Purcell and the Scottish Press

Tomorrow the wait is over. The council tax payers of Glasgow, who have read strange, coded stories about Steven Purcell's health all week, might finally get to hear what all the fuss is about. I am not one for cybernat conspiracy, but if ever a story justified it... The press coverage of the Purcell affair - apart from in (note: Edinburgh based) The Scotsman - has been pathetic.  I will look at this in more detail tomorrow in my Sunday Times column - which explains why I believe this story - though clearly a personal tragedy - also has profound public implications. Our paper also have a great Focus news feature which shines a light on the murky Labour establishment of councillors, lawyers, quangocrats, property speculators, car dealers and nightclub owners who still exercise enormous – but often invisible – power in the West of Scotland.

There have been a lot of stories about the decline of the "indigenous" Scottish press, which is currently campaigning for the retention of its government handout in the form of state advertising. But whose public interest are Scottish papers serving? (I say Scottish but none of them are actually owned in Scotland). These papers are too close to the old (and new) Labour establishment which still has the power of patronage in this country.  And they wonder why fewer people are buying these papers?  One (former) editor once told me that he was not in the business of running down the council. I'm not saying he should be. But it is important to hold all politicians to account. That becomes difficult, of course, if you are drinking buddies with them.and if the politicians are in turn drinking buddies of even sleazier elements...

One result of this is that the SNP are scrutinised more carefully than the Labour establishment closer to home. The lunchgate and lettergate scandalettes were blown out of all proportion. Now we learn - too late - that Purcell was spoken to by police officers concerned that he may be exposing himself to compromise because of what are today being described as gangster links. So much for the great moderniser line trotted out about him for the last five years. An Armani suit and personable manner do not a moderniser make.  Come back Pat Lally...pleeeeeze...

What troubles me is how deep it might go and who else might be involved. Not so long ago I was introduced to a major Labour donor who is a well known businessman. There have been all sorts of rumours about his relationship with politicians for many years. He didn't know who I was, and being female, obviously didn't consider me to be any kind of threat. He proceeded to bad mouth Salmond to my male companion in the worst language imaginable. I couldn't really fathom the depth of his hatred. He didn't strike me as a man for whom political ideology was a passion. I suspect the reason for his deep resentment was that the nationalists he had met could not be bought. Conviction politicians tend to be like that. Long may it continue. It is a lesson for the SNP, however, that they should be alert to the way power has corrupted some individuals in the Labour establishment who, I have now doubt, started their political careers with the sincere belief that they could make the world a better place.

Comments

[Mogreb-El-Acksa]

The Nationalist boycott of the Herald will curtail the pro unionist bias of the Scottish press The carrot and stick approach of moving to the Scotsman will increase the effectivness of the boycott spread the word.

[Curley Bill]

I can't find your article in the online edition of the Times, Joan - unfortunately Ms Hjul has prominence.

[Wardog]

Great post Joan

[joanmcalpine]

Nothing sinister about it fitaloon. Edited the post last night after reading some Sundays and it got lost to make way for new material. Since you are so found of the line it is back in!

[Fitaloon]

Why the change in the post, from your original?
Have the Heavies been at the Times?
Our paper also have a great Focus news feature which shines a light on the murky Labour establishment of councillors, lawyers, quangocrats, property speculators, car dealers and nightclub owners who still exercise enormous – but often invisible – power in the West of Scotland.

[joanmcalpine]

Cybernat is pithy and rather cool. It should be reclaimed. Someone should design a t-shirt and button badge. Maybe I will move into merchandising...

[Davie Park]

Always disinclined to be daubed with the shit-stick of 'cybernat', I have,until now, been fairly reticent about my personal convictions anent the 'Scottish' press.
Alas, it becomes ever more difficult to claim with anything approaching a vertical visage that they are other than brass-neckedly partisan.
In a fine example of the Caledonian Cringe, I feared being seen as a whingeing, unsophisticated, paranoid, parochial, tin-foil hat wearing Little-Scotlander.
Now I feel utterly liberated by our press' craven show of establishmentarianism. I feel irreproachably indignant over their concerted and continuous vilification of a party which, after all, received more votes than any other party at the last Holyrood elections.
The mind-shackles are off! Sticks and stones may break my bones but 'CyberNat' will never hurt me.

[Newsnet Scotland]

First class blog.

I wait with interest to see if the 'relationship' aspect that is rife within the lesbian and gay community of Glasgow makes it into print.

Oh, please click on my link to read/hear an example of what passes for balanced impartial BBC Scotland journalism.