The Year That Perished
The latest Wings Over Scotland annual readership stats are in:
2017 average monthly unique visitors: 303,719
2016 monthly average: 286,162
2015 monthly average: 290,522
(pre-2015 stats from different provider not comparable on a like-for-like basis)
That’s a 6% increase year-on-year, which is pretty respectable going for the dullest 12 months in Scottish politics since this site started (and particularly given the challenging circumstances we had to operate in for the whole of the autumn).
We also found out we were by some distance the most popular website of the Scottish Government, which was nice:
Thank you for all your support, your financial backing, your tip-offs and your company. 2018 is shaping up to be somewhat more interesting, so we hope you’ll stay with us.
Fit’s yer problem wi…
Happy New Year Rev.Stu!
Happy New Year Rev Stu and only a few more until the job is done. Thank you so much for your hard work and to the linkers Nana, Peffers and everyone else who contributes and informs – your value is beyond price.
Happy New Year all!
2017 boring?
How can a year in which Nicola announced her intention to seek a second referendum from Westminster, and a motion being passed in Holyrood to support this, be described as boring?
Admittedly she went a bit quiet on that but still…
Not entirely sure I can cope with a “somewhat more interesting” year but we’ll give it a go
Happy hangover day…
I’m just an “ordinary” voter caught up in an extraordinary period. I am extremely grateful to you for your hard work, dedication but most of all your integrity. Best wishes for 2018.
Happy New Year to all and hoping this year is especially good for Scotland.
May Wings soar to new heights in 2018!
Happy New Year Stuart! Happy New Year all Wingers. Here’s to a happy, healthy 2018.
BTL bawbaggery not putting the punters off then!
Happy New Year Dear Leader, WoSers and lurkers.
Happy new year, to all.
I didn’t think last year was that boring…
Wishing all the Wings family a Happy New Year. Here’s hoping we get everything we wish for.
Thanks for all your efforts Rev Stu. You really are one of a kind and I can’t find enough praise for the tenacity with which you pursue the unionist lies and disinformation.
Looking forwards to 2018 with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Who can say what this year will bring. We really are in uncharted territory now.
As fake news rockets up the consciousness of many people I am not surprised your excellent, properly researched and linked/reference truthful journalism has won new eyes.
My impression of your output and probity is undimmed. Since I am a PhD scientist with a strong, pretty much automatic sceptical training that is the best compliment I can give you.
Many felicitations of the season to you and yours Stu. Lang may yer lum reek.
Thank you for keeping me sane this year (yet again ) Rev. I really appreciate EVERYTHING you do to further the cause of Scottish Independence by providing us with honest facts, when all about us are providing us with poppycock and balderdash. You are the go to place to find solace and truth in a stinking sea of bullshit. On behalf of myself my wife, my children and my grandchildren I wish you a wonderful 2018 Here’s to Scottish Independence 2019 . Love and peace x
Things can only get better (to coin a phrase). Happy New Year Stu and may 2018 bring you everything you wish for.
am awready excited bout next crowdfunder, if yer no careful yer gonnae get a knighthood
Happy new year folks, keep up the great work Stu.
Happy New Year all Wingers
2017 average monthly unique visitors: 303,719
Yet the WoS politics blogger from Bath is completely ghosted by our very own beeb gimp network, only £3.5+bn a year. Democracy, free speech, teamGB style.
Happy 2018 everyone!
Thanks for everything Stu and especially the magnificent clubhouse this site is, helps keep the eye on the ball for a lot of us.
Happy New Year to all. Thanks for your hard work. This year might be interesting.
Really hoping this is the year that a grave injustice is put right.
Intend to stay with you. Have a good day and year to come. Your information is clean and gives perspective only available in a few outlets like Nationaland Wings.
A very Happy New Year to you Stuart and thanks for everything you do to hasten the rebirth of Scotland as an independent country. Your articles over the last few days have been fantastic journalism and really lifted my spirits.
To you and all Wingers may 2018 bring everything you wish for and more. ? ?
Happy New Year ?, Naw,lets make it the year of “euphoria”, lets make it the year when Scotland finally stood up erect, and looked the world in its eye.
Happy new year to all Wingers and lurkers!
