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Wings Over Scotland


The feather-light touch

Posted on February 22, 2023 by

Yesterday, readers, we warned you that “online newspaper polls are self-selecting and vulnerable to manipulation”. Here’s what that looks like in practice.

Let’s crunch some numbers.

Just over 24 hours ago, the National’s poll (which launched on Monday afternoon and is incredibly sloppily coded, allowing anyone to vote multiple times simply by refreshing the page) stood like this:

At that point Humza Yousaf had 2,841 votes out of nearly 15,000.

But by early this afternoon, he’d leapt to 6,450 out of 21,499.

That meant that out of 6,546 extra votes cast, Yousaf had picked up 3,609 of them, or over 55% –  a startling and remarkably sudden improvement for someone who’d been on 19% for most of the previous day. But the most impressive phase was to come.

Out of the next 7,731 votes, Yousaf got an incredible 5,534 – that’s 72% – to bring him up to a total of 11,984 (41% of 29230).

If we then jump to the current figures:

…firstly we find that more than 1000 votes have been cast in the 10 minutes since we started writing this article. Again we find that most of them have gone to Yousaf, with his tally leaping up to 14,346. A final refresh a few more minutes later saw just over 3,000 more votes added, of which a whopping 2,015 (67%) went to Yousaf.

And that means that in the second 24 hours of the poll, Humza Yousaf has collected 13,520 votes compared to 2,841 in the first 24 hours – almost five times as many.

If you’re going to fake it, Team Yousaf, fake it a bit more subtly than that, eh?

No kidding.

0 to “The feather-light touch”

  1. Ian McCubbin says:

    Thanks again for sharing this research. I am not surprised at this manipulative process by Yousaf’s support.
    Am sure we will see more from NuSNP trougher and supporters to disrupt and fake the process

    Reply
  2. ScottieDog says:

    That pretty much tells the story of how the actual vote will be conducted. So peter murrell will basically choose who runs Scotland. Chairman Maorell.

    Reply
  3. ross says:

    dang…this is almost as atroturf as the fake muslim and indian groups referenced earlier.

    Reply
  4. George says:

    Who is going to audit the votes for the new SNP leader? Will they be independent of the party?
    Or will SNP CEO, Peter Murrell, aka Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, sign the count off?

    Reply
  5. Giesabrek says:

    And why does Ash Regan’s line begin further to the left this giving the subtle impression she’s received less votes than the other 2 even when she was ahead, like in the 3rd screenshot?

    Reply
  6. Giesabrek says:

    *thus

    Reply
  7. Mikel says:

    ScottieDog says:
    22 February, 2023 at 6:17 pm
    That pretty much tells the story of how the actual vote will be conducted. So peter murrell will basically choose who runs Scotland. Chairman Maorell.

    Indeed, I’m surprised Stuart keeps talking about who may win… Who the polls favour… When the real issue is that the e-voting that they ‘ll use is opaque and made for cheating… Why bother with everything else if cheating is guaranteed… Voting should be with paper ballots with observers etc.

    Reply
  8. Alex Stone says:

    Putin will be proud.

    Reply
  9. James Barr Gardner says:

    This why I will never ever buy a newspaper.

    Reply
  10. Stuart MacKay says:

    Giesabrek

    The indentation would appear to be deliberate – unless the junior, associate, intern in charge of the website really is a numbskull.

    If you look at the HTML code for the poll candidates an indentation (padding) of 25 pixels is used EXCEPT for the last one where the indentation is 0 pixels. It’s a rule that’s applied specifically to the last item in the list so it’s not just an oversight – someone had to write it. Now it could be that the styling was used elsewhere first and sloppily applied but generally all the items in a list should be treated equally. There’s no real reason to do it otherwise.

    It’s blindingly obvious what the effect is, yet no-one at The National is rushing to fix it – strange.

    Reply
  11. Haud says:

    Ash is drawn further to the left in each chart.

    Reply
  12. Confused says:

    any time you see, or are given as explanation

    LATE SURGE FROM THE SILENT MINORITY

    you know the election was absolutely straight and there is nothing to see here, move along

    ich bin ein coincidence theorist

    Reply
  13. SusanAHF says:

    What a disgusting country we live in and what a disgusting party the SNP have become.

    Reply
  14. Ebok says:

    READERS VOTE?

    On the National’s poll?

    Hahahahaha…nearly 40,000 votes cast?
    I make that around 400% of their total circulation.

    Reply
  15. Republicofscotland says:

    Craig Murray’s seen this kinda stuff before.

    “In an election a candidate must have access to the voters’ register.
    They must verify only registered voters vote, individually
    They must verify the actual vote tallies.
    NONE OF THOSE HAPPEN in SNP elections under Murrell.
    I speak from experience of coming 2nd for SNP President.”

    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  16. Den says:

    Lies , damn lies, and polls in the national.

    Reply
  17. Red says:

    Humza is going to be great. I expect him to govern by the people’s priorities:

    * Free sex changes for pets
    * An urgent review of scooter health and safety
    * Unpleasant racial theories

    It’ll be like Mr Bean Goes To Holyrood, if Mr Bean was a lot less likeable and intelligent.

