YOU HAVE JUST BEEN PLAYED!

Posted byiainlawson27Posted inUncategorizedTags:

AS THE SNP CONFERENCE CONTINUES AND AFTER ORDINARY MEMBERS HAVE LOST EVEN MORE POWER THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP CONTROL OF THE BLAND AGENDA AND THE STACKED NEC HERE IS A REMINDER OF THE LEAD UP TO CONFERENCE 2020 WHEN I STILL HOPED THE SNP COULD BE SAVED. THIS WAS PUBLISHED ON THE 5th NOVEMBER 2020. Members responded, good people were elected, then the leadership, broke the rules and sidelined them. The 2021 mess is the result. Can you imagine what is going to be like next year? Remember this is long before Alba was even a thought.

MASSACRE OF THE STRAW MEN

I have just read another defence of Section 30. Never have so many straw men arguments been created and slain in the one article. If you criticise the SNP for anything you are immediately accused of trying to destroy the SNP. It’s ridiculous and the last desperate defence of people who cannot justify a single point and have an overwhelming need to smear opponents in the hope that the innocent and naive don’t look too closely at the evidence.

You must never ever point out the reckless, totally destructive and divisive behaviour of the NEC. They have to  get a free pass on their interference in the vetting and selection procedures, on GRA, Hate Crime legislation etc that will be at the forefront of the Unionist campaign against the SNP next year. A agenda provided to them free of charge by the Woke Alliance and which divides the SNP membership from top to bottom all the time. Of course that does no damage to the SNP. It’s approved by the NEC!

To complain about this is to be accused of wanting to “get rid of the SNP.” No it isn’t, nobody wants to destroy the SNP, certainly not me, but equally I want to see members regain some control over their own Party. I do want to see the overbearing influence of the Woke element severely reduced because it, not me, is destroying the SNP.

Members have just witnessed the previously fair, honest and balanced vetting and selection procedures being grossly abused keeping good candidates off the lists, favouring those of the woke faith, and controlling even the ability of constituencies to organise their own fair hustings. Operations that worked fairly and efficiently for decades became a huge mess instantly the NEC muscled in and took unfair control.

Look at what’s happening at the moment. Conference is coming later this month. In a fair and honest Party this would be the opportunity to discuss all these problems, debate the options, take measures to reform the NEC, ALL INTERNALLY.

Are my critics witnessing this, this is me arguing to sort it all out internally, you know what my critics have been saying should happen for months? Well I am sorry but that is NOT going to happen.

Instead the leadership have safeguarded themselves by taking measures that ensure members and branches can’t do that, worse the measures ensure all the free seats on the NEC for Woke, stay for AT LEAST another year, irrespective of members views.

How did they do that you ask? Simple, they have taken all resolutions submitted By branches on making constitutional and rule changes, every one, and barred them from Conference discussion by handing them to Keith Brown’s recently created Review body, which has to report before the 2021 Conference.

How clever to set that Review Body up just a few months ago, ready to receive all these difficult questions? It’s that easy, they could see the members opposition building calling for sweeping changes, they couldn’t be sure they could defeat them at Conference, easy solution,, just don’t let them be discussed. Even better, describe anyone who objects as a troublemaker and say they are trying to destroy the SNP. How easy was that?

Now the hope here is that members don’t realise they are being played by their own side. Many will fail to recognise setting up the Review was the pre planned catch all tactic where all problems with the NEC, Vetting, selection procedures could be conveniently dumped if necessary, rather than being debated. Another year for the status quo secured, perhaps a few changes of personnel on the margins, but no more than that! Even better they have screwed money for delegates passes out of you before revealing the blandest agenda imaginable. How easy was that?

It’s the same with discussing Plan B. Can’t risk that being debated in case it won support so what is being done? Well it won’t make the Conference Agenda either, but they offer a wee discussion at a specially called National Assembly in January. No risk in that, Conference decisions form policy, outcomes at National Assembly don’t. See how easy that was? How many know that significant distinction between National Conference and National Assembly?

It is unfair political control, indeed the loyalist element, my party right or wrong, will probably think it clever and as usual will support it, not realising it is their future rights that are being trampled on as well. Worse, when I discuss this with these Party loyalists and I ask them “do you really believe a section 30 will ever be granted” around two thirds, did you get that, two thirds, answer “no but we must not divide the Party”. My question is “why not unite the Party round another option that has much greater potential to succeed and unite, rather than this dead duck proposal?” Frankly it is treating the entire membership with contempt denying proper debate. What has happened to the previously most Democratic, open and transparent party in the UK?

