As alert readers will recall, this week we commissioned Panelbase to poll the good people of England, and we got some answers that we think will blow your minds. But we’re going to start with one we suspect people will find sad, but all too predictable.
Many will remember bitterly the short-lived “lovebombing” campaign from the indyref, in which a list of semi-celebrities from the rest of the UK was assembled to assure Scots of how much they were valued and cherished by their UK partners.
(NB These rules do not apply to Andrew Neil, Nick Robinson, etc etc. Like, duh. In a properly democratic country we’d be able to use FOI to actually see the blacklist, but this is the BBC we’re talking about.)
“There now follows a party election broadcast by the…”
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The political broadcasts at election time are a time-worn tradition in the UK (as is our reaction to them) but not too many people really understand why political campaign broadcasts take this form, nor why it’s actually quite important that they do.
Previous episodes in the series are here. If you’ve got a story like this to tell, or you know anyone who does, Phantom Power want to hear from you – drop them a line.
We’ll be honest, readers – if this doesn’t make you want to leave the UK all by itself, it may be that there’s nothing that ever will and we should just give up.
(Alternative titles considered for this piece included Live And Please Let Die, Doctor Oh God No, The Barely-Living Daylights and Quantum Of Bollocks.)
This documentary starts a little slowly, but becomes an eye-opening case study of how Labour steamrollered through crippling PFI contracts to build public infrastructure on the never-never when they ran the Scottish Executive from 1999-2007.
Andrew F on Governing For Beginners: “Digital ID was the whole point (or at least a very large part of the whole point) of the C*vID…” Jan 12, 15:14
sarah on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “@ Willie at 10.52 a.m., many thanks for posting your report on this morning’s court case. It is good to…” Jan 12, 14:37
Alf Baird on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “The cultural assimilation process seeks to make the colonized ‘into something else’ (Memmi). Colonialism is described as ‘hateful racism’ (Cesaire)…” Jan 12, 13:55
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “You’ve got it all arse over tit, sarah. There’s no true, Sovereign, patriotic Scot who wants to see his or…” Jan 12, 13:33
sarah on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “As ever, Northcode, this is the sad truth. I cannot for the life of me understand how any Scot would…” Jan 12, 13:09
Northcode on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Time for a reminder: In braw rich Scots leid: Ther scarce be a wird pit doun here fae colonialists (unyonists…” Jan 12, 12:34
Northcode on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “It’s hardly worth the effort, but let’s gie it juist wan mair try, eh? Defintion of the Scots word Plummet…” Jan 12, 12:23
DaveL on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “What? You donât like my suggestion? Whatâs wrong with you? Go on tell us about Stepan Bandera then⊔ Jan 12, 12:06
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “There was always a reason why I chased and persued the treaty of union relentlessly, Perhaps a few more people…” Jan 12, 12:01
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “@DaveL Why don’t you practise swinging your keyboard at arms length. Firmly grip your keyboard on the short side, really…” Jan 12, 11:55
James Cheyne on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “And this is where it becomes very complicated for the Snp and the devolved governance. They either trust they are…” Jan 12, 11:49
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “@ Northcode says: 12 January, 2026 at 10:33 am “plomet (Wyclif), -ette (Caxton), plommet (1483), plummet(te (1494), ball of lead…” Jan 12, 11:45
DaveL on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Hatey, you could get the UK government to invite some of your Azov Brigade pals (the UK government loves them…” Jan 12, 11:42
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “@ Alf Baird says: 12 January, 2026 at 11:06 am “Scots language speakers, aboot twa million o us still” I’ll…” Jan 12, 11:34
James Cheyne on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Sarah, It will come to many eventually that they will have to make a decision on wether the treaty of…” Jan 12, 11:23
Alf Baird on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “The reason the Scots language is of central importance to the matter of independence is because it is primarily the…” Jan 12, 11:06
Willie on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Just finished listening to the live stream of the court of session proceedings in the case of the proceeding relating…” Jan 12, 10:52
Northcode on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Scottish National Dictionary (pre 1700) PLUM(M)ET, -at, n. Also: plwm(m)-, plumb-, plomand -ett, -it. Only Sc.: The pommel or knob…” Jan 12, 10:33
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “@ Northcode says:11 January, 2026 at 10:43 pm “âplummetâ means something other in the language of the Scots than your…” Jan 12, 09:56
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “An article about Homeless Project Scotland: https://unherd.com/2026/01/scotlands-rebel-homeless-shelter/” Jan 12, 09:45
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: ““disna bather lairnin ony o his host fowkâs languages, neither Scots nor Gaelic” Whoops! Correction required. “disna bather lairnin ony…” Jan 12, 09:22
Hatey McHateface on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Great news, sarah. Personally, I can’t wait until it becomes legal to march through Scotland’s streets, chanting about “rivers” and…” Jan 12, 09:14
Cynicus on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “âI might also take the opportunity to draw attention to a recent quality illustrated book investigating the Gaelic and Welsh…” Jan 12, 02:42
Cynicus on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “âthereâs an oven ready and legitimate Stuart pretender Franz, Duke of Bavariaâ ========== Be careful! The Crown Prince, Francis of…” Jan 12, 02:18
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Northcode writes « Tho if a culture had the nature of a coloniser aboot it⊠then a wid hae nae…” Jan 12, 01:20
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Alf writes: « The point, which you appear to have missed, is that our friend wha comes here tae bide…” Jan 12, 00:59
Alf Baird on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: ““plummeting” The point, which you appear to have missed, is that our friend wha comes here tae bide notes he…” Jan 11, 23:49
Northcode on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: ““Youâre plummeting, Alf.” Only in your eyes, Gael. And only because Professor Baird challenges your false narrative on the importance…” Jan 11, 22:43
Northcode on Grandpa John’s Nightmare: “Dinna be daft, Alf. Us Scots fowk be ane o the wrechit o the Earth… ye micht as weel expect…” Jan 11, 21:53
