Days after a flood of praise has been heaped on the First Minister, sometimes from the least likely of sources such as George Osborne, Ian Duncan-Smith and Allan Cochrane at the Telegraph and as they sink without trace in the polls, the Scottish Labour Branch have pounced on a leak revealing that she did not attend some of the early COBRA meetings on the coronavirus outbreak.
Feeding it to the Sunday Mail, Neil Findlay described the news gleefully as ‘extraordinary revelations.’ Just for context, this is Findlay:
Second best with only 29% of the vote in a working-class area.
Way down the page we see:
A Scottish Government spokeswoman told the newspaper: “The First Minister has been chairing meetings of the Scottish Government Resilience Committee, our equivalent of Cobra, since January 29. “The Scottish Government has been represented at all Cobra ministerial meetings on coronavirus that we have been invited to. We often receive only limited advance notice of such meetings.”
Findlay has, of course, previous in misjudging his attacks on the FM. See this tweet from 2017:
The papers both report in low-level nah nah nah nah, we think we’ve gotcha, style:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been criticised for missing the same meetings five times, prompting the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford to describe his non-attendance as ‘jaw-dropping’ negligence. So far, Covid-19 has claimed the lives of 20,319 hospital patients in the UK.
Why the UK and not the Scottish figures? Are they blaming the FM for not being there to stop the Tories killing folk in England by delaying the lock-down?
Then there’s this puzzling line:
Neil Findlay added: “It seems the First Minister was only interested in attending Cobra if the Prime Minister was also going to be present.
Because? Because she fancies him? What?
To help put things in perspective here, one reader asked:
During the GE campaign, how many times did Johnson do a debate ?
How many times has Johnson been interviewed since been re-elected ?
How many lies has Johnson told, in his political career ?
How many lies has he told, in his journalistic career ?
How many Kids has Johnson got ?
So many questions, so little answers !
I wonder if he’ll release the Russian Dossier tomorrow ?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
It is no wonder these papers are failing…..
Their shareholders should act to prevent their money being flushed away.
Perhaps a campaign aimed at News Quest etc. share holders?
It may flush out why they employ so many union supporting ‘Journalists’.
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They would never be employed in the first place Niall, unless they supported the British Establishment. And despite their sales falling fast, they will never be allowed to die, because their support for the same Establishment is essential to prevent Scotland becoming an independent nation once again, with their daily brainwashing tactics.
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Perhaps taking or injecting disinfectant might flush the corruption and ineptitude all away
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BTW. Keep up your excellent work Mr Robertson, very much appreciated.
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Mr?
I’ll have you know it’s Dr or even Prof!
Sorry, I should be over that
John does
Thanks for support
Nearly 300 000 views this month!
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Despissacle, Desperate, Disgusting,Dreadful,Dunce,Dangerous,
Deceitful,Dregs,Detritous,Dammed,
Destructive,Diatribe,Disadvantageousnesses,Disaster,Defenceless,Distasteful,
Disillusionment, Dictorial,Discrimination,Disappointing,
,Depressive.Dark,Dog,Divisive,
Disgraceful,Distasteful,Distrustful,
Dabbler
I could go on all day.The list goes into infinity
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My favourite D, said by US General Haig of Lord Carrington during Falklands War – ‘Duplicitous bastard!’
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You can add Jim Sillars to that list. See today’s Herald.
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He makes me realise that I don’t have senile dementia…much…yet
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Emeritus Professor Robertson apologies, just gently teasing…!
I appreciate sometimes you must feel your work just goes into a black hole, but believe me when I say it it does not and it is extremely valuable in understanding a militarised propaganda machine.
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Totally with you there, Niall. Joe
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As I understand the structure of the Cobra meeting, the FM, her representatives, or indeed any person representing any of the devolved governments are there as observers only. They must submit all questions and suggestions prior to the meeting because they are not allowed to speak, we have no idea whether any of the questions or suggestions were actually ever tabled during the meetings. If this is true, we should be raging and I would argue it was nigh on pointless in attending.
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Exactly ,but why let a few facts get in the way of a good grubbing about in the Sewers looking for a wee bit of dirt , what exactly are these people for , what purpose do they serve , answers on something very very small and insignificant just like them .
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