Wings Over Scotland

Hit the nail on the head Chris!

This cartoon captures the pantomime perfectly.

Star his instance may be very correct on two different levels.Salmond is a star who yesterday shone like a beacon. He shone a light on those who would turn our Scotland into a country devoid of morality in the name of a political party. Secretive, conspiring and corrupt. Perhaps yeserday was the finest illustration of why the small people charged with leading us to freedom fear his presence even today Chris.I tip my hat to you yet again.

Marie Clark says:
27 February, 2021 at 7:47 am
Aye that’s how some would like to see him. After yesterdays meeting of the inquiry committee it makes you realise just how short we are of a real SNP politician..EFA.

It’s how they deal with James Wolffe that fascinates me. Alex said yesterday: ‘If the Inquiry needs documents which have been redacted or removed entirely by the Crown Office, then just contact Levy and McRae and they will be delivered to you by Monday.’

That tells me that the Crown Office aren’t afraid of bullying small guys like Craig Murray but, after yesterday, they will no longer be trying to bully Alex Salmond….is that fair?

I’ll bet that scruffy old bastard James Wolffe didn’t get any sleep last night.

I got a sense yesterday that the committee warmed to AS as the meeting proceeded.
He treated them with respect but was also very confident in his answers and clever in exposing their own weaknesses.
Maureen Watt did herself no favours and nor did AC-H.
The truth is that AS is in a different class and his departure from Scottish politics has exposed a huge void that none of the current generation of MSPs appears capable of filling.
Despite her good presetntation skills, it is clear that NS is incapable of running a government, and her one big mistake is surround herself with “yes-men” (or “women” or “trans”) rather than talent.
Perhaps that talent does not exist.
The take-home message from yesterday is that ScotGov is in a mess and lacks good leadership, and that ordinary people are unsafe from “arbitrary authority”.
A frightening verdict.

@TNS I watched the Sky coverage (which didn’t seem to have included the last part of the session) and it was clear that the committee seemed to want to get to the heart of the matter overall. That is, of course, with the exception of the SNP members and Cole-Hamilton (who, to be fair, had a much better second set of questions).

Alex was as impressive as I would have expected him to have been. He knew what he was talking about, and I suspect his successor won’t be quite as assured next week.

Similar to other readers, I noted the stark contrast between Alex and the majority of the numpties who sit in our Parliament. Although I was impressed by Jackie Baillie and Murdo Fraser,and Andy Whightman acquitted himself well. Strange days.

Still smiling at Alex Salmond’s statesman like performance that put all
other U.K. politicians in the shade.

The other politicians on screen yesterday I wouldn’t let run a youth club.
They struggled to put a coherent question together and attempted to appear
pedantic which came out as pathetic.

I really don’t know if that group are capable of eating off the plate that Alex
laid out for them?

Lesley Evans fully deserves a prison sentence but please try to isolate her from
any petty criminals.

The Lord Advocate’s performance has been worse than disastrous and a full investigation
must be undertaken after his dismissal to establish why he went so far off the rails.

The Crown Prosecutor has been part and parcel of this serial persecution against Alex and
doing all they can to stop justice from prevailing.

I also want to know who set up a team of 22 who spent 2 years trying to lead females into
making a complaint against him.

Every resource that Westminster can muster will now be put into gear to cover up their part
within all this and to put the blame on the Scots while driving the wedges of their divide and
conquer into the heart of Holyrood politics.

Much of what I see in SNP disgusts me but I will vote and I will never ever vote for a London
Unionist party nor leave any doors open for them.

We must unite the smaller but true independence parties to maximise our 2nd votes with them.
The SNP wasters can be ejected as soon as independence is achieved.

You have had a long look now at people like Annie Wells and Cole-Hamilton.
They don’t have enough intellect between them to build Lego let alone a country.

The bottom line for those ready to action that would aid the Unionists, do you want to
continue with another 9 years of Scot hating buffoon Boris or see Alex Salmond free
to assist us build a world leading nation?

@tns2019 I believe there is the talent . What is lacking is the plan and the leadership to choose the right people to implement the plan.
The aim should be the best for the people of Scotland.
The current constraints are Scotland is part of the United Kingdom outwith the European Union.
If the belief is that “the best for the people of Scotland” is independence then all the efforts should be on how to achieve that goal.
It is sad to see the once great institutions being used to resolve personal vendettas.
Independence can be achieved in the same way that the UK achieved the independence from the EU but hopefully with a better case and a better plan for what is done when that aim is achieved.
I’m a reminded of a poem by Roger Mcgough
The Leasder
I wanna be the leader
I wanna be the leader
Can I be the leader?
Can I? I can?
Promise? Promise?
Yippee I’m the leader
I’m the leader

OK what shall we do?
Roger McGough

Sorry that this is so long.

