Just over three and a half years ago, we ran an article about how being an opposition MP or MSP is the cushiest gig in politics. You get all the pay, benefits, holidays and status, but you don’t have to actually do very much except whinge about how rubbish the government is, which most people are happy to do for free as a hobby.
Most of the time you don’t even need to turn up at your workplace.
(Sure, there are all your constituents to deal with, but if you’re not in power all that really amounts to is forwarding their letters to the government and demanding action.)
Tomorrow, the Holyrood opposition will give us a virtuoso demonstration.
A member of an MSP’s staff posted an image on Twitter this morning of a flyer that had apparently just been shoved through their office letter box:
But after having a merry old chuckle at the layout, colour choice and language, we wondered what sort of person might produce such a thing. So, ably assisted as ever by a team of alert readers, we decided to see if we could find out.
We realise that there’s some stiff competition for that accolade, even if you restrict it solely to things said by Kezia Dugdale, but this needs preserving for posterity.
A couple of questions do spring immediately to mind: (1) how does every country on Earth that isn’t Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland do it, and (2) given that Scotland has now been in the Union for 309 years, how much longer is it going to take before the two things are finally eradicated?
We look forward to hearing the answers from Labour any day now.
The UK’s decision to leave the European Union has, it seems fair and uncontroversial to say, thrown Scotland’s Unionist parties into something of a spin. With all of them having campaigned for a Remain vote, all are now faced with the unsquareable circle of operating in a country that voted to stay in both the UK and the EU but can now only have one of those things.
Scottish Labour were the first to get themselves into a fankle, unsurprisingly. Their leader Kezia Dugdale first said she might conceivably be able to see herself voting for independence in order to stay in Europe, but then frantically backpedalled as soon as anyone noticed, and is now locked into a position of “never, no chance, not no way, not no how”, even as her own deputy publicly disagrees with her.
McFadyen, who rather uncharacteristically failed to insert any violent language into a headline about the First Minister, instead leapt eagerly onto an artificial furore around the actions of Gregg Brain, the Australian father battling his family’s deportation from the Highlands by the Home Office, at last week’s SNP conference.
We got an email from Gregg Brain about how the story had come into being, and (with his permission) we thought you might like to see the exchange which took place between him and Siobhan McFadyen, with the purposes of illustrating how the press distorts, perverts and selectively omits quotes in order to mislead.
Young Lochinvar on Or Something: “Off topic.. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 1388 battle of Otterburn. Froissart recounted this in detail and his commentary…” Aug 4, 00:27
Confused on Or Something: “Who reads mcalpine? It’s weak pish. As for UN recognition – everyone in the place hates “england” since they were…” Aug 3, 23:41
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““I was wrong” But then you’re used to that. Seriously though, Northy, even if your claim and your logic are…” Aug 3, 22:45
Carol Neill on Or Something: “@angus that’s exactly what they’re hoping for Oor Stu’s well up for them Little do they realise how many will…” Aug 3, 22:33
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““All the right credentials” Nah. White, white, white. “am I being just too cynical?” Naw. Not cynical enough. Peak cynicism…” Aug 3, 22:33
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““It would be good to sneer at the SNP as it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch but there is…” Aug 3, 22:29
James Jones on Or Something: “Why on Earth would you think that when devolution hasn’t delivered “greater democratic accountability” and independence would only put greater…” Aug 3, 22:14
Northcode on Or Something: “I previously said no entrustment existed in the ring-fenced SNP money case. I was wrong… the Inner House has now…” Aug 3, 22:00
Bilbo on Or Something: “It’s hard to know what to make of it. Is the SNP going to be destroyed from without by state…” Aug 3, 21:46
Angus on Or Something: “One word of caution. Be vigilant at all times and do not go for hikes in isolated places.” Aug 3, 21:44
James on The Nobodies: “Here’s unionist Walloper #3 arrived in his clown wagon. Well, Adrian, petal; your posts certainly gie me a migraine. I…” Aug 3, 21:42
Angus on Or Something: ““Please do not make the mistake of thinking that I will eventually get bored and go away. I will not.”…” Aug 3, 21:39
Angus on Or Something: ““Doubtless we’ll receive the same reply as before, but in three different fonts, in around a month’s time, so make…” Aug 3, 21:36
Aidan on The Nobodies: “As usual James, nothing you write (or rather copy and paste) is worth reading. Just a collection of childish, unsophisticated…” Aug 3, 21:24
MaryB on Or Something: “Bilbo @ 6.57 Re Nicola Sturgeon’s latest outburst. It seems as though her handlers have now told her to throw…” Aug 3, 21:23
robertkknight on Or Something: “Let justice be done…” Aug 3, 21:16
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine article” It does take a “special” kind of genius to pretend…” Aug 3, 20:51
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Why don’t you read the article again, Dan? Maybe then you’ll be able to write a sensible post about it.…” Aug 3, 20:38
100%Yes on Or Something: “Its funny how its alright for Westminster to play dirty tricks. Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine…” Aug 3, 20:30
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. So when Murrell bought the Northern Lights pendant with funds he had embezzled from the SNP, he wasn’t thinking…” Aug 3, 20:05
Dan on Or Something: “Hmm, looks like some serious franchise fanny shizzle going on here… https://robinmcalpine.org/scotland-will-be-independent-but-not-through-electoral-tricks/ So forget for a moment using the ridiculously…” Aug 3, 19:42
agentx on Or Something: “She wrote: “To say I feel completely and utterly betrayed is an understatement. It isn’t just that in committing these…” Aug 3, 19:34
Frazerio on Or Something: “Reminds me very much of this: Andy Dufresne: How can you be so obtuse? Warden Samuel Norton: [his anger rising]…” Aug 3, 19:32
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““pay for a more professional spin-doctor” You having a laugh? It’s me paying for it all. Me, you, and every…” Aug 3, 19:01
Bilbo on Or Something: “O/T I see that Sturgeon is tearing into Swinney in a new preface to her book which I presume is…” Aug 3, 18:57
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Ach, Alf, if “colonialism may speak in the native tongue” then I’m going to have to be wary of those…” Aug 3, 18:56
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. The only enthusiasm I’ve ever seen for Scottish gas chambers is BTL here *. From people who loudly like…” Aug 3, 18:42
Hatey McHateface on The Nobodies: “Look everybody! Indy support up 5% today. Just another 5% and we’re free. Wonder what’s been driving it, eh?” Aug 3, 18:32
holymacmoses on Or Something: “It will be interesting to see if they decide to up the anti and pay for a more professional spin-doctor…” Aug 3, 18:22
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““According to Fanon, the whites” Wrong again, Hatey. Fanon warned colonized peoples in Africa, Asia and Latin America that “colonialism…” Aug 3, 18:21
