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The House Of Secrets

Posted on March 08, 2021 by

We’re sure most alert readers will by now have seen the purported “leak” of the actual results of the SNP’s mystery-shrouded regional list selections. While the figures are highly believable, we haven’t yet been able to obtain any corroboration for them being anything other than a plausible hoax.

The SNP has of course denied them, but they also denied our recent leak from the party’s draft manifesto and we know for sure that that was real. The trouble with lying all the time is that nobody believes you even if you occasionally tell the the truth.

Of course, there would be an easy way to prove the numbers were a fake – release the real ones, which is in any case the most fundamental element of transparency in a democratic election. And whatever they are could hardly be any more embarrassing than the rumours, which have candidates topping the list (and likely to get seats) on a shocking 2.4% of the vote.

Heavens, even Annie Wells managed 8.6%.

But there’s a much more important reason the SNP will never release the real results.

And that’s because if they published the number of actual votes cast and the turnout, people would be able to add up all the figures and calculate how many members the party actually has, rather than its absurd claim of 125,000. And however much they like to trumpet their imaginary hordes of new members, the SNP really, really doesn’t want anyone knowing how many people are actually in the party.

Both they and this site used to relentlessly mock Scottish Labour over its reticence to reveal its true membership. And we, at least, haven’t changed – we’re still seekers of truth and transparency. But the New SNP seems set on turning into New Labour in every way possible, and we probably shouldn’t be surprised at this latest symptom.

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BuggerLePanda

Yes your comment about the SNP slowly morphing into New New Scottish Labour is appropriate.

The solution like children’s nappies is they need to be changed regularly and for the same reason

Joseph Robinson

Im sorry but i rarely say anything in here, i read a great deal though and if im brutally honest, ive got to say when are we going to see the all seeing great wings over scotland political party thats gonna take on the SNP and be the number one party, or is it a case that you have just become a wee bit too comfortable getting your yearly wage from your readers.

Joseph Robinson

Am i gonna get kicked out of this forum for daring to ask an uncomfortable question. All i seem to hear these days is how bad everyone is doing and thats it.

kapelmeister

Do we really have to look into the vacuum of Mike Russell’s eyes Stu? We all need some cheer on a Monday.

Bob Mack

@Joseph Robinson,

Your on Wings ,not Wee Ginger Dug, so you can ask.

Cenchos

Panda.

The piece doesn’t say the New SNP are morphing into New New Scottish Labour, but into New Labour.

Angusthedug

‘Bob Mack says:
@Joseph Robinson,’

I suspect that blocking is what Mr Robinson, in his illiterate way, is looking for.

Ian McLean

Even if the highly implausible numbers of new members were true, they’d be meaningless without knowing how many members are leaving. I know I’ve been on the point of quitting many times recently. I’m just holding on in the hope there is some legal challenge or a new leader to vote for.

Wee Chid

Give me some hope and tell me we are going to be rid of this f*****g awful woman and her cabal any time soon. I can’t bear what they are doing to the SNP and to our hopes of independence.

The Oui Coupar

Not sure how members were invited to vote. I don’t appear to have any notifications.

Joseph Robinson

@Angusthedug
blocking, kicked, blindfolded, all amounts to the same doesn’t it. Oh im very sorry for being illiterate.

wulls

Yup……The leaked list candidate voting figures may or may not be a hoax……But I’m betting they aint far off.
The definition of Discrimination is “the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, sex, or disability”

That’s crystal clear so by definition elevation of people to the top of the list based on their ethnicity or disability is inherently discriminatory.
I don’t see how it can possibly be legal.

What it has done is cement the resolve not to vote SNP on the list. In the NE I have not spoken to anyone in agreement with the candidate selection process. Approval seems centered on the Kirsty Blackman wokeists.
Who’se going to chap doors for them ????????

Lyra

I am a SNP member but I did not vote, purely because I do not trust the current regime. I am not sure which Party I will be votting for in May.

kapelmeister

The SNP are going to be preyed on by big cats in London, so I’d say they’ve morphed into Gnu Labour.

Lady Lyon

Yet last night Mr Murrell was still begging for cash. This from the SNP Members for Independence Facebook page. Some transparency from the treasurer could shed some light on this and how much the new 10k have paid

Received an email from Mr Murrell this evening inviting me to pay my £5.00 retired members fee two months early to keep the party ticking over. I have replied to the effect that the 10,000+ new membership fees should do that better than my small contribution.

Frank Waring

I’m constantly amazed by how good you are at your job.
The revelation that everyone in Scottish politics and its media environment reads you first was not a suprise: nor is it a surprise that reading you has now become, in some circles, what used to be called, in some schools, a ‘beatable offence’.

Far North Davie

Received an email from my SNP constituency candidate on Saturday saying, inter alia, how pleased they are with the huge number of new SNP members, that the list candidates are now known, and what a cracking list of folk they are .

In reply I’ve asked the candidate how many members ‘we’ now have, and why as a voting member I am being denied the right to know the votes cast, etc.

Will let you know the outcome!

Willie Mclean

Voting for the list candidates was invited by email, and each member had one secure opportunity to vote. It looked very much above board and secure. There was, however, no mention that some candidates would be given preference in the list over others because of BAME or disability claim. So if that happens, it could be inferred that the voter was misled.

Wee Chid

kapelmeister says:
8 March, 2021 at 11:53 am
“The SNP are going to be preyed on by big cats in London, so I’d say they’ve morphed into Gnu Labour.”

Oh, you wilde beest, you.

mp

Who knows – quite a tedious leak to put together if it’s a hoax, getting all those percentages to add up but to look plausible would have taken ages. Graham Campbell on 3.3% in Lothans… LOL.

ClanDonald

I see that Emma Roddick (who got to the top of the list in H&I by self identifying as disabled due to a personality disorder) is denying that she only got 2 or 3 percent in the vote.

But what does she now expect us to believe she got? She was up against three well known, high-profile ministers, of course they’re going to get a far bigger share of the vote. And if long-term Minister, Fergus Ewing, got under 20% then a couple of pecent for a newish councillor who is unknown beyond inverness seems pretty plausible to me.

Does she expect us to believe she got anywhere near him? So if the leaked figure is not her result then what is? *tumbleweed*

This is the problem – if you keep everything a secret, it creates a vacuum that will be filled with leaks and/or fake news. What a bunch of amateurs. This is what happens when you put your woke pals of low intelligence and no experience into major decision making positions. Bunch of amateurs, the SNP only have themselves to blame.

Of course there is one way to force the SNP to release the results officially – take them to court for their illegal procedure.

Dave Beveridge

It beats me how this rancid organisation have got ANY members left. Folk say, “Join and reform it from the inside.” How in the name of f*** are you supposed to do that? It’s a personality cult.

Lindy

I see Humza & Co with faux outrage complainibg about a fake poll over the weekend.
Hilarious when we know the SNP are trumpeting 7,000 new members, without telling us that 40,000 left in the last two years, and refusing to give an honest answer to the question how many total members does the SNP have.

Holder of suspicions

Hmmm.. Realistically, what kind of turnout will there be for candidate elections where the results are basically pre-ordained by the combination of the diversity policy and the leadership-clique’s jiggery-pokery?

Brian Doonthetoon

Hi Ian McLean at 11:49 am.

You typed,
“I’m just holding on in the hope there is some legal challenge or a new leader to vote for.”

I think there are a lot of us in the same boat…

robbo

Joseph Robinson says:
8 March, 2021 at 11:41 am
Am i gonna get kicked out of this forum for daring to ask an uncomfortable question. All i seem to hear these days is how bad everyone is doing and thats it.

———–

I suppose you may at some point when you eventually come out with the line bothvotesSNP.

Why Joseph is that a good thing?

ScotsRenewables

Joseph Robinson, do you have a point?

It is true the ISP or another of the so far disturbingly ineffectual pop-up indy parties badly needs a leader of some stature, or at least endorsement by one or more leading figures.

Whether Stu is the ideal leader is up for debate. He is an excellent investigative journalist, but untried as a political leader and, I suspect, even more marmite than Alex.

I am however interested in a discussion as to who should or could front up the ISP or AFI. I think many of us are very keen for this to happen, but there is no sign at the moment of any movement, not even any rumours.

A Salmond fronted or endorsed party has its attractions, it would be a home for the list votes of many who feel disenfranchised now. My hope would be that Alex or whoever would still suggest 1st vote SNP.

But Alex is probably exhausted and scunnered, so I think this would be expecting too much.

Bob W

@ Joseph Robinson

Asking stupid questions once, probably won’t get you barred. Stu takes a minimal wage, which if I recall correctly he has put in the public domain previously, below average wage, hardly a comfortable life. His readers obviously think he’s worth it and more or they wouldn’t contribute to his crowd funders, often telling him to take an increase in remuneration. As to the forming of a new political party, he probably IMHO would have, if no other independence party had been created.

MikeW

@Joseph Robinson he has never proposed a wings party, he just ask what if there was another party, it was wings readers that suggested a wings party. Which he very briefly considered as it was suggested then advised why it would not happen. mainly i think due to the field day the Union press might have.

A Person

I’ve heard it said that it’s mockery, not anger, that really does for an authoritarian regime.

How utterly laughable is this? Disability self-ID, followed by an election where asking to know the results is “conspiracy theory”? If they’d put it in Alan B’Stard, even Rik Mayall would have drawn the line. It’s objectively hilariously funny.

Dan

It’s early in the year, but through an amazing display of woven ring-fenced Indy Fund accountancy, murky manipulation of membership numericals, and other shamocratic voting exploits, The SNP have already been crowned The 2021 Numberwang! World Champions.

MikeW

should say a list party only.

A Person

Imagine having so little self-respect that you were willing to go along with it, it’s just like people who vote Tory because “Rees-Mogg is funny”.

James

oh dear god.Will this please end.I really can’t take anymore.How did these cretans ever get this far?

Unlimiter

Joseph Robinson says:
8 March, 2021 at 11:41 am
“Am i gonna get kicked out of this forum”

Joseph, it almost sounds like you’re looking for a badge of “honour”. I presume you’re motivation in doing so is to go back to some other Indy forum you’re part of (On Facebook, I’m guessing) to tell them all how you’ve been blocked by Wings, hoping for some virtual pats on the back. Am I right?

