We thought you might like to see this snippet from a recent edition of the BBC News channel’s newspapers round-up, spotted by an alert reader.
We particularly enjoy the obviousness with which presenter Martine Croxall is being fed random titles into her earpiece by a panicking producer in response to freelancer stringer Matthew Green’s unexpected observation.
Weirdly, right after seeing this earlier this afternoon, we sat down to watch an episode of The Professionals on ITV4, which contained what seemed a rather apt segment.
We don’t think it’s a younger Iain Martin of the Telegraph (accompanied by colleagues Alan Cochrane and Tom Gallagher), but don’t make us swear to it.
An interesting and illuminating exchange has taken place in the last few days between the First Minister and Times columnist Kenny Farquharson, one of the many senior journalists who’ve recently jumped from the sinking ship of The Scotsman to take up less prestigious but more secure positions elsewhere.
It started on Saturday night, when Farquharson tweeted this:
Put your hands on your hearts, readers, and tell us that in the event of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin leading the USA and Russia a year or so from now, you can’t see this actually literally happening. [EDIT: The fight, not nuclear apocalypse. Obviously.]
Look us straight in the eye and tell us there’s a 0% chance.
A revealing moment from a meeting of the UK parliament’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee last Tuesday, featuring the former Secretary of State for Scotland, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean.
Normally when the BBC’s Andrew Neil asks a politician to put a figure on one of their policy proposals the interviewee should be wary, because a trap is about to be sprung.
Joan McAlpine, SNP MSP for the South of Scotland, extensively documented at the weekend the obstructiveness of Labour councillors in Dumfries and Galloway, who in an attempt to score some SNP BAD points were refusing to inform their constituents about the Scottish Government’s £1500-per-household flood relief grants to help people cope after recent storms.
The councillors eventually backed down and informed hard-pressed householders and businesses of the help available, but today the issue was debated on the floor of the Holyrood chamber, and when Labour once again tried to make the issue party political, the Deputy First Minister ran out of patience.
We had a lot of requests for the footage, so there it is.
Mark Beggan on The quality of mercy: “The problem with the Western world is that they still think evil does the Goose Step.” Apr 4, 02:35
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “Hopefully a better link: LIBERATION SCOTLAND UN UPDATE www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGn2SXcM7zw” Apr 4, 00:29
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “LIBERATION SCOTLAND UN UPDATE (2 April 2026) « Peter Young (IndyScotNews) discusses with Alan McMahon, Craig Murray and Sara Salyers…” Apr 4, 00:07
Geri on The quality of mercy: ““Independence is not even in SNP voters’ top three priorities” Neither is the top two cause they’re completely out of…” Apr 3, 22:04
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “The seminal (and still available) book by Will Storrar – SCOTTISH IDENTITY: A CHRISTIAN VISION was published by Handsel Press…” Apr 3, 22:02
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “The joke was of course first cracked by Tom Nairn. You should watch (minister) Professor Will Storrar’s 10 minute tribute…” Apr 3, 21:20
Geri on The quality of mercy: “The problem is these independence marches used to be a collective of all different political parties or none at all.…” Apr 3, 21:16
Northcode on The quality of mercy: “” …the shift from an independence movement to a liberation movement…” Yes, indeed, Alf. I have, for some time now,…” Apr 3, 21:03
Geri on The quality of mercy: “Offshore/North Sea: Reserved to the UK Parliament under the Scotland Act 1998. The licensing, exploration, and exploitation of offshore oil…” Apr 3, 21:02
Karen on The quality of mercy: “Google “What was Graeme McCormick promised?” And it comes up with “Swinney committed to moving forward with the independence campaign…” Apr 3, 20:40
sarah on The quality of mercy: “O/T: naming no names but have you noticed the absence of certain prolific btl commenters? It is a bank holiday…” Apr 3, 20:18
Geri on The quality of mercy: “Swinney says nothing of the sort. Scotlands oil is a reserved matter to our Overlords & they told us it…” Apr 3, 20:17
Alf Baird on The quality of mercy: ““Do NOT vote for them” Thankfully postcolonial theory predicts the dominant national party now co-opted by colonialism disintegrates. Hence the…” Apr 3, 19:44
Geri on Sicknote Slippers: “It wasn’t an independence march. It was a march against the rise of the hard right which is what that…” Apr 3, 19:37
agentx on The quality of mercy: ““SNP and Greens join independence march ahead of Holyrood election” 28 March 2026 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy817d0pjdxo” Apr 3, 19:19
TURABDIN on The quality of mercy: “someone opined that the Scots will be free when the last minister is strangled with the last copy of the…” Apr 3, 17:53
Mark Beggan on The quality of mercy: “Baby Swinney says; Drill Baby Drill.” Apr 3, 17:43
Wally Jumblatt on The quality of mercy: “Whether people realise it or not, the ghost of Sturgeon / Murrell has to be brutally exorcised before any progress…” Apr 3, 17:40
Breastplate on The quality of mercy: “Yes, the cringing Scots who will take no responsibility or accountability for making their own decisions are simply, British Nationalists.…” Apr 3, 17:01
Young Lochinvar on The quality of mercy: “Meanwhile in Baron Von Trumphausens “world”; the US has a fighter headed to the moon (made of cheese, great cheese,…” Apr 3, 16:58
Captain Caveman on Clocks And Calendars: ““Bash harder” That’s your line, Fatso. Ugh.” Apr 3, 16:55
DebatableLands on The quality of mercy: “Believing in independence as an idea and being prepared to do something about it, are different things. Lack of enthusiasm…” Apr 3, 16:37
Andrew F on Sicknote Slippers: “But where is the evidence that the protest is “openly antisemitic”? The link doesn’t support the claim.” Apr 3, 15:26
Northcode on The quality of mercy: “The recent “Believe in Scotland” pretence at showing support for Scottish independence was never going to fool most of the…” Apr 3, 15:14
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The quality of mercy: “« I remember him [José Bergamín (Pepe)] saying to me one day that he had realized the Spanish people had…” Apr 3, 15:10
panda paws on The quality of mercy: “I don’t think that the 50% of the population who support independence aren’t committed to it being delivered. I think…” Apr 3, 14:53
100%Yes on The quality of mercy: “Why would the BBC report on a Indy march? The BBC knows the SNP and believe in Scotland have no…” Apr 3, 14:49