MSM Monitor has long been a valuable source on social mediae debunking & tweeting rebuttals to Mainstream Media fake news, spun reporting, and downright lying about the case for Scottish independence. It’s always been a bit of a mystery as to who ran the account. Though there are some very likely candidates for that.
A few weeks back its Twitter / X account announced it was closing. Cue: a chorus of “Oh, No! Please stay”. It seems that chorus was heard because the twitter account is back up and running and has been tweeting its own short videos on topics currently being spun in the news. Maybe it has a new
They’ve made a great comeback with a series of videos in the Led By Donkeys style…
John Robertson’s blog TalkingUp Scotland is an excellent media fact check source if you’re interested in Scottish news reporting. Every now and then – like now – we write up a couple of his articles. This month we’re going to look at the Herald’s take on road traffic accidents in the Highlands, and then return to that long-running favourite of how long people have to wait in A&E
This week Ineos announced that they will stop refining oil at their Grangemouth facility. This will leave Scotland with no oil refining capacity. What will happen to the metro-chemical plant on the same site? Will Ineos go ahead with its plans to run Grangemouth on hydrogen? We don’t know.
Jim Stamper has written this article about the implications and possible responses to the refinery closure. It appeared in TalkingUp Scotland on 25 Nov. Jim is an active member of our Greater Glasgow Group.
The Consequences of Private Ownership?
The real reason for the intended closure of Grangemouth refinery is the same as the reason for the huge increase in energy costs in the UK leading to very high inflation and the subsequent reduced value of wages and increased poverty. That reason is the privatisation of our oil and gas resources and industries by UK Governments. The private oil and gas companies have no obligation to provide oil and gas to the UK. So even although we have these resources in our territorial waters we had to compete for oil and gas supplies on the world market and prices increased hugely due to the Ukraine Russia war.
Grangemouth is shutting down processing because the private company’s priority is maximising profit. If processing can be carried out cheaper elsewhere the company will stop processing here. Any damage to the workforce and the surrounding area or the effects on Scotland and its economy are not the company’s priority.
Public Ownership?
As the Grangemouth processing plant and the workforce are of no value to them then why not take it into public ownership. Its existing function could continue with carbon capture in the Acorn project. That part of the Grangemouth plant proposed to handle imports would no longer have value to the current owners.
The oil refining in public ownership could gradually be reduced until no longer required and replaced by green energy produced in Scotland. Avoiding profiteering privatisation of that green energy and keeping it in public ownership should make the just transition easier.
Our low cost, never ending green energy will reverse the price increases generally. Industry wanting low cost energy and to meet customer demand for green energy produce will be attracted here, improving further Scotland’s economy.
The route to independence concerns everyone in the Yes movement and there is by no means consensus on the path that will lead to success. Pensioners for Independence supports Scottish Independence but we are not party political. We will be dropping in on the various party conferences to see how they propose to get us there.
We start with the 2023 SNP conference. The SNP independence strategy debate was a key – and lengthy – item on the agenda. Here a 1min summary of the proceedings. It might help before you listen to the debate.
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Key Points
Here are the key points from the debate with commentary from the IndyPodcasters. There’s a contents list below to help you navigate through the video. We think the speeches by Tommy Sheppard and Joanna Cherry are particularly interesting. But there are a lot of thoughtful contributions all the way through. And if you think we’ll end up engaging in civil disobedience then make sure you listen to David Buckley.
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Content List:
00:01:16 Humza Yousaf proposes the resolution, followed by Stephen Flynn, seconding.
Followed by key speeches in favour or against the various amendments:
00:17:22 Tommy Sheppard – proposing Amendment A
00:23:22 Tony Guiliano – proposing Amendments B and C
00:29:43 Joanna Cherry – proposing Amendment D
00:37:19 David Buckley – Remitting the resolution back, in other words go back and think again.
00:41:27 Graeme McCormick – Direct negative, vote the resolution down.
00:45:43 Chris Hanlon – proposing Amendment F
00:48:22 Mike Russell, speaking against amendments F and G
Followed by speeches summing up the amendments:
00:51:21 Tommy Sheppard summing up Amendment A
00:53:56 Joanna Cherry summing up Amendment D
00:57:03 Pete Wishart summing up Amendment G
00:59:37 Graeme McCormick summing up the direct negative
And ending with the final summing up in favour of the resolution
01:02:11 Humza Yousaf summing up
The full SNP independence strategy debate can be watched on SNP’s Youtube channel.
You’ll find podcasts featuring other independence-supporting Parties on Scottish Independence podcast playlist of Scottish Party Politics.
Believe in Scotland have added an online shop to their website.
If you’re looking for their leaflets, badges, car stickers, t-shirts, booklet….. this is where to get them. They’ve got starter packs too, with a variety of campaign material. They’ve even got a Believe in Scotland umbrella!
And…. the greater quantities you order, the lower price you pay. Here’s the link to Believe in Scotland Shop. I fancy the umbrella.
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