In many ways, the fabricated, hysterical furore of Humza Yousaf Vs Elon Musk is the ultimate in summer-silly-season politics stories.
Absurdly plainly, the former First Minister ISN’T going to take any legal action against the billionaire owner of Twitter. He only likes bullying small nurseries, and even then he doesn’t follow through. He didn’t even sue us for calling him racist a few months ago, so there’s zero chance he’s going to square up to the world’s richest man.
We’ve been off for a little break in the country, and as far as we can tell we’ve missed absolutely nothing in the moribund world of Scottish politics. We did, however, arrive back just in time for something mildly interesting, or at least revealing.
It’s the latest episode of a new podcast by veteran Scottish political journalist and broadcaster Bernard Ponsonby and jobbing opinion columnist Alex Massie, inventively titled The Ponsonby And Massie Podcast.
The first 35 minutes or so weren’t very noteworthy, other than the curious omission – when predicting the makeup of the next Scottish Government – of the idea of a Labour-SNP coalition, which to this site remains by far the most practical and logical outcome of the 2026 Holyrood election.
David Davis may be the last of his kind – a libertarian Tory from a council-scheme and grammar-school background, and also one of the few remaining big beasts occupying the political jungle of the back benches.
(He could in fact have been Tory leader, and would have been if David Cameron and George Osborne hadn’t teamed up to defeat him in 2005 after he won the first ballot.)
So on the rare occasions when he leads a Commons adjournment debate, as he did last Thursday evening, those with an educated eye for politics sit up and take notice.
The 2005 election was the last time the Daily Record and the Scottish Sun both endorsed the same party at a UK general election. So, y’know, something is going on.
Survation released their final projection for the election last night. It’s quite a boring image because they had to make it mostly grey to correctly illustrate the margin of Labour’s lead.
Those ranges are substantial, but even their BEST-case scenario for the Tories is below 100 seats. The WORST-case scenario for Labour – 447 seats – still gives them a majority of 244, which would smash the all-time record of 209 set by the Tories exactly 100 years ago. (The best case is a dizzying 384.)
Scotland is probably the hardest area of the UK to call. In most polls there are only a few points between Labour and the SNP, and depending on how the votes are spread and who’s best at getting their support out either could still win the most seats.
That won’t, of course, make the slightest difference to the governance of the UK for the next five years. Even 57 Scottish MPs out of 57, for any party, would be completely meaningless to a government with a majority of over 200.
But it’ll make a big difference to the independence movement. Because if the SNP manages to hold onto to a significant proportion of its seats, we can all wave goodbye to the slightest chance of progress for another decade on top of the one that’s been wasted since Alex Salmond resigned.
In the modern political world, you don’t get anywhere without a movement, and movements don’t get anywhere without a flag. So we’ve decided it’s time to take action and stand up for a very large group of people who are genuinely discriminated against and significantly disadvantaged in our society.
Here’s their symbol.
Today is July 1st, and we officially, on behalf of all our oppressed kinfolk, declare this to be People Who Aren’t Eligible For A Railcard Pride Month.
There are now just 10 days until the general election. Wings has never told its readers how to vote and we’re not going to start now. Which is lucky, because if we were, we wouldn’t have a clue how to.
Just, y’know, not for any of these wretched, worthless shiters.
Holiday Boy has of course chosen the general election campaign to spend the next three weeks feeding stray cats somewhere sunny, so here’s a cartoon by the brilliant webcomicname that summarises the Baillie Gifford story for anyone joining us late.
January 2018, with no general election due for four and a half years: “I very rarely talk about Scottish independence in the chamber, because I talk about things that matter”
June 2024, with an election in four weeks and a £91,346 salary, expenses and pension at stake: “ROBERT THE BRUCE! BANNOCKBURN! DECLARATION OF ARBROATH! FLOWER OF SCOTLAND! FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOMMMM!”
