When I checked my phone this morning it was full of emails and texts about Kevin McKenna’s seminal article in the Observer on the treatment, or lack of it, Neil Lennon experienced during his years in Scotland. It placed a mirror in front of the former Celtic manager, for Scotland to look at its reflection.
The prime targets were not missed: the Scottish Government, the SFA and the conspicuously idle anti-racism bodies, while the “reserved professions”, the Tories and the C of S were marked for historically nurturing anti-Catholic and Irish sentiment in Scotland.
People outside Scotland will read in horror, perhaps tinged with a whiff of moral superiority that their own communities are not similarly afflicted. This, ironically, would reflect the moral superiority many in Scotland viewed the English with last week, as a sizeable minority of their apparently poorly-educated, old and white voters backed candidates who align with racist, misogynistic and homophobe views.
In CQN comments section Scotland has often been parodied as the worst small country in the world, which is absurd. In truth, its panorama of human values vary little from those shared by our neighbours or anywhere across the globe. To think otherwise invests more weight in racial traits than I’m comfortable with.
Order your dedicated copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the Best at the fancy new CQN Bookstore.
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JonnyRambo67
12:51 on 26 May, 2014
Will we be able to cut our corporation tax so it’s 3% lower than the rest of the UK?
Please say yes.
I really do need to check my posts for typing errors before posting.
TT
Aberdour to Kirkcaldy is about 20 mins by car ……
For the 2 people who will be in a fit state to drive at that point!!!
HH jamesgang
TNT
nightmare
hh
When the new article appears would someone please copy and post my message about the pool tournament across.
I’m away to do some work. (:-)
TT
The Battered Bunnet
Congratulations to your other team!!
I trust a good day out was enjoyed by all?
Ernie
The very first paragraph in your link
“Labour is currently on course to win next year’s general election because the UK Independence Party is hitting the Tory vote in key marginal constituencies, a poll has found.”
I already addressed that
“It’s clear England, is moving towards the right. I don’t think the Tories will form an official alliance with UKIP, but there will be a tactical nod and a wink to avoid competing against each other in certain marginal seats.”
You may have missed the part where Labour has had an appalling couple of nights, given they are in opposition and would traditionally pick up protest voters. People on the right may be sub human scum, but they’re not stupid. They want an In / Out Euro referendum, and I am certain they will get it.
Let the meeting I am about to attend serve as a reminder that you should always mark in bank holidays before agreeing to meetings!
HH jamesgang
sipsini and ryecatcher
I both agree and disagree with your views.
I am with West Wales Celt and Rober Tressell in saying that the simplistic right need to be opposed.
However, I know a protest vote when I see one. The votes for the mad right wing parties always increase in times of austerity and recession. I am not being complacent in not seeing echoes of Nazi Germany. The Nazis came to power because they were endorsed by the bourgeosie who tried to ride the tiger. As soon as they had exploited said bourgeosie and got a significant election vote, they abolished elections because they would never have won such a vote in a free election again. In that, they mirror some of the tactics of the modern Islamofascist movements (win one election and shut down democracy; mind you we never gave the Egypt lot a chance to see if they would break that trend).
No, I see more similarities with the NF vote in the 70s. Both parties are run and staffed by people who are not that clever but imagine themselves to be. Anyone who saw and heard Farage’s performance with the London DJ will have seen him exposed as the lazy, limited glib liar that he is. In the format of a Question Time studio, he can play the yahoo politics of passive aggression and play the victim card- you are all against me and frightened to hear my voice of simple reason.
Farage and the dummy who appeared on Radio Scotland this morning will both avoid forensic interviews with anyone who is half prepared to do research on their policies and gaps in their thinking.
In one sense, ryecatcher is right, there are sinister people with money behind Farage. However unless they can hire more intelligent monkeys than Farage to lead their propaganda, they will crash and burn when they are exposed. Most UKIP voters could not tell you what UKIP want beyond a vague, out of Europe and fewer foreigners in Britain position. The veneer of respectability in UKIP is very thin and very easy to expose; there are still many ex-BNP types in their ranks.
Unless, there is a further deeper world-wide recession just around the corner, I remain confident but not complacent that we will revert to the Tories being the main right wing threat in Scotland, England and Wales in the foreseeable future. Just as the BNP rats left to infiltrate UKIP, so the UKIP rats will leave and join the Tories next. They will remain the main enemy to be opposed.
JohnnyRambo67,
If there is even the smallest hint that Scotland isn’t committed to a currency union the currency speculators will hammer sterling. Indeed, this is precisely why the rUK would be crazy to agree to it in the first place.
