The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


A professional appraisal 111

Posted on August 17, 2013 by

If you weren’t up at 8.45am or so (it’s the weekend), click the image below to hear the interview on Good Morning Scotland on the subject of our Panelbase opinion poll.

soundwave2

The poll was also discussed (again) by prominent psephologist Professor John Curtice, who made a few helpful comments by way of expert advice. We’re new to the polling game, so let’s quickly address them.

Read the rest of this entry →

Blood from a stone 137

Posted on August 16, 2013 by

We might have to transcribe the whole thing, because it’s remarkable.

willierennienato

But for now here’s just a brief flavour of Willie Rennie on the subject of an independent Scotland’s membership of NATO, from last night’s Newsnight Scotland (from 5m 30s).

Read the rest of this entry →

The end of radio 98

Posted on August 16, 2013 by

We’re using that phrase in the sense of “the end of the universe”, we should say.

bbcbath

We’ve done interviews for radio in the BBC’s tiny Bath studio before, but this is the first time we’ve had to let ourselves in and do the whole thing solo.

Read the rest of this entry →

Undisclosed interests 90

Posted on August 16, 2013 by

Newsnet Scotland this morning attacks some comments by BBC presenter James Naughtie in which he remarks disapprovingly on the aesthetic state of Princes Street in Edinburgh. To be honest, we’re with the Beeb’s man on this one – as documented by the splendid Facebook page Lost Edinburgh, the capital’s main thoroughfare is a living catalogue of grotesque crimes against architecture, and the additional havoc wreaked on it by years of needless tram works doesn’t need any detailing here.

princesst

The piece does reveal something much more interesting, though.

Read the rest of this entry →

Two more milestones 60

Posted on August 16, 2013 by

We try not to bang on about our readership stats so often these days, but as some mainstream media types have been casting doubt on our figures this week and we’ve just passed a couple of nice round numbers, we thought you might like to know.

augstats

We’d like to say a big “Welcome!” to the 15,000 brand-new readers who’ve joined us in the last 30 days, a big “Thanks!” to those of you who were here already, and an extra-special one to those of you who told others. Keep spreading the word, folks.

The twist in the tale 66

Posted on August 15, 2013 by

We haven’t bothered covering the latest confected anti-independence scare from a clearly bored political media before now, because it’s such a weak effort that in the interests of at least a vague impression of balanced journalism they haven’t been able to avoid undermining it themselves, without needing our help.

natoflags2

But hey, there’s not much happening this afternoon.

Read the rest of this entry →

Translation mishap 76

Posted on August 15, 2013 by

We were very proud of a terrific performance from Scotland at Wembley last night, in a highly entertaining friendly the national side was unlucky to lose due to a couple of lapses in concentration at set pieces. We also greatly enjoyed the tremendous atmosphere created by both sets of fans, which we read about in the Daily Mail:

It seemed the days of booing national anthems had passed. But old habits die hard against the Auld Enemy so Flower of Scotland got the treatment and God Save the Queen was booed in response. Pretty unsavoury all round.”

And also in the Scottish Daily Mail:

“The sing-off was generally good-natured but the Scottish contingent let themselves down badly at the start as a cacophony of boos drowned out God Save The Queen after respect was afforded Flower Of Scotland.”

Wait, what?

Read the rest of this entry →

A welcome back 128

Posted on August 15, 2013 by

…to reporting of opinion polls in the Scottish media! These are all from today:

“More than half of Scots live on ready meals or takeaways at least three times a week, according to a new poll.”

Vital data, there. And definitely more interesting and important than learning that two-thirds of Scots don’t believe the promises of improved devolution after a No vote.

Read the rest of this entry →

False flag operation 256

Posted on August 14, 2013 by

Readers who haven’t recently suffered a blow to the head will probably recall that “Better Together” campaign director Blair McDougall was quoted in the Scotsman last week (in a story which WAS considered worthy of coverage), bitterly complaining that the Yes campaign had used the phrase “best of both worlds”, which for some reason he appeared to believe was his exclusive possession.

buchanan

The fine gentleman above was pictured on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street on Saturday. He also appears to be toting some borrowed property. Can you spot it?

Read the rest of this entry →

What they left out 97

Posted on August 14, 2013 by

A particularly alert reader contacted us this morning with an observation so subtle it had totally escaped us, even though we’d seen both the things in question.

jackiebird

On last night’s BBC News at Six, the lead story – taking up over six minutes of the 30-minute show – was a steep 4.1% rise in English rail fares. The in-depth piece explicitly noted (at 5m 45s) that Scottish rail users would have a lower rise, saying “Passengers in Scotland will be better off, with season tickets capped at the rate of inflation” and also noting that no rises were planned in Northern Ireland and the decision in Wales was still to be made.

Reporting Scotland, immediately afterwards, took a different angle.

Read the rest of this entry →

The non-story so far 67

Posted on August 13, 2013 by

A quick update on how mainstream media coverage of our poll is going.

