Although this site is blacklisted by the press regulator IPSO and therefore unable to file complaints about inaccurate and misleading newspaper articles, our alert readers sometimes pick up the baton from Wings articles and do the job themselves.
But the reader who took up that complaint has furnished us with a bit of interesting background to the story, and also news of a rather more alarming outcome.
We’re seriously starting to think there’s some sort of competition going on among the Unionist parties of Scotland to see who’s the thickest. We’ve spent quite a bit of time pointing out the scarcely-believable dimness of the Scottish Conservative benches, but this week Scottish Labour really pulled out the stops to try to seize back the initiative.
Yesterday was quite an eventful day, so it’s moderately possible you may have missed the alarming news that some shady Mafia-backed hedge fund or such has apparently funded these irresponsible and morally-suspect chancers (last seen shilling on air for literally Vladimir Putin and BBC Scotland, in that order) to produce an all-new series of scurrilous and dubious fact-grubbing for some inexplicable reason.
We have alerted the appropriate authorities. For safety, remain in your homes.
As you can see, the Speaker offers Ian Blackford MP, who was protesting about last night’s silencing of Scottish MPs, a choice of when to hold a vote under Parliamentary standing orders, but then improperly refuses his choice and orders Blackford from the chamber, at which point the rest of the SNP’s MPs followed him.
Let there be no mistake about what just happened. Last night, Scottish devolution – an institution 111 years in the promising, just 19 years a reality – died. Iain Macwhirter summed it up concisely and accurately.
The Sun (English edition only, the Scottish one goes for a domestic murrdurr story) has an inflammatory front page today, as Parliament debates the most important series of votes so far on Brexit, including one to overrule devolution.
It’s a rerun of a(n in)famous previous front-page illustration from the paper, which you can see below. But there’s something odd about it.
It’s probably fair to say that the voters of Scotland have been feeling a little put-upon lately. In the last decade they’ve been sent to polling stations on no fewer than 12 occasions (Holyrood elections in 2011 and 2016, UK elections in 2010, 2015 and 2017, council elections in 2012 and 2017, European elections in 2009 and 2014, and finally referendums on AV, independence and the EU).
And they’ve been subjected to endless weeks, months or even years of campaigning and haranguing each time. One woman – who only had to endure nine of those 12 – had famously had enough of it.
Yet Scots face possibly three more in the next 12 months or so, if various factions get their way, taking the total to 15 major votes in a decade. And if we want to secure the desired outcome in any of them, we’re going to have to ease the load on folk a bit.
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “There is very little doubt Nicola Sturgeon is protected and future-proofed by State promise. The Rev Stuart Campbell’s patiently incisive…” Sep 15, 00:02
PhilM on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “That route falls off a bit cliff like Wile E. Coyote until you see the big ‘poof!’ as private prosecution…” Sep 14, 23:47
BLMac on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “It’s good to see this being pushed if only to see some revers Karma for Scotland’s latest addition to the…” Sep 14, 23:37
robertkknight on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Well done Rev, but given how events have unfolded over the past few years one can only conclude that Agent…” Sep 14, 22:26
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “She knows they weren’t. He pleaded guilty. She said on the interview she knew some of them were bought with…” Sep 14, 22:05
sarah on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Liberation Scotland will be presenting a petition to the C-24 Decolonisation Committee of the UN next month!!! This is great…” Sep 14, 22:01
sarah on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “I don’t think we need fear that the current lot of MSP/MPs will be organising the separation. They haven’t the…” Sep 14, 21:31
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “LIBERATION SCOTLAND 2026 CROWDFUNDER ANNOUNCEMENT « Dear Liberation Scotland member / Independence supporter: Liberation Scotland’s mission is to restore the…” Sep 14, 21:13
Rocky on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “You would have to get rid of all the trough-munching, incompetent managerial classes, too. They keep it all going.” Sep 14, 21:02
Mark Beggan on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “‘Goebellsian “The National” agitprop circular. It’s readers are out of this world. I think some readers are wanting for the…” Sep 14, 20:52
McDuff on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Sorry Sarah but I disagree,the rev is right Scotland is not fit for independence at this present time. Yes the…” Sep 14, 20:50
agentx on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Ah – OK thanks – my apologies. But I am sure that Sturgeon would entirely agree with the reasons for…” Sep 14, 20:47
Spartan 117 on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Indeed Hatey. Bad me. Wings BTL gets all the more hysterical and surreal with every passing day.” Sep 14, 20:26
PhilM on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Incorrect. Check again. There was about a six-month gap before she was sworn in as FM.” Sep 14, 20:18
Hatey McHateface on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “There’s no way that can happen if it hasn’t been foretold by the post colonial boys.” Sep 14, 20:16
Hatey McHateface on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Hoho, Spartan, twathater has you bang to rights. You’ve been enabling and celebrating their corruption for far too long. High…” Sep 14, 19:46
Hatey McHateface on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “If they’re largely Muslim with a Christian minority, they give us advance warning of what Scotland will likely be in…” Sep 14, 19:39
Yorkie on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “I would imagine that Murrell had enough money of his own – from his salary etc. If she argues that…” Sep 14, 19:25
Spartan 117 on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Ahem. I was criticising the blatant hypocrisy, not supporting Reform. I also made the point that Nigel and his TechBros…” Sep 14, 19:13
M.E on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “> “is isn’t fit for anything.” Your grammar checker ain’t isn’t is fit for anything, Stu. Also the way you…” Sep 14, 18:56
Spartan 117 on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “I think the graphic to the right of this page titled “A Tall Tale” composing a pastiche of laughable front…” Sep 14, 18:47
bumsrush on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “I admit to just a cursory reading of the Proceeds of Crimes Acts but it does appear Stu has taken…” Sep 14, 18:44
Bonzo Dogg on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “In this case a Citizen’s arrest is not appropriate, not least because you have to establish that detention is necessary…” Sep 14, 18:43
twathater on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““The only thing that will defeat this blatant corruption will be diligent investigative journalism and holding the corrupt to account.”…” Sep 14, 18:29
agentx on Like Responsible Citizens Do: ““Why the Rule Was Changed Historically, the common law presumed that a wife was under the total coercion and control…” Sep 14, 18:19
Chas on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Again I note that the missive is unsigned. Somebody is clearly watching their back or has been instructed!” Sep 14, 18:16
Dan on Like Responsible Citizens Do: “Well done Stuart for doing this. Though tbh I am a bit miffed nobody else had done this already after…” Sep 14, 18:02
