In today’s politics, many do appear to be serving two masters, although I also have the feeling they are not aware of it!

Let me give you an example around one topic…..Direct Democracy.

Direct Democracy is one of the cornerstones of a large organisation, so my query is, why are so many members voting for Parties who do not believe in it or want it?

If Direct Democracy is one of your core values, please check and make sure the Party you are voting for aligns with this policy!

Why do I believe in it?

If we believe that the people of Scotland are Sovereign and as a consequence should have the final say on matters, then Direct Democracy is the only way this can happen in practice.

Our present system [Representive Democracy] only gives us a voice, and it’s a limited one, every 5 years. Then we are more or less told to shut up for the next 5 years! And a lot can happen in 5 years as we are seeing.

Then there’s the wee matter of Recall, something Holyrood voted against recently.

As I said at the beginning, I don’t think the Direct Democracy votes are going elsewhere deliberately, more like folk are not aware of fact that the Party they are voting for is anti!!

One the things the last GE has shown us is this, when we voting for a broad policy, we need to know more about how that policy will work out in practice!!

We don’t just need the ingredients, we need the cooking instructions as well!

In short, we need to be more politically savvy!!

Politicians get away with so much when they produce the headline and we accept it, no questions asked.

By putting the right people into Holyrood, questions will be asked and answers demanded.

The time for change is now as far as Scotland is concerned.

There is a difference between where you think your money, [taxes] go and where they actually end up!

According the Express our last governing party spent £2.1m on ‘gagging orders’……let me repeat that, £2.1m shutting people up, over a period of 5yrs!!

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/snp-spent-21m-gagging-orders-37050072

Now, you don’t spend that kind of money trying to hide lies, but you would on hiding the truth!!

So, do we not have the right to know who was ‘shut up’ and why?

Fiscal accountability should be one of the cornerstones of any government. The language governments use when talking about money is interesting. ‘It’s government money’ or ‘Treasury money’, But the fact is, its our money paid by our taxes.

Another cornerstone should be Transparency! If there’s a secret to be hidden because of National Security, that is one thing and the courts can deal with that. But secret gagging orders are quite another thing. They sound dodgy because they are dodgy, and they sound like cover-ups!

A model of Direct Democracy would fix these things. That’s the good thing about starting anew, the sheet is blank!

There are, however, some parties that are not in favour of DD. That battle can be fought out on the political platform, but it must be the People of Scotland who decide what kind of system they want.

Now, Direct Democracy involves people’s participation. And I know how that works out these days!

However, I do believe if people saw that their participation actually works for them, they would come around to the idea.

The argument, needs to be won!

But we don’t have to wait until Independence before we get transparency, we can do that next month by putting people into Holyrood, who will demand it!

Government transparency should be a question at every Hustings!

Our money should never be used to hide the truth.

So, the SNP are asking for donations towards their new Independence campaign, well I for one won’t be giving them 1p until I know where the £660 grand went that was meant to be ‘ring fenced’. I also want to see the road map…..the whole map, including plan B & C!

I won’t hold my breath!

With only 2 weeks to go, it’s all getting very tetchy out there, so let’s keep our cool and fly this flag with pride.

If ‘Integrity’ doesn’t matter in politics, then politics doesn’t matter either!

The purpose of politicians is to manage a country on behalf of its people…..or at least it’s meant to be, the paradigm has shifted and we in Scotland need to shift it back again.

One thing motivates our world today, money. This war with Iran was never about ‘freeing’ its people but about the oil, the same as the Iraq war. You don’t talk about freedom one day then talk about annihilation the next!

Trade is one of the most important things for any country but how you get it is equally as important.

The full meaning of Trade is to give one thing for another. In Americas eyes, that translates into ‘bombs for oil’…..and not in a good way!

But then, we here in Scotland know just how quickly a ‘trade deal’ can become a takeover!

May 7th can be the day we start to reverse that little deal.

On Saturday we will march for it, we will shout for it.……but, are we going to do anything about it?

Is our allegiance to our country or to a Party? Political allegiance should only remain so if the party continues to hold the same values as you. Remember you own your vote, nobody else does, not even a political party.

You cannot be called a ‘traitor’ to your party, if the party in question has shifted from the values they once held.

I am beginning to wonder, however, if one particular party ever held any values. Apparently, they not only tried to destroy their former leader but also over the years to silence people like Joanna Cherry and Margo McDonald no less.

Do they have something against women, or just women who have the audacity to think and speak for themselves?

Here are three in particular..

Forget the carrots, remember they could have been given before, just as the pot holes could have been filled before. Go with your gut, go with your values.

Don’t let the liars make liars out of you! Because that’s what happens when you vote for them!

Outcomes not incomes!

Wow…..the discrimination against women row is still rolling on, and so it should.

With the Holyrood election next month, now is the time for the women of Scotland to rise up and make their voices heard.

