When Humza Yousaf was campaigning to be elected leader of the SNP, he pledged that he would be not only the First Minister, but also the “First Activist”. It transpired that this in fact meant chapping a few doors in Dundee, just down the road from his home in Broughty Ferry (and on the way to his Glasgow constituency).
But what might a real “First Activist” have done with the position and power?
Wings always likes to correct any inadvertent errors as quickly as possible, so we were pleased to hear from an alert reader with a correction to this morning’s article in which we claimed that “we’re supposed to be less than six months away from a second indyref, but [Humza Yousaf] hasn’t even admitted that that isn’t happening”.
Our reader informed us that they’d actually had some communication with the Scottish Government on that matter, which we’re happy to share with you.
As far as we’re aware this fact has never been formally stated publicly before for some reason. But just in case you were still holding out hopes, now you know.
Last week the property-porn TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp described severely disabled people requesting same-sex care as “demonising male nurses”, although the statistics suggest that they’ve demonised themselves.
Instead of trying to understand the position of disabled individuals and their families Kirstie has decided that it is best to ignore the evidence and call us man-haters.
You really have to go some to stand out as a proper grade-A scumbag in the ranks of trans activists, readers, but let’s be fair and commend some serious effort when we see it. Everyone, meet Beth (no, not that one).
Beth is a nasty little grifter trying to monetise “transphobia”, although it’s not going massively well so far, with only five donors signed up. So they’ve come up with an idea, although not a very original one: a list.
Oily SNP MP John Nicolson – a man who was pompous and condescending even as a teenager presenting Open To Question in the 1980s – this week posted an extended and theatrical Twitter rant at the fine Herald and National columnist Kevin McKenna.
Alert readers may recall our last foray into Freedom Of Information requests, when a couple of weeks ago we belatedly received a peculiarly evasive response from Police Scotland with regard to a meeting in February between the then-Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable and the justice secretary Keith Brown.
We duly followed it up with an FOI to the Scottish Government for Keith Brown’s official diary on that day – just about the most mundane, run-of-the-mill request possible. We expected nothing remarkable, just a short list of meetings, fully corroborating what we were told by Police Scotland.
Goodness knows we could all do with some cheering up at the moment, so let’s have a momentary change of tone and kick today off with a chuckle or two.
We’ve been working a bit too hard lately, and yesterday’s Wings post went to press with an unprecedented FOUR errors in it, including an “is is” instead of “it is”, a “more far” in place of a “far more” and a “strata” where there should have been a “stratum”. We’re deeply ashamed, and thanks to the alert Wings readers – including our mum – who swiftly drew our attention to them.
The most embarrassing clanger was this one, which we fixed promptly:
So imagine our surprise when we were reading this morning’s Scottish press.
Some years ago while working in the NHS I investigated a situation where a group of very senior staff colluded in an attempt to cover up the misdeeds of a colleague, in the full knowledge of the devastating effect their dishonesty would have.
Yet in amongst that betrayal of professional ethical values one person’s integrity could not be swayed and they spoke the candid truth. I don’t know how it affected them in the long run, but it was clear that integrity mattered to them and doing the wrong thing was a burden they were unwilling to carry.
Anyway, their courage to hold firm to these principles impressed me and chimed with the values I believe are absolutely necessary when you are charged with responsibility over the lives of others: honesty, integrity and a strong sense of justice.
factfinder on Two Of A Kind: “The deliberate campaign to eradicate Gaelic language and culture was, of course, started long before 1707. The Establishment of Schools…” Jun 10, 15:23
Northcode on Two Of A Kind: “Thanks for the link, Alf. Very helpful. This from the Justice pour Tous Internationale (JPTi) website : Building on two…” Jun 10, 13:54
Alf Baird on Two Of A Kind: “Instead of playing British politics, here is what the SNP leadership should have been doing long ago, taking Scotland’s case…” Jun 10, 13:14
Oneliner on Two Of A Kind: “The Kosher and Halal punters will only screw it up” Jun 10, 13:02
diabloandco on Two Of A Kind: “Like it!” Jun 10, 11:54
Nae Need! on Two Of A Kind: “Yes, a totally revised menu is required. A menu that accurately reflects the dishes that are cooked would be a…” Jun 10, 10:23
Hatey McHateface on Two Of A Kind: “According to the MSM, they chucked their mobys and a laptop into the sea. Even I have higher regard for…” Jun 10, 09:36
Northcode on What We Don’t Know Now: “Parataxis is the natural way of speaking and writing the English language; it’s the way English wants to be written…” Jun 10, 09:33
TURABDIN on Two Of A Kind: “THE MEGA LIE of all time is that by voting snp you would «see off» the united kingdom..other variants of…” Jun 10, 09:32
agent x on Two Of A Kind: “Thank God she is safely on a plane home. Phew that was a close scrape!!!” Jun 10, 08:52
Hatey McHateface on What We Don’t Know Now: “If a Google search, even one powered by AI, can answer your question, based on what I infer is Rev…” Jun 10, 08:45
Hatey McHateface on What We Don’t Know Now: “Thanks for your reply, Bilbo. I’m not following your logic though. If Scotland doesn’t like populism, the rise in support…” Jun 10, 07:43
Hatey McHateface on The Jokers: “Aw, James. Still unable to summon up an original thought. Have this one on me: Indy For Knuckle Draggers. Awa…” Jun 10, 07:12
Rogueslr on Two Of A Kind: “So they’re no longer at war with Eurasia but they are with Eastasia? And Oceania isn’t the threat? I just…” Jun 10, 06:45
Dee Dubya on What We Don’t Know Now: “whose niece is she? I tried looking it up using google and another search engine and got a wee message…” Jun 10, 05:05
Big Jock on Two Of A Kind: “Swinney was a shambles the first time he was leader of the SNP. Salmond rescued them. To reellect this man.…” Jun 10, 00:04
Chris Downie on Two Of A Kind: “Not for the first time, the lunatic nonce cabal of the Green Party have taken enough votes to prevent an…” Jun 9, 23:19
James on The Jokers: ““…You’re like one of those ignoramus loud mouthed Yanks who believes WW2 didn’t begin until the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor…”…” Jun 9, 23:15
Eddie Munster on Two Of A Kind: “With odds 15/1 for labour to win, if i lived there, I’d put a tenner or a hundred down and…” Jun 9, 22:29
Bilbo on Two Of A Kind: “No right minded civilised person who shout and bawl at someone they are having a debate with but with idiots…” Jun 9, 20:58
Bilbo on What We Don’t Know Now: “Hatey McHateface There is enough on the web that paints the picture of Sturgeon being a toxic personality who ran…” Jun 9, 20:51
Geoff Bush on Two Of A Kind: “We underestimate both Swinney and Yousaf. If they were intent on independence then what they continue to do – ie…” Jun 9, 20:30
100%Yes on Two Of A Kind: “John Swinney is a moron. He deliberately lost the Hamilton seat, please don’t ask me to explain the mind of…” Jun 9, 19:17
Nae Need! on Two Of A Kind: “The poor lassie just wants her pension. And she’ll sit tight, like the rest of them, until she gets it.” Jun 9, 18:16
Mia on Two Of A Kind: “I opt for liars. Actually, labourites in disguise, to be more precise.” Jun 9, 18:15
Mark Beggan on Two Of A Kind: “Aye. If yeh didnae laugh yid greet.” Jun 9, 17:58
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Two Of A Kind: “Yes.” Jun 9, 17:50
Ian McCubbin on Two Of A Kind: “One is like his pal Anas really a unionist. Oh wait a minute so is the other one. Lol nae…” Jun 9, 17:49
