We’ve noted on numerous occasions previously that one of this site’s prime functions is merely to remember things – to serve as a repository of fact which can be referred to when politicians or the media try to mislead people about what happened in the past. It was a thought we were struck by again on reading The Times this morning.
Because as we beheld Kenny Farquharson’s account of the SNP’s manifesto launch, and how its emphasis on the word “RE-ELECT” was unfamiliar and “very different” to their last Holyrood manifesto launch, we were sure that wasn’t how we recalled it.
While we’re on the subject of Ruth “line in the sand” Davidson of the Ruth Davidson No Surrender To The SNP Anti-Referendum Party making U-turns, we thought we might remind you of another one, this time from rather more recent history than 2011.
Just nine months ago, apparently Ms Davidson’s view was that “it would be wrong for the Tories to stand in the way” of another referendum “if the SNP gets a democratic mandate from the public”.
Sounds like a firm, resolute commitment to democracy and the incontrovertible right of the people of Scotland to determine their own destiny. Stirring stuff. We approve.
Kezia Dugdale gave an interview to Good Morning Scotland earlier today that viewed from above would probably look rather like the runway at Baghdad Airport in 1991.
If we tried to pick out all the individual bomb craters in one post, readers’ eyes would glaze over long before the end. So we’re going to have to do it in bits.
Sometimes the world’s random turns throw up a charmed piece of timing. That was the first tweet that I read on 19th September 2014, sitting on the side of the bed, eyes burning, wondering what on Earth I could possibly do with a day for which I’d bought champagne, but which broke my heart before dawn.
I’d resisted Twitter for a while, then fallen in love with it, weirdly comfortable with the disembodied voices of strangers. Small phrases, 140 characters: at its best, little postcards that made me smile, laugh or think.
For whatever reason, that tweet cut through, its arrival perfect to give me a virtual shake. I’d tell the writer – if I knew who they were – that I managed to carry out half of their instruction to us hollow-eyed, political orphans that day, though I failed miserably for a while on the first bit.
Today we should have become independent. We’re not, and it’s not okay, but since I don’t think we can ignore the power that time and timing can possess, and since words are all I’ve got, I’d like to tell you a story.
We don’t normally ask you to watch videos as long as this, readers. (Although at 4m 22s it’s still not War And Peace.) As a rule the key part of any TV discussion can be boiled down to a few seconds, but this one needs to be taken in at a bit more length.
It happened on last night’s Question Time from Dundee, and was already 10 minutes into a discussion about whether there might be a second independence referendum and what might trigger it, in particular the prospect of Scotland voting to remain in the EU in June but the rest of the UK voting to leave, dragging Scotland out forcibly.
At that point, host David Dimbleby made an inexplicable intervention, abandoning his position as supposedly neutral moderator to pluck a “fact” out of thin air with which to attack the SNP’s John Swinney. Here’s what unfolded.
Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “@Geri Bilbo was posting about jerking off. Try to (ahem) stick to the subject if you have anything to add.” May 10, 08:36
Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““Loonies are being elected” Loonies are electing them. Myself, I’m for bringing back something like the property qualification for voting.…” May 10, 08:31
Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Anybody ken hoo lang this wake will gang oan fer? Ah may hae tae nip oot fer anither boatle. Seeing…” May 10, 08:23
Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: ““sodomite lifestyle” YL? My, my, every accusation, etc. etc. Just as well we all ken you’re what we Scots used…” May 10, 08:12
Big Jock on And Nothing Happened Forever: “I reckon we need to bring back first past the post in Scotland. This experiment with D’Hont is rewarding failure.…” May 10, 08:10
Hatey McHateface on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Criticise the ham ass scum and up pops Geri to defend them. Beats me why all the other ham ass…” May 10, 07:55
SophiaPangloss on And Nothing Happened Forever: “The other nationalist parties? I’m not sure you mean Reform, but they’re the only other nationalist party in Holyrood, I’m…” May 10, 07:15
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 no” May 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
George Ferguson on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Well I think, yet again, your right Stu. I will be dead by the time of the next Scottish Parliamentary…” May 9, 21:45
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
Bilbo on And Nothing Happened Forever: “Guys, guys. Get a private room and circle jerk off all you like about those good old times.” May 9, 21:30
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