Nally Anders

James @12.09
I share your pain.

Frank Waring

James asks: ‘How did these these cretans ever get this far?’
As a famous Cretan philosopher once famously said, ‘All Cretans are liars!’

Edward MacD

Secrecy is like a dog chasing its own tail, eventually it will bite its own bum.

Strathy

On the subject of the SNP NEC officers elected in November – Sunday Times article on 6 December 2020 – ‘SNP’s Peter Murrell faces battle to keep his grip on power’.

‘New party treasurer Douglas Chapman MP has raised questions about what happened to £600,000 raised by supporters in 2017 for the next independence referendum campaign. In a podcast before his election, Chapman vowed that finding out, amid fears that money might have been spent on other things, would be one of his first tasks.

He also promised a new level of transparency, including the publication of a member-friendly set of accounts, that could lead to details of Murrell’s salary being published.’

Clearly, Peter Murrell won the battle over Doug Chapman honouring his election pledges.

Astonished

Joseph – If we want to give money to wings then that is our choice. I know he spends the money wisely as he tells us. He is clear, transparent and honest. And is one of the few places in Scotland that tells the truth.

I have heard that the SNP membership is 50,000. Losing significantly more than half the membership is an amazing feat. Obviously the murrells are stunning and brave. Sadly they are also duplicitious, underhand, mendacious and Peter doesn’t let us know how much he takes.

Keeping your paymasters in the dark is a very poor long term strategy.

Dave Beveridge

I reckon the SNP are counting the existing members that have told them to ram their membership cards up their arse, but who haven’t actually resigned yet, as new ones.

Margaret E

James Please! They are not Cretans (islanders who gave all for independence, fought for centuries and finally made it). They are CRETINS. Jut one letter but a world of difference!

Margaret E

And forgive me. I too made a one-letter mistake. Just, not Jut. Apologies

ClanDonald

As for Emma Harper who has been boosted up the list ahead of Joan McAlpine:

Disability mechanisms are supposed to help candidates who would otherwise face difficulties getting elected.

This isn’t Emma Harper. She’s already had no problem getting herself elected in the past.

Secondly, we’ve previously been told that this equalities mechanism was needed because there are no disabled MSPs.

So Harper didn’t consider her diabetes to be a disability in the past? But when there’s an advantage to be had it turns out we did have disabled MSPs after all?

Also, now that we know that disability includes diabetes, using a hearing aid to hear normally, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, Tourettes etc shouldn’t they have undertaken a new review of how many MSPs are currently disabled? Because there are probably lots now the definition has been widened and it could be the case that their disability quotas have already been met. Meaning there was no need for this mechanism to be used in the first place.

And if you think that’s the wrong thing to do as they don’t count as real disabilies, just wait till the 6th of May when they WILL be insisting their disability quotas HAVE BEEN met NOW because they managed to get someone with diabetes (Emma Harper) and someone with Borderline Personality Disorder (Emma Roddick) elected using their super-duper infallible mechanism.

Big Jock

I’m still getting emails and letters. Left the party 3 weeks ago.

Roaster

@clanDonald
Interesting

Personality disorder

A person with a personality disorder thinks, feels, behaves or relates to others very differently from the average person.

There are several different types of personality disorder.

This page gives some information about personality disorders in general, linking to other sources for more detail.
link to nhs.uk

100%Yes

“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.” The SNP have become the new Labour party and Nicola Sturgeon is destroying the party from within and has tried to destroy the former leader as well and this is all unraveling before our very eyes, I could hate you Stu but what would be the point I wouldn’t be true to my self because I would rather have the truth.

Duncan Spence

My local branch has admitted to 50 new members and I heard from somebody in another that the number of new members there was only 7. So the rest of the whatever the big number now is are in the other 71 constituencies. If the total number of new members is 7000 as claimed, this means that on average there must be at least 97 per constituency.

I wonder if any other data can be found. If we add up them all up, we will gat a more accurate picture of the total.

Geoff Anderson

I bet a lot more effort goes into the list leak than went into the leak to the Daily Record about AS.

Use your list vote. It may wake someone up!

kapelmeister

So if you multiply Emma Roddick’s vote by Rhiannon Spear’s vote, then subtract Josh Mennie’s vote, add the number of times Sturgeon said “I don’t remember” at the inquiry and then multiply all that by the number of (claimed) new party members, do you arrive at Peter Murrell’s salary?

That’s numberwang!

Joseph Robinson

@Unlimiter
Yep your wrong, only do wings, used to watch individuals on twitter but that was back at last referendum. Im just fed up to the back teeth of politics in Scotland. My apologies Stu, I was letting off steam.

maureen

O/T

Update on Peoples Action on Section 30

Dear Backers,

For the past year, you all know we’ve faced resistance from every angle, while parliamentarians, both unionist and pro-independence have pushed a line of “mibye aye, mibye naw” about the Peoples Action on Section 30. Trying to sow doubt as to whether it was or was not justified.

Within the past few weeks, the SNP came out at the leadership level and stated that it expects its bill to be challenged by Westminster and that it would “take it to court”. At that point, many of you will likely have heard a grinding sound in the distance which, in case you didn’t know, was the sound of my teeth.

Well, now we’re two for two. This morning in the National, Patrick Harvie, leader of the Greens said the following:

“If you’re going to have a referendum you really want everyone to accept the rules of the game. You want everyone to accept the legitimacy of that process. It would clearly not be legitimate for them to dig their heels in and say no never, no way,” he said. “And so I think the proposal to say if they continue to stick to that position we will test the matter in courts, we will take forward the legislation and test the ability of the Scottish Parliament to legislate without a Section 30 is a perfectly legitimate approach to take. ”

Just absorb this for a minute. “Test the matter in courts” and “take forward the legislation and test the ability of the Scottish Parliament to legislate without a section 30”. And of course the end of that paragraph: “a perfectly legitimate approach to take”.

That’s both leader of the two pro-indy parties at Holyrood now confirming that the question of whether or not it is legitimate for Holyrood to legislate for a referendum without a section 30 could be called into question.

That’s both leaders of the two pro-indy parties advocating wasting vast sums of money on what is currently already a live case before the highest court in Scotland. Each and every one of them was invited to participate in the case, but I guess it’s easy to do it twice when you have taxpayers money to waste.

Putting aside the fact that I am now going to have to visit the dentist due to the teeth grinding – we all know what this means with these statements from both parties – THE ENTIRE PEOPLES ACTION ON SECTION 30 WAS COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED.

It would be funny if it were not so serious.

There will be updates in the coming weeks as we approach the April Hearings, but until my next communication, I hope you are all safe and well.

All the best

Martin Keatings

Heaver

.
Joseph Robinson, there’nothing stopping YOU from creating a new independence-winning party. Get on with it and stop being a moaning minnie.

AnneDon

My OH is a party member, but he didn’t bother ranking the votes, because we could already guess that Graham Campbell was going to be No 1 on the list in Lothian however anyone voted, and couldn’t see the point.
He’s currently planning to vote Green 2. I’m waiting to hear if any of the ferbile rumours consuming Scottish twitter come to anything, otherwise I’ll vote ISP 2.

Josef Ó Luain

You know you’ve reached a strange juncture when some members have to think-hard about voting for their own party. No shame on them, incidentally. Given all the evidence, their dilemma was to be expected.

Dan
David Earl

Some people giving Mike Russell the time of day and the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn’t give him the steam off ma shite. He’s part and parcel of all that’s wrong with the SNP. He’s a liar and he’s corrupt just like the rest of Sturgeons cabal. Also as party president he’s currently busy firefighting and damage limitation. Sweep, sweep, sweep , nothing to see hear etc. The game’s a bogey Mike. You’ve been found out

Ray

Been reading for years, first comment. I am still a no voter, but I can tell you what put me in that frame of mind in the first place and it was the belief that what we are seeing now would come to pass. It is not that Scotland is too wee etc to self govern, but it is a small, rich, country with a policy of heavy state control and well developed, rather too easily altered, body of law. It always been my concern that in an independent Scotland any one body willing to shout loudly enough with a bit of cash behind them could more or less take over in the name of being more progressive than anywhere else, whatever horrors might be smuggled underneath that. Look where we are now, and this is still a only partially devolved administration. Imagine complete authority resting in the hands of the current Scottish government. Anyway, it’s just another perspective and I’m only being honest.

Geoff Bush

I don’t see why they would need to release the turnout figures, which will be different for each of the 8 regions, so overall membership numbers need not be revealed. All we need are the actual raw numbers and the details of the mechanism whereby the “raw” lists became the final lists.

Robert Dickson

Got a member’s update and the usual begging letter from the party last week.
Since I have not been a member for over two years….does this count as a waste of resources or just plain old wishful thinking?

ClanDonald

Actually, I want to make another couple of point about Emma Harper being boosted up the list ahead of Joan McAlpine –

1. There were rumours this was why the entire mechanism was invented in the first place, including a report that someone at an NEC meeting actually said out loud that Emma Harper would go to the top due to her Diabetes. In the event it looks like Joan will be elected anyway so they’ve just done massive damage to the party for nothing. It’s Paul Wheelhouse who could end up being the loser here.

2. OMG, Joan McAlpine is a FAR better, smarter, clear thinking and intelligent MSP that the dunce, Harper. The lack of respect for high intelligence from the SNP numpties in favour of woke yes men is exactly why the party is in this mess. These are our law makers ffs. JFC. I tell you what though, if Harper ends up in the Health Minister gig the NHS is doomed, I don’t care if she’s a nurse, she’s a science denying, slow-thinking diddy incapable of any kind of strategic analysis. But she’s woke and sucks up to Sturgeon so she’ll probably get the promotion.

Frazerio

Any word yet on what Anne McLaughlin had for brekkie?

Effigy

I agree with many others that the Rev is dramatically underpaid
and suggested he should at the very least be on the average U.K.
wage.

We could advertise his job-

Wanted- World Class investigative Journalist required.
Must be able to work long hours most days
Be capable of managing the worlds most popular political blogg.
No pension contributions or health care given.
Must supply their own IT equipment.
Will be vilified by the Media and 99% of U.K. politicians
Home may be ransacked by the police and personal effects confiscated

Salary in most years up to £25K.

