Latest news with #StanGrodynskiLongniddry
The National
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Contrast the quality of reporting on Gaza and Scotland from Sky News
Of course when international journalists are prevented by the IDF from reporting in Gaza and local journalists are also murdered, it is evident to all who do not support this fanatical right-wing Israeli government that the IDF are intent on cynically denying the world the truth of the blatant slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent women and children. READ MORE: Israel kills at least 25 people across Gaza, including in refugee camp This assessment in no way excuses the barbaric attack by Hamas on October 7 (which has been condemned by all reasonable commentators) but hopefully the Sky 'revelation' will encourage more balanced reporting across the UK mainstream media and also encourage the UK Government to finally end its support of the IDF and the carnage inflicted on Gaza and now the West Bank. In the meantime, back in Scotland it would be constructive if Sky TV and the rest of the UK mainstream media showed equivalent rigour and were encouraged to provide more balanced reporting across the UK. Although on a scale of international significance that would be correctly considered 'trivial' by comparison, recent Sky TV news reports have made incorrect statements regarding Scotland's ferries while seeming to stir up gang feuds in Scotland through exaggerated reporting which would have viewers elsewhere thinking there is all-out war between our two largest cities. This shallow, headline-seeking journalism is not helpful and the absence of any mention of England's 'county lines' gangs fuelling drugs rivalries sadly betrays a persistent lack of objectivity and balance when it comes to Sky TV's reporting of news events in Scotland. The Gaza investigation demonstrates that Sky TV journalists can do much better. Stan Grodynski Longniddry, East Lothian IN your report on the so-called UK Supreme Court (UKSC) judgment the other day you had the UKSC 'Coat of Arms' on your front page. This made me think about the real nature of this institution. It claims to be the UK supreme court, which is rather interesting, because there are no other UK courts for it to be 'supreme' over. Indeed, there is no UK legal system. READ MORE: Scottish Government delivers statement after Supreme Court sex ruling The UK functioned for more than 300 years without the need for a 'Supreme Court', so why was it set up in 2009, given a feudal-style 'coat of arms' and made to adopt out-of-date fancy wigs, which make it appear old and established? Could it be that all this flannel is to deceive people into accepting this institution as a long-established part of the legal system in Scotland? Scotland has a separate legal system from England and has had a separate legal system since before the Union, which is confirmed in the Treaty of Union, so what was the purpose of this new 'Supreme Court'? Well, it interprets statute law from Westminster, and common law, but not criminal law in Scotland, so it is not a supreme count in Scotland in a full legal sense. But before it existed statutory law was interpreted in Scots and English law, with appeals going to the House of Lords. This appears to have been quite satisfactory for 300 years, so why the sudden change? READ MORE: Green MSP 'breached law with attack on Supreme Court gender ruling' It seems to me that there is an underlying political reason for the creation of this court. In 2007 the SNP, against all the predictions, and against the electoral system which was specifically designed to prevent any party winning an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament, managed to become the largest party in the Scottish Parliament, and looked like it had the potential to win a majority of seats. That was a big shock for the Unionists, and they looked at what they might be able to do to restrain the nationalists in future. The so-called UKSC was one of their answers to this problem. This new court would give them better control of the interpretation of Westminster statues, and statutes from the 'devolved' Scottish Parliament, including the right of the Scottish Parliament to consider 'reserved' matters. I don't think the Scottish people should be fooled by this flannel: this is a political institution, not a legal one. Andy Anderson Ardrossan THE Supreme Court – an institution for which I do not usually have much time, regarding it as more of an Anglo-centric body – has spoken loud and clear. It has told us what most of us with more than air between our ears have known: what males and females are. I understand that a few people are not happy about their gender; they are what they are and will just have to live with it. There is absolutely no reason why the rest of us should be bothered with their foibles. Returning to the SNP, which in the past has given far too much attention to woke matters; woke, in my view, is not a great vote catcher. A lot more independence and a lot less woke would be welcome from our government. R Mill Irving Gifford, East Lothian
The National
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Independence will be achieved by winning the middle ground
