YouSaid · the spoken record

Ian Blackford

lines on the record: 47
first: 2019-07-26
most recent: 2019-07-26
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Oh, good grace. Really have to believe that Brexit will be stopped. And when Hibbs, I was there in Glasgow, when Hibbs won the Cup, it was a remarkable occasion. We hadn't won the cup as our opponents would remind us on a regular basis since 1902. It was 114 year away. What an expression of joy it was. And the theatre of the whole thing, David Gray scoring that goal in the last minute. And you know the funny...”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“An alley county, and we're going into the stadium, and I said, Oh, good grief And I kid you not, Spain scored, I think in about the second minute. We hadn't even touched the ball. And I did turn to Anne and I said, well, we might as well just enjoy this. But no, I love football and I'm a massive fan of the national team. As I am of my own team, Hibernian, and I guess both my son and my father, who are season tickets at Easter Road seeing the Hibbs, they'll chide me about my lack of appearances watching the Hibbs these days, but that's one of the consequences of what I do.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, listen, listen, you know what I'd say to you that going to see Scotland abroad, and I hate to put it this way was three days of enjoying yourself with 90 minutes of misery somewhere in the middle. And I do remember going to see Scotland again, Spain with my wife.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I knew Charlie. I first met him way back in the, actually I met him at the time of the first Scottish parliamentary election. We did programmes together and he was enormously kind towards me, actually. And I'd had an enough await who wouldn't have for Charles. And gosh, I mean, it's terrible the kind of things that he was facing. Things are not always as some people have sought to portray them. I absolutely understand that there are others that said things that were... Perhaps ill judged, but actually that's not unique to one party, that's something that happens across all parties. But I had the utmost respect for Charles the last time I spoke to him, sadly, was on the night of the account. It's just very, very sad that someone like him, someone that had so much to give is no longer with us.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Is something quite unique about being a Highland MP. It's not like an urban seat in London or Liverpool or Glasgow or Edinburgh or anywhere else. And there's almost a sense of ownership that the electorate have of you. There's a connection that you have with your electorate in those areas, which is very, very different. They own you”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yes. I mean, I put pictures up on my Twitter feed about where I live. It's an immensely beautiful place. There's a peace and serenity. It's kind of strange being down here through the week, having my life at Westminster, the job that I have to do, representing my constituents and so on. And I go back to this completely different life at the weekend. And as I leave the island, whether it's on a Sunday or a Monday and I drive south and I look at the beauty and the tranquility of the place and I think, what on earth am I doing? I can't look at that. But it is an immense privilege for anyone to be a member of Parliament. And Nick, I'll say to you that I think there is something...”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“That's right. I know what you're referring to, and actually that came from an interview that I did in Good Morning Scotland on the BBC on the Saturday right after the referendum. What I was doing at that point was saying, look, the referendum's happened. It is what it was. Gordon Brown and others had been talking about federalism and talking about full home rule for Scotland. So what I was saying at that point... Let's hold those that were on the other side to account and let's make sure they deliver what they talked about, which of course hasn't happened.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I'll say it's not about putting a flag on a building in Edinburgh, it's about the opportunities there are for people that live in that place called Scotland, irrespective of where they come from. That's the issue and it's about the articulation of that.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“You need to be people onto that positive agenda, Nick. I understand the emotion of everything that's going on, and of course you have to capture that, and of course we have to say, look at what's happened over the course of the last few years. Scotland's voice has not been heard. What's going on at Westminster is not reflective of the interests of the people of Scotland. But I want, as the FM does, want to build that consensus around that discussion on vision and values, where Scotland should be. We need to recognise that there are divisions in the UK. Which, frankly, are not great. We need to build that broader consensus. So, how we do this is really, really important.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I'd put that in the context as how Scotland has changed over the last 20 years. Scotland's a vastly different country than it was 20 years ago. It's a much more self-continent place. I think the Parliament has been a Delivered and the aspirations of the people of Scotland, and I think it's about having that debate about where Scotland is going.