There’s a truly abominable piece of hatemongering in today’s Times. A grotesequely dishonest Nat-bashing smear job based on stupendously misrepresented fragments of quotes, it’s penned by Patrick Harkness, someone who the paper identifies as “a past co-chairman of the RSE [Royal Society of Edinburgh] Young Academy of Scotland”.
For some reason it’s chosen to leave a few lines off his CV.
Alert readers will of course be aware that a recurring theme on this site is looking for the alleged abusive behaviour by supporters of independence which gets regularly reported in outraged terms by newspapers but is mysteriously almost never supported by any actual evidence of the supposed abuse.
In every case the papers and/or alleged recipients of all these dreadful separatist haranguings screamed “VILE ABUSE!”, swooning at the horror of it all, then suddenly turned deaf and dumb when asked to provide any examples.
So we were quite surprised yesterday when a previous complainant – brutal stickering victim and lonely Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray – actually came up with the proof.
Five minutes and 51 seconds, to be precise, is how long David Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, spent frantically quacking out meaningless noise on this morning’s Sunday Politics Scotland in order to avoid answering a simple Yes/No question until the interview ran out of airtime.
We could quibble with presenter Gordon Brewer making the assertion that a Section 30 order would in fact be necessary for a second referendum (something which has never been established in law or conceded by the Scottish Government, with strong and genuine legal opinion on both sides of the argument), and with him letting Mundell get away with the blatant falsehood that an overwhelming majority of Scots don’t want another referendum – in fact, 50% want one within the next two years.
But sometimes you have to let some smaller things slide to avoid distraction and stay focused on your main point, and in our view this was one of those occasions.
Should we check out that link and find out whether the then-FM really DID “claim that the Scottish NHS would be privatised if Scots voted No”, readers? Let’s do!
These are the comments of UK defence secretary Michael Fallon in a short interview with today’s Herald. We don’t know about you, folks, but to us it feels like Christmas.
We think our favourite line is “There are other voices in Scotland now, not least Ruth Davidson’s”, but there are a lot to choose from.
This is Conservative MP Dominic Raab, a member of the Brexit Select Committee, speaking on the BBC News Channel’s “Hard Talk” programme at 00.45 this morning. Perhaps imagining that nobody would be watching at such an ungodly hour, it seems he felt able to be unusually candid.
We left the last bit on in order to demonstrate that he was still talking about Scotland as well as Ireland. (He went on to recite the usual boilerplate about all leaving together as the UK etc etc, you can watch the whole show for yourself on iPlayer.)
But let’s just get that key early exchange down in writing for the record.
Readers familiar with our standing advice to newspaper customers that the headline is nearly always a lie might like to consider today’s Press & Journal.
The word “pyre” comes from the Greek word “pyra”, meaning “fire”. Surprisingly, it’s NOT the same root as “Pyrrhic”, as in “Pyrrhic victory”, meaning one that’s achieved by metaphorically burning your own city down. (Which in fact is named after the Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus.)
