV lecture from the 1950’s. I try to persuade them that being hilariously inept is vital to my charm, but that makes them laugh even more.
It is a day late due to technical incompetence on my part. There are a couple of weird cuts where the kittens knocked the camera over. Consensus here is that next time I should just film the kittens. Nadira has offered to help with my next effort, so maybe things will look up.
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This isn’t going to replace your written words is it? Words, particularly the order in which you put them, have more strength.
Cheers
Sorry – I prefer the written medium. It’s far faster for the intellect.
Yes. Others may of course prefer to listen sometimes, for a variety of reasons.
Maybe the Beeb will commission you to do something? (lol). Seems to be the roadmap de jour.
Hi Craig,
since you opted to post a video, it should include some editing, video excerpts. Maybe invite some guests live chatting. Something that might keep the listener interested and concentrated. You should really exploit the possibilities offered by the medium, otherwise it won’t work and won’t help you to win new minds, broaden your “fan base”.
I know it must be hard for you, and it definitely it would require some effort (you might ask for someone to help with editing and so on), but I’m convinced you must give it a try. If not for yourself, for the causes you are championing. Otherwise it would be best to post a simple audio file.
Anyway, keep up your good work.
Good luck
Very good! Keep the kitty in shot!
Just so you know, podcasts are usually audio only so people can listen to them on their headphones and cars on the way to work, this would be a videocast, which is great, but not as good at penetrating the subconscious like podcasts; the trick to the podcast is that it fills the space in the brain that develops on a commute.
But it’s sterling work and I think the world needs to see much more of you, you should be on TV with Galloway regularly and on all the new media sites, because you’re a fascinating lovable character and your English is impeccable!
Peace Craig
SR
Agreed, very enjoyable and hopefully the first of many.
“1950’s” I thought that apostrophe only appeared in American English. Is it also part of Scottish English?
Just idiolect Steve.
It is an Americanism; even Wiki doesn’t accept it. ;O)
Hi Craig, I love what you are doing for press freedom, and freedoms generally.
I read much faster than any podcast, and given the amount of information that comes into my PC every day, I don’t have the time to listen to podcasts. I never watch podcasts, and won’t watch yours, sorry.
Please keep up the written posts.
Thanks
Thank you, it’s great to see you, but it’s hard for me to understand spoken language, I’d appreciate subtitles.
Pleased to know about kittens, because all good people have cats!
Tatyana,
What about this good people who have dogs?
Ha…ha…
Rather : ‘ those good people’
Courtenay Barnett
Well, good people can have dogs too.
There’s difference. Compared to dogs, cats are small and cannot protect themselves from humans, and you can’t play with a cat during a walk, and it is extremely difficult to teach a cat any entertaining tricks. A person must be really good and caring so that the cat truly loves and trusts.
Dear Tatyana,
You can turn subtitles on. Once you press the red ‘Play’ button in the centre of the screen, the control bar will pop up along the bottom of the screen. when you run the cursor over the screen. There is a little symbol of a tv with a white screen and black dash marks in the white screen. Click on that symbol and the English subtitles come up.
A warning, if English is not your first language, please note that the sub titles here are ‘auto-generated’ and Craig’s adorable lisp poses some challenges and the sub-titles do go off piste in places, e.g. where Craig says ‘two quid’, the auto cue writes ‘to quit’; when Craig says, ‘Ireland too’, the autocue interprets this as ‘Island pooped’. and ‘aristocrats’ changes to ‘Alistair Krantz’ etc.
Billy Bones, thank you, I’ll try it. Either I understand, or have fun, I’ll be pleased anyway 🙂
A podcast to listen to for some ideas is Joe Rogan. You can get it on YouTube or for example Stitcher.
Or maybe Joe Rogan should get Craig on and have a 3 hour live chat on politics and everything else.
Now that i would watch! Good stuff Craig.
Whaaa? Mr Murray declares he will be a candidate in 2021 “one way or another”. Is this a reference to the mooted “Wings party”? If so, what of Alex?
ps B&Q are doing Click ‘n Collect if you want to continue work on Murray towers.
My favorite podcast is Max Keiser, through RT. Having two different presenters does make it more lively and natural.
