The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland



When winning is the only thing 185

Posted on March 05, 2021 by

What puzzles many about the Alex Salmond situation is motive. It’s incredibly difficult for some Yes supporters to imagine any motive that could justify the awfulness of what Alex Salmond has been put through by his successor, and so they reject the whole idea of any sinister goings-on out of hand.

However, it’s far easier to understand what went on when you look at the personality of Nicola Sturgeon and her historical pattern of behaviour.

Because the core fact is that Sturgeon simply cannot bear to lose. She’s very single-minded, and doesn’t really adapt or regroup in the face of adversity. When events and new information make problems for her ideas and plans, she just keeps going – often creating more problems as she tries to force the plan back on track.

Sturgeon’s main priority – in common with most politicians – is to stay in power and to boost her own image and profile. We can look at some hot topics and her behaviour around them, and gain clear insights into what happened to Alex Salmond and why.

Read the rest of this entry →

How to make a coup 132

Posted on February 02, 2021 by

Having never been part of a political party, an area where Wings lacks expertise is in understanding the nuts and bolts of their operation, and how a party’s rules can be used to usurp their members’ power. We’re delighted to have someone equipped to provide a valuable insight into how that’s happened to the SNP in the last two years.

The following line is still a definitive statement in the SNP constitution:

“National Conference is the supreme governing and policy-making body of the Party.”

But in practice it is no longer the case. The 2018 redraft of the constitution centralised power in the Leader and in the NEC. The party Leader has sole and total power over policy – both in the manifesto and in government – and the NEC has sole power over who represents the party and what they are allowed to say.

So in effect, since 2018 the party elite – not the membership – has ruled the SNP.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,790 Posts, 1,222,577 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Mark Beggan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Put your colonial feet up on the colonial stool. Make some colonial tea and have some Corbyn and Sultana cake.Jul 24, 12:40
    • Mark Beggan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““coordinated attacks” That’s right we all meet up at the Troll Bar on Union Street and after singing God save…Jul 24, 12:32
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Nothing wrong with nuclear power stations – we don’t need them though, nor will ever – we have a full…Jul 24, 12:31
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “if you have been scanning the civil service jobs of late, one theme has been that of “energy security”; they…Jul 24, 12:26
    • Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Sarah – until such time as a political party is formed, led by serious people with a properly developed and…Jul 24, 12:24
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I feel the need to talk about some “boring shit”. So flip the channel if you are continuing with the…Jul 24, 12:23
    • Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Perhaps the most important theory in our case, given the long period of colonization, is that of the colonial mindset,…Jul 24, 12:14
    • Andy Storrie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Just say the word, Campbell, and the readers could chip-in for a wardrobe full of frocks for ye.Jul 24, 12:12
    • sarah on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Rob, independence is a dead duck only if we all give up. I know it is depressing when the cause…Jul 24, 11:18
    • Stuart on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““ But perhaps most of all “the colonizer hates theory”, for theory (such as postcolonial theory) ultimately reveals the colonial…Jul 24, 11:10
    • Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““But perhaps most of all “the colonizer hates theory…” Indeed so, Alf. As is plain for all to see here…Jul 24, 11:09
    • Captain Caveman on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Constructive criticism – even if robustly or incredulously asserted – isn’t “trolling”, mate. Are you and your ilk such snowflakes…Jul 24, 10:58
    • Captain Caveman on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “‘… Sometimes the response to a particularly stupid attempt at making some useless point or other by a singularly dim-witted…Jul 24, 10:55
    • Dan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Well worth a read. https://dearscotland.substack.com/p/why-nuclear-power-in-scotland-isJul 24, 10:39
    • Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “As Memmi wrote, and as we can see in oor ain laund an among oor ain fowk, a “Colonized society…Jul 24, 10:24
    • Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I will give it to you Northcode, that is quite an amusing post, and a spirited defence of what you…Jul 24, 10:07
    • Rob on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I know that I have never “attacked” Alf Baird. Like a number of folk on here I just think he…Jul 24, 10:02
    • Chas on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Why is it that the fantasists and cranks assume that any one commentating on the repetitive, self centered dross produced…Jul 24, 09:55
    • Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “A staunch unionist (colonialist?), and a proud Ingle tae boot, on here has just re-stated almost the entirety of a…Jul 24, 09:46
    • Marie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “My thoughts exactly!!!Jul 24, 08:09
    • Callum on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “The BIG questions. Should any doctor who is incapable of determining the sex of their patients be allowed to practice…Jul 24, 07:42
    • Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Quality Doctor eh.. . Did she pass basic biology? Doctor! Doctor! Road traffic accident casualty just in and it looks…Jul 24, 06:02
    • Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Aha!! P3nisbreath McP3nisbreathface is back after an absence no doubt at Langley and.. T A..v. And upset about a Barbie…Jul 24, 05:51
    • Willie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Reading the various comments it does seem that Alf Baird has very much become the focus of coordinated attack from…Jul 24, 05:19
    • Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““You’re all afraid and it shows” Sure. I’m forever shitting ma kegs at the idea that TH and ‘Mrs James’…Jul 24, 03:57
    • Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““There’s barely a comment posted here by a unionist (colonialist?) that is anything other than childish insult, threat, lies, diversion,…Jul 24, 03:44
    • Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““What does tomorrow hold – an accusation of genocide?” Well, to be fair, the bar for that is being lowered…Jul 24, 03:26
    • Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Lorn @ 11.32 This deviant crap has been about in Europe for ages. Remember the early 90s Harry Enfield/ Paul…Jul 24, 01:25
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Ah! I didn’t know Bill Rolston had died. Tá sé anois ar shlí na fírinne, as the Irish say. Ar…Jul 24, 00:37
    • Lorn on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I agree, even if I don’t agree with every word Alf says. He is a distinguished academic and researcher and…Jul 23, 23:45
  • A tall tale



↑ Top