The outstanding weakness of the Wee Ginger Dug’s case was his argument that we need yet another clear mandate before we look for alternatives to a Section 30 order. How many mandates do we have already, stored in the big Mandate cupboard at HQ? What point is another? 

What happened to the last one, the one that was tied to Brexit, you know the issue that Nicola has majored on for the last four years? We have left the EU and are weeks away from being outside the Single Market with no deal. Tens of thousands are going to lose their jobs, thousands of businesses will be adversely affected. They are looking for action, they thought they had voted for it, and that we would “not allow Scotland to be dragged out of the Single Market against our wishes”. That is what they were told by the SNP, time and time again,that is why they gave us the mandates to stop it. What have we done to honour our word? Why should they trust another message of give us another mandate when we have done diddly squat with all those that have gone before?

I hear a lot about “we have never been nearer”. Sorry we are not. The nearest we were was the 18th September 2014. We have not moved an inch nearer since then. What about the polls I hear you say? Well they are nice, comfortable even, but they mean nothing if you have no mechanism to translate that support into real votes. So while the polls have moved in our favour, the possibility of securing a Section 30 has diminished at the same time, those polls no doubt playing a leading role in that disappearing option. So if your faith is in a Section 30 order you have been moving backwards. During that time while you have been waiting, Westminster has moved from having a Government struggling to have any majority, to a Tory Westminster Government with a majority of eighty, led by right wing Brexiteers who have no interest in what’s “morally indefensible”, or any other of the straw phrases gradualists constantly clutch to, to excuse their inaction.

We have a Democratic route to freedom, it’s there if the will exists to exercise it. We announce we are intending using the constituency vote in next May’s election as our alternative referendum UNLESS Westminster issues a .section 30 order no later than the end of January 2021. That removes the straw man arguments that we must fully exhaust the Section 30 process before moving to a Plan B position. We put it in our manifesto and seek the other pro Independence parties to do the same that a majority of seats secured in May will be regarded as the mandate for Independence. Should Westminster want the outcome determined by votes rather than seats then the Section 30 must be delivered by the January deadline. It is perfectly democratic, it allows us to demonstrate that Westminster has had every opportunity to act if they wanted to and it is more than sufficiently democratic to win widespread International democratic support.

You will note that in this article I am pointing to actual events, real examples to make my points, about how members are being played. This article is largely fact, not opinion. It is constructive, it offers a definite alternative route.

There is no point gradualists arguing this all should not be discussed on a public forum. Firstly you need to recognise that it is your leadership decisions that have made internal debate impossible, they have barred it, and secondly what happens within the SNP is hugely important to the entire YES movement and that makes it everybody’s business as continuing on the current path will result in yet more wasted years.That badly affects the whole movement. The YES movement need an effective SNP but the SNP also need the electoral support of the Yes movement. It’s not, or it should not be, a one way street.

Finally I find it amazing that for complaining about the snail like process of delivering Independence, some people prefer to attack me, rather than the snails! No matter I can take it, time is on my side as the snails are going to need to dramatically speed up or eventually be hopelessly exposed. The big problem however is the people of Scotland are facing economic disaster and for many their time is running out!

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

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LATE NEWS…

This is a press release from David Henry, a candidate for National Secretary who is calling on Members and branches to act to demand that a resolution on these Internal matters is selected for debate. If you want a copy of the resolution contact David by email at dhenry@rapturetv.com

Press Release: Immediate
With the publication of the SNP draft agenda last night, which contained only 6 resolutions out of over 130 that branches submitted and not containing any that address the SNP’s internal or operational issues. There is grave concern that this will erode trust both in the party and the party leadership.
The SNP National Conference is the supreme governing & policy making body of the party. The failure to include any of the resolutions that would address the internal operations of the party is both unconstitutional and unprecedented. The SNP membership is being denied their basic rights to have a say and the delegates at the next SNP conference (which is to be held online from the 28th-30th of November) are being denied their constitutional rights to have a vote on these important and pressing issues. Branches didn’t propose, draft and vote to support these resolutions for them to be excluded.
All members of the SNP and all branches are urged to demand that the SNP Sighthill/Stenhouse Branches ‘Transparency’ resolution in particular is placed on the Conference agenda by sending you demand to conference@snp.org and to peter.murrell@snp.org.

Virus-free. www.avast.com

Please share widely on Facebook and Twitter and lets make sure every Member and branch knows about this. Thank you.

34 thoughts on “YOU HAVE JUST BEEN PLAYED!”

