Comments

1. 

   Gavin Greig

   April 8, 2016 at 20:26

   The democracy is working fine, thanks - in fact, better than the UK's, as we have proportional representation to ensure that parties don't get a majority unless they really, really deserve it. What's not working is the opposition parties, who are individually and collectively doing such an awful job that they're unelectable.
2. 

   Peter A Bell

   April 9, 2016 at 11:48

   John McTernan is the epitome of the British nationalist fanatic. Look at the spittle-flecked indignation with which he contemplates the Scottish Government conducting itself as the real government of a real nation. This is not how it was meant to be. It was always intended that Holyrood should be the "pretendy wee parliament". Little more than a glorified parish council. And always firmly under the control of British Labour in Scotland (BLiS) - a safe pair of hands in the eyes of the British establishment. The administration was never supposed to be a real government. The term 'Scottish Executive' was applied for the purpose of distinguishing it from the UK government. The real government. Superior because it is British. And that which is British is divinely ordained according to the dogma of British nationalism. Calling it an 'executive' was to be a constant reminder that it was subordinate. Inferior because it is Scottish. The SNP is hated with such mindless vehemence by the likes of McTernan not least because it overturned the British nationalist scheme. History will record that the first SNP administration's decision in 2007 to ditch the intentionally demeaning term 'executive' in favour of being a real government in both name and character was one of the most significant moments in Scotland's progress towards independence. From such small things, nations are reborn. McTernan and his ilk seethe with virulent rage to this day. They are consumed by the bitter resentment born of a vaunting sense of entitlement denied. Somewhere, buried deep beneath the unthinking anger, lurked the realisation that, having so flatly denied Scotland's right to a real government and contemptuously discounted our capacity, British Labour in Scotland had disqualified itself from ever again holding power. Voting for British Labour in Scotland implies acceptance of their perception of Scotland as a mere adjunct to the British state. It involves embracing the unspoken concept of Greater England. It means denial of the sovereignty of Scotland's people and espousal of the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty which holds that the people are always subject to dictates of the Westminster elite. That intellectually crippling effects of the British nationalist's detestation of those seek to normalise Scotland's constitutional status is evidenced by the inanity of their utterances. McTernan's insists that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China cannot be both good news and of relatively minor significance. This is, of course, complete nonsense. It is perfectly sensible to see the document for what it is - a non-binding agreement to discuss having meetings about talks - while still celebrating, in a modest way, the fact that this represents an early stage in a process that has the longer-term potential to be of economic benefit to Scotland. Blinded by dumb hatred of the SNP and limited by the imperative to turn absolutely everything into anti-SNP propaganda, McTernan can neither see the MoU for what it is nor accept that it might be a good thing. He sees only an 'evil conspiracy' being perpetrated by the grotesque caricature of the SNP which roils under his Bacofoil bunnet. And even if it is a 'good thing', he is compelled by his British nationalist fanaticism to do all he can to derail it. To the British nationalist, success for the Scottish Government diminishes the British state. And that is akin to heresy. The prophets of the British nationalist faith have proclaimed that a real Scottish Government is an affront to the natural order, and will surely fail. Every effort must be made to ensure that this prophesy is fulfilled. The natural order must be restored. That is John McTernan's mission. His slogan? The Union at any cost!
   1. 

      Dr Jim

      April 9, 2016 at 12:40

      "YES" What you said Isn't democracy just a difficult concept for Unionists and the louder they screech the more obvious and transparent they become Unionists committed the crime and are now overwhelmed by a desire to punish voters for finding that out
   2. 

      Stewart Kerr Brown

      April 9, 2016 at 15:45

      Bathgate McTernan has no interest in democracy...his comments on his own parties leader...Corbyn not Cameron...aye...it's an easy mistake to make...are testament to that. No...what McTernan craves above anything else is power...
3. 

   john

   April 9, 2016 at 13:25

   Excellent piece Peter , unfortunately there is not a newspaper in the land that will print it . This is the kind of scrutiny McTernan and his ilk need .If nothing else, McTernan's rantings show us once again the complete hatred he holds for the SNP , as if we need reminded . They burst his bubble , they are showing the establishment they are up to the job of governing Scotland and they don't like it one little bit .
4. 

   DM Kev

   April 9, 2016 at 17:55

   McTernan isn't really saying anything apart from 'SNP supporters defend SNP government actions'. His anger at his, and Labour's, political impotence is the real story. The headline should read "Why Doesn't Anyone Care What I Think Anymore?!"
5. 

   Elmo

   April 14, 2016 at 02:06

   Note, the comment above was left by famous abusive troll Peter A Bell. Believes the independence referendum was rigged by the BBC and that Scottish Labour(not BLiS or whatever he thinks they're called) are hiding 'secret oilfields' and manipulating the global oil price to make the SNP look stupid - disregard.