IN another lifetime, while living in Australia, I became aware that the then current Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, had a notorious disdain for political programmes broadcast on TV and that he would only appear when he could pre-select the questions to be posed. He would be ruthlessly caustic of any interviewer straying from his/her “script”.
Conceding the BBC the benefit of some doubt, politics shows in the UK now seem to follow a similarly restricted regime, with UK Government ministers refusing to appear on our most rigorous TV news programme, Channel 4 News, while our Prime Minister hides in a fridge and even refuses to be interviewed by a politically sympathetic Andrew Neil.
READ MORE: Tory MP Andrew Bowie makes stunning admission about Brexit's impact on young people
Across the daily Politics Live and Newsnight programmes, as well as on The Andrew Marr Show and Question Time, Conservative politicians are not only allowed the bulk of the political air time but are generally questioned first among politicians from other parties and invariably given the right to reply, sometimes exclusively, when a political opponent makes a salient point. The stated justification for this “democratic distortion” is that the governing Conservative party, in spite of obtaining only a minority share of the vote, gained most seats at Westminster (courtesy of the outdated first-past-the-post electoral system). This biased format changes, however, when Question Time “comes to Scotland” or when the BBC Scotland hosts Debate Night.
On Wednesday night the selection of questions by Stephen Jardine from a supposedly representative audience of Glasgow under-30-year olds (who across Scotland favour independence by almost two to one) resulted in the following time breakdown: Fiona Hyslop (SNP) 17%; Andrew Bowie (Conservative) 26%; Jackie Baillie (Labour) 19%; Ross Greer (Greens) 15%; Alex Cole-Hamilton (LibDem) 23%.
In other words, in Scotland – where polling over the last year indicates that the majority now favour independence and with a majority of MSPs supporting independence at Holyrood – only 32% was afforded the SNP together with the Greens, while the Unionist parties were afforded 68% of the time; this is the opposite proportion that in England is generally afforded the governing party there.
Perhaps it is not yet necessary to take a leaf out of Bob Hawke’s book but maybe it is time for the SNP, and possibly the Greens, to insist that the state broadcaster applies consistent standards across the UK, especially as it apparently still struggles to select representative audiences in Scotland?
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian
I AM in full agreement with the comments of Catriona de Veil regarding the book Democracy for Sale (Letters, March 5).
Another recent publication that greatly impressed me is The Assault on Truth by Peter Oborne. It is certainly well worth a read. The author was until 2019 a loyal member of the Conservative party, and had been employed by Boris Johnson during his time as the editor of The Spectator.
There is a review of this book in The Guardian, available online, and anyone interested in reading what Osborne has to say regarding his former boss should take a look at this before obtaining the book itself.
Norrie Paton
Campbeltown
IN reply to M Ross (Letters, March 6), I do have a problem with EVEL (English votes for English laws) as MPs for Scottish constituencies are now second-class MPs. However, I have even more of a problem with EVSL (English votes for Scottish laws), when for example every single SNP amendment to the Scotland Act 2016 was defeated by the votes of MPs representing English constituencies, some of whom had not even been present during the debate.
Alan Laing
Paisley
PAT Kane’s article in the Sunday National makes an interesting read (Tories miss the real ‘truth’ from FM’s appearance as SNP numbers rise, March 7).
READ MORE: Tories miss the real ‘truth’ from Nicola Sturgeon's appearance as SNP numbers rise
However, the article could suggest to readers the impression that Nicola’s “visceral fluency” may have been somehow manufactured in training sessions in a closed room by teams of psychologists! I think most pro-independence folk know, simply from having met Nicola, that her empathy with people, and her communication skills, are completely natural and are the essence of the true leader that she is.
Dennis White
Lanark
IF readers haven’t come across the song by Davy Steele called Scotland Yet, I would recommend that they do so. It is a beautiful and thoughtful song which has been recorded by a few people. It could even be a campaign anthem for the next few months.
Perhaps if we all bought a particular version we could get the the track to number one.
I would not advise listening to it after a couple of drams, as you’ll need a box of tissues and your whisky will taste of salt water.
Robert Harvie
Bishopbriggs
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