The content is of course no.1.
Contrary to Craig – Max derails from time to time and the results ain’t pretty. There is a difference between “lively” and “nuts”. I appreciate Max very much but sometimes you could slam your fist into the screen..not so with a gentleman like Craig.
I like Maxie and Stacie but he do go on about sodding bitcoin….
“Many dozens of countries have escaped British rule and none has ever wanted to return to it ”
That says it all. The British establishment knows that, which is why they apply such a shameless double standard when it comes to Scorland (compared to Kosovo, etc.)
Because Scottish people are also being mass-murdered and ethnically cleansed by the English?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C4%8Dak_massacre
Martinned
Being in the UK makes Scots poorer and now via the UK and its handling of the virus it is killing Scots. Being poorer also leads to earlier deaths.
One reason Scotland’s poorer is that quite a few Scots managed to ca’canny and strike their way out of employment. As in the mining and shipbuilding industries.
Ms. Nicola Sturgeon seems all loveydovey with Boris these days.
She will not be requesting another referendum, any time soon.
Peter Snell
In 1920 Scotlands revenues were £113,525,000. Percentage spent in Scotland 26% – the remainder retained in Westminster. Westminster has been ripping off Scotland since 1707. The only thing that varied is the actual amount and the percentage.
It’s the way society works, or certainly the way it should work, that the richer members, be they individuals or nation states, pay more to help those less well off. An independent Scotland in the EU will find itself paying more than it gets back but then selfish ScotNats don’t seem to care if a family in Toxteth or Merthyr Tydfil or Redruth goes without.
Health is a devolved issue but how would the leaders of an independent Scotland have dealt with the virus? Once they’d got back from checking their second homes of course.
Kempe
“Selfish Scotsnats”. Nope selfish Britnats have been ripping off Scotland for a long long time – 313 years to be exact. In the EU Scotland will AGREE to contribute, not have its resources stolen as in the UK.
You can stuff your British Labour crap – Scotlands resources are stolen in the UK and they never go anywhere near Toxteth or Merthyr. The red Tories and the blue Tories take turns and nothing improves for Toxteth. They all end up in the same place the House of Lords stuffing food and drink down their throats in the multitude of subsidised bars and restaurants till they die. How many of them think about Toxteth then.
Scotland is one of the world’s oldest nations and we have a right to self determination. So take your pathetic attempt at emotional blackmail and stuff it. It is well past its sell by date – nobody in Scotland is buying it ( well a small percentage of thick Labour supporters maybe).
British Labour in Scotland the most treacherous and deceitful self serving party to pitch up in Scotland.
Oh dear. Looks like I touched a nerve.
Of course an independent Scotland will agree to EU spending, it won’t have any option if it wishes to be a member. Your complaint though has always been about Scottish money not being spent in Scotland.
For the relevance of the places I mentioned, together with the Highlands and Islands, I suggest you read up on EU Objective One funding.
Kempe
You really are pretty dumb or just deliberately misrepresenting my position – probably the latter. It is about democracy and the people of Scotland making their own decisions and part of that is having control of their revenues to decide what Scots want to spend it on. No I won’t be reading anything you recommend.
I also agree that Kosovo is hardly a shining example of a clean, mafia-free state, that its partisans behaved as murderously as all the other combatants in the break-up wars tearing the former Yugoslavia apart, and that the Americans through NATO had a heavy thumb on the scales in the whole process.
But the fact remains, abstracting from the depressing detail of the events leading to Kosovo’s UDI, that the legal questions raised by the process remain valid and important, that the International Court considered them carefully and at length, and judged accordingly. Nobody to my knowledge has accused the ICJ of ‘cooking the books’ to please one side or the other. Therefore the judgment and particularly the UK position which gained the Court’s acceptance is relevant to our own Scottish struggle. Why not use it ?!
They were in the C19th.
Guid on ye, Craig. Sic a sonsie chiel!
Great comparison between the UK government’s stance on Kosovo’s secession from Yugoslavia with Scotland & the UK.
One little difference though: the Godfather of the new “independent” Kosovo got camp Bondsteel inside it.
