To tell you the truth, readers, we’re suffering from a little bit of option paralysis at the moment, although happily not in the same way Peter Murrell is.
The endless torrent of revelations following on from Murrell’s conviction a week ago isn’t just fascinating in its own right – it also forces numerous historical issues to be seen in a new light. At any given second there are half-a-dozen different articles we could be writing, but also so many to read that it’s hard to find the time.
We suspect this matter is going to run and run all through the summer silly season because there are simply so many angles and so many unanswered questions.
Sadly, this turned out to be prescient this morning.
Laura Kuenssberg did give Nicola Sturgeon an uncomfortable time in their interview on her Sunday programme on BBC News, but when confronted with the one gaping open goal that Sturgeon has no answer for – and even when Sturgeon TWICE set it up on a plate for her – Kuenssberg failed to knock the ball into the empty net.
That doesn’t – by some distance – mean there was nothing of interest to note, though, so let’s take a walk through (the first instalment of) what was said.
Now that Nicola Sturgeon is finally free of her gruelling MSP workload, which could give her anything up to two extra hours of spare time a week, she might like to start making a proper dent in the contents of her fully-loaded bookshelves.
The multi-statement meltdown that has been the unravelling of Nicola Sturgeon this week has been quite something to behold. Last night, for example, we swear our Twitter feed presented these two tweets one after the other.
We’ll be honest with you, readers, if we were in a situation where a lawyer was issuing statements for us, this isn’t what we’d want to hear.
“If my client had been charged, she’d be in prison right now” is a worrying distance short of a vote of confidence in your client’s innocence.
But the statement Aamer Anwar put out for Nicola Sturgeon last night – her FOURTH in 48 hours, despite saying on Monday morning that she’d be making no further comment on the Peter Murrell case – had rather more wrong with it than even that.
So, having made a statement on Monday morning which asserted that she wouldn’t make any further statements, then making another statement on Monday afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon and her solicitor issued a third statement in 36 hours last night.
And while we acknowledge that this is a very high bar to clear, it contained one of the most troubling and blatant lies she’s ever told.
And as the Nicola Sturgeon Loyal, led by her most faithful of lieutenants, set out to try to take control of the post-conviction narrative, let’s take a look at just what a boatload of bare-faced bullshit the above is.
There will be no trial, no cross-examination, no explanation. The people of Scotland, the members and supporters of the SNP, the wider Yes movement, none of us will ever know what really happened. Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?
Despite what you or we might think, in the eyes of the Scottish Football Association this ISN’T a pitch invasion. This is simply what a football match in progress looks like.
Because according to the absolutely extraordinary statement they’ve released this evening, that was game time. The clock was still running, nothing was being added to account for the fact that there were thousands of thugs rampaging across the field, and the game was still happening in that moment, until it was ended four seconds later.
Anne on Pandora’s Campervan: “Is it not more likely that this excess of pointless bling purchasing and overspend on office refurbishment is a way…” Jun 2, 16:34
Ebok on Pandora’s Campervan: “It’s difficult to put into words the appreciation for, and admiration of, the sheer volume and depth of work being…” Jun 2, 16:16
agentx on Pandora’s Campervan: “Why embezzle a camper van and never use it?” Jun 2, 15:34
Ian on Pandora’s Campervan: “Incidentally, when those figures for ‘audio visual’ came out, I remember trying to compile a realistic invoice for a conference…” Jun 2, 15:30
agentx on Pandora’s Campervan: “Murrell was CEO of SNP from 2001. Murrell married Sturgeon in July 2010 The offences started 12 August 2010. ———————————————–…” Jun 2, 15:25
Alf Baird on Pandora’s Campervan: ““The Brits are past masters in dirty trickery, subversion, great gaming” Indeed, and especially so in the ‘strategic’ colonies where…” Jun 2, 15:25
Ian on Pandora’s Campervan: “Given that the motor home was never used, and stuffed full of ‘luxury’ goods, you can’t help thinking that Murrell…” Jun 2, 15:23
100%Yes on Pandora’s Campervan: “What ever surplus money the SNP got he or them just spent it on what ever they wanted, wither it…” Jun 2, 14:53
Cynicus on Pandora’s Campervan: ““Begs the question, why did the Crown feel they had to agree to a deal? Could they not have proved…” Jun 2, 14:44
100%Yes on Pandora’s Campervan: “Sturgeon forced to answer for herself on national TV, with crocodile tears, only to turn round and say what have…” Jun 2, 14:37
Rogueslr on Pandora’s Campervan: “With only 4 miles on the camper van it should make a good price at auction. But, I am left…” Jun 2, 14:34
BigJay on Pandora’s Campervan: “There was an interesting article in the Sunday Times, part of which outlined the Swinney/Murrell connection from their schooldays, church…” Jun 2, 14:23
agentx on Pandora’s Campervan: “PUBLIC FUNDS £8,143,658.37 in Short Money from the House of Commons £2,437,821.47 in policy development grants from the Electoral Commission…” Jun 2, 14:21
Iain Ross on The View From Row Z: “The van should be shown in the Balance Sheet at cost price (ex VAT) less accumulated depreciation. Not sure what…” Jun 2, 14:19
Andy Wiltshire on Pandora’s Campervan: “Exactly! Come on Wingers, there must be a lawyer here who can address this vital point.” Jun 2, 14:13
RobertG on Pandora’s Campervan: “I also wonder if the deliberate own goal decision to go to the Supreme Court over indyref2 was part of…” Jun 2, 14:12
Rocky on Pandora’s Campervan: “Who were the Sloggi knickers for?” Jun 2, 14:09
Jim Anderson on Pandora’s Campervan: “Getting interesting as the extent and timing of the control failures by Beattie and Sturgeon that favoured Murrell’s criminality are…” Jun 2, 14:05
barelybare on Pandora’s Campervan: ““I’ve been through the 107 pages of items bought by Peter Murrell” Keep in mind that BBC list excludes all…” Jun 2, 13:59
Al-Stuart on Pandora’s Campervan: “. Hi Stuart. Thanks for your excellent Pandora’s Box article. I’ve been through the 107 pages of items bought by…” Jun 2, 13:49
LES HALLES on Pandora’s Campervan: “Out of all this, one thing everyone should be thankful for are your unrelenting efforts to shine a light into…” Jun 2, 13:48
TURABDIN on Pandora’s Campervan: “It is of course not beyond reason to suspect the entire SNP «staff» of being British intelligence spooks, both knowing…” Jun 2, 13:36
100%Yes on Pandora’s Campervan: “Its should be no public inquiry then return the money that was donated to the SNP. Is it possible to…” Jun 2, 13:26
100%Yes on Pandora’s Campervan: “Jester or just a complete and utter idiot Colin Beattie with 1mb of ram for brain power. Who says one…” Jun 2, 13:20
Antoine Roquentin on Pandora’s Campervan: “Excellent, as always, Stuart!” Jun 2, 13:09
Ian Smith on Pandora’s Campervan: “They couldn’t have known because Murrell covered his tracks with a sophisticated fraud. Like coding a robotic lawnmower from a…” Jun 2, 13:00
Douglas on Pandora’s Campervan: “Surely a question for COPFS who, in my opinion, have been way too tight with government during Ms Sturgeon’s reign.” Jun 2, 12:58
Frank Waring on Pandora’s Campervan: “Everyone now understands that the SNP solicited funds to be ‘ringfenced for a future Referendum campaign’, and then used this…” Jun 2, 12:56
