Editor

Update

I am now using Substack to publish articles. You can sign up here to have articles emailed directly to you. This website will remain but mostly function as an archive or a backup, and will be updated in bulk from time to time. Stephen

You Kent be serious

Nicola Sturgeon briefed the media on the Indian variant of Covid-19 on May 21, 2021. This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail sketch of the press conference. ***** We may be slowly getting the better of coronavirus but there’s no vaccine as yet for the pandemic of political correctness sweeping the Western world. At herContinue reading “You Kent be serious”

Meet the new priority, same as the old priority

Nicola Sturgeon was re-elected as First Minister on May 18, 2021. This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail sketch of proceedings. ***** In the least shocking election result since Kim Jong-un’s name was last on a ballot paper, Nicola Sturgeon was reappointed First Minister of Scotland at Holyrood yesterday. The SNP leader faced stiff competitionContinue reading “Meet the new priority, same as the old priority”

Will Sturgeon pursue recovery or referendum?

This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail column for Monday, May 17, 2021. Tomorrow afternoon MSPs will assemble at Holyrood to elect the next First Minister. It’s safe to say the odds heavily favour one candidate in particular. So, unless things go splendidly wrong and Jackie Baillie ends up in Bute House, we can expectContinue reading “Will Sturgeon pursue recovery or referendum?”

Why Boris should refuse Sturgeon a referendum

This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail column for Monday, May 10, 2021. After all that, they missed by one seat. The SNP’s victory in the Scottish Parliament election was handsome, yet it is undoubtedly soured by their falling short of an overall majority — and by such an agonisingly narrow margin. In a cruelContinue reading “Why Boris should refuse Sturgeon a referendum”

Nicola Sturgeon’s Disney nationalism

This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail column for Monday, April 26, 2021. ***** To understand the central dynamic of Scottish politics, you needed to do only two things yesterday. One was watch Nicola Sturgeon’s rambling performance on Andrew Marr, in which she admitted both that independence would erect a physical border between Scotland andContinue reading “Nicola Sturgeon’s Disney nationalism”

New Nats on the Block

Alex Salmond spoke at the manifesto launch for his new Alba Party on April 21, 2021. This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail sketch of the speech. ***** Alba, a party which has had a reception only slightly warmer than the European Super League, launched its manifesto yesterday. ‘Launched’, with its connotations of rockets blastingContinue reading “New Nats on the Block”

How to hold Nicola Sturgeon accountable

This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail column for Monday, April 19, 2021. ***** The problem with ‘lines’ taken by politicians and parties is that they are all written by political strategists. These characters live, breathe, eat and sleep politics. Their idea of relaxation is catching up on other countries’ politics. They seldom encounter regularContinue reading “How to hold Nicola Sturgeon accountable”

The Declaration of Eck

Alex Salmond spoke at the campaign launch for his new Alba Party on April 6, 2021. This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail sketch of the speech. ***** Alex Salmond is modest to a fault and so what better way to launch his Alba party’s election campaign than by issuing a new Declaration of Arbroath.Continue reading “The Declaration of Eck”

Nicola Sturgeon deserves to lose

This is the text of my Scottish Daily Mail column for Monday, April 5, 2021. ***** There are no moral victories at the ballot box and no consolation prizes. The losing side sometimes tells itself otherwise to cushion the blow of another rejection. Neil Kinnock is said to have won ‘the battle of the campaigns’ in 1987,Continue reading “Nicola Sturgeon deserves to lose”