The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


A lie won’t fly 860

Posted on September 21, 2014 by

Scots voted No, in the end, on a ‘vow’ of greater devolution. Every Scot I have spoken to understands that the promised transfer of power can only take place if the books are balanced and Scots no longer legislate on England-only matters; this is manifestly part of the deal. If the UK government, Tory or Labour, reneges on it then the referendum result will have been fraudulent and founded upon a lie that won’t fly.

nofly3

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category analysis, comment, scottish politics, uk politics

The nasty parties 162

Posted on March 15, 2014 by

Theresa May, the UK Home Secretary, yesterday told the Scottish Conservative conference that a Yes vote in the Scottish referendum would see the UK government putting up passport and immigration controls at the border.

papersplease

Really? Rather than accept a common travel area, as exists with Ireland, the UK government would instigate full international border arrangements – arrangements which exist nowhere else in Europe – on the UK mainland?

Let’s just consider what that would require.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, scottish politics

Kicking the hinges off 122

Posted on February 18, 2014 by

Some recent comments of mine about how the UK government and European Union wouldn’t – because they couldn’t – strip citizenship from anyone in the event of a Yes vote in the independence referendum brought dissenting responses on Twitter from a few folk who certainly know a thing or two about government.

kickdoors

Their primary arguments were so weak, though, that coming from such able individuals they exemplified how much the establishment is being forced to state obvious untruths in defence of an otherwise perfectly legitimate line of argument. But does politics really have to be this dishonest?

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category analysis, europe, scottish politics, uk politics

Quoted for truth #32 116

Posted on October 23, 2013 by

Eric Joyce, MP for Falkirk, 23 October 2013:

“The announcement by Ineos this morning that Grangemouth’s petrochemical plant is to close is terrible news. Hundreds of jobs lost directly, many more indirectly. The loss of a significant element of Scotland’s industrial capacity. Why has this happened?

Ineos has been flagging likely cuts for months but instead of engaging with the situation and organising a coherent plan to save jobs, Unite called a strike over a pathetic and petty issue related to Labour Party internal politics. By the time the union woke up to the reality workers faced, it was too late.”

Sounds about right to us. Mind how you vote tomorrow, Dunfermline folk.

Tags:
Category comment, scottish politics

‘Cybernat’ is a loser’s word 189

Posted on May 31, 2013 by

This week’s papers had a story about ‘cybernats’ posting rude messages on social media about Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy’s opposition to Scottish independence.

cybermugs1

For the uninitiated, ‘cybernat’ is the term used in Scottish politics to refer, ostensibly, to slightly mad old-school nationalists who post vile, personalised attacks on their political opponents. Some politicos in Scotland don’t seem to understand, though, that this attack doesn’t really work as a political device as it seeks to apply a pejorative to the SNP when everyone knows it can be applied to some supporters of all political parties. Take a look at the comment pages of any UK newspaper.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, culture, scottish politics

Scots would remain EU citizens 55

Posted on December 10, 2012 by

Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, has said that in the event that Scotland votes for independence in 2014 then the new state of Scotland would have to apply for EU membership all over again. Well, I hope Scottish residents vote to stay in the UK and I think the possibility that they may not is mainly media and political hype. But I’d hate to see the kind of tosh we’re being treated to today become central to what should, after all, be a serious debate.

Read the rest of this entry →

Tags:
Category comment, europe, scottish politics, uk politics

  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)

    Stats: 6,670 Posts, 1,202,804 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

