Sunday 1 May 2011

SNP GAINS BACKING OF THE PRESS

Today the SNP received the backing of more Scottish newspapers: the Scottish Sunday Express, the Sunday Herald, and the Scottish News of the World. This is in addition to the Sun who declared for the SNP a couple of weeks ago.

The Express and the Murdoch titles came with little surprise. As Tory supporting papers in England it was never likely that they would actively support Labour in Scotland, however, few could have expected them to actually come out in support of Alex Salmond’s team.

But the huge surprise is that The Herald, which has fairly consistently been a pro Labour paper has written the following editorial.

I thought it was worth a repeat here.

Scottish National Party deserves a second term

Published on 1 May 2011

FOUR years ago, when for the first time in Scotland’s history the Scottish National Party won by a whisker the right to govern, it was rightly regarded as a watershed moment.

Eight years of devolution had done two apparently contradictory things, remarked Alex Salmond, soon to be installed as First Minister. On the one hand there was a sense of general relief; the grass was still getting cut, the sky was still blue ... the land had not been visited by plague. On the other, a sense of impatience had grown. Not enough was being done fast enough. Such change as there was, the improvement in people’s lives that many anticipated had not materialised.

The SNP’s victory signalled that Scotland had changed irrevocably. The public put their faith in the hands of untried politicians in the hope they would not let them down.

In large measure their hope has not been misplaced. Forced to govern as a minority administration the SNP demonstrated pragmatism and maturity. To pass legislation, they had no option but to negotiate with other parties. In the main this has worked to the nation’s advantage. The books have balanced and real progress has been made.

Moreover, in certain areas Scotland has shown the rest of the UK that a little can go a long way. Thus the freezing of the council tax and determination not to introduce tuition fees. Similarly, the removal of charges for prescriptions demonstrates a commitment to a health service that is free at the point of entry for all.

The Government’s most controversial action was the decision to free convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. Regardless of whether you agree with that decision or not, the SNP have faced down their critics and emerged from the whirlwind with two strong moral arguments: first that this was a decision for the Scottish Government to take without outside interference; second, that the moral grounds for the release chime with Scottish values and indeed that those valued are enshrined in our laws. In contrast, other parties were left looking hypocritical, feigning public outrage at a decision they had previously signalled in private was in the national interest.

Inevitably, the SNP did not get everything right and did not win every argument. They did not, for example, convince the Parliament that its policy on minimum pricing of alcohol could be effective in combating Scotland’s drink problem. And it has yet to convince the Parliament, and the public at large, of the need for a referendum on independence. For the moment, they are more important to concentrate on re-energising the economy and creating jobs than on redrawing the constitution.

Despite all of the above the SNP apparently started the election campaign behind Labour in the opinion polls. With four days to go they appear now to be destined for victory. How has this transformation come about? The first thing to say, perhaps, is that polls are not infallible and that elections are not won until every vote is counted.

Having said that, it is obvious that Labour’s campaign has been uninspired and negative. Whoever decided that attacking the Conservative-LibDem Coalition should be the party’s top priority was wrong. If devolution’s brief history tells us anything it is that the Scots know the difference between Holyrood and Westminster and vote accordingly.

Indeed, there is something distasteful about political parties wheeling in the so-called big guns from Westminster for the Holyrood campaign, as if Scottish politicians need help from those who bestride a bigger stage.

The divisions between Holyrood and Westminster are underlined by the more recent Labour attacks on independence. It is one thing to argue against the principle of separation but quite another to suggest Scotland and the Scottish people are incapable of managing their own affairs. Those tactics rebounded badly on Labour at the last Holyrood election and it looks likely that history will be repeated on Thursday.

In an interview with this newspaper before campaigning got underway, Salmond said that he intended to fight the election on two fronts: the “business of vision” and the “quality of his team”. The ensuing weeks have vindicated this strategy. On top of this it has Salmond, who has grown in stature as First Minister. The SNP deserve another term in office, not because the alternative is so poor but because their vision and talent genuinely represent the best hope for our country’s future.






12 comments:

  1. The Herald is still a squalid little leftie rag ...

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  2. Well, I certainly wouldn't deny that, but it's not backing Iain Gray, that's for sure. :)

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  3. Who needs them? The SNP seemed to be doing well enough without the endorsement of tattling red-tops and failing broadsheets. And what of the Scotsman that enormous waste of paper that provides so many Englishmen with jobs? Circulation now about 40,000 I heard. I suspect that it it were not for the moral outrage of so called SNP trolls looking at their website for a daily dose of indignation they would have been absorbed by DC Thomson long ago. And if DCs employ their P&J model and not their Dundee Courier one what a success it might be.

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  4. Tattling red-tops

    or is it

    Tittling red-tops

    or is it

    Tattling red-tits

    or

    Tattling red-tats

    or even

    Tittling red-tats


    off for a lie down and a glass of Bollie

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  5. Think I might vote for Lord Snooty lol.

    Tris.

    I think Scotland on Sunday also came out and backed Salmond. The prospect of having Iain Gray in power has scared the great and the weird of the Scottish MSM into backing Salmond.

    But I have to give credit to the Farmers weekly, they were the first to come out and support Salmond and I think there endorsement was genuine.

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  6. Well, I take your point Munguin, but it is good that the newspapers, who always want to back a winner, can see the benefits of an SNP government...or rather that the SNP is likely to be the winner.

    Yes, if only the Edinburgh paper (printed in England) would be bought over by DCT and printed in Scotland, they might be able to turn it round.

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  7. Has the noble Lord been sitting a tad to close to the Noble Baron ffoulkes and become a little tipsy on the strength of his whisky breath...?

    Yes, your Snootyness... as you say. A lie down seems a good idea.

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  8. I heard that Allan, so I held my nose and looked at the site and couldn't see a thing that backed it up it, so I left it out of my story.

    Bravo to the Farmers' Weekly. They must have a fair circulation and farmers vote. Yes, early on, it was just about policy. The Sun came onside only when it looked like we were going to win.

    I can't wait to see Mad Ox write a piece in praise of the Salmond!

    Is anyone, except the BBC, still for Gray?

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  9. The noble Baron passes wind of a higher abv than my blue blood.

    My nephew Alphonse's great Uncle was at school with the noble Lard I believe. He enjoyed polishing the silver with Brasso, so I he said. After Ffouksi left to plunder the political pig trough we discovered most of the silverware had disappeared, Funny that.

    Time for cocktails.

    Today's one is called Independence Tomorrow or is tomorrow's one called Independence Today.

    Think I'll have them both.

    The air of Scotland is quite heady these days.

    Off for a lie down.

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  10. Indeed Your Grace: LOL. Have a nice little rest and get the deputy assistant butler to wake you with a little snifter just in time for dinner, or breakfast, or whatever.

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  11. Hello

    Is it that time already?


    Porkers and bacon with a nice dollop of HP, wot?

    I love the smell of Highland Park in the morning.

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  12. A true aristo Snooty!

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