The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Cybernat of the week

Posted on February 01, 2014 by

Poor Anas Sarwar. He just can’t get anything right.

cybernatoftheday

Doing his best to join in with the Daily Mail’s month-long witch-hunt, Labour’s “deputy” leader in Scotland leaps on an abusive and disturbingly racist-looking comment aimed at him. It’s nasty all right. It could well qualify as “hate”. But who’s it from?

cotd2

Above is the rest of Sarwar’s tweet. Now, we have to assume he was objecting to the message from “Rick SWFC Rod” there, as the “part of the Taliban’s Scottish wing” line seems to be a pretty clear racist slur on Sarwar’s Pakistan Muslim heritage. The comments from Anthony Hamilton, while hostile, are deeply run-of-the-mill stuff, and Sarwar can’t possibly be highlighting them as such extreme abuse that they merit abandoning his usual policy of ignoring online attacks.

Rick seems a fairly contemptible individual. But is he a “cybernat”?

rickswfc

A Sheffield United fan from Manchester? It’s not the best start.

rickswfc2

He does sound like a sort of nationalist, we’ll grant you.

rickswfc3

We’re starting to form a picture.

rickswfc4

Now he’s actually starting to sound like he’s one of Anas’s.

rickswfc5

Your guess is as good as ours.

rickswfc6

Those damn Scotland-hating Nats!

Well, you get the idea. In his eagerness to defame supporters of independence, Sarwar has lashed out cluelessly at an English person living in England who seems rather a keen defender of the UK, much like Anas himself. That person’s racist comment has been sneakily attributed to Yes voters, and by extension to all “cybernats”. At the time of writing, despite these facts having been pointed out to him by several people, Sarwar has not deleted his tweet.

Smearing is an ugly, risky business. In a week where the Daily Mail and Labour MPs and MSPs have ganged up to harass and vilify innocent ordinary people posting perfectly legal comments on the internet using their own names and photographs, yet have then whined in other newspapers about being “bullied” by people who simply sought to find out whether an event took place or not, Anas Sarwar has crossed a very unpleasant line, whether through stupidity, laziness, malice or all three.

We’d expect to read about it in the media, if we were naive idiots.

137 to “Cybernat of the week”

  1. gordoz says:

    Sheffield Wednesday ?

    Reply
  2. Robert McAlpine says:

    Caught the comment and caught on strait away. But was looking forward to a fuol disection here.

    Reply
  3. steven luby says:

    I’ve said before and I will say it again,Scots Labour are about to implode. The sad fact is they won’t be missed but there are a number of ‘mature’ movements within Scotland to fill the vacume.

    Reply
  4. mogabee says:

    Anas is a poor wee thing…

    Apart from being really stupid.

    Reply
  5. Paula says:

    Sarwar is such a pillock- am I an offical cybernat now?

    Reply
  6. Ray says:

    This happens on twitter all the time. You read part of a tweet, and sometimes you really have to read five, six, seven tweets from different people to get a picture of the context. And even then it can be difficult because often people can’t quite convey the tone or meaning of what they’re trying to say when they type on the internet. Or, they’re just speaking shite.

    Ultimately though, it’s just funny that jumping in without actually thinking about it has happened to Sarwar now. Good stuff.

    Reply
  7. JLT says:

    Unbelievable… You honestly couldn’t make it up…

    but, then again… it’s Scottish Labour…

    Reply
  8. wee 162 says:

    Aye it’s Sheffield Wednesday rather than United. Fwiw I suggested to the boy who’d sent the original message apologising for responding to the pretty clearly racist tweet without comment. I don’t think that does any favours. I’d also say the average reading comprehension skills of BT supporters is woeful going by conversations which followed…

    Reply
  9. Alan Mackintosh says:

    Was that a fool disection you were looking for Robert?

    Reply
  10. HandandShrimp says:

    Does Anas actually ever engage his brain? (I’m sure a cybernat hasn’t really eaten his brains)

    Actually I am not sure the original tweet was about Pakistan, was perhaps the reference to the Scottish Taliban about the SNP? Did the chap confuse Anas with Hamza?

    Who cares it is Anas’s problem. He has called someone who looks like a UKOK type of being a cybernat. That is funny.

    Reply
  11. Aidan says:

    Well, Rick SWFC Rod describes himself as a ‘sufferer of fools’ so he presumably won’t mind Anas mistaking him for a CyberNat and using the tweet in this way.

    Reply
  12. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Sarwarballs meets Cyberfuddery.

    Reply
  13. In this context, this from Derek Bateman is very apposite:

    link to derekbateman1.wordpress.com

    Reply
  14. Anthony isn’t too happy about it, either, though. Screaming for an apology.

    Reply
  15. Angus McLellan says:

    What was Sarwar’s problem? I can remember journalists going on about a Turnip Taliban among the Conservative Party in East Anglia. And when it comes to Sarwars and the Taliban, Anas’s old man is working for the government which created the bloody Taliban and supports them to this day. So, as mindless insults on Twitter go, that one actually came close to the mark. At least it was aimed at the right family.

