| Topic: The Protection Racket. Why is Sturgeon free ? |
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| 1. Author: Tenruh Date: Tue 26th May 2026. 06:52 Its all about the timing.. [url]https://robinmcalpine.org/the-protection-racket-why-is-sturgeon-free-tonight/[/url] Reply |
| 2. Author: jake89 Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 11:58 That`s an interesting read. The bank holiday thing hadn`t occurred to me despite it being an old trick. I remember Chapman raising his concerns. Why was nothing done when he - and others - were flagging that they couldn`t complete their jobs as information was being hidden? Even if you disregard that NS was married to PM, she was the party leader! It`s a separate matter, but I expect an independence party to be pushing independence at every opportunity. The main focus over the last parliamentary term seemed to be more about who gets to use what toilet! Is there an opportunity to develop an independence alliance with a new party that isn`t just a load of ex-SNP candidates? I`m aware there are other parties already but they`re very poorly represented and supported. Reply |
| 3. Author: wee eck Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 14:34 He`s claimng NS had the Scottish media eating oiut of her hand so all participants and observers were complicit in a cover-up! It seems like Trumpism has crossed the Atlantic. Reply |
| 4. Author: Aaron Labonte Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 15:50 wee eck, Fri 29 May 14:34 How, because it doesn`t suit your narrative? If this whole debacle happened in America, and you replace sturgeon and Murrell with the trumps, would you be so quick to defend them? Reply |
| 5. Author: wee eck Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 16:16 What about your `narrative`? Or are you neutral? I`m not defending Murrell at all but I`d like to hear the reasons why the Police and the Prosecution Service decided not to charge Sturgeon. I don`t think I`ve seen much evidence of the Scottish media taking Nicola Sturgeon`s side on anything, so to suggest they were complicit in some plot to protect her seems just a wee bit far-fetched to me. Post Edited (Fri 29 May 16:33) Reply |
| 6. Author: LochgellyAlbert Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 19:41 It`s strange that a Chinese spy`s wife, who is a sitting MP doesn`t get the same hassle! Reply |
| 7. Author: Dave_1885 Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 20:03 Theres not a chance she knew heehaw about it all…….but I suppose thats up for the courts/cps to try to decide. Doesn’t mean that everyone within the SNP hierarchy was in on it though. Thats what they say about thieves though - they start small and increase it as they get braver, until eventually they get caught! Reply |
| 8. Author: ipswichpar Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 20:18 Well, the fact they can`t charge those two guys with ABH for attacking that police officer at Manchester Airport suggests getting things to court , never mind a successful prosecution, is rather tricky! Reply |
| 9. Author: Dave_1885 Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 20:50 ipswichpar, Fri 29 May 20:18 That was also their second trial wasn’t it? Maybe they just didn’t manage to prove their guilt? Reply |
| 10. Author: The One Who Knocks Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 21:16 One of the brothers was found guilty last year at a trial and will now be sentenced. This was a retrial to see if the jury could this time reach a verdict on the assault against a particular police officer by both brothers. They couldn`t. And although my eyes were open They just might as well be closed Reply |
| 11. Author: McCaig`s Tower Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 22:01 Well, many of the participants got a roasting on HIGNFY tonight. Obviously, I was never a big fan of NS, but I think this has been a long time coming. I think there has been a retrenchment of views on NS – perhaps some people may have decided that instead of walking on water she actually has feet of clay. Plus there will be those who feel they have been slighted in the past and are taking the chance for revenge now that she appears on the way down. some media outlets tend to reflect public opinion rather than drive it and she will be suffering from the change in the tide. There have been well-documented structural issues in the SNP for some time – having a married couple as two of the three executive officers, and the party policy of prohibiting the criticism of elected members have both led to the difficulty of challenging those at the top (this was evident in the Salmond affair as well). In addition you have the weak leadership exemplified by appointing old mates and “yes men (and women)” to top jobs. No leader likes criticism – most