As readers will know, when professional broadcast journalists can’t or won’t do their jobs properly, we’re not above jumping in ourselves.
So when someone tweeted to tell us that Jim Murphy had just started a phone-in on London station LBC, it seemed an ideal opportunity to quickly ring up and try directly asking him the question that Scottish Labour really, really don’t want to answer.
We’ve just had a fascinating email from Scottish Labour forwarded to us, from a concerned reader who’d written to them to ask if Labour would really refuse to form a government if they weren’t the largest party. The answer might not be the one anyone who’s seen the party’s election literature (below) would be expecting.
We’ve had to illustrate this piece with a tweet from our old chum Duncan Hothersall, because at the time of writing the Scottish Labour account on Twitter has no mention of Labour’s “five point plan”, and nor does the branch office’s website.
And the reason for the absence of any more information is probably that the “plan” is another example of a Labour policy that looks like a tasty boiled egg until you crack its shell and discover that there’s nothing inside.
Here’s Ed Miliband, giving a speech this morning to literally at least 20 Labour MPs, Labour MSPs, journalists and possibly a stray member of the public who accidentally walked through the wrong door in Clydebank, a place where Labour leaders used to address gatherings of thousands.
Unusually, Miliband took a few questions from the hacks, all of whom promptly wasted the opportunity by lobbing completely pointless softballs about coalitions and deals, all of which (a) have been asked a hundred times already, (b) were rendered moot by Alex Salmond on the Marr show yesterday, and (c) were only ever going to be batted away non-committally.
So here’s an actually worthwhile one they can ask instead next time.
With apologies to Jason Donovan, we felt we should probably have a look at the latest election leaflet Scottish Labour are putting through people’s doors.
Yesterday we noted that nothing had yet been heard from Scottish Labour’s policy review into universal services, launched amid much hoopla in September 2012 off the back of Johann Lamont’s infamous “something for nothing” speech.
The party has spent much of its time since then attacking the SNP over social justice, claiming that universal benefits are a middle-class subsidy, hurting the poor by spending money on giving the well-off free stuff they could afford to pay for.
Those two years have come and gone, and nearly six months more, and there’s been no sign of a single report from the commission. And it turns out there never will be.
Alert readers should by now have spotted our story about the findings of the Independent Press Standards Organisation with regard to the Daily Record’s “The Vow Delivered” front page from last November. The paper was found by IPSO to have been guilty of “significantly misrepresent[ing] the fiscal consequences of the Smith Commission’s recommendations”, and ordered to publish a correction.
IPSO also noted in its judgement that the Record had amended the online version of the article accordingly. But that’s only partly true.
BLMac on The Only Notes That Really Count: “If you look at the events of the last few years it’s obvious that when the SNP cleared out the…” Jul 10, 07:40
Hatey McHateface on The Interests Of The Many: “Hey, CC, you got a “please” from Wally W. He must have twigged he gets mair haddies thrown his way…” Jul 10, 07:30
Captain Caveman on The Interests Of The Many: ““Blow it out your arse”™, Fatso. People like me were the first to be thrilled for Scotland when the great…” Jul 10, 07:06
Captain Caveman on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I know this will be an alien concept, YL, but some of us have to be up with the lark…” Jul 10, 06:25
Aidan on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Aye I think the facts of the case probably do lean against the narrative I set out above, but I…” Jul 10, 06:04
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ooh errr.. Muham..d has just topped the list of male newborns names in home of Torydom Merry ol’ Engerlund.. Wowsers!…” Jul 10, 04:40
What Rot on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I contributed, more than I could afford at the time, but I’ve got zero evidence now that I ever did.…” Jul 10, 03:08
Onlooker on The Only Notes That Really Count: “The only notes that really count…are the ones that come in wads. Indeed.” Jul 10, 02:07
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Ooops! Meant to say: HMcH @ 8.52. Anyway it’s after his bedtime/ wing lockdown now anyhows.. Waiting for hung-over intemperate…” Jul 10, 02:06
Young Lochinvar on The Only Notes That Really Count: “HMcH Somehow I doubt Roddy feels particularly chastised by your wee piece of grandstanding.. Anyways peeps, happy birthday tomorrow to…” Jul 10, 01:48
Stuart Swanston on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Once the donors who had requested repayment had been refunded we must assume that that total subtracted from the grand…” Jul 10, 01:02
fiona on The Only Notes That Really Count: “For everyone saying “the SNP will never…” “if the SNP had done….” etc etc, please acknowledge the fact that all…” Jul 10, 00:37
Lynn Fraser on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I have filled in your contact form. I gave statement to Branch Form. I hope to have contact from you.…” Jul 10, 00:01
crazycat on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I can see your point, but: When I received my refund, they admitted it hadn’t been spent on the correct…” Jul 9, 23:33
James on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Adrian getting his master’s opinion in first there….just to quell expectations amongst the colonials.” Jul 9, 23:14
James on The Interests Of The Many: “I reckon the SP wisnae in the video; his ankle tag widnae let him go ootside….” Jul 9, 23:11
James on The Interests Of The Many: “So…the ‘National Broadcaster’ eh? “…People are just pleased the England team are for once playing some decent football…” What people?…” Jul 9, 23:03
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “The SNP will never deliver Independence!!! I hope this is the beginning of the end for this party who stole…” Jul 9, 21:41
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Is this the real reason the SNP has never been committed to Independence? If the SNP had been honest I…” Jul 9, 21:32
100%Yes on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I hope the SNP isn’t using the Scottish government legal counsel for advice, this has nothing to do with the…” Jul 9, 21:24
robertkknight on The Only Notes That Really Count: “There you go, Crown Office, I think that’s referred to as having one’s feet held to the fire!” Jul 9, 21:23
Sean Duffy on The Only Notes That Really Count: “It’s a very compelling argument and aligns with my understanding of how the law stood on this matter. The unknown…” Jul 9, 21:07
Aidan on The Only Notes That Really Count: “This is an excellent opinion but may not fully and completely cover off what could be the SNP’s line of…” Jul 9, 20:56
Hatey McHateface on The Only Notes That Really Count: “Well, well. Roddy Dunlop KC agrees with me that the original ring-fenced fund, sensibly invested, would have near doubled in…” Jul 9, 20:52
Fraser on The Only Notes That Really Count: “How fast can an actual Political party be wound up? Well after this there will be no money left to…” Jul 9, 20:45
Southernbystander on The Interests Of The Many: “But that is not what is happening. It is simply being pleased that English sports people are doing well. You…” Jul 9, 20:38
Blackhack on The Only Notes That Really Count: “I never paid any money in, but if I did I’d be signing that pronto.” Jul 9, 20:23
Southernbystander on The Interests Of The Many: “No. People are just pleased the England team are for once playing some decent football and we have one player…” Jul 9, 20:05
Rev. Stuart Campbell on Your Call Is Important To Us: “I have not. I’d redact it with a black box if I’d done that.” Jul 9, 19:57