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“That's what we have to do because I do want an election. I do want that opportunity to put our case to the people in Scotland. But I don't want that unintended consequence that we crash out of the European Union as a consequence of that.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Out, yeah, yeah, so we need to make sure that we use our tactics in Parliament allow us to protect the United Kingdom from coming out of the European Union on an audio basis. That's the bottom line.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“But let's leave that to the side. Yeah, I can see that. And actually, in a funny kind of way, I would welcome an election. I would welcome the opportunity to increase my group from 35 to a higher number, whatever it would be. But I have to be aware that Boris may use that as a device to stop Parliament doing its job. And we need to think carefully through what that means and the timing of that and everything else.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“There's two aspects to that. This idea that he's trying to do a deal with the European Union he simply isn't listening to what the European Union is saying and they're not kidding.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, it's like a game of chess, isn't it, in some respects? But this is really, really serious because I really do fear the impact of an ordeal Brexit. I mean, I think it is cataclysmic for all of us. It is nobody's interest that this happens. And that's why I have this desire and I commit to working with everybody that shares that view.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Let's wait and see. You understand why I want to be a wee bit reticent because we have to sort of think through where we are and what opportunities that he might have. But you're worried about original.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yeah, I mean, I have to be conscious of the fact that Boris Johnson will know that there is a campaign to stop no deal. So he will tactically consider how he deals with that. I have to say, I think that we have got the numbers on our side. And we know that we can deliver the mechanism that would allow us to bring in legislation that can strike out no deal. So he will know that and he will have his respons on the other side.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, look, at the end of the day, I think there's a mutual self-interest that we all have to stop no deal. And I make no bones about the fact that I will work with anyone that shares that desire. And I think Philip Hammond is very, very clear as to what he sees as the risks of no deal. Why wouldn't I work with Phil and others in that regard? I think I have a responsibility to do so.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think it's in all of our interests that we engage in the correct manner. Of course, I've been speaking to people, and that's been commented on in the press.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“And I have to be respectful and fully supportive of the position that she is in, but I am. But the relationship that we have is a very, very strong one. I'm very, very fond of her. I will go to her and say, Nicola, I'm thinking of doing this. I want to do that. This is what's happening here. And she will say, look, you're down there, it's your bag. And actually, in everything we've gone through over the course of the last couple of years, she's been an enormous support, as I will be to her. So it works two ways. But we have a very, very strong relationship.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“That's an interesting question. I've only been leader of the SNP at Westminster for a couple of years, but before I became leader, I had a long conversation with the First Minister. She was a very dear friend. And one of the things that I said was that the two of us had to work together. She is the leader of the party.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“The problem with her deal is where did it take us? It was a blind Brexit that you agreed the withdrawal agreement would come out of Europe, but what is the future relationship still to be decided at some point in the future? I mean the Scottish Government, my friend and colleague, the First Minister, was genuinely tried to engage in this. Now, for some people, I understand it would have been impalatable because we were saying single market customs union, we had to negotiate around that. It was the least worst option. We couldn't get anywhere. We couldn't get the government to engage with us”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“It was a double injustice, and it does feed into the whole Brexit situation and that sense of people being left behind in other parts of the United Kingdom.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Is it's almost, not almost, it is the case that the bankers were bailed out, and then they had their pockets lined with cash through that QE program. And this actually does feed into the double.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Absolutely I was around when Big Bang took place and I've seen the city of London grow enormously and make that contribution that you talk about to the economy. I think that what happened in the UK, there was a lack of balance that there wasn't an industrial strategy to go alongside the financial strategy, if you like. And it got out of kilter. Everybody understood that the banks needed bailing out because the impact on the economy, if that hadn't happened, would have been almost unthinkable. Where the mistakes have been made, Nick, is that we then engaged on a massive program of quantitative easing. Let's make it simple. Let's call it for these purposes printing money. That was done for the right reasons when that program started in 2009. But it's gone too far. We've injected $435 billion into the financial system in effect through that quantitative easing program. And I think where the problem...”