Saturday 26 January 2013

YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON AUNTIE TO BEND THE NEWS TO SUIT ITS OWN AGENDA

Not for the first time, I am indebted to Cynical Highlander for  pointing me in the direction of information I'd have otherwise missed.

In the last post a letter form Nicola Sturgeon noted that she was off to Eire on a visit. While there she met with the Irish Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton. After their meeting Ms Creighton gave an interview to the BBC, in which she appeared to give the impression that there was a difference of opinion between the Irish and Scottish governments, on Scotland's future within the EU.

The Irish Minister was clearly so concerned by the spin that the BBC had put on the interview that she emailed the Deputy First Minister today, and Nicola has published her communication (with Ms Creighton's permission).

Of course in diplomatic language a minister cannot say: "your state broadcasters are a bunch of lying *******s", but she did say that she was concerned that the interview wasn't giving the impression that she intended it to give.

I wonder what coverage the Minister for European Affairs' letter will get in BBC coverage. Not a great deal I suspect. 

I'm sure that Ms Creighton wouldn't object to the letter getting the biggest coverage possible, so if you have a blog and you want to put the letter on it...

Dear Nicola,
I want to thank you for a brief but informative meeting yesterday.  I am concerned that an interview which I conducted with the BBC is being misconstrued and wanted to assure you that it certainly was not my intention to interfere in any way with your domestic debate.
It certainly was not my intention to intervene in the Scottish debate about the future of your country.  As I stated clearly to the BBC (though perhaps they did not show it) this is a question exclusively for the Scottish people and I fully respect that fact. 
I was asked about the future of negotiations with the EU in the event that Scotland votes for independence.  I thought that my reply was largely in line with that of the Scottish Government.  I certainly did not at any stage suggest that Scotland could, should or would be thrown out of the EU.  Scottish people are clearly citizens of Europe. 
I did answer the question about hypothetical negotiations with the EU.  I think it is clear that a newly independent state would have to (and would have the right to and indeed should) negotiate the terms of membership, as they would undoubtedly be somewhat different to the existing terms.  I did say that this would take some time, which I expect it would.  I also went on to say that a newly independent Scotland would be welcome as an EU partner (and I think that applies to all EU member states including Ireland).
My understanding is that the Scottish Government has already committed to a negotiation with the EU between 2014 and 2016, if you vote for independence in 2014.  If my interview suggested something other than that, this was not my intention.  I think my comments have been misconstrued.  I sincerely regret this.
As SNP Westminster Leader, Angus Robertson said ‘Negotiations on the terms of membership would take place in the period between the referendum and the planned date of independence’, and that ‘The EU would adopt a simplified procedure for the negotiations, not the traditional procedure followed for the accession of non-member countries’.”
I think that sums up the situation quite well.
I hope that this clarifies my position, and again I regret that my words seem to have been presented or taken out of context.
Warm regards,
Lucinda Creighton

23 comments:

  1. Why am I not surprised?

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  2. Because you are more than 4 years old? :)

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  3. So the British State Broadcaster puts an anti-SNP slant on the Irish Minister for European Affairs's interview.

    The surprise is that she's surprised.



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  4. Correct Doug. You'd think our 'friends' would at least be very carefulnot to fall for the UK MSM always looking for a negative sound bite!

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  5. as they would undoubtedly be somewhat different to the existing terms. I did say that this would take some time, which I expect it would. I also went on to say that a newly independent Scotland would be welcome as an EU partner (and I think that applies to all EU member states including Ireland).


    somewhat different to the existing terms.


    worse or better?????



    I did say that this would take some time, which I expect it would.

    how long maybe fifty years???



    I think that applies to all EU member states including Ireland).

    Think is not knowing is it???????????


    No the bbc was spot on is her rowing back on wha she had said
    the snp dont know what would happen they are just making
    pretendy assertions and trying to pass them of as fact.
    with help from their on line propaganda machine ...YOU LOT

    Confidentiality the snp spend millions of pounds fighting in every court of the land hiding all sorts of relevant information from the Scottish people.
    But now they rush ou a private letter no questions asked one hopes
    our guardians(not the snp) at Holyrood ensure the ministerial code
    has not been rode roughshod over once again by the snp.

    ch

    the snp will have left the eu its not about being thrown out

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  6. tris

    one bro passed/endured his atos and is ok should we cheer or be sick

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  7. "As SNP Westminster Leader, Angus Robertson said ‘Negotiations on the terms of membership would take place in the period between the referendum and the planned date of independence’, and that ‘The EU would adopt a simplified procedure for the negotiations, not the traditional procedure followed for the accession of non-member countries’."

