So, for the historical record: I have no belief whatsoever, earnest or otherwise, that I can get rid of Nicola Sturgeon in the next four months.
I’m an idiot with a website. I have no power. I haven’t been elected to anything and I’m not the commander of an army. Information to which I’m privy would get me put in jail if I published it, and would in itself have no power to remove Nicola Sturgeon anyway. The only people who can bring that about between now and May are Sturgeon herself or, collectively, the Scottish Parliament.
This site has for some time called for Sturgeon to resign because it is our belief that she’s going to have to anyway, on account of events over which we have no control or influence. Because of that it would be the responsible and conscientious thing for her to quit early enough that the SNP/independence movement had a chance to deal with the issue of her succession and regroup in plenty of time for this May’s election.
The remaining window of opportunity for that to happen is now getting very narrow. And the enemies of independence will be beside themselves with delight about it.
On 31 January last year everything changed. On that date – the one when Scotland was officially dragged out of the EU because it was in the UK, despite the SNP’s repeated pronouncements that such a thing would not happen – sane people finally woke up and realised that Nicola Sturgeon had no plan to secure independence.
Almost a year later, a shrinking rump of less-sane people are still clinging desperately to a variety of irrational beliefs (there’s still a secret genius strategy waiting to be unveiled and we simply can’t give away our hand yet; Boris Johnson is an honourable democrat and will cave in if the SNP get a majority in May’s election; magic pixies on unicorns will descend from the heavens and grant Scotland its freedom), but most of us have now realised that 31 January 2021 will be just as pivotal as 31 January 2020.
Because an awful lot of stuff is about to happen in a hurry.
Yesterday we noted that rational people arrive at decisions about things based on the facts, not the personalities of who else might support or oppose those things. But in the interests of balance, allow us to present the counterpoint.
As it happens, we agree with McDonald on NATO membership. It would be a pointless folly and an exercise in self-destructive virtue-signalling to leave an organisation which is willing to defend Scotland militarily for free because of its strategic location, and it would be extremely unpopular with the Scottish public (including SNP voters), no matter how much those on the left might wish otherwise.
His reasoning above, however, is a wretched embarrassment.
Because 2020 is the maddest year in history, Ruth Davidson opened her contribution to Holyrood’s debate on the Brexit deal today with a lengthy quote from this website.
Drew Hendry won a lot of praise from Yes supporters a few days ago when he seized the Mace in the Commons. It’s not easy to speak in the chamber at any time and doing so in the face of hostility from the Speaker is challenging indeed.
The institution of Parliament is, by its very design, geared towards control by the British establishment. Not only are all sides uniformly hostile, but even the staff and officials, usually so polite and deferential, turn on you. So it was an intimidatory atmosphere in which he acted and it can’t have been easy.
But the idea that Scottish MPs should routinely require to suffer the scorn and derision poured upon their nation and their people is long past its sell-by date. Much of the vitriol shouted wouldn’t be countenanced elsewhere and just because it’s supposedly Honourable Members who act in that manner doesn’t justify it. There comes a time when words aren’t enough.
Dr Tim Rideout is one of the most serious and respected people in the Yes movement and the SNP. As convener of the Scottish Currency Group he’s presently engaged in trying to solve the party’s self-inflicted weakness over its lack of a coherent currency policy, and he’s sufficiently highly rated by SNP members that earlier this month he was elected to the party’s Policy Development Committee.
So you might think he was entitled to a view on, well, development of policy.
If this site seems to spend most of its time being angry at the SNP these days, that’s because we are. And a large part of that is because there’s very little that hacks us off more than people insulting our intelligence.
Smith’s tweet is just a crassly offensive flat-out lie. This week’s vote is NOT about “EU membership”. The United Kingdom hasn’t been a member of the EU since 31 January. We’ve already left and there’s no going back. The vote is about whether we leave with a sliver of a trade deal slightly reducing the self-inflicted harm, or the total catastrophe of no deal at all, and it’s just crushingly embarrassing for all concerned that Smith thinks so little of his own supporters as to believe he can “frame” it otherwise.
There is no good position for the opposition parties in the House Of Commons to take on the impending Brexit deal vote this coming week.