No time wasters please!

Get a life Joseph!

Iain More

re ClanDonald:

I think it was always or is likely that Emma Roddick will get elected the second she got bumped up the list if what I have read is right as the Lib Dooms are shoo-ins for Orkney and Shetland. It will be a dead cert she gets in if Richard Lochhead loses in Moray and that is well withing the borders of the possible.

I have Macpherson’s Rant playing away in my heid right the now “It was by a treacherous woman’s hand that was condemned to dee”

In the modern case it is by the hands of several treacherous Yoon women that Indy is condemned.

Caroline Corfield

If you think the figures have been manipulated there is a mathematical method for analysing data that shows up such things. However presumably they know about that and some time was spent to make sure they looked right, maybe? How long did it take for the result of the electronic vote to be announced?

Prasad

‘ClanDonald says:
8 March, 2021 at 11:59 am
I see that Emma Roddick (who got to the top of the list in H&I by self identifying as disabled due to a personality disorder)’

Do you know what personality disorder? Or is that secret.

Scott Shaw

Has anyone considered self identifying as BAME yet. As a disabled person I feel if you can self identify as disabled and the opposite sex then fairs fair.

Sharny Dubs

I told the SNP to stuff my membership were the sun don’t shine long time since but the other day I received two mails, one from the local candidate (of the woke variety) and one from blinky blinky fire pants, worryingly both with application forms made out for postal votes.
They are probably still counting me as a member.

Alwi

Not all members will have voted. I know this for a fact. So totalling the votes cast will not give an accurate picture of the membership. You need turnout figure.

Doug

Joseph Robinson talks pish when he seems to think that Wings has to have a party to knock off the SNP.

The SNP claim to represent their constituents, right now they barely represent their electorate, definitely don’t represent most of their voters (Who want INDY) and if these numbers are true don’t represent their members.

For years the SNP has coasted on the Independence vote, after all its why it bloody exists in the first place. After 2014 it could be allowed to sit back and accept the vote of the 2014 indyref – right up until the Brexit vote.

After that point from 2016 onwards – almost 5 years I should add – the SNP leadership has bleated about Indy ref 2 , while doing NOTHING about actually having Indy Ref 2. NOTHING. No white paper, no actual attempt to get the Indy Ref off the ground – NOTHING except whine and moan and try to stop Brexit.

Now fair enough try and stop brexit if you want but unless the SNP fields candidates in the rest of the UK it could not stop it. The focus should have been to pay lip service to stopping brexit while planning for Indy Ref 2. That’s the whole point of the SNP isn’t it?

Meanwhile Westminster were not only leaving goals wide open they were actually moving the goal posts closer to score and at the same time scoring own goals.

Yet despite what Nicola Sturgeon, Ian Blackford and co claimed it wasn’t Westminster who were feart it was the SNP who not only didn’t attempt a shot on goal but at the same time kept falling back further and further in defence giving territory to Westminster.

Do I blame Nicola Sturgeon? Not alone, I blame the entire leadership of the SNP for this and at the same time chasing divisive positions which have splintered the party and likely will cost it votes. None of those divisive positions (hate crime bill, self id etc) were needed to be pushed through now. They could all have waited until after Indy to be sorted out then. But the focus was on stopping something that was all about England and then stuff that will ONLY ever wind up some of the electorate who normally would have supported them.

The SNP have failed at the top level for both Tactics and Strategy. Yet they claim to lead and represent Independence – but haven’t done so in action.

Only bloggers are pointing this out, the Media sure aren’t and I include the only pro Indy Media out there the National who doesn’t seem to want to even cover the rest of the world properly to supplant the other newspapers of choice.

Maybe that was why Salmond was targeted because he was on the cusp of taking over the Scotsman and turning into to a proper newspaper again. I don’t know.

But I do know it’s not Rev’s job to save the SNP. Nor is it his job to save Independence he isn’t a politician. But it is his job and everyone else on this site to tell them they have screwed up when they do so. And they have regularly.

Prasad

‘Prasad says:
8 March, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Do you know what personality disorder’

ahh
link to twitter.com

Ramis Jenkins

I feel sorry for the good indy supporters of the Highlands & Islands and Lothians etc, having all these shysters top the List table. With these Wokeratti roasters coming top of the List table in most regions, it should make it easier to give your 2nd vote to the ISP or AFI.

Cenchos

Nosferatu taking the Covid briefing today.

Bob W

@ Caroline Corfield

If I recall correctly it was 4/5 days before the list ranking was published. A trifle long for what was an electronic vote.

PhilM

There’s some debate about whether there ever really was a Potemkin village but what we see described above appears to be a Potemkin political party. Appearance is everything. Yet the non-deluded can easily see what lies behind the facade. The growing evidence of the manipulation of basic political realities is starting to exceed the reach of the gaslighters.
But…
If your imagination leans towards a more Gothic world of nightmare and madness, maybe in a giant dark dusty loft within Bute House there’s a painting almost completely obscured by a maze of cobwebs. This work that legend alleges was painted by no earthly hand will remain forever covered by a tartan shawl and no-one must ever be allowed to see…for underneath…oh! The horror, the horror!

Ian Mac

My close relatives with diabetes, who manage it easily and without fuss, would be absolutely furious to be classified as disabled. They have a condition, but one which does not materially affect their lives.

Ottomanboi

The SNP probably owes its growth to disaffected ScotLab. There was seemingly, in its heyday, more than whiff of the stalinist about the latter. That uncle Joe has transitioned to auntie Nicola should come as no surprise.
What’s Scotland’s equivalent of Siberia? Single tickets only luv…
Newsflash:
Production of elastic, false teeth and laxatives once again exceeds the national plan!
And that’s a fact!

Geoff Bush

Emma Roddick may not get elected even if the Fib Dems win in Orkney & Shetland and a further seat is lost in Moray. This is the stupidity of the BAME/Disabled list fix, in a context where SNP 1&2 is the party’s strategy what is going to stop voters voting SNP 1 & 2 in Highlands & Islands is the fact that an unelected candidate has been artificially placed at No1 on the list. The final list seat in H&I in 2016 was won by labour with 11447 votes. SNP’s list vote of 81,600 in 2016 would only have to fall by less than 2000 to prevent the party winning the 7th seat based on these numbers. If that was the case then the SNP would win only the 6 constituency seats leaving it 1 short of the 2016 total as a result of the fixed list. If we lost Moray as well, then it would win only 5 constituency seats and probably no list seats , leaving it 2 short of the 2016 total as a result of a fixed list. Let’s see if we can shoot ourselves in both feet.

ClanDonald

@Iain More

It’s alarming that Emma Roddick is, almost certainly, about to become an MSP.

Here she is talking about her Borderline Personlity Disorder:

link to twitter.com

Here are the 9 symptoms of BPD:

– Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone
– Unstable relationships
– Unclear or shifting self-image
– Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors
– Self-harm
– Extreme emotional swings
– Chronic feelings of emptiness
– Explosive anger

This is who Nicola Sturegon thinks is appropriate to be representing us in our parliament. The rules have been bent to accommodate her. Unbelievable. Nicola has serious problems if this is the kind of person she needs to suppound herself with to feel secure.

Anonymoose

I am seriously wondering just how much dirt the SNP leaders with McCann & Ruddick in tow have dredged up on the SNP MSPs and MPs in Westminster as well as party officials.

That dirt clearly has them petrified of speaking out about what is going on inside the SNP, about what is going on between its leaders and about what is behind the divisive policies that they have driven during this past parliamentary term in Scotland.

For so many MSPs & MPs to not want proper open democractic debates held on so many topics, both inside the party at conference and in the Scottish Parliament, it reeks of something horrid.

Something so horrid that they are willing to risk everything the party once stood for to protect themselves instead of protecting Scotland and her interests.

It is without any doubt no longer the SNP I joined over two decades ago and to be honest it hasn’t been since Sturgeon, Murrell and Swinney got their hooks into the party leadership and performed a coup d’état on the NEC to neuter the regular members from controlling the party.

To do that either takes extremely robust policies which the party members can blindly get behind (of which there have been none since they came to power) or some serious career ending dirt on their elected MP/MSPs and party officials for them to stand aside while the machinations of Sturgeon, Murrell and Swinney rampage on.

There are a few exceptions to the above in regard to MP/MSPs & party officials, but they are in such small numbers they have no ability to correct the party.

If they speak out they will be deselected as MP/MSPS, vilified & ejected from the SNP and then very publicly smeared by the SNP leaderships contacts within the media, there is plenty of evidence showing them using this tactic previously and fairly recently towards members who have tried to stand up to the current party leadership.

Mac

Joshua Mennie 0.2

That’ll be Julie & Jessica then.

Lorraine

Theresa May has type 1 diabetes and it didn’t stop her reaching the top. In fact she was always very clear about it not changing what you can do or achieve.

Emma Harper, on the other hand, has set back diabetes acceptance by decades by declaring herself as being disabled due to it, now people will start thinking that it somehow holds you back and you need special assistance to get anywhere in life. Thanks very much, Emma.

James Che.

I got encouragement from snp through letter box to postal vote also last week, I think they are being influenced by America,
Perhaps their membership rise is from illegal immigrants, dead people, or people whom have addresses that don’t add up,
God help us from copying another,
If you can vote in person.

Daisy Walker

OT – Sorry, really OT, but needs saying.

Caught a little bit of the soap when Harry and Meghan met Oprah.

OMG (I don’t like this expression, but for once OMG!!!!) did you see Oprah’s HAIR?

Anyway, if you need to take your mind off the car crash that is the snp – look at Oprah’s HAIR!!!!

If we can survive that, we can survive anything.

John Martini

I would be surprised if the true membership was over 9000.

Prasad

‘Prasad says:
8 March, 2021 at 1:08 pm
link to twitter.com

FFS i am being asked to vote for this narcissistic sociopath (see her twitter ‘poor me’)!
After the Sturgeon oscar nomination performance some analysis below, ditto Roddick
The Pity Play from The Sociopath Next Door, by Martha Stout
link to thinkscotland.org
link to markrathbun.blog

That twitter poll result yesterday with about double the amount of pollsters believed NS over AS, shows it is a manipulative trick which works. I console myself in that there is nothing to remember from the NS act so it will just fade away like the distant memory of a bad fart. Meanwhile AS will presumably keep picking at the legal issues, lies, cover-ups and contradictions which haven’t been answered. Not one.
This isn’t a AS v NS issue it is fact v feelings. Now what does that remind me of?

