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Wings Over Scotland


Too busy for quitting

Posted on February 01, 2015 by

We haven’t done a monthly stats post for a few months, partly because naturally traffic’s been down after the insane spike of last September, partly because we had two weeks off in October (and a semi-break over Christmas and New Year), and partly because we’ve moved to new, more accurate and more detailed figures direct from our webhost and January was the first full month of them.

So here, for those of you who like to keep track, are the headlines:

trafficjan15

We’re pretty blown away by that, to be honest. A tiny fraction shy of 300,000 unique readers (in what’s traditionally a very slow month for politics, and one we didn’t really start until the second week) is 157% up on a year ago, and nearly 50,000 higher than last May, which was the all-time high until the mad last few weeks of the referendum campaign. (It’s the 3rd-highest ever, after September and August 2014.)

If you’d told us we’d be anywhere near those sorts of numbers four months after a No vote (or indeed if we’d even still be going four months after a No vote), we’d have said you were missing a few marbles. But as long as you’re still here, we will be too*.

*(Well, our annual fundraiser is due at the end of the month, so let’s see…)

1 Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. 01 02 15 17:42

    Too busy for quitting - Speymouth

191 to “Too busy for quitting”

  1. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    Hing in there, please.

    Reply
  2. Lollysmum says:

    Good to know Stu. Keep up the brilliant work.

    Reply
  3. UncleBob says:

    This is the only place to find the truth.
    Please keep going.

    Reply
  4. Adam Fitzpatrick says:

    Lovely. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Bugger (the Panda) says:

    Google glasses, going cheap soon?

    We could do a crowd source to buy the entire stock?

    Reply
  6. Quinie frae Angus says:

    On the subject of the annual fundraiser, I think we should be looking at a serious wage increase.

    While it’s admirable that you only take the minimum, Stu, I think you deserve a heck of a lot more than that for the meticulously-researched and prolific output your readers avidly turn to every day.

    Reply
  7. Doug Morrison says:

    Just shows you how valued you are, Rev. Keep up the good work. How you manage to do these posts and write sermons as well beats me!

    Reply
  8. Camy says:

    Huzzah !

    Reply
  9. Bill Halliday says:

    Brilliant. After the Post Referendum analysis showing that only 11% got their commentary other than from the BBC (Lord Patten’s Propaganda Machine) STV and the rest of the Main Stream Lies outlets this is really hopeful. Well done Stu. Let us know when you need the next Fund-raiser.

    Reply
  10. Bill Halliday says:

    I’ll hugely increase my donation if anyone can find me the (fairly recent) News Article about Alistair Darling’s appointment as an advisor to a Company bidding for one of the biggest NHS contracts ever.

    I can’t think where I saw it and along with a lot of other things now, nothing comes up on Google.

    Reply
  11. TheItalianJob says:

    Not posted since the ref but this is encouraging. We will support you.

    Reply
  12. John Hopkins says:

    Keep up the good work

    Reply
  13. The Man in the Jar says:

    Good news indeed! However as always it is up to us “the readers” to get all of this out onto the streets and workplaces throughout Scotland. We have done it before and we can do it again. Get stuck into them.

    Reply
  14. TheItalianJob says:

    Good stats. We will support you going forward.

    Reply
  15. Brian Powell says:

    As I read the other day the army are considering social media etc as the front line, and are recruiting civilian as well as military personnel for the task, maybe they are the 70K new visitors.

    Though that would account for virtually all of the army as it stands.

    Reply
  16. Hwanofbute says:

    Yep, you’re due a raise when it comes to the annual fundraiser!

    Reply
  17. heedtracker says:

    Well done! Great writing versus all kinds of red and blue tory world bleh and grot. Like this link to archive.today

    Its poor baby Danny/Doogie Alexander the great, getting lovely Graun fluff job on how unfair the awful meanies at UKOK media are and at the end of it all, usual appalling hypocrisy from rancid Guardian with predictable UKOK buffoonery slipping in this right at the very bottom. Boohoo Graun/Slab.

    “Lord Ashcroft, the Tory peer and pollster, is expected to release detailed data later this week that will show the SNP ahead in many constituencies. Ashcroft told Sky News last week that the rise in support for the SNP in Scotland “is real”.

    Reply
  18. Jim McIntosh says:

    Brilliant stats.

    Assuming 10% of the unique visitors are unionist ‘tyre kickers’, if the other unique viewers all just bought 1 copy of the National each week that would give an average daily distribution of 54,000.

    Food for thought.

    Reply
  19. TJenny says:

    Rev – fingers poised for the crowdfund, and please, please give yourself a payrise this time. 🙂

    Quinie frae Angus – good to see you post again, hope all’s well with you.

    Reply
  20. steveasaneilean says:

    As others have said Stu you should pay yourself a decent wage from the fundraiser to allow you to keep going for at least another 18 months.
    I for one will make a decent donation that should help.
    Just think if everyone of your unique visitors just put in the equivalent of £1 a year…

    Reply
  21. Marcia says:

    You deserve the listing as one of the UK’s most influential political sites on the internet.

    Reply
  22. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    “On the subject of the annual fundraiser, I think we should be looking at a serious wage increase.”

    Thanks, but I’m doing fine – I have an inexpensive lifestyle. It might be trickier to raise cash without the referendum in the offing, so let’s just worry about getting the bills paid for now. If we get more money I’ll pay for more freelancers so I can take a day or two off now and again, which I’d like more than a higher wage 🙂

    Reply
  23. Steve Bowers says:

    Good numbers Rev, do you prefer monthly donations or one offs ? just asking like cos as an Aberdonian i am naturally tight fisted

    Reply
  24. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    “do you prefer monthly donations or one offs?”

    I’m not fussy 🙂

    Reply
  25. Marcia says:

    Bill Halliday

    His links to the Health Companies can be found here I shall look and see if there is recent information.

    link to socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk

    Reply
  26. Marcia says:

    Bill Halliday

    More recent information;

    link to snp.org

    Reply
  27. Clootie says:

    When you look at the price of a daily newspaper/magazine or book then a donation works out at a fraction of these over a year.
    However for me the donation is justified fully by knowing the pain inlicted on the unionists daily in having their duplicity exposed directly to at least 300,000 people 🙂 and forwarded to many, many more.

    Reply
  28. liz says:

    Well done Rev.
    We still need you particularly with having to keep an eye on the Labour liars and the likes of McTernan.

    Also we need you to follow what Broon will be saying when he opens his gob as I don’t think I could listen to him for more than 2 seconds

    Reply
  29. Quinie frae Angus says:

    @Rev Stu

    Yep, time off is essential. No-one can produce what you’re produced without needing regular breaks, and you’ve hardly had any. Glad you’re thinking of hiring freelancers if we get enough funds together.

    @TJenny

    Hi there. Yes, labouring away on a job for last four months with hardly a day off myself, but about to become unemployed again so looking forward to the time off while I look for something else. Maybe even research something for Wings!

    Reply
  30. Clootie says:

    Clootie says:
    1 February, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    I’m sure you guessed that was inflicted and not inlicted
    🙁

    Reply
  31. Nana Smith says:

    Great news re stats, can’t imagine what I would do without my daily fix of wings.

    @Bill Halliday

    I think the company is Cinven. I read something recently and like you I don’t recall where.

    This may be helpful if you have time to trawl

    link to dennisbenson.net

    Also I read today that Boots have avoided 1.21 billion in tax. I wonder how many of their customers are aware.

    Reply
  32. Celyn says:

    Bill Halliday – Don’t know about the advisor job, but Darling has previously been paid sums of £10,000 or £12,000 for after-dinner speeches to healthcare company Cinven, so that might be connected. Surely £10 or £1 would be far too much to pay to hear Darling and watch him blink?

    Reply
  33. lorraine says:

    Thanks for all your amazing work Wings.

