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.
Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the ALDE group in the European Parliament (essentially the Euro Lib Dems), is by no means our standard go-to guy for political guidance. Like most European politicians he’s been criminally silent on the outrages being perpetrated by the government of Spain, and in general he’s a bit neoliberal for our tastes.
But his speech from yesterday is powerful stuff.
As we write this, the UK’s parliament is blundering through a third successive day of toe-curling farce on the floor of the Commons, aimed this time at securing some sort of extension to Brexit to avoid a disastrous no-deal in just 15 days’ time.
It may yet be that such a request will be issued and the EU will grant it, dragging out the whole awful mess for God knows how much longer. But judging by the tone of M. Verhofstadt’s impassioned, exasperated address in Strasbourg, we wouldn’t like to have money on it. It appears that an entire continent has had just about enough of us.
For some time, most polls for “Who’d make the best UK Prime Minister?” – the stat that really decides who wins general elections – have shown a solid lead for “Don’t know”, narrowly ahead of Theresa May and a long way ahead of Jeremy Corbyn.
It’s a prime symptom of a UK-wide contempt for politicians the magnitude of which we’ve never seen in our lifetime, and Scottish voters are in no way immune.
We loaded this question from our latest Panelbase poll in the party leaders’ favours, because you don’t have to think any of them is doing a GOOD job to say that one of them is doing the BEST job out of the four. Everything is relative – and we also didn’t ask the question specifically about Brexit.
But even with those get-outs, “They’re all useless” came out on top by a clear seven points over Nicola Sturgeon, and the rest weren’t even at the races.
Tonight sees what’s likely to be a highly-charged Scottish Cup quarter-final replay at Ibrox Stadium. Defeat will effectively end the losing side’s season, and games between the participants, Aberdeen and Rangers International, have tended to be fierce affairs ever since the latter club was formed in controversial circumstances in 2012, with this season’s clashes already having seen numerous red cards.
(Mainly for the home team’s temperamental striker Alfredo Morelos.)
Football authorities will be hoping for a minimum of flashpoints on the field which might lead to repeats of shocking recent scenes of abuse and violence from spectators, which have prompted the nation’s media to wring its hands in theatrical angst and demand that something be done.
The public’s view on the subject, meanwhile, has remained absolutely consistent.
Sundays have been the low point of Scottish political journalism for a while now. Traditionally a day when newspapers are heavy on comment and light on news (because politics tends to happen on weekdays), they unleash all the weary old dinosaurs who’ve been driving away readers for the last 30 years.
So you really have to stand out to be noticed for especially appalling hackery on a Sunday, which is probably why nobody from Scotland On Sunday wanted to have their name on this toe-curling piece of second-hand, lifted-from-another-paper garbage.
Professor Ronald MacDonald, you say? That name seems to ring a bell.
MARR: “What would [Theresa May] need to bring back [from Brexit negotiations] to win you over?”
DAVIS: “She needs to bring back a clear ability on the part of the United Kingdom to be able to leave this treaty when it chooses to. There is no other treaty in the world I’m aware of where a sovereign nation undertakes to join up and can only leave when the other side says so.”
We’re pretty sure we can think of an example, David.
Michael Glackin of the Sunday Times is the only serious contender to the Scotsman’s demented Brian Wilson as the most poisonously, blindly instinctive hater of anything even passingly connected to the SNP or independence in the Scottish media. His weekly bilious rants in the paper make even Scottish Daily Express hacks wince and say “Blimey, that’s a bit strong”.
But even by those standards, this week’s column is quite something. So let’s take a little look at just how much of an idiot you can make of yourself if you never allow facts to get in the way of your rage.
