On the 1st of January, Chinese authorities took the decision to close the Wuhan food market. The following day, 41 admitted hospital patients in Wuhan, were confirmed to have contracted 2019-nCoV (novel coronavirus) which we now know as COVID-19.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a New Year message, from the private island of Mustique in the Caribbean, that the “first item” on his agenda remained his commitment to take Britain out of the EU by the end of January.
Within weeks the virus had spread across the world to many countries including Italy, Germany, Australia, the USA and of course the UK.
It’s pretty interesting that today marks the first really tangible diversification between the Scottish and UK governments with regard to the coronavirus crisis: the Holyrood administration has rejected Westminster’s much-criticised new main slogan and will be sticking with the old “STAY HOME” message.
(Here at Wings we’re mainly upset that the extremely misguided new campaign will undermine our years-old pro-alertness position.)
Because what our latest Panelbase poll showed is that there’s a huge gulf between perception and reality in Scotland when it comes to virus strategy.
Yeah, we know we said we weren’t going to say anything else about the COVID-19 crisis, but sometimes there’s just too much stupid going around to stay silent.
A disturbing number of people appear to have interpreted the undoubted seriousness of the pandemic to mean that nobody is ever allowed to be even slightly happy for the briefest of moments until it’s all over.
As a result, while half the country is full of people just trying to cope as best they can while acting sensibly and responsibly within both the letter and spirit of the emergency restrictions, the other half has elected itself officers of the Lockdown Gestapo, pointing fingers and shrieking at anyone deemed not to be miserable enough.
This article is the only thing Wings is going to say about the COVID-19 crisis, because (a) we’re on holiday, (b) it has very little to do with Scottish politics, and (c) we’re not virologists and have no expertise to offer.
But in so far as we have some sort of reach and to some extent people listen to us, and we don’t want any of you to die, here’s a small plea for all our sakes.
As we write this, in between bouts of weeping with exhausted misery, frustration and rage, Her Majesty’s Opposition’s interminable will-they-won’t-they game of attempting – maybe, one day, perhaps – to bring down the government and force a new election leading to a new EU referendum continues.
And as the SNP in particular devotes huge amounts of energy to trying to stop Brexit, against the wishes of its own voters, we wondered how the public not just in Scotland but in the two constituent nations of the UK that voted Leave felt about that.
Sven on The quality of mercy: “Mark Beggan @ 14.11. Mot a country of deranged morons … more a devolved administration of deranged morons elected under…” Apr 8, 14:29
Northcode on The quality of mercy: “Nae ither folk bar the Scots thersels hae the nous, the knawledge or the experiens o mony generaciouns, tae unnerstaun…” Apr 8, 14:14
Confused on The quality of mercy: “Reality check time. The only relevant benchmark for Scotland’s ECONOMIC POTENTIAL is with our small nation peers, most of whom…” Apr 8, 14:12
Mark Beggan on The quality of mercy: “Never mind the oil. The world sees Scotland as a Lady Boy. A country of very confused, weak and deranged…” Apr 8, 14:11
Confused on The quality of mercy: “they just won’t give it a fucking rest, will they – frog face weighing in https://archive.ph/cHiZ4 – but, but -…” Apr 8, 14:09
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “Well if it’s all been done before, why are you so utterly clueless about it and posting (in that last…” Apr 8, 13:38
Dan on The quality of mercy: “Ooh, an lse report… oh aye, this had been done to death long before Johnny come lately Aidan turned up.…” Apr 8, 13:11
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “Do you have a link to those figures “James”, since I can’t find them anywhere. What I can find is…” Apr 8, 12:52
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “BANNED DOCUMENTARY ON SCOTTISH OIL (The McCrone Report) « Tha paipeirean oifigeil a bha dìomhair ach a-nis air am fosgladh,…” Apr 8, 12:49
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “McCRONE REPORT – Scotland’s Hidden Oil Wealth « In 1974 the Tory government under Edward Heath commissioned a report by…” Apr 8, 12:42
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “Well, I guess you had better start rummaging that amongst that great big steaming pile of unwashed kecks, empty beer…” Apr 8, 12:32
Alf Baird on The quality of mercy: “Names are names, colonial plunder is colonial plunder. Whaur’s oor oil money, an for aw else tae, ower the past…” Apr 8, 12:06
James on The quality of mercy: ““According to 2013 figures from Fraser Of Allander Institute economist Brian Ashcroft – husband of former Scottish Labour leader Wendy…” Apr 8, 11:58
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “““As of April 7, 2026, oil prices are high and volatile due to supply concerns, with global benchmark Brent Crude…” Apr 8, 11:54
James on The quality of mercy: “Apt coincidence though, eh? Doncha think, “Agent”?” Apr 8, 11:53
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: ““Is it down to lack of means, or is it a tactic acknowledgement that deep down they know the money…” Apr 8, 11:46
agentx on The quality of mercy: “@ james “Shell initially named all of its UK oil fields after seabirds in alphabetical order by discovery – Auk,…” Apr 8, 11:27
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “@James – don’t start having a massive tantrum because you’ve been made to look stupid by your own lack of…” Apr 8, 11:25
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “Oh dear. “Eight Ace” is triggered again. 😀” Apr 8, 11:01
James on The quality of mercy: “Our thieving southern neighbours started taking the piss as soon as the stuff was discovered. “An oilfield? In Scotch waters?…” Apr 8, 10:48
James on The quality of mercy: ““UK” “government” giving oil drilling licences out for free then? F*** off the pair of you. Supercillious charlatans.” Apr 8, 10:42
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “@Aidan An interesting question to pose to your (ahem) “detractors”, Fatso, Rambo and “Geri” (in whatever applicable currency in his…” Apr 8, 10:26
Dan on The quality of mercy: “https://wingsoverscotland.com/junkies-tramps-and-thieves/#more-87705” Apr 8, 08:53
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “@James I realise you are extremely dense and credulous and have the same reaction to facts as you do to…” Apr 8, 06:11
Geri on The quality of mercy: ““As of April 7, 2026, oil prices are high and volatile due to supply concerns, with global benchmark Brent Crude…” Apr 8, 00:54
Insider on The quality of mercy: ““Iain More says: 7 April, 2026 at 10:32 pm So oil has hit $150 a barrel.” Nope ! You’re talking…” Apr 8, 00:06
Young Lochinvar on The quality of mercy: “Aidan You are being something of a contrarian here. As I told you recently it’s fairly easy to find out…” Apr 7, 22:40
