Poor old Blair McDougall. He doesn’t think Scotland can do anything.
What a dismally rotten, hopeless wee province he thinks Scotland is. It must be such a miserable experience to be him, constantly ashamed of your own nationality. (Except, of course, Blair’s nationality is British, not Scottish.)
As if it wasn’t enough that one small country had to cope with the terrible burden of hundreds of billions of pounds of volatile oil revenues, now we have to face the grim prospect that with fossil fuels being phased out across the world to protect the climate, Scotland also produces TOO MUCH cheap, clean, infinitely renewable energy.
No wonder the Unionists think we’re too wee and too poor to go it alone.
We’re just going to reprint this piece every year, because only the numbers change.
Today saw the publication of the 2017-18 GERS stats, which are once again triggering a convulsive orgy of “BLACK HOLE!” articles across the media as every Unionist in the land falls over themselves to portray their own country as a useless scrounging subsidy junkie without actually using the exact words “too wee, too poor, too stupid”.
And once again, everywhere you look there’s a “Proud Scot” screaming about how the figures destroy a case for independence that those same people have spent most of the current decade stridently insisting never existed in the first place.
In our latest Panelbase poll, we asked the same independence question we asked in the last one, and got much the same answer. (Technically the indy vote went up by about a sixth of one percent, but that’s statistically meaningless.)
That’s a bit disappointing after the events of recent weeks, but also not very surprising – after all, the way the question is framed pretty much guarantees at least 38% of the population will choose the second option straight off the bat.
Much more interesting is the question we asked next.
There’s an interesting article on the Holyrood Magazine website today with some fascinating background details about how Scottish (and Welsh) devolution came into being almost 20 years ago, so we thought you might like to see this piece from the time, not least because we suspect it might also be the first recorded citation of the nonsensical concept of the “UK single market”.
(Click for readable size.)
It’s remarkable how seamlessly much of it, especially the last section (from the giant “D”) would still work today with the word “devolution” replaced with the word “independence”. But we find it hard to disagree with Sir John’s conclusion:
“Nor would devolution truly give more powers to the Scottish people. Only independence would do that.”
This morning sees the release of another set of GERS (Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland) figures accompanied, no doubt, by the usual strange hybrid of sneering and cringing from Unionist politicians braying proudly that we’re too small, too subsidised and too stupid to ever look after our own country.
So as the annual circus act gets under way again, for a little perspective we took a quick look at Scotland’s actual standing in the international community.
Millionaire-funded diehard loyalist forelock-tugging faction Scotland In Union published an extraordinary blog post yesterday.
Its 606 words comprised a sort of Caledonian Cringe Greatest Hits, allegedly penned by someone called Fiona Annesley (of whom we’re told nothing else, and who has no detectable online presence), but the line that particularly caught people’s eye was this:
Politics is still on hiatus after the dreadful events of Manchester, so we’ve taken the chance to go and enjoy the sudden summer weather while nothing was happening.
And today, as we (“Drove at a legal speed” – Ed) across the pretty hills overlooking Bath in an inexpensive convertible, a song came on the stereo that made us think of all the Unionist trolls who were still busily raging on Twitter – mainly about the SNP’s awful failure to light up every building in Scotland with the Union Jack in tribute to the dead (no, really), but also at the most recent data “proving” that independence would mean the country regressing to the Stone Age and whatnot.
So we thought we’d share it with you, because as well as having a jaunty tune it’s got a good attitude to adopt when they’re screaming and yelling themselves red, white and blue in the face about something or other, rather than wasting your time and mental equilibrium on being dragged into their fetid mind-swamp.
