The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Archive for the ‘corruption’


The endless road 228

Posted on January 14, 2023 by

Okay, folks, time to put our hands up and admit it: we got this one wrong.

We thought they’d be subtle.

Read the rest of this entry →

The process of softening up 176

Posted on January 12, 2023 by

We’ve been meaning to talk about this for a few days, but other stuff kept coming up.

(Click pic to enlarge.)

Alert readers won’t have failed to notice a steady drip of stories being fed to the media in recent weeks from SNP figures talking down the idea of the next general election as a de facto referendum.

Many in the party, such as new Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, are clearly very uncomfortable about having been pushed into doing, well, pretty much anything to actually try to achieve independence, even if it’s still two years away, because having (in most cases only recently) acquired themselves some lovely lucrative Westminster careers and pensions they’re not keen on suddenly risking losing them.

But the column above is an illuminating one.

Read the rest of this entry →

Pete’s New Programming 118

Posted on January 11, 2023 by

A few months ago, we all had a good chuckle at Pete Wishart’s screeching 180-degree turn on the subject of using a plebiscitary election for independence, a strategy which switched overnight from “suicidal, disastrous fringe lunacy with no hope of success” to “genius plan Nicola herself came up with”.

But after that crude ad-hoc field patch, we’re delighted to be able to report that Pete has submitted himself to SNP HQ for a full operating system update and is now fully compliant with the New Truth.

Read the rest of this entry →

The suggestion of blueberries 112

Posted on January 06, 2023 by

Alert readers of Wings will know that I have a fondness for sweet and fruity things, and a particular favourite of mine are Tropical Vibes still lemonades. (NB Other drinks are available, this site is in no way sponsored by or financially affiliated to Tropical Vibes.)

I especially like their Ocean Blue variety, a deliciously sharp and tangy refresher which contains real blueberry juice.

Just not very MUCH real blueberry juice.

Read the rest of this entry →

Raise all of the flags 186

Posted on January 04, 2023 by

As a journalist, readers, sometimes you want to pep a story up a bit. From time to time, it’s perfectly legitimate to sensationalise a relatively minor aspect of something in order to draw attention to a worthwhile but intrinsically dull subject.

At other times, you find yourself in the strange position of having to talk a subject down as much as you can, because if you simply report the facts calmly and neutrally it’ll sound so outrageous and ridiculous and deranged that everyone will think you’ve gone full-on, tinfoil-hat, pencils-up-the-nose insane.

Today is the second kind of day.

Read the rest of this entry →

Song For The Yes Movement, 2015-2022 88

Posted on December 31, 2022 by

Things change very slowly, then very suddenly. Here’s to better days, readers.

Past and future.

All out of words 127

Posted on December 23, 2022 by

I’ll be honest, readers, I’m so exhausted from despising the sickening nonce-panderers of the SNP this week that I can’t summon the energy to write any more about them. So I’m going to hand over to some other people.

All pics are links so that you can read full threads, see context and access any linked articles, and all these people are worth following.

Read the rest of this entry →

The Disgraces Of Scotland 323

Posted on December 21, 2022 by

Last night this happened.

The events marked simply and unquestionably the most shameful and contemptible moment in the history of the Scottish Parliament since 1707.

Read the rest of this entry →

Pete’s Big Win 87

Posted on December 15, 2022 by

The National must have been enormously proud when it successfully fought off all the other newspapers to secure this stunning exclusive today.

We must admit, when we had a good look in the “Pete Wishart Victories” section of our extensive archives we drew a blank. So we were excited to read on and find out.

Read the rest of this entry →

Newspeak For Independence 275

Posted on December 12, 2022 by

Let’s be quite clear what this means.

It means that the new Westminster leader of the SNP thinks it’s “absurd” to even try to achieve independence while the UK is in a crisis.

Read the rest of this entry →

For English Gold 187

Posted on December 06, 2022 by

The SNP has for quite some time been a hollow shell of a political party. Like the Conservative Party, its members have been systematically stripped of all policy-making powers, with decisions of conference on major issues simply ignored and other policies pushed through (most notably “gender reform”) which have never been put in front of conference for debate at all.

The party is now primarily a vehicle for processing cash and funnelling it to carefully selected and ideologically vetted activists, mostly from the fundamentalist youth wing, who are given well-paid jobs working for MPs and MSPs or parachuted into council seats in return for their unquestioning loyalty to Nicola Sturgeon.

And at this, it must be admitted, the SNP is still a highly effective operation. Which is fortunate, because without UK government money it would be bankrupt.

Above are the Electoral Commission’s donation figures for the third quarter of 2022. They note that 100% of the SNP’s reportable income for that period came from the UK government’s coffers – a trait shared with Plaid Cymru, the SDLP and the DUP.

Given that three of those four parties are nationalists committed to removing various constituent parts of the UK, one might almost be tempted to commend Westminster’s generosity. But perhaps it knows exactly what it’s doing.

