Professor of Biblical Studies. Research on Martyrdom and Violence in Early Christianity. SNP member in exile! Religion & Politics
Tweet in a personal capacity.
Daily Mail journalist asks
@NicolaSturgeon
if she's concerned by
#Covid19
vaccination figures.
She responds, "Yes, I am concerned by your figures, but mainly because they are wrong."
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "I was one of those who criticised
@trussliz
for being missing in action, but after listening to her this morning, and watching the market reaction as she spoke, perhaps we were all better off when the Prime Minister was missing." 🔥
#FMQs
#torychaos
#budget
One of the worst things about being a voter in England is the way the mainstream has shifted so far rightwards on immigration over the last decade. It's refreshing to hear the unapologetic case for immigration by
@StephenFlynnSNP
.
Janet Street Porter: "All this talking about Dominic Cummings is getting us nowhere."
Ian Hislop: "Well he hasn't resigned yet!"
#hignfy
#Cummings
#Covid19
.
@NicolaSturgeon
leaves the office of First Minister with the highest approval rating of any leader in Scotland according to today's poll.
(net approval)
Nicola Sturgeon +9
Anas Sarwar -4
Keir Starmer -9
Rishi Sunak -37
Douglas Ross -39
Those who are dismissing the
#SNPwalkout
as an empty stunt, I live in England, and I can assure you, this is the first time I've heard Westminster's
#powergrab
assault on the
@ScotParl
reported on the news down here.
#c4news
Latest Scotland Westminster Survation/Scotland in Union poll gives the following rough seat estimate (on uniform swing):
SNP 51 (+16)
LD 4 (-)
CON 3 (-10)
LAB 1 (-6)
Ironically, this poll, paid for by a fundamentalist unionist sect gives the SNP their best projection of 2019.
In response to
@BorisJohnson
's "absurd and ridiculous"
#PMQs
comment that "there is no border between Scotland and England",
@NicolaSturgeon
wonders how he would feel if she pitched up in Newcastle to impose
@scotgov
policy!
I suspect Newcastle would rejoice!
#Covid19
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says so long as face coverings make a difference to
#Covid19
transmission, wearing them is a small price to pay especially to help the most vulnerable.
#SundayMorning
Fiona Bruce asks
@Dr_PhilippaW
why the vaccination is going more slowly in Scotland. She explains it takes longer to vaccinate people in care homes than lining up fitter people in sports halls. More than 80% of care home residents have now been vaccinated.
#Covid19
#bbcqt
.
@NicolaSturgeon
has checked the Parliamentary record in the break and confirms
@jackiebmsp
did indeed misrepresent her
#FMQs
answer in her question earlier.
.
@theSNP
has won the last four Scottish Elections, increasing their share of the vote each time:
2007: 32.9%
2011: 45.4%
2016: 46.5%
2021: 47.4%
Little wonder Opposition Parties have turned to non-electoral means to dislodge
@NicolaSturgeon
!
#SNP21
#indyref2
.
@RuthDavidsonMSP
must regret accepting the seat in the House of Lords; she's being kicked about the chamber by
@NicolaSturgeon
.
"She wants to continue being a politician but without the consent of a single person. No ermine cloak in the world will cover up her hypocrisy."
#FMQs
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "I'm happy to answer any questions you want to ask me. And it just seems to me a bit odd that you asked me questions about not answering your questions and I'm standing here saying ask me questions.”
#Elections2022
#indyref2
The first session of
@NicolaSturgeon
's evidence has come to an end. I suspect
@ScotTories
will be going into a little (socially distanced) panic huddle during the break.
After the conspiracy theories and the Salmond circus, the truth is more banal, which doesn't suit the Tories.
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says to stop the spin over vaccine supply to Scotland coming from the Westminster Government, she is going to just go ahead from next week and publish the figures.
#Covid19
.
@PennyMordaunt
"I won’t pretend it will be easy [to beat
@theSNP
]. But *as a member of the Royal Navy,* I’ve got the courage and determination to take on that huge challenge."