    What could be a more fitting legacy for Oor Nicola?

    Reply
  18. socratesmacsporran says:

    I got a link to a Spectator article on Sturgeon’s resignation, written by Katy Balls their Political Editor.

    It was, naturally, already out of date, mentioning the likes of Mr Marmalade as a potential successor. However, far worse, their was talk of Westminster MPs such as Joanna Cherry or Stephen Flynn as candidates.

    When you have London-based journalists who do not know that the SNP Leader and potential First Minister has to be a Holyrood MSP, it demonstrates how little they know or care about Scotland.

    Mind you, that will not stop London-based commentators such as Bills trying to get their favoured candidate, almost certainly Hama Useless into the top job, to keep SDcotland subservient to England.

    Reply
  19. Republicofscotland says:

    The plan is to con the membership into thinking that Yousaf is popular, so when they fix the result for him to win it, they can point to opinion polls and say their candidate was the most popular and ergo the most likely to win the race for the leadership.

    Reply
  20. Eddie Munster says:

    Easily manipulated by opening an incognito page and voting. Maybe programmed in python, easy to do with a little know how.

    Reply
  21. Del G says:

    If shit were fingers, Yousaf would be a safe pair of hands.
    Forbes is being demonized and there’s pro-Yousaf trolling in process. And apparently Regan is an ALBA glove puppet. Politics is proving to be a dirty business. Quel surprise.
    Given the way it’s going down the LAST person I’d vote for would be Yousaf. If I had a vote …

    Reply
  22. bob mcpherson says:

    The Greens and wokerati types with nothing better to do than manipulate the system. Afraid of being sidelined by the biologically female candidates.

    Reply
  23. Ron Clark says:

    Message from Peter Murrel to editor of The National last night:-

    “Get that Poll fuckin sorted, or else”.

    Reply
  24. Del G says:

    I just had another peek and Regan’s way in the lead again … hmm …

    Reply
  25. craig murray says:

    At times Humza has been piling on votes at over 5 votes per second.

    You can multiple vote manually, but you have to refresh, scroll and wait for the vote to load. I tested and found it takes about 8 seconds.

    So with Humza has a team of 40 people continually voting for hours, or SNP HQ have set up a bot.

    Interestingly after piling on over 10,000 bot votes to get Humza in the lead, they have adjusted the programming for the bot to add Ash and give Ash about half the votes it is giving Humza, to make it a bit more realistic!

    Reply
  26. Neil in Glasgow says:

    How long before some dastardly cybernat programmes it so that Ash gets out ahead again though? Not suggesting that should happen you understand, but if you have the capability fill your boots!

    Reply
  27. Jlm says:

    Suddenly Ash Regan has gained 10%, Yusless has lost about 10% and Forbes is way down too.???

    Reply
  28. KT Lorimer says:

    No surprise there Del G sauce for the goose etc

    Reply
  29. Lenny Hartley says:

    socratesmacsporran Hope yer well, re candidates having to be MSP’s, i know this has been discussed at length for a long while and everybody seemed to think this, however according to the SNP Constitution i read online last week, this is not the case, any member can stand whether Elected or not, criteria is 20 branches and 100 members proposing them.

    Reply
  30. Tom Halliday says:

    “The poll cannot be taken as statistically representative” the one statistic we can be assured is representative, is that the Out for indy, Twitter Youth and Sturgeons Mandella United will do anything to prevent Kate or Ash from being FM.

    Reply
  31. Haud says:

    SNP member since 74,as was , and now many years later discussing online how the party of Independence is funding an anti-independence newspaper to lie and cheat the ends of Independence.

    Fikking great eh ? 1984 has nothing on our reality.

    Reply
  32. craig murray says:

    It now is piling on 20,000 votes an hour for Ash.

    I expect this is still team Humza. After 16,000 votes it had Humza on a realistic 19% and Ash on 45%. So they brought in the Humzabot.

    But they got rumbled.

    So now they are piling on silly numbers for Ash to discredit the poll totally – and blame Ash for it.

    Reply
  33. Haud says:

    Suggestions above as to how to fiddle the poll.

    I you are running the poll you can make it say whatever you want.

    Reply
  34. 10/30 says:

    Confused
    ich bin ein(e) Berliner
    Just self identifying!
    ubermogan?

    Reply
  35. Politically Homeless says:

    Woke PR trolls clearly acting for the SNP are well known for astroturfing the /r/Scotland subreddit using bots, so they have form for this. The Sturgeonite cabal now has a massive PR challenge on its hands trying to build momentum for a transparently unpopular continuity candidate. The Sturgeonite shills on Reddit don’t even try to portray Humza as popular; the entire thing is an attack campaign. But will shaming and bullying about transphobia etc. work in a secret ballot of members? Oh er, bit of a flaw in the plan there perhaps.

