17 Sept. 2014. A new economic analysis of a potential Scottish Oil or Sovereign Wealth Fund has found that in 24 years Scotland could earn the same annual revenue from an oil fund as current revenues from North Sea oil and gas tax receipts.
The new economic outlook, undertaken by economists for oilandgaspeople.com, the world’s largest oil and gas jobs board, found that Scotland could have amassed a fund worth between £73.64 billion and £147.28 billion in 24 years, the same time as the Norwegian Oil Fund has been running.
The economic analysis found that the Scottish Oil Fund would bring in an annual income of between £2.9 billion and £5.8 billion per year respectively in today’s prices, the same amount as current estimated tax receipts from North Sea oil and gas revenues.
Labour run Glasgow City Council seems to have a problem with corruption, cronyism, scandal and waste, whereby by a remote and out of touch self serving elite, yes, both Councillors & Officials, together run the city as there own private thiefdom, at the expense of the people of Glasgow.It is a shocking state of affairs, which shows the problem of one party rule. The Labour Party has controlled Glasgow almost uninterrupted, since 1933. http://www.corruptglasgow2014.com/
What can be done to help restore the public’s faith in Glasgow City Council? The Labour administration in Glasgow seems resolute in its denial that there are question marks over any aspect of the way the council was run under Purcell, rejecting calls for an independent inquiry. But still the questions remain, with every round of Sunday newspapers bringing new issues to light. There is growing concern amongst those calling for an investigation that the longer it is put off, the less confidence residents of Glasgow will have in their council. http://www.holyrood.com/2010/04/asking-difficult-questions/
The Clyde Gateway: A New Urban Frontier. “From the late 60’s onwards, Glasgow became a jungle into which the media fearlessly ventured to portray the wild animals.” “The Labour Party is presiding over a policy that has effectively abandoned the city to speculators and hustlers.” Sean Damer. http://www.variant.org.uk/33texts/3_V33gray.html
Gordon Brown – Leaves you feeling you are a lesser person.
1. History will record that Gordon Brown’s record in government could be readily likened to a Greek tragedy. As a leader it was obvious early on that his undoubted intelligence persistently hampered his ability to access others. Even his toughest critics accept that he is an intelligent man. It is a matter of record that Brown was studying History at Edinburgh University at age 16 and that he went on to get his PhD from the same university. Like the fate of talented, driven people before him, he was “promoted” for his brilliance and aptitude. He is an intelligent, ambitious man by all measures. But a better question for a Prime Minister might be “What effect does he have on the intelligence in the people around him?” There, Brown has struggled. Consider a few examples:
a. The Tyrant vs The Liberator. Tom Bower’s biography, Gordon Brown, Prime Minister offers detailed insight into someone described as “psychologically flawed”; a chaotic figure, prone to sudden and terrible rages. “Repeatedly he lost his temper, screaming obscenities at those he damned as dishonorable or incompetent,” writes Bower.
b. Decision-Maker vs. The Debate Maker. Brown has a gravity pull towards making decisions unilaterally or with a small group of inner advisors. Caroline Flint felt so underutilized that when she resigned she described being no more than “window dressing.” She wrote, “You have a two-tier government. Your inner circle and then the remainder of cabinet… In my current role, you advised that I would attend cabinet when Europe was on the agenda. I have only been invited once since October and not to a single political cabinet – not even the one held a few weeks before the European elections…I am not willing to attend cabinet in a peripheral capacity any longer.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/05/caroline-flint-resignation-letter
c. Micromanager vs. The Investor. Bower describes Brown as a control freak as Chancellor, determined to micro-manage not just the economy but the entire sweep of British domestic policy, even contractually binding government departments to do the Treasury’s bidding or else face a cut in their budgets.
d. Core Assumptions. Then came the moment just days ago, in the midst of the General Election where Brown was caught on a microphone calling Gillian Duffy “a bigoted sort of a woman” after just having told her to her face that she had a nice family. His disdain for her opinions revealed an amazing contempt for the views of ordinary people. There was no curiosity in his voice. Just accusation, judgment and blame of his handlers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/28/gordon-brown-bigoted-woman
e. When I think of Brown over the last three years I am reminded of something Bono wrote in Time magazine: “It has been said that after meeting with the great British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, you left feeling he was the smartest person in the world, but after meeting with his rival Benjamin Disraeli, you left thinking you were the smartest person.” By all accounts Gordon Brown falls into the Gladstone category.
f. I have often thought that the job of Prime Minister is now so complicated that it is impossible for a person—however intelligent—to be successful at it. It is no longer just how intelligent they are themselves that matters, but how well they can access the intelligence of the people around them.
