We’ve just taken delivery of some REALLY interesting polling results, readers, but it’s going to take a while to fully analyse and write them up, so in the meantime let’s look at some slightly less interesting ones which came from the same poll – the Norstat one commissioned by the Sunday Times and published today, which we hitched a lift on.
The headline figures show an eight-point Yes lead, which is nice, although it’s also entirely abstract since the SNP has no current policy for translating independence support into actual independence (or even another referendum about it).
All the same, it seemed a good time to assess the wider picture.
If you’re a fan of lazy, superficial political analysis from the mentally unwell, you might have read this week about John Swinney’s great strategic triumph of having “coaxed” an “endorsement” out of the Daily Record for Thursday’s by-election in Hamilton.
And if so, you might be forgiven for thinking that that analysis looks pretty stupid now.
(Holiday Boy is still jetting his way around the globe, and indeed will be for the next few weeks, so in the absence of cartoons what else can we do but look at comics?)
But what, if anything, do those front pages tell us?
Alert readers will be familiar with this site’s ongoing quest for an explanation as to why controversy-plagued charity LGBT Youth Scotland continues to operate in dozens of Scottish primary and even nursery schools, pushing gender ideology onto children as young as four despite only having a remit to support 13-25-year-olds.
Last month we were, to coin a phrase, stonewalled by Scotland’s charity regulator, the OSCR, but we filed a review request and today we received – a couple of weeks past the deadline – a response.
The entire Scottish media and professional-politician community is currently in a self-righteous froth about a campaign ad being run by Reform for the Hamilton by-election targeting Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Obviously none of the acres of press coverage trusts voters to see the ad and decide for themselves, because that simply isn’t how journalism works nowadays. You’re told that a bad thing happened – whether it be a campaign ad, a comedian’s joke or the supposed terrible abuse sent to a celebrity – and how outraged various pundits or other celebrities are about it, with the clear implication that you should feel the same, but you almost never get shown or told what was actually said.
So to start with, as a basic journalistic principle, here’s the ad itself in its entirety.
Now let’s look at what you’re being ordered to think about it.
Don Paterson is a celebrated Scottish poet, writer and musician. The essay below comes from a new anthology of Scottish writers called Irish Pages: Scotland, and is reproduced with his permission.
Remember The Vow? Most of us have tried to forget it. This was Westminster’s Hail Mary as polling day approached in the 2014 referendum; a vote that Yessers – people tend to forget this part too – initially had no real expectation of winning, until an inspirationally positive campaign saw the polls draw neck-and-neck.
Then lo! There it was, splashed across the Daily Record: a fancy-font promise from Westminster party leaders that if Scotland voted to stay within the UK, we would enjoy new devolved powers. There was some other waffle about defence and opportunities and having an equal share in the UK’s prosperity. But the message was clear enough. We would be listened to.
The Scottish Tory MSP reacted furiously to a story in The National which said Scotland had been absorbed into England by the 1707 Act Of Union, rather than becoming a “partner” in anything, and had ceased to exist as a state in international law.
Which was a weird response, because that’s been the official stated position of both the UK government and the Conservative Party for at least the last 12 years.
Despite everything, we almost allowed ourselves just the very tiniest little micro-flicker of optimism when we read Tommy Sheppard’s latest in The National.
Because that much is certainly true, and it’s uncommonly candid to have anyone in the SNP admit it. So what’s the answer?
(Kelly’s article is here. Link to Grok’s answer here. The ChatGPT analysis that triggered the article can be read in this tweet thread. A verifiable analysis by Grok of the debate, based on a neutral question, can be read here.)
The legal imprint at the bottom means that that’s official SNP election communication. One assumes it’s intended for leaflets to be put through actual voters’ letterboxes.
Hi! I noticed, with very considerable amusement, your complaint last night that I hadn’t made a “substantive reply” to the [EDIT] EIGHT posts (totalling nearly 11,000 words) of semi-coherent ranting about me that you’ve made on your site in the last eight days.
(I’ll be absolutely honest, I’ve only skimmed the last few.)
We both know the reason that’s so tear-streamingly comical, of course.
