As alert readers will know, we’ve just done another Panelbase opinion poll. You’ll be hearing more about the results over the next couple of days, but we thought we’d give you the headline finding first.
The most interesting thing about those numbers is that as far as we can make out that’s the highest Yes figure Panelbase has ever returned for that question. (The last two times, for the Sunday Times in September and July, both came out 47-53.)
And has no more luck this week with hapless Scottish Labour list MSP Claire Baker than he did with her habitually mendacious colleague Jackie Baillie last week:
(The Big Debate, BBC Radio Scotland, 13 November 2015) .
One of the stranger criticisms regularly levelled at this site is that we don’t attack the SNP/Scottish Government enough.
That’s weird firstly because it’s not like there’s currently a shortage of hostile media scrutiny of Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues, and secondly because we’ve never in our four-year life claimed for a moment to be neutral.
What Unionists insisted was the biggest and most important parliamentary transfer of powers to a devolved government anywhere in the world was squeezed into five and a half hours of debate time in the House Of Commons tonight, approximately two hours of which were taken up by Westminster’s farcical voting system.
Of the remaining three and a bit hours, a third of the time was taken up by the three MPs you can see video of at the bottom of this post. We know it’s a lot to ask to watch an hour of politicians deliberately trolling Scotland, but if you didn’t see the debate live it’s about the minimum you need to get an accurate sense of the tone.
At the end of it all, a small number of things had been decided.
The tiny number of people who watch the BBC Parliament channel is undoubtedly a blessing to the parties of the Union. We’ll be bringing you some eye-opening excerpts from today’s Scotland Bill debate later, but as a taster here’s one brief exchange.
Alberto Costa, the Scottish-born Conservative MP for South Leicestershire (of whom we’ll be seeing much more in a bit), is heard loudly expressing his satisfaction that not a single Scottish MP of any party (nor indeed any from Wales or Northern Ireland) has been permitted to sit on the Joint Committee discussing the government’s plan to scrap the Human Rights Act, although six unelected peers do get places.
When challenged, Costa explains that he’s happy about it because it’s a matter reserved to the “United Kingdom Parliament”. The fact that he apparently doesn’t consider any Scottish members elected to that parliament to have any business with its affairs is perhaps rather more revealing than Mr Costa intended it to be.
Last Friday’s article on the limitations of GERS caused quite a stir among the stout defenders of the Union, as social-media users may have noticed over the weekend.
Amidst the wildly-flailing fury-storm of shouty, abusive responses which pathologically evaded addressing the article’s point, the one vaguely factual argument raised was the notion that an independent Scotland wouldn’t be able to make significant savings on its current (notional) £3bn defence budget because NATO supposedly requires all member states to spend 2% of their GDP on defence.
When it comes to Scottish Labour’s great brainwave about “restoring” Tory tax-credit cuts, the madness just won’t stop. Here’s Magnus Gardham, formerly political editor of Scotland’s staunchest Labour paper the Daily Record, in the Herald today:
Gordy on The Curious Fringes: “Point of order -Reform are not far right if wanting to decide your own rules ,have your own border and…” Dec 30, 09:50
Andy Ellis on The Curious Fringes: “If you do live in the area, which is where I work so also known to me, you can’t possibly…” Dec 30, 09:10
James Cheyne on The Curious Fringes: “Voting for paper hat parties on a wet sunday to fill a Holyrood parliament that is under Westminster acts and…” Dec 30, 08:33
Al-Stuart on The Curious Fringes: “. Hi Stuart, I see your obsessive stalker, Jimmy-The-Grifter has got stuck at a pathetic £891 on his final, definitely…” Dec 30, 08:00
