The Longest Day
In the end the four-hour session ran for almost exactly six hours, and Alex Salmond looked like he could have done another six standing on his head. Now, it would be only fair to acknowledge that this site was on his side before the start, but by any rational objective assessment the former First Minister delivered the performance of his life.
(We use “performance” there in the Lionel Messi sense, not the Laurence Olivier one.)
The contrast with every other witness who’s appeared before the committee was night and day. With Salmond there was no evasion, no hesitation, no forgetting, no “I’ll get back to you on that in writing”. (We recommend the Twitter feed of Scotland Speaks for some choice clips.)
Every question was answered fully, directly, fluently and immediately, without recourse to notes, and the content was never less than devastating from his opening statement to the final surprise bombshell. We were exhausted just watching it.
His words, tone and body language all absolutely radiated candour, solemnity and honesty. When the SNP members tried to trip him up on some arcane point or other, he was on them like an extremely calm hawk, methodically tearing their assertions to ribbons with the correct fact or quote at his fingertips, and ice in his veins.
Salmond came across like a man who’d been planning this day for almost a year and wasn’t going to mess it up. And he didn’t. Heavens, how he didn’t.
It would be a hopeless task to try to sum up even a tiny fraction of what was covered. Goodness knows how many articles we’ve already written detailing the events of the last two years, and it was all gone over again blow by painstaking blow today in the Robert Burns committee room.
The SNP members of the committee, mainly with the exception of Linda Fabiani, were a disgrace. They constantly tried to smear Salmond and to run down the clock with an endless series of questions – mostly actually just the same question over and over – on the previous Fairness At Work policy which the inquiry isn’t even about.
In the two-hour first session Alex Cole-Hamilton made a stupendous idiot of himself along the same lines, having to be told FIVE times by Fabiani in the space of about 10 minutes to stick to his remit rather than re-running the criminal trial.
In fairness, Cole-Hamilton redeemed himself in the second half (which was itself split in two by an unscheduled rest break), and the other three Unionist members of the committee all performed strongly throughout, a relatively easy job as they were at least actually trying to get to the bottom of the inquiry’s brief – even if for their own reasons – rather than running interference for Nicola Sturgeon.
Andy Wightman, too, deserved credit for some pretty good forensic questioning in the second half, but the strangest moment came from Murdo Fraser.
And that one was just left hanging in the air like a weird smell.
Something else that was notable was how few Scottish political pundits could be seen talking about the session. The likes of Kenny Farquharson, Alex Massie, David Leask, Davie Clegg, Gerry Hassan, Euan McColm and many more were conspicuously silent for the entire afternoon, or made only a couple of snide tweets.
Because the truth was that Salmond didn’t put a single foot wrong. In all six hours there wasn’t a solitary misstep, stumble or misjudgement. It was an absolute tour de force, and all the leadership wing could muster as a distraction was a toe-curling series of tweets of various loyalists posting pictures of themselves with Sturgeon.
This site has long been of the view that the Fabiani committee was a mere circus, a bit of theatre for the masses with no chance of producing any sort of meaningful findings while the real meat would be delivered by James Hamilton QC in his own separate inquiry. But Alex Salmond’s evidence today has made a whitewash very considerably more difficult, so who knows?
But what we can say for sure is that – not for the first time in her life – Nicola Sturgeon has an incredibly tough act to follow. We’ll be watching most avidly next week to see what sort of a fist she makes of it, but even with McMillan, Watt and Allan bowling her softballs for all they’re worth (as they surely will), we don’t fancy her chances.
Well done Alex, you held your head high today
Well summarised Stu.
Definitely a difficult act to follow for NS.
I hope the committee learned from the master.
I had assumed with the Murdo Fraser point that maybe he felt it was straying into jigsaw ID territory re the Aberdein evidence.
What a performer, sorely missed in either parliament. Can’t describe the feeling of elation from his final comments … brilliant
BBC News website’s front page would have us all believing that Alex Salmond was wearing a black suit today and not a blue one.
They haven’t learned, have they?
Thank you Alex for reminding me why you should still be our leader.
Been waiting non your summary, all day. Cheers.
It was simply faultless without the slightest hint of bravura.
A Masterclass in 6 hours
Most impressive, dignified and restrained. And I am for the Union. I truly hope he and his family and friends can recover, whatever this circus may bring forth
If he needs help with his legal fees I would gladly contribute in the same way I signed up for the Spectator
“Non” ? that was, “on”, of course!
A very good day’s work today Mr Salmond well done.
Stu,
Whats your opinion, will the committee request the evidence from Alex’s lawyers ?
Alex Salmond what a legend. I hope the committee take his advice and seek the truth from the redacted and missing evidence.
When watching it at the time I almost thought murdo fraser was sort of teeing that one up for AS but seeing it back it more looks like he’s been hanging on the goal line, the ball’s hit him on the back of the head and it’s taken him a few seconds to realise that AS shot has actually gone in off him and he’s scored!
Has she resigned yet ?
McMillan and Allan are hoping for re-election. On that performance it ain’t gonna happen.
And her fan club are in for a shock.
As a whitewash seems a lot less likely – I wonder what the lord advocate will do now ?
And finally how long do you think Evans will spend in jail ?
It was a superlative performance.
This is a fighter who has been out the ring for years, subjected to the most deleterious of ordeals to his physical and mental health.
So he was ring rusty and they deliberately targeted him early on for that reason with a very aggressive early attack led by the first four questioners (you were real dickheads by the way) that lasted about 90 minutes.
After the Salmond got stronger and stronger. (The cough break really marked the turning point but it started a little before that.)
He gradually at first threw off his ring rust and got into his stride. He got better and better and as said by wings looked like he could go another 6 hours by the end.
It was an extraordinary effort. He is an extraordinary man. Today was different level. Really amazing.
I was emotional watching a brave Alex Salmond giving knowledgeable and dignified answers in response to hostile questioning from third-rate SNP committee members.
Sturgeon going for the ‘Situation Room’ photo lookalike?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situation_Room_(photograph)
I’m exhausted so god knows how Alex feels! He’s made me remember what our Scottish Parliament used to be & can be again!
Spot on Stu. Many times I have identified myself as an Alex Salmond man. I was proud of him today. Head and Shoulders above the rest.
A masterclass from the master.
Outstanding marathon performance. How fucking pish is Maureen Watt? Like a scowling wee wumun whose garden you kick a ball into as a wee boy.
Oh, Baby!
We won that one – easily!
The Scottish Parliament have already issue notice for the documents
https://t.co/64vg8KGxaU?amp=1
I thought the Murdo reaction was hard to decipher.
Did it mean he has seen it but can’t comment or hasn’t seen?
I think you mentioned previously only 4 members had seen? Was he one?
Can anyone answer this:
Salmond asked the Committee to issue an order to his lawyers for the evidence he wasn’t allowed to give, and which the Crown Office won’t disclose. What is the lawyers’ plan? Do they think they are exempt from prosecution in some way? Do they think the Crown Office won’t have the stones to prosecute them? Do they secretly want the Crown Office to prosecute them so they can exploit the trial in some way? What’s going on?
Have a good rest Alex and thank you for reminding us what a statesman should look like and sound like.
I think Murdo Fraser oddness was to emphasise the denial of Aberdein evidence to the committee. I’m a yoon but fair play AS absolutely smashed it…SNP members were embarrassing….who’s the Allen guy – just laughable…..let’s see what NS has to offer….but it will be pathetic emotion not fact based like AS..
Listening to Alex Salmond during the Indyref campaign I realised he was an intellectual.
Alec was brilliant from start to finish he made the committee members look like pygmies beside a giant and Nicola will find this a hard act to follow!
Eh, where’s the fookin social distancing and masks in that last pic!
AS is the Jedi Master of Scottish Politics.
Looks like I still have an MP as I was starting to doubt it as Brendan the invisible man O Hara has been doing what he does best nothing. Now he has surfaced I can confirm my estimation of the man as a trougher and a waste of a vote.
Dan says:
26 February, 2021 at 7:58 pm
Eh, where’s the fookin social distancing and masks in that last pic!
It’s a meme!
What’s with that Pic of Sturgeon and “friends”?
Please tell me it’s a photoshop job. We’re in level 4 lockdown and I can’t visit my wife in hospital.
She’s having a laugh, otherwise.
Still the statesman. No vindictiveness towards Nicola, unlike her crass comment about his ego. Very easy for Alex to be calm and collected, he was rebelling the truth. Not once did he say, ‘that is not my recollection’, unlike many others. He won’t need to be called back to clarify or restate anything.
Evans has a lot to answer for. Her fingerprints are all over this, right from the start when she devised a policy to ‘wage war on Alex’, instead of telling the complainers to inform the police. Unfortunately, she was assisted by others!
Mr Salmond sliced through the dross with the precision of a skilled surgeon. Calm, measured, authoritative and truthful demeanour on display throughout. He was able to present the evidence permitted straightforwardly without bluster and thanks to some pretty obvious attempts from the Sturgeon loyalists was able to get some evidence in which they were stupid enough to leave open to him. After today if we lived in honourable times there would be at least six resignations being prepared – four from the Scottish Government, Evans, Lord Wolffe, Sturgeon and Lloyd plus two from the SNP, Murrell and Ruddick. Unfortunately we do not live in honourable times…
I loved the few times Alex was able to spear Murdo along the way ?
Someone of his calibre in general is missing from Scottish politics today sadly. He reminded us today what a good politician is supposed to act like.
Yes Alex Salmond is the most accomplished politician in Scotland, not only did he set the standards that the committee couldn’t match, he even told them how procure evidence that they don’t have, it was nothing short of a masterclass from the seasoned maestro.
And the response from some.
“In response to the Salmond session, a ScotGov spokesman says Leslie Evans will not be resigning – says civil servants “have acted professionally throughout on behalf of ministers” and in line with codes, & that Perm Sec has “addressed the issues raised today on several occasions”
https://twitter.com/BBCPhilipSim/status/1365377090883878912
Cheers, Adam, it’s a bit Cold War Steve then. If we ever get out of lockdown I’ll book an appointment with an optician…
@Adam
Cheers. I’ll calm doon a wee bit then.
Next-up is James Wolffe – on Monday I think. Then Sturgeon on Wednesday.
Alex Salmond not only survived, but thrived in the bear-pit of Westminster for years.
I didn’t detect any ring-rustiness at-all. In fact Channel 4 News broadcast the first few minutes in full.
We should all take our hats off to Alex Salmond today. Easily one of the most accomplished parliamentarians in the UK. If he says that we are currently led by crooks, then we probably are.
For me the most important point, for which the ground was laid again and again, was the ‘offer that cannot be refused’ bombshell at the end.
Either the Scottish Parliament is superior to the Scottish Government and demonstrates the fact by ordering Salmond’s lawyers to disclose their evidence, or they are not and stand condemned.
It’s a variation on the Westminster prorogation stooshie.
I think Wightman, who is a very wise legal bird, recognised that while the corporate body is subject to Crown Office direction, a Parliamentary Committee is not, and I have no doubt which way he will vote if and when it comes to a Committee vote on ordering disclosure.
Finally, I have to say, how consistently magnificent Alex Salmond was, with some of the brittleness tempered by adversity. I have long said he is one of the finest politicians of his generation.
@Chenchos
My thoughts exactly when I saw it!
Is the picture of cabinet members etc watching Alex Salmond give his evidence genuine. I ask because surely if it is, someone should report them all for failing to follow covid regulations. Where is the social distancing. Where are the masks. What is the excuse that allows them to operate under a different set of rules?
quote of the day ” i must commend you on your research” or translated you have been prepped by the advocates office to ask a question from procedure in 2010 .I actually applauded sat at home
I had so much to say..
I’ll just settle for Minnesota Fats & Fast Eddie, after an already gruelling stint.
A wash and brush up, a clean shirt and some fresh cologne:
“Fast Eddie…let’s shoot some pool”
This really was the longest and most exhausting day, Alex was on top form but what he did do in my opinion was show Scotland just how badly we need someone of his caliber in our parliament. what a giant of a man. he surely must feel a sense of relief today.
No chance of Nicola Sturgeon being willing to appear for six hours. I doubt she’ll stay for one minute longer than she’s been scheduled for.
That was amazing. The placemen and woman were pretty obvious, and very stupid in their attempts to avoid the truths that A.S., laid out for all to see. Crumbs; I could not in conscience vote for any of these spineless cretins. Well done, Mr Salmond.
Evans’ CV will need A lot of polishing after this. Possibly the mothership will beam her back to Whitehall.
An entirely credible and creditable performance and still not one word against his successor save a statement of fact that the ministerial code has been broken. Not even a call for her to resign (contrary to Sarah Smith’s BBC report). Certainly no shrill, hysterical statements about sacrificing anything on the altar of anyone’s ego.
I take my hat off to Alex.
Interesting photo at the end there Rev. They look like they’re kind of enjoying it. My main question is who took it and sent it on? Anyway, Alex carefully never implicated Nicola in anything. So it will be interesting to see what she comes with next week.
Poised, relaxed and full of grace. Yet underneath you could tell that this was a man on a mission. What a guy. Cheers Alex 🙂
Lovely photograph of the family watching the telly together
I had forgotten how good Alex Salmond was and is. That was a joy to watch. Always the smartest guy in the room.
His closing comments on how the parliament could get the evidence was just a thing of beauty. Perhaps replaces his “Merry Christmas” to Nicol Stephen on how to win an argument.
I thought Maureen Watt showed herself up today. Reading from a script and didn’t have the mental capacity to comprehend how many rings Salmond was running around her. If she is the standard of SNP MSPs the SNP has more problems that I appreciated.
Please, please God can we have an Alex Salmond led party with Kenny MacAskill, Joanna Cherry and Angus McNeil to vote for in May? Salmond’s comments on MacAskill today makes me better appreciate how capable a justice secretary he actually was.
Alec Salmond An absolute Hero of a man.
Shouldn’t Elsie and her bunch of misfits be masked up and socially distanced?
Reading some tweets while I was watching it live made me wonder if I was under a Mandela effect. Didn’t seem as if we were watching the same thing! Thank you for posting this so quickly, confirming what many of us saw and heard
It’s an old picture, just been shopped to put Alex in the TV.
Situation Room similarity still stands, though.
A real tour de force from AS. I never truly realised how much he and he alone has been missed from the Independence movement, until now.
I watched about 4 out of the 6 hours of testimony and I just wished that someone might have asked the question:
Why do you think, Alex, that no-one, absolutely no-one has resigned or been sacked in the past 2 years of this debacle?
AAARGGGGGGGGGGH!
That’s it for me. Come May 6th the constituency loo roll gets the word CORRUPT writ large across the paper and duly spoiled with glee and the ISP gets a valid cross in the appropriate box in the regional list.
I have never felt so betrayed in my entire 63 years.
You are and always will be a star Alex Salmond.
@RevStu I think you should submit your work on this to Private Eye’s Paul Foot Award 2021.
Been an outstanding piece of journalism from you.
laukat says:
Please, please God can we have an Alex Salmond led party with Kenny MacAskill, Joanna Cherry and Angus McNeil to vote for in May? Salmond’s comments on MacAskill today makes me better appreciate how capable a justice secretary he actually was.
———–
Lets hope pray for such.
Alex is a different breed from the current lot of chancers. He towers over them. You forget what a fantastic intellect and outstanding statesman he was. It was a joy to see him in action again, barring the circumstances. If they don’t demand the documents from his legal team… everyone knows the reason. Well played Sir. Well played.
I think NS will need to spend a (mortgage worth) on coaching to come close next week.
The Rev was to quick for me – following just posted on previous topic:
The SNP contingent on the enquiry panel today were a disgrace. They were primed to ignore the enquiry remit and try to further smear AS. Their discomfort at being told the truth was very apparent. If I were constituents of any of them, and had watched that, I would have severe doubts about voting for them again, particularly that repulsive garden gnome Maureen Watt and slimy Alistair Allan. How on earth can anyone vote for that!
Why has Mhairi Hunter posted a picture of Nicola Sturgeon and Jon Ronson?
Christopher McClaughlin Mr Salmond said in his evidence that the committee had powers Under the Scotland act to demand the evidence from either the Crown Office and if they were not forthcoming his soliciters.
-Cenchos-
No fucking doubt that was what she was going for, Clinton is her hero.
You know, the over-hyped media creation, married to a sinister power-broker, who never accomplished anything concrete, assumed she was entitled to the leadership, and when tested was found so wanting that she was defeated by a certifiable lunatic.
Eeeeerrr…
I don’t mind admitting that I was tearful with pride at the end of that – an absolute masterclass in precision, calm restraint, honour and dignity. The last time was the morning after the referendum watching AS’s resignation speech.
Not only did he uphold his duty under the remit within the imposed legal constraints, but he showed them all up for the shower they are, reminding them of their own duty and responsibility – to the country and the parliament they supposedly represent, with unmistakable emphasis on the heavy weight seriousness of the issues at stake, and then placing the ball firmly in their court with his closing statement.
