By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197
I’ve just been listening to the evening news, brought into our homes courtesy of STV Studios.
The news anchor introduced a story telling us that the Scottish Government — or “the SNP”, as much of the media seems to prefer calling it these days — is going to miss its 2021 announced target of building 120,000 new affordable homes before 2032 by around 35,000 units.
And, naturally, the Scottish Government was wheeled out to take the blame.
But then came the interviews.
Construction materials, we were told, rose dramatically between 2021 and 2023, largely because of the pandemic, global supply-chain disruption, soaring energy costs and exceptionally strong worldwide demand.
All reported and factual. But what wasn’t reported?
The House of Commons Library down in London notes that Brexit may have exacerbated all those shortages in the UK. Moreover, the ending of free movement by the UK Government reduced access to some EU construction workers, which had — and continues to have — a significant effect on the availability of labour in the construction industry.
Then there was that European-wide energy crisis.
With cement, steel, glass and countless other construction products being incredibly energy-intensive, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent energy prices soaring and added another enormous burden to the cost of building.
And who could forget Liz Truss? The world’s favourite 49 day Prime Minister.
Her 2022 mini-budget contributed to deep market turmoil which caused an explosion in inflation and interest rates. This in turn increased borrowing costs and pushed up the price of imported raw building materials.
So let me now ask a rather obvious question of Scottish Television News: Which of those events were the fault of the SNP?
The pandemic?
Brexit?
A global supply-chain crisis?
Russia invading Ukraine?
The international energy crisis?
Liz Truss crashing the UK economy?
None of them?
Then perhaps you should stop pretending that every failure to meet a Scottish Government target is automatically evidence of Scottish Government / SNP failure.
Sometimes the story is a little more complicated than “Blame the SNP.”
But that probably doesn’t make quite as good an introduction for the early evening news from Scotland.
Now over to Sean Batty for the weather forecast.
Discover more from Talking-up Scotland
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Talking-up Scotland 
The buck does indeed always apparently seem to stop with the Scottish government (SNP) as far the media and the opposition politicians are concerned.
Yet we see a very very different position being taken by the media when it comes to the various UK governments .
As then we are told that any “target failure” not being met by various UK governments is because of specific obstacles , impediments and hindrances.
So then no UK government is always directly blamed for the failure of poor or falling economic progress or indeed their failure to reach certain targets .
As apparently their failures are all because of the various mitigating/extenuating circumstances , all apparently outwith their control , so then having a knock on effect upon the English/UK economy within England and/or the whole UK State (via reserved matters).
We also often hear and read via the UK media that various global crises have had , and still are having , a detrimental/negative impact upon the UK State’ ‘s economy.
(i.e. The SAME global crises that we are supposed to believe ****DO NOT IN ANY SHAPE OF FORM NEGATIVELY IMPACT SCOTLAND‘S ECONOMY****).
****That is only credible as a belief if you really really hate the SNP (and also kinda really hate Scotland too****).
Media chancers strike again.
Liz S
LikeLiked by 1 person
People have to be responsible for watching STV News rubbish. Put it off. Less viewers. Less interest. Less money. Less STV. Less rubbish. More accurate reporting by comparison.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spot on. One quibble – it wasn’t Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which raised energy prices. Russia kept on supplying at the same price. It was the “West’s” sanctions and blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline which reduced supply and increased prices. The effort to destroy the Russian economy has boomeranged.
The war on Iran has done likewise. By closing the Strait of Hormuz Iran has cut off a further 30% of world oil supply. Britain and Europe now import American LNG at hugely inflated prices.
Westminster, of course, is fully committed to both of those wars. Oil companies’ profits soar and we pay the price.
LikeLike