robertkknight on The Curious Fringes: “…the definition of mediocrity.” Dec 30, 04:11
Anthem on The Curious Fringes: “As I said before, you’re talking mince! I.live in the area you clown.” Dec 30, 03:43
twathater on The Curious Fringes: “Be prepared to be even more depressed Heather for it appears ALBA members are the new cult , they have…” Dec 30, 03:19
Peter McAvoy on The Curious Fringes: “Why do the SNP still expect others to believe they support independence after the recent act damaging tourism by closing…” Dec 30, 02:49
Northcode on The Curious Fringes: ““Holyrood is the conduit through which Westminster controls and manipulates Scotland…” Well put, Saffron Robe.” Dec 30, 01:02
Saffron Robe on The Curious Fringes: “I agree, Northcode. Holyrood is the conduit through which Westminster controls and manipulates Scotland from within, hidden behind the veneer…” Dec 30, 00:45
Insider on The Curious Fringes: ““WTF was the SNP doing with their £1.3 million per annum in British state Short money?” and WTF happened to…” Dec 30, 00:22
Northcode on The Curious Fringes: ““…but it [Holyrood] is all we have for now.” If by ‘we’ you mean independence supporting Scots then… no, we…” Dec 30, 00:18
Derek on The Curious Fringes: ““…in the same way that Alex Ferguson used West Coast establishment media bias…” Neatly done. According to my digging, there’s…” Dec 30, 00:13
100%Yes on The Curious Fringes: “I have no idea why people are saying it looks grime, its been grime since Sturgeon took on the roll…” Dec 29, 23:58
David Holden on The Curious Fringes: “On the ball as usual but in this parish we have an ISP candidate so I have a vote I…” Dec 29, 23:33
Northcode on The Curious Fringes: ““…and nothing will change…” Yeah, waking from a nightmare is always a bit disturbing, if not depressing. Looks like you’re…” Dec 29, 23:14
Northcode on The Curious Fringes: “I understand, Sarah, and I do respect you for the great effort you have made – and the commitment you…” Dec 29, 23:05
Bilbo on The Curious Fringes: “The reality in 2020’s Scotland, and everywhere around the world, is that social media has totally changed society where it…” Dec 29, 22:48
Scot Finlayson on The Curious Fringes: “`Chinese eunuchs, serving in the imperial court for millennia, functioning as harem guards, palace servants, and political figures, wielding immense…” Dec 29, 22:40
William G Walker on The Curious Fringes: “Well Done Heather McLean! So much sense from her. I particularly liked: “5 years of incompetent, ineffective, idiotic, corrupt, virtu-signalling,…” Dec 29, 22:15
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Curious Fringes: “Of general interest. Hints of current Trump support for putative breakaway of oil-rich province of Alberta from the Canadian confederation.…” Dec 29, 22:08
Andy Ellis on A matter of class: “I agree. However the fact that – at least at present – the strongest defenders of women’s rights and opponents…” Dec 29, 21:54
sarah on The Curious Fringes: “Northcode, I am only asking the Rev to increase, if possible, his efforts for the improvement of Holyrood and the…” Dec 29, 21:48
Northcode on A matter of class: “It’s six syllables, Alf… a big ask for the colonialists who fart aboot this joint.” Dec 29, 21:12
Northcode on The Curious Fringes: ““Please, Rev. Scotland needs you.” I fear you might be wasting fingertip skin there, Sarah. Better following Alf’s suggestion and…” Dec 29, 21:09
Alf Baird on A matter of class: “‘Colonialism’ seems a hard word for some to say.” Dec 29, 20:52
Alf Baird on The Curious Fringes: “Yes Sara, the Liberate Scotland alliance is the only serious option for the independence movement in May’s national election: “We…” Dec 29, 20:41
sarah on The Curious Fringes: “Exactly, Heather. This is why it is vital that we do all we can to inform people about the candidates…” Dec 29, 20:39
Northcode on A matter of class: “That’s great, good for Ireland. The things a country can do when it isn’t colonised, eh? Maybe the President of…” Dec 29, 20:36
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A matter of class: “Teachtaireacht na Nollag ón Uachtarán Connolly / Christmas Message from President Catherine Connolly (22 Dec 2025) Is é seo an…” Dec 29, 20:06