    Reply
  16. HandandShrimp says:

    This week has been quite an odd week. Who installed the big red self destruct button in UKOK HQ?

    link to themaresnest.files.wordpress.com

    Reply
  17. Doug Daniel says:

    I expect Blair McDougall to be telling everyone he can that this is “the true face of nationalism” and Kenny Farq to parrot the same line afterwards. Just like he has been repeating McDougall’s “young girls being filmed in the dark” verbatim without checking if such a thing had even happened.

    Reply
  18. orkers says:

    I think the friends that Andy Hamilton was referring to would be his Brit Labour colleagues.

    Hardly an inflammatory comment about Anas.

    No Anas was definitely referring to the English chappy Rodgers.

    Oops! for Anas.

    Reply
  19. G. Campbell says:

    Bloody cybernats!

    Rik SWFC Rod ?@rgrodgers 11 Oct 12
    @Aileen_Quigley @bbcthisweek The debate is portrayed as Scotts being anti English! Is it really necessary to be independent?

    Rik SWFC Rod ?@rgrodgers 11 Oct 12
    @Aileen_Quigley @bbcthisweek I hope we can all stay together and beat the shit out of the French! 🙂

    Rick SWFC Rod @rgrodgers · 8 Aug 2012
    Good to see the mighty SWFC put a good shift in tonight! 4-1 against the Scots will do me! #SWFC #Massive #UTO

    Rick SWFC Rod ?@rgrodgers 18 Sep
    @SkyNews Should be called “The Anti-English Vote” why can’t we all just get on for the common cause & look after each other!
    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  20. Bubbles says:

    Never mind Rev, I see George Foulden has his back.

    Reply
  21. Paul says:

    Surely Sarwar will be urging his Pakistani people to reunify with India then. Perhaps that was why he was over there instead of voting out the bedroom tax.

    Reply
  22. boglestone says:

    What he claimed was a cybernat attack turns out to be a bit of BetterTogether infighting.

    Oops.

    I hope the racist tweeter is dealt with appropriately.

    Reply
  23. Alfresco Dent says:

    We only need Euan McColm to chip and the Three Stooges are complete.

    Reply
  24. Andrew Morton says:

    I notice that Louise Morton’s son Sean, who is a Labour councillor in Moray, is trumpeting this on his Facebook account as being another example of the intolerance of the Nats.

    Reply
  25. Les Wilson says:

    Ian Brotherhood says: Cyberfuddery

    Ian I think you may have just invented another Scottish word?
    Have not seen it anywhere else. Very Apt!!!

    Reply
  26. TheGreatBaldo says:

    Right I might be wearing a tin foil hat and just no aware of it for suggesting this

    But ye know that photo of the car wi a U KOK sticker that got it’s rear window panned and then got reported in the Mail and The Sun….

    Which one of the Unionist twitter trolls on #indyref was the first to circulate it online ?

    As I recall the hack from the Mail reached out to one of them earlier in the week…

    Reply
  27. Andy-B says:

    Sounds like Mr Sarwar’s grasping at straws with this one, its getting to the stage with this guy that if someone even looks at him the wrong way, they’re a cybernat. on the upside it appears Mr Sarwar is becoming jittery, when he’s decide to take his wrath out on English union supporter.

    Not so much Rule Britannia, as Oh Britannia.

    Reply
  28. msean says:

    I would think that there won’t be many Sheffield Wednesday fans who vote yes.There might be,but I don’t think so some how.

    Reply
  29. G. Campbell says:

    Humza Yousaf was called Taliban on twitter a while back. It was a tweet from one of those British Unity/The Rangers/SDL types. Can’t find it on twitter search, though. It’s probably been deleted.

    Reply
  30. Gfaetheblock says:

    The comments were between two twitter users, reading @1974hamilton’s feed was a pretty nauseating experience.

    Reply
  31. Peter A Bell says:

    Can we assume that Anas Sarwar is equally incensed by this comment from last Wednesday’s Scotsman?

    Ancient Wisdom

    10:16 AM on 29/01/2013

    Salmond hates a level playing field. Only news favouring SNP will be allowed under the Tartan Taleban

    Reply
  32. Desimond says:

    Regardless of actual subject matter or the personell involved, tomorrows Headlines will cover poor Anas being a target of vile racial abuse, in line with recent questionable Cybernat abuse on Social Media. No extensive details given or asked for, job done.

    #sadbuttrue

    Reply
  33. Findlay Farquaharson says:

    i find it difficult to believe people of the quality of sarwar, lamont etc can make it in scottish politics, the worst ones all seem to come out of glasgow. people of glasgow deserve better.

    Reply
  34. Andy-B says:

    Re; Rick and Sheffield Wednesday FC, I see in times gone by they won the Cromwell Cup, named after Oliver Cromwell,who liked to invade Scotland now and again, it got me thinking why don’t we in Scotland have a William Wallace or a Robert the Bruce cup.

    link to en.wikipedia.org

    Reply
  35. Angus McLellan says:

    @Paul: No need for Union with India, just ending Pakistani government incitement of terrorism in India would do a lot to make both countries Better Together. After that, perhaps Pakistan could stop backing terrorists in Afghanistan, but they’ve been at that so long that I wouldn’t hold out much hope.

