The SNPs parliamentary majority and comfortable lead in opinion polls makes it likely they will pass their Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill this week, once and for all removing government and police responsibility to produce separate reports on sectarian crime. Instead, a range of offenses, some new, some old, will be lumped together, including a myriad of profanities.
Alex Salmond’s government has been reluctant to provide a breakdown on sectarian crime despite being asked to produce them since 2007 and has presided over the destruction of all but last year’s data. Even the release of this data required research and analysis to divine the nature of the crime.
They have also refused to re-collect data from police records, demonstrating shocking arrogance on a subject they have invested enormous amounts of resource elsewhere on. Your last window on sectarian crime under this government, acute though it is, is about to be bricked in.
The Government have also politicised the police in a manner reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher’s government during the miner’s strike. An Anti-Sectarian Crime unit appeared on the ground, without any reference to churches and community groups most affected by sectarian crime. After the Nottinghill Carnival riots of the 1970s the Metropolitan Police learned painful lessons about how necessary it was to involve community groups and leaders in any action which can be perceived to be focused on any specific section of society.
The leadership of Strathclyde Police, which looks likely to benefit from Scottish Government changes to stage a takeover of the entire Scottish police operation, appears to be, quite literally, 35 years behind their London counterparts, who long ago learned that community engagement comes first.
In the light of how they have served each other’s interests with little regard to the public, this cosy relationship of non-consulting and ambitious number of police officers from Glasgow and Holyrood politicians must be prevented from harvesting control of a combined Scottish force – the biggest prize up for grabs in policing in decades.
The proposed Bill has received almost no support from the football community and faith groups. Repealing it and de-politicising ambitious police officers will surely be one of the key promises of Salmond’s political opponents at the next Scottish Parliament elections, who will at least be able to find a popular rallying call.
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The demise of a former Prime Minister and the subsequent State Funeral will be marked at all public events.
One minute silence or one minute applause?
I vote for the latter.
Snake Plissken – Much as I hate the argumentum ad hominem, it does sometimes save time.
You quote The Economist at some length.
If we’d listened to The Economist, we’d have joined the Euro 10 years ago and our current troubles would be amplified by a factor of a thousand. Unemployment, for one, would likely be higher by a few million people or so.
Thank all that is good and holy that we didn’t listen to Euro-fetishists like The Economist.
As for blaming the French. What if they are, in fact, to blame? Yes it’s easy for some to blame the French. Easier for others to blame the Tories. I say follow the evidence.
Re: The City.
You might be sick of hearing about it, but the City is massively important to the UK. It generates something more than a tenth of our tax revenues. It is a major source of investment and jobs in this country.
We need every penny we can get to drag ourselves out of this mess.
We do not need to blithely sacrifice one of the few remaining parts of our economy that is still world-class in order to appease continental superstitions and envy about “Anglo-Saxon capitalisme”.
We won’t get out of recession by deliberately making ourselves poorer. (thumbsup)
philvis returns 1248
Gotta disagree there,the police were OUTSIDE the law,as was every organisation or company who were hell-bent on destroying the miners.
Scargill was,unfortunately,right in every respect of that battle,apart from two huge points,
He should NOT have used ordinary working men and their families as cannon fodder in a political and ideological battle,
And he should have gone for a ballot.
He would have won a ballot,but by being an idiot and refusing to recognise THE LAW he f’d it up.
Rules are rules,laws are laws,if you do not agree with them,do your best to get them changed. Until then,abide by them.
Take a wee trip to Auchinleck,South Shields,Mansfield,or a couple of hundred other towns where mining was the only option,and see what Thatcherite “destroy the miners at all costs” policy did to communities.
Aye,she knew what she was doing,and it was a disgrace,but Scargill was equally culpable.
Joe Gormley would never have fallen for that.
RobertTressell – Policing is political. How could it be otherwise?
Pretty much sums up your worldview, Robert. (thumbsup)
Joe Filippis Haircut @13 39.——
Impossible to predict how Udinese will line up on Thursday night .
Impossible to predict how Udinese will approach the game on Thursday night.
Their owner will decide. Don’t think he gives a toss about the Europa League. He wants an automatic Champions League place
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Udinese field a relatively weak team . I wouldn’t be surprised if they are not at all up for it … their next two opponents are Lazio and Juve
The stadium will be two thirds empty-the stage is set —-We’ll see
Not a good day to be on the blog, a couple of disgusting posts.
Lurgan
I think journalists (even the one we have on our side) is meant to be question provoking, on the day of a ‘monumental outcome’ to
the heinous charge of illicit but carefully and deliberately confused by the media, as sectarian singing.