There will never be another opportunity like this for a long time, if ever.

Social media has been electrified by the misogyny shown by some of the press.

But here’s a question, is the ISP the only party that thinks misogyny and censorship are wrong?

Some things go beyond party politics and I would have thought this was one of them. Or have we become so fractured that what’s right no longer matters?

Every woman matters in Scotland and elsewhere, and if we can’t see that, we have a problem, and no, I am not pointing the finger at anyone or any particular party.

There are two important questions here.

1st. Should the ruling of the Supreme Court be upheld?

Yes, the Law is the Law.

2nd….more personal.

Do you want every female member of your family to feel safe, wherever they are?

If you have said Yes to both questions, then you must ask yourself this. How can I make them and myself safer?

It is the job of the police, as far as they can, to keep us all safe, but when it comes to women in Scotland, the law appears to be quite ambiguous. The Scottish Government has blurred the lines between sex and gender. As a result, priority has given way to feelings!

The only way to turn this on its head is to vote for parties intent on doing so.

This is not about being ‘anti’ anybody, it’s about the Law and the long-held Rights of women.

Feeling safe, is a Right we all have.

If you agree with what I have written, then this could be your alternative vote!

Remember, continuity does not guarantee your safety!

Women, are not fodder to keep the SNP gravy train rolling!

Women matter…full stop!

So, let’s unite around that statement.

We have learned well from our colonial masters, have we not?

Who would have thought that a paper that supposedly supports nationalism would or could be pressured into silencing such a small, independence party! Or am I missing something here?

Maybe the ISP HAVE caught the imagination of the people and must be stopped at any cost.

Surely censorship of any political party during an election must raise questions about democracy?

And you wonder why we need Direct Democracy?

But it’s not only the ISP they are trying to silence…..but women as well!

Well they won’t.….and I won’t!

52% of women are voters and we know who hates us and goes to great lengths to silence us.

They even have nicknames for us!

Just look who is front and centre of this photo!

I think the two papers at the centre of this wee stramash may yet wish they hadn’t made those choices. Because it has made them look weak and out of touch with the populace and the ripples are reaching far and wide with offers of support.

Politics is politics but during an election, we have the right to expect integrity and fairness from our press. We say we are different in Scotland….but are we really?

Who is going to fight for the ‘sma folk’ if those who try to get choked off?

In case you or they hadn’t noticed, there are more of us than there are of those who think they have the power to silence us. And on May 7th we can exercise what power we have!

To use one’s power to silence people is an abuse of that power.

The questions now posed, reach far beyond the ISP.

This is no storm in a teacup, to be forgotten tomorrow, there’s a democratic storm brewing. One that challenges censorship and goes to the very heart of democracy.

On Saturday, thousands will shout for freedom at the AUOB march……make it mean something.

Show the press, we will not be silenced.

https://x.com/indyscotparty/status/2046477647627083941?s=61

The wee advert that caused such a stooshie!!

How about we start believing in ourselves?

How about we start to change things on May 7th?

How about we stop the rot in Holyrood?

How about we swap the liars for the truthsayers?

With a bit of self-belief, we can do that and so much more!

We don’t have to make huge leaps of faith, just one step at a time will do. Making a positive step forward by voting for an Independence party is just one step. But that’s the point… it’s a step forward not a step backwards. Then we keep the momentum going!

It’s that ripple effect!

Westminster, of course, are hoping you won’t do it. They would prefer you stay asleep!

Come to think of it, our recent governing party in Holyrood, are also hoping that you are still asleep at the wheel, especially us women.

You may have noticed a glaring omission in their manifesto….no change in their push for gender policies.

The WOKE brigade is still alive and kicking, and they still have us women and our children in their sights.

We are being dazzled with trinkets and ill thought-out ones at that. Take the £2 bus fare for instance. A gift to the tourists who fill the buses leaving no room for the locals down the road who need to get to a hospital appointment. A good idea, but it needs to be regulated. Also, walk-in surgeries, but check first, there’s a long list of conditions they don’t treat!!

Always read the small print.

I often talk about Direct Democracy, well this is it.……

A bit of self-belief and the right people to hold the governing parties’ feet to the ground, and it can happen!

Make YES happen on May 7th.

When we think of a future Independent Scotland, what are our thoughts?

I am sure we all have a wish list, but those wishes still have to fit into the geopolitical world around us, and we will still be ‘attached’ to England geographically.

But does that mean the type of governance we choose has to be of a similar type? It would certainly be the easier option….just copy and paste!!

But why ‘clone’ something we know doesn’t work?

What’s the point?

If we want change, then surely we want to change everything that doesn’t work. There can be no ‘part exchange’! No tinkering around the edges. For me, that means that we the People take charge and the politicians work for us!

And that is called Direct Democracy……[not liked by people who want power for power’s sake!]

Maybe worth asking your party if they agree with it!!

They will tell you that is what they do now!!!!