Happy New Year, Suart and all the Wings readers. You’ve made the ‘dullest 12 months in Scottish politics’ considerably more interesting and I look forward to seeing what you make of 2018, promising to be a much more interesting year.
Happy new year! Keep on growing tauntingly like an elephant in the living room should do. Just don’t eat all the snacks.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Stu !
Keep on doing what you do so well !
Happy New Year, your forensic analysis of the MSM’s Fake News is second to none. Money well spent, make sure you have a pay rise this year.
Keep up the GOOD WORK Rev..
Ready for a busy year?
Happy 2018 to all at WOS. Long may you continue to be the thorn in the side of mainstream media.
Findlay is right, much more of this and it will be a gong for services for removing idiocy from the news.
Caught up on my TV and enjoyed the memory lane thing on going out dancing, saw the Bells last night (cracking fireworks) and the bio on the Proclaimers which was excellent. Only an Excuse was at its best when it concentrated on football, the rest was a bit weak. The pops at Nicola, Kez and Alex are fair game for satirists but it should be funny.
I hope 2018 is a great year for all Wingers and for our wee nation.
And I hope 2018 causes many who oppose Scottish self determination to have a Damascene conversion!
Happy to be a part of things. Have enjoyed following your coverage of Scottish (and international) politics over the past year. If this was a boring year, you’d never have thought it reading Wings!
I don’t know how you find the energy to keep this going, Stu, but I’m glad you do, and do it so thoroughly.
It helps to keep me feeling positive. And some days that’s quite an achievement.
Judging by the regular feedback there’s ‘a few’ other people appreciate your efforts aswell.
A GUID NEW YEAR to you Rev and all followers and contributors.
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your team Stuart.
Thanks for everything and more power to your pen.
Happy New Year to All.
Due to the quality and quantity of real journalism
That the Rev produces year after year,
I think he is due promotion to Arch Bishop! lol
Thank you for everything.
As per Muscleguy, I am also a PhD scientist and have 40 years training and experience in objectivity, evidence-based conclusions and method validation. Whenever I read, hear or see a political story affecting Scotland, I’m wondering: now is that true or fake? Better check Wings. And if you’ve covered it, there is the evidence laid bare. Wonderful site.
Happy New Year to Stu and anyone who contributed to Wings, Lang May yer lim reek x
J
#Lum feckin autocorrect! ????
Effijy says:
The proper form of address would then be The Most Reverend Stuart Campbell. Sounds about right.
However, face to face, he would be addressed as Your Grace. Not so sure about that!
Thanks Stu for everything you do for Scottish Independence.
I think this year is going to be pretty momentous so we’d best strap ourselves in because I think it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
Best wishes to all Wingers everywhere.
Beaufort Castle, near Kiltarlity, gave an awesome fireworks display (thanks Ann) last night, visible from miles away. Anyway, while watching it I was chatting to a local young person, of English extraction and considers themself a Highlander. It’s with the younger generation that the leverage will come for Indy. They are not stupid.
Intae thum.
Happy New Year Stu.
(WoS made 2017 bearable)
You have done for investigative journalism what Messi has done for football.
If “journos” want to be taken seriously then they have to raise their game to your standards. (can’t see that happening anytime soon.)
The Rev diznae need elevation , he’s big in stature as is but if he feels he needs a extra few inches he can get heellifts .
2017 was a quiet . year Stu am sure U can stir things up ah few notches in 2018 . Aw the Bestest .
2017 threw some ‘curved balls’ at me and my family, healthwise, (but now I’ve even more reasons to bless our Scottish NHS – long may it remain apart from England’s!!) and so 2018 HAS to be better, and an Indyref announcement would be just dandy.
Happy New Year to all Wingers, without this site I don’t know how I’d have got through last year.
Thanks Stu for all you do and the contributions. Keeping people optimistic of a better place.
Guardian only paper of any Indepenence of editorial because if it’s constitution. The former owners lost £Millions to set up, to try and ensure Press freedom. The Guardian makes £Millions of loses but has a £1Billion set aside. How does that work. Dodging Tax. Tax evading? So much for the ‘moral’ preoccupation. Freedom of the Press? Secretly stashing illicit money. Pleading poverty. Par for the course. These Oxbridge hypocrites certainly seem know a thing of two about secret and evading. Press freedom and all that.
