The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


The hot potato 271

Posted on May 28, 2020 by

Our ongoing quest to discover just who is actually willing to take responsibility for the actions of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) with regard to the trial of Alex Salmond and its aftermath took another diversion yesterday when we received a reply from HM Inspectorate of Prosecutions in Scotland.

It had sounded like a promising lead. After all, HMIPS’ apparent purpose is to “inspect the operation” of COPFS, “improve the way COPFS serves the public” and “make COPFS more accountable”, all of which are exactly what we were after.

Sadly we had another disappointment in store.

Read the rest of this entry →

Of no materiality 351

Posted on May 27, 2020 by

We’ve just learned that we’ve lost the appeal over our defamation by the then-Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, when she repeatedly and publicly made the appalling, damaging and wholly untrue smear that I was a homophobe, even though the appeal judges all agreed with the original sheriff that the smear was false and defamatory.

But when it comes to deciding the verdict in a defamation case, it seems that the fact that absolutely everyone agrees I was definitely defamed is, to borrow a phrase from later in the judgement,“of no materiality”.

Read the rest of this entry →

Left to their own devices 156

Posted on May 26, 2020 by

We’ve received a response from the Scottish Government to our follow-up letter of last week regarding the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. It’s attached below.

Read the rest of this entry →

Is it safe? 784

Posted on May 23, 2020 by

Another problem solved 454

Posted on May 21, 2020 by

When the news isn’t news:

Lots of Scottish newspapers (most notably everything in the Herald And Times Group) had already ducked out of providing ABC figures at all, but this will be a godsend for the rest to save their growing embarrassment.

Wings readers can remember the pitiful state of the last published figures here.

Passing the buck 179

Posted on May 20, 2020 by

With commendable swiftness, we’ve received a reply to our letter of earlier this week to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice. You can read it in full below (click to enlarge).

Sadly, however, it’s precisely the sort of evasion we expected, and it is not acceptable.

Read the rest of this entry →

In the hands of others 121

Posted on May 20, 2020 by

On the 1st of January, Chinese authorities took the decision to close the Wuhan food market. The following day, 41 admitted hospital patients in Wuhan, were confirmed to have contracted 2019-nCoV (novel coronavirus) which we now know as COVID-19.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a New Year message, from the private island of Mustique in the Caribbean, that the “first item” on his agenda remained his commitment to take Britain out of the EU by the end of January.

Within weeks the virus had spread across the world to many countries including Italy, Germany, Australia, the USA and of course the UK.

Read the rest of this entry →

A bit of spot colour 141

Posted on May 19, 2020 by

We thought readers might be interested in a small update on yesterday’s post. As we told you, Graham Shields – the Head of Strategic Communications and Engagement at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service who fobbed off our complaint about newspapers enabling the identification of sexual assault accusers – was the editor of the Evening Times until he was let go in December 2017.

Which is just two months after this happened:

So you’d think that if anyone knew what jigsaw identification looked like, he would.

A letter to Humza Yousaf 305

Posted on May 18, 2020 by

As we still haven’t received any response from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, we sent this letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice today. Some passages have been redacted in accordance with contempt-of-court law.

We hope he’s listening.

Read the rest of this entry →

Blind pig finds truffle 194

Posted on May 17, 2020 by

In a shock finding that’s sure to provoke soul-searching and recriminations at SNP HQ, it appears that the Scottish Government actually has a new policy that’s backed by a majority of the Scottish public.

Honestly, we were as surprised as you.

Read the rest of this entry →

Token offerings 354

Posted on May 16, 2020 by

Image adjustment 142

Posted on May 15, 2020 by

We lost a few quid to Graham Linehan at poker this afternoon and we needed a wee bit of cheering up, so God bless the SNP Twitler Youth for coming to our rescue.

