[youngian]

The Trial of Alex Salmond on BBC2 was a very iffy piece of work which verged on a TV retrial following his acquittal. Kirsty Wark, who clearly loathes Salmond, had this one in the bag in anticipation of a guilty verdict. The result was a shoddy re-edit sailing close to the winds of contempt of court. Highlights were the faint praise from Salmond’s friends: “He’s very tactile” and “I’ve met Bill Clinton and Alec has a similar kind of charisma.”

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jesus. SNP MP goes on a train to London when she's got Covid symptoms and awaiting test results. Finds out she's positive, and gets a train back to Scotland anyway.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... covid-test

Lost the whip. Time to resign her seat, I reckon.

[Boiler]

What is it with MPs and their exceptionalism?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Could be a by-election pick up for Labour here. I can't see how they can avoid one.

[KevS]

Kudos to Blackford and Sturgeon though. That's how to do it. Whip removed. Coat on shuggly peg. No messing around.

Other parties take note.

[Arrowhead]

Could be a by-election pick up for Labour here. I can't see how they can avoid one.

Not so sure about that tbh, Scottish Labour are back on the canvas according to the latest polls. I reckon they’d be pleased to even get thirty percent, should a by-election take place. At least it would show there is still a pulse.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Could be a by-election pick up for Labour here. I can't see how they can avoid one.

Not so sure about that tbh, Scottish Labour are back on the canvas according to the latest polls. I reckon they’d be pleased to even get thirty percent, should a by-election take place. At least it would show there is still a pulse.

It's one of their better seats- they won it in 2017 and got 18,500 votes in 2019. I know they've slipped since then, but the SNP's Covid competence has taken a bit of blow lately. 668 cases today.

But Scottish Labour are probably too far back.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Sturgeon's told her to resign. Fair play.

[KevS]

Exactly. The party can't do any more, as Blackford said this morning. They've removed the whip and so they no longer have the power to force her to resign.

However, it's quite obvious from this press conference that Sturgeon is absolutely livid. (Hoyle seems to be hopping mad as well).

So the question is, what's going to happen with Emeritus Magic Grandpa's Dinner Party?

[Boiler]

Not the same. Corbyn hasn't turned up to Parliament Covid-positive.

Besides which, social media couldn't cope with the indignant whining if he did face sanction, then Johnson would have to sanction his father and Cummings...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Corbyn's got a defence though.

"I didn't know how many people would go. I assumed it would be below the limit. I did socially distance at all times, but I ought to have left immediately when more people showed up. I apologise for this". Same as Tahir Ali who went to a funeral to which lots of people turned up near the start of lockdown.

That's not really. "I had Covid symptoms and got a test. I got on a train before I got the results. Then I got the results, was positive, and I got on another train.

[Andy McDandy]

What is it with MPs and their exceptionalism?

You're surrounded by people whose sole focus is you. They limit your access to anyone outside your circle, partly on the grounds that you're too busy for everyone, but also so they can control what you do hear/see. You work in a place staffed by some very competent people, all of whom are dedicated to making your life as easy as possible. You do nothing for yourself that some secretary or researcher can't do for you. Because they want to be where you are, they are all too happy to do anything for you, because they rely on your patronage. No wonder it goes to their heads.

[davidjay]

Compare and contrast:

"Reckless, dangerous and inexcusable."

"Er, um, well, um, that is to say, Dominic, er, um..."

[youngian]

Sturgeon’s being ribbed for getting a name wrong. CyberNats see sinister forces at play

[Tubby Isaacs]

The cavalry has arrived in defence of Ferrier. Or rather some pony trekkers.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... evan-covid

George Kerevan, an ex-MP who bullshits spectacularly about Scottish finances, even evokes "virtue signalling".