It’s not often we have to correct the figures of an esteemed KC like Joanna Cherry, but she’s made a straight-up mistake in her column for The National today.
Because of course Ash Regan and Kate Forbes did rather better than that.
To be honest, Humza Yousaf’s new Cabinet satirises itself – everyone’s picking on the absurdity of noted idiot Shona Robison becoming Finance Secretary but the funniest is surely omnifailure Shirley-Anne Somerville as Trans Rights – sorry, “Social Justice” Secretary – so rather than waste our breath on it today we’re going to catch up on some results from our latest Panelbase poll that we haven’t managed to squeeze in amid the mayhem of the last couple of weeks.
They tell us some interesting things about the Scotland the new FM now leads.
The beam on Kate Forbes’ face was quite something.
She’d clearly been exhausted by the contest some time ago, and must have been dreading winning and having to continue fighting the assault from within her own party. Her evident delight and relief at her own failure was a revealing moment.
The great unknown in this election was just who the SNP membership was. No poll could tell us, and with over 50,000 people having quit the party in the last three years, nobody knew who was left. But we know now: idiots.
Today is the last day of Nicola Sturgeon’s record-breaking reign as First Minister of Scotland. In a few hours we’ll know who is to succeed her in the role. She was only the second SNP occupant of Bute House, and the legacy she bequeaths compared to the one she inherited from Alex Salmond is a matter of measureable record.
This is the second time Wings Over Scotland has asked Police Scotland a question through the proper official channels, only to read the response in the tabloid press before we’d heard it firsthand (which we still haven’t, incidentally, several days after the 28-day deadline expired).
But the sidebar piece in today’s Sunday Mail raises more questions than it answers.
We’ve been thinking about it since last night, and we’re not sure if Humza Yousaf now still has ANY of the policies he started the leadership election with.
But this one‘s got us extra-specially perplexed, since at the start it was pretty much the main unique selling point he was hanging his whole campaign on.
According to SNP President and acting CEO Mike Russell, SNP members are too thick to understand the concept of changing their vote, and integrity is “disruptive”.
We’re not very clear on why a revote would be susceptible to “hacking” in any way that the original vote isn’t, but we’re sure there’s a great explanation.
There can surely be no credible disputing that the SNP leadership election – and therefore that of Scotland’s next First Minister – is, to put it very mildly, under a cloud.
As things stand, whoever wins will be forever tainted by the process – easy meat for the Unionist opposition in the Holyrood chamber and the media and a potential legal challenge could cause untold further damage to the party.
With six days still left for voting, the case for a reballot – an administratively fairly trivial task in an election being conducted almost entirely online – is now unanswerable, and needn’t even involve a delay.
Young Lochinvar on The Jokers: “Are there any politicians, particularly party leaders that are/ have been competent over the last 10 years? Any whatsoever? Answers…” Jun 6, 04:17
Young Lochinvar on The Jokers: “It’s just the usual central belt voting cycle; make a(n) A8se of things here then reap what you sow and…” Jun 6, 03:50
Skip_NC on The Jokers: “I don’t think Alba’s decision not to stand was all that remarkable. I am not privy to senior leadership discussions…” Jun 6, 03:08
Willie on Ball Of Confusion: “The Hamilton by-election result is now out and unpopular as Labour are they have won with the SNP second and…” Jun 6, 02:53
Big Jock on Ball Of Confusion: “Didn’t Souness say he wished he was English? Surely Farage should be a natural home for this plastic Jock. Him…” Jun 6, 00:08
