Tiny Correction Watch
The SNP MP for Dumfries and Galloway, Richard Arkless, made a post on Facebook last night in relation to this article in the Scottish Sunday Express three days ago.
You can read it below.
As you may have seen, I was splashed across the front page of the Sunday Express at the weekend with the headline ‘Second SNP MP in probe’.
The allegation was that my small business and I were under investigation and subject to a probe by Trading Standards. A potentially serious allegation.
It also noted that I had resigned as a Director from my small company the day after the minor complaint was made against the company. The inference they attempted to make is clear.
I can confirm that there is no investigation, and I have the proof – in a response from Trading Standards I received today.
I have awaited the evidence before countering these malicious allegations in public. We knew them to be false on Sunday but could not stop the story being published.
In the email from Trading Standards I reproduce below, I asked for confirmation of 6 statements of fact. Trading Standards responses are denoted by ‘A’ and are below my questions.
Richard,
Thank you for your email.
Responses to your points below with an ‘A’ beside them.
1. Can you confirm that neither my company nor I are under investigation or subject to any probe by Trading Standards?
A – Trading Standards have confirmed this to be the case.
2. Can you confirm that you received a log of one issue against my business and made the recommendation that that customer write to my business to resolve the issue?
A – Trading Standards received a notification of a consumer complaint from the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline that required no further action by this service. The consumer had been given civil advice by the helpline and the complaint closed.
3. Can you confirm that Trading Standards received notification of the issue on Wednesday 14th October?
A – Yes, this is correct.
4. Can you confirm that the Express called you to enquire about this on the same day Wednesday 14th October?
A – The Daily Express first made the enquiry on Friday 9 October. No response was issued by Dumfries and Galloway Council. The Daily Express submitted their enquiry for a second time on Wednesday 14 October.
5. Can you confirm that Trading Standards, in the circumstances, had no intention of contacting me about the issue and did not contact me?
A – The complaint had been closed by the CA Helpline before notification to this service therefore no action was deemed necessary. The CA Helpline provided civil law advice to the consumer.
6. Can you confirm that the first contact between Trading Standards and myself was the conversation I had with your offices in Friday 16th October after I called your offices to discuss the matter.
A – Yes, this is correct.
Thanks
[Name redacted]
Communications Manager
Communications Unit
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Dumfries
DG1 2DDThe response from Trading Standards makes clear that there is no investigation and that I had not been in contact with Trading Standards until after I resigned as a director.
I will be lodging a complaint with the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) tomorrow.
Needless to say this had not been a pleasant experience. The allegations are fictitious in the extreme. The most frustrating aspect is how much time it has taken from the job I was elected to do, which is to help the people of Dumfries and Galloway.
We will of course keep an eye out for the paper’s correction, which we anticipate being published in a tiny postage-stamp-sized corner of an inside page some time from now. In the meantime, we suspect readers will agree it deserves a more prominent position.
The intriguing part of this story, which any competent journalist should be looking into, is how the Express was in a position to call D&G Trading Standards about the compaint 5 days before it was made.
Collusion, much?
I was, I believe the Duke of Edinburgh that called the Express ‘That bloody awful newspaper’ back in the 60s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Express
Nothing changes except the increasing demise of its circulation
Odd that the Express contacted Trading Standards on the 9th but the notification of complaint happened on the 14th, and the Express contacted them again that very day.
Is the Express co-ordinating a deliberate Smear campaign by actually getting people to complain ?
I think the answer to who made the complaint is pretty obvious.
The Bnp (British national press). They lie and they lie and they lie and they lie and they lie.
if the complaint didnt go in until The 14th Oct, why was the Express enquiring about it on the 9th and then again on the 14th, the very day it arrived.
Bit of collusion going on…or should that be fabrication?
The Express is like a hood in a gangster film that generally stands at the back nodding in agreement with the top dogs, looking aggressive, but adding nothing original to the storyline. When, in cases like this, it gets itself a wee speaking part, its lack of efficacy is immediately shown up, and is snuffed out immediately. Eugene Pontecorvo in The Sopranos was the one that sprang quickest to mind.
Corrections should the same size, style and position as the original transgression. Always.
Otherwise the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
This was also in the local paper which came out 14th (Lesley Anne can you confirm iv’e thrown paper out).If this is right the “local” had information before the allegation went in
The media don’t really do integrity but if they did corrections and apologies would have the same prominence as the original article; if they accuse someone of a misdeed on the front page the apology should be on the front page. Simple.
What a bunch of conniving, heartless, cheating, lying, non-journalistic fekn toe rags.
How people get taken in by this shit I do not know, and there will be much more to come. Just makes your blood boil.
It’s not about truth. It’s only about smearing.
Job done.
Speaks for itself really. But as a small business I have good relations with my local Trading Standards, who are my “Home Authority”. This makes it easy that any complaint to any Trading Standards will be directed to my local one, and thence to me if neccessary. It would also enable them I guess to see how many, and if neccessary, to visit me and probably give me advice on my complaints handling procedure. Needless to say I’m (we’re) perfect!
I’ve had a few direct complaints, not many, and in most of the cases have “upheld” the customer complaint, leading to improvements in how I do business, and some compensation for the customer, even if just free post or a free product. But a very few aren’t justified, I’ve actually myself contacted Trading Standards to get their advice, and they’ve agreed. In spite of that I did issue replacements – customer satisfaction is worth the odd loss of money on a sale, and you can usually learn something from it, even if it’s that Ts and Cs need improving, or product description clarifying.
My point being that just because something is referred to Trading Standards isn’t any sorf of condemnation of the business involved, and by implying that it is, the Express is showing an astounding ignorance of consumer affairs. In fact I would encourage my customers to approach TS if they weren’t happy with my response. I could be wrong, after all.
We expected this to happen, the full on assault against Scottish democracy.
Half truths and out right lies aren’t working, so now it appears total fabrication is the next tactic by the corpmedia.
The Express should just run with the front page headline, SNP BAD! from now until the final copy rolls off the presses.
It would just save everyone’s time having to read their crap.
You can see now how far the Tory Press will delve into every aspect of the SNP to try and get a smear story, even if they make it up themselves.
Next up it will be John McNally and a complaint about a bad haircut.
I think the chip shop gave me five chips short in my portion.
Trading standards I think!!
Seriously as today is the anniversary of Back to the future,can we assume that the Express has its very own time machine?
If so, then it has a faulty mechanism.
They phone trading standards five days before a complaint was made
They publish 4 days after the official complaint date,knowing that trading standards was taking no action ,but stating that the business was under investigation.
