Nicola Sturgeon book compared to Barack Obama memoir: really?
Sturgeon the new Obama? If only. And what does 'stylishly open' mean? That it's got more holes in it than Rab C Nesbitt's vest?
JK Rowling has added to the excitement by offering to review the book for free, as long as newspaper editors don't edit out the swear words.
The book's [[pub]]lication was always going to be a three-ring circus (insert tent jokes here). But you might have thought with the Sandie Peggie tribunal going on that some restraint, sensitivity even, was called for. Alas, no. What we got instead was a spectacularly clumsy intervention from former SNP MP and Sturgeon pal Hannah Bardell.
Read more
The occasion was the newspaper review on BBC Radio Scotland's The Sunday Show, presented by Graham Stewart. What follows is an account of what happened, edited for brevity and my sanity. You know, there were an awful lot of you knows, you know?
In the papers was Brian Leishman MP, recently stripped of the Labour whip for serially rebelling, or what one party wag called 'persistent knobheadery'. Bardell said she had 'a lot of respect for Brian' and his principled stands.
As an [[SNP]] MP she had been in the fortunate position of agreeing with most of what the party stood for. 'But if you're in the situation where you believe in certain values that your party should hold … and you see it veering off to the right, I think fair play, stay and fight. I know it's a thorn in Keir Starmer's side, but that's the kind of people we need in politics.'
Asked if that had worked for Joanna Cherry, Bardell replied: 'Joanna caused a huge amount of upset and distress to a huge number of people, particularly in the trans community. Our party should have been stronger on that… because there are people, vulnerable communities, particularly the trans community, that are facing widespread ostracisation in the media, from very senior people, and Joanna has been one of those. I find that heartbreaking.'
This 'stuff', continued Bardell, was having a 'profound impact' on society. 'I think it's the last post of bigotry as well. We would not now discriminate against people because of their race, or their religion, or their sexuality. We used to, but we don't any more. In 15 to 20 years, hopefully sooner, we will look back and say what a shameful thing to have done. Where did we lose our humanity?'
Stewart, still taking shots at an open goal, said Nicola Sturgeon had upset a lot of people on the other side of the debate by linking them with 'right-wing bigots'. Was that necessarily helpful language?
Bardell: 'I think unfortunately it's true. I don't think it's the case that everybody who is anti-trans is necessarily recognised as a bigot, nor should they be, because there's a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there. But we're in the situation that people are being radicalised. People have become obsessed with folks' genitalia, what's in their pants. Where have we got to? Scotland has been the world over a nation that believed in humanity. We're all Jack (sic) Jock Tamson's bairns according to Robert Burns. We need to get back to those fundamentals.'
Dear Lord, where do you even start? Radicalised? Saying people are too stupid to know misinformation and disinformation when they encounter them? A nation obsessed with what's in people's pants? To think Bardell describes herself on LinkedIn as 'a problem solver with excellent negotiation, leadership and communication skills'. Yes, you and Mr Blobby, mate.
Ordinarily, Joanna Cherry KC might have been all over Bardell's comments like the pattern on an Orla Kiely bag, but she chose to rise above them, saying on X: 'If I sued everyone who defamed me for standing up for the rights of women & lesbians I wouldn't have time to get on with my life which has improved immeasurably away from the poisonous atmosphere Sturgeon fostered within the SNP".
Now there's an example we might all follow as this 'debate' rumbles on, possibly to the Holyrood elections and beyond given the speed at which John Swinney is not moving. That's a long haul and then some. Even then, as with the independence referendum, we will never be completely done with it. Resentments are festering, not healing.
In the meantime, the rest of us will keep stumbling on, trying to do the right thing, sometimes getting it wrong like the flawed humans we are, and all the time fearful of being called out by one side or the other. Who wants to live like that?
Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall be heading back to 2014, that more innocent time when the most terrifying words you might hear were 'Hello, I'm Jim Murphy.' If that doesn't work I'll be joining the lad from Essex in the 1940s. Rest assured: we'll meet again soon.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Spectator
7 minutes ago
- Spectator
Online Safety Act: are Labour or the Tories worse on free speech?
