Having solved cat hunger in Greece, the tireless Holiday Boy has now turned his hand to addressing Scotland’s crippling golfing shortage, so we’ve got a different sort of cartoon again for you this weekend.
The clip below is from a 1981 arcade videogame called Venture, by Exidy, in which you play a cheerful character called Winky on a mission to loot treasure from a series of monster-infested dungeons.
For the purposes of this article the treasure in the room above, which takes the form of a castle tower, represents Scottish politics. The room itself is the Union.
The SNP released their general election manifesto today. We’re not going to link you to it, because we don’t want to be responsible for wasting your time. This is everything it has to say on the party’s (cough) strategy for achieving independence.
It deserves much, much less respect than we’re giving it. Tomorrow, ice lolly reviews.
I’m a professional community organiser, and a tenant and housing activist for some 20 years. I saw the old Scottish Tenants Organisation get smashed by Jack McConnell’s government to make way for council housing privatisation, which in Glasgow created the Glasgow Housing Association.
I’ve long wanted to rebuild a national body to give housing schemes a political voice and to push to end the housing crisis. That’s why I got involved with Living Rent, organising my community to become their first branch. Little did I know that would lead to a brush with crazed gender ideology, and see Queer Theory used to try to destroy it.
We’re still trying not to pay attention to the election because it’s so tedious and awful and pointless, but this is worth putting on the record because it’s in The National and otherwise nobody’s going to read it.
Holiday Boy has of course chosen the general election campaign to spend the next three weeks feeding stray cats somewhere sunny, so here’s a cartoon by the brilliant webcomicname that summarises the Baillie Gifford story for anyone joining us late.
January 2018, with no general election due for four and a half years: “I very rarely talk about Scottish independence in the chamber, because I talk about things that matter”
June 2024, with an election in four weeks and a £91,346 salary, expenses and pension at stake: “ROBERT THE BRUCE! BANNOCKBURN! DECLARATION OF ARBROATH! FLOWER OF SCOTLAND! FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOMMMM!”
Because, for startlingly obvious reasons, even the SNP hasn’t had the brass neck to do a general fundraiser for this election, with the police’s inquiries still going on into the whereabouts of the cash from their last big appeals.
But in fact the party has managed to wring over £100,000 from the most gullible of its remaining supporters in the days since the election was announced. It’s just been a bit more subtle about it.
agentx on The cost of failure: “Hope you have your football wall charts at the ready guys 🙂” Dec 5, 17:14
Cynicus on The cost of failure: “Hatey McHateface says: 5 December, 2025 at 1:25 pm ‘“Mr el Nakla hails from Dundee, correct?” Sorry, Cynicus, perhaps it’s…” Dec 5, 16:02
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “This is out and it won’t go away. Too many in Scotland think that bad things get stopped at the…” Dec 5, 15:54
factchecker on The cost of failure: “Every poll suggests that the SNP is unbeatable because pro-union votes are split 3 or 4 ways. Either not voting…” Dec 5, 15:06
Sven on The cost of failure: “Mark Beggan @ 10.51. No chance in the world, Mark. These grifters only ever stop the gravy train long enough…” Dec 5, 14:55
Jon Drummond on Ain’t Got Time To Bleed: “Brilliant Stu, You ripped that dude another dozen arseholes with that reply. I’m sure he’ll know what to do with…” Dec 5, 13:26
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““Mr el Nakla hails from Dundee, correct?” Sorry, Cynicus, perhaps it’s just me. Mr El Nakla was born in Dundee.…” Dec 5, 13:25
Cynicus on The cost of failure: “Hatey McHateface says: 5 December, 2025 at 7:50 am “The times they are a-changing, Cynicus.” ====== So too, yet again,…” Dec 5, 12:56
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “20 years is all it takes: https://unherd.com/2025/12/the-revolt-on-streetings-doorstep/ How far do we think Scotland is into that 20 year period? 5…” Dec 5, 12:54
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““So upon the destruction of the SNP we need to immediately get behind the idea of Liberate Scotland” [SIGH] Which…” Dec 5, 11:02
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “Grooming gangs debate today. Will Constance resign?” Dec 5, 10:51
100%Yes on The cost of failure: “If our so called leader was a true Independence support he wouldn’t have sacrificed these 39 MPs at last years…” Dec 5, 10:34
100%Yes on The cost of failure: “The National Says “Labour unwilling to support Scottish industry, John Swinney says”. Here is a prime example of what I…” Dec 5, 09:45
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “The porn ban is having a positive effect on society. My eyesight has improved immensely. James watches the porn movie…” Dec 5, 09:41
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “The times they are a-changing, Cynicus. What you state is rapidly becoming irrelevant. Plenty of ordinary Scots are of the…” Dec 5, 07:50
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “See fit ye’ve done noo, Mark? Ye’ve goat James hame frae the pub, an reaching for his sock. Hope the…” Dec 5, 07:37
twathater on Ginger beer and fruit and nuts: “@ JCD If you want independence for Scotland and there is a candidate from Liberate Scotland standing in your constituency…” Dec 5, 03:20
Cynicus on The cost of failure: “Hatey McHateface says: 4 December, 2025 at 8:26 pm “To be fair to El-Nakla, they don’t have high buildings where…” Dec 5, 01:32
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: ““take the Northern Isles” no thanks. They’re fine where they are. “When not if..” In the name of the wee…” Dec 4, 22:59
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““Independence will never happen” Ah, c’moan noo, Mark. Never is a very long time. When, not if, independence happens, it…” Dec 4, 22:40
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “As the BBC always like to say ‘This is what we know so far .’ Independence will never happen. The…” Dec 4, 21:24
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “To be fair to El-Nakla, they don’t have high buildings where he hails from. He wouldn’t have been aware of…” Dec 4, 20:26
Peter McAvoy on The cost of failure: “On reporting Scotland tonight the report showing John Swinney speaking he called Nigel Farage racist,has he forgotten Humza Youseff’s white,white…” Dec 4, 20:02
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: “It’s your craven fear of the “resident multi ID troll” reading here that stops you from writing the faintest outline…” Dec 4, 20:02
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “In Scotland even the government’s on Benefits.” Dec 4, 19:53
Mark Beggan on The cost of failure: “‘The public wants what the public gets’. Soar Giro!” Dec 4, 19:50
Hatey McHateface on The cost of failure: ““We must spend the next 6 months showing people the truth and showing them the way to get what we…” Dec 4, 19:49