Craig,
I enjoyed that but please don’t let it replace the written blog posts.
Until I watched this I wouldn’t believe anyone in the SNP wasn’t for independence. now I am convinced you are correct – they must know what you have just told us there is nothing stopping us declaring independence!
There is one teeny weeny problem – if the Scottish parliament simply declared independence – without a referendum – then there would be a civil war – you would find that people like me (who usually would not hurt a fly) would be very happy to take up arms against people like you. Even if we eventually lost and you won (so that Scotland became independent), we would be able to destroy rather many of you in the process – we would ensure that your independent Scotland was thoroughly poisoned for many generations to come.
But – of course – you have already considered this – it is a price you are prepared to pay for independence.
You seem very “happy to take up arms” on your fellow countrymen. Differences of political opinion are fought through the ballot box nowdays not through civil wars. Are you even Scottish?
Tom Robertson
Methinks James is one of these OO types who laid waste to N. Ireland to remain loyal to the motherland in England who would be pleased to get rid of bampots like him.
Wishaw Loyal
Tom Robertson – the ballot box is one thing – but this is not what Craig Murray is advocating – he thinks it would be a great wheeze for the Scottish parliament simply to declare independence.
If there is a referendum then you’ll lose – like you did the last time – if you take the line that Craig Murray is advocating then you’ll have to face the consequences.
Murray is a great fan of gratuitous violence, murder and terrorism – he supports Sinn Fein.
“Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue” as our French friends say, eh James?
Didn’t take long for the atavistic loyalist bigotry to show itself in your comments. Colour us all unsurprised. If there is another referendum, we may lose again, but we may win. Whether Scottish unionists and British nationalists resident in Scotland accept the democratic decision (the way we accepted the 2014 result) is largely a matter for their consciences, but if you honestly believe more than a tiny handful of zoomers share your propensity for violence, you’re in for a big disappointment.
The reason British nationalism is dying on its arse in Scotland is very similar to the reason that the sectarian bigotry of the Loyal Orange Order and sundry other extremist organisations are dying too: the vast majority of Scots treat them with the contempt they deserve.
Of course, little better can be expected of random loyalist neds on the internet without the courage to post their real names. Craig explained in some depth that there are a number of routes to independence. Either you’re a democrat, or you aren’t. If you refuse to accept independence when the majority of Scots vote for it James, you’re no democrat; you’re just another extremist moon howler threatening to burn the house down when you don’t get to chose the wallpaper.
No, James, what he is advocating is a perfectly legitimate and democratic Scottish election from which, assuming we win, our independence would be launched.
I imagine the number of people who share your inclination towards violence is actually vanishingly small James. It is of course easy for snivelling anonymous cowards like you to talk a good game and flaunt your anti-democratic British nationalism, but if and when the Scots people vote to become independent, we know that you and your ilk will slither back under the stone from which you crawled.
A free people and democrats everywhere can’t afford to be cowed by extremists and terrorists like you, even if (mercifully) the vast majority of you are all mouth and trousers. Anyone in Scotland tempted to “take up arms” for either side will soon find themselves where they belong: isolated, ostracised, reviled and placed behind bars for inciting terrorism.
Andrew Ellis – a fair referendum is not what Craig Murray is advocating. He has stated that he simply wants the Scottish parliament to declare independence.
For the record: I would like to see a united Ireland and I consider Sinn Fein to be the biggest obstacle to this (or at least it was when I lived in Cork in the early ’90’s).
The situation in Scotland is quite different – I don’t see us as a separate people from the English, I certainly do not see that we are oppressed in any way by the English and I don’t see any good cultural reason for independence.
This is quite contrary to the situation in Ireland where there clearly are strong cultural differences (and the headbanger `protestants’ do have more in common with the Republic of Ireland than they do with the UK).
If there were a free and fair referendum and you won then I would accept the result (unlike you – you lost 45 to 55 so you want another one), but I get the impression that that is hypothetical. You don’t have much chance of winning a referendum and that’s why Craig Murray wants to take some lessons from Sinn Fein / IRA.