    Reply
  36. Charles P. Kearney says:

    The fact is that Anas Sarwar, nor any of the other Project Fear Poltroons, has any fear of saying whatever they like, mistaken, downright Lie or indeed, Libelous, as it will not even be reported by the English Owned Foreign Press sold here in Scotland, nor The BBC or STV Television for which we are forced to pay a License Fee in order to be even able to watch TV.

    There is now Documented Proof of Bias in both the TV Companies—but it has not even been mentioned in any of their News Bulletins!

    Mr. Sarwar is an incompetent, but do leave him in place as he shows up what Labour has become in Scotland!

    Reply
  37. Norrie says:

    I for one would like to see all the tweets Mr Sawar has recieved from ‘cybernat trolls’. I simply do not believe he would miss the opportunity to undermine in any way he could the online Scottish nationalists. Until he does produce proof I will continue to believe they are a figment of his fevered mind.

    Reply
  38. Archie [not Erchie] says:

    @ Andrew Morton – Oh the councillor and mother hen et al from Fochabers raise their heads again. I am sure you recall Maggies Fair last summer, well documented here on WOS. I wonder how that will go this year? Drunken Yes activists sing Flower of Scotland and are put in the village stocks.

    Reply
  39. mato21 says:

    Have to disagree Finlay. The people of Glasgow had a choice and they chose these loser and have done so over and over again

    Reply
  40. Jimsie says:

    Clearly, the bold Sarwar thinks that Manchester and Sheffield are in Scotland. Just how do empty heads like him get elected ?.

    Reply
  41. Desimond says:

    Does anyone see or hear the name Anas Sarwar and immediately get that feeling of total non-interest. The guy is destined to follow his Dad forever, totally free of any true impact in any of our lives.

    The quicker we all confirm that fact to him and his Labour non-entities the better.

    Reply
  42. G. Campbell says:

    The purging of Unionists on twitter has begun. Rick SWFC Rod’s account has been removed. Well done, Anas.

    Reply
  43. Croompenstein says:

    mato21 – I have always wondered why the weegies vote for Labour nutters it just defy’s logic

    Reply
  44. uilleam_beag says:

    That’s mental. Rick SWFC Rod’s comments were indefensible (and it should go without saying that Anthony Hamilton’s response was a bit rash) but it says a lot about the psychology of Anas Sarwar and George Foulkes that they believed it could only have been posted by a “cybernat”, without bothering to check the details.

    Reply
  45. rab-the-doubter says:

    Just a thought here. Has anyone considered that there might be a lot of ‘false flag’ twitter acccounts out there. After all how many people actually check the credentials of whoever is responsible.
    OT and unrelated, im still waiting for a reponse from the right horrible Helen Lidell re her disgusting support of Lord Lang’s reprehensible comments re war dead. In the unlikely event that I get an answer watch this space.

    Reply
  46. G. Campbell says:

    Send any CyberBrit twitter abuse you can find to @AnasSarwar and pretend it’s 100% cybernat. We’ll have this referendum won by March, folks.

    Reply
  47. boglestone says:

    @mato21

    There is still a lot of ingrained Labour tribalism in Glasgow due to it’s radical left-wing past. Unfortunately people seem to vote for the party not the man. Much to this Glaswegian’s eternal despair.

    Reply
  48. joe kane says:

    The embarrassing Baron Foulkes is on twitter making a personal appeal to Alex Salmond’s decency to call off the CyberNat trolls as if Salmond is personally ordering attacks on on Anas Sarwar.

    Who in their right mind would make such an appeal to the leaders of the 3 unionist parties to call off their CyberBrit trolls?

    This is real tinfoil hat conspiracy theory stuff. To peddle propaganda conspiracy theories about an organised network of cybertrolls is one thing, but to behave in public as if it’s true and Dr Evil in Bute House is in direct control of them, directing their evil, is something else entirely.

    Reply
  49. kendomacaroonbar says:

    Sarwar – Cyberprat

    Reply
  50. Gary Nisbett says:

    Anas Sarwar reminds me of the wee girl in just William. .I’ll scweem and scweem until I’m sick..

    Reply
  51. Smith says:

    The MSM might ×maybe× actually start calling out this kind of stuff when YES hits 60%+ and becomes the normalised view of Scots. I see it on QT and other programs, where the audience won’t stand to be taken for fools and shout Anas down.

    Reply
  52. Desimond says:

    @Joe Kane

    Its another example of how yesterdays men ( i.e Unionist MPs) don’t understand the modern world and their own insignificance within it.

    Reply
  53. Thepnr says:

    No Ken not Cyberprat, Cyberfud.

    Reply
  54. John Bell says:

    BritNat Cyberfuddery mission statement – “No barrel ever knowingly left unscraped”.

    Reply
  55. Mary Bruce says:

    Sarwar jumped on this tweet so quickly that it wouldn’t surprise me if he’d been desperately longing for it to arrive all week. I bet he was privately thrilled to see it appear; re-tweeting it instantly without checking where it came from, such was his eagerness to get on the cybernat-watch bandwagon.

    What a fool he has made of himself (again).

