Wings Over Scotland has been monitoring the BBC’s coverage of Scottish politics for over 11 years now, readers, and other than The Nick Robinson Incident we’re honestly struggling to remember seeing anything worse than this.
The Corporation’s “coverage” of Ash Regan’s campaign launch for the SNP leadership election ran for roughly seven minutes. And we suppose we should be grateful that it did at one point feature a brief, incidental cameo appearance from Ash Regan.
We read some harrowing tweets this week from an Edinburgh SNP activist. Sensitive readers should look away now, as the following article contains potentially triggering information about the wild and lawless streets of [checks notes] Corstorphine.
It’s remarkable how openly a certain faction of the SNP is now declaring surrender.
And it’s becoming increasingly clear that the events of the next few days and weeks will not just determine the future of the independence movement, but whether in any meaningful, practical sense it continues to exist at all.
A major piece by the Corporation’s Scotland editor James Cook focused on interviews with two of the three contenders – excluding Ash Regan – on the basis that both had launched their official campaigns yesterday while Regan’s isn’t expected to be until later this week.
So this is interesting. Last week we were about to release some results from our latest Panelbase poll when events intervened. Naturally we’d asked a few questions about gender issues, and one of them concerned the Scottish Government’s potential legal challenge to the UK government’s use of a Section 35 order to block the Gender Recognition Reform bill.
There were three options in the question, and as luck would have it the three potential new leaders of the SNP each advocates a different one.
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Just give everyone an update on the war in Iran. We’re winning.” Mar 19, 18:12
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “The China offer to buy African copper. The Chinese built railways, schools, hospitals and supplied the engines, People were flying…” Mar 19, 16:34
Jamie on Looking up at the stars: “You are a lunatic that hates Scotland but for some reason spends hours every day trolling this comment section.” Mar 19, 16:00
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “For those suffering from TDS then I recommend watching ‘Baby Trump’ on YouTube. If you can’t find this funny then…” Mar 19, 15:42
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Interesting take as always, Geri. Some people would say that it’s the countries getting saddled with debts they’d never be…” Mar 19, 15:31
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “You would think the Extinction mob would be glueing themselves to public property by now. No. Net Zero is just…” Mar 19, 15:25
sarah on Looking up at the stars: “UN Geneva now – Sara Salyers is there this week. I look forward to hearing some progress is being made.…” Mar 19, 15:20
Hatey Mchateface on Looking up at the stars: “HR is still determined to impoverish and freeze us Scots years ahead of the date WM intends to do the…” Mar 19, 15:09
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Net Zero, according to Mark Carney, is a racket to punish countries with fines for missing targets & to saddle…” Mar 19, 15:09
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