    Reply
  34. mumsyhugs says:

    Just goes to show what happens when folks are shown the real truth backed up properly researched and accurate sources without any spin – they come back for more! It’s like a light bulb being switched on when they realise how they’ve been lied to and manipulated all these years – and after they get mad they want to get even! More power to you Stu – so glad you’re here and in it for the long haul – we would literally be lost without you and all you do – thank you 🙂

    Reply
  35. snode1965 says:

    A heartfelt thank you Stu. Without your razor sharp journalism our cause would have withered. This site is the first stop for everyone interested in Scottish politics, friend or foe! You should be immensely proud, as this will be your life defining work. Work that will be remembered by we Scots long after your mortal toil has ended. So onwards the most Reverend Stu and the SNP.

    Reply
  36. Marcia says:

    Please don’t diet. 🙂

    link to twitter.com

    Reply
  37. MJC says:

    Well done to all involved. Proves if content is relevant and quality then people will follow. Now if we could all get one friend each to follow…..!

    Was wondering if its possible to say pick the 20 most popular articles on this site, draft them together in a booklet form and then make available to print and share?

    If so id def commit to print out say 50-100 and place around my local community hangouts, community centres,church halls, library etc…

    Would be a pleasure to help in some way to share the info in a easily achieable way. Not sure of costs per booklet,however id be able to do what i could when i could. If even 10% of the readers equaly commited to print and share 50-100 booklets, thats a lot of local exposure that may help others cut through the crap.

    Anyhoo just a thought!

    Reply
  38. Grizzle McPuss says:

    I’m sure Jim Murphy will be along any time soon, y’know that guy that now lives in the shadows after the re-appearance of Broon d’mooth, I’m sure Jim will try to take the credit for Wings’ popularity.

    A drowning man will…

    Reply
  39. The McQueens says:

    Count me in Rev, More than willing to donate to Fundraiser, you are one of the voice of Truth and Freedom
    Hail Alba

    Reply
  40. JLT says:

    Even though the referendum may have been lost, in some ways, what is heartening is that the interest in politics within Scotland has not fallen away (I wonder how much we have to thank Murphy for that! LOL).

    As you say Stuart, it is about to get busy. You may end up wishing for days that you have just had in January. Once the full political and media circus kicks into high gear come April, I don’t think you’ll have much free time on your hands!

    But at the same time, it’s brilliant …and I’m pleased for you mate. You must be doing something right to get such viewing figures. Keep up the excellent work!

    Reply
  41. galamcennalath says:

    Wings is flying. Corny joke there somewhere. Seriously, great that this aspect of the Scottish pro democracy movement to very much alive and kicking.

    The Unionists thought it would all just go away. It might have, if they had fought a fair stand up fight and won, but they didn’t. They certainly didn’t fight fair, and it’s questionable what they actually won in the total scheme of things.

    The simply truth is, the Unionists ( parties, politicians, media, newspapers, all of them ) now have to accept the inevitable consequences of their actions!

    Reply
  42. Bill Halliday says:

    Marcia,thanks a lot for that. I’ve found a lot of stuff and this will help. But this was taking up an appointment as such with someone like KPMG or Lochead. I think there was even a photo. He declared £75,000+ pre Referendum then post up until January >£41,000 from various Companies, mostly Health Care.

    link to socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk

    are good with info on the >400 between Commons and Lords earning fortunes out of the NHS.
    I’m off topic. Sorry.

    Reply
  43. west_lothian_questioner says:

    The general view seems to be that Rev. Stuart deserves a pay rise. I’m supportive of that view and I’d happily include the word, “substantial,” in there somewhere too. If we learned anything at all from the referendum then surely we learned that media matters and Wings is, without much doubt, our foremost campaigning partner in that area.

    Reply
  44. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    “Yep, time off is essential. No-one can produce what you’re produced without needing regular breaks, and you’ve hardly had any.”

    As readers may have noticed, since the turn of the year I’ve adopted a policy of slacking off at weekends. Things are going to get lively as May nears, no point burning out at this stage…

    Reply
  45. Thepnr says:

    There you go Rev just hire Quinie frae Angus for the odd post or two. As an ex-BBC insider I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.

    I’ve put something aside for your fundraiser at the end of the month, I’m sure you won’t mind if I plug Independence Live again.

    They also could do with our help, this is our last chance for maybe a long time to build up from the bottom. We have started, let’s not fail now. link to tvl.ink

    Reply
  46. msean says:

    Great stats. This is what happens when info is backed up.

    Reply
  47. Tackety Beets says:

    Thanks Rev , I had been wondering about ” WOS” stats .
    Clearly many were engrossed up to 18th Sept .
    I think we are all surprised but pleased with the swell of support .

    I can add that FB is full of ” shared ” and Copy/paistes of your posts .
    I would consider the posts/message cuts across to many beyond this site .

    I too will be delighted , being an Eberdonian , break the habit of a lifetime and contribute healthily and happily to your next Crowdfunder .
    I suspect from other posts there is a need for something , be it leaflets or WBB type , for use pre GE 2015
    Whatever you decide I’m sure most of us will support you .

    Reply
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

      “I suspect from other posts there is a need for something , be it leaflets or WBB type , for use pre GE 2015”

      We’re at work on a special project 🙂

      Reply
  48. rosemary boyce says:

    What about getting some of your work printed in MSM? I suppose it would have to paid for, like an advert,but would it be worth it? No point in preaching to the converted by using the national or Sunday Herald. Hate to mention the daily record, but that, in my opinion, is the real target audience.

    Reply
  49. cearc says:

    Great news.

    Well done and keep up the good work.

    Reply
  50. Stevie says:

    If everyone who reads this site buys The National that would help the cause.

    Reply
  51. duncan says:

    Good work Stu, u are my daily go to guy for the news behind the news. I reckon a large part of those views are ms journalists looking for tips on how to do their job

    Reply
  52. Aidan says:

    Good stuff Rev!
    It’s a great site. Is amusing (to me) how closely it is perused by unionists and anti-independence crowd.
    Elevates it’s importance even more as many laughs are had at their expense.

    Reply
  53. Quinie frae Angus says:

    @Thpnr

    Ha ha, thanks for the endorsement…

    However anything I did for Wings would be given for free, as it would be a labour of love. I wouldn’t feel right being “hired”.

    Anyway, by the time I get to the posts everything of substance and note has already been said either by Rev Stu himself or many of the other excellent and well-informed posters on here.

    But I do have a bit of free time coming up, and a few thoughts…..

    Hope to see you at Wings over Invergowrie, to discuss!

    Reply
  54. Dorothy Devine says:

    Without you Rev , I would have become a depressed perhaps violent Yesser.

    I need both you and WGD to keep sane and relatively calm.

    Thank you .

    Reply
  55. Bill McLean says:

    Thanks for all your work Rev. I get all my news from Wings, the National and the Sunday Herald and I know who I trust most!

    Reply
  56. karmanaut says:

    This website is important – not just for Scotland, but for democracy and social justice on these islands. I have a feeling the fundraiser will reflect that.

    Reply
  57. arthur thomson says:

    Great stats and thank you. I will of course contribute to the fund. Almost every day I come to Wings and I also enjoy the twitter updates. Most of all I think this site gives me a place where I feel that I am with friends who share my ambitions for all Scotland but particularly the for the future of our bairns.

    Reply
  58. No no no...Yes says:

    Rev, Yer doing a grand job. Stamina is required for the GE, so I’m glad that your are now pacing yourself.

    My next comment is targeted at Willie Rennie, an avid reader, but definitely not an alert politician:

    Rev, given that you are secret employee of the Scottish Govt, surely you should be on the Living Wage??

    Reply
  59. Dan Huil says:

    Great news about Wings.

    Reply
  60. JayR says:

    No surprises. The numbers reflect the quality and importance of Wings and all that it has revealed.

    Thanks as ever Stu, keep up the great work.

    Reply
  61. Kev says:

    Great stats Stu, well deserved, a wings donation is probably the best value-for-money investment anyone could ever make, the site simply MUST continue, plenty of breaks compulsory tho, we can’t afford to lose you!