  1. I’m really paraphrasing here, but Mark Twain said that it was easier to convince people of something rather than convince them that they had been duped. I think this is why so many SNP members continue to hang in there rather than be proven to have made the wrong choice.

    Liked by 15 people

    1. Janice: I can’t recall now who carried it out, but a test study was done on a roomful of people – normal, intelligent people selected at random. They were not told what the study was about but were asked to listen to two people giving PowerPoint presentations. One was a straw man who talked gibberish, with completely erroneous data, but in a confident manner, and the other was an actual, world-class expert in a subject, but who was hesitant and appeared to lack confidence. Almost unanimously, when asked to choose whose presentation they believed, the roomful of people chose the gibberish. Two things had been proven: 1) that people will believe, generally, in the confident person even though he/she is talking absolute piffle; 2) someone who is confident, but with no substance, can con people with relative ease. When asked, the few who had chosen the expert, said that they had listened to the actual content of the presentations and not been fooled by the stereotypes. Psychologically, this has huge implications for mass consumption of rubbish. Incidentally, in a further study, men were believed more than women and listened to more closely, although the woman was the one actually presenting the facts, while the man was talking nonsense. Similar results have been found in jury studies, where personal and societal prejudices are brought into the jury room and can sway a jury.

      Liked by 9 people

  2. My concern is that, once the blindly loyal and wheesht brigade finally wisen up they will be so disillusioned that they will abandon The Cause altogether.

    If disillusion and bitterness is the result – and I sincerely hope that is isn’t – then that will be the real and tragic legacy of those currently in the top echelon of the party.

    Liked by 17 people

    1. That’s a distinctly probable outcome Duncanio . Certainly happening outwith the Sturgeon/SNP Loyalist camp that people – for the most part apolitical/uninterested in the nitty gritty of Politics – who voted Yes in 2014 and up until fairly recently would have done so again ( if the opportunity ever arose ) are – in some cases – drifting away , in other cases running away at speed from the horror show that’s unfolding under the current regime , in terms of Independence and more generally in socio/political terms .

      The fantasy Vogue , * Most popular UK Leader * ( some accolade that in what’s probably the worse generation of Politicians ever ) false Image/Idol MSM hook n ladder world inhabited by NS and her collection of nodding puppets is so remote from the lives of * ordinary * people they won’t see the hurricane coming until they’re blown from their comfy seats and land on their arses on the outskirts of a town called Obscurity asking ” what happened ? ”

      Answer . ” Real life happened “

      Liked by 15 people

    2. Disillusion and bitterness with the cause may be the underlying aim of the top echelon of the party who are busy promoting the meme “There is no alternative to us”

      Liked by 5 people

  5. I was a near forty year member of the SNP and I am utterly dissolusioned with the Party.

    Fortunately I still support independence and am in Alba.

    But look around, for many the spark has gone. No longer the enthusiasm of 2014. Or the SNP membership a shadow of what it was.

    But Sturgeon and the gang know this. Their actions are deliberate.

    And she is the absute nemesis of independence and indeed democracy and honest government.

    A hateful, vicious, nasty vindictive individual her day will come.

    In the meantime we must regroup, reinvigorate and resume the push for independence.

    And at the May council elections I think the cosy comfortable complacent SNP will be sent a message when they are voted out in their droves.

    Liked by 18 people

    1. We all hope so, Willie. However, the NEC elections have just passed and a certain Graeme McCormick has been elected this time, after failing on a number of occasions before. Maybe it was because there was a lack of opposition this time. What beggars the question is why he is seen as being acceptable this time. Are the SNP lowering their standards? Or is it because he will have made it clear that he will not dissent on any of woke agenda when it comes up? Obedient and subservient members are what they will be looking for and that, I’m sure, is what they’ll get.

      Like

  6. “We announce we are intending using the constituency vote in next May’s election as our alternative referendum UNLESS Westminster issues a .section 30 order no later than the end of January 2021. ”

    This sounds great, however this is the reality.

    BBC mouthpiece Martin Geissler, catches out Ian (Scotland won’t stand for it) Blackford on the Sunday Show, Geissler says to Blackford what preparations have you done for an indyref, and Blackford says we needs to deal with the virus first.

    Geissler then says but there’s elections being held all over the world right now. Geissler then adds that organising an indyref isn’t even in the the coming year of SNP business. Blackford then prattles on about the will of the people.

    No preparations at all.

