Hedging their bets
This is the Labour-supporting Sunday People today:
And this is its Labour-supporting sister paper the Sunday Mail:
But it’s not as simple as it sounds.
Both papers pile caveats and qualifiers on top of those apparent endorsements. The People, for example, continues: “But we worry that those same MPs will cause havoc for the rest of the UK when they get to Westminster”.
Both actually stop short of saying “vote SNP in Scotland”. The Mail, especially, is plainly simply facing up to a commercial reality that the SNP vote is going to be big and they can’t afford to alienate a large number of Scots by trying to hold back the tide of history at a time when circulations are in a long decline.
(We’re going to be interested to see if the Daily Record actually explicitly says “vote Labour”. It’s been running an “Anyone but the Tories” banner for weeks – while sticking the knife into the Nats at every opportunity – to keep its options open, and we suspect another indyref-style weaselly cop-out when it comes to the crunch.)
But for the People to openly acknowledge the fact that “Ms Sturgeon is likely to muster more anti-Tory MPs in Scotland than Labour ever could” is a striking admission. It’s true – David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland but is likely to end up with just two or three on Friday, and that’s entirely down to the SNP; the chances of Labour having ever captured the others (even before the SNP surge) were microscopic – but it’s a fact Labour frantically try to hide from.
We’re reminded of Kent Brockman in the classic Simpsons episode “Deep Space Homer”, commenting that “I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords”.
These are not ideological epiphanies for the People and the Mail. They’re simply a recognition and an adaption. But they’re no less significant for that.
We are living in interesting times, tick tock, tick tock.
When will the MSM in Scotland realise that the vast majority of the people in Scotland have already made up their minds who they intend to vote for.
It’s not as if this election was sprung on us, we’ve looked at all the facts, we’ve looked at all the policies (or lack of them) and we’ve made up our minds.
MSM can bleat about the election, and the parties/candidates up for election all it wants, it wont make the slightest bit of difference.
Aah, the consequences for sales figures. which way to turn, which way to turn?
They’re trying not to go as far as the Sun, but, have to say something positive.
Won’t affect their sales figures in my house in any case 🙂
Even their own papers realise that the SNP is the only party that truly represents the Scots.
Keep searching for those air pockets Slabbers.
I do hope that the “ANTS” haters aren’t hoping to become besties now.
Do think it’s too late for that now.
Remember all the: “SNP want another referendum, they want another referendum!” headlines during the past week? Next week, the same voices will be shouting: “Sturgeon said no referendum, the election was not about a referendum!”
Who are the 12 Tory MP’s?
a simple photoshop thing. “Hail Nats”?
All your comments and deductions are sound, but explain “David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland but is likely to end up with just two or three on Friday, and that’s entirely down to the SNP”
Are you counting LibDems as well as David Mundell? Remember DC may not even “command” them if any get in on Thursday.
“Are you counting LibDems as well as David Mundell?”
Yes, obviously. They’re in his government.
Should that “David Cameron” in the third-to-last paragraph not be an “Ed Milliband”?
The desperate posturing of the papers has never mattered less. Their decline is irreversible and they have all had a sharp (and very funny) lesson in just how irrelevant and powerless they are both here and in England.
The shrieking lunatic hysteria from the right-wing tabloids has changed nothing. Most people simply do not trust the press sufficiently to consider them anything other than a sideshow to roll their eyes at.
The hysteria from the right wing tabloids will be at ear splitting levels again on May the 8th. It will slavishly follow the tory party spin that FPTP doesn’t matter and Cameron should be PM even if he failed to win a majority and doesn’t have enough votes to pass the queen’s speech/legislation. Sadly for them it won’t matter a jot.
They had better get used to having no real influence as it is blatantly obvious their circulations are only going to worsen the more out of touch, lunatic and hysterical they appear.
TV and broadcasting will still have the most important and influential role for quite some time yet but even they are on a long slope downwards as trust in them continues to fall and so many other options to view media become ubiquitous and easy for the public to choose.
“David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland”
I think there is only one.
I was amazed to see two positive articles in the Daily Record yesterday, one from Nicola and the other from Alex Salmond.
Nicolas interview was conducted with Clegg and a picture of them both smiling at the camera was how it was introduced!
I wondered what was going on!
I had noted that in any readers votes they have on their on line site, that if it asks how people will vote, it always comes in heavily in favour of the SNP.
