We’ve now filed a formal complaint with the Scottish Information Commissioner about this, because what we’d forgotten last week was that our original request was actually sent in September and it’s now been almost 60 working days with no sign of a proper response, not the 20 it’s supposed to take.
Because for some reason the Scottish Government REALLY doesn’t want you to know what the First Minister and Geoff Aberdein talked about in March 2018, and we think that you probably should.
We don’t normally like to devote much time on Wings to things that have been more than adequately covered elsewhere in the media, which is why you haven’t read much here about eg the Internal Market Bill. Unlike some we don’t see much point spending our limited human resources telling people stuff they already know and agree with.
But we’re going to make an exception for this next thing, which was already covered pretty well by Susan Dalgety in last week’s Scotsman, because (a) a lot of our readers, quite reasonably, will have an instinctively adverse reaction to either anything printed in the Scotsman or anything written by Susan Dalgety, and (b) a number of people have asked us to amplify this issue because it’s so important and so awful.
As well as the SNP NEC elections, the weekend saw the election of the first committee of a new grassroots independence organisation which is unfortunately and hopefully temporarily going by the stupendously terrible working name of “Yes Alba”.
15 people were elected to its ruling body by the votes of hundreds of delegates, with the top-ranked picks including SNP MP Angus MacNeil and former SNP MP George Kerevan. The majority of the successful candidates (eight) were female, even though there were no quotas or women-only shortlists imposed, and a wide range of ages was represented from young activists to former UK ambassador Craig Murray.
(We have no idea about any of their sexualities or gender identities, and also no interest in knowing, because those things have not the slightest bearing on their ability to fight for independence and are frankly none of our damn business.)
But that wasn’t good enough for Team Woke.
On a day when Joanna Cherry had a grown-up, reasoned and constructive column in The National calling for unity in the pursuit of independence, the outpouring of snide, sour sneering from a faction still raging with bitterness about being routed on the SNP NEC is instead curdling Twitter even as we speak.
And embarrassingly, not a single one of them has actually bothered to check even the most basic facts.
Alert readers will recall the deranged open letter released by a group of transactivists last Friday, in a nakedly transparent attempt to influence the SNP’s NEC elections that weekend which backfired on them horribly (and amusingly) when the party’s members instead kicked out three-quarters of the committee’s woke faction and replaced them with feminists, socialists and above all advocates of actually achieving independence.
If you don’t have the time to read Alyn Smith’s astonishing response to the SNP NEC election results in today’s National, we’ve edited it down to 10 seconds for you.
We must admit, the terrible people that we are, we’ve been enjoying watching today’s extended meltdown by the SNP’s woke faction about last night’s NEC election results. Because it appears their egos are so huge that they’re not even smart enough to play dignified to spoil our schadenfreudish fun. It’s been full-on public tantrums.
Young Lochinvar on It just takes a beat: “Rev Further to your interview with Martin Geisler is there any sign of John Swinney having taken up residence in…” Jul 11, 15:43
Lorncal on It just takes a beat: “Andy: I agree with the Rev’s logic and your comment, but, again, what is going to replace the SNP? The…” Jul 11, 14:35
Luigi on It just takes a beat: “The second photo of Honest John is hilarious. He looks like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.” Jul 11, 13:29
robertkknight on It just takes a beat: “Today’s The National front page… SNP OFFER TO REFUND ‘INDYREF’ DONATIONS Concession despite ‘no evidence of fraud ‘ finding Whose…” Jul 11, 13:23
TURABDIN on It just takes a beat: “more on same meme. WE GOT RHYTHM…..or you’s the bass. https://theconversation.com/racial-stereotypes-of-african-footballers-persist-a-world-cup-is-a-good-time-to-talk-about-them-286673” Jul 11, 13:04
TURABDIN on It just takes a beat: “TALKING ABOUT «MONEY» QUOTE they dream of «corporate monarchies ruled by ceo kings» https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly8eqyj8e2o representative national government is necessary, democratic…” Jul 11, 12:40
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “If you paid by bank transfer and your address and bank details have not changed then the SNP should be…” Jul 11, 12:07
shug on It just takes a beat: “When the civil case approaches the only deal you should consider is Name the Alphabeties Lady Dorian out Swinney and…” Jul 11, 11:31
Knuckle_Heid on It just takes a beat: “Wow, look at all those press articles! And not one of them would be there if WoS hadn’t doggedly pursued…” Jul 11, 10:25
Bilbo on It just takes a beat: “Politicians get photographed in positions under lighting where when photographed, they appear to have a halo above them. When John…” Jul 11, 08:54
Northcode on It just takes a beat: “I would, if I had the means, chase down the ragged, walking dead corpse of the SNP and at last…” Jul 11, 07:34
Captain Caveman on The Only Notes That Really Count: “🙂 He’s a 60kg working lines Rottweiler male (our 7th of this magnificent breed). However, his aggression dial is turned…” Jul 11, 07:32
twathater on It just takes a beat: “That pathetic response from polis Scotland only serves to show just how ill served The Scottish public is with the…” Jul 11, 03:14
Frazerio on It just takes a beat: “The simplest way of putting it is: There is a cover up going on. Simple question. The big question. Why?…” Jul 11, 02:53
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Wee Peem gas offered to repay, meantime he is in the gaol.” Jul 10, 22:45
Tartan Tory on It just takes a beat: “I certainly had and kept records, but after seven years it goes in the bin! By contrast, I recently cleared…” Jul 10, 22:43
James Barr Gardner on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect, because…” Jul 10, 22:38
Mark Beggan on It just takes a beat: “That’s the guy that hates kids.” Jul 10, 21:58
Karen on It just takes a beat: “Does anyone remember Mr Boom (who lives on the moon)?” Jul 10, 21:28
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on It just takes a beat: “Much modern literature has sensed an encroaching silence: Vladimir. Écoute! Estragon. Je n’entends rien. Vladimir. Hsst! Estragon. Tu m’as fait peur. Vladimir. J’ai cru que…” Jul 10, 21:27
gm on It just takes a beat: “My bank account statements go back only 5 years. I would definitely have contributed to the first one. I might…” Jul 10, 21:25
Checks notes on It just takes a beat: “The more fronts they are fighting on, the better!” Jul 10, 21:22
Mark Beggan on It just takes a beat: “Houston. We have a problem….” Jul 10, 21:11
Daisy Walker on It just takes a beat: “When the SNP decided to use the ringfenced donations for their party business/elections, for every donation over £50, they had…” Jul 10, 21:04
Daisy Walker on The Only Notes That Really Count: “The SNP, should have obtained, and declared, the names and addresses of any person who donated over £50 to this…” Jul 10, 20:50
Hatey McHateface on It just takes a beat: “TT reveals himself to be perfect SNP/ScotGov ministerial material. Chances are he already holds a cabinet post, disposing of Scottish…” Jul 10, 20:34
Hatey McHateface on It just takes a beat: “That’s not a lamp shade. That’s the antenna via which MI5 and MI6 transmit colonialist orders straight into his heid.” Jul 10, 20:28
Hatey McHateface on It just takes a beat: “Permission granted. Try not tae shoot snot oot yer hooter oan tae yer surroundings.” Jul 10, 20:23
100%Yes on It just takes a beat: “Sturgeon got 60K worth of freebies she might want to action off.” Jul 10, 20:09
Andy Ellis on It just takes a beat: “I’m not sure I buy the “be careful what you wish for…” line though? The SNP must not only be…” Jul 10, 20:07