Damned lies.
I hate these people is not the phrase I want to use,but I am mindful of Nicolas request to moderate my language.
I wish he would sue the paper instead of making a complaint.
Latest sales figures:
Scottish Daily Express –
12.4 per cent drop = 47,570 to 41,682;
The Unionist press in Scotland must be run by some right dickheads.
Are the all in a race to see who can hit zero sales first?
It’s ‘The Express’ readers who believe this story who are being conned.
I feel a little bit sorry for them that they can be so easily conned & manipulated.
This story will help these gullible Express readers should they be lucky enough to read it although I expect they might have the same reaction to reading this story as the little three year old had when she discovered Adam Levine got married.
If you weigh a copy of the Daily Express it costs less than toilet paper
Linked to last thread about potential survey
Question for survey.
Do you think that ownership of the press and media from outwith Scotland’s jurisdiction is :
A – of little concern / I trust the press they give us the facts
B – of great concern / I don’t trust the press they publish too much in the form of falsehood & innuendo and generally avoid facts.
The Corporate media are tredding a fine line.
The purpose is to denegrate the SNP. However making up false attacks are showing their hand at what they are up to.
Unfortunately, we can expect more of false claims like this, in their vain attempts to disrupt Scottish democracy.
This my friends is how this insidious “Union” we are in works.
Hope someone will print their timely and fulsome apology for those of us who would rather cut both arms off at the oxters before buying what sounds like yet another Scottish sad excuse of a rag.
It is back to the future maybe the express have a De Lorian
@Seepy
Three possible ways I can think, the Express knew before TS D&G but the complaint had been to consumerhelpline (CACS) before then.
1). Consumer complains to CACS, receives reply, phones Express. Perhas CACS has demurred and they’re not happy, get the papers onboard and get a refund or whatever, perhaps one not merited.
2). Complaint to CACS was from a competitor – this is quie common, as competitors try to remove their competition from the market, or cause them damage.
3). Complaint from a political source.
The media – misleading and directing public perception since the invention of the printing press.
Just dire.
Going back a few years (60 plus!) I’m sure the wee manny on the Express banner used to have chains wrapped around him. The claim was that the chains would be removed when Scotland was free.
Can anyone with a better memory than mine confirm?
Of course, this story pales by comparison with someone telling a multi-millionaire to fuck off on the internet.
Lets not avoid the Scottish dickheads who still buy hete filled papers such as the Scoddish Express & Scoddish Daily Mail.
Yes and what age they are too.
If Wings had reply boxes I would be posting “well said’ ‘I agree with that’ to most of the posts on here.
Wings needs reply boxes otherwise it’s as if you are talking to yourself.
Reply boxes would also solve the issue of there being 100s of different topics being discussed at the same time.
Do posters who complain to much get a hammering? I could be at risk!
i think they picked on the wrong guys in Richard go get em Richard.
Yea its time the SNP started chasing these liars,they have nothing to worry about when it comes to public perception as the yes campaign is fully behind them and are probably more aware of the disgusting smear tactics being used against their chosen elected officials.
Is this really how you want your politicians and journalists to behave UK ?
Well i dont and by god im going to do everything i can to change it and i have a funny feeling i am not alone.
@Training Day
No, Never surely not ??
Did someone tell a multi-millionaire not very good hyped up writer (IMO) to fuck off on the internet.
Did it appear anywhere ??
Could it have been a cybernat religious cleric despised by the No’s ?
On a different matter entirely
Hey did anybody know there’s a multi-millionaire not very good hyped up writer (IMO) got a book coming out ?
Maybe Stu could comment on the book in 2 words.
Elliott Carver the villian in one of the Bond films famously said
“Great men manipulate the media for their own ends” , giving an actual quote from newspaper magnate Randolph Hearst who was so brilliantly portrayed by Orson Welles in Citizen Kane .
Hearst told his photographers ” You supply the photographs ,I will supply the war”
That is exactly what we have today.Media manipulation and distortion attempting to subdue something which is becoming more powerful than all their chicanery can cope with.
We the people, will win this war.
I hope he sues the arse off them as this defamation has surely damaged a legitimate business in the short term.
“Trading Standards will investigate the complaint.”
No it wont, they have already stated it was dealt with satisfactorily by the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline.
“Although the the details of the grievance are unknown, Trading Standards website says it will investigate cases where companies have misled or pressured customers into buying products or services, failed to carry out work properly, or sold unsafe, dangerous, fake or counterfeit items.”
So the Express is insinuating to it’s readership that the company owned by Mr Arkless is guilty of at least one of these crimes further sullying the reputation of his company, do you think they’d like to ruin him and his family for being SNP.
“Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: “The SNP likes to paint itself as whiter than white.”
Fuck off, just Fuck off!
“Notably, Mr Arkless also employs his wife to be his part-time personal assistant.”
Notably how and what the fuck difference does it make if he does or does not?
“An abbreviated balance sheet, lodged with Companies House on May 31, last year, shows the firm then had £19,657 of assets and £24,770 owed to creditors.”
So someone complaining that they have paid for a lightbulb that hasn’t arrived yet gets your companies finances gone over with a fine tooth comb?
“The case is now being investigated by Police Scotland but Ms Thomson insists she acted within the law, vowing to clear her name and return to frontline politics.”
For fucks sake she is not under investigation so stop with the insinuation that she is.
As I said, sue the fucking arse right off the bastards!
Great Unionist Journalism.
It looks suspiciously like they instigated the complaint, or were informed prior to the complaint, that it was to be made.
You have to be impressed with their diligence and job creating skills.
The poor dears have to make the news now, prior to reporting it, talk about multitasking.
Richard do us all a favour and sue them for deformation of character your on a win win situation please help to put a stop to their lies against us it will only take one case to succeed against them and the rest will have to watch what they say and print so please please sue them
The establishment media is focused on coordinating a relentless attack of lies and Smear at the SNP.
This is the way that the establishment works and it will do everything that it can to poison hearts and minds with negativity and Smear.
The UK is no democracy, and Smear is only one of the UK state’s weapons of control. Just look at how theUK has operated in its colonies around the world. In fact look at the horror story that was Ireland. Bloody Sunday in Dublin’s Croke Park 1920 and Bloody Sunday Derry 1970 show clearly how the UK can act.
The fact the Express called twice, the second on the same day the complaint was made, can’t be a coincidence.
Well done to Richard for taking the time to collect his facts and shame yet another piss-poor smear job from the MSM. Though not exactly holding my breath at it being the last one.
