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.
Chas on Looking up at the stars: “Eloquent, factual, knowledgeable and well researched are words that you would NEVER associate with any of your deranged scribbling’s. Very…” Mar 16, 08:26
Dan on Looking up at the stars: “@Aidan The Al-Fayrous fish farm I linked to is on the coast of the Med, so must be some crazy…” Mar 16, 08:23
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “I find watching paint dry is more fulfilling.” Mar 16, 07:59
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “I’m a big fan of small community growing projects so more power to you as far as I’m concerned. Equally,…” Mar 16, 07:10
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “He doesn’t seem very wise. A wiser man would’ve said: Look mate, you clearly don’t like that forum, now fck…” Mar 16, 00:35
Geri on Looking up at the stars: ““but you seem to jet about the place a fair bit” I think that’ll be a thing of the past…” Mar 16, 00:25
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Ten past eleven and Hatey has been unco quiet.. Hmmm.. Oh heck, wait Sky Arts has Exodus (1960) on -…” Mar 15, 23:19
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Stop!! Don’t do it Hatey! Getting out and socialising is said to help. Perhaps removing yourself from online forums like…” Mar 15, 22:54
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “So Chas, given adults have a choice, why not expect everyone else to scroll on past your posts? Open forum…” Mar 15, 22:37
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Aaawww! Don’t take it so hard Hatey-proud boy, contrary to what you seem to believe, people aren’t just posting here…” Mar 15, 22:24
Dan on Looking up at the stars: “@Aidan I don’t expect myself or everyone else to grow all our own food requirements in our gardens. But I…” Mar 15, 19:52
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “He won’t need that if he’s wearing blackface. Unless … what skin colour were the Picts? I think there’s a…” Mar 15, 18:35
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Feck knows what you’re on about, but if you think it’s true, go before a Justice of the Peace and…” Mar 15, 18:07
Chas on Looking up at the stars: “A wise man said ‘it is difficult to ignore the posts of Geri, Baird, Confused, Cheyne to name but a…” Mar 15, 16:45
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “Alright Geri – if it’s not total nonsense, what date can we expect ration books to be introduced?” Mar 15, 15:18
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “HMcH Ah! You can take the shirker out of the Proud Boys but you can’t take the Proud Boys out…” Mar 15, 14:24
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “As long as he wears his stab vest he’ll be fine.” Mar 15, 13:45
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Good post, Geri. If what you write is true, Indy is becoming ever more of a slam dunk proposition with…” Mar 15, 13:26
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Fa’s Northy? Is he awa in London at the protest? If ye are, Northy, I’m the one wearing the tea…” Mar 15, 13:14
Geri on Looking up at the stars: ““It’s nonsensical demented ranted which isn’t based on any facts or evidence or analysis of any description.” LOL! Is two…” Mar 15, 13:01
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “What’s wrong with phrases up to and including; “The U.K. is a vassal state” “Scotland has no economy” “We’ll be…” Mar 15, 11:51
Dan on Looking up at the stars: “@Aidan What’s actually wrong with what Geri has stated. The content of the post touches on various relevant matters as…” Mar 15, 10:30
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “Yes Geri – I am struggling to simultaneously; a) finish my morning coffee; and b) arrange for you to be…” Mar 15, 10:30
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “You can’t ever know for sure your dugs don’t fancy me, Geri. Try not to let that keep you awake…” Mar 15, 10:12
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Hark at shitface. The only thing you’ve signed up to in yer sad life is online chat forums 24/7. You’ve…” Mar 15, 10:01
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “On the plus side, Geri, the F16s will finally get off the ground. So not all bad.” Mar 15, 09:57
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Oh, you cannie multi task? Wid it be bot overload?” Mar 15, 09:55
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Naw, why don’t you give us a clue, Dumbo? We all know who uses “alert readers” tho to try mimic…” Mar 15, 09:50