Yourself I recall, and other posters praised the eloquence and position taken by Michael Kelly on the charge of “illicit” singing,
he was championed, and probably quite rightly, as we have no orator, let alone a good one in public at the moment to define illicit to the extent
Celtic Supporters still don’t know what they’ve done wrong, and argue about it here on this Blog and elsewhere, no doubt.
Maybe Phil is just seeking out the official Michael Kelly?
Privately, I reckon he doesn’t think theres anything wrong with political add ons, the board at Celtic do, and he’s testing the water.
I only asked the question I did today to get an educated answer not to take abuse like that & now some people are implying that I’m a Hun.
Isn’t it funny the “call me Dave” Cameron had a pre-arranged party for 20 backbenchers at Chequers on Friday night at which he was hailed a hero.
These summits are notorious for over-running yet “call me Dave” was able to arrange such a gathering with confidence.
A cynic might think he went to the summit with no intention of reaching accord.
I wonder if he invited any of his friends from neo fascist loony European right that they now hang out with.
The Tory Party, the Rangers of politics.
Paul67
Should this piece of nonsense legislation be passed, which it looks very much like it will, then I think it’s safe to say that the SNP can wave adios to very many of the votes which put them into power in the first place.
Philvisreturns
What about the other 90% of our tax revenues? Surely the protection of their revenues would be uppermost in any veto decision.
Why did he want protection for only 10% of the tax revenues? Surely more than 10% of the 90% of the tax revenues will be affected by the veto por cierto.
Afternoon bhoys, cool but hun free.
No read back, how did wee cragie get on in court today ?
Blogger on this topic.
‘Hate Data’ destroyed as Salmond’s SNP fear Independent Scotland viewed as ‘Too Sectarian’ to join predominantly Catholic European Union
http://scottishlaw.blogspot.com/2011/12/hate-data-destroyed-as-salmonds-snp.html
philvisreturns @ 14:16
”If Merkozy had gotten their way, there would have been an EU-wide transaction tax and other new regulations that would effectively kill off the City of London as a leading financial centre…………If they had no intention of doing this, they would have agreed to Cameron’s modest face-saving request and a deal would have been agreed that included Britain.”
Of course they are out to curtail Anglo-Saxon Banking; they blame our 90’s deregulation for today’s Euro contagion. The financials are going to change a few American, British and Global initiatives
Stiglitz
Dodd-Frank
BASEL III
The Walker Review
Etc, Etc, Etc…….
Of course there plenty more but the Banks have years before they have to comply and are lobbying vociferously to have the regulations rolled back.
Are the German-Franco EU regulations going to veer the Banking Regs to ensure Germany becomes the European financial powerhouse – of course.
The battle has already commenced
What I can’t see for the life of me is how the ham-fisted bully-boy negotiating tactics from David Cameron has changed this for the better.
Snake Plissken @ 14:22
“I agree when the chap says a veto is about stopping something happen, what Cameron did is called losing. See if you agree.”
Good post – totaly agree!
bigdanistheman
Come on fella your wee poem to yer dead mother in law was finalised by saying she was “simply the best” .. a wee bit hunnish naw ? just an accident
So you cannot pretend that you were not aware of your own trolling capabilities. You then agrred that I should go for a wee walk ???? again a wee Orange walk ???
I have obviously picked you up wrongly and I have already apologised.
Something you have chosen to ignore. ..,. again a wee bit hunnish ???
hun does not have a capital btw
Hail Hail
Philvis
I simply don’t agree. I am uncertain that the City does create jobs – that sounds like Reaganomics to me. The trickle down argument is one I do not share.
Had the UK been in the Euro you cannot say for certain that a large economy like the UK would have been poorly off when the Germans and the French came out of recession faster and stronger but not without problems, it is hardly in great shape being outside so I simply don’t go along with that argument. The Economist for me is the best place to gauge things, it is not an EU propaganda publication so I’ll stick with it.
I happen to like the Euro and the idea of it but it has been mismanaged and certain countries should never have been allowed in until they were ready and nor should they have been allowed to run up the debts they did. The new rules can tackle this but whether they will change anything is a matter of time. Other reforms are required but that is in the lap of the Gods.
Can I get something made clear to me? Do you want the UK in or out or in a little bit but still subject to the mechanisms of the EU or what is it?
I get the currency thing but I’m not sure being on the periphery helps anyone except the right wing and nutters like Nigel Farage and his gang.