As if there wasn't enough parody already in English politics!🤣🤡
#ToryLeadershipContest
#indyref2
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "It might be easier for
@AlexSalmond
to construct an alternative reality in which me,
@theSNP
, the women, Parliament, the police and Crown Office were all involved in a grand conspiracy against him rather than accept there was an issue with his own behaviour!"
.
@NicolaSturgeon
pointedly says "Given
@Jackson_Carlaw
has based his questions on the WHO report, I assume he's read what I'm just about to quote."
She then goes on to demonstrate that he hasn't read it, or if he has, he clearly failed to understand it.
#FMQs
#Covid19
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "What happens regularly week in, week out is that
@Jackson_Carlaw
comes to this chamber and makes totally unsubstantiated claims about
#Covid19
while I and the Health Secretary gets on with the job."
#FMQs
Viewers in England, who have been fed a very "particular" narrative of Ruth Davidson, can see for themselves why Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP were entirely untroubled by her much trumpeted return!
#FMQs
Three of the four UK nations are following the science and health advice; one is following the expertise of the Tory 1922 committee. Even if the
#Omicron
variant proves to be milder than thought,
@BorisJohnson
was willing to play roulette with the lives of those of us in England.
The problem for
@theSNP
's opponents is that the issue of the Party's finances will come to an end at some point, and the fact is,
@HumzaYousaf
is a far better politician than the narrative they've been spinning, and indeed, far better than his Opposition competition.
#FMQs
.
@AngusRobertson
says
@theSNP
is not going to be dictated to by the parties that lost the election; instead they will be dictated to by the electorate who put them into power.
#bbcqt
#indyref2
.
@Douglas4Moray
has resorted to pathetic infantile squealing. He has been shown up as a man of no integrity, no experience, no talent, and absolutely no leadership qualities. He's finished.
#TheNine
#SP2021
#indyref2
.
@IanBlackfordMP
asks
@theresa_may
why UK didn't support Sweden's UN resolution calling for international investigation into chemical stockpiles in
#Syria
. PM's face and look to
@BorisJohnson
suggests this was the first she'd heard of it. Unsurprisingly she ignored that question!
Even on a 'very generous' assessment that the Orange Order is pro-Protestant rather than anti-Catholic, no one can possibly think these sectarian marches make a positive contribution to community cohesion. It's time to end marching season in Scotland.
.
@YouGov
Boris Johnson poll (11-12 January).
Do you have a favourable or unfavourable view of
@BorisJohnson
?
UK
Favourable 25%
Unfavourable 66%
NET -41%
Scotland
Favourable 9%
Unfavourable 86% (!)
NET -77%
#DowningStreetParty
Fiona Bruce interrupts
@Ianblackford_MP
who was saying hospitalisation was increasing to claim that it was actually is slowing down. She corrects her false claim a minute later!
#bbcqt
#Covid19
Had the
#SQA
started with a policy of accepting Teacher's Grades, as the Opposition Parties are demanding, it is undoubtedly the case that those same Parties would now be tabling a motion of No Confidence in John Swinney for devaluing the awards.
#SQAResults
Yesterday: Gove says face masks could cause people to be cavalier.
Today: Johnson says face masks could be part of exit strategy.
I pity the
@ScotTories
and Media who claimed to be "confused" at slightly different messages in Scotland and England. What state must they be in now?
Margaret Mitchell can't seem to get in her head the reason why
@NicolaSturgeon
didn't intervene in a sex complaint process to help out a friend and associate.
That says more about Mitchell and the Tory mindset.
#SP2021
#indyref2
Some Opposition politicians, including members of the Inquiry Committee, were prepared to destroy the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Judiciary, and indeed the whole Scottish Political Institution just to bring down
@NicolaSturgeon
. This needs addressing.
#SP2021
#indyref2
Regional/National subsamples for
@YouGov
#Brexit
poll (28/1/20)
Was Britain Right/Wrong to vote to leave EU (DKs removed)
Overall 46/54
London 34/66
South England 51/49
Midlands/Wales 54/46
North England 47/53
Scotland 27/73 (!)
