Kid's last minute home made Euro plea

Seen in a north Kingston window this afternoon.  However, I'm still not sure it isn't about the European football...

Exclusive - Farage reacts to new Coetzee role

The news that Nick Clegg's 'world class' strategist, Ryan Coetzee, has been appointed to run the yes to EU campaign has at least one supporter:

 

Put your money on a big NO vote...

Saturday song

It's time for that fantastic alliterative replacement for 'Friday favourite' - it's a post referendum 'Saturday song':

Scottish referendum - yes takes the lead.

With less than a fortnight to go before the Indy referendum Political Betting reports that a YouGov poll puts the Yes campaign in front by a whisker.  I'm not surprised - the shamefully negative and insulting No campaign - funded by Cameron's Tories and run by west central Scotland's Labour mafia has made no case for the union and failed to agree what new powers Scotland will get in the event of a No vote.

The Yes campaign has also been helped by a bit of social media creativity - such as this:

Danny Alexander's currency union u-turn

Lib Dem Voice (among others) reports Danny Alexander has ruled out a post Scottish independence currency union in the strongest possible terms.  He states: "a currency union would create unacceptable risks both for Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom."

This surely can't be the same Danny Alexander as press spokesman for the pro european currency union campaign Britain in Europe who told the Guardian in 2002, "When the euro fell below dollar parity, anti-Europeans were rubbing their hands with glee. There's egg on faces now,"

Now I don't know whether Danny actually now believes currency unions 'create unacceptable risks' or has simply gone native and is just parroting the Osborne Treasury line.  But what I do know is that it is stupid politics both for the 'No' campaign and the Lib Dems.

It's stupid for the No campaign as there is nothing more certain to get the opposite reaction in Scotland than for Westminster politicians to tell the Scots what they can do.  And it is stupid for the Lib Dems as they have denied themselves the opportunity to point this out.

Better together - hypothetical scaremongering

Two articles on Lib Dem Voice caught my eye today - both from the so-called 'Better Together' campaign who are effectively the political wing of the Scottish Labour party.

One is written by Kirsty O'Brien, who fails to mentions she is a London based Labour hack - looking to become a Scottish MEP next year.  Confusingly titled 'London is not a foreign country' - er no because it is a city - she raises the bizarre spectre of her poor wee son having to get his passport out when visiting his Granny.

If you couldn't think it could get any more bizarre - we then have an article from Willie Rennie - who should know better - fantasising about in/out EU referenda with Scotland staying in and the rest of the UK leaving.

I'm pretty relaxed about the outcome of the Scottish vote - but the result will be determined by which side can inspire the most confidence in Scottish voters that they represent their longer term interests and will provide optimism for their economic futures.  Not this sort of hypothetical scaremongering.

Scots Lib Dems try to bar Yes campaign?

An interesting snippet reaches LOWA towers about what can only be described as anti nationalist paranoia from the Scottish Lib Dems.

The Yes to independence campaign asked the party's conference committee whether it could exhibit at this year's main conference in Glasgow in September - but bizarrely the Scottish Lib Dems objected claiming that it might lead to "threatening or otherwise unacceptable behaviour". However the UK (federal) party saw sense and allowed the Scots Yes Campaign "to exhibit at federal conference should they wish to do so. Allowing them a platform to express their views and engage in a debate with conference attendees would be preferable to shutting them out."

Well quite.  

And quite how what's left of the Scottish Party can think trying to censor the legitimate voice of civic nationalism can help their case is beyond me.  Maybe they're being advised by John McSharkey?

Warsi leaps to top of sack race with Boulton interview crash

Tory Chairwoman, Baroness Warsi, must now be favourite for the chop in any Cabinet reshuffle. The car crash of an interview with Sky's Adam Boulton that is doing the rounds of the interweb is so dire it is worth repetition...



It's not just a one off though. Sayeeda Warsi is usually pretty dreadful when interviewed or when involved on a panel discussion even when she has strong arguments to put across. But here her material is about as thin as it can get illustrating the paucity of the NO to AV campaign's arguments.

And given her job is about communicating Tory policies and achievements within the coalition if she can't communicate effectively - what is the point of her?

David Owen, Margaret Thatcher, referenda and Vicky Pollard

In March 1979 the Scots voted narrowly 'Yes' in a referendum to set up a Scottish legislature - but not by enough to overcome the requirement that a total of 40% of the electorate should approve.

It was a time when the Conservative party were a significant force in Scotland - particularly in rural areas and the North East and their strident opposition was clearly important in delivering large 'no' votes in these areas.

But their opposition took the form of 'vote NO and we'll bring in something better'. In an eve of vote message to the Chairman of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association, Margaret Thatcher wrote, "Many people of all parties, as well as Conservatives, believe that the right answer to the Government's proposal is NO. A NO vote does not mean that the devolution question will be buried. It will open the way for all parties to explore together a lasting alternative arrangement which can enjoy the support of the whole British people."

The Scots had to wait a further 18 years for their wish for self government to be fulfilled and in the meantime the Conservative and Unionist party collapsed to insignificance north of the border.

Move forward 32 years and we have another referendum and another politician asking people to do a Vicky Pollard and vote 'no, but yeh, but no...'

Owen wrote in Sunday's Independent "...a principled "No to AV, Yes to PR" can keep the door open for real reform. Popular demand for PR won't go away after a No vote...I urge you to vote for constitutional change because you believe in it. Electoral reformers who vote "No to AV, Yes to PR" will help to establish that it is the best system. Stand firm with the courage of your own convictions."

Sounds familiar?

No, but yeh, but no, but yeh...