It works on any day, even if you’re not in a sports car.
agent x on Mad caps: “Not much in the Scottish press about Swinney’s trip to New York!” Apr 7, 10:25
Vivian O’Blivion on Mad caps: “An excerpt from an article on the website of the Atlantic Council (see also Radio Free Europe); “Lithuanians paid tribute…” Apr 7, 10:21
Aidan on Mad caps: “Exactly Robert – it’s full of people who rant and rave like you do. Nobody wants to be associated with…” Apr 7, 08:56
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “” it’s also that the campaign is too closely associated with anti-Englishness, sympathy for the Kremlin sometimes and increasingly wild…” Apr 7, 08:25
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: “Don’t overlook the ingrained antisemitism which a close read of the clannish, self-congratulatory backslapping posts reveals. But yes, if they…” Apr 7, 07:14
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: ““We voters would be in the driving seat – that would be wonderful” Would it though, sarah? In all of…” Apr 7, 07:05
Aidan on Mad caps: “@Ian – as someone who is around half the age of the average suggested above, it’s not just that many…” Apr 7, 07:03
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “@Sarah (9.16) – Thanks for that and aye, totally agree, there’s nothing like meeting folk in the flesh. Sometimes they’re…” Apr 7, 00:09
diabloandco on Mad caps: “IanB, I do hope so , I am definitely in need of meeting up with the cheerful , positive folk…” Apr 6, 22:10
sarah on Mad caps: “MaryB, it is encouraging that you read para (a) the same way that I do i.e. that it empowers People’s…” Apr 6, 21:27
sarah on Mad caps: “I miss the way btl was. It was always relevant to independence, and pleasant on a personal level. OK Robert…” Apr 6, 21:16
MaryB on Mad caps: “Sarah @ 4.48 & Duncx I tried to post this earlier today, but it didn’t appear. So here it is…” Apr 6, 21:07
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “Hi D, Yes, it was good. Not just because the atmosphere was relaxed (because the Eagle Inn is Robert Slavin’s…” Apr 6, 20:18
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “Had forgotten all about that, Robert. No idea what we were discussing. Love, Samantha .” Apr 6, 19:44
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “Hoots aplenty sah, you’ve got me off the hook as Tinto was fingering me for that one! ” Apr 6, 19:41
Aidan on Mad caps: “@Hatey – you aren’t supposed to look into things, you’re supposed to sign the petition and possibly donate money regardless…” Apr 6, 19:39
diabloandco on Mad caps: “Sorry I missed the night too – it sounds as though a good time was had by all. Next time!” Apr 6, 19:27
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “ha ! you told me your name when you emailed me a while back – including your surname – which…” Apr 6, 18:51
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “@Robert Hughes 3.23: nae probs, Robert. See you next time. Had to head off early. Don’t know how you know…” Apr 6, 18:26
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: “Please tell us, sarah, that when you say you haven’t had a proper look at this thing you are enthusiastically…” Apr 6, 17:46
Mark Beggan on Mad caps: “The First Minister in crucial trade talks confirms someone, no knows who, is very much interested in business.” Apr 6, 16:54
sarah on Mad caps: “@ Dunx at 8.46 a.m. “..had a look at the blog. Article 25 of the ICCPR…nothing there about referendums..” Well…” Apr 6, 16:48
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “Ah ! likewise , T.C ( Peter ): I never realised you were there , if I had I would…” Apr 6, 15:23
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “Sorry I couldn’t stay long, Ian, but thanks for all the effort you and your fellow insurgents put in to…” Apr 6, 14:56
Andrew scott on Mad caps: “If dross geer is the answer What on earth is the question” Apr 6, 12:56
GM on Mad caps: “Apologies Iain, I couldn’t make it. Glad you had a good meet up.” Apr 6, 11:41
Captain Caveman on Mad caps: “@Hatey Agreed. Step 1: Less lawyers. Especially lefty lawyers….” Apr 6, 10:54
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: “Sure, Marie, we’re doomed. You’ve said this before. Weird, though, how other electorates, in other countries, aren’t doomed. The MAGA…” Apr 6, 10:53
Captain Caveman on Mad caps: ““Whether potential candidates have ever had a proper job is neither here nor there.” That’s factually wrong in the case…” Apr 6, 10:50
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: ““How such a thing can be achieved, though (or the whole of the UK for that matter) is anyone’s guess.…” Apr 6, 10:42