The BBC’s Reporting Scotland is, in our view, directly responsible for at least 80% of Yes supporters’ belief that the UK’s state broadcaster is biased against independence. Almost all of the worst examples of unbalanced or downright dishonest coverage over the last five years come from the flagship teatime bulletin.
Just a quick one-week-on update: thanks to your incredible support, our fundraiser for legal action now stands at a phenomenal £14,683 including all sources. We’re well beyond the initial target of £5000, but since even a modestly-eminent QC costs slightly over £8 a minute, every extra penny helps.
The Yes movement, like almost all movements, is plagued with a small but incredibly loud faction of intolerant, destructive extremists. Alert readers will have noticed that this site has again been the victim of them this week, but we’re not alone. They’ve also gone after two print publications – The National and iScot – over their “transgressions” against the beliefs of these self-appointed arbiters of what people are allowed to think.
What those two outlets and Wings have in common is achievement.
Millionaire-funded diehard loyalist forelock-tugging faction Scotland In Union published an extraordinary blog post yesterday.
Its 606 words comprised a sort of Caledonian Cringe Greatest Hits, allegedly penned by someone called Fiona Annesley (of whom we’re told nothing else, and who has no detectable online presence), but the line that particularly caught people’s eye was this:
The complete series so far. If you’ve got a story like this to tell, or you know anyone who does, Phantom Power want to hear from you – drop them a line.
I went to “Dunkirk” at the cinema today. If you want to know what it’s like, just watch this trailer 40 times in a row and save yourself the £12.
It’s a poor movie, disjointed and aimless and curiously lacking in tension or narrative given the real-life subject matter. (It’s remarkably short on dialogue, which is lucky because you can barely make out any of what little script or story there is from behind the endlessly howling one-note airhorn of the soundtrack. It’s a bit like someone filmed an IKEA assembly manual in live action during a Formula 1 race.)
But I couldn’t help thinking that part of the reason it was so unengaging was because it felt akin to watching a boxing match between two fighters you don’t like. If Mike Tyson took on Tyson Fury, would you cheer for the rapist or the anti-Semitic homophobe?
Today’s Daily Record covers the story we mentioned yesterday about a report from a Scottish Labour campaign group making the pretty factually-uncontestable point that the branch office’s dismal strategy in last month’s election held the UK party back.
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “Happy anniversary tomorrow of the 1328 Treaty of Northampton- Edinburgh where the English finally acknowledged they had lost the war…” Mar 16, 16:38
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Looking up at the stars: “Alf, Yet BK in ‘Mither Tongue’ writes: « Scots is descended from Northumbrian. Due to the different linguistic developments in…” Mar 16, 16:13
Alf Baird on Looking up at the stars: “A fowk shoud nivver be affrontit wi thair ain langage…. unless that is thay’ve been thoraely colonized by anither langage…” Mar 16, 16:10
100%Yes on Looking up at the stars: “Trans is less than 1% of the population this is why the SNP run by the British state made trans…” Mar 16, 16:00
Alf Baird on Looking up at the stars: “Just as the Picts were descended from the neolithic peoples who inhabited Scotland, so Scots speakin fowk must be descended…” Mar 16, 15:51
sarah on Looking up at the stars: “@ Lorncal: Allan Petrie has joined ISP. I don’t know if you saw my reply to your previous comment where…” Mar 16, 15:51
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““the restoration of her people’s sovereignty must come before everything else” Here ye gang, Northy. Fixed it fer ye: “the…” Mar 16, 15:29
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Sorry, Rev and commentators: just checked more deeply. Allan is stepping down; but Ash Regan is standing in Edinburgh East,…” Mar 16, 15:27
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: ““Scots will decide. In a vote. After public consultation” After the mobile gas chambers have made at least one pass,…” Mar 16, 15:24
Sven on Looking up at the stars: ““Any of your deranged scribblings'” seems to me to read, in full, “any of your deranged scribbling is.” , Chas.…” Mar 16, 15:23
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Sven/Mark: agreed. I could weep for what these ‘woke’ people have done to my country and my sex. You only…” Mar 16, 15:21
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Our devolved HR administration officially recognises 24 genders. It is only Indy that will allow us to enforce equal representation…” Mar 16, 15:19
Geri on Looking up at the stars: “It’ll be for Scots to decide after independence. That was Salmonds view too. It’d go to a public consultation. Exactly…” Mar 16, 15:11
100%Yes on Looking up at the stars: “Independence has to come first with Independence woman can truly be protected by our laws and not a foreign country’s.…” Mar 16, 15:08
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “So, Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh, you have the temerity to come on here, denying the veracity of the Declaration Of Arbroath. Either…” Mar 16, 15:07
sarah on Looking up at the stars: “@ Lorncal: Don’t despair. I heard Roddy say that he and 52% of the population disagree with Craig’s view that…” Mar 16, 15:01
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Ken fit ye’ve mad me dae noo, Alf? Brak ma solemn voo, that’s fit. Ah guess Ah’ll jist hae tae…” Mar 16, 14:57
MaryB on Looking up at the stars: “Lorncal, Sven, Alan P, etc Don’t you realise that you’ve fallen into a trap? Gender ideology was set up as…” Mar 16, 14:56
Cynicus on Looking up at the stars: “Northcode says: “…… oor superior Pictish leid…. ======== Would you care to translate the above phrase into Pictish?” Mar 16, 14:54
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “I thought CM had embraced his inner tea towel? The idea that his new pals are genuinely interested in progressive…” Mar 16, 14:50
Northcode on Looking up at the stars: “Liberation from oppression is the only game to be played in Scotland; everything else can wait until that is achieved……” Mar 16, 14:46
Hatey McHateface on Looking up at the stars: “Only a matter of time, Northy, until Professor Baird asks you and Geri to join him at one of his…” Mar 16, 14:46
Young Lochinvar on Looking up at the stars: “HMcH Don’t let me hold you back. Mind you isn’t that book just what you call “ancient guff”?” Mar 16, 14:21
Northcode on Looking up at the stars: “That’ll teach ye, Sven… ye got a pat oan yer heid aff an Inglis fir bein a guid wee Scotti…” Mar 16, 14:21
Mark Beggan on Looking up at the stars: “I’m afraid it’s gone beyond that. What Lornical says is what I thought a few years ago and it’s got…” Mar 16, 14:19
Frost on Looking up at the stars: “ACH was also prancing about outside Holyrood in 2016 with that carboard cutout of Clinton along with Dugdale and Ben…” Mar 16, 14:02
Sven on Looking up at the stars: “Which is why it is imperative, Lorncal, that we each, individually, ensure that we’re informed as to the stance of…” Mar 16, 13:56
Chas on Looking up at the stars: “I am afraid you are wrong Sven however, as you do not post the same repetitive shite everyday (see Baird…” Mar 16, 13:39
Lorncal on Looking up at the stars: “Listened to ‘Through a Scottish Prism’ yesterday. We are screwed – well and truly screwed. The Liberate Scotland Alliance swore…” Mar 16, 13:36
