I was born in Dunfermline , move to Edinburgh when I was 18 and that's been my permanent home since , with a couple of brief work related stays in England.
another making an assumption that anyone who is against independence cant be Scottish ...
I am bit surprised that this latest Salmond comment hasn't been picked up more in the media generally.
I am staggered at this statement it just seems to go way beyond normal knockabout political rhetoric.
Last night a lot of people were complaining that he'd described the battle as "Team Scotland" versus "Team Westminster" as if those who are voting No are not properly Scottish, or part of Team Scotland. It particularly annoyed Scottish Commonwealth medallist Linsey Sharp as part of "Team Scotland".
Does this mean he thinks he's Scotland's answer to Nelson Mandela?
The bloke's off his trolley.
I wouldn't be surprised. His ego is huge, and it's why he is so desperate to be the man in charge when Scotland gets Independence, rather than really caring what's best for Scotland. I know he does want Independence, but he doesn't care that we're just not ready for it. He's ignored the advice of campaigners in Quebec who think it's crazily soon after devolution, and some SNP old-timers who have advised to push for further devolution.
Of course he doesn't. He just thinks it's a good sound bite
Most of his campaigning has been one sound bite after another. He's a PR man in a position of power, and has about as much sincerity as your average dodgy advert.
The thing is, he knows his audience. He knows that a lot of people will see through what he says, but he is aiming his words at the undecideds. He doesn't care that No people think he's talking nonsense, and he's banking on the more intelligent Yes voters being firm enough in their views to dismiss his silliness as part of the process and for the 'greater good'.
Do you think perhaps he was comparing the length of the queues in South Africa, when the blacks got their first proper vote, with the lengths of the queues of youngsters between the age of 16 and 18, getting their first proper vote?
You know - absolutely hee-haw to do with apartheid - absolutely hee-haw to do with skin colour - a lot to do with the thrill of being able to vote for the first time.
Alex Salmond is a horrid, horrid individual. He is to Scotland what Nick Griffin is to England. Two vile individuals whose xenophobic, antagonistic comments have no place in a civilised society.
Oh good grief, there is no comparison whatsoever. Alex gets carried away sometimes, but he is far from being vile or xenophobic.
It is so insulting to even compare the referendum in Scotland to what black people went through in apartheid South Africa.
Surely Salmond can't think that there is any comparison can he ?
No, he was just talking about the similarities of people queueing up to engage in politics. This is what he actually said:
“Last Monday I saw something which I did not ever think I would see in my political life. In Dundee, I saw people queuing up – and it was not a short queue, it was a long queue – to register to vote.
“Almost reminiscent of the scenes in South Africa that some of us of a certain age remember from 20 years ago or so when people queued up to vote in the first free elections. I saw people queuing up to put in their registration forms to vote.
Last night a lot of people were complaining that he'd described the battle as "Team Scotland" versus "Team Westminster" as if those who are voting No are not properly Scottish, or part of Team Scotland. It particularly annoyed Scottish Commonwealth medallist Linsey Sharp as part of "Team Scotland".
I thought that's what this thread would be about.
I wouldn't be surprised. His ego is huge, and it's why he is so desperate to be the man in charge when Scotland gets Independence, rather than really caring what's best for Scotland. I know he does want Independence, but he doesn't care that we're just not ready for it. He's ignored the advice of campaigners in Quebec who think it's crazily soon after devolution, and some SNP old-timers who have advised to push for further devolution.
Because you like the idea of it?
Really? In your imagination.
Most of his campaigning has been one sound bite after another. He's a PR man in a position of power, and has about as much sincerity as your average dodgy advert.
The thing is, he knows his audience. He knows that a lot of people will see through what he says, but he is aiming his words at the undecideds. He doesn't care that No people think he's talking nonsense, and he's banking on the more intelligent Yes voters being firm enough in their views to dismiss his silliness as part of the process and for the 'greater good'.
He was just making the point that the three politicians who were in Scotland to lovebomb/scare/make veiled threats to were all westminster politicians
OK, that's it. Salmond's unsavoury posturing and lying are bad enough, but Cameron's promises could leave us paying even more to support Scotland. I think I just want them gone now.
OK, that's it. Salmond's unsavoury posturing and lying are bad enough, but Cameron's promises could leave us paying even more to support Scotland. I think I just want them gone now.
17% of the Scottosh population has registered to vote for the first time in this referendum. So yes the country has been galvanised and wanting to take an active part in the democratic process for the first time.
Instead of attacking Salmond over this perhaps we should look at the positive - 17% who have never felt franchised to vote previously have been stimulated to do so.
17% of the Scottosh population has registered to vote for the first time in this referendum. So yes the country has been galvanised and wanting to take an active part in the democratic process for the first time.
Instead of attacking Salmond over this perhaps we should look at the positive - 17% who have never felt franchised to vote previously have been stimulated to do so.
In this referendum anyone aged 16 or over can vote, so many of the 17% who are registed to vote for the first time in this referendum would not have been able to vote in previous major elections because they would have been under 18 on the 5th May 2011 Scottish Parilament election, 6th May 2010 UK general election.
Let`s not bring the bombing of hundreds of thousands of children, women, and refugees in the British bombing of Dresden into this just yet.
The Irish, like the Scots, are peaceful people, respected as such throughout the world.