James Che on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Lorncal, What homework are you asking me to do for you exactly?” Mar 10, 15:53
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “It appears I have been volunteered for something I did not volunteer for 😮” Mar 10, 14:49
Captain Caveman on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““Facts eh? They never are a yoons strong point.” Yeah, silly me eh? Here am I, thinking that murdering tens…” Mar 10, 14:32
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““I’m not one of them and much prefer it when you get another enforced “break”)” FYI, I’ve never had an…” Mar 10, 14:08
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Oh do piss off. The whole world knows those protesters were protesting America crushing their economy. Even Bessent, over at…” Mar 10, 14:02
Captain Caveman on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““Iran isn’t totalitarian.” Oh really, “Geri”? They were literally hosing down thousands of their own innocent men, women and children…” Mar 10, 13:00
100%Yes on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Have you seen the latest article from the bitter and twisted ScotGoesMadonIndy.” Mar 10, 12:48
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Dig deep. Your grifters need you. Mind and ask not fit they can dae fer ye.” Mar 10, 12:47
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Yet again, Alf, havers. The Scots, as sovereign people, never went into the EU’s precursor. It was the UK that…” Mar 10, 12:43
Lorncal on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “It’s really not, James/Hatey. Let’s find out, shall we? Post the SE?” Mar 10, 12:40
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “‘Iran does practice (forceable) gender transitions’ Whit? Like the West does? It wasn’t that long ago sleepy Joe was offering…” Mar 10, 12:34
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Ah, c’moan noo, Geri. Ah cannae be the only ane who thinks the “royal ascent” is something special tae witness.…” Mar 10, 12:34
sarah on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “The magic of Wings or the demise of Alba – whatever the reason, the donation numbers have increased to the…” Mar 10, 12:23
Alf Baird on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““longing for Brussels rule” The point was about ‘democracy’ Hatey, and on such matters the Scots decided at the time…” Mar 10, 12:09
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Yet others claim, Geri, that being “ready to end the war” and “wanting to quit” isn’t the same as “had…” Mar 10, 11:45
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Be off with you then.. They have the exact same institutions as we do except you have a monarch that…” Mar 10, 11:45
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “All joking aside, Northy, your post is actually quite cruel. At least by comparison with my own well meant suggestions.…” Mar 10, 11:38
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““elites traffic weans for torture through Romania” That’ll be because they drive on the same side of the road.” Mar 10, 11:31
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Is it universally true then, Alf, that scrape off the blue pent on every Scot Nat and you find someone…” Mar 10, 11:28
Hatey McHateface on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Fits this, Aidan? Have you been “mowing down civilians so you can rob them blind & strip them of their…” Mar 10, 11:23
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““in a medieval totalitarian dictatorship like Iran” That medieval country is whipping your ass good & proper! You racist colonisers…” Mar 10, 11:17
Aidan on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Iran is a republic with democratic institutions, alright I don’t think I’m going to waste my time arguing with that…” Mar 10, 11:06
Southernbystander on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “My killer post, that sailed high above all the petty cares of unionists and nationalists alike, and thus thoroughly floored…” Mar 10, 10:47
James Che on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Scotlands most frightened are no different in context than Englands most frightened. Either that or their both very innocent of…” Mar 10, 10:42
James Che on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “North code. Good Morning, Reference to your last post at 8: 50 am, We must remember that it is not…” Mar 10, 10:36
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “Without sanction? Well look at you, ya wee totalitarian areswipe. Guess whit, sunshine. I don’t live in Iran. What that…” Mar 10, 10:31
James Che on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “An independence supporter would think of the word “Colonialism” when no treaty can be found linking or existing between Scotland…” Mar 10, 10:17
Alf Baird on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““the comparatively very free and democratic country within which you live” ?? That forced Brexit on Scots agin oor wull?…” Mar 10, 10:17
Geri on Scotland’s Most Frightened: “YL As per usual – historians are divided. Countries confirmed the Japanese approached them seeking an off ramp & contacted…” Mar 10, 10:04
Alf Baird on Scotland’s Most Frightened: ““Why do you let the coloniser shape the thoughts in your heid” The colonized cannot prevent it, and that is…” Mar 10, 09:43
