Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Tamas]

This has nothing to do with Brexit, I am sure.

[Sheilbh]

See - I get that Brexit stories get more clicks than anything else - but I don't feel like that deserves higher billing on the Guardian site than Scotland

[The Larch]

See - I get that Brexit stories get more clicks than anything else - but I don't feel like that deserves higher billing on the Guardian site than Scotland

If it's any consolation, that one's hardly got top billing. 

I think that stuff on the SNP was highlighted a couple of days ago, though. This is from earlier this week, for instance:

Yousaf and Forbes urge SNP members to stay with party after auditors disclosure
First minister reveals firm resigned several months ago but that he did not find out until first NEC meeting as party leader

The new leader of the Scottish National party, Humza Yousaf, and the MSP who was his closest rival for the position, Kate Forbes, have urged members to stay the course as further accusations of secrecy and financial mismanagement engulf it.

On Tuesday, Yousaf revealed that the SNP's auditors quit six months ago, a fact none of the leadership contenders were made aware of during the campaign to replace Nicola Sturgeon, raising significant questions about transparency under the former chief executive Peter Murrell.

Last Wednesday, Murrell – who is married to Sturgeon – was arrested by police investigating the party's handling of about £600,000 of donations to a campaign fund for a second independence referendum, and searches were carried out at their home in Glasgow and at the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh.

Murrell was released without charge pending further investigation after almost 12 hours of questioning.

On Tuesday evening, the new SNP leader and first minister released a video message aimed at party members in which he acknowledged the difficulties of recent weeks but urged members to stay united. "Despite the difficulties of the past weeks, there's not a party in the land that isn't looking at our support in the polls or indeed our membership numbers with envy."

Writing in the National on Wednesday morning, Forbes, who was narrowly beaten to the leadership with 48% of the members' vote, was more blunt, urging members not to quit after the maelstrom of revelations she described as causing "shock, confusion and hurt" among party loyalists.

Forbes also called for "decisive and immediate action on internal matters". "That could start with a report into the auditors' resignation, followed by other actions to boost transparency. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant."

During an event in Leith on Tuesday, Yousaf said the auditors had resigned "round about October of last year". It was later clarified that the firm Johnston Carmichael told the party in September it would not be able to conduct the audit due in July 2023.

Yousaf said he only discovered that the party had been without auditors for six months when he attended his first national executive committee meeting as party leader.

Scottish Labour's deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said the latest revelation "stinks to high heaven", adding: "It is deeply worrying if they have been unable to replace the auditors in all this time. It is time for the secrecy to end."

A spokesperson for the SNP said: "We have informed the Electoral Commission of the difficulty in identifying replacement auditors and the national treasurer has made the party's finance and audit committee aware."

In a further development, after the Mail on Sunday reported that a motorhome owned by Murrell was seized by police at his mother's home in Fife, the Guardian understands that the vehicle was bought to act as a campaign bus during lockdown. Its seizure has not been confirmed by Police Scotland.

The Police Scotland investigation was launched in July 2021 after complaints about the SNP's handling of more than £600,000 in donations raised by the party ostensibly to campaign for and hold a second independence referendum.

It is alleged the money was used instead to help with the party's day-to-day running costs. The SNP's accounts for 2021 showed it had a deficit of £752,000 and £145,000 in cash. The party stated all the donations were "earmarked" for independence-related campaigning.

Last year it emerged that Murrell gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help with "cashflow" after the 2021 Holyrood election campaign.

Murrell resigned as SNP chief executive during the leadership campaign last month after the media were given misleading information about a dramatic drop in party membership.

[mongers]

The stakeknife story is story that doesn't seem to get the attention from the public it deserves, if this had happened in some other countries it might be held up as an example of the workings of the 'deep state'?

[Sheilbh]

The stakeknife story is story that doesn't seem to get the attention from the public it deserves, if this had happened in some other countries it might be held up as and example of the workings of the 'deep state'?

I agree - I think with that story it's partly because it's historical. It's not news-y. Probably better for a long read and it's not for nothing that I think the best article on Stakeknife is from about 15 years ago in the Atlantic.

But I think, as with the SNP story, it also just reflects some of the nationals not being super strong in the nations and regions. With some (like the Times) they'll have sister papers so reporters based in Scotland for a separate edition, and with the Times especially a fairly strong bench of Scottish commentators, but more of an issue with the Gaurdian. Though I think they're consciously trying to build out their reporters in the rest of the country - Helen Pidd does great work in Manchester and, similarly, the FT did really well nabbing Jennifer Wiliams from the Manchester Evening News.

[Admiral Yi]

The stakeknife story is story that doesn't seem to get the attention from the public it deserves, if this had happened in some other countries it might be held up as and example of the workings of the 'deep state'?

Not too far off from Whitey Bulger being an FBI informant.

Is a "stakeknife" a thing in You Kay?  A knife you use to cut tent stakes?  A knife you take on stakeout?  A knife for disputing a claim to a stake?

[Sheilbh]

Not too far off from Whitey Bulger being an FBI informant.

