How modern journalism works
It is, in fairness, a fairly slow time for politics news at the moment. But it’s striking all the same to open this morning’s papers and see almost all of them running what’s not only basically the exact same story, but also the exact same groundless spin on it.
THE SCOTSMAN: “Jim Murphy tells Scots Labour to back tax powers”
DAILY RECORD: “Labour leadership frontrunner Jim Murphy set to back full income tax-raising powers for Holyrood”
THE HERALD: “Murphy to support handing full income tax powers to Holyrood”
THE TIMES: “Murphy calls for full income tax devolution”
STV NEWS: “Labour candidate Murphy calls for ‘full devolution of income tax'”
EVENING TIMES: “Murphy in call for full devolution of income tax”
There’s only one thing conspicuously missing from all of the stories – a quote from Jim Murphy saying he backs the devolution of full income tax powers to Holyrood.
Murphy was asked the question directly just two days ago on Sunday Politics Scotland and completely bodyswerved it with some vague non-committal waffle that amounted to a fobbing-off of responsibility for the decision to the Smith Commission. And if you search the stories in today’s papers, the only thing you’ll find that even approaches a concrete quote is this:
“Even before the Smith Commission reports, we should agree to the full devolution of income tax to Scotland, if that is what emerges.”
Our emphasis, there. But it’s exactly what he said on Sunday, and in essence it’s nothing but an abdication of responsibility. Yet every newspaper makes an unqualified statement of Jim Murphy’s personal view that’s backed by no visible evidence.
It’s almost as if, cynical readers might be forgiven for thinking, Murphy’s press team had sent out an identical press release to all of the media’s most sympathetic Labour hacks – Magnus Gardham, Torcuil Crichton, Severin Carrell, Andrew Whitaker – and they’d all printed it with only the most superficial of edits.
It seems abundantly clear that none of the bylined reporters have been given the full speech. All the stories carry the same inconclusive quotes, such as “It is a clear signal to Scotland that we have changed” without any quoted indication of what “it” is, or “This will result in there being no hiding place for those who want to talk about radical politics but then fail to deliver them” with no quoted indication of what “this” is. Yet all of them magically reach identical conclusions.
Not a single word that’s actually quoted couldn’t equally be applied to Labour’s official devolution plan of partial control of income tax. When the speech is delivered later today it might turn out to be more unequivocal but on the basis of the actual evidence supplied it’s still the same hedged, fudged, evasive, base-covering position. After all, if Murphy was going to unambiguously back full income tax devolution, why not just say so clearly and simply on Sunday in front of a nationwide audience?
The fact that none of the stories in the media this morning press Murphy for such a straight answer illustrate that none of the reporters actually spoke to him. They were fed exactly what Murphy wanted them to print and they ran it obediently.
(The Scotsman in fact did it two days running. Yesterday it ran a piece headlined “Jim Murphy backs full devolution of income tax”, in which diligent readers would have read on to find the reality was the rather less definitive statement “Mr Murphy refused to rule out supporting the devolution of all of income tax”.)
It’s perhaps also worth noting in passing that Jim Murphy’s view on the full devolution or otherwise of income tax to Holyrood is a matter of supreme irrelevance to anything. He’s currently just a backbench MP with no particular influence on Labour policy, and if he does succeed in becoming Scottish branch-office leader he’s pledged that he’ll sit at Holyrood rather than Westminster, so if Labour win the 2015 election he’ll have no say at all in the government that actually passes the devolution legislation.
Anyone seeking an explanation for why people have reacted so enthusiastically to the launch of The National might like to reflect not on whether it supports one particular position, but perhaps on the fact that readers are just desperately clinging to anything that might offer the hope of something approaching actual journalism.
Perhaps he will change his mind on Trident too? He appears willing to do anything for a vote. Can’t wait for the DR spin on that.
Evidence?? Evidence? Since when did the press need evidence before spouting propaganda? Evidence based journalism is rare nowadays.
This is SLab promoting Murphy’s leadership, nought more, nought less.
Is this proof that newspapers are now staffed with establishment scribes just echoing the press releases from Party Central?
There seems to be no attempt at analysis, no questioning the statement, no unique insight or editorial.
It smacks of an Editorial cartel! Who is now pulling the strings on what seems to be a central press agency control office and what is their agenda?
Project Fear has now mutated into Project Control.
The masses, the press next up the Internet A!