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Thirty odd years ago. But I was a financial analyst for a country for the Netherlands, which meant that, amongst other things, I commented on the politics, on the economy of the country, and I was the analyst in anything from small companies to the biggest companies in the Netherlands. And as a young man as I was, to have that opportunity to go and meet with the chief executive, the finance directors, and quiz them on how they were running their business and pontificate on that, was... A great privilege, and I was lucky enough to be number one rated as a Dutch analyst for much of that period.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yes, I do, but it's maybe worth kind of explaining that journey a bit. Grew up in Edinburgh, actually brought up in a council house estate in Muir House in Edinburgh, went to school, had thought that I'd become a parliamentarian for the SNP at some stage, had a banking career. I started off as a clerk in the Bank of Scotland, worked my way up. In effect, I was a clerk who was assisting on the management of unit trusts for mercury asset management and I was very lucky at that stage because I was given the opportunity to move from what they called the back office to the front office, became a fund manager. And from there became a broker. And I made no bones about it, Nick, that I loved that experience. It was a fantastic opportunity because my job at that point, I was a financial analyst. And that was a different age too because today stockbroking doesn't exist the way that it did.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, you know, we'd faced a particular challenge we had the 1999 election, the first Scottish parliamentary elections, and of course there was a desire that we all had to do well and how we budgeted for that, how we spent our money led to some interesting discussions.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, indeed, and I think, you know, when I look back at that period and politics are different, the way parties have run is very different, but the position of treasurer had a degree of importance, let's put it that way. And I was there as a custodian of the party's finances, and I had to act with a spirit of independence. And things didn't always go well.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I mean, in the 2014 referendum, you did, yeah. I mean, it's an interesting figure. I mean, he's a very, very successful figure. Took the SNP into government SNP's first minister, so Alec has Has a lot of attractions is a facey character”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think that's fair to say. There was a clash. I was the treasurer of the... The SNP, and it's fair to say that there was a falling out”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yeah, did I see that, or did somebody else see that? Oh, I thought you said that. Maybe I did. I think that was probably right. It's a fair description. I think at the time it would be. Hopefully I've learned enough a lot over the intervening period. It was a mistake. Let's be brutally honest.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think in some respects we were a bit of a nuisance to other people in the party because we were seen as having quite a considerable influence. So there was another Scottish word. Peteousness of youth left the SNP, and actually, I can remember the 7th of October 1982. In all honesty, I don't know what on earth I was thinking. It was a moment of madness.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Indeed, you've done your research. The impetuousness of youth. I was very heavily involved in the SNP in those days. The SNP had a group called the 79 group, which I had been involved in. And the party leader at the time, Gordon Wilson, had moved to throw the 79 group out, and there was a...”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“To be honest, no, I mean, I do remember as a child discussions on politics in the House, particularly when my grandparents would be around. And both my grandfathers on my mother and my father's side had been involved in politics. My granddad Campbell, my mother's father, he and his two brothers had been members of the SNP, and I'm not sure they may even well have been founder members of the SNP. I've not been able to prove that conclusively. And my granddad Blackford was a member of the Labour Party. So these things were much were much discussed. I had this burning desire that the people that lived in Scotland should be able to have a say on how that country has run. So it was with me from a very early age.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yes, I was, and I suppose, like William Hab, in some respects I did speak at an SNP conference as a teenager. And in fact, I'm not sure that the film exists, but I do remember it was actually picked up by the BBC News. So no, this has been part of my life. Look, let's be brutally honest. I did at that young age. I did think that I would become a member of Parliament at some point. I wanted to be able to contribute to that debate in Scotland's future.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I can see why you say that, and we mustn't fall into that trap because at the end of the day, it has to be about the politics. I'm not the kind of person that wants to get too tied up in personality anyway. I don't do it. And I don't, as a rule, I don't attack people. I don't do that on social media. I mean, I very much want to concentrate on the politics.