SNP lost court case

Those who gloat over the SNP's lost court case today just don't get Scotland. This was not just about the Nationalists. It was about Scottish issues being properly represented in a programme that, as Salmond observed on Sunday, IS the election campaign. The comments about getting above yourself, trying to play in the major leagues etc just display a contempt for Scotland as a nation. The Liberal Democrats are entering the major leagues because of these debates.  Their vote has soared in Scotland since the programmes began, when it was fizzling out before.  The secondary Scottish debates, shown well away from peak times, have none of the hype or resources of the UK versions...they are intended to further put us in our place, remind us how second rate and incapable we are.

The attitude of the BBC, the court and Ofcom tells us everything we need to know about Scotland's ranking within the UK. "You are a minority so you will never, ever, have parity". So what is the point of the union? What exactly do we get out of it? Let's remember this next time we are told how influential Scotland is within the UK parliament. It is only influential when Labour are in power and their unscrupulous Scottish members line up to impose unpopular legislation on England, such as foundation hospitals and tuition fees.

So, perhaps we get some crumbs in return. Is that what we want? Handouts? My main criticism of the SNP campaign in this general election is that it is too low key and modest. I don't want "influence". I want self-determination. Real self-determination. Given the ruthlessness displayed by the British state over this broadcasting affair, I am with the former party deputy leader Jim Sillars. Let us not delude ourselves, asking for concessions. Only independence will give Scotland true parity with its larger neighbour. This campaign should have been used to build the case for that.  

Comments

[Alex Buchan]

Joan I am not a regular reader of your blog but feel that, like Jim Sillars who you refer to, you have a rare gift in being able to forcefully state what others seem unable to articulate. If you'll allow me, I feel your talents are somewhat underused. I would very much like to see you articulating this kind of vision in next year's Scottish Parliamentary elections

[indyleith]

Agreed Joan. Today for example BBC News24 and SKY News have basically been camped in Birmingham since breakfast time with the 3 London Parties, giving them each invaluable air time with wall to wall coverage.

As for the court case, i think it is a win/win situation as they have proved the SNP right with the ruling that it is unfair and undemocratic, hopefully that could help as Nicola Sturgeon says 'in the court of public opinion' that Scotland has been excluded and so counter any possible Lib Dem rise in votes. Hopefully people in Scotland remember the disastrous Lib\Lab Executive at Holyrood and why we got rid of them.

Finally Joan, i agree, the SNP's theme should've been about independence. If they wont make an issue of it when the UK debt is crippling us and all the tweedles singing the same song about cuts add to that Brown and Labour's dissaray particularly in Scotland, when will they?

[Colin Taylor]

Joan

Totally agree with you about the parity issue. I shall anyway be formally asking the BBC for that 90 minute timetable. I do not believe it exists.

Keep up the good work!

[Jo]

I'm not sure about the media running these campaigns "in future", I think they've run this one from day one. Check out the information Kenneth Roy provides on Newsnet Scotland about just how many people are involved in the post debate "polls". It is really very scarey.

This whole thing has been controlled by the media. Clegg has been catapulted into a position where he has been able to get there without giving any detail whatsoever. Is that or is it not astounding? It certainly is to me.

I want to see electoral reform as much as any truly democratic person but I don't want power handed to a complete novice, in this manner, who hasn't a clue. How can he have achieved so much in 180 minutes when, in the Commons, he achieved zilch? And don't say its the system. When Ashdown was there he was widely recognised as a very able person and knew his stuff as was Charlie Kennedy. OK Kennedy had personal issues that cost him his position but he was able for all of them when at his best. But Clegg? Sorry, something stinks here.

Make no mistake: the media have run this from start to finish and we should also remember another thing whether we are in favour of independence or not. The English media have used something else against Brown: his Scottish accent. This racist aspect to the crusade should not be overlooked. Alex Salmond has, in contrast, shown nothing but courtesy towards the English and has never indulged in anti-English bile. He has too much dignity whereas the English media are never happier than when publishing blatant lies about Scots taking them for a ride and not paying our way. They have added to that a very definite personal attack on Brown. It is one thing to say that political Parties have too much power but right now we have a media calling all the shots. I think that is the biggest issue in all of this and one that should make us all feel deeply uneasy.

[Joan McAlpine]

Colin if it is 90 minutes you are looking for I am sure BBC Scotland could pull out a timetable and prove the SNP had been given that. The issue here is true parity. 90 minutes on this leaders debate - being on the BBC it will be the most watched programme in the election - is simply not the same as 90 minutes with Jim Murphy late on Sunday night. This 90 minutes will be followed up by hours of analysis on radio and television, polls will be commissioned on the back of it which will in turn generate much more coverage. The newspapers will devote pages to it and it will shape the campaign in future. In addition to all that, the prestige of the slot "anoints" certain people as leaders. It says that the Lib Dem and Tory campaigns are of more merit, more worthy of attention than the SNP campaigns, despite the fact that, until the leaders debate began, both these parties were of little consequence in Scotland.

[Colin Taylor]

Right. Let's get organised here. Where are the missing 90 SNP minutes on the BBC?

OFCOM say that the "4 major parties" in Scotland should receive similar airtime during the campaign, for Scottish viewers.

This is basic maths.

The SNP have been denied 90 mins as a result of being banned from the BBC debate. Where are these extra 90 minutes? It would be great to keep the debate as simple as this.

We should approach the BBC and ask them to show us how much of these 90 minutes are being made up by SNP coverage. And airtime shared with other parties does not of course count.

Who's with me here? Keep the debate simple - Let's do this.

[Jo]

It is in no sense a victory but instead is a disgraceful decision and if you read the judgement you will see set out there the BBC's responsibilities and you will know these were clearly breached in their treatment of the SNP. Ultimately however you will see a Judge reach a decision which ignored those responsibilities. This is shocking.

[Mary White]

Excellent post!

This may well open a few minds which have been deluded about our true status in this "union".

[David McEwan Hill]

Exactly, Joan. Every political campaign the SNP wages should be a campaign centred on independence. That is the only campaign that gets SNP activists out.
Our " Elect a Local Champion" is very LibDem

[Cruachan]

It's a disgrace, but in a strange way a victory.
The SNP has clearly been seen to be standing up for the national (Scottish) interest and the stance of the UK establishment is a recruiting sergeant for the "undecided" voters both next week and the 2011 election.
One step back & two steps towards the end of the Union?