    Reply
  36. Dave Llewellyn says:

    Its important that the SNP did this as the Nationals a pretty loyalist Sturgeonite paper. Humzas likely to need close to 50% of first votes as hes unlikely to get many from either woman. Now we expect Murrell will try to pad the vote but it would look really bad if humza was sitting at less than half the vote if the person whose campaigns bot started yet in the National. This bot attack is so when Murrell produces 40000 non existent members it will look half plausible which it wouldnt have at this mornings numbers . Over 60000 votes for a paper with less tgan 12000 subscribers. Well done for keeping that secret .

    Reply
  37. Ron Clark says:

    First job Ash Regan should do as our new First Minister is to sack the current CEO (the little gay creep who inhabits Bute House).

    Reply
  38. Neil in Glasgow says:

    Somebody give Kate Forbes a bump FFS. Nobody?

    Reply
  39. Lenny Hartley says:

    Dave Llewellyn i would not be surprised if its announced after nominations close on Friday that neither Woman have the 100 members or 20 branches supporting them, and therefore their leadership bids have failed to reach the minimum support required. apparently they are being denied sight of where they stand in that regard whilst Humza is being given all information.

    Reply
  40. Alan C says:

    Polls in the main are best ignored.

    Reply
  41. Stoker says:

    Just to add to the joint Unionist/SNPWokerati campaign against Kate & Ash today we had the BBC in Scotland text service promoting John Swinney questioning Forbes’ suitability to lead the SNP due to her religious convictions. But then stating it’s not about her religious convictions. He apparently “stopped short” of suggesting Forbes should pull out of the race.

    Yes, John, we know it’s not about her religious convictions. It’s about you being a bully, a bigot and an utter failure during your time in the SNP. It’s about you wanting Humza elected so the SNP continues to prioritise everything else over independence. And it’s about you being a coward too afraid to criticise another male.

    Note also, folks, how the very same “questioning” of Humza Yousaf and his religious convictions to Islam is not being raised by Swinney. Like both the Catholic and Protestant faiths, Islam doesn’t believe in same sex marriages etc either. So it’s blatantly obvious Swinney is in cahoots with the Unionists in wanting Hoozat Useless appointed as the next First Minister.

    Swinney is a bully who can only attack females, real females. He should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. If he’s going to raise concerns about Kates ability to lead, especially from the perspective of a serial failure such as Swinney, then to be fair and balanced he should be publicly raising the same concerns over his bedfellow Hoozat Useless.

    NOTE: DISCLAIMER: I have no religious horse in this race. I have no time for any of the main religions in our society. Each to their own but if fuckwits insist on using religion to try and persuade me of their arguments then they better be honest & balanced.

    And btw, one more point, why is Swinney questioning Kates stance against having children pre-marriage? Because that’s also the position of his own religion of choice, Catholicism. Swinney is a filthy chancer using religion to divide Scotland again. A tried and tested method by various scumbags over the centuries. If Kate or Ash wins, which i seriously doubt, their first move should be to dump Swinney out on his arse. Not only that but make it a very public event.

    Reply
  42. Jllm says:

    Kate Forbes just gained 10%. Your wish is answered.

    Reply
  43. Doug says:

    And they say we’re not politically engaged.

    Reply
  44. Doug says:

    Last night’s yougov poll has Forbes +3
    Regan -4
    Yousaf -19

    Reply
  45. Alf Baird says:

    For anyone new to colonial politics, just to state the bleedin obvious – as Murrel et al are pushing Yousaf then so is the British state.

    The only pro-independence candidate running for leader (Ash Regan) is at 47% in the National’s online poll, though as the Rev and Craig suggest, lots of caveats.

    Reply
  46. Breeks says:

    These fkers debase everything they touch.

    Reply
  47. Luigi says:

    Anyone that can make a ring-fenced 600,000 quid disappear (and get away with it) will have no qualms about making a few thousand votes disappear. Just sayin.

    Reply
  48. Stephen says:

    And demonstrates exactly the mental capacity of Humza Yousaf ????

    Reply
  49. Doug says:

    Forgot to say yougov poll mostly carried out before Forbes’ comments on gay marriage etc. Could Regan benefit from any fallout?

    Reply
  50. Stoker says:

    I’ve just seen this previous article here on WOS: link to wingsoverscotland.com

    Whilst i welcome their opposition to Humza Yousaf i can’t help but notice the folk they reference as having worked for the better of “the community”. FFS! Willie Rennie, Anas Sarwar and the other Unionists they mention all stood shoulder-to-shoulder with BritNat racists against Scotland’s right to self-determination back in 2014. Arlene Forster is a bitter bigoted BritNat protestant who is a member of a community that does not hide the fact it’s a staunch supporter of groups such as The NF, The BNP, The EDL and even The KKK. Jeeeezo! FFS! Wake up!

    Reply
  51. Bob Mack says:

    Stu. This poll is so funny,I am in knots on twitter.

    A three horse race in which the bookie has tried to knobble the other two. Punters are fighting back!!

    Reply
  52. Stoker says:

    YouGov is a discredited polling outfit, as revealed long ago here on Wings Over Scotland.

