The Scottish media has today leapt all over the front-page lead story from yesterday’s Sunday Times, in which “top economist” Douglas McWilliams of right-wing thinktank the Centre for Economics and Business Research made an apocalyptic prediction of a huge deficit turning an independent Scotland into “a Third World country”.
The Express’ customarily restrained coverage is pretty typical.
We wondered if Mr McWilliams used to have a more optimistic view.
The votes for “God Save The Queen” being driven by Tories, English-born residents and supporters of a particular football club probably won’t come as the biggest shock in the world to anyone.
(Alert viewers will of course have noticed that due to MI5 INTERFERENCE in the poll, there were actually two votes for Hoots Mon, which have been suspiciously rounded down to one. We are conducting an investigation, by which we mean brutal purge.)
An interesting and illuminating exchange has taken place in the last few days between the First Minister and Times columnist Kenny Farquharson, one of the many senior journalists who’ve recently jumped from the sinking ship of The Scotsman to take up less prestigious but more secure positions elsewhere.
It started on Saturday night, when Farquharson tweeted this:
Put your hands on your hearts, readers, and tell us that in the event of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin leading the USA and Russia a year or so from now, you can’t see this actually literally happening. [EDIT: The fight, not nuclear apocalypse. Obviously.]
Look us straight in the eye and tell us there’s a 0% chance.
It’s been such an exciting, action-packed week for Scottish Labour since a dynamic and thrusting PPB launched the 2015 branch-office conference that we worried there might be a danger people had forgotten it already. So we’ve brought it back for a curtain call, in a version a bit more appropriate for what remains of their core vote.
Lorncal on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “Time yet for the Scottish Women’s Party, Karen? Too late for this election, but the next? Set it up ourselves,…” Apr 17, 18:39
barelybare on The Narcissism Of No Differences: ““On the upside there are just three more weeks of it to survive, readers.” Anyone else remember how general elections…” Apr 17, 18:02
Frank Gillougley on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “WE ARE PROPER MENTAL wins by a pantomime horse’s nose, or a balding ginger-haired scrotum (if I’m being perfectly frank).” Apr 17, 17:16
Cuphook on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “The postie delivered election leaflets and I used them to start a bonfire. That will be my sole participation in…” Apr 17, 16:52
Karen on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “If they get rid of Starmer before May 7th, Liebour might get a wee bounce. I read an article by…” Apr 17, 16:48
Forbes Johnstone on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “What these parties need is a strap line that has already worked elsewhere. How about- Make England’s favourite Colony Great…” Apr 17, 16:47
Mark Beggan on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “Keep your voting boots on folks. There could be a general election coming round the bend.” Apr 17, 16:41
diabloandco on Happy Anniversary: “At least I can vote for the Alliance in my neck of the woods and even better , Tommy Sheridan…” Apr 17, 16:36
Knuckle Heid on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “The swapping around of some useless faces for some different useless faces…. Be good to see the back of my…” Apr 17, 16:33
Mark Beggan on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “You hold your ground without screaming or ranting Sarah. Holding your stance against all odds. Respect.” Apr 17, 16:29
Potace on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “I will be burying my head in the sand for the next five years and hope they’ve all gone away” Apr 17, 16:18
100%Yes on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “Devolution is the rope around Scotland neck with its people hanging on the cross waiting to die. Its upsetting, but…” Apr 17, 16:02
sarah on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “All together now. “Always look on the bright side of life. Always look on the bright side of life. Always…..”” Apr 17, 16:00
Captain Caveman on Happy Anniversary: “@Sven Yes, that is a nuclear option – and one I could well imagine someone like him using. As we…” Apr 17, 16:00
Mark Beggan on Happy Anniversary: “But Christmas has voted for them.” Apr 17, 15:59
100%Yes on The Narcissism Of No Differences: “I wouldn’t say its a waste of time for those that have just been elected, would you??? Its now a…” Apr 17, 15:57
Mark Beggan on Happy Anniversary: “Watching the Labour scandal unfold minute by minute. The 10cc hit song comes to mind. I’m Mandy Fly Me!” Apr 17, 14:54
Sven on Happy Anniversary: “Captain Caveman @ 13.55. You don’t believe he may adopt a strategy from the T Bliar playbook and threaten to…” Apr 17, 14:54
Geri on Happy Anniversary: “Correct James. I also forgot extortion. They’re fleecing the GCC for $billions in hard cash for protection money & fake…” Apr 17, 14:45
Mark Beggan on Happy Anniversary: “He won’t resign. He’s clinging to power like a limpet. Billy Liar. The best part is yet to come when…” Apr 17, 14:44
sam on Happy Anniversary: “https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/51545-where-does-the-british-public-stand-on-transgender-rights-in-202425” Apr 17, 14:38
sarah on Happy Anniversary: “@ George Ferguson and others re the Alliance to Liberate Scotland PP Broadcast. It has converted at least one person…” Apr 17, 14:13
Captain Caveman on Happy Anniversary: “O/T Can anyone see how Starmer can survive the next few days in post? His claiming he had no clue…” Apr 17, 13:55
Northcode on Happy Anniversary: ““What would Scotland look like after Independence?” A less interesting question (and to be honest why would the Scots care?)…” Apr 17, 13:37
Lorncal on Happy Anniversary: “The problem is two-fold, Fearghas: 1) Stonewall very successfully managed to persuade many people that ‘trans’ was the new ‘gay’…” Apr 17, 13:02
Aidan on Happy Anniversary: “Gosh that sounds terrible Geri – no point in Scotland trying to spend any time appealing to that organisation then!” Apr 17, 13:01
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Happy Anniversary: “‘IT’S A RED CARD’: PREMIER LEAGUE BLASTED FOR PROMOTING LGBT PRIDE The Premier League is facing heavy criticism for promoting…” Apr 17, 12:33
Lorncal on Happy Anniversary: “I don’t think it was just Old Labour who defected to the SNP, but New Labour, too, and it is…” Apr 17, 12:27
Cynicus on Happy Anniversary: ““ If governments are not following the law on this issue, what other things are they not following the law…” Apr 17, 12:25
James Barr Gardner on Happy Anniversary: “Don’t forget Piracy on the high seas by America and Isrral, not long now before the UK joins the fuckaneers…” Apr 17, 12:23