100%Yes on Protest But Don’t Survive: “The numbers at the event only prove that even within the SNP most faithful, they just simply aren’t prepared to…” Mar 29, 09:14
100%Yes on Protest But Don’t Survive: “I’m willing to bet their was more dog shit that supporters.” Mar 29, 09:08
100%Yes on Protest But Don’t Survive: “I feel sure James Kelly will disagree with what you’ve said here. The man brings nothing to the Indy cause…” Mar 29, 09:02
The Flying Iron of Doom on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Go onto Youtube and search for “If the bomb drops” which is an old episode of Panorama from 1980. I…” Mar 29, 07:51
Morgatron on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Said it for a number of years. Stu and Robin to to lead us to independence. Come on guys. You…” Mar 29, 07:35
Sven on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Mark Beggan @ 21.49. I recall it particularly well as I was working in and around both RN Coulport &…” Mar 29, 07:08
Sven on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Big Jock. “John has a secret plan.” Ah, if only some kind person would tell him what the plan is…” Mar 29, 06:56
Mark Beggan on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Vietnam war documentary. I recommend The Ten Thousand Day War. An American documentary made in the 1970’s.” Mar 29, 06:54
Mark Beggan on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Saint JFK! Not the mad shagger with the sexual appetite of a rabid dog? This war has been raging since…” Mar 29, 06:01
Young Lochinvar on Protest But Don’t Survive: ““Arrogance, ignorance and hubris” of the decision makers and Presidents involved.. (And yes that includes saint JFK).. An interesting summary…” Mar 29, 04:45
James on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Working class hero Wilma Flintsone’s just not worth wasting time on, cut and paste is all she’s worth; Utter bollocks…” Mar 29, 02:47
Young Lochinvar on Protest But Don’t Survive: “GF Lose the woke crap and Messr McCrone pointed the way decades ago. It’s not the publics fault so many…” Mar 29, 02:05
Derek on Protest But Don’t Survive: “May I introduce you to the concept of the question mark?” Mar 29, 00:24
sarah on Protest But Don’t Survive: “@ George Ferguson at 7.43 p.m. “There is no movement” I belong to a three pro-independence groups and people in…” Mar 28, 23:30
George Ferguson on Protest But Don’t Survive: “@Bilbo There is no reply button on your post for me to press. I am not an advocate for Reform.…” Mar 28, 22:31
Mark Beggan on Protest But Don’t Survive: “40 years ago this year the Chernobyl rain fell on Scotland.” Mar 28, 21:49
Mark Beggan on Protest But Don’t Survive: “We demand George’s best post gets reposted. I really want to read it now.” Mar 28, 21:48
Sven on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Northcode @ 20.02. Ah my respected friend Northy, if only you could comprehend this “incomprehensible language” in which you post,…” Mar 28, 21:42
Campbell Clansman on Protest But Don’t Survive: ““I don’t think that the movement has been captured, only the politicians.” In the real world, “Movements” are ALWAYS “captured…” Mar 28, 21:33
George Ferguson on Protest But Don’t Survive: “I am not doing something right here. A double post on the last thread will be met with hammers. My…” Mar 28, 21:33
Mark Beggan on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Did you know that a society is at its most collective during times of war.” Mar 28, 21:27
Bilbo on Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off: “Unless they really go for nuclear, Net Zero can only work if they carpet the whole island with battery storage…” Mar 28, 21:24
Bilbo on Protest But Don’t Survive: “@ George Ferguson I was going to comment about that Reform ‘homophobic’ joke on the previous post but it’s more…” Mar 28, 21:16
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Protest But Don’t Survive: “So you can’t tell, but you can tell?” Mar 28, 21:09
Frank Waring on Protest But Don’t Survive: “This may be the last chance in any of our lifetimes to put down the dead weight of UK history…” Mar 28, 20:45
George Ferguson on Protest But Don’t Survive: “@Mark Beggan Another one of my post meets the axe.I thought this was a free speech blog. I answered your…” Mar 28, 20:45
DavidT on Protest But Don’t Survive: “On a bright and sunny day?!? The wind chill was absolutely perishing, mind.” Mar 28, 20:28
Geri on Protest But Don’t Survive: “Whatever happened to being a Collective? We don’t all have to like each other.” Mar 28, 20:23