The inside political story of the credit crunch, charting the roller coaster journey of Gordon Brown’s fortunes from the moment the recession began.
Is he fit for high office? It is a puzzle to me how such a flawed personality has survived in politics for so long. thank you for sharing this one and all the great documentaries on your channel.
Gordon Brown and Gillian Duffy, who he was later heard off-camera describing her as a ‘bigoted woman’.
Gordon Brown caught on Sky News microphone describing Labour voter as bigot (a microphone his team requested be attached to his lapel).
The woman that Gordon Brown called a bigot gives her instant reaction to what Gordon Brown called her.
And to think one of the most biting economic downturns was caused by a man who wrapped himself in ‘prudence’
Farage blasts Gordon Brown as he calls for New Global Order
Labour managed to spend the 3G money as well ! And the £35 billion they raided from British Pension Funds and every other stealth tax they invented. 10p in the £ anybody? And if 40p was OK then why is 45p wrong now? Hypocrites! You only get into debt when you spend more than you earn and borrow to make up the difference. Its really very simple. Even before the Bank bail outs we were in the shit with Labour. It now turns out the 2008 / 09 recession was 2% worse than we were told.
British troops have begun their withdrawal from Iraq after over six years of occupation. The war led to a disconnect between the British people and their elected representatives, as well as a backlash against the UK’s Muslim minority. It also led to much death and destruction in Iraq itself.
Scottish Referendum. Gordon Brown has no right to talk for the English. I for one will not let a Scottish MP and the one who ran the UK into the ground make deals to his own people on my behalf. Make note Scots anyone telling you the English will bribe you to stay has no authority. Don,t think you can have your cake and eat it. If you want to stay then great but 60 million English will not pay you to stay whatever Gordon thinks he can say on our behalf. English Nationalism will make a comeback so get ready for it.
Gordon Brown Launches Big Bribe timetable at Loanhead
1. Impact of Referendum Attacks by the Better Together Campaign
a. I expected, “Bitter Together to hit back at the, “Yes” campaigners’ with a few scare stories in the last few days before the referendum and I was not surprised when the, (heavily biased) BBC and The Herald, selectively released information from confidential papers supposedly passed them by a senior NHS whistle-blower, who said they had become frustrated by the argument of the “Yes” campaign that the biggest threat to the NHS comes from the UK government.
2. The Health Service Budget for 2015-2016
a. The Scottish government remains committed to, “protecting and increasing the NHS budget” despite yet another reduction in the Block Funding Grant from the UK Government, in Westminster,(for the 5th consecutive year) of 7.2%. The NHS budget will be further increased in the next financial year meaning that, in real terms the budget will have been increased by £1 Million+ since the government took office.
b. Integration of services is particularly important so as to ensure the nations elderly population is kept well and provided with care in the best setting for their well being. The Health Service is always developing so that it is able to meet the changing demands of the people of Scotland, and that is the reason for the new legislation which is designed to integrate health and social care, (currently split) in Scotland from April next year.
c. Retention of status quo and preservation of existing models of care are no longer options given the pressing challenges the Service faces and in order to meet the goals health boards will be set an efficiency saving target of 3%+ so that funds of between £400-£450 can be accrued over the next 2 financial years.
d. Progress towards the agreed goals has been slower than anticipated due to a shortage of, “pump priming finance” needed to run dual care systems for a time and a need to purchase additional capital equipment meeting existing and recently enhanced patient care systems and consumables.
e. Radical and urgent decisions will need to be made regarding the shape and configuration of services and there can be no, “sacred cows” in terms of savings. All options are open for discussion but there is to be no implementation of any major change without the authorization of the Minister. It is of great importance that there is an unqualified commitment (on the part of health Board Chief Executives) to these priorities and full acceptance that significant changes will require to be implemented.
3. The Whistle-Blower and the BBC / Herald
a. In their analysis of the content of the confidential papers, (assisted no doubt by the senior Health Service Whistle-Blower clearly pursuing his/her own anti, “Yes” campaign agenda) a view was formed that there would be a £400 Million funding gap suggesting a radical cost-saving plan involving sweeping changes would need to be implemented in the Scottish NHS after the referendum so that boards would break even. This is not in dispute since details were already included in the papers
b. The Whistle-Blower is reported to have told the BBC, “Services are unsustainable right across Scotland from three emergency Centres in Lanarkshire, to emergency care at the Vale (of Leven) to Paediatrics at St John’s (in Livingston), and with particular issues for more rural boards, hence the problems at Grampian. “The current pattern of services is fully funded and underpinned but short-term money and fixes won’t stack up going into next year. Again this is not in dispute since details were already in the papers. He/she is flying a kite here. He/she cannot presume to speak for Health Boards other than his own since he/she has no direct knowledge of operational routine other than his own area. of expertise.
c. There is a complete gap between policy announcements about care in the community and more money for primary care, and the announcements and commitments which continually increase the cost of acute care. Clearly he/she is unable to read and understand the content of the papers. There is no new money at this time available for primary care. Savings will need to be identified and made so that finance released can be reallocated to these areas.
