In the continuing summer absence of any sort of Scottish politics news (the Sunday papers consist of Michelle Thomson understandably taking a swipe at the SNP in the Sunday Post, the Sunday Times spluttering in impotent fury that Michelle Thomson wasn’t prosecuted, and the Sunday Herald giving a glowing write-up to idiot Tory MSP Annie Wells while savaging sections of the Yes movement yet again – this time “older white men”), we thought you might enjoy a piece from the archives.
Discovered by an alert reader, this 1976 Times article features Labour MP for Basildon Eric Moonman discussing the seemingly-imminent prospect of Scottish devolution, to which he was implacably opposed and instrumental in defeating, ultimately leading to the collapse of a Labour government and the election of Mrs Thatcher.
Today’s edition of The Times contains a textbook example of a phenomenon that we highlight regularly: how newspapers gradually unpick their own dishonest headlines to grudgingly admit a truth which is often the polar opposite of the initial claim.
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?
Captain Caveman on The Land Of No Laws: ““I should have remembered that:” I bet you will remember your “erse” being well and truly handed to you on…” May 21, 11:01
Northcode on The Land Of No Laws: “Christ Almighty, yer an eediot, Cavecreature… an faur tae arrogant fir yer waefu scant intellect. “Dictionaries are useful for correct…” May 21, 10:58
agentx on The Queer Parliament: ““John Swinney has only been First Minister for a day and he has ordered his secretive SNP administration to launch…” May 21, 10:48
Northcode on The Land Of No Laws: “I forgot my own warning and recklessly engaged with a colonialist. I should have remembered that: Ther scarce be a…” May 21, 10:36
Northcode on The Land Of No Laws: ““Northcode is simply a troll…” More of a Scottish liberation supporter and educator , I’d say. But if I had…” May 21, 10:30
Northcode on The Land Of No Laws: “Now the owner of this site might be rightly thinking “you two fucking banging on”… Yet another pathetic “Appeal to…” May 21, 10:12
Aidan on The Queer Parliament: “Oh no this has started up again 🙁” May 21, 09:45
James Che on The Queer Parliament: “Rob. The Anglo- Irish parliament of Westminster for England and Wales…. in Scotland under “their Scotland Act” does indeed have…” May 21, 09:34
James Che on The Queer Parliament: “The ” queer ” English parliament in Scotland under the “English parliaments transferred members” to Westminsters parliament ” … and…” May 21, 09:16
Dan on The Land Of No Laws: “FFS, moderation filter strikes again. I’ll repost as 5ettler Stu never did clear my previous posts that got held in…” May 21, 08:46
sam on The Queer Parliament: “Employment Tribunal case reported on by Tribunal Tweets. Lorna Young v Manchester City Council. The case has been part heard…” May 21, 08:46
Captain Caveman on The Land Of No Laws: ““Dictionaries are useful for correct spellings, but often lack the depth and full meaning behind the words they define.” Oh…” May 21, 08:15
Aidan on The Land Of No Laws: “Will you one day, Geri, share your sources for all of this apparent wisdom and knowledge you have which is…” May 21, 07:36
sarah on The Queer Parliament: “Someone btl said that India doesn’t permit its citizens to stand in another country’s elections. Can we ask the Indian…” May 20, 23:59
Geri on The Queer Parliament: “Exactly. I wrote a post saying basically the same but the gremlins ran away with it. Holyrood is an English…” May 20, 23:31
Alf Baird on The Queer Parliament: “Northcode is right, the only remedy for colonisation is liberation. Everything else is just ‘noise’.” May 20, 22:40
Geri on The Land Of No Laws: “The UK is becoming Totalitarian on two fronts & they’re both connected. Gender ideology & Z ideology. Permeating into every…” May 20, 22:21
jock on The Queer Parliament: “Dugdale, chair of Stonewall, is married to the depute FM. Surely a conflict of interest?” May 20, 22:15
Mark Beggan on The Queer Parliament: “Aye Hatey. Northy’s Brave New World. Even the martians got sick of listening to it.” May 20, 22:04
Rob on The Queer Parliament: “Folk are missing the main point with the two main dodgy characters the greens put in. It is not their…” May 20, 22:01
Red on The Queer Parliament: “We need mass deportations of the Green Party and their idiot supporters. No reason at all why Scots should tolerate…” May 20, 21:39
Northcode on The Land Of No Laws: “What utter piss poor sophistry. Laughable. It’s probably a good idea to take a look at the formal dictionary definition…” May 20, 21:30
Hatey McHateface on The Queer Parliament: “That final sentence. Harsh but fair. Anybody think this new HR 5-year sentence just commenced will impoverish Scots to such…” May 20, 21:10
Alf Baird on The Queer Parliament: ““the UN should step in to break up the UK” That may be wishful thinking, tho international laws on ‘a…” May 20, 21:08
Lorncal on The Queer Parliament: “Twathater: that was always my own misgiving, that views such as Craig Murray’s and others’ would undermine the ‘independence only’…” May 20, 21:06
sam on The Queer Parliament: “Since you ask, Alf, (you probably know already) the answer is yes. Funding education in schools, supporting conversion therapy ban” May 20, 21:05
Hatey McHateface on The Queer Parliament: “Didn’t he live in a hole in the ground too? But please cut Northy some slack. He’s provided us with…” May 20, 21:05
Hatey McHateface on The Queer Parliament: “You forgot to say that only you can see them, Geri. Oh, and the biolabs. You forgot them too.” May 20, 20:58
Hatey McHateface on The Queer Parliament: “@Lorncal I’m afraid you’re wrong and CC is right. We need our own Trump to move fast and break things.…” May 20, 20:48