    Reply
  56. heedtracker says:

    No doubt the noble and true Daily Mail twerps that went after those perfectly decent YES voters in Scotland last week are dashing to Manchester right now, camera’s at the ready to photograph said Rick and his family leaving his house, insult him in double page spread, expose private info about him, job, address etc

    Reply
  57. mato21 says:

    boglestone

    I agree with you and sympathise for the plight you find yourself in but that does not alter the fact that those who do vote for Labour and those who choose to stay at home have no right to complain nor have we any right to complain on their behalf

    Reply
  58. alexicon says:

    The trouble with Sarwar, Murphy and even the DM is that they know their doom and gloom message is not being heard because we’re countering their lies on comment boards, in pubs and even on the door step.
    So attack the messanger.

    They don’t like the fact that they can’t spout off and everyone should autimatically believe them

    O/T.

    Goan yourselve Taxi drivers.

    Taxis To Drive YES Vote

    If I ever see one of these Taxis I’ll wave it down and give the driver a fare just for the hell of it, a good tip will also follow.

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  59. Clancheif says:

    Sarwar got the job of mp through nepotism and when you listen tae him in an interview or when ye see some of his tweets you know that he holds a position way way way above his intellectual capacity

    Reply
  60. HandandShrimp says:

    Is it just me or has there been a huge, massive attempt to play the man not the ball by BT and all their supporters since it became apparent that the polls were closing and the doom mongering was clearly failing them. We are being compared to Nazis on a daily basis, people swear and curse us, call us Quislings, and every attempt to hold BT to honesty is called creepy. The press and BBC whose job it is is to check to see if BT’s claims are true do nothing. they support every accusation and every lie.

    BT wring their hands and cry crocodile tears and say the debate is getting nasty but it is self evident that they are by far the nastier players. From the top to the bottom. Lang and his weird purloining of the dead to Carlews frankly bizarre antipathy to eagles (is this why so many landowners poison them?). I seriously doubt this will play well with the undecided voters because they have eyes and they can see what is being said and who is saying it.

    Reply
  61. Flower of Scotland says:

    I thought you had to have a THICK SKIN to be a Politician !!
    Poor wee scone ! I think he needs some LUUUUUVE !

    Reply
  62. SquareHaggis says:

    Now, now nae sawar grapes noo…

    Reply
  63. alexicon says:

    Good advertising for Wings Rev, on Taxis?

    Reply
  64. Embradon says:

    Archie [not Erchie] says:

    @ Andrew Morton – Oh the councillor and mother hen et al from Fochabers raise their heads again.

    I thought Sean had gone a bit quiet on Twitter. I used to reply to some of his anti SNP twittering, always using polite and respectful language.

    It appears however that he has blocked me from following him. Seems Moray Labour are no keener on debating on social media than they are at village fairs.

    He is part of the anti-SNP coalition that are making a sick joke of Moray Council.

    Reply
  65. Big Jock says:

    I suppose it now doesn’t matter to the no campaign who they attach to the SNP.If there is something racist or sectarian online blame cybernats.The trouble is that the people Anas chooses to get into bed with are the very ones that are small minded Brit nats. Anas is backing Queen and empire against Scottish democracy.Its a strange and twisted world that Scotlab Brit bats occupy.

    Reply
  66. ronnie anderson says:

    kendomacaroonbar, Quik send that tae Sarwar Cyberprat,a wee ajustment on oor Cybernat, fur the Techno dept, Illpay the postage 1st class.

    Reply
  67. Flower of Scotland says:

    The trouble is with Anas is that he never listens . He always shouts his opponents down in a debate ! I think he needs a bit of Mothering and told how to behave PROPERLY in Scotland !

    Reply
  68. The Penman says:

    Anas, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

    Reply
  69. Andy-B says:

    I had a wee go at the Hitler Youtube thing.

    Reply
  70. Creag an Tuirc says:

    So, it’s safe to assume that there has never been any evidence of any evil cybernat tweets to innocent Britnats prior to this or there would have been an uproar just like this wee thing. 🙂

    Reply
  71. McHaggis says:

    Andy-B —->

    Belter!

    Reply
  72. SquareHaggis says:

    Tartan vests© eh Andy?

    You coud be onto somethin therr 😀

    Reply
  73. Dal Riata says:

    As Mary Bruce says, no doubt Sarwar was just hoping upon hope that someone would tweet something even slightly abusive about, or directed at, him so that he could give it, ‘See! See! That’s those evil – and coordinated! – Cybernats at it again! Just look at what’s been said about me!’

    And in his over-excited rush to proclaim to the world of his mistreatment by pro-independence Cybernats (a falsehood)… he makes a complete diddy of himself… again.

    If that’s all that Better Together, incorporating Scottish [sic] Labour and their friends in the Daily Mail, have got to get oh-so-outraged about then their tea’s oot – and it’s gettin’ cold already.

    Reply
  74. gillie says:

    The Owls are known for their cybernattery

    Reply
  75. Findlay Farquaharson says:

    hes a liar, smearmerchant and thoroughly dishonest little self serving lickspittle, deserves everything thrown at him in my opinion.

    Reply
  76. liz says:

    It is obvious since the BT lot found out that their message is being lost because of sites such as WoS that they are trying to demonise folk who post on-line.

