We’ve already posted a shorter and snappier soundbite from this video on our Twitter, but it’s really worth watching the full version here:
Because the body language is remarkable. For three and a half minutes, Neil Gray is completely unable to look his former colleague – an SNP MSP until a few months ago, a fellow government minister until 2022 – in the eye.
He sits stiff as a board, his teeth gritted, his face like thunder, staring directly ahead at the back wall of the studio as Ash Regan patiently and calmly outlines the extremely modest requirements Alba had set out in return for supporting Humza Yousaf and the SNP government in Parliamentary votes of confidence.
And when host Stephen Jardine asks him what exactly was so unreasonable about them, he can’t help himself, and blurts out that it was really all about preventing Alex Salmond from regaining any sort of influence on Scottish politics and insisting that his “rehabilitation” could not be permitted, even if the result of blocking it was the loss of an SNP First Minister and the potential bringing down of an SNP government.
And at this point a fair-minded person might ask: rehabilitation from what, precisely?
So there it is. In a massive, humiliating and abrupt reverse, the Scottish Greens have announced that they’ll support the Scottish Government – still led for the foreseeable future by Humza Yousaf – in this week’s confidence motion.
Shockingly enough, the debate about the Greens’ principles, intellectual consistency and integrity was an extremely brief one. Faced with the loss of their relevance and influence, they crumbled like month-old carrot cake and rushed their cards onto the table before the SNP had time to do any thinking.
Any hope Kate Forbes might have had of leading the SNP just evaporated, and so did any hope of grown-up government between now and 2026. The SNP will now spend the next two years as pathetic, grovelling puppets, doing whatever the Greens want as long as the paycheques and pension contributions keep rolling in.
It’s a tragic demise for a party that just a couple of years ago still crushed all before it in Scottish politics. But that’s showbiz, folks.
We unreservedly applaud the swiftness with which the office of the Official Report of the Scottish Parliament have delivered this answer, something which other bodies in Scotland could learn from.
Thanks to the dedication of our legal team in working over the Easter holiday, Wings has unexpectedly received the formal Opinion of legal counsel (hereafter called “the Opinion”, capitalised to avoid confusion with the ordinary use of the word in the article) with regard to the standing of the site in the light of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, which comes into force tomorrow.
We publish the Opinion below, partly to assist those worried about the Act’s impact on them but unable to afford their own legal advice.
But we also do so to place Police Scotland on notice that anything published by Wings Over Scotland is done in the light of the greatest possible care having been taken to ensure compliance with the law, and that in such a context any future attempt/s to improperly interfere with our rights of free expression under Article 10 of the European Convention On Human Rights (ECHR) will be viewed with regard to pursuing the maximum available recourse for wrongful restriction of our lawful activities.
We have both funds and the will to pursue such action.
The video below, which we just found today, is taken from a promo by the American news channel CNN in 2017. It’s deeply ironic now, because CNN has been thoroughly captured by gender ideology. But it’s the reason Wings Over Scotland won’t change what or how we write, even if it means we have to shut our doors.
The truth is everything. Non-negotiable. No matter what. It’s as simple as that.
He’s the cuddly, lovable character all of Scotland’s talking about, but what do we really know about the Hate Monster? Where did he come from? What’s his backstory? Well, the diligent research team at Wings have been hard at work, and we’re thrilled to bring you this rare archive footage of not one but BOTH of his parents.
Both were in the arts. Here’s his mum, Ruda (originally from Eastern Europe, escaping to the West before the Iron Curtain came down) starring in a 1952 Bugs Bunny short:
And this is his dad, in one of several collaborations with the Scooby Doo team in 1976 under his former wrestling persona of The 10,000-Volt Ghost:
Our boy was born for the stage. No wonder he’s made such an impact.