    Reply
  62. No no no...Yes says:

    O/T Chuka Umunna has a short memory:

    link to archive.today

    Billionaire accuses opposition of promoting ‘catastrophic’ policies, but Chuka Umunna says electorate wouldn’t listen to someone who doesn’t pay tax in UK

    This from a Labour Party/BT cabal that actively sought out and welcomed negative comments about Scotland from EVERYONE in the world during the Indyref.

    What a bloody cheek!

    Reply
  63. Flower of Scotland says:

    It’s simple Stu, you make such a difference! We couldn’t do without you!

    New fundraiser any time you like.

    Reply
  64. Pat says:

    New book about the Referendum – plenty of quotes from this site.
    link to 3.bp.blogspot.com

    Reply
  65. Capella says:

    Great stats. This site is my first port of call every day and it never lets me down. Quality journalism.
    But it also provides a platform for all the talented and well informed people who comment here which adds to the Wings experience! It’s an essential service as the GE approaches. So thanks Stu and all, and I’ll certainly donate when the fundraiser comes around.

    Reply
  66. Albaman says:

    Stew,your last words were “as long as your still here,we will be to”, great news, ’cause I’m sure “we” are not going anywhere .

    Reply
  67. A.N.Surgent says:

    Great figures Stu, you were one who they definitely wanted back in the box.

    Seat predictions for Scotland, SNP still looking strong.

    link to ukgeneralelection2015.blogspot.co.uk

    Reply
  68. Grouse Beater says:

    And on more numbers and satistics:

    The Eighty Richest People
    link to grousebeater.wordpress.com

    Reply
  69. Ben Donald says:

    Heartfelt thanks, Stu. When history comes to be written…

    Reply
  70. mumsyhugs says:

    Rev Stu at 6.31 – “We’re at work on a special project”. Woohoo! Can’t wait – excited! Bring it on Stu! 🙂

    Reply
  71. Muscleguy says:

    Having decided 5quid a month is fair do for a decent online daily National newspaper then that pretty much sets an annual baseline for what I think should be coming your way. Otherwise I’m a freeloading skinflint.

    Reply
  72. G4jeepers says:

    Had to smile when I read this headline…

    police-hunt-softly-spoken-scot

    Sunday Herald p3

    Reply
  73. Lesley-Anne says:

    Yet again Stu you come up with a wee *ahem* for the wingers when we all least expect it. 😉

    Congratulations on maintaining an amazing site stuffed to the gunnels with information for the info lacking individuals we all meet from time to time. C’mon folks you all know who I mean … don’t you? 😛

    I think, above all else, when you have a product that everyone is desperate to get their hands on then they will hang around waiting for the next *ahem* instalment.

    I’ve had a wee *cough* word with the local bank manager, NO not THAT manager my partner … jeez you lot are all the same! 😀

    I have been instructed to rip up the sofa and chairs and all the money I can find is all for you Stu! 😀

    Reply
  74. captmaxspacecat says:

    Im such an anorak for this site. Ive taken to writing the time of the last post ive read into a notepad so i know exactly were i left of. Is this normal?

    Reply
  75. Effijy says:

    Thank you for all your hard work Rev Stuart.
    Maybe we should fund a Private Health Fund for Stuart?

    We must remember that he lives in England, so we can’t afford to have him on a Tory waiting list, should he take a turn reading some of jaw dropping crap coming from Labour.

    I’m making small contributions where I can, but WoS is the secret weapon that must have first priority for any future donations.

    Reply
  76. ronnie anderson says:

    JHC we awe know the power of WOS, but twa Aberdonians opening their purses on the one thread Steve Bowers & Tackety Beets well done lads,see if you can persued a few more of Your Shire,s Men n Women to part company wie a few bawbee,s.

    I,m sure this Crowdfunder will surpass the previous one so dig deep WINGERS. WBB done its job & was welcomed by every Yes campainer.

    Hi Quine Fae Angus see you at the Gowrie bash xx.

    I asked on Fri where is Morag if anybody has her Email ask her to clock in to Wings & let us know if she,s ok thanks.

    Reply
  77. David Anderson says:

    Your actually very good for the health of Independence supporters, by listening and going through all that stuff you most definately keep the blood pressure down of me and nae doot a few others that just cannae stomach to much of it. Plus you then debunk, call out and show up those that we want to do the same to thereby making us happy! Well worth a few bob I would most definately say! Keep up the good work and i’ll certainly pay for my prescription 🙂

    Reply
  78. A.N.Surgent says:

    HaHa when looking down the seat predictor the libdems predicted votes is 0.00% in a good few. Counting their votes in the hunners 🙂

    Reply
  79. Dointhebiz says:

    Could you give me the exact date of the “Fundraiser” Stu? [just so I know just when to quit]…;-))

    Reply
  80. dougiekdy says:

    First thing I check every day (and all day every day), Wings even more important than ever, more than happy to contribute to keep this essential site going.

    Keep it up Rev:-)

    Reply
  81. turnip_ghost says:

    Come now people…Thanks to the moments effort of Willie Rennie and his freedom of information request we know that 290,000 of those unique visitors are actually the Scottish Civil Servants

    Reply
  82. HandandShrimp says:

    Wings is still my first choice port of call. It reaches the parts other beers fail to reach…or something.

    Reply
  83. ronald alexander mcdonald says:

    How about a fundraiser for The Wee Blue Home Rule Book?

    Reply
  84. X_Sticks says:

    Dain’ a first class job there Rev Stu. Hope you get a good turnout at the fundraiser. Well deserved.

    When are you going to come up here and face the fan club?

    Wings get together in Invergowrie coming up…just sayin’ like.

    You never know, someone might even buy you an Irn Bru or even a cider (euuchh). Could be a packet of whisky and haggis crisps to go with that too.

    Along with Thepnr I’d like to call for some support for Independence Live who’ve done some sterling service bringing us the likes of Tariq Ali, Elaine C Smith, Business for Indy, Women for Indy, The Common Weal, Radical Indy, Lesley Riddoch,all the rallies and on and on.. I for one would be a lot less knowledgeable were it not for their livestreams and they’re not looking for a lot of money. Please be generous.

    Reply
  85. Robert Peffers says:

    @Bill Halliday says:1 February, 2015 at 4:38 pm:

    “I’ll hugely increase my donation if anyone can find me the (fairly recent) News Article about Alistair Darling’s appointment as an advisor to a Company bidding for one of the biggest NHS contracts ever.

    Can’t find the info you want, Bill, but Darling has previous connections with, “Cinven Ltd,” getting £12,000 for a speech from them.

    Another report claims this, “Alistair Darling has made £81,000 from speeches at dinners organised by Cinven, Macquarie, Bloomberg, Bank of New York Mellon/Pershing and others. The former chancellor, who is still an MP, also received £75,000 for his memoirs, Back from the Brink.”.

    There is a list of MPs with links to such companies
    here : –
    link to socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk

    And this : -https://www.facebook.com/rob.ellen/posts/10152312680112322

    Looks like it’s odds on Cinven.ltd.

    Reply
  86. Democracy Reborn says:

    Here’s a select few who would LOVE you to quit completely:-

    Hothersall
    Murphy
    Curran
    McTernan
    McDougall
    Rennie
    Torrance
    McColm
    D. “I Vow” Clegg
    Farquharson
    Gardham
    Carroll
    His Lordhip Foulkes

    Need any more motivation to continue?…

    Reply
  87. Croompenstein says:

    Brilliant Stu, 🙂 and a wee message for SLab.. we are coming to get you

    Reply
  88. Thor says:

    The momentum and the pace of these stats clearly show that after the referendum the only thing that has happened from not getting the right result is people all over have woken and all eyes are firmly on Westminster with the Internet there is no where to hide anymore and a fire has well and truly been lit in folks bellys , the work and effort that stu and everyone else puts into keeping our rightful independence alive and kicking is mind-blowing ! And long may it continue.