Cynicus on Contempt Of Government: “Thanks for getting back, Kevin. Sorry about mis-naming you in my first attempt. At least you are not, “mis-gendered”!” Dec 21, 02:33
Cynicus on Contempt Of Government: “Thanks for getting b ack Ken. your new information is very interesting but doesn’t come close as evidence for your…” Dec 21, 02:27
Saffron Robe on A matter of class: “I think it is worth noting that the separation of powers does not exist in Scotland and therefore Westminster can…” Dec 21, 00:24
Benhope on A matter of class: “The latest Epstein release of files in America are so similar to the heavily redacted files in Scotland by John…” Dec 20, 23:56
Mark Beggan on A matter of class: ““Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman But she was just another guy All the girls around her said…” Dec 20, 23:49
Achnababan on A matter of class: “Maist o oor civil service leaders are frae sooth o the Boarder. This is the colonial response to clip the…” Dec 20, 23:13
Mark Beggan on A matter of class: “Macadanism. Built by the Irish, patented by the Welsh and overseen by the English. It wasn’t the Red coats that…” Dec 20, 22:06
Alf Baird on A matter of class: ““he concept of’Justice’ in that society depends on shared moral values” There are inevitably two different sets of values in…” Dec 20, 20:59
Mark Beggan on A matter of class: “On the point of Lady Justice. You could hang a wet duffle coat on those nipples.” Dec 20, 20:08
Saffron Robe on A matter of class: “Like the picture of Lady Justice at the top of your article, Stuart, here was I thinking that justice should…” Dec 20, 19:39
Alf Baird on A matter of class: “A decent ‘factchecker’ should know that “colonialism is always a co-operative venture with native elites” (Fanon). Burns rightly called them…” Dec 20, 19:10
factchecker on A matter of class: “Professor Baird says: 20 December, 2025 at 12:34 pm Aye, ‘Justice’ is at best a rather theoretical concept in a…” Dec 20, 18:48
agentx on A matter of class: “I look forward to seeing you listed on Peggie’s legal team as the race discrimination expert.” Dec 20, 18:47
Dan on A matter of class: “Aye, Bilbo. CC can get it right up him with that pish. Maybe he’d be a fan of the rainbow…” Dec 20, 17:44
Bilbo on A matter of class: “Captain Caveman Intelligence bordering on imbecility and delusion beyond belief. The Tories were in power for 14 years and the…” Dec 20, 17:12
James Cheyne on A matter of class: “Confused. But Confused our royals are german to, although have had some weird bedfellows and friends associations through out history…” Dec 20, 16:36
Alf Baird on Contempt Of Government: “Yes James, ‘colonialism is based on psychology’ (Cesaire) leaving a dangerous pathology and ‘disease of the mind’ whereby those afflicted…” Dec 20, 16:13
James Cheyne on Contempt Of Government: “Perversion alway starts and thrives through the association with money” Dec 20, 16:04
James Cheyne on Contempt Of Government: “Keven Cargill. I suppose the evidence is speaking for itself by the amount of men bringing in and twisting the…” Dec 20, 16:01
James Cheyne on Contempt Of Government: “The root of the problem goes much deeper and further back, as often said by my self, “The door in…” Dec 20, 15:50
Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Sorry, Alf. I overlooked the Amalgamated Scottish UN Petitioners and Associated Grifters.” Dec 20, 15:44
Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: ““Write more gibberish” But it’s yer turn, Northy. Gie us ane o yer lengthy epistles written entirely in yer fabricated…” Dec 20, 15:41
Confused on A matter of class: “civic nationalism at its best https://x.com/i/status/2002168538082005419 – we need to welcome the “new britons” furtheconomy-n-growf handthehenhaichess – luckily, 30 minutes…” Dec 20, 15:34
Confused on A matter of class: “as stewart lee might say … – you rape ONE BABY … https://archive.ph/urAU8 – and they CALL YOU A PEDOPHILE…” Dec 20, 15:31
Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Thanks for your reply, Stuart. As it happens, I lack a union-flag covered duvet. As it happens, you missed a…” Dec 20, 15:30
James Cheyne on A matter of class: “Its a class war, If Sandie peggy was a doctor, and upton was the nurse… If Sandie Peggy was English…” Dec 20, 15:26
James on The Idiot Rodeo: “Yeah yeah, blow it out of your ass, crackpot. Fecking loony tune. Anyway some of us have things to do…” Dec 20, 15:20
Hatey McHateface on The Idiot Rodeo: “@James 1:04 Did yer maw teach you nothing? What you wish for in your letter to Santa is supposed to…” Dec 20, 15:15
Captain Caveman on The Idiot Rodeo: ““Supercilious”..? You’re the one looking down on McDonalds and fast food restaurant workers you fat, lazy berk, not I. Get…” Dec 20, 15:12
Jay on A matter of class: “Assuming young Theo has male chromosomes and genitalia then, if he were to tell me that he is a woman,…” Dec 20, 14:59
