The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Set the dials to Maximum Cringe 205

Posted on May 17, 2014 by

This one, from today’s Scottish Daily Mail, might actually be beyond comment.

horriblehistory

Read the rest of this entry →

Fear of flying 218

Posted on May 17, 2014 by

We suppose we should at least commend the “Vote No Borders” campaign for a certain level of frankness. While their output is little different to the daily hysterical fearmongering of “Better Together”, at least they don’t try to pretend that it’s “positive”.

Sadly, when it comes to the relationship their assertions have with the truth, however, they’re singing very much from the same hymn sheet.

Read the rest of this entry →

Their master’s voice 126

Posted on May 17, 2014 by

puppets

This is not a spoof 180

Posted on May 16, 2014 by

We have not made this story up. It’s not the work of BBC Scotlandshire.

bbcoil5yrs

Just casually, there, beneath an unassuming, innocuous headline. No big deal.

Read the rest of this entry →

Another leaked poster 79

Posted on May 16, 2014 by

lifeexpectancy

(Story.)

Quoted for horror 113

Posted on May 16, 2014 by

An alert reader directed us to this document this morning:

“The reasons for the high Scottish mortality between 1950 and 1980 are unclear, but poverty and deprivation linked to particular industrial employment patterns, poor housing and unhealthy cultural and behavioural patterns seem the more likely explanations.

From 1980 onwards the mortality pattern changed and this seems most likely to be attributable to the changed political context, produced by neoliberal political attack, and the consequent hopelessness and community disruption experienced in Scotland and Glasgow.”

It’s a 2011 study by the non-political Glasgow Centre for Population Health, which attempts to discern why Scotland, and particularly Glasgow, has such appalling life expectancies compared to the rest of the UK. And its findings are startling.

Read the rest of this entry →

The Dishface Tapes 147

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

Watch (from 5m 50s) as David Cameron refuses to commit to having a bill for more powers for Holyrood in the first Queen’s Speech should he win the 2015 election.

Vote no, get nothing, and get it never.

The unionist case for independence 149

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

The unionist case for Scots voting No in the independence referendum is encapsulated in the following quote from the website of “Better Together”, the official No campaign:

“Devolution offers us the best of both worlds: we have a strong Scottish Parliament taking important decisions about schools, hospitals and jobs AND we benefit from the strength, security and opportunities we can take advantage of being part of a bigger United Kingdom.”

The main problem with this argument is that there’s an alternative Union which would provide the Scottish Parliament with more powers to “take important decisions about” things and allow Scotland to “benefit from” and “take advantage of’” the “strength, security and opportunities” of being part of something far bigger than the UK itself.

Read the rest of this entry →

Automatic pilot 74

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

Judging by the latest leak from our “Better Together” mole, we’re not sure anyone’s actually driving the No campaign any more. It seems to be set on an infinite loop.

Read the rest of this entry →

The pounds in your pockets 108

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

Several of today’s papers run with the story that in giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in Westminster, George Osborne yesterday made the claim that Scots could run out of cash under independence, as Scottish banks would no longer be able to print their own pound notes guaranteed by the Bank of England.

RBS banknotes

Osborne’s argument is that Scottish notes are accepted as currency in the UK under the Banknote (Scotland) Act of 1845. However, this legislation would no longer apply after independence without a currency union, thereby making Scots notes worthless.

In what was an oddly nervous and evasive performance before the Committee – despite its extremely friendly questioning – it was one of the Chancellor’s stranger assertions.

Read the rest of this entry →

The invisible army 154

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

We’ve been wiping tears of laughter from our eyes most of this morning, after reading one of the most magnificently bare-faced and audacious pieces of black-is-white lying we think we might ever have seen printed with a straight face in a British newspaper.

It appears in the Telegraph, which seems to have positioned itself latterly as the Daily Sport for people with a reading age above seven, and makes the mindboggling claim that “Contrary to its media image, the campaign to save the United Kingdom says it has more boots on the ground than its nationalist opponents”.

boots

In fairness, it doesn’t actually say whether these boots have any feet in them.

Read the rest of this entry →

Apocalypse worsens 131

Posted on May 15, 2014 by

Monday:

“On the basis of independent analysis, the UK Government has estimated that an average annual mortgage payment in Scotland could increase by £1,700.”

(UK government “factsheet” issued by the Scotland Office.)

Wednesday:

“For the average mortgage in Scotland, there would be £5,400 more [in] mortgage payments a year.”

