Immigration minister Robert Jenrick quits over Sunak's Rwanda plan 6 Dec 2023 at 7:42pm
Rishi Sunak?s Government has been left in ?total chaos? after the Prime Minister's immigration minister quit after he rejected demands to opt out of European human rights laws to revive his troubled Rwanda policy.
COP28 climate talks face roadblocks following first day of action 6 Dec 2023 at 3:53pm
After a first-day blur of rare quick action and agreement, negotiators at the United Nations' Cop28 climate summit finished up their first week in a more familiar place for them: the murky middle, where momentum can meet roadblocks.
Scottish Government loses Nicola Sturgeon FOI appeal 6 Dec 2023 at 3:09pm
The court of session has thrown out a Scottish Government appeal against the Scottish Information Commissioner relating to a freedom of information (FOI) request.
Putin visits Saudi Arabia and UAE to shore up support in Middle East 6 Dec 2023 at 2:37pm
Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun a trip to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, hoping to shore up support in the Middle East from two major oil producers allied to the US as his invasion of Ukraine grinds on.
PMQs: Keir Starmer mocked as Margaret Thatcher 'fan boy' 6 Dec 2023 at 2:27pm
Keir Starmer has been branded a Margaret Thatcher ?fan boy? as he was repeatedly mocked over his praise for the former Tory leader at Prime Minister?s Questions.
UK Government refuses to introduce 'Hillsborough Law' 6 Dec 2023 at 1:04pm
The Government has stopped short of introducing a Hillsborough Law called for by campaigners in its response to a report into the experiences of the bereaved families.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish Government and FOI row explained 6 Dec 2023 at 10:13am
The Scottish Government's appeal against a ruling by the Information Commissioner relating to a freedom of information request into Nicola Sturgeon's conduct will be held today - here's what's going on
Boris Johnson: Covid Inquiry grilling awaits former PM 6 Dec 2023 at 7:00am
Boris Johnson will face the first of two days of questioning over his handling of the pandemic when he appears before the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
The conduct of former prime minister has been a frequent talking point during the UK Covid inquiry.
Wings over Scotland
Huddle Formation 6 Dec 2023 at 3:07pm
To the surprise of most of those watching, including ourselves, the Court Of Session delivered its judgement immediately at the end of today’s hearing, after only the most cursory of conflabs between the three august panel members. ? The short version is that the Scottish Government lost, and must now comply with Wings reader Benjamin …
The Spider?s Web 5 Dec 2023 at 11:30am
The Scottish Government will make history tomorrow. For the first time ever since the advent of devolution 24 years ago, it will take the Scottish Information Commissioner to the Court Of Session to prevent disclosure of information. On the bench will be the full firepower of the inner council of the Scottish judiciary. The Lord …
An unexpected development 27 Nov 2023 at 12:56pm
Apparently I’ve removed myself as the head of me for misbehaviour. These are zany times in the independence movement, readers. Hold on. Because we too wonder where she’ll end up: But we’re pretty sure it won’t be as President of the EU.
When It?s Just Too Dark To Care 23 Nov 2023 at 12:17pm
Just under four years ago the world was hit by a pandemic that spread like wildfire and caused misery wherever it reached. It?ll be remembered by almost everyone who lived through it, especially those who worked to protect society?s most vulnerable. We?ve all heard about its effect on our NHS, but less so on those …
The Safest People On Earth 21 Nov 2023 at 12:57pm
Yesterday was “Transgender Day Of Remembrance”, which was the 41st “special” day of 2023 so far for trans people. (Including but not limited to International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia; International Pronouns Day; International Transgender Day Of Visibility; Transgender Awareness Week and of course the whole of “Pride Month”, which is now an almost …
The Bitterest Pill 20 Nov 2023 at 9:18am
It’s funny, but even when you think about politics all day for a living, there are some thoughts that just never pop into your head, and then someone says them a decade later and you think “Oh yeah, of course, it’s obvious”. Iain Macwhirter is almost certainly right about that in today’s Times. We all …
The Lowest Low 16 Nov 2023 at 8:14pm
This is officially the most embarrassed to be Scottish we’ve ever been. And we’re including both the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony AND the time Craig Levein played 4-6-0 against the Czech Republic in that. We have a government of clowns. Please, somebody, make it stop.