    Reply
  89. Chitterinlicht says:

    Brilliant stats

    Really appreciate this website

    Special project?

    Very excited

    Reply
  90. dennis mclaughlin says:

    Well done Stu!,I am proud to be a member of this community and will be putting my hand in my pocket to further your efforts on our behalf.
    these stats are astonishing,thanks for hanging on in there when a lot of us hung our heads in disbelief in September.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  91. Sharon Beattie says:

    I would imagine these numbers will continue to grow until independence is gained lol and probably after as well.

    Reply
  92. Lenny Hartley says:

    Rev , take more time off and take a sustantial pay rise, you are worth every penny one hundred times over.

    Reply
  93. Ronbon says:

    Thanks for everything you have done. What would we have done without wings!

    Reply
  94. Conan_the_Librarian says:

    Remember folks, this site is a very good focus for like minded folks;

    Rev Stu isn’t the messiah, he’s just a very naughty boy…

    Reply
  95. crisiscult says:

    great job Rev and hope you’re here for some time to come. The way the MSM works, and will work until the challenge from sites like yours destroys it, we need you. I was on the train on Friday and flicked through the metro. I remember naively wondering years ago when the metro newspaper started how wonderful it was that a newspaper company would just give copies away. So anyway, whatever BS there was on Friday about the Scottish government, reminded me of one of the main reasons why they do it.

    As someone mentioned above, government intervention online, e.g. using service personnel to post comments or join message boards, is one way the current hegemony will try to deal with the challenge, but they also have to consider the threat on TV and radio from more people accessing international/foreign providers such as Russia Today and Al Jazeera.

    BTW, with so many activists who would have delivered a WBB2 now no longer operating under a yes structure, can someone reassure me there will still be enough structures in place to get non party aligned material out to the public?

    Reply
  96. gerry parker says:

    @ Conan_the_Librarian.
    Yes.
    And the measure of a naughty boy is not how many people follow him, but the number of followers who themselves become naughty boys.

    Reply
  97. Robert Peffers says:

    @Dorothy Devine says: 1 February, 2015 at 6:34 pm:

    “Without you Rev , I would have become a depressed perhaps violent Yesser.”

    I had a good chuckle it your post, Dorothy. Couldn’t picture you as violent, though. It reminded me of something that happened at my late wife’s funeral. I live in a Fife ex-mining village and people I’d only seen but never really spoken with turned up at the graveyard. One such was an old ex-miner who had this to say, “Your Wee Jessie wis an afu guid lassie. She wad gie awa her earse an shite through her ribs if she thoucht it wad dae onyane ony guid”. I have never forgotten his words. Then another spoke up, “Aye! Wee Jessie wis an afu guid lassie bit ye couldna get her angry. Jessie wi her dander up wis an afu fearsome sicht”. (Jessie was a massive – 5′ nothing.)

    Reply
  98. ronnie anderson says:

    @ Conan_the_Librarian

    he’s just a very naughty boy…

    Shall we send him to Paula Rose for correction lol, the only dungeon wie flock wallpaper.

    Reply
  99. Training Day says:

    Well done Rev. Bring on the fundraiser.

    Reply
  100. ronnie anderson says:

    @ crisiscult there might not be a Corperate Yes Movement but be assured there are plenty groups of yessers they like Wingers didnt fold up their tents & disappear.

    Reply
  101. Lesley-Anne says:

    Sorry for going O/T but thought this might interest a few people, I sort of hinted about it on a previous thread last night.

    link to archive.today

    We have been waiting for over 6 years I believe for this Chilcott guy to produce his report on Iraq II and STILL nothing is forth coming nor will it now till after May … if at all meanwhile to ensure we plebs continue to be confused Whitehall lets slip news about their “low profile war games!”

    I think the heat in the *ahem* kitchen is getting a wee bit too hot for the master chef, David Cameron, though cause it appears, if the Daily Express is to believed at any rate, that around 300 MORE troops are being sent to the Falkland Islands.

    Military chiefs are mounting a series of “high readiness reinforcement” exercises to plug a strategic gap until the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier is operational in 2020.

    I wonder how Argentina will react to these *cough* low profile war games. 😉

    Reply
  102. M4rkyboy says:

    Derek Bateman has a must read piece on his blog
    link to derekbateman.co.uk
    Brilliant,coruscating,pull-no-punches writing.I loved it.

    Reply
  103. David says:

    @ ronnie anderson, not 100% sure, but I think Morag is busy finishing writing a book these days, which is why she’s not been around much recently. I read her saying that, perhaps on Twitter, perhaps on Wings, can’t remember.

    Reply
  104. Hector says:

    I remember looking around the Hydro in Glasgow during Nicola’s tour and being “astonished” at what 12,000 people gathered in one place looked like. I then wondered how amazing it would be to see all 95,000 SNP members together in one place!! But 300,000 readers of Wings? Wow! Just Wow!! Now, if we all got together in the one venue…..???

    Reply
  105. dakk says:

    Very healthy figures indeed.

    I will buy some stickers for my car to promote the site and contribute finacially.

    The continued health of this site is crucial to our chances of progressive democracy in Scotland.

    Oh,and 77th Brigade , welcome to the fray!

    Reply
  106. Lesley-Anne says:

    ronnie anderson says:

    @ Conan_the_Librarian

    he’s just a very naughty boy…

    Shall we send him to Paula Rose for correction lol, the only dungeon wie flock wallpaper.

    Oh no NOT the flock wallpaper … anything but the flock wallpaper … all right then, promise me NO flock wallpaper and I’ll talk … I’ll tell you everything I know! 😀

    Reply
  107. heedtracker says:

    He’s not a naughty anything. He’s stood up to a parcel of rogues and a very large BetterTogether parcel too. Every one of the rogues will never be forgotten thanks to WoS, and others too.

    Reply
  108. morgatron says:

    Stu, thanks so much for everything. Bring on the future.

    Reply
  109. ronnie anderson says:

    @ Captmaxspacecat 7.28. Naw its no normal, Wingers jist scroll the thread,thereagain regulars dont get lost,we,re like that shoppee Morning Noon & Night.

    Reply
  110. Lollysmum says:

    I follow quite a few YES groups on Twitter & they are already out in the streets talking to people especially about voter registration. Some are creating their own info but I’m sure they would welcome Wings giveaways to help bolster their efforts.

    Several YES shops have also reopened & Common Weal’s Commons are opening as well so there’s definitely a market out there to spread the word.

    Reply
  111. wee sandy says:

    Very much enthused by these stats!Your site and the comments have become a “must read” for me!
    Credit card at the ready for the fundraiser!

    Reply
  112. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    ‘Could you give me the exact date of the “Fundraiser” Stu?”

    It’ll be at the end of the month, ie right after payday 😉

    Reply
  113. Jim McIntosh says:

    @heedtracker

    “he’s not a naughty boy”

    How true, the Rev, with the excellent information on this site over the past few years has turned all of us into mini ‘spy catchers’ as described by Derek Bateman on his blog today. See excerpt below.

    “I have been schooled over many years in decyphering political encryption, that is translating statements into what they really mean like a kind of BBC Enigma Machine. Hours in studio listening closely to answers (and watching facial and body language) turn you into a spycatcher, evaluating phrases and words which can have double meaning and waiting for the giveaway line that reveals the truth behind the screed of chaff.”

    Reply
  114. mogabee says:

    Great stats Stu.

    Not only us “political nerds” who appreciate how much difference you’ve made, but my partner who strangely watches football!

    Keepie uppie the good work…lol

    Reply
  115. Paula Rose says:

    Only flock wallpaper has wings (and feathers).

    Reply
  116. dougiekdy says:

    @Rev

    “We’re at work on a special project :)”

    Cannae wait!

    Reply
  117. Josef O Luain says:

    D I T T O!

