Month: September 2017

This is for those among you who seem to think we are better off outside the EU. I find that most of the misgiving regarding the E U and the UK both as unions, for some strange reason seems to come from the far left, even among yes voters. I wish I had a pound for every time I have heard the simply daft statement of “I am not coming out of one Union just to be shackled to another union in the EU”.

The fact is that no one is shackled to the EU, and the very fact that the UK is leaving proves this conclusively. The other quite bazar statement I have heard is “I do not want to be ruled over by unelected officials” well that is good because no one in the EU is ruled over by any unelected officials, in fact it is the UK who are partially ruled over by un elected people and that is the people who buy their places in the house of Lords.

In the EU there are commissioners who are like heads of committees, they are given a remit, for instance to look into a perceived injustice and to offer suggestions as to how this can be righted. They then report back to the EU parliament who then pass it on to the parliaments of the 28 members. If there is not a majority for this motion, it goes nowhere. If there is a majority in favor, it then goes in front of the EU parliament and it is only at that stage, after going in front of 29 parliaments that is becomes law. Now where in heavens name do some people get the idea that the EU is not democratic?
Now the SNP seem to be making noises about Scotland having a say in the negotiations for exit from the EU on the basis that there should be an attachment to the single market. Well not a single person in Scotland voted to be part of the single market, in fact they voted by a very large majority to remain as a full member of the EU, in the full knowledge that if we were dragged out against our will , there could be a referendum on independence. It’s that democracy thing again. The SNP chose to put a twisted interpretation to the vote and try to convince the people that they voted only for inclusion in the single market and not the social and economic advantages of full membership.

It is time the SNP started to act like the party of independence instead of the establishment party they have morphed into, a morphing that actually started during the independence campaign and has now been firmly established.

I feel personally that it is time for another leader, quite possibly Alex Salmond again, as Nicola Sturgeon has presided over the SNP’s slide towards mediocracy and irrelevance as far as the independence question is concerned. I think also that as the SNP failed miserably to take advantage of the very large majority to remain in the EU and to a point the impetus has been lost, any future referendum campaign must now be on the basis that once independence has been settled there will be another referendum on membership of the EU. This would take away the threat of the, mainly left wing of the yes movement with their “I don’t want to come out of one union just to be tied to another union” misapprehension.

So have a look at the advantages of being in the EU below and please think about it.
There is a major difference between Brussels and Westminster.
Apart from the FACT the EU doesn’t drag Scotland into illegal wars, the EU doesn’t impose deep austerity on Scotland, the EU doesn’t sanction the most vulnerable in our society, the EU doesn’t pay our pensioners the second-lowest social security amount in the developed world, the EU doesn’t use Scotland as a lab-rat for new taxes, the EU doesn’t dump nuclear waste in Scotland’s waters, the EU didn’t annex Scottish waters to undermine the strength of the Scottish economy, the EU didn’t negotiate Scotland to the very bottom of the fisheries and farming table, the EU doesn’t control the pocket money earmarked for Scotland? (CAP), the EU doesn’t regulate our broadcasters leaving Scotland the only Country in the world without a broadcasting service, the EU doesn’t say “you are not allowed a referendum” Westminster causes those problems.
Apart from the FACT the EU doesn’t control “Income tax”, VAT, National Insurance Contributions, North Sea oil and gas revenue (geographical share), Corporation tax, Fuel duties, Capital gains tax, Inheritance tax, Tobacco duties, Interest and dividends, Alcohol duties, Other taxes and royalties, Vehicle excise duty, Rent and other current transfers, Export Duties, Other taxes on income and wealth, Insurance premium tax, Betting and gaming duties, Climate change levy, Aggregates levy and “Air passenger duty”. Westminster controls them.
Apart from the FACT that the EU only costs Scotland £275 million a year membership fee, however, EU membership benefit to GDP is 4.5 per cent of GDP. This means the EU contribution to Scotland’s GDP could be approximately £7bn once filtered down for Scotland that makes approx £2.2 billion that helps our economy. Try getting that shortfall from Westminster..
THE EU CAN’T CLOSE OUR SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT BUT WESTMINSTER CAN!!!!!!!!!!
It wasn’t the EU that privatized British Gas, British Telecom, British Rail, Royal Mail, Water Industry, England’s NHS or Police Force.
It wasn’t the EU that sold off the Power Stations, British Steel or the Gold Reserves.
It wasn’t the EU that shut down the Coal Industry or smashed the Trade Unions.
It wasn’t the EU that depleted Social Housing Stocks or introduced Tuition Fees for England.
Here’s the BIGGIE if it wasn’t for the European Council Scotland wouldn’t have a Parliament. Westminster was dead against and the government (Tony Blair) was forced to offer us a vote, even though they fiddled the first vote eventually we got our wish and because we have a Parliament we get Free NHS, the best in the UK, Free Elderly Health Care, Free Further Education, Free Concessionary Bus Travel, Free Bridge Tolls, Frozen Council Tax for a considerable time. Historic Poll Tax debts written off, Free Prescriptions, Free children’s school meals until they are eight, and Free Child Care. Business rates rebate for small businesses  Don’t forget no BEDROOM TAX either.

