The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland

← Previous Entries
Next Entries →

Nationalism in reverse 234

Posted on February 16, 2016 by

We saw a very interesting article on the London School of Economics website today.

lseblog

It notes that in 2006, the year before the SNP came to power, 65% of Scots identified themselves as “Scottish not British” or “more Scottish than British”, but by 2014 – the year of the independence referendum – that number had fallen to just 49%.

It concludes, correctly, that just as we noted on Sunday, support for independence is fundamentally political in nature, not nationalist. But that only tells half the story.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category analysis, comment, scottish politics

Person swears on internet 425

Posted on October 19, 2015 by

Nation’s political journalists shocked.

fo1

More “news” at 1pm, 6pm, 10pm, 10.30pm, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category culture, media

With permission 144

Posted on October 16, 2015 by

So shortly after this:

smartroy

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, scottish politics

An outbreak of coyness 199

Posted on September 29, 2015 by

We know that the media isn’t normally shy about identifying which side of the Scottish independence debate people are on, especially if they’ve been behaving badly.

telegraphviolence

So we were a little puzzled by the papers this morning.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, media, scottish politics

A sour taste 223

Posted on September 23, 2015 by

Alert readers may recall an incident last year in which the Scottish media got itself very worked up about some independence supporters threatening to boycott holiday company Barrhead Travel after its owner sent a barking-mad letter to staff about how the company would go out of business if Scotland voted Yes.

The Telegraph, Express, Times, Daily Mail and Scotsman were among those covering the story at length – with the latter going so far as an extraordinary comparison to the Nazi atrocity of Kristallnacht – and someone called Jim Murphy opined that it was “a new low” and “the worst type of negative politics”, despite the SNP having discouraged and disassociated itself from any boycott.

So we’re sure that you won’t be able to move later today and tomorrow for newspaper articles about something similar, but significantly worse, that happened this weekend.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category investigation, media, scottish politics, scum

Why we won’t give up 161

Posted on September 19, 2015 by

One year ago today.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category pictures, scottish politics, scum, video

Don’t you just hate nationalism? 231

Posted on July 22, 2015 by

Tony Blair quoted in the Independent today:

blairnat1

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, uk politics

Friendly help for the Daily Mail 119

Posted on July 14, 2015 by

As part of their tireless campaign against abuse and threats on the internet, the Mail’s ever-alert reporters will doubtless be wanting to run a major piece on the deputy leader of UKIP calling today on a widely-read website for Nicola Sturgeon to be killed.

huffnutt

No need to thank us for the tip-off, guys. All part of the service.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, disturbing, media, scottish politics, uk politics

The grinding wheels of justice 80

Posted on June 10, 2015 by

An update for those interested, via an alert cartoonist:

From: Garreth.Lodge

To: Christopher Cairns

Subject: RE: Ian Smart

Date: 9 June 2015 14:25:33 BST

Dear Christopher,

Thank you for your e-mail to Kezia with regards to her exchange with the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 23rd April 2015.

Kezia can confirm that the person mentioned in the exchange has had their membership of the Labour Party put under administrative suspension and an investigation is currently being conducted by the General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party.

If you have specific questions on the investigation you will need to direct them to the Scottish Labour Party, not Kezia’s Parliamentary office.

If there is anything other issues Kezia can help with as your MSP, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Kind Regards

Garreth

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, investigation, scottish politics

Under rocks and slime 347

Posted on June 02, 2015 by

I had no time for the way that Charles Kennedy conducted himself in the referendum campaign and it would be hypocritical to pretend that I did.

But before that he was one of the main reasons I voted Lib Dem for over 20 years – a compassionate, principled man who took some difficult stands and left his party in a far healthier place, both politically and morally, than it occupies now.

ck3

He deserves better than this.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, scum

Waiting for Nicola 323

Posted on May 04, 2015 by

Taken in Greenock earlier, prior to the First Minister’s visit.

flegs

It seems an appropriate image for today.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category pictures

The side of the thugs 129

Posted on May 04, 2015 by

Amazingly enough, the Scottish press today ISN’T wall-to-wall with stories about Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale, UK peer and lawmaker, endorsing the “f***ing booting” of Conservative supporters at the weekend, in a striking contrast to when a young SNP candidate said similar but less offensive things some months ago.

(Lord McConnell’s friends were talking in the future tense about something they would do. Mhairi Black was talking in the past tense, about things which she HADN’T done.)

sunjack

As far as we’ve seen, the small piece above in the Scottish Sun is the only coverage. (The Daily Record, as well as not reporting the McConnell comments at all, actually has another go at Mhairi Black instead.)