TNS2019

Alex says that Scotland’s leadership is at fault.

What is missing?

Values – integrity, honesty, authenticity, trust, respect,due process and more.

We have a culture where the end justifies the means – doesn’t matter how we arrive at the objective, getting there is the most important thing.(Except for Independence)

If people object to the GRA – just remove them from office, silence their views – job done. GRA in place.

Trans-women are not women? Tell people that from 9.00 am next Tuesday they will be women and it will be done. Anyone who objects must have their views silenced, be removed from office..etc

Democracy is missing and a big problem is that the de facto Leader does not have total control anymore.

People may say that Alex was demanding, I say he has standards and that was obvious yesterday.
What an example he set – calm, non-judgemental, succinct, professional, in control of the facts – in fact I would go so far as to say that he managed to take control of the meeting.

He definitely won over most of the committee with his honest, measured attitude.

If he does return to politics he will get my vote. We need a leader of the calibre of Alex Salmond.

Nicola does empathy – but where is her empathy for Joanna Cherry?
Nicola would not have turned up at a meeting at Alex’s house to discuss a new gov. policy and find that he didn’t seem to be familiar with it!
To be a good leader you have to have the facts at your fingertips but to be an extraordinary leader you have to be better than everyone else,know your weaknesses and your strengths, admit your failures and acknowledge everyone else’s role in the group success, take blame for what has gone wrong and have a vision for the long term future.

Nicola does not have these qualities to the same level that Alex has and her leadership is lacking.

We change managers in football teams maybe time to change mangers in political teams as well.

They are absolutely and utterly scared out of their wits by the prospect of the return of Mr Salmond. Hence the continued attempts to smear him. It’s the old fling a lot of mud and hope some of it sticks.

A court has ruled he is made of teflon but still they try. Anyone doing that outs themselves as outside the law and who holds the court, the judge and that female majority juriy in contempt.

How likely is a VONC in James Wolfe? And does anyone know the likely maths if there was a vote? (i.e. how many SNP/Greens would need to do the right thing?)

Frozone

I feel Wolfe will have to be sacked, and that is unlikely under the current leadership.

He’s a Tory, so the Tories will be reluctant to vote for his removal – they tend to protect their own.

Sturgeon and her coven will not vote for this – he’s in too-deep with their plans to silence Alex.

Maybe if the Faculty of Advocates get together and tell him: “You’re an embarrassment – you have to retire from the bar,” he might go. Otherwise, I think he’s safe.

Effijy @8.26
You have had a long look now at people like Annie Wells and Cole-Hamilton.
They don’t have enough intellect between them to build Lego let alone a country.

My problem is, many on the SNP benches are equally devoid of intellect (and integrity)- Maureen Watt to name one. As are some who are looking to park their bums on seats for the first time, this time around.

Despite Maureen Watt and Alex Cole Hamilton, in particular, repeatedly using irrelevant loaded questions, that Linda Fabiani ( to her credit, was strongly critical of) Mr Salmond did not rise to the bait.

He did not display any anger or annoyance which he would have been fully entitled to do( when the antics of the above two in particular would have tried the patience of a saint). He did not walk into the verbal traps set for him.

Six hours of speaking, and answering questions, must have been very tiring, especially when he has a chest infection.

Yet, his composure, eloquence and candour was very impressive. He carefully, patiently and politely dealt with each and every question or snidey dig.

It was a master class; a tour de force in giving a witness testimony to sometimes very hostile questioning. Even Mr Salmond’s enemies must have been fearfully impressed.

And he reminded the committee, and everyone watching, of his lifelong and continuing desire for Scotland to become independent.

Salmond, for me, represents a completely other Scottish nation, that is: the anti-establishment one that we caught a brief glimpse of in 2014. As he explained yesterday: there is nothing fundamentally wrong with our institutions, our problem lies with those who govern our institutions.

What has the SNP leadership become post 2014, but yet another part of the insidious and all pervasive Scottish establishment. Those who imagine that the SNP is somehow outside the thrall of the establishment are, in my view, far mistaken. Those of us who wish to see Scottish independence must widen our political reckoning and perspective and look anew at the question of: who actually runs Scotland?

The short answer is: a relatively small group of people with a pro-union agenda, who are kept sweet by means of Westminster’s patronage. The tragic effect of this has always been: no matter how you might vote, the establishment always remains in place as the real-power-in-the-land.