    Liked by 17 people

    1. Blackford, the Light Featherweight of UK, not just Scottish, politicians. The man’s a total embarrassment.

      Like

  7. I’m sure those saying here that people are losing interest in the question of Independence are right. I went on the March for Independence yesterday in Edinburgh and was very disappointed in the turn out, though I recognise it was a very cold day. The marchers were in good spirits, the pipe band helped a lot and there were a fair number of folk lining the route.
    Peter a Bell made a good introductory speech once we reached Holyrood then called on Tommy Shepherd, MP. I give him thanks and credit for coming at all since it’s a long time since any MPs or MSPs showed up on a march.
    He did speak about the need for Independence, given what’s happening at Westminster, but with no great urgency as he talked about another referendum, but also suggested this would be the last effort this year and that we could start campaigning afain when the clocks go forward!
    Far far too late in my opinion. Shepherd may or may not be one of those who is holding his fire while toeing the party line meanwhile but I wouldnt bet on it.
    I imagine Peter Bell’s speech would be more what I wanted to hear but couldn’t stay for it as it was cold standing around and, being deaf, I could not appreciate the music that was programmed before him. I’m not sure if Peter has been reported anywhere but it was not an encouraging experience to go to, though partly made up for by the chance to speak to old friends who have not lost their passion for Independence,

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Hello, arayner1936. I wasn’t aware of this march. Which group organised it? I’ll see if I can add my email somewhere for updates.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. I was there as well and concur with your view . You can find a less detailed look at the day and some images on Yes Pentlands facebook

      Liked by 7 people

    3. I have said repeatedly and continuously that the indy YES movement is too fragmanted with organisations all doing their own thing and publicity of marches and gatherings are all spasmodic their is NO joined up organisational activity or publicity and until someone sorts it out marches and gatherings will be fragmented and ill attended , also I have stated openly that my wife and I were regular attendees at marches but I will not attend another one unless it is a demonstration march to oust Sturgeon , independence marches attended by the likes of Shephard are an insult to genuine independence supporters and ONLY increase Sturgeons narcissistic belief

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Did anyone watch the ‘Womanhood’ piece with Kirsty Wark, on BBC? Dear Lord, I was in despair. There were some good points made, but the desperation of most of the women to be liked by men overrode any sense of self-preservation in most cases. The blatant bias for the trans identified male and against the gender critical academic was laughable. The women all fluttered around the TiM, validating him and opening their eyes wide in non-critical adoration. When he said that he had been with his male partner for several years and had only recently old him he was actually male-born, I was willing one of the handmaids to ask if he had lost all his senses. The TiM was so obviously a man. The academic was treated to barely civilised discourse and narrowing of the eyes from the lesbian woman present. Only three, I think bothered to go along and hear her. This is how people are captured by rubbish that passes as fact: they simply form their opinion in advance and validate it. Totally pathetic, but, from Kirsty Wark, who is surprised?

    Those who cling fanatically to the SNP coat-tails in the teeth of such evident disdain for democracy and respect, deserve to have their noses rubbed in the doo-doo, but, unfortunately, they will take all of us with them. It is becoming ever harder not to loathe these charlatans on both the lack of independence and the GRA reform. People are being conned – openly conned with an accompanying smirk of self-congratulation – and they are still asking for more. I doubt that anyone or anything can save the SNP from its own hubris now or the trans lobby from a backlash that will result in all of these chancers being shunned by the general public. That is not what anyone wants, but when you set out to cheat and lie and hoodwink, that is what happens eventually, when sanity prevails – as it does, always, in time.

    Liked by 18 people

    1. But Kirsty Wark would have been especially commissioned to present such a programme. She’s in the “poosie-nancy pooch” as my grandfather would have described her political position.

      Liked by 8 people

      1. Ay, agreed Jan. She did pose a few awkward questions, and I do realise that there was a huge generational gap there, but the shallowness of so many of the females, both participants and others interviewed in the streets, etc. was appalling. However, one thing was highlighted for me: it became very obvious how the trans identified males came to base their ‘look’ on a gender stereotype that is way out there: some of those young women were equally stereotypical with the blonde hair, big lips, big boobs, sculpted cheekbones and so on – basically, facsimiles of the most stereotypical female from comic strips and such like. It was horrifically fascinating, like watching Dr Frankenstein create his monster from bits and pieces. Mary Shelley was way before her time, as was her mother. If any other section of society apart from females was being portrayed in such a way by people determined to occupy their space at any cost to them, there would be an outcry. Imagine if trans identified females were being encouraged to occupy all male spaces and rights, if someone suggested that parliament should be 50% women and 50% trans men or 50% white people and 50% face-blackened white people? Yet, so few of the believers extend the analogy to women’s spaces and rights. Just listened to two men discussing how we have to ensure that only those men who are scrutinised closely and not the self-ID ones are allowed into female spaces and rights. What! Personally, these women impersonators, woman facers, can do one. If they are not biological women, they cannot be extended rights or legal identities that pertain to women because of their sex and nothing else. It is a travesty and legal fiction to suggest such nonsense, and is why third spaces are necessary. If they don’t like it, tough.

