The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland

Author Archive


The defector who wasn’t 210

Posted on April 07, 2015 by

NOTE: This article was published earlier today on the CommonSpace website. Since that time, according to its webhosts, the site has come “under attack” and can no longer be accessed. We reproduce the article here at CommonSpace’s request.

A Yes campaigner reported as “defecting” to the Labour party by the Daily Record in a much-hyped front page splash has said he in fact remains a member of the SNP, a supporter of independence and favourable to a Labour-SNP deal at Westminster.

shoaibdb

On Tuesday, the Daily Record ran a front-page story (click here to read) claiming that Nicola Sturgeon had suffered a “major setback” after activist Muhammad Shoaib was said to have joined the Labour party.

Hyping the story up, the tabloid title branded Shoaib an “SNP boss”, although it is unclear why. Shoaib is a former Labour councillor and organiser of Scots Asians for Independence. He joined the SNP in 2007.

However, Shoaib has told CommonSpace that while he does want to see a Labour government ahead of the Tories – he would like to see Labour and the SNP work together in a “loose” arrangement following May’s vote. “Basically, I’ve not joined Labour and I’m still officially a member of the SNP,” said Shoaib.

Read the rest of this entry →

Category debunks, disturbing, media, scottish politics

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,919 Posts, 1,243,583 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

    and finally and firstly arithmetic fail braveheart klaxon britnats captain darling cartoons Chris Cairns confused cringe crybabies dateline debates Devo Nano Federalists Unionists and Devolutionists flat-out lies foreigner watch from the archives fundraisers galleries Greg Moodie hamish hypocrisy liars light-hearted banter lizards memogate misinformation one nation perspectives poll project fear project feart qft Scott Minto smears snp accused soapbox the positive case for the union The Vow ticktock toldyouso too wee too poor too stupid unionist of the day vote no get nothing

  • Recent Comments

    • Rev. Stuart Campbell on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN” Jun 3, 10:56
    • Ryan M on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Forensic journalism at its finest, Stu.” Jun 3, 10:54
    • Ryan M on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Forenstic journalism at its finest, Stu.” Jun 3, 10:54
    • desimond on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “There duly sits a big MASSIVE door almost off its hinges just waiting for a certain Stephen Flynn to boot…” Jun 3, 10:48
    • Aidan on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Great article – cracking read! As you say, the irony being that quite possibly in an attempt to cover his…” Jun 3, 10:42
    • agentx on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: ““In any event the party’s longstanding auditors resigned in 2023 rather than risk being caught up in any more dodginess.”…” Jun 3, 10:42
    • TURABDIN on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “This is not Nicola STURGEON. https://www.shinylife.co.uk/shiny/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PXL_20251009_1801229142.jpg We would not wish to bring sex into Scottish politics….would we?” Jun 3, 10:41
    • Bobo bunny on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19w7oZWbXw/” Jun 3, 10:41
    • Cuphook on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “I look forward to other journalists ‘discovering’ these facts in the next day or two. A trenchant explanation that will…” Jun 3, 10:30
    • Kenneth Coutts on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Superb reporting, do not let up , do not let them away with Any of it. Alex and his family…” Jun 3, 10:25
    • Al-Stuart on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “. Y’know Stuart, in my former career as a plod, there were many miscreants for whom I and my colleagues…” Jun 3, 10:25
    • Willie on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Absolutely informative detailed piece Rev Stu. This is journalism as it should be. No one should be in any doubt…” Jun 3, 10:22
    • Joan Savage on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “I’m in no doubt that Sturgeon was an Accessory After The Fact. She was complicit in concealing Murrell’s crimes and…” Jun 3, 10:22
    • Dubh on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Excellent work. No notes.” Jun 3, 10:13
    • Michael P on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “It’s all there, and has been on this site for more than 5 years – the arrogance and short-sightedness of…” Jun 3, 10:13
    • SilentMajority on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “If I wore a hat I would definitely take if off as a salute to you for this work..just brilliant!…” Jun 3, 10:12
    • agentx on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: ““Nicola Sturgeon resigned as party leader in February 2021 and Peter Murrell followed suit as chief executive a month later”…” Jun 3, 10:09
    • Ronnie on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Filleted.” Jun 3, 10:09
    • peter on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Well done, a brilliant account. What chance of your expertise in this matter being aired on TV and radio?” Jun 3, 10:01
    • Morag on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Thanks for all that, Stu.” Jun 3, 09:55
    • shug on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Everything seems to point back to 2016 and something changing in her perspective. Nothing she did after that year makes…” Jun 3, 09:54
    • 100%Yes on Up The Hill And Down The Slope: “Greedy eyes, Beady eyes she’ll be absolutely seething. Remember she’s doesn’t take criticism at all.” Jun 3, 09:45
    • Aidan on Pandora’s Campervan: “Let’s think back to 2019 in terms of political events: – there was likely to be a UK General Election…” Jun 3, 07:06
    • Aidan on Pandora’s Campervan: ““Begs the questuon, why did the Crown feel they had to agree to a deal? Could they not have proved…” Jun 3, 06:56
    • Aidan on Pandora’s Campervan: “LOL I guess WW2 didn’t happen then YL? How would you also protect Scotland’s offshore oil/gas and wind assets from…” Jun 3, 06:43
    • 100%Yes on Pandora’s Campervan: “Well done Wings, you deserve credit for bring the biggest Story in Scotland for some time. I watched you on…” Jun 3, 06:29
    • JockMcT on Pandora’s Campervan: “Top down, obsessed with authority, control and secrecy. All heads in trough, shoulder to shoulder, hungrily gulping it down with…” Jun 3, 05:46
    • Radical Cartoons on Pandora’s Campervan: “Congratulations on being interviewed by STV. It’s almost as if you’re being treated as a (gasp) actual journalist, after all…” Jun 3, 05:23
    • Effijy on Pandora’s Campervan: “Why on earth hasn’t most of this money been recovered or is in the process of being recovered? Surely at…” Jun 3, 05:11
    • Young Lochinvar on Pandora’s Campervan: “Which is presupposed on the assumption that Scotland militarily will continue militarily along the lines of current and ongoing UK…” Jun 3, 01:59

  • A tall tale



↑ Top