We’ve got a new BBC weather map! Whoop, and indeed, de doo. Scotland is growing before our very eyes. The new map is a vast improvement on the old one, which showed the distance between Aberdeen and Newcastle as being approximately the same as the much shorter distance between London and Southampton. On the downside you’ll no longer be able to save hours on your journey time in the northern end of the island of Britain by using the BBC weather map as a guide.
Contrary to the assertions of a particular journalist on an anti-independence newpaper, I have never used this blog to argue that the BBC weather map was part of an anti-Scottish conspiracy by the BBC head office in London. I have argued, and still maintain, that the old weather map angered many in Scotland because it came to symbolise, in a very explicit way, the London-centric view of the Corporation. The map was a symbol of a BBC which looked down from London on the rest of the UK, a BBC which thought that the further away from London you were the smaller and less important you became. For many people the BBC weather map is the only map of the UK that they regularly see, and it led people to believe that Scotland is a great deal smaller – and therefore less important – than it really is. You wouldn’t realise from the old BBC weather map that Scotland comprises one third of the UK’s landmass.
Contrary to the assertions of some cartographically challenged apologists for British nationalism on social media, there was no geographical or map projection reason for the map. Scotland was not depicted much smaller than it really is in relation to the south of England because the world is a globe. Just look at any atlas. The pages in books are notoriously flat. The distinctly two dimensional pages in books are indeed as lacking in a fully rounded view of Scotland as a paid up member of Scotland in Union. Most likely what really happened was that someone in the BBC graphic design department thought it looked cool, and no one in BBC management paused to consider whether people at the opposite end of the island to London might object to being marginalised and diminished. Or if they did, they didn’t care.
The map wasn’t a conspiracy, it was just a lack of care, but its geographical distortion was a convenient symbol to many of all the other things that are wrong with the BBC, a perfect picture of the Corporation’s innate southern metropolitan bias. That’s why it provoked such an emotional response in so many people. Trying to discuss this cultural phenomenon became a tin foil hat conspiracy theory in the view of a particular journalist. But then that same journalist has also claimed that I’m not really an independence supporter because I’m actually a black ops agent for British intelligence. At least that is when he’s not claiming that I am an agent of the Kremlin. Personally I suspect that he’s just a bit jealous of this blog’s popularity. In 100 years time people who are studying this period in Scottish history will be reading what is written here, whereas what he writes is forgotten by lunchtime.
Objecting to the map was dismissed by Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw as “the worst form of nationalist paranoia.” But then Mr Carlot has previous for objecting to the millions of pounds spent, in his imagination at least, on Gaelic roadsigns, because as anyone who reads the Daily Mail realises, Gaelic roadsigns are a leading cause of potholes. So he knows quite a lot about nationalist paranoia, at least nationalist paranoia of the British nationalist variety. But then that’s not nationalist paranoia because British nationalism isn’t nationalist at all. So it’s just your regular British paranoia then.
What’s decidedly not paranoia is the indisputable fact that Scotland is short-changed by the BBC. A report last year showed that just 55% of the licence fee revenue raised in Scotland is spent in Scotland on home produced programming, compared to 95% in Wales and 75% in Northern Ireland. The BBC is short changing Scotland by around £140 million annually. None of this is likely to change much with the introduction of the new part-time Scottish channel later this year. Instead of allowing Scotland an hour long news programme to replace a BBC news which tells us all about the NHS and education in England and devotes considerable time to the English football and cricket teams, and also to replace the discredited and parochial Reporting Scotland with its fixation on murrdurrs, wee cute kitten and yet more fitba, the BBC is fobbing us off with an underfunded ghetto channel which is being set up for failure.
