The seven-year itch
Posted on
November 07, 2018 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
Wings Over Scotland is seven years old today (the period of time defined by the Good Friday Agreement as a “generation” in terms of referendums), and it doesn’t feel like a day over 25. Can we hurry up and have another indy vote before the entire country burns to the ground around our ears, please?
After all, if we don’t, how are we ever going to realise our fiendish plan to intellectuality [sic] and socially stunt a new state with our vindictive, authoritarian, reactionary, anti-feminist Trumpism and partisan resistance to fact, like the angry gammon we are?
I am speechless. Who was asked? I guess no one in Scotland, or did he make up the stats all on his own?!
Happy birthday Wings.
Hopefully not long now, although I’m sure we’ll need you after independence.
Who the hell did they ask and in which parts of the UK?
As was suggested by somebody on Twitter, these results look more like an identity rather than a popularity test..
Many Happy returns WOS.There’s no poll like a BritNat poll.
Am I on the right planet? How can this be?
Actually the answer is rather simple. Ruth has been portrayed by the English media as some sort of Messiah for the Conservatives. Ergo, people watching the tele automatically believe what they have heard, despite never having watched her at Holywood where she constantly under performs, but in a very forthright way of course.
She has all the qualities needed to lead the Tories. An imbecile who can speak loudly, whilst baking a cake. Or is that a bun she just took out the oven?
TV and papers can sell anything to somebody. Good marketing seldom fails.
Happy Birthday Wings! Keep up the great work – you keep me, relatively, sane.
@Rev,
Ps many many happy returns you great journalist.
Who’d of thought that Wings would get to be so old?
It’s actually pretty sad that we still need you here Stu, but in the absence of any other credible ‘alternative media’ you’d better stay put for the foreseeable!
Many happy returns Wings x
Ed Balls. Seriously?
Happy birthday – keep up the good work. With the msm and the bbc working for the establishement we need you more and more. People like Leask, Trump, Bannon, Boris, Farage, et al do not know what truth looks like and unfortunately many labour politicians fall into this category as well and are quite prepared to abstain regularly so as not to rock the boat eg abstained on the austerity agenda and many other things in WM – they have failed both as govt and opposition to do anything for the people they are supposed to serve.
Beats reporting the latest on No Deal Brexit; a little piece of fluff to feed the masses.
I am heartened that I have been categorised by Scoop Leask, that middle aged bespectacled Snow White scribe for a BritNat Dead Tree Scroll as:
“angry gammon indy bloggers who hold reactionary views..pretty strong anti-feminist streak..a Trumpist’.
Fame at last; or not.
His paper is dying as steadily as its readership. This is his death rattle.
Ta for everything Stu. Not so many happy returns, hopefully.
I do not know anyone who likes Ruth Davidson.
The ‘popularity rating’ is not a personal achievement, more like a triumph for BBC/MSM propaganda.
“Wings over Scotland types”, what ever that means in Leasky’s head. Some of them make good sponge cakes.
I should have baked a birthday cake.
Definition of irony: David Leask referring to angry gammons.
A Seasons Birthday greetings Wings Over Scotland 2018.
C’mon all you long term lurkers, now is the time.
Ah know yer awe itchin’ tae talk.
‘intellectuality’…hahahahaha! Most of us probably missed that. I know I did. Not you though, Rev. Brilliant. That’s why they hate you. You are all seeing.
Happy Seventh Birthday! Have a rest because it’s going to be a busy few months I think.
Those Wings over Scotland types, whit are we like eh?
Happy anniversary, keep up the good work.
Wings Over Scotland Types … the man has clearly never been near this site.
If this is an example of his skills then being out of his depth sums him up.
I believe fruit pickers will be required in Moray next year, Im sure he will find his depth amongst the berries.
As more than one Herald old-timer has said to me:
“David Leask – the personification of how far our great paper has fallen.”
Leask is a fool. A fool who has had the training required to investigate and report on events. He has instead chosen to use his training and education to distort the picture of reality to mislead the public.
…I will therefore elevate him to “dangerous fool”
If by any interpretation of the poll findings Ruth Davidson is currently the most popular politician in the UK then the UK is in even more trouble than I’d previously thought.
I find the term “self appointed Indy bloggers” interesting. A readership does not come as a right.
Good investigative journalism attracts a readership. Perhaps they should try that model? Wings UP and Herald/Scotsman etc DOWN.
Customer loyalty is earned.
Mr. Leask is doing a great job by having his Ratners business model.
Yup I have a partisan resistance to ‘fact’. I need to check Wings before I’ll believe in MSM bullshit.
Enjoy the birthday Stu!
Wished Wings ‘Happy Birthday’ already on Twitter, but it’s worth saying again to the best thing on Twitter.
I know I am at a difficult age.. but what is the “gammon” reference all about?
Happy birthday Wings Over Scotland.
Well done they are terrified of people finding out the truth about their sinister lies, and the Britnat con has been going on for much longer than people will ever know of course.
Happy birthday Wings Over Scotland.
David Leask appears to have had a reality bypass. As someone who used to turn out in the middle of the night to collect women, bin-liners and bairns bundled into the car, to take them to a refuge, where they may have to duck bullets shot into the windows by angry partners, I think he has some brass neck to call me anti-feminist.
Sorry about the long sentence.
And as for Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP, First Minister, presiding over a gender balanced cabinet, enacting policies like baby-boxes and nursery care and free personal care for the elderly and equal pay and the living wage etc etc to be also described as having an anti-feminist agenda is quite deranged.
Sorry about second long sentence.
