Earlier this year, a Secretary of State in Her Majesty’s Government leaked an untrue memo to the press, with the intention of undermining the democratically-elected First Minister of Scotland and damaging her party in an imminent general election. He then went on national TV and lied about doing so, in order to protect his own reputation.
The newspaper he leaked the smear to printed it without making the slightest attempt to ascertain its veracity, for which it was nominated for an award (even after having been strongly censured by the press complaints watchdog). The “journalist” involved has never retracted or apologised for the story. Others have defended it.
We’ve been pondering this week whether or not to hold a quick fundraiser to pay the £750 fine levied on us recently by the Electoral Commission for being a bit late with some indyref paperwork, readers.
(Our feeling is that there’s still plenty money left in the Wings War Chest from this year’s big crowdfunder, but lots of people have specifically asked for one for the fine, mainly to make a point to both the Commission and the little army of Unionist trolls who almost exploded with glee when the news came out late last month.)
When it comes to Scottish Labour’s great brainwave about “restoring” Tory tax-credit cuts, the madness just won’t stop. Here’s Magnus Gardham, formerly political editor of Scotland’s staunchest Labour paper the Daily Record, in the Herald today:
It’s been such an exciting, action-packed week for Scottish Labour since a dynamic and thrusting PPB launched the 2015 branch-office conference that we worried there might be a danger people had forgotten it already. So we’ve brought it back for a curtain call, in a version a bit more appropriate for what remains of their core vote.
Gordon Brown, last seen wailing that The Vow had been “betrayed”, appears to have jumped ship a little early when it came to changing his position on it for what by our count is the fourth or fifth time so far.
Kezia Dugdale spoke for almost exactly 45 minutes to the Scottish Labour conference in Perth today. But we know you’re busy people who don’t want to sit through all of that, and that you trust us to endure it on your behalf so that we can sift through it and present you with only the important bits.
We’re big fans of socialism ourselves, so when a number of delegates at the Scottish Labour conference today, including UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, revived an old Keir Hardie line we were quite excited.
Captain Caveman on The Promise: ““The wrong people got their hands on the power because the right people were too nice, too innocent, too tolerant…” Jun 27, 11:49
Lorncal on The Promise: “It would set a legal precedent, I think, Robert, for governments to be forced to use promised ‘ring-fenced’ funds only…” Jun 27, 11:48
Desimond on The Promise: “Subtle difference in first sentence of each email. I wonder if this was a prompt or just one of those…” Jun 27, 11:45
Spartan 117 on The Promise: “A large part of current issues are the fact that the Civil Service isn’t politically impartial. A sensible ruling that…” Jun 27, 11:13
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Promise: “NI CIVIL SERVICE IMPOSES STAFF ‘PRIDE’ PARADE BAN The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) has halted its participation in LGBT…” Jun 27, 10:08
Hatey McHateface on The Promise: “The wrong people got their hands on the power because the right people were too nice, too innocent, too tolerant…” Jun 27, 09:57
Hatey McHateface on The Promise: “Logic, Confounder? No way. When you start with a conclusion and then interpret everything that happens as proof of your…” Jun 27, 09:39
Hatey McHateface on The Promise: “That’s right Bob, amaze and inspire Scotland and the rest of the world with your profundity, erudition and scintillating wit.…” Jun 27, 09:15
Eric on The Promise: “Hats off to WoS and your summary also excellent. The SNP need this to go away or they will be…” Jun 27, 09:01
Captain Caveman on The Guilty Party: “Heh. Well, there is no “work” to blow out of the water, YL – unless you count 30 seconds’ worth…” Jun 27, 08:59
willie on The Promise: “Just to say another excellent article exposing the absolute scandal at the heart of the SNP and the supposedly hypothecated…” Jun 27, 08:29
David Blake on The Promise: “I think you are doing a great job exposing a huge scandal o am therefore reluctant to pick fault. But…” Jun 27, 06:54
Aidan on The Guilty Party: “Whilst that’s true Alf you aren’t entirely comparing like with like. The MV Finlaggan is a higher capacity vessel than…” Jun 27, 06:15
Young Lochinvar on The Guilty Party: “HMcH Whoa! Easy there tiger!! While I have a scintilla of sympathy with the thrust of what you are saying…” Jun 27, 04:17
Angus on The Promise: ““It’s time for action.” Those even more condemnable than the criminals are those who have deliberately failed to bring the…” Jun 27, 03:13
robertkknight on The Promise: “If it walks like a duck…” Jun 27, 00:48
Confounder on The Promise: “Yeah, but ‘No true Scotsman…yada, yada, yada.’” Jun 27, 00:34
Confounder on The Promise: “False logic in spades, there, I think.” Jun 27, 00:31
100%Yes on The Promise: “Thank you to you both, I never knew that.” Jun 27, 00:23
Spartan 117 on The Promise: “Quite possible, but I think Occam’s Razor would dictate its more likely they are just a bunch of corrupt degenerate…” Jun 26, 23:52
Effijy on The Promise: “https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1E6r5H6ZbK/?mibextid=wwXIfr Wee truthless the Baroness requiring her neck re-brassed.” Jun 26, 23:21
willie on The Promise: “Standard computer generated email response I suspect issued to anyone making a donation, with in this case, Mr Henderson being…” Jun 26, 23:16
sarah on The Promise: “When you’re sending the same email to a whole raft of people who don’t know each other and therefore don’t…” Jun 26, 22:38
robertkknight on The Promise: “What’s that stock response employed by other contributors to BTL in similar circumstances? Ah yes, I remember now… “Prick”” Jun 26, 22:09
Hatey McHateface on The Promise: “And if Police Scotland and the Crown Office charge various Scottish SNP names, and levy fines and other punishments on…” Jun 26, 20:31
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Promise: “Stuart Campbell’s Scottish Sun interview from 2 weeks ago is freely online here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or1V9HuR2qU” Jun 26, 20:18
100%Yes on The Promise: “Why would Jim Henderson be sending a email from himself to himself?” Jun 26, 19:57
Alf Baird on The Guilty Party: ““The Pentalina and Alfred were a snippet of the cost of the Loch Seaforth, Glen Sannox or the Glen Rosa”…” Jun 26, 19:51
robertkknight on The Promise: “If Police Scotland and Crown Office decline to take any action with regard to the (missing) Indyref2 funds then that…” Jun 26, 19:26
Lorncal on The Promise: “There are certainly rules governed by statute for the disposal of ring-fenced funds in the charity sector and local government,…” Jun 26, 19:16