We’ve still frankly got too much money in the Wings Fighting Fund
Great there might be a chance of getting reply boxes. 🙂
I don’t think anyone posting on here is being conned by ‘The Express’ story. Those who are being conned are also being conned into thinking that Stu has no credibility.
It’s easy to understand why Stu is being monstered in the press. I consider J K Rowling to be part of this massive con and for that reason I have zero respect for this woman.
This is unreal.
We thought project fear 1 was bad.
This is much worse.
They cant find anything so they are making up accusations.
So Levenson was a complete waste of everyone’s time.
I think this escalated as soon as Carmichael was given a date in the dock.
This is one reason why they are going nuts over WoS as when we use this as evidence – oh but he swore at St JKR
Disgusting. I would be furious.
Are they targeting those SNP MPs who have a business, or have a connection?
I hope Arkless rips them a new one. This shit has to be exposed.
Watching PMQ s and Corbyn has opened with Tax credits, quoting that Tory backbencher. He has just mentioned the UN investigators now taking place into breaches ‘re disabled.
gordoz says:
Lets not avoid the Scottish dickheads who still buy hete filled papers such as the Scoddish Express & Scoddish Daily Mail.
Yes and what age they are too.
_______
Therein lies the problem; although it may sting them in the pocket somewhat, we are not their target audience because we will just boycott them anyway.
It is wall to wall SNP bad from the television to the radio to the papers, for Dunnet Head to Land’s End and there is nothing can be done about that.
The SNP have no voice in the British MSM which is a fucking absolute disgrace.
Get the bastards sued, get your postage stamp apology and get on with building the case for independence.
“An abbreviated balance sheet, lodged with Companies House on May 31, last year, shows the firm then had £19,657 of assets and £24,770 owed to creditors.”
In this respect Companies House are to blame because the creditors for a small business will very often be the owners of the business who invested money in the business, working away hard to grow the business, and waiting patiently for the business to grow enough to repay them. It often won’t be external creditors who could chase the company for payment or repayment.
In other words the bare presentation would seem to indicate that assets are less than liabilities, but in reality the company is perfectly solvent.
If you read ‘The Establishment: And how they get away with it’, by Owen Jones you will find out how the Establishment works. The first chapter ‘The Outriders’ deals with exactly what we are seeing here. The press are in collusion with The Establishment and it’s ‘Outriders’ so that spin is put on events to enable tem to be caught in the public eye. Once there, damage is done.
This is a must read for everyone who cares about democracy. If you are already angry at the collusion you think you know about, then you will be further angered and enlightened by what Owen Jones has researched. It describes what Establishment is. It goes on to deal with the Westminster Cartel, Mediaocracy, the Police, Tycoons and Tax-dodgers etc. The involvement of big business in this is laid bare. The Establishment believe that the State is illegitimate and thus are more than happy to take from its wealth, but is far more reluctant to give. The benefit scrounges are in the Establishment.
Be prepared for more of these attacks on the SNP, since the Establishment sees the state as an enemy and the SNP as pro-democracy and a friend of the state. The job of Outriders is to provide stories to put the Establishment voice in the public mind and to soften the public’s view to their ideas. They connect the world of business, politics and the media together so that the national political conversation.is kept relentlessly on terms favourable to those with wealth and power.
I hope that the Express is forced into a rectraction of its lies.
Is there not one individual who works for anyone of those rags or the BBC who has the balls to stand up for common decency.Many people throughout Scotland and the world would put principle before salary,where are those people in our media?
There’s an additional problem with the way “assets” are presented in company reports. If for instance you pay £20,000 for goods that you will sell at £40,000, you may have to value these at the lower of cost or realisable value – which might be £10,000 in a fire sale, or through an auction house in case of terminating the business for any reason.
So what’s the asset value of these goods that are in stock at the time of the company accounts – £40,000, £20,000 or £10,000?
Sue the bassas. Defamation. Libel.
Observation: It is stated that the victim of the clearly deliberate smear piece by the organisation trading as the Scottish Sunday Express is to register a justified complaint to the appropriate press complaints body.
Further observation: The Scottish Sunday Express is a business which engages in trade. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the Scottish Sunday Express is subject to the same trading standards as other trading entities and can therefore be subject to a complaint to the trading standards agency without prejudice to any complaint made to the appropriate press body.
It would therefore be a fitting irony for the Scottish Sunday Express to be reported to the trading standards body over this story.
Looks like Project Fear’s been replaced by Project Smear.
The Express appears to have had foreknowledge of the complaint. Did the Express journo conspire or collude with another to fabricate a smear against Mr Arkless in order to foster public disdain.
I really hope Arkless takes this to court. These Unionist rags have been getting away with their lies and smears for far too long.
Mr Arkless should sue them.
Would not hold my breath waiting for Leveson to be implemented.
I posted this link yesterday morning…
http://hackinginquiry.org/mediareleases/response-to-john-whittingdales-speech-to-society-of-editors-from-hacked-off/
@ Jim says
Is there anyway to sue the absolute idiots who continue to support (buy) anti scottish, offensive, lying, hate filled, foreign owned, Scoddish versions of South UK based (national) newspapers ?
(Joking – for some WoS posters without humour gene)
Oh well, it made a change from their usual obsession about arthritis (I’m sure a cure is due about now) or trying to predict the weather (which they ALWAYS get wrong).
liz says:
21 October, 2015 at 12:12 pm
This is unreal.
We thought project fear 1 was bad.
This is much worse.
Ruby replies
I dont agree with you on that.
I don’t think many people are being fooled by the amateur con artists who are printing these too obvious smear stories.
Project Fear was in a totally different league. Project Fear were professional with £billions at their disposal. They even hired £million lawyers to tell us Scotland was extinguished in 1707 not sure if it was the taxpayer who paid for this con or if J K Rowling paid these lawyers.
Weird that having spent millions to inform us that Scotland was extinguished in 1707 they cried when the ‘Lesser England’ team lost a Rugby and that J K Rowling keeps insisting that she is Scottish.
I’d love to see a printed press war,
IE for ” The National” take head on a paper, (such as this case) which knowingly prints stories it knows has misleading content.
As one of Richard’s constituents, on holiday in London right now with my son, we spent yesterday afternoon with Richard who showed us around Westminster. It was a fascinating day and he was a wonderful host – I had no idea all this was going on till he mentioned the press towards the end of our visit.
I get the impression they are going after MPs with business interests perhaps on the assumption that all businesses have dodgy practices, because the newspapers themselves are dodgy as. Thing is the calibre of people drawn to the SNP seems very high, they are unlikely to find any dirt on any of them.
