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.
Word reaches us, readers, that Nicola Sturgeon was “furious” when she joined the most recent meeting of the SNP’s Westminster group by Skype. Her rage was driven by the suggestion that the party should trigger a Holyrood election to act as a de facto independence referendum, a policy we’re reliably told is supported by a number of MPs who are too scared of being browbeaten by Sturgeon in front of their colleagues to actually speak out in favour of it.
(We won’t mention their names at this point.)
Our source mentioned to us that they seemed to remember an interview in which the First Minister had revealed a possible reason for her extreme antipathy to the idea – one for the BBC’s extensive and rather good three-part documentary “Yes/No – Inside The Indyref”, which was broadcast in August 2019 and never seen again.
It’s not available on iPlayer or YouTube, but fortunately we happened to still have the show recorded on our Sky+ box, so we went to check, and lo and behold our source’s recollection was correct. Apologies for the slightly wonky quality of this video, as we had to record it off the TV screen.
You can’t move on social media today without tripping over effusive tweets from SNP MPs and MSPs singing the praises of departed Westminster leader Ian Blackford and admiring all his achievements in the position over the last five years, although weirdly nobody has actually listed any of them.
Or possibly the other way round, we’re not sure. All we know is that we’re always surging upwards and forwards but somehow never actually getting anywhere.
If anyone knows when “this process” will have ended and we’ll get our choice – or indeed what she achieved for Scotland in the Brexit negotiations – do let us know.
It’s nice to see the British media (and perhaps, if we might be allowed to dream for a moment, the law) catching up with Michelle Mone.
It’s such a shame nobody did any proper investigative journalism into what a crooked, venal chancer she is before now – seven years ago or even four years ago, say – or the country might have been saved a few billion quid. Ah well, you live and learn, eh?
While this site remains mothballed, it’s nice to keep a steady trickle of traffic going just in case it ever needs to spring back to life, eg if someone actually interested in independence suddenly somehow becomes leader of the SNP again.
So we thought it might be fun to just briefly link to some old articles as and when they became topical once more, and as luck would have it tomorrow is such an occasion.
Because that’s when the SNP will launch the first of a series of new papers outlining the First Minister’s “vision” of independence by waffling on about how it would be a jolly good thing, in the unlikely event that she ever got off her extremely well-paid arse and achieved it.
Scot Finlayson on According As We Need Them: “`The charity industry in Scotland handles over £15 billion of income each year` 40% and over goes on staff wages.…” Jul 14, 09:00
James Cheyne on According As We Need Them: “All ill’s and ailments have a foundational beginning, if not recognised and dealt with the illness becomes progressive.” Jul 14, 08:55
James Cheyne on According As We Need Them: “All politicians seem to be using 1984 as their new go too cult bible. When Scotland comes to terms with…” Jul 14, 08:52
Aidan on Just Good Friends: “Yes – if the English were forced to pay the highest possible retail rate (the figure you use is above…” Jul 14, 08:10
Aidan on Just Good Friends: “You also of course exclude Finland, similar in population size to Scotland and around the same GDP, higher GDP per…” Jul 14, 08:01
Aidan on Just Good Friends: “Ireland’s GDP is distorted by base erosion and profit shifting, and by the impact of depreciating assets (like aircraft) that…” Jul 14, 07:54
Alf Baird on Just Good Friends: ““Ireland (no oil), Norway (oil), Switzerland (banking) have GDPs in the range of 600-800B USD. Ours is 200B USD. Liechtenstein…” Jul 14, 07:32
Alf Baird on Just Good Friends: “Scotland’s renewable energy production will soon be worth £100 billion a year, not that us Scots will see any benefit…” Jul 14, 07:22
Andrew Kidd on According As We Need Them: “There is another article in the Herald where a female politician is complaining that people are disagreeing with everything she…” Jul 13, 23:30
Young Lochinvar on According As We Need Them: “Unfortunately yes. Add in the DEI obsessed LibDems onto the list though, the shark lurking under the waves on this…” Jul 13, 23:00
GM on According As We Need Them: “Very true. Nothing for it but to keep the faith and take the genuine option when it is on offer…” Jul 13, 22:58
Captain Caveman on According As We Need Them: “@Lorn Excellent post, in my humble opinion. How did we get here?” Jul 13, 22:39
Shug on According As We Need Them: “What is the Herald and National doing getting tied up with such a bunch of self serving weirdos Are there…” Jul 13, 22:35
sarah on According As We Need Them: “@ GM: I agree. I can’t wait to see the back of them. We all know people in our own…” Jul 13, 21:53
Lorn on According As We Need Them: “You still haven’t told us who these paragons of modern political action are, Dan. Actually, I read very widely and…” Jul 13, 21:52
GM on According As We Need Them: “Aye Sarah, there are plenty of good people out there. That does not make the ‘Scottish’ elite any easier to…” Jul 13, 20:41
Dunx on Just Good Friends: “And English consumers subsidise Scottish renewables. Your point is ?” Jul 13, 20:28
holymacmoses on According As We Need Them: “A tweet from our Suzanne on journalistic integrity. Her kitchen is full of pots and kettles:-) “Suzanne McLaughlin @Suzemclaughlin Not…” Jul 13, 20:08
Dan on According As We Need Them: “Maybe try being a bit more alert and receptive to actually reading and taking in what other folk have said…” Jul 13, 20:04
willie on According As We Need Them: “The Scottish Government under the SNP and the Green is a quack quango Effijy. No one should be in any…” Jul 13, 19:38
sarah on According As We Need Them: “@ Lorn at 6.34: “who are these paragons?”. I think Dan may be referring to the Independents for Independence who…” Jul 13, 19:21
willie on According As We Need Them: “If they didn’t publicly fund these faux charities and their loon ball on line trolls to pump out their unwanted…” Jul 13, 19:20
agent x on According As We Need Them: ““The Scottish National party has voted heavily in favour of introducing all women shortlists and “balanced” regional lists, reversing decades-long…” Jul 13, 18:44
Lorn on According As We Need Them: “And who were these paragons, Dan? I have never in my life simply ticked a box because the candidate reflected…” Jul 13, 18:34
Effijy on According As We Need Them: “So much tax payer cash directed to nonsense quangos. I’ve never yet seen one of these bodies produce anything worthwhile.…” Jul 13, 18:33
Campbell Clansman on According As We Need Them: “Alba would have to “make a lot of ground” to get to 2% of the vote.” Jul 13, 18:26
twathater on According As We Need Them: “ALL of this pish is our own fault because we stood by and allowed these fuckwits to gain power, and…” Jul 13, 18:12
Frank Gillougley on According As We Need Them: “And so it goes. Incestuous faux academics shall speak unto incestuous faux academics funded by us the hoi polloi. The…” Jul 13, 17:58
Dan on According As We Need Them: “Some did try to start electing decent ordinary individuals who weren’t the usual political clone dross, but youse weren’t interested,…” Jul 13, 17:53
Bill Fraser on According As We Need Them: “I am wondering if this organisations status as a charity could be challenged under the “Charity Test ” it certainly…” Jul 13, 17:51