A change in values
There’s been a lot of chat on social media recently commenting on what seems to be a rather low-key approach to the Tory election fraud story.
Despite having the potential to cast the result of the UK general election into doubt, with dozens of Tory MPs under suspicion of being elected illegally, press coverage – particularly on the BBC – has been noticeably thin on the ground compared to, say, the days and weeks of sustained, new-content-free reporting on Michelle Thomson’s business affairs or Stewart Hosie and Angus MacNeil’s love lives.
(We learned very recently, of course, that the police still haven’t even spoken to Ms Thomson, over eight months after the allegations came to light.)
But even we were startled by this:
Yes, if you type “Tory election fraud” into the BBC website, the top result is for some unfathomable reason an article about Hosie and MacNeil, who are neither Tories nor under investigation for any kind of fraud.
Indeed, the current Tory election fraud story is nowhere to be found at all – the next most recent item on the page is from 2012 and about the Liberal Democrats.
We’ll leave readers to draw their own conclusions.
But we did, of course, check what happened if you entered “Michelle Thomson” into the same search box. The results are below.
Six separate stories have been wrung out of a single allegation concerning a single MP, over events which happened long before she was elected, and which would have no significant bearing on anything even if she was found to have committed a crime.
Yet even when you finally manage to track down the fraud story on the BBC website (by using the term “Conservative election fraud”), you only get three articles – even though the allegations span several separate police investigations by up to 19 forces in different areas, each of which justifies fresh reporting – before you’re back to 2012.
Only seven Tory – sorry, Conservative – MPs would have to be found guilty for the government to lose its majority. At least 29 are under suspicion. That’s plainly a far, far bigger story than the possibility of one opposition MP having technically broken the law to get mortgages. (A crime which, unless payments are missed, is victimless.)
So it does seem a fair complaint that the BBC have covered the latter twice as much as the former. But under the state broadcaster’s famed accountability, we’re sure there’ll be a satisfactory response along any minute now.
yes, you can have your charter renewed,
yes you can avoid privatisation,
but there is a price to pay.
You become the PR wing for the Tory party!!
Don’t worry, if you search the BBC on “Tory election expenses” instead you get a link to a mention of the ‘Tory Election Expenses’ in a Newsnight episode on iPlayer (link to bbc.co.uk),
…. followed by TWO stories about Hosie and MacNeil!
Turns out you have to search for “conservative election fraud” to find it. How very precise of them.
A comparison of Google search and BBC News search under the same search target “Tory Election Fraud” is so different that it beggars belief.
The BBC are staying so far away from the story you wonder what planet they are on.
As I’ve said many times, the BBC are corrupt and are now controlled by the Tories. That will make the onslaught on the SNP even more rancid. And that’s why they will never get a penny from my household.
“Turns out you have to search for “conservative election fraud” to find it.”
And even then you get fewer results than you do for Michelle Thomson, despite the story spanning several separate investigations in different police jurisdictions and being enormously more serious by any possible yardstick.
The BBC – The establishment’s bitches since 1922
😉
Rev
I agree that it is outrageous that the BBC news website does not cover the Tory election fraud story. What sort of news service does not cover what could become the biggest story in UK politics in a lifetime – i.e. the potential overthrow of the government because they may end up without a majority. Corbyn could be the PM sooner than anyone thought.
But given that they do not cover the story, it is quite clear how the Hosie / MacNeil story comes up in the search results. This story does make an oblique reference to “Tory election fraud” (in a quote from an SNP spokesperson) and it is also the most recent article (26 May) to contain those words.
So while it is tempting to think that the search results have been fixed to deflect attention from the very serious story about the Tories stealing the election to the frivolous matter of Hosie and MacNeil, I suspect that, if you will pardon the phrase, this is more cockup than conspiracy.
So yes, as Anagach says, google results differ. So the BBC does cover the story, but then buries it on its own site…
link to google.com
I think the word “smear” covers all of these journalistic flights of fancy. What is truly remarkable is that they clearly haven’t been able to pin anything significant on the leadership of the SNP.
This is their ‘oh so informative’ mobile app:
link to twitter.com
As always “The Establishment” closes ranks to protect their own.
Its more to do with which school you attended than a matter of guilt.
For years English Tories have accused the BBC of being pro Labour. Here we see them protecting the Tories.
In Scotland they were ridiculously pro Labour. Now they switch to the Ruthites.
And of course the SNP are always just bad bad.
I’m not sure they really have switched Lab to Tory. One interpretation is they protect ‘the state’ and the establishment, and therefore that usually means the status quo. Whoever is the temporary political custodian of UKOK gets their support.
It looks like they see their role as being to maintain stability, continuity, a smooth running UK. Anyone, anything threatening that is either swept under the carpet if part of the establishment, or attacked head on if outside the bubble.
Whatever is going on, it is thoroughly un-democratic – corrupt and rotten to the core.
The British State unclothed for all to see. Believe me when I say that several years ago I would have imagined this scenario quite implausible, until I started reading Wings.
I now look for the bad and often biased reporting,and find things which years ago I would just have accepted. The BBC is a shameful example of how politicians bend and control the media output for political gain. It is as dubious as any State controlled media in the world today.
Our problem is that they are powerful,with plenty of State income at their disposal whilst we rely on the new media. It is an uneven contest in most respects.
This article led me to finding this from 2005 (search ‘Tories Election Fraud’)…
link to news.bbc.co.uk
“For years English Tories have accused the BBC of being pro Labour. Here we see them protecting the Tories.”
you see, that only happened because labour were in power for quite a bit of time, giving the illusion the BBC were ‘pro-labour’.
The BBC are, in fact, **pro-establishment** – whatever colour government we have, they act accordingly.
They are the state-sponsored propaganda and media arm of the UK Government. No more, no less. Always have a giggle when they report on foreign media as being ‘state sponsored’…
The BBC are part of the very fabric of the UK.
“So while it is tempting to think that the search results have been fixed”
I made no such suggestion. This is a story about the relative volumes of coverage, it was merely triggered by the startling search result. But while it’s perfectly explicable that that story would be returned by the search, it’s rather harder to explain why the ACTUAL stories about the Tory election fraud aren’t.
