Because the politicians couldn’t agree, so wanted to blame the people! They thought they could get the result they wanted by spinning a good campaign. It did not occur to them that the other side could spin too and that, faced with evidence of lies from both sides, the electorate might try to say “a plague on both your houses”!
It should have, because the clear rise in the vote for SNP after the Scottish Referendum showed what the public thought of spun campaigns!
Also, the evidence for Project Fear in that Indiref, meant any warnings could be laughed off as Project Fear and folk did not believe them.
The terrible use of posters to stir up xenophobia - well I am sick. I had thought those tactics were gone from Britain with the demise of Oswald Moseley.
I am now positively eager for a second indiref and free Scotland in Europe!!
I vaguely remember* him being actually in favour of an aristocracy, because he didn’t trust the great unwashed. That laws should be made by families who considered themselves well-educated and more virtuous than the masses, and with time on their hands to develop their smug superiority. (Possibly not in those exact words). Smug, arrogant people there because of familial relationships rather than hard work and ability- so unlike our own MPs such as Steven Kinnock (…hang on!)
- (I wasn’t there at the time. Read about him years ago.)
FWIW, I’m horribly, horribly despondent at the moment. I cannot remember feeling so anxious. People in deprived economic areas are, quite rightly, fed up and angry. Unfortunately, the only people telling them anything vaguely resembling hope are the far-right politicians who have been lying to them. A shop belonging to the brother of someone we know was firebombed yesterday. Racist attacks are up by 50%. And unless we get some proper leadership in government soon, it’s all only going to get worse. I am really worried for the future of our liberal democracy, and very scared about what the alternative will mean for those of us traditionally in the ‘scapegoat’ position.
It is physically sickening to hear that, and to hear you feel that way.
One thing about this is that by the stay campaign running a campaign which equated voting leave with bigoted racist ignorance so much, instead of running as positive “stay” campaign as possible, in a way this has come back to bite the entire country. Ignorant racist bigots are taking it as a positive vote for them, instead of the complex issue it was - because that’s what even their opponents are saying! In other words, I actually think that such beliefs and arguments played into the hands of the far right and bigoted organisations, helping them inaccurately link the result of referendum with such things in the minds of bigots and racists - and that was the last thing needed or wanted.
I can offer nothing more than solidarity with you in your anxiety and despondency to which I would add anger. I can’t offer any reassurances about the weeks and months ahead except to share my own belief that decency and wisdom will prevail and see us through. Politicians that I have previously deplored are showing a sense of honour and care that I am beginning to respect and some whom I’ve admired are losing my respect.
Dougla Adams, the source of my outlook and philosophy on life put it very well in his tag for Hitchhiker’s guide - Don’t Panic! (Do we have a smiley for a comforting cwtch?)
Oh Duw no!! I feel sick. I wasn’t born in 1933, but I’m horribly aware of it!
Where are you, fach?
It wasn’t local to us - these are people we know who live in Birmingham. One hears about these things all the time on the news, and they’re dreadful. But when it happens to someone where you have any kind of connection (even a loose one, as in brother of a friend) it suddenly seems that much closer to home. But all the people to whom this is happening are brothers, sisters, friends etc., aren’t they - we’re all connected in the end.
If only all the people who felt annoyed with politicians and started to believe the “It’s all the fault of these ‘others’ who have come to our country.” line had realised the truth of that! It is bad enough when the people concerned actually see their old life changing, new shops with ‘strange’ food - but often, the folk who voted were in places which haven’t seen an immigrant for about 20 years!
If only more of those who did arrive had been persuaded to brave northern latitudes - about the same as Latvia, I think - and come to Scotland which needs people, having suffered emigration for centuries!
I’m liking comments in here not because I’m enjoying reading the content, but to express love and solidarity.
Our First Minister, in ‘Questions to FM’ was told about some nasty ‘Go Home’ stickers which have apparently appeared in Glasgow. She gave an inspirational response telling everyone living in Scotland, however long we have been here and from wherever we came, that we are all Scots now and this is and will always be our home! If you can find Politics Scotland on TV or on line, for 30th June, it is worth seeing that!
(I am one of the incomers, hence ‘we’ above!)
Can Nicola come down here? We have our election tomorrow but it really is a case of dumb or dumber. I’d happily swap for her or Leanne Wood.