Hindsight is always 20/20 and is always perfect. However after the Nazi bombing of London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, Glasgow, etc, people in this country at the time had a very different view.
As for the Scots and Irish being a "peaceful people", if Operation Sea Lion, Hitler's plan to invate England, had been successful Scotland and Ireland would have been next.
If you want to drag up the events of 70 years ago then the people of Ireland have a lot to be grateful for that the UK didn't capitulate in 1940, because they would have been next.
Do you think perhaps he was comparing the length of the queues in South Africa, when the blacks got their first proper vote, with the lengths of the queues of youngsters between the age of 16 and 18, getting their first proper vote?
You know - absolutely hee-haw to do with apartheid - absolutely hee-haw to do with skin colour - a lot to do with the thrill of being able to vote for the first time.
And the thrill of being able to vote in a referendum that could have a massive effect on the future of Scotland.
I would take his comments as meaning that it is great to see that when you truly give people something worth voting on they turn out in droves to register for that vote.
Lets face it, it's almost pointless voting in the General Election as the Scottish (seat) MP's have such little influence in comparison with English (seat) MP's.
I would take his comments as meaning that it is great to see that when you truly give people something worth voting on they turn out in droves to register for that vote.
Salmond said
"Almost reminiscent of the scenes in South Africa that some of us of a certain age remember from 20 years ago or so when people queued up to vote in the first free elections. I saw people queuing up to put in their registration forms to vote"
The implication is that Scotland has previously been unfree. oppressed, the Scottish people denied a say it how they are governed.
Comments
Last night a lot of people were complaining that he'd described the battle as "Team Scotland" versus "Team Westminster" as if those who are voting No are not properly Scottish, or part of Team Scotland. It particularly annoyed Scottish Commonwealth medallist Linsey Sharp as part of "Team Scotland".
I thought that's what this thread would be about.
I wouldn't be surprised. His ego is huge, and it's why he is so desperate to be the man in charge when Scotland gets Independence, rather than really caring what's best for Scotland. I know he does want Independence, but he doesn't care that we're just not ready for it. He's ignored the advice of campaigners in Quebec who think it's crazily soon after devolution, and some SNP old-timers who have advised to push for further devolution.
Because you like the idea of it?
Really? In your imagination.
Most of his campaigning has been one sound bite after another. He's a PR man in a position of power, and has about as much sincerity as your average dodgy advert.
The thing is, he knows his audience. He knows that a lot of people will see through what he says, but he is aiming his words at the undecideds. He doesn't care that No people think he's talking nonsense, and he's banking on the more intelligent Yes voters being firm enough in their views to dismiss his silliness as part of the process and for the 'greater good'.
You know - absolutely hee-haw to do with apartheid - absolutely hee-haw to do with skin colour - a lot to do with the thrill of being able to vote for the first time.
Oh good grief, there is no comparison whatsoever. Alex gets carried away sometimes, but he is far from being vile or xenophobic.
No, he was just talking about the similarities of people queueing up to engage in politics. This is what he actually said:
“Last Monday I saw something which I did not ever think I would see in my political life. In Dundee, I saw people queuing up – and it was not a short queue, it was a long queue – to register to vote.
“Almost reminiscent of the scenes in South Africa that some of us of a certain age remember from 20 years ago or so when people queued up to vote in the first free elections. I saw people queuing up to put in their registration forms to vote.
“People who frankly couldn’t give a stuff about political parties or any politician are now engaged joyfully in this electoral process, and, just for the absence of any doubt, they weren’t queuing up to vote No, they were queuing up to vote Yes.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11086121/Independent-Scotland-wont-pay-back-debt-Alex-Salmond-says.html
Nothing insulting there.
He was just making the point that the three politicians who were in Scotland to lovebomb/scare/make veiled threats to were all westminster politicians
I very much doubt salmond does anything by chance
if he chose to make the comparison to post-apartheid south Africa it was for a reason
Why would we be paying more?
Who else is going to pay for Browns promise ? The Welsh ?
Aren't the promises for more powers rather than more money?
Aye that's right, I forgot. The people of Scotland pay 3/4 of the square root of bugger all to the treasury.
Instead of attacking Salmond over this perhaps we should look at the positive - 17% who have never felt franchised to vote previously have been stimulated to do so.
Surprised he didn't compare it with the devolution poll - 10 years ago today
Hindsight is always 20/20 and is always perfect. However after the Nazi bombing of London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, Glasgow, etc, people in this country at the time had a very different view.
As for the Scots and Irish being a "peaceful people", if Operation Sea Lion, Hitler's plan to invate England, had been successful Scotland and Ireland would have been next.
Hitler’s secret plans to invade Ireland revealed
If you want to drag up the events of 70 years ago then the people of Ireland have a lot to be grateful for that the UK didn't capitulate in 1940, because they would have been next.
Why would he? There weren't people queueing up to register to vote on devolution.
And the thrill of being able to vote in a referendum that could have a massive effect on the future of Scotland.
I would take his comments as meaning that it is great to see that when you truly give people something worth voting on they turn out in droves to register for that vote.
Lets face it, it's almost pointless voting in the General Election as the Scottish (seat) MP's have such little influence in comparison with English (seat) MP's.
How can you have apartheid in an all white state?