seem to be able to handle it better than NS did. But to an extent, the mishandling of the money was an internal affair (the receipt of large amounts of public money notwithstanding). But absolutely yes, when NS talked that nonsense about the accounts being “managed on a cash-flow basis” and suggesting that because they had been lodged with the Electoral Commission there couldn’t possibly have been an issue, I think this should have been pursued, but the media (in particular the print media) has been hollowed out to such an extent that they don’t seem to have the resources or inclination or understanding to follow up. It’s also difficult to get anywhere in the face of relentless stonewalling and the aggressive media management of the likes of Kevin Pringle. I’d also add party members and the electorate to the list of villains – did they not have a responsibility too? And I had a look at the list of purchases – I think it was 57(!) pages long. To quote David Coleman, it was quite extraordinary. Reply |
| 12. Author: The One Who Knocks Date: Fri 29th May 2026. 22:21 The electorate and party members are also culpable? That`s just plainly ridiculous MT. And although my eyes were open They just might as well be closed Reply |
| 13. Author: ipswichpar Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 06:01 Dave_1885, Fri 29 May 20:50 Yes, second trial for assault on one specific officer. Already found guilty on assault on another two officers and a member of the public with sentencing next month. Given the actual footage of them actually hitting the officer it seemed pretty straightforward to me. Certainly clearer footage than some recent VAR decisions in my mind, at least. Reply |
| 14. Author: Wotsit Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 08:13 That the electorate continues to prefer the SNP over the alternatives is a frankly damning indication of the unelectability of the alternatives, and that`s unlikely to change until the other other parties stop lashing out and start looking at themselves in the mirror. “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” Reply |
| 15. Author: Tenruh Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 11:32 Wotsit, Sat 30 May 08:13 The other parties other than the greens are against independence so it`s fair to say they`re unlikely to off an alternative to the SNP. The greens are making inroads with their kid-on independence strategy they exercise prior to Holyrood elections. For example they for the first time stood on the constituency ticket and got 2 seats taking out Angus Robertson (brill) and one other. The SNP lost 6 constituency seats and only won 1 list seat.Their total vote collapsed by 10% so people hopefully are paying attention. Oh and any action promised by the SNP towards a referendum were buried last Tuesday, just awaiting a rubber stamp from Starmer unless of course Sturgeon passed on to Swinney her secret plan... And they say a week`s a long time in politics. Post Edited (Sat 30 May 11:34) Reply |
| 16. Author: wee eck Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 11:41 You criticise Swinney & Co for having no Plan B but we`re still waiting to hear what your Plan A is. Reply |
| 17. Author: NMCmassive Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 11:57 Swinney and co are the ones proposing the change so the onus is on them to have a plan for change. Not the other way about 🤷🏻♂️ COYP Post Edited (Sat 30 May 11:57) Reply |
| 18. Author: Wotsit Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 12:02 Tenruh, Sat 30 May 11:32 This is exactly the sort of rhetoric that`s maintaining the SNP/Green grip on Holyrood: knee-jerk attacks on the opposition whilst offering nothing whatsoever by way of alternative. Folk who vote SNP or Green know that they`re not perfect, but an imperfect solution is better than the nothing the others are offering (and have been for decades,) even as the world continues to burn. “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” Reply |
| 19. Author: Tenruh Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 12:35 Wotsit, Sat 30 May 12:02 Aye right , both parties stand on the independent ticket and within a week of getting elected independence is abandoned for another 5 years... Ever get the feeling you`ve been cheated? Reply |
| 20. Author: wee eck Date: Sat 30th May 2026. 12:39 `Swinney and co are the ones proposing the change so the onus is on them to have a plan for change. Not the other way about 🤷🏻♂️` As far as I know, Tenruh wants change. He criticises the SNP and the Greens but he never suggests an alternative. Westminster`s approval is required for a democratic referendum but they never set any parameters so they can veto any request on a whim. Any unionists who might think this is undemocratic just turn a deaf ear because it supports the status quo. Reply |