From CSA
If Celtic captain Scott Brown was guilty of anything on Saturday, it was of being too honest and up-front; unlike another one of Scottish Football’s sneaky cowards Jamie Hamill. That two-bit nobody has a long history of kicking all the wee young Celtic players who he has played against; usually from behind their backs.
They didn’t look like a team that was playing with a lack of commitment because of their treatment by the owner of their club; quite the contrary; the treatment room at Lennoxtown will be busy today; young James Forrest was singled out for special treatment; we even had that other half-wit Gary Locke having a go at him at full time.
It might not have been our best display this season; but it was a great three points to win; particularly when we seem to be getting another load of “HONEST MISTAKES” from the Disciples of Dallas; it will be really interesting to see who get the game on December 28th.
Wednesday is stage 3 of the proposed new bill for offensive behaviour at football and communications. We hope to have a few people through to the parliament to try to put pressure on the Government to withdraw the new legislation; anyone who is free would be very welcome.
I don’t want to turn this into a political debate; but I have to say this; we asked to meet with several SNP MSP’s; including Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Neil; the only one who met with us was Humza Yousaf; I think that says more about them; than it does about us.
Salmond is determined to use his majority to introduce this new bill; even if that were to happen; the fight doesn’t end there; we need to ensure that we continue to fight on; and offer support to anyone who is unfairly arrested and charged.
The next few months will be the test; I believe we have made good progress lately through communication and debate; if Salmond thinks he can batter us into submission; the History is obviously not one of his strong points; that’s if he actually has a strong point.
philvisreturns says:
Chairbhoy – If Merkozy had gotten their way, there would have been an EU-wide transaction tax and other new regulations that would effectively kill off the City of London as a leading financial centre.
________________________________________
I’m not picking a fight. You are a most amusing cove and you’ve got something to say.
But you still don’t get it. The City of London is most definitely not the solution, it’s an emormous tranche of the problem.
Thatcher decided to expedite the death of manufacturing and divert the UK into a financial services economy. That is an economy where people make their money from hedge funds, futures, leverages and subprime mortgages. It has been good for some – none more so than the 2,800 in the City of London who are paid in excess of £1 million pa.
Thatcher’s legacy, my dear Philvis, is more toxic than rabies. Trust me on this.
bigdan
Are you Declan’s brother? :)
You come in here with a phrase like simply the best you should be big enough or stupid enough to take what you get.
“But Cha Du-Ri played David Templeton then Andy Driver very, very well, and drove the game for us going forward. I thought he was brilliant.”
neil lennon
ASonOfDan says:
12 December, 2011 at 14:50
……………………………………………….
I tried to make an appointment with my SNP MSP Bill Walker to voice my concerns face to face with him before he votes on the Bill, but the normally approachable–and I have to say decent–MSP has gone into Purdah.
MSPs who have an ounce of grey matter must realise that this Bill spells trouble for them.
greenjedi: 12 December, 2011 at 14:18
I don’t think I called you a Hun … and it doesn’t bother me what team you support. Everyone is entitled to support the team they want to … even Huns.
There are certain things I would never tolerate from people representing Celtic. Having a racist or sectarian signing policy, players not trying, players deliberately attempting to get opponents sent-off, players deliberately attempting to inflict serious injuries on opponents, racism among our supporters, fans signing sectarian songs, our board wrongly trying to blame others for violence, or defending racist and sectarian chanting, our board deliberately trying to defraud the taxman.
A player having an argument with another player is just not worth fretting over. Such things happen on a football pitch every week. Had the Scottish media not made anything out of Hamill’s verbal spat with our captain – I’m sure you wouldn’t have even mentioned it on here today.
BMCUWP
Thanks for the ‘heads up’
Bontybhoy knows way too much about Celtic’s players and the way they play, to be anything other than a Celtic man.
In tax year, 2010/11 (the first year of the bank payroll levy) HMRC took in the following
Income tax 153bn
Corp Tax 42bn
National Ins. 96bn
Bank levy 3.4bn
Those are the significant taxes to which banks and bankers will have contributed. 10% of that figue is approximately 15bn which is 25% of the total 60bn spent on bailing out RBS and Lloyds group. Banks and bankers have had a 4 year 100% refund.
It is not thought that this largesse will be offered to other industry sectors at any time in the near future.
(I haven’t included betting and gambling taxes though, thinking about it, I really probably should)
Re the Euro debate and Dave C walking out of discussions. Why is he being hailed as some type of hero – wasn’t he trying to defend an institution (The City / banks) that has cost the UK tax payer an estimated 955 Billion pounds to bail out.
