The SNP have been pretty clear about the reason they think they got a battering in last week’s election: it was because people were voting to kick out the Tories.
Now, that’s obviously nonsense. There were almost no Tories in Scotland to start with – just 10% of voters had a Tory MP – and only one of the six actually lost his seat. (Which was entirely down to the ham-fisted interference of Douglas Ross rather than an SNP surge – the SNP’s vote share in the seat in question went DOWN.)
If you wanted to keep Tories out in Scotland all you had to do was keep voting for your current MP, most of whom were SNP, rather than risk splitting the anti-Tory vote by switching to Labour and risk letting the Tories squeeze through in the middle. (Which would have happened in many seats had the Tories’ own vote not collapsed.)
But if it was true that the SNP lost because the electorate thought the election was about getting rid of the Tories, whose fault was that?
I was going to write this article yesterday, but 2024’s miserable damp squib of a summer unexpectedly delivered a beautiful day – a perfect 20C of unbroken sunshine with a refreshing slight breeze – so I went for a nice walk instead.
Rather than my usual bird-feeding and bear-patrolling beat along the river and canal, I headed off on what used to be my standard summer stroll: up the long steep hill to Beckford’s Tower and its associated cemetery with stunning views over the city.
I’ll scatter a few pics from the walk throughout this feature, as otherwise I’m afraid it’s going to be a bit depressing and angering.
When you’ve been watching Scotland playing football for 50 years of your life, you become accustomed to disappointment. You expect disappointment. Anything better than disappointment becomes a bonus.
The SNP released their general election manifesto today. We’re not going to link you to it, because we don’t want to be responsible for wasting your time. This is everything it has to say on the party’s (cough) strategy for achieving independence.
It deserves much, much less respect than we’re giving it. Tomorrow, ice lolly reviews.
Holiday Boy has of course chosen the general election campaign to spend the next three weeks feeding stray cats somewhere sunny, so here’s a cartoon by the brilliant webcomicname that summarises the Baillie Gifford story for anyone joining us late.
January 2018, with no general election due for four and a half years: “I very rarely talk about Scottish independence in the chamber, because I talk about things that matter”
June 2024, with an election in four weeks and a £91,346 salary, expenses and pension at stake: “ROBERT THE BRUCE! BANNOCKBURN! DECLARATION OF ARBROATH! FLOWER OF SCOTLAND! FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOMMMM!”
It’s probably as good an illustration of the madness currently engulfing Scottish politics as anything that the most unusual suspect, Anas Sarwar, may have just – temporarily at least – saved Humza Yousaf’s job.
And although our head hurts already, we’ll try to explain why.
Cynicus on The cost of failure: “Hatey McHateface says: 6 December, 2025 at 7:26 pm “Nobody is going to claim a McTavish born in Islamabad to…” Dec 7, 00:28
Confused on The cost of failure: “Farage tries to get back in with the jews, issues a statement : – my own grandfather (sniff) … DIED…” Dec 6, 23:14
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Dan, Good to see others keeping an eye on whats going on behind scenes, Just wondered if the re-population of…” Dec 6, 22:10
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Scotland will not end England, Englands old treaties and plans for Scotland are now being used in the same manner…” Dec 6, 21:57
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Look north England for your enemy while we ” the other”infiltrate and invade your Country by sea and town, and…” Dec 6, 21:34
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Globalisation does not believe in nation states, nationality, own culture of indigenous people or own language, own soil land or…” Dec 6, 21:20
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““Dundonian born and bred” “Born in Dundee and brought up in Dundee” Not the same thing at all, Cynicus, as…” Dec 6, 19:26
agentx on The cost of failure: “Saturday, June 13: Scotland vs Haiti (Gillette Stadium, Foxborough). Kick off 2am UK time. Thursday, June 18: Scotland vs Morocco…” Dec 6, 18:13
agentx on The cost of failure: “Scotland have 2 games in Boston and 1 in Miami which is good.” Dec 6, 17:59
Iain More on The cost of failure: “Meanwhile that cheating diving anti Scottish Racist Neymar will possibly be back playing for Brazil and the Sassanach controlled BBC…” Dec 6, 17:17
Dan on The cost of failure: “Stuff going on elsewhere, as the tumbleweed rolls by here… https://www.isp.scot/november-29th-december-5th-2025/” Dec 6, 16:43
sarah on Ginger beer and fruit and nuts: “That’s good. Thanks, Silent Majority, for sharing with those of us who avoid the BBC!” Dec 6, 16:31
GM on The cost of failure: “The first game is v Haiti as well.” Dec 6, 14:05
SilentMajority on Ginger beer and fruit and nuts: “…interesting…that the BBC, recently, when reporting these types of stories, I’ve seen them use the describing prefix of ‘a biological…” Dec 6, 13:23
Cynicus on The cost of failure: “Hatey McHateface says: 6 December, 2025 at 9:58 am “I see you’re not averse to a spot of goalpost shifting…” Dec 6, 11:51
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “The Canadian Socialist experiment has failed. Treaty!Treaty! we don’t need no stinking Treaty! We’ve got the receipt for the beads…” Dec 6, 11:32
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “This small nation is not alone and many Countries now want the same wants as Scotland, many nations will beat…” Dec 6, 10:49
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “A Labour plan to devolve and create one supreme court is still on going, as is witnessed this week by…” Dec 6, 10:38
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “The NuSNP are part of that system as are the devolved governments. Minor control given but altimate control reserved.” Dec 6, 10:15
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “Some people like to point out that the Earth has a billion or two more people on it than it…” Dec 6, 10:11
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Repeating the same political policies in every governance over all the nations, most of them have roots (as a tool)…” Dec 6, 10:06
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““Next time brown skinned people make you feel uncomfortable have a look in the mirror” Not if they’re coming at…” Dec 6, 09:58
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Treaties being altered, repealed, textual changes, breached, not adhered too, used for annexation purposes, and control taken over by one…” Dec 6, 09:57
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “What is interesting is how Canadians are saying prices are rising in every quarter over there causing the economical downfall…” Dec 6, 09:43
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “So the “gas the Jews” remarks aren’t going to be forgotten, Confused? Wow. Where does that leave you?” Dec 6, 09:32
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Nigel Farage is also someone whom annouced that he would say no to Scotland if he came to power. With…” Dec 6, 09:20
Confused on The cost of failure: “Farage was a good laff the other day, pointing out what the BBC was up to in the 1970s -…” Dec 5, 23:04
James Cheyne on The cost of failure: “Stu, good journalism, Catch up in morning, am tired and away to bed.” Dec 5, 22:29
Colin Alexander on The cost of failure: “There is no pro-indy vs Pro-union division at Holyrood. That’s just a theatrical show for the gullible. The parasite political…” Dec 5, 22:28
