The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


A gap in our memory 397

Posted on May 01, 2016 by

We must confess, we don’t recall when this happened.

Img_3420

If anyone can help us out, please do.

Read the rest of this entry →

Generation and stimulation 224

Posted on April 30, 2016 by

Yesterday we noted that we still hadn’t received a reply to a complaint we made to the BBC about a false assertion by David Dimbleby on Question Time over six weeks ago, despite the fact that it’s only supposed to take 10 working days.

qtdimbleby

By coincidence we got the reply today, 36 days late, and it wasn’t worth the wait.

Read the rest of this entry →

Four minutes of fun 336

Posted on April 29, 2016 by

This evening’s Question Time saw one of the most incident-packed passages on the show in recent memory. From left to right onscreen the panellists were Paul Marshall (hedge fund manager, head of a chain of academy schools and co-author of the Lib Dems’ infamous “Orange Book”), Alex Salmond, Tory minister Greg Clark, Labour’s shadow home secretary Andy Burnham and right-wing think-tanker Jill Kirby.

We’ll let you watch for yourself.

Read the rest of this entry →

Scene missing again 514

Posted on April 27, 2016 by

We’d hoped to be bringing you in-depth analysis of the Scottish Labour manifesto by now, readers, but a couple of hours after their launch event there’s still no sign of it anywhere (we’ve checked their website, Facebook page and Twitter feed, all blank).

So we’re going to nip out to the shops for a bit. In the meantime, here’s some footage we recorded of the fantastic live stream of the launch the party put out.

It’s Scottish Labour Manifesto Day! 120

Posted on April 27, 2016 by

We have high hopes.

slabman16

Well, high-ish.

Clarity and certainty 414

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

We’re looking forward to the publication of the Scottish Labour manifesto for next month’s election, which is due to be published on Wednesday, just eight days before the vote. We confidently anticipate that it will definitively clear up a few issues we’re still not absolutely sure of the branch office’s position on.

dugdalestandsmall

For a day or two, at least.

Read the rest of this entry →

Polling projected properly 337

Posted on April 24, 2016 by

Considering we’re only eleven days from a general election, there’s remarkably little politics coverage in the Sunday papers today. Most of what there is is in the Sunday Herald, which has a substantial (and quite entertaining) interview with Kezia Dugdale and another two pages devoted to what’s essentially spluttering attempted justification of its shambolic front-page lead from last week.

peacockproj

We’re not going to go into it in depth, as James Kelly on Scot Goes Pop! has already had a close look and made a pretty fair assessment. But for want of anything more interesting to talk about, and in the wake of some depressing Twitter conversations with people who apparently STILL don’t understand either the Holyrood electoral system or basic arithmetic, we’re going to have one more wade in the list-vote debate.

You might want to see if there’s football on or something.

Read the rest of this entry →

A careful choice of words 385

Posted on April 23, 2016 by

With fears growing that hundreds of jobs may be lost in the Clyde shipyards as the UK government slowly backs away from the commitments made during the independence referendum campaign, Kezia Dugdale was full of righteous outrage last night.

kdships

But note how delicately that tweet is phrased. The clear implication – while not directly stated – is that only the Tories were responsible for the promises.

Is that the case, though?

Read the rest of this entry →

On thee our hopes we fix 36

Posted on April 23, 2016 by

img195

They Are The People 328

Posted on April 22, 2016 by

We might just not post anything again until the second referendum.

Read the rest of this entry →

The constant revision of memory 418

Posted on April 21, 2016 by

We’ve noted on numerous occasions previously that one of this site’s prime functions is merely to remember things – to serve as a repository of fact which can be referred to when politicians or the media try to mislead people about what happened in the past. It was a thought we were struck by again on reading The Times this morning.

kfmanif

Because as we beheld Kenny Farquharson’s account of the SNP’s manifesto launch, and how its emphasis on the word “RE-ELECT” was unfamiliar and “very different” to their last Holyrood manifesto launch, we were sure that wasn’t how we recalled it.

So we checked.