This is one of the key reasons that the referendum was lost. There were daily press releases from the no campaigners and all were obediently printed in the newspapers without any investigative process.
Here is another example, Murphy’s PR people send out press release and it’s printed without any in depth analysis.
It is as though the unionist media is telling the Murph what to say…
Have we been here before?
I was wondering if I’d missed something. The Grauniad does the same thing: link to theguardian.com
There is the tale of a man who ends up in hell. He has a choice of three doors.
Approaching one he hear terrible screams, and decides he won’t go in that one.
At the next there is the crackling sound of fire and the smell of burning, he decides not to look in.
At the third there is quiet and just he sound of clinking cups. He opens the door and there is a vast room of people drinking tea and standing up to their ankles in shit.
He thinks, “Well I can cope with this for the rest of eternity”, and goes in. No sooner is he in and the devil in charge says, “Right, tea break over, back to standing on your heads.”
With the help of the media the Labour Party are still at the tea break stage.
The parcel o rogues continue to this day.
Is it for silver or fear that they all toe the party line?
Who gives a flying ….
… squirrel what Jim Murphy’s personal view is.
On two counts this story and its spin, falls flat on its face. Firstly regardless of Mr Murphy’s personal opinion (and I doubt he would support any powers or responsibilities heading to Holyrood) and regardless of whether he becomes the local branch manager, Labour HQ will decide what Labour’s policy is.
Secondly full responsibility over income tax (even if gifted), would seem the biggest of fiscal, political and constitutional bear traps waiting to happen. It would surely prove a burden on the Scottish budget and tax payer, harmful without full tax varying powers and full control of all revenue streams and welfare. The whole fiscal powers of a country are required for the effective and balanced running of an economy, yet the papers peddle this bullshit line that income tax responsibility on its Jack Jones is a big deal.
It’s just more UKOK press grooming. It’ll be a miracle if they devolve all income tax to Holyrood so they won’t but they’ll sell it like they have. Our imperial masters know what’s best for us and what we should think, BBC says pooling and sharing resources across teamGB for your own safety and security. You did vote NO for it silly little Scotland region.
Succulent lamb for the truculent bam.
Will The National refuse to accept or reprint (spin) press releases from political parties?
All this Murphy media attention tells us that London has chosen its man, and the ‘media’ is being used to achieve their selection
Why does no serious journalist in Scotland refer to this article where Murphy opposes devolving 100% income tax but it was ancient history on 3rd November 2014 as a week is a long time in political journalism
link to thetimes.co.uk
To: Blair McDougall
From: The Scottish MSM
Subject: Today’s News
Message:
Hi Blair
Can you tell us what today’s news is?
Thanks
The Scottish MSM
Are these media outlets even aware that they are writing cheques murphy can’t cash?
This is as much a disservice to No supporters as anyone else. It’s tiresome to find these fibs in an article. Makes you wonder what information they leave out
Big Jim Murphy doesn’t like getting besmirched.
I think all you besmirchers will be on the Big Jim Murphy besmircher list. wooooohoooohooo!
From your piece above Stu,
“Even before the Smith Commission reports, we should agree to the full devolution of income tax to Scotland, if that is what emerges.”
Huh? So they’re going to agree to full devo before Smith reports, but only if thats what emerges? So how does that work then? How can they agree to anything before its published when they’re waiting to see “what emerges”.
How could any “journalist” even pass this without a query? Maybe their wee brains started to hurt with the circular argument spinning around.
Colour me confused…
Full control over income tax seems like a distraction from what we really need which is control over things like VAT even if it means keeping it at the same level as the UK but collecting and keeping and spending it here. Then if our economy is doing well and people spend more Scotland benefits through tax collected.
The block grant will be reduced whatever is devolved so it is probably a no win situation except that indyref2 will be easier if we already collect our own taxes, run our own welfare and distribute all our pensions!
FFA/DevoMax is the easiest and least messy solution.
Doesn’t really matter what he thinks, does it? Once elected he’s getting his orders from London.
Thankfully we have The National now !
I have came to the conclusion that scottish Labour party leadership has come to this, lets start saying say we back everything the SNP openly backs, whatever ! we are just a branch office we have no real power to think for ourselves because we aren’t genetical capable of making political descions so let us just let our smart westminster collegues sort that out for us even if there are people starving to death we will give them a year to think about it, so Jim is the man for the job he will sort out all the confussion, great front man, amazing fake tan, grey coverage so natural ! and those eyebrows needed a litte tweeking, good this will just make Independence happen quicker than you can say Irn Bru crate!
