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.
Just a quick one-week-on update: thanks to your incredible support, our fundraiser for legal action now stands at a phenomenal £14,683 including all sources. We’re well beyond the initial target of £5000, but since even a modestly-eminent QC costs slightly over £8 a minute, every extra penny helps.
The Yes movement, like almost all movements, is plagued with a small but incredibly loud faction of intolerant, destructive extremists. Alert readers will have noticed that this site has again been the victim of them this week, but we’re not alone. They’ve also gone after two print publications – The National and iScot – over their “transgressions” against the beliefs of these self-appointed arbiters of what people are allowed to think.
What those two outlets and Wings have in common is achievement.
Last month saw the first meeting between the UK Brexit delegation and the EU’s, and by many accounts it fell far short of the UK’s expectations. David Davis spent months drumming up the “strong and stable” approach which would see both the divorce deal and the subsequent post-Brexit trade deal negotiated simultaneously. He was told by everyone that this wouldn’t happen, but simply brushed off the warnings. When push came to shove, he finally accepted that he’d have to negotiate the divorce deal first.
This is just the latest in a long string of failures and ineptitudes over the course of the UK’s handling of the whole farcical process and it got me thinking. If Scotland had voted Yes in 2014, what would it have looked like if the Scottish Government had handled that vote the way the UK has managed Brexit?
Millionaire-funded diehard loyalist forelock-tugging faction Scotland In Union published an extraordinary blog post yesterday.
Its 606 words comprised a sort of Caledonian Cringe Greatest Hits, allegedly penned by someone called Fiona Annesley (of whom we’re told nothing else, and who has no detectable online presence), but the line that particularly caught people’s eye was this:
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.
I went to “Dunkirk” at the cinema today. If you want to know what it’s like, just watch this trailer 40 times in a row and save yourself the £12.
It’s a poor movie, disjointed and aimless and curiously lacking in tension or narrative given the real-life subject matter. (It’s remarkably short on dialogue, which is lucky because you can barely make out any of what little script or story there is from behind the endlessly howling one-note airhorn of the soundtrack. It’s a bit like someone filmed an IKEA assembly manual in live action during a Formula 1 race.)
But I couldn’t help thinking that part of the reason it was so unengaging was because it felt akin to watching a boxing match between two fighters you don’t like. If Mike Tyson took on Tyson Fury, would you cheer for the rapist or the anti-Semitic homophobe?
Hatey McHateface on The shifting sands of memory: ““after they clearly lost Indyref” Of course, Barbie, the Yes campaign won the Indy Referendum. The behaviour of the SNP…” May 22, 21:05
Hatey McHateface on The shifting sands of memory: “The Romans were all gone from Britain, not just Scotland, by 410. The Scots started coming over from Ireland to…” May 22, 20:39
Geri on The shifting sands of memory: “The massive fly in yer ointment is that the Union between Scotland & England wasn’t territorial. What Scotland entered the…” May 22, 20:38
agent x on The shifting sands of memory: “Ah so Scotland is responsible for the evil British Empire. “The British Empire, at its peak, encompassed a vast network…” May 22, 20:24
Scot Finlayson on The shifting sands of memory: “The English needed our soldiers to win themselves an Empire, the Scottish Highlander was known to be the greatest fighting…” May 22, 20:06
Hatey McHateface on The shifting sands of memory: “Haud oan noo, Bob. The regulars on here don’t like “former states of the Soviet Union” “determining their own path”.…” May 22, 19:34
Hatey McHateface on The shifting sands of memory: “According to that article, HMS Glasgow will be followed by another 7 Clyde-built ships of the same design. Looks like…” May 22, 19:27
Marie on The shifting sands of memory: “Yep – merely crumbs off the table – kept to placate elite Scots in the day and used to hoodwink…” May 22, 19:22
agent x on The shifting sands of memory: ““Did any of the above prevent the people of the Republic of Ireland determining their own path? I didn’t think…” May 22, 19:18
James Jones on Just a couple more shots: “‘In law, people are either male or female.’ Also in real life, in nature. You can choose to play-act like…” May 22, 19:04
Hatey McHateface on The shifting sands of memory: ““You have problems matey” Not as many or as serious as you have Barbie, if your post is anything to…” May 22, 19:03
robertkknight on The shifting sands of memory: “Did any of the above prevent the people of the Republic of Ireland determining their own path? I didn’t think…” May 22, 18:50
Aidan on The shifting sands of memory: “@Mia – there are many reasons why Scotland cannot qualify for NSGT status, but the most definitive one is the…” May 22, 18:44
agent x on The shifting sands of memory: ““The Duchess of Rothesay officially named a new Royal Navy warship in Glasgow with a traditional statement – as she…” May 22, 18:20
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: ““but this whole Salvo thing is a total dead end” If you are so convinced it is a dead end,…” May 22, 18:08
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “Alf, Do you know if Salvo have copied the Statement by present Westminster parliament that a debate was held by…” May 22, 18:01
Mia on The shifting sands of memory: ““In which case the people behind it will go silent on this particular initiative” Nonsense. There is absolute no reason…” May 22, 17:53
agent x on The shifting sands of memory: “Can I just check something please? When Scotland decides to walk away from the Union on Monday morning will they…” May 22, 17:34
Northcode on The shifting sands of memory: ““It does matter how it came about” I do believe you are correct, James. But how the last three centuries…” May 22, 17:32
Aidan on The shifting sands of memory: “The hour is 17:04 and Geri has been on the Buckie (probably since 8am). Which despotic regime or famine-inflicted region…” May 22, 17:29
Geri on The shifting sands of memory: ““A response has been received which says “thank you for your submission, this is not a matter within our remit…” May 22, 17:04
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “Northcode. It does matter how it came about, due to the present monarch being the monarch of England and the…” May 22, 16:59
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “Except the Scots did not merge, or become part of Westminsters Great Britain because Westminster state there was no treaty…” May 22, 16:37
Aidan on The shifting sands of memory: “Yes, so here’s the thing, I think that either; a) no response has been received because this has gone into…” May 22, 16:27
Northcode on The shifting sands of memory: “Here’s what I think. And because I’m not a lawyer I’m probably right. It doesn’t matter now if Scotland was…” May 22, 16:21
James Cheyne on The shifting sands of memory: “Lorn, When Westminister state that Scots were not asked to join the treaty even although they were aware they should…” May 22, 16:17
robertkknight on The shifting sands of memory: “What matters, ultimately, is that the people of Scotland should be able to determine their future whenever they see fit,…” May 22, 16:04
Steven Lannigan on The shifting sands of memory: “When the National & Westminster banks ‘merged’ they became the NatWest. Neither the National nor the Westminster exist anymore. Now…” May 22, 15:50