    No referendum for the people ? We won't even be consulted.

    The BBC gave up being 'fair and impartial. years ago. Full of EU loving greenies who see the Labour Party as their natural homeland. Anyone else are "rats".

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  8. She's from Ireland, Doug. Maybe RTE don't habitually do that?

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  9. I'm guessing, FFS, that she is a busy woman who must have momentarily forgotten that it wasn't a reliable NEWS service that she was dealing with but a pile of bent self serving hacks.

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  10. "However, there will now be doubts over the ability of BBC Scotland reporters to provide informative, accurate and in depth coverage of the independence referendum in light of the comments from Ms Creighton. . ."

    Hopefully this is getting some coverage in other papers CH...?

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  11. Monty Sovereignty – betrayals and lies.

    This concern for sovereignty rings very hollow to me. Because whatever sovereignty this nation has ceded to Europe, and it has, it is little compared to that which we gave away without a murmur, without discussion to what is now the WTO (World Trade Organization). And no one, ever, talks about offering the people a referendum about that do they?

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  12. Niko: You can't guarantee exactly what will happen with the EU.

    You can say that the SNP wants to stay in and while they are the government will work towards Scotland being accepted.

    You can say that there is no mechanism fro throwing EU citizens out of the EU. I have an EU passport and an EU health card. I am an EU citizen.

    You can say that the EU is an expansionist organisation which started off with 6 members and has now 27.

    You can say that Scotland fills all the requirements for membership.

    and probably many other things...

    But after the 2016 election it may be that Labour will form the government of Scotland, and Labour might decide to come out of the EU.

    or England might veto Scotland being a part of the EU out of spite. Or so might one of the other 26 members.

    Ms Creighton can't guarantee that Malta will vote for this is 4 3-4 years time.

    Fundamentally though, my point is that the Irish Europe Minister said some stuff; the BBC took it and twisted it round to the point where it sounded like she had said the opposite. it is serious enough that the Irish Minister felt obliged to write to the DFM about it.

    Now, in this case it suits your agenda that they did this, but be honest, is that the kind of news service you expect for your £145 a year?

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  13. Niko:

    Good news about your bro. Still one to go. Fingers crossed.

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  14. You're leaving cynical territory cynical and entering the world of the strawman and whataboutery land....ca canny ;)

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  15. Good point about the WTO CH/Monty.

    To that you could add the UN, Nato, The United States of America

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  16. Disgraceful, disgraceful, disgraceful! The best advert for STV and their news I have heard in a long time. It may be less professional in tone and quality, but it gives you a local bulletin (we get one for Dundee and Perth) so you are not obliged to hear a blow-by-blow account of who’s been murdered in Glasgow and certainly not a unionist agenda that is so utterly partisan that an editorial decision to entirely change the complexion of an interview can be sanctioned and broadcast.

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  17. Aye... just what we've come to expect from the Beeb...well, that and Jimmy Savile stories.

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  18. http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/panelbase-snp-in-commanding-lead-for.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ScotGoesPop+(SCOT+goes+POP!)

    James reports a good Panelbase poll for the SNP, which suggests they would enjoy a similar result now to the one they had in 2011.

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  19. Your link doesn't appear to be working Tris

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  20. An untold story? Fresh allegations about state manipulation in BBC's reporting of miners' strike

    The BBC is in the dock because the pictures in its main television report presented the “battle” in the reverse order: the pickets were shown attacking the police when those on the ground at Orgreave said that in fact that it was the miners who were retaliating after they had been subjected first to a baton-wielding charge by mounted police

    It's here Boorach'
    Panelbase : SNP in commanding lead for the Scottish Parliament

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  21. Sorry Boorach: It worked for me, but I know you are using a different system from me. Once again CH comes to my aid.

    Fancy the BBC misrepresenting the working men...

    Tut tut. who'd have thunk it?

    Do you think that all this is starting to suggest the days of the BBC are nearly over?

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