    Reply
  118. jaygee says:

    Re the 77th brigade.
    Might it be possible to insert an avatar to indicate a new contributer to this site after this date. Their input could then be treated with due skepticism.

    Reply
  119. dougiekdy says:

    @M4rkyboy

    Agreed – great piece.

    “24% of vice-chancellors, 32% of MPs, 51% of top Medics, 54% of FTSE-100 chief execs, 54% of top journalists, 70% of High Court judges …went to private school, though only 7% of the population do.

    Education is an engine of social mobility. But achievement is not balanced fairly – for the poorest fifth in society, 46% have mothers with no qualifications at all. For the richest, it’s only 3%

    There is a strong link between a lack of social mobility and inequality – and the UK has both. Only Portugal is more unequal with less social mobility

    If you are at the top, the rewards are high – the top 1% of the UK population has a greater share of national income than at any time since the 1930s (Source, The Guardian link to theguardian.com“.

    UKOK eh?

    Reply
  120. BrianW says:

    Think it shows folk trust the work you do – I certainly bloody do, and love my daily Wings Reading. You do the thinking and research that I’m unable to do..lol.

    I see all the shite the normal media churn out, with their business interests, party leanings, and other network partners they tend to appease.

    I come on here and it’s always a breath of fresh air reading some properly investigative, fact based reporting.

    You can’t hide from facts but the MSM print their nonsense in the eternal hope that no one questions their means – thankfully I don’t take their shite at face value and I come on here to find the truth and read comments from like minded folk.

    Reply
  121. Dorothy Devine says:

    Ach Mr Peffers , you wouldnae like me when am angry – I get very polite!
    Your tale made me smile and that’s another reason I am frequent visitor not just for Rev Stu but for the wealth of humour , intelligence, camaraderie and information from other Wingers.

    Reply
  122. Jet Jockey says:

    Very interesting how BBC news reported Andy’s defeat I must have watched a different game, it looked like Andy!!!!!

    Reply
  123. ronnie anderson says:

    @ David Thanks as long as she,s alive & well, canny keep a good woman doon.

    Reply
  124. Wuffing Dug says:

    Excellent news and 1000 thank yous to Stuart. Wings = Sanity restoration. Funds have been sequestered for end of month. Two things really concern me regarding establishment manouvers (already evident) impacting the upcoming GE; a)voter registration manipulation b)interference on-line from new ‘keyboard commandos’ . Have already had a puzzling letter from local ero office asking for identification. Wtf. Will be following this up. Anyway, I take heart from the words of Bane ‘Theatricality and deception are powerful agents to the uninitiated, but we are initiated…..aren’t we 🙂

    Reply
  125. dougiekdy says:

    Derek Bateman didnae miss them and hit the wa’ anyway:-)

    “What I resent is the hacks who dragged Scottish journalism through the mud in the indyref preening themselves like media luvvies rather than the spoon-fed sycophants they are. For example David Clegg tweeted to Blair McDougall congratulations on getting a job with Scottish Labour. What do you think? Polite? Friendly? Or a**e-licking obsequiousness? It’s like emailing that nice Blair in company accounts to say ‘Congrats on yr promotion to the management team. You soooo deserve it!’

    This, mind you, to a political party he’s supposed to monitor and scrutinise…to a man he’s supposed to hold to account. On the back of Cochrane admitting he spiked stories Darling didn’t want printed, it gives me the dry boak to see what’s happened to the old trade in modern Scotland”.

    Reply
  126. ronnie anderson says:

    @ Paula Rose ah wiz gonna say Rose flock wallpaper, ok ok I ,ll flock off noo.

    Reply
  127. ronnie anderson says:

    @ Lesley_ Anne I the flock wallpaper is a weebitty over the top, Paula Rose could you paste up some back issues of the british Medja in case the Rev,s missed anything,he,s coming fur some whipping lessons fae the expert & leave bigger wealds on the Hacks of the british medja.

    Reply
  128. Lesley-Anne says:

    OUCH! 😛

    That sounds extremely painful Ronnie. Mind you it is EXACTLY what the British meejia deserve … nothing more … nothing less! 😀

    I have to admit that I didn’t know they still made flock wallpaper … still that’s good to know … just in case we decide that painting walls is no longer “de rigeur” and we need to stick up some wallpaper. 😉

    Reply
  129. Paula Rose says:

    I’m concerned that assorted hacks, Scottish Office personnel and Labour thingies are so excited by the potential for treatment from moi that they are no longer able to do their jobs competently.

    Reply
  130. Lollysmum says:

    O/T but funny
    Last Expenses Claim Form-Smurph’s recurring nightmare

    link to youtube.com

    Enjoy 🙂

    Reply
  131. Robert Peffers says:

    @Dorothy Devine says: 1 February, 2015 at 9:43 pm:

    “Ach Mr Peffers , you wouldnae like me when am angry – I get very polite!

    Now there’s a coincidence, Dorothy. I normally speak as the person I’m conversing with speaks. If they speak wir ain leid so do I. If they speak Scottish Standard English, so do I. If they speak English I’m speaking proper English. But when I’m angry, and I do not often lose my rag, I speak very polite English, no slang, no swearing, cursing or bad language of any sort.

    Thing is that I can usually reduce the person I’m angry with right down to size without any name calling or swearing – they know they have been told off, though.

    “Your tale made me smile and that’s another reason I am frequent visitor not just for Rev Stu but for the wealth of humour , intelligence, camaraderie and information from other Wingers”.

    That’s been noted elsewhere too. The general mood of the entire independence campaign has been of good humour, good fellowship and highly intelligent banter. That of the Unionists has been bitter, sour and vindictive.

    Reply
  132. Ian Brotherhood says:

    A fix for those suffering Murphine withdrawal – his recent appearance on the Daily Politics. At 1.30 he says (very softly, as is his wont) ‘The vow has been delivered’.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVDMFnS_–8

    Reply
  133. Sinky says:

    Andrew Wilson marks snake oil salesman Murphy’s card in SoS to-day

    link to archive.today

    Reply
  134. Capella says:

    New Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, gets the rude BBC Newsnight treatment but holds his own:
    link to yanisvaroufakis.eu
    “As a fan of the BBC, I must say I was appalled by the depths of inaccuracy in the reporting underpinning this interview (not to mention the presenter’s considerable rudeness). Still, and despite the cold wind on that balcony, it was fun!”

    Reply
  135. Patrick Roden says:

    rosemary boyce says:

    ” What about getting some of your work printed in MSM?”

    Well it cost the Celtic fans just £3,000 to put a full page add in the Herald so…

    Reply
  136. Robbert Peffers says:

    @Lesley-Anne says: 1 February, 2015 at 10:24 pm:

    “That sounds extremely painful Ronnie. Mind you it is EXACTLY what the British meejia deserve … nothing more … nothing less! 😀

    Now! Now! Lesley-Anne. Don’t you realise that a certain type of person is attracted to such inflictions of pain?

    Paraphilia : In Psychiatry, is a condition characterized by abnormal sexual desires, typically involving extreme or dangerous activities. Are you suggesting our MSM persons are, shall we just say, a bit Abnormal?

    It’s quite amazing the odd things you can learn by reading WoS.

    Reply
  137. Phronesis says:

    Well done – Wings is informative enlightening and totally necessary on the journey towards independence

    Reply
  138. Cadogan Enright says:

    @Capella 10.51

    Can you imagine George Osborne speaking so rationally in any language, let alone Greek.

    The austerity argument is lost.

    Reply
  139. Paula Rose says:

    Sorry if I’m stating the obvious but…

    All Wings posts have a pdf/print thingie which means its easy to download, print and leave the hard copy in cocktail bars, libraries and bus shelters – also the local co-op.

    Reply
  140. ronnie anderson says:

    twitter.com/KevinStewartMSP/status/561696358483386368?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=AnnieslandSNP&utm_content=561703815897153537

    just found this on scot2 scot always with a pinch of salt after all we,re in the age of disinformation.