    The only reason polls matter in this “competition” is for the benefit of the Wokerati within the SNP. They will be used by them to help promote an air of respectability to proceedings when they manipulate serial loser Humza Yousaf into position. The SNP under Murrell & Sturgeon is corrupt and every wheel is currently in motion to manipulate Scotland’s first man of colour into the position of First Minister. Even though he is, by far, the worst of the 3 candidates.

    If only Salmond could have foreseen the damage he would be inflicting on Scotland the minute he decided to walk away and promote skanky Sturgeon as his successor. If only!

    Reply
  53. fruitella the hun says:

    Stoker

    I knew Swinney went to Forrester, which is next to a catholic school. Maybe he since converted, better check, wouldn’t want to let wrong notions run…

    link to archive.vn

    Reply
  54. Confused says:

    If its a Game of Bots, I say we go for the best one

    – get OpenAI ChatGPT to run for SNP leader

    you can also ask it questions about how to achieve independence … has anyone done this, I mean – it’s a neural network with 11.7 billion neurons trained on the entire internet as a text corpus … talks a lot of sense, ken; it might not be sentient, but looking at the SNP, is anyone?

    We could also ask it questions like : is presbyterianism better than islam?

    (Some people say ChatGPT is actually pre-hacked to give “woke” answers on anything controversial, something they had to put in as an earlier bot from microsoft was converted to national socialism after a day of internet exposure.)

    Someone could also use an AI art stable diffusion program to produce a rendering of

    “chemsex weekender at Alyn Smiths crib with the Stirling Crew and Out4Indy”

    – which we could then use as blackmail material/kompromat as they will probably assume it is genuine

    Reply
  55. Bob Mack says:

    Rumours spread about extra curricular shenanigans and reward which might just sink a hopeful. No names of course.

    Reply
  56. Achnababan says:

    Latest is John Swinney has created a twitter storm by calling out Kate Forbes for telling the truth. Swinney says ‘I have been in politics for over 30 years and I avoided telling the truth at all times. The one exception came, when under duress, I admitted to being a secret Devo-Maxer. Kate Forbes is a dear friend but I pray to God (3 times a day) that she stops telling the truth NOW!!

    Reply
  57. Shug says:

    No doubt the BBC will be reporting him as the leading candidate, followed by the MSM reporting the BBC saying he is the winner

    The corruption is astonishing

    Reply
  58. Stoker says:

    Thanks for the correction. If he’s a protestant then same thing applies. He’s using religion, his own in particular, to demonise another individual and her beliefs when his own religion has the very same beliefs. He’s a filthy chancer and a coward.

    Reply
  59. Stoker says:

    @ fruitella the hun on 22 February 2023 at 9:33 pm:

    Thanks for the correction. I’m sure i read previously on here that he was a Catholic but if he’s a protestant then same thing applies. He’s using religion to demonise another individual and her beliefs when his own religion has the very same beliefs. He’s a filthy chancer and a coward.

    Reply
  60. Frank Gillougley says:

    Ratfkrs and tossers, the lot of them.

    Reply
  61. Nicola the Destroyer says:

    2 quick comments:

    1) Always beware of on-line polls. Buying a botnet is cheap.
    2) Remember the quote supposedly attributed to Joe Stalin about counting votes.

    Reply
  62. robertkknight says:

    Nicla’s fanzine is simply a used toilet roll, and if any doubt remained then this proves it.

    Reply
  63. gregor says:

    DailyExpress (22/02/2023): Nicola Sturgeon chuckles her way through questions after lobbing grenade into SNP ranks:

    “…Ms Sturgeon looked unconcerned about the crisis engulfing her party when quizzed by journalists during a visit to the Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood on Wednesday. Asked if the SNP was “tearing itself apart”, she responded: “It’s not. It’s having a democratic election. So that’s what is happening.”…”:

    link to archive.ph

    Reply
  64. Garrion says:

    Chaos is indeed a ladder.

    Reply
  65. Andy Garrett says:

    Can nothing be done to get Peter Murrell out? He is the rotten apple at the centre of all of this.

    Reply
  66. More than 70000 votes for Yousaf in last 10 minutes. Not possible without bots. Worse than disgraceful

    Reply
  67. Kcor says:

    Is gay marriage accepted in “deeply religious” Swinney’s Bible?

    Reply
  68. Kcor says:

    Who takes such polls seriously?

    Reply
  69. 100%Yes says:

    Joanna Cherry is no one’s fool, Ash Regan has got the best backer out there. If I was to have one person out of all the MSPs and MPs it would be cherry. I really do think Regan has been playing the allow all others to hang themselves but will Kate realize in time before its to late who her friends really are?

    Reply
  70. Big Jock says:

    Swinney converted to Catholicism in 2003, when he married a Catholic.

    Reply
  71. Beauvais says:

    Humbug Humza as FM is not at all a cheering prospect. He’d kick the independence can so far down the road it would be out of sight and – he would hope – out of mind.

    As for the business of governing, we know it would be so bad he’d make even Sturgeon look competent. Actually he’d make Frank Spencer look competent.

    Then consider the powers of patronage he’d wield in the top job. Cronyism would flourish at least as much as it has with the outgoing FM.