Read the rest of this entry →

The way time flies 182

Posted on December 04, 2022 by

Can this really be six and a half years ago?

We suddenly feel very old.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,981 Posts, 1,251,873 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Chris Downie on Cowering From Destiny: “Even if the conspiracy theories were incorrect, the SNP stance is completely undemocratic – and thus guilty of the same…” Sep 27, 19:07
    • Hatey McHateface on Cowering From Destiny: “Have you tried popping across to explain that to them face to face? Could be that it has never occurred…” Sep 27, 18:33
    • Hatey McHateface on Cowering From Destiny: “Guantanamo is still open. Should be a cinch to organise a direct flight from Fairford. The Yanks will have no…” Sep 27, 18:28
    • Hatey McHateface on Cowering From Destiny: “The usual masterful insights from Confused. His conviction that R can’t do force projection gives us hope that when everybody…” Sep 27, 18:22
    • Hatey McHateface on Cowering From Destiny: “Loving how English colonialism supposedly made them the world’s most hated nation, whereas Scottish colonialism supposedly gained us many international…” Sep 27, 18:03
    • Captain Caveman on Cowering From Destiny: ““Factual post” No one is denying the accuracy of Lavrov’s quote, Shit-for-Brains, merely the act of quoting him at all,…” Sep 27, 17:45
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “Nowt wrang wi the Mail, Star and Beano. All are hilarious comics. I’d recommend The Viz as well but it’s…” Sep 27, 17:44
    • willie on Cowering From Destiny: “Read this week that the Ira-ni-an man arrested for apparently trying to gain access and attack the submarine base at…” Sep 27, 17:36
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “I expect behinds will be felt for this one, especially if the guardroom call going unanswered has any truth to…” Sep 27, 17:32
    • James on Cowering From Destiny: “LOLZ. Alf posts a factual post and as usual gets half-witted responses from The Daily Mail The Daily Star and…” Sep 27, 17:21
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “Indeed. NI is a warning to us all of the consequences of people keeping ancient irrelevant grudges festering instead of…” Sep 27, 17:20
    • Alf Baird on Cowering From Destiny: “England-as-UK Foreign Minister Miliband sure as hell won’t help liberate us Scots, he’s there to keep us ‘doun-hauden’ and to…” Sep 27, 17:18
    • Mark Beggan on Cowering From Destiny: “Trumpy just said to the press that the US was investigating the group from the start. The UK media are…” Sep 27, 16:39
    • Dan on Cowering From Destiny: “A “Compromise” might have been to not hold the highly contentious march in that particular area in the first place……” Sep 27, 16:33
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “This morning’s event seems to have been an extremely lucky escape instigated by the vigilance of a good citizen (who…” Sep 27, 16:20
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “Quoting Lavrov has to be an academic’s nadir. I’ll respect your democratic right to your views but sorry, you’ve lost…” Sep 27, 16:04
    • Captain Caveman on Cowering From Destiny: ““Foreign Minister Lavrov” Ah, the “R” guy at the UN. Figures, eh Alf. Hilarious to see you being a fawning…” Sep 27, 15:16
    • Dan on Cowering From Destiny: “Had a quick search and aye, the boiler issue was mentioned in the following article; Which also points out the…” Sep 27, 15:11
    • Alf Baird on Cowering From Destiny: ““Don’t be attached to it when it goes down” Foreign Minister Lavrov can also see it coming. Evidence here that…” Sep 27, 14:38
    • lothianlad on Cowering From Destiny: “Thats an anger i can relate to!! truly” Sep 27, 14:29
    • Willie on Cowering From Destiny: “Interesting comments Dan. Seems that there is a major issue with gas boiler tubes. But the plant has been beset…” Sep 27, 14:03
    • Mark Beggan on Cowering From Destiny: “Todays threat level in Scotland is at level 4. Severe attack is highly likely. Make sure you have batteries for…” Sep 27, 13:29
    • Dan on Cowering From Destiny: “That’s far from an ideal situation. Viridor are a big company that run many ERF sites across the UK so…” Sep 27, 13:10
    • Mark Beggan on Cowering From Destiny: “Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear. Alcohol does such damage to the brain.” Sep 27, 12:49
    • Mark Beggan on Cowering From Destiny: “So the mask finally slips.” Sep 27, 12:41
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “Grrr, They Inglish. How dare anyone seek a better life for themselves away from their origin. *Awaits the inevitable Grassy…” Sep 27, 12:38
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “You almost made a sensible post there for once, 8 Ace.” Sep 27, 12:33
    • Spartan 117 on Cowering From Destiny: “Someone really needs to keep you away from the COSHH cabinet. It’s bad for your liver.” Sep 27, 12:25
    • Captain Caveman on Cowering From Destiny: “That’s all very well, Confused, but may I ask: what’s your favourite cheese?” Sep 27, 11:54
    • Confused on Cowering From Destiny: “– as for this war game shite : The UK army is 50K men with guns, 2 aircraft carriers with…” Sep 27, 11:38
  • A tall tale



↑ Top