Everyone’s having a lot of fun with the farcical Hate Crime Act that will finally come into operation in Scotland in just a couple of weeks’ time, fittingly on April Fools’ Day.
There’s a Calvin And Hobbes cartoon we like to post on social media when someone’s got themselves in such a pickle that they’re just flailing around desperately firing off every slogan, argument or insult they can think of to get themselves out of it.
Many things about the session are disturbing, not least the incredibly one-sided nature of both the witnesses and the committee, none of whom seem to have even a token interest in challenging the claims of the witnesses, however absurd or contentious (eg that praying for someone is basically a form of torture).
The Scottish Government have just launched yet another nanny-state “healthy eating” intervention, and to be honest, readers, the cheap-shot open goals just queued up.
Our first instinct was to do a simple picture gallery of some of the insatiable pie-hounds squeezing their expenses-fed backsides onto the groaning, creaking benches and chairs of the Holyrood and Westminster parliaments, such as Kirsten “Elbows” Oswald (pictured above, slumped back under the sheer weight of her neck) – so known to other MPs because you get between her and a buffet at grave peril to your ribcage.
(And no, we’re not telling you which ones told us that.)
More than three months have passed since Alex Salmond launched a lawsuit against the Scottish Government for its grotesquely botched handling of false allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
With Scottish politics currently in a completely moribund state, as the party of government disintegrates shambolically and the main opposition party keeps its mouth shut and its head down in an attempt to not destroy its newfound and extremely fragile status as a credible alternative, one might imagine that the political media would be desperate for the case to get under way and provide them with some juicy content.
So it’s slightly surprising that none of them has noticed the latest development.
We’re reluctant to even mention the farcical, embarrassing goings-on in the House Of Commons last night, but the very short version is that the SNP somehow contrived to save Keir Starmer from an embarrassing mass rebellion of Labour MPs.
And in so far as anyone cared about them at all, the people of Gaza were the losers.
As the long-running police probe into SNP finances continues, Wings received some slightly surprising news today in the form of an FOI response.
Based on reports from various trustworthy sources we’d expected to hear that the police side of the investigation was by this point winding down somewhat, with most matters of fact already established, detectives assigned to other duties and the ball now largely in the court of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
Peter McAvoy on The Interests Of The Many: “I thought it was worth mentioning the Daily record Tuesday 7th July. Humza Yousef warned Scotland can no longer pretend…” Jul 8, 01:53
Dan on Search And Replace: “Aye, Sam, the dickhead troll jist has to try to find an angle to kick off and create discord and…” Jul 7, 22:07
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “Carol, I don’t need to read the book to know. Take a look at the picture of Swinney and then…” Jul 7, 22:01
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “Alf I totally agree and support the work Salvo and yourself is doing but de-colonization isn’t going to work alone.…” Jul 7, 21:49
Alf Baird on The Interests Of The Many: “If national independence is not decolonisation, Hatey, then pray tell us and all those former colonies that are now UN…” Jul 7, 21:47
Hatey McHateface on The Interests Of The Many: “I guess once you’ve ruled everybody else out, Twat H, that’ll just leave you. You can count on my vote…” Jul 7, 21:16
twathater on The Interests Of The Many: “I agree with Alf regarding Joanna Cherry she sat for years in silence and her vociferous opposition to the GRA…” Jul 7, 21:07
Carol Neill on The Interests Of The Many: “https://malcolmrichardclark.substack.com/p/sturgeons-crime-fiction-sob-story” Jul 7, 21:00
Hatey McHateface on The Interests Of The Many: “Of course, Alf, excepting yourself and a few disciples who “know what Independence means”, damn few Scots know either. Which…” Jul 7, 20:58
Chas on The Interests Of The Many: “Simple question Alf. Who forms an honest, competent Government in a newly Independent Scotland? Names please.” Jul 7, 20:41
Alf Baird on The Interests Of The Many: ““She’s only one who I believe can can bring Independence” A hae ma douts. Unfortunately, like most of the SNP…” Jul 7, 20:22
twathater on The Interests Of The Many: “Oh I love that comment, how very appropriate, I hope the big man Alex Salmond can see KARMA taking place” Jul 7, 18:13
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “Put your hand up who would like to see a SNP MSP give up their seat, to allow Joanna cherry…” Jul 7, 17:36
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “I had to look at my emails but I did it by checking emails from Jim Henderson and it brought…” Jul 7, 17:18
Cherrybank on The Interests Of The Many: “Big trouble in Cranhill district of Glasgow ,massive police presence locals protesting about local alledged rapist .” Jul 7, 16:57
Andspouse on The Interests Of The Many: “Can anyone give me a heads up on when the donations were paid (month, year) and to whom so I…” Jul 7, 16:54
sarah on The Interests Of The Many: “@ Morag: I didn’t until very recently! But the other, more commonly understood, meaning is what I think the Rev…” Jul 7, 16:43
Morag on The Interests Of The Many: “Do you know what that phrase is actually referring to? (Clue: “Jock Tamson” translates to “John Thomas” in English.)” Jul 7, 16:30
Morag on The Interests Of The Many: “Surely it’s your bank record of payment that’s the important thing? If the Yes Scotland thing goes anywhere, I have…” Jul 7, 16:28
Lorncal on The Interests Of The Many: “Prior INTENT will require to be proved: that the SNP top brass and NEC members knew that the money raised…” Jul 7, 16:22
Lorncal on Search And Replace: “James: I have checked those cases, and none of them appears to be applicable to this case. In each case,…” Jul 7, 15:45
Skip_NC on The Interests Of The Many: “So nobody bothered to spend a few quid a year maintaining the domain? How stupid is that? Perhaps more pertinently…” Jul 7, 15:35
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “When the greedy fear the loss of there own money, that’s when the rats start turning on each other its…” Jul 7, 15:10
Ian Smith on The Interests Of The Many: “Even if there was a technical route for a court order, the court would do everything in its power to…” Jul 7, 15:10
Andrew F on The Interests Of The Many: “Love how the link for ref.scot in the first paragraph under “The Defender’s Fundraising Representations” takes you to an online…” Jul 7, 15:06
MP on The Interests Of The Many: “Yes – but if there is no criminal prosecution they can buy off the Civil Case, which is why I…” Jul 7, 15:04
100%Yes on The Interests Of The Many: “Nigel Farage resigns as MP forcing by-election in his own seat.” Jul 7, 14:55
barelybare on The Interests Of The Many: “This is great, and R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for your work. However, I wonder how many people you’ll get to join. One problem…” Jul 7, 14:51