Read the rest of this entry →

Poll-tergeists 90

Posted on August 13, 2013 by

POLL-DENYING-01

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,976 Posts, 1,250,849 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • twathater on A Long Hard Think: “AND let us also not FORGET Robert Corruption. This sorry excuse for a country, governed by the corrupt for the…Sep 12, 03:12
    • twathater on A Long Hard Think: ““That is the UK Gov taking action because the Scottish Gov will not!” Correct. By far the most significant development…Sep 12, 03:05
    • Willie on A Long Hard Think: “And meanwhile how many people know that the ‘ Kangaroo court ” they call the Standards Commission Scotland has changed…Sep 12, 01:05
    • Andrew Morton on A Long Hard Think: “Obvious, innit? The items in her possession are presumably the ones removed from the charge sheet. As they aren’t the…Sep 12, 00:28
    • Lorncal on A Long Hard Think: “Must admit that this is something that I did think about initially, but, now, I don’t care. All I want…Sep 11, 23:14
    • Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: ““That is the UK Gov taking action because the Scottish Gov will not!” Correct. By far the most significant development…Sep 11, 21:45
    • Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “Michty Fearghas! You’re remarkably hale, hearty and spry for somebody who’s been riddled with bullets. But to be serious for…Sep 11, 21:34
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A Long Hard Think: “« Did we dodge a bullet or did we dodge a bullet in 2014. » No, we invited the hail…Sep 11, 20:57
    • Chas on A Long Hard Think: “It did not take too long before the crank professor mounted his hobby horse! I said some years ago that,…Sep 11, 20:24
    • Alf Baird on A Long Hard Think: ““We’ll be honest with you, readers, we’re at something of a loss for words at this point.” In the Manichaean…Sep 11, 19:48
    • Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: “As things stand, willie, there appears to be £700,000 unaccounted for. In addition, there appears to be items bought with…Sep 11, 19:14
    • Frank Gillougley on A Long Hard Think: “Reasoning and law are redundant when used against straightforward brazen and ‘unanswerable to anyone’ corruption. Even this is a waste…Sep 11, 18:41
    • Hatey McHateface on A Long Hard Think: ““They are busy locking up thousands of pensioners with cardboard signs” Naw. They’re not. You’re busy either lying or fantasising.Sep 11, 18:38
    • willie on A Long Hard Think: “Quite honestly can anyone have any faith in the police. As this response shows Police Scotland are absolutely rotten to…Sep 11, 18:34
    • PhilM on A Long Hard Think: “The information may not be held by Police Scotland but is it the kind of information that ought to be…Sep 11, 18:20
    • Morgatron on A Long Hard Think: “Just bamboozled! Who says crime doesn’t pay. Obviously not her.Sep 11, 18:19
    • robertkknight on A Long Hard Think: “Unlike Rev Stu, I am not at a loss for words, namely… Corruption. This sorry excuse for a country, governed…Sep 11, 17:56
    • Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “For many years many people, myself included, have accused Sturgeon and the SNP of being a Cult who’s agenda is…Sep 11, 17:55
    • Spartan 117 on A Long Hard Think: “Anyone surprised? Nope, me neither. This state is rotten.Sep 11, 17:49
    • ALANM on A Long Hard Think: ““We broke the law so we’d like to apologise for the inconvenience caused.” All crooks wanting to obtain a get…Sep 11, 17:44
    • ALANM on A Long Hard Think: “Who got the motorhome?Sep 11, 17:33
    • Ronnie on A Long Hard Think: “Don’t know about the rest of you, but I cannot even look at her anymore.Sep 11, 17:29
    • Andy Wiltshire on A Long Hard Think: “Is the image at the top the entirety of what they sent you, Rev? If so it looks like it’s…Sep 11, 17:25
    • Mark Beggan on A Long Hard Think: “From the perspective of a Right wing fascist who knows the whole barrel is rotten one can only quote a…Sep 11, 17:21
    • Ian Smith on A Long Hard Think: “Has any member of the SNP asked the police to track down the items and return them? Can any member…Sep 11, 17:13
    • Colin Hope on A Long Hard Think: “Please dont give up on this. Their replies are are getting weaker. If ever there was a need for a…Sep 11, 17:07
    • Effijy on A Long Hard Think: “Their next letter will simply state “Computer Says No”. Can the police force become any more pathetic? They don’t know…Sep 11, 17:06
    • agentx on A Long Hard Think: ““On Thursday, it emerged that MPs will launch an inquiry into party political funding following the fraud within the SNP.…Sep 11, 17:03
    • 100%Yes on A Long Hard Think: “Legal hearing on recovering £400k embezzled by Peter Murrell pushed back three months.Sep 11, 17:01
    • 100%Yes on A Long Hard Think: “We know Peter Murrell was stealing before 2014. Sturgeon met Theresa May and I believe Sturgeon was given two options…Sep 11, 16:58
  • A tall tale



↑ Top