    Reply
  72. Sparky McSparkface says:

    With 120,000 votes so far Ash has surged into the lead on 35% and Humza has just overtaken Kate to snatch second.

    A couple of hours back Humza was comfortably in the lead on 46% so it looks like the GoodGuys have the scripting-fu to make sure the National never run a poll again 🙂

    Reply
  73. Achnababan says:

    I think Cherry supports Regan and Forbes the. But I could be wrong.

    The Telegraph and most of the English media including ‘our BBC’ is really going after Kate Forbes.

    She apparently is not a ‘leftie’ so I guess it is because they fear her most. She must be good….damm good.

    Reply
  74. Achnababan says:

    SWINNEY converted to Devo max in 1995. Prior to that he was a bank clerk.

    Reply
  75. Big Jock says:

    Jim Fairlie stuck up for Kate on debate night. Called out Humza for not getting interrogated by the media on Muslim faith.

    I tell you something. If the SNP are choosing the next FM based on their personal views. But not on their competence. Then Scotland is truly fucked. Humza is a deadbeat.

    Reply
  76. WingsSurFrance says:

    Giesabrek says:
    22 February, 2023 at 6:40 pm
    And why does Ash Regan’s line begin further to the left this giving the subtle impression she’s received less votes than the other 2 even when she was ahead, like in the 3rd screenshot?

    Well spotted. Are Scots really so stupid?

    Reply
  77. Gregory Beekman says:

    This poll Stinkza Yousaf.

    Reply
  78. Skip_NC says:

    One thousand votes in five minutes, give or take. The cabinet Secretary for the Good of His Own Health has now moved into a 2 point lead over Ash Regan. However, with over 130,000 votes cast, the poll is meaningless. I hope it doesn’t get any publicity on the MSM.

    Reply
  79. Fireproofjim says:

    My preferred new front bench would be Ash Regan as FM and honest Kate Forbes as Finance Minister. This would have the added benefit of destroying the Wokeratti.(and putting the Greens back in their box.)
    It would also bring the real women back to our side.

    Reply
  80. Red says:

    All these internet votes prove one thing: Scotland is cock-a-hoop with Humzamania.

    Humza is more popular than fried milk, is as clever as a fiendishly cunning household cat (called ‘Mr Meow’), and can get dressed all by himself like a big boy.

    These are known facts. But they do not, alone, explain the phenomenon that is Humza Fever.

    Based on the exponential, unstoppable, and quite literally unbelievable growth of Humza votes, I predict that soon, elections will be unnecessary. A grateful nation will simply cheer and throw Twitter likes in the general direction of His Humzariousness when he addresses adoring crowds from the balcony of Bute House.

    Is it too soon to think about renaming Glasgow ‘Humzagrad’?

    Reply
  81. fruitella the hun says:

    Big Jock

    Strange that the article about his marriage I linked to in my previous post (9.33) doesn’t mention his conversion.

    Reply
  82. Mark Boyle says:

    It is currently quarter to twelve, and the National poll is somehow recording between 200 to 500 votes every few seconds, almost all of them for Humza Yousaf at the expense of Kate Forbes’ percentage.

    Things that make you go ‘hmmmm …’

    Reply
  83. gregor says:

    US Democrats endorse this circus.

    Reply
  84. Maxxmacc says:

    I was ‘fortunate’ enough to be involved with SNP yoof politics in the late 80s. Certain people (who shall remain nameless) volunteered to count the votes for the National Council list at the annual SNP conference, and strangely enough, those same people went from being nobodies to suddenly being in the top 20 of the party. It certainly looked to me like they had been stuffing the boxes with their own voting slips.

    Fast forward over 30 years and those same people are now in charge of a vote to decide who will lead the party. What do you seriously think will happen? Now that the party has been ‘captured’ it won’t be let go anytime soon.

    As Stalin once said, “I care not who votes. Only who counts the votes.”

    Reply
  85. robbo says:

    Anyone seen this?

    This is good. About 15 mins approx.

    About gender affirming treatments. It’s a lie!

    link to sg001-harmony.sliq.net

    “A Billy goat and a Billy goat can’t make a baby goat.” LMAO .

    Make him president now! The girl two back on the right (blond) has steam coming out of her ears and would literally cut his boaby aff if she had the chance I think. Worth watching just to see the contempt this lassies face has for the guy.

    Reply
  86. Antoine Roquentin says:

    This is great fun, and it’s only started!

    Reply
  87. gregor says:

    Klaus Schwab (World Economic Forum):

    “Globalism is an ideology that prioritizes the neoliberal global order over national interests.”:

    link to archive.ph

    Reply
  88. highlander says:

    socratesmacsporran says:
    22 February, 2023 at 7:30 pm
    When you have London-based journalists who do not know that the SNP Leader and potential First Minister has to be a Holyrood MSP, it demonstrates how little they know or care about Scotland.

