Everyone even remotely connected to Scottish politics has known for months that the below is the case. It’s an open secret.
But what’s playing out right now is something much bigger than the fate of one or two or three individuals. It’s the entire future of the credibility of Scotland’s justice system.
As the long-running police probe into SNP finances continues, Wings received some slightly surprising news today in the form of an FOI response.
Based on reports from various trustworthy sources we’d expected to hear that the police side of the investigation was by this point winding down somewhat, with most matters of fact already established, detectives assigned to other duties and the ball now largely in the court of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
There are many people in the world deserving of sympathy at the moment, readers, but spare a thought in your busy day for Scotland’s Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain.
Just two and a half years into the post (most incumbents post-devolution have served around five), she’s already had to deal with a lot of what sports people call “hospital passes”. But she’s about to find herself in another nasty spot not of her own making.
Readers may have been baffled by a news story yesterday, in which an event where two men insulted each other in the street (“Deviant!”, “Bigot!”) has led to one of them, but not the other, being arrested and charged with an unspecified crime by police.
In particular, many people on social media have contrasted the situation with one from a month ago, when a large male transactivist violently assaulted a feminist woman at a “Women Won’t Wheesht” meeting in Aberdeen but merely received a recorded warning rather than being arrested and charged.
So we’re very grateful to Roddy Dunlop KC, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (the “trade” body of Scotland’s senior barristers), for posting an extremely informative, and disturbing, summary of the relevant laws on Twitter this morning.
Nicola Sturgeon has not been charged with any crime. Yesterday she was arrested, questioned and released without charge pending further investigation. We do not even know which specific suspected crime or crimes she was questioned in connection with, so it is manifestly impossible to meaningfully speculate on her innocence or guilt (save of course for the fact that all are innocent in the eyes of the law until proven otherwise, something Sturgeon herself often appears to forget).
Nevertheless, in Scotland the Contempt Of Court Act 1981 applies from the moment a person is arrested, as the country’s most senior lawyer and its official prosecution service were both keen to remind people yesterday in the clearest possible terms, and it applies equally whether you’re asserting someone’s guilt or their innocence.
So you need to be a really extra-special class of boneheaded numbwit to do this:
But we’ve subsequently noticed a number of attempts by various people to muddy the story by talking about a “draft” warrant request, implying that there was no improper delay. So we checked up, and thought you might like to know how the process works.
When Nicola Sturgeon is finally held to account for the charred, twisted and shattered ruins that she’s made of Scottish political and civic society in her desperate attempts to save her own neck, the complete discrediting of ostensible support organisations for victims of rape will be near the very top of the charge sheet.
But before we talk about that you really need to read this.
Because if you live in Scotland you can only rationally be one of two things at this moment in history: (a) terrified, or (b) an idiot.
Is the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service of Scotland institutionally corrupt? I don’t believe so, but it’s certainly a troubled organisation.
The cost and reputational damage to it from the Rangers FC case are of a magnitude never seen before, and the actions in the Alex Salmond case and related actions by the Lord Advocate and Crown Agent have called its independence into question.
There must be structural change and individuals must be held to account.
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: ““some folk need to take up fly catching or some other useful pastime” How about you put to action your…” May 24, 10:18
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: “Thank you Northcode. Yes, that is the main point I was trying to make. You have presented it much better…” May 24, 10:16
Mark Beggan on The shifting sands of memory: “Reading all the fantasies on here about how ‘cleverly’ Scotland can be a ‘nation’. Ideas spread out like instructions to…” May 24, 10:06
Xaracen on The shifting sands of memory: “The Treaty does not give succour to the dominance of England over Scotland, nor to the dominance of England’s MPs…” May 24, 09:51
Lorn on The shifting sands of memory: “James: read all the speeches and workings around the Treaty. They make it very, very plain that the Union was…” May 24, 09:49
Northcode on The shifting sands of memory: “Replying to: Mia 24th May @ 8:47 am I’ve quickly scanned your comment, Mia – I’ll read it with a…” May 24, 09:43
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: ““Easily verifiable, public domain facts say: NO: 46% (as of May 2025) YES: 44%” By facts I guess you mean…” May 24, 09:41
Lorn on The shifting sands of memory: “James, I am not saying that Scotland is not treated as a colony, just that the Treaty’s original INTENTION was…” May 24, 09:30
Aidan on The shifting sands of memory: “Again, why write one paragraph when 10 will do. But again, you haven’t engaged with what I have just said.…” May 24, 09:15
Lorn on The shifting sands of memory: “Captain Caveman: I agree that its is not a large majority. On the other hand, campaigning hasn’t actually started. Think…” May 24, 09:13
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “Thanks to those that responded to my question yesterday. Surely on of the biggest changes to the ToU since its…” May 24, 09:04
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: “@ Aidan You wrote “I was specifically referring to the prospect of Salvo’s success at the UN, which you described…” May 24, 08:47
Aidan on The shifting sands of memory: “@Mia – I was specifically referring to the prospect of Salvo’s success at the UN, which you described as being…” May 24, 07:03
James on The shifting sands of memory: ““The spirit of Britain”? Don’t make me laugh! That’s an Anglo fantasy – “Britain” = “Engerlaaaaand”…. Stale sandwiches, pish beer,…” May 24, 01:10
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: ““the ToU as envisaged has never even been implemented” I firmly believe the Scottish parliamentarians in 1706 genuinely thought they…” May 23, 22:40
willie on The shifting sands of memory: “Andy, Britain is a hollowed out busted flush heading towards a potential Greek style debt crisis. And that is why…” May 23, 22:15
willie on The shifting sands of memory: “Interesting how LPG which is much greener than diesel or petrol is being phased out by the Westminster government. Why…” May 23, 22:08
Scot Finlayson on The shifting sands of memory: “Scott McTominay wins the Italian league for Napoli, Finn Russell wins the Challenge Cup Final for Bath, Wha`s like us.” May 23, 22:05
Andy Storrie on The shifting sands of memory: “Scotland deserves a gargantuan reparations package when she finally gets tf out of this shit show, Fake country, international GDP…” May 23, 21:54
Alf Baird on The shifting sands of memory: “Yes, ‘banishment of the natives’ combined with ‘se**ler occupation’ are well established ‘colonial procedures’ (Memmi) resulting in mass population displacement,…” May 23, 20:13
sarah on The shifting sands of memory: “Since we are now all talking about the key issue of restoring Scotland’s status, there’s another easy thing that may…” May 23, 19:15
Dan on The shifting sands of memory: “Or alternatively… Why we shouldn’t listen to anybody who’s a climate Armageddon net zero zealot that gets taken in by…” May 23, 19:00
sarah on The shifting sands of memory: “@ Tartanpigsy: I’m hoping for a zoom link for tomorrow’s AGM in which case I might see you!” May 23, 18:53
David Holden on The shifting sands of memory: “This place smells a whole lot better since Yoon’s cum has left the building and a question over whether he…” May 23, 18:25
twathater on The shifting sands of memory: “Yes Dan, Leah certainly provides information of the continuation of contempt that the Scottish administration inflict daily especially when there…” May 23, 18:11
Dan on The shifting sands of memory: “Oh, that’ll be Norway that managed their oil and gas resources somewhat better than the UK’s incredibly bad shitshow of…” May 23, 18:08
Northcode on The shifting sands of memory: “Mia @ 4:59 pm “I wonder if we will ever know what that political fraud Sturgeon got in exchange for…” May 23, 17:50