I was at primary school during the 1979 devolution referendum. It’s fair to say many in the Celtic community were suspicious of the SNP due to the hostile attitudes some of the party leadership had to the Irish diaspora in their midst.
Fresh blood brought change to the SNP in the 1980s, there were even overtures to Irish nationalism. Alex Salmond cemented these changes, broadened the appeal of the party towards new and multi-generation immigrants, and asserted the SNP’s multi-faith credentials. He also became close friends with disgraced Cardinal O’Brien (which is no reflection on Mr Salmond).
At the height of his political powers Salmond appears to have overreached. Something would be done about men shouting at football games. From now on only certain flavours of nationalism would be favoured, acceptable, perhaps even legal. MSP Christine Graham let the Scottish Parliament know, the problem was that Celtic fans were not acting illegally, so the law had to change.
The Axe the Act candidate in today’s Glasgow City Council, Govan, by-election, Thomas Rannachan has brought the consequences of Salmond’s largess to his door. The SNP are defending the seat but one year out from the battle Salmond really needs to win, his shoddy attack on football fans is set to undermine him. As an independent Rannachan may not win, but he has put the First Minister on the back foot.
George Ryan’s funeral will take place at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow, at 10:00 on Monday. All are welcome.
Sean’s book’s here, fill your boots:
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winning captains
Will this years annual, just be a list? Don’t think there will be room for anything else.
HH
CRC
eddieinkirkmichael
22:42 on 10 October, 2013
Any indication how the count is going?
CRC, a chapter on the Predictor for next year?
Given the chance,I would never vote for a Unionist government.Never.
Regards”The Bill”.No one can with all honesty say that the stamping out of some of the things sung was a bad thing.Nothing wrong with the “Bill”.Its the way it is being implemented thats the problem.The Police Scotland have been given targets which they must reach,as in the rest of the UK..The Focus group was set up and financed to implement the Bill.They must get results,or rather the guy in charge is demanding those under him to get results.
As we know,many dont need an excuse to arrest Celtic fans,and if this hobby gets the aforementioned results,all the better.
Police Scotland and the Focus Group are the real culprits in this.Any law brought out is only as fair as the people implementing it.
CRC
Don’t recognise about 20% of the list :-(
Turkeybhoy
22:45 on
10 October, 2013
‘Given the chance,I would never vote for a Unionist government.Never.’
###
Good for you. Well done.
What I want to know though is this- would you vote for Christmas?
Am still no on the list lol.boo hoo hoo
prestonpans bhoys
22:45 on 10 October, 2013
So 80% volume, that’s about right :-)
Hope u r well and must catch up soon? Shame I will miss the Hibs game.
HH
CRC
Me, I’m in the Yes camp. I don’t want my gran kids growing up and never in their life will their votes ever make a difference to who governs them. I don’t ever again want to see Scottish men and women going off to far away places while our masters in London pretend to play at Empire.
You don’t trust Eck? Don’t vote for him in 2016, vote for someone else.
Hundreds of yrs as part of an unequal union and still parts of Scotland are still among the poorest in Europe. Men in Calton die earlier than in any other part of the UK through ill health brought about by poverty.
I could go on but what’s the point, as far as I see from the posts I’ve seen on here there are no undecided or those likely to change their minds so debate is pointless.
Anyway I’m still thawing out after being out in the cold in Govan for 8 hrs today.
I will never note SNP.
I can now, after much soul searching, confidently say that I will obey my instincts & vote YES to Scottish independence.
There is no conflict between those two statements.
Like Ireland, we deserve the right to self-determination.
To argue for one of these things & oppose the other would be the height of hypocricy.
Celtic Roller coaster – the Annual is going to be bigger and better than last year. It will also be Sevco free!
Doc is supporting Oscar and McKenzie.
22:44 on 10 October, 2013
Sorry don’t know but from what I heard from voters today Labour is going to win by a few percentage points.
Here is sumthin ..that Ah believe has bin over-looked by the Majority of
Pro- Independence Voters.
A Vote For… Independence is a vote for
ONE PARTY RULE!
Why wid Ah say something like That?
Well.. Firstly.. Because Ah believe it tae be a Truism
and Secondly..
The S.N.P are the ONLY Party who are Proposing this Vote.
Yep..
If the Scottish People. go fur this Tom fool Idea..
Then They Wull find oot
The Wan Party Rule is No Sae Great!
in a Bloody Hurry!
Ah tellya the S.N. P. Political agenda….is full of fancy Egg Heid Ideas..
and there is wan thing that Stands Agin. .well..
Egg Heid Idealists,,
And that is Hearth and Family..