Cudneycareless says:
27 February, 2021 at 8:30 am

@tns2019 I believe there is the talent

You could be right. Having worked in a number of organisations I know that poor leadership suppresses talent and this appears to be the case with the SNP. Perhaps there is hidden talent. A reservoir of strong MSPs just biding their time and waiting for the call from a decent FM.
On the other hand….
Maureen Watt

We are around 3 years away (unless there’s an intervention from WM) from the run-in to a general election. 36 months, it’s nothing. It will be here before you know it.

Is there strength in the movement to (if necessary) bypass the SNP and launch a political party which could stand at WM for a plebiscite on independence?

I cannot wait to see the demeanour of the SNP members of the inquiry this coming week, bet there’s a different tone then….ASSLICKING FULL THROTTLE

What truly appalled me yesterday (among everything) was the sheer arrogance of the SNP inquisitors yesterday and their demeaning tone. Slugs have more backbone, never mind shit for brains.

Spot on Robert Louis – Alex Salmond, King of Scotland.

A shocking image which reflects how it must have felt for Alex, a heart-draining sense of abandonment. He described it as the “ worst day of his life “ when he found out about the criminal charges he faced…the “ silent evidence “ no one else is allowed to see. Because it’s a damning indictment and proof of how those at the top of the political establishment conspired to stitch him up.

We are hardwired to be most fearful of harm when it threatens to occur maliciously, at the hands of our fellow human beings and this special variety of fear is the most contagious of all. I am still buzzing from Alex’s appearance. I wish him well and hope that he and his family can start to heal from the harm and suffering he has had to endure. I would contribute to any fundraiser in a heartbeat.

The integrity and soul of the SNP and the Scottish Parliament are now on trial and the people of Scotland have a chance to deliver their verdict at the election.

Grendel says, 27 February, 2021 at 7:24 am:

“.. the Sky News vox pop from Linlithgow, where the woman said “I’ve always thought (Salmond) was a slimy scumbag”? Gutter level broadcasting.”

True, but the woman did say it and, to be fair to Sky, their reports have been the most balanced recently, and especially all day yesterday.

Unfortunately there was (shall we say?) ‘a slimy scumbag’ of a journo on the late Sky review of the papers last night, on full-frontal Salmond attack, lambasting him for his ‘attacks’ on the two original harassment complainers.

Ffs ..

I guess after all this time you get a bit jaded , I have heard all the arguments it’s all just repetition now I believe I have a basic grasp of what should be being done , then I look at second rate town councillors posing as MPs and MSPs most of them need a script and guidance in order to walk.

Yesterday was a revelation ,the SNP reps were a disgusting disgrace the point of the inquiry totally eluded them they had instructions and it wasn’t to follow the Inquiry remit and get to the truth of who was responsible for the biggest fk uk in recent history they had a rehearsed agenda just like their leader get Alex and in whatever way possible ,

The three of them looked petty and vindictive attempting to score little Snide points that had nothing to do with what they were there for they took the gloves off and Alex politely booted them in the balls aye that included that poison dwarf who looked like she was chewing a wasp and the wasp was winning A Human Resources professional fk me as close to human garbage as you can get

Anyway the point of this rant is I probably like others was taken in and assumed anyone with a SNP badge on was one of the good ones the ones on our side we were all in the boat , I was willing to overlook some of the amateurish presentational hiccups and lack of a basic grasp on some subjects because they were on our side, after yesterday’s outing of what our side really looked like I decided I don’t want to support this team anymore , I refuse to give them one more chance , I have nothing to lose I want independence they don’t it’s that stark that black and white .

British Unionist and Labour Party announcing their choice of pet Jock today.

That cartoon actually describes the events of the past 2 years – and perfectly condenses them – so much more than a thousand bitter words from a hateful, crooked rag ever could. Well done, Chris – and a gold star for that work.

I hope the Committee members read this because the one question especially they need to ask Nicola is this.

When Alex “popped in” to your house from two hundred miles away not knowing if you were at home, and accompanied by his solicitor and Chief of Staff you stated that you knew nothing of allegations, but thought he was going to resign. Before you knew of allegations.

What reason did you have for thinking that? What other event apart from something you say you didn’t know, put that thought in your head?

#resignsarahsmith , trending on twitter,

seems she has been misquoting Alex on BBC.

Nice to see so many new accounts visiting these pages now, newbies making the transition from “I don’t believe it?” to “She’s a disgrace and a liability”.
Truth be told, I’m a sort-of newbie on this site myself, or at least a lost but now am found re-visitor. I confess, I fell-out with Stuart, both on Twitter and on his blog, around late 2017/early2018 and stopped visiting him. I’m very happy I saw the truth – as these new accounts have also seen the truth – around late 2018.

Also on Twitter, there’s a rampant ‘I’m with Nicola’ account I still follow (why? because she’s my weather vane) and she following me; just yesterday, she confirmed her vows (what, really, is her problem?) but instead of the usual barrage of support in the way of likes etc, it was, relatively speaking, paltry. I wager, many of her followers are now visiting Wings over Scotland?

