The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


A beginner’s guide to stupid

Posted on March 10, 2019 by

Michael Glackin of the Sunday Times is the only serious contender to the Scotsman’s demented Brian Wilson as the most poisonously, blindly instinctive hater of anything even passingly connected to the SNP or independence in the Scottish media. His weekly bilious rants in the paper make even Scottish Daily Express hacks wince and say “Blimey, that’s a bit strong”.

But even by those standards, this week’s column is quite something. So let’s take a little look at just how much of an idiot you can make of yourself if you never allow facts to get in the way of your rage.

After a brief panegyric on how wonderful and principled Alistair Darling is (no, really), we start with a sneery reference to an independent Scottish currency as the “silver merk”, a pre-Union Scottish coin.

(The story he refers to is a ridiculous piece of drivel from Darling making the endlessly-debunked assertion that an independent Scotland would have to join the Euro.)

But then it gets good.

It appears not to have occurred to Glackin that perhaps Scotland having a higher deficit than similar small nations while its economy is under the control of the UK is perhaps a sign that UK control isn’t working out all that well for Scotland. But what does he think that deficit is?

The dictionary definition of “notional” is “not existing in reality”.

In fairness it’s an extremely good word to use when referring to Scotland’s deficit, because Scotland doesn’t and can’t have a deficit, and certainly not one of 7.9% of GDP. The Scottish Government is only allowed a tiny amount of borrowing, in very restricted circumstances and only for certain purposes, and the most it can run up in one year is £600m, which is just 0.4% of its GDP. Its “deficit” is determined solely by the UK government on the basis of being a region of the UK.

Even the most deranged diehard Unionists now accept that nobody has any idea what an INDEPENDENT Scotland’s deficit would actually be:

But Glackin is operating at an intellectual level below the most extreme anonymous Twitter troll. And then he really loses it.

Another thing that even the dumbest of internet zoomers knows by now is that an independent Scotland has no obligation whatsoever to take on a single penny of the UK’s debt. We know that not only because it’s obviously true – you’re not responsible for loans your landlord or your next-door neighbour took out even if they spent some of them on buying you presents – but because the UK government itself told us so, more than five years ago.

Any debt share we agreed to inherit would be voluntarily negotiated in exchange for something else, and it’s very hard to see why it would be agreed at all, given the strength of Scotland’s negotiating position, something we’ve known since 2012:

But of course Glackin’s point is far more idiotic even than that, because the GERS figures he’s using to establish Scotland’s “notional” deficit already include billions of pounds of UK debt repayment – around £16.5bn in the last five years alone.

In other words, even if Scotland generously took on a population share of UK debt that wouldn’t INCREASE its deficit, it would leave it the same as it is now because we’re already paying it.

So that’s an awful lot of stupid to cram into three short paragraphs. The deficit claim is wrong, the debt claim is doubly wrong and the logic is absolutely cuckoo. But it’s a pretty good illustration of just how doggedly the Scottish media will ignore reality in order to rubbish their own country and its prospects.

1 Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. 10 03 19 11:56

    A beginner’s guide to stupid | speymouth

54 to “A beginner’s guide to stupid”

  1. ScotsRenewables says:

    Good article.

    When are we getting the rest of the poll results?

    Reply
  2. Republicofscotland says:

    Michael Glaikit indeed, desperately spinning the same old Project Fear lies. You must be fed up countering stupid and deceitful lies like this Rev.

    Reply
  3. Brian Powell says:

    One thing about taking on some part of UK debt that I could never work out is for how long does it need to be paid?

    Obviously it would be the debt up until the time of Ind but the UK may never pay off the debt accrued until that time or at least not for decades.

    And who sets the rate on the debt? Is it the capital plus a % for he capital? It’snto our debt but we would have no control over repayment.

    Reply
  4. call me dave says:

    Excellent new thread reminding us older readers and many new to this site that this subject has all been dissected before and looked to be a good deal for Scotland going forward.

    This kind of information is like gold dust and is garlic poison to the vampire unionists who would suck the life blood from Scotland. They fear the people waking up to the fact that independence beats dependence and that when they vote for it, it will wash them away into obscurity.