    ————-

    anyone can be appointed leader of the snp

    msp’s appoint the 1st minister

    so the speccy is right

    Reply
  89. Andouilette says:

    Achnababan, interestingly Telegraph readers seem to largely disagree with the paper’s position on this and are supportive of her giving her honest views. They are not impressed with Humbug Useless because he is supplying anything but honesty!

    Reply
  90. Andouilette says:

    Fruitella the hun, he did not convert. He sought and obtained an annulment from the Catholic church for his first marriage so he could marry his 2nd (Catholic) wife in her church. This went down like a cup of cold sick with certain Presbyterian groups, unsurprisingly! It strikes me as him playing fast and loose with various matters of religion for his own convenience.
    He remains a member of the Church of Scotland. Handy, eh?

    Reply
  91. jockmcx says:

    Cunts,
    Politicians are cunts,everybody knows it,you know it,i know it,
    they know it…they’ve proved it over and over and over again!

    Who the fuck do these cunts think thier talking to when they spout
    out thier bullshit?

    Listen politician (= lying bullshitting cunt) we know your a cunt!
    You know your a cunt.

    If your a politician (= lying bullshitting cunt) living off the
    aspirations of scottish independence supporters, then iether get
    that independence done… or get to fuck…we are watching…
    Understand………………..cunt!

    This was a partly political broadcast on behalf of Scottish people who are not cunts.

    Reply
  92. robertkknight says:

    Crowd-pleaser banner at the next SNP conference…

    “Free in 2053”

    Just as well the SNP don’t have the word “Independence” anywhere in the party name else they’d get done under the Trade Description Act.

    Reply
  93. jockmcx says:

    Honourable my arse!

    Reply
  94. jockmcx says:

    Pardon my French……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Not!

    Reply
  95. Stoker says:

    Big Jock says on 22 February 2023 at 10:43 pm: “Swinney converted to Catholicism in 2003, when he married a Catholic.”

    Thanks, Jock, that’s exactly what i remember reading about Swinney. How technically true that is is really quite irrelevant anyway to my central point which ‘Andouilette’ perfectly puts it at 2:05 am thus: “It strikes me as him playing fast and loose with various matters of religion for his own convenience.”

    Of course he is, Swinney is using religious issues to demonise Kate Forbes whilst not raising the exact same questions over Humza Yousaf. Yousaf’s own religion of Islam is just as strongly opposed to the same issues as Kate’s religion. Swinney is a hypocrite, a bully and a low-life coward. Another serial failure, just like his bedfellow Yousaf.

    BTW, when i first glanced at the username ‘Andouilette’ i thought it said ‘Andyellistoilet’. LOL! It must be bed time. It’s been a very long day. 🙂

    Reply
  96. jockmcx says:

    Kate Forbes absolutely trashed by Novara media,
    just nuked her career apparently,

    But wait what’s this,comments btl support kate’s honesty…she’s
    now honest kate!

    Novara may have nuked thier contributions!

    Reply
  97. Breeks says:

    OT

    Nothing new to say about Scotland’s next FM, but I’ve a new favourite for the USA’s next president.

    link to twitter.com

    I’ve never heard of Jose Vega, a journalist I think, but in 2.43 minutes, you can arguably see the best of America and expose the worst.

    The strength isn’t in war, it’s in peace talks.

    What the US is doing is not OK. The USA needs to turn 180 degrees and start walking back to the light.

    Reply
  98. Geoff Anderson says:

    The Cult have been set a task. “Vote and Vote often”

    Reply
  99. Al-Stuart says:

    .
    On topic, “The National” poll seems to have THOUSANDS of votes being cast every quarter of an hour.

    Clicking the PAGE REFRESH link shows just how unnaturally FAST these votes are rocketing and this is 6.45am in the morning!

    Humza DOWN from 41% to 37%

    Ash UP from 30% to 34%

    Methinks Stu., Campbell was spot-on when he mentioned SLOPPY CODING and REPEAT VOTING.

    The trouble is, ever since Humza’s anti-white racist fan club were OUTED as a bunch of poll GERRYMANDERING slime, the TABLES HAVE BEEN TURNED AGAINST HUMZA USELESS.

    IMHO, this page is like watching a political Grand National race for the next FM…

    link to thenational.scot

    Reply
  100. Robert Hughes says:

    @ Red

    I reckon when Humza The Magnificent takes possession of his Kingdom he’ll enter Holyrood for the coronation astride a jet black stallion , flanked by transgender Janisseries forming the vanguard of an army of Prog Scot’s finest – Fabulous Furries Freaks , Nappy Dreads , De Sadean Drag Divas & – not to be outdone – Smith , McDonald , Black and ( shudder ) Wishart all in full gimp regalia being led on leashes into the Palace .

    Reply
  101. Dorothy Devine says:

    Robert Hughes , a tad too strong for my stomach at such an early hour.

    Reply
  102. Robert Hughes says:

    @ Dorothy D

    Lol ; sorry D D

    I excised how I envisaged the Green’s role in this Pageant of the Panderers : guessing it might be a bit much even for the seen-it-all-before WOS BTL denizens 🙂

    Reply
  103. Geoff Anderson says:

    Team Humza up early trying to influence the Newspaper polling OR the Newspapers are trying to rig the polling.

