In a post last month we referenced a ZX Spectrum computer game from 1984 called “Worse Things Happen At Sea”. Today as we watched the First Minister on the Andrew Marr Show, we were put in mind of another nautical-disaster-themed one from a great deal nearer to the end of the Speccy’s life.
When’s a Plan B not a Plan B? Well, when it’s something that could and should have been done already, and won’t be anywhere near adequate even if delivered.
Yet that seems to be what some colleagues are now arguing for. It’s welcome that their thoughts are at last turning to the possibility of the Tories saying No to the Scottish people’s democratic vote. But it’s happening dangerously slowly as the dismantling of devolution and reintegration into the UK gathers pace. Which’s why the Yes Movement needs to act now, not after a Holyrood election.
This week on Wings has been altogether more navel-gazey than we’re comfortable with, as various SNP MPs have mounted a series of all-out personal attacks on the site before the weekend’s crucial NEC elections.
So we’ll have a proper article for you a little later on today, but in the meantime it’d be remiss of us not to tidy up the last fragments of shrapnel, so we’ll direct you to the right of reply to Alyn Smith’s column that The National kindly gave us today:
(Sadly they chose to disable comments, we’d quite have enjoyed the reaction from the few remaining diehard leadership loyalists still posting there.)
We couldn’t help but chuckle yesterday when the £100K-a-year Westminster MP and obsessive Wings Over Scotland reader “Pension Pete” Wishart announced – in the space of six minutes – that this site was simultaneously an irrelevance that nobody listened to, but also somehow one of the greatest threats to independence.
Wings Over Scotland marked its ninth birthday earlier this month. To be honest, we totally forgot about it until someone reminded us. Normally we mark the anniversary with a small reflection and taking of stock over how things are going, but this year we couldn’t be bothered – we’d already mentioned readership stats in August.
But today in The National we found out that we were apparently dead.
But reports of our demise have been, as the saying goes, somewhat exaggerated.
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “The Port of Dover is the largest ferry port in the world if measured by traffic” Mar 20, 13:10
Geri on Irony you can’t buy: “Good riddance to a treacherous cow. Stepping down cause she knows she’d have the walk of shame otherwise. Back to…” Mar 20, 13:00
Jacqueline on Irony you can’t buy: “She’s the worst of the worst. I thought I hated thatcher but nicoliar’s filth I will take to my grave.…” Mar 20, 12:50
lothianlad on Irony you can’t buy: “Her words conceal a message to abandon independence and that even devolution could be withdrawn. An attempt to undo decades…” Mar 20, 12:50
J Robertson on Irony you can’t buy: ““ No matter the depths of loyalty to your own political tribe, don’t forget to think for yourself”. The absolute…” Mar 20, 12:47
lothianlad on Irony you can’t buy: “Sturgeon is Scotlands shame!She drank from the posioned chalice. Turned by the british state for the temporary illusion of power.…” Mar 20, 12:45
Geri on Looking up at the stars: ““The Port of Dover is the busiest ferry port in the world” The world? Are you sure about that? I…” Mar 20, 12:38
Heather McLean on Irony you can’t buy: “Said without even a hint of irony. A blow torch couldn’t even mark the brass neck of her traitorous brass…” Mar 20, 12:18
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “england is done anyway, and it is well deserved – the whole country is a binfire https://archive.ph/idANf www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBRbQFlikTQ – if…” Mar 20, 12:16
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “great article in bella today called : “gerry hassan lives in kirkcudbright” https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/03/19/when-a-community-comes-together-people-power-and-the-lessons-of-kenmure-street/ is kirkcudbright a “plethora” and “rich mosaic”…” Mar 20, 12:15
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “‘A big beautiful sacking. Bigger, better than ever before. No one does it like me. Kent’s A looser! everybody knows…” Mar 20, 12:06
agentx on Looking up at the stars: ““A £3m funding pledge for a Scottish port comes with hopes that a new ferry service to France will set…” Mar 20, 12:06
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Quick quiz. What neighbours do Issys actually get along with? Take yer time. & It’s bad call to be bombing…” Mar 20, 11:50
Northcode on Looking up at the stars: ““… you and your ilk are no better than Holocaust Deniers…” My preferred fibre thickness is used in the manufacture…” Mar 20, 11:45
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “You can buy yourself a pint lad, it’s just it’s 11am that’s all” Mar 20, 11:43
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “That stands for nothing. We’ve paid Scots that love to go on telly to bash Scotland too. It happens everywhere.…” Mar 20, 11:38
Cynicus on Looking up at the stars: “Some of the cheerleaders here for The Yahoo/Trump war are pretty extreme and unpleasant people. But none is in the…” Mar 20, 11:36
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “You can by yourself a pint lad, it’s just it’s 11am that’s all” Mar 20, 11:27
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Who will join me in giving a thought and prayers for the Persian people who have suffered beyond our wildest…” Mar 20, 11:24
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “And your point is caller? Northy your rhetoric has went South. You are pissing in the wind mate.” Mar 20, 11:17
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “The 77th are oot in force today eh? Sun is shining so they’re oot the crypt for a good shit…” Mar 20, 11:13
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Today is the Persian New Year and the Elite Left are full on with the ‘Persian people bombed by Trump…” Mar 20, 11:09
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “It’s not in the colonisers interests to make their colonies work. It gives the natives ideas they can manage perfectly…” Mar 20, 11:02
Northcode on Looking up at the stars: ““Yes you won the argument there Northcode.” Yay for me! Another colonist bites the digital dust and admits their English…” Mar 20, 10:47
Captain Caveman on Looking up at the stars: ““What points?” Man alive, you people eh. Imbecile.” Mar 20, 10:39
Captain Caveman on Looking up at the stars: “Quelle surprise: “Geri” doubling down on his/her/its utterly crass, morally bankrupt stupidity. “& Your evidence this was “tens of thousands”…” Mar 20, 10:38
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: ““Are we to believe that no other port anywhere in the UK could be developed to handle the same traffic…” Mar 20, 10:36
100%Yes on Looking up at the stars: “SNPBAD and Reform only 5% difference in the latest opinion polls.” Mar 20, 10:27
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Professor Snuggles and the munch bunch.” Mar 20, 10:23
Northcode on Looking up at the stars: ““… this is like trying to explain the concept of Latin to a dog… The Port of Dover is the…” Mar 20, 10:19