    But it is now too late for that, if they had done this a year or so ago, they might have succeeded in getting some sites closed down, but there are now too many informed people from all walks of life and that is their mistake.

    When you’ve got a 102 yr old ‘Desert rat’ criticising Ian Lang for his misjudged remarks -‘I don’t remember seeing him on any battlefields’- they are losing.

    Reply
  77. Croompenstein says:

    Aw poor Anas the wee sowl, the next train on platform one is the 18:09 Westminster gravy train heading to oblivion, Mr Sarwar make sure you are oan it

    Reply
  78. fairiefromtheearth says:

    Andy-b fekking magic

    Reply
  79. gman says:

    And now foulkes seems to be claiming sarwar was not complaining about the racist Taliban tweet but the one later…

    Reply
  80. twenty14 says:

    Andy-B – Belter Get that out there. Good start to my Saturday evening

    Reply
  81. The Penman says:

    Nice one Andy. Although at the end I did wonder if “do you have tartan shorts” was going to segue into John Barrowman…*shudders*

    Reply
  82. SquareHaggis says:

    Might have one to fit JLo

    link to tinyurl.com

    Reply
  83. boglestone says:

    George Foulkes – cyberlord

    Reply
  84. Anthony Hamilton says:

    Hi I’m Anthony Hamilton,

    I made the comment that i believe Mr Sarwar and his friends ( the labour party ! ) are a greater threat to Scotland then any Terrorist group,

    Since making this comment I’ve been inundated by messages calling me racist and demanding my arrest !

    To clarify my statement is political opinion !

    If anyone has an issue with that, please feel free to contact me directly !

    Regards

    Anthony

    Reply
  85. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Foulkes is Cyberfud-General, or General Cyberfud, whichever you prefer…he started it, and he did it on purpose! So there!

    Reply
  86. Murray McCallum says:

    It’s ironic that this anti-foreigner, little Englander, Sheffield supporter is exactly the kind of UKIP-type voter that New OneNation Labour are pandering to.

    Reply
  87. Ian Brotherhood says:

    ‘Cybernobs’ are another lot – those specialising in Negativity, Obfuscation and Belligerence. (Cochers, for example, is a very senior Cybernob.)

    Reply
  88. Paul says:

    Sorry to go O/T again but on the BBC i player on a programme called Dateline London there is a interesting discussion about Carney’s visit to Scotland and the referendum it is actually a very good watch I highly recommend it.

    Reply
  89. Croompenstein says:

    Ah awl Baron “whisky worrier, hit the polis, it wiz just a scratch oan yer car” Foulkes jumps tae the defence of Anas. who’d have thocht it

    Reply
  90. HandandShrimp says:

    And now foulkes seems to be claiming sarwar was not complaining about the racist Taliban tweet but the one later…

    So Foulkes is cool with casual racism but not a Yes supporter saying that a No vote is likely to cause more damage to the future of Scotland than any terrorist threat?

    He isn’t bright and he isn’t a democrat….obviously, he is an unelected Lord, the antithesis of democracy.

    Reply
  91. Ian Brotherhood says:

    ‘Cybersaps’ are Susceptible, Asinine Plonkers who unquestioningly believe, and repeat, whatever BT propaganda they are capable of regurgitating.

    Reply
  92. jammach says:

    I’m normally quite quiet, but I rather simmered over tonight and have just had a very enjoyable 30 minutes adding in to the correction of George Foulkes behaviour on Twitter. Quite Cathartic. I should do it more often. George has gone rather quiet. I think his batteries ran out.

    Reply
  93. Findlay Farquaharson says:

    getting his dads constituency then handed scottish deputy leader surely put a few noses out of joint.

    Reply
  94. Ian Brotherhood says:

    The ‘Cyberfoulk’ is a Follower of Unbelievably Laughable Keech.

    Reply
  95. Croompenstein says:

    @watch oot Findlay he’ll brand you a racist, ye cannae fart in his direction withoot getting branded a racist FFS

    Reply
  96. Ian Brotherhood says:

    The ‘Cyberslab’ is a Stunted, Lazy Auld Bawbag who abandoned the ability to think critically (usually more than three decades ago).

    Reply
  97. crisiscult says:

    posted this on Bateman’s blog too – about what seems to be happening to the debate. Not sure if it’s properly called poisoning the well or guilt by association, but if enough stories are published of the type that links independence with intolerance etc then you increasingly get companies banning staff from talking about it because they think it leads to tension and arguments. Further, independence supporters may think they have to preface their discussions with statements such as ‘Some of my best friends are English; Pakistani, etc’ and as soon as that happens you’re on the defensive.

    Posters here probably talk about independence all the time, and we know how so many people are soft No’s or undecided. They are very persuadable. So the establishment doesn’t want us talking to them. I think they’re going to have to pull out the big guns to keep Scotland in the Union though. Every sign I get from my daily life is that as soon as people really internalise the possibility that the media is lying, then it’s just a matter of time…

    Reply
  98. Ian Brotherhood says:

    ‘Cybernob’ (2):

    A BT enthusiast whose online activities have No Obvious Benefit for the movement.