The snide reference to his wife having a paid role is horrible, D&G is a massive constituency with two main population centres at either end, who better than his wife to support constituency work in the west?
Richard and his team have responded to this incredibly well, but it does make me wonder how supported our SNP MPs are by the party in terms of media management, we need the SNP and its elected representatives to be strong, strategic and confident in how these things are handled.
gordoz says:
Lets not avoid the Scottish dickheads who still buy hete filled papers such as the Scoddish Express & Scoddish Daily Mail.
Yes and what age they are too.
_______
Gordoz – Posts of this type really sadden me. When a problem touched your life you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.
Please ask yourself – what can I personally do to bring up-to-date knowledge and understanding to people who are socially isolated by the lack of a workplace, and who are trying to stay in touch as best they can – by reading newspapers they were reared to believe tell the truth?
I cannot see how posting insults about them, which they will never see, is helping any of us to improve this situation.
gordoz says:
Is there anyway to sue the absolute idiots who continue to support (buy) anti scottish, offensive, lying, hate filled, foreign owned, Scoddish versions of South UK based (national) newspapers ?
(Joking – for some WoS posters without humour gene)
__________
Unfortunately you can only sue an idiot if their actions cause detriment to others. Damn, you may have a case Gordoz.
This story is obviously a con job which makes me wonder if there wasn’t some dodgy dealings going on with the Andrew Neil interview with Angus Robertson.
Nobody here will be fooled by ‘The Express’ con but what about Andrew Neil’s interview?
@Gordoz
Lets not avoid the Scottish dickheads who still buy hete filled papers such as the Scoddish Express & Scoddish Daily Mail.
Yes and what age they are too.
_____
Gordoz – Posts of this type really sadden me. When a problem touches your life you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.
lPlease ask yourself – what can I personally do to bring up-to-date knowledge and understanding to people who are socially isolated by the lack of a workplace, and who are trying to stay in touch as best they can – by reading newspapers they were reared to believe tell the truth?
I cannot see how posting insults about them, which they probably will never see, is helping any of us to improve this situation.
It seems that in this case and Michelle`s case the Hacks of the media have acted as agent provocateurs,instead of reporting the news they are trying to create and manipulate the news.
The Hack who wrote this piece, Greg Christison seems to have spent most of his Hack life trying to undermine Scotland and her citizens, http://tinyurl.com/p59xltg
I think part of the problem is habit regarding buying papers.
I feel National could charge a £1 and get more ordinary material included. (Localised – Sunday Post like).
Theres not enough in the National at 50p (great value but its too light).
If everyday companies (ususaly tory) wont take out adverts then
why not go back through companies who signed up for YEs vote in newspaper advert or contact Business for Scotland with special rates.
National has to kick on to become more mainstream – drop the indy bit from the Header strap. The Unionist’s don’t need a UKOK strap.
Get more everyday stuff in it folks make it a paper that backs indy not an indy paper (We have that already).
To many it seems like an activist paper / fanzine.
Minor changes would help it to kick on via a relaunch and get properly embedded in everyday culture – something that might attract more Joe Public and older readers alike.
Don’t get me wrong it is a boon but needs to get to the next stage.
Each WoS reader should see this as a way to measure temp gauge of public opinion for accepting the normality of indy position rather than pure activist discussion & content.
If sales numbers go up then the message is getting to a bigger demographic & support for indy grows.
I dont see it as a threat to online but feel it has to kick on from now in line with the rest of the YES movement.
At the very least these Express liars are stupid enough to be easily shown for what they really are, unless they’re clairvoyants.
Its the Daily Mail that’s our biggest UKOK creepshow, or maybe the Press and Journal, or maybe STV, or maybe our chums at Pacific Quay…
Neo fascist Voice of The North Press and journal, explains to its readers today how the steel job losses are all down to Nic Sturgeon and also Sir Daniel Alexander explains why Westminster is going to have “overview” of Holyrood spending via his Scotland Bill, naturally.
Actually that Sir Daniel P&J puff thing is worth reading for the very sneaky UKOK propaganda alone, and their lovely photos of Sir Daniel and future Lady Kezia Dugdale too are lovely, with xxx’s too!
SNP bad.
Quoted from the Express article:
“It is understood the complaint was made via email from someone who lives out with the Dumfries and Galloway region.”
What does it say about the quality of journalism when the journalist doesn’t even know that “outwith” (which, incidentally, is a scotticism) is spelt as one word?
Oh, hold on. I forgot. The only qualification required to work for the Express is that you should be a unionist bigot.
IPSO are a farce organisation.
The Press monitored by the press.
There is a reason why criminals are not judged by criminals!
The News of the World phone tapping debacle shows exactly
how ridiculous IPSO and the Westminster government are.
Does anyone who followed the story actually believe that the friends of Murdoch, Cameron and Blair didn’t know what was happening at their newspapers, and if not it was their responsibility to know it and the buck stops with them.
The Dowler family had the most horrific circumstances foisted upon them by these barbarians.
By Tapping their Dead Daughters phone they gave the cruel and false hope that she was still alive.
There has been no justice delivered, as these criminals are mixed in with the very rich and our very corrupt politicians.
The News of the World has had to change its name.
This is the degree of punishment that masquerades as justice.
The Express will now re-print the whole SNP Bad story, and at the end use some creative wording that hints of some previous details not being completely accurate.
Their readership will read the first couple of reprinted lines, decide that they have already read the story, and they will never go anywhere near the closing paragraph, confident that SNP must be Doubly Bad for the story to be repeated.
It must become IPSO fundamental that any malicious stories that are proven to be completely unjust, must have corrections published on the Front Page with a full apology and in print twice the size of their original slander piece.
If not complied with- £1,000,000 minimum fie applies.
Refuse to pay- closed down like any other corrupt business that Trading Standards may uncover.
Could the Express have been tipped of in advance by a predatory unionist mole and SNP hater working in Dumfries Trading Standards who was engineering the complaint/smear?
I would imagine that area will have more than a few rabid loyalist apparatchiks from across the water embedded in their administrations.
SNP MP Richard Arkless states: “It also noted that I had resigned as a Director from my small company the day after the minor complaint was made against the company.” SNP rules require that all SNP MPs elected on 7 May 2015 must “Treat the position [as an MP] as a full-time commitment…” Why did SNP MP Richard Arkless contravene SNP rules for 5 months after being elected as an MP?
Own a business and support the SNP? The UK media will have no qualms about destroying your business in an attempt to damage your party.
