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Wings Over Scotland


The Hand Of Friendship 34

Posted on September 23, 2024 by

We’ll be honest, folks, we’re not 100% sure this is how you build unity.

But what uplifting and powerful alliances might we be missing out on?

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The Triple Whammy 94

Posted on September 22, 2024 by

Scotland’s energy rip-off continues unabated, and its impact on Scotland is merciless. GB Energy is to put up a plaque on an office in Aberdeen whilst Scottish pensioners can’t afford to put on the heating. Oil continues to boost the UK coffers as a senior British business figure calls Scottish renewables “a golden ticket for UK growth”.

But as Scottish pensioners freeze, Scottish industry’s being devastated, and workers are being made redundant.

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Say What You See 142

Posted on September 20, 2024 by

Don’t say we don’t tell you, readers.

Because we do tell you.

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10 Years On 58

Posted on September 19, 2024 by

For all of those who couldn’t make it to Saturday’s sold-out event at the IMAX:

As for the next 10 years, that’s another question.

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An unduly restrictive view of salvation 88

Posted on September 18, 2024 by

Earlier today we heard from the SNP’s depute leader Keith Brown that the party now accepts there will never be another UK-sanctioned independence referendum.

And this afternoon in the chamber the SNP also voted against the only alternative.

Alba MSP Ash Regan laid down the above motion, which supports what as far as we knew was still the SNP’s official policy in the absence of another Section 30, in so far as they even know what their policy is.

Today that motion was voted down by 125 votes to 1.

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Objection Sustained 41

Posted on September 18, 2024 by

This must be some kind of mistake.

Because we’re sure you’ve spent the last decade telling us that just couldn’t happen.

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A Brief History Of Hope 168

Posted on September 14, 2024 by

The Land Of Immunity 101

Posted on September 12, 2024 by

Astonishingly, there isn’t a single word of apology anywhere in this statement.

There isn’t a scintilla of contrition, not the tiniest glimmer of admission of culpability or responsibility. There isn’t even a weasel-worded expression of “regret”.

Rape Crisis Scotland is unfit for purpose, and its CEO must resign.

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The Tartan Messiah 42

Posted on September 11, 2024 by

Well, Shauny‘s knocked it out of the park.

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After the swarm 72

Posted on September 11, 2024 by

On 15 October 2012, I signed the Edinburgh Agreement with David Cameron to secure the independence referendum of September 2014.

On the same day Peter Kellner of the polling company YouGov wrote one of his condescending commentaries from London dissing any hope for the Yes campaign.

“However, from Salmond’s point of view, it is about the only thing going for him. Indeed, were he to be given a truth drug, he might well curse the fact that the SNP won last year’s Scottish elections outright, and thus found himself in a position to keep his promise.

He would surely have been much happier remaining the leader of a minority government, unable to get his independence legislation through Holyrood. Then he could have railed against the Scottish satraps of the Britain-wide parties for silencing the voice of the Scottish people.

Instead, by winning an outright majority, he has shot his own fox. Rather than shed crocodile tears for his inability to call a referendum, he must now put the issue to the test.

As a shrewd and intelligent man – indeed, one of the shrewdest and most intelligent in British politics – he must know that his mission is impossible, that in two years time his country will vote to remain part of the United Kingdom, and that far from being achieved, independence will be deferred for at least a generation.

All YouGov’s evidence from the past four years is that independence is a minority passion north of the border. Even as the SNP was surging to victory last year, Scots told us by two-to-one that they wanted to remain within the UK.

The SNP won because most Scots thought it had governed their country well, because they liked Salmond, and because they thought the Scottish Labour Party was useless – not because they wanted to sever links with London.”

Kellner’s view was almost universal, and not just among the London pack of journos and politicians. Most, if not all, of the Scottish media agreed with him.

However, by September 2014 things looked very different.

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A False Labelling 78

Posted on September 10, 2024 by

We’ve just watched the BBC’s new documentary, and we’re confused.

You can see both episodes on iPlayer now, or on TV tonight and tomorrow, but there’s no mistaking what’s being advertised – a personal drama between the two biggest players in Scottish politics in the last 300 years.

But that’s not what you get.

