exile

It's puzzling to understand how this has survived so long and there is no hint that anyone is proposing changing it. Why does the Church of England have so many bishops in the House of Lords? Is there a spread of other religions too? Even if accepting for the time being we have Lords, and that we have religious Lords, why do we need so many representatives from the same Church? How many Sikhs, Buddhists, Pagans, Scientologists get a seat there?

Apparently it's Democracy Day on the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-30734123 There's even a link to an old article on Scotland referendum Elsewhere there's a democracy ranking here http://democracyranking.org/?page_id=14 Interesting to see so many small/northern European countries in the top places some way ahead of UK In this country you will still find a story about bishops under "Politics"! 26 Church of England bishops fill the House of Lords... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30884956

Andy Ritchie?

Well... perhaps it is a reasonable stance for COSLA to take (whoever was the spokesman)... not sure about Labour though As for the BBC it can do what it likes... and can itself comment freely on industrial affairs without declaring it is a member of the CBI...

Douglas Alexander and David Starkey on tonight, apparently. Will Douglas be preaching the importance of the leaders' debates being fair, open and democratic?

Neat. Now what if SNP teamed up with plaid and the SDLP and one minor english party (even, a specifically created English Independence Party)... they could fight on a genuine 'dissolving the Uk' joint ticket.... that would be a UK wide party, and in fact the only UK wide party!

So, in short, he supports the breakup of the Union?

So Cameron at PMQs referred to Lib Dems, UKIP and Greens as the three minor parties... SNP is the party of govt in Scotland so can't be a minor party, right?

That is pretty shocking negative spin on it - or it would be if we were shocked by these things any more - it looks like the same article that is the one I linked to whose headline is now Sunday Herald referendum sales boost after 'Yes' support in referendum So what happened - they retitled it? I just clicked through the Wings article - takes you to archived BBC page which says 13 January 2015 Last updated at 22:12 GMT which it still says... So you can't tell if/when the title was updated...

I see the BBC webpages says Miliband said he would debate with "anyone invited by the broadcasters". So what's to stop a debate involving the Greens and SNP etc? What's to stop a separate format for Scottish and Welsh viewers? I see Douglas Alexander says it's up to the broadcasters... so what's to stop the broadcasters inviting the Greens and getting Cameron too? Also, he is calling UKIP a major party now!

Ave. weekly circulation for 2014 Sunday Herald 31, 795 (+ 31%) The Herald 35, 707 (- 8%) The National 30, 471 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30798331

"Jim Murphy yesterday moved Scottish Labour away from its historic commitment to the UK by proposing a new constitution signalling that the party is open to supporters of independence." http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/jim-murphy-labour-party-open-to-yes-voters-1-3657421 Jim Murphy for Prime Minster of indy Scotland, anyone?

The obsession with Alex S continues to baffle. He is just one possible MP. ('It's just another three points', Brian.) The SNP don’t really need AS in Westminster, any more than any other willing footsoldier. The failure of Salmond would be nothing to the SNP, compared to the strategic setback of Farage failing to gain a seat, or the humiliation of Clegg or Murphy etc losing theirs. More to the point, their strategy is surely counterproductive. The more the other parties try to gang up – or draft in big-hitting outsiders – to Stop Salmond, the more it looks as if it’s them who are using the electorate of Gordon for playing external party politics, not AS.

I know, I know. When I wrote it, it sounded like "Outraged of Polmont". Hence the quote marks.

This. "Is this what we pay our licence fee for?"

Goodwillie on score sheet Can't remember when he last played for Scotland though

Are these vital clues as to where the pies are?

Lets hope for 2 good wins against Gibraltar and make the most of those to boost confidence and get the team and strikers to click and actually score.

Just saw the half time stats. United had a total of 4 shots on target.

Talking of new years messages. Have just turned on the television news, to get new year's messages from cameron, miliband, clegg. Have any set of leaders looked more interchangeably bland?

Maloney goal, not just for the goal, but for capping a long patient tense game before it, and because it turned out the crucial winning goal Anya goal v Germany something special too Also enjoyed the game v Nigeria, had a feelgood factor, everyone getting behind team and manager

I don't remember 2104 either

It will be interesting to see what Nicola S will bring, different qualities, for the next stage.

so much to celebrate