The reason rags like the Record have these kind of on-line polls, is they are trying to build a picture of how it’s readership think. I’ve no doubt that head office will be looking at these results and wondering why people like Clegg are insulting their own readers.
However I then noticed on Scot goes Pop, that the Daily Record had been misleading it’s own readers yet again, by printing a downright lie about a surveys results asking Scots if they wanted another referendum.
So yes, they are becoming aware of just how damaging their bias has been to sales, but I’m sure that as far as the Daily Record is concerned, even if the whole staff team stripped naked and ran down the high street of every city in Scotland shouting ‘och eye the noo’ it wouldn’t be enough, after the antics of them printing the disgusting Vow.
Cyberants?
OT:
Scotland’s Talk In.
All four Scottish leaders answering you questions on now.
@Xaracen
Commands because Cameron led a tory/lib dem coalition. Without the lib dems Cameron would likely not be PM and the tories would have been powerless.
C’mon Rev, you said David Cameron currently commands 12 MP’s in Scotland. Who are Mundel’s mystery partners? I think we should be told.
Mosstrooper says:
“Who are the 12 Tory MP’s?”
It’s all about flavours. That the total of blueberry plus apricot, but excluding raspberry.
@ Stu:
“David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland but is likely to end up with just two or three on Friday”
Nick Clegg, I think you mean… Oh. I see.
Demographics.Markets.Market Demographics.
It’s true – David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland but is likely to end up with just two or three on Friday,
Who is saying this!
Scotland’s Kent Brockman? Gavin voteNoborders.com Estler probably or Gordon Sweaty Brewer. They saved their BBC union but are now leading red and blue tory opposition in Scotland, which isn’t exactly healthy.
Nic Sturgeon is definitely Lisa Simpson though and creepy Jim Morphy is Mayor Joe “Diamond” Quimby.
Yank guy yellow trainers,causing mayhem Sunday politics
Loving it
I’ve never seen the unionist press throw in the towel like that, ever.
We are on the brink of something very big and as much as we have all considered and expected a victory to some degree, I think the reality and scale of it when it happens is going to have a profound impact on our psyches.
Cameron commands 12 MPs – it doesn’t say ‘Cameron commands 12 Tory MPs’.
If you include LibDems (part of the Gov’t he commands) it is 12.
More a case of :-
From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Now this is what you call damning with faint praise!
link to dailyrecord.co.uk
“Without the lib dems Cameron would likely not be PM and the tories would have been powerless.”
EDIT: [Without the Labour party spurning a deal with] the lib dems [SNP, PC & SDLP] Cameron would likely not be PM and the tories would have been powerless.
“Who are the 12 Tory MP’s?”
David Mundell, Jim Murphy, Danny Alexander and so on.
@james Gillies – he does command 12 MPs -did you forget about his Lib Dem minions? They’re all currently running around up here trying desperately to persuade us to forget.
Ain’t working.
Yes, wonder if there is change in the air. Was Sally Magnusson’s unexpectedly robust questioning of Murphy an indication that pee-heeing to Labour is no longer the best strategy for keeping your job at the BEEB?
@Mosstrooper says: 3 May, 2015 at 10:52 am:
“Who are the 12 Tory MP’s?”
Would that be Blue, Red or Yellow Tories, Mosstrooper?
Sadly in the United Kingdom, (Not Britain), all Establishment/Unionist parties are right wing neoliberals.
1 blue tory + 11 orange tories = 12 tories.
The Scottish press, arch megaphone for Westminster, owners not Scotland domiciled, are and always have been – I choose my words carefully – mercenary bastards. No matter what they say in support of Scotland they will revert to type the day after the election.
link to wp.me
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
james Gillies
how many libdems are there?
@Iain Gray’s Subway Lament
Oh, okies.
Have you seen the leaflet from Malcolm Rifkind advising voters to vote Lib Dems? Sorry tried to put it here but couldn’t, go to link to facebook.com to see it, shocking.
Looks like SLab are accepting the reality of the situation. They will lose at least 30 seats.
Herald … link to archive.is
They are pouring resources into Murphy and Alexander’s seats. Anything we can do about this?
Number of MPs David Cameron commands in Scotland.
Maybe Stu is counting the eleven Lib Dem MPs along with the one Tory. After all the lib Dems have effectively been Tories over the last five years.
Come Friday it will be a lot less than twelve.