Thanks for your work, Stuart and Chris, you are both genuine History Men.

Excellent cartoon Mr Cairns. Nail on head as always.

Re the noises coming out of WM about closing/proroguing Holyrood… if they manage to do this before an election… that will be nearly all of the Tories in Scotland out of power, and the remainder of Labour and the LibDems.

Now, I don’t exactly rate any of them, however, ‘divide and conquor’ should not just be reserved as a tool for the other side, and since they have a very great liking for the gravy train and not much talent to earn the same in the real world… is it possible there might be support for Scotland’s Parliament coming from unexpected corners.

Breaking News.

The committee to question the FM on Wednesday have disclosed that Little Ted and Poppy will be unable to attend. Hamble is still recovering from the injuries suffered at the hands of Chloe Ashcroft and will not attend either. The committee will, of course, be chaired by Jemima.

Six hours of speaking, and answering questions, must have been very tiring, especially when he has a chest infection.

That’s one thing I find disconcerting about the committee system. You’d never organise a 6 hour work meeting for 12:30-6:30 with just a 20 minute break in the middle (or even for 10-4 with just a 20 minute break). No one would turn up. So why are committees run that way?

This is one witness being asked questions under oath (in this case on pain of prosecution if he accidentally slips up and mentions one of many redactions). It’s high profile, being live screened and watched by huge numbers. However good you are, and even if you were 100% fit and well, that’s going to be stressful and exhausting.

It almost gives the sense that the committee system itself has been designed to wear down participants, with the first hour or two spent on repetitive questions which don’t get to the point, in the hope that by 4 or 5 hours in, most witnesses will be flagging, just wanting it over, losing their voice and/or losing focus and giving less coherent answers than they otherwise would to the more important questions. You’re never going to get the best out of either the witness or the questioners, who will also be flagging and losing concentration, after 5 or 6 straight hours.

That’s one thing I’d suggest urgently needs looked at. If six hours is to be allowed for questioning a witness in a committee, a civilised country would run that as 3 hours in the morning, three in the afternoon, an hour for lunch and 2 fifteen minute refreshment breaks: the way you’d run any other work meeting. Or over two separate days.

Alex Salmond would never have gone to prison for anything, there is not a court in the land that can convict you for revealing the truth, injunctions mean nothing if they are based on lies and cover ups, I would have ignored them and challenged the LA to do his worse, the threat of prison does not scare people like me, in fact its a challenge to be taken up at every opportunity as far as I am concerned, tell the truth and shame the devil, or devils in this case.
Around about 1970 there was a charge called drunk and incapable, just an excuse for the police to arrest law abiding citizens, which I was one of, I was taken to greenock police office and charged with this nonesense and put in a cell overnight and taken to court the following day, which was a saturday, courts where held on a saturday in those days because they did not want to keep us locked up till the monday.
I was given a £5 fine which I did not have on me, in those days you could 8 pints of beer for a pound, so at about £3 today that would equate to about a £120 fine, my wage was about £16 a week.
So i was sent to Barlinnie and got out on the tuesday when my uncle paid the fine for me.
And that happened every weekend to people who where just out having a little refreshment.
This crazy charge would have meant the police could wait outside any establishment and arrest most of the people coming out when it closed, ofc they did not have enough cells to lock hundreds maybe thousands of people up.
They got their quota for the night and then the rest could go home to their beds till the next weekends debacle.
My father was arrested about 5 hundred yards from his house, walking home, and the charge, drunk and incapable, and to this day be very aware, the police have quotas to fill, after all there is a lot of crime out there, so please do not be caught pissing in the street, or you will be classed as a criminal and locked up, better to do a few burglaries or something, they never catch you doing that

Good point Chris, though I don’t think everyone on the committee didn’t want the evidence outed.

The Crown Office stopped Alex Salmond from divulging more at yesterday’s meeting, though Alex being the shrew operator that he is managed to show that the Crown Office by its unproven actions was actually hindering the committee in doing its job to the best of its ability. In saying that some on the committee, appeared to be quite happy with that.

Absolutely right, Cap’n (at 10.21am.)

To comment on matters of law, Humza would need the relevant expertise.

Like all of Sturgeon’s appointees he was selected for absolute obedience, not talent or knowledge.

@ Mia, How stood Mr Sargent on the Middle East?

I’m hopelessly ignorant of his circumstances, but that the Brit Nat state has a formula book of tricks that it dusts off and uses is a given.

With regards Motive? I don’t think we will ever get a definitive answer on that, very difficult to prove.

It is actually quite strange the times we live in, this emphasis on Motive.