I am currently reading
Clara Bingham — Witness To The Revolution — 2016
An oral history of late-sixties America and those involved in the counter-culture and its politics.
I was struck by this comment from David Harris – Vietnam War draft resistance organiser and husband of Joan Baez.
As soon as the movement got into a place where it started saying, “you’re either with us or against us”, the movement died. What worked for us was that we were always open and inclusive. We always took new people in, and we recognised that everybody started out on the wrong side. All of us had gone through a transformation to get to where we were. Our movement would thrive because everybody was going to go through that transformation, which means we had to embrace whoever was out there.
So, to all those who read this site.
2018.
The year to embrace a unionist and invite them in.
Happy New Year to all at Wings and all the best for 2018. Sincerely trust this is the year of Indy 2 and a right result this time
Going by all the baubles being dished out to failed politicians then Stu is head and shoulders above the lot of them so is naturally in line for an iminnent Knighthood!
Oops … scratch that idea oor Stu is NOT a unionist he is one of those nasty cybernattery types isn’t he … sorry Stu nae knighthood winging its way tae you.
Never mind … in OUR eyes you are and will ALWAYS be the best of the best in political journalism.
Bliadhna Mhath Ùr, gu mo charaidean uile, tha saorsa a ‘tighinn. ( Happy New Year , to all my friends,freedom is coming) #Gaidhlig,,#Gaelic
slainte mhath!
Fantastic news to see in the New Year Rev.Onwards & Upwards.3
“However, face to face, he would be addressed as Your Grace. Not so sure about that!”
I’m still perfectly content with “Your Vileness”.
Happy New Year to you all, Stu, Wingers and fellow Lurkers ?
Posters of neddish abuse should note the statistics atl. Visitors to the site might easily think that an independent Scotland could be an unpleasant, unwelcoming place.
A happy new year to all.
An oral history of late-sixties America and those involved in the counter-culture and its politics.”
Scotland 2018 is not 60’s America, just like Scotland is not Catalonia. I am not bothered about unionists or embracing them. 1 in 4 Scots vote tory for example and that could be a peak too.
Look at the stats from the USA. World’s biggest democracy? no. India.
How many Americans vote? about half.
How many Americans vote for pussy grabber Orange Hitler? 60 million.
Which Americans did not vote for the peadophile Republican Trump backed Alabama latest senate election? The Black electorate.
Who voted for peodophile Republican Trump backed candidate? White electorate.
link to abc.net.au
Hug a yoon as hard as you like. Voters tend only to vote for what’s in their interests, a harsh reality in any democracy.
Try asking everyone throwing their dosh at Scotland in Union.
Its easy enough to do, their details are freely available, just google, “how many rich saps have showered Scotland in Union.com with lots and lots of luverly lolly?”
and then ask why.
Happy New Year.
Even to Tom Gordon– come out of the darks side Tom you know it makes you miserable.It impacts on your writing.
By the end of this year lets convince those who don’t vote to vote — for the right side, change waverers to Independence promoters and make sure our friends and colleagues are aware that we believe that the People of Scotland are the best people to govern Scotland and lets offer hope.
As for brit unionism and hard brexiters smile. You look such a miserable grumpy filled lot.
To ruthie Davidson– your weE article in the right wing tory paper today shows all we need to know. Self promotion in England puts you in the Malcolm Rifkind, Michael Forsyth mode.
You’s can make up your own minds .
link to youtube.com
All the best for 2018. and to all wingers, its Heid doon , arse up …and batter oan
All the very best for 2018 to you Stuart looking forward to another year of outstanding effort.
To the BTL regular wingers, who contribute greatly to the debate and to lurkers like me who just enjoy gaining knowledge on a daily basis – I wish you all well in this new year of 2018.
Neatly done Rev.
Happy New Year
Ron Maclean ( posters of neddish abuse ) I was never a ned , but when i see clowns like colin alexander posting lies & dishing out abuse to respected Wingers I tend to prevaricate a little . Scots are know all over the World as a welcoming people , so don’t conflate two separate issues , we don’t live in a genteel world or haven’t you noticed .
link to huffingtonpost.co.uk
There must be at least one trade deal just one or is Fox just saving up air miles for when he’s out of office .