Scary eh? Hope Arkless goes to town on this one.
No Helen : Sorry if your a Daily Mail reader yourself.
You waste your time trying to convert those so pig headed that they persist to buy material beyond offensive to many Scots.
I am one of those offended and will confront such abuse.
Take you lectures elsewhere thanks all the same.
Think there might be a slight stretching of the truth as far as “investigation” goes. Just as with the brief looking into the facts regarding BfS by the Electoral Commission the paper is relying on the idea that Trading Standards will at least have to look at the case presented to them. Time it right and they can claim they were telling the truth at the time they went to press.
It seem obvious that what’s going on is papers finding people who had dealings with BfS members and prompting them to complain.
Not entirely happy about the description of why the lawyer was stuck off either. There were no concerns about mortgage fraud because he omitted to inform the lenders of facts that may have raised them. That’s why he was struck off. What’s now being investigated is whether there was indeed fraud and if so by whom. Hopefully the police will get their finger out.
@Strichen Eck : “Why did SNP MP Richard Arkless contravene SNP rules for 5 months after being elected as an MP?”
You are claiming that Arkless was conravening SNP rules by working less than full time in his role as an MP. His presence in the House of Commons and at constituency appointments proves otherwise. Just because someone is registered at Companies House as a director doesn’t necessarily mean that they work for that company. Many Directors are Non-Executive.
Your statement is actionable, Arkless is a lawyer. I’d be careful what I post on social media if I were you unless you want to find yourself in court.
iani said at 12:25pm:-
“Is there not one individual who works for anyone of those rags or the BBC who has the balls to stand up for common decency. Many people throughout Scotland and the world would put principle before salary,where are those people in our media?”
Well said iani.
Many in Scotland are asking precisely that.
The Express is a silly paper much given to writing nonsense (and wildly excitable weather forecasts).
They will print a short apology on page 43 in tiny print.
Sounds to me like the Express to tried to engineer this investigation, jumped the gun and are now left looking idiots.
@Ruby 12:57pm
“Nobody here will be fooled by ‘The Express’ con but what about Andrew Neil’s interview?”
Here you go, Ruby. BBC propaganda sorted:
http://tinyurl.com/nezwdx5
(Note: I’ll be producing a whole series of these little ‘rebuttal’ videos as and when necessary. Many people prefer to absorb information more passively with videos rather than more actively by reading articles. Short rebuttal videos like this get the point over succinctly and in a way that a lot of people find easier to absorb. Just pass on the link).
Strichen Eck I have a question for you.
Are you part of the con ie one of the con artists or are you someone who is being conned?
I think you would need to be really thick not to recognise that the Express article is a massive con and that the MSM’s pathetic attempts to monster ‘Wings Over Scotland’ isn’t highly suspicious.
To reassure those who were talking about the elderly I imagine, that take the Express, well I am now considered elderly, late sixties, and many of us blacked them when they removed their printing out of Scotland in the seventies. They still call themselves the Scottish Daily Express, which is kind of like Labour in Scotland calling themselves the Scottish Labour Party.
Jack Murphy: To be fair journalists need to make money and it looks as if the only stories that are being bought are SNP smear stories.
These journalists are pretty much like the Julia Roberts character in ‘Pretty Woman’. Remember the scene where Richard Gere asks her what her name is and she replies
‘What do you want it to be?’
Interesting to note that ‘Wings Over Scotland’ are sitting with a surplus of cash that they don’t know what to do with and the Scottish newspapers are very close to bankruptcy.
The other interesting fact to note that even in spite of there smear stories the SNP are riding high in the polls.
Scoatch at 11 04 nailed it. How embarrassing to work for such a sad rag
So, we have had Mr Chokka’s failed electoral commission smear taken up by the press, the Express printing crap, the fuss about Tea in the Park and the guilt by association thing with Thompson.
The poor old SNPbadders aren’t having a lot of luck are they but still the press gives them house room.
That said, the press are hardly the good guys in our various estates of power.
O/T, Tasmina has just, very disappointingly, completely missed the ball on R4.
On being confronted with the steel for the bridge smear she seemed to not know that it was not available here and just waffled about how the SG has a tight budget.
Not good enough. I cannot imagine how anyone interested in politics would not know this, after all it was being said by Slab ages ago and quashed then. With the current problems in the foreign owned steel works it was bound to be brought up again.
Proud Cybernat that is a great video. Very well done!
The con I was thinking about was that there was some very dodgy editing going on in that what Angus was asked was not the question viewers heard Andrew Neil asking.
In view of the desperation by the MSM to smear the SNP I really don’t think that is beyond the realms of possibility.
I’m suggesting that although Wings readers might be aware that they are being conned by the printed press they might have been duped by the BBC on Sunday.
Ruby says:
21 October, 2015 at 1:38 pm
Jack Murphy: To be fair journalists need to make money and it looks as if the only stories that are being bought are SNP smear stories.
That’s true. Tabloid eds are shameless crooks and will pay a couple of grand for a good one about nothing at all. They get their mates involved too and split the cash.
Also Pretty Woman is a ghastly movie and Sticken Eck’s a great troll name as Alex Salmond lives in Stricken.
Its like a nat troll going rancid The Graun as Morningside Ian, sorry, future Lord Ian Murray of Morningside.
The smearing target is business interests of SNP politicians, again.
It’s a none too subtle attempt to highlight that the SNP are not all everything-in-public-ownership socialists. Some are from a business background.
The object is not necessary to make a smear, or highlight a genuine issue – it is to draw attention to the business aspect.
Divide and rule. Split Indy left from centre.
IMO the strategy deployed between now and May may appear to be smearing, in reality I believe it is about trying to create fault lines in SNP/Indy support.
I think they will fail. The Cause is bigger than individuals or even the SNP. The Prize is too great to be deflected by detail.
Strichen Eck
Being a director of a company doesn’t automatically mean you can’t devote all your time to being an MP. I am a director of my son’s company but have no involvement whatsoever in the day to day running. Once a year the accountant sends me a piece of paper to sign and that’s it.
Journalism has been replaced with propaganda.
The internet has killed off the print media. However it was not through being an alternative access to news but by revealing the degree of manipulation by newspapers.
Why are journalists digging their own grave? Is another year of employment worth the destruction of your trade and your reputation.
@ Proud Cybernat at 1:28pm.
“Many people prefer to absorb information more passively with videos rather than more actively by reading articles.”
Possibly true, but those who like me have hearing difficulties are unable to listen to videos and must rely on the written word.