Happy Birthday to Wings – scourge of the shoddy MSM.
Happy birthday WOS, a big thank you for being here, very much appreciated. Lang mae yer lum reek.
Warburton! Bring forth the ACME ‘Imperial Bullshit Detector’ I received earlier today from the mail order catalogue delivery chap. That Leask fellow is at it again and I want to test a theory of mine. Quick smart dear boy before he can remove the evidence!
Who are the freaks they ask when conducting these ludicrous polls? I’m always amused whenever I see polls declaring “percentage of Scots against this” or “percentage of Scots love this politician.”
Nobody ever rings me up or comes chapping on my door to ask these questions!
Johnson, May and Davidson. The Unholy Trinity. A clown, a robot and a balloon. Says quite a lot about the UK electorate doesn’t it?
‘Reactionary…intellectually and socially stunted’ telling words. One assumes Mr Leask considers himself among the ‘enlightened’, a veritable ‘bright’. Glad to be a moron!
Isn’t an Angry Gammon a “red top” – just sayin – i’ll get ma coat
Oh, goodie. I’ll bake a cake and think of you whilst I am eating it.
I would bet hardly any of those asked were in Scotland.
Well, he managed to get all the usual crap into those tweets. Trumpism = Alt Right, reactionary = left wing(commies, anti feminists= I’m bewildered by that one.
One thing he is right to be worried about though. You, me and every person in Scotland getting a say on how are country is governed, that would be for the people by the people. Doesn’t suit his paymasters of course, but hey, you had your turn.
One of the things I sincerely hope the people of my country demand is a Judicial revue on whether Politicians and media involved in undermining the Constitutional process through lies, misrepresention, denigration and fear. To determine if those who facilitated the theft of our resources using these methods should face legal proceedings.
Happy Birthday Wings,read every day, don’t read The Herald any more it’s a joke something like Miss Davidson.
David Leask was doing fine until he started to type.
@Grennach.
‘re Ed Balls, he’s been on Stictly, says it all really.
Well done Stu. Happy birthday WOS.
@Stephen McKenzie says: 7 November, 2018 at 1:12 pm:
” … I know I am at a difficult age.. but what is the “gammon” reference all about?”
Probably – Gammon=Ham=Amateur.
Hilarious, considering Leask is from a publication that is shedding readership like a dog casts it’s Winter coat and Wings is gathering readers and is increasing its readership constantly.
Partisan resistance to fact. PARTISAN RESISTANCE TO FACT. Too…much…irony… aaggh…can’t, can’t…hold…on… ggggnnnggghhhh!!!!
What is this Alt-NAT thing that Leask has coined?
– are we doing Pepe the Frog memes now?
– are we doing incessant arguments about who is -really- “Scottish” – and whether the PICTS were the true Scots ..
Scottish Nationalists are despised by the alt-right – just go there and read it – one thing tho … they have started stealing OUR memes …
– ORANGE MAN BAD
where have you heard -something- similar?
Attacks on us come from both sides – the right will call us commie nutters living in la la land – the “left” will call us “fascists” and write CRINGE-tastic dribble like that Kevin McKenna piece last Sunday.
Point to make – if THEY -HATE- you – you are doing something right.
Bravo, Rev. What stamina.
What an absolute walloper leasky is, what planet is he on, he has a very over inflated view of himself. Your getting to him Stu he’s cracking up lol Honestly why does Scotland have more than its fair share of self destructive people ? They all suffer from mass Stockholm syndrome honestly give me strength.
Oh and happy birthday wings. Your the only bright light of hope in this dark deluge of anti-Scotland shit.
” Wings Over Scotland Types”, EH, whit are they? I’ve always found the wingers to be a very diverse lot, the odd zoomer, usually the bridge dwellers, and some very well educated folk who can put up a fair old debate. Types! well, well,
As for Davidson being the most popular politician in the UK, UK being England as usual perhaps. No up here I think, maist o’ us dinnae really care for her at a’.
Happy birthday Wings, whit wid we dae withoot ye.
I can not accept David Leask is thick, therefore, I can only assume his judgement is psychologically/politically skewed. Suggesting the Rev. is reactionery was the clincher for me, subsequently, I can not trust David Leask’s moral pyschology or point of view. The man is a disingenuous charleton, IMHO.
link to psychologytoday.com
link to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
link to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Huh! Types.
Way to win back respect for a profession. Mibbies me, but in my experience? Insulting people because they turn away from mainstream snobbery, ignorance, arrogance and metrocentric fuckwittery isn’t how you win friends and confidence.
Just a thought.
Happy birthday Wings and Wingers. Where’s the party Rev?
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY WINGS !!!
xxx
Well done Stu –
A Winger and proud of it!!!
Happy birthday boss man
@Stephen McKenzie: 7 November, 2018 at 1:12 pm:
I’ve always associated gammon with Cameron, the pig’s head shagger.
He means people like Neil Lennon who stand up to the corruption, lies and bullying of this country we call home. We are rebels , insurgents and rabble rousers. I like to think I am in good company…..Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Michael Collins. All seen as rebels and terrorists at the time. But history has judged them differently.
Good grief!
Who are these ‘journalist types” who think they have a god given right to mislead ,lie , cheat and then have the gall to criticise those that take exception to their deceptions.
Happy birthday Wings and wingers!
May we all live in happier , independent , honest , fairer times where re- hashed drivel is confined to a very large dustbin marked the Scottish MSM.
Trying to trace this back, it seems to me there is a problem with this. “Feminists” may well have a cause, such as misogyny definitely exists, you can see it below the line on forums. But it’s certainly not specific to the Indy movement.