    Reply
  104. Willie says:

    And meanwhile Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in an exclusive in the Sun today is saying that the U.K. needs to prepare and arm as we will be in a hot or Cold War by the end of this decade.

    Right glad am I to hear Mr Wallace’s pronouncement. There’s nothing like a war to install Britannic pride. Dulce est decorum et in pro patria Other than that, it’s a bit of a non news day as Scotland gets spoiled for choice with FM candidates like a Humza Yuseless.

    Reply
  105. Steve says:

    I think what I take from this data is how truly finished the SNP is if it thinks that electing Mr Humza is anything but a catastrophic move.

    Prepare yourselves for a Labour Government.

    Reply
  106. Ron Clark says:

    “Humza the Magnificent”.

    Yes, very apt.

    This Scottish/Pakistani Muslim who has an underlying hatred of “whites”, wants to be the First Minister of a country who’s population is over 95% white.

    And he’s pushing through a transgender policy in Scotland that the majority of Scots and his own religion are strongly opposed to.

    Hypocrisy that needs to be pursued by those who interview him.

    Reply
  107. Alin Scot says:

    Everyone pile in and vote for your favourite then refresh the screen and vote again at least 10 times. Do this as often as you can several times per day.

    Reply
  108. John K says:

    I can’t log in to either the National or the Herald. Do they use the same servers?

    Reply
  109. John K says:

    I tried pinging both from my Linux PC.

    $ ping thenational.scot
    PING thenational.scot (93.174.10.104) 56(84) bytes of data.
    ^C
    — thenational.scot ping statistics —
    11 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 10240ms

    $ ping heraldscotland.com
    PING heraldscotland.com (93.174.10.103) 56(84) bytes of data.
    ^C
    — heraldscotland.com ping statistics —
    6 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 5120ms

    Reply
  110. Ruby says:

    Something very wrong in Scotland. We have had a massive problem with drugs & alcohol for a very long time and nobody has been able to do anything about it.

    Now we have the gender identity problem. Nobody will convince me that young women having double mastectomies and men believing they are women isn’t a mental health problem.

    Scotland has a massive mental health problem

    Would religion be the solution?

    I think it would be worth considering.

    Practicing a religion has many benefits.

    Not that I do it myself but I can definitely see the benefits of some practice even if it’s just 10 minutes meditating or a quiet contemplative walk in the park.

    There must be something better than pumping your body full of drugs and having major surgeries in an attempt to turn yourself into something you are not and can never be.

    Reply
  111. Brian Doonthetoon says:

    At 9.09am.
    Humza Yousaf 47%
    Kate Forbes 26%
    Ash Regan 27%

    Votes cast: 442634

    At 9.11am.
    Humza Yousaf 47%
    Kate Forbes 26%
    Ash Regan 27%

    Votes cast: 442784

    At 9.13am.
    Humza Yousaf 47%
    Kate Forbes 26%
    Ash Regan 27%

    Votes cast: 442901

    I wonder how long to the half million? Really?

    Reply
  112. Geoff Anderson says:

    Half a million votes cast in the National poll….impressive
    Humza vote percentage increasing…..more than a little dodgy.

    Reply
  113. Ruby says:

    Has Humza been damaged by his experience of being a minority in a foreign country?

    Does he believe he was born in the wrong country?

    I know how he feels. I blame my parents.

    It’s shit being Scottish.

    Reply
  114. Ottomanboi says:

    Should Yousaf win, the size of the Forbes/Regan vote and the Alba potentiality ought to indicate to him that he cannot just be a continuation of the old régime.
    Yousaf and Sunak head to head?
    Interesting, who will be the bigger nationalist?

    Reply
  115. Bortwhiskels says:

    Although the SPS trans policy preceded his time in the office, Yousaf was defense minister between 2018 and 2021. Could he potentially be criminally responsible for the placement of male prisoners in women’s jails during this time? It’s surely only a matter of time before someone tests the legality of it somewhere.

    Possibly bullshit, I was just wondering if there could be an element of desperate arse covering in Yousaf’s bid to become leader, just in the nick of time to appeal the GRR bill (thanks to Ms Sturgeon’s resignation date, and Mr Murrell’s freshly rewritten leadership election rules.)

    Reply
  116. sydthesnake says:

    How long before BBC Scotland see this Mickey Mouse Pole and come up with the Headline “Scottish Public Overwhelmingly Vote for Humza:?

    This guy could fuck up a one horse race, far too many stories about this guys shenanigans for them all to be fake news.
    Can the SNP still not read the room? Anyone BUT him.

    Reply
  117. John Main says:

    @Breeks says:23 February, 2023 at 5:39 am

    Always sneaking in your wee posts, eh Breeks?

    You aspire to be the Wings BTL intellectual, yet you are possessed by a blind spot where national self-determination is concerned that will forever cancel any good you may do the Indy cause.

    Here’s a wee quote on the first anniversary of the war:

    “Sooner or later,” wrote Graham Greene in The Quiet American, “one has to take sides, if one is to remain human.”