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Coming Yet 63

Posted on September 09, 2024 by

The dogged persistence of alert Wings contributor Benjamin Harrop with regard to the Hamilton inquiry has been truly heroic, and today it has borne fruit in dramatic style.

The 10-page adjudication from the Scottish Information Commissioner that you can download by clicking that image is a somewhat labyrinthine (but fascinating) read, but the upshot of it is that the Commissioner has now ordered the Scottish Government to release all of the legal advice it was given with regard to its refusal to publish the written evidence submitted to James Hamilton for his inquiry into the events around the alleged conspiracy to falsely convict Alex Salmond of sexual assaults.

(See, even that one-sentence summary was quite hard going.)

But why does that matter and what does it mean?

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    • Young Lochinvar on The Massive Face Of Truth: “HMcH Don’t really have any desire to get into a running spat again, but shouldn’t you consider that’s exactly where…Jun 8, 00:25
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    • Northcode on In pursuit of clarity: “Nope, I’m not wrong. Let me break it down for you: At C-24: Salvo could attend, but Scotland could not…Jun 7, 21:40
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    • Aidan on In pursuit of clarity: “Sorry Northcode, you are wrong. Here is a link to the statement given by our very own Alf Baird on…Jun 7, 20:21
    • Hatey McHateface on In pursuit of clarity: “I’ll presume to speak for Aidan, Northy. You’re every bit as clever as an alert reader would expect someone self-identifying…Jun 7, 20:18
    • Northcode on In pursuit of clarity: “You said at 10:24 am today: “…promoted the Salvo/Liberate fundraiser which also has a case to answer for embezzlement…” And…Jun 7, 19:53
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    • Hatey McHateface on In pursuit of clarity: “Some Scots believe what happened in Scottish care homes during Covid was murder. And yes, “those people” did get away…Jun 7, 19:38
    • Hatey McHateface on In pursuit of clarity: ““Throwing such serious allegations about without proof is piss poor behaviour” Where is the best place to get synthetic outrage…Jun 7, 19:27
    • Aidan on In pursuit of clarity: “Well done Northcode, that was a spirited attempt at a defence but one that unfortunately doesn’t quite align to the…Jun 7, 18:57
    • BigJay on The Massive Face Of Truth: “There was a bit of a kerfuffle back in 2023 regarding a fragrant, former female ‘aide’ to Humza UselessAF who…Jun 7, 18:51
    • Northcode on In pursuit of clarity: “I’ve just realised what, I think, you have presented here as ‘evidence’ of Salvo/Liberate embezzlement… and I laugh in the…Jun 7, 18:18
    • Dan on In pursuit of clarity: “@AiDan If you’re so sure there has been an act of embezzlement committed, and it bothers you so much; Then…Jun 7, 17:52
    • Aidan on In pursuit of clarity: “lol, no it doesn’t. What might persuade someone is explaining how the circumstances I have set out above do not…Jun 7, 17:26
    • Northcode on In pursuit of clarity: ““…are you expecting that to persuade anyone?” Yes… I am and it does. You know, you go on fair bit…Jun 7, 17:04
    • Andy Wiltshire on The Massive Face Of Truth: “I trust the Rev is working feverishly on pieces about (a) cash for seats, and (b) the involvement of HMRC…Jun 7, 16:53
    • Hatey McHateface on In pursuit of clarity: “Careful, Aidan! You’re trampling all over the green cheese with your muckle tackity boots. Green cheese is all some of…Jun 7, 16:32
    • Aidan on In pursuit of clarity: ““I’m not going to engage with the facts you’ve laid out and therefore because I’m ignoring the evidence I win…Jun 7, 16:30
    • James Jones on The Massive Face Of Truth: “It’s boilerplate text by now.Jun 7, 16:28
    • Hatey McHateface on In pursuit of clarity: “New Caledonia, eh? A name to conjure with. Second only to Nova Scotia as a reminder of the Scots’ long,…Jun 7, 16:20
    • Northcode on In pursuit of clarity: “Prove Salvo/Liberate are guilty of embezzlement. You can’t because you don’t have any proof. And why don’t you have any…Jun 7, 16:17
    • 100%Yes on The Massive Face Of Truth: “More SNP dirty secrets, cash for seats, this is just the start.Jun 7, 16:16
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