Last week's Guardian reported unionists spending heavily online in a bid to deny SNP a majority. NOW the full scale can be seen: third-party campaigns- with no clear details of their funding- spent £tens of thousands of pounds on digital ads pushing tactical voting. A group called ‘Young Unionists’ spent over £20,000 on Facebook ads, £5,000 in final days of campaign. Tens of thousands of voters were pushed to VoteUnion tactical voting tool, that is supposed to carry details of who paid for them, but Young Unionists’ ads had no name attached!

Campaigner leading court action aiming to prove Scotland does not need WM’s blessing to hold an indyref has called on the Lord Advocate Jas Wolfe to say exactly who he represents, after a Court of Session judge yesterday described a motion as a “fishing diligence”. Keatings:the most concerning aspect of the hearing was the refusal by Wolffe’s counsel to stipulate WHO the Lord Advocate is representing. “He was convened in this action to represent the interests of Scottish Parliament, NOT the Scottish Government."

SNP's Dr Philippa Whitford exposes UK Govt's disregard for JCVI advice on vaccinating care home residents FIRST!! talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/01/12/phi… via @wordpressdotcom UKGov' minister Hancock confirmed only 24% of care home residents in England have been vaccinated, while an anonymous Tory minister told newspapers that Scotland is "behind" in vaccinations...Today, Scotland's FM reported 80% of care home residents AND staff have been vaccinated

"following UKGov’s last-minute Brexit deal, it ought to be obvious that Johnson’s shoddy deal has not united the Scottish nation in grateful acceptance of Brexit, far less re-assured Scotland that this Conservative Government has Scottish interests at heart.' @weegingerdug "Brian Monteith is at least honest in his nakedly anti-democratic aims. He mentions in his piece in The Scotsman that postponing the Holyrood election would send a message to independence supporters that an independence referendum would NOT be able to happen this year either."

CLAIM: SNP 'too slow' on Covid vaccine rollout v England
RATING: Totally FALSE, according to official data.
thenational.scot/news/19002771.… Tory paper Mail on Sunday splashed a story in its Scottish edition of 21 Jan, claiming an anonymous “top UK govt source” – possibly Michael Gove – had told the newspaper there were “fears” that Scotland was “behind the curve” in the “vaccine race” to inoculate the population.

@ScotTories Douglas Ross: “ScotGov must expand the remit of Scotland's Ministerial Code Inquiry to cover exactly the accusations that Alex Salmond has made against Nicola Sturgeon. James Hamilton QC must be able to turn over every rock to uncover the truth." @ScotTories DRoss: "Anything less than fully opening books would bewhitewash that lets FM off the hook for potentially abusing power of her office.” John Swinney: I already made clear in November, investigator can “look at any aspect of a potential breach of ministerial code.“

James Hamilton,fmr director of public prosecutions in Ireland, was tasked with investigating FM's actions in January 2019 – after ScotGov conceded its probe into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Salmond was unlawful. Ms Sturgeon triggered the inspection by referring herself to the independent advisers on Ministerial Code, after it was claimed she had broken guidelines by failing to swiftly declare the three meetings & two phone calls with Salmond about the harassment complaints.

The Scotsman questions why TEAM GAMES are discouraged. It's called RESEARCH. And it PROVES that they SPREAD Covid-19 quickly talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/01/10/ska… via @wordpressdotcom 1) Texas youth coach died in August from covid-19, then winter season began, & outbreaks EXPLODED.
2) Massachusetts logged more than 100 youth hockey cases in a few weeks.
3) In Maine, an asymptomatic referee exposed up to 400 people in two days.

“Governments propose laws, parliaments create laws, police enforce laws, procurators fiscal prosecute under those laws. Only the court in its position of masters at law, equal in stature to parliaments & governments by design, has the power to INTERPRET those laws." “The idea advanced by some that challenging govt & parliament on substantive questions of law should be the fiefdom of a 'select few in elected office' is antithetical to the principle of representative democracy."

Freeman hits out at UK Gov’s 'political game' over Covid vaccine roll-out , as ANONYMOUS Whitehall sources claim England's 1.9% rollout is better than Scotland's 2.1%
thenational.scot/news/19000565.… Freeman: "For the record, to date we’ve vaccinated MORE (2.1%) proportionately than England (1.9%) and we’ll go as fast as supplies allow. My focus is getting the job done, not political point scoring - that doesn’t save lives.”

