Yesterday we noted that nothing had yet been heard from Scottish Labour’s policy review into universal services, launched amid much hoopla in September 2012 off the back of Johann Lamont’s infamous “something for nothing” speech.
The party has spent much of its time since then attacking the SNP over social justice, claiming that universal benefits are a middle-class subsidy, hurting the poor by spending money on giving the well-off free stuff they could afford to pay for.
Those two years have come and gone, and nearly six months more, and there’s been no sign of a single report from the commission. And it turns out there never will be.
The Scottish media’s daily MurphyGram this morning (which is dutifully reported by the Scotsman, Herald, Courier and doubtless more) is that a vote for Labour in next year’s Holyrood election won’t mean a return to tuition fees for university students.
We’re not absolutely sure why a Holyrood election pledge is news just weeks out from a Westminster one, but we’ll let that slide, because we’re more interested – as ever – in what the reports DON’T say.
Scottish Labour’s mustard-keen Kezia “Deputy” Dugdale bravely tried a tweet all on her own on Friday without running it past Labour central office in London first.
The categorical support of Andy Murray for Scottish independence, though only finally unambiguously revealed in today’s Sunday Times (the tennis star’s day-of-poll tweet backing Yes could by a strict semantic interpretation have been said to be somewhat equivocal), isn’t much of a surprise.
So it’s perhaps worth reminding ourselves what the media told us.
Perhaps we’re just being over-sensitive, readers, but we think the Daily Record might be a little bit upset with us.
That’s the editor of the semi-popular Scottish Labour fanzine, Murray Foote, pictured above this afternoon apparently issuing his own very special honours list, but it’s not the crankiest thing the Record’s published in the last 24 hours.
Alert readers may recall that five weeks ago we pointed out a whole bunch of Scottish media outlets reporting as fact that Jim Murphy would definitely stand for the East Renfrewshire seat at May’s general election – despite Murphy having actually made no such announcement, just repeating his weeks-old fudge that he was currently the selected candidate.
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Spot the Sturgeonista. And no, it’s not reasonable at all, nor has the law been correctly applied.” Sep 20, 11:18
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “@Hatey. Who’s suggesting we “sacrifice” anyone? My view is it’s naff all to do with us so we should keep…” Sep 20, 11:16
factchecker on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “James Che says: 20 September, 2026 at 8:49 am Factchecker never checks all facts Guilty as charged. I have not…” Sep 20, 10:42
robertkknight on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Hmmm… it’d not be unreasonable to assume “Janet” works for Police Scotland/COPFS. Did you pen any of the previous responses…” Sep 20, 10:29
DaveL on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Try again, defeated isolated and skint or winning and going to attack the rest of the world?” Sep 20, 10:14
Janet on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Entirely reasonable on the part of the police. You don’t like it, but tough. FoI law has been correctly applied.” Sep 20, 09:43
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Hatey, I know your’e being kind to factchecker, by giving him hints and clues, but perhaps it is better to…” Sep 20, 09:42
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Xaracen, The old Scottish parliament was dissolved in England by the monarch of England declaration on the 28th April 1706.…” Sep 20, 09:31
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “By linking aspects of Scotland’s political and economic situation to institutionalised slavery, demonstrating the cretinous ignorance and self pitying grievance…” Sep 20, 09:18
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “You’ve thrown down the gauntlet for FC to pick up, if he dares. Can we now look forwards to double…” Sep 20, 09:01
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Why are you so keen to get an answer that doesn’t make sense? When you go to the shop, do…” Sep 20, 08:54
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Factchecker never checks all facts but simply avoids those he cannot cope with when they do not fit his narrative,…” Sep 20, 08:49
James Che on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Well done Willie, We do not have politicians nowadays that carry out their employment with due diligence, simple actors maybe,…” Sep 20, 08:31
DaveL on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Oh and by the way Hatey, you didn’t answer my earlier question with anything substantial; I’ll ask again. Are the…” Sep 19, 23:55
DaveL on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “With an apology like that I would expect a weeks worth of self flagellation to be in order as well.…” Sep 19, 23:06
sarah on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “@ Willie: thanks for raising this matter. It is yet another example of the failure by so many people who…” Sep 19, 21:29
Oneliner on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Described as ‘House Jocks’ on Through A Scottish Prism There are many other examples of the subculture” Sep 19, 21:25
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Apology accepted. It was a forced error in the heat of the moment, no more than that. And Alf’s hypocrisy…” Sep 19, 20:40
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “@Spartan My view is that anybody who is willing to sacrifice Ukr, or Isr for that matter, in exchange for…” Sep 19, 20:34
factchecker on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Time for an apology. At at 4.22pm I posted in reply to our learned professor’s delight at Scottish independence being…” Sep 19, 20:06
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “@Hatey – The West collectively is doing its best to actively fan the flames of conflict. The nations involved are…” Sep 19, 19:59
Factchecker on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Ah, now I understand. Being born and bred in Scotland, going to a Scottish comprehensive school and a Scottish university…” Sep 19, 19:58
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “@Factchecker – To be fair to Alf he was merely quoting 2nd hand, however his selection of sources/quotes does raise…” Sep 19, 19:54
Spartan 117 on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “What a lot of keech being spraffed here. Two PMs since 1997 were Scottish, serving a total of 13 years;…” Sep 19, 19:48
Aidan on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Fuck me Alf – so we’ve got Vl@d, perhaps we can look to get; – Bhaal – Bughuul – the…” Sep 19, 19:48
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: ““WM decisions are made by its MPs, not the PM” Jeezo Xaracen. How many suns do you see in the…” Sep 19, 19:13
Willie on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “To change the dial a touch this Saturday evening I was just catching up on the questions being asked in…” Sep 19, 19:12
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “Aw, Dave, it breks ma hert ye’ve nae ither cant tae play wi.” Sep 19, 19:06
Hatey McHateface on A Thousand Islands In The Sea: “No shit, Sherlock, erm, Alf. Who’s this Ambassador Murray boy? I don’t waste my time on X.” Sep 19, 18:57