Heeland Bhoy

There is no way that this leaked result list is true. There absolutely no way that Emma Roddick is popular enough to get 2.4% of the vote. If COVID-19 was on the ballot, it would have beaten her!

Nice to see that she has her priorities right and tweeting about her sexuality again instead of independence. Thankfully I have now resigned from the party as I am not going to be associated with the shit show that she is going to put on. I will vote for Fergus but no SNP vote in the regional list after seeing her on the top of the ballot. Everyone I know is doing the same. The parry has yet again shot itself in the foot and doing everything it can to piss off their core membership.

Breeks

Once you realise you’re voting for Scotland’s Transactivists And Scotland’s Independentists, suddenly, all the secrecy and strategy makes complete sense.

ScotsRenewables

John Martini says:
8 March, 2021 at 1:42 pm
I would be surprised if the true membership was over 9000.

You are a very silly wee soul, aren’t you?

The idea that over half the members have left is patently ridiculous. It’s somewhere N. of 50,000 still for sure.

Why are you bothering posting your sad nonsense on here? This is a site for grown-ups.

Iain More

Re Prasad.

Dont vote SNP on the list Prasad – simples.

For me it isn’t about AS V NS. Its about Scots Indy versus Yoonery.

Artur sweet

At the risk of sounding like my granny, have none of these people ever done real jobs?

Unlimiter

Joseph Robinson says:
8 March, 2021 at 12:36 pm
@Unlimiter
“Yep your wrong”

Fair enough. Just sounded a bit odd, asking to be blocked. But each to their own.

Desimond

Re
people would be able to add up all the figures and calculate how many members the party actually has,

I got an invite to choose Glasgow list places despite leaving months ago

Thomas Widmann

What I find most fascinating about the SNP’s new regional list selection process is that it’s pretty unlikely they’ll win more than one list seat in each region (in 2016, they won three in South, one in H&I and zero elsewhere). In other words, somebody’s chances of winning an SNP list seat if they’re not either disabled or BAME are miniscule. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but the party should be more open about this fact – for instance by saying that only disabled and BAME members can put themselves forward for a place on the regional lists.

Republicofscotland

A party is nothing without its membership, surely the membership must now at least try to hold the SNP hierarchy to account.

We know via your posts that the membership is below 87,000, probably well below that, after the machinations of Sturgeon and her clique and her miserable failure to hold an indyref.

I predict the membership will fall much further, and that the SNP will not get the amount of seats that they hoped for come May’s elections, at best they’ll govern as a minority government, but that will be sufficient for Sturgeon, as she can use that result to point the finger of blame, and to put any hope of an indyref to bed for good, and get on with implementing her unpopular policies.

Colin Alexander

I will be surprised if Martin Keatings gets the final answer to his indyref question BEFORE the Holyrood election. E.g. regarding whether the Scottish colonial Parliament can hold an indyref without a s30 Order.

Inner Court of Court of Session appeal in April. Followed by an appeal to the Supreme Court. How long will that take, when the election is in May?

The result of that is you will probably be asked to vote for candidates promising an indyref on independence (yet again). Yet, the candidates probably won’t know if that promise is even possible of being fulfilled if they are given the mandate. (Just like Gordon Brown in the Vow making promises he was in no position to deliver).

But, it’s worked for the SNP for 21 years under Salmond, Swinney and Sturgeon’s leadership with their indyref snake oil policy. The indy movement have glorified the indyref policy. So I don’t suppose the SNP’s (and other so-called “pro-independence” candidates) version of The Vow is going to be changed when it’s been such a successful “jam the morra” (possible) scam.

Is the reason why Alex Salmond and the SNP previously agreed the s30 route was because they feared the courts would confirm the indyref policy effectively turned the sovereign right of self-determination in to a form of colonial servitude where Scotland’s people can only decide on independence (via Holyrood) when granted permission by the UK State?

Compare this to the (pre-Holyrood) pre-Salmond leadership era when the SNP asserted the continuing sovereignty of the people of Scotland and their sovereign right to dissolve the Union via the democratic expression of their sovereign power: eg Scotland’s sovereign electorate electing a majority of SNP MPs in Scotland is a democratic mandate for Scottish independence.

David Caledonia

Sometimes I find myself thinking about the past, last saturday night I opened a nice bottle of dark wine from argentina and I started to hark back to the days of screaming lord such.
He was absolutely brilliant, stood every time and always lost his deposit, then it dawned on me, wait a minute I thought, maybe he did not die at all
After all we still have the Monster Raving Loonie Party, only now its called the SNP

Hatuey

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that the number of people in Scotland who have died of coronavirus is about the same number we are told have joined the SNP since last week.

Credit where it’s due, I suppose.

David Caledonia

Sutch, well, i am getting on a bit lol

Iain More

Re Membership numbers. The numbers I have heard are that the SNP is down 44,000 members in the last two years. There is no way to verify that though but I trust my source on that more than I trust the present SNP Sturgeonite megaphones.

Re Prasad. I did say don’t vote for the SNP on the list. I would extend that hostility to the wokist Greens. Did Andy Wightman not resign over the nasty attitude of the Wokist faction in the Greens.

JB

Hatuey says:
8 March, 2021 at 2:13 pm

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that the number of people in Scotland who have died of coronavirus is about the same number we are told have joined the SNP since last week.

A zombie party?

Lawrence

Had a wee look at this Martin Keating’s Twitter account,,,and he seems to be advocating SNP 1 and Indy Party 2.

How the fuck can anyone vote for the lying scumbags who run the SNP? ie, Sturgeon, Swinney and all the rest of the trash that inhabit that Party???

So my message to Keatings is,,,

Go and take a good fuck to yourself Mr Keatings.

Anyone or anything associated with the SNP is Toxic.

#DoNotVoteSNPBecauseTheyAreLyingBastards

Dr Peter ISP

@Joseph Robinson

Candidates will be announced tomorrow. Then things will kick off.

The AFI are still claiming they’re still just an umbrella org for a bunch of independents. Beyond that they are Yes they can have any other sorts of policies. Also you cannot then vote for them individually.

The ISP manifesto is coming along nicely. Be out with out conference soon.

John Martini

Scotsrenewables can’t meme.

You are the sad wee old man who can’t meme. It’s over stupid. The Sturgeon Narcissist Party has ended independence for good.

Most of the soft yesers are out and the middle class bitter brexit remoaners will return to labour.

No serious party in scotland is pro indy.

Lawrence

FAO all voters in the Glasgow Southside Constituency,,,Vote for Mr Sarwar of the Labour Party.

I know the Govanhill area and I know that the large Muslim community can spot a lying Bastard like Sturgeon a mile away,,, just the same as anyone else can.

You don’t need to be a white Christian to know Sturgeon is lying through her teeth.

Cut off the head of this corrupt Dragon by voting for Scottish Labour on 6th May.

Your fellow Scots will thank you for this.

Vote Sarwar,,,God will understand.

Bill

If the SNP are advocating self assessment disabilities for political posts. This could also be argued for Personal Independence payments and disability payments, could be fun.

Dan

FFS! If they weren’t going lift folk for breaking covid rules, they could fine the mucky twats for littering…

link to twitter.com

iain mhor

@Artur Sweet 1:59pm

A good while ago, I trawled through every SNP politician (listed online) and predominantly they were drawn from; the Legal profession, Finance, Teachers, Health care, Carers/Social work and Career politicans.

The majority were Uni graduates and from memory only 3 or 4 had prior careers in the private sector (a car dealership, an engineering firm, IT and Fishing industry spring to mind)

There have been changes since then and there may be a smattering more of those who had prior ‘standard jobs’; so the answer is a qualified ‘No’, if you mean anything outwith the above list.

I’m not saying that’s unique to the SNP, but it was a bit of a boring trawl and I couldn’t be arsed doing it for other parties – they may well have a similar makeup. One thing was for sure, the pattern swiftly emerged.

If you suffer insomnia, have a look yourself, it’s fairly straightfroward; most can be found on Wiki, some elsewhere and a handful had no ‘Bio’ listed.

Anyway, Joiners with a City & Guilds need not apply. They are big on diversity, but by that they mean sexuality and ethnicity – not education and career path.

Colin Alexander

Re the get Sturgeon out by voting for Sarwar idea.

Roza Salih is top of the list for Glasgow. She is employed as an office manager by the SNP MP Chris Stephens.

I kinda get the feeling if Sturgeon needed a List seat and the List seat was going to go to SNP employee Roza, there would be some spurious reason why Roza was unable to take her List seat, making Sturgeon top of the List so getting the List seat.

There’s a question for Roza: Can you give your word if elected as an SNP MSP on the List, that if for some reason you do not take your seat, that you will NEVER seek election again?

Wee Chid

Colin Alexander says:
8 March, 2021 at 3:04 pm

“I kinda get the feeling if Sturgeon needed a List seat and the List seat was going to go to SNP employee Roza, there would be some spurious reason why Roza was unable to take her List seat, making Sturgeon top of the List so getting the List seat.”

I get the same feeling. Who is the next “eligble” person on the list?

Geoff Anderson

Lawrence@2:42pm

I would vote for Josh Mennie before Sarwar!

crisiscult

Just catching up with Wings from yesterday and today. Comments are getting more vitriolic towards the SNP, which I understand. However, I’ve yet to be convinced that voting for parties that have likened us nationalists to a virus or to Nazis and who see us as separatists from their nation, GB, is the best option. I’m very much open minded right now, but part of the problem with sitting in that grey area is that I’m not actually doing anything positive e.g. funding a strategy that takes us closer to indy, being an activist, doing something useful.

Carol Neill

I’m out of popcorn , being facetious but I can’t believe what’s going on , and most folk aren’t aware

Lawrence

Geoff Anderson 3.08pm

Are you another mad mental Sturgeonista Geoff???

If not, why would you not take this opportunity to rid Scotland of the Evil Mrs Murrell???

