Wings Over Scotland is 12 years old today. And since absolutely nothing is happening in the world of Scottish independence – and hasn’t for, frankly, years – we thought we’d take you on a trip back to the day we were born, since when things DID change.
Remember when we had a leader who could get the UK government to do stuff it didn’t want to do, readers? AND actually increase support for independence? Good times.
We thought this was overdue an update. It’s got about 16 new front pages on it, one whole new row and a handful of newly-rediscovered replacements. It really is worth taking a few minutes to peruse it properly (click on the pic to enlarge it) to get the full effect of eight wasted years of deja vu disappointment.
It’s not even The National’s fault. They’re a business, they’re simply trying to sell a few papers to a diminishing audience of endlessly gullible eejits. The real fault lies with the halfwitted SNP members who just keep on doggedly failing to learn a single lesson, and repeatedly vote to carry on doing what they know doesn’t work and never will.
We were curious to find out what we’d said, but it seems to have been expunged from The National’s website. We eventually managed to track the email down in our vaults, though, so just as a bit of a change, here it is, as a reminder of a different time.
To be honest it barely seems worth marking the ninth anniversary of the indyref. The day our nation – albeit narrowly – bottled out of becoming a real one again is nothing to be celebrated. The supposed party of independence has run away from the fight, concerned only with feathering its own nest, and its era of power looks to be drawing to a bitter and deserved close.
But there remains one grave and glaring grievance.
And no matter what anyone says, it’ll dog democracy and condemn Scottish politics to eternal stagnation until it’s addressed.
Once again, we’re dismayed to report that we called it right. Because last night SNP MSP Mairi McAllan, officially representing the party on Question Time, told a weary audience in Fort William that that was precisely the case.
And readers, if ever a policy has been tested in battle and found wanting, it’s that one.
Today is the last day of Nicola Sturgeon’s record-breaking reign as First Minister of Scotland. In a few hours we’ll know who is to succeed her in the role. She was only the second SNP occupant of Bute House, and the legacy she bequeaths compared to the one she inherited from Alex Salmond is a matter of measureable record.
The SNP having a fondness for lying about their membership wouldn’t have come as quite such a shock to the Scottish press if they paid a little more attention to this website. Because we were pointing it out two and a half years ago.
It was in October 2020 that we told you how the SNP’s 2019 accounts revealed the party’s true membership figures weren’t the claimed 126,000 but more like 87,000.
Young Lochinvar on A crisis of democracy: “Branchform submission? Rumour is Breathy Bain has rolled it into a phallus shape, rocked up to pal Vals polycule and…” Jan 15, 00:41
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “The Independent: Is Scotland Facing An Identity Crisis? https://www.indiependent.co.uk/is-scotland-facing-an-identity-crisis/ https://archive.ph/giDy7 #ScotlandIdentityCrisis2025 #Yawn” Jan 15, 00:39
gregor on A crisis of democracy: ““The eyes are the mirror of the soul, they reflect everything that seems hidden – Like a mirror, they reflect…” Jan 15, 00:31
Young Lochinvar on A crisis of democracy: “I’m going against a decision I wasn’t going to comment here anymore due to heavy handed “moderation”, but IM; very…” Jan 15, 00:23
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “Myself: “A speaker or writer uses myself to refer to himself or herself. Myself is used as the object of…” Jan 15, 00:09
Scot Finlayson on A crisis of democracy: “£90 billion a year in interest payments for UK £3 trillion debt, most of the debt was from Brown and…” Jan 14, 23:56
Iain mhor on A crisis of democracy: “Yes and no. I’d rather say that under the Marshall Plan (of which Britain received the Lion’s share) the monies…” Jan 14, 23:43
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “BBC (2025): MSP pay to rise by 3.2% to almost £75,000: “The total cost of MSP salaries and associated taxes…” Jan 14, 23:41
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A crisis of democracy: “I have just watched and posted the lower of two videos at the link below. It is archive footage of…” Jan 14, 23:20
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “Must be my imagination here, but It feels as though I’m talking to myself sometimes, lol” Jan 14, 23:04
gregor on Nicola’s Non-Truths: “re. “Who will get the camper van after the divorce?”” Jan 14, 22:46
Jay on A crisis of democracy: “There is something in common between Starmer and Trump.” Jan 14, 22:32
Jay on A crisis of democracy: “Yes, and as Rev Stu mentioned earlier, much depends on the design of the P.R. system used, it can put…” Jan 14, 22:25
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “Scotland doesn’t get the message, huh ? I don’t believe you… “Message: 1. a communication, usually brief, from one person…” Jan 14, 22:17
PacMan on A crisis of democracy: “That is based on the assumption that all of these appointees and members of both houses are totally loyal to…” Jan 14, 22:17
Jay on A crisis of democracy: “That summarises the threat. There is further threat from oligarchs undermining the ‘4th estate’, either buying formerly reputable titles or…” Jan 14, 22:15
Dave Hansell on A crisis of democracy: “Nope. Not even Wikipedia has a page on “The Sherman Plan” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?go=Go&search=The+Sherman+Plan&ns0=1 The search engine lists the 1787 Roger Sherman…” Jan 14, 22:03
Derek on A crisis of democracy: ““the government is opposed by four out of every five voters” isn’t really true though. Plenty of people who voted…” Jan 14, 21:58
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “COPFS @COPFS: reposted: “Disrupting serious organised crime is a priority for @ScotGov and partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce…”:…” Jan 14, 21:29
willi on A crisis of democracy: “Can’t but help think what friendship the Donald John is saving up for the hapless Sir Keir Starmer who actively…” Jan 14, 21:22
Marie on A crisis of democracy: “If you say so Chatham House. Hilarious” Jan 14, 21:21
Dave Hansell on A crisis of democracy: “Surely the SNP have not done that much damage? Otherwise, we’ed have seen the official D-notice.” Jan 14, 21:20
Humza Who? on A crisis of democracy: “A promise from that amoral grifter Farage is even less reliable than one from the SNP or the Labour Party’s…” Jan 14, 21:07
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “Back To The Future: I have rejoined the SNP: “…in case anyone else is thinking it’s time to work for…” Jan 14, 21:05
Humza Who? on A crisis of democracy: “There should be enough checks and balances in the US system. That isn’t the case these days. The Republican Party…” Jan 14, 21:01
gregor on A crisis of democracy: “Operation Branchform latest (2025): Police ‘fed up’ of being blamed for length of SNP finance probe: “The Crown Office has…” Jan 14, 20:44
robertkknight on A crisis of democracy: “What’s the difference? 46 seats to pro-Devolution parties and Scotland gets shafted in any event. The nu-SNP achieved the square…” Jan 14, 20:37
