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.
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.
We’re going to take our own advice, chill out for a few days and enjoy the show as the No Surrender Tories desperately try to Frankenstein some sort of hilarious government together. There’s nothing much anyone can do to advance the cause of independence right now, there’s no urgent crisis in need of addressing, everybody’s pretty frazzled and crotchety, and a wee bit of downtime is probably the best thing for everyone.
It seems a better plan, at any rate, than running around panicking, screaming that SOMETHING MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY! or that nothing must be done ever again, that we must either declare UDI or give up on what many of us have believed in our whole lives and settle meekly for 2017’s feeble equivalent of The Vow – a shoddy, snivelling “soft Brexit” that’s not going to happen and would be awful even if it did.
Independence will still be here next week, folks. It’s not going anyplace. Obviously if anything dramatic should happen we’ll be on it, but otherwise we’ve got some movies and books and games and stuff to catch up on, and we recommend that you all do the same. Recharge your batteries. Smell the flowers. It’s been a long five years, frankly.
This was the revealing reaction of the Question Time audience and panel last night when right-wing Daily Mail/Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott and Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti debated who’d “won” the election:
On Thursday Jeremy Corbyn got 40% of the vote, 40% of the seats and lost by 2%.
In Scotland, Ruth Davidson got 28% of the vote, 22% of the seats and lost by 9%.
(Corbyn was also a thumping 33 points clear of the 3rd-place party in terms of vote share. Davidson’s margin over the party below was just 1.5 points.)
Yet the entire media, across both Scotland and the UK, has presented Davidson as the undisputed and triumphant victor, and nobody laughs.
…which we felt it important to preserve for posterity lest anything happen to it. We’d charitably blame it all on the Telegraph, who made it, were it not for the fact that the Scottish Conservatives have posted it on their own Facebook page.
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “@ Geri Have you not considered that Polanski, as a person well known in the media at the present time,…” May 3, 11:23
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “Recognising that the elections held in Scotland are actually the elections of United kingdom of Anglo-Irish parliament agreement 1800 and…” May 3, 11:21
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “These records can be checked, Once you dissolve one of the Countries of only two parties to the 1706/07 treaty…” May 3, 11:06
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “Today The UK is the united kingdom and parliament of England and Ireland, And does not include Scotland (twice).” May 3, 10:56
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “Scotland regained its status as an independent Country in 1707 and in 1800 respectively. Minus a monarch. Due to the…” May 3, 10:53
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “There has not been a Scottish parliament in the parliament of Westminster until the united kingdom of The new state…” May 3, 10:40
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “Englands parliament which it rebranded as the parliament of Great Britain held NO Scottish parliament since 1707, Twice Scotland had…” May 3, 10:19
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “The Anglo- Scottish parliament was dissolved 1800, resulting in a ceased union parliament of Great Britain Meaning that the transferred…” May 3, 10:07
Geri on Seven Days Too Long: “Bilbo, He probably apologised because he’d have received the Corbyn treatment. Bullied, intimidated, threatened by media mauling, Lawfare etc. I’ve…” May 3, 10:02
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “@ James Curious how the trolls have been quiet for a while and then they coming piling in here just…” May 3, 10:01
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “If anybody who doesn’t realise that the SNP can’t deliver independence by now isn’t going to change their mind to…” May 3, 09:57
James Che on Seven Days Too Long: “How, where and when, The case for lord gray, Hansard, Debate, a) That the kingdoms of Scotland and England continue…” May 3, 09:56
Northcode on Seven Days Too Long: “Yet another excellent comment by Geri. The rhetoric is strong in this one…” May 3, 09:42
Geri on Seven Days Too Long: ““Didn’t you also assert that our planes would never get off the ground?” Wrong conflict, shitface. Do keep up with…” May 3, 09:21
Northcode on Seven Days Too Long: ““I disavow nothing.” Ouch!! I suspect even God Himself is having a divine chuckle at Geri’s devilish comment. Geri puts…” May 3, 09:19
Captain Caveman on Seven Days Too Long: “@“Geri” 13:35 Well, I’d say your bizarre sentiments and misplaced sense of priorities serves as a handy “User Guide” for…” May 3, 09:15
Sven on Seven Days Too Long: “I’d guess that their plan B will be the same as it’s always been, 100%. That is, to make plan…” May 3, 08:54
100%Yes on Seven Days Too Long: “The SNP getting a majority isn’t a bad thing!! When the UKG turns it down the SNP has going to…” May 3, 08:02
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “@ Sven You are right and it is wishful thinking on my part that these revelations about Mr Paulden/Polanksi conveniently…” May 3, 08:01
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “Just to add as a thought from my previous reply, it’s ironic that while there is so much hate towards…” May 3, 07:50
Sven on Seven Days Too Long: “Hi Bilbo, In direct reply to your point, I greatly doubt that the now retracted comment by the man once…” May 3, 07:28
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “The independence debate is framed that an iScotland would be in billions and billions of debt at time of creation…” May 3, 07:09
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “@ Cynicus Ah, If it’s happening to other people then it’s something to do with the site. Either the Rev…” May 3, 06:48
Bilbo on Seven Days Too Long: “The replies to my post about the Greens yesterday which started this particular debate didn’t go the way I had…” May 3, 06:45
twathater on Seven Days Too Long: “@ Sven and Geri , apparently this guy had already previously stabbed a police officer and an innocent person so…” May 3, 03:41
twathater on Seven Days Too Long: “Geri I have taken out shares in SAVLON due to you continually BURNING hatey Mc Fuckwit ,Aydan and the cave…” May 3, 03:03
Cynicus on Seven Days Too Long: “I had the same porn site links problem some days ago. Exactly as described above. I assumed that I’d been…” May 3, 01:06
Young Lochinvar on Seven Days Too Long: “IM Maybe there are more queers than has been credited to date.. Not forgetting egg lovers of course..” May 3, 00:39
Young Lochinvar on Seven Days Too Long: “Beggars @ 11.45 Pot and kettle Ad0lf..” May 3, 00:33
Young Lochinvar on Seven Days Too Long: “James @ 9.51 “Shower of b8st8rds” is what yer looking for James..” May 3, 00:29