Referendums are not the only (nor in fact the most common) route to independence though James, as Craig went out of his way to explain. If the British nationalists in London won’t “allow” what they term a legal referendum, then other routes are not only available, but inevitable. Making every Holyrood and Westminster election plebiscitary is eminently justifiable, and would be accepted by the international community if there was a majority of voters in favour.
Whether you see us as a separate people or not is immaterial. You are either a democrat, or you aren’t: if the majority of Scots decide we are a separate people and vote accordingly, then you either accept the result, or you retain your British nationality but seek leave to remain like other foreign nationals, or you take the path of violence and try to over turn the self determination of the Scottish people.
When the 2014 referendum was lost, the Yes side DID accept the result, we simply don’t accept it as perpetually binding: no true democrat could or should expect it to be so. Democracy didn’t end when No won in 2014 James. There’s nothing to stop you and other British nationalists in Scotland advocating to rejoin your precious union post independence: fill your boots. If unionists are so confident they will win #indyref2, why are they so scared of “allowing” it I wonder?
Craig’s response (and that of an increasing number of Yes voters) is that it is democratically unconscionable for London to veto #indyref2. Polls consistently show 2/3 of Scots believe the decision should be SOLELY a matter for Scots to decide. The reason so many unionists is Scotland try to enforce an anti-democratic veto (which even some unionists obviously disagree with given the 2/3 figure in the polls) is that they aren’t in any real sense Scottish, they are British. If they can’t bring themselves to accept that Scotland is a nation capable of (and entitled to) self determination like any other people around the world, then their country is Britain, not Scotland.
James
April 7, 2020 at 15:51
“He has stated that he simply wants the Scottish parliament to declare independence.”
Yes, Craig has. but he also has made it clear that a propitious outcome of the next elections, by itself, can be taken as indicating the desire of the majority of the electorate to be independent, and on that basis, the Scottish parliament will be free, under international law, to declare independence without the need to seek as much as an opinion From Westminster. Thus, to became independent, all Scotland needs is a declaration of independence in accordance with the will of the prevailing YES voice in the next elections and other countries’ recognition of the legality (two conditions) of the declaration within the framework of international low.
That’s my understanding of what Craig has said.
Sorry, James: not intrnational low, but intrnational law. All this exitment…
With respect James, Sinn Fein is elected by the people for the people… how can it be an obstacle?
It’s time you opened the box, breathe in fresh air…. rid yourself of self-limiting, self-taught, parochial concepts.
Aye
Roger
“I certainly do not see that we are oppressed in any way by the English.”
That would be because you are a Britnat and it is not the ordinary English person but Westminster doing the oppressing. Britnats in Scotland do not see any oppression – that defines you as a Britnat a “Scotland denier.”
Andrew Eillis = I seem to remember a referendum back in 2014. One SNP chappy – you probably remember his name – kept telling us that this was a `once in a generation’ event. The democratic vote was 45 percent for independence, 55 percent against independence. This looks like democracy in action to me.
Whatever else Craig Murray might say, he advocated voting Sinn Fein (a.k.a. the IRA) in the last election in Ireland. They (of course) for many years did not believe in `sola ballot box’, but rather ballot box accompanied by armalite rifles just in case the vote at the ballot box went against them. So I don’t feel like taking lessons in democracy from Craig Murray – he has made it clear that he believes in supplementing democracy with terrorism if democracy doesn’t give the right answer.
I’d be all in favour of you having your indyref2 – best of luck to you, but you’ll probably find the result the same as last time. You’ll find an overwhelmingly popular `tell them again’ campaign from those of us who are not in favour.
Will you then try for an indyref3? Indyref 4?
Irrespective of what he may have said in this post, in the past C.M. has advocated different routes to independence which are not particularly democratic.
Sinn Fein won the most votes in the last election in February.
They also won by a landslide the last all-Ireland election in 1918, with a mandate for full 32-county independence from Britain.
That election result was simply ignored by the British government, who instead enacted a completely ahistorical partition of Ireland in defiance of Sinn Fein’s landslide victory.
Seeing as you’re a big democracy man James, how democratic do you consider that?
