Politics is still on hiatus after the dreadful events of Manchester, so we’ve taken the chance to go and enjoy the sudden summer weather while nothing was happening.
And today, as we (“Drove at a legal speed” – Ed) across the pretty hills overlooking Bath in an inexpensive convertible, a song came on the stereo that made us think of all the Unionist trolls who were still busily raging on Twitter – mainly about the SNP’s awful failure to light up every building in Scotland with the Union Jack in tribute to the dead (no, really), but also at the most recent data “proving” that independence would mean the country regressing to the Stone Age and whatnot.
So we thought we’d share it with you, because as well as having a jaunty tune it’s got a good attitude to adopt when they’re screaming and yelling themselves red, white and blue in the face about something or other, rather than wasting your time and mental equilibrium on being dragged into their fetid mind-swamp.
It works on any day, even if you’re not in a sports car.
(NB The media is understandably mostly occupied today with the horrific events in Manchester. But life goes on – music websites are still talking about music, football websites are still talking about football, videogames websites are still talking about videogames. Any rational observations about terrorism made here would be screamed down as making political capital from tragedy. So let’s get on with the day job.)
If you apply to go on a televised political debate and then submit a question to ask a national leader, it seems a reasonable deduction that you want that issue to be raised and discussed. If you also make it personal by describing your own circumstances, it seems logical that you’d want those circumstances to be widely publicised, and to be asked about them so you could say more and tell your story to the country.
So it’s a bit odd that Edinburgh nurse Claire Austin has suddenly gone off the radar.
Kezia Dugdale tells voters in the Borders, Highlands and a number of other areas that voting Tory is a better way to stop the SNP than voting for her own party’s candidates.
She’s currently contesting Edinburgh West, which the party has some credible hopes of winning, having held the seat for almost 20 years prior to 2015. And it seems that her former employer has decided to try to give her a helping hand.
And, y’know, they’re really not allowed to do that.
With all 32 councils now having declared, the Scottish local elections are over and the SNP have won again, taking 431 seats. Last time round in 2012 they took 425.
You might think you know the difference between 431 and 425. But you don’t.
This post is mostly here to give people somewhere to chat about the council election results as they come in. But this song, with a hat-tip to alert reader SparkleMonkey, is dedicated specifically and personally to the now-former Scottish Labour councillor (and one-time leader of Aberdeen City Council) Willie Young, who was ejected by the electorate earlier today.
Today is going to be a day of realignment in Scottish politics, in which the Tories will formally become the main opposition to the SNP. (Having already pipped Labour to second at Holyrood and having as many Westminster MPs as them.) Expect modest SNP gains and big Tory ones, both mainly from Labour, who have already lost overall control of Glasgow, their last stronghold.
Everything’s different after today, folks. Scotland’s choice will never have been more stark: extreme Tories in the UK for years and years to come, or self-governance. Let the chips fall where the people choose.
We don’t often wholeheartedly agree with anything “Rape Clause Ruth” Davidson says at First Minister’s Questions, but we can’t fault this observation from earlier today.
Ian Brotherhood on What Went On: “A stushie has erupted over whether or not fart suppressant being added to cattle feed is harmful to humans. I…” Nov 28, 22:28
crazycat on What Went On: “I think there are two strands of lunacy here. As you say, men cannot be pregnant. But people who swallow…” Nov 28, 22:08
znovak on What Went On: ““Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.” It is…” Nov 28, 21:53
Craig P on What Went On: “The Scottish Government needs to take UEFA to court. Scotland clearly won the last Euros.” Nov 28, 21:50
Anthem on What Went On: “Exactly! There seems to be no law against their fraud, deceit and lies. How do we prosecute these people?” Nov 28, 21:40
Robert Matthews on What Went On: “Colonial Bingo – 0 ?” Nov 28, 21:39
Robert Matthews on What Went On: “Colonial Bingo- knock at the door 4.” Nov 28, 21:37
Andy Anderson on What Went On: “Is he not to old to become pregnant!!” Nov 28, 21:31
ben madigan on What Went On: “could I do that? Identify as a surgeon, I mean? I am confident I could scrub up and wear the…” Nov 28, 21:18
Lorna Campbell on What Went On: “The KC involved in fighting the SG’s corner is a woman – the biological kind. She was just doing her…” Nov 28, 21:09
Hatey McHateface on What Went On: “Looks like the 2024 award for the most institutionally gormless governing body in world politics is in the bag. The…” Nov 28, 20:55
Hatey McHateface on What Went On: “What’s the status of our bet, then? £50 too rich for you? This time of year, there’s plenty of temp…” Nov 28, 20:45
Hatey McHateface on What Went On: “Aw, are you missing him already? S’not even 24 hours. 🙂 Story I heard, he’s ordered a certificate of professorship…” Nov 28, 20:40
Robert Louis on What Went On: “Can no politicians see, as clear as day, the madness of this gender stuff? I mean seriously, we have leaders…” Nov 28, 20:38
SteepBrae on What Went On: “O/T (from ALBA): Saturday 30th November 2024, 12.30pm, His Dream Will Never Die, We call on all Scottish Patriots to…” Nov 28, 20:36
Chas on What Went On: “Great stuff. Another link to mince written by an erse. Have you not got anything original or new? Is plagiarism…” Nov 28, 20:33
Alf Baird on What Went On: “Swinney himself would need to become pregnant to prove his case; tho A widna haud ma breith.” Nov 28, 20:29
Nae Need! on What Went On: ““The UK Conservatives largely voted against the GRA 2004, but did little to repeal it when they returned to power.”…” Nov 28, 20:28
Alf Baird on What Went On: “Private school fees have to be paid somehow.” Nov 28, 20:25
Alf Baird on What Went On: “All that ethnic self-hatred is doing you no good, you know. Colonialism isnae really that difficult tae feegure oot: https://salvo.scot/scotlands-colonial-status/” Nov 28, 20:23
Campbell Clansman on What Went On: “Conservative MSPs voted 26-2 AGAINST the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. All the other parties voted overwhelmingly FOR the bill.…” Nov 28, 19:56
gregor on What Went On: “Karma @Illuminarty1111: “Lol , what a fanny”: https://tinyurl.com/mvhhxh95” Nov 28, 19:52
Nae Need! on What Went On: “It astonishes me that people are STILL falling for the ‘jam tomorrow’ carrot dangling of these liars.” Nov 28, 19:50
gregor on What Went On: “@PeteWishart has blocked you: “Also got signed copies for sale in Perth Waterstones.”: https://archive.ph/mYtrx” Nov 28, 19:48
Peter McAvoy on What Went On: “John Swinney scrap this policy.” Nov 28, 19:47
Nae Need! on What Went On: “Haven’t they just. The fuckers. Rips ma knitting big style.” Nov 28, 19:45
Chas on What Went On: “It did not take too long! Answer one question Alfie boy, who forms a government after we have been supposedly…” Nov 28, 19:44
Nae Need! on What Went On: “Exactly. The SC becomes pointless.” Nov 28, 19:43
Nae Need! on What Went On: “Couldn’t agree more.” Nov 28, 19:39
gregor on What Went On: “@PeteWishart has blocked you: “If you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift for the independence curious or those interested…” Nov 28, 19:35