    Anyhoo! The ‘pound’ is as much Scotland’s to use if it chooses and we already are well placed to start off from there with our own notes still in circulation today. Later we can do as we please.

    Not long to go. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Donald anderson says:

    Wilson of the Sellick Board’s staunchest supporters on the online Hootsmon are nearly all semi literate far right wing Unionist, Loyalist Rangers fans.

    Reply
  6. HandandShrimp says:

    The Times used to be benchmark nowadays it is a skid mark.

    Reply
  7. Wullie says:

    Glaikit is as Glaikit does

    Reply
  8. PacMan says:

    Same old garbage. It doesn’t need to be true. It just needs to be spewed out often enough to reinforce itself in the low information voters who can’t be bothered checking basic facts.

    Going O/T. Now we heading to most likely a no deal Brexit, it does seem to be the logical outcome of a society that has obsessively focused on past glories.

    IMHO, this has been exasperated by the near militarization of our culture in recent years where the remembrance of past wars has went to a respectful and solemn event to one of near celebration. You can see this with the Poppy stalls that are stacked with t-shirts, car stickers etc and in the media with images of troops happily marching off to war or sitting in the trenches having a good old fashioned sing-a-long, not to mention military themed TV programmes.

    Apart from a select few, Brexit is going to have a massive impact on peoples lives, a good bit of it is negative. In a way, maybe it will be good in the long term if it clears out this nonsense and brings back some collective sanity.

    Until then, it really is a case of keeping our heads down and making the best of it.

    Reply
  9. Cubby says:

    These Britnat journalists write the biggest pile of Britnat crap propaganda. They are not stupid they know fine well that what they are writing is Britnat propaganda /lies.

    Funny isn’t it, how it’s always talk about liabilities and share of UK Debt but there is never any mention of share of UK assets. I’ll repeat that again – Scotlands share of UK ASSETS.

    Scotland signed up to the treaty of union as equal partners. When a partnership is dissolved the assets and liabilities are shared on an equal basis, if that is how it started, and there is no other legal clause to say otherwise. There was no prenup signed.

    Where does it say that any share should be based on current populations of Scotland and England?

    The Britnats are scared very scared and they should be.

    Reply
  10. defo says:

    And yet more shite he will write.

    It pays his bills.

    No need for initiative, with so little integrity.

    Reply
  11. Les Wilson says:

    An Idiot indeed, but no doubt a deliberate one.
    We know having been through 2014, the amount of outright lies and unabated drivel that is coming our way again.
    This will only increase as time slips bye.

    However they only do have lies, as there is no case for Scotland staying in this useless Union.

    They act like the abuser, who will not let the abused out the house, because they need to abuse them again!
    May’s refusalof Indy2 makes their intentions clear.

    However Scots have heard it all before,so while they will throw more at next time around, we will be more resilient too.

    Reply
  12. auld highlander says:

    The daily deluge of scaremongering from the prehistoric news papers, the Embra evening news also telling porkies about pensions…

    link to edinburghnews.scotsman.com

    Reply
  13. Dr Jim says:

    Another newspaper Troll in a suit spouting the same garbage as his mates in their pyjamas

    Reply
  14. Giving Goose says:

    These ultra Brit Nationalists are Sooo angry!
    It”s almost as if they are channeling they’re anger as an exercise in diversion from the real facts.
    Britain/UK is failing and failing fast.
    Is there something called “Group Denial”?
    They display the symptoms.

    Reply
  15. Jardo says:

    But if this ‘Sunday Times’ report is such bo**ocks, wouldn’t it be a good thing for other newspapers to debunk it and, maybe, bring some of the ‘Times’ readership over to their own? Oh, right… they’re all the same.

    Reply
  16. Sinky says:

    Sunday Times also attacking Stuart and Cybernats while LORD Darling repeats lie about Indy Scotland having to join Euro

    Reply
  17. Neil H says:

    Brilliant summation and a thorough debunking again. This work is hugely appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply
  18. Meg merrilees says:

    auld highlander

    methinks that the Edinburgh Evening news should maybe be reported to the press complaints commission and any other bodies we can enlist in an attempt at fairness.Absolute minimum the SNP should come out with a statement re the possible bonus to pensions in a post Indy ref 2, YES scenario.