More tendentious nonsense on your part I’m afraid. Your own first comment on this thread indicated that you would take up arms to stop Scots exercising self determination if it wasn’t on terms you agreed with. That sounds to any reasonable person indistinguishable (and perhaps even worse) than Sinn Fein’s strategy of using the armalite and the ballot box: you appear to be entirely sanguine about reaching straight for the gun to shoot your way to eternal union. You’ll forgive us if we find your appeals to democratic values unconvincing.
The “once in a generation” trope is frequently trotted out by unreasoning unionists: they love to present it as some “slam dunk” destruction of the argument for #indyref2. The problem of course is that the second phrase of Salmond’s quote was caveated with the proviso “unless circumstances changed”, and it specifically named being wrenched out of the EU against our will as such a proviso. Awkward for you, I know……but, facts are chiels that winnae ding, eh James?
Apart from anything else, neither Salmond or Sturgeon…or indeed any other here today, gone tomorrow politician is entitled to place limits on the principle of self determination. The Scots people will decide when and how often they have referendums. Similarly, they will decide when and under what circumstances they declare independence: our self determination isn’t in the gift of Westminster, nor is it subject to veto by Scots unionists if they find themselves in the minority. This isn’t Ulster. This isn’t 1920’s.
We don’t need your approval or favour for #indyref2 (or 3, 4, 5 or whatever) because that’s not how democracy works. Your “overwhelmingly popular” tell them again campaign got its arse handed to it on a plate as recently as the December 2019 General Election. If you’re so keen on abiding by things that are overwhelmingly popular, why do you ignore the consistent overwhelming majority of > 2/3 of Scots who say in polls that ONLY Holyrood should have any role in deciding when and how often referendums are held? Democracy isn’t a pick and mix buffet James, you don’t get to insist on absolute adherence to the bits you like while ignoring the bits you dislike.
Nothing Craig has said or advocates here is remotely undemocratic. You however, hide like some low rent unionist Wizard of Oz behind the curtain of cowardice and threaten to “take up arms” against Scots who disagree with you.
We see you James. We know your like. You’re a snivelling coward and keyboard warrior who would probably soil himself if somebody looked at you the wrong way, never mind having the balls to make good on your murderous threats. If you weren’t so pathetic you’d be amusing.
Xavi – Sinn Fein is the Irish version of Sweden’s `Sverige Democrats’, the fascist party. Both parties have poisoned fascist roots and both parties try to hide this, presenting a `populist’ front, taking advantage of the fact that the `respectable’ parties have all completely lost their way.
I am very much in favour of a united Ireland – and I do believe that Ireland should have been a single united republic back in 1918.
That does not in any way justify the atrocities of the IRA / Sinn Fein during the ’70’s, ’80’s or ’90’s, which – frankly – held back the cause of a united Ireland. Sinn Fein is still the same sick party – `bullet and ballot box’ – whatever a shine they put on it.
Sinn Fein was always a legal party and most of it was opposed to the military campaign. Were any British parties, i.e. the political wing of the British state forces, as opposed to the use of violence?
Well – I used to think that Scottish independence was the answer – back in the 1980’s – but I saw the light.
Perhaps you – and your like will see the same – before you create an almighty mess (which is what you are in the process of doing).
…and if we don’t “see the light” you and your mates will take up arms right?
You really sound like the kind of person we’d want to share a country with right enough.
If only you had the balls not to be a snivelling anonymous coward when you posted at least we could report you huh?
James don’t be daft you wouldn’t have a chance.
You are old
We are young
If I gave you a shove ,you would lose your balance and fall
We know you loud verbally threatening puffs of hot air as always
Are we faird ? Nah you’re an oaf
All under one banner onwards and upwards
We’ve got you taped
Craig, I much prefer the written word to the spoken word, worse still podcast, as the writing discipline seems to lead to a more concise and precise expression of views.
Excellent point.
Agreed, but occasionally is OK. Better if there are two or more conducting the dialogue.
A little more volume please.
Next thing. What is to stop the powers from enacting a Catalonia and arresting everybody involved in the affair.
More power to you. Best wishes. Bill
There aren’t enough hours in the day for me to sit and read everything I would like to read so being able to listen while doing chores etc. is a real bonus.