It is unlikely that such a video would stretch to subtitles, but text of the discussion would be helpful sometimes.
The almost universal hostile press is used by opposition politicians and supporters to smear the SNP at every opportunity. The Scotsman’s letter pages are more like Daily Mail editorials.
I am reliably informed that during the GE campaign in the case of Neil Hay, a Labour friendly journalist (DM) from a “National” newspaper tried several times to get Neil Hay sacked from his job with a charity by complaining that he had mentioned his place of employment on a leaflet.
It is now obvious that said journalist had previously been fed info about Neil Hay’s twitter account and this was to be held back until nearer Polling Day but when the Ashcroft Poll showing SNP in the lead in Edinburgh South came out the story was published within three days.
The press and in particular Daily Mail were camped for days outside Neil Hay’s house causing alarm to his wife and young kids and pestering neighbours for adverse comments.
I understand that complaints were made to IPSO about the misrepresentation by certain newspapers but don’t know if anything transpired.
http://www.thenational.scot/news/no-scots-bids-for-forth-bridge-contract.8986
@ Willie John
Good point about subtitles for the hard of hearing. I’ll keep it in mind for future vids.
@ Strichen Eck
Eck is called a transitional period and 5 months is actually a quick turnaround in the business world,well you have all the board meetings,advisors business and legal,then you have the investors and shareholders,and then it is left in the hands of the lawyers,probably because Richard is a lawyer is how he got it all done so quickly.
These things take time Eck and it would be very unfair of any political party to not allow a company to find a suitable replacement,well its not like he knew outright he would become an MP and again it would be a bit unfair of us the public to ask they give up all business before they stand for election.
Strichen Eck says:
So Eck the Troll, have you come to post the corrections from yesterdays mistakes re: coronations and which governments oversaw the closure of steel production in Scotland.
Or are you here in sympathy with the Express by posting more falsehoods ?
ClanDonald says:
21 October, 2015 at 1:20 pm
@Strichen Eck : “Why did SNP MP Richard Arkless contravene SNP rules for 5 months after being elected as an MP?”
Your statement is actionable, Arkless is a lawyer. I’d be careful what I post on social media if I were you unless you want to find yourself in court.
ClanDonald I dont think that Eck the Troll is really worried about his post being taken seriously.
Clootie says:
“Journalism has been replaced with propaganda.”
… spread efficiently by plagiarism.
Useless (worse than useless) as the Press Complaints Commission is, the UKP{ Express does not even recognise them. I have had cause to waste time complaining to them, like the EBC and I cam predict the response right now.
That said, the press are hardly the good guys in our various estates of power.
‘Twas ever thus in teamGB. It’s not the Street of Shame for nothing, Alexander Pope satirises the City of London near on 300 years ago, exact same crew of fllthy rich spivs in the City lthat eans back its head and lies.
The best bet for teamGB zealots in the media is that the SNP do become just like the troughing expenses fraudster red tories, led by loonies like Bomber Bliar and Crash Gordon. Although that might take a while though.
When you compare what post WW2 Labour was like and what they achieved for the people that voted for them, to the current red Tory freak show that think they have a Devine right to reign over their Scotland region for ever and ever, sold to us suckas by BBC vote Slab Scotland? Holy fcuk.
@dakk
Apart from that being almost absurd, TS D&G didn’t get notification from CACS until 14th Oct. The first enquiry from the Express to D&G TS was 9th Oct, 5 days before.
Re the D/Express and all the other sub-standard media, I don’t think there can be any hope that they will ever clean up their act.
Where Richard Arkless is concerned, why was the newspaper in touch with Trading Standards before “the complaint” was made? Who directed the complaint to TS?
Wherever possible, I hope those they defame will raise stink, sue them and keep them tied up in court for as long as possible.
After all, by their lies, deceit and “news” manipulation about SNP, in order to spread fear and attempting to damage both party and individual reputations, surely they are acting against the interests of every individual in the country. Their job is to report news as accurately as possible and challenge when required, not make news.
A few class actions might not come amiss. Any legal eagles out there who can make a case out of their behaviour?
@ Gordoz, 1:03pm
The other papers which charge more are light on material too. Take away the ads, sport, “entertainment” pages, gossip and there isn’t much left.
It might not have much of the above, but, at least for its 50p, mostly it contains words! Decent, informative articles.
O/T Re the Steal Industry/Forth Bridge
I’m aware of 2 engineering businesses in the Perth area for whom the new bridge has been a very big contract. Undoubtedly a positive given the economic climate.
One is in Glenearn Road, Perth and the other in Almondbank.
I’m sure there will be other businesses and contractors in Scotland, and the UK in a similar position.
Be good if the ScotGov got this info out big time. And while they’re at it, can they ram home the message its being paid for 100% Scottish taxes, nothing from WM. There are still people out there who don’t know this.
Very sorry for the steal workers job losses. They must be feeling betrayed, let down, lied to at this time. I can relate to that – and no, I’m not trying to rub salt in wounds.
Is Strichen Eck a wee Labour guy in the mold of the great Grahamsroadski ?
Publicly available information confirms that LED Warehouse Ltd has two shareholders – Mr Richard Arkless and Mrs Anne Arkless. The register of MPs’ financial interests for SNP MP Mr Richard Arkless states:-
“9. Family members employed and paid from parliamentary expenses
I employ my wife, Anne Elizabeth Arkless, as part-time Personal Assistant.”
Mr and Mrs Arkless seeem to have a nice little partnership going as company shareholders and taxpayer funded MP/Personal Assistant. A bit like that other SNP partnership of Mr and Mrs Sturgeon (Sturgeon and Murrell) as SNP leader and SNP Chief Executive. The SNP obviously believes in keeping it in the family.
Regarding comments about the National and its content.
I was thinking if they employed a sports journalist that could write wonderful things about Rangers every day they might make inroads to a group that openly despises the National and it seems independence and also the SNP.
I know that all their supporters cannot be considered to think like that but I hadn’t realised just how the Loyalist Rangers supporter was so against independence.
Shows how naive I’ve been.
Strichen Eck says: assorted mince
I also employ my wife. Just what sir are you implying ?
Well other than MPs and their staff are indeed funded by taxation, a fact of which most people are actually aware.
Usual creepy stuff from the greatest propaganda machine ever create but
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32579722
Dumfries and Galloway – Richard Arkless is a former lawyer who runs his own online business. The SNP finished third here in 2010, 17,000 votes behind Labour.
Google is your friend Stricken Eck:D
@Strichen Eck,
You seem to be doing a lot of research for a casual contributor.