What’s not paranoia is to point out that Scotland lacks a national public service broadcaster of its own. What’s not paranoia is the reality that throughout Europe it’s the norm for self-governing nations, territories, and regions to have their own broadcast media and that it’s the UK which is the odd one out so it should be for the UK to justify why Scotland doesn’t have the same rather than the onus being on Scotland to argue for it. What’s not paranoia is to acknowledge that during the independence referendum, Scotland’s views and opinions were drowned out by the ill informed noise of London based commentators metrosplaining Scotland to people outwith Scotland. It’s not paranoia to say that while the UK may not be the only country with a TV licence fee, it’s the only one to criminalise people for not paying it. It’s one thing to broadcast what many regard as pro-British propaganda, it’s quite another to fine and criminalise people for refusing to pay for it. None of these imbalances are changing just because the weather map will no longer be so imbalanced. The symbol may be gone but the injustices it represents are still the same.
The Wee Ginger Dug has got a new domain name, thanks to Indy Poster Boy, Colin Dunn @Zarkwan. http://www.indyposterboy.scot/ You can now access this blog simply by typing www.weegingerdug.scot into the address bar of your browser, the old address continues to function, the new one redirects to the blog. The advantage of the new address is that it’s a lot easier to remember if you want to include a link to the blog in leaflets, posters, or simply to tell a friend about it. Many thanks to Colin.
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Don’t pay them a penny for their prpaganda. Tell them why. Make a stand for Scotland.
I got rid of my TV license and I told then that it was because the vast majority of the BBC was about another country and nothing to do with me. It was all another countries news and sport. Nothing from where I live, and the weather map was absolutely useless as any symbols at the top could be referring to anywhere from Newcastle to Shetland.
That was just over 2 years ago and I have never looked back. Now I do not live to someone else’s schedule. I watch what I want pretty much when I want and my blood pressure is much better.
Many are not clear on what you can watch or not watch without a TV License. I got my 2 year inquiry note as to whether I need a TV license as couple of weeks ago. What you are not allowed to view or record is any live streaming television service, including from abroad, and BBC iPlayer on any platform. You can watch catch up TV from any other channel. You can watch BBC material that has been posted on YouTube and you can watch other streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon(but not the live TV apps or BBC iPlayer app).
I am enjoying a wealth of material old and new on YouTube. Had a wonderful New Year with the Corries, Rikki Fulton, Stanley Baxter among others. There are also marvellous natural history documentaries, history and politics. Go explore!
Get out of the habit of sitting down at a certain time to be indoctrinated. Get rid of your TV license.
I believe that some programmes even come under the Scottish spend, like Question Time which still baffles me.
Haven’t paid a TV licence fee since before 2007. No intention to either. I just answer the door to the TV licensing man, say very politely ‘not interested thanks’ & close the door. And TV Licensing conveniently put their address on the back of the envelope so I don’t even have to open them before launching into the bucket (revyclying one obviously, I’m not a beast!).
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female.
“It’s not paranoia to say that while the UK may not be the only country with a TV licence fee, it’s the only one to criminalise people for not paying it.”
Good point, WGD. Reserved or not, it would be great to see Holyrood pass a law saying no-one in Scotland is to be criminalized for non-payment of the bbc tax.
I wonder if the fact that in Scotland you can’t be imprisoned for debt, has a bearing on more and more people ditching the biased bbc. You can be fined if they can prove you watched their crap without a license, but not locked up like they do to people in England, for non payment of their Britnat tv tax.
Never looked back since we ditched bbc years ago, just send letters back saying they would have to pay me to watch their biased rubbish. So many other ways to watch good quality films and programmes, and you don’t need to look far to see what’s really going on in the world.
Here’s yer BRexit. Here’s yer Smith Commission. Here’s yer wee bitty teensy weensy tax raising powers. Here’s yer wee country oan a map…Oh, you’re bigger than I thought.
Gosh we should be grateful. Golly, they think it’s all over…hahaha, it nearly is!
mogabee
You nailed it…..BREXIT….The UK has a deep subconscious need to appear bigger at present.
Don’t be fooled, this is the same concept of manipulation just being put to a different message in this map. It is trying to counteract the fear that the UK is small and isolated. This map is the cartographical equivalence of an animal puffing itself up when it feels threatened.
