Stephen Daisley

The nativists are getting restless. Not content with their war on Tunnock's tea cakes and the rest of the vast Unionist conspiracy, the cybernats have turned on former comrades in the campaign for independence. The dissenters, mostly left-wingers not affiliated to the SNP, had the temerity to suggest voting for a party other than theContinue reading "RISE and fall of ‘Yes Alliance’ a predictable affair"

Quiz time. Who tweeted this over the weekend: 'Quisling Tories characterise independence, freedom & democracy as "a leap into the void". Other countries can have independence. Not us.' a) A cybernat b) One of the more intellectually modest SNP MPs c) Angry Salmond The answer, surprisingly enough, is d) None of the above. In fact,Continue reading "How Nicola Sturgeon could help Brexit win the EU referendum"

Sir Albert McQuarrie earned the nickname 'Buchan Bulldog' for his tenacity, much of which was expended on behalf of the north east and in particular the fishing industry. A Conservative MP at the height of the Thatcher revolution, Sir Albert represented a bygone era of working-class Scottish Toryism and unabashed British patriotism. He was 98Continue reading "Sir Albert McQuarrie: North east MP known as the ‘Buchan Bulldog’"

The average cybernat, on the 3am comment thread he calls home, hammers out the details of the Tunnock's tea cake boycott. The mallow-filled Scottish biscuit has rebranded as "British" for the London market. It is the worst thing since the Highland Clearances, Act of Union and 1966 World Cup final all rolled into one andContinue reading "Wha’s like us? Gie few and they’re a’ boycotted"

Could Britain really vote to leave the European Union? That question is rattling around the minds of the liberal intelligentsia, after a new poll from Lord Ashcroft put the Out vote nine points ahead of In. Lord Ashcroft, like other poll purveyors, has work to do to rebuild his reputation after May. His research was, however,Continue reading "Lessons from Scotland for the European referendum"

'Members shall at all times conduct themselves in an orderly manner.' That's what the standing orders of the Scottish Parliament say. The standing orders are Holyrood's rulebook, intended to ensure the smooth running of parliamentary business. Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly fell foul of this instruction on Tuesday afternoon when he became confrontational with presidingContinue reading "James Kelly should show more respect to presiding officer"

When I learned of Ian Bell's death, just past midnight, I was in the middle of writing an obituary. It's something I do when I can't sleep. Ghoulish perhaps but in journalism you have to think ahead. My tribute was to a much older man. Ian Bell was just 59. It is no age toContinue reading "Scotland has lost a great writer with the passing of Ian Bell"

It might be the only interesting thing ever to come out of the Scotland Office. The memo leaked by former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael through his special adviser in April was dynamite. The notes on a conversation between SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and French ambassador Sylvie Bermann recorded an admission from the First Minister thatContinue reading "Alistair Carmichael should do the decent thing and resign"

You wait years for an SNP scandal and three come along at once. First it was Michelle Thomson, she of the totally-not-an-SNP-front Business for Scotland who stood for the Nationalists in Edinburgh West in May. Barely had she planted bum on green leather before the boys in blue started looking into a series of propertyContinue reading "Don’t judge The 56 by the worst of their number"