We have to give Jim Murphy credit – on this week’s Sunday Politics he started off with the subtle, misleading but technically-accurate version of Labour’s line about the “biggest party forming the government”, which involves making the true but irrelevant observation that in the past it’s usually been the case. (Mainly because UK elections almost always give the biggest party a comfortable majority.)
But it only took a couple of minutes of questioning for the Scottish branch manager to lose his cool and resort to the comprehensively debunked flat-out lie again.
The Daily Record, still smarting from the humiliation of being forced to very quietly admit it told its readers a £20 billion lie about the Smith Commission late last year, has been in a demented overdrive trying to provoke Yes/SNP supporters this week.
It started on Tuesday with an echo of the paper’s infamous “Vow” cover, clearly aimed at winding up its detractors but which passed without much comment as social media users merely raised a brief weary eyebrow and got on with their day. But then the Record started turning up the volume.
Sometimes the UK media is so soul-crushingly moronic, readers, that it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. Nevertheless, we’re pretty sure we haven’t nodded off and woken up in 2017, so today’s papers must be even more idiotic than usual.
The Scottish Sun is around 80% the same newspaper as the English edition (with the bulk of the difference being accounted for by football coverage) so presumably the south-of-the-border version has a broadly similar view, right?
If we’re honest, readers, we almost never bother with BBC Scotland’s televised political coverage any more. We suspect the viewing figures for Scotland 2015 are down to fingers-and-toes territory now, and if last night’s edition – which we gritted our teeth and watched after noting the incredulous response on social media – is anything to go by, the state broadcaster is now using it to try out work-experience kids.
But we can cut fresh-faced new boy David Henderson (who suffered the indignity of being billed as Sarah Smith) a bit of slack for being outmanoeuvred by an experienced operator like Jim Murphy, who at one point in the show was actually interrogating the presenter rather than the other way round.
Kirsty Wark, regular anchor on the Corporation’s current-affairs flagship Newsnight, on the other hand, has no such excuses whatsoever.
100%Yes on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Reading the comments I’ve noticed unionist donating as well. This isn’t about what side of the political argument your own…” Oct 1, 17:01
100%Yes on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Donated a tenner but as time goes on I’ll donate more as and when needed. I actually believe this is…” Oct 1, 16:50
Spartan 117 on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Caption competition. “Naw, ah didnae pish oan yer new trainers. Ye did it yersel.” “How’s he *that* big, min?” “Couple…” Oct 1, 16:04
Rev. Spooner on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Done. This is excellent and important work, regardless of which side of the Indy debate we sit. All power to…” Oct 1, 16:02
Northcode on In The Eyes Of The Law: “It’s worth remembering that some legal processes are much narrower than the big stories often attached to them. And they…” Oct 1, 16:01
sarah on In The Eyes Of The Law: “I wish you all the best in this legal action [and am sending a modest donation]. This time you have…” Oct 1, 15:54
Hatey McHateface on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Bizarre pic of Swinney taking a leak. I guess that was intentional.” Oct 1, 15:35
Aidan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “As far as I can tell both questions are the same, so yes it is hard for me to understand…” Oct 1, 15:11
Spartan 117 on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “Aye, that it is Cap’n. The sheer hatred dripping off its posts is mortifying and amusing in equal measure. That…” Oct 1, 14:52
sam on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “It depends on the question asked. Is that hard for you to understand? Check for yourself.” Oct 1, 14:41
Mark Beggan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “Wings very own Father Jack Hackett. ‘Drink, Drink! Arse. Feckin Girls! Drink!’” Oct 1, 14:23
Aidan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “So your polling says that support for a united Ireland in the EU is both 34% and 63% does it?” Oct 1, 14:15
Captain Caveman on Whatever Can Have Happened?: ““it’s like having a filthy thieving vagrant squatting in your front room, eating all your food, drinking your beer and…” Oct 1, 14:03
Captain Caveman on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “It’s not “squealing”, Fatso, it’s “unrestrained, raucous laughter (and pointing)” at you hilariously deranged foamers. Fucking state of you embittered,…” Oct 1, 14:01
sam on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “Polling in NI says that the current opinion is that support for a united Ireland is at 34%. Polling by…” Oct 1, 13:46
Mark Beggan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “– the ones who dream. Dreaming is free. Everything else has a price. Even death has a price. But dream…” Oct 1, 13:29
Aidan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “We get it mate – you hate the English, and thanks to a complete accident at birth you are somewhere…” Oct 1, 12:52
Hatey McHateface on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “The real world loves a winner, Confused. That’s the big problem with you instinctive tea towel sympathisers. You’re always sympathising…” Oct 1, 12:51
Hatey McHateface on Whatever Can Have Happened?: ““perversion of christianity” Careful, Confused, mask is slipping.” Oct 1, 12:34
Hatey McHateface on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “I think the issue is many from NI coming to live here. Unionists. Protestants. Stubborn, opinionated ones. And what that…” Oct 1, 12:32
Confused on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “Sometimes I end up watching the news through the night – it was during such that trump started all this…” Oct 1, 12:25
Hatey McHateface on Whatever Can Have Happened?: ““sic as the UN itsel” Last time I checked, Alf, Scots wasn’t a language recognised by the UN. Or at…” Oct 1, 12:25
Confused on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “this is why anglos rage – when their theft is blatant, no longer protected by cheap sophistry https://archive.ph/e4Gje “When the…” Oct 1, 12:23
Northcode on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “I’ve just realised that the “Three Phases of Decolonization” text functions like a mythic narrative built on the same structural…” Oct 1, 12:19
Captain Caveman on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “You cut a truly lamentable, laughable figure, Alf. No one to blame but yourself I’m afraid.” Oct 1, 11:38
Mark Beggan on Whatever Can Have Happened?: “Just another day in the NI. We don’t care. If you care so much then go live there.” Oct 1, 11:34