As you say, what a performance – better than Maradona’s epic move from the halfway line to the opposition’s six yard box. And then the finish. GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL.
Excellent. You’ve earned a dram tonight Alex. Now rest and re-arm for the next phase.
To the committee members who tried to establish facts and timelines – well done. To the others, “so long and thanks for all the fish”. I’m sure your constituents and party officials noted your efforts and will judge/vote accordingly.
Meanwhile – plastic boxes for Evans et al office contents.
That “Murdo moment” was Salmond getting his point across about Aberdeen’s statement no longer part of the committee’s publication. It was redacted by Crown Office. You HAD it!
An exhausting day for Alex S.
But he has been waiting for ages to speak.
Like others have said, what a giant he is
We have lost a great talent from Scottish politics.
We now have minnows in his place.
The Scotsman has gone with the narrative that Alex Salmond’s central claims went unsubstantiated. I mean what proceedings were they watching? Is their reporter having a larf?. At a minimum, and probably more, a Prima Facie case was established today. Over to Police Scotland for further investigation. Criminality in all of it’s forms needs to be addressed. If I stole a Mars Bar my feet wouldn’t touch the ground.
Alex Salmond was never going to do anything less that make everyone else look like complete amateurs today … that’s his strength. That’s how he got to the position he was in (in 2014) in the first place. It doesn’t however mean he’s right, or wrong. He’s just literally the best when it comes to this part of the job.
Mr Salmond was professional, articulate, calm and demonstrated integrity at all times. It was absolutely exhausting and distressing to witness (namely the abysmal dereliction of duty by SNP members of the committee). My household have no confidence that the responsible people will resign or be sacked as they should be, nor that the committee will provide any robust outcome.
Dan. The First Minister and her colleagues know that covid is bullshit
Cath says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:07 pm
Interesting photo at the end there Rev. They look like they’re kind of enjoying it. My main question is who took it and sent it on?
I’m guessing his reflection has been caught in the painting above the TV.
Painting themselves in a mirror is something painters in the past.
Las Meninas by Velázquez is the only one I remember at the moment.
That is a very interesting photograph. I’m wondering what some find so funny on their phone and if it’s the same thing that others find upsetting.
Do you think these people spend 6 hours watching TV at Bute House?
Who is the woman at the door laughing at something on her phone is that Liz Lloyd?
@Ian says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:05 pm
“No chance of Nicola Sturgeon being willing to appear for six hours. I doubt she’ll stay for one minute longer than she’s been scheduled for.”
She’ll need to leave for her daily briefings. Although after watching that political masterclass she’ll need a change of briefs.
THAT “situation room” photo ; I made it – you can even see my watermark in it, hidden away on someone’s arse. Don’t worry folks, dozens have been taken in by it.
( Original image is from them watching a Supreme Court ruling on BREXIT from September 2019 )
And don’t worry Stu, I’ll let you have this one for free Lol
A magnificently powerful show. The Lord Advocaat, Mr Murrel, Sure Riddick, Leslie Evans, all dropped into the pot.
Alex was quite careful not to drop Nicola in, too. Even a fool could see that losing Nicola could damage the pro-SNP/Indy lead aquired over the last couple of years.
He’s given her quite the gift – take a wee bollocking for breaking ministerial code & give up the rest, and she’ll likely be able to continue as FM. It’ll be interesting to see if she sticks to her guns or accepts the lifeline…
For a moment I thought the last photo was a ColdWar Steve thing
re The Murdo clip –
At the time I thought it was Murdo giving Salmond a sort of nod/wink that yes, they had seen Aberdein’s statement and yes, he understood the implications, even though he couldn’t state them.
But now, looking at it again, has Murdo accidentally revealed that the committee has seen documentation which it has decided *not* to have seen because, perhaps, it was retrospectively ‘redacted’?
Hmmm…
*INSERT GIF OF BAFFLED CAT-MONKEY CREATURE HERE*
I think the Murdo Fraser oddness was to make sure the public new that the commitee had the Aberdein document, they can’t ignore that next week.
Wightman appearred to have an epiphany moment where he realised that he would like to be as astute as Alex Salmond.
The final picture in your article shows a whole team of people watching Mr Salmond I presume on TV today. I do hope we are not paying these people to watch the telly, I presume they are meant to be at work.Nah, what am I thinking, they don’t give a monkies.
I am not an SNP supporter ,and still will not vote for them in the coming elections, but I have to say I was tremendously impressed by Alex Salmond the man and the way he delivered his responses to the questions..he oozed statesmanlike quality from the very beginning and puts every Holyrood politician in the shade..he easily outshines Sturgeon from what I’ve seen of her in the last few years ..any party would be crazy not to have him as a member of their party..you would be mad not to have him as your leader over Sturgeon…again very impressed.
I had forgotten how good a voice he had and how relaxed his delivery – despite provocation.
Viva Alex Salmond – I want Scotland scraped clean and ready for a fresh start as an independent country of which we can all be proud.
Sorry about the typos & omissions in earlier post.
I’m relying on you all being clever enough to fill in the gaps.
Cheers
Brendan o’hara says ‘be in no doubt, I stand with nicola’.
Be in no doubt sunshine…. You Are A HUNT!!!
How did you get hold of that photo!? Is it real? Were they really all sitting around watching it?
Alex Salmond, A True hero of Scotland
ANYONE who can advise safe candidates for the SNP list? I know,I know and I am no longer a member but good people I know want to know after their eyes were opened today.
Please help them!
Lenny Hartley – Yes, I know. But surely the Crown Office could then prosecute Salmond’s solicitors, in just the same way they threatened to prosecute Salmond himself. Salmond’s solicitors either don’t care about being prosecuted, don’t think they will be prosecuted, or think such a prosecution would work to their advantage in some way. But which is it?
In any event Salmond could surely get McAskill or one of his other MP mates to read out whatever he wants to say in Westminster where there is Parliamentary privilege.
His recollection of dates and who did what, where and when without reference to notes was incredible.
We shall of course compare and contrast to Mrs Blinky when she appears next week.
2022 in Scotland will be like 1945 in Germany. No one will want to have known the Führer and all selfies with the Führer will be destroyed.
All that was missing was the mic’ drop.
As for that photo of ‘Team Nikla, a handy ‘Wanted Poster’ if ever there were…
All in one picture…
Undesirable No.1
Undesirable No.2
Undesirable No.3
Undesirable No.4
Undesirable No.5
I bet you could smell the fear oozing out of Bute House from the south side of Charlotte Square when AS suggested the Committee could source all the additional evidence directly from his legal team using powers under the Scotland Act, thereby effectively bypassing the COPFS.
To all in the team photo…
You have been weighed and measured and have been found wanting.
Am I being thick? Must be photoshopped ; )
@Runner118 (8.17) –
Sorry, I hadn’t seen your comment when I posted mine.
😉
The news:
Alex Massie is still a fud
Kenny FarquarQwarkwar is in hiding
and Leasky
Tiny Clegg needs a wee cuddle from Liz
Alyn’s eyebrow has run off for a better life (and who can blame it)
God alone how Maureen Watt ever got elected
Cole Hamilton still a nasty piece of work
Jackie bloody Baillie and Murdo oh for F***s sake actually asked sensible questions. Shoot me now
Linda Fabiani was decent in the chair
Salmond is still head and shoulders above the rabble of toadies and backstabbers who are holding us back
This masterclass by Alex Salmond had me on the edge of my seat . He recalled things so easily and so willing to oblige. He really did light the blue touch paper at Holyrood today. The king is back . Love live the king ! And his critics in the msm and Sturgeon at al know it.
I’m no surprised Mhairi Hunter has difficulty finding that selfie pic ?
Well I’ll be writing to the local greenock tele letting them know exactly what I thought of the useless McMillan. He should hang his head in shame after Salmond supported him when he was being bullied by other MSPs. McMillan doesn’t deserve to hold onto his seat – he’s been in Parliament since 2007 and achieved the grand total of fuck all! Well, except for a big house and a good pension – lives good for that swine while everyone else suffers; tic toc mcmillan your time has come!
Viva Alex 🙂
Damn shame if serious politicking ie being FM or PM of an indy Scotland cannot be realised. He’s still a young man compared to Biden/Trump!
Hey folks, whatever happened to the Lindsay Bruce that used to man Wings stalls? He’s become a St Nicola luvvie, accusing me of being a unionist because I disagreed with his version of St Nicola.!
Citizen Alex, former First Minister burned as brightly as ever today. What a day ! Only improved by your picture of his enemies bricking it as they watch him divulging his arresting testimony.
If As returns to clear out the SNP I will rejoice and rejoin, vote for them, and support them to the hilt. If Sturgeon survives I will actively campaign against them and vote Tory to get them out of my constituency. I refuse to be governed by such lies, criminality and corruption.
What about it people. How much more can you stand? We need rid of these crooks.
Completely agree that this is Outstanding journalism from Stu!!!
Coldwar Steve would be proud of that last picture.
Has the Crown Office demanded Scotland Speaks to remove Alex Salmond’s Final Statement from their website?
I can only see an empty page.
And yes, I know that there’s a link to the full video.
Graeme says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:20 pm
THAT “situation room” photo ; I made it – you can even see my watermark in it, hidden away on someone’s arse. Don’t worry folks, dozens have been taken in by it.
( Original image is from them watching a Supreme Court ruling on BREXIT from September 2019 )
And don’t worry Stu, I’ll let you have this one for free Lol
Ruby replies
When you say you made it did you just photoshop the image on the TV?
Did you take the original photo? Is that your reflection in the painting above the TV?
It’s a very good photo & the photoshop job is fun!
You had us fooled!
That was a magnificent performance by Alex. His preparedness, his sharpness, his delivery, his honesty and his dissection of his opponents showed him as the giant we know him to be. Despite early Twitter protestations I think he has ended, or at least begun the process of ending, a few careers today. His legal offer to the committee has increased the pressure on the conspirators. A truly great day and evidence, if it were ever needed. that Alex belongs in a central poistion in the Indy movement. A giant among pygmies. His evidemce must be seen.
AS referenced Lord Hope the day as have others. What has he said and where is it as I cannae find it?
Given that last photo, are Krankie’s cabal exempt from covid regulations then?
My take for what its worth. AS only managed to put a little bit of pressure on NS. His main thrust seem to be on Murrel, Ruddick,Mccann & Lloyd with AS concentrating a lot of his ammo on post August 23rd.
Stu I think you need to make people aware that the last pic is a meme.
I have a lot of faith in this blog for delivering facts and truths but I feel that last pic is not clear that it is infact a meme and may be believed to have been taken today. Certainly by a few comment made here and I also at first thought as much.
Cheers, Boab
I found Alex Salmond very impressive too
Seeing AS today and comparing it to NS , all that was missing was Jim Bowen wheeling out a speedboat and “saying here’s what you could have won”
Haste ye back AS.
I don’t like Salmond. I’ve always thought he was an egotistical ass who while speaking eloquently/fluently was in a way to talk down rather than embrace and share.
Today however what I saw was a man in complete control. Eloquent, fluent and factual. Never wavering from that belief in them that what they are saying is true. The hours spent researching and rehearsing clearly paid off. The detail setup to invite further questions was marvellous to watch. He was a chessmaster 5 steps ahead and dropped hints to encourage the direction he wanted it. And when the plan changed he took full advantage when it was needed. Asking him for his opinion on other peoples decision / rationale, expecting to trip him in via an attack on that person resulted in him responding with a much more powerful response. Not rising to the bait made it more impactful.
Its a shame that there isn’t really another politician in Scotland at his level. Ruth D (I’m getting grief for this no doubt) isn’t at his level but is better than most. Too many in the SNP want prepared sound bites without the power or charisma behind them.
This horrid event hopefully shows the aspiring politicians how to handle themselves. Confidence, eloquence, intellect and knowing your subject matter will get you places.
All those in the “Warroom” picture are in Alex’s Deck of Cards!
Alex Salmond is a giant amongst politicians, a true international statesman, a great ambassador for Scotland, a master strategist and tactician, and not only that, he makes it look effortless! – because he’s the real thing.
I’ve been busy today, so have only seen snippets of today, but truth be told, I find hard to watch. It makes me very angry, because I find it insufferable that such a father figure for Scotland’s Independence movement has been compelled to address any of this petty and vindictive garbage, dreamt up by nasty and vindictive non-entities who aren’t fit to walk in Mr Salmond’s shadow.
One Alex Salmond is worth a dozen, a dozen tenfold, of any of Sturgeon’s grubby wee cleeks, busy pretending to have integrity when they’re really just stirring the shit and orchestrating misery to be suffered upon anybody they don’t like.
Haste ye back to the front line Mr Salmond. Scotland needs you, and we need you. Scotland’s Independence clock stopped ticking when you stood down.
An exemplar of Grace under Pressure.
Sorry, I should have realised that last photo was photoshopped as I’m sure I’ve seen it before. It was the Joanna Cherry prorogation case, right? Not really taken today. Explains why they all look so happy.
Something really strange that I’ve just noticed. I’m currently corresponding with a chap called David McGill, not about the enquiry of course, personal business, but I wonder if it’s the same guy?
Now that I’ve found out that ‘Six Hour Tea Party at Bute House’ was a ‘gotcha!’ I wondering about the selfies with Sturgeon!
‘Six Hour Tea Party at Bute House’ isn’t a very good name for the photo. It’s all I can think of at the moment.
I’m looking forward to some better suggestions.
Perhaps Graeme has already named his ‘work of art’
As Stu says this was a masterclass by Alex. There are no present day politicians who could have handled 6 hours of aggressive questioning with such ease. It gives me great hope that he is not finished with mainstream politics.
It was not just about Salmond’s obvious skills and integrity and extraordinary ability as a leader..
He was saying so much stuff over the course of six hours that is explosive.
Once the transcripts of it all start getting dissected and reported it in the MSM, it is firecracker-dynamite material.
It was so perfect today. AS spoke efficiently, so fact packed.
I have no idea how someone can be in command of so many facts and be able to recall them all so eloquently and on demand.
This is the man to lead Scotland to independence. Which is quite obviously why they tried to destroy him or exhaust him to the point he gives up.
I fully understand if he cant do it. What a shift for the Independence movement he has already put in already.
Salmond was helped by the fact he had nothing to hide. Roll on next week and we can see how others cope, while they try to hide and deflect. Let’s hope it’s made clear that the committee is investigating the actions of the Scottish Government, not anyone else.
Salmond’s performance also highlighted the complete lack of talent amongst the committee.
It was worth the wait. Fantastic performance today.
Bravo Alex. You have been sorely missed as a man of integrity, fierce intelligence, humanity and honesty, who will always be cherished for everything you have done for the people of Scotland and your passion and belief in restoring our nation to Independence. He wiped the floor with most of them and not once did he go into attack mode on Nicola Sturgeon, the architect of the evil conspiracy to destroy him. He kept his cool.
I can’t see Nicola Sturgeon keeping a cool head when she appears. She’s become increasingly out of control, calling Alex a liar, unable to accept his innocence of all the criminal charges against him, prepared to manipulate and coerce the complainants to go to court, against their wishes because she didn’t give a fuck about their needs and wishes, has caused immense harm and distress and spent vast amounts on money from the public purse, denying those in need etc etc. All she’s got are endless lies and personal, vindictive and malicious attacks on Alex, with a few crocodile tears thrown in for good measure, for the women she failed abysmally. I wonder if she’s still relishing her appearance now and able to lie under oath.
Very good summary and a great appropriate photo (Messi) to highlight a superb performance by Alex Salmond.
That fanny Brendan O’Hara picks up more expenses cash than almost any other MP at Westminster.
McMillan is my msp and I can categorically state unless he redeems himself by may he will not be getting my vote
Yeah, the ‘perhaps we should move on’ moment. Really strange. It looks like they are not allowed to refer to the reason Aberdein’s evidence is not there. Surely there must be some other interdict that no one is supposed to know about.
Some performance indeed.
I’m not sure what the Sturgeonistas were expecting, some appeared to think AS would produce a WhatsApp from NS saying ‘this is how we get him’ or something so it may have all gone over their heads as they are none too bright.
What he did provide was a step by step breakdown of the failure of NS leadership and governance. In addition, he told of the presence of messages that incriminate the people he accused. He told where the committee could find them. That has driven some people apoplectic with hubris and delight that he failed.
We will see how NS responds.
That picture by the way… so many people that disappoint in one room. So many people who have chosen the wrong hill to die on and whose loyalty has blinded them to what is right.
He was brilliant. He is so sadly missed.
You can see why he is so feared by many on both sides.
Can’t imagine him sacking Joanna or pandering to the trans cult cry babies.
Come back Alex. Your country needs you.
Chris McLaughlin.
I think you misinterpret the request re his lawyers.
If his lawyers receive a legal submission from parliament they can’t not follow it.
I think AS and lawyers have at the last minute skewered the crown office.
