Ridiculously, more than eight hours after voting closed in an all-electronic election in which “counting” should have taken a maximum of one second, and at 11.30pm, the SNP have released the results of this year’s NEC elections.
There are some big stories.
Alyn Smith is OUT as Policy Development Convener, replaced by Chris Hanlon.
In a post last month we referenced a ZX Spectrum computer game from 1984 called “Worse Things Happen At Sea”. Today as we watched the First Minister on the Andrew Marr Show, we were put in mind of another nautical-disaster-themed one from a great deal nearer to the end of the Speccy’s life.
We were going to write a post about today’s Sunday National front page lead story, but it would just have been an angry rant, so instead we’ll let our readers make their own judgements on how convinced they are by this bloviating guff:
We’re grumpy this morning, readers, because it’s Sunday and we were planning a long lie and then someone told us about this. It’s the First Minister appearing on the Sophy Ridge show on Sky News at around 8.45am and you need to see it.
During a debate on the UK government’s recent decision to abandon the notion of gender self-ID, SNP MP Anne McLaughlin told the Commons chamber that it was still the Scottish Government’s “strong commitment” to go ahead with highly controversial reform of the law BEFORE next year’s Holyrood election.
But that isn’t what Scottish voters were told earlier this year.
We were looking for something else this afternoon, but accidentally found this:
Just two weeks before the last Holyrood election, widely-respected analysts Weber Shandwick had put together a prediction of how the results would pan out. Just for a bit of fun, let’s compare it to the reality.
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “HMcH @ 12.22 Isn’t this past your bedtime. Apart from having no idea what yer babbling about I will let…” Sep 8, 00:45
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “But it wasn’t a shiny new parliament was it? No it was the old English one whose Speaker (unbroken tenure…” Sep 8, 00:33
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Never mind about all that, Auld Lochnagar. How come you’ve never denied that you’ve been secretly giving extra sedatives to…” Sep 8, 00:22
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “Fake AI NC That’s what AI would say.. Anyway Bring back the real Northcode, it’s a travesty!!” Sep 8, 00:15
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “We understand the period. What we don’t understand is why are you wasting time on it in the first place.…” Sep 8, 00:05
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “HMcH @ 5.17 Looks like his Hatiness is leaning towards phrenology! What’s to save you eh, running a self confessed…” Sep 7, 23:59
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““I’m not interested in trading insults with anyone” Me neither. I’m giving mine away for free.” Sep 7, 23:42
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Northy spent ages building up a good case and you have just destroyed it in two comments. I have never…” Sep 7, 23:31
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Ask Rev Stu if he’ll pass on the details of the supplier where you buy your plastic claymores. You’d have…” Sep 7, 23:27
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’m very much the same Northcode — just discussing the historical and legal record as clearly as I can. Folk…” Sep 7, 23:26
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’m not interested in trading insults with anyone. I’m only here to discuss the historical and legal record as clearly…” Sep 7, 23:19
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: ““and have the right of resistance under international law” You really need to explain what you are going to do…” Sep 7, 23:16
Northcode on Anything But That: “The text you’ve quoted is about private acts and acts of ratification — the kind passed in favour of particular…” Sep 7, 23:13
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Ah, c’moan noo Confused. Dinna pretend ye’re nae partial tae a wee bitty leg hump. Ah mean, fit ither action…” Sep 7, 23:09
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “AI (deep fake) NC; “I’m simply keeping the discussion grounded in what (errata- Unionist) historians (sic) and (errata – Unionist)…” Sep 7, 23:08
Confused on Anything But That: “farage is on telly milking the anne widdicombe murder; death by hammers, indeed. (Does anyone know the whereabouts of THOR…” Sep 7, 23:01
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “C (for confused dot com ad) “WHO’S THAT WHISTLING!!”” Sep 7, 22:59
Confused on Anything But That: “Keep posting the shite Beggar Boy – we’ll get you a Jim Fixed-Me badge. Another leg-humper, soon to challenge the…” Sep 7, 22:54
agentx on Anything But That: ““Act salvo jure cujuslibet 23 December 1669 Our sovereign lord, taking into consideration that there are many acts of ratification…” Sep 7, 22:53
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““When is international law going to address that outrageous crime instead of empowering it?” Wonderful news, Xaracen! September 2026!! This…” Sep 7, 22:49
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Let me just fix that for you, Northy: “I’ve promoted Doun-Hauden here more than everybody else put together” What’s this…” Sep 7, 22:41
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““voting for or against independence depends on whether you hold to a Scottish or a British identity, which is culturally…” Sep 7, 22:37
Northcode on Anything But That: “Just to keep things clear for readers: Salvo jure cujuslibet is a standard legal reservation clause — essentially a safeguard…” Sep 7, 22:16
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’ve supported Alf Baird’s work for a long time — I’ve promoted Doun-Hauden here more than most, and I’ve consistently…” Sep 7, 21:57
Bilbo on Anything But That: “To be fair, the hospitality industry is on it’s last legs. Even without the increased rates and wage costs, the…” Sep 7, 21:41
Bilbo on Anything But That: “@ Sam I wouldn’t worry about Beggan. Wee shites like him has a big mouth but his bottle completely goes…” Sep 7, 21:35
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Is this sovereign citizen? The epidemic of road side lawyers sweeping America. All of them were arrested many were tasered…” Sep 7, 21:33
Bilbo on Anything But That: “@ Hatey I was clumsily trying to make the point about how Westminster is trying to make the UK look…” Sep 7, 21:30
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “MB Hmmmm.. Did you write that while still fantasising about politicians mud wrestling??” Sep 7, 21:26