It takes more effort to both present and comprehend complete context along with the relevant nuances of informed debate, and unfortunately it is all too easy to resort to the use of simplistic soundbites prevalent in the 'red tops'. To turn every discussion into a black-or-white choice, as promoted by a far-right political entity such as Reform UK, may help to grab headlines but betrays many of the collaborative and social values most Scots hold dear. READ MORE: SNP suspend campaigning after Pope Francis death Even once-respected journalism at the BBC now wallows in the repugnant mud of distorted information and partial framing through seeking to promote politically contrived and establishment-slanted 'stories' (as witnessed regularly on Question Time, Debate Night and Politics Live, as well as in so-called 'news' presented by Reporting Scotland). Of course frustration leads to less tolerance and more desire for urgent action but this does not necessarily increase the prospects of what would be considered successful outcomes. As we seek to progress 'self-determination' we are more likely to achieve success by understanding and respecting the range of views within the independence movement as well as the differing views of those opposed to independence. Independence will be won by winning the 'middle ground', not by dogmatically trying to convince everyone that in a complex world Scotland must immediately adopt every policy individually advocated. READ MORE: Report on currency in independent Scotland will give 'definitive answer' Personally I would like to see Scotland become a republic, but it is more important that Scotland first regains its independence so that future generations are enabled to make their preferred choices. Personally I abhor the atrocities committed in Gaza and the West Bank and believe that all UK weapons sales to Israel should be immediately ceased and military intelligence services suspended, but this should not necessarily end support for apprenticeship programmes in subsidiaries of companies associated with ancillary products that might be utilised by the IDF. READ MORE: 'Mansion tax' for £1 million Scottish homes tabled at Holyrood Personally I think that everyone, irrespective of 'defined gender', should have access to appropriate spaces in which they feel safe, but practically catering for minorities 'proportionately' seems like a reasonable compromise until the potentially massive investment required can be sensibly committed. To convince the 'undecideds', some of our own ideological desires may need to be sensibly tempered in order to establish the common ground on which we can work together to build a widely successful independent and egalitarian country. Stan Grodynski Longniddry, East Lothian SO Mr Swinney will be writing for the Daily Record? Last time I looked, that rag wasn't exactly independence-minded ... or has it suddenly changed? It's not a good look when a political leader whose commitment to the independence cause is already questioned. Together with his co-contributor Sarwar, he'll be working for what is essentially a Unionist publication? A cosy wee status quo arrangement. Very disappointing. With thanks to Leah Gunn Barrett (Letters, Apr 20) for highlighting this. Jim Butchart via email I ABSOLUTELY agree with Simon Forrest's article concerning politicians and their lack of any workaday experience (Positive energy and tartan Yodas..., Apr 19). I have held this notion for a good many years, since the early Labour Party Westminster MPs who came from a working-class background. Back in the day, we used to call them 'blue-collar' MPs, which signified their working-class background and experience before being elected. One of the longest-serving MPs was Dennis Skinner, a coal miner for 20 years, going on for another 40 years in Westminster serving his constituents in Bolsover in Yorkshire. In the 2019 election only 15% of those elected as MPs didn't go to university. Less than a hundred! READ MORE: Scottish Labour MSPs backed gender reforms – now they're silent So far as the Labour Party is concerned, its founder, James Keir Hardie, probably set the standard. He was a Scottish coal mining trade unionist and politician. He founded the Scottish Labour Party (SLP) in 1888. He too refused to wear the then traditional parliamentary garb of a frock coat and silk top hat. The SLP eventually became the Labour Party, with Hardie becoming its first leader in 1906. If, as seems most likely, future MPs, and MSPs in particular, are going to emanate from a university background, then why not use professional people to help advise the various ministerial departments? People from the NHS, the energy companies, various other engineering companies such as transport and its infrastructures. Not forgetting education, housing and other service providers. So, let's have a grown-up government after our 2026 election (that might possibly be another coalition government). Why not have committees that include those from the outside world of experience and professionalism? Alan Magnus-Bennett Fife I NOTED with interest that the English government wish us to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day by getting plootered. Even England's man Murray in Scotland seems keen on the idea. I suppose this is one way of doing it! R Mill Irving Gifford, East Lothian TRUMP'S America has shown us – in three painful months – what a country becomes when all you have left is the racism... Amanda Baker Edinburgh