    Reply
  99. Macart says:

    Well you can bet this post will have reached the poor delicate soul by this point. If there’s any part of him that isn’t career party, then surely he must be feeling a wee bit stupid by now? Wonder if he’ll apologise or brass it out?

    Reply
  100. Murray McCallum says:

    ‘Cybernob’

    Nibler of certain oaty biscuits while online?

    Reply
  101. G H Graham says:

    It would come as no surprise to read in the news one day that the Taliban have been accepted by the Afghanistan and/or Pakistani governments as legitimate political parties. So what then of accusing someone with Taliban sympathies?

    Odd? Well, Sinn Fein was circumvented by the British Government in 1991 but that didn’t stop the Americans getting involved with Gerry Adams. The Good Friday agreement was eventually reached, conditional on a paramilitary cease fire, sanction by guess who, Sinn Fein.

    But leaving that aside, does calling someone who supports Scottish independence a “Braveheart” not fall into the same category; casually racist?

    Whatever we can conclude I think we can all agree that when arguments are reduced to puerile, name calling based upon nothing more than ill informed, bias or prejudice, then the argument isn’t even worth making.

    Anas Sarwar’s ability to tell the truth might be seriously questioned because we can use historical records & evidence to make a solid argument. But calling him names that might be considered derogatory/defamatory/bigoted/racist doesn’t help anyone.

    Reply
  102. jingly jangly says:

    Sheffield Wednesday – Whats the matter with St Mirren?

    Andy-B Brilliant, loved it.

    Reply
  103. Linda's back says:

    Whilst the pro Scotland YES campaign should always accentuate the positive arguments for independence, is it not time some of us pointed out the UKIP / BNP supporters of NO Scotland vile internet campaign of personal abuse of Alex Salmond / Nicola Sturgeon / Patick Harvie in cyperspace.

    Perhaps Sarwar’s outburst is an an attempt to deflect attention from revelations that he is sending his son to £9000 a year private school.

    To be fair Anas Sarwar is a product of the Indian / Pakistani dynasty of millionaire political elitist families who think they have a divine right to rule.

    A couple of days ago I watched the 25 year old chinless Eton educated grandson of Benazir Bhutto (who was much better than the alternatives on offer) staking his claim to enter Pakistani politics by opposing the Talaban.

    Reply
  104. velofello says:

    @ Andy-B; I was quite absorbed in that episode. When is the next one? Great stuff.

    Reply
  105. Desimond says:

    Andy-B – Magic. Sure there’ll be plenty of scope for these in future.

    A London based Scot who is always negative on Scotland – A cybercant

    Reply
  106. Steve says:

    LOL Sarwar really is a bawheid. But thank God he exposed those British bigots apparently they don’t exist in the independence campaign only Scottish Nationalists can be xenophobic racist bigots.

    Reply
  107. Croompenstein says:

    O/T link to crossrail.co.uk , link to news.sky.com , link to hs2.org.uk – Better Together aye right Flipper!

    Reply
  108. Ian Brotherhood says:

    A ‘Cyberpole’ is a Purveyor of Lies Extraordinaire. Not many good ones around – they have to be very confident and display a preternatural, nay phobic aversion to anything factual.

    e.g. Hothershall is an aspiring ‘Cyberpole’, whereas Alistair Darling IS one (with knobs on).

    Reply
  109. Ian Brotherhood says:

    @Desimond –

    re ‘Cybercant’.

    Nice one.

    You came perilously close to the one I dare not address.

    (Let me finish this Lambrini…)

    Reply
  110. Ian Brotherhood says:

    @Murray McCallum –

    That’s a decent stab, but I believe the correct word for the person you describe, in strictly Cyberological terms, is a ‘Cyberhobnobnibbler’.

    (Extremely rare. I’m afraid there are no reliable accounts of first-hand sightings on record.)

    Reply
  111. John Bell says:

    AndyB – with your kind permission I have already shared the union jack shorts on Facebook.
    You, sir, are a genius!!!

    Reply
  112. call me dave says:

    Croompenstein

    Aye ‘better together’ with us chipping in. Try this one too!

    Britain’s hopes of a nuclear energy renaissance were thrown into fresh doubt on Friday as the European Commission published a damning 70-page critique arguing that a landmark subsidy deal for the first new plant may constitute illegal state aid.

    EDF’s proposed £16bn plant, at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, could be profitable even without the consumer-funded subsidies that could total £17.6bn, the EC said.

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  113. morgan mc says:

    @ Linda’s back
    Is this the sort of UKIP front bench you object too?

    link to ukipne.org

    Reply
  114. Edward says:

    Croompenstien
    Better add the following
    link to londonpowertunnels.co.uk
    (cost £773 million as at 2011)

    Reply
  115. Linda's back says:

    Mogan mc

    No just Falangist comments about Scotland’s right to self determination which is why right wing extremist UKIP can do no better than getting a record high of 7% in a low poll by election in Scotland.

    Reply
  116. Defo says:

    @ AndyB, Quality. Best laugh in ages, pished ma tartan y’s though.
    @ Ian Brotherhood… It may have been suggested already, but with Anus’ reflexive spitting the dummy out, would he qualify as a Cyberbrat?
    Baron Fu is obviously Cyberitic, with lovely Kezia his former Cyberant.