A cynic might say think that the Westminster Labour machine have already installed Murphy regardless of what the other two think. Boyack takes the Brown position on this. If any of the three appeared sanguine about full income tax powers it was Findlay (of the Labour will not replace Trident fame)
Wings over Scotland, does what it says on the tin, politics with jokes.
@Brian Powell 10.21. I have embarrassed myself in an incident involving tea, dippy biscuits and your vision of hell.
Did Jim make a submission to the Smith Commission, has he had to send in revisions as each day passes. The Beeb says he calling on his party to… fill in the blanks yourselves, much as Neil is calling on Labour to end Trident. I call on all wingers to lend me a couple of grand.
Only two more sleeps and the commission will be in print and the media will be in a state of flux and the unionists will be in a state of panic, knowing that even any small “concession” to the Jocks will have headquarters in a state of apoplexy.
Roll on the general Election.
Murphy is to repeat the same line in his speech: “Even before the Smith Commission reports, we should agree to the full devolution of income tax to Scotland, if that is what emerges.”
If that doesn’t emerge from the Smith Commission, then what will be Labour’s position?
Maybe he will make it a vow!
Yup, a general release to the press by the Slab spin office.
We know well what our MSM are, how can we forget. They are continuing the anti SNP line and Murphy is their present puppet, who they hope, with little chance, to dent the SNP.
Labour, Slab, MSM, seem to forget we have their number, recent history proves their deceit, we will not forget.
I think the National ought to print these press releases AND head them up as a press release received from XYZ.
Yes, but given the lower wages in Scotland (compared to London), devolving full income tax will mean far *less* money for Scotland once the Barnett formula is cut by population share, which is why we need our oil income to offset it.
Are any of these so-called journalists going to investigate how having control of just income tax without all the other sources of revenue might actually be harmful to Scotland? Do they even care or do they just want an excuse to be able to blame the SNP government for all Scotland’s economic and social woes?
Full income tax powers is an economic poison chalice for Scotland and these so called journalists dont give two hoots. They would rather Scotland experienced further economic hardship as long as it means Labour regaining power, it’s all they care about.
These tax raising powers will only result in Scotland being forced to raise the amount we spend on our so called “freebies” via extra income tax. How does that sound, no voters? You will be paying tax twice for exactly the same public spending as we get now, and Westminster will get off the hook again by telling middle England that we only get free tuition and prescriptions because we pay a higher rate of tax than they do. Despite the fact that Scotland already contributes more per head than we get back. We’ll be contributing EVEN MORE.
Suck it up no voters.
By the way, if I were the Scottish Government and we do get these powers, the first thing I’d do is raise the level of tax that private landlords pay on their unearned rental income.
Finally, don’t Labour voters realise that this push to have Murphy elected as Scottish Branch leader Is about securing Westminster control of the Scotland branch? Why do you think the London owned media are pushing so hard for it? It’s not in your best interests, Labour people. If you can’t see that you deserve all you get.
It gets worse when you reflect on the fact that when Murphy has confessed to holding an actual policy position on devolving income tax it has been to parrot the Lamont/Brown spin on ‘pooling and sharing’. Brown and Darling clearing the decks helps Murphy dance his way round round jaggy nettles. Smith will undoubtedly go for income tax despite this not being Labour’s preference – the backing of the Tories and Lib Dems as well as Greens and SNP make it a given. Whoever becomes branch manager will want to appear progressive rather than be judged as reluctantly dragged to a accepting a position they tried to block. Labour are not listening – they are playing leadership games. Murphy knows there are plenty of MPs hostile to full devolution of income tax and others in the party who were convinced by the Gordon Brown line that “Scotland” (eh…Labour) would be weakened by Holyrood acquiring the tax. So what does ‘The Prince’ (aspiring) do? Uses his Court to disseminate a counter-intuitive yarn that paves the way for Jimbo to unflinchingly accept the conclusions of Smith as if it embodied his position all along without actually saying it publically and risking electoral college alienation. Helps to have more faces than the town clock; though I did think the two-headed Labour-llama cartoon I saw this morning was fitting. You are 100% correct Stuart. Mainstream meeja in Scotland is suffering A Poverty of Political Journalism. It is not the SNP that’s intent on rerunning the politics of the referendum – it is Labour and allies such as Gardham and Clegg.