The problem is that in their haste to make a case, bloggers or The National article writers on the 5th November can include inaccuracies which people point out to them. They then seem to see this as an attack on a woman, rather than an attack on an inaccurate article – which inaccuracy WEAKENS the point they are trying to make, and also means they are not effectively targetting the real problem – which does exist.
One of the root causes is that as well as feminism, some have an additional agenda which might for instance, be one for RISE or against the SNP, and in their haste to fill both agendas they inevitably fall down on various points.
They then cast such criticism as “misogyny” when what it is is 1). An urge to be accurate and 2), Inherent SUPPORT of the point they are trying to make, as criticism, though sometimes meant in a hostile fashion, is often meant to help the author / campaigner present a better argument and case.
Basically speaking, such people are out to pick fights with anyone, rather than accept support along the way. They are victims, and nobody wants to help them. Criricise their work in any way, and you too are a misogonist. Well, pooh to that.
Happy seventh Birthday Wings.
Oh, where does the time go?
I don’t post as much as I used to, but I’m still as regular a visitor as always. It’s the best place to find out what some seemingly very odd media people and political types are saying about you and the health of the independence movement in general.
I see the Herald’s David Leask is bumping his gums again. It’s almost reassuring in a weird ‘what?’ sort of way.
Anyway, all the best to you Stu, and to everybody here on Wings.
What a feat – absolutely outstanding!
Happy Birthday Stu, WoS and to all!
Journalist of the Year in my book for every one of those 7 years!
Meanwhile back in the real world. Iain Macwhirter has a good piece in The Herald on Michelin closure and foretaste of Brexit.
Also in case you missed it, the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee wants your view on the new BBC Scotland Channel which is due open in February.
Closing date for written submissions is 2 December and can be made via this link.
link to parliament.uk
Happy Birthday WoS!!!
Q What’s wrong with UK media?
A Take a look at European press coverage of the same events and it is glaringly obvious!
Stephen McKenzie
I googled it: Gammon is a pejorative term used in British political culture since around 2012, which received press coverage in 2018. In 2018 it became particularly known as a term to describe white people, especially those on the political right or who supported Brexit, who appear pink-faced when emotional. Wikipedia
Happy Buffday WoS!!
Criticism of WoS. OK then BritNats, give us examples of where you believe RevStu on WoS has written something which is false or deceptive.
Their trolls come on here and disrupt the flow in comments. But they never ever challenge Stu’s articles with counter evidence nor arguments, do they?
Leasky does like keeping in touch with Bella. Jealous low-influence exceptionalists who are “Bitter Together”…?
Dorothy you have it right. There is indeed a strong strain of self righteousness in the Yoon press. They think they have a right to exist (in their jobs) regardless and how dare the Rev and us point out their lies, failures and blindnesses?
We can only hope the Herald continues its downward slide to oblivion. The hints that the Record might come out for Yes seem to have been firmly squashed as they come down hard behind the Sevco’s hiding from proper journalistic scrutiny.
I would say a Pox on all their houses but we actually need a vibrant press, it’s just a gigantic pity we don’t have one. The problem is the press in the UK is so naturally partisan, ignoring half your potential customers isn’t seen as a problem.
Meanwhile the National goes from strength to strength. The HoS is no more after losing its way and so we have a Sunday National instead.
You might think ONE of the rest of the pack might have noticed and thought about why. It would seem the owners and editors are ostriches.
Damn near forgot.
Happy birthday Wings and Wingers.
The Great Wall Of Gammon(sorry for the long link)
link to google.co.uk
Gammon explained.
link to archive.is
So Leask – a classic gammon himself – is trying to equate us with those pink-faced angry types.
And here is the man who thinks he popularised ‘gammon’ regretting it.
link to archive.is
My only regret is not being aware of this earlier.
Think of how much fun we could have had the last year referring to that programme as “Dimbleby’s Gammon Time”
Leasky is indeed a “gammon”.
I picture him at his laptop in the middle of the night furious pink face glowing in the dark while he frantically stabs stubby fingers at the keyboard as he lets rip on another indignant rant against Indy bloggers and the ALT-NATS.
There is not a better example to be found in the whole of Scotland. Leasky of the Herald is the embodiment of a “gammon”.
Leasky IS the King of the Scots Gammons!
Happy Birthday Stu and keep up the good work.
An invaluable and hugely influential contribution to Scottish political life during Indy Ref 2014 and beyond.
I only came to Wings in Spring 2014 as eventually fed up with Newsnet Scotland’s restrictions and initially worried about Stu’s media reputation of misogyny.
Still could do with more female contributors.
Happy Birthday Wings over Scotland. I meant to add that to the end of my other posts, must be an age thingy.
Hoppy Birdie Wings!
If ever I saw ‘FAKE STATISTICS’ these are they. Just another load of unionist codswallop gathered in Englandshire. Someone is really having a laugh, Ed Balls at 4, I ask you.
The (t)Ruthless propaganda bandwagon might be working a charm on the clueless in the rUK but, so far, not so much in Scotland:
link to i.imgur.com
Whilst we’re on definitions:
hack2
NOUN
1A writer or journalist producing dull, unoriginal work.
‘Sunday newspaper hacks earn their livings on such gullibilities’
More example sentences
‘They discovered the bar crammed full of newspaper hacks and TV presenters, tapping away at laptops and writing in notepads.’
‘Meanwhile, literary hacks and Grub Street writers produced popular pot boilers for the masses.’
‘We newspaper hacks have been deluding ourselves.’
