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Yesterday, Reverend Stuart Campbell, the blogger known as Wings Over Scotland, declared, in a 4300-word suicide note, that his blogging days are over. Campbell had previously said that he had retired, but this apparently, is the ‘last, last’ time.

To signify the end of the independence movement, Campbell used a somewhat laboured metaphor of the Rolling Stones concert at Altamont in December 1969, which, due to a murder of an audience member by Hell's Angels, signalled the end of the swinging 60s. Apparently, Sturgeon is a Hell’s Angel, stabbing the 'peace and love' of the indy movement to death, while the Stones play ‘Under My Thumb’!

Yesterday, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) upheld a complaint brought by Mr Neil Lovatt against The National newspaper. IPSO concluded that The National newspaper fabricated tweets and breached the Editors' Code in a video and article it published in April. The Majority was made aware of this case a few weeks ago, but was not able to publish until it had been appealed and concluded.

The ruling is part of a pattern of hideous behaviour at Newsquest, The National’s publisher, which not only publishes anti-English hate; it has provided platforms for two of Scotland’s most odious commentators. The newspaper, under editor Callum Baird, also intimidates those who stand against it, as evidenced by the flimsy articles he has published in an attempt to smear us and our writers. (We expect even more after this article).

It is often said in these post-truth times, that a lie has gone half-way around the world before the truth has put its boots on. Why do lies, fake news and misinformation gain so much more political traction than evidence-based facts? The answer to that question can be found in the world of tribal epistemology.

In 2017, David Roberts of Vox news coined the term ‘tribal epistemology’ to describe a state of mind ’where you believe not what facts or reason or top experts say is true, but what your group or tribe say is true, especially its leaders’. Why bother going to all the effort of seeking the truth out for yourself, when you can hand that time-consuming, tedious task to someone in power, who you believe in and trust and then agree unquestioningly with whatever their version of the truth is instead? But, what if those leaders don’t go to the trouble of seeking out the truth. What if they abuse your trust and lie, would you still believe them because you are one of their tribe?

A couple of weeks ago, Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, said that Scots could have a second ‘independence’ referendum if polls showed a consistent majority of 60% of Scots in favour of it. Gambling your country's future on the basis of opinion polls is certainly an interesting strategy, but, as I was getting ready to publish this article, the UK Government finally pushed back on Jack’s comments, saying, ‘We’ve never set a position on that. We haven’t said any sort of target. Our view, as set out, is that now is simply not the time to be dealing with this.’ 

On August 24, Len Pennie, a 21-year-old woman who posts poetry and 'Scots Word of The Day’ videos on social media, under the name Miss PunniePennie (@lenniesaurus), made a false allegation that I harassed her, while claiming I am ‘creepy’ and ‘hateful’. Previously Pennie claimed I was a ‘bigot’ and a ‘bully’.

Also, please sign our petition to get Newsquest and Gannet to cease publishing The National’s anti-English hate.

The Longer Version

It is difficult to believe that it’s been almost two months since the drama of the Scottish elections. We are proud to have had your support in fighting to deprive the Nationalists of the majority they so desperately needed. 

Two anti-Majority articles in The National today ( Expert’ Unionist vanishes after evidence query and Hundreds of active members of pro-Union group found to be fake ) serve no purpose other than to try to bully and intimidate us and our writers. They are not based on any news, but serve simply to say, ‘If you write articles against Scottish Nationalism, you will be targeted’. 

Contrary to their claims, I have not received a single email or telephone call from the National asking for comment. This is not only UNPROFESSIONAL, it means the journalist LIED multiple times in each article. I will be reporting this unprofessional conduct to IPSO.

Since the founding of the SNP 87 years ago, in 1934, they have had the ambition of breaking Scotland away from the rest of the UK, even during the darkest days of the Second World War. That seems hard to believe, given that Nicola Sturgeon admitted, less than two weeks ago, that she and the SNP still have no plan for the economic consequences of what would happen after a successful vote for separation. She gave no plan or vision for how her separated Scotland would manage its affairs, other than vague and completely ludicrous statements. She has no answers on border control, currency and defence or to other quite important questions that voters might ask.