Whatever a currency union is, it cannot be a temporary measure.
Cowiebhoy, I am sitting on a wall with several other joyful Celtic fans waiting for the team bus to depart for what should be a triumphal return to Celtic Park. It has been an eventful 32 hours since I woke up yesterday morning. We returned from the airport to Estoril around midnight and went straight to the town square to join in the revelry with several other Celtic bhoys. Only strange moment was the appearance of Alex Cameron on a balcony overlooking the spot where we were sitting. It did not put us off because several of the comments aimed in his direction by some of our company only led to great hilarity.
I think we went back to our hotel around 2 a.m. In case you are wondering, I was not drinking. Actually I am on the non- alcoholic beverages at present. Any way we were up early and went out to church for Mass to thank the Lord for that we had received yesterday. On our way out of the church, we encountered Bob Kelly who was entering the church for Mass at 8 a.m. We only delayed him long enough to say “Congratulations”.
As we walk up the slight incline to our hotel, we ran into Bertie Auld and Willie Wallace and had a chat with them. Bertie maintains that he was out at this hour to visit his brother who was staying in a hotel opposite ours.
We missed breakfast so we took ourselves off to a café near the Celtic hotel. Shortly after we sat down Charlie Gallagher entered the café and came over and asked us if we objected to him sitting with us. You can imagine our delight to see him, let alone being seated with the hero of the never to be forgotten last minute corner kick that led to big Billy score that most important goal.
Of course we did nothing else but chat about the game and asked what it felt like to be a member of the squad that lifted the European Cup. It was wonderful sharing those moments with him.
As we were leaving I asked him if he would kindly ask the team to autograph a post card of Estoril that I had purchased that morning. But then I posed the big question, “Would there be any chance that we would be allowed to see the Cup?” Charlie made gave no guarantees but told us to come to the hotel in an hour’s time.
Bang on the hour, we arrived at the Palacio and asked for Charlie. While we were waiting for him to arrive, Bobby Murdoch passed in front of us and I congratulated him on his goal. Up till that point I actually thought it was Bobby who had scored our second goal. He laughed and said that his shot was going miles passed the post. It was Stevie Chambers deft touched that put the ball in the net he stated. Well, my only excuse is that someone stood up in front of me and I only saw the ball in the back of the net.
Shortly after that Charlie arrived, spoke to us and then approached Mr Stein who was lying on a sun lounger at the side of the pool. Imagine my delight when I saw the Big Man hand Charlie his room key. My heart was nearly bursting out my body as we approach the Big Man’s room. As we entered my eyes were immediately drawn to it. There it was in all its glory, the European Cup sitting on the bedside cabinet. Just to touch it was magic. Photos taken and then returning to earth or at least the ground floor of the Palacio, all the time thanking Charlie for all that he had done to ensure this moment of glory for us.
Charlie also handed me back the post card which had been signed by the players. Only later did I notice that a few names were missing, so I have asked Bertie as he entered the team bus to see if he could get the others to sign the card.
The bus engine is just revving up and at the very last minute Bertie hands the postcard duly signed by all the lads out through one of the bus windows. A last farewell and the bhoys are on their way back to Glasgow. Here’s hoping they have a wonderful reception back home.
TBB
That you having a go now? You’re starting to stirrup my emotions and I was only horsing around. From now on, I’ll scroll pasture posts:-)
So the final UK result sees UKIP up 11% and Labour up 10%.
Apparently this is a great result for UKIP and a bad one for Labour!
And it is also worth noting that the BNP vote went down by 5%, so this is not as big a move to the right as many expected. Also remember that Farage predicted a massive turnout as people flooded to support hos party …
In the local council elections, Labour won more councillors than the Tories, UKIP, LibDems, Greens, and “others” put together.
That’s your definition of “appalling”?
I’d rather have Steve Kean than Owen Coyle!
JonnyRambo67
12:57 on 26 May, 2014
On the one hand we have evidence based research, funded by a Tory, which shows Labour are going to win the General Election and on the other we have the opinion of a nat, based on nothing, that it’s going to be a hung Parliament in line with his political hopes.
Which version to believe?
Tough choice.
It’s still difficult to believe that Lenny is gone.
Our lose will be some other club’s gain.
Big time. :(
Tnt
You’re pure filly yerself
SFTB…..
Your points are well constructed as usual,sir.
However, I think you underestimate Farage’s intelligence.
I have met him more than once and he has an instinctive intelligence for seeing and seizing opportunities.