Written words give you the oportunity to pause and consider what’s being said before going on to the next bit. Podcasts don’t, it’s extremely difficult to keep stopping and starting and continuity is lost anyway. So I don’t do podcasts.
Please, Craig, don’t go down this road.
You must have a big hammer Craig – nail hit squarely on the head, as usual. Gr8 Podcast ?
Good points — you look into the camera, but you should —
prepare more, speak faster. Did you have a nip of Lugavullin beforehand? You should have. You are so much better when, as you brag, you speak while drunk!
English dictatorship = UK.
The UK was born out of treachery, intimidation, bribery, spies and maintained initially by force of arms and now by control of the media and propaganda, security services and rubbishing Scottish culture. British (English) Army forts dotted around Scotland , eg Fort William, Fort Augustus replaced by the TV headquarters (Pacific Quay ) and Newspaper offices.
The UK celebrates English culture but ignores/ diminishes Scots and Scottish culture. The difference in the approach to the 800 year celebration of the Magna Carta and the 700 year celebration of The Declaration of Arbroath is just one example. Anyone see any mention of The Declaration on the UK (English ) TV. Magna Carta got coins, stamps, red arrow fly overs and auld Betty making speeches calling King John a “British” King, and BBC documentaries.
Slightly anxious you may spread yourself too thinly Craig as I enjoy your written blog and you have only so many hours in a day.
If you could organise a team to help with production, you might quickly become a credible independent video media outlet.
I felt the image quality and lighting were perfectly adequate and the environment looks fine as it is. I found the noise from the turbo computer fan quite distracting. A quieter PC might be an improvement because I wondered for a time if the sound might be your own family family hoovering up around the kittens. Do you have a solid floor in the room? A rug or carpet might better absorb shoe noise and echoes? A lapel or head mounted mic would also minimise PC, furniture and the shoe on floor noise.
Considering the Coronovirus, inviting guests is difficult for the time being but having more than one person would break up the ideas discussed into more digestible chunks.
There are more challenging production sound environments than your own, I sometimes watch Chris Hedges On Contact from RT and his studio sounds like it built over a main trunk road. If you look closely, everyone has a lapel mic and the sound still automatically fades between each spoken word to minimise traffic noise (I find this technique just as distracting as the traffic noise it hides). You can see reflections of the heavy traffic passing in the windows opposite the studio. https://www.rt.com/shows/on-contact/470821-rebel-kevin-zeese-resistance/
Good luck with your new endeavour
1950’s? should appeal to Daly Mail disciples, the video was grand by the way and interesting. Like to hear more about Scottish history and the politics that evolved from it.
Craig,
Take heart.
A few moments before completing my daily rounds on the internet, a friend in Switzerland Skyped me and we had a jolly good chat. She asked why she could not see me on her screen and I answered that maybe I had pressed the wrong button because I am a ‘technological dinosaur’. From what you have said about yourself I can now rest assured that albeit we are a dying breed, there are at the very least, some two of us still in existence.
Courtenay ( the elder)
A Well put video, thanks. Videocast is just one medium among several to use . Why not?
A great idea, Craig! There are many visually impaired folks who can’t read your excellent work! This will aid them greatly and I’m sure they’ll find your thoughts to be very enlightening. Well said, sir!!
As for content – BRAVO!! Each part – Declaration of Arbroath’ and ‘Independence’ was so well thought through, precise and informative & galvanising to getting folks motivated to move forward toward independence. “We are not going to accept Johnson’s refusal of a Sec.30.” THANK YOU! That’s Just exactly what I needed to hear at this moment. I feel a little more optimistic today! THANK YOU Craig!
PS: As for content – BRAVO! Each part of your podcast – ‘Declaration of Arbroath’ & ‘Independence’ was very inspiring as regards motivating us to move forward in our quest for Independence. It’s time to do that! I was feeling quite… underwhelmed by certain Scotgov quarters not wanting to see this through. But your statement, ‘We are NOT GOING TO accept Boris Johnson’s veto’ has given me hope again! Thank you. I needed it.
Surprised it has taken you so long. You grew into it after a slightly uncomfortable start. Another string to your bow and a great way to encourage discussion. Watch Dr Shiva Ayarrundari (I may have misremembered his surname) ‘citizen science’ and realise the power of the medum. He would be a great guest!