If, as seems to be the case, the media relies in the main for its news topics lifted from the press it’s no surprise broadcasters don’t follow the main topic that unsettles the status quo, especially when newspaper owners own the media outlets.
How’s SKY doing?
‘more a cock-up than conspiracy’@9.59
Absolutely, the bbc wouldn’t ever orchestrate their reporting to the advantage of the tory government, now would they.
Thank goodness we have some sensible, balanced commenters here to tell us we are all conspiracy theorists, phew!
Aye, right.
It’s not surprising that the BBC is damping down news on the Great Election Fraud, and it’s not necessarily because it’s suddenly become Tory.
Far more likely is because it’s infested with Red Tories, and they would sooner see their party wither and die than have Corbyn with his real Labour policies become PM.
The sooner the BBC is abolished the better.
At least when we’re getting our news from the foreign billionaires’ channels, we can expect it to be untrue.
“So while it is tempting to think that the search results have been fixed”
I doubt its anything so direct. Those who produce/manage the BBC news agenda appear to be avoiding what is a serious if not major story covered by nearly all other news services.
Wings page shrinking in size so unreadable, on ipad this morning, it’s been ages since that happened. Must be getting up someone’s nose with this article about TORY ELECTION FRAUD.
No mystery at all; the BBC is the British State’s radio, television, internet & print outlet for it’s industrial scale, neo conservative, propaganda. That is doesn’t boast the tag line, “Rule Britannia & Eat Yer Cereal” may be due to poor marketing judgment.
What is surprising however, is the number of people who consent to religiously pay the License Fee (still an optional BBC TV Tax), while simultaneously moaning about the BBC’s content.
It’s akin to someone who chooses to return to the same restaurant every week, despite receiving indifferent service & lousy food.
I’ve no idea what the official terminology for this condition of mind is but might it fall within the broader scope of “Jockholm Syndrome” or the equally debilitating “Scottish Cringe”?
We ought however to recognise that not all mental illness is a set back. One only has to look at the number of Scots living with either of these personality disorders, who have nevertheless carved out successful careers sneering at the Scottish Parliament from London or serving the Queen’s interests from within the House of Lords.
Criminal Unionist Westminster and the criminal Unionist Press. They are above the Law. They self regulate. They make the Law and break the Law. The Law is not enforced.
The Scottish Gov should implement Leveson.
““So while it is tempting to think that the search results have been fixed”
I made no such suggestion. This is a story about the relative volumes of coverage.”
Didn’t say you did. The thought did occur to me, but I quickly dismissed it when I looked at the article. I completely agree with your central point about the coverage given to the non-stories about supposed SNP wrong-doing versus the corruption of the Tory party.
At least 29 Tory MPs are under suspicion of electoral fraud.Some might be totally unfounded allegations.Some might be due to incompetence rather than criminal intent.Some may be the result of a cold,calculated conspiratorial fraud and some might be in that grey area between silly and naughtie.If all 29 have committed fraud it would almost certainly involve a conspiracy within the Conservative party.If all 29 are found to have no case to answer it would point to a much bigger conspiracy.
Westminster.A stinking cesspit of corruption.
“Wings page shrinking in size so unreadable, on ipad this morning, it’s been ages since that happened. Must be getting up someone’s nose with this article about TORY ELECTION FRAUD.”
Well, it’s actually because Gavin Alexander posted a mahoosive URL. You can still zoom in on the page on iPad as normal to make it readable.
Ah, the good old british establishment. The tory election fraud could call into question the whole of our ‘democracy’ which is why the bbc is determinedly trying to ignore the story.
British democracy is a complete joke. Just not a very funny one.
O/T but of interest I think.
Has anyone else noticed this.
Catriona Renton Currently on loan to network news based in London.
What is going on first James Cook off to America now this are they going to spread anti SNP to the masses there.
Tory election fraud should we be surprised the BBC are very quite about it.
However, it is easy for Google to change the search algorithms so that your result doesn’t appear till page 49, if ever.
This, allegedly, happened during the 2008 Democrat Primaries where Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, backed the Democrats and Obama.
link to en.wikipedia.org
I meant to say why don’t they take the Bird as well.
The media employs left-leaning directors and producers because they tend to question things, bringing fresh insight to problems and issues, however they sit under portraits of the Queen to discuss their programmes and how to tackle the subject matter, working under a strict set of procedural rules to produce their work.
The BBC is a pillar of the establishment and always has been, but that doesn’t mean it turns a blind eye to new talent. How it uses that talent is another matter.
Producers and directors shouldn’t be confused with left and right biased pundits and journalists, our daily opinion shapers. How often does the BBC or SKY employ John Pilger as a commentator on events?
Don’t even think you are going to get anything negative about the Tories from the BBC , they own it !. There have been dark dealings coming from the Tory Government for decades , they run every political ,military , royal ,public , establishment in this country through the elitist network , mostly old Etonians . What I can’t understand is why Scotland does not have it’s own national independent broadcaster , and why does the Scottish Government don’t push hard for one .Other small countries have their own broadcaster , why not us .
I believe it’s 19 different regional police forces involved in the Tory electoral expenses investigation, but that’s OK because they’re a real political party not like the Baad SNP who haven’t actually done anything wrong, but here’s hoping eh!
It’s the same with oil reporting, every day they’d tell us about the falling PRICE of oil, now, since oil has almost DOUBLED to around $51 a barrel and set to keep increasing they tell us about falling TAX revenues
I particularly enjoy the belittling references to the SNPs desire to be like Scandinavia when in fact Swedens economy is growing at three times the rate of France
Or the drive for the UK steel industry to be saved when the Scottish part of that was saved months ago by the SNP
Although to be fair they are reporting on the fact that Cameron has been caught out bare faced lying, on the big news that is, not the news where we are
Denmark are preparing for a Brexit BTW Their forecasting folk reckon it’s on the cards but no doom or gloom one way or another they say
FYI
This was the top link from the Bing search engine for “conservative electoral fraud”.
link to archive.is
Re;John@10.36
We are not allowed, by the UKok gov, to have our own tv ‘national, independent broadcaster’.
Simple really, it’s been discussed here many times.
