A few people have been asking (perhaps with a touch of mischief in mind) for my views on the Hate Crime Act, which is less than thirty hours from entering into force. Not for the first time, I find myself somewhere in between the two extremes. I certainly rolled my eyes to the heavens when I saw that Stuart Campbell had announced that he's temporarily shutting Wings Over Scotland down while he supposedly seeks urgent legal advice (which he's crowdfunded for, naturally) on whether it's safe to put the site back up. This is a classic exercise in tiresome Campbell theatrics to try to make it look as if SNP-run Scotland has turned into East Germany overnight, and if anyone is gullible enough to think the outcome will be anything other than Wings Over Scotland reappearing next week, possibly as early as Monday lunchtime, then, well, I've got a bridge to sell you. I dare say he will genuinely spend the crowdfunded cash on legal advice, incidentally, but as with his stunt legal action against Kezia Dugdale, there are plenty of other ways in which independence supporters could be getting far better value for money. I confidently predict that the outcome of this legal advice will be exactly what Campbell already knows from common sense, ie. that of course he can continue publishing a political website, but if he wants to be on the safe side he could remove certain controversial posts and stay off certain topics in the future. There you go, I've just saved you £12,000.
On the other extreme, though, there are people talking and writing as if support for the Hate Crime Act is somehow an extension of support for independence, simply because it was passed by the SNP and the Greens. That's a very dangerous road to go down, because anyone passionately opposed to the law may take the cue and decide there's no place for them anymore in the independence movement. As has been pointed out in many quarters, the problem is not that the Act does not have adequate safeguards against unjust convictions, it's that there aren't adequate safeguards against unjust arrests. There's not much comfort in being eventually acquitted if you've already been locked up, had your possessions seized and gone through the unimaginable stress of a prosecution.
I suppose I would sum up my view as this: not only is it wrong in principle to crack down on freedom of speech, it's also incredibly annoying that the SNP government has devoted so much time and energy to a bad law that can only divide the independence movement. If they hadn't done it, we could at last be moving on from the divisions of the trans issue, but there's not much chance of that now.
There's some clowns think we should support everything the SNP and Greens get up to. No. I support Independence, and after we get that, I vote for any party I wish to vote for, or none.
ReplyDeleteYesindyref2 - I agree 100% with that post. Time for you to tell your pals on WGD as well.
DeleteIt would be interesting to get more detail on your view of the act itself.
ReplyDeleteI concur. The SNP and therefore, by extension, the independence movement is moving down some pretty damning and almost comical roads led by the Scottish Greens I suspect.
DeleteBest case - Indy isn’t impacted. Worst case - it loses support due these bampot policies. There’s certainly no gaining support due to it all that I can see.
I don't know how serious the threat (if any) is to Wings but social media is full of purple-haired men in frocks declaring their intention to use the new law to silence him. Whether the police will take any notice or dismiss their complaints as vexatious, I have no idea but it would be outrageous if the law could be used in this way. Like gender self-id, it seems to be a pointlessly divisive policy to pursue for no political gain that I can see.
ReplyDeleteOwen -" pointlessly" it is not. Sturgeon's gang introduce these policies to divide and try to spoil the support for independence.
DeleteThe trans stuff was drying up, Indy isn't on the horizon so you need something to keep the money going.
ReplyDeleteFor what its worth, men in women's sports and the hate crimes were nonsense but he has an ulterior (£) motive
You should have to self censor though either. Problem is wings is right , a bit like the father red guy but comes across a bit obsessed as well.
ReplyDeleteThe pubs are all a giddy over this law. The talk is of nothing else. Men are hiding under picnic tables fearing "the mark". Wings, the vanguard of common sense, is our last hope. I'd forgotten what common sense was and then remembered it's worrying about what @twinkledinkel said about JK last Tuesday night post-chow mein meal. For 3.99 a month he will pray for our soles (sic)
ReplyDeleteSurvation poll showing SNP would pick up 41 seats. No Gories in Scotland, the National doesn't say who gets the other 16. Yousaf would claim his "Make Scotland Tory Free" campaign message worked, but in reality The Tories would be gone anyway.
ReplyDeleteInstead if he targetted Labour and cried the LibDems as a wasted vote the SNP could sweep the board. Or better yet, make this a de facto for Independence and get over 50% of the vote as well of those who voted.
I suspect this election will be an "If only ..." for us Indy supporters while the SNP will claim they won, though what they won who knows - keeping Starmer honest with his 286 seat majority. Yeah, right.
Happy Easter! Only another 317 years until Independence.