[…] This is the Labour-supporting Sunday People today: And this is its Labour-supporting sister paper the Sunday Mail: But it's not as simple as it sounds. Both papers pile caveats and qualifiers on to… […]
These are end of empire days.Even the Romans eventually had to give up all hope of breaking the Caledonians. Makes you wonder who’ll be next.
@Xaracen
I think there is only one.
They mean ConDems
They have finally reAched the point of acceptance and done the basic Math that we all did last year and realised that a progressive coalition is made more possible by an SNP clean sweep in Scotland as the SNP can capture ConDem seats too
I am sitting in cafe in East Renfreshire waiting for the rain to ease enough for canvassing – anybody else around?
[…] Hedging their bets […]
@Mosstrooper, 10:52am
The 12 MPs Cameron controls in Scotland includes 11 Libdems and Mr Mundell.
Sad really – not.
That obviously includes the LibDem MPs who are part of Cameron’s coalition. You know – Danny Alexander, Alistair Carmichael…..
Waken up there at the back.
@Xaracen says: 3 May, 2015 at 10:57 am:
““David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland”
I think there is only one.”
Thing is, Xaracen, that until the election was called Cameron commanded a coalition government of two parties.
As soon as the parliament went onto an election footing there are NO LONGER ANY members of Parliament. So what each party leader commands are just their own party members and that is card carrying members.
That one Tort you spoke of is not a Tory MP now he is one of thousands of Tory Party card carrying members. He is, of course, a candidate for office.
@galamcennalath
The SNP do private polling and are in touch with all their local branches to assess where they are currently strongest and weakest. The campaign will absolutely be taking cognisance of this and allocate time, activists and resources to where it is needed most.
The local branches will also be pulling out all the stops right now and there is no way on earth Murphy, Alexander or any of the rest of them will have an easy time of it. Quite the reverse. 🙂
Interesting that Milliband chose English Limestone for his pledge. A porous stone and rarely found in Scotland. I prefer the SNP Scottish granite pledge:” Stronger For Scotland”.
Stop promoting direct links to the Daily Record. If you really have to use link to archive.is to do it.
Is this concern trolling now?
Anyone who didn’t understand that 12 MPs included that other party. “The sons of Vidkun?”, are needing to smarten up.
No alert reader badges for them Rev Stu.
Seems The Vow has been upgraded to The Tombstone.
Poor Ed must just say “Whatever chaps” when such ideas are suggested.
Actually I think Cameron “commands ” more than 12.
When you include Jim Murphy damaging Scottish labour more than the Tories ever could its 13.
Lucky for some.
Then include Kezias demented ranting its still 13 MPs
But the damage she is doing as an MSP has a knock on effect so can we call it13 1/2 ???
I agree, never have I seen them virtually throw the towel in like this. Obviously all their sources indicate that the unionists are FUCKED! Happy days.
Stop buying all newspapers; stop watching BBC. Get info online.
@Mosstrooper says: 3 May, 2015 at 11:01 am:
“C’mon Rev, you said David Cameron currently commands 12 MP’s in Scotland. Who are Mundel’s mystery partners? I think we should be told.”
Sheesh! Until the parliament went to an election footing Cameron DID NOT lead a TORY government he led a Tory/LibDem Government. He now leads a Tory Party that currently has NO MPs. You are confusing Cameron leading a party and Cameron leading a Government.
UKIPs Coburn is on top form on Sunday Politics.
“These People” …always funny
@galamcennalathLooks like SLab are accepting the reality of the situation. They will lose at least 30 seats.They are pouring resources into Murphy and Alexander’s seats. Anything we can do about this?
YES
Go canvassing – We have lots of canvass sheets for ‘not-ins’ – Come on down
UKIP calling the SNP xenophobic on Sunday Politics Scotland
Wow!
@Robert Peffers 11.15am
And originally from the Book of Daniel, I would imagine. Quite apt, really – we are obviously the Persians!
@chris kilby says: 3 May, 2015 at 11:01 am:
““David Cameron currently commands 12 MPs in Scotland but is likely to end up with just two or three on Friday”
Err! Chris, there are currently NO MPs.
Yup….. The MSM are playing catchup.
I reccon the majority have decided.
No purdah breaking vows this time……
Here is still room for surprises like miliband shooting himself in the foot and the lib dem candidate in Banff & Buchan telling a hustings he had no knowlege of the lib dems owing police Scotland £800k.
