Mike Russell, currently at the centre of controversy over his appointment as chair of the Scottish Land Commission, hit the political big stage during Scotland’s first ever SNP administration under Alex Salmond, whom, in turn, Mike had previously seen into office as Salmond’s campaign manager.
In 2007 he was appointed as Minister for Environment, then in 2009 he became the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, and his conventional ministerial career concluded when he went on to replace Fiona Hyslop as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning until the end of 2014.
Following the 2014 independence vote, the pre-referendum era ended with Salmond’s dignified (albeit temporary) stage exit; Nicola Sturgeon took the helm and began to reform what had been left to her by her predecessor.
A core pillar of Sturgeon’s centrist reform was the construction of an almost entirely opaque ivory tower of power from which both SNP and the state would run their covert affairs with subversive, centralizing, strong-arm granularity, cleverly camouflaging its sinister implications from the public through cult-of-personality media management.
Instrumental in this, among a very few select others, was Mike Russell.
It’s rather apt that this happened on the last day of the calendar. Because it truly is the rock-bottom moment in the grotesquely sullied history of the Scottish National Party.
We’ve heard that line somewhere before, haven’t we?
So, just a quick one, because we’ve got Christmas shopping to do:
Since continuing to fight for the GRR was famously a “red line” for the Scottish Greens in terms of the Bute House Agreeement, do we think that the Greens will now withdraw from the governing coalition, sacrifice their ministerial cars and salaries and influence, and return to the back benches for the next two and a half years until they can try to form an alliance with Labour?
TURABDIN on Only An Excuse: “ENGLAND is making mincemeat of Scotland, the first element to go in the mincer Scotland’s collective balls. Is mr Swinney…” May 22, 12:59
Willie on Only An Excuse: “Its unlikely in the extreme that a resumption of tbe match for a last minute would have changed the result.…” May 22, 12:59
Northcode on The Queer Parliament: “Never apologise! Never give up! Never surrender! Yeah, I’m in one of those moods theday… it will pass – hopefully…” May 22, 12:30
Alf Baird on Only An Excuse: “A colonial Establishment = ‘legalized lawlessness’ (Elkins): Repressive when challenged; well-practiced cover-ups; never held accountable for its actions/mistakes. Expect Hearts…” May 22, 12:23
Alf Baird on The Queer Parliament: ““The *no way out* claim is defeatist bullshit” Indeed, and it is clearly not only “the colonizer (who) maintains that…” May 22, 12:03
Williams on Only An Excuse: “Absolute disgrace and travesty, etc. Both Celtic & Hearts need to be relegated immediately (especially Hearts – for something they’re…” May 22, 12:01
Geri on The Queer Parliament: “Okeydoke, my mistake. There used to be poster called Lorna. I assumed you were the same one. My bad..” May 22, 11:56
Lorncal on The Queer Parliament: “James Che: your insults are just silly and I won’t rise to them. Just because Westminster says or does something…” May 22, 11:54
Northcode on The Queer Parliament: “I repeat (and in bold, anaw)… independence first, then everything else! We Scots who seek our liberation from oppression should…” May 22, 11:49
Lorncal on The Queer Parliament: “I use Lorncal, Geri, as you use Geri. Shall I call you something else? I suggest that you and others…” May 22, 11:39
Northcode on The Queer Parliament: ““If Scotland’s malady has been mis-diagnosed, and we’re not suffering from colonisation, does that mean you’re prescribing the wrong remedy?…” May 22, 11:14
Geri on The Queer Parliament: “Shiteface, Can’t. It’s running out remember? The pishy UK cannot refine it & it lacks the infrastructure to do so.…” May 22, 11:00
Jamie on The Land Of No Laws: “Considering Scotland only managed to remain independent due to international alliances most prominently with France in the auld alliance, I…” May 22, 10:58
Geri on The Queer Parliament: “So the Scottish parliament never signed off on the union if it closed shop? It also wasn’t within their remit…” May 22, 10:27
Geri on The Queer Parliament: “They were on the phone begging them for aviation fuel too. R told them to GTF. Imagine having the audacity…” May 22, 09:56
James Che on The Queer Parliament: “Lornicl, The political parliamentary treaty of union between Scotland and England does not exist when both Countries cancelled and ceased…” May 22, 09:45
James Che on The Queer Parliament: “history lessons and exam results must have all held C’s and D’s.and fails for Lornical. But due to saying they…” May 22, 09:25
David on Only An Excuse: “I think we can agree there was at least a minute to go. It is unlikely Hearts would have scored…” May 22, 09:20
Marie Clark on Off-topic: “Thanks for the wee song and your good wishes Tinto. It’s nice to see Sarah and Dan still around here.…” May 22, 09:11
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Only An Excuse: “I’ve actually watched the last eight minutes back now, and in fairness to the ref he deals with the bookings…” May 22, 08:39
Bilbo on Only An Excuse: “I see that Swinney has dropped the role of Woman’s health minister: https://archive.ph/qc5CF The usual hypocritical carpings from the other…” May 22, 07:47
M.E. on Only An Excuse: “This is just the unlockable m-m-m-m-multiball mode!” May 22, 07:46
Potace on Only An Excuse: “The authorities got the result that they wanted. It would have been a “crisis in Scottish football” otherwise” May 22, 07:42
Skip_NC on Only An Excuse: “Does anyone who is not confused believe the SFA’s warblings since the weekend? Seriously, they don’t come close to reality.…” May 22, 02:06
Skip_NC on Only An Excuse: “It should not take thirty seconds to issue and record a caution in professional football. As you go further down…” May 22, 01:52
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Only An Excuse: “I’m going to need all of that in English.” May 22, 00:56
Confused on Only An Excuse: “the authorities have made their statement, there is nothing in it. The ref decides, he doesn’t need to blow his…” May 21, 22:39
Tinto Chiel on Off-topic: “@sarah: thanks for that. It’s back to brassicas then……” May 21, 22:31
Andy Wiltshire on Only An Excuse: “I had no idea there were that many people in MI6.” May 21, 22:12
Bill Scullion on Only An Excuse: “The SFA simply don’t want to take a chance that Hearts come back to them with the same arguments as…” May 21, 21:54
