Wings Over Scotland questioned under caution by police on account of Lynsay Watson

Apologies to those put off by any of my Tunnocks-related posts. Personally, I find that extended 'I asked AI and it came up with this' posts are something I tend to skip, as AI can be as unreliable as that Cambridge academic's cv.

Quite. Those of us who are regulars here know that this is not a derail.

Interesting AI letter. Duly noted, thanks.

Wings is all lawyered up for those who don't seem to be aware of that. So we await Stuart's next steps. Quite a few lawyers on these threads also who help out generally, through quiet support and contributions. Some of us even talk about cake and biscuits, and blah on a bit in between Tribunals, Supreme Court Judgements, Judicial Reviews, and Police Raids.

( Although it does look a little odd to well meaning new people I've no doubt. Welcome, you'll get used to us!)

If Stuart Campbell wants extra back up then he'll shout up for sure, and let us know how he wants us to show that.

For what it's worth, I'm not really into sending letters on this occasion, unless the subject of the harassment gives the nod that it would be helpful. But that's just me. Do whatever you wish of course, if you think otherwise.

As a wider observation. I would like to see the IOPC getting involved in this systemic harassment. So far I've only seen attempts to involve captured Commissioners, although I might have missed something. And the Office's equivalents, of course, in NI and Scotland. I'm not too sure how they work. Although Police Scotland have a lot to answer to after they let Jim Taggart go

Also, as a Northerner, I must give a shout out for Dandelion and Burdock. And Chorley cakes.😎

not to make a derail about a derail, well kind of...

The posters having discussions on the topic of biscuits and sweet treats all seem to be FWR regulars, who I don't think would be intentionally trying to bury any findings here. I have joined in the off-topic chat myself so I'm on thin ice myself!

There have been some examples recently of people on other threads who I would say have deliberately trying to get the thread off topic, and it is something we've seen a lot of historically. One common method is giving a super edgy hot take that generates a lot of pushback then replying to every individual reply ad infinitum, eating up dozens and dozens of posts. I've seen that one quite recently not a million threads from here.

That picture could define “glaikit”.

It is interesting. But I can't afford to indulge in paranoia. That way lies madness (and I'm half way there already).

It’s interesting that this is happening right in the middle of sudden public awareness of three separate examples of the weaponising by ‘progressives’ of the police. Is it called throwing a dead cat into the room?

Just for fun and not saying I’ll send it (ok, almost definitely won’t) but after putting very minimal details into google it drafted the following. Seems AI has the measure of Watson! An interesting point is Disregard for High Court Precedent.

Draft Complaint Letter
To: Professional Standards Department, Avon and Somerset Police
Subject: Formal Complaint – Vexatious Investigation and Harassment of Stuart Campbell [1]
1. Incident Details

• Target of Investigation: Stuart Campbell (Editor, Wings Over Scotland)
• Dates of Police Actions: 3rd and 4th August 2026 (following late-night telephone contact in July 2026)
• Location: Keynsham Police Centre
• Complainant Underlying the Action: Lynsay Watson [1]

• Failure to Screen Vexatious Complaints: The police actions stem from reports made by Lynsay Watson, a individual with a well-documented history of filing multiple complaints across various police forces regarding gender-critical commentary. By continuously entertaining these reports, the force is enabling a campaign of personal harassment. [1, 2]
• Disproportionate Police Conduct: Officers subjected Mr Campbell to aggressive policing tactics, including a 1:30 AM phone call demanding he immediately submit to arrest and transport to Keynsham Police Centre. Threatening arrest over non-violent, protected online speech constitutes an abuse of police powers and a waste of public resources. [1, 2]
• Disregard for High Court Precedent: On 16 April 2025, the High Court of Justice ruled explicitly on a previous complaint by Lynsay Watson against Stuart Campbell (R (Watson) v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police). Mrs Justice Hill ruled that Campbell’s social media expressions were "both lawful and correct" and protected under freedom of speech. To investigate identical matters under threat of arrest directly contradicts established High Court case law regarding the boundaries of free expression.[1, 2]

