Twisting in the wind 332
We thought you should hear this extraordinary interview with Alistair Carmicheal from BBC Radio Orkney this morning.
(Around Orkney, BBC Radio Orkney, 25 May 2015)
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The former Scottish Secretary’s excuse for lying on air is a feeble, Hothersall-esque semantic dodge, and his excuse for not resigning is that his years of service as a constituency MP ought to outweigh the fact that a UK government minister abused his office and lied to the public in order to undermine the democratically-elected leader of Scotland and cling on to his own job.
Having now heard the case for the defence, readers can reach their own verdicts.
On public record 550
Alistair Carmichael on Channel 4 News a few weeks ago:
Now at least we know why he was struggling to keep a straight face.
The naked liar 145
I was driving along under a lovely London sky yesterday and heard Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interview on BBC Radio 4’s PM (package starts at 33.26).
As it progressed, it became clear that Sturgeon was turning in one of the best political performances on a radio programme ever. I say that as a Labour supporter, albeit one who’s belatedly grasping just how good she and her party folk are.
(PM, BBC Radio 4, 22 May 2015)
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It’s for you, and then the pundits, to reflect on her words and style. But what I heard moved me across a line of argument in a way I can’t remember being moved by anyone on the radio or telly before.
In case you’ve been napping 341
…or, like us, out buying Eurovision party snacks:
This is a non-trivial matter. The (at the time) Secretary of State for Scotland seems to have just admitted deliberately and knowingly undermining the democratically-elected First Minister. The report may have been sneakily published on the eve of a Bank Holiday weekend, but we suspect this one won’t have gone away by Tuesday.
The road of the dodo 225
STV’s Stephen Daisley yesterday penned one of the more thoughtful analyses we’ve seen on the future of Labour, both UK and Scottish varieties, although it’s perhaps a bit heavy on “they should do things that are popular and will make people vote for them” and a bit light on what those things would actually be.
But there’s also this.
It’s a bit like watching a rabbit on a motorway explain that lights can’t hurt you.
On their way 145
Sorry for the wait, readers, but having fancy custom stuff made simply takes time.
However, we’re delighted to report that all of the donor perks for our 2015 fundraiser are now in our possession, and will be winging their way out to generous contributors over the next few days.
We’ve lost track again 318
So cutting Corporation Tax is back to being a good left-wing thing, yes?
McTernan Predicts (slight return) 279
The outsider 329
Note: we haven’t mocked this up.
But jings, readers, it’s hardly any dafter than most of the others.






