BBC radio Scotland 10am newsadded to Murphy wanting Income tax powers devolved…then added the official Labour position is they want Tax spread throught the UK …
It’s another dirty trick, trying to hang on to votes . If they get into power they will perform another U Turn (via an inquiry / report) and Scotland won’t get full income tax power.
@gillie
at10:49am
“If that doesn’t emerge from the Smith Commission, then what will be Labour’s position?”
Easy peasy. Labour will blame the Smith commissioner!
(MsM establishment collective) “oh shit, the nats are ahead in all the polls lets see what we can do to get our puppet masters back in front!”
Quite funny watching them all squirm, if we get more pro Scotland MP’s than rule Britannia unionist benefit claimants in the GE it will be comedy gold to see the reaction. Until then keep up the good work folks.
As a former part time newspaper reporter, couldn’t join NUJ as only part time, so was not a journalist and at the time at my newspaper you couldn’t get full time job unless you were a member of the NUJ!
That’s by the way …point is that even then reporters met up and discussed stories / sports events etc before typing their stories (it was long time ago!)which meant that often a similar emphasis was put on a story.
As in other jobs journalists are under pressure to do more in less time so don’t research stories when given press releases. However no excuse when Google and other tools, including Wings back catalogue, now exist rather than relying on their own newspapers archives which is the first and often port of call.
The same applies to the BBC in Scotland, having got rid of the good experienced journalists, who are relying on fresh faced interns who haven’t a scooby.
Commission not commissioner
bring back the edit button.
” …abrogation of responsibility.”
There, fixed it for you
You’re welcome
And anyway, as mentioned on Twitter, unless the Scottish Government has its own treasury into which tax and duty revenues can be paid DIRECTLY, it’s all a smoke and mirrors affair.
There is practically no chance of Westminster agreeing to that (our own treasury), along with the full decoupling of economic activity up here from that of the London based treasury functions. That needs to be the starting point for any meaningful self funding state. Only then would scrapping the Barnett Formula (that is looks nothing like its original form) make sense.
Unionist Parties have taken one lesson from the Referendum…..In Scotland They get away with big lies …lots of them….. Why stop!
Aye, Murphy rides to the rescue yet again, dragging the Red Tories behind him. He has a pretty good PR team. Combined that with a bunch of lazy, useless, non-investigative unionist journalists, who are only too happy to publish his spin, word for word (almost), then you have a formidable Murphicator machine.
The other candidates for the SLAB leadership (I can’t even remember who they are now!) may as well throw in the towel. They have nae chance.
Press Release?
more like
Press Contain!
Did he offer a Vow yet?
We’ll all be watching, agog, when the three UK Labour (Jocks’ branch) are wheeled out again tonight onto the telly, this time STV’s turn, to give UK Labour a freebie party political broadcast, and derogate the SNP (bad) unchallenged. They all have yet another cjance to say, ad nauseum, why they should be the glove puppet to follow puppet-master Milliband’s covert orders.
The SNP’s imperial masters are the voters of Scotland (and possibly Berwick)…
UK Labour’s ‘imperial masters’ are millionaire Ed Milliband [who refused to answer BBC questions on his actual wealth]. Furthermore, Ed’s shadow cabinet has at least 7 more hand-picked millionaires. Look at the Shadow Depute Prime Minister, Harriet Harman. British EStablishment through and through. Her great grandfather was Joseph Chamberlain, the leading imperialist of his day, in charge of the 2nd Boer War (concentration camps introduced for men, women & children), also of course related to Neville Chamberlain Tory PM, her uncle was Lord Longford, her cousin, novelist Lady Antonia Fraser. harman’s father was a Harley St surgeon and she went to exclusive public girls’ school, St Paul’s and graduated in lawyer from York Uni., but like many in govt has never held a REAL job in her life. Just what DOES Harriet Harman have in common or empathy with a single mum getting by on Maryhill’s foodbank?
Then there is Ed Balls, educated at private, boys Nottingham High whilst his ‘socialist’ dad advocated abolishing the 11+ exam in England!
Murphy has also never held a REAL job in his life either, spending 9 years at uni, leaving with ‘b a’, ie bugger all, he went from NUS, helping Blair to abolish free higher education in Scotland and being rewarded with a show-in Labour seat. PLease, oh please, STV, tonight, SOMEONE ask Murphy just what he did for 9 years at Uni before dropping out, without a single qualification, straight into a cushy trough of expenses etc. on which (despite his skeletal, lantern-jawed vizog, he has gorged upon ever since, on a breathtaking scale.
