After Scrapbook parodied Alex Salmond’s leading referendum question on Wednesday, Left Foot Forward’s Alex Hern has put the academic smackdown on the SNP’s dodgy wording: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?” Technical literature on survey design is clear that questions phrased in this way result in a “small but significant increase in the [...]
Following the announcement of Alex Salmond’s leading “Do you agree …” referendum question, please enjoy Scrapbook’s suggestion for the wording and design of the ballot paper. The SNP’s unveiling of this cornerstone of the poll coincided with Burns Night … by pure coincidence, naturally.
Despite promising results in the rest of the UK there’s no denying that Labour’s showing in Scotland was an unmitigated disaster. Now begins a lengthy post mortem as well as the process of electing a new leader. With Iain Gray’s presumptive successor Andy Kerr, as well as fellow big-hitters Pauline McNeill and David Whitton all losing [...]
A poll showing an 11-point polling deficit following news that the Sun giving its backing to the SNP has caused something of a Brown trousers moment for Labour strategists in Scotland — but not in the way you might think. While his dour demeanour may do him few favours south of the border, Gordon Brown remains one [...]
Big hat-tip to the New Statesman who’ve obtained a leaked transcript of the phone interview in which the Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee and veteran Tory MSP Bill Aitken suggests that a Glasgow rape victim may have been a hooker. The outrageous remarks have led hundreds of Scots to join a Facebook group [...]
After recently being accused of being even more fixated with Alex Salmond than George Foulkes The Animal swore he’d lay-off the First Minister for a bit. However following today’s legislative programme announcement, or moreover the reply, it became impossible to resist temptation. Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray isn’t a man famed for pithy humour (quite the [...]
At the risk of being accused of having a fixation with Alex Salmond, Socialist Animal heard an amusing little story about election night in Bute House that we couldn’t let pass. It would seem Il Duce was not in the best of moods after polls closed on May 6th, so much so that he was [...]
, Our new Prime Minister promised a “respect agenda” with the Scottish Parliament and Executive. So ten weeks into his government, here are some of the highlights of that agenda: Appoint a Secretary of State for Scotland who hates the job so much he wants to scrap it. Then, to add insult to injury, give [...]