    Reply
  19. Morgatron says:

    Same old pish from these bastards. Lies Lies Lies.Great article Stu.

    Reply
  20. Alasdair Galloway says:

    just a small point of detail. You say “Even the most deranged diehard Unionists now accept that nobody has any idea what an INDEPENDENT Scotland’s deficit would actually be:”
    I SO wish you were right, but you are not. I dont know if you still keep up with your good friend the dog food salesman (Mr Hague) but he still keeps it going, as do a few zoomers in the Herald Letters page – Peter Russell, Gerald Edwards, Alex Gallagher all come to mind, though I am sure there are others.
    Beating this one down is rather like beating down one mole hill and another pops up behind you.

    Reply
  21. louis.b.argyll says:

    Very good indeed, falsehood exposed.

    Reply
  22. Muscleguy says:

    BTW NZ’s deficit is a bit high because they are still working on and paying off the costs of not one but TWO large very damaging earthquakes, Christchurch AND Kaikoura.

    In addition the current Labour coalition has to try and undo all the damage the National Party Tories did to the fabric of society and those in need. All in a mere 3 year electoral cycle. Also in a period of historically low interest rates it makes sense to borrow to invest in things like infrastructure and both sorts of government have been doing this. An Auckland form of Crossrail is being built as we speak to create a circle of rail in the Auckland isthmus. Something which was envisaged way back in the late 19thC when rail was first being laid.

    Ignoring things like that and just quoting bald figures makes you an even bigger idiot. But even with all that INDEPENDENT NZ manages to have a lower deficit than hostage situation Scotland. Ergo Independence is good.

    And finally the Great Glen is a fracture zone and one day it will move big. Is Scotland prepared? Where will the rebuild money come from? NZ has an earthquake commission funded by a levy on all insurance policies on land, buildings, wharves, boats, road vehicles etc. etc. Oh and life insurance policies as well. Quakes can be deadly. The Christchurch quake wiped out the commission funds and govt had to recapitalise it so it was ready for Kaikoura.

    BTW the rail line is absolutely fixed, the road is still fragile and subject to weather and works continue to make the road better. But the tourists are back in Kaikoura and I recommend the train between Picton and Christchurch which goes along the Kaikoura coast. It has a viewing coach with roof windows so you can look up at the maritime alps. A bit difficult if you’re driving it. So take the train.

    Reply
  23. galamcennalath says:

    To still support Scotland staying in the UK Union after the last four years’ events, you really do need to suspend logic and ignore a wealth of facts. To then weave a mythical narrative around this altered reality is a sure sign of a mind with some very strange issues.

    Reply
  24. Cubby says:

    All the Britnats have left to save their precious, precious Union are lies and if you examine their lies in enough detail you often find that different Britnats lies contradict each other.

    We need out of this phoney corrupt union NOW.

    Reply
  25. Marcia says:

    Recycled SIU propaganda.

    Reply
  26. Sinky says:

    The partisan one sided report in Sunday Times fails to mention the abuse people on the Yes side received and will the BBC documentary on 2014 referendum look into the controversial funding of the No Scotland side by Ian Taylor of Vitol Group

    Reply
  27. findlay farquaharson says:

    bet the cunts ragin

    Reply
  28. Clootie says:

    Why do they fight so hard to keep this dreadful millstone around their neck?
    I think we all know the answer.

    Reply
  29. Michael Glackin looks like one of the hacks Chris Donnelly has under his wing to spread disinformation from the “Integrity Initiative’s” office at Gateside Mill in Fife.

    This is follow on from the “Information Research Department” which pumped disinformation for the British State. The Skirpal case comes to mind.

    Reply
  30. Arbroath1320 says:

    I’ve just finished my Arithmetic tutorial 101 and can now positively claim that two plus two does indeed equal four.

