There is a not particularly funny joke that is sometimes told in legal circles about why a law student failed to finish his coursework – because he had no conviction. With rare exceptions lawyers aren’t renowned for their sense of humour but I can’t help thinking someone, at the highest levels of our justice system, is having a right laugh at my expense and those who have loyally supported me over the past six years.
I’m talking about the Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC – a sitting member of the Scottish Government’s cabinet who was nominated by Nicola Sturgeon to that post in 2021, five months after I was acquitted.
For those unfamiliar with my case, I offer this brief summary. In March 2020 I made a short video on my mobile phone that was two minutes and thirty eight seconds in length. I hadn’t planned to make the video when I went out for a walk in a field near my home. But I was annoyed and wanted to articulate that annoyance, although at the time I recorded it I wasn’t intending for it to go much further.
Later that night, just before turning in, I uploaded it to my YouTube channel on a closed, unlisted link and then posted that link to my Twitter account that, at the time, had a modest 1000 or so followers. I then forgot about it.
Little did I know that short mobile phone video would result in me facing initially a criminal trial, then a five year legal battle in the highest civil court in Scotland and now, most likely, an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
So on the one hand there’s obviously very little point paying attention to the SNP’s regional list candidates for May’s Holyrood election, because as this website has comprehensively demonstrated over recent months, the chances of the SNP having any list MSPs elected are remote.
However, nothing is impossible, so let’s take a look at the B team, which also serves as a guide to the party’s upcoming talent taking its first steps towards the gravy bus.
As the six-year fight for justice for Alex Salmond continues, we thought you might like to see this clip from this morning’s Mike Graham Show, interviewing Paul McManus, the businessman and drummer in Glasgow rock band Gun who’s stepped up to fund the Salmond family’s case against the Scottish Government despite disagreeing with much of what Alex stood for politically.
The Sunday National’s front page today elicited a sigh of “So what?” from most.
We’ve already GOT a “pro-indy” majority at Holyrood and have done for the last 10 years, for all it’s been worth. But to be fair there was a paragraph in the article that at least raised a quizzical eyebrow.
It seems that it’s fine to farm important judgments out to mysterious shadowy figures who just make important chunks of them up out of thin air, and then issue them in your own name. Back in your boxes, plebs.
100%Yes on When the law breaks the law: “Plans for Flamingo Land resort at Loch Lomond rejected! At last the SNP does something right for Scotland.” Feb 24, 16:03
Young Lochinvar on When the law breaks the law: “Happy anniversary of the battle of Roslin 1303. 3 victories for the price of one, yet another airbrushed out of…” Feb 24, 15:41
agentx on When the law breaks the law: ““More than 3,000 pages of internal Scottish Government emails and legal notes — now dubbed the “Salmond Files” — have…” Feb 24, 15:37
bobo bunny on When the law breaks the law: “The prosecution of Alex Salmond, the ongoing protection of the alpabetties and the jailing of Craig Murray tell all you…” Feb 24, 14:59
bobo bunny on When the law breaks the law: “Shows you how Tas, Corri, Kenny and Neale run Alba if they could not be arsed to consult with other…” Feb 24, 14:55
Young Lochinvar on When the law breaks the law: “Trade Envoys: investigate the lot of them! Watch out “Beefy Botham”! Numbers 32:23 an’ that..” Feb 24, 14:34
DMcV on The Future Is Yesterday: “So, the SNP won’t bring Independence, per NotRev’s monomania; who can? ALBA? Who will disaffected ALBA voters, dozens of them,…” Feb 24, 13:18
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Don’t tell him, Sara! With due acknowledgement to the immortal words of Captain Mainwaring.” Feb 24, 12:10
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “I found a FOI request online from which I post a fragment: “As stated in my original response of 16…” Feb 24, 12:06
100%Yes on When the law breaks the law: “James Kelly, asking for Sara Salyers to a video debate. If I was Sara I would turn him down, better…” Feb 24, 11:55
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““Have your own fun constructing narratives” It sure beats working towards Indy. I believe the Germans use an observation that…” Feb 24, 11:50
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: “Awa an shite, SR. If you don’t share something approaching contempt for foreign, alien values and systems than you have…” Feb 24, 11:42
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““You will have to ask that son of Scotland, Dòmhnall Iain Trump. He is protecting most of them..” Why don’t…” Feb 24, 11:30
Hatey McHateface on When the law breaks the law: ““At one time folks would respond to allegations of their being a huge crime syndicate influencing and controlling western governments…” Feb 24, 11:24
Cynicus on When the law breaks the law: “Willie says: 24 February, 2026 at 9:05 am “I prefer the nomenclature of Randy Andy and Handy Mandy. “ =======…” Feb 24, 11:13
sam on When the law breaks the law: “For those of you interested in the health of our nation. Here is a link to a talk on health…” Feb 24, 10:35
Cynicus on When the law breaks the law: ““The bigger and more important question is who else has this crime syndicate of the super wealthy oligarchy captured.” =======…” Feb 24, 10:08
Willie on When the law breaks the law: “I prefer the nomenclature of Randy Andy and Handy Mandy. But as the media now moves on to Handy, rhe…” Feb 24, 09:05
diabloandco on When the law breaks the law: “Don’t do Facebook , could someone put up Sara’s response?” Feb 24, 09:04
Young Lochinvar on When the law breaks the law: “Jay Depends on your age. Younger, and you probably are (correctly) worried about saying the “wrong thing” that in the…” Feb 24, 01:43
Saffron Robe on When the law breaks the law: “As I’ve said before, it’s unwise to ascribe your own failings to others – in this case, racism disguised as…” Feb 24, 00:39
Jay on When the law breaks the law: “Young Lochinvar: Having only recently become a ‘Wings’ reader (occasionally making comments), there seems to be a substantial degree of…” Feb 24, 00:26
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on When the law breaks the law: “« Scots is descended from Northumbrian, while Standard English emerged from the East Midland dialect of Mercia. Although markedly different,…” Feb 23, 23:35
Cynicus on When the law breaks the law: “Mandy in the Jile! But Randy Andy & Dandy Mandy not (yet?) sharing a cell. https://tinyurl.com/54mwctac” Feb 23, 23:30
Confused on When the law breaks the law: “john davidsons outburst at the baftas that so annoyed people – that illustrated perfectly the whole point of the film…” Feb 23, 23:09
Andrew scott on When the law breaks the law: “Anyone see the watermelon party’s PPB? nothing of course of their obsession with trans rights” Feb 23, 22:41
Northcode on When the law breaks the law: “Part of our debate would perhaps be concerned with a definition of ‘colonisation’ A modern definition of colonialism: ” [colonialism]…” Feb 23, 22:00
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on When the law breaks the law: “AUTISTIC DETRANSITIONER AWARDED $2m AFTER HER BREASTS WERE REMOVED AT 16 An autistic woman who underwent a double mastectomy at…” Feb 23, 20:27
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on When the law breaks the law: “PUBERTY BLOCKER TRIAL HALTED OVER SAFETY CONCERNS Work on NHS England’s planned puberty blocker trial has been paused after the…” Feb 23, 20:00