4. The Scottish Governments Reply
a. The Scottish government informed the BBC and the Herald that the, “consultation papers” formed the first part of a series of regular discussions routinely conducted among NHS leaders providing a vehicle affording time to plan NHS Scotland’s future strategy.
b. Health Secretary Alex Neil said, “We’ve protected Scotland’s NHS from the Tories” cuts, and with independence we can ensure that it is never again under threat from Westminster’s dangerous obsession with austerity.
c. He added, “To ensure we can continue to develop the NHS, it’s important that NHS boards regularly discuss their future plans to inform budget discussions with Scottish government officials, and to identify how we will continue to deliver quality care and treatment.”
The main argument advanced by, “Better Together” for keeping Trident is to protect local jobs, (all 8000 of them) nothing to do with the cost of them to taxpayers or to the lives of potential millions killed by them. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) under freedom of information law reveal that only 520 civilian jobs at Faslane and Coulport near Helensburgh are directly dependent on Trident. (6700+ military personnel, the bulk of whom would be offered work in a new Scottish naval base or redeployed, not losing their job ). Any local businesses who gain from being close to this site, will continue to do so as they are not directly linked to Trident nor will they lose their jobs. (Rich Welsh, Glasgow)
What they State publicly so as to defend retention of Trident:
Alistair Darling-8000
Jackie Baillie-11000
Labour Party-19000
Ian Davidson-20,000+
SNP-1800
UK Government-6000
2007 Report-1536.
MOD-520
Where are the real jobs?
The Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, England (warheads)
Devonport, England (submarine refit and reactor refueling)
So Labour MSP Baillie ploughs on with her condemnation of a proposed SNP cut to Corporation Tax, even as Andrew Kerr twice attempts to point out that Labour cut it the last time they were in power. (Kerr says by 2p, but Gordon Brown in fact cut it twice by a total of 5p and promised additional cuts.
1. General Norman Arthur Better Together Campaigner for the Military
a. Norman’s family are extremely well connected in the South East of Scotland and enjoy a long and distinguished tradition of military service. He was destined, from birth to take up a position with a Scottish cavalry regiment and after boarding School at Eton he went on to attend Sandhurst Military Academy, from where he was first commissioned into the Royal Scots Greys. Members of his family also served with The Royal Company of Archers, a Scottish ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign’s Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. He had a long and distinguished military career and achieved the high military rank and other prestigious appointments expected of him.
b. He writes beautifully and possesses a wide and persuasive vocabulary. He is, as is the case with elderly gentlemen of means a bit of a romantic who sees the UK through the perspective of his privileged and sheltered upbringing in England. If he were ever wounded he would bleed, “red white and blue”. It follows therefore that he is entirely blinkered when, if ever, the subject of Scottish Independence is raised in his presence.
2. An extract from a letter he circulated to persons of influence seeking financial support for the, “Better Together” campaign
a. We need instead to debate the real prospect of fundamental and permanent change to the constitution of a great and ancient kingdom. The decision we come to may be the most important of our lives together. My thoughts focus on the history and greatness of the United Kingdom, and on its standing among the nations. Britain s strength comes from the contributions of all four of our own family of nations, so that the UK s gifts to world civilization are totally and indivisibly shared among us. This Union, which is Britain, is as old and true a parliamentary democracy as any in the world, perhaps the oldest. It is the prime example of a union of democracies, so closely woven that it may be called a family. How can we even consider splitting so great and long matured a state? What is the worth of divisive nationalism beside it? Our British voice is heard throughout the world, whether speaking from the heart of the 53 nations of the Commonwealth, as a trusted and reliable member of Nato and the western nuclear powers or just as a veteran nation with a rich, varied and stable 300 year history. Consider what Britain has given to the world in those years, in engineering, science, farming, the arts and music, medicine, literature, and, yes, in the practice of the Christian faith. We are both diverse and united, with Scotland giving much and receiving much.
b. There you are. There is absolutely no point in trying to persuade Norman to a different view. At the same juncture his perceptions are so right wing his opinions and/or pleas for a continued support of the Act of Union should be ignored.
