Help Me Rhona

As a ‘Hard Brexit’ now looks more and more certain it’s important to recall the arguments made by Better Together during the referendum.

Thanks to Greig Forbes for this. Greig writes: “Time hasn’t been kind to the 2013 arguments put forward by Alistair “I’m trying to play by the rules” Carmichael on our European membership.”

Poor old Alistair – a man described by Andrew Tickell  as “A man with all the menace of a squashed aubergine” has recently told the Shetland News that Alistair would ‘more likely than not run again’.

This film extract is dedicated to the Guardian’s Michael White.

Comments (15)

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  1. bringiton says:

    According to Malcolm Bruce,the Libdems have plenty more (liars that is) where he came from,so no worries.

  2. Jimmy says:

    This is a keeper

  3. Monty says:

    have to say neither of them comes out of this encounter very well. We must and can do better than this.

    1. James Mills says:

      I think that you miss the point of the extract .

  4. Alf Baird says:

    The sad reality is that voters in the N.Isles, a constituency with a significant proportion of the population coming from south of the border who tend to naturally dislike the idea of Scottish nationhood, would probably still vote him back in. Its a tactical ‘British’ or anti independence vote. He can more or less say what he wants.

    1. Alec McGregor says:

      I think there is a fair element of truth to Alf’s comments regards voting intentions of some of those choosing to live in Scotland, i.e. thwarting independence.

      Those same people come here for the higher overall quality of life, their kids get free university places and public services are of a higher standard than those of England.

      By voting for the union, they risk loosing the very reasons they have moved to Scotland?

      Indeed, turkey’s voting for Christmas, but one wonders why they settle in a country where they do not trust the people of that country, to run that country.

      I will happily acknowledge there are increasing numbers settling in Scotland who do not follow this stereotype and embrace Scotland, mix well and trust the Scottish people!

  5. Fiona Grahame says:

    Alf Baird, the Orkney 4, The Petitioners who took him to court for telling a blatant lie in order to affect his election had many supporters in the Northern Isles whereas his crowdfund was so poor he ran begging to the JRRT Ltd for £50,000 . He only retained his seat with 817 votes. He was not seen in any LibDem leaflets in the Scottish election of 2016 as his own party saw him as a liability.

    1. Willie says:

      A pertinent observation indeed Fiona when you note that Carmichael only scraped through with the skin of his teeth. So yes, not all islanders are unionists. But equally, Alf is correct when he observes that there are incomes from south of the border who are anti Scottish and anti Scottish Parliament. Seeding a colony with dissenters is an old trick of the Empire – and one does not need to look to far to the plantation of Ulster to see how effective the policy can be.

      1. DC says:

        Or what is currently being done to Wales.

  6. Thrawn says:

    Has anyone looked at the promises of the SNP during the referendum and evaluated whether they would still apply in the event Scottish independance and a hard Brexit:

    No border controls – nope
    No effects on trade between Scotland and rUK – nope
    Keep the pound – nope

    1. Rab says:

      Scotland isn’t independent and we haven’t left the EU yet, so that’s all just speculation. Unionists will try to insist that there will be a hard border, that trade will be affected, and that we’ll lose the pound, because it suits their political agenda to do so. But will those arguments be based on sound evidence or will it be yet more lies and scaremongering?

      Look at their track record. The HMRC job security they promised if we voted No, the £200bn oil boom Scotland would see if we voted to remain part of the UK, the Clyde frigate order, the continued support for renewables, our continued EU membership, effective home rule, the list of lies goes on and on.

      Why would anyone believe anything they say this time round?

      The loss of EU membership would be a disaster for Scotland. I don’t know if we’ll win the next indyref or not, but I do know that the desire among those who voted Yes last time round is even stronger this time, and we’re not starting from 20% behind. The world looks at the UK right now and sees an arrogant little inward-looking, xenophobic state that looks set to be ruled by vicious right-wing governments for the next decade.

      This time round Scotland must choose to embrace that if it wants to remain powerless.

      1. Thrawn says:

        Of course it is speculation just as the film speculates that UK will have a hard Brexit…if it doesnt and we retain free movement of peoples and full access to single market (as I hope) then there would be no functional difference to Scotland and the argument of the video would be irrelevant.

        However if there is a hard Brexit and Scotland leaves UK to remain part of the EU then that means rUK will need to control the movement of peoples in and the costs of goods going in and out…you cannot do that if you have a fully open land border and allow goods to flow unregulated across that border.

        By the way this works in both directions…if for example the rUK economy craters after Brexit would an independant Scotland accept millions of english coming north to take jobs and then sending the money back to rUK…or if, for example, rUK decided to subsidise massively milk production …would Scotland accept the destruction of its dairy industry or impose tariffs on milk imported on rUK

        1. Ed says:

          well thrawn, for your information the milk industry is finished in scotland now, so that comment is irelevent!!! and the English people employed in Scotlsnd send their mony to England anyway, so tell me more.

    2. Dod McFarlane says:

      The Scottish Government had a plan, a plan they published and by enlarge stood by.

      Any plan is only followed up to a point or %, but it gives you a path of where you are, where you want to go to and how to get there, avoiding the the greatest risks and capitalising on priorities and benefits on the way.

      What would or should the independence cause change, my thoughts would be shadowing the uk pound with a Scottish Pound instead of a joint currency.

      What plans have the uk government for brexit – absolutely zero at the time and absolutely zero three months later. A complete shambles!

      As for deficits, the uk has a gigantic deficit, it intends to increase this deficit by renewing trident and buying nuclear power stations from the Chinese, whilst distancing itself from the EU.

      As for the Scottish deficit, if this is to increase let’s increase it by investment in wave power and public services whilst actively seeking strong ties with the EU.

      You unionists are reduced to fearing fear itself, all as a result of your mental slavery to the status quo and self doubt.

  7. willie says:

    Simple fact one. Folks were told to vote no to ensure that Scotland stayed in the EU. This was a lie.
    Simple fact two. Scotland voted two thirds to stay in the EU. But the people’s wishes count for absolutely nothing
    Conclusion : Scotland can get it RFUT.

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