Quincy Adams Wagstaff
Aye, a fine day out down a Palmerston, good match, and a great result.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
13:00 on 26 May, 2014
The turnout figure is the key measure of whether there is any seismic shift going on.
Just as it was with the last Holyrood election.
Low turnout = apathy = no seismic shift.
The Lisbon Lions walked out the hotel passed a bride & groom on the biggest day of their life ,
What happened next?
https://twitter.com/celticfc/status/470670747946721280/photo/1
ryecatcher
He may have a bluff ability to play galleries in a sympathetic setting.
How intelligent did he look and sound in that interview with James O’Brien?
Ernie Lynch
Do you think Scotland will say “No”
Ernie Lynch
I don’t post very often but I do try and read when I can, and your patronising tone at 12:54 seems consistent with posts I see from you on a daily basis.
The SNP are looking to cut corporation tax by 3%. Whether they will be in Government I don’t know, I hope not, but if they are, then yes they think they will be able to do that. It’s up for debate whether the Bank of England will be able to veto that.
Billybhoy05 @10:39
Thanks for that response. Could have been taken direct from the about us section of the newsnet website.
Newsnet is as rabid and impartial as FF and is nothing but a propaganda site for the SNP.
I didn’t ask what newsnet was…I asked did you believe the article that you quoted to be true? Is is that difficult to answer a simple question. If you do believe it to be true then tell us why you believe it.
There are people of many different politicial persuasions on this site – I think there might even be the odd tory! – who stand up for their beliefs. You post someone elses propoganda and then refuse to debate it instead moaning about being ‘ganged up’ on.
Italia bhoy
Ireland tied their currency to sterling for years before changing.
Austria Germany Spain Italy Holland etc all have the same currency.
Are you saying these countries are not independent.
son has a lovely 2 bedroom flat just down the road from Gleneagles an estate agent has offered him £2,000+ for letting over ryder cup he is still trying to convince his partner, they could go for a luxury holiday with cash to burn, but she doesn’t want strangers in her home?
HH
Someone posted on a non Celtic site about the SPL sides next season
Motherwell,
Inverness,
Ross Co,
St Mirren,
St Johnstone,
Hamilton,
Partick,
Kilmarnock
Will all have average attendances of under 5000 and don’t even mention their away support.
The SPL is a hard sell.
Why would people be happy with failures for our new manager.Moyes,Mc Kay,etc.Its getting like the EPL managers magic roundabout on here.The Sam Allardyce syndrome.
We want a winner.We want someone who can make us play better.Faster,more slick,better 1st touch.Something we have lacked badly in quite a few games.Does anyone really think that any of the candidates mentioned would do this?.Moyes never did it at Everton in 10 years.Look at the difference since Martinez took over.
I have been banging the drum about Yakin.A progressive modern manager.His team Basel were a sensation the last couple of seasons in Europe.If you thought we were punching above our weight,they outdone us.Wins over Man U,Chelsea,Spurs,plus others.Exciting to watch.Always entertaining.
I think we have to get away from our present thinking.It is not entertaining the fans.
If not Yakin,then someone from Europe in that mould.Lets try and get out of the mindset of these EPL plodders.
Oddschecker now lists 72 names in the runners and riders stakes for the Celtic Manager’s job, ranging from the 3 favourites Coyle, MacKay and Moyes to the 3 outsiders Charlie Nic, Jose Mourinho and Pope Francis.
Wonder what the odds are that it will be a name not on the list yet?
Farage constantly appears outside a pub with a pint and a fag and I believe this resonates with the British people and makes him look as one of them.Mind you,William Hague used to drink 14 pints a day.
Ecw67 good summary of the runners and pretty much my take on the manager situation, although someone mentioned Rijkaard as an out the box candidate! Hope whoever it is has some euro experience.
Unless PL is writing off this years qualification, lenny didnt fancy it with the resources at hand.
theglasgowcelticway
If only Gordon Brown had got steaming before the election, all of this could have been avoided :-)
mayanman
13:07 on 26 May, 2014
‘Ernie Lynch
Do you think Scotland will say “No”’
###
There’s not a cat’s chance in hell of there being a yes vote.
The interesting thing is the nat leaders know it and are doubtless desperately cobbling together some kind of post referendum strategy.
It’s going to be as much fun watching that play out as watching the huns debacle.
SFTB
I would take Pope Francis.
Could he do it part time?
Maybe Henrik to assist him?
UnionbearBhind – tell your son to be careful. There was an article about HMRC looking at all lets to make sure tax is paid on them.
SFTB
:-))