It’s both a comprehensive refresher of events surrounding the Scottish Government’s conspiracy to convict Alex Salmond on false charges, and a sharp reminder of why Scotland is, in truth, not yet a country in a fit administrative state for independence.
But one part in particular ought to be the headline news tonight.
Independence is dead as a political issue in Scotland for the next few years. This much should not be in any dispute. A Labour government with a crushing majority sits firmly in Westminster with absolutely no intentions of granting a second referendum, and the SNP has loudly and clearly abandoned any other strategy.
This fact is understandably painful and difficult to come to terms with for anyone who’s devoted the last 13 years (or more) to pursuing that cause and now isn’t quite sure what to do with theirself. But for those who still aren’t ready to face up to the unpleasant reality, there’s always the comforting world of fantasy.
Because there’s always money to be made from snake oil and pie in the sky.
The average rape sentence in Scotland is seven years, so to get six years plus three years’ supervision for the technically lesser crime of sexual assaults means they must have been pretty grim ones.
So we know that Cameron Downing is a very bad man. Which does rather invite the question of why he was so popular in the SNP.
The SNP have been pretty clear about the reason they think they got a battering in last week’s election: it was because people were voting to kick out the Tories.
Now, that’s obviously nonsense. There were almost no Tories in Scotland to start with – just 10% of voters had a Tory MP – and only one of the six actually lost his seat. (Which was entirely down to the ham-fisted interference of Douglas Ross rather than an SNP surge – the SNP’s vote share in the seat in question went DOWN.)
If you wanted to keep Tories out in Scotland all you had to do was keep voting for your current MP, most of whom were SNP, rather than risk splitting the anti-Tory vote by switching to Labour and risk letting the Tories squeeze through in the middle. (Which would have happened in many seats had the Tories’ own vote not collapsed.)
But if it was true that the SNP lost because the electorate thought the election was about getting rid of the Tories, whose fault was that?
To be honest, folks, we’re not quite sure what to do with ourselves at the moment.
Everyone and his wee dug is writing election-aftermath columns and offering the SNP advice of varying intelligence and solemnity about how to recover from the shattering blow they’ve just been dealt by Scottish voters.
But it’s a pointless exercise. They may as well be yelling down a manhole.
The Scottish Greens, in a feat of remarkable hubris and financial profligacy, stood 44 candidates in this week’s general election, knowing that most of them would lose their deposits, which they duly did.
But not quite all of them. And there the comedy arose.
Because while SNP boneheads on social media are raging idiotically at Alba, Wings and others for causing division and damaging the unity of the indy cause yada yada yada, a small handful of Green candidates made a real difference.
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “HMcH @ 12.22 Isn’t this past your bedtime. Apart from having no idea what yer babbling about I will let…” Sep 8, 00:45
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “But it wasn’t a shiny new parliament was it? No it was the old English one whose Speaker (unbroken tenure…” Sep 8, 00:33
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Never mind about all that, Auld Lochnagar. How come you’ve never denied that you’ve been secretly giving extra sedatives to…” Sep 8, 00:22
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “Fake AI NC That’s what AI would say.. Anyway Bring back the real Northcode, it’s a travesty!!” Sep 8, 00:15
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “We understand the period. What we don’t understand is why are you wasting time on it in the first place.…” Sep 8, 00:05
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “HMcH @ 5.17 Looks like his Hatiness is leaning towards phrenology! What’s to save you eh, running a self confessed…” Sep 7, 23:59
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““I’m not interested in trading insults with anyone” Me neither. I’m giving mine away for free.” Sep 7, 23:42
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Northy spent ages building up a good case and you have just destroyed it in two comments. I have never…” Sep 7, 23:31
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Ask Rev Stu if he’ll pass on the details of the supplier where you buy your plastic claymores. You’d have…” Sep 7, 23:27
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’m very much the same Northcode — just discussing the historical and legal record as clearly as I can. Folk…” Sep 7, 23:26
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’m not interested in trading insults with anyone. I’m only here to discuss the historical and legal record as clearly…” Sep 7, 23:19
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: ““and have the right of resistance under international law” You really need to explain what you are going to do…” Sep 7, 23:16
Northcode on Anything But That: “The text you’ve quoted is about private acts and acts of ratification — the kind passed in favour of particular…” Sep 7, 23:13
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Ah, c’moan noo Confused. Dinna pretend ye’re nae partial tae a wee bitty leg hump. Ah mean, fit ither action…” Sep 7, 23:09
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “AI (deep fake) NC; “I’m simply keeping the discussion grounded in what (errata- Unionist) historians (sic) and (errata – Unionist)…” Sep 7, 23:08
Confused on Anything But That: “farage is on telly milking the anne widdicombe murder; death by hammers, indeed. (Does anyone know the whereabouts of THOR…” Sep 7, 23:01
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “C (for confused dot com ad) “WHO’S THAT WHISTLING!!”” Sep 7, 22:59
Confused on Anything But That: “Keep posting the shite Beggar Boy – we’ll get you a Jim Fixed-Me badge. Another leg-humper, soon to challenge the…” Sep 7, 22:54
agentx on Anything But That: ““Act salvo jure cujuslibet 23 December 1669 Our sovereign lord, taking into consideration that there are many acts of ratification…” Sep 7, 22:53
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““When is international law going to address that outrageous crime instead of empowering it?” Wonderful news, Xaracen! September 2026!! This…” Sep 7, 22:49
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Let me just fix that for you, Northy: “I’ve promoted Doun-Hauden here more than everybody else put together” What’s this…” Sep 7, 22:41
Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: ““voting for or against independence depends on whether you hold to a Scottish or a British identity, which is culturally…” Sep 7, 22:37
Northcode on Anything But That: “Just to keep things clear for readers: Salvo jure cujuslibet is a standard legal reservation clause — essentially a safeguard…” Sep 7, 22:16
Northcode on Anything But That: “I’ve supported Alf Baird’s work for a long time — I’ve promoted Doun-Hauden here more than most, and I’ve consistently…” Sep 7, 21:57
Bilbo on Anything But That: “To be fair, the hospitality industry is on it’s last legs. Even without the increased rates and wage costs, the…” Sep 7, 21:41
Bilbo on Anything But That: “@ Sam I wouldn’t worry about Beggan. Wee shites like him has a big mouth but his bottle completely goes…” Sep 7, 21:35
Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Is this sovereign citizen? The epidemic of road side lawyers sweeping America. All of them were arrested many were tasered…” Sep 7, 21:33
Bilbo on Anything But That: “@ Hatey I was clumsily trying to make the point about how Westminster is trying to make the UK look…” Sep 7, 21:30
Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “MB Hmmmm.. Did you write that while still fantasising about politicians mud wrestling??” Sep 7, 21:26