‘Once upon a time, the hacks of Fleet Street and the politicians of Whitehall were all on the same side – that of the British establishment, united against the public.’
‘Editorial and headline writers and the hacks at the television news outlets have no time for such contradictions.’
‘A handful of idealistic hacks questioned the journalistic ethics of accepting freebies, but they no longer work at the paper.’
etc etc
Synonyms
1.1 A person who does dull routine work.
Or a David Leask.
link to en.oxforddictionaries.com
Seven Years! Seriously??!!
Happy Birthday Wings and Wingers everywhere!
Keep up the well needed Good Work, Rev Stu!
Our Rev Stuart Baxter certainly deserves a big cheer for seven years hard work. I am lucky to have been reading along for the last 4 of these. Like our great leader I am a grumpy,overweight,balding git with a chronic “The Jesus and Marychain” addiction. I hope in another 7 years time Wings will be just a memory of the last pre indy years.
Gammon’s great cooked yourself, very tasty, a bit crumbly but if you can slice it fine a joint does a lot of meals and sandwiches. If you buy cheap packs of sliced ham, they’re pumped up with water and it’s better if you use kitchen towel to dry them off a bit for sandwiches!
Leask is going to need more kitchen towel,
Happy Birthday, many more to come, we need you.
David Leask, that man should apply for a job with Scotland in Union, his natural home.
As for the folk dawn South, they vote Tory mostly, no idea what is happening here. Ruth seems such a nice girl, we know she is not.
Happy Birthday Wingers,
The best thing Rev Campbell ever did, IMO was that he continued with WoS after the disappointment of 2014. This has caused so much damage to the BritNat cause and their MSM efforts to put us back in the box. Other factors also hastened the BritNat demise (notably their own blind panic and stupidity), but WoS has certainly contributed significantly. Keep up the great work, Stu.
Today
‘Gammon’ is added to Collins Dictionary as word of the year
link to reddit.com
Happy birthday Wings & Wingers.
Aha! ‘Tis true that the lunatics think they have control of the asylum…
That 7 years deserves an accolade Stu. As an independent state we’ll put you in charge of addressing the press and media and setting them some tasks to perform!
Hahahaha The black, blue, red and green ink gangs will be erradicated. All it will take is some cunning from us ‘Wingers’…
Excuse my temporary lapse, it is November, month of the dead and witches and warlocks and I just got as carried away as Leask and his weird thoughts!!!
Here’s to the next episode but not, NOT 7 years.
Happy birthday wings.
Ever wondered what you would be doing if none of this had taken place?!
Does seem to ring true that history repeats itself. Mr Leask is a throwback to the McCarthy era with his witch hunts. Blocked him long ago and ‘twas a tonic to my soul.
Happy Birthday Wings and all wingers! Keep on keeping on Stu.
Seriously folks, this dude Leask is seriously wrong. ‘His thought processes are all fucked up and his shit is totally retarded’.
link to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The Psychology of Authoritarian Populism: A Bird’s Eye View
link to moreincommon.com
Anthony de Jasay, Justice and Its Surroundings [2002]
link to oll.libertyfund.org
No Nicola in the poll results? Really?
To give an idea of how unpopular Corbyn is, I’m one of what I suspect is a large group of remainers who still wouldn’t vote for him if he promised to halt Brexit.
He’s that bad.
Jings!
Seven years of the best source for Indy truth seekers.
Are we no about there yet?
Thank you for the last seven years I propose a statue of you following independence near the gates at the border waving to the departing Yoons.
Rock (26th October – “Gremlins in the machine”):
“Scotland owes no bigger debt than to one man and his ten year old computer.”
A load of drivel. I do YouGov polls and I didn’t vote for either of them. At least Nicola beat Clegg, but not by as much as I’d have liked. We should all beat Clegg!
“Can we hurry up and have another indy vote before the entire country burns to the ground around our ears, please?”
There is not going to be one before 2640 AD, in my humble opinion.
Any esteemed posters here able to predict a date earlier than that?
Leask and his type are journalistic luddites,
and Stu is like a modern spinning jenny,
the Internet has caused a Tectonic Shift in the way citizens can see the world,
we don`t need/want the lazy opinionated journalism of Leask types anymore,
`We can handle the truth`.
Happy birthday Rev and Wings.
I feel such relief, having read this article, that YouGov polls can still be relied on for their accuracy and complete lack of bias.
Gammon Leask feels the need to tweet that he has a ‘very,very,very slight fear’ of something or other about wingsoverscotland ‘types’.
Sounds like classic gammon suppressed emotions which will manifest in a greasy red face when ventings his true feelings.
His true feelings being that Wings is a very,very,very clear and present danger to his sinecure in the british nationalist propaganda sheets.
Happy Birthday Wings
Does anybody speak fluent Leask? The Tweets above could just as well be written in ancient Greek.
Been scratching all day. Seven Years with Stuie, every step of the way. Must be his round by now.
Happy 7th birthday to Wings and all Wingers.
7 Years!!!
They should set up a special HONOUR, solely for your services to the Independence movement.
Truly OUTSTANDING service to our cause.
Happy 7th Birthday Stu and all fellow Wingers.
I’m not surprised …
As history shows: Incisive brain-power, sheer talent and supreme doggedness has always won-the-day.
Sincere congratulations!
Happy Birthday, Wings, about the only thing that has kept me sane these last few years.
Hopefully, after Indy, the Rev will return to his homeland and continue the good work of keeping whatever shade of government WE choose, on track! Cheers to all.
Many happy returns, Stu, on Wings’ seventh Birthday, and to all wingers everywhere.