(George Osborne to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.)

Yikes! What the hell happened on Tuesday?

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,858 Posts, 1,232,918 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • James Cheyne on A matter of class: “I understand the unionist mind to try keep us voting for a construct that is not there, to keep us…Dec 22, 10:37
    • Dan on A matter of class: “A braw chortle at young unionist Aidan whining about the demise of industries in Scotland. Sad to see such a…Dec 22, 10:36
    • Northcode on A matter of class: “Guid mornyng aw… A howp ye aw hae a guid Monday day the day.Dec 22, 10:13
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “A fascinating article, Dan. As you say, much to mull over in it. If only Wings BTL provided a forum…Dec 22, 09:53
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Mair car park mayhem in mos cow. Some cant must have cut up some other cant at a junction and…Dec 22, 09:41
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “@Aidan It’s overwhelmingly likely that none of the usual suspects pay any taxes, being well past the age when they…Dec 22, 09:30
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Rather disappointing to hear that about Viz. I would have expected that more than half of every Viz issue could…Dec 22, 08:59
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Check out the ablest prejudice from Beggan. To him, the differently abled really do not exist.Dec 22, 08:47
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Calm doon, James, and hauld oot fer jist a couple mair days. Ye’re certain tae get new socks fer Xmas,…Dec 22, 08:42
    • Aidan on A matter of class: “@Twat – a pre-paid prescription certificate for 12 months in England is £114.50. Someone earning £100k a year (comfortable, but…Dec 22, 08:37
    • Joe Loney on A matter of class: “There’s a Viz cartoon called Harold and Fred, about NHS FifeDec 22, 08:26
    • twathater on A matter of class: “Dan has the Franchise Fanny nailed with all his grandiose sounding pish, a proud Scot BUT who has returned to…Dec 22, 02:50
    • James on A matter of class: “Stained bedsheets, there? Careful, lads.Dec 21, 23:19
    • James on A matter of class: “Uh-oh. Franchise Fanny just stained it’s underwear after mentioning it’s Heroine. It was popular in Scotchland right enough. Not.Dec 21, 23:13
    • James on A matter of class: “Careful, DaveL; the Site Prick fancies you!Dec 21, 23:04
    • James on A matter of class: “The Site Prick shilling for the Daily heil there. Quelle suprise!Dec 21, 22:52
    • Captain Caveman on A matter of class: “Hey, maybe Fatso, maybe. However, at least I pay my own way, have a job and don’t look down on…Dec 21, 22:52
    • Mark Beggan on A matter of class: “Our country is being stolen from benief our feet.Dec 21, 22:47
    • James on A matter of class: “Quite right, Alf – ‘Unison’ is a ‘UK’ (London based) organization that supports the Yoon Labour party without question, and…Dec 21, 22:31
    • James on A matter of class: ““As it happens, I lack a union-flag covered duvet.” ROTFLMFAO!!Dec 21, 22:25
    • James on A matter of class: “Northy; Careful now, the site Prick wants to kiss your interface!Dec 21, 22:10
    • James on A matter of class: “Aw, sweethheart, are you still carrying a torch for me? Thanks, but I’ll pass. What a sad bot you are.Dec 21, 22:04
    • McDuff on A matter of class: “This country stinks from the SNP to the judiciary and just about every where else .I never imagined Scotland would…Dec 21, 21:48
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Turkey, sprouts and gravy, Dan? No True Scot would ever pollute the ethnic purity of his body with the hated,…Dec 21, 21:37
    • Dan on A matter of class: “@Southern(not so)bystander Not saying it’s the case with the specific matter you are responding to; But I think that posted…Dec 21, 21:35
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “Try posting “Bairns Not Bombs”. Works every time.Dec 21, 21:20
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “This is just so desperately sad. Once again, I’m the only one to respond to Northy’s attention seeking – his…Dec 21, 21:16
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “@Alf Have you considered translating the complete works of Fanon, Cesaire, Crivens and Jonesie into Scots? That would really supercharge…Dec 21, 21:08
    • Northcode on A matter of class: ““No country, people or polity has a God given right to exist in perpetuity.” Unless it’s England, apparently: “There’ll always…Dec 21, 21:01
    • Hatey McHateface on A matter of class: “@Alf 2:05 I want my Scotland to be run by the meritocratic best. I don’t want my Scotland to be…Dec 21, 20:59
  • A tall tale



↑ Top