If this is the case, it is also a message that at present,Westminster is more worried about shoring up Brexiteers in England than it is about the Independence movement in Scotland.
However, if you peel back that motivation and look at it from the Scottish perspective, this is either good for Scottish to re-set their vision of the country in the broader Scottish population…Or…more worryingly…Westminster is convinced they have already put in place the tools to stop a Scottish independence referendum.
Having stopped paying the license fee last year , after seeing that I was watching if I was lucky 1 programme in a few months on linear TV . I thought it was time to get rid of the license , and spend the money on something else , or even save it .
From the way I seen the BBC do new reporting it is a wonder my TV stayed intact , now I just see the aftermath of that they say on things like Twitter . Then you really get to see what is going on and not the drivel that the BBC put out not only on TV , but also on what they call radio Scotland.
But with those figures of 1 in 5 watching reporting Scotland and 1 in 20 listening to BBC Scotland , does that no tell them , that people are very much turning away from them , and their message whatever it is now , is falling on deaf ears.
Seeing and hearing so many saying they have ditched the TV license , is great news . We need our own channel here , not the one that they want us to watch , but one that is run up here without the strings of London on it . Might take away the mist from the eyes of some up here to what is really going on.
what if everyone who didn’t pay BBC licences put the money into a fund to finance a scottish broadcaster?
Now there is an idea worth exploring!
I live in a household that shares my negative view of BBC news and current affairs coverage of Scotland but enjoys its drama and nature programmes. So we pay the licence fee.
But mine is a ‘yes’ household and I am sure that those of us that currently want to keep the licence for BBC drama etc. (but not its news) would prioritise funding a fair, balanced alternative for Scotland in an instant!
Stewart,
We ditched the BBC Tax in the run up to the 2014 referendum. You really do not miss the much over hyped “quality” drama that the BBC shout about. Netflix costs £7.99 per month and gives access to a vastly wider range of drama content than even the wildest BBC fantasist producer could dream of. Likewise Amazon Prime. Seeing drama produced in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway (all subtitled) makes you realise how shitty and propagandist the BBC is.
Also on the BBC cock up rather than BBC conspiracy theme, there are terrible issues of competence across the British state, with disasterous management in place in all areas of public life. It’s not just the BBC that’s run by incompetent people, the universities, sporting institutions, judicial and particularly political life have collapsed into idiocy arrogance and ultimately corruption. Why?
Tories innit, moral rot since ’79.
Nor is it paranoid to point out that the vast majority of mainstream media outlets across all sectors in Scotland are pro UK and owned outwith Scotland. In terms of democratic representation a deficit of fairly epic proportions. Half of a nation unrepresented, in fact often misrepresented, by its own media.
Mind you, it’s not as though they’re unaware of this imbalance. No, they’re perfectly aware. They simply don’t care. They’ve had a high old time as the orthodoxy. They’ve rubbed shooders wi’ the wurst o thum t’boot. They’ve told fibs, misrepresented and massaged the egos of the great and the greedy. They’ve released any old horseshit without challenge, so long as it’s come from their bestest buds in their party political affiliation of choice. (see under Fleg gate and Frenchgate)
Oooooh the laughs they’ve had. Mainly whilst people suffered the fallout from their latest wheeze.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but after what they’ve done? I’m struggling to find sympathy as their titles die and their readerships, listeners and viewing figures fall off a cliff. As for their chain tuggers in political office? Fair to say that trust, respect, loyalty and empathy, (those things which they demand by the by), well I’m finding they’re in short supply these days.
My old geography lecturer, the late Alan Small, taught us to invert the world map. Only then did you appreciate that Scotland was at the centre of north Europe and the nordic world: The North and Baltic seas were a meer stepping stone to the Hanseatic ports for Scottish traders and the rest of Europe.
That thought occurred to me too as I was reading, along Jack’s, (below) comment blaming Mercator. On a globe it is easy to see how connected Scotland is to all the Nordic countries and how it was a stepping stone from Scandinavia to Iceland, the Faroes and Greenland.