From the parts I watched, I wholeheartedly agree, an outstanding, engrossing, performance from Alex Salmond.
It puts if in stark relief the lack if talent in the SNP. I was also also relieved that Fabiani managed to stretch to being a decent human being, unlike the other SNP members of the committee. (Two of whom seemed to be shitting it as they read out their scripted questions, when normally they can’t even figure out what day it is, let alone ask a pertinent question. Not that they asked anything pertinent this time either right enough).
(Glad other people have said they were getting emotional too, I’m not a particular Alex-fan, so thought is was just my age!)
I’ve still to catch up with the bits I missed. Saw that Murdo Fraser bit though, a weird one. We should all remember that he’s thick as mince though, but what he put his foot in, I’m not too sure.
Mr Salmond, making us proud to be Scottish and knowing where the line is.
And WoS, ensuring we all saw past the BS.
Thanks to both
The whole world will take notice of that session today, and the ‘new’ audience will now be aware that the ‘story’ isn’t over. So there will be millions, at home and abroad, tuning in next week…
…and…
…Nicola’s testimony will be variants of…
‘I didn’t know about it because I wasn’t allowed to know about it.’
Aye, that’s gonny go down a treat hen.
Yes, I was very impressed with Alex Salmond today. It was obviously very emotional for him with everything he has been through, but he kept his composure, held his head high, and spoke humbly and honestly like the great statesman and patriot that he is.
Along with injustice, the one thing I can’t abide is to see a good man treated badly, and Alex Salmond has been treated very badly.
“Scotland has not failed – its leadership has failed.” And Nicola Sturgeon is the biggest failure of all, along with her coterie of corruption depicted in the last picture.
Bursting with pride over Alex’s performance today, a Scottish hero through n through. And as for that mic drop at the end 🙂 Hope the end is near for NS & co.
Lawrence @8:47
“IN SALMOND’S HOUR OF NEED, THEY DON’T HAVE ONE WORD TO SAY IN HIS DEFENCE”
To paraphrase Judge Judy, do you think he needs their help?
Lawrence eegit.
What the fuck are you on about now ya fanny? You really haven’t a scooby have you?
Bangs head many times on table.
Lawrence at 8.47
AS showed how dignity and intelligence is the way to go.
Watch him again and learn. Having left the SNP over a year ago I have no reason to support Sturgeon.
I left because there was no independence policy,no land reform policy and no poverty action policy but there was GRA and hate and clowns.
Ha ! picture filename of spewhendry. Childish, but very apt description of a very embarassing SM attempt of teamNicola coordination. Mesmerizing 6hr display from Mr Salmond this afternoon.
Lollysmum says:26 February, 2021 at 7:55 pm
The Scottish Parliament have already issue notice for the documents https://t.co/64vg8KGxaU?amp=1
Sadly, they have not taken the suggestion to approach Salmond’s solicitors. This has the appearance of action but will be declined by the CO, with enough time wasted to prevent applying to them.
Thus, appearance of action but actually, more obfuscation.
If this was a serious request, they would apply to both in parallel.
I salute you Mr Salmond I couldn’t have had the grace or manners to withold from SKEWERING Watt ,McMillan, Alan or Cole Hamilton even Whitman at times
Watt,McMillan and Alan were a complete disgrace and hopefully their voters will show them how disgraceful they have been by NOT voting for them
The STATESMANSHIP, INTEGRITY AND HONESTY of a GENTLEMAN was on display today , there was no need for deflection,dishonesty,obfuscation or lies to PROVE the TRUTH
She’s allocated 3 hrs, I bet it’s 3 Hrs.
That delicious moment of shared knowledge and intent between Murdo and Alex …the real mike drop moment ..
https://tenor.com/UgRB.gif
An incredible Statesman. Such a joy to watch him today, his integrity has been sorely missed the last years!
That’s an extraordinary final picture in the article, apparently of Sturgeon and her chums watching Salmond’s testimony to the inquiry, where did it come from?
Salmond was a class act today…and I say that as someone who has never supported independence or the SNP in my life. What a contrast with the current incumbent.
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-longest-day/#comment-2620889
“Graeme says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:20 pm
THAT “situation room” photo ; I made it – you can even see my watermark in it, hidden away on someone’s arse. Don’t worry folks, dozens have been taken in by it.
( Original image is from them watching a Supreme Court ruling on BREXIT from September 2019 )
And don’t worry Stu, I’ll let you have this one for free Lol”
There have been a number of comments after Graeme’s, asking about the pic.
Here’s a hint (Works in Firefox onnyhoo).
When you’re reading comments on a page and you get to the latest comment, don’t close the tab. Go and do whatever you want to do in the kitchen, bog or elsewhere on the web – but just leave that tab you were reading as it is.
When you eventually get back to it, it’s just sitting as you left it. All you have to do is right-click on the tab heading and select “Reload tab”.
The page will reload but all the latest posts will be a scroll down from the last one you read which should be visible.
That way, you’re not reading from the latest comment scrolling up, until something makes you want to comment, rather you’re catching up on what has been posted in the time you were away, thus missing nothing.
That fawning was so bad he should be blushing…Scarlet O’Hara.
Watched it all, Salmond utterly brilliant.
Did you all see this?
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/6734858/jim-sillars-snp-corrupt-nicola-sturgeon-election/
I trust Leslie Evans Line Manager in Westminster was watching today since any disciplinary action against her, in the event she is found to be guilty of bringing her position into disrepute, will be taken in England under the terms of the Civil Service Code.
Brendon Ohara – Someone I used to have a lot of respect for, but he lost all of that today. Not just because he put a picture of NS up with “I know where my loyalties lie”. Just to remind you Mr OHara your loyalties lie with independence not a wee settled slippers on, good pension cushy number. Stand up Brendon you used to have integrity.
I was expecting Alex Salmond to get these folk telt and wasn’t surprised that he did. But Perhaps the most refreshing thing about this was the sheer calibre of the guy. I’m not some uncritical groupie but Jesus, you really don’t see that level of command of detail, confidence and ability to keep on top of what’s being said in politics any more. A proper politician. Compare that to the pure state of a thing who’s prime minister; his jibbering wreck of a predecessor, the clueless old halfwit who’s president of the US and his surrealist-art-project predecessor, and the over-promoted parking warden who is the current FM. It was actually almost a pleasure to watch (in my case not live as I was working) just for it’s own sake.
I wasn’t intending to watch the whole thing as evidence sessions can be really dull (I’ve watched previous ones of this committee and not lasted the full 2 hours) so thought 4 hours would be unwatchable. Ended up totally transfixed for the full six hours. And that was purely Alex. He really is a different league to everyone else. If there is a new generation ready to takeover, they need to produce a match for him rather than destroy him.
Lawrence eegit
Another thing ya fanny. I’m not in the SNP.I’ve never said anything ever against AS . I thought he was outstanding today.
I haven’t seen the last hour and half because parliament tv on Sky cut off as I had to put on record, so I lost last 1-2 hrs with all delays and stuff.
Any link folks to full clip?
-Ayrshire Rob-
Ignore Ronald Fraser or whatever he’s calling himself this week!
For me, the jaw-dropper is
Documents were NOT disclosed to the judicial review under “duty of candour” and neither complying to a “search warrant” in the criminal case.
Amidst all the stooshie, surely heads must roll for this. Isn’t failing to comply with a “search warrant” in a criminal case a criminal offence in itself? How can this not be investigated?
Ruby – thanks for the kind comments – and that’s a great title for the image – Thank you
-Stella-
Another example of the Sun turning against Sturgeon.
Not a good sign for her as it is a paper designed to reflect the instincts of the average Scot. There’s a reason old Rupert is so successful.
Donald Raymond says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:58 pm
That’s an extraordinary final picture in the article, apparently of Sturgeon and her chums watching Salmond’s testimony to the inquiry, where did it come from?
Them vs the Rest of Scotland, what a rabble!!
Enjoy your Dram Alex.
Award for rev Stu? see this list:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_journalism_awards
For me the Orwell seems appropriate.
zebedee says:
26 February, 2021 at 8:49 pm
Agreed
There must be some other Interdict(Injunction) extant, which would also maybe explain the Lord Advocates odd statement in parliament yesterday.
Not only was there an Elephant in the room but it farted before it left.
The performance of his life indeed.
“The information I would like to bring to the committee goes way way beyond that” (referring to the interference of those who tried to ‘parallel investigate’ with the Police investigation once it was underway).
AS left nobody who listened in any doubt he has and has seen evidence of clear wrongdoing by quite a few high heid yins. Any he has already named, he can back with publicly available evidence. If more evidence can be released, he can back up even more allegations of wrongdoing. And he told the committee at the end the simplest way to do so.
All things considered, I thought Mr Salmond looked in pretty good shape. Very heartening. He doesnt look anything like a beaten man. Regarding his performance; to see one man facing a Parliamentary Inquiry, with each member and the chair completely against him, without lawyers or advisers present, he was absolutely masterful. He was quite sensationally mentally sharp. His knowledge of the case, the dates, what was admissable, what wasn’t, what his legal obligations were, names, his recall of arcane historical parliamentary processes, legislation and documents was something to truly behold. In a room of intellectual pygmies he reminded me of Neo at the end of the Matrix picking bullets out of the air. He met both good and bad and honest and reprehensible questions with calmness, respect and patience of which a saint could only aspire.
I missed the first hour or so, joining amid a period when it was clear the SNP MSPs were solely trying to get him to say ‘former ministers should not be subject to investigation’. Time and again they all kept asking questions trying to get him to say that. Exposing their pathetic ulterior motives in the process, Salmond again and again turned their idiocy on themselves. At one point with the comically wet A Allan, Salmond handed out the verbal equivalent of getting out of his chair, crossing the floor and patting the poor chap on his head. Nice try son, but theres an adult in the room now. Any and every time their rehearsed and researched attempts to trip him up were lobbed, Salmond cushioned the question, cited or quoted the relevant meeting, name or piece of past legislation and sent the questioner scurrying away blinking.
This is the first time Ive watched the Inquiry. Fabiani was embarrassing. Childlike. Unable even, months into proceedings, to properly draw a session to a close. Whatever the opposite of gravitas is she exudes it by the bucketload. How much time was wasted reminding folk not to waste time?
I thought Fraser (con) & Baillie (lab) were actually quite good. Their lines of questioning allowed Salmond enough room to make his points clearly. I thought Mitchell (con) was fair & Cole-Hamilton (LD) reasonable (I missed the early bits Stu mentions). Wightman was ok. He might be seen as a bit hostile, but I just read that as him respecting AS. If AS could handle unfriendly robust questions, which he could, that makes AS’s case all the stronger. I felt the non-SNP members were interested in making headway towards code breaches and the like.
I thought the SNP members were appalling. Just rotten. And Im a pro Indy SNP voter!!! The aforementioned collusion of their repeated one line attempts at getting AS to trip up over investigating previous ministers was just risible. A complete waste of time & space. Childs play for AS to deal with & he still treated each puerile regurgitation with respect.
There was bit near the end when AS, yet again recalling some date or meeting instantaneously and putting an SNP questioner in his place said something like ‘and I wont need to write to you after this correcting any of the things Ive said under oath’. I dont like swearing on here, but that was just fucking majestic.
We now have a weekend of shrill hyperbolic accusations by Sturgeonistas to endure. Misrepresentations, straw men and downright lies. But AS has finally had her day & I look forward to seeing NS bluff & bluster her way thru her response.
Sorry folks but Alex’s evidence will still fall foul of the same procedures that are being used to suppress it through the Crown Office.
Disclaimer: I’m English and I never liked Alex Salmond and his loud, shouty politics however, today he played an absolute blinder – I followed the earlier stuff on a Guardian text feed but tuned in when I got home at 3:30, just for a look see and I couldn’t turn it off! He was the very antithesis on Nicola Sturgeon – calm, collected, unshakable, no real “tells” (maybe the odd arranging of papers) and an instant recall. Of course the final “ask my lawyers to produce” is the real bombshell – they can’t refuse without appearing derelict in duty, if it is blocked it can be said to reinforce his points and if it is produced it will certainly be the end for the Nicola’s “most wanted” pack!
Jackie Baillie is trending 2nd on The Twitter…
What a guy, what a leader, and above all what an immense human being. Today was a master class in dignity and integrity and Alex should sleep well tonight, I certainly hope so. It’s now time for Nicola, Woolfe, Murrell and the rest to fuck off, I’m sick of the sight and sound of them. The SS Independence is cruising in rough seas right now, but the weather will settle and with a fair wind in her sails and a new Captain at the helm, the final destination will be on the horizon once more. Huzzah!!
@ Graeme at 8:20 pm
We may hold differing views with regard to our preferred future for Scotland, but fair play for creating the pic as it resonates with both Indy and Unionist folks alike, especially after what many on both sides have observed over the past few years.
Your watermark makes it look like yon lass has sat on one of Boyd Tunnock’s products! 😉
I watched most of it in bits, hey i’ve got a pause button.
Six hours of high pressure grilling without a hiccup, the man is a hero.
It’s all been said already but here’s my piece, in different words from everyone else, so i didn’t cut and paste.
It’s noticable that people were trying to re-try him and catch him out with a loose answer yet he maintained focus and patiently brought them back to the remit of the committee.
Love that Murdo moment ‘maybe we should move on’ (looking down): ‘oh shit i’ve got no answer to that’, especially as any answer would lead to govt censorship.
And the closing remarks, delivered deadpan, no threat involved, laying responsibility on parliament: awesome.
After 2 1/2 years of HELL, to be able to answer without anger or resentment and not get distracted, that’s a masterclass.
It is grimly amusing that Alex had to school these infantile nonentities in what it means to be a politician and what basic skills and knowledge we should expect of them. None of them, needless to say could demonstrate anything close to that, just petty agendas and posturing.
He actually had to tell them what questions to ask, what evidence they should have, and where to get it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can bet these pocket tyros won’t have the integrity or the nerve to look for the truth, and drink the stuff.
The pathetic bleating about ‘lack of evidence’ from people who have co-operated in making sure the evidence can’t be presented or discussed is a hideous insult to justice and the people of Scotland. They are so meek and feeble, the pay cheque remains their only excuse for their timid, fearty attitude.
They have no idea what the term ‘public service’ means. They have gerrymandered the whole thing, just as the SNP is gerrymandering the lists to elect people to cushy jobs who will toe the party line and ignore the wishes of the electorate. The SNP is a disgrace and not fit for purpose, but what do they care when they zealously exploit the independence movement for their own agenda.
It’s clear that MF and JB have read and understood the letters from Levy & MacRae that have been made public. Good on them.
The proceedings are complicated. It takes a higher than average attention span to understand what’s going on. It isn’t yet cutting through to most SNP voters. But certain people in the party and the Scottish government and the Crown Office will be very, very worried.
How can Police Scotland not investigate the Record leak now?
How can the Committee credibly not order Levy & MacRae to produce evidence?
Fabiani’s attitude was different today. I think the tide is turning. She knows that the performance of the committee she convenes will be subject to great scrutiny, perhaps judicial scrutiny.
Parking warden ?
McMillan is my MSP, and I can tell you that guy is certainly a nipple as I have found out for myself, as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit
That last photo struck me as strange during a pandemic. Nicola won’t let families meet for tea & biscuits but it appears Nicola’s cabinet can meet for a good old knees up.
I felt emotional watching Alex. Jeez I’ve missed him he’s a wonderful man & reminds me of the early days of snp. Their’s no political tactician like him on earth.
I watched the full Meeting and what struck me was Alex’s phenomenal Power of Recall.
A Statesman.
Re the Salbutamol inhaler, Alex had a chest infection last week.
Mr Salmond gave the committee a polite, but firm lesson in how to do their job.
Now they have no choice.
He remains a giant in Scottish politics.
Re tonight’s request to the Crown Office for the text messages. I believe that the LA is now under the spotlight to such an extent that I’ll stick my neck out and predict they will comply this time.
Stu,
I’m not wanting to detract from the impressive session given to the committee by Alex Salmond today.
It was such an outstanding evidence session that every single other person who has appeared before the committee should be ashamed of thier own performances and subsequent corrective statements each and every one one of them has had to submit after they had already given evidence in person.
The committee minutes from the 24th of February are now online, previously the agenda sat online all by itself until earlier tonight when the minutes were published:
https://www.parliament.scot/HarassmentComplaintsCommittee/Minutes/Minute.pdf
In an unusual almost 2 hour long meeting, the consistent voting along party lines with the exception this time that Andy Wightman has clearly only now got up to speed with issues relative to the committee and is now voting with some common sense in mind into forcing the surfacing of evidence which has been deliberately withheld from the committee, evidence which is vital to their remit.
Even Fabiani put her head above the parapet and voted for seeking clarity from Lady Dorrian on Alex Salmond’s evidence (the published, unpublished, then redacted 7 republished evidence everyone has read!).
