Because while pretty much every journalist, pundit and legal expert reporting the case agrees that the amendment made to the Section 11 order protecting the anonymity of the complainers in the Alex Salmond case is an important and significant one, it hasn’t impressed the only person whose opinion actually matters: Andy Wightwash.
The Spectator’s application to the High Court for a variation of the anonymity order in HM Advocate vs Alexander Salmond has just finished. It seems to have been agreed by all parties that Lady Dorrian will now amend her order to read thus:
“An order at common law and in terms of section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, preventing publication of the names and identity and any information likely to disclose the identity of the complainers in the case of HMA v Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, as such complainers in those proceedings.”
We suppose this is a sort of compliment, in at least two senses.
The second of them, of course, being the sheer surprise of some people at discovering that not everyone is as cynical and devious as they evidently are themselves.
Once again we’ve clipped the entire question and “answer” so you can see nothing’s been taken out of context, but the important bit is from 2m 30s to 2m 53s.
Davidson’s question was quite complex but boiled down to why Nicola Sturgeon hadn’t properly recorded details and minutes of meetings on Scottish Government business, in direct breach of the Ministerial Code.
That’s a valid question in itself, to which there was no meaningful response, but it was what Sturgeon said right at the end that raised our eyebrows.
First Minister’s Questions was very interesting today. Ruth Davidson had some tricky ones which Nicola Sturgeon simply didn’t even attempt to look like she was answering, and we might come back to one of them in particular a little later on.
But Jackie Baillie’s were even more pointed, especially this one:
With our trademark scrupulous fairness we’ve included the full question and answer, and they raise a whole series of issues, but if you’re in a hurry the key part we want to talk about right now is between 0.18 and 0.26.
Sorry, folks, we had a minor medical emergency today (veteran readers can probably guess in which category) and haven’t been quite as on top of events as we’d like.
So terrible was it that the SNP had a backup plan to distract from it – a nonsense of a press release from SNP chief operating officer Sue Ruddick in which she made an allegation about a supposed “act of physical aggression” by Alex Salmond.
The following statement has been issued in response. It’s an eye-opener.
Committee on the Scottish Govt Handling of Harassment Complaints
Dear Ms Fabiani and Committee Members,
We have now had the opportunity to consult on Friday evening and over the weekend with our client on your clerk’s latest emails of Friday afternoon. Those followed the convener’s letter informing us that you do not intend to publish our client’s submission on the Ministerial Code, a submission which was sent to you on December 31st and which was carefully considered by this firm, and by Counsel, prior to submission.
Your latest communications and the decision not to publish exemplify the confusion and legal difficulties created by the Committee and which now plainly undermine the capacity of the Committee to fulfil the remit set by Parliament.
Bilbo on Faces In Sand: “@ Aidan If the production method to make English whisky is cheaper where savings are passed on and is just…” Oct 27, 21:19
Southernbystander on Faces In Sand: “Plenty of cheese in England Hatey, just saying.” Oct 27, 21:01
Bilbo on Faces In Sand: “100% Yes. I’m content with a just a few of can’s of lager myself 🙂” Oct 27, 20:55
Bilbo on Faces In Sand: “You do make me laugh Hatey. I can still feel the tremors of you banging your desk as you read…” Oct 27, 20:53
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “I will stick my neck out and say not a single job will be affected, Scottish whisky is unassailable” Oct 27, 20:45
Lorncal on Faces In Sand: “Northcode: you are going to be hugely disappointed if and when you go down that route and try to body…” Oct 27, 20:25
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “So it has to be gloves off on our part. Make the English barsturts rue the day they ever dared…” Oct 27, 20:21
100%Yes on Faces In Sand: “I do love my Bailey’s 1tre at Asda £11.” Oct 27, 20:20
Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: “…e.g. all those ‘democratic mandates’ ignored by the colonizer.” Oct 27, 19:39
Bilbo on Faces In Sand: “Had to laugh at this. https://archive.is/Az6Nl English whisky GI approved with no Scotch impact assessment I say this in light…” Oct 27, 18:29
Oneliner on Faces In Sand: “Members of he Nazi hierarchy were not offered financial inducement for their signed approval. Members of the Scottish nobility of…” Oct 27, 17:42
Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: “International law concerning territorial alienation suggests there is no democracy for people in an annexed country.” Oct 27, 16:09
Minceheid on Faces In Sand: “Hatey McHateface says: 27 October, 2026 at 1:48 pm It could be that I’ve been fraudulently enjoying mental feebleness benefits…” Oct 27, 15:49
Northcode on Faces In Sand: “The Scottish independence movement has never operated at constitutional altitude because it focused on history, identity and party politics instead…” Oct 27, 14:41
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “I’m not sure there’s necessarily right in the context of Scotland Northcode – you are right that there is significant…” Oct 27, 14:13
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Sorry to hear that, MH. It could be that I’ve been fraudulently enjoying mental feebleness benefits that should have gone…” Oct 27, 13:48
Minceheid on Faces In Sand: “Hatey McHateface says: 25 October, 2026 at 6:23 pm Mental impairment is a badge of honour these days. It brings…” Oct 27, 13:15
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Some good ideas there, Northy, but the idea that the SNP wouldn’t fight like rats in a sack to be…” Oct 27, 13:12
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Wheesht, Alf! We dinna want tae tip aff the EU aboot hoo muckle they can rinse us fer when we…” Oct 27, 12:59
Northcode on Faces In Sand: “What Independence Actually Means(my compressed version) Independence is a modern constitutional process, not a feeling or a grievance. 1. Mandate…” Oct 27, 12:14
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “The big problem from an “Indy Scot” perspective is the total dearth of political talent from its Political Class (of…” Oct 27, 11:29
Northcode on Faces In Sand: “Who Negotiates on Scotland’s Behalf After a Mandate? Once Scotland votes for independence, the negotiating team is not automatically the…” Oct 27, 10:51
Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: ““The ‘money’ aspect is huge” Deid richt tae, Scots plundered £150 billion+ a year an mair by a bankrupt England,…” Oct 27, 10:35
100%Yes on Faces In Sand: “Why would I join? When Alex Neil said his strategy is to get support for Independence to a constant 60%…” Oct 27, 10:07
Chas on Faces In Sand: “An accurate summation Northcode. The ancient history guff is for numpties. The MAJORITY of Scots have to want Independence following…” Oct 27, 10:01
Northcode on Faces In Sand: “No Scottish organisation has ever articulated the real, modern, internationally-rounded process that would govern independence negotiations. Not the Scottish Government,…” Oct 27, 09:14
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Good point, Xaracen. I guess the surrender signed by Germany in 1945 was voided by the allies coercion bringing them…” Oct 27, 08:24
William Smith on Faces In Sand: “The Irish weren’t immune to a bit if colonisation either – take Scotland, for example – the place is even…” Oct 27, 07:45
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Mony a guid idea said in jest, twathater. Sturgeon is still immensely popular in Scotland. An experienced and plausible player…” Oct 27, 07:20
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “It’s the pitiless crushing gets me down. That, and the eternal promises of cheese which never materialises. I like cheese.” Oct 27, 07:09
