'Real Independence Supporters' say Happy Christmas & Hogmanay from London

Ahead of the last Scottish election, as a show of solidarity, I made a donation to all Yes parties. As a result, I get emails from these from time to time, including from Alba.

Over Christmas and Hogmanay, two popped into my inbox within a few days of each other; first a Christmas message from Alba's Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, followed by a Hogmanay message from party leader Alex Salmond.

I clicked for a wee look on the first one when it arrived, and it caught my interest because I recognised the dress Tasmina was wearing as the one she’d had on in a shoe shop in London’s Mayfair just days before. Now I didn't pay much attention to the story as it came from the Daily Record (and has been pulled since due to inaccuracy; Tasmina just been there for shoe repairs), but I couldn’t help wonder if her message had been filmed on the same day, in the same place, i.e. Merry Christmas from the ‘heart of the dark star’ as Salmond used to call it! 😉

But of course the scene around her was quite blurred. It didn’t look like Scotland to me, but did look a lot like a park in a nice area of London, although there was not enough detail to pin down the location. Then along came Salmond’s message and things became clearer. 

The wall to the left could be explained as there was what must be a road bridge in the background. The wall was along the bank of a river with a red and blue arched bridge over it... likely somewhere in central London. A few minutes on Google maps and it is Victoria Tower Gardens next to Lambeth Bridge, just up river from the Palace of Westminster and across the road from MI5.

Here is a direct link to the image above which is the best one: https://bit.ly/3n8ti0M

You can go and virtually wander about yourself, but watch out as in the past, when some of the street view was done (back in 2011 for some of it), the footpath was wider, going around the trees at points. That threw me at first. But in recent images, it has clearly been narrowed to the scene now. Amusingly, y
ou can even see someone being interviewed, likely a Westminster MP, suggesting the location is a popular one for those that hang around the imperial parliament!

Other views include:

https://bit.ly/33lo3nf

https://bit.ly/3zFkB3a

There is little doubt - from the wall along the Thames with raised benches…the narrow park with traffic passing to the south and west...the surrounding building facades that match...and of course the very distinctive red and blue Lambeth Bridge in the background behind Salmond - that ‘real independence supporters’ give their festive messages from outside MI5 in London. 

You'd think a pro-indy party might choose a location that was a bit more Scottish (Brigadoon or similar) and less open to teasing! Cut down the trees and you are looking at MI5's HQ FHS! 😏

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