It’s the second sunny day in Bath since last September, readers, so we’re going to go out and feed the wildlife, but we thought you’d enjoy a quick roundup of some of the distractions the Sturgeonite elements of the Scottish media are punting today in a desperate attempt to avoid dealing with the devastating contents of Alex Salmond’s epic evidence session at the Fabiani inquiry on Friday.
Sorry, folks, we had a minor medical emergency today (veteran readers can probably guess in which category) and haven’t been quite as on top of events as we’d like.
So terrible was it that the SNP had a backup plan to distract from it – a nonsense of a press release from SNP chief operating officer Sue Ruddick in which she made an allegation about a supposed “act of physical aggression” by Alex Salmond.
The following statement has been issued in response. It’s an eye-opener.
Earlier this week we noticed the curious lack of media coverage of the “Devo Nano” report. As the document spelling out Labour’s “more powers” offer to Scotland in the event of a No vote, its release was ostensibly the most important milestone so far in the independence debate, so we found it very strange to see it get such a muted reception, particularly from the Daily Record.
Two days later the explanation arrived, in the form of the so-called “Red Paper”. Described by some journalists as a “mini-manifesto”, it was a 64-page uncosted wishlist of vague feelgood notions like reducing child poverty. (A brave, daring and controversial step there to be sure.) And this time the papers were all over it.
Some of the more cynical independence supporters among our readership may today be asking themselves “What is it that Labour are trying to bury today with all this ludicrously farcical ‘Labour For Independence’ business?”
Mike Russell, currently at the centre of controversy over his appointment as chair of the Scottish Land Commission, hit the political big stage during Scotland’s first ever SNP administration under Alex Salmond, whom, in turn, Mike had previously seen into office as Salmond’s campaign manager.
In 2007 he was appointed as Minister for Environment, then in 2009 he became the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and his conventional ministerial career concluded when he went on to replace Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until the end of 2014.
Following the 2014 independence vote, the pre-referendum era ended with Salmond’s dignified (albeit temporary) stage exit; Nicola Sturgeon took the helm and began to reform what had been left to her by her predecessor.
A core pillar of Sturgeon’s centrist reform was the construction of an almost entirely opaque ivory tower of power from which both SNP and the state would run their covert affairs with subversive, centralizing, strong-arm granularity, cleverly camouflaging its sinister implications from the public through cult-of-personality media management.
Instrumental in this, among a very few select others, was Mike Russell.
There’s still nothing happening in Scottish politics, so inspired by the Hieland Coo from yesterday’s godawful Economist front-page story, and for those of you who don’t use Twitter, and by reader request, meet some of my new friends from the last couple of weeks of strolling around Bath, guarding against ursine incursion.
Former President Xiden on The Gender Of Mountains: “Meetings, the practical alternative to work.” Apr 5, 09:38
Former President Xiden on The Gender Of Mountains: “We are living in a clown show.????” Apr 5, 09:37
Captain Caveman on Mad caps: “Heh! This made me laugh out loud. Gotta love the Space Cadet helmet!” Apr 5, 09:13
Yoon Scum on Mad caps: “So cough up my tenner” Apr 5, 08:55
Yoon scum on Mad caps: “Lets take this as a time for us to reflect on how we got here and where we go With…” Apr 5, 08:53
yoon scum on Mad caps: “How about scotland becomes a USA state I get guns, cheap fuel, right wing politics and low taxes You get…” Apr 5, 08:21
Bill Cowan on Mad caps: “The Mad Party’s C Hatters? ? *With apologies to Lewis Carroll” Apr 5, 08:08
Effijy on Mad caps: “Are those hats made of recycled materials? That party needs recycled? Off topic- watching a documentary about Greenland. The colonisers,…” Apr 5, 07:13
The Flying Iron of Doom on Mad caps: ““Crazy one” doesn’t really narrow it down much given that we’re dealing with the Greens ” Apr 5, 05:51
Yoon Scum on Mad caps: “Can I put a tenner on the crazy one winning?” Apr 5, 05:10
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Gender Of Mountains: “WATCHDOG EXPOSES POLICE SCOTLAND SHORTCOMINGS OVER MSP ‘HATE CRIME’ COMPLAINT « Police Scotland failed to adequately handle an MSP’s complaints over…” Apr 4, 22:45
Jay on The Gender Of Mountains: “Why pay so much attention to posts whose main feature is total lack of ethical consistency? Mind you, various other…” Apr 4, 20:59
Alf Baird on The Gender Of Mountains: “Swinney is claiming Trump’s tariffs will damage Scotland’s GDP but fails to understand that colonial rule is already costing Scotland…” Apr 4, 19:58
twathater on The Gender Of Mountains: “Lead Gunn Barrat’s post on her Dear Scotland site indicates that America has 750 military bases in 80 countries around…” Apr 4, 18:33
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “First mention of the ‘g’ word, Jenny side, for this week, goes to MAI. Very well done. Fascinating to think…” Apr 4, 18:12
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “Auld Ayr, wham ne’er a town surpasses, For honest men and bonnie lasses. I had a squint at the lady…” Apr 4, 17:45
Aidan on The Gender Of Mountains: “That’s assuming everyone who has signed the petition is a Scottish resident with an entitlement to vote, and hasn’t signed…” Apr 4, 17:07
Mark Beggan on The Gender Of Mountains: “Do you know what a palmist once said to me?” Apr 4, 16:48
Andy Ellis on The Gender Of Mountains: “Yeah, the yoons will be fair shitting themselves that 0.1% of the over 16 voting age population have (consults notes)…..singned…” Apr 4, 16:47
Mia on The Gender Of Mountains: ““First Minister John Swinney is set to champion Scottish trade during the annual Tartan Week celebrations in New York, urging…” Apr 4, 14:55
Mia on The Gender Of Mountains: ““In what universe is preparing to protect yourself against a vicious, domineering, bullying, brutal, violent oaf regarded as “aggression”.” The…” Apr 4, 14:37
Mark Beggan on The Gender Of Mountains: “No no not at all. You can take the girls out of Ayrshire but ye canny take Ayrshire out of…” Apr 4, 14:18
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “We’re all doomed. Doomed, I tell you. There is nothing left for us, but to work till we drop. Look…” Apr 4, 14:16
Hatey McHateface on The Gender Of Mountains: “The conclusion is inescapable. The poor woman’s been “colonised”. Is it the generic English making her behave like that, or…” Apr 4, 14:11
Marie on The Gender Of Mountains: “It’s as though our politicians are having their strings pulled by powerful people who live in other nation states entirely.…” Apr 4, 13:49