It’s important to continually note this imbalance to highlight the anti SNP agenda at play here across the MSM. BBC news and other broadcasters (STV, Sky) prioritise their ‘news’ stories on the basis of what the newspapers have on their front pages, dead tree and digital. It’s ‘lazy’ journalism, involves no investigation, it ‘follows’ it does not ‘lead’ in this pack of MSM outlets.
Sensationalised innuendo and unsubstantiated ‘allegation’ is their bread and butter.
Serious investigative journalism does not exist at the BBC, they ‘cover up’ and ‘spike’ the real news of the crimes of those who are in positions of power.
You need look no further than Saville or Iraq to see how the BBC’s utterly corrupt handling of these ‘stories’ denote an organisation bereft of any serious informative content.
They are not interested in impartially informing the public of what takes place in the dark heart of our establishment. Because they are a key player in maintaining that very establishment.
The Labour and Tories will always make sure the BBC does as its told by threatening its charter.
Its about time the BBC was cut loose and made to raise its own funding
Meanwhile MP’s Thomson & McGarry are left in limbo while the non-investigation drags on, the mud has stuck & there’s no sign of this cloud moving on. This business is damaging their re-selection prospects & damages the party generally.
Why do those who argue for the creation of an independent Scotland continue to pay money to an organisation which,through mass propaganda, seeks to undermine their endeavours? There’s definitely a PHD in that for any young budding psychologists out there.
I stopped giving them any more money when it became clear to me they were corrupted and I believe it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. My wife and kids like myself are now largely immune to their lies and shudder at the thought of going back to watching TV again.
I heartily recommend a life without TV (and indeed radio) to all those who continue to pay their licence.
Slightly OT
Lovely to hear film director, Ken Loach, sticking it to the man — or in this case, the woman, — on the BBC’s flagship news programme!
link to bbc.co.uk
It’s the establishment circling the wagons to protect their idea of democracy.
I doubt if anyone seriously expected the biased BBC were going to make a big issue of Tory election fraud.
In my opinion the BBC (if it ever was anything else) is, is nothing more than a Westminster state propaganda broadcaster.
And there’s no way Labour and the Tories are going to
relinquish control of it and allow that to change.
O/T
Bring oot yer Funiture Bring oot yer Funiture Camerons spraying PLEDGE aw er the place. (VOWS dont shine,or he,s run oota them)the fucker wull claim it on expences.
MFI Cardboard dizznae polish.
A couple of interesting articles
link to tinyurl.com
link to tinyurl.com
“the current Tory election fraud story is nowhere to be found at all ”
That’s simply rubbish.
Try searching for “battle bus expenses” and see what comes up. The BBC has many faults but please do not blame it for your inability to do online searches!
The BBC did report, via Andrew Gilligan who was their reporter in Baghdad, on the “dodgy dossier” and the evidence of Dr David Kelly that the case for war had been “sexed up”. The Government reaction was so ballistic that Andrew Gilligan had to resign, Greg Dyke, DG of the BBC, had to resign and Gavin Davies, Chairman of the Board, had to resign. David Kelly committed suicide (Hutton inquiry followed).
Previous to that, Margaret Thatcher sacked Alasdair Milne, DG of the BBC for being too “lefty”.
So not surprising if they toe the line. It must be expensive living in London.
Its hard to imagine a time when we will have even a balanced MSM. Impossible in some ways until the end of this crappy Union.
I am sure the EU would help set up a national broadcaster for us.
If this sensational news is barely mentioned by the BBC, does anyone seriously expect the government will lose its majority over this? Ain’t going to happen, folks. 🙁
Them that writes the rules…….
Still, I would have thought that Corbyn would be screaming from the rooftops, making such a noise that even the BBC couldn’t ignore him. A number of marginal tory asses are flying in the wind. They have never been weaker since 1992. This is Corbyn’s big chance to put the boot in. Why is he not going for the jugular? I guess he is not that kind of guy (unless the Labour party are also hiding something). 🙁 However, if he hesitates and ponders too long, the chance will quickly pass him by. Already, the establishment is closing ranks and the window of opportunity is closing.
Come on Jeremy, don’t be a Bottler like Gordon Brown. Go for it!
mike cassidy
The Canary is not exactly a a very well know Newspaper! My search in Proquest got a lot of hits for local newspapers where these crimes are being investigated.
The Newstatesman’s excuse for lack of coverage is:
‘The reason it may seem like silence, or lack of due prominence, is because this is an ongoing investigation. So far there have been no arrests, and the allegations remain just that: allegations. Care is required by media organisations not to falsely accuse anyone of criminal activity. And, pushed by journalists, the Conservatives have given their side of the story, so we’re not going to get a great deal more from them. Now it’s up to police forces to decide to take action.’ Anoosh Chakelian New Statesman
That made me laugh!
@ Phil Robertson
To even think of searching for “battle bus expenses”, a person would have to a) know that there was a scandal about Tory election expenses, and b) know that it concerned transport.
The point, surely, is that someone who did not know either of these things would not be enlightened by casually looking at BBC headlines.
A subsidiary point is that someone who did know a little about it would not find further information using the most obvious search terms.
In other words, the BBC are covering it up.
I don’t think it is necessary to do an online search to find out what is ‘big news’ and what isn’t.
The Tory electoral fraud story has most definitely not been big news whereas the story about the SNP sex scandal has.
What is taking the police so long re Michelle Thomson? Surely this delay is having a detrimental effect on her constituents and the SG.. Could they themselves not get together and demand police Scotland to get on with it so she can get on with her job?
Luigi 11.27
Corbyn is probably not in a position to take the ‘moral’ high ground here.
eg
link to archive.is
And no doubt the BBC will be happier reporting the story when it can include both the main parties at Westminster!
Ruby
That is funny – especially as it doesn’t seem to apply to the SNP at all at all 🙂
On other news I see Ineos has moved all its fracking bods to England because they are a softer touch or something. “We think that is very bad news for Scotland,” said the Ineos bod.
I beg to differ.
Phil Robertson at 11.19
And why would anybody looking for details of accusations of Tory election fraud look up “battle bus expenses”?
I attended the second meeting of S.I.M.(Scottish Independence Movement) at Hillhead Library on Sat,I suggested that the BBC Demonstrations get started as soon as possible, if we dont challenge the Media we will have very little chance in the 2017 Council elections & the next Referendem.
