Barely 18 months after this, here’s East Lothian Labour councillor Norman Hampshire (centre) and pals campaigning today with the aid of their new best friend.
As the story collapses and investigations begin into a cut-and-dried case of unlawful civil service interference in politics (and possibly worse), may they reap what they sow. If the current polls come true, never will a party’s fall have been more abject or more complete, nor its fate more richly deserved.
This is quite something. It took 15 hours into “MemoGate” before anyone got a Scottish Government representative on air – even though they’d found time to get quotes from Willie Rennie, who isn’t the leader of a Westminster party and whose party isn’t even involved in the story. When they did, here’s what happened.
Readers can form their own opinions about the interview. But at the very end of the piece the BBC’s James Cook says “this memo does exist”. It may do, but we’re not sure what his current grounds for that statement are.
To the best of our knowledge nobody is claiming to have seen it personally except the Telegraph. The Foreign Office have denied all knowledge of any memo, the Scotland Office apparently refuses to comment, and we have no idea who allegedly wrote it.
Cook has already made, then rowed back on, some rather questionable statements in the last 24 hours. Viewers may feel it might be better if he just stuck to the facts.
That clip (from just past midnight on the BBC News channel) isn’t a bad starting-point summary of last night’s extraordinary story, except by our count the Telegraph’s piece was fourth-hand rather than third-hand.
(First-hand would have been Nicola Sturgeon. Second-hand would have been the ambassador. Third-hand would have been the consul-general. The civil servant – who doubted the story him/herself – is fourth-hand.)
This is also a pretty good primer. Now let’s get to the fun stuff.
Sheesh. We pop out for a couple of hours to feed the Wings Emergency Kitten and we get back to find that it’s the UK press that’s barfed up hairballs all over its front pages.
And the contradictory cross-vortex coverlines aren’t even the mad bit.
James on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “As a great man once said…. “…I notice at any mention of SALVO or Liberate Scotland the FRANCHISE fanny and…” Jun 14, 17:10
Andy Ellis on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “@Stuart 3.50pm Aye, that’ll be because you’re (checks notes) a unionist plant / 77th Brigade / not REALLY Scottish /…” Jun 14, 16:22
Stuart MacKay on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Cap’n, I bet some of the more righteous progressives in the SNP would see the election of a Reform candidate…” Jun 14, 16:12
Stuart on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “I think Mr Ellis is spot on re Salvo, not only are Salvo and it’s supporters engaging in magical thinking,…” Jun 14, 15:50
Confused on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “I could believe it : https://archive.ph/wip/as3Uc but let’s just have a bit of imperial propaganda to cheer us all up.…” Jun 14, 13:48
Andy Ellis on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “@Stuart 11.59am Well, I suppose you might argue that they weren’t solely responsible for the war. Of course this isn’t…” Jun 14, 12:39
Captain Caveman on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “*winning Heh. Freudian slip perchance ” Jun 14, 12:36
Captain Caveman on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Yes please. Will enhance Reform’s chances of sinning some seats. Good work!” Jun 14, 12:06
Stuart on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Aye Mr Ellis, nor did starting a civil war hold them back either…” Jun 14, 11:59
Andy Ellis on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “And your point is, caller….? Not having independence in their name – or indeed being Irish language – didn’t seem…” Jun 14, 11:11
Andy Wiltshire on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Another question asked from a position of ignorance – am I right in assuming that the only Scottish political party…” Jun 14, 10:58
Andy Ellis on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Who are “they” in this context? The SNP? The Scottish media? Scottish &/or British unionists? It all sounds a like…” Jun 14, 10:11
Doug on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Independence supporters should boycott next year’s Holyrood election.” Jun 14, 09:41
MaryB on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Andy Ellis @ 4.32 pm I think they’re desperate that the SALVO UN work is kept from popular consciousness. Scotlands…” Jun 14, 09:16
Lorn on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “As I recall, CC, Salmond and Sturgeon came as a package. He was going to team up with Ros Cunningham…” Jun 13, 23:42
100%Yes on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “I wouldn’t be surprised if the SNP party fiances isn’t being directly funded the British labour government, so in return…” Jun 13, 22:31
Breastplate on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Yes James, it’s notable that they recognised themselves.” Jun 13, 21:50
sarah on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Agreed. No-one in power in the SNP seems to have anything in common with the long-time members or voters who…” Jun 13, 21:40
McDuff on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “I know i have droned on about this before but i still can`t believe there has not been a rebellion…” Jun 13, 21:22
100%Yes on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “SNP Government rule out Scottish independence convention surprise surprise.” Jun 13, 21:20
sarah on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “@ agent x: Angus Robertson’s response to the ICCPR petition. No, I hadn’t read it before. Of course we didn’t…” Jun 13, 21:13
Confused on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Scotland in 2050 will be Willy McWonka’s Hielan Brigadoon Golf Resort Gated Community, and we, the Scots, if we are…” Jun 13, 20:50
Tommo on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “‘(If nothing else, we suppose that’s a strong show of optimism from Swinney, who’s already 61 and will be some…” Jun 13, 20:27
Bob on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “I love the 12 mugshots: but what would Jon Snow say? (or, for that matter, Humza Yousef?)” Jun 13, 20:11
agent x on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: “Sarah – have you read this response to the petition? https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/citizen-participation-and-public-petitions-committee/correspondence/2024/pe2135/pe2135_c.pdf PE2135/C: Implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political…” Jun 13, 20:03
agent x on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: ““On the 17th June, a conference at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh will ponder the challenges and issues that will…” Jun 13, 19:52
sarah on Let’s Not Make Some Plans: ““What can ordinary independentistas do?” Talk to friends and family about Liberate Scotland so their candidates will receive votes in…” Jun 13, 19:42
