Alert readers will of course be aware that a recurring theme on this site is looking for the alleged abusive behaviour by supporters of independence which gets regularly reported in outraged terms by newspapers but is mysteriously almost never supported by any actual evidence of the supposed abuse.
In every case the papers and/or alleged recipients of all these dreadful separatist haranguings screamed “VILE ABUSE!”, swooning at the horror of it all, then suddenly turned deaf and dumb when asked to provide any examples.
So we were quite surprised yesterday when a previous complainant – brutal stickering victim and lonely Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray – actually came up with the proof.
Five minutes and 51 seconds, to be precise, is how long David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, spent frantically quacking out meaningless noise on this morning’s Sunday Politics Scotland in order to avoid answering a simple Yes/No question until the interview ran out of airtime.
We could quibble with presenter Gordon Brewer making the assertion that a Section 30 order would in fact be necessary for a second referendum (something which has never been established in law or conceded by the Scottish Government, with strong and genuine legal opinion on both sides of the argument), and with him letting Mundell get away with the blatant falsehood that an overwhelming majority of Scots don’t want another referendum – in fact, 50% want one within the next two years.
But sometimes you have to let some smaller things slide to avoid distraction and stay focused on your main point, and in our view this was one of those occasions.
Should we check out that link and find out whether the then-FM really DID “claim that the Scottish NHS would be privatised if Scots voted No”, readers? Let’s do!
These are the comments of UK defence secretary Michael Fallon in a short interview with today’s Herald. We don’t know about you, folks, but to us it feels like Christmas.
We think our favourite line is “There are other voices in Scotland now, not least Ruth Davidson’s”, but there are a lot to choose from.
This is Conservative MP Dominic Raab, a member of the Brexit Select Committee, speaking on the BBC News Channel’s “Hard Talk” programme at 00.45 this morning. Perhaps imagining that nobody would be watching at such an ungodly hour, it seems he felt able to be unusually candid.
We left the last bit on in order to demonstrate that he was still talking about Scotland as well as Ireland. (He went on to recite the usual boilerplate about all leaving together as the UK etc etc, you can watch the whole show for yourself on iPlayer.)
But let’s just get that key early exchange down in writing for the record.
Readers familiar with our standing advice to newspaper customers that the headline is nearly always a lie might like to consider today’s Press & Journal.
The word “pyre” comes from the Greek word “pyra”, meaning “fire”. Surprisingly, it’s NOT the same root as “Pyrrhic”, as in “Pyrrhic victory”, meaning one that’s achieved by metaphorically burning your own city down. (Which in fact is named after the Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus.)
The Sunday Herald ran an extraordinary article on page 2 yesterday, and by the time we’d finished being startled by what nonsense it was, it set us wondering about why.
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “You cannot pass off counsels argument on behalf of a private party into a judicial committee as if it were…” Jan 28, 17:18
Xaracen on Shield Of The Phantom: “You’re still avoiding the point, Aidan. Keen’s statement was not a blog comment, it was a legal submission. It states…” Jan 28, 16:02
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Yelling at the tide: “REPUBLIC OF IRELAND GOVT: NO LEGAL OBLIGATION ON SCHOOLS TO USE PREFERRED PRONOUNS The Irish Govt Department of Education and…” Jan 28, 14:44
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Simplified version. England parliament waited until Scotland signed. Then chucked Scotland out of the treaty. Then England altered its dates…” Jan 28, 14:04
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Most of the supposed builds are avenues to erase the trace of funneling money out of Britain, I suppose one…” Jan 28, 13:43
Confused on Shield Of The Phantom: “the myth of british competence was always a fiction for domestic consumption – no one anywhere else fell for it…” Jan 28, 13:02
Confused on Shield Of The Phantom: “remember silicon glen? – not many do; it happened, sort of, but not really and then died a death. After…” Jan 28, 12:58
TURABDIN on Shield Of The Phantom: “& the Scots were originally Irish Gaels and were so into early medieval times, causing much historic confusion, Scots Scots…” Jan 28, 12:52
Alf Baird on Shield Of The Phantom: ““Picts, became known as Scots along with the Gaels now living in whats is called Scotland.” Much like some Scots…” Jan 28, 12:30
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Eventually and slowly it comes to the attention of people in Scotland, and then one wonders does Scotland need to…” Jan 28, 12:29
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “To continue the records, England left what remained of its vision of a 1707 treaty with Scotland when it chose…” Jan 28, 11:53
Alf Baird on Shield Of The Phantom: “A colonized people, or at least those suffering from a colonial mindset, do tend to celebrate their oppressor, nae maitter…” Jan 28, 11:24
James Cheyne on Shield Of The Phantom: “Reverting the conversation back to the Laws at the present time in Scotland and the difference of Englands laws that…” Jan 28, 11:01
100%Yes on Shield Of The Phantom: “@robertkknight 27 January, 2026 at 11:55 pm “I think you’ll find they were Picts, or ethnically similar to them. As…” Jan 28, 10:20
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “Firstly “acknowledged by the law to be separate entities” does not mean separate legal entities with legal personality. Secondly, and…” Jan 28, 08:59
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: ““untrustworthy wordsmiths” Not sure the evidence supports that, YL. Take Scotland’s greatest living half-son, for example, President Donald J Trump.…” Jan 28, 08:50
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: “Why’s that then, 100%Yes? Are they claiming the hostages are a’ still undergroond somewhere? Fit aboot the ham asses then?…” Jan 28, 08:37
Hatey McHateface on Shield Of The Phantom: ““You can’t be asking seriously” Wisnae me asking, Aidan, it wis Sooty. And he’s a verra serious glove puppet. At…” Jan 28, 08:24
Xaracen on Shield Of The Phantom: “Like I said! From APPENDIX 2 Case for the Lord Gray . . . 36 Firstly, its purpose so far…” Jan 28, 08:13
Young Lochinvar on Shield Of The Phantom: “Is this not just the way things are and we are ,mostly, now just finding out as we are now…” Jan 28, 06:28
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “We’re talking about you not to you James, sit down.” Jan 28, 06:08
Aidan on Shield Of The Phantom: “Perhaps you’ll be able to provide us with the specific explicit text from the Lords Privileges Committee on which says…” Jan 28, 06:05
robertkknight on Shield Of The Phantom: “I think you’ll find they were Picts, or ethnically similar to them. As were the pre-Norse inhabitants of the Northern…” Jan 27, 23:55
Young Lochinvar on Yelling at the tide: “James Are you sure you spelt the last word correctly? 🙂” Jan 27, 23:38
James on Shield Of The Phantom: “Aw, “Aidan”, look in the mirror, petal.” Jan 27, 22:46
bobo bunny on Shield Of The Phantom: “I have flip flops, so I’m good to go…” Jan 27, 21:40
Xaracen on Shield Of The Phantom: “Aidan said; “Of course that isn’t true at all Xaracen, in any way shape or form, the Lords Privilege Committee…” Jan 27, 20:42
100%Yes on Shield Of The Phantom: “Didn’t they get there arse kicked more than once and sent packing. I fail to see the point of a…” Jan 27, 20:25
100%Yes on Shield Of The Phantom: “I wouldn’t believe everything you hear from the BBC and GB News there known for lying and distorting the truth.…” Jan 27, 20:14