Is the Online Safety Act protecting children – or threatening free speech? Michael Simmons hosts John Power, who writes the Spectator's cover piece this week on how the Act has inadvertently created online censorship. Implemented and defended by the current Labour government, it is actually the result of legislation passed by the Conservatives in 2023 – which Labour did not support at the time, arguing it didn't go far enough. Michael and John joined by former Conservative MP Miriam Cates who defends the core aims and principles at the heart of the Act. They debate the principles of Big Tech, the risks of government overreach and whether freedom of expression is under threat. Produced by Megan McElroy and Patrick Gibbons.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
'Nicola Sturgeon most feared figure in UK politics'
However, she criticised the former SNP's leader's handling of the party, saying that the structure of the SNP had "never grown or adapted" under Ms Sturgeon's watch. Her comments come as the former SNP MP and ex-Westminster deputy leader for the party, Ms Black, recently revealed to The Herald she had left the SNP because she was unhappy with the direction it had taken. READ MORE: Mhairi Black: 'I thought politics would be about team work' Mhairi Black leaves SNP after disagreeing with party direction Asked by the paper how Ms Sturgeon's legacy would be judged, Ms Black said: 'Undoubtedly no one can take away that she reached levels of influence and popularity and fear that I don't think anyone else has in recent memory … I can't think of anybody who has had that kind of impact, certainly on UK politics.' She recalled the atmosphere in Westminster during Ms Sturgeon's visits: 'They were terrified of her, absolutely terrified. When she was in the building it spread like wildfire. You could see they're actually quite shaken at the very fact that she's here in person.' Ms Black praised Ms Sturgeon as a skilled political operator. She said: 'I've always said I think she is possibly the best politician I can think of UK-wide as to competency and being able to answer a question. I've never seen her shaken. She was always unflappable and I know from experience how difficult that is to do. So, as a politician I thought she was s**t hot.' The former MP, who stood down at the last general election, was more critical of Ms Sturgeon's record as party leader — especially on internal reform. 'As the leader of a political party, I thought she could have done so much better,' Ms Black said. 'The same is true of Alex Salmond when he was in charge and even John Swinney now. "The actual structure of the party has never grown or adapted to that influx of membership, which I think has actually played a role in why a lot of folk have turned away from the party. It's because the structure just wasn't there to give people the kind of membership they were craving.' Last week, Ms Black said there had been "too many times" where she did not agree with decisions and strategies made by her former party, adding: "There are better organisations that I could be giving a membership to than this one." The former MP said her party's "capitulation" on LGBT rights and trans rights in particular was one of the main reasons which motivated her to leave the party. Ms Black was first elected to Westminster in 2015 aged 20, ousting Labour's Douglas Alexander as MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South. She later served as Deputy Leader of the SNP in the House of Commons from 2022 to 2024 and she stood down ahead of the general election last year, citing safety concerns, social media abuse and unsociable hours. Outside of her party, Ms Black criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for 'believing in nothing'. She said: 'The guy believes in nothing. I've no doubt that he goes home and convinces himself that he's a very practical, reasonable set of hands who is guiding us through a very turbulent time. I just think it's rubbish." The former [[SNP]] member described Reform leader Nigel Farage as "poisonous" and the UK's version of Donald Trump. Ms Black said: 'He's the British Trump. Poisonous. I have absolutely nothing nice to say about him. How far have we fallen as a society when all it takes is a millionaire in a cravat holding a pint and suddenly we're like, 'Oh, yes, you must have my interests at heart?'' Read the full interview with Mhairi Black in The Herald Magazine.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
BRIAN READE: 'Britain's a financial mess - we must pay more tax to fix Tory mistakes'