But we were having trouble recalling any “hate-filled violent mobs” (McConnell’s actual full quote) on the Yes/SNP side. And so was an alert reader who had a dig through the papers from the last couple of years.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, media, reference

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,964 Posts, 1,248,441 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

    and finally and firstly arithmetic fail braveheart klaxon britnats captain darling cartoons Chris Cairns confused cringe crybabies dateline debates Devo Nano Federalists Unionists and Devolutionists flat-out lies foreigner watch from the archives fundraisers galleries Greg Moodie hamish hypocrisy liars light-hearted banter lizards memogate misinformation one nation perspectives poll project fear project feart qft Scott Minto smears snp accused soapbox the positive case for the union The Vow ticktock toldyouso too wee too poor too stupid unionist of the day vote no get nothing

  • Recent Comments

    • Aidan on The Party Of The Dead: “Yes i’m interested in the “current cost” because that’s the cost that I and others have to pay, and I’m…” Aug 10, 19:59
    • Dan on The Party Of The Dead: “Where do I suggest basic subsistence living you utter plonker! I’m talking proper commercial level food production. Not grubbing about…” Aug 10, 19:14
    • Aidan on The Party Of The Dead: “@Dan – we’ve discussed this before, I don’t think many Scots are up for living the basic subsistence life you’re…” Aug 10, 18:38
    • agentx on The Party Of The Dead: “BBC Alba showed it for about 5 hours every night – highlights from the day and also live events.” Aug 10, 18:11
    • diabloandco on The Party Of The Dead: “Did anyone notice that the BBBC managed to televise the European athletics competition from Birmingham? Pity they couldn’t shake their…” Aug 10, 17:50
    • Dan on The Party Of The Dead: “Oh do fuck of with your pish, Hatey Main. There have been plenty attempts to discuss more Scottish self-sufficient existences…” Aug 10, 17:30
    • Minceheid on The Party Of The Dead: “Hatey McHateface says: 10 August, 2026 at 3:44 pm You wouldn’t waste your time with a doctor who had no…” Aug 10, 16:02
    • Hatey McHateface on The Party Of The Dead: “Not at all, Bob. It’s completely irrelevant whether Scotland is or isn’t colonised. What are relevant are the popular policies,…” Aug 10, 15:44
    • Hatey McHateface on The Party Of The Dead: “The King Of The North In The South has announced (from his holiday) that it’s “not possible” to do anything…” Aug 10, 15:32
    • sarah on The Party Of The Dead: “@ Knuckle_Heid, thanks for keeping tabs on the David Henry/Sean Clerkin action vis a vis the police. As ever, I…” Aug 10, 15:25
    • Hatey McHateface on The Party Of The Dead: “On the subject of land reform / land use, there’s been a lot of discussion about it on the MSM…” Aug 10, 15:17
    • robertkknight on The Party Of The Dead: “Alf… Trying to tell your average Scot that their country has effectively been colonised under their noses is like trying…” Aug 10, 15:16
    • John H. on The Party Of The Dead: “A whole team of psychiatrists would have their hands full with that one.” Aug 10, 15:15
    • lothianlad on The Party Of The Dead: “No doubt in my mind – Sturgeon was corrupted by her own greed and ego. By the time she had…” Aug 10, 15:12
    • Hatey Mchateface on The Party Of The Dead: ““biggest wankers on earth” “gays, once they are in charge, its a mess” It’s a lot of fun to point…” Aug 10, 15:03
    • Hatey McHateface on The Party Of The Dead: ““Someone in the civil service thought this up” Why not say what you mean? They’d have been telt by TA!…” Aug 10, 14:40
    • Aidan on The Party Of The Dead: ““A people doesn’t need technical training to recognise when their world is being taken from beneath them” What you mean…” Aug 10, 14:39
    • Hatey McHateface on The Party Of The Dead: ““mocking … use of the Scots language” Ah, c’moan noo, Northy. Why would anybody need to mock the users of…” Aug 10, 14:33
    • Northcode on The Party Of The Dead: ““Land usage and reform is a highly technical area…” Technical domains explain how land is managed. They don’t explain what…” Aug 10, 14:20
    • Chas on The Party Of The Dead: “I comment on various issues. You obviously missed them! Good to see that you are defending the esteemed professor who…” Aug 10, 13:45
    • Young Lochinvar on The Party Of The Dead: ““No further comment” Tricky Nicky is on the interview circuit/ circus yet again and is getting more and more bleaty…” Aug 10, 13:38
    • Knuckle_Heid on The Party Of The Dead: “Off topic & apologies for that – it’s now been three weeks since David Hendry & Sean Clerkin handed in…” Aug 10, 13:35
    • Captain Caveman on The Party Of The Dead: “@Northy Ah, so just yet more of the same: a bare, base appeal to emotion. Your response as to how…” Aug 10, 13:33
    • Northcode on The Party Of The Dead: ““I hate to be the one to break it to you…” You’re describing the mechanics of a system. I’m describing…” Aug 10, 12:55
    • Aidan on The Party Of The Dead: “In the study you linked Sam, only 1% of people admitting to knowing “a lot” about land reform. That means…” Aug 10, 12:53
    • Young Lochinvar on The Party Of The Dead: “C Loved the last part, quite a picture you painted! Made me smile. 🙂” Aug 10, 12:49
    • Aidan on The Party Of The Dead: “What exactly is being objected to here? The private ownership of land in Scotland? I am not aware of any…” Aug 10, 12:45
    • Captain Caveman on The Party Of The Dead: “@Northy “It is the ground beneath a people’s world. (etc.)” I hate to be the one to break it to…” Aug 10, 12:17
    • sam on The Party Of The Dead: “https://diffleypartnership.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/REVIVE-BLQ-Land-Reform-Final-Report-October-2025-1.pdf “This approach provided robust data on public opinion, which is complemented by nuanced qualitative insights to help inform policy.…” Aug 10, 12:05
    • Northcode on The Party Of The Dead: ““It is only people with huge brains, like the learned professor, who can grasp the situation.” We have seen this…” Aug 10, 11:32

  • A tall tale



↑ Top