        Liked by 8 people

    2. It’s a kind of psychosis that’s on display with the spineless pandering to a version of * reality * that bears no resemblance to the one most people recognise , no doubt exacerbated by the climate of * Right Think * that has been created by the Trans/Gender Ideologist Mafia where even the mildest dissent from the new orthodoxy generates incoming fire and people self-censor lest they commit the mortal sin of micro-aggression against # the most persecuted group in history . People need to wake-up. Urgently

      Liked by 6 people

  9. Sturgeon, Swinney et al have hitched their party and country’s future on to the future success and popularity of the Tory Party in the U.K.; as Downing Street’s creatures they will sink-or-swim as a consequence. Given the irresistible and ever building pressures enveloping the Tory party …

    Liked by 8 people

  10. I wouldn’t be particularly concerned about any of the Scottish government’s proposed legislation when they are too incompetent to introduce legislation in the first place (unless someone like Serco tells them what to do). Take John Swinney as an example of one of the very few members of the government that people have heard of: deputy FM, ex-party leader, and someone who has had the reverse-king-Midas touch for years now. He’s competent enough to do things incompetently. But he still doesn’t even have an education policy. Most of the government aren’t competent enough to do anything.

    Liked by 6 people

  11. The National headlines
    «Nicola Sturgeon warns Omicron variant may delay second independence referendum»
    No doubt now that the Sturgeon crew constitutes the major impediment to independence and the is virulent virus in the Scottish body politic.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Initial skim early AM read:

      The National headlines

      “Nicola Sturgeon wants Omicron…..etc Obviously my bleary mind’s translation. I used to rely heavily on the National. Not any more!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes , I had to * lol * when watching a news report ( something I rarely do these days ) the announcer – after the usual blather about the latest New ! improved ! Deadlier ( of course ) Variant mentioned how one of the – entirely philanthropic – Pharma Corps had * reassured * the public it will be able to develop a new vaccine in ( get this ) record time ! Phew ! God Bless AstroModernePuffizer . How convenient

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Meanwhile a Professor Calum Semple who is on various Advisory groups and the WHO concerned with Covid 19 has suggested the Livingston Valneva vaccine, now having been defunded by the UK government, would ‘in principle’ be more effective than the oones we use currently in fighting new variants.
        See more in Talking up Scotland 28/11.2021

        Liked by 3 people

  13. Its a sad day for the indy movement when even die-hard unionist Sir John Curtice, thinks that Sturgeon will need to get her skates on pronto, if there’s to be an indyref. Meanwhile veteran indy minded folk attack Swinney’s pathetic conference speech.

    https://archive.md/CfLWJ

    Liked by 2 people

  14. I think the Battle is lost! I can’t see how we can recover the road to Independence any time soon.
    Sorry for the negative post but I don’t see a way forward. She has wrecked the movement along with those compliant Politicians who defend her.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. To paraphrase – a UK Prime Minister was asked what the most troubling problem of his leadership was. ‘Events, my dear boy, events,’ was his reply.

      Sturgeon may try desperately to control events, but her SNP’s list of success’s vs failures is heavily weighted towards the latter. That just hasn’t become widely known as yet. PR spin (hot air) always fails in the end because it lacks any real substance (just look at Labour or Brexit). Likewise the gradualist SNP’s desperation to remain in power, despite an almost complete lack of any substantial actions, is becoming increasingly self evident. They tried to end Alex Salmond’s career in politics, but now it’s Alba, along with the help of others, that are doing the heavy lifting for independence, something that the SNP stopped doing in 2015. Events always win in the end. Sturgeon’s SNP have become the Party of non-events, as their track record shows all too clearly.

      While the UK wants to only look back and the SNP wants to stand still, Alba are looking forward. It’s an easy choice of who to support if independence is the priority.

      Liked by 2 people

  15. “Nicola Sturgeon warns Omicron variant may delay second independence referendum”

    I think we all knew this was coming, there’s no mention of preparation for a indyref in the SNP’s next year of business, regardless of where we are, or will be, with the virus.

    https://archive.md/i7BJH

    Liked by 2 people

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