Bob W

@Dr Peter ISP

The AFI are still claiming they’re still just an umbrella org for a bunch of independents.

Yes they are, but I don’t see them trying to smear their opponents.

Orlando Quarmby

Can somebody knock this Labour shill ‘Lawrence’ on the head?

Lawrence

Vote Sarwar,,, God will understand.

Nick Bowes

I enjoy this excellent blog even though i`m English, Brexit voter and hopeful of the electoral prospects of the new anti woke Reclaim Party here led by acting aristo Lozza Fox. Maybe because we are so censored now.
I do admire Mr Salmond and believe you will achieve independence with him back at the helm. He reminds me of Farage, whom i`m sure most of you loathe.
I know plenty opinionated Scots down here, all great people, most think the SNP obsession with trans gender rights to be plain bizarre, to put it politely. And wtf is that hate bill that criminalizes “naughty” talk in yer own homes… please don`t give the fat worzel down here ideas !

John D

@Lawrence
My God says you are going to Hell.
You will have plenty company

Lawrence

If you have the ONLY opportunity to get rid of the mist evil woman ever to inhabit Scotland, THEN YOU MUST TAKE IT.

The alternative is ANOTHER 5 years of Sturgeon and the SNP, only this time they will go into full on Woke Mode.

And you will look back at the Holyrood election and regret you never took that opportunity to vote out this horrible little Bastard.

If she wins through these elections,

THEN FOLKS,,, YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN YET.

kapelmeister

This alleged incident at the Water Poet. Was it just Larkin about?

Lawrence

Orlando Quarmby 3.31

I have NEVER voted for any Party other than the SNP.

Sorry to stop you’re wee stereotyping dead in it’s tracks.

James

re stu,if the flaks heavy,your over the target. Why this man is not on national television is scandalous. His outstanding work is a glowing beacon to lesser journalists. If I ran a news programme on TV,I would get him on in a heart beat.His pugnacious style is perfect for the moment, they fear him.Scotland is ripe for the taking, if only someone had the balls to strike.

A Person

Lost £70, went back to the supermarket where I had had it, they had handed it in.

On a day when the news is full of Sturgeon, the Ibrox animals, and the royals (all as bad as each other), it is nice to know that some folk are decent!

John Jones

Prasad says
Clan Donald says
Anyone know what personality disorder?
Hip! Lack of!

rob

Just had a listen th that Gordon Ross in indy car. I have never heard so much shit and disinformation spew from the same mouth in so short a time. Nicola is innocent so he says.

robbo

No doubt when Celtic take back the league next year any celebrations will curtailed by the Hate crime bill- don’t be so cruel to the unionists who fly our jack. The polis will have the dugs out and many will be arrested.

That’s a certainty. Well unless of course Rev Stu thinks the DONS might win it. lol

Ruby

Desimond says:

I got an invite to choose Glasgow list places despite leaving months ago

Reply

SNP Hotel California Membership

Lenny Hartley

I am an SNP member and did not vote on a point in principle.

gullaneno4

The conversation flow on here reminds me sometimes of the golf club member who always complains about the committee and says many of my fellow members agree with me [trouble is he has no friends and most members can’t stand him]

Well stand for committee and change it, is the advice offered

I would not waste my time. I have no chance against that lot is the normal reply.

Mist001

What happened to this threat of the vote of no confidence by the Tories and the other parties, or was that a load of shite too?

Ian Brotherhood

Where was NS today?

Did she have an public appointments?

Republicofscotland

O/T.

So Patrick Harvie wants to form a pro-independence coalition with the SNP. I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise as both parties are ultra woke.

Watch out for a minority SNP government and the Greens running the country after May’s elections.

Gregor

Breaking news…

“Crown Office give messages to MSPs which Alex Salmond says shows high level plot”:

link to thenational.scot

robbo

gullaneno4 says:
8 March, 2021 at 4:07 pm

———————-

Did some not recently try that with the NEC ? How did that fair? Is there people still on there with power who weren’t elected?

I expect an answer will come- acht you’re just a transphobe or similar.
Prove me wrong please.

tamson

They can hide membership numbers by not disclosing turnout.

As it is, I’m wondering whether part of the shyness is down to the actual turnout being embarrassingly low. Each region would, in a party of 70k members, have a membership of around 9k. Some of the %age results point to turnouts of a few hundred, tops.

Breastplate

Bob W,
I noted that too, it’s completely unhelpful from Dr Condescension ISP.

Bildo

Carol Neill says:
8 March, 2021 at 3:18 pm
“I’m out of popcorn , being facetious but I can’t believe what’s going on , and most folk aren’t aware”

Couldn’t agree more. Most of my social media friends all seem to just post the usual copy and paste shite about “I Stand With Nicola” ….. and they pretend I’m not there if I happen to post the occasional article or comment that might suggest we should have a more sober look at things.

robbo

Mist001 says:
8 March, 2021 at 4:07 pm
What happened to this threat of the vote of no confidence by the Tories and the other parties, or was that a load of shite too?

——–

SNANEY

Mr Bonobo

It is preposterous that a democratic party would not give out the vote count of a ballot.

I cannot think of anywhere else that it would be tolerated.

Effigy

Today I have spoken with a number of Catholics,
some Celtic fans, but all of them were sympathetic
to voting SNP but after the policing non events across
the country they see SNP as a party biased toward football
thug unionists and now won’t touch SNP with a barge pole.

Nicola gets it for congratulating Rangers on their win
but nothing about repercussions on law and order being closed down.

1, Travelling out with their lockdown area.
2, No social distancing.
3, No face masks
4, Gatherings en mass
5, Singing sectarian songs
6, Drink Alcohol in public places.
7, Urinating in public
8, Littering
9, Obstructing a public highway.
10, Drunk and disorderly.

I think they mentioned a couple of other things but how
on earth the police claim to have been on any kind of
duty yesterday is beyond me.

For those interested I have never had anything to do with the old firm
as there are too many nut cases within each camp.
I have Uncles who support Rangers but would never go near yesterday’s events.

Someone at the top of the Glasgow police force should be signing on today!
Otherwise there is no Law and Order for all as proposed.

Stoker

Regarding the article at the top of this thread, that’s transparency Sturgeon style!

I also hear she’s avoided the Covid daily update today? No idea if true or not but if it is then let me just check the facts here.

After a weekend of several thousand scumbags breaking Covid regulations (and in Sturgeon’s constituency), littering & vandalising parts of Glasgow, openly drinking alcohol in public places, running battles with each other and maskless group selfies with police officers from “Glasgow’s finest”, Sturgeon avoids the daily Covid Q & A’s?

Aye! Transparency Sturgeon style right enough. Oh! And did i forget to say her “popularity” has apparently halved in the polls too? Oh dear! The truth will out. She really has to go, for Scotland’s sake.
__________

Interesting, but not unexpected, news from Martin Keating further up thread at 12:36 pm via ‘maureen’.

Ruby

Alphabet man

“They have happily swept this under the carpet. Now that I’m complaining about it, they are wanting to shunt me somewhere else where the process is harder.”

How easy the complaints procedure is will depend on who you are complaining about?

‘The Alpabet Women’ have set a precedent and there could be a whole string of ridiculous complaints against SNP politicians.

Serves them right they should have stuck up for Alex Salmond & Mark MacDonald.

Big Jock

Stoker -It’s strange that Sturgeon didn’t want to condemn Scotland’s shame at the briefing today. It’s not like they are a target audience for yes or the SNP.

The sensible ones who are already yes , stay away from these hooligans. The rest of the Rangers fans will never come over to yes. It would require a degree of cognitive dissonance, worthy of a serial killer.

Jockanese Wind Talker

If it is true that Patrick Harvie wants to form a pro-independence coalition with the SNP” @Republicofscotland says at 4:12 pm

Then I suspect:

1. The Greens are shitting themselves at the thought of an Indy List Party hoovering up votes and wiping them out.

2. The SNP are shitting themselves at the thought of an Indy List Party hoovering up votes and showing them up as a bunch of Woke Devolutionists.

Big Jock

Also their is history of this.

When busloads of Ulster thugs invaded the square in 2014. The police knew about it. They allowed peaceful citizens to be abused, intimidated and terrified for their lives. It could have ended far worse than it did , if the Yes supporters hadn’t been so peaceful.

Prasad

‘Iain More says:
8 March, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Re Prasad.
Dont vote SNP on the list Prasad – simples.’

If i live in the H&I and want to support the SNP it would be good at least to have the choice.
As it is i am almost certain they aren’t going to get my vote on either 1 or 2 because of women’s rights. Andy Wightman seems to be two people (does he have an evil twin?) but a vote for the good one is an Indi choice for H&I.

It seems insane that the list candidate has a better chance when the constituency vote does badly. Wonder who will be the first to use this to their advantage or maybe it has already happened.

Big Jock

Jockanese – You are right. The Greens use independence as a flag of convenience to hoover up votes.

Patrick Harvie is so proud to be Scottish that he removed his saltire from his bio-pic on Twitter. He has kept the EU one and the rainbow one from memory.

Republicofscotland

Jockanese Wind Talker

Sounds about right they’re probably working out a deal in the likely event Sturgeon and the SNP don’t get the seats they think they’re going to get in May.

link to thenational.scot

Liz

That is typical of her cowardly behaviour.

Sent her pal and enforcer out to take any flack.

Michael Laing

I’ve just passed by a large illuminated billboard in Slateford Road, Edinburgh, bearing the slogan #sturgeonresign (or possibly #resignsturgeon). I wonder who’s behind that? Are they going up everywhere?

Big Jock

I certainly have a conundrum. I have Michelle Thompson as my candidate in Falkirk East. I think she is a genuinely decent human being , but I don’t want to vote for Sturgeon!!

ahundredthidiot

Effijy

‘Today I have spoken with a number of Catholics,’

Who speaks like that?……you could’ve just said ‘celtic fans’ and left religion out of it.

You also sound a little boring – maybe you should’ve joined the pertaay, get out more, live a little.

Dan

@ Effigy

You can add in the willful destruction of several memorial benches. Would also have thought that would be considered a hateful action in today’s Scotland but hey ho…

I imagine that if just one of those benches had been pink and blue in colour the polis would have sealed off George Square, and Blinky would have flown across from Auld Reekie in her chopper declaring an international incident, storming the square yelling Begbie stylée. “Right, nae cunt leaves here till we find out which cunt done it”.