For example, I was ‘stitched up’ at work to prevent me getting a promotion. Was is sex discrimination, or a personality clash between me and the boss? The motive didn’t really matter, the ‘actions’ mattered rather a lot.

The one thing motive would facilitate is making it ‘easier’ for the ‘I’m with Nicla’ brigade to start to understand just how badly she has behaved.

Some never will.

Meanwhile, we need Plegiscite Indy on the ballot paper and reputable candidates to vote for.

Sarwar wins. He knows if he doesn’t do well in the post he can always go to the Punjab and get a job from his dad the Governor.

Mia @10:52

I tend to agree with your categorising Salmond’s reason for the motive to get him as being “generous”. TBH it was the one part where I think he said what he felt he should say, and not what he wanted to say.

The true motive no doubt can be found in the documentation which he had in front of him, and which he invited the Committee to request directly from his solicitors using powers under the Scotland Act, thereby effectively bypassing the COPFS.

My fear is that the Committee don’t have a strong enough stomach to handle the truth and will want to avoid giving NS a hard time next week. Time will tell.

I knew I forgot something in my long boring rant previously posted

Independence I heard more references to Independence from Alex yesterday than I have heard from Princess Sturgeon in the last year , she’s way too busy organising and personally implementing the Plague restrictions mostly following Westminsters instructions and occasionally jumping in front to give the impression she is in charge and competent ,

Well here’s some news sweetie it’s a very low bar dear, Bawjaws is a clown and he leads a cabinet comprised of gangsters and criminals that would shame even the Mafia so even a dumb ass with the mental ability of a child could probably match your efforts , you have NHS staff with a better understanding of what works and what is actually possible , delegation is a management skill.

But that would deprive the Princess of the adulation and the daily in your face presentation of I am Nicola and I am in total control I make all the decisions and I accept all the Applause . Me me me .

Astonished @11:22

Humza and Anas both attended Hutchesons’ Grammar in Glasgow at the same time, although Anas must have been in the year above, or two years above.

Curiously, Mohammad Sarwar’s wikipedia page says he supports Celtic & Rangers. Really? He must be the world’s only Celtic & Rangers fan.

@robertknight – My reading of the exchange with Margaret Mitchel was that if she requested all the information from Levy and McRae, a lot of which was not available to the Inquiry or available only in redacted version, then the Inquiry would have all the information it needed to prove Peter Murrell (and perhaps others) lied under oath.

Sturgeon and her team now have a few days to go over AS testimony and prepare her answers, add to this some very soft questions and a sympathetic committee and this cow might just get away with it.
It will take a lot to make me watch her after AS stunning performance.

Hi Chris.

Yes, when even our side refuse to believe Salmond was framed by the classic sex smear, you question the gap in the intellectual capacity of some Scots.

I composed these few words from my hospital bed:

‘I Am A Man’: link to wp.me

Aye, Mohammad Sarwar, a politician in both of his two countries. One of them is of course notorious for corruption in public life…..and the other one is called Pakistan.

The Scottish Parliament has a YouTube Channel and the full proceedings of yesterday’s Committee meeting may be accessed here for future reference. Thankyou:

link to tinyurl.com

Liz says 9.03.

Yes Liz we are certainly short of intellect, vision, drive
and sincerity within the SNP representatives.

We must still put in candidates of this calibre or the Unionist parties
put in Cole-Hamilton and Annie Wells of this world.

Independence by any means and then the dross can be cleaned out
before we start building.

I demand Lesley Evans is first on the Committee’s list to be sacked pending
Criminal prosecution. She reports to her boss in Westminster and I’d be astonished
if they were not working her from behind.

The Lord Advocate and COPS will be sacked soon after and
and only a criminal prosecution will do thereafter.

I also need to know which police authority signed off the work of
22 officers for a period of 2 years and who deliberately lead those interviewed.

By all means cover the names of the alphabet liars but every related document must
Be published by the committee.
Everyone with any interest already knows who they are and nothing other than their credibility
has been damaged.

I still maintain that there names should not be protected after being proven to have lied.
It encourages woman to defame innocent men at no cost to them regardless of how bizarre
their claims turn out to be.
I don’t want to pay for police, lawyers or courts for all passing fantasists.

link to barrheadboy.com

One of the best articles I’ve read on Barrheadboy.

-Robert Graham-

Come on now! That is unfair on the Mafia! Lord McCluskey (Lord Advocate in the 70s) said that if Arthur “the Godfather” Thomson had gone to Fettes he would have become prime minister, he was the most intelligent man McCluskey had ever met. Nobody could say that about the current Tory cabinet!