Read the rest of this entry →

Five cold, hard facts about the election 317

Posted on April 20, 2016 by

This site has never told readers how to vote in Scottish elections and never will, partly because its editor has no vote there and doesn’t have to live with the consequences whoever wins. (Something that ISN’T true about independence, in which case Wings would relocate to Scotland, which is why we freely express a firm view on that.)

palette

It’s in that context that we make the following observations about next month’s vote.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,958 Posts, 1,247,575 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Cynicus on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Alf Baird says: 22 July, 2026 at 4:31 pm There is a long history of elite Scots selling out their…Jul 23, 21:00
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: ““The people paid far less in taxes” Sure Xaracen. And not only did we get free cradle to grave benefits…Jul 23, 20:55
    • Alf Baird on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Divide an rule is aye the colonizer’s tool. The colonized are made ‘bystanders’ in their own land; they are ‘out…Jul 23, 20:53
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Assuming rounded populations of England at 50 million and Scotland at 5 million. The political will to address the issue…Jul 23, 20:47
    • 100%Yes on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “What John Swinney has just signed Scotland over to Manchester and he’d doesn’t even know what powers the Scottish parliament…Jul 23, 20:45
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Oddly enough, that greater trust in Scottish governments peaked under Nicola Sturgeon during the Covid Years. Nowadays, the ex party…Jul 23, 20:35
    • 100%Yes on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Wings predicted on here and by people posting on here as well. But the SNP commitment to the union has…Jul 23, 20:29
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: ““proselytising religions” Naw. A proselytising religion is one where its adherents chap your door, earnestly attempt to tell you the…Jul 23, 20:24
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Havers, Mark. Check out the front lines (and the combat casualty lists) from the war in the east. You’ll find…Jul 23, 20:09
    • Mark Beggan on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Why not. No one else wants the job. What about asking Jack McConnell to step in.Jul 23, 20:06
    • sam on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-social-attitudes-survey-2025-core-module/pages/5/ Factchecker. Link above. Of interest to me, the steep decline in trust of the Scottish government since 2015. Signs…Jul 23, 19:55
    • Xaracen on Ain’t it funny how things change?: ““What made Scotland “much better” before 1707, Xaracen?” A, it was independent, B, it wasn’t a colony of England, C,…Jul 23, 19:29
    • Hatey McHateface on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Sorry, Alf, but I’m every bit as much a Sovereign Scot as you. What have I already told you about…Jul 23, 19:15
    • factchecker on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “sam, my comment on the uncontextualised use of survey data relates to the original post. Not the survey itself. Hence…Jul 23, 18:18
    • factchecker on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Dan, regarding the much-quoted “Union of Equals” that I know is such a popular trope, I am unaware of any…Jul 23, 18:12
    • sam on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Don’t forget the colonisation of Ireland by the Scots and English. James granted confiscated land from Irish Catholics to Protestant…Jul 23, 18:06
    • Young Lochinvar on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “FC Apology accepted. Always laugh when those who know their wordsmithery isn’t cutting it feel the need to conclude with…Jul 23, 17:49
    • sam on Ain’t it funny how things change?: ““The original question and comment on the survey data still stand.” Why don’t you look it up for yourself and…Jul 23, 17:42
    • factchecker on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “YL, the third person usage was simply because I don’t know you. As a literature graduate I am well aware…Jul 23, 17:30
    • Young Lochinvar on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “FC I’ll reply even though in your intemperate response you referred to me in the 3rd person while also managing…Jul 23, 17:10
    • Dan on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “If the Union was meant to be equal and UK Governance actually attempted to serve its constituent part’s best interests;…Jul 23, 15:45
    • Mark Beggan on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Wes Streeting would be better positioned in Hollyoaks. He could play the nasty gay with big ideas.Jul 23, 15:43
    • Alf Baird on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Did ye no get the message fae King Jimmy, England-is-the-UK and its Shires, wi Scotland makkit intae anither English Shire:…Jul 23, 15:42
    • Mark Beggan on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “You could say Jesus did his job. With Mary behind him how could he fail.Jul 23, 15:13
    • Mark Beggan on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Interesting point on Islam. Western countries grew up from spoon fed orthodox religion. The Western mind has evolved but most…Jul 23, 15:00
    • factchecker on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Young Lochinvar says: 23 July, 2026 at 2:23 pm FC The Scotchland Office in auld Reekie is part of the…Jul 23, 14:50
    • Young Lochinvar on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “FC The Scotchland Office in auld Reekie is part of the UK government. Surely it was set up to look…Jul 23, 14:23
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Confused: I have deleted your comment. Any more of that shit and you’re on pre-mod.Jul 23, 13:42
    • diabloandco on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “OT another expensive heart wrenching ad from RSPCA – remember that that is only for England and Wales , here…Jul 23, 12:25
    • Lorncal on Ain’t it funny how things change?: “Why are we always surprised/shocked/outraged by the perfidies of people who owe no allegiance to Scotland whatsoever? These people are…Jul 23, 12:21
  • A tall tale



↑ Top