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!”
Ian Smith on It just takes a beat: “If someone had donated to the ring fenced fund at the same time as buying bitcoin or Nvidia shares, could…” Jul 11, 23:58
Hatey McHateface on It just takes a beat: “Good post, Northy. Don’t take yourself off to Alpha Centauri just yet.” Jul 11, 21:18
Hatey McHateface on It just takes a beat: “It’s worth observing that the regular moon howlers don’t think so. You’ll never hear a peep of criticism aimed at…” Jul 11, 21:10
Bilbo on It just takes a beat: “Demonstrations in a number of deprived areas in Glasgow this week. MSM says it involves men who committed alleged sex…” Jul 11, 20:42
Alf Baird on It just takes a beat: ““Not even liberation.scot can fill the gap if the SNP disappears.” Lorncal, I suspect most of Liberation Scotland’s 20,000 members…” Jul 11, 20:17
Confused on It just takes a beat: “widdecombe? – I think farage done it. He was round at her house, telling gas chamber jokes, having a rare…” Jul 11, 19:54
James Barr Gardner on It just takes a beat: “You’ve hit the nail on the head with your comment, some of these cultists have threatened violence against those who…” Jul 11, 18:38
Lorncal on It just takes a beat: “Alf: you illustrate my point well. I agree that a massive civic political movement for independence would be preferred, perhaps,…” Jul 11, 17:43
twathater on It just takes a beat: “Stuart Campbell would certainly have earned that ACCOLADE ,yet there are still moronic snp apologists and sycophants over t’Internet ACCUSING…” Jul 11, 17:00
Alf Baird on It just takes a beat: “The point both you and Andy, and the Rev and others miss, Lorncal, is that we do not need another…” Jul 11, 15:50
Young Lochinvar on It just takes a beat: “Rev Further to your interview with Martin Geisler is there any sign of John Swinney having taken up residence in…” Jul 11, 15:43
Lorncal on It just takes a beat: “Andy: I agree with the Rev’s logic and your comment, but, again, what is going to replace the SNP? The…” Jul 11, 14:35
Luigi on It just takes a beat: “The second photo of Honest John is hilarious. He looks like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.” Jul 11, 13:29
robertkknight on It just takes a beat: “Today’s The National front page… SNP OFFER TO REFUND ‘INDYREF’ DONATIONS Concession despite ‘no evidence of fraud ‘ finding Whose…” Jul 11, 13:23
TURABDIN on It just takes a beat: “more on same meme. WE GOT RHYTHM…..or you’s the bass. https://theconversation.com/racial-stereotypes-of-african-footballers-persist-a-world-cup-is-a-good-time-to-talk-about-them-286673” Jul 11, 13:04
TURABDIN on It just takes a beat: “TALKING ABOUT «MONEY» QUOTE they dream of «corporate monarchies ruled by ceo kings» https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly8eqyj8e2o representative national government is necessary, democratic…” Jul 11, 12:40
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “If you paid by bank transfer and your address and bank details have not changed then the SNP should be…” Jul 11, 12:07
shug on It just takes a beat: “When the civil case approaches the only deal you should consider is Name the Alphabeties Lady Dorian out Swinney and…” Jul 11, 11:31
Knuckle_Heid on It just takes a beat: “Wow, look at all those press articles! And not one of them would be there if WoS hadn’t doggedly pursued…” Jul 11, 10:25
Bilbo on It just takes a beat: “Politicians get photographed in positions under lighting where when photographed, they appear to have a halo above them. When John…” Jul 11, 08:54
Northcode on It just takes a beat: “I would, if I had the means, chase down the ragged, walking dead corpse of the SNP and at last…” Jul 11, 07:34
Captain Caveman on The Only Notes That Really Count: “🙂 He’s a 60kg working lines Rottweiler male (our 7th of this magnificent breed). However, his aggression dial is turned…” Jul 11, 07:32
twathater on It just takes a beat: “That pathetic response from polis Scotland only serves to show just how ill served The Scottish public is with the…” Jul 11, 03:14
Frazerio on It just takes a beat: “The simplest way of putting it is: There is a cover up going on. Simple question. The big question. Why?…” Jul 11, 02:53
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Wee Peem gas offered to repay, meantime he is in the gaol.” Jul 10, 22:45
Tartan Tory on It just takes a beat: “I certainly had and kept records, but after seven years it goes in the bin! By contrast, I recently cleared…” Jul 10, 22:43
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because…” Jul 10, 22:38
Mark Beggan on It just takes a beat: “That’s the guy that hates kids.” Jul 10, 21:58