Strange days.
UKIP….jeezo. Detestable man and party.
On every election in which Scotland dares to assert it individuality our history is rubbished. Worth a repost:
link to grousebeater.wordpress.com
O/T. Shock to read these details in black and white. Had no idea if had been going on for so long.
scotlandowntwofeet.blogspot.co.uk
Bet hedging indeed. I kind of thought there would be a fairly strident pro-Labour leader in the Sunday Mail today.
I wonder what the Record and the Herald will do on Thursday. Can’t see the Record do anything but support Jim given everything they have said so far bit the Herald might take a different tack.
A change from Indy Ref for sure. The Sunday Herald, National, the Sun and now an admittedly grudging “maybe Nicola deserves a chance” from the Sunday Mail.
I did hear Chris Deerin in the Mail is voting Labour – getting Tories to vote Labour is just a bonus in my book 🙂 An election they will want to forget. It will hammer home that Dave has no support here.
Dave McEwan Hill
‘Waken up there at the back.’ Brilliant Dave – you read my mind.
These last minute conversions are as cynical as they are pathetic. I don’t know anyone who buys either paper, and am puzzled why they don’t just merge all the shite Sunday papers into one big populist, hectoring, tawdry, unionist rag. Love the Kent Brockman pic- just the perfect image for this article.
O/T have been out of the loop for the last 24 hours – what’s all this I hear about Ed commissioning a piece of ornamental masonry for the Rose Garden? It is fitting he pays his respects to the labour party in Scotland but could he no wait until the life support is turned off afore planning the funeral.
The back gairden of number 10 seems a fitting spot for the headstone. It’s what Gordon would have wanted.
So the above suggests the tide is turning and the MSM is now thinking they should reflect the views of their readers . Mm mm
I refrained from buying a newspaper years ago as it was full of inacuraceies and untruths.
Much as I appreciate their attempt to redress the balance.
Who is going to read their scriptures and actually believe it as TRUTH ?
Interesting that the Guardian considers the SNP as one of the four “main parties”
link to archive.is
Enjoy!
“No alert reader badges for them
🙁
ANTS is an anagram of NATS. That’s all.
‘We are what we pretend to be’.
The words of Kurt Vonnegut from his novel Mother Night.
The book concerns an expatriate American writer in wartime Germany who dupes himself into thinking that it’s okay to broadcast Nazi propaganda (an American Lord Haw Haw) and his support for Herr Hitler, even if his messages contain secret codes for the benefit of the allies.
Anyone who lends support for another campaign or a party (even one they are known to be implacably opposed to) will become eventually a de facto member of that campaign or party.
A plus for the Yes campaign and a reality check for the Libdems.
A good novel given some justice in the film starring John Goodman and Nick Nolte.
I am fully aware of the application of Godwin’s Law in this comments column.
@Natasha says: 3 May, 2015 at 11:48 am:
“And originally from the Book of Daniel, I would imagine. Quite apt, really – we are obviously the Persians!”
Well spotted, Natasha. My train of thought was a wee bit strange. It included a slight digression to the Rowen & Martin Laugh-in, “Fickle Finger of Fate”, item, (which if memory serves), was a golden middle finger trophy award.
I wasn’t sure which reference has more relevance but went with the Moving Finger one.
:-))
Is it a tombstone, headstone or gravestone?
Andrew Neil asked some Labour spokesperson if they had planning permission to erect the tombstone, obviously ripping the p··s
I wonder how any ex or remaining SLab supporters feel about the new strategy of trying to protect 12 seats where they think they have a rat’s chance? Cynically going after what must be Fibdem or Tory voters?
AND, as if it’s not enough telling the remaining SLab support to stand down, there are 3 seats they want to save, that are the direct cause of their demise – Murphy, Curran and Alexander.
If any lurking SLab supporters are reading this, what more proof do you want about this parasitic party – do they need to come round and personally kick you in the teeth?
Is it a tombstone, headstone or gravestone?
Neither. And nor will ever be a Gaelic standing stone.
It is a Dobbie’s garden ornament.
Gnomes come cheaper.
Big Jock says:
3 May, 2015 at 11:38 am
Interesting that Milliband chose English Limestone for his pledge. A porous stone and rarely found in Scotland. I prefer the SNP Scottish granite pledge:” Stronger For Scotland”.