Paper maps traditionally based on the Mediterranean area are bound to distort East/West distances in Northern Europe so perhaps we need to produce and distribute widely maps that show Scotland in its true position. That is not as an isolated far north outpost of Europe but a part of a close family of nations with trading and cultural links that go back centuries, even millenia.
It’s all Mercator’s fault.
At least rival gangs in Wick and Peterhead can’t chuck stones at each other across the Moray Firth now.
Wales is ginormous now.
My spleen was vented on your previous post, Paul.
It will come as a shock to the system tomorrow morning when primary school kids are eating their cornflakes in front of the telly.
They won’t recognise this big chunk of rock, Scotland that dominates the top half of the British Isles.
Better Together are going to look too silly, too small, too ridiculous if they try on the ‘too wee’ crap during Project Fear II.
Donalda must be fizzing. This came from W1A, not the Brit Nat Stockade on Pacific Quay.
Just love your comments Mr collatin, ‘ Britnat stockade’ indeed, we’ll have redcoats guarding the place next.
Time for Donalda to fizzle oot. She is cringeworthy, I’ll say that for her.
This comment reminds me of the late James Robertson Justice’s Baxter’s TV commercial in which he described Baxter’s of Fochabers as “neighbours of mine across the firth”, (he being domiciled in Spinningdale).
Scriptwriter must have used the BBC weather map…..
Smiles, Cairnallochy. The longest word in the dictionary? There’s a mile between the first letter and the last.
If the BBC was an organisation with any integrity,self awareness and genuinely concerned with all of Britain it would have used the old London centric map for a month and then reversed it for the next month showing Shetland and Orkney as much enlarged Islands and tiny England. Then showed both on a bi-monthly basis. No wonder too many Scots think we are too small to be independent. The BBC has shrunk us🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥
Jackson Carlaw what a joker. He pops up in our local paper on a regular basis spouting all manner of rubbish.
If one just takes Scotland and England only, into account. Maybe Scotland, is surprisingly big to some. Scotland is 30,000 sq miles and England is 50,000 sq miles. This mean of course, that Scotland is 3/8 of the Scotleng land mass. Or, Scotland’s 38% and England is 62%.
Scotland is not a small country in EU land mass terms. Out of the 27 EU countries, we sit mid table. Below, are the countries smaller than us.
Scotland 80,077
Czech Republic 78,866
Republic of Ireland 70,273
Lithuania 65,300
Latvia 64,589
Croatia 56,594
Slovakia 49,035
Estonia 45,339
Denmark 42,925
Netherlands 41,453
Belgium 30,528
Slovenia 20,273
Cyprus 9,251
Malta 316
By the way, the vertical list of country by area, is in square kilometers.
Marlon, I have it way back in the far reaches of my mind that our geography teacher taught us that if we include the islands, Orkney, Shetland, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Skye, etc., Scotland’s land mass is greater than England’s.
I may be wrong.
It just ‘feels’ bigger.
Jack, the land mass of Scotland I have stated includes all the islands. However, in terms of sea and ocean surface area, we are much bigger. England has little sea area compared to us. Because, it is hemmed in by Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and a country called Scotland. That’s why those slimy, lying, self serving, treacherous Labour scumbags, stole 6000 sq miles of our sea area. They drew a new line on a map in 1999 and enshrined it in English law. However, since this boundary was imposed on us and not negotiated, it has no basis in International Maritime Law. When we achieve indy, this will come back to haunt them. Actually there is a good side to this. That is, they did recognise there is/was the need for a boundary sea line between us, just a relatively short time ago.
Marion, you just beat me to it!
An independent Scotland’s Exclusive Economic Zone – regardless of what negotiations may take place around the details of its exact boundaries – is one, perhaps the greatest, of our indigenous assets (and one that is, as far as I can judge, rock solid certain in international law).
It is probably the single most important reason that the UK State will fight with all its power – by fair means or foul – to prevent independence.