Mort @14 35 —–
Udinese should have beaten Arsenal in London and in Udine—– They didn’t -they lost both games .
They missed chances , they hit the bar , they hit the post , Di Natale missed a penalty. Arsenal sucker punched them 3 times .
Udinese always play 3 5 11 —- they play attacking football . They are prone to losing goals from counter attacks. They are prone to losing goals from corners and free kicks. They struggle to score if Di Natale isn’t playing..
I will be surprised if Di Natale plays on Thursday night. I will be surprised if Udinese play their Serie A team —–.
Celtic can beat them .
Ok if your apology was genuine then I accept it but to me it was laced with sarcasm. If my wife & family choose a poem that they think b set describes their mum then who am I to tell them any different because it has a few words we do t like to hear, as for the orange walk reference I was only agreeing with the other poster ( sorry can’t remember who it was) no I am not a hun &’for some reason any time I type it on the I phone it gives it the capital ( I just changed that one) so can we start again & I promise I won’t ask for any more advice on something as trivial as a poem?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS for KANO’S GRAND DAY – I don’t think Mr Scargill had the best interests of his members at heart.
He was determined to go to war with the democratically elected government of the day, and he lost.
The entire episode was tragic, but would have been more tragic if Scargill had managed to defeat the government. (thumbsup)
On a relatively lighter note I watched Paul Lawrie finish second at the Dubai World Championship, ahead of world number one Luke Donald. He finished 18th in the European Tour rankings and is currently sixth on the European Ryder Cup points list which would guarantee him a place on the team.
Good luck the the big dour dandy don. Taggsybhoy’s whole exam technique motivational speech centres around Lawrie’s preparation for the play off in 1999 at Carnoustie. While Jean van de Velde was waltzing with the duckies Lawrie was on the practice range, totally focused and ready should van de Velde implode. Justin Leonard watched it on TV and hurriedly prepared at the last minute. Lawrie prevailed.
To see him get back up the ranks among the world’s elite with a First Scotrail sponsorship on his sleeve tells its own story of this worthy chugger. Pshhhh-ti-koe, pshhhh-ti-koe. Wooo wooo! Tickets please, all change at Aberdeen, all change at Aberdeen.
Since 2007 the UK has committed to spending £1.162 trillion at various points on bailing out the banks. This figure has however fluctuated wildly during the period and by March 2011 it was £456.33bn. That total outstanding support was equivalent to 31% of GDP in March.
• The £456.33bn figure breaks down into £123.93bn in loan or share purchases, which required a cash injection from the government to the banks, and £332.4bn in guarantees and indemnities which haven’t actually been paid, but were offered to shore up the failing bank system.
• Of the £123.93bn, the Royal Bank of Scotland received £45.80bn, Lloyds £20.54bn, Northern Rock a total of £22.99bn, Bradford and Bingley £8.55bn and a further £26.05bn went on “loans to support deposit”.
• By March 2011 the Treasury had received £11.75bn in fees and interest on the £332.4bn guarantee schemes.
The July NAO report also reveals for the first time an estimation of the costs to government of borrowing the £124bn for the banking bail-out. In the year to March 2011 that is estimated to have been between £4bn and £5bn (as pointed out by @XXXL in the comments below). Up to now, that cost has been offset by the fees and interest paid but the NAO believe that that income is in fact due to fall, meaning the taxpayer will have to finance the banks’ loans directly. The report says:
In future the government is likely to bear a net financing cost until the shares are sold and loans repaid.
South Of Tunis says:
12 December, 2011 at 14:59
I’m not surprised they are doing well playing 3 5 11,though
it must get a wee bit crowded in that penalty box.
Hearts had two goalies – but there’s only Wan Yama!
*reposted from earlier just because*
photograph by @paddimir
i only have 2 sisters. nae brothers. so the guy isny related to me. unless you are trying to say i am a mason or something, which i am not. no way could i wear they big stupit gloves they wear. weirdos.
Snake Plissken – You don’t think investment and financial services creates jobs? (thumbsup)
Other excellent CQN’ers – apologies, you make a lot of interesting arguments that I’d like to respond to, but I have to do my bit for UK plc now. Laters. :)
(thumbsup)
Jim White just starting his afternoon shift on SSN,wouldn’t he just love to break the news that Celtic get punished by Uefa..
Read back then pass judgement
oglach UFB says:
12 December, 2011 at 15:01
Let’s go with your figures for the banks (and anyway, I left out Northern Rock etc) Looks like more than a 4 year refund then