And wan thing that Stands Tall Fur.. Hearth and Family Values..
and that is the Belief in God..
The Godless S.N.P, will quickly do it’s best tae Stifle and eliminate those old Fashioned Family Values
The Catholics wull be it’s number wan Target..
Starting with..the Dissolution of Catholic Education and Schools, must be The Number wan Priority
oan the S.N.P. Agenda..
And Celtic fans wull be included in the S.N.P.s Pogrom,against Catholic Influence in Scottish Affairs..
Kojo
Stilll, Laughin’
turkeybhoy
You think it’s ok that a law is designed specifically to target us ? The cops have been given a weapon, who supplied it.
Can you answer this question please ? What songs are you referring to when yo wrote “No one can with all honesty say that the stamping out of some of the things sung was a bad thing”. ?
Eddie
Sorry, my initial post was rattled out ( typos and all ) as I was heading out the office door for home.
Re Focus going on foreign trips — I suspect that is to engather footage which they can then use to identify so called suspected trouble makers who they can then supposedly identify and keep an eye on at matched here rather than charge them with any offence while away.
Obviously, the legislation is meant to cover any person of any nationality when they are in Scotland…. and that is the key part…. In Scotland.
My stupid examples are designed to highlight that the Edinburgh Parliament does not have jurisdiction over events in another country….. even though they would love to be able to do that.
So, if you had an Italian and a Scot making a bloody nuisance of themselves in Prague before they both flew to Scotland, it would be ever so slightly bonkers to suggest that the Scot could be committing an offence but the Italian wasn’t.
Of course, don’t confuse being able to charge someone with something, with convicting them.
The Police can charge anyone with anything but they have to have good reason and act reasonably to stay within the law….. and if they don’t they are outwith the law.
Which then tales me to your comment on the young fella being kept in the police station for 6 hours.
Now, others who still work in the field, and who worked in this area far more frequently than I, will be able to give you the chapter and verse on this with far greater authority than me.
However, you are correct that the police have the right to detain someone for questioning and investigation for up to six hours after which they must be charged or released.
Note, that this is a right or a permission…. it is not compulsory so they do not have to detain anyone for six hours as they can charge them there and then and that is that.
Not only that, the ability to detain and question and investigate for six hours, is not an unfettered right…… the detention for that period… or for up to that period must be for a strict purpose, namely further investigation.
If there is to be no further investigation, or questioning or anything like that, then the Police do not have the right to detain you for the six hours, and if they do, they are acting outwith the powers that have been given to them.
So, if the young fella was dragged into police station without a by your leave and simply kept there for six hours without being spoken to or any other investigative procedure taking place, then that is an abuse of the powers given to the police and is evidence of them acting in bad faith on a prima facie basis.
Anyway, as I said I hung up my gown years ago……… and listen to the wisdom like brevity of PF Ayr who has pointed out that they can’t muster a conviction with this crap in Stranraer never mind Santander.
Eddie, thanks, I hope yer man gets enough vote to get airtime and highlight the issue.
THE EXILED TIM
22:38 on
10 October, 2013
What if in the months leading up to the referendum it became clear that a new Scottish Labour movement was about to rise and return to the roots of the Labour Party?
A vote for independence is not a vote for the SNP and if anything I’d say it’s more likely to hasten their end, as they will have served their purpose – unless they remain the only major party that has any kind of socialist policies.
So independence and a chance to vote for a party that might repeal the preposterous Offensive Behaviour act, or stick with what we have and the party that brought it in.
Although to be frank if you’re (not you personally) basing your decision on this act alone, you’re not taking the whole thing seriously.
winning captains
22:51 on 10 October, 2013
Really looking forward to it. Have you any of last year’s annuals still available? Took mine on hols this year and the binding glue melted in the heat and my poor wee book fell apart
:-(
HH
CRC
Kilbowie Kelt
22:51 on
10 October, 2013
‘Like Ireland, we deserve the right to self-determination.’
###
Do we not have the right to self determination?
Have we not had it for a century?
Salmond/SNP will cease to exist after independence.
The country will shake down along Westminster lines, hopefully with PR so we at least have a real say on schooling etc.
The 16-18% (thats us) will ultimately be protected by Brussels……and yes we will be in the EC, probably with a new currency.
We work from within, educate ourselves, make informed choices, ignore the rest.
This whole issue is, certainly now, about the 80% not having an outlet in popular culture through football. They are living in a cultural desert with no voice or projection out with the medieval parishes of Scotland (Div 3 level) and it shall remain this way for a very long time.