Okay, now we’re worried.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,901 Posts, 1,240,909 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Mark Beggan on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Do people still read the Daily Rangers?May 6, 15:59
    • lothianlad on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “definately the best use of substitute toilet paper is the daily record. take heart…. oh how the mighty have fallen!…May 6, 15:05
    • Peter McAvoy on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “As stated by an earlier comment. I don’t believe Anas Sarwar has opposed the Daily Records intent to close the…May 6, 14:28
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Binfire Of The Vanities: “It was in a German PoW camp during WW2 that Dutch naval officer HANS ROOKMAAKER read the Bible and got…May 6, 14:08
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “He’s never NOT running a fundraiser.May 6, 13:07
    • Geri on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Labour are finished. They were over the moment they got into bed with Bitter Together. Instead of seizing the chance…May 6, 12:50
    • Geri on Seven Days Too Long: “I seem to remember Kellie only targeting council elections? I haven’t watched her for a while tho so things may…May 6, 12:16
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Binfire Of The Vanities: “REPORT: ‘SCHOOLS STILL HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY GENDER IDEOLOGY’ (England & Wales) Child safety and wellbeing continues to be compromised in…May 6, 12:15
    • Lorncal on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Anas Sarwar is an empty vessel, like so many of the candidates standing for the all the parties. The problem…May 6, 12:05
    • Socrates MacSporran on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “I don’t see a by-line, other than Anas Sarwar on that Record pish, but, it definitely reads like they’ve let…May 6, 11:48
    • Geri on Seven Days Too Long: “Have you ever heard or followed Eva Comrie? In a handbags at dawn showdown with the TRA, my money would…May 6, 11:44
    • Iain More on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Anus the Butcher ad betrayer of Grangemouth squeals. No surprise that the Daily Redcoat would support the Quisling Liebore Party…May 6, 11:44
    • One more day of nonsense left on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Swiney rocked up at Cappielow early in this snorefest campaign , alongside nuSnp fanboy Compston. They had a wee photo…May 6, 11:42
    • @nairnkev on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Scotland needs dentists more than it needs anus sarwar as an msp let alone first minister, the sod should change…May 6, 11:38
    • Den on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Added to your testimony I’d like to add he is a bare faced liar, who lost all credibility in his…May 6, 11:35
    • KOF on Binfire Of The Vanities: “By wilful cooperation, or just plain ignorance, all those who serve political parties serve the plans of Satan. It does…May 6, 11:31
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “In percentage terms, definitely the latter.May 6, 11:27
    • James on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Do they buy it in Oldham do you think?May 6, 10:47
    • James on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Went sea fishing. For English jobbies.May 6, 10:44
    • Highland Wifie on Seven Days Too Long: “Lorncal says “Perhaps it is time for women here to stand up for themselves and set up ‘The Party of…May 6, 10:44
    • agentx on Anas Sarwar is a winner: ““A former SNP council leader has been jailed for 18 months for sexually assaulting five young men. Jordan Linden, who…May 6, 10:43
    • James Che on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “It is difficult to vote for change in Scotland if we persist in voting for Colonial political parties, the submission…May 6, 09:30
    • 100%Yes on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Please have a look at this and post your thoughts please? https://www.thenational.scot/news/26076591.poll-voting-scottish-parliament-election/ it states “How will you be voting in…May 6, 09:25
    • 100%Yes on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “All the parties including SNP saying vote for us to keep reform out when its the SNP who’s going to…May 6, 09:14
    • ALANM on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Which has fallen most over the last twenty years – the Labour vote or the Record’s circulation?May 6, 08:57
    • Morgatron on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Anas, as thick as two short planks.May 6, 08:26
    • 100%Yes on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “Labour promoting Change, I’m just wondering what is it Scottish Labour can do that British Labour can’t? I would agree…May 6, 08:13
    • Captain Caveman on Binfire Of The Vanities: “Oh. My. Word…. Who knew that my whole life was a lie, I’m a failed “lifestyle influencer” and I couldn’t…May 6, 07:40
    • Effijy on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “I wonder how much the whopping lie the Vow proved to be and bias Lame duck Labour has seen the…May 6, 07:02
    • ScottieDog on Anas Sarwar is a winner: “One of AS’ (Alex Salmond) few flaws – he supported the wrong Edinburgh team 😉May 6, 06:59
  • A tall tale



↑ Top