Normally when I go back to Bath after spending time in Scotland, it’s with a mixture of sadness and happiness, because – usually after a delightful but exhausting round of racing around working and catching up with family and old pals – I’m returning to the place where I’ve made my life, where most of my friends and familiar comforts reside.
This time it feels different.
Because I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared for Scotland before.
Last night’s farce in the House Of Commons, where MPs rejected in turn every single possible Brexit option and variant thereof, perfectly encapsulated the ridiculous state of British politics and may well have scuppered any chance of avoiding a no-deal Brexit, because the EU’s terms for a longer Article 50 extension than April 12 were that the UK presented a clear and achievable plan.
But who ultimately sank the plans for either a softer Brexit or a second referendum?
Well, hopefully there won’t be too much of that, as we’ve got a sitter in to keep the Separats in check while we’re away. But activity on Wings will probably be a little sparse over the next few days, for hopefully-obvious reasons.
There’s a limit on how much we’ll be able to say about the case, and chances to post on the site will be restricted in general, but we’ll try to keep on top of any important events. Normal service will be resumed ASAP. In the meantime, behave yourselves.
Wings Over Scotland isn’t the only website dedicated to scrutinising the truthfulness of things claimed by politicians and media pundits. There’s the widely-respected and diligent FullFact.org, there’s Scotland’s own The Ferret, and there’s the BBC’s Reality Check (which frequently takes the more unconventional approach of, er, not making a finding either way about what the reality of things is).
And then there’s Channel 4’s FactCheck, which we’re going to generously assume had a liquid lunch yesterday and was a little under the weather.
Because not only is the conclusion that it reached on the subject of an independent Scotland having to use the Euro utter nonsense that’s been debunked roughly 1000 times in the last six years, it doesn’t even agree with itself.
This was the Scottish Tories two years ago, when Scotland’s economy registered a small downturn for a single quarter, which was definitely the SNP’s fault:
Shall we find out what actually happened, readers?
Several media outlets today relate a story from BBC Scotland’s fascinating three-part documentary of the indyref, revealing that secret UK government polling in the first week of September 2014 gave Yes a lead even bigger than the famous 51-49 one published by the Sunday Times on the 7th.
And naturally we couldn’t help wondering what might have caused it.
Dr Craig Dalzell of the Common Weal is a very sharp guy we’ve run several pieces by on Wings, and he’s currently appearing all over the place with a highly accessible and concise explanation of how an independent Scotland could sensibly run its economy.
If you haven’t been able to make it out to see him, a quiet Sunday might be an ideal time to catch up with it.
So, some official and very brief Wings analysis, because we just watched an army of pundits on the TV all missing the bleeding obvious and talking as if a delay to Brexit was now a done deal.
After tonight’s series of votes in the Commons, all five of which were technically won by Theresa May, there are three possible outcomes. Let’s whizz through them all.
James on The Long Walk To Freedom: “More utter bollocks from the Site Prick, there. *Yawn*.” Dec 8, 14:46
Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: “Is there anybody there?” Dec 8, 14:14
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Usually if you can’t get a direct answer from the office worker staff, then you go to boss of the…” Dec 8, 14:04
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “I often swither between their being a union between Scotland and England or aTreaty, If a treaty exists then the…” Dec 8, 13:36
agentx on The Long Walk To Freedom: “https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/sandie-peggie-v-fife-health-board-and-another-judgment-and-summary/ Link to Sandie Peggie Tribunal decision.” Dec 8, 13:27
agentx on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Sandie Peggie has won part her employment tribunal against NHS Fife on harassment grounds. However, the claim made against transgender…” Dec 8, 13:24
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““a fully genuine Scottish parliament it would have total control” Too true, James. Seemingly, as reputedly wanted by a clear…” Dec 8, 13:09
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “No such thing at the moment as a Scottish Government, only the governance of Scotland through the Scotland Act from…” Dec 8, 12:51
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Long Walk To Freedom: “ASH REGAN MSP – THE LEGACY OF ALEX SALMOND (Full Speech, Nov 2024) www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5NxegebVqI” Dec 8, 12:51
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “North code, It is obvious that some people think that Scotland has a real genuine down to earth Scottish parliament,…” Dec 8, 12:43
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Political division speil of global planning, The pensioners being older already paid taxes in their life to ensure financial security…” Dec 8, 12:28
lothianlad on The Long Walk To Freedom: “They fear the truth!!! This is an SNP Scottish Government remember! Parcel of rogues in a nation!” Dec 8, 12:27
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““aggressive Anglicised ways” of the culturally assimilated See what you just did there, Alf? You wrote Anglicised where you should…” Dec 8, 12:26
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““for fear of my mocking your ignorance with some witty and scathing retort” Dinna fash, Northy. The fear is all…” Dec 8, 12:17
Mark Beggan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Exodus (20:16) ‘You shall not bear false witnesses against your neighbour’” Dec 8, 11:14
Alf Baird on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Inevitably a colonized society is compelled “to make major compromises with outer forces of oppression” but in doing so a…” Dec 8, 10:22
Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “It should hardly come as a surprise that a corrupt criminal enterprise operating in the guise of a legitimate democratic…” Dec 8, 09:58
Aidan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “OH NO James isn’t onboard with the strategy! I guess it’ll be another soiled ballot from you?” Dec 8, 08:34
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “So, factchecker, how are you getting on with your crash course in tribalism? Penny dropped yet? Ask James to explain…” Dec 8, 08:10
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Maybe they’re all channeling their inner Trump. Why should they act on behalf of a people, nation, culture, etc that…” Dec 8, 08:04
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““the weakest are just the start” Since when have pensioners been the weakest demographic? They’re far more likely than youngsters…” Dec 8, 07:59
Willie on The Long Walk To Freedom: “And for all the senior pensioners reading Wings today they can uplift their spirits recognising that as a group of…” Dec 8, 06:15
Willie on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Information delayed is information denied is an apt line. But as we can see that is only one of the…” Dec 8, 01:37
Mark Beggan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Where did you get your professorship? Tehran. An academic versed in colonial studys would know all the aspects good and…” Dec 8, 00:31
BLMac on The Long Walk To Freedom: “It’s about time someone in another country, eg Australia or USA revealed the names of the perjuring Alpha-Betties.” Dec 8, 00:06
Alf Baird on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““the truth is not just being delayed. It is being denied.” Should we really expect anything different in a colony?” Dec 7, 21:55
James on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Baiy and switch? Vote Yoon, because, you know, reasons. Nice try.” Dec 7, 21:12
Confused on The Long Walk To Freedom: “just asking. I thought I had “seen this before” somewhere and was wondering if it was new. All keep up…” Dec 7, 20:31
GM on The Long Walk To Freedom: “John Smythe, the people assisting him and Benjamin Harrop are all on the same path but aye, what do you…” Dec 7, 20:19