Quoting the relevant parts of the meeting minutes for brevity (emphasis mine):
Alex Cole-Hamilton proposed that the Committee invites the SPCB to approach the High Court as a matter of urgency for specific guidance on how Lady Dorrian’s Section 11 Order in the case of HMA v Alex Salmond in March 2020 applies to the publication of Alex Salmond’s submission of evidence on the Ministerial code aspect of our inquiry.
The proposal was agreed to by division: For 6 (Jackie Baillie, Donald Cameron, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Linda Fabiani, Margaret Mitchell, Andy Wightman), Against 3 (Alasdair Allan, Stuart McMillan, Maureen Watt), Abstentions 0.
Alex Cole-Hamilton proposed that the Committee agrees to issue a Section 24 order under the terms of Section 23 of the Scotland Act to the Crown Office to obtain all documents it possesses that represent correspondence involving the Chief of Staff to the First Minister and Peter Murrell, Ian McCann and Sue Ruddick respectively for the period November 2017 to January 2019.
The proposal was agreed to by division: For 5 (Jackie Baillie, Donald Cameron, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Margaret Mitchell, Andy Wightman), Against 4 (Alasdair Allan, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Maureen Watt), Abstentions 0.
Jackie Baillie proposed that the Committee agrees to invite the Lord Advocate and the Crown Agent to attend a meeting of the Committee inadvance of hearing from the First Minister.
The proposal was agreed to by division: For 5 (Jackie Baillie, Donald Cameron, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Margaret Mitchell, Andy Wightman), Against 4 (Alasdair Allan, Linda Fabiani, Stuart McMillan, Maureen Watt), Abstentions 0
Eck might just have succeeded in making grown up politics fashionable again.
Alex Salmond showed today why he is the consummate stateman that he is.
Six hours of absolute skill and excellence. It was not difficult to understand why he is is as respected as he is. A true patriot.
And the political pygmies masquerading as SNP nationalists. They were exposed for what they were. And the cabal shown in the photograph from Bute House watching the proceedings they will soon be gone.
Sturgeon, Swinney and the gang. Gone, gone gone. Their time has passed. They will be gone.
Well done Mr Salmond. The respect and admiration for you among honest, decent Scots has been founded on strong foundations. And when we get our independence, as we will, and maybe sooner that we think, I trust you will be the first President of our new Scotland.
@Frazerio (9.14) –
Totally missed that, and I was watching it!
Thank you, much respect goes to Alex and well done Stu for keeping on going with this, the truth has to be shown to be understood.
What this afternoon proved is that Salmond towers over every other politician in Scotland and the UK. We need him back fighting for independence ASAP
I salute you, the Right Honourable Alex Salmond. You are right. And an honourable man.
I don’t think I can ever forgive what they have done to you. And our fight for independence. As that was the reason they went after you (plus a dose of ego driven paranoia). They’ve gone after Joanna Cherry too. And this site. Join the dots. The hierarchy of the SNP is no longer working for Indy. And what’s more some have committed such grave acts that I think will cause some of them to be up in court themselves at some point.
We won’t give up. Not on you, not on Scotland, not on the dream.
So thank you again for all you have done. If you do decide to return thousands of us will be there for you.
Alex Salmond is Scotland’s Vaclav Havel.
(What they tried to do to Salmond was worse IMHO.)
He is a once in a lifetime leader to seize independence.
Don’t waste him Scotland.
Salmond is clearly no coward, least we can do is match him.
Mr Salmond was pure class today. I hope Scots see what they’re missing. We need him back asap. He is head and shoulders above any UK politician.
@Graeme 8.20 pm
Good one. Found the original. As others have said. No masks or social distancing and looks like Bute House which is not in action.
From my point of view glad that some of the faces there are not cosying up to her.
Cosyfeet has just changed his twitter profile pic to one of himself and ….guess who?…yep.
As a soft “ no “ voter but a supporter of integrity and truth I was very proud of Mr Salmond today . It was also painful at times and the depth of the ordeal he has been out through was evident . I do hope his health is intact . It takes a person without conscience to put their fellow human being through that . The selfie culture speaks volumes . It’s embarrassing and lacks credibility. Blind loyalty is not fit for politics . We must always hold to account for the safety of everyone .
“The competence and professionalism of the civil service matters. The independence of the Crown Office acting in the public interest matters. Acting in accordance with legal advice matters. Concealing evidence from the courts matters. The duty of candour of public authorities matters. Democratic accountability through parliament matters. Suppressing evidence from parliamentary committees matters. And yes, ministers telling the truth to parliament matters.”
Alex Salmond, 26/2/21.
Just put that on the front of every Scottish newspaper followed by a question of why Sturgeon and co do not think so. And pin it to every MSP’s office door. Most of them do not know the meaning of the word integrity. They should all hang their heads in shame for not having the slightest idea of what it means.
We should never pin all of our hopes on any one politician, but Salmond may prove to be a worthy historical exception in light of his peerless performance in Hollyrood this afternoon.
Every possible combination of superlatives have already been used, above—I agree with every last one of them.
Damn the utter mediocrity of Scottish politics and politicians, today!
Whilst we are all collectively trying to do our bit and point out all the injustices Alex has faced we have to simply solute Alex Salmond’s quite magnificent performance today. He is badly missed and the sooner he is back in the Indy camp the better. Rest easy and get well soon (chest infection) Alex as you gave the best performance you could have ???
I watched the whole thing as living down south without WOS wouldn’t have had a clue, just the inate ramblings of the MSM down here.
My impressions for what its worth are as follows:
(1) I have never seen such a masterful performance from ANY politican in all my years, was really that good!!
(2) The “masterful performance” in my view was because AS was telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”
(3) The pathetic “pygmies ” who were just obeying their masters orders hadn’t a clue especially that Watt woman, never seen such incompetent, clueless “questioning ” ever, isn’t she embarrassed? If not she funking should be!!
(4) I was born in Scotland, all my relatives are Scots my dad worked at the Roots plant and moved us all to the West Mids in 1966 (of all years!!!). Anyway I digress, however for most of my life I just “assumed” my beloved country would be better off in the Union ( down to non religious but more fitba reasons) Listening to AS today I’m now of a different mind. To me if a man of such integrity and honesty who has been hounded unmercifly can still be so true, so strong and so honest is 100% genuine about independence then I can believe in his Cause!
There seems nowadays no room for people to change their minds about the issues of the day, everything is so pro or anti…AS for me personally for me tore that to spreads, what an inspiration to the rest of us. Alex if your looking in you are a credit not only to Scotland but politicians the world over
We may hold differing views with regard to our preferred future for Scotland
That was one of my favourite lines from Alex today. I think he was responding to Jackie Baillie and he said something about the how institutions need to be strong and accountable, ‘whether you believe in them as devolved or independent’.
Oh weird. It’s true that if you mention a certain female Labour politician who sits on the committee your comment goes into moderation.
Brilliant performance. Watched the last three hours, entirely mesmermised. ()If only he’d been so well prepared in 2014… but enough of that.)
Agree almost entirely with Stu’s analysis. I thought Watt’s ‘contribution’ in particular was absolutely disgraceful, and that Murdo Fraser was abusing the committee’s purpose in trying to elicit answers he could use for later point scoring rather than establishing the facts about the affair. But on the whole it was an example of a parliamentary committee working exactly as it should.
To all those wishing he’d come back: he won’t, and he shouldn’t. The allegations around his behaviour will always be there. But his performance today, and his commitment to properly democratic legal and parliamentary procedure, sets the standard for whoever follows.
Nicola: alas, you’re gone.
Alex Salmond is a class act, cool, calm and collected.
A man of integrity, lost the referendum & resigned with honour. Because that’s what people do.
Current mob, try to get an innocent man jailed. Screw up a Parliamentary investigation and try to nail him with retrospective policies. All hang on for dear life. None of them have a shred of decency between them.
Any party with an ounce of seriousness and integrity would be using such a heavyweight statesman’s experience and intellect to help and guide them towards their goal. That they didn’t, and instead tried to put him in jail on confected charges, just tells you everything about their small-minded and self-obsessed poverty of intellect or ambition. And they think kowtowing to the very small TRA lobby is a better strategy, what deluded muppets.
laukat says:
Please, please God can we have an Alex Salmond led party with Kenny MacAskill, Joanna Cherry and Angus McNeil to vote for in May? Salmond’s comments on MacAskill today makes me better appreciate how capable a justice secretary he actually was.
Comment of the day laukat. Could I also nominate Phillipa for your party? Oh and since getting a new party off the ground is a very onerous task maybe best to have Jo for leader and AS as chief strategist.
The committee notice to the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service under Section(s) 23 & 24 of the Scotland Act 1998, into producing evidence which they hold relative to the committees remit has been published on the committee websites written evidence section.
https://www.parliament.scot/HarassmentComplaintsCommittee/General%20documents/Minute.doc.pdf
David of Caledonia at 9:18pm
Aye, he’s my MSP as well.
But for all his many faults, when it comes to having a photo taken standing next to some pot-hole in the road, there’s nobody to touch him.
A breathtaking, bravura performance from The Great Man but then it’s easy when you’re just telling the truth.
Contrast this with the blinkfest of deception, bluster and smear I am expecting next week.
To think I risked a physical assault from a mad Orangeman while going round the doors in September 2014 because he had a bee in his bunnet about Brendan O’Hara.
Lots of sleeless nights tonight in the SG.
Oh dear, how sad, never mind…….
Ian Brotherhood @ 9.24
It might have been to Wightman.
When the time comes a lot of us will be cueing up to restore your retirement nest egg Alex & Family.
We are not having it that this lawfare pish you have been subjected to is going to work and bleed you dry and into silence.
We are going to reverse it. Just ask. Whenever you need it.
I watched the whole thing. Who would have thought that a Holyrood Inquiry would turn out to be so entertaining and gripping. Salmond was superb and I am not even a fan of his.
I think Sturgeon has to go but she has the backing of large elements of the Brit Nat Press and Media. I expect that several individuals will have to commit hari kiri before Sturgeon goes.
Since following Scottish politics I always thought that Salmond, Mckaskill and Macneil were truly dedicated to independence and rare upstanding politicians. Current events have borne that out. It is clear from today that these three should be leading not the nitwits in government. Clearly the witch will not go unless pushed and independence under her wouldn’t be worth having. Either we need Salmond at the helm of the snp or another independence party. Today revealed also why Westminster fears him. It is not just pure hate but they know a great politician when they see one!
Struan Born…
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-longest-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2620971
Hi Stella.
Here’s your “SUN” link archived. I didn’t click on the link to give the Sun a visitor. I right-clicked your link, selected “Copy link location”, then went to
https://archive.is/
and pasted my copied link into the “My url is alive and I want to archive its content” box, then clicked on “Save”. Took ages, mind you, because there’s a lot of spurious content on a SUN story page.
https://archive.is/JSx17
A candid and statesman like performance. The coup de gra was his advice in the closing statement to use the Scotland Act to request all the evidence his lawyers have and to use it to demand any other evidence being withheld. “It will be with you by Monday morning” There was a stunned silence in the room. The honesty of the inquiry to get to the bottom of this will soon be known.
Set my alarm for 4am (Pacific) and glad I did, I’ll catch up on my sleep when I’m dead.
It was like watching the first Lunar Landing, the World Cup Final or the Berlin Wall coming down, rolled up in my previous 58 birthdays, just as emotional and it was that important.
When an SNP MSP struggles to read a question from her notes, it’s obvious she didn’t write it.
Any would-be John Curtices out there? Just say for sake of argument that if, as some commenters above are suggesting, Jo and AS ran a party on the regional vote and we held our noses and voted for the SNP in the constituency(just over a million in 2016) how many seats would be indy?
Studhog says: 9.59pM
Those weren’t notes, I lost the will to live, more like a bloody essay. Shambolic fool.
A peerless presentation by Alex Salmond.
Next week i expect a hand jive – sincere generalities – my team – due procedure – performance from Ms Sturgeon.
Wolfe should be kind to himself and take early retirement.
Just a thought. If Alex Salmond were FM just now, do you really think that he would be standing up every day to read out the Covid deaths ?
@mac 21:29
Salmond is clearly no coward, least we can do is match him
Wonderful sentiment that is.
In addition, Cameron Archibald’s assertion that Salmond et al are not for independence makes me angry. The man put his life and soul into getting us all the vote, and then put it all in again during the referendum. Nicola’s efforts more align with Cameron’s opinions.
People have gone down too deep into rabbit holes on this issue; seeing Alex out there, in person putting his side to the people in a far more assured and convincing manner than all against him I hope acts as a reset to some folks opinions on this. Once again, I’m gutted at where we are at this point, but today convinced me once again that we’re missing a behemoth and unparalleled politician at the head of Holyrood.
Alex did well today, through WoS mainly and others blogs we must be racking up well over a hundred hours as individuals on this issue, tell you what must be hundreds of hours. Back to Alex, he must be a one in a generation politician, we witness history today. We read in history about outstanding Scottish people, today I got to watch 6 hours of a man who they couldn’t crush. Trying to think of a politician in my time who can match him.
Alex Salmond was amazing today. He deserves a good rest to recuperate from that marathon day.
Get well soon Alex, can I be in your team please?
A master craftsman at work. Spellbinding stuff and yet we only tickled the surface. The absolute truth must be horrific.
Chris McLaughlin And others,
Did you notice Alex also recommended that the committee obtain and publish the Crown Office legal advice stating the reasons the suppressed info from Aberdein and others should not be published?
He and his team must believe the reasoning will not stand up to public scrutiny. In other words, “committee members, show some backbone and do your job”.
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. PEOPLE DON’T CARE
Sad but true. Salmond played a blinder though, the most dignified and articulate political figure in years, such a great orator. The voice of Scotland.
Expect NS to get an extremely gentle time of it next week with lots of helpful leading questions to do with care and consideration for complainants being her first priority. Amnesia will take care of the rest…
Ha anyone seen an MSM headline that speaks to the truth of Mr Salmond’s work today? I find nothing but lies.
John H. says:
26 February, 2021 at 10:06 pm
Just a thought. If Alex Salmond were FM just now, do you really think that he would be standing up every day to read out the Covid deaths ?
—-
I think if Alex Salmond were still the First Minister today that he would leave the daily breifings up to the Health Secretary, since it is within the remit of that ministerial role to be the prime voice in informing the public of rolling and changing government health policies relative to the pandemic.
I also think that Alex Salmond would only appear at such meetings when it would be required, for example, if and when the public would need to be informed any changes to restrictions imposed in them by legislation, because that would fall squarely under the ministerial remit of the First Minister upon them recieving informed advice from the Health Secretary and the Chief Medical Officer.
Hi Glen Clova at 10:01 pm.
You asked,
“Any would-be John Curtices out there? Just say for sake of argument that if, as some commenters above are suggesting, Jo and AS ran a party on the regional vote and we held our noses and voted for the SNP in the constituency(just over a million in 2016) how many seats would be indy?”
I crunched numbers while I was furloughed during Summer 2020.
I should stress that they are NOT a prediction. Rather, they are an indication of what could have happened in the 2016 Holyrood election, if 25% or 40% of the SNP’s regional vote had switched to a single “Pro-Indy” party.
A quick summary of my home region.
North East Scotland.
Quick summary…
2016 actual result in the regional vote:-
Tories 4 MSPs
Labour 2 MSPs
Lib-Dem 1 MSP
2016, if 25% of SNP regional votes had gone to a Pro-Indy party:-
Tories – 3 (-1)
Labour – 2 (no change)
Pro-Indy – 1 (+1)
Lib-Dem – 1 (no change).
So, Pro-Indy has taken a Tory scalp…
2016, if 40% of SNP regional votes had gone to a Pro-Indy party:-
Tories – 3 (-1)
Pro-Indy – 2 (+2)
Labour – 1 (-1)
Lib-Dem – 1 (no change).
And we’ve lost 1 Tory and 1 Labour.
I only did the regions where the SNP won NO MSPs but am now working on the last two, South Scotland and Highland & Islands.
You can see how the figures were worked out for NE Scotland at the link below, then scroll down for the other regions I completed.
I would stress once again – they are NOT predictions; they are what COULD have happened in 2016.
https://wingsoverscotland.com/quarantine/comment-page-3/#comment-2549419
I get the feeling that IF Alex Salmond was FM right now we may be independent already. Is that what’s behind all this?
Re photo name.
Something big.
Graham’s number?
Great summary Stu and wow what a guy I was rooting for him and shouting yes! every time Alex scored yet another goal. It was a walkover he outclassed the SNP guys they looked pathetic. They are not fit to clean his boots. Salmond is in a class of his own. Sturgeon is an amateur compared to the man. I really do think Alex should make a political comeback and lead us to Independence.
One really good thing has come out of today is the knowledge that Scotland has great men and one of them nearly led us to victory in 2014 and there are others who will emerge after this shower of wasters have been dealt with.
Show me another politician in the whole of the UK who can hold a candle to Mr Salmond? Scotland can be proud and go forward in expectation of better things to come.
