A new YouGov poll of Scottish voters was released today. It had no voting-intention figures, and concerned itself mostly with people’s assessment of the main Scottish and UK party leaders. The Labour-voters column was interesting to say the least.
That’s rather a lot of love for a Tory PM from people who voted Labour at the last UK election just over a year ago – more of Scottish Labour’s remaining voters found Theresa May likeable than dislikeable. But then things got even weirder.
“Bias” is a word we hate. Other than in the article you’re about to read, you’ll almost never find it used on this site, for a string of reasons. It’s one of those words that – regardless of context or literal justification – simply makes people switch off instantly and dismiss your arguments. (See also: “Zionist”, “Quisling”, “fascist”, “Liebore”.)
It’s also largely irrelevant, because there are very few people or organisations who have any duty NOT to be biased. When it comes to Scottish independence we’re as biased as all heck, and there’s no legitimate reason to expect the Daily Record or Scotsman or Daily Mail to be any more impartial than we are. They’re privately-owned businesses and entitled to take any position they like.
(The difference, of course, is that unlike them we’re committed to still telling the truth when we’re being biased, and to always providing linked original sources so you can judge our biased interpretation of facts and events for yourself.)
You can’t throw a brick at the Scottish media at the moment – however much you’d like to – without hitting half a dozen articles all repeating the same mantra: that despite the post-Brexit surge in support for independence, a Yes vote would be more difficult to achieve because the economics are now harder than they were in 2014, due to the collapse in the oil price.
Weirdly, almost all of these articles simultaneously insist that any new White Paper for independence would have to abandon the Sterling currency union advocated by the Scottish Government the first time round (despite there being little to no concrete evidence that it was a significant factor in the No vote, other than the commentariat all loudly agreeing with each other that it was).
The problem is that those two claims – if for the sake of argument you take them both to be true – introduce a whacking great elephant to the room, which all the people making the arguments are pretending not to notice.
If there haven’t been as many posts on this site as people might expect at a time of such incredible political turmoil, it’s because Wings isn’t at heart a commentary blog. We don’t do a lot of flat-out opinion pieces, tending to concern ourselves more with measurable, empirical facts, and since nobody knows anything about anything at the moment, we haven’t had all that much useful to say.
But the closest thing there is right now to a certainty is that sometime quite soon, Unionist politicians in Scotland are going to have to grow up and deal with this:
And their problem is that there’s no possible way to.
So the official Westminster line is that Scotland will HAVE to become independent if it wants to remain in the EU. We’re sure the FM will be absolutely gutted to hear that.
Young Lochinvar on Or Something: “Off topic.. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 1388 battle of Otterburn. Froissart recounted this in detail and his commentary…” Aug 4, 00:27
Confused on Or Something: “Who reads mcalpine? It’s weak pish. As for UN recognition – everyone in the place hates “england” since they were…” Aug 3, 23:41
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““I was wrong” But then you’re used to that. Seriously though, Northy, even if your claim and your logic are…” Aug 3, 22:45
Carol Neill on Or Something: “@angus that’s exactly what they’re hoping for Oor Stu’s well up for them Little do they realise how many will…” Aug 3, 22:33
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““All the right credentials” Nah. White, white, white. “am I being just too cynical?” Naw. Not cynical enough. Peak cynicism…” Aug 3, 22:33
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““It would be good to sneer at the SNP as it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch but there is…” Aug 3, 22:29
James Jones on Or Something: “Why on Earth would you think that when devolution hasn’t delivered “greater democratic accountability” and independence would only put greater…” Aug 3, 22:14
Northcode on Or Something: “I previously said no entrustment existed in the ring-fenced SNP money case. I was wrong… the Inner House has now…” Aug 3, 22:00
Bilbo on Or Something: “It’s hard to know what to make of it. Is the SNP going to be destroyed from without by state…” Aug 3, 21:46
Angus on Or Something: “One word of caution. Be vigilant at all times and do not go for hikes in isolated places.” Aug 3, 21:44
James on The Nobodies: “Here’s unionist Walloper #3 arrived in his clown wagon. Well, Adrian, petal; your posts certainly gie me a migraine. I…” Aug 3, 21:42
Angus on Or Something: ““Please do not make the mistake of thinking that I will eventually get bored and go away. I will not.”…” Aug 3, 21:39
Angus on Or Something: ““Doubtless we’ll receive the same reply as before, but in three different fonts, in around a month’s time, so make…” Aug 3, 21:36
Aidan on The Nobodies: “As usual James, nothing you write (or rather copy and paste) is worth reading. Just a collection of childish, unsophisticated…” Aug 3, 21:24
MaryB on Or Something: “Bilbo @ 6.57 Re Nicola Sturgeon’s latest outburst. It seems as though her handlers have now told her to throw…” Aug 3, 21:23
robertkknight on Or Something: “Let justice be done…” Aug 3, 21:16
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine article” It does take a “special” kind of genius to pretend…” Aug 3, 20:51
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Why don’t you read the article again, Dan? Maybe then you’ll be able to write a sensible post about it.…” Aug 3, 20:38
100%Yes on Or Something: “Its funny how its alright for Westminster to play dirty tricks. Robin acts as if the UKG is a genuine…” Aug 3, 20:30
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. So when Murrell bought the Northern Lights pendant with funds he had embezzled from the SNP, he wasn’t thinking…” Aug 3, 20:05
Dan on Or Something: “Hmm, looks like some serious franchise fanny shizzle going on here… https://robinmcalpine.org/scotland-will-be-independent-but-not-through-electoral-tricks/ So forget for a moment using the ridiculously…” Aug 3, 19:42
agentx on Or Something: “She wrote: “To say I feel completely and utterly betrayed is an understatement. It isn’t just that in committing these…” Aug 3, 19:34
Frazerio on Or Something: “Reminds me very much of this: Andy Dufresne: How can you be so obtuse? Warden Samuel Norton: [his anger rising]…” Aug 3, 19:32
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: ““pay for a more professional spin-doctor” You having a laugh? It’s me paying for it all. Me, you, and every…” Aug 3, 19:01
Bilbo on Or Something: “O/T I see that Sturgeon is tearing into Swinney in a new preface to her book which I presume is…” Aug 3, 18:57
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Ach, Alf, if “colonialism may speak in the native tongue” then I’m going to have to be wary of those…” Aug 3, 18:56
Hatey McHateface on Or Something: “Odd. The only enthusiasm I’ve ever seen for Scottish gas chambers is BTL here *. From people who loudly like…” Aug 3, 18:42
Hatey McHateface on The Nobodies: “Look everybody! Indy support up 5% today. Just another 5% and we’re free. Wonder what’s been driving it, eh?” Aug 3, 18:32
holymacmoses on Or Something: “It will be interesting to see if they decide to up the anti and pay for a more professional spin-doctor…” Aug 3, 18:22
Alf Baird on Or Something: ““According to Fanon, the whites” Wrong again, Hatey. Fanon warned colonized peoples in Africa, Asia and Latin America that “colonialism…” Aug 3, 18:21