It is an encouraging poll for SNP supporters but let us not become complacent. These polls are subject to sampling error and moreover the sample may not be a random sample of voters.
DeleteWhy post at all then yesindyref2, just give up if you think another 317 years until independence
DeleteYou're just as bad a miserable troll as IDF
Anon at 10.01am - Who is this troll IDF - ya numpty - not very good at trolling are you - pretty bad in fact. A basic of trolling - clearly identify who you are trolling - stick to reading your comics is my advice. Numpty.
DeleteHumza will be happy with MRP out today.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Encouraging poll for Humza saying SNP will get most seats. That said its hard to predict and a lower tally would still be good for him given that the 2019 election was abnormal.
DeleteAnon at 9.16am - how was the 2019 election abnormal in your mind. I asked you the same question when you posted this previously. No answer.
DeleteThis issue is often misrepresented on internet fora. To be fair to Nicola Sturgeon the launch of a ferry should not be seen as being the same as the completion of a ferry it is merely a ceremonial milestone on the journey towards completion. Launches take typically place substantially in advance of entering service. Moreover, there are engineering issues arising from the unique nature of the project which means there is a learning process in this project. The experience and knowledge gained during this project will be of benefit to the international competitiveness of Scottish shipbuilding in the future.
ReplyDeleteSorry to say I disagree. Sturgeon launched the Glen Sannox in November 2017. It was meant to be in service in 2018, so it’s 6 years late and counting and the two ferries are hundreds of millions over budget. This scandal has become a national embarrassment, completely of the making of the SNP SG.
ReplyDeleteThe contract was awarded to this yard in an attempt by Sturgeon and the SNP to make political gain, but has backfired spectacularly.
Totally sick of the insult to anyone's intelligence, other than SNP numpties, of posts like anon at 9.32am. It is nothing but utter bullshit.
ReplyDelete" I confidently predict that the outcome of this legal advice will be exactly what Campbell already knows from common sense, ie. that of course he can continue publishing a political website, but if he wants to be on the safe side he could remove certain controversial posts and stay off certain topics in the future."
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that Stuart Campbell is concerned about malicious complaints being made against him and him being made an example of.
With respect to staying off discussing any subject matter (for fear of upsetting someone or hurting their feelings) then that would surely be tantamount to self-censorship.
Which we should all be worried about.
Yes the Act which the SNP is correctly introducing is intended to reduce hate speech. It wouldn't have any bite if it did not. However there is freedom of speech but freedom of speech should not extend to freedom to make negative remarks towards ethnic minorities and/or the LGBTQ+ community.
DeleteAnon at 9.54am - with your extensive knowledge of this act am I still free to make negative remarks about political parties, politicians and anonymous SNP/ Britnat numpties. Or is it only SNP supporters who can do that now?
DeleteAnon@9:54, Then your 'freedom of speech' isn't really freedom at all is it?
DeleteAnon @ 9.54 agree that this act is sadly necessary to protect LGBTQ+ people.
DeleteProtect them from what? Hurt feelings? Don't you remember the old adage about sticks and stones? Grow up ffs!
DeleteAnan @ 9.54AM said:
Delete"Yes the Act which the SNP is correctly introducing is intended to reduce hate speech. It wouldn't have any bite if it did not. However there is freedom of speech but freedom of speech should not extend to freedom to make negative remarks towards ethnic minorities and/or the LGBTQ+ community."
There can be no freedom of speech if somebody can make an anonymous complaint about what somebody said in the privacy of their own home. And there can be no consequences for the anonymous complainant if that claim turns out to be vexatious.
Thinking about a high profile trial in March 2020 when the accused was acquitted on all charges levelled does that sound familiar?
KC at 9.47pm - Scotland's shame is that it is a colony of England and Britnats like you facilitate this situation. That's real shame.
ReplyDeleteEngland's shame is that it is a coloniser and democracy denier.
*Salmond CMAL and ferries* out before Christmas, the whole truth
ReplyDeleteAnon at 10.09am who is really Dr Jim also puts up a long post on WGD at 9.49am boasting about how polls are saying the SNP will win over 40 seats and Tories will be wiped out and Alba will be wiped out. The end result of this for Scotland according to Jimbo is: " England's UK of Great Britain Empire of the undying monarchy a tad embarrassed"
DeleteThat's right no independence no matter how many SNPs there are. That's it. Only England and Charlieboy will be embarrassed. I can tell you that is utter mince. England and Charlieboy will not be bothered in the slightest. They will still control Scotland and can still steal our resources. The SNP is now a fake Independence Party.
