The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Latvian lessons 127

Posted on October 24, 2013 by

Latvia has been ruled by others for most of the past thousand years, with Riga even being the largest city in Sweden until they carelessly lost it to Peter the Great in 1710. Independence from Russia came in 1918 and then from the Soviet Union in 1991.

latvia

I arrived in Riga a few months later and stayed for a year and a half. At the time I joked that, apart from my paid work, I was there to observe what they were going through and to take notes for when Scotland became independent. It’s been a long time but some things, I hope, will be relevant to the process over the next year.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, world

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,868 Posts, 1,234,596 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 Douglas Daniel Federalists Unionists and Devolutionists flat-out lies foreigner watch from the archives fundraisers galleries 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

    • Young Lochinvar on The Secondhand Amendment: “Timing as broadly predicted by many on here! They can’t even be subtle about their machinations..” Jan 20, 00:51
    • Michael on The Secondhand Amendment: “Or was it John Doe who was googling on behalf of the Judge?” Jan 20, 00:44
    • Young Lochinvar on Learning Insanity: “H McH No other incorrect accusations to throw about? Confused as you’ve been asking the wrong questions? You are so…” Jan 20, 00:39
    • Hatey McHateface on The Secondhand Amendment: “@Marie I think there is something odd when people living in a country that is so desperate for immigrants that…” Jan 19, 22:38
    • Marie on The Secondhand Amendment: “If you knew anything about how independence-minded Scots felt about their country you would know that a long-standing major concern…” Jan 19, 21:54
    • holymacmoses on The Secondhand Amendment: “It’s quite remarkable that Judge Walker (via Ms Muir) thinks that it’s OK to farm out work on an enquiry…” Jan 19, 21:24
    • Scot Finlayson on The Secondhand Amendment: “Man in wig looking out for man in wig. I wonder what % of `trans women` went to Scottish fee…” Jan 19, 21:21
    • 100Yes on The Secondhand Amendment: “Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) confirmed a date has been…” Jan 19, 21:16
    • Mike on The Secondhand Amendment: “I see the separated Mrs Murrell was in a biker jacket and shorter hair cosying up to Ian McKellen, Graham…” Jan 19, 21:06
    • Marie on The Secondhand Amendment: “Judge Kemp blaming a colleague for HIS flawed judgement in the Peggie case. Kemp is incompetent, irresponsible and truly pathetic.” Jan 19, 20:45
    • Hatey McHateface on The Secondhand Amendment: ““Scotland has always been a place to get out of” Odd. You and the regulars who never tire of gurning…” Jan 19, 20:30
    • Bilbo on The Secondhand Amendment: “With another top Tory defecting to Reform, the Easdale brothers offering a six figure sum to Labour to defeat the…” Jan 19, 20:14
    • Bilbo on The Secondhand Amendment: “I see that Labour front benchers are calling Reform fascists and Swinney has called people who protest at migrant hotels…” Jan 19, 20:01
    • Hatey McHateface on The Secondhand Amendment: ““you Scots live in a colony and are the wretched colonised” Odd, Northy. You never tire of telling us how…” Jan 19, 19:43
    • 100%Yes on The Secondhand Amendment: “https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/king-shares-dram-with-scotland-s-first-minister/ar-AA1UwlWT” Jan 19, 19:41
    • Marie on The Secondhand Amendment: “Don’t disagree with a word. Scots know all this of course – that’s why the ambitious leave – Scotland has…” Jan 19, 19:34
    • Peter McAvoy on The Secondhand Amendment: “While this transgender ideology still dictates the political agenda.BBC Scotland news website today that teachers were having difficulty finding permanent…” Jan 19, 19:30
    • Cynicus on The Secondhand Amendment: “Wee Dougie on C4 News talking about Trump,” Jan 19, 19:13
    • Northcode on The Secondhand Amendment: “It isn’t difficult to understand. Scotland is a colony… its judiciary is a pantomime played out for the Scots to…” Jan 19, 19:04
    • Nae Need! on The Secondhand Amendment: “And what we get is a massively watered down version.” Jan 19, 19:04
    • ScotsRenewables on The Secondhand Amendment: “FIFA suck Trump’s cock. I would like to see Scotland pull out, with wholehearted support from the fans. Scotland have…” Jan 19, 19:00
    • Nae Need! on The Secondhand Amendment: “Well said. I love it when you wade right in. Their wits have never been addled, imo. Their wits are…” Jan 19, 18:38
    • Hatey McHateface on The Secondhand Amendment: “I’ll take your bet, Sven. Is £20 too rich for you? Even if a plea negotiation (the Scots Law term…” Jan 19, 18:35
    • Lorna Campbell on The Secondhand Amendment: “It is the baleful influence that the ‘trans’ issue/lobby is having, apparently, on so many people in positions of trust…” Jan 19, 18:08
    • Lorna Campbell on The Secondhand Amendment: “Very well said, sir. So many lies and delusions and half-truths surround the ‘trans’ issue that it needs to have…” Jan 19, 18:04
    • Sven on The Secondhand Amendment: “I doubt in this potential scenario that Mr Murrell would give evidence against any other defendant, as far as I’m…” Jan 19, 18:03
    • Nae Need! on The Secondhand Amendment: “I’ll say it, cos as far as I am aware no one else has passed comment on this: the USA…” Jan 19, 17:59
    • Lorna Campbell on The Secondhand Amendment: “Excellent piece again, Rev. Puts all the points that require to have light shone upon them. I never believed that…” Jan 19, 17:56
    • agentx on The Secondhand Amendment: “A plea bargain to give evidence against whom? I’m thinking about this: “The brother-in-law of Scotland’s former first minister Humza…” Jan 19, 17:53
    • Nae Need! on The Secondhand Amendment: “If that kinda thing is a legal possibility in Scotland, then yeah. And what we know of Scotland’s institutions is…” Jan 19, 17:47

  • A tall tale



↑ Top