Big Jock

Michael- Tories are fronting that petition to remove Sturgeon as far as I know. So don’t sign the petition.

Big Jock

Dan – Is it a French bench – Masculine or feminine or a Scottish self ID one.

Dandee

Lawrence 3.33.
God will understand ??

Dan

@ Big Jock says at 4:42 pm

Dan – Is it a French bench – Masculine or feminine or a Scottish self ID one.

Ooh le la les, je nae dinnae ken pas. 🙂

Dandee

Lawrence 2.42.

How do you know the Govanhill area so well

You or someone you know from there. ??

Dandee

Lawrence..I know the Govanhill areas too especially one street there..langside road..and they wont vote for Sarwar..lol

ahundredthidiot

There are conversations happening up and down the Country where people are being asked if they have had, or are taking, the vaccine.

I suggest the quick-fire response to the questioner should be ‘have you ever had a sexually transmitted disease?’

That people think it acceptable to ask other people – sometimes with witnesses – about their medical history, is not acceptable.

Employers need to mind their managers to get a grip, or their Organisations could find themselves falling foul of employment law.

Michael Laing

I would guess that Lawrence and John Martini are one and the same unionist troll. Just in case this isn’t obvious, what supporters of Scottish independence want is SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE, not the utterly corrupt, warmongering, unionist Labour party which thinks Scotland should continue to be ruled by the Tories. We might refuse to vote SNP until they make a genuine, cast-iron commitment to independence, but we will not be voting for parties that stand for rule by London.

boris

link to caltonjock.com

Ms A and Ms B were determined that they were not interested in making a formal complaint about Alex Salmond, They expressed in the strongest terms that they wished only to be allowed a personal meeting with Nicola Sturgeon. On both counts the civil service failed them and they paid the price of failure.

Iain More

We haven’t had any resignations or sackings yet.

John Martini

Michel Laing

Give it a rest you paranoid fool. People like you put people off the indy cause. When have I have suggested who you should vote for or not?

Michael Laing

@ Big Jock at 4.40pm: I think petitions are a pointless waste of time, so I’d be unlikely to sign one whoever’s behind it. I’m hopeful that Sturgeon will be subject to forces rather more powerful than a petition before too long. I won’t miss her in the slightest.

I’m guessing that Sturgeon’s enemies have decided that now is the moment for them to attack.

Bob W

Sorry @ Boris don’t load sites that do not show prominently how to reject all unnecessary cookies.

Michael Laing

@John Martini: I repeat what I said previously. You have nothing positive to say. Every one of your comments is intended to foment division amongst independence-supporters and Scots in general.

Cooper

Has the leak been confirmed yet?

boris

Bob W says: 8 March, 2021 at 5:22 pm
Sorry @ Boris don’t load sites that do not show prominently how to reject all unnecessary cookies

Now that I do not understand

John Martini

Michel Laing

The division is already there. The whole thing is a mess. Even a new salmond and cherry party would have to acknowledge that a referendum is a long way off.

You ate going to have to make a nrw case for indy thanks to sturgeon et al.

Don

@Hatuey 8 March, 2021 at 2:13 pm
“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that the number of people in Scotland who have died of coronavirus is about the same number we are told have joined the SNP since last week.
Credit where it’s due, I suppose.”

No credit for not being properly informed, the number of dead so far in Scotland from the Rona is more than 9580
link to nrscotland.gov.uk

dunks

As a pensioner I am getting heartily sick of reading about all that is bad with the SNP. We are a matter of weeks away from the most important Scottish election EVER. This constant barrage of SNP bad from wings is not what I give my yearly fiver or so from my pension for. Surely this can all wait until after the election.

Let us get back to basics and start attacking the real enemy in Scotland – the unionists of all colours and none, and not the ONLY party that has a chance of seeing us get our independence within my lifetime…

Graham

@joseph Robinson

He’s a blogger. He’s not a politician. He’s previously said that he doesn’t want to be an MSP because of all the work or whatever, but the truth is: NO WAY does he have what it takes to be a politician. Politicians need to represent all people. Stuart Campbell represents himself, everyone else can go to hell, especially those who don’t align with his bigoted and polarized stances. Politicians need tact – he has none. Politicians need to argue respectfully from fact and rationale, he calls people nasty names and if you don’t agree: “shut up, idiot.” Such a person who continually fans the flames of hate cannot be a unifying character. He can’t unify wings readership let alone Scotland. He has none of the qualities of a political leader, and has no chance of being elected.

He’s a decent blogger though.

John Martini

Don

Did you say over over 9000? Be very careful or Michael will give you the ban hammer.

Are you claiming they are registering dead people like the democrats in america?

Elmac

Dunks @ 5.32pm

You are missing the point Dunks. All on here (except trolls) want independence but the SNP has been taken over by a cabal who are only interested in maintaining their position and income. The last thing they want is independence and at the moment they ARE the real enemy. We need rid of them first then we can concentrate on the unionists.

A Person

Interesting comment btl on Iain Lawson’s blog. The commenter points out that his constituency party allegedly has fifty new members. Another commenter adds that his apparently has seven new members. So that means that the other constituencies must have had 140 members, which means these commenters just so happen to have been in constituencies with exceptionally low numbers of new members…hmm…

Bob W

@Boris

I could see no way to reject tracking cookies on the site for which you posted a link – caltonjock.com

Beaker

@dunks says:
8 March, 2021 at 5:32 pm
“Surely this can all wait until after the election.”

Dunks, that is the worst argument to use.

How will you sort things out after an election if the same people are still in control? If anything, it makes them even harder to dislodge.

Lenny Hartley

Dunks, good luck with getting the current cabal in charge of the SNP moving on Indy, however if you want to be thrown in jail for seven years for saying in your own home that there are only two sexes then Nicola is your man.

Dandee

Michel laing 5.02.
It is Lawrence who is telling the Govanhill people how to vote….think Ronald Fraser is one of the same..

A Person

Sorry, an average of 140 members

Bob W

@Boris

My first post missed (I) before ‘don’t’ I was not saying you shouldn’t post links.

twathater

Stoker and Ian Brotherhood I commented the same over on Iain Lawsons site, Saint Nicla avoiding her daily covid queen adoring fans due to the possibility that she might be faced with uncomfortable truths , instead she sends out ever Faithfull gollum who waffles pish in his wee slithering whispers , master sayssssss bad rangersssss fans masssttterrr angrrryyyy but probably bad bloggers responsible

Giesabrek

A year or so after the 2014 unionist riot in George Square I sent a freedom of information request to the COPFS asking if any of the unionists reported in the media as being arrested that night had been charged or convicted of any offences. Didn’t ask for names or details, just yes or no. Reply asked me if I had any personal connection to the case. When I said no, I was told that the information could not be shared with me. I wonder if anyone ever was charged, or if it was all just dropped because Rangers and their loyalist army are above the law in Scotland?

Mia

“Let us get back to basics and start attacking the real enemy in Scotland – the unionists of all colours and none”

Well, since November 2014 the SNP are no longer the party of independence. They are now some of those unionists you mention of all colours and none. So it is quite correct that we attack them for their spectacular failures: they denied us democracy despite being put in power on the back of a democratic mandate for indyref. They denied us our right to self determination despite being voted to Westminster on a mandate to stop brexit. They are forcing on us toxic policies despite nobody wanting them.

If we remain in this union today it is because Sturgeon’s SNP has abused our pro indy votes for over 5 years and used them to preserve this union.

So yeah, let’s get to basics by all means:

No plebiscite? No vote.

Cudneycareless

John Martini says:
8 March, 2021 at 5:26 pm
Michel Laing

The division is already there. The whole thing is a mess. Even a new salmond and cherry party would have to acknowledge that a referendum is a long way off.

All parties are a coalition of ideas once you have agreed on the main point.
If the aim of the SNP is Independence then that is what is should aim for.
One of the problems the SNP has is that it is also the party of government so gets distracted by events and having to have a policy for “everything”.
Pressure groups use this to gain levels of control – in recent times you have Momentum at Labour , ERG and UKIP for the Conservatives .
These groups are not good for the ultimate aim because they alienate the “middle ground” where the consensus is.
SNP need to rid itself of the extraneous manifesto items and stand for Independence.
It does not have the people who can do that in its current form.

John Martini

Cudneycareless

You are the only sane one in the room. The rest sound like comteian positivists.

Mia

“Even a new salmond and cherry party would have to acknowledge that a referendum is a long way off”

Perhaps it is time to acknowledge and accept that indyref is not the right path to follow to reach independence. The path is to use an election, any election, every election, as a plebiscite on independence.

Well, there is no better time than the present. In less than two months we have a wonderful opportunity. Why wasting it?

Any real pro independence parties out there that are committed enough to independence to include in their manifesto a mandate to dissolve the union and giving us what Sturgeon has denied us for 5 years?

Or the only aim of the “alternative” yes parties out there is simply to hand over seats by the back door to Sturgeon and Robertson’s anti-independence SNP?

Indy Now

Also no numbers means less likely a challenge from one of the unsuccessful candidates. I really mean a challenge from a successful candidate that has been demoted to Number 2 because of a probably illegal selection process. This whole process stinks, the like of Christian Allard being happy with a process that he probably won, but will now probably not get a seat.

Wee Chid

dunks says:
8 March, 2021 at 5:32 pm

I would be a pensioner if the WM govt hadn’t robbed me of 6 years of pension. As an older person I feel totally neglected by the SNP. They have done much to mitigate Troy cuts for the young and for families but if you are a sing WASPI woman without issue, they don’t give a toss. I have voted for them for independence but it now appears that they don’ t even intend to deliver that – In fact all that they seem intent on delivering are an erasure of women’s sex based rights and legal gagging laws on all who disagree with their woke mantra. I have loaned them my vote for the last time.

Carol Neill

Sorry I’ve skimmed a lot of this and had a nap but when was religion brought into this
Delete this mr c if appropriate

Al

Possibly Sturgeon didn’t take today’s briefing as she was over come with emmotion after Joanna Cherry QC was selected as one of Westminster’s 100 most inspirational and influential women in this year’s list.
I see a threat.
Can’t see any negative feedback on her twitter page and no “Congatulations” from her boss.