    In the same vein of thought I’ve come to the conclusion that as a result of Mrs. Cowardly “Three jaikits” Feartie May “successfully” achieving her Brexit aim (taking her corrupt broken toxic Union out of the E.U. with NO deal) the brain deid twats a.k.a. “professional” journalists from the Britnat media have concluded that the NO deal Brexit requires a full frontal attack of STUPID on Scottish independence to divert everyone’s attention from the shitstorm heading Britain’s way, or as we usually say up here … nothing to see here folks move along now … oh look … squirrels!

    Reply
  31. Reference my post at 1.17pm

    I should say Glackin “could be” one of the hacks. Rubbish like his certainly qualifies.

    link to syriapropagandamedia.org

    Reply
  32. Scottish Steve says:

    No wonder they are terrified of independence. They’d be left completely skint without us! I wish Scots would wake up and realise just how much power we’d really have if we became independent.

    Reply
  33. Bill Glen says:

    Nice wee confirmation from Davis Today 😀 Stupid is within them all 🙂

    link to facebook.com

    Reply
  34. Jason Smoothpiece says:

    I can smell that smell again.

    The regime is collectively shitting itself.

    They are aware that even the less well informed in Scotland are sitting up like meerkats suddenly realising something is not right and also beginning to notice the smell.

    This nonsense will increase as the cold dead hand of England slowly loses grip on Scotland and its wealth.

    Reply
  35. Josef Ó Luain says:

    Until I have evidence to the contrary, loads of it, I must assume that Mr Glaikit and his ilk are being worked-from-behind.

    Reply
  36. John Jones says:

    we keep hearing about “us” having to accept a share of “their” debt. what we don’t hear is having to share in any of the assets of the UK.
    For example Buckingham palace. the houses of parliament, Downing st. Winsor palace & park & the 470 streets in London which are managed by the Crown Office.
    I haven’t mentioned all the other properties which must be worth several billions.
    Be interesting to get an estimate of the total value, there must be one somewhere as the one thing they are good at is assessing wealth

    Reply
  37. Gordon Forrest says:

    I would have said that this guy has the economic intellect of a spitball but he is in fact very intelligent. He knows full well that without us subsidising England they would be broke & that is why they dont want us leaving their precious union. He doesn’t actually believe this guff but what he is doing is putting out this crap so that once its out there in media land some other pathetic brain dead nonentity will spout it thinking its true followed by others doing the same and the more often you repeat a lie the more people come to believe its true.

    Reply
  38. Jockanese Wind Talker says:

    “Scotland signed up to the treaty of union as equal partners. When a partnership is dissolved the assets and liabilities are shared on an equal basis, if that is how it started, and there is no other legal clause to say otherwise. There was no prenup signed.” Aye bang on Cubby says at 12:11 pm.

    Also remember Eire never paid a penny of it’s alleged debt (it also didn’t take any share of assets.

    The Irish Free State was released from contributions to UK’s national debt in 1925, in return for foregoing territorial claims to parts of Northern Ireland.

    Reply
  39. I have just Googled, Norwegian Petroleum, Exports of Norwegian oil and gas. It details it all from 1973 to the present day. Well worth a read.

    Reply
  40. Ghillie says:

    Mr Glackit is in for a rude shock 🙂

    (ps Wullie, you beat me to it!)

    Reply
  41. Capella says:

    Shameless Murdoch hack.

    Reply
  42. Cubby says:

    If you ever hear or read anyone saying that we should not be looking backwards to old treaties like the treaty of union then they are Britnats. They do not want us looking at the Treaty and realising all the legal rights we have.

    Rights to an equal share not a pro rata based on population – a population they have done everything to reduce in the last 300 odd years.

    Reply
  43. CameronB Brodie says:

    Better not explain the semiotic theory of space and place to Glackin, or point out that economic growth is culturally driven, i.e. autonomy from concentrations of power stimulates the development of new processes and procedures in the local economy, i.e. NEW economic activity. That is why the “Right to Development” is SO IMPORTANT. His head might explode if you actually show him why he’s a magical thinker. That’s British nationalists for you, theory-bound neo-classical ‘thinkers’, the lot of them.