Should the Scottish tax payer not get a refund for these wasted 9 years? After all, Murphy benefited from a free higher education system, which he then helped abolished for future generations of Scottish kids. That’s Murphy’s right wing Blairite, Red Tory, legacy to Scotland.
Scottish Labour: no longer can we be accussed of being led by Westminster, oh no, we now lead by following a Tory Lord who is acting purely in Westminsters interests.
Confused, we are, you soon will be.
Regarding tax raising powers in Scotland.
Will we be able to keep tobacco taxes, alcohol duty, fuel duty, VAT, Motor Vehicle Road Fund Taxes,TV licence fees, airport / flight taxes, betting / gambling taxes, inheritance taxes?
Will we get power over what is presently called Crown Estates and the income from this?
Will we be able to raise cash by having Scottish Premium Bonds, Scottish National Lottery?
Will we establish a Scottish Bank that we trust?
How many more income streams do Westminster have that can be kept in-house in Scotland.
I think we can kiss the Barnett formula bye bye at some point!
Tax and spending powers. The majority in Scotland are waiting for the promised full fiscal autonomy.
Total tax raised in UK £490Billion. Total taxes raised in Scotland £53Billion+ (revenues going through UK City of London HQ’s). Scotland loses £10Billion+ to Westminster rule. £4Billion lost in Oil tax revenues (increased 11% ie £2Billion in 2011), £1.5Billion on illegal wars/Trident. £1.5Billion could be saved by a tax on ‘loss leading’ cheap alcohol. £4Billion repayments on money Scotland doesn’t borrow or spend. Westminster borrows and spends £110Billion – £10Billion more pro rata. The repayments on Westmister borrowing is £52Billion a year.
ConDems have just increased by £Millions the spend on nuclear weapons in Scotland, without Westminster consent. People are being sanctioned and walking to food banks. It’s disgusting.
Handclapping,
What an excellent idea.
‘I think the National ought to print these press releases AND head them up as a press release received from XYZ.’
Have you suggested it to them?
Jim knows what the Smith Commission is going to recommend. Smith’s report was attached to his job spec.
Restlessnative @ 10.31
Chapeau sir – post of the day by a mile.
They’re counting on the hard-of-thinking, also being hard-of-remembering. People will still swallow labour lies hook line & sinker and it’s long past time we get on the front foot and stop being mealy mouthed about exposing labour lies. (wings being the exception of course).
Why do the SNP support full income tax being devolved if it is a poisoned chalice?
‘Pooling and sharing’ has cost Scotland a £220 Oil Fund. For naught.
Unionist politician free by 2016
Vote SNP/Alliance 7/5/15
Independence by 2020
I’ve come to the conclusion that the poor level of journalism in these pro-Union comics shouldn’t be a problem because readership is low and dropping. However, it is a big problem because broadcast media have lowered their standards of journalism so far, that all they do is repeat what the newspapers say. Together the BBC, STV, Sky influence a lot of people. And, it is a big issue for democracy when they just trot out the same unresearched rubbish. There can be no democracy without balanced investigative journalism to hold all public office bearers to account.
I fully supported The Murph’s labour leadership bid. Can anyone think of a better representative for a band of thoroughly discredited, selfish, greedy, lying, career-politician have-been parasites on the verge of getting their dirty arses thoroughly kicked?
Go for it Murph, its almost poetry.
Yeaterday morning scotsman.com had 2 Devo Income Tax stories in the Scotland Section – one quoting Darling as being opposed to Full Devo of it and the other quoting Murphy as supporting Full Devo of Income Tax accompanied as usual with yet another new photo of Mr. Sincerity.
Funnily enough on accessing the site in late afternoon the Murphy item had been disappeared (not even moved to the Politics Section).
General Dreedle would be pleased.
Muttley, muttley – it’s another crack in the wall that’s why. Personally I don’t think tax will be devolved – Westminster will block it – another crack in the wall!
@muttley79
I suspect because they committed themselves to taking back any and all powers, as and when on offer. However in this instance I also suspect we’ll have a fair bit of horse trading to go through yet before we see what form WMs final offer will be. Most importantly the number of MPs sent down in May will play a huge deciding role in those negotiations vis a vis bargaining power available to the SG.
Its also a safe bet that of the 14k+ submissions very few would have backed the gifting of responsibility for income tax only.