    Reply
  141. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Another great Peter Curran grab – this one features Fozzy, but, towards the end, switches to the end of the previous link I posted, and some very telling comments from I-forget-his-name back in the Millbank studio.

    Also worth noting that this YT clip, and the Morph one posted previously, have ‘comments disabled’. Question – who disabled them, and how is it possible to ‘enable’ them again?

    link to youtube.com

    Reply
  142. Lesley-Anne says:

    O.K. folks Super Bowl is ON!

    Time for me to log out for the night enjoy yourselves and if you can’t enjoy yourselves be good! 😀

    Go them Seatriots

    Go them Pathawks

    awe hell!

    Go who ever! 😛

    Reply
  143. Thepnr says:

    @Sinky

    What a great article and a big surprise to me since it’s in the Hootsmon. If only we had more like this.

    link to archive.today

    Reply
  144. boris says:

    Government to give life expectancy estimates with pensions advice

    Pensions minister Steve Webb has announced plans to give retirees rough estimates of their life expectancy as part of pensions advice from April 2015.

    Specialist pensions experts will calculate how long older people have to live, based on their gender, lifestyle and location. The move is a reaction to concerns people will be irresponsible with their pensions, now that there are fewer restrictions around withdrawing their pot in one go.

    The news comes a day after Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures revealed people in the UK are living longer, but stark regional contrasts persist. The area with the highest life expectancy is Purbeck in Dorset, where the average woman will now live to 86.6. The figure is 82.9 years for a man in the same region.

    In Glasgow life expectancy is 72.6 for men and 78.5 for women.

    Even the Tory government admits to on-going deprivation in Scotland

    link to caltonjock.com

    Reply
  145. M4rkyboy says:

    Quick question Rev,you mentioned freelancers earlier,which writers do you admire and would like to commission?

    Reply
  146. ronnie anderson says:

    Ah FFsaky ur they gonna employ Palmists n Tealeaf readers. I like everybody else ever borm will live to we die,diz they’re calculations come wie a date stamp for expireeeee.

    Reply
  147. Chic McGregor says:

    I am comfortable with the idea that most politicians go into politics with the best intentions. However when they do so they are naive and need to be shown the ropes.

    Unfortunately, of the ropes they are shown, one is around the neck, one is around the bollocks and another is around the wallet.

    Moral – we need a rope unraveller and our Rev is one of the best at that, on a par, if I may be allowed my obligatory pun, with William of Occam.

    Reply
  148. Brian Mac says:

    Please for the love of god, – Wings over Scotland, and all those responsible for it, – Do not falter!!!
    Great contribution towards Scotland being ours again – Soon!.

    Oh……I’m not a Theist by the way…just an expression at the start.

    Reply
  149. liz g says:

    Ronnie Anderson @12.09
    Naw Ronnie thay numburs ir ment fur thon tax pires
    Tae see if they kin work out if they kin afford thae auld yins
    We HIV no even goat tae whit we wul dae way thum whin its decided Thur knowalage in experience disnay matter.

    Reply
  150. Rock says:

    Never has the MSM been so totally exposed.

    If only you were a national newspaper.

    Reply
  151. Rock says:

    Patrick Roden,

    “rosemary boyce says:

    ” What about getting some of your work printed in MSM?”

    Well it cost the Celtic fans just £3,000 to put a full page add in the Herald so…”

    What about in The National?

    Why is none of the stuff on W O S appearing in ‘pro-independence’ The National?

    Reply
  152. john king says:

    Rev Stu
    “too busy for quitting”
    And in a nutshell (and perfect timing as well) 🙂
    My wife has been asking me WHY we spend so much time agonising over a lost cause?
    and the almost 300.000 unique views is the answer, if anything this site is MORE important than it was pre referendum, it gives a rallying point for the people who WILL NOT get back in their box and WILL have their voices heard and that is why we WILL WIN and whats more those bastards know it!
    Illigitimi carborundum. 🙂
    ______________________________________________________
    Robert Peffers says
    “The general mood of the entire independence campaign has been of good humour, good fellowship and highly intelligent banter. That of the Unionists has been bitter, sour and vindictive.”

    I know and it is driving them crazy, we’re not doing what they would have expected us to do, and they simply don’t know how to handle it!
    _______________________________________________________
    Jaygee says
    “Re the 77th brigade.
    Might it be possible to insert an avatar to indicate a new contributer to this site after this date. Their input could then be treated with due skepticism.”

    How would you feel as a nervous lurker if your very first post (which is nerve wracking for some, god knows why guys?)if you were going to be highlighted as a new poster and to be suspected,

    No Jaygee were an open forum to friend and not so friendly the finely honed noses of the literati on this site can sniff out a troll quicker than Paula Rose can have them chained up in her house of pain,
    Besides how boring would it be if we werent allowed a pet troll or two Eh Tim?
    _______________________________________________________
    Paula Rose says
    “All Wings posts have a pdf/print thingie which means its easy to download, print and leave the hard copy in cocktail bars, libraries and bus shelters – also the local co-op.”

    Cocktail bars?
    In Brechin?
    Oh I get it the bus shelters the cocktail bar!
    ahhh. 🙂

    Reply
  153. Dal Riata says:

    Keep kicking against the pricks, Stu.

    A population bludgeoned by misinformation, lies and right-wing UK propaganda desperate for the ‘real’ truth and needing a place to find it cry out, ‘But where can we go to find the truth?’

    Well, if you build it they will come. And Stu did. And they came. And they just keep on coming.

    Truth is a powerful weapon.

    Well done, Stu. All kudos deserved.

    Reply
  154. K.A.Mylchreest says:

    I’m now using this as my first port of call for Scottish politics. It used to be Newsnet but they somehow seem to have lost their touch since they came under new management. Hopefully though that is only a small factor in the growth here. You’re doing a great job!

    Reply
  155. Macart says:

    Well, we had nothin’ better to do after September. 😉

    Nice one Rev.

    Reply
  156. Tam Jardine says:

    Brown and Murphy sharing a platform to try and deceive Scotland again left me absolutely perplexed. The number of holes in the concept of Gordon making a further pledge over and above the vow for extensive new powers is beyond parody.

    But we already have home rule Gordon… You will not be around to ensure that the inadequate watered down Smith Comission suggestions, watered further down by the government and still set to run the gauntlet of parliament and the lords, just as you had no power to deliver or guarantee shit and are not going to be there to do so after May.

    So the sheer gall of making a further pledge you can’t deliver is astonishing. Why not give us the opportunity to find out how short the final ‘extensive’ new powers fall from what you promised before making further bullshit promises?

    Listening to this cack on Radio Scotland and hearing the journalists talk about vow plus… I feel like battering my head off the wall.

    Reply
  157. Effijy says:

    boris says:

    1 February, 2015 at 11:46 pm

    Government to give life expectancy estimates with pensions
    advice.
    I’m a Glasgow man with a couple of very small pensions.
    In my calculations, I need to live to be 96 in order to get back what I put in? As you will see in the Stats above
    I’ll be lucky to hit 72. I’ve lost 6 school friends who were in their 50’s, that I know of, in the last 18 months, so for the area that I was brought up in reaching 60 seems to be a success.
    It always amazed me that Car Insurance companies increase your premiums if you live in a Council estate, but Life Insurance companies don’t adjust your monthly pension payments in line with your local life expectancy?
    The reason is obvious, they can steal what they like from people in poorer areas, as they don’t have anyone who will stand up for them. MPs can turn a blind eye and maybe get one of these wee Darling jobs where you get £10.000 p.a.
    for a couple of hours work here and there.

    Reply
  158. Bill Halliday says:

    Without Stu during the Referendum we wouldn’t even have reached the figures in my earlier comment. vis

    Bill Halliday says:
    1 February, 2015 at 4:30 pm

    Brilliant. After the Post Referendum analysis showing that only 11% got their commentary other than from the BBC (Lord Patten’s Propaganda Machine) STV and the rest of the Main Stream Lies outlets this is really hopeful. Well done Stu. Let us know when you need the next Fund-raiser.