When Labour took office last year, ministers proclaimed that 'the grown-ups are back in charge'. Why not prove it by having an adult conversation with us, says Brian Reade If voters were asked for the one trait they would dearly love to see more of in politicians, the vast majority would cite honesty. Imagine if Keir Starmer had said this week: 'I now back a Palestinian state - not because of the slaughter in Gaza, but because my MPs are so appalled by it I might lose hundreds of them if I don't distance myself from the IDF butchers. And from now on I'll come clean after every U-turn.' You'd think more of him, wouldn't you? Imagine if Kemi Badenoch said: 'The main reason the population of England and Wales has shot up by 2.6 million since 2020 is not the small boats but right-wingers like me selling you the myth that Brexit would let us take back control of our borders. Well, we were lying.' Again, you'd think more of her. Now imagine if Rachel Reeves levelled with us by saying: 'Us politicians have been selling you a false illusion that we can have world-class public services and low taxation. We can't. It's why Britain is broken. And so, being Labour, we're going for world-class public services, and that means reneging on our manifesto pledge and raising direct taxes.' Now you might not like the idea of paying more tax but you would probably agree with her appraisal of the financial mess we are in, and how the most urgent issue we face is the abject state of virtually every public service we once treasured. When Labour took office last year, ministers proclaimed that 'the grown-ups are back in charge'. Why not prove it by having an adult conversation with us and spelling out the facts of life? That we're living way beyond our means and cannot dig our way out of a financial black hole by cutting public services because the Tories slashed them to the bone, and made the coffers emptier with two cynical pre-election National Insurance cuts to try to save their skin. And with an ageing population and increased defence spending, things will only get bleaker. So we all need to pay more tax, with those who earn the most paying the most. Like we used to. When I started work in 1976 the basic rate of tax was 35%. Then along came tax-slashing Margaret Thatcher, but even when she left office in 1990 the basic rate stood at 25%. As successive governments have cut that since, today's basic rate is 20%. In Holland it's 36.93%, Belgium is 25% and Italy 23%. If we lifted the basic rate back to what it was under Thatcher we'd raise £34.5 billion a year. But that won't happen. Yet lifting it only one per cent would raise £8.2 billion a year by the end of this parliament. Lifting the higher rate, reinstating the 50% rate George Osborne dropped, and bringing in a wealth tax for those with assets above £10 million would raise many more billions. And prove we're all doing our bit. I'm sure the majority of British people want to see first-class public services and are prepared to pay for them. Certainly the ones who elected this government. After an ineffective and almost apologetic year in power, it's time for Labour to go on the offensive by not just fighting for the kind of country they believe in. But by being honest and telling us we have to pay for it. *** A few thoughts on the Lionesses' remarkable victory against the odds. How refreshing it was to see English football fans enjoying themselves without singing about shooting down German bombers, and those back home in pubs not hurling pints into the air whenever a goal was scored. What a wonderful two fingers to the money-obsessed men who run football that the women's Euros in Switzerland (where the prize was £34million) was deemed far more exciting and watchable than the mainly ignored men's Club World Cup in America (total prize money £743million). And how ludicrous is our honours system that some MPs are demanding every England player is made a dame. Yet had they lost the final there may have been the odd call to give them CBEs. Meaning, in the eyes of those who believe in it, the highest honour the British state can bestow on a woman depended on a couple of Spaniards taking better penalties. How absurd. *** PORN star Bonny Blue, who is proud to have slept with 1,057 men in 12 hours, describes her job as being 'a bit like a community worker'. And I'm sure many Tories agree with that as they think everyone who does social work lays on their back all day screwing the taxpayer. Much criticism has come the multi-millionaire's way after a Channel 4 documentary on her this week, but I think she is simply someone who has compromised with her childhood dream of being a midwife. By working in more-or-less the same area. *** Rather than walk away with a shred of dignity, shamed ex-MasterChef host Gregg Wallace continues to keep on digging a hole so furiously he may soon reach Australia. Rather than walk away with a shred of dignity, shamed ex-MasterChef host Gregg Wallace continues to keep on digging a hole so furiously he may soon reach Australia. According to him, despite 45 separate complaints about his inappropriate behaviour being upheld by the BBC, he is a serial victim, not perpetrator, of sleaziness: 'My God... have you got any idea how many times suggestive comments have been made to me? How many times I've been groped?' is his latest defence. Well I'll have a stab in the dark, mate. And say somewhere in the ballpark of none. *** THE WEEK'S FIVE BIG QUESTIONS: Tommy Robinson fleeing the country as police want to question him over a vicious assault at a London railway station. What a brave leader, eh? What a hero. When did we decide that unless you had money to queue-jump it was impossible to get a tooth taken out or sit a driving test in the UK? Article continues below If England's female footballers continue to show themselves to be in a superior class to the males, how long before we see women explaining the offside rule to their partners? Is there anything more hypocritical than high-profile expats who've moved abroad to pay less tax whining about migrants coming to the UK to make a better life?
