Newsnight held an item on Scottish independence last night in which the BBC threw away any pretence at objectivity. Allegedly investigating the practicalities of independence, it ran a series of interviews with diehard unionist figures, mostly openly New Labour. The only “expert” interviewed on the economy stated that nobody could support an independent Scotland on the grounds they would be economically better off. Another “expert” opined that an independent Scotland may be kicked out of the EU, while a former New Labour Lord Provost of Glasgow said it was laughable that a country the size of Scotland could have its own army, navy and coastguard [presumably Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Portugal don’t, then].
The point is that these were not presented as pro-union views, but as “expert analysis” of the practicalities. Jeremy Paxman then tried but failed to intimidate Nicola Sturgeon, and went through a pantomime of body language and facial expression at the idea that Scotland may leave NATO and eventually get rid of the pound sterling.
The good news is that propaganda as bad and blatant as this has little effect – and indeed is counterproductive for those promoting it – in a situation where people do have access to alternative sources of information. Scotland is not Uzbekistan. A great many Scots will have watched Newsnight last night, and realised that the BBC think we are stupid.
As someone else said, the BBC has been politically biased against the SNP and Alex Salmond for ages.
There are numerous instances of Kirsty Wark (big mate of Labour Scotland) having difficulty holding to the BBCs claims of balance.
What a truly disgusting outfit it is. People should really withold their licence fees on masse until these propagandists are starved of their cushy funding.
https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=604&q=kirsty+wark+snp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
I suppose the point about the German lairdie is not the defence of some foregoing tyranny, but an outrage at the imposition of a foreign tyranny over the one that had a long standing, sullen acceptance of familiarity-not necessarily a recommendation worth much.
I can’t quite escape the sense that any form of feudalism is unacceptable and besides, has lacked much utility for going on two centuries.
However the adoption of a German lairdie may have had other meanings. Were we doing a deal perhaps, over benefits they had developed in their own ‘wee back yairdie’ that we Scots had not managed to get our heads around-and it was a way for us to buy such benefits (status and alllegiance for money and techniques and ‘civilisation’). Certainly Germany at the time was probably the centre of civilisation, at a time when Scotland really was scraping desperately in the kailyairdie. Don’t forget either that many Scots had gone off seeking fortune in Europe-as far as Russia, and there were definite Scottish interests and influences in places like ‘Poland and Germany’.(which actually did not exist at the time. ie it was a bunch of principalities and dukedoms.
So a German connection may have seemed attractive, not to mention the very important access to the north european Baltic trade, which were ceertainly still important. I don’t know ( I am actually guessing somewhat), but usually when one starts to dig, there is usually some kind of causality or rationale other than a mere act of oppression.
The Germans are nothing if not robust, well-disciplined, creative and organised.
oh the narcissism of minor differences – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism_of_small_differences
Paul and JimmyGiro..interesting posts and thanks for the history lesson…I am now determined to swot more on the lineage of Causantin et al…As to a Republic, sounds fine to me…am thinking along a campaign for Sean Connery For President…well if Ron Regan can do it, why not….I would also suggest Craig as Scottish Ambassador to the United Nations…might liven the buggers up at bit !!!
Surely Frazer, you’d want Alex de Salmond as your new king. He’s less dead than sir Sean, and he’d look better in his mother’s gown and tiara.
JimmyGiro…now that’s a thought..though the minds eye picture leaves a lot to be desired!!
Chris Kay..i stand corrected..mind you it depends how much territory we can claim 😉
Top man Craig.
Your good self and the Newsnet Scotland website are the bee’s knees.
I don’t watch or listen to the British state propaganda service much, but I do hope they continue to produce such obviously biased material as this. It makes the job of supporters of Scottish and English independence so much easier.
They’re so full of their usual British imperial arrogance, that the natives are always too stupid and too poor to govern themselves, they can’t see their colonialist attitude undermines their own case.
Take care Craig and keep up the great work.
Hi Frazer:
Digression
Pictish is one of those wonderful blank canvases because so little is known about it.
The wikipedia article is rather good on that IMHO.
I suppose people get worked up because it maybe non-indo-european or related to the Celtic languages. I strongly recommend reading anything by Larry Trask, a renowned expert on Basque who took no prisoners (i.e. Chomsky) but was very active in looking at claims for links with that classic language isolate.
Unless we somehow get a lot more data (very unlikely I’m afraid) we may never know.
End of digression
As for a President surely you need someone who actually lives in Scotland, not just says how wonderful it is whilst actually living in say the US or south of France 😉
I have just watched this on iPlayer. It was straightforward propaganda and an utter discredit to those who were involved in making it.
DeepGreen
“at a time when Scotland really was scraping desperately in the kailyairdie.”
This was post-union, remember, when according to the approved narrative Scotland was transformed from bankruptcy to a land of plenty. The ‘bankruptcy’ of Scotland before the union is equally a standard fantasy: it was the aristocracy who were impoverished, and therefore enthusiastic about the equivalent of plain bronw envelopes stuffed with cash in exchange for supporting political union – they were Robert Burns’ ‘Parcel o Rogues’.
On the eminence of Germany, remember that Scotland’s close ties were with France, such that many Scots words today are actually French. Migration was bi-directional – my surname is French, tracing back to Breton farmers who moved to Ayrshire. Unfortunately England spent most of her time at war with France and our other major trading partners like Holland, hence we came to be seen as enemies by proxy. English paranoia made their fear a reality as the Scots increasingly sought military support from France to defend its borders (it was seldom forthcoming).
A king for Scotland!!!
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/potw/Name,68020,en.html
No, not Seve but Colin
Craig I know you don’t like St Andrews but he looks good in the gear 🙂
What is up with this nasty sectarianism in Glasgow? Neil Lennon’s life has been made a misery by those fuckwits.
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