Public Information Announcement 14 Nov 2023 at 5:54pm
While we’re not talking about politics, here’s something else. I’ve just returned from Bath’s fine Royal United Hospital, where I’ve been getting a test done. (So as to avoid unnecessary dramatic tension, as far as anyone knows everything’s fine.) A while ago I was having some intermittent but rather alarming trouble with swallowing – behave …
The Spoilers 14 Nov 2023 at 2:04pm
Zilch continues to happen in Scottish politics, so to pass a bleak November afternoon we’re going to do something we haven’t done on Wings for years: talk about football. Try not to panic, because it’s really about the Scottish media – just like it used to be back in the good old days when they, …
Yesterday I scanned the MSM news. The UK openly boasted of running aerial surveillance over Gaza to identify targets for Israel, and it was revealed the USA has provided over 12,000 bombs and 57,000 shells to Israel. Israel killed over 300 more civilians, including over 100 more dead children. At the same time, Kamala Harris …
The hack of my X Twitter account was definitely intended to reduce my reach on Palestine, it took place while the security services have possession of my electronics and access to my account, and it involved either complicity by Twitter or a security service backdoor. I have now had to involve lawyers and prepare for …
At Saturday’s great march in support of Palestine in London, police arrested members of the Communist Party of Great Britain Marxist-Leninist (CPGBML) for having a pamphlet on sale on their stall. The “illegal” pamphlet is entitled Zionism: A Racist, Anti-Semitic and Reactionary Tool of Imperialism. Just what is illegal about it, I do not know. …
I have had BBC News on in the background for the last two hours. In that time there have been three lengthy interviews with different relatives of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. There has not been a single interview with a Palestinian relative of a Palestinian prisoner held by Israel. Today 13 Israeli prisoners and …
The judgment of the Supreme Court on the illegality of deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda was given massive publicity in connection with the sacking of Suella Braverman, but in fact it is a decision of much wider significance. It also has great relevance to the coming High Court hearing on Julian Assange, both in …
The UK government is actively complicit in genocide in Gaza – indeed with its supply of weapons to Israel, provision of communications intelligence and aerial surveillance and participation of UK special services, I would argue it is more than complicit. The UK government is a part of committing genocide in Gaza. This is vile to …
Palestine Can Reunite and Reinvigorate Scottish Independence
Alba NEC results 4 Dec 2023 at 7:45pm
Regrettably I haven't been elected to the Alba NEC. This is not a surprise given that there were eighteen male candidates with only four spots available, however it's still a big disappointment af...
Vote James Kelly #1 for the Alba NEC 2 Dec 2023 at 10:19am
So I believe today may be the day (or at the latest tomorrow) - if you were registered as a delegate for the Alba conference, you'll have an online vote in the election of ordinary NEC members, and...
EXCLUSIVE: Alba NEC hustings - Watch Part 1 Now! 1 Dec 2023 at 4:08pm
The delayed elections for ordinary members of of the Alba NEC will take place over the weekend, and I believe anyone who registered as a conference delegate will be able to vote. (One of my reason...
See the pandas, get a Severin Carrell for free 30 Nov 2023 at 1:34pm
This is just a public service announcement (although I'm sure you'll have seen this on the news) that if you want to see the giant pandas before they return to China, you literally only have a coup...
David Pratt: Joe Biden's foreign policy could cost him the election 7 Dec 2023 at 5:00am
CONVENTIONAL wisdom has it that US presidential races don?t normally hinge on crises in far off lands. It suggests instead that the American electorate are much more inclined to ?vote with their pocketbooks?.
