There can surely be no credible disputing that the SNP leadership election – and therefore that of Scotland’s next First Minister – is, to put it very mildly, under a cloud.
As things stand, whoever wins will be forever tainted by the process – easy meat for the Unionist opposition in the Holyrood chamber and the media and a potential legal challenge could cause untold further damage to the party.
With six days still left for voting, the case for a reballot – an administratively fairly trivial task in an election being conducted almost entirely online – is now unanswerable, and needn’t even involve a delay.
The SNP having a fondness for lying about their membership wouldn’t have come as quite such a shock to the Scottish press if they paid a little more attention to this website. Because we were pointing it out two and a half years ago.
It was in October 2020 that we told you how the SNP’s 2019 accounts revealed the party’s true membership figures weren’t the claimed 126,000 but more like 87,000.
You might think that Scottish political journalists would all be in a shark-like frenzy of excitement at the events of the last few days. But not over on The Guardian.
Apparently it’s all a bit too much for the delicate wee flowers.
We’ve just been leaked this footage, apparently taken by an alert traveller, of Nicola Sturgeon at Edinburgh Airport, reacting badly to receiving news that Peter Murrell has been “unavoidably detained” and won’t be making their rendezvous to Rio.
Hats off to the SNP. Every time we think that the party’s leadership election can’t get any more absurdly farcical, they pull something extra-mad out of the bag.
After this happened yesterday, it suddenly become “known” across the Scottish media that the SNP NEC was going to hold an extraordinary meeting in order to authorise the release of the membership figures after all three candidates demanded them.
Some of the country’s most senior hacks, including BBC Scotland’s Political Editor and the editor of the Daily Record, sombrely informed their readers of the development.
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Or something about your spelling of something. You’re on safer ground when you just cut and paste, sam.” Mar 19, 13:41
sam on Looking up at the stars: “I was wondewring if he/she/it might say somethhing about the struggle between rationality and irrationality. Wake up, Northcode.” Mar 19, 13:34
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Under all that bluster Geri knows the truth. There goes the Net Zero target for this century. Burn baby burn.…” Mar 19, 13:24
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Geri: no, we have no overseas territories, but we almost did before 1707 – Darien? We are the equivalent of…” Mar 19, 13:19
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Surely anyone cursed by being born a Pict has already been found guilty of serious transgressions in a previous life?…” Mar 19, 12:57
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “What if Geri claims they’ll never get aff the groond? That’ll set your gas at a peep. Haha, price of…” Mar 19, 12:50
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““Indy we would be awash in cheap energy, with domestic bills on the ground, offering cheap power to anyone who…” Mar 19, 12:47
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “UK has been skint for years, Confused. Maybe things would have gone a lot better in 2014 if the movement…” Mar 19, 12:35
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Women already receive a far smaller proportion of public funding overall. I daresay they will lie and say that some…” Mar 19, 12:30
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “In this world of political storm there’s those that have Lockheed Martin F22 Raptors and there are those that don’t.” Mar 19, 12:26
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““what exactly is “propaganda” in my posts??” Around 80% Geri. Lies and fabrications, wishful thinking, bias, flat denial of verifiable…” Mar 19, 12:24
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Ah, c’moan noo, Jamie. Seriously now. Is there anybody posting on here who isn’t getting paid by the British government?…” Mar 19, 12:10
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “problems, problems – nice ones to have https://archive.ph/NSRpr – the norwegs are protecting their wealth against global risk – we…” Mar 19, 11:59
Confused on Looking up at the stars: “the thieves are back thieving https://archive.ph/z3LQi but, but, I thought the oil wasn’t worth anything free translation added : “england…” Mar 19, 11:56
Sven on Looking up at the stars: “Sam @ 09.31. I’m no theologue, Sam, however last time I looked it was something like, “Thou shalt not take…” Mar 19, 11:14
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “The UN is funded by the membership. The richer a country is the higher the contribution. Considering the Middle East…” Mar 19, 11:05
Jamie on Looking up at the stars: “Thank you and I think you might be correct about Alba, the way it ended is highly suspicious.” Mar 19, 09:50
Jamie on Looking up at the stars: “Do you get paid by the British government to comment here?” Mar 19, 09:48
sam on Looking up at the stars: “Northcode You may already have seen the video. If not search “flann obrien atomic theory video”. I can’t get the…” Mar 19, 09:31
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Back on form I see, Geri. I know it’s asking a lot of you, but please endeavour to always maintain…” Mar 19, 08:53
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Geri I see your thinking but no the UN has become a sanctuary for terrorists. A talking shop paid for…” Mar 19, 07:17
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Lorncal What are you suggesting is propaganda? It’s documented fact that the father of a disabled child asked the German…” Mar 19, 02:02
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Geri: the Nazis certainly practised eugenics, on Jews, Slavs, the disabled, those with mental ill-health or illness, etc., but they…” Mar 18, 23:46
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Assisted dying bill; Automatic do not resuscitate classifications have been in operation for ages.. Anyway, assisted dying; Go to Muirhouse…” Mar 18, 22:03
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “As Maggie said, international law is all we’ve got between us & the barbarians. Ironic really cause they ARE the…” Mar 18, 21:38
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Looking up at the stars: “MLA CRITICISES WOKE GOVERNMENT FORM An MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) has criticised the Northern Ireland Civil Service for…” Mar 18, 21:36
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “They have options. Those options don’t have to involve everyone else. If they want to check out then go for…” Mar 18, 21:25
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Last time I looked it wasn’t Poot offering euthanasia to avoid paying healthcare & pensions or sterilising his own population…” Mar 18, 20:57
Southernbystander on Looking up at the stars: “It is palpably untrue that supporting assisted dying is all about government population control – the statement is offensive and…” Mar 18, 20:57
