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The Idiot 287

Posted on July 24, 2021 by

Although we’re retired we already wrote this, so we may as well put it up for the 99.9% of Scots who don’t read the comments on David Leask‘s columns in the Herald.

Scotland’s worst, most reliably wrong and most pathologically insecure self-identified “real journalist” rehashed one of his favourite hobby-horses yesterday, namely that it’s a “nationalist myth” that Scotland got poorer after discovering oil in the North Sea.

It’s a claim he’s been banging on about since at least 2014, without ever providing a scrap of evidence to support it (his standard modus operandi), and yesterday was no exception. So let’s show Little Dave how proper big-boy journalists do it.

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Fix up, look sharp 702

Posted on June 26, 2021 by

Holiday Boy is still “resting”, so here’s a laugh from nearly six years ago.

Hear the bang? See the spark? No, us either.

How it started and how it’s going 279

Posted on May 01, 2021 by

Our always-alert readers will probably have noticed that Nicola Sturgeon’s constant catchphrase this week has been how Yes supporters still need to “build the case for independence”, rather than actually do anything to achieve it.

But the thing is, she’s the leader of the SNP. Building the case for independence is literally her job, and she’s now been doing it for six and a half years. So how much progress have we made?

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A different kind of joke 88

Posted on May 01, 2021 by

Holiday Boy is on holiday. But remember in 2018 when Nicola Sturgeon was going to use next week’s election as a de facto referendum if the UK government hadn’t given her permission for one by now, readers?

It’s almost like you can’t ever believe a word she says.

The right to be heard 105

Posted on April 24, 2021 by

From 1964:

How the times change, eh?

Red flags and klaxons 319

Posted on April 05, 2021 by

Hindsight is 20/20, readers, but perhaps we ought to have paid a little more attention to the article below back in 2015.

Because as the old saying goes: when people tell you who they are, believe them.

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The Switch 418

Posted on March 23, 2021 by

We were reminded this week of the amount of stick we got when we wrote these words almost five years ago, right after the 2016 Holyrood election:

(The rest of our post-match analysis wasn’t too shabby either.)

But readers, we have to grudgingly admit: we’re only NEARLY always right.

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Not-So-New Dawn Fades 65

Posted on March 16, 2021 by

Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you back once again to the only event in politics that’s more frequent than a Scottish Labour leadership election.

Seems to come round sooner every year, doesn’t it?

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Some things stay the same 232

Posted on March 07, 2021 by

An extraordinary find by alert reader Ian Brotherhood in the archives.

(Click to enlarge.)

The paragraph at top right is a particular eye-catcher.

Heavy Is The Crown 123

Posted on February 25, 2021 by

Is the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service of Scotland institutionally corrupt? I don’t believe so, but it’s certainly a troubled organisation.

The cost and reputational damage to it from the Rangers FC case are of a magnitude never seen before, and the actions in the Alex Salmond case and related actions by the Lord Advocate and Crown Agent have called its independence into question.

There must be structural change and individuals must be held to account.

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The importance of kindness 190

Posted on January 29, 2021 by

When we saw this a few days ago, we wondered what they wanted to hide.

And now we know.

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The dead carrot sketch 346

Posted on January 17, 2021 by

There’s literally nothing about this that isn’t toe-curlingly embarrassing:

The only challenge is knowing where to start.

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    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “O/T: Rev, sorry to spoil your Bath weather report but it has been incredibly warm here in Wester Ross today…” Oct 4, 19:08
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Fourth of October 2026. Another date historians of the future (assuming they survive) will be writing about long after we…” Oct 4, 18:25
    • Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “Even if we are not in a Union, James, we have acquiesced for centuries. Acquiescence can, itself, be used to…” Oct 4, 18:09
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Correction: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated target isn’t reached.” Should read: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated…” Oct 4, 18:08
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““It is factual to say Scotland has a food affordability problem” Only to the extent that every other country in…” Oct 4, 18:00
    • Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “The one thing that is never, ever mentioned when drugs use is being discussed is personal responsibility and the drive…” Oct 4, 17:49
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Either donations made to Craig Murray’s fundraiser before the US intervention were refunded or they went to his lawyers (unlikely).…” Oct 4, 17:22
    • Lee Floyd on In The Eyes Of The Law: “English, but strangely still committed to Fair Play. So I contributed. Good luck.” Oct 4, 17:17
    • sam on The Love Of Big Brother: ““The fairest conclusion is that the policy responds to a real problem but remains unproven as a mechanism. It is…” Oct 4, 17:02
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “Salvo’s facebook post today explains why they suggest that donations to their crowdfunder be made direct to Salvoscot Ltd’s bank…” Oct 4, 16:24
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “It is of great importance wether there are two Countries parliaments in a union, in the parliament of Great Britain…” Oct 4, 16:12
    • Hatey Mchateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Yeah, thanks for clarifying that, x. Is it possible to just send our money directly to Ir@n instead? Hack off…” Oct 4, 16:05
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Northcode. Whereas the parliament of England was never dissolved but simply transferred under Westminsters triennial act which ended in 1708,…” Oct 4, 16:02
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Northcode, There is one thing for sure I do like debating both sides of the coin. If the treaty of…” Oct 4, 15:46
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Thanks for that clarification. It’s always better to get the real story. So although Murray’s funds weren’t seized US policy…” Oct 4, 15:45
    • agentx on The Love Of Big Brother: “Craig Murray’s CrowdJustice fundraising campaign was taken down rather than literally seized by the government. The removal occurred because the…” Oct 4, 15:28
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Wheesht, Northy, you’re spoiling things for a lot of people.” Oct 4, 15:03
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “More than harsh to pick out Northy for not providing evidence when hardly anybody else does. If BTL was moderated,…” Oct 4, 15:00
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “I don’t think Murray’s CrowdJustice funds were seized – they were, however, temporarily frozen due to some procedural uncertainty. They…” Oct 4, 14:58
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “Thanks, sam. We need some good news. I was reading some of the tribunal action the other day (can’t remember…” Oct 4, 14:52
    • sam on The Love Of Big Brother: “Sarah: “Will Sandie Peggie win her tribunal case against the RCN? I’m not holding my breath.” I’ve been following the…” Oct 4, 14:26
    • PhilM on The Love Of Big Brother: “Like most online commentators these days you’ve provided a list of assertions without any examples to back up what you…” Oct 4, 14:15
    • agentx on The Love Of Big Brother: “The UK Labour government is restricting the practice of fire and rehire through the Employment Rights Act 2025, which makes…” Oct 4, 14:14
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “I suspect you’re right, Hatey – few, if any, are listening. However, It’s good to know that you are listening…” Oct 4, 13:57
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “O/T: Rev’s crowdfunder has reached the £30,000 target in less than 3 days. The new target is £400,000. This is…” Oct 4, 13:56
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “I’m astonished that as far as I am aware, nobody BTL has yet commented on this story: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/04/glasgow-council-workers-face-pay-cuts-in-fire-and-rehire-plan-after-union-talks-break-down” Oct 4, 13:40
    • Terry on The Love Of Big Brother: “£30,000 reached. Game on! Go get em, Stu.” Oct 4, 13:40
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “I never got further than this: “Declaration of interests Public Health Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government. The studies…” Oct 4, 13:28
    • Hatey Mchateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Sorry, Northy, but I don’t think anybody is listening 🙂 I rely totally on my inalienable rights as a Sovereign…” Oct 4, 13:15
    • willie on In The Eyes Of The Law: “At 12.30 lunchtime today after two days the appeal has broken £30,000. Great, great stuff folks, lets keep it up.…” Oct 4, 13:09
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