The Tories are putting a price on international marriages 6 Dec 2023 at 9:01pm
JUST when you thought that the Conservatives had scraped the bottom of the barrel of needless cruelty, they go and prove that they are not only capable of scraping through the bottom of the barrel, they are hell bent on tunnelling down through the earth underneath until they reach the Hades at the core of the planet.
Boris Johnson's Covid inquiry evidence shows he cares about one thing 6 Dec 2023 at 6:30pm
BORIS Johnson had his chance before his god, the legal teams, and those groups represented to set the record straight. Instead, he went on an extended trip through the foggy landscape of his mind, the empty vessel that is his brain.
James Cleverly tells MPs crackdown will cut annual immigration numbers by abo... 4 Dec 2023 at 6:17pm
Home secretary to announce big hike in salary requirement for migrants to the UK as Rishi Sunak tries to cut net migration figuresHunt says the government wants to speed up the time it takes to get a connection to the national grid by 90%.Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor of the Economist, is inte...
Rockall fishing rights dispute between Scotland and Ireland deepens 4 Dec 2023 at 5:00am
Countries at loggerheads over access to fishing grounds in north Atlantic since Brexit referendum in 2016Irish fisheries leaders have warned of fresh conflicts with Scotland over fishing rights around the north Atlantic islet of Rockall as evidence emerged about the roots of the long-running sove...
Former chancellor Alistair Darling dies aged 70 30 Nov 2023 at 7:35pm
Politicians from across spectrum pay tribute, with Gordon Brown describing him as ?a statesman of unimpeachable integrity?Starmer and Brown lead tributes ? business liveUK politics live ? latest updatesLeaders from across the political spectrum have paid tribute to the former Labour chancellor Al...
Matt Hancock ?was not told about eat out to help out scheme until day it was ... 30 Nov 2023 at 5:30pm
This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereHancock is now deploying the defence previewed in the Observer on Sunday. (See 9.58am.)He says from the middle of January the DHSC was ?trying to effectively raise the alarm?. He says:We were trying to wake up Whitehall to the scal...
Number of homeless refugees in Glasgow doubles amid asylum backlog 29 Nov 2023 at 6:15pm
Camps also springing up in London and other cities as Liverpool council warns of housing emergencyThe number of homeless refugees in Glasgow has doubled in recent months as the Home Office accelerates its plan to clear the asylum backlog by the end of the year.Mini refugee camps are also springin...
Rishi Sunak says immigration must fall but declines to say which new measures... 24 Nov 2023 at 4:09pm
Net migration to the UK in 2023 is estimated at 672,000, and the PM says a more ?sustainable? level is needed. This live blog is closedWhen Nigel Farage was leading the Brexit party, it was considerably influential for a party with no MPs, winning the European elections in 2019 and helping to pus...
Holyrood investigates Scottish health secretary?s £11,000 data roaming bill 23 Nov 2023 at 3:45pm
Inquiry could lead to Michael Matheson being referred to standards committeeThe Scottish health secretary, Michael Matheson, is being investigated by Holyrood authorities over the near-£11,000 bill racked up on his work iPad.The Scottish parliament announced on Thursday its ruling body had begun ...
Scotland ?let down on every front? by Hunt?s statement, says SNP government 23 Nov 2023 at 5:00am
Questions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland about funding for devolved governmentsThe Scottish government has accused the chancellor of ?letting Scotland down on every count? after he unveiled a modest £545m increase in Treasury funding, and extra funds for Wales and Northern Ireland.Jeremy...
Cuts mean Scotland will not meet environment targets, say charities 22 Nov 2023 at 6:00am
Group of 16 organisations says reduced funding means rewilding and conservation targets likely to be missedScotland will fail to meet its ambitious rewilding and conservation targets unless it reverses deep cuts in funding for the environment, leading charities have said.Nature and conservation f...
Scottish Labour backs calls for full ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war 21 Nov 2023 at 5:43pm
MSPs support motion by first minister, Humza Yousaf, calling for immediate truce in the conflictScottish Labour has formally backed demands for a full ceasefire in Israel?s bombardment of Gaza, widening the party?s divisions on the conflict.Anas Sarwar supported a motion tabled by Scotland?s firs...