It’s a terrible deal, and voting for it – as Labour will do – makes you look like an idiot, especially when it completely fails the “six tests” you swore never to vote for it without. On the other hand, time is absolutely up and were it to be somehow defeated the only alternative left to the deal would be a no-deal exit, which is the only thing worse.
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Allegedly, Kushy & Witless accepted $50 billion from the Saudis to throw the peace talks. Makes sense. Also, Kushy, Witless…” Mar 20, 02:57
Cynicus on Looking up at the stars: ““Meanwhile the chosen people keep killing anyone that the Donald could deal with…” ========= That son of Scotland, Dòmhnall Iain…” Mar 20, 01:01
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “It wasn’t surprising that the gayist parliament in Scotland, with the gayist parties, would jump aboard the latest gay crusade…” Mar 20, 00:23
robertkknight on Looking up at the stars: “https://news.sky.com/story/north-sea-oil-is-it-time-to-reconsider-drilling-13520893 Someone’s been pissing down our backs again…” Mar 20, 00:06
Iain More on Looking up at the stars: “I see the Kleptomaniac Sassanachs are now talking about rationing Gas, Petrol and Diesel. I guess the policy of maliciously…” Mar 19, 23:46
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “That comment to Japan was cringe. He’s lost it. What an embarrassment he is. It’s right up there with telling…” Mar 19, 22:31
sarah on Looking up at the stars: “A Plea to Chris Cairns, Cartoonist of that Ilk Woe, woe, thrice times woe! Get out your pencils. Pin paper…” Mar 19, 22:18
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “I support independence, Dan. Always have, always will. I was making no “digging response”. I was very annoyed that you…” Mar 19, 22:10
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “Areswipe, I hope Alf tells ye to GTF after all yer snide comments every other time. Have you never heard…” Mar 19, 22:09
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “@Alf Baird – this is somewhere I’d welcome your opinion” Mar 19, 21:10
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““who will be left for the great deal maker to work with?” Do you think you may have put your…” Mar 19, 20:50
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Aidan As I said, grown ups will find a way. There are plenty of ports, the madness has been loading…” Mar 19, 20:46
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “HMcH Childish silly names? What, like Hatey? Fair one, it is a childish name, but, I am not its creator.…” Mar 19, 20:33
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “HMcH Ah! Then so much for “saving neutral Belgium” and second time around Poland..” Mar 19, 20:28
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Well, YL, you’ve called all the people you dislike silly, childish names. So I guess you’re winning.” Mar 19, 20:22
David Holden on Looking up at the stars: “Several weeks into Donald’s big Persian excursion and still the tankers do not move unless you strike a deal with…” Mar 19, 20:21
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “HMcH Fair point though I suppose 1950s type technology may possibly be less susceptible being pre circuit board technology. Plus…” Mar 19, 20:18
Aidan on Looking up at the stars: “There are not “other ports” YL that have anything close to the capacity of the short straits, which is the…” Mar 19, 20:13
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “The fact that you would have Scotland maintain neutrality on the clear case of neocolonialist imperialism in eastern Europe, now…” Mar 19, 20:09
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Beggars Strange. Hadn’t Baby Trump claimed the previous set of bombings (before this round) had bigly destroyed all I rans…” Mar 19, 20:03
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Doesn’t 100% of the UK’s illegals come through Kent? The decision to quarantine the place or not may be more…” Mar 19, 19:59
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “How are the electronics in “simple heat seekers” able to resist EMP? How are “simple heat seekers” able to differentiate…” Mar 19, 19:53
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “There are other ports. Grown ups should be able to deal with it, plus you’re statement is a great reminder…” Mar 19, 19:49
Alf Baird on Looking up at the stars: ““UK has been skint for years” Yes, England has always been skint after continually fighting wars, which is why they…” Mar 19, 19:46
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Very entertaining Beggars. Had to laugh about Biden referring to the Straight of Hormuz as the Gay of Hormuz! 🙂” Mar 19, 19:41
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Beggars Early 2000s design, less than 200 in service because of costs (minus of course the reported crashes). The Americans…” Mar 19, 19:35
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “Two weeks from weapons grade Uranium. The alternative is unimaginable.” Mar 19, 19:32
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Wow, sarah, if optimism like yours could be bottled for resale you’d be a squillionaire by now. Is it possible…” Mar 19, 19:32
