When we have a rare spare moment, readers, there’s nothing we enjoy more for a bit of fun and relaxation than to fire off a few Freedom Of Information requests.
And just for some variety, last month we sent a couple to the UK Parliament – mainly on behalf of our Number One fan, Pete Wishart MP.
Bizarrely, the piece doesn’t even attempt to acknowledge the fact that literally dozens of countries on every inhabited continent have managed to carry on with democratic elections and referendums during the COVID-19 crisis with no significant problems, just insists that it’s something Scotland definitely can’t do.
Agreeing with Tom Gordon from the Herald is a position that we really don’t like to find ourselves in, readers. But we can’t find fault with a single word of this column.
We could quote almost any of it, and we recommend digesting the whole thing, but this is as good a passage to pick out as any:
For most of this site’s existence it was the Unionists who were denying the obvious realities staring them in the face. It’s a source of great discomfort to us that many on the Yes side are now picking up the habit too. But we are where we are.
Just for old times’ sake, during last night’s attempted coup in America we took a little dip back into the Yoonstream, the very special place on social media where the most deranged of Scotland’s Unionists hang out.
So since the SNP haven’t even bothered themselves to issue some sort of half-hearted token response to Boris Johnson’s declaration yesterday that he wouldn’t contemplate a second indyref before 2055, we might as well while away a few moments analysing the current state of Scottish Labour thinking just to cheer ourselves up.
Because 2020 is the maddest year in history, Ruth Davidson opened her contribution to Holyrood’s debate on the Brexit deal today with a lengthy quote from this website.
Drew Hendry won a lot of praise from Yes supporters a few days ago when he seized the Mace in the Commons. It’s not easy to speak in the chamber at any time and doing so in the face of hostility from the Speaker is challenging indeed.
The institution of Parliament is, by its very design, geared towards control by the British establishment. Not only are all sides uniformly hostile, but even the staff and officials, usually so polite and deferential, turn on you. So it was an intimidatory atmosphere in which he acted and it can’t have been easy.
But the idea that Scottish MPs should routinely require to suffer the scorn and derision poured upon their nation and their people is long past its sell-by date. Much of the vitriol shouted wouldn’t be countenanced elsewhere and just because it’s supposedly Honourable Members who act in that manner doesn’t justify it. There comes a time when words aren’t enough.
If this site seems to spend most of its time being angry at the SNP these days, that’s because we are. And a large part of that is because there’s very little that hacks us off more than people insulting our intelligence.
Smith’s tweet is just a crassly offensive flat-out lie. This week’s vote is NOT about “EU membership”. The United Kingdom hasn’t been a member of the EU since 31 January. We’ve already left and there’s no going back. The vote is about whether we leave with a sliver of a trade deal slightly reducing the self-inflicted harm, or the total catastrophe of no deal at all, and it’s just crushingly embarrassing for all concerned that Smith thinks so little of his own supporters as to believe he can “frame” it otherwise.
There is no good position for the opposition parties in the House Of Commons to take on the impending Brexit deal vote this coming week.
It’s a terrible deal, and voting for it – as Labour will do – makes you look like an idiot, especially when it completely fails the “six tests” you swore never to vote for it without. On the other hand, time is absolutely up and were it to be somehow defeated the only alternative left to the deal would be a no-deal exit, which is the only thing worse.
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@“Northcode” you are right about there being no such thing as debate in this place, but that’s a bad thing,…” Jul 23, 15:57
Lorn on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “You believe what you like, Dan. I have been a nationalist, not just an independence supporter, my whole life, but…” Jul 23, 15:49
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Dan – again your not wrong, the conservatives were ideologically against it on television but did very little to stop…” Jul 23, 15:45
Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Aidan says some stuff about NOT suppressing folk’s views: “I’m not calling for anyone’s views to be suppressed…” Aidan says some…” Jul 23, 15:31
Dan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@ Aidan Yawn, even AI can work out this basic stuff. “,i>The saying “Never interrupt your enemy when he is…” Jul 23, 15:16
James on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “But no-one at all laps your Daily Express unionist shite up.” Jul 23, 15:14
Mark Beggan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Does anyone have software that will replace the word colonial with the word banana?” Jul 23, 14:50
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Dan – I’m well aware of that, and well aware that the nuSNP see gender (and the stuff that is…” Jul 23, 14:39
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I’m not calling for anyone’s views to be suppressed. I’m suggesting the quality of debate might be improved if reasonable…” Jul 23, 14:29
Dan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@ Aidan Be more alert! Have you not noticed you’ve been regularly posting on a site that highlights the rather…” Jul 23, 14:14
Rob on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I don’t think the gender woo woo was really imported, the idea maybe but the distance that the SNP and…” Jul 23, 14:13
Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “To quote Northcode. “There’s barely a comment posted here by a unionist (colonialist?) that is anything other than childish insult,…” Jul 23, 13:58
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Regarding the colonialism question, the following Vimeo discussion with Bill Rolston will be of interest to Scots, even though its…” Jul 23, 13:57
Mark Beggan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““heroically restrained” Ok Dorothy We’ve heard enough.” Jul 23, 13:37
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Professor Baird may have spent a lot of time on the subject, but that in itself isn’t a validation of…” Jul 23, 13:27
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Dan – you’re obviously right, but at the moment there is no place more supportive of this kind of stuff…” Jul 23, 13:18
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Of course we always have the option of scrolling on by, but to ignore the endless tide of incoherent waffle…” Jul 23, 13:06
Mark Beggan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “And your going to colonial hell as a punishment for being a gibbering auld dafty.” Jul 23, 13:04
Dan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Lorn says: “I want independence, have wanted it from around the age of 11 to now, and I’m no spring…” Jul 23, 12:52
Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Alf Baird puts forward a coherent and convincing argument based on sound and methodical academic research. He’s written several papers…” Jul 23, 12:51
Stuart on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “How about readers are freed from the colonialism of Professor Baird colonising this forum with er posts about colonialism? Meanwhile…” Jul 23, 12:24
Lorn on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Alf: absolutely agree that colonialism is abhorrent, and I also agree that Scotland is certainly treated like a colony. I’m…” Jul 23, 11:37
Captain Caveman on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “‘… these are all cultural illusions enforced by hateful fascist tendencies and laws, fascism sitting at the root of colonialism…” Jul 23, 11:30
Chas on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Oh goody. Another link provided by our learned Professor. I wonder who wrote the subject matter in the link. Surprise,…” Jul 23, 11:24
auld highlander on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “If you are not happy with what Alf has to say the solution is simple, just sling your hook.” Jul 23, 11:01
Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Correct definitions are very important, as the Rev illustrates. Important then for an oppressed colonized people to know that independence…” Jul 23, 11:00
Chas on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “It is amazing how the esteemed Professor manages to shoehorn his favourite subject into EVERY thread irrespective of what the…” Jul 23, 10:18