    It’s not too late for you to make the right call.

    Reply
  118. Keefer says:

    ‘Human Yousaf, Dunny-on-the-Wold, four hundred and twenty two thousand, four hundred and eighty votes…’

    Reply
  119. Ali Clark says:

    Poll appears to be for ‘Subscribers Only’ now.

    Reply
  120. Brian Doonthetoon says:

    Update:

    Note 23.02.23, 11.08am: The poll has been closed to non-subscribers while we investigate irregularities in voting.

    Reply
  121. gregor says:

    World Economic Forum (2016): Agenda: LGBT Equality:

    The fight for LGBT rights has only just begun:

    link to archive.ph

    NationalScot (22/02/2023): Twit:

    “The Scottish Government has a ‘huge amount’ to recommit to following the election of the next first minister, Patrick Harvie has said.”:

    link to archive.ph

    Reply
  122. Some of the comments here are hilarious- in a laugh-out-loud, best-of-pastiche/parody way. E.g. re ChatGPT and by Red. And the crazy numbers of votes per second and totals way beyond (?) The National’s subscribership.

    Thanks for that, youse’ve all brightened my day!

    Reply
  123. Alibi says:

    I actually went on to the web page for nominations and nominated Ash Regan – probably won’t make any difference but getting really annoyed at the way Yousaf is being pushed as “the leading candidate”.

    Any further word on the twitter revelations that Yousaf’s (allegedly) been shagging a young female SNP MSP?

    Reply
  124. Al-Stuart says:

    .
    In the name o’ the wee man!

    How does nae other sane person see this next bit makes sense…

    Electing Humza Useless, who is Scotland’s answer to Mr Bean is a GOOD THING?

    Think about it? Apply logic? Use your brain!

    If the Twitler Youth in Sturgeon’s Nonce Perverts and her party of spineless lemmings elect a chronically malfunctioning, over-promoted jobbie that falls aff his scooter like a Wally and hates whites and immigrants then that is GOOD for all decent Scots.

    After a few months of being governed by First Minister Comical Humza and his guaranteed ability to Fuck-up the most simple of tasks, 80% of the electorate will give this racist skid-mark and his acolytes their jotters.

    How is that not a good thing?

    Reply
  125. Confused says:

    I hope the National runs another poll tonite :

    WHAT IS THE TRUE RELIGION

    – ISLAM
    – Presbyterianism

    or, better :

    WHO WOULD WIN IN A FIGHT

    – the Prophet
    – John Knox

    The inept manipulation of last nite’s poll was quite funny, but you have to remember – while this was “amateur night” – there are real pros out there, who know what they are doing.

    link to archive.is

    – when you look at the chart of votes you can see exactly when they switched the bot on, off and on again; some intern with a python script and a bit of beautiful soup. The SNP could have hired Jorge, but it might have cost them more than 600K

    Reply
  126. gregor says:

    Freeloader:

    “A person who uses money, food, a room in a house, etc. given by other people, but who gives nothing to them in exchange.”

    “A person who has the advantage of something given, such as money, food, or a place to stay, without offering anything in exchange.”

    link to dictionary.cambridge.org

    Reply
  127. gregor says:

    Wikipedia: Peter Wishart:

    “Peter Wishart is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician …since the 2001 general election….”:

    link to archive.ph

    Pete Wishart (23/02/2023): Twit:

    “The one thing that we are not hearing much about in this leadership election is independence…”:

    link to archive.ph

    Reply
  128. gregor says:

    Leadership:

    “The set of characteristics that make a good leader.”

    “He lacks leadership qualities/skills.”

    “There is growing discontent with the leadership.”

    “The country’s leadership is in crisis.”

    “The country is crying out for a change in leadership.”

    “His detractors claim that his fierce temper makes him unsuitable for party leadership.”

    “The fight for the leadership gave a fascinating insight into the group’s dynamics.”

    link to dictionary.cambridge.org

    Reply
  129. gregor says:

    Mhairi Hunter (23/02/2023): Twit:

    “Ash Regan’s decision to hire someone who was an enthusiastic participant in the attempt to bring down Nicola Sturgeon because of someone else’s behaviour means she will get 0 of my votes. Switching off replies to this & not reading RTs. Just feel I need to say this.”:

    link to archive.ph

    Reply
  130. gregor says:

    Behaviour:

    “The way that someone behaves.”

    “Her behaviour is often appalling.”

    “Your behaviour today was unacceptable.”

    link to dictionary.cambridge.org

    Reply
  131. “it’s the people who count the vote…”

    Reply
  132. Mark Boyle says:

    For the benefit of Guido Fawkes readers arriving here, it was me that told them about the Humbug Useless poll fiddling at 8.37am yesterday morning, right down to the “A mere 85 times the actual readership of the National bit” … which was most certainly NOT in the WoS article.

    And I quote from my email to them: “425413 now supposedly having cast their vote … a mere 85 times the actual readership of the National.”

    Would be nice if they actually credited their actual sources, rather than fellow hobby journos …

    Reply


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