People like Jimbo care more about their party and of course his great love, Sturgeon, than Scottish independence.
Dr Jim's unrequited love for Sturgeon knows no boundaries. Jimbo says:- " I mean if you try to think of any more popular politician than Nicola Sturgeon anywhere and you'd struggle, so to say Humza is less popular than she could be said about almost every politician on planet earth" - that's right Sturgeon is now up on a planet earth pedestal. But Jimbo shows he is not going over the top by saying ALMOST every politician on the planet 😂😂.
DeleteAnd also this:- I just remembered one poll when Nicola Sturgeon was FM that put her about 60% more popular than the Queen of England." Ah the good old days Jimbo.
Jimbo will no doubt buy Sturgeon's book but if it has a lot of photos of Sturgeon in it I bet he will buy quite a few. The sadness of unrequited love Dr Jim.
IFS, you’re at least partly on the ball. Was me at 9:24 and 9:41, as well as 9:47.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you agree with me on the ferry debacle.
At least that’s something we have in common😀
KC
Felix: it's only yesterday that I pointed out that comments that misrepresent my own position are particularly likely to fall foul of moderation. If I can adapt your own language, "whatever your love of Stuart Campbell" it's disappointing and surprising to see that from you. I'm not sure the comment in the blogpost requires any interpretation - I was stating what the highly expensive legal advice to Campbell is likely to be. I wasn't giving any opinion on what he should do, or what he should be expected to do, and to pretend that I was is pretty damn cynical, frankly.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I've just re-read the article and accept you weren't offering a personal suggestion but merely an interpretation of what his legal advice is likely to be. For that I apologise although I feel the decision to banish me to the dungeon of deletion is quite harsh as I believe the point I was trying to make re censorship was valid. Still, I respect your decision with one proviso - I don't 'love' Stu Campbell, I'm a regular reader of Wings and admire much of his journalism but that's as far as it goes!😉
DeleteJames, my comments on your article.
Delete1st paragraph - I guess we won't have to wait too long to find out if you are correct. I wouldn't bet against you.
2nd paragraph - I agree. Mark Hirst being an example of malicious accusations/prosecutions and that was before the Hate Crime act. The accusers suffered no consequences for their malicious actions. The accusers being part of Sturgeon's gang.
3rd paragraph - I agree. I have posted consistently about the SNP introducing policies that divide the yes movement and pissof Britnats. The only logical conclusion that I have been able to draw from this regular occurrence is that they really don't care about independence.
It’s the truly divisive stuff like the trans crusade and now the hate crime act that makes me suspicious the SNP isn’t only resigned to devolution but actively dividing the movement, as a disruption tactic against future rivals emerging to its do-nothing hegemony.
DeleteThey’re not into this stuff because they believe in it. Look how quickly Humza tossed Self-ID into the bucket. These poisonous wedge issues of theirs are all entirely cynical.
The worst part: they are exactly what you’d do if your orders came from the spooks. Divide and dishearten the movement, suffocate debate and take no action ever on independence. They could waste a whole generation doing this before half of us woke up and noticed.
Anon at 2.07pm - yes they are like parasites who want to bleed Scotland dry, or as dry as possible before independence, of all its resources. The whole of the east of Scotland getting covered in offshore wind farms to send electricity down to England.
DeleteKC you are a Britnat supporter of colonialism. I can agree with you the sun is shining this morning. That's it. You would get more respect if you stopped your childish hide and seek nonsense. Try telling us why being ruled by England is so great in your opinion - you know - why Scotland is so different from all the other countries across the globe that have told England to get lost.
ReplyDeleteIFS, what embarrassing Nat nonsense you spout.
ReplyDeleteKC - you should be embarrassed at being a Britnat supporter of colonialism but not only that you have to hide behind deceitful posts as an anonymous. The only conclusion that can be drawn from your hiding as an anon KC is you are ashamed to be a Britnat. You should be.
ReplyDeleteKC (Shake Shake Shake) isn’t anonymous: he’s a proud Scotchman from Dumfries who speaks broad Jocko like the rest of us. You’ve seen his phrases, not to be mistaken for an English planter, he.
DeleteAnon at 2.23pm - Nope KC thinks he is my problem. Been getting trolled on SGP for going on 5 years now. Disnae stop me expressing my opinion whether it's Britnats like KC or WGD numpties or SNP propagandists. KC is just a sad Britnat trying to get attention.
DeleteI saw a piece from 'Wings' this morning on 'internet. He must have been quick in getting his legal advice!
ReplyDeleteHe said after April 1st he may have to shut down. Sarcasm failure for you I'm afraid.
Delete