The above story is feeble enough as it stands, even allowing for it being a desperately slow news week for Scottish politics. Maureen Watt is 66 years old and has asthma, and making a pensioner with breathing difficulties sprint a mile to get to a speech on time probably isn’t the most cost-effective way for the Parliament to save four and a half quid, once you’ve factored in the cost of the ambulance and everything.
Sometimes it’s hard for Yes supporters in Scotland not to be a bit jealous of Catalonia.
Despite their would-be nation being only a little bit bigger than Scotland, and despite being faced with very real physical and legal intimidation, the Catalan independence movement regularly manages to put hundreds of thousands of people on the streets.
Yes marches and rallies in Scotland, by comparison, often struggle to get attendances numbered in the hundreds, largely because squabbling factions refuse to get along with each other and by far the biggest entity in the Yes movement – the SNP – wants nothing to do with them.
Marches don’t win independence, of course. But what does?
We referenced this a few days ago because we definitely remembered it happening, but we’d been unable to actually locate the evidence, and at Wings Over Scotland that sort of thing bothers us. After a very considerable amount of effort we’ve now tracked it down, so we’re bunging it up here to preserve it for the record.
(At that point host Frank Skinner gave up and moved on.)
It’s from one month after the indyref, and the interesting thing is that Robinson is twice given the opportunity to respond to Skinner’s question about whether he thought that the pro-Yes supporters had any sort of fair point about his alleged bias, and both times – rather than, say, just dismissing it with a quick “Of course not” – he ducks it.
Readers can, as always, make their own judgements.
Amid the horror of events in Catalonia yesterday, the Prime Minister of the UK – quite unintentionally – said something during an interview on the Andrew Marr Show which was highly pertinent not only to the Catalan referendum but to British domestic politics too. We thought it needed saving for the record.
This site can’t claim to know enough about Spanish and Catalan politics to have an opinion about whether independence for Catalonia is a good idea or not. All we can say is that democracy is a good idea, and the draconian and extreme attempts of the Spanish government to suppress the referendum – ludicrously under-reported in the UK media, particularly broadcast media – are a terrifying throwback to its fascist past. We very much hope they don’t succeed.
As readers who were once children will probably recall, papier-mache is a substance in which incredibly flimsy material – such as tissue paper or newspaper – is turned into something rather more hard and durable by dint of combining multiple layers of it with a simple flour-and-water solution.
What’s less well-known is that the process also happens IN newspapers.
For a case study, let’s look at this article in today’s Times.
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “Well, I guess you had better start rummaging that amongst that great big steaming pile of unwashed kecks, empty beer…” Apr 8, 12:32
Alf Baird on The quality of mercy: “Names are names, colonial plunder is colonial plunder. Whaur’s oor oil money, an for aw else tae, ower the past…” Apr 8, 12:06
James on The quality of mercy: ““According to 2013 figures from Fraser Of Allander Institute economist Brian Ashcroft – husband of former Scottish Labour leader Wendy…” Apr 8, 11:58
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “““As of April 7, 2026, oil prices are high and volatile due to supply concerns, with global benchmark Brent Crude…” Apr 8, 11:54
James on The quality of mercy: “Apt coincidence though, eh? Doncha think, “Agent”?” Apr 8, 11:53
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: ““Is it down to lack of means, or is it a tactic acknowledgement that deep down they know the money…” Apr 8, 11:46
agentx on The quality of mercy: “@ james “Shell initially named all of its UK oil fields after seabirds in alphabetical order by discovery – Auk,…” Apr 8, 11:27
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “@James – don’t start having a massive tantrum because you’ve been made to look stupid by your own lack of…” Apr 8, 11:25
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “Oh dear. “Eight Ace” is triggered again. 😀” Apr 8, 11:01
James on The quality of mercy: “Our thieving southern neighbours started taking the piss as soon as the stuff was discovered. “An oilfield? In Scotch waters?…” Apr 8, 10:48
James on The quality of mercy: ““UK” “government” giving oil drilling licences out for free then? F*** off the pair of you. Supercillious charlatans.” Apr 8, 10:42
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “@Aidan An interesting question to pose to your (ahem) “detractors”, Fatso, Rambo and “Geri” (in whatever applicable currency in his…” Apr 8, 10:26
Dan on The quality of mercy: “https://wingsoverscotland.com/junkies-tramps-and-thieves/#more-87705” Apr 8, 08:53
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “@James I realise you are extremely dense and credulous and have the same reaction to facts as you do to…” Apr 8, 06:11
Geri on The quality of mercy: ““As of April 7, 2026, oil prices are high and volatile due to supply concerns, with global benchmark Brent Crude…” Apr 8, 00:54
Insider on The quality of mercy: ““Iain More says: 7 April, 2026 at 10:32 pm So oil has hit $150 a barrel.” Nope ! You’re talking…” Apr 8, 00:06
Young Lochinvar on The quality of mercy: “Aidan You are being something of a contrarian here. As I told you recently it’s fairly easy to find out…” Apr 7, 22:40
James on The quality of mercy: “Here’s the misfit and the pub bore back on shift.*yawn* Saw your drivel and thought of this, dunno why… Quote;…” Apr 7, 22:26
Geri on The quality of mercy: “Same could be said of any political party. At least they’re registered in Scotland eh? Westminster politicians are always with…” Apr 7, 22:22
Young Lochinvar on The quality of mercy: “Geri I suspect Baby Trump was handed Uncle Sam’s “Book Of Grudges” by “them and those” knowing he was flaky…” Apr 7, 22:18
Geri on The quality of mercy: “They’ve always committed war crimes. It’s in their DNA. They just didn’t gob off about it like the fake Don…” Apr 7, 21:28
diabloandco on The quality of mercy: “I mentioned a song I’d like to share , now I find that it is on youtube music . It’s…” Apr 7, 21:02
Northcode on The quality of mercy: “A’ve aye felt ther is sum secret magic roond and aboot Scotland and the Scots. And sae it wid seem…” Apr 7, 19:37
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “Oh aye CC, although not parted fast enough apparently as they’re £3k short! Their own website doesn’t even contain a…” Apr 7, 18:39
Captain Caveman on The quality of mercy: “Just one long grift. Rinse and repeat. “A fool and his money” etc.” Apr 7, 17:28
Aidan on The quality of mercy: “These supposedly dedicated independence fighters with the grit and determination to reclaim the nation can’t somehow pull together £1600 each…” Apr 7, 16:41
Young Lochinvar on The quality of mercy: “Beggars Mobilise your air cadets unit then did they? Well I suppose we should be grateful that at least back…” Apr 7, 15:14