Aidan on Seven Days Too Long: “Yea see James is more like a drunk piss soaked homeless guy who keeps bothering people for change at a…” May 4, 19:09
100%Yes on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Reform will look after England its the SNP who ruined Scotland.” May 4, 19:07
100%Yes on Binfire Of The Vanities: “If the SNP and MFI hadn’t rigged humza to be leader of the SNP and Forbes had won and she…” May 4, 19:05
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Beggars Aye very good bumpkin.. It’s being so cheerie that keeps ye going eh Adolf..” May 4, 18:56
Dan on Seven Days Too Long: “I see Aidan’s channelling his inner Gavin Williamson now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLr-jfbX0zM” May 4, 18:50
100%Yes on Binfire Of The Vanities: “I’ve no doubt Kelly’s eye will have a reason to debunk what’s being said.” May 4, 18:50
100%Yes on Binfire Of The Vanities: “The SNP has treated Scotland, its people and women with complete and utter contempt. Sturgeon was still banging on about…” May 4, 18:47
Captain Caveman on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Ah! What’s that Fatso, you looking down on the hardworking working classes again like McDonalds workers? Déjà vu! Brass neck…” May 4, 18:43
Ross on Binfire Of The Vanities: “The combined snp labour vote on the same basis plus Greens dwarves the point you’re making Plus some pro indy…” May 4, 18:37
agentx on Binfire Of The Vanities: ““National identity The percentage of people who said Scottish was their only national identity increased since the previous census (from…” May 4, 18:02
Mark Beggan on Binfire Of The Vanities: “There’s many reasons for not voting and one of these could be what is happening outside Scotland. The geopolitical situation…” May 4, 17:52
Young Lochinvar on Seven Days Too Long: “Geri @ 1.34 She doesn’t have the self awareness for that, that’s quite clear in her comments about Salmond. Classic…” May 4, 17:42
sarah on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Well, at least they were honest – unlike the leadership. But it is hugely worrying. It is a bit like…” May 4, 17:39
agentx on Seven Days Too Long: “It seems to a forgone conclusion that the SNP will win the election. I hope to God that no channel…” May 4, 17:31
agentx on Seven Days Too Long: ““Cynicus says: 4 May, 2026 at 2:21 pm agentx That tells us nothing. For all we know you could be…” May 4, 17:21
Captain Caveman on Seven Days Too Long: “Two names better than two (eight?) chins.” May 4, 17:14
GM on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Bang on MR B. ..and in putting party first the activists hand money and status to the SNP elite and…” May 4, 17:14
Nicky T Naquetti on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Slightly off-topic – but if you haven’t seen the amazing campaign advert by that Sarwar guy for Labour, you’re really…” May 4, 17:11
agentx on Seven Days Too Long: ““People seem to have forgiven (forgotten) campervangate?” ——————————————————— Probably because the hearing date was conveniently moved until after the election.” May 4, 17:10
Captain Caveman on Binfire Of The Vanities: “People have had enough of the Left and all that it entails. Who can blame them? The Scots are hardly…” May 4, 17:10
James on Seven Days Too Long: “You’re posting under 2 names now?” May 4, 17:08
Young Lochinvar on Seven Days Too Long: “Beggars Why, did it affect your Benefits Adolf – “old boy”?” May 4, 16:59
Alf Baird on Binfire Of The Vanities: ““For a country that prides itself on hating the Tories, this is very odd.” Aye, by the mid-1990’s Scots had…” May 4, 16:53
Mr Boyce N Franks on Binfire Of The Vanities: “I went to the recent indy march in Edinburgh and questioned the SNP at their stand. I said that their…” May 4, 16:42
ALANM on Binfire Of The Vanities: “The basic error contained in this analysis is that tory and reform votes are interchangeable when the truth is much…” May 4, 16:32
Captain Caveman on Seven Days Too Long: “Damn straight I won’t be, Fatso. If it were up to me (and most other non-lefties) he’d be handcuffed on…” May 4, 16:31