We need big numbers at these Demonstrations.
link to bbc.co.uk
A tad pedantic as far as searching goes. The BBC are being careful to avoid references to it as fraud except in quotes.
Good to see that at least one police force have been granted an extension on their investigation.
I’d also hazard a guess that their articles aren’t being taggeed with hidden keywords to assist search engines. They’re also using a fairly primitive search engine.
This is more about poor search mechanisms than the actual lack of reporting. For example you would expect any competent search to treat ‘Conservative’ and ‘Tory’ as synonyms and bring up one when you look for the other. But that doesn’t seem to happen – whether because of incompetence or fear of offending.
Similarly there are over a dozen relevant stories if you search for ‘Conservative election expenses’, but because they don’t mention ‘fraud’, using instead words such as ‘illegal’ Again this is just poor practice. As already pointed out one of the reasons the Hosier/MacNeil comes up is because it incidentally contains the phrase “Tory party for election fraud”, but it’s hardly relevant or helpful to someone looking for more information.
You’d actually think there should be even more because so many parts of the UK are involved, but BBC regional coverage has been starved for years.
@Ruby
Thanks for the links.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the time limit on these investigatipns expires on the 11th June. Why I don’t know, and as has previously been said more than one Police force have applied for an extension.
My betting is still on a whitewash, or either the whole matter being brushed under a convenient carpet.
I know it’s cynical, but this is the Westminster establishment we are talking about, and they don’t like it up them.
Don’t pay the bbc tax. Let britnats pay for britnat propaganda.
So if you wanted to search for Michelle Thomson articles in the BBC you should have to type in “Christopher Hales”?
I read that the Pirate Party is now the largest party in Iceland.
Iceland is one of our closest neighbours and a country which I think we all want to aspire to, especially in terms of its libertarianism, REAL democratic conditions, LGBTI tolerance, jailing bankers rather than bailing out bankers (and, best of all, getting up Broon’s nose).
I think it is time someone talked to them about broadcasting a REAL Scottish news programme (and other items) from Iceland. Not anyone involved in the SNP or SG, just one of the media specialists affiliated to the YES movement.
And I do not even mean something like “The National” on TV. Just balanced reporting. Might shame the UKOK government as well, because Iceland can say it is providing a badly needed service which the Westminster government seems incapable of providing….
[…] There’s been a lot of chat on social media recently commenting on what seems to be a rather low-key approach to the “Tory election fraud” story. […]
@ Phil Robertson Cmon put your head above the parapet Do You still pay the BBC TV licence fee to NOT be informed & if informed told LIES.
DONT PAY THE BBC LICENCE FEE.
Nation shall speak pish upon nation.
And Phil, clever money is that the expenses scandal goes beyond transport. Hotels, bar bills?
As for Thomson, this matter provides the SNP with an excuse for its non-performance in Edinburgh Western. Gone to Lib Dems. That’s the Thomson scandal for you!
crazycat:
The phrase used was “is nowhere to be found at all”.
Agreed that what you search for determines what you find but because your search doesn’t work does not imply that there is nothing there. There is something to be found.
On air, the issue has also been raised on the Daily Politics (TV) and Today (radio). It’s a strange kind of cover-up.
Dave McEwan Hill says:
And why would anybody looking for details of accusations of Tory election fraud look up “battle bus expenses”?
For the simple reason that that is what the story is about. It’s known as relevance.
‘Yes, if you type “Tory election fraud” into the BBC website, the top result is for some unfathomable reason an article about Hosie and MacNeil, who are neither Tories nor under investigation for any kind of fraud.’
That is easy to explain! The search engine gave you results for ‘Tory election fraud cover up story’
“Try searching for “battle bus expenses” and see what comes up. The BBC has many faults but please do not blame it for your inability to do online searches!”
You make the author of this blogs point for him on this issue Mr Robertson.
What reasonable person would search for information on a news story about Conservative/Tory Party election expenses fraud allegations using words and terms such as “battle bus expenses” which do not contain any information pertinent to the subject such as who is involved (the Conservative and Unionist Party), what the story is about (fraud), and to what event the story pertains to (the 2015 General Election)?
The search term “battle bus expenses” contains no definate references to the specifics of the story and indeed lack any accuracy whatsoever as a search term for this story. It could relate to any generic story about expenses from any election year, any election (local, mayoral, by, General, Assembly) or even the 2014 indrpendence referendum.
Burying this story under such general search terms which contain no specific reference to the story merely underlines and emphasises the argument being made here, particularly when specific and reasonable search terms which are pertinent to the actual story produce results which reference totally different stories about allegations against two MP’s from a totally different political party in which not one single police force is conducting any investigation eight months after the original allegations – unlike the Tory election expenses allegations in which police forces up and down the land are queuing up to investigate.
It would seem reasonable to surmise that any sensible person would conclude that the point you make has no reasonable or logical merit.
Slightly off topic it would be interesting to know;
A. If the same expenses rules which apply to General and other constituency elections also apply to referendums
and if so
B. Whether similar activities were taking place during the Scottish Independence Referendum?
As I recall there was at least one occasion in which a train load of luminaries from all the Unionist Parties in England, along with local elected Councillors and other party apparatchik’s, we’re transported over the border into Scotland.
Perhaps this may explain the reticence of people in the Labour and Unionist Party, such as that ex union wide boy Alan Johnson, to comment on this matter?
Scott @10.31am
Catriona Renton, James Cook and Laura Bicker just might, as some posters on here have suggested, have been promoted from BBC Scotland to the Network for standing-up for the Union and spouting “SNP Bad”.
But, they might also have shown themselves to be better journalists than the English regional alternatives.
It is an old English establishment habit to treat Scots as inferior – only when Scots show themselves to be better at something than the English alternative do they get any credit – or, the Allan Wells, Andy Murray, Chris Hoy rule as it is known.
The BBC website search function has always performed like this. I used Google to search the BBC site instead with much more success.
That said I haven’t visited the BBC site for at least two years and have no intention to give them any traffic.
The last thing I used them for was football scores, but now I use the excellent flashscore app.
Bye bye BBC. To me and an ever increasing number you are an irrelevance.
