The SNP tell us that independence support is currently at 53%.
They tell us that most Scots want a referendum within the next year:
And we know that it’s absolutely unequivocally possible for the SNP and Greens to trigger a Holyrood election which would serve as a de facto referendum not only within a year, but within weeks. Scots could entirely realistically go to the polls this August or September, or even on the date Nicola Sturgeon promised less than a year ago.
So why are the SNP choosing this of all moments to give up?
When I was a boy at Balbardie Primary School in Bathgate in the mid-70s, football was banned in the playground. Of course we were all fitba-daft laddies, so we sought ways around the prohibition. Occasionally someone would bring in a tennis ball, but those were difficult to control in school shoes and also apt to fly over the wall of the outdoor toilet block if somebody caught one sweetly on the volley.
So most playtimes somebody would produce a tin of Pepsi or Irn-Bru or Cresta, chug the contents, stand the empty container on its end and stomp sharply on it, producing something more akin to an ice-hockey puck that would serve for our kickabout.
But even after being skelped and scudded around a concrete playground into stone walls for 20 minutes, that can was still in better shape at the end of our game than the one the SNP have been kicking down the road since 2016.
Just over a year ago, Shona Robison – then the Cabinet Secretary For Social Justice, now the Deputy First Minister – told the Scottish Parliament this:
There now follow some quotes from the media regarding the case of Andrew Miller, aka Amy George, who yesterday admitted the kidnap and repeated sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl at his home in Galashiels earlier this year.
This morning’s news is that the SNP have finally found a company desperate enough for business to take the gamble of associating itself with the party’s finances.
Hatey McHateface on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “The Guardian is reporting that whistleblowers have revealed how close the UK came last month to an electricity supply grid…” Jul 14, 07:54
factchecker on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Our esteemed professor says “the fact remains that “a colonized people are in no way a subject of history any…” Jul 14, 07:47
bumsrush on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Spot on. Now, are there powers to force disclosure of the Police and COPFS files? Jimmy Savile’s Police and CPS…” Jul 14, 03:17
twathater on Step One: “As usual Aydan you have comprehension issues or you are just stupid , “What time of restrictions are you after?…” Jul 14, 02:34
Young Lochinvar on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Rev The cracks are starting to show.. Keep going.” Jul 14, 01:04
Mark Beggan on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “The down side of being a Wings reader is that you find yourself shouting at the English media reporting on…” Jul 14, 00:20
Young Lochinvar on Step One: “AI DUN @ 7.11 Well AI DUN, that’s just great eh? C’mon fess up, you clearly have a personal interest…” Jul 14, 00:19
Hatey McHateface on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “And on that day, everybody’s drawers will be around their ankles.” Jul 14, 00:08
ben madigan on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “I mean Scotsmen and women, wake up!!! What are we expected to believe – an individual who has been arrested…” Jul 13, 23:58
Insider on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Question… Does Alf Baird really post his repetitive mince himself ? Or does he have a bot churning out irrelevant…” Jul 13, 23:23
willie on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “When it’s all laid out like Rev Stu has done it becomes so very clear what a barefaced liar Nicola…” Jul 13, 23:20
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Step One: “QUESTION XLI. « The sovereignty is originally and radically in the people,»” Jul 13, 22:56
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Step One: “SAMUEL RUTHERFORD: LEX REX. Summary prelude for QUESTION XLIII — « WHETHER THE KING OF SCOTLAND BE AN ABSOLUTE PRINCE,…” Jul 13, 22:36
Alf Baird on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: ““The former First Minister…is nothing but a stain on Scotland’s history.” Indeed Rev, however the fact remains that “a colonized…” Jul 13, 22:16
Mark Beggan on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Anwar is a rat in a suit defending the pig in knickers.” Jul 13, 21:50
Old John on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Anwar has been a radge wee man for most of his adult life. Ever since he got a bit of…” Jul 13, 21:34
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Step One: “SAMUEL RUTHERFORD (1600-1661) Highly influential anti-monarchist Scottish constitutional thinker. « Presbyterian minister and St Andrews Professor, Samuel Rutherford in his…” Jul 13, 21:29
Fro on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Isn’t there expression meant to be “gold-standard”. “Gold-plated’ suggests it looks authentic and real at first glance but is virtually…” Jul 13, 20:35
Ex President Xiden on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “Every terrorist who gave a no comment interview can now be said to have fully cooperated with the police. At…” Jul 13, 20:27
Hatey McHateface on Step One: “@Andy You are doing that Guardian BTL thing of assuming that the EU cries itself to sleep every night because…” Jul 13, 20:21
Innocent bystander on The Unstoppable Lie Machine: “It is a joy to behold, that sharp common sense coupled with dogged persistance applied like an old fasioned poultice…” Jul 13, 20:15
Aidan on Step One: “@Andy – I think that’s broadly the point that a lot of posters are making, not that it can’t be…” Jul 13, 20:14
Alf Baird on Step One: “The use of a ‘local government franchise’ for a people who are also subject to extensive ‘demographic manipulation’ is clearly…” Jul 13, 20:09
Hatey McHateface on Step One: ““Indigenous Scot means ‘someone who agrees with me'” Bingo, Rob! Franchise discussions are a repeating theme on here. They usually…” Jul 13, 20:07