@ John H. 10:06 pm
“Just a thought. If Alex Salmond were FM just now, do you really think that he would be standing up every day to read out the Covid deaths?”
No, I think he’d leave that to his Health Minister. He’d only appear when there was a statement of national importance.
The situation room tribute act ha ha very good
It was too bad Alex wasn’t aware of the esteemed audience all friends together he might have turned to the camera and said I know you are lying Nicola and that fkr next to you the baldly one with the glasses he will stab you in a second, Evans looks like she making a bolt for the door
Nothing short of brilliant, well done Alex! There can be no doubt now! Thank you!
On reflection, today for six hours I watched and listened to a dignified detailed account of a less than wholesome series of actions by politicians and civil sevants against a man, Alex Salmond, in his sixties who has served has country well.
In the course of the week leading up to his presentation I have witnessed the First Minister of our country accuse Alex Salmond of ‘pursuing his ego”. I also witnessed the First Minister question the integrity of jury trials.
I for sure do not want to live under the future governance of Nicola Sturgeon.If she resigns I’ll will vote SNP, otherwise absolutely no.
Just a thought. If Alex Salmond were FM just now, do you really think that he would be standing up every day to read out the Covid deaths
No. He would have delegated to health and public health ministers while standing up *against* the “four nations approach” which saw so many dead. He would have closed borders and insisted on a different way of handling it from the abysmal UK one which has seen the most deaths in the world. Sturgeon has just gone along with the government which has handled this worse than any other, but “presented” it better. Big fucking wow.
Pity a seemingly decent man after a lifetime in the SNP- and his family’s life- have been blighted
Still-wheesht for Indy, eh??
Alex Salmond
AKA
TFGOAT
The fucking greatest of all time…
Lesley Evans should not resign!
She should be dragged out of her office in handcuffs.
Her lap top, phone and personal effects should be seized.
Hold her in custody until her trail.
She can reveal the names of those she colluded with and
if not then she can die in jail, just as she would have prescribed
for an innocent man.
I worry that Westminster May now have ordered her taxi
to head through a tunnel with concrete columns.
It really puts into perspective Sturgeon’s pathetic jibe about ego. Here was a man who didn’t display the kind of petulant ego Sturgeon did, but for six hours gave a calm, measured, detailed and forensic explanation of what has happened, and put it in the context she doesn’t even understand – the integrity of Scottish institutions and governance. The one with the petty ego here is clearly Sturgeon and her narcissistic need to be on TV every day acting as the prim little head schoolteacher of the nation, while disguising her piss poor record on covid and a whole series of topics. Would that she would demonstrate an ounce of the dignity and intelligence of Salmond, and show some respect to him, what he built in Scotland, and the legacy she is poisoning with her wildly egotistic manipulative behaviour.
It’s the Sith-uation room.
SAS, note, always gets to be on the leader’s sofa.
What this has demonstrated is how far Scotland has been driven off course by the complacency of inferior intellects and a bizarre obsession with gender.
How was it allowed to happen? It’s embarrassing. Far worse than that. The current regime tried to put Alex Salmond IN PRISON. If he had been found guilty even of one charge, none of this would have come to light. The whole farcical Evans-led “procedure” would have vanished under the carpet and the current FM would have made an emotional speech about brave women and awful men. The war, as Evans confidently predicted, would have been won.
AS says Scotland is not a failed state, but there have been grave failures of leadership. Is there any way that he can help to put that right? Things cannot continue as they are.
Congratulations to Mr Salmond for a magisterial evidence session, and thanks for reminding us, by a calm and measured example, how far we have fallen.
And, as ever, huge respect to Stuart Campbell for dogged pursuit of the truth on a website that the present miserable NewSNP gang don’t want people to read.
Velofello @ 10.04 pm
Wolffe is patently incompetent, corrupt and under the direction of Sturgeon’s government. It is plain as the nose on your face. To resign is not enough, he must be jailed ” pour encourager les autres”. The same applies to David Harvie, Leslie Evans, Liz Loyd, Sue Ruddick, Peter Murrell and a few others including those of the alphabet women who committed perjury. Oh, and of course Sturgeon herself. I sincerely hope they all do time. At the very least I am sure AS will take a few of them to the cleaners for damages in a civil suit as well as the SG itself.
I abhor the corruption which is endemic in our country and has flourished under the Sturgeon administration. It would give me the greatest pleasure to contribute to any crowdfunder Alex might need for his legal cost of going after these people.
A lot of questions answered and a lot more have arisen. Excellent orator. Gave his evidence calmly and consistently. The only bit that didn’t convince me was at the end, but that was out of Mr Salmond’s ken and would have called for speculation on his part. That was the motivation part.
Now, while I can see that the Permanent Secretary would not have wanted any incompetence or mishandling of the procedure to come to light – too late, it had already been called into question – surely that cannot explain the original motivation for making the procedure retrospective and miles away from the established procedure, and, therefore a means of bringing down Mr Salmond, and only Mr Salmond.
I noted that he did not answer fully the Conservative lady as to his coming back into political life. Probably he is right that the criminal trial was intended to finish him off and overtake the Judicial Review, but the two areas of law are very different – one civil, one criminal – and, while the Judicial Review might have been forgotten, the evidence pertaining to the Judicial Review was already in the public domain, and certainly lodged with the Court of Session.
Any appeal from the criminal trial, had Mr Salmond been convicted, would have turned up this evidence anyway. Either they were very stupid and incompetent if they believed that the civil evidence would simply disappear with the Judicial Review if the criminal trial overtook the Review, or there was a different motive from the beginning, and different other motives came into play with each turn of the screw.
I may well be very wrong, but I cannot help feeling that the #@metoo movement, the women themselves and any desire to make life at work better for women in future was not the prime motive. From 2014/15, and certainly by 2016 and the Brexit debacle, this pattern was well established – think up some flawed nonsense, dispense with any sensible alternatives, insist, in the teeth of advice, legal and otherwise, on ploughing ahead when you know the chances are that you will be forced to go to law, and probably be defeated.
Had Mr Salmond not raised the issues around the procedure as being flawed and illegal, it would have passed into use, with little to no due diligence done and he would have been kept out of public life forever. We saw the same thing with Brexit and the refusal to take independence forward as the solution to that nightmare, then the accumulation of mandates has also led nowhere. As far as I can see, the SNPG’s stance has not been to bring in independence as soon as the opportunity arose, but to delay it as long as possible, perhaps forever, but bring in equally difficult legislation which could just be pushed through as the quid pro quo for ‘pushing for another referendum’.
In other words, give the SNP your vote and they’ll get you independence, but, in the meantime, there is all this GRA reform and Hate Crime Bill stuff to get through first. The FM has pledged to get it through. Again, we have had little in the way of discussion or consultation, and the consultation has been fairly negative, legally this stuff is iffy on the 2010 Equality Act, but, never mind, shove it through anyway. Include every category in the Hate Crime Bill but leave out sexism and/or misogyny as they might impede GRA reform if women are not to be terrorised into silence.
Yet, again, the S30 Order is deemed to be the only legal way to get independence, but other legal ways exist which are eschewed against all advice. The pattern is detectable throughout the years of this administration. That means that it is not something that has grown gradually or has crept up on a long-term government, but that it has been there since 2014/15, when it first began to appear. The pseudo ‘wokerati’ also started to appear in the party at this time, and not just in the party, but in the civil service, too.
The game plan from the Stonewall Diversity Champions handbook is remarkably similar to the game plan of the SNPG from 2014/15 onwards. It is remarkably similar to the game plan everywhere else it has infiltrated its tentacles. Alec Salmond would have been the very last person this game plan could have tolerated. The sexual element – and he admitted to some inappropriate behaviour, but nothing criminal – could have become the very means to the desired end. If so, we are definitely not going to get independence this side of the twelfth of never, and that might well have been the real motivation.
Imagine had none of this come about, had Mr Salmond been silenced and disgraced via the flawed and illegal procedure right at the beginning. The pressure for independence would have been managed even more than it has, with the pandemic, then the economic fall-out the on-going excuses to put it off. Few of Mr Salmond’s supporters would have dared to raise their heads and the ‘fundamentalist indy now’ wing of the SNP would have been silenced, with the YES movement stalled politically for want of political leadership.
Black Joan. 10.39pm.
Agreed. Stuart Campbell has also been pilloried for telling the truth, and deserves all our thanks for his perseverance in the face of tremendous hostility.
Alba
I really do believe that Alex Salmond redeemed the course of Scottish history today concerning the nation’s future of independence. I don’t think that’s overstating the effect his testimony will have.
I’m Irish and based in Ireland. The whole thing has ominous parallels with the Parnell/Healy spat in 1890 (well worth googling) which paralysed the Irish nationalist movement for a generation. Hopefully the damage is relatively here.
Interestingly AS has often been referred to as the Scottish Parnell. Interestingly also Parnell had to similarly fight off
a cynically orchestrated smear operation: the Pigott forgery.
Brian doonthetoon 10:20pm
I am a fellow Dundonian (I recalled recently we may have already met). I am ex SNP member and Independence campaigner. My photos are in the Dundee Magazine and the Yes library. You should be my brother and you still are in in a way. I don’t get all this WGD/Nicky insults. We were one movement once upon a time. After today’s proceedings I thought of my late mum who let’s face it was the cake maker, dishwasher but the essence of the party. Especially in the Gordon Wilson era. And that’s why I loved the Salmond testimony today. He reminded me of the integrity and honesty displayed by Gordon. I hope decades of my mums efforts don’t come to nought under Sturgeon but I fear they will.
RT HON Alex Salmond did a fantastic job by clearly articulating his answer to every question without hesitation and commitment.
I doubt PM Nicola McSturgeon will be able to carry out that mission to that standard.
I am looking forward to a list of er…..s and emmmmm…s linked by a strings of incoherent babbling being corrected by Fabiani to stay on point.
I wait with baited breath on the next installment of:
” The McSturgeonites “
Brian Doonthetoon says:
26 February, 2021 at 10:20 pm
Hi Glen Clova at 10:01 pm.
Thanks for reply – that’s v interesting. Such a shame if we lost a few list unionists like wee Annie ‘spot on’ Wells.
Topical songs
Fu*k Evans for little shills
Salmond – Chanted Evening
The Lloyd and whining rogue
Advocate Beguilers
Tears of a Crown
The Police- I can’t stand losing.
I shot the law and the law is done
I’d like to write something gushing and appreciative, but I can’t get past wow -just WOW.
Well if you are going to goad someone by claiming he doesn`t want to appear and attempt to answer his concerns in interviews on Sophie Ridge and Andrew Marr, one would imagine you are not having a particularly enjoyable evening tonight.
His session pretty well branded the key witnesses that have appeared so far as liars and left their credibility not so much in doubt, but in tatters. It is hard to see how any one of the key civil servants can remain in a job after this.
A wonderful job of bringing Peter Murrell`s testimony into doubt without actually branding him a liar. Another individual who must now have a lot of questions to answer regarding his role at the SNP.
But for the me, what was the known unknown, but is now a known known are all these documents that Alex Salmond said exist, but he is not allowed to speak about. What are these documents? If they are so insignificant, why are the powers that be, so scared of letting him disclose them? These documents must now see the light of day.
An amazing performance and I wonder if Nicola Sturgeon will be able to hold her response to Salmond`s testimony off until she appears before the Committee next week?
Just wondering but what would happen if the unionist folk on the committee don’t bother asking Nic any questions. What kind of statement would that be.
As a Unioniist can I say that Salmond was very impressive today. He had total mastery of his brief, responded positively to all questions and never dissembled.
Living in England I seldom see SNP politicians in action apart from the obnoxious Blackford. Watt was unbelievable. How did anyone vote for her? She couldn’t manage a stationary cupboard.
So I don’t care about Sturgeon or the SNP as they are just hopefully a vehicle to Indy which is what it’s all about but how much much damage has Salmond and his huge ego done to the cause? The man is regardless of his innocence toxic to Indy and should keep well out of the way. After Indy if he wants to set up his own party then fair enough but at the moment get to fuck Salmond as you are a yoons wet dream!
I was enthralled. Alex is a giant. A master tactician and sharp as a pin, sharper in fact. There’s no one like him and I very much doubt there’ll ever be. They couldn’t match him because of his intelligence and simply because you can’t beat the strength of truth and justice. I feel heartbroken for the man and feel as if somehow, we’ve let him down? Then I remind myself that his successor and party have stabbed him in the back and attempted to smear and incarcerate him. I detest the SNP now and always will. I’m an ex-member but no amount of remedial action or change from now on will undo the damage done to Alex. It’s unforgivable, it’s criminal. The party deserves to die and a better, stronger, honest alternative put in its place. I’m still feeling flabbergasted and in awe. Alex Salmond is a hero, a king, a political giant, a man of integrity. He is trully Scotlands son. Thank you Alex
@Effiy
Bungly Like The Wolffe.
An absolutely amazing performance by Alex Salmond today. I tuned in to listen to the opening statements but ended up watching the whole damn lot.
Let me state I have never been a fan of Mr.Salmond but his performance today was one of dignity which answered each and every question with a concise, clear answer. Compare and contrast with everyone put up by the SNP previously.
I have no doubt in my mind who I believe in this absolute shitshow but unfortunately I do not have much faith that the good side will prevail.
Sturgeon and her cabal of filth will take some flushing but I can only wish you more power to your elbow Alex.
As stated on previous thread. I was very impressed with this lad Alex, who apparently achieved significant things during his time with a Party known as The SNP.
I did some searching to find out more, but alas the history page on The SNP site that was recently scrubbed to clear any mention of him and returned a 404 page error, has been further tweaked to now completely remove the history tab completely…
It seems the Party is now all about someone called Nicola Sturgeon.
https://www.snp.org/about/
There’s a pic of her waving, but is the hand gesture a “Hi” or will it be a “Goodbye” as captured in this 25 second clip of Camberwick Green.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFhOLCczU
@alan scott (10.51) –
Good on ye.
‘Credit where it’s due’ is always a good one.
You’ve done so, and I do so now!
😉
Alba & Erin Go Burn Your snooker loopy!
Ian Brotherhood says:
26 February, 2021 at 10:56 pm
@alan scott (10.51) –
Good on ye.
‘Credit where it’s due’ is always a good one.
You’ve done so, and I do so now!
?
Complemented by a Nationalist! I’m blushing
I spent 6 hours watching Alex give his evidence. I was mesmerised!
It was emotional!
What that man has endured for nearly 3 years is unbelievable. Yet he calmly to his story. He laid out the evidence. When the pitiful SNP sycophants spewed out another variation of the rehearsed script he patiently repeated the fact based evidence.
I saw history being made today. Alex saved Scotland and it’s institutions from a corrupt group who have infested the top levels of Government.
How can the legal profession ignore the evidence laid at their feet!
How can the Civil Service pretend they did not hear what we all did today!
How can Holyrood put Party Politics ahead of the people of Scotland!
The above 3 pillars of society need to recover the trust of the people. They need to act quickly. This cannot wait for a report!
If the SNP do not clear out their house this week they will never be forgiven. I cannot believe that any decent person would accept a Party Leadership so obviously corrupt.
The media are rushing to Nicola’s defence which only proves what we all suspected. Do they not realise how many of us watched that today.
I’m angry but if Alex could bear that for 2 years and 8 months then I will try to follow his example and go for the long game.
My apologies for such a long post.
@ alan scott
Maureen Watt is how Nicola will look by the time she’s released from pokey.
Alba & Erin Go snooker loopy! @ 10.52.
If Scotland is to be independent and take its place amongst other nations it must uphold the rule of law and the rights of individuals. Sturgeon has destroyed these and Alex Salmond has gone some way today to put them back on the agenda. By doing so he has advanced the cause for independence. As sure as day follows night, there will be no independence under a Sturgeon administration. She is not a vehicle to independence as you hope, quite the opposite. The sooner she is gone the better.
@alan scott (10.59)
Hands across the ocean!
😉
@ Alba & Erin Go snooker loopy!
Did you actually watch Alex`s testimony today? I wonder if you did because Alex showed just how badly the things have gone wrong in Scotland under Sturgeon`s watch. Salmond told the truth today, no vendettas, no bitterness. He showed us what is badly missing from both the SNP and the Independence movement. If you want Independence, which most of us on here do, then you are not going to get it from Mrs Murrell and her version of the SNP. Something has to change, whether that is the SNP or an alternative to the SNP. But things cannot continue as they are as the Independence minded voter is being treated as a gullible fool at the present time.
Glen Clova says:
26 February, 2021 at 11:01 pm
@ alan scott
Maureen Watt is how Nicola will look by the time she’s released from pokey.
I know the woman’s done wrong but that would be a cruel and unusual punishment.
So Geoff Aberdein`s evidence is yet another elephant that is now, not so much in the room, but sitting at the table with the light she over its head. Surely the committee now has to allow Mr Aberdein`s testimony to be included and more importantly for the man himself to be allowed to appear at the inquiry.