3. COMMENT: Don’t throw away a shared history to be proud of in independence referendum
1. Lord West, Once the UK’s Top Sailor – Switched to politics and joined Gordon Browns government- Not long after he became a life peer and took his seat in the House of Lords. Prone to shooting himself in the foot his political career was short lived. He is a Labour Party member and his support of Better Together is not unexpected although his criticism of proposals for the defence forces of an independent Scotland should be balanced against his comments about the UK’s present set-up. A man of many coats is our Alan.
2. .In 2006 Gordon Brown chose a “government of all the talents”, he selected a new anti-terror chief with a heroic military background, a formidable intellect and a knowledge of the vagaries of Westminster. But within months the Prime Minister found, to his embarrassment, that Admiral Lord West of Spithead also had a talent for courting controversy.
3. In 2007 He said in a radio interview he was not, “totally convinced” of the need to hold terror suspects for 42 days. At the time Labour was pushing for police to be given powers to detain such suspects for six weeks. But two hours later, after meeting then prime minister Gordon Brown, Lord West reversed his opinion saying he was “convinced” of the requirement for such a power. He explained the switch (under 2 hours) by saying, “Being a simple sailor, not a politician, maybe I didn’t choose my words well.”
4. He was forced to deny extraordinary claims that he was having an affair with “the brunette one” from 1970s group Abba, after it emerged they had been friends for the past year or so. Amid gathering rumors, high level sources sought to divert attention by revealing that Lord West had admitted, “some years ago” to an infidelity during a routine vetting procedure – but emphatically not with the Abba star.
5. Labour was forced to apologize after former security minister Lord West branded Denmark and Belgium second-rate countries. He said the UK was still a first-rate military power, “not like bloody Denmark or Belgium”. His comments came as Labour delivered the findings of a 10-month review into defence procurement, aimed at getting better value for money from buying equipment for the UK’s armed forces.
6. Speaking in a question and answer session with 100 journalists and guests from the defence industry at Labour headquarters in central London, He said: “This business of a second-tier power – we are probably, depending on what figures you use, the fifth or sixth wealthiest nation in the world. “We have the largest percentage of our GDP on exports, apart from the tiny countries around the world, we run world shipping from the UK, we are the largest European navy. “We are a permanent member of the (United Nations) Security Council and I think that gives us certain clout and certain ability. “These mean we are not a second-tier power. We are not bloody Denmark or Belgium, and if we try to become that, I think we would be worse-off as a result. “I get slightly annoyed at this sort of statement.”
7. Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy and shadow minister Michael Dugher sat next to the peer, as he unleashed his rant. Mr Murphy looked embarrassed before saying: “Thanks Alan, and obviously for any friends from Belgium or Denmark, apologies. Or should I say former friends from Belgium or Denmark?”
8. Defence Secretary Liam Fox hailed the nations’ contribution both to the Afghan war and the conflict in Libya. He said, “I’m appalled to hear Labour’s Lord West insulting Denmark and Belgium, both of whom have been operating alongside British forces in Libya. “Forty-two Danes have lost their lives fighting alongside us in Helmand. “Lord West’s remarks are both stupid and insensitive.”
9. “Defence cuts imperil our proud nation”, warned Lord West. “Have we really decided that this great maritime nation of ours only needs 13 frigates”. “Has there been any realistic assumption of the requirement of the number of frigates – and I’m talking frigates not destroyers and other things – or is the number 13 purely based on an arbitrary cost figure? “In the final analysis, the defence of the nation is the top priority for any nation of whatever hue and I do believe we are standing into danger.”
10. Admiral Lord West of Spithead, a former first sea lord, said the country is “sailing into danger” because the Government is not planning to build enough ships. The Labour peer and former security minister under Gordon Brown said Britain’s proud naval tradition was at risk from bureaucratic and political neglect.
Major General Mark Strudwick CBE, former Aide-de-Camp to the Queen
Was, in his last post in the Army. General Officer Commanding the Army in Scotland and Her Majesty’s Governor of Edinburgh Castle. He is a Better Together Supporter. In retirement he became head of the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust. (Classic case of a company man).
In the 1990s, Strudwick was Director of Infantry, and responsible for 12,000 officers at the time of the Army’s “options for change”. “We had to make 2850 officers redundant, that was a very difficult time.” Then in 2004 as a member of the council of Scottish colonels, Strudwick was handed the job of approving and publicly defending the politically-explosive creation of a single Scottish regiment, which also involved the merger of his own Royal Scots with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
“We had to come up with a solution, we couldn’t just go back to Whitehall (MoD) without one, they would have just imposed it. Inevitably it was enormously painful, because this is the ultimate change.”
He reflects: “What people find hard to accept is that the commitment and determination of our soldiers is not reflected in the way the Treasury is constantly driving down the costs, and the balance between having the right manpower and procurement – which always costs too much and takes too long.”
caltonjock 