There are those who stay and there are those who leave. Since the 1700s the eyes of the ambitious Scot have looked towards London. Many have made the journey there and, as with Ireland, Scotland’s most precious export has been its people.
But for those of us who have remained in Scotland our eyes are still turned south.
It’s hard to express quite what a revolting piece of rank hypocrisy this is.
Behold, ladies and gentlemen and other genders, some pious little twerp whose own comfy seat in the Scottish Parliament was secured entirely by what he calls “cheating”, saying that nobody but him and his mates are allowed to cheat now.
A concept has recently arisen in Scottish politics for which this site feels at least partly responsible, and which is making the strangest bedfellows of Unionist commentators and SNP ultra-loyalists. It’s summed up very concisely in today’s Times.
Let’s just unpick that extraordinary meltdown for a moment.
Sooner or later, you have to stop screaming that anyone pointing out what’s happening is an MI5 plant or a secret Unionist (or in the case of some of the people who replied to Craig Murray yesterday, simply flat-out denying that the First Minister said what she actually said), and either just accept the complete abandonment of the Yes movement by the current SNP leadership or do something about it.
The rapid regression of civilisation continues apace, readers.
Because it ought to be noted that it’s not the concept of homosexuality that’s being deemed offensive there, nor the word itself, but specifically the definition of it.
In other words, a dictionary just said “some people are offended by facts”.
We were looking for something else this afternoon, but accidentally found this:
Just two weeks before the last Holyrood election, widely-respected analysts Weber Shandwick had put together a prediction of how the results would pan out. Just for a bit of fun, let’s compare it to the reality.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new World Speed-Reading Champion:
Almost 1200 words in 15 seconds is mighty impressive going in anyone’s book. (Either that or it’s REALLY slow for a 12-word tweet.) But we wondered if there might be any other reason why Mrs Angus Robertson wouldn’t want people reading that article.
Saffron Robe on Shield Of The Phantom: “I think the following reply by Perplexity AI to my question below is very revealing and sums up everything that…” Jan 28, 20:32
agentx on Shield Of The Phantom: ““Some of Scotland’s best baking talent came together on Wednesday for a unique challenge celebrating one of the country’s favourite…” Jan 28, 20:28
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “Dinna fash, Alf. No ships, military or civilian, are gonna come near Scotland if the bill to criminalise prostitution is…” Jan 28, 20:16
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “We’re a lost tribe of the rightful owners of the Holy Land, TURABDIN. Check out the Declaration of Arbroath. Note…” Jan 28, 20:11
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “Sure. Go bowing and scraping to the cants whose escaped lab-engineered virus killed tens of thousands of us and cost…” Jan 28, 20:04
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “Any chance of a few links, Confused? You can redact the personal details, but alert readers will want to know…” Jan 28, 19:56
agentx on Shield Of The Phantom: “Don’t worry Alf – the SNP can clean off the guns on Dumbarton rock and everyone will be safe from…” Jan 28, 19:17
Lorna Campbell on Shield Of The Phantom: “Scottish Common Law, the oldest version, has been sidelined by statute, which is a very common English habit of introducing…” Jan 28, 18:01
Alf Baird on Shield Of The Phantom: ““John Swinney calls for UK warships to be based in Scotland” Yes, quite incredible that an allegedly nationalist political leader…” Jan 28, 18:01
100%Yes on Shield Of The Phantom: “John Swinney calls for UK warships to be based in Scotland, this is what your voting for in Mays election…” Jan 28, 17:43
agentx on Shield Of The Phantom: ““John Swinney calls for UK warships to be based in Scotland” —————————————— Has he not noticed the subs?” Jan 28, 17:26
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “You cannot pass off counsels argument on behalf of a private party into a judicial committee as if it were…” Jan 28, 17:18
Xaracen on Shield Of The Phantom: “You’re still avoiding the point, Aidan. Keen’s statement was not a blog comment, it was a legal submission. It states…” Jan 28, 16:02
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Yelling at the tide: “REPUBLIC OF IRELAND GOVT: NO LEGAL OBLIGATION ON SCHOOLS TO USE PREFERRED PRONOUNS The Irish Govt Department of Education and…” Jan 28, 14:44
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Simplified version. England parliament waited until Scotland signed. Then chucked Scotland out of the treaty. Then England altered its dates…” Jan 28, 14:04
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Most of the supposed builds are avenues to erase the trace of funneling money out of Britain, I suppose one…” Jan 28, 13:43
Confused on Shield Of The Phantom: “the myth of british competence was always a fiction for domestic consumption – no one anywhere else fell for it…” Jan 28, 13:02
Confused on Shield Of The Phantom: “remember silicon glen? – not many do; it happened, sort of, but not really and then died a death. After…” Jan 28, 12:58
TURABDIN on Shield Of The Phantom: “& the Scots were originally Irish Gaels and were so into early medieval times, causing much historic confusion, Scots Scots…” Jan 28, 12:52
Alf Baird on Shield Of The Phantom: ““Picts, became known as Scots along with the Gaels now living in whats is called Scotland.” Much like some Scots…” Jan 28, 12:30
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Eventually and slowly it comes to the attention of people in Scotland, and then one wonders does Scotland need to…” Jan 28, 12:29
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “To continue the records, England left what remained of its vision of a 1707 treaty with Scotland when it chose…” Jan 28, 11:53
Alf Baird on Shield Of The Phantom: “A colonized people, or at least those suffering from a colonial mindset, do tend to celebrate their oppressor, nae maitter…” Jan 28, 11:24
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Reverting the conversation back to the Laws at the present time in Scotland and the difference of Englands laws that…” Jan 28, 11:01
100%Yes on Shield Of The Phantom: “@robertkknight 27 January, 2026 at 11:55 pm “I think you’ll find they were Picts, or ethnically similar to them. As…” Jan 28, 10:20
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “Firstly “acknowledged by the law to be separate entities” does not mean separate legal entities with legal personality. Secondly, and…” Jan 28, 08:59
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: ““untrustworthy wordsmiths” Not sure the evidence supports that, YL. Take Scotland’s greatest living half-son, for example, President Donald J Trump.…” Jan 28, 08:50
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “Why’s that then, 100%Yes? Are they claiming the hostages are a’ still undergroond somewhere? Fit aboot the ham asses then?…” Jan 28, 08:37
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: ““You can’t be asking seriously” Wisnae me asking, Aidan, it wis Sooty. And he’s a verra serious glove puppet. At…” Jan 28, 08:24
Xaracen on Shield Of The Phantom: “Like I said! From APPENDIX 2 Case for the Lord Gray . . . 36 Firstly, its purpose so far…” Jan 28, 08:13