As I say, please think about it

 

Here is a Facebook memory from the 1st September 2014. 17 days before the independence referendum. We had fought hard and well throughout the campaign. We had put up with the onslaught from the unionist press and the BBC. We had put up with people like Allister Darling on his way to the House of Lords but we kept our heads high and we plowed on never loosing hope.

 

The result was not what we hoped for but the people of Scotland did not give up, we had come from 27% in the polls at the start of the campaign to 45% and we were not about to give up.
In their tens of thousands they joined the SNP as at that time they saw them as still being the best chance of moving towards another referendum. Unfortunately the SNP did not understand the true feelings of the Scottish people and instead of laying out a roadmap to independence, starting with addressing the mistakes of the referendum campaign, they put independence to one side. They convinced themselves that their interests would be best served by leaving the new army they had to wilt and rot through inaction.

 

The SNP are guilty of the worst strategic thinking in the history of politics. They convinced themselves that people joined them because they were doing well in government and not because they wished another chance at independence. They were wrong in that assumption.
Since the referendum they have missed so many chances that looking back I am at a loss as to their basic logic and as for doing well in government, well that is what we pay them for and we pay them well for it too. I have a coach company and I employ coach drivers, I don’t thing they are doing exceptionally well if they can actually drive a coach, for goodness sake because that is what I pay them for.

Well they have paid for this mismanagement of the remit handed to them by the Scottish people, as shown in the three elections since the 2015 General Election.
Have they learned anything? no ,I doubt it and I have a feeling they are about to push the party further to the left in order to counter the Jeremy Corbin factor. That will be another in the long line of mistakes they have made.

 

In general ,the people of Scotland could not care less what the party of independence is, regarding left ,right or center because they are politically mature enough to realize that after we achieve independence then that is when we will chose the political party that will govern us.
The SNP have let the people of Scotland down and they should be ashamed of that, it is as simple as that.

 

No doubt this will be met with the usual tirade of abuse and statements like “Nicola has a plan but she is not telling us what it is “and “the SNP are keeping their cards close to their chest” Well, I for one am heartily sick of all this sycophantic mind numbing nonsense. As far as I am concerned, the SNP are in the last chance saloon and the bar is running dry. There urgently needs to be a change at the top and I mean Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrel, they are responsible for the mess both the SNP and the independence movement are in at the moment, I am sorry if this does not sit well with some folk but I personally have put too much into the fight for independence to see it wasted by sheer and utter incompetence.

 

It is way past time for a change, and a new road to independence.

 

Bob Costello
1 September 2014 at 22:49 ·

 

Well only 17 days to go before the most important date ever in the history of Scotland , yes it is by far the most important date because the last time Scotland decided to cease being an independent country in 1707 , it was not the people of Scotland who decided this ,it was the nobility and they made this decision for selfish reasons. So what has changed? well I will tell you what has changed . This time the ordinary people of Scotland have a voice and they intend to use it but we are still battling against the vested interests of the Westminster government who are battling to keep the vast wealth which Scotland possesses, and why are they doing this? they are doing this because they are waging a fight for survival. Throughout the years Westminster have exploited and wasted the wealth of Scotland for their own selfish ends and now they see the gravy train grinding to a halt because the people of Scotland are standing on the line in front of it and it has reached the end of the line.
Since the 15 October 2012 when Alex Salmond dragged David Cameron, screaming and shouting to the table and signed the Edinburgh agreement, Scotland has changed there is a new engagement, people are now more politically aware than they have ever been. Pandora’s box has been opened and the spirits of independence can never more be put back in that box. We are on the march and we have 17 days till we reach our objective.
Every destination starts with a dream and then there is the journey my Journey has been fascinating. I have met such wonderful and committed people, all on their particular Journey but we all have one thing in common and that is the destination, an independent Scotland where we will be able to hold our heads up high in the community of nations, where we will hold out our hand in friendship to anyone who wishes to take it , where we will look after our poor ,our elderly and the less fortunate in society, just the same as any close family. As we approach that destination , please take some time to consider the journey because regardless, and in the unlikely event of the vote not going our way we, all of us will always have the journey and that is something to be proud of and something they can never take away. So everyone of you out there who have manned the stalls ,have trudged around doors dropping leaflets ,who have had to put up with abuse and unpleasantness ,who have debated with and convinced no voters to vote yes, you do not have long to go so keep your humour and that smile on your face because the other side are becoming more desperate by the day . So walk lightly, talk softly and take time to look over your shoulder, there you will see a small footprint in the sands of history be proud, be very proud that you put it there.