The commission, to have any legitimacy, must reflect the bulk view of those submissions as well as taking into account the opening positions of the political parties and two governments involved. If it doesn’t, then HMGs credibility and the result of the referendum would suffer an almost immediate hammer blow.
“Radical politics”,that old chestnut. We had an opportunity to move on with radical politics,but a party was posted missing when the people were ready to be radical,and one prominent member was actually against “radical politics”.
I wonder if smurph has read this and if he has I doubt he gives a damn.
Dear Messrs Cameron, Clegg & Miliband
Living up to the vow: the wholesale devolution of welfare
As your party representatives enter the final week of Smith Commission negotiations, we want to remind you about the vow you made to the people of Scotland to give Scotland significant new powers.
link to scvo.org.uk
muttley79 says:
25 November, 2014 at 11:25 am
Why do the SNP support full income tax being devolved if it is a poisoned chalice?
It puts us on collision course with Westminster. If we have control of income tax it will mean the Barnet Formula will constantly come under pressure from Westminster. My guess is Nicola is looking forward to Westminster trying to remove or reduce Barnett.
It sets us on a path towards a choice of stay in UK and loose Barnett or Indy or at least constant winging from Westminster about Barnet. Which gives us a constant platform to inform the voter why Barnet exists…to give us some of our own money back.
Best thing to do here is to point out that the devolution of income tax powers to Scotland is very much an irrelevance as it represents a very small part of Scotland’s revenues, it is already collected anyway and the only power it gives is to allow us to tax ourselves more highly (with the certain effect of having our Barnetts cut (ooo that sounds painful).
We are lending credibility to a sleight of hand by discussing it in the wrong terms.
O/T
I note a big punt coming steadily in the media for Ruth Davidson. As the Labour Party collapses in Scotland they are preparing another line of defence for the union.
Surely the opinion of the branch manager elect is no substitute for a press statement from miliband? The fact that the unionist regurgitate this press release from mcternan without questioning it or indeed asking the Labour Party head quarters in London to even clarify their position, is actually quite scary
What %age of the total Scottish tax take is realised by income tax? Anyone know?
it’s all maybe’s and might be able too’s.
saying that they have changed means they were wrong before.
he says slabs have changed, but what is the end product of that change, that they will end poverty?
will they now tell us how they will end poverty?
why did they not think ending poverty was a good idea before their “change”?
how does their change of heart and/or mind, redistribute wealth, create real jobs, bring social economic and environmental justice?
what is it that they think they have heard?
we don’t need them to listen anymore, we already have strong communication’s with powerful and influential others, the snp, ssp, scotgreens, RIC, etc etc, who agree with us.
we are the change.
They may give some income tax control,but you will pay for it elsewhere. Deep inside the deal,some wee clause will scupper any real power just as is usually the case. Only independence will get Scotland the powers needed to serve our society.
The very last thing publishers of propaganda such as The Herald, The Scotsman or the Daily Record need, is verifiable facts.
All that is required is a mannequin which they can dress up in whatever fancy or ridiculous costume they please.
In this case, Murphy seems only to happy to play the part & allow the editors to window dress him.
Although one would be forgiven for thinking that the pantomime season apparently runs all year.
The national should ask London labour to clarify, when they ignore them, run a front page exclusive pointing out that ed millibanc refuses to back the commissions findings. The unionists need to be forced into stating thier positions, the opinion of a no mates back bencher are worthless
Independence supporters will easily recognize unionist propaganda in favour of Westminster’s Murphy. Murphy is hoping some Findlay supporters will believe the propaganda and vote for him, the parachute boy. Either way the Labour party in Scotland is decisively split.
Unspinning the spin no one does it quite like the Rev.
You would appear to be confusing unionist hacks from msm with journalists.
How now Brown Vow.
Murphy backs the bombing of brown people.
What’s in a name?
Magnus Gardham, Torcuil Crichton, Severin Carrell – good comrades all…
@David Stevenson
Income tax as a % of total tax income in Scotland is given as 27.4% according to HMRC figures for 2013/14.
HMRC uses different accounting methods than the SG GERS figures, these methods result in an appearance of Scotland raising less tax of course!
link to gov.uk
Good to see the variety and diversity of our free press here, as opposed to the McPravda launched yesterday.
@David Stevenson
Income tax in Scotland 2012-13 was £10.87bn out of a total of £53.15bn.
Or 20.4%
This is 7.4% of UK income tax, so quite a bit lower than the 9.1% of overall UK taxation paid by us.