Alba & Erin Go snooker loopy! says @10.52
Brilliant analysis. Stunning syntax. Double much much. Sadly lacking in paragraphs. You are so good you might be genderwoowoo sturgeon.
Do I get a prize ?
Alan Scott @ 10.51 pm
You sound half reasonable for a unionist. Totally agree about Blackford and the garden gnome Watt. You missed out that weasel-like puppet Allan. Thought Murdo Fraser did Ok today but Jackie Baillie was class – straight to the point. Wish she could see the light and cross the floor.
i did wonder how you would capture todays historic testimony from AS. Well done.
She’s going to be a rubbish prison librarian that Nicola Sturgeon. All those fellow prisoners needing textbooks and so forth for their exams, and the selfish eejit will blow the budget on contemporary novels.
@alan scott (10.59)
Hands across the ocean!
If you decide to slip from the most successful Union in history. which I hope you won’t, we’ll still share this island and we will still get along.
It’s clear to me that I have always been an independence person, and will be always. It’s also become clear that although I might have been an SNP person before, that might not now be the case, and that my independence stance compels me to vote for the only proxy option on the ballot in parliamentary elections. This should not stand!
Jackie Baillie. (Sorry, thought I should try the urban legend…)
Sorry back to the situation room staged photo intended to convey support for Sturgeon
I recognise a few Sturgeon Evans Swinney I think that’s the back of the Lord advocates nut anoyone provide the full line-up so perspective voters can be informed .
The other reason for this staged photo opp is to make sure any dissenting voices don’t get a chance to mutter disapproval or sneak out and search for a life jacket and a spine
LBC Radio is running with a comment from Alex saying Nicola Sturgeon broke the ministerial code and it’s for her and others to decide the consequences he was not calling for her resignation.
Alex you are being way too kind I would have the fkr dragged out of Bute House with her lying partner in tow I would have said husband but by the looks of it they don’t talk they don’t have breakfast don’t seem to know what the other one is doing all I can say it must be a big fkn House to be able to avoid one another every day , a strange set up .
I’m surprised there aren’t scores of (local) people banging pots and pans outside Bute House every day at 12.15pm (Covid update), as they go for their daily (legal) exercise walk.
Great upbeat comments tonight. Nothing to add except to say thanks to Wings, Craig Murray, Dangerfield, and everyone else who has contributed to Salmond (and us) reaching this moment.
I think we seen today why they didn’t want him appearing; Salmond is a class act. He got everything right today.
I don’t care what conclusions the Inquiry reaches now. We all know the truth, more or less.
.
I don’t have catch-up television and perhaps someone could help please?
Did I hear correctly that Alex has some form of proof identifying the civil servant/s and politician/s whose malicious prosecution/civil court action resulted in a partially AVOIDABLE £500,000 legal fees? If the Scottish Government paid public money to settle this and that debt was avoidable, then things get interesting.
It becomes competent for Audit Scotland to investigate whether part/all of that £500,000 was paid lawfully and if not, then a SURCHARGE is likely due from whoever authorised it.
The time is upon us to report the Strugeonite McWoke miscreants to the Auditor General at Audit Scotland for consideration of PERSONAL SURCHARGES.
THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS THESE CORRUPT MCWOKISTS AND THEIR POLITICAL SYCHOPHANTS WILL REALISE THE TRUE COST OF THEIR GERRYMANDERED PRACTICES.
SURCARGE, SURCHARGE, SURCHARGE.
Fact: If bent Tory politicians can be SURCHARGED £12,000,000 and forced to pay this…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audit_Commission_(United_Kingdom)
Fact: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Porter
Then the time is due for the new Auditor General for Scotland to be called in to SURCHARGE these overpaid civil servants and bent Scottish politicians.
NICOLA STURGEON, YOU KEEP BOASTING THERE IS NOT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE – APART FROM WHAT YOU AND PENFOLD HAVE BEEN SHREDDING AND THE BENT STAFFER AT THE CROWN OFFICE HAS BEEN DODGILY REDACTING TO SAVE YOUR HIDE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME OF US NOW ON THE HUNT FOR SHREDS OF EVIDENCE.
Several here on Wings and other blogs actually have professional experience finding evidence. You asked for proof. It can be expensive and the LEGAL FEES may come your way. Best you get your cheque book out and cancel the Christmas Holidays to Costa Del Corton Upon Vale.
So they are watching indoors with no masks or social distancing; drinking beverages like it is a cafe. More than Ministerial codes being broken there…
Mike Small is an absolute balloon.
” That such a shift should be echoed by elements of the new media that previously supported Scottish independence isn’t surprising at all if you have followed their trajectory. Individuals contorted by multiple phobias that have consumed and possessed them and fantasists that are now reduced to bribing civil servants are a disgrace to the movement”.
I see Ian Blackford is circling the wagons. Gone way too far for me to vote for them
Best to start with a disclosure. I’m a Scot living in England but am pro U.K.
Well that was 6 hours of absolutely riveting TV. OK the standard of questions was pretty poor apart from those of Jackie Baillie, Murdo Fraser & Andy Wightman. The rest were mostly poor especially Maureen Watt who clearly didn’t like Mr Salmond & that Tory woman struggled to read a text. I thought Alec Salmond was totally believable and didn’t put a foot wrong and the coup de grace at the end re getting evidence from his solicitors was brilliant.
Will be most damming if the committee do not get the papers under the Scotland Act. However the actions of everyone involved in the coverups to date suggest they do not care how it looks.
I have no idea if Sturgeon will survive. If she does she’ll be tainted and weakened. Just seen that idiot Blackford on Newsnight claiming there’s nothing to see here. We shall see but Salmond will be a hard act to follow.
Quite a few posts on here saying.. “as a unionist..”
Gotta love a trier..
Such a relief hearing a politician actually providing succinct, factual answers. How we’ve missed him.
I think the first half was misjudged by the pro sturgeonistas… by concentrating on the ‘Fairness at Work’ policy it highlighted:
Alex introduced it, it was good, what the potential pitfalls in drawing up such legislation are and why it takes so long.
It also highlighted the fact that lots of the committee members HAVEN’T GOT A CLUE about how to draft legal, working policies. They were sitting there, like students at a Master class (which in some ways they were).
Someone asked about the Requirement to Produce Docs, under S23/24 Scotland Act, 1/ would the Crown Office not ignore it once again, and 2/ they either won’t request the info from AS’s legal team, or if they do, the Crown Office will threaten to prosecute.
Firstly S23/24 legislation outranks the Crown Office, so they have no legal authority to decline.
Secondly, since AS has now publically granted his legal team authority to hand over the stuff and appear and give evidence, the Committee will look negligent, if they do not go to his team as soon as the Crown Office start to drag their heals. (To go to AS’s legal team in the first instance, would not be seen as procedurally correct – I suspect).
And lastly – unfortunately the MSM – since AS did not slip up in any way – will simply pretent the whole thing didn’t happen and not show it on TV. Big chunks of the public will be none the wiser.
Between now and when she appears, NS will be sitting at home practising in front of a mirror. Given the amount of soft balls she will be served, and her one talent for ‘presentation’, I would not underestimate her ability to hang on in there past May.
It looks like AS will be in line for another big pay out with regards the leak to the Daily Record. And actually, if it wasn’t for that ‘pesky’ anonymity order – so would the Alphabet women – Karma’s a bitch.
I don’t think many in the know expected any different, Alex is heid an shouders abuin thaim aw. Basically he was facing an entire committee of unionists today, including the SNP chancers.
Lets hope Alex can be brought in to lead an indy List party. That party could campaign for the List as a national vote for independence and if a majority is secured on that, Alex can then take that national majority vote to the UN and declare independence.
No wonder Nicola Sturgeon did not want Alex Salmond to come back into politics! Today the ex-FM showed what a real politician is and – no wonder she feared for her job! I’m not saying he intended to take it! But simply fearing the comparisons that other folks would make between them, and that he would push her in directions she had no wish to go, she knew she’d not come out of it well!
I am so proud of how Mr Salmond behaved and conducted himself. NO ego, NO revenge – just truth & wisdom. He epitomises the Scotland I remember circa.2014BNS (Before Nicola Sturgeon!) – the one that worked toward, wanted and believed we actually WERE going to have, independence. Nothing could split the movement then. Now… here we are…
Well done, Mr Salmond. You made us proud. I’d back you if you wanted to return to politics. I can understand if, now you have had your say, you prefer to retire. (I doubt you have the capacity to leave independence unfinished, but I’d understand if you did). Whatever… take care, get well again & be happy.
Stuart – thank you so much for following this story. It’s been INCREDIBLY hard for you at times, I’m sure. With all the venom that’s been spat at you for destroying some folks’ dreams, for all the hassle by Police, all the sarcasm & nasty bullsh*t that you’ve had to put up with to give some real, constructive and back breaking support to Mr Salmond, you deserve much thanks. You’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting during this time & I’m pretty sure Mr Salmond knows & appreciates every supportive word you’ve written. You don’t support people lightly (that’s very obvious in your articles), you don’t believe in unfairness or letting people lie their way out of trouble. Sooo… I’ve always been of the belief that if you saw there was merit in supporting Alex Salmond, it was because you saw he was worth it. I’m sure Alex was very grateful to have that support. I can only imagine how low & depressed he must have felt at times. And it’s support like yours that keeps people going. No doubt he’ll thank you himself. But I still want to say ‘thank you’. It was well done.
Now… I can only hope Wednesday brings some much needed desk clearing… I have my doubts but one can hope.
A true statesman’s performance. Few notes needed. Recall as to dates and events was perfect.
I agree with those who say he deliberately went easy on Sturgeon as he has no desire to wreck the independence cause, however Evans, Wolfe and Murrell were skewered.
Well done Alex.
Is that last picture for real?! Who took it, and how? And where was it published?
“When did you last rape your mother?”
What a QC Alec would have made. Magisterial. A giant among Lilliputians.
I sat spellbound for 6 hours by the dignified, statesmanlike testimony of the best politician Scotland has ever had.
Oh Alex, how Scotland has missed you!
And how much she needs you now?
Despite being an English, Tory, unionist, (boo) I was very impressed by AS today. There’s something rotten in Scotland but he’s doing much to expose it. All power to his elbow. A truly impressive performance!
I couldn`t help whilst watching Alex Salmond today and think, god how we need you right now in the Independence movement.
It’s interesting that the photo at the end of the piece of Sturgeon and Co watching Alex Salmond on the telly, is titled ‘warroom1.jpg’.
It was presumably named by Wings, but it’s hopefully a prelude of Nicola and the surrounding brown nosers entering the Downfall period of their careers.
https://wingsoverscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/warroom1.jpg
An extremely dignified and honest testimony by Scotland’s finest leader.
What a contrast to the lying bastards and bitches who tried to imprison him.
Take care Sir, we salute you.
So if Sturgeon`s pan was to hang on long enough as FM so that her pal could get elected to the Scottish Parliament in a safe Edinburgh seat. That plan must be close to being in tatters. not only is it becoming increasingly doubtful that she will hang on until the May elections. But her pal must be close to having to consider if he still wishes to be considered as a candidate at May`s elections.
Andybhoy says:
26 February, 2021 at 11:06 pm
Surely the committee now has to allow Mr Aberdein`s testimony to be included and more importantly for the man himself to be allowed to appear at the inquiry.
How dare you, sir! Why next you’ll be suggesting that Liz Lloyd should be asked questions. And that would never do.
Andybhoy says:
26 February, 2021 at 11:06 pm
So Geoff Aberdein`s evidence is yet another elephant that is now, not so much in the room, but sitting at the table with the light she over its head. Surely the committee now has to allow Mr Aberdein`s testimony to be included and more importantly for the man himself to be allowed to appear at the inquiry.
—
If I recall correctly, Geoff Aberdein’s written evidence can and has been submitted to the enquiry.
However, due to contract clauses in his current employment prohibiting political activism & lobbying, he is prohibited from giving an oral statement to the committee and I think the committee have already accepted that fact.
Now that does not stop his written evidence from being submitted, which to everyones understanding has been submitted, but has also been blocked from the inquiry committee for reasons unknown to them officially or publicly.
Perhaps there is legal correspondence there from the Clown Office that needs to be published to further understand why, and perhaps the written evidence need be re-evaluated by the clerks to the committee and the SPCB given that Lady Dorrian has had to amend, for clarity, the anonymity order from the criminal trial to only apply to instances where the criminal trial is concerned.
What is obvious to anyone who watched the entire oral evidence session by Alex Salmond today is that there are so many questions which have been left unanswered strictly because there are so many articles of evidence that Alex Salmond and his legal team know exist, articles of evidence which have deliberately not been submitted by the Crown Office when they were compelled to do so under a Section 22/23 Notice of the Scotland Act 1998, articles of evidence which have deliberately been redacted for undeclared reasons or which have been redacted under misrepresentations of current legislation by the Crown Agent and his office through legal threats to the SPCB and the committee.
The fact that Alex Salmond had to openly invite the committee to serve him & his legal team with a notice under the Scotland Act 1998 to compel the release of evidence, of which they were openly willing to do so, evidence that the Crown Office have refused to submit even when compelled to under the Scotland Act 1998 is a very shocking revelation indeed!
Twitter spat going on between Kenny MacAskill and the many Mennies.
Just got in, looking before bed , , , ER !!!! WHERE IS THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKS . . .
What a shower of self serving, 2tier law, I mean guideline, I mean psychologically manipulating, rule breaking shites . . .
I always wondered what Nikla’s living room looked like and all those folk just popping in for a cuppa..
Where’s Murrel, the house boy by the way, shopping (shopping someone to the polis) 🙂
Alex was magnificent, a man of Scotland to be very proud of.
Lorna Campbell says:
26 February, 2021 at 10:41 pm
A lot of questions answered and a lot more have arisen. Excellent orator. Gave his evidence calmly and consistently. The only bit that didn’t convince me was at the end, but that was out of Mr Salmond’s ken and would have called for speculation on his part.
Can you put that more clearly?
The ‘bit at the end’ was all about the reckless and feckless fornication between institutoins
That was the motivation part.
Now, while I can see that the Permanent Secretary would not have wanted any incompetence or mishandling of the procedure to come to light – too late, it had already been called into question – surely that cannot explain the original motivation for making the procedure retrospective and miles away from the established procedure, and, therefore a means of bringing down Mr Salmond, and only Mr Salmond.
I would not use the word ‘surely’,but would happily use ‘likely’
I noted that he did not answer fully the Conservative lady as to his coming back into political life.
Excellent noting but that is not what the inquiry is concerned about?
Probably he is right that the criminal trial was intended to finish him off and overtake the Judicial Review, but the two areas of law are very different – one civil, one criminal – and, while the Judicial Review might have been forgotten, the evidence pertaining to the Judicial Review was already in the public domain, and certainly lodged with the Court of Session.
Please explain
Any appeal from the criminal trial, had Mr Salmond been convicted, would have turned up this evidence anyway. Either they were very stupid and incompetent if they believed that the civil evidence would simply disappear with the Judicial Review if the criminal trial overtook the Review, or there was a different motive from the beginning, and different other motives came into play with each turn of the screw.
I may well be very wrong, but I cannot help feeling that the #@metoo movement, the women themselves and any desire to make life at work better for women in future was not the prime motive. From 2014/15, and certainly by 2016 and the Brexit debacle, this pattern was well established – think up some flawed nonsense, dispense with any sensible alternatives, insist, in the teeth of advice, legal and otherwise, on ploughing ahead when you know the chances are that you will be forced to go to law, and probably be defeated.
It’s a little different, have a look in your purse, and check the public one.
Had Mr Salmond not raised the issues around the procedure as being flawed and illegal, it would have passed into use, with little to no due diligence done and he would have been kept out of public life forever. We saw the same thing with Brexit and the refusal to take independence forward as the solution to that nightmare, then the accumulation of mandates has also led nowhere. As far as I can see, the SNPG’s stance has not been to bring in independence as soon as the opportunity arose, but to delay it as long as possible, perhaps forever, but bring in equally difficult legislation which could just be pushed through as the quid pro quo for ‘pushing for another referendum’.
In other words, give the SNP your vote and they’ll get you independence,
You’re pulling everyones’ leg now
but, in the meantime, there is all this GRA reform and Hate Crime Bill stuff to get through first. The FM has pledged to get it through. Again, we have had little in the way of discussion or consultation, and the consultation has been fairly negative, legally this stuff is iffy on the 2010 Equality Act, but, never mind, shove it through anyway. Include every category in the Hate Crime Bill but leave out sexism and/or misogyny as they might impede GRA reform if women are not to be terrorised into silence.
Yet, again, the S30 Order is deemed to be the only legal way to get independence, but other legal ways exist which are eschewed against all advice. The pattern is detectable throughout the years of this administration. That means that it is not something that has grown gradually or has crept up on a long-term government, but that it has been there since 2014/15, when it first began to appear. The pseudo ‘wokerati’ also started to appear in the party at this time, and not just in the party, but in the civil service, too.