The impact of having to import almost 100% of its oil for example, post Scottish independence when it loses North Sea and East Atlantic Margin oil production and reserves, must terrify those in (real) control of the UK State – not east given the UK’s current indebtedness and longstanding trade deficit. (And they try to scare us with GERS data!)
By the way, a country with a population of c. 5.5 million ranks 117th in a global list of 233 independent states. (Source: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/ ). So we should not accept the claim that Scotland is ‘small’ based on these empirical data!
That must have been it, Marlon. Or my attention was elsewhere at the time..we were spastic youths.
You taught didn’t you? You know what I mean then.
Thanks for that.
I consider the historic and current actions of the BBC as totally
anti democratic.
They sell themselves at home and abroad as an oasis of truth, integrity and democracy. We are the enemy within the UK just because the BBC says so. They get away with this because they collude with, and have the full support of, the political elites of all colours.
The people of Scotland have been totally subjected to their propaganda and strategic manipulation. No balanced and democratic discussion of the attitudes and views of 46% of the voting population who voted yes , has ever appeared on a BBC schedule. Again,this anti democratic behaviour is supported by our excuses for political elites.
I am ever hopeful that independence will bring the demise of this lot…..I know ….but There is always Hope
For starters, Alba woman, the Yes Campaign should refuse point blank to take part in any ‘Leaders’ debates’, or indeed any interviews on BBC or STV.
We are set up constantly to fail, to be shouted down, to have lies and threats hurled at us a struths, endorsed by the Glens, the Sarahs, the Gordons, The Professors Curtice, Bell, Tomkins, and Keating,and let’s not forget the Jackies of the hackerie, ever willing collaborators of the Establishment.
After all that’s what got them to the top of the pile, being good little Yes Men and Women.
Let them have their one sided debates with no input from the Pro Independence side.
Let them explain our non cooperation to the viewers or listeners.
If you include continental shelves, especially oil-bearing areas, Scotland is f’n huge compared with England.
No TV here so will have to have a look at a friend’s set. Pleased to know that the BBC has sorted that one out. Even so, I’m waiting for our own SBC before I bother once more with TV.
I’ve just had a dream.
There will come a time, when in the middle of being rude and aggressive towards our First Minister, Jackie Bird falters, She stares in space for a moment, lays down her papers. She has an epiphany, she sees the light.
“Yes! Freedom and Independence. You are right, Nicola! I love you”, as she staggers to embrace Nicola Sturgeon. The cameramen cheer.
The TV picture splutters and fractures. Eventually back to London, where a bewildered and panicked voice says “We seem to be having problems in Glasgow.”
But for the BBC, it is too late.
Scotland has seen the light. Thank you, Jackie Bird. We love you too.
…… Dear God, astytaylor !!! ….. what have you ingested ? …. that is not a dream, it’s a narcotic induced hallucination !!!!
I suspect that asty was watching ‘Network’ down in the basement into the wee sma’ hours scoffing too many cheese ‘n’ onion crisps washed down with a half gallon of Labatt.
Oscar winning Peter Finch as Howard Beale, the anchorman who lost the plot, and whose assassination by ‘terrorists’ the network filmed live on air, coined the protest chant of the mid ’70s:-
Open your windows and shout:
” “We’re as mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore.”
Asty did you nod off in your favourite recliner?
“Trusted and credible news sources” sez yer akchul PM without a hint of irony.
https://archive.is/perMR
Oh, and this: Theresa May today called for a new legal crackdown on the abuse of politicians and other public figures on social media, saying that online “bullying” has now become a growing “threat to democracy.”
https://archive.is/CujRw
Aaaaand this: “It is online where some of the most troubling behaviour now occurs … As well as being places for empowering self-expression, online platforms can become places of intimidation and abuse … This squanders the opportunity new technology affords us to drive up political engagement, and can have the perverse effect of putting off participation from those who are not prepared to tolerate the levels of abuse which exist.” (again without a hint of irony)
https://archive.is/hLzrh
There are abusive people out there in the interwebby and social meeja. No question. No argument. People who threaten acts of violence against individuals, demographics, communities, you name it. There are those who use language poorly to incite violence or violent response in others and once again, no dispute here.
