We had, we think it’s only fair to say, extremely low expectations of Nicola Sturgeon’s keynote speech this afternoon to the SNP’s soporific, strangled 2020 non-conference. It seems that members felt the same, because 15 seconds before the speech began only 1,166 of them were logged in to watch it.
The speech she just delivered, though, limboed under those expectations in platform shoes and a stovepipe hat without even grazing the underside of the bar.
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.
Scot Finlayson on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Sweden has just approved that to obtain citizenship, the following must be required: – 8 years of residence – Stable…” May 5, 09:12
James Che on Binfire Of The Vanities: “The problem between voting for Colonial parties and colonial parties including the SNP, is that Scotland will continue to be…” May 5, 08:38
Hatey McHateface on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Of course, Confused, it’s always possible that while you are sitting up late on what to many Scots is a…” May 5, 08:13
Hatey McHateface on Seven Days Too Long: ““Get yersel prepared for separation cause it’s coming right at yea” Thursday, Geri, is that when? Should I say “bye…” May 5, 08:02
Hatey McHateface on Binfire Of The Vanities: “@Alf Are you telling us that with under a week to go to the election, Fanon and Memmi have run…” May 5, 07:52
Hatey McHateface on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Civil disobedience, eh, YL? Is that a promise, or just a solemn vow?” May 5, 07:41
Hatey McHateface on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Fa’s Northy? Looks like he’s decamped tae Unherd: https://unherd.com/2026/05/north-wests-stolen-childhood/” May 5, 07:39
Bilbo on Binfire Of The Vanities: “George Ferguson says: 4 May, 2026 at 10:19 pm I am well past the stage of voting for Alliance Scotland.…” May 5, 07:36
twathater on Binfire Of The Vanities: “@ Confused, there was also the case of the highly respected (hahaha) QC who it is alleged was involved in…” May 5, 03:03
twathater on Binfire Of The Vanities: “@ YL , Cynicus , George Ferguson, I cannot understand the logic of voting for parties who have proven inumerable…” May 5, 02:53
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “C @ 12.29 Not voting SNP? Fine. Tactically voting for Unionists? Enjoy drinking the fruits of your self inflicted damnation..” May 5, 01:19
Geri on Seven Days Too Long: “AI Dan is getting desperate clutching at straws now. He obviously didn’t bother to read Dan’s link where Stu gives…” May 5, 00:37
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “I So you are apparently quite happy for us to be sh8gged by one lot but not the other? Kind…” May 5, 00:36
Cynicus on Binfire Of The Vanities: “George Ferguson says: 4 May, 2026 at 8:04 pm “I don’t see a vote against the SNP as a right…” May 5, 00:29
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “A Civil disobedience I’m afraid is the only answer when the democratic process is so obviously blocked. Whether people have…” May 5, 00:17
Cynicus on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Hold your nose and LEND your vote to the party most likely to beat the SNP. #No Votes SNP” May 5, 00:13
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “BB “Nowt”.. Nowt? Nowt?? Hmmmm.. Eeee bah goom! Anyway, have you stopped to actually listen to so much of the…” May 5, 00:07
Young Lochinvar on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Agreed Alf. That’s the gut change that’s needed. George, sorry brother but small as it’ll start, or if something else…” May 4, 23:50
Confused on Binfire Of The Vanities: “in every other place with Dhondt there emerges 2 sets of parties and people vote tactically; the shiteness of the…” May 4, 23:31
Angus on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Scotland will never achieve independence “democratically” as long as politicians are in charge. The SNP, still viewed as the independence…” May 4, 23:08
George Ferguson on Binfire Of The Vanities: “@Alf Baird I am well past the stage of voting for Alliance Scotland. Don’t you think I have done the…” May 4, 22:19
Aidan on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Well at least if they’re Sun readers they can read so that’s Sun 1 James 0” May 4, 22:13
Ian on Binfire Of The Vanities: “It’s all down to the SNP. With a competent party the support for independence would be higher. So for many…” May 4, 21:38
Alf Baird on Binfire Of The Vanities: ““I don’t see a vote against the SNP as a right wing vote.” I see it as an anti-woke vote,…” May 4, 21:07
BroughtyBoy on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Jeezo, you’ve really learnt nothing from last 10 years Iain have you? Shrieking “Nazi !” at folk you disagree with…” May 4, 21:03
Bilbo on Binfire Of The Vanities: “As always, the only poll that matters in the one on election day. There is a far too many reasons…” May 4, 20:47
Alf Baird on Binfire Of The Vanities: “That implies there are some 35% of voters with a non Scottish-only identity, which is significant. In addition, as the…” May 4, 20:42
George Ferguson on Binfire Of The Vanities: “I don’t see a vote against the SNP as a right wing vote. Based on their record. Still a 20%…” May 4, 20:04
Bilbo on Binfire Of The Vanities: “I’ve had the misfortune to have to sit through it many a time on YouTube until I figured out how…” May 4, 20:03
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Did you read past the first paragraph? FFS.” May 4, 19:55