@ Mike Cassidy
Quite interesting link regarding the resignation of Calderdales Conservative chairman in relation to election fraud. Calderdale must be a hotbed of political intrigue.
In 2012, a David Jones (British Peoples Party) was arrested in connection with election fraud.
In 2010, it was the Tories who made claims of electoral fraud regarding the delivery by hand to polling stations, of in excess of 4000 postal votes. Apparently labour were farming out postal votes to addresses, many of which were derelict or unoccupied premises. Labour retained the seat with a majority of just over 1200 votes.
Postal voting still appears to be the easiest method of affecting the count by fraud.
link to bbc.co.uk
Is kind of notable for saying that the only “evidence” was the claims in the letter of complaint from Jackson Carlaw.
It would be interesting to see the actual letter as that wording implies that rather than requesting an investigation he made an unfounded accusation. Defamation cases could be built on less.
Ruthie’s leaflet, which didn’t look cheap to produce and which was delivered to all of Scotland’s 2.4 million homes must have taken a fair whack out of the allowed Scottish Tory party election budget of £1.5 million before normal election expenditure even got going.
The following comment is only slightly off topic. It concerns not only the BBC but the media in general.
How many here know their new SNP MP? Be honest, could you name them instantly or did you have to think?
Now, can you think of the name of their predecessor? Was that an easier task?
Just think how little coverage most of our MPs are getting and the subtle effect it is having and compare that to the coverage their predecessor got. I’m not necessarily talking about the BBC here, but the local newspapers etc.
We need media devolved to the Scottish parliament as a matter of priority.
P.S. Whatever happened to the investigation into her own election expenses?
Phil Robertson at 12.10
So if I want to find out about “Fred West murders” I look up “ice cream van in Coatbridge”.
Spare me the patronising shite
On air, the issue has also been raised on the Daily Politics (TV) and Today (radio). It’s a strange kind of cover-up.
Predictable toryboy yoon nonsense. If it wisnae for Channel 4 news etc.
BBC’s an hideous tory attack propaganda outfit. Listened to Ligger Neil last week stating “and the SNP refused to provide anyone for my BBC Politics wants tutition fees in Scotland NOW!” show. No wonder. The toryboy Ligger had on was an awful example of tory attack propaganda. showing once again just how determined toryboy world is to end free uni in their Scotland region. It must be driving them nuts.
Even last Radio 4 Money Box finance prog gave some American neo con/tory twit an open mike to rave about what great value £22k a year is for uni in England.
But they do do expensive and sneaky rip off’s of US tv drama.
Latest BBC crap rip off, Peaky Blinders/Board Walk Empire. Expensive, parochial, insular, London/USA centric, copy cat, tory.
@ Dave McEwan Hill Fred West murders filed under Going Underground, it’s no by the Foundations.
If there has been election fraud how many times have they managed to get away with it without being caught and how much of the same tactics have been applied either by or to the Scottish branch of toryism.
As it’s an on-going investigation darn sarf surely any comments from Commander of the Tanks wouldn’t have anything to do with any investigation in their Scottish region.
Ruth Davidson must be asked to give the Scottish Tory side of any potential election fraud here and the comments made clear that she either knows or doesn’t know of Election Fraud in Scotland by her fellow tories whether related to their token MP or MSP’s.
You must remember that the working classes need Aunty’s guiding hand now more than ever, what with all this dreadful new media flying about. That is the essence of impartiality, dear boy. Just imagine the consequences if were otherwise.
> Well, it’s actually because Gavin Alexander posted a mahoosive URL.
Surely you can edit the TEXT of the link without destroying the underlying link?
Del
The trick is to use
link to tinyurl.com
The ‘mahoosive’ link becomes:
link to tinyurl.com
I thought the BBC backed Labour. If there is a possibility of getting the election result annulled and another election called and the possibility of a Labour win (maybe?!), why on earth are they not ploughing into it? Or is it that they’d like a Labour government, just not led by JC? I’m confused :-/ Any help on this gratefully received 🙂
Ah the old fling a dead cat on the table.
This is the man everybody should be investigating
link to en.wikipedia.org
The BBC are up to their necks in this conspiracy and no that is not a strong word to use its the truth.
There are parallels you just need to look across at what is going on in the USA just now with the Clintons to see it.
link to youtube.com
Worth watching and just might give an insight into what has been going on in the UK.
X_Sticks says
“British democracy is a complete joke. Just not a very funny one.”
That sounds like an opportunity to paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi who allegedly said …
Journalist: What do you think of Western civilization?
Gandhi: I think it would be a good idea.
British democracy sounds like a good idea. It will never happen, though.
The Guardian had an article about this a couple of weeks ago, under the headline: What is the Tory election expenses story and why isn’t it bigger news?
link to archive.is
A Conservative spokesperson told Channel 4 News:
“CCHQ campaigned across the country for the return of a Conservative government. Such campaigning would be part of the national return, not local return, as the Electoral Commission has said. As is apparent from our national return, the party declared expenditure related to our CCHQ-organised battle bus.
However, due to administrative error it omitted to declare the accommodation costs of those using the vehicles. This is something we have already brought to the attention of the Electoral Commission in order to amend the return.”
Just an admin error folks. A few paragraphs later:
“Why isn’t this a huge scandal, across the news everywhere?
It’s potentially one of the most explosive political stories of all time if the Tories were found to be guilty of deliberately fiddling election expenses to give themselves an unfair advantage in crucial marginal seats. People could go to prison. There might have to be byelections. It could turn out that David Cameron should never have had a majority government, which means we wouldn’t necessarily be having the EU referendum.
However, it is a very big if…”
BBC has shit search function shock. What a thin basis for an article.
Had a wee look at the BBC website and further down the list is this which I hadn’t been aware of:
link to bbc.co.uk
One of those under investigation has actually been elected the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall.
Isn’t time running out fast for this investigation? Charges have to be brought within a year dont they?
The article isn’t about shit search function shock. What a thin basis for avoiding the entire point of the article.
shy unionist says:
BBC has shit search function shock. What a thin basis for an article.
Not as thin as that squirrel.
You’ve set me off again, Rev. BBC FUCK! All we need is for that lickspittle, obsequious wee twat Tomkins to be made head of BBCSTORY.