    Reply
  117. Edward says:

    Just reading Sunday Herald twitter feed, stating confirming new poll shows gap narrowing plus how indy spells an existential crisis for Ulster

    Reply
  118. Norrie says:

    Anthony Hamilton.

    Hi Anthony I can see no problem with your tweet, unfortunate it was in a thread that contained the Talaban ref which made it look bad. I think if you were to search the MSM would could find many far worse comparisons. You have nothing to apologise for so don’t.

    Reply
  119. scottish_skier says:

    Just reading Sunday Herald twitter feed, stating confirming new poll shows gap narrowing plus how indy spells an existential crisis for Ulster

    Could be either TNS or MORI. Been wondering where they are as they’re supposed to be polling monthly now but been over a month since we’ve had a new one from either.

    Reply
  120. call me dave says:

    Don’t get too excited with new poll. Yet!

    link to archive.is

    Reply
  121. Gaavster says:

    Some details of new polls here SS

    link to snp.org

    Reply
  122. Gaavster says:

    And here

    link to blog.whatscotlandthinks.org

    Reply
  123. scottish_skier says:

    Don’t get too excited with new poll. Yet!

    No that’s just fine. TNS has a ‘shy Yes’ problem. The shyness is being slowly eroded.

    No has fallen by 10 points since its TNS peak. That’s all we need to know right now. Was false anyway; just like Labour’s lead entering 2011. People telling porkies…

    More 38 Y / 42 N when you correct.

    Reply
  124. scottish_skier says:

    I’ve always said we’d see parity as we entered 2014. I see nothing to change that view.

    No had their (largely false) peak late 2012. That’s over now as the real campaign begins.

    Reply
  125. creigs1707repeal says:

    O/T Apologies

    Got 10/3 (almost 3/1) from Ladbrokes tonight for YES to win the referendum. The odds are tumbling fast. Ireckong by March it’ll be 2/1 and evens by May. Interesting conversation ensued as I discussed the referendum with the two staff. Turns out they are both definite YES voters. Their simple view was that a No vote was a vote against their own country. They seemed quite knowledgable about the issues and well aware of the nonsense coming out of Project Feart, the MSM and the BBC. Uplifting and inspiring.

    Reply
  126. Early Ball says:

    Much prefer 10/3 to 3/1 Creigs1707! Odds are fair changing!

    Reply
  127. Ronnie says:

    Just having a wee bedtime dram while catching up on blogs.

    Does that make me a ‘cyberimbiber’?

    Reply
  128. Andy Wood says:

    After observing from a respectable distance for quite some time I have come to the conclusion that Anas is such a clown that his big red nose leads him astray too often. Just hope the doors didn’t blow off his car wherever he set off to educate and inform the masses. Dearie me.

    Reply
  129. Andy Wood says:

    Oh. That probably makes me a Cybernat. Badges already ordered Saturday morning. Can’t wait.

    Reply
  130. squarego says:

    I’ll be happy when we get the debate back onto the compelling and positive case for a strong, successful independent Sccotland. This should be our aim right now

    Their only play is to drag us into the murky land of Twitter and get us bogged down in he said, she said.

    Let’s get back to the high ground and stay there. We will win.

    Reply
  131. Taranaich says:

    I must say, it’s real hard for me to muster any sympathy for people greeting about people calling them nasty words on the internet when people I care about are starving and freezing under the system those same people are trying to perpetuate.

    Sorry Lords, Ladies, Peers and other reptiles, you don’t get the luxury of my being polite to you. Boots-on-the-ground campaigners are one thing, but you people are doing measurable harm to the people I love. Andy is indeed right: the current and preceding governments have done more harm to the people of the UK than any number of terrorists have. 10,000 people are DEAD after having their benefits sanctioned. Hundreds of died of complications from malnutrition or hypothermia because they couldn’t afford to eat and sleep.

    Yeah, sorry, I’m not going to lose any sleep over the “debate” being “soiled” because some precious, manipulative, lying little creatures want to change the meaning of abuse. You want to talk about abuse? Explain how you will fight to retain a union which might well see people in my family DIE because Ian Duncan Smith thinks he’s Wilberforce. Explain why I’m supposed to feel sorry for poor wee Kezia or George or Anas because some people they’ll never meet had something unkind to say to them when they’re members of a party which have impoverished my family for no reason than to line their banker friends’ pockets.

    No sympathy and no patience. They don’t deserve it.

    Reply
  132. jimogroats says:

    Just a thought:

    ohnonoughts

    or ohnoes for short

    Reply
  133. Desimond says:

    @Ian Brotherhood

    re Cybercant….just say it in a London accent and you get the phrase you were thinking of.

    Reply
  134. Naturally, he won’t fix it. He’s 100% wrong about the source, but won’t fix it. Seriously. WTH ?

    Reply
  135. Ian Brotherhood says:

    @Desimond –

    Ha!