Everything you have stated is within regulation,especially as it is part time .
You are grubbing about in the wrong dung heap,and will only get your hands mucky.
Do you work for a media outlet perchance?
Just for absolute clarity (since an SNP MP today FAILED on this subject). No steel suppliers in Scotland could supply the steel required for the new forth bridge. The contracts were openly tendered, as required under EU law . NO Scottish companies tendered bids.
I did actually wonder how long it might take for unionists to chunter out this lie about steel for the Forth bridge AGAIN.
On this subject as with many others, unionists and the media are lying.
The SNP ( especially some of their new MP’s in London) need to get their proverbial finger out, and seriously up their game.
@Strichen Eck “Mr and Mrs Arkless seeem to have a nice little partnership going …”
I see the green-eyed monster has gotten to you. Rooooaaaarrrrrrrrr!
@cearc says
“O/T, Tasmina has just, very disappointingly, completely missed the ball on R4”
This really is happening too often. It is not as if the news on steel was a surprise nor that the unionist deflection onto SNP BAD, procurement, SNP must act, not supporting Scottish business etc has not been flagged up since yesterday. Fergus Ewing same snide comments from BBC on GMS.
Is there no daily briefing documents sent to them? Surely at least for the ones putting their head above the parapet to take on Corpmedia this is a must.
Need to get a grip and realise they should be on a war footing. They aren’t getting asked on these slots to celebrate their successes. Wise up.
O/T
This new funding campaign is a good idea. I saw it featured today on wee ginger dug and REV STU’s twiiter feed.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-the-bbc-stole-the-referendum-the-documentary/#/comments
I think this is worth supporting, if possible.
Strichen Eck seems to think it feasible that you should be a successful business person, then give it all up to be an MP. Then you vanish into obscurity,
I think you fail to realise the earning potential of people like Ms Cherry QC, who will be taking a considerable financial hit to do the job as a Member of Parliament.
There is sometimes life after Westminster,but perhaps Eck wants them to claim jobseekers instead of reclaiming their former trades or professions.
What a moron.
Let’s all complain directly to the Express and demand a front page apology. We could contact IPSO too …. although not holding my breath!
Let’s also hope that the National has a front page highlighting ‘Express continues with witchhunt against the SNP. Lies about Richard Arkless SNP MP for Dumfries and Galloway.’
@ Troll SEck
Your unionist sabre-nat propaganda rubbish won’t wash here, laddie. You’re wasting your time if you think anyone here is dumb enough to believe the utter biased, blinkered, misinformed drivel that you spew onto this board. You are wasting your time here. Don’t you get it? Wasting your time. Run along now. And before you go, a wee word of warning–careful the swing of the door doesn’t smack you on the erse on the way oot.
Big Mac – The National does try to pander to the Unionist Bears, recently, after they’d registered eight wins in a row, the back page read “the stuff of legends”. Yeah, beating eight second tier teams is comparable to their former team winning a European trophy or nine leagues in a row. Vomit inducing. Still, no mention of their match last night in the twobob cup, I thought they would leave their presses open an extra hour to report fully on the glorious Sevconians.
Incidentally, a yes voting friend always maintained that Scotland would never vote Yes, purely on account of the large number of Rangers fans in the country. He has a point. Will make their imminent second demise all the more pleasurable.
Just a wee O/T here.
My partner bumped into Mark Frankland earlier today in Dumfries and he says everything is going well and donations have been received. They didn’t talk too much about that but I assume this means that First Base is now secure for another 12 months.
On the topic of steel job losses I see the tuba player and John Paul McHugh, Assistant General Secretary of Community Union, are having a go, or at least trying to, at indy supporters claiming we are saying that steelworkers from S******d deserve to lose their jobs because of how they voted in ref!!!
Everyone’s favourite Ian Murray
http://caltonjock.com/2015/10/21/ian-murray-the-lone-arranger-an-avid-twitterer-a-look-at-his-tweets-reveals-a-lot-about-him-time-the-baby-faced-assassian-faced-the-ninja-force/
@Strichen Eck
I remember reading your article (or the one you’re referring to) on a UAS facebook page back in the first part of this year. Family connections not so uncommon, whether you agree with the practice or not.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/29/mps-continue-hire-relatives-as-staff
Nobody,but nobody is crying yippee about the steelworkers losing their jobs. We are saying that they were told the broad shoulders of the UK would make their jobs safe,and look how it has turned out. They lied to you and you may have believed it.
The twisted unionists take this type of comment and turn it into something totally different. Sound familiar ?
Labour especially has been doing this for years.We remember the old SNP put Thatcher into power con only too well.
The following quote (often attributed to Joseph Goebbels) seems to be apt in respect of “the States” need to rpesent eh SNP as something other than their perceived image.
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the State.
Another day and another Brit Nat witch hunt. I guess the light bulb is never on in their brains. Okay I will get my coat.
Arkless is a lawyer is he – I hope he drags them to court and nails the efffers.
Another day and yet more Union Dividends not. To Strichen Eck – awa and bile yer neep.
The Express, is one of the worst national publications out there.
During the indyref, the Scottish version scaremongered relentlessly, whilst it’s Southern rag denounced anyone who showed a smidgen of support for Scottish independence, across the border.
Re the Steal Industry/Forth Bridge
Just a small point, to clarify between manufacture and fabrication, no scottish business could manufacture the steel as we don’t make steel in Scotland since Ravenscraig closed, the only foundry’s left are more small casting plants. What we used to a lot of was fabrication plants, large cut and weld shops, but in effect the builders have made their own at the end of the bridge, where they assemble the sections.
Just a hop and a jump away is the new aircraft carrier being built by BAE, the steelwork was won by Anglo-Dutch company, Corus, now part of TATA steel, who have just announced their shutdown!
Surely the Express passing itself of as a newspaper is worthy of a complaint to trading standards! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
James Caithness wrote:
“I wish he would sue the paper instead of making a complaint.”
I agree because these rags know their ‘paper’ days are numbered.
The future for them is online and it would also help our cause greatly if certain people would stop helping them to bring in advertising revenue by posting direct links to unionist sites.
If i wanted to contribute to the unionist cause i’d buy their rags or take out my own online subscription.
Message to the guilty, go and try promoting WOS on unionist sites as much as you promote unionist sites on WOS, stop soiling WOS.
I wonder if the Express journalist (who must be psychic) has tonight’s National Lottery numbers that he or she could share with us?