.
@Dr_PhilippaW
says "You're talking about Scotland v England here for some bizarre reason when the three devolved nations have decided to keep the
#StayAtHome
message."
#COVID19
.
@Jackson_Carlaw
tries to make ratio of care home deaths a competition between Scotland and the rUK. Perhaps had he seen today's LSE report suggesting care home deaths are twice as high in England than is being reported, he wouldn't have gone for his customary cheap shot.
#FMQs
.
@jackiebmsp
repeats a wild conspiracy theory that someone in
@scotgov
leaked the Alex Salmond story to the
@Daily_Record
in order to spike a story about
@NicolaSturgeon
.
The First Minister invites Jackie Baillie to share the spiked story, which she's unable to do. 🤣
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says what is broadcast on the BBC is up to the BBC, but during the pandemic, the
#covid19
briefings are a public service and the BBC is a public service broadcaster. She adds that it's important that people understand why they are being asked to follow guidance.
.
@JohnSwinney
says whichever Committee member leaked a misrepresentation of the women complainers' evidence "should consider their position because they are unfit to be a member of this Parliament."
#SP2021
#indyref2
Actually,
@NicolaSturgeon
doing the precise opposite of "treating people like fools". She's simply (rightly) assuming people are not dim enough to fall for the
@ScotTories
anti-public health narrative.
#Covid19
Listen to the state of this 👇🤦♂️
@NicolaSturgeon
claims she is communicating at a 'level of intelligence' us mere mortals just don't understand.
She's treating people like fools.
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says she is dealing with a Westminster Government that respects neither democracy nor the rule of law.
Given the current antics of the
@BorisJohnson
regime, that is a characterisation that is difficult to argue against!
#indyref2
.
@NicolaSturgeon
scolds a journalist: "This is a briefing to update the public on the Coronavirus, I'm not going to answer a question about what's going in a manifesto at the next election."
#Covid19
Tory on
#Newsnight
: "I think we've rumbled
@theSNP
; they're seeking to enfranchise EU nationals in national elections."
Shock horror - the SNP are civic nationalists and the Tories are ethnic nationalists. Who knew!
#GeneralElection
#brexit
In a very gentle slap down to the Tory leader of Borders council who wondered where the First Minister was,
@NicolaSturgeon
says: "I'm right here where I've always been - and if she really doesn't know where I am, that's more a comment on her rather than me!"
#Covid19
.
@NicolaSturgeon
genuinely feels sorry for
@Jackson_Carlaw
. She wonders how bitter and blind someone must be not to acknowledge and welcome the fact the prevalence of
#Covid19
is lower in Scotland than England. Not long to his inevitable resignation.
.
@NicolaSturgeon
deals with the "painting and decorating" Bute House story, and surprise, surprise it isn't accurate.
As well as Bute House not being used as a residence at present, the work was essential repairs to the ceiling.
#Covid19
.
@RuthDavidsonMSP
claims Tories can beat the SNP.
People of Scotland respond:
Latest Westminster poll:
SNP 43%
Tories 20%
Latest Holyrood poll:
SNP 46%
Tories 22%
Latest Euro-poll
SNP 40%
Tories 10%
#indyref2
#SCC19
Furlough refused when Wales needed it; extra support rejected when Scotland wanted it.
Extended only when the Government looking after England belatedly responds to a crisis they've made worse.
Being shackled in the Union is not good for Wales or Scotland!
#Covid19
#indyref2
Boris Johnson's
@Jackson_Carlaw
might have a point on listening to the electorate had
@NicolaSturgeon
and
@theSNP
not won the elections in 2015 (GE), 2016 (SP), 2017 (local & GE), and 2019 (Euros)
How many elections does he have to lose before he listens?
#bbcscotdebate
#GE2019
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says to
@Douglas4Moray
that they put their respective views to the Scottish people at the election and he lost. She adds: "It's only politicians who are scared of the result that would seek to block the Scottish people's democratic right to choose."