Reports of the demise of the SNP are British nationalist wishful thinking 30 Nov 2023 at 4:05pm
The anti-independence media, including certain commentators who claim to support independence and describe themselves as “critical friends of the SNP” but spend all their time and energy attacking the Scottish Government and resolutely refusing to make any positive arguments for independence, have recently taken to crowing that it’s all over for the largest party of …
Family matters 26 Nov 2023 at 6:46pm
I’m afraid I’m currently dealing with some family issues so won’t be blogging for a little while. My mother’s health has taken a turn for the worse and she is currently in hospital. I will be back when things settle down a bit. _______________________________________________ My Gaelic maps of Scotland are still available, a perfect …
The Toryfication of Labour and the ever rightward drift of British politics 20 Nov 2023 at 11:48am
On Saturday, as thousands demonstrated in the street outside his constituency office in protest against his refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and to unequivocally condemn the war crimes currently being committed by the Israeli armed forces against Palestinian civilians, the Labour leader Keir Starmer unapologetically tweeted: “I changed the Labour Party and …
Shanks?s pony falls at the first hurdle 16 Nov 2023 at 10:45am
On Wednesday in the House of Commons the SNP tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech calling for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict in Israel and Gaza which by Wednesday evening had claimed almost 13,000 lives, 1200 in Israel and over 11,500 in Gaza, including at least 4,710 children and 3,160 women. 56 Labour …
Reshuffling the sleaze 13 Nov 2023 at 6:46pm
Rishi Sunak’s big shtick was that he was the ‘change’ candidate, just a few short weeks ago he was telling the Tory party conference that British politics have been locked into a cosy and damaging short termist consensus for the past thirty years and that he was the guy who was going to change all …
The alarming rise of the new fascism 10 Nov 2023 at 9:25pm
The world is becoming a very dark and dangerous place. It’s not only the continuing war in Ukraine and the destruction and death being wrought in the Middle East, but there is also the alarming rise of fascism in Western countries. In the USA the Republicans have turned into an overtly post-democratic party which has …
Tory Britain: where decency is declared extremist 7 Nov 2023 at 11:45am
One of the loudest claims of Better Together during the 2014 independence referendum campaign was that the Westminster system guaranteed vastly superior standards of democracy and civil liberties than anything Scotland could provide for itself, and that in an independent Scotland peaceful protest and the espousal of constitutional positions opposed to the new Scottish establishment …
Shifting goalposts and the failure of the Scottish media 31 Oct 2023 at 11:12am
There’s something striking about the Scottish media’s treatment of the current constitutional impasse blocking the path to a second independence referendum. The Scottish media portrays this as exclusively a problem for the SNP, and no consideration is given to the anti-democratic stance of the British nationalist parties in both blocking any such referendum and in …
The cowardice of Keir Starmer 26 Oct 2023 at 11:49am
Keir Starmer is a coward. During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday Starmer had six questions for Rishi Sunak, not one of which related to the topic which dominates the news headlines and which it’s no exaggeration to say threatens the outbreak of actual world war three. But it still wasn’t important enough for Starmer to …
The change Labour promises is just more of the same 23 Oct 2023 at 11:57am
Last week, Labour won two by elections in formerly safe Conservative seats in Tamworth in Staffordshire and Mid Bedfordshire, in both cases Labour overturned huge Conservative majorities. In Tamworth the Conservatives had won 66.3% of the vote at the general election in 2019, making it one of the safest Conservative seats in England. In Mid …
Kate Forbes: Time to axe SNP-Green coalition 6 Dec 2023 at 5:46pm
The former SNP finance secretary had previously called for a re-think - but now wants Humza Yousaf to ditch the government coalition deal.
