Tuesday 27 April 2010

Good Luck Scotland




Today the SNP will lodge papers with the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The party will challenge the decision of BBC executives to exclude it from the debate and the BBC Trust's rejection of it's appeal. It will demand that Mr Salmond is included in Thursday's debate on the economy or that a fourth debate, involving the First Minister, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg be held prior to 6 May and broadcast UK-wide.

If the BBC and three main UK parties refuse, the SNP will demand Thursday's debate be scrapped.

The result may not be known until Wednesday or Thursday morning.

The SNP raised over £50,000 in a day and a half to help with the legal costs. A tremendous achievement for what many, south of the border, consider is a 'small' political party.

Support has come from far and wide; party members and non-members; even from those who don't vote SNP - but support the principle that the people of Scotland are not second-class citizens as the BBC would lead us to believe.

Professional Scottish journalists, such as Joan MacAlpine and Alex Massie, are fully behind the SNP's action and surprisingly so is Magnus Linklater in the Times. Magnus supports the union but he understand a devolved Scotland and its politics.

Has the BBC been impartial in its treatment of Scottish voters? Has it recognised the need to represent the whole of the UK rather than just one part of it? Does it, in short, understand Britain?

To all of which, the answer is almost certainly —- no.


The action shows that we will no longer be silenced by insults and put-downs from unionist politicians and organisations. At last we're prepared to put our money where our mouths are and challenge an organisation which receives its fair share of funding from us, but returns so little and often grudgingly.

The result of the court case will tell Scotland where she stands with regard to her position within Britain's public service broadcasting organisation.

The SNP is not funded by all the UK, it is funded by Scotland's people because it only represents them. It cannot attract the vast sums unionist parties do, but money doesn't buy everything. It doesn't buy principle (although it's handy to buy lawyers) and it certainly doesn't buy democracy.

Good luck Scotland.

16 comments:

Uncle Marvo said...

I have a brilliant idea!

Why not have your own parliament? There's a bloke down here who'll be looking for a job in a couple of weeks, he's brilliantly qualified. Never won an election, bit dim, talks bollocks, very good at pissing other people's money up the wall. I'll chip in for the train fare (he doesn't drive).

Key bored warrior. said...

Good post. I share your sentiments Rosie, I donated by text as I could not make the SNP site work for me, they need to invest in some user friendly web design, it is grim.

The amount of publicity this has generated and the amount of airtime is fantastic, which money could not buy. Pretty good for an irrelevant party.

Nick Cleggs sneer about Salmond being "a two bit politician," was cheap and nasty and shows how deluded and rattled the unionist cabal are.

Coming from someone who has the morality of a rabbit as Clegg allegedly has, it is even more hypocritical. You can disagree but throwing insults and sneers is cheap and damaging to your argument as the oleaginous patronising Murphy has discovered to his cost. When you operate at that level it is negative and ill advised, we bloggers have that freedom to vent our spleens.

Cameron has promised he will work with Salmond, if by some miracle Clegg is PM, will he do a Blair and London New Labour, and pretend Salmond and Scotland does not exist?

GO ALEX GO.

Dubbieside said...

Subrosa

No matter the outcome, which I hope will be positive, this is a win win for the SNP.

The fact that they received £50,000 in such a short space of time from ordinary people will have the main parties worried.

They have received a lot of TV coverage with more to come. As Ryanair would testify all publicity is good publicity.

P.S. John Swinney on TV with Andrew Neil at 2.15pm today with Clarke, Mandelson and a Lib Dem.

subrosa said...

Marvo, didn't I tell you this before? We do have those who we erm... don't really want although we've no actually written policy.

No, your bloke sounds as if he's be superb as one of the unionist parties - you know the type - refuses to call countries by name such as England and Scotland. That type would be happier calling them by region.

Another thing, you need a car here Marvo.

Marvo, can I ask you what you think about his wife attached to him like a bouncer?

subrosa said...

KBW yes I've said over and over their site is dreadful but of course they don't listen. I found the site ok though, it worked for me. Didn't know you could donate by text or I would have used that.

Aye it is, that's why I've cross-posted this on a couple of English sites, just to publicise it.

IMO Clegg would do everything to make us an irrelevance, just like Brown and Blair have done KBW. Our only hope is Cameron really.

subrosa said...

It is Dubbie and an excellent win win. It's done a lot more for them than £50,000 spent on leaflets which would just go in the bin.

I'll go and set the video now. That'll be on the politics show BBC 2.

Uncle Marvo said...

"can I ask you what you think about his wife attached to him like a bouncer?"

You can. You did.

There are two reasons of which I can think to explain why a chap's significant other is all over him like a rash.

The first is that there is a likelihood that he is about to elope with another.

The second is that if left alone he is likely to behave like a complete dick.

The former is highly unlikely.

The latter would therefore seem more likely, although the fact that he does so even with the wife in tow leads me to suspect that there must be another reason, the nature of which I find it impossible to fathom.

Therefore I can only conclude that the reason is the same as the reason why Noddy wears a hat with a bell on.

subrosa said...

Mmm Marvo, I think you're too kind. I think there's a more serious reason, maybe health problems or something.

It's not natural for any woman to be like that and it's really beginning to irritate me.

Clarinda said...

On legal precedent the SNP ought to be sucessful. If they win and appear on Thursday, the unionist triad will be seriously rattled. If the debate is cancelled, the whole UK may well be grateful to the SNP. If they lose their case the SNP substantiate their stand on the deceit that the BBC (and others) promote just and balanced representation.

I suspect that Mrs Brown is more of a Minder than a Bouncer owing to her remarkably concerned facial expressions and body language. Mind you, my facial expressions and body language whenever I see the fellow also leave a distinct impression on anyone else still present in the same room.

Uncle Marvo - Queen Victoria was awfully fond of her Mr Brown but I suspect Queen Elizabeth - not so much. Whether she has a little light work for a pheasant plucker at Barmoral - I couldn't possibly comment.

Anonymous said...

"...the people of Scotland are not second-class citizens as the BBC would lead us to believe."

Not just the Jockanese, Subs, trust me. Especially if you're a Conservative.

GoodnightVienna said...

SR, if you want to see the business debate with John Swinney, I've posted the videos on my blog.

subrosa said...

From what I've heard Clarinda, the unionist triad are seriously rattled. Labour and the tories turned up at the Court of Session today.

A minder? Hmm, I wonder.

I'm sure Queenie the second has enough reliable pluckers of pheasants without the necessity of employing one who can't drive.

subrosa said...

I'll take your word for that Rightwingget. Thanks.

subrosa said...

Auch thanks GV, that's kind of you. As it's raining here I've just this minute watched it on my recorder.

Many up here may not have known it was on so I may pinch it from you for my readers if you don't mind.

Mrs Rigby said...

I see UKIP is making a similar challenge, but realistically none stand a chance because in relation to votes cast, MPs etc, they're small fry, same as Plaid etc.

subrosa said...

Of course none stand a chance Mrs R but someone's got to make a stand and let the bullies know this type of behaviour will no longer be tolerated.

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