John Martini

Mia

The other parties are small and have no pulling power. Even if they got elected they would succumb to powers that be like the SNP did.

Hatuey

Don: “ No credit for not being properly informed, the number of dead so far in Scotland from the Rona is more than 9580””

Well, my tedious friend, I’d expect someone as “properly informed” as you to know that some have suggested as many as 10 thousand new members joined the SNP ranks after Nicola’s appearance at the inquiry.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

Mac

Imagine you were sharing a flat with someone you thought you knew, someone you thought cared for you and vice versa, someone you thought you could trust.

Then one night by sheer chance you are awoken by a noise to find your flatmate and friend standing over you holding a huge knife.

Only at the last moment do you leap to the side as they plunge the knife into the mattress in the exact spot you were just peacefully sleeping.

So… do you go back to bed, get up the next day and just carry on as normal? Do you write it off as less important than keeping good relations with your flat mate going forward because you co-own a bunch of Ikea furniture and shit?

No you don’t. Some things are irreversible. There is no going back from them.

Kane McKenzie

A few hangovers on here today, imagine a few Bears are just waking about after partying in George Square. You should hang your heads in shame.

Carol Neill

Fs meant Inappropriate

Lost

The problem the SNP have is that we’re a country fine-tuned of knowing when it’s all BS. We’ve had lifetimes and generations of being fed it.

I think they know once the figures come out they won’t add up. A few people on here saying they left months and years ago but still getting begging letters makes me think they’re still on lists as registered members. It may be happening to others.

If it’s all hunky-dory why has Peter Murrell got his hand out asking for money ‘to keep the party ticking over’? An odd turn of phrase for a party which has more members than ever before.

Mia

“Even if they got elected they would succumb to powers that be like the SNP did”

And that is precisely why they must include in the manifesto a mandate for independence. If Sturgeon’s New Labour, I mean fake SNP has demonstrated something is that indyref is not the way to go. In fact indyref is the way to ensure we never get independence. The way to go is to revert that darn policy to its original: a majority of pro independence seats is a mandate for independence.

If they new pro indy parties do that we may not win in 2 months’ time but it will completely change the goalposts for 2024 and will show the SNP for the unionist party it has become. This will send a shot across the SNP bows: either the SNP reverts its policy too or it will be completely bypassed.

It what you do is simply rely on the SNP to do the work it does not intend to do and you are handing them over seats by the back door, Scotland will never be independent.

We have to start somewhere.

No plebiscite? No vote.

Kevin Kennedy

Slab 2.0

Republicofscotland

I’m not a fan of football, except when the national team plays, however I didn’t realise the full extent of damage caused by Rangers FC fan in George Sq until recently. Memorial benches were smashed which I thought was disgraceful.

Their terrible actions brought back memories of 2014 and unionists with Rangers tops running around the SQ and the nearby streets stabbing, beating and slashing folk.

If we’re ever to dissolve this union, we’ll need to confront this ugly face of bigotry, hatred and loathing of who we are and what country we live in, unfortunately this mentality runs like a thread through the whole of Scotland, in a divide and conquer nature.

ahundredthidiot

Kane @ 6:26

Murderers hang their heads in shame.

Don’t be a Drama Queen or a spoil sport.

Can you not take the slightest bit of joy from watching a group of sports fans, all getting together, to celebrate their first ever championship trophy.

Brian Doonthetoon

Hi dunks at 5:32 pm.

You typed,
“As a pensioner I am getting heartily sick of reading about all that is bad with the SNP. We are a matter of weeks away from the most important Scottish election EVER. This constant barrage of SNP bad from wings is not what I give my yearly fiver or so from my pension for. Surely this can all wait until after the election.”

“This constant barrage of SNP bad from wings”???

Do you only read WOS? Other bloggers have been raising issues pertaining to the “management” of the SNP in recent months.

I suggest that you check out these links:-

link to craigmurray.org.uk

link to gordondangerfield.com

link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com

BTW: I am also of pensionable age but continue in my full-time employment, because I can’t be @r$ed with the hassle of retiring. Onnyhoo, I like my job. Age has nothing to do with recognising sleaze when it is presented to you.

Brian Doonthetoon

And I would add this link to my list at 6:38 pm.

link to scotlandspeaks.com

Dan

@ ROS at 6.36pm

No sign of Humza Yousaf tweeting anything today condemning the activities in George Square. But then I understand Ibrox is in his constituency…
Even the great Ron Swanson of Parks and Rec fame would probably have mustered some kind statement with regard to the mess and damage to park property.

Republicofscotland

Tories still to back to VONC on John Swinney if they believe that not all the legal advice was handed over, crucially Greens leader Patrick Harvey claims he’ll back the opposition parties stance if Swinney is found (which we’re sure he has) to not have handed over all the advice.

Sylvia

Dan @6:49 I read on Twitter Humza has not been available for media interviews either today- He hasn’t tweeted since yesterday afternoon when congratulating Rangers. NS is also AWOL…

Derek

@kapelmeister says:
8 March, 2021 at 11:53 am

“Gnu Labour”

I wonder what kind of tea they drink…?

Republicofscotland

We know Greens leader Patrick Harvey is open to a coalition with the SNP, off the back of this, Harvie has said that its not a given that his party will back a no confidence vote, if its (she has) found that Sturgeon has broken the Ministerial Code.

Like Nick Clegg, with the Tories under David Cameron Harvey has found himself in the likely position of king maker, and his party will jump into bed like Clegg’s Lib/Dems did with Cameron’s Tory party to sample a taste of power in Scotland.

Dan

@ Sylvia

Ach, they’re probably just busy in one of those Whatsapp group thingies they like to do gaming out how they are going to deal with the implications of the messages content the Crown Office has released to the Inquiry Committee…

John Martini

Mia

by 2024 many people will be dead and many others will have become devolutionists.

Earliest you could get an indyref would be 2028ish. That might be a world where the EU has collapsed the french have become nationalists and Israel have nuked Iran.

Effigy

100 idiots

I spoke like that because that was how I was spoken to.
A couple of them mention female members of their Catholic
families were sickened by the Police watching as many laws
were broken, particularly the Lockdown rules.

The non Celtic supporting Catholic members of their family are
blaming the inaction on Nicola and SNP so they will no
longer be voting for them.

For me it’s the top cop that should be facing the chop!

John H.

Republicofscotland 6.36pm.

The Irish, divided against each other. The Scots, divided against each other. The Welsh are left in peace. (they’re in the bag, or seemed to be until recently) It seems so obvious what’s going on, and has been going on for centuries. It’s how the Establishment work, and that’s why it’s so difficult to get away from them.

Royalty play a big part in this. When the old queen dies, which can’t be long now, that will help to weaken the bonds that hold us. Charles or William can never command the respect that the queen has.

If we ever do get away from them, it will take generations to heal the wounds and unite our nation.

Breeks

dunks says:
8 March, 2021 at 5:32 pm
As a pensioner I am getting heartily sick of reading about all that is bad with the SNP. We are a matter of weeks away from the most important Scottish election EVER.

Weeks away from an election where the SNP only waffles pish about a referendum which Sturgeon can’t hold because she squandered Scotland’s Sovereign Constitution, but where the SNP desperately wants mandates for it’s GenderWooWoo bollocks and Hate Crime Bill.

Ask yourself what they’re playing at Dunks, because it surely ISN’T getting Scotland out of this damned Union.

It’s nothing short of blackmail that if we poor sods actually want Scottish Independence, we’ve got to vote for the Wokeratti’s agenda and approve all their under the table gerrymandering and rigging of the NEC.

The best message to send the SNP right now isn’t carry on regardless, it is change course fast, boot out the crooks and weirdos, or lose votes in May by the shipload. Doesn’t seem a complicated formula.

Lothianlad

Whilst I cant bring myself to vote for the SNP, I will.never vote for a unionist party eeither! Or support one.
The fact that the snp have morphed into a unionist party means I will probably not vote in may. Not unless there is a truly pro independence party standing.

MaggieC

Re Harassment and Complaints Committee ,

The Committee will meet next on Tuesday 9 March at 10.15 am when it will consider its draft report in private. Agenda for the meeting on Tuesday 9 March 2021 (90KB pdf) ,

From the agenda ,

1. Review of Evidence (in private): The Committee will review the evidence heard on the inquiry.

2. Draft Report (in private virtual meeting): The Committee will consider its draft report.

Sylvia

Effigy @ 7:09 – The top cop hasn’t said a word today neither has Humza ad NS is also AWOL.

“Rangers have just written to FM Nicola Sturgeon expressing concerns over comments from her government about the club’s “silence” over crowds assembling. They’ve outlined it was Rangers officials who initiated contact with ScotGov & SPFL back on 22 Feb”

link to twitter.com

Kiwilassie

I haven’t had a chance to look through this completely as yet, but it may be of interest to you all.
link to commonslibrary.parliament.uk

John Martini

We’re caught in a trap but we can’t walk out coz..

link to en.m.wikipedia.org.

Mr B

Christina McKelvie doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the words:

Woman
Vandalised
Slurs

link to twitter.com

Willie

Now we know the SNP leadership are saying that new members are joining in their thousands and that Nicola is the driver.

Interesting therefore as we all know how this sits at odds with the huge numbers that had left. And most certainly interesting given two anecdotal reports of two constituencies each gaining 50 and 7 new members post Sturgeon’s evidence.

Interesting also how there are lots of reports about folks no longer members getting mailshots. Together these reports suggest a members and indeed a funding crisis may be lurking.

So what of the the members. Well if the 2019 accounts are anything to go by, the SNP had at that time around 87,000 members and somewhat less than the previously acknowledged high of 126,000. We know this to be accurate because was based on the SNP audited accounts which recorded the amount of the members levy.

But that was 2019 and we know that members have haemoraged since then. And so if another 39,000 left in 2020 then the membership is down to around 50,000 or 38% of what it was at its peak.

These are startling figures, and since many that I know are only paying the very bare minimum to retain membership of a party that they are no longer comfortable with, this does suggest a party in real trouble.