No matter. We’ll be indy despite the feckers. We know their game and they know we know. Stamping the UJ on our weans foreheads won’t crack it.
Greg Drysdale art 1.16
The BBC back whoever is in power as long as whoever is in power knows who’s actually in power and does what they’re telt.
@McHaggis69 says: 30 May, 2016 at 10:13 am:
” … The BBC are, in fact, **pro-establishment** – whatever colour government we have, they act accordingly.
Now just how long have I been preaching that very fact?
The Westminster party system is, as it has always been, an illusion. They are now what they have always been, “The Establishment”. It is headed by the Royal Personage and it’s fingers reach down to the very bottom feeders of our society.
It is, as it has always been, the original immigrant Royals and aristocrats of the Angles, Jutes, Saxons and then the subsequently Viking, Norsemen and Norman dynasties. Some of whom are still ensconced as hereditary Peers in the House of Lords today. The feudal system is not yet dead.
When Christianity began they used religion to divide and conquer. They still do that today even within the Christian Sects. With the advent of the printing press they used that as a propaganda tool to control the plebs.
Radio too joined their propaganda toolbox as did cinema and TV. Note their great efforts to control the internet has, as yet, failed – I’m willing to bet they are not about to give up on the internet as yet, though.
The BBC back whoever is in power as long as whoever is in power knows who’s actually in power and does what they’re telt.
Wrong. BBC vote SLab Scotland, BBC Vote Tory England, is how you brainwash and control the UK.
To state that BBC England boosted Labour is ridiculous. Why their one eyed Scottish idiot didn’t take them on, is just another example of Labour’s red tory wishful thinking and Brown’s cringing cowardice.
Even if Brown had had the guts to call an election after he finally got Blair out, BBC would have probably got shot of the New Lab red tory farce, sorry, the Scottish Raj in Westminster.
Gloves off time SNP/Yes Scotland. Take on the BBC with everything we have because they are going to completely destroy Scottish democracy in the next five years. Why else do they have stuffed red and blue tory shirts like Kez, Ruth and Wullie waiting for their orders.
DerekM,
Perhaps Cameron should go for the honest approach,replace Lynton and use this guy as an adviser/speech writer:
link to newscrasher.com
The ring of truth!
Ohh, here he is again pictured with Cameron’s best pal/dodgy business man who says,
‘He made no bones, the businessman said, about the fact he owes his exalted rank of party chairman entirely to his friendship with Cameron.’
link to archive.is
Perhaps
O/T Max and Stacy on North Yorkshire’s fracking fiasco.
link to rt.com
Does anybody know if there is a way of bumping this story up the Google ratings, so that if you type in ‘Tory Election Fraud’ you get directed to:
wingsoverscotland.com/a-change-in-values/#more-85599 ?
I’d sure if it could be done without spending oodles of money, you would be on to it already Stuart 🙂
How it works, BBC attack propaganda in Scotland
What’s actually happening around the world and in the not Scots oil patch
link to ft.com
Although the rebound in oil prices is improving companies’ cash flows, and they are continuing to bear down on costs, they are still under financial strain with crude at present levels.
link to bbc.co.uk
‘Collapse continues’ for Aberdeen hotels
27 May 2016
From the section Scotland business
It would be interesting to learn How many visitors to this site over the past three weeks having read the comments posted have changed their minds and started to view independence as a viable option .
I suspect the benefit or indeed the lasting harm done to the independence movement as a whole cannot be measured .
That might explain why so many high and might tories are “Slagging each other of in the popular press” look like that want to “keep themselves on the gravy train for live”
Anybody noticed lately the Yoons have turned into verbal terrorists, they’re like I.S without the guns
British Nationalism has really brought out the Zealot in them
like a “Religion” they’re getting crazy angry now every time they’re exposed as frauds
Really looking forward to this summers SNP “Conversation” That’ll make them insane with it once the Saltires are flying en masse again
Auntie BBC,
The head or Chair of BBC is Rona Fairhead CBE,
her wiki page has been cleaned up,
is/was facing a class action lawsuit by HSBC shareholders over allegations the bank allowed terrorists and Mexican drug cartels to launder money.
Mrs Fairhead chaired the bank’s ‘risk committee’ in 2012, when it was fined £1.2billion by US authorities to settle allegations that it allowed drug traffickers to launder millions of pounds,
link to youtube.com
MP Margaret Hodge say s to Rona “I think the Gov should sack you”
link to youtube.com
Sir Roger Carr,is Vice- Chairman of BBC,
he is also CEO of one of the worlds biggest Arms manufacturers,
that`s your Auntie BBC.
@ cearc
I see you get my fling a dead cat on the table comment cearc and yes that about sums it up.
Google itself also has the Tories in its back pocket. Tax is the weapon of choice there.
The BBC just needed its charter renewed and the TV Tax maintained to some extent and to be given the all clear to further tax its player. In return they would become even worse and dirtier whores for the Tory Party and the British State.
The BBC and the TV tax must go!
Balanced reporting?
link to newsnet.scot
BBC attack propaganda? Fair enough its Murdoch’s favoured henchman Ligger Neil but even so. At least the guest trying to make Scotland charge fees like England looks more and more sweaty uncomfortable lying on the telly. Half and hour in.
link to newsnet.scot
Ligger points out the big screen photo of Glasgow uni behind him with the Western Isles in the back ground. Its a nice shot from Queens Park, Glasgow south side.
Its such a nice spot, when Channel 4 news came to widdle all over Scotland 204, they also went to Queens park and the exact same spot too. But that crew filmed their Mr Angry vote NO or else toryboy to the right of that glorious uni/mountain view and framed him under the Chivas Distillery down by the Clyde opposite the People’s Palace, blurry, grey, miserable and annoyed.
On one side, snow capped mountains of the Western Highlands framing Glasgow, t’other dreary bleak smoke stack, is just one way UKOK hackdom shits all over its scotland region.
A Tory party branch chairman has also just resigned in one of the county’s that has an MP under suspicion.
One of my favourites, Anna Soubry is in among the 29. 🙂
If I weren’t on Twitter, I would know sod all. Some folk doing solid work on there to publicise it, as it happens.
I’m keeping everything crossed for some type of justice to prevail. What Cameron was trying to sell as an oversight, has now been almost admitted as not declared.
