By TuS friend and helper, Frances McKie, from a letter to the Times she does not expect to see published:
From football to politics, most of us eventually learn that targeting the opponent- instead of the goal- is foul play. It is also the mark of fear, desperation and- most importantly- losers.
Scotland has been witnessing such behaviour since September 19th 2014 when, apparently, according to her loyal servant, David Cameron, Queen Elizabeth the First of the UK “purred” with relief that Westminster’s grip on what is more or less the ” last colony” was still- just- intact.
However, in the subsequent 2015 General Election, massive support for the SNP ensured that the red flags went up again. Fear, desperation and panic clearly ensued: we know this because of what Westminster – and you -Westminster’s media- did next.
Our SNP MPs were subjected to relentless personal scrutiny and vicious personal attacks. While London continued its inglorious reign as the money- laundering centre of the world our Scottish representatives were hounded for the slightest hint of financial or moral imperfection.
And, of course, eventually, our two most charismatic leaders, firstly Alex Salmond and then Nicola Sturgeon, were targeted -not just by what is known by the “gutter press” but, without subtlety, to the point of real, shameful farce, by Westminster itself. Like many other people in Scotland, I firmly believe that the wicked pursuit of Mr Salmond severely damaged his physical health and finally cost him his life.
We should not, however, have been surprised. History shows that such behaviour, targeting effective and charismatic leaders of political movements which threaten existing control, is the well-tried and ruthlessly executed method of what the old red-marked maps of the world will recognise as “London Rule” .
As we warn our children, however, from football to argument, it is also the mark of the loser: despite the dirty play, most colonies -and their leaders – have removed themselves from the asset-stripping racist empire that turned that world map red. Scotland, the first and last colony, will be leaving too: like the others we have learned that independence is “declared” – not requested.
In this way, our recent Scottish history, our Scottish reminder about the losers’ dirty play, their resort to ever more vicious “Ad Hominem” attacks on leaders of change, should surely be a clarion call to English voters, who have already witnessed the cynical, ruthless campaign against Jeremy Corbyn, a campaign that eventually handed the whole of the UK over to the current appalling economic disaster and international disgrace of “sponsored” rule.
Do not, under any circumstances, allow Westminster and its media, including this newspaper, employing that infamous tactic of targeting leaders, destroy your best chance of political , economic and social recovery: Zack Polanski and the other brilliant, incisive, young advocates for the Green Party.
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Excellent letter and response to a disgraceful antisemitic slur of a cartoon. Zac Polanski is now getting the Corbyn, Salmond, Sturgeon treatment. Alex Salmond once advised “never apologise”. I think Zac could take that advice.
BTW this page took a very long time to upload and I got an error message initially. Some topics seem to be sensitive.
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The fact that the supposed media give so much slack to Farage speaks volumes.
Their wrath and contempt is something that they choose to direct at those other individuals and political parties whom they fear will rock the boat in respect to the current status quo that exists within the UK State.
So then they , as a S*** media , all assume that any real change will result in an outcome that would then impact mostly the wealthy, which includes those individuals and companies who own much of the UK media.
The fact that the SNP and the Green party are being presented as ‘Extremists’ while Reform UK are somehow to be regarded as a ‘progressive’ party is a clear illustration on just how pathetic, compromised, crooked and S**** the majority of the UK media really are.
Playing the man not the ball is right up the street of much of the UK media , more so when it comes to the tactics that they use against some politically enlightened individuals and also some politically enlightened political parties.
Meanwhile S****Hawks like Farage and most of his succession of fake political parties are celebrated , commended , praised, legitimised, dominant and so then blatantly indulged.
Both he and his succession of various ‘parties’ are given a disproportionate amount of publicity and media coverage compared to other (actual) established parties who have had a far larger representation and experience in UK politics.
The reason for Reform UK’s rise is because that is what most of the UK media have endeavoured to happen , mostly via media hype and media visibility that then creates a media construct of both Farage and his succession of various different (pretend) parties with different names.
Much of this UK media are S***, as are most of those who are supposed to regulate and monitor the output of TV and Radio news stations, both new and old news stations.
Of course one needs to also consider that had the Tories and Labour not been so bloody awful as UK governments , then would Reform UK have found a way to manipulate some voters and so then manoeuvre themselves into the position that they currently (undeservedly) find themselves in.
Hence why for all of the above reasons Scotland really really really needs out of the UK ASAP .
Great letter BTW.
Liz S
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Since we are talking about the media…….
MSM Monitor posted this today:
“On May 3rd businesswoman Marie Macklin appeared on The Sunday Show to discuss criticism of Malcom Offord. She was presented as neutral. She attacked Ross Greer and the SNP. The day after the vote she revealed she was a good friend of Offord and supported him during the campaign. Once again BBC Scotland has questions to answer about the presentation of guests as neutral on political programmes when they are anything but. In this case it’s worse given Macklin appeared during an actual election campaign and made several politically motivated comments that favoured Reform and negatively impacted the Greens and SNP”.
Now the BBC in Scotland have already had a complaint(s) noted in their Corrections and clarifications section in respect to them not identifying an established relationship that a guest already has with a specific political party, but instead they are presenting that guest as somehow neutral and so politically objective.
Not on is it especially when that BBC guest then becomes a tad too political in their extreme critique of the SNP as the Scottish government.
The previous past incident noted on their website under BBC Corrections and Clarifications was this:
“Good Morning Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland, 28 October 2024
In an interview about charity Age Scotland’s concern that more older people will be taken to hospital with hypothermia this year following cuts to the winter fuel payment, the programme spoke with a guest as an expert in the care of older people.
Our editorial guidelines state that “We should not automatically assume that contributors from other organisations (such as academics, journalists, researchers and representatives of charities and think-tanks) are unbiased. Appropriate information about their affiliations, funding and particular viewpoints should be made available to the audience, when relevant to the context.”
While the contributions from the guest were appropriate for the item, in hindsight, with the interview moving into areas of political decision-making, the programme should have found a way to convey to listeners more information on the guest’s party political standpoint. We have reminded our teams of the importance of this in preparing and conducting interviews.
20/11/2024“
“We have reminded our teams of the importance of this in preparing and conducting interviews“.
Really ?
Well they are either refusing to listen or they are defying that instruction.
“The GMS Guest: Professor June Andrews, described as a dementia care expert and former nurse”
“The Omission: The podcast failed to disclose that Prof. Andrews previously stood as a candidate for the Scottish Labour Party in a 2025 West Lothian council by-election”.
Also note that Marie Macklin has also been on the panel of BBC’s Debate Night , where she has been noted as being a ‘Scottish Businesswoman’ , no doubt future appearances by her will also exclude her friendship with Offord and so then how she supported him during the recent Scottish elections. However now we know for sure where her political loyalties truly lie (in more ways than one) then we can disregard her biased and partisan critique upon the SNP as being nowt more than yet another political opposition attack.
Liz S
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