    We need more though, much, much more. See GA Ponsonby at:-

    link to newsnet.scot

    I even wonder sometimes if The National secretly hanker after the ‘Old’ Labour. The number of times they have headlined their front page in a way that ‘subliminally’ gets over what Murphy et al want to get over is too large now for it to be coincidence.

    Reply
  159. author_al says:

    Tam Jardine…I could not put it any better.

    Reply
  160. Sinky says:

    @ Tam Jardine says.

    Brown and Murphy’s home rule / “Vow Plus” is just another PR stunt.

    Why did Labour not propose that in their Smith Commission proposals which were meant to kill nationalism stone dead?

    As neither Brown or Murphy will have any say on London Labour’s election campaign, will Miliband trumpet these extra UNWORKABLE sops to the Jocks in RuK?

    Will North British Labour leaflets feature Miliband as their would be Prime Minister.

    Check out Jim and Margaret Cuthberts analysis to the Smith Commission’s flawed proposals.

    link to bellacaledonia.org.uk

    This is what the London parties need to address

    Reply
  161. No no no...Yes says:

    Tam Jardine 7:51am

    The Brown Murphy promises

    The SNP are quick to condemn this latest guff:

    link to snp.org

    This latest nonsense also proves that Murphy is making no positive impact and Labour are a one trick pony called Gee Gee Brown, which is already on its way to the Knackers Yard.

    Reply
  162. Robert Peffers says:

    @Tam Jardine says:2 February, 2015 at 7:51 am:

    “Brown and Murphy sharing a platform to try and deceive Scotland again left me absolutely perplexed. The number of holes in the concept of Gordon making a further pledge over and above the vow for extensive new powers is beyond parody.”

    It is all smoke and mirrors, Tam. In the final analyses we return to the same problem we faced on 1st May 1707. When the system, reputed to be a United Kingdom composed of two equally sovereign Kingdoms, first began but began with unequal numbers of members from four countries. The fault being that no one country was going to willingly give up being an individual country.

    Hence the continued efforts by The Establishment to use erroneous terms like, “North Britain”, for Scotland and, “The Principality”, for Wales and, “The Province”, for Northern Ireland but never, never ever, “South Britain”, for England. Indeed they even fostered the idea that the United Kingdom is England in all media outlets. Example 1 – “Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler if you think old England’s done”. Example 2 – “England expects every man to do his duty”, said by Nelson as The United Kingdom was about to start a battle.

    If effect it began as the de facto parliament of the country of England and it became even more so with devolution. This should have been the last chance to sort out the fault by removing the Country of England parliament from the Westminster United Kingdom Parliament but those parliamentarians wearing two hats, and their Scottish, Welsh and Irish cringing acolytes signally failed to allow it.

    The only remaining option now is to disunite the bipartite Treaty of Union and thus end the United Kingdom for good. Thus we could have a closer, better and more equal relationship with our English, Welsh and Irish cousins as four closely related countries.

    Reply
  163. galamcennalath says:

    Bill Halliday says:
    “We need more though, much, much more. See GA Ponsonby”

    Yes, Unionist media attacks are clearly coordinated. And also, that makes the attacks all the more effective.

    I think Ponsonby makes a very valid point when we says that pro Indy media needs to also magnify the effects of stories by being coordinated. He points out that Stu & Wings often breaks the best stories, then none of the other Indy outlets cover and reinforce.

    How often have people posted here asking why such great exposes aren’t also in the National?

    While the UKOK media might downplay a good pro Indy story, the international media might pick up on it. But they only will if it’s big enough, and in the context of media, big probably means multiple outlets running with it.

    Reply
  164. Sinky says:

    Who can forget the day Miliband, (“A Labour government will never agree to Scotland sharing the pound”) Balls, Brown and Murphy supported Cameron, Osborne and Clegg on No Currency Union to wage economic war on the rebellious Scots if we democratically voted for self determination and a Currency Union?

    The Labour leader said he would seek a formal mandate from other voters in the UK to reject a deal to share sterling, by putting that veto in the 2015 general election manifesto if there was a yes vote in September’s referendum.

    link to theguardian.com

    Lets remind voters of Labour’s true beliefs

    Reply
  165. heedtracker says:

    The shysters crank it up

    Scottish politics
    Vote Labour for radical powers in Scotland, say Murphy and Brown
    Pair claim that party will go further than ‘the vow’ made during referendum campaign promising more powers for Scottish parliament

    That’s rancid Guardian vote Slab or else today. Make sure they haven’t also robbed you of your vote.

    link to gov.uk

    Reply
  166. Grouse Beater says:

    Heedtracker: Vote Labour for radical powers in Scotland, say Murphy and Brown,

    Reminds me of the famous Mike and Bernie Winters incident on their first visit to Glasgow. Mike in panic is warming up the audience to studied silence; onto the stage walks Bernie with his glaikit, toothy grin.

    “Oh, kerrist!” shouts a member of the audience. “There’s two of them.”

    Reply
  167. Grouse Beater says:

    Galamcennalath: How often have people posted asking why such great exposes aren’t also in the National?

    If the National had any ambition to be radical, and could swallow its pride, it should pay Wings to reproduce at least one Wings topic a day.

    Reply
  168. galamcennalath says:

    Another offer of more powers! As my granny would have said, “a stuck gramophone record”.

    Don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s a never ending loop. Final offer of ‘ultimate powers’ to a fanfare from UKOK media. It doesn’t get quite the reaction they expect from voters. Enhanced final ultimate offer …. Ad infinitum it seems.

    For heavens sakes, FFA / DevoMax / Real Home Rule …. OR …. Full Independence. How long before the Unionists accept there are only two possible outcomes? Everything else is just messing around and avoiding facing the inevitable.

    Reply
  169. Macart says:

    Good point sinky.

    Cameron, Milliband, Clegg.

    Osborne, Balls, Alexander.

    They weren’t too interested in dealing with an independent Scotland as I recall. These are the people who would have closed borders, opposed a currency union (of any kind), sought to impede smooth negotiation with the EU and encouraged/lobbied businesses to threaten penalties upon a YES vote.

    Y’know, your average caring, sharing types, who now require your vote to keep the good times rollin’.

    Reply
  170. Rev, I don’t know about the rest of the punters, but just after the Referendum when you were thinking of chucking it, I was absolutely terrified! It’s great to see yiv got the bit back between yir teeth. Let’s get inta them in May.

    Reply
  171. Inky Pic says:

    Does this not show we are all craving

    Reply
  172. inky Pic says:

    craving sites that are getting to the nitty gritty of what is going on our there. I can’t look at the beeb anymore!

    Reply
  173. Cuilean says:

    The blindingly obvious: Scotland was intimidated, threatened and lied to by the British Establishment, like The Mob demanding ‘protection money’ in the film. ‘The Godfather’. All sorts of terrible things were to happen if we did not vote YES and keep paying their ‘protection money’, for Trident, pensions, even the pound in our wallet was not safe, in short, nothing was safe, unless we voted ‘NO’. Since we paid their protection money and voted NO out of fear and the futile hope that the Mob would protect us in bad times, Scotland has seen that the British Establishment is NOT going to protect Scotland, it exists only to protect itself. So the bad things they told us they could protect us from are happening anyway, e.g. oil price collapse (no protection from the UK), job losses at Tesco, (no protection from the UK), abolish of Barnett, (no protection from the UK), staying in EU (no protection from the UK with an IN/OUT referendum), end to austerity, (no protection), the privatisation of the NHS, (no protection from the UK), Home Rule (no Home Rule) etc. etc. ad nauseum. This has made Scotland angry. Very angry. Very, very angry. We have been conned. We have been cheated. We have been shortchanged. We have been taken for fools. We have been kicked in the teeth. You can fool some of the people all of the time. You can fool all of the people some of the time. But you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. That truth is coming home to roost on 7th May.

