As alert readers will have noticed, Wings has been perusing the SNP’s Governance And Transparency Review over the last couple of days, a document which tentatively attempts to discern just how big a mess the party’s previous leadership has left it in.
The paper has now also reached the mainstream media.
Wings already touched on that particular aspect of the party’s mismanagement back in August, but in the light of the report now formally acknowledging the problem it’s worth taking a moment to establish just how astonishingly bad it is.
The writing, we mean. Because it’s not until you see it baldly written down in black and white that it really hits you how insane it is.
The SNP has 44 MPs now, and has not managed to enter independence negotiations.
Winning 29 seats would represent a LOSS of 15, or more than a third.
And they’re about to stand up in front of voters and insist that that would somehow compel the UK government to hand over what they’ve been flatly refusing since 2016.
(It’s all pretty academic anyway, obv, as we’ll be amazed if they get double figures.)
The very last shred of credibility has left the building, readers.
Labour won far more handsomely in last night’s by-election than anyone – and we very strongly suspect that includes themselves – expected. If the swing of over 20% was to be repeated nationwide next year (which it won’t be, but we’ll get to that in a minute), the SNP would be reduced to six or seven seats, as Wings has predicted for a while.
From the abject pit of despair of 2015, when Labour lost 40 of its 41 MPs in Scotland, let’s look at how the party has powered back to recapture the hearts of voters.
Humza Yousaf didn’t turn up to the count tonight. In the end, even on a dreadfully low turnout of 37%, Labour won by 9,446 votes, with more than twice as many as the SNP.
It was a much worse defeat for the governing party than most expected. There should be only one outcome.
stuckdoonhame on The Long Walk To Freedom: “And true to type, Misreporting Scotland has just treated us to a pile of wibbling drivel about the outcome and…” Dec 8, 18:44
Aidan on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Quite right! Both votes SNP, that’ll show the yoons! Or you could be one of the ten people voting for…” Dec 8, 18:41
Nae Need! on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Indeed, Northcode. And for once, I’d prefer (hold me back, hold me back) NOT to go on a huge rant…” Dec 8, 18:17
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “@ Northcode says: 8 December, 2025 at 5:50 pm “ALL colonialists are bad” Oh aye. That’s why you go to…” Dec 8, 18:13
twathater on The Long Walk To Freedom: “HaHaHaHa another wee yoonionist shittin his breeks , now lads we are all good Jockos lets get together and vote…” Dec 8, 18:07
Nae Need on The Long Walk To Freedom: “No. But by fuck the wriggling on the line puts ALL worms to shame. Talking of worms . . ;-)…” Dec 8, 18:04
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““it’s time the Scots stopped whining” Finally. Please tell us you’ll be leading from the front, although your “released from…” Dec 8, 17:58
Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “ALL colonialists are bad… that’s why they’re colonialists.” Dec 8, 17:50
Nae Need! on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Lolz, you having a laugh? To LABOUR? 🙂 Fuxache.” Dec 8, 17:48
agentx on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““It is not the role of the court to adjudicate on the arguments in the public domain on the meaning…” Dec 8, 17:44
Nae Need! on The Long Walk To Freedom: “One of Stu’s recent pieces, I’m sure, outlined a plan for tactical voting: vote Your Party. We’ll see nearer the…” Dec 8, 17:43
twathater on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Like GM , Benjamin I would like to thank you for your tenacity and doggedness in trying to get this…” Dec 8, 17:34
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““a ‘digested’ form of another civilization that had once gatecrashed into” Scotland, where it remains still” Sure. There’s at least…” Dec 8, 17:31
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: “2:46 pm on a Monday and James finally has baith socks on (on his feet, that is). Tired are you,…” Dec 8, 17:25
Nae Need! on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Spot on, Effigy. Stu, I marvel and wonder at your tenacity. I love it. We need you to continue to…” Dec 8, 17:12
Alf Baird on The Long Walk To Freedom: “‘The Initimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self under Colonialism’ (Ashis Nandy) From which we might similarly consider, as Nandy…” Dec 8, 16:58
Northcode on The Long Walk To Freedom: “The cost of failure is nothing when compared with the cost to a people subjugated and seeking their freedom. This,…” Dec 8, 16:55
Marie on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Another spurious decision from a Scottish judge – Camp Zeist/not-proven nonsense all over again. Get rid of the Scottish legal…” Dec 8, 16:36
James on The Long Walk To Freedom: “More utter bollocks from the Site Prick, there. *Yawn*.” Dec 8, 14:46
Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: “Is there anybody there?” Dec 8, 14:14
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Usually if you can’t get a direct answer from the office worker staff, then you go to boss of the…” Dec 8, 14:04
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “I often swither between their being a union between Scotland and England or aTreaty, If a treaty exists then the…” Dec 8, 13:36
agentx on The Long Walk To Freedom: “https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/sandie-peggie-v-fife-health-board-and-another-judgment-and-summary/ Link to Sandie Peggie Tribunal decision.” Dec 8, 13:27
agentx on The Long Walk To Freedom: “Sandie Peggie has won part her employment tribunal against NHS Fife on harassment grounds. However, the claim made against transgender…” Dec 8, 13:24
Hatey McHateface on The Long Walk To Freedom: ““a fully genuine Scottish parliament it would have total control” Too true, James. Seemingly, as reputedly wanted by a clear…” Dec 8, 13:09
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “No such thing at the moment as a Scottish Government, only the governance of Scotland through the Scotland Act from…” Dec 8, 12:51
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Long Walk To Freedom: “ASH REGAN MSP – THE LEGACY OF ALEX SALMOND (Full Speech, Nov 2024) www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5NxegebVqI” Dec 8, 12:51
James Cheyne on The Long Walk To Freedom: “North code, It is obvious that some people think that Scotland has a real genuine down to earth Scottish parliament,…” Dec 8, 12:43