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.
Chas on A Long Hard Think: “Will you ever realise that over 90% of Scots have no interest in your repetive shite. I suspect that the…” Sep 13, 16:51
Aidan on A Long Hard Think: “I think you’d have to get a job to join a trade union James . .” Sep 13, 16:15
Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “What did Hitler and Elvis have in common?” Sep 13, 16:14
Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “What has Hitler and Alf Baird got in common? Hitler had no people in his paintings and Alf Baird has…” Sep 13, 16:07
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: “Here’s another: CLUE: “Morbidly obese, unemployed troll with a sub-80 IQ”. F _ T S O” Sep 13, 16:01
James on A Long Hard Think: “Can we have the real “Northcode” back, please? Anyway, whoever you are; here’s today’s crossword clue for you. It’s quite…” Sep 13, 15:40
agentx on A Long Hard Think: “The numerous Sturgeon items were originally listed by the Police/ COPFS but were removed from the criminal charges list when…” Sep 13, 15:39
James on A Long Hard Think: “Wait, what? “Communist unions”?? Which ones are they and where do I sign up!? Or do you mean the ultra…” Sep 13, 15:31
Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “To think, out of all the very clever people on here no one thought to point to the most obvious.…” Sep 13, 14:16
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: ““That we are treated similarly to a colony is, I think, indisputable” “indisputable”? I beg to differ. As Northcode rightly…” Sep 13, 14:04
Ex President Xiden on A Long Hard Think: “If it is the case that Sturgeon has not surrendered these items voluntarily then the police must petition the court…” Sep 13, 13:54
Confused on A Long Hard Think: ““we never got it as bad as the darkies”? – alas, Scots and Anglos are the same shade of pink…” Sep 13, 13:51
Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “And to think Scotland got taken to the cleaners for the price of a campervan and a few pens. How…” Sep 13, 13:51
lothianlad on A Long Hard Think: “Police Scotland are corrupt. Establishment lackies!” Sep 13, 13:37
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: “That’s because it isn’t.” Sep 13, 13:31
Lorncal on A Long Hard Think: “Northcode: spot on. That we are treated similarly to a colony is, I think, indisputable, but that we ARE a…” Sep 13, 13:28
TURABDIN on A Long Hard Think: “IT IS A FACT that Scots/Scotland have become rather accustomed to the grave insult of being the mere appendage. >300…” Sep 13, 13:24
agentx on A Long Hard Think: ““Key Dimensions of Memmi’s “Geographic Violence” Forced Spatial Segregation (The Ghetto vs. The Bourgeoisie): Drawing heavily from his own upbringing…” Sep 13, 13:17
Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: ““I’m questioning the fit between Scotland’s constitutional position and the postcolonial contexts described by Fanon, Memmi, Said, and other theorists”…” Sep 13, 12:41
robertkknight on A Long Hard Think: “FYI I don’t support any team other than Scotland. And when your ill-informed, self-opinionated drivel constitutes ~25% of every BTL…” Sep 13, 12:36
Chas on A Long Hard Think: “Scotland will get the chance to vote for Independence only when there is an overwhelming desire for it. A case…” Sep 13, 11:46
Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: “Perhaps you should engage a little more with Scotland’s actual very lengthy history of conflict with our ‘procurer’, before and…” Sep 13, 11:29
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: ““I’m questioning the fit between Scotland’s constitutional position and the postcolonial contexts described by Fanon, Memmi, Said, and other theorists.…” Sep 13, 11:00
Northcode on A Long Hard Think: “A personal reflection, a confession if you will, prompted by recent discussions about Scotland’s constitutional status. I supported Alf Baird’s…” Sep 13, 10:41
TURABDIN on A Long Hard Think: “@ SPARTAN & HATEY, Whatever the ethics of buying into political parties or doing deals à la trump with countries…” Sep 13, 10:09
Captain Caveman on A Long Hard Think: ““… but as long as we are ruled by Totalitarian Internationalist Communists we are stuffed, regardless of whether we become…” Sep 13, 10:01
Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “Whataboutery. But no need to fall out. I’ll STFU for £5k. Bank of England notes will do at a pinch.…” Sep 13, 09:33
BLMac on A Long Hard Think: “Is there no legal way to make the police do their duty? Some sort of injunction or such like?” Sep 13, 09:32
Spartan 117 on A Long Hard Think: “Scotland might indeed be “hoaching” with natural resources however the key thing Communists fail to understand is someone has to…” Sep 13, 09:28
