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Wings Over Scotland


The balance of powers 259

Posted on April 06, 2019 by

Scottish Labour’s best man 342

Posted on April 04, 2019 by

After running a minor post about poll results this morning to pass the time between Brexit fiascos, we got a bit engrossed – as we’re wont to do now and again – in some stats. Because the Labour Party in Scotland has been in a seemingly inexorable slide into irrelevance for a good few years now, and seems completely unable to find itself  a supremo capable of stopping the rot.

But with our customary diligence, we’ve discovered their secret star player.

Because somewhat to our surprise, it turns out that the most successful Scottish Labour leader of the past 20 years is… Alex Rowley.

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The no-personality crisis 54

Posted on April 04, 2019 by

We were just going through our last Panelbase poll this morning looking to round up findings we hadn’t yet published when we suddenly noticed an odd thing.

We had of course previously observed that the Scottish Labour branch office manager Pritchard Leopold (SUB: PLEASE CHECK) wasn’t terribly well known in the nation, with barely over a third of Scots able to pick his name out of a list when prompted, despite a year and a half in the job.

But then we spotted something curious about the numbers.

Because the sub-party’s pseudo-leader was recognised more by voters of EVERY other party than he was by his own. While just 37% of Labour voters from the last election knew who he was, a whopping 61% of Lib Dems did, along with 51% of Tories and 41% of SNP supporters.

Or put another way: the more people could identify him as leader, the less likely they were to vote for his party.

And particularly when the extremely underwhelming act you have to follow is Kezia Dugdale, we’re pretty sure that can’t be a good thing.

To James Kelly MSP, our congratulations 572

Posted on April 02, 2019 by

So there was a football match at the weekend.

At least three people were stabbed, one very seriously, in violent incidents the likes of which haven’t been seen around Scottish football for years.

But it was probably just a random, unforseeable one-off, right?

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Little red dots #2 128

Posted on April 02, 2019 by

Billions of years from now, when the Sun finally dies and expands to swallow and burn up the Earth in a final cataclysmic explosion, the very last thing to turn to dust and atoms will be Scottish Labour’s brass neck.

Coming from The Eternal Abstainers themselves that’s already quite a breathtakingly hypocritical claim, but if you look at last night’s results closely it gets a lot worse.

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Independence for England now 547

Posted on March 31, 2019 by

The breakdown data from last week’s vote on Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement:

ENGLAND: 266 MPs for, 256 MPs against (51%-49%)
SCOTLAND: 13 for, 45 against (22%-78%)
WALES: 6 for, 33 against (15%-85%)
NORTHERN IRELAND: 1 for, 10 against (9%-91%)

Once again, readers, the solution to Brexit is clear.

The long way home 339

Posted on March 30, 2019 by

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.

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The last throw of the dice 47

Posted on March 30, 2019 by

Little red dots 550

Posted on March 28, 2019 by

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?

Oh.

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Anarchy in the rUK 1,229

Posted on March 24, 2019 by

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.

Oliver Notwell 378

Posted on March 23, 2019 by

Our pale red faces 203

Posted on March 22, 2019 by

From today’s Telegraph:

But who’s this “we”, exactly?

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    • Cuphook on Pick Your Poison: “You seriously think any politician appreciates the nobility of your spoilt ballot?May 7, 12:13
    • James on The value bet: “Wilma’s mates in the 77th doing the postal count again this time? Or is that just referendums?May 7, 12:13
    • James on The value bet: “Doesn’t do irony either, it seems. Another poxy unionist warmongering troll. But nicely shot down in flames. Again. Never learns.…May 7, 12:10
    • James on The value bet: “Should we all seek out your truthful “GERS” bible, charlatan man? You are nothing but a colonial snake oil salesman;…May 7, 12:04
    • lothianlad on Pick Your Poison: “Sturgeon and the Brit infested SNP leadership have done a job at stiffling the independence movement. The New parcel of…May 7, 12:00
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    • sam on Pick Your Poison: “Hi Sven, In East Lothian where I am I see a large turnout of the elderly, including a frail 90…May 7, 11:58
    • 100%Yes on Pick Your Poison: “Sven, Same where I live, looking on the TV their doesn’t seem to be large turn out for the SNP…May 7, 11:53
    • Bilbo on Pick Your Poison: “If Reform does do well today, IMHO I think it is more to do with general dissatisfaction where every part…May 7, 11:50
    • James on The value bet: “Up early, Adrian? Must be cauld in that curryvan. You should do some spooning.May 7, 11:47
    • Aidan on The value bet: ““R” is a good option if you don’t value things like liberty and freedom of expression. It’s really sad that…May 7, 11:41
    • Geri on Pick Your Poison: “Cuphook Go & spoil yer constituency ballot & vote Alliance on the Regional list. If yer still indy, that is.…May 7, 11:33
    • Aidan on The value bet: “If an accurate summary of Craig Murray’s blog is “tarnishing” then that speaks volumes doesn’t it Dan. Is Craig not…May 7, 11:28
    • Cuphook on Pick Your Poison: “I think Reform will do better than expected. Their voters are more motivated. I spent two years campaigning full-time during…May 7, 11:16
    • Northcode on The value bet: “” Unless you were standing under another name you weren’t on my ballots.” My name is Legion, for we are…May 7, 11:16
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    • Sven on The value bet: “Just cast my two votes, Northy. Unless you were standing under another name you weren’t on my ballots, or I’d…May 7, 11:04
    • Captain Caveman on Seven Days Too Long: “Ha! What’s that Scots expression? “Telt”May 7, 10:56
    • Dan on Pick Your Poison: “Re-posting this info on voting options in specific areas. 1st vote: Constituencies. https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/sp.c.2026-05-07/scottish-parliament-elections-constituencies/ 2nd vote: Regions. https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/sp.r.2026-05-07/scottish-parliament-elections-regions/May 7, 10:56
    • KOF on Binfire Of The Vanities: “With respect, this is Satan’s Little Season and you are a fool for listening to men. Belieive in Jesus and…May 7, 10:56
    • Northcode on The value bet: ““Best of luck Craig!!” Seconded, and a good comment well said, Geri.May 7, 10:52
    • Geri on The value bet: “Thanks Northcode! It lets others know too xMay 7, 10:51
    • Geri on Seven Days Too Long: “TL/DR Off you pop now… Don’t come crying when the police become militarised to go with the police state they’ve…May 7, 10:45
    • Geri on The value bet: “That’ll be because the British State rig elections. I found it hard to believe the results of the last one…May 7, 10:40
    • Northcode on The value bet: “I was going to suggest that as an alternative to voting ATLS, if there isn’t an ATLS candidate standing in…May 7, 10:34
    • Captain Caveman on Seven Days Too Long: “Oh man, you are hilarious. 😀 Some maniac waving a knife indiscriminately at innocent bystanders and police officers – having…May 7, 10:31
    • Geri on The value bet: “AI Dan is English. He doesn’t have a vote here & it’s only the English that are R-phobs. They grew…May 7, 10:29
    • Northcode on The value bet: “If there isn’t an ATLS candidate to vote for on the constituency list you can vote on the regional ballot…May 7, 10:14
    • Geri on The value bet: “& the advice to those who don’t have one on the constituency list?May 7, 10:02
    • Captain Caveman on The value bet: “My prediction is they’ll lose their deposit in every single constituency they contest, having garnered an absolutely derisory vote in…May 7, 10:01
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