For the last month or so, the Unionist parties have briefly enjoyed the opportunity to taunt the SNP in the Commons over Full Fiscal Autonomy, challenging the party to bring forward proposals and accusing it of being afraid of the policy it campaigned and won on in the election. The Nats called the bluff, and today got the unsurprising result.
The reason given by Secretary of State David Mundell – who declined to appear on today’s edition of “Good Morning Scotland” to defend or explain the decision – was that FFA “would cost every family in Scotland £5,000”.
And we thought that figure had a rather familiar ring to it.
We’ve already brought you the First Minister’s appearance on last night’s The Daily Show in the US, but in addition to the seven minutes that were shown on TV there were a further seven minutes of interview which didn’t go out on air, but were shown on the Comedy Central website, region-blocked so only US residents could see them.
When the FM goes abroad to represent Scotland in the outside world, though, we think it’s only fair that Scots get to see what she’s saying and doing on their behalf, so we didn’t let such trifling obstacles get in our way.
Many of you won’t have seen this quite extraordinary performance from the Guardian’s assistant editor Michael White on last night’s Scotland Tonight, and you really should.
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Governing For Beginners: “More on NORMAND LESTER… Interspersed in this 2013 archive footage from our 2014 Referendum campaign is portentous feedback from two…” Jan 13, 15:26
DaveL on Governing For Beginners: “Unable? It could be she chooses for whatever reason not to engage. What research have you undertaken that makes you…” Jan 13, 15:01
Northcode on Governing For Beginners: “Caledonian Antisyzygy (from Greek, syzygy meaning alignment), or the “Scottish disjunction”, is a term coined by the Scottish literary critic…” Jan 13, 13:59
Northcode on Governing For Beginners: ““The World would be a far better place without any religion.” Aye, maybe so, but judging by world events it…” Jan 13, 13:55
factchecker on Governing For Beginners: “In reply to my question for Sarah, DaveL says: 13 January, 2026 at 11:51 am Here you go again, you’re…” Jan 13, 13:54
The Flying Iron of Doom on Governing For Beginners: “There is always emulation, this being the best way to use your telly now that they only broadcast pish. Why…” Jan 13, 13:46
TURABDIN on Governing For Beginners: “ça se cache en pleine vue….on s’y accoutume drôlement vite. hides in plain sight, odd how quickly you get used…” Jan 13, 13:17
Chas on Governing For Beginners: “The esteemed Professor peddling his pish on yet another blog. Religion in the western world has had it’s day. People…” Jan 13, 13:12
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Governing For Beginners: “NOTE RE PODCAST: Clicking on the small speech bubble “quotation mark” symbol at bottom right of the podcast screen activates…” Jan 13, 13:01
TURABDIN on Governing For Beginners: “Thanks…i use a spell checker for my English….definitely has a mind of its own…should be reign…choose…quha My latest musing is…” Jan 13, 13:00
TURABDIN on Governing For Beginners: “Hmmmm….Once there was a «Universal Church» and then there appeared national forms of the thing which then set about oppressing…” Jan 13, 12:49
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Governing For Beginners: “Québec commentator Normand Lester has an audio podcast series tracing the endemic focus on violence in American culture. In this…” Jan 13, 12:40
Aidan on Governing For Beginners: “Yes because that’s how it works Dave, someone makes an outlandish and unevidenced claim and it’s other people’s responsibility to…” Jan 13, 12:07
DaveL on Governing For Beginners: “Here you go again, you’re the grandly named ‘factchecker’, go and fucking check! If you find nothing strap some balls…” Jan 13, 11:51
DaveL on Governing For Beginners: “Aye the BBC, a beacon of truth and light…they tell us your mates are winning too. You’ll be pleased.” Jan 13, 11:45
aLurker on Governing For Beginners: “I posted a reply to Sarah yesterday: https://wingsoverscotland.com/governing-for-beginners/#comment-3167128 but it has not appeared. It was not controversial. It contained only…” Jan 13, 11:33
Northcode on Governing For Beginners: ““to seek a worthier vision of Scotland… without which we perish as a nation” – Rev William Storrar. Indeed, Alf.…” Jan 13, 11:18
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Governing For Beginners: “TURABDIN. Excellent. Rich texture of reference. Please do keep posting with confidence.” Jan 13, 10:43
Aidan on Governing For Beginners: “She’ll be back, it’s only those protesting against the regime that are getting hurt.” Jan 13, 10:40
Alf Baird on Governing For Beginners: “One wonders where the nation’s religious leaders are in the Rev’s revolutionary framework; more often than not to be seen…” Jan 13, 10:40
Captain Caveman on Governing For Beginners: “Frankly speaking, I “fkn” miss “Geri” about as much as piles. Her continued, protracted absence from posting 10+ items per…” Jan 13, 09:59
TURABDIN on Governing For Beginners: “@ ALF BAIRD @ FEARGHAS MAC FHIONNLAIGH & others SCOTLAND is immeasurably greater than the sum of its disparate, often…” Jan 13, 09:40
factchecker on Governing For Beginners: ““This is one of the topics that Salvo is trying to tell people about. It was a key part of…” Jan 13, 09:27
Hatey McHateface on Governing For Beginners: “There’s still hope for Scotland’s Oil, but first Scotland has to rid itself of the zealots in power who have…” Jan 13, 09:18
The Flying Iron of Doom on Governing For Beginners: “I like a good conspiracy theory as much as the next tube, but I’m just not seeing how this one…” Jan 13, 09:07
Hatey McHateface on Governing For Beginners: “Aye, Northy, turn that frown upside down. Things could be a lot worse. Check out the article on BBC Online…” Jan 13, 09:02
Hatey McHateface on Governing For Beginners: “Ah, c’moan noo, Aidan. I miss “Geri” more than just about any other poster on BTL. With some of her…” Jan 13, 08:54
Aidan on Governing For Beginners: “It’ll be interesting to see which accounts aren’t posting given the current internet blackout in Iran. “Geri” certainly springs to…” Jan 13, 08:27