Good to see more and more people coming round to the idea of using the 2021 Holyrood elections as a de facto plebiscite on independence. I’ve been advocating this for months, usually in the face of total refusal from SNP loyalists it has to be said! It still depends however on the SNP and other pro-independence representatives standing on a platform that the outcome of the elections will be taken as an unequivocal mandate for independence. If they don’t do so, there is still a risk that the international community will not accept the mandate, absent some change of circumstances.
Scotland (and Catalonia and Quebec) are not really directly analogous situations to e.g. Kosovo or the Baltic States. For all three of those areas, the international community will expect the pro-secession forces to have a) exhausted the other “available” methods to fulfil their legitimate aspirations for self determination and b) to have a clear majority in response to a clear prospectus. Refusal by Westminster to “allow” #indyref2 is a good argument in favour of switching to plebiscitary elections, as well as demonstrating a lack of willingness on the part of London to negotiate in good faith.
This makes it all the more important for the Scottish Government (or in its absence the Yes movement as a whole) to gain legal clarity on the question of the legality of #indyref2 without a Section 30 order. This should have been a priority, and (as many of us have argued) should already have been done years ago. The fact the SNP has signally failed to do so since 2014 supports the inference that it is not really serious about advancing independence in the short to medium term. That being said it is important that an alternative to the stodgy managerialism of the devo-maxers currently running the store is “stood up”. The Growth Commission will hopefully be rendered pointless and quietly euthanised as a result of the Covid-19 induced recession, but we can’t depend on the SNP to be rendered fit for purpose from the inside.
With luck the fall out of the investigation into Salmon’s “frame up”, the baleful impact of the Woko Haram entryists in the party on its support, added to the after effects of the up-coming recession, might all conspire to make the party change course. We can’t assume that wiser heads like Joanna Cherry et all will prevail however: the rot may be too deep.
Many of us are awaiting developments with interest.
Craig I enjoyed this and keep it up.
Agree with the point about making the 2021 Holyrood election a de facto referendum on independence. Scotland is in any case an independent country. By revoking Scotland’s half of the Acts of Union, then the union between Scotland and England would be dissolved.
Perhaps Salmond should forget the revenge is a dish best served cold stuff, should bid the SNP adieu on the best of terms, and declare the formation of the Scottish Independence Party. It would run in the regional half of the vote in the 2021 election, but not in the constituency half because that would split the vote.
All of that stuff about Kosovo gets a bit messy because of the break up of Yugoslavia, the role of the UN, the role of NATO,etc.- followed by arguments about how international law works within particular contexts.
Bravo for the attempt-but some very elementary errors in videocast.
1. The beige and brown patterned jumper. Just wear a plain shirt -no tie or just do audio.
2 Delivery/vocal technique: needs to sharpen up.I guess you were extemporising thoughtfully around a theme with notes. but I think you need to distill it down to something much punchier. Points need to be made several times and with greater emphasis and with care to enunciate clearly.The impression was of a thoughtful ramble. Repetition is one of the basics of rhetoric, but has to be done properly.You probably don’t need to provide as much detail.e.g. re Kosova: How about
In the UK”s submision to the court, the UK argued that secession from an existing polity/jurisdiction does not require the consent of the existing power examples are lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
While the quotes from the UK are interesting for their hypocrisy they are an addendum to the principle point.
It really requires a lot of work to get it to an acceptable standard.
While I am staunchly pro independence I rather suspect a situation rather like Catalonia might arise. As an agitator I guess you might find yourself in court.It would be wrong of course but the UK gov. couldnae gie a flying fouffe for the finer fundamentals of freedom.I am guessing Nicola would not take the risk of a trial or prison.
Why don’t you try a video addressing the Catalonia issue linking it to our secession from the EU without consent.
Deepgreenpuddock
April 7, 2020 at 16:52
“some very elementary errors in videocast.”
I strongly disagree. Everything is perfect: clarity of presentation, pace, tenor, ambience, sincerity, attire, everything. A breath of fresh air.
bollocks-pooh