The game plan from the Stonewall Diversity Champions handbook is remarkably similar to the game plan of the SNPG from 2014/15 onwards. It is remarkably similar to the game plan everywhere else it has infiltrated its tentacles. Alec Salmond would have been the very last person this game plan could have tolerated. The sexual element – and he admitted to some inappropriate behaviour, but nothing criminal – could have become the very means to the desired end. If so, we are definitely not going to get independence this side of the twelfth of never, and that might well have been the real motivation.
Imagine had none of this come about, had Mr Salmond been silenced and disgraced via the flawed and illegal procedure right at the beginning. The pressure for independence would have been managed even more than it has, with the pandemic, then the economic fall-out the on-going excuses to put it off. Few of Mr Salmond’s supporters would have dared to raise their heads and the ‘fundamentalist indy now’ wing of the SNP would have been silenced, with the YES movement
stalled politically for want of political lead
Lorna, you are nuts.
She’s a real stoater Kapelmeister.
Fuckwit,by proxy.
Mony’s a Mennie, that makes a muckle.
-Effijy at 10.49-
Marvellous stuff
Had a long and busy day an have just watched the YouTube clips on the Scotland Speaks link.
What an outstanding performance from Alex. I knew he would be good, but bloody hell, I can’t believe how good he actually was. I can’t even remember what I had for tea last night, yet Alex fired off all the dates absolutely no bother at all. Bravo.
It is good that he mentioned the part about there still being an ongoing investigation by the police into who leaked the WhatsApp messages and yet nothing has been done about the Daily Record leak.
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE REGARDING THE WHATSAPP LEAK. I have followed the whole timeline etc. from the start regarding which meeting took place and when etc. and so have pretty much caught up on everything and aware of all the ins and outs. The bit I don’t quite get is how were the text messages passed onto Kenny MacAskill? is it thought that he got the messages directly from one of the Vietnam group or passed on via someone else? Did the Police questioned and put pressure on Kenny as to how he got hold of them in the first place? Is he not obliged to name his source?
That is the only bit in this whole thing I am not sure of. Any help would be much appreciated.
Any regrets or hesitation I was feeling about not joining the Nicola fan club and holding my nose and voting SNP for the Holyrood parliament have been settled today Alex Salmond exposed a party and a government behaviour I can’t support.
I have nothing to loose the only reason the SNP exists is making the case for a better Scotland a better way of doing things that will not mirror Westminster and constantly push Independence , well that was the deal I expected to be honoured Nope hasn’t happened , preparations haven’t been made therefore what’s the point I know they are not talking the deal seriously so I am out of it .
Salmond was excellent today. I’m proud of him and my heart went out to him.
There were plenty of smoking guns and clearly more to follow. The most significant today were that it was Salmond who pushed for complainant anonymity, that Leslie Evans hid key communications even under a search warrant and that documents regarding the new policy were doctored with false dates to cover the planning of the stitch up.
I can’t think of anything I’ve watched or would watch for six hours straight..
No films or series.
That was absolutely spellbinding.
Wow, both votes Alex Salmond party might be self defeating but on that performance who’d bet against him being elected FM once in the chamber – especially if his list party carried the manifesto outlining precisely where to shove a section 30 refusal
Well done Alex, he did himself proud. I can’t imagine what he’s been through the last few years, it must be such a relief that his side of the story is finally seeing the light of day.
Seen in the context of today’s evidence, don’t the recent interventions by Nicola Sturgeon, Rape Crisis and Sue Ruddick looking even more like hysterical attempts to stop us finding out the truth about what went on, no wonder they’re freaking out…
Hi Annie 621.
I’m with you. The whole afternoon was riveting.
The TRUTH will be exposed.
I have read loads of comments on here about Alex Salmond’s delivery of his evidence to the Parliamentary Committee. He was professional, statesman like, a master craftsman. Surprise and amazement at his powers of recall and attention to detail. Comparisons being made with the poor performances of previous witnesses, particularly the Permanent Secy., Lord Advocate, and Peter Murrell and others.
I do not doubt Alex Salmond’s abilities as an orator, but perhaps what made it easier for him was the simple fact that he was speaking the TRUTH.
A truthful person does not need to rely on prevarication or obfuscation nor hide behind obscure regulations.
@ Anonymoose
Thank you for your detailed reply. My worry with Aberdein`s evidence relates to whether the evidence is accepted by the committee. As I understand it, it doesn`t matter whether the evidence exists and whether we know what that evidence is, if the committee don`t accept it, it doesn`t exist as far as they are concerned.
I would think after Alex Salmond`s performance today, there must be questions as why Mr Aberdein hasn`t appeared at the inquiry as clearly has vital evidence as to whether Nicola Sturgeon accidentally or deliberately lied to parliament.
.
Just watched the awful fake journalist Susie Boniface (her qualification is she read the “Bluffers Guide To Journalism).
Susie Boniface is on “Sky News Paper Review” just now and regurgitating liquid urine from her mouth…
“Alex Salmond was found not proven of a sexual assault and what he did to those women was terrible. So he attacks another woman, Nicola Sturgeon to rehabilitate his reputation. Not a good look. Horrible man. Hate men. Blah. Lie Blah. Lie”.
Stuart, Thankyou for cutting up your NUJ card.
I just cut up my £43 monthly payment to Sky TV. I don’t need to pay for fake hacks who hide behind identities and are piss poor at doing their jobs.
£43 a month is only £516 per year, but that’s £5,000 a decade. Sky can go take a flying fluck.
I agree with just about every word of that assessment. However, posts from so-called indy supporters on social media have me in despair at the continued bile directed towards Alex Salmond. What is wrong with people?
@Andybhoy 12:23
You have answered your own question. Aberdeins evidence will sink the current FM. His evidence was made under oath. With the prospect of a custodial sentence if he told a lie. Totally believable evidence unheard by this Inquiry. Thank God for the bloggers like Stu, Craig, Grousebeater, Barrhead Boy etc. They called it out months ago. I note Sarah Smith has issued an apology already within a few hours of Salmond’s testimony. She, kirsty et al strung Salmond up before the criminal verdict and were standing outside the Court. We remember.
Thank you Scotland Speaks.
Just watched the complete day from your page.
Sadly,I fear these last few years has taken a toll on Mr Salmond.
I truly wish him well.
What a performance.
Statesman.
Is anyone who doesn’t support independence allowed to comment on this site? Shame…debate is good
Holyrood, devolution will never be under more scrutiny than it is now. The right wing gammon like Andrew Neil will be unrelenting in reporting Scotland as a banana republic. The tories are loving this and I’m not convinced labour would sad to see holyrood marginalised even more, or disappear for that matter.
If the committee and the SP bury this under the carpet then everyone here loses. Surely the pro-Sturgeon committee members realise this?
The ability to call a first minister to account (any first minister) is healthy, and it is vital in a functioning parliament or what’s the the point?
A thorough and uninhibited enquiry where no one politician is above the rules is a sign of a successful and effective parliament.
I just watched sky press review. Susie Boniface’s comments were absolutely disgusting, if not criminal. She clearly has no idea.
Yes I remember that bit about Murdo Fraser.
But I also remember when Alex, in a few words, made the point of our Scots sovereignty.
Parliament is not sovereign the people are.
Alex was amazingly good
That being said, I think James Kelly in Scotgoespop is making a better strategic analysis of all this than the Rev
Fingers crossed for an Alex Salmond led list party
I’ve been critical of some of the reporting on wings.
Salmons was outstanding today and spelled out the issues with strength and clarity.
According to Boniface on SKY papers, ten women did not get justice
Well that’s a surprise because I’m pretty sure there was a court case with lawyers and a judge – female – and a jury – majority female – and the judge & jury found Alex Salmond not guilty
Oh sorry Susie, you mean they didn’t manage to lie well enough to get an innocent man jailed for the rest of his life, that kind of justice?
The “I know he was found not guilty but he did it anyway” we heard from Ms Sturgeon earlier in the week kind of justice?
I hope his legal team were watching and justice prevails on the type of garbage people on SKY news spout about things they know naff all about
the time went fast today, unfortunately I missed the last hour as I had to buy food. Finished with a flourish so I heard, expected nothing less.
Anyone would have been beaten down by this ordeal, but he looked as up for it as any 66 year old; Joe Biden is what, 78? If he wants to make a comeback, it might eclipse Elvis in 68.
Someone posted to Debord some days ago, and that might be a bit deep, venturing into CamBrodies old territory – but we live in a “spectacle” where reality is not really real, all is entertainment, the appearance of things … I digress – the point is, this was all VERY FUCKING REAL for AS, and if you don’t get it, drive out to the wilds of central lanarkhire, and look at HMP Shotts, which is where r4pists go.
I feel a cold hatred about these and related matters. Scotland is a country fed on starvation rations, and every one of us has had his life diminished in uncountable ways, the opportunities that were never taken, because they never existed; the struggles where there should have been ease; trying not to lose too much, rather than going forward. Whatever is being dished out, we receive a measure, but less; anything for London, the “golden triangle” (so-called because of all the wealth poured into it). Northern England, I don’t really care much about, the English being a servile people who love the whip – point really is the bulk extraction comes from ourselves, and time to put ourselves first, for we face a slow annihilation, used up by London to solve the problems they created for themselves; we have too much land, and not enough people, watch out for that, as the Nigels build Barratt homes on floodplains.
But, here’s something – the past does not matter, everything is up for grabs, the future is not written. You can do anything you want in life – you just have to get away with it, and make it stick.
“Is your hatred pure? / Anger is an energy.”
I think the first priority is – all the cuckoos in the nest, the squatters, the thieves, the opportunists; the scenario I imagine is Ulysses wrath against the “suitors” in his house.
Salmond is our “King”, if he wants it.
I have no comment on the evidence or the broadcast as I have not watched it yet.
My comment is to ask the simple question after all is said and done who benefits?
Certainly no-one in the SNP, nor any SG officials nor Lord Advocate etc etc. The only benefit is to Westminster and the Unionists. This has driven a wedge into the indy movement, cost a lot of Scottish Cash which could have been used for a multitude of other more pressing issues, has given WM reason to reduce powers of the Scottish Parliament and to remove cash that would otherwise have been distributed by Scotland.
In short it is a perfect psyop, WM benefits and indy is damaged. The smell of MI5 and MI6 or one of their many proxies is self evident. After all as Lin Wood has made clear the intelligence agencies are totally evil, pedophilia being their main weapon of choice for blackmail purposes and Epstein and a certain Saxe-Coburg were being used for such activities.
@Anthem 1:11pm
Agreed Susie Boniface knows nothing about Scottish Politics. But in fairness the entire MSN missed the issues today. You can take a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink. Surrounded by pro jornos taking payment and not understanding diddly squat.A depressing day for the MSM. Admirably summed up by Sarah Smith.
He spoke for all of us.
Including those who don’t want to see.
Sunshine is the best disinfectant. I thought the funniest moment was when ‘one watt bulb’ was made to look an idiot by AS pointing out that the ‘inappropriate mediation policy’ is what is in place for current ministers. She had a face like smacked backside
Apologies if mentioned above but Alex’s closing clue regarding evidence attainable via The Scotland Act was actioned about half an hour after he finished with a letter in the name of the Clerk sent to COPFS (not his lawyer as Alex suggested) by EC mail with an instruction to get the missing evidence to the committee by noon on 2nd March. Sturgeon is due in the chair on the 3rd.
It was an exceptional performance. He asked more questions of the committee than they of him and he spent most of the session dropping golden clues about where all the buried treasure is hidden. I thought Fabiani was weak and the whole charade way to chummy but at least she played fair. The other three were an embarrassment and I was convinced that Watt had an earpiece getting direct instruction from Sturgeon. Felt sorry for Aberdonians who voted for her. My biggest concern about the committee is that these are the people who write the final report!
The real prize will come if Lord Hamilton adopts this more enthusiastically. I believe Alex is giving evidence at that next week. As for the election, Alex leading a List-only party is our best hope. After that today, we still have hope.
Brilliant
James Cook of BBC managed to tweet a photo of Alex Salmond wearing blue, which he was wearing…
https://archive.is/W5gsg
Yet, BBC News Scotland website has him dressed in black…
https://archive.vn/XAj4t
Blackshirt conflation similar to the Swinney episode?
What I don’t get, is why are there are so many documents not being read out to the waiting public
Surely ALL evidence should be heard.
One Individual should never have the power to decide what evidence his heard and what isn’t.
Daisy Walker
“Someone asked about the Requirement to Produce Docs, under S23/24 Scotland Act, 1/ would the CANCrown Office not ignore it once again, and 2/ they either won’t request the info from AS’s legal team, or if they do, the Crown Office will threaten to prosecute.”
COPFS can refuse to release it under the act, they have exemption sections if it’s not in the public interest – see s.23.
However, I think at this stage that argument isn’t robust enough to hold.
Hamerdoon says:
27 February, 2021 at 2:36 am
Daisy Walker
“Someone asked about the Requirement to Produce Docs, under S23/24 Scotland Act, 1/ would the CANCrown Office not ignore it once again, and 2/ they either won’t request the info from AS’s legal team, or if they do, the Crown Office will threaten to prosecute.”
COPFS can refuse to release it under the act, they have exemption sections if it’s not in the public interest – see s.23.
However, I think at this stage that argument isn’t robust enough to hold.
========================================================
I think the arguments or questions at the stage is how long before the Lord Advocate resigns along with mass resignations at the COPFS and the Crown office. There clearly needs to be some to restore any public credibility in either place.
What a statesman! A.S. radiated openness, transparency , and sincerity . The man is head & shoulders above every single Holyrood “ minister” put together . It was obvious to me that finally being able to “ unburden “ himself at Holyrood appeared to be a great weight lifted from him , and by the end of this masterclass of detail the man positively looked ten years younger . The finest politician Scotland has ever produced . If we are ever to be Independent then Alex Salmond can lead us there .
The governance and parliament of Scotland are answerable to the people of Scotland.
The people, not the crown, not the judiciary, not the party in power, no individual or body, but the people.
We, the people of Scotland are sovereign, it’s in our dna, and we have our standard, and today he stood and spoke for us all.
Honesty and integrity, plain and simple.
Today I am happy to stand up and say proudly I am a Scot. That man reflects my values, my country.
Frozone says:
27 February, 2021 at 2:07 am
“I thought the funniest moment was when ‘one watt bulb’ was made to look an idiot by AS pointing out that the ‘inappropriate mediation policy’ is what is in place for current ministers.”
Yes, her questioning ended right there.
I believe she’s in HR so you’d expect her to know that stuff. Actually, let me rephrase that… I believe she’s in HR, so you’d expect her to be an unscrupulous dolt.
atuey says:
27 February, 2021 at 3:07 am
Frozone says:
27 February, 2021 at 2:07 am
“I thought the funniest moment was when ‘one watt bulb’ was made to look an idiot by AS pointing out that the ‘inappropriate mediation policy’ is what is in place for current ministers.”
Yes, her questioning ended right there.
I believe she’s in HR so you’d expect her to know that stuff. Actually, let me rephrase that… I believe she’s in HR, so you’d expect her to be an unscrupulous dolt.
=====================================================
And to think I canvassed and leafleted for her Father. He wid be birlin in his grave.
.
The bravura witness statements given by Alex Salmond today put me in mind of some humour recently posted with thanks to Garrion.
It seems very apt given what we all saw this afternoon. Next week the circus comes to Holyrood with the back-stabber Stilleto Sturgeon and something like this…
“Alex Salmond is playing 3D chess, Sturgeon is screaming and throwing crap at the wall. I just hope that we’re at a chess match and not a zoo.”
Having just watched Fat Banker Blackford on Newsnight, he is in total denial saying “Salmond gave no evidence” and Blackford still waffling on with his needle stuck on the gramaphone about “not being dragged out of Europe”, I struggle to believe that Blackford is on the same planet. All he kept saying was “no evidence from Salmond, nothing to see here, we will have a massive SNP victory in May” (paraphrased cos I can’t watch that rectum twice on BBC Gerrymander).
Frank Gillougley says:
26 February, 2021 at 10:46 pm
I really do believe that Alex Salmond redeemed the course of Scottish history today concerning the nation’s future of independence. I don’t think that’s overstating the effect his testimony will have.
——
Now it’s time to fully redeem the political history of Alex Salmond back into the history book of the SNP party.
People may not be aware that Sturgeon erased Alex Salmond’s political career from the SNP party.
To think this man has given his life to that party & Scotland. To have it deleted, is another abuse he has had to endure. Nicola Sturgeon is really a nasty piece of work. I hope once she has been thrown onto the scrap heap, that Alex’s political career/life will be reinstated into the annals of SNP history again.
It’s time folk took a stand & contacted their SNP politicians to make sure that Alex’s is reinstated into The party’s history for future generations.
A masterclass by Mr Salmond, showing Scotland, indeed the world, HOW a REAL leader of a country behaves. Absolute class.
