We’re back in the archives again today, because there’s still no news. (The Herald is desperately trying to whip up outrage over trains arriving 61 seconds late, and David Torrance has finally turned up at the “OMG YES MOVEMENT SPLIT” party just as the last stragglers are heading home and the hosts are going to bed.)
And we’re particularly enjoying this one, for a whole list of reasons:
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.
willie on The Turning Point: “Sadly we have seen the plunder of a country’s resources before for the benefit of others. That is what empire…” Sep 30, 09:19
willie on The Turning Point: “¬”the infrastructure to capture all this “free” leccy is being mostly paid for by others – English bill payers, multinational…” Sep 30, 09:02
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “It’s truly extraordinary to see the differences between the reviews of Andeh’s stage performance yesterday. Some on the progressive left…” Sep 30, 08:56
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “Back in the day they probably did “used to obstruct and sabotage the Scottish Nationalist movement”. But they’ll have been…” Sep 30, 08:22
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: ““a reported one third of Scotlands electricity” If only that was true, Scotland would be on course to make some…” Sep 30, 08:10
Alf Baird on The Turning Point: “““Civil servants, MI5, Special Branch used to obstruct and sabotage the Scottish Nationalist movement.” Sounds exactly like what occurred in…” Sep 30, 07:50
Willie on The Turning Point: “So planning proposal.has now dropped to build the world’s largest data centre in Scotland. And its power usage will be…” Sep 30, 07:17
Spartan 117 on The Turning Point: “@Hatey 6:42pm Don’t get me started on Silliband/Mahatma Andy’s bungling on Pallet Line. Another fine mess completely irrelevant to our…” Sep 29, 21:02
Hatey McHateface on Cowering From Destiny: ““Independent Ireland has remained neutral for the last century thereby avoiding being dragged into Imperial England’s 80 or so colonial…” Sep 29, 20:35
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “Stick to making soup, Dan. There’s no reason for alert readers to question your claims that you know your soup.…” Sep 29, 20:23
Dan on The Turning Point: “Ach, as stated before, Scotland doesn’t need to be spending billions on defence when we jist need to deploy our…” Sep 29, 20:04
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “Not smart enough, too tarnished, and toxic. Yet she’s going on the lecture circuit and you’re not. I guess you’re…” Sep 29, 20:03
Bilbo on The Turning Point: “So the State asset is going on the lecturing circuit? Guess it’s the only thing left to her. She isn’t…” Sep 29, 19:31
Aidan on The Turning Point: “Oh I agree the Europeans should be taken much more of the cost of this (although they are for the…” Sep 29, 19:16
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “All those words, Bob, just to say you’re ignoring me. Have you ever sat down and counted all the times…” Sep 29, 18:51
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: ““marched us headlong into a conflict that was absolutely nothing to do with us and without regard to the consequences”…” Sep 29, 18:42
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “What’s conventional defense, CC? Whatever your answer is, if you know anything about the subject at all, it’ll be a…” Sep 29, 18:35
twathater on The Turning Point: “Here we go again give your vote to someone other than the snp who best represents your feelings, lend your…” Sep 29, 18:23
Spartan 117 on The Turning Point: “Sorry, I vociferously reject the idea that the defence of U is a “strategic objective” for *us*. It *might* be…” Sep 29, 18:15
Hatey McHateface on The Turning Point: “““Tax cuts for the rich, benefit cuts for the poor” he cries” Except the rich aren’t getting tax cuts. And…” Sep 29, 18:13
Captain Caveman on The Turning Point: “@Aidan That’s not to say, however, that we shouldn’t be spending money on our OWN (conventional) defence (not someone else’s),…” Sep 29, 17:59
Hatey Mchateface on Cowering From Destiny: ““Ah dinnae hate you, son; I pity you” Crivens, James, yer maw will hae ye washing yer mooth oot wi…” Sep 29, 17:59
Captain Caveman on The Turning Point: “Don’t you think though, Aidan, if the things you say are true, isn’t it about time that “U”‘s immediate EU…” Sep 29, 17:56
Aidan on The Turning Point: “I will challenge you on this Spartan, the situation in U is extremely serious for all of us in Europe,…” Sep 29, 17:38
James on The Turning Point: “That last was aimed at Adrian, who is cheerleading reducing what is already the lowest -piss poor- state pension in…” Sep 29, 17:30
cirsium on The Turning Point: “Well said Willie 2014 ran them close, closer than we may know and it could not happen again. Given that…” Sep 29, 17:09
Spartan 117 on The Turning Point: “You both raise very sensible points. The fact is the UK are pissing galactic sums of money away on, quite…” Sep 29, 16:47
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on The Turning Point: “Key historical documentary. Video is remarkably still available here and there online. DÌOMHAIR (CONFIDENTIAL) BBC ALBA 2013. Gaelic with English…” Sep 29, 16:45
Captain Caveman on The Turning Point: “Indeed, Spartan. Very true.” Sep 29, 16:39