They may keep the wheels of government moving…..but in what direction?

And on the subject of cloning, is it not time to give our Farmers 100% support? Westminster are paying, or should I say, we, through our taxes are paying farmers not to grow food!?!

Have we entirely lost our marbles?

We need to support them and buy local.

There is nothing ethical about marching in support of Palestine for instance, then buying our goods from the people who are still killing them. It’s hypocritical!

And if you’re not sure how to check the source of the goods you buy, there’s an AP to help you.

It’s called “NO thanks”

Let’s start as we mean to go on, where new means new and right means right.

No, shortcuts, no quick fixes just hard graft from the candidates who have real-life experiences.

The only reason history keeps repeating itself is that we never learn the lessons!

Honest John, hasn’t learned either, because he is also going to ‘demand’. It doesn’t seem to matter that almost every week we are being told No!

But, I suppose with an election on the way, the rhetoric sounds good.

If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that no person or no Party can live on its past successes. CVs don’t work in politics, people want to see what you have been doing recently. Neither do they want gimmicks!

We want, doctors appointments, dental appointments, a good education for our children, pot holes fixed, and a fiscal system that is flexible enough to help people when global wars rock the boat!

And we can only do this with Independence. That is why this election is so important. We need people in Holyrood who will back the Decolonisation route, because there is no other train running!

There is a reason the smaller parties get shut down even on social media, the ‘big boys’ are quite happy with the status quo, and they have friends in high places!

But where there’s a will, there’s a way and some of the ‘sma folk’ are getting quite inventive. There is nothing stereotypical about them, that’s why they don’t fit in any box!

Well, the ones I know don’t! 😂

They are not into repeating failed policies and they are certainly not into doffing their caps to people in fancy dress!!

They say it, as it is, without the ‘word salad’!

They speak for Scotland and the People and don’t bring any ‘red flags’ with them…..only this one!

When evil stalks the corridors of power and we keep re-electing them, why do we appear so surprised when they get exposed?

We have known about these predators for years and we now know those who have been protecting them……so why are so many going to vote them back into Holyrood?

There seems to be a disconnect between what we want for Scotland and those we think will produce it.

In my book, evil produces evil!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15688003/The-masked-thug-trying-attack-protecting-Jordan-Linden-turned-wasnt-one.html

The SNP apologists….

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/john-swinney-backs-another-sex-36973975

……..and it appears that if you are well enough up the greasy pole your behaviour is acceptable.

What is it about the Scottish electorate that we don’t seem to think morality matters?

…… or is it a case of ‘better the devil you know’?

Change is risky, but is it as risky as maintaining the status quo?…. Knowing what the status -quo is!

It doesn’t matter what a party’s policies are, or what carrots are being offered if evil stalks their corridors. What we are talking about here is the safety of our young people and our children.

It appears to me that the Scottish Youth Parliament is not just a breeding ground for the elite but also for predators, with no supervision.

The idea itself is not wrong, but there needs to be cross-party monitoring.

There is some crazy stuff coming out at this election, none more so than this….

Does she not realise the internet is of no use if you can’t read!!

Why are we even thinking of doing this to ourselves again?

We must use the List to keep the SNP in check.

We must use the List to give a genuine voice to the People.

We must use the List to secure the safety of all women and children.

The media tell us it will be a done deal between the SNP and Greens again……it doesn’t have to be. We can change that scenario with a bit of courage and imagination.

Become a savvy voter!

The only difference between sucess and defeat for real Independence supporters on May 7th, is us!

We either start to take Scotland back or we continue down the path of continuity. There is no sitting on the fence because a clear divide has been shown.

We can choose to challenge the Scottish Government on the decisions they make, or we can just put our X on the easiest option. We should however remember that the ‘easiest’ option, may be the hardest one to live with.

The thought of change at my age does not come easily, but the thought of no change at all….terrifies me.

I do not want to go past the point of no return, and that is where Privatisation is taking us.

Why has Britains economic forcast been downgraded more than any other European country? And yet we are the ones with oil?

Westminster has failed Scotland big time, so, it’s time to have a go ourselves!

Centralization doesn’t always work. Remember the days when you paid your road tax to your LA and they were responsible for the roads? Then everything went to London and only a fraction was returned after they took their chunk first!

Local Authorities have to publish accounts…..the Treasury doesn’t!

Stop trusting the people in Scotland who trust the accounting methods of Westminster.

Stop trusting the people in Scotland who say we must take an Oath to the King of England.

Let’s be BOLD and choose change!

We cannot change the past, but we can start to change the future. We can start with a seismic blow to the continuity brigade on May 7th.

It’s easy to put your name on a membership role for a liberation movement. But the world is watching and they want to see some action.

This election is where the action can start!

It’s called ‘putting the cat, amongst the pigeons’!!

It’s called challenging the norm!

Are we up for that?

Are we up for making a difference?