The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Author Archive


The moment when it clicks 162

Posted on October 09, 2013 by

I was introduced to politics at a very young age.

One of my first memories is of watching John Major giving a speech of some kind on television, possibly to do with Black Wednesday. I was only three at the time, so the conversation of the adults around me went somewhat over my head, but I learned early on that words like “government,” “Prime Minister,” and “economy” were important ones.

johnmajor

I was old enough to be aware of the palpable feeling of relief when Tony Blair won in 1997, and I remember celebrating with my mother when the double “Yes” result came in the same year. Devolution, I learned, was about getting the best deal for Scottish voters. But Scottish independence, for most of my life, simply never crossed my radar.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,990 Posts, 1,252,992 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Good post, Lorncal. As I’ve often observed, we should never underestimate the popularity of a government policy that enables people…” Oct 22, 20:32
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Faces In Sand: “Steven Bartlett (Diary of a CEO) extensive interview with VZ on 16 Oct 2026 www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x9dkYIRb58” Oct 22, 20:24
    • Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Excellent questions, Confused. Well worth repetition. How come you’re an EXPERT ON INTERNATIONAL LAW? How come you’re an EXPERT LEVEL…” Oct 22, 20:10
    • Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “@Geri 1:04 I absolutely love your posts and so I’d like to help you out. Teach yourself what 24/7 actually…” Oct 22, 19:52
    • Lorncal on Faces In Sand: “H McH: it was noted post WW II that few people in any of the affected countries expressed pre war…” Oct 22, 18:47
    • agentx on Faces In Sand: “• Ultimate Competence: Under UN General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV), the UNGA established the specific criteria for what constitutes a…” Oct 22, 18:10
    • Aidan on Faces In Sand: ““You could be on 100K a year for some place with a nice wine cellar” – I am thanks (more),…” Oct 22, 17:34
    • Dan on Faces In Sand: “AIDan says: “Modern cars are more complex and aren’t always designed well, and come with the risk of very difficult…” Oct 22, 17:29
    • Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “Yeah great analogy, Confused. Not. Stay in lane with James, there’s a good lad. This is grown up talk.” Oct 22, 17:28
    • Confused on Faces In Sand: “Northcode would tell us a turd is not a turd because he found a peanut in it.” Oct 22, 17:16
    • factchecker on Faces In Sand: “Interesting, Confused. You say ” if an equal partner in a union we can just tear the fucking thing up”.…” Oct 22, 17:08
    • Northcode on Faces In Sand: “Aidan — yes, exactly. That’s the core point I’ve been trying to make. Whatever people believe about historical treaties or…” Oct 22, 16:51
    • Confused on Faces In Sand: “it has been explained many times the nature and necessity of a multi-layered strategy for independence and the importance of…” Oct 22, 16:44
    • Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “”… and would appear to be linked more to the obsessions and eccentricities of the proponents” Not to mention self-delusion…” Oct 22, 16:42
    • Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: ““The SNP of 2026 has two faces” Correct Rev, one face shows the saltire, on occasion, while the other face…” Oct 22, 16:37
    • Aidan on Faces In Sand: “Why is it @Alf – that you comment almost entirely in riddles and abstraction?” Oct 22, 16:13
    • Aidan on Faces In Sand: “I would also add that the circumstances around the formation of a treaty 300 years ago is an issue that…” Oct 22, 16:10
    • Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: ““Scotland currently has full civil rights” A colonized people are a subordinated people subject to cultural erasure and economic extraction,…” Oct 22, 16:05
    • Northcode on Faces In Sand: “James — whatever people believe about 1606, 1707, treaties, petitions, parliaments, monarchs, or historical grievances, none of that changes how…” Oct 22, 16:04
    • factchecker on Faces In Sand: “Thanks for all the rational analysis, NC. Democratic legitimacy is indeed the key. Apart from anything else, the Claim of…” Oct 22, 15:43
    • James Che on Faces In Sand: “North code. If the Scots are not a Colonised people, and the monarch of England withdrew the parliament of Scotland…” Oct 22, 15:38
    • sam on Faces In Sand: “It is true that legally Scotland will not be recognised as a colony. It is also true that it was…” Oct 22, 15:25
    • James Che on Faces In Sand: “North code, I like the phrasing you used, So what would or could Westminster actually do or achieve if it…” Oct 22, 15:21
    • sarah on Faces In Sand: “Rev, will the gathering that you attended in London last night that included Maya Forstater and other like-minded people, be…” Oct 22, 14:24
    • Northcode on Faces In Sand: “The point you’re making would apply in situations where a people are actually colonised. But Scotland isn’t a colony, and…” Oct 22, 14:22
    • Northcode on Faces In Sand: “The borders between England, Scotland, and Wales mark historic countries within a single sovereign state. England, Scotland, and Wales are…” Oct 22, 14:13
    • Aidan on Faces In Sand: “If you’re upset with the company Geri – you could always post the same stuff under your own name on…” Oct 22, 13:55
    • Northcode on Faces In Sand: “Alf – I wrote that Scotland currently has full civil rights. I didn’t mention human rights at all. You shifted…” Oct 22, 13:53
    • James on Faces In Sand: “Here we go again. *sigh* Today’s crossword clue A country which has no control over its own borders, resources, broadcast…” Oct 22, 13:48
    • James on Faces In Sand: ““…I haven’t used AI in any of what I wrote above…” LOLZ.” Oct 22, 13:45
  • A tall tale



↑ Top