    Reply
  174. Robert Peffers says:

    O/T
    I’m listening to Radio Scotland this morning. They have Scottish Farmers on pleading for Scots to buy Scottish produce instead of Supermarket imported stuff.

    Just a few weeks ago I was speaking with a local Scottish Farmer, (he not only votes LibDem but displayed LibDem NO posters in his fields during the Referendum debate).

    He was on about how hard a time the Farmers were having, so I gave him a wee sneaky verbal nudge about how the Establishment tells us we are all in it together and we non-farmers are also having a rather hard time. The wee verbal nudge was wasted upon him and he didn’t bite.

    Next I pointed out how the Establishment had received EU funds for hill farmers but retained it for mainly English farmers but, not being a hill farmer, this too went over his head.

    So I decided to stop with the gentle hints and hit him right between the eyes with it. I asked him where he bought his machinery and vehicles from and did he buy locally produced farm machinery, fertilisers and other essentials including the animals he buys in to fatten up for the market.

    I still didn’t get a straight answer as he then climbed into his foreign produced 4X4 and drove off. He passed my home some time later driving a foreign produced large tractor pulling a foreign produced farm machine.

    A true, “Proud Scots, but”, if ever I saw one in the flesh. Make no mistake I support the bulk of Scottish Farmers but, like the unionist Scots buts among us, some of their bitterest enemies are among their own numbers.

    Reply
  175. galamcennalath says:

    Cuilean @ 10:42

    After transgression justice delivers retribution. Why do the UKOK brigade seem so surprised at what is unfolding?

    Reply
  176. Macart says:

    @ Robert Peffers

    Very familiar with this scenario where I live Robert and finding it increasingly hard to work up sympathy for them.

    The temptation is to dismiss the complaint out of hand for they have the system of government they voted for. The better half argues to stand beside them regardless, but I can’t help that part of me still suffering saying ‘your problem mate’.

    Reply
  177. author_al says:

    BBC Radio Scotland heavily trailing that “Jim Murphy and Gordon Brown will be in parliament talking about new Scottish powers.”

    Great…here comes full fiscal autonomy and complete control over welfare. As if.

    John Beattie might as well have said, “Jim Murphy and Gordon Brown will be in parliament talking about the same old watered down pish that Smith recommended, which masquerades as meaningful Scottish powers and is an insult to anyone with a brain.”

    I want Murphy to promise 1000 more powers over and above any that SNP promise…

    Reply
  178. CanWeHAveOurDemocracyBack? says:

    OT HACKING ALERT?
    There’s something funny about the link in the new Topic “The Super Duper Mega Deluxe vow”

    The 1st time I clicked it it took me to a change dot org petition
    link to change.org

    instead of to the article in todays Telegraph.
    I’ve clicked the link another 5 times and twice it took me to the Telegraph and 3 times to the Change dot org petition. Has Wings been hacked?

    Reply
  179. Lesley-Anne says:

    author_al says:

    BBC Radio Scotland heavily trailing that “Jim Murphy and Gordon Brown will be in parliament talking about new Scottish powers.”

    Great…here comes full fiscal autonomy and complete control over welfare. As if.

    To be honest a.a. if BBC Radio Scotland were anything like SERIOUS in their attempt to bolster the idea that Broon the Loon and Murph the Smurph would be in parliament to bolster *ahem* new powers then surely saying they were to play a game of Tiddly Winks would have been nearer the TRUTH! 😉

    Damn I’ve just realised why they didn’t mention the game of Tiddly Winks … neither BBC Radio Scotland, Broon the Lonn or Murph the Smurph tell the TRUTH! 😀

    Reply
  180. Bill Halliday says:

    galamcennalath says:
    2 February, 2015 at 9:48 am

    “How often have people posted here asking why such great exposes aren’t also in the National?”

    I can list a couple of Letters to the Ed and a long stream of suggested articles from Newsnet, Wings, Bella etc to their to their ‘reporters@thenational.scot’ in answer to their request for stuff. I can honestly say the response has been zero. There’s just something about the whole tone of it that’s just not right.

    I still take it most days and there’s been some excellent articles, but still?? Maybe I’m just paranoid.

    Reply
  181. Lesley-Anne says:

    CanWeHAveOurDemocracyBack? you have to be a wee bit careful. In the piece you refer to there are actually TWO links all we’ve got to say on this one.

    The two links are seperated by ONE word … ON … so perhaps you may have clicked on one link thinking it would take you to one place when in actual fact you have clicked the other link. 😉

    Reply
  182. CanWeHAveOurDemocracyBack? says:

    Thank you Lesley-Anne. You are correct. I do feel that we all have to be vigilant – however in this case it was my lack of glasses rather than a unionist plot 🙂

    Reply
  183. Ali says:

    It will only get higher as May approaches and a tower of bullshit reaching the sky is built

    Reply
  184. Brian says:

    Only 300, 000!
    You need to pull your socks up. As my mother used to say.

    Reply
  185. Lockie says:

    Excellent site with great information, keep it going Stu, we need every liebour seat we can get & this site is a big step towards that goal.

    Reply
  186. velofello says:

    Truly remarkable success. Pleased to learn that a fundraiser is due as that means you will continue the good work. Lets provide Rev Stu with the resources folks.

    Reply
  187. Gary45% says:

    Well done Stu,
    Put my wife and I down for a donation for the fundraiser.

    Reply
  188. Tarisgal says:

    Well done to you Stu! Unfortunately I found your site post-Indyref (but I DID vote ‘yes’ so no harm done!) so shows that there is still a need to get information about this great site out there to people who will also be lacking knowledge of where they can find the real facts about Scottish party politics. I spread the word but I know there is still a huge need for you to keep ‘Wings…’ going! (May have to resort to opening my Facebook account again to spread the word. :o( But a woman has to do what a woman has to do, right?!)

    And to that end, a donation will be forthcoming, as and when! Just say the word!

    Reply
  189. YESGUY says:

    Fantastic stats again Stu.

    Wings is the best , no doubt about it. The truth is not out there , it,s here . Top quality work and a fantastic group of commenters to keep us informed and our spirits up.

    I have little spare cash these days but have been quietly putting a pound or two away as i knew a fundraiser is due. We all want to play our part.

    And i am finally over the loss of the referendum. In fact i am more optimistic thanks to you and the readers. We lost right ??? 🙂

    Thank you for the work and effort you do to keep us informed. Thank you for staying on after the ref and thanks to all Wingers for being here.

    May will be spectacular. Who says politics is boring. 🙂

    Reply
  190. Brian Doonthetoon says:

    JEEZ! It’s almost impossible to keep up to speed with all the comments generated on Wings!

    Onnyhoo…

    galamcennalath says:
    1 February, 2015 at 5:35 pm

    “Wings is flying.”

    Yes, see link below.

    .
    Hector says:
    1 February, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    “I then wondered how amazing it would be to see all 95,000 SNP members together in one place!! But 300,000 readers of Wings? Wow! Just Wow!! Now, if we all got together in the one venue…..???”

    Well, Hector, a number of Wingers are meeting up in the Invergowrie Inn on 21st February. See this link for further details.

    link to wingsoverscotland.com

    Back to galamcennalath.
    Here’s a wee blether from Facebook last night.

    Brian DoontheToon .
    For at least the past month (if not longer), all the opinion polls have been showing the SNP on +40%. As long as we can keep that momentum going, against the deluge of lies and spin that Scots will be subjected to by the triumvirate of Labour, the Daily Record and BBC Scotland, we should be home and dry.
    It’s up to each of us to spread the truth..
    Yesterday at 18:36

    Brian Reid Beware the beast lol
    Yesterday at 18:37

    Brian DoontheToon .
    Hi another Brian.
    Your wee comment inspired me to go and grab some images via Google’s image search, to play with.
    I played. It’s not brilliant but here’s what I came up with.
    (Looks better when you click on it.)

    link to sites.google.com

    Reply


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