Chris Downie on Ball Of Confusion: “Souness was a world-class player, but also the biggest hacking bastard the Scottish game has ever seen. A true Loyalist…” Jun 5, 23:39
Hatey McHateface on Ball Of Confusion: “A lot of things were better in earlier times, TURABDIN. Heck, take the Yes movement. Who wouldn’t want to go…” Jun 5, 21:06
Hatey McHateface on A Butterfly On Absinthe: “@Bill Craig If you’re really up for staying as objective as we can: “have no valid historical claim to the…” Jun 5, 21:01
TURABDIN on Ball Of Confusion: “THE ANAGRAM of REFORM is former, i.e belonging to an earlier time. just like its supporters.” Jun 5, 20:43
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Why genocide is brilliant: ““I’ve been a loyal reader and fan of this blog for well over a decade, but I’m done. Our government…” Jun 5, 19:54
Rev. Stuart Campbell on A Butterfly On Absinthe: ““Stu, I’m surprised and disappointed in your remarks on this issue.” Seems to me what you have an issue with…” Jun 5, 19:50
David on Ball Of Confusion: “The Protestants of Larkhall need something to cheer about tonight. They’ve just hired Russell Martin – a vegan Buddhist footballer…” Jun 5, 18:46
twathater on Ball Of Confusion: “I think the daily rectum is going for a reverse psychological position to voters, denigrate the man whilst shoving his…” Jun 5, 18:43
Hatey McHateface on Why genocide is brilliant: “Ah ken fit ye mean, Donald. The Humous boys could end the ongoing genocide by the weekend. But they don’t…” Jun 5, 18:15
Hatey McHateface on Why genocide is brilliant: “It’s not blokes revealing their “fangs” in supposedly safe places that our women folk are concerned about. It seems clear…” Jun 5, 18:06
Skip_NC on Ball Of Confusion: “You’re just trolling “Jammies” Kelly now, aren’t you, Stu? The paragraph that begins “If there’s anyone in Hamilton…,” is just…” Jun 5, 18:06
sarah on Ball Of Confusion: “If a very low turnout we might know the result before 11.00 tonight!” Jun 5, 18:05
Captain Caveman on Why genocide is brilliant: ““an in Scots – yer nivver ower auld tae lairn!” No, Alf, that’s not “Scots”, that’s English mate. Albeit with…” Jun 5, 17:24
agent x on Ball Of Confusion: “We will know the result in the morning. Will be interesting.” Jun 5, 17:11
robertkknight on And No Great Mischief Should They Fall: ““If the majority of Scots wanted independence they simply need to vote for it overwhelmingly” Are you suggesting 50%+1 isn’t…” Jun 5, 17:03
Northcode on And No Great Mischief Should They Fall: ““The Scottish independence movement, Liberate Scotland, Salvo, Liberation.Scot…” Should have read: “Professor Alf Baird, The Scottish independence movement, Liberate Scotland,…” Jun 5, 16:54
Northccode on And No Great Mischief Should They Fall: ““The Scottish independence movement, Liberate Scotland, Salvo, Liberation.Scot…” Should have read: “Professor Alf Baird, The Scottish independence movement, Liberate Scotland,…” Jun 5, 16:52
Alf Baird on Why genocide is brilliant: “an in Scots – yer nivver ower auld tae lairn!” Jun 5, 16:48
PhilM on Ball Of Confusion: “Perhaps we need to petition the parliament to consider legislation to ban Graeme Souness and anyone with a similar bubble…” Jun 5, 16:43
Cuphook on Ball Of Confusion: “By the weekend we’ll see articles from the usual guardians of the discourse likening the SNP and Reform and denouncing…” Jun 5, 16:21
Northcode on And No Great Mischief Should They Fall: ““…independence is the number one priority for the Scottish people and enjoys 99% support across the country.” I didn’t think…” Jun 5, 16:15
Aidan on Ball Of Confusion: “Purdah doesn’t mean that media organisations have to remain politically neutral in the run up to an election. It just…” Jun 5, 16:08
Mark Beggan on Ball Of Confusion: “Souness used to be called something else if I remember correctly. It rhymes with meaness but begins with a P.” Jun 5, 16:05
sarah on Ball Of Confusion: “Don’t purdah rules apply to Holyrood elections? Or are all votes in Scotland free of purdah rules, as in 2014…” Jun 5, 15:38