    The Rise of Cultural Economic Geography
    link to researchgate.net

    Situating Consumption, Space and Place
    link to kcl.ac.uk

    The Emergence of Culture-led Regeneration: A policy concept and its discontents
    link to warwick.ac.uk

    The cultural politics of local economic development:
    meaning-making, place-making, and the urban policy process

    link to sfu.ca

    Reply
  44. Robert J. Sutherland says:

    PacMan @ 12:07:

    Same old garbage. It doesn’t need to be true. It just needs to be spewed out often enough to reinforce itself in the low information voters who can’t be bothered checking basic facts.

    True.

    Until then [post no-deal Brexit], it really is a case of keeping our heads down and making the best of it.

    Au contraire. If we sit back and do nothing much longer the low-information people will get no chance to hear anything different, and we will end up royally shafted once again, just as we always have been. It’s getting high time to tear up the old script and do something effective on our own account before all the really bad stuff happens.

    If we sit back and wait, it will all be too late.

    Reply
  45. CameronB Brodie says:

    Or here’s one that will really melt Glakin. I’d like to see him outline how neo-liberal, Brexitarian, culture promotes a sustainable society.

    Culture in, for and as Sustainable Development
    link to culturalsustainability.eu

    Reply
  46. Clootie says:

    How many people read the Times in Scotland and what percentage of these would be YES voters.
    The real problem is the Herald / Scotsman / BBC etc all then quoting this “source” and the story goes on and on.

    We see it every week in Scotland. A unionist Party sends a press statement to the unionist MSM to print, the BBC then reports it. The Unionist Parties then quote the BBC and the circle is completed.

    Reply
  47. Mogabee says:

    I say we just sack the whole damn lot of them as they have no idea how to research anything.

    Reply
  48. Dave McEwan Hill says:

    Was at a talk on currency etc by the well informed Andy Anderson last week. Lots of points and a good discussion followed

    I noted hat the average man in the street doesn’t doesn’t relate to concepts like “trillions” and so on.

    Andy did point out in that context if you changed the pounds in UKs national Debt into seconds of time it would be equal to 38,000 years.
    Mind bogled.

    Reply
  49. Macart says:

    Heh! 🙂

    If they’re turning up the heat in the meeja with the usual debunked tropes, then something must be worrying the poor dears. 😎

    Reply
  50. winifred mccartney says:

    There was a time when print like the Times, even if you did not agree with them, was respected. It would appear they have just become the mouthpiece of the rich and government much like the bbc.

    Reply
  51. Artyhetty says:

    I note the bit about the MoD says, ‘so ministers in London would have to pay Salmond any price’. Not pay Scotland, but ‘Salmond’.

    So that must mean that when Scotland is forced to pay, say, VAT for their emergency services, or forced to pay millions to connect to the so called ‘National Grid’, or billions for Trident, we must be paying it to Treeza May then.

    They do have a way with words these Britnats don’t they.

    Lying crooks these Britnats, paid a huge wage to screw over their own country. Can’t be good for the soul.

    Reply
  52. yesindyref2 says:

    Thanks for that, I’ve been calling it “illustrative”, the correct word is, of course, NOTIONAL. Two similar words, big difference in meaning.

    Reply
  53. Thomas Valentine says:

    He is aptly named. Just spends his life glackin awa.

    Reply
  54. Geordie says:

    Brilliant demolition Stu, some huge revelations to me in there too, esp the Treasury guarantee to fully assume UK debt. Just imagine if we had full media coverage of half a dozen pieces like this. Resistance to Indy would simple evaporate in the vast majority of everyone except the rabid Orange Orderlies.

