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.
willie on There May Be Justice: “Ah so this will be why the Standards Commission destroyed all the case records. In the light of Lord Sandison’s…” Oct 6, 21:44
James on The Love Of Big Brother: ““Humiliated and defeated”. LOLZ, aye that’s right, Adrian ya clown. And here’s your wee ubiquitous pal arrived, Adrian. All day,…” Oct 6, 21:32
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: “You make it sound like you’re gonna be depriving “them” of some invincible, merciless, super-fit, highly efficient, killing machine. Somehoo…” Oct 6, 20:12
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Ye cannae whack a guid wang oan an oan aboot some cant who’s never coming back (Thatcher) and some dosh…” Oct 6, 20:06
Aidan on The Love Of Big Brother: “A common tactic of people like yourself, get totally humiliated and defeated on one subject and rather than admit your…” Oct 6, 19:47
James on The Love Of Big Brother: “So, “naw it disnae” then. LOL. Here’s yin for you and yer Tory bedfellows. “After £100 billion has finally been…” Oct 6, 19:17
Aidan on The Love Of Big Brother: “lol 2/10 – managed to copy and paste some relevant material, so let’s look closer: “Scotland appears to fall into…” Oct 6, 18:20
James on The Love Of Big Brother: “That would make you clowns repetetive, abusive Unionist trolls then, aye? Unsurprising then,that an eminent Scottish KC, and others much…” Oct 6, 17:37
Aidan on The Love Of Big Brother: “Now this is really gets hard because we have two opposing views, the first which I’ve copied below is written…” Oct 6, 16:37
James on The Love Of Big Brother: “Soubds good but it’s not right….. In fact it doesn’t even sound good. Must try harder, “troops”.” Oct 6, 15:50
Marie on There May Be Justice: “Correct. I’ve not long finished reading Dr Jim Swire’s book on Lockerbie and his efforts to seek justice for the…” Oct 6, 15:27
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““having hoovered up our votes” Zat so, James? More fool you then.” Oct 6, 15:04
Aidan on The Love Of Big Brother: “@Alf – even if we took your somewhat suspect view of a foreign military occupation in the 1700’s (rather than,…” Oct 6, 14:55
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: “Professor Baird demonstrating correct use of the royal “we” there. I’ve noticed its increasing use by many, these days. Always…” Oct 6, 14:31
James on The Love Of Big Brother: “Adrian wouldn’t know a fact if it punched him in the face, chum. Who are you anyway, his carer? “Their…” Oct 6, 14:27
Alf Baird on The Love Of Big Brother: ““outside of a military occupation or colonialism (neither of which apply in Scotland)” Who told you this, colonial history books?…” Oct 6, 14:25
Captain Caveman on The Love Of Big Brother: “Let’s put it this way, if he was any thicker he’d need watering twice a week.” Oct 6, 14:23
Insider on The Love Of Big Brother: “James @12:41 James, Are you REALLY that thick you can’t understand understand what Aidan explained quite clearly ?” Oct 6, 14:09
James on The Love Of Big Brother: “So, Adrian; “The right to self-determination is indeed universal and inalienable…” Except for Scotland. Need the crossword clue again, brains?” Oct 6, 12:41
Alf Baird on There May Be Justice: ““No judiciary or legal establishment has ever been about justice for the plebs” Valid point, Angus. However the reality might…” Oct 6, 11:58
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: “Good point, MH, and approximately 43.8% true. Have a word with one of the New Scots who arrived last week…” Oct 6, 10:40
Minceheid on There May Be Justice: “Hatey McHateface says: 6 October, 2026 at 9:20 am The rest of us have been enjoying free health care Eh?…” Oct 6, 09:55
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: “If it’s true that Scotland’s judiciary and legal establishment were world renowned, it can only have been during Scotland’s most…” Oct 6, 09:31
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: ““Have the plebs ever benefited from fighting and dying for the elites?” I guess not you, Angus. Shame. The rest…” Oct 6, 09:20
McDuff on There May Be Justice: “How does it go ………..”When good men do nothing”. Well good men and women are doing something. Respect and thanks…” Oct 6, 09:05
Spartan 117 on There May Be Justice: “Great to see this issue transcending politics and uniting people, just goes to show people do still care for integrity…” Oct 6, 07:57
Angus on There May Be Justice: ““the credibility and respect that Scotland’s judiciary and legal establishment were world renowned for” No judiciary or legal establishment has…” Oct 6, 04:23
twathater on There May Be Justice: “Thank you and the legal Eagles supporting you and us on this challenge to corruption and lies within the legal…” Oct 6, 02:02
Hatey McHateface on There May Be Justice: “Quote Cesaire until the cows come home, Alf, it won’t undo the fact you selectively cropped Northy’s post to change…” Oct 5, 21:56