I doubt we'll ever know but even Scappaticci would be nothing if the persistent rumours about Martin McGuinness were true. Both in terms of how compromised the IRA would have been if their Northern Commander or Chief of Staff (depending on who you listen to, but certainly someone at the top until 2005 when the IRA formally disbanded) was a British agent - but also what the British state allowed them to do/knew they were doing but tolerated for the intelligence they got.

Is a "stakeknife" a thing in You Kay?  A knife you use to cut tent stakes?  A knife you take on stakeout?  A knife for disputing a claim to a stake?

No. This is the only place I've seen it used - as an informer's codename. Probably a pun on steak knife.

[Josquius]

Sad backwards step on the orient express.

I went through schlipol last week and noticed they've a speific giant  NO ENTRY and a little lonely UK flag next to the automatic aisles.

We should have been going the other way and slackening borders with Europe. But racist 65 year old cunts know best.

But yes. Also very bizzare to see how low down the snp scandal reporting is. I would hope in Scotland it's rather different.

[Sheilbh]

But yes. Also very bizzare to see how low down the snp scandal reporting is. I would hope in Scotland it's rather different.

Very much. Frontpage story in every paper.

We should have been going the other way and slackening borders with Europe. But racist 65 year old cunts know best.

Although we have gone the other way. Coming into the UK electronic gates can be used by any EEA passport - as well as for passports from Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and the US (off the top of my head). So more than doubled the number of people who can use them, which I think is probably good.

Not massively keen on ESTA or the rest of the world copying it - I mean every country you travel to collecting information on your employer, or who your "point of contact" is in that country etc seems not great. I don't know - I remember when the amount of information you had to share for API was controversial (especially from Europe at the US), but we're rolling down that road anyway. Not really sure it adds much in terms of safety either.

[Duque de Bragança]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/the-lost-art-of-the-day-trip-to-france-where-all-roads-lead/

The lost art of the day trip to France – and why it needs to be revived
Crossing the Channel and returning within 24 hours is a time-honoured tradition we need to embrace – here's where to go

Paywalled.

From the Torygraph no less, which had a clear position on Brexit. 

I wonder if there is any nostalgy in Calais for Brits rushing in to get cheap booze. 

PS: where does that day trip to France end in England. It's SE England (sorry for Josqu's Norf), but precisely?

Comments are interesting too, as well. 

[Sheilbh]

Swings and roundabouts though - Brexit means trips to Calais are now duty free as they were back in the 90s. See the Sun:

FILL YOUR BOOTS Duty free shopping in Calais is back! How to save hundreds on booze and food this Christmas by heading abroad

But The Telegraph has a big wine club as a reader perk, just like The Specatator gives out loads of free champagne. I think both go pretty big on the beaujolais run etc.

I could be wrong but The Telegraph feels like the most second home in France paper (I think Brits own about 1/3 of second homes in France owned by foreigners) - though more in the Loire, Gascony, Brittany etc than around Calais, for obvious reasons

Trip to Dover is far from exclusively South-East either - Birmingham's only 3-4 hours away if you get on the road early you'd still be in Calais before lunch. Drive to Dover the night before and get a B&B. Definitely have family in Liverpool who did it (at least back in the 90s) and basically fill the car up to the legal limit with fags and booze.

[Duque de Bragança]

If the objective is only raiding Calais for booze yes, but let's say the above mentioned Brits want to to a prettier place than Calais. 

As for

see the Sun

: no, thanks. 

Drive to Dover the night before and get a B&B. Definitely have family in Liverpool who did it (at least back in the 90s) and basically fill the car up to the legal limit with fags and booze.

Remember, it's a day trip, not a week-end trip. 

Besides, even post '90s, booze was cheaper in France (maybe not in a Parisian brasserie pint for pint).

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I wonder if there is any nostalgy in Calais for Brits rushing in to get cheap booze. 

This time they might be positively compared to the ... other guests ... of the area

[Josquius]

Just the other week my girlfriends dad was recommending calais to me as actually a pretty nice town. He was particularly enthused with some bizzare animotronic dragon on the street.

Although we have gone the other way. Coming into the UK electronic gates can be used by any EEA passport - as well as for passports from Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and the US (off the top of my head). So more than doubled the number of people who can use them, which I think is probably good.

It is strange things remain pretty ok on the uk side but have gotten quite dire on the EU side.

But this is a step in a wrong direction.

[Sheilbh]

Just the other week my girlfriends dad was recommending calais to me as actually a pretty nice town. He was particularly enthused with some bizzare animotronic dragon on the street.

I've spent a day in Calais town and was not a big fan

It was part of a plane-free trip and I feel like a day was probably enough...

It is strange things remain pretty ok on the uk side but have gotten quite dire on the EU side.

The EU is based on European v third country. The UK is broadly deciding not to apply that or something similar post-Brexit.

I've not had those issues - I think it varies a lot by country/airport. Possibly about how strictly they're enforcing the separate queues. I always use the right/third country queue but I've not had issues in the places in Europe I've been since Brexit (Poland, Bulgaria, Greece and Malta).

But I think it varies a lot.