The Scotsman and the Daily Record both promoting Murphy? Why? Oh, yeah, I forgot: the tory-backed Scotsman thinks he’ll damage labour in Scotland and want him in at all costs, and the Record is daft enough to think he’ll be an asset to labour in Scotland, and want him in at all costs. The sooner this pseudo-politician is consigned to the dustbin of history the better.
They seek them here
they seek them there
those dedicated followers of policy
Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
There’s one thing that he loves and that is flattery.
One week he’s in Westminster, the next week he is in Holyrood.
‘Cause he’s a dedicated follower of policy.
From BBC Scotland’s report on the Mitchell Library Murphy speech:
Mr Murphy told an audience of supporters at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow that full devolution of tax powers would be as important for the Scottish Labour party “as the changing of Clause IV was for the UK Labour party”.
Note the careful use of a quoted part linked to a non quoted part to make it look like Murphy actually said something.
BBC/ SLab collusion? You bet.
Would you trust Jim Murphy?
Now that is a question that everyone connected to the Labour party in Scotland will be asking.
Murphy is like a weather vane – a large cock that follows the direction of the political wind.
just spotted a copy of the National on a work collegues desk.
smiled as i went past but maybe a Labour supporter finding out what all the fuss is aboot.
Either way publicity seems to be working.
Isn’t it obvious that Jim Murphy has been deliberating on the devolution of income tax long and hard, and at 2 minutes to midnight has finally worked out the best way forward for the Scottish people.
He must be waiting with bated breath on Citizen Smith’s findings. If only he had some inside information on what the findings would be, he could have made this monumental volte face with some confidence that he wasn’t going to end up with egg on his shirt!
But no sir. Here is a man of integrity, not afraid to speak his mind and put the electorate first. In this age of spin, briefing, self interest and party politics we finally have a man of principle!
How lucky we are to have the gentlemen of the press ramming Murphy’s coupon in our face and bigging him up. After all, without them we might not understand Murphy and might just mistake him for the worst kind of Blairite red tory zealot and show him the door.
The power of a Murphy press release, the new Darling of the media
To repeat what others have said ; anything short of full fiscal powers is a BEAR TRAP.
Any variation of tax upwards is suicide unless advantageous social outcomes are obvious. We cannot have good social outcomes unless all revenue streams and all social security is within our control. To exemplify we only need to look at Alex Salmond arguing for better child care so that the increase in tax take from more women in work can be returned to the Scottish economy.If that money is returned to the UK Treasury they continue to rob us.
Please don’t shoot me down, but, do we the people not have the last word on whatever the Smith Commission and HoC cobble together. Do we just accept whatever crumbs that are thrown our way? I believe that if we don’t like it we take to walking en mass to Westminster. They would surely notice 1.6 million very loud,rebellious Scots making as much noise that it would be heard all the way to the Highlands and Islands. This is how we tell them..you do our bidding, we employ you and if you don’t you will be standing in the queque for the dole.
I think I’m a bit of an activist…never realised that before!
@ Macart at 11.40
Good post but one point- I wasn’t aware that HMG had any credibility! At the ripe old age of 62 you’d think I would have noticed it by now. Nah-epic fail.
Cuilean -excellent rant & I bet you enjoyed that-I certainly did
@ Lollysmum
Awe hell, we know it has zero credibility, but apparently there are a few bods out there who require convincing otherwise.
@Muttley79, 11.25
The SNP don’t just want all income tax devolved. Here’s an extract from the Scottish Government’s submission to the Smith Commission, More Powers for the Scottish Parliament
Full fiscal responsibility for the Scottish Parliament: all tax revenues should be retained in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament should have policy responsibility for all taxes unless there is a specific reason for a continued reservation. In particular, the Scottish Parliament should have full autonomy for income tax, national insurance, corporation tax, capital gains tax, fuel duty, air passenger duty and inheritance tax
The Scottish Parliament should be responsible for all domestic expenditure – including welfare – and make payments to the UK Government for reserved services
It’s a good read. If we had full fiscal autonomy, we would not need the Barnet formula.
murphy knows fine well we will not get full tax powers.he is only advocating this nonsense because he wants elected.
Can we have some pics of journalists working?
Only one word to describe the new Slab leader. Jim Muphy is a complete… Tosser!!!
Rev – “Slow time for political news” what?! The last couple of months have been anything but slow imo.