Comments on: A Soundbite for Scotland http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-soundbite-for-scotland Work as if you live in the early days of a Fri, 17 May 2013 13:59:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Jeff http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35541 Jeff Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:00:34 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35541 Haha, good point. I only saw it on a BBC’s list of quotes, so can’t provide context I’m afraid.

]]> By: Edinburgh observer http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35536 Edinburgh observer Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:15:57 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35536 Re “”It’s not how you got there it’s what you do when you get there,” David McLetchie, Conservatives, 1999

When/where did he say this? Given the date cited is five years before resigning, it was rather prescient of future issues with travel arrangements!

]]> By: Richard http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35520 Richard Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:37:58 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35520 The “parish council” comparison seems to have been a bit of an urban myth. Here’s BT’s take on it, from his “Scotland’s Parliament: Triumph and Disaster”:

“In an interview with The Scotsman, Blair had pointed out that the lowliest parish council in England had a certain degree of discretion over finance. Would it not be ridiculous, he argued, to deny financial discretion to the powerful Scottish Parliament. Blair was, in truth, contrasting one with the other, stressing that the Scottish Parliament was an influential and significant body by comparison with the humble parish council.”

Although how seriously you take Brian’s blethering is a matter of personal choice.

]]> By: Reluctant Hero http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35498 Reluctant Hero Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:22:32 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35498 Independence – phenomenOIL

]]> By: James http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35497 James Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:39:38 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35497 Sticks of rock don’t have tattoos, and nothing has tattoos in the middle. Basically, Dave, that’s a piss-poor attempt to echo Queen Elizabeth the first and presumably zeroth.

]]> By: Chris http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35494 Chris Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:34:06 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35494 Favourites from the past

“Devolution will kill independence stone dead” (George Robertson) I think he was trying to convince himself…

“You can no more trust the Scottish Labour Party to deliver a Pizza than a Scottish Parliament” (Alex Salmond). Ah the joys of opposition

“If nominated, I would decline. If drafted, I would defer. And, if elected, I will resign.” (Alex Salmond) Deciding that Westminster was more fun than Holyrood

“I changed my mind” Alex Salmond (on above) Changing his mind

“unreconstructed wankers” Tony Blair on the Scottish Press just in case any nationalist thinks press hostility is personal

I can’t find the Blair quote contrasting the powers of the Scottish Parliament with a Parish Council. Suffice to say that he has been deliberately misquoted ever since.

“If you repeat a lie often enough it becomes the truth” Joseph Goebbels – in respect of the above

Soundbites for these times:

“The campaign for independence will be won or lost in Easterhouse and Wester Hailes, not in Facebook and Twitter” I made that up…

]]> By: James http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35467 James Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:55:59 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35467 It’s too long, but this, from Patrick, pleased me. Disclaimer: I worked for him at the time.

]]> By: Doug Daniel http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35464 Doug Daniel Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:32:11 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35464 How about Pat Kane’s one for a positive: “Be the Scotland you wish to see”.

Chimes nicely with the soundbite this blog is named after (which, to be perfectly honest, is hard to top anyway).

]]> By: Richard http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35463 Richard Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:24:21 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35463 Sorry, will try harder this time :)

“Better together as neighbours, not bedfellows. Independent and Interdependent.”

]]> By: Jeff http://www.betternation.org/2012/10/a-soundbite-for-scotland/#comment-35462 Jeff Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:17:36 +0000 http://www.betternation.org/?p=2898#comment-35462 Oh dear, negative cases outweighing positive cases already. We’re only a day in people, come on now…

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