Some news which coincides with Wings’ Birthday.David Leask will have seen this coming of course, being much a far-sighted top of the range political journalist type.
$240-billion-a-day market set to move out of London ahead of Brexit.
A $240-billion-a-day market has announced today that it is to switch London for Amsterdam ahead of Brexit.
CME Group Inc. is moving its European market for short-term financing, the largest in the region, out of London because the exchange operator wants to guarantee continental firms can continue to use it if there is a no-deal Brexit, Bloomberg has reported.
The first of many?
@HandandShrimp
Your reference to ancient Greek meant I had to go and read the tweets again. They are classic Leaskyisms and so pleased they have been captured for posterity on Wings birthday of all days.
He couldn’t have thought of a better present if he’d tried
“but you’re right a fair number of the angry gammon Indy bloggers hold pretty reactionary views”
An “angry gammon Indy blogger” eh? There’s the phycological projection of self right there from an angry gammon Britnat journalist who even gets paid to write this shite on behalf of the British state.
“my concern is not so much the bloggers themselves having direct power but that the culture they push – especially of partisan resistance to fact – poisons the minds of future leaders”
Hahaha that’s definitely all Greek to me but break it down and you can see what his gammon addled brain was thinking when talking of “us” supporters of Indy that read the Indy blogs.
“culture they push”
Yes, something he fears greatly. A Scotland free of Westminster rule and free to promote her own culture and ideology.
“partisan resistance to fact”
Again he pushes the narrative that the MSM has the only version of the truth and that the bloggers peddle fake news. He knows this to be utter bullshit but it’s all he has left. More lies in support of the original lies. Fear!
“poisons the minds of future leaders”
He and his like are the poison that try to influence the less informed with the propaganda they write. I’ve no idea at all what he is referring to as “future leaders”. He was lost for words there and is losing the plot.
Thing is, it is they that are losing ground and the Indy bloggers who are winning the battles.
The smell of fear from the King of Scots Gammons is strong!
Wings over Scotland marks a before and an after for Scotland Scotland’s politics. You have already made history in Scotland Stu and must be very proud of your work. There is nothing like it. It has filled up a space that otherwise would quite possibly remain empty today.
Seven years is a long time and this gives me sadness because it means is 7 years we have been strongly seeking independence and we did not achieve it yet. Others have spent their entire adult lives pursuing it. But what gives me courage and hope is to think that those 7 years must have felt twice if not three times as long for all those inept british nationalist politicians that were so used before Wings to say what they wanted without any form of scrutiny but that now have forced to learn to think twice what they say, what they do or what they twit because they know that the next day, or even on the same day if they are particularly daft, your article will be available for everybody to read, an article where their pride, their credibility and self-esteem will be blown to pieces. And the fear to that kind of scrutiny, the fear of the naked truth of their nonsensical stupidity being not only exposed but dissected with surgical precision without leaving even a comma of their comments without mentioning, is a new kind of wild beast the british nationalists do not know how to tame, hence their desperate attempts to unsuccessfully close it down. The fact that individuals like Leask or Kezia before felt so compelled to mention Wings and give you the free publicity is just a sign of their struggle with the new beast. Whining about wings is quickly becoming the new “normal” among British Nationalist politicians in Scotland. At a time the appeal of Russia as a bogeyman for UK politics is waning off, Wings is quickly becoming the new bogeyman for Labour, LibDems and Tory politicians.
Needless to say that you have done also an invaluable service to journalism by keeping the toes and butter fingers of the modern version of “journalists” close to the hellish fire of scrutiny by correcting all their “mistakes”, highlighting their “non intended” bias and their “accidental” misreporting. And well, let’s not talk about that beacon of propaganda that is the BBC.
There have been epic moments in the last 7 years. So many that it is really difficult to pinpoint one. 7 years full of creativity and brilliance that “newspapers” and even the BBC could only dream of.
I mean your groundbreaking awards such as the “Fanny of the week” or “The thickest politician in Scotland” will be remembered with horror by generations of British nationalist Scottish politicians and beyond. The rigor of the awards, and the careful selection of nominees and the painstaking dedication when allocating the awards together with the impatient expectation of Wings readers awaiting to laugh their heads off and cheer the new proud holder of the embarrassing award is a process from which the “razzy awards” could learn a thing or two.
And then of course we got the magnificent, exciting, irresistibly unique, and the best of its kind, cartoons by Chris Cairns.
Wings is everything you want and more. Truly a rough diamond that completely lacks the “conditioning” of the pro-union establishment making it as irresistible as precious.
Yougov polls? Hahahahaaaa. Happy birthday to wos and wingers everywhere.
Happy Birthday Wings and Wingers ,
I like others on here fear for Leaskys mental health . Really is he so deluded that he thinks his RANTS mean anything to anyone , what a depressing joyless soulless life he must lead where there is only negativity , Wee piece of advice Davy have a look around for new employment as your constant moans gripes and woes are not going to be needed in OUR new Scotland . There maybe a place for your negativity in the wonderful brexshit haven of engerland but don’t tell them your faux Scottish
If the only option was ‘the truth’ from the Herald I think I would prefer to remain in relative ignorance. It’s best having a free mind acceptable to opinions than rely on the lies printed in the Herald.
After all we are now at the point of almost peak Britnattery at the Herald when a polling company has to correct their erroneous headlines.
Thepnr: “There’s the psychological projection of self right there…”
Spot on.
Happy Birthday Wings, seven great informative years. it may be not long now to independence.Wings contribution immense.
Seven years of Wing’s busting their bubbles? Must have been a helluva big mirror the Unionists broke to thoroughly deserve such rotten bad luck.
