So since the SNP haven’t even bothered themselves to issue some sort of half-hearted token response to Boris Johnson’s declaration yesterday that he wouldn’t contemplate a second indyref before 2055, we might as well while away a few moments analysing the current state of Scottish Labour thinking just to cheer ourselves up.
So, for the historical record: I have no belief whatsoever, earnest or otherwise, that I can get rid of Nicola Sturgeon in the next four months.
I’m an idiot with a website. I have no power. I haven’t been elected to anything and I’m not the commander of an army. Information to which I’m privy would get me put in jail if I published it, and would in itself have no power to remove Nicola Sturgeon anyway. The only people who can bring that about between now and May are Sturgeon herself or, collectively, the Scottish Parliament.
This site has for some time called for Sturgeon to resign because it is our belief that she’s going to have to anyway, on account of events over which we have no control or influence. Because of that it would be the responsible and conscientious thing for her to quit early enough that the SNP/independence movement had a chance to deal with the issue of her succession and regroup in plenty of time for this May’s election.
The remaining window of opportunity for that to happen is now getting very narrow. And the enemies of independence will be beside themselves with delight about it.
On 31 January last year everything changed. On that date – the one when Scotland was officially dragged out of the EU because it was in the UK, despite the SNP’s repeated pronouncements that such a thing would not happen – sane people finally woke up and realised that Nicola Sturgeon had no plan to secure independence.
Almost a year later, a shrinking rump of less-sane people are still clinging desperately to a variety of irrational beliefs (there’s still a secret genius strategy waiting to be unveiled and we simply can’t give away our hand yet; Boris Johnson is an honourable democrat and will cave in if the SNP get a majority in May’s election; magic pixies on unicorns will descend from the heavens and grant Scotland its freedom), but most of us have now realised that 31 January 2021 will be just as pivotal as 31 January 2020.
Because an awful lot of stuff is about to happen in a hurry.
Yesterday we noted that rational people arrive at decisions about things based on the facts, not the personalities of who else might support or oppose those things. But in the interests of balance, allow us to present the counterpoint.
As it happens, we agree with McDonald on NATO membership. It would be a pointless folly and an exercise in self-destructive virtue-signalling to leave an organisation which is willing to defend Scotland militarily for free because of its strategic location, and it would be extremely unpopular with the Scottish public (including SNP voters), no matter how much those on the left might wish otherwise.
His reasoning above, however, is a wretched embarrassment.
Because 2020 is the maddest year in history, Ruth Davidson opened her contribution to Holyrood’s debate on the Brexit deal today with a lengthy quote from this website.
Dr Tim Rideout is one of the most serious and respected people in the Yes movement and the SNP. As convener of the Scottish Currency Group he’s presently engaged in trying to solve the party’s self-inflicted weakness over its lack of a coherent currency policy, and he’s sufficiently highly rated by SNP members that earlier this month he was elected to the party’s Policy Development Committee.
So you might think he was entitled to a view on, well, development of policy.
If this site seems to spend most of its time being angry at the SNP these days, that’s because we are. And a large part of that is because there’s very little that hacks us off more than people insulting our intelligence.
Smith’s tweet is just a crassly offensive flat-out lie. This week’s vote is NOT about “EU membership”. The United Kingdom hasn’t been a member of the EU since 31 January. We’ve already left and there’s no going back. The vote is about whether we leave with a sliver of a trade deal slightly reducing the self-inflicted harm, or the total catastrophe of no deal at all, and it’s just crushingly embarrassing for all concerned that Smith thinks so little of his own supporters as to believe he can “frame” it otherwise.
There is no good position for the opposition parties in the House Of Commons to take on the impending Brexit deal vote this coming week.
It’s a terrible deal, and voting for it – as Labour will do – makes you look like an idiot, especially when it completely fails the “six tests” you swore never to vote for it without. On the other hand, time is absolutely up and were it to be somehow defeated the only alternative left to the deal would be a no-deal exit, which is the only thing worse.
Minceheid on Faces In Sand: “Hatey McHateface says: 28 October, 2026 at 7:40 am Compared with a 6-pack, a single bottle is easier to shoplift.…” Oct 28, 08:12
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “It’s not Moon cheese. That’s the kind I’ve been conditioned to believe in. I’m sure you’re right, SBS. You do…” Oct 28, 07:47
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Compared with a 6-pack, a single bottle is easier to shoplift. Not me, I hasten to add. Not now the…” Oct 28, 07:40
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