Once again Guardian up to its nonsense.Had quite a screed on the Scottish Labour party leader stating the young see the labour party as a radical party and are coming over to them in numbers.I don’t believe for one moment that Libby Brooks ,who wrote the piece didn’t see the wings over Scotland panelbase poll. but not a mention in her piece about it ,so in essence she knows she is spouting out a load of rubbish showing what we all know ,that these journalist have neither integrity ,character or principles. Again in essence, she is selling herself down the river to all those who take part in Wings over Scotland, which Stu has said now numbers over 300.000. What must she tell herself to justify such trash she knowingly writes.
Happy new year to everyone who frequents Wings. “If you build it, they will come” rings true and the numbers are only going to go higher as the ordinary joe wakes up to Scotlands potential.
2018 looks to be a turning point, hopefully for the better!
happy new year Stuart – and thank you for all you do
Happy New Year, Wings. ?
@ronnie anderson 1.37pm
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” (Hamlet)
Keep up the good work
Lots of new posters on Wings over the last few days. (At least there are many names unfamiliar to me.)
It is good to see. They are very welcome and I hope they continue to bring their new ideas and opinions to Wings in the future.
Happy New Year and more power to your elbow in 2018.
Your journalism is legendary and research is awesome.
Happy New Year and thanks so mch for all you do for us! Just hopefully registering for e-mail notifications……
Happy 2018 to all involved with WOS. Great news about the increasing popularity, and influence, of this website.
HAPPY new Year
Ron Maclean Jog on ( the marathon runner )
Just as a thought for 2018, different views, even wildly different views is good, but fragmentation and alienation is bad. It’s all YES to me.
Without WoS, we’d have little idea of the extent of unionist/Tory/Lab/LibDem lies. Indispensable you are.
Happy new year. Lang mey yer lum reek,
an lang mey yer bum keech.
ronnie anderson
Flattering as it is that your thoughts on Ne’er Day are about me, I think you ought to know I’m already happily attached.
I suggest you should concentrate your thoughts on what happens when the UK Govt just laughs at the FM’s demands for an indyref.
An MSP, of the subservient, Mickey Mouse pretend Govt of WM Govt telling the real Govt of Scotland ( WM Govt) what to do hahahaha.
We saw how stupid that situation is when Nicola Sturgeon, an MSP, was representing the SNP at the GE. A Mickey Mouse politician – no offence to NS personally but a reference to her being an MSP- standing beside the proper UK politicians, MPs.
@Colin Alexander says:
“I like to twist what everyone says.
I live in the land of nod and make believe.
Holyrood is a pretendy parliament. Westminster has real people.
Westminster good, Holyrood bad.”
That’s what I thought it was saying.
Happy Hogmany, fellow Brits!
5.54 am playing dominoes & your the double blank .
Happy New Year to Stu and all at Wings and keep on doing what you’re doing throughout 2018 and beyond! ? xxx
And to think you were thinking of chucking it after the referendum. This site is needed more than ever. Keep it up Stu. Cheers.
@ronnie anderson
Or the chap …
Thanks for your hard work Stu and the resultant stress you must have endured.
And thanks also for keeping me sane over the last year.
Excellent, the stats that just keep getting increasingly better, awe ra best to you 2 for this now 2018, Rev Stu and the People of Scotland, cheers for yer company too.
Scotland voted 62% Yes, to remain in the EU.
Glasgow voted 68% Yes, to remain in the EU.
That’s a 6% difference. SO could that ‘clickity-click’ be the key?
45+6 = 51.
Overall, we could be there now… and still rising.
Behold, an independence referendum will be announced at some point this year by the First Minister of Scotland, with the accompanying future date, which has been chosen and set for our independence day.
2018, the year that…
Let’s move with the times people
Happy New Year Stu! Keep up the excellent work – it’s much needed, and much appreciated.
Happy new year Stu. Keep up the good work and hopefully this will be IndyRef 2 year.
Sorry, have been under the weather so now trying to catch up.
Here’s to another year full of intrigue and excitement with no ‘difficulties’ at all!
Rest assured Stu that wingers have yer back. Unconditionally…
Happy New Year. Keep doing what your doing!
Happy New Year WOS and all the best for 2018.