Watching ITV (not STV) News tonight I was shocked to see Scotland’s senior politician being grilled over the well-intentioned issue of mobile phones to prisoners during the pandemic, because 728 out of 7 600, less than 10% were hacked so that they could be used for illegal activities.
Hands up if you think anything electronic in this world is unhackable? No, me neither.
That’s not the point, however. Here’s the point. Why is the FM being dragged in to this? Why not the head of the prison service or the minister directly involved in managing the scheme?
Try googling: England prison scandal crisis Prime Minister.
I did find the Prisons Minister, Rory Stewart, answering questions about the state of English jails in a 2018 Guardian report. No picture. No TV interrogation. Absolutely no Boris.
Try: BBC Wales prisons minister.
Nothing.
Talking-up Scotland 
Exactly! Why is FM being interviewed by the UK correspondent on a Scottish only topic?
SNP bad of course
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Clearly, word has gone out to the ‘national’ media that the Jocks might be serious about this independence lark, so, put the boot in.
Ch4 News last week had an edition with all BAME presenters and almost all the topics related to BAME issues. It was a welcome innovation, with some genuine incisive interviewing. The FM was interviewed and she responded strongly about everyone being welcome in Scotland, but the final question related to independence and the question was about independence being ‘identity’ politics….. and, therefore, inviting the inference, bad?????
What was the programme, if not about identity politics? Did the independence movements in all of the Commonwealth countries not have an ‘identity’ aspect? In posing the question was the interviewer demonstrating his British identity?
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I have observed before that while the obvious focus of broadcast bias has been the BBC and in particular ‘home grown’, BBC Scotland programmes, there has been an increasing anti SG (and so SNP) bias from our other ‘national’ broadcasters. STV, that is Scottish TV, (Grampian in my area) and probably a Borders version have increasingly been spiking their news with a measure of Unionist-flavoured invective.
The MSM onslaught on Indy aspiration is in full swing but not yet in full flow.
TUSc should now seek to break out of its blog space and start using social media, across all available sites and pages (not just Indy pages) to highlight Biased reporting, attack claims unsupported by evidence and, in due course, to counter what will be a focused campaign of personal attacks on the leaders for independence.
We must do the same.
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Not sure if any of those media organisations are HQ’d in Scotland now. STV have their business HQ in London far as I know. Scotland is indeed up against a mammoth called the English state propaganda unit, and they are agitated since the SNP and Scottish Greens’ deal in government becuse they absolutely know it gives the ScotGov the right to hold an indy ref, or at least that it makes and refusal by WM in London look like a massive negation of democracy and respecting the wishes of the people of Scotland. The EngGov know if they refuse they will look like the colonialists they are, but if they agree and not just on their terms, they will likely see Scotland vote for independence. They are cornered and they know, what they do next is no doubt being plotted as we speak.
Meanwhile yes, the media so called have been fully deployed to undermine and sow the seeds of doubt about the effectiveness and integrity of the SNP and Greens, and especially those most prominent in parliament, including the well respected around the globe, Nicola Sturgeon.
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Should have said disrespecting the people of Scotland.
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5 600 followers on Twitter
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John, you understand how the TV media works. She was being grilled because she was the only relevant person they had in the studio at the time, and the issue had come up.
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The point was to compare the tactics used when ‘interviewing’ the Scottish FM, and with how these media organisations treat others in parties which are not the SNP. It’s very different, and the point of this blog is largely to make that point, or many articles do at least, so we can see what the different motives and tactics are when it comes to the ‘media’, and it’s stark.
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Shortage of PPE – the FM is is implicitly to blame ;
Deaths in Care Homes – the FM is implicitly to blame ;
Misuse of mobile phones in prison – the FM is implicitly to blame ;
My bins were not emptied – the FM is implicitly to blame .
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Oh I remember that journalist’s face well, Peter Smith, ITN – He was in competition with Sky’s Chris Musson for most nasty and aggressive journalist award at the SG Covid Updates from the FM –
PS asked his question, FM answered, went to the next journalist question but PS had left the line open, and was seen and heard chortling to himself whilst being congratulated for giving the FM a hard time by someone with an english accent on another line.
FM looked a little shocked then politely asked him to hang up….
He’s right up there with “We’ve seen the email FM” Cook and “He said nothing” Robinson in the twisted journalism class…
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ITV shares on the stock exchange controlled by Westminster. UK ads make up their revenues totally biased as per usual. A corporate industry controlled by UK Gov. Legal rules and guidelines. The Westminster Press Office dictating terms and appointments.
Half of the prison pop should not be there. Half are on the spectrum and are vulnerable. The should have had better support and consideration. A lack of diversity knowledge in the justice system. Bright lights and loud noises are not conducive to those on the spectrum.
Crime is linked to drink and drug addiction leading to death, even murder, The drink’s in the wit’s oot. Total abstinence one chance proper rehab counselling facilities cuts crime and premature death. The lack of proper facilities has led to crime and premature death.
The Scottish Gov has now funded addictions services £250million (5 years) to improve the service and facilities. People are being put on methadone for years. They take other substances and die. Instead of proper help to get well. Prison £40,000 a year. Spend £Millions to save £Billions. Police, social care, fire, NHS and healthcare. MUP and smoking ban has help cut consumption and Jed to better health care and a decrease in (violent) crime.
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Abused women are being abused under the Domestic Abuse Act. It cannot be dropped or appealed unless for the support of relatives in high privileged positions. Unequal and unfair.
Women who co habit (the majority) do not have equal rights with others. They have to make a claim (1/3) within a year. It can cost £thousands in legal fees. Many do not have the funds so can lose out. Women and children have to stay in abusive unsafe situations. Or they lose the roof over their heads.
There is little legal aid. It has to be paid back in any case. In England the Law has been changed so women can get legal aid without losing their home. There has been consultations for years but nothing is done. To change the Law to protect women and children from abuse. Politicians wring their hands and do nothing about it. To give women (the majority) equal rights. They pay lip service to the intolerable situation. Putting up crime and criminal activity. Women unrepresented 30%. In the pandemic murders and abuse have increased 50%. Other crime is done. Cybercrime is up. Criminals find other ways to cheat people in a pandemic. Waste other people’s and public monies.
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Boris Johnston evades interview by the Press. Especially any interrogation on failed, bad Tory policies. Austerity, Brexit and the rest. Dope on a rope. Just embarrassing photo shoots. Ignorant and arrogant. Taking no responsibility. Lie, after lie, after lie. Liars always get found out. The buck stops there. Polling going down. Not in any lead anymore. Rating -30. Tory Party members who elected him. Rating -3.
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