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How soon isn’t now? 524

Posted on March 16, 2017 by

Sigh.

None of the tweets below are true.

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That’s that one sorted, then 192

Posted on March 10, 2017 by

We joke, of course. The Spanish government has made this position abundantly plain several times over a number of years, and it still doesn’t stop idiot Yoons (and media pundits who should know better) from spouting it.

But this time, in the flesh, it’s really quite hard to spin a way out of.

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The fine print 355

Posted on March 04, 2017 by

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A trivial omission 265

Posted on February 27, 2017 by

Our attention was drawn today to hardcore shrieky Loyalist nutter collective Scotland In Union releasing “new research” on an independent Scotland’s finances, which in fact came out last year but which for unknown reasons they’re touting again now.

standardindy

Commissioned by the loongroup from a London-based thinktank that we’d never heard of by the name of “Europe Economics”, it predictably produces a doom-and-gloom conclusion that independence would have cost over £10bn in the first year.

There are so many gaping chasms in the logic we could hardly stop laughing for long enough to type, but one in particular was worth wiping the tears from our eyes for.

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The centrifuge 487

Posted on February 10, 2017 by

Sometimes the word “spin” just isn’t enough to get the reality across.

Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: the Scottish media.

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In the dead of the night 335

Posted on February 01, 2017 by

This is Conservative MP Dominic Raab, a member of the Brexit Select Committee, speaking on the BBC News Channel’s “Hard Talk” programme at 00.45 this morning. Perhaps imagining that nobody would be watching at such an ungodly hour, it seems he felt able to be unusually candid.

We left the last bit on in order to demonstrate that he was still talking about Scotland as well as Ireland. (He went on to recite the usual boilerplate about all leaving together as the UK etc etc, you can watch the whole show for yourself on iPlayer.)

But let’s just get that key early exchange down in writing for the record.

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The funeral pyre 172

Posted on January 31, 2017 by

Readers familiar with our standing advice to newspaper customers that the headline is nearly always a lie might like to consider today’s Press & Journal.

pjeu

The word “pyre” comes from the Greek word “pyra”, meaning “fire”. Surprisingly, it’s NOT the same root as “Pyrrhic”, as in “Pyrrhic victory”, meaning one that’s achieved by metaphorically burning your own city down. (Which in fact is named after the Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus.)

But why the etymology lesson?

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Not you, Scotland 149

Posted on January 31, 2017 by

The Tories yesterday:

mayroi1

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Time catches up with us all 342

Posted on January 29, 2017 by

Here’s the Conservative MP for Stratford-on-Avon 10 months ago:

zahawi1

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Call the experts 850

Posted on January 26, 2017 by

Because when you really want people with their finger on the pulse of Scottish politics to analyse the implications of the Supreme Court decision on Brexit, where else would you go but to Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, to hear from um, former rugby league star and haircut pioneer Martin Offiah?

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The simpler version 292

Posted on January 26, 2017 by

Way back in October last year we analysed what now seems to have become the key plank of Unionist argument against independence in the wake of Brexit – the idea that because Scotland does more trade with the rest of the UK than it does with the EU, independence would be economic suicide because Scotland would be sacrificing “the UK single market” (a thing that doesn’t actually exist ) for a much smaller one.

wto

It’s a completely idiotic position, but to be honest we didn’t do a very good job of boiling the counter-argument down to something snappy and quoteable, so let’s have another go and see if we can manage something a little better.

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While the truth gets its boots on 367

Posted on January 25, 2017 by

Here’s Alex Salmond on last night’s Newsnight:

Let’s just quickly fact-check that claim.

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    • twathater on And Nothing Happened Forever: “TBQH I am scunnered with the whole independence situation , Scots are about to become the Aboriginal or First Nation…May 10, 04:01
    • Geri on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Exactly Bilbo. They’re longing for a time that was pre Thatcher. They pine after her with no self awareness that…May 10, 02:11
    • robertkknight on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Look at the numbers Izzie… 2021… SNP Constituency Vote: 1,291,204 SNP Regional Vote: 1,094,374 2026… SNP Constituency Vote: 877,077 SNP…May 10, 00:40
    • Young Lochinvar on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Absolutely spot on Rob. They’ve lost their way and become what the Unionists caricatured them as..May 10, 00:33
    • Rob on And Nothing Happened Forever: “At this point when us old tins are talking about the SNP it might be worth reminding folk what the…May 10, 00:22
    • Young Lochinvar on And Nothing Happened Forever: “HMcH @ 9.52 So you’re back again eh? Conservative friends of Is Rye Ale in a blue funk over their…May 10, 00:16
    • Bilbo on And Nothing Happened Forever: “@ Main I appreciate you are not very bright. It is beyond your comprehension that you can’t understand the intellectual…May 9, 23:22
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “How dare you, Sven. Remind the usual suspects about Bethlehem and they might remember where Bethlehem was 2026 years ago,…May 9, 23:17
    • Geri on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““is to fervently wish for every last one of the ham ass scum to be buried deep in the tunnels…May 9, 23:14
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Take it easy, Geri. Remember what lies ahead of you for every day of the next 5 years. You’re gonna…May 9, 23:08
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Is that your best, Bilbo? You read a post you don’t like and you immediately start thinking about strangers jerking…May 9, 22:52
    • Ross on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Wings was talking about snp and greens whether you like it or noMay 9, 22:50
    • Bilbo on And Nothing Happened Forever: “There is no pro independence majority today. There are two parties in Holyrood who says that they are for independence.…May 9, 22:34
    • Geri on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““Didn’t take you long to start on your next 5-year plan for carpet bagging your agenda on the back of…May 9, 22:30
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Fun fact. The “J” that is Homer Simpson’s middle initial actually stands for “Jay”! “surviving inhabitants of g@za (for whom…May 9, 21:52
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    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Don’t they have some kind of separatist/insurgency/civil war scenario going on in Sri Lanka? Let’s get some of that transposed…May 9, 21:40
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    • Jay on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Hateface comment at bottom of the thread resulted in it being read! He/she/it seems to imagine there are elections in…May 9, 21:25
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Are you sure, Fearghas? If somebody is selling something, surely their pitch is only excellent if people buy it? Looking…May 9, 21:23
    • Rob on And Nothing Happened Forever: “The frustrating thing about both thec alphabetties elected was that they were not elected at all. They are list MSP’s…May 9, 21:14
    • Breastplate on And Nothing Happened Forever: “John Main, I like to point out hypocrisy when I see it, that’s why I like to reply to your…May 9, 21:08
    • Ross on And Nothing Happened Forever: “You also predicted 18 months ago there would he no pro independence majority. A lot can changeMay 9, 21:08
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““For we are fast approaching the colonial end-game” Fit wuy did thon wee ginger dug get in here? Bet you…May 9, 20:57
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “And lots of people blame Trump for ICE. They should learn some history.May 9, 20:49
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““You won’t get much support here for that point of view” And that’s precisely why Indy is going nowhere. What…May 9, 20:45
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““they at least can hold their heads high” As an oath breaker, a betrayer of your vow of allegiance, WTAF…May 9, 20:36
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Anybody know how long this wake will go on? Fit’s that ye say, Sooty, 5 years! In among all the…May 9, 20:32
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““en masse, they can barely manage to speak the English language properly, is a bridge to far for most” And…May 9, 20:20
    • Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “So we’ve five years of Geri pushing toxins. You got EXACTLY the result you wanted, Geri. Don’t insult our intelligence…May 9, 20:09
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