If you were of a cynical persuasion however, you’d perhaps see the two subject matters above in a different light. Some folk may believe that what PM May is about has absolutely zero to do with civilizing debate and more to do with closing debate down. Closing down, not the psychopathic zoomers that Ms May’s own support aren’t exactly short of, but using their existence as an excuse to close down voices which prove dangerous to the political status quo. Closing down platforms where the public have a right of reply to the political class and their go to chums in the mainstream meeja.
Some would maybe be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that this is less to do with protecting the public interest and its sources of ‘trusted and credible’ information as supporting a mainstream media that has served the political class so well as their go to soap box and manipulation tool of choice.
If you were a cynical sod.
Are you sure that Violet Elizabeth Maybot didn’t say, “Trussed-up, incredible news sources”?
Speaking from down here in EFC (England’s First Colony), I recall that one of the more successful elements in the campaign for dignity for our national language back in the 60s and 70s was when ‘respectable’ people, e.g. authors, poets, ministers of religion, started being hauled before the courts for refusing to pay for our culture to be marginalised and swamped by English television. Perhaps something similar might work for youse now?
Always bear in mind that the BBC is the State Broadcaster, and will lie, twist, smear and misinform on behalf of the State’s interests whenever those interests are perceived to be under threat. A key action moving forward to your next referendum may well be to deligitimise the Corporation in the eyes of as many of your fellow citizens as possible. That doesn’t just mean the great work that the likes of Stu Campbell do in rebutting the lies, etc., but creating a means of getting those critiques out to as wide a section of the population as possible. Blogging and tweeting are still minority activities; something more far-reaching will be needed, otherwise PQ and its masters will steal your next referendum as well.
It is what it is Nigel. The big media cannon are all on the other side of the debate. There’s only the interwebby and word of mouth. Having said that, clearly though from May’s targeting of the internet it’s a thing she greatly fears and of course having this same resource last time out whittled their thirty point advantage down to ten at the close.
We can do it despite their advantage.
Couple this with the fact that the BBC are now planting State sponsored journalists in every UK newspaper…worrying times indeed.
Of course it’s not a conspiracy when everyone in the establishment thinks and acts the same way
I have no issue with the BBC weather map. The old style, which was replaced the other day, showed a distortion only because they decided to show the view from a southerly aspect on a curved globe. This type of projection if inverted would have shown Scotland bigger and England smaller. Who cares!! you only need it to indicate where the weather is. The old style did indeed show size accurately where the new one does not. This is a fact. Get a globe and look at it to see what this means.
I do however think the new map is better because we are used to looking at a Mercator projection. Mercator stretched land area the further you go north.
Maps are non political. I am political and a supporter of independence. Maps can never ever be political. You just need to understand the cartography used. Storm in a tea cup I think.
Maps ARE political and always hhave been!
Cancel the TV License here’s how. If you never watch the BBC or BBC iPlayer (or don’t want to) and only want to watch all other channels catch-up services, cancel your TV licence and save yourself £147 per year. You may get a refund as its paid in advance. You only need a TV licence if you watch or record TV as it’s being broadcast or use BBC iPlayer – if you only use other catch-up sites, you don’t need one. You can watch almost anything on other stations catch-up services: soaps, documentaries, dramas, cartoons and films. And if you you buy a chrome cast or link a PC to a TV you can watch You Tube. And because services such as The ITV Hub only take a few hours to update, you could watch the news not long after it’s been on STV. How can I cancel? If you’re absolutely sure you no longer need a licence on-line, you can formally let TV licensing know. Although there’s no legal obligation to do this, it says doing so will prevent an increasing number of letters coming your way. Cancel payment first. If you pay by direct debit you can cancel it by filling out TV Licensing’s contact form. Tell it you no longer watch TV and confirm your current address. You’ll also need to cancel your direct debit with your bank. If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, you’ll need to call 0300 555 0286. Then fill out the declaration on-line. Everyone who no longer requires a TV licence – including those who pay in cash at certain stores or Post Offices, who don’t need to do the above – can fill out a No Licence Needed declaration form. After this, keep your confirmation email from TV Licensing as proof. TV Licensing have a right to visit but not enter your house. Once you’ve cancelled, you might find you get a visit from TV Licensing to check whether you actually do need a TV licence – it says these inspections find one in five households do. If you do need a licence, you’ll need to pay the full licence fee, and you could risk prosecution plus a fine of up to £1,000 (£500 Jersey, £2,000 Guernsey). Is this legal? Yes, you don’t need a licence so long as you are not 1. watching live TV or 2. Watching or recording BBC or BBC iPlayer and are only watching on-demand or catch-up on other services.
