When Lord Dunlop joined the Herald to bolster their privileged but bitter old git contingent, with Macwhirter, Gordon, Taylor, Wilson, Monteith and Dalgety, I’d have been forgiven for accusing them of losing touch with their readers but they persist. Dunlop’s claim, of course, does not survive confrontation the evidence. More of that below.

First, some background:

People’s watchdog or government poodle, is a question some in the press used to insist, in their case, meant a tough wee terrier biting at the ankles of the powerful.

Conrad Black, Dark Lord of the Telegraph was in little doubt when he said something like: ‘If the little man thinks the press is on his side, then the little man is in more trouble than I realised.’

The Herald used to keep tough wee terriers like Ian Bell and not all of the current pack are fully trimmed poodles but too many run to the hounds. Do poodles run in packs? I’m making a dog’s dinner of this metaphor.

Actually advertising the arrival of Lord Dunlop suggests they’re hoping to attract Tories or those who know little of Dunlop.

Here’s a taste:

Dunlop has been howling denial recently, claiming he had no part in this dropping but the Guardian is clear:

Dunlop was a member of the policy unit in Margaret Thatcher’s government with responsibility for taxation and Scottish affairs when the community charge, known more commonly as the poll tax, was introduced in 1989.

Needless to say, Dunlop, who lives on the edge of South Downs National Park in West Sussex, may not be too in with the locals the Herald regularly begs for money from.

Anyhow back the Nicola obsession the old gits have. Just using the most recent poll:

Towering over both [Johnson and Starmer] in the popularity stakes, however, is Nicola Sturgeon. Though her net approval rating of +14 is down a little on some of the scores she achieved earlier this year, the first minister’s continuing popularity represents the biggest blockade for unionists trying to make the case for the U.K. — and the most helpful communicator for nationalists trying to break it.

https://www.politico.eu/article/poll-scots-nicola-sturgeon-2023-independence-vote/

And, Tories lying?

Tory Activists Told To ‘Openly Lie’ And ‘Weaponise Fake News’ In Party Newsletter: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tory-leaflet-fake-news-openly-lie_uk_5fd9f679c5b62f31c201f7dc