Another thing folk are just realising, it’s not one battle bus, but 8!!!! Pics of them are now all up on social media.
Tory election fraud to be investigated by someone such as Lord Nimmo Smith.
Okay you cheated but it did not give you any electoral advantage.
Some readers may not be familiar with the subject of my sarcasm.
Anyone checked out “Fluffy” his election claims might be interesting. I would if I knew where to start.
@Fergus Green
That did happen when it at least trended on Twitter, and it got a short piece on DP show with ligger Neil.
Pete Wishart also doing his bit by calling for the Met to interview Cam under caution.
EBC is the correct name. As the UK is diverging into its constituent nations, the EBC still slithers along in the 1949’s London calling to the occupied nations of continental Europe. They ate in a time warp. After Cameron’s EVEL outburst, the true face of those dahn sath came to the fore.
But, despite the onslaught from the msm, the independence 2 vote climbs. It must be perplexing to the yoon minority parties, one MP each, that they are in this position. Their own voting system has turned tables on them!! Ha Ha!! Remember Gordo and Cammo doing down Clegg’s bill. But the tectonic plates were turning in Scotland and now the yoons are at the bottom. Gordo never appears now on Scotland, he seems to pace elsewhere. What a turn around. He used to klunk t hg at Scotland was his fiefdom. Now it is gone! The (S)lab incumbent is clueless and comes over as a wee sixth year lassie at a school debate. The yoon emphasis has shifted to the original yoon party by a wee fraction. Dunces all of them. Yet, Ruthless Ruth of the introduce prescription charges and tuition fees party aka the Conservatives thinks the Tories are on the way up – and the msm drools! Their main head office is at war and the Labourites are in a cold war with its MP’s dahn sath, the one Scot MP for Labour is a mere cypher. Yoonery is in crisis, but you wont read that in the msm. They are frozen in the past waiting for normal politics to return in Scotland! That is the two party system; even here wally Willie Rennie’s stragglers ate off piste. Yet Willie claims they punch above their weight, I suppose like the British Armed Forces in the world, the same forces that fled Basra.
Such is the yoonery,lapping up windsorama and the ruritanian side show ongoing at the moment.
Engxit would be good for the English; they would realise how little influence they really have left. They are just tholed by the rest of the world. Reality will hot the with a thud.
They can have their EVEL. We Scots can go our own way.
I thought “Election Fraud” was Ruth Davidson’s middle name.
2014 – check!
Illegally opening postal ballots in indyref1, being investigated by police (told us she was just a “witness” — what a witness to herself in a wee bathroom in the mirror?).
2015 – check!
Illegally interfered with the democratic process in GE15 by going onto the media and stating that “big burly men” were preventing people from voting in Fluffy’s constituency (and the camera on her mobile was just not working at the moment…).
2016 – what did Ruth get up to in SE16? They do say that past behaviour is a good indication of current/future behaviour! Watch this space! *
[* All I know is that she is the most dishonest politician in the British Isles and thinks the democratic process is something to be manipulated, torn, abused… I would trust her as far as I could throw a sack of the world’s record number of postal ballots in the Argyll & Bute region in indyref1.]
@ Kenny
A wee mistake there Kenny she is the most dishonest politician in Scotland she has nothing on some of those English crooks especially her boss pig humper.
Why is there a 1 year time limit that these allegations can be investigated?
If you commit a crime you should expect to pay the penalty for it no matter when the crime was commited – not just say “yah, boo, sucks, your too late gov” and continue swanning about.
Channel 4 News did the initial investigation on this and broadcast their findings. They have kept the story front and centre in their broadcasts since first breaking the story.
All power to CH 4 News for pursuing this story because without them it would not be aired at all on social media or anywhere else.
They have also been looking at the role of the Electoral Commission in all of this and in particular the time-limit rule on bringing prosecutions under Electoral law.
Of course the BBC, an organisation whose head is appointed by Queen Lizzie of England and the English Tory prime minister (head of BBC trust appointed by Queen and PM, who then appoints the director general, who then appoints senior managers), is trying to cover this story as little as possible. The BBC, ‘nation shall speak propaganda unto nation – especially Scotland’. State funded liars, no more, no less.
What irks me most however, is this often stated notion (David Cameron has done it recently), that ‘if the declarations are incorrect, we will correct them’. Oh, that’s all right then, just commit a criminal offense undermining the foundations of democracy, say sorry, and everything will be hunky dory? No punishment, no jail time? That is like me stealing a telly from Currys, and when the boys in blue arrive at my door, I say, ‘oops, sorry, just a mistake, I’ll take it back’, and they say oh, alright then, no harm done, thanks for that, bye.
The law does not work like that – unless, it seems you are an MP or unelected ‘lord’.
Those responsible for this criminal deceit should be punished to the letter of the law. Go to jail, as the law states. The whole thing stinks.
The whole world is about to witness just how corrupt the ‘British’ state really is. I’ll guarantee here and now, not one single MP or Tory party official will even get taken to court, never mind convicted. It will probably all get dropped the day of the referendum result, so nobody asks questions – or even notices.
What I want to know is why is the Scottish government doing nothing about the bbc we have had to put up with this for years now misreporting outright lies and still they do nothing it is all very well to say broadcasting is a reserved matter not when it is allowed to lie and cheat about the country you represent it’s not it is the Scottish government duty to protect the people from this form of criminal action for goodness sake do something
Blair Paterson at 520pm
I wholeheartedly agree. I find it immensely frustrating that the SNP are still so lacking in confidence to actually tackle this issue head on. The way the BBC behaves in Scotland is a disgrace and an affront to democracy.
It should not be tolerated for one second. No other country would tolerate it.
I think this is a job maybe not for the SNP (at least not openly, maybe behind the scenes), but for a grassroots organisation like the Celtic Society…
They simply must approach the EU or the UN with a whole dossier providing all the many examples of outright bias and 100% lies printed in the British press and broadcast into Scotland FROM OUTSIDE Scotland.
Heavens knows we have enough books, documentaries, chronicling the bias! It needs to be all pulled together and presented to the EU. We are not just British citizens; we are also EU citizens — and we have rights which are not being fulfilled…
Where else in the world is a country subject to an information blackout (I am talking uncensored information and balanced reporting) in its own land, and subject to disinformation transmitted from a foreign capital (and it is precisely EVEL which makes it a foreign capital).