I can scarcely believe what I’m reading. How did the High Heidyins let this “bigging up” of Scotland pass? Great news … just wish I could pick it up over here …
Oh, this’ll leave a mark and apologies for the lack of archiving. It’s near impossible on this source.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-coalition-deal-angela-merkel-cdu-spd-social-democrats-talks-a8198281.html
Not looking so peachy for Brexit negotiations at this point.
Johnnie Beattie interviewing some pro EU Blue Tory Farmers: He delivered the biggest insult that Nicola Sturgeon is ever going to receive in her whole life: well done you big rugby galoot.
As an aside, in a pro Brexit item during which Right wing Wealthy Farmers were deluding themselves and the listening public that Brexit would deliver the usual PWC nonsense consultant speak ‘challenges and opportunities’, and that automation and ‘innovation’ would replace all those pesky Furren berry pickers, and 50% tariffs on their products would encourage tillers of the soil to diversify into tourism,and the Tory WM Government would subsidise Farming pound for pound at CAP levels, Beattie asked what the assembled dissembled Brexiteers thought about Nicola Sturgeon and RUTH DAVIDSON who were both pro EU.
Johnnie Beattie, the Ultra Right’s favourite bumbling humbling honest to goodness big mascot, be aware,
Ruth Davidson is in the Brexit camp.
She is selling our farming community down the river for a seat in an English Constituency..
She should not be mentioned in the same breath as Nicola Sturgeon, one of Scotland foremost politicians ever.
Davidson is the enemy within. She is committed to destroying our social democracy, and would drag Scotland out of the EU against the direct instruction of the Scottish electorate.
She is not ‘pro EU’, that was last year’s principles. She has abandoned any notion of remaining in the EU.
That Mr Beattie pretends not to know this ….
I don’t believe you, you’re making it up.
well i stopped listening to or watching anything BBC scotland produce , Jack i am surprised the new weather maps dont have a wee sticker from bbc scotland attached , with ” BUT ” on it , their favourite phrase , exports are up ” BUT ” , employment is down ” BUT ” , you get the picture , every bloody day its their aim to drag us down .
even today Smith the product of Labour in scotland who apparently is chief something , she was reporting on the resignation of the chief constable , but just had to add he was supposed to resume his post until the Justice Minister ( SNP ) intervened , not quite sure how she managed the SNP bad link and the bending and twisting of events to suit their agenda . Labour & tory appear to want it both ways , dont say anything and he is damned , say something and he is also damned , you can almost see them searching for the SNP bad angle , we need to attack the SNP what on ? anything , make it up who is going to complain , oh i give up I really do bloody childish .
There’s no escaping the BBC’s misrepresentation of Scotland, Jack – unless of course we stop viewing or listening! But then who would keep watch?
I caught this programme on BBC Radio 4 this afternoon at 13:45: ‘Will Self’s Great British Bus Journey – A Night in East Kilbride’. This is part of a series which is described as follows: “Will Self continues his tour of urban Britain travelling only by coach and bus, assessing what it means to be British in 2018.”
Self interviews just two guys in East Kilbride.
Number 1 voted No in IndyRef1 and Leave in the EU Ref – this is the ‘proud Scot but’ character who thinks devolution has just given Scotland another, unnecessary layer of government bureaucracy.