What troubles me about Leask isn’t that he seems so bitter and seething with contempt, but that he seems so blinkered and ill fitted the roll of a poker faced investigative journalist.
I am reminded of Hillary Clinton maligning Trump saying you wouldn’t want to trust nuclear weapons to somebody who can be baited on Twitter. Why would a newspaper give a high profile role to someone as thin skinned and tetchy as Leask?
Just another Unionist whiner. Let’s move on. Nothing to see here. More power to your elbow Stu.
Happy Burdy to Wings and all Wingers. I just wish you’d lost yir joab four years ago, though.
Happy Birthday to Stu, Wings & the Readers!
Happy 7th birthday Wings! Keep going Stuart. In another 7 years, Scotland will be independent and David Leask will be unemployed from all his many jobs.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
OT
Before the gammonnats get hold of this.
Any wingers with an aptitude for stats and graphs care to read and comment on this ‘inequality in Scotland’ article.
link to archive.is
WoS is a MASSIVE asset to the Indy movement.
That of course means that BritNats hate it and will spit venom towards it and Rev Stu. Quite honestly, that is to be expected.
However, anyone who claims to be on the Indy side and is highly critical is acting very suspiciously IMO.
Not everyone sees things the same way, and some constructive criticism is fair enough. True friends would draw attention to something they felt could be done better. Ideally privately. But that’s quite different to what we get from some individuals supposedly from within the Indy movement. Personally, I think Rev Stu does an excellent job on WoS with accuracy and care.
Sorry.
You’ll need the direct link to see the graphs.
link to theconversation.com
Joyeux Anniversaire! (Just to be more European!) I love Wings and hope it keeps going for as long as Indy needs it. My sanity depends on it. By the way, Leasky has obviously failed to escape from the Twilight Zone. What a load of tosh.
Seven is a Lucky number for many Cultures, Here’s Hoping It’s lucky for Scotland And Wings
Leask could be hashtag # ALT-JOURNO.
Trump would give him a job.
We’ve come a long way in 7 years , we’ve had our ups & downs none more so than 19th Sept 2014 but Wingers being positive & Stu confirming Wings would continue , within 3 days Wings was back on top & hopefully will continue well into our Independence .
Onwards & Upwards Stu & Wingers & Wings Lurkers to many more Happy Birthdays .
Rock insists that the next referendum will be in the 27th century. Be jeez, even the Tories accept once in a generation. There is only one explanation.
Rock are you related to Methusala ?
Happy birthday WOS, hope you get yer Jotters before you are 9. Basically the only blog or online Scottish Political resourse I follow. Its gonna be hard when your no longer there, but im sure the positive benefits of Indy Scotland will take some of the pain away.:)
Well, that was interesting!
First of all, congrats to Rev Stu on reaching the copper and/or wool anniversary and to all the Wingers/Proud Lurkers who have regularly dipped into this blog for info and to offer comment.
My curiosity was piqued: who was the first Winger to comment on the first WOS page?
Turns out it was Morag, who is still providing input. A huge bag of virtual fruit kudos to Morag!
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Spookily enough, I found that I had posted the 4th comment on that page – almost 3 years later!
What a change in frequency of comments, iye?
Briandoonthetoon typical bloody skinflint [ ah huge bag of virtual fruit ] , nicer if it wiz in ah basket wie a nice ribbon LoL .
I have a question though – why are there WOS pages prior to that first one (excepting ‘off-topic’ and Quarantine of course)?
I admit I haven’t clicked on them all. Mea Culpa…
I think the vital thing we must never forget from that exchange is that Leask evidently views Bella Caledonia as in collusion with him.
Happy Birthday wings and my fellow wingers.
Many happy returns , perhaps a birthday wish for indy or even Leask to stop talking gibberish .
David Leask, Pah! ‘Scottish media’ Pah! I have a right good chuckle when I read the scottish media is having a slow news day on your twitter. The reason, of course, is that they dare’nt print what they really want to say. Wings Over Scotland (and Wingers) have been holding the BritNat media at bay using the ferocious tactics of our greatly admired Rev Stu and the amazing Wingers.
What a job, what an impact. What amazing campaigners for Scotland. Thank you and happy, happy birthday Wings Over Scotland.
So much of politics is filtered through mainstream media, hence the popularity of Farage, Davidson, Johnson who all seemed to be getting actively promoted by the BBC. Obviously didn’t work for Kezia.
Coming late to the party after work
Just had to look in and say happy 7th birthday WOS and Wingers!
I’ve just found out I’m a Winger-type.
Oh, the horror!
Better a winger-type than a whinger-type.
Happy wingsday!
Happy Birthday Wings Over Scotland and wishing you many more of them … Not.
And as it’s the happiest of days, with no hard feelings towards Mr Leask, there’s a gift for him too … four free self-mastery sessions. Enjoy.
link to pathwaytohappiness.com
Happy Birthday Wings Over Scotland! Hope it doesn’t take another 7 years till Scotland comes to its senses!
MARIA F @ 5.32. Totally agree with everything you say.
folk have a choice now, they are ditching the herald and reading wos.
fact.
the numbers dont lie leasky
Many congratulations Stu. You have delivered an outstanding contribution of informative journalism that opponents fail to debunk and well reflected in a steadily growing readership in promoting the noblest cause. When the history of Scotland’s Independence is finally recorded, Wings will merit its place as a central pillar of that battle.
Rock@4.32pm
Hey Rock not everyone thinks they are Nostradamus. Give it a rest with the silly predictions. People will think you are mad mad mad.