BUT, this then begs the question, why is the SNP not making good use of him? Similarly another very talented politician, Joanna Cherry has been shut out. The question is why?
Why would the SNP not be using Alex to full effect? Is Nicola Sturgeon so feart for her own position, that we have the two gimps on the committee yesterday from the SNP STILL trying to smear the man, or Alyn Smith, outside talking to SKY news, STILL seemingly trying to smear the man.
Seriously, it is indicative of a political party under failed leadership. I fully expect Nicola Sturgeon will turn up next week, with innuendo and attempted smear of Alex Salmond, looking bitter, bitter, bitter. She will witter on long and hard about wimmin, and ‘victims’ with a clear implication that Alex is somehow guilty, despite being found innocent and the treatment of him being found unlawful.
It IS a failure of leadership, both within the Scottish government, the crown office, and ESPECIALLY the SNP.
Here’s a tip for the Nicola fans and her cabal of dim MSP’s. Stop trying to re-run the court cases, you LOST. It is over. Stop trying to smear Alex Salmond by innuendo, and talk of ‘victims’.
As for Mr Salmond, Scottish politics really needs him, the SNP needs him more than ever, but most importantly, Scotland needs him. A king among mere mortals.
DRoss has asked the English Parliament to hold an inquiry into the full goings on….this could be interesting.
I don’t often look at scotgoes pop for many reasons, but I think this piece is a nice summary of what seems to have happened. Incidentally it ties in with what REVSTU has been saying for tewo years, and pretty much what Alex Said near the end yesterday, when asked about WHY he thinks it was done.
Worth reading.
https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-was-motive.html
All I can do is come here and tell you the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, which is, what a fantastic
performance from Mr Salmond I wasn’t going to watch but I’m glad I did. There is no doubt in my mind of Mr Salmond’s commitment to the people of Scotland and to his country.
I watched the whole session as I wanted to see what Salmond had to say & to get a sense of what had happened from a ‘main player’. I had thought that ‘maybe there is something going on’ so it gave me more incentive to watch.
1. I thought Salmond was superb throughout.
2. Salmond was obviously in parts extremely angry in a very understated and controlled way
3. Baillie, Fraser & Wightman (later on) asked the best targetted questions
4. Fabiani was a reasonable chair and at least successfully swatted the Cole-Hamilton idiot down several times
5. The Permanent Secretary ought to resign. If the PS had not been irredeemably damaged before then the PS is now
6. Salmond basically called on the Lord Advocate to resign
7. It seems obvious to me that Salmond has a ‘smoking gun’ on Sturgeon which he was unable to give to the committee
Six Hours of really compulsive viewing.
Having stayed firmly focused on the TV for all of this, the Rev got it spot on, Alex gave a faultless display and showed exactly the determination,we hoped he would use, yet in a cool and qualified manner.
The two SNP members were awful, particularly Watt.
Murdo have left his amazing reply hanging in the air, and leaves questions that should be answered, an idiot on stilts, but we knew that already.
However, the real question is, the behaviour of the Crown Office, the Lord advocate, and Nichola Sturgeon, and the dodgy actors beneath her.
This should be ALL be turned over to respected Judge, Kenny McKaskill was right, if we want to have confidence in our legal system, this really is the only way to settle this.
Alex was really excellent and entierly believeable.
I think he must have made a lot of friends yesterday, and the return of many he may have thought he had lost.
Again,very well done Alex, you showed the scurrying rats what you are made of. None could even wash your boots.
Just a few more pushes, and the house of cards will fall,
the much needed clear out needs to happen.
I thought cole-hamilton and the snp people came off worst in that meeting – imagine cile-hamilton asking about anyone’s behaviour – this from the man who had to apologise to MTodd for swearing at her and put a leaflet through Thompson’s door which her daughter found and cried over because it said her mother was going to jail. He was just looking for a headline – AS is too clever by far for cole-hamilton and he was just left looking like the little slime he is.
AS showed everyone of the willing stooges there what a real statesman looked like – no one comes close.
I started watching with a cup of tea and finished with a glass of wine. Alex kept a straight emotionless face for most of it, only twice did I catch devilment in his eyes, but you could feel the pain of the last few years seeping out of him. Even then he was still a true leader of the Scottish people and Independence and made that clear from the start.
Mhairi Hunter on her picture with Nicola Sturgeon, “Tell a lie…”
Not the best choice of words in the circumstances.
Alex Salmond yesterday showed just how lacking in truthful capable politicians the UK is. Could you name any politician in the UK that would have even remotely come close to what Mr Salmond demonstrated yesterday. The fact that Mr Salmond was unwell only reinforces that.
He also highlighted how worthless it would be for Scotland to become independent if the leadership was anything like what we currently have (not that they have ever had any intent of going for it). Mr Salmond has shown the way forward. Significant changes need to be made across several key functions. Hopefully those that could follow in his footsteps will get the opportunity to do so and the SNP will again become serious about independence.
For now though, let’s see how Sturgeon’s case for the status quo stacks up against yesterday. All the Committee will need to repeatedly ask her of her ‘let me be clear’ rants will be – ‘show us the evidence’.
As an aside, I’m not clear why if an oath the tell the truth is given by all witnesses before starting, why is it allowable that witnesses can then change their reply later on? I know it’s not a court but what’s the point of an oath if answers can be changed. Mr Salmond mentioned yesterday during one of his key replies that he wouldn’t be changing his reply later on, so he seems to find this situation to be questionable as well.
@Famous Fifteen
Advise your friends that there is firstly no way you can choose who to vote for on the List. Secondly there is NO point wasting your vote on the ISP on the List. 745,000 SNP List votes elected NOBODY last time and they didn’t take the number of constitutencies they will this time.
On the List there is only one sensible choice http://www.isp.scot there are easy to understand explanations you can even download for each region there.
I think Mr Salmond tossed in the biggest hand-grenade right at the end when he referred the committee to its powers under the Scotland Act
A very quick look suggests to me that he refers to the Scotland Act 1998 and that seems to me to empower the parliament (s23) to require any person to attend it proceedings for the purpose of giving evidence OR to produce documents in his custody or under his control….
So the question must be-if they dont require Salmonds solicitors to produce the goods then WHY dont they? And why has it not happened long since? To which of course everyone knows the answer- the last thing this laughable collection of placemen and halfwits want is the truth
Alex Salmond with the performance of a lifetime.In total control and utterly believable.
Maureen Watt was pathetic and clueless,way out of her depth.
Cole-Hamilton is a buffoon but a nasty one.His arm movements and gesticulations in inverse proportion to his brain activity.Woeful.
There will have to be many resignations after AS forensically skewered the conspirators.
I don’t suppose there are ‘viewing ‘ figures ?
I suspect they were high.
I sat spellbound for 6 hours by the dignified, statesmanlike testimony of the best politician Scotland has ever had.
Oh Alex, how Scotland has missed you!
And how much she needs you now?
I wouldn’t normally watch that much TV, but I’m glad I did. It was great to see a serious politician back on the stage, and it raised my morale. I was disappointed that Murdo Fraser, who is (I believe) capable of talking sense, tried to re-visit the criminal trial and was not slapped-down for that by convener Fabiani. I was also disappointed in some of the questions from the SNP folk there. They know who they are.
My worry might be that there are just too many political pygmies prominent in the party right now, chanting whatever the “dear leader” tells them to. Removing them from their positions may not be easy or quick.
At least the committee has now demanded documents from the little dictators at the Crown Office. Ooops, maybe I shouldn’t say that, in case they come after me with a malicious prosecution for calling them little.
bill , I think being called ‘little’ is the least of their worries!
Anyone read Grousebeater this morning? I’m still greetin’.
FAO Brian Doonthetoon
Thank you for all your brilliant computer tips. I’ve learned a lot from you over the years.
I was half way through reading the comments and wanted to make this comment. I opened Wings in a new tab and posted the comment and then went back to the page I was half way through reading.
That worked quite well but perhaps there is another way to ‘bookmark’ the comment I was reading without having to open a new page in order go to the bottom of the page to comment.
Hope that makes sense.
Cheers & muchas gracias.
I was starting to fear the worst when I checked the clock and it was nearly two hours in and all we had heard was the same questions about Fairness At Work and attempts to re-smear AS using allegations he had already been completely exonerated of at the judicial review and the trial. How many times was he forced to say he would be relying on the courts verdicts and not saying any more on it… I lost count.
The SNP MSPs (and ACH) had a clear plan going into that meeting. They attempted to waste as much time as possible, and to use the time instead to try to put Alex Salmond back on trial. That went on for nearly two hours.
Several times during that phase Alex told them that he had much important things to discuss (in a limited time) and they should be asking him about that. At times he was asking and answering his questions to get things back to the remit of the Inquiry.
I think the plan was that they knew Alex was in ill health and had been out of the public eye for quite some time. To come back into public life like he did yesterday was more than any baptism of fire. So they hoped to wear him out, attack him right from the outset try to get him off balance.
But the plan backfired. Alex was flawless throughout (not an exaggeration) and he used that dead time (the first two hours nearly) to effectively warm-up and throw off the ring-rust of the last few years.
By the time they started asking proper questions (i.e JB) he was well into his stride.
After that he was ‘unplayable’. I have never seen anything like it.
It has been used a lot but it is because it is true, it was a master class in how a FM and leader should be. He was getting asked some pretty shitty and snide questions at times and the dignity of the guy at all times was incredible.
It was a truly amazing performance from a great man.
Margaret Mitchell SNP
Alasdair Allan SNP
Maureen Watt SNP
Stuart MacMillan SNP
Alex Cole Hamilton LD
Andy Wightman WhoReallyKnows
All of the above were a disgrace. The SNP is absolutely rotten.
Linda Fabiani was surprisingly not that bad. ‘Credit’ were it is due for once.
So much to talk about what he actually said…
One bombshell out of so many for me was that Police Scotland had actually attempted to interview AS before the judicial review had concluded to kill off the JR before it could conclude and it was only his lawyers who managed to fend that off.
The behaviour of the SNPG, COPFS and Police Scotland throughout has been shameful. Let’s hope Alex is right and it is a failure of leadership in these organizations and not a deeper rot.
Grouse Beater has just penned – from his hospital bed – a lovely poem dedicated to Alex Salmond.
Mac says:
One bombshell out of so many for me was that Police Scotland had actually attempted to interview AS before the judicial review had concluded to kill off the JR before it could conclude and it was only his lawyers who managed to fend that off.
Ruby replies
Ah!
This is why Murrell wanted pressure to be put on the police.
Grim Reader: 27 February, 2021 at 2:12 am
Except if you read the actual notice*, which Anonymoose linked to at 9:43 pm, you’ll see that it is a restricted request (a demand which COPFS can refuse) as it specifies only:
It then defines documents in a wide way. However what I heard from AS yesterday seemed to indicate that he was stating there is a much wider set of documents which should be requested, and you can get that from his legal team through the section 23/24 powers; and that his team will simply provide it.
So while the request to COPFS is useful, it could still be refused, however it may be a red-herring, as it is too limited in scope.
* https://www.parliament.scot/HarassmentComplaintsCommittee/General%20documents/Minute.doc.pdf
Unfortunately Paul Kavanagh was ill with a stomach upset yesterday and I wish him a speedy recovery. However, one of the btl comments below his piece saying he was ill was
“Take it easy, both of you. There’s nothing really important happening today anyway.
It’s probably the move which has weakened you both.
Ca’ canny.”
https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/committee-on-the-scottish-government-handling-of-harassment-complaints-february-26-2021
I’ve noticed it says
‘Please note: downloads are only available for one month’
Does anyone know how long they remain in the archives & if it would be worth downloading.
Indeed Ruby.
The other thing off the top of my head was the story Salmond told twice at least about the day he spent going through all the messages (between Murrell etc) on the flash drive his lawyers had obtained.
(These are the messages we have mostly not been allowed to see by the Crown Office.)
Salmond described it as ‘the most extraordinary’ day of his life reading them.
“Seeing messages from people he had known for thirty years…”
We have all known those (currently hidden) message must be really bad given the reactions of those who have read them but hearing it from AS and described as he does they must be truly horrific, a massive, shocking betrayal.
I worry about his health obviously, yet at the same time it’s clear that Alex Salmond stands head and shoulders above other politicians, and not only in these islands. I think we had forgotten just how good he is. In this emergency situation we find ourselves in, I can’t imagine anyone else so well equipped to lead us.
The whole thing is on youtube but I don’t know how to get the link to post.
(type in youtube here).com/watch?v=NuFwFem_oOg&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=ScottishParliamentTV
Kangaroo says:
27 February, 2021 at 1:46 am
My comment is to ask the simple question after all is said and done who benefits?
Everyone who believes in the truth.
Mac says:
27 February, 2021 at 10:06 am
Indeed Ruby.
(These are the messages we have mostly not been allowed to see by the Crown Office.)
Ruby replies
The messages that weren’t allowed in the criminal trial?
‘on them like an extremely calm hawk’
Perfect description 🙂
AdamH
Kangaroo lives in a different universe from most. Best not to feed the marsupial.
What a man!
Maureen Watt , totally besmirching her famous namesake from sunny Greenock . She can’t be related as she’s as bright as a blackout
If one was comparing this to watching an aquarium, so far it’s been full of guppies and bottom feeding shitfish, until yesterday when a great white shark made it’s presence felt.
If he ever raises a crowd funder to sue for the damages he’s entitled to I’ll willingly and happily contribute.
Confused @ 1.36
“I think the first priority is – all the cuckoos in the nest, the squatters, the thieves, the opportunists; the scenario I imagine is Ulysses wrath against the “suitors” in his house.
Salmond is our “King”, if he wants it.”
Aye, the real reason we Scots must take our independence becomes clearer by the day, and with it thon muckle mankit unionist slump that aye haes tae bi sooked oot. Given Scotland’s longstanding colonial ‘Division of Labour’ they should be easy to spot, e.g. mostly public sector salaries over £100k.
An independent nation should no longer endure, as Cesaire put it: “..the objective social implications of the evil work they perform as watchdogs of colonialism.”
I agree with you that Cameron Brodie’s insightful take on current developments would have been informative, more so than some of those who ‘conspired’ to get rid of him.
Two more votes that won’t be going to MacMillan in May from our household, in addition to several earlier posters.
Sturgeons cheerleaders on the inquiry got out played yesterday, no matter how hard they tried to run interference Salmond seen of their questions with the sort of class and respect you would expect from an experienced statesman. Think they forgot just exactly who they where dealing with, the man who made their party what it was before Sturgeon and the gender woo woo crew started tearing it apart from the inside.
Stuart, your last picture on this post shows them gathered round to watch Alex (destroy their careers, and I hope, their freedoms).
Do you know who “leaked” the picture?
You will know how severe the CoVid restrictions are for anyone who is found breaking them.
Given that, they are ALL breaking the law for:
a: not wearing masks when inside with others not in their household.
b: not “social distancing” if in the company, again, of those not in their household.
Being at ‘work’ doesn’t allow this either.
Who can we ‘shop’ them to? 🙂
Thank you, your reporting is, as always, first class.
Last pic was photoshopped.
Does Salmond still have his SNP funded chauffeur? Saw he was dropped off at the inquiry in a Range Rover.
John says:
27 February, 2021 at 3:41 pm
Last pic was photoshopped.
Worse than that! I thought it was contemporaneous, it is from 2019!
Oh, bugger!
(Robert, check your sources BEFORE posting):(
The Right Honourable Alex Salmond. A true hero. A world class statesman, as the world watched today. Naught for naught does Westminster fear him.
Hi Robert Burns.
Re pic
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-longest-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2620971
Not sure if I should post on here as I’m currently against independence for several reasons, some of which Big Eck espoused in his closing statement. I believe he answered every question candidly but what he did yesterday, more than anything, was Eloquently lay out the full sequence of events and expose the abject corruption at the centre of it all. A lot of people who have not been following this closely watched the coverage yesterday so hopefully now realise what this is really about. I’m no fan of his but in my view he did Scotland a great service yesterday.
” ML says:
27 February, 2021 at 8:34 pm
Not sure if I should post on here as I’m currently against independence for several reasons, some of which Big Eck espoused in his closing statement. I believe he answered every question candidly but what he did yesterday, more than anything, was Eloquently lay out the full sequence of events and expose the abject corruption at the centre of it all. A lot of people who have not been following this closely watched the coverage yesterday so hopefully now realise what this is really about. I’m no fan of his but in my view he did Scotland a great service yesterday.”
=====================================================
Aye right!!!!!
At no point did he attack Scots Indy. Sturgeons backers are in the poisonous Brit Nat Press and Media. Now if you want lessons in corruption and moral turpitude look there Yoon. Whores the lot of them.
It is only a service if Sturgeon and her coven falls but it wont because your rabid and poisonous Press and Media has her back. She is presently preserving the Union at all costs even to the point of wanting to Jail Salmond and other Scot Nats.
What this is about is about the Brit State wanting to keep Scotland under its jackboot Yoon.