Its almost embarrassing to listen and read the MSM in Scotland. Their paucity of support for Celtic in Europe is palpable.
Its nothing more than whataboutery being practiced by a government and its MSM……they all went, with few exceptions, to the same schools after all.
We just need to deal with it on a personal level as best we can. Things may get better post independence or they may not.
I’ve never voted in my life but I will vote YES then choose the PR party who will give me what I want which includes revised legislation, denominational schooling, cultural acknowledgement and most importantly that the correct legal checks and balances are imposed upon Police Scotland’s behaviour.
Just my 2 bobs worth :)
Kojo
While I’m no supporter or voter for Eck or the SNP, the simple fact that you spout rubbish about what they would do when they get in, is almost enough for me to consider reading their manisfesto.
Oh and Eck has already came out on several occasions saying Catholic education is safe and he rates it highly.
Turkeybhoy
“Nothing wrong with the “Bill”.Its the way it is being implemented thats the problem.”
There is a whole lot wrong with the Bill, the thinking behind it and the way it is implemented.
It is ok to say the party you favour messed up spectacularly. I have no trouble at all in saying that Blair and other Senior Labour members got it wholly wrong in the Iraq invasion.
To rectify a wrong, you must first admit it is wrong. The police did not draft this legislation.
BRTH
I know a girl who was banned from Celtic Park, for her behaviour in Udinese on police advice.
She wasn’t in Udinese at the time!
#Fearless Wee Oscar is on a Celticrollercoaster
22:49 on
10 October, 2013
Reason I texted you was to give you Miss Prestonpans ticket since she’s been in hospital and recovering however she now assures me that she can make the 25 min trip up to Easter Rd. I’m still wondering how she will make a trip to CP for Ajax, me thinks I’ll need to park at the back of the LL stand and leave here about 4pm :-)
Kilbowie Kelt,
Why?
As I said earlier today that is a fearsome list and if I had a fiver for every one of the buggers on there that has ever bought me a drink I would have £20……. just!
greendreamz
22:57 on
10 October, 2013
‘Salmond/SNP will cease to exist after independence.’
#########
You do know that the SNP’s stated intention is to continue in existence if there’s a yes vote?
Because if you do, why lie about it?
And if you don’t, why pretend to know about something when you don’t have a clue?
BRHT
I think we both at least agree this is a stupid law which will at some point be taken to a higher a court, where it will be shown up for what it is.
Monteblanco
challenge that…… challenge it like buggery!
Winning Captains
We’re gonna need a bigger annual…see if you put in my lurker pal
Willy ‘O’ the bhold fenian mhan ..in . I will buy an extra annual just for him.
p.s he was at the against the bill rally in the skwerr. hh
Eddie
exactly and the sooner the better…… drive horse, cart and both steptoes right through the bloody thing!
eddieinkirkmichael
22:58 on
‘Oh and Eck has already came out on several occasions saying Catholic education is safe and he rates it highly.’
###
So on the one hand a yes vote isn’t a vote for the SNP and the SNP will cease to exist if there’s a yes vote but on the other we are supposed to believe assurances given by the leader of the SNP about what will or will not happen in a separate Scotland?
Is it just me, or is there something wrong with that logic?
Neganon, good to see you back. As usual we disagree!
Julie Burchill’s desert island discs is recommended listening. Naturally she is barking but she also remains interesting. Does anybody have a favourite desert island discs episode?
Well some say life will beat you down
Break your heart, steal your crown
So I’ve started out, for God knows where
I guess I’ll know when I get there
I’m learning to fly, around the clouds,
But what goes up must come down
I’m learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings
Coming down is the hardest thing
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
TET ……hahahahha but you would vote for Scotland ….braw!
weeminger
I never said what way I would vote re the vote.
I said I would never vote snp.
Your scenario of an all singing labour party finding it’s roots again, is IMO, a total fantasy.
Not trying to put you down for that, just my belief.
Politics these days are nothing to do with politics of yore, when there were people who cared about the people, sadly not any more, they are in it for themselfs and themselfs alone, they give not a toss for the voter.
HH
prestonpans bhoys
22:59 on 10 October, 2013
If you are though early for the Ajax game (i.e 4pm), I will have no doubt that the Grey Brigade will be out with there normal pre-match ritual (beer-food-beer).
Non-(younger)members like myself tag along to keep the age down. You and Miss Prestonpans would be most welcome to join in and help lower the age :-). I hope she is better, my friend and her illness is not too bad?
HH
CRC
TET …btw that link you put up the other day …The tax advisor fron Aye brokes …great laugh ….and it seems to be the gift that keeps on giving ….braw!