James on Bad Santa: “Pulled the short straw and got the xmas day shift did you?” Dec 26, 12:26
Mark Beggan on Bad Santa: “We don’t care.” Dec 26, 00:05
sarah on Off-topic: “Thank you, Marie – enjoy the Christmas period and may 2025 be peaceful, healthy and happy for you and yours.” Dec 25, 22:47
sarah on Off-topic: “Slainte, TC and all. Have you noticed the absence of the stirrers on MT today. A blessed relief.” Dec 25, 22:39
Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: “Yep, Sarah, Salvo/Liberation is the only bright light on the horizon. The political class is completely corrupt, self-serving and spineless…” Dec 25, 22:10
Mark Beggan on Bad Santa: “She’ll stay in the bunker with Eva till the end.” Dec 25, 22:07
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “Way to go the Irish – Ireland just replaced the Izzhelli embassy – with a Ppallistin-iaan museum. Maybe, it will…” Dec 25, 20:35
sarah on Off-topic: “Seasons greetings to you all – may 2025 be better than 2024. Thank you for the link to the choral…” Dec 25, 19:54
twathater on Bad Santa: “Merry Christmas to all real Scottish independence supporters , fuck the colonialists” Dec 25, 19:09
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “In reality nothing will happen – as Denmark is a nNat-o country – any attack on Denmark via Greenland would…” Dec 25, 17:37
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “The Moldovan government has declared a sixty-day national emergency – due to gas from R00ss-h-ia that’s soon to be cut-off,…” Dec 25, 17:26
Nae Need! on Bad Santa: “pmsl :-)) best laugh all day, aw, the mental imagery” Dec 25, 17:10
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “Now this is a surprise, as the US Republicans (via a vote) shut down the (GEC) Global Engagement Centre -…” Dec 25, 17:03
Young Lochinvar on Bad Santa: “Well the problem is more in comic heroes Deadpool and Wolverine who apparently are “pansexual” ie deviants who will s**g…” Dec 25, 17:02
Young Lochinvar on Bad Santa: “Problem is the Danish have limited defence there, basically the Sirius patrol armed with (ironically enough) ex WWI American bolt…” Dec 25, 16:52
Nae Need! on Bad Santa: “Yes, but the electorate have switched off due to knowing the game is rigged. I call it ‘going quiet &…” Dec 25, 16:16
Marie Clark on Off-topic: “A Merry Christmas to you and yours too Tinto. Hope all is well with you. A special hello to BDTT…” Dec 25, 16:02
Nae Need! on Bad Santa: “You’re NOT wrong.” Dec 25, 15:51
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “Revolutions usually fail – though not all – there are several in France’s history – the 1789 one achieved more,…” Dec 25, 14:23
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “Santa didn’t make it. media/GflgPRpWYAAaet0.jpg (1280×1277)” Dec 25, 14:13
Willie on Bad Santa: “Changes are coming. People of all hues, save for the corporate elites are being bled dry. At the lower end…” Dec 25, 13:11
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “So the Yanks want Greenland from Denmark – lets hope the Orange One’s (Trump) plans for Greenland are foiled. “The…” Dec 25, 13:08
Republicofscotland on Bad Santa: “An excellent article from Mark Hirst. This is the man who fundamentally altered Adam Smith’s widely accepted definition and limits…” Dec 25, 12:11
Sven on Bad Santa: “With her index linked FM pension, tax efficient royalties from the ever faithful buying her self serving book (plus the…” Dec 25, 11:54
PacMan on Bad Santa: “The time for Trump to become US President is coming closer day by day. In the days counting down he…” Dec 25, 10:18
Captain Caveman on Bad Santa: “Charming lol. “Cheltenham controlled”, is that something to do with horse racing mate? What an absolute plonker you are pal.…” Dec 25, 09:08
gregor on Bad Santa: “Maddy Kearns: Christmas in George Square: https://tinyurl.com/4w4mruvv” Dec 25, 08:56
gregor on Bad Santa: “Hows that Christmas prediction, Hatey (re. shitting myself:) Crystal Avenelle: Predictions: Predictions: “Tracing the lines all over your palm (tracing,…” Dec 25, 08:46
Robert Hughes on Bad Santa: “You sure that was the work of beavers , D , and not Main after a weekend on the Devil’s…” Dec 25, 06:20
PacMan on Bad Santa: “Are these the DARK FORCES she is talking about” Dec 25, 01:39