Joanna Cherry:"Alex Salmond secured a concession that nothing in Scotland Act would preclude the people of Scotland from subsequently choosing an independent future. This is recorded in Hansard during second reading of Referendums (Scotland & Wales) Bill, May 21, 1997." Donald Dewar said: “I should be the last to challenge the sovereignty of the people, or deny them the right to opt for any solution to the constitutional question they wished. For example, if they want to go for independence, I see no reason why they should not do so." JC

Dates for SNP's 'large-scale virtual' conference:Nov. 28-30 It will conclude with a speech from Nicola Sturgeon on St Andrew’s Day. SNP Business Convener Kirsten Oswald MP:“A great deal of work has gone on behind the scenes with e-conference providers and software developers" Wording of alternative route to indy is agreed between SNP’s national secretary & Plan B architects, & is in line to be debated at the conference. If passed, it could see Scottish ministers seek legal challenge to establish if Holyrood could stage indyref with PM agreeing.

Joanna Cherry:"At October 2018 conference, I was elected to the NEC. I saw it as part of my role to raise concerns re: complaints procedures & vetting process brought to my attention by members & branches whose correspondence with SNP HQ was not dealt with to their satisfaction." "My attempts...not appreciated by some. Subsequently, my private correspondence on these matters was shared with everyone on NEC without my permission, then selectively leaked to press to smear me.Our HQ must exist to support branches, members and the wider aims of the party."

"Think BBC is biased against indy? Just wait for Andrew Neil & GB. Fortunately, here in Scotland, the Enlightenment vision still holds of creating an independent nation bound by laws voted on by the people – a land that embraces collective fairness and social justice." Kerevan "The commentators on 'GB News' will tell Scottish viewers that an independent Holyrood will raise their taxes, although most Scots have seen their incomes flatline for a generation under the present arrangements. And we will be told we have no right to a second referendum..."

Launched only in January, Believe in Scotland (BiS) is best known for producing the Scotland the Brief publication.
Hosted by MacIntyre-Kemp, speakers included Lesley Riddoch, SNP’s deputy leader Keith Brown, ScotGreen co-convener Lorna Slater, and broadcaster Stuart Cosgrove. MacIntyre-Kemp: “We felt there had been the wrong narrative about independence within the Yes movement. People were frustrated by Covid-19, & frustrated by waiting for another referendum, & who didn’t understand why there was not a campaign running."

Covid hospital admissions are 50% HIGHER in England than in Scotland. talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/09/27/cov… via @wordpressdotcom NEW Covid INFECTIONS (19 Sep-27 Sep)
Scotland 3106 = 565 / million
England 32297= 582 / million
England 3.1 % higher infection rate & Serco testing chaos

NEW Covid DEATHS
Scotland 5 =1/ million
England 194 =3.5/ million
So England pro rata 217 % HIGHER death rate

"On Wednesday, the Brexit select committee took evidence on the bill from Catherine Barnard, Prof. of European law at University of Cambridge. She was crystal clear that while UK Parliament may be sovereign under domestic law, this does not impact on rules of international law " "Articles 26 & 27 of Vienna Convention mean that international legal obligations take precedence. In response to my questions, she explained there is also a strong argument that the bill puts UK in breach of its duty of good faith in Article 5 of the Withdrawal Agreement"

The SNP’s justice spokesperson, Joanna Cherry QC, withdrew her effort to become the Edinburgh Central candidate when the new rules were announced. She has called the rule unfair and, writing for The National yesterday, accused members of the NEC of pushing “personal vendettas”. David Henry, organiser for Edinburgh Pentlands SNP constituency association, secretary of Sighthill & Stenhouse branch, is bringing a court action over the rules, suing SNP for £5000 in membership fees & donations, naming SNP chief exec Peter Murrell, Kirsten Oswald, Ian McCann.

1.Sir David Brechin: untrustworthy Bruce supporter.
Arthur Campbell of Strachur, supporter, Dunstaffnage Cas.
Reginald le Cheyne: Lord of Duffus, supporter.
Patrick Dunbar: 8th Earl Dunbar, a late supporter
John Duraunt: Unknown
Sir Gilbert Hay of Erroll: Supporter, Constable. 2. Sir Alexr. Fraser: Married Bruce’s sister, Mary.
David Graham: Supporter, received land of Old Montrose
John de Inchmartin: Sheriff of Perth, later knighted.
Sir Edward Keith: Supporter, later Marischal of Scotland.
Alexr de Lamberton of Angus, fmr supporter of Balliol.

Nicola Sturgeon is among few leaders to gain 'public trust' in crisis, scientists say thenational.scot/news/18747571.… "The importance of CLEAR PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGING:
"With few exceptions, such as Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, & South Korea, political leaders have struggled to secure public trust ,& thus support for continued lifestyle changes."

Scots tourism boss points out fatal flaw in Rishi Sunak's Job Support Scheme. It will not stop redundancies. thenational.scot/news/18746512.… Chief exec Marc Crothall said new programme announced by Chancellor Sunak on Thursday, fell "some way short" of what sector needs. It will see workers in "viable jobs" have their wages paid partly by UKgov/partly by their employer, up to 77% of normal salaries for six months.