The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland

Author Archive


The unpalatable harvest 211

Posted on August 28, 2014 by

One of the most commonly-observed facets of the independence referendum so far has been the lack of a real grassroots “Better Together” campaign, and as a historian of Scottish popular politics I’ve found myself pondering why there wasn’t one.

togetheralone3

It’s not like there aren’t thousands of Scots who passionately believe in the Union and will be voting No, and are perfectly capable of arguing their case. We all know some – I certainly do, both family and friends. But there’s no organised grassroots campaigning of any serious note. Tiny handfuls of Labour activists, some of them shipped up from England and paid, have done almost all of the donkey work so far.

But as a historian of Scottish popular politics I should have an explanation, shouldn’t I? And when I had a think about it, something occurred to me.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category analysis, comment, culture, history, scottish politics

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,847 Posts, 1,231,900 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 Douglas Daniel Federalists Unionists and Devolutionists flat-out lies foreigner watch from the archives fundraisers galleries 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

    • Marie Clark on Off-topic: “Hi Tinto and Sarah, I look in to OT now and again to see if anyone is still around. Sad…” Dec 9, 09:41
    • Willie on The Long Walk To Freedom: “The Sandi Peggie result is a good one. Very much in line with public sentiments. Putting a biological man with…” Dec 9, 09:14
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Good news for once? The branding for Great British Railways (GBR) has been revealed and the amount of blue in…” Dec 9, 08:18
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Looks like she’s in line for compo. Do you think she’ll want to divi it up with the poor saps…” Dec 9, 08:10
    • Mark Beggan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “‘Hello, hello, hello. Is there anybody in there, just nod if you can hear me, is there anyone home. Relax,…” Dec 9, 02:10
    • Mark Beggan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Well done Sandie Peggy. She’s got balls!! ?” Dec 9, 01:45
    • Peter McAvoy on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Would you prefer the abolition of jury trials. How many miscarriages of justice have taken place in England compared to…” Dec 9, 01:40
    • Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: ““…..aided and abetted by the UK high heid yins”, a fact sadly never reflected in the MSM. Mrs Tinto has…” Dec 8, 22:33
    • sarah on Off-topic: “Well, you’re not wrong about world events, the most awful things going on, aided and abetted by the UK high…” Dec 8, 21:53
    • James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “The final analyses of the dissolution of the parliament of Great Britain time and again so the parliament of England…” Dec 8, 21:31
    • James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “The parliament of England after acting as the parliament of England to make treaties and contractual agreements legally cannot re-…” Dec 8, 21:07
    • James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “So what did I omit in my ramblings and thoughts to you all while I swither over the treaty of…” Dec 8, 20:45
    • Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: “Hi, Sarah: oh, no, just girding my loins (ooh, matron!) for The Last Battle. I’ve only looked in two or…” Dec 8, 19:59
    • Aidan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “I’ve no idea to be honest Hatey, but as long as they are FIGHTING that is good enough for me.…” Dec 8, 19:58
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““… you’ve taken that too far.” I fear you might be right… I feel dirty now. Not least because I…” Dec 8, 19:56
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Hmmm, Northy, you’ve taken that too far. Cos I don’t want to believe you enjoyed having high pressure air blasted…” Dec 8, 19:34
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““…an increasingly big and increasingly vocal minority…” Indeed, aye. I was having a bite of lunch a couple of years…” Dec 8, 19:31
    • sarah on Off-topic: “Hi, Tinto. Nice to hear from you. I trust that all is well with you and you are keeping your…” Dec 8, 19:29
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Ah ken that ane. It’s ane of the Apocrypha. But dinna let oan tae Confused.” Dec 8, 19:26
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “I was played like a church organ once…I rather enjoyed the experience.” Dec 8, 19:10
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “@Aidan Has it occurred to you that the Liberate Scotland boys are almost certainly FIGHTING among themselves?” Dec 8, 19:09
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““Labour had been in power in Scotland mostly for the previous 70 years and the destruction and carnage they presided…” Dec 8, 19:06
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “It’s a noitalever to me.” Dec 8, 19:03
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““Saint Northy” Oh here! I quite like that. I might set it up as a new moniker on here and…” Dec 8, 18:58
    • Nae Need! on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Fact, James Cheyne.” Dec 8, 18:56
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Did you know that cat is just tac spelled backwards?” Dec 8, 18:55
    • Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““And how much I hate them. For failing us all entirely.” Quite a reek of smouldering breeks from that post,…” Dec 8, 18:53
    • Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “I would rather be a deluded eejit than a colonialist… and, thankfully, I am. Phew! And, yes. I WILL be…” Dec 8, 18:51
    • stuckdoonhame on The Long Walk To Freedom: “And true to type, Misreporting Scotland has just treated us to a pile of wibbling drivel about the outcome and…” Dec 8, 18:44
    • Aidan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Quite right! Both votes SNP, that’ll show the yoons! Or you could be one of the ten people voting for…” Dec 8, 18:41

  • A tall tale



↑ Top