In my for what it’s worth opinion, Scottish gov is screwed on broadcasting whatever it says. They would be held up as whinging or trying to have a one party state. The corpmedia is doing it’s own self harming. The more and more crap they print/say the more people will say…eh!
It is really up to PEOPLE POWER! We have to get out on the streets en mass, let our anger at being taken for fools ring out from one end of Scotland to the other. Remember the anger during the poll tax, we the people got out there and kicked up shit…eventually they had to listen. I’m not advocating any violence..just a wee reminder as to who it is that pays their bloody tv tax (or not).
The one advantage of there being a years limit is that the attempt to delay handing over evidence in order to time out potentially invalidating elections, if not baring the winning candidate from restanding, is it puts the Conservatives at risk of charges of a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Even should they mostly win their bid to prevent extensions in the investigations they risk a far greater embarrassment if they don’t get them all.
A Berlusconian truth is ‘if its not on TV it doesn’t exist. He didn’t count on the parallel reality called the internet’
(Elisa Davoglio, blogger)
Must be very challenging for the British Narrowcasting Corp as it tries to subvert the voice of independence in Scotland along with other MSM outlets that function as a passive echo of the asymmetric relationship that WM has with Scotland.
It is becoming very clear that a political elite that has business dealings on the side, a business elite that has domestic and foreign interests other than media ownership and inadequately regulated financial institutions are working together to control the information flow- the casualties are truth, justice, democracy and ultimately the craft of journalism itself, at least in this context.
However information is flowing on the internet and thankfully the YES movement has become quite accomplished in harnessing it.
This petition linked to by Pete Wishart to request the Met to coordinate the investigation into Tory election expenses needs another 250 signatures to reach 10000. I’ve got no idea why it needs 10000 or what clout it has, but Pete linked to it.
link to e-activist.com
I stopped doing 38 degrees, but I just searched their website and they don’t seem to have a petition for it, which is rather odd as they have 442 other politics-related petitions, but they must all be for more important things. Or maybe their search facility is as crap as the BBC’s.
Unhappy with blatant BBC Bias, so are 89,233 others
in this petition that requires 100,000 signatures for a public enquiry.
I don’t care about who set up the petition, but I do want to see them try to bury a petition with 100,000 signatures!
link to you.38degrees.org.uk
We all know deep down that no tory will be charged in this election fraud caper. It became legal for me when the false purdah was disregarded by our imperial masters at vow time.
You can actually get away with anything when you own the press and media. We may have great sites like wings, but saturation of the news by pro-wm capdoffers eats into the minds of the weaker voters.
And it’s not just the ebc; I caught the start of BGT on Saturday, to hear “land of hope and glory”. Reminding us all that “Britain” is really engerland with far-flung servants’ quarters.
Capella,
David Kelly was murdered. Some MP wrote a very good book about it. I can’t remember the name of either the MP or the book. But Blair was up to his neck in it.
I’d like to have the news read to me by Trisha Takenawa.
Full marks to WOS
Skid marks to BBC
Everyone should try calling Kay and asking her for a view
The Tory Battlebus campaign was given the title “the shagathon” by party insiders. It is all there: blackmail, suicide, senior Tories shagging young volunteers, illegal expense claims, and the BBC reported nothing. Se my post of 4 April 2016:
link to caltonjock.com
Pravda GB is Scotland’s enemy number one.
We won’t be independent until it has been destroyed.
The Mafia have called the UK the most corrupt country in the world.
They certainly would know what they are talking about.
The final push:
link to indiegogo.com
Capella, as Brian Fleming pointed out David Kelly wasnt a suicide. He also knew far more than we were told.
link to veteranstoday.com
BBC crimes of omission are a day in, day out occurrence, what Stu highlights here is a fine example of just how far they will go to protect and promote the establishment line.
Last week they ran a wee piece on the latest south American generals up for sentencing for a 5 country wide co-ordinated campaign to eradicate left wing opponents.
Back in the olden days I think, when the USSR was the bogey man du jour.
No mention even of the name USA, for context.
Talking of co-ordinated campaigns, never minding the individual 29 (and rising) Tory MPs who benefitted.
Who organised, and authorised the campaign ? They need pokey time too.
Maybe Auntie is observing purdah right now 😉
Anent Dr Kelly, there’s also the question of Robin Cook?
Will I agree with most of this article I am in the firm position that believes you should face the consequences of your actions. The BBC and the conservative’s will eventually hang themselves given enough rope.
They anonymously advertised covert jobs in the Job Centre, for ACTIVISTS to campaign for them in GE campaign.
The immoral Tories staying true to form and forging on with their
destructive mission of evil.
They have no shame. Prison should be where they’re headed instead it’ll be HoL.
link to thecanary.co
Gorilla story, Day 4…..yup, Gorilla is still dead, boy is still alive, bbc still talking about this flash in pan story, worthy of no more than one short report.
Tory election fraud story, Day 42. …
Still no headline story on the BBC regarding the tory election fraud story.
A story, which if found to be true, WILL bring down the government, and may result in serious criminal charges resulting in jail time for multiple tory MP’s, possibly including the Prime Minister himself.
This is possibly THE biggest political story in uk history EVER !!!
Yet here we are, day 42 since the story broke (not by the bbc, thats for sure) and silence from the STATE broadcaster.
EVERY tory MP under investigation, imo, should be suspended from the house until this issue is resolved.
At the very minimum, they should be suspended from the Tory party and banned from voting or speaking within the house of commons until there is a resolution.
If a teacher was investigated for child abuse in their workplace, would they be allowed to continue working until resolution ?
Would they feck.
So why can a tory MP under police investigation for subverting uk democracy, be left in position and allowed to engage in the very same democratic process that he is under investigation for subjegating ?
Suspension should be a no – brainer if we want to maintain any sense of trust in our political system at WM.
DAY 43 of election fraud story…..
Come on BBC, you know you should !!
***disclaimer***
“The public should NOT attempt to beat the world breath holding record today”.
Thank you.
I raised a technical fault with the BBC about this