• An immediate cessation of any further investigation into Mr Campbell regarding these specific social media posts.
• A formal review by the Professional Standards Department into why a late-night arrest threat was deemed appropriate for protected speech.
• A formal apology to Mr Campbell for the distress and disruption caused by these actions. [1]

Next Steps for Submission

1. Copy the draft text above and adjust the sender details to your own if you are writing as an affected party or a concerned citizen.
2. Submit the text directly online via the Avon and Somerset Police Complaints Portal.
3. If the force rejects the complaint or fails to handle it properly, you can escalate the matter to the elected Police and Crime Commissioner, Clare Moody, via the Avon and Somerset PCC Appeals and Reviews Process to request an independent oversight review. [1, 2]

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

Not in my experience. Cambridge maybe

The derailing in this thread is off the charts. Trying to skim through the comments to find the ones that are relevant to the actual topic is a pain in the arse. I thought MN was supposed to be clamping down on this.

The article linked by @StickySundew is shocking. That poor guy!

Snowballs are horrible and clarty as are tunnocks mallows
Tunnocks better in dark choc

@Boiledbeetle - take the caramel gold thingies to the bluestocking. I'll collect them later.

Side note- tried Tim Tams recently: lovely (dark choc) melt-in-the-mouth gorgeousness

Ooh oh, I know the answer to this!

It wasn’t dreamt up at all, like many of these “legacy IT issues.” When police forces started investing in technology, every force (43 across England & Wales alone!) was independent and made its own decisions/purchases/operational implementations. It was only over time that the now obvious problems with linking up data nationally became an issue.

God, no. Just think where all the bits would get <shudders>

No rolling in coconut though.

I am sure euan said he is married to Tabitha. But I don’t think Tabitha lives in the same place. So legally Herbert and Sophie are flatmates even if they are handfasted.

Universities also have their own legal departments. Why did an accusation of academic plagiarism (not entirely unheard of) necessitate bringing in the celeb defamation law firm of choice?

It does seem like that doesn't it? Once organisations got involved in sanctioning and intimidating those who refuse to comply with / obey a lie, they expose the ethical and intellectual void at their core.
That the forces of law and order - the police, law, armed forces, politicians are all caught up in this is terrifying

Any chocolate in the freezer fans need to look out for Eichetti, known as Eiskonfekt, chocolate made specifically to be eaten frozen. Lidl sells a rip off of the ones in little paper cups when they have Alpine week (hazelnut flavour is the best) but the original is better.
These are the best, used to be only available autumn/winter, not sure this is true anymore:
https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/4002603080201/eistortchen-eichetti

Cambridge is worth literally billions. I expect it would be eager to shut down any evidence of corporate fuckwittery.

Article about the investigation into the journalist investigating Prof Arday: https://www.thetimes.com/article/77e2e640-5bc0-42c9-a697-3e576e3fce10?shareToken=6c8d8eab2a9497193e97ef90bb167ebd&ver=article

Carter Ruck is a pretty damned big - and probably expensive - legal gun to be wheeling out. Who was paying for that?

No, sorry. This is how we roll in these parts.

I wished this surprised me.

"Scotland Yard spent four months investigating a journalist who tried to expose the plagiarism row that has engulfed Cambridge University.
Jack Grove, a reporter for Times Higher Education (THE), was accused of harassment after he emailed a series of questions to Professor Jason Arday about his academic record.
Prof Arday also hired the law firm Carter-Ruck, which suggested in a letter to THE that its “apparent attack” on him “may be... racially motivated”.
The Metropolitan Police spent four months looking into the claim of harassment before deciding in February to close the case.
The police did not interview Mr Grove, who only found out about the investigation when the Met contacted him to inform him they would be taking no action.

Investigating a journalist for doing his job? Absolutely appalling.

Although there is still 40 posts left on a Tunnock's thread posted by a really wonderful poster in August 2023.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4873557-tunnocks-thread-2