    Indeed. Cockneys do it well. Derek and Clive…oh, the banter…

    Reply
  136. The Grew says:

    Will you be seeing more of this legislation being used?

    link to en.wikipedia.org

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)

    Stats: 6,731 Posts, 1,215,548 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • sarah on The Groomer’s Shield: “@ Lorn at 4.33: “Absolutely no point in being independent if this is how an independent Scotland is going to…Apr 14, 17:20
    • Morgatron on The Groomer’s Shield: “Thanks Stu for all your hard work and endeavour with this. Shocking but alas not surprising.Apr 14, 17:19
    • Lewis Moonie on The Groomer’s Shield: “Another wanker sucking at the public tit.Apr 14, 17:16
    • Hatey McHateface on SNP 2025 Update: “Fa’s this current genocide than? And how come raisins are being left alone? Can they afford to be unconcerned? Do…Apr 14, 17:15
    • TenaciousV on The Groomer’s Shield: “If I were to ask my MSP to get me this information could theyrefuse her I wonder?Apr 14, 17:13
    • Hatey McHateface on The Groomer’s Shield: ““Your Honour, the People of Scotland have reached their verdicts and find as follows on the charges. Too wee: Not…Apr 14, 17:02
    • twathater on The Groomer’s Shield: “I commend you and thank you for your unwavering commitment to EXPOSE the vile and depraved actions these perverts and…Apr 14, 16:57
    • Yoon Scum on The Groomer’s Shield: “It’s slightly worse then that As the charities rely on government funding AND It is made perfectly clear to them…Apr 14, 16:44
    • Antoine Roquentin on The Groomer’s Shield: “What a dangerous wee country, we all call home.Apr 14, 16:37
    • Yoon Scum on The Groomer’s Shield: “Same here I won’t just the SNP to tie shoelaces If only for the fact they’d probably nick them And…Apr 14, 16:35
    • Lorn on The Groomer’s Shield: “Thank you, thank you, Rev. Have been saying this for so long. Absolutely no point in independence if this is…Apr 14, 16:33
    • Yoon Scum on The Groomer’s Shield: “Scottish nationalist problem solving Step 1 – Identify problem Step 2 – leave the union Step 3 – magic happens…Apr 14, 16:29
    • Geri on The Groomer’s Shield: “A parliament oath/ constitution for a start. Remember, no one voted for this bullshit. It was just inflicted onto every…Apr 14, 16:27
    • Eddie Munster on The Groomer’s Shield: “If you need the threat of hell and eternal damnation to keep in line, then you are not a good…Apr 14, 16:26
    • joolz on The Groomer’s Shield: “Campaigning for independence means ensuring that we have a government that we would trust to negotiate a settlement with Westminster.…Apr 14, 16:21
    • sarah on The Groomer’s Shield: “Oh my goodness. Is this too much of a coincidence? Well done AnonfaeFifefor digging this nugget out. As Alex Salmond…Apr 14, 16:21
    • Geri on The Groomer’s Shield: “These charities all need removed from government funding immediately. They’re unelected & a front to push policies & influence their…Apr 14, 16:18
    • Vivian O’Blivion on The Groomer’s Shield: ““ … organisations that are being run properly have nothing to fear from scrutiny and openness”. This could apply equally…Apr 14, 16:17
    • Geri on SNP 2025 Update: “Oh do pipe down. Replace islam with Judaism & you’re already there bending the knee to capitulate, welcome in laws…Apr 14, 15:41
    • Andy Wiltshire on The Groomer’s Shield: “How will independence make dealing with this kind of issue any easier?Apr 14, 15:29
    • Mark Beggan on The Groomer’s Shield: “Advice for people entering the afterlife. Don’t join any queues.Apr 14, 15:28
    • Captain Caveman on SNP 2025 Update: “The sort of people who deride the Laffer Curve are the same sort of people who ignore plain empirical facts,…Apr 14, 15:22
    • AnonfaeFife on The Groomer’s Shield: “Alert readers might be interested that current chair of OSCR is the retired Rev Graham Forbes OBE of the Episcopal…Apr 14, 15:21
    • Jay on SNP 2025 Update: “YS. Maybe you are so thick that you think the Laffer curve means what you say. I am not highly…Apr 14, 15:20
    • Terry on The Groomer’s Shield: “Thank you for this. Your dogged determination on this matter is so appreciated. This slimy sexualisation of children, removal of…Apr 14, 15:17
    • AntonDecadent on The Groomer’s Shield: “A hostile bureaucratic closed shop. On X I mentioned chatting to someone who coaches Scottish funding bodies on DEI and…Apr 14, 15:11
    • Andy Storrie on The Groomer’s Shield: “It makes zero sense to replace actual activism and campaigning for independence with activities like this. Especially at a point…Apr 14, 15:07
    • Yoon Scum on The Groomer’s Shield: “There is a wee bit too much of “charities” in Scotland relying on government money And those “charities” then being…Apr 14, 15:06
    • Yoon Scum on The Groomer’s Shield: “Scotland REALLY has a problem with transparency when it comes to the state Not a unique problem to Scotland by…Apr 14, 15:02
    • Mark Beggan on The Groomer’s Shield: “Thank God there’s a hell. Keeps most of us on the right path.Apr 14, 15:01
  • A tall tale



↑ Top