This is so freaky I had to check they weren’t quoting each other. It’s like a game show.
Just a couple of nice well-brought-up Hutchesons’ Grammar boys in smart suits, there, thinking the same, speaking the same, saying the same, and angling for the same job. (Which one of them now has, and the other may have soon.)
If there’s ever been a (branch office of a) political party that could somehow manage to blow it in Scotland against the burning trainwreck in a ditch full of sewage that is the SNP right now, it’s definitely Anas Sarwar’s hapless Scottish Labour.
Honestly, this stuff is comedy gold. But in a winner-takes-all dumb-off with Humza Yousaf’s SNP, it’s way too close to call.
One year ago today, Nicola Sturgeon suddenly resigned as First Minister. And what a spectacular 12 months it’s been for the Yes movement since her departure.
As Twitter followers will have noticed, we’ve been busy this week with an extensive remodelling of Wings HQ, which involved the main computer being out of commission for several days while the office was basically torn down and rebuilt from scratch. (It seemed a good time to do it, given that there’s nothing remotely of interest happening in Scottish politics.)
Unfortunately the lack of activity on the site caused the comments on the last post to degenerate into the most wretched playground shrieking match, so let’s see if we can’t distract the children and talk about something else for a bit.
Particularly alert observers will have noted that Kezia Dugdale, the most spectacularly inept and unsuccessful Scottish political leader in history, this week demitted her role as Director of the John Smith Centre, which she was handed as an incentive to quit Scottish Labour after dragging it to 14% in the opinion polls.
We long ago ran out of words to express the magnitude of the contempt in which the SNP now hold the people of Scotland. Which is unfortunate, because this probably calls for the invention of a whole new scale.
Shall we go through just a few of the more crassly insulting holes in this pitiful excuse for a cover story, just to pass the time while we wait for the former First Minister to appear before the COVID inquiry? We don’t know about you, but we’ve got nothing better to do.
Nicola Sturgeon is due to give her evidence to the COVID inquiry tomorrow – if, of course, she remembers anything. We’re awaiting, open-mouthed in genuine shock, her explanation for this.
Because try as hard as we might, we cannot for the lives of us bring to mind a single possible legitimate justification for a First Minister to do such a thing.
Alert readers may however note that 19 March 2020 was just four days before Alex Salmond was cleared of all charges, and might find themselves pondering the reasons why she might want to be in possession of a cheap disposable text-capable phone at that particular point in time.
There are many people in the world deserving of sympathy at the moment, readers, but spare a thought in your busy day for Scotland’s Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain.
Just two and a half years into the post (most incumbents post-devolution have served around five), she’s already had to deal with a lot of what sports people call “hospital passes”. But she’s about to find herself in another nasty spot not of her own making.
Iain More on The ginger stepchild: “SNP are just another Yoon Party now.” Dec 11, 21:12
Geoff Anderson on Strike One: “£400k spent on the KC by NHS Fife. https://x.com/_RebeccaMcCurdy/status/1999055522188943455?s=20” Dec 11, 21:07
Alf Baird on The ginger stepchild: “The only in-credible thing here is the vast GDP-per-capita gap between a much poorer yet resource-rich Scotland and near neighbour…” Dec 11, 20:48
Geoff Anderson on Strike One: “https://x.com/newsandpics/status/1999194291365683484?s=20” Dec 11, 20:21
robertkknight on The ginger stepchild: “The SNP is NOT the party of Independence any more… Any member who cared about Indy is long gone, leaving…” Dec 11, 19:52
Geoff Anderson on Strike One: “Now we know why…… https://x.com/iwontwheesht/status/1999180012893929938?s=20” Dec 11, 19:41
Northcode on The ginger stepchild: “The problem, TH, is that if Liberate Scotland gets TOO much attention and – God forbid- gets the mass backing…” Dec 11, 19:39
Mark Beggan on Strike One: “Let’s play Judges and Lawyers. Unsuitable for under fives.” Dec 11, 19:28
Mark Beggan on The ginger stepchild: “We’ll cut aff oor noses to spite those English bastards faces. That’s them telt. Bastards. Soar Giro!” Dec 11, 19:27
David Holden on Strike One: “Sadly I am old enough to remember when Scottish law was given a level of respect even from South of…” Dec 11, 19:24
Lewis Moonie on Strike One: “Anyone ever seen a trans woman who didn’t stick out like a sore thumb? Me neither” Dec 11, 18:58
Hatey McHateface on The ginger stepchild: “Perhaps the pollsters were unaware women are allowed to vote. Perhaps when the pollsters asked people, the men refused to…” Dec 11, 18:48
Geoff Anderson on Strike One: “I think this one needs a detailed explanation from the judge https://x.com/anyabike/status/1999121983481536635?s=20” Dec 11, 18:45
Lorncal on Strike One: “It seems to me to be far too accurate in its misinterpretations and unsound quotes to be purely AI or…” Dec 11, 18:41
Lorncal on Strike One: “I’d second that. Alex Massie has written a glowing reference to the Rev, too, acknowledging his forensic analyses.” Dec 11, 18:25
Karen on The ginger stepchild: “I’m surprised that women (and children’s) rights come in at 3% or less.” Dec 11, 18:25
Hatey McHateface on The ginger stepchild: “Cart before horse, Alf. First you have to get a solid majority of Scots to believe your number. Then you…” Dec 11, 18:22
twathater on The ginger stepchild: “The rev talks about supporting yoonionist parties in an attempt to destroy or remove the stench of the Scum Nonce…” Dec 11, 18:15
Northcode on Spoiler Alert: “I’m not allowed friends anymore. Not since… sorry, I’ve been told I can’t talk about it. All I can tell…” Dec 11, 18:08
Dan on The ginger stepchild: “Aye Sarah, it is pretty obvious, so one has to question the motives of supposedly pro-indy politicians, activists, and bloggers…” Dec 11, 17:54
Hatey McHateface on Spoiler Alert: “Wow, Northy! Right out with the worst insult you can come up with. You’re gonna love Sharia.” Dec 11, 17:51
Hatey McHateface on Spoiler Alert: “He’ll be allowed plasticine. As long as it’s the safe-to-eat kind.” Dec 11, 17:47
Andrew Ingram on Strike One: “Well said.” Dec 11, 17:44
twathater on Strike One: “As someone posted yesterday I believe the manipulative unseen hand of the Scum Nonce Party SG deviants and perverts has…” Dec 11, 17:41
Aidan on Spoiler Alert: “@Northcode – have you thought about making some friends?” Dec 11, 17:30
Michael P on Strike One: “This is staggering – the English Courts have recently handed down decisions excoriating advocates for quoting non-existent cases, usually ‘researched’…” Dec 11, 17:24
Veritas on Strike One: “What most people don’t realise is that judges are not “selected” by some higher authority on their merits, they apply…” Dec 11, 17:22
Jay on Strike One: “Amazing and invaluable work by Rev. Stu. Acknowledgement in The Times is good but there have already been attacks against…” Dec 11, 17:21
Steve A on Strike One: “It is long past time that a reputable university conferred honorary doctorate on our host here. The only question is…” Dec 11, 17:20
Northcode on Strike One: “Can judges be sacked for incompetence or crookery? If so there might be wan or twa quakin’ in thair bench…” Dec 11, 17:10