Strichen Eck
Your ability to “uncover” legal,open, declared and transparent links between married couples interests is amazing. Given your ability to put in print that which an eight year old could discover within 30 seconds of an internet search reveals much about your intellect and motivation.
What will be the next body blow you deliver:
The SNP seek an Independent Scotland!
OR
The SNP oppose Trident replacement!
I feel sorry for you in a way. Coming onto a site like this with posts worthy of a pre-school infant – you must feel like a complete idiot now.
This can be turned to our advantage ……… Get the local constituency assoc. to deliver flyers with above info plus the Expresses smear around the constituency………
Hey Presto another Unionist asset neutered ………
This constant Rangers bashing by some serves no purpose other then to alienate the ordinary supporters who are not Bampots and there are many more OK folk than Nutters
Around the ground now you see many fewer Union Flags being flown than ever before and that’s for the good reason that more have moved to the Independence side so they wave the other one, they just aren’t going to shout about it, can’t blame them for that
The Goon Squad are never going to change it’s their way of life and just like the Celtic Goon Squad their desire to play football in England overrides all, and any dormant brain cells they might have ever had will never surrender to activation
Just as some Rangers supporters will keep their mouths shut about supporting Independence I’ll bet there are as many who support Celtic who will tell you what you want to hear
They all think the English Premiership calls(hopeless but not in their minds)
I have family on both sides, even one in the OO, he’s my mole, Sshhh it’s a secret
p.s Haven’t been to a football match since I was twelve, too busy with real life
I’m guessing that wee Strichen will be blaming the S.N.P. for the results in this report as well.
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/system/files/documents/statistics/Reported%20Road%20Casualties%20Scotland%202014%20-%20publication%20-%20Factsheet.pdf
S.N.P. BAAAD! 😀
Oh afore I go just another wee aside.
Folks may recall during the S.N.P. conference that our dearly beloved BBC came out with a story about TWO new people wanted for questioning over Lockerbie. Well guess what folks … apparently these two individuals are already known about and the whole BBC s***e is one humongous NON story. 😀
Not sure if requiring their MPs to have no other interests is a sensible policy. Requiring them to regard their job as an MP as their priority and that any conflict with part time jobs be resolved with that in mind is a far more convincing stand to take.
Also whilst suing the Express into oblivion might be tempting it has distinct negatives from a propaganda point of view. Rather than being due to the readership leaving it’ll be portrayed as being due to the SNP silencing it’s opposition. Far better to force the Express to publish a front page apology and remove any on-line slander with a placeholder explaining why.
Yesindyref2 2.19
‘apart from that being almost absurd’
Ye I realised after I posted it was a bit out there and couldn’t get time to clarify till now.
My probable zooming may have been prompted by the fact I have a customer who is a Trading Standards Officer who is a rabid Rangers fan/loyalist who propagates smears about Nicola Sturgeon.I won’t expand on that for obvious reasons,but the Express doesn’t have a look in compared to this guy.
That said,I doubt he would instigate the scenario which I was suggesting could have happened.
My view is it’s the Express doing what they are good at.
Actually I think there is a possible case for defamation here given the clear statements from trading standards compared to the behaviour and reporting that transpired from the Express.
Both the Business itself and the character of the MP have been defamed in writing (outside Scotland often known as libel) which the author and possibly the editor knew to be untrue.
The Express is a disgusting rightwing rag. It’s possible they contrived to set this smear up, either themselves, or with other persons unknown. If they did, Mr. Arkless has a case against them which would stand up in court, yes?
IPSO are beyond hopeless – as much use as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest. Oh, they might insist on a retraction, but the UK print media, such as the Express, are within their rights, as are, to insert this as-few-words-as-possible, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it ‘retraction’ on the bottom-left of page 19. A total farce.
Set up with good intentions, the Levesen Enquiry has resulted in no changes whatsoever in the behaviour of the UK’s print media. Remember, Fraser Nelson of the Spectator said: “The Spectator will not abide by statutory legislation.” (re Levesen). Informally speaking for the rest of the UK’s MSM (allegedly), he has been as good as his word.
Daisy Walker @ 2.23
Re firms getting contracts for work on the New Bridge.
There was an article a few weeks ago either in the National or the Sunday Herald about the number of Scottish/UK firms that had got bridge related work. I think the number was around 400 or so.
Lesley Anne @ 3.10
Re comments about steel workers deserving to lose their jobs because of the way they voted in indyref.
There were some such comments on one of the threads on this site a few days ago. Someone countered by pointing out that it was the Union leadership who came out for No and the workers had not really been consulted on the issue and many would have voted Yes anyway.
I think some of the remarks on some of the threads recently have been a bit intemperate to say the least and unlikely to persuade No voters to change sides in any future referendum.
I think people have to be a bit more measured in their comments because this site is definitely monitored and mined for ammunition against the cause of independence.
I have a question
If a woman goes to the police and claims rape which in fact did not happen am I right in imagining the woman could/would find herself facing charges and possible jail time?
So why should a newspaper level a palpably untrue accusation against an innocent trader and not face the same wrath of the law?
I think trading standards should be defending the trader by taking the clowns to court for making false claims,
do these idiots think its funny trying to destroy the business of an entirely innocent person just because they don’t like his politics!
Richard Arkless MP Attacks ‘Smear Campaign’ By Scottish Sunday Express
A “smear campaign” launched by one national newspaper against an SNP MP has been revealed as false by both its source and the man it accused of facing an investigation into his business.
https://archive.is/R0uxl
John King,
As previously suggested the paper in question is a trading entity which has fallen below trading standards. It is therefore perfectly reasonable for anyone concerned about such low standards of trading to submit a complaint to the trading standards agency about this matter.
I googled ‘SNP Bad’ into the Scottish Sunday Express search and got 224 different posts.
They must be listening!
A Smear A Day Helps The Union Go Down
Something has to be done about this muck raking unionist rag with all it’s fictitious and wildly slanderous allegations in regard to the S.N.P.Apologies for incorrect statements given by the Press Council will as stated hidden in some little corner in a future issue.The only good thing about the Express is it’s crossword page.
Re. express weighs less than toilet paper. Only one thing wrong, it’s full of s**t before it reaches the shelves.
Re the Duke of Edinburgh’s ‘Express is a bloody awful paper’ 1960’s quote.
The following day one of the rival papers had a great cartoon.
The editor sitting at his desk is captioned as saying ‘at least he gets it otherwise he would not know it was so bloody awful’
Richard you must be doing something right ; that what I was told when someone starts hunting you…………… the Scottish Express do not have the collective intelligence …… this started south of the border