The greatest intellectual weakness of the independence movement is its attitude towards Trident, and trying to reason with people about it (whether readers or other independence activists) is consistently one of the most frustrating aspects of writing Wings, because nuclear disarmers and Unionists are equally impervious to logic on the subject.
The UK’s nuclear “deterrent” – or as it was more accurately and memorably described by the former Vulcan nuclear bomber squadron commander Air Commodore Alastair Mackie, “a virility symbol, like a stick-on hairy chest” – is the greatest gift to a future Scottish independence negotiating team imaginable.
The rest of the UK gets a lot of economic and infrastructural benefits from Scotland, like water and energy, but ultimately it’s not massively bothered about those. Water is not yet a critical area and energy can be sourced elsewhere, and in any event Brexit shows us that the UK is more than willing to do itself enormous harm in the service of ideological political goals.
To be honest it barely seems worth marking the ninth anniversary of the indyref. The day our nation – albeit narrowly – bottled out of becoming a real one again is nothing to be celebrated. The supposed party of independence has run away from the fight, concerned only with feathering its own nest, and its era of power looks to be drawing to a bitter and deserved close.
But there remains one grave and glaring grievance.
And no matter what anyone says, it’ll dog democracy and condemn Scottish politics to eternal stagnation until it’s addressed.
The reality-TV let’s say “personality” Kelly Given – who Wings readers previously met on a trip to New York for Tartan Week with a raft of SNP let’s say “celebrities” a couple of months ago – has been off on another nice holiday.
Last night she told both the viewers of BBC Scotland’s “Seven Days” that she’d just spent three weeks on an island in Greece, where apparently she was quite shocked to discover that the Mediterranean nation was hot in July.
At least, we assume there was a sizeable current being passed through it, as little else could explain the visibly uncomfortable half-hour experienced by hapless Stonewall chair Iain Anderson with Beth Rigby last night, or the seemingly random changes every few seconds in his facial expressions, body language and accent.
(Just about the only constant, other than his sweating top lip, was the deeply irritating modern phenomenon of stupid people starting every sentence with the word “So…”.)
If you’re a connoisseur of vacuous, nervous awkwardness you’re in for a real treat. If you want to see a human being actually answering any questions with even the tiniest shred of coherence, pertinence or honesty, maybe give it a miss.
Just for a change, let’s have a Friday-night competition!
Sharp-eyed readers will have noticed that former First Minister Alex Salmond is staging a show in the Spiegeltent at the Edinburgh Fringe next month, from 4-13 August.
You may even have seen a bit of online criticism from certain po-faced pseudonats about the fact that Salmond is sharing a platform with – gasp! – a Yoon, in the shape of the “last of the traditional Tories”, David Davis MP.
robertkknight on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I guess Scotland should never aspire to be a normal, independent, sovereign state, like the 200 or so others on…” May 28, 09:03
Sven on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Dan @ 08.08 Always interested in your common sense posts, Dan. As someone once said, “it’s strange it’s called common…” May 28, 08:27
Hatey McHateface on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: ““the inescapable conclusion ….in the words of Mr Baird – Independence IS Decolonisation” Hey, I’m not knocking the idea, Bob,…” May 28, 08:11
Dan on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “See if your country was caught in an ongoing unmitigated disaster with aw thing like its infrastructure and services going…” May 28, 08:08
Robert Hughes on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “From Robin McAlpine’s latest ( typically incisive ) post talking about the outrageous but entirely predictable green light given to…” May 28, 07:18
Willie on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “The SNP are not for turning. Certainly not underthe current coterie of control that continues to show them as an…” May 28, 03:11
Jim Dryburgh on The Undertaker: “whether it’s 75% or whatever with each year the amount of indigenous Scots v Non Indigenous Scots is becoming less…” May 28, 01:31
duncanio on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Sarah – Yes there is time for them all to change their minds. And we must keep trying to persuade…” May 27, 22:57
sarah on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “@ duncanio at 8.56 re ISP and the M4I. I’m perplexed. However there is time for ISP to change their…” May 27, 22:03
duncanio on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Sarah – I’m afraid Collette Walker was quite explicit in her email to me about the ISP developing their own…” May 27, 20:56
Hatey McHateface on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Sorry Alf. Common sense tells me that even if you accept the existence of the Coloniser (with one set of…” May 27, 20:00
Hatey McHateface on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Be honest now, Marie. Wouldn’t you be better for shedding a few pounds? If you don’t want to entertain any…” May 27, 19:39
sarah on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I am really surprised at that response from ISP. I’ve read and thought over the MforI and cannot see anything…” May 27, 19:26
duncanio on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “twathater I have supported SSRG, Salvo and Liberation since inception, having attended the Edinburgh Proclamation gathering on 1st September 2022…” May 27, 19:13
Alf Baird on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “We cannot treat “the colonial question…as a subsidiary part of some more important global matter” (Robin D. G. Kelley). And…” May 27, 18:47
twathater on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I agree with you Sarah regarding Roddy and Peter Bell, duncanio criticises Liberate for having no publicly clear immediate route…” May 27, 18:25
Dave G on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I’m glad you even manage to see a “Brit” identity. It is now routine to walk down High Street or…” May 27, 18:18
Aidan on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Yes, that was the motivation behind the blue sea rule. The legal principles on decolonisation and NSGT’s were agreed by…” May 27, 17:42
duncanio on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Sarah – We don’t have the luxury of time. Every time there is an election it could be the last…” May 27, 17:33
Xaracen on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “But, Aidan, how can the ‘blue water’ requirement be “fundamental” when you made it clear to me that its purpose…” May 27, 17:04
James Cheyne on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I have been squinting quickly through, Textual Amendments to “Scotland union with England” Acts House of Lords ( privileges Committee…” May 27, 16:43
Northcode on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Hello, Sam. Good to know you’re still about this place. “We are much the same genetic material now as in…” May 27, 16:21
sarah on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “That is indeed interesting about the party whip system. I’d love to see their candidate win.” May 27, 16:14
sarah on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “@ duncanio at 11.23 p.m. and twathater at 03.33. Thank you, twathater for correctly pointing out my motivation for supporting…” May 27, 16:12
Northcode on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: ““Towards decolonization and then liberation.” Indeed, Alf. The third and final phase of Scotland’s decolonization has begun there’s no doubt…” May 27, 16:04
Kelpie on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “I live in Hamilton so we have people canvassing and leaf-letting for the by-election next week. I’ve never had so…” May 27, 16:01
James Barr Gardner on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Wallonia has the right of veto in Belgian Federal decisions, it’s population of 3.7 million is 31.4% of Belgium……..” May 27, 15:32
Breastplate on What Are We, And Where Are We Going?: “Yes, John, you’re correct, it is something you eat, particularly in Scotland. What the English call rolls, tend to be…” May 27, 14:25