Overstating members to the public thus becomes a priority spin for a party going down. Sadly it’s all a big spin now. Members play no part in policy or in fact in anything much else.

And as the election campaign rolls on, one can only surmise what actually lies under the cloak of secrecy.

Ottomanboi

Plainly Scotland needs a party that fights tooth and nail for Scotland’s interests. In that task there is no room for sentiment or ‘altruism’, a fatal flaws more than suggestive of uncertainty and timidity of purpose. A nice flaw for which the agents of the British state have a refined nose.
The empire may be history but the memory of how the British acquired it and kept it with only the occasional use of force majeure indicates the importance of unshakeable focus and resolve when engaged in a struggle for national freedom.
I wonder if there are any history books in Bute House or SNP hq?
A remedial crash course on the ploys and stratagems of imperial colonial powers could be useful.
Scotland is by no means an exceptional case.
So, get cramming!

Mia

“by 2024 many people will be dead and many others will have become devolutionists”

And many yes voters will have woken up to the fraud that Sturgeon is and to the tragic fact that she destroyed the SNP transforming it into another unionist party. Fed up of waiting, they will be ready to bypass her corruption and con acts combo and find a more direct route. The route we should have always followed.

By the way, how many yes supporters have died since 8th May 2015? I select that date because that is the day that should have marked the end of the union if we only had a real pro independence leader in control of the SNP and not a New Labour neo-liberal plant masquerading as left of the centre nationalist.

So, how many yes supporters should have lived to see their country independent but they didn’t because the fraud in control of the SNP chose to use our yes votes to preserve the union, to force brexit on us and foist on us toxic, science denying policies nobody wants?

“Earliest you could get an indyref would be 2028ish”
You could get an indyref tomorrow if you only had a pro independence party with the commitment to deliver the democratic mandates given by the people of Scotland. Sadly there isn’t any. But you can have an indyref in the form of a plebiscitary election on May 2021, that is less than 2 months away. Why should we wait 3 years when we can have one in less than 2 months?

I think you have misinterpreted me. I am not advocating for an indyref that the British state can cheat like I am convinced they cheated indyref2014. I was advocating for an indyref until recently because THAT is what the people of Scotland gave a democratic mandate to the fraud for in 2016. Democratic mandates are handed over in expectation they will be delivered, not brushed under the carpet or collected on somebody’s mantelpiece.

The fraud has decided to show two fingers to our democracy and right to self determination and has let that mandate expire just because she could not be arsed to deliver it. As far as I am concerned that is indyref over for me. I do no longer feel any obligation to support it anymore or ask for other again. What for? So the plant of the day in control of the SNP can deny it to us with some new fabricated excuse?

No thanks. I will never ask again for an indyref that will be used as THE excuse to deny Scotland its right to self determination like the fraud has been doing for the last 5 years.

What I am asking for is for is a policy change whereby indyref is not considered “the gold standard”. Because it is not. It is the Tin standard at most. What I am asking for is reverting to the good reliable old system, whereby voting for an independence party is a de facto vote to end the union, as it should have always been.

What I am advocating for is to transform each and every single election the people of Scotland takes part in into a de facto referendum. In that way we always know what we are voting for and there is no room for frauds like the one in control of the SNP to fool us by mocking us after she got our pro independence vote that, well, independence was not on offer so that is not what we voted for. I refuse to have corrupt politicians telling me what I have voted for. I choose what I vote and voted for.

The only thing I need for that is ONE pro independence party that is willing to include a mandate for independence in their manifesto.

Any takers?

Breastplate

Willie,
Yes, it would be interesting to hear from other constituencies about their membership numbers.

Wee Willie

When Trump claims the election was rigged he is ridiculed by the same people who claim the 2014 Referendum was rigged. I suppose the Brexit Referendum was rigged too. I don’t think any of these elections were rigged. To quote our Great Leader “ there isn’t a shred of evidence “.

Saffron Robe

Democracy is based on the vote of the majority. The SNP are no longer a democratic party but a party of minoritarianism both internally through candidate selection and externally via legislation, such as promoting minority transgender issues.

It is neither democratic nor transparent and in all likelihood illegal.

John Martini

There is a great deal of pain in life and perhaps the only pain that can be avoided is the pain that comes from trying to avoid pain.

When do you think the penny will drop, Senor Campbell?

Big Jock

Do you know what. I wish England hadn’t voted for Brexit. At the time I thought it would lead to independence , so kind of wanted them to.

Now we are left with the worst of both worlds. No EU protection and no chance of independence.

Iain More

Chief Constable Livingston isn’t going anywhere boys and girls. He was or is neck deep in trying to stitch up Salmond. However he is another that needs to go because he is part of the problem and not the solution.

Our wonderfully inept Chief Constable has seen to it there was no arrests in relation to what happened yesterday so far. He has also seen to it so far that no Covid 19 Rule Breaking Tories have been arrested and charged with anything either in the last year. Funny that!!

Effigy

Congratulations. Tory England.
They announce today that they one have now had 110,000 Covid deaths.

The second worse management of the Covid Virus in Europe belongs to
the larger population of Italy with 10,000 fewer deaths.

The availability of vaccine in the U.K. was to be heralded as their saviour from
a year of incompetence and greed?
Why then 12 weeks after vaccination started are they still far and away performing so badly?

And people in Scotland are will to vote for more of this from team Tory Boris ?

Robert Wadleigh

As an outside observer, the Wings communinity do need to have and come up with a proposal for a constructive way forward as very difficult as that may seem at the current juncture. The question posed by joseph robinson is one laden with a lot of heartbreak and frustration that must be present with many current and former SNP supporters. You all need to properly organize a challenge and alternative vehicle to independence, maybe there are such out there idk. But definately you need to as a community promote those. You know why so much shit came your way post referendum? The Yes Movement got the entire electorate of a country engaged in a way not seen in the Anglophone world in recent history. Debate and engagement had to be crushed, so the powers that be in London, and even in Washington became dedicated to snuffing out that light of hope for a more democratic society. All those “with her” type initiatives and the trips to culturally exchange with the 1% bureaucrats in the States were not just a fling, but rather how the US uses soft power to start to initiate regime change or malibility to their will. The result is a Scottish version of Hilary Clinton and possibly the death of a movement.
Best regards to all of you from a guy in Phnom Penh

StuartM

@ Willie

“Together these reports suggest a members and indeed a funding crisis may be lurking.”

There’s no “may” about it, the funding crisis is already here. The 2019 accounts showed the Party to be insolvent and the situation only got worse in 2020. They suspended paying the branches their share of 2019’s subscriptions (let alone 2020) and they’ve been begging members to renew their subscriptions months in advance. That’s robbing Peter to pay Paul and the Party is heading for the cliff edge. Yet no effort has been made to reduce the Head Office payroll, indeed they are adding to it by their recent announcement of the appointment of Marco Biagi. On top of that are legal fees for Murrell’s appearances before the Inquiry and probably Sturgeon too. Party HO have to be burning cash at a rate of knots.

The prospects of the SNP spending 1.5 million on the May election are non-existent. Their actions show that they’re desperate for cash just to pay their day-to-day running costs. Yet they won’t come clean to the members about the Party’s dire financial situation because that would expose Murrell and Sturgeon’s mis-management of the Party and force them out. They’re probably hoping that they an appeal to the members for donations to fight the election will bail them out.

This gives the members an opportunity to reclaim the Party from the Murrell clique. The members en masse need to tell the MSPs and Party officials that there’ll be no money, no campaign volunteers and no votes for them until Sturgeon, Murrell & Swinney are gone. MSPs need to be told that they’ll get no money or votes unless they remove Sturgeon.

With Sturgeon & Murrell gone and Alex Salmond invited back you’d see a flood of members rejoining and Alex could make an appeal for donations to put the Party on a sound footing. Alex is the only one who could generate the level of enthusiasm and financial support to pull the SNP back from the brink. But time is running out while the Party sleepwalks towards disaster. The members need to act NOW!

Tinto Chiel

“A remedial crash course on the ploys and stratagems of imperial colonial powers could be useful.
Scotland is by no means an exceptional case.
So, get cramming!”

@Ottomamboi 7.46: the cramming could perhaps start here, “Orientalism” by Edward Said, which I am sure you are aware of.

Crap all over indigenous culture(s) and language(s), corrupt/suborn the ruling class or “revolutionary” bourgeoisie and job done!

kapelmeister

StuartM @8:46

The SNP even increased their staff at Westminster last year. They advertised a post for an extra press officer there. Unbelievable level of hubris.

sarah

@ Mia at 7.54: Solidarity have a plebiscite for independence in their manifesto. They are standing under AFI’s umbrella so may get a seat or two.

However to get a majority of votes for a plebiscite then it needs the SNP to support it. Sadly this is unlikely to happen even if the current leader was displaced.

StuartM

@ kapelmeister

The SNP Westminster Parliamentary Group’s finances are separate to the Party Head Office and are reported separately to the Electoral Commission. I did take a quick look at their accounts a couple of months back. My memory is they were in the black and that their funds came from a levy on MP’s salaries and Short Money. I’m pretty sure that it would be illegal to divert any of the Short Money to pay for SNP HO, so if the WM Group can afford the salary of another press officer I can’t see a problem. The financial mis-management is all centred in Edinburgh, not London.

ScottieDog

@Mia
“ The only thing I need for that is ONE pro independence party that is willing to include a mandate for independence in their manifesto.”

Yes I think this is the way forward. The SNP won’t adopt it for May, that’s for sure and I don’t think that will change, plus most folk associate them with the ‘referendum route’. A party needs to be established, where everyone associates a vote for them as a vote for independence. For anything meaningful to be done by May the endorsement of someone of influence would be required.

I’ll get peters for this but wrt the next 3 or 4 years, the only way we will be able to expose the SNP is if they’re a majority govt. As a minority govt, they can use other parties as their excuse for not proceeding. In opposition they would spend 4 years telling us we made a dreadful mistake and that they were still ‘committed’ to independence.

They need to be held up to the light. Only then will the bubble burst in the eyes of the party loyalists.

ScottieDog

‘pelters’

Kiwilassie

I don’t know if I’ve already posted this. Haven’t read it all myself yet. but looks like there is some good info re Independence

link to commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Dee lightful