Winnie Ewing, who has sadly passed away a few weeks short of her 94th birthday, was the second SNP politician I ever heard of.
My dad met her, and would speak of her with Billy Wolfe, the party leader who was also his employer at a forest machinery company in Bathgate (and our family friend), during her second term as an MP in the UK Parliament.
She now joins my dad and Billy as people who worked for the cause of independence but died before it came to fruition, after many wasted years under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon.
Still wondering what Humza Yousaf’s going to say to the SNP’s pretend “conference” on independence strategy this coming Saturday? Well, wonder no longer, because this morning he told Sky News.
In other words, he’s waving the white flag and praying for a miracle.
The Scottish National Party’s primary and defining purpose is Scottish independence. Next weekend’s “special conference” will at least notionally determine its policy on that subject for years to come. On the face of it it’s the most important congregation of party members in the SNP’s history.
The Caird Hall can accommodate just 3% of the claimed membership. (And you’d expect at least half the seats to have been reserved in advance for the faithful payroll.) Members ought to be fighting like dogs for a ticket. And yet a week before the event the leader is having to send out pleading letters to try to scare up enough attendees that it won’t be a half-empty humiliation.
Nicola Sturgeon has not been charged with any crime. Yesterday she was arrested, questioned and released without charge pending further investigation. We do not even know which specific suspected crime or crimes she was questioned in connection with, so it is manifestly impossible to meaningfully speculate on her innocence or guilt (save of course for the fact that all are innocent in the eyes of the law until proven otherwise, something Sturgeon herself often appears to forget).
Nevertheless, in Scotland the Contempt Of Court Act 1981 applies from the moment a person is arrested, as the country’s most senior lawyer and its official prosecution service were both keen to remind people yesterday in the clearest possible terms, and it applies equally whether you’re asserting someone’s guilt or their innocence.
So you need to be a really extra-special class of boneheaded numbwit to do this:
willie on The Pit Of Vipers: “I suspect the names are more widely known that folks realise. The hidden emerge, are exposed. That is inevitably appears…” Apr 19, 23:09
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Pit Of Vipers: “To refresh memories… short article by Gordon Dangerfield about Craig Murray’s imprisonment by Lady Dorrian: THE CROWN CAME FOR CRAIG…” Apr 19, 23:05
Jerry Carroll on The Pit Of Vipers: “I didn’t think I could be any more sickened by the SNP but here we are” Apr 19, 23:02
Mark Beggan on The Pit Of Vipers: “Baby Trump says. When was the last time you said to yourself: I’m going to be Better, Bigger than ever…” Apr 19, 22:54
Anne Gorman on The Pit Of Vipers: “Couldn’t agree more. She’s a nasty piece of work and you cross her at your peril. I remember reading an…” Apr 19, 22:26
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Pit Of Vipers: “Best wishes to Craig Murray who is incapacitated abroad: « It was not my intention to run for election to…” Apr 19, 22:15
Mark Beggan on The Pit Of Vipers: “Amen. Wake up time folks.” Apr 19, 22:11
Gav on The Pit Of Vipers: “I never thought I could hate a politician like I hated Thatcher. Then along came non stick Nicky” Apr 19, 21:48
Debatablelands on The Pit Of Vipers: “Yet a third will still turn out and vote for them. If it’s depressing what this story says about the…” Apr 19, 21:46
Young Lochinvar on The Pit Of Vipers: “Lorncal Of course she was behind it, individually or as a fully embedded major part of their own little Lord…” Apr 19, 21:46
Lorncal on The Pit Of Vipers: “Because that’s not how evidence works, tw. Lady Dorrian considered them extraneous to the actual charges. That they are coming…” Apr 19, 21:45
100%Yes on The Pit Of Vipers: “NS was front and right dead center of it all she was in total control of the SNP, just ask…” Apr 19, 21:34
Lorncal on The Pit Of Vipers: “Everything she touches fall to bits, so good news. Not before she pockets wodges of lolly, of course. Should have…” Apr 19, 21:29
Alf Baird on The Pit Of Vipers: “Aye Dan, still too many Scots in denial of our colonial status, which is of course part of the ‘condition’:…” Apr 19, 21:25
Lorncal on The Pit Of Vipers: “You know, I don’t actually believe that NS was behind it all, but she must have okayed it. She did…” Apr 19, 21:21
MaryB on The Pit Of Vipers: “The revolving door keeps revolving… Remember too, that Kez is Jenny Gilruth’s partner.” Apr 19, 21:13
Mark Beggan on The Pit Of Vipers: “So how you good folks gonna vote now?” Apr 19, 20:58
Lorncal on The Pit Of Vipers: “Joan: Joanna Cherry’s book has blown the lid off a great deal. That is why they have released it now.…” Apr 19, 20:54
George Ferguson on The Pit Of Vipers: “@100%Yes I have always voted too but there comes a time when not voting is a victory. If less than…” Apr 19, 20:41
Alf Baird on The Pit Of Vipers: ““the poisonous, posing human trash on our quangoes, running our councils, topping our public bodies” Indeed, and according to Albert…” Apr 19, 20:31
Sally Hughes on The Pit Of Vipers: “Aye Alf, and timing is everything. Swinney has promised a second referendum if they get an SNP majority. Polls indicate…” Apr 19, 20:17
100%Yes on The Pit Of Vipers: “Kezia Dugdale appointed new chair of LGBT+ charity Stonewall.” Apr 19, 20:01
George Ferguson on The Pit Of Vipers: “@Dan Well my only regret on the betting front is not backing Reform UK to get 20 MSPs at 8…” Apr 19, 19:53
holymacmoses on The Pit Of Vipers: “What saddens me most of all is that it was shiver of grubby-minded, meaningless mediocrity which created a stagnant pool…” Apr 19, 19:51
Dan on The Pit Of Vipers: “Well George, they do say Caveat Emptor and that fools and their money are easily parted… Plus you regularly state…” Apr 19, 19:37
George Ferguson on The Pit Of Vipers: “@Sarah Your positively optimistic I will give you that. Tommy Sheridan was found guilty of 5 out of 6 Perjury…” Apr 19, 19:37
sarah on The Pit Of Vipers: “@ George Ferguson: Congratulations on the grandchild – something cheerful to think about! As for not voting, in my constituency…” Apr 19, 19:21
100%Yes on The Pit Of Vipers: “George Ferguson, I too constantly give donations to SNP and then the Alba Party and for what??? When Salvo started…” Apr 19, 19:20
Young Lochinvar on The Pit Of Vipers: “Dorian Grey One of the coven. Look after each other they do..” Apr 19, 19:04
Young Lochinvar on The Pit Of Vipers: “T I’m not sure if it’s exactly what you were referring to but it’s worth listening to the lyrics of…” Apr 19, 18:57
