There is a not particularly funny joke that is sometimes told in legal circles about why a law student failed to finish his coursework – because he had no conviction. With rare exceptions lawyers aren’t renowned for their sense of humour but I can’t help thinking someone, at the highest levels of our justice system, is having a right laugh at my expense and those who have loyally supported me over the past six years.
I’m talking about the Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC – a sitting member of the Scottish Government’s cabinet who was nominated by Nicola Sturgeon to that post in 2021, five months after I was acquitted.
For those unfamiliar with my case, I offer this brief summary. In March 2020 I made a short video on my mobile phone that was two minutes and thirty eight seconds in length. I hadn’t planned to make the video when I went out for a walk in a field near my home. But I was annoyed and wanted to articulate that annoyance, although at the time I recorded it I wasn’t intending for it to go much further.
Later that night, just before turning in, I uploaded it to my YouTube channel on a closed, unlisted link and then posted that link to my Twitter account that, at the time, had a modest 1000 or so followers. I then forgot about it.
Little did I know that short mobile phone video would result in me facing initially a criminal trial, then a five year legal battle in the highest civil court in Scotland and now, most likely, an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
So on the one hand there’s obviously very little point paying attention to the SNP’s regional list candidates for May’s Holyrood election, because as this website has comprehensively demonstrated over recent months, the chances of the SNP having any list MSPs elected are remote.
However, nothing is impossible, so let’s take a look at the B team, which also serves as a guide to the party’s upcoming talent taking its first steps towards the gravy bus.
As the six-year fight for justice for Alex Salmond continues, we thought you might like to see this clip from this morning’s Mike Graham Show, interviewing Paul McManus, the businessman and drummer in Glasgow rock band Gun who’s stepped up to fund the Salmond family’s case against the Scottish Government despite disagreeing with much of what Alex stood for politically.
The Sunday National’s front page today elicited a sigh of “So what?” from most.
We’ve already GOT a “pro-indy” majority at Holyrood and have done for the last 10 years, for all it’s been worth. But to be fair there was a paragraph in the article that at least raised a quizzical eyebrow.
It seems that it’s fine to farm important judgments out to mysterious shadowy figures who just make important chunks of them up out of thin air, and then issue them in your own name. Back in your boxes, plebs.
Cynicus on When the law breaks the law: “@Alf Baird, 22 February, 2026 at 7:43 pm ======== Alf, I commend to you the advice of HH Asquith: “Never…” Feb 22, 20:27
Alf Baird on When the law breaks the law: “You must be on piece-work from whoever pays you, Hatey, that’s 28 worthless diversionary contributions on this article alone from…” Feb 22, 19:43
Saffron Robe on When the law breaks the law: “I agree entirely with both your comments, Twathater. The current crop of Scottish politicians are indeed merely actors for independence…” Feb 22, 19:40
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Graves used to be a lot more spacious. Shrinkflation gets its teeth into everything. Back in the Victorian Age, when…” Feb 22, 18:18
Northcode on When the law breaks the law: “Although “turn” was most likely used first in a speech given by a Mr Windham on the 4th November 1801…” Feb 22, 18:02
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““comprehensively lost the argument in Scotland vis-a-vis EU membership. the ship has sailed” Blethers. The argument has never been made.…” Feb 22, 17:48
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Surely “brocht low”, Northy, not “brought low”. It angers me more than mere words can express that I’m better at…” Feb 22, 17:41
Northcode on When the law breaks the law: “Since there’s nothing much happening on here again theday… here’s anither fragment of a braw poem scrieved by that most…” Feb 22, 17:29
agentx on When the law breaks the law: ““Alex Salmond will be rolling in his grave” ——————————————— The usual phrase is “turning in his grave”.” Feb 22, 17:27
Andy Ellis on When the law breaks the law: “@Hatey There’s no way the EU would have accepted separate memberships for Scotland and rUK on the same terms and…” Feb 22, 16:58
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““We’re economically significantly worse off than if we’d have become independent, because if that had happened brexit would never have…” Feb 22, 16:27
Andy Ellis on When the law breaks the law: “@Hatey Those who like to over-exaggerate the disaster of leaving one union (Brexit) sabotage the chances of leaving another (Indy).…” Feb 22, 15:50
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Gie’s a brek, Alf. Real nationalists ken fit self-determination is. It’s just the faux nationalists who want Scotland immediately locked…” Feb 22, 15:31
Alf Baird on When the law breaks the law: “““real” nationalists should be focused on… self determination” That is correct, but nationalists also need to better understand what self-determination…” Feb 22, 14:47
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Sorry, Andy, I replied to you a puckle of times, but every reply incurred the wrath of the moderation bot…” Feb 22, 14:30
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Calm doon, Northy. It’s likely just a poor translation into the lying tongue of the coloniser (Inglis) from the original…” Feb 22, 14:08
Southernbystander on When the law breaks the law: “Just for the record, England is not in deep trauma, a mad sort of conception that bears no relationship to…” Feb 22, 12:46
Sven on When the law breaks the law: “Ah me, if only it were an ill chosen metaphor which were to anger me more than words could express…” Feb 22, 11:52
Northcode on When the law breaks the law: “This angers me more than mere words can express: A source close to Alba added: “If Ash Regan was elected…” Feb 22, 10:38
agentx on When the law breaks the law: “Isle of Islay arrived in Scotland 🙂 https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9970923” Feb 22, 10:08
TURABDIN on When the law breaks the law: “SCOTLAND MIGHT JUST POSSIBLY be on the right track when people of certain type are no longer in charge of…” Feb 22, 09:38
Andy Ellis on When the law breaks the law: “We need to be careful not to make the perfect the enemy of the good. The independence movement doesn’t need…” Feb 22, 09:25
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “I’m sure it’s entirely coincidental, but from the looks of things, I’m confident that the sheriff has an above average…” Feb 22, 08:59
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““Scotland will never regain her independence until we have people who are willing to tell WM to fuck off” Precisely…” Feb 22, 08:01
twathater on When the law breaks the law: “Scotland will never regain her independence until we have people who are willing to tell WM to fuck off, what…” Feb 22, 03:57
twathater on When the law breaks the law: “As I commented on Grousebeater blog re Mark Hirst It is absolutely despicable that Scotland’s laws and legal system is…” Feb 22, 03:28
Jay on When the law breaks the law: “Dan, thank you for the link to grousebeater’s exposition concerning Sturgeon’s history. Seems perfectly compromised for recruitment. Is any more…” Feb 21, 23:53
Saffron Robe on Shield Of The Phantom: “I’ve been thinking some more about this following a conversation today about AI, and I’m not convinced the explanation given…” Feb 21, 22:21
Young Lochinvar on When the law breaks the law: “HMcH Nah, they are as bad in both departments as each other. Is either department the one/ those GP referenced…” Feb 21, 21:53