On the other hand want to predict when the world will end.
Anyone else think that Leask looks like he could be Patrick Harveys older brother.
Craig Murray says:
7 November, 2018 at 7:45 pm
I think the vital thing we must never forget from that exchange is that Leask evidently views Bella Caledonia as in collusion with him.
——————–
no, the vital thing to note is that as the msm moves from dead tree into social media, across europe, the vast majority of readers are moving with them.
thing is, you, or syu could never compete with the msm before, but once they wove into the internet, you can.
thing is, as far as i can see, it is only in scotland where the population have bucked this trend, woken up if you will.
the traditional press hate you for this craig, and stu campbell, but this is the future direction of travel, everywhere, not just scotland
they have tried to shut you and stu down, and will do so again, but such actions are only the involuntary spasms of a cadaver, unaware that it is past its sell by date
fake news is their latest sound bite. stupid people buy it, but not the growing readers of wos or cm
A birthday poem for us all which I feel is quite appropriate
Cut the shackles that hold you down
Break the cage that traps your free spirit
Leave a heritage for people to remember you by
Leave the writing on the wall to guide the next generation
For One Day
They might also be able to
Spread their Wings with pride
Something that I could not do
They will achieve for me
You May Die
But people will learn
The foolish ones were them
For they locked away brilliance
That could have shined bright.
Martial Teacher.
Happy birthday.
link to irishtimes.com
Well worth a read. The word is out; the UK is not what it’s cracked up to be – and that’s before the breakup of the Union.
Cubby says:
7 November, 2018 at 9:11 pm
Anyone else think that Leask looks like he could be Patrick Harveys older brother
You meant Harvey’s granny surely.
Naw,he’s hauf Wallace,hauf Grommit,an’mibbee hauf Harvey’s granny.
Barnier….. “Without an operational backstop there will not be an accord and there will not be a transition period. That is certain.”
When he means Backstop, presumably he means the Dec 2017 agreed Backstop, not some Tory temporary customs nonsense.
link to dw.com
Don’t do twitter and the gibberish from Leask above will not make me change my mind anytime soon.
Do people actually pay money to read what this guy LEASK writes. It must just be complete idiots who still buy the Herald.
Tory English carpetbagger is a snake in the grass
link to caltonjock.com
Happy birthday indeed.
Some of the finest people I’ve ever met are (or were) regulars here. I hope we’re still pals in seven years from now, but that WOS will not exist because Stu is too busy working on whatever quirky strangeness he actually enjoys doing.
More power to each and every one of you!
Just got in, I’m playing catch-up (as usual..!).
Aha.. it’s 7 years of WOS, soooo:
Happy Birthday and Herzlichen Glückwünsch, Tillykke WOS.
Wouldn’t it be good when the reason for WOS would disappear and the Rev could get a top job as recognition for his services to independence.
Prior to 2011 when the SNP won an outright majority in the Scottish Parliament elections a “Gammon” had rarely been sighted in the entire country.
It wasn’t long though before they would become far more numerous with many sightings being reported almost daily on social media. The number of Gammons then increased exponentially from there until the Independence referendum in 2014.
They were everywhere by then, furious pink faces above flabby bellies were in abundance. The newspaper profession was particularly affected with Gammonitis as column after column saw them let rip with their anti-Scottish opinions.
Then there was a lull after the Yes support fell short and they lost the referendum, but it was just a very short lull before the realisation struck the Gammons that the Yes support hadn’t gone away, they hadn’t been destroyed!
More outrage and that was the spark for a Gammon uprising, they became even more furious and their faces even more pink!
But still they were failing to make inroads, the message wasn’t getting through and they clearly needed a leader. Someone bold, someone with influence in their world was needed.
Then the strongest of all the Gammons stepped forward to be crowned King of Scots Gammons. His name was Leask.
All hail King Leasky the ruler of all Scots Gammons and the most half baked of them all!
@Thepnr –
I hereby dispute your nomination of Leask as ruler of all Scots Gammons.
I give you Stephen Daisley, and suggest that we crowdfund a sumo contest where they shall settle it once and for all.
Plenty of minor gammons would pay to see it.
If we build it they will come!
Happy birthday WOS and oor wonderous Rev Stu. Where would our sanity be without him?
Dakk@9.28pm
Good shout.
As my granny used to say “he’s no oil painting” or ” a face only a mother could love “
All joking aside.
Leask has put me off gammon steak for life.
@Ian Brotherhood
Stephen Daisley is the heir apparent that much is true. He is to Leask as Englands King of Gammon in waiting, Boris Johnson is to the ultimate Queen of Gammon that is Theresa May.
We’ll be out of this Union before then. An Independent Scotland will get by just fine without any Gammon whatsoever.
MAKE SCOTLAND GAMMON FREE!
Seven years… a long tale of the unexpected!
Thanks for going above and beyond, for being a breath of fresh air in a noxious atmosphere, for providing a huge archive of information, for analysing and challenging madness of the UK media, for providing a space for folk to vent their thoughts and frustrations, for bringing us Chris Cairns’ toons, for being the place to cry our eyes out after the indyref, for kicking us back into action, for carrying on
I’m still on the list
@dakk
Not at all, just think of Leask amongst his boiled cabbages and mashed tatties, with some more water of cabbages poured over for good effect, and a dod of Colman’s English mustard.
Delicious!
@yesindyref2
Ok,sold it.
EMBRACE THE GAMMON!
link to politics.co.uk
With no written Constitution, and now a ‘will of the people’ referendum overruling parliamentary sovereignty, the UK Government is out of control and able to virtually do what it wants without the need for any constitutional or democratic authority.
