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.
James Che on Spot The Problem: “The referral to the Supreme court is under the Crown of England under the The UK parliament which Scotland holds…” Aug 27, 15:20
Alf Baird on Spot The Problem: ““The crown applies only to England under the Westminsters parliament acts” This should seem obvious, James, but is taking time…” Aug 27, 15:17
Northcode on Spot The Problem: ““In the structure you have described “Westminster” plays no role at all.” Apart from the fact that the structure was…” Aug 27, 15:11
James Che on Spot The Problem: “Tommo, Well done for checking out Scots laws, seeing as the money spoke of is mainly Scots finances that were…” Aug 27, 15:10
Alf Baird on Spot The Problem: ““There a name for that” Prof Elkins refers to Anglo-imperial rule over annexed territories as ‘legalized lawlessness’. Westminster and its…” Aug 27, 15:06
James Che on Spot The Problem: “Aidan, Scotland has never throughout history made a treaty of union with the Great Britain parliament or with the parliament…” Aug 27, 14:59
James Che on Spot The Problem: “North code. Scotland has never entered into a treaty of union with the Great Britain parliament at any time in…” Aug 27, 14:35
Tommo on Spot The Problem: “The offences of ‘misfeasance/misconduct in public office’ do not, as I understand it, exist under Scots law; however ‘Scots law…” Aug 27, 14:32
James Che on Spot The Problem: “Stu, This is the complicated position you are having to deal with when it crown to the crown offices and…” Aug 27, 14:19
willie on Spot The Problem: “So let me get this right. The COPFS commits murder but the system is if it decides to do nothing…” Aug 27, 14:19
Spartan 117 on Spot The Problem: “If you believe any of that, you must be incredibly naive. Fabians have infiltrated every strata of the state apparatus…” Aug 27, 14:18
agentx on Spot The Problem: “additional information: ” The appeal announced today by the information commissioner relates to a judgment made by the Court of…” Aug 27, 14:15
Aidan on Spot The Problem: “In the structure you have described “Westminster” plays no role at all. It is the Scottish FM and the Scottish…” Aug 27, 14:13
Northcode on Spot The Problem: “Aye, Alf. The Lord Advocate’s authority is enshrined in the Scotland Act 1998, and the Lord Advocate exercises these responsibilities…” Aug 27, 14:05
agentx on Spot The Problem: ““Watchdog goes to Supreme Court over secret Whatsapps in Sturgeon row Scotland’s transparency watchdog is to take the Scottish Government…” Aug 27, 14:05
agentx on Spot The Problem: “The Fabian Society does not advise all the governance of Great Britain or Crown officials, as it is not an…” Aug 27, 13:52
James Che on Spot The Problem: “It is not surprising that most people outside of Scotland think the Scottish government is actually a Scottish government. But…” Aug 27, 13:42
Aidan on Spot The Problem: “It’s nothing to do with the way Westminster runs Scotland. Scottish law has never provided for private prosecution (unlike English…” Aug 27, 13:42
Michael Bruce on This Other Earth: “To be fair, crimes that come with a public and unambiguous admission of guilt are notoriously difficult to prosecute.” Aug 27, 13:41
John Cleary on This Other Earth: “Hi Robert. Would that be the first ring fenced fundraiser in 2017 or the second ring fenced fundraiser in 2019?” Aug 27, 13:33
Alf Baird on Spot The Problem: ““the Crown Office IS at least theoretically accountable to Parliament” Aye, an in Ashis Nandy’s ‘subtradition’ colony that has ‘digested’…” Aug 27, 13:29
James Che on Spot The Problem: “Aidan, What you say is true, This is the way Scotland is run by the Westminster parliament legislation and Statues…” Aug 27, 13:24
James Che on Spot The Problem: “The Fabian Society are not in only one governance of Westminster due to being under the Westminster parliament of Englands…” Aug 27, 13:15
Alastair on Spot The Problem: “So the Crown as in the English Crown and its structures – the Scottish Crown has not been passed -…” Aug 27, 13:15
James Che on Spot The Problem: “This Fabian Society think tanks for the governance of Great Britain is where the ideas are formed on more than…” Aug 27, 13:08
James Che on Spot The Problem: “The Fabian Society are the think tanks advising all the governance of Great Britain and Crown officials under employment ,…” Aug 27, 13:03
cirsium on Spot The Problem: “Thanks Rev – that provoked a laugh. Thanks also for your continued coverage of what is actually going on in…” Aug 27, 12:58
Hatey McHateface on Spot The Problem: ““resolution would more likely come through … sustained external pressure” Maybe 100,000 Sovereign Scots on the streets every Saturday, demanding…” Aug 27, 12:57
Effijy on Spot The Problem: “Dear God, It’s like a corrupt process Donald Trump has cobbled together. Did you hear that Trump has sacked everyone…” Aug 27, 12:53
James Che on This Other Earth: “The left leaning think tank founded in Great Britain has many members in the Labour party and probably in in…” Aug 27, 12:48