Pisa ? 33% of Scotland?s schools took part but only 4.7% of England?s schools... 6 Dec 2023 at 7:47pm
I’m grateful to AR and Haggis Hunter https://twitter.com/thistlefarmer5 for alerting me to this. The England PISA sample consisted of 201 eligible schools having at least one pupil in this age range. In England, 3,852 pupils from original sample schools and 911 pupils from replacement schools participated. Pupils in participating schools that did not participate are not replaced. 159 agreed to ...
Scottish media fail to inform terminally ill of highest benefit fast-tracked ... 6 Dec 2023 at 5:22pm
The above worthy petition, currently attracting a pathetic level of interest, applies only in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Several, often highly informed, friends have asked me to sign it, unaware of this: Social Security Scotland fast-track applications from people with a terminal illness and aim to make payment within seven working days. Individuals who are terminally ill automatical...
Scotland is at the greatest risk from Europe?s most hazardous nuclear plant 6 Dec 2023 at 11:46am
In the Guardian today, the above map, and this: Sellafield, Europe?s most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian can reveal. Concerns over safety at the crumbling building, as well as cracks in a reservoir of toxic sludge known as B30, have caused diplomatic tensions with countries including the US, N...
Mr Bowie should surely be very careful about accusing anyone else of ?economi... 5 Dec 2023 at 3:52pm
Frances McKie On 22nd September 2022, Andrew Bowie?s Tory London Government announced a ?mini-budget? which caused international banking panic and promptly added over 30 Billion pounds to the frightening UK fiscal deficit ? doubling it within 2 months. His government immediately passed this debt on to ordinary workers, with ordinary incomes, through new stealth taxes. His government is alrea...
English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side 5 Dec 2023 at 3:41pm
Leah Gunn Barrett English Labour has fully gone over to the dark side. Keir Starmer, praising Thatcher for bringing ?meaningful change? to the UK, shed the last bit of straggly wool trying to disguise the neoliberal wolf Labour has become.1 Why anyone in Scotland would cast a vote for English Labour that promises more of Thatcher?s wanton destruction is mind-boggling. Many won?t remember her...
Not reported elsewhere: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to... 5 Dec 2023 at 12:34pm
Spotted by the ‘AI-enhanced’ Policy Mogul today and being ignored by Scottish media: An independent Scotland would have the opportunity to create a new approach to social security that could transform lives and ensure a decent standard of living for all, according to a new paper to be launched on 6 December. The ninth paper in the Building a New Scotland Series ? Social Security in an independe...
Research finds Scottish parents statistically significantly more content with... 5 Dec 2023 at 11:57am
Despite making up around 20% of the sample of around 5 000, a UK-wide survey by Parentkind reveals that Scotland’s parents are significantly happier with the education their children receive than are parents in the other UK nations. The above list of six key points make clear that after 16 years, the SNP in government has achieved results that have pushed Scottish schools ahead of their counter...
8% of the population but only 3% of the fascist leaflets handed out 5 Dec 2023 at 11:37am
From the Hope not Hate report The Fascist Fringe: Patriotic Alternative and its Splinter Groups, today: Experts (well me) have predicted that fascist groups may disappear entirely in Scotland as Labour more than satisfies the desires of xenophobes, racists and other intolerants. For many many more on the 8% see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=+8%25+
Thousands of homes ?too dangerous for ambulances without police back-up?? I s... 5 Dec 2023 at 10:49am
Started by a Freedom of Information request to the Scottish Ambulance Service, from the policing magazine 1919, the above story is everywhere. 1919 has a track record (sic) on propagandising for the opposition parties and their trade union chums in Scotland. In August 2023, on behalf of the Lib Dems, and their survey of only 62 out of 5 000 railway staff, they claimed a crisis affecting 88.7%! ...
1.6% of Scotland?s addresses ?too dangerous? for ambulances without police es... 5 Dec 2023 at 9:12am
..too dangerous for ambulance crews to attend without police back-up…the Scottish Police Federation (trade union) is warning that budget constraints mean it will be physically impossible to respond to every call for assistance. The GMB Union, which represents ambulance workers, says the loss of police backup is a huger concern. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone 07:30 5/12/23 Context fro...