The irony is that this self-same situation, as perceived, is one of the principal reasons for leaving the EU.
The SS Brittania has lost its steering wheel.
LOOKING BACK WITH HINDSIGHT
Occasionally, a birthday can be a time for looking back. To do so, we are endowed with the perfect tool for the job – hindsight. And so we are able to say, with hindsight, things that couldn’t be said at the time, because they were not fully understood.
If we look back, for example, at the deal struck by the British government with the DUP/UDA after the 2017 snap General Election, we can see that the government’s version of the reasons for the deal doesn’t stack up. The government claimed it needed to secure the 10 DUP MP’s votes, but those votes were already secured to the Conservative Government as fellow Unionists.
So what is left? The bottom line is that what the Tories paid £1billion to the DUP was for the ready and available threat of para-military violence as an element in securing NI in the UK, but, by extension, securing the Union, with specific reference to Scotland, without which England is finished as an economic power, becoming bankrupt upon Scottish Independence.
The DUP have been given enormous influence of late by the Tory government, out of all proportion to their actual political status in NI, as well as £1billion. Such a position of prominence on a weak political base demands an explanation which has not been forthcoming at any point from either the Tories or the DUP/UDA.
No worries, with hindsight we can work it out for ourselves.
Can we gift Ruth-less to England? Now!
We can throw in a Mini-me on a 2 for 1 promotion.
England deserves Ruth.
Just send me the bill for chosen mode of transport.
Please leave your very useful and free SNP Government life saving Baby Box at Gretna Green.
Happy Birthday Wings.
You really are the dogs bollocks.
Was going to say you are “simply the best” – which you are – but thought it might not be to your taste.
That bawbag leak is up his own arse. But here’s the thing. Like the rest of us he only has one vote. And I am glad to be a wings over Scotland type. Quite proud to be in fact. ? ? ???????
The Greens will muck up Independence. They muck up everything else. Illogical and irrational.
The Herald is going down the tubes. The National will take over.
Wings will continue to go from strength to strength. The most popular website. Beating them at their own game. Congratulations on seven years. The best is yet to come.
Simple the best. Better than all the rest. Thanks for ever. Remarkable.
Here’s an interesting thing (Panelbase).
“Base: Don’t know at Q6”
“Q9. If the UK left the EU without an agreement on future trading arrangements – a “No Deal” Brexit – would this affect the way you would vote in a second Scottish Independence referendum?”
Country of Birth: Scotland – England – all others
(actual numbers not percentages – small data)
Would vote YES 13 1 3
Would vote NO 8 0 0
Still Don’t know 57 4 8
That’s promising, even if small numbers in that data. In total, don’t know changes are 2 to 1 in favour of YES.
link to drg.global
Ah! This is what they don’t want to tell us in that Panelbase poll FUD keeps quoting.
Q9. If the UK left the EU without an agreement on future trading arrangements – a “No Deal” Brexit – would this affect the way you would vote in a second Scottish Independence referendum?
Base: Likely (8-10) voters at Q5
I would vote Yes 40%
I would vote No 44%
Don’t know 15%
(1% wouldn’t vote).
Now then, if that don’t know split 2 YES to 1 NO, as in the above, that makes it:
I would vote Yes 50%
I would vote No 49%
(1% wouldn’t vote).
The devil is in the detail.
yesindyref2 says:
What an odd and ill conceived question. Distinctly misleading.
A “No Deal” Brexit will leaving with no Withdrawal Agreement.
If there is a WA there will be an accompanying non binding woolly statement, a framework, for “future trading arrangements”. So even with a WA there will definitely NOT be agreement.
There will only be agreement beyond Brexit, years away.
I can only presume the wording has been chosen to make Brexit appear clearer than it is. The question implies that if there is the opposite of “No Deal” i.e. a WA, then voters WILL know about future trading.
This pre conditioning within the question will make the voter marginally more comfortable and swing figures away from Yes.
Has to be intentional.
Better late than never,
Hippo Birdie two ewe WOS, long my your lum reek
Yer indispensable.
Has Colmans English Mustard still got starch in it? real mustard doesn’t contain starch! By their mustard pots shall ye know them! reject all immitations!
Thanks, Stu.
Your work here is superb. Happy Birthday Wings!
@galamcennalath
Yes, the wording of other questions leaves a lot to be desired, some of them you’d need an IQ of 365 to be able to work out and answer.
O/T
John Bolton recently visited Moscow for talks but funnily enough there seems to have been a news blackout on how the talks went.
I wonder why.
O/T
Should we fill trolleys with union jackery branded goods and abandon them at the check-out in Tescos?
Anybody else getting fed up with the unrelenting coverage of US politics? I couldn`t care less how many seats the Rublicans or the Democrats win in the mid-term elections. Channel 4 news is now almost exclusively amercan coverage.
Where is the news from Norway, Sweden, Denmark or France? Absolutely zero on all channels.
Oh, so it’s us “Scottish gammons” that live in a Yes bubble.
Doesn’t Leasky realise that a poll inside his own bubble has the value of the square root of -1?
The only poll that counts is the one with ballot papers.
We better make sure it’s not tampered with.
I’m actually ON the YouGov panel. I see the comments and remarks left by those who take part.
They are largely ‘axe grinders’ who read the ‘Daily Mail’ and this completely explains Boris’ popularity. They are under-represented in Scotland. All I can say is that more of us should actually get involved so that the REAL opinions on politics are heard.
As for Leask’s comments – dafuq??
Benhope @11.04pm
Try Euronews if you have access to it.