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)

    Stats: 6,747 Posts, 1,216,932 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Dave Hansell on The Takeover: “Thank you for the discourse on your evidence free theory of static progress, Mr McHateFace. Perhaps when you have worn…May 1, 19:39
    • Chas on The Takeover: “747th time. What joy!May 1, 19:34
    • Alastair on The Takeover: “Was going to wait up for the English Local Election results but just going to google who has Kes Dugdale…May 1, 19:19
    • Aidan on The Takeover: “@Dan – yes, but Norway (where I’m heading tomorrow incidentally) is a much richer, better run country with amongst other…May 1, 19:07
    • Andrew scott on The Takeover: “@cheyne Who with all that is going on in the world gives a damn about your question?May 1, 19:00
    • Nae Need! on The Takeover: “Indeed! It’s a totally, UNFUNNY, bad joke. As to your rhetorical question: globalists HATE country borders, nationalism, distinct and separate…May 1, 18:50
    • Alf Baird on The Takeover: “Colonialism is primarily about ‘economic plunder’ (Memmi). So yes, Scots are rich in energy resources (and much else) which is…May 1, 18:49
    • Dan on The Takeover: “@ Aidan And yet as per my second post in this trail; Norway with a similar population size to Scotland…May 1, 18:39
    • Hatey McHateface on The Takeover: “Dan I thought you might have twigged by now that curtailment charges are paid to windfarm operators when the output…May 1, 18:33
    • Yoon Scum on The Takeover: “How can you tell us English filth from TRUE SCOTS?May 1, 18:30
    • Yoon Scum on The Takeover: “HEY GERI Us English filth are evil beyond all understanding Some of us English filth where born in scotland some…May 1, 18:28
    • Aidan on The Takeover: “@Dan – bluntly yes, the fact that Scotland is a large oil and gas producer doesn’t mean that it has…May 1, 18:06
    • Dan on The Takeover: “@ Aidan So a large capital investment is too risky for Ineos in Scotland with our large oil & gas…May 1, 17:28
    • Hatey McHateface on The Takeover: “I feel I owe an apology to Barbie for my earlier post in Swahili. Or perhaps it was in Serbo-Croat.…May 1, 17:13
    • diabloandco on The Takeover: “Marie , in that you are incorrect , they command publicity and coverage -something us ordinary folk can’t do -and…May 1, 16:57
    • Geri on The Takeover: “Shitface No, it’s just you who thinks you are a superior cause yer a racist cretin as was Churchill. The…May 1, 15:54
    • Iain mhor on But No Cigar: “We’d like a Ferrari too please. You can only have a Ferrari, when you have shown you can make the…May 1, 15:16
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Takeover: “« This quote from a great favourite of some regulars on here – the Declaration of Arbroath: “[The Scots have] thrown…May 1, 14:13
    • Insider on The Takeover: ““James Che” What on earth are you trying to say ? “The ratio population of Scots in Scotland is 8.2…May 1, 14:10
    • agent x on The Takeover: “you miss-read the stats – see my previous post.May 1, 14:03
    • Marie on The Takeover: “As if being a luvvie counts for anything – it counts for nothing.May 1, 13:51
    • agent x on The Takeover: ““Scottish Greens suspend trans council candidate over sexual misconduct allegations Exclusive: Eryn Browning, who was the Scottish Greens’ candidate for…May 1, 13:50
    • agent x on The Takeover: “The 2022 Scottish Census indicates that 8.2% of the population identified as having both Scottish and British national identities. This…May 1, 13:49
    • Geri on The Takeover: “Aidan “Both Scotland and the U.K. needs to change its approach to things like taxation, regulation and energy ” What…May 1, 13:46
    • James Cheyne on The Takeover: “What is the largest known recognised ethnic minority group around the world?May 1, 13:18
    • James Cheyne on The Takeover: “Is there a specific % in any groups in a particular country for to be acknowledged as being awarded ethicminority?May 1, 13:15
    • James Cheyne on The Takeover: “So why are the Scots not recognised as a ethnic Minority in Britain been as the gap is so expansive…May 1, 13:06
    • Aidan on The Takeover: “@Dan – I’m not saying I agree with the closure of Grangemouth or the decision to close it but I…May 1, 11:46
    • Oneliner on The Takeover: “Sarwar, of course, has been proven a liar over his Grangemouth promises. This has made local MP Brian (Brain) Leishman…May 1, 11:37
    • Alf Baird on The Takeover: “Yes James, and Scots are an oppressed (doun-hauden) ethnic minority in oor ain laund. Which is why we (i.e. Scots…May 1, 11:31
  • A tall tale



↑ Top