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think some of the things he said have been absolutely outrageous, and I didn't feel that he was getting held to account during the Tory leadership campaign, and in particular the debate that was on television the night before. So I felt that I really had to signal that some of the things that this man has said have really been quite outrageous. So I absolutely stand by what I did and who knows it's something I may return to over the course of the coming weeks, but wait and see.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“He's a different personality. He's boggy, he's bright, he's brash, so my style at Prime Minister's question is going to have to be a bit different from the style that I've had with Teresa. I'm perhaps not going to highlight him exactly how I'm going to do it. But I will recognise.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Which is not the independence. So we had to make a strong stand. We'd indicated to the speaker that we may do something. And I'd come across this procedural device, I suppose. I encourage the speaker to allow the House to sit in private, which I was perfectly entitled to do that would have led to a motion. And I knew that the speaker had to take that motion at that point. And I think he got himself into a bit of a great Scottish word, a fankel at that point. And I had to stand my ground.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“No, no, I didn't, and maybe I'll explain that to you then. But the background to that was what I really trying to get across to the government is that when When you were interfering with the devolution settlement, because that's what it was, these weren't the powers of the SNP or the powers of the Scottish Government, they were the powers that people in Scotland voted for in a referendum in 1997. And I don't think the government ever really understood that.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“It is what it is. I mean, of course, I very much went to see Scotland become independent and away from the place, but I will respect the place for what it is and use the place to best advantage to get our point across. When I look back in that period where I got flung out by the speaker, if I can put it that way, we were really particularly exercised as to what was going on because we saw what Parliament was doing with the withdrawal act, was interfering with the powers of the Scottish Parliament. But people thought it was...”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“That's a really, really important point. We've been in government for 12 years, as you know, there was only one of those three elections that we won that we had a majority. The rest of the time we've been a minority. We have to get our program through. And crucially, we have to get our budget through, which means that we have to do deals. That's the nature of politics. If I may say so, I think that is the norm in much, if not just about all of Europe.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think it's sad to say, given her approach, it probably wasn't. And I understand why she has tried to keep her party together and ultimately, I have to say, feel quite spectacular. But I do remember, actually, when I first met her, after the election in 2017, and I looked at the Prime Minister and I said, Is a parliament of minorities where we can find compromise where we can work together then we should seek to do so Hate to see, I don't think she ever really understood that.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Yes, I hope so. And I think these words actually are important. I've had a career doing other things and I've observed other people in positions of leadership. There is loneliness of that. And the point I'm making about having advisors, and I've got great advisors, people I trust. But the buck stops with you. You are it, whether you're running a business, whatever else you're doing, you're the Prime Minister. It rests with you. And I find it fascinating watching how different people do lead to be brutally honest.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“No, but I think sometimes people expect you to behave in a certain way. And I said, look, no, today is not about us. It's not about us questioning her. The woman is going. Many, many things I disagree with the Prime Minister on, but she's a human being. She's a person. And I think it's right that you reflect on that. Actually, I don't mind saying to you that the final version was perhaps a little bit toned down, but I think it was right to recognise the moment, give her a bit of respect for what she's tried to do. I don't think she's going about it the right way. I've got issues with her. I've tried to work with her on many occasions as the First Minister has. But you've got to reflect on the fact that the Prime Minister is leaving office.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“No, I didn't actually because Nick, you know how these things work. You've got advisors and they try and prep you and you have a meeting and you discuss what you want to do. And you are led by your advisors to a reasonable extent. And I trust them fully. But in this case, I turned around yesterday morning when I got in from seeing you actually on the Today program and I said, look, this is what I want to do. And I was pretty resolute.”
2019-07-26 · Political Thinking with Nick Robinson · The Ian Blackford One · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source