As is often the case with Scottish newspapers these days, the story was based entirely on a fantasy – IF a certain number of people did a certain thing (flee to England to escape a 1p income tax rise), which the story doesn’t provide a shred of evidence to suggest they’re going to do, then a bad thing would happen.
The new crowdfunding platform we used this year is a curious and arcane beast, and as a result the honest truth is that we’re still not quite 100% certain what the precise final total (including “offsite” donations and a few that squeezed in after the technical deadline) is. But as best as we can make out, including everything, it’s this:
(Fundraiser page here, or click here to donate directly.) .
The current total stands at a phenomenal £128,600 – already the second-highest ever by a five-figure margin, and just £11,447 short of the all-time record.
The Scottish Daily Mail’s never-ending quest to find the very bottom of the SNP BAD barrel reached a new record depth today, somehow managing to blame the Scottish Government for… whiplash injuries.
But as ever, it turned out the Mail’s story was missing some key data.
“There now follows a party election broadcast by the…”
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The political broadcasts at election time are a time-worn tradition in the UK (as is our reaction to them) but not too many people really understand why political campaign broadcasts take this form, nor why it’s actually quite important that they do.
Stuck for any actual news at the tail of the Easter weekend, today’s Scottish Daily Mail reaches once again into the bag marked “Emergency Barrel Scrapings” and comes up with that old faithful beloved of all newspapers, a shock-horror “OMG LOOK HOW EXPENSIVE THE TRAINS ARE!” story.
It’s always an easy hit – partly because since a shambolic, fragmented privatisation the UK does have pretty much the most expensive railways per mile in the civilised world, but also because regular train users tend to mainly travel in the same area all the time, and are easily persuaded that they have it worse than people anywhere else.
So let’s ignore all the Mail’s ridiculous cobblers blaming the SNP – who have very limited control over the fare policies of Abellio (the Dutch state-owned company who run ScotRail) and who have been prevented by successive UK governments from nationalising the network – and just see if that’s true.
sarah on Faces In Sand: “Yes United and Independence Forum Scotland have started Yes2030.scot – it had a spot at the SSRG Conference to publicise…” Oct 26, 21:47
William Smith on Faces In Sand: “Drat! Here I was, waiting on our impending liberation! I don’t know about you, but I can’t cope with any…” Oct 26, 21:15
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “”Have you any idea how stupid these statements make you look?” I’m going with “no”.” Oct 26, 21:08
Alf Baird on Faces In Sand: “‘Unionist’ cheerleaders need to believe that a union exists, in fact their colonial ‘condition’ depends on maintaining the hoax at…” Oct 26, 20:45
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “The usual suspects can’t believe in the impending bankruptcy of the U.K. because they already believe Scotland is hoaching with…” Oct 26, 20:31
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “So you’re saying there’s no date to save? I’ve been saving a space on the front of the fridge to…” Oct 26, 20:11
Chas on Faces In Sand: “Word reaches me that the ‘High Executive’ at the UN have met in secret session to discuss the recent presentation…” Oct 26, 19:54
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “I believe the tidal generation project in the Pentland Firth will be the highest capacity tidal project in the world…” Oct 26, 19:27
Dan on Faces In Sand: “Like other articles, this starts ok but ends with pushing nuclear. Ideal as it only takes a couple of months…” Oct 26, 18:58
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Nah, CC, Confused retired from a long, successful and lucrative career in the higher echelons of the diplomatic service. That’s…” Oct 26, 18:38
Hatey McHateface on Faces In Sand: “Nope, Marie, I didn’t.” Oct 26, 18:21
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “On point 1: yes I am obviously saying that, I don’t know how anyone could think anything different. The treaty…” Oct 26, 18:18
Xaracen on Faces In Sand: “Aidan, are you claiming that the 1707 Treaty was not voided by England’s coercion of Scotland to bring it to…” Oct 26, 18:15
Xaracen on Faces In Sand: “Are you claiming that the 1707 Treaty was not voided by England’s coercion of Scotland to bring it to the…” Oct 26, 17:52
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “The only thing missing from your explanation is the eccentric bit which is; “I, Xaracen, posting on Wings over Scotland…” Oct 26, 17:08
Xaracen on Faces In Sand: “@Northcode; Re your “The Myth They All Rely On” post of 21 October; (I was too busy with a flitting…” Oct 26, 16:42
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “It is extremely tedious, and it is not presented with the intent to provoke debate or discussion, it is simply…” Oct 26, 14:44
Spartan 117 on Faces In Sand: “I doubt anybody in the M25 omniclusterfuckpermashambles-on-Thames is paying any attention to the UN capers (all of which is just…” Oct 26, 13:41
Spartan 117 on Faces In Sand: “Pished, hysterical, incoherent rambling as per.” Oct 26, 13:31
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “Yes, the “useful idiot” argument (from a Unionist POV) isn’t lost on me. 🙂 However, it is bloody tedious, isn’t…” Oct 26, 13:25
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “I think Confused is having a tougher time as an adult. I would guess passing the days drinking very strong,…” Oct 26, 13:24
Aidan on Faces In Sand: “It has a practical purpose in driving the cause of independence down a dead end and diverting time and resources,…” Oct 26, 13:18
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “I’m guessing you had a tough time at school, Confused, and were no stranger to the “bogwash”.” Oct 26, 12:40
Confused on Faces In Sand: “getting into the english at the UN is useful, and enjoyable, because it “hits them where they live” – they…” Oct 26, 12:17
Confused on Faces In Sand: ““Rewilding” is another con job – what it means is : GET ORFF MOI LAND – and whenever an ANGLO…” Oct 26, 12:14
Lorncal on Faces In Sand: “Northcode: although contemporary international law would back us up in most areas, the Treaty will almost certainly come into play…” Oct 26, 11:30
Spartan 117 on Faces In Sand: “Alf, but the UK *does* exist, legally, politically and physically, not just within its territory but it is internationally recognised.…” Oct 26, 10:55
Northcode on Faces In Sand: “I understand the frustration — democratic systems are imperfect everywhere. But my point was simply that, unlike in 1707, Scots…” Oct 26, 10:24
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “Hey, it’s almost as though this “ancient guff” that happened over 300 years ago is of no pragmatic consequence in…” Oct 26, 10:14
Captain Caveman on Faces In Sand: “So it’s a case of “Schrödinger’s Union” then, eh Alf? 😀” Oct 26, 10:08