    • Mac on The Long Unravelling: “What Craig Murray is doing is beyond brave. I really thought he had a death wish this last couple of…” Nov 21, 20:56
    • Ian Brotherhood on The Long Unravelling: “Watching that right now. It’s remarkable, listening to these people, (regardless of whether you agree with them or not) and…” Nov 21, 20:50
    • znovak on The Long Unravelling: “Craig Murray’s argument about purity is fallacious. When organic chemists say that that the product of synthesis was 95% pure,…” Nov 21, 20:46
    • Zander Tait on The Long Unravelling: “And you are a thing of wonder, Camel Humpster TransMan. Let’s see, the last 2 polls on Scottish Independence clearly…” Nov 21, 20:31
    • Campbell Clansman on The Long Unravelling: “There are four council elections today. Three are in Glasgow, an SNP stronghold. I wonder if the “Indy” parties (assuming…” Nov 21, 20:12
    • George Ferguson on The Long Unravelling: “I was surprised Flynn didn’t know that Ross donated one of his salaries to charity when questioned on the Sunday…” Nov 21, 19:41
    • Zander Tait on The Long Unravelling: “And, of course, let’s not forget the double salary, double staff and double expenses. There are few more impressive sights…” Nov 21, 19:17
    • George Ferguson on The Long Unravelling: “Stephen Flynn finding out that double jobbing motivated by naked ambition is not a good look especially when sitting politicians…” Nov 21, 19:09
    • Stevie on The Long Unravelling: “Actually, people have been asking for decades what happened to huge donations left to the SNP in deceased wills” Nov 21, 18:45
    • Al Dossary on The Long Unravelling: “Cant watch that and Danny Haiphong / Mark Sleboda at the same time unfortunately……..” Nov 21, 18:33
    • twathater on The Long Unravelling: “NO he”s just a fucking corrupt moron elected by imbeciles” Nov 21, 18:25
    • Mia on The Long Unravelling: ““Close Holrood” No. I have a much better solution: get a political party to stand on a manifesto to: gain…” Nov 21, 18:23
    • twathater on The Long Unravelling: “I vote Alan that we get rid of the BIGGER more incompetent and more corrupt WM parliament and while we…” Nov 21, 18:23
    • robertkknight on The Long Unravelling: “Then vote to get rid of Westminster – job done surely?” Nov 21, 18:11
    • gregor on The Long Unravelling: “Zero One: Zero One: Welcome To The Future (instrumental): https://tinyurl.com/bdepyrzd #RealityWins” Nov 21, 18:07
    • Mia on The Long Unravelling: “I would say both. A plant and deliberately promoted beyond his abilities (the same as Yousaf and I would say…” Nov 21, 17:54
    • gregor on The Long Unravelling: “Elon Musk: You can measure intelligence by its ability to predict the future: “The right metric for intelligence is probably…” Nov 21, 17:39
    • gregor on The Long Unravelling: “Gilbert O’Sullivan: Himself: Nothing Rhymed: “If I give up the seat I’ve been saving To some elderly lady or man…” Nov 21, 16:54
    • Breeks on The Long Unravelling: “Judge Nap also has a livestream with Col Douglas Macgregor scheduled for 21:00… Probably don’t want to miss that…. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPJmh_bAxlA” Nov 21, 16:51
    • Breeks on The Long Unravelling: “www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILxOPAH1bVw As Jeffrey Sachs says, the warrant’s issue is also a measure of how impotent and isolated the US has…” Nov 21, 16:47
    • Dan on The Long Unravelling: “After another afternoon working on a tractor on a hillside in freezing temps I pondered this. One positive to keep…” Nov 21, 16:39
    • Robert Hughes on The Long Unravelling: “can I call you at the nursery , or are children not allowed phone calls ?” Nov 21, 16:28
    • gregor on The Long Unravelling: “re. “So what’s your excuse, gregor? No excuse – I’m gonna forever-hammer (publicly expose and dismantle, with zero physical violence)…” Nov 21, 16:16
    • diabloandco on The Long Unravelling: “Both!” Nov 21, 15:13
    • bobo bunny on The Long Unravelling: “Its the Scottish Parliaments fault people take drugs – how did you work that out? WM fought against safe spaces…” Nov 21, 15:06
    • James on The Long Unravelling: “*sigh* Scotland’s Imaginary Debt; In 2022-23 Scotland raised £87.5bn in tax which goes directly to Westminster. However, the Scottish Government…” Nov 21, 15:01
    • bobo bunny on The Long Unravelling: “I would say both. How he can claim to be for independance is beyond my comprehension. The continuity candidate, at…” Nov 21, 15:00
    • James on The Long Unravelling: “Ha! Not a chance of that happening. For obvious reasons.” Nov 21, 14:57
    • bobo bunny on The Long Unravelling: “It’s a fact. do your research” Nov 21, 14:56
    • James on The Long Unravelling: “He’s the first president [elect] to have made such vows since Jack Kennedy. They sorted it though….” Nov 21, 14:54

  • A tall tale



↑ Top