====================================================
Scotland used to have loads of limestone but it was eroded and carried eastward into the North Sea basin and is now part of the geology creating the conditions for North Sea oil to exist.
Much better use of resources than a dod of rock in London 😉
We’re going to be interested to see if the Daily Record actually explicitly says “vote Labour”….
…’cause anytime soon their front page will be offering a ‘NEW IMPORVED VOW’ detailing Scotland’s place in a tubo-charged United Kingdom on steroids MANGA style!!!
…I can see myself going for that….
Ah, Kent Brockman. What would we give for a journalist of Kent’s professional integrity in the Scottish media?
John Moss says:
3 May, 2015 at 1:30 pm
We’re going to be interested to see if the Daily Record actually explicitly says “vote Labour”….
…’cause anytime soon their front page will be offering a ‘NEW IMPORVED VOW’ detailing Scotland’s place in a tubo-charged United Kingdom on steroids MANGA style!!!
…I can see myself going for that….
Apparently, this time it is going to be carved in stone.
Front pages are so “2014”!
Sneaky Nick…….expert at hedging bets.
Is there no depths Cameron’s gimp will not grovel to try and keep some influence in this election?
Last week Cameron states red line on parties re EU referendum.
Cameron’s gimp comes up with 6 red lines. EU policy though up for grabs,….not new he stated libs would sell out on this policy 4 weeks ago to try and keep possibility of coalition.
Just confirmed though today shows yet again that he is untrustworthy with any policy what so ever. Is there no depths to which this guy will sink to try to keep some significance in this election.
Good news looks promising that this ars will loose his seat to Labour….. not so good.
Looks promising though that Cameron’s gimp is going to have to look for another job …..and become Cameron’s idle f####r after all.
Robert, that’s the flying fickle finger of fate, I think. But there again, I know nothing,nothing.
Paula Rose says:
3 May, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Is it a tombstone, headstone or gravestone?
It’s really just something else to crawl under between a Rock and a Bad place.
Creepy Jim will be able to get under it wearing a top hat!
Anyone seen the FB account of these Zoomers? link to m.facebook.com
Quite remarkable..
That reminds me, my copy of Phase IV hasn’t arrived yet. Maybe Thursday or Friday by the looks of things.
Are these newspapers really throwing in the towel, or do they want us to think that it is all over so some will not turn up to vote?
Must get the vote out to win. We are very close. No slacking now!
Liemstone, milstone or stone-of-density?
Paula Rose 12:36 pm
Is it a tombstone, headstone or gravestone?
I think it’s a capstone. Basically, dig a big hole, throw all the useless Labour MPs in and lay the stone flat on top so they can’t get out again.
Ealasaid:
I was thinking the same when the Sun ‘came out ‘ for SNP . Then next day saying that 6 or 7 of their red tories were safe. That and the ‘interview’ between Smurph and Sally Magnusson ( a complete turnaround for her ).Was it a put up job to appear that its a done deal…..no need to vote.
No slacking now!
Thurr aboot tae toapull, jist anithurr wee shuv needit.
Gaun yoan SNP.
Purge, yoan leein tossurrs.
On 8th May they’ll be headlining with ‘it was us wat won it!’
Curran, Alexander and Murphy are massive assets for the SNP. Let’s hope they keep their seats. Exposed as the last redoubt of right-wing corporatism in Scotland they will play an important part in its destruction.
I’m considering joining the Slab so that I can vote for the new leader – Ms Baillie please.
Jackie Baillie has been airbrushed out of this campaign. Either that, or someone crammed her into the Memory Hole.
I haven’t bought a newspaper for years. The referendum run up proved the amount of shite that was printed in the MSM was enough to fill the new gas tanks at Grangemouth several times over. Who needs North Sea Oil when you could fuel a nation with this.
Don’t buy any of them. Utter crap produced by self serving editors and journalists after your honest pound. Remember, Scotland would have voted yes if it wasn’t for the BBC and the scaremongering MSM drivel.
Gallstone, menhere or obelrisk?
@ Ian Brotherhood 9.13pm
I’m a constituent of Jackie Baillie, and though I don’t vote for her I’ve always found her polite and personable if politically misguided.
I also have it on fairly reliable info that she has recently endured some pretty heavy personal issues which to be frank I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
12 what? I really do not think we have 13 pandas here, so something has gone adrift in your reckoning. Maybe you are getting your parliaments mixed up. Easy mistake. NOT! (Seriously, WTF?)