…is the phrase that was making us chuckle this morning.
It headed an article of disingenuous carping so feeble that we can’t even be bothered archive-linking to it, entitled “Ten SNP Fails Since 2007”, because Margaret is bare down with the kids, innit? But we couldn’t help noticing one of the examples.
Ever since Nicola Sturgeon announced on Saturday that the SNP would never put the Tories in government, various mainstream political pundits have shown an alarming level of inability to grasp the concept of someone who cannot possibly become Prime Minister declaring their preference out of those who can.
Perhaps we’re being a bit unkind, as this isn’t a regular feature of British politics – usually we only hear the leaders of the two main parties telling us why they’re the best for the job, with the Liberal Democrat candidate comically trying to pretend that they stand a chance of being Prime Minister – but it does highlight the extraordinarily parochial nature of political debate in the UK media.
Because anyone who cares to cast a glance across the continent will see that such scenarios are not just common, but often an integral part of politics across Europe.
We know some readers hate listening to audio (we do too), so here’s a full transcript of this interview from this morning, with some brief added commentary.
Readers, since Sunday we’ve been endeavouring on your behalf to find the elusive alleged Scottish Labour conference resolution to oppose the renewal of Trident which Neil Findlay insists is still current policy. We’ve drawn a blank, and Mr Findlay himself has been no help, telling an alert reader that:
“I can’t recall the year – it was quote [sic] some time ago but I am reliably informed it hasn’t changed since then.”
We still haven’t tracked anything down, but thanks to another alert reader we did find a fascinating piece in the archives of the Herald. We share it with you below.
On his imminent election as “leader” of the Scottish Labour “party”.
Because this, readers, is the opposition.
Here’s Neil Findlay MSP on this morning’s Andrew Marr Show:
Wait, what?
We noted with interest this morning an uncredited story in the Herald, suggesting that Scottish Labour leadership candidate Jim Murphy would stand as an unlikely champion of the poor and downtrodden and the heroic defender of universal benefits.
On investigation, the truth was somewhat at odds with the headline.
The SNP’s new leader and First Minister-elect, and her deputy.
We’re sure our ever-alert readers don’t need telling, but it never hurts to put up a little refresher course for those who might have joined recently.
As it becomes clear to everyone in Scotland that the No camp’s promises of the UK being the guarantor of survival for the Govan shipyards was the cynical lie those of us on the Yes side always said it was, it’s been interesting to watch the panicked response from the Westminster government.
Let’s take a quick look at how it works.
Our favourite Scottish Labour activist and media starlet reacts to the news that the promises of a No vote saving the Clyde shipyards have turned out to be lies.
Let’s just be clear – that’s unequivocal, unambiguous support for condemning the Govan shipyards to certain death, losing thousands of Scottish jobs, going back on promises just months old, so long as it might save the UK Treasury a few quid which the current government would probably spend on more tax cuts for billionaires.
Well, if that doesn’t save a party currently languishing on an average of about 24% in the Scottish opinion polls and help to win back the trust and support of Scottish voters, we simply don’t know what will. Solidarity, brothers and sisters.
Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.