#indyref2
.
@bbcquestiontime
audience members speaks against nationalising the railways because of what happened in Scotland. I guess when you only get your news about Scotland from the BBC, you would come out with that kind of ignorance.
#bbcqt
.
@NicolaSturgeon
tells
@Telegraph
reporter: "If people are *really* interested in the actual Russia report, I would advise them to read the three lines and a footnote for themselves rather than rely on the rather exaggerated report in the Telegraph." 🔥
.
@NicolaSturgeon
finally calls out
@ScotTories
for their "disgraceful but unsurprising behaviour" over the last few weeks, that has shown "no interest in the serious crisis".
The attack is all the more devastating as she seemed genuinely disappointed!
#Covid19
.
@NicolaSturgeon
says Scotland shouldn't have to be in the position of having to plead with a UK Government to implement a humane asylum policy.
#FMQs
Only the most dishonest could fail to acknowledge
@NicolaSturgeon
has done everything possible to try to save the UK from
#Brexit
.
Only the illiterate could deny
@theSNP
's
#SP2016
manifesto gave a commitment to hold
#indyref2
should Brexit go ahead.
At an international conference reception in Helsinki tonight, the Deputy Mayor praise the Finnish
#babybox
. I explained to fellow delegates that Scotland had followed suit, but the response of the British Press was to set fire to one with a flame-thrower!
#SNPbad
.
@AlexSalmond
's main grievance with
@NicolaSturgeon
is she didn't intervene in the complaints process.
Imagine she had intervened or even been seen to intervene in a sexual harassment investigation against her predecessor, even a flawed one.
We'd be having a different inquiry!
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "In a purely political and news management situation, the situation with the CMO would have been more straight forward. I was trying to take account of getting the best medical advice in a crisis."
Good answer, making a lot of the journalists look like shits!
A very short break from campaigning to write a long read for The Scottish Daily Mail. In today's Saturday Essay I'm explaining how voters have finally run out of patience with the SNP's
#Indyref2
obsession and are looking to
@ScotTories
to get the country back on track
#TeamRuth
.
@Feorlean
: "We were European before we were British... Scotland will return to membership of the EU, and in so doing we will make the choice we have made for centuries. What we will remember is those people who tried to stop us making that choice."
#Brexit
#indyref2
#SP2021
.
@Channel4News
reports Prince William had a private meeting with Gordon Brown with some suggestion of pulling the Royal Family into a campaign for the Union. Republicanism isn't a necessary consequence of Scottish independence, but that depends on the Royals' behaviour.
#indyref2
In
#FMQs
,
@NicolaSturgeon
tended to almost precisely match the tone of the question in her answers. Today, in his first session,
@HumzaYousaf
(metaphorically) clubbed more or less every Opposition MSP who asked an attacking question.
No matter how much shrieking there is to the contrary, the fact is that a vote for the
@ScotTories
in the Scottish Election is a vote for
@BorisJohnson
's anti-Devolution Party.
#SP2021
#indyref2
It must be pretty humiliating for
@BorisJohnson
(ostensibly Prime Minister of the UK) whose handlers have to take him to parts of Scotland where he's unlikely to run into very many people.
#BorisInScotland
#indyref2
.
@Dr_PhilippaW
: "If you find you've had serious problems with civil servants from three different departments, the problem likely isn't with the civil servants. It's a bit far fetched to imagine the whole civil service has it in for one minister."
#newsnight
#PritiPatel
.
@NicolaSturgeon
: "I know this is a vain comment when it comes to the
@Telegraph
, but let's not assume that when there's a difference between the
@scotgov
and UK Government that the UK Government is always right and the Scottish Government is always wrong!" 🔥
#Covid19
Nationalism "means something different" in Scotland says Sir John Curtice, further puncturing the rather silly, lazy, and tired "all nationalisms are the same" pseudo-argument against Scottish independence you hear from some Unionists.