To bring ‘balance’ (!), Number 2 voted Yes in IndyRef1 and Leave in the EU Ref – but when asked about why he voted Yes in 2014 very oddly chooses to talk about Scotland’s victory at the Battle of Bannockburn! (Sighs!)
One can only speculate how the BBC selected these two and for why.
Thinking about the BBC’s original mission to inform, educate and entertain, the research and editing for this episode failed miserably at least on the first two – and it didn’t entertain me! Given the likely profile of the audience for this, the BBC has served it badly if the aim was ever to inform and educate middle England about Scotland’s polity and our present relationship with Britishness.
Yet another example of the Home Counties Oxbridge Elite getting a nice little earner producing pointless shit wandering ‘Britain’ this time by ‘bus, being fucking insultingly patronising to the Hoi Polloi.
His full name is Will Self-Indulgent.He loves the sound of his own modulated tortured vowels.
62% of Scots vote Remain, and this Born Again Establishment mouthpiece can’t find one for balance.
They’re moving thousands of Civil Service jobs out of East Kilbride to England, and this manb talks of Bannockburn.
Money for Nothing. He joins Michael Portillo on his train journeys hoovering up our licence money for nothing.
Ian Hyslop is another.
The Oxbridge Rebel?
They are part of the Oxbridge/Home Counties BBC Clique, the cosy wee English/British propaganda wing of the London Set.
Beattie, Bird, Robertson, and Co., are the Scottish semi educated tenement dwelling cravers of social status who make good retainers Guardians of the English way of life in the Northern Colony.
Beattie actually tried to elevate Davidson to a political status that is laughable, if it weren’t so sinister.
I listened to this programme to get access to the roads reports as there was snow on the M80.
I thought the earlier interview of a foreign lady who was concerned about Brexit and her not having residency rights. She then tells of having a child born in Middlesborough.and was very confused ref British/UK/English.
The interviewer then says “Oh, you’ve got an English daughter then.
problem solved, maybe!!!!!
England is now an Idiocracy, Dave.
Eu citizens and foreign nationals who have married and English partner in England gave birth to English children who are now grown up adults, who have worked, paid taxes, and contributed to the English economy, have beeh refused leave to stay in England and are being deported, even before England has left the EU and the victims still have Freedom of Movement Rights.
They have gone mad.
This graphic made me laugh….
Does my bum look big in this?
Does it make the “far north” any closer?
Well, here’s a Q.E.D. moment. Breakdown by ‘region’ of UK gov’s impact assessment.
twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/961280595233001473
(just add http//: before the above address)
All those…’people’… in the media who had a damn good snark at Scotgov’s version? You lot can form an orderly queue to proffer an apology to Scotland’s First Minister. The lady is due one at this point. That is, when you’re all finished screwing about in people’s lives.
In your own time then.
Thanks, Sam.
Yet these idiots are still going ahead and Davidson and Mundell urge us all to get behind the Brit Nat Government to get ‘the best deal for the country’, that country being England.
I refuse to let them do this to Scotland.
I’m sure there are several millions more who will resist this madness now.
No Jack. No we really, REALLY, shouldn’t allow them to drag us into this idiocy. The hardship and harm this will inflict will be appalling.
eh i know it’s maybe a little childish or tin hat thinking , but are we actually sure this changed map is being shown nationwide , or is it just for gullible Scots consumption ? , just a thought as we have different headlines in the same tabloid papers tailored for different parts of the country , and does Scotland even feature on their map.I mean why refer to another countries weather , its like watching another countries News , oops we do , and the cricket scores are aahhhhhhh .
Wakey Wakey dumb Scots yer being shafted and you dont even notice it .
On the old map, I really believe that someone in BBC HQ wanted a map that allowed the South of England folk to see the weather across the South more clearly, and when they saw how hard it would be to do the same with Scotland, someone said,
“It’s only Scotland, and besides, it’s always cold and raining there. Who cares?”
I don’t think it was malicious, but rather a built-in mentality. (IMHO)