“My fear is that the Committee don’t have a strong enough stomach to handle the truth”

You are being generous too. In my personal opinion that committee was never designed to ever get to the truth, otherwise you would not have an SNP MSP as the chairperson and half of the seats taken by the SnP, the party at scrutiny here. The conflict of interests is huge and the suggestion that there was ever any impartiality is utterly ridiculous.

Watching in disgust the embarrassing and undignifying way the SnP MSPs in that committee conducted themselves yesterday, it became crystal clear what they were there for, to stop the truth coming out and to continue smearing Mr Salmond. The pathetic performance of Watt reading verbatim from her notes suggested to me that she was told by somebody else what to ask.

As I said above, if there ever was any intention to actually uncover the truth, Fabiani would have never allowed a parliamentary committee to be gerrymandering or bullied by either the crown office, the government or the lord advocate, particularly when the lord advocate and the crown agent are right at the centre of this fiasco so they are not impartial.

The questions asked by Mr Fraser to Mr Salmond were quite pertinent to the current farcical situation (I paraphrase): “would the crown office in England ever attempt to suppress evidence from a House of Commons committee? Would the House of Commons ever allow the crown office to interfere in its remit and suppress evidence? The answer to both was no. So why is Fabiani allowing it to be done to the committee she chairs?

If that committee was really interested in seeking the truth of what happened in the meetings in March and April 2018, they would have dragged to the questioning seat each and all the individuals present or allegedly present in those meetings and demand from them to answer under oath the questions with the cautioning that should they lie and be proven to have done so, there would be repercussions.

How can it ever be justified that one of the most important individuals right at the heart of this plot and allegedly present in those meetings has been allowed to simply send a flimsy statement and excused from appear in the committee? How is it can possibly be acceptable to simply let it pass that the main piece of evidence regarding those meetings is being silenced by the crown office and Linda Fabiani does not seek to get the people present in those meetings on the questioning seat to extract the truth from them under oath?

How it could have possibly been acceptable for this committee to watch Sturgeon abusing her time in Parliament to defy Mr Salmond to “present the evidence” by attending the questioning while senior members of her own team, have been allowed to not appear and therefore leaving the committee without the evidence it needs? This really stinks, as it also stinks the way they allowed that other woman to answer the questions by phone.

Everything will be brushed under the carpet because that is how the British state operates. Damage limitation above all. This will be no exception. The goal is now to stop May election to become a plebiscite and to stop Mr Salmond leading or joining a party and pushing the wagon without wheels that has become the SNP under Sturgeon out of their current pool position as (fake) pro -independence party.

They powers that be are far too close to achieve their objective and I expect they will not let anything or anybody stand in the way. So expect more dark and dirty twists and turns on this. Evans is not allowed to resign because where are they going to find another patsy to take the poisoned chalice she is leaving behind? Sturgeon is not going to be allowed to resign until the next British state puppet in a position to take over the SNP carcass.

One or two posters commenting on how poor Alex Cole-Scuttle was yesterday.

Someone should remind him – those few Lib-Dems who still exist in Scotland prefer to be led by Willie Rennie, than by Alex Cole-Scuttle.

.. a very moving few words from Grouse Beater:

link to wp.me

Be sure not to skip by ..

It worked against Parnell so why not AS?

I have sons for whom I fear in this climate. They are decent well brought up young men who care deeply about how they present and behave around women. One spoke of helping a drunken female friend home and his anxiety until he could give her over into the care of female friends ASAP.

Why would anyone want to be alone with women in a room now when stuff from 10 years ago that is open to interpretation can be raked over to fit a narrative?

Still, there is stuff on the internet ‘but he groped her’ ‘sleepy cuddle’ ‘he should have kept his hands to himself.’

It will never end and if that was the aim, those who sought to destroy him have won.

sarah smith twitter
@BBCsarahsmith
· 15h
1. `On the 6 o’clock news headline tonight I said that Alex Salmond had claimed the First Minister had ‘broken the ministerial code and that he thinks she should resign’. I would like to clarify that Mr Salmond did not say that the First Minister should resign.`

A lie gets halfway around the world before truth puts on its boots.

I have changed my opinion on the labour politician on the inquiry with the initials JB (trying to avoid moderation here by not spelling her name out in full).

I have misjudged her and underestimated her as well. Watching this has been a real eye opener in this regard. I like JB from what I have seen of her in the Inquiry. They should have made her leader. I also get the feeling that despite their differences she has a lot of respect for Alex Salmond (and vice versa).

Murdo Fraser as well came across as decent to me.

The SNP MSPs and ACH especially came across as utter w@nks.

Wightman was not much better.

The SNP are a disgraceful mess of a party now. Other than a select few worth saving (e.g. KM and JC) you are off your rocker voting for them.

We should, in the intereests of fairness, congratulate Anas Sarwar in finally getting the job he has always wanted.

Sadly, for as long as the dwindling Labour support in Scotland want us to be owned by England, it’s not a job any one with an ounce of sense would wish to have.

The question now is – how long will he last?

Including interim leaders (Cathy Jamieson, Alex Rowley, Jasckie Baillie etc.) the leader of Scottish Labour has had, since Holyrood opened, an average of 17 months in the job. Since 2014, this average length of tenure has fallen to 9 months. He’s got a tough job ahead.

I fear, “Scottish Labour” is a burst baw – until we are independent. Even after Independence, I feel the days of the “broad church” big parties in Scotland will be over.

@Grousebeater,

Stay as strong as you can, for as long as you can.

Wordsmiths are a precious commodity.

It’s been said many times over the past 16-18 hours of course but Salmond’s performance yesterday was statesmanlike.

He was measured, he didn’t exaggerate and he could prove everything that he said.

Sturgeon’s retort will be to cast around, Donald Trump style. He said, she said, nothing adds up.

Thank God for Jackie Baillie, Murdo Fraser and Margaret Mitchel. They are quiet thinkers who already know what questions to ask.

I just wonder if the Committee will take Salmond up on the offer of providing all the missing/redacted statements, WhatsApp records etc.

I have the feeling that this information would sink a few folk. Lying under oath is fairly serious. You don’t usually get away with it….even in Scotland.

Mohammad Sarwar…
Skotistan Zindabad!
You’ll know soon enough in your dealings with the Ingrizi that independence makes sense.
Mubarakbad!

Socrates , you just made me laugh , ta!

What’s missing from the cartoon Chris if I may opine is a gold star on the prisoners jump suit.

The Nazis in the 1930’s used to use stars to indicate the class of prisoner. But maybe the SG have moved on to more modern methods.

Whatever though, the cartoon reflects the Scottish Government and how it operates. Frightening stuff. People must truly take note for it could be them next.

And yes, on Wednesday, one Clive Thompson from Fife was made an example of and got six months jail for tweeting from abroad last August five individuals who he believed were alphabet women

` Lying under oath is fairly serious. You don’t usually get away with it….even in Scotland.`

`The offence of perjury involves making a false statement, which is material in proceedings.`

the judge must rule if she/he sees the perjury `material to the proceedings`,

English journalist and editor of the News of the World Andy Coulson comitted perjury but was freed,

Lord Burns said that for Coulson to be found guilty it was necessary for the Crown to prove that the allegedly untrue evidence he had given at the 2010 Sheridan trial had been relevant to the issues in it.

@republicofscotland

What is your evidence for including Drew Hendry in your list of second rate politicians?

His action with the HOC mace was theatrical but at least it went on record.

I did not know until yesterday just how heavily involved Sue Ruddick was in the plot to stitch-up Salmond. She is right in there with Evans, Lloyd, MacKinnon, MacCann and Murrell. John Somers as well now starting to look very fishy.

Disgusting as well that the Police are still investigating the leaks of Murrell’s disgraceful message to Kenny MacAskill but were and are totally indifferent to the far graver leak to the Daily Record. Their and COPFS glaring double standards are so repellant at this point they make you want to spit.

I am going to have to watch the whole thing again.

Wednesday is Pancake Day.

Sturgeon will have a lot of sweat to conceal.

I remember back un the day a newspaper reported a man found guilty of murder when in fact he was found guilty of man slaughter.

It cost them £60K in damages.

Why do we not see the same standards upheld today.

Republicofscotland @ 1:18 pm

“that nothing at all comes of the hearing no resignations from anyone in the Scottish government, nor any changes at the Crown Office, what would that say not only to Scots, but to other nations around the globe watching with interests what the outcome will be.”

This is what happened with the Holyrood RECC investigation into the £300m and still no ferries “catastrophic failure” with all the public sector bods responsible simply carrying on as before and now looking to order more questionable ferries as a pre-election ‘gift’ for Ministers to wave at the electorate. Meanwhile the global ferry industry looks on, knowing what the outcome will be.

Hi Rev, sorry if this is a little off topic but I’ve just read in today’s The Scotsman’s editorial which includes the paragraph

“ Given what we know about Salmond’s admitted behaviour, his reputation will be forever tarnished and so he should not be regarded the most upstanding of citizens.”

Can you or anyone direct me to where I can find what his so called “admitted behaviour” was? I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I do think I remember an article which you wrote on this subject but I can’t find it. Thanks

Alf Baird@1.54pm

And they are absolutely determined to carry on with that particular fiasco, throwing good money after bad.

When you see their undeniable incompetence because it involves a sector you know about, it makes you wonder about all the other things they have responsibility for.

Mia, your comments re the Carl Sargent case are interesting.

Could the adverse reaction and calls for an independent judicial inquiry into the actions of Carwyn Jones, Welsh First Minister and his officials been a factor in the removal of Sturgeon from the role of Deciding Officer? It certainly happened about that time or shortly after.

ack Murphy says:
27 February, 2021 at 1:50 pm
Thankyou MaggieC for giving us at 9:14am the pdf printed copy of yesterday’s meeting of the Harassment and Complaints Committee.
Sometimes it’s easier reading rather than viewing proceedings!

The pdf concludes at pages 57-60:

“…The Convener: Thank you. Do you wish to
make any final comments, Mr Salmond?
Alex Salmond:…….”

It’s all there in black and white for all to read! Thanks a lot MaggieC

link to parliament.scot
——————————–

Best we all download before certain redactions start appearing eh?/

J Galt @ 2:15 pm

“it makes you wonder about all the other things they have responsibility for.”

Sure does, and looks like numerous policy areas in Scotland have been messed up thanks to Whitehall’s finest who aye ‘run’ what folks may call the ‘Scottish Government’ but which is really still just a UK Gov spending department administered by the UK civil service ostensibly ‘overseen’ by a daeless SNP ‘cabinet’ and MSP’s.

On ferries, a Scots expat world leading designer is currently replacing 30+ ferries in Philippines in rather seamless fashion. And Norway has replaced over 150 ferries in last 20 years with 50 more on order. ScotGov ferries ‘policy’ is a total failure by comparison or as Holyrood’s RECC concluded a “catastrophic failure”.

Anyone looking in from the outside might reasonably conclude such ScotGov/institutional failure to be intentional, not an accident. Scotland is being made to look like a basket case, reflected now in Andrew Neil and others jumping up and down calling now for a Boris takeover of its own creation failed by the ‘inept Jocks’ (or rather UK civil servants).

David of Caledonia says:
27 February, 2021 at 10:33 am
Alex Salmond would never have gone to prison for anything, there is not a court in the land that can convict you for revealing the truth,[…]

Tell that to Clive Thomson.
link to archive.vn

Stuart MacKay

I believe that the ‘hearing yesterday focussed on specific issues, one section at a time e.g. the Fairness at work Policy, the Peter Murrell text messages etc… so when Alex said ‘ We can deal with it now or leave it for the judicial review’ I think he was implying that he could answer it right then or leave it until they were dealing with the section about the Judicial Review.

also, Allan did say that they are working on a new policy which will include all MSP’s backdating to 1999, not just Ministers. ( if I remember correctly)

Meg merrilees – thanks.

From your second answer it seems that the party and government will soon be purged of undesirables, i.e. everybody except the mediocre, the incompetents and the sycophants.

Perfect. Hope you’re well. You’ll be missing your holidays:-)

Alf @1.54pm.

Indeed Alf, there appears to be no accountability on a number of things under Sturgeon’s watch.

Alex was clearly the victim of a political hit. The fact that the leadership of the Scottish Govt were happy to participate in the supposed ‘stitch-up’ speaks volumes about who runs this country these days.

However, upon reflection, it was obvious that Alex would have to pay a price for supporting the Russians via his tv show on RT. Anyone who thinks the Cold War is over is sadly misinformed. No one with such a prominent profile as Alex should have considered working for a Russian channel, and to then expect no consequences.

People may say that he was targeted because he wanted to return to front-line politics, but this case goes deeper than that, and his involvement with the Russians was a faux-pas which has cost him so much.

maxxmacc says:
27 February, 2021 at 7:58 pm

Alex was clearly the victim of a political hit. The fact that the leadership of the Scottish Govt were happy to participate in the supposed ‘stitch-up’ speaks volumes about who runs this country these days.

However, upon reflection, it was obvious that Alex would have to pay a price for supporting the Russians via his tv show on RT. Anyone who thinks the Cold War is over is sadly misinformed. No one with such a prominent profile as Alex should have considered working for a Russian channel, and to then expect no consequences.

People may say that he was targeted because he wanted to return to front-line politics, but this case goes deeper than that, and his involvement with the Russians was a faux-pas which has cost him so much.
========================================================

It has nothing to do with him working for RT you numpty. It wouldn’t matter who he worked for as the Brit State and its flunkies were always going to go for him. Besides Boris Johnson and the Brit Tories are in Putin’s back pocket yah neep.

” LM says:
27 February, 2021 at 9:42 pm

Does Salmond still have a chauffeur? Heard he doesn’t drive